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
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
by a comparison of this present faith The meaning is when I partly thus gloryed in my owne soule partly before GOD faith triumphed in my soule Paule applyed to himselfe these words of the Prophet and after this manner he recited them I beleeued sayeth hee for that cause I speak vnto you O Corinthians 1. Cor. â— 1â— of that spiritual and eternal life leaning to this faith or confidence that I myselfe at sometime hereafter should aryse from death For the things which anie man speaketh vnto others of God of Christ of his benefites first of all they must be beleeved of him that is they are to be applyed to the soule of the speaker For so it shall come to passe that as the Apostle speaketh we shal 〈◊〉 a greater libertie and evidence in speaking When he said in that place let vs haue such an hope that is confidence of so glorious a ministery we vse great freedome in speaking I had spoken This much concerning his faith for the present here followeth the infidelitie and weaknes which was sometime in him and which hee illustrateth by his present faith First in these words is conteined a proposition of thâ—se speeches which proceeded from infirmity they went beyond measure I had said The exposition of the proposition As if he should say being rent away through a suddaine perturbation of the flesh I had said So he spak Psal 31. I had saide in my hast every man These are the words which proceeded from a troubled mind As if he should say Now I see that no faith is to bee given vnto men no not to very Prophets indeed For Samuel sheweth vnto mee that I should come vnto the Kingdome of Israel But nowe in very deede I finde in experience that hee spake not prophetically by the Spirite of God but that he hath spoken of his owne fleshly mind lyinglie so David through infirmitie accused not GOD openly but Samuel of a lie as if he had not sufficiently tryed out the will of GOD but had transgressed the bounds of his calling So Psal 31. 23. through a troubled minde hee buâ—sted foorth into this speech I am cut off frâ—m the sight of thine eies Ye see therefore in what estate the affaires of the faithfull are so long as they liue here Now indeede through weaknesse they are thruste down even to the helles Then again they are lifted vp by faith vnto the heavens but at length the victorie is faiths David after that through weaknes he had almost blasphemed Then next through faith againe hee triumphed It may come to passe indeede that the flesh in the first combat haue the maistery as it were as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7. The law of the members maketh the man captiue to the law of sin which is in the members Notwithstanding the faithfull perpetually feele this in themselues that the laste victory is of the holy Spirit which surely is an evident that the flesh at length shall be vtterly vanquished that the full and perfite victory shal belong vnto the Spirite This is not in the meane time to be passed by here that David in glorying vttereth a notable confidence to wit because there was before a great weaknesse For in the combat of the flesh and the Spirite the more that any man is cast downe through a feeling of his infirmitie in that respect he is the more lifted vp through faith The greater the sorow be in the wrastling in that respect the joy and gladnes through the holy Spirite is greater after the fight Finally this is to be considdered that he sayth that hastening those thinges which were spoken by him that is he was mooved through a certaine suddaine motion of the flesh Of the which mark the difference betuixt that infidelity into the which the godly at sometime fal the infidelity of the wicked rebellious The godly at sometime distrust through a certain suddain motioÌ„ of the â—lesh weaknes So Peter through infirmitie denied the Lord in the very misbeleefe it self they feele some dolor they distrust not so securly but burst forth sometimes into those speeches O miserable man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death Contrariwise the vngodly they misbeleeue God not of any suddaine motioÌ„ of the flesh but of an obstinate malice as those did who ascribed the works of Christ vnto the divell all Heretickes who after they are convict by the testimonies of the Scripture notwithstanding they maliciouslie resist the trueth And from this it proceedeth that the vngodlie who distrust through malice seldome attayne they to mercy the godly who misbeleeue through the weaknesse of the flesh they repente and finde mercie Heretickes are seldome converted Peter was converted David obteined mercy as in this Psalme and Psal 31. 12 What shal I recompense Iehova with al his benefites overcome me 13 I will giue openly the received cup of all salvation and I will prayse the name of Iehova 14 Rendring my vowes vnto Iehova even now before all his people saying 15 The threatned death is precious in the eies of Iehova to them whom hee himselfe beareth at good will 16 I beseech thee O Iehova seeing I am thy servant let me be thy seruant the sonne of thine hand maid seeing thou hast lowsed my bands let my life be precious 17 I will sacrifice vnto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and I will prayse the Name of Iehova 18 I will paye my vowes vnto Iehova presently before his whole people 19 In the courts of Iehova his house in the midst of thee O Ierusalem Halelu Iah WHat shall I The first parte of the Psalme in which hee taketh advise concerning rendring of thankes vnto God In consulting he signifieth and professeth that hee is not able to recompense so many his great and manifold benefites as if he should saye It lyeth not in my power to recompense Iehova his benefites are greater then that they are able to be recompensed by mee Hee proposeth therefore first that hee is not able to recompense Iehova that is to recompense his benefites toward him Then he rendreth a reason from the greatnesse of the benefites of God For the vnequal or surpassing greatnesse of the benefites of God For the vnequall or surpassing greatnesse of the benefites of God being considdered vppon the one parte and his vnhability weaknesse being considered vpon the other part being overcome by the incomparable greatnes of the benefites of God not knowing what to do he asketh and in a maner he cryeth out What shal I recompense Iehova with As if he should say It lyeth not in my power to recompense so many and so greate benefites of God Then the argument is taken not onely from the greatnesse of the benefites of GOD but also from his owne inhabilitie weaknesse and littlenesse to speake so In one worde the mater is thus the reasoÌ„ is from thence that there is no correspondence and proportioÌ„
had a great respect thereof himselfe For we ought al principally to haue before our eies in our praiers The 〈◊〉 of prayers is the glory of God in Christ the glorie of GOD in Christ And when that which wee haue sought is alreadie gotten we ar bound so to vse that benefite that it may redound to the glorie of GOD that is in vsing thereof wee should continually looke vnto God For otherwaies it cannot be a true feeling and injoying of the benefites received 1. 〈◊〉 10. PAVLE sayeth Rom. 14. â— Whether ye eate whether ye drinke whatsoeuer thing ye do do all to the glorie of God For there is no true injoying no not so much in deed as of the meate that we eate no true pleasure thereof vnlesse we eate vnto the Lord that is vnlesse we eate it to the glorie of God For it may be that we devoure meate which thing sundrie men do with a certain beastlie sense and pleasure but to the end that we may enjoy it with that pleasure and true sweetnesse it cannot be done vnlesse we considder in the vse thereof God and his glory We shal obserue one thing here of this effect of DAVIDS experience 〈…〉 before we proceede to the rest he sayeth indeede that some will follow his example But who even those to wit that like as hee had confessed his sin so shall they confesse their sinne and like as he himself had praied to God so shall they also pray vnto God So PAVLE saith that other men shall follow his example 1. Tim. â— 1â— But what are they even those to wit that shall beleeue as hee had beleeved That I might be saieth he an exemple to them that shall beleeue vnto eternall life Learne therefore howe manye so ever examples there haue bin of the mercie of God yea since the world was created that they ar so many coÌ„solations documeÌ„ts to the posterity of the mercy of God toward them but finally vnder this condition that they enter in into that way of mercy which other godlie men before them haue entred into who haue walked on befor them that is if they beleue in Iesus Christ if they repente if they be converted vnto God if they pray We thought this meet to be marked for this cause by reason we see that not a few abuse the examples of godly men thinking that if they haue them onely in their mouth it shall come to passe presently they be entertained after the same maner with them and also that they shall likewise attaine vnto mercie when in the meane time they indevour not to tred into the foot-steps of godlie men seeing they are without faith without Christ without God in the world But they are farre deceived for to grant that vnto theÌ„ that they haue in sure register all the examples that ever wer extant of the mercie of God neverthelesse wee affâ—â—m except they set before theÌ„selues the selfe-same purpose of life which those godlie men before them haue followed whose exaÌ„ples they vaunt of they belong nothing vnto them 8 I wil instruct thee and teach thee the way that thou shalt walk in I will giue counsell mine eye taking attendance vpon thee 9 Be ye not like an horse like an mule wanting vnderstanding whose mouth is to be bound vpwith bridle and bit least they come neere thee 10 Great sorrowes are for the wicked But he which hath his confidence in Iehova mercy compasseth him The second part of the psalme HItherto hath bene opened vp the first parte of the Psalme concerning the happinesse of man made cleare by the experience of the Prophet himselfe Nowe followeth the second parte in which by a turned speech he turneth himselfe to everie one of the godly whosoever hee applyeth that former doctrine in particular vnto him and instructeth him in that true waye of happinesse and therewith also rayseth him out of that miserable securitie of the flesh Before the application there is a preface The preface in which offering true instruction and learning he stirreth vp that man whom he purposeth to teach to attendance for the secure man and hee that sleepeth in sin hath neede of moste sharpe argumentes of taking heed whereby he may be pricked awakened out of sleepe The preface is thus I will instructe thee and teach thee the way thou shalt waâ—kin I wil giue counsell mine eie taking attendance vpon thee That is with most diligent care and travell I will watch over thee Some thinges are to be marked of vs in this place First DAVID had saide before that that man whom God favoured would pray vnto God by his exemple especially to that end that hee might attaine to the like mercie But now not being content of that that of their owne accorde others should pray vnto God by his example he turneth himself about to every one of the faithful teacheth him by his owne voyce Although the example of Gods mercy towarde thee be excelleÌ„t of the self The duty of the sincere godly man yea that others without thee bee their teacher are able to see and follow the same notwithstanding thou shalt not be sayd to haue done thy parte except thou turning thy selfe vnto thy brethren thou thy self declare openly the mercie of God toward thee fulfill the parte of a teacher among them For who is able with more dexteritie with greater profite to preach of the grace and mercy of God then hee who hath found it in experience him selfe For he who hath not any time tasted how gracious the Lord is caÌ„not be a sufficient Preacher of his mercy Wherefore it is necessarie that he in whom hath bin kythed the example of mercy coÌ„municat his experience with others For no man getteth the grace of God onelie to himselfe but vnto others that others may become ter by that grace So Christ saith vnto PETER When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren 〈◊〉 â—2 32 And this is the nature of faith that it stretcheth out the hand to ill men for this end that if it be possible al may be saved Paule when hee pleaded his cause before King Agrippa after that he had rehearsed the storie of his life having forgotten himself vn-mindful of his bands and turning vnto King Agrippa hee was altogether occupyed in this that hee might bring the man vnto the faith Beleeuest thou not the Prophets saieth hee King Agrippa I know saieth hee that thou beleeuest Then Agrippa answered almost thou perswadest mee to become a Christian PAVLE replyeth again I would to God that not onely thou but also all that heare mee to daye were both almost and altogether such as I am except those bandes What then Thought also PAVLE himself to be blessed far beyond that King Surely those who hath once tasted the sweetnesse of the grace of God which is in Iesus Christ those also esteeme the Kings of this world whom they see to be out of christ to be
God is more glorified and men are also more edified through that example of the mercy of God toward him for no notable mercy of God is bestowed vppon anie for his own cause only but also for the cause of others that others also by his example may be turned vnto God and may purchase mercie Wherefore saith PAVLE 1. Tim. 1. 16. For this cause hee receiued mee to mercie that Iesus Christe should first shew on mee all long suffering vnto the example of them which shall in time to come beleeue in him vnto eternall lyfe Therefore the Prophet beginneth from that reason whereby he had apprehended mercy Now it is perceived in conuersion vnto God prayer to the ende that no man should thinke that God giveth grace to that man that seeketh it not or that hee openeth the heavens to the man that knocketh not let be to the contemner or refuser of the grace offered For God will haue our faith exercised after that fashion albeit otherwaies he giveth vs not yea the leaste thing that can bee because of our prayers as for any deserving cause He aunswered To vvit out of his heavenly sanctuarie yea and out of the earthly also vnto which his visible presence was then tyed This is subjoyned that all may know that they seeke no sooner any thing from God according to his will but hee wil surely therwith answere them in some measure and so they may bee incouraged from the verie successe of the prayer to conceiue prayers thereafter Also wee shall see that it cannot be otherwise but God shall presently answere to our petition if we consider from whence the same is now it commeth from Gods own spirit it selfe and so it is not possible but God will heare his owne Spirit Wherefore PAVLE Rom. 8. 27. 28. after he had said that the Spirit maketh request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed presently he subjoynes that God knoweth the meaning of his owne Spirit As if he should say God must of necessitie heare the intercession of his owne Spirite and answere to the desire thereof From whence I pray you is that that with sighes that cannot be vttered of which the Apostle speaketh we feele therewith that invtterable ioy and so wee come from God as if we were satisfied yea euen then when that self same thing is not as yet gotten which hes bene sought of him Surely none otherwise but from thence that God hes aunswered our petition For so God vseth stirring vp in our harts a certaine vnspeakable joy to aunswere vs when we call And this sense is more then all those earthly thinges more then this present life yea al things belonging thereto Wherefore hee hath purchased more at Gods hands who hath felt this joy then he who hath gotten this present life from God and all things necessarie to the same But now we haue in the end of the next verse what God answered to DAVID when he sayeth Iehova susteineth me Therefore God aunswered not so much by word as by deed then when he vpheld David Which thing he spake before in more words Thou art my buckler about mee my glorie and he that lifteth vp mine head He comprehendeth the same thing in one worde hereafter The effect of Gods mercy He susteined me saith he whereby hee meaneth that sense of Gods protection in the midst of persecution I layd me downe Now hee commendeth the effecte which followed so gentle an answer of God of the which he spake immediatlie before And it is indeede ane certaine securitie of the mind which he leaveth to be perceiued be the effects Now there are in it that he laie downe that he sleeped and that hee awakened out of sleepe For as when the minde of any man is troubled through any present daunger either he goeth not to bed or if he goe to bed he sleepeth not quietly neither yet wakeneth he softly if peradventure he sleepe So when the minde is quiet then indeed a man goeth to bed he sleepeth securely hee awakeneth softly Wherefore some deepe securitie of minde is manifested by those effectes yea and that a spirituall rest The thing therefore that maketh a minde secure in troubles you see it to be Gods presence and a feeling of his helpe Therefore the Apostle hath these wordes Rom. 8. 31. If God be on our side who shall be against vs For he felt that quietnes of mind through Gods presence which made him thereafter to provoke whatsoever enemies of his salvation Also that is worthie of consideration in what meaning the Apostle in that place vnderstandes God to be present with him After that he had fullie rehearsed all Gods benefites having begunne at the first to the last in these wordes Rom. 8. 29. 30. Those which he knew before he also predestinate whom he predestinate them alsa he called whome hee called those hee iustifyed whom he iustified those he gloryfied then he subjoyned vers 13. What shall we say to those things To the which interrogation he answereth If God be on our side who shall be against vs In which words surely he hath brought in one summe all the benefits before spoken of all which easilie may bee brought to this How God is with vs. That God is with vs. Therefore Gods presence is perceived by his powerfulnes in calling justifying and glorifying of vs So that if any man would know whether God be present with him or not hee must see whether if he be called whether if he be justified and by these as by the meanes he must ascend to the Predestination and fore-knowledge of God which were from everlasting Then least any should doubt of these benefites by which he declareth the Lord himselfe to be present with vs he bringeth vs to that gift of his son Christ of al gifts the chiefest and by an argument taken from the thing that is more to that which is les he concludeth thus He who spared not his onely sonne but gaue him for vs to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Therefore you see that the Apostle reasoneth from Christ given to all the reste of the giftes to the ende wee should learne from thence howe oft soeuer wee would know whither God be present with vs by his benefites so oft wee muste haue our recourse vnto Christ we must see whither if wee be participant of Christ of his death of his resurrection without the which surely wee haue no presence of God with vs no effectual power of God in vs. But to the end wee may returne hyther from whence wee began That is most certaine indeed The effect of the gracious presence of God that the presence of God and that indeede by the selfe alone maketh a man secure which thing is so true as if thou take away his presence man hath nothing in him but feare and horror specially when any grieuous affliction seazeth vpon him Or if there be any
sorte of quietnesse of minde that is none other thinge but a fleshlie securitie which is a token of the suddaine destruction to come PAVLL sayeth 1. Thess 5. 3. When they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vppon them suddaine destruction as the trauel vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape Therefore to the ende there may be a deepe sleepe and a softe wakening out of sleepe that is that there be a true securitie of minde every man must take heede that hee feele God present with him present I say when he goeth to bed when he awaketh in the night for our sleepe should bee no sooner interrupted in the night but we should haue our recourse vnto God Albeit men commonly are chiefely distracted in the night with the cares of this worlde yea with lighter and vayner tryfles More-over nothing hath more strength either to settle the minde in the night time or to call it backe againe to sleepe and to refresh the bodie with rest then that sweete meditation vpon God Finally when the time of awaking commeth in the morning everie man must take head that he finde God present with him when he goeth foorth of the house when hee commeth in againe while he eateth while he drinketh while he is doing any thing continually that presence of God is to be sought Also wee haue God present at all times if with our voyce we cry vnto Iehova as DAVID did or if also when there is not place for the voyce wee call vpon him with our hearte which thing yerely may be done without hindring the most serious businesse we haue ado to leaue also that vnspoken of that this way specially all the honest adoes of this life may be handled with a certain inutterable delight Now the grounde of this presence is Christ without whose croce and sacrifice set before our eies no entrie is patent vnto God An other effect of Gods presence I will feare none euill In this verse he enlargeth that securitie which he felt through Gods presence while hee sayeth that hee hath no cause to feare hereafter no not indeed ten thousands of his enemies The amplifying therefore is partly from the time to come partly from the multitude of the enemies As if he should say Not onely was I secure but also hereafter I will be so secure Davidâ— coÌ„fidence exhorteth vs to invincible constanciâ— that if ten thousandes of the people would pitch their tents about me notwithstanding I will not bee shaken with fear Of the which thing you learne that this is the force of the quietnesse of the minde in God that there is nothing which it is not able to over-come From thence Paule after he had numbred out many things which are contrarie to vs in this life such as were anguishes oppression and the rest finally hee subjoyned Rom. 8. 36. 37. Yea in all those things we are more then conquerours through him who hath loved vs Behold you may see the grounde of this securitie and victorie To wit the loue of God in Christ For when there is that sense of the loue of God in Christ and consequently any taist of that life to come for this last followeth alway of that former then in deede the childe of God is so caryed aboue al those thinges inferiour that from on high he despiseth and contemneth them The cause brought out of the Apostle Nowe the Apostle in the same place bringeth in the cause why we are more then conquerours through the loue of God For I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life c. is able to separate vs from the loue of God For if those things which are reckoned out in that Chapter might separate vs from the loue of GOD then certainely wee shoulde easilie fall vnder the burden through them But seeing they are not able to bring that to passe that GOD in Christ should not loue vs and wee also feele that loue in Christe and out of that loue life surely it will never come to passe that those things fall vtterlie oppresse vs But on the other it falleth out directlie to the contrarie that wee over come them all DAVID therefore to returne to him agayne was so caryed away through the sense of Gods presence and loue in the middest of persecution that hee securelie despised all the contrarie power as one who had perswaded himselfe of that that it was not able to separate him from that loue of God in Christe the sense whereof indeede he had at that time For it is not to bee thought that this voyce of DAVID and his glorying arose chiefelie of that securitie which hee had then perhaps of the certainty of the keeping of this life presente But much more of that securitie which he had of the certainty of that life to come yea that through the feeling of the loue which is in Christ Iesus For that is the differance betuixt the godly and others which stretch not their hope farther nor this life Those are never at ease neither yet can they glorie except they be first sure of this life yea but the godly being vncertaine of this life and certaine of that that is to come through the feeling of the loue of God in Christ they are in quiet rest The difference beâ—uixt the godly and vngodly concerning this life do glorie Sadrach Mesach and Abeanego Dan. 3. 16. aunswered so to Nebuchad-netzar threatning them with all extreame torments whatsoeuer We are not carefull say they concerning this matter And thus much haue we spoken concerning the seconde parte of the Psalme The glorying and commendation of the benefites of GOD The suÌ„me of the second part whereof the first was the sense of the help of God the second of the securitie pâ—st to come proceeding froÌ„ that sense of Gods help Now followeth the third part of the Psalme 8 Aryse Iehova saue me my God who hath stricken all mine enemies vpon the cheeke bone thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked 9 Saluation it selfe is to be ascribed to Iehova let thy blessing be vppon thy people Selali ARyse Iehova The last part of the Psalme The third part of the Psalme as wee haue spoken in which DAVID turning himselfe againe vnto God First prayeth for himselfe that hee may be delivered from the present danger Then for the people Now he praieth for himselfe in these words The combat of faith Aryse saith he Iehova saue me For so long as we feel not a full deliverance we remember God so as if he were vn-mindfull of vs and did sir idle in the heauens casting away all care of his owne vpon the earth Saue me saith he my God Embracing GOD as it were in his heart he craveth that he would saue him For when hee sayeth my God he embraceth God and by faith applyeth him to himself now he doth and speaketh this through the right of the covenant in which
thing this rejoycing which wee feele through the conscience of obedience and againe that griefe which wee feele through the conscience of disobedience and rebellion Rom 7. 〈◊〉 The correction of the granting is able ynough to testifie O miserable man that I am saith PAVLE Who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death To the holy ones The other parte of the aunswere by way of correction as if he should say albeit no good thing can come vnto me from thee Nevertheles O God preserue me with the Saints that are vpon the Earth that is in favour of the Church fighting in the worlde that I may at least be profitable vnto her Therefore albeit nothing can come vnto God by our doing well notwithstanding we must not think that our good workes are vnprofitable For a man may be profitable to a man the most contemptible may serue for some vse to any the moste honorable as in mans bodie the foot may bee profitable vnto the head More-over among men Kings may be most profitable to others of which sort DAVID was in respect they are armed by God with power and authoritie they are bound also by their office to bee profitable vnto others but especially vnto the Church of God of which thing we reade that Nebuchadneâ—zar Dan. 2. 30. otherwise an Heathen King was admonished by Daniell that christian Princes might vnderstande that this is so much the more to be required of them To the excellent Those whom he called holie ones before now he calleth excellent Consider therefore how greatly DAVID esteemed of this Church of God that is now so much lightlied and contemned not onely by the Princes but by the basest sort of men Not-with-standing the holye ones whatsoever the world think of them remayne excellent glorious Dan. 7. 〈◊〉 Daniel in the same signification calleth it the Church of the high Saincts that is of those that are Predestinate and ordained to all moste excellent high things to life everlasting In whom This is the fountaine of that good thinge whereby hee is to indue the Saints to wit the delighting in them as loue and favour For wee profite in vayne either the Church or anie member thereof except we loue 1 Cor. 〈…〉 If I shuld spend al my goodes sayâ— PAVL in feeding of the poore and had not loue I were nothing Wee may be indeede steidable vnto others but without loue we cannot bee steidable to our selues neither doe we any thing that is acceptable vnto God in respect it commeth not from a sincere sanctified heart Why the godly desire to abide in this life Moreover mark here also the cause wherefore godly men desire to abide for a while vppon this earth and verely it is the pleasure that they tak in the fellowship of the holy ones for whose cause they would liue some-what longer that they might promooue them to the knowledge of their salvation and might preserue some of them before they depart out of this worlde For they shall haue a farre more greater delight in their God in that other life It is good for me saieth Paule if I depart hence Phil. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 but it is not so for you If therefore chiefelie the loue of this world or of those things which wee see therein tyeth vs al-to-gether so much to this worlde surely we are more then miserable yea in the greatest abundance of all thinges of this world 4 They multiplie their sorrowes which giue in dowrie to ane stranger I will not offer their drinke offerings of bloud neither yet will I take vp their names in my lippes 5 Iehova is the portion of my steeding and of my propertie thou mayntaynest my lâ—tte 6 The lines are fallen out to me in pleasant places yea my possession is faire for mee The other part of the Psalme an holy glorying THey multiply their sorrows The other parte of the Psalme The glorying having received some comfort of the preceeding rejoycing For never man yet at any time came in vayne to God in Christ And having as it were compared that his happie estaite with the estaite of Idolaters hee pronounceth and exclaymeth that in respect of him they are as it were but miserable caitifes They multiplie their sorrowes sayeth hee who giue in dowrie to a stranger That is who giue in dowrie any thing to a strange God and Idole that is who joyne them selues in mariage with it having complcitlie payed a greate dowrie The fruits of idolaters For it can scarcelie bee vttered how many things Idolaters rashly lavish out vpon their Idols And what commoditie get they thereby Surely no solide and true joye such as David felt of that his mariage with the true God but sorrow onely and all kinde of miserie For superstition is ever conjoyned with a trembling of the soule For what thing is able to establish the soule of man but God onely The Papistes promise peace and securitie to others which notwithstanding they themselues enjoy it not Obserue then in this place how soone soever any man hath felt that joy which proceedeth from the true God then all those appeare miserable vnto him who having leâ—t the true God haue their refuge to idols For then he perceiveth wel ynough what the miserie of Idolaters is after that the eie is enlightned with that light which proceedeth from the face of God And surely that is hee who may onely judge aright of the misery of man The Idolaters themselues are blinde in their owne miserie There are also other men who otherwise profes God in their mouth neverthelesse they feele not in their heart that solide joye which proceedeth from Iesus Christ whose judgment many times concerning Idolaters is corrupted Of these I speake whom you may see everie where to admit into their companie without any kinde of difference whatsoever sort of men whether they bee true Professoures or the enemies of the Croce of Christe such as are the Papistes this day Then to speak it once in a word ther is no man a right judg of the miserie of Idolaters but hee who hath himselfe felt in times bygane that happinesse which is in the true and onely God The drink offerings of idolaters I will not offer them drinke offrings As he had before pronounced Idolaters to be miserable through the sense of that joye which he had felt of the true God so now he professeth that he will haue no societie either with the Idolaters themselues or with their Idols and he sheweth that from the heart he abhorreth that sort of false worship and religion I will not That is I will not sacrifice with them 〈…〉 after the custome of the profane Gentiles which sacrificed even with the bloud of man not only against the law of God yea but against humanity it selfe I wil not tak vp their names This is somewhat more then that which he saide even now as if he should say I will not
he wil make me to know that path-way which leadeth to eternall life And having knowen it I shall walke therein By these wordes therefore he vnderstandeth that the waye to life and to the heavens is to be clearely shewed vnto him after that he sal be raysed out of the graue Now in the words following he signifieth the life it selfe which after he hath walked through in that waye to an end which leadeth to life to the heauens he shall attayne vnto The sacietie of ioyes He expresseth that life first by joy and by the saciety of joy then by pleasantnesse He maketh the beginning and fountaine of the joy the countenance of God Gods right hand he maketh the cause of the pleasantnesse and he boundeth both the joy and the pleasantnesse with eternitie of time Our Lord Iesus Christ bring vs to this life To whom with the Father and with the holy Spirit be all honour and glorie Amen THE ARGVMENT Of the XXIII PSALME A Psalme it is of doctrine in which David glorying openeth vp his confidence and securitie Also this securitie which is to continue for all time to come proceedeth from the confidence and present fruition of the mercy of God toward him and of his Pastoral care over him Two things therfore ar proposed in this Psalme This first a confidence and apprehension of the present favour of God The other is a security in time to come arysing of the confidence that God will with the same gracious favour in all posterities to come follow him Both these things are shortly see downe in the first verse Then they are opened vp in the verses following Confidence specially vnto the sixt verse and Security in the sixt verse THE XXIII PSALME 1 A Psalme of DAVID Iehova iâ— my sheepheard I cannot lacke 2 He maketh mee to rest in foldes replenished with grasse he leadeth me by the soft running waters 3 He maketh my soule to be quiet hee leadeth me in the waies of righteousnesse for his owne names sake 4 Although I walked through the valley of the deadly shaddow I would not feare evill because thou art with mee thy rodde and shepheardes crooke they comfort mee 5 Thou furnishest a table before me ouer against mine enemies thou plentifullie anoyntes mine head with oyntment my cup is very full 6 Surely goodnesse and mercie shall follow me all the dayes of my life and I shal be at rest in the house of Iehova so long as times shall indure IEhova is my sheapheard This is the proposition of a glorying The proposition of the first part first of confidence and as it were the Pastorall care of God toward him Then of securitie in time to come In the first parte of the proposition hee expresseth Gods care borrowing the words from a sheapheard a flock comparing God with a Sheapheard and himselfe vnto a sheepe Iehova saith he is my Sheepheard That is The other part of the prepositioÌ„ as the shepheard feedeth his sheepe so Iehova feedeth mee I cannot lacke The other part of the proposition in which is set downe the securitie in time to come Also this securitie in time to come is gathered brought in from the present confidence apprehension of the care of GOD toward him as if he should say GOD feedeth me for the time present and by all meanes taketh care of mee Therefore I shal never want his help in time to come neither shall it ever come to passe that I in any time coÌ„ming shall lacke any thing The like glorâ—ing we haue of Paule Rom. 8. 10. God is on our side who is against vs So much hitherto then wee haue spoken of the proposition set downe by waye of glorying wherby we see confidence in God present for confidence is the apprehension of a thing presente to bring out securitie wherby any godly man promiseth vnto himselfe that God will be present with him for all time to come There is no other thing vnlesse we will except God which by the owne presence thereof can make vs so secure I speak of that true spirituall securitie For I grant that the traÌ„sitory things of this world ingender in mens mindes a certaine securitie which we call carnall such as was that of that rich man which after that his barnes were enlarged and replenished saide to his soule Luk. 12. 19. Soule thou hast much goodes layd vp for many yeares liue at ease drink and take thy pastime But what heard hee from God O foole sayeth he they will take thy soule from thee this same very night And Paule sheweth what followeth vpon this fleshlie securitie 1 Thes 5. 3. When they shall say peace and all thinges quiet then shall come vpon them suddaint destruction as the sorrow of a woman like to travell and they shall not escape Therefore this carnall securitie is deceavable but that spirituall quietnes shall never deceive vs neither yet can wee glorie sufficientlie of spiritual securitie neither yet can we at any time to come promise things great ynough to our selues of God and of his mercy to all posterities of that spirituall quietnesse He maketh me He openeth vp the first part of the proposition first by allegorical speeches vnto the fifth verse then in proper speeches in the fifth verse Then to the end hee might declare that Iehova is his shepheard he maketh an induction first of the partes of a good Pastour Now there are fiue parts of the office of a sheepheard reackoned out Fiue parts of a pasâ—â—â—rll duty whereof the first two pertaine to the bodie of the sheepe the third to the soule the fourth fifth to the waies in which it walketh Then the first part of the duty of a good sheepheard is conteined in these words In foldes replenished with grasse In which two things are comprehended The first is 1 NurishmeÌ„t the office that he maketh the sheep to bee satisfied in foldes abunding with grasse The other is that the sheepe now being filled hee maketh them to lie downe and rest that is he maketh to enjoye an exceeding soft quietnesse For in this latter that former is to be vnderstood for the sheep vseth not to lye downe rest while it be filled first DAVID applyeth this part of the dutie of the Pastor to him selfe as if he should say None otherwaies then the shepheard maketh the sheepe to fill the selfe in the foldes abounding with grasse and then to lie down rest so none other waies say I doth GOD refresh my bodie with meate and most sweete rest 2 Refreshment He leadeth by the soft running waters The second part of the duty of a shepheard bêlonging also to the bodie of the sheepe Now it is seene in that that the Pastor careth to quench the thirst of the sheepe by giving vnto it the commoditie of drinke and refreshment Even so sayeth DAVID Iehova quencheth my thirst and refresheth my bodie Then this much hitherto DAVID hath
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
will burst out either in singing or in some glorying And therefore DAVID biddeth the righteous man sing and this glorying is not only then when things are prosperous and in happie case yea but even then when they are troublesome For they that are spredde over with that true joy injoy that peace which over commeth all vnderstanding Phil. 4. 7. as PAVLE sayeth They glorie in afflictiones Rom. 5. â— vnder the hope of the glorie of God To whome be all glorie for ever Amen THE ARGVMENT OF the XXXIX Psalme It is a Psalme calling the Prophete to remembrance of his advise that hee had once taken before this time concerning his owne governement Out of the inscription it seemeth to bee Davids And it appeareth out of the thrâ—ede of the text purpose thereof to bee written at that time when hee was cast in extreame great straites by the conspiracie of Abschelom The argument and summe of the Psalme is this David acknowledgeth first that hee wente a stray from his purposed silence and patience and correcting himselfe thereafter he prayeth vnto God First then in this Psalme there is a Narration vnto the 8. verse then there is a prayer vnto the ende of the Psalme Psalme XXXIX 1 A Psalme of DAVID committed to be song to the Maister of Musicke of Ieduthun 2 I had saide I will take heede to my waies least I sinne with my tongue I will keepe a bridle in my mouth so long as the wicked man shall be in my sight 3 I had bene dumme speaking nothing yea I had keeped silence from good when my sorrowe be-gouthe to waxe freshe againe 4 And my minde growing hoate within mee the fyre burning vppe in my meditation I spake with my tongue saying 5 Cause me ô Iehova to prooue in experience mine ende for what is the measure of my dayes I will assaie howe durable I am 6 Beholde thou haste appoynted my daies as hand breadths and my time is as nothing before thee surelie all men is everie waie vanitie although hee bee never so well established Selah 7 Doubtlesse man passeth away by a shaddow surely in vaine they make a noise some man gathereth together but he knoweth not who shall receiue those things I Had said Of the narration Three parts of the narration there are three partes For first he setteth downe the advise that hee had taken to driue over his life in suffering in the 2. verse Then he subjoyneth that as hee had taken purpose so hee begouth to liue at the beginning in the 3. verse Thirdly hee addeth that hee fell away from his begunne advise from the latter part of the third verse to the 8. Then to returne First de declareth The first part that he took purpose to driue over his life patiently And in this meaning he speaketh first ingeneral I will take heede to my waies That is to my whole life Then in speciall Least I sin with my tongue whereby he signifieth hee wil take diligent heede least he go astray in tongue or spech for in ruling of the tongue speach a good part of our life is seene Now to the end he may the better governe his tongue he sayth He will keep in his mouth a bridle To witte to brydle his tongue the borrowed speach beeing taken from vn-rulie Horses Then hee noteth the time of his silence and dantoning of his tongue So long saieth hee as the wicked man shall be in my sight That is howe oft soever it shall please God to exercise me The secoÌ„d part Through wicked mens doing I had bene dome speaking nothing The second part of the narration wherby he openeth vp the begun execution by himselfe of his counsell taken I had bene dome sayeth he Then followeth the amplification from the thing that is more As if hee should saye yea I remembred not so much indeed before them of mine honeste and just defence but I leftall and I patiently suffered Of this see the example in DAVIDS historie of Simei 2. Saâ— 1â— 5. He met DAVID slying from Abschalom and not only he invaded him by wordes but by stones But DAVID with a wounderfull patience susteined the mans opprobrie wronge When my sorrow In the third roome The third part DAVID declareth and sheweth that he had gone astray from his purpose And the summe of the going astraie is set downe in the wordes that follow in the fourth verse I spak with my That is I murmured against God Also the three causes of going astray go before The first is in this place as if he should say When there was none end of afflictiones my sorrowe as a wound waxed greene The second is in the beginning of the next verse My minde growing hoate within mee The third is the seconde parte of the verse following as if he should saye With often meditation and thought mine affection was kindled vppe and was as it were altogether so vehementlie in flamed DAVID manyfesteth this extreame greate perturbation of minde When TZIBA approching hee accused his maister MAPHIBOSHETH as one aspyring to the kingdome falselie 2. Samuel 16. 1. Marke of all these thinges First DAVID tooke purpose to bee patiente and hee begouth to put in practise his purposed advise but hee wente backe from execution It proceedeth of the grace that wee take purpose to doe the thinge that is good It commeth from the grace of GOD that wee beginne to follow out the good thinge that wee haue decreed But scarse haue wee begunne but if wee be left of GOD such is the weaknesse of our nature we presentlie fall awaie Where fore wee haue neede of the continuall grace of GOD all our lifelong and in all the actiones of our life otherwise it is not possible that wee can persever to the ende Secondlie that is to bee marked that DAVID entred not in rashlie into thie this way of silence and patience but he did this advisedly that is having first taken counsel there anent Who soever therefore will patiently driue over this life and liue wel every way he ought to oblish himselfe as it were to doe this thing by a sure determination of his mind and haueing had deliberation thereof before For this thing serveth especially against those suddaine motions of the minde For you may see many caried violently hither and thither in an instant with their owne affectiones The cause is that they never yet decreed with themselues to driue over their life patiently From whence it came to passe that if they bee mooved yea with the least trifling thing presently their tongue is lowsed to reproches and their hande is enarmed to commit sum haynous wicked fact Men commonlie thinke that it is not the parte of a couragious mind to suffer wrong neither yet thinke they that they are men of Spirite vnlesse they be transformed into beasts Surely I judge that none of those men were stronger in Spirit then DAVID or greater in
a simple propounding of that desire My soule is thirsty for God sayeth he By nature al men as wee haue saide are drie and withered burnt vp to witte with that fyre of sinne and of the wrath of GOD. But fewe feele their drough where by it commeth to passe yea that few are mooved with the thirst of grace for no man is throughly touched with the thirste of the grace of God except God first by his Spirite hath provoked him especiallie by the preaching of the law But now when once it is provoked except newgrace follow on whereby the thirsty are continually led forward to that pure fountaine of the water of life Iesus Christ presently they wil seek vnto themselues fowle puddles and for cleane and living water they will drink in filthie stinking waters for the only merite of Iesus Christ and his bloud they wil drinke vp the merites of men such poysons which the Papistes this day offer to miserable men Wherefore Christ in IOHN at what time he remained vppon the earth with the Iewes with a loude voyce and crie he called al that were thirstie vnto himself And this whole Preaching of the Gospell this day it belongeth to no other end then that as with the finger that only fountain of life Iesus Christ be pointed clearlye out Nowe after that men are brought vnto Christ they drink yea they drink for evermore they drink in that grace which is in him they all receiue of his fulnesse for that fountaine of life is never drawen drye neither yet doth ever the blood of Christ drie vp But not without some difference drinke wee in this life and in the life to come For in this life that I spake so we taist but a little but in the other life wee shall drinke that water of life abundantly Wee shal drinke then for evermore and we shall drinke without loathsomnesse and prease of vomiting For like as that water can never at any time be drawen drie such is the plentie and abundance thereof so it is of that dulcenesse and sweetnesse that it allureth and provoketh the drinkers to drink continually There is no pleasure in this life which by continuall vse thereof breedeth not a loathsomenesse of the selfe Wee loath at sometimes I grant those exercises of godlines as the preaching and hearing of the worde prayers such other of like sort But this is not to bee imputed to this water but to our corruption For there lurketh as yet in everie one of our hearts some gall of bitternes whereby our mind is so infected and the taste in the mouth is so corrupt that those things which are by nature most sweete at sometime they seeme to bee bitter Which thing is manifest yea out of that that in that other life when wee shall haue layde downe this corruption of nature there shall bee no loathing at all Beside this difference whereof wee haue spoken there is another wherby we drink in this life and shal drink in that other to come In that other life we shall drinke immediatlie that is no midde instrumeÌ„t comming betweene either of the preached word or of the sacraments administred we shal see God even as he is But in this life surely wee haue need of meanes as it were of spowts whereby may bee convoyed out of Christ vnto vs that water of grace And this is it which the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 12. Now we see through a glasse darkelie but then shall we see face to face And of this it commeth to passe that as long as we liue here like as there is a desire of the water of life it selfe so there is a desire of the meanes whereby we draw that water I saye there is a desire of this outwarde ministrie And this was that longing of DAVID which he openeth vp in this Psalme But thou wilt speare Had not DAVID God present with him in whatsoever place it happened him to be without that externall ministery had he him not with him I saye I answere that he had in every place God in some measure presente but he felt not so abounding an fruition of his presence when he was farre away from the Temple of â—od which hee was woont to feele in the visible Church of God and in that Temple which at that time had especiallie a promise of Gods presence The selfe same thing also all the Godlie feele in themselues that they feele not so plentifull an enjoying of God whether by the word Preached or by the Sacraments administred which they are accustomed to feele otherwise with those meanes For those ordinarie meanes are not appoynted by GOD in vaine For the strong God These are the groundes and causes of such a great desire DAVID had felt of that visible presence of GOD his mightie power through Christ hee had felte also by experience in him through the same Christ everlasting life From this arose that desire of enjoying of him From God present in some sure manner visible in his Church of feeling I saye that accustomed power goodnes finallie the life of God in Christ Iesus For hee that hath once tasted those thinges which are in God and that I should speake so with PETER Hes tasted 1. Pet. 〈…〉 how gracious the Lord is hee desireth him continuallie to be present with him and earnestlie hee craueth that sincere milk of the word which thing also PETER himself hath left manifest by his own example who long before that answered to the Lord that he would not depart froÌ„ his side Lord to whom shall we goe sayeth hee Thou hast the wordes of eternall life Saying when Here DAVIDS soule declareth his owne thirste And it is brought in the selfe speaking by taking on the person of one that speaketh and talketh vnto God for while wee complaine and lamente not onely the mouth of the bodie is to be brought out but the soule is to bee brought out into Gods presence The meaning is as if he should saye will this never come to passe that I shal come to GOD and appeare in his sight Those who ar destitut of Gods wouÌ„ted presence and of that life which proceedeth from his presence and then feele nothing but the terrours of death they appeare to themselues indeede that they shall never swim out of that death This is the feeling I saye that nature furnisheth And those which otherwise are godlie when they seeme to themselues to be destitute of God at some times they are governed by the instinct of nature Looke the Psalme 13. verse 2. Wilt thou forget me forever My teares are Hitherto hath bene the passion of his desire now hee publisheth the vehement passion of his griefe For twise he bringeth it out once in this verse again in that that followeth In this verse then he sayth My teares are That thing which we chiefelie take pleasure in Iohn 6. â—5 the scriptures calleth meate from whence it commeth to passe that
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
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
in God hee esteemeth nothing of all his enemies For that ioy which ariseth in the mean time that any resteth himselfe in God it deuoured vp all feare and sorrowe altogether yea it maketh confidence to arise whereby wee glory against all contrarie afflictions But contrariwise when the soule quieteth not the selfe in God it is moved yea with the most trifling thinges it is affrayde with the name of persecution For the cause wherefore this first seemeth to be terrible to many is this because they see not that life and glorie which is with Christ hidd vp in God Obserue nixt let the wicked alone to themselues a litle space you shal see them fal down with their owne weight none other waies then a wall full of riftes or a wal bowing for-ward which falleth of the owne weight Neuertheles few there are that see this thing and from this it ariseth that the outwarde happines of the wicked moueth manye so much These onely see that thing whose soul quieteth the selfe in God and these who look a farre off vpon those men as it were out of a watch tower Also the regenerate themselues at sometime they see not this thing as David or whosoeuer hee was that wrote that 73 Psalme he saw it not while he had entred into the sanctuarie and then in deede he perceiued their ende he saw that they stoode in verie slipperie places hee sawe that in an momente they went to destruction Obserue thirdlie The enemies laboured to cast downe Dauid who was exalted from his dignitie He whome God lifteth vppe the wicked indevoure to caste that man down out of his place yea even at that time when they see God himselfe to trauell to the direct contrary side Ionathan did otherwaies who when he saw David appoynted for the kingdome he made a covenant with him so it becommeth all the godlie to doe looke the fourth Psalme Sonnes of men sayth he how long shall my glorie bee an ignominie vnto you rather know that God when I shall pray vnto him wil heare me Let men therefore be affrayde of the prayers of those men with whome God is at â—ne aggrement O my soule He returneth to that first glorying concerning his coÌ„fideÌ„ce in God hauing altered a little the manner of speach hee speaketh to his own soule Also he bringeth out the same reason which he did before The second drawing neerer to God as before he is not coÌ„tent of Gods benefite except hee possesse God himselfe and sit vpon him as vpon a rocke The third is the same which was before In the eight verse he repeateth the second reason the manner of speach being somewhat changed Of al which argumentes indeede marke this that David satisfieth not himselfe in multiplying of wordes whereby he amplifieth God and his benefites Also he altereth the forme of speach hee calleth him his salvation his rocke strong holde his glorie He sayeth that his salvation was receaued of him he publisheth that he himself is saluation and a rock finally he pronunceth that his salvation is in him Of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh that feeling of rest in God cannot bee sufficientlie expressed by wordes For the things which the holy Spirit worketh in the heartes these thinges cannot be sufficiently declared by the tongues of men from whence arise these sighes which are furnished by the holy spirit that the Apostle PAVLE sayeth are vnspeakeable Rom. â— 2â— And PETER calleth that joy of faith vnspeakable glorious 1 Pet. 1. â—8 Of these thinges you see first that that soule which quieteth the self in God returneth nowe and then to glorying in God Then consider and learne out of this repetition that the soule is not so quieted and setled in this life but truely in the meane time it is troubled in some measure The sea while it is not tossed too fro with stormes not-with-stan-ding it is commoued with some soft aire The affection if it bee not presentlie inflamed notwithstanding it is puffed vppe in some certaine measure Wherefore our soules hath neede now and then of a newe exhortation to this rest in God Considder thirdlie The first argument of glorying is from waiting on or from hope to this aggreth that which the Apostle PAVLE speaketh VVee glory vnder the hope of the glorie of GOD. Rom. 5. 2 But if this hope expectation of salvation cause so great a glorying and reioycing of minde I pray you how great a reioycing shall the matter it self make when we shal be placed into the present possession of all those thinges which wee now see but a farre of 9 Trust in him all time ô people powre out your mind before him God is a refuge vnto vs Selah 10 These that are borne of the baseman ar onelie vanitie these that are borne of the noble man are a lie those being laide together vpon the ballance they should goe vp aboue vanitie 11 Trust not to oppression and vanish not away by robberie if wealth increase set not your mind thereâ—n 12 God hath once spoken I hearde the same thing twise that strength is Gods 13 And that mercy ô Lord is thine that thou recompensest euerie man according to his worke The other part of the Psalme TRust in him The second part of the psalme â—ne admonition and that twofolde for partlie hee admonisheth the godly partlie the wicked The admonition belonging to the godly is againe twofold For partlie he warneth them to trust in God partlie that they should not trust in men Trust in God sayeth he Then powre out sayeth hee your mind before him c. this latter is the effect of the former For they who trust in God they powre out all the cares and anguishes of their troubled mind before him The argumeÌ„t is subjoyned for he is sayeth he a refuge vnto vs. Then he warneth them that they shoulde not put their confidence in men for although this be not expresly set downe notwithstanding it is to bee vnderstood The argument of this admonition is from the vanitie of men of whatsoeuer estate and condition to conclude they bee of They that are base borne how many soever they be they are vaine How many soeuer they be that are noble they are liers and deceitfull And to the ende he may shew their greater vanitie hee calleth them lies and vanitie it selfe Also he amplifieth the vanitie of men making a comparison of them with vanitie it selfe Vnderstand not this place to bee excessiue or hyperbolick for it is so indeede it selfe as he speaketh I grant indeed that man before the fel was some what but after the fal he is redacted to nothing For there remained not in him yea not so much as one remanent crome of vprightnesse and holines And if there bee any thing in him it is wholy euill and if man be any thinge he is whollie evill howe much so euer it be or very wickednesse it selfe And to bee this waye
in Tzijon O Iehoua The first part of the psalme the complaint in which the diuers passions of Davids mind being banished vtter themselues And first indeede the affection of that loue whereby hee embraceth Gods presence in his Church is brought out in this verse For David when he had felt that sweetnesse of the presence of GOD which then was tied vnto the Church of the Iewes he was taken with a wonderfull loue thereof Also hee openeth vp that most tender loue in this word How amiable For this word is the speech of a lover By the name of Tabernacles he vnderstandeth that visible Ministrie which then was bounde to the temple of Ierusalem onely and in which God exhibited himselfe to his people to be seene in some sort My soule is touched In this the passion of desire vttereth the selfe For when the holy man was banished from that presence of GOD which he so greatly loued hee was not touched with a meane desire thereof For desire properly ariseth of the absence of these thinges which we loue Considder therefore what it is to haue once taisted how gracious the Lord is for of the taist commeth the loue of the loue ariseth the desire of the thing absent which thinge the felle surelie is neuer destitute of some sorte of enioying and presence Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnes because they shall be satisfied But they who at no time haue taisted howe gracious the Lorde is they surelie are not taken with his loue and they who loue not they desire not him that is absent For what is the cause that you see manie destitute of this visible presence of God which is in his Ministerie not-with-stan-ding are not so much as by the leaste feeling touched with the sense thereof These neuer tasted how sweete this presence of GOD was in his ministerie From thence there is no loue of God againe from thence there is no desire of him But what would you thinke of those which not onely doe suffer themselues willinglie to be depriued of this presence of God but also persecute the same al the waies they can I pray you of what minde ar those men toward God how wickedly are they disposed Yea my soule fainteth He aggravateth that his desire to come vnto God and firste indeede from that that through the desire his minde fayleth him Then from that that he is whollie occupied with that desire both in his heart in his flesh in his minde in his bodie Thirdlie from that that through the desire he cryeth out Marke therefore in this place how vehement the passion vseth to be in the godlie not onlie of desire but of loue sorrow and rejoysing c. For that spirit of GOD which stirreth vp this affectiō in the godly is in cōprehensible From thence his operation is marueilous in the hart not such natural commotiones indeede as vse to bee in the mind as the naturall desire the naturall loue the naturall sorrow c. From thence the sighes of the godlie are said to bee vnspeakeable Rom. 8 and the joye vnutterable and glorious 1. Pet. 1 Neuertheles there is something in the affection of the godlie which you may vvounder at and which you cannot finde in the naturall passion Their desire is vehement it is not without some presence and enjoying of that thing which they desire from thence ariseth that pleasure while they desire For their sighes cannot be expressed surelie they are not without some ioye if the vnspeakeable ioy bee not conioyned with inutterable sighes To the strong God Vnder these titles of God there is some cause of so great a desire for he felt that his whole power his life was from God who is both strong and liuing that is whoe is not onelie strong in himselfe but furnisheth strength vnto his creatures not onelie liueth himselfe but powreth in life into the things created they then which feele themselues to liue by God that they moue and are surelie they suffer not themselues to wante the presence of God But they who feele not that thing they take that absence of God in a good ynough part I grant all liue indeede and are by him but all vnderstand not that onelie they vnderstand and feele that who haue begun to liue that life of God haue the first fruites of the Spirit They indeede ascribe to God alone as his gifte not onelie that spirituall life but euen the sensuall life Yea the sparrow The third affection Indignation for he is angrie yea that a sparrow or a swallow shall haue some entrie to the altars of God when not-with-standing the altares of GOD belong nothinge to those litle birdes But he himselfe which is a member of the Church all entrie vnto the Church of God is vtterly stopped vp You see therefore that the Godlie being destitute of Gods presēce envie that the little birdes shoulde haue the same and they thinke themselues miserable in respect of the birdes You see also that God by the birdes doeth after some sorte prouoke men to aemulation The vngodlie in this life do suffer easilie the things created and dum to draw neerer vnto god thē thēselues and yet for all this thinke not themselues in this respect either more blessed or more miserable thē themselues But when they shall come to that latter judgement or to that aire and to those clowdes wherewith the Lorde shall be invironed and vpon which he shall set miserable men they shall thinke the birdes happie in respect of themselues My King and my God Those names of God sufficientlie declare that there was also some presence of God present at that time when hee so grieuouslie complaineth of his absence For these words proceede from faith that is from some present apprehension You will see then the godlie complaine of the absence of GOD when notwithstanding they feele him present in some sorte They complayn also of his absence because they cannot get that presence and communion of God which they would haue For we liue here by faith and not by sight that is we looke a far off onely vppon the Lorde and that selfe same sight which is from a farre off is hindred many waies yea many times also all presēce of God is rest away from our eies From thence ariseth that desire of flitting out of this bodie and going to dwell with the Lord. From thence come these complaints concerning the Lords absence Blessed are those who dwel This is the fourth affection woundring He cannot sufficiently wounder at the blessednesse of these men who haue some entry patent vnto God that is to that visible ministerie in which God exhibited himself to be seene in some sort For whosoeuer at any time haue God present with themselues those define that blessednesse that felicity of man by that same presence and communion which is with God Neither ar they able at any time who haue not seene God in Christ either to thinke
they called him either just or powerfull or wise or merciful Paule going about to speake of quickning Ephesa 4. aswell of the Iewes as of the Gentiles first hee described God froÌ„ the cause of quickning to witte from his mercy God saieth he who is rich in mercy because of his great loue whereby hee hath loved vs hee hath quickened vs together with Christ That is hee had considdered diligentlie the benefite of quickning and felt it intirely in his soule From thence he ascendeth to the cause it selfe to wit to the mercy of God For they who meditate earnestlie concerning the effects of God those same men also doe not les seriouslie panse of the causes of the effects which are in God they glorifie God in them and every man surely as hee weigheth the effects and benefites of God so hath he an apprehension either more light or more weightie of God so that wee may gather yea of the very naming of God how much men are mooved with the workes of GOD if at any time they speake of them For if in the meane time that they speake of the workes of God they name not God with that reverence which is due surelie that is an evident that there is but a light apprehension onely of Gods workes 7 Returne vnto thy rest ô my soule seeing Iehoua is beneficiall toward thee 8 Because thou hast delivered my selfe from death mine eies from teares my feete from falling 9 I will walke continually before Iehova in the countreyes of the living REturne vnto The second parte of the Psalme The glorying of faith both in his owne soule and likewise before God And first he gloryeth in his owne soule Returne sayeth hee ô my soule vnto thy rest Hee opposeth this reste or peace to anguish sorrow of the which hee had spoken before in the third verse As if he should saye Disquiet not thy selfe any more neither be in any sorrowing but nowe at last quiet thy selfe The cause is adjoyned For God is bountifull vnto thee The reason then is taken from the present benefite of God It may be asked in this place whether if the benefit of GOD setteth the soule of the disquieted man at rest Which if it be so what is the efficacie of faith or hope which is of a thing that is absent I aunswere seeing faith vnder which hope is conteined the present enjoying of the thing are two divers things Faith indeede hath great strength to quiet and pacifie the troubled minde Notwithstanding the prefence of the thing it self hath greater strength to bring that matter to passe Faith indeede which respecteth that lise to come and as it were exhibiteth it present to vs I grant iâ—urnisheth a peace that is aboue all knowledge But how great shall this peace be when we shall enjoy that life to come fully and perfitly That is not to be in silence pretermitted that hee nameth Iehova to bee the authour of this benefite and deliverance Iehoua sayeth hee is bountifnll vnto me Hee said not â—awlie nakedly to his soule because thou hast delivered mee from present danger but he nameth God to bee the author of the deliverance from thence aryseth that rest For God himselfe the author of all benefites is a thing somewhat more excellente and the conscience of God the chief worker hath greater strength to quiet the mind then all the benefites of GOD haue for if we shall speake properly not so much the gift it selfe as the well willing hart of the giver quieteth our mind That peace which proceedeth onely from benefites temporall and worldly is deceivable such as was the peace of that rich man which after that his barnes were enlarged and filled full promised to his soule in time to come all peace and happinesse But what heard he then O foole sayeth he they shall take away thy soule from thee this same very night Luk. 12. 20 Because Now he gloryeth before God as if he should saye I shall not perish nowe but I shall liue among the living for this is it which he sayth I shal walk alwaies in the land of the living and not only saith he that but he saith I will liue before Iehova that is I wil liue justlie vprightly so that by mylife God shal be glorifyed this is not without a cause adjoyned For vnles we walk before God in this life while we liue we ar dead as the apostle speketh of that widow â— Tim 5. 6 which liveth in pleasure While she is living saieth he she is dead Also he taketh the reasoÌ„ of his glorying from the gift of God it selfe which by three degrees is amplified Thou hast deliuered my selfe sayeth hee from death Yea and not only that but thou hast delivered me froÌ„ al sorrow Yea and not onely that hast thou done but thou hast delivered me from all impediment which could be able any way to procure sorow vnto me Learne out of this place first that there is no mater of glorying but in the grace of God alone Rom. 3. 〈◊〉 in god alone when is the glorying saith Paul it is excluded by what law by the law of workes No waies yea by the law of faith Whereby hee signifyeth that there ought to bee no glorying in our owne workes no not so much in deede as in the workes of regeneration For Abraham himselfe being regenerate had not matter to glorie in workes before God For the works of regeneration were even now al done wherefore he that desireth to glory let him glory in Christ alone and his merites Secondly marke David speaketh here of his owne deliverance as if it were full perfite But surely thereafter hee was layde out to many and great dangers and hee was in displeasure Wherefore of necessitie here he hath a respect to another deliverance and to another life then to this that is present For it is not likely to be true that so godly a man gloryed so much of this temporall life in which none of the godly at any time ever contented themselues But to the end I may speak of those Fathers who lived before Christ they indeed respected continually vnder figures as it were and shaddowes of temporall things things everlasting and in their temporall deliverances and benefites whatsoever they looked within that everlasting redemption and all spirituall and heavenly things And almost all those temporall things earthly was given them as shaddowes of the Spirituall blessings in Iesus Christ Also al those Temporal benefites should be so many earnest-pennies vnto vs of that Spirituall and heavenly life and perfite redemption which then we shall attayne vnto when Christ the second time shall come 10 I beleeved when I spake those things I had spoken aboue measure 11 I had said making hast Every man is a lyar I Beleeued The fourth part of the Psalme in which hee confesseth his weaknesse yea and his former infidelitie also and he cleareth the same
betuixt him his strength and the benefites of God For the dueties whatsoever of man toward GOD are so farre away from that that they can desire any thing at Gods hande that they are vnequall and vnable to recompense those benefites received of God What madnesse is that then of those men who thinke that by their workes not onely they recompense GOD that is recompense that benefites bestowed vppon them but that they also deserue other new benefites especially those great benefites life eternal Wee learne againe here that such is the liberty of God towarde vs which tarieth not vpon a mutuall and equall recompensation to be done by vs yea surely which indeede it could not doe For this would declare that GOD had neede of our good but GOD in himselfe is most perfite to whose blessednes nothing can be added and from whose blessednesse nothing can be taken away For that his own glorie happines was with him before the foundations of the worlde were laide Glorifie mee Father sayeth the Sonne of GOD with that glorye which I had with thee before the foundationes of the Worlde were layde Iohn 17 〈◊〉 And the same Sonne of GOD againe speaketh in another place I seeke not glorie from man Iohn 5. 14 The happines or misery of the creature is placed in this that it either gloryfieth or not glorifyeth the owne Creator and Redeemer Also this liberalitie of God is set down before vs to follow that wee should giue mutually looking from thence for nothing againe In the meane time that is not to be pretermitted by vs that such is the greatnesse and dignitie of the sacrifice of Christ which for our sake cause not onely recompensed all the benefites of God but also deserveth at Gods handes not only these common benefites but also those which are passing great righteousnesse and everlasting life If it be asked in this place was not this pryde of mind yea once to endevour to recompense God alike for alike I answere Dauid endevored not so much to recompense GOD in those words as by an humble mind he professed what little or no strength he had howe vnable hee was to recompense I will giue Hitherto there hath bene a douting interrogation Now followeth the answere and as it were a resolution of the doubt whereby he concludeth after consultation and douting with his owne minde to render thanks againe vnto God for this is the thing that he is only able to doe yea indeede he is not able to doe that without the grace of God First therefore hee declareth that hee will giue thanks vnto God Then he bringeth out the forme of the Thanks-giving that is the forme of the prayer which he is to vse before God Last he repeateth and concludeth the proposition of Thanks-giving The proposition is conteined in these words I will giue openly c. To the end we may vnderstande this proposition it is necessarie that wee repeate some-what out of the storie which is set down 1. Chronicles 15. chap. Where after that the Arke was brought in into the citty of Ierusalem by David we reade that he did two things To wit the first that he offered burnt offering and sacrifices of thanksgiving vnto God The other that hee made an holy feaste vnto the people in a remembrance of the benefits of God received In this place therfore he sayth that he wil do both these things For that speech belongeth to a feast I will sayeth he giue openly the receiued cup of all salvation That is I will make an holy feast vnto the people in memory of all my deliverances and I wil propone the cup to be drunken to all men in a perpetuall remembrance of my deliverances Then next as concerning the burnt offerings and the sacrifices of thanksgiving he saith that hee will offer them in these wordes when he sayeth I will prayse the name of Iehoua I wil paye my vowes vnto Iehova c. As concerning the vowes this onelie we are put in minde concerning them that they serue our weaknesse Firste in perrilles they confirme the faith of our deliverances For fra once wee haue turned our selfe by a vowe vnto GOD then wee conceiue a surer hope of deliverance Then they stirre vs vppe more to Thankes giving after that nowe wee are delivered for being bounde by a vowe we feele that there is a necessitie layde vppon vs to render Thankes vnto GOD. In vowes wee must chiefely beware that they bee not of thinges vnlawfull and not permitted by the worde of GOD such as are at this daye Those of the Papistes and Monkes where-by they serue not GOD but tempt GOD they ease not their owne weaknesse but laye a greater and weightier burthen vppon it Such a vowe amongst the reste was that concerning singlenesse of life The thinge that occurreth in this place to bee marked firste is that that â—ee first acknowledgeth howe that his dutie towarde GOD is nothing in regarde of the greatnesse of the benefites of GOD then he descendeth to giue Thankes by which method wee are put in minde of the acknowledging of our weaknesse whereby wee are not sufficient to recompense the benefites of God that there preceedeth an earnest giving of thankes For that man shall never seriously and from his heart giue thanks to any man for the benefite received which is led with an opinion of his owne strength whereby in very deed he may recompense the benefit WheÌ„ any puissant man hath received anye benefite from a man lesse mightie and poor he thinketh not the man worthy of any thanksgiving For hee thinketh that hee is not onely able to recompense the like but also far more when it pleaseth him Contrariwise anie poore man having received a benefite from a man more mightie he is guilty within himselfe of his owne povertie that he hath no power to recompense him againe the thing that he onely is able to doe he doth it in giving thanks by worde That Pharisee who together with the Publican went vp into the Temple that hee might pray vnto the Lord he prayed indeede according to these words I giue thee thanks that thou hast not made me like other vnrighteous men robbers adulterâ—rs nor yet also like this Publican for hee poynted out the man with his finger standing farre off from him then he adjoyneth I fast twise in the weeke I paye my tenthes Not onely would he giue thankes for the benefites received from God but hee would also enter in count and reckoning with God what hee had given him and received from him Even indeede as if he had recompensed those benefites that he had mentioned hee had gotten from God with his duties againe toward God But what did hee bring to passe by such a thanksgiving what profited he thereby Christ saith he returned home not iustified which was the earand wherefore hee came That all men learne that in the meane time they are giving thanks vnto God not to