little world and yet he calleth himselfe Gods seruant not as the Pope who stileth himselfe seruus seruorum Dei seruant of the seruants of God when he is a Lord ouer Lordes both Ecclesiasticall and ciuill But he indeede in the humilitie of his heart confesseth God to be his onely liege Lord Princes as much bound to serue God as their subiects to obey them vpon whom he depended of whom he holdeth his crowne So princes may thinke that their subiects are no more bound to them then they are to God and that they are as inferiour and more to God then their subiects are to them Vse which should moue princes to humble them vnder the mightie hand of God Inferiour subiects may at certaine termes put their seruants from them and take others in their place for seruice is no heritage and if they much more princes who may put their seruants away whether ob culpam or placitum none ought to inquire So God the supreame Maiestie hath an absolute and vnlimited libertie ouer all as well rich as poore he can displace kings and giue their kingdomes and crownes to others if they displease him He can rent the kingdome from Suul and giue it to Dauid 1. Sa. 15.28 1. Ki. 12.24 from Rehoboam and giue it to Iereboam if they breake his commandemenents Psal 2.10 Be wise therefore O kings serue the Lord in feare For no liuing shal be iustified in thy sight The like he hath in the 130 Psalme Who can stand before thee so that not onely he refuseth any clame of mercy by himselfe but includeth all liuing vnder sinne so that none is exempted for all are sinners All are sinners that all may at God beg the remission of sin and are destitute of grace that God may shew mercy to all and all his creatures may beg from himselfe alone that which is not in any of them Away away with merits away with our worthinesse seeke it where it is to be found euen in Christ Where he saith they cannot be iustified there he cleerelie auoucheth the Doctrine of Saint Paul that iustification commeth by faith and not by workes Rom 3.24 directlie against the Papisticall heresie Against iustificatiō by workes which teacheth men to seeke a part of it at least in others and themselues whereas here all men are excluded from righteousnesse but that which they must finde in God Verse 3. For the enemie hath persecuted my soule he hath smitten my life downe to the earth he hath laid me in the darkenesse as they that haue bin dead long agoe THis is the complaint of his enemies extreme malice against him by a threefold exaggeration thereof their persecuting of his soule their throwing downe of his life to the earth and their laying him into darknesse as a dead man Their malice was so vehement against him that nothing could content them till they vtterly ruine him both in body and soule and name This representeth cleerely vnto vs the malice of the enemies of the Church Note the malice of the Church her enemies especially of the Iudasits orders Pro. 17.10 which is so extreame that nothing can satisfie them vnlesse they bath themselues in the blood of the poore members A Lyon is more mercifull to his prey then a tyrant is to a Christian there is not the smallest fauour to be looked for at his handes The mercies of the wicked are cruell a cleere example hereof we haue in the Papists but specially in those blood thirstie wolues the Iesuites who will bragge of a singularitie in puritie and yet will stirre vp princes and all other fauourers of their sect to roote out Christians who professe the name of Iesus according to his word those they go about dayly to massacre without respect of any as witnesseth the bloodie massacrie of Paris Anno 1572. August 24. at which time they murthered a great many thousands in France for professing Christ As also that diuelish and hellish pouderplot what a bloudie execution was intended against our gratious Soueraigne and hopefull children These bloudie Iesuites and mastiue dogs are not fierce against the Turkes Panims but against the Israel of God Yea as Lyons Wolues and Foxes take most pleasure in the bloud of the lambes then in any other beast which they will spare and passe by except they be in great hunger so these must desire Christian bloud and thinke they doe God good seruice in killing v◠And this should be a matter of great comfort to the Church of God seeing persecution is a marke of the true Church and Christ accounteth men blessed when they are persecuted and euill spoken of for his sake Mat. 5.10.12 For so saith he did their Fathers to the Prophets that were before you Let vs therefore be patient and suffer calamities through hope of eternall glorie which we shall inherit when these short tribulations shall expire The more the Church be troden vnder foot the greater is Gods honour in her deliuerie Moreouer yee may see how farre the Lord permitteth the wicked to preuaile aboue his children that he will suffer them to tread vpon their bellies as though they were dead and no hope of life left to them that his honour may be the more magnified who out of their dead ashes could make a resurrection as he did to Dauid who was as a dead man and forgotten yet God raised him vp and erected his throne aboue his enemies O Lord deliuer thy Church from her troubles and persecution Verse 4. And my spirit is in perplexitie in me and mine heart within me was amased HE spake before of his externall calamities now he confesseth the infirmetie of his minde that he was wonderfully cast downe in heart and troubled in his soule so that his strength was almost gone not like the strength of a whale fish or of a rocke but being ready to drowne with sorrow he was sustained by faith and Gods Spirit he swimmed vnder these euils Our Sauiour himselfe confessed of himselfe my soule is troubled to the death Mat 26.38 God knoweth our moulde we are not stockes without passions or perturbations Gods children haue their owne passions we are not like lepers whose flesh is senslesse but we are sensible of euills that we may run to God for helpe and comfort Iob. 42.7 Had not Iob his owne perturbations and griefes which made him vtter hard speeches for which God rebuked him and he afterward repented Simil. yea God affirmed that he spake better of him then all his friends did Can a shippe saile a long with such a constant and direct course in stormie weather as it were calme and before the winde it is enough that it directeth the course euer toward the port albeit it be forced to cast boord twentie times So God careth not albeit we be troubled in our course to heauen Let vs euer aime at the port of eternall glory howsoeuer we be disquieted with contrarie
displeasure and wrath and in the former part of this verse he asketh of God that he would haue mercy vpon him and forgiue him those sinnes that had prouoked his wrath and indignation against him and now in the latter part he desires that the Lord would heale him Euery one of these things were so necessarie to Dauid that lacking any one of them hee thought himselfe vnfortunate hee felt the wrath of God and therefore desired the same to be remoued he had offended and therefore desires mercy he was fallen into a most dangerous sicknesse and therefore desires corporall health Yee see here that the best of Gods children are subiect to diseases as well as others Doctr. The best of Gods children subiect to diseases GrauissimuÌ„ omnium tentationum non tentari The fruit of sinne Psal 41.1 Vse for seeing the root of sinne is in them and the fountaine of that sinning sin what other bud can it produce or what spring can flow therefrom but miserable destruction of our nature Therefore when we see good men heauily afflicted with diseases let vs remember that saying Blessed are those that iudge wisely of the poore and also bee carefull lest through our sins wee prouoke the Lord to powre the like vpon vs which if he doe as we iustly deserue then by prayer to runne vnto the Lord with Dauid and crie Lord heale me For my bones are sore vexed He sheweth how hee is made weake in both his parts his body in these words his soule in the next verse Doctr. Sin vndoes the whole man So sinne vndoes the whole man and euery part of him so that as the soule lusts and the body executes and practises the foule desires of the soule so both are punished hee who sinneth in both is punished in both Greatest paine in â—he bones Setting downe his bodily diseases he comprehendeth them vnder the trouble of his bones for as the greatest strength of man is in his bones so his greatest paine is the paine of the bones which exceedeth the paine of the flesh as experience in the tooth-ache or breaking any other bone teacheth for albeit the bones of themselues are senselesse yet not so the membrans and tunicles that compasse them Alwaies the Scriptures of God doe expresse both the greatest strength and ioy in Gods worship and the greatest paines and afflictions to the bones Psal 35.10 Psal 51.8 as all my bones shall say O Lord who is like thee and the bones which thou hast broken shall reioyce that is the whole strength of my body shall bee bent vpon thy seruice And againe Esay 38.13 Lam. 3.4 Psal 38.3 Psal 34.20 Psal 42.10 Lam. 1 13. Iob 20.21 Doct. Great mischief commeth of the euils of misgouerned health Iob 20.11 Esay 51.8 Simil. He hath bruised all my bones as a Lyon and all my bones are out of ioynt and there is no peace in my bones And God keepeth all their bones and while my bones are broken and send a fire in my bones and thy bones shall be filled with the sins of thy youth Obserue first out of this place what a misgouerned health bringeth to man it destroyeth our nature our pleasure becommeth our displeasure Our old bones inherit the sinnes of our youth which haue wasted and consumed vs as the moth doth the garment The poyson and venome of the Aspe is receiued with great sweetnesse but it ouercommeth the body by destroying man So is sinne Can there bee a rush growe without water or sicknesse where there is no sinne Iob. 8.11 Search downe to the bottome of thine heart and thou shalt finde the fountaine of the euill to be within thee that thou maist purge it by vnfained repentance Next consider Doctr. The bestremedie againd diseases is to goe vnto the Lord. 2 Kin. 20.2 Vse How God cures sin Simil. that as this his ficknesse comes from God so he turnes to him for remedie Diseases are Gods arrowes shot by his owne hand why should we not then with Ezekiah turne to the wall and mourne to him that he may helpe vs For so skilfully deales the Lord with vs that hee cures our sinnes by our diseases and visitations albeit they spring out of sinne as Physitians doe curing the sting of the Serpent by the ashes of the dead Serpent so by the bud and fruit of sinne he cures sinne and God is so infinitely wise that he applies that kinde of disease to his patient which is fittest for such a sinne And indeed as there be monstrous sins fallen forth in this ourage Monstrous sinnes produce vnwonted sicknesses which the former ages knew not so likewise hath the Lord punished them with vnwonted sicknesses vpon mens bodies whose nature Galen Hippocrates or the best Physitians haue neuer yet discouered And therfore the Lord remoue from vs these sinnes Cause of diseases 1. The contempt of the Gospel 2 Apostasie from Gods truth that he may take from vs these iudgements but namely the contempt of the Gospell Word and Sacraments for which many are tyed to the bed of sicknesse and this abominable Apostasie from Gods truth to Idolatrie which God is like to punish fearefully by desertion The word meaneth not onely a troubling but also a trembling Marke finally that the word according to the Originall signifieth not only a troubling or obstupifying but also a shaking or trembling of which the Poet saith Gelidusque per ima cuâ—urrit Ossatremor That is The cold trembling ran thorow the deepest bones This teacheth vs Vse The force of sin will shake our strongest parts that sinne can shake the strongest part we haue for if our bones were stones and mountaines yet if sinne sease on them it would shake them asunder VERSE 3. Vers 3 My soule also is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thon delay Doctr. 1 NOw he expounds the other part of his sorrow which is a Spirituall disease the troubles of Conscience Spirituall trouble greater than temporall Reason farre greater yea and more importable than the other for as the soule is a more subtill and Spirituall substance beginner of all life and motion in man it must feele the selfe more when it is troubled and wounded I will therefore by the help of God intreat here about the trouble of Conscience and deduce it in all particulars that if it please God at any time to waken your conscience ye may haue remedie in time to pacifie it Doctr. Yokefellowes in sin yoke-fellowes in punishmeÌ„t My soule Yokefellowes in sinne are yokefellowes in paine the soule is punished for informing the body for performing and as both the informer and performer the cause and the instrument so shall the stirrer vp of sinne and executer be punished That man hath a soule But here appeares first that as a man hath a body so likewise hath he a soule and as the one is pained so likewise is the other And yet alas there are
is not in worse case with God but he maketh it to be like the poole of Bethesda Iohn 5.1 which being troubled by the Angell was a present remedie vnto such as were cast thereinto euen so the poole of the conscience being troubled God oftentimes cureth the man who is cast into that trouble and therefore no man ought to thinke the worse of any Christian who is thus handled The true trouble of Conscience is made by Gods goodnesse to his children Trouble of conscience a medicine to purge the soule from sin a singular medicine to purge their soule which is disquieted for euen as in the naturall constitution of mans body when the corrupt humours striue to extinguish the naturall power of his life and doe trouble his stomacke maruellously the Physitian to help nature for expelling of those humours giueth the Patient medicine which with great a doe molestation of the person in the end bringeth health So when sin and grace are combating in the conscience Simil. God out of that trouble maruellously bringeth and vnexpected health This trouble of conscience is not a mark of a reprobate Neither must men thinke trouble of Conscience to be a marke of a reprobate but rather of one whose conscience is so tender and thin-skinned and strait that it can abide nothing which separateth God from it like as a most louing wife who is so far addicted to please her husband that she can abide nothing no not in her very looke to offend him and that the change of his countenance is very death vnto her his absence hell so it is the greatest trouble that euer a man can feele in this world to be put vpon the racke of Gods anger yea and most represents the paine of hell which made Solomon say Pro. 18.14 But a troubled spirit who can beare There be many things which trouble the soule which is not the trouble of conscience Trouble of soule is not alwayes trouble of conscience for then properly the soule must be troubled with some spirituall cause for oftentimes because of its coniunction with the bodie it is affected with the miseries thereof and namely with these foure First the soule is pined pitifully with the care of these worldly things 4. Things which trouble the soule with their remedies which turmoyle her night and day that shee can get no rest for which cause our Sauiour calleth them thornie cares because they pricke men through the heart and so oft forewarneth men 1. Worldly cares Luk. 21.34 that they be not vexed therewith if these men who had this excessiue care were troubled in conscience I thinke the world would be full of them Indeed I thinke ouer-great care which is Auarice as it is the root of all euill so when thy conscience shall be once stirred it will become thy greatest torment so that thou shalt loath those riches which before thou louedst Remedie Marke of repentance Luk. 10.42 Therefore let all your care be drawne to seeke that onething how ye may serue and seeke God and eschew sinne which is one of the marks of true repentance The second thing which troubleth the Soule is Anger 2. Trouble Anger which is like a fire burning it vp which if it continue will consume it This is a most dangerous euill of which Iob saith Anger killeth the foole and Enuie the idiot Iob 5.2 For remedie against it it is best to embrace Dauids and Pauls exhortation Remedie Psal 4.5 Ephes 4.25 Be angry and sinne not and this yee may doe if all your anger be conuerted against sinne The third is Sorrow 3. Trouble Sorrow which is a passion wearying the Soule and pressing it downe contracted of some worldy losses of goods and children and yet this is not the trouble of which I speake Remedie But to remedie this it is good that all our sorrowes may be for sin and the offence done to God And lastly 4. Trouble Feare feare shakes the soule as an earth quake when it is afraid for any corporall danger Psal 53.5 Prou. 28.1 of whom it is said The wicked are smitten with feare and flee when none are pursuing them The remedie But to amend this it is requisite that our feares be reduced to this principall feare that we feare to offend God and this feare will free vs from all our feares The trouble of conscience then commeth only for sin How the trouble of conscience commeth and for the absence of God from the soule for when he is present it can see no sin his presence is as the Sun-beames chasing away the clouds of our sins but when he obscures himselfe then the soule sees her sinnes and perceiues and feeles him absent out of which two ariseth that which wee call the trouble of conscience which is a felt desertion of God What the trouble of conscience is wherein the creature by a spirituall eclipse seeth not the Creator in the mirror of the Gospell neither thinks that his promises appertaine to them neither findes God hearing their prayers neither feeles comfort in the Word and Sacraments neither findes God blessing him in his actions but as a man left to himselfe and a prey to the Deuill except God support him He sees the heauen as a fire aboue him and hell as an open gulfe beneath him men and Angels his enemies and the deuds his burials Behold in what a case this man is in Simil. euen as a childe left in the wildernesse by his parents to be a prey to wilde beasts so is a soule deserted of God But because I haue spoken at great length of the trouble of Conscience it selfe of her causes and ends of her diseases and remedies in my booke of Meditations on the seuen dayes I referre the Reader thereto not willing to vse any repetition But Lord how long Now yee haue heard both the corporall diseases of Dauid and spirituall that as his body and soule mutually sinned so both were mutually pained and both againe cured albeit not so soone as Dauid desired and therefore longing for the Lords presence he subioynes But Lord how long wilt thou delay A troubled heart hath abrupt speeches to God Which is an abrupt interrogation when through the vehemencie of his perturbation he curreth his speech which the Orators by a figure call Aposiopesis when men cannot vtter clearely and fully their minde through the greatnesse of their griefe The like whereof we haue in the 13 Psalme How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for euer and Psal 79.5 89.46 Lord how long wilt thou be angry for euer and Lord how long wilt thou hide thy selfe for euer Habak 1.2 O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not heare And the soules that were vnder the Altar slaine for the testimonie of the truth cry Reuel 6.10 How long Lord holy and true c. Out of this we haue
sinne of Adam receiued that sentence Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne againe so that curse ouertooke all his posteritie that they are subiect to putrifaction and rottennesse which not onely befalleth to them after their death but when they are yet aliue it seizeth on their nature For the sweete sauour there shall be stinke Isa 3.24 Yea commonly those that haue bin fed most delicately stink most filthily after their death Nota. Mollius delicatiusque nutrita corpora grauius elent mortua And it is seene by common experience that the fairest bodie hath the foulest corps Which Saint Ambrose confirming bringeth in an example of one who lasciuiously and libidinously hauing lyen in whoredom and feasting dayly after his death did so stinke that incense of diuers colours could not remoue the same A necessary lesson for belly pamperers A fearfull example to strike terror in the hearts of all such pamperers of their belly and who make so much of their flesh that they are carelesse of all other things Let them remember that they are as Saint Augustine saith in his Confessions esca vermium saccus stercorum a prey of wormes and a sack of dung But their chiefe rottennesse is worse then the rottennesse of Lazarus Ioh. 11.39 who stanke vpon the fourth day a type and figure of a sinner who being dead in sin his mouth becometh an open sepulchre and casteth forth such a stinking vnsauorie and pestilentious smell that it doth infect the very aire Because of my foolishnesse The originall version beareth from the face of my foolishnes as ye heard twise before He calleth it not foolishnesse to extenuate his sin as many hypocrites do who say they failed through ignorance but to declare that he was bereft of his wits and caried with a beastly appetite after his owne lusts Sin is properly called folly but it is spiritually folly A naturall foole lacketh the vse of reason A comparison betweene a naturall a spirituall foole Pro. 12.15 1. Cor. 1.18 1 Cor. 2.14 1. Cor. 1.26 a spirituall foole is not guided by grace A naturall foole thinketh himselfe wiser then any other so a spirituall foole thinketh himselfe wise in his owne conceit there is more hope of a foole then of him The wisedome of God is foolishnesse to men The naturall man perceiueth not the things that are of God Not many wise c. Thirdly the effects trie how a foole marreth all his matters so doth a sinner bring all miseries on his bodie soule estate posteritie and looke how they laugh at our folly for they thinke religion folly and a holy life and deuotion to be dotage so God doth laugh them to scorne and their wisedome is turned to folly He confoundeth the counsell of Achitophel 2. Sa. 17.29 And at the last day they shal say Behold these whō we thought fooles are like the Angels of God Verse 6. I am bowed and crooked very sores I go mourning all the day HE proceedeth in the enlarging of his extreme troubles wherewith he was oppressed so that it is a wonder to thinke how his faith could beare vp such a heape of euils And where he saith he was bowed and crooked he sheweth how farre he was humbled vnder the mightie hand of God 1. Pet. 5.6 And he seemeth to oppose his great deiection and down-casting to the proud pertinacie of many who striue so against God that none of his rods can humble them who albeit they be fearfully shaken and cast downe so that they are forced to bow their bodie yet their mind remaineth so obstinate as though they had sinewes of iron in their necks that they lift vp their hearts against God Therefore this circumstance of his crooking and bowing is an argument to moue God to pitie his case because he is not an obstinate sinner and one who is rebellious but one cast downe at the correction which he gat Doctrine There is no fitter remedy for vs to be deliuered then by hūbling our selues vnder the hand of God Whereby we are taught that there is no better remedie for vs then to cast off our pride and bow our selues vnder Gods hand yea the heauier that Gods hand be the more deiected should we be And therefore Dauid addeth he is crooked very sore The word in the originall meod signifying very greatly and vehemently sheweth vnto vs that his griefes and sorrowes were not common but extraordinarie and God vseth to make his children examples of his chastisements Nota. who made themselues examples of sin to the world I go mourning all the day The Hebrew word koder signifieth blacknesse as one that walketh in mourning clothes For the black colour is a token of grauitie and sadnesse But I am rather of the opinion that his meaning is of the blacknesse of his skin For we know that men whose heart is oppressed with dolour do lose their naturall colour as Dauid saith Psal 119. I am like a bottle in the smoke Sin changeth mans beauty into deformitie For we see that sinne deformeth and disgraceth men so that it turneth their fatnesse into leannesse and beautie into deformitie as the same Prophet saith in another place When God afflicteth man for sin Psal 39.12 th n he waxeth woe and wan and in the 22 Psal vers 15. My strength is dried vp like a potsheard A fearfull example is set downe by Ieremie in his Lamentations Chap. 4. ver 7 8. Her Nazarites were purer then the snow and whiter then the milke they were more ruddie in body then the red precious stones they were like polished Saphir now their visage is blacker then a coale they cannot know them in the streets their skin cleaueth to their bones it is withered like a stocke All the day The continuance of his paine amplifieth the same For if a man had some relaxation or breathing he might gather new strength for a new assault Iob complaineth of the like dealing for when he had bin vexed all the day he said My couch will giue me rest but thou affrayest me with visions Herein haue we to learne Iob 7.14 patiently to beare Gods corrections Beare patiently afflictions since God hath dealt more hardly with better then we are when now and then it pleaseth him to lay them vpon vs as sicknes pouertie infamie c. whereby others better then we haue bin more rigorously handled then we are Verse 7. For my reines are full of burning and there is nothing sound in my flesh TO moue God to pitie him he layeth open all his sores euē as a begger wil lay open to the view of all the people his wounds and sores to moue them to haue compassion on him The patient vnfoldeth his wounds to the Physitian Simil. so should we vnfold our griefes miseries and necessities to the Lord our God that he with the pitifull eye of the Samaritan Luk. 10.33 may close and cure them
he said Iudg. 15.19 I die for thirst and opened a spring out of the law-bone of an Asse will he forsake vs in time of our distresse if we thirst aright Verse 7. Heare me speedily O Lord for my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me else I shall be like vnto them that goe downe into the pit HE is now brought as it were to the latter sweat he crieth for speedy helpe or else he seeth nothing but death before his eies Our impatiencie maketh vs so bold and familiar with God that we would prescribe time to him as though he knew not which were the most conuenient time for his comming My spirit faileth He is now as it were in a swouning he craueth quicklie to be helped Doctr. Gods children are often brought low that the loue power of God may be manifested in their deliâ—eâ—â— or he is gone See to what extremitie God will bring his Saints euen neere the graue and yet bring them back againe that his loue and power may be known so much the more seeing to him belongs the issues of death God bringeth vpon his owne children such fainting as it were deliquium animi a lossing of our life that then feeling the weaknes of our naturall powers and after being restored by his grace we may learne how greatly we are beholden to him as by whom and in whom we haue our life and being and can be restored by none but by him alone and may bestow al the rest of our life vpon himselfe and his owne seruice and depend not on naturall strength but on him Hide not thy face from me He declareth plainly that he hath no sparke of life but from the fauorable face and countenance of God that he is then dead when he seeth not God reconciled to him in Christ Simil. The face of the Sunne bringeth life to the earth and all the world and the face of God bringeth life to men soules Simil. The countenance of the husband gladdeth the wife but the countenance of God reioyceth the soule He who hath once seene the countenaÌ„ce of God cannot liue without it He who once hath seene a blanke of his countenance can no more breathe or liue without it then a fish or bird out of their owne elements Else I shal be like vnto them that goe downe into the pit As though he would say I shall be like a deade man without sense and life The soule is the life of the body and God is the life of the soule should we not then be busie to seeke him and when he hath hid himselfe to find him againe There is no life in the soule without the sensible presence of God Psal 22.1 Mat. 27.46 for I will assure you there is neither life comfort peace or ioy in a mans soule vnlesse he haue the sensible presence of God Dauid not feeling it cryeth My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And Christ himselfe vttered the same voice on the crosse My God My God why hast thou forsaken me Of which I haue spoken in another place on the same wordes Verse 8. Let me heare thy louing kindnesse in the morning for in thee is my trust shew me the way that I should walke in for I lift vp my soule vnto thee AS he was cast downe in the former verses so he now ariseth by prayer which was the chiefest bulwarke whereto he did runne in time of his troubles In this verse he craueth two things First that he might heare Gods kindnesse and the reason because he trusteth in him Secondly that he would shew him the way wherein he should walke the reason because he lifted vp his soule to him Let me heare thy louing kindnesse Here he craueth Gods fauour and kindnesse as he doth in many other Psalmes Because in his fauour is life grace wealth all good things and pleasure for euermore How we may be assured of the fauour of God so that if he look kindly to vs we need be affraid of nothing But how shall he be assured of his fauour euen by hearing it as he saith in the 51. Psalme Let me heare the voice of ioy and gladnesse The voice which is heard is the word of God which being apprehended by faith is onely able to comfort our soules in whatsoeuer tentation And no meruell that such athiests and papists who altogether refuse the word of God Why papists and Athists liue die comfortles liue comfortles and die without comfort because they refuse that instrument which should carry ioy to them Good reason they die athirst since they reiect that vessell the word oâ— God by which they might be refreshed Therefore since faith coÌ„meth by hearing of Gods word and all our comfort commeth by it let vs pray God to bore our eares and our hearts that we may receiue the glad tidings of reconcilation from God In the morning Psal 90.14 The time when he seekes to heare Gods kindnesse is in the morning as in another Psalme Fill vs with thy sweet mercies in the morning Psal 55.17 Dauid vsed to pray morning noone and eueningtide In the morning in the beginning of the day he addressed himselfe to God offering his morning sacrifice he desireth that God may betime meete him that he may begin the day with some comfort for then we know that God hath accepted our prayer when he hath sent down the comfort of his spirit in our hearts when he with the fire of his loue and ioy of his countenance burneth vp our sacrifice This gladdeth our heart and encourageth vs to seeke him the rest of the day Seeke God early Then let vs seeke God early euen in the morning of our youth and euery morning not perfunctoriously or for a fashion but from our hearts that he may let vs heare that comfortable voice saying Thy prayers are come vp before me Act. 10.4 and I haue heard them For thy sinnes are forgiuen thee For in thee is my trust Confidence and faith in God is a great argument to moue God to speake good things vnto vs for otherwaies our prayers are in vaine Praiers not in faith are a scorning of God and shall not preuaile with him if they proceede not from faith if you come vnto him without confidence in him you scorne him and so doe double iniurie to your selues adding to your former sinnes a scorning of God These also who put their trust in any thing beside him neede not to looke for any good thing from him If yee would vse a thousand Angells as intercessours to moue God to heare you it is nothing only faith will preuaile with God The Pharises almes deedes Luk. 18.11.12.13.14 his tithes-giuing his prayers of which he much bragged wrought nothing with God but the Publicanes faith and contrition were forcible arguments preualing with him Shew me the way that I should walke in The second petition ariseth very well from the first
respect nothing so much as it we should not teare him in peeces with blasphemies as many do neither dishonour it any maner of way but sanctifie the great name of the Lord our God in our hearts and in our workes Quicken me O Lord for thy names sake Dauid thinketh himselfe dead both in body as a man not liuing but dead and in his soule comfortlesse vnlesse God giue him life and vigour Psal 103.5 As the Eagle by breaking her bill reneweth her age and the Serpent by easting her skinne reneweth her life so we must throw away the old fathers of our sinnes that we may become young againe Obserue that we are euer dead in this world Doctr. God who gaue vs our natural life must reuiue vs who are fleeping in sinne Mar. 12.27 till God put life in vs and quicken vs for all the world is dead without Gods life Then we are oblieged to God that we liue naturallie who must also quicken vs spirituallie For he is not the God of the dead but the God of the liuing Surely the naturall death is not so much to be feared as the spirituall of which Christ saieth Let the dead burie the dead Luk. 9.60 Both which are now alike lying vpon most of this age So we are to sue at God to quicken and reuiâ—â—e vs that we may serue him For surely we are dead till the Lord our God quicken vs and this is to vs a new resurrection And for thy righteousnesse bring my soule out of trouble Man may craue with a good conscience to be brought out of trouble We brought our selues in trouble through our sinnes Man bringeth himselfe in trouble but God must pluck him out of it but there is none who can free vs from them but God and therefore we may lawfully cry to him for helpe The first argument is taken from the righteousnesse of God for it is righteous with God to render iudgement to your enemies and to vs relaxation for God payeth them with their owne coine Therefore as God hath mercie to his owne so likewise he hath iustice by which he will plague his owne aduersaries And for thy mercie slay mine enemies and destroy all them that oppresse my soule He claimed to iustice for his deliuerie as in the former verse together as in another Psalm Of mercy and iustice saith he my song shal be Psal 101.1 But he desireth God to slay his enemies in his mercie Obiect when rather their destruction was a worke of his iustice Solut. I answere that the destruction of the wicked is a mercie to the Church As God shewed great mercie and kindnesse to his Church by the death of Pharoah Senacherib Herod and other troublers thereof Obiect But why prayeth he against his enemies directlie against Christ precept who commandeth vs to pray for them that persecute vs Mat 5.44 Solut. I answere those enemies were more Gods enemies against whom we are bound to pray not his particular enemies whom he pardoned According to the example of Christ who on the crosse prayed for his enemies Luk. 23.34 Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe But why would he haue them slaine seeing he saith in another Psalme Obiect Slay them not Solut. lest the posteritie forget I answere they are said to be slaine who rage in malice when God will make them examples of his iudgements some whom he will reserue to another time till their cup be full and that they as Cain may be tormenters of themselues and examples to the posteritie to come Gen. 4.15 Mat. 27.5 Cain was reserued and Iudas executed and God iust in both Cains prolongation was as a sentence giuen by the iudge suspended for a time giuing time to repent yet in a most fearefull and disperat case that it had bin better for him to haue died then to liue in such a desperate punishment and torture of conscience For I am thy seruant The last argument which he vseth to moue God to help him is by professing himselfe to be Gods seruant A prince will thinke it a great indignitie offered to himselfe if his seruant be iniured Now Lord I am thy seruant whom they torment goe Lord confound them and deliuer me This teacheth vs that if euer we desire to haue any fauour from God He who would be in fauour with God must serue him either in maintaining vs or confounding our foes that we must serue our Lord and imploy all our indeuours to glorifie him Let vs not serue sinne and our lusts but serue him who is most faithfull and whose promises are yea and Amen God grant vs that we may serue him in feare and trembling and end our daies in the magnifiing of his holy name through Iesus Christ our Sauiour Amen FINIS
countenance of God himselfe being a consuming fire and an euerlasting burning Deut. 4.24 Heb. 12.29 Deu. 32.22 A fire is kindled in my wrath saith the Lord and shall burne vnto the bottome of hell and shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines c. Then since we will be loth to vnder-lie the wrath of a King ought we not to be carefull and circumspect that we come not vnder the danger of the highest wrath The anger of a mortall King reaches and extends to the bodies Differences betwixt the anger of a King of God goods and posteritie of the offenders but the anger of God reaches further euen to the soule The anger of a Prince is finite and will haue an end but Gods anger is infinite and endlesse as himselfe is Esay 30.33 The breath of his nostrils as a riuer of brimstone will kindle Topheth prepared for the King But woe will be to those that for feare of any earthly Prince or Monarch come vnder the indignation and wrath of God What sins God hates All sinnes offend God and prouoke him to anger but there are some pointed out by Scripture whereat he is more offended as Witchcraft Idolatrie Hypocrisie c yea those which seeme lesser sinnes to vs being multiplied and not repented for will also kindle him to anger yea more what euer sinne we commit God will be angry at it and offended therewith not that he câ—n receiue any euill by our euill doing more than he gets good by our well doing Why God hates sin but he is angry that we should vndoe his Image in vs and be cause of our owne damnation As a father is offended at his sonne not for any wrong comming to him but to see his owne image before his eyes and a part of his owne nature destroying it selfe Neither chastise me in thy wrath The duplication of the word anger and heat or furie sheweth vnto vs that Dauid apprehended deeply Gods indignation for there are many alas who doe thinke little of it but a heart afflicted and mortified will redouble the grieuance and thinke more and more of his Maiesties anger But it may be asked Obiect Esay 27.4 how God saith there is no anger with me and here Dauid craues to be exempted from his anger I answer He hath no fleshly anger Answer such as proceeds from rash iudgement or the corruption of man but he is angry and sins not when he is onely angry at sinne for it is certaine that God will be angry at nothing in his creatures but only sinne which bringeth man to destruction for as if a father saw a serpent in his childs bosome he would hate the serpent notwithstanding his loue to the boy Simil. So we are Gods children he loues that which he made of vs our body and soule and hates that which the deuill hath put in vs our sinne Gods anger differs from mans And as the anger of God differs from the anger of man the one being grounded vpon partiall affections of the corrupted heart which is offended at any thing which crosseth it the other being onely moued at finne So they differ in continuance for Gods wrath lasts but a moment Psal 53.8 slow he is to conceiue a wrath and ready to pardon But the anger of man on the contrary ariseth vpon the smallest motiues and it cannot cease till it be conuerted into malice as at last the serpent becommeth a fiery flying Dragon Simil. Therefore let vs imitate God in our anger obseruing that rule of the Apostle Be angry and sinne not Eph. 4.26 Let vs be angry at nothing but sinne in our selues and in others And againe Eph. 4.26 Let not the Sunne goe downe on our wrath In the meane time Let vs remember that there is nothing more terrible than the wrath of God And therefore let vs walke in feare and trembling before him who is able to kill both body and soule Are they not then desperate and miserable men who at euery word cry that the wrath of God be vpon them and the vengeance of God vpon their neighbours alas one day they shall feele the dint of that wrath when they shall be forced to cry O mountaines couer Reuel 6.16 and O hills hide vs from the face of that terrible Iudge VERSE 2. Vers 2 Haue mercy vpon me O Lord for I am weake O Lord heale me for my bones are vexed Doctr. 1 HAue mercy To flie and escape the anger of God No meanes to eschew Gods anger but to go to himselfe he sees no meanes in heauen or in earth and therefore he retires himselfe to God euen to him who wounded him that he might heale him He flies not with Adam to the bush Gen 3.8 1 Sam 28.8 Ionah 1.3 nor with Saul to the Witch or with Ionas to Tarshish but he appeales from an angry iust God to a mercifull God from himselfe to himselfe The woman who was damned by King Philip appealed from Philip being drunken to Philip being sober But Dauid appeales from one Vertue Iustice to another Mercy There may be appellation from the Tribunall of man to the Iustice seat of God Vse In the sense of Gods wrath seeke to him for mercy Psal 73.25 but when thou art indited before Gods Iustice whither or to whom wilt thou goe but to Himselfe and his Mercy-seat which is the highest and last place of appellation I haue none in Heauen but thee nor in earth by thee Doctr. 2 Next obserue what Dauid craues Mercy wherby we may perceiue that he was broght to a coÌ„sideration of his own misery A sense of misery iâ— a spurre to craue mercie or else he needed not to haue asked for mercy Then it is necessary that to the end we may the more effectually craue pardon euery one of vs first haue a sense and fâ—eling of our owne sin and miserie Vse Labour for a true â—â—nse of our miserie to make vs theâ— more earnest for mâ—â—y Ioh. â— 7 c The woman of Samaria sported herselfe with the offers of the waters of life which Christ Iesus offered her out of his owne blessed mouth vntill the time be obiected her sins to her then shee receiued them gladly communicated them to the whole Citie so did the Magdalen Peter Manasses Luke 7.37 Luk. 22.62 2 Chro. 33.12 Act 9.4 c. Paul and so haue and must all penitent sinners doe so necessarie a thing it is to feele our owne miseries that the mercies of God may be more welcome and sweet vnto vs. And therefore it is but an idle voyce when men call for Gods mercy not hauing the least remorse for their sinne Luk. 18.11 ark 2.17 Matth. 5.4 The Pharisee needed not Christ as the whole need not the Physitian God giue vs then the spirit of repentance that we may mourne to the end we
to giue better proofe of his repentance and seruice of God Paul againe by his death knew that he should glorifie God more and edifie his Church so then it is lawfull either to seeke life or death prouiding vve seeke after Gods honour and to the end that Christ may be to vs in life and in death aduantage Mercy excludes merit For thy mercies sake In the duplication of his suite that the Lord would saue him both in body and soule he leanes vpon his first ground that is the mercies of God he renounceth his owne merits and onely takes him to Gods mercy which Bellarmine writing vpon this place though slenderly and not beseeming such a Scholler doth confesse albeit against himselfe in his controuerted places * De iustificatione de meritiâ— operum O magna veritatis vis O the great power of the truth It behoueth a lyar to be mindfull for that Iesuit hath contradicted himselfe in many places which is euidently knowne to the whole world as also he lets vs see the absurditie of the Papists who in the decree of the Councell of Trent in the Romane Breuiary printed at the command of Pius Quintus at Antuerpe 1594. saith Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae tu nos ab hoste protege hora mortis suscipe that is O Mary the mother of grace the mother of mercy protect thou vs from out enemies and receiue vs at the houre of death VERSE 5. For in death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee The third argument taken from tâ—â—eâ—d of his dâ—sâ—e to liue to praise God FOr in death The third argument by which hee would moue the Lord to deliuer him is taken from the end of his sute to wit that he may praise God this he doth illustrate by the contraries If I dye I shall not remember thee nor praise thee therefore let me liue that I may doe it Bellarmine and Lorinus two Iesuits doe expound this not of temporall death which Dauid feared but of eternall death warranting themselues by men of their owne sect such as Bonauenture Lyranus Hugo Cardinalis Campensis Leo Papa Cassiodorus and the rest of that Order who against Scripture Conscience Grammer Logicke Nature and Sense haue peruerted and throwne the word of God yea being blinded themselues they wilfully study to blind others For there are sundry places of Scripture specially in the Psalmes which cleare his minde in this matter and in which he expounds himselfe and what hee meaneth by this death and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Reade the thirtieth Psalme and the ninth verse What profit is there in my bloud when I goe downe to the pit shall the dust giue thankes vnto thee or shall it declare thy truth Lyranus and Bellarmine vpon this place cannot deny but that here is to be ment of a corporall death for there is no dust in hell So likewise Psal 88.10 Wilt thou shew a miracle to the dead or shall the dead rise and praise thee SELAH shall thy louing kindnesse be declared in the graue or thy faithfulnesse in destruction shall thy woudrous workes be knowne in the darke and thy righteousnesse in the land of obliuion Bellarmine in expounding these questions takes them to be meant of a temporall death which here he denyes albeit that graues be of dead bodies but not of dead soules But to confirme his opinion hee bringeth in the 38. of Isaias vers 18. For the graue cannot confesse thee Death cannot praise thee they that goe downe to the pit cannot hope for thy truth As also the 115. Psalme vers 17. The dead praise not the Lord neyther any that goe downe to the place of silence For the dead in body when they lacke the senses of their body doe not any longer enioy earthly benefits yea they liue not according to the flesh they praise not God with a corporall mouth neyther yet giue him thankes for earthly things and this interpretation hee giueth to these places albeit after hee would interpret it of hell to maintaine his heresie and deceiue poore ignorants for wee know that mens bodies goe not downe to hell before the resurrection In like manner expounding tâ—e seuenteenth verse of the hundred eighteenth Psalme I shall not dye but liue and show the workes of God hee inclineth to our iudgement and onely thinketh it to be meant of temporall death So then yee may see vpon what little ground by their owne confession this Psalme is ordained by the Councell of Trent to be sung for the soules that are in Purgatory But there arise here some doubts First Obiect how is it said that men remember not God being dead It is to be answered Answer that their bodies cannot remember him seeing they haue no sense nor reason and he speaketh onely of a part for our soules will both remember him and praise him Next Obiect how this place agreeth with the sixteenth of Luke the 27. and 28. verses where the rich glutton desired Abraham to send some from the dead to his fiue brethren to aduertise them of the paines of Hell Yee shall know that this is a plaine Allegorie Answer neyther yet this his desire was a part of Godâ— honour because he seeketh that vvhich is contrary to Gods will For it is his will that they should heare Moses and the Prophets but not that hee should send one from the dead to teach them Finally how this place agreeth with that Philip. 2.10 That at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth It is to be vnderstood that this is spoken allegorically and the meaning thereof is that all creatures shall acknowledge his power and authoritie but not that these that are in heauen or vnder the earth haue knees wherewith to bow Vse While we liue praise God in our bodies Now let vs make our vse and profit of this matter and learne by this argument that while we are in this world we keepe in thankfull remembrance the benefits which God hath giuen vs for if we be remoued by death we shall praise him no more with our bodies and therefore while we are in the world let vs pray to God that wee neuer liue an houre longer than that houre wherein we may be praysing our Lord eyther in our thoughts and meditations or in our speeches and communications or in our actions A necessity of death Concerning death Consider first that there is a necessitie of death laid vpon al flesh wise men and fools Kings and Prophets c. neyther the grandure of the King nor holinesse of the Prophet can exempt them from death Death interrupteth Gods seruice Next that it interrupts the seruice and praise of God as it destroyes mans nature albeit it interrupteth it onely for a time and in a part the soule in the meane time praysing God vnder the Altar till
that both soule and body meet together and praise him world without end Lawfull to craue continuance of our life Thirdly that it is lawfull to craue the continuance of our life to the end that wee may praise God Would we desire the continuance of our life that we may continue in sin God forbid Likewise wee may desire death not for being weary of temporall paine or feare of shame but with the Apostle that we may be dissolued and be with Christ and be freed of the burthen of sinne by our death Yet in both our desires let vs submit our selues to the good pleasure of God and say with our Sauiour Thy will be done not as I will Luke 22.42 but as thou wilt Fourthly wee see in his sicknesse he seekes the continuation of his life at Gods hands who hath the issues of death in his will and would teach vs 2 Chron 16.12 2 King 1.2 neyther with Aza to put our trust in the Physitians neyther with Ahaziah to goe aske counsell at Beelzebub but with good Hezekiah turne to the wall 2 Kin. 20.2 and beg the prorogation of our life with Dauid from God Difference betweene the deâ—re of the godly wicked Finally ve see what shall be the difference betweene the desire of the godly and the wicked in their contrary desires of the continuation of their life for the wicked being tyed to the bed of sicknesse craue longer life to the end they may enioy their riches longer and vse or rather abuse them in the meane time neuer conceiuing or nourishing an hope of celestiall good things But the godly that they may record fruitfully the praises of God in the congregation of the righteous and preach out his praises besides that the feare of death is in the reprobates because they see by it an end put to all their earthly felicities whereas the Elect of God feare it because by it they are drawne from among men with whom they might haue magnified the name of God If ye desire to reade any more of this subiect reade the forenamed booke of Meditations in the Meditation of death VERSE 6. I fainted in my mourning I cause my bed euery night to swimme and water my couch with my teares THis argument is taken from the person of the Supplicant which is set downe by hyperbolique Metaphors The greatnesse expressing his great wearinesse his teares and mourning his sobs and sighing The place the place wherin he mourned his bed the measure swimming and watering of the same the time all the night The time The adiuÌ„ct the adiunct thereof the dimnesse of his eyes vers 8. and the obiect of his sorrow his enemies or rather Gods enemies I fainted It may seeme a maruellous change in Dauid who was a man of such magnitude of minde to bee so farre deiected and cast downe whereas hee preuailed against Goliah against the Lyon and the Beare through fortitude and magnanimitie and now hee is sobbing sighing and weeping as a childe It is another thing to haue to doe with creatures than with the Creator But ye must vnderstand that he hath to doe with diuers persons when men and beasts are his opposites then hee is more then a conqueror but when hee hath to doe with God against whom he sinned then hee is lesse then nothing Contrition the first step of repentance First he saith as the word beares by all Interpreters he sighed or sobbed which is the first degree of repentance for inward contrition in the heart must precede all the outward signes of repentance and is most acceptable to God because it is secret and onely knowne to himselfe And herein shall a Christian try and discerne himselfe A perfect tryall of a reformed heart if there neuer passe a secret cogitation of his minde which is not accompanied with a sob vnto God Hezekiah said hee mourned like a Doue Isay 38.14 and chattered like a Swallow Moses spake nothing by his voyce Exo. 14.15 and the Lord said 1 Sam. 1.13 Why cryest thou Anna her lips moued but her voyce was not heard God regards not words but thoughts Doctr. Sobs and sighes are best sacrifices Next yee see that sobs and sighes are more acceptable to God than any seruice wee can doe to him and in these Dauid wearied himselfe for his sinnes taking such paines in chastising himselfe and as the Papists translate it he labored in his sobbing to humble both his soule and his body whereby wee should learne that this is the most profitable labour when we can worke vpon a rebellious heart to subdue all our affections to the obedience of God and mortification of the same Vse We should take paines with our hearts This should make vs ashamed that we can take paines vpon any thing but not vpon our owne heart we will weary our selues vpon any earthly vanitie or pleasure but we are wearied of the seruice of our God yea euen of the smallest point of repentance and humiliation before God We cannot spend our selues better since we must be spent vpon something than vpon that principall part of his seruice which hee liketh best that is in chastising of our body and mortification of our affections for it is said Isai 57.15 Vpon whom shall the Spirit of the Lord rest Vpon a contrite heart Therefore wo bee to those that weary themselues in the workes of sinne and adde drunkennes to thirst Vse Wo to such as weary theÌ„selues in the workes of sinne Isai â— 11 and can neuer be satisfied nor goe to their bed till they haue accomplished some wickednesse In my mourning First he sighed and sobbed for his sinne and now hee mourneth for the same Looke whereunto our follies tend The pleasures of sinne euer end in displeasure for which either we must of necessity mourne in this life or eternally in the life to come True it is that the reprobate as also naturall and vnregenerate men shall poure forth many thousand teares for the plagues and iudgements which God layeth vpon them which are but the fore-runners and beginnings of their euerlasting mourning in hell but the mourning of the Elect preuenteth many sorrowes which would befall them so Doctr. Mourning for sin will keep vs froÌ„ many other mournings Exo. 12.30 if wee haue grace to mourne for sinne it will keepe vs from many other mournings The Egyptians had an vniuersall mourning thorow all their houses at the slaughter of their first borne but if they had mourned for the wrong done to the Israelites they needed not to haue mourned for the plague that came vpon themselues The measure of the mourning I caused my bed swimme The measure of his mourning is expressed by the washing and swimming of his bed with teares which indeed is an hyperbolique speech and doth expresse vnto vs the vehemency and greatnesse of his griefe and that he did not esteeme light
of his sinne Note yea I may affirme neuer had man greater displeasure for so short a pleasure as had Dauid neyther was he in worse case with God but rather the multitude of his teares were as many seales of Gods fauour towards him and of the remission of his sinnes showers be better then dewes Vse yet it is sufficient if God at least hath bedewed our hearts hath giuen vs some signes of a penitent heart if wee haue not riuers of waters to poure forth with Dauid neyther fountaines flowing with the Magdalen Luke 7.38 Ieâ— 9.1 Luk 22 62. Let vs lament that we cannot mourne Mat 9.21 Iohn 20 27 Doctr. God regardeth not the quantity but quality of our repentance Doctr. The place of our sin should be the place of our repentance Gen 3.6 Luk. 22.44 Psal 4.4 Amos 6.4 nor wiâ—h Ieremy desire a fountaine to be in our head nor with Peter weepe bitrerly it will be sufficient if we lament that we cannot lament and mourne that we cannot mourne yea if we haue the smallest sobs of sorrow and teares of compunction it they be true and not counterfet they will make vs acceptable to God for as the woman with the bloudy issue that touched the hemme of Christs garment was no lesse welcome to Christ than Thomas who put his fingers in the print of the nailes So God looketh not at the quantity but the sincerity of thy repentance My bed The place of his sinne is the place of his repentance and so it should be yea when we behold the place where wee haue offended wee should be pricked in the heart and there againe craue him pardon As Adam sinned in the garden and Christ sweat bloudy teares in the garden Examine your hearts vpon your beds and conuert vnto the Lord and whereas yee haue stretched forth your selues vpon your bed to deuise euill things Repent there and make them Sanctuaries to God Sanctifie by teares euery place which ye haue polluted by sinne Vse And let vs seeke Christ Iesus in our bed with the Spouse in the Canticles who saith Cant. 3.1 In my bed by night I sought him whom my soule loued Euery night Doctr. One hours sinne may bring many nights of paine Vse So one houres sinne hath brought many nights paine it may bee done in one houre which cannot bee amended in all our life Learne therefore in time to be carefull and fall not into that ditch out of which hardly can ye bee freed How easie is it for a man to fall into a pit but with what difficultie is he deliuered there-from Beware therefore in time I pray you Adam fell in such a pit by one sinne out of which he could neuer release himselfe What shall I say to such of you as spend all the night in riot and drunkennesse and whoredome and cardes and such abhominable follies It is Gods iudgement if ye be brought to doe penance as many nights in the bed of sicknesse that your feet may be put in the stocks and yee bee tied to your bed by the cords of sicknesse as ye went away riotously with the wild Asâ—e Ier. 2.24 till ye were taken in your Moâ—eâ—h and yee be brought to repent in your bed wheâ—e ye would not at your boord and bee forced â—o learne a lesson in Babel where yee would not in Sâ—on As the night is secret Note so should the worke of thy repentance be Repent â—hou secretly that the Lord may reward thee openly Euery night Doctr. Repenâ—aÌ„â—e should bee constant Doctr. Teaâ—es good purgations to expell sin Marke here that repentance should be constant not one night but euery night And water my couch with my teares Teares are good purgations wherewith the Lord doth expell the noisome humours of our corruptions as the Physitian giueth medicine to purge the humours of his patient and albeit they seeme bitter and sower for the season yet afterward they bring forth most sweet and comfortable fruits of righteousnesse when it pleaseâ—h God to breake vp that fountaine in a mans heart and breake thorow the rocke of induration then that exercise of repentance and mouâ—ning is so delightfull to a Christian soule that there is no exercise of his religion which will content him and giue satisfaction to his poore soule if it be not sâ—asoned with some sorrow and mourning for his sinnes which made Saint Angustine to affirme in many places that it was nor pâ—ssible that repentance could bee for grieuous sinnes which was dry and not watred with many teares It is noâ— seemly to a King to weep for his owne priuate calamities leâ—t he might seeme to be cast downe from his courage but nothing more royall then to mourne for the offence of the King of Kings what force tears hâ—ue with God Finally ye shall marke in this place what force teares haue with God that they can blot out the multitude of iniquities For if Alexander being informed of many odious crimes giuen vp by Antipater against his mother answered that one mothers teare might blot many papers Simil. So must wee perswade our selues that we being the children of God albeit grieuous accusations be giuen against vs by our Anti-pater the deuill yet one teare of our repentance will blot out all these accusations VERSE 7. Mine eye is dimmed for despite and sunke in because of all mine enemies The fift argument from the multitude of his enemies MIne eyes are dimmed The fift argument from the multitude of his enemies that are troubling him when God is afflicting him and his extraordinary feare noted by a signe dimnesse of his eyes The eyes of man are made by God as two lights and windowes by which he might behold his wondrous workes and glorifie him in them and by which he might see to direct all his actions with men Psal 8.3 4. When I behold saith Danid the heauens the worke of thine hands he gathers this out of his sight the Moone and Starres which thou hast ordained What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him The Lord for this end hath planted the eyes but the deuill hath corrupted our soules that hee maketh them instruments of wickednesse in lusting by them euill things 2 Sam. 2.2 Dauid saw Bathseba The Israelites said of the golden Calfe Behold the gods which brought you out of Aegypt Exod. 32.4 a man sees the idoll he bowes downe to it he lusts after it he sees his neighbours wife and commits adulterie for as Christ saith Mat. 5.28 He that sees a woman and lusts after her hath committed adultery in his heart already Of which is said 2 Pet. 2.14 their eyes are full of adultery He sees his enemie with the eye of the Baâ—ilisque or Cocatrice to murther him Prou. 6.17 and this proud eye is one of the sixe things which the Lord abhorreth he seeth his neighbours goods to lust
after them as Achab did Naboths vineyard 1 King 21.1 2. Prou. 23.6 There is an euill eye of which Salomon saith Eat not the bread of a man that hath an euill eye he seeth finally to circumuent his neighbour of which also Salomon Pro. 10.10 Hee that winkes with his eye meditates deceit and so many make these eyes which God hath giuen them as it were two lighted candles to let them see to goe to hell and for this God hath requited them that seeing their minde was blinded by the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh 1 Ioh. 2.16 and the pride of life God hath sent sicknesse to debilitate these eyes which were so sharpe sighted in the deuils seruice and their lust now shall cause them want the necessary sight of their body Doctr. Sin blindes both soule and body Pro. 23.29 Sinne then blinds both body and soule To whom commeth woe blindnesse of eyes c. to him that sits long at wine In the sicknesse thy sight is so darkned that thou who sawest thy neighbours wife shalt now scarce know thy owne wise they shall be blind who looke thorow the windowes when God chastiseth man for his sinne The right vse of our eyes then he growâ—â—h pale and woe Out of this we haue some instructions Vse 1 First that seeing God hath giuen vs the siâ—hâ— of our eyes we should also make a couenant with them as Iob did That we beheld not a woman in vaine Iob 31.1 Next that wee may learne to looke vp to heauen and diligently ponder Gods workes with them for when they are not well occupied in readâ—ng beholding and pondering good things then the deuill will take occasion to abuse them other waies Thirdly that thou wouldst remember that hee who planted the eye Psal 94 16 Reu 1.14 sees most cleerâ—ly himselfe his eyes are like a flame of fire And finally when thou findest thine eyes dimme as thou must confesse the abuse of them so thou must pray to God that hee would â—lluminate the eyes of thy minde to see his â—â—e cy Mat 5.8 Doct. Christians can neuer lacke enemies for Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Because of all mine enemies First yee see the Church and her true members neuer can want enemies either within or without aboue benâ—ath and about hâ—r yea how many children the deuill hath let a Christian perswade himselfe he hath as many aduersaries And the Lord raiseth vp enemies against him for great and necessary causes As fâ—rst to trâ—e their patience Secondly to exercise their armour wherewith hee hath furnished them to wit the shâ—eld of faith â—ph 6.16 Foâ— what cause God raiseth enemies â—gainst vs. the sword of the word the hâ—â—â—meâ— of saluation the brest plate of righteousnesse which a Christian must put to proofe bo h â—n defending himselfe and offending his enemies Thirdly hee raâ—seth vp enemies against him thaâ— hee being strictly pursued may draw neerer to himselfe by vnfamed repentance and true prayer as Dauid did in all his conflicts putting vp new supplications to God for his defence and deliuery Fourthly to correct their sinnes as the Israelites in Aegypt had Pharaoh Exod 1 2. Iudg. 2.3 in the wildernesse Moab in Palestina the Canannites whom God reserued and kept to bee prickes in their sides â—en 31.5 â—7 2. 39.17 Iacob had his owne Laban and Ioseph had Potiphars wife in Aegypt and at home his brethren Neither let any Christian dreame that immunity and security in any place of all the world Vse that he shall bee free of that fiery dragon Reu. 1â— 4 who doth pursue the child which the woman hath borne but let him prepare himselfe for some enemie one or moe who shall pursue him if thou be vnder the standard of the deuill he will not pursue thee but if thou be his aduersarie and fightest vnder the banner of Christ then be assured hee will bend his whole forces against thee Simil. The Pyrats who see an empty Barke swimming the sea passe by it but if shee be loaded with pretious wares then they will assault her So if a man haue no grace within him Satan passeth by him as not a conuenient prey for him but being loaded with graces as the loue of God his feare and such other spirituall vertues let him be perswaded that according as hee knowes what stuffe is in him so will not faile to rob him of them if in any case he may What is the cause of the enmity or why did Cain hate Abel because hee was righteous Gen. 4.5 The naturall hatred betweene the seed of the woman and the Serpent Gen. 3.15 the other iniust There is a naturall feude betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent which God hath put betweene them and albeit they haue neuer done them iniury yet they hate them deadly because their deuillish inclination is disposed cruelly against them What iniurie hath the Lambe done to the Lyon and yet it is set to kill it and thinketh the bloud thereof sweet The sweet singing bird what wrong doth it to the Eagle and yet she seekes to deuoure it So none are in danger but Gods children his birds his lambs and therefore they seeme most infortunate for as much as all bloody murtherers are set against them Vse 1 Art thou a Lambe the Wolfe is going about to deuoure thee but herein is thy comfort the Lord is thy Shepheard and he will protect thee Vse 2 But if thine enemies doe rise vp against thee first runne to God Counsels to a persecuted Christian search what sin thou hast done and repent it Next consider whether thou hast deserued their wrath be not persecuted as an euill doer but haue that within thee that thou maist say what haue I done Vse 3 Thirdly repay them not with euill If thou see thine enemie hungry giue him meat Rom. 12 20 if hee thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head Commit vengeance to God mine is vengeance saith the Lord Rom. 12.19 and I will repay it Vse 4 Finally comfort thy selfe in this thine enemies are Gods also hee will curse them that curse thee But in these enemies of Christ I marke the malice of euill men that when God is chastising a Christian for his sinne then they afflict that man as the Chaldeans did Iob Iob 1.17 The wicked adde vineger to our gall Mat. 12.20 they contrary to the practice of Christ breake a brussed reede Next Christians are not destitute of their passions but haue their owne griefes because they haue great enemies they feare but are not swallowed vp with feare for God comforts them Gen 18.2 and 32.28 Iacob was afraid of Esau his elder brother who went about to kill him but God sent him to Padan-aram and the Angell that wrestled with him said vnto him Because
his owne person Secondly from the person of his aduersaries Thirdly from the person of the godly In his owne person first his prayer is signified by this circumscription I. From his owne person because hee beleeues in him I lift vp my soule to thee and his faith I trust in thee What is prayer but a lifting vp of the heart to God for the heart must first be affected and then it will frame all the members of the body and draw them vp with it Simil. As the Magnes drawes the Iron after it so will the soule draw the cold and lumpish flesh where it is where the soule is there is the body also and where the soule is there is the man Whereby it appeareth that there is no praier or spirituall seruice acceptable to God Doct. No spirinâ— all seruice but that which proceeds from the heart Pro. 23.26 Isay 29.13 but that which comes and is deriued from the heart My sonne giue me thy heart This people seeke mee with their lips but their heart is farre from me Yee are praying but your heart is as the eye of the foole euery where Sometime yee are thinking of the earth somtime of your pleasure sometime sleeping sometime yee know not what yee are thinking At preaching yee heare the voyce of a man speaking but say not Amen And sometime your voyce is repeating some idle and deafe sounds your heart no whit being moued but as a Parrat or Pye vttering incertaine sounds or a Bell Simil. sounding it knowes not what so are ye with your mouth praising God your heart being absented from him Faith only fixed on God Lifting vp of the heart presupposeth a former deiection Next his faith is not carried about hither and thither but only fixeth it selfe vpon God Thirdly the lifting vp of the heart presupposeth a former deiection of his soule The soule of man is pressed downe with sinne and with the cares of this world which as lead doth the net draweth it so downe that it cannot mount aboue till God send spirituall prayers as corke to the net to exalt it Simil. which arise out of faith as the flame doth out of the fire Heb. 12.1 and which must bee free of secular cares and all things pressing downe which sheweth vnto vs that worldlings can no more pray Simil. than a Moule is able to flie But Christians are as Eagles which mount vpward Seeing then the heart of man by nature is fixed to the earth Simil. and of it selfe is no more able to rise there-from Simil. then a stone which is fixed in the ground till God raise it by his power word and workmen it should be our principall petition to the Lord that it would please him to draw vs that we might runne after him that he would exalt and lift vp our hearts that we might raise them vp to heauen and not lie still in the puddle of this earth Here the future tense vsed for the present In the Hebrew it is I will lift vp by a common phrase vsing the future time for the present but he sayes not I lift vp my voice or my hands to thee which both he did for these are in vaine without the heart So Anna the mother of Samuel saies 1 Sam. 1.15 I poured foâ—â—h my heart in the sight of the Lord as a body without the soule VERSE 2. My God I trust in thee let me not be confounded let not mine enemies reioyce ouer me 2. Argument taken from the person of his aduersaries opposing his faith to their fury Mat 10.13 Psal 20.7 2 King 1.2 1 Sam. 28.8 THe second argument that hee vseth is taken from the person of his aduersaries who albeit they were furiously bent against him yet hee onely runneth to God without whose permission they were not able to cause one haire of his head fall to the ground Some seeke for the helpe of men some trust in horses and charioâ—s some goe to Beelzebub and deuils by wirches but let a true Christian with Daâ—id here haue his refuge to God Doct. Faith is the ground of prayer I trust in thee Here is faith the root and ground of prayer When Christ bestowed any benefit vpon his patients he asked them Doe ye beleeue and then answered Mark 9.23 Mat. 8.13 Simil. Be it to thee according to thy saith It is a naturall dependance that all creatures vse this argument to their superiors and masters As my trust is in you helpe me And should not we vse this same to our Lord and say My trust is in thee O Lord therefore hâ—lpe me He stands vpon the points of his honor will he then cast off his dependants Faith in God a stroÌ„g argumeÌ„t wherby God is moued to defend vs. Mark 9.23 24. No truly there is no stronger argument to moue God to defend thee then if thou alledge thy faith in him there is nothing impossible to him that beleeueth Let vs therefore craue the augmentation of our faith and say Lord increase our faith and then wee need not to doubt but God will giue vs all things His prayer is grounded vpon faith 1 Cor 4.13 Prayer grounded on faith Paul saith I beleeued therefore haue I spoken therefore such prayers as proceed of an incertaine faith are abhomination in the sight of the Lord and scorning of his Maiesty Doe yee not thinke Words without faith and feeling vnprofitable Doct. Shame the daughter of sinne that if wee conceiue words in our owne language if we want a feeling of them that they will bee acceptable to God no indeed but much lesse will they please him if in an vncouth language wee repeat vaine words we know not what Let me not be confounded Shame is the daughter of sinne and a condigne punishment for sinne Rom. 6 2â— What fruit had ye then in those things wherewith now ye are ashamed For the end of those things is death But no shame can befall to a Christian Qui credit non erubesces He that beleeueth shall not be a shamed Doct. RepentaÌ„ce blotteth out the memory of sinne Heb. 11.31 2 Pet. 2.7 for if hee fall in sinne it will by Gods blessing turne to the best to him and his repentance will blot out the memory of his sinne Rachabs faith hath blotted away the remembrance of her whoredome Dauids repentance and Manasses hath blotted out their sinnes Lots righteousnesse is remembred their sinne is not shamefull for God honoured them with such vertues as tooke away the filthinesse of their sinne Simil. If a gold ring should fall in the mire the price of the gold remaines and the dirt may soone be wiped away Albeit Iacobs thigh made him to halt Gen. 32.3 yet the strength of his armes who wrastled with the Angell his reuelations that he got and his holinesse made not that to bee thought a deformity in him Simil. Doct. The afflictions of Gods children are honorable
whereupon wee must walke euen Faith and Loue which two will carry vs to heauen without Faith thou art lame of thy right foot without Loue thou art lame of thy left foot let Faith worke through Loue. Beleeue in Iesus Christ and liue a Godly life and assure thy selfe thou art in the way to heauen Note If thou beleeue and liue euill thy one foot is in the way to heauen thy other to hell so if thou pretend a good life and casts away the word thy left foote is to heauen and thy right to hell 1 Thes 4. â— Concerning Loue yee need not that I write vnto you for ye are taught of God to loue one another Moreouer this way in the Scripture is surely set downe and the word is so called many times in the hundred and nineteenth Psalme Ioh. 5.39 Such great commendation hath Christ giuen to the word that hee desires vs diligently to search it Patres ex Scripturis didicerunt nos ex iis discamus viam the Fathers learned of the Scriptures A desire to be taught presupposeth an ignorance Simil. let vs learn of them the way Teach me thy pathes this presupposeth that men are ignorant by nature for euen as strangers put in a Wildernesse where there is no straight way could very hardly discerne vvhat vvay to take but vvould bee a prey to Beasts and Brigands so are men by nature ignorant of God Act. 8.31 The Eunuch said to Philip How can I vnderstand without an Interpreter Nature may teach thee vvayes to maintaine this life but the vvay to heauen there is no reason that can perswade or teach it commeth by diuine inspiration Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon sonne of Iona flesh and bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father that is in heauen The Philosophers and Astrologians vvho vvere quicke in iudging things naturall were but blind in grace Mat. 11.25 I thanke thee Father thou hast hid it from wise men and reuealed it to babes The Scripture is as the Starre that leadeth vs to Bethleem Mat. 2.9 This is a great humility in Dauid that being a King and a Prophet yet he would learn this Lesson to serue God let Preachers euer bee learning Sâ—crates said at his death Hoc vnum scio me nihil scire I know this one thing that I know nothing Note a conceit of knowledge is a mâ—rke of ignorance Hee repeats this vvord teach mee often vvhereby hee acknowledges that the chiefe lesson hee vvishâ—th to learne to make him wise is to know how to serue God by his word and of this wisedome in the 119. Psalm he affirmeth that it will make him wiser then his enemies then his masters then his ancients By the word teach Doctr. Preaching of the word of God is the ordinarie meane of Saluation Luk. 4.16 hee would teach vs that the ordinary meanes of Satuation and knowledge is the word preached How can they beleeue without preaching not by reading mumbling Masses c. but by liuely preaching Christ preached so in the Temple when he tooke the Booke from the Reader Brethren haue yee any word of exhortation for the people Preach in season and out of season Act. 13.15 The repetition of the words shew mee teach mee lead mee teach me declares the instancie that hee vsed to heare the word more sweet then honey Ps 119.103 Ps 88 1â— yea better then his appointed foode so that hee desired that hee might bee but a doore-keeper in the house of the Lord. This his affection to the word hee declareth by repeating it in the 119. Psalme 175. times The great ignorance which is among vs springeth from a want of desire to heare Ignorance springeth from want of desire to be taught Luk. 24.31 The two Disciples said Did not our heart burne within vs all the time he spake to vs VERSE 5. Lead mee forth in thy truth and teach mee for thou art the God of my Saluation in thee doe I trust all the day Doct. It is not sufficient to bee taught the way vnlesse we be led into it HEe craues not onely to be taught the truth and the way but to bee led and directed in the way that God may not onely point it out to him but conuoy him thereunto and keepe him from going out of it for albeit we be entred in the way of grace if God would not perfect that worke wee would fall euery moment therefore hee worketh in vs to will and perfite and hee who began can crowne also the worke hee is the staffe to which wee must leane and of which wee must take hold knowledge is not sufficient without practice God must make vs to walke in the way wee know Our knowledge will bee a dittay against vs if wee walke not in the way wee know Luk 12.47 for hee that knowes the will of his master and doeth not the same shall haue double stripes For thou art the God of my saluation The Argument by which hee would moue God to teach him his wayes is taken from the person of God whom hee calleth the God of his saluation and his owne person who is saued in that hee beleeues in him and the adiunct of faith which is constancie and perseuerance all the day The Argument is taken from the Office of a Sauiour to guide them whom hee hath deliuered and saued but thou hast saued mee therefore guide me First Doct. All in condemnation without Christ Rom 11.32 Doct. No man or Angel can saue vs but God Psal 3.8 Psal 71.19 Psal 136.11.13 c. in that hee calleth him the God of his saluation hee would let vs see that we are all in condemnation without Christ all are inclosed vnder sinne that God might be mercifull to them And vvhere hee calleth him the God of his saluation hee importeth that it was not in the power of Man or Angell to saue him but in Gods who behoued to take it vpon himselfe to deliuer him from temporall and spirituall dangers Saluation onely belongeth to the Lord What God is like our God who deliuereth vs from our enemies as hee brought the Israelites out of Egypt led them through the red Sea fought all their battels rebuked Kings for their sakes What euer deliuery comes to vs comes by God whateuer instrument hee vseth in the same he saues vs and not wee our selues neither chariots nor horses Note The consideration of this should moue vs to be thankfull to him Moses Ioshua Sampson c. were typicall Sauiours but God was the great Sauiour who saued his people Next if God be the onely and sole Sauiour of our bodies in sauing them from diseases and of our liues in sauing them from our enemies should any seeke saluation to his soule but from him for if a temporary deliuery cannot come but by him what deuillish doctrine is it to teach that saluation can come by any other Seeing then
9.27 that in this verse he particularly applyeth vnto himselfe shewing vs hereby how necessary the application of mercy is to a Preacher lest preaching to others hee become a Reprobate himselfe He runnes euer to mercy pretending no merits and craues pardon to his iniquity which before hee called sinne for hee sinned against God and did iniquity to Vrias Doct. Who sinneth against God hurteth his neighbour 1 Ioh. 4.20 where obserue that sinne and the forgetfulnesse of God causes vs to doe iniquity and wrong to our neighbours how can wee loue God whom wee see not and hate man made to his I mage whom wee see For it is great Doct. To aggrauate sin a true marke of a penitent Gen. 3.12.13 A true marke of a petitent sinner to aggrauate his sinne Some vse to extenuate their sinnes by comparing them to others whom they thinke sinne more then they doe others excuse them as Adam did when hee said The woman which thou gauest to bee with me shee gaue me of the Tree and I did eate shee againe excused herselfe The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate Doctr. WheÌ„ man remembreth sinne God forgetteth it But let the children of God search and finde out the greatnesse of their sinnes and aggrauare them that God may extenuate them and so forget them Are yee loadned with sinne remember it and God will forget it and ease you if yee haue it before your eyes hee shall cast it behind his backe but if you thinke nothing of sinne God will binde it on your backe so that it shall presse you downe as a milstone But he craueth this for Gods names sake his name is his honor Doctr. Gods chiefest honor is his mercie Pro. 25.2 shewing vs that God purchaseth his chiefe honour by his mercy It is the honour of the King to try sinnes but the honour of God to couer them VERSE 12. What man is hee that feareth the Lord him will hee teach the way that he shall choose IN this and the other two verses following is contained another quality which God craueth in his penitent humble and obedient sinner to wit that he haue the feare of God who is rewarded with temporall and spirituall blessings in his soule body and posterity So godlinesse is great gaine hauing the pâ—omâ—es of this life the life to come 1 Tim 4.8 What man is he By this forme of interrogation hee would note the raritie of those that shall finde mercie and this indefinite speech answerable to an vniuersall declareth that whatsoeuer they bee of whatsoeuer estate and condâ—tion who feare God shall bee sure of these after following blessings Doct. God directs them whom hee forgiues Next obserue that God hee directs all these in the course of their life whom hee hath pardoned therfore those who are not reconciled to God need not looke for Gods direction he was a Pillar of fire and Cloud to the Israelites for they were vnder the Couenant Exo. 14.19 The feare of the Lord is the chiefe vertue Pro. â—5 33. What the feare of God is euen the beginning of wisedome It is a secret reuerence bred in the heart of a Christian proceeding out of the sense and feeling of Gods loue whereby a sinner is affraid that hee neither thinke speake or doe any thing which hee supposeth may offend Gods Maiestie This secret feare if it bee once planted in the heart will direct thee in all good actions acceptable to God and correct thy euill doings Note The two properties of Gods feare Simil. The loue of God hath a constraining power whereby it compelleth and forceth vs to serue him the feare of God hath a restraining power by which it restraineth and stayeth vs and keepeth vs backe from offending him this is like a bit the other like a spur Abraham feared that the feare of God was not Gen. 20.11 in the place wherto he went Ioseph being inticed by his Mistris to commit wickednes with her answered How can I do this great wickednes and so sin against God Gen. 39.9 the Lord plant this feare in our harts This is a filial feare which he craueth comming from loue not a seruile feare which commeth from a feare of punishment The preseruer of this feare is a continual nourishment in thy minde of the presence of God How the feare of God is preserued to whoÌ„ thou presentest all thy actions When thou coÌ„mittest any thing vnworthy of his presence be ashamed of it flie froÌ„ it craue mercy for it make the quiet Cabinet of thy mind the Chamber of his presence wherin thou darest admit no lewd thought no filthy thing And because it is impossible to fray thy hart minde from the conceptions of that sinning sinne in thee Note yet haue this testimony that it is no sooner conceiued but as soon repented Will he teach the way that he shall choose He promiseth foure benefits to the man that feareth God he heapeth vpon him grace vpon grace before hee pardoned him and now he directeth the man whom he forgaue for no sooner receiueth hee any man in his fauor when he immediately takes the protection and direction of him But out of these words we see three things First there are diuers yea contrary wayes as there are contrary ends the broad and the narrow the Kings way and by-rodes the way of life and of death Many promise to themselues a Kingdom not being in the way leading thereto This is against such as dreame to themselues that whatsoeuer religion they professe or howsoeuer they liue they shall goe to heauen but they are deceiued for if thou be not in the way to the Kingdome thou shalt neuer attain to the Kingdome many yea the most part are not going but riding not running but posting to hell whom if ye demand whither they goe they will answere to heauen yea and they will bragge they shall be nearer God then the Preacher himselfe euen as if one would dreame of life at the poynt of death Next wee see that a man cannot of himselfe choose the right way to heauen Doct. Man of himselfe is ignoâ—ant of the rigâ— he way 1 Cor. 2.1 4 for the naturall man cannot apprehend those things which pertaine to Gods Kingdome neither yet can he see them for they are spiritually discerned Whereupon followeth the third that is how man shall choose the good and refuse the euill way Rom. 9 1â— Non est currentis nec volentis sed miserentis Dei It is not in him that runneth nor in him that willeth but in God that sheweth mercy Heb. 11.25 Moses choosed rather to suffer with the Church then to bee called the sonne of Pharohs daughter Ios 24.15 Ioshua and his house choosed to serue God though all the people should serue Baal Psal 4.6 Dauid the King choosed the light of Gods countenance to shine on him 1 Kin. 3.9 Solomon made
his choyce of wisdome Luk. 10.42 Mary choosed the better part Paul thought all things to be dung in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 The Church of Laodicea was counselled to buy gold Apoc. 3.18 But all these their choyces were of God who put it in their hearts to choose good things Wisedome cryed in the streets that all that were destitute of vnderstanding should come to her Pro. 8.1 but the foole heard the voyce of the harlot Goe to our daliance Pro. 7.22 saith shee and hee went like a sheepe to the slaughter So by nature we choose the way to destruction Hos 13.9 Thy perdition is of thee O Israel thy saluation of me VERSE 13. His soule shall dwell at ease and his seede shall inherite the Land What the peace of conscience 〈◊〉 HIs soule shall dwell at ease The second promise and spirituall blessing the peace of conscience which is the tranquility of the soule flowing from the assurance of Gods fauour in Christ wrought by the holy Spirit This is that white stone in the Reuelation Reuel 2.17 wherein a name is written which none can read but hee that hath it Thy good life may bee a marke to others of thy saluation but thy inward peace is a token to thy selfe that howsoeuer thy outward man bee afflicted yet thy inward man hath that peace which passeth all naturall vnderstanding of which Christ saith My peace I giue you Ioh. 20.19 not as the world and hee commanded the Apostles to giue their peace The giuer of this peace is called the Prince of peace the wicked cry peace Ier. 8.11 when as sudden destruction is approaching as the trauell of a woman But there is no peace to the wicked Esa 48.22 saith my God they may sometimes lye in carelesse security not wakened by the sight of Gods iudgements but sleeping in the bottome of the Sea hauing no true rest for the worldlings haue three wormes which eate them vp care feare and dolour Care feare and griefe are three wormes which eate the worldlings care to conquest the things of this world so excessiuely that they are eaten vp by it feare lest it be taken from them and commonly God as hee threateneth by his word the thing they feare shall come on them and then followeth an excessiue sorrow for the losse of them they despaire and oftentimes are the cause of their owne death but the godly cast their care vpon the Lord they haue a reasonable care of their Familie but with measure they feare nothing but the offence of God all other feares are swallowed vp in the gulfe of that feare for they assure themselues that God will maintaine their Lot and finally at the losse of any creature the godly haue a naturall sorrow albeit not out of measure Iob. 1.21 but with Iob saying The Lord hath giuen and taken The third benefite And his seede shall inherit the Land The third blessing temporall he promiseth wealth to the posterity of the righteous that their daies shall be long in the Land that God hath giuen them First in this promise yee see the constancie of Gods fauor towards them that feare him their death doth not withdraw Gods loue from their posterity 2 Sam. 19.38 as Dauid after Barzillai went home remembred his kindnesse in intertaining Chimham and on Mephibosheth hee shewed the mercy of God for Ionathans sake 2 Sam. 9.3 Doctr. Gods loue dieth not with the Parents but reuiues in their posterity A note for Parents so Gods loue dies not with the Parents but reuiueth in their posterity as the Lord promised to Dauid 2 Sam. 7.12 Here is a promise to the godly who feare him of a sure and perpetuall maintenance to their posterity The consideration hereof should abate that excessiue care that Parents haue of their children whereas the best care they can haue of them is that they feare God themselues and labour to bring them vp in that feare Kings haue not such surety of the continuance of their crownes to their succession neither Noble-men of their Lands as â— godly man hath of Gods prouision Psal 37.25 I was young saith Dauid and now am old yet I neuer saw the iust man nor his seed to beg Moreouer we see that Lands are at the disposition of God Doct. All changes come of sinne who wil giue them to whom he pleaseth and altereth Dominions as the Monarchie of the Babylonians Persians Grecians and Romanes the cause of this alteration was their sin and doe we not see amongst our selues within these thirty yeares Example of our time many and strange alterations of Lands and houses translated from the right owners thereof to others neither of their name nor any way belonging to them Should not this teach vs all to feare God and make our houses as Sanctuaries to him left he be forced as he extirped the Canaanites for their sinnes to root vs out and sweepe vs away as with a besom VERSE 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding 4. Benefit and promise reuelation of his secretâ— THe fourth benefit which the Lord will bestow vpon the godly men he will if they feare him reueale to them his secrets First Doct. Gods word is a secret â—eu 5.5 ye see the word of God is called a secret a mystery and hid treasure a closed booke which none is able to loose but the Lambe For all the naturall wit of man is not able to attaine to the vnderstanding of the meanest Article of faith All things which we beleeue are aboue the compasse of reason or flat against it The Gospell commeth by reuelation The Gospell comes by reuelation Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon the Sonne of Ionah flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this to thee but my Father where he manifestly testifieth that the confession of Christ is a hid matter which must bee reuealed to vs by himselfe The wit of man can search the profundities of nature albeit it is not able to attaine to the hundreth part thereof as of Physicke Astronomy Geometry c. but it cannot scaâ—se vpon Diuinity without inspiration which must come from aboue It is no maruaile therefore that so few beleeue the word for faâ—â—h is not of all men it is the gift of God as iâ— is a secret so are they called his secret ones to whom he reuealeth it But men may thinke Obiect that it being a secret why should it be made common to all and God hath closed that booke Answer I answer vvith Augustine it is a flood on vvhich a Lambe may swimme and an Elephant may walke Mat. 13.11 To the children of God it is plaine to those it is giuen to vnderstand but to others they are parables Esay 6.9 That seeing they should not perceiue But to vvhom doth he
mine afflictions and my trauell and forgiue all my sinnes THere he acknowledgeth the root of al his troubles to be sin for which he craueth mercy at God Ye may see here that sin toucheth him so neere the heart that he cannot find ease but in the remission thereof Sin is sweet in the mouth as honey but it is in the womb as grauell There is no venome in the affliction but sinne so being quit of sin he esteemes nothing of the affliction Sin is the noysome humour purge the humour and saue the patient The goodnes wisdome of God which maketh affliction a bitter water to eat vp the rust of sinne The affliction is not profitable which hath not made some diminution of sin When Gods anger was quenched Gen. 8.1 then the flouds were abated so as thy sin decreases thy affliction diminisheth daily VERSE 19. Behold mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with cruell hatred THis endeth as the sixt Psalme Doct. The subduing of sinne is the triumph ouer out enemies Acts 9.3 1 Sam. 31.4 for triumphing aboue sin his spirituall enemies he triumpheth aboue all his bodily foes he preuailes with God he preuaileth also with men He vseth no imprecations against them but that God would looke on them either mercifully to conuert them with Saul who was called Paul or to confound them as the first Saul who killed himselfe His enemies are described from their multitude number next frō their malice cruelty Alwayes Gods honor is so much the more greater that he is one for all his loue preuents their cruelty He complained of their craft before they had spred nets for him and the deuill who before was a Serpent and could not preuaile now becommeth a fiery flying Dragon Gen. 3.1 Apoc. 12.3 to deuoure the seed of the woman so craft disappointed becomes cruell he was first a Serpent yet he is more dangerous when he is a serpent cheaping Doct. Craft disappointed becomes cruelty Eph. 6.14 then when he is roaring as a Lyon when he roares he is heard far off and is eschewed but who can shun a Fox and a Serpent therefore craft is alwaies cruell Since then we haue to doe with malitious enemies and crafty deceitfull men let vs inarme vs against them by the brest plate of righteousnesse to strike by their darts and by patience to suffer their wrongs VERSE 20. Keepe my soule and deliuer me let me not be confounded for I trust in thee HE ends as Christ ended his life Doct. The soule is wel kept when God keepeth it Luk. 23.46 Mat. 6.19 In thy hand I commit my spirit By the soule he meaneth also the life for it is well kept when the Lord keepes it no earthly place so sure but the thiefe may come in or rust consume but if thy soule be bound vp in the bundle of life and treasured with God no violence or cōsumption can attain therunto And he vseth that same argument in the end which he did in the beginning For I trust in thee VERSE 21. Let mine vprightnesse and equity preserue me for mine hope is in thee LEt no man claime the patrocinie of God Doct. God will not patronize an vnrighteous cause 1 Sā 26.17 vnlesse he maintaine a righteous cause quarrell for what fellowship hath the Lord with the throne of iniquity This he speakes because of his enemies to whom he neuer did iniury and the more ingratefull were they yea these he benefited as Saul with whom in the field he pleaded his innocency when Saul said Psal 143.2 My son Dauid thou art more righteous then I. But when he came before God he cried Enter not in iudgement with thy seruant but recountering with men he braggeth of his innocency Our eyes are sharp sighted and bright enough to behold the earth but when we looke to the Sunne they will be dim For I trust in thee Ye see albeit he claimes to his innocency yet he retireth him to faith and hope in God Our righteousnesse is not such as that we can altogether stand by it there are some slips and faults in the best of our actions Note therfore we are forced to retire to God who can supply them all in his al-sufficiency VERSE 22. Deliuer Israel O God out of all his troubles THis last verse containeth a prayer for the Church Doct. Atrue note of a Christian to be affected with the state of the Church Psal 51.8 Doct. The Church subiect to infinit troubles so that hee is not contented to enioy any priuate benefit from God himselfe vnlesse the Church of God be partaker thereof whose welfare he promiseth to procure and desires others to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and this is a marke of a feeling member of Christ who remembreth not his owne sorrowes without regard of the tribulations of Gods Church Next ye see that the Church is subiect to infinite tribulations she is a Lillie among thorns Exod. 3.2 Mat. 14.24 Gen. 8.1 there must be a fire alway in that bush is no maruell to see the ship of the Disciples tossed in the seas and the Arke of Noah in the deluge but indeed it were a maruel to see the Church not persecuted Doct. God will in the end deliuer his Church Finally he prayes for deliuery to her letting vs see two things First that the Lord will compasse his Church with ioyfull deliuerances and not let the rod of the wicked lie alwayes on the backe of the righteous but as they haue many crosses Doct. The Churches deliuerance is Gods prerogatiue so they get many comforts from God Next God commonly takes that honour to himselfe to deliuer his Church when Princes persecute the same to their owne ruine and shame Let vs pray vnto our God to deliuer his Church in Europe this day which is fearfully assaulted by wicked men and to giue his Saints patience and perseuerance in the truth to the end Amen FINIS A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSITION ON THE THIRTIE TWO PSALME THE THIRD OF THE PENETENTIALS THis is the third Psalme of Repentance the Title thereof is Davids Instruction 12. Psalmes are Psalmes of instruction shewing both the substance and matter of the same that is Instruction as also the writer thereof David There are many other Psalmes which beare this title especially the 42.44.45.52.53.54.55.74.78.89.142 For if yee would deuide the 150. Psalmes vnto classes yee shall find some instruction as these twelue others for consolation others of deprecations The Scriptures are profitable for all vses 2 Tim. 3.16 Simil. others of imprecations for the Scriptures of God are profitable for all vses to rebuke to comfort to instruct c. Amongst all this booke of the Psalmes especially is as an Apothecaries shop wherein yee shall finde all sorts of Drugs Cordiall to comfort our heart or Corrasiue to eate vp the cancer of our nature yea in what estate was
in his kingdome accompteth himselfe onely happie in this that his sinnes were pardoned Those earthly things are a weake foundation wherevpon to build Note should we expect happinesse of an vnhappie world The vanitie of the Philosophers concerning happinesse is to be put away Chrys in 1. Cor hom 4. of whom Chrysostome writeth they haue wouen Spiders webes by which they might maâ—re the minds of foolish men He who is a rebell to the king can enioy no benefites of his kingdome Simil. but when hee hath receiued the rod of peace and hath procured the kings fauour then hee is happie So although we had all the priuiledges of nature what will they be to vs if we haue not the fauour of God and assurance of the remission of our sinnes Blessed is he He giueth out this beatitude in the singular number The man as Habackuk also hath Hab 2.4 iustus ex fide sua viuet the iust man shall liue by his faith The Apostle Saint Paul sayth 2 Cor 4.13 I haue beleeued therefore I spake that wee may not infold our selues vnder the lap of generalitie and say with Athists and Papists Euery man must be assured of his Saluation wee will be saued as other men are for we beleeue as the Church beleeueth but euery man must haue a faith of his owne by which hee must be saued for albeit there be but one common Medicine applyed to all Christians who are penitent yet euery one of them must haue that applied to himselfe euen that Salue to cure his soare For medicaments must be personall we must haue our particular warrand in our pocket for our debts and not dreame that wee are free of debt when others are freed thereof There are three gradations or climaxes answerable to the three degrees of nature A threefold Gradation 1 Nature 2. grace 3. glory grace and glory The naturall estate of man is noted by sinne impietie and iniquitie grace by lightned of it couered not imputed glory blessed blessed Nature beginneth the worke and it is full of vanitie and it hath the roote of sinne which groweth in all our hearts that sinning sinne concupiscence that Originall corruption without which neuer man was borne except Christ Iesus Of this man esteemeth little albeit hee haue it in his house and the thiefe lying in his bosome This roote of sinne springeth vp in two branches impietie against God and iniquitie against man this monster with these two twinnes are euer found together they growe together and liue together a sinner vnrepenting is impious and irreligious toward God and profane and inequitable toward men When sinne reignes as a tyrant and hath taken any captiue to doe him seruice is it any maruaile that he rage against God by blasphemies and against man by iniuries The man possessed with Diuels who was amongst the graues threw stones at the passengers Math 8.28 as by the contrary hee who is holy and Sanctified is also godly and iust for these three cohere Pietie Iustice Sanctitie Sinne is neuer alone as neither commeth the iudgement of God alone one draweth another Math 22.13 they are linked together as a chaine of iron by which man is bounde and caried to vtter darkenesse if the Angel who came to Peter in prison doth not lose them Act 12.7 Psal 1.1 This Chapter is depainted in the first Psalme at the first verse for hee calleth them sinners wicked The degrees of sinne and scorners Peccatum peccatum trahit one sinne draweth on another for sinne groweth to wickednesse and wickednesse to scorning of all religion which is the extremitie and highest degree of all euill The deformitie of beasts we alow in our selues This further is to be noted that what deformitie we see and dislike in al the beasts they are found in one man Wee detest the the falshood of the Foxe and the subtiltie of the Serpent and yet man is falser then both we cannot abide to looke vpon a Dogge when hee licketh vp his vomit neither on a Sowe while she is wallowing in the puddle and our onely delight is to swallow vp sinne and feede on our owne filthinesse and when we haue beene clensed from it by repentance wee returne to it within a little time we abhorre the greedinesse of the Wolfe albeit sometimes hee can be satisfied and yet our couetous heart is insatiable The crueltie of the Lyon is odious vnto vs albeit it spareth the owne kinde but man as Athaliah rageth against his owne bloud 2 Chron 22.10 euerie beast hath one deformitie which is no sinne in it but a spectacle whereby man may hate that in himselfe which hee abhorreth in a beast but man hath all deformities Note hee is subtil then a Serpent more craftie One may haue all beasts properties then a Foxe more cruel then a Lyon more filthie then a Sow more greedie then a Wolfe c. Yea much differing from all these for all may be tamed I am 3.8 but the tongue of man cannot be tamed and if one member of man be worse then all beasts Note what thinke yee of the whole powers of mans nature Looke then what euill commeth of sinne it seemeth to be profitable and pleasant for the present as honey in the mouth Pro 20.17 but in the bellie it turneth in grauell and wormewood Iudas thought his wages sweete in receiuing them Math 27.3 but after cast that money backe in great sorrow Ammon was sicke for loue of his sister but when hee had fulfilled his lust 2 Sam. 13.15 he hated her more then before he had loued her Behold what Leprosies Phrensies Feuers Botches haue euer fallen vpon mans body as many sinnes as fountaines of them are pressing downe his soule which we should lament if wee were sensible of the smallest of them Whose wickednes is forgiuen This threefold repetition of the remission of Sinnes argues the necessitie of the perswasion of this doctrine for it is an article of our Creede which we must beleeue and for the which we are commanded to pray dayly hee hath promised it who is faithfull hee hath sworne and giuen the earnest of his Spirit to seale it We must not doubt with these doubting Doctors Doctr. We may be assured of the remission of sinne Eccles 9.1 Ob. whether wee shall obtaine mercie or not but wee may assure our selues of the remission of our sinnes They alledge that of Ecclesiastes No man knoweth either loue or hatred of all that is before him I Answere that place is to be vnder vnderstood thus Ans that externall things are not notes of Gods loue or hatred because they are common to good and euill This perswasion indeede wanteth not the owne doubtings wee doubt but we dispare not Whence doubts arise in Gods children these doubtings spring from the sense of our vnworthinesse not of Gods goodnesse But if a man be not assured of the
remission of his sinnes his conscience must be left in a most miserable agonie and torment What shall become of him at the latter day for the feare of eternall death and the horrour of Gods iudgements will euer be before him It is a very true sentence there can be no pleasure in the hoping for any good thing Note if the feare of the contrary be ioyned to it and if this be the greatest infelicitie of the wicked to be tormented in conscience because they see the anger of an irreconciable God then that must be the greatest felicitie of Gods children when they finde that God is at one with them which felicitie commeth not without this assurance of his mercie But there is as great difference betweene this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full perswasion and a presumption as there is betweene two rebels whereof one hauing repented doth finde means of reconciliation with the king Simil. and so getteth his remission sealed and the other who presumeth so much of the king without any warrand And betweene one who dreameth of Golde and an other who hath it Gods grace amplified by three similitudes The grace of God is amplified by three notable similitudes the first from a burthen of the which the sinner is lightned and made free Sinne albeit before it be committed it seeme light as a fether yet it is the heauiest burthen that euer man did beare Doctr. Sinne is the heauiest burthen Hereditarie in these three respects First Because it is Hereditarie and man is borne with it whereof except he be cased by baptisme and the mercies of God in Christ it shall presse him downe to hell Heb 12.1 for it hangeth on fast and it presseth downe Secondly Because it lyeth both vpon soule and body Vniversall the Israelits were burthened with the taske layed vpon their flesh Exod. 1.14 Gen 39.19 and Ioseph with irons their soule being free thereof albeit both burthened with sinne Thirdly Alburthens are sensible to the bearer Vnfâ—lt and the heauie burthen the greatest sense but a sinner is contrarie hee hath no sense yea the greater be his sinne the more senselesse is he Exod 2.23.24.3 Meanes to be free of sinne Math 7.28 The seeling of thy sinne is the preparation to thy ease and reliefe The Israelites groaned vnder Pharaoh and the Lord sent Moses next rinne to him who is only able to pacifie God and thy conscience euen Iesus Christ who cryeth Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and loaden with sinne and I will ease you Thirdly Indeuour to be quit of it Doctr. Christonly can take away the burthen of sinne and be loath to take in on againe There is nothing able to disburden thee of thy sinne but Christ Fâ—ie to the fonde and new found out remedies of Merrit Pardons Pilgrimages and see what they can auaile thee Musculus in Psal Musculus vpon the Psalmes maketh mention of a Seruant in Germanie who stole some of his Masters goodes and after being become wealthy was greatly tormented in conscience for the same Wherefore desirous of some ease at the aduice of a Popish Priest hee gaue some part to the Church some to the poore but yet his torment no whit eased he restored at the counsell of the true Seruant of God to his master his owne and craued mercy at Christ and so receaued ease wherefore there is nothing that can ease a troubled mind but Christ Iesus who hath taken our burthen vpon himselfe There are two sorts of persons to whom this Doctrine doth appertaine the one who are touched with no sense of sinne those feele not the burthen yea being drowned in the Sea they feele no waters and burnt vp Some sinners haue no sense others too great sense Ionah 1.6 sents no fire O dead soule that when Gods iudgements are as so many wayes pursuing thee with Ionas thou art a sleepe The other ouer much pressed downe and moued with their sinnes almost disparing who are the rarest sort to whom this comfortable sentence doth appertaine Pro 25.2 It is Gods honour to passe by sinnes and to couer them The triplication of this remission argues the certaintie thereof And whose sinne is couered He is not content once to speake of the remÌ„ission of sinne but thrise vsing three similitudes to expresse the same to declare that it is a matter of great moment as also that it is perfect and absolute He sayth the wickednesse is pardoned the sinne couered the iniquitie not imputed a pretie gradation so that the weight of our sinne shutteth not the way to Gods mercie He sayth not that he is happie who couereth his sinnes for hee who couereth his sinne shall not prosper but hee who confesseth his sinne shall bee saued Pro 28.13 For the hiding of our sinnes from God closeth the doore to repentance He is happy whose sinne God couereth and so as long we vse subter-fuges and coloures our sinnes so long can we neuer heartily repent them and God will not pardon an impenitent sinner Hee is a foole who would couer his wounds from the Physitian Simil. for when the Physitian couereth it by healing it it is best couered This couering hath relation to some nakednesse and filthinesse which should bee couered euen sinne which defileth vs and maketh vs naked Doctr. Sinne maketh vs naked Exod. 32.25 why sayth Moses to Aaron hast thou made the people naked Sinne maketh vs blacke as a Moore defileth and maketh vs like menstrous garments and thus being so disgracefull we haue neede to be couered our owne garments of our merits are too short and cannot couer vs we haue neede therefore to borrow at Christ Iesus his merits and the mantle of his righteousnesse that hee may be vnto vs as a garment Simil. and as those breeches of lether which God made vnto Adam Gen 3.7.21 The properties of a garment when they cast away those figge-tree-leafes which they sewed to themselues garments are ordained to couer our nakednesse defend vs from the iniurie of the weather and to decore vs. So the mediation of our Sauiour serueth to couer our nakednesse that the wrath of God sease not vpon vs hee is that white raiment Reuel 3.18 wherewith we should be cloathed that our filthy nakednesse doe not appeare to defend vs against Sathan Isa 63.1 Math. 22.7 Rom 13.14 he is mightie to saue c. and to be an ornament to decore vs for hee is that wedding garment Put yee on therefore the Lord Iesus Christ Obiection But it may appeare that the word hiding or couering is not proper seeing there is nothing hid from the eyes of God whose eye pearceth vnto the most secret thought of our heart I answere with the Apostle Rom 4.17 Ans he calleth those things that are not as though they were things that are as though they were not because he forgiueth them as though they neuer had
euen till Constantines dayes For if wee walke stubbornely against him hee will bring seuen times more Plagues vpon vs according to our sinnes And againe God by the continuance of his hand will hold vs in continuall exercise of grace Doctr. Continuance of troubles exerciseth our grace as of humilitie faith patience praier and repentance for as one hauing a precious Iewell in his hand so long as hee watcheth he is carefull to keepe it but being a sleepe it may ready fall out of his hand So God holds vs waking by continuall exercise Simil. that we may keepe the grace which we haue gotten The fire is kept in by often blowing which dieth out by discontinuance My moysture is turned into the drought of Summer Doctr. Body and soule iointly punished being yoke-fellowes in sinne The dolour of Dauid was not onely internall but also externall by sicknesse for as the body was an instrument of sinne it worthily and duely is punished and as they were yoake fellowes in sinning it is iust with God that they should be companions in sorrow It is no small matter when the body is diseased although the mind were well established but when both are vnquieted it is harder Pro 18.14 The spirit of a man will sustaine his infirmitie of the body but who can beare a troubled Spirit So that the Philosophers supposed that man to be happie who had mentem sanam in corpore sano a sounde minde in an whole body Then if we be whole let vs giue thakes to God and dedicate our liues to his seruice if we be sicke craue him pardon and mercie seeking reliefe at his hand repent our sinfull life Therefore I thinke that many in their best health are sicke because they abuse their health Many being whole are most diseased and many sicke are whole who turne to God and from their greatest sicknesse seeke medicine against their sinne Selah It is here added Bueherus first to show what a torment it is rightly to feele the burthen of sinne so that hee leaueth this pause or groane as we will doe at things wherewith we are greatly affected Next it declareth what weight this doctrine hath and of what consideration to rebuke vs who thinke so little of sin as we haue in all our dayes neuer mourned for it VERSE 5. Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquity for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah DAvid hath hi herto propounded the the doctrine of the remission of sins and brought in his owne example for confirmation of the same We haue spoken already of his sorrow for his sinne now followeth the confession of the same before God which is a necessary part of repentance Doctr. Confession necessary part of repentance Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee Yee haue heard the estate of Dauid before his confession when the heauie hand of God was vpon him The Second part of his experience is set downe in this verse comprehending the feeling of Gods mercie the occasion whereof was the confession of his sinnes and the end the remission of the same The division of this verse The former hath these parts first the time then secondly the ground I thought or said will confesse thirdly the matter my sinne iniquitie and wickednesse fourthly the manner first in respect of God to thee secondly in respect of himselfe against my selfe The latter part And thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah Dauid ouer came hypocrisie This diligence in describing his confession so oft First That hee acknowledged his sin Secondly That hee would not hide his iniquitie but confesse his Apostasie to the Lord declareth hee hath gotten victorie ouer all Hypocrisie and obtained the holde of sinceritie and simplicitie God chooseth the most fit times to workegrace in vs. Simil. Then This circumstance argueth that first hee behoued to feele his sinne and the bitter panges inflicted vpon him because of it For when men are cast downe then is a most sit occasion for God to worke grace vpon them as when men are greatly extenuate by sicknesse it is a conuenient time for a Physitian to giue medicine And surely afflictions are necessarie preparations to grace For our nature is like fallow ground which if it be not broken vp by tentation Simil. it is in vaine to sowe seed vpon it To which purpose The vse of the conscience in man God placed the conscience in mans Soule to shew vnto him his wrongs to follow him apprehend him yea set vp a gibbet in his soule to which it adiudgeth him to the end it may bring him to himselfe to seeke pardon and mercie Simil. So yee see as God brought light out of darkenesse in the beginning of the world Gen 1.3 so he bringeth the ioy of his elect out of sorrow Simil And as by Christs death hee brought life to the world so hee killeth vs to make vs a liue Simil that we may take heart to vs and say after darknesse I shall see light And I know that this hand that is so heauie vpon me is vnder mine head to bring mee light out of this darknesse life out of that which for the present seemeth more bitter then death it selfe Hos 6.2 We see also here an infallible example of the frowardnesse of our owne nature Doctr. Force must reclaime the frowardnes of our nature which cannot be restrained without extreme dealing for Dauid is layd vpon the racke and almost stretched asunder and disioynted be fore hee can be brought to a sincere confession which should teach vs that wee should enter to an heartie mislike of our selues and to be displeased with our intractablenesse which hath moued God to heaue vs vp and cast vs downe againe For if wee would iudge our selues we would not prouoke him to such extreme dealing for he would not cōdemne vs but be a comforter in our agonies Yea Dauid in this teacheth vs to iudge wisely of the poore and those who are troubled in their Conscience for when men are so afflicted they are called mad Melancholike desperate assuring our selues that Gods dearest children are often rent in peeces all their tackles may be burst asunder their bruised barke left to the mercie of the winde and waues and yet come to a comfortable harbour and safelie arriue at shoare Moreouer these wicked sort of people are to be damned who with a Sardinian laughter reioyce in their sinne and sport themselues therewith yea boast of their mad humors when God in the meane time is bending his bowe at them I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie Hee vseth three phrases to shew his confession I made it knowne I hid it not and I confessed it he in like manner to expresse his filthinesse vseth three termes wickednesse sinne and iniquitie as he did in the
in this life many in the life to come many within him many without him So vnhappie is the state of the wicked whose sorrows shall be multiplied Isa 65.13.14 Behold my servants shall eat and yee shal be hungrie c. and in the Revel Revel 9.12 Revel 8.13 One woe is past and two are to come and the Angel flying through heauen cryed Woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth The godly and wickeds sorrow differ The Godly haue sorrow also but nothing comparable to theirs For God remembreth mercie in the mids of iudgement which he doth neuer to the wicked the Lord deliuereth the godly as the Israelites through the Sea and drownes the wicked The examples of Gods iudgements are seene in Lucifer Isa 14.12 Gen. 3.10 Gen. 4.11 Gen 7. Gen. 18.19 Our first parents Caine. the first world The fiue Cities Pharoah Nebuchadnezar Antiochus Herod c. Read ouer the 28. of Dout. There is a Catalogue of the sorrows of the wicked which should affraie any Christian heart And also in the 20. of Iob. where is sayd Iob. 20.22 all sorrow shall fall on him But mercie shall compasse him who trusteth in the Lord. He hath threatned in his doctrine the wicked with a consideration of Gods iudgements Now hee is alluring them with an offer of Gods mercies the godlie are ever well and all turne to the best to them Saluation welfare attendeth them in all places at all times in all causes in all their businesse in things certaine and vncertaine in prosperitie and aduersitie in body and soule in things present and to come Mercie What euer come to him is mercie and flowing from the fountaine of the remission of his sinnes The Lord crowneth them with mercies yea his sinnes turne to mercies to him But of this before Shall compasse him Doctr. The godly as they are compassed with trouble so are they with mercies 2 King 6.15.17 Psal 125.2 Zach. 2.5 Doctr. Mercie belongeth to the faithful As hee was compassed with innumerable troubles So God shall compasse him with as many comforts Dothan was compassed with Aramits so was it also with Angels as the mountaine compasseth Ierusalem so is the Lord about his people and hath promised to be a wall of fire about her That trusteth in the Lord. These are the people to whom mercie appertaines euen the beleeuers for faith onely maks vs acceptable to God But of this likewise before I beseech God make vs all penitent for our sinnes and sensible of his â—uercies but aboue all things roote vs in the Faith of Christ that we may depend vpon his promises that are both faithfull and true VERS 11. Be glad yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart The substance of this verse THis verse containeth the conclusion of the Psalme wherein is set downe an exhortation â—o such as are happie and blessed by remission of their sinnes to a spirituall ioy and praysing of God And this exhortation dependeth very well on the antecedents for hauing spoken of the remission of sinnes and the fruites of repentance and the fatherlie mercy of God towards the faythfull to whom properly this exhortation belongeth For after the remission of sinnes After remission of sinne ariseth ioy Gal. 5. Rom. 5.1 there ariseth an vnspeakeable ioy in the beleeuers heart for ioy is that fruit of faith And after the Apostle Rom. 4. had spoken of iustification hee inferreth Rom. 5. Then being iustifieed by faith we haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ Which doubtlesly coÌ„prehendeth all sorts of ioy and the Angels when they Preached to the shepheards of Christ Luk. 2.10 they professed they tolde ioyfull tydings This exhortation containeth three parts First what hee doth exhort to reioyce Secondly whom the righteous and vpright men Thirdly the limitation thereof in the Lord. Be glad He exhorteth them three times be glad reioyce and be ioyfull and as â—ee made mentioÌ„ of a threefold blessing so doth hee of a threefold ioy Wherein we haue two things necessary to be obserued First the duinesse of our nature who as slow horses neede many spurres Mans senslesnesse in spirituall things and prouâ—câ—tions to spirituall things for we are naturally ouermuch â—ent to carnall things that wee neede no incitations to the same But by the contrary in spirituall things wee are cast in a deepe sleepe who cannot be wakened at the first cry as those men after drinke haue neede to be roused often that they may behold the light so men drunken with the pleasures of sinne as Nazianzen sayth Must be wakened by diuerse exhortations as this same Prophet in the subsequet Psalme redoubleth his exhortatioÌ„s for the same effect And the Apostle to the Philippians sayth Phil. 4.4 reioyce in the Lord continually and I say againe Tho proper signification of the words be glad reioyce Next I perceiue that this exhortation growes for the word Be glad properly in the owne language signifieth an inward and hearty ioy Psal 35.26 Reioyce by the presence or hope at least of a thing desirable or good The second word Reioyce in the owne language signifieth to expresse our ioy by some outward gesture sometimes vsed for dancing as the Hills skip for gladnesse Psal 65.12 Be ioyfull Isa 35.6 The third word Be ioyfull signifieth to cry forth for gladnesse as the dumbe mans tongue shall sing This Gradation teacheth vs Doctr. Spirituall ioy alwayes increaseth that this is the nature of Spirituall ioy That it is alwayes augmented to vs by certaine degrees vntill the time is come to the perfection of all ioy which is signified by the last word importing as it were a triumph and showting after victorie So that they are truly penitent when they haue ouercome sinne and Satan in their spirituall combate triumphes ouer them as vanquished enemies Obi But it may be obiected that the best christians commonly haue the least cause of reioycing in regard they are more subiect to Troubles Crosses Imprisonments Pouerty Sicknesse c. then others Our Sauiour answereth to that In the world yee shall haue trouble Ans Ioh. 16.33 but in me yee shall haue ioy reioyce I haue ouercome the world The Martyrs who suffer the losse of their liues and riches with great ioy answeres in the midst of the fierie flames where they sing and prayse God as though they felt no paine their inward ioy swallowing vp their outward trouble Christians in their very death answeres to that when they cry O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory So 1 Cor. 15. Inward ioy swalloweth vp outward crosses how so euer they be subiect to the greatest miseries outwardly yet the ioy arising from the assurance of Gods fauour doth swallow them vp Obserue Doctr. Only those truly reioice whose sinne is pardoned Pro. 29.6 Pro. 14.10 Psal 40.16 Isa 65.13 Rev.
originall language mippene from the face is two times repeated both in speaking of Gods wrath and his owne owne sinnes that is for the sight of them both Wherein I perceiue a lesson worthy of consideration Doctrine God will not looke fauourably vpon vs vnles first we looke both vpon our owne sins and his anger at theÌ„ that is that we must haue a two-fold sight before we get the sight of Gods fauourable face First we must haue our owne sinnes before our eyes next we must see the countenance of an angrie God looking downe vpon vs with austere and heauie lookes because of them and then in the third roome we must beg Gods fauourable face to shine vpon vs. The Lord grant vs the right sight of all those three that as Iosephs brethren first saw his angrie countenance Gen. 42. and then his fauourable acceptation with the greater gladnesse so we may see what we haue deserued at Gods hand and so after may heare the voyce of ioy and gladnesse Psal 51.8 that the bones which he hath broken may reioyce again First we must heare the terrible thundering of mount Sinai then the ioyfull shouting of mount Sion VERSE 4. For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and as a heauie burden they are too heauie for me HAuing spoken before of the cause of his miserie which was his sinnes now he aggrauateth them in respect of their multitude comparing them to waters which had ouergone his head and in respect of the magnitude weight A mark of a truly penitent to aggrauatâ— his sinne Psa 138.18 comparing them to a burden which surely is a marke of a penitent sinner when he as was Dauid can be content to confesse his sinnes to be in number more then the sand of the sea or the haires of his head Why sins are compared to waters He compareth his sins to waters which albeit in the first entrie are shallow that scarce they will touch the ankles yet the further ye go into them they wil be deeper and will soone passe from your knee to your shoulders and ouergo your head Ezek. 47.1.2.3.4.5 and drowne you except God prouide a remedy as if a planke or boord be casten in whereupon taking hold you may easily escape the danger euen so we go from sin to sin and from lesse to greater vntill that many sinâ— meeting and concerning together ouergo vs and we filling the cup of our iniquitie be poisoned with the dregs thereof Therefore let vs take heed and turne back in time lest going forward contemning such warnings we become selfe-murderers of our owne soules We haue better waters thorough which we may go in safetie the waters of Siloah Esa 8.6 which run softly by which we may refresh our owne soules the blessed blood of Iesus Christ and the waters of Ezekiel Ezek. 47.12 which flow in the Sanctuarie that we may grow from grace to grace till we come to glorie Against auricular confession Out of this place is cleerly condemned that auricular confession by which men are bound vnder pâ—inâ— of condemnation to confesse euery particular sinne to the Priest which is impossâ—â—â—â— for them to do when as Dauid saith thâ—y are gone ouer mine head and againe Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faults It is no maruell that he saith his sinnes haue gone ouer his head for in this one he committed many sins The persons against whom Dauid sinned and offended many persons He sinned against himselfe in defiling his owne bodie against Bathsheba against Vriah against those slaine with Vriah against his concubines against the bodie of the people by giuing them an euil exampleâ— and which was worst of all against God by making his Name to be blasphemed And as a weightie burthen they are too heauie for me The second comparison is taken from a burden weightier then lead Wherin sin is heauier then any bâ—rden heauier then sand And indeed sin is more weightie then any burden whatsoeuer for first it presseth downe both soule and body When Peter was chained in prison Act. â—2 in the night he had libertie with ioy to raise vp his soule to praise God Paul was in prison Act 16.25 but Gods word was not bound Next burdens are vpon some parts of the body not vpon all as manicles are on the hands fetters on the feete c. other members being free but sin and the bonds thereof are vpon euery member binding and pressing it downe so that it cannot do any seruice to Christ The eares are dull in heâ—ring the eyes full of adulterie Iob 24 1â— Psal 13.9 the mouth an open sepulchre the foote readie to shed blood c. Thirdly this is the greatest miserie that when all other burdens are felt we take thiâ— on with pleasure we vndergo it with delight without wearying and are as Issachar asses couching betweene two burdens Gen. 4 â— 1â— And surely I thinke we are worse then asses For when our burden groweth greatest we do not onely not groane vnder them but are glad to vnder go them the two burdens both of our conscience and of our bodies The Israelites groaned in Egypt vnder temporall burdens Ezod 2.13 and were heard the Iewes in Babylon Psal 147. and were relieued would God we could groane that so we might be helped I will not deny but Dauid may also meane in this text of the burden of afflictions seeing the originall word gnon signifieth pain and Cain vsed that selfesame word in the fourth of Genesis For three burdens are mentioned in the Scriptures Three fortâ— of burdâ—â—ns Mat. 11.28 of sin as Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and loaden with sin and I will ease you Of paine as Cast thy burden vpon the Lord. Psal 37.15 And of Gods benefits as Praised be God who daily loadneth vs with his benefits Psal 10.3 God he loadneth vs with his blessings both spirituall and temporall and we againe loaden him with our sins with which we are loadned our selues Ah sinfull nation Isa 1 4â— a people loaden with iniquitie And therefore God iustly must againe loaden vs with his corrections But it may be asked how this selfesame speech is spoken both by Cain a reprobate â—biec â— and Dauid an elect child of God I answer Solut. that sinne was alike heauie to them both but Dauid had a sight of Gods mercie in the midst of his sins which Cain did neuer see and therefore did not runne vnto God for reliefe as here Dauid doth Verse 5. My wounds are putrisied and corrupt because of my foolishnesses HE goeth further in the enumeration of â—is miseries which he setteth downe by the putrifaction and rotting of his wounds and confesseth the cause of them to be his owne foolishnesse Where first ye see Sin causeth putrifactioÌ„ and rottennesse Gen. 3.19 that sin bringeth putrifaction and rottennesse to mens flesh For as the
In this verse he pointeth out his inward diseases in the former words My reines are full of burning and his outward in the latter words And there is no soundnesse in my flesh He was vniuersally tormented both within and without Should not this asswage our griefe when God visiteth vs in any one part of our bodie seeing Dauid was visited in them all The word Csihelim is diuersly expounded but I agree best with those that call it the reines vnder the loines and by a Metonymie the generatiue facultie For the strength of man is in the loiues and it is mentioned of the children who came out of the loines of Iacob and in the 35. of Genesis vers 11. Kings shall come out of thy loins And in Prouerb 31.17 she girdeth her loines with strength So that as Dauid gaue his strength to sin and that filthy act of adulterie so God punisheth those same parts which did offend his Maiestie Obserue Gods iustice against whorehunters And commonly God in his righteous iudgement recompenceth whore-hunters and harlots with filthy consumptions in those places whereby they took pleasure to offend God Therefore giue not your strength to sinne Rom. 6.13 nor your members to be weapons of iniquitie remembring that sentence of the learned Father Per quod quis peccat per idipsum punitur Man is punished by that selfe same thing by which he sinned Of the latter part of this verse is spoken before in the beginning of the third verse Verse 8. I am weakned and sore broken I roare for the very griefe of my heart Againe by diuers formes of speaking he expresseth the intolerable vehemencie of his paine that it rent and brayed him and forced him not to crie but to roare as a Lion See ye not such a weight of miserie which sinne bringeth on mans bodie and soule forcing God to disgrace his owne image that pleasant pourtraiture of mans bodie and soule which he builded vp for his glorie and to breake it downe and turne it into ashes and to deface that picture which he painted so gloriously and artificially that he taketh as much pleasure to pull it downe as did to reare it vp to cut downe his carued worke verse 1 to be angrie and chastise that child whom he loued so well verse 2 to shoote his arrowes at his spouse whom he kept in his bosome verse 3 to turne his hand which fed him to correct him to afflict that flesh which he cherished verse 4 to lay burdens on him whom he eased verse 5 to putrifie him whom he beautified verse 6 to bow him whom he straightened verse 7 and to turne his laughter into mourning verse 8 and his beautie into blacknes and deformitie his warming into burning his strength into weaknesse his manly speaking into beastly roaring Ye may see therefore how sinne can turne Gods good disposition towards vs into hard dealing his louing lookes into a frowning countenance Sin enfeebleth mans nature But where he saith he is weakned it is euident that sinne enfeebleth mans nature As we may cleerly perceiue in Samson and Dauid For when Goliah and all Dauids enemies were not able to ouercome him 1. Sam. 17. his owne sinne weakneth him And when Samson killed a thousand Philistins Iudg. 15.15 16.9.21 and no bands were able to keep him fast his owne sinne made him a slaue to the Philistims And in like maner he complaineth of his roaring as he did in the 22. Psal verse 1. So that as sinne changeth vs into beasts and through it we liue as beasts so in the end it will make vs to crie as beasts Then let vs liue as men subduing by reason our beastly passions and affections and like Christian men let vs ouercome the same by the Spirit of grace which is in Christ Iesus that we may speake to God as children crying Abba Father Rom. 8 15. Verse 9. Lord I powre my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee THis desire is a desire of mercie and forgiuenesse and of his fauour and to walk innocently and holily before him For God looketh to the purpose of mans heart in repentance more then to the words of his outward confession For albeit Ezekiah chattered like a swallow and mourned like a done Esa 38.14 turning him to the wall yet the Lord said I heard thy prayers and saw thy teares This is the desire of mercie of which the Apostle Paul speaketh 2. Cor. 7.12 calling it epipthesis My whole desire By this he would shew that he parted not his thoughts betweene God and the diuell or his flesh and the world but keepeth a sound and a whole heart to God He would not deuide the child 1. Kiâ— 3.26 but keepe it altogether for God whereas the worldlings do farre otherwise Against by poeriâ—â— giuing their countenance outward shew of holinesse and repentance to the Lord and keeping that which is best to sinne Which sort of dealing the Lord euer did abhorre Esa 29.13 This people come to me with their lips but their heart is farre away from me Thirdly he taketh God to be witnesse who is onely cardiognostes the searcher of the heart And such should be our disposition in Gods seruice that albeit our heart be not so well disposed as it should be yet we may protest of the soundnesse thereof that it is not false or double And my sighing Yet againe he protesteth of his sinceritie and vprightnesse that in his heart there is no guile that not onely his purposes are vpright before God but also his sobs and sighs For sighs may be counterfet as the Hiena doth a mans voice and Crocodile doth teares In euery action of religion In Gods seruice vse always sinceâ—itie and vprightneâ— but especially in repentance we are to present our vprightnesse and sincerity before God that we do it from a single minde without counterfeit hypocrisie wherein albeit we may delude mon yet can we not mocke God who esteemeth our seruice by our intention and not by our action For men onely can iudge by our actions but God by our vpright intentions Verse 10. Mine heart panteth my strength faileth me and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne WHen he hath protested of the sinceritie of his repentance hee falleth forth to his former passions that his heart is troubled confused circumagitate and caried about as it were giddie troubled with diuers cogitations and rolling about scarce knowing what he was doing The Hebrew word signifieth such an agitation which maketh him to wag and thereby breedeth such anxietie that he as destitute of all counsell knoweth not what he doth For when men are disquieted they turne them on all sides not knowing what to do first When the sorrow and dolour rageth the heart vseth to pant and leape insolently and therefore he saith that his heart panteth and goeth about as it were altogether inuerted but
by the contrary so long as we are vnder Satans guiding a thousand seeme but one but if we betake our selues to Gods seruice one will seeme a thousand Againe we may admire the wonderfull largenesse of the mercies of God the bredth whereof extends ouer all the world the height to place vs in heauen the depth to draw vs from the lower hell the length betwixt hell and heauen O the bredth length deepnesse and height of the mercies of ouâ— God Admire the mercies of God the multitude of whose compassions neither man nor Angell is able to comprehend Why then doest thou despaire thereof O man though thy sins were neuer so many his mercies exceed them and although thou sinnest seuentie seuen times a day Mat. 7. he can pardon and forgiue thee Thy compassions the word in the original signifieth an ardent and earnest affection of the heart compassionating that which it pitieth as it were the commotion of the bowels as I noted before that his very bowels are moued toward his children Philem. 12 Luk. 15.20 2. Sa. 18.33 Psal 103. as Paul writeth to Philemon This compassion was demonstrate in the father of the prodigall sonne and in Dauid to Absolom much more in God toward his deare children Looke what pitie parents haue to their children greater hath God towards vs. Are not parents touched at the very heart when they behold the miseries of their children yea would they not hazard their liues and estates as many times they doe to deliuer them and will not God be moued towards vs if we considering his compassion and meeknesse would but pitie our selues by confessing our iniquities vnto him Put away He borroweth a similitude from Merchants who haue their debts written in their account-booke and at the paiment thereof they score out that which before they haue written Therefore since our sinnes are written with a pen of iron and a point of a diamond we must pray to God to blot them out that the hand-writ may be nailed to the crosse It is God that putteth away iniquities he can remoue them as a cloud Dan. 9.24 Daniel prophesying of the Messiah saith Seuentie weekes are determinate vpon thy people and vpon thy holy Citie to finish the wickednesses and to seale vp the sinnes and to reconcile the iniquitie All our sinnes shall be washed away by the streames of his blood so that they shall neuer be read or brought to an account either in this world or the world to come Mine iniquities He committed iniquitie against Vriah whom he killed for which he is so charged in his conscience being summoned before the bar of Gods iustice that he can get no rest vntill he get pardon and none could giue him pardon and rest in his mind but God whom he principally offended in killing and destroying one formed to Gods owne image So when we do wrong to men In wronging our neighbour we do most iniurie to God let vs not thinke it enough if we be reconciled to the partie wronged but by repentance and an humble confession of our sinnes let vs seeke to be at one with God who is the partie whom we do most wrong to Verse 2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie and câ—eanse me from my sinne HE expresseth by similitudes taken from washing and cleansing the mercie which he craued in the former verse that is Similitudes are much vsed in the Scriptures remission of his sinnes Similitudes are very common in the Scriptures and in the ancient Fathers The Prophets spake by similitudes Christ spake by parables the Epistles of the holy Apostles and Sermons of the Fathers are full of them So earthly obiects should serue vs to this end that in them we may see heauenly things and there is no creature There is no earthly thing which may not be applied to some spirituall vse which doth not represent to thee the Creator and if we had spirituall eyes we would apply euery earthly thing to some spirituall vse The dust teacheth vs whereof we came and what we are euen dust The grasse admonisheth vs to seeke a dwelling elsewhere for here we are as grasse which soone fadeth The wormes will vs not to be proud for we are meâ—te prepared for them The Sunne when it beginneth to shâ—ne putteth vs in minde to beg for the Sun of righteousnesse to shine in our soules Euery bird after his kinde praiseth God so should we When we behold bread we should remember that of our Sauiour Labour not for the meate that perisheth Ioh. 6.27 So God hath set all his creatures to be as so many masters to teach vs our dutie The Lord sanctifie our sight that we may looke attentiuely and consider God in his creatures and that they may be as steps of a ladder to draw vs vp to him Sin maketh man to appeare filthy before God Wash me throughly from mine iniquities There is nothing can make men appeare filthy before God but onely sinne as naturall Philosophers through the light of nature haue bin forced to confesse And therefore saith Seneca Seneca Si scirem homines ignoraturos deos ignoscituros non peccarem tamen propter peccati vtilitatem If I knew saith he that the gods would pardon me and men would not see me yet would I not sin because of the filthinesse of sin It blacketh the body with shamefull ignominie The enâ—â— of sinne burdeneth the soule with an euill conscience disgraceth the gifts of the minde and defaceth them blotteth them out maketh them stinke and seeme nothing Vertue in a profane man is as a gold ring on a swines snout The vomit of a dog seemeth filthy to vs and a sow wallowing in the puddle is loathsome albeit not so in the sight of God A man polluted with sin of all creatures the most beastly but more loathsome is a man defiled with blood whoredome and drunkennesse and such like of all beasts he is the most beastly Man was in honour but became a beast and when he is drunken he is then inferiour to a beast which wil drink no more then is necessary and hauing drank can discerne the right way home Alas men now make no end of drunkennesse they adde drunkennesse to thirst The euils of drunkennesse whereby they weaken their nature exhaust their money impouerish their posteritie become infamous to the world make shipwrack of their conscience and so destroy bodie soule conscience riches name and all A woman though she were a Princesse and neuer so gallant a Ladie if she be knowne to be like Herodias Psal 15. she is to be contemned in all godly mens eyes and to be esteemed of as Mordecai esteemed Haman Let vs be ashamed of sinne in any and Blush at our owne filthinesse because of it But alas we are fallen in such a time when sinners are become shameâ—esse and women not of the meaner sort Nota. delight as much to be harlots
the lace that coupleth are all one Christ by faith and loue receiued to the purgation of all Christians The second place Leuit. 17. is the purgation of the Leper wherein the blood of the sparrow the bunch of hyssope and the scarlet lace are likewise mentioned and differeth nothing but in this in the first was the Lambe here the Sparrow which is all one for euen as the Lamb is among beastâ— so is the Sparrow bate and simple amongst fowles to which Dauid comparâ—th himself I am as a sparrow on the house top sitting alone Psal 102.7 so we must be sprinkled with his blood which being contemptible to men was acceptable to God The third was Numb 19. about the red Cow which must haue hyssope dipped in the bâ—ood thereof And Christ is compared to the Cow or fat calfe which being in so great a price with the Father was giuen to death for the saluation of our soules The hyssope hath many things wherein it representeth Christ very nigh Wherein hysop representeth Christ 1. Kin. 43 for first it is obseure humble and abiecâ—â— so that Saloâ—oâ— is said to haue written of all trees from the Cedar the highest tree opposed to the hyssope springing out of the wall that is to be basest and most common growing amongst stones not standing of mans industrâ—e to plant them as other trees doe So Chrâ—st in whom we beleeue was contemptible a worme not a man despised Psal 2â— in him was no beaurie riches or earthly honours which maketh men to come in credit and account Next the hyssope is bitter and sowre not pleasant to the drinkers so the crosse of Christ by which our affections are mortified is very odious to the flesh and agreeth not with its taste His crosse is therefore a stumbling blocke to the Iewes and folly to the Gentiles Thirdly albeit it be sowre yet it is most wholesome so albeit the doctrine of repentance be irksome and vnsauory to the flesh yet it is wholesome to the soule Naturall men esteeme this doctrine to be an enemie to them Simil. which would slay their corruptions and lusts Medicine which at first seemeth bitter afterward becommeth more comfortable so the doctrine which is salted with salt and hyssope is fitter for vs then that which is sweetned with hony for hony was neuer appointed to be vsed in the Lords sacrifices but salt omnis victima sale saliatur An obseruation of Cyvillus concerning hysop Cyrillus obserueth in the hyssope an hot operation whereby it shaâ—pneth the grosse humors and purgeth the concretion of the priuitie so grace maketh vs feruent in the spirit Moreouer hysop purgeth the lungs phâ—iriasis rests The propertie of hysop Plin. lib. 20. cap. 4. nourâ—shâ—th the natiue colour of the bodie killeth filth and vermine growing on man cureth the bites of serpents prouoketh appetite sharpneth the sight is enemie to seuers of which it is written Parua calens pectus purgans petrosa streatrix Ius sapidat pleurae congrua spargit aquam So grace is hot by charitie purging by contrition spitting forth by confession seasoning the body by temperance sauing the soule and inward parts by application of Christs blood which being drunken purgeth our plurisie and bloodie eyes The hysop of Christs blood a medicine for all our corruptioÌ„â— Then seeing all these diseases are in the soule of man are we not much beholden to God who hath made one salue to cure all our sores the blindnesse of our mind is remoued by the water of his blood the foule câ—r upâ—ions of our heart are euacuate and dissoluâ—d that we spit them foâ—th our coldnes is warmed our fieâ—y feuers and inflammations quenched our spirituall vigour colour is restored which we lost by sin Wash me and I shall be whiter then the snow What meant by washing He acknowledgeth that none in heauen or earth is able to purge him but God onely He hath that fountaine in his owne garden he will communicate the glorie of our redemption to none but to himselfe For by this washing is meant the washing of iustification and remission of sins that as creation belongeth onely to God so doth redemption by Christs blood Wo to them who leauing the waters of life go to any other to seek water out of these rotteÌ„ cisterns Then seeing it is the proper work of God to wash vs let vs go to the lauer of baptisme that there we may be once washed and after daily pray that he may wash our feete by sanctification And I shall be whiâ—er then the snow He perswadeth himselfe of a full purgation by Christs blood Though I were as blacke as the Moore yet shall I be white as snow Nothing can blot out our sinnes but this blood If we would wash our selues with snow waters our righteousnesse shall be as a menstruous garment Esa 64.6 What is all the righteousnesse of man but an abhomination before God Yea Christ himselfe if he had bâ—n onely man could not haue bin able to satisfie the iustice of an insinite God he must be God himselfe and therefore it is called the blood of God But how shall we be whiter then snow Act. 20. â—ouct Solut. I answer our estate is more perfect and â—uâ—er by Christ then it was by nature in Adam forasmuch as we haue our perfection by Christ which cannot faile or alter and it is the perfection of God which belongeth to vs so that we stand not before God as men but as gods before God being coâ—ered with his perfect obedience who is our Redeemer blessed for ouer So there is no cause why we should feare or despaire seeing we are cleansed perfectly if we beleeue be sanctified Let vs put on Christ whose garment is white as snow Mar. 17.2 And his Church is made white in him Who is this that commeth vp white 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cant. 8.5 Apoc. 7.14 And the Bride hath white garments made white in the Lambes blood The proper office of the holy Spirit is to wash vs and purifie our conscience by Christs blood lest our filthinesse keepe vs back from accesse to God And this ye were saith the Apostle but ye are washed 1. Cor. 6.11 ye are sanctified ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of our God And againe speaking of the Church that he may sanctifie her purging her by the washing of water by the word Eph. 5.17 that he may make the Church glorious to himself not hauing spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that she may be holy blamelesse So it is the onely worke of God to sanctifie his children make them clean Finally obserue that iustification and sanctification are vndeuided companions Doctr. IustificatioÌ„ and sanctification go together whomsoeuer the Lord washeth by the hysop of his Sonnes blood he also sanctifieth by his Spâ—rit Studie therefore to get holinesse without which none shall see God
hath no care to cure God woundeth seeketh to cure Which thou hast broken The forme of Gods curing he first woundeth and then healeth He cureth none but those whom his hand hath pierced and he who woundeth can best cure the wound And in this God differeth from man for man woundeth but hath no care to cure but when God inflicteth a wound on his children he hath a present remedy appointed to cure the same let vs therefore be content to be vnder his hand who for sufficient causes crossing vs is euer ready to comfort vs in Iesus Christ May reioyce By this he letteth vs see what would be the effect of his deliuerie euen to burst forth in the praises of his God by his words by his actions Let thy desire to be deliuered froÌ„ trouble be to glorifie God by his writings Which should teach vs that in trouble either spirituall or temporall we euer haue this the principall end for which we desire to be deliuered that we may praise and glorifie God Verse 9. Hide thy face from my sins and put away all mine iniquities NOw he reneweth his former suite of the remission of his sins shewing now earnestly he desired the same He is not content once and againe to crie for pardon but many times For he thought otherwise of his sin then we do of ours it touched him at the very heart In this verse he vseth two similitudes one that God would turne away his face from his sinnes next that he would blot out all his iniquities Hide The first similitude is taken from men God cannot see sin in his children who will hide their face from that which they desire not to see And it is certaine God is in euery place and seeth euery thing but he cannot see the sins of his elect children for that intervenient righteousnes of Christ will not suffer him to see any filthinesse in his children He seethno iniquitie in Iacob Nsâ— 23.21 Simil. saith Balaam For as a red or blue glasse being set before out eyes what euer we see thorough it seemeth to be of the colour of the glasse so God looking thorough Christ to vs all his righteousnesse seemeth to be ours and we are of his colour In the meane time Vse let vs not sin because he hideth his face from our sin for if we abuse the riches of his bountie we shall appeare in our owne colours And put away all mine iniquities The blotting away presupposeth an hand-writ of the law against him wherein his name was put in the count-booke which must be scraped out and taken away which cannot be done away but by the blood of Iesus Christ All. Ye see that one sin calleth to mind many thousands and he is not contented to be acquitted from one vnlesse he be acquitted from all Call to mind all the sinnes of thy life be not at quiet till thou gettest a generall pardon for them all which is to be purchased by Iesus Christ Be afraid to adde new sinnes to thy old Pro. 28.19 Ezech. 8.8 Blessed is he that feareth continually Do as Ezekiel did to the wall of the Temple dig once twice thrice and trie thine heart the more thou diggest the more abominations shalt thou see in that place which should haue bin a Temple to God Verse 10. Create in me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within me DAuid hath prayed already for the remission of his sinnes and hath doubled ouer that petition eight times now he craueth new benefits of sanctification of the holy Spirit of ioy c. In all his peritions he prayeth for spirituall things he seeketh first the kingdome of God He prayeth not for the health of his bodie Those are senslesse of troble who seeke to be freed of the pain thogh not reconciled to God God as hee is a great God bestoweth great gifts but for the health of his soule he craueth not to be rich temporally but spiritually in God Those are sensuall who being fallen in trouble craue no other thing then to be deliuered from their present paine neuer seeking to be recoueiled to God Next he seeketh great things for he is a great God who according to his greatnes can bestow ample gifts as the Ocean plentie of water It stood not with Alexanders honour to propine Diogenes with a small gift We bring small vessels to God a weake faith although we haue great need we thinke that hee is not able to giue great things Our Sauiour Christ could worke no miracles amongh them Mat. 13.53 2. Kin. 7.17 because of their infidelity The Gentleman on whom the King leaned died and was troden vnder foot because he beleeued not the Prophet Thirdly he suiteth importunately and beggers euer speed best at Gods hand The Prophet Elizeus reproued King Ioas that he shot onely three arrowes forth of the window for if he had shot six or 7 times 2. Kin. 13.19 he might haue vâ—terly subdued the Aramites Let vs then pray instantly and importunately vnto the Lord and we may be assured he will heare vs. He prayed before for remission of sius Sanctification followeth remission and now he prayeth for the Spirit of sanctification an inseparable companion with the other For you can neuer be assured that you haue receiued pardon for your sinne past vnlesse Gods Spirit hath giuen you a care to liue holily in time to come Shall you be washen euen now and after puâ—â—le your selfe in the mire Not possible that euer Christ will bestow his blood to wash any whom he denieth to sanctifie by his holy Spirit Create in me a cleane heart O God The worker God the workmanship in me the worke it selfe create the subiect a heart the qualitie a cleane heart O God As in the first creation a man is a meere patient and hath no part of it but God by the parents worketh it God must worke our second creation so God worketh the second creation by his Ministers There is no freewill or preparation to grace or foreknowing godlinesse as these hereticall Iesuits do affirme Work the work thy selfe and take the praise to thy selfe O Lord. Create A man must be twice borne before he can enter into heauen As he is made to the similitude of the first Adam Man must be twice borne and his second creation is more excellent then the first so must he be made to the similitude of the second Adam and the re-creation or regeneration is more excellent then the former For in the first man was wrought out of clay but in the other God worketh grace out of sin What harder to worke vpon then the dust Next he breathed in the dead bodie a soule but here he breatheth in the holy Spirit in mans heart Thirdly in the creation he made man perfect in all his members so in the regeneration all the members of the body and powers of the soule must be renewed and if thou
the conuersion of sinners The word can doe more then any thing Esa 53.1 Rom. 1.16 O the wonderful power of Gods word that it can do that which all the world could not do It is the arme of the Lord To whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed saith Isaias It is the power of God to saluation saith Paul No doctrine can worke faith in man but the worke whereto it perswadeth him not forceth him Conuersio presupposeth auersiō Conuersion presupposeth auersion The vse of the word is to conuert them that are auerted or peruerted as the shepheard bringeth home the wandring sheepe Which cleerly argueth the necessitie of the word and teachers thereof so profitable as without which sinners cannot be conuerted to God for no other instrument can conuert them and they cannot conuert themselues This teacheth Ministers to be diligent in their calling if they would shine as starres in heauen Dan. 12.3 they must labour to conuert sinners Verse 14. Deliuer me from blood O God which art the God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse HAuing before so often begged pardon for all his sinnes in generall he now particularly confesseth which of all his sins grieued him most The shedding of innocēt blud Dauids greatest sin which he setteth downe to be innocent blood and therefore he craueth to be deliuered from the burden of it from the terrors of an accusing conscience the cries which it sendeth vp to God This verse hath a petition and a promise In the petition two things 1. of whom he beggeth this petition 2. what he seeketh to be deliuered from blood O God the God of my saluation His doubling and repeating the name of God sheweth vnto vs that he taketh hold on God with both his hands and it declareth his vehemencie and earnestnesse in his suite at God that he might be deliuered from that blood And all his suites he directeth onely to God Foolish Papists God helpe you When he calleth him the God of his saluation he cleerly sheweth to vs that he hath no saluation either of his body or soule but onely of God who will not giue his glory either to man or Angell When he saith My saluation he applieth saluation to himself and doth not imply and infold his saluation in generalitie thinking it presumption to certifie himselfe of his saluation as the Papists say For what comfort can we haue in life or death We can haue no comfort vnles we be perswaded of Gods mercie Dauids petition if we be not perswaded of Gods mercie and fauour not that we presume of our merit but perswading vs of his maiesties constancie and truth Deliuer me from blood His petition is to be deliuered from blood◠both from the guiltinesse which he had contracted by his murder as from the terrors of his conscience as also from the punishment threatned by Nathan that blood should neuer depart from his house 2. Sa. 12.10 and finally from future blood that he neuer fell into it again as God deliuered him from the blood of Nabal by Abigail And this is a great deliuery 1. Sa. 25.33 that we do not euil as we ate commanded to pray Deliuer vs from euil Mat. 6.11 that we commit no sin and when we haue done euill it is a great deliuerance when God freeth vs of the guilt of it the condigne punishment But our greatest comfort is when we are kept from doing of it as Ioseph and Susanna and it is Gods greatest honour when we are deliuered from the punishment which we haue deserued for committing such euils From blood He both committed adultery and murder but he is more touched for the one then for the other Adultery is euil because it defileth and defaceth Gods image in man Murder worse then adultery but murder destroyeth his image And there is no sinne more odious in the sight of God then blood for which cause he banished Cain from his presence Gen. 4.14 Gen. 6.5 he destroyed the first world which was full of crueltie he remoued Saul from his kingdome 2. Sa. 21.1 who slue the Priests and the Gibeonites he remoued the Crowne from the house of Ahab and dogs licked his blood 1. Is◠22.38 Kings should pray with Dauid to keepe them frō the blood of innocents for blood shall be in their house Nota. And often those who liue in blood die in blood and make a bloodie testament according to that of the Poet Ad generum Cereris fine caedet sanguine Discedunt reges sicea morte tyranni The word in the originall is bloods in the plurall number Why called bloods in the plurall number For such is the atrocitie of that sin that one is weightier then a thousand weights of Lead So soon as it is shed so soone doth it defile the shedder as the purple dieth the cloth It seemeth well coloured when it is shed but within a litle time it becometh so thicke and black that a man would abhorre to behold it therefore it is called bloods Leu. 7.27 The Lord in the Leuiticall law forbad his people to eare any flesh with the blood Nota. that the detestation of beasts blood might make them so much the more to abhorre the blood of man wherein his life standeth Blood hath a crie Gen. 4.10 Gen. 4 10. The voice of thy brothers blood crieth Who so shedeth mans blood his blood shall be shed which is either by the iustice or by reuenge and repaiment The auengers of blood are admitted by the law Now mens hands are full and foule with blood The earth is drunken with blood In her wings there is found blood Polluted with blood Lam. 4.14 Bull of blood Ezek. 9.9.22.2.23.27 Blood hath touched blood Hos 4.2 Ioel complaineth of them Ioel 3.19 Mica 7.2 Nah. 3.1 Hab. 2.12 Mat. 23.35 that they shed innocent blood Micah Nahum and Habakuk pronounce a woe to them that shed innocent blood And Christ bringeth together all the blood shed from Abel to Zechariah Mat. 27.8 The Iewes bought Aceldema a field of blood Reu. 8.8 Their feete are swift to shed blood The third part of the sea shal be blood God will reuenge the blood of the Saints Innocent blood is hath bin shal be shed So I see from the beginning of the world to the end thereof innocent blood hath euer bin is and shall be shed but namely the blood of Gods dearest children Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia sanguine creuit leftblank sanguine finis crit Let vs then thinke it no vncouth thing when we see innocent blood shed so abundantly that the streets of Ierusalem are filled and like to be more filled with the blood of Gods Saints And my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse He promiseth to be thankful vnto God for it becometh righteous men to be thankfull Psal 33.1 Sinne tooke away the
the rockes of a stonie heart and maketh an heart of flesh And as out of rags being brused is brought forth fine paper so is a troubled heart brused with sorrow for sin turned into a gratious subiect whereinto God may worke and write his law And as the poole of Bethsaida being troubled Ioh. 5.4 brought health to mens bodies so doth the conscience afflicted by God bring certaine health and saluation to soule and body Saint Ambrose sayeth that repentance is so difficult and hard a matter that he hath oftner found mo who liued innocently then who did truely repent It is written of Augustine that he caused the psalmes of repentance to be put on the wall ouer against him before he died and reaped aboundantly reading them ten daies at which time none came to him but either the phisitians or his refreshment Seeing therefore God liketh this sacrifice of a contrite heart without which none other thing will please him let vs take the bests of our affections seperate them from their olde pleasures to God bind them by the coards of the word lay them downe at his feete and slay them and that sacrifice shall please him offer thy selfe a liuing sacrifice and be assured God will accept of thee and neuer reiect thee not thine offering other sacrifices die being offered Nota. but we by offering our selues to God yet liue Verse 18. Be fauourable vnto Zion for thy good pleasure build the walles of Ierusalem HE hath prayed for mercie to himselfe now he praieth for the Church which he hath offended by his sinne and vpon which he had brought such euills that it would please God to be mercifull to her build vp her walles and repaire her ruines No man can truely pray for himselfe vnles he pray for the church No man can truely pray for himselfe vnlesse he pray for the Church also as Dauid doth in many Psalmes If a man be a sensible member of the body it is not possible but the euills which befall to any one member let be all touch not him to the heart as it were done to himselfe In this verse are three things contained first for whom he prayeth for Sion and Ierusalem secondly what he suiteth Gods fauour thirdly out of what ground for thy good pleasure But before we enter to any of these particulars we haue some generalls necessarely to be marked The chiefe care of princes should be for the Church First that the chiefe care of Princes should be the weale of the Church The Church is as the heart in the body which being troubled of necessitie the body must be in danger if ye loue your head keepe your hear The Church is as the heart The Church nurisheth the heart bloud of Christ in her bosome the resâ— of the members haue also their owne of fices but she hath the chiefest office being the most noble part and who should maintaine her more then the head whâ— hath all the sences infixed therein anâ— from which all the members sinewes anâ— veines take their life And what greater honour can they haue then to be nursinâ— fathers of the Church If a king concrediâ—â— his child and his first borne to be nourisheâ— by any of his subiects may not that subieâ—â— thinke he hath gotten great honour Simil. anâ— may expect for his trauell great commodâ—tie and when a king hath receiued Gods first borne for Israel is his first borne in his custodie may he not thinke he hath gotten great glorie and if he neglect his first borne shall he not receiue great infamie Those who are greatest officers in a kingdome as Chancelour Chamberlane President Secretarie and men of estate are in greatest estimation and credite and shall not great men thinke they are greatlie obliged to God who hath made them administrators of his kingdome whose standing is the weale of the Church the principall estate of their Common-weale if it stand then they stand if it fall they fall for their subiects obey them more for conscience then for any terrour or feare of their lawes Then it is best for them to be religious and to propagate holie religion for their owne standing The Romans wrought more by religion then the sword The auncient Romans Lacedemonians Athenians were most carefull of religion because they affirmed that they wrought more by deuotion then they were able to doe by the sword This was their good poâ—icie as Plutarch amplie reciteth in his Historie Then when Princes innade religion and draw the people to atheisme see if they be not gratest enemies to themselues to their estate and posteritie The Turke and other polititions may giue Christian princes sufficient proofes of this my assertion as also if examples of Dauid Solomon Iosias Ezechia Constantine Let princes follow Dauids example Theodosius may moue them whose posteritie hath brought eternall renowne vnto them and if not let Iulian affray them and wicked princes like vnto him The care of religion a princes chiefest safeguard The care of religion and to be a religious prince is the greatest safeguard to a prince For religion hath Gods maintainnance and God hath shewen his mightie hand for Ezechia against Senacherib and for Dauid against all his enemies for Queen Elizabeth who died in peace notwithstanding all the maginations of her enemies and for our dread Soueraigne Lord King Iames against all the horrible and monstrous designes of his enemies Princes religious bring wealth to their subiects 1. King 10.21 Princes maintaining religion bring great wealth to themselues and to their subiects as Solomon did when gold was as dust and siluer as the stones Next the Church being vnder continual danger should be helped by princes The Church being troubled should be helped by princes Since the Church is the princes depositum which God gaue to their custodie they ought to haue a chiefe regard of her The fatherlesse widow and orphans are concredited to them much more they should defend the Church because the deuill and his instruments and her fight against her and who should maintaine her but princes who are set in authoritie onely for her cause to debate and take her part against all the world Her enemies are more then notorious she was neuer at rest her enemies are assaulting her continually hell hath broken loose against her in these latter daies princes haue put their diadems on the hornes of the beast people are rageing And seeing that eternall spouse of God is so hated of the world should not princes with Dauid procure her welfare euen to their vttermost Princes must by prayer and power support the Church Princes who would fight well must pray well Exo. 17.11 Gen. 31.28 Prayer hath more power then armour Therefore princes who would fight well must pray well Moses did more with his hands lifted vp to God then Iosua did with his sword Israel wrestled with God gat his name by prayer for otherwaies he could not
vp might be remembred as was said by the Angell to the Centurion Thy prayers and almesdeeds are come vp before God Act. 10.4 This frequent desire to be heard coÌ„meth not from diffidence and a distrust The more we hope to be heard the more we desire to be heard but from confidence for the more we trust to be heard the more we desire to be heard And this neglect of prayer that we suite seldome or neuer proceedeth from the ground of infidelitie because we beleeue God will not graunt if we suite Therefore knocke often beg earnestly wrestle by prayer with the Lord hold him at a continuall businesse vntill he graunt thy iust and lawfull petitions and out of doubt things lawfull in themselues that is what he hath commanded suited earnestlie with dependance vpon Gods pleasure shal be graunted vnto thee Doctr. He that caÌ„not pray can haue no companie with God My prayer and supplication Prayer is the life of religion and he that cannot pray can haue no company with God Dauid who was a man after Gods owne heart was euermore giuen to prayer morning euening and noone Dauid spent all his life in prayer yea in the midst of the night he arose and prayed vnto God he preuented the morning watches and the breake of day so that he spent all his life in prayer God be mercifull to vs who can not suffer to spend any time in prayer We spend many moneths vainly â—dlely and sinfully without wearing and the time is short which we bestow vpon prayer and yet we thinke it too long Against the too much neglect of prayer in these our timest we sleepe in the night and awake but alas what time thereof doe we spend on Gods seruice when ariseth any of vs to seeke God in the night when thinke we vpon him in the night season many cogitations come in our mind but we neuer thinke vpon God and in the day we beginne in the morning to seeke the world or our fleshly lusts but who seeketh the Lord early The rest of the day we put ouer and consume in pastime as though the Sunne were ordained for none other vse but to let vs see to goe to hell Pray then vnto the Lord that he may giue vnto you the spirit of prayer for as Saint Iames saith very well Iam. 4.2 Yee lacke because you aske not Answere me in thy truth and in thy righteousnes He buildeth his prayer vpon two groundes Goâ—s truth in his promises and his righteousnesse that he being a iust iudge of the world will neuer forsake the righteous 1. Cor. 1.30 in his sonne Iesus Christ who is made our righteousnesse Then God standes much by his word and as he is veritie so his word is yea and amen neither can he neither will he chang or alter his word hath he spoken it must be performed All men are liers Ps 116.17 they falsifie their promises there is no truth in this generation All sorts of men are changable but God who is truth it selfe cannot alter It is a great oath to a prince to sweare per verbum principis but it is possible as is often seene that they alter change Noblemen and Preachers yea all sorts of men are found to say and to gaine say but who euer heard that God promised being as I haue said veritie it selfe and violated one word of his promise since the foundaof the world neither euer shall Then we haue a good God both iust and true and I wish that we would imitate those vertues of our God For truth is exiled and righteosnesse is departed from the earth Verse 2. And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustefied THis verse containeth a deprecation of Gods iudgement that he would not enter in a straight marking of his sinne He might haue pleaded his innocencie before men but when he commeth to that terrible tribunal of Gods iustice he submitteth himselfe crauing pardon for his trespasse and this generall rule should be obserued if we desire God to be fauorable to vs that we beg the remission of our sinnes For if Dauid could not plead his innocencie Beg for remission of sinne Iob. 15.16 what can any of vs doe who drinke in iniquitie as water who are altogether vncleane and filthie Let vs therefore confesse our wickednesse and make supplication to our iudge and lay our hands on our mouthes being vnable to plead our cause against the Lord. That ye may the better vnderstand this verse obserue First that there is a iudgement into which men must enter or else be absolued from the indicatorie Secondly by what name he stileth himselfe thy seruant Thirdly the argument Because no lauing shall be iustified in thy sight Of those in order 1. There is a iudge and a iudgement Men runne forward in sinne lasciuiously and without care but they remember not there is a iudgement wherein they shall be called to an accompt Reioyce saith Solomon O young man in the daies of thy youth but be sure thou shalt be brought to iudgement Eccl. 12.9 If the seruant remembred his accomptes would he mispend his Masters substance But the Diuell hath blinded mens eies and made them so forgetfull that they thinke not on their reckoning But the iudgement is more then the reckoning Albeit men for debt may lawfully be put in prison and his goods confiscat Gods iudgement more seuere then mans yet no law will take a mans life for debt but the spirituall tribunal is more terrible for if God enter once in iudgement with any man he will kill both body and soule God hath three iudgment seats There be three iudgement seates which God hath made vp for man one which he hath set vp in his conscience accusing him condemning him and punishing him the second is at the houre of his death then God putteth him to triall The third and last tribunall is after death wherein all shall appeare to render an accompt of their actions the bookes of their owne conscience shal be opened and none shal escape that indicatorie neither kings or preachers or people all must appeare and render an account of their thoughtes of their wordes of their actions That iudgement is peremptorie no excuse no subperseges or dilators Vse but away they must goe crying let the mountaines couer vs from the face of that iudge Luk. 23.30 Let princes then and noblemen perswade them selues that albeit they thinke no law can strike against them if they doe whatsoeuer pleaseth themselues God hath a throne and a iustice court before which they must needes appeare and receiue the definitiue sentence whereof oftentimes in this world they haue a feeling Nebuchadnezer may be a proofe for this Dan. 4 29. whom God for seuen yeares made a beast Herod Antiochus and infinite others 2. With thy seruant He was a Lord and a King of a
winds and tempests God will passe by all these our frailties and imperfections and will at last deliuer vs from them all if in the midst of these our extremeties our heart set it selfe toward heauen This Prophet in the 77. Psalme findeth himselfe so farre cast downe that his soule refused comfort and in this verse he thinketh himselfe so astonied that his senses were become scupified and benumed through the great paines which he sustained Verse 5. Yet doe I remember the time past I meditate on all thy workes yea I doe meditate in the workes of thine hands Verse 6. I stretch forth mine hands vnto thee my soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land Selah IN the two former verses were expressed his double tentations bodilie and spirituall in these two are double comforts so As the Churches troubles encrease so doe her comforts 1. Cor. 10.13 as the crosses of Gods childreÌ„ do increase so doe their consolations day by day for God is faithfull who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that we haue abilitie to beare but with the tentation will giue vs a comfort to his glorie One of the greatest comforts which Christians can haue in their extreame miseries Experience of former mercies a great comfort in time of extremitie 1. Sa. 17.34 is the ancient mercies of God bestowed either on themselues in particular or on the Church in generall This moued Dauid to enterprise the nomachie against Goliah The Lord saith he who deliuered me from the pawe of the Lyon and from the pawe of the Beare will deliuer me also from this vncircumcised Philistim Remember mercies past if thou would be deliuered in time to come Wee should recount the ancient mercies of God that they may encourage vs to seek him in time to come a Christian mans memorie should be a faithfull chronicle of antiquitie we should remember what our fathers haue told vs and shew that to our children but especially the works we haue found done by God to our selues God would hide nothing from Abraham Gen. 18.17 because he would shew it to his children The foole and idiot doe not ponder the workes of God but the righteous doe lay them vp in their hearts and shew them to those who come after them So let vs make a register and book of remembrance of the auntientie of Gods goodnesse to his Church which will comfort our soules in the present day of sorrow Our memories may easily shew to our children the antient mercies of God in the first beginning of our Church threescore yeares agoe and how he deliuered her in her infancie from the furie of the Frenchmen and againe in the 1588. yeare from the great armado of Spaine and diuerse others bloudie interprises of wicked men Let vs therefore haue a fresh memorie of Gods benefits which may furnish vs with comfort in our present necessities let our owne particular benefits encourage vs against our owne particular euills and generall blessings and deliueries which the Church hath had strengthen vs against those euills which befall to her in our time Let vs recollect our Spirits and take vigour in this our present distresse that we faint not If Gods mercies be rooted in our hearts our tongues will vtter the same From his remembrance there floweth a meditation twise remembred in this verse for a sanctified memorie of Gods goodnes stirreth vp an holy meditation and reuolution in our mind of the same from whence floweth our gratitude and thankefulnes to God and if we looke lightly to the mercies of God we speake as lightly but when they are rooted in our hearts then we begin to speake magnificallie and worthilie The workes of thine hands Here he letreth vs see that these works could haue bin done by no humane power but by the immediate power of God Exod. 8. â—â— As the Aegiptian sorcerâ—rs spake of the lice so may we say concerning the deliuerances of the Church God reserueth to himselfe the deliueries of his Church surely this is the finger of God He will otherwaies honour his owne children but he keepeth the honour in deliuering the Church to himselfe He will haue it said in the ages to come the Lord hath done this As he by the workes of his hand made the Church so by these same sauing hands he hath redeemed it from hell and damnation and it is the worke of his owne hands that shall deliuer her from temporall dangers Therefore let God arise and deliuer his Church for she is now in great hazard Psal 6â— â— but the Lords arme is strong enough and in his appointed time can deliuer her I stretch forth mine hands vnto thee His â—econd comfort 〈◊〉 prayer which springeth â—rom his earnest meditation Here the fruit of holy meditation it stirreth vp our hearts tâ—o an earnest prayer Such meditations of Gods goodnes and power are the best helpers and confirmations of our faith Earnest prayer from a serious meditation consideration of Gods workes to lighten vs of our sorrowes and griefes Hence it followeth where there is no meditation and earnest consideration of Gods workes there will be no earnest prayer but perfunctorious dealing with God which we will not regard but repudiat and forsake The instruments of his prayer is the stretching forth of his hands The stretching forth of the hands noteth the lifting vp of the heart Exo. 17.11 which noteth the lifting vp of the heart As Moses hands were lifted vp when Israel fighted against Amalek and when they fell Israel had the worse and therefore Aaron and Hur held them vp and so Israel preualed Thus we should compose the gestures of our body in spirituall exercises as they may be most helpefull vnto vs to our inward and secret worshipping of God My soule desireth after thee as the thirstie land He declareth his vehement affection to God by a verie prettie similitude taken from the ground which is thirstie by the long drought of summer wherein the earth rent in peeces as it were and with open mouth through long thirst seeketh drinke from heauen By which he sheweth that he came to God as distitute of naturall substance and therefore seeketh from aboue that which he lacked So in all his extremities he looketh euer vpward from aboue he seeketh helpe and comfort Doctr. Art thou athirst ther is water in heauen to refresh thee Albeit we be in extremitie and as it were rent in sunder yet here is comfort there is water in heauen which will refresh vs if we gape after them Here is a blessing those that thirst shal be satisfied If we thirst for mercie for deliuerie and spirituall and temporall comfort thou shalt be satiffied therewith for if God heard the prayer of Hagar and Ismael being athirst in the wildernesse Ge. 21.17 and opened vnto them a fountaine will he forsake Isack the childe of promise If he heard Samson in the bitternesse of his heart when