his mercy is aboue all his works extending to a thousand generations Exo. 20.6 Psal 100.5 Hos 6.6 whose mercie endureth for euer With the Lord is mercie and great redemption I will haue mercie and not sacrifire His mercies are often repeated in the Scriptures as Psal 5.6.12.16.17.20.22.23.24 thrice 25.30 thrise 32. twise 35. thrise 39. twise 41. thrise 47.50.50.58 thrise 60.61.62.63.68 twice c. Ioel 2.13 Mica 7.18 Mâ—th 12.7 rich in mercie â— Tim. 1.2 Eph. 2.4 c. The Apostles salutation is Grace mercie and peace Since so it is As a gardeÌ„ is replenished with flowers so is the Scriptures with mercie that this herbe of mercie groweth in euery corner of the garden of holy Scriptures and all the Prophets and Euangelists by plucking thereof haue nourished themselues let vs also in our greatest distresses run vnto it perswading our selues that God will as soone denie himselfe vnto vs as he will denie his mercie if we come with penitent hearts and beg it with such humility as becometh supplicants such faith as beleeuers such hope and patience as becommeth the elect we need not doubt he is faithfull who hath promised The Papists Bellarmine and Larinus in their translations Lorinus Bellarmine adde to the Scriptures following the Septuagints and not Saint Ierome as they confesse do adde magnam great giuing greater credit to their owne translation then to S. Ierome who was knowne to haue bin a godly and learned translator or to the Hebrew veritie They confesse the Scriptures in the originall language to be the best and yet do not spare to adde or pare therefrom as pleaseth them and therefore that curse must fall vpon them in the 22 of the Reuelation that God will adde all the curses of the law vpon those who adde to the Scripture and the words of this book and put their name out of the booke of life who diminish any point of them What need haue they to put in magnam great as though the multitude which followeth did not include the greatnesse O God The person to whom he prayeth is God Obiect Against iâ—uocation of Saintâ— But in regard of his basenesse and vnworthinesse why doth he not make suite to Abraham Moses Samuel Iob or some other holy men onely contenting himselfe with God For I thinke the sinners of old time had as much need of the suppliment of the old Patriarkes and Fathers of the Church as we haue now of the helpe of our Apostles and Saints If they had not mind of such Mediators â—â—â—siâ— but fled onely to God I thinke we should follow their footsteps When God is deficient then let vs go to them and when the Sunne of righteousnes doth not shine it is time to light our halfe â—pennie candles Paul saith O foolish Galatians Gal. 4.3.1 who hath bewitched you and I say O foolish Papists when will you leaue off your folly If Christs intercession being God who knoweth all our necessities and pitieth them were not perfect then we might claime some subsidies but it is vaine to seeke otherâ— when he hath all for that doth greatly derogate to his glorie as I haue spoken in another place He vseth the word Elohim representing the holy Trinitie He inuocateth the whole Trinitie of which some of the ancients haue this coniecture because he failed against the Fathers omnipotencie when he abused his regal power in slaying Vriah against the Sonne being the wisedome of the Father vsing deceitfulnesse and fraud in this murder against the Spirit when he by his filthinesse abused his holinesse who is the Spirit of sanctification Therefore say they he now prayeth to Elohim Iudge of this nomination as ye please Elohim representeth the Trinitie as Iehouah the vnitie of both which Saint Augustine in his Confessions admonisheth vs We should saith he neâ—er remember the vnitie of the essence but we should as soone remember and dissolue our mind vpon the trinitie of the persons and not so soone thinke vpon the trinitie of the persons but to gather in our minds the vnitie of the nature which albeit they be vnspeakable and incomprehensible to vs it is enough that we speake with the Scriptures beleeue with the Scriptures and pray at the direction of the Scriptures whose direction if we follow we cannot erre in whose paths as being the vndoubted writs of God if we walke we cannot fall According to thy louing kindnesse The thing which he reposeth and resteth vpon Against merits is not his owne deserts but Gods good wil. Iudge ye if this ouerthroweth merit or no. For if any man might haue preteÌ„ded good works it was he Psal 16. I giue saith he my goodnesse to the Saints I am companion to all them that feare thee I wash my hands in innocencie and compasse thine altar Looke the 101. Psalme concerning the gouernment of his family and his owne person Of his vpright life he saith Iudge me according to my righteousnes While he hath to do with men there was no man more pure in life and religion but when he hath to do with God he renounceth all and taketh him to Gods kindnes and fauour While we looke downe to the earth our sight is sharp enough and we may see far and cleerly Simil. but when we looke to the Sunne then our sight is dazled and blinded so before men we may brag of our vprightnesse and honestie but when we looke vp to God we are ashamed of our selues yea of the least thought of our harts The Lord of his mercie keep vs from presumption that we presume not in any good thing we do seeing that it is Gods worke in vs let him take the honour of his owne worke and let vs say with Dauid Shame belongeth to vs but glorie to thee Out best actions are contaminate with such imperfections and spots that we haue cause to â—top our mouthes and blush and be ashamed of them we are conscious of the manifold faults and defects which are in them According to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities He exaggerateth the weight of his sin in that it hath need of many mercies whereby he testifieth that his sinnes were many passing the number of the heires of his head and like waters that had gone ouer his head So Gods mercies are more then mans miseries many sinnes require many mercies Men are greatly terrified at the multitude of their sinnes but here is a comfort our God hath multitude of mercies If our sinnes be in number as the heires of our head Gods mercies are as the starres of heauen and aâ— he is an infinite God so his mercies are infinite yea so far are his mercies aboue our sinnes as he himselfe is aboue vs poore sinners By this that he seeketh for multitude of mercies The godly account one sin tâ— be many he would shew how deeply he was wounded with his manifold sinnes that one seemed a hundred where
to binde Sampson Iudg. 16.21 when hee was spoiled of the marke of Gods presence in his head so one sin not repented for is able to carry any person headlong to destruction Finally 4 Mark Constancy Hosea 13.3 let thy repentance be constant not as the dew of the morning or the morning cloud but the longer thou liuest thou must euer haue the greater remorse for thy sin The ships are in greatest hazard when they ride in shallow waters Simil. and are most sure in deepest places Psal 130.1 according to that of Dauid Out of the deepe places I cried vnto thee And as quicke springs send forth continuall waters both Winter Summer Simil. whereas the filthy dubs are dried vp wanting a quicke spring So is true repentance euer mourning and boyling our teares when the counterfeit dries vp sodainly by the heat of their affections The Argument of the PSALME Diuision generall THe Sixt Psalme is first in order of the Seuen containing a Preface and the Psalme it selfe The Preface containes the Author Dauid and the musicall Instruments and persons to whom it is concredit to be sung Dauid was a chiefe sinner who not onely sinned in his person but by his example made Gods name to be euill spoken of now he becomes a chiefe mourner for his offences committed The Title Musicke lawfull HE commits this Psalme to the Master of Basses and Tenors to bee sung by these tunes which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vndermost and middle Ye see by this that Musicke hath euer beene lawfull and esteemed among the Saints of great vertue to stir vp the affections of men 1 Sam. 16.23 2 Reg. 3.15 The Harpe of Dauid banished the euill spirit from Saul Elisha craued a Minstrill to remoue his anger yea it is alledged that by the sound of Musicke the Delphine is moued it is very commendable if it be rightly vsed for it is not onely meet to stir vp the affectiōs to ioy but also to prouoke them to mourning for so heauie is our nature that it craueth helps and suppliments which may further vs to the seruice of God where by the contrary is force enough in nature to prouoke it to euill for this cause hee commits it to the Base and Tenor. Musicke praised To conclude this point let no man contemne Musicke seeing it is magnified in heauen amongst the Angels the aire is replenished with infinite varietie of tunes and notes the earth should imitate Angels and not bee inferiour to birds but be stirred vp to praise God yea and in hell there shall be sung that blacke Basse the shouts of wicked men who shall be forced to crie Psal 145.17 The Lord is iust in all his iudgements The Diuision Diuision particular THE Psalme hath two parts a Praier and a Triumph after Praier The praier hath two parts a deprecation of euill in the first three verses and a desire of deliuery in the next foure The Triumph and perswasion of obtaining his suit in the three last The Vse The vse of this psalme THIS Psalme serues for all persons who are either troubled in mind or diseased in their bodies or are persecuted by the wicked If they peruse this Psalme they shall find medicine to remedie and cure all VERSE 1. Verse 1 O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise mee in thy wrath Doctr. 1 O LORD Dauid being heauily vexed hath his refuge to God In our afflictions we must looke to God and not to secondary causes whose hands hee felt vpon him whereby hee would learne vs not to set our eye vpon the instrument which afflicteth vs or the mid causes which deale with vs but let vs looke higher than those to that Primum mobile the eternall God the first mouer of them all without whose speciall aduice and determination the Deuill himselfe is not able to cause the least haire of our head fall to the ground * For al are numbred Mat. 10.30 2 Sam. 16.11 12.23 Iob 1.21 which Dauid considered wel when Shemei railed at him in saying The Lord hath sent him the like he thought at the death of his child This Iob acknowledged when in his great distresse he looked to God and said Wee haue receiued good things at his hand why not euill also the Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken blessed bee the name of the Lord. Whereby wee are taught Vse that when wee are wounded To goe to God for helpe in our distresses Doctr. 2 Praier is our wings to flie to God in our affliction Cant. 2.14 Simil. we may goe to one who shall cure vs euen him who hath heaued vs vp and cast vs downe againe Next Dauid being in distresse runnes to Prayer for Prayer is the wings wherewith we must flie to the mountaine of God in our tribulations to hide our selues in his Rocke as a Doue from the violence of the Hauke which pursueth vs yea oftentimes God sendeth vs afflictions to the end we may be prouoked to prayer Rebuke me not God hath two meanes by which hee reduceth his children to obedience 2. meanes by which Gods brings vs to obedience 1. His word 2. His Rod. Mark 2.17 Psal 141.5 If we refuse to bee ruled by gods word then God will not faile to correct vs with his Rod. Mat. 26.46 his word by which he rebukes them and his rod by which he chastiseth them The word precedes admonishing them by his seruants whom he hath sent in all ages to call sinners to repentance of the which Dauid himselfe saith Let the righteous rebuke me and as a Father doth first rebuke his disordered child so doth God speake to them But when men neglect the warnings of his word then God as a good Father takes vp the rod and beats them Our Sauiour wakened the three disciples in the garden three times but seeing they could not waken he told them that Iudas and his band was comming to awaken them whom his own voice could not waken Many contemne the Word and Sacraments and such gracious warnings 1 Cor. 11.30 For which cause as saith the Apostle many are sicke among you many die also And indeed many warnings haue we receiued but all in vaine and therefore the Lord hath been forced to apply some harder remedies Simil. yea euen to fire the filthy farsie of our sinne But yet happy is that man that can be touched with any of them where by the contrary it is a desperate euill where nothing can moue either with the Word Note Yeeld to the means which God vseth 2 Sam. 12.13 Luk. 15.18 as Dauid was when he said I haue sinned or the rod as the Prodigall being pinched with famine resolued to returne to his father and confesse his owne vnworthinesse But alas the Lord hath too great cause to complaine of this age as he did of the Israelites by his Prophet while he saies I haue
smitten them with Mildew Amos 4.9 Grashoppers c. and yet they haue not returned vnto me 1 Sam. 2.25 4.11 and therefore it is to be feared that it befall to vs as to the Sons of Eli who would not heare the voice of their Father Distiction betwixt Gods chastising his children punishing his enemies because the Lord would sâ—y them In thine anger Dauid deprecates not Gods rebukes or corrections but that hee would not rebuke him in his anger neither chastise him in his wrath by which he makes a manifest distinction betweene Gods chastisements to his owne and his punishments to his enemies for God strikes them both but not with a like affection as a father will correct his childe and punish his enemy being in a contrary disposition to the one Gods children increase their griefe in not discerning betwixt a curse and a crosse Some marks betwixt a curse and a crosse in which he was not to the other It is true there is a great similitude betweene a curse and a crosse and oftentimes Gods children haue beene deceiued thereby and through his hard handling of them haue iudged him to haue become their enemie but indeed there is great difference as the one comming out of his loue the other out of his hatred as a beginning of their euerlasting paines And to the end yee may know whether they come from the hands of a louing God or no 1. Mark To look to our selues as caâ—sing it and not to secondary meanes consider these marks and tokens First if they lead thee to a consideration of thy sinne which is the ground and cause of them so that thou lookest not to the instrumentall or second cause but to thy selfe the cause of all they come from the hand of a louing God 2. Mark If by them we be driuen from sinne Secondly if these corrections and chastisements make thee leaue off to sinne and reiect it they come from a louing God And thirdly 3. Mark If they driue vs to God 2 Kin. 6 33. if vnder thy crosse thou run vnto God whom thou hast pierced that he may deliuer thee and not say with that godlesse King Iehoram Why should I attend any more vpon the Lord. Moreouer 4. Mark If they worke in vs humilitie and patience Simil. the crosse worketh in the godly a wonderfull humilitie and patience so that they submit themselues vnder the hand of the liuing God that they vnder it may be tamed and from Lions be made Lambes The wicked either howle as doe dogges that are beaten through sense of their present stroke or if they be humbled and seeme patient it is coacted and perforce as a Lion which is caged and cannot stirre In a word Note their affliction may well restraine their peruerse nature but it can neuer change alter nor renue it it must be the power of Gods restraining grace which will renue man and mortifie his affections The Lord sanctifie our corrections that they may worke in vs a true conuersion to our God for which God hath laid them vpon vs. And let vs desire his Maiestie that since he visiteth vs euery morning and deales to the outward appearance more strictly with vs than with our enemies that he may whip vs with the rod of his children take not away his holy Spirit from vs as he doth from the wicked The thing that he deprecates here is the wrath of God and therefore it falleth out naturally that I should speake concerning the wrath of God Opinions of Gods anger The Philosophers said of old that there was neither wrath nor grace in God and therefore that he neither rewarded his worshippers nor punished those that contemned him The Stoicks affirmed that there was no wrath in God because they considered nothing in wrath but that which is corruptible and sinfull as to runne after a beastly manner to reuenge But alas these persons doe not consider the difference betwixt the qualities that are in our sinfull nature and the essentiall properties which are in God for he is angry and sins not His anger is as pure as his mercy for his Iustice is his anger but our anger is annexed with sinne and therefore euill The Scriptures themselues make mention of Gods wrath that he was angry against the Israelites Num. 11.1 Gen. 19.24 Exod. 4. c. 1 Kin. 11.9 Hosea 1.4 against the Sodomites against Pharaoh against Salomon against the Iewes for the sin of Ioacham the sonne of Iehu But it is to be vnderstood that the names of Furie and Anger are not in God secundùm affectum How anger is in God that is not according to the passion and affection vnto which God is not subiect sedsecundùm effectum but according to the effect as when God chastiseth sinne it seemeth to the sinner that God is in choler and so he measureth God according to humane sense The anger of God is threefold 1. Generall Gods anger threefold 1. General Ephes 2.3 2. Temporarie 3. Eternall which is laid vpon all men for which cause the Apostle saith we are all the children of wrath 2. Temporary wherein God is angry both against the sins of the elect reprobate is this present life 3. That eternall wrath which the Apostle calleth the wrath to come 1 Thess 1.10 Matth. 3.7 of which also Iohn the Baptist speaketh Who hath forewarned you to escape the wrath to come Three sin in mans anger 1. To be angry against them they should not 2. For things they should not 3. More than they should Neither of which befall God Those who are subiect to anger whom the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are suddenly passionate and haue three great infirmities in being angry 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against those whom they should not 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for matters they should not 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more than they should be which three fall not into God for his wrath is only against sinners who doe transgresse his Law not against the righteous as a iust Iudge being angry at malefactors Next his anger is one y against sin for he hateth not his owne creature but the corruption of sin that destroyes his creature And thirdly the whole Scriptures testifie vnto vs that he doth moderate and temperate his wrath that in his greatest indignation he hath remembred mercy and hath not prosecuted with the extremitie and rigour of his iustice But yee must remember that as his grace is very great Gods angeâ— great Psal 90.11 so his wrath is very heauy And therefore saith the Psalmist Who knoweth the weight of thy indignation The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lion Pro 19.12 Dan. 3.16 19. as the wrath of King Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel was great and the fire very fearefull But the three Children feared not so much that temporall fire as the fire of the angry
displeasure and wrath and in the former part of this verse he asketh of God that he would haue mercy vpon him and forgiue him those sinnes that had prouoked his wrath and indignation against him and now in the latter part he desires that the Lord would heale him Euery one of these things were so necessarie to Dauid that lacking any one of them hee thought himselfe vnfortunate hee felt the wrath of God and therefore desired the same to be remoued he had offended and therefore desires mercy he was fallen into a most dangerous sicknesse and therefore desires corporall health Yee see here that the best of Gods children are subiect to diseases as well as others Doctr. The best of Gods children subiect to diseases GrauissimuÌ„ omnium tentationum non tentari The fruit of sinne Psal 41.1 Vse for seeing the root of sinne is in them and the fountaine of that sinning sin what other bud can it produce or what spring can flow therefrom but miserable destruction of our nature Therefore when we see good men heauily afflicted with diseases let vs remember that saying Blessed are those that iudge wisely of the poore and also bee carefull lest through our sins wee prouoke the Lord to powre the like vpon vs which if he doe as we iustly deserue then by prayer to runne vnto the Lord with Dauid and crie Lord heale me For my bones are sore vexed He sheweth how hee is made weake in both his parts his body in these words his soule in the next verse Doctr. Sin vndoes the whole man So sinne vndoes the whole man and euery part of him so that as the soule lusts and the body executes and practises the foule desires of the soule so both are punished hee who sinneth in both is punished in both Greatest paine in â—he bones Setting downe his bodily diseases he comprehendeth them vnder the trouble of his bones for as the greatest strength of man is in his bones so his greatest paine is the paine of the bones which exceedeth the paine of the flesh as experience in the tooth-ache or breaking any other bone teacheth for albeit the bones of themselues are senselesse yet not so the membrans and tunicles that compasse them Alwaies the Scriptures of God doe expresse both the greatest strength and ioy in Gods worship and the greatest paines and afflictions to the bones Psal 35.10 Psal 51.8 as all my bones shall say O Lord who is like thee and the bones which thou hast broken shall reioyce that is the whole strength of my body shall bee bent vpon thy seruice And againe Esay 38.13 Lam. 3.4 Psal 38.3 Psal 34.20 Psal 42.10 Lam. 1 13. Iob 20.21 Doct. Great mischief commeth of the euils of misgouerned health Iob 20.11 Esay 51.8 Simil. He hath bruised all my bones as a Lyon and all my bones are out of ioynt and there is no peace in my bones And God keepeth all their bones and while my bones are broken and send a fire in my bones and thy bones shall be filled with the sins of thy youth Obserue first out of this place what a misgouerned health bringeth to man it destroyeth our nature our pleasure becommeth our displeasure Our old bones inherit the sinnes of our youth which haue wasted and consumed vs as the moth doth the garment The poyson and venome of the Aspe is receiued with great sweetnesse but it ouercommeth the body by destroying man So is sinne Can there bee a rush growe without water or sicknesse where there is no sinne Iob. 8.11 Search downe to the bottome of thine heart and thou shalt finde the fountaine of the euill to be within thee that thou maist purge it by vnfained repentance Next consider Doctr. The bestremedie againd diseases is to goe vnto the Lord. 2 Kin. 20.2 Vse How God cures sin Simil. that as this his ficknesse comes from God so he turnes to him for remedie Diseases are Gods arrowes shot by his owne hand why should we not then with Ezekiah turne to the wall and mourne to him that he may helpe vs For so skilfully deales the Lord with vs that hee cures our sinnes by our diseases and visitations albeit they spring out of sinne as Physitians doe curing the sting of the Serpent by the ashes of the dead Serpent so by the bud and fruit of sinne he cures sinne and God is so infinitely wise that he applies that kinde of disease to his patient which is fittest for such a sinne And indeed as there be monstrous sins fallen forth in this ourage Monstrous sinnes produce vnwonted sicknesses which the former ages knew not so likewise hath the Lord punished them with vnwonted sicknesses vpon mens bodies whose nature Galen Hippocrates or the best Physitians haue neuer yet discouered And therfore the Lord remoue from vs these sinnes Cause of diseases 1. The contempt of the Gospel 2 Apostasie from Gods truth that he may take from vs these iudgements but namely the contempt of the Gospell Word and Sacraments for which many are tyed to the bed of sicknesse and this abominable Apostasie from Gods truth to Idolatrie which God is like to punish fearefully by desertion The word meaneth not onely a troubling but also a trembling Marke finally that the word according to the Originall signifieth not only a troubling or obstupifying but also a shaking or trembling of which the Poet saith Gelidusque per ima cuâ—urrit Ossatremor That is The cold trembling ran thorow the deepest bones This teacheth vs Vse The force of sin will shake our strongest parts that sinne can shake the strongest part we haue for if our bones were stones and mountaines yet if sinne sease on them it would shake them asunder VERSE 3. Vers 3 My soule also is sore troubled but Lord how long wilt thon delay Doctr. 1 NOw he expounds the other part of his sorrow which is a Spirituall disease the troubles of Conscience Spirituall trouble greater than temporall Reason farre greater yea and more importable than the other for as the soule is a more subtill and Spirituall substance beginner of all life and motion in man it must feele the selfe more when it is troubled and wounded I will therefore by the help of God intreat here about the trouble of Conscience and deduce it in all particulars that if it please God at any time to waken your conscience ye may haue remedie in time to pacifie it Doctr. Yokefellowes in sin yoke-fellowes in punishmeÌ„t My soule Yokefellowes in sinne are yokefellowes in paine the soule is punished for informing the body for performing and as both the informer and performer the cause and the instrument so shall the stirrer vp of sinne and executer be punished That man hath a soule But here appeares first that as a man hath a body so likewise hath he a soule and as the one is pained so likewise is the other And yet alas there are
these three things to obserue Doctr. An appointed time set by God for the end of our crosses First that there is an appointed time which God hath measured for the crosses of all his children before which time they shall not be deliuered and for which they must patiently attend not thinking to prescribe times to God for their deliuerie or limit the holy One of Israel Exo. 12.40 The Israelites remained in Aegypt till the complete number of 400 yeares were accomplished Ps 115.18 Ioseph was three yeares and more in the prison till the appointed time of his deliuerie came The Iewes remained 70. yeares in Babylon Dan. 9.2 Simil. So that euen as a Physitian appointeth certaine times to the Patient both wherein he must fast and be dieted and wherein he must take recreation So God knoweth the conuenient times both of our humiliation and exaltation The impatience â—f our nature vnder the crosse Next ye see the impatience of our nature in our miseries our flesh still rebelling against the Spirit which oftentimes forgetteth iâ— selfe so farre that it will enter in reasoning with God and quarrelling with him as we may reade of Iob Ionas c. and here also of David Thirdly albeit the Lord delay his comming to releene his Saints yet hath he great cause if wee could ponder it for when wee were in the heat of our sinnes many times he cryed by the mouth of his Prophets and Seruants Our iust recompeÌ„ce from God O fooles how long will you continue in your folly and we would not heare and therefore when we are in the heat of our pains thinking long yea euery day a year till we be deliuered let vs consider with our selues the just dealing of God with vs that as he cried and we would not heare so now we cry he will not heare VERSE 4. Returne ô Lord deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake DAVID before hath vsed some arguments to moue the Lord to deliuer him from his present troubles the first whereof was taken from his infirmitie the next from Gods mercies hauing an obiect before them his miseries Now he goes forward in a repetition of his request desiring God to returne to him Returne ô Lord. These words presuppose that in his tentation God was alienated from him Simil. and went his way as when a Physitian goeth from his patient And againe that he had felt Gods presence sensibly before this his absence not that God indeed at any time vseth to absent himselfe from his elect but to their conception and iudgement he seemeth to do so when they feele not the tokens of his presence at some time for their humiliation as the Sunne goeth not out of the firmament Simil. suppose he be obscured by the clouds ouercasting or some other impediments naturall So albeit the clouds of our sinnes and miseries hide the faire shining face of God from vs yet he wil pierce thorow dissipate these clouds and shine clearly vpon vs in his owne appointed time How God is said to returne God is said to returne to vs not by change of place for he is in all places but by the dispensation of his gratious prouidence and a declaration of his new mercies and benefits toward vs. Such a returning God promised to Abraham Gen. 18.10 I will certainly come againe vnto thee according to the time of life and lo Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne So he promised to returne to the Israelites to doe them good Ier. 32.40 and he will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs and Ier. 12.15 returne vnto me Zach. 1.3 and I will returne vnto you And Iames the brother of our Lord Acts 15.16 bringeth further a sentence out of the 9 of Amos After these things I shall returne restore the Taberuacle of Dauid Therefore as Dauid hath lamented the absence of God in the former verse in this he desireth a signe of his presence to be giuen to him Herein stands our happinesse if God looke fauorably vpon vs for then all things prosper well in our hand But because I haue spoken largely of the presence and absence of God from the soule in my Booke on the seauen words which our Lord spake on the Crosse and namely vpon the fift word My God my God why hast thou forsaken me whither I referre the Reader who is desirous to vnderstand any more of this subiect Desperate dangers get comfortable remedies Deliuer my soule This clearly declareth that Dauid hath beene in some extreame dangers both of his spirituall and corporall enemies from which he could not be deliuered but by the mighty hand of God who behoued to doe violence to his enemies euen as Dauid himselfe deliuered his fathers sheepe from the clawes of the Lion 1 Sam. 17.34 and pawes of the Beare and smote them both So it is miraculous to consider in how desperate perils and dangers good men will be cast wherein no doubt they would perish if they were not supported by the mighty hand of God Doctr. Saluation onely belongeth to God Obserue farther that it lyeth not in the power of any man to deliuer himselfe for saluation onely belongeth to the Lord yea whether hee worke our deliuery mediately or immediatly alwaies he is to be praised The reason why Iehouah so often named I finde that the name of Iehouah is fiue times mentioned in this prayer which is emphatically done being a great testimony of the certainty of his knowledge that hee knew assuredly vpon whom he called not vpon an vnknowne God but vpon him who manifested himselfe to Moses vnder the name of Iehouah Exod. 6. whereby his faith was greatly strengthened hauing assurance of deliuery by him who onely is and giues being to others makes his promises to be extant and the sweet name of Iehouah is so comfortable to a Christian that in the middest of dangers yea at deaths doore Pauls defire Dauids conceâ—ing lice death reconciled it will not onely temper the bitternesse of afflâ—ctions but also quite take them away Saue me This ingemination of his praier to be deliuered from death would presuppose that Dauid was ouer-much afraid of death when as the faithfull should not loue this life ouermuch neither feare death aboue measure but ought to say with the Apostle Paul Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolued and be with Christ And again My life is not deare to me that I may finish my race with gladnesse as also when Agabus prophecied of his bonds the faithfull of Caesarea requesting him not to goe to Ierusalem answered Acts 21.13 What doe ye weeping and breaking my heart for I am not onely ready to be bound but also to dye at Ierusalem I answer Dauid desired the continuation of his life to settle the kingdome in Solomons person that the promises of God might be confirmed and that himselfe might haue longer space
enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned backe and put to shame suddenly THis is a Prophecie of the finall extirpation of his enemies Doctr. The Churches enemies will not prosper albeit it is to be vnderstood that Dauid was not of a vindicatiue spirit that he had malice against Simei Saul or Doeg for the particular wrongs hee receiued from them yet because they were enemies to Gods counsell in his promotion he triumpheth ouer them whereby by wee may learne to abandon our affections in our particular quarrels Doct. We ought in our own quartels to bee mercifull but sharpe in the quarels of God Numb 12.3 that wee may affirme before God and the world wee can be content to pardon whatsoeuer iniury done to our selues labor to be as vvas Moses the meekest man in the world in our own particular but most sharp in reuēging wrongs done to God It should teach Prince Preachers to imitate this Prince and Prophet to sharpen the edge of their sword tongue against Gods enemies namely these diuelish Iesuites and factions Papists to forget their own particulars against any so far as they may But in this his Prophesie it is most remarkable what shall be the end of all the enemies of Gods Church whatsoeuer they be either Kings Balaamites Baalites Iulians Turkes Papists they shall be confounded and ouerthrowne and shall be shamefull spectacles of the iudgement of God as Pharo Saul Achab Iezabel Herod Iulian there is no man breathing that sets him against that truth of God that shall escape shame in this world Let Persecutors learne by the examples of their Prodecessors eternal cōdemnation in the world to come without repētance But the examples of our Predecessors wil not learn this future age to be wise and therefore they shall inherit shame for a reward of their hostility against Gods Church except they repent But shame cannot befall Gods Children they shall neuer be ashamed for albeit they commit oftentimes things shamefull yet their repentance blots them away Suddenly Doct. Sudden Iudgemēts are the greatest are the greatest iudgemēts Dan. 5.30 Mat. 24.38 This is an amplification of their iudgement that it commeth suddenly vnlooked for as befell Beltazar for when God giueth men time to repent it is happy but when hee taketh them in their sinne then they are most miserable as those in the first world they were eating and drinking marying and giuing in mariage when the floud came The Lord help vs and keepe vs from such suddenties which may take vs in our sinnes but that we may be prepared with the fiue wise Virgins Mat 25.10 whensoeuer our Bridegroome shall come to call vs To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory world without end Amen FINIS A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSItion on the twenty fifth Psalme the second of the PENITENTIALS DAVID being oppressed by his enemies The substance of this Psalm in this Psalme desires that God would deliuer him from shame and sinne the cause of all his euils that he would direct him to walke in his wayes as also confirmes himselfe by many arguments in the assurance of Gods goodnesse and finally praies for deliuery to himselfe and to the Church This Ode of Dauids is set downe in 22. Sections or Verses after the number and order of the Hebrew Alphabet at least very neere as are the 34.111.112.119 as also the Lamentations of Ieremiah and the 31. of the Prouerbes Those who seeke a reason of this let them reade S. Ierome Epist 155. in Lament Ieremiae and Euseb de praepar Euang. For he alludeth to the fignification of euery Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet which hath a spirituall meaning But in my iudgment these Psalmes are so framed for our memory that keeping in minde the Letters wee may the more easily remember the matter Man hath need of many helps For wee haue need of many helps to confirme our memory in goodnesse These Verses are called Acrostichi as were Sibyllaes verses of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedullius in like manner made an Hymne A Solis ortus cardine Beatus auctor seculi Castae parentis viscera c. As also Nazianzen I would not wish men to be too curious in the searching of the causes hereof but rather be diligent in the confirmation of their memories by these 22. Alphabeticall Letters The Diuision of the Psalme THis Psalme containeth a Prayer to the eight Verse a Confirmation to the eighteenth and a Conclusion petitory to the end In the first seuen Verses hee craueth three things at God First that hee may not be a shamed Secondly that hee may learne Gods wayes and be taught by him Thirdly that he may be deliuered from sinne Then there is contained a deprecation against sinne and shame and the meane by which he may escape them both that is by the word of God which may direct him in such a way wherein hee may not fall vnder shame and sinne Shame proceedeth of sinne There are two things which we may lawfully craue of God to eschew sinne shame sinne as the mother and cause shame as the daughter and effect And as we desire to flye them so especially wee should craue of God that onely meane by which wee may shunne them euen that we submit our selues to be gouerned by his word The word of God freeth man both of sinne and shame and frame all our actions therto by which we may perswade our selues that we shall escape both All pray Lord keepe vs from shame and sinne when as many contemne the meane by which they should bee preserued euen that blessed word of God VERSE 1. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule To whom God is Iehouah hee is also Elohim THe names which he giues God are Iehouah and Eloim the first taken from his nature the other from his power and he applyeth them to himselfe My strong Gods including the persons of the Trinitie He leadeth vs to God in our praiers Psal 73.23 Heb. 11.6 Whom haue I in heauen but thee Hee that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that he is able to saue such as come to him God appeared in sundry names to others Exod. 6.3 but to Moses in his essentiall name Iehouah Claime first to his nature and next to his power Note First he must be thy God Iehouah and then thy strong God First he must loue thee and then hee will defend thee Ps 144.15 Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. Those are foolish who seeks his protection not first hauing assurance of his loue If hee be to thee Iehouah then shall he also be to thee Eloim Three arguments to moue God to beare him The arguments by which he would moue God to heare him are taken from three persons First from
haue beene for euer A faire commendation of Gods mercies from the eternity thereof His mercies had no beginning as himselfe had none and shall haue no end From euerlasting to euerlasting thou art our God For as the Ocean and maine Sea Psal 100. Simil. can neuer be exhausted but it would furnish water to all the world if euery one should bring vessels to draw water there-from So if wee had faith and prayer to seeke grace from God he is all-sufficient in himselfe to furnish vs all which makes Dauid to cry in one Psalm tweÌ„ty and sixe times Psal 126. thy mercy endureth for euer Therefore we may build our faith on it as on a strong Rocke Mat. 1.6.18 that the gates of hell cannot preuaile against vs for euery thing earthly on which we repose is subiect to mutation and change All things change God onely immutable But herein is our comfort that he is an immutable God on whom wee depend and in whom we trust then as long as God stands our saluation cannot faile Woe to them who put their trust in any other following lying vanities Ionah 2.8 Psal 119. and forsaking mercies I haue seene an end of all perfection sayes Dauid but thy word is very large VERSE 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy kindnesse remember thou me euen for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. Doct. WheÌ„ God â—â—â—embers â—ercies he â—â—â—gets sin HE conioynes these two memorie of mercies and forgetfulnesse of sinnes the one destroyes the other when God remembers mercy hee forgets sinne when he remembers sinne he forgets mercy when God will plague the Whoore of Babel it is said He will remember her sinnes and in Hosea Hos 8.13 Now will hee remember their iniquity and visit their sinnes they shall returne to Aegypt Doctr. If sin had not beene Gods mercies had not beene knowne Rom. 8.28 He craued mercy before at God now hee let 's vs see the obiect of Gods mercy euen sin and here appeares the great wisedome of God who can turne all things to the best to those that loue him so that hee doth make their sinne which they did commit to manifest his glory and work their owne saluation All the properties of God his iustice and mercy excepted might haue beene knowne to the world by the creation his wisedome in framing the world so artificially his power in maintaining it his goodnesse in making man so excellent a creature but if sinne had not beene neither Gods mercy would haue beene manifested in pardoning it neither his iustice in punishing it Rom. 5.20 For where sinne abounded there mercy super abounds Remember not the sinnes of my youth Hee makes mention of his sinnes for when hee speakes to God who is most iust and righteous that he should remember his owne vnrighteousnesse as the brethren of Ioseph when they sought fauour of him they remembred the wrong they did to him as if one seeking the helpe of his friend he would confesse the faults he did against him Luk. 15.21 as the forlorne son did to his father So seeing sinne is the principall wall which diuides vs from God so that he doth not heare our prayers Dauid here taketh away this impediment Doct. We must confesse our sinne if we would be heard Therefore if wee would haue our prayers acceptable to God let vs begin at an humble begging of pardon and remission at which all our praiers should begin that hauing assurance of Gods fauour we may boldly sute what we please But if wee begin not our prayers at crauing pardon Simil. we become like foolish Physitians who neglect the causes of the disease and onely study to mitigate the present dolour and apply outward somentations for the curing thereof But how is it that Dauid specially nominates the transgressions of his youth Obiect did hee not commit other sinnes and are the sinnes of his age of no moment I answer Answ He doth not extenuate his present sinne by remembring the sinnes of his youth but rather aggrauates and aggredges the same while he repeats from his childhood how many wayes hee had kindled Gods wrath against him Confessing that he had heaped sinne vpon sinne and so by processe of time was loadned and ouercharged with it Next if God should deale with him by extreame rigour hee should not onely call to mind the faults which he did yesterday but whatsoeuer sinnes hee did from his youth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includes all the faults either of commission or omission which hee did Therefore so oft as the Lord terrifies vs with his iudgements Note let vs not onely remember our last offence but let our former transgressions make vs bee ashamed and bring new sobs and sighes in our heart Let old men call to minds their former offences which they did commit in their youth Saint Augustine in his confessions reckoneth out all the follies which he committed in his childhood infancy youth and age calling them to minde euen from the beginning Psal 51.5 for we are conceiued in sinne and a child of one day is not cleane before God As we grow in yeares ye grow in sinne as a Lyons whelpe is borne with a sauage nature and as it growes in age so the cruelty thereof increaseth so does man Solomon in the Prouerbs saith Pro. 30.19 It is hard to know the way of a young man with a maid So young men haue need of sure custody that their parents masters and Preachers should take heed diligently to them Saint Ambrose in a Sermon at the Funerall of the Emperour Valentinian the younger bringeth in that place of the Lamentations Blessed is the man who beares his yoake in his youth Lam. 3.27 God is mercifull to that youth whom he corrects Dauid he deplores the sinnes of his youth which were secret from the world and perchance to himselfe yet hee craues pardon for them Now the smallest sinnes trouble him which before were but sports to him and so it will befall to vs those offences now which we accompt no offences after we will esteem them great sinnes Prou. 6.3 now they are honey in the mouth but after in the belly they will be bitter as gall No time of mans life free of sin Ier. 2. Exod. 22.29 Simil. Note Ex. 23.10 There is no time of mans age which is free from sinne but the youth is not onely first but most subiect thereunto for a youth is like an vntamed Calfe like a wilde Asse which will be taken in her moneth The first borne should bee sacrificed to God the first fruits should be offered to him yea the beast if it had not beene redeemed the necke of it behoued to haue beene broken Thinke yee not that God hath more respect of the first fruits of our life then he hath of the first fruits of Bullocks Thou shalt consecrate thy beginnings to God
his choyce of wisdome Luk. 10.42 Mary choosed the better part Paul thought all things to be dung in respect of the excellent knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 The Church of Laodicea was counselled to buy gold Apoc. 3.18 But all these their choyces were of God who put it in their hearts to choose good things Wisedome cryed in the streets that all that were destitute of vnderstanding should come to her Pro. 8.1 but the foole heard the voyce of the harlot Goe to our daliance Pro. 7.22 saith shee and hee went like a sheepe to the slaughter So by nature we choose the way to destruction Hos 13.9 Thy perdition is of thee O Israel thy saluation of me VERSE 13. His soule shall dwell at ease and his seede shall inherite the Land What the peace of conscience 〈◊〉 HIs soule shall dwell at ease The second promise and spirituall blessing the peace of conscience which is the tranquility of the soule flowing from the assurance of Gods fauour in Christ wrought by the holy Spirit This is that white stone in the Reuelation Reuel 2.17 wherein a name is written which none can read but hee that hath it Thy good life may bee a marke to others of thy saluation but thy inward peace is a token to thy selfe that howsoeuer thy outward man bee afflicted yet thy inward man hath that peace which passeth all naturall vnderstanding of which Christ saith My peace I giue you Ioh. 20.19 not as the world and hee commanded the Apostles to giue their peace The giuer of this peace is called the Prince of peace the wicked cry peace Ier. 8.11 when as sudden destruction is approaching as the trauell of a woman But there is no peace to the wicked Esa 48.22 saith my God they may sometimes lye in carelesse security not wakened by the sight of Gods iudgements but sleeping in the bottome of the Sea hauing no true rest for the worldlings haue three wormes which eate them vp care feare and dolour Care feare and griefe are three wormes which eate the worldlings care to conquest the things of this world so excessiuely that they are eaten vp by it feare lest it be taken from them and commonly God as hee threateneth by his word the thing they feare shall come on them and then followeth an excessiue sorrow for the losse of them they despaire and oftentimes are the cause of their owne death but the godly cast their care vpon the Lord they haue a reasonable care of their Familie but with measure they feare nothing but the offence of God all other feares are swallowed vp in the gulfe of that feare for they assure themselues that God will maintaine their Lot and finally at the losse of any creature the godly haue a naturall sorrow albeit not out of measure Iob. 1.21 but with Iob saying The Lord hath giuen and taken The third benefite And his seede shall inherit the Land The third blessing temporall he promiseth wealth to the posterity of the righteous that their daies shall be long in the Land that God hath giuen them First in this promise yee see the constancie of Gods fauor towards them that feare him their death doth not withdraw Gods loue from their posterity 2 Sam. 19.38 as Dauid after Barzillai went home remembred his kindnesse in intertaining Chimham and on Mephibosheth hee shewed the mercy of God for Ionathans sake 2 Sam. 9.3 Doctr. Gods loue dieth not with the Parents but reuiues in their posterity A note for Parents so Gods loue dies not with the Parents but reuiueth in their posterity as the Lord promised to Dauid 2 Sam. 7.12 Here is a promise to the godly who feare him of a sure and perpetuall maintenance to their posterity The consideration hereof should abate that excessiue care that Parents haue of their children whereas the best care they can haue of them is that they feare God themselues and labour to bring them vp in that feare Kings haue not such surety of the continuance of their crownes to their succession neither Noble-men of their Lands as â— godly man hath of Gods prouision Psal 37.25 I was young saith Dauid and now am old yet I neuer saw the iust man nor his seed to beg Moreouer we see that Lands are at the disposition of God Doct. All changes come of sinne who wil giue them to whom he pleaseth and altereth Dominions as the Monarchie of the Babylonians Persians Grecians and Romanes the cause of this alteration was their sin and doe we not see amongst our selues within these thirty yeares Example of our time many and strange alterations of Lands and houses translated from the right owners thereof to others neither of their name nor any way belonging to them Should not this teach vs all to feare God and make our houses as Sanctuaries to him left he be forced as he extirped the Canaanites for their sinnes to root vs out and sweepe vs away as with a besom VERSE 14. The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him and his couenant to giue them vnderstanding 4. Benefit and promise reuelation of his secretâ— THe fourth benefit which the Lord will bestow vpon the godly men he will if they feare him reueale to them his secrets First Doct. Gods word is a secret â—eu 5.5 ye see the word of God is called a secret a mystery and hid treasure a closed booke which none is able to loose but the Lambe For all the naturall wit of man is not able to attaine to the vnderstanding of the meanest Article of faith All things which we beleeue are aboue the compasse of reason or flat against it The Gospell commeth by reuelation The Gospell comes by reuelation Mat. 16.17 Blessed art thou Simon the Sonne of Ionah flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this to thee but my Father where he manifestly testifieth that the confession of Christ is a hid matter which must bee reuealed to vs by himselfe The wit of man can search the profundities of nature albeit it is not able to attaine to the hundreth part thereof as of Physicke Astronomy Geometry c. but it cannot scaâ—se vpon Diuinity without inspiration which must come from aboue It is no maruaile therefore that so few beleeue the word for faâ—â—h is not of all men it is the gift of God as iâ— is a secret so are they called his secret ones to whom he reuealeth it But men may thinke Obiect that it being a secret why should it be made common to all and God hath closed that booke Answer I answer vvith Augustine it is a flood on vvhich a Lambe may swimme and an Elephant may walke Mat. 13.11 To the children of God it is plaine to those it is giuen to vnderstand but to others they are parables Esay 6.9 That seeing they should not perceiue But to vvhom doth he
euer man or can hee be but he shall finde comfort and good in this booke of Psalmes For the Psalmes are an Epitome of the old Testament Simil. a mirrour or looking glasse of the grace of God a perfect Anatomie of the whole man Wherein are expressed all sort of documents both of the gracious promises of God to his owne children and his iustice against his aduersaries also of our faith in the promises of God of our infirmities our patience our constancie our deliuerie from our troubles and our thankesgiuing for the same finally of our duetifull obedience to God and care of his Church Dauid by his doctrine teacheth these to repent whom by his example he had taught to sinne A generall lesson for al persons This is a Didascalique Psalme wherein David teacheth sinners to repent by this doctrine Who teached them to sinne by his example This science is vniuersal and pertaineth to all men and which necessarily wee must all learne Princes Priests and people men and women children tradsemen and whatsoeuer they be mâ—st be put to this Schoole without which lesson all others are vnprofitable A marke of a true penitent sinâ—er But to the poynt This is a marke of a true peâ—itent when hee hath beene a stumbling blocke to others hee may be as carefull to raise them vp by his repentance as hee was hurtfull to them by his sinne and I neuer thinke that man truly penitent who is ashamed to teach sinners repentance by his owne particular proofe The Samaritan woman when shee was conuerted Ioh 4.29 left her bucket at the Well entred the City and sayd come forth yonder is a man who hath told mee all that I haue done Luk 22.32 and our Sauiour sayth to S. Peter when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren 1 Tim 1.14 S. Paul also after his conuersion is not ashamed to call himselfe chiefest of all sinners and to teach others to repent their sinnes happie and thrise happie is the man who can build as much as hee hath cast downe Let Princes be ashamed to sinne but not to repent Next hee is a King and yet not a shamed to be an example of repentance by which all kings and noblemen should learne to be ashamed of their sinne but neuer be ashamed to repent Theodosius the Emperour after the slaughter that his Souldiers made at Thessalonica came to S. Ambrose The example of Theodosius the Emperour and humbly fell downe on his face amongst the penitents saying that part of the Psalme Agglutinata est terrae anima mea Ps 44.25 my soule is glewed vnto the earth David an experimented teacher Thirdly David is an experimented doctor as I haue said in the former two Psalmes who hauing felt himselfe teacheth others The Pilot who hath Sailed the Sea can best teach others the art of Nauâ—gation Simil. a Captiane can direct an armie best who hath had proofe of the enemie himselfe So experience in Spirituall combates is of great worth and hee can best teach others to avoide sinne who hath ouercommed sinne in his owne person Learne to get remission of sinne The doctrine most necessarie for a Christian to learne is the remission of sinnes For although yee had learned all other sciences what could they auaile you without this For as one of the worthiest fathers sayes all sciences without this are vnprofitable What if thou thou were neuer so prudent in the lawes if thine owne conscience accuse thee and expert in Physicke if thine owne soule be sickly and know the power of the stars if thy sinne throw thee downe to the lowest hels yea albeit yee learned all the heads of Theologie and taught them vnto others yet they are nothing worth to thy selfe if thou hast not learned to repent thy sinnes and to haue perswasion of mercy for them Iam. 2.19 Mar. 5.12 The Deuils beleeue and they tremble the legion of Deuils which came from the possessed could pray to Christ that hee might licence them to enter into the heard of Swine they they could confesse and professe that Christ was the Son of God 2 Cor 7.14 the Deuill can change himselfe into an Angell of light Balaam can Prophecie and many shall say Numb 23. we haue done miracles in thy name Iudas can preach and many can speake eloquently thinking to adde to Pauls bands but one thing can they neuer doe euen assure themselues that their sinnes are forgiuen them This lesson none can learne but those who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by God And this is the lesson that David teacheth al Christians who come to his Schoole which if they learne it is sufficient this is that one thing which is needfull I wish to God from mine heart Note that Pastors of Gods word would leane ostentation words of humane eloquenâ—e and the shew of learning and labour more to worke most vpon the hearts of the people a remorse for sinne and an assurance of mercie Et vt plactum populo non sibi plausum moâ—eant that they may moue a weeping among the people more then an applause to themselues VERSE I. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinnes is couered BEfore I come to the particular parts of this excellent Psalme I must obserue wherein David doth place happinesse and felicitie He more then twentie times in the Psalmes d scribing who are happie accounteth thesee onely happie who are godly Sometimes in the cause Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord Psal 33.12 Psal 41.1 Psal 128.1 Psal 32.1 Blessednesse sometimes imputed to the causes sometimes to the effect sometimes to the meane sometimes in the effect Blessed is the man who iudgeth wisely of the poore sometimes in the meanes as blessed are those that feare God whose sinnes are forgiuen for as gold is alwaies gold whither it be in the mine where it grew or put forth to exchange or in the kings treasurie so godlinesse must be esteemed all one whither yee iudge it by the cause from which it had its beginning or from the effects thereof or from the meanes whereby it is intertained albeit euery one of those haue their owne place the one as the fountaine the other as the spring flowing therefro There is no man although neuer so vnhappie who doth not aspire and desire to be happie Wherein many put happines 2 Sam. 13.4.29 but they perceiue not wherein happinesse consisteth some put it in the pleasure of their flesh with Ammon but his sudden repentance in thrusting away his sister and his infortunate end shew that there is no happinesse in those filthie pleasures some place happinesse in riches with Crassus but finding the incertaintie thereof they wil be forced to cry Plutarchus O Solon Solon other place happinesse on honours as Absolom and Haman who were both exalted on trees 2 Sam. 18.9 Ester 7.10 But David albeit hauing riches honours and pleasures
Lyon but most of all the sorrow which cannot be relaxed through intermission of time Difference betwixt the godly and wickeds griefe There is great difference betweene the dolour of the godly and of the wicked for the passions of the godly proceed from a good ground that is from the sense of Gods anger the other onely from the sense of their paine Then the godly albeit with Iob and Dauid they will sometime ouershoote themselues yet they will take vp themselues againe lest they ouerpasse their bounds VERSE 4. For thine hand is heauie vpon me day and night and my moisture is turned into the drought of summer Selah YEe heard the amplificatioÌ„ of his sorrow which pierced his bones next made him cast out such cryes roarings 3. which coÌ„tinued so long Now he declareth the cause of all euen the heauie hand of God vpoÌ„ him For thine hand is heauie vpon me The hand of God is either a comfortable hand in feeding his Church Thou openest thy hands and they are filled with good things or defending her Psal 104. Psa 136.28 or chastising her As the hand of a father both feedeth and chastiseth his childe the one in him being as necessary as the other Obserue first that all afflictions are Gods hand Doctr. All afflictions are Gods hand Amos 3.6 1 Thes 3.3 Shall there be euill in the citie and the Lord hath not done it his hand ordaines them Hence Saint Paul sayth That no man should be moued with these afflictions for yee your selues know that we are appointed therevnto Secondly His hand who executes them caused Iob to say The Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken Iob. 1.21 and this made David to say 1 Sam. 16.11 Suffer Shimei to curse for the Lord hath bidden him Thirdly His hand orders and disposes vpon them and turnes them to such ends as are fittest Next Doctr. We should looke to God when we are smiâ—ten See how David lifteth vp his eyes to God in the midds of his troubles and acknowledgeth the hand of God smiting him wherein many men faile who albeit they acknowledge all things that befall them to come by Gods prouidence yet when they are touched with some trouble they looke not to God who chastiseth them but to the Secondarie means and instruments that God vseth for that effect Isai 1.5 Why should yee be smitten any more for yee fall away more and more thou hast smitten them sayth â—erâ—mie and they haue not lamented Ier 5 3. And Isai The people haue not turned to him who smot them Isa 9.13 Euen as a man being wounded sometime would accuse his owne ignorance and slouth who would not eschew the stroake sometime would bite the instrument Simil. dart or sword that hurt him when rather hee should seeke remedies to cure his wounds So rather let vs looke to God who chastiseth vs then to second causes and instruments Let vs returne vnto the Lord who hath wounded vs and must heale vs againe Hos 6.1 Nazianz. Nazianzenus sayth a te percussus ad te respicio so doth the Prophet saying I am smiten by thee to thee I looke who hast pierced me Exod. 8.18 Let vs not be like the Egyptians that acknowledge the finger of God but they repented not therefore See that we despise not the iudgements of God by a beastly stupiditie and senselesnesse or the sharpnesse of trouble extort words of impatiencie It is enough that it is the hand of God who smites to whom we looke and from whom we beg mercy A sure ground of patience Here is a notable ground of patience in affliction that it is Gods hand vnder which we should humble our selues that is with meeknesse bow vnder it Ioh. 18.11 for it is the hand of our father Shall I not drinke of the cup that my father hath giuen me to â—rinke Note If it be a little bitter at the top the bottome will haue a pleasant farewell Moreouer the hand that smiteth the Church Doctr. The troubles of the Godly turne to their good Isa 59.1 Cant. 2.6 Psal 39 9. Isa 38.15 1 Sam. 3.18 2 Sam. 15. is no further stretched then to her benefit the Lords hand is not shortened that it cannot saue The same hand is vnder her head This made the Saints patient I was dumbe and haue not opened my mouth because thou didest it It made Hezekias to say what should I say for hee hath said it to me and hath done it And Eli it is the Lord let him doe as seemeth to him good And Dauid if he say I haue no delight in thee Loe here am I let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes Then if afflictions be the hand of God 2 Chron. 16.12 as they are indeed what neede we run to Physitians with Asa or with Achaziah Pharaoh Nebuchadnezâ—â— Saul c. to Beelzebub Astrologians Witches Deuils c. to seeke our deliuerie since we haue the hand which made vs al-sufficient to cure vs. Note Let vs goe gripe and kisse that hand which formed vs reformed vs fed vs defended vs drew vs from Idolatrie and hell it selfe Day and night The Circumstances of the time and the continuance of the same should remember vs that wee ceased not night and day to offend him and why should not we be patient both day and in the night to sustaine the markes of his displeasure and â—ust retributions of our sinnes therefore wee should not at least haue no cause to be impatient when our trouble lasts longer in regard we haue spent longer time in sinne without thinking long Doctr. much time spent in sin requires a greâ—t time of troubles Yea iustly he might haue requited vs with euerlasting plagues in hel whom he suffereth not but a little with momentaneal chastisements to be afflicted So Dauid giueth vs a singular example of fortitude and patience who could indure those of long time when wee will scarce abide eight dayes tryall with out grudging Iob suffered his paines night and day for he sayth Iob 7.13 Christians indure â—ong trouble When I say my bed shall comfort me then thou affraiest me with visions c. This threatening was giuen forth When it is euening wee will say would to God it were morning and in the morning would God it were euening Deut. 28. Luk 8.43 A daughter of Israel was bowed by the Deuill 18. yeares The woman with the bloudy issue 12. Yeares Aeneas was sicke of the Palsie 8. yeares Act 9.23 Ioh 55. Doctr. The time of the Churches deliuerie knowne to God Exod. 12.40 Leu. 26.19 the man cured at the Poole of Bethesda 38. yeares So we must not impose houres and dyets to God for he knoweth the appointed time of our deliuerie and hee will saue vs when he pleaseth The Israelites were in Aegypt 400. yeares and in Babilon 70. yeares The ten general persecutions last 300. yeares
beginning of this Psalme And as farre as hee expresseth his corruption by aggrauating it by such degrees so farre hee doth shew forth his griefe for it and his sinceritie in repentance not hiding but acknowledging and confessing it that as the venom of sinne infected him so he labours to expell it and make no conditions of peace with it to discouer it to quit himselfe of it as his deadly enemie with whom hee will make no paction but make his complaint to God that hee is wearied of it But this seemeth strange that hee sayth hee made his sinne knowne to the Lord How man makes sin knowne to God to whom nothing is vnknowne for hee who foreknew we should sinne before we were can hee be ignorant of our sinne when wee doe it This is spoken after the manner of men So we are bidden shew our necessities to God not that hee is ignorant thereof but that he may prouide for them Psal 37. Gen 7.18 Gen 22. Deut. 13. Psal 26. And God is sayd to come downe and see the affaires of man So God sees mens doings with a most acurat and sharpe eye But he is sayd to know these sinnes which are explicat by vs when we confesse them vnto him that thereby we may be the more moued So God willeth not this for his sake but for our cause for this commemoration of our sinnes sharpeneth our prayers maketh vs more ready to prayer by our confession wee shew no new thing to God but we testifie we know that whereof wee were ignorant before Whence knowledge of sinne proceedeth A man learneth a great lesson if he learne to know his owne sinnes I know mine iniquitie sayth David This knowledge commeth by the law therefore we had neede to haue the law euer before our eyes as a mirrour in which if we looke it will perfectly let vs see all that wee haue done The great miserie which lyeth vpon this world is that they know not their sinne and therefore they cannot acknowledge it wherefore let vs beg from our gratious God that wee may see our sinne and talke with it that we may also finde grace after our acknowledgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognitum feci I made knowne Hee addeth another degree of his true repētance it was without hypocrisie for hee hid it not nor vsed any subterfuges colours excuses extenuations denyals or other shifts which the Deuill teacheth men to vse to preiudge them of mercie hee quiteth himselfe of all these and this is the second preparation to grace when men not onely come to a sight and acknowledgement of their sinnes but with all growes to a resolution that they will be content to deale with God so sincerelie that they will not hide their sin any more but they will be the greatest censurers of themselues Concerning the hidding and couering of our sinnes Note I spake in the beginning of the Psalme all wayes let vs assure our selues of this that while we obscure our selues we will neuer deale truely with God For I thought or said purposed and resolued to confesse heartily my sinne Doctr. A Christian resolution necessarie to repentance Luk 15. Exod 9.27 1 Sam 15. Gen 4.13 The same phrase the forlorne Sonne vsed I said I will goe home to my father which Christian resolution is necessary to repentance for otherwise men at starts and brads will now and then repent and haue feeling of their sinne confesse as Pharoah Saul Caine but it indureth not because they wanted a resolution Therefore let vs haue our meditations of our sinnes and resolutions to amend our liues for all the rest as lightenings will flie away as soone as they come a wise man doth his businesse aduisedly but a foole bableth forth what he knoweth not Therefore Salomon said and resolued Pro 15.8 The Sacrifice of Fooles is abomination to the Lord. Then I pray you be wise and resolue to doe well I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord. See now how he is not ashamed to confesse his sinne and breake out in an open Proclamation of the same For his knowledge of sinne banished his Hypocrisie that hee would not hide it and the last point of his resolution is to confesse it to God and the Prophet Nathan By this yee may clearely perceiue the degrees by which God worketh grace in a christian The degrees by which God worketh grace and the Diuell indurance in finnes as by the contrary the Deuill worketh induration in sinne For first the Deuill blinds man that hee should not see his sinne next hee teacheth him to couer his sinne and finally neuer to confesse his sinne But God by the contrary bringeth a man to the sight of sin to a discouering of sinne and last to a free confession of the same This confession of sinne is an vnfained profession to leaue it off Doctr. True repentance is voluntary It is not extorted as the confession of Caine who being punished with the furie of conscience said his burthen was greater then hee was able to beare Gen 4.13 neither of Iudas who also confessed he had slaine the innocent blood Mat 27.4 neither through extremitie of paine with Adonibezek professing he was iustly recompenced with that measure Iudg 1.7 wherewith hee had met others seuenty kings were vnder my table their thumbs and toes cut off as I haue done the Lord hath done to me Ionah 3.8 Neither with the Ninivites for feare of the present iudgement at the word of Ionas neither with Achab for the same cause 1 King 21.27 But Dauids confession commeth from an vnfained remorse and griefe for his sinnes and confidence in Gods mercies as being truly moued and hauing a sense and feeling of his owne miserie A man who hides his sinne as yee heard before will not prosper Pro 13.28.13 wherefore let our confession be simple and as we were not ashamed to sinne let vs not be ashamed to confesse out sinne When we haue sinned let vs not hide them as our first Parents hid themselues vnder bushes after they had sinned Gen 3.7.8 neither let vs make clothes of figge-tree-leafes to couer them as they did neither excuse our selues as they did but simplie confesse our sinne that we may be absolued if yee come before an earthlie Tribunall and confesse yee file your selues but before the heauenly tribunall your confession will absolue you Vnto the Lord. Against thee I haue sinned For what causes we should make confession to God therefore to thee onely I confesse and indeed great reason haue we so to doe For God onely knowes all our sinnes Secondly Hee is onely able to pardon them Lastly He is a secret confessor he will not preiudge our confessions and send word of them to the Pope or reueale them to our disgrace to the world It is great reason we should confesse our sinne before God and before men also if we haue
publiquely offended Chrysost in Psal 50. I say not confesse to thy fellow servant who may reproach thee but to God who may heale thee This auricular Confession was not knowne in Davids time But did he not confesse himselfe to Nathan Ob It is to be vnderstood Ans that God revealed it first to Nathan extraordinarily and be told Dauid thereof first Thou art the man So that David finding his sinne was revealed why should he haue striven against God by concealing it But when God obscureth our sinnes from the world why should we round them in the care of any false Priest who not onely hath no warrant of God for his calling being the servant of the Deuill but maketh his advantage of our Confession and by it doth provoke vs to more sinnes and to commit filthinesse with himselfe as experience hath taught vs Against auricular confession as also doth reveale them to his Generall and he to the Pope against their owne oath of secrecie See if we be wise when we haue our God to confesse vs we iustly make our selues a prey to Sathan and detects our nakednesse to such who cannot onely cover vs but discover our follies and secrets to such who may make vs more shamefull and that is the iust iudgement of God to such as doe it and by so doing they intangle themselues and advance the kingdome of Antichrist Rohere he sayth he will confesse his sinne vnto God he hath great reason so to doe as also we haue to doe the like because God is the partie offended and none can forgiue vs our sinnes but he onely Who is like our God that passeth by the sinnes of his people What reason haue we to confesse a debt to him to whom we are addebted in nothing The Iewes who were blind in many things yet they said 1 Ioh. 1.9 God onely could forgiue sinnes If we coufesse our sins he is faithfull who will forgiue vs. And seeing confession is a part of divine worship Confession a part of Gods worship Esa 41.8 which the Lord will not communicate to any creature we were traytors to God to confesse our selues to any but to him because in so doing we derogate so much from his glory and substract from his honour so much as we giue to any other Confesse your sinnes therfore to the Lord your God and vse daily Confession as yee sinne daily Let no sinne passe the secretest cogitation of your hearts without a secret confession of your heart and as I haue said if ye become offensiue to the Gospell publiquely and God hath revealed that sinne repent it publiquely and honour God as much by your publique repentance as yee haue dishonoured him by your publique sinne Vpon such a publique repentance was the incestuous man received in againe 1 Cor. 5. it is sufficient that the same man was rebuked of many And in the Acts it is recorded of the beleevers of Ephesus Act. 19.18 They came and confessed their workes before the multitisde Privat confessioÌ„ when it should be made As for private Confession I thinke it also may be but not as the Popish auricular for in iniuries man doth to man as ofteÌ„ they fall out we ought to confesse our fault to the partie offended yea craue of him pardon so to be reconciled to him As we are commanded If thy brother trespasse against thee seaven times in a day Luk. 17.4 and seaven times in a day turne againe vnto thee saying it repenteth me thou shalt forgiue him And God sends Abimelech to Abraham Gen. 20.7 to be reconciled for detaining of his wife that he might obtaine his prayers And Iobs friends to Iob Iob. 41.8 to confesse their fault As also privately we may goe to the Minister Ioh. 5.16 and declare our griefe Confesse one to another We vrge no confession neither yet of all things neither at set times as at Easter but at all occasions let them powre forth their heart in any Christians bosome for their owne ease Doctr. Care not for shame if it be Gods honour Against my selfe This declareth vnto vs that whosoeuer will truely confesse his sinne must be his owne greatell enemy So Dauid shamed himselfe to all posteritie that Gods grace might be knowne for it is the nature of true confession to aggravate our sinnes and cast downe our selues The Prophet calleth himselfe a Beast before God 1 Tim. 1.13 S. Paul accused himselfe of blasphemie I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes Iob. 42.6 Dan. 9.8 sayth Iob. Vnto vs appertaineth open shame c. S. Paul taking a view of his sinnes 1 Tim. 1.14 calleth himselfe the greatest of all sinners I am not worthy to looke vp to the heavens sayth the Publican Luk. 18. This trying of our selues is called a iudging for 1 Cor. 7.31 if we would iudge our selues we should not be condemned with the world In the course of iudgement there is araignment 1. Araignement when we summon our selues before the batre of Gods iudgement Examination by the Atturney 2. Examination sifting narrowly the poynts of our dittie So our conscience accuseth vs of all our sinnes Psal 50.3 3. Conviction and layeth them in order before vs. Conviction when we are forced to say with the penitent theefe we are iustly here Lastly 4. Execution Luk. 23.41 2 Cor. 7.11 execution and holy revenge whereby a Christian chastiseth his body and abandoneth his affections mortifying and subduing the corruptions of his owne nature Plutarch sayth Plutarch p. 422. when he writeth of Antalcides and Lysander when they were initiate they were commanded to confesse their faults and if any had beene found culpable they were to goe about the Altar and sing their owne disprayse Man himselfe is the cauâ—â— of all the evil that come to him If euery man would accuse himselfe of any danger that commeth to him we should not blame God albeit he be the author and director of all or the Devill who onely is the instrument or the starres who haue no power nor chance not fortune which are not all being guided by a Providence nor the infirmitie of our flesh and constitution of our body or counsell or example of other men These shifts we haue learned from Adam and Eue onely let vs blame our selues the cause of all My wickednesse He made mention in the beginning of this Psalme of his sinnes wickednesse and iniquitie as also he doth in many other Psalmes teaching vs hereby to aggravate not extenuate our sinne for grace worketh alike against all sinne Note He who hath grace to confesse one sinne aright by the same grace confesseth all Repent for all sinne So that it cannot be true repentance when wee can repent of one and leaue the rest vnrepented as did the Israelites in their conversion 1 Sam. 12.19 Pray for thy servants sayd they to Samuel that we die not for
in this life many in the life to come many within him many without him So vnhappie is the state of the wicked whose sorrows shall be multiplied Isa 65.13.14 Behold my servants shall eat and yee shal be hungrie c. and in the Revel Revel 9.12 Revel 8.13 One woe is past and two are to come and the Angel flying through heauen cryed Woe woe woe to the inhabitants of the earth The godly and wickeds sorrow differ The Godly haue sorrow also but nothing comparable to theirs For God remembreth mercie in the mids of iudgement which he doth neuer to the wicked the Lord deliuereth the godly as the Israelites through the Sea and drownes the wicked The examples of Gods iudgements are seene in Lucifer Isa 14.12 Gen. 3.10 Gen. 4.11 Gen 7. Gen. 18.19 Our first parents Caine. the first world The fiue Cities Pharoah Nebuchadnezar Antiochus Herod c. Read ouer the 28. of Dout. There is a Catalogue of the sorrows of the wicked which should affraie any Christian heart And also in the 20. of Iob. where is sayd Iob. 20.22 all sorrow shall fall on him But mercie shall compasse him who trusteth in the Lord. He hath threatned in his doctrine the wicked with a consideration of Gods iudgements Now hee is alluring them with an offer of Gods mercies the godlie are ever well and all turne to the best to them Saluation welfare attendeth them in all places at all times in all causes in all their businesse in things certaine and vncertaine in prosperitie and aduersitie in body and soule in things present and to come Mercie What euer come to him is mercie and flowing from the fountaine of the remission of his sinnes The Lord crowneth them with mercies yea his sinnes turne to mercies to him But of this before Shall compasse him Doctr. The godly as they are compassed with trouble so are they with mercies 2 King 6.15.17 Psal 125.2 Zach. 2.5 Doctr. Mercie belongeth to the faithful As hee was compassed with innumerable troubles So God shall compasse him with as many comforts Dothan was compassed with Aramits so was it also with Angels as the mountaine compasseth Ierusalem so is the Lord about his people and hath promised to be a wall of fire about her That trusteth in the Lord. These are the people to whom mercie appertaines euen the beleeuers for faith onely maks vs acceptable to God But of this likewise before I beseech God make vs all penitent for our sinnes and sensible of his â—uercies but aboue all things roote vs in the Faith of Christ that we may depend vpon his promises that are both faithfull and true VERS 11. Be glad yee righteous and reioyce in the Lord and be ioyfull all yee that are vpright in heart The substance of this verse THis verse containeth the conclusion of the Psalme wherein is set downe an exhortation â—o such as are happie and blessed by remission of their sinnes to a spirituall ioy and praysing of God And this exhortation dependeth very well on the antecedents for hauing spoken of the remission of sinnes and the fruites of repentance and the fatherlie mercy of God towards the faythfull to whom properly this exhortation belongeth For after the remission of sinnes After remission of sinne ariseth ioy Gal. 5. Rom. 5.1 there ariseth an vnspeakeable ioy in the beleeuers heart for ioy is that fruit of faith And after the Apostle Rom. 4. had spoken of iustification hee inferreth Rom. 5. Then being iustifieed by faith we haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ Which doubtlesly coÌ„prehendeth all sorts of ioy and the Angels when they Preached to the shepheards of Christ Luk. 2.10 they professed they tolde ioyfull tydings This exhortation containeth three parts First what hee doth exhort to reioyce Secondly whom the righteous and vpright men Thirdly the limitation thereof in the Lord. Be glad He exhorteth them three times be glad reioyce and be ioyfull and as â—ee made mentioÌ„ of a threefold blessing so doth hee of a threefold ioy Wherein we haue two things necessary to be obserued First the duinesse of our nature who as slow horses neede many spurres Mans senslesnesse in spirituall things and prouâ—câ—tions to spirituall things for we are naturally ouermuch â—ent to carnall things that wee neede no incitations to the same But by the contrary in spirituall things wee are cast in a deepe sleepe who cannot be wakened at the first cry as those men after drinke haue neede to be roused often that they may behold the light so men drunken with the pleasures of sinne as Nazianzen sayth Must be wakened by diuerse exhortations as this same Prophet in the subsequet Psalme redoubleth his exhortatioÌ„s for the same effect And the Apostle to the Philippians sayth Phil. 4.4 reioyce in the Lord continually and I say againe Tho proper signification of the words be glad reioyce Next I perceiue that this exhortation growes for the word Be glad properly in the owne language signifieth an inward and hearty ioy Psal 35.26 Reioyce by the presence or hope at least of a thing desirable or good The second word Reioyce in the owne language signifieth to expresse our ioy by some outward gesture sometimes vsed for dancing as the Hills skip for gladnesse Psal 65.12 Be ioyfull Isa 35.6 The third word Be ioyfull signifieth to cry forth for gladnesse as the dumbe mans tongue shall sing This Gradation teacheth vs Doctr. Spirituall ioy alwayes increaseth that this is the nature of Spirituall ioy That it is alwayes augmented to vs by certaine degrees vntill the time is come to the perfection of all ioy which is signified by the last word importing as it were a triumph and showting after victorie So that they are truly penitent when they haue ouercome sinne and Satan in their spirituall combate triumphes ouer them as vanquished enemies Obi But it may be obiected that the best christians commonly haue the least cause of reioycing in regard they are more subiect to Troubles Crosses Imprisonments Pouerty Sicknesse c. then others Our Sauiour answereth to that In the world yee shall haue trouble Ans Ioh. 16.33 but in me yee shall haue ioy reioyce I haue ouercome the world The Martyrs who suffer the losse of their liues and riches with great ioy answeres in the midst of the fierie flames where they sing and prayse God as though they felt no paine their inward ioy swallowing vp their outward trouble Christians in their very death answeres to that when they cry O death where is thy sting O hell where is thy victory So 1 Cor. 15. Inward ioy swalloweth vp outward crosses how so euer they be subiect to the greatest miseries outwardly yet the ioy arising from the assurance of Gods fauour doth swallow them vp Obserue Doctr. Only those truly reioice whose sinne is pardoned Pro. 29.6 Pro. 14.10 Psal 40.16 Isa 65.13 Rev.
what Gods arrows are and wauereth not who hath a sharp eye foreseeing on what part his arrowes will light His arrowes are his afflictions his marke is the soules and bodies either of the elect or reprbate In this that God is the archer who shooteth at vs wee haue singular comfort that it is his hand who made vs Doctrine God who Woundeth 〈◊〉 must also steale vs â—gâ—ine 〈…〉 that also woundeth vs neither can any euill come from his hand for albeit he wound vs yet he wil cure vâ— againe Come let vs returne to the Lord saith the Prophet for he hath wounded vs and he will heale vs againe His sword cutteth with the one side and healeth with the other as the Poet speaketh of Achilles Ouid. lib. 1. de Trislib qui mihi vulnera fecit Solus Achilleo tollere more potest Gods arrowes are like Ionathans which he shot to Dauid in the fields 1. Sa. 20.36 in token of his loue God saith Saint Augustine Aug. conf 9. cap. 2. amat quos sagittat loueth those at whom he shooteth And Chrysostome calleth them Chrysâ—hom 3. in Ioh. lib. 10. cap. 6. Sagittae salutis Domini the arrowes of the Lords saluation Those arrowes commonly are either wicked men or diuels The diuers soâ—ts oâ— Gods arrowes whom God sendeth forth to afflict his owne children sharp as arrows light and swift as arrows and ready to do harme to Gods Saints or else sicknesse pouertie infamie and such other afflictions whereby our most gracious Father thinketh most fit to subdue our vile corruption all which albeit in their owne nature they are euill Nota. yet God can conuert turne them to the vtilitie and profit of his owne children Simil. As a Physitian can vse the most poisonable and venemous herbes to cure the most desperate diseases yea the flesh of the dead serpent to cure the wound gotten by the liuing serpent so God can conuert and turne the mischieuous machinations of our enemies to our saluation The marke and But at which the Lord shooteth here is Dauid And vseth the Lord to make his pastime to shoote at his owne Saints Obiect I answer Solut. How God is said to shoot at the godly and how at the wicked he shooteth both at the godly and wicked but vpon diuers intentions at the godly to waken them out of their sleepe and he will cure the wound which he maketh at the wicked for their vtter destruction he shooteth at their heart to kill them Are fixed in me By this he declareth that it is impossible to any creature visible or inuisible to pull forth that arrow which God shooteth The hand which shooteth it must also pull it forth Albeit the diuell the Caldeans and Sabeans plagued Iob and were arrowes shot by God as he confesseth Chap. 13. verse 14. and Chap. 19. verse 21. yet the Lords hand onely relieued him And thine hand lyâ—th on me This second comparison taken from the hand of a man signifieth that whatsoeuer trouble came to him he tooke it from Gods hand The sorts of Gods â—ands in â—â—e Scripâ—â—â—â—s His hand sometime is called the hand of creation as Psal 8.3 When I behold thâ—ne heaueâ—â— eueâ— the workes of thy fingers Sometime of deliuerie as when he deliuered his people ouâ— of Egypt by a strong hand Sometime of reuenge as Heb. 10.31 It is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of the lâ—uing God It hath also many other significations in the Scripture And so Dauid in his sicknesse setteth before his eyes the hand of God enarmed for the punishment of his sinne And whosoeuer he be that subsisteth and stayeth in the sense of his calamities he differeth nothing from a beast but this is wisdome and prudencie in a Christian to looke vp vnto him who smiteth him whereof Isay complaineth for the people turne not to him who sâ—itâ— them Lorinus the Iesuite maketh a ridiculous accommodation of this chastising hand of God in these words Isa â—3 A ridicules application made by Lorinus Per acâ—ommodationâ—m pratereâ— posset illud admitti vt confirmatio manus sit veluti impressio illa collophi quae sit ab Episcopo ei qui sacramcutum Confirmationis confert memoriae causa nam titulus Psalmi est in rememorationem that is Moreouer this might be admitted by applicatioÌ„ that the confirmation of the hand may be like to that impression of the blow which is made by the Bishops hand to whom he giueth the sacrament of Confirmation for memories cause for the title of the Psalme is in remembrance Indeed such a ridiculous exposition of the Scriptures and abuse thereof deserueth to be laughed at by children For if Dauid had not felt heauier blowes from the hand of God then the children doe from the Bishops I thinke he had no cause to complaine VERSE 3. There is nothing sound in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne HE proceedeth in this third verse to exaggerate and amplifie the greatnesse of his griefe from the vniuersalitie thereof that his sicknesse was not layed on any one part of his bodie but vpon his whole flesh and vpon all his bones His flesh is his exteriour part his bones his interiour Albeit the vlcers and wounds of his flesh were very sensible to him and more horrible in the eyes of men who beheld them as those of Iob and Lazarus which he might haue apprehended deeply when as by them he was made contemptible in the eyes of mens yet his inward paine which was more felt then seene maketh him thus so pitifully to crie Wherein we haue these things to consider First that as all his membâ—rs agreed very well to the performance of his filthy lust Doctr. All his meÌ„bers sinned all are punished so euery one of them receiueth a condigne punishment And it is good for man that he should be thus chastised in this world for a little time rather then he should be reserued for euerlasting darknesse where euery member shall receiue eternall paine for their sinne For as sinne pleaseth nature so it destroyeth and consumeth nature Gods wrath cannot abâ—de sinne Secondly he marketh the cause of those punishments euen Gods wrath because of his sin For when those two meet together they are as fire and flax Gods wrath as fire Simil. will soone deuoure the stubble of our sins Thirdly obserue that Dauid maketh not Gods wrath the onely cause of his miseries and heauie sicknesse for that were to charge God of vnâ—ighteousnesse but he iustifieth God Siâ—ne 〈◊〉 God â—he â—â—le of 〈…〉 when he acknowledgeth that his own sin was the cause of all his euils And surely we can neuer giue sufficient honour to God except we free him of all 〈◊〉 of vniust dealing and acknowledge oâ—â— selues to be the caâ—â—es of ouâ— owne â—â—â—â—â—ies Finally I obserue out of this verse that the word in the
originall language mippene from the face is two times repeated both in speaking of Gods wrath and his owne owne sinnes that is for the sight of them both Wherein I perceiue a lesson worthy of consideration Doctrine God will not looke fauourably vpon vs vnles first we looke both vpon our owne sins and his anger at theÌ„ that is that we must haue a two-fold sight before we get the sight of Gods fauourable face First we must haue our owne sinnes before our eyes next we must see the countenance of an angrie God looking downe vpon vs with austere and heauie lookes because of them and then in the third roome we must beg Gods fauourable face to shine vpon vs. The Lord grant vs the right sight of all those three that as Iosephs brethren first saw his angrie countenance Gen. 42. and then his fauourable acceptation with the greater gladnesse so we may see what we haue deserued at Gods hand and so after may heare the voyce of ioy and gladnesse Psal 51.8 that the bones which he hath broken may reioyce again First we must heare the terrible thundering of mount Sinai then the ioyfull shouting of mount Sion VERSE 4. For mine iniquities are gone ouer mine head and as a heauie burden they are too heauie for me HAuing spoken before of the cause of his miserie which was his sinnes now he aggrauateth them in respect of their multitude comparing them to waters which had ouergone his head and in respect of the magnitude weight A mark of a truly penitent to aggrauatâ— his sinne Psa 138.18 comparing them to a burden which surely is a marke of a penitent sinner when he as was Dauid can be content to confesse his sinnes to be in number more then the sand of the sea or the haires of his head Why sins are compared to waters He compareth his sins to waters which albeit in the first entrie are shallow that scarce they will touch the ankles yet the further ye go into them they wil be deeper and will soone passe from your knee to your shoulders and ouergo your head Ezek. 47.1.2.3.4.5 and drowne you except God prouide a remedy as if a planke or boord be casten in whereupon taking hold you may easily escape the danger euen so we go from sin to sin and from lesse to greater vntill that many sinâ— meeting and concerning together ouergo vs and we filling the cup of our iniquitie be poisoned with the dregs thereof Therefore let vs take heed and turne back in time lest going forward contemning such warnings we become selfe-murderers of our owne soules We haue better waters thorough which we may go in safetie the waters of Siloah Esa 8.6 which run softly by which we may refresh our owne soules the blessed blood of Iesus Christ and the waters of Ezekiel Ezek. 47.12 which flow in the Sanctuarie that we may grow from grace to grace till we come to glorie Against auricular confession Out of this place is cleerly condemned that auricular confession by which men are bound vnder pâ—inâ— of condemnation to confesse euery particular sinne to the Priest which is impossâ—â—â—â— for them to do when as Dauid saith thâ—y are gone ouer mine head and againe Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faults It is no maruell that he saith his sinnes haue gone ouer his head for in this one he committed many sins The persons against whom Dauid sinned and offended many persons He sinned against himselfe in defiling his owne bodie against Bathsheba against Vriah against those slaine with Vriah against his concubines against the bodie of the people by giuing them an euil exampleâ— and which was worst of all against God by making his Name to be blasphemed And as a weightie burthen they are too heauie for me The second comparison is taken from a burden weightier then lead Wherin sin is heauier then any bâ—rden heauier then sand And indeed sin is more weightie then any burden whatsoeuer for first it presseth downe both soule and body When Peter was chained in prison Act. â—2 in the night he had libertie with ioy to raise vp his soule to praise God Paul was in prison Act 16.25 but Gods word was not bound Next burdens are vpon some parts of the body not vpon all as manicles are on the hands fetters on the feete c. other members being free but sin and the bonds thereof are vpon euery member binding and pressing it downe so that it cannot do any seruice to Christ The eares are dull in heâ—ring the eyes full of adulterie Iob 24 1â— Psal 13.9 the mouth an open sepulchre the foote readie to shed blood c. Thirdly this is the greatest miserie that when all other burdens are felt we take thiâ— on with pleasure we vndergo it with delight without wearying and are as Issachar asses couching betweene two burdens Gen. 4 â— 1â— And surely I thinke we are worse then asses For when our burden groweth greatest we do not onely not groane vnder them but are glad to vnder go them the two burdens both of our conscience and of our bodies The Israelites groaned in Egypt vnder temporall burdens Ezod 2.13 and were heard the Iewes in Babylon Psal 147. and were relieued would God we could groane that so we might be helped I will not deny but Dauid may also meane in this text of the burden of afflictions seeing the originall word gnon signifieth pain and Cain vsed that selfesame word in the fourth of Genesis For three burdens are mentioned in the Scriptures Three fortâ— of burdâ—â—ns Mat. 11.28 of sin as Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and loaden with sin and I will ease you Of paine as Cast thy burden vpon the Lord. Psal 37.15 And of Gods benefits as Praised be God who daily loadneth vs with his benefits Psal 10.3 God he loadneth vs with his blessings both spirituall and temporall and we againe loaden him with our sins with which we are loadned our selues Ah sinfull nation Isa 1 4â— a people loaden with iniquitie And therefore God iustly must againe loaden vs with his corrections But it may be asked how this selfesame speech is spoken both by Cain a reprobate â—biec â— and Dauid an elect child of God I answer Solut. that sinne was alike heauie to them both but Dauid had a sight of Gods mercie in the midst of his sins which Cain did neuer see and therefore did not runne vnto God for reliefe as here Dauid doth Verse 5. My wounds are putrisied and corrupt because of my foolishnesses HE goeth further in the enumeration of â—is miseries which he setteth downe by the putrifaction and rotting of his wounds and confesseth the cause of them to be his owne foolishnesse Where first ye see Sin causeth putrifactioÌ„ and rottennesse Gen. 3.19 that sin bringeth putrifaction and rottennesse to mens flesh For as the
his sins was taken from God himselfe and that great mercie whereto he is inclined The next from his great filthinesse vncleannesse whose misery was an obiect of Gods mercie desiring God to purge and cleanse him from the same Now followeth the third argument taken from â—is acknowledgement of his sin and true confession thereof As though he would say Lord I know I haue sinned I confesse my sin to thee therefore pardon me What force thinke ye this argument would haue in a guiltie mans mouth if he came before an earthly Iudge and would say I haue committed murder and adulterie I confesse it Surely the Iudge would answer Ex ore tuo te iudico I iudge thee according to thine owne confession as Dauid commanded him to be killed 2. Sa. 1.16 An humble acknowledgement of sinne a good argument to obtain pardon from God who reported that he had killed Saul But before the heauenly Tribunall such an argument hath onely force There is no meane to acquit vs from Gods iustice vnlesse we come to him humbly confessing our sin and accusing our selues for then he will pardon and excuse vs. Our condemning of our selues maketh him to absolue vs our remembrance of our sins maketh him to forget them and our repentance bringeth his pardon But how cometh it to passe that thus he lamenteth Obiect seeing before Nathan had assured him that his sins were forgotten and pardoned I answer the godly Solut. albeit they be perswaded of mercie yet for the loue they beare to God they cannot but be displeased with themselues so often as they remember how vnhappily they haue offended so gracious a maiestie The wicked forget the euils which they do remember the good which they haue done if they haue done any whereas the godly remember alwayes their sins 1. Cor. 15.9 1. Tim 1.13 but the wicked forget their sins most â—asiâ—y and if they haue done any shew of good they remember it continually The godly by the contrary forget their good and remember their sins and the euill which they haue done as the Apostle Paul saith I am the least of all the Apostles and not meete to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church And againe When before I was a blasphemer a persecuter and oppressor but I was received to mercie And againe Christ died for sinners among whom I am the chiefe They account themselues the least among the godly the greatest among sinners So it is good to vs to nourish a continuall remembrance of our owne sins that it may humble vs before God make God so much the more pitie vs that he seeth vs vnfainedly displeased with our selues that we haue offenâ—ed him by our many many sinâ— For I know my sinne The knowledge of his sin doubtlesse came by Gods word out of the mouth of Nathan For albeit by a generall notice hee knew hee had done wrong and the particular punctions of his conscience forced him to thinke so yet the true knowledge came neuer vnto him vntil God said by his Prophet Thou art the man So the word of God serueth vs to this vse that it openeth our blinde eyes to see what is euill in vs. And therefore wo to that people who haue not the word and faithfull Preachers who may let them see their sins For when they know not sin to be sin they die in their sins By the law saith the Apostle is the knowledge of sin Rom. 7.7 for if the law had not said Thou shalt not lust I would not think concupiscence to be sin Ye may see how great an euill is ignorance when mens eyes are blinded whom the god of this world hath blinded in so great a light The most part of the world couers their sin by translating the cause ouer vnto others as Adam vpon Euah Euah vpon the Serpent But the Scripture saith Gen. 3. Pro. 28.13 He that hideth his sin shall not prosper Non medioâ—re est saith Ambrose vt agnoscat peccatum suum vnusquisque It is not a small thing to euery one to know and acknowledge his sin So saith Dauid Delicta quis intelligit Who vnderstandeth his sin He who knoweth them may the sooner auoide them If any knew a danger he could easily flie from it and go by it Our Sauiour wept because they knew not the day of their visitation That a man may know his sin it is necessary he be admonished and rebuked and he who desireth to attaine this knowledge must be content to receiue rebukes kindly How to attaine to an acknowledgement of sinne He must resolue before God to shun the occasions of sin and such euill companie as allureth him to folly that he do call to mind what a gracious God he hath offended what good things he hath lost how many he hath offended by his example and to addresse himselfe henceforth to leade a holy and religious life according to Gods word The Philosophers thought it most necessary for euery man to know himselfe and in their precepts had this euer He who knoweth not himselfe can neuer know God Nosce teipsum Know thy selfe Then much more it becometh a Christian to know himselfe for otherwise he can neuer know God in any of his properties For if we know not our sin how shall we either know Gods iustice pursuing vs or his mercie pardoning vs. Oh that we knew our selues But Satan doth with vs as the Rauen doth with the Lambe Simil. it first pulleth forth the eyes then deuoureth it first he blindeth vs then we follow him Therefore we should labour vpon our soules that the darkned eye thereof may be cleare the dimnesse remoued Acts 9. the scales which lie vpon them as vpon Saint Paul may fall to the ground that seeing our selues and our nakednesse we may craue to be couered seeing our wounds we may desire to be cured As also it is the principall part and duty of Pastors to deale in their Sermons with people that they may see their sins Sonne of man saith the Lord to Ezekiel make knowne to Ierusalem their abhominations Pastors ought to exhort the people to a sight of their sin We flatter the people in their sin and vse conniuence to their wickednesse We are afraid and belike dare not light the candle of the word and bring it to them being lying in darknesse lest they put forth the candle or smite vs who by the light thereof let them see their misbehauiour And my sinne is euer before me When Satan doth present his baited hooke of sin to vs Satans policy in presenting the greatnes of our sins after we haue sinned to vs he neuer letteth vs see the hooke of Gods iudgements but euer the bait of pleâ—sure but when we haue swallowed the baite he neuer letteth vs see any comfort of Gods mercies but proposeth to vs a troubled conscience the flames of Gods wrath and the terrors of his iudgements as the Prophet saith Our
hath a particular iudgement vpon men in this world both elect and reprobate iudicie non sâ—â—â—er manifesto semper tamen iusto not alwayes by a manifest yet always by a iust iudgment He erecteth a tribunall in mens conscience he summoneth the party accuseth coÌ„uicteth him This iudgment is by his word Spirit For euery mans work shal be manifest as by the fire For the fire both letteth them see their faults and burneth vp their drosse As also he punisheth them in the sight of the world and in their posteritie as he did as well to Dauid as to Saul 2. Sa. 12.10 for he said that blood should not depart from his house and so it was Therefore let not men although the best Christians thinke to escape the censure of his iustice yea what euer he doth Psal 143.17 we must say God is iust in all his works Next he is pure when he iudgeth or trieth We may be assured God will put men to triall God will put vs to triall by afflâ—ction persecution sicknesse and pouertie Then men will be made manifest the hypocrisie of many will be detected For as the wind is appointed to trie the corne Simil. the fire to trie the gold the floods to trie houses builded vpon the rocke and send so shall the day of the Lords triall discerne those who haue but a shadow of religion and shall appeare ere it be long as it is bâ—â—â—n already Alwayes God is pure in his tâ—â—all he knoweth the one from the other already but he will haue men trying and knowing them Gen. 22.12 Abraham was tried in the slaughter or offering of his son and his faith was approued Ionah 2. so was Ionas tried and Iobs patience and Peters weaknesse In all these trials God was pure and free of any iniury done to any of them for they were knowne to be but men although Prophets and Apostles And it is no maruell though at this time in the triall of the Church Nota. many be found to be but men God is not to be blamed he is pure when he trieth And seeing triall is prophecied to be not onely the Church of Philadelphia Reu. 3.10 1. Pet. 1.7 but also in all the earth which is called the houre of tentation or a time of fiery triall either by heresies schismes or defection from the truâ—h of God or by bloodie persecutions of Gods Saints and his Church as all Europe hath experience this day what shall we do but keepe Gods word Nota. possesse our soules in patience suffering the reproches calumnies cruell dealings yea all that the diuell and his children can do to vs. If we be tried by fire let vs be found gold if by water let vs abide in the Arke and in the Apostles boate let vs be found sure builders vpon the foundation which the Apostles laid euen Christ 1. Pet. 2. if by the aire and winds let vs be as wheate and not chaffe If finally by the earth and earthly allurements let vs be fouÌ„d to haue our conuersatioÌ„ aboue the time of trial is come already We learne also out of this that in all our trials whether inward in our conscience or externall in our bodies yea though our bodies were giuen to the beasts and foules of heauen In all our trials externall or internall God is pure yet God is pure and without fault In the best of vs all there is cause why we should be tried Verse 5. Behold I was borne in iniquitie and in sin hath my mother conceiued me THis is the fourth reason by which he would moue God to forgiue him That our nature from the very originall is corrupted from the seminarie and fountain of our conception For from our mothers wombe we bring nothing but sinne And surely we cannot throughly acknowledge our sins vnlesse we condemne our whole naturall powers and faculties of vncleannesse So the knowledge of this one sinne bringeth him to the examination of his whole life ActuaÌ„ll sins are as streames which proceed from original sin which is the fountaine till he find nothing in himselfe but sin For if the fountaine be poisoned what will the streames be that flow from it If we would looke backe to our originall sin we might haue cause the more to lament our actual sins as poisonable streames flowing from such a fountaine So soone therefore as our conscience accuseth vs of any one sin we should call to remembrance the whole course of our life Let the remembraÌ„ce of one sin put vs in mind of all the sins we haue committed Simil. that it hath bin nothing else but a continuall sinning against God that thus the last putting vs in mind of the first we may not be content to repent and aske pardon for one but for all A sick man hauing obtained health doth remember how long he was sicke whereby for the present he both considereth his own frailtie and Gods mercie in deliuering him as also encourageth and inanimateth him in time to come by remembrance of former mercies obtained Happie were we if we would begin to remember our miseries and Gods mercies Lorinus the Iesuite to ecce addeth enim which he confesseth is not in the Hebrew veritie and that Saint Ierome hath forgot it yet maintaineth that it is rightly put in to giue force to the words of his sin See the Sophist who granteth the Scriptures and yet would empaire their credit as though Gods Spirit were not wise enough and the sense could not hold without enim The like do they in these words Hoc est corpus meum they adde enim and say Hoc est enim which is not in the Scriptures and were altogether vngrammaticall In a word they alter and change the Scriptures as they please bringing in their enim as a particle of reason which carieth with it no reason Ye see then what the miserable corruption of our nature is so soone as we take life Man no sooner beginneth to liue but he beginneth to sinne Gen. 6.5 we begin to sin An infant of one day is not cleane before God The masse whereof we be formed is filthy and sinfull and so much the more filthy seeing it is possessed with a soule vncleane and polluted The cogitation of wans heart is only euill continually God knoweth our mold Psa 103.14 We erre froÌ„ the womb And albeit mariage be a bed vndefiled Heb. 13.4 by reason of the institution yet the concupiscence and lust polluteth the ordinance which is most holy Children haue originall sin Then children are not free of original sin for then why should they be baptized and why should they die as many do daily But it may seeme wonderfull strange that children who can neither doe Obiect thinke or speake euill should be culpable I answer by another question Solut. Simil. what is the reason that a yong fox new whelped doth not slay a lamb is it not
lips which are not employed in the seruice of God that made them to proclaime his praises and double woe to them who employ them to his dishonour for they shall say would God they had bin rather dumbe Nota. and could haue spoken nothing then to haue spoken to the dishonour of that Maiestie which made them Verse 16. For thou defirest no sacrifice though I would giue it thou delightst not in burnt offering NOw toward the end of the Psalme he is bursting forth in thankfulnesse setting downe the sacrifice which the Lord would not haue to wit externall sacrifices and declaring that which he would haue a contrite heart Sacrifices of olde comprehended all Gods worship For the burnt offerings and sinne offerings represented Christs blood The thanksgiuing offerings The vse of the legall sacrifices peace offerings the incense the thankfulnes of the Saints for his benefits and what of all these he was wearied with them when they were not mixed with faith and repentence Nazianzen saith Vna Dei est purùm gratissima victima pectus Then if God delight not in sacrifices which were commanded by himselfe Nota. what careth he for trifles inuented by men of which he can haue no pleasure His delight is not in outward sacrifices at any time if they be alone I will haue mercie saith he not sacrifice Hos 6.6 much lesse doth he respect the sacrifice of the Masse hauing no warrant in his word neither yet of our prayers and praises when we do but pretend religion not serue God vnfainedly Away with all our offerings if we offer not to him that which he craueth chiefly to wit a penitent heart Lorinus obserueth well Sacrificia non operari per se peccatorum remissionem posse sed tantum represent are praefiugare sacrificium illud vnicum redemptoris that is that the sacrifices of old could not worke by themselues remission of sinnes but onely did represent and prefigure the onely sacrifice of our Redeemer Then as he saith truly their sacrifices ex opere operato by the external working of them cannot giue remission of sins What reason then hath he to affirme that the Sacrament of the new Testament conferreth grace by the very externall giuing thereof Lorinus against him selfe seeing that same thing was prefigurated by their sacrifices which is represented by our Sacraments that is Christs blood both in Baptisme and in the Lords Supper Verse 17. The sacrifices of the Lord are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O God thou wilt not despise WHen he hath remoued that which God misliked and refused now he placeth that which God liketh and receiueth that is the sacrifice of a contrite spirit In the plurall number called sacrifices that is this one for all A broken heart is such a heart which is humbled through a sight and sense of sin What a broken heart is For it is needfull that as we haue worne our heart by sinne so our heart should be worne againe by repentance and sorrow for sinne and that we should take paines to subdue our hearts and all the thoughts thereof and bring them captiue to Gods obedience That is that poore spirit of which Matthew speaketh Mat. 5.3 Esa 66.2 Isaias speaketh of the spirit that trembleth at Gods word Why sacrifices in the plurall number This caused Dauid to put the word sacrifices in the plurall number that he might expresse the better that one contrite heart which is the sacrifice of repentance alone suffiseth for all legall sacrifices If he had said that a contrite heart is a sweet smelling sacrifice they might haue excepted the so are many others as the papists do mixe their works with the grace of God But Dauid excludeth purpossie all sacrifices and sheweth that what euer sacrifices God respecteth are comprehended vnder a penitent heart beleeuing in Christs bloud and seeking mercie for the same This sort of people are called mourners in Sion who mourne to God for their owne sinnes and the sinnes of the people who powre out their heart with their teares to God who doe lament for the affliction of Ioseph Oh what cause haue we to lament this day for our sinnes and to breake our hearts for the persecution of the Church in euery place Let our feasting be turned into fasting our laughter in teares Mourne with Ieremiah for the desolation of Sion Nota. A contrite and broken heart thou wilt not despise Here he encourageth the penitent sinner who may be affraied to appeare before the Tribunall of God in regard of the conscience of his sinne and be feared that God will not accept him howsoeuer he be humbled Him here he encourageth God will not despise a troubled heart yea rather he will like it and manifest his skill in healing and comforting it God liketh a troubled heart To which agree all those places in Isaias which comfort the Church those sweet inuitations of Christ to the laden and wearie to come vnto him and to those that were athirst and he that calleth vpon vs will not reiect and cast vs away The Lord is nigh to them that be of a contrite spirit Psal 144.8 Who speake to him in the bitternesse of their soule Iob. 10.1 Crying like the Dragon or Ostrich Mich. 1.8 Who cry wonderfull being ouercomed by the Elephants As Saint Ierome saieth who slay their affections and offer them as a sacrifice to God as the Magdalen Peter other Saints who forsake their former lusts and say with a certaine young man who being temped by an harlot and seeming to be ignorant who she was she said ego sum it is I he answered ego non sum it is not I for he was conuerted by repentance If thou would preuaile with God Pro. 23.26 giue him thine whole heart if thou doe any thing for God doe it with thine heart 2. Chro. 31 21 seeke him with thine whole heart loue him feare him pray to him turne to him Deut. 4.29 obey him with thine whole heart Deut. 10.12 Rom. 6.17 Ier. 32.40 Ioel. 2.12 Psal 119.145 Their heart is deuided saith the Lord of hoste now shall they perish Hos 10.2 God is one and vndeuided and craueth an heart one and whole in affection and rent onely by deiection nothing can breake God but a bâ—oken heart The string can bow the bowe the fire can temper and molifie the steele the goates bloud the adamant and the heart contrite can moue God saith Mantuan in these verses Virga recens Zephyris neruo curuabitur arcuâ— Igne chalybs adamas sangnine corde Deus Finallie obserue that albeit repentance doth make a contrite heart and as I said before we should take such paine on our contrition that we should not let any thought of our heart escape vnrepented mourned for yet the onely hammer which must burst our soules is the word of God The word of God bruseth the heart Simil. which bruseth