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A13070 A fift proceeding in the harmony of King Dauids harpe That is to say, a godly and learned exposition of 5. other moe [sic] psalmes of the princely Prophet Dauid: beginning with the 68. and ending with the 72. psalme, being the last part of the first tome, or one halfe of the booke of psalmes. Written in Latin by the reuerend Doctor Victorinus Strigelius: professor of diuinity in the Vniuersity of Lipsia in Germanie. Anno. 1576. Translated into English by Richard Robinson citizen of London. 1594. Seene, and allowed.; Hypomnēmata in omnes Psalmos Davidis. Psalm 68-72. English Strigel, Victorinus, 1524-1569.; Robinson, Richard, citizen of London. 1598 (1598) STC 23363; ESTC S113498 57,243 82

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of the man tooke him also with them and when they arriued at Tuneta and had openly shewed their prize they declare vnto the King a rare and memorable acte who though he were a Prince barbarous and enemy to Christianity yet merueiling and perceiuing the vertue of the man did set him and his wife both at liberty and commaunded them to bee registred as of the number of those which were the guard of his person So the sonne of God leaped from high and heauenly beatitude into the sea of our mischiefes and miseries and of free became bondman of rich poore that by his virtue and power hee might obtaine liberty for vs and coopt vs into the society of heauenlie blessings Let vs therefore be ashamed of our pride and impatience wherein we disdaine to suffer some sorrowe to profit the Church thereby The spirituall meditation of the passion of the sonne of God consisteth in Feare and in Faith Feare is to tremble with acknowledgement of Gods wrath against sinne whose speciall testimony is the death of the sonne of God For although the threatnings added vnto the Law and horrible examples of punishments and feares of conscience doe shew the iudgements of God destroying contemptuous persons yet if we looke well into this glasse of Christ crucified wee shall see a far more euident signe of Gods horrible wrath For seeing God could not be pacified with the obedience of anie creature but did decree that his Sonne should be the propitiator or attonement maker in his bloud as S. Paule saith Assuredly me must confesse that great earnest and vnspeakeable is the wrath of God against sinne And least this acknowledgement of Gods wrath should leaue in our minds the stinges or darts of seruile feare which is a sorrowe without faith and a grudging against God and a horrible fleeing from God as was in Saule and Iudas let faith take roote in vs whereby the hart is stirred vp in the acknowledgement of Gods mercie promised for his sonnes sake For seeing God hath not spared his only begotten sonne but giuen him for vs all surely it cannot otherwise be but with him also he will giue vs all thinges Therefore spirituall meditation is not only to knowe the history touching the passion and to beleeue the same but also to feele in our hart sorrowes and consolations The exemplary or imitatiue meditation of Christes passion is to follow the humility and patience of Christ as S. Peter saith 1 Pet 2 21. Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wee should follow his steps And although none of vs in this our imbecility or weakenes is able to follow the example of Christ yet notwithstanding let there bee some lineaments agreeable in vs with this Image of imitating Christ ❧ The Psalme and Exposition thereof Saue me O God for the waters are come in euen vnto my soule I sticke fast in the deepe myre where no grounde is I am come into deepe waters so that the flouds runne ouer mee I am weary of crying my throate is drie my sight faileth me for waiting so long vpon my God SOme men do merueile whie the Euangelistes write That the sonne of God was grieued with sorrow and vexed in mind when he was in the Orchard seeing it seemeth a thing vnméete for a strong graue and constant person to weepe and waile and ware pale with feare of death as women vse to do For of Hercules addressing to cast himselfe into a burning fire Seneca saith thus Quis sic triumphans laet us in currustetit Victor Quis illo gentibus vultu dedit Leges tyrannus quanta paxobitium tulit Vultus petentis astra non ignes erant Who did so ioufull victor triumph make What Tyrant with such austere countenance Prescribed lawes to Nations for their state How great a peace toth' skies did him aduance No fiers they were But let vs knowe that Christ vare upon him a greater burthen then Hercules did for he was not in anguish and veration of minde for death onelie and for thinking vpon the tormenting of his bodie but he felt the wrath of God to bee turned vpon him against mine thine and all mens sinnes This féeling of Gods wrath sore vexed and grieued his most sacred breast For although euerie creature groneth and moneth when it is burthened aboue the abilitie of bearing the same yet the greatnesse of this burthen expressed in Christ not onelie teares but also drops of water and blood mingled togither which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therfore omitting disputations let vs tremble with feare in acknowledgement of Gods wrath against our sinnes and with the Prophet Isay let vs saie Surely he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes c. He was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed say 53. verses 4 5. They that hate me without a cause are mo then the haires of may head they that are mine enemies and would destroy me guiltlesse are mightie I paide them the things that I neuer tooke The former thrée verses contained a description of feares inwardlie in his heart This verse setteth forth his outward enemies As in truth for most part alwayes inward feares and outward fightings and hostile inuasions do méete togither But we are admonished by this saying They that hate me without cause c. that we suffer not as murtherers and theeues c. but like vnto Christians c. 1. Pet. 4. 15 16. That is for the confession of the Gospel And there is a notable ardent affect in the particle without a cause As if he had said They hated me not only as one neither guilty of sin nor hurting them but also most feruentlie coueting to do them good yéelding with great humilitie and taking vpon my selfe the punishments which they temselues deserued not séeking any reuenge but rather with great sorrow deploring or bewailing their wilfull obstinacie and destruction For this great good will and full of sorrow and lamentation for them and earnest desire to do them good do I beare this hatred Let Teachers or Preachers consider this figure and let them know that it is a common disease almost in all mankinde to be vnthankfull and let them for their great good will and great benefits suffer with patience to haue euill will hatred reproches and other mischiefes rendred them like as all Hystories are full of examples of vnthankfulnesse The Citie of Athens kept Miltiades in prison almost euen to his verie death and banished Aristides Themistocles and Cimon who had well deserued of the same Citie Finallie there is an infinite number of such whose examples maie admonish vs that we for Gods cause be carefull to do well not for reward of man and that we be not dismaid when mens indeuours and duties are not answerable to our good will and deseruings And that
is no forgiuenes of sinnes without an equall recompence and redemption equiualent This when no creature is able to pay it is decreed by his wonderfull wisedome that his sonne should pay the ransome for vs. For God declineth not from his righteousnes and yet by his wonderfull wisedome doth hee temper his righteousnesse with mercie As by the Prophet Oseas cap. 11. 9. I might indeed iustlie destroy thee but I will not exercise the furie of my wrath because I am God and not man the holy one in the middes of thee Neither indéed here must I passe with silence the particle containing a testimonie of the efficacie of the Gospell He shal send out his voyce and that a mightie voice as if he said The preaching of the Gospel shall not be a vaine sound of spéech but it shall be as saint Paule saith most swéetlie Rom. 1. 16. and 2. Cor 3. 3. The power of god vnto saluation for al that beleeue and the ministerie of the spirit of life c. O God wonderfull art thou in thy holy places euen the God of Israel he will giue strength and power vnto his people Blessed be God In conclusion he teacheth that Gods Church is by marueilous meanes gouerned preserued and defended as in the 4. Psal 3. it is said The Lord hath chosen vnto himselfe the man that is godlie For when we seeme to bee weak then are wee strong For the power of God is made strong in our infirmitie And to let passe other things In quietnesse and hope consisteth our strength c. To him that excelleth vpon Shoshanim A Psalme of Dauid a Figure of Christ persecuted by his enemie Saluum me fac Deus quoniam c The Argument THis Psalme is memorable in the writings of the Euangelists and Apostles For Saint Iohn the Euangelist in his 2. 15. 19. cap. citeth three verses out of this Psalme And Peter the Apostle speaking of the punishment which Iudas the traitor had vseth in 1. cap. 18. Act. the wordes of this Psalme Finallie Paule in the 11. and 15. cap. Rom. speaketh of this psalme in many wordes And it is a prophecie touching the passion of Christ and the horrible punishments of the Iewish nation and of the proper worship appertaining to the Church of the new Testament But it is a threefold Meditation vpon the passion of the Sonne of God one of instruction an other spiritual the third of example or imitatiō The instructiue meditation is to read much and often the interpretations which are extant in the Euangelists touching the passion of this Lord and to confer them with the histories of the Prophets that this conference of the histories and prophecies might confirme in our minds an assent whereby we might embrace this article But whereas in histories wee must not onelie looke for the euentes but much more the causes of the euents must bee sought for this meditation comprehendeth also a consideration of the causes for which the Messias was made a sacrifice and Redeemer For it is needefull that the causes of so great a matter bee neither slender nor fained but great and weightie causes which we shall thorowly beholde when God shall be all in all Now let vs diligently learne the elements which are deliuered in the worde and let vs craue of God that hee would gouerne with his holy spirit our purpose vndertaken touching the greatest matters And although some vnlearned persons fondly dispute y t God seeing he is omnipotent could restore mankinde into his ancient liberty and dignity by other maner of means yet let vs so hold it determined y t god doth not any way decline frō his righteousnes which thing sith so it is God must not only haue his place of mercy but also of righteousnes attributed vnto him touching his secret prouidence in the redeeming of mankind As therefore the immense mercy of God would not beholde the vniuersall death and destruction of our nature according to that saying of Ieremy Lament 3. cap. 22. It is the mercy of the Lorde that we are not consumed So the eternall and vnchangeable righteousnesse of God required a satisfaction for the offence and for the punishment For the Law of God which is a rule of iustice in God discerneth good and euill and bindeth the reasonable creature to become conformable to that rule and denounceth horrible destruction vnto all thinges which are contrary to that rule Wherefore seeing the ransome pacifieng the wrath of God and satisfieng the righteousnesse of God could neither bee paide by Angels nor by any other creature because the malice of sinne is infinit and no creature is able to endure the wrath of God it is by Gods wonderfull wisedome decreed that the second person of the Godhead which is called the word should take vpon him the nature of man and should satisfie the lawe of God for the fault and punishment in mankind That is that he which knew no sinne should take vpon him to redeeme vs from sinne that by him we might bee made the righteousnesse of God In this decree with admiration whereof the very Angels stand amazed at do shine the righteousnesse and mercie of God also the vnspeakeble humility and loue of God towardes vs. For there is no remission of sinnes graunted without recompence and satisfaction made For thinke I pray you howe great the force of Gods wrath is against sinne when he could not be pacified with any other sacrifice but by the passion and death of the immaculate Lambe And we indeed by the greatnesse of this remedie may esteeme the greatnesse of our sicknesse and sore For as Hippocrates saith vnto extream diseases we must lay extreame remedies Againe how great mercy is there in God not sparing his only begotten sonne but giuing him for vs all and giuing vs with him all things also The sonne of God adorning and amplifieng this mercy saith Iohn 3. 16. So God loued the world that hee sent his onely begotten sonne that euery one which beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting Notably therefore saith Clement B. of Alexandria Man is beloued of God For how should he not bee beloued for whose sake the onely begotten sonne of God was sent from the bosome of his father What shall I say of the humility of the Sonne turning vpon himselfe the reproches of other men and for the loue he bare towards his church for whose sake he put on the shape of a seruant and was by all meanes tempted like as we are tempted except with sinne onely that he bring and repossesse this his spousesse into her ancient liberty Pontanus telleth that in his time there was a cettaine husband-mans wife carried away by the Pirates of Tuneta and when her husband heard of this matter hee leapt into the sea and besought the Pyrats with great desire that they would also carry him away with his wife they maruailing at the faith and mind
helpe me O God Let them be ashamed and confounded that seeke after my soule let them bee turned backeward and put to confusion that wish me euill Let them for their reward be soone brought to shame that crie ouer me there there LIke as when we take an oath which is a kinde of taking God to witnesse in calling vpon him we craue that God woulde bee witnesse of our promise and a iust Iudge in punishing the partie which breaketh promise So in euerie our praier wee must craue of God that he would confirme the worke that he hath begun in vs and that hee would destroy the workes of the diuell and his instruments As when we recite these wordes Hallowed be thy name we do not onelie craue that the glorie of God maie bee made more excellent both by the true doctrine and by good examples but that also all wicked opinions in Religion and lewde examples in life by reason wherof the name of God amongst y e nations is blasphemed might euerie where be vtterlie extinguished So in like maner Dauid craueth helpe and defence in a good cause and the subuersion of his malicious cruell enemies whose diuelish malice and euill custome in working mischiefe was such that both their will was groedilie desirous of hurting their tongue earnestlie giuen to manifest the same and their hands nights and dayes prepared to shed the blood of the godlie lie ones Against these poysonfull Aspes prayeth Dauid here for their euill successe of their enterprises and except they will bee spéedilie conuerted for their vniuersall destruction So let vs craue of God that hee would with his mightie hand restrain or vtterlie cut off both Pope and Turke the two strong armes of Antichrist and that he would not long deferre the execution of his most iust iudgement but that hee would make haste to punish the enemie for the glorie of his names sake But let all those that seeke thee bee ioyfull and glad in thee and let all such as delight in thy saluation say alway the Lord be praised As for me I am poore and in miserie haste thee vnto me O God Thou art my helper and my redeemer Lord make no long tarrying Vnto the godlie ones which exercise faith in their dailic calamities and dangers these speeches of Dauid are not obscure I am poore and in miserie That is destitute of mans helpe and defences Thou therefore OGod bee my helper and deliuerer and that indeed without tarrying helpe and saue me least I perish or be ouercome of the cruell enemie for thou knowest thine owne creature out infirmitie is knowne vnto thee Thou knowest also that the Diuell goeth about and seeketh whom he may deuour and destroy 2. Pet. 5. 8. Wherefore seeing thou art a faithfull God do not thou suffer vs to be tempted aboue our strenght but giue with temptation an end that me may be able to endure that thou laiest vpon vs. A Psalme of Dauid In te Domine speraui c. The Argument ALthough certaine persons too much louers of themselues do imagine in their mindes that they excell in wisdome and strength the first flower of mankinde yet notwithstanding the thing it selfe sheweth that the nature of man as it were barren is at this day more weake and of lesse strength then it was in the beginning For most trulie is it saide of the learned ones In prima eatate mundi regnasse rationem gubernatricem inuentricem optimarum artium Deinde successisse aetatem bellatricem in qua armis imperia constituta sunt quatuor Monarchiae orbem terrarum rexerunt In hac vero Senecta mundi dominars That is In the first age of the world Reason ruled as gouernesse and inuenter of good artes After that succeeded the warlike age wherein by force of armes kingdomes were ordained and the foure Monarchies ruled and gouerned al the world But now in this olde age of the worlde concupiscence reigneth for nature of man being now made weaker neither studieth for wisdome as they did of olde neither taken vpon her those toyling labours of warfarre which strong men did in times past but as it were weakned in the sinewes seeketh after delites and pleasures This infirmitie of nature in vs doth the diuell more outragiouslie assault at this day and as it were leaning vpon a bending wall stirres vp Heretikes and tyrants partlie with craft or guile and partlie with manifest violence to ouerthrow and vtterlie destroy all the holie ones yea and extinguish the name of Christ whom this foresaid deadly enemie of ours well knoweth shall hereafter not long to come and iudge all people and giue vnto his Congregation euerlasting blessings and shall cast away these diuels with all the wicked ones into eternall destruction and torments Therefore now greater and more difficult is our necessitie cause then euer it was at any time in the church because wee haue against vs the skem and ende of the worlde that same extreame outrage of the Pope and of the Turke who as D. Martin Luther sayeth seeke to deuour vs. And I pray you how many trouble the Church now in her olde age with mouing vnnecessarie or needlesse disputations and like peeuish olde women dauncing out of order stirre vp a great dust as the Greeke Prouerbe saith And others like wawling Cats running away out of this life leaue an euill smell behind them This masse of mischiefes and miseries Dauid foreseeing to come in his time craueth most feruentlie of God that hee would not forsake nor cast away his Church in her extreame olde age so fowly deformed but that he would succour and defende her against the Diuell who in the ende of his tyrannie rageth more cruelly Seeing then Dauid foreseeing future stormes and tempestes in his time made such prayers for the ship which bare the Church of what minde behooueth it vs nowe at length to bee who are tossed with the verie same stormes But the verie same thing happeneth vnto vs which did to the Apostles which neither vnderstoode the greatnesse of Christes sorrowes nor are yet greatlie grieued in minde therewith no rather are wee ouercome with heauie sleepe as the Apostles were Let vs therefore correct this securitie and negligence and let vs craue of God that hee would helpe gouerne and strengthen vs least either our carelesse mindes fall headlong into Epicureal contempt of God or else being oppressed with the burthen of calamities bee vtterlie destroyed with desperation like as Ely Saule and innumerable others were ❧ The Psalme and Exposition thereof In thee O I orde haue I put my trust let me neuer bee put to confusion but rid me and deliuer me in thy righteousnesse encline thine eare vnto me and saue me WHere as before in the II. Psalme verse 6. and 8. these words are sufficientlie expounded I wil now onelie admonish the reader touching the little worde righteousnesse which is vsed in some places actiuelie in