so strictly vrged that he can get no relaxation of his euill being so incurable except he get a remedie froÌ„ God These would seeme to be the words of an impatient mind but we must not thinke that a Christian can keep a continual course but as Iob fell forth in bitter speeches so the best man in the world may do as much and more Therefore when men are thus passionate let vs not cast them off iudging them to be reprobates When he faith they are euer before him note the extremitie of his tentation that he hath no stay of his trouble but continually pressed therewith Should not we thank God that deales more mercifully with vs that notwithstanding of our sins doth not suffer vs to be ouerwhelmed with troubles for he is faithfull 1. Cor. 10.13 who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare Lorinus here bringeth in Purgatorie as though Dauid had not had purgatorie of afflictions in this lâ—fe but had need of another purgatorie in another life Verse 18. When I declare my paine and am sorie for my sinne Verse 19. Then mine enemies are aliue and are mightie and they that hate me wrongfully are many HEre the malice of his enemies is described from the circumstance of time when they vtter their malice in the highest degree when he is lowest in declaring both his sinne and the punishments thereof and being afflicted of God they afflict him and impeach his spirituall meditations Thus Satan taketh vs at the shot and at the pinch that when we haue to do with God specially and most particularly he then manifesteth his malice most against vs to interrupt our diuine seruice yea he goeth mad in furie when he seeth vs seruing God Satan abhorreth our repentance and confession of sin for there is no exercise which he doth more abhor then repentance and confession of our sinnes for in so doing we bid adieu to the diuell and acquit our selues from his camp Lorinus following Origen expoundeth this of auricular confession to the Priest yet he granteth that this place doth not conuince the vse of confession sacramentall which was not vnder the law neither the other which was made sometime to men yet he thinketh it fauoureth them both lest contadicting the Fathers he may seeme to fauour the heretikes who abhorre the sacramentall confession Mine enemies are aliue The miseries of Gods children inanimates their enemies and giues them new courage as though they got a new life and were reuiued when they heare the destruction of Gods children and yet they are in effect dead who delight in the dead works of sinne Non est viuere sed valere vita Si viuis animae si quid antiquà tibi Remanet vigoris pelle foemineos metus Eâ—â— inhospitalem caucasum mente indue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ardere but rather as Plato in Cratylo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viuere vnde Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lust of the wicked is sinne Also I mark here what is the life of wicked men sinne and doing of wrong The diuel he delighteth to tempt men to sin and the wicked cannot sleep till they haue done some sin and neither can eate nor drinke with delight till they haue performed some mischiefe And they that hate me wrongfully are many An argument to perswade God to deliuer him is his innocencie that the wrongs he suffereth are causlesse For surely the Lord will not maintaine vs against our enemies if we haue iustly prouoked their anger Psal 5.4 For he is a God that loueth no iniquitie and no wickednesse dwelleth with him It is not his pleasure that we should be enuious neither wil our Christian profession admit it which is so far from doing wrong A mark of one truly religious he doth wrong to none that by the contrary it will be content patiently to endure iniuries Then if this be a note of true religion to do violence to none what religion thinke ye the Romanists haue who teach that it is sâ—ruice done to God 〈◊〉 murder Princes shed Christian and innocent blood it is a bloodie religion aâ—d the Diuell is the father of iâ— and Rome the mother which hatched it Flie from â—haâ— Babel that ye be not partakers of her iudgements Verse 20. They also that rewarded euill for good are mine adâ—â—rsaries because I â—oâ—â—ow goodnesse THis is a higher dâ—gree of iniquitie that not onely they harâ—d him without any cause or wrong done by him to any of them but also he had prouoked them by his benefiâ—s to loue him and yet they were so diuellishly disposed that as Iudas did recompence Christ so did they Dauid repaying him euill for the good things he had bestowed on them Three sorts of spirits 1. naturall There be three sorts of spirit a naturall when a man can do good for good and euil for euill which theeues Pagans Barbarians and the very beasts will do 2. celestiaâ—â— The second celestiall who can do good for euill to shew their conformitie and obedience to Christ their Master The third sort are infernall 3 diabolical possessed by the diuell who render euill for good who in our dayes abound too much whom God reserueth to eternall darknesse Were mine aduersaries or did calumniate From this commeth the name of the Diuell Satan an accuser of the brethren The wicked calumne always Gods children Gods children haue euer the diuels children set against them to accuse who if at any time they praise let vs suspect our selues lest we haue done any euil for which they do it As Antisthenes when he heard the people praise him said Quid inquit mali feci Plutarch What euil haue I committed Because I followed goodnesse This is the highest degree of their persecution to trouble him for religion and because he feared God So they hated God in him and persecuted God in him 21. Forsake me not O Lord be not thou far from me my God Verse 22. Haste thee to help me O my Lord my saluation THese two verses containe a prayer wherein he imploreth the help of God by a three-fold repetitionâ— euer he feareth desertion for sinne ingendreth this feare For if we were cast into the deepest dangers this will euer comfort vs if we be assured of the Lords presence heauen is hell to vs if he be not with vs Nota. hell is heauen to vs if he be there Haste thee to helpe me O my Lord my saluation Here is the weaknesse of our nature described that through our infirmitie we cannot waite the time of Gods deliuerie which maketh vs to crie hasten God will come if we patiently attend his coming But let vs learne patiently to attend his good leisure assuring our selues that he will come Come Lord Iesus and deliuer thy Church from all her miseries by thy glorious appearance O my Lord my saluation He attributeth those names to God Iehouah the name
to binde Sampson Iudg. 16.21 when hee was spoiled of the marke of Gods presence in his head so one sin not repented for is able to carry any person headlong to destruction Finally 4 Mark Constancy Hosea 13.3 let thy repentance be constant not as the dew of the morning or the morning cloud but the longer thou liuest thou must euer haue the greater remorse for thy sin The ships are in greatest hazard when they ride in shallow waters Simil. and are most sure in deepest places Psal 130.1 according to that of Dauid Out of the deepe places I cried vnto thee And as quicke springs send forth continuall waters both Winter Summer Simil. whereas the filthy dubs are dried vp wanting a quicke spring So is true repentance euer mourning and boyling our teares when the counterfeit dries vp sodainly by the heat of their affections The Argument of the PSALME Diuision generall THe Sixt Psalme is first in order of the Seuen containing a Preface and the Psalme it selfe The Preface containes the Author Dauid and the musicall Instruments and persons to whom it is concredit to be sung Dauid was a chiefe sinner who not onely sinned in his person but by his example made Gods name to be euill spoken of now he becomes a chiefe mourner for his offences committed The Title Musicke lawfull HE commits this Psalme to the Master of Basses and Tenors to bee sung by these tunes which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vndermost and middle Ye see by this that Musicke hath euer beene lawfull and esteemed among the Saints of great vertue to stir vp the affections of men 1 Sam. 16.23 2 Reg. 3.15 The Harpe of Dauid banished the euill spirit from Saul Elisha craued a Minstrill to remoue his anger yea it is alledged that by the sound of Musicke the Delphine is moued it is very commendable if it be rightly vsed for it is not onely meet to stir vp the affectiōs to ioy but also to prouoke them to mourning for so heauie is our nature that it craueth helps and suppliments which may further vs to the seruice of God where by the contrary is force enough in nature to prouoke it to euill for this cause hee commits it to the Base and Tenor. Musicke praised To conclude this point let no man contemne Musicke seeing it is magnified in heauen amongst the Angels the aire is replenished with infinite varietie of tunes and notes the earth should imitate Angels and not bee inferiour to birds but be stirred vp to praise God yea and in hell there shall be sung that blacke Basse the shouts of wicked men who shall be forced to crie Psal 145.17 The Lord is iust in all his iudgements The Diuision Diuision particular THE Psalme hath two parts a Praier and a Triumph after Praier The praier hath two parts a deprecation of euill in the first three verses and a desire of deliuery in the next foure The Triumph and perswasion of obtaining his suit in the three last The Vse The vse of this psalme THIS Psalme serues for all persons who are either troubled in mind or diseased in their bodies or are persecuted by the wicked If they peruse this Psalme they shall find medicine to remedie and cure all VERSE 1. Verse 1 O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise mee in thy wrath Doctr. 1 O LORD Dauid being heauily vexed hath his refuge to God In our afflictions we must looke to God and not to secondary causes whose hands hee felt vpon him whereby hee would learne vs not to set our eye vpon the instrument which afflicteth vs or the mid causes which deale with vs but let vs looke higher than those to that Primum mobile the eternall God the first mouer of them all without whose speciall aduice and determination the Deuill himselfe is not able to cause the least haire of our head fall to the ground * For al are numbred Mat. 10.30 2 Sam. 16.11 12.23 Iob 1.21 which Dauid considered wel when Shemei railed at him in saying The Lord hath sent him the like he thought at the death of his child This Iob acknowledged when in his great distresse he looked to God and said Wee haue receiued good things at his hand why not euill also the Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken blessed bee the name of the Lord. Whereby wee are taught Vse that when wee are wounded To goe to God for helpe in our distresses Doctr. 2 Praier is our wings to flie to God in our affliction Cant. 2.14 Simil. we may goe to one who shall cure vs euen him who hath heaued vs vp and cast vs downe againe Next Dauid being in distresse runnes to Prayer for Prayer is the wings wherewith we must flie to the mountaine of God in our tribulations to hide our selues in his Rocke as a Doue from the violence of the Hauke which pursueth vs yea oftentimes God sendeth vs afflictions to the end we may be prouoked to prayer Rebuke me not God hath two meanes by which hee reduceth his children to obedience 2. meanes by which Gods brings vs to obedience 1. His word 2. His Rod. Mark 2.17 Psal 141.5 If we refuse to bee ruled by gods word then God will not faile to correct vs with his Rod. Mat. 26.46 his word by which he rebukes them and his rod by which he chastiseth them The word precedes admonishing them by his seruants whom he hath sent in all ages to call sinners to repentance of the which Dauid himselfe saith Let the righteous rebuke me and as a Father doth first rebuke his disordered child so doth God speake to them But when men neglect the warnings of his word then God as a good Father takes vp the rod and beats them Our Sauiour wakened the three disciples in the garden three times but seeing they could not waken he told them that Iudas and his band was comming to awaken them whom his own voice could not waken Many contemne the Word and Sacraments and such gracious warnings 1 Cor. 11.30 For which cause as saith the Apostle many are sicke among you many die also And indeed many warnings haue we receiued but all in vaine and therefore the Lord hath been forced to apply some harder remedies Simil. yea euen to fire the filthy farsie of our sinne But yet happy is that man that can be touched with any of them where by the contrary it is a desperate euill where nothing can moue either with the Word Note Yeeld to the means which God vseth 2 Sam. 12.13 Luk. 15.18 as Dauid was when he said I haue sinned or the rod as the Prodigall being pinched with famine resolued to returne to his father and confesse his owne vnworthinesse But alas the Lord hath too great cause to complaine of this age as he did of the Israelites by his Prophet while he saies I haue
beginning of this Psalme And as farre as hee expresseth his corruption by aggrauating it by such degrees so farre hee doth shew forth his griefe for it and his sinceritie in repentance not hiding but acknowledging and confessing it that as the venom of sinne infected him so he labours to expell it and make no conditions of peace with it to discouer it to quit himselfe of it as his deadly enemie with whom hee will make no paction but make his complaint to God that hee is wearied of it But this seemeth strange that hee sayth hee made his sinne knowne to the Lord How man makes sin knowne to God to whom nothing is vnknowne for hee who foreknew we should sinne before we were can hee be ignorant of our sinne when wee doe it This is spoken after the manner of men So we are bidden shew our necessities to God not that hee is ignorant thereof but that he may prouide for them Psal 37. Gen 7.18 Gen 22. Deut. 13. Psal 26. And God is sayd to come downe and see the affaires of man So God sees mens doings with a most acurat and sharpe eye But he is sayd to know these sinnes which are explicat by vs when we confesse them vnto him that thereby we may be the more moued So God willeth not this for his sake but for our cause for this commemoration of our sinnes sharpeneth our prayers maketh vs more ready to prayer by our confession wee shew no new thing to God but we testifie we know that whereof wee were ignorant before Whence knowledge of sinne proceedeth A man learneth a great lesson if he learne to know his owne sinnes I know mine iniquitie sayth David This knowledge commeth by the law therefore we had neede to haue the law euer before our eyes as a mirrour in which if we looke it will perfectly let vs see all that wee haue done The great miserie which lyeth vpon this world is that they know not their sinne and therefore they cannot acknowledge it wherefore let vs beg from our gratious God that wee may see our sinne and talke with it that we may also finde grace after our acknowledgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cognitum feci I made knowne Hee addeth another degree of his true repētance it was without hypocrisie for hee hid it not nor vsed any subterfuges colours excuses extenuations denyals or other shifts which the Deuill teacheth men to vse to preiudge them of mercie hee quiteth himselfe of all these and this is the second preparation to grace when men not onely come to a sight and acknowledgement of their sinnes but with all growes to a resolution that they will be content to deale with God so sincerelie that they will not hide their sin any more but they will be the greatest censurers of themselues Concerning the hidding and couering of our sinnes Note I spake in the beginning of the Psalme all wayes let vs assure our selues of this that while we obscure our selues we will neuer deale truely with God For I thought or said purposed and resolued to confesse heartily my sinne Doctr. A Christian resolution necessarie to repentance Luk 15. Exod 9.27 1 Sam 15. Gen 4.13 The same phrase the forlorne Sonne vsed I said I will goe home to my father which Christian resolution is necessary to repentance for otherwise men at starts and brads will now and then repent and haue feeling of their sinne confesse as Pharoah Saul Caine but it indureth not because they wanted a resolution Therefore let vs haue our meditations of our sinnes and resolutions to amend our liues for all the rest as lightenings will flie away as soone as they come a wise man doth his businesse aduisedly but a foole bableth forth what he knoweth not Therefore Salomon said and resolued Pro 15.8 The Sacrifice of Fooles is abomination to the Lord. Then I pray you be wise and resolue to doe well I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord. See now how he is not ashamed to confesse his sinne and breake out in an open Proclamation of the same For his knowledge of sinne banished his Hypocrisie that hee would not hide it and the last point of his resolution is to confesse it to God and the Prophet Nathan By this yee may clearely perceiue the degrees by which God worketh grace in a christian The degrees by which God worketh grace and the Diuell indurance in finnes as by the contrary the Deuill worketh induration in sinne For first the Deuill blinds man that hee should not see his sinne next hee teacheth him to couer his sinne and finally neuer to confesse his sinne But God by the contrary bringeth a man to the sight of sin to a discouering of sinne and last to a free confession of the same This confession of sinne is an vnfained profession to leaue it off Doctr. True repentance is voluntary It is not extorted as the confession of Caine who being punished with the furie of conscience said his burthen was greater then hee was able to beare Gen 4.13 neither of Iudas who also confessed he had slaine the innocent blood Mat 27.4 neither through extremitie of paine with Adonibezek professing he was iustly recompenced with that measure Iudg 1.7 wherewith hee had met others seuenty kings were vnder my table their thumbs and toes cut off as I haue done the Lord hath done to me Ionah 3.8 Neither with the Ninivites for feare of the present iudgement at the word of Ionas neither with Achab for the same cause 1 King 21.27 But Dauids confession commeth from an vnfained remorse and griefe for his sinnes and confidence in Gods mercies as being truly moued and hauing a sense and feeling of his owne miserie A man who hides his sinne as yee heard before will not prosper Pro 13.28.13 wherefore let our confession be simple and as we were not ashamed to sinne let vs not be ashamed to confesse out sinne When we haue sinned let vs not hide them as our first Parents hid themselues vnder bushes after they had sinned Gen 3.7.8 neither let vs make clothes of figge-tree-leafes to couer them as they did neither excuse our selues as they did but simplie confesse our sinne that we may be absolued if yee come before an earthlie Tribunall and confesse yee file your selues but before the heauenly tribunall your confession will absolue you Vnto the Lord. Against thee I haue sinned For what causes we should make confession to God therefore to thee onely I confesse and indeed great reason haue we so to doe For God onely knowes all our sinnes Secondly Hee is onely able to pardon them Lastly He is a secret confessor he will not preiudge our confessions and send word of them to the Pope or reueale them to our disgrace to the world It is great reason we should confesse our sinne before God and before men also if we haue
2.17 moreouer that none can truly reioyce but these who haue gotten remissioÌ„ of their sins The righteous doth sing reioyce The stranger shal not medle with his ioy Let them that seeke reioyce and be glad in thee My seruants shall reioyce sayth the Lord. For they get the white stone giuen them And a name written therein which no man knoweth sauing hee that receiueth it And this is Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Indeede the wicked haue their owne earthly and fleshly ioyes but if yee would examine them strictly they are rather torments then ioyes which Chrysostome obserueth wel Chrys hâ—m 18. ad pop Atiochenum affirming that ioy is only proper to the godly neuer to be attributed to the wicked For the couetous man whose pleasure is in riches the more they grow the more his thirst increaseth which desire tormenteth them as also the feare of the losse of them excrutiats his minde night and day when riches grow feare groweth And the Prophet Isaias sayth Isa 57.20 The wicked are like the raging Sea Es 57.21 that cannot rest whose waters cast vp myre and dirt there is no peace sayth my God to the wicked The godly and wickeds ioy differ But there is a great difference beweene the ioy of the godly and the ioy of the wicked if yee will compare them for the one reioyceth onely in God the other in earthly things The scule of the godly is indued with true and solid ioy the flesh of the wicked only enioyes perishing pleasures the godly they reioyce in the midst of their troubles the wicked are grieued in the midst of their ioyes The ioyes of the godly are eternall the ioyes of the godly are euermore augmented till at last they attaine to eternal felicitie but the hope of the wicked turneth in dispaire their life in death eternal Finally the ioyes of the godlie spring out of teares They sow a precious seed in teares and reape in ioy for the spirituall haruest is farre different from the temporall haruest The Spirituall and earthly haruest differ for the husbandmen holdes by their experience that the haruest will be answerable to the seede time but in the Christian haruest wee fow with watrie teares and reapes on dry weather by the contrarie the wicked haue a dry and seasonable seede-time but they reape with waterie teares with confusion Reasons of the peoples ioy The reasons wherefore First because none else haue warrand to reioyce For the wicked man nothing troubles him not sinne 1 The godlie haue a warrand to reioyce for it is his pleasure not tentations these he swalloweth vp not his conscience it is a sleepe not the Deuill he is alreadie made his vassall and Seruant not the world it is his treasure no outward afflictions hee will not indure them Iam. 5 1. Luk 6.25 Yea S. Iames bids them not reioyce but houle Houle yee rich men And S. Luke saith to them woe be to you that reioyce now for yee shall mourne 2. They are commanded to reioyce Secondly as the godly onely are commanded to reioyce so they haue onely cruse to reioyce because they onely enioy the presence of God by reason of the couenant they haue entresse to all things in heauen and in earth as a woman hath to the goods of her husband which is a great cause of ioy Next they know that their names are written in the booke of life as our Sauiour saith Luk. 10.20 Reioyce not in this that yee may cast out deuils but that your names are written in the booke of life 3. They haue the spirit of God the author of ioy Thirdly onely they haue the spirit of God the author of true ioy which is therefore called the ioy of the holy Ghost Onely they are annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse Fourthly onely they haue escaped from condemnation 1 Thes 1.6 Psal 45.7 as the Israelites escaped the hand of Pharoah and reioyced 4. They escape condemnation Exod 15.1 Fiftly onely these sucke and draw their ioy out of the Wells of sound consolation that is out of the Scriptures which are written that their ioy may be full 5. They draw ioy out of the Scriptures Isa 12.3 1 Ioh. 1.4 Sixtly onely these enioy a good conscience which is a continuall feast and the cause of the Apostles ioy in the midst of their persecutions Finally onely they haue the hope of eternall glory We reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God 6. They haue a good conscience Pro. 15.15 sayth the Apostle Ye righteous and vpright in heart They are called righteous in two respects 1. Because they haue received the bloud of Iesus Christ which hath made them righteous before God 7. Hope of eternall glory Why called righteous by his pâ—ssiue obedience in that hee hath suffered for their sinnes as likewise by his actiue obedience whereby he hath fulfilled the law which are both imputed to them as though they had suffered and done both themselues As also they are righteous having received the Spirit of sanctification which teacheth them to render to every one that which is his owne To Caesar Mat. 22.21 that which is Caesars To the Superiours that which is his To his equall that which appertaines to him to his Inferiour that which he ought to doe The rule of righteousnesse The rule of righteousnesse is set downe in the 15. Psalme that neither in name bodie nor goods we should iniure any man The righteous man must be sincere and vpright The righteous man must also be vpright in heart that is sincere for faith and hypocrisie can never stand together for of all vertues God liketh best of sinceritie and singlenesse of heart that in our Religion we meane sincerelie and we may say to the Lord Thou tryest my reines in the night season and foundest nothing in my mouth which was not in my heart And with our neighbours we should deale so vprightly that we may not haue Butter and Oyle in our mouth and a sword in our heart but as we professe kindnesse to them who speake kindly so our heart may meane the same Psal 12. Righteousnes cannot be without sinceritie and haue not an heart and an heart To conclude this point righteousnesse and sinceritie are so ioyned together that the one can never be without the other and they are reciprocall that a righteous man must be sincere and a sincere man must be righteous The godly reioyce in the Lord. The limitation of this ioy is set downe in the last part In Iehovah which distinguisheth the Christian ioy from all ioyes earthly Some reioyce in one thing some in another but the Christian reioyceth in the Lord. Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches nor the strong man in his strength nor the wise man in his wisedome but reioyce in the Lord. Onely one question remaineth to be dissolved Ob
the conuersion of sinners The word can doe more then any thing Esa 53.1 Rom. 1.16 O the wonderful power of Gods word that it can do that which all the world could not do It is the arme of the Lord To whom is the arme of the Lord reuealed saith Isaias It is the power of God to saluation saith Paul No doctrine can worke faith in man but the worke whereto it perswadeth him not forceth him Conuersio presupposeth auersiō Conuersion presupposeth auersion The vse of the word is to conuert them that are auerted or peruerted as the shepheard bringeth home the wandring sheepe Which cleerly argueth the necessitie of the word and teachers thereof so profitable as without which sinners cannot be conuerted to God for no other instrument can conuert them and they cannot conuert themselues This teacheth Ministers to be diligent in their calling if they would shine as starres in heauen Dan. 12.3 they must labour to conuert sinners Verse 14. Deliuer me from blood O God which art the God of my saluation and my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse HAuing before so often begged pardon for all his sinnes in generall he now particularly confesseth which of all his sins grieued him most The shedding of innocēt blud Dauids greatest sin which he setteth downe to be innocent blood and therefore he craueth to be deliuered from the burden of it from the terrors of an accusing conscience the cries which it sendeth vp to God This verse hath a petition and a promise In the petition two things 1. of whom he beggeth this petition 2. what he seeketh to be deliuered from blood O God the God of my saluation His doubling and repeating the name of God sheweth vnto vs that he taketh hold on God with both his hands and it declareth his vehemencie and earnestnesse in his suite at God that he might be deliuered from that blood And all his suites he directeth onely to God Foolish Papists God helpe you When he calleth him the God of his saluation he cleerly sheweth to vs that he hath no saluation either of his body or soule but onely of God who will not giue his glory either to man or Angell When he saith My saluation he applieth saluation to himself and doth not imply and infold his saluation in generalitie thinking it presumption to certifie himselfe of his saluation as the Papists say For what comfort can we haue in life or death We can haue no comfort vnles we be perswaded of Gods mercie Dauids petition if we be not perswaded of Gods mercie and fauour not that we presume of our merit but perswading vs of his maiesties constancie and truth Deliuer me from blood His petition is to be deliuered from blood◠both from the guiltinesse which he had contracted by his murder as from the terrors of his conscience as also from the punishment threatned by Nathan that blood should neuer depart from his house 2. Sa. 12.10 and finally from future blood that he neuer fell into it again as God deliuered him from the blood of Nabal by Abigail And this is a great deliuery 1. Sa. 25.33 that we do not euil as we ate commanded to pray Deliuer vs from euil Mat. 6.11 that we commit no sin and when we haue done euill it is a great deliuerance when God freeth vs of the guilt of it the condigne punishment But our greatest comfort is when we are kept from doing of it as Ioseph and Susanna and it is Gods greatest honour when we are deliuered from the punishment which we haue deserued for committing such euils From blood He both committed adultery and murder but he is more touched for the one then for the other Adultery is euil because it defileth and defaceth Gods image in man Murder worse then adultery but murder destroyeth his image And there is no sinne more odious in the sight of God then blood for which cause he banished Cain from his presence Gen. 4.14 Gen. 6.5 he destroyed the first world which was full of crueltie he remoued Saul from his kingdome 2. Sa. 21.1 who slue the Priests and the Gibeonites he remoued the Crowne from the house of Ahab and dogs licked his blood 1. Is◠22.38 Kings should pray with Dauid to keepe them frō the blood of innocents for blood shall be in their house Nota. And often those who liue in blood die in blood and make a bloodie testament according to that of the Poet Ad generum Cereris fine caedet sanguine Discedunt reges sicea morte tyranni The word in the originall is bloods in the plurall number Why called bloods in the plurall number For such is the atrocitie of that sin that one is weightier then a thousand weights of Lead So soon as it is shed so soone doth it defile the shedder as the purple dieth the cloth It seemeth well coloured when it is shed but within a litle time it becometh so thicke and black that a man would abhorre to behold it therefore it is called bloods Leu. 7.27 The Lord in the Leuiticall law forbad his people to eare any flesh with the blood Nota. that the detestation of beasts blood might make them so much the more to abhorre the blood of man wherein his life standeth Blood hath a crie Gen. 4.10 Gen. 4 10. The voice of thy brothers blood crieth Who so shedeth mans blood his blood shall be shed which is either by the iustice or by reuenge and repaiment The auengers of blood are admitted by the law Now mens hands are full and foule with blood The earth is drunken with blood In her wings there is found blood Polluted with blood Lam. 4.14 Bull of blood Ezek. 9.9.22.2.23.27 Blood hath touched blood Hos 4.2 Ioel complaineth of them Ioel 3.19 Mica 7.2 Nah. 3.1 Hab. 2.12 Mat. 23.35 that they shed innocent blood Micah Nahum and Habakuk pronounce a woe to them that shed innocent blood And Christ bringeth together all the blood shed from Abel to Zechariah Mat. 27.8 The Iewes bought Aceldema a field of blood Reu. 8.8 Their feete are swift to shed blood The third part of the sea shal be blood God will reuenge the blood of the Saints Innocent blood is hath bin shal be shed So I see from the beginning of the world to the end thereof innocent blood hath euer bin is and shall be shed but namely the blood of Gods dearest children Sanguine fundata est Ecclesia sanguine creuit leftblank sanguine finis crit Let vs then thinke it no vncouth thing when we see innocent blood shed so abundantly that the streets of Ierusalem are filled and like to be more filled with the blood of Gods Saints And my tongue shall sing ioyfully of thy righteousnesse He promiseth to be thankful vnto God for it becometh righteous men to be thankfull Psal 33.1 Sinne tooke away the
redemption It is called great in regarde of the great maiestie that redeemed vs God eternall Secondly Wherein the redemption of man is great the greatnesse of the price his blood Thirdly the number of those who are redeemed all the beleeuers Fourthly the strong man out of whose prison we are freed Fiftly the graces which he powreth on his Church Verse 8. And he shall redeeme Israel from all his iniquities A comfortable promise with which he concludeth this Psalme assuring the Church that God will redeeme her Since the greatest danger from which the Church is deliuereâ— And wherefrom euen from her sinnes all her sinnes which is the greatest danger euer the Church fell into and the mother of all other euills For what could the deuill hell or wicked men doe to vs without sinne nothing Israel Euery one is not deliuered but onely the Israel of God Onely Gods Israel shall be deliuered Ioh. 1.47 Rom. 2.29 those who are true Israelits as was said of Nathanael in whom is no guile and the Apostles Israelits not in the letter but Spirit From all his iniquities Whatsoeuer they be whether against God our neighbour or our selues they shal be forgiuen and pardoned The ioyfull iubilie is now come which to the Israelites was the 50. yeare and now to the true Israelites it is proclamed euery houre In that Iubilie the lands which were ingaged became free Nota. and returned to the owners but we our selues who were captiues to the diuill are made free and returne to God by redemption of Christs blood yea all our debts and iniquities are pardoned though our sinnes were as crimson Isa 1.18 they shall be made white as snow though they were red as scarlet they shall be as woole though they were as many as the sand of the sea and as heauy as leade we are freed of all by that blood and if of all what neede we seeke any other remedie but that allouerlie We neede not with the Turkes to runne to Mahomet or with the Papists to Saints and images God through Iesus Christ hath taken them all away He who made all cureth all It is his honour he will not giue his glorie to another Our Sunne illumilinateth all the world our Christ the Sunne of righteousnesse shineth to all the world but none are partakers of his light but true Israelites which dwell in the land of Goshen The Lord graunt that we may be such that being illuminated by the light of Christ here we may be conueied thereby through the dangerous wildernesse of this world to the kingdome of heauen where we shall be with him world without end Amen A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE CXLIII PSALME the seuenth of the Penitentials AT the making of this Psalme as plainly appeareth Dauid hath bin cast into some desperate danger 1. Sa. 24.4 whether by Saul when he was forced to flee into the caue as in the former Psalme or by Absolon his sonne or by any other it is vncertaine Alwaies in this he complaineth grieuoushe to God of the malice of his enemies The substance of this Psalm and desireth God to heare his prayers he acknowledgeth that he suffereth those things by Gods iust iudgement most humbly crauing mercy for his sinnes desiring not onely to be restored but also to be gouerned by Gods spirit that he may dedicate and consecrate the rest of his life to Gods seruice This worthie Psalme then conteineth these three things The parts of the Psalme First a confession of sinnes Secondly a lamentation for his iniurie Thirdly a supplication for temporall deliuerie and spirituall graces to the end of the Psalme Verse 1. Heare my prayer O Lord and hearken vnto my supplication answere me in thy truth and in thy righteousnesse Those pray in vaine who are not assured that God will beare them Heb. 6.11 HEare my prayer O Lord He craueth attention in the first place and prepareth Gods eare for it is in vaine to pray vnlesse we be sure God will heare vs and answere vs for he that commeth to God must first beleeue that God is and that he will reward those who serue him for otherwsie we pray without faith and our prayer is sinne Thus he doth in diuerse Psalmes as in the 102. Psalme 2. and in 5. Psalme and 54. Psalmes By this we learne that the Saints should begin their prayers with a request to be heard so long doth the Lord seeme to men not to heare them and to hold backe his eares and eyes that he heareth not their sutes and seeth not their tribulations as he delayeth to graunt their desires and therefore they craue audience and attention He doth here three times repeate his earnest desire to be heard as in the fift Psalme foure times he doubleth and ingeminateth this same suite to be heard There he desireth God to heare his wordes vnderstand his meditation hearken vnto the voice of his cry and heare his voice in the morning the like he doth here thereby declaring the vehemencie of his affection if any be desirous to haue their suites graunted they goe not slowly about their businesse they doe not vse cold rife wordes Simil. as though they were speaking for a thing they did not care for but they cry as beggers at a noblemans gate who are so importunate in crying that men are ashamed to refuse them Luk. 18. Ged denieth our request because we doe not confidently and earnestly desirs them As the importunitie of the widow moued the false iudge How much more will our heauenly Father by loath to refuse vs yea there is no cause why he disdaineth our suites but by reason we neither confidently nor earnestlie desire them nothing would be refased to thee if thou wouldest beg as thou shouldest do The Spirit would request for thee with sights that cannot be expressed and he that searcheth the heart knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit Rom. 8.26.27 Is it possible that a mother can heare the mourning suites of her childe without mouing and yeelding yea though the mother could forget the childe Esa 49.15 yet God cannot forget vs. Then speake and he will heare be thou not dumbe and he will not be deafe try knocke aske seeke be instant in thy petitions for the Lord is ready to heare all those who seeke him truely instantly and constantly God reiecteth none who desire to be heard neuer man sought to be heard whom God hath reiected and refused In this verse he desireth Ichouah his God to heare hearken and answere Secondly the subiect of his speech and the thing which he desireth to be heard is his prayer and oration Thirdly the maner how he desireth his prayer to be heard in thy truth and righteousnesse When he doubleth his request of hearing he would haue God hearing him with both his eares that is most attentiuely and readilie so instant is a troubled minde he desireth the prayer he putteth