them by the armour of the Spirit not meeting wickednesse with wickednesse and falshood with falshood For if we fight against Satan with Satans armor he shall soone ouercome vs but if wee put vpon vs the compleat armor of God to resist him hee shall flee from vs. See ver 69. VER 79. Let such as feare thee turne vnto mee and they that know thy testimonies AS he was troubled by the wicked so hee praieth that he may find help comfort in the godly God hath ioyned his children into one happy fellowship for his Church is a communion of Saints yet so that hee hath distributed his graces to euery one of them in so wise a manner that there is not one of them who stands not in need of the help comfort of one another where one doubts another hath light to resolue where one is grieued another hath the word of consolation to vphold him where one is weake vnder any temptation the Lord hath appointed the stroÌ„ger to bear his infirmities and this is the benefit which here Dauid craues Basile so expounds these words as if Dauid for his sin had been separate from the congregation of Gods people as Miriam was for her leprosie and therfore now praies againe that he may be receiued into the communion of Gods people Which more clearly is expressed by the translation of Symmachus Conuersentur mecum timenteste Let such as feare thee haue conuersation with me and let me not be abhorred of them How-euer it be wee may see that the harts of men are in the hands of the Lord and that ma ny times godly men are made strange to other godly men Wherein the Lord hath no other respect but that our harts should not depend vpon the testimonie of man God is so iealous ouer his children wil haue their harts so wholly bound vnto himselfe that he cannot be content we shold put our comfort or seeke our approbation in any creature And in this sort did hee so humble Dauid that as hee protests Psalm 69. hee found not one to comfort him and all for this end that he might learne to comfort himselfe in the Lord his God In this description of the children of God we see how feare knowledge are required to make vp a godly man knowledge of GOD without feare breeds presumption and feare of GOD without knowledge breeds superstition as we see how the Gentiles fearing a diuinitie which they knew not haue fallen into most beastly Idolatry CAPH VER 81. My soule fainteth for thy saluation yet I wait for thy word DAuid beeing sore troubled by wicked men finding that God delaied to comfort and deliuer him was sore deiected cast downe in his owne mind so that his soule fainted his eyes failed and his body became like a bottle in the smoake All hatred and inimitie of man is easily comported where God shewes his fauorable face but when the godly are sore troubled by men and find not their soules comforted of God their strength failes them Euen as the body wanting naturall helps to refresh it becomes faint and falls in a swoune so the soule destitute of heauenly comfort languisheth For the godly liue by mercy and can no more endure to want the sense of mercy then the body can consist without those naturall means which increase and conserue the life thereof Yet doth hee neuer so faint but that some life remaines in him for he subioynes immediatlie I wait for thy word Waiting for comfort is an action of faith an effect of life As in the midst of Winter there is a substance in the Oake and Elme euen when it seemes to bee dead so is it with the Christian in his greatest extremities some spark of life remaines in him For the life oâ—… Christ Iesus whereby hee liues is of that nature that it cannot die it may be weakened but can not be extinguished For thy word In the first part of the verse hee protested that he waited for Gods saluation and now he saith he waited for Gods word Teaching vs first not to seek any thing froÌ„ God which his word warrants vs not to craue And next how we should giue such credit to the word of God as to belieue it euen then when in our sense there is no likelihood of the performance of it VER 82. Mine eyes faile for thy promise vvhen wilt thou comfort me IT is a customable manner of Gods working with his children to delay the aunswere of their prayers suspend the performance of his promises not because he is vnwilling to giue but because he will haue them better prepared to receiue Tardiùs dando quod petimus instantiaÌ„ nobis orationis indicit he is slow to giue that which we seek that we should not seeke slowly but may be wakened to instancie and feruencie in prayer which he knows to be the seruice most acceptable vnto him and most profitable vnto our selues And for this cause continuance in prayer is commended vnto vs by the Apostle VER 83. For I am like a bottle in the smoake yet doe I not forget thy statutes HEe still insists in his former complaint declaring how the greatnes of his inward anguish had extenuated worne the natural strength of his body so that hee was becom like a bottle dryed in the smoak his skin contracted withered wrinkled with the greatnes of his griefe The like he hath Psa. 32. that the moisture of his body was turned into the drouth of Sommer The troubles of the mind affect the body distemper it and the best way in such cases to mitigate bodily diseases is to pacifie the mind But again when we see the great anguish of Dauids mind and how his beautifull body was now become but a withered skin let vs consider how how hardly the Lord deales with his children whom he loues most dearly He iudgeth vs in this world that wee should not be condemned in the world to come By the fire of affliction he burns vp the superfluities of our nature which in prosperity increase vpon vs to the great hinderance of the work of our saluation And againe that he may make vs capable of heauenly coÌ„fort he takes carnal comforts away from vs for so long as we are delighted with the one we can neuer feele the consolation of the other This should learn vs not to be discouraged when in the same maner God deales hardly with vs. His rods may be sharp but his way is mercy He may doe to his children as Ioseph did to his brethren speak roughly to them and make himselfe strange toward them but his louing affection cannot euer be hid from them VER 84. How many are the daies of thy seruaunt when wilt thou execute iudgement on them that persecute me THis verse containes a supplication wherin Dauid craues that God would iudge between
the power of Grace preuailing but this comfort wee haue that at length Grace shall preuaile the power of corrupt Nature shal be captiued vnder the obedience of Christ. Quicken me Dauid being sore oppressed as I said and dead in himselfe doth now beseech the Lord to quicken him raise him vp againe for he knew that not onely the beginnings but the continuance of our life must come from the Lord. Thus we see how the children of God are wakened by their wants stirred vp by their falls and decaies to a greater feruencie in prayer And truely these changes of our life which this manner of waie wakens vs and prouokes vs to prayer we are to account them as the mercifull hand of God stretched out toward vs to drawe vs home to himselfe â—…et no man thinke euill of that trouble that chaseth him to the Lord. Yea I may say his falls which make him more humble and feruent in prayer are of Gods dispensation who when he will in most maruailous manner can bring light out of darknes But seeing hee was aliue how prayes hee that God would quicken him I answere The godly esteeme of life not according to that they haue in the body but in their soule If the soule want the sense of mercie and a heauenly disposition to spirituall thinges they lament ouer it as a dead soule for sure it is temporall desertions are more heauie to the godlie then temporall death According thy word This is a great faith that vvhere in respect of his present feeling he found himself dâ—…ad yet he hopes for life froÌ„ God according to his promise Such was the faith of Abraham who vnder hope belieued aboue hope And truly many times are Gods children brought to this estate that they haue nothing to vphold them but the word of God no sense of mercie no spirituall disposition but on the contrarie great darknes horrible feares and terrors Onely they are sustained by looking to the promise of God and kept in some hope that he will restore them to life againe because it is his praise to finish the worke which he beginnes VER 26. I haue declared my waies and thou heardest me teach me thy statutes THis verse containes a prayer vvith a reason after this forme O Lord I haue oft before declared vnto thee the whole state and course of my life my wandrings my wants my doubts my griefes I hid nothing sroÌ„ thee thou according to my necessity didst alway hear me therfore now Lord I pray thee to teach me by thy light illuminate me that I may know thy stâ—…tutes receiue grace to walk in theÌ„ This is a good argument in dealing vvith the Lord I haue gotten many mercies and fauourable answers from thee therefore Lord I pray thee to giue memo sor whom he loues he loues to the end where he begins to shew mercy he ceaseth not til he crown his children with mercy And â—…o gratious is the Lord that he esteemes heâ—… is honoured as oft as we giue him the praise that we haue found comfort in him and therefore come to seeke more It is farre otherwise with men if they doe vnto vs any small good they thinke it vncourteous importunity to require them to do any more But as the Strand is easily emptied where the Ocean can neuer be exhauâ—…ted so mans liberality is soon dried vp but the goodnes of the Lord remains for euer who hath not the less because he hath giuen but stil delights â—…o giue more to such as are thankefull vnto him Next is to be marked how he saith I haue declared my wayes and thou heardst me these two go well together Mercy Truth Truth in the nearâ—… of man confessing Mercy in God hearing forgiuing happy is the soule wherin these two meete together Many there are who want this comfort they cannot say God hath heard me â—…nd all because they deale not plainely and truely with the Lord in declaring their waies vnto him For the wicked neyther will nor dare manifest heir wayes vnto the Lord. As the eye which is â—…urt dare not look to the light so the conscience of him that doth euill dare not look to the Lord â—…ea they doe what they can to hide their wayes â—…rom him and to conceale the iniquity of their bosome against such the Prophet denounces a wo â—…o to them that seeke in the deepe to hide their counsell from the Lord their workes are in secret and they who sees it Their turning of deuises and flying to refuges of vanity in the infidelity of their hearts will no more auaile them then the figge leaues did Adam to hide his nakednes For the Lord will bring euery worke to iudgement Better were it for vs to iudge our selues in time and with Dauid to examin our harts in our secret chamber to declare truely our wayes vnto the Lord that if they be good he would by his grace confirm vs in them if they be euill he would diuert vs from them then that otherwise we should sleep securely in our sins tarry till our aduersary accuse vs and the Lord enter into iudgement with vs nay rather let vs tell our sins our selues that the Lord who is gratious may forgiue and Sathan who is a most shameless and malitious accuser may be confounded Qui se accusauerit vocem parati accusatoris excludit qui solet acerâ—…are peccata vniuscuiusque exaggerare â—…agitia obstruit â—…s eius qui de seipso fuerit ante confessus This is the great vantage we haue by declaring our own sins to the Lord Qui sua delicta non taâ—…uit videtur in se doluisse quod fecit in diabolo prodidisse quod suasit that in so doing wee shewe our selues sorrowfull and penitent for the euill we haue done and therwithall also becom accusers of Sathan by whose subtile instigation we did the euill Last of all we learne here that then our life is well gouerned when we declare the course of it to the Lord lay open our harts nakedly before him This Dauid protests of himselfe Acta mea tibi Domine manifestani omnia and in another place that he set the Lord alway before him And this is it which is praised in Henoch that he walked with God Happy is the man whose wayes are so ordered that before his actions he consults with the Lord in his actions he remembers the Lord when he hath done presents them to the Lord if they be good seeking his approbation if they be euil seeking pardon forgiuene â—…of theÌ„ Teach me thy Statutes Now follows his prayer wherein he seekes light from God to direct him in his waies Non satis est vt confiteamur errorem verumetiam si corrigi volumus à Domino postulemus vt doceat nos iustificationes suas ne postea errare possimus It is
vndoubted truth to his promises Non est arrâ—…gans vsurpatio sed fidelis quia veruÌ„ Deum non posse fallere confitetur It is no arrogant vsurpation but a faithfull depending for hee acknowledgeth that the most true God cannot beguile him And againe Non vsurpatoriè speraui quae vt sperarem ipse fecisti I haue not hoped by vsurpation buâ—… it was thou Lord who caused me to hope Seruus sum expecto alimentum à Domino miles sum exigo ab imperatore stipendium vocatus sum postulo ab invitante promissum I am thy seruant and wait for nourishment from thee who art my Lord I am thy souldier and require wages from thee who art my Captaine I am called and seeke from thee who called me that which thou hast promised Let this serue for an answer to the aduersaries of the truth who say it is arrogance presumption for any man to affirme the certainty of his saluation Propter hoo daâ—…sunt digna quaedam indicia manifâ—…sta salutis vt indubitabile sit eum esse de numero electorum in quo ea signa permanserint For this cause some signes and manifest tokens of saluation are giuen to the end it may be out of doubt that hee in whom they remaine is of the number of the elect Non arrogantia est sed fides praedicare quod acceperis It is not arrogancy but faith to speake of that mercie which thou hast receiued To this purpose let vs remember that the promises made to vs are of Gods free mercie that the grace to beleeue which is the condition of the promse is also of himselfe For faith is the gift of God thirdly that the arguments by which he confirmes our faith in the certainty of our saluation are drawne from himselfe not from vs. As first from the nature of God He is faithfull who hath called vs to the fellowship of Christ and will also keepe vs blamelesse to the day of Christ. And againe He who hath begun that good worke in you will also perfite it against the day of Christ. Secondly from the nature of that life which Christ communicates to his members they liue in him or rather he liues in them Now in that I liue by the faith of Christ I liue yet not I any more but Christ liueth in me Now this is the nature of the life of Christ that it is no more subiect to dying as witnesseth the Apostle Thirdly from the nature of that seede whereof we are begotten for as the seed is so is the life which it giueth Now the seed â—…aith Saint Peter is immortall and beside that holy vnction by which the Lord corroborates and strengthens his children is called a permanent and abiding vnction All these proue a perseuerance of Gods fauour VER 50. It is my comfort in trouble for thy promise hath quickned me THis Verse containes a commendation of the word of God from the excellent effects and fruits thereof to wit that the comfort thereof vpholds Gods children in trouble when all other comforts faile them The lawfull comforts of nature such as meat and drinke recreation becom loath some to men in heauy diseases And as to the vnlawfull pleasures of sin they are so farre from helping our comfort that they encrease our terrour in the day of trouble only the word of the Lord sustains vs and assures vs that our light momentanean afflictions shal cause to vs at the length an infinite weight of glorie Facilè superantâ—… aduersa si sit spes quae consoletur quisquis enim meliora sperat leuioribus non frangitur In trouble He telleth not what kind of trouble he was in neither was it needfull for there is no sort of tentation can befal vs for which the word of God doth not furnish vnto vs sufficient consolation Prouiding alway we make conscience of it in prosperity otherwise it shall be a comfortlesse word to vs in our aduersity For thy promise hath quickned mee As the life of our soules at the first commeth by the Word so is it conserued by the same Word When tentations oppresse vs so that we faint and our life is gone it is the Word that reuiues vs Vt connexio ista animae corporis nostri spiritu vitali animatur alitur tenetur ita verbo Dei spiritali gratia anima nostra viuifiâ—…atur As the connexion of this bodie and soule is made and conserued by naturall breath so is our soule quickned by the Word and spirituall grace As therefore we loue our life let vs loue the word of the Lord. And if the promises of God render such ioy to the beleeuing what ioy may we looke for in the full performance of them VER 51. The proud haue had me excedingly in derision yet haue I not declined from thy law HEere is a protestatioÌ„ of Dauid his honest and constant affection toward the word of God That albeit he was sore tempted by the derisions of the proud yet he declined not from the Lawe of the Lord his God Let no man who is truely religious thinke that he can eschue the mockeries and derisions of the wicked this is a part of the crosse of Christ Iesus they railed vpon him they nodded with their head and fleered with their mouthes and mocked him but patiently did he suffer this contradiction of sinners Ismael was the first for any thing we reade who beganne this kinde of persecution but euer since Satan hath continued it in his cursed instruments like vnto him As he that was borne after the flesh persecuted him that was borne after the Spirit euen so is it now Let vs take vp the crosse of our Lord and follow him and be content to beare with him the rebuke of the wicked Concerning this stile of the wicked whereby they are called proude see ver 69. 78. VER 52. I remembred thy iudgements of olde O Lord and haue beene comforted MAny are the impediments of godliness for beside the corruption of our owne nature within vs we haue the corruption of other men fighting against vs. By their profane speeches they corrupt vs by their euill example they infect vs and if that way they cannot come to speede then they speake euill of vs they lye they raiâ—…e they mocke vs leauing nothing vndone that may disquiet vs in our selues and disgrace vs to others Against this impediment Dauid here shewes how he was sustained by remembring the iudgements of God which in former ages he had poured out vpon the like profane men If wee shall onely looke to the present time forgetting the by past iudgements of God not fore-thinking of the wrath to com vpon the wicked their present prosperity shall be witch us and we shall be in danger to be carried away with them after deceitfull vanity but let vs go with
So Dauid stiles the word of God because it iudgeth most righteously between right and wrong truth and falshood And secondly because according to the iudgement giuen therein God will doe Let vs take heede vnto it for the word containes a catalogue of such as shall not inherite the kingdom of God and another of such as shall dwell in Gods tabernacle let vs read and see in which of the two catalogues our selues are for according to that word will the iudgement goe VER 107. I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to thy word THe godly in al their troubles make their recourse to God in most homely manner pouring out their griefes in his bosome so that I may well say there are none in earth nay not the most deare vnto them to whō they can speake so familiarly as vnto the Lord their God Their wants their weakenes their griefe their sinnes whereof they think shame to speake to others they think not euill homelie to communicate to him But as Moses in all his troubles ranne euer to the dore of the tabernacle so they to the throne of grace and happy are they who close not this doore vpon themselues by their sinnes Againe we are still remembred that afflictions are no arguments of Gods hatred but rather of his loue A father that spares the rodde hates his child Nunquid non frequentius corripitur filius quam seruus Is not the son oftner chastised then the seruant It is the voice of our heauenly father Quos diligo castigo If yee be without correction ye are bastards and not sonnes Where the Physitian refuseth to giue medicine it is a token there is no hope of life where the Lord giues a man loose reanes liberty to goe where hee pleaseth not hedging in his waies with thornes as he promiseth to his Israel it is an argument of his great displeasure But seeing hee protested before it was good for him that God afflicted him how doth hee now complaine The answere is that there is a great difference between the sense of the godly in trouble and after it For no chastisement is sweet for the present but afterward it brings the quiet fruit of righteousnes to them who are thereby exercised Sore afflicted Two things should restraine vs from cōplayning of the greatnes of our trouble First if wee consider it is measured by the Lord who is faithfull and wil lay no more vpon vs then we are able to beare And next that our stripes are not according to our sinnes for if hee should beat vs with as many roddes as wee haue grieued him with sinnes he should adde yet tenne times more to all our greatest afflictions Quicken me Defatigatas vires me as restitue sicut pollicitus es Restore my decayed strength as thou hast promised Hee confesseth he was almost dead by the greatnes of his trouble But of this see ver 17. 77. 116. VER 108. O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offrings of my mouth teach me thy iudgmēts IT is a great grace that the Lord should accept any thing from vs if we consider these three things First who the Lord is Next what we are Thirdly what it is we haue to giue vnto him As for the Lord he is All sufficient stands in need of nothing wee can giue him Our goodnes extends not to the Lord. As for vs we are poore creatures liuing by his liberalitie yea begging from all the rest of his creatures from the sunne and moone from the ayre the water and the earth from fowles and fishes yea from the worms some giue vs light some meat some cloth and are such beggers as we meet to giue to a King And thirdly if wee well consider What is it that we giue Haue we any thing to giue but that which wee haue receiued from him and whereof wee may say with Dauid O Lord all things are of thee and of thine owne hand haue vvee giuen thee againe Let this humble vs and restraine vs from that vaine conceit of meriting at Gods hand Of my mouth Dauid at this time in his great necessitie hauing no other sacrifice to offer vnto the Lord offers him the calues of his lippes but no doubt when he might he offred more There is nothing so small but if it come from a good heart God will accept it the widowes myte a cup full of cold water yea the praise of our lippes although it haue no other externall oblation ioyned with it but where men may doe more and will not it is an argument their heart is not sincerelie affected toward him and their praises are not welcome to him And such as haue libertie to come to the holie assemblies and offer not there the praises of their mouth to God but sit as if they were dumbe as also they that offer naked words without the willing heart are here much more conuinced They were great beasts vnder the law that thought to please God by offring a beast vnto him keeping back themselues and they are greater beasts vnder the Gospel that will giue their hart to another and thinke to please God by giuing some other gifts vnto him Will the Lord be pleased vvith thousands of Rammes or with tenne thousand riuers of Oyle Shall I giue him my first borne for my transgression or the fruit of my wombe for the sinne of my soule Is it such sacrifices will please the Lord No if thou wilt not offer thy selfe vnto him hee will haue nothing that is thine VER 109. My soule is continually in my hand yet doe I not forget thy law THis verse hath a renouation of his former protestation with an amplification that he would keep it albeit he was daily in peril of his life and was also resolued readie to lay it downe For so this phrase imports when he saith he had his soule in his hand ready to giue when euer God should take it And this is to be obserued that there is no trouble so ready to take away the life of Gods children as they are readie to giue it As Elijah came out to the mouth of his caue to meet with the Lord and Abraham stood in the doore of his tabernacle to speake to the Angel so the soule of the godly stands readie in the doore of the tabernacle of this body to remooue when the Lord shall commaund it whereas the soule of the wicked lies back hiding itselfe as Adam among the bushes and is taken out of the body perforce as was the soul of that worldling This night they vvill take thy soule from thee but they neuer sacrifice their soules willingly to the Lord. VER 110. The wicked haue laid a snare for mee but I swarued not from thy precepts DAuid continueth his complaint to God against the malice of his enemies but
that they are carelesse of the grace of confirmation wherof it comes to passe that they end in the flesh who made a shew of beginning in the Spirit not considering these two distinct graces requisite to saluation Conuersion and Confirmation Let vs therefore still pray with Dauid that God would stablish and confirme vs. According to thy promise The prayers of the godly are poured out in faith they seek nothing but according to Gods promise Many do otherwise who pray neither looking to Gods promise nor leaning to the Mediator such prayers are vvords poured out into the ayre and carried away with the wind Yet others are more profane who pray not onely without a promise but against the commaund of God for either when they goe to doe wickedlie they pray GOD to prosper them or else in their perturbations they cry for vengeance on their neighbours where they should cry for mercy These praiers are the offring of strange fire to the Lord which is abhomination Yet are wee to remember that if wee vvould haue our prayers grounded well vpon Gods promises wee must also remember the condition whereupon hee hath made the promise Wee reade that when Israel was opprest by the Philistims and cryed vnto God at the first he gaue them a hard answere Goe to the Gods whom yee haue serued and let them deliuer you But beeing humbled by this answer they pray againe and with their prayer put away the salse Gods from among them and then it is subioyned that the soule of God was grieued for the miseries of Israel VVhereof wee learne that it is but a vaine thing to charge GOD with his promise where wee make no conscience of the condition he requires of vs. That I may liue But what life is this he craues Had hee not already the life of a King vvith worldly wealth and honour enough Hee had indeede but this is not the life which Dauid esteemes to bee life There is nothing naturall men loue better then life nor feare more then death yet knowe they not what is the life they should loue nor what is the death they should flee Sunt enim qui viuentes mortui sunt qui mortui viuūt for there are some liuing men who are but dead some dead who are liuing If this be life to grow well and wex strong frō infancie proceeding to old age wil not in this the trees of the field excell man who from little plants grow vp into most excellent Cedars Or if this be life to see to heare to smell c. will not in this the beasts of the earth excell thee for there is no sense wherein some beasts doe not far excell men some see better some heare better some smell better And generally all of them haue a greater appetite to their meat are more strong to digest it But if ye◅◅hou glory in this that thou art indued with reason then remember how many Philosophers and Ethnicks haue excelled thee in the vse of reason So that neither can thy comfort be in the vegetatiue life wherein trees excell thee nor in the sensitiue which beasts haue better thē thou nor in the reasonable life which many reprobates haue that shal neuer see the face of God If man haue no better life then these hee hath but a shadow of life and it may truelie be said of him that while he is liuing he is dead The life of a Christian stands in this To haue his soule quickned by the spirit of Grace For as the presence of the soul quickens the body the departure thereof brings instant death and the body without it is but a dead lumpe of clay so it is the presence of Gods Spirit which giueth life to the soule of man And this life is known by these two notable effects for first it brings a ioyfull sense of Gods mercy and next a spirituall disposition to spirituall exercises And without this pretend a man what he will hee is but the image of a Christian looking some-what like him but not quickned by his life And disappoint mee not of my hope That is in the time of need let mee feele the truth of thy promises to comfort mee as now I hope to find thy helpe in the time of trouble so I pray thee that I may find it It is the manner of the godlie to fore-thinke of that whi◅ is to come and to prouide for trouble ere trouble come VVherefore Salomon describing a wise man saith that his heart is alway at his right hand and that his eye is in his forehead A prudent man seeth the plague and hideth himselfe in time hee knoweth that trouble and heauie tentations are before him and that hee must fight fore battels before hee enter into his promised Canaan and therefore prayeth feruently before hand that God would not be farre from him when trouble comes neere him It is on the contrary the follie of the vvicked They goe on saith Salomon and are snared they neuer fore-thinke what is to come they rest vpon present false comforts which disappoint them in the time of their need Others that stand by may bid them be of good comfort but what cōfort can they haue when outward comforts where-to they trusted faile them and inward comforts they neuer knew VER 117. Stay thou mee and I shall bee safe and I will delight continually in thy statutes THis verse contains a prayer in substance and effect one with the former and the repetition of the prayer sheweth that he was touched with a deepe sense of his owne necessitie which made him feruent in prayer and it doth greatly reproue vs who are cold in prayer We may haue store of grace for seeking and alas wee are carelesse to seeke If thou knewest thou wouldest aske and if thou askedst I vvould giue It is true our Sauiour forbids vs to make repetitions in praying like the heathen who thinke to be heard for their much babbling For to offer vnto the Lord multitude of words without spirit or affection is to offer a dead sacrifice to a liuing GOD but certaine it is that words doubled from a feruent and intended affection are euer gracious and acceptable to the Lord. Stay mee Like a man ready to fall hee prayeth God to hold him vp Three things made Dauid afraid First great tentations without for from euery ayre the wind of tentation blowes vpon a Christian. Secondly great corruption within Thirdly examples of other worthie men that haue fallen before him and are written for vs not that wee should learne to fall but to feare least we fall These three should alway hold vs humble according to that warning Hee that stands take heed least he fall Sure it is we are most strong when distrusting our owne weakenesse we leane to the Lord praying him to stay vs otherwise as Peter in his carnall confidence was
are alway to take heede that if wee would haue the argument effectuall toward vs wee make it sure to our selues that we are of the number of them who loue him VER 133. Direct my footsteps in thy word and let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me AS before he sought mercy so now he seeks grace There are many that seeke mercy to forgiue sin who seeke not grace to deliuer them from the power of sin this is to abuse Gods mercy turne his grace into wantonness He that praieth for mercy to forgiue the guilt of sin onely seeks not that by sin hee should not offend God but that he may sin and not hurt himself but he who craues deliuerance also from the commanding power and deceit of sin seekes not onely a benefit to himselfe but grace also to please serue the Lord his God The first is but a louer of himselfe the second is a louer of God more then of himselfe And truly he neuer knew what it was to seek mercy for sin past who with it also earnestly sought not grace to keep him frō sinne in time to come These benefits cannot be diuided he who hath not the second howsoeuer he flatter himselfe may be assured hee hath not gotten the first My steppes These steps Ambrose restraines ad profectus animae to the progresse of his soule onely but we may very well thinke that Dauid here commends the whole course of his life to be gouerned by God both outward and inward conuersation The body is carried to good or euill by steps of the feet the soule by the motion of affections is caried either to the Lord or from him therfore he praies that God would direct them for according to our gouernour or directour so goes the course of our actions Thy word By the word of the Lord all creatures are ruled At his word fire comes downe contrarie to the course of nature the sun stands or goes back the moone and starres keep forward their course yea the raging sea abides within his prescribed bounds Strange is it that man makes it not the rule of his life but let this be an awe-band to him That by this word he must be iudged at the length And let none iniquitie haue dominion Dauaid takes vp very wisely the controuersie that is betweene Satan and vs hee seekes by sinne to haue dominion ouer vs. Wherein wee may consider what an vnreasonable Tyrant Satan is and what iust cause wee haue to wage battell with him The Lorde our God made vs hee redeemed vs hee conserues vs none but he can claime any title vnto-vs Is it not then most vnreasonable that Sathan should seeke superioritie ouer vs or that we should be so beastly as giue it vnto him Neyther is it onely against all equity but also most hurtfull vnto our selues for what wages can Satan giue to his slaues but the wages of sinne to make them partakers of his owne damnation Can he giue vnto others better then he hath to himselfe Besides this also he exacts seruice without rest or intermission Most cruell oppressors Turks and Pagans giue some rest to their captiues Satan giues none in eating in sleeping he abuseth them to serue him And which is worst of all where this Tyrant sends out sundry officers and seruants that is sinfull affections to exact seruice from thee they are all so insatiable that they may well consume thee spend all thy means and all thy daies but thou shalt neuer bee able to satisfie the least of them And therefore great neede haue we to seeke the helping hand of God against them praying with Dauid that iniquity may neuer haue dominion ouer vs. VER 134. Deliuer mee from the oppression of men and I will keepe thy precepts NOt one but manifold are the troubles of the righteous they haue not onely to wrestle against their owne corruption but against Satans malice the pride and enuy of all his wicked impes and instruments Against them the best armour we can vse is patience and prayer they are but like roddes in the hand of the Lord as our Sauior said to Pilat Thou couldst haue no power ouer me if it were not giuen thee from aboue The rodde is not able to moue but by the hand of him that holdes it let vs runne to the hand of God let vs pacifie him by prayer and wee shall not neede to feare what flesh can doe vnto vs. But aboue all things let vs beware we fight neuer against the wicked with their own weapons From the oppression The word is generall imports not only oppression by violence but by calumnies and any other iniury And they are well ioyned together for such as doe euill one way will not faile to doe it another They who loose their tongues to calumniate Gods seruants will not faile if they may to loose their handes also to oppresse them and such also who oppresse them will not spare to speake euill of them that they may iustifie themselues None of all the seruants of Saul would drawe the sword to slay the seruants of the Lord albeit their Master commanded them onely Doeg who before had calumniated Dauid and so by his tongue had begunne the persecution spared not to murther with the bloudie swords such seruants of God as for Gods sake had shewed fauour to Dauid Let vs not looke for better from them whose tongues are bent to speake euill of the seruants of God but that their handes also when they may haue the occasion will bee ready to shedde their bloud Of men The word he vseth is Adam this is the first name that God gaue to man after his fall signifying earth or redde earth and it sheweth how weake and silly a creature man hath made himselfe by his sinne The consideration of it confirmes Dauid against his enemies that they were but men of earth if we could remember we would neuer be troubled at their inimity Who art thou Iacob that thou shouldst feare a mortall man and all flesh is grasse And againe the consideration of this serues to humble the pride of man Sith they are but men of clay why waxe they proude to oppresse others It was a very worthie warning which a certaine Ambassadour gaue once to Alexander the great that flies and wormes at length would eate the flesh of Lions If proude men considered this That they are but earth and that shortly their beautifull bodies will become carcases to bee eaten by the wormes it would abate their naturall pride by which they trample downe others poorer and weaker then they vnder their feete And I will keepe The benefites or deliuerances of God obtained by prayer should not bee abused to licentiousnesse to nourish our selues in our sinnes and wonted security but the more wee receiue from him the more should vvee acknowledge our selues bound and obliged to him Otherwise if benefites
hee a prophet to teach his brethren for vnto vs all stands that commandement Edifie one another in the most holy faith But alas yee shall see many Christians now who at their Tables and in their Companies can speak liberally of any subiect onely for spirituall matters which concerne the soule there they are dumbe and cannot say with Dauid My tongue shall intreate of thy word For al thy commandements are righteous The reason why among men hee will intreate of the word of God Because they are all righteous and so most forcible to reform the vnrighteousnes of men Non possunt homines reduci ad vitae reformationem nisi per verbum tuum there can be nothing among men but confusion in manners corruption in religion where the word of God is not reuerenced as a rule to the which the actions of men should be squared VER 173. Let thine hand helpe mee for I haue chosen thy precepts DAuid hauing made promises of thankfulnes seeks now help from God that hee may performe them Our sufficiency is not of our selues but of his furniture to will and to doe are of him In temporall things men oftentimes take great paines with small profit first because they seeke not to make their conscience good next because they craue not the helpe of Gods hand therefore they speede no better then Peter who fished all night and got nothing till he cast in his net in the name of the Lord. But in spirituall things wee may farre lesse looke to prosper if wee call not for the Lord his helping hand the meanes will not profit vs vnlesse Gods blessing accompany them and his hand-worke with them Paul may plant Apollo may water but God must giue the increase The Law was giuen by Moses grace comes by Iesus Christ. This is the cause why in this age few grow in grace notwithstanding they haue the meanes of grace in most plentifull manner because the hand of God is not sought to worke with the meanes There is preaching but for the most part without profit there is prayer but it preuailes not there is hearing of the word but without edifying Balme enough in Gilead and there is the Physitian also euen the great Physitian of our soules among vs yet is not the health of people recouered And all because in spirituall exercises instant prayer is not made vnto God that his hand may be with vs to helpe vs. VER 174. I haue longed for thy saluation O Lord and thy law is my delight IN this verse is a twofolde protestation first of the great desire he had of Gods saluation next of his delight in the law of God But how is this he longed for saluation was hee not euen now partaker of it doth he not glorie Psal. 27. that God was his light and saluation Both are true that hee had it and yet he longed for it We must distinguish betweene the beginnings and the perfection of our saluation the beginning we haue now by belieuing Gods promises whereupon wee haue receiued the Earnest of his spirit the perfection wee shall haue when all his promises shall be fully accomplished vnto vs. Therefore S. Peter cals it a saluation prepared to be shewed in the last time Wee see then the disposition of Gods children toward this saluation to be such that howsoeuer they haue comfort in the beginnings thereof yet no contentment This is expressed in holy scripture by the words of seeking waiting sighing panting braying hungring thirsting longing by all which a vehement desire of promised saluation is noted to them This condemnes both worldlings who haue set the desire of their soul vpon the perishing trash of the earth counting that their treasure which the spirituall man accounts to be but doung as also cold professors who pretend an hope of eternall life but long not for it Non desiderat patriam peregrinatio sine lacryma He that liues in his pilgrimage without teares declares that he hath no desire of his country Non satis futura gaudia nosti nisi renuat consolari anima tua donec veniant Thou knowest not well the ioyes to come if thy soule loath not these that are present and long for those that are promised To such terrible is that warning of our Lord Woe bee to you that are full for ye shall hunger And thy law is my delight In this other protestation Dauid shewes what it was that vpheld him in this time of delay of Gods promised saluation to weet the comfort of Gods word this is like Manna to Israell in the wildernes which ceased so soone as they entred into Canaan but sustained them in the iourney So shall the exercises of the word cease when we shall come to our heauenly Canaan in the meane time so long as wee are in the way let vs comfort our selues with it Againe wee see how Dauid alway conioynes these two saluation and the word of God This is to be marked for contemners of Gods word who liue as if God were to saue them by miracles and not by his owne ordinary meanes appointed in his Church They looke to bee saued and yet will not reuerence the word but they shall be deceiued VER 175. Lette my soule liue and it shall praise thee and thy iudgements shall helpe mee SOme expound this to bee a petition for the prolongation of his naturall life that he may liue and praise God This I knowe is lawfull to seeke and for it he prayeth Psal. 90. Oh spare a little that I may recouer my strength before I goe and be not But here I thinke Dauid stretches his affection toward that spirituall life which now in Gods children is the beginning of life euerlasting when the soule quickened by spirit of God is able to walke with God For as the bodily life is discerned by actions competent vnto it so the spirituall life is knowne by actions competēt to it Also where there is grace to pray and thanksgiuing with ioy delighting in Gods word and obedience giuen thereunto these are vndoubted arguments of a spirituall life But it is a pitie to see how many are liuing concerning their bodies lusty and strong who are but dead carrying a dead soule in a liuing body strangers from the life of GOD painted sepulchers pleasant without full of rottenness within hauing a soule which can no more pray nor praise the Lord then a dead body which can neither heare nor speake vnto men And it shall praise thee Much throughout this Psalme and in all the rest doth Dauid esteem of this exercise of praising GOD sometime hee prayeth for it as a grace sometime he promiseth it as a dutie sometime hee practiseth it in himselfe and sometime hee prouokes others vnto it The Lord so parts the fruite of all his benefits that he giues vs the profit reseruing no more but the praise vnto himselfe and the more praise
man Content but God 140. Contentment only in the ende though comfort before 391. Conuersion requireth Confirmation to crowne it 261. Couetousnes a mother-sin 98. A godly Couetousnes 172 Two Courses in the life of euery man the one seene the other secret 8. A Courtier of heauen made by prayer 385. Gods Curse is a secret Consumption 61. Our first Creation is without hope or Comfort 186. Creation is as a Mother Conseruation is as a Nurse 216. Goodnes of Creatures but a glimpse of the Creators to whom they direct vs. 140. Tâ—…e Creatures cannot teach saluation but they confirme it 215. Other Creatures consist by Gods word how much more a Christian 218. All Creatures except Man and Apostate Angels are ruled by the word of God 304. A cursed Crosse and a sanctified discerned 180. The Crosse necessary to a Pilgrime and why 325. D DAuids disposition and approbation Page 3. Dauids affection to GODs word and why 4 Dauid compareth himselfe with others not to commende himselfe but Gods word 230. A double Deceit of sin 267. Delight in godlines a great argument of progresse 40. Delight in the Word a proofe of Godlines 118. 326. Delights diuers alwayes sweete from the same word 219. Deliuerance vnlooked for in dangers 256 Desertions finall temporall 25. 310. Desertions temporall more grieuous to the Godly then temporall Death 71. 209. Desertions spirituall doe much daunt and cast downe 198. Good Desires are of GOD. 84. 94. Desires accepted of GOD for deeds 106. Desires of the Soules saluation are the chiefe 278 Determination helpeth a Godly life 145. Detractions of men not to bee feared 103. Deuotion of these dayes colde 369. Diligence in keeping GODs lavv required for three reasons 18. Discipline doth good 167. A man must be a Disciple before a Doctor 232. Diuision of this 119. Psalme 5. They onely to expect Donations from God which are vnder Gods Domination 282. E THe whole Earth a place of banishment Page 55. The Earth founded without foundation 216. Edification must beginne at home in a mans owne heart 33. Edification may arise from euery thing 347. Our Election of Gods truth issueth from GODs Election of vs. 86. Our Election is sealed to vs certainely by our loue to God sincerely ibid. How to pray against Enemies 194. 202. The diligence and the cruelty of the iust mans Enemy 224. The Enemies of God are the onelie Enemies of the Godlie 286. 319. 336. Lightlie Esteemed of men highlie Esteemed of GOD. 322. Examples to teach vs godliness 136. 360. How to be followed how not ibid. Excellency of the Word 250. Experiences of Gods truth comfort excedingly 340. The Eyes deathâ—… windowes to enter into the heart 98 The Eye of the minde and body differ and how 151. The Eyes right gouernement 311. F EVery Article of Faith is a wondrous mysterie Pag. 53. 296. Faith in Gods promises is the Anchor of the soule 111. The nature of Faith is in particular application of the generall promises 122. Faith required in prayer 148. Faith carrieth vs out of our selues 378. Falling to be feared and why 265. Familiarity of the Godly with God more then with Men. 245. It breedeth no contempt as with Men. 271. It commeth by a good conscience 343. Gods Fauour illuminateth the minde 310. Feare and trembling for repenting of sinne for preuenting of sinne 104. The Godly described by the Feare of God 162. The Feare of God in any assureth vs of good duties in such an one 163. Feare to the Wicked horrible 272. The Feare of God ouercometh the Feare of Mans displeasure 362. Felicity of Man is conformitie with God 6. Fellowship with God diuideth vs from wicked men 257. No Fighting against Satan in his weapons and armor 178. 196. First Fruits of our hearts to be offered to God 333. A godly man is euer Fruitfull either without or within 43. G GOds Gifts pledges of greater 165. Small Gifts accepted of God 247. Great Gifts are to bee asked of God 329. Gifts of Grace and Natue differ how 384. A Glory to the Godly to make others more godly then themselues 233. God the obiect of prayer 730. Gods dishonour more grieuous to the Godly then their own 354. True Godlinesse hath perseuerance with sincerity 94. Impediments of Godlinesse many both within without vs. 127. Truth of Godlinesse tryed by priuate exercises 133. Godlinesse is the gaine of Godlinesse as one talent begetteth another 134. The power of Godlinesse 188. The recompence of Godlinesse 188 A Godly man is more afraid of sinne that he may do then a Godlesse is for sin that he hath don 104. The Godly pitie the Wicked 128. The Godly in their life haue respect to God to themselues to their neighbours 188. The Godly silent teach others ibid. A Godly man described 370. His priuiledge 375. God sheweth his Goodnesse in being good to his creature 173. Worldly Goods are Gods Moueables 142. They that haue worldly Goods and God haue a double portion 143. The more Good a Godly man doth the more hee desireth and delighteth to doe 45. Good things to bee sought for good ends 77. Graces are linked together lose one lose all 46. Without Gods quickning Grace man is dead 210. Growth in Grace wrought how 230. H THe Heart the Godlies treasure-house why Page 34 It is kept by three things 98 Being well disposed it dareth present it selfe to God 105. A soft melting Heart an happy thing and an hard stony Heart a grieuous curse 179. God speaketh to the Heart 237. Hatred of sinne is a triall of our loue to God 291. Cold Hatred turneth to liking 367. Hatred of sinne is in him that loueth Gods Law 368. No Hearing of God by vs no Hearing of vs by him 293. 327. Heauinesse of the Godly continuall how outwardly happy soeuer 78 Heauinesse according to the tentation 79. One needeth the Helpe of another because of the diuersities of Grace dispensed seuerally 196. Gods Helpe the best 206. 389. God is neerer to helpe then any enemy to hurt 337. The Hiding of wickednesse is proper to the wicked 380. Humility in the godly 176. 298. Hypocrisie a vile sinne 147. It is farre from men who are truely Godly 380. I IEsus is our guide in the narrow way Pag. 96. Ignorance of the Worde cometh not from the Word but from our owne darknesse 52. Illumination Gods worke alone ibid. Illumination of the eyes and conversion of the heart goe together 53. Impunitie an argument of Gods anger 245. Inabilitie to God is natural 236. Instabilitie in the Godly 260. God giueth more grace by an Instrument then the Instrument hath 232. Good Intentions strengthened by prayer 259. Interruptions of prayers in Godly persons 382. The Ioy that commeth from Gods Word surpassing all 40. Ioy by the practise of the Word not by professing 41. The Ioy of a true Christian is onely in God as in his owne 259. Ioy and Griefe goe together in this life 311. 325. Ioy in the Worde inexplicable
yet enuy and rage when he sees the children of Adam restored to the possession of any spirituall graces and therefore Dauid like a wise man Abscondit illas in animo suo ne eas per inanem gloriam aut incuriam animarum depraedatores furentur This one example may condemne the folly of worldlings the smallest jewell they haue yea the Charter of their smallest possessions they can hide well enough and lay it vp sure from them who would defraude them of it but as for the promises of God which are the Charters of our heauenly inheritance they neglect them altogether For alas how many be there who affirm in word that heauenly inheritance to be theirs who if they be examined vpon their warrants cannot bring out of the treasure of their heart so much as one promise of God whereby it is made sure vnto them That I might not sinne Among many excellent vertues of the word of GOD this is one that if we keepe it in our heart it keepes vs from sinne which is against God and against ourselues We may marke it by experience that the word is first stollen eyther out of the minde of man and the remembrance of it is away or at least out of the affection of man so that the reuerence of it is gone before that a man can be drawne to the committing of a sinne So long as Euah kept by faith the word of the Lord she resisted Sathan but from the time she doubted of that which God made most certaine by his word incontinent she was snared VER 12. Blessed art thou O Lorde teach me thy Statutes THE soule of a man truely godly when he commeth to seeke God findes in himselfe so manifolde wants and in the Lord so plentifull mercies that he can neuer be satiate with seeking till he be filled and therefore is it that hauing sought much yea and gotten much yet he seekes more as through all this Psalme we may see Dauid can make no end of prayer and this may make vs ashamed of our cold faint and feeble prayers This Verse containes a prayer with a reason of the prayer The prayer is Teach me thy Statutes the reason mouing him to seeke this ariseth of a consideration of that infinite good which is in GOD. He is a blessed GOD the Fountaine of all felicitie without whom no welfare nor happinesse can bee to the creature And for this cause Dauid earnestly desiring to be in fellowship and communion with GOD which hee knowes none can attaine vnto vnlesse he be taught of GOD to know Gods way and walke in it therefore I say prayeth he the more earnestly that the Lord would teach him his Statutes Oh that we also could wisely consider this that our felicity stands in a fellowshippe with GOD. This meditation would weaken or diminish in vs those vnquiet and fruitlesse cares wee haue to enioy the creature for alas man seekes the creatures as if his life and happinesse stood in them but is negligent in the seeking of the Lord and all because he knowes not that his blessednesse stands in a communion with the blessed God Teach mee Dauid wanted not Prophets such as Nathan and Gad and Leuits his ordinary Doctors to teach him but he knew all these were nothing vnless he were taught of God Man his teaching if there be no more cannot remedy the ignorance of the minde farre lesse the corruption of the heart Pauls planting Apollo his watering is nothing if God worke not the increase and therefore Dauid so vses the one as knowing it could not profit without the other Hac à Domino quaerit discere quae homines docere non poterant If this were practised now to ioyne prayer with hearing that when wee offer our selues to be taught of men we would there with send vp prayer to God before preaching in time of preaching and after preaching we would soone proue more learned and religious then we are Againe Dauid was a Prophet himselfe and a man of great knowledge and yet often craues he that God would teach him more Farre was he from the presumption of this age which procures the perdition of many with whom if ye speake concerning their knowledge ye shal heare nothing but that they know their God their dutie their conscience and all they will seeme ignorant of nothing though indeed they doe nothing aright When they heare so excellent a Prophet so desirous of further knowledge and so desirous to be taught let them be ashamed to boast of their knowledge Vaemiserae huic generationi cui sufficere videtur sua insufficientia VER 13. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth HEere is a protestation of the thankefull vse he had made of the benefits of God already receiued he had tolde vnto others what God had done to his soule he had not kept close God his louing kindnes And truly this is a strong reason to backe our prayers vnto God when we dare say out of a good conscience that the benefits which we haue receiued already we haue vsed them to the glory of him who gaue them But here it may be demaunded seeing the Psalmist sayes that the iudgements of God are as a great deep and the Apostle sayes that they are vnsearchable How saith he now that he hath declared all the iudgements of God To this we answer Non impugnat se velut contrarijs Scriptura venerabilis and therfore we must here make a distinction Sunt iudicia occulta quae Deus â—…obis non patesecit iudicia oris quae annuntiauit per os Prophetarum loquutus est there are secret iudgements and these Dauid leaues to the Lord there are againe the iudgements of his mouth which God hath declared and reuealed himselfe by the mouth of his seruants the Prophets And of these Dauid speakes here I haue declared all the iudgements of thy mouth So then here Dauid protests that what the Lord taught him he also taught others Some will teach who themselues are not taught of God these are in the Church non Conchae sed Canales Others what they haue learned of God declare not vnto others these are guilty of hiding of the Talent they haue receiued from the Lord. With my lips The tongue is a most excellent member of the body being well vsed to the glory of God and edification of others and yet it cannot pronounce without helpe of the lippes The Lord hath made the bodie of man with such maruellous wisedome that no member in it can say to another I haue no neede of thee but such is man his dulnesse that he obserues not how stedable vnto him the smallest member in the body is till it be taken from him If our lips were clasped for a time and our tongue enclosed we would esteeme it a great mercy to haue it
persecuted by their tongues not by their hands let vs giue thanks to God who as he commaunded the fire that it could not hurt Daniels companions and bridled the fury of Lions that they could not hurt Daniel himselfe so hee restraines the wicked that they cannot do vnto vs according to the malice of their harts And therefore finding this goodnesse of our God wee should be the more confirmed against the rayling of their tongues Sith the Lord bindes their hands shall wee be mooued at the breath of their mouthes or shal the stroke of their tongues put vs out of patience which preserues peace in our harts But great is our weaknes Dauid suffered this iniurie of Princes and we cannot suffer i◅ of the basest people When shall we be prepared for greater tentations that will not learne to despise the smallest If thou be wearie in running with footmen how shalt thou match thy selfe with horses But thy seruaunt Perceiue heere the armour by which Dauid fights against his enemie Arma iusti quibus omnes adversario◅ū repellit impetus are the word and prayer Hee renders not iniurie for iniurie reproach for reproach It is dangerous to sight against Satan or his instruments with their owne weapons for so they shall easily ouercome vs. Let vs fight with the armour of God the exercises of the word and prayer for a man may peaceably rest in his secret chamber and in these two see the miserable end of all those who are enemies to Gods children for Gods sake VER 24. Thy testimonies are my delight my Counsellers THe other protestation Dauid makes is of the great profit and fruite hee had found in the vvord that it was both a delight to him and a counseller of him Saul had his Nobles and Counsellers by whom he ruled his affaires Dauid protests that he had no other for the men of his counsell but the testimonies of God These are two great benefits which commonly men craue Pleasure to refresh thē Con̄sell to gouerne them Dauid protests hee found them both in the word and sends all other who would haue them to seeke them there where he found them As for ioy and recreation of mind commonly men seeke it in other Cisterns but with no good successe for as a man in a hote Feuer is eased no longer by drinking strong drinke then he is in drinking of it for then it seemes to coole him but incontinent it increaseth his heat so is it with the troubled and heauie hart which seeks comfort in externall things how-euer for a time they seeme to mitigate the heauinesse they doe but increase it Onely solid and permanent comfort must be drawne out of the fountaines of the word of GOD. The other is wisedom which vvithout Gods word can neuer be obtained As Ieremie spake of the wicked in his time They haue reiected the word of God and what wisedome then is in them So is it true of all the wicked The wisedome of this world is but foolishnes Achitophel his end vvith innumerable moe may teach all men that hee shall neuer be found wise who is not godlie The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord. DALETH VER 25. My soule cleaueth to the dust quicken me according to thy word MAny states of life did Dauid change but his hart neuer changed from the Lord the loue of his word In his doubts the word was his counseller in his griefs the word was his comforter therefore was hee not cast downe or overcome vvith griefe In his greatest prosperitie the word was his greater ioy therefore vvas hee not puft vp with pleasure teaching vs that in euery state of life we shall find comfort if we will rule our life by the word In this verse Dauid hath a complaint My soule cleaueth to the dust And a prayer Quicken mee according to thy vvord The prayer beeing vvell considered shall teach vs the meaning of the complaint that it was not as some thinke any hard bodily estate vvhich grieued him but a very sore spirituall oppression as I may call it bearing downe his soule that where he should haue moūted vp toward heauē he was pressed downe to the earth and was so clogged with earthly cogitations or affections or perturbations that hee could not mount vp His particular tentation hee expresseth not for the children of God many times are in that estate that they cannot tell their own griefs and somtime so troubled that it is not expedient albeit they might to expresse them to others And heereof wee learne how that vvhich the worldling counts wisedome to the Christian is folly what is ioy to the one is griefe to the other The ioy of a vvorldling is to cleaue vnto the earth when he gripes it surest hee thinks himselfe happiest for it is his portion to take heed to his worldly affaires and haue his minde vpon them in his estimation is onely wisedom For the Serpents curse is vpon him he creepes on the earth and licks the dust all the daies of his life This is the miserable condition of the vvicked that euen their heauenly soule is become earthly Qui secundum corporis appetentiam vi◅it ca◅ est etiam anima eorum car◅ est as the Lord spake of those who perished in the Deluge that they were but flesh no spirit in them that is no spi◅uall or heauenly motion But the Christian considering that his soule is from aboue sets his affection also on those things which are aboue he delights to haue his cōuersation in heauen and it is a griefe to him when he finds his motions and affections drawne downe and entangled with the earth His life is to cleaue to the Lord but it is death to him when the neck of his soule is bowed downe to the yoke of the vvorld Erecta ad Deum ceruix ◅ugo Christi habilis quae nulla in terrarum illecebras inflexione curuetur regalis Christi turris est The necke of the Spouse of the Lord IESVS is raysed vptoward God meet to receiue the yoke of Christ but wil no way bow for any earthly allurements to beare the yoke of another such a soule is the royall towre of Christ Iesus By this disposition let men try themselues and see of what Spirit they are Againe the vicissitude and change of estates where-vnto the children of God are subiect comes heere to be marked sometime◅ they are borne downe by carnall affections to the earth sometimes raised vp by spirituall desires to the heauen This comes to passe of the battell that is between two irrecōcileable parties the old man the new Nature Grace For as in them who wrestle with any equall strength sometime the one is aboue and sometime the other till at length one be ouercome so is it in this combat In the Christian sometime the power of Nature othertimes
walk in is the path of GODS commaundements not anie nevv vvay but the old and pathed vvay vvherein all the seruaunts of GOD haue vvalked before him and for vvhich the Graecians as Euthymius noteth called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi viam tritam But how-so-euer this vvay bee pathed by the vvalking and treading of many in it yet he acknowledgeth it is but one yea and a narrow and difficil path to keepe and therefore seekes he to be guided into it As to the broad way there are many rodes and pathed wayes into it although they meet all in one end all men goe not to hell by one way for we see many men abhorring a sinne in others who yet intertaine a farre more odious sin in themselues but the narrow way that leades to heauen hath but one path or road into it from which if we decline we fall incontinent into some roade of the broad way that leads to hell Let vs therfore vvalke circumspectly considering our naturall disposition to decline and the dangers and difficulties of the vvay let vs wait vpon our guide and follow his foot-steps Praecedit Christus vt sequamur nos hee hath gone before that we should follow he fasted and prayed to traine vs vp in the like exercises he suffred to learne vs patience Ascendit Crucem vt doceret mortem non esse metuendam he went vp to the Crosse that he might teach vs death is not to be feared By this way of innocence holinesse humility patience contempt of death let vs follow our guide nothing doubting but this path shall lead vs to his Paradise For therein is my delight Of this see Verse 47. VER 36. Incline mine heart vnto thy Testimonies and not to couetousnes THis prayer among the rest no doubt flowed out of Dauid his sense hee found his hart euill inclined at least tempted to bow a wrong way For we stand betweene two parties that seek vs the one for our weale the other for our wrack The Lord on the one hand allures vs My sonne giue mee thine hart and offers vs more for it then wee yea or tenne thousand worlds can be woorth and I shall be thy portion On the other hand Satan the deceiuer by faire but false allurements seeks to haue our hart drawne after him Happy is the man can consider this that hee may offer his hart to the Lord and seeke it as a grace as heere Dauid doth Vnto thy testimonies Gods word is called his testimonie because in it hee testifieth his vvill concerning his worship and our saluation and witnesseth also how he is affected to euery man For out of it to some men he speakes as a louing Father to others as a feareful Iudge Men neede not runne vp to Gods secret counsell to enquire how hee is affected toward them if they list they may learne it out of his word But as Achab desired not to hear Michaiah because hee prophecied not good thinges vnto him so many novv because they doe euill can not abide the light of the word they find no ioy in the hearing of it but are striken vvith feare and trembling as Felix was at the hearing of Paul But in truth the blame is in thy self Are not my wordes good to him that walks vprightlie saith the Lord. No doubt if thou wert good thy selfe the word of the Lord should testifie good things vnto thee And not to couetousnes Hee prayes in particular that his hart may be diâ—…crted from couetousnes which is not only an euil but as saith the Apostle The roote of all euill Dauid heere oppones it as an aduersarie to all the righteousnesse of Gods testimonies it inverts the order of Nature and makes the heauenly soule earthlie It is a hand-maid of all sinnes for there is no sinne which a couetous man wil not serue for his gaine We should beware of all sinnes but speciallie of mother sinnes VER 37. Turne away mine eyes from regarding vanitie and quicken me in thy way HAuing prayed for his hart now he praieth for his eyes also Omnia à Deo petit docens illum omnia efficere By the eyes oftentimes as by windowes death enters into the hart therefore to keepe the hart in a good estate three things are requisite First a careful custody of the senses specially of the eyes for it is a righteous working of the Lord Vt qui exteriorâ—… oculo negligenter vtitur interiori non iniustè caecetur that he who negligently vseth the externall eye of his body shold be punished with blindnes in the internal eye of his mind And for this cause Nazianzen deploring the calamities of his soule wished that a dore might be set before his eyes eares to close them when they opened to anie thing that is not good Malis autem sua sponte vtrumque clauderetur The second thing is a subduing of the body by discipline And the third is continuance in prayer Euery creature of God is good and the beholding thereof should waken in vs an affection to praise God Oculi idcireo dati sunt corpori vt per eos intueamur creaturam aâ—… per huiusmodi mirabilem harmoniam agnoscamus opificem for this cause were eyes giuen to the body that by them we might looke to the creature and by the maruailous harmony which is among theÌ„ we might learne to know the Creator But since the fal the creature also is become subiect to vanitie in euery one of them hath the Serpent laid his deceiuable snare to entrap man and steale his affection from GOD so that now Inter tot passiones huius corporis inter tantas illecebras huius saeculi difficile est tutum intemeratum seruare ve stigium in the midst of so many passions of so many allurements of this world it is a dissicile thing to walke and not to be snared Hee that lookes on a woman saith our Sauiour and lusts after her hath committed adultery Behold in how short a time great guiltinesse is committed Malè sic vidit oculus videat ergo fungatur suo munere non lubricae mentis imperio dirigatur ad lapsum vt vitiuÌ„ referat pro officio Dauid knew this hee found the euill of it by experience let vs learn of him to watch ouer our eyes that we may keepe the hart the better Quicken mee in thy way Man by nature is quick enough to walke in his owne waies and the works of nature he can doe them without a teacher but vnlesse the Lord put life in him keepe life in his soule quickning him at all occasions hee hath neither knowledge nor strength nor pleasure to walke in the waies of God Of this petition see ver 88. 145. VER 38. Stablish thy promise to thy seruaunt because hee feares thee HEere is a prayer with a reason The prayer is that God would make sure his
be indeede religious euen in priuate hee presents his heart to GOD seeking it to bee approoued by him For his prayse is not of men but of God Againe this argueth his feruencie in religion for as else-where he protests that he loued the vvord more then his appoynted food so heere hee protests hee vvanted his nights rest that hee might meditate in the vvord But now so farre is zeale decayed in professours they will not vvant their superfluities farre lesse their needfull refreshment for loue of the vvord of GOD. And haue kept thy vvord Dauid vvas not a naked professor of the vvord but a practiser of it also his life declared that hee remembred the Lord Fides probitas innocentiae memorem probant VER 56. This I had because I kept thy precepts AS sinne is a punishment of sinne and the wicked waxeth euer worse worse so godlinesse is the recompence of godlinesse The right vse of one talent encreaseth moe and the beginnings of godliness are blessed with a growth of godlinesse Dauids good exercises held him in memory of his God and the memory of God made him euer the more godly and religious CHETH VER 57. O Lord that art my portion I haue determined to keepe thy word IT hath pleased the Lord to teach vs not by precepts onely but examples also in the one hee teacheth vs what we should doe if we would be saued in the other he lets vs see what the godly before vs haue done that they might be saued If wee were the first who haue entred into that narrow way that leads to eternall life our faintings fallings backslydings were somewhat excusable but that way is now Via trita in euery part of it we see the footsteps of our brethren who haue trode it before vs. All of them entred into Canaan standing on the other side of Iorden and calling vpon vs by their example who yet are iâ—… the wildernesse and on this side of Iorden Come forward feare not faint not the way indeede is hard and difficile but the end is sweet and ioyfull Wee haue felt with you the paines of the one come yee forward and enioy with vs the pleasures of the other Thus being compassed with so great a clowde of witnesses who haue trode the way before vs and by faith haue inherited the promise wee are altogether inexcusable if wee doe not follow Among many wee haue heere the Prophet Dauid who hath gone before vs and by his counsell and instruction teacheth vs how to follow him There is no doubt but as wee spake in the first Section if wee follow him in disposition wee shall also be partakers of his approbation Some part of his disposition wee haue seene alreadie let vs yet goe after him foot by foot neither turning to the right hand nor to the left not as Asahel followed Abner that was for euill and therefore in this course hee perished as many shall doe vvho seeke from Dauid a patrocinie for their sinnes but make him not a paterne to them of repentance But let vs follow him as the Prophet Elisha follovved his Maister Eliah vvhom hauing once found hee would neuer againe goe from him Let vs walke with Dauid in one way that wee may bee partakers with him of one happy and blessed end O Lord. This verse containes a two-fold protestation In the first hee protests that God was his portion In the second that hee had determined to keepe the word of GOD. And this hee conceiues in such manner that hee directs his speech to God Laying open his heart to God he dare make bold out of a good conscience that God was his portion It is a thing common to all sorts of men to speake of God but to speake to him is a grace proper to his children euen to them onely Either the vvicked dare not come vnto him their conscience beeing so euill that it is afraide to looke vnto the Lord no otherwise then a wounded eye which can not behold the light or if at any time forced by necessity they would yet they cannot come to him beeing voyde of faith without which there can be no prayer Accesse to the throne of grace that vvee may speake with God while wee are in the bodie is the first degree of eternall life hee shall neuer be afraid to goe out of the body and ascend to the Lord who when he was in the body went vp by prayer and got accesse to the Lord. This is the comfort of the children of God that sometime they get such ioyfull accesse to God by prayer that they wish and desire that their soule at that same instant might goe out of their bodie vvith their supplication 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vt simul egrediatur anima cum precatione But who is this that glories the Lord was his portion Euen Dauid a King of a most mightie people of a florishing kingdome and a fertile land flowing with milke and hony but in this hee reioyceth not all his comfort is heere that God was his portion This I marke to make those worldlings ashamed who haue lesse portions of the earth then Dauid had and yet reioyce so in them that they neglect altogether the Lord their God They brag with Nabuchadnezzer of their buildings Is not this great Babel that I haue built for honour of my Maiestie They talke foolishlie with Nabal Shall I take my flesh and my bread and giue away As if all that they haue were their owne And they glorie with that Glutton when their Garners and Barnes are full Novv my soule thou hast enough for many daies but a short time shall declare that they haue nothing at all who haue not the Lord to be their portion Now that wee may be mooued to make this same election which heere Dauid makes let vs first consider the louing kindnesse of the Lord our God toward vs who passing by all his creatures hath set his hart vpon man all things hee hath made for man and man for himselfe and for no other thing beside himselfe This is euident in the creation when hee had made his glorious works the first second third fourth and fift daies hee considered them all in their kinds and saw they were very good but still he proceeded to create more and could not rest till he had made man When man was created then is it said that the Lord rested No sight of the creature could content the Lord till hee had seen man all the thoughts of the diuine mind aymed at him When the Lord had created man as the perfection of his workes the compend of his creatures and the end wherevnto he looked in creating all other creatures then it is said that hee rested O man where-with shalt thou require the kindnesse of the Lord thy GOD but by resoluing with Dauid that thou wilt choose none for
are nothing different from the prayers of Turks for what shall ye heare among them but the like of these voyces God helpe vs God be mercifull to vs these are prayers which any Ethnique will make in time of his distresse but we must learne to frame our prayers another way when we pray wee must pray in the name of Christ and to be heard for Christes sake because he is the Mediator and peace-maker betweene God and man and in him the father is well pleased And againe wee must not take libertie to seeke what wee like out of our corrupt humors as the custome of many is but we must ground our prayers vpon Gods promises which in Christ Iesus he hath made vnto vs. And lastly seeing this is an argument which commonly we vse to moue God to be mercifull vnto vs Because he hath so promised if we wold haue this argument forcible let vs make conscience of those promises which we haue made vnto God Offree mercie hath the Lord made promises vnto vs but of bouÌ„d duty we haue made promises vnto him With what face can that man desire that the Lord should keepe his promise to him who had neuer any care to keep his promise vnto God More of this see ver 76. 116. 176. VER 59. I haue considered my waies and turned my feet vnto thy testimonies NExt vnto determination and supplication consideration would be vsed in all our actions to try and examine whether or no wee haue done according to our purpose and prayers Consideration is so necessary that without it no state of life can rightly be ordered The Mariner considers his course by his Compasse if he neglect it he runneth into remedilesse dangers The Merchant who adviseth not his affaires with his Count-book becommeth quickly a bankrupt The Pilgrim who hath proposed to himselfe an end of his iourney considers euery houre whether or no hee bee in the right way that may bring him to his proposed end and if he see many waies before him stat cogitat ipse secum vtram debeat eligere nec prius adoriendum iter quam animo definierit et pleniore mentis intentione deciderit hee stands and adviseth vvith himselfe which of them he should choose neyther will hee goe forward till he haue by inward consideration resolued what is best How much more should hee whose course is to the kingdome of heauen consider his waies and thinke with himselfe Non omnis via illò ducit non omnis via dirigit ad Hierusalem illam quae in coelis est that euerie vvay directs not a man to that Ierusalem which is in heauen Seeing no estate of life can be rightly ordered without consideration shall onely a Christian be so carelesse as to thinke he can goe from earth to heauen and not vse consideration But what is that which Dauid did consider I haue saith he considered my waies He was not like them who vse the eye of their mind as they doe the eye of their body for with it they looke vnto all things but not vnto it selfe so is it with many carelesse of themselues curious to censure others iudging of euery mans waies and not regarding their owne The godly indeede they looke into all things and make their advantage of all but so that first they looke into their own estate And heere is wisedom All men are naturally wise enough to looke vnto that which is theirs onely religion teacheth a man to looke to himselfe Take heed to your selues saith Moses to Israel the same said the Apostle to Timothie and in them the warning stands for vs all Aliud tu aliud tua there is a great difference betweene thy selfe and that which is thine but this is a pittiful folly that a man shall take a time to consider and take heed vnto all that is his his houses his fieldes his rents his garments and shall take no time to consider himselfe that hee may amend his waies vvhere hee hath gone wrong and repaire his decaied estate which before hee hath hurt by inconsideration And turned my feete vnto thy testimonies As oft as Dauid considered his waies he found alwaies some defect that needed redresse Who can â—…ay hee hath in such sort cleansed his hart that hee hath not neede to make it more cleane Quis ita ad vngueÌ„ omnia à se supersluà resecaâ—…it vt nihil se habere putet putatione dignum Who hath so cut away his superfluities that hee may thinke he hath nothing that needes to be cut away Crede mihi putata repullulant effugata redeunt reaccenduntur extincta Beleeue me when sinnes are lopped they grow againe when they are chased away they returne againe and their fire being once quenched kindles againe Sape putanduÌ„ est imò si fieri possit semper quia si non dissimulas semper quod putari oporteat inuenis Wherefore we should often loppe our superfluous affections yea if it be possible alwaies if a man wil tell the truth as it is he findes alwaies something in himselfe that needs to be reformed Thy Testimonies Of this see ver 79. 95. VER 60. I haue made hast and delayed not to keepe thy Commandements HEere is another protestation of his earnest loue affection toward the Lord That hee delayed not to keep his commaundements It is one of Satans customable policies to tempt men with a delay of repentance hee dare not plainely say that repentance is not needfull onely to deceiue the simple he craues a delay and so after one hee steales away another till all the time bee past wherein man should repent And in this snare many one perisheth that where in their young yeares they will not repent but delay till they be older in their olde age they cannot repent the affection through long custome of sinne waxing strong euen then when the body is weake So that the day of death which they thought to make the day of their repentance becomes to them a day of fearefull perturbation by reason of the great debt of sinne which oppresseth their soules that would not take order with it in time Thus the miserable man for lacke of timely repentance ends not his pilgrimage in peace but in fearefull perturbation vnder this punishment that Moriens obliuiscitur sui qui dum viueret oblitus est Dei When hee dyeth hee forgets himselfe because when he liued he forgat his God In things perteyning to this life delay of good is dangerous If a wound bee not cured before it rotte it becomes incurable if the fire be not quenched in time it becomes vnquenchable and if flesh be not salted before it stinke it becomes so vnsauorie that it cannot be mended If a motefal in the eye or a thorne in the foot we take them out without delay but in things perteyning to the health of the soule delay is much more dangerous
who out of most wholsome hearbs gather nothing but poyson For all are thy seruants From the Angel to the worme all serue him he is the Lord of Hosts let vs also serue him and then shall they serue vs. But it is both sinne and shame that where the raging water and furious fire serue God at his commaund onely man made to his own image disobeyes him And therefore againe feareful is the recompence that where it is said The Lord reioyceth in all his works of man onely the Lord said It repents mee that I made man The Lord grant it may repent vs that euer we offended so good a God and so the Lord may be pacified toward vs in Christ Iesus VER 92. Except thy law had been my delight I should now haue perished in mine affliction HE now declares vnto vs what profit hee made of his former meditatiō to weet that the certaintie of Gods word kept him that he perished not in his affliction Sith he saw it was a sure and powerful word whereby other creatures were sustained he collects it could neuer faile him so leaning vpon it he foūd him selfe vpholden by it in his greatest afflictions Let vs learne of Dauid to seeke our comfort in time of trouble out of the word of GOD for all other comfort which is sought with neglect of this comfort brings two great euils First it encreaseth griefe how-euer for a time it seeme to mitigate it And next it leaues a man destitute when he hath most need of comfort Onelie the comfort of Gods word bides with vs when all other comfort for sakes vs. My delight The word signifieth delights in the plurall number Many were the sorowes of Dauids life but against them all he found as many comforts delectations in Gods word With such varietie of holy wisedom hath God penned his word that it hath conuenient comfort for euery state of life therfore the children of God account nothing so deere as it they preferre it to their appointed foode Yea as the body cannot liue out of the owne element of aire so cannot the soule of a godly man without comfort of the word Where if it be obiected to vs by worldlings Where are those manifold delights which ye say are in the word we hear nothing but one the selfe same thing repeated vnto vs The best answer to them is Come and see Taste and consider how gracious the Lord is and yee shal find that euery repetitiō of it brings new delight And this they may learne by their naturall affection toward bodily foode which is so great that the same kind of foode where-vpon they feede this day they long for it againe to morrow and with a new appetite long to haue renewed euery day And if they were as well acquainted with the spirituall life their affection would be in the same manner renewed euery day toward the word of God For the truth is that no Monarch in the world can furnish his table with such varietie of delicates as are offred to vs in the treasures of Gods word Perished in mine affliction Dauid was a godly man and deerely beloued of the Lord his GOD yet is hee sore humbled by affliction for euen those branches which are fruitfull God will purge to make them more fruitfull Our nature is so rebellious that without sore afflictions it cannot be tamed subdued Stones cannot be squared for palace-worke without strokes of the hammer gold can not be purged and prepared for work without fire neither is corne separated from the chaffe without wind We are Gods corne let vs abide the wind of tentation to clense vs from the chaffe of our corruption Wee must suffer the fire of affliction that we may be fined and made vessels of honour for the house of God And we must be content that the hammer of God strike vpon vs to beat away our proud lumps that so we may be squared and made ready like liuely stones to be laid in heauenly Ierusalem More of this see ver 50. 52. VER 93. I will neuer forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickned me THis verse hath a protestatiō of his thankfulnes he had found life in Gods word and he resolues neuer to forget it Experientia edoct us iustificationes tu as producere vitā inextinguibilem illarū memoriā seruabo It is no maruel that they who neuer got life by the word of God haue no delight in it the excuses of men here auaile not Certain it is the cause of all contempt of Gods word is from this that men neuer found life nor comfort by it Whereof see Sect. 1. But it is worthy to be marked that he saith not the Word quickned him but God by the Word quickned him The Word was preached at one time by one Preacher S. Paul to many people assembled together at Philippi but many heard it who got not life by it onely Lydia by that Sermon had her heart opened Paul may plant Apollo may water but God must giue the increase Let vs thanke God for the word he hath giuen vs and let vs pray to God that grace may be ioyned with it so with the Gospell hauing the blessing of the Gospell it shall become the power of God to our saluation VER 94. I am thine saue me for I haue sought thy precepts MAny reasons hath Dauid vsed hitherto to mooue the Lord to bee mercifull to him but none more forcible then this I am thine A strong reason indeed where man in a good conscience can vse it for if we who are euill and weake haue a care of euery thing which is ours that we will not if we may suffer it to perish euen our garments and our houses and our cattell we haue a care to conserue them because they are our owne how great may we thinke is the Lords care toward his owne whom he tenders with greater compassion thē any earthly father can doe to his children But howsoeuer this seeme facilis vox communis Tuus sum as easie a voyce as it is common to say I am thine yet few are they who in a good conscience may say it Mentitur enim peccator si se seruum Dei nominet A man in his sinnes lies if hee say that hee is the seruant of God for to what-euer thing a man giues obedience vnto that same is hee a seruant O how many people and nations and wealthy men are there in the world Qui paupertatem putant Domino seruire who thinke it a pouertie to serue GOD Hee who is aboue all seemes nothing to them and they seeke other things with such insatiable affection as if the Lorde Iesus in whom are all things were not sufficient for them Can these men say to the Lord I am thine But these men are not the worst for yee shall finde now a bastard
voluptatum cruci affixa non habeat nayle therefore thy carnall desires to the Crosse of Christ that they may haue no libertie as they were wont to goe loose and wander where they please Otherwise if thou wilt be vaine caried like an instable man after the wandering lusts of corrupt nature fearful is that sentence My Spirit shal not alway striue with man for he is but flesh For feare of thee Familiaritie with men breeds contempt familiaritie with God not so none reuerence the Lord more then they vvho knowe him best and are most familiar with him The Seraphins who couer their faces in presence of his Maiestie teach vs this by their example Such as doe not remember God and far lesse reuerence him when they thinke or speak of his Maiestie declare sufficiently that they were neuer familiar with him I am afraid of thy iudgements It is not to bee thought strange that this feare of Gods iudgements is in men regenerate for the guiltinesse which by sinnes of commission and omission daily they contract cannot be without fear But as I said it cannot continue for in them feare prepares away to loue and loue as it increaseth diminisheth feare Alway we learne here that if the iudgements of God executed vpon others make the godlie afraid how fearefull and importable they will be to the wicked If Moses trembled at the giuing of the law how terrible shall the execution thereof be vnto the wicked Let vs fear in time and we shall not feare in that day wherein horrible feare shall confound the wicked AIN VER 121. I haue executed iudgement and iustice leaue me not to mine oppressors IN this Section Dauid continueth his prayer for protection against his enemies as also for grace to knowe his way vpon earth and follow it He begins with a Petition Leaue me not to mine oppressors and he giues the reason I haue executed iudgement and iustice Where we are not to thinke that he is iustifying himselfe before God but onely declaring how iniustly he was oppressed by men Desensio est non arrogantia Our lesson is If we would haue our prayers forcible let vs intertaine the testimony of a good conscience Iudgement and iustice These two are distinguished by Ambrose in such sort that he makes the one the effect of the other Iudicij finis iustitia est in altero veritatis custodia est in altero fructus aequitatis iudgement is the keeper of verity iustice the fruit of equity the one of these perteyning to the minde makes it giue light for discerning betweene right and wrong the other rectifying the affections and actions Happy is the man in whom these two concurre together Quis autem hodie tanta animi praeditus est puritate vt cum fiducia verbis ist is vti possit But who this day is indued with such purity of minde that with boldnesse he may vse these words My reioycing is the testimony of a good conscience Leaue me not We haue often said that Dauid was a man after Gods owne heart who had also the testimony of a good conscience to sustaine him yet could he not liue free from the oppression of wicked men So long as this battell lasts and Satan wants not instruments let vs euer look to be troubled by them and not to be discouraged thereat but rather comforted considering the inimity proclaimed in Paradise is without reconciliation and sith the Prince of our saluation sustained such contradiction of sinners why shall it grieue vs to beare his crosse And sith Dauid so earnestly prayed not to be left into the hands of his bodily oppressors what shall we doe against our soules oppressors Satan seekes continually to spoile vs of that sparke of spirituall life which God hath put into vs. It is a searfull iudgement where God leaues men to his tyrannie let vs pray for mercy against it VER 122. Answer for thy seruant in that thing which is good and let not the proud oppresse me AMong many crosses wherewith Dauid was exercised the strise of tongues is not one of the least they did persecute him with lies and calumnies scoffers and belly-gods made a by-word of him in their meetings and flattering Courtiers belied him vnto Saul This was not a small crosse Molesta enimres calumnia etiamsi magnum afferat praemium against it Dauid makes his refuge to God Answer for thy seruant His meaning is Lord thou kno west how iniustly I am calumniate and euill spoken of in many parts where I am not nor may not answere for my selfe Lorde answere thou for me And his petition imports not onely a crauing of helpe from God but that God would take his part and ioyne himselfe with his righteous cause And so it is indeede the Lord is partaker with his children in their innocent sufferings and their cause is his cause Blessed are ye when ye are railed vpon for righteousnesse sake c. For the spirit of grace and glorie rests in you which on their part is euill spoken of but on your part is glorified This might serue for a warning to wicked men if any wisedom were in them they should be loath to meddle with the children of God for if so they will they meddle with a stronger partie then they are aware of Againe it is to be considered that hee craues protection onely in his good and honest cause It is not for vs to call for the Lords assistance to all our willes and workes Hee is the righteous Iudge of the world and neyther will nor can do vnrighteously To commenda wrong cause to his protection is to prouoke him to hasten our punishment And on the other hand albeit our cause were neuer so righteous yet we must not think to bear it out with our owne strength and wisedome It falles out oft-times that men fall downe and faint through feeblenesse euen in a good cause because they giue not to God his glory In their lawfull affairs they prosper not because they take counsel but not from me saith the Lord They commit not their way to God as Dauid exhorts neyther cast they their burden vpon the Lord as Peter commaunds them but sacrifice to their own net think to cōpasse their affaires by their own wi◅ Sure it is the Lord is then most carefull of vs when we cast our greatest care vpon him For thy seruant Customably King Dauid delights in this stile to call himselfe Gods seruant learning vs also to count this our greatest honor to be the seruants of the great and euer-liuing God for we are not our owne as saith the Apostle We are bought with a price But here is our sin such as are vndervs whether they be bought or hired seruants wee thinke they should serue vs and are offended if they doe not but are not so carefull to doe seruice to
man with God is increased and continued by the exercises of the word and prayer For in the word God speakes vnto men and in prayer men speake vnto God let not men disioyne these two For hee that cannot receiue the Lord with reuerence and obedience when hee speakes answering him with Abraham and Samuell Here am I Lord Speake for thy seruant heareth shall not be welcommed of him nor receiue a fauourable answere when he praies Yea as Salomon saith He that turns away his eare from hearing the law his prayer shall be abhominable Such as haue receiued most from God are more instant by prayer to craue more No maruell that the wicked who neuer got grace from him cannot pray vnto him for who will seeke a treasure where he thinkes not to finde it or who will seeke refreshing waters where he lookes not to finde them They knowe him not to be the father of light the fountaine of life the treasure of all good they belieue not his word and how then can they call vpon him but the godly who knowe what the Lord is worth are continuallie seeking from him as heere yee may see in Dauid In Dauids praier mark his variety and breuity his varietie in this that as his necessities were manifold so his requests he praies for his mind for his heart and affections for his tongue for his eyes for his feet As Iob when he praied sacrificed for all his children so the Christian when he goes to pray prayeth for euery thing that is in him And if we knew how many are our necessities for the which we haue need to pray beside that wee are bound to pray for others wee would not be so slacke and remisse in prayer as we are His breuitie againe is euident he hath many but very short petitions this proceeds not of weariness but as I haue said of feruency Finding his necessities so many he passeth speedily from one to another for it is a difficult thing to continue our prayers long and keepe zeale and sincerity sometime so it will fall out but very seldome Yea the children of God may obserue in their owne experience that it is a difficult thing to pray the Lords prayer and not to be interrupted in it Augustine records of Christians in Egypt Habent preces crebras et breues tanquam eiaculationes animorum idque inquit ne intentio illa emollescat They haue short frequent praiers like eiaculations or bolts and arrowes shot out of their soules which they doe saith hee for this cause that their intention should not relent in praier through long continuance And therefore he teacheth vs to frame our praiers according to our disposition When our affections are not intended it is not good to make them more dull by continuance when againe they are spiritually disposed then it is good to continue our conference with God though this same consideration be vsed by some Christians in our time to vrge continuance in prayer For if they get no accesse they are more instant and loath to come away without a fauourable aunswere if againe they finde comfort in praier and that God hears them they are also loath to break off their conference with him And to this purpose notable is it which there he subioynes Oratio multa esse debet loquutio pauca Our prayers should bee many but our words few and that lachrymis potius quam verbis agendum sit et sletu magis quam affatu Verba enim non in alium vsum adhiberi quam vt vel nos ipsos vel alios incitemus We should deale with God by teares more then by talke by weeping more then by words for words are vsed in prayer for none other end but either to stirre vp our selues or others to pray This verse containes in it two things first a commendation of Gods word that the testimonies thereof are wonderfull and next a protestation of his earnest affection towards it and therfore saith he My soule doth keep it Many waies hitherto hath he praised the word of God as namely that there is no good thing wherupon the heart of man can be set by nature but the worde of God offers him better then it for it renders incomparable pleasure and profit beside true wisedome to such as delight in it is sweeter then the hony it is more to be desired then gold or siluer But here he praiseth it frō a new quality Al thy testimonies are wonderfull and so they are for euerie article of our faith is a mysterie Great is the mystery of godlinesse said the Apostle Though to naturall men the Gospell seeme a base and a foolish doctrine yet is it indeede wonderfull Whereof we learne that if we would bee good scholars in the Lords schoole to profit by his word we must not come to it with naturall sense and reason as customably men doe to iudge it rather then to be iudged and controlled by it but as it is a wonderfull and supernaturall doctrine so must wee not examine it by nature but imbrace it by saith Otherwise it shall be but a stumbling blocke and rocke of offence vnto vs. Of his protestation renewed see what we haue marked Verse 47. 48. 97. 113. 119. 127. 132. 140. 159. 163. 165. 167. VER 130. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple AS the life of naturall babes is not conserued without foode conuenient for them so is not the life of men regenerate preserued without the word And as the one by natures instinct desires to bee nourished with milke so the other by instinct of grace desires to be sed by the word Neither is it to the godly as meate only but as light also The sure word of the prophets Saint Peter calles it a light shining in darkenes like as before hee called it vnmingled milke and most necessary foode for the babes of Christ. And the spirit of God so frequently comparing Gods word to foode and to light will tell vs in what miserable estate they are who liue without it Heere he praiseth the word from this notable quality that it is an illuminating word such as giues vnderstanding letting vs thereby to know that without it men walk in darknes What-euer ◅hew of learning Naturalists had yet being ignorant of Christ by whom the father is knowne and the way of saluation manifested they did but vanish in their owne cogitations and while they professed themselues to bee wise they became fooles He amplifies this praise of the word of God when he saith that the entrance thereof ostium verborum tuorum the first opening of the doore of thy word giues light for if the first entrance to it giue light what will the progresse and continuance thereof do This accuseth the age wherein we liue who now of a long time hath been taught by the word of God
so cleerely that in regard of time they might haue been teachers of others yet are they but children in knowledge and vnderstanding But to whom doth the word giue vnderstanding Dauid saith to the simple not to such as are high minded or double in heart or wise in their owne eyes who will examine the mysteries of godlines by the quicknes of naturall reason No to such as deny themselues as captiue their naturall vnderstanding and like humble disciples submit themselues not to aske but to heare not to reason but to belieue And if for this cause Naturalists who want this humility cannot profit by the word what maruaile that Papists far lesse become wise by it who haue their hearts so full of preiudices concerning it that they spare not to vtter blasphemies against it calling it not onely vnprofitable but pernitious to the simple and to the idiots And againe where they charge it with difficultie that simple men and idiots should not bee suffered to read it because it is obscure all these friuolous allegations of men are annulled by this one testimony of God that it giues light to the simple Eos qui ignorantia tenentur infantibus similes sunt intellectu replet lex tua that is Euen to such ignorants who are like infants saith Basill non solum viris sed mente intellectu paruulis it giues not onely light to men but to such as in vnderstanding are children To this purpose notable is that saying of Irenaeus Vniuersae scripturae et propheticae euangelicae in aperto et sine ambiguitate et ab omnibus audiri possunt The whole scriptures both prophetical and euangelicall are open plaine not doubtfull but such as may be heard of all men And to this purpose saith Lactantius Num igitur deus mentis linguae vocis artifex disertè loqui non potest Imò verò summa prouidentia carere fuco voluit ea quae diuina sunt vt omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquebatur Shall wee thinke that God who is the creator of the minde the tongue and voice cannot speake distinctly himselfe No truly by great prouidence he hath propounded his word in so plaine a manner that all sorts of men may vnderstand that which he speakes vnto all Many other witnesses might be brought to this same purpose but I cease VER 123. I opened my mouth and panted because I loued thy Commandements BY this manner of speech Dauid expresses as Basile thinks Animi propensionem that the inclination of his soule was after Gods word For this opened mouth Ambrose thinks is Os interioris hominis the mouth of the inward man which in effect is his heart and the speech notes Vehementem animi intensionem a vehement intension of his spirit saith Euthymius yet shall it not be amisse to consider heere how the minde of the godly earnestly affected moues the body also The speech may be drawne from trauellers who being very desirous to attaine to their proposed ends enforce their strength thervnto and finding a weakenes in their body to answere their will they pant open their mouth seeking refreshment from the aire to renew their strength or as Vatablus thinks from men exceeding hungry and thirstie who open their mouth as if they would draw in the whole aire and then pant and sigh within themselues when they finde no full refreshment by it So he expresseth it Tanto desiderio legum tuarum flagrat cor meuÌ„ vt subinde cogar haurire aerem propter assâ—…dua suspiria How-euer it be it lets vs see how the hearing reading or meditating of Gods word wakened in Dauid a most earnest affection to haue the light ioy grace and comfort thereof communicated to his owne heart For in the godly knowledge of good increaseth desires and it cannot be expressed how vehemently their soules long to feele that power and comfort which they know is in the word and how sore they are grieued and troubled when they finde it not And happy were wee if we could meete the Lord with this like affection that when hee opens his mouth wee could also open our heart to heare as Dauid heere doth Christus aperit os vt daret alijs spiritum Dauid aperuit vt acciperet Opening his heart to receiue the spirit of grace when God openeth his mouth in his word to giue it For it is his promise to vs all Open thy mouth wide and I shall fill it let vs turne it into a prayer that the Lord who opened the heart of â—…dia would open our heart to receiue grace when he offers by his word to giue it VER 132. Look vpon me and be merciful to me as thou vsest to do vnto those that loue thy name FRom praises Dauid now turns him to praier In our best estate we are farre from that which we should be our perfection in this life stands in the acknowledging of our imperfection Euen when the godly speake any thing to God out of a good conscience concerning their vpright affection toward him at that same time priuie to the conscience of their wants they take them to prayer and seek mercy Looke vpon me This prayer is vsed by the godlie in two respects first when they are vnrighteously iudged of men and charged with that whereof they are not guilty in this case they desire that God would look vpon them For sure it is vnlesse the conscience be sleeping no man dare present an euill cause to the eye of God but rather as Adam hid himselfe after his transgression so men whose consciences are euill flie the sight of God and dare not desire him to look vpon them And againe when they are vnder spirituall desertion and in their sense the countenance of God is turned from them whose fauour is better then life which after the manner of men turning their face from such as they are angry withall they take vp to be an argument of displeasure in this case also they pray that the Lord would looke vpon them that is as he expounds himselfe be fauourable and mercifull to them And be mercifull This is very well subioyned for God looks to some in his displeasure so hee looked to the Egyptians and vnloosed the pinnes of their chariots that they could not driue so he looked to Sodome and rained downe fire and brimstone vpon them The eyes of the Lord said Amos are vpon the sinfull kingdome to destroy it Dauid knew this and therefore desires the Lord so to looke on him as to be mercivnto him As thou vsest These words containe in effect a reason from Gods constant kindnes toward all his children Lord doe to me as thou hast vsed to doe to others that loue thee Orâ—… vt aequali cum illis sententia potiar The examples of Gods mercie are not only registred for our comfort but for our confirmation Wherein we
watered by the earth For the teares of the godly fall not to the ground the Lord gathers them like most pretious pearles vnto him and puts them in his bottell and they bring still increase of comfort to such as shed them They are sowen like good seede on earth the first fruite whereof is reaped on earth but the fulness thereof in heauen according to that of the Psalmist They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy ZADE. VER 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements HEere Dauid sore troubled with griefe for the wickednesse of his enemies yea tempted greatly to impatience and distrust by looking to their prosperous estate notwithstanding their so grosse impiety doth now shew vnto vs a three-fold ground of comfort which in this dangerous tentation vpheld him The first is a consideration of that which God is in himselfe namely iust and righteous the second a consideration of the equity of his word thirdly of his constant truth declared in his working and doing according to his word When we find our selues tempted to distrust by looking to the prosperity of the wicked let vs looke vp to God consider his nature his word his workes and we shall finde comfort Righteous art thou There is the first a meditation of the righteousnes of Gods nature he alters not with times he changes not with persons he is alway and vnto all one and the same righteous and holy God Righteousnesse is essentiall to him it is himselfe and he can no more defraude the godly of their promised comforts nor let the wicked go vnpunished in their sinnes then hee can denie himselfe to be God which is impossible Iust are thy iudgements The second ground of Dauids comfort is heere and in the next verse VER 138. Thou hast commanded iustice by thy Testimonies and truth especially AS the tree is so is the fruit From so righteous a God nothing can proceede but righteousnesse God forbid that the Iudge of all the world should doe vnrighteously This meditation of the equity of Gods command flowing from his most righteous nature confirmes Dauid in this sure conclusion It cannot be but well with them who walke after his word and by the contrary such as goe a whooring from it cannot but make a miserable end how-euer they prosper for a time And out of this we may further learn how the law of God expresseth to vs the liuely linâ—…ments of his image for from his righteous nature flowe his commandements commanding righteousnesse This lets vs sâ—…e 〈◊〉 fearfull an euill sinne is sith it is a transgression of that holy law which flowes from Gods righteous nature it is a direct impugning violating of the diuine nature so farre as the creature may The lawes of Kings may be broken and their persons not touched farre lesse their nature violated yea oft-times their nature likes of that euill which their lawe forbids It is not so with the lawe of God it flowes from his righteous nature and God and his lawe are so straitly vnited that the breaking of his lawe is an impugning of his very nature so farre as the creature may as I haue said already By thy Testimonies The word of God is called his Testimony both because it testifies his will which he will haue vs to doe as also because it testifies vnto men truely what shall become of them whether good or euill Men by nature are curious to know their end rather then care full to mend their life and for this cause seeke answers where they neuer get good but if they would know let them goe to the word and testimony they need not to seeke any other Oracle If the word of God testifie good things vnto them they haue cause to reioyce if otherwise it witnesse euill vnto them let them hast to preuent it or else it shall assuredly ouertake them VER 139. My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word THroughout this Psalme we see that Dauid cannot satisfie himselfe in declaring the loue he had to Gods word for that comfort which hee had felt in it as likewise his insatiable affection crauing more comfort by it What he speakes of himself he speakes it not like that Pharise who boasted of his good not mourning for his euill nor yet longing for better Such presumption is farre from the godly If at any time they make mention of any good disposition in them they doe it to the glory of God from whom all good comes and to comfort themselues for the beginnings of Gods grace in them but still they know their wants and mourne for them Neuer contented in this life with the grace receiued with earnest affection they crie for more Three things haue we to consider in this his his protestation first the nature secondly the sorts thirdly the effects of zeale As for the nature of zeale It is a mixed affection of griefe and anger flowing from loue for what a man loues earnestly he is carefull to see it honoured and by the contrary grieued when it is dishonoured The sorts of it are many for according as our loue and griefe are so is our zeale If our loue be vpon the right obiects moderate in due measure it causes a zeale which is holy and spirituall otherwise if our loue be inordinate it begets a carnall or inordinate zeale Sometime the zeale is not vpon the right obiect and then it may be great but it cannot be good such is the zeale of Heretiques who compasse Sea and Land to make one of their owne profession Sometime againe the zeale is on the right obiect not in the due measure eyther too colde which is remission or too hote which is superstition Of these saith the Apostle It is a zeale but not according to knowledge Zelus ad mortem non ad vitam a zeale which tends to death not vnto life The effects of Dauids zeale he toucheth when he saith it had consumed him Affections of the soule are very forcible to moue the body A sorrowfull heart saith Salomon dryes vp the bones But men should carefully marke what spirit inflames their zeale and what zeale moueth their bodies There are som who vnder shew of zeale or at least because they thinke it zeale neglect the duetie which they owe to their bodies not remembring the seruice which God craues of the body is a reasonable seruice not vnreasonable Others with their zeale fight against the Gospell so did Paul before his conuersion Let vs try the Spirits and see that our zeale be according to knowledge For these two Knowledge Zeale are compared by Bernard to the two wings of a fowle the Bird that hath but one wing falleth the more that it mindeth to flie These are two excellent giftes Knowledge and Zeale but if the one be without the other it were better to want it And now sith zeale
we giue him the more profit by new benefits reap we at his hands And thy iudgements shall help me How Gods word is called his iudgement See verse 7. 13. 20. 30. 39. 43. 52. 62. 66. 84. 102. 106. 108. 120. VER 176. I haue gone a stray like a lost sheepe seeke mee for I doe not forget thy commandements IN this conclusion of the Psalme wee haue three things a confession of sinne a petition of mercy and a protestation The confession I haue wandred like a lost sheep Euthymius Vatablus vnderstand this to bee a complaint of his persecution he sustained of Saul who like a rauening Wolfe of Beniamins tribe chased Dauid like a poore sheepe from his natiue soyle hunting him to and fro like a Partrige through the mountaines of Israel and that therefore leaning to the testimonie of his good conscience he makes bolde with GOD that hee would reduce him and bring him home againe And this exposition is also agreeable to the Analogie of faith But wee rather take this with Basil and Ambrose to be a petition for spiritual deliuerance froÌ„ his sinnes wherein first he premiâ—…s a confession of his misery that he had wandred from God Hoc et propheâ—… a post peccatum omni humanae naturae dicere conuenit and this not onâ—…lie the Prophet but the whole nature of man after the transgression is bound to confesse Quod lapsum fateris in eo tibi cum omnibus commune consortium est quia nemo sine peccato negare hoc sacrilegium est solus enim deus sine peccato est confiteri hoc deo impunitatis remedium est that thou confessest thy sin in this thou hast a common fellowship with all mankinde there is no man without sinne that is Gods prerogatiue to deny this is sacriledge to confesse it is the waie to impunity Dic itaque et tu iniquitates tuas vt iustificeris Confesse thou therefore thy sins that thou maist be iustified It is the presumptuous voyce of Antichrist That a man in this life can be without sinne and fulfill the law in perfection If their eies were opened to see either the Lord or themselues they would be farre froÌ„ this abhominable presumption When holy Esay saw a vision of the Maiestie of God he cryed out Woe is me I am vneleane When patient Iob had seene the Lord it was his voyce Now I haue seene the Lord therefore I abhorre my selfe And Dauid heere by his deepe meditations of Gods word is moued to acknowledge his great disconformity from it by reason of his sinnes As the small motes of the â—…yre Atomi are onely seene where the sunne shineth so the manifold imperfectioÌ„s of our nature are best seene where the light of Gods word shines most cleerely And therefore to all such presumptuous papists as boast with the Pharisie of their perfection and fall not down with the penitent Publican and humble Dauid to make confession of their sinnes wee returne that answere of Bernard Site videres tibi displiceres mihi placeres If thou saw thy selfe thou wouldst be displeased with thy selfe shouldst please me Sed quia te non vides tibi places mihi displices but because thou seest not thy selfe thou pleasest thy selfe and displeasest mee Veniet autem dies quandâ—… nec tibi nec mihi placebis non mihi quia peccasti nec tibi quia in aeternum ardebis But the day will come wherein thou shalt neither please thy selfe nor mee thou shalt not please mee because thou hast sinned against mee neither shalt thou please thy self because thou shalt be punished with euerlasting fire In any spirituall disease the knowledge of our sinne and confession of it is the first token of the returne of health Soluit criminum nexus verecunda confessio peccatorum the bands of sinne are loosed when they are confessed And againe Erroris medicina est confessio Medicine for error is confession But to this purpose notable is the saying of Gregory Mirentur quâ—…cunque volent in quolibet castitatis continentiam mirentur viscâ—…ra pietatis egâ—… non minus admiror in â—…o confessionem humilimam peccatorum Let men admire as they please in others either their continency or commiseration I will much more admire in a man to see the humble confession of his sinnes Scio enim per infirmitatis verecundiam grauioris esse certaminis praeterita peccata prodere quam non admissa vitare For I knowe through the infirmitie of shame that the godly haue a greater battel to confesse sinne committed than to represse it that it be not committed Seeke mee The second thing in the verse is petition of mercy after the confession of sinne I haue wandred like a lost sheep but thou who art the great pastor of thy sheepe who causest ioie in heauen at the conuersion of a sinner thou that leauest ninetie and nine feeding in the mountaines to seeke one of thy sheepe that hath wandred from thee Come thou Lord and by thy grace bring me home againe Quaere me quia te requiro Seeke mee for by thy grace I seeke thee Potes inuenire quem tu requiris Thou maist finde him whom thou seekest Dignare suscipere quem inueneris Vouchsafe to receiue him whom thou hast found Impone humeris quem susceperis And lay him vpon thy shoulders whom thou hast receiued Non est tibi piuÌ„ onus fastidio It is no wearisom burden to thee to beare thine owne and bring them home againe vnto thy selfe Thus we see how not onely in our first conuersion God did communicate life to vs when wee were dead as he followed Apostate Adam that ranne away from him and brought him again but in all the course of our life he is the conseruer and restorer of life to our soules No man can reckon the errours of his life We should perish in the least of them if the mercy of God did not watch ouer vs to saue vs when we haue lost our selues to reduce vs when we wander to raise vs when we fall So that the whole praise of the beginning continuance and consummation of our saluation belongs to the Lord our GOD onely For I forget not thy commandements The third and last thing in the verse is this protestation Where if it be demaunded How do these agree with the former He hath euen now said that he wandred like a lost sheep now he saith that he forgets not the coÌ„mandements of God The answere is The godly neuer so fall but there remaines in them some grace quae spem medicinae reseruat which reserues a hope of medicine to cure them so Dauid here Licèt quaedam mandatorum dei transgressus est omnimodam tamen illorum obliuionem non admisit Albeit hee transgressed some of Gods commandements yet hee fell not into any full obliuion of them And last we see here
that as Dauid first got life to his soule by the word so by it life was conserued vnto him and if at any time hee fell it was the word that wakened him to turne againe to the Lord by repentance When we are tempted vnto sinne the word armes vs to resist it when we are vvounded with sinne the word lets vs see how to cure it And as the crowing of the Cock wakened Peter to mourne for the deniall of Christ so the warning of the word wakens vs to repent when we haue sinned Happy vvere we if such affection vvere in vs toward the vvord of God as here was in Dauid So should we finde that manifolde comfort in it which hee found to the reioycing of his heart If vve receiue it vvhen vvee heare it vvith a liuelie faith Fiet nobis quodcunque desideramus It shall be vnto vs what euer we desire if wee be in trouble it shall be to vs a word of consolation if we be in ioy it shal augment our ioy Certainly if vve knew it we would be more delighted with it It is the seede of our new birth it is the foode that conserues an immortall life in vs it is a preseruatiue against all euill it is the restoratiue of our soules in all diseases it is the staffe of our infirmityes it is our armour against our enemies it is the light of our eyes euen that day starre that shineth in darknes If we walke in the light thereof it shall leade vs to the bright-shining sunne of righteousnes Christ Iesus To whom with the Father and the Holy-ghost be praise honor and glory for euer Amen FINIS A Prayer commonlie vsed by the Author before his Euening Doctrine to the people O Lord prepare our hearts to seeke thee and open thou thy mercifull eare to heare vs. Let the meditation of our heart the words of our mouth and the lifting vp of our hands be vnto thee an acceptable Euening sacrifice and let thy blessing descend vpon vs thy people that by the ministery of thy word holy spirit light may increase in our mindes by which wee may knowe thee life in our hearts by which we may liue vnto thee that so long as wee are here in this miserable absence from thee we may continually be guided with thy grace and in thy owne good time receiued vp to thy glory through Iesus Christ to whom with thee and thy holy spirit be praise and glory for euer Another LOrd quicken vs that we may call vpon thy holy name Lord make vs wearie of our sinnes that we may come to thee and thou may refresh vs powre thy spirit vpon vs that we may hunger and thirst for thy righteousnesse and saluation that thou according to thy promise may satisfie vs. Declare thy presence in mercie vpon vs who heere wait for thy louing kindnes in the midst of thy Temple Water thine inheritance with the deaw of thy grace that we may fasten our roots in Christ and may growe vp in him in all holines fruitfull in euery manner of good worke which may be to thy glory through Iesus Christ. To whom with thee and thy holie spirit be praise and honour and glory for euer Amen A TABLE DIRECTING the Reader how to finde out the Principall points of Doctrine contained in this Book A A Brahams infirmity to teach vs strength P. 143. Gods Acceptation of any thing at our hands a great fauour for three respects 246. Accesse to God by Prayer while we are in the body will make vs not affraide to go out of the body 137. Adam had all graces except Perseuerance 260. Affections to be feruent in seeking spirituall things 356. Affections if strong will breake forth in Actions 368. Afflictions are fauours and proued such 166. 245. They are profitable 206. Afflictions and offences humble the Godly 170. Affliction not affecting Purgation is an argument of fearefull induration 171. In Affliction we see three things better then in prosperitie viz. What of the Lord what of our selues what of the world 181. The goodnes of the Wicked endeth with their Affliction It doth not so with the Godly 182. In Affliction to praise God a great grace 189. Afflictions of good and bad differ and how in the measure and in the end 191. They make the fruitfull more fruitfull 219. Alexanders and Caesars parting the night 159. Almuggim trees are such as rot not 156. The Anchor of the soul is Gods word 340. Angels to be imitated 332. Answere of Prayer delayed and why 199. Appeale to God frō the wrongfull iudgements of men 62. 344. Application of the word a speciall grace 377. Armour of the godly the Word and Prayer 65 The Art of Arts is the practise of piety 187. Assurance of saluation is no Arrogance 123. 215. Assurance confirmed by Arguments 124. The Awe-band of the wicked is without them of the godly within them 362. B THe Bands Combinings of the Wicked auaile not P. 155 Banishment and Pilgrimage bringeth vs neerer to God the farther from Men. 131. Beginnings nothing without perseuerance 252. God is a Beholder of our afflictions and Wrestlings 342 Benefits receiued well vsed beget Boldnes to aske more 38. Benefits should binde vs to Obedience 308. The fruite of Gods Benefits is our profit and Gods praise 393. Benignity of God generall speciall 163. Blessednes of Man described foure wayes 6. Mans Blessednes is in Gods Approbation 9. Desire of the best Blessings pleaseth God best 93. Blindnes of Man by Nature 51. Our Bodyes are houses of Bondage 132. Christs Burden beareth the Bearer 79. C CAlumnies are heauy Crosses Page 275. To commend a wrong Cause to Gods protection is dangerous 276. Bee our Cause neuer so good our owne wisedom will not help it ibid. Christians more honourable then Kings not Christians 48. Christians maimed which haue an eare to hear a tongue to speak but no hand to practise 119. Christians called Christs Companions 162. Christians are Prophets 388. Commandements all to be kept not with halfe obedience 21. Solide Comfort and Counsell commeth from the word 67. Comforts to bee sought from God for Gods sake 110. The Comfort of the Crosse vnknowne to Worldlings 171. Comfort the lesse worldly the greater heauenly 182. Comfort not comming from Gods word hath two euils with it 218 Comfort cōsisteth in two things 254. A three-fold Comfort 314. The Comfort of the worde is common to all the Godly 370. A man knowne by his Company 161. 257. Wicked Company to be for born for two causes 257. A threefolde Complaint against three sorts of Enemies 383. Confession of Sinnes confoundeth Sathan 274. 396. Confusion twofolde either a Desertion of God or Oppression of Men. 88 A Good Conscience affordeth continuall boldnesse in Prayer 273. 302. 343. 354 Consideration necessary in all things 150. Dauids Constancy in religion 174. Constancy of Christiās 250. 351. Conuersion to God not of any freewill in nature 85. Nothing can giue a
are loued of the Godly 356. Prosperity of the Wicked not to be regarded 346. The Wicked commonly stiled Proude men 59. 175. 195. Proude Satan hath made Disciples prouder then himselfe 60. A Proude mans punishment shame which he shuns most 195. Prouidence against the time of trouble commended 264 Purposes and protestations to be seconded with prayers 24. Purpose in vs perisheth if God prosper it not 146 Purpose of prayer must remaine though performance often fayleth 157. 252 R THE Reason of our Petitions must sometimes be drawne from God sometimes from our selues Page 170. Rebukes of God to be feared of man not 104 That is a Refreshing Recreation to the Godly which is a tedious wearinesse to the Wicked 130. Regard good wherin man looketh into his owne necessities and looketh vp to Gods mercies 78 Regeneration wrought by degrees 51. A tryall of true Religion 63. Truth of Religion not to bee measured by the number or greatnesse of those that oppose it 64. One tryall of Men truely Religious 109. Religion is the more loued by the good the more it is hated by the badde 288. How God is said to Remember 120. We that desire God to Remember his promises made to vs must Remember our promises made to him ibid. Remission and Renouation two inseparable graces 75. Repentance delayed dangerous and damnable 152. A godly Resolution is the beginning of a godly life 24. Reuerence in prayer 146. Worldly Riches full of vanity and vexation 42. 183. Ignorance of Gods Righteousnesse maketh men murmure 190. S A Man worketh his Saluation after grace receiued Pa. 252. Saluation and Gods worde are ioyned together 346. 392. 398. Satans two armes violence and lies 177. Satan an vnreasonable insatitiable vsurping Tyrant 305. Seeking of God sheweth he was lost 12. Intention required in Seeking ibid. Sixe conditions in Seeking 13. The spirituall man apprehendeth good with all his Senses 238. To bee Gods Seruant is more honour then to bee a King 48. 167. 276. Gods Seruant proued by two badges 281. The Seruice of God must bee cheerefull 89. The great Shepheards fauour towarde his vvandring sheepe 397 Godly Singing and teares 58. Simple men vnderstand Gods word 298. Sinceritie in Prayer 147. Sinnes whence they proceede 17. Sins euill fruits and effects 20. Sinne aggrauated in that it is a forsaking of GODs Lawe 129. Sinne punished heere sheweth there is a Iudge and Sinne spared sheweth there is a Iudgement to come 160. To resist Sin is our greatest perfection 235 Sinne vnresisted and receiued weakneth our spirituall strength 236. In Sinne three things to be es◅hewed the occasion the beginning the perfection 255 In Sinne men growe more Skilfull euerie daie then other ibid. Sinne is a departing from God 267. 339 By any one Sinne a man may be damnably captiued 291. Sinne maketh a man a silly Creature 307 Sleepe the dewe of Nature 158. The Soule not satisfied in this life 35. The Soules three-folde action about the word 43. The Soule liueth by mercy as the Body by meate 198. To Speake of God common to all To Speake to God is proper to Gods 137 Speech why sometimes taken away from the faithfull 39. Manie Speeches vsed by custome but not with Conscience 228. Gods Statutes and Testimonies must bee learned together 283. Christians confesse themselues to bee Strangers heere 54 The Strangers guide must bee God 56. Two Suters whereof the one seeketh vs for our Weale the other for our Wreck 97. T THE subiect of our Talking should bee GODs Word Pag. 117. No Teaching vnless God Teach 36. 281. Prayer vnto God to be ioyned to the Teaching of men 37. Dauid a Teacher desireth Teaching ibid. 91. Teachers to learne first 39. GOD continuing a Teacher wee shall continue his Seruants 92. God Teacheth by precepts and presidents 135. Teares with GOD beter then Talke 295. Temporizers in Religion are Samaritan Professors 321. Tentations of the Godly sometimes cannot and sometimes are not to be tolde 69. Tentations ouercome by remembring time to come 128. True Godlines endureth great Tentations 155. Thankefulnes commended for foure causes 22. It must be from the Heart 25. Declared in Obedience 113. In tongue in affection in action 116. Time to be taken while it is present 154. It is a pretious Iewell 157. Dauids st◅ife with the Time 331. The Royall Tower of Christ is a soule ascending to heauen 70 Trouble mitigated by Prayer 334. Trouble a Tryall of true Religion 351. V VErtues of Gods seruants to be marked Page 3 The Vertuous loue those Uertues in others which either they haue or would haue 188. Vnderstanding is the Soules Taster 169. W OVr seruice is farre inferiour to the Wages which God giueth Page 280. All men Wanderers from God 394. Wants waken the Godly and make them wiser 71 Wayes of Learning 1 Mans life a Way 7 A Godly mans life called Gods Way 16. 19. 45. The Waies of God want a Teacher The Wayes of Sinne neede none 76. The Law of God is the Way of Truth in three respects 82. The straight Way hath but one path the broad Way many 96. Our Wayes neede alwayes redresse 151. They are darknes without the word 249. Sinnes of Weaknes and of Wickednes differ much 250. The first Weapon of the Wicked against the Godly is their tong 65 The Wicked are insatiable in Crueltie 207. Wickedmen why so called 250. The fall of the Wicked is Gods worke 268. The Wicked Gods Rods. 306. The Wicked authors of their owne Wrack 345 Their miserable estate 376. No Wisedom without the Word 383. Gods Word why called a Testimony 10. 97. 269. 316. Why his Iudgement 86. 244. Kept in mind affectiō actiō 11 Keepers of Gods Word are kept by it 15. 35. Gods Word a glass wherein may be seen Gods image ours 27. As no Word without letters so no good without this Word 28. It is needfull to all especially to young and why ibid. It is to be vsed to our Consolation and our Edification 112. God will a way make good his Word 113. 160. 320. Gods Word vnwelcom to Kings vvhy 117. It is comfortable 125. It is the life of our soule 126. It is the light 297 Conuenient for euery estate of life 130. The truth thereof shal be found of the wicked in iudgement of the righteous and beleeuers in mercy 168. The authority thereof from God the Ministery frō man 183. The eternitie and equity thereof 212. 324. It is not only controuerted but contradicted in earth not so in heauen Therefore looke vp 214. Thereout the Godly and the Wicked gather Contraries 217. Contemned onely by such as get no benefit by it 220. It is the tryall of Wisedom 231. Two great benefits thereof Vnderstanding in the mind Sanctification of the Affections 239. It is the sure Charter of our heauenly inheritance 251. Gods Word called iust for two respects 290. It is Gods Oracle to be enquired at 316. It is a staffe to sustaine vs in trouble 339.
Commended for the truth and righteousnes thereof 357. Euery thing contrary thereto is falsehood 366. It is the keeper of religious order 389. It is like Manna 392. Gods Works are wondrous 77. All his Works serue him 217. Worldlings treasure is without them The Christians is within them 33. The Worldlings ioy The Godlies griefe 69 Y YOuth and Old age both to be godly 30. To be considered 234. Z THe Zeale of the godly to Gods word not soon satisfied 317. The nature of Zeale ibid. Sundry sorts of Zeale 318. The effects of Zeale ibid. Zeale and Knowledge twowings of the Soule 319. The Tryall of Zeale ibid. Zeale in Prayer 328. What may seem wanting in this Table the references of certaine verses will supply FINIS Iob 31. Heb. 13. So many waieâ—… doth God teâ—…ch man that man is inexcusable if he learn not Matth. 11. 17. Euthym. Gods courle in dealing with man contrary to Sathans Esa. 5. 4. A commendation of the booke of the Psalmes Aâ—…ib Dauid both the heart and the tongue and the pen of the great King If we be partakers of Dauids disposition we shall also be partakers of his approbation ☜ A notable sentence of Cyprian to this purpole Iob 1. 1. 8. Pontius We should marke these verâ—…es for which God hath commended his seruants In euery verse of this Psalme except one Dauid makes mention of Gods word Vatablus Such as are regenerate by the word liue by it as by the food of their soules Others cannot account of it ☜ The order and diuision of this Psalme The felicity of man stands in a conformity with God Basil. praeâ—…in Psal. Rom. 9. 5. Foure wayes is mans felicity described in holy Scripture Ephes. 1. 3. Psalme Psal. 3â—… 1. Matth. 5. Euthym. Euery mans life is a Way wherein without intermission he walkes to the graue Basil. Psal. 125. The different courses of good and euill men in it For there is one common to them both which is seene one other proper to each of them which is secret A godly man directs his course by the word 〈◊〉 3. 1â—… Mans felicity stands in God his approbation No malice of Sathan no wrath of man can curse where God hath blessed Why Gods word is called the Testimony of God Euery man should take heed what Gods word testifies to him Mich. 2. 7. ☞ Aug. How the children of God keepe his word in mind affection and action Rom. 8. How necessary it is for vs to seeke the Lord. Psal. 73 27. Ver. 28. Miserable are they who seeke him not With what affection God should be sought Chrysost. in mat hom 24. Euthym. ☞ Six conditions to be obserued in the seeking of God 1 Seeke him in Christ. Heb. 7. 25. 2 Seeke him in truth Ier. 10 10. Ioh. 4. 2â—… Pâ—…l 51. 3 Seeke him in holinesse Heb 12. 1 Ioh. 3. 4 Sâ—…eke him aboue all things and for himselfe Hos. Aug. ☞ 5 Seeke him by his owne light Rom. 1. 21. 6 Seek him without wearying Psal. 34. 5. If we keepe Gods word it keepes vs. How it is that the Saints of God worke no iniquity Rom. 7. Three things concurre to the working of iniquity ☞ 1. Ioh. 3. Why the life of a godly man is called Gods way The sinnes of this age are either of obliuion or rebellion excuse of ignorance is taken from them By obliuion men are easily caried to rebellion Psal. 123. 2. Three reasons to moue vs to a carefull diligence to obey the Lord. The godly answer Gods preâ—…epts with a prayer It cannot be well with man when his way is contrary to Gods way It is a worke of Gods mercy and power to draw a man from his owne way to Gods way Euthym. The miserable effects of sin Iam. 1. It offends both God and man but hurts him most that did â—…ommit it Ierem. â—…asil Wee should make conscience of all God his commaundements The halfe obeâ—…ience of the wicked is like the voice of an Eccho Iam. 2. 10. Thankfulnes to God commended for foure causes Psalme First for the equitie of it sith wee take good things from God why should we not giue him glory Secondly for the obiect thereof which is God the treasure of all good Thirdly for the associates wee haue in this exercise namely Angels our elder brethren Lastly for the great good we get by it The best musicall instrument for Gods prayses is an vprigh â—…are Both the matter the grace of thankfulnes is from God Purposes wold be seconded with prayers A resolution to be godly is a great beginning of a godly life A fearefull plague to be forsaken of God â—…asil Gods children many times exercised with temporall desertions To a godly man a â—…hort time of Gods absence is long Gods word is a glasse representing to vs both Gods image and our owne As words and sentences cannot be without letters so no good in religioÌ„ or manners without the word ☞ Dauid edifies others with that which had done himselfe good The word is needfull for all specially for young men and why Amb. lib. de viduis Naziâ—…n orat 46. in Ecclesiast Prou. 22. 15. Lam. 3. 27. Youth commonly most profane Amos. 2. It is an euill diuision when young yeeres are giuen to Satan and olde age to the Lord. Leuit. 2. 14. Malach. How the strength of young age should be declared 1. Ioh. 2. 14 15 16. It a double sin and shame for old men to be vngodly A miserable euill to come to Canaans borders and be put backe againe ☜ Knowledge to gouern the life aright is the good gift of God Amb. Dauid practised that which he taught to others Hee was far froÌ„ Pharisaicall boasting of his owne perfection Basil. The beginning continuing and perfecting of our saluation is of God Heb. 12. Dauid hid not the talent hee receiued Psal. He that edifies not his owne heart with mercy is not meet to speake of it vnto others Christians haue their treasure within Worldlings without them The godly make not a vaine shew of grace but lock it vp in the heart to hide it from their enemies Basil. Worldlings carelesse of the heauenly treasure conuinced If we keepe the word it will keepe vs. The soule of the godly cannot be satisfied in this life Men are carelesse to seeke God because they know not what a iewell he is But seeke the creatures as if their happines stood in them To be taught by man is nothing if God teach not Amb. Doctrine shold be deliuered and receiued with prayer ☜ Such as haue solid knowledge of saluation desire to know more And none thinke they know enough but they who know nothing Bern. Benefits receiued being well vsed may make vs bold to seek more How sayth Dauid he declared Gods iudgements 〈◊〉 the Apostle saith they are vnsearchable Psal. 35. Rom. 11. Ambrose Iudgements of God are twofold secret and reuealed Men should learne before they teach Bern. Man made with such wisedome that no member in the body
can say to another I need thee not Speech taken from good men for two causes Iob 12. 1 For punishment of their people 2 For correction of themselues The ioy gotten by Gods word surmounts all worldly ioy whatsoeuer Basil. Ambrose In a miserable estate are they to whom Gods word is a wearinesse Sathans baits â—…e pleasure or profit but we should not be moued with any of them and why Amb. 1. Cor. 1. It is not the hearing or reading of Gods word that will worke vs ioy if we practise it not ☞ Basil. Of the vexation and vanity of worldly riches Ambros. in Luc. cap. 16. They flie farthest from vs when we haue most need of comforts A threefold internall action of the soule about the word ☜ How a godly man is euer fruitfull in good The necessity and vtility of meditation The minde of man is restlesse and vexes it selfe with euill if it be not exercised with good Gods word should be the matter of our meditation August Marcellinâ—… Iob 22. The word is Gods way because by it God commeth to vs and we go to him The more good a godly man doth the more he desires to do The graces of the Spirit are linked together lose one lose all keepe one keep all ☞ Our best estate vpon earth is that we haue not that which we should and yet want not altogether The strength of a Christian is in his prayer The greatest benefit men receiue from God is grace to obey him Constantine the great his notable saying It is more to be a Christian then a Monarch of the world So Dauid reioyceth more in this that he was Gods seruant then king of Israel Sith Angels serue him shal we think shame to serue him Naturall life makes a reprobate man in a worse case then if he had neuer been But to an elect man euen naturall life is a great benefit This life without grace is but a death Num. 19. Math. 8. Eph. 5. Miserable are they who desire to liue for loue of the pleasures of sin A worthy meditation of Nazianzen Satan by experience is found a false deceiuer How blind maÌ„ is by nature ☜ Our regeneratioÌ„ is wrought by degrees Ambrose If we be ignorant of the word the blame is in our darke mind not in it Vatab. 2. Cor. 3. 14. Why many learned men attaine not to the knowledge of the truth ☞ Basil. Illumination of the mind is Gods worke Psal. 104. Luk 24. 2. Cor. 3. 16. Euery Article of our faith â—…s a wonderful mysterie Man on earth is a stranger knowes not the way hee should walk till God shewes it vnto him Ambrose Worldlingâ—… shal not continue on earth yet cannot say they are strangers in it And that because in affection they be content with this desire not a better Phil. Reuel 8. Psal. 17. Worldlings â—…e inhabitants of the earth Christians are â—…ut strangers in it Basil. Luke The whole earth is but a place of banishment Nazian in vita Basil. A man euen in his owne house should esteeme himselfe a straÌ„ger This world can neither wil nor teach men a way to go out of her selfe we must seeke a guide froÌ„ heauen ☞ The right knowledge of the ten Commandements Two things required in true obedience Both the word and the plagues of God are called his iudgments how Such as are not moued by the first shall be confounded by the second A hart full of spirituall desires is an argument of great grace Ambr. Ambrose Comfort against coÌ„tempt of men wherby they scorne the godly for sighing and teares The begunne wrath of God on them shold confirme vs against their contempt But many wax worse with Lamech when they see euill men spared Gene. 4. 24. Few become better with Dauid when they see them punished Eccles. Wicked men coÌ„monly styled proud men and why Proud Satan hath made disciples prouder then himselfe Esay 14. Ambr. The miserable condition of a proud man Iam. ☞ Ambrose Euery error is dangerous but proud error accursed Sinnes of pride and of infirmitie should be distinguished Curse of God on the wicked is like a secret consumption Dauid his appellation to God from the wrongful iudgments of men How Dauid iustifies himselfe before God and man A triall of true religion A hard tentation to be troubled by men of great authority for two causes 1. For their power Prou. Rom. 13. 2. 〈◊〉 place Psalm Princes godly and râ—…us are a great blessing of God Great cause haue we to be thankfull for the King hee hath set ouer vs. Psalm christians measure not the veritie of religion by the number or greatnes of them that are with it or against it Such as persecure the godlie with their tongues will not faile to loose their hands against them if they may Where we find that God binds their hands we should beare their tongues the more patiently ☜ Ierem. 12. Armour of godly men is the word and prayer Ambrose ☞ The word renders vs both counsell for gouernment pleasure for delectation Comfort gotten by other recreations continues not ☜ No wisedome without the word The word of God is conuenient for euery state of life Dauid sore troubled with a spirituall oppression Tentations of the godly somtimes cannot be told sometimes it is not expedient they should be told In a worldling the very heauenly part is becom earthly Ambrose The contrary disposition of Christians Ambr. Cant. 4. 4. The royall towre of christ is a soule moâ—â—ting vp to heauen Change of estates wherevnto the godly are subiect ☞ Godly men by 〈◊〉 waÌ„ts falls infirmities become more godly The life of a ChristiaÌ„ wherin stands it It is great faith to belieuâ—… when there is no feeling of mercie Dauids argument to moue the Lord vnto mercie Where God begins to shew mercy he ceaâ—… not tâ—…ll hee crowne with â—…cie Mans liberality is but like a Strand Gods like the great Ocean Happy is the soule wherein mercy truth meet together An euill conscience hides it self from God Esa. What a great benefit it is to manifest our wayes to God in time Ambrose Sathan confounded when we confesse our sinnes ☞ A profitable rule to make vs liue godly Basil. After confession he ioynes prayer for amendment Ambros. See ver 12. Remission and renouation are two inseparable benefits ☜ We haue great need to pray for further light We can walke the wayes of sinne without a teacher not so the wayes of God Miserable is man so long as his way and Gods way are different Good things should be sought from God for good ends Iam 4. The works of God are all maruellous The godly sore humbled by affliction A Christian is eyther looking to his owne necessities or to God his mercies Naturall comforts cannot sustaine a man iâ—… spirituall troubles 1. Pet. 1. Luk. 6. Christians should not thinke that their tentations are singular 1. Cor. 10. Christs crosse is such a burden is easeth them on whoÌ„
great signe a sure fore-runner of a further and more fearefull iudgement to come if it be not remedied It is an enemy to grace it is the mother of presumptuous sins it makes smallest sins irremissible it makes a man Gods aduersary for the Lord resisteth the proud As two hard things when they encounter together the weakest of thē is broken in peeces so is it with man when with his hard hart he contends with the invincible God Let vs pray wee may be deliuered from this plague of a hard hart But my delight see ver 14. 16. 35. 76. 77. 174. VER 71. It is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted that I may learne thy statutes HEe renewes his former protestation which he madever 67. declaring how his afflictions made him more godlie then he was before Heereby may we discerne a sanctified crosse from a cursed the crosse which makes thee better then thou wast how sharpe so euer it be if it worke a correction of thee thou maist be sure it is a blessing It is commonly in the mouthes of many when they are in trouble We must thanke God for his correction But alas how can that be called a correction which corrects thee not If thou be not corrected with Dauid thou hast matter of griefe in thy trouble but none of ioy and so canst not say with Dauid It is good for me that I haue been afflicted Affliction as we said ver 67. in it owne nature is euill being a punishment of sinne but the Lord who changed the bitter waters of Marah and made them sweet vnto Israel hath also changed to his children the nature of the crosse that not onely they find comfort in it but most happy effects are wrought in them by it In trouble wee see three things better then in prosperitie First how prouident mercifull and true the Lord is Secondly how weake and miserable our selues are Thirdly how false changable the world is Beside all these it is an effectuall meane whereby the Lord beates downe the pride of Nature and humbles vs for our sinnes Hagar was proud and blind in Abrahams house but in the wildernesse she is humbled and begins to looke to the Lord. Israel learned not to mourn vntill they were sent into Babel Ionas sleepes in the shippe but wakes and prayes in the Whales belly Blessed is the man whom the Lord corrects therefore refuse not the chastisement of the Almighty For tribulation bringeth forth patience patience experience experience hope hope maketh vs not ashamed That I may learne Hee now condiscends in particular and shewes what good hee got by afflictions he learned Gods statutes by them He speakes not of that learning which is gotten by hearing or reading of Gods word but of the learning which he had gotten by experience that he had felt the truth comfort of Gods word more effectual and liuely in trouble then he could doe without trouble which also made him more godly wise and religious when the trouble was gone Wicked men are somwhat good whē they are in affliction but so soon as they are deliuered they return to their old sinnes as ye see in Pharao These are like Iron which is soft and will bow at the workmans wil when it is in the fire but soon after it is drawn out it returns to the old hardnes These men vse repentance as worldlings doe an old garment which they put about thē in time of a showre but cast it away so soon as the weather becomes faire It is otherwise with the godly the fire of affliction purgeth their drosse and makes them finer all the daies of their life so that with good Ezechia being once rightly humbled they recount their by-gone sinnes in the bitterness of their hart all their dayes VER 72. The law of thy mouth is better vnto me then thousands of gold and siluer DAuid at this time beeing spoyled of his kingdome by Absalom as Basile thinks reioyceth that hee found more comfort in Gods word then all the gold or siluer or treasures of Canaan could afford And indeede the lesse worldly comfort wee haue the greater find we the comfort of the word of God But heere his speech is to be marked for hee calls the word the law of Gods mouth Which leades vs to consider two things concerning it the authoritie of the word and so it is from Gods mouth the ministery of the word so it comes from mans mouth Sometime men looke to the ministery of the word and not to the authoritie of it and then it is no maruell they disesteeme of it euen as Samuel ranne to Eli when he should haue runne to God because hee thought the voice that called him had been but the voice of Eli. So many regard not the word because they take it to be the voice of man and not of God Then thousands Worldly riches are gotten with labour kept with care lost with griefe They are false friends farthest from vs when we haue most need of comfort as all worldlings shall trie to be true in the hour of death For then as Ionas gourd was taken from him in a morning when he had most need of it against the Sun so is it with the comfort of worldlings It is farre otherwise with the word of God for if we wil lay it vp in our harts as Mary did the comfort thereof shall sustaine vs when all other comfort shal faile vs. This is it that makes vs rich vnto God when our soules are Storehouses filled with the treasures of his word Shall we thinke it pouertie to bee scant of gold and siluer An ideo Angelus pauper est quia non habet iumenta c. Shall we esteeme the Angels poore because they haue not flocks of Cattell or that S. Peter was poore because he had not gold nor siluer to giue vnto the Criple No he had store of grace by infinite degress more excellent then it Let the riches of gold be left vnto worldlings wee haue to remember these are not currant in Canaan not accounted of in our heauenly countrey If we would be in any estimation there let vs inrich our soules with spirituall graces which we haue aboundant in the Mines and treasures of the word of God IOD VER 73. Thine hands haue made mee and fashioned mee giue mee vnderstanding that I may learne thy commandements THis verse hath a petition for vnderstanding and a reason with it I am tho workmanship of thine hands therefore giue me vnderstanding Nemo est qui operibus beneficus suis non faueat There is no man but he fauours the works of his hands And shall not the Lord much more loue his creature especially man his most excellent creature whom if yee consider according to the fashion of his bodie Nihil poteris in terra pretiosius iudicare ye shal find
nothing on earth more pretious then hee Sed in eo quod non videtur multo pulchrior est but in that which is not seene namely his soule hee is much more beautifull So ye see Dauids reasoning is very effectuall all one as if he should say as he doth elswhere Opus manuum tuarum ne deseras Te authorem conuenio te teneo conditorem aliena praesidia non quaro Forsake not ô Lord the worke of thine hands thou art my author and maker thine help I seek and the helpe of none other No man can rightly seeke good things from God if he consider not what good the Lord hath already done to him But many are in this poynt so ignorant that they knowe not how wonderfully God did make them and therefore can neither blesse him nor seeke from him as from their Creator and conseruer But this argument drawne from our first creation no man can righly vse it but he who is through grace partaker of the second creation for all the priuiledges of our first creation we lost them by our fall So that now by nature it is no comfort to vs nor matter of our hope that GOD did make vs but rather matter of our feare and distrust that wee haue mismade ourselues haue lost his image and are not now like vnto that which God created vs in the beginning Giue mee vnderstanding Dauid knew that a man without vnderstanding were hee of neuer so noble bloud or comely of personage he is but a companion of beasts and therefore the Spirit of GOD commonly giues the stile of a man vnto man eyther made or restored to the image of God But a man destitute of that image Aut serpentem aut equum aut vulpeculam aut iumentum vocare consueuit he cals either a serpent or a horse or a foxe or a beast That I may learne Hee sheweth heer what is the vnderstanding which he craued namelie that hee might learne to obey the commaundements of God It is not wisedome in Gods account for a man to knowe all other things and be ignorant of himselfe neither is this learning to haue knowledge of all Sciences and secrets of Nature and to be without godlinesse This is the beginning of all wisedome To feare GOD and the Art of Arts to practise pietie To this purpose said Ambrose Quid tam obscurum quam de Astronomia tractare profundi aeris spatia metiri relinquere causam salutis error is quaerere Where if saith hee it be obiected Was not Moses learned in all the learning of the Egyptians let it be answered So hee was but hee thought all this wisedom losse and foolishnesse in comparison and turned to seeke GOD with inward affection Ideoque vidit interrogavit audiuit loquentem Deum hee saw therefore hee asked and heard God speaking vnto him VER 74. So they that feare thee seeing me shal reioyce because I trusted in thee THe godly in ordering their life haue a respect first vnto God that he may haue glory Next to themselues that in conformitie with God they may haue peace and comfort And thirdly vnto his neighbour to giue vnto him that is godly matter of ioy and edification by his godly life according to that precept of our Sauiour Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your godly conuersation may glorifie your Father who is in heauen Beside this appeareth the great power vertue of godlines that euen the very sight of a godlie man ministers ioy to the godly terror to the wicked Plerisque iusti aspectus admonitio correctionis est perfectioribus verò laetitia to many men the sight of a righteous man is a warning of correction For they are admonished what neede they haue to amend their life that they may be like vnto him but to such as haue profited more in godlinesse it is alway a matter of ioy Quam pulchrum ergo si videaris prosis How excellent a thing then is this that as oft as thou art seene so oft thou doost good And againe there is such a fellowshippe and communion among all the liuely members of Christ his mystical bodie that they mourne together they reioyce together the grace of God cōmunicated to one is a cause of ioy to al the rest Bonis enim insitū est vt virtutes su as in alijs amēt It is the propertie of the godly to loue those vertues in others which either they haue or would in themselues to enuy the good of another and be grieued thereat is a diuellish thing Infirme Iosua may murmure when Medad and Eldad prophecie in the assembly of the people but meeke Moses shall reioyce and wish that all the Lords people did prophecie in like manner Because I trusted in thee Gods working with any one of his seruants is a confirmation of all the rest for what hee is to one that feares him he is vnto all that feare him So that mercy shewed to any penitent and promises performed to any beleeuing man should confirme vs in the assurance of the like fauour of God to bee found by our selues if we also repent and beleeue in him VER 75. I knowe O Lord that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted mee iustlie THis Verse consists of a thankesgiuing wherin he ascribes to the Lord the praise of truth and righteousnesse in afflicting him Many vse to praise God in prosperity who in time of trouble impatient of his heauie hand murmure against him but such as are truly godly do then blesse the Lord most heartily when he seems to deale with them most hardly giuing him the praise of equity and acknowledging that his greatest rodds are not so great as their sins as also the praise of fidelity that according to his word he afflicts his children for no other cause but to purge them and make them more capable of grace and consolation I know How is this seeing the Apostle saith Rom. II. that the iudgements of God are vnsearchable and his waies past finding out The answer is Dauid doth not so speake as if he were priuy to al the secret waies of God but that thus much hee knew in generall that all his iudgements whereby he strikes eyther the godly or the wicked were all right suppose the causes and particular ends of them were secret And this knowledge is learned out of the word The Lord is righteous in all his workes and holy in all his wayes And againe All the wayes of God are mercie and truth to them that feare him And againe All things worke for the best to them that loue him And it is the want of this knowledge that makes vs oftentimes to murmure or faint and be discouraged at the works of God apprehending in our ignorance that to be euill which in Gods working is good and directed to a good end For if