of God doth most abhorre and detest dissimlation most odious to God Hypocrisie an enemie to faith a dissimulation in his seruice neither is there any vice so opposite to true faith as Hypocrisie for faith lodgeth in the heart Hypocrisie in the countenance faith studies to please God Hypocrisie seekes to please men saith is liuely and constant Hypocrisie as a faâ—ling leafe fadeth incontinently So that there is no societie betwixt faith and Hypocrisie Simil. more then betwixt a painted fire hauing neither light and heat and a true fire hauing both and a shadow the body And as the painting of an Harlots face will soone melt before the fire when the natiue and naturall colour of an honest woman will not change so will counterfeit feinednesse soone evanish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fained thing cannot be firme and solid Nazian De funere patris Math 23.27 Our Sauiour Christ accounteth them to be as painted tombes who haue a goodly shew before men but within are full of dead mens bones they haue a shew of life although they be dead Simil. Were he not to be accounted a foole that hauing nothing but a shew of Merchandise would giue himselfe out for a rich Merchant The sinne of Witchcraft and Idolatrie are two great sinnes but Hypocrisie is more dangerous then both we haue heard of many thousand Papists and Idolaters who haue beene reclaimed and turned to God confesse it what great errors they had beene also many Witches at their death haue renounced their Master the Diuell But seldome haue I read that Hypocrites haue repented when our Sauiour who neuer brake a brused reed thundered woes Math 23.13.14.15 He cryed woe vnto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites and when hee denounced iudgement he said whose portion is with Hypocrites To be short let no man thinke that remission of sinnes can be separate from holinesse and sanctification Remission of sinnes ioyned with holinesse for they are borne together as two twinnes and liue together yea the one cannot liue without the other how canst thou thinke from thine hart that thine sinnes are pardoned vnlesse heartily thou hate sinne for which thou hast repented then wee may say that those get pardon for their sinne who feele their sinnes and feeling doe hate and flie from them flying from them with all the force of their heart are caried to a contrarie vertue being made free from sinne wee are the seruants of righteousnesse Rom 6.18 Ibid. 8.1 There is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after the flesh but after the spirit God loueth sincerily in a Christian Ioh 1.47 But we haue deepely to consider that in all our religion the Lord loueth nothing so much as sinceritie Behold a true Israelit in whom there is no guile Hee doth not looke to the measure of thy repentance faith or loue but to the vprightnesse therof Louest thou me louest thou me Ioh 21.15 Psal 51.6 louest thou me sayth our Sauiour to Peter He craueth the truth in the inward parts Simil Men loue not false gold rotten stuffe or any superficial matter what so euer and we alas care not to carrie about with vs a counter feited religion Let vs trie our selues therefore whither we be in the faith or not God cannot be deceiued The Papists take from this text some occasion of stumbling for they would make a part of righteousnesse to be Christs another to be ours that which commeth from Christ is ours by imputation ours againe to be inherent because he sayth in whose heart there is no guile But they confound iustification with the effects thereof Answer to the Papists opposing the spring to the fountaine not driuing them from it So is the righteousnesse of Christ the fountaine of all our happinesse Et causa regni and the cause of the kingdome and if there be any dropps of righteousnesse in vs they spring from that fountaine Et sunt viaregnandi and they are the way by which we must attaine to that kingdome and say with the Apostle That Christ is made our righteousnesse Albeit wee be of our selues vnrighteous 1 Cor. 1.30 yet by him we are made righteous albeit wee are not able to pay the debt our selues yet seeing Christ hath payed it for vs we are freed For as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners Rom 5.19 so by the obedience of one many shall bee made righteous By which wee are euidently taught that by Christs righteousnesse we are righteous before God I will not glory because I am righteous but because I am redeemed Ambros de Iarâ—et vita beata lib 1. cap. 6. not by reason I am voyde of sin but because my sinnes are pardoned not because I haue done good or receiued good from others but because Christ my aduocate is with the father interceding for me for his bloud was powred forth for me Indeed the Saints of God yea the best of vs all cannot purge our selues of Hypocrisie neither doe we sincerely serue our God as we ought to doe but one thing we know that we haue a displeasure within our selues for it and doth it not willingly which spirituall sight God pardons in his Saints The marks by which yee shall know whether yee be sincere in Gods seruice or no 3 Markes to try our sinceritie are these 1. First if yee haue an vpright indeuour to approue your selues to God in all things seeking not to please men but him who seeth the heart we care not to be iudged of men we stand and fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God 1 Thes 2.4 1 Sam 15.30 desired Samuel to honour him before the people 2. Secondly a sincere heart hateth all sinne specially his owne sinne and troubleth himselfe little in amplifying other mens sinnes but very narrowly and sharpely will taxe himselfe and will call himselfe with S. Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 The greatest of all sinners 5. Thirdly a sincere Christian professeth religion for the loue of the same and for no other respect and loueth good men for no other cause but for their godlinesse where as Hyprocrites may doe both outwardly for some worldly respect either of a benefit or credit which they may purchase by these meanes I pray God therefore that all of vs may remoue from our hearts this vale of Hypocrisie and dissimulation in Gods seruice that we may studie to approue our selues to God in the sight of Christ in all integritie and singlenesse of minde to the ende that all our seruice may be acceptable to him VERSE 3. When I helde my tongue my bones consumed or when I roared all the day The second part of the Psalme YEe haue heard the Proposition of the Psalme concerning the true happines of man consisting in the remission of his sinnes now followeth the confirmation thereof by his owne example which is the
to binde Sampson Iudg. 16.21 when hee was spoiled of the marke of Gods presence in his head so one sin not repented for is able to carry any person headlong to destruction Finally 4 Mark Constancy Hosea 13.3 let thy repentance be constant not as the dew of the morning or the morning cloud but the longer thou liuest thou must euer haue the greater remorse for thy sin The ships are in greatest hazard when they ride in shallow waters Simil. and are most sure in deepest places Psal 130.1 according to that of Dauid Out of the deepe places I cried vnto thee And as quicke springs send forth continuall waters both Winter Summer Simil. whereas the filthy dubs are dried vp wanting a quicke spring So is true repentance euer mourning and boyling our teares when the counterfeit dries vp sodainly by the heat of their affections The Argument of the PSALME Diuision generall THe Sixt Psalme is first in order of the Seuen containing a Preface and the Psalme it selfe The Preface containes the Author Dauid and the musicall Instruments and persons to whom it is concredit to be sung Dauid was a chiefe sinner who not onely sinned in his person but by his example made Gods name to be euill spoken of now he becomes a chiefe mourner for his offences committed The Title Musicke lawfull HE commits this Psalme to the Master of Basses and Tenors to bee sung by these tunes which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vndermost and middle Ye see by this that Musicke hath euer beene lawfull and esteemed among the Saints of great vertue to stir vp the affections of men 1 Sam. 16.23 2 Reg. 3.15 The Harpe of Dauid banished the euill spirit from Saul Elisha craued a Minstrill to remoue his anger yea it is alledged that by the sound of Musicke the Delphine is moued it is very commendable if it be rightly vsed for it is not onely meet to stir vp the affectiōs to ioy but also to prouoke them to mourning for so heauie is our nature that it craueth helps and suppliments which may further vs to the seruice of God where by the contrary is force enough in nature to prouoke it to euill for this cause hee commits it to the Base and Tenor. Musicke praised To conclude this point let no man contemne Musicke seeing it is magnified in heauen amongst the Angels the aire is replenished with infinite varietie of tunes and notes the earth should imitate Angels and not bee inferiour to birds but be stirred vp to praise God yea and in hell there shall be sung that blacke Basse the shouts of wicked men who shall be forced to crie Psal 145.17 The Lord is iust in all his iudgements The Diuision Diuision particular THE Psalme hath two parts a Praier and a Triumph after Praier The praier hath two parts a deprecation of euill in the first three verses and a desire of deliuery in the next foure The Triumph and perswasion of obtaining his suit in the three last The Vse The vse of this psalme THIS Psalme serues for all persons who are either troubled in mind or diseased in their bodies or are persecuted by the wicked If they peruse this Psalme they shall find medicine to remedie and cure all VERSE 1. Verse 1 O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise mee in thy wrath Doctr. 1 O LORD Dauid being heauily vexed hath his refuge to God In our afflictions we must looke to God and not to secondary causes whose hands hee felt vpon him whereby hee would learne vs not to set our eye vpon the instrument which afflicteth vs or the mid causes which deale with vs but let vs looke higher than those to that Primum mobile the eternall God the first mouer of them all without whose speciall aduice and determination the Deuill himselfe is not able to cause the least haire of our head fall to the ground * For al are numbred Mat. 10.30 2 Sam. 16.11 12.23 Iob 1.21 which Dauid considered wel when Shemei railed at him in saying The Lord hath sent him the like he thought at the death of his child This Iob acknowledged when in his great distresse he looked to God and said Wee haue receiued good things at his hand why not euill also the Lord hath giuen the Lord hath taken blessed bee the name of the Lord. Whereby wee are taught Vse that when wee are wounded To goe to God for helpe in our distresses Doctr. 2 Praier is our wings to flie to God in our affliction Cant. 2.14 Simil. we may goe to one who shall cure vs euen him who hath heaued vs vp and cast vs downe againe Next Dauid being in distresse runnes to Prayer for Prayer is the wings wherewith we must flie to the mountaine of God in our tribulations to hide our selues in his Rocke as a Doue from the violence of the Hauke which pursueth vs yea oftentimes God sendeth vs afflictions to the end we may be prouoked to prayer Rebuke me not God hath two meanes by which hee reduceth his children to obedience 2. meanes by which Gods brings vs to obedience 1. His word 2. His Rod. Mark 2.17 Psal 141.5 If we refuse to bee ruled by gods word then God will not faile to correct vs with his Rod. Mat. 26.46 his word by which he rebukes them and his rod by which he chastiseth them The word precedes admonishing them by his seruants whom he hath sent in all ages to call sinners to repentance of the which Dauid himselfe saith Let the righteous rebuke me and as a Father doth first rebuke his disordered child so doth God speake to them But when men neglect the warnings of his word then God as a good Father takes vp the rod and beats them Our Sauiour wakened the three disciples in the garden three times but seeing they could not waken he told them that Iudas and his band was comming to awaken them whom his own voice could not waken Many contemne the Word and Sacraments and such gracious warnings 1 Cor. 11.30 For which cause as saith the Apostle many are sicke among you many die also And indeed many warnings haue we receiued but all in vaine and therefore the Lord hath been forced to apply some harder remedies Simil. yea euen to fire the filthy farsie of our sinne But yet happy is that man that can be touched with any of them where by the contrary it is a desperate euill where nothing can moue either with the Word Note Yeeld to the means which God vseth 2 Sam. 12.13 Luk. 15.18 as Dauid was when he said I haue sinned or the rod as the Prodigall being pinched with famine resolued to returne to his father and confesse his owne vnworthinesse But alas the Lord hath too great cause to complaine of this age as he did of the Israelites by his Prophet while he saies I haue
is not in worse case with God but he maketh it to be like the poole of Bethesda Iohn 5.1 which being troubled by the Angell was a present remedie vnto such as were cast thereinto euen so the poole of the conscience being troubled God oftentimes cureth the man who is cast into that trouble and therefore no man ought to thinke the worse of any Christian who is thus handled The true trouble of Conscience is made by Gods goodnesse to his children Trouble of conscience a medicine to purge the soule from sin a singular medicine to purge their soule which is disquieted for euen as in the naturall constitution of mans body when the corrupt humours striue to extinguish the naturall power of his life and doe trouble his stomacke maruellously the Physitian to help nature for expelling of those humours giueth the Patient medicine which with great a doe molestation of the person in the end bringeth health So when sin and grace are combating in the conscience Simil. God out of that trouble maruellously bringeth and vnexpected health This trouble of conscience is not a mark of a reprobate Neither must men thinke trouble of Conscience to be a marke of a reprobate but rather of one whose conscience is so tender and thin-skinned and strait that it can abide nothing which separateth God from it like as a most louing wife who is so far addicted to please her husband that she can abide nothing no not in her very looke to offend him and that the change of his countenance is very death vnto her his absence hell so it is the greatest trouble that euer a man can feele in this world to be put vpon the racke of Gods anger yea and most represents the paine of hell which made Solomon say Pro. 18.14 But a troubled spirit who can beare There be many things which trouble the soule which is not the trouble of conscience Trouble of soule is not alwayes trouble of conscience for then properly the soule must be troubled with some spirituall cause for oftentimes because of its coniunction with the bodie it is affected with the miseries thereof and namely with these foure First the soule is pined pitifully with the care of these worldly things 4. Things which trouble the soule with their remedies which turmoyle her night and day that shee can get no rest for which cause our Sauiour calleth them thornie cares because they pricke men through the heart and so oft forewarneth men 1. Worldly cares Luk. 21.34 that they be not vexed therewith if these men who had this excessiue care were troubled in conscience I thinke the world would be full of them Indeed I thinke ouer-great care which is Auarice as it is the root of all euill so when thy conscience shall be once stirred it will become thy greatest torment so that thou shalt loath those riches which before thou louedst Remedie Marke of repentance Luk. 10.42 Therefore let all your care be drawne to seeke that onething how ye may serue and seeke God and eschew sinne which is one of the marks of true repentance The second thing which troubleth the Soule is Anger 2. Trouble Anger which is like a fire burning it vp which if it continue will consume it This is a most dangerous euill of which Iob saith Anger killeth the foole and Enuie the idiot Iob 5.2 For remedie against it it is best to embrace Dauids and Pauls exhortation Remedie Psal 4.5 Ephes 4.25 Be angry and sinne not and this yee may doe if all your anger be conuerted against sinne The third is Sorrow 3. Trouble Sorrow which is a passion wearying the Soule and pressing it downe contracted of some worldy losses of goods and children and yet this is not the trouble of which I speake Remedie But to remedie this it is good that all our sorrowes may be for sin and the offence done to God And lastly 4. Trouble Feare feare shakes the soule as an earth quake when it is afraid for any corporall danger Psal 53.5 Prou. 28.1 of whom it is said The wicked are smitten with feare and flee when none are pursuing them The remedie But to amend this it is requisite that our feares be reduced to this principall feare that we feare to offend God and this feare will free vs from all our feares The trouble of conscience then commeth only for sin How the trouble of conscience commeth and for the absence of God from the soule for when he is present it can see no sin his presence is as the Sun-beames chasing away the clouds of our sins but when he obscures himselfe then the soule sees her sinnes and perceiues and feeles him absent out of which two ariseth that which wee call the trouble of conscience which is a felt desertion of God What the trouble of conscience is wherein the creature by a spirituall eclipse seeth not the Creator in the mirror of the Gospell neither thinks that his promises appertaine to them neither findes God hearing their prayers neither feeles comfort in the Word and Sacraments neither findes God blessing him in his actions but as a man left to himselfe and a prey to the Deuill except God support him He sees the heauen as a fire aboue him and hell as an open gulfe beneath him men and Angels his enemies and the deuds his burials Behold in what a case this man is in Simil. euen as a childe left in the wildernesse by his parents to be a prey to wilde beasts so is a soule deserted of God But because I haue spoken at great length of the trouble of Conscience it selfe of her causes and ends of her diseases and remedies in my booke of Meditations on the seuen dayes I referre the Reader thereto not willing to vse any repetition But Lord how long Now yee haue heard both the corporall diseases of Dauid and spirituall that as his body and soule mutually sinned so both were mutually pained and both againe cured albeit not so soone as Dauid desired and therefore longing for the Lords presence he subioynes But Lord how long wilt thou delay A troubled heart hath abrupt speeches to God Which is an abrupt interrogation when through the vehemencie of his perturbation he curreth his speech which the Orators by a figure call Aposiopesis when men cannot vtter clearely and fully their minde through the greatnesse of their griefe The like whereof we haue in the 13 Psalme How long wilt thou forget me O Lord for euer and Psal 79.5 89.46 Lord how long wilt thou be angry for euer and Lord how long wilt thou hide thy selfe for euer Habak 1.2 O Lord how long shall I cry and thou wilt not heare And the soules that were vnder the Altar slaine for the testimonie of the truth cry Reuel 6.10 How long Lord holy and true c. Out of this we haue
these three things to obserue Doctr. An appointed time set by God for the end of our crosses First that there is an appointed time which God hath measured for the crosses of all his children before which time they shall not be deliuered and for which they must patiently attend not thinking to prescribe times to God for their deliuerie or limit the holy One of Israel Exo. 12.40 The Israelites remained in Aegypt till the complete number of 400 yeares were accomplished Ps 115.18 Ioseph was three yeares and more in the prison till the appointed time of his deliuerie came The Iewes remained 70. yeares in Babylon Dan. 9.2 Simil. So that euen as a Physitian appointeth certaine times to the Patient both wherein he must fast and be dieted and wherein he must take recreation So God knoweth the conuenient times both of our humiliation and exaltation The impatience â—f our nature vnder the crosse Next ye see the impatience of our nature in our miseries our flesh still rebelling against the Spirit which oftentimes forgetteth iâ— selfe so farre that it will enter in reasoning with God and quarrelling with him as we may reade of Iob Ionas c. and here also of David Thirdly albeit the Lord delay his comming to releene his Saints yet hath he great cause if wee could ponder it for when wee were in the heat of our sinnes many times he cryed by the mouth of his Prophets and Seruants Our iust recompeÌ„ce from God O fooles how long will you continue in your folly and we would not heare and therefore when we are in the heat of our pains thinking long yea euery day a year till we be deliuered let vs consider with our selues the just dealing of God with vs that as he cried and we would not heare so now we cry he will not heare VERSE 4. Returne ô Lord deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake DAVID before hath vsed some arguments to moue the Lord to deliuer him from his present troubles the first whereof was taken from his infirmitie the next from Gods mercies hauing an obiect before them his miseries Now he goes forward in a repetition of his request desiring God to returne to him Returne ô Lord. These words presuppose that in his tentation God was alienated from him Simil. and went his way as when a Physitian goeth from his patient And againe that he had felt Gods presence sensibly before this his absence not that God indeed at any time vseth to absent himselfe from his elect but to their conception and iudgement he seemeth to do so when they feele not the tokens of his presence at some time for their humiliation as the Sunne goeth not out of the firmament Simil. suppose he be obscured by the clouds ouercasting or some other impediments naturall So albeit the clouds of our sinnes and miseries hide the faire shining face of God from vs yet he wil pierce thorow dissipate these clouds and shine clearly vpon vs in his owne appointed time How God is said to returne God is said to returne to vs not by change of place for he is in all places but by the dispensation of his gratious prouidence and a declaration of his new mercies and benefits toward vs. Such a returning God promised to Abraham Gen. 18.10 I will certainly come againe vnto thee according to the time of life and lo Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne So he promised to returne to the Israelites to doe them good Ier. 32.40 and he will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs and Ier. 12.15 returne vnto me Zach. 1.3 and I will returne vnto you And Iames the brother of our Lord Acts 15.16 bringeth further a sentence out of the 9 of Amos After these things I shall returne restore the Taberuacle of Dauid Therefore as Dauid hath lamented the absence of God in the former verse in this he desireth a signe of his presence to be giuen to him Herein stands our happinesse if God looke fauorably vpon vs for then all things prosper well in our hand But because I haue spoken largely of the presence and absence of God from the soule in my Booke on the seauen words which our Lord spake on the Crosse and namely vpon the fift word My God my God why hast thou forsaken me whither I referre the Reader who is desirous to vnderstand any more of this subiect Desperate dangers get comfortable remedies Deliuer my soule This clearly declareth that Dauid hath beene in some extreame dangers both of his spirituall and corporall enemies from which he could not be deliuered but by the mighty hand of God who behoued to doe violence to his enemies euen as Dauid himselfe deliuered his fathers sheepe from the clawes of the Lion 1 Sam. 17.34 and pawes of the Beare and smote them both So it is miraculous to consider in how desperate perils and dangers good men will be cast wherein no doubt they would perish if they were not supported by the mighty hand of God Doctr. Saluation onely belongeth to God Obserue farther that it lyeth not in the power of any man to deliuer himselfe for saluation onely belongeth to the Lord yea whether hee worke our deliuery mediately or immediatly alwaies he is to be praised The reason why Iehouah so often named I finde that the name of Iehouah is fiue times mentioned in this prayer which is emphatically done being a great testimony of the certainty of his knowledge that hee knew assuredly vpon whom he called not vpon an vnknowne God but vpon him who manifested himselfe to Moses vnder the name of Iehouah Exod. 6. whereby his faith was greatly strengthened hauing assurance of deliuery by him who onely is and giues being to others makes his promises to be extant and the sweet name of Iehouah is so comfortable to a Christian that in the middest of dangers yea at deaths doore Pauls defire Dauids conceâ—ing lice death reconciled it will not onely temper the bitternesse of afflâ—ctions but also quite take them away Saue me This ingemination of his praier to be deliuered from death would presuppose that Dauid was ouer-much afraid of death when as the faithfull should not loue this life ouermuch neither feare death aboue measure but ought to say with the Apostle Paul Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolued and be with Christ And again My life is not deare to me that I may finish my race with gladnesse as also when Agabus prophecied of his bonds the faithfull of Caesarea requesting him not to goe to Ierusalem answered Acts 21.13 What doe ye weeping and breaking my heart for I am not onely ready to be bound but also to dye at Ierusalem I answer Dauid desired the continuation of his life to settle the kingdome in Solomons person that the promises of God might be confirmed and that himselfe might haue longer space
after them as Achab did Naboths vineyard 1 King 21.1 2. Prou. 23.6 There is an euill eye of which Salomon saith Eat not the bread of a man that hath an euill eye he seeth finally to circumuent his neighbour of which also Salomon Pro. 10.10 Hee that winkes with his eye meditates deceit and so many make these eyes which God hath giuen them as it were two lighted candles to let them see to goe to hell and for this God hath requited them that seeing their minde was blinded by the lust of the eyes the lust of the flesh 1 Ioh. 2.16 and the pride of life God hath sent sicknesse to debilitate these eyes which were so sharpe sighted in the deuils seruice and their lust now shall cause them want the necessary sight of their body Doctr. Sin blindes both soule and body Pro. 23.29 Sinne then blinds both body and soule To whom commeth woe blindnesse of eyes c. to him that sits long at wine In the sicknesse thy sight is so darkned that thou who sawest thy neighbours wife shalt now scarce know thy owne wise they shall be blind who looke thorow the windowes when God chastiseth man for his sinne The right vse of our eyes then he growâ—â—h pale and woe Out of this we haue some instructions Vse 1 First that seeing God hath giuen vs the siâ—hâ— of our eyes we should also make a couenant with them as Iob did That we beheld not a woman in vaine Iob 31.1 Next that wee may learne to looke vp to heauen and diligently ponder Gods workes with them for when they are not well occupied in readâ—ng beholding and pondering good things then the deuill will take occasion to abuse them other waies Thirdly that thou wouldst remember that hee who planted the eye Psal 94 16 Reu 1.14 sees most cleerâ—ly himselfe his eyes are like a flame of fire And finally when thou findest thine eyes dimme as thou must confesse the abuse of them so thou must pray to God that hee would â—lluminate the eyes of thy minde to see his â—â—e cy Mat 5.8 Doct. Christians can neuer lacke enemies for Blessed are the pure in spirit for they shall see God Because of all mine enemies First yee see the Church and her true members neuer can want enemies either within or without aboue benâ—ath and about hâ—r yea how many children the deuill hath let a Christian perswade himselfe he hath as many aduersaries And the Lord raiseth vp enemies against him for great and necessary causes As fâ—rst to trâ—e their patience Secondly to exercise their armour wherewith hee hath furnished them to wit the shâ—eld of faith â—ph 6.16 Foâ— what cause God raiseth enemies â—gainst vs. the sword of the word the hâ—â—â—meâ— of saluation the brest plate of righteousnesse which a Christian must put to proofe bo h â—n defending himselfe and offending his enemies Thirdly hee raâ—seth vp enemies against him thaâ— hee being strictly pursued may draw neerer to himselfe by vnfamed repentance and true prayer as Dauid did in all his conflicts putting vp new supplications to God for his defence and deliuery Fourthly to correct their sinnes as the Israelites in Aegypt had Pharaoh Exod 1 2. Iudg. 2.3 in the wildernesse Moab in Palestina the Canannites whom God reserued and kept to bee prickes in their sides â—en 31.5 â—7 2. 39.17 Iacob had his owne Laban and Ioseph had Potiphars wife in Aegypt and at home his brethren Neither let any Christian dreame that immunity and security in any place of all the world Vse that he shall bee free of that fiery dragon Reu. 1â— 4 who doth pursue the child which the woman hath borne but let him prepare himselfe for some enemie one or moe who shall pursue him if thou be vnder the standard of the deuill he will not pursue thee but if thou be his aduersarie and fightest vnder the banner of Christ then be assured hee will bend his whole forces against thee Simil. The Pyrats who see an empty Barke swimming the sea passe by it but if shee be loaded with pretious wares then they will assault her So if a man haue no grace within him Satan passeth by him as not a conuenient prey for him but being loaded with graces as the loue of God his feare and such other spirituall vertues let him be perswaded that according as hee knowes what stuffe is in him so will not faile to rob him of them if in any case he may What is the cause of the enmity or why did Cain hate Abel because hee was righteous Gen. 4.5 The naturall hatred betweene the seed of the woman and the Serpent Gen. 3.15 the other iniust There is a naturall feude betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent which God hath put betweene them and albeit they haue neuer done them iniury yet they hate them deadly because their deuillish inclination is disposed cruelly against them What iniurie hath the Lambe done to the Lyon and yet it is set to kill it and thinketh the bloud thereof sweet The sweet singing bird what wrong doth it to the Eagle and yet she seekes to deuoure it So none are in danger but Gods children his birds his lambs and therefore they seeme most infortunate for as much as all bloody murtherers are set against them Vse 1 Art thou a Lambe the Wolfe is going about to deuoure thee but herein is thy comfort the Lord is thy Shepheard and he will protect thee Vse 2 But if thine enemies doe rise vp against thee first runne to God Counsels to a persecuted Christian search what sin thou hast done and repent it Next consider whether thou hast deserued their wrath be not persecuted as an euill doer but haue that within thee that thou maist say what haue I done Vse 3 Thirdly repay them not with euill If thou see thine enemie hungry giue him meat Rom. 12 20 if hee thirst giue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head Commit vengeance to God mine is vengeance saith the Lord Rom. 12.19 and I will repay it Vse 4 Finally comfort thy selfe in this thine enemies are Gods also hee will curse them that curse thee But in these enemies of Christ I marke the malice of euill men that when God is chastising a Christian for his sinne then they afflict that man as the Chaldeans did Iob Iob 1.17 The wicked adde vineger to our gall Mat. 12.20 they contrary to the practice of Christ breake a brussed reede Next Christians are not destitute of their passions but haue their owne griefes because they haue great enemies they feare but are not swallowed vp with feare for God comforts them Gen 18.2 and 32.28 Iacob was afraid of Esau his elder brother who went about to kill him but God sent him to Padan-aram and the Angell that wrestled with him said vnto him Because
to Pharaoh Hâ— that câ—mmitteth sinne saith Christ is a seruant to sinne as by the contrary He that is borne of God sinnes not because the seed of God is in him The worke of sinne seemes pleasant and againfull but in the end yee shall find it both vnplesant and painfull Vse when you get your wages payed you from your master the Deuill ye shall know the truth of that saying of the Apostle The reward of sinne is death Rom 6.23 Ibid. 21. And in another place What haue ye gaine whereof now ye are ashamed whose end is death The deuill may giue you the bait of present pleasures but he lets you not see the mischieuous hooke lying vnder the bait Vse 2 Let vs refuse therefore to worke any longer task vnto Satan and betake vs to a better Master and better seruice and work in the Lords vineyard Iohn 6.27 Labour after that meat which perisheth not whose fruits shall be eternall life Of iniquity Some thinke these to be hypocrites as in the 41. Psalme verse 7. All they that hate me whisper together against me euen against me doe they imagine mine hurt But here it imports more when he cals them workers of iniquity A manifest practice of their wicked deuices in their actions against Dauid What iniquity is for iniquity is that which is contrary to equity and iustice and equity is defined by Cicero Suum cuique tribuere whereas iniquity is to defraud any man of his due Whereby yee see that God abhorreth all iniuries wee can doe to our neighbours Doct. God abhorreth all iniuries done to our neighbours 1 Ioh. 4.20 Mat. 9.13 and esteemes then his seruice to be true when it beginneth at our neighbours For how can we loue God whom we see not saith the Apostle when wee loue not man made to the Image of God whom we see And our Sauiour saith I will haue mercy and not sacrifice So that he refuseth the principall part of his seruice which consisteth in sacrifices if they bee not conjoyned with mercy to our neighbours and in Isaiah Isai 66.3 he that kelleth a Bullocke or a Lambe offers a gift as though he had killed a dogge or a sowe and onely because of their iniuries Woe to this sinfull generation Vse who make no conscience but doe all manner of iniuries to whom they may and doe not spare either fatherlesse or widow or strangers or the gray haires or pupils or Orphans and yet vaunt of their religion Note I wish rather they would professe Papistry or Paganisme that their confession and profession might be answerable and that they would either professe as they liue or liue as they professe for it is shame that a good faith should be backed with had works For the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping Doctr. The neerer we draw to God the further we must flee from all his enemies The argument whereby he repelleth the wicked from his is taken from his familiarity with God and sure it is the nearer we draw to God the further will we flee from all his enemies what makes vs such associates with the children of the Diuell but that wee are strangers to God and when once we haue drawne in friendship and seruice with him then we hate the other partie Next Prayer ioyneth vs to God yee shall know that the principall mean by which we can frequent with God is Prayer for if God giue vs the Spirit of Prayer then he giues vs an accesse to the throne of his grace Many yea the most part of the world know not what prayer meaneth others pray perfunctoriously and hypocritically and their prayer turneth into sinne The benefit of true prayer But happy are those whom Gods most holy Spirit teacheth to pray and those onely can pray aright The voyce There is ascribed to prayer a voyce Doctr. The voice of prayer more mentall then vocall which is not so much vocall as mental alwayes it hath a piercing voyce which pierceth the heauens and preuaileth mightily with God and is so importunate that it will not come from heauens gates till and answer be giuen as Ezechias Moses c. Of my weeping As Dauids prayers were not dumbe His prayer was not dry but had a voyce so they are not dry but full of teares those sappy prayers be acceptable to God which proceed not from a barren and dry heart but from an heart well watered with the clouds of heauen hears planted at the Riuers of waters which wee should all pray after Hee hath this comfort that God heard his prayers Doct. Our prayers in faith will surely be heard not that he heard them wit eares as he who planted the eares doth heare but hee heard his praier when he granted yeelded to his petition And this is a great prouocation to vs to make vs pray in faith and then wee may perswade our selues God wil heare them Thinke ye not that a mother will discerne the voyce Simil. but much more the weeping of her owne childe nad the Ewe discerne the bleating of her owne lambe amongst a thousand and will not God regard the praier of his own childe being in affliction Vse And this certaintie that we haue to be heard should hearten vs all to pray Whomsoeuer Christ cured he asked if they beleeued then said Mat. 9.29 Marke 7.9 Be it to thee according to thy faith And again I saw not greater faith in Israel It is then superfluous to pray except thou beleeue Infidelitie is the cause why we lacke many good things Vse Distrust is the cause we receiue nothing from God for wee doe God great iniury in vttering forth words to him when eyther we doubt of his power that he cannot or of his loue that he will not bestow good things necessary to vs. Verse 9. The Lord hath heard my petition the Lord will receiue my prayer Why he repeateth three times that he was heard HE repeats the hearing of his prayer three times for two causes First to let vs see how frequently he vsed the exercise of praier for he diuide the day in three Morning noon and at euening tide did I call vpon thee and the night in three for he beganne the night with prayer I arose at midnight and called vpon thee and he preuented the breake of day and the morning watch Secondly that by his threefold repetition he might perswade himselfe of the acceptation of his prayers that they were heard of God which is a great matter for God heareth not sinners Ioh. 9.31 but If any be a worshipper of God and doth his will him heareth he then if the Lord heare our suifs grant them Vse we may perswade our selues that we are in his fauour Ester 7. When Hester obtained her suite at Ahashuerosh it was an argument she was acceptable to him So is it with vs in our petitions to God VERSE 10. All mine
what the worse is a Captaine for a scarre in his face whose valorous armes haue beene so well tried Next his afflictions and persecutions cannot bee shamefull but honourable for the Apostles themselues thought it great honour to be beaten Acts 3.41 yea to bee scourged for Christs sake They now are crowned with martyrdome who to the worlds opinion haue suffered as euill doers Let not mine enemies reioyce ouer me The deuils reioyce at euill Luke 15.10 The wicked doe imitate the nature of the deuill for he is neuer glad but at the destruction of sinners as the Angels reioyce at their conuersion whereby ye may trie if yee be a true Christian The triall of a Christian by coÌ„passion 2 Cor. 11.29 Doct. Gods children haue many enemies Reu. 12.17 if ye lament with those that lament and haue compassion on them and say with the Apostle Saint Paul Quis affligitur ego non vror Who is afflicted and I doe not burne Gods children haue many enemies hee is not one of Gods lambes if he haue not a Lyon or a dogge to pursue him some are secret some are open but who are they none but the Deuill and his children the Dragon pursues the seed of the woman Next obserue their malitious nature they reioyce at the euill of Gods children Simil. and doe leape for gladnesse The Flies and Eagles liue on the sores of beasts so doe the wicked reioyce at the euill of Gods people Doct. The wicked alwaies reioyce in euill Reioyce not ouer mee my enemy I haue fallen I will rise againe Thirdly hee would not feed their eyes with his losses The ioy of the wicked is euer in euill either in their owne or other mens sinnes they sleepe not till they sinne they eate not but in sinne with gluttony they sleepe in vvhoredome they go to murther oppression or strealing VERSE 3. So all that hope in thee shall not bee ashamed but let them bee confounded that transgresse without cause Doct. The benefits of Christiâ—ns are common SO all that hope in thee He so drawes his deliuery that the benefit thereof may redound to the rest of the members of Christ for their euils and their goods are common neither should vvee seeke any thing to our selues but so farre as it may redound to the good of the Church and her comfort For as a ring on the finger adornes the vvhole body Simil. and as the hurt of the finger anoyeth iâ— all Doct. Shame sent to the wicked aâ— to the right owner 1. They transgresse so doth the good of one member reioyce all and the hurt of one offend all But let them bee confounded that transgresse without cause Now shame is sent to the right owner the vvicked vvho are described by two marks first they are perfidious and forsworne no bond can bind them they are a false generation trust them not vvhen they are vvith Iudaâ— kissing thee Luk. 22.47 2 Sam. 3.27 then are they betraying thee Ioab said to Abner in peaceable manner how doe you my Brother in the meane time had a dagger priuately wherewith to kill him 2. Without cause The next marke is vvithout cause they are not able to qualifie any iniury that euer they haue done Psal 11.3 What hath the righteous done saith Dauid They liue vpon suspitions apprehensions and iudge others after their owne false nature Doct. Ianocencie a great comfort in time of trouble Note a great comfort to establish thy conscience in thy sufferings thine innocencie vvhich maketh thy afflictions light and thy burthens easie VERSE 4. Shew mee thy wayes O Lord and teach me thy pathes Doct. Wee are naturally ignorant SHew mee This letteth vs see how that naturally vve are ignorant of the vvaies of God and therefore Dauid vvould bee taught of God Hee craued in the first three verses to bee freed of shame and now hee craues the meanes by vvhich he may bee deliuered euen Gods vvord which is the onely preseruatiue from shame And herefore it often commeth to passe that vvhen men are brought to be open spectacles of shame Doct. The contempt of Gods word the cause of shame Vse Against contemners of the word of God Simil. they doe confesse it was not the present accident wherein they are taken but the contempt of Gods word And this should teach vs to loue that word and follow it to the end vve may be kept from shame which maketh greatly against the Atheists and Papists of our Land who contemne the blessed word of God they are as Owles flying the light of the day Qui male facit â—ait lucem hee that doth euill hateth the light In this verse are contained 1. the person whom he implores Iehouah whom he describeth leading him teaching him Ioh. 3.20 The Parts receiuing him in fauour and nourishing him in the 4.5.6 7. verses 2. What hee seekes Gods wayes 3. By what meanes Teach me and lead mee 4. the reason Because thou art my God and I trust in thee Dauid a King and a Prophet craues to bee directed by God to the effect and end hee may direct the course of his life well and of all his Subiects which was Solomons choyce 1 Kin. 3. â— Lord giue me wisedome to go in and out wisely before thy people So should Pastors doe Who would bee a good Master Doct. All should desire to be taught by God in his wayes Two contrary waies let him be a good Apprentice this same should all priuate Christians desire that God would teach them that way which will please him best euen his owne wayes Thy wayes This presupposeth that there is another way which is the way of sinne as there are two places and ends heauen and hell so are there two persons sheepe and Goates two wayes the broad and narrow two words Ios 24.15 come and depart I with Iosua set before you life or death the right or wrong way chuse or refuse All men are going but there is onely one Gods way the Kings hie streete many by-wayes All thinke they are going to Heauen Iewes Turkes Papists Atheists but try if thou be going thereto by that vvay which God hath set downe to thee trye which is the ancient way the true and liuing way Brigands and false guids may deceiue you 2 Kin. 6.19 The wrong way as the Prophet led the Aramites Ioh. 14.6 Ps 119 35. and leade you to Samaria but the way of God is set downe by Christ I am the way the truth and the life no man comes to the Father but by me euen through the vale of his flesh thus he steps through Christ Dauid prayes vnto the Lord that hee would direct him in the path of his commandements for therein was his delight and Isaias saith God will teach vs his wayes Isai 2.3 and we will walke in his pathes Faith and Loue two feet whervpon wee must walk There bee two feete
2.17 moreouer that none can truly reioyce but these who haue gotten remissioÌ„ of their sins The righteous doth sing reioyce The stranger shal not medle with his ioy Let them that seeke reioyce and be glad in thee My seruants shall reioyce sayth the Lord. For they get the white stone giuen them And a name written therein which no man knoweth sauing hee that receiueth it And this is Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Indeede the wicked haue their owne earthly and fleshly ioyes but if yee would examine them strictly they are rather torments then ioyes which Chrysostome obserueth wel Chrys hâ—m 18. ad pop Atiochenum affirming that ioy is only proper to the godly neuer to be attributed to the wicked For the couetous man whose pleasure is in riches the more they grow the more his thirst increaseth which desire tormenteth them as also the feare of the losse of them excrutiats his minde night and day when riches grow feare groweth And the Prophet Isaias sayth Isa 57.20 The wicked are like the raging Sea Es 57.21 that cannot rest whose waters cast vp myre and dirt there is no peace sayth my God to the wicked The godly and wickeds ioy differ But there is a great difference beweene the ioy of the godly and the ioy of the wicked if yee will compare them for the one reioyceth onely in God the other in earthly things The scule of the godly is indued with true and solid ioy the flesh of the wicked only enioyes perishing pleasures the godly they reioyce in the midst of their troubles the wicked are grieued in the midst of their ioyes The ioyes of the godly are eternall the ioyes of the godly are euermore augmented till at last they attaine to eternal felicitie but the hope of the wicked turneth in dispaire their life in death eternal Finally the ioyes of the godlie spring out of teares They sow a precious seed in teares and reape in ioy for the spirituall haruest is farre different from the temporall haruest The Spirituall and earthly haruest differ for the husbandmen holdes by their experience that the haruest will be answerable to the seede time but in the Christian haruest wee fow with watrie teares and reapes on dry weather by the contrarie the wicked haue a dry and seasonable seede-time but they reape with waterie teares with confusion Reasons of the peoples ioy The reasons wherefore First because none else haue warrand to reioyce For the wicked man nothing troubles him not sinne 1 The godlie haue a warrand to reioyce for it is his pleasure not tentations these he swalloweth vp not his conscience it is a sleepe not the Deuill he is alreadie made his vassall and Seruant not the world it is his treasure no outward afflictions hee will not indure them Iam. 5 1. Luk 6.25 Yea S. Iames bids them not reioyce but houle Houle yee rich men And S. Luke saith to them woe be to you that reioyce now for yee shall mourne 2. They are commanded to reioyce Secondly as the godly onely are commanded to reioyce so they haue onely cruse to reioyce because they onely enioy the presence of God by reason of the couenant they haue entresse to all things in heauen and in earth as a woman hath to the goods of her husband which is a great cause of ioy Next they know that their names are written in the booke of life as our Sauiour saith Luk. 10.20 Reioyce not in this that yee may cast out deuils but that your names are written in the booke of life 3. They haue the spirit of God the author of ioy Thirdly onely they haue the spirit of God the author of true ioy which is therefore called the ioy of the holy Ghost Onely they are annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse Fourthly onely they haue escaped from condemnation 1 Thes 1.6 Psal 45.7 as the Israelites escaped the hand of Pharoah and reioyced 4. They escape condemnation Exod 15.1 Fiftly onely these sucke and draw their ioy out of the Wells of sound consolation that is out of the Scriptures which are written that their ioy may be full 5. They draw ioy out of the Scriptures Isa 12.3 1 Ioh. 1.4 Sixtly onely these enioy a good conscience which is a continuall feast and the cause of the Apostles ioy in the midst of their persecutions Finally onely they haue the hope of eternall glory We reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God 6. They haue a good conscience Pro. 15.15 sayth the Apostle Ye righteous and vpright in heart They are called righteous in two respects 1. Because they haue received the bloud of Iesus Christ which hath made them righteous before God 7. Hope of eternall glory Why called righteous by his pâ—ssiue obedience in that hee hath suffered for their sinnes as likewise by his actiue obedience whereby he hath fulfilled the law which are both imputed to them as though they had suffered and done both themselues As also they are righteous having received the Spirit of sanctification which teacheth them to render to every one that which is his owne To Caesar Mat. 22.21 that which is Caesars To the Superiours that which is his To his equall that which appertaines to him to his Inferiour that which he ought to doe The rule of righteousnesse The rule of righteousnesse is set downe in the 15. Psalme that neither in name bodie nor goods we should iniure any man The righteous man must be sincere and vpright The righteous man must also be vpright in heart that is sincere for faith and hypocrisie can never stand together for of all vertues God liketh best of sinceritie and singlenesse of heart that in our Religion we meane sincerelie and we may say to the Lord Thou tryest my reines in the night season and foundest nothing in my mouth which was not in my heart And with our neighbours we should deale so vprightly that we may not haue Butter and Oyle in our mouth and a sword in our heart but as we professe kindnesse to them who speake kindly so our heart may meane the same Psal 12. Righteousnes cannot be without sinceritie and haue not an heart and an heart To conclude this point righteousnesse and sinceritie are so ioyned together that the one can never be without the other and they are reciprocall that a righteous man must be sincere and a sincere man must be righteous The godly reioyce in the Lord. The limitation of this ioy is set downe in the last part In Iehovah which distinguisheth the Christian ioy from all ioyes earthly Some reioyce in one thing some in another but the Christian reioyceth in the Lord. Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches nor the strong man in his strength nor the wise man in his wisedome but reioyce in the Lord. Onely one question remaineth to be dissolved Ob
so strictly vrged that he can get no relaxation of his euill being so incurable except he get a remedie froÌ„ God These would seeme to be the words of an impatient mind but we must not thinke that a Christian can keep a continual course but as Iob fell forth in bitter speeches so the best man in the world may do as much and more Therefore when men are thus passionate let vs not cast them off iudging them to be reprobates When he faith they are euer before him note the extremitie of his tentation that he hath no stay of his trouble but continually pressed therewith Should not we thank God that deales more mercifully with vs that notwithstanding of our sins doth not suffer vs to be ouerwhelmed with troubles for he is faithfull 1. Cor. 10.13 who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare Lorinus here bringeth in Purgatorie as though Dauid had not had purgatorie of afflictions in this lâ—fe but had need of another purgatorie in another life Verse 18. When I declare my paine and am sorie for my sinne Verse 19. Then mine enemies are aliue and are mightie and they that hate me wrongfully are many HEre the malice of his enemies is described from the circumstance of time when they vtter their malice in the highest degree when he is lowest in declaring both his sinne and the punishments thereof and being afflicted of God they afflict him and impeach his spirituall meditations Thus Satan taketh vs at the shot and at the pinch that when we haue to do with God specially and most particularly he then manifesteth his malice most against vs to interrupt our diuine seruice yea he goeth mad in furie when he seeth vs seruing God Satan abhorreth our repentance and confession of sin for there is no exercise which he doth more abhor then repentance and confession of our sinnes for in so doing we bid adieu to the diuell and acquit our selues from his camp Lorinus following Origen expoundeth this of auricular confession to the Priest yet he granteth that this place doth not conuince the vse of confession sacramentall which was not vnder the law neither the other which was made sometime to men yet he thinketh it fauoureth them both lest contadicting the Fathers he may seeme to fauour the heretikes who abhorre the sacramentall confession Mine enemies are aliue The miseries of Gods children inanimates their enemies and giues them new courage as though they got a new life and were reuiued when they heare the destruction of Gods children and yet they are in effect dead who delight in the dead works of sinne Non est viuere sed valere vita Si viuis animae si quid antiquà tibi Remanet vigoris pelle foemineos metus Eâ—â— inhospitalem caucasum mente indue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ardere but rather as Plato in Cratylo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viuere vnde Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lust of the wicked is sinne Also I mark here what is the life of wicked men sinne and doing of wrong The diuel he delighteth to tempt men to sin and the wicked cannot sleep till they haue done some sin and neither can eate nor drinke with delight till they haue performed some mischiefe And they that hate me wrongfully are many An argument to perswade God to deliuer him is his innocencie that the wrongs he suffereth are causlesse For surely the Lord will not maintaine vs against our enemies if we haue iustly prouoked their anger Psal 5.4 For he is a God that loueth no iniquitie and no wickednesse dwelleth with him It is not his pleasure that we should be enuious neither wil our Christian profession admit it which is so far from doing wrong A mark of one truly religious he doth wrong to none that by the contrary it will be content patiently to endure iniuries Then if this be a note of true religion to do violence to none what religion thinke ye the Romanists haue who teach that it is sâ—ruice done to God 〈◊〉 murder Princes shed Christian and innocent blood it is a bloodie religion aâ—d the Diuell is the father of iâ— and Rome the mother which hatched it Flie from â—haâ— Babel that ye be not partakers of her iudgements Verse 20. They also that rewarded euill for good are mine adâ—â—rsaries because I â—oâ—â—ow goodnesse THis is a higher dâ—gree of iniquitie that not onely they harâ—d him without any cause or wrong done by him to any of them but also he had prouoked them by his benefiâ—s to loue him and yet they were so diuellishly disposed that as Iudas did recompence Christ so did they Dauid repaying him euill for the good things he had bestowed on them Three sorts of spirits 1. naturall There be three sorts of spirit a naturall when a man can do good for good and euil for euill which theeues Pagans Barbarians and the very beasts will do 2. celestiaâ—â— The second celestiall who can do good for euill to shew their conformitie and obedience to Christ their Master The third sort are infernall 3 diabolical possessed by the diuell who render euill for good who in our dayes abound too much whom God reserueth to eternall darknesse Were mine aduersaries or did calumniate From this commeth the name of the Diuell Satan an accuser of the brethren The wicked calumne always Gods children Gods children haue euer the diuels children set against them to accuse who if at any time they praise let vs suspect our selues lest we haue done any euil for which they do it As Antisthenes when he heard the people praise him said Quid inquit mali feci Plutarch What euil haue I committed Because I followed goodnesse This is the highest degree of their persecution to trouble him for religion and because he feared God So they hated God in him and persecuted God in him 21. Forsake me not O Lord be not thou far from me my God Verse 22. Haste thee to help me O my Lord my saluation THese two verses containe a prayer wherein he imploreth the help of God by a three-fold repetitionâ— euer he feareth desertion for sinne ingendreth this feare For if we were cast into the deepest dangers this will euer comfort vs if we be assured of the Lords presence heauen is hell to vs if he be not with vs Nota. hell is heauen to vs if he be there Haste thee to helpe me O my Lord my saluation Here is the weaknesse of our nature described that through our infirmitie we cannot waite the time of Gods deliuerie which maketh vs to crie hasten God will come if we patiently attend his coming But let vs learne patiently to attend his good leisure assuring our selues that he will come Come Lord Iesus and deliuer thy Church from all her miseries by thy glorious appearance O my Lord my saluation He attributeth those names to God Iehouah the name
his sins was taken from God himselfe and that great mercie whereto he is inclined The next from his great filthinesse vncleannesse whose misery was an obiect of Gods mercie desiring God to purge and cleanse him from the same Now followeth the third argument taken from â—is acknowledgement of his sin and true confession thereof As though he would say Lord I know I haue sinned I confesse my sin to thee therefore pardon me What force thinke ye this argument would haue in a guiltie mans mouth if he came before an earthly Iudge and would say I haue committed murder and adulterie I confesse it Surely the Iudge would answer Ex ore tuo te iudico I iudge thee according to thine owne confession as Dauid commanded him to be killed 2. Sa. 1.16 An humble acknowledgement of sinne a good argument to obtain pardon from God who reported that he had killed Saul But before the heauenly Tribunall such an argument hath onely force There is no meane to acquit vs from Gods iustice vnlesse we come to him humbly confessing our sin and accusing our selues for then he will pardon and excuse vs. Our condemning of our selues maketh him to absolue vs our remembrance of our sins maketh him to forget them and our repentance bringeth his pardon But how cometh it to passe that thus he lamenteth Obiect seeing before Nathan had assured him that his sins were forgotten and pardoned I answer the godly Solut. albeit they be perswaded of mercie yet for the loue they beare to God they cannot but be displeased with themselues so often as they remember how vnhappily they haue offended so gracious a maiestie The wicked forget the euils which they do remember the good which they haue done if they haue done any whereas the godly remember alwayes their sins 1. Cor. 15.9 1. Tim 1.13 but the wicked forget their sins most â—asiâ—y and if they haue done any shew of good they remember it continually The godly by the contrary forget their good and remember their sins and the euill which they haue done as the Apostle Paul saith I am the least of all the Apostles and not meete to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church And againe When before I was a blasphemer a persecuter and oppressor but I was received to mercie And againe Christ died for sinners among whom I am the chiefe They account themselues the least among the godly the greatest among sinners So it is good to vs to nourish a continuall remembrance of our owne sins that it may humble vs before God make God so much the more pitie vs that he seeth vs vnfainedly displeased with our selues that we haue offenâ—ed him by our many many sinâ— For I know my sinne The knowledge of his sin doubtlesse came by Gods word out of the mouth of Nathan For albeit by a generall notice hee knew hee had done wrong and the particular punctions of his conscience forced him to thinke so yet the true knowledge came neuer vnto him vntil God said by his Prophet Thou art the man So the word of God serueth vs to this vse that it openeth our blinde eyes to see what is euill in vs. And therefore wo to that people who haue not the word and faithfull Preachers who may let them see their sins For when they know not sin to be sin they die in their sins By the law saith the Apostle is the knowledge of sin Rom. 7.7 for if the law had not said Thou shalt not lust I would not think concupiscence to be sin Ye may see how great an euill is ignorance when mens eyes are blinded whom the god of this world hath blinded in so great a light The most part of the world couers their sin by translating the cause ouer vnto others as Adam vpon Euah Euah vpon the Serpent But the Scripture saith Gen. 3. Pro. 28.13 He that hideth his sin shall not prosper Non medioâ—re est saith Ambrose vt agnoscat peccatum suum vnusquisque It is not a small thing to euery one to know and acknowledge his sin So saith Dauid Delicta quis intelligit Who vnderstandeth his sin He who knoweth them may the sooner auoide them If any knew a danger he could easily flie from it and go by it Our Sauiour wept because they knew not the day of their visitation That a man may know his sin it is necessary he be admonished and rebuked and he who desireth to attaine this knowledge must be content to receiue rebukes kindly How to attaine to an acknowledgement of sinne He must resolue before God to shun the occasions of sin and such euill companie as allureth him to folly that he do call to mind what a gracious God he hath offended what good things he hath lost how many he hath offended by his example and to addresse himselfe henceforth to leade a holy and religious life according to Gods word The Philosophers thought it most necessary for euery man to know himselfe and in their precepts had this euer He who knoweth not himselfe can neuer know God Nosce teipsum Know thy selfe Then much more it becometh a Christian to know himselfe for otherwise he can neuer know God in any of his properties For if we know not our sin how shall we either know Gods iustice pursuing vs or his mercie pardoning vs. Oh that we knew our selues But Satan doth with vs as the Rauen doth with the Lambe Simil. it first pulleth forth the eyes then deuoureth it first he blindeth vs then we follow him Therefore we should labour vpon our soules that the darkned eye thereof may be cleare the dimnesse remoued Acts 9. the scales which lie vpon them as vpon Saint Paul may fall to the ground that seeing our selues and our nakednesse we may craue to be couered seeing our wounds we may desire to be cured As also it is the principall part and duty of Pastors to deale in their Sermons with people that they may see their sins Sonne of man saith the Lord to Ezekiel make knowne to Ierusalem their abhominations Pastors ought to exhort the people to a sight of their sin We flatter the people in their sin and vse conniuence to their wickednesse We are afraid and belike dare not light the candle of the word and bring it to them being lying in darknesse lest they put forth the candle or smite vs who by the light thereof let them see their misbehauiour And my sinne is euer before me When Satan doth present his baited hooke of sin to vs Satans policy in presenting the greatnes of our sins after we haue sinned to vs he neuer letteth vs see the hooke of Gods iudgements but euer the bait of pleâ—sure but when we haue swallowed the baite he neuer letteth vs see any comfort of Gods mercies but proposeth to vs a troubled conscience the flames of Gods wrath and the terrors of his iudgements as the Prophet saith Our
vse of his tongue now grace restoreth it The tongue is a noble instrument and as it were a bell hanging in a high place It is a shame it should not be occupâ—ed in sounding and much more shame that it should be ill occupied in sounding euill things It is best vsed when it soundeth Gods praises who formed it Nota. The tong is best vsed when it praiseth God Simil. As the golden bell of Aarons garment sounded so should our tongues sound Gods praises if we be his Priests This condemneth two sorts of persons one Those are to be condemned who do not speake for God who neuer speake any thing to Gods honor thinking they are well discharged when they do not openly blaspheme or speak vilde speeches out of the filthy groues of a polluted heart although they heare others and cannot open their mouthes to rebuke them being ashamed to speake for the Lord and glorifie him by maintenance of his truth Those are to be condemned who speake against God Mat. 12.36 The other sort is more to be condemned who open their mouth daily to lies blasphemies slanders But be assured that if for euery idle word we are to be countable much more for euery wicked speech we shall be answerable to God at the last day Shall sing ioyfully He is not content to say shall speake For the more vehement intention of the minde kindled vp with ioy maketh the tongue to burst out in Psalmes hymnes and spiritual songs to stirre vp thy selfe and prouoke others with greater delight and pleasure to praise God This sweete singer of Israel answereth to his name when he singeth sweete songs and ballads to the praise of our sweet God Against those that sing profane balads So much in this are those to be condemned who sing profane baudie songs to the dishonour of God and offence of his Church Of thy righteousnesse that is not of his iustice in punishing him but of his righteousnes in couering his iniquitie For which Christ is called God our righteousnesse So he would be vnrighteous and denie himselfe if he should denie vs mercie so sure is our saluation which is our great comfort We must praise God for all his benefits whereof we are lesse then the least and if for the smallest much more for the greatest euen that worke of our redemption by Christ that he is made our righteousnesse to saue vs when we had nothing of our selues and knew not our danger he prepared a salue for vs before we were wounded and the remedie before our danger If we were sicke and had receiued health poore and were relieued would we not thanke God and thinke our selues obliged to him as we are Nota. The greatest benefits deserue the greatest praises but seeing he hath deliuered vs â—rom our sins and from hell haue we not â—he greater cause to be thankfull for the greatest benesits deserue the greatest praises Verse 15. Open thou my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise HE promised in the former verse to sing ioyfully of Gods righteousnesse now he bethinketh himselfe that this is not in his owne power but it must come from God That as his faith and repentance was of him so his thankfulnesse must also proceed from him There is no temporall or spirituall gift which doth not come from God Phil. 2.13 So there is no temporall or spirituall gift which doth not come from God He worketh in vs velle perficere to will and to do The tongue was consecrated before to God now he presenteth his lips another instrument and at last the mouth it selfe which containeth both Seeing God hath giuen to euery member the owne facultie and power Euery meÌ„ber should sound Gods praises it is good reason it should be vied to his glorie God hath giuen thee a tongue mouth and lips for no other end but to proclaime his praises And cursed is that man if he repent not who soundeth any thing with his tongue but Gods honour We see further that we are all close and bound vp by nature except the God of nature enlarge our hearts with his loue and fit our mouthes with his praises God hath the key of his lips he can make infants and sucklings proclaime his praises Psal 8.2 NuÌ„ 22.28 In Soliloq yea he can open the mouth of Balaams asse to vtter his praise Augustine thinketh non posse laudare Deum sine ipso qui non ipsum habeat qui se adiuuet that God cannot be praised without himselfe he who hath not him to helpe them Moreouer obserue Doctr. Sorow for sinne will break open the dumbe mouth to speake for Gods mercie Simil. how sorrow for sin will breake forth the dumbe mouth to speake for Gods mercie I reade of Croesus his sonne who seeing a traitor going about to murder his father though before he was alwayes dumbe began to speake and crie pitifully why should not we when we see that God is wounded with our sinnes once at last begin to crie Obiect But there ariseth here a question whether by our praises Gods name may be more amplified Solut. I answer with that worthy seruant of God M. Robert Rollock a holy man writing on this Psalme Deum in se esse perfectissimum that God is most perfect â—n himselfe without the worke of any creaâ—ure The Father glorifying the Sonne and â—he Sonne the Father the Father and Son the holy Spirit the holy Spirit the Father the Sonne But yet will be glorified by the creature Because he is iust his righteousnes craueth that the creature should acknowledge the Creator whose felicitie standeth in this that he should reuerence his Maker with all dutifull seruice he craueth it more for our weale then for himselfe Thinke ye that God can be either worse or better for our praises but we our selues are then best when we haue grace to praise him Philip finding Nicanor detracting him Plut. relieued him from his necessitie and then he began to praise him wherefore he said Videtis esse in nostra potestate bene male audire Ye see it is in our power both to be well and euill thought of But God is not so he careth not for our praises and our obloquies do not touch him he is so farre from the one and the other We can neither augment nor impaire his dignitie speake what we will or please wee may doe our selues euill him we cannot offend Sinne taketh away the benefit of our tongue Sin maketh a man duÌ„b that he can not praise God that we become dumb and cannot praise God till he forgiue vs our sinnes and then we shall speak and although we would speake God thinketh nothing of our speeches vntill we be reconciled to him What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances Psal 50.16 and to take my name in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed But wo to the tongue mouth and