nothing on earth more pretious then hee Sed in eo quod non videtur multo pulchrior est but in that which is not seene namely his soule hee is much more beautifull So ye see Dauids reasoning is very effectuall all one as if he should say as he doth elswhere Opus manuum tuarum ne deseras Te authorem conuenio te teneo conditorem aliena praesidia non quaro Forsake not ô Lord the worke of thine hands thou art my author and maker thine help I seek and the helpe of none other No man can rightly seeke good things from God if he consider not what good the Lord hath already done to him But many are in this poynt so ignorant that they knowe not how wonderfully God did make them and therefore can neither blesse him nor seeke from him as from their Creator and conseruer But this argument drawne from our first creation no man can righly vse it but he who is through grace partaker of the second creation for all the priuiledges of our first creation we lost them by our fall So that now by nature it is no comfort to vs nor matter of our hope that GOD did make vs but rather matter of our feare and distrust that wee haue mismade ourselues haue lost his image and are not now like vnto that which God created vs in the beginning Giue mee vnderstanding Dauid knew that a man without vnderstanding were hee of neuer so noble bloud or comely of personage he is but a companion of beasts and therefore the Spirit of GOD commonly giues the stile of a man vnto man eyther made or restored to the image of God But a man destitute of that image Aut serpentem aut equum aut vulpeculam aut iumentum vocare consueuit he cals either a serpent or a horse or a foxe or a beast That I may learne Hee sheweth heer what is the vnderstanding which he craued namelie that hee might learne to obey the commaundements of God It is not wisedome in Gods account for a man to knowe all other things and be ignorant of himselfe neither is this learning to haue knowledge of all Sciences and secrets of Nature and to be without godlinesse This is the beginning of all wisedome To feare GOD and the Art of Arts to practise pietie To this purpose said Ambrose Quid tam obscurum quam de Astronomia tractare profundi aeris spatia metiri relinquere causam salutis error is quaerere Where if saith hee it be obiected Was not Moses learned in all the learning of the Egyptians let it be answered So hee was but hee thought all this wisedom losse and foolishnesse in comparison and turned to seeke GOD with inward affection Ideoque vidit interrogavit audiuit loquentem Deum hee saw therefore hee asked and heard God speaking vnto him VER 74. So they that feare thee seeing me shal reioyce because I trusted in thee THe godly in ordering their life haue a respect first vnto God that he may haue glory Next to themselues that in conformitie with God they may haue peace and comfort And thirdly vnto his neighbour to giue vnto him that is godly matter of ioy and edification by his godly life according to that precept of our Sauiour Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your godly conuersation may glorifie your Father who is in heauen Beside this appeareth the great power vertue of godlines that euen the very sight of a godlie man ministers ioy to the godly terror to the wicked Plerisque iusti aspectus admonitio correctionis est perfectioribus verò laetitia to many men the sight of a righteous man is a warning of correction For they are admonished what neede they haue to amend their life that they may be like vnto him but to such as haue profited more in godlinesse it is alway a matter of ioy Quam pulchrum ergo si videaris prosis How excellent a thing then is this that as oft as thou art seene so oft thou doost good And againe there is such a fellowshippe and communion among all the liuely members of Christ his mystical bodie that they mourne together they reioyce together the grace of God cōmunicated to one is a cause of ioy to al the rest Bonis enim insitū est vt virtutes su as in alijs amēt It is the propertie of the godly to loue those vertues in others which either they haue or would in themselues to enuy the good of another and be grieued thereat is a diuellish thing Infirme Iosua may murmure when Medad and Eldad prophecie in the assembly of the people but meeke Moses shall reioyce and wish that all the Lords people did prophecie in like manner Because I trusted in thee Gods working with any one of his seruants is a confirmation of all the rest for what hee is to one that feares him he is vnto all that feare him So that mercy shewed to any penitent and promises performed to any beleeuing man should confirme vs in the assurance of the like fauour of God to bee found by our selues if we also repent and beleeue in him VER 75. I knowe O Lord that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted mee iustlie THis Verse consists of a thankesgiuing wherin he ascribes to the Lord the praise of truth and righteousnesse in afflicting him Many vse to praise God in prosperity who in time of trouble impatient of his heauie hand murmure against him but such as are truly godly do then blesse the Lord most heartily when he seems to deale with them most hardly giuing him the praise of equity and acknowledging that his greatest rodds are not so great as their sins as also the praise of fidelity that according to his word he afflicts his children for no other cause but to purge them and make them more capable of grace and consolation I know How is this seeing the Apostle saith Rom. II. that the iudgements of God are vnsearchable and his waies past finding out The answer is Dauid doth not so speake as if he were priuy to al the secret waies of God but that thus much hee knew in generall that all his iudgements whereby he strikes eyther the godly or the wicked were all right suppose the causes and particular ends of them were secret And this knowledge is learned out of the word The Lord is righteous in all his workes and holy in all his wayes And againe All the wayes of God are mercie and truth to them that feare him And againe All things worke for the best to them that loue him And it is the want of this knowledge that makes vs oftentimes to murmure or faint and be discouraged at the works of God apprehending in our ignorance that to be euill which in Gods working is good and directed to a good end For if
spoken concerning the certaine truth of Gods word he now amplifies it that he had found it by experience Sure it is the Word of God doth euer comfort them who beleeue it but when by experience in their particular troubles and tentations they finde the truth of it then doth it so much the more confirme them Let vs looke to our selues and marke narrowly the working of GOD with vs that as we beleeue Gods word to be a most true word in itselfe so in our owne experience we may finde it toward vs. This stabilitie vnchangeable truth of Gods word if wee once bee perswaded of it shall be an Anchor to our soules to holde vs fast that wee bee not carried away with the winde and waues of greatest temptations Long before Dauids trouble came this was settled as a truth in the heart of Dauid and therefore in all trouble it sustained him There fall out oftentimes such confusions and perturbations in the world as makes the children of God to doubt whether the hand of God by the stable order of his prouidence rule them or not and where they are moued to doubt what maruell if Insidels Epicures and other Naturalists doe altogether distrust it After the opinion of that Ethnique Rex mundi magna curat parua fortunae relinquit But it is farre otherwise his prouident and ruling hand extends to smallest things Videte quia minima non contemnit Deus nam si contemneret non crearet For if he neglect them he would not haue created them Neyther doth any thing fall out by fortune but as saith the Apostle He worketh all things after the counsell and good pleasure of his will Alway to confirme vs against this tentation let vs resolue with Dauid here That God hath established his testimonies for euer More of this see ver 142. 160. RESH VER 153. Behold mine affliction and deliuer me for I haue not forgotten thy Lawe THese prayers of Dauid are penned with such heauenly wisedome that they are conuenient for the state of the whole Church and euery member thereof The Church is the bush that burneth with fire but cannot be consumed euery member thereof beareth a part of the crosse of Christ neuer without some affliction for which they haue need here to pray with Dauid Behold mine affliction We know that in afflictions it is some comfort to vs to haue our crosses knowne to such as of whom we are assured that they loue vs it mitigates our dolour when they mourne with vs albeit they be not able to helpe vs. But the Christian hath a more solid comfort to wit that in all his troubles the Lord beholds him like a King reioycing to see his own seruant wrestle with the enemie he lookes with a mercifull eye pitying the infirmitie of his owne when he sees it and with a powerfull hand ready to helpe them But because many a time the cloude of our corruption cometh betweene the Lorde and vs and lets vs not see his helping hand nor his louing face looking vpon vs we haue neede to pray at such times with Dauid Behold mine affliction For I haue not forgotten This reason is not quòd iactare se cuperet sed vt Dei in se gratiam prouocaret as if Dauid here did boast of himselfe for he saith not that he had fulfilled Gods lawe but that he had not forgot it But this is subioyned to moue the Lord to pitie and compassion toward him from this reason That his conscience was good toward God if not in that which he had don yet at least in that which he would haue done for he euer protests that it was his ioy to doe the will of the Lord his God And it is onely this good conscience that dare make request vnto God where the euill conscience dare not look to him more then a wounded eye can looke to the light yea it flies and runnes away from God as we see in Adam fearing euill from him because it had done euill against him and farre lesse dare it seeke good things from him VER 154. Pleade my cause and deliuer me quicken me according to thy word HEere is an appellation made by Dauid from men vnto God The meaning of it is O Lorde I finde that among men equity is not regarded euen they who vpon earth are thy Deputies who should maintaine the right and punish the wrong by them the cause of innocent men many a time is borne downe wherefore Lord I beseech thee who art the righteous ludge of the world pleade my cause against them Wherein first wee haue a comfort for them who are oppressed by the vnrighteousnesse of men they are taught here by Dauids example to appeale to God and call him to be Iudge betweene them and their oppressors Many a time good men faint fall down euen in a good cause for a while because they trust in their cause neglecting to seeke the Lords protection And againe here is a warning for all men in the world specially for Iudges to whō belongs the cognition of other mens causes that they take heede what they doe seeing as Iehosaphat said to his Deputies The iudgement is the Lords for when they haue iudged the Lord will iudge them ouer againe their iudgement also either to ratifie or disannull the sentence they haue giuen And therefore it were good for them not so much to look vnto such as are vnder them with whom they may do as they think in the matter of right and wrong at their pleasure without controlement as to look vnto him who is aboue them whose iudgement they themselues must vndergo both in their persons and actions Quicken me See ver 25. 37. 40. 50. 88. 93. 107. 154. 156. VER 155. Saluation is farre from the wicked because they seeke not thy Statutes THis Verse contains a protestation of the miserable condition of the wicked expressed in this weighty sentence Saluation is farre from the wicked Ipsi sunt authores sui periculi quia Domino non appropinquant they themselues are the authors of their own wracke because they drawe not neere vnto the Lord. Salute quae abste est se ipsi qui inique viuunt priuarunt they who liue wickedly depriue themselues of that saluation which is in thee Non refugit eos salus sed ipsi salutem fugiunt saluation flies not from them it is offered vnto them but they flie from it A fearful estate not only to want saluation but to want it in thy owne default because thou wilt not embrace it In the verse 150. he said that the wicked were farre from Gods lawe now he saith that Gods saluation is as farre from them The Lord hath conioyned these two his Word and Saluation for by his Word hee saueth such as are to be saued they who despise the one shall neuer finde the other If wicked
si sanctus si iustus sit debet orare vt exaudiat eum Dominus secundum misericordiam suam non secundum merita virtutis alicuius quia rara virtus multa peccata A man were he neuer so iust or holy should euermore pray that God would heare him according to Gods mercy not according to the merit of his vertue whatsoeuer because in the best men their vertues are rare their sinnes are many It is true they vse also secondary arguments taken from God his graces in themselues as that they loue him or feare him or call vpon him but these in effect are but the alledging of the conditions whereupon God out of his kindnesse hath made the promises and so being his owne graces freely giuen may lawfully be vsed to moue the Lord to the performance of his promises Quicken me See ver 37. 40. 50. 88. 93. According to thy iudgement Iudgement is sometime taken for the execution of Gods threatnings against transgressors and this Dauid declines Psal. 143. Enter not into iudgement with me Sometime it is taken for the performance of his promises according to his word and this Dauid desires as in this Verse See ver 7. 13. 20. 30. 39. 43. 52. 62. 66. 75. 84. 102. 106. 108. 120. 137. 149. 156. 160. 164. 175. VER 150. They drawe neere that follow after malice and are farre from thy Lawe HEe reiterates againe his complaint against his enemies whom he describes after this manner That toward God they were impious men farre from his Lawe toward Dauid they were malicious yea such as followed malice and hunted after all occasions to doe him euill This is the condition of the children of God as their head and Lord Christ Iesus was set for a signe of contradiction so is it with his seruants they are set as a marke butte whereat Satan and his instruments shoot all the arrowes of their indignation but in vaine for God is their buckler And truely it should greatly comfort all the godly to remember that such as are their enemies are Gods enemies also sith they are farre from the obedience of Gods Law what maruell they be also farre from that duety of loue which they owe vnto vs It may content vs to want that comfort in men which otherwise we might and would haue when wee consider that God wants his glory in them Let this sustaine vs when we see that Godlesse men are enemies vnto vs. VER 151. Thou art neere O Lord for all thy commandements are true FRom the meditation of his enemies malice hee returnes againe to the meditation of Gods mercie and so it is expedient for vs to doe least the number and greatnesse and malitiousnesse of our enemies make vs to faint when we looke vnto them It is good that we should cast our eyes vpward to the Lord then shall we see they are not so neere to hurt vs as the Lord our God is neere to helpe vs and that there is no euill in them which we haue cause to feare but we shall finde in our God a contrary good sufficient to preserue vs. Otherwise we could not indure if when Satan and his instruments come neere to pursue vs the Lord were not neere to protect vs. Comfortable is it that when Laban with great fury followed Iacob the Lorde stepped in betweene them and commanded Laban not to hurt him and when Satan many a time intended to destroy Iob hee found that hee could not because the Lord was a hedge and defence vnto him This is of GODs marueilous working that wee being in the middest of the wicked who like so many rauening Wolues thirst for our bloud and before the mouth of that roaring Lion that seekes to destroy vs we should still be preserued for the which we may giue thankes with Dauid It is so O Lorde because thou art neere vnto vs. But let vs remember if wee would haue this presence of the Lorde rendring vs comfort wee must also bee moued by it to render him reuerence Prope est omnibus qui vbique adest nec refugere eum possumus si offendimus nec fallere si delinquimus nec amittere si colamus He is neere vnto all who is euery where present if we offend him wee cannot flie from him if we ◅ne we cannot siele nor couer his eyes if wee worshippe him we cannot want him neere to vs in all our necessities De sole non dubitas quod vbique resplendeat de Deo dubitas quod non vbique fulgeat Thou doubtest not of the Sunne that it shines into euery place why doubtest thou that the Lord is present in euery place Be where thou wilt hee is neere vnto thee be thou also in thy affection neere vnto him to feare and loue him in all thy wayes walke with him as Henoch did set him alway in thy sight as Dauid did Vnlesse thou be with him to waite vpon him and serue him how can he be neere vnto thee to preserue and comfort thee in all thy necessities Hee is neere vnto all illum tamen fouet qui appropinquat sibi but he comforts and nourisheth such as come neere vnto him He that hides himselfe from the light of the Sunne and closeth the dore and window of his house that it shine not vnto him what maruell hee haue no comfort by the light thereof In tenebris ambulat in omnium luce ipse sibi est causa caecitatis He walkes in darknesse and in the middest of light shining vnto all hee becommeth a cause of blindenesse vnto himselfe If by iniquity wee depart from the Lord wee may finde him neere as a Iudge to punish vs not as a Father to protect vs. For all thy Commaundements are true His meaning is Albeit O Lorde the euill will of wicked men follow me because I follow thee yet I knowe thy commaundements are true and that it is not possible thou canst desert or faile thy seruants who stand to the maintenance of thy word Then ye see Dauids comfort in trouble was not in any presumptuous conceit of his owne wisedome or strength but in the truth of Gods promises which he was perswaded could not faile him And heere also hee makes a secret opposition between the word of the Lord and the word of his enemies Somtime men command but without reason sometime they promise but without performance sometime they threaten but without effect Herods cōmanding Rabsac◅e his ray ling Iezabel her proude boasting against Elijah may proue this But as to the Lord our God he is alway better then his word and his seruants shall finde more in his performance hereafter then now they can perceiue in his promise like as his enemies shall finde more weight in his iudgements then now they can apprehend in his threatnings VER 152. I haue knowne long since by thy Testimonies that thou hast established them for euer THat which he hath
The Lord when hee exhorts to repentance cryes My sonne delay not to turne to the Lord. This day vvhile it is called vpon you harden not your harts but Satans voice is Tarry till the morne Let me first goe and kisse my father that is delight yet a space in the pleasures of this life It was offred by Moses to Pharao When shall I pray for thee and he answered To morrow It is offred by the Lord to man When wilt thou that I haue mercie on thee and in effect it is answered by many Not till mine old daies Miserable was Pharao who delayed Moses but one day and more miserable are they vvho delay the Lord for many yeeres vvhen hee offers them mercy I knowe no difference betweene the vvise Virgins and the foolish but that the one did that in time which the other would faine haue done out of time and could not The most profane men of the world are forced in death to make their refuge to the Lord then the eye and the hand are lifted vp vnto him then they cry for mercie and desire all others to pray for them If wee be wise let vs doe that in time which al men are faine to doe at the length VER 61. The bands of the wicked haue robbed me but I haue not forsaken thy law TRue godliness will indure great tentations euen as trees wel rooted abides the blast of strong winds and gold that is fine abides the triall of fire Many waies was Dauid tempted and among the rest the wicked by troupes and multitudes combined against him yet did he not forsake the law of the Lord. The godly liue in this world like sheep among vvolues euery wicked man in whom Satan ruleth is like a Cananite to an Israelite a thorne in our eye a prick in our side yea and as a dart of Satan shot at vs to driue vs away from the fear of God if so wee can take them it should greatly strengthen vs to indure all troubles that come from them There will neuer be peace among those two parties between whom the Lord himselfe in Paradise proclaimed inimity And howsoeuer to strengthen themselues in an euill cause the wicked goe together by bands and companies yet shall it not availe them nor hurt vs. Babels builders Moab Ammon Edom conspyring in one may tell vs Though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not escape vnpunished the wickd are like thornes before the fire their multitude may well embolden it but cannot resist it VER 62. At midnight will Irise to giue thanks vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements IN this verse we haue a protestation of Dauid his thankfull affection toward the Lord wherein we haue three things 1. The dutie promsed namely to giue thanks 2. The time at midnight 3. The cause because of thy righteous iudgements As for the dutie of thanksgiuing wee spake of it verse 7. As for the time hee saith hee will rise at midnight and giue thanks to God We pray that we may doe Gods will on earth as it is done in heauen now in heauen we know they praise God continually without ceasing we should doe so vpon earth but our necessities of sleeping eating and such like interrupt vs that wee cannot doe it as we should yet happy shall we be if wee season all our dyets and doings with prayer and thanksgiuing That as God in nature hath made the knee to bow at euery step so the hart in euery action might bow and blesse the Lord acknowledging our Maker and Redeemer and directing all our dooings to his glory When Salomon made harps and other musicall instruments for the praise of God he made them of Almuggim trees that is of such trees as rotte not Teaching vs by like signification how induring should bee those instruments of our heart and affections wherewith wee praise God that we should not suffer them to decay But alas how soone do we faile Oftentimes we begin the day with some feruencie in praysing and prayer but wee faintere euen yet shall we haue great comfort if when our performance faileth our purpose remaine for this will reuiue our former zeale and make vs to returne vnto an earnest calling vpon God and that with the greater feruencie That we finde our great infirmity hath carried vs away from our former purpose Let vs againe consider here how Dauid spends the time of his life that we may learne at him to be wise Time is a most pretious thing not such a jewell among all things perteyning to this life By this it may be esteemed that in a small point of time an infinite weight of glory may be acquired and men who haue beene prodigall of it spending yeares and moneths without consideration would haue giuen great riches yea all the jewels of the world if they had beene in their possession for prorogation of their life one year yea one moneth Let vs therefore learne at Dauid how he vsed his time when he lay downe at night he watered his couch with teares after the examination of his heart At midnight againe he rose vp to giue thankes there-after he preuented the morning watch that he might meditate on the word of the Lorde then in the day time morning noone and even hee made a noise to the Lord yea seauen times in the day he called vpon God Our Sauiour hath commended the like care vnto vs both by his precept and practise in the Temple at the table in the garden in the mountaine did he pray all night Vt te proprio ad de precandum inuitaret exemplo Happy were we if so we could spend our dayes for certaine it is when our last day coms we shal haue comfort of no by-gone time but that which we haue spent in the seruice of God Sleepe is most necessary for the intertainment of bodily health it is Ros naturae the dewe of nature more necessary then meate or drinke yet as Dauid protests ver that hee loued the word of God more then his appointed food so heere hee preferres the prayses of God to his sleepe and rest in the night This may make vs ashamed when we see how wicked men cannot rest except they haue done euill and how they defraud themselues of sleep that they may commit iniquity and how againe the superstitious Priests of Baal can wake in the night to attend vpon their Idols that Christians professing Gods true worship should so pamper themselues that they will not rise out oâ—… the bedde to bowe their knee to the Lord yea scarsely lying still with their bodies will raise vp their spirits to praise him Sleepe is compared by one to a sory customer that eyther takes vp more then wee should giue or then his Master allowes him The Lord allowes a certaine time for our sleepe and rest as he doth to all the
wee saw the end of Gods worke which is euer his glorie the good of his Church and euery member therof we would not offend at his workes whereby he works that end a way that is vnpleasant to vs because it is vnknowne to vs. That thy iudgement The iudgement of God is taken in two significations first for the plagues whereby hee punisheth wicked men in his anger proportionall to their sinnes And this iudgement Dauid declines Psal. 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant Secondly for the roddes and corrections wherewith hee chastiseth his owne children And these are called iudgements because iudiciously he measures and moderates them according as the state of his children requires not powring out the ful viol of his wrath as he doth on the wicked but proffering a temperate cup to be drunken by his owne as their weakenesse may beare it And in this sense Ambrose speaking of Gods chastisements sayes Omnia Dei iudicio fiunt That hee sends sickenesse rather then health pouertie and not wealth it is because in his most iudicious consideration hee findes it expedient that it should be so Thus then wee see how among many other differences betweene the afflictions of the godly and the wicked they differ also these two wayes first in measure Hath hee smitten Iacob as hee smote those that smote him No no hee powers a violl on the one but proâ—…ereth a moderate cuppe to the other secondly in the end for the one hee strikes for punishment the other for purgation And that thou hast 〈◊〉 mee iustlie More of this see ver 7. 20. 30. 39. 43. 52. 62. 75. 67. 107. VER 76. I pray thee that thy mercie may comfort me according to thy promise made to thy seruant IN the former Verse hee acknowledged the Lord had afflicted him now in this he prayeth the Lord to comfort him This is strange that a man should seeke comfort at the same hand that strikes him it is the worke of faith Nature will neuer teach vs to doe it Come and let vs returne to the Lord for he hath spoyled and he will heale vs he hath wounded and he will binde vs vp Againe wee see that the crosses which God layes on his children are not to confound nor to consume them only to prepare them for greater consolations With this Dauid sustained himselfe against Shimei his cursing The Lord will looke on my affliction and doe me good for this euill with this our Sauiour comforts his Disciples Your mourning shall be turned into ioy As the last estate of Iob was better then his first so shall the Lord render more to his children at the last then now at the first he takes from them let vs therefore beare his crosse as a preparatiue to comfort According to thy promise Dauid had a particular promise of a particular benefit to weet the kingdome of Israel And this promise God performed vnto him but his comfort stood not in it For Saul before him had the kingdom but the promises of mercy belonged not to him and therfore when God forsooke him his kingdom could not sustaine him But Dauid heere depends vpon the general promises of Gods mercie made to his children wherein hee acknowledgeth a particular promise of mercie made to him For the generall promises of mercy and grace made in the Gospel faith makes them particular to euery beleeuer Of this see verse 41. 58. 76. 170. VER 77. Let thy tender mercy come vnto mee that I may liue for thy law is my delight HE prayed before for mercy now againe he prayeth for mercy The children of God haue such an earnest and feruent desire of mercy that what-euer sense therof they get they still cry for more and sure it is in this life they can neuer be satisfied Neuertheless happy are they who now hunger thirst for hereafter they shal be satisfied And when I awake I shal be satisfied with thine image But if we marke more narrowly we shall find that Dauid heere seekes another sort of mercie then he sought before For first he sought mercie to forgiue his sinnes then he sought mercy to comfort him in his troubles now hee seekes mercy to liue and sinne no more Alas many seek the first mercy of remission and the second mercy of consolation in trouble who are altogether carelesse of the third mercy to liue well It is a great mercy of GOD to amend thy life where this is not let no man think he hath receiued either of the former Magna est miseratio Dei quae non solem remissionem tribuit peccatoruÌ„ sed etiam certantibus addit calcaria vt in suscepto certamine pergant It is a great mercie of God which not onely pardons euill that is done but strengthens vs also to further good that we haue not done and this is the mercy which here Dauid seekes For thy law is my delight Of this reason see verse 70. VER 78. Let the proud be ashamed for they haue dealt wickedly and falsely with mee DAuid here praieth not against the person of his enemies but against their course their false wicked dealing against him Or rather as we may think with Basile Orat pro inimicis The reason hereof is giuen by Ambrose Pudor enim plerumque corrector est nostri dum incipit nos pudere commissi ne diutius pudeat deserere quaeerubescenda sunt admonemur For shame oftentimes corrects our waies when wee thinke shame of that which we haue done we are admonished not to doe that againe which may make vs more asham'd in time to com For where a gentle shame cannot moue men to amend it is a iust recompense of God to poure vpon them shame with contempt and confusion Still wee see how the Spirit of God stiles the wicked by the name of proud men for a wicked man shakes off the yoke of God and will not be subiect to his Maker and so spares not to exalt himselfe ouer men in such sort that there is nothing in man so sacred so worthy reuerence which he tramples not vnder his feet But heere is the iust recompence of his pride Let the proud be ashamed Hee would faine haue honour or preheminence which God will not giue vnto him hee flies shame contempt but God shall poure them vpon him For they haue dealt Hee complaines of the wicked and false dealing of his enemies against him and it is written to vphold vs in the like tentation For Satan is alway like himselfe hating them whom the Lord loueth hee may well be worse he can neuer be better and therfore with restlesse malice stirres he vp all his cursed instruments in whom hee raignes to persecute them who are loued and protected of the Lord. But I meditate Dauids enemies fought against him with the armour of flesh wickednesse and falshood he withstands
who out of most wholsome hearbs gather nothing but poyson For all are thy seruants From the Angel to the worme all serue him he is the Lord of Hosts let vs also serue him and then shall they serue vs. But it is both sinne and shame that where the raging water and furious fire serue God at his commaund onely man made to his own image disobeyes him And therefore againe feareful is the recompence that where it is said The Lord reioyceth in all his works of man onely the Lord said It repents mee that I made man The Lord grant it may repent vs that euer we offended so good a God and so the Lord may be pacified toward vs in Christ Iesus VER 92. Except thy law had been my delight I should now haue perished in mine affliction HE now declares vnto vs what profit hee made of his former meditatiō to weet that the certaintie of Gods word kept him that he perished not in his affliction Sith he saw it was a sure and powerful word whereby other creatures were sustained he collects it could neuer faile him so leaning vpon it he foūd him selfe vpholden by it in his greatest afflictions Let vs learne of Dauid to seeke our comfort in time of trouble out of the word of GOD for all other comfort which is sought with neglect of this comfort brings two great euils First it encreaseth griefe how-euer for a time it seeme to mitigate it And next it leaues a man destitute when he hath most need of comfort Onelie the comfort of Gods word bides with vs when all other comfort for sakes vs. My delight The word signifieth delights in the plurall number Many were the sorowes of Dauids life but against them all he found as many comforts delectations in Gods word With such varietie of holy wisedom hath God penned his word that it hath conuenient comfort for euery state of life therfore the children of God account nothing so deere as it they preferre it to their appointed foode Yea as the body cannot liue out of the owne element of aire so cannot the soule of a godly man without comfort of the word Where if it be obiected to vs by worldlings Where are those manifold delights which ye say are in the word we hear nothing but one the selfe same thing repeated vnto vs The best answer to them is Come and see Taste and consider how gracious the Lord is and yee shal find that euery repetitiō of it brings new delight And this they may learne by their naturall affection toward bodily foode which is so great that the same kind of foode where-vpon they feede this day they long for it againe to morrow and with a new appetite long to haue renewed euery day And if they were as well acquainted with the spirituall life their affection would be in the same manner renewed euery day toward the word of God For the truth is that no Monarch in the world can furnish his table with such varietie of delicates as are offred to vs in the treasures of Gods word Perished in mine affliction Dauid was a godly man and deerely beloued of the Lord his GOD yet is hee sore humbled by affliction for euen those branches which are fruitfull God will purge to make them more fruitfull Our nature is so rebellious that without sore afflictions it cannot be tamed subdued Stones cannot be squared for palace-worke without strokes of the hammer gold can not be purged and prepared for work without fire neither is corne separated from the chaffe without wind We are Gods corne let vs abide the wind of tentation to clense vs from the chaffe of our corruption Wee must suffer the fire of affliction that we may be fined and made vessels of honour for the house of God And we must be content that the hammer of God strike vpon vs to beat away our proud lumps that so we may be squared and made ready like liuely stones to be laid in heauenly Ierusalem More of this see ver 50. 52. VER 93. I will neuer forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickned me THis verse hath a protestatiō of his thankfulnes he had found life in Gods word and he resolues neuer to forget it Experientia edoct us iustificationes tu as producere vitā inextinguibilem illarū memoriā seruabo It is no maruel that they who neuer got life by the word of God haue no delight in it the excuses of men here auaile not Certain it is the cause of all contempt of Gods word is from this that men neuer found life nor comfort by it Whereof see Sect. 1. But it is worthy to be marked that he saith not the Word quickned him but God by the Word quickned him The Word was preached at one time by one Preacher S. Paul to many people assembled together at Philippi but many heard it who got not life by it onely Lydia by that Sermon had her heart opened Paul may plant Apollo may water but God must giue the increase Let vs thanke God for the word he hath giuen vs and let vs pray to God that grace may be ioyned with it so with the Gospell hauing the blessing of the Gospell it shall become the power of God to our saluation VER 94. I am thine saue me for I haue sought thy precepts MAny reasons hath Dauid vsed hitherto to mooue the Lord to bee mercifull to him but none more forcible then this I am thine A strong reason indeed where man in a good conscience can vse it for if we who are euill and weake haue a care of euery thing which is ours that we will not if we may suffer it to perish euen our garments and our houses and our cattell we haue a care to conserue them because they are our owne how great may we thinke is the Lords care toward his owne whom he tenders with greater compassion thē any earthly father can doe to his children But howsoeuer this seeme facilis vox communis Tuus sum as easie a voyce as it is common to say I am thine yet few are they who in a good conscience may say it Mentitur enim peccator si se seruum Dei nominet A man in his sinnes lies if hee say that hee is the seruant of God for to what-euer thing a man giues obedience vnto that same is hee a seruant O how many people and nations and wealthy men are there in the world Qui paupertatem putant Domino seruire who thinke it a pouertie to serue GOD Hee who is aboue all seemes nothing to them and they seeke other things with such insatiable affection as if the Lorde Iesus in whom are all things were not sufficient for them Can these men say to the Lord I am thine But these men are not the worst for yee shall finde now a bastard
so cleerely that in regard of time they might haue been teachers of others yet are they but children in knowledge and vnderstanding But to whom doth the word giue vnderstanding Dauid saith to the simple not to such as are high minded or double in heart or wise in their owne eyes who will examine the mysteries of godlines by the quicknes of naturall reason No to such as deny themselues as captiue their naturall vnderstanding and like humble disciples submit themselues not to aske but to heare not to reason but to belieue And if for this cause Naturalists who want this humility cannot profit by the word what maruaile that Papists far lesse become wise by it who haue their hearts so full of preiudices concerning it that they spare not to vtter blasphemies against it calling it not onely vnprofitable but pernitious to the simple and to the idiots And againe where they charge it with difficultie that simple men and idiots should not bee suffered to read it because it is obscure all these friuolous allegations of men are annulled by this one testimony of God that it giues light to the simple Eos qui ignorantia tenentur infantibus similes sunt intellectu replet lex tua that is Euen to such ignorants who are like infants saith Basill non solum viris sed mente intellectu paruulis it giues not onely light to men but to such as in vnderstanding are children To this purpose notable is that saying of Irenaeus Vniuersae scripturae et propheticae euangelicae in aperto et sine ambiguitate et ab omnibus audiri possunt The whole scriptures both prophetical and euangelicall are open plaine not doubtfull but such as may be heard of all men And to this purpose saith Lactantius Num igitur deus mentis linguae vocis artifex disertè loqui non potest Imò verò summa prouidentia carere fuco voluit ea quae diuina sunt vt omnes intelligerent quae ipse omnibus loquebatur Shall wee thinke that God who is the creator of the minde the tongue and voice cannot speake distinctly himselfe No truly by great prouidence he hath propounded his word in so plaine a manner that all sorts of men may vnderstand that which he speakes vnto all Many other witnesses might be brought to this same purpose but I cease VER 123. I opened my mouth and panted because I loued thy Commandements BY this manner of speech Dauid expresses as Basile thinks Animi propensionem that the inclination of his soule was after Gods word For this opened mouth Ambrose thinks is Os interioris hominis the mouth of the inward man which in effect is his heart and the speech notes Vehementem animi intensionem a vehement intension of his spirit saith Euthymius yet shall it not be amisse to consider heere how the minde of the godly earnestly affected moues the body also The speech may be drawne from trauellers who being very desirous to attaine to their proposed ends enforce their strength thervnto and finding a weakenes in their body to answere their will they pant open their mouth seeking refreshment from the aire to renew their strength or as Vatablus thinks from men exceeding hungry and thirstie who open their mouth as if they would draw in the whole aire and then pant and sigh within themselues when they finde no full refreshment by it So he expresseth it Tanto desiderio legum tuarum flagrat cor meuÌ„ vt subinde cogar haurire aerem propter assâ—…dua suspiria How-euer it be it lets vs see how the hearing reading or meditating of Gods word wakened in Dauid a most earnest affection to haue the light ioy grace and comfort thereof communicated to his owne heart For in the godly knowledge of good increaseth desires and it cannot be expressed how vehemently their soules long to feele that power and comfort which they know is in the word and how sore they are grieued and troubled when they finde it not And happy were wee if we could meete the Lord with this like affection that when hee opens his mouth wee could also open our heart to heare as Dauid heere doth Christus aperit os vt daret alijs spiritum Dauid aperuit vt acciperet Opening his heart to receiue the spirit of grace when God openeth his mouth in his word to giue it For it is his promise to vs all Open thy mouth wide and I shall fill it let vs turne it into a prayer that the Lord who opened the heart of â—…dia would open our heart to receiue grace when he offers by his word to giue it VER 132. Look vpon me and be merciful to me as thou vsest to do vnto those that loue thy name FRom praises Dauid now turns him to praier In our best estate we are farre from that which we should be our perfection in this life stands in the acknowledging of our imperfection Euen when the godly speake any thing to God out of a good conscience concerning their vpright affection toward him at that same time priuie to the conscience of their wants they take them to prayer and seek mercy Looke vpon me This prayer is vsed by the godlie in two respects first when they are vnrighteously iudged of men and charged with that whereof they are not guilty in this case they desire that God would look vpon them For sure it is vnlesse the conscience be sleeping no man dare present an euill cause to the eye of God but rather as Adam hid himselfe after his transgression so men whose consciences are euill flie the sight of God and dare not desire him to look vpon them And againe when they are vnder spirituall desertion and in their sense the countenance of God is turned from them whose fauour is better then life which after the manner of men turning their face from such as they are angry withall they take vp to be an argument of displeasure in this case also they pray that the Lord would looke vpon them that is as he expounds himselfe be fauourable and mercifull to them And be mercifull This is very well subioyned for God looks to some in his displeasure so hee looked to the Egyptians and vnloosed the pinnes of their chariots that they could not driue so he looked to Sodome and rained downe fire and brimstone vpon them The eyes of the Lord said Amos are vpon the sinfull kingdome to destroy it Dauid knew this and therefore desires the Lord so to looke on him as to be mercivnto him As thou vsest These words containe in effect a reason from Gods constant kindnes toward all his children Lord doe to me as thou hast vsed to doe to others that loue thee Orâ—… vt aequali cum illis sententia potiar The examples of Gods mercie are not only registred for our comfort but for our confirmation Wherein we
watered by the earth For the teares of the godly fall not to the ground the Lord gathers them like most pretious pearles vnto him and puts them in his bottell and they bring still increase of comfort to such as shed them They are sowen like good seede on earth the first fruite whereof is reaped on earth but the fulness thereof in heauen according to that of the Psalmist They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy ZADE. VER 137. Righteous art thou O Lord and iust are thy iudgements HEere Dauid sore troubled with griefe for the wickednesse of his enemies yea tempted greatly to impatience and distrust by looking to their prosperous estate notwithstanding their so grosse impiety doth now shew vnto vs a three-fold ground of comfort which in this dangerous tentation vpheld him The first is a consideration of that which God is in himselfe namely iust and righteous the second a consideration of the equity of his word thirdly of his constant truth declared in his working and doing according to his word When we find our selues tempted to distrust by looking to the prosperity of the wicked let vs looke vp to God consider his nature his word his workes and we shall finde comfort Righteous art thou There is the first a meditation of the righteousnes of Gods nature he alters not with times he changes not with persons he is alway and vnto all one and the same righteous and holy God Righteousnesse is essentiall to him it is himselfe and he can no more defraude the godly of their promised comforts nor let the wicked go vnpunished in their sinnes then hee can denie himselfe to be God which is impossible Iust are thy iudgements The second ground of Dauids comfort is heere and in the next verse VER 138. Thou hast commanded iustice by thy Testimonies and truth especially AS the tree is so is the fruit From so righteous a God nothing can proceede but righteousnesse God forbid that the Iudge of all the world should doe vnrighteously This meditation of the equity of Gods command flowing from his most righteous nature confirmes Dauid in this sure conclusion It cannot be but well with them who walke after his word and by the contrary such as goe a whooring from it cannot but make a miserable end how-euer they prosper for a time And out of this we may further learn how the law of God expresseth to vs the liuely linâ—…ments of his image for from his righteous nature flowe his commandements commanding righteousnesse This lets vs sâ—…e 〈◊〉 fearfull an euill sinne is sith it is a transgression of that holy law which flowes from Gods righteous nature it is a direct impugning violating of the diuine nature so farre as the creature may The lawes of Kings may be broken and their persons not touched farre lesse their nature violated yea oft-times their nature likes of that euill which their lawe forbids It is not so with the lawe of God it flowes from his righteous nature and God and his lawe are so straitly vnited that the breaking of his lawe is an impugning of his very nature so farre as the creature may as I haue said already By thy Testimonies The word of God is called his Testimony both because it testifies his will which he will haue vs to doe as also because it testifies vnto men truely what shall become of them whether good or euill Men by nature are curious to know their end rather then care full to mend their life and for this cause seeke answers where they neuer get good but if they would know let them goe to the word and testimony they need not to seeke any other Oracle If the word of God testifie good things vnto them they haue cause to reioyce if otherwise it witnesse euill vnto them let them hast to preuent it or else it shall assuredly ouertake them VER 139. My zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word THroughout this Psalme we see that Dauid cannot satisfie himselfe in declaring the loue he had to Gods word for that comfort which hee had felt in it as likewise his insatiable affection crauing more comfort by it What he speakes of himself he speakes it not like that Pharise who boasted of his good not mourning for his euill nor yet longing for better Such presumption is farre from the godly If at any time they make mention of any good disposition in them they doe it to the glory of God from whom all good comes and to comfort themselues for the beginnings of Gods grace in them but still they know their wants and mourne for them Neuer contented in this life with the grace receiued with earnest affection they crie for more Three things haue we to consider in this his his protestation first the nature secondly the sorts thirdly the effects of zeale As for the nature of zeale It is a mixed affection of griefe and anger flowing from loue for what a man loues earnestly he is carefull to see it honoured and by the contrary grieued when it is dishonoured The sorts of it are many for according as our loue and griefe are so is our zeale If our loue be vpon the right obiects moderate in due measure it causes a zeale which is holy and spirituall otherwise if our loue be inordinate it begets a carnall or inordinate zeale Sometime the zeale is not vpon the right obiect and then it may be great but it cannot be good such is the zeale of Heretiques who compasse Sea and Land to make one of their owne profession Sometime againe the zeale is on the right obiect not in the due measure eyther too colde which is remission or too hote which is superstition Of these saith the Apostle It is a zeale but not according to knowledge Zelus ad mortem non ad vitam a zeale which tends to death not vnto life The effects of Dauids zeale he toucheth when he saith it had consumed him Affections of the soule are very forcible to moue the body A sorrowfull heart saith Salomon dryes vp the bones But men should carefully marke what spirit inflames their zeale and what zeale moueth their bodies There are som who vnder shew of zeale or at least because they thinke it zeale neglect the duetie which they owe to their bodies not remembring the seruice which God craues of the body is a reasonable seruice not vnreasonable Others with their zeale fight against the Gospell so did Paul before his conuersion Let vs try the Spirits and see that our zeale be according to knowledge For these two Knowledge Zeale are compared by Bernard to the two wings of a fowle the Bird that hath but one wing falleth the more that it mindeth to flie These are two excellent giftes Knowledge and Zeale but if the one be without the other it were better to want it And now sith zeale
men hate the precepts and commandements of Gods law they are so contrary to the disposition of his corrupt nature that as the Apostle affirmes sinne takes occasion by the commandement to worke in man all manner of concupiscence for without the law sinne is dead and man his corrupt nature is the more bent vnto euill the more it bee for biddē but grace comming in to renue nature it works a loue euen of the commandements of God as being most holy in themselues most profitable for vs and that our felicity stands in a conformity with them Quicken mee Of this petition See verse 25. 37. 40. And out of Dauid his earnest frequent repetition of this petition let vs learne how spirituall things are to bee sought with a feruent affection It is pitty to see that the things of this world are sought so incessantly as if they were hardly obtained or being obtained were able to fulfil all our necessities or yet could continue and abide stil with vs wheras things pertaining to the life to come are sought in so cold a manner as if it were nothing to get them or being gotten they could doe vs little good or at least were not to continue with vs. Oh that we could rectifie our desires in this point and learne to seeke most excellent things with our best and most excellent affections and that we could alway remember these three things first it is vncertaine if we shall obtaine worldly things when wee seeke them next granting we do it is most certain that they will not fulfill our necessities and thirdly albeit they were able so to doe yet can they not continue with vs. Let vs therefore make choise as Mary did of the best part and couet as the Apostle counsels vs those gifts which are most excellent VER 160. The beginning of thy word is truth and all the iudgements of thy righteousnes indure for euer HEere is a commendation of Gods word from the truth and righteousnes thereof Some reade the words so as if Dauid should say the word of God hath beene true à principio from the very beginning of the world Some reade this way Ab ipso limine veritas tua conspicua est in verbo tuo in the very entry of thy word thy truth is manifest and some Caput verbi tui veritas this is the excellencie and great prerogatiue of thy word the very head and garland of it is verity This perswasion is the mother of all obedience to the word of God and it begets also such a comfort in our souls as no trouble nor temptation is able to ouercome Saint Peter calles the word of God a most sure word And the Lord himselfe calles the promises therof The sure mercies of Dauids house Wee may say with the Apostle We know whom we haue beleeued The Lord will not faile his people according to his word so shall it be vnto vs. And all the iudgements Here Dauid shewes what sustained him against the delay of iudgement vpon wicked men to weet a meditation of the eternall righteousnes of Gods iudgements He considered with himselfe that the righteousnes of God was not for one age but for all neither yet for one sinne only but for all then looking to by-gone iudgements executed vpon the wicked he collects that albeit for the present they were spared yet at length they would be punished seeing Gods iudgements are euerlasting And this should serue for a warning to wicked men of this age that the Lord who hath punished the wickednes of other ages before wil not let the impiety of this age escape vnpunished When the iudgements of God are executed then all men acknowledge Verely There is a God that iudgeth righteously in the earth Yea faithlesse men are amazed when hee strikes and forced to confesse that it is his hand but before the iudgement come to belieue that it will come is an argument of true faith So Noah mooued with reuerence prepared the Arke And Salomon saith A prudent man sees the plague before it come and hides himselfe in time God giue vs this wisedome SHIN VER 161. Princes haue persecuted me without cause but mine heart stood in awe of thy words IT hath pleased the Lord to teach vs not only by his word but by the exāples of others his seruants who liued before vs. For this cause hath hee registred the obedience of Noah the faith of Abraham the patience of Iob the meekenes of Moses the zeale of Dauid that we also should be zealous of those graces for which they receiued so honourable a commendation of God It is a great patience to sustaine iniurie from any wicked man but the greater the person be that persecutes vs the greater is the temptation whereof see verse 23. Onely now it comes to be enquired How can Dauid say that he was persecuted without cause seeing in all troubles which can befall vs if wee rightly examine our consciences we shall still finde within our selues causes which haue deserued sharper corrections 1. The answere is that Dauid here is not comparing himselfe with God for hee knew that in Gods sight no man could be iustified and none can say vnto him thou hast striken me without a fault but here he compares himselfe with men to whom hee had giuen no iust cause of offence It is true Saul pretended great causes against Dauid that hee was an enemie both to his life and crowne but Dauid not only by his words doth purge himselfe but by his deeds declare the contrary For when hee might haue slaine him hee spared him both in the caue and in the campe Thus we must also distinguish betweene causes pretended by euill men and those which are indeede But mine heart stood in awe of thy word Dauid renders not euill for euill but ouercomes euill with good Though Princes who should bee fathers and protectors of people should degenerate into oppressors and persecuters Is it lawfull for that to shake off obedience to refuse their tribute or to murther their persons Shall we become godless Atheists because they are becom faithless tyrants No no we see men truely religious doe practise no such vnrighteousnes This may tell vs from what spirit proceeds the Romish doctrine which not only permits but commands the deposition of Kings the loosing of subiects from their obedience yea the murthering of their persons It cannot be from that good spirit wherewith Dauid vvas inspired Princes persecuted him and he might haue slaine them as his seruants counselled him to murther Saul God saide they haue closed thine enemy into thine hand but he would not for his heart stood in awe of Gods word which told him as there he answered his men that it was not lawfull for him to touch the Lords anointed Againe we see heere an example of the constancy of Gods children no winde of temptation can remoue