sorte of quietnesse of minde that is none other thinge but a fleshlie securitie which is a token of the suddaine destruction to come PAVLL sayeth 1. Thess 5. 3. When they shall say peace and safetie then shall come vppon them suddaine destruction as the trauel vpon a woman with childe and they shall not escape Therefore to the ende there may be a deepe sleepe and a softe wakening out of sleepe that is that there be a true securitie of minde every man must take heede that hee feele God present with him present I say when he goeth to bed when he awaketh in the night for our sleepe should bee no sooner interrupted in the night but we should haue our recourse vnto God Albeit men commonly are chiefely distracted in the night with the cares of this worlde yea with lighter and vayner tryfles More-over nothing hath more strength either to settle the minde in the night time or to call it backe againe to sleepe and to refresh the bodie with rest then that sweete meditation vpon God Finally when the time of awaking commeth in the morning everie man must take head that he finde God present with him when he goeth foorth of the house when hee commeth in againe while he eateth while he drinketh while he is doing any thing continually that presence of God is to be sought Also wee haue God present at all times if with our voyce we cry vnto Iehova as DAVID did or if also when there is not place for the voyce wee call vpon him with our hearte which thing yerely may be done without hindring the most serious businesse we haue ado to leaue also that vnspoken of that this way specially all the honest adoes of this life may be handled with a certain inutterable delight Now the grounde of this presence is Christ without whose croce and sacrifice set before our eies no entrie is patent vnto God An other effect of Gods presence I will feare none euill In this verse he enlargeth that securitie which he felt through Gods presence while hee sayeth that hee hath no cause to feare hereafter no not indeed ten thousands of his enemies The amplifying therefore is partly from the time to come partly from the multitude of the enemies As if he should say Not onely was I secure but also hereafter I will be so secure Davidâ— coÌ„fidence exhorteth vs to invincible constanciâ— that if ten thousandes of the people would pitch their tents about me notwithstanding I will not bee shaken with fear Of the which thing you learne that this is the force of the quietnesse of the minde in God that there is nothing which it is not able to over-come From thence Paule after he had numbred out many things which are contrarie to vs in this life such as were anguishes oppression and the rest finally hee subjoyned Rom. 8. 36. 37. Yea in all those things we are more then conquerours through him who hath loved vs Behold you may see the grounde of this securitie and victorie To wit the loue of God in Christ For when there is that sense of the loue of God in Christ and consequently any taist of that life to come for this last followeth alway of that former then in deede the childe of God is so caryed aboue al those thinges inferiour that from on high he despiseth and contemneth them The cause brought out of the Apostle Nowe the Apostle in the same place bringeth in the cause why we are more then conquerours through the loue of God For I am perswaded saith he that neither death nor life c. is able to separate vs from the loue of God For if those things which are reckoned out in that Chapter might separate vs from the loue of GOD then certainely wee shoulde easilie fall vnder the burden through them But seeing they are not able to bring that to passe that GOD in Christ should not loue vs and wee also feele that loue in Christe and out of that loue life surely it will never come to passe that those things fall vtterlie oppresse vs But on the other it falleth out directlie to the contrarie that wee over come them all DAVID therefore to returne to him agayne was so caryed away through the sense of Gods presence and loue in the middest of persecution that hee securelie despised all the contrarie power as one who had perswaded himselfe of that that it was not able to separate him from that loue of God in Christe the sense whereof indeede he had at that time For it is not to bee thought that this voyce of DAVID and his glorying arose chiefelie of that securitie which hee had then perhaps of the certainty of the keeping of this life presente But much more of that securitie which he had of the certainty of that life to come yea that through the feeling of the loue which is in Christ Iesus For that is the differance betuixt the godly and others which stretch not their hope farther nor this life Those are never at ease neither yet can they glorie except they be first sure of this life yea but the godly being vncertaine of this life and certaine of that that is to come through the feeling of the loue of God in Christ they are in quiet rest The difference beâ—uixt the godly and vngodly concerning this life do glorie Sadrach Mesach and Abeanego Dan. 3. 16. aunswered so to Nebuchad-netzar threatning them with all extreame torments whatsoeuer We are not carefull say they concerning this matter And thus much haue we spoken concerning the seconde parte of the Psalme The glorying and commendation of the benefites of GOD The suÌ„me of the second part whereof the first was the sense of the help of God the second of the securitie pâ—st to come proceeding froÌ„ that sense of Gods help Now followeth the third part of the Psalme 8 Aryse Iehova saue me my God who hath stricken all mine enemies vpon the cheeke bone thou hast broken the teeth of the wicked 9 Saluation it selfe is to be ascribed to Iehova let thy blessing be vppon thy people Selali ARyse Iehova The last part of the Psalme The third part of the Psalme as wee haue spoken in which DAVID turning himselfe againe vnto God First prayeth for himselfe that hee may be delivered from the present danger Then for the people Now he praieth for himselfe in these words The combat of faith Aryse saith he Iehova saue me For so long as we feel not a full deliverance we remember God so as if he were vn-mindfull of vs and did sir idle in the heauens casting away all care of his owne vpon the earth Saue me saith he my God Embracing GOD as it were in his heart he craveth that he would saue him For when hee sayeth my God he embraceth God and by faith applyeth him to himself now he doth and speaketh this through the right of the covenant in which
followeth the confirmation thereof from his owne experience Also that experience is two fold The first is of the miserie at what time to wit he held his tongue and confessed not his sinne The second is of deliverance and forgiuenes of sin that is to wit at that time when he confessed his sin Then hee sayeth first When I held my tongue my bones waxed old That is when I conteined my sinne within mee when I dissembled the same and confessed not My bones waxed olde That is mine whole bodie was consumed there was nothing so firme in me no not indeede so much as my bones which was not worne away with the hand of God Marke the Prophetes words for he speaketh not so becaus I haue sinned my bones consumed awaye But he sayeth thus When I helde my peace Or when I confessed not my sin Why the godly are afflicted of God My bones wore away Of the which we learne that the godly are not for that cause afflicted of God that they are punished because of their sinnes which are all forgiven in that alone satisfaction of Christe but to the ende they may be raysed vppe out of that sluggishnesse and extreame deadlie securitie and may be broght to repentance I obserue this because of the enemies who defende that afflictions yea even of the godlie are so manie temporall punishmentes and satisfactiones for sinne when there is but one satisfaction of Christ yea and that all sufficiente and punishmente which he suffered for all our sinnes so that whosoever would conjoyne any other satisfaction whatsoever with this satisfaction of Christ of force he must take away some thing from that most perfect satisfying Much rather therefore we must hold and learne out of this experience of DAVID that whatsoever afflictiones of the godly are not ay by reasō of their sinnes to wit that any punishment should bee taken of them albeit otherwise the originall and efficient cause of them be sinne For the wages of sinne is death the same judgmēt is to be taken of al temporal afflictiones whatsoever But GOD who out of light bringeth foorth darknesse hee so changeth these afflictiones which are of the owne nature the fruites and effectes of sinne that nowe they become certaine exercises of the godly for their weill Then as I haue said afflictions come not for sinne as the ende that it may be punished but that repentance mortification and conversion may be wrought Secondly marke in this place how deepe the deadly sopour yea of the godly is at some time that those who now and then sleep so in sinne that they cannot be wakened vnlesse it bee with most grieuous afflictiones as DAVID speaketh yea except their bones be consumed that also which is a wounderfull thinge falleth out after that they haue now oft had experience of the mercy of GOD in Christ are touched with that sense of the passing sweete loue of GOD which surely ought to haue easilie without anie trouble alured their mind vnto God For he who once hath felt how gracious the Lord is he must of necessitie continually seeke the presence of God Notwithstanding they are so obdured whiles and cast vp into a deepe sleepe that they would never turne themselues vnto God vnlesse it were they were drawen with the violence of afflictiones This security is wounderful this sleepe is marveylous which now and then even creepeth-on vpon the godly and shaketh off so from them the taist of that loue of God in Christ for a time in which otherwaies it became them to be allured continually to seeke God that except they were judged of GOD they shuld perish miserably with the rest of the world Moreover we haue here to mark out of the word Of keeping silence whereby indeede somewhat obscurely is meant some conscience of sinne and that oppressed with silence and vnrighteously with holden as the Apostle speaketh For there is no man so voyde of conscience which is not some time as it were rounded with into the eare admonished of his sinne And from thence it proceedeth that men being warned by their conscience of sinne whereof in the meane time they delight very greatly and they indevour to nourish the same in their bosome as it were they travel by all meanes to dissemble and cover their sinne so that if it were possible it should not be marked with Gods eies to that end especially that they might enjoy sin without the brode of conscience and disquietting of the minde which thing indeed they cannot attayne vnto if they knowe that their sinne is before the sight and eies of God Of which it commeth to passe that some pretend one excuse some another yea some pretending religion and externall worship for their sins But al those things are done in vayne For it is not possible that sinnes can be covered as it was said before vnlesse they be hid with the onely obedience of Christ In my roaring As if he should say I in the meane time not acknowledging my sinne was touched indeed with a present sense of my afflictions all the daye I roared like a Lyon I vttered very beastly noyses Of the which we learne yea that the very Hecte and godly at what time being delivered over into their owne hande they begunne to waxe beastlie and to sleepe in sinne while by afflictions they be awakened out of that sleep they vse to vtter voyces as of beastes rather then of men yea many times they murmure and fret against God For if you will considder common nature there is no difference betuixte the Elect and the Reprobat the godly and the vngodly Which surely if there bee any it is from God alone who only puts the difference betuixt vs who at last allureth the godly vnto himselfe by some sense of his loue yea and by his holy Spirite boweth their harts But he leaveth the vngodly for ever being left it is so far a way that they are softned by afflictions and calamities that contrariwise they are judged and become worse and worse For day and Hitherto hath the most grievous affliction bin set downe here followeth the cause thereof as if he should saye no man hath cause to woūder that my bones are worne awaye and that I in the meane time haue roared like a Lion For the hand of God day and night oppressed me Thy hand was heavy vpon me saith he day night That is continually without intermission and from thence it commeth to pas that My most excellent iuyce was turned into the sommers droughts That is that juyce whereby the body was fresh did dry-vp yea and the whole body was dryed vp became withered For it is the amplifying of so grievous an oppression from the owne effect because the hand of God oppressing him it wrong out all the sap of the bodie Marke here the principall cause of DAVIDS afflictions not onely did the afflictiones so much mooue him as God
him of the which it came to passe that being now sicke hee is more troubled in mind through the feeling of Gods wrath then in the body through the feeling of the sicknesse For that we speake somewhat of the wrath of God it is intollerable for it is not possible that hee can be satisfied vnlesse it be with the everlasting punishment of that man who is out of Christ It is not the sicknesse of one two or mo yeares not of a thousand yeares that can satisfie the angrie God if you be found out of Christ but thou must be punished for evermore The common place of Gods anger And even as the wrath of God in the selfe is intollerable so the sense of the flesh and of this corrupt nature conceiveth it to be vnappeaseable to be mixed with no kinde of mercy of which thing Cain complayneth Gen. 4. 13. My punishment is more saith hee then that I am able to beare But certainely prophane Cain lyeth against God and against his nature For where sinne aboundeth grace aboundeth much more If the minde could be brought on earnestly to seeke the same How Spiritual Davids feeâ—â—ng was For then it shall feele the wrath of God in Christ pacified which the flesh corrupt nature feeleth vn-appeaseable DAVID therefote to returne vnto him having once felt this wrath of God was more troubled through the sense of the wrath then through the sense of the most grievous sicknesse hee craveth then that not so much the sicknesse be remooved from him as the feeling of the wrath and he doubleth that petition as one who was deeply touched with the sense of that wrath O Lord saith he rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastiseme in thy burning wrath For hee apprehendeth not only the anger What doctrine the afflictions of the godly is but the burning wrath Therefore in the example and persone of DAVID this is to bee learned of vs The afflictions of the godlie are not indeede so many satisfactiones for their sinnes neither doth God lay them on vpon his owne to that ende that hee may satisfie his wrath and justice For Christ hath satisfied once the wrath of his father for the sinnes of al the beleevers yea and that indeede most perfitely For the Papistes lie The Papists 〈◊〉 concerning satisfaction in that they say that the afflictiones of the godlie are so many temporall punishments inflicted because of their sinnes which of necessitie they must suffer either in this world or in the other That is in Purgatorie For they saye that Christhes onely taken away by his death that everlasting punishment By which lie who is he not that seeeth how much is derogated froÌ„ that only one perfit sacrifice of Christ Therefore I affirme that these are not satisfactiones for sinnes or the punishments of sinnes but fatherlie chastisements by which God of his mercie exerciseth his owne in this life that they be not vtterly casten vp in a deepe sleepe of fleshlie securitie so perish with the rest of the world Which thing albeit it be true yet notwithstanding afflictiones manie times darkeneth so in our sight that mercy and loue of God in Christ that the very Godly are afrayde also when they are chastised least together at one time the whole wrath of God bee poured out vpon them Now this feare aryseth not so much of the renevved part of the minde as it doth of the flesh and vnregenerate part of the soule For loue casteth out feare 1. Ioh. 4. 18. Therefore it proceeded of the flesh that DAVID feared so much the wrath of God and his prayers some thing savoring of the flesh What the prayers of the godly are and of the corrupt nature mixt with them For the prayers yea of the most holy men contract a certaine spot on some one side or other of the remanent vncleanesse of this nature Neverthelesse in the meanetime he turneth himselfe vnto God and prayeth that he would turne away his wrath from him which is againe a sure evidence that he even at that time had apprehended some certain portion of that grace of God in Christ Iesus for vtherwaies surely he durst not haue bene so bold to come vnto God or to common with him so familiarly vnlesse he had bene allured by some feeling of that mercie in Chrisâ— Then the godly in the midde clowde of afflictiones surelie haue some sight howsoever at some time it be somewhat obscure of the mercie and grace of God by which they being allured come vnto God earnestly craue his mercy For they are not able who are not at least touched with some sense of his mercy earnestly to craue that mercy But we will make the matter manifest by this similitude When a mid cloude is cast in betuixt our sight the Sun the cloude indeede in the matter it selfe diminisheth nothing of the bright shining of the same which by nature is in the Sunne albeit the Sun be not seen of vs in the cleare brightnesse thereof be reason of the cloude that is cast betuixte Even so it is of that cloude of affliction that is casten in betuixte our sight and that sunne of the countenance and mercy of God The exposition and applying of the similitude in effect surely it taketh nothing away from the loue of God howsoever indeede it appeare vnto vs wherby God loveth vs in Christ which as God himselfe is vnchangeable so he remayneth the selfe same for evermore and is ever like to the selfe yea and remayneth even then when he chiefelie afflicteth vs. For even then when hee looveth vs in that his Welbeloved how-so-ever it appeare not so vnto vs because of the affliction which is cast in betuixt vs and his countenance And againe as the cloude cast betuixt darkeneth not the Sun so vnto vs that nothing of the sunne vtterly is seene and wee thinke that the day is suddenly changed into the night nevertheles surely some portion of the light shineth vnto vs through the middest of that darke thicknesse of the cloude even so neither doth that cloude of afâ—liction cast in darken that Sunne of the loue of GOD in Christ but some beames thereof will clearely strike vpon our mindes and hearts These thinges are somewhat more largelie spoken of me that we suffer not our selues to be so oppressed in the darknesse of afflictiones so that al beames of the favour of God in Christ bee vtterly taken away out of our sight but so much coÌ„tinually of that light which is in his face should be seene of vs as may shew vs the way earnestly to craue mercy and deliverance Iehova be gracious vnto me Hitherto once and againe hee hath prayed that the wrath might be remooved Now hee earnestly prayeth for the grace and mercie of God Wrath by prayer being removed wee should earnestly seek grace after the example of David Be gracious vnto me ó Iehova sayth he Hee had
the generall doctrine commeth first in hand Then a confirmation of the propositioÌ„ from experience last the effecte of that experience of the mercy of God toward DAVID in others of the faithful Then to the end we may speake of the proposition DAVID first is tormented with the conscience of sinne and because of sin with the feeling of Gods wrath Then his minde is quieted by a confidence of the forgiuenes of his sins Therefore he appeareth to himselfe to be blessed after that torment and horrours of death through the conscience of the remission of his sinnes his minde being now setled in ease hee sheweth plâ—inely once and over again what great good is in the forgiuenesse of sinnes in this Psalme of doctrine and there through hee becommeth an excellent learned Teacher of the blessednesse of man For every man is bounde after that firste he hath felt his own miserie then his free deliverance in Christ according to his calling to deliver over vnto others as it were the doctrine of the miserie and blessednesse of man DAVLD nowe then becommeth such a one and hee teacheth that true and solide felicitie consisteth not in the riches of this worlde not in honor glorie not in pleasures not in the workes and merites of men but in the grace of God alone in the free remission of sinnes Also those whom he taketh in hand to teach are miserable men miserable I say it were no more but by reason of the conscience and of death yea or rather because of that fleshly security whereby many are casten vp so in a deepe sleepe that neither are they touched with a sense of sinne nor of miserie which estate surely is of all estates far most perilous Then those ar they whom he teacheth this true happinesse to whom by viue voyce he poynteth out as it were with the finger that onely cause which pacifieth and blesseth the consciences of miserable men to wit the free remission of sinne in Christ Moreover there are three sorts of speeches concerning remission of sinnes in the two first verses which notwithstanding all fall into one The first is The first Blessed is he which is eased sayth he DAVID feeling himselfe as it were firste oppressed with the burden of sinne Then that he was eased of that but then through the mercy of God and his conscience now being pacified to him drawing his breath as it were he cryeth out and declareth that that man is blessed whosoever he bee that is disburthened of the heavie burthen of his defectioÌ„ Now the cause wherefore wee feele not in our selues such a blessednesse neither are able to prayse the same with DAVID is this securitie whereby it commeth to passe that either sin is not felt at all or if it be felt it is esteemed as a thing of little weight But if the deadly sopour were shaken off from vs and if there were any feeling of sinne together with a sense of the wrath of God drawing out sin to the light and making the burthen of sin to appeare intollerable as that way it appeareth vnto DAVID when he saieth and complayneth that the burthen of his iniquities are heavie Psal 〈◊〉 â— that they are heavier then he is able of strength to beare For he felt conjoyned with his iniquities the wrath of God from which proceedeth that so great a weight of sin If therefore we feele that burthen of sinne with the anger of God lying on vs then surely we would in good earnest acknowledge that that man were blessed who were disburdened of his defection Whose sinne is covered The seconde forme of speech followeth whereby he publisheth the remission of sinnes Blessed is he sayeth he whose sinne is hid DAVID when hee had felt this sinne and all this deformitie of nature to be layd open before the eies of that wrathfull God Then also he had felt that his sinne was covered with the obedience righteousnesse of Christ his minde being nowe quieted and setled hee pronounceth that man to be blessed whose sinne was covered Now the cause wherefore wee feele not this blessednesse in our selues by experience is that he is blessed whose sinne is covered is the selfe-same stupiditie of our nature and fleshlie securitie wherewith wee are so blinded that we neither see our sinne neither the angrie face of God looking vpon vs from the heauen For the which blindnes sake againe we do oft come to that shamelesnesse that not being coÌ„tent in secreet to offend those eies of God we also do openly come out and in Gods sight before the Sun the Moone yea and as it were the whole world looking on sometimes wee commit man-slaughter otherwhiles adulteries nowe thieftes and riefes and then other sortes of moste filthie sinnes and provoke as Esay saieth 3. â— the eies of the glorie of God Like as we read of that Zimri Num 9â— 25. a most impudent man who came foorth brought out his filthinesse with that his exceeding filthie whoore the Midianitish woman in the sight of God in the sight of Moses in the presence of all the people yea in the publicke sorrow of al the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ Wherefore Phinees being vehemently stirred vp with the zeale of God taking a speare in his hande striketh them both through But if surely there were any Magistrates among vs indewed with such a zeale those most wicked men should not escape vnpunished for so many man-slaughters so many adulteries Finally for so many sortes of most haynous sins Nevertheles this thing in the meane time should comfort vs that the selfe same God yet remaineth and that ever like to himselfe who because of his righteousnes is not able to suffer for ever that these most wickedman shall escape vn-punished for those sinnes This is then the blindnesse which proceedeth from our securitie and againe a wounderful shamelesnesse proceeding from that blindnesse But surely if once at length we were wakened vp out of this deadly sopour and saw our sinnes viuely together with the angrie countenance of God beholding vs from the heaven and burning vp our soules as it were with his hoat wrath for the angrie countenance of God doth none otherwaies burne the vncleane souls of men then the fyre any mater meet for burning as tymber stuble or hey according to that saying of the Prophet Thou shalt appoynt them For to be burnt as a furnace of fyre in the time of thine angrie countenance then declaring that more clearely he subjoyneth Iehova shall sup them vp in his wrath as if the fyre had coÌ„sumed them But if I say there were any feeling of those things then surely wee would with DAVID commend much that man to be blessed whose sinne were so covered that it should not be seene of an angrie God Blessed is the man to whome Iehova imputeth none iniquitie The thirde forme of speech The third forme of speache whereby hee expresseth vnto vs the remission of sinnes Hee felt out
of all question first a judgement seate set vp as it were in his owne soule and an accusing conscience that his sin was imputed vnto him by God the judge Then this whole judgement being remooved out of his soule by Christ that his sinne was not layde to his charge Of this it commeth to passe that being refreshed he cryed out commendeth him to be greatly blessed to whom God imputeth not sinne But if we after the same maner raysing vp a judgement seate in our hearts would first see feele our conscience accusing vs God sitting in judgement and sin to be laide to our charge by GOD the judge surely wee would call that man blessed with DAVID to whom God imputeth not sin But such is our greate sluggishnesse that albeit we be other wile sinners notwithstanding except it be very hardly ar we touched with any sense of sin yea even then when the wrath of GOD exerciseth vs wee are not drawen on to the acknowledging of our sinne but verie hardly Out of this laste forme of speech whereby DAVID published the forgiuenesse of sinnes we learne also from DAVIDS example himself we learne I say first what is the estate of the soule of a sinner which is touched deepely with a conscience of his owne sinne and thereby is prepared vnto grace He feeleth that there is a judgment seat set vp in his soule and that God himselfe the judge sitteth therein Then the conscience of sinne accuseth and God the judge layeth sinne to the charge and looketh vppon the filthinesse thereof as with a terrible eie From thence followeth a deepe sense of sinne and a burden that is not able to be borne of sinne I say which appeared a little before to be of no weight and moment Of this also aryses horrours terrours of hell which if they continued any longer they would driue a man vnto desperation Wee haue againe also in the example of DAVID the constitution of the soule of the sinner after that sinnes are forgiven Hee feeleth within himselfe that all that judgement ceaseth that his conscience as a witnesse accuseth him no more of sinne and that sin is not layde vnto his charge by God the judge he feeleth also that what-so-ever remanent of sinne is in the corrupte nature that it is whollie covered so with the righteousnesse perfite obedience of Iesus Christ that the angrie face of GOD is no more directed against the same finallie he feeleth now that his sin is not imputed vnto him and so as I said it being covered he feeleth it to bee a burden vnto him no more And in deede when any is disburdened of the burden of sinne sinne appeareth vnto him to bee a light thing not by reason of that fleshlie securitie but for the mercy of God in Christ his sake it is made light of little weight Vppon these follow an inâ—credible peace and quietnesse of conscience which is none other thing then that blessednes which DAVID commendeth For when he had once intirely felt it in his soule he reteineth it not within his owne minde But hee is compelled to common thereof with others that if it be possible other miserable men also such as we are all by nature may be touched with some sense and sweetnesse thereof in some measure that so they may become blessed More-ouer wee haue also to learne out of DAVIDS words that which PAVLE also gathered out of the recommendation of this blessednesse of DAVID Rom. 4. 6. to wit that that man is blessed to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes that is that a man is made righteous not by any inherent righteousnesse which proceedeth from his workes but by righteousnes imputed onely For if justification and blessednes be by forgiuenesse of sinnes of necessity it must follow that justification is by righteousnesse not surely inherent but imputed For forgiuenesse is also of sinne inherent Nowe sinne being inherence that righteousnesse is not inhereÌ„t but imputed This necessary consecution of imputed righteousnesse from the forgiuenes of sinnes caused PAVLE to interpret that place that DAVID spak expressely of the remission of sinnes even as if he had spoken of imputed righteousnes But this matter shall become more evident by some example taken from judgement seats and from the common customes among men For the matter is none otherwise to be considered of in this head of justification then if any King of free grace would forgiue the sinne to any guylty man As for example to a man-slayer even now condemned for his sinne Now this man his sinne being forgiven is said to be justified But by what righteousnesse I praye you not by that which is inherent For in him selfe in very deede hee is a man-slayer By what righteousnesse then surely by none other then by that which was freelie imputed by the King to wit by that whereby hee thinketh him righteous who is not righteous in himselfe The same in all respectes is the manner of our justification before the judgement seate of God the judge Wee are not indeede juste through our owne works but vnjust Neither yet doth God pronounce vs to be righteous for our works But the justification of GOD that is the publishing of the just is that wherby he vttereth that man is vnjust to bee just of his only mercy in Christ Now to the end that the whole matter may the more clearely appeare The thrâ—fold maner of iustit fiing wee must know that a man may be saide to be justified before GOD three waies summaâ—lie â— By the worker of the lawe First by the works of the law secondly by the punishment of the law broken Thirdly by remission of sinnes or by not imputing of sinnes for those things ar one Moreover as concerning the first manner of justifying which is by the workes of the Law after the fall of ADAM of vs al in ADAM never was there any yet that was justifyed by the workes of the Law except one man Christ For seeing the lawe requireth two things the one either that we fulfil or that wee die all fulfilling of that which the lawe commandeth is vtterlie lost in ADAM 〈◊〉 By punishmentes for transgression Now as concerning that second maner of justifying Christ is justifyed onely that waye yea and that for our cause for that cure denunced in the law perteined vnto vs we behoved to satisfie the righteousnesse of God by our everlasting death but Christ came as a mid man betuixt through his own and his fathers mercy and transferred our sinne together with the punishment due to our sinne vpon himselfe The third manner of justifying which is by the free remission of sins 〈◊〉 By the remission of 〈◊〉 resteth alone for vs whosoever wee be that will be justified saved before God to wit whereby we freelie receiue remission of all our sins beleeving that Christ hath satisfied the law for vs for our cause hath suffered that curse
grace For that which is saide by the Apostle is not to be thought light to neglect such a great salvation Heb. 2. 3. is vtterlie to refuse the Son of God in whom whosoever beleeueth not as is spoken in IOHN 3. 18. Is already condemned because he beleeveth not in the only begotten son of God Marke next 2. lesson that bold liberty which the sinner being nowe turned vnto God vseth in this confession of DAVID I will confesse my sinne vnto thee saieth DAVID And this liberty manifesteth the feeling of Gods loue toward him and the confidence of grace and of remission of sinnes in Christ For it is not possible that a sinner turne him selfe vnto GOD confesse his sin and earnestly craue for the forgiuenes of his sinne vnles there be already first after some sort some sense of grace and pardon purchased The conscience threw out a confession out of IVDAS but he durst not be so bolde as to confesse his sin before GOD neither yet to deale with God after this manner that DAVID doeth in this place I will make my sinne knowen sayeth he vnto thee But going aside turning his back as it were vnto God sayeth he I haue sinned hauing betrayed the Innocente bloud Wherefore to speake it summarly the confession of sinne before God the craving of pardon that is this libertie wherby any man dareth be bolde to appeare before him and to present himselfe before his judgement seate sufficiently doth manifest some feeling of grace and that selfe same remission of sinnes which wee seeke being purchased already in some sort For this cause shall everie one He commendeth this his experience 〈…〉 which was of Gods mercie immediatly preceeding from the own effect in every one of the faithful that were to come thereafter For this cause sayeth he That is for this experience of thy mercy toward me Shal he pray vnto thee That is he shall confesse his sinnes or he shall craue pardon He to whom thou art fauorable That is not by putting any kinde of difference but hee onely whome God loveth Of this loue and favour there must of necessity be some sense as we haue already even now spoken before any man be so bolde either to confesse his sinne to God or earnestly to craue pardon for sinne But at what time shall he whom God favoreth pray at times sayeth When it shall happen To wit In the over flowing of many waters That is in the stormes and waues of extreame vehement afflictions as before Psal 18. 17. and every where in the Psal 69. They shall not so much as touch him that is they shall not so much as touch him lightly so firme shal be the loue of God in Iesus Christ Rom. 8. ◠And if they happen to touch him they shall bee so farre away from being of abilitie to hurt the man as contrariwise they shall be for his profite Rom. 8. 〈◊〉 For all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue God Wherefore the Apostle when he felt himselfe so grounded in that loue he securely gloryed against the adversarie creatures of whatsoever sort as oppression nakednes hunger the sworde death life powers dominions And this surely hee did not indeede for that ende that hee thought that it was not possible that this life presente might be taken out of the world by those things for hee himselfe thereafter felt the contrary in experience but for this cause that he looked for certainly hoped for that other life of God ◠Lesson which should never die with this life This is not to be pretermitted that DAVID confirmeth this man that is to praye whosoever finallie he bee with a promise of that thing which he shall craue so encourageth him to pray For by this example wee learne whosoever wil pray with confidence of necessitie he must haue while he is praying continvally before his eies the promises of God in Christ yea and hee must remember of them so far as it is possible For if there be no meditation vpon the promises of GOD what confidence what zeale I praye you can there be in praying seeing that without Gods own word there cannot be faith and in vayne shall any man promise to himself any good thing or grace from GOD whereof he hath not some assurance out of Gods owne word promise Faith is by hearing Rom. 10. 〈◊〉 and hearing by the worde of God Indeed that is true that there is no man to be found which is not at some time touched with some feling of this want and so is provoked and it were no more very necessity it self compelling him to conceiue praiers But if there be no promise of God before the eyes no worde of GOD concerning that thing which they seek with what face or of what mind dare they be so bolde to come vnto God I marke this the more carefullie for that cause that all may knowe how necessary it were to search and learne out of the word of GOD himselfe and Scriptures all the promises of GOD whither they be of things temporall or of things everlasting In which verely whosoever at passing-well versed those men doe pray very well When wee speake of promises Christ is not to bee passed by in silence in whom all the promises of God are yea Amen that is they both haue their owne ground also their accomplishment without whom in vayne surely thou lookest vppon the promises either temporal or eternal Wherefore whosoever beholdeth the promises of God if hee will look vpon them with profite it is requisite that first of al he look vpon their beginning and end Iesus Christ and never suffer him to depart out of his eies Thou art a lurking place vnto me Hitherto by the waye the promise was inserted Nowe followeth the forme of prayer which that man which is beloved of GOD shal vse whosoever he bee yea and that leaning to DAVIDS example experience In this little prayer not so much at the words to be numbred as they are to bee weighed Before the promise he maketh his preface that God is his lurking place and he professeth his assurance in God alone which in deede is principally the solid ground of the petition and a vehementargumēt to purchase to himself the grace of GOD For seeing thou makest a semblance professest that thy confidence in prayer is placed not in men nor in our merites in which the Papistes trust neither yet in anie other thing but in God alone through Iesus Christ surely nowe thou bringest with thee somewhat then which no thing is more pleasant and acceptable to God Also the petition is in those words Keepe me from trouble Then nexte according to the same meaning compas me about with songs of deliverance as if he shuld say deliver me that I may haue mater to sing thy prayses Hee seeketh then a deliverance for the glorie of God wherof out of all question he
vnhappy in respect of themselues although they themselues appeare to be most miserable not only to kings but also to the whole worlde When therefore PAVLE desired Agrippa to be like vnto himselfe who seeing he was without Christ out of all doubt he thought so great a King in regard of himselfe to be vnhappie and miserable which thinge whiles hee thought vpon pittying him stretching out his hande as it were would haue led the man vnto Christ he willeth that I saye pittying him For the faithfull and godlie alone who them selues haue felte in experience the mercie of God are vnfainedly mercifull For Agrippa pyttied not so PAVLE whom notwithstanding hee judged at that time to be miserable whom he saw bound and layd open to all the injuries of his enemies Therefore to speake at once that is seene to bee true yea and it were no more but this one example that every one of the godlye seeketh nothing so much as the salvation and conversion of miserable men For what Thou which standeth in grace thinkest thou not but that it may be that some of thy grace may be diminished if thou communicate not the same liberally with others Feele wee not that in experience that this communicating serveth chiefely for this to increase faith grace Wherof it came to passe Rom. 1. 〈◊〉 that PAVLE desired to visite the Romaines That hee might be comforted together with them through their mutuall faith both theirs and his Secondly that DAVID turneth not himselfe to manye but to some one man I will instruct thee teach the saith he By this thing he recommendeth to everie man the doctrine of blessednes and he willeth that everie man a part apply it to him selfe For doctrine proposed conceived in generall it is lesse forcible but being applyed to everie man in particular it pearceth more into the hearte and without particular applying the promises of God in the scriptures will never kindle vp faith nor hope nor being kindled vp will not feed them on stil and therfore the Apostle applieth the scripture brought out for the purpose vnto the Romanes with this admonition What soever things are written Rom. 1â— â— are written for our instruction that through patience consolation of the Scriptures wee might haue hope By the which wordes indeed he signifyeth that we haue not true comfort and hope without application Wherefore it is to be taken heede how we either reade or heare the Scriptures which otherwise are set before all men in generall travell must diligently by taken that everie one drawe in particular to him selfe the things that are spoken in generall Let this be for examples sake when this sentence is proposed 1. 〈◊〉 16. Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners Wee should everie one of vs even as the Apostle PAVLE doth in the same place restraine the same to ourselues making as it were the sub-sumption But so it is that I am a sinner a coÌ„clusion Therfore christ came into the world to saue me which particular conclusion indeede as soone as the soule apprehendeth it quieteth the self therin and as it were feedeth and nourisheth thereon with a very strong consolation Thirdly obserue DAVID while he promiseth vnto him â—eb 6. â— whom hee will instruct doctrine and learning hee prepareth him therewith to heare and greedelie to receiue that which hee is to saye Hee who prepareth himselfe to instructe in others nexte vnder Gods glorie hee should haue set before him not his owne profite not vaine glory or any such thing but the commoditie of him whome hee receiveth to instruct yea and hee should she we the same in outward behaviour in word and in his whole life For so it shall come to passe that he whome lie instructeth while hee seeth that his teacher next after GOD hee setteth his salvation before them with the greater courage of minde hee will take heede vnto the thinges which are spoken For one of the two is necessarie that either the doctrine should bee effectuall to the life or vnto the death of the sinner which proceedeth from him who coÌ„meth out to teach with this simplicity and sincerity of mind Paul the Apostle after that he had said That he was vnto God the sweet sauour of Christ in theÌ„ thâ—â— ar saued in theÌ„ which perish to the one we ar the sauor of death vnto death 2. Coâ— â— 1â— 16. to the other the sauour of life vnto life then he subjoyneth we ar not as manie which make merchandice of the word of GOD but as of sinceritie but as of God in the sight of God speake we in Christ Therefore sinceritie in teaching shal either effectuat life or death Then to speak it in one word that vprightnesse and simplicitie of heart which hath principallie the glorie of God set before it is required before all things in the Teacher and Minister I save principallie the glorie of God yea because it must be preferred before the salvation of man which is to be sought in deede as the proper ende of the doctrine and ministrie For the Minister should not first and properly respect that his Preaching be not the savour of death vnto death Notwithstanding if the glorie of God cannot be obtayned no other manner of waie vnles it be with the hardning of some men the glorie of GOD is to bee sought yea and it wer with the overthrow of all mortall creatures Rom. 4. 4. Let God be true â—an 〈…〉 and every man a lyar Shame of face and contempt belong vnto vs but with the Lord our God are compassiones Bee not like ane horse Hitherto hath the preface for attention continued now we shall absolue the doctrine in few words Be not sayeth he as the horse as the Mule He speaketh especiallie to those that are benummed and waxe brutish vnder the afflictions and chastisements of the Lorde For hee speaketh by experience for hee himselfe had sometime by-paste waxed brutish And therefore hee speaketh vnto such in these wordes as hee was in time past himselfe as if he should saye O miserable men be not like beastes vnder Gods chastisements as the horse the mule other beastes that are voyde of reason and vnderstanding Whose mouth Here followeth nowe a greeuous threatning to the end that they may be awakned as it were out of so deepe a sleep as if he should say as the horse or mule can no otherwaies be dantoned but by casting the bridle into their mouth Even so God except at length ye awaken out of this deadly so pour hee will caste in into your mouth the bridle of his power to dantone this wildenesse Great sorrowes are for the wicked Then by cleare and proper wordes expressing the matter which before hee had set down with improper words and by an figuratiue speech and weighing in his owne minde aswell the miserable estate of the obstinate as the happinsse of the faithfull he
heart which notwithstanding decreed with his owne mind to suffer all kinde of injuries This is the verie beastlie fearcenes of our country men not any courage of mind Thirdly it is to be observed that DAVIDs affection at last boyled-vp and that he himselfe spake at length For such is the force of our affectiones that violently they draw the regenerate hither and thither Of which it is that you yet perceiue some remanēts of sinne still to remaine in every one of the best men and that this perfect regeneration of the Papistes is but a dreame Surely I beleeue that these men never yet sufficiētly went down into themselues and haue never seen that vyle corruption that lyeth far ben in the heart I know sayeth the Apostle being now regenerate that in me 〈◊〉 7. 18. that is in my flesh no good dwelleth He indeed felt that bitternesse of sin cleauing fast to the ribbes and that law which he calleth The law of the members rebelling against the law of the Spirite which indeed those men haue never yet felte nor would not feele Fourthly it is to bee noted that DAVID gaue not place incontinēt vnto his affection for you see here that he bursted foorth into these voyces by certaine degrees For afflictions cōming vppon vs dailie first of all sorrow like a wounde waxeth greene then the hart groweth hoate thirdly the fyre kindleth vp and then indeede the tongue is lowsed Learne therefore that the affectiones of the renewed man burst not foorth without some wrastling whereby indeed the regenerat man differeth from the vnrenewed which easilie yea with any light motion is brought on to commit any thing and from hence proceedeth also another difference betuixt the renewed man the vnregenerate The regenerate man indeede suffereth greatly for a long time wronges and afflictiones IOB took in patience the los of his goods he suffereth also patiently the tinsell of his children but when it came to boyles in his owne bodie hee suffered not those with so patient a mind Notwithstanding that mans wounderfull patience is recommended to the whole posteritie But he which is not renewed suffereth nothing with a willing minde if he be not able to revenge wronges when hee woulde notwithstāding he reteineth with in himselfe an intention of vengeance Fiftly it is to be marked DAVID kindled vp first then he spake Iame. 3. ◠Iames in his Epistle He calleth the tongue a fyre also the same chap. 3. 6. Apostle calleth it a fyre inflamed of Hell Beholde in this place that hel which is no other thing then the fyre of malice burning vp in the hearte as it were and blowen vp and fed by Sathan Se therefore vnlesse there be first a flamme in the hart ther is no flamme in the tongue That thing which defyleth the man sayeth the Lord commeth out from within the man Then as oft as thou hearest those blasphemies reproches and rotten filthie speaches impute not those so much to the wickednesse of the tongue as to the vncleanesse of the heart For of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh We detest the mens tongues but if wee were able once to see those fowle and filthie hearts of men which God alone beholdeth howe greatly I praye you would we altogether abhorre them For there is nothing more detestable to the godlie man then is the soule and hearte of a man not regenerate by the holie Spirite Hitherto hath bene declared the first parte of the Psalme Cause me ô Iehova to prooue in He maketh mention of the prayer which he vsed in the falling backe whereof againe there are two parts Firste hee earnestly craveth death then he desireth a deliverance from sinne two parts of the petition and from the punishment of sinne To the ende this doctrine may be the easier these two thinges are to be distinguished in the first petition First the petition it selfe in the firste part of the fift verse The first part The second the reason of the petition in the nexte parte of the same verse The third is an amplification in the laste parte of the same verse and in the beginning of the next verse The fourth is an◠certaine acclamation in the seconde parte of the sixt verse the whole 7. verse through out Nowe as concerning the petition Cause me to proove in experience sayeth he mine ende He might haue comprehended this in one word make me to die but he vsed a circumlocution because of his passionat affection to shew the loathsomnes he had of life as if he should saye I haue long sinsine sought the end of life make me to feele it in experience at last Then the reason is adjoyned from the shortnes of this life What is the measure of my dayes sayeth he As if he should say it is nothing Then cōtinuing in the purpose and willing as it were to define more exactlie the time of his life First he maketh a preface that he wil diligentlie endevour that he may see and know how durable he is There after hee prescribeth the time of his life then clearelie hee sheweth as it were to God the author thereof the measure of his life Behold saith he thou haste appoynted my daies as handebreadths that is no longer then is the measure of an hand-breadth Then he proceedeth in the extenuating of his daies My time sayeth he is nothing before thee This much cōcerning the enlarging of the Argument Last followeth the publishing of a graue weightie sentence or acclamation Surly al men saith he is everie way vanitie although he bee never so well established That is firme and fixed in this life like as DAVID appeared to be in a noble pussant kingdome the enemies vppon all sides being overcome when this conspiracie arose Now hee repeateth this parte of the acclamation For in the same meaning he sayth Doubtlesse man passeth away by a shaddow That is by a certaine vanishing fashion 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 31. as PAVLL speaketh by a fashion or figure by which wordes it signifyeth not anie substantiall thinge but a certaine vanishing fashiō of a thing The same is the judgmēt of the Prophet of every wicked mā Psal 7◠60. although he appear to be never so well established The same also is the Apostles judgement concerning this whole presente whorlde The fashion of this worlde sayeth hee goeth away 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 31. And this much indeede hath bene spoken of both the partes of the acclamation Surely in vayne they make a noyse He sheweth the selfe same vanity to be of mens careful indevours which is of the men themselues as if hee should saye They labour runne sweat in vaine which thing he himselfe had before founde in experience who after he had purchased with so great travell the kingdome and so great riches he saw Abschalom his sonne to rage and he beleeveth that Mephibosheth would interprise some thing against the kingdome and therefore hee was
and weakenesse of men whereby they are not able indeed to suffer so much as the least of Gods judgements he cryeth out as before in the sixt verse Surely all men is vanitie Here my prayer Thirdly he rehearseth the same petition with a greate vehemencie of minde And first he recommendeth vnto God the prayers themselues Then the crying out in powring out of the prayers Thirdly the teares coÌ„joyned with the crying For such circumstances are not adjoyned vnto praiers in vaine as crying teares Yea they are cared for by God who putteth vp into his bottle every teare of his own hes them all in his register as it were as DAVID speaketh in another place Because I am a stranger The thirde reason of the petition repeated in the third place froÌ„ the shortnesse of this life as if he should saye Because I am not able to continue long in this present life be a stranger from the Lord such is the common estate of all mortall men therefore there is an occasion offered vnto thee to excuse thy mercy towarde me a miserable Pilgrime So doe the faithfull speake in other places Cease off from me This is the conclusion as if he should saye Therefore leaue off from afflicting mee longer and more grieuouslie that I may refreshe my selfe before I die not being to returne againe vnto this life So doth IOB dispute 10. 21. c. and as a humble suppliant is turned to God When I goe not away These words declare the shortnesse of this present life as if he should say so long as the shorte light continueth or so long as I enjoy this shorte light And this is the selfe-same argument in effect with that which was in the ende of the verse preceding Out of those things which we haue spoken marke first in DAVID a certain memorable change and prayers greatly disagreeing among themselues Before indeed he had prayed with a troubled minde but nowe hee prayeth with a more quiet and setled hart For sometimes the fleshe hath more the rule in the prayers of the faithful then the Spirit oft-times And some times again the rule of the Spirit is more then of the flesh Thou hast also in this change an instruction of the finall victory of the holy Spirite For although in this present life the victorie appeareth to be oft vpoÌ„ the fleshes side nevertheles by that same thinge that after the motioÌ„ of the flesh the holy Spirit raiseth vp in vs that operation which suppeth vp as it were the motion of the Spirite we are put in minde that once the victorie shal be perfect and full vpon the Spirites sides More over considder how diverse yea how contrary to the selfe the effect of afflictions is in DAVID For seeing before when affliction draue him forward to mourning now the feeling of the same provoketh him to the acknowledging of sin and to the deprecation of the punishment therof For what is all our nature if at anie time wee be oppressed with adversitie then wee are wearied of this present life and wee crie for death But wee are admonished rather to seeke the forgiuenes of sinnes and reconciliation with GOD through Iesus Christ then death seeing that indeede the affliction is not to bee ended with death but it shal be encreased manie waies if through Iesus Christ there bee not reconciliation Finally obserue how diverselie hee doth conclude from the same argument taken from the shortnesse of this life For before because the life is shorte hee earnestlie sought for death Now because the life is short he prayeth that the plague may bee remooved He vseth the argument of the Spirite aright which the flesh abuseth and he draweth out holy petitiones and conclusiones out of the same principles out of the which the flesh draweth out venime The regenerate men foeleth in theÌ„selues this contrarie maner of reasoning concluding out of the same principles Yea and they are happie in that respect that thereafter they haue concluded out of good principles evill thinges out of the same againe they haue gathered good things the Spirit to witte overcomming the flesh when the vngodly and vnrenewed continuallie if at any time it happen them to see good grounds draw out of them false and vngodly conclusions For it is saide That the vngodlie knowing God notwithstanding they glorified him not as GOD but they became vaine in their thoughts Rom. 1. 21 To GOD in Christ Iesus be all glorie Amen THE ARGVMENT Of the XLII PSALME A Psalme it is of doctrine as it is evident out of the â—nscription And it conteineth Davids complaynt that he was banished from the visible presence of GOD which was in Ierusalem Of the Psalme there are foure partes 1 The first a complaynt vnto the 6. verse The seconde is a comforte in the 6. verse to the latter parte of the 7. verse The third is a certaine glorying against all the inconvenients of his banishment and finally against all afflictions vnto the laste verse In the fourth and last parte of the Psalme hee returneth to the comforting of his casten downe soule Psalme XLII 1 A Psalme of doctrine committed to the maister of the Musicke among the posteritie of KORACH to be song 2 AS the hart brayeth for the riuers of waters so my soule brayeth vnto thee â— God 3 My soule is thirstie for God for the strong living God saying When shall I come neere that I may appeare in the sight of God 4 My teares are meate vnto mee day and night while it is said vnto me daily where is thy God 5 Remembring these things I powre out my soule vpon my selfe that I was woonte to passe by in the multitude that I walked with them vnto the house of God with the voice of singing and prayse The congregation in the meane time keeping a feast The first part of the psalme As the hart In this first part of the Psalme and his complaint DAVID vttereth out two most grieuous passiones The first indeede a vehement desire of the visible presence of God which at that time was in Ierusalem The other an exceeding great sorrow of hearte conjoyned with an earnest desire The desire is first set downe by waye of comparison the similitude being made with an hart braying The heart sayeth he brayeth no more for the channels of waters then I bray vnto thee ô God The heart is then said to fly at al times vnto the waters The nature of the heart when painefully he draweth breath which is chiefely when the harvest quarter beginneth at what time in respect of the burning heate hee is most impatient of thirst So are wee all by nature thirstie and drîe and when there is a feeling of that thirste and drough then with no lesse desire are we caried forwarde vnto Christ in whom only wee haue our refreshment then the heart brayeth that is crying out he runneth vnto the waters wherby he quencheth his thirst Then is set down
indeede is done for this cause that they themselues may come vnto the knowledge of Gods nature And maie knowe firste howe good hee is who will not haue his owne to lye sluggishing in their sinnes Then nexte because hee is holye and just in respect he beginneth his judgement at his owne house yea and will not winke indeed at the sinnes of his owne For that I may affirme boldlie that the godlie for the most parte are chastised of GOD in this life And that GOD is exceeding long suffering towarde the vngodlie But the Godlie on the otherside are touched with a sense of Gods loue in this life From thence arise that interchaunge of sorrowe and joye in this life But the vngodly abusing the long suffring of God in this life they shal feel at last the vnappeaseable wrath of God Hitherto hath bin repeated the petition of remission of sinnes Now he seeketh that other benefite of Regeneration which is conjoyned of necessity with the forgiuenes of sins Creat in me a clear mind Then by way of clearing of the mater be preseÌ„tly subjoyneth Renew a firme spirit within me as if he shuld say This work of New-birth begun in me by thy Spirit but vpon my parte interrupted O God renew repaire in me that thy Spirite in time to come may be firme and constant and I through the benefite thereof may persevere in thine obedience There are two benefits necessary in reconciling vs to â—od which selfe same thinges God promiseth to vs in the free covenant to wit forgiuenesse of sinnes and regeneration Ier. 31. 33. and both are obtained in Christ For by the blood of Christ our sinnes are forgiven and by the powerful holy Spirite of Christ wee are borne of new againe For the alone and selfe-same Christ as the Priest died for our sinnes and as King he is powerfull to regenerate vs by his holy Spirite and worde Dauid therefore after hee hath sought forgiuenesse of sins in Christ hee earnestly craveth the New-birth and renewing of that interrupted worke of Gods holye Spirite in himselfe Considder here first that the holye Spirite is made so joyfull by Gods workes and a good conscience that he courageovsly maketh progres in the work of our Regeneration But contrariwise Ephes â— 30. the Spirite of God is so touched with griefe by evil works as the Apostle testifieth that hee ceaseth as it were from that work and leaveth off in the middest that begun worke of New-birth The Spirite now leaving his owne worke in the middest presently there aryseth darknesse in the minde which maketh that bright light of the countenance of GOD to passe out of sight and to vanish away from our eies and incontinent our heart waxeth harde as a certaine skarre of a wound and becommeth benummed and without sense so that the holy Spirite of God is very hardly raysed vp againe being oppressed with the darknesse of mind and hardnesse of heart And from thence aryse those mournings and sighes of the godlie fighting with the darknesse of their heart And from thence arose that speeche of PAVLE O miserable man that I am who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death Rom. 7. 24 Considder here againe DAVID craveth not Regeneration by the Spirite of Christ before hee first haue sought the forgiuenesse of sinnes through the blood of Christ This order of the petitiones evidentlie declareth that of necessitie we must bee first justified by Christ before we bee sanctified in our selues which thing also the righteousnesse of GOD requireth which suffereth not the Image of GOD to bee repaired in vs which is according to righteousnesse and holinesse before first God bee satisfied for all our â—innes For it is not possible that GOD canne renounce his owne justice Nowe after that thou art justified then there is place to Regeneration and the Petition thereof not indeede that having attayned to it thou quiet thy selfe chiefelie in the same But thou muste speciallie and alwaie thereafter quiet thy selfe in that moste perfite righteousnesse of Christe without the which not all this holinesse which is in vs dare bee so bolde to come foorth once into the sight of GOD. For our Regeneration and holinesse is but begunne onelie in this life and neither by the selfe pacifyeth the wrath of GOD neither 〈◊〉 our consciences And 〈…〉 the Papistes are more 〈…〉 leaving this moste perfiâ—e righteousnesse of Christ will quiet themselues in their owne and in that which they call inherente And againe for this cause they are more miserable that vnderstande not what this inherente righteousnesse is which is none other thing in verie deede but that the Regeneration of our nature is onely but begun in this life wherfore we ought to praye to GOD that he would not suffer vs to be involved in this darknes and that he would not suffer vs to bee seduced by men which this daye are blinded in so cleare a light Cast me not away Hee continueth in this seconde petition of the holy Spirite and of Regeneration Cast me not away sayeth he from thy face then expressing the same thing clearely Take not thine holy Spirit from me sayeth hee Nothing can befall a man more grievous in this life then if he be left of GOD. For seeing that God is the fountaine of all good thinges GOD leaving man all good thinges also therewith leaue him All good things leauing him hee is therewith layde open to all evill thinges If God be on our side Rom. â— 31. who shall be against vs No not these thinges indeede which seeme to bee most displeasant contrary For all things worke together for the best to them that loue God Contrariwise all worke together for the worse to them that loue not GOD yea even those things which otherwise appeare to make for vs. Nowe although there be so great an evill in the desertion of God Notwithstanding the elect also are at some time destitute of the Spirit of GOD which is the thing that DAVID teached vs in this place by his owne example Verely I say not this for this cause that I thinke the Spirite once giuen to the elect thereafter is allutterly taken from them For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance But that for a certaine space the efficacie of the holye Spirite is not seene in governing of the elect yea that especially for this ende that they maye bee humbled that they may learne that it is not possible for them to stand yea but for one momente vnles they bee susteined by Gods grace and his holy Spirit Whereby it commeth to passe that the elect after they haue found in experience howe infirme and fragill they are by nature without the Spirite of God nowe being destitute thereof for a time they more carefully and with more feruent desires earnestlie craue his presence and helpe This is the second thing which hee offereth here to vs to bee learned by his owne
allured by Gods benefites so on the other part wee be terrified be Gods judgements surelie we cannot bee conteined in our dutie To God therefore who provideth al manner of waies for the saluation of his owne in Christ Iesus his sonne bee all honour and glorie Amen The Argument of the LXV Psalme It is a psalme of thanksgiuing Dauid bursteth foorth first in giuing of thankes and praysing of God in the â— and â— verses Then follow the â—rgumentes of the proposed thanksgiuing to the end of the psalme All those argumentes are taken from Gods blessinges and benefites The benefites are partlie spirituall and eternall which belong onely to the affayres of the Church vnto the 7 verse And partlie bodielie and temporall which againe are of two sortes in this psalme For partly they aâ— common and belonging to all things created vnto the 10 verse and partelie they are proper and peculiar bestowed vpon the Church of God vnto the ende of the psalme The LXV Psalme 1 A Psalme the song of DAVID committed to be sung to the maister of Musick 2 O God whoe art in Tzijon setled hope and praise is due vnto the and to thee the vowe is to be rendred 3 O thou who bearest the prayer vnto thee shall all flesh come O GOD The first part of the psalme in which Dauid first through a sense of his miserie and sinne then through a feeling of Gods mercie as it appeareth out of the fourth verse thirdly by a faith quieting the selfe in GOD hee bursteth out into Gods praise and ascribeth onelie vnto him first the confidence of his soule Then the prayse of his mouth Thirdly whatsoeuer duty we haue bound our selues by a vowe to pay vnto our God and this thinge DAVID doeth in the seconde verse Then next in the thirde verse he promiseth that it shall certainely come to passe that euerie man through faith shall come vnto GOD. The reason is conteined vnder the title which hee giueth vnto GOD while hee calleth him the God who heareth the prayer In the thirde verse hee promiseth that faith of men in God which hee sayeth was peculiarlie due vnto him in the second verse As if hee shoulde say Men indeede O God oughte to giue their faith vnto thee and they shall giue it thee and shall beleeue in thee Learne out of this place what it is properlie to praise or glorifie God it is indeede to ascribe vnto him the thinges which ar due vnto him also the thinges which are due to him are those firste confidence of the hearte then praise of the mouth thirdlie are these duties which we are bound to accomplish either by a vow or by any other whatsoeuer obligation Then next wee learne heare that it is not in the power of any man to burst foorth into the glorifying of God by these groundes from which out of question the praysing of Dauid proceedeth neither yet is anye man able indifferentlie to pronounce those wordes which Dauid then at that time spake Setled hope and praise is due vnto thee But that man is onely able to do this thing who putteth his trust in God through a feeling of Gods mercie and quieteth himselfe in him For no man glorifieth God vnlesse it be of faith also he that beleeueth in him he both confesseth and professeth faith that all other offices are due vnto God in Christ 4 Thou clensest the wicked thinges and our defections which have preuailed ouer vs. 5 Blessed is he whome thou choosest and admonishest who maye dwell in thy courtes we are satisfied with the good thing of thy house with the holy thinges of thy temple 6 Thou speakest out vnto vs in righteousnesse thinges that are to be reverenced ô God of our saluation the confidence of all the vttermost parts of the earth sea that are farthest off THou clengest Here follow the arguments of the praise set downe from the benefites of God himself and first the benefites spirituall towarde the Church Of the spirituall the firste is the forgiuenes of sinnes by which he concludeth that proposed praise to witt that confidence is due vnto God c. Of this argumente that appeareth to bee true which wee haue spoken that DAVID bursteth foorth into this praise from a sense of Gods mercie and of the remission of his sinnes The wordes themselues whereby this benefite is expressed clearelie do signifie that DAVID had first wrastled with his sinne then that sinne preuailed ouer him in this combat Thirdly that God had purged this sinne from thence he giueth the glory of the forgiuenesse of his sins or of his deliuerance from sin to God alone Thou sayth he clengest for it caÌ„not be that any man can ascrive to God the praise of the remission of his sinnes vnlesse hee haue first foughten with sinne and haue felt himselfe weaker then sin in that combat Then that God is stronger then sinne to the which he himselfe was inferiour from whence I praye you proceedeth that voice of PAVLE I thank God by Christ We reade in the same chapter that David had foughten with sin Then that hee was carried captiue awaye vnder the lawe of sinne of which ariseth that complaint ô miserable man that I am who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death After this complaint wee easilie perceive that a godlie man hath his refuge vnto Christ in that in him he hadde obteined deliuerance from his sinnes whereof proceedeth that holy giuing of thanks I thank my God throgh Iesus Christ Wherefore we come not to the sense of the feeling of Gods mercy without a fighting to the glorifying of God himself And there is alway a glorious yssue of our combate for it endeth in the glorifiing of God with an vnspeakeable and glorious joy Then next the word of clensing is to be marked whereby is signified a purging by some sacrifice propiciatorie whereof he speaketh Psalm 51. 9. purge me ô lord with byssope that is by the holy bloode of Christe shaddowed out by that figure This worde therefore signifieth that which is set down in Heb 9. Without blood there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes For the fathers did not vnder the lawe implore at any time mercy pardon for their sinnes without blood sacrifice to pacifie the wrath of God Neither we our selues this day feele in our heartes the forgiuenesse of our sinnes but by that sacrifice of Christ apprehended first by faith neither yet dare we seeke the forgiuenesse of our sinnes except in Christ and and in his sacrifice Blessed is he whome The second argument of praise from the benefite of caâ—ling which by the ordour of nature preceedeth the remission of sinnes Then he ariseth a litle higher in reckoning out of the spirituall benefites of God to forgiuenesse the preceeding cause Now he comprehendeth Calling within those partes as it were The first is whereby God chooseth any man that is calleth him out from the number of loste men vpon this parte doeth that
they called him either just or powerfull or wise or merciful Paule going about to speake of quickning Ephesa 4. aswell of the Iewes as of the Gentiles first hee described God froÌ„ the cause of quickning to witte from his mercy God saieth he who is rich in mercy because of his great loue whereby hee hath loved vs hee hath quickened vs together with Christ That is hee had considdered diligentlie the benefite of quickning and felt it intirely in his soule From thence he ascendeth to the cause it selfe to wit to the mercy of God For they who meditate earnestlie concerning the effects of God those same men also doe not les seriouslie panse of the causes of the effects which are in God they glorifie God in them and every man surely as hee weigheth the effects and benefites of God so hath he an apprehension either more light or more weightie of God so that wee may gather yea of the very naming of God how much men are mooved with the workes of GOD if at any time they speake of them For if in the meane time that they speake of the workes of God they name not God with that reverence which is due surelie that is an evident that there is but a light apprehension onely of Gods workes 7 Returne vnto thy rest ô my soule seeing Iehoua is beneficiall toward thee 8 Because thou hast delivered my selfe from death mine eies from teares my feete from falling 9 I will walke continually before Iehova in the countreyes of the living REturne vnto The second parte of the Psalme The glorying of faith both in his owne soule and likewise before God And first he gloryeth in his owne soule Returne sayeth hee ô my soule vnto thy rest Hee opposeth this reste or peace to anguish sorrow of the which hee had spoken before in the third verse As if he should saye Disquiet not thy selfe any more neither be in any sorrowing but nowe at last quiet thy selfe The cause is adjoyned For God is bountifull vnto thee The reason then is taken from the present benefite of God It may be asked in this place whether if the benefit of GOD setteth the soule of the disquieted man at rest Which if it be so what is the efficacie of faith or hope which is of a thing that is absent I aunswere seeing faith vnder which hope is conteined the present enjoying of the thing are two divers things Faith indeede hath great strength to quiet and pacifie the troubled minde Notwithstanding the prefence of the thing it self hath greater strength to bring that matter to passe Faith indeede which respecteth that lise to come and as it were exhibiteth it present to vs I grant iâ—urnisheth a peace that is aboue all knowledge But how great shall this peace be when we shall enjoy that life to come fully and perfitly That is not to be in silence pretermitted that hee nameth Iehova to bee the authour of this benefite and deliverance Iehoua sayeth hee is bountifnll vnto me Hee said not â—awlie nakedly to his soule because thou hast delivered mee from present danger but he nameth God to bee the author of the deliverance from thence aryseth that rest For God himselfe the author of all benefites is a thing somewhat more excellente and the conscience of God the chief worker hath greater strength to quiet the mind then all the benefites of GOD haue for if we shall speake properly not so much the gift it selfe as the well willing hart of the giver quieteth our mind That peace which proceedeth onely from benefites temporall and worldly is deceivable such as was the peace of that rich man which after that his barnes were enlarged and filled full promised to his soule in time to come all peace and happinesse But what heard he then O foole sayeth he they shall take away thy soule from thee this same very night Luk. 12. 20 Because Now he gloryeth before God as if he should saye I shall not perish nowe but I shall liue among the living for this is it which he sayth I shal walk alwaies in the land of the living and not only saith he that but he saith I will liue before Iehova that is I wil liue justlie vprightly so that by mylife God shal be glorifyed this is not without a cause adjoyned For vnles we walk before God in this life while we liue we ar dead as the apostle speketh of that widow â— Tim 5. 6 which liveth in pleasure While she is living saieth he she is dead Also he taketh the reasoÌ„ of his glorying from the gift of God it selfe which by three degrees is amplified Thou hast deliuered my selfe sayeth hee from death Yea and not only that but thou hast delivered me froÌ„ al sorrow Yea and not onely that hast thou done but thou hast delivered me from all impediment which could be able any way to procure sorow vnto me Learne out of this place first that there is no mater of glorying but in the grace of God alone Rom. 3. 〈◊〉 in god alone when is the glorying saith Paul it is excluded by what law by the law of workes No waies yea by the law of faith Whereby hee signifyeth that there ought to bee no glorying in our owne workes no not so much in deede as in the workes of regeneration For Abraham himselfe being regenerate had not matter to glorie in workes before God For the works of regeneration were even now al done wherefore he that desireth to glory let him glory in Christ alone and his merites Secondly marke David speaketh here of his owne deliverance as if it were full perfite But surely thereafter hee was layde out to many and great dangers and hee was in displeasure Wherefore of necessitie here he hath a respect to another deliverance and to another life then to this that is present For it is not likely to be true that so godly a man gloryed so much of this temporall life in which none of the godly at any time ever contented themselues But to the end I may speak of those Fathers who lived before Christ they indeed respected continually vnder figures as it were and shaddowes of temporall things things everlasting and in their temporall deliverances and benefites whatsoever they looked within that everlasting redemption and all spirituall and heavenly things And almost all those temporall things earthly was given them as shaddowes of the Spirituall blessings in Iesus Christ Also al those Temporal benefites should be so many earnest-pennies vnto vs of that Spirituall and heavenly life and perfite redemption which then we shall attayne vnto when Christ the second time shall come 10 I beleeved when I spake those things I had spoken aboue measure 11 I had said making hast Every man is a lyar I Beleeued The fourth part of the Psalme in which hee confesseth his weaknesse yea and his former infidelitie also and he cleareth the same
sight Last marke At what time doth David finally glory in that that he is the sonne of the handemaid of GOD that is borne of that mother which was in the covenante with GOD surely even then when therewith he acknowledgeth that hee is the servant of God It is profitable in deede to be borne of the Saints and of those Parents who are in Gods covenant so long as thou coÌ„tinuest in that covenant with God and art Gods servant for so that promise of GOD of long durable mercy which is made in the seconde command belongeth vnto thee I will haue mercy sayeth hee vpon the thousand generation of those that loue me and keepe my commandements But if thou make thy selfe vnworthie both of thy parents likewise of that covenant of God that shall nothing profite thee that thou art borne of the Saintes of parents that are confederat with God It profiteth thee nothing that thou art able to set downe thy pedigree in a certaine continuall race even vnto Abraham himself with whom the first covenante of God was made I will sacrifice to thee He repeateth that promise of thanksgiving which was set down before in the 13. verse Of the which because we haue spoken sufficiently ynough there we shall be the shorter therefore in opening of the same Only we shall adde this much to the things that wee haue spoken that fra once that stupiditie of our mind is shaken off and fra once we beginne to prayse God and to giue him thankes we are so carryed away by that Spirit of GOD that wee can scarce make an end of the praysing of God We are in deede but very slowlie stirred vppe to prayse God but being once stirred vp wee take such delight in prayer for a time and through that joye our heart doth boyle so that in a manner it is altogether powred out into the prayses of our God Wherfore to the end that we may praise God this deadly sopour of our mind is perpetually to be shakeÌ„ off and wee must endeavour that at no time so far as it is possible this our hart be altogether voyde of feeling either of our misery or of the mercy of God in Iesus Christ for of this two-folde feeling there aryseth a two-fold affection of the hart that is both of sorrow and of joye From sorrow speciallie arise petitions from joy arise giving of thanks which ar done in Christ Iesus To whom with the Father holy Spirite be all glory Amen The Argument of the CXXX Psalme It is a song of Doctrine written by some one of the Prophets It is composed of three partes First there is set downe a memoriall of prayers which hee had at sometime conceiued when he vvas in an extreame great danger vnto the 5. verse Then making a tranâ—ision he professeth that he hath yet his hope in the word of Iehova and that he dependeth vpon him vnto the 7. vers Thirdly hee recommendeth the same hope to Israell that is to the whole Church vnto the ende of the Psalme The CXXX Psalme 1 A most excellent song Out of the deapthes I cryed vnto thee ô Iehova saying 2 O lord harken to my voyce let thine eares be attent to the voice of my deprecations 3 If then shalt straightly marke iniquities ô Iah Lord Who could be able to stand 4 But with thee is forgiuenes that thou maist be reverently worshipped OVt of the deapthes The first parte of the Psalme The depths in this place are most deepe and terrible dangers for so are they called The metaphore or borrowed speech is taken from waters in which men are almost drowned Looke the Psal 69. 2. 3. c. This is out of all doubt that while any man sticketh in most deepe perrilles then hee powreth out from a moste hollowe and deepe hearte fervente prayers yea hee cryeth vppon the Lorde mightelie For so the Prophet speaketh of himselfe here Out of the deapthes I cryed vnto thee ô Iehova Thou seest then at what time the godly are exceeding grievouslie afflicted oppressed with the hande of God at that same time they vse earnestly to deale with their God and to haue their refuge chiefely vnto him with prayers and supplications For that the trueth of this proposition may be manifeste afflictiones worke in our hearts firste some feeling of our sinne and misery For vnlesse God exercised his owne after such waies as he knoweth moste meete surely they would never come to a sense of this common miserie of their nature then next when once the heart is prepared with some feeling of the owne misery Then the spirite of God which they call the Spirite of adoption toucheth the same with some sense of the mercy of God And to speake with the Apostle Rom 5 The loue of God is powred out into our hearts by the holy Spirite which is given vnto vs yea and that by Iesus Christ and by his death For surely the holy Spirite toucheth not our hart with any sense of the mercy of God in Christ Iesus vnlesse first they be prepared with some feeling of misery And then after that the holy Spirite hath powred out that loue of God into our hearts then wee conceiue in our minds that coÌ„fidence whereby wee draw neere and incalles vpon him For this is the Spirit which the Apostle calleth The Spirite of adoption by whom we cry Abba Father We crye sayeth hee because the Spirite of adoption through the feeling of the loue worketh that confidence in the heart that the heart being first enlarged then nexte the mouth wee may call God Father with a free and shrill voyce Therefore fra once the Spirite hath indewed our soules with a feiling of the loue of God we goe freely vnto God and praye vnto him For except there bee first some feeling of the loue of God certainely there can be no calling vppon his name Then thou seest that that is true which we spake at the beginning to wit the more grievouslie the godly ar afflicted in that respect the more fervent are their prayers We becaus we ar not drowned yet in those deapths therfore are not much touched with that sense with which wee ought long ago to haue bene touched either of our misery or of the mercy of God praye not so earnestly as it becommeth vs It were much better indeed to be afflicted with praiers theÌ„ to be in prosperity without praiers Saying ô Lord Hitherto he hath declared that in daunger hee calleth vppon GOD now hee setteth downe that forme of prayer which hee then vsed in calling vpon God Heare sayeth hee O Lorde my voyce Then hee doubleth the same petition Let thine eares bee attent to the c. This doubling and iterating of the same petition proceedeth from a vehement and two-folde affection as it were of the minde and grace of the holye Spirite For excepte by the grace of the Spirite the affection bee inlarged surely the mouth cannot bee inlarged
for Iehova that all together may feele in experience the selfe same mercy For he willeth that all men if it be possible to be done feele that loving kindnesse of the Lord which he hath felt Also this chiefely is meete for Israell to bee done that is for the Church of God But that which the Prophet respecteth as the last end is the glory of God himself For every faithful man willeth that many obteine mercy to this end that many may glorifie GOD and is carefull of mans salvation that the glory of Gods mercy may redounde to himselfe For God the moo putteth their trust in him in that respect hee is the more glorified For with Iehova Hee putteth Israell in minde to waite vppon Iehova from his gratious nature Hee demonstrateth not to Israell a God either mightie righteous or wise but a mercifull and a gracious GOD. VVherefore doth hee so doe not the remanent properties in GOD as almightinesse righteousnes wisedome trueth c. Doe not these I saye purchase vnto him the mindes and faith of men I graunt all these thinges that in their owne place indeede they purchase the faith of men but seeing miserable men and sinners haue chiefelie neede of the mercie Surely it is the mercie of God which men chiefely require and it is the first object of faith Also when once faith hes apprehended the mercy of God in Christ then the other things which ar in God allure the same faith to themselues But without the feeling of the mercy of God all other things are rather a terrour vnto vs then a consolation First therefore and properly faith is carried toward God as the object in so farre as he is mercifull and the more wee seeke out in GOD that his infinite mercie so much the more doe we beleeue him For what other thing I praye you is the growth of faith but an increase of the knowledge of the mercy of God wherefore to the end that faith may grow it is continually requisite that wee search out the mercy of God in Christ which surely we shal do without any danger of curiositie seeing the other properties which are in God they are not able to beare a curious searching out Paule amongst other things wisheth this to the Ephesians that being rooted in loue they may be able to comprehend with al Saintes Ephes 3. â—7 18. 19. what is the breadeth and length and depth and height and to know the loue of Christ which passeth all knowledge But in no place we reade that he wished that any man by knowledge should attaine to that infinite power wisdom c. of God to wit because it permitteth not so much to vs to knowe those thinges then to know how greatly god loveth vs in Christ his sonne Therfore hee is said in the 5. chap. to the Romanes to powre out loue in our harts But we reade not of the Spirite that he powreth out power wisdome c. which are together in God into our hearts that is that he toucheth not our mindes with so aboundant a feling of them Wherefore to the ende wee may beleeue in God and may haue our hope in him his loving kindnesse and mercie in Christ is chiefely to be knowen of vs wherof the Prophet was not ignorant of in this place seeing he maketh mention specially of his loving kindnesse to the end hee might mooue Israell to hope in God And exceeding In words hee amplifyeth the selfe same loving kindnesse of God For no man together and at one time could be able at any time by any words whatsoever to coÌ„prehend the whole mercy of God For there is ever something resting beside that which hath bene spoken that may be vttered thereof such is the incomprehensible greatnesse of the same and those who haue once felt in their mind any meane portion thereof they indeede are not at any time able sufficiently to expresse in wordes that portion howe little soever it bee For this spiritual feeling in the hearts whether it be of ioye or of sorrowe is vnspeakable from thence they are called sighes that cannot be expressed and ane inutterableâ— ioye Rom. â— How much more therefore 1. Pet. 1â— shall that whole mercy of God not together and at one time be expressed by words seeing that words are not able sufficiently to expresse yea and it were no more but that little apprehension thereof which is in our hearts For these words are not excessiue and hyperbolicque whereby godly men haue endevoured to expresse that mercy of GOD even as thought the words were greater then the matters themselves which thing whosoever think surely they appeare to me indeed never to haue comprehended in their minde the mercy of God in Christ And he himselfe This is the other argument whereby promising assuredly redemption to the Church from her sinnes he applyeth that loving kindnesse of God and manifolde redemption which hee hath published more neere vnto them For it is not sufficient ynough for faith that any man in generall shall preach recommend onely the mercy of God vnles it promise that is apply assuredly the same to miserable men for the promises are so many applyings of the mercy of God And from thence it proceedeth that the Scriptures are ful of promises without the which that full perswasion of faith spiritual coÌ„fidence cannot be For this generall doctrine coÌ„cerning the mercy of God doth this to vs that not so much indeede we in effect beleeue as that our heartes may be prepared vnto faith This is to be observed that he saith that God wil redeeme Israel not froÌ„ persecutions not froÌ„ outward troubles whatsoever but from al her sins For the redeÌ„ption of the Church is not sene in that that she is delivered from the troubles of this world as in that that she shal be delivered from her sins For sin is the most deadly enemy of al is the cause of all the reste of the enemies of the church because al afflictions are both froÌ„ sin likewise tende to the mortifying of sin For it is certaine if there were not any sin in the Church there shuld be no persecutioÌ„ of the church and every one of the godly sighs more vnder the burthen of sin then vnder any other weight of afflictions whatsoever Christ himselfe also dyed to redeeme vs not so much from al afflictions as from sinne and that everlasting death Finally when at that daye wee shall be set free into the liberty of the sonnes of God being fully redeemed we shall glory not so much that we ar redeemed from all other afflictions then that wee are fully delivered from sin as it appeareth out of that saying of Paule O death where is thy victory O graue where is thy brode And the brode of death is sinne 1 Cor. 15. 33. but the lawe is the power of sinne Behold we shall glory in that daye that wee are delivered from the brode of death and that by
Christ Iesus our Lord To whom be all glory Amen The Argument of the CXXXVII Psalme A Psalme it is of a mixt kinde Of doctrine and of prayer It is not manifest by whome it was written Yet it is likely that it was written by some Prophet that in name of the whole Church of the Iewes being nowe in captivitie It appeareth also to be written at that time when the people were carryed away into Babylonia yea even then when they were in the very journey as it may be gathered out of the first verse Nowe it is composed of two parts The first is an heavy complaint of the Church vnto the 7. verse The other is an heavie imprecation and a propheticall denunciation against the enemies of the Church vnto the end of the Psalme The CXXXVII Psalme 1 By the rivers of Babylonia we sitting there we wept very much when we remembred of Tzijon 2 In it we hanged vp our harpes vppon the willowes 3 Although in that place these vvho had led vs away captiues and had buried vs together required of vs ioyfull songes saying sing to vs of the songes of Tzijon 4 How could we haue soong the songe of Iehoua in the land of strangers 5 If I forget thee O Ierusalem let my right hand forget the selfe 6 Let my tongue cleaue to the roofe of my mouth if I remember thee not if I call not backe vnto Ieruschalaim the heade of my ioy BY the rivers The first parte of the Psalme The complainte in which there is first the proposition of the complaint when he sayeth wee weept very much That is we were extreame sorrowfull For the Spirit maketh intercession for the church with sighes that cannot be expressed Ro. 8. so to speak with the Apostle And it cannot be sufficientlie spoken with how great heavinesse the Church is accustomed to be moved when she is humbled vnder the hande of God This murning and sorrow of the Church is circumscrived by the own subject when he sayeth By the ryvers of Babylonia That is of the Babylonical monarchie For the Iewes wer not only caryed away into Babylonia so properly called but they were dispersed throughout the Babylonicall jurisdictions as it may be most clearly gathered out of Ezekiel Daniell Ezra Then the place is the Babylonicall monarchie in general but in particular the brinkes of the rivers For he sayth By the rivers of Babylonia Wee sitting there that is sitting vpon the brinks of the rivers vnto such time as all were ferried over This place of the Babylonical monarchie conteineth in the selfe a certaine cause of this weeping which hee setteth downe For the place manifestlie sheweth the banishment and carrying away into captivity from their natiue soile to an strange lande Then the people being in their journey farre from home and banished bewayleth their sinnes which ought to haue bin bewayled at home Not-with-standing those who will not murne at home they are compelled to murne far frō their home For sinnes of necessitie are once to be bewayled and wee must bee sorrowfull either sooner or later because we haue offended GOD. And if wee be not sorrowfull at home surely wee shall murne far from home And if we murne not in this life surely wee shall be sorrowfull in that other life or rather death where there shall nothing be heard but wayling and gnashing of teeth Blessed are they also who later yea and that in exile yea at any time whatsoever ar earnestly sorrowful for their sinnes if so be they deferre not their mourning to an other Worlde blessed are they For even those who do later yea or at whatsoever time murne and repent in this life in that other life all teares shall bee wiped awaye from their eies But those who laugh in this life and refuse to murne in that other life there shall be none ende or measure of their sorrow When wee remembred This is the other cause of the mourning but some-what more cleare to witte the remembrance of Tzijon that is of Ierusalem where the visible and outwarde presence of God to be looked vpon was For these who are banished from God they do surely feele what great profite yea and it were no more but this which is in the presence of GOD and which is in this his visible ministery what great discommoditie is in that his absence we while we haue God present in his ministery and beholde him after some sort in that mirrour of his Gospell we acknowledge not how happie we bee and it were no more but for that selfe same cause But if it shall come to passe at any time through the righteous judgment of GOD that this mirrour of the Gospell and this outwarde ministerie be taken away from our eies then indeed wee shall feele in effecte what great misery it is to bee destitute thereof I speake specially concerning those who are accustomed at any time to feele some pleasure of this sincere preaching of the worde administration of the Sacraments David being in exile Remembring those things sayth he I poure out my soule vpon my self when I remember that I was woont to passe by in the congregation to walke with them vnto the house of God c. Behold David being banished from the visible Church of God he was exceeding greatly sorrowfull But what is the cause Even because hee vvas woont to vvalke together vvith the Church vnto the house of GOD vvith the voyce of singing and prayse That is because he was to feele no little pleasure of that external and visible ministerie And therefore being nowe a banished man the remembrance of that Spiritual pleasure joy mooved him to no smal displeasure Here we ar to be admonished that this dolor proceeding frō the remembrance of that heavenly ioy is not the sorrow of this worlde But it is that dolour which is called the godly sorrow which surely hath greater ioy mixed therwith then is the whole joy of this worlde yea albeit it be voyde of all sense of sorrow For every one of the godly while they mourne they feele in the meane time ane vnspeakable ioy conioyned with sighes that cannot bee expressed In it we hanged vppe our Harpes vppon the Willowes A certaine amplification of the murning sorrow set down The Church murned cast away al instruments matter of consolation For these who are sorrowfull earnestly from their hearte they thinke that all ioye and matter of ioye is a displeasure vnto them and contrariwise they thinke all heauinesse to bee vnto them as a pleasure My teares are vnto me sayeth DAVID in steede of meate But what manner of songs were these Psal 42. 4◠They were holie songes and the songes of the Lorde those who earnestlie sanctifiedly do weepe vse not so much indeed as to sing holy songs For at such time as the Lord casteth vs downe and humbleth vs at that time it becommeth vs to mourne rather then to singe Iam