of all question first a judgement seate set vp as it were in his owne soule and an accusing conscience that his sin was imputed vnto him by God the judge Then this whole judgement being remooved out of his soule by Christ that his sinne was not layde to his charge Of this it commeth to passe that being refreshed he cryed out commendeth him to be greatly blessed to whom God imputeth not sinne But if we after the same maner raysing vp a judgement seate in our hearts would first see feele our conscience accusing vs God sitting in judgement and sin to be laide to our charge by GOD the judge surely wee would call that man blessed with DAVID to whom God imputeth not sin But such is our greate sluggishnesse that albeit we be other wile sinners notwithstanding except it be very hardly ar we touched with any sense of sin yea even then when the wrath of GOD exerciseth vs wee are not drawen on to the acknowledging of our sinne but verie hardly Out of this laste forme of speech whereby DAVID published the forgiuenesse of sinnes we learne also from DAVIDS example himself we learne I say first what is the estate of the soule of a sinner which is touched deepely with a conscience of his owne sinne and thereby is prepared vnto grace He feeleth that there is a judgment seat set vp in his soule and that God himselfe the judge sitteth therein Then the conscience of sinne accuseth and God the judge layeth sinne to the charge and looketh vppon the filthinesse thereof as with a terrible eie From thence followeth a deepe sense of sinne and a burden that is not able to be borne of sinne I say which appeared a little before to be of no weight and moment Of this also aryses horrours terrours of hell which if they continued any longer they would driue a man vnto desperation Wee haue againe also in the example of DAVID the constitution of the soule of the sinner after that sinnes are forgiven Hee feeleth within himselfe that all that judgement ceaseth that his conscience as a witnesse accuseth him no more of sinne and that sin is not layde vnto his charge by God the judge he feeleth also that what-so-ever remanent of sinne is in the corrupte nature that it is whollie covered so with the righteousnesse perfite obedience of Iesus Christ that the angrie face of GOD is no more directed against the same finallie he feeleth now that his sin is not imputed vnto him and so as I said it being covered he feeleth it to bee a burden vnto him no more And in deede when any is disburdened of the burden of sinne sinne appeareth vnto him to bee a light thing not by reason of that fleshlie securitie but for the mercy of God in Christ his sake it is made light of little weight Vppon these follow an inâ—credible peace and quietnesse of conscience which is none other thing then that blessednes which DAVID commendeth For when he had once intirely felt it in his soule he reteineth it not within his owne minde But hee is compelled to common thereof with others that if it be possible other miserable men also such as we are all by nature may be touched with some sense and sweetnesse thereof in some measure that so they may become blessed More-ouer wee haue also to learne out of DAVIDS words that which PAVLE also gathered out of the recommendation of this blessednesse of DAVID Rom. 4. 6. to wit that that man is blessed to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes that is that a man is made righteous not by any inherent righteousnesse which proceedeth from his workes but by righteousnes imputed onely For if justification and blessednes be by forgiuenesse of sinnes of necessity it must follow that justification is by righteousnesse not surely inherent but imputed For forgiuenesse is also of sinne inherent Nowe sinne being inherence that righteousnesse is not inhereÌ„t but imputed This necessary consecution of imputed righteousnesse from the forgiuenes of sinnes caused PAVLE to interpret that place that DAVID spak expressely of the remission of sinnes even as if he had spoken of imputed righteousnes But this matter shall become more evident by some example taken from judgement seats and from the common customes among men For the matter is none otherwise to be considered of in this head of justification then if any King of free grace would forgiue the sinne to any guylty man As for example to a man-slayer even now condemned for his sinne Now this man his sinne being forgiven is said to be justified But by what righteousnesse I praye you not by that which is inherent For in him selfe in very deede hee is a man-slayer By what righteousnesse then surely by none other then by that which was freelie imputed by the King to wit by that whereby hee thinketh him righteous who is not righteous in himselfe The same in all respectes is the manner of our justification before the judgement seate of God the judge Wee are not indeede juste through our owne works but vnjust Neither yet doth God pronounce vs to be righteous for our works But the justification of GOD that is the publishing of the just is that wherby he vttereth that man is vnjust to bee just of his only mercy in Christ Now to the end that the whole matter may the more clearely appeare The thrâ—fold maner of iustit fiing wee must know that a man may be saide to be justified before GOD three waies summaâ—lie â— By the worker of the lawe First by the works of the law secondly by the punishment of the law broken Thirdly by remission of sinnes or by not imputing of sinnes for those things ar one Moreover as concerning the first manner of justifying which is by the workes of the Law after the fall of ADAM of vs al in ADAM never was there any yet that was justifyed by the workes of the Law except one man Christ For seeing the lawe requireth two things the one either that we fulfil or that wee die all fulfilling of that which the lawe commandeth is vtterlie lost in ADAM 〈◊〉 By punishmentes for transgression Now as concerning that second maner of justifying Christ is justifyed onely that waye yea and that for our cause for that cure denunced in the law perteined vnto vs we behoved to satisfie the righteousnesse of God by our everlasting death but Christ came as a mid man betuixt through his own and his fathers mercy and transferred our sinne together with the punishment due to our sinne vpon himselfe The third manner of justifying which is by the free remission of sins 〈◊〉 By the remission of 〈◊〉 resteth alone for vs whosoever wee be that will be justified saved before God to wit whereby we freelie receiue remission of all our sins beleeving that Christ hath satisfied the law for vs for our cause hath suffered that curse
of the lawe and having recived that forgiuenes we are counted just in that righteousnes satisfaction of Christ apprehended by faith Of these three sorts of justification The difference of these maner◠the two former differ from this third that seeing in the two former the cause of the sentēce of justification is in him that is justified in this third sorte the cause of the sentēce of justifying is without him that is justified to make it clearer in that first maner of justificatiō the cause of justifying is in the works of the man justified So ADAM had bin justifyed if he had stoode in the obedience of God so Christ was justified for our cause by his own righteous works by the perfite loue vpon all sides of GOD and of his Neighbour In the seconde sorte of justification which is by punishment the payne it selfe which is suffered by the justified man is the subject and the cause why he is justified of GOD. So Christ alone is justifyed for our cause and hee is made for vs the curse of the law also he hes fully satisfied the law by his death Laste in the thirde manner of justification the cause is that selfe same satisfaction which is in Christe him selfe with-out vs as in ane subject but after some sorte made aires to wit by faith So then by this third manner al the faithful are justified by the cause of justificatiō that is Christs satisfactiō which is with out vs. DAVID therfore that we may returne to him again speaketh not of the first justification nor of the second but of the third he attributeth the justificatiō blessednes of man not to the works of man himself nor to the punishmēt taken according to the threatning of the law vpon man himselfe but only to the free remission of sins Which sorte of justification is accomplished after this order First the sinfull man being called of God beleeveth in Iesus Christ to whose sacrifice the wrath of God pursuing him hee is compelled after some sort one or vther to flie as vnto a certaine Girth Then taking holde vppon that sacrifice the wrath of God is now pacified The wrath being asswaged there is place for grace and mercy and therefore of grace he forgiveth him his sinne and therewith imputeth to the sinner that righteousnesse and satisfaction of Christ which by faith before he had apprehended And so in these two things is situat that sentence of justificatiō the cause wherof wee see to be Christs satisfaction with-out man himself except in this respect you say it to be in man in so far as it is apprehended by faith And this fashion of justification is no lesse effectual yea it is much more forcible and full then if God had justified vs for any cause which can be in vs. For the peace and quietnes of conscience is no lesse neither yet is that rejoycing which is through justification by faith in Christ by his satisfaction any whitles then if we ourselues were by our workes justifyed Being iustified sayeth the Apostle through faith Rom. ◠◠wee haue peace towards God Then a little thereafter We glory sayeth he vnder hope The Apostle also himselfe Rom. ◠◠in this justification of God by faith gloryeth securely against that man whosoever he bee that would lay a crime to his charge a ye experiēce it self hath ever teached since the beginning that this way of justification is more sure then that which is by workes and by a cause inherent in vs. For seeing that inherent righteousnesse both of Angels and also of men is lost this righteousnes of Christ apprehended by true faith shal never be lost In which alone surely to the end we may mak one conclusiō of this discourse who soever hee be that quieteth not himselfe there shall no part be left him in that blessednesse which DAVID sayeth is placed in the forgiuenesse of sinnes In whose Spirit there is no guyle Hitherto hath DAVID published man to be blessed through the forgiuenesse of sinnes now he sheweth him to be blessed through sanctification also especially for simplicitie and sincerity of the hart which is the effect of the remission of sins AS if he shuld say I publish him to be blessed to whom sins ar forgivē yet not with standing so that I separat not sanctification frō the forgiuenes of sins justification So Paul after he had shewed Rom. ◠◠that there is no condemnation for him that is in Christ Iesus presently he subjoyneth who walketh not after the flesh but after the Spirit DAVID therefore conjoyneth with the remissiō of sins sanctification for the blessednes or happinesse of man is no other thing then his blessed estate in Christ Iesus and it is the effect of all the spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus of those to wit which ar reckoned out * Rom. ◠29. there after and ar brought in * Eph. 1. ◠therafter Moreover they are the fore knowledge of Gods Predestination vnto life calling iustifying gloryfiing Then there is no cause why any should gather out of this place that a man is also justified through holinesse of life and good works because the prophet saith blessed is he in whose hart ther is no guyle seing that by the word of blessednes is meant justification but the common effect of all the reste of the blessings of which hesbene even now spoken and among the which sanctification is reckoned out as one Then we may define the blessed man from his owne causes going before that it is he who is called justified and glorified of the fore-knowledge and Predestination of GOD. Out of those thinges you perceiue that sanctification synceritie and cleanesse of the heart are required to blessednesse which in this life is no other thing but a begunne glorifying and that blessednesse is the common effect of all Neither yet also shall it appeare if the sentence of the Apostle be taken good head to in that place and if his words be considdered that the blessed the just man or justified man as they thinke commonly is taken for one thing For blessed also with the Apostle is none other thing then the blessed estate of the justified mā and the effect of justification or of imputed righteousnesse with-out workes From whence also it is that our Prophete in an other place in plaine words publisheth a man to be blessed through the works of sanctification For I would not expound the worde blessed in that place Psalme ◠◠justified as if the Prophete of the consequent effectes described the justified man But I would vnderstand by the name of blessed a man constitute in that estate of life which is the estect of justification sanctification and finally of all spirituall blessings in Christ See those things which we haue observed vppon that place concerning blessednes When I held my peace Hitherto was set down the proposition of the blessednesse of man Here
grace For that which is saide by the Apostle is not to be thought light to neglect such a great salvation Heb. 2. 3. is vtterlie to refuse the Son of God in whom whosoever beleeueth not as is spoken in IOHN 3. 18. Is already condemned because he beleeveth not in the only begotten son of God Marke next 2. lesson that bold liberty which the sinner being nowe turned vnto God vseth in this confession of DAVID I will confesse my sinne vnto thee saieth DAVID And this liberty manifesteth the feeling of Gods loue toward him and the confidence of grace and of remission of sinnes in Christ For it is not possible that a sinner turne him selfe vnto GOD confesse his sin and earnestly craue for the forgiuenes of his sinne vnles there be already first after some sort some sense of grace and pardon purchased The conscience threw out a confession out of IVDAS but he durst not be so bolde as to confesse his sin before GOD neither yet to deale with God after this manner that DAVID doeth in this place I will make my sinne knowen sayeth he vnto thee But going aside turning his back as it were vnto God sayeth he I haue sinned hauing betrayed the Innocente bloud Wherefore to speake it summarly the confession of sinne before God the craving of pardon that is this libertie wherby any man dareth be bolde to appeare before him and to present himselfe before his judgement seate sufficiently doth manifest some feeling of grace and that selfe same remission of sinnes which wee seeke being purchased already in some sort For this cause shall everie one He commendeth this his experience 〈…〉 which was of Gods mercie immediatly preceeding from the own effect in every one of the faithful that were to come thereafter For this cause sayeth he That is for this experience of thy mercy toward me Shal he pray vnto thee That is he shall confesse his sinnes or he shall craue pardon He to whom thou art fauorable That is not by putting any kinde of difference but hee onely whome God loveth Of this loue and favour there must of necessity be some sense as we haue already even now spoken before any man be so bolde either to confesse his sinne to God or earnestly to craue pardon for sinne But at what time shall he whom God favoreth pray at times sayeth When it shall happen To wit In the over flowing of many waters That is in the stormes and waues of extreame vehement afflictions as before Psal 18. 17. and every where in the Psal 69. They shall not so much as touch him that is they shall not so much as touch him lightly so firme shal be the loue of God in Iesus Christ Rom. 8. ◠And if they happen to touch him they shall bee so farre away from being of abilitie to hurt the man as contrariwise they shall be for his profite Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 For all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue God Wherefore the Apostle when he felt himselfe so grounded in that loue he securely gloryed against the adversarie creatures of whatsoever sort as oppression nakednes hunger the sworde death life powers dominions And this surely hee did not indeede for that ende that hee thought that it was not possible that this life presente might be taken out of the world by those things for hee himselfe thereafter felt the contrary in experience but for this cause that he looked for certainly hoped for that other life of God ◠Lesson which should never die with this life This is not to be pretermitted that DAVID confirmeth this man that is to praye whosoever finallie he bee with a promise of that thing which he shall craue so encourageth him to pray For by this example wee learne whosoever wil pray with confidence of necessitie he must haue while he is praying continvally before his eies the promises of God in Christ yea and hee must remember of them so far as it is possible For if there be no meditation vpon the promises of GOD what confidence what zeale I praye you can there be in praying seeing that without Gods own word there cannot be faith and in vayne shall any man promise to himself any good thing or grace from GOD whereof he hath not some assurance out of Gods owne word promise Faith is by hearing Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 and hearing by the worde of God Indeed that is true that there is no man to be found which is not at some time touched with some feling of this want and so is provoked and it were no more very necessity it self compelling him to conceiue praiers But if there be no promise of God before the eyes no worde of GOD concerning that thing which they seek with what face or of what mind dare they be so bolde to come vnto God I marke this the more carefullie for that cause that all may knowe how necessary it were to search and learne out of the word of GOD himselfe and Scriptures all the promises of GOD whither they be of things temporall or of things everlasting In which verely whosoever at passing-well versed those men doe pray very well When wee speake of promises Christ is not to bee passed by in silence in whom all the promises of God are yea Amen that is they both haue their owne ground also their accomplishment without whom in vayne surely thou lookest vppon the promises either temporal or eternal Wherefore whosoever beholdeth the promises of God if hee will look vpon them with profite it is requisite that first of al he look vpon their beginning and end Iesus Christ and never suffer him to depart out of his eies Thou art a lurking place vnto me Hitherto by the waye the promise was inserted Nowe followeth the forme of prayer which that man which is beloved of GOD shal vse whosoever he bee yea and that leaning to DAVIDS example experience In this little prayer not so much at the words to be numbred as they are to bee weighed Before the promise he maketh his preface that God is his lurking place and he professeth his assurance in God alone which in deede is principally the solid ground of the petition and a vehementargumēt to purchase to himself the grace of GOD For seeing thou makest a semblance professest that thy confidence in prayer is placed not in men nor in our merites in which the Papistes trust neither yet in anie other thing but in God alone through Iesus Christ surely nowe thou bringest with thee somewhat then which no thing is more pleasant and acceptable to God Also the petition is in those words Keepe me from trouble Then nexte according to the same meaning compas me about with songs of deliverance as if he shuld say deliver me that I may haue mater to sing thy prayses Hee seeketh then a deliverance for the glorie of God wherof out of all question he
AN EXPOSITION VPON SOME SElect Psalmes of David conteining great store of most excellent and comfortable doctrine and instruction for all those that vnder the burthen of sinne thirst for Comfort in Christ Iesus Written by that faithfull servant of God M. ROBERT ROLLOK sometime Pastour in the Church of Edinburgh And translated out of Latine into English by C. L. Minister of the Gospell of Christ at Dudingstoun The number of the Psalmes are set downe in the Page following EDINBVRGH PRINTED BY ROBERT Walde graue Printer to the Kings Majestie 1600. Cum Privilegio Regio A Table of the Psalmes expounded in this Booke Psalme Third Fol. 1. Sixt Fol. 35. Sixteenth Fol. 80. Twentie three Fol. 113. Thirtie two Fol. 135. Thirtie nine Fol. 202. Fourtie two Fol. 229. Fourtie nine Fol. 261. Fiftie one Fol 283. Sixtie two Fol. 351. Sixtie fiue Fol. 375. Eightie foure Fol. 387. Hundreth Sixeetnth Fol. 410. Hundreth Thirtie Fol. 447 Hundreth thirty seventh 489. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE GRAVE and Godlie Matrone LILIAS GILBERT Spouse to M. IOHN PRESTOVN of Fentoun-Barnes One of the Senatours of the Colledge of justice and Collectour generall of Scotland C. L. wisheth grace mercy and everlasting peace passing all knowledge from God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ for ever Amen HAVing long considdered and advised with my selfe because I was never yet accustomed to such matters to whom I should dedicate this translation of the Exposition of that worthie seruante of GOD of blessed memorie M. ROBERT ROLLOK who now resteth from his labour vpponsome select Psalmes Yee right honorable and dearely beloved in Christ came first into my minde The chiefe thing that mooved me thus to doe was the discharge of my promise wherein I was bound vnto you ever since the booke came home which was in Sommer last At which time I happening to reade vnto you a little of the Exposition vppon the 42. Psalme Ye desired me very earnestly to translate the whole booke which thing I granted-to and promised to performe Behold therefore my promise is now in the mercy and assistance of God fulfilled to you And next I being ever desirous to testifie my duetifull and thankfull minde vnto you as one to whome I was and is much beholden to in many respectes I thought that there could be no better meane then the dedication of this present worke vvhich conteineth great store of most comfortable doctrines as I truste ye shall confesse when ye haue well perused the same so that the onely reading thereof may iustly commend it many waies even to such as are of great learning godlinesse and vertue For if we respect the Author it is God himselfe who vsed DAVID and others the penners of the said Psalmes to be his instruments that his owne in the day of their owne particular trouble and affliction should not lack store of Spirituall and heavenly comfort And so it is the word of Consolation the lampe of light to leade the heauie harted and casten-downe Christian by reason of the troubled conscience by the burthen of sinne through the darke night and thick clowde of afflictions to the throne of Gods mercy and grace More-over there are verie fewe heades of our Christian faith and religion as Faith Repentance Iustification Sanctification the Resurrection of his flesh Eternall life the nature causes and effects of Sinne Originall and Actuall comfort for the heavie and sorrowfull soule and sundrie such other poyntes But they are most pithily solidelie and with great evidencie of the Spirite set downe here Againe if wee haue an eie to the partie by whose ministerie and labours this Exposition was written He was a man as I may be hold to testifie being conversant with him both in Sanct-Andrewes and in this ciitie neere hand this twentie yeares by gane to whom the Church of GOD within this countrey is as much beholden as to any one instrument that ever GOD thrust out into his haruest in this Church of Scotland being a man indewed with excellent and manifolde giftes of GOD most diligent earnest and painefull in imploying of the same for bringing vp of the youth in godlinesse information and instruction in the Lord beating downe of the adversaries winning of people vnto God edifying of the flocke of Christ and shewing good example to other in his vpright conversation And wee haue all iuste cause to feare that the taking away of such a worthie light is a fore-runner of Gods severe iudgement to come vppon this sinfull Lande which I am afrayde is nearer then we suppose Hee vvas in in his life time a notable learned Doctour and a moste pithie Preacher of Christe crucifyed Indued vvith as great humilitie as ever I knewe man of our Nation which is a rare gift in the more learned sorte For knowledge puffeth vppe sayeth the Apostle and one vvhome I maye blesse the Lorde for his mercie in Christ Iesus towarde mee that ever I knewe as being the especiall instrument of GOD that planted the knowledge of my Saviour in my hearte vvhome I may call vvorthelie my Father and instructer in the Lord Iesus Christ And vvoulde to GOD that vve that are lefte behinde him in this miserable valley of teares could learne to haue our delight as little set vppon this life and thinges belonging thereto vvhere our cittie and place of residence is not as he had vvhose onely care vvas hovv to enlarge the Kingdome of Christe ever vvayting for the Cittie vvhich is not buylded vvith the handes But is everlasting in the Heavens as many a time I haue heard him speake I say no more of him for his workes alreadie set out and the seminarie which he hath planted I meane the Colledge of Edinburgh will continue his happie remembrance to the posteritie to come As concerning the translation of the worke itself I haue dealt as simplie and faithfully in turning it into English as was possible being content to expresse the authors meaning in most easie and simple tearmes keeping his owne phrase of speach so far as I could attayne to And so I humblie submit the iudgement thereof to your favorable acceptation the obteining thereof shall greatly increase my gladnesse in that I haue done any thing whereby the Church of God or any particular member thereof is or may be any whit edified Receiue it therfore with as charitable a minde as I doe willingly offer it as a token of my Christian duetie toward you Whom I recommende to the Lord and his grace in Iesus Christ beseeching his holy and sacred maiestie to continue his favour with you your Husband my Lor dand your posteritie to your everlasting comfort in Christ Amen From Edinburgh the third day of December 1599. By yours to be commanded in Iesus Christ C. L. Minister of the Gospel of Christ at Dudingstoun ANE EXPOSITION vpon the third Psalme THE ARGVMENT A Psalme of Prayer Now the maker thereof and the occasion of the writing of it is evident out of the Inscription A
Psalme of David saith he when bee fledde through feare of his sonne Abschalom Looke the occasion in the 2. booke of Sam. 15. Chapter to the twenty Chap. at length opened vp Then to returne to the matter the Psalme is composed of three partes The first is ane heauie complaint from the 2. verse to the 4. Then is a glorying of Faith through a feeling of the mercie and deliverance of God which he appeareth to haue felt and tasted while he made his complaint vnto the 8. verse Thirdly there is a two-sold petition The first for him selfe The other for the whole people vnto the end of the Psalme THE III. PSALME 1 A Psalme of DAVID when he fledde through feare of his sonne Abschalom 2 O Iehova how many are mine adversaries many they are that rise vp against me 3 Many there are that say of my soule there is no salvation for this man in God! Selah The first part of the Psalme O Iehova how many The first part of the Psalme is the complaint which aryseth as it appeareth clearely from a heart partely oppressed by the grieuousnesse of afflictions partly astonished through the multitude of enemies For hee cannot sufficiently wonder at such a multitude so suddenly seduced by his sonne Abschalom And therefore wondring and astonished at once he repeateth this thrise How many are they The grievousnes of the affliction Now the heauines of the affliction appeareth fullie of the degrees of the complaint for he complaineth not only of many enemies but of many enemies rising vp against him And not that onely but of many enemies both blasphemous against God and spiteful against himselfe The commō church of whome they spake as of one forsaken of God Of this third and highest degree this thing is to be perceived in Davids example that God even after such a maner vses to exercise his owne and those that are beloved of him that they appeare to the world to be among the number of the reprobat and of those that are forsaken of God And this is not done without a cause for the defections yea Cau◠of every one that is most good are many and sinne appeareth many times to be sweete vnto the Electe Therefore God suffers them againe to taste how bitter the fruit of sinne is Yet notwithstanding in the mean time hee so mitigateth this sense of the fruit of sinne that he suffereth them not to feele at one time and together the whole sharpnes thereof And he changeth so that part of that sense and bitternes which he giveth to them to be tasted that out of bitternes he maketh sweetnes to come out of that which is by the owne nature the fruit and punishment of sin he maketh a way as it were of amendment of life yea vnto the very heauens themselues This way to some man may appeare backward that any by the Helles should passe vnto the heauens Notwithstanding God bringeth it to passe which brought light out of darknes Then mark next in this complaint and in this example of DAVID that every one of the godly vses in their afflictiones to turne them selues at length vnto God And that is a plaine proofe if there were no more onely that this punishment which is otherwise inflicted vpon sinne changeth the own nature For at no time the turning vnto GOD followeth the punishment in so far as it is the punishment of sin whatsoever the Papists prattle of temporall punishments and satisfactions as they speake But after what maner now at last doth DAVID convert himselfe vnto God For the godly man afflicted many waies vseth to turne himselfe vnto God for either by confession of his sinnes or by seeking deliverance from the present affliction or finally by complayning and quarrelling with God he turneth himselfe vnto him Now DAVID in this Psalme turneth himselfe vnto God by complayning and lamenting not indeede that he acknowledgeth not his sinne together with his deserving to wit that he is justlie through his owne procurement afflicted after that maner For we reade not that DAVID thus complaineth in any other place that hee vndeservedly suffered any thing of his God In some other place I grant he complaineth that he suffered many things of men and of his enemies but in no place he maketh moane that hee suffered any thing vndeservedly at Gods hands Moreover it is manifest ynough by his own wordes in this place of what thing he complayneth For he complayneth not only of the multitude of his enemies but also of the over grieuousnesse of the affliction David◠complayne what on it is As if any childe chastened of the father complaining that he is over rigourously handled Albeit in the meane time that is true that GOD never tempteth his owne aboue that they are able to susteine For hee will not suffer you to bee tempted aboue that you bee able but will even giue the issue with the temptation that yee may bee able to bear it 1. Cor. 10. 13. I grant he burdeneth the reprobat aboue that they are able to beare and therefore CAINE Genes 4. 13. complayneth That his punishment is greater hen that he is of strength to beare But God tempteth not his owne so albeit sometimes it appeareth so vnto them because of the infirmitie of our nature I praye you what meneth that The tentation of the godly that a man euen in the middest of his tentations I speak of the godlie while hee hes his recourse vnto God feeleth that in some part he is eased of his burthen that he feeleth with sighes that cannot be expressed a joy invtterable What other thing I pray you is meant by that matter but that while the godly hes their refuge vnto God their tentation is asswaged and that after a sort they slide and escape out of the midst of tentation to speake so with the Apostle The tentation of the wicked The vngodly whiles they are punished of God they feele not indeede that neither is there a way made open to them vnto God Therefore the burthen of the wrath is heavier then they are able to beare Of which thing also CAIN Genes 4. 14. complayneth who beside that he was condemned to banishment casten out of the Church hee was also casten out from the face of God But this complaynt of DAVID is yet a little more diligently to be examined of vs and finally it must be taken heede to from what mind it proceeded The beginning of this complaint clearely manifesteth the selfe of this familiar maner of doing with God which is easilie perceived in DAVIDS complaint For such a familiar fashion of dealing with God sheweth that this complaynte came not from the Spirit of man For the Spirite of man durst never yet compeir before God and his judgement seate For howsoever otherwaies it appeare to be fearce notwithstanding it trembleth and shaketh at the sight of God Wherefore of necessitie this so familiar a complaint
is the other reason of the petition The other reason of the petition from Gods glorie from the glorie of God himselfe For as that former reason was from our owne miserie in the third and fourth verses so this latter is from the glorie of God which through this present estate of DAVID appeareth to be called in question Lord saith hee in death there is no remembrance of thee Therefore keepe me aliue The cause wherefore the godly liue awhile vpon the earth before they â—lit hence to the lord For this cause God will haue vs to liue in the land of the living and as it were to liue as strangers absente from the Lorde that first through faith wee might worship him in his sonne Iesus Christ in this life before wee fullie enjoyed that his presence in that other Every one of the godly knowing this they desire to bee preserved for a time yea euen in this life for this end in speciall which the Lorde himselfe hath appoynted and as the Apostle speaketh of the creatures Rom. 8. 20. not so much after their will as after his owne will who will haue them for a time to be pilgrimes absent from their Lord. Therefore so oft as we see the Saintes so earnestlie to desire this life and the preservation thereof at Gods hands we must not thinke that this is done by them for this cause that they even delight so much in this life The cause why the godly desire to remaine in this life or that they abhor this bodely death but rather that they earnestly desire to glorifie their God among the living and to exalte his militant Church kingdom vpon the earth they desire not to â—itte from thence while they haue wonne some vnto Christ and as it were by stretching out their hande they carie them vp with themselues into the heavens For this present life is chiefely to be consecrat to God Gods affayres Yea and this is the cause why Ezechias tooke death in so evill a part denunced vnto him Esa â—â— And this also is the cause wherefore Paule when otherwise he choosed rather to sâ—it out of the body nevertheles hee choosed rather to remaine in the body to the ende that hee might propagat the Church of Christ might bring men vnto the â—aith Phil. 1. 23. 24. Finally this was the cause wherefore so earnestly DAVID sought in so many Psalmes the prolonging of his life Psa 30. 88. 118. Notwithstanding David in this Psalme appeareth not so much to be oppressed with the sicknes of his body as with the sicknes of his soule sense of the wrath of God And therfore he is not so affraid of this bodely death as of that spirituall casting off yea that through the sense of the flesh part not renewed Wherfore we may consider with our selues that he spak of that eternal death of the burial of the hell in which no man will prayse God Therefore you see that the godlie also abhorre and are affrayd for the bell and againe you see that they desire life and salvation not so much for their owne cause as for Gods glories sake For neither DAVID in this place somuch respecteth his owne life and salvation as the prayse of GOD yea and that specially troubled him that being once cast out from the face of God he should not at any time there after be a Preacher of Gods prayses And this is a most sure evident of the salvation of the godlie if they feele in themselues a desire and careful indevour of gloryfiing God For it is not possible that that soule can bee deteined in Hell which aspyreth to God and to his glorie I faynt in my mourning Hytherto haue bene declared The three reasons of the petition from a most grieâ—ous senâ—e of misery the two reasones of the earnest seeking of mercy The firste in the third and fourth verses The second in the sixt verse Now followeth the third in the sevent and eight verses from the dolour and feeling of a most grieuous miserie Hee expresseth this sorrow diverse manner of waies For first he sayeth I faynt in my mourning Then I make my bed saith hee all the night to swimme Thirdly saith he I make my bed side to melt with my teares I grant that these speaches are very excessiue For in truth neither made DAVID so much as his bedde to swimme neither yet melted hee his bedde-side with his teares notwithstanding the inward dolour of his mind was no les then are those externall thinges which are here spoken of For out of all question if it could haue bene possible that DAVIDS eies had bene capable of so many teares as had bene sufficient to haue made his bed to swimme or to melt his bed-side surely there was such a great sorrow in DAVIDS hart as had bene sufficient to lowse them and to powre them out and certainlie DAVIDS bodie in verie deede was almost consumed and as it were melted with that sorrow For to speake this once of this griefe of DAVID this is first manifest that it was not so much contracted by reason of the bodely sicknes with which notwithstanding hee was most heavily oppressed as it was indeede by reason of the feeling of the wrath of God those terrours of hel the which grief indeed is the greatest that can 〈◊〉 imagined none is to be compared vnto it Then DAVID was such a one who now before had oft tasted how gracious the Lorde was as PETER â—peaketh Yea and hee himselfe at this same verie time was not altogether voyde of all feeling of his mercy And therefore it came to passe that he tooke this wrath of the angrie GOD in so evill a parte For it is sure that howe much the more greater the experience of the mercie of God be so much the more doth any man take in evill parte the wrath of God and he is the more in that respect troubled through the offence of so mercifull a Father And for these causes From whence proceeded the greate fear of the Saintes who other waies wer indued with a singular courage of minde the aunciente holy men otherwise indewed with excellente courage and strength of minde when they came before God they vtter a most effeminat softnesse and dejection of minde There was no man of greater courage of mind then David notwithstanding at this time he was altogether powred out as it were in teares for that invincible strength of mind is not otherwise to be vttered when wee haue to doe with God and with his wrath for what other thing els would this bee then to harden our heart against the hand of God humbling vs And that we haue not experience of this grief in our selues which David as he hath vttered in this Psalme sayeth was in himself the cause is this stupiditie of our hart this fleshly security with the which wee are also cast vppe into dead sleepe
the generall doctrine commeth first in hand Then a confirmation of the propositioÌ„ from experience last the effecte of that experience of the mercy of God toward DAVID in others of the faithful Then to the end we may speake of the proposition DAVID first is tormented with the conscience of sinne and because of sin with the feeling of Gods wrath Then his minde is quieted by a confidence of the forgiuenes of his sins Therefore he appeareth to himselfe to be blessed after that torment and horrours of death through the conscience of the remission of his sinnes his minde being now setled in ease hee sheweth plâ—inely once and over again what great good is in the forgiuenesse of sinnes in this Psalme of doctrine and there through hee becommeth an excellent learned Teacher of the blessednesse of man For every man is bounde after that firste he hath felt his own miserie then his free deliverance in Christ according to his calling to deliver over vnto others as it were the doctrine of the miserie and blessednesse of man DAVLD nowe then becommeth such a one and hee teacheth that true and solide felicitie consisteth not in the riches of this worlde not in honor glorie not in pleasures not in the workes and merites of men but in the grace of God alone in the free remission of sinnes Also those whom he taketh in hand to teach are miserable men miserable I say it were no more but by reason of the conscience and of death yea or rather because of that fleshly security whereby many are casten vp so in a deepe sleepe that neither are they touched with a sense of sinne nor of miserie which estate surely is of all estates far most perilous Then those ar they whom he teacheth this true happinesse to whom by viue voyce he poynteth out as it were with the finger that onely cause which pacifieth and blesseth the consciences of miserable men to wit the free remission of sinne in Christ Moreover there are three sorts of speeches concerning remission of sinnes in the two first verses which notwithstanding all fall into one The first is The first Blessed is he which is eased sayth he DAVID feeling himselfe as it were firste oppressed with the burden of sinne Then that he was eased of that but then through the mercy of God and his conscience now being pacified to him drawing his breath as it were he cryeth out and declareth that that man is blessed whosoever he bee that is disburthened of the heavie burthen of his defectioÌ„ Now the cause wherefore wee feele not in our selues such a blessednesse neither are able to prayse the same with DAVID is this securitie whereby it commeth to passe that either sin is not felt at all or if it be felt it is esteemed as a thing of little weight But if the deadly sopour were shaken off from vs and if there were any feeling of sinne together with a sense of the wrath of God drawing out sin to the light and making the burthen of sin to appeare intollerable as that way it appeareth vnto DAVID when he saieth and complayneth that the burthen of his iniquities are heavie Psal 〈◊〉 â— that they are heavier then he is able of strength to beare For he felt conjoyned with his iniquities the wrath of God from which proceedeth that so great a weight of sin If therefore we feele that burthen of sinne with the anger of God lying on vs then surely we would in good earnest acknowledge that that man were blessed who were disburdened of his defection Whose sinne is covered The seconde forme of speech followeth whereby he publisheth the remission of sinnes Blessed is he sayeth he whose sinne is hid DAVID when hee had felt this sinne and all this deformitie of nature to be layd open before the eies of that wrathfull God Then also he had felt that his sinne was covered with the obedience righteousnesse of Christ his minde being nowe quieted and setled hee pronounceth that man to be blessed whose sinne was covered Now the cause wherefore wee feele not this blessednesse in our selues by experience is that he is blessed whose sinne is covered is the selfe-same stupiditie of our nature and fleshlie securitie wherewith wee are so blinded that we neither see our sinne neither the angrie face of God looking vpon vs from the heauen For the which blindnes sake againe we do oft come to that shamelesnesse that not being coÌ„tent in secreet to offend those eies of God we also do openly come out and in Gods sight before the Sun the Moone yea and as it were the whole world looking on sometimes wee commit man-slaughter otherwhiles adulteries nowe thieftes and riefes and then other sortes of moste filthie sinnes and provoke as Esay saieth 3. â— the eies of the glorie of God Like as we read of that Zimri Num 9â— 25. a most impudent man who came foorth brought out his filthinesse with that his exceeding filthie whoore the Midianitish woman in the sight of God in the sight of Moses in the presence of all the people yea in the publicke sorrow of al the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ Wherefore Phinees being vehemently stirred vp with the zeale of God taking a speare in his hande striketh them both through But if surely there were any Magistrates among vs indewed with such a zeale those most wicked men should not escape vnpunished for so many man-slaughters so many adulteries Finally for so many sortes of most haynous sins Nevertheles this thing in the meane time should comfort vs that the selfe same God yet remaineth and that ever like to himselfe who because of his righteousnes is not able to suffer for ever that these most wickedman shall escape vn-punished for those sinnes This is then the blindnesse which proceedeth from our securitie and againe a wounderful shamelesnesse proceeding from that blindnesse But surely if once at length we were wakened vp out of this deadly sopour and saw our sinnes viuely together with the angrie countenance of God beholding vs from the heaven and burning vp our soules as it were with his hoat wrath for the angrie countenance of God doth none otherwaies burne the vncleane souls of men then the fyre any mater meet for burning as tymber stuble or hey according to that saying of the Prophet Thou shalt appoynt them For to be burnt as a furnace of fyre in the time of thine angrie countenance then declaring that more clearely he subjoyneth Iehova shall sup them vp in his wrath as if the fyre had coÌ„sumed them But if I say there were any feeling of those things then surely wee would with DAVID commend much that man to be blessed whose sinne were so covered that it should not be seene of an angrie God Blessed is the man to whome Iehova imputeth none iniquitie The thirde forme of speech The third forme of speache whereby hee expresseth vnto vs the remission of sinnes Hee felt out
followeth the confirmation thereof from his owne experience Also that experience is two fold The first is of the miserie at what time to wit he held his tongue and confessed not his sinne The second is of deliverance and forgiuenes of sin that is to wit at that time when he confessed his sin Then hee sayeth first When I held my tongue my bones waxed old That is when I conteined my sinne within mee when I dissembled the same and confessed not My bones waxed olde That is mine whole bodie was consumed there was nothing so firme in me no not indeede so much as my bones which was not worne away with the hand of God Marke the Prophetes words for he speaketh not so becaus I haue sinned my bones consumed awaye But he sayeth thus When I helde my peace Or when I confessed not my sin Why the godly are afflicted of God My bones wore away Of the which we learne that the godly are not for that cause afflicted of God that they are punished because of their sinnes which are all forgiven in that alone satisfaction of Christe but to the ende they may be raysed vppe out of that sluggishnesse and extreame deadlie securitie and may be broght to repentance I obserue this because of the enemies who defende that afflictions yea even of the godlie are so manie temporall punishmentes and satisfactiones for sinne when there is but one satisfaction of Christ yea and that all sufficiente and punishmente which he suffered for all our sinnes so that whosoever would conjoyne any other satisfaction whatsoever with this satisfaction of Christ of force he must take away some thing from that most perfect satisfying Much rather therefore we must hold and learne out of this experience of DAVID that whatsoever afflictiones of the godly are not ay by reasō of their sinnes to wit that any punishment should bee taken of them albeit otherwise the originall and efficient cause of them be sinne For the wages of sinne is death the same judgmēt is to be taken of al temporal afflictiones whatsoever But GOD who out of light bringeth foorth darknesse hee so changeth these afflictiones which are of the owne nature the fruites and effectes of sinne that nowe they become certaine exercises of the godly for their weill Then as I haue said afflictions come not for sinne as the ende that it may be punished but that repentance mortification and conversion may be wrought Secondly marke in this place how deepe the deadly sopour yea of the godly is at some time that those who now and then sleep so in sinne that they cannot be wakened vnlesse it bee with most grieuous afflictiones as DAVID speaketh yea except their bones be consumed that also which is a wounderfull thinge falleth out after that they haue now oft had experience of the mercy of GOD in Christ are touched with that sense of the passing sweete loue of GOD which surely ought to haue easilie without anie trouble alured their mind vnto God For he who once hath felt how gracious the Lord is he must of necessitie continually seeke the presence of God Notwithstanding they are so obdured whiles and cast vp into a deepe sleepe that they would never turne themselues vnto God vnlesse it were they were drawen with the violence of afflictiones This security is wounderful this sleepe is marveylous which now and then even creepeth-on vpon the godly and shaketh off so from them the taist of that loue of God in Christ for a time in which otherwaies it became them to be allured continually to seeke God that except they were judged of GOD they shuld perish miserably with the rest of the world Moreover we haue here to mark out of the word Of keeping silence whereby indeede somewhat obscurely is meant some conscience of sinne and that oppressed with silence and vnrighteously with holden as the Apostle speaketh For there is no man so voyde of conscience which is not some time as it were rounded with into the eare admonished of his sinne And from thence it proceedeth that men being warned by their conscience of sinne whereof in the meane time they delight very greatly and they indevour to nourish the same in their bosome as it were they travel by all meanes to dissemble and cover their sinne so that if it were possible it should not be marked with Gods eies to that end especially that they might enjoy sin without the brode of conscience and disquietting of the minde which thing indeed they cannot attayne vnto if they knowe that their sinne is before the sight and eies of God Of which it commeth to passe that some pretend one excuse some another yea some pretending religion and externall worship for their sins But al those things are done in vayne For it is not possible that sinnes can be covered as it was said before vnlesse they be hid with the onely obedience of Christ In my roaring As if he should say I in the meane time not acknowledging my sinne was touched indeed with a present sense of my afflictions all the daye I roared like a Lyon I vttered very beastly noyses Of the which we learne yea that the very Hecte and godly at what time being delivered over into their owne hande they begunne to waxe beastlie and to sleepe in sinne while by afflictions they be awakened out of that sleep they vse to vtter voyces as of beastes rather then of men yea many times they murmure and fret against God For if you will considder common nature there is no difference betuixte the Elect and the Reprobat the godly and the vngodly Which surely if there bee any it is from God alone who only puts the difference betuixt vs who at last allureth the godly vnto himselfe by some sense of his loue yea and by his holy Spirite boweth their harts But he leaveth the vngodly for ever being left it is so far a way that they are softned by afflictions and calamities that contrariwise they are judged and become worse and worse For day and Hitherto hath the most grievous affliction bin set downe here followeth the cause thereof as if he should saye no man hath cause to woūder that my bones are worne awaye and that I in the meane time haue roared like a Lion For the hand of God day and night oppressed me Thy hand was heavy vpon me saith he day night That is continually without intermission and from thence it commeth to pas that My most excellent iuyce was turned into the sommers droughts That is that juyce whereby the body was fresh did dry-vp yea and the whole body was dryed vp became withered For it is the amplifying of so grievous an oppression from the owne effect because the hand of God oppressing him it wrong out all the sap of the bodie Marke here the principall cause of DAVIDS afflictions not onely did the afflictiones so much mooue him as God
afflicting whom in the meane while he felt to be his judge Thine hand saith he was heavie vpon me Wherefore chiefely he respecteth the person of the afflicter â—or the afflictions themselues mooue men not somuch as the conscience of God the judge For if there bee some feeling of the loue of God in the middest of afflictiones they appeare now to be lighter because then we feele that those afflictions are not inflicted by God as a just judge now but as by a most gratious father But if in afflictions there be no feeling of the mercy of GOD otherwise the most light now appear to be the most grievous vnto vs not so much because of the afflictions themselues as in respecte of the conscience of the Iudge For it is a terrible thing to fall in to the hands of the living God And of â—l enemies the terriblest is the wrathfull God chiefely Many there are I confesse who being manie waies miserably afflicted notwithstanding in the meane time are either nothing or at least very little commoved For no other cause then that they see not that their afflictions are of God and from thence it is that no regarde being had of GOD they turne themselues vnto the seconde causes and they powre out their wrath vppon them thinking with themselues that then at length they shall be blessed if they can be rigorous against them But if they vnderstoode that GOD were the author of all those thinges which shall vppon them and in the mean time wil not be touched with any sense of his loue mercy in christ surely they would bee more viuilie touched with those calamities and they would meditat with themselues one time or other concerning the asswaging of the wrath and justice of God and they would not be altogither violentlie with their whole force carried awaye against the second causes as they call them Surely such blindnes be nummednes of men is miserable The heâ—uinesse of gods 〈◊〉 whom when God exerciseth with his own hand never theles they neither see nor feele the same Then we haue to marke that which he saith that that hand of â—od was grievous vppon him continually First there is the heavines of the hand and wrath of God Thereafter ther is a heavines without iâ—termissioÌ„ when the sinner remayneth obstinat against faith and repentance then as it were God is hardned in his wrath Also afflictions and calamities make manifest verie oft vnto the worlde that perpetuall anger which God so continueth that as one waue followeth vppon an other so one affliction commeth vpon the neck of another and the greater continually followeth vpon the smaller So the Apostle speaking of the obstinate Iewes The wrath of God saieth he is come vppon them to the full The Iewes an â—xample If at any time wee see the wicked to swimme out of afflictiones 1. Thes 2. 16. wee should not thinke for this cause that this deliverance shall bee perpetuall All the wicked but that they are thus prepared for some more grieuous trouble I grant God giveth vnto them a breathing time and some well long distance of time between afflictions which hee layeth on such is his long suffering but these as the Apostle sayeth According to their hardnes and heart that cannot repent make that those distances of time Rom. 2. 5. which are otherwise granted vnto them for repentance to bee no other thing but so manie preparations to the more grievous wrath But to speake of the godlie this they by experience feele in themselues that while their faith in Christ languisheth and they some times turne themselues awaie from God incontinent surelie they feele in experience some signes of the wrathfull God And if they also persever in their back-sliding they feele that God continueth in his anger to the ende to wit that it may appear to be most manifest vnto them that there is nothing without Christ but wrath And if there were no other evident of this matter extante then those horrours which otherwaies the faithful feele in themselues while they either neglecte Christe or his blood or apprehend it not firmelie ynough in their soule surely by that and it were no more it is sufficiently declared that men are not in safetie without Christ that there is no true peace and quietnesse of mind without Christ seeing that in him alone the wrath of God himself doth quiet the selfe I will make my sinne Hitherto hath bene declared DAVIDS first experience to wit of his misery now followeth the seconde that is of his deliverance The summe is When I confessed my sin thou forgavest me both the sinne and the punishment of the sin But wee must take heed to the wordes I said that is I purposed and deliberat in my mind to confesse my sinne Now he vttereth this three manner of waies First sayeth he I will make my sinne knowen vnto thee Then I will not cover mine iniquitie Last I will confesse my defections vnto Iehova These three speeches fall all into one And this threefold repetition of one thing either sheweth how earnestlie he had confessed his sinne or surelie manifesteth that in the advisement taking there was some wrastling or combat with the flesh drawing the man back from afree and good confession He wrastleth out therefore hee multiplieth the confession of his sinne And thou tooke away That is thou forgavest me my sinne For then is the forgiuenesse of sin when the guiltinesse I saie and whole paine and not some part onelie of the paine whether the same be more or lesse Is taken away For Christs satisfaction for sin is perfite from the which verelie so much is taken awaie 1. 〈◊〉 as wee giue vnto our satisfactiones But concerning this matter looke before Obserue here first that DAVID confesseth not firste his sin before the same be forgiven neither tooke he sooner a purpose to confesse his sinne but the punishmeÌ„t of sinne was as soone taken awaie which certainelie is ane evidente token that sin is not so much the cause of the guyltines and punishment as hardnesse and as the Apostle speaketh the heart that cannot repente I grant indeed that sin procureth the wrath of God but obstinacie in sin continueth and hoordeth vppe that wrath For if any man would confes his sinne he should haue GOD no more angrie against him But by reason of his hardnes he confesseth not sinne therefore the wrath remaineth and not only it remayneth but it increaseth Therefore PAVLE speaketh But thou ô man Rom. 2. 5. after thine hardnes and hearte that cannot repente heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iuste iudgement of God For what shall we thinke to be the cause why that anger that is to come in that daye shall be so grievous The cause of so greate a wrath surely shall not bee so much sinne it selfe as an obdured heart in sinne and the contempt of
will redeeme my soule foom the graue Hee thinketh it not sufficient to lay this argument nakedly downe but hee premitteth the amplifying thereof from the contrary which to wit falleth out to them who place their confidence in riches and honoures For there is none of them who is able to redeeme his soule from death This amplification and declaration to the ende wee may the more clearely vnderstande it shall bee deduced into those partes First in the seaventh verse and thereafter vnto the eleventh verse he sheweth that he that putteth his confidence in riches is not able to deliuer a soule from death Then next he sheweth that he which putteth his trust in honour cannot redeeme a soule from death from the 11. verse to the 14. vers Thirdly while he considereth these things earnestly hee aggregeth the foolishnes of those men as also he rebuketh the foolishnes of the posteritie in the 14. and 15. verses I returne to the first parte Of these sayth he who trust in their wealth c. None there is who is able to deliver with all his riches not so much indeed as his brothers life let bee his owne life for a man will redeeme his owne life with a greater price then his brothers So that he may liue for euer and not find in experience corruption And in the ninth verse the reason is inserte For sayeth hee the redemption of their life is deare Yea certainly the price of life can at no time bee payed by them to GOD. And this is the thing which he subjoyneth Yea it ceaseth for ever The summe of all tendeth to this as if he should say he who placeth his confidence in riches hee cannot indeede by his wealth so much as redeeme the life of his brother let bee his owne life Mark Dauid speaketh not after this maner He who putteth his trust in his welth knoweth not what the inconstācy of the world is how long he is to inioy that wealth but giuing that he had sufficient portiō of riches in this whol life notwithstanding he affirmeth that hee is not able beyonde that moment appoynted for death to protract this life or to giue immortalitie to anye mortall man DAVID then for this cause estemeth verie litle of riches because they cannot make a man immortal he regardeth immorality so much It cannot be said how farre the judgement of the men of this worlde differeth from this sentence of Dauid These men knowe indeed that neither riches nor honoures are able to giue immortalitie Notwithstanding taking no thought of immortalitie they place their whole trust in those things And some are so prophane that they are not ashamed to say If they be in a good estate in this life they little regarde that life to come But others if they dare not be so bold to cast out so prophane a speach neuerthelesse they sufficiētly shew in their life manners that they thinke the same thinge in their hearts Man in the first creation was made for immortality 2. Cor. 3. 5. yea there is in him by nature it selfe some feeling and desire of immortalitie Then I reckon this amonge the extreeme greateste curses that any man shall become so brutish that all his life long he shall thinke nothing of immortalitie Notwithstanding you shall see euerie where many such not so much men as wild beastes hauing nothing of mans nature in thē except the outward shew yea who are worse then the verie wild beastes For the wilde beastes reteine their owne nature but those degende from their owne naturall But what will you say ar riches so great enemies and contrarie to that life to come Are not rather all those temporal goods as many earnest pennies of that life and felicitie to come I answer I say that riches scattered abroad rather then gathered together by hook crooke are more profitable to eternal life For where a mans treasure is gathered together there is his heart But the riches scattered abroade are that true The saurie which shall be profitable to eternall life Callest thou that a treasure would any man say which is scattered abroade Yea 1. Tim. 6. 10. 19. surely the Apostle calleth dispersed riches a treasure For if sayeth he we be ready to giue wee shall lay vp for our selues a good foundation for the time to come that we may take hold of eternall life You see therefore that we lay vp that which notwithstanding wee giue out and gather that which nevertheles we disperse Although he see The second part of the amplification whereby hee sheweth him who putteth his trust in honour is notable with glory and honour to redeeme his owne life Then he teacheth what they get of that to thēselues they ar notable to redeeme their soules although sayeth he they see the wisemen of this world none otherwise to perish then the vn-wise foolish and brutish And that they leaue all their riches and magnificence to others yea perhaps to men vnknowen and strangers Notwithstanding their minde is to seeke glorie to themselues yea and that of woorkes builded vp here and there gloriously Which it pleaseth them to call after their owne names Then hee subioyneth in the thirteenth verse which befalleth those ambitious men The man who is in honour he shal receiue no further profite of his honours then the rich-men of their riches Yea surely all the honours shal not bee able to giue him the delaye of one night hee becommeth at last like vnto beastes that perish For even as in his life hee was like vnto these verie beasts to wit vnderstanding nothing as it is set downe in the last verse so also in his death hee shall bee like vnto them Eccles 1◠18. 19. For it is good reason that hee which liveth like a beast shall also die lik a beast Mark here he saith first that he who putteth his confidence in honour that is the ambitious man seeth and vnderstandeth Then next he sayeth that nevertheles his minde is to seeke glorie It profiteth nothing atall to see the thing that is good and to be followed and the thing that is evill to be eschewed vnlesse God therwith open the heart to this ende that the thing which we see and vnderstande we feele it intirely in our heart You will see every where wicked ambitious covetuous yea and cruell men when they haue a thousand such most dolefull experiences before their eies notwithstanding they are not commoved with any of those thinges neither yet chaunge they their mind and purpose into better And what is the cause Those menne see well-ynough with their minde and do vnderstande but they feele nothing in their heart Therefore God is earnestly to be praied vnto that as there wants not examples as well good as evill of all sorts so he would graunt vnto vs that we may feele intirely in our heart that there may bee with the knowledge of the minde a conscience and a feeling of the heart
with their riches honours yea they shal remaine without ende in the darknes of the second death except they repent I recommend for this cause the more carefullie the remembrance and meditation of this thing because I see everie where very many bewitched with these vanitses before they judge them to be vaine thinges For the vnderstanding of this flesh is so grosse that it cannot but bee wise onely in grosse thinges For the Spirit of man is not able at anye time to comprehend those celestial spiritual things Therefore God must be prayed vnto that he would be present with vs who are in the middest as it were of those thinges with which the world is bewitched by his Spirit that he would lift vs vp aboue this world to behold not those things which ar sene but those things which are not seene For the thinges which are seene are all transitorious but the things which are not seene are immortall and are able to make vs immortal by Iesus Christ our Lorde To him be al glory and honour Amen THE ARGVMENT Of the LI. Psalme David hauing renewed battle against the Hummanites sitting idle at home seeing the faire wife of Vriah washing herselfe hee sendeth for her and having had to do with her he sendeth her away againe Hearing therafter that she had conceived by him he calleth her husband out of the hoste that the birth might be thought to be his Which thing because it tooke no effect having sent Vriah back againe to the campe with letters he commandeth Ioab to put him out to be slain by the enemies Which being done hee marieth his Widdow Thereafter vppon this occasion Nathan is sent by God who hauing proposed a Parable sought out narrowlie what was the Lawe He bringeth him to a conscience of his fact and denunceth parden to him repenting of the sinne Looke 2. Sam. 11. and 12. Chapters Thiâ— is then the Psalme in which Dauid repenting earnestlie craveth the remission of sinnes And it is composed of two sortes of petitiones First of a particular kinde of petition in which he craveth the pardon of his sinnes from the third verse to the twentie verse Then of a generall whereby hee craveth the weal of the whole Church in the twentie and twenty one verses The first sorte of petition is mixed with the owne causes For hee prayeth first and he adjoyneth the cause to the prayer from a simple and playne confession Secondly he prayeth and to the prayer he subjoyneth the second cause from the edifying of others At laste thirdly he prayeth and to the prayer hee subjoyneth the third cause from Gods owne glorie But let vs considder the thred of the Text. The LI. Psalme 1 A Psalme of Dauid committed to the maister of the Musick to be song 2 When the Prophet NATHAN came vnto him after that he had had to do with BATHSCHEBA 3 Haue mercy vppon me ô God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the largenesse of thy compassiones blot out my defections 4 Wash me much from mine iniquitie and clense me from my sinne 5 For I acknowledge my defections my sinne is continually layde open before mine eies 6 Against thee against thee alone haue I sinned and the thing which is thought evil in thy sight haue I done I acknowledge that thou maist be iustified in thy speeches that thou mayst bee pure when thou iudgest 7 Behold in iniquitie was I formed my mother nurished me in sinne 8 Behold in the reines thou delightest in the trueth and in the hid place hast thou made wisedome knowen vnto me 9 Purge me with Hyssope that I may be cleane wash me that I may wax whiter then the snow 10 Make me to heare ioy and gladnes let the bones which thou hast brused reioyce 11 Hide thine angry face away from my sins and blot out all mine iniquities 12 Create in me a cleane mind ô God renew a firme Spirit within me 13 Cast me not away from thy face and receiue not thine holy Spirite from me 14 Restore to me the ioy of thy salvation and vp-holde mee with the Spirite of freedome 15 I shall teache back-slyders thy waies that sinners may be converted vnto thee 16 Deliver me from bloud ô God the God of my saluation let my tongue sing thy reghteousnes 17 Thou wilt open my lippes ô Lord that my mouth may shewe foorth thy praise 18 For thou delightest not in sacrifice that I may giue thou wilt not haue a burnt offring 19 The sacrifices of God are ane broken spirite Thou despisest not ô God a broken and contriâ—e soule HAue mercy Having heard Nathans rebuke there is presently set vp in Davids soule the judgement seate of God as it were the judge and the conscience which before was cast vp in a dead sleepe being now awakened intendeth the accusation before that tribunall First it objecteth that most filthie crime of adulterie Then a moste cruel man-slaughter from hence arise horrors and terrours in the hart of the miserable man wherewith being troubled in deed he pretendeth not this or that excuse to his sinne as some vse to doe and hideth his sinne but giving place to his conscience and confessing the crime he turneth himselfe an humble suppliant vnto God Haue mercy vpon me sayth he ô God Surely there is no other sorrow so grieuous as this sorrowe of ane evill conscience which thing while the wicked feele firste they diligently travel to beware least the conscience once being caste vp into a dead sleepe bee awakened againe They very carefullie flie all admonitiones rebukes and threatnings out of the worde of God Then next if perhaps yea against their will the conscience be at last wakened vp then indeed they prepare not themselues presently to remoove the sinne as the matter of the troubled conscience But by all meanes they assay to mitigate that dolour of the conscience and to deceiue their owne conscience as it were by playing boording and finally giving libertie to all sorte of pleasure Indeede it may be that for a time they asswage their displeasure by vsing these deceitfull remedies and blunte the edge of their conscience But that peace is deceivable and the wounde bounde vppe so will at the length waxe greene and vnlesse sinne bee taken awaie in this presente life which they aboue all things desire to be covered it wil come to passe at last that the conâ—erence shaking off that deadly sopour shall awaken so that in time to come it shal never injoy again any kind of rest There is but only this one way of quieting asswaging that dolour of an evill conscience To wit if thou confesse thy sinne if thou flie to that throne of grace and mercy of God in Christ Iesus Psal 32. 1. â— And this is it which wee learne by Davids example in this Psalme For vpon this shall follow a certain vnspeakable peace in the minde yea passing all vnderstanding which being felt through
the remissiof sinnes David in another place publisheth him to be blessed whose sinnes are forgiuen According to thy louing kindnesse This is the cause why Dauid although a sinner notwithstanding dare be so bold to come vnto GOD that is to his judge to wit the loving fauour and mercy of GOD in Iesus Christ Eph. 3. 12. leaning to which hee hath libertie and entrie With confidence vnto God as the Apostle speaketh and craveth grace at him What time the conscience intendeth against vs any crime at the same time God as a juste judge passeth vp vpon his judgement seate and with majestie sitteth therevpon and with such an awfulnes that everie sinner is easily affrayd to come before his face for the vngodly are not able to sustaine that angrie countenance of GOD who haue not as yet felt that mercie of GOD in Christe Neither yet are they able from the hearte to call him Father yea they woulde rather goe out of the worlde that they might flye awaye from that his so fearefull presence Wherefore a sinner except hee feele together with the sense of sin God also to be mercifull he dare not be so bold as to compeire before him But now hauing felt his mercie and that loue by the holy Spirit powred forth into our harts he is no waies skarred away neither by the weightines of sinne nor yet by the maiestie of the iudge but that with confidence he wil draw neere vnto him For the feeling of the mercie of GOD in Christ hath so great a force of alluring If thou wouldest slay me sayeth IOB should I not trust in thee Blot out my defectiones The same petition is repeated from the exceeding greate desire of deliverance Blot out sayth he my defectiones That is forgiue me my sinnes whereby it is come to passe that filthily I haue made defection from thee It can scarsely be spoken how grievously Dauid had sinned First having committed adultery then man-slaughter Thirdly having contracted mariage with the woman defiled in adultery Fourthly the people of God being layde out to an open daunger and with all these finally was conjoyned obstinacie in sinne For hee had sleeped securely many monethes as it were in the sinne DAVID therefore being guiltie of so many sinnes surely he durst not haue bene so bold vnlesse hee had leaned to the infinite mercie of GOD to haue commed into his sight And from hence proceedeth that thing which hee cryed out Blot out my defectiones That is so many and so greate and that O God according to thy superabundant mercy Every sin whatsoever is the offending of that infinite Majestie Of this it commeth to passe that the burthen of sin-after some sorte is infinite if the sinner himselfe be not disburdened thereof in Iesus Christ Wherefore there is neede yea of an infinit mercy that any sinne whatsoever may be forgiven how much more is it necessary that infinite mercy superabundant be had to the end that many grieuous sins may be forgiven For seeing sinne aboundeth of necessitie grace must superabound Which thing experience it selfe teacheth For any man oppressed with some more haynous sinne he findeth not first reste to his soule before he conceiue in his mind the mercie of God which as soone as hee hath felt taken holde of there is no sin of never so great momente Ephe. 3. 8◠of the pardon wherof he may not now perswad him self therfore we shuld trauel al our life according to the saying of the Apostl We may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know that loue of Christ Ephes 3. 18. 19. which passeth all knowledge For out of all question the mercy of GOD in Iesus Christ is infinite But wee such is our stupidity are not able to comprehend scarse the thousand part thereof Of which it commeth to passe that in our owne default we are spoyled of a sufficient cōfort For there is no place for comfort in the soule without faith which what other thing is it then a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Wash me much Thirdly hee repeateth the same thing as if hee should saye Cease not to wash before thou haue fully purged me from my sinne For it is an allusion to the clensings of the Lawe But it is to be marked that not being content with a light and common washing he sayth Wash me much He felt to wit that sinne had sette the rootes thereof deepely in him and that more toughlie it had cleaved to him and therefore he craveth of God that he would multiplie the washings which vnlesse it be done he thinketh that it cannot come to passe that hee can be clensed from the filthinesse of sinne Note then that sinne is not a superficiall thinge but that it occupyes wholie all the deapths of the heart But who knoweth this Surely not these secure men and Libertines who either feele not sinne at all or if they feele it they feele it lightlie and no otherwaies then in the vtter part of the skin Who then feeles it Verely they who repente earnestly and from the hart Those men very wel know within themselues how filthie a thing sin is how deepe partes of the soule it occupyeth and from hence it is that in this life they think they cannot bee sufficiently purged from their sinnes and that those panse vpon this that there is nothing wherby they may be clēged except that alone blood of Christ to whō only the holy Spirit leadeth thē when there is an earnest feeling of sin and a desire of washing For that is not the Spirite of Christ which carryeth a waye else where the soule of a sinner from Christ and to other washings satisfactions whatsoever which the Papistes dreame to themselues Of al these things which haue bene spoken marke this David vttereth the exceeding greate dolour of his heart in these his petitions and the cause of the dolours may be sufficiently knowen out of the petitions themselues Also the sin is whereby hee himselfe had grieuonsly offended his God For he sayeth Blot out my defections c. From whence is manifestly sene the difference betuixt the sorrow of the godly of the wicked These last indeed are sorrowfull not so much for the sinne Gen. 4. 1◠and the offending of God The examples of Iudas and Cain as for the punishment of sinne and the torment So Cain sorrowed Mine iniquitie is more sayeth he then that I am able to beare So also Iudas the betraier of Christ sorrowed But the godly although indeede they abhor the paine notwithstanding for this cause they are chiefly displeased that they haue offended their gratious God they detest sinne not so much because of the punishment as for the evil it self which is in sin and such was Davids sorrow at this time For I acknowledge my defections Hitherto hee hath sought one thing thrise now hee adjoyneth the cause of
the petition froÌ„ a simple plaine confession of sin as if he should say O God I confesse that I haue made defectioÌ„ from thee al those waies which thou hast manifested to me by Nathan thy Prophet I confesse I say before thy Prophet Finally before thy whole Church not only that which is present but which shall bee in times comming to the ende of the Worlde That is by writing of this Psalme and declared to the whole posteritie and ages to come Vppon this followeth the Petition Therefore bee mercifull vnto mee O GOD Of this appeareth that ther is no place for grace and mercy except a simple and plaine confession goe before proceeding from the earnest repentance of the mind Which is the same thing which David testifieth Psal 32. 3. and thereafter that which hee also learned by his owne experience When I helde my tongue sayeth he and confessed not my sinne my bones consumed c. And then he addeth Psal 〈◊〉 I will make my sin knowen vnto thee I will not hide my back-slydings I will confesse mine iniquitie to Iehova This indeede is the confession But what followeth vpon it Thou hast taken away sayeth hee the punishment of my sinne that is sin and the punishment The summe of those thinges tende to this where there is not a confession there no grace is where confession is there is grace And my sinne This is the efficient cause of the repentance confession an evill conscience without the conscience of sinne as if hee should saye The conscience of my sin vrgeth me day and night and continually layeth murther adultery other hainous sinnes conjoyned with these before mine eies Wee are prepared therefore to faith and repentance by a conscience accusing vs and striking a terrour into our hearts From thence it is that wee haue our recourse vnto the grace of Christ and embraceth the same by faith from faith againe and the feling of grace the dolour aryseth which is according to God that is because God is offended of that dolour againe proceedeth that chaunge of the minde which wee call the turning of the mind or repentance For as the Apostle witnesseth 2. Co. â— The sorrow which is after God causeth repentance vnto saluation Finally from repentance changing of the mind a ryseth the confessiof the mouth This thing is clearelie seene of the preparation to grace that no man attayneth to that grace which is in christ Iesus by sluggishnes and sleeping But by horrours of the conscience they passe to that heavenly joy For although life in Christ be frely given vnto vs notwithstanding we must suffer some notable alteration wee must be cast downe yer we be lifted vp befor life be gotten Moreover we learne that thing of this example of David how graciously they are handled who haue a conscience somewhat more watchfull for first they are bridled that they commit not many haynous sins which otherwaies they wold coÌ„mit Then the self same conscience if there be any evil thing done by theÌ„ they are admonished thereof thereafter they ar thrust forward to repentance But contrariwise their estate is most miserable whose consciencelyeth in a dead sleepe For of necessitie they must rush forwarde nothing hindring them into all kinde of sinne And then after any grieuous sin is coÌ„mitted of necessitie they must securely sleep therein nothing calling them back to repentaÌ„ce wherfore the estate of that man is happie which is touched with a conscience of his deeds although it seeme very oft vnpleasant vnto vs that the conscience either holdeth vs back from the coÌ„mitting of sin or that we ar called back to a confession of sin committed Against thee against He aggregeth his sin from that first that it is against God then that it is against God only As coÌ„cerning the first Against thee only saith he I haue sinned Then for the greater surety of the mater Against thee against thee I haue sinned the same word being doubled Dauid seeketh not any starting-hole neither denieth he that he hath offended against God which thing we here the reprobat shal do at the latter day who being acused of sin yea even coÌ„mitted against God himself Math. 2â— 44. shal answer when saw we thee a stranger naked or an hungred thirstie caste in prison c. But Christ shall then aunswere them presentlie in their owne wordes and shall take this excuse awaie from them saying Verely verely I say vnto you in so far as ye haue not done it to one of those little ones ye haue not done it to me David I say goeth not about this way to excuse the matter by lessening of his sinne as if it were not committed against God For hee cannot more expressely speake that that sinne was committed against God himself Against thee against thee sayeth hee I haue sinned Then hee aggregeth his sinne when he sayeth That he hath sinned against God alone If wee will speake properly whatsoever sorte of sinne which is committed against God and respecteth him either immediatly as when men sinne against the first Table of the laweâ— or immediatly as when they sinne against the seconde Table For sin is the transgression of the lawe of GOD and the person offended is God properly For except Gods commandement interveened not first either forbidding or commanding any thing surely there shuld be no offence against any creature except God had said thou shalt not commit adulttrie there should be none offence neither of VRIAH neither of any other in committing Adulterie Except God had saide Thou shalt not slay There should bee no offense in slaying neither against VRIAH nor against any other Wherefore if wee will speake properly all sinne is committed against God alone Of this two things do follow the priviledge of forgiving of sinne or remission of sin perteineth to GOD alone for God alone if wee will speake properlie forgiveth our sins The other the revenging of sin belongeth to God alone Vengeance is mine sayth the Lord and I will repay Rom. 12 19. Wherfore when any wrong is done to any man the injury is not so much to be thoght to be done against man as it is done against GOD and to him it should be left freelie God if we will speak properlie is the person hurt and offended for so much as his commandement is broken which verely if it were not broken the creature should haue no cause to complaine of the injurie wherefore vengeance first is to be committed vnto GOD then next to that person to whom he hath committed his place vppon the earth Notwithstanding men so handle their own cause so they revenge the wrongs done vnto them as if sin were committed against them selues alone and that the wrong nothing perteined vnto God Of which it coÌ„meth to passe divers times that while they wil revenge the wrong done against themselues God revengeth himself vpon them maketh theÌ„ to incur the second sâ—aith to speak so
indeede is done for this cause that they themselues may come vnto the knowledge of Gods nature And maie knowe firste howe good hee is who will not haue his owne to lye sluggishing in their sinnes Then nexte because hee is holye and just in respect he beginneth his judgement at his owne house yea and will not winke indeed at the sinnes of his owne For that I may affirme boldlie that the godlie for the most parte are chastised of GOD in this life And that GOD is exceeding long suffering towarde the vngodlie But the Godlie on the otherside are touched with a sense of Gods loue in this life From thence arise that interchaunge of sorrowe and joye in this life But the vngodly abusing the long suffring of God in this life they shal feel at last the vnappeaseable wrath of God Hitherto hath bin repeated the petition of remission of sinnes Now he seeketh that other benefite of Regeneration which is conjoyned of necessity with the forgiuenes of sins Creat in me a clear mind Then by way of clearing of the mater be preseÌ„tly subjoyneth Renew a firme spirit within me as if he shuld say This work of New-birth begun in me by thy Spirit but vpon my parte interrupted O God renew repaire in me that thy Spirite in time to come may be firme and constant and I through the benefite thereof may persevere in thine obedience There are two benefits necessary in reconciling vs to â—od which selfe same thinges God promiseth to vs in the free covenant to wit forgiuenesse of sinnes and regeneration Ier. 31. 33. and both are obtained in Christ For by the blood of Christ our sinnes are forgiven and by the powerful holy Spirite of Christ wee are borne of new againe For the alone and selfe-same Christ as the Priest died for our sinnes and as King he is powerfull to regenerate vs by his holy Spirite and worde Dauid therefore after hee hath sought forgiuenesse of sins in Christ hee earnestly craveth the New-birth and renewing of that interrupted worke of Gods holye Spirite in himselfe Considder here first that the holye Spirite is made so joyfull by Gods workes and a good conscience that he courageovsly maketh progres in the work of our Regeneration But contrariwise Ephes â— 30. the Spirite of God is so touched with griefe by evil works as the Apostle testifieth that hee ceaseth as it were from that work and leaveth off in the middest that begun worke of New-birth The Spirite now leaving his owne worke in the middest presently there aryseth darknesse in the minde which maketh that bright light of the countenance of GOD to passe out of sight and to vanish away from our eies and incontinent our heart waxeth harde as a certaine skarre of a wound and becommeth benummed and without sense so that the holy Spirite of God is very hardly raysed vp againe being oppressed with the darknesse of mind and hardnesse of heart And from thence aryse those mournings and sighes of the godlie fighting with the darknesse of their heart And from thence arose that speeche of PAVLE O miserable man that I am who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death Rom. 7. 24 Considder here againe DAVID craveth not Regeneration by the Spirite of Christ before hee first haue sought the forgiuenesse of sinnes through the blood of Christ This order of the petitiones evidentlie declareth that of necessitie we must bee first justified by Christ before we bee sanctified in our selues which thing also the righteousnesse of GOD requireth which suffereth not the Image of GOD to bee repaired in vs which is according to righteousnesse and holinesse before first God bee satisfied for all our â—innes For it is not possible that GOD canne renounce his owne justice Nowe after that thou art justified then there is place to Regeneration and the Petition thereof not indeede that having attayned to it thou quiet thy selfe chiefelie in the same But thou muste speciallie and alwaie thereafter quiet thy selfe in that moste perfite righteousnesse of Christe without the which not all this holinesse which is in vs dare bee so bolde to come foorth once into the sight of GOD. For our Regeneration and holinesse is but begunne onelie in this life and neither by the selfe pacifyeth the wrath of GOD neither 〈◊〉 our consciences And 〈…〉 the Papistes are more 〈…〉 leaving this moste perfiâ—e righteousnesse of Christ will quiet themselues in their owne and in that which they call inherente And againe for this cause they are more miserable that vnderstande not what this inherente righteousnesse is which is none other thing in verie deede but that the Regeneration of our nature is onely but begun in this life wherfore we ought to praye to GOD that he would not suffer vs to be involved in this darknes and that he would not suffer vs to bee seduced by men which this daye are blinded in so cleare a light Cast me not away Hee continueth in this seconde petition of the holy Spirite and of Regeneration Cast me not away sayeth he from thy face then expressing the same thing clearely Take not thine holy Spirit from me sayeth hee Nothing can befall a man more grievous in this life then if he be left of GOD. For seeing that God is the fountaine of all good thinges GOD leaving man all good thinges also therewith leaue him All good things leauing him hee is therewith layde open to all evill thinges If God be on our side Rom. â— 31. who shall be against vs No not these thinges indeede which seeme to bee most displeasant contrary For all things worke together for the best to them that loue God Contrariwise all worke together for the worse to them that loue not GOD yea even those things which otherwise appeare to make for vs. Nowe although there be so great an evill in the desertion of God Notwithstanding the elect also are at some time destitute of the Spirit of GOD which is the thing that DAVID teached vs in this place by his owne example Verely I say not this for this cause that I thinke the Spirite once giuen to the elect thereafter is allutterly taken from them For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance But that for a certaine space the efficacie of the holye Spirite is not seene in governing of the elect yea that especially for this ende that they maye bee humbled that they may learne that it is not possible for them to stand yea but for one momente vnles they bee susteined by Gods grace and his holy Spirit Whereby it commeth to passe that the elect after they haue found in experience howe infirme and fragill they are by nature without the Spirite of God nowe being destitute thereof for a time they more carefully and with more feruent desires earnestlie craue his presence and helpe This is the second thing which hee offereth here to vs to bee learned by his owne
example Also the third that we in this place learne by his example that that desertion is exceeding doleful whereby he who is once left of God yea that by his most just judgâ—ment God to witte leaving him because of his sinne and being now forsaken left he remayneth in the paines which by his owne sinne he hath deserved Yet notwithstanding in the meane time neither is his minde enlightened by Gods Spirit nor his hart reformed But the more he leaneth thereto the more is he blinded and hardned For to such a man extreame destruction is appoynted vnlesse at last he repente Of this sorte of men that threatning of Iohn Baptist is to be vnderstood The axe is layde to the roote of the trees Math. 3. 10 Also that saying of PAVLE When they shall say peace 1 Thes 5 5 and all things quiet then suddaine destruction shall come vpon them Moreover it appeareth out of this example of DAVID that GOD leaveth not his owne by so sorrowfull a desertion For Dauid repented very soone at the threatning of Nathan For God when he afflicteth his owne he therewith illuminateth and changeth them also by his holy Spirite that repenting they may obteine remission of sinnes and may be restored to life Restore to me the ioy Yet he persisteth in the petition of the holy Spirite or of the presence of God by his Spirite as if hee should saye surely I haue felt O my GOD an exceeding great joy of thy salvation that is since the time thou becammest my salvation protectour and defender But now through mine own default that whole joy is broken off in the middest Therefore O God restore to me that wonted joy proceeding from thy presence The onelie comforte and solide joye of man aswell in life as in death is that hee is not in his owne power and left to himselfe but that hee is the Lordes and that hee hath him to be as it were his protectour and defender David when hee felt in experience Psal 2â— â— that God was no otherwaies his keeper then the sheepheard was to his sheep it cannot be spoken how great a ioye he conceived thereof which also bursted forth in these wordes Thy rode and thy sheep-crooke they haue comforted me This spirituall reioycing which commeth of the presence of God whosoever hath once tasted it this man wil not be content with the whole ioy of this world vnlesse surely he be therewith participant in some measure of that heavenly ioye also David verely had refused the whole comfort of this world and would haue nothing esteemed that his kingdome royall dignitie if that old and wonted ioye had not bene restored vnto him which arose from the presence of God by his owne holie Spirite But if wee would not provoke to wrath God present with vs neither yet would grieue his holy Spirit surely wee should haue that joy of the Spirite more solide and constant For from whence commeth that interruption thereof because we make defection from God Dauid had God present with him hee had the Spirite the comforter But after he had forsaken God by committing adultery and murther together he spoyled himselfe both of that presence of God and likewise of that solide comforte of his presence Men commonly with all the strength they haue provoke that holy Majesty of God to anger But it commeth to passe I cannot tell howe that in the meane time they appeare to themselues to liue at reste and with sufficient pleasure and delight themselues with a vaine dreame For as the Lorde saith there is no peace for the wicked I speak of the true peace for I would not call this stupidity a peace whereby it commeth to passe that neither they feele their own sinne nor yet the wrath of GOD which thing they in wofull experience shal learn some day when suddainly being awakned out of this dead drowsie sleepe they shall be forced to beholde that angry face terrible countenance And vphold me The self-same is the meaning of these words of the words preceeding for so at last wee feele God present his salvatioÌ„ gladnes arising thereof if we be vp-holden by his Spirite David is afraid of the affections of his mind least he be over-whelmed with them as by a certaine deluge He craveth therfore that GOD would susteine him by his Spirit For as if a great bosse be cast into the water presently the water running in into it it is drowned but if first it be blowen vp with wind the aire being inclosed before it be cast into the water it swimmeth in the superfice of the water So our mind if it remaine voyde of the Spirit of God it is drowned incontinent in the middest of the waues of our affections But if it bee replenished with the Spirite of God it is not possible that it can bee overcommed of the affectiones Let everie man take heede what minde hee hath whither it bee voyde and tume or rather full and replenished with the Spirit He calleth the Spirit the Spirite of freedomâ— or of liberty To the ende we may vnderstande the reason of the word it is to bee learned out of the 8. chap. to the Romanes that there is a two fold spirit or rather that there is a twofold effect of that one selfe same spirit of GOD. The Apostle calleth the former the Spirite of bondage to feare that is which at the preaching of the law toucheth vs with a sense of our sin misery for vnles the Spirite of God were effectuall in our hearts with the preaching of the law surely by the preching of the law alone wee should never be touched with an earnest sense of sin of our own misery this spirit ther fore maketh vs to know our sin misery and holdeth vs vnder feare of the wrath of God death coÌ„demnation and therefore it redacteth vs as it were vtterly to a servile estate For this was of old proper vnto servantes continually to feare punishment and vengeance at their maisters hands The Apostle calleth that other spirit the Spirit of adoption It is he who while the Gospel is preached maketh vs to know our deliverance from sinne and misery For we should never be so touched with the preaching of the Gospel vnlesse in the meane time the Spirite of God were powerfull in vs which maketh vs to know our deliverance from sinne and misery and that we feele in our heart that fatherlie affection of God toward vs and consequently leaveth a testimonie within vs that wee are the sonnes of God And if wee be sonnes that we are also delivered from sinne wrath and damnaton From thence it is called the Spirite of freedome or libertie because it witnesseth that in Christ wee are delivered from sinne and death There is also another cause why it is called so to witte because renewing our minde according to the image of GOD it maketh vs in the meane time freelie to serue God and
Now the third time he repeateth that petition of the forgiuenesse of sinnes for the conscience of his haynous facte continually pricketh the man and this infidelitie of nature laboureth to extinguish faith and the Spirite whereby the sinner perswadeth him selfe of the remission of his sinnes therefore by crying and by crying again he wrastleth with his infidelitie of nature There is none of all which is to seeke forgiuenesse of our sins at God without some wrastling I speake of that man which is to seeke by faith and by a serious feeling For it is easie to the secure man and that thinketh nothing of sinne and misery to craue for the fashion the remission of his sinnes yea and that not over againe but onely once O God sayeth he very rawly and coldly be mercifull vnto me David therefore now the third time craveth pardon and forgiuenes of his sinne and he poynteth out his sinne in particular For when the conscience of sinne vrgeth men they are not ashamed to professe and name it in particular yea that publicklie Also the cause wherefore men are ashamed by name to poynt out their sinnes and to confesse them it aryseth of this that there is not an earnest feeling and conscience of sinne But let vs see which was Davids sin in particular Deliver me ô God sayth he from bloud For it appeareth that the conscience of man-slaughter mooved the man chiefely For this tormented him that hee had shamefully slayne that man whose wife hee had defyled in adultery and that he had heaped sin vpon sinne Therefore he craveth that he might bee delivered from bloud no otherwise then if he had bin wholie defiled with the bloud of any innocent man which so fastly had cleaved vnto him that vnlesse it were wiped away with Gods owne hand it could not be at all possible to be wiped away and clensed For man-slaughter being once committed and the slaughter or the murther of an innocent man executed the whole blood is powred out and runneth backe as it were vpon the man-slayer and dyeth him no otherwaies then the purple dye doth the Wooll If your sinnes sayeth the Lord were as skarlet Esay 1. 1â— yet I wil make them as white as the snow As if hee should saye Although ye were dyed as with skarlet dye that aboundant blood being shed out vpon you for he had said before that their hands were bloudy not withstanding I will make you as white as snow Also being this way dyed and spotted with the bloud of the innocent man The man-slayer continually appeareth in the sight of God And God out of his judgmeÌ„t sent looketh vpon him with an horrible countenance by reason hee spoyled his owne Image and likewise the common natur of al men The man-slayer in whatsoever part of the worlde he be in is notable to flie from this face of God But this is the stupiditie of our murtherers that no way they feele this David also for a time sleeped in his sinne neither yet saw he that he was defiled wholy with the blood of the innocent man neither yet did he see that angry face of God but being at length awakened vp at the threatning of the Prophet bee was no longer able to suffer himselfe so to bee defiled with that blood neither yet was hee able to abide being thus defiled with blood to be cast before layd open to the sight of that angry eie but very oft he cryed earnestly sought that God would pardon him his sin that he wold wash him that hee would deliver him from bloud which wold to â—od those murtherers who are not touched either with a conscience of their sinne or of the wrath of God neither yet make any end of murthers and oppressions they would see at last their owne bloodie hands they would see also that God saw them which surely he seeth shal at length see som day when he shal tak a vengeance vpoÌ„ them except in time they repente David appeareth to crye out through some feling of the wrath of GOD that he might bee delivered from bloud For the sense of innocent blood and the feeling of wrath are continually ioyned together Notwithstanding he crieth vnto God the God of his salvation Of the which so familiar an incalling in this appeareth sufficiently that Dauid felt therewith the mercy of his God For the faithful together and at one time vse to bee touched both with some sense of the wrath and with a sense of the mercie of God by which thing indeede the faithfull differ from the Infidels For the faithful feele both that is both the wrath and the mercy of their God in some certain measure and at the same time in which they are afrayd of wrath of the angry God at the same time they cleaue faste vnto him neither yet doe they suffer themselues to be pulled away from his worde and promises Vpon the which they depende as it were vppon a certaine rocke in the exceeding great tossing too and fro of the waues But the infidels and such as the Lord hath casten off at what time they feele his wrath in the meane time there is no sense of grace while they see the helles opened Wherwith they are even nowe presently to bee swallowed vp they haue nothing in the meane time to which they may cleaue or which as it were stretching out the hande they may take hold on neither God nor yet the promises of God in Christ from which aryses vnspeakable horrours with which no comfort is conjoyned Then indeede they are compelled to esteeme those to bee blessed who haue learned in this life to draw neere vnto God by faith and to take a grip of Christ and of the promises made in him Let my tongue sing Here followeth the last argument of the petition from the glory of God himselfe as if he should say O Lord this the whole worke of thy glory is to redound to thine own glory again Wherefore deliver me The wordes of the text are My tongue shall sing thy righteousnesse That is thy mercy which for this cause here hee calleth righteousnesse because it is done according to Gods promise for that which God doth according to his promise that thing hee doth righteousâ—ie Open my lippes ô Lord That is furnish vnto mee matter of thy prayse from the remission of sinnes and deliverance then My mouth shall shew foorth thy prayse Marke what hee doeth being nowe delivered from sinne and damnation DAVID being condemned could not prayse God Who sayeth hee shall prayse thee in hell Also Dauid knewe very wel that God was of that nature and disposition that he would haue al his workes to redounde to his glory againe and the fruites of his benefites to returne vnto himselfe and from thence it is that hee communicateth not his benefites indifferently and without discretion to every sorte of men whatsoever I speak chiefely of spiritual blessings For he giveth those temporal and bodely
without a most weighty cause Thirdly that the very death of the godly it selfe howsoever it seeme vile in the sight of the world notwithstanding in Gods sight it is precious Fourthly that continually the memory of the death of the godly is alwaies fresh recent Of these foure manners that first is chiefly to be vnderstood in this place To wit that for this cause the death of Gods owne is precious in the eies of God he suffereth in respect them not many times to die but delivereth theÌ„ out of extreame great daungers But whose death is precious in the eies of Iehova Even the death of those saith he whoÌ„ he beareth at good wil. Therefore the loue and favour of God is the cause wherefore the death of his own is precious those whom he loveth he keepeth them aliue neither doth he at any time suffer them to die rashlie Any would suddenly wounder at the first shew why God hath not only permitted but also hath commanded oft that so many Nations should bee destroyed no choise being had of men wemen and infants which thing wee reade in the booke of Ioshua come to passe vpon the people which were in the Land of Canaan When I was occupied in seeking out somewhat more profoundly the cause of this so greate a severitie this first came in my minde because God favored not those Nations but contrariwise hee hated them whereby it came to passe that their death was not precious in the eies of God If their precious death or not precious death dependeth vppon the loue or hatred of God how blessed are those whome the Lord loveth aswell in life as in death I beseech thee Iehoua Hee confirmeth Gods providence toward his own by his own experience as if he should saye hast thou not I beseech thee ô Iehova lowsed my bondes For he speaketh of himselfe as if hee were drawen bound hand and foote to execution For he meaneth that hee was brought to an extreame daunger of losing his life when by Iehova he was delivered He subjoyneth the cause of his deliverance to wit that he was the servant of Iehova for this cause a servant because he was the son of a hand maid for the sonnes of the handmaid are therewithall according to the law servants When he sayeth that he is the sonne of an hand maid hee signifieth that he is not a stranger a servant coÌ„ming from far but a houshold servant among the rest of Gods domestickes Hee meaneth then that he is not a man that is a stranger a sojorning servant in the house of god but that he himself hath some right title in the house of god either froÌ„ his parents which befor him wer coÌ„prised within the covenant of God for that is no coÌ„mon benefit of that we are borne as it were of the domesticques and confederates of God And surely the affection of Davids mind vttereth the selfe clearely in this gradation of words as it were For the wordes shew that the affection of the minde approched vnto God more more For first he sayeth I am thy servant This is the first degree or steppe of the words and the first approching of the soule vnto God Then he repeapeth the felfe same thing and he saith I am thy servant This is the seconde step of the wordes and the second approching of his soule vnto God Then he sayeth in the third place I am the sonne of thine hand-maid This is the third step of the words and chief signe of his exceeding great and third drawing neere vnto God For while he speaketh this last hee coupleth himselfe altogether with GOD and he cleaveth straitly vnto him and so for this cause he becommeth blessed For our happinesse consisteth in that communion and fellowship with God Thou feest therefore that thing in this place first from whence it proceedeth that hee publickly recoÌ„mendeth with so great a confidence of mind that providence of God toward his owne Surely it commeth from that his owne experience and of the particular providence of God toward him selfe For no man can prayse generally the providence and mercy of God toward his owne Church except he hath in particular felt the same in experience himselfe Certainly that saying would haue bin but coldly spoken by Paule To witte that Christ came into the World to saue sinners vnlesse that he himselfe had firste felt in experience both the miserie of sinne and the mercy of God and for this cause he subjoyneth these words Of whom to witte of sinners I am the chiefest to the end he might conclude in his own conscience that he himself was saved by Christ Therefore that generall faith of the Papists is vnmeet to recommend the providence grace of God toward his owne Church For never did I ever yet esteeme at anie time any Papist to be a meet Preacher or publisher of the benefits of God towarde his Church who is not able to bring out any thing from his own feeling or experience who is not able to say that of the which before we haue spoken in this Psalme I beleeued and therefore did I speake Marke secondly There ar men whom this or that kinde of death doth greatly vexe and torment as violent death as filthie suddaine exquisite and cruell deathes concerning which sortes of death indeede they do no sooner meditate vpon but presently they are striken with a horrible fear but this care thought which is coÌ„cerning the maner of death is preposterous Why should not that much rather be takeÌ„ thought of by vs that we may feel our selues beloved of God for if we be grounded rooted in that loue of God our death of whatsoever sort it be shal be precious in the eies of God we shal be more then conquerors in very death it self obserue thirdly Dauid out of all question Rom. 8. â—7 attayned to that hid loue of God which was in the hart of God he obtained some sense from the effect of some special notable deliverance he learned also that he was beloved of Iehova froÌ„ that becaus his death was precious in the eies of Iehova This is that our onely comforte in life and death that wee are not our own but our most faithfull Lordes Iesus Christs and that we are the Lords and that hee taketh a care of vs From thence also those godlie auncient men chiefly learned the same thing because they felt God present with them in very deede in whatsoever perrilles Amongst the rest David is to be nuÌ„bred who as he was laid open to many dangers so he felt exceeding many deliveraÌ„ces he perswaded himself that god had a speciall care of him in the selfe same place in which hee saide that the death intended against the godly was Precious in the eies of Iehova he without all doubt meaneth that this was a document of the favour care of God toward vs in respect that our death is precious in his
for Iehova that all together may feele in experience the selfe same mercy For he willeth that all men if it be possible to be done feele that loving kindnesse of the Lord which he hath felt Also this chiefely is meete for Israell to bee done that is for the Church of God But that which the Prophet respecteth as the last end is the glory of God himself For every faithful man willeth that many obteine mercy to this end that many may glorifie GOD and is carefull of mans salvation that the glory of Gods mercy may redounde to himselfe For God the moo putteth their trust in him in that respect hee is the more glorified For with Iehova Hee putteth Israell in minde to waite vppon Iehova from his gratious nature Hee demonstrateth not to Israell a God either mightie righteous or wise but a mercifull and a gracious GOD. VVherefore doth hee so doe not the remanent properties in GOD as almightinesse righteousnes wisedome trueth c. Doe not these I saye purchase vnto him the mindes and faith of men I graunt all these thinges that in their owne place indeede they purchase the faith of men but seeing miserable men and sinners haue chiefelie neede of the mercie Surely it is the mercie of God which men chiefely require and it is the first object of faith Also when once faith hes apprehended the mercy of God in Christ then the other things which ar in God allure the same faith to themselues But without the feeling of the mercy of God all other things are rather a terrour vnto vs then a consolation First therefore and properly faith is carried toward God as the object in so farre as he is mercifull and the more wee seeke out in GOD that his infinite mercie so much the more doe we beleeue him For what other thing I praye you is the growth of faith but an increase of the knowledge of the mercy of God wherefore to the end that faith may grow it is continually requisite that wee search out the mercy of God in Christ which surely we shal do without any danger of curiositie seeing the other properties which are in God they are not able to beare a curious searching out Paule amongst other things wisheth this to the Ephesians that being rooted in loue they may be able to comprehend with al Saintes Ephes 3. â—7 18. 19. what is the breadeth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge But in no place we reade that he wished that any man by knowledge should attaine to that infinite power wisdom c. of God to wit because it permitteth not so much to vs to knowe those thinges then to know how greatly god loveth vs in Christ his sonne Therfore hee is said in the 5. chap. to the Romanes to powre out loue in our harts But we reade not of the Spirite that he powreth out power wisdome c. which are together in God into our hearts that is that he toucheth not our mindes with so aboundant a feling of them Wherefore to the ende wee may beleeue in God and may haue our hope in him his loving kindnesse and mercie in Christ is chiefely to be knowen of vs wherof the Prophet was not ignorant of in this place seeing he maketh mention specially of his loving kindnesse to the end hee might mooue Israell to hope in God And exceeding In words hee amplifyeth the selfe same loving kindnesse of God For no man together and at one time could be able at any time by any words whatsoever to coÌ„prehend the whole mercy of God For there is ever something resting beside that which hath bene spoken that may be vttered thereof such is the incomprehensible greatnesse of the same and those who haue once felt in their mind any meane portion thereof they indeede are not at any time able sufficiently to expresse in wordes that portion howe little soever it bee For this spiritual feeling in the hearts whether it be of ioye or of sorrowe is vnspeakable from thence they are called sighes that cannot be expressed and ane inutterableâ— ioye Rom. â— How much more therefore 1. Pet. 1â— shall that whole mercy of God not together and at one time be expressed by words seeing that words are not able sufficiently to expresse yea and it were no more but that little apprehension thereof which is in our hearts For these words are not excessiue and hyperbolicque whereby godly men haue endevoured to expresse that mercy of GOD even as thought the words were greater then the matters themselves which thing whosoever think surely they appeare to me indeed never to haue comprehended in their minde the mercy of God in Christ And he himselfe This is the other argument whereby promising assuredly redemption to the Church from her sinnes he applyeth that loving kindnesse of God and manifolde redemption which hee hath published more neere vnto them For it is not sufficient ynough for faith that any man in generall shall preach recommend onely the mercy of God vnles it promise that is apply assuredly the same to miserable men for the promises are so many applyings of the mercy of God And from thence it proceedeth that the Scriptures are ful of promises without the which that full perswasion of faith spiritual coÌ„fidence cannot be For this generall doctrine coÌ„cerning the mercy of God doth this to vs that not so much indeede we in effect beleeue as that our heartes may be prepared vnto faith This is to be observed that he saith that God wil redeeme Israel not froÌ„ persecutions not froÌ„ outward troubles whatsoever but from al her sins For the redeÌ„ption of the Church is not sene in that that she is delivered from the troubles of this world as in that that she shal be delivered from her sins For sin is the most deadly enemy of al is the cause of all the reste of the enemies of the church because al afflictions are both froÌ„ sin likewise tende to the mortifying of sin For it is certaine if there were not any sin in the Church there shuld be no persecutioÌ„ of the church and every one of the godly sighs more vnder the burthen of sin then vnder any other weight of afflictions whatsoever Christ himselfe also dyed to redeeme vs not so much from al afflictions as from sinne and that everlasting death Finally when at that daye wee shall be set free into the liberty of the sonnes of God being fully redeemed we shall glory not so much that we ar redeemed from all other afflictions then that wee are fully delivered from sin as it appeareth out of that saying of Paule O death where is thy victory O graue where is thy brode And the brode of death is sinne 1 Cor. 15. 33. but the lawe is the power of sinne Behold we shall glory in that daye that wee are delivered from the brode of death and that by
Christ Iesus our Lord To whom be all glory Amen The Argument of the CXXXVII Psalme A Psalme it is of a mixt kinde Of doctrine and of prayer It is not manifest by whome it was written Yet it is likely that it was written by some Prophet that in name of the whole Church of the Iewes being nowe in captivitie It appeareth also to be written at that time when the people were carryed away into Babylonia yea even then when they were in the very journey as it may be gathered out of the first verse Nowe it is composed of two parts The first is an heavy complaint of the Church vnto the 7. verse The other is an heavie imprecation and a propheticall denunciation against the enemies of the Church vnto the end of the Psalme The CXXXVII Psalme 1 By the rivers of Babylonia we sitting there we wept very much when we remembred of Tzijon 2 In it we hanged vp our harpes vppon the willowes 3 Although in that place these vvho had led vs away captiues and had buried vs together required of vs ioyfull songes saying sing to vs of the songes of Tzijon 4 How could we haue soong the songe of Iehoua in the land of strangers 5 If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget the selfe 6 Let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I remember thee not if I call not backe vnto Ieruschalaim the heade of my ioy BY the rivers The first parte of the Psalme The complainte in which there is first the proposition of the complaint when he sayeth wee weept very much That is we were extreame sorrowfull For the Spirit maketh intercession for the church with sighes that cannot be expressed Ro. 8. so to speak with the Apostle And it cannot be sufficientlie spoken with how great heavinesse the Church is accustomed to be moved when she is humbled vnder the hande of God This murning and sorrow of the Church is circumscrived by the own subject when he sayeth By the ryvers of Babylonia That is of the Babylonical monarchie For the Iewes wer not only caryed away into Babylonia so properly called but they were dispersed throughout the Babylonicall jurisdictions as it may be most clearly gathered out of Ezekiel Daniell Ezra Then the place is the Babylonicall monarchie in general but in particular the brinkes of the rivers For he sayth By the rivers of Babylonia Wee sitting there that is sitting vpon the brinks of the rivers vnto such time as all were ferried over This place of the Babylonical monarchie conteineth in the selfe a certaine cause of this weeping which hee setteth downe For the place manifestlie sheweth the banishment and carrying away into captivity from their natiue soile to an strange lande Then the people being in their journey farre from home and banished bewayleth their sinnes which ought to haue bin bewayled at home Not-with-standing those who will not murne at home they are compelled to murne far frō their home For sinnes of necessitie are once to be bewayled and wee must bee sorrowfull either sooner or later because we haue offended GOD. And if wee be not sorrowfull at home surely wee shall murne far from home And if we murne not in this life surely wee shall be sorrowfull in that other life or rather death where there shall nothing be heard but wayling and gnashing of teeth Blessed are they also who later yea and that in exile yea at any time whatsoever ar earnestly sorrowful for their sinnes if so be they deferre not their mourning to an other Worlde blessed are they For even those who do later yea or at whatsoever time murne and repent in this life in that other life all teares shall bee wiped awaye from their eies But those who laugh in this life and refuse to murne in that other life there shall be none ende or measure of their sorrow When wee remembred This is the other cause of the mourning but some-what more cleare to witte the remembrance of Tzijon that is of Ierusalem where the visible and outwarde presence of God to be looked vpon was For these who are banished from God they do surely feele what great profite yea and it were no more but this which is in the presence of GOD and which is in this his visible ministery what great discommoditie is in that his absence we while we haue God present in his ministery and beholde him after some sort in that mirrour of his Gospell we acknowledge not how happie we bee and it were no more but for that selfe same cause But if it shall come to passe at any time through the righteous judgment of GOD that this mirrour of the Gospell and this outwarde ministerie be taken away from our eies then indeed wee shall feele in effecte what great misery it is to bee destitute thereof I speake specially concerning those who are accustomed at any time to feele some pleasure of this sincere preaching of the worde administration of the Sacraments David being in exile Remembring those things sayth he I poure out my soule vpon my self when I remember that I was woont to passe by in the congregation to walke with them vnto the house of God c. Behold David being banished from the visible Church of God he was exceeding greatly sorrowfull But what is the cause Even because hee vvas woont to vvalke together vvith the Church vnto the house of GOD vvith the voyce of singing and prayse That is because he was to feele no little pleasure of that external and visible ministerie And therefore being nowe a banished man the remembrance of that Spiritual pleasure joy mooved him to no smal displeasure Here we ar to be admonished that this dolor proceeding frō the remembrance of that heavenly ioy is not the sorrow of this worlde But it is that dolour which is called the godly sorrow which surely hath greater ioy mixed therwith then is the whole joy of this worlde yea albeit it be voyde of all sense of sorrow For every one of the godly while they mourne they feele in the meane time ane vnspeakable ioy conioyned with sighes that cannot bee expressed In it we hanged vppe our Harpes vppon the Willowes A certaine amplification of the murning sorrow set down The Church murned cast away al instruments matter of consolation For these who are sorrowfull earnestly from their hearte they thinke that all ioye and matter of ioye is a displeasure vnto them and contrariwise they thinke all heauinesse to bee vnto them as a pleasure My teares are vnto me sayeth DAVID in steede of meate But what manner of songs were these Psal 42. 4◠They were holie songes and the songes of the Lorde those who earnestlie sanctifiedly do weepe vse not so much indeed as to sing holy songs For at such time as the Lord casteth vs downe and humbleth vs at that time it becommeth vs to mourne rather then to singe Iam
that we walke in the liberty of the Spirit For by nature there is no free-will But where the Spirite of God is there is libertie 2. Cor. 3. 17. sayeth PAVLE And this is that blessed Christian libertie wherby we are so delivered that we may serue God and not that wee should liue according to our owne will such as libertie as these Libertines Fpicures doe faine neither yet must wee thinke that we are forced to doe our duty by this Spirite but that willingly we are led For God loveth those that are willing as Dauid speaketh in an other place Neverthelesse in this life this libertie is but begunne onely which at last shal be perfited in that life to come But we must yet a little more diligently marke the word of freedome for it signifieth not any common liberty but a speciall noble freedome such as is the liberty of a Noble man or kings son Neither yet without cause this worde is applyed to the presente purpose For wee are the sonnes of a king that is indeed Noble the King of kings and the most hie God For whosoever is regenerated by his Spirit he is his sonne in Christ although otherwise if wee considder these prerogatiues among men hee be base borne notwithstanding hei noble and more noble then any King who hath onely the first nature and is not regenerated by the holy Spirit For the regenerate man to speake this with Peter is made participant of the most noble divine nature 2. Pet. 1. Iohn esteemed much of this noblenes when he said whosoever receiued the Worde that they haue gotten this dignitie Iohn 1 12 to be made the sons of GOD. Beholde hee calleth dignitie that estate to the which the Sonnes of GOD were lifted vppe which if men would some-what more diligentlie take heede to they would not trouble themselues with those thinges which the Apostle calleth Carnall as are kindred 2 Cor 5. â—iches honoures but would seeke rather the new Creature in Christ for olde thinges are paste awaie and all thinges are made newâ— And hitherto the petition hath bene two folde The first of remission of siâ—â—es The other of Regeneration Nowe followeth the common argumente of the craving of both from the edifying of our neighbours I shall teach back slyders thy waies sayeth hee As if hee should saye if I shall obtayne at thy handes the thing that I craue O God I shall be a Preacher of thy infinite and incomprehensible mercy to others Thy waies he sayeth not my waies such as were man slaughter adulterie c. For those then were DAVIDS waies which waies indeede men are skilfull ynough commonly to pretend to their evill deedes who seeke none other thing then liberty to sinne yea and that vnder some certain cloake when notwithstanding this example of life is not set before them by David that they should follow it yea but much rather the waies of God aâ— set before them that is his vnspeakable mercies toward sinners which also appeareth of that that where sinne abounded grace superabounded The waies of God by nature ar vnknowen to man and specially that way of infinite mercy in his owne Christ of the which natur indeed was not able ever at any time to suspect But after beside nature and against nature it was reveiled notwithstanding the conscience trembling through the feeling of sin and of the wrath of God so that a mid cloud as it were is cast in betuixt the sight thereof and the grace of God that it cannot but see very hardly For then such an huge heape of sinne aryseth that it taketh away by force the whole sight of the grace of GOD almost from it In the mean time infidelitie which proceedeth of nature perswadeth vs to despayre of the mercy of God Finally a thousand impediments ingire themselues which al maketh it to come to passe that we are blind at the light of that grace of God so that wee finde in experience howe hard a thing it is especially to a man who is touched with an earnest feeling of his sinne to haue before his eies that mercy of God in Christ For I speake of him who is touched with a sense of his sinne For others who while they sinne yea and sinne grievously indeede notwithstanding they feele not that their sinne in speech surely they promise to themselues the mercy of God in Christ nevertheles in very deed they feele it not For it is easie to any secure man and that sleepeth in his sinne in a dreame to promise all things to himselfe God therefore willing the weill of sinners in this so great a difficultie of feeling of grace hee would haue left vnto vs an example of that this mercy whereby moste grievous sinnes are pardoned such as was this example of Gods mercy in DAVID the more notable in this respect the more grievous that his sinnes were as manslaughter adultery c. Also they were the heavier in that selfe-same respect that hee was a King PAVLE the Apostle 1. Timoth. 1. Professeth indeede himselfe to bee the chiefest of all sinners to witte a Blasphemer a persecutor a man that did wrong Notwithstanding sayeth hee God for this cause had mercie vppon mee that hee might shewe first on mee all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him to everlasting life This way of bringing men vnto grace which is by experience by his own exaÌ„ple God wil haue without al dout every one whosoever haue felt at any time in experieÌ„ce his mercy to follow to coÌ„municate to others willingly that tast of grace which they theÌ„selues before haue felt which thing David promiseth to do in this place I wil teach back-sliders saieth he thy waies In this place thou shalt marke that the godly when God as it were taking holde of their hande lift vp themselues they stretch out their other hand as it were to lift vp others whereby they also may be participant of the same grace WheÌ„ Christ calleth vpon them they also at the same time cal others that they may come together vnto him according to that commandement of Christ vnto Peter When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren For true faith not only is careful for the self but chiefly this is the ende of the purpose thereof through a certain zeale of the glory of God to promoove the salvation of others to wit that other sinners may be turned vnto God repent For David respecteth this ende in teaching others that is the mercie of GOD towarde sinners that they also might repent being mooved to wit with that sense of the mercy of God toward theÌ„ Of the which that thinge appeareth that some taste of the mercy of GOD preceedeth turning vnto God that faith is the cause of Repentance For it cannot bee that men can be turned vnto God vnles they be allured with some â—eeling of his fatherlie loue Deliver me from blood
put their confidence in any of their owne deservings neither yet to vaunt of their own righteousnes before God as if they not onely by their righteousnes had recompensed the benefites of God toward them but also had deserved somewhat at Gods hand Wee are againe taught here that the acknowledging of our own weaknes poverty proceedeth froÌ„ diligent examining and weighing of the benefits of God Also from a consideration of our gifts whether they are able to answer to so many so great benefits of god wherfore so at last we shal feel how vnable yea that wear nothing if we wil weigh the benefits of God toward vs and our strength gifts together having compared them among themselues For it will so come to passe at length that having diligently considered that great inequality of the benefits of God of our strength we shal acknowledg how many how great in lacks there ar in vs how vnable wee are to repay the Lord again Wilt thou therefore from thine heart giue thanks vnto God and ascriue solidly altogether al the glory of his benefits to himself acknowledge how poore thou art in thy self how thou hast nothing to recompense the Lord withal now wilt thou know this thing examin diligently coÌ„pare the benefits of God thy giftes and strength among themselues And if we shuld proceed after this order in giving God thanks surely wee would give all the glory to God of his benefits more earnestly from the hart more effectually then we vse to do Again marke here in Dauid the token of a thankfull minde he voweth vnto God he repayeth his vow This thankfulnesse in promising the accomplishment of the promise is not to bee reckoned among the least of Gods benefits For it proceedeth from the speciall favour of God that wee are thankfull to GOD for the benefite receiued For wee are almost all more prone after some measure earnestly to craue Gods helpe to liue vnto him when we are pressed with any grievous perrill then wee are to giue thanks and to paye our vowes vnto God after that already the benefites of God are bestowed vppon vs. Notwithstanding the Prophete warneth that those two are to be joyned together with an inseparable knot Ps â—0 14. Sacrifice prayse vnto God and paye thy vowes to the most High and cal vppon me in the time of anguish I will deliver thee that thou mayest honour mee Surely I thinke that that man hath not sought any thing at God earnestly and with that heart with which it became him who after that he now hath obteined the same is vnmindfull of the benefite and of Thanksgiving For that selfe same spirite which teacheth vs to praye as is requisite and maketh intercession for vs with sighes that cannot bee expressed teacheth vs to giue thanks vnto God for the benefites received that with ane certaine vnspeakable joy gladnesse of heart Last it is marked here that this was the highest degree of thanksgiving that David promiseth here vnto his God For an exceeding great benefite requireth exceeding great thanksgiving Also passing great thanks are not these which are given to God secretly but those that are given publickly The whole Church of God looking on and hearing David if at any time he promiseth or offereth a chiefe duty vnto God hee professeth that hee is not able to offer or to promise a greater duty nor this then that he will prayse God in the publick congregation of his Church For the publick giving of Thanks is more then the private For while thou givest thankes publickly vnto God the whole people sayeth Amen And so they glorifie God together with thee From thence it is that God would haue his people togather together in one and to giue him thanks together in the Church to the end that the greater praise honour and glory may redounde vnto him Precious in the c. This is that forme of thanksgiving which hee setteth before him to bee followed First he recommendeth the Providence of God toward his owne aswell in their life as in their death Then hee confirmeth this providence of God from his own experience First therefore sayeth hee the death is precious Men do commonly thinke while they see the godly afflicted and exercised with sundrie calamities they thinke I say that God at that time taketh no thought of them whether they liue or die And from thence it is that the persecutors themselues thinking that God taketh a like litle care of their life death they wax the more fearce against theÌ„ as against as many vile and abject slaues David therefore opposeth to the perverse opinion of men in this place this excellent passage precious in the eiâ—s of Iehoua c. Whereby hee signifieth first that God many times permitteth not his owne to die but delivereth them very oft out of exceeding great dangers rescueth them as it were out of the very jawes of death Then next by this passage he signifyeth that if God at any time suffereth his owne to die that commeth not passe by Chaunce or Fortune but by the sure purpose of God Pilate after this manner spake vnto Christ even as if God had taken no resolute advise concerning his life or death Knowest thou not sayeth he that I haue power to crucifie thee yea also power to lowse thee Christ aunswereth him Thou shouldest haue no power at all over mee vnlesse it were given thee from aboue Thus much speaketh Christe Thirdly by this passage is signified that the croce death of the godly it self howsoeuer it be vile in the sight of men notwithstanding it is precious in the eies of GOD. Laste this sentence admonisheth that after the godlie are already dead and taken out of this life by the permission of God violence of the vngodly together GOD suffereth not their death to slip out of his remembrance at any time For seeing that is moste true that hee hath all the teares of his owne put vp in a bottle as it were and in register howe many they are howe much more will he haue the whole blood of the godly yea every particular drop also of their bloud kept close with him Yea surely before so much as any one drop of the blood of the godly should perish hee will command the earth it selfe which opening her owne mouth the time it was shed received it and drank it in he will command I say the very earth it self to keep it in her womb as it were vnto that day of the Lords visitation wherein he wil take a vengeance vpon all them whosoever haue persecuted the godly in this life After these foure divers fashions therefore to speake it it summarlie the death of the godlie is pretious in the sight of God first that he suffereth not his own oft to perish but delivereth them out of exceeding great dangers Then if he permitteth them to die that is not done rashly