voyce of the Archangell and with the trumpet of God c. This comming or comming againe of Christ although it be prosperous and wishfull vnto the godly ones according to that saying Luke 21. 28. Then lift vp your heades because your redemption is nighe Yet notwithstanding it striketh the vngodly ones with horrible feare who shal then behold him whom they haue crucified as Zacharias sayeth cap. 12. verse 12. For then when all men shall be raysed vp from death vnto iudgement all diuilles shall be cast away yea and all men which doe not first in this life turne vnto God into euerlasting torments And although it hath beene diuersly disputed vppon touching the interpretation of the 5. verse Gather my Saintes together c yet I deeme this to be a most simple plaine meaning There is a great multitude of hipocrits which boast themselues to be the church by reason of their profession and ceremonies when as their hearts are without true feare of God and true fayth From this multitude will I discerne mine owne people that is the right holy ones which preferre the promise touching the mediator before sacrifices and doe knowe in what order ceremonies are to bee obserued and howe they please me namely by laying a foundation that is by acknowledging the mediator and for his sake in receiuing remission of sinnes and beginning a new obedience morall in their heart which the commandement of God requireth Such holy ones are the faithfull keepers of the testament or promise from me deliuered and they are the publishers of righteousnes which is made manifest without the lawe whereof the Lord and the Prophets doe beare witnesse as in Rom. the 3. chapter Verse 7 Heare O my people and I will speake I my selfe will testifie against thee O Israel for I am God euen thy God This apostrophe or turning speech appertaineth vnto the whole church wherein there are not onely new borne members but also many not new borne but yet hauing a good opinion touching the true doctrine Therefore it speakes vnto them both and truly it exhorteth those new borne to goe forwards in the race of godlines but others to correct their opinions and affects heare O my people saith hee a sermon of the first commaundement which is the fountain and foundation of all other commaundements I am the Lord thy God that is I haue made my selfe knowen vnto thee not onely by a lawe giuen but also by a promise published touching the mediator Thou shalt therefore heare both kinds of doctrine as well when the law preacheth vnto thee thou shalt feare me vnfainedly without hipocrisie and againe when the promise preacheth vnto thee thou shalt beleeue that I am thy God that is mercifull for the mediators sake looking vpon thee hearing and sauing thee also giuing thee good things necessarie for thy bodie and thy soule When thou hast this fayth first shining forth in thee then vse the ceremonies which are signes of the promises and testimonies of thy confession and doe thou then â—uite other persons to come into the society of the church Verse 8 I will not reprooue thee because of thy sacrifices or for thy burnt offerings because they were not alway before mee Verse 9 I will take no bullocke out of thine house Nor hee goates out of thy foldes Verse 10 For all the beastes of the forest are mine and so are the cattelles vppon a thousand hilles Verse 11 I knowe all the foules vpon the mountaines and the wilde beasts of the field are in my sight Verse 12 If I be hungry I will not tell thee for the whole world is mine and al that is therein Verse 13 Thinkest thou that I wil eate Bulles flesh and drinke the blood of Goates God affirmeth plainely that hee taketh no delight in any worke done without acknowledgement and confidence in the mediator But then doth the vse of cermonies please him when the person is by fayth imbraced and in the heart a morall obedience is begunne agreeable with the commaundement of God But as wee haue elsewhere often times vsed to compare Philosophie with the doctrine of the church because the comparison sheweth the doctrine of the church to bee the more perfect So euen in this place also let vs conferr the sayings of Philosophers which discerne morall vertues from ceremonies with the deuine prophecy of the Psalme Plato saith Non gestibus arte compositis demulcentes Deum sed vera virtute colentes which may thus be englished We must not regarde those that flatter God with slie and subtill framed gestures but such as worship him with true virtue And Zaleucus the Law-giuer of the Locrenses deliuered this law vnto his citizens God is not worshipped with pompe nor tragedies ouer captiued persons as an euill man or tyrants but he that will please God ought to be good not only in action but also in the purpose of good and houest workes These sayings although they discerne learnedly the gestures of ceremonies from the proper pointes of vertues yet they speake nothing touching faith and true calling vpon God which are the Ladies and Queenes of other vertues For other vertues are neither rightly gouerned nor yet do please God except faith and true praier first doe shine foorth But this our Psalme not only preferreth morall obedience before ceremonies but also sheweth by what rule God is to be acknowledged called vpon and worshipped For it affirmeth that God hath deliuered a commaundement touching true prayer and that hee hath promised to heare them that call vpon him for the Mediator sake whereby it appeareth most manifest in what maner euen in this point the doctrine of the church is able to excell the doctrine of Philosophie Let vs therefore loue the wisedome of the Church and let vs esteeme this to be better than al the sayings and writings of men Verse 14 Offer vnto God thanksgiuing and pay thy vowes vnto the most Highest Verse 15 And call vpon me in the time of trouble so will I heare thee and thou shalt praise me These two verses beare themselues correlatiuely with the first commaundement that there is a mutuall league or couenant betweene God and his church God for his sonnes sake embraceth thee and blotteth out thy sinnes and sanctifieth thee vnto life euerlasting Thou againe knowest that this is God indeed who sending his sonne and giuing his holy Spirit hath made himselfe knowen and this true God doest thou call vppon in confidence of his sonne So is there made a mutuall couenant betwixt God and his church which are all they that truely beleeue in him Offer vnto God saith he thankesgiuing that is as the epistle of saint Paul cap. 13. 15. doth interpret it The fruites of our lippes And as he here saith Pay thy vowes vnto the most Highest that is exercise those vertues whereunto the promise of the first commaundement bindes thee which then are the vertues of this commaundement Touching this question this psalme
towards God the turning of our wil heart from God and burning flames of motions diuersly wandering in the heart But this is a description of originall sinne no doubt of it taken out of Moses who in the eight chapter of Genesis saith The imagination of mans heart is euil euen from his youth ver 2 1. That is men are not only corrupted by euil custome but in the very heart it selfe leâ—â—d inclinations are in children now borne Let therefore this verse be esteemed amongst the special testimonies of original sinne that is of the horrible corruption of humane nature which is full of blindnesse concupiscence and ignorance of her selfe and of sinne Verse 6 But lo thou requirest truth in the inward parts and shalt make me to vnderstand wisedome secretly Hee manifestly witnesseth that God requireth of vs a confession of sinne and that it pleaseth him as it were a worship glorifing him and that he hateth hypocrisie which seeth not nor extenuateth the vncleanes of nature Heither will be reproued with the word of God but blasphemeth and persecuteth the true doctrine For as Saint Augustine sayth notably in these words cited by Prosperus Melior est in malis factis humilis confessio quam in bonis superba gloriatio Better is an humble confession in euil deeds then a proâ—â—d braging in good workes Also he teacheth that this is secret wisedome namely truely to accknowledge sinne and to take hald of mercy â—nd to beleeue that God will not cast vs away although we be vnworthy and haue deserued his wrath but that he will haue mercy according to his promises This secret wisedome is vnknowen vnto the world and abhorreth from the iudgement of reason neither is that reueiled in the doctrine of the lawe but in the gosâ—el onely and is vnderstood of them who in extreme feares doe comfort themselues with the consolation of the gospel Verse 7 Thou shalt purge me with Isop and I shall be cleane Thou shalt wash me and I shall be whiter then snowe Verse 8 Thou shalt make me heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce Verse 9 Turne thy face from my sinnes and put out all my misdeedes He repeateth the first petition touching remission of sinnes and reconciliation and adorneth the same with signes borowed from the ceremony of the lawe For this was the ceremony wherewith they were clensed They were sprinckled with hisop dipped in blood whereby was signified the sprinckling of the blood of Christ who was to come the sacrifice for sinne Thou therefore saith he shalt purge me with hisop and make me cleane that is thou shalt pronounce me loosed from sinne and cleane according to thy promises for the blood of thy sonne But he signifieth by that Leuiticall ceremony of sprinckling that sinne is not taken away but that ceremony of sprinkling and washing were descriptions and signes of the future sacrifices of Christ through whose blood sinne should be abolished and clensed Wherfore he opposeth this verse against the â—euitical ministerie as if he said I craue that thâ—u wouldest purge me that is that thou wouldeâ—â— clense mee with such sprinckling wherewith sinne may truely be taken away and I may be made cleane indeede that is wherewith my conscience may be deliuered from guiltinesse But the Prophet himselfe interpreteth those ceremonies without figure what it is to be purged and washed where he sayeth in the 8. verse Thou shalt make me heare of ioy and gladnes by which words he signifieth that he speaketh touching the consolation which is perceiued or felt by the promise as if he said bring to passe that in mee there may be consolation whereby I may be deliuered from the terrors of sinne And he excellently addeth a description of true repentance or terrors which the accknowledgement of sinne worketh That the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce which trembled for and by reason of the terrors of sinne To the same sence pertaineth the litle verse folowing Turne thy face from my sinne verse 9. For hee craueth that Gods wrath may be taken away that the lawe may not haue any right cause to accuse and condemne his conscience yea though as yet hee had sinne in him So againe these verses doe teach as touching the manner of iustification or reconciliation namely that we are deliuered from terrors and doe obteine forgiuenesse of sinnes so as sinne shall not be imputed vnto vs which as yet sticketh in nature yea euen then when we are reconsiled Verse 10 Make me a cleane heart O God and renew a right spirit within mee Verse 11 Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from me Verse 12 O giue mee the comfort of thy helpe againe and stablish me with thy free spirit Hitherto hath hee craued grace that is remission of sinnes and reconciliation or free acceptation for the Son of God his sake Now craueth he the gift by grace as saint Paul speaketh that is sanctification as the gift of the holy ghost and a beginning of the life euerlasting and he vseth diuers meanes or proper words first he craueth of God a cleane heart and a right spirit to be giuen him a cleane heart signifieth a heart by faith purified from sinnes or from guiltinesse and now rightly beleeuing of God truely acknowledging God without hypocrisie and false opinions not fleeing from God nor carelesly contenming God but truly fearing God and beleeuing in God Like vnto this is the other also where hee craueth a right spirit that is not wauering in the word not caried about with euery winde of doctrine nor doubting in the will of God But a heart striuing against doubting and surely and firmely setling it selfe in the promise and which surely beleeueth that it hath God merciful and that it is heard of God and in this confidence calleth vppon God and looketh for help from God secondly hee craueth the holy spirit that is sanctifying and illumining in our hearts such motions as he himselfe is for as the holy ghost is a substantiall loue and coeternall ioy betwixt the Father and the Sonne so is he sent into the heartes of beleeuers that hee may inflame in them loue and ioy setled in God like as in 2. Timoth. 1. it is written For God hath not giuen to vs the spirite of feare but of power and of loue and of a sound minde Hee calleth profoundly the holy ghost the spirit of power because it helpeth our infirmity the spirit of loue because he is a flame of mutuall loue not onely betweene the father and the Sonne but also betweene God and the church the spirite of holinesse or chasticement because it brideleth wandering assaults of mindes or as saint Paul saith It mortifieth the deedes of the flesh and ingrafteth in vs better motions acceptable vnto God and wholesome for vs and the whole Church thirdly the psalme nameth principall spirit that is the willing and obedient
diuine power as that he is able both to destroy sinne and death and to giue righteousnesse and life euerlasting vnto all beleeuers al these things doth the only word of blessing there comprehend Verse 4. Gird thee with thy sword vpon thy thigh O thou most mighty according to thy worship and renowme Verse 5. Good lucke haue thou with thine honour ride on because of the word of truth of meeknes and righteousnes and thy right hand shal teach thee terrible things Verse 6. Thy arrowes are very sharpe and the people shal be subdued vnto thee euen in the midst among the kings enemies The sworde and arrowes here doe not signifie carnall weapons of warfare but the effectual preaching of the gospell bringing into captiuity euery thought to the obedience of Christ 2. Cor. 10. 5. For Christ fighteth not with weapons but with the word which is the power of God vnto saluation to all that beleeue I. Rom. 16. And because good successe very much auaileth to do notable exploits the Psalme addeth vnto those forenamed ornaments good successe Good lucke haue thou saith he with thine honour that is All things shal submit themselues vnto this King and all things are ready to obey him He shall take nathing in hand but with most special speede and with woonderfull successe he shall fully accomplish the same for he is Schilo that is happy and fortunate and hee is Porek that is a Breaker vp as Micheas the prophet calleth him For he so bursteth open the kingdome of the Diuell that as the Latin verse saieth Vt aggeribus ruptis cum spumeus amnis Exit oppositásque euicit gurgite moles Ferâ—ur in arua furens tumulo campósque per omnes Cum stabulis armenta trahit As when a surging foming floud the broken bankes ouerâ—onnes And so contrary mighty stoppes by great increase ouercomes Of vehement force is caried forth throgh al the field euen there With folde or cotage quite away the cattell so doth beare Verse 7 Thy seate O God endureth for euer the scepter of thy kingdome is a right scepter Verse 8 Thou hast loued righteousnesse and hated iniquitie therefore God euen thy God hath anointed thee with the oile of gladnes aboue thy fellowes Hitherto hath the Psa described the king armed fighting the greatest battels now doth he paint out as it were the liuely porâ—rature of a peaceable ruler or gouernor For Christ is both a most gracious king an inuincible warriour sithence then iustice or righteousnes in domesticall gouernment is a chiefe vertue it affirmeth that The scepter of Christ is a right scepter neither let righteousnes bee vnderstood of vs in that sence as if it were ment in Christ himselfe but as touching the same to be bestowed vpon others like as the promise saith Gen. 18. 18. In thy seede shall all nations be blessed Al other persons are accursed that is guilty before God and oppressed with sinne and death but this our king is not only blessed bicause he pleseth God and is endued with diuine wisedome righteousnes and life but therefore also because he destrâ—yeth sinne and death and restoreth vnto his people righteousnes and life and the vertue very neare vnto righteousnes is that Nemesis or Zeale that is a iust displeasure against sinnes with this godly zeale ought all good Princes and rulers to be inflamed wherefore euen this also doth he pronounce to be in the Messias in the 8. verse Thou hast loued righteousnes and hated iniquity So in the 69. Psa it is said For the zeale of thy house hath euen eaten me ver 9. That is I bring my life in danger for the deliuerance of thy church which I loue and to suppresse those reproaches wherewith God is dishonoured which bring me great griefe and sorrow and doe thorowly mooue my displeasure against this blasphemy Last of al this our King is annointed that is ordained from the eternall father vnto this kingdome and endued with the holy ghost for accoÌ„plishing of this marueilous deliueraunce of the Church which shal be gathered out of all mankinde and rewarded with righteousnes and life euerlasting But why saith he in the same verse aboue thy fellowes Uerily because he may discerne the Messias from the prophets and from al men whose vertue was excelleÌ„t As Moyses had a glorious calling he brought the people out of Egypt and ruled them in the wildernesse But yet this calling did not deliuer the people from euerlasting death Also the same Moses had in him a light or acknowledgement of God and a righteousenesse onlie newe begunne and as then hee was troubled with a doubting or mistrust which shewed it selfe when hee smoate the rocke twise So may it in like manner be saide touching the vocation light and righteousnes of each other of the Prophets but Christ is farre aboue all other Prophets in fulnes of the holy ghost and in calling for as Iohn Baptist saith cap. 3. God giueth not the spirite by measure vnto his sonne Christ ver 34. Therefore hee aboundeth in the knowledge and righteousnes of God and hath a greater calling he deliuereth from sinne and death and giueth righteousnes and life euerlasting and that hee may effect this he so aboundeth with the holy ghost that he may therewith sanctifie and quicken others inflaming this light in them namely the knowledge of God righteousnes and life euerlasting Let vs therefore hisse out of dores those dreames imagined of the politicall kingdome of the holy Messias and let vs think vpon the things euerlasting Our Messias hath ordained a kingdome euerlasting abolishing sinne destroying death and restoring euerlasting righteousnes and life These benefits let vs craue and looke for from him Verse 9. All thy garments smell of mirh aloes and Cassia out of the Iuory pallaces whereby they haue made thee glad Verse 10. Kings daughters were among thy houourable women vpon thy right hand did stand the Queene in a vesture of gold wrought about with diuers colours Although these verses do describe a royal excellent state yet signifie they somewhat secretly as touching both the crosse and the consolations in the same Myrh purgeth and is more sharp in taste and scent therefore it signifieth crosse and sorrowes but such as are wholesome Aloe though it be of a grieuous sauour and a bitter taste yet it comforteth the stomacke stancheth blood and wonderfully healeth vp wounds therefore it signifieth consolation and the preaching of the gospell wherewith the woundes of the heart are healed and in the heart is thereby ioy and life euerlasting enlightened Cassia is much like vnto Cinamon and with her sauour doth comfort the braine I know there are diuers and differing opinions which the best learned men haue touching the proper names which are vsed in this place But in so great variety of opinions I doe follow the vsuall translation vntill skilfull interpreters in the Hebrew language doe deliuer vs more certaine knowledge Verse 11. Harken
to showe For well it will be with the good when wicked are in woe Tho. Buckminster PSAL. XLV Eructauit cor meum ¶ To him that excelleth on Shoshannim a Song of loue to giue instruction committed to the sonnes of Korah The Title TO him that ouercommeth a learned song touching Roses ful of loue sung by the sonnes of Chora IN this title we must first speake of the Author next of the kind of song and lastly of the Subiect as they call it The Authors of this most sweete song were the sonnes of Chora whose father with the opening of the earth beeing swallowed vp died so wretchedly as the 16. Chapter of the booke of Numbers mentioneth But as in punishing the father Gods wrath appeared against those heinous offences so in the giftes of his children is manifested an example of Gods mercy which must be referred vnto Ezechiels sermon in his 18. Chapter The sonne shall not beare the iniquity of the father â—er 20. For that the posterity of Chora was indued and adorned with excellent giftes of the holy ghost and especially with the gifts of prophesie the Psalmes do wel witnes which are intituled to the sonnes of Chora Very wel then touching this progeny prophetical may that be said which Prometheus as AEschilus reciteth speaketh of his deliuerer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inuisi patris hoc mihi dulce est pignus In english A sweet pledge is this truly of my father hated before me And the kind of song is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a song of mirth iolity loue or it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mariage song wherin the holy Ghost is a maker vp of the marriage betweene Christ and his Church For in this kind of matter here is handled an vsuall commendation of the Bridgrome spouse or husband which is borrowed from the excellency of his wisedome and vertue yea from the sweetnes of his humanity from his eloquence his riches dignity or comelinesse of personage or other thinges which are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the leading causes of loue For euery loue is stirred vp by manifestation of some good thing giuen But why is mention made of Roses Roses doe minister matter of ioy and gladnes in garlandes made at marriages therefore they betoken the celebrating of marriages with ioy and that sweet surpassing sauour of the heauenly doctrine which doth chiefly make vp or accomplish this marriage for with the word as with a sweete smelling Rose the mutuall loue betweene Christ his church is confirmed And certes let these seeme to be sufficiently enough spoken touching the Title novve let vs come to the Argument of the Psalme THE ARGVMENT THose things which are said in this Song as touching the Bridegrome and the Bride the Spouse and his Spousesse the Husband and the Wife doe properly appertaine vnto the Messias and vnto the true Church This ground of purpose in the Psalme S. Paules epistle to the Hebrews cap I. doth not only confirme but the confession of the Rabines also For the better learned and sounder sort of the Rabines being vtterly vanquished with the circumstance of the phrase and comparison of the partes thereof doe confesse indeed that this Psalme was written as touching the Messias Now then this ground of purpose in the Psalme being thus confirmed that it speaketh expresly of the Messias and of the true Church let vs compare if it please you the Mariage togither with the league that is betweene Christ and his Church for there are fiue speciall properties or tokens of sincere Matrimony namely the first mutuall loue the second faith the third society or partaking in weale and in woe the fourth procreation of issue and the fift defence from the husband to the wife And first of all indeede the loue of man and wife ought to be feruent without dissimulation and compulsion sincere without suspitions and finally sweetely delightfull without bitternes and disdaine That such kind of loue was in the sonne of God towards his spouses the church his taking of humane nature vpon him doth well witnes for seeing by that secret and marueilous league he ioyned vnto himselfe this nature let vs most firmely beleeue that in Christ there is not a fained but a true and feruent loue towards vs and here hath that sentence of the poet Theocritus his effect Quae minime sunt pulchra ea pulchra videntur amanti Those things indeed which base doe seeme The louer beautifull doth deeme For although the Church by reason of persecution is the more deformed and also in that she carrieth about her the remnants of sinne yet is shee vnfainedly loued of Christ as this Psalme saith ver 12. So shal the king haue pleasure in thy beuty Secondly commeth faith in place Christ loueth the Church onely embracing the gofpell he loueth none other sects either Mahometicall or Hereticall so againe the Church acknowledgeth onely Christ for her Mediator and embraceth his doctrine only and will not be an harlot she polluteth not her selfe with the opinions and worshippings which other sectes doe vse Thirdly there is ordained a Society or partaking of them both in weale and wo Christ bestoweth his benefits righteousnes and life vpon his church returneth vnto himselfe the calamities of the church and was made a sacrifice for our sinnes so againe the Church bestoweth her benefits vpon her husbande namely her confession wherewith shee worshippeth honoureth her husband and becommeth a partaker of the crosse of her husband and like as touching matrimoniall fidelity this Psalme saith in the 11. ver Harken O daughter and consider encline thineeares forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house euen so touching society or partaking of prosperity and aduersity these verses doe make mention ver 14. The kings daughter is all glorious within c. also in the 9 ver All thy garments smell of Myrh Aloes and Cassia out of the Iuery pallaces whereby they haue made thee glad For although these smels or sauours are pertinent vnto the royal estate of any king or Queene yet rightly doe they signifie the afflictions which Christ and his Church do suffer Fourthly there is a generation or ofspring in the Church so as Christ giueth his word and holy spirit wherby daily new members are borne in the Church but this comes to passe by the ministery of the gospell in the church as it were a mother nourishing and bringing vp her child vnto this property of loue let that litle verse be referred ver 17. Insteed of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou maiest make princes in al laÌ„ds Fiftly like as it is the spouse or husbands part to defend or maintaine his Spouses and wife so Christ euermore defendeth his church subduing deuils Tyrantes and heretickes and although hee will haue her a partaker with him of his crosse and affliction yet he mitigateth those afflictions preserueth the body of his
O daughter and consider encline thine eare forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house This apostrophe or turning speach to the party absent is diligently to be marked wherein the holy ghost speaketh of the Church which is to bee gathered from among the Jewes because it instructeth the reader of the greatest matters namely of the kingdome of the Messias of faith of the abrogation of the Leuitical ceremony and extinction of Moyses law For inasmuch as to heare and to teach are two correlatiues it followeth that the Messias shal not be a king like vnto Alexander who by art of warre and corporall strength keepeth his subiectes in their duety but one which shall gouerne his church with his word and shal encline or frame their mindes vnto most willing obedience Furthermore seeing Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word Rom. 10. 17. let vs not seeke for reuelations besides or without the word of God but let vs know that we must not seeke God any other waies then by the word and testimonies from him deliuered neither that we must call vpon any other God but euen vpon the very same God who sending his sonne and giuing his gospel into the world so often times hath manifested himself by assured testimonies This doctrine touching faith setling her selfe in Gods worde doth this psalme deliuer where it saith in this verse Harken O daughter and consider encline thine eare c. And the phrase of the psalme agreeth with the eternal and immutable commaundement of the father crying of his some Mat. 17. This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare ye him vers 5. Moreouer because that people in the nation of the Jewes were not wilde by nature but as kind and curteous people loued their cuntry especially reuerenced the temple wherein God so often manifested himselfe and loued the whole order of the Jewish pollicy then which they knew there was not a more excellent pollicy in al maÌ„kind more than their life therefore the Psalme perswadeth the Church gathered of the seede of Abraham to forget his people and to preferre the Messias before the ancient temple and pollicie and all other things which men in their order do desire as life possessions and peace It signifieth then that the pollicie of Moses must be extinguished and the Ceremonies in the Temple vsed must be abrogated or abolished Verse 12 So shal the King haue pleasure in thy beutie for he is thy Lord God and worship thou him There are many partes in this Psalme the conference or comparison whereof vanquisheth the godly ones that they cannot but acknowledge the Messias to be both Man and God and yet that the person of this Messias must be discerned from the person of the eternall Father The first part is the worthy praise of the excellenty of the Messias his person in the third verse Thou art fairer than the children of men Herehence is borrowed a manifest consequence All men sprung of the carnall seede of Abraham are deformed and polluted with much â—â—hinesse as in the third booke of Kings cap. 8. Salomon saieth There is no man liuing but hee sinneth verse 46. and as in the foureteenth psalme it is saide They are al gone out of the way they are altogether become abhominable there is none that doth good no not one verse 4. In this king and husband of the church there is neither any sinne deformitie nor filthinesse Therefore Christ is not only man but God who is only good and harmelesse The second part is that which confirmeth the article touching the diuine nature of the Messias Therefore hath thy god blessed thee In this saying he interpreteth that promise giuen vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all nations be blessed Genes 12. 3. 17. 8. 22. 17. as if he had said All men are accursed that is guiltie before God and worthy of all miseries and calamities because God is vnfainedly and horribly angry with sinnes The greatnesse of this displeasure can no power alone created take away no nor yet endure Needeful then it is that the Messias be God because he taketh away the curse that is Gods wrath sin and death and giueth the blessing that is righteousnesse and life euerlasting The third part confirming that same sentence is this Thy seate O God endureth for euer The psalme affirmeth euidently that the kingdome of the Messias is euerlasting for it is most apparantly seene that no worldly pollicie is perpetuall and the thing sheweth that the complaint extant in Ouids verse is true where he saith Sic omnia verti cernimus atque Alias assumere pondera gentes Item summisque negatum starediu So all things turned plainely we do see And other Nations beare another sway And mightiest states oft times denied be For to endure with any longer day Seeing then no gouernements are perpetuall it is a thing very cleare that neither this king the Messias is onlie man nor that his kingdome is a pollicie which shall perish such a one as the Jewes doe looke for The fourth part of this confirmation is where this psalme saieth Thy God hath annointed thee with oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellows In the 34. and last chapter of Deuteronomie it is written of Moses thus But there arose not a prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses c. verse 10. Therefore this psalme placeth and preferreth the Messias farre aboue Moses Then is there not onely humane but also diuine nature in the Messias The fift and last part of this glory is recited in this verse For hee is thy Lorde god and worship theu him But the Jewes do go about to trifle out so notable a testimony with this cauillation They say by the word Worship is signified the gesture of the body which is made before the presence of Kings But this sophisticall trifling may be refuted by conference of other testimonies as in the 72. psalme it is saide All kings shall fall downe before him All nations shal do him seruice verse 11. In these wordes the psalme euidently affirmeth that this Messias shal alwayes be called vpon or prayed vnto yea when he shal not be seene with eyes Therefore it speaketh not of any bodily gesture the which is made before the presence of Kings but it speaketh of the minde which craueth of the Messias that he would haue mercy vpon vs and be a Mediatour for vs would forgiue vs our sinnes would giue vs his holy spirit and life euerlasting and woulde bee our helper and defender yea euen in the daungers of this life against the outrages of the Diuell and of vngodly persons like as hee himselfe saieth Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voyce No man shall take them out of my hand verse 27. and 28. Such a worship doth truely attribute omnipotencie vnto the Messias and doth witnesse that he is God And that the person of the Messias is to be discerned from
the person of the eternall Father these wordes do teach manifestly Therefore hath thy God annointed thee with oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes For the Father annointeth this king with the oyle of gladnesse that is with the holy ghost which saint Iohn in his first epistle and second chapter and twentieth verse calleth Chrisma that is Ointment The Messias â—s Christ that is your anointed king of the church But there is a sweete consolation set foorth in this saying And the King shall haue pleasure in thy beauty The psalme praiseth the beuty of the church which seemeth by reason of the Crosse vnto the iudgement of the worlde to be fowle and filthy but also in very trueth is yet still languishing and beareth about her many blemishes ignorance and viâ—ious affects Although therefore we are indeed weaklings and defiled with much filthinesse yet let vs beleeue that for and through his great mercy we shalbe acceptable vnto this our King and we shall haue our reputed and published beauty that is some vertues acceptable vnto God as true inuocation aduancement of true doctrine and the remaining new begunne obedience Verse 13 And the daughter of Tyre shall bee there with a gift like as the rich also among the people shall make their supplication before thee The daughter of Tyre signifieth the Church gathered of the nations And I haue often said touching what and how great thinges the calling of the Nations admonisheth vs. For first it witnesseth that grace aboundeth aboue sinne For who can either comprehend in thought the greatnes of Gods mercy or expresse the same in words In which mercy persons polluted with manifolde madde worshipping of Images bloody sacrifysing of men filthy Confusion of lustes and finally with other mast horrible mischefes are called vnto the society of the blessed congregations andre made as Paule sayeth 2. Ephes 19. Citizens in the Citie of God and of the common wealth of the heauenly Citizens Secondly The calling of the Nations is a notable testimony that the promise touching the gospell is vniuersall and free For if the promise were a priuiledge for certaine persons it should not be translated vnto the nations which are horribly polluted with wickednes And that this promise consisteth not vppon our worthinesse but is freely promised and bestoweth eternall benefits vppon true beleeuers that doth the calling of the nations most euidently witnesse For what doe the Nations bring vnto God but filthy and horrible confusions of opinions of worshippings and of manners Such Cast-awayes seeing God receiueth and chuseth them out to place them in the fellowship of eternall blessednes may we any thing doubt but rather affirme that the promise of the gospell parteineth freely Lastly this gathering of the Church out of the Nations refuteth the Pharisaicall opinions touching righteousnes of the lawe For if men were righteous by the lawe the Nations could not without the lawe be made Citizens and members of the people of God Seeing then the nations without the lawe of enemies are made frends and of strangers are made the most beloued Church of God it is a thing very cleare that by faith onely that is by acknowledgement and confidence in the Mediator all the elect ones are saued Verse 14 The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought golde Verse 15 Shee shall be brought vnto the King in raiment of needle worke the Virgins that be her fellows shall beare her company and shall be brought vnto thee Verse 16 With ioy gladnes shal they be brought and shall enter into the Kings pallace Albeit the Prophets describing the kingdome of Christ do vse figures taken from the glorious estate of Kinges Courtes yet notwithstanding bycause wee doe knowe that the Church by Gods assured prouidence is in this life subiect vnto the Crosse let vs vnderstand these descriptions not as touching the externall pompe but concerning the inward glorie whereof there are seauen degrees The first is the possession of Gods word and the acknowledgement of the true God as in Psal 147. and in Deuter. 4. Psa 50. 15. Psa 55. 18. The Second is true calling vppon God and his Deuine hearing vs as in Deuter. 4. The Third is his perpetuall preseruation of the body of this Church though shee bee persecuted in some of her members as in Math. 16. Psal 129. The Fourth conteineth Gods onely Deliuerances as the preseruation of Noah in the Deluge Gene. 8. 16. Exod. 12. 2. Luke 9. 56. The fifth conteineth prophecies proper to the Church and miracles accomplished in the prophecies as in Micah 3. 8 and. 2 Kings 5. 8. 2. Peter 1. 19. 1. Pet. 1. 10 1 Cor. 12. 10. 1. Cor. 14. 3 The Sixth is the ornament of many vertues in the suffering members as in Stephen Actes 7. 58 others as in Heb. 11. 36 37 38 39. Laurence Eutrop lib. 9. The Seauenth and last is the inheritance of life euerlasting as in Iohn 17. 3. Tit. 3. 7. Galath 3. 18. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 4. Touching these 7 degrees of glorie which the true Church hath I haue spoken more largely in a certaine oration made by mee at Iena on the 28 day of May in the yeare of Christ 1562. Verse 17. In steade of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou mayest make Princes in all landes Notably saith Plato in lib. 6. de legibus as touching marriage Let this consolation be proposed in marriage that man and wife ought to be carefull for the perpetuity or continuation of humane nature that they leauing behinde them their childrens children may euermore haue some worshippers of God left to succeede them Parents ought to beget and bring vp children which may deliuer a direct order of life as it were a Lampe of light vnto their posterity so as there may alwayes be some worshipping God according to his lawe These hath he spoken touching matrimony for the man and the wife holily and religiously For therefore giueth the sonne of God his worde and holy spirit vnto the Church that he may regenerate many vnto life euerlasting and that there might alwayes be some euen in this life truly calling vpon God and worshipping him For he not onely wonderfully reioyceth and delighteth in the saintes or holy ones which are in heauen but euen in these which are vppon earth as the 16. Psalme witnesseth verse 3. Al my delight is vpon the Saintes that are in earth c. And he calleth Saintes the kings and princes of the earth not in that they gouerne by politike order but when they vanquish the snares of the Deuill the threatnings and inticements of the world and the wandring lustes of our nature and doe gather vnto God an eternall Church Verse 18. I wil remember thy name from one generation vnto an other Therefore shall the people giue thankes vnto thee world without end The last verse preacheth most sweetely as touching the stability of the Church which shall remaine euer among the
the perpetuall preseruation of the doctrine deliuered from God and the safety of his silly flock which reteineth this doctrine and endeuoureth to aduance the same For although the foure kingdomes are dispersed and horrible confusions and verations of all things in mankinde haue beene seene as the whole historie of the world witnesseth yet amiddes so great downefalles and desolations of kingdomes some congregation of God hath remained otherwhiles greater otherwhiles lesser and the doctrine is eftsoones purified and published by apt teachers which the sonne of God sitting at his right hand hath stirred vp and giuen as it were notable gifts vnto his Church Doubtles god suffreth for a season tyrants fanaticall teachers and their Champions to rage with cruelty against the Church and yet in meane time the Confession of many and other signes are euident witnesses of the gospell And afterwardes the furyes of vngodly persons in notable examples are punished like as Pharao the Cananites Iewes and Ethnickes were destroyed whose cruelty was very great Verse 10 Be still then and knowe that I am God I will be exalted among the heathen and I will be exalted in the earth This is a precept wonderfull and vnknowen vnto philosophy but it agreeth with that saying of Isay cap. 30 verse 15 In rest and quietnes shall yee be saued in quietnes and in confidence shall be your strength c. what is that rest and quietnes then what is that to be still Primum tollerare impositas aerumnas Deinde non accersere negotia sine vocatione Tertio non vt solet humana diffidentia Discurâ—ere ad varia praesidia c. First to beare patiently calamities laied vpon vs. Next of all not to deale in any busines beyond our vocation Thirdly not as mans distrust was wonte to runne hither and thether to seeke diuers safegardes Like as the kings of Iuda one while leaned vppon the Egiptians an other while vppon the Syrian kings and an other while vpon others and being intangled with foolish confederacies were compelled to follow other furies Against this impatience vnnecessarie busines and distrust of such as seeke helpes without a right order are these wordes opposed Be still then and knowe c. that is be silent looke for helpe from God runne not hither and thither into Egypt into Syria to the Turkes nor to the Afrikes In a good cause be ye of quiet mindes and looke for defence from God and if any thing happen otherwise it is yet better to endure calamities than with indirect enterprises to blemish a good cause Verse 11 The Lord of Hostes is with vs The god of Iacob is our refuge The last verse is a conclusion containing a testimony of Gods presence in his church and of deliuerances in calamities which are not to be ouercome or vanquished by mans enterprise PSAL. XLVII Omnes gentes plaudite manibus To him that excelleth a Psalme exhortatory committed to the sonnes of Korah THE ARGVMENT THis is a notable prophecy touching the calling of the Gentiles which saint Paul in his Epistle the second and third chapters to the Epesians doth greatly manifest where he teacheth verse eleuen The Gentiles were in times past without God without Christ without his holy Spirite without promise of the Gospell and without hope of eternall life Then the which misery none could bee conceiued greater For what is man ignorant of God and of Christ but the enimy of God the dwelling place of the Deuill and a Cast-away from God not yet in trueth seeing the wrath of God but within a while after shall feele it and when he would escape beyonde all course of nature yea and would be vtterly brought to nothing and yet cannot but shall be tormented with sorrow euerlasting This horrible figure must we thinke vppon that we may learne to extoll the gathering of the Church from amongst the Gentiles For at this day the Gentiles which are called vnto the society of Gods people are Citizens with the Saintes and of the householde of God 2. Ephes 19. And againe Coheires of one body and coparteners of the promise touching Christ Let others therefore be in loue with frayle and momentany benefits let them thirst after vaine honours let them seeke after corrupt pleasures and their instruments Let vs meruel at and magnifie this benefit that we are cooptate into the City of God and Common wealth of the heauenly Citizens where together with the blessed Angelles we shall liue for euer and euer and shall be filled full of lights and righteousnesse in God Psal XLVII And exposition thereof Verse 1 O clappe your hands together al ye people O sing vnto god with the voyce of melody Verse 2 For the Lord is high and to be feared he is the great king vpon all the earth Verse 3 He shall subdew the people vnder vs and the nations vnder our feete Verse 4 He shall chuse out an heritage for vs euen the worship of Iacob whome he loued Verse 5 God is gone vp with a merry noyse and the Lord with the sound of the trumpe THe kingdome of god saith Paul is not meate and drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy ghost Rom. 14. 17. This Psalme describing this kingdome of God and Christ is an exhorter vnto all people to clappe their hands together and to sing with the voyce of melody that is let them shew with gesture and speech their ioyfulnesse illumined by the holy ghost For seeing ioyfulnesse is a motion wherewith the heart contenteth himselfe in some good thing that good thing theweth what is the obiect or contrary vnto this ioyfulnesse Because Iehouah the high fearefull and great king aboue all the earth that is bicause the Messias God and man is the conqueror of sinne and death and bestoweth this victory vpon all that beleeue according to this saying 1 Cor. 5. 57. But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs the victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Againe Ioh. 16. Be yee of good comfort I haue ouercome the world verse 33. Moreouer I liue and you shall liue also Iohn 14. 19. Namely through my merite and effectuall power For I by my passion haue destroyed sinne and death and by my resurrection I am so effectuall that I will restore vnto you righteousnesse and life euerlasting This victory and effectuall â—power of Christ raigning doth Paul freely confesse that he had not as yet comprehended at all and saith further his strength striueth that he may by some meanes comprehend the same The same confession let euery one of vs haue in mouth and mind and craue that with a face vncouered we beholding the glory of God may bee transformed as it were into the same image from brightnes to brightnes as it were of the spirit of the Lord. 2. Cor. 3. 18. But although this be the summe of the verses which I haue recited yet notwithstanding let vs if it please you weigh and consider all the words the Messias
he destroyeth whome hee will destroy yet by an other meanes hee is at this day present with the Gentiles called vnto the societie of the church namely wherby he not only preserueth the liues of them but also worketh motions in them acceptable vnto him and beginneth new light and righteousnesse Touching this gouernement of Christ seeing I haue else-where oftentime spoken I come now to the next verse Verse 9 The Princes of the people are ioyned vnto the people of the God of Abraham for God which is very high exalted doeth defend the earth as it were with a shield In al ages from the beginning of mankind there haue bin and are and shalbe some Magistrates or rulers chosen of God vnto eternall saluation and called vnto the societie of the true church Touching this calling of Princes this last verse makes most sweete mention For first it calleth them Shieldes of the earth that is defenders of good men and good maners and reputing their countries benefits to be their speciall and chiefe commodities For good Princes are the preseruers of peace and discipline defending the bodies and goods of their subiects against vniust violence thrusting away robberies and enemies Therefore Alfonsus king of Naples had this proper crest to his Armes A Pelican sucking out her owne blood for to feed her yong ones with And he put therevnto this his posie or sentence Pro lege pro grege that is for the law and the people And Achilles in the 9. booke of Homers Ilyades saith Sicut Auis quae pro pullis implumibus ipsa Euolat pastum miseris parat haud secus ipse Pro Danais mala multa ferens quot saepe peregi Peruigiles noctes quot luces marte cruentas Assiduò dum bella gero dum praelior ipsis Proque viris coniugibus Danâ—umque salute Like as the bird which for her yong ones flies Forth meate to get and there with them to fee de So for my Graecians suffering harmes likewise How many nights haue I watcht for their neede How many daies with martiall cruell might Haue I made warres whiles for all these indeede Both men and wiues and Greekes welfare I fight Furthermore it saieth that they are ioyned vnto the people of the god of Abraham as Noah faith in Gen. 9. 27. They dwell in the Tabernacles of Sem that is they are the companions of the true church of God and do support and cherish the same with godly dueties Truly it is a great glory to be accompted and called a Shield of the earth and a Tree vnder which subiects are fedde But it is a farce greater honor to be seene in that societie whose gouernour and head is the Sonne of God and which is sanctified with the holy spirite vnto life euerlasting Although then there haue beene mighty men and profitable persons to their country as Fabius and Scipio was yet by right we do preferre before these gouernours Dauid Iosias Constantine Theodosius Iohn Frederike Duke of Saxony and such other like who were not only members of the true church but also with their godlie duties furthered the aduancement of the doctrine of God of inuocation and of life euerlasting Last of all this verse affirmeth that God is very high exalted of the shieldes of the earth Let this particle be applied vnto the persons and dueties of Magistrates and Rulers For then do the personages of Princes exalt the Lord when they submit and yeelde themselues and all theirs which they haue in possession vnto Christ and doe preferre the gospel before their tranquilitie life and al worldly goods whatsoeuer Such do rightly spreade their clothes before Christ But as to duety appertaineth the Lord is exalted by them in the ordinance of churches and schooles wherein the worde of God dwelleth plentifully with all wisedome Let godly princes therefore vse this verse as a cognusance or armes and let them thinke that they are Shieldes of the earth and not that indeed onely but also that they are members of Gods people and verely euen the chiefe and head members whose race and course of life maketh most to the glory of Almightie God and the saluation of many men PSAL. XLVIII Magnus Dominus laudabilis valde A Song or Psalme of deliuerance committed to the sonnes of Korah THE ARGVMENT THis Psalme is a most sweete Sermon as touching the Church containing doctrine consolation and precepts For first it describeth the church and discerneth her from other sects For al other sects do onely teach the particle of the lawe touching externall discipline and others deuise other worshippings of Idolles but they are vtterly ignorant of the Sonne of God and of the gospell that is the promise of the free remission of sinnes of reconciliation and of the inheritance of euerlasting life to be giuen by faith in the sonne our mediator But in the church is retained an vpright scund doctrine of the Law and the gospel and the knowledge of the Sonne of God for vs crucified and raised from death to life And that alone congregation wherein the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ is acknowledged who was crucified raised from death to life is the church indeede praising and worshipping God with true inuocation This difference is needeful to be holden by vs against Thammerus Latomus the Louanist Stenchus and such other like which do worke infinit confusion and imagine that the members of the church are in all places whether they be Ethnicks or others whose liues or manners are honest After this the Psalme proponeth here a Consolation very necessary touching the stabilitie of the Church which as a Rock immoueable standeth fast in the sea according to those verses Vt pelagi rupes magno veniente fragore Quae sese multis circumlatrantibus vndis Mule tenet scopuli nequicquam spumea circum Saxa fremunt laterique illisa refunditur alga As rocke or huge sea bancke which sowsing tide With roaring waues rush-on doth firme abide Nor rocke nor foaming stone do fret or fume But flagge or reede ytoste to the shoare consume For although Turkes tyrannicall Kinges and Bishops prepare and practise all their force and indeuor to the destruction of the Church yet the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her Math. 16. 18. neither shall the power of this world destroy her vtterly Finally this psalme deliuereth vs a precept which biddeth vs to loue helpe and adorne the true Church This precept O that euery man would in his place or calling obserue and woulde not rend the Church with discordes nor would not suffer the Cruelty of those Tyranes to rage But because many men are little moued at this exhortation it is therefore not to be merueiled at that in euery place there are so many offenders which bleuâ—â—â— the beuty of the Church But woe be vnto them by whom offences come Matthew 18. 7. Psal XLVIII And exposition therof Verse 1 Great is the Lord and
exposition thereof Verse 1 O heare ye this all yee people ponder it with your eares all yee that dwell in the world Verse 2 High and low rich and pore one with another Verse 3 My mouth shall speake of wisdome and my heart shall muse of vnderstanding Verse 4 I will incline mine eare vnto the parable and shew my darke speech vpon the harpe THe Psalme purposing to speake of a speciall matter vseth a stately beginning I exhort all persons without exception to draw neare and take knowledge what is to be thought of the difference betweene the godly and vngodly ones and of the future iudgment For so it shall come to passe that they shal not onely prouide for this mortall life but shall with a true feare and faith and other duties pleasing God prepare themselues vnto that iudgement which is to come Beasts frame themselues fit vnto that thing onely which is present and as the time serueth very little regarding either that is past or that which is to come But men because they are partakers of reason and are created to the iudgement of God let them so order the course of their whole life that they go not astray from the Commaundement of God Whatsoeuer thou doest do it wisely and regard the end And surely the end of our life is either eternall society with God or otherwise eternall miserie Let vs therfore chuse the meane wayes leading vnto the hauen of euerlasting beatitude and withal indeuour as they vse to say let vs eschew perpetuall and most miserable death Cheled is deriued of the word Chadal that is cessauit hath ceased For it is a familiar transposition of the letters vsed in the hebrue tongue This phrase of speech then signifieth that the world within a while after shall haue his end as in the I. Corin. 7. it is said The fashion of this world goeth away verse 31. Neither in deede is it hupostasis a Forme not Substance as the Philosophers speake but Emphasis that is a banishing away Furthermore the difference knowen betweene Homo and Vir which is oftentimes vsed by the Prophets and Apostles as in Iohn I. verse 13. Not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man For as Homo signifieth a base and obscure person So Uir signifieth a great and noble personage excelling others in wisdome power Justice and authoritie Like as then Saint Paul saith Rom. I and 14. verse That he is debter both to the wise man and to the vnwise So this Psalme calleth vnto this sermon both high and low learned and vnlearned persons Finaly it calleth the doctrine of future iudgement and of life and death euerlasting wisedome vnderstanding a parable and darke speech because this secret wisdome placed far beyond the sight of mans reason must be discerned from Phylosophy For the alone doctrine of the church affirmeth there is a life remaining after that wee shal depart from hence she alone preacheth vnto vs touching the iudgment that shall be vppon all mankind and nameth certaine witnesses which shalbe the beholders of many that being dead shall liue againe Verse 5 Wherefore should I feare in the euill day and when the wickednes of my heeles compasseth me round about Verse 6 There be some that put their trust in their goods and boast themselues in the multitude of their riches Unto the beginning is annexed a Proposition which setteth downe a consolation to be applyed from the example of one member vnto the whole body of the church as is here sayd Like as Lazarus being all full of soares straied not away from God because he sawe the rich man abound with wealth and pleasures and himselfe placed in an extreame state of miserable perplexity So let not any the other Godly ones be ouercome with the threatnings and inticements of the world that they thereby cast away the gospell or doe any thing against the other Commaundements of God This is the effect of the Proposition Verse 7 But no man may deliuer his Brother nor make agreement vnto God for him Verse 8 For it cost more to redeeme then soules so that hee must let that alone for euer There followeth a Reason which appeareth in the Antithesis or contrarietie as in the argument it is saide For these verses agree with that saying of Christ Math. 16. verse 26 What shall it profite a man if hee gaine all the whole world and lose his owne soule That is the whole world is not a sacrifice for sinne nor for death eternall no nor yet for the death of the body Why then are men so greatly carefull for things appertaining vnto this life or why with such disquietnes seeke they after those benefits which can neither take away sinne nor death But this preposterous care and greefe which the poet describing crieth out vpon thus O Ciues Ciues quaerend a pecunia est virtus post nummos riseth of a blindnes and security neglecting or contemning the iudgement of God which euery one of vs after this death shall abide and suffer Whereas if our whole life should looke well vpon that Iudgement truely ambitious honour wealth and filthy pleasure should lesse trouble vs which three the world doth esteeme as three gods But seeing this disease is farre more furious then that it may by our owne abillityes be healed or remedied let vs flee vnto the Sonne of God and craue that hee would illuminate our hearts with his holy spirit so as vnto that iudgement we may bring but the beginnings of righteousnes Verse 9 Yea though hee liue long and see not the graue Verse 10 For he seeth that wise men also die and perish together as well as the ignorant and foolish and leaue their riches for other In the full polishing of the former verses hee repeateth the same meaning that riches power and pleasure are the fading benefits of this mortall life and can neither driue away death nor yet profite those that are dead For as we came naked out of our mothers wombe so surely shall we returne into the earth either naked or very thinly clothed And here the Reader may repeate that saying in the 39. Psalme 7. verse For man walketh in a vaine shadowe and disquieteth himselfe in vayne he heapeth vp riches and cannot tell who shall gather them That is as Cicero in his dialog of Frendship sayth Catera cum parantur cui parantur nesciunt nec cuius causa laborent Other things when they are prouided or for whome they may be prouided they knowe not nor for whose sake they take al that paines Verse 11 And yet they thinke that their house shal continew for euer And that their dwelling places shall endure from one generation to another and call the land after their owne names Verse 12 Neuertheles man wil not abide in honour seeing he may be compared vnto the beasts that perish This is a patterne of the vngodly mens liues which dwell in goodly
and gorgeous buildings which are garnished with scutchions and pictures and furnished with things wherein they abound that are reputed for blessed Such a life we all doe desire which exceedeth in pleasure and other instruments But the end sheweth howe much vainitie there is in this trifling or britle brauery when one seely houre may bring all topsituruy All men will know what power and riches Alexander the great was of who consumed the huge treasures almost incredible of the Persian Kings after his conquest obteined and vppon Ephestions funeral lauished out twelue thousand talents that is Threescore and twelue tunnes of golde as wee call them But this so mighty a personage when he had drunke too too much wine at the funeral feast of Ephestion and got himselfe thereby a most greeuous burning feuer died the 28. of June in the xxxii yeare of his age twelfth yeare of his raigne and in the 323. yere before the birth of Christ This example admonisheth vs touching the incanstancy of humane affaires and setteth out this verse of this Psalme Man will not abide in honour c. Verse 13. This is the way of them and this is their foolishnes and their posterity praise their saying That the chiefe felicity of man consists in the pleasures of the body not onely the epicure but the greatest multitude of men doth so thinke But this perswasion doth this Psalme expresly cal foolishnes because the obiect of mans will is not a benefit hauing end that is being short and momentany but a benefit without end and euerlasting as else-where more largely is said in refutation of the epicure and in the doctrine touching the obiect of mans will Verse 14 They lie like sheepe in the hell death gnaweth vppon them and the righteous shal haue domination ouer them in the morning their beutie shall consume in the sepulcher out of their dwelling This verse discribes the last degree of punishment alotted for the vngodly ones namely eternall misery which is a worme for euer gnawing the conscience of man and a fire neuer ceasing but without end tormenting them as Isayas sayeth in his 66. and last chapter 24. verse Their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched But as Neither the eie hath seene nor eare hath heard nor mans heart hath conceiued those good things which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1 Cor. 2. 9. So no man can expresse either in thinking or speaking the greatnes of the euerlasting punishment ordayned for the wicked ones But here some man would obiect I see not by what reason Saint Paul being put to death by Nero should be lord ouer Nero I answere though Paul was slaine of a most cruell Tirant yet was he not vtterly destroyed neither was he left in destruction and death as Nero is but he is adorned with euerlasting rewarde and in the last day of the world he shal with Christ iudge Nero and al the vngodly ones Now indeede our life as in the 3. Coloss verse 3. is written is hidde with Christ in God When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory verse 4. Then shall the vngodly ones haue in their minde and mouth the words extant in the 5. chapter of the booke of Wisedome verse 3. These are they whom we sometime had in deâ—â—â—ion and in a parable of reproofe We fooles thought their liues madnes and their end without honour verse 4. Beholde how they are counted among the children of God and their portion is among the saints verse 5. Therefore we haue erred from the truth c. verse 6. Verse 15. But God hath deliuered my soule from hell For hee shall receiue me Hetherto at large he handled the first parte of the Antithesis touching the vanitie and punishment of the vngodly ones which put all their full hope and confidence in their riches Now doth he hereunto adioyne the other partie as touching the godly ones whose hearts are enclined vnto the testimony of the Lord And not vnto death as in 119. Psalme is said And it promiseth plainly vnto the Godly ones deliueraunce from euerlasting death most miserable and restitution vnto life euerlasting for because God in the very lawfull act of adoption receiueth and taketh vs for his children it cannot be that he will leaue his dearest children in death Like as therefore in this life he giueth his holy spirit as a pledge and token of our inheritance So when he hath raised vs from death to life he will doubtles giue vs the full and perfect inheritance and hee shall then be all in all He then that hath this hope sanctifieth himselfe like as he is holy saith Saint Iohn 1. epist 3. chapter 3. verse Verse 16 Be not thou afraid though one be made rich or if the glorie of his house be incresed Verse 17 For hee shall carie nothing away with him when he dieth Neither shall his pompe follow him He repeateth a principal proposition which comforteth the godly ones lest they taking offence at the felicitie and passing prosperitie of the vngodly ones do slide away froÌ„ God but that they would preferre the true and permanent good things before the shadowes of fraile and vanishing benefites But seeing it is needelesse here with perspicuous wordes to make any long interpretation I wil recite two histories worthy of memorie which examples propone vnto the sentence of the affirmatiue part that the glory of exploits done and other great benefites nothing auaile them that be dead which things the blinde nature of man coueteth especially Saled nus king of Asia Syria and Egypt saide hee was not lesse wise in his death then when in his life time before he had done any notable act for he commanded that his very linnen garment next to his shert which he vsed to weare should be borne vpon a long speares point throughout all his tents and he that carried it should cry with a lowd voice and say Saladine the conquerour of Asia of so great wealth which hee had gotten caried away with him at his death but only this linnen garment For wisely though lately being admonished of mans misery woulde hee also in such sort admonish others thereof There is extant an historie in the seuenth booke and second chapter of Baptista Fulgosus touching wise sayings and doings and as Dion writeth these wordes are read of Seuerus the emperour When as he lying at Yorke in Britaine neare the point of death deploring mans miseries saide I haue beene all things and nothing auaileth me Verse 18 For while he liued he counted himselfe an happy man and so long as thou doest well vnto thy selfe men will speake good of thee Verse 19 He shall followe the generation of his fathers and shall neuer see light Verse 20 Man being in honor hath none vnderstanding but is compared vnto the beasts that perish Although saieth he the vngodly superabound in pleasures yet within
accusation whereby our conscience as touching the lawe accuseth vs. This accusation as it were done away hee sayeth doth hang vpon the crosse of Christ who hath for vs payed the ransome Let vs looke vpon that trophey or piller with fayth so often as wee call vppon God For our vnworthines murmureth against vs thus why commest thou vnto God why darest thou craue good things when as for thy so many sinnes thou hast deserued great punishment wrath and destruction whilest as yet thou feelest many vile motions in thee Against this distrust of minde fleeing away from God doth hee set vs downe this trophey Here sayth he behold thou the accusation hanging and blotted out come thou vnto God in confidence of the mediator and craue his holy spirit and other benefits The metaphor of Washing away may beâ— vnderstood out of the history extant in the 13. Iohn vers 8. If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with mee Againe ibidem verse 10 Hee that is washed needeth not to wash his feete but is cleane euery whit These sayings without doubting do describe iustification Except he himselfe wash vs that is except hee with his owne blood doe redeeme vs and except wee beleeue that we are redemed by the blood of Christ wee shall not be heires of eternall life Hee that is washed needeth not to wash his seete that is hee that is iust by fayth and is sanctified is cleane that is altogether pleasing God But yet in this life our feete must be washed continually that is our motions Weake nature in this life begetteth many wandring motions These filthie spottes ought continually to be washed and the interpretations are knowen The beleeuing person is cleane altogether that is to say by imputation But in this life is begunne a newnesse not yet altogether fulfilled These things are elsewhere largely spoken of Now let the Reader gather the paraphrasticall parts of the first proposition thus Eternall God father of our Lord Iesus Christ forgiue me my sinnes past wherein I am wicked and filthily defiled By the mercy which is promised for thy sonnes sake our mediator doe away both the most sorowfull accusation of my conscience as it were a hand-writing against me and in the blood of thy sonne wash away the remnants of sinne sticking in my weake nature like as it is written I Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne That is taketh away not onely sinnes formerly committed but also couereth the remnants of sinne which as yet wee seely soules and weakelings do beare about with vs. Let therefore this proposition be adioyned vnto other testimonies which confirme the article of Justification and let it alwaies sound in our eares heart and tongue because we haue euery moment neede of the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes Verse 3 For I knowledge my faults and my sinne is â—uer before me This verse pertaineth vnto confession wherewith man soroweth in Gods presence that he hath sinnes and by faith craueth forgiuenesse of his offence and mitigation of punishments And there is a great force in the worde The acknowledgement of sinne The acknowledgement is not an idle or vaine consideration such as was in Dauid before his adultery when he also knew that adultery was forbidden but it is a feare and casting downe of man acknowledging God to be angry as Dauid did know his sinne after the most greeuous rebuke which hee had Furthermore in the word Sinne we must consider a relation namely that man by reason of sinne is guilty of Gods euerlasting wrath and punishment except hee haue forgiuenesse for the Mediators sake Touching this guiltinesse in the Lawe it is saide Deuter. 27. Cursed be euery one which continueth not in al things which are written in the Law ver 26. Verse 4 Against thee onely haue I finned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and cleare when thou art iudged He repeateth a confession amplified with most sorowfull wordes as if he should say I come vnto thee not trusting in mine owne righteousnesse or worthinesse but onely bringing a confession of sinne To thee only am I a sinner and do euil in thy sight for the particle only may not be referred vnto the pronowne but is a debarring of his owne dignitie or worthinesse to be referred vnto the word following sinner So first hee teacheth vs to bring the confession of our sinne vnto God This confession of sinne is more feruent and more perceiued when God encloseth vs euery where with signes of guiltinesse in punishments like as when Dauid was driuen into exilement But it followeth in the verse That ihou maiest be iustified in thy sayings and ouercome when thou art iudged These wordes comprehend both a most graue doctrine that God punisheth iustly and a most sweete consolation touching the promise of mercy which God performeth for his trueth or to witnesse that he is true Dauid going forth in his banishment saide I acknowledge and confesse that I am guiltie and haue deserued punishments and I pronounce that thou art a iust God seeing thou doest manifest thy most iust wrath or displeasure against my sinne and doest punish me And I pronounce that thou ouercommest when hypocrites doe iudge thee As Saul Cato and all the vngodly ones do thinke that they haue not deserued so great calamitiess or surely thinke that God is too seuere who hath burdened this our weake nature with such a multitude of miseries so they accuse and condemne God and speake euil of him But let vs render the praise of righteousnes vnto God when he punisheth as Daniel saith cap. 9. 7. Vnto thee Lorde belongeth righteousnes but vnto vs shame Furthermore needeful it is that an other meaning be added touching the promise of mercy because when this consolation commeth not hereunto there remaineth a fretting and grudging of the heart such as was in Saul or Cato wee must therefore adde this I acknowledge my selfe to bee guiltie and to haue deserued punishments I confesse thy wrath is most iust and I craue mercy not trusting in my worthinesse but in thy promise Heare mee that thou maiest be iustified that is to the end thy trueth may bee published that thou keepest promises and in truth hearest receiuest and deliuerest those that call vppon thee shew a testimonie and example wherein it may be seene that thou art the keeper of promises when thou hearest me an vnworthy person Verse 5 Behold I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me He accuseth not his parents nor condemneth the selfe worke of generation but he bewaileth this mischiefe the which with most sorrowfull wordes is of S. Paul described where hee saieth Rom. 8. 7. the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For the substance by God is one thing and the disorder which commeth afterwards is an other thing and a deprauing of Gods worke namely darkenesse and doubtings in minde
spirite which may rule and gouerne vs in al our life and actions and in all our counselles and dangers and a spirit which may bring to passe that we may willingly obey God that we may boldely confesse the word of God and that with a mighty courage we may be able to indure afflictions for the glory of God These are the effects of the holyghost in the reconciled ones or in them which receiue forgiuenes of sinnes Seeing therefore without this grace there is nothing auaileable in any man as the church godlily singeth Absque Dei numine nihil est in homine c. Let vs craue from God this gouernour of our mind wil and heart which giueth witnes vnto our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God and cryeth vnto God with vnspeakeable sighings for vs and finally is a pledge and token of our inheritance vnto the last most ioyfull day of our redemtion Verse 13 Then shal I teach thy wayes vnto the wicked and sinners shalbe conuerted vnto thee Verse 14 Deliuer mee from bloodguiltines O God thou that art the God of my health and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousnes Verse 15 Thou shalt open my lippes O God and my mouth shall shew thy praise I saide in the Argument that the latter parte of this psalme is a promise of rendering a due recompence whervnto we are naturally bound but seeing we are not able to giue any sufficient recompence vnto God for his benefites most great besides the propagation and confession of the gospel he promiseth that he wil performe these duties most holily whereby both the glorie of God is made more excellent and many men are called backe from error and Idolatry vnto the true acknowledgement of God and prayer vnto him These worships let vs also performe that there may be discerned a difference betweene the true church of God and other nations For other nations may haue many other vertues as there was a great glory of righteousnes chastitie and modestie in Aristides and Scipio yet the true calling vpon God and aduancement of his doctrine were wanting in them But the church alone both vnderstandeth and performeth worshippings touching which I haue spoken before Now as the rules of asking any thing and of thankesgiuing are for the most part ioyned together so in the Psalmes these motions are mixed whereof some craue from God for the Mediators sake necessary benefits others giue thanks to God or the Mediator for benefits receiued In this place also let there be added vnto the verse Eucharisticall or that which concerneth thankesgiuing two petitions one touching mitigation of punishments the other touching help in aduancing the doctrine and touching confession I acknowledge saith he that I am iustly punished and that I haue deserued more grieuous punishements But deliuerme from bloodguiltinesse O God that is O God deliuer me from guiltines or punishment of murder which is an vniuersall destruction and mitigateth thy wrath for thy Mediators sake that I may be a witnesse and an aduancer of thy doctrine Touching this mitigation of punishments the Prophets most sweetely preach as Psa 77. 9. He will not shut vp his louing kindnesse in displeasure And as Ioel 2. 13. The Lord is gratious and merciful slowe to anger and of great kindnes and repenteth him of the euil And he maketh his prayer as if he thus said I beseech thee O God to helpe mee in a matter hard and difficult namely in teaching and confessing thy true doctrine for mans weake nature is either ouercome with inticements or quailed with threatnings or with flatteries of friends is so enfeebled that with vniust silence shee may dissemble her true opinion Thou therefore open my lippes thou helpe my weakenesse that I be not a hireling sheepheard which in the time of peace doeth teach meanely but when as the wolfe commeth either runneth away or holdeth his tongue Verse 16 Because thou desirest no sacrifice else would I giue it thee but thou delightest not in burnt offerings He frameth in order vnto Thankesgiuing a common place touching degrees of sacrifices and morall sacrifices or morall obedience doth hee preferre before ceremonies For the vsuall distinction of sacrifice is knowne which is deliuered in the predicament of the deede and in theologicall places The only sacrifice is Ilasticon propitiatorie that is the whole obedience of Christ The sacrifices of al other the godly ones are Thanksgiuings and these are either figuratiue or morall But although they seeme to bee called coÌ„ntraries Thou delightest not in burnt offerings Againe Then shall they offer yong bullockes vpon thine altare yet notwithstanding there is an easie coniunction or affinitie betweene them The first saying condemneth the perswasion touching the deede done as they now vse to say Afterward he affirmeth that ceremonies do please God wheÌ„ they are rightly vsed that is when repentance the feare of God faith which acknowledge the Mediator and know that we are for his sake receiued do come hereunto also But he noteth ceremonies thus because they are testimonies of promises and are signes of confession and doe inuite others thereunto Verse 17 The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit a contrite heart O God shalt thou not despise A notable doctrine and consolation is set downe in this verse for first it teacheth that calamities are not alwayes signes of any mans reiection but exercises wholesome for the godly ones and obedience which is performed in calamities he calleth expresly sacrifices that is a worshiping or worke wherewith God is honoured After that it comforteth vs lest wee should thinke our selues to be forsaken of God by reason of calamities but that God rather promiseth helpe and mitigation yea deliuerance of and from our miseries So in the 57. cap. and 15. verse of Esay it is said I dwell with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to giue life to them that are of a contrite heart And in the last chapter of Isay v. 2. To him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembâ—eth at my words With this consolation Bernard being brought low by a greeuous and deadly sicknes comforted himselfe thus saying Vapulem sane quatenus miseriaris afflicto qui non inuenis in me bonum remuneres tempus meum perdidi quia perdite vixi pro quo quid agam non habeo nisi quod cor contritum humiliatum non despicies I may well be beaten truely so farre forth as thou hast mercy vppon the afflicted person who findest not any good at all in mee which thou mayest rewarde I haue lost my time because I haue liued gracelesse for the which what I my doe I haue not in mee but that thou God wilt not despise an humble and contrite heart Verse 18 O be fauourable vnto Sion build thou the walles of Ierusalem Verse 19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousnes with
bee content with our second nauigation and let vs pray vnto God that hee would stopp and stay the cunning deceits and iuggling practises of the children of this world and that he would cast to them the apple of discord for the which they may like vnto Chadmeis children fight one with an other For although the first and most wishfull voiage is that which with large spread sayles and prosperous winds brings vs into the hauen of euerlasting blessednes yet if this bee not by and by graunted vs let vs with a croked course quite forsake the windes ond tempests which indeede was wont to be doone when God would restraine the fradulent â—ilchiuous enterprises of domesticall and forreine enemyes Verse 12 For it is not an open enemy that hath done mee this dishonour for then I could haue borne it Verse 13 Neither was it â—ine aduersarie that did magnifie himselfe against mee for then peraduenture I would haue hid my selfe from him Verse 14 But it was euen thou my companion my guide and mine owne familiar friend Verse 15 Wee tooke sweete counsell together and walked in the house of God as frendes Verse 16 Let death come hastily vppon them and let them goe downe quicke into hell for wickednes is in their dwelings and amongst them The greatnes of sorow which the swaruing or reâ—â—sulting of our friend brings to vs with whome we haue liued publiquely and priuatly most familiarly and most frendly and which was not onely our companion in counsels and the rest of our affaires but also of the selfe same religion exceedeth all eloquence of speech or vtterance For this false friendship encreaseth the enemies outrages and vexeth the holy spirit of the godly ones For indeede the weake persons taking offence at the diuersity or difference of mens iudgements begin to doubt of the certeinty or truth of doctrine But the enemyes they triumph at it when the chiefest teachers are catcht away from the church Finally so many and so great offences doe folow this swaruing or back-sliding that Dauid not vainely nor vnaduisedly being inflamed with the zeale of the holyghost cried out here Let death come hastily vpon them and let them go quick into hell c. Verse 17 As for mee I will call vpon God and the Lord shall saue mee Verse 18 In the euening and morning and at noone day wil I pray and that instantly and hee shall heare my voice Verse 19 It is hee that hath redeemed my soule in peace from the battel that was against mee for there were many with mee Verse 20 Yea euen God that endureth for euer shal heare me and bring them downe for they wil not turne nor feare God True prayer is a speciall safegarde of the godly minde in so great miseries of this life Let vs therefore runne for refuge vnto this tower and in this hauen let vs settle our selues and let vs not seeke for those remedies of our sorowes which are not graunted vs. This place also teacheth that wee must go forwards in fayth in praier and hope for Gods helpe For although by the assured prouidence of God our deliuerance be deferred yet this litle lingring hath great aduantages because it exerciseth fayth and prayer and sheweth that we are not preserued and defended by mans helpe but by Gods helpe and many wayes adorneth and aduaunceth the glorie of God As the raising of Lazarus from death to life was more glorious then the reuiuing of the daughter of Iairus or the widowes sonne of Naim Verse 21 He laide his hand vpon such as be at peace with him and he brake his couenant Verse 22 The words of his mouth were softer than butter hauing warre in his heart his words were smoother than oile and yet bee they very swords This most pleasant description painteth out the properties of false brethren and pointeth the finger vnto the wel-spring of dissimulation fraud or guile subtile deceits and cruelty for the originall of these mischiefes is impietie which neither feareth God nor is not conuerted vnto God from this wel-spring flow the sleights of hurting which hipocrits most subtiâ—ly are acquainted with theâ—â— flattering speech touching which Cicero saieth Frons vultus oculi persaepe mentiuntur oratio verò saepissime The face the countenance and the eies very often deceiue men But the speech of tongue most often deceiue them And Eurypides saith Dura molliter loquuntur they speake grieuous things smoothly Hitherto pertaineth the fable of the little Mowse to whome her mother gaue this commandement Beware my little one saith she not of the crowing cock but of the silent Cat whose maners and gestures are altogether ful of craft and subtilty And what say you to that which our learned schoolemaister D. Philip Melancthon was wont very merrily to recite in these verses Annis mille i am peractis Nulla fides est in pactis Mel in ore verba lactis Fel in corde nil in factis In English thus These thousand yeares now past and gone None keepe couenants no not one Hony in mouth wordes milke proceedes Gall's in the heart and nought i'th deedes Verse 23 O cast thy burthen vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee and shall not suffer the righteous to fall for euer This is a notable and sweete consolation which biddeth vs settle our selues in confidence of the presence and helpe of God and to craue and looke for from him either deliuerance or mitigation This consolation healeth not the scarres but the woundes as the experience of the godly ones witnesseth It is our part to doe the workes of our vocation diligently and faithfully and to eschew the fauouring of offence in our selues But the care touching the issue and euent of our labours must be commended vnto God who will bring to passe that we shall not be oppressed with vaine contention but that our care should be profitable to the glorie of God and to the saluation of many men O Lord Jesus Christ I therefore beseech thee that thou wouldst mercifully heare and preserue vs wretched and weake soules reposing vppon thy shoulders So be it Verse 24 And as for them thou O God shalt bring them into the pit of destruction Verse 25 The bloodthirsty and deceitful men shal not liue out halfe their dayes neuertheles my trust shalbe in thee O Lord. He reciteth in conclusion of this psalme a curse the which is a prophecie of the holyghost touching the tragicall destruction of false brethren which are not curable of their sores for in as much as God is a louer of trueth and righteousnesse without all doubt he shal and wil destroy the craftes-maisters of lyings and murders And I will not be heere any longer tedious but I beseech God that hee woulde heale our woundes and turne the hearts of such as are teachers in the Church vnto a godly and wholesome agreement in doctrine and conuersation PSAL. LVI Miserere mei Deus To him that excelleth a Psalme of
hope well of things deferred and to rest at peace in God yea though he cast a sterne countenance at vs and so to perseuer euen vnto the very end To this purpose Iob saith cap. 13. verse 15. Yea though hee shall kil me yet will I trust in him and he shall be my Sauiour So Dauid with a great respect or regarde of fayth saith I haue put my trust in God and wil not feare what flesh can doe vnto me yea although all feares and all dangers euery where arise ouer mee yet I hold it a thing both certaine and affirmed to yeelde and obey to God calling mee and not to start aside no not a naile bredth from his worde For if God be on our side who shall be against vs Rom. 8. 31. O that it would please God to giue vs in the great outrage of stormes and concourse of calamities like strength of faith vanquishing feares and doubtings And without all doubtes he shall be mightie in our infirmitie if we make our prayers vnto him according to his promise Math. 7. 11. How much more shal my heauenly father giue you his holy spirit when you pray for it Verse 5 They daily mistake my words al that they imagin is to doe me euil Verse 6 They hold altogether and keepe themselues close and marke my steppes when they lay waite for my soule Verse 7 Shall they escape for their wickednes thou O God in thy displeasure shalt cast them downe Hee handleth at full the historie as touching his miseries in time of his banishment Like as in Esops fables all beasts conspire together to spoile the poore Camel So as Tyrteus the musitian saith Nemo curat vagos ledere nemo veretur Non exul curâ— ducitur esse Deo No man careth for the wandring wights to hurte them none doth feare Men thinke that God forgetteth quite pore Exiles liuing here But vnto a most euident complaint wee neede not to adde any long declaration Verse 8 Thou tellest my flittinges putte my teares into thy bottell are not these things noted in thy booke O the vnspeakable fatherly louing kindnes of God numbring the very haires of our head and gathering our teares For I pray you thinke and consider how great this gatherer is namely the Creator of all things the King of kings and Lord of lords Wee merueile at the humanitie of Theseus who washed with his owne hands the dead carkases of his slaine souldiers at the water of Thebes But much more let vs maruell yea and al amased wonder at this when we reade and heare that God gathereth our teares But whose teares I pray you gathereth he not the teares of Angells but of sinners whose infirmitie and filthines is great Surely I can scarse tell whether any more notable description bee extant of Gods prouidence either in the histories of the Prophets or of the Apostles Let this therefore be fast fixed in our mindes so that it may comfort vs so often as wee are vehemently disquieted touching the will of God and are vexed with a certaine speciall sorow God taketh care not onely for our bodies and soules but also euen for our very haires and seely teares and keepe them as it were a matter of great importance and as a treasure of great prise Therefore notably said Saint Paul that our light afliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glorie 2. Cor. 4. 17. Verse 9 When soeuer I call vppon thee then shall mine enemies be put to flight This I know for God is on my side In this verse let there be considered a difference betweene the doubting of the Ethnicks and the careful confidence of the church Cato although he beleeued there was a God yet hee doubted whether he might be hard and by litle and litle was plunged into desperation But the church which embraceth the worde deliuered from God striuing against doubting beleeueth assuredly that she is receiued and heard for the Mediators sake and the cause of his assurednesse is the worde of GOD in which phrase or speech I comprehend the commaundement promise oath and truth of God But these things are elsewhere often expounded Verse 10 In Gods word will I reioyce in the Lords word will I comfort me Verse 11 Yea in God haue I put my trust I will not be afrayd what man can do vnto me Verse 12 Vnto thee O God will I pay my vowes vnto thee will I giue thanks Verse 13 For thou hast deliuered my soule from death and my feet from falling that I may walke before God in the light of the liuing So often times as I haue now spoken of thanksgiuing vnto God the same is to be referred vnto three conclusions whereof the first is that the glory of the power liberty and presence of God in his Church might be attributed vnto God and that Epicures Stoicks and other blasphemous persons which crie out that God is either idle or blinde might be refuted c. The second conclusion is that true acknowledgement of God might goe forwards in vs and that God hencefoorth would vouchsafe to communicate himselfe vnto vs for God ceaseth to communicate himselfe vnto vnthankefull persons which are lyars and vniust Lyars indeed because they acknowledge not from whence their benefit is receiued and vniust because they render not due recompenses whereunto they are bound The last conclusion is that others by our example might be assured or woonâ—e to the true acknowledging and inuâ—cating vpon God Unto these finall effects let vs referre our Eucharist or thanksgiuing and let vs declare our thankefulnesse not onely in speech and preaching but with all obedience in our vocation life and calamities PSAL. LVII Miserere mei Deus miserere mei quoniam in te confidit anima mea c. To him that excelleth Destroy not a Psalme of Dauid on Michtam vvhen he fled from Saul in the caue 1. Sam. 24. 4. THE ARGVMENT PLato in Protagora citeth the saying of Simonides Uirum vere bonum nasci difficile est qui manibus pedibus mente sit Tetragonos that is A hard matter it is to finde a right good man borne which of his hands feet and minde is alwayes vpright and constant Such a man was Dauid who could more hardly be withdrawen from an honest or good purpose then the shining Sunne may be driuen out of his course for although by great right he might haue slaine Saul yet neither would he vse the law of defence whereof politike lawes do make mention nor yet take occasions which ministred oportunity vnto him to slay Saul For seeing he had altogether consecrated himselfe vnto God and his country that is the Church he would not be the authour of an euill example amongst Gods people in putting kings to death but in faith craued and looked for helpe from God wherefore let vs maruaile at this humility and gentlenesse in Dauid here
layed a net for my feet and pressed my soule they haue digged a pit before mee and are fallen into the middest of iâ— themselues Elder age long agoe made a most honest lawe for punishing of a slaunderer for the cause beeing knowen the slaunderer was scurged with the same punishment wherwith the other shoulde haue beene scurged if hee had bene conuinced So they that slandered Daniel were cast amongst the lyons Dan. 6. 24. And they that slaundered Susanna were stoned to death Daniel 13. 62. For not a more iust punishment is there then that murtherers should be manqelled Therefore said Pithagoras viz. Iustum esse quiddam retaliatum a â—ust man was a certeine recompenced thing like for like And as the verse of Rhadamanthus saith Iusta malis haec admisso pro crimine poena est Si quae fecerunt eadem patâ—antur et ipse A punishment iust to the wicked men This is for crime committed so by them That if they haue done any wickednes They therefore should smart all remedile Te. Verse 8 My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and giue praise Verse 9 Awake vp my glorie awake lute and harpe I my selfe will awake right early Verse 10 I will giue thankes vnto thee O Lord amongst the people And will sing vnto thee among the nations A great part of the Psalme consisteth of prayer and thanksgiuing Like as therefore heretofore hee craueth defence against the violence and fraude of his enemies So now with great alacritie or cheerefulnes of minde he giueth thankes vnto God And this comfortablenes in thankesgiuing is stirred vp not by mans helpe but by the spirit of grace and of prayer For without his spirit the old grace sleepeth and man litle in mind keepeth as Pindarus saith But men being maued with the holy ghost are true and iust that is they acknowledge the societie with God and studie according to their abilitie to render some recompence Hereof come those sayings My hart is fixed awake Lute and Harpe and I will sing vnto thee c. But why addeth he that he will giue thnakes vnto the Lord among the people Uerily to teach that Thanksgiuing is a publike and not a priuate vertue For Temperance and certain other vertues are mens priuate induments ornaments But Justice whose outward shew is Gratitude or thankfulnes reioyceth in communicating her selfe vnto others and in that thing followeth large fountaines which send whole riuers out of them Therefore it is not nough that wee priuately acknowledge the presence of God but we must celebrate gods benefits before others that euen they also may be called vnto true acknowledgement and prayer vnto God Verse 11 For the greatnesse of thy mercy reacheth vnto the heauens and thy trueth vnto the cloudes He amplifieth the mercy of God not with vaine thetorike but with true affirmation such as is extant in the epistle of S. Paul to the Romans the 5. chapter and 2. verse grace aboundeth aboue sinne for wee must most firmely beleeue that the kingdome of God is moremighty than the whole kingdome of the deuill neither must we adde this defperation vnto other our offences which thing Caine added in committing that murder saying Gen. 4. 13. My sinne is greater than that it can be forgiuen This blasphemous speech which accuseth God of vntrueth and derogateth from him the praise of immense mercy doth Augustine most grauely reprehend saying Thou liest Cain greater is Gods mercy than the misery of all sinners Verse 12 Set vp thy selfe O God aboue the heauens and thy glory aboue all the earth Like as Rhetoritians in their epilogues or shuting vp of their tales will haue the cheefe arguments repeated So Dauid repeateth this most sweete litle verse in the end of this Psalme wherewith hee as it were stirreth forth if I may so say God voluntarily running vppon his side Let thy glorie florish rule and raigne euen to the destruction of all epicures ond blaspheimers Amen PSAL. LVIII Sivere vtique iustitiam loquimini To him that excelleth Destroy not a Psalmâ— of Dauid on Michtam The disposition of the Psalme THere are foure parts of this Psalme the first is a rebuking of the godly ones mightily amplified by degrees of mischiefes circumstances and familitudes The second part is a prayer that God would restraine and subdue tyrants and heretikes The third part prophecieth of the punishments due to the vngodly ones and of vaine contention so farre as pertaineth to the effect of the matter The fourth part promiseth vnto the godly ones deliuerance These parts if it please you let vs â—unne through hereafter Psal LVIII And exposition thereof Verse 1 Are your minds set vpon righteousnesse O ye congregation and do ye iudge the thing that is right O ye sonnes of mer Verse 2 Yea you imagine mischiefe in your hearts vpon the earth and your hands deale with wickednes Verse 3 The vngodly are froward euen from their mothers wombe as soone as they be borne they go astray and speake lies Verse 4 They are as venemous as the poyson of a serpent euen like a deafe adder that stoppeth her eares Verse 5 Which refuseth to heare the voyce of the Charmer charme he neuer so wisely ALthough mankinde wholly without the sight of the Gospel and without the holy spirit be both dumme and deafe because nature not regenerate either securely contemneth Gods iudgement or els is full of academicall doubtings either else being astonished with feare fleeth from God and hateth him yet in this place heretikes and tyrants of all ages are by name rebuked when they become vncurable For like as Aspes doe stoppe and close vp their eares that they might not heare the words of the charmers euen so heretikes and tyrants are so troubled out of their minde and whole body that furiously they refuse and despise all wholesome counsels and all godly admonitions but the causes of this furiousnesse are not onely mens willes couered with an eâ—icuricall contempt of God and most cruelly setting themselues against the present state of what sort soeuer it be but much more doe deuils leaping into the very hearts of the godly ones and by their breathings extinguishing light and naturall affection in men Examples of this purpose are set downe in Pharaoh Exod. 14. 8. Antiochus 1. Mac. 1. 11. the Pharises and monks of our time which haue night and day bent and practised all their indeuours to the destruction of the true church But these Aspes at length by casting a litle nightshade or petimorell vnto them are therewith cast asleepe And that I say nothing of tyrants who euer read or heard that any authour of a lewâ— religion hath bene reuoked from his errour and restored to a sound or perfect opinion For like as in the godly ones there increaseth spirituall light according to that saying in the Prouerbs cap. 4. vers 18 19. The path of the righteous shineth as the light that is
the same policie might witnesse that Christ hath beene present vpon earth For it behaued that Christ should be borne in Bethleem and in very deede so was he when the policie of Moyses stoode in force But now more then a thousand and foure hundred yeares the city of Bethleem and the policie of Moyses lie ouerhrowen and brought to none effect Then needefull it was that Christ should come in the flesh laug before All these causes are most worthie of diligent consideration Verse 12 For the sinne of their mouth and for the words of their lippes they shal be taken in their pride and why their preaching is of uâ—sing and lies Verse 13 Consume them in thy wrath consume them that they may perish and knowe that it is God that ruleth in Iacob and vnto the end of the world Verse 14 And in the euening they will returne grin like a dog and will go about the citie Verse 15 They will runne heere and there and grudge if they be not satisfied The cause of the perpetuall banishment of the Jewes is not any ciuil ossence but a high degree of sinne namely Blasphemie against Christ and his church For they call Christ a deceiuer and a malefactor moreouer they cast vpp from their hatefull stomacks such bitter railing against him as one shippe cannot carrie away And the church which embraceth the gospel touching Christ they call the people of Edom that is crewell and full of blood For these reuilings which they vsed against Christ and his church doe they suffer greeuous punishment and iust punishments For in their banishment they wander abroade as it were dogges which when the wringing of their belie vexeth them doe make a horrible howling For although they require and looke for doubtfully a Messias go about to set vp anew their kingdome yet neither find they the Messias no nor yet thogh they burst themselues can they set vp againe their ancient gouernment The histories are knowen touching the scoms and out-casts of the Jewish people which now and then went about with all indeuor to recouer their countrie restore their temple but their looked for haruest hath disappointed them with a vaine reaping For other whiles with the Romane armies and otherwhiles with horrible prodiges or wonders they were ouerthrowen and scattered abroad as in the 21. Psalme is before declared And that the Jewish rabins are not onely blind but the leaders of blinde hereof it may be adiudged whereas with a most scuere decree they forbid that no man shall despute of the time when the mesias shall come whereof indeede God hath appointed almost the time itselfe in 9. of Daniels prophecieâ— And how I pray you do they sycophantically wrest the most excellent prophecies touching the natiuitie passion resurection and eternall kingdome of Christ the Messias from their natiue and proper vnto a strange and improper meaning and so all witting and willing do procure darkenes vnto themselues and others Therefore when we reade these and other innumerable such like things let vs partly bewaile the blinde stubbernnesse of this most wretched nation and partely tremble with feare in thinking vpon the wrath of God whose most euident example is seene in this out-scowring or scumme of the Jewes For if God spared not the naturall branches as saint Paul saith what shall become of the wilde graffe Rom. 11. 21. that is if God poure out his wrath vpon that people from amongest whom Christ was borne howe much lesse will hee spare other enemies and contemners of the Gospel Let vs therefore liue in the feare of God the Lorde and let vs keepe still the excellent benefit of the gospel by the holy spirit lest the same thing happen vnto vs which hapned vnto those same vnthankefull Iewes Verse 15 As for me I will sing of thy power and will praise thy mercy betimes in the morning for thou hast bin my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble Verse 16 Vnto thee my strength will I sing for thou O God art my refuge and my mercifull God Two sacrifices there are wherein God specially taketh pleasure and delight the one is Thankesgiuing the other Mortification that is of true contrition and of obedience in miseries the one and fiftieth psalm saith A troubled spirite is a sacrifice vnto God a contrite and humble heart O God wilt thou not despise Of the other kind of sacrifice wee haue already often times spoken in the Psalmes so that it would be a thing vnpleasant to sing that song here againe PSAL. LX. Deus repulisti nos c. To him that excelleth vpon * Shusshan * Eduth or * Michtam a Psalme of Dauid to teach when he fought against Aram Naharaim and against Aram Zobah when Ioab returned and slew twelue thousand Edomites in the salt valley The Title THere is a great difference betweene the gouernment of the kingdome of Israel and other gouernements For though all good gouernements be ordained of God yet this kingdom was by the expresse word of God ordained and had a speciall promise touching the preseruation thereof vntill the time of the Messias sent into the world Such a promise hath not any nation now but after a sort we know that God will giue some harbouring places for his church in exile somewhere more somwhere lesse Now think with your self what a benefit it hath bin that the church of the people of Israel for the space of 1500 yeares and more hath by Gods prouidence bin preserued and defended How acceptable a thing were it for vs to know for certaine haue it by good proofe verified that in these countries where the Gospel is now preached a mean state of the church shuld continue 100. yeares togither Againe also the speciall ornaments of other pollicies wherein shineth not true knowledge of GOD are laws agreeing with a right rule iudgements meane discipline defence in peace and wars and wealth But these things serue only for this life mortall and do not deliuer a man from sin and death But the kingdome of Israel had far greater and more necessary and wholsome ornaments namely a law giuen from God a promise of the Mediator for which cause the truchurch of God was planted in this people the sending of Prophets the gathering of the euerlasting Church manifest testimonies of Gods presence studies of the doctrine of God and of other good things true worshipping of God and modesty of discipline these benefits exceed all cogitation and eloquence of man Last of all we must consider of the finall cause of this excellent pollicy or gouernment for although all common-wealths ought to indeuor to this end wherof Saint Paul most grauely exhorts 1. Timot. 2. 2. That we may liue a quiet and peaceable life with all godlinesse and honestie yet this pollicie or gouernment vvas therfore ordained especially that there might be an Vniâ—ersity and Library vvherein the promises touching the Mediator might be preserued
Moses pollicy extinguished Ceremoniall â—ites abolished Fiue speciall points of glory which the church hath by Christ The first part The second part The third part The fourth part The fifth and last part A description of the church gathered from out of the nations in three points Seauen degrees of excellence proper vnto the true church of God Platos rule as touching parents * Which was either a musicall instrument or a solemne tune vnto which this Psalme was sung Christ the King onely protecting the church Num. 25. 3. â—â—ut 4. 3. An. mun 3628 secund Dau. Chyt Henric. Pantaleon Anno Christi 6â—6 The churches stabilitie euen amids the ruines of kingdomes Roboam 3. Reg. 14. 15. Iosphat 1. Paralip 19. Ioas 2. Chro. 24. 17 18. The Iewes false fabulous dreames of the kingdom of Christ 1. Tim. 6. 12. Kings and Princes are shieldes of the earth Kings and princes wherin they exalt the Lord. The Church discerned from other sects Heretickes of our time An admonition to loue help and adorne the true church The churches proper glorie A consolation touching perpetuall stabilitie of the church Vide Polyd. Viâ—g inuent cap. 6. Gods iust iudgement â—tâ— destroying Valence the tyrannicall Emperour Augustines saying touching the blessed ones Platoes saying touching the loue of our countrey A contrary description of the Church and the vngodly ones Ouid. epist 3. Of the difference betwixt the godly and the vngodly ones at the later iudgement Eccles. 7. 36 Metathesis The difference betwixt Homo and Vir in signification Doctrine of future iudgement A resemblaÌ„ce of the Church in Lazarus her enemies such as Diues Luke 16. 19 20 A patterne of epicurial pompous persons such as king Alexander Anno mundi 3640. The last degree of punishments alotted for the vngodly ones Saladine liued about the yere of Christ 1176. Seuerus died at Yorke in anno Chriâ—â— 212. Anno regni 18. The praise of Dauid and his Musicians A first and second comming of the Messias Exod. â—0 Philosophical rules shewing how God is to be worshipped A mutuall league or couenant betweene God and his church A sixefolde order to be considered in Prayer What God we call vpon The commandement of God vnto vs. Conuersion of him that prayeth Promise to him that praieth Asking in faith Beleeuing God Asking according to Gods will obtaineth all Bene dieere male viuere nihil aliud est quam sua se voce damnare 2. Sam. 12. 1. Ezech. 33. 11 The acknowledgement of sinne The confessiof sinne Three petitions of Dauid in these three verses A cleane hart The holy spirit Three notable properties which Dauid attributeth to the holyghost Rom. 8. 13. Comfort of the principal spirit What exercises of faith calamities are Iudas representeth truelie all heretikes reuoulters treacherous conspirators The Oliue liuely representing the church of Christ in three similitudes Which was an instrument or kinde of noâ—e Knowledge of God the well-spring of all vertues Ignorance contempt of God the root of all sinne Such are the base people of vnbrideled sensualitie in these dayes Exod. 19. 18. The roote branches of sinne in mankinde Anno Christi 70 95 252 257 276 Saules two seâ—erall assaults vpon Dauid 1. Sa. 23. 27 28. 1. Sa. 26. 7. 12. So in like maner are the practises of the enimies of the gospel hindered at this day Three causeâ— why Dauid when hee might did spare to kill Saul The effects of the Psalme Causes moâ—uing God to bestow his benefites A two folde kind of prayer Two speciall points of mischiefe in the enemy Pride and Tyrannie Two distinct prohibitions in praying or cursing for the enemies A prayer against fained friends A difference betweene the prayer of the faithfull and the prayer of hypocrites The threefold praier of the hypocrites wicked ones The prayer of the faithful Iohn 4. 23. Three speciall meanes to learn diuinitie Meditation Praier and Temptation Against the open enemies of our time Against the false friendship of our time Luk. 16. 20. Matth. 9. 8. Luk. 7. 12. Against the false brethren of our time The cursed end of the wicked King Achis his courtmaligning the estate of King Dauid An Apologie of the life and doctrine of true gospellers The tripartite diuision of this Psalme The church like the Halcian bird A refuge in sorrowes The vnspeakable fatherly louing kindenes of God towards his The doutings of the Heathen The faith of the church A threefolde conclusion of thanksgiuing A constant person in goodnes God deliuereth Dauid out of Sauls hands Our affections must iump with Dauids harpe The church is in the world like Danieleâ—â— among the lions c. The description of slaunderous tongs The example of gods indgement aud iustice vppon slanderous persons Dauids thanksgiuing vnto God for his goodnesse Gods goodnes must be both acknowledged in ourselues and made knowen vnto others Contempt of God in heretikes and tyrants Examples of both Dauids prayer for defence against those his enemies Whereunto Dauid compareth these his enemies in foure kinds An affirmed difference of Gods iudgement in the behalfe of his church against her enemies The application of this Psalme two folde The first signifieth the historie of Dauids troubles The second the historie of Christs passion The Popes Nero-like crueltie That which our Preachers do teach is agreeable to the scriptures Propheticall Apostolicall and Symbols A two-fold kind of righteousnes First of our person Second of our cause A three-fold cause why the enemy may be cursed Fiue causes why Moses law was abolished 1 2 3 4 The cause of the perpâ—tuall destruction of the Iewes The Iewish Rabines both blinde themselues and leaders of the blinde Two sacrifices acceptable to God The first thanksgiuing The second Mortification These were certain songs after the note whereof this psalme was sung 2. Sam. 8. 1. 10. 1. 1. Chron. 18. 3. A speciall difference betweene the kingdome of Israel and other kingdomes A significatioÌ„ of the word Token in triumphing The final causes and impulsiue causes of the deliuering of the church A comparison of Dauids verses vnto two ancient prophecies of Iacob and Esau The application of Saul and Dauid to the foresaid Isac and Iacob Explication of these words Sichem Sucot Gilead Ephraim Iuda Moab Gen. 19. 37 and 36. 36. Edom. â— Mac. 3. 11. Philistia Cen. 10. 4. and 21. 32. The causes of victory in battels Gods help not humane exploits This Psalme containeth a prayer for the prosperitie of the supreme magistrate The flesh feaâ—full of the crosse but the spirit reapeth comfort therby Dauids assured affiance in Gods alone defence A three fold prayer for the preseruation of the supreme magistrate For long life and prosperity For Gods mercifull and true protection Prayer and thankesgiuing 1. Tim. 1. 17.