viuendum ferunt nec suspensa aliorum aut bono casu aut contrario pendere ex alterius euentis et errare coguntur huic optime viuendi ratio comparata est viz For vnto what man all things are of hys owne industrie at his vse which serue to a blessed life not suspended eyther with the good or sinister fortune of others are not compelled to depende of another mans haps so to fayle this man hath gotten a rule of the best kinde of life Thys sentence dooth the thirtie one Psalme notably interprete discerning a true hope from a carnall hope For as Pluto warneth vs that all our hope or confidences should not depende vpon the benefits of fortune or of humane friendships the same doth this Psalme allowe But wheras it bringeth vs to the consideration of our own vertues that part of Platoes sentence doth this Psalme reiect refuse for we must be brought to the consideration of Gods goodnes seeing many things happen vnto man when mans vertue with out Gods helpe vtterly fayleth Therefore it commaundeth that God be of vs acknowledged and called vpon and it promiseth helpe but the whole Psalme shall be more excellent in vse if the figure of some godly Pastor or Teacher banished for the confession of hys fayth be heere represented For like as Christ in the time of his passion was not onely cruelly handled of his enemies but also forsaken of his friends falling from him for very feare so godly exiled persons doe feele both the crueltie of enemies and vnfaithfulnes of theyr owne friendes for it is most truly written by Tyrteus the Musitian Curat nemo vagos et laedere nemo veretur Non Exul curae ducitur esse Deo No man cares for the wandring wight To hurt him none dooth feare Men thinke that God forgetteth quite Poore Exiles liuing heere What then shall the godly man doe in such a case whether shall hee flee for succour Hee shall haue in minde and mouth the promises and consolations of thys Psalme The Lord preserueth them that are faithful Againe In thee O Lorde haue I put my trust let me neuer be put to confusion verse 1. That this is no vaine Rethorick we shall well prooue if in vnfained sorrow which the crueltie of enemies causeth vs and the forsaking of friends we shall call vpon God Thys our age seeth the examples of good men who being driuen from theyr abyding places for the constancie of theyr confession are meruailously defended and preserued of God Wherefore trusting in the helpe of God let vs not cast awaie our confession of the true doctrine but let vs preach the same constantlie for the glorie of God and for the saluation of our soules and let vs commende vnto God all the euents of our businesses who suffereth vs not to be ashamed but in hys righteousnesse will deliuer all them that call vpon him ⧠The Psalme and exposition thereof Verse 1. In thee ô Lorde haue I put my trust let me neuer be put to confusion deliuer mee in thy righteousnesse THere is a notable Emphasis in the particles In thy righteousnesse as if he sayd many trust in theyr money some mighty persons in the fauour of Friendes and some in theyr wisedome and righteousnes But I trust not in visible things thē which nothing is more vncertaine nor any thing more fading but all hope of welfare I doo repose in God and I craue that I may be hearde not for my righteousnes which is eyther none at all or indeede stained but for the righteousnes of God himselfe made knowne in the Law of the which the Law and the Prophets doe beare witnes And it is the righteousnes of God which the Gospell hath made knowne and Fayth apprehendeth frée remission of sinnes and the acceptation vnto life euerlasting Thys hope is not confounded but surely obtaineth deliuerance according to the purpose of God But some man wold obiect I sée not how Iohn Baptist Paule Stephen and Laurence were at all deliuered which were most cruelly slaine of Tyrants The aunswer is not difficult to such as vnderstand the doctrine of the Church concerning the causes of calamities for although they were put to death for theyr confession yet they felt ioy in theyr harts which is the ouercommer of death and their death is glorious in the sight of the Lord not onely because it setteth forth adorneth the glory of God but also because it shal haue a glorious end in the life euerlasting where God shal fully and wholie deliuer his Elect from sinne and death and shall be all in all Let therefore the obiects be discerned concerning which Hope is exercised for although eternall life is assuredlie for the Sonne of Gods sake to be looked yet notwithstanding there are other deliuerances according to the purpose of God in this life to be looked for Let vs also haue alwaies in our sight the most graue and most godly sentence which Iob in hys thirtéenth Chapter reciteth Yea though he shoulde kyll me yet will I trust in him and he shall be my Sauiour These cannot be vnderstoode of men liuing in idlenes pleasures but in vnfained sorrowe when we are assaulted as the stone with the Sea waues euery where beaten vpon Hic animis opus est opus est hic pectore firmo vincente omnia spectra quae in occulos incurrentos fidem langue-faciunt viz. Heere courage needfull is and constant hart likewise All Goblins rushing in our sight Our fayth vnfeeble for to conquer quite Verse 2. Bow downe thine eare to me make haste to deliuer mee Verse 3. And be thou my strong Rocke and the house of defence that thou maist saue me The Poet sayth Dole tantum sponte disertus eris Onely sorrowfull if thou be Thou art distressed willingly For the Prophet heere is not satis-fied with the worde Deliuer but enlargeth his Prayer with moe wordes As if hee sayd gyue not eare vnto my Prayers as though thou wert in hande with an other matter doe not deferre thy helpe but with great listening know my cause and béeing euen at the first oppressed and suffering not my deserts deliuer thou me be vnto me a well defenced forte whereunto I may safely flee for succour and wherin I may safely hyde me Verse 4. For thou art my strong Rocke my Castle bee thou also my guide leade me for thy Names sake The rule of hys prayer is borrowed out of the first precept I am the Lord thy God Exod. 20. As if the Prophet here sayd seeing thou hast made thy selfe knowne vnto vs of thy great goodnes and hast giuen vs thy word and wilt not that the same shall be extinguished preserue and defende vs that some Congregation of GOD may alwaies remaine vppon earth that there may be both Teachers and learners least doctrine be extingushed least learning doo perrish For so oft as mencion is made of Gods Name let vs comprehende the causes impulsiue and finall For
me O Lorde in thy iudgement not in thy furie least thou bring me vnto nothing verse 24. Verse 9. All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and trueth vnto such as keepe his couenaunt and his testimonies In thys most swéet little verse hee comprehendeth the summe or substance of his promises as if he sayd God is trulie mercifull and beneficiall towards his Church which embraceth the word deliuered by him and in faith of hys worde calleth vppon him and worshippeth him so S. Paule as touching the gathering of the Church from out of the Iewes and Gentiles sayth in hys 15. Chapter to the Romans Nowe I say that Iesus Christ was a Minister of the Circumscition that is of the people circumcised for the truth of God to cōfirme the promises made vnto the Fathers verse 8. And let the Gentiles prayse God verse 9. c. And to omit other testimonies of the Mercy and Truth of GOD howe greatly dooth that Prayer of Ieremie delight mee in the thirde Chapter of hys Lamentations It is the mercies of the Lord that wee are not consumed because his compassions fayle not verse 22. But to the end the phrase both in thys place els where often mentioned may be rightly vnderstoode I wyll heere make aunswere vnto the obiection of the Munckes God is gracious and mercifull vnto them that keepe his testimonies No man keepeth the testimonies of God because no man satis-fieth the Law therefore no man is loued of God I aunswer we must looke vpon the kinde or maner of y e argument vnto which the Maior apertayneth whether it be the voyce of the Lawe or in truth the saying of the Gospell bidding vs to embrace this doctrine with fayth and good conscience as the phrase is such in all the 119. Psalme euery where I haue kept thy Law Therefore the Maior is not to be vnderstoode as the Lawe speaketh of the perfit fulfilling but it is to bee vnderstood as touching the profession of the true doctrine as the Gospell speaketh in hauing fayth and a good conscience therefore to keepe the Testament of GOD and his testimonies is to embrace the doctrine deliuered from God wyth fayth and good conscience and to professe and aduaunce the same Concerning this profession such as all the godly ones haue and such as is both necessary and possible to be doth the Maior speake and the whole sentence containeth both most sweet doctrine and consolation It teacheth that they are the members of the Church who doo embrace and loue the true doctrine and not the enemies or despysers of the doctrine and he addeth a proper promise vnto the Church thus All the waies of the Lord are mercy and truth If we make manifest the Maior we must denie the Minor No man keepeth the testimonies of God yea they all doo keepe them which embrace the true doctrine with fayth and good conscience vnto all these is consolation heere sette downe to the ende they may know that they indeede are the members of the Church and that God hath care ouer them Verse 10. For thy Names sake ô Lorde be mercifull vnto my sinne for it is great Hée repeateth a principal peticion notably amplified with three circumstaunces whereof the first is a frée and meere confession of sinne The seconde a consolation in the forgiuenes of sinnes And the thirde a recitall of the causes impulsiue and finall Therefore as to that which concerneth the confession of sinne let that speech be alwaies in our sight which S. Iohn hath in hys first Epistle and first Chapter If we say that wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no trueth in vs. But if we acknowledge our sinnes God is faythful and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse verse 8.9 For GOD requireth an earnest acknowledgement and confession of sinnes and he will haue the prayse of righteousnesse and mercie attributed vnto him of righteousnes truelie in accusing and punishing sinne but of mercy in receiuing and sauing such as fall which turne and are conuerted vnto him Which things sith so they be let euery one acknowledge him selfe as a wretched person in this blindnes and securitie horribly to neglect the wrath of GOD and by many meanes to stray away from his precepts and to hurt others with many scandales and to procure punishment vnto themselues and others and that they can not vnderstand eyther the greatnes or multitude of theyr sinnes or strayings but let euery one confesse that he hath deserued present eternall punishment and with vnfeyned sorrowe let him cry Against thee onelie haue I sinned and doone this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and cleere when thou art iudged Psalm 51. verse 4. And let not feares onelie remaine in vs but let a consolation of fayth come thereunto also which beléeueth the wrath of GOD is pacified by his sonne and that for his sonnes sake our sinnes are forgiuen vs and that righteousnes and life is restored vnto vs. Let vs also ascribe vnto God in asking forgiuenes of our sinnes two causes the impulsiue and the finall The impulsiue is the vnmeasurable and true fatherly mercie wherin he will not the death of a sinner but that hee be conuerted and liue for as the Father hath compassion ouer his Children so the Lord hath mercy of them that feare him This cause dooth Esay ascribe vnto God in hys 64. Chapter and 8. and 9. verses saying thus But thou ô Lorde thou art our Father c. Be not angry ô Lorde aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer The finall cause is that the excéeding greatnesse of thy mercy may be honoured and that others which are in great feare and trembling may returne vnto thée and worshippe thée againe vnfeinedly You see then that euery worde héere hath hys propper efficacie and that in a very little verse greatest matters are included Verse 11. What man is he that feareth the Lord him shal he teache in the way that he shall chuse Verse 12. His soule shall dwell at ease and his seede shall inherite the Land Verse 13. The secrete of the Lord is among them that feare him and he will shew them his couenaunt Godlines saith S. Paule is profitable vnto all things hauing the promises of this present life and of the life to come 1. Tim. 4.8 And godlines containeth the feare of God fayth and other vertues of the first Table what be then the fruites of godlinesse The first and most necessary of all is the doctrine and gouernment in our priuate life and vocation For mans wisedom except it be gouerned by God is vnhappy according to that saying of Ieremie in his tenth Chapter I know ô Lorde that the way of man is not in himselfe neyther is it in man to walke and to direct his steppes verse 23. The other fruite is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bonorum the additions of some good things which
that God is not a Stoicall God but dooing freely that he dooth and not tyed to second causes yea that he for our sighings or sorrowes dooth moderate second causes or hinder or change them but I néede not to bring hether any more thinges touching these circumstances seeing they are at large explicated elsewhere Verse 8. Let all the earth feare the Lorde stande in awe of him all yee that dwell in the world Verse 9. For he spake and it was doone he commaunded and it stoode fast I sayde in the Argument that thys Psalme contained not onely Thanksgiuing but also doctrine touching The feare of God and Fayth in him He therfore exhorteth in this verse all mankinde and specially the Church to feare the Lorde whose power is so great that all things are by him created at his onely word euen from the beginning and that he thenceforth preserueth and gouerneth the same For as the name of Father which is attributed vnto GOD procureth vs to beleeue so the description of Gods power and Maiestie styrreth vp feare in vs. Verse 10. The Lorde bringeth the counsell of the Heathen to naught and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect and casteth out the counsels of Princes Verse 11. The counsell of the Lord shall endure for euer and the thoughts of his hart from generation to generation Hée amplifieth the power of God by an Antithesis or contrarietie the counsels enterprises of men without the helpe of God are frustrated and made voide but the will of GOD is immooueable and euerlasting All Bookes are full of the examples which confirme and sette foorth thys contrarietie They of Carthage contended for rule with the Romans a long time but all these enterprises in as much as they were not helped by God were vaine and made ridiculous and at length Carthage béeing vtterly destroyed could not any way withstande or let the Romans from obtaining the rule or gouernment of them both Nicanor the Captaine of King Antiochus did proudelie threaten the destruction of the Temple at Ierusalem but thys proude Captaine together with hys Hoste did Iudas Maccabaeus ouerthrow and causing his members both head hand and shoulder to be heawen off from the body they hanged them on the other side of Ierusalem Arbogastus Francus when he came to Millan being furnished with an Hoste of most cruell Nations barbarouslie enough threatned that he would change the Churches into stables for horses but thys seditious person did the good Emperour Theodosius ouercome in a great battell and as hee was fleeing away brought him into such a straight of perplexitie that he slew himselfe The tyme might fayle me if I would commemorate not onely auncient Histories but also the examples of our time which sufficiently doo shewe that the enterprises of wicked counsels euen for the welfare sake of Gods Church haue béene ouerthrowne and that the counsell and enterprise of GOD hath and shall remaine immooueable in the gouernement of his Church Verse 12. Blessed are the people whose God is the Lorde Iehouah and blessed are the folke that he hath chosen to him to be his inheritance Hée annexeth vnto the amplification a notable conclusion touching the Church which containeth most plentifull doctrine consolation for he teacheth which is the true Church namely the Congregation hearing and embracing the worde deliuered from God as touching the Creation and other Articles and calling vpon Iehoua the Lord of Hostes that is the true and lyuing God manifested vnto the people of Israell And hee therewith also affirmeth that the Church of God shall remaine for euer and that the preaching of the Gospell cannot be vtterly extinguished for if the Church be the inheritance of God as oftentimes it is called elsewhere no man shall be able to shake the same out of Gods hands no though he bluster out fire and lightnings But because these consolations are often repeated and are not vnknowne to the godly ones I proceede vnto the verses following Verse 13. The Lord looked downe from heauen and beheld the children of men from the habitation of his dwelling he considereth all them that dwell vppon Earth Verse 14. He facioneth all the harts of them vnderstandeth all theyr works Like as he spake before of the Creation so now hee disputeth of Gods prouidence Mans infirmitie although it doe thinke that God is the Creator yet it afterwards imagineth thereof as if the Shipwright departeth from his shyppe newe builded and leaueth the same to the gouernement of the Seamen that so God departeth from hys worke and that hys Creature is onely left to the gouernement of it selfe Thys imagination seperateth God from his Creatures and faineth him to be idle against thys filthy errour mens mindes must be taught that God highly discerneth of mankind and what manner of person euery one is what he doth what he taketh vpon himselfe with what minde with what godlines he embraceth Religion thys God beholdeth and hath regard of the godly and vngodly ones But although he supporteth the Creatures in theyr natures and substances and for a great part preserueth the order of the bodies which he hath ordained yet in hys vnspeakable mercy he moderateth many parts and eyther helpeth or hindereth second causes and oftentimes changeth them as the examples of the Miracles recited in the Propheticall and Apostolicall hystorie declareth But most often hee turneth mens wils and counsels whither it pleaseth him without second causes as when hee mooued King Alexanders minde to fight against the Persians and after that gouerned the warriours right hande or when hee made the enemies afrayde in theyr running away As the 76. Psalme sayth Hee shall refraine the Spirit of Princes and is wonderfull amongst the Kings of the earth verse 12. So let vs know that God most fréely in mens natures and wils with his wisedome mercie moderateth many things yea and that besides seconde causes But many aske the question why are euill things doone séeing God is present at his workmanshyp Touching thys question let that most true and most simple aunswere be alwaies in our sight That God doth worke most freely and freely is present at second causes moderateth many things in them and worketh at once so farre as according to his vnspeakeable wisedome he iudgeth is to be wrought at once Verse 15. There is no King that can be saued by the multitude of an hoste neyther is any mightie man deliuered by much strength Verse 16. A horse is counted but a vaine thing to saue a man neyther shall hee deliuer any man by his great strength Thys is a contrarietie betwéene Gods helpe and humane defences All things pertaining to men are vncertaine and frayle and soone fall away as little flowers but Gods helpe is assured and safe in our vocation and in our necessary businesse whether second causes doo helpe vs or that they séeme to forsake vs. Let it suffise to declare thys sentence by the example of
Common-wealthes and Schooles honest and quiet wedlocks learning and finally other helping reléefes almost innumerable for our vocation and life So often therfore as we enter into cogitation both of thys plentie and pleasure of benefits let vs say aloude with Dauid O taste see how gracious the Lord is and let vs repose all our inward cares vpon so great goodnes according to that saying of S. Peter Cast thy care vpon the Lord and he shall nourish thee 1. Peter 5 verse 7. Verse 9. O feare the Lorde yee that be his Saints for they that feare him lack nothing Thys verse containeth a precept and a promise for hee exhorteth the godly ones that they woulde liue in the feare of the Lord whereunto fayth is adioyned or rather most neere and vnto these he promiseth plenty of all things necessary and wholesome The examples of Abraham Isaack and Iacob are knowne whom God in greatest scarcitie of victuals nourished Also let there be in our sight thrée causes for which God deliuered his promises touching corporall things The first is that we imagine not these benefits are brought vs by chance but let vs beléeue that they are distributed vnto vs by the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God The seconde is that wee may know God will alwaies preserue some Congregation which will kéepe his doctrine who doubtlesse hath néede of harbourings and other helpes The thirde cause is that we may in prayer and expectation of and for such helps exercise our faith but these were wont to be more plentifully discussed vpon in the summe of Christian doctrine Verse 10. The Lyons doe lack and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want no maner of thing that is good Hée amplifieth a promise with a contrarietie the rich which lyonlike doo seaze vpon all things for themselues are oftentimes shaken out of all theyr possessions some also pine away with hunger as Pithius who was Purueyor of the victuals for Xerxes hoast is said to haue dyed with very hunger But the godly ones which seeke the Kingdome of God and hys righteousnesse are not destitute of necessary benefits for the body that is are by God nourished and defended meruailously Like as in the time of Ierusalems destruction sixe thousand of the godly ones at the forewarning and bidding of an Angell departed into the Cittie Pella within the Countrey of Decapolis and were there preserued and defended against all mens opinion So at thys day amongst so manie troubles of Germanie God preserueth the néedy and poore Congregation trusting in the Name of the Lord. Verse 11. Come yee children and harken vnto mee I will teach you the feare of the Lord. Verse 12. What man is hee that lusteth to lyue and would fayne see good daies keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speeake no guile Verse 13. Eschewe euill and doe good seeke peace and ensue it In the holy Scripture are thrée thinges specially deliueuered First doctrine touching the Articles of our faith Next vnto that consolations which are the remedies of sorrowes Last of all precepts of actions As therfore in other Psalmes sentences are sette downe touching the true acknowledgement and calling vpon God besides consolations so in thys Psalme are rules touching life and manners which shine as it were certaine precious stones and the sum of the precepts are these So runne that thou maist haue an eye to thy mark take good choyse of the meanes leading thee to the mark Let the Marke of our studies labours be the glory of God and the flourishing and peaceable state of the Church the meanes or waies leading vnto this Make let be the studies of the heauenly doctrine conioyned with the loue of righteousnesse chastitie truth and publique concorde for the safe and sure estate of the Church touching which I haue sayde cannot without these and many other vertues eyther be ordered or retained in right course The foundation of thys excellent and most beautiful estate is the swéete agréement in the true doctrine and a bitter hatred of Sophisticall or cauilling doctrine Therfore the Sonne of God Christ Iesus prayeth for the Church Father sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth John 17 verse 17. Vnto thys studie of truth let loue of vniuersall righteousnes be adioyned which is the auoyding of vices and studie of well dooing finally let vs haue such moderation of mindes that we may be able to suffer and beare with certaine inconueniences though against our wils to the end that publique concord be not thereby disquieted These most wise and most chéefely wholesome precepts are deliuered in two little verses Keepe thy tongue from euill and thy lips that they speake no guile Eschewe euill and doe good seeke peace and ensue it Verse 14. The eyes of the Lord are ouer the righteous and his eares heareth theyr prayers A most sweet promise describing the prouidence of God beholding and hearing his Church and all the godlie ones In Creete men say there was Iupiters Image made without eares which a certaine Epicure there sette vp as he signified God to be deafe and did not heare mens prayers Against these vile obscurities or absurdities Dauid confirmeth vs nay sayth he God is neyther deafe nor dumbe but séeth and heareth all things which are doone in the Church neyther is hee an idle beholder of mens matters but vnfainedlie careth for kéepeth gouerneth and defendeth his Church For it cannot be that hee which with meruailous workmanshyp made both the eye and the eare should be voide of séeing and hearing according to that saying in the 94. Psalme He that planted the eare shall he not heare or hee that made the eye shall he not see verse 9. But who be righteous that must bée learned out of the Gospell for the worde of the Gospell dooth teach we are righteous not in our owne sinceritie séeing all are sinners and haue neede of the glory of God but by imputation for the Sonne of Gods sake thys consolation must we sette against our owne vnworthines which driueth vs away from praying vnto God Verse 15. The countenaunce of the Lorde is against them that doe euill to roote out the remembrance of thē from the earth It should be too long a Catalogue if we héere recited the destinies of mightie personages which were horribly ouerthrowne and came to vtter ruine as of Hercules Achilles Aiax Iason Phillip of Macaedonia Pompey Caesar Anthonie and others innumerable the tragicall endes of these personages doo well declare thys sentence or verse The countenaunce of the Lord is against them that doe euill to roote out the memorie of them from the earth And although it may be disputed vpon why he sayth To roote out the memory of the vngodly when of truth in sacred prophane histories there are long descriptions of the vngodly ones yet notwithstanding the explication or meaning héereof is simple plain if vnto theyr vniuersall end or destruction you will apply thys forme
faithful for euer of which euerlasting kingdome Salomon sonne of the said K. Dauid was also a liuely and expresse figure as in the 45. Psalme is mentioned Such a peaceable spirituall and corporall warfare in this last age of the world hath God of his vnspeakable goodnesse grace and mercie giuen vs this many yeares in England by the preaching of the Gospell in the Halcion daies of our most sacred Saba Queene Elizabeth hearing honouring and aduauncing to our great comfort and consolation the wisedome of Christ himselfe a better then Salomon Idque sub summi Iehouae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nostro Gen. 5.1 Wherein Right Honorable wee haue manifolde and great causes in euery degree with the same our diuine Debora aswell Gouernours as all others willing persons among the people of Israell to praise the Lord of Hostes for his late most gracious victory giuen vs ouer the Spanish Sysera by sea As also with the same our humble Hester to celebrate the Lordes louing mercies with continuall remembrance of thankefulnesse for supplanting and suppressing the prowde hauty enterprises of hawty Haman domesticall so as we may say The Lord hath saued his Sion dwelling with the Daughter of Babel 2. Zach. 7. And finally with the same our ioyfull Iudith the exaltation of Hierusalem the glory of Israell and reioycing of our nation To sing a song of praise vnto the Lord of hostes for his heauenly helpe in ouercomming subuerting and vanquishing the pollicy power and practises of that Olophernes the romish Antichrist and his mischieuous members the Iesuitish Seminaries and Sectaries with such other forreine Scorpions whatsoeuer and wheresoeuer Since therefere the solace of the Lords Syon and ioy of his Hierusalem in our churches and common wealthes of England and Ireland by the gracious and omnipotent presence and preseruation of Christ himselfe the true Michael and head of his church and kingdome euerlasting enuironed with his angelicall ministers and watchmen ouer vs as this princely Prophet Dauid sweetly singeth Continueth still firme and immouable Psal 125.2 There neither is nor ought to be any member of this body no nor the meanest nor basest labourer in this Vineyard of the Lord so florishing but he is bounden by all good and dutifull industrye to bestowe his time in praying for his trauell in prospering and talent in preferring the beauty beatitude thereof to the aduauncement of Gods alone glory and continuall comfortes of the faithfull Amongest whom Right Honorable good Macenas reputing my selfe simplest of many thowsands and much bounden vnto the goodnes of God and those good benefactors which any way haue helped or healed my weake estate and supported my poore possibility both in the study of my translations and in the exercise of my pen in writing two simple shiftes in me but singular giftes in others of better countinance in the Church and common wealth Here therefore finding my selfe indebted vnto your noble bounty more thē vnto any other Benefactor whatsoeuer yet liuing I humbly craue pardon of your Honor for my long delayed duty and humbly beseech your accustomed benignity now though late to accept in good worth as in part of paiment of my debt-bounden duty long since lyable to your Honorable desertes this pittance of my poore study and pen which is my last translation intituled A proceeding in the Harmony of the princely prophet Dauids Harpe wherof a former part was dedicated to the late noble Erle of Warwicke deceased a token of my true intent as God knoweth which would painfully put in vre the performance of my bounden duty to the full satisfaction of all my honorable worshipfull and worthy good benefactors and their worthy good expectations Though my hinderances haue bin great and my infirmities are yet many Euen as the distressed wight wandering from Hierusalem to Iericho desirous to be setled at Gods good pleasure in the consolation of the faithfull till God the restorer of them that trust in him do further increase and confirme me with his grace fauour and comfort In meane time I rest humbly crauing and hartily beseeching the same omnipotent and immortall God to blesse and preserue your Honorable good Lordship with long life prosperous health increase of Honor in the earthly Syon and with the perfruition of life and ioies in the celestiall Ierusalem for euer and euer Amen London at my poore house In Saint Martins parrish by Ludgate this Thursday the 22. day of Aprill be-in S. Georges euen anno Christi 1591. Your Right Honorable good Lordships most humble and debt-bound Oratour vnto the Almighty Richard Robinson Citizen of London Rodolphi Waddingtoni decasticon in Psalmorum encomion huius operis SVnt animae morbi varij dum corpore clausa est Quae scelerum premitur colluuione graui Horum qui quaerit sibi plene dulce leuamen Hic Dauidis Psalmos nocte dieque legat Lectio Psalmorum psallit solatia vera Hinc mens fracta malis se leuat atque fouet Gratia prima Deo Dauidi sit proxima regi Strigeliusque petit ne sua laus pereat Ordine postremus Robinsonus licet extat Tu tamen O Lector viue Richarde canas PSALME XXII Deus Deus meus respice in me The Argument and disposition of the Psalme MOued I am vndoubtedly to beleeue for certaine that the doctrine comprehended in the monuments of the Prophets and Apostles is deliuered from the true God and that all other Religions striuing with the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles are fabulus and against God both blasphemous and deadly When I consider the doctrine of our Religion to be more auncient then the opinions of other Nations and to be confirmed by manifest diuine testimonies I doe also behold not without great pleasure the discent or race of our Teachers euen from Adam to the disciples of the Apostles Finally seeing by meruailous meanes the Church is preserued which beareth about thys doctrine euery where in the world and seeing that the most wisest and most modest persons had rather suffer all torments then to cast the same away I doubt not but that the Church of CHRIST thinketh rightly of God truely calleth vpon God is truely heard and shall haue her rewards in the ende But much more vehemently I am so mooued to beleeue so oft as I consider or thinke vppon the sayings of our Prophets touching the fatall or diuine mutations of y e whole world touching the perpetuall order of the gouernments thereof also touching the comming Passion and Resurrection of our Redeemer of whom GOD in the beginning before spake that he woulde sende him vnto mankinde to take away sinne and death and to restore vnto vs righteousnesse and life Amongst these prophecies which properly and plainly doe preache of CHRIST this Psalme in mine opinion hath the speciall place which with so great light of wordes and efficacie of meaning setteth before our eyes the passion and resurrection of Christ as I cannot easily beleeue
happily he fall vpon any Rocke or boorde of the broken shyp which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a boorde to swim vpon he layes all the holde thereupon that hee can and so amongst the outragious roring stormes of the North succoureth himselfe thereupon for a season So Christ in midst of the waues of his troubles and tryals embraceth consolation to himselfe wherby he establisheth and confirmeth his minde least he should faint or quaile and be ouercome of the cruell enemy And the first place of consolation is the manifestation of God But thou continuest holy when thou makest thy selfe knowne amongst vs and hast giuen thy worde vnto vs it resteth agréeable thereby that our prayer and our gronings are not in vaine nor frustrate For neither in deede vainly nor without cause hath God so oftentimes made himselfe knowne with so euident testimonies Let vs not esteeme these things to be as vaine visions and imaginations or delusions and pastimes God hath doone great and mighty matters heereby he would shewe plainly that he is carefullie affected for our saluation and he would heereby deliuer vnto vs the testimonies of his word and doctrine wherein hee imparteth vnto vs the heauenly gyfts and societie of his blessednes Finally he hath for that cause manifested himselfe so as hee would witnesse that he will both be acknowledged and called vpon and that he will also heare and saue vs. Like as therefore the Sonne of God in his most troublesome stormes or tempests hath first a respect vnto the manifestation of God as men say the Phenician Marriners espying theyr Cynosura that starre in the night guiding them in the Skyes they are of good confidence as it were to ariue in a safe Port. So let euery one of vs first and formost cast our minde and eyes vnto the notable testimonies of Gods manifestation and beeing with these confirmed let vs craue of God help and deliuerance or at least mittigation of our present calamities And where he addeth ô thou worship of Israell the studious sort may knowe that the nowne Relatiue is put for the foundation For the worship of Israell in this place signifieth the same people or congregation praysing and worshipping God with a true hart And what may be thought more sweete then that we surely know that the Congregation is the Temple of God wherin God dwelleth and abideth as in the 2. Cor. cap. 6. it is written You are the Temple of the liuing God as God saith because I will dwell in them and will walke amongst them and I will be their God they shall be my people And Christ saith most swéetly If any man loue me he will keepe my worde and my father will loue him and we will come and make our dwelling with him Iohn 14. verse 23. Verse 4. Our Fathers hoped in thee they trusted in thee thou didst deliuer them Verse 5. They called vpon thee and were holpen they put theyr trust in thee and were not confounded The second place of consolation is héere brought from an example of the societie of our Fathers wherein are deliuerances many and meruailous sette downe and left vs and that I may omitte the rest which almost are innumerable who would not by good right meruaile at the most ioyfull ende or conclusion of those calamities which Ioseph that most holy young man patiently suffered For first hee was taken awaie from his Parents cherishing which he held most entire and most deerely loued after that vpon a false suspition of adulterie hée was cast into pryson In these inconueniences which are not slenderly to be accounted vpon doubtlesse Ioseph craued of God nothing more then that béeing deliuered from false accusation he might safely and soundly be restored into his natiue Countrey But most true is the saying of S. Paul Eph. 3 God can giue all things more aboundantly then we eyther can hope or can conceiue in our mindes Verse 20. For Ioseph was aduaunced with such glory that he reteyned that place which was the next or second vnto the Royall principallitie of Egipt Vpon this example and such like Christ heere nowe looking was stirred vppe and conceiueth some consolation For Gods will was there should a memoriall of such like déedes remain to the end the Church might aske and looke for of him the like deliueraunces Verse 6. But as for me I am a Worme and no man a verie scorne of men and the outcast of the people Verse 7. All they that see me laugh me to scorne they shout out theyr lips and shake theyr heads saying The sixt little verse reciteth a complaint which declareth that the godly are exercised in a certaine perpetuall turmoyle and enterchange of temptations and consolations Marie felt in herselfe a ioy not common when shee hearde the Angels Sheepheards and Wisemen make mention and witnes that which they had séene and hearde of Christ the infant but thys ioy within a while after was diminished whē she vnderstood of the subtill deceipts which were layd by Herod for Christ And euen so heere now in Christ great is the varietie of his motions or affects for although he before recited two notable consolations wherein he both might and ought to settle his mind yet notwithstanding he is ouercome with the greatnes of the sorrow and once againe falles to complayning But hee maketh aunswere by way of examples shewing the difference which was betwéene him and the rest of the Fathers As if he sayde they were men but I am no man but a worme Thys humilitie wherin Christ vouchsafed for our sakes to debase and abiect himselfe exceedeth all wisedome and eloquence of Angels and of men For although Christ was in forme of God that is in nature and power equal with God yet he vsurped not this equalitie of God namely against his calling but as S. Paule most wisely saith He humbled himselfe in the shape of a seruaunt Phil. 2.7 And although the greatnes of these things cannot be comprehended of vs yet let vs render thankes vnto the Sonne of GOD that he is carefully mooued for our saluation and that he manifested thys hys vnspeakeable humility loue towards vs in thus suffering for our sake The other parts of thys sixt and seauenth verse may enough be vnderstoode out of the History left vnto vs in the wrytings of the Apostles Wherefore I come to the next verse wherein there is a poysonfull deadly byting taunte of the vngodly High Priestes and their companions insulting against Christ Verse 8. He trusted in God that he would deliuer him let him deliuer him if he will haue him The eyght little verse is a byting taunte of the reprochfull crew of the Iewish Nation as if they said goe to thou goodly Champion seeke nowe to saue both thy selfe and vs And as the vngodly Iewish people did spitefully reuile the Sonne of GOD so Epicures doo in all ages scorne and mocke at Christian Religions or
be gouerned by him and defended against the deuill least that wee shoulde be drawne headlong into such like furies The other verses which pertaine to the declaration are more largely expounded in the Historie of the Gospell Verse 19. But be not thou farre from mee ô Lord thou art my succour haste thee to helpe me Verse 20. Deliuer my soule from the sword my darling from the power of the dogge Verse 21. Saue mee from the Lyons mouth thou hast heard mee also from among the hornes of the Vnicornes These three last verses doo rehearse a prayer amplified by mentioning the dangers wherein he was then distressed The seconde part of the xxij Psalme touching the Resurrection of CHRIST Verse 22. I will declare thy Name vnto my Bretheren in the midst of the Congregation will I prayse thee LIke as Lucius Aemilius Paulus who was called the Conquerour of Greece the Macaedonian warres within a few daies most speedilie and most happily finished was carried with tryumph into the Cittie and mounting vppe to the Capitoll rendred his thanks vnto the Gods for his affaires well exployted So our Captaine and Sauiour Christ by the power of GOD béeing raysed vp from death to life and now making his tryumph ouer the multitude of his enemies gaue thankes not vnto Iupiter as Aemilius did but vnto his Eternall Father who had crowned him with the glorious victorie which is beneficiall vnto the Church That benefite he promiseth to retaine in perpetuall memory and to celebrate the same with a thankfull hart vnto all eternitie But therwith also he describeth the chiefe effect of his resurrection he affirmeth that he is againe raised from death to life not to the end he should be idle or thenceforth not to be busied in any good worke or that he should boast himselfe onely of his wisedom and power and so hold for most assured that he should alwaies remaine in most great and eternall pleasures but he sayth expresly that he is risen for this cause to the ende hee may gather vnto God hys Church by the ministery of the Gospell which may praise and worship him in the life euerlasting This then is the speciall effect of his Resurrection namely the gathering of his Church which comes to passe by the ministery of the Gospell which the Apostles dispersed or published throughout the whole worlde So in an other place it is sayd Thus it behooued Christ to suffer and to rise againe the third day and that in his Name repentance and remission of sinnes should be preached among all Nations beginning at Ierusalem Luke 24. verse 46.47 Truly héere is sette before vs a manifold consolation The Sonne of GOD affirmeth that hee will preach the Gospell yea though the worlde repine and repugne the same and that he will publish another doctrine besides the Law Hée wyll therefore preserue the Ministery and these studies and learning and hée alloweth the endeuours of them which preach the Gospell Let vs comfort our selues with thys consolation so often as wee doo consider the daungers of the Church though fatall punishments oppresse the worlde for theyr Idolatries Epicuriall furies lustes other mischiefes which are innumerable yet sure and certaine it is that the Church of God shall remaine which amidst the thickest of the enemies shall preach the worde of the Gospell of Christ And neyther will Christ suffer that at any time the knowledge of him shall be vtterly forgotten of men but hee himselfe wil execute the Office of teaching like as in this place hee sayth I wyll declare thy Name vnto my Bretheren in the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee But euen in these selfe words there is deliuered vs a most swéete doctrine touching the efficacie of the Gospell preached by miserable and weake persons The world iudgeth the Gospell to be a deceiuable doctrine and derideth her Ministers as it were vnprofitable bablers which goe about to take quite away the chiefe strengthes of humane societie from amongst men but these prophane iudgements Christ dooth heere confute yea saith he I my selfe will preache and will bring to passe that the Ministers shall not be discouraged with vnprofitable contention but that the Ministerie of the Gospell shall indeede be the power of saluation to all that beleeue Although therefore the Ministers are in trueth but Earthen vessels yet sure it is that theyr preaching is effectuall and shall profit manie men Hetherto also approcheth the thyrd consolation which the most swéet phrase Brother setteth before vs. I wil declare thy name vnto my bretheren I pray you what may be more swéetly thought or spoken then that Christ calleth all men his Brethren which heare learne and embrace the Gospell And that Christ indéede doth loue vs with a brotherly loue that doth hys taking of humane nature vpon him declare For that he might ioyne vs in a most néere bonde with hym hee became fleshe of our flesh and bone of our bones as Paule sayth Heb. 2. ver 24 Thys taking and knytting of our nature is a testimonie of a great loue towards vs. But the Passion of Christ declareth thys effect much more euidently wherein hee suffered punishment due to the righteousnes of GOD and fully paid y e raunsome for vs. For it was his good pleasure to redéeme and reduce vs which were oppressed with most gréeuous mischiefes as sinne death into our auncient dignitie and former liberty Héereby it appeareth that there is no such loue of any brother towards hys naturall Brother as is the feruent loue of Christ towards vs whereunto he giueth the name of brother So often therefore as thou beginnest to pray and that thy vnworthinesse hindereth thee be thou turned in minde thought vnto thys little verse of Christ wherin he expresly calleth Beléeuers his Bretheren For sithence he is our Brother and loueth vs most feruently let vs not doubt but that we are receiued and heard though vncleane and manifoldly guilty we be yet for the intercession and prayer which our Brother maketh for vs and neyther is there any thing so surely layd vp in the vnmeasurable treasure of Gods goodnes and mercy which hee will not willingly bring foorth and fréely partake with thys when he is requested of this High Priest and Mediator whom the name of a Brother maketh not abashed nor ashamed Wherefore in all our lyfe long in all our dangers and in our daily prayers let vs thinke vppon this most swéet name Brother and inculcate the same to our mindes that wee may surely beleeue our Brother sitting at the right hand of our Father will helpe vs and bestow vpon vs present and eternal benefits Let it suffise to haue héere bréefely thus much noted of these words because the greatnesse of the matters cannot be conceiued in words Verse 23. O prayse the Lorde yee that feare him magnify him all yee the seede of Iacob and let all the seede of Israell feare him Before Christ raysed from death to life directed
of prayer for our vnworthinesse murmureth against vs and endeuoureth what it may to driue away fearefull mindes from praying Against this fearefulnesse wee must oppose the voice of the Gospell which affirmeth that though yet defiled we are assuredly notwithstanding freely receiued for the Sonne of Gods sake But the promise is amplyfied by adding thereunto the Antithesis Such as transgresse without cause shall be put to confusion that is hypocrits and others shall be confounded which haue confidence in theyr owne wisedome righteousnes and power and mooue or stirre vp eyther vniust or vnnecessary matters Verse 3. Shew me thy waies ô Lorde and teache mee thy pathes Verse 4. Leade me forth in thy truth and learne me because thou art the God of my saluation in thee hath been my hope all the day long Howe necessary this prayer is the furies of Epicures doo well shewe the dotages of the Stoicks Academicall dubitations and other infinite errours also manifest the same wherwith mans minde is intangled except it be gouerned wyth the word of God and with the holy Ghost A great number of men there is which imagine that GOD is nothing The Stoicks doo tye GOD vnto seconde causes or meanes and say that he can doo none other wise then euen as second causes doo mooue The Academicks doe defend a distrust or doubting in Religion and matters diuine Finally the furies of Heretiques are so great in varietie that no man is able to comprehend them either in thought or expresse them in words We therefore thinking vpon these monsters of opinions let vs be afraid to fall into them let vs bewaile mans blindnesse and boldnes and let vs pray vnto God that he woulde gouerne vs with his light so that wee wander not a wrong way from the truth Verse 5. Call to remembrance ô Lord thy tender mercies and thy louing kindnesse which hath beene euer of olde Now he teacheth plainly with what confidence hee may come vnto GOD although I knowe my selfe to be vniust and haue deserued punishment yet I flée for succour vnto thy mercy and doo beleeue I am receiued for the Mediators sake promised vnto the Fathers and sent at the time appointed Truely thou mightest iustly haue destroyed our first Parents after theyr fall euen as thou destroyedst Sodom and the Townes neere the same but thy hart relented in thee and thy pittifull mercie enflamed thee that thou didst not exexcute y e fury of thy displeasure because thou art God Which art not delighted in our destruction neither wilt thou the death of a sinner but that he may be conuerted and liue With the same mercy thou sauedst Noah in the Deluge and reuokedst Abraham from errour and Idolatrie broughtest the people out of Egipt and finally hast mercifully receiued Aaron and others innumerable which haue horribly fallen Séeing therefore euen from the beginning thou hast set foorth thy free promise touching remission of sinnes to be gyuen vs by thy mercy and hast by very many examples witnessed that thou receiuest them which embrace that promise I doo earnestly beséech thee that of thy vnspeakeable mercie thou wouldest also receiue me into thy fauour for the promised Lord and Sauiour his sake Verse 6. Oh remember not the sinnes and offences of my youth nor my transgressions but according to thy mercie thinke thou vpon mee ô Lorde for thy goodnesse Thys principall peticion in all the Psalme is to be dilligently considered of not onely so that our carnall securitie and hipocrisie which maketh sin séeme little myght be amended but also that the greatnes of Gods mercy might be looked vpon The sinne of his youth he calleth all that weight of sinne which as children borne we bring with vs darknes of mind a contrariety of will from God and a contumacie or disobedience of hart Transgressions hee vnderstandeth to be actuall sinnes which are partly voluntary and partly not voluntarie also sinnes of ignoraunce and negligence these so great misdéedes dooth he craue to be forgiuen him and to be blotted out of all memory by the immense and vnspeakeable goodnes and mercy of GOD. But seeing the whole place as touching sinne is els where often repeated I will stay no longer in thys verse but I will bring the Reader to consider the sum of thys doctrine Verse 7. Gracious and righteous is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way Verse 8. Them that be meeke shall he guide in iudgement and such as be gentle them shall he learne his way How excellent and swéet a vertue graciousnes or goodnes is the sayings of Menander declare Bonus vir est commune bonum A good man is a common blisse Also Quam dulce temperamentum est copulatic bonitatis et prudentiae How sweet a mixture may that be Where goodnes with wisedom ioynd we see The example of thys most excellent vertue is most notably seene in GOD who as Christ sayth suffereth the sun to shine both vpon the good and the euill and sendeth rayne on the iust and vniust Math. 5. verse 45. And not that indeed onely but also of his owne frée will offereth vs reconciliation and with a certaine aboundance of his goodnes requireth vs to come into fauour with him and asketh no satis-faction of vs for our offence but would haue his Sonne to pay that raunsome But least any man thinke that these things in respect of their greatnesse are fayned or dissembling let him heare how S. Paule speaketh 2. Cor. 5. Now then are we Ambassadours for Christ as though God did beseech you by vs wee pray you in Christes steade that ye be reeonciled to God verse 20. For he made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sin that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him verse 21. But so great is the force of Gods gracious goodnes that it can neyther be conceiued in mind neyther may it be vttered with mans speech Neyther is he onely gracious but also iust that is equall according to one rule which he hath sette downe for as he reprehendeth and accuseth all men without exception by the voyce of the Lawe so he receiueth all men without partiality according to the frée and vniuersall promise of his Gospell Come vnto me sayth he all yee which labour and are loden and I will refresh you Math. 11.28 And although by the ministry of the Lawe and the Gospell hee teacheth sinners which are curable and also by punishments which are admonishers and publishers of sinne yet in all these he is faithfull and suffereth vs not to be tempted aboue our strength but giueth an ende with temptation that wee may be able to beare the same So hee not onely with Nathans speech rebuked Dauid but for a certaine season tooke his kingdome from him and hauing chastened him in his iudgement restored him into his kingdom For iudgement is opposed against furie and signifieth mitigation of paynes which we haue deserued as Ieremie in hys tenth Chapter sayth Correct
He might praise the Lord in the Congregations This cause must wee dilligentlie consider for God will haue the Ministery of the Gospell to be publique hée will not haue it in corners as to haue the preaching of the Gospell shut vppe so to be kept onely as the ceremonies of the Goddesse Ceres were but he will haue y e same to be heard of all mankinde hee will haue himselfe to be acknowledged and called vpon Therefore will he haue honest and publique méetings to be and amongst these will he haue the voice of the Gospell to sounde hée wil haue himselfe there to be worshipped and called vpon And he will haue those same méetings or Congregations to be witnesses of the seperating of the Church of GOD from the Sects of other Nations factions and opinions ⧠A Psalme of Dauids thanksgiuing after deliueraunce Dominus illuminatio mea c. The Argument ALthough there be a great varietie of motions in thys Psalme perceiued yet the principall Prayer is that the Prophet Dauid might be and remaine a member of the true Church and that hee might neuer be excluded from the number of the children of GOD. Thys benefit hee craueth of God neyther in vaine nor rashly but hath great iust causes of most feruent prayer For it is most sure that without the Church which God in the beginning both called and created by promise sette foorth touching his Sonne there is no saluation For like as without the Arke of Noah in the Deluge there were none saued vpon the earth so without this Congregation which embraceth the Gospell there are no heyres of eternall fellowship with God as the heauenly sentences doe often affirme and as S. Paule saith Whom he hath chosen those hee hath called Rom. 8. verse 30. Seeing therfore it is the cheefe benefite of man to be a fellow of thys company which shal haue life and ioy euerlasting and shall enioy the felowship of God it is the part of a godly minde and of one that thinketh of hys saluation to seeke which is the true Church that hee may ioyne himselfe thereunto in minde will and confession that he may be part of thys Congregation and flocke of Christ and that he may vtterly eschewe the enemies of the true doctrine and of the true Church like as in the former 26. Psalme is said I haue hated the Congregation of the wicked verse 5. But the true Church is discerned frō other sects by the preaching of the true doctrine and by the lawful vse of the Sacraments and what the voice or preaching of the true doctrine is the writings Proheticall and Apostolicall doe shew wherin there is no doubtfull doctrine as touching the foundation that is touching the Articles of our fayth touching the essence and will of God touching the Redeemer the Law the promises vse of the Sacraments and the Ministerie But which what manner a one and where the Church is in another place els where more plentifully is explaned ⧠The Psalme and exposition thereof Verse 1. The Lord is my light and my saluation whom then shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid Verse 2. When the wicked euen mine enemies my foes came vpon me they stumbled and fell Verse 3. Though an hoaste of men were laide against mee yet shall not mine hart be afraid and though there rose vp warre against me yet will I put my trust in him EVen as the Painter Tymanthes could not describe Agamemnons countenaunce beholding the sacrifice of his Daughter Iphigenia so no phrase of spéech can display the feruencies of fayth vanquishing feares tremblings but in some sort let vs consider the conflict and victorie of Fayth The Lord saith he is my light that is my comforter for as Michaeas sayth When I sitte in the darknes the Lorde is my light Chap. 7. verse 8. Then heere saith Dauid further my saluation and the strength of my life That is I am enuironed with thy necessary strength and saluation I doo not feare any rage or power of mine enemies for as S. Paule sayth If God be on our side who can be against vs Rome 8.31 These victories or conquests are vnderstoode of the godlie ones which are acquainted with exercises of fayth for although our harts doo naturally tremble so oft as dangers fall vppon vs yet notwithstanding faith striueth 〈◊〉 the vtmost out of feares and conquereth the deuill and the world O blessed are they vnto whom this victory is giuen by our Lord Iesus Christ O wretched are they vppon whom the deuill shall tryumph Let vs therefore craue of God a simple and vnfeyned fayth which is the vanquisher of the deuill the world Verse 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord which I wil require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lorde all the daies of my life to beholde the faire beautie of the Lord and to visite his holy Temple This is a principall proposition of this Psalme as I haue said in the Argument for he maketh a notable difference betweene the godly ones and the vngodly ones The vngodlie ones desire nothing more gréedily then riches and wealth as Midas in Ouid saith Effice quicquid corpore contigero fuluum vertatur in aurum Graunt that what with body touch I shall May into glittering gold be turned all But Dauid and all the godly ones with most feruent prayer and with all theyr whole hart doo craue of God the society as well of the calamities as of the benefits which the Church hath and doo more desire and earnestly wish rather to bee doore keepers in the house of the Lorde then to dwell in the Courts of the vngodly ones where vaine ambition beareth sway and vaine glory full fraight with dissimulation So touching Moses the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrues Chap. 11. sayth By fayth Moses when he was come to age refused to be called the Sonne of Pharaos Daughter ver 24. For hee preferred the exercise of calamities amongst the people of God farre beyond the brittle and fraile shadowes of pleasures iudging the reproch for Christes sake to be greater wealth then the treasures of Egipt therewith beholding the recompence or reward of these miseries in the worlde to come Let vs knowe that these examples of great persons are sette forth for vs to follow Although therfore we are in truth a néedy and poore Congregation yet with this firme and perpetuall consolation let vs molifie these our miseries That we doe dwell in the house of the Lord and are as Paule in the second Chapter to the Ephesians saith Of the housholde of God and Cittizens with the Saints verse 19. To mée truely nothing séemeth may be more gloriouslie said or thought as touching the members of the true Church then this saying of Paule agréeing with the saying of thys Psalme viz. One thing haue I required c. Furthermore he calleth The will of the Lord
with vs as wyth guiltie persons and thys mercy he will haue to be so assured vnto vs as Esay sayth The Mountaines shall remooue and the Hylles shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neyther shall the couenaunt of my peace fall away sayth the Lord that hath compassion on thee Chap. 54. ver 10. That is to say although all that is in the worlde shoulde vtterly perrish yet know thou that this my promise touching the Mediator shall remaine firme and stablished and therefore doo thou by fayth embrace the same and with thys consolation support thy selfe yea though many offences and many confusions of humane things with diuers temptations oppugne and assault thy fayth Neyther is there any guile in hys Spirite That is where the acknowledgement and confession of sinne is where acknowledgment of the mercy of GOD and promised free reconciliation is holding fast by fayth the forgiuenesse of sinne in such a hart there is no hypocrisie dissembling sinne or arrogating righteousnes vnto it selfe For the first place or principall proposition containeth two partes namely that all men are vnder sinne also a promise that God will forgiue sinne For if we be iust not for our worthinesse or merits but by God not imputing sinne and by him forgiuing sinne it ought to be a thing most euident that all men haue sinne and that God is able to impute sinne vnto al men therefore the summe of the first place of this Psalme is we are so reputed iust when wee acknowledge and confesse our selues to haue sinne and doo beléeue that our sinnes are forgiuen vs by Gods mercy for Christes sake This sentence doo not onely the sayings of the Scripture confirme but also the confessions of the godly Fathers for so S. Ierome in his Dialogue against Pelagius the Heretique sayth Then are wee iust when wee confesse our selues to be sinners and that our righteousnesse commeth not of our own desert but of the mercie of God And S. Augustine whom Prosperus citeth sayth Our righteousnes although it bee true for the true end of good wherunto it is referred yet such it is in thys life that it rather is apparant in remission of our sinnes then in the perfection of our vertues The second place THE second place is Dauids confession shewing an example of the proponed speech Thys confession is amplified with a discription of horrible feares and humblings touching which Ezechias the King sayd Like a Lyon hath he broken all my bones Verse 3. For while I helde my tongue my bones consumed away through my daily complaining Like as Minos the Iudge remooued the pitcher so God by laying punishments vpon vs namely with the feeling of his wrath expresseth vnto vs the confession of sinne And confession is to acknowledge sinne and to craue and beléeue to haue forgiuenesse thereof Contrariwise to be silent is to feele sin and not to craue or beleeue frée remission of sinne but to remaine in doubting and in feares or to seeke for consolation by our works lyke as some by Monckeries others by works doo seeke it Where he addeth My bones were consumed he meaneth his bones the feeling of sinne which the Lawe of God worketh in our harts or mindes to be consumed away For by thys féeling of Gods wrath against sinne the courage and strength of the body is quailed and wonderfully afflicted as in suddaine dangers of death and in other great sorrowes we sée by experience Touching thys breaking or consuming of bones reade Doctor Luthers exposition vpon the 51. Psal Verse 4. For thy hande is heauie vppon me day and night Hée expoundeth the cause from which these feares and humblings vnspeakeable doo rise for y e hand of God is mightie vnto both eyther to humble or to exalte according to that saying of Peter Humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God that he may exalt you in time conuenient 1. Pet. 5.6 Great is the sorrowes which the bodies eyther slaine wyth sworde or torne in peeces with beastes doo feele but nothing are the most cruell tormentings of the bodie if they be compared with true feares and sorrowes of the minde which ryse by feeling the wrath of God and which are elsewhere often described in the Psalmes For how much more the force of the minde excelleth that of the body so much more greeuous are those things felt in the minde then in the body Idem And my moysture is like the drought in Summer Like as before he compared hys vnspeakeable sighes and grones vnto the roaring of Lyons which when all wilde Beastes doo heare they tremble with feare so nowe with a most pleasant figure hee describeth the faintnesse or languishing of hys hart for as in the Sommer season all things are parched and the fennie places are dryed vp with heate so the word Laschad that is the radicall humor by feeling the wrath of God is withered and scorched For the hart in great sadnesse is dryed vp and scorched as the Marques Câ—ssimiros his hart béeing taken out of his bodie when he was deade men say it was like vnto a dry Peare Neyther indeede can I deliuer you a more notable description of sadnes then that which is extant in the wrytings of Phisicke sadnes therefore is a motion of the hart wherewith the hart beeing striken with some contrary misliking is constrained pressed trembleth and languisheth with a sharpe feeling of sorrowe and except the sadnes surcease at length the hart béeing dryed vp vtterly perrisheth Thys vexation or torment is ordained for vs that both the feare of future euill might restraine vs and sadnesse for the euill past shoulde be a reuenger and the punishment for offences and the witnesse of Gods iudgement Verse 5. I will knowledge my sinne vnto thee and I wyll not hyde mine vnrighteousnes Verse 6. I sayd I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne After a large and lightsome description of hys feares now followeth a repeticion and declaration of the principall proposition so man obtayneth remission of sinne when he confesseth his sinne and craueth frée remission for the promise of Gods sake Thys is a swéete and firme consolation truely beginning in our hart life euerlasting which affirmeth that we haue forgiuenesse assuredly yea though wee bring no merits with vs but thys same very groning acknowledging sinne and crauing forgiuenesse of sinne For seeing thys Psalme perspicuously treateth of the frée forgiuenesse of sinnes alwaies let vs beare about with vs in our minde and hart thys doctrine and consolation and let vs exercise the same in daily prayer and repentance which wheÌ„ wee shall doo the proper and natiue meaning of the Psalme shall be more excellent in vs. Verse 7. For thys shall euery one that is godly make hys prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayst be founde Hée trans-ferreth or applieth the example of the manner of iustification that is of the confession of sinne