in Christ only for this life we were miserable If onely in this life sayeth the Apostle wee had hope in Christ 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 19. of al mortal creatures we were the most miserable But if the form of spech is not to bee pretermitted which he vseth in propounding vnto vs those two benefites of the life to come For he maketh his preface in the ninthe verse that he is glad feeleth an exceeding great joye to aryse from theÌ„ Hee expounded not vnto vs after that manner those former benefites of this life neither vsed hee such a preface being about to speak of them so that thereof it manifestlie appeareth that there was a greater joy of the soule Two benefites of the blissed life to come hope of the glory of God of our owne resurrection yea of the hope of the benefites which shall be bestowed vpon vs in that other life then of the present injoying of the benefites which be fall vs in this life present We glorie sayeth PAVLE writing the Epistle to the Romanes and fifth Chapter verse second vnder the hope of the glory of GOD. Behold the gloryiing vnder the hope of the benefites of that everlasting life to come The Apostle also warneth vs that there is ane exceeding greate comforte yea of the speeches which are vttered in conference concerning that glorious resurrection that is to come Thes 4. 18 But we must a little more diligently marke this example of DAVID He saw not but a far off after many yeares the resurrection of his bodie to be For how many yeares ar now passed bye since he spake those thinges and since hee departed this life And yet notwithstanding hee hath not risen agayne neither yet also shall hee arise before that seconde comming of Christe and yet nevertheles through the very hope of the resurrection which was to come to passe a long time thereafter hee rejoyceth exceeding greatly What is therefore to bee done of vs who are fallen in into the poynt of time of the comming of Christ to whom being once departed this preseÌ„t life there shall be so shorte a buriall of our bodies But we must considder more diligently the Prophets words hee attributeth to the hart joy and exceeding gladnes to glorie that is to the tongue which is the instrument of holy glorying in the Lorde Finally he attributeth a secure habitation vnto his fleshe that is to his owne grosser part which we call the bodie For of necessitie this parte of man after his owne manner taketh death chiefly most grieuously in respect it is to be layd vppon the graue when in the meane time the soule the other part of man flitteth away into the heauens Notwithstanding this self same flesh is secure Gen. 49. 6. vnder the hope of rising again Psal 30. 31 rejoyceth after the owne maner Behold here joy spread abroad through-out the whole man and all his parts and that indeed through the hope of the resurrection to come and of life eternall Which thing surely seeing it is so great vnder hope and faith how great shall it be vnder sight Of this rejoycing vnder hope which is as it were the earnest penny which also is saide to be enutterable wee may easely gesse that that joye shall be incomprehensible which shall be after this life through the present sight of God in Christ Iesus 1. Pet. 1. 7. â— Peter reasoneth this waye for after hee had spoken of joy glory honor which shal be when Christ shall be made manifest then he layeth downe the argument of that so great a glory from our faith and loue towarde Christ absent and from that joy vnspeakable and glorious which wee now feele yea and it were no more but through faith in him absent Because thou wilt not leaue Peter in the second Chap. of the Acts 25. verse The resurrection of the head of the Church is the cause of the resurrection of the members c. interpreteth this place from the 8. verse forth to the end of the Psalme to be spoken properly of christ which David in this place spak as a Prophet yea that not only as a Prophet but also as a figure of Christ Iesus who was to come For David in him selfe also felt all those things in experieÌ„ce in some measure which he fore-telleth were to come vnto Christ Then those things which are here spoken of are chiefely to be vnderstood concerning the resurrection of Christ and of his glorious life which thing Peter prooveth manifestly in the same place verse 29. And thereafter yea even out of these words in which it was said That the holy one of the Lorde should not see cor Corruption I meane the rotting of the buried flesh and resolution into dust For out of these words Peter assumeth that David saw corruption He dyed sayeth he and was buried his sepulchre is with vs vnto this daye Wherefore sayth Peter those thinges cannot be properly spoken of David but of Christ his seede whom David saw to come in the promiâ—e made to himselfe Notwithstanding David in the meane while saw in that rising againe of his seede Christ his owne resurrection also which was to bee accomplished through the power of Christs rising again who was made the first fruites of them that sleep â— Cor. 13. â—0 And so we al likewise wheÌ„ we look vpon Christ we may see the fulnesse of that grace which is in him to redound vnto vs as it were againe But namely if now drawing neere to death and to the graue if then we looke vppon him we shall feele in him and his glorious resurrection our own rising againe For the Lord shall bring those who sleepe in Iesus Christ together with him 1. Ths 4. 14. Finally that is to be marked which he sayeth That God wil not suffer him to whom he is gratious to see corruption By this defyning and description of himself he sheweth the ground both of the glorious resurrection of Christ and also of all the godly in him To wit that fatherlie loue of God whereby both he loveth Christ and likewise all the godly howbeit it bee after a great difference For he loveth vs in that his beloved Eph. 1. 6. The difference betuixt the rising againe of the godly and of the wicked which shal be is no waies obscure out of this ground of our resurrection The loue of God in Christ shall sweetely rayse vp the godly out of the graue But the warth and justice of God being judge shall rayse the wicked yea against their wil drawing them out of their graues at that last day to everlasting and just punishment Thou wilt cause me This is the other benefite which he is to attayne vnto after this life to witte that everlasting life vnto the which after the resurrection he shal straight go As if he should say after that I am awakened vp againe and raysed out of the graue
godlie for a time giue place vnto their sorrow so oft manie times they returne to themselues and comforte themselues correcting their passion and exhorting their soules vnto hope which is contrary to desperation vnto which their affection other waies caryeth them head-long And thus much haue wee spoken vpon the 42. Psalme The Argument of the XLIX Psalme Nothing doe I reason concerning the maker of this Psalme The partes of the Psalme are foure The first a graue preface in which he laboureth to purchase all mens attention vnto the 6. verse The second is a proposition of confidence into God in the 6. verse The third is the argument of the confidence propounded from that benefite of the Resurrection and of eternal life vnto the 17 verse The fourth is a conclusion of exhortation to all the godly from thence to the ende of the Psalme The XLIX Psalme 1 A Psalme committed to the maister of musick to be song among the posteritie of Korach 2 Heare this all people all in dwellers of the Worlde vnderstand with the cares 3 Both borne of the base man and likewise borne of the Noble man both the rich and the needie 4 My mouth shall speake wisdome of diverse sortes and the meditation of my mind manifold prudence 5 Inclyning mine eare to a parable I wil vtter vpon the Harpe mine harde matter The first part of the psalme HEare this The first parte of the Psalme the Preface in which hee craveth the attention First in general of all people of all the in-dwellers of the world Then in particular making as it were a certaine distribution hee seeketh for attendance 1. Of ignoblemen 2. Of Nobles 3. Of rich 4. Of poore all whome he mooveth to take heed from the weightines of the matter he is to speake of wisedome of all sortes and manifold prudence This in the 5. verse thereafter in one word he calleth it a Parable because to wit he setteth it down in his own example He calleth it also a harde matter that is a notable figuratiue sentence For the Hebrewes call the allegorie that is either cleare or obscure a darke matter Againe to the ende hee may the more mooue them to attendance hee declareth that he wil beearnestly occupyed in entreating of this matter My mouth sayeth hee shall speake and my minde shall meditate my eare shall inclyne the self and my harpe shall be played vpon See here first he requireth attendance vppon the parte of other men in the meane time hee declareth that he diligentlie and earnestly entreates of the matter First then obserue when there is any graue matter propounded to be handled both he that heareth and hee that speaketh should be very earnestly occupyed therein Note againe the argument of the Psalme is of wisedome as wee haue in the Preface it selfe Now that is that Wisedome the doctrine of confidence as it followeth there-after Then beeing about to speake of confidence hee exhorteth that all men take diligent heede and giue attendance to the same The doctrine of Confidence when-so-ever it is propounded it should not bee layde out to the deafe but it rerequireth the taking heede of all Noble ignoble rich poor Of the great men I say and rich least they should put their confidence in their nobilitie and riches and of the ignoble and poore least being destitute of those things they caste away their courage yea or commend them over-much in others For such is the inclination of our nature The poore commonlie place happinesse in riches Ignoble base men in honours whereof they themselues are destiture Thirdly hee professeth that he will be all waies occupyed in handling of this matter For what is it chiefely that stirreth vp attention in men that are of contrary opinions Even the serious diligence of the teacher And when is the hearer chiefely edified Even then to witte when hee diligentlye marketh thee speaker And profiteth also by him that hee speaketh nothing but that wherevpon he hath meditated before and inclyneth his eare as it were to his own voyce For although he pronunceth not other things with his mouth thē those which he hath before thoght vpon in his minde Notwithstanding the selfe same thinges being first vttered in the mouth then vnderstoode by the eare and finally returning vnto the minde from whome they proceeded they confirme the faith knowledge of the speaker himselfe And thus much haue we spoken concerning the Preface 6 Wherefore should I bee affrayde in the times of afflictione that the iniquitie of my foote steps should compasse mee about WHerefore should Followeth the propositiō is in the 6. v. The sum of the proposition is confidence in GOD against all evils aswell of this life as of that that is to come He propoundeth not this simplie but having wrastled as it were a little with the infirmitie of his flesh he vttereth it out with an interrogation Why shuld I feare saith he in the times of evil that the iniquitie c That is that through the infirmitie of this my life in which I walke as it were with my feet I be circumveened with calamities and so I be in an evill case This speech appeareth to be of a man reasoning with another and rebuking and so it commeth to passe indeed in the very matter it self For Dauid speaketh these thinges out not without a certaine reasoning and wrastling with the weaknesse of the flesh For wee get not libertie through the flesh without a certaine wrastling to put our confidence in God And our confidence in God is perpetually hindred by the infirmities of the fleshe Whosoever therefore will put his confidence in God of necessitie hee muste prepare himselfe for a combat 7 Of those men that trust in their riches and glorie in the multitude of their goodes 8 None is able any waies to redeeme his brother to giue his ransome to God 9 For the redemption of their life is deare yea it ceaseth for ever 10 That hee may liue yet for ever that he haue not experience of corruption 11 Although he see wise men die the foolish and the brutish perish together leaue their wealth to others 12 Their minde is to call after their owne names through the earth their houses for ever their habitiones for euery generation 13 Neither shall the man who is in honour continue still hee is like to beasts that die 14 Seeing this is the way of those men they haue an expectation and their posteriritie approveth their speech Selah 15 Like sheepe fra once they be placed in order in the graue death shall eate them downe while the righteous rule over them in that morning and shall consume their beautie receiued out of the habitation there of 16 Verely God shall redeeme my soule from the graue for he will receiue mee Selah The third part of the psalme OF those men Here followeth the argument of confidence from the rising againe of the flesh and life everlasting For sayeth he he
will redeeme my soule foom the graue Hee thinketh it not sufficient to lay this argument nakedly downe but hee premitteth the amplifying thereof from the contrary which to wit falleth out to them who place their confidence in riches and honoures For there is none of them who is able to redeeme his soule from death This amplification and declaration to the ende wee may the more clearely vnderstande it shall bee deduced into those partes First in the seaventh verse and thereafter vnto the eleventh verse he sheweth that he that putteth his confidence in riches is not able to deliuer a soule from death Then next he sheweth that he which putteth his trust in honour cannot redeeme a soule from death from the 11. verse to the 14. vers Thirdly while he considereth these things earnestly hee aggregeth the foolishnes of those men as also he rebuketh the foolishnes of the posteritie in the 14. and 15. verses I returne to the first parte Of these sayth he who trust in their wealth c. None there is who is able to deliver with all his riches not so much indeed as his brothers life let bee his owne life for a man will redeeme his owne life with a greater price then his brothers So that he may liue for euer and not find in experience corruption And in the ninth verse the reason is inserte For sayeth hee the redemption of their life is deare Yea certainly the price of life can at no time bee payed by them to GOD. And this is the thing which he subjoyneth Yea it ceaseth for ever The summe of all tendeth to this as if he should say he who placeth his confidence in riches hee cannot indeede by his wealth so much as redeeme the life of his brother let bee his owne life Mark Dauid speaketh not after this maner He who putteth his trust in his welth knoweth not what the inconstācy of the world is how long he is to inioy that wealth but giuing that he had sufficient portiō of riches in this whol life notwithstanding he affirmeth that hee is not able beyonde that moment appoynted for death to protract this life or to giue immortalitie to anye mortall man DAVID then for this cause estemeth verie litle of riches because they cannot make a man immortal he regardeth immorality so much It cannot be said how farre the judgement of the men of this worlde differeth from this sentence of Dauid These men knowe indeed that neither riches nor honoures are able to giue immortalitie Notwithstanding taking no thought of immortalitie they place their whole trust in those things And some are so prophane that they are not ashamed to say If they be in a good estate in this life they little regarde that life to come But others if they dare not be so bold to cast out so prophane a speach neuerthelesse they sufficiētly shew in their life manners that they thinke the same thinge in their hearts Man in the first creation was made for immortality 2. Cor. 3. 5. yea there is in him by nature it selfe some feeling and desire of immortalitie Then I reckon this amonge the extreeme greateste curses that any man shall become so brutish that all his life long he shall thinke nothing of immortalitie Notwithstanding you shall see euerie where many such not so much men as wild beastes hauing nothing of mans nature in thē except the outward shew yea who are worse then the verie wild beastes For the wilde beastes reteine their owne nature but those degende from their owne naturall But what will you say ar riches so great enemies and contrarie to that life to come Are not rather all those temporal goods as many earnest pennies of that life and felicitie to come I answer I say that riches scattered abroad rather then gathered together by hook crooke are more profitable to eternal life For where a mans treasure is gathered together there is his heart But the riches scattered abroade are that true The saurie which shall be profitable to eternall life Callest thou that a treasure would any man say which is scattered abroade Yea 1. Tim. 6. 10. 19. surely the Apostle calleth dispersed riches a treasure For if sayeth he we be ready to giue wee shall lay vp for our selues a good foundation for the time to come that we may take hold of eternall life You see therefore that we lay vp that which notwithstanding wee giue out and gather that which nevertheles we disperse Although he see The second part of the amplification whereby hee sheweth him who putteth his trust in honour is notable with glory and honour to redeeme his owne life Then he teacheth what they get of that to thēselues they ar notable to redeeme their soules although sayeth he they see the wisemen of this world none otherwise to perish then the vn-wise foolish and brutish And that they leaue all their riches and magnificence to others yea perhaps to men vnknowen and strangers Notwithstanding their minde is to seeke glorie to themselues yea and that of woorkes builded vp here and there gloriously Which it pleaseth them to call after their owne names Then hee subioyneth in the thirteenth verse which befalleth those ambitious men The man who is in honour he shal receiue no further profite of his honours then the rich-men of their riches Yea surely all the honours shal not bee able to giue him the delaye of one night hee becommeth at last like vnto beastes that perish For even as in his life hee was like vnto these verie beasts to wit vnderstanding nothing as it is set downe in the last verse so also in his death hee shall bee like vnto them Eccles 1◠18. 19. For it is good reason that hee which liveth like a beast shall also die lik a beast Mark here he saith first that he who putteth his confidence in honour that is the ambitious man seeth and vnderstandeth Then next he sayeth that nevertheles his minde is to seeke glorie It profiteth nothing atall to see the thing that is good and to be followed and the thing that is evill to be eschewed vnlesse God therwith open the heart to this ende that the thing which we see and vnderstande we feele it intirely in our heart You will see every where wicked ambitious covetuous yea and cruell men when they haue a thousand such most dolefull experiences before their eies notwithstanding they are not commoved with any of those thinges neither yet chaunge they their mind and purpose into better And what is the cause Those menne see well-ynough with their minde and do vnderstande but they feele nothing in their heart Therefore God is earnestly to be praied vnto that as there wants not examples as well good as evill of all sorts so he would graunt vnto vs that we may feele intirely in our heart that there may bee with the knowledge of the minde a conscience and a feeling of the heart
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
by a comparison of this present faith The meaning is when I partly thus gloryed in my owne soule partly before GOD faith triumphed in my soule Paule applyed to himselfe these words of the Prophet and after this manner he recited them I beleeued sayeth hee for that cause I speak vnto you O Corinthians 1. Cor. â— 1â— of that spiritual and eternal life leaning to this faith or confidence that I myselfe at sometime hereafter should aryse from death For the things which anie man speaketh vnto others of God of Christ of his benefites first of all they must be beleeved of him that is they are to be applyed to the soule of the speaker For so it shall come to passe that as the Apostle speaketh we shal 〈◊〉 a greater libertie and evidence in speaking When he said in that place let vs haue such an hope that is confidence of so glorious a ministery we vse great freedome in speaking I had spoken This much concerning his faith for the present here followeth the infidelitie and weaknes which was sometime in him and which hee illustrateth by his present faith First in these words is conteined a proposition of thâ—se speeches which proceeded from infirmity they went beyond measure I had said The exposition of the proposition As if he should say being rent away through a suddaine perturbation of the flesh I had said So he spak Psal 31. I had saide in my hast every man These are the words which proceeded from a troubled mind As if he should say Now I see that no faith is to bee given vnto men no not to very Prophets indeed For Samuel sheweth vnto mee that I should come vnto the Kingdome of Israel But nowe in very deede I finde in experience that hee spake not prophetically by the Spirite of God but that he hath spoken of his owne fleshly mind lyinglie so David through infirmitie accused not GOD openly but Samuel of a lie as if he had not sufficiently tryed out the will of GOD but had transgressed the bounds of his calling So Psal 31. 23. through a troubled minde hee buâ—sted foorth into this speech I am cut off frâ—m the sight of thine eies Ye see therefore in what estate the affaires of the faithfull are so long as they liue here Now indeede through weaknesse they are thruste down even to the helles Then again they are lifted vp by faith vnto the heavens but at length the victorie is faiths David after that through weaknes he had almost blasphemed Then next through faith againe hee triumphed It may come to passe indeede that the flesh in the first combat haue the maistery as it were as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 7. The law of the members maketh the man captiue to the law of sin which is in the members Notwithstanding the faithfull perpetually feele this in themselues that the laste victory is of the holy Spirit which surely is an evident that the flesh at length shall be vtterly vanquished that the full and perfite victory shal belong vnto the Spirite This is not in the meane time to be passed by here that David in glorying vttereth a notable confidence to wit because there was before a great weaknesse For in the combat of the flesh and the Spirite the more that any man is cast downe through a feeling of his infirmitie in that respect he is the more lifted vp through faith The greater the sorow be in the wrastling in that respect the joy and gladnes through the holy Spirite is greater after the fight Finally this is to be considdered that he sayth that hastening those thinges which were spoken by him that is he was mooved through a certaine suddaine motion of the flesh Of the which mark the difference betuixt that infidelity into the which the godly at sometime fal the infidelity of the wicked rebellious The godly at sometime distrust through a certain suddain motioÌ„ of the â—lesh weaknes So Peter through infirmitie denied the Lord in the very misbeleefe it self they feele some dolor they distrust not so securly but burst forth sometimes into those speeches O miserable man that I am who shal deliuer me from the body of this death Contrariwise the vngodly they misbeleeue God not of any suddaine motioÌ„ of the flesh but of an obstinate malice as those did who ascribed the works of Christ vnto the divell all Heretickes who after they are convict by the testimonies of the Scripture notwithstanding they maliciouslie resist the trueth And from this it proceedeth that the vngodlie who distrust through malice seldome attayne they to mercy the godly who misbeleeue through the weaknesse of the flesh they repente and finde mercie Heretickes are seldome converted Peter was converted David obteined mercy as in this Psalme and Psal 31. 12 What shal I recompense Iehova with al his benefites overcome me 13 I will giue openly the received cup of all salvation and I will prayse the name of Iehova 14 Rendring my vowes vnto Iehova even now before all his people saying 15 The threatned death is precious in the eies of Iehova to them whom hee himselfe beareth at good will 16 I beseech thee O Iehova seeing I am thy servant let me be thy seruant the sonne of thine hand maid seeing thou hast lowsed my bands let my life be precious 17 I will sacrifice vnto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and I will prayse the Name of Iehova 18 I will paye my vowes vnto Iehova presently before his whole people 19 In the courts of Iehova his house in the midst of thee O Ierusalem Halelu Iah WHat shall I The first parte of the Psalme in which hee taketh advise concerning rendring of thankes vnto God In consulting he signifieth and professeth that hee is not able to recompense so many his great and manifold benefites as if he should saye It lyeth not in my power to recompense Iehova his benefites are greater then that they are able to be recompensed by mee Hee proposeth therefore first that hee is not able to recompense Iehova that is to recompense his benefites toward him Then he rendreth a reason from the greatnesse of the benefites of God For the vnequal or surpassing greatnesse of the benefites of God For the vnequall or surpassing greatnesse of the benefites of God being considdered vppon the one parte and his vnhability weaknesse being considered vpon the other part being overcome by the incomparable greatnes of the benefites of God not knowing what to do he asketh and in a maner he cryeth out What shal I recompense Iehova with As if he should say It lyeth not in my power to recompense so many and so greate benefites of God Then the argument is taken not onely from the greatnesse of the benefites of GOD but also from his owne inhabilitie weaknesse and littlenesse to speake so In one worde the mater is thus the reasoÌ„ is from thence that there is no correspondence and proportioÌ„
is the other reason of the petition The other reason of the petition from Gods glorie from the glorie of God himselfe For as that former reason was from our owne miserie in the third and fourth verses so this latter is from the glorie of God which through this present estate of DAVID appeareth to be called in question Lord saith hee in death there is no remembrance of thee Therefore keepe me aliue The cause wherefore the godly liue awhile vpon the earth before they â—lit hence to the lord For this cause God will haue vs to liue in the land of the living and as it were to liue as strangers absente from the Lorde that first through faith wee might worship him in his sonne Iesus Christ in this life before wee fullie enjoyed that his presence in that other Every one of the godly knowing this they desire to bee preserved for a time yea euen in this life for this end in speciall which the Lorde himselfe hath appoynted and as the Apostle speaketh of the creatures Rom. 8. 20. not so much after their will as after his owne will who will haue them for a time to be pilgrimes absent from their Lord. Therefore so oft as we see the Saintes so earnestlie to desire this life and the preservation thereof at Gods hands we must not thinke that this is done by them for this cause that they even delight so much in this life The cause why the godly desire to remaine in this life or that they abhor this bodely death but rather that they earnestly desire to glorifie their God among the living and to exalte his militant Church kingdom vpon the earth they desire not to â—itte from thence while they haue wonne some vnto Christ and as it were by stretching out their hande they carie them vp with themselues into the heavens For this present life is chiefely to be consecrat to God Gods affayres Yea and this is the cause why Ezechias tooke death in so evill a part denunced vnto him Esa â—â— And this also is the cause wherefore Paule when otherwise he choosed rather to sâ—it out of the body nevertheles hee choosed rather to remaine in the body to the ende that hee might propagat the Church of Christ might bring men vnto the â—aith Phil. 1. 23. 24. Finally this was the cause wherefore so earnestly DAVID sought in so many Psalmes the prolonging of his life Psa 30. 88. 118. Notwithstanding David in this Psalme appeareth not so much to be oppressed with the sicknes of his body as with the sicknes of his soule sense of the wrath of God And therfore he is not so affraid of this bodely death as of that spirituall casting off yea that through the sense of the flesh part not renewed Wherfore we may consider with our selues that he spak of that eternal death of the burial of the hell in which no man will prayse God Therefore you see that the godlie also abhorre and are affrayd for the bell and againe you see that they desire life and salvation not so much for their owne cause as for Gods glories sake For neither DAVID in this place somuch respecteth his owne life and salvation as the prayse of GOD yea and that specially troubled him that being once cast out from the face of God he should not at any time there after be a Preacher of Gods prayses And this is a most sure evident of the salvation of the godlie if they feele in themselues a desire and careful indevour of gloryfiing God For it is not possible that that soule can bee deteined in Hell which aspyreth to God and to his glorie I faynt in my mourning Hytherto haue bene declared The three reasons of the petition from a most grieâ—ous senâ—e of misery the two reasones of the earnest seeking of mercy The firste in the third and fourth verses The second in the sixt verse Now followeth the third in the sevent and eight verses from the dolour and feeling of a most grieuous miserie Hee expresseth this sorrow diverse manner of waies For first he sayeth I faynt in my mourning Then I make my bed saith hee all the night to swimme Thirdly saith he I make my bed side to melt with my teares I grant that these speaches are very excessiue For in truth neither made DAVID so much as his bedde to swimme neither yet melted hee his bedde-side with his teares notwithstanding the inward dolour of his mind was no les then are those externall thinges which are here spoken of For out of all question if it could haue bene possible that DAVIDS eies had bene capable of so many teares as had bene sufficient to haue made his bed to swimme or to melt his bed-side surely there was such a great sorrow in DAVIDS hart as had bene sufficient to lowse them and to powre them out and certainlie DAVIDS bodie in verie deede was almost consumed and as it were melted with that sorrow For to speake this once of this griefe of DAVID this is first manifest that it was not so much contracted by reason of the bodely sicknes with which notwithstanding hee was most heavily oppressed as it was indeede by reason of the feeling of the wrath of God those terrours of hel the which grief indeed is the greatest that can 〈◊〉 imagined none is to be compared vnto it Then DAVID was such a one who now before had oft tasted how gracious the Lorde was as PETER â—peaketh Yea and hee himselfe at this same verie time was not altogether voyde of all feeling of his mercy And therefore it came to passe that he tooke this wrath of the angrie GOD in so evill a parte For it is sure that howe much the more greater the experience of the mercie of God be so much the more doth any man take in evill parte the wrath of God and he is the more in that respect troubled through the offence of so mercifull a Father And for these causes From whence proceeded the greate fear of the Saintes who other waies wer indued with a singular courage of minde the aunciente holy men otherwise indewed with excellente courage and strength of minde when they came before God they vtter a most effeminat softnesse and dejection of minde There was no man of greater courage of mind then David notwithstanding at this time he was altogether powred out as it were in teares for that invincible strength of mind is not otherwise to be vttered when wee haue to doe with God and with his wrath for what other thing els would this bee then to harden our heart against the hand of God humbling vs And that we haue not experience of this grief in our selues which David as he hath vttered in this Psalme sayeth was in himself the cause is this stupiditie of our hart this fleshly security with the which wee are also cast vppe into dead sleepe
thing this rejoycing which wee feele through the conscience of obedience and againe that griefe which wee feele through the conscience of disobedience and rebellion Rom 7. 〈◊〉 The correction of the granting is able ynough to testifie O miserable man that I am saith PAVLE Who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death To the holy ones The other parte of the aunswere by way of correction as if he should say albeit no good thing can come vnto me from thee Nevertheles O God preserue me with the Saints that are vpon the Earth that is in favour of the Church fighting in the worlde that I may at least be profitable vnto her Therefore albeit nothing can come vnto God by our doing well notwithstanding we must not think that our good workes are vnprofitable For a man may be profitable to a man the most contemptible may serue for some vse to any the moste honorable as in mans bodie the foot may bee profitable vnto the head More-over among men Kings may be most profitable to others of which sort DAVID was in respect they are armed by God with power and authoritie they are bound also by their office to bee profitable vnto others but especially vnto the Church of God of which thing we reade that Nebuchadneâ—zar Dan. 2. 30. otherwise an Heathen King was admonished by Daniell that christian Princes might vnderstande that this is so much the more to be required of them To the excellent Those whom he called holie ones before now he calleth excellent Consider therefore how greatly DAVID esteemed of this Church of God that is now so much lightlied and contemned not onely by the Princes but by the basest sort of men Not-with-standing the holye ones whatsoever the world think of them remayne excellent glorious Dan. 7. 〈◊〉 Daniel in the same signification calleth it the Church of the high Saincts that is of those that are Predestinate and ordained to all moste excellent high things to life everlasting In whom This is the fountaine of that good thinge whereby hee is to indue the Saints to wit the delighting in them as loue and favour For wee profite in vayne either the Church or anie member thereof except we loue 1 Cor. 〈…〉 If I shuld spend al my goodes sayâ— PAVL in feeding of the poore and had not loue I were nothing Wee may be indeede steidable vnto others but without loue we cannot bee steidable to our selues neither doe we any thing that is acceptable vnto God in respect it commeth not from a sincere sanctified heart Why the godly desire to abide in this life Moreover mark here also the cause wherefore godly men desire to abide for a while vppon this earth and verely it is the pleasure that they tak in the fellowship of the holy ones for whose cause they would liue some-what longer that they might promooue them to the knowledge of their salvation and might preserue some of them before they depart out of this worlde For they shall haue a farre more greater delight in their God in that other life It is good for me saieth Paule if I depart hence Phil. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 but it is not so for you If therefore chiefelie the loue of this world or of those things which wee see therein tyeth vs al-to-gether so much to this worlde surely we are more then miserable yea in the greatest abundance of all thinges of this world 4 They multiplie their sorrowes which giue in dowrie to ane stranger I will not offer their drinke offerings of bloud neither yet will I take vp their names in my lippes 5 Iehova is the portion of my steeding and of my propertie thou mayntaynest my lâ—tte 6 The lines are fallen out to me in pleasant places yea my possession is faire for mee The other part of the Psalme an holy glorying THey multiply their sorrows The other parte of the Psalme The glorying having received some comfort of the preceeding rejoycing For never man yet at any time came in vayne to God in Christ And having as it were compared that his happie estaite with the estaite of Idolaters hee pronounceth and exclaymeth that in respect of him they are as it were but miserable caitifes They multiplie their sorrowes sayeth hee who giue in dowrie to a stranger That is who giue in dowrie any thing to a strange God and Idole that is who joyne them selues in mariage with it having complcitlie payed a greate dowrie The fruits of idolaters For it can scarcelie bee vttered how many things Idolaters rashly lavish out vpon their Idols And what commoditie get they thereby Surely no solide and true joye such as David felt of that his mariage with the true God but sorrow onely and all kinde of miserie For superstition is ever conjoyned with a trembling of the soule For what thing is able to establish the soule of man but God onely The Papistes promise peace and securitie to others which notwithstanding they themselues enjoy it not Obserue then in this place how soone soever any man hath felt that joy which proceedeth from the true God then all those appeare miserable vnto him who having leâ—t the true God haue their refuge to idols For then he perceiveth wel ynough what the miserie of Idolaters is after that the eie is enlightned with that light which proceedeth from the face of God And surely that is hee who may onely judge aright of the misery of man The Idolaters themselues are blinde in their owne miserie There are also other men who otherwise profes God in their mouth neverthelesse they feele not in their heart that solide joye which proceedeth from Iesus Christ whose judgment many times concerning Idolaters is corrupted Of these I speake whom you may see everie where to admit into their companie without any kinde of difference whatsoever sort of men whether they bee true Professoures or the enemies of the Croce of Christe such as are the Papistes this day Then to speak it once in a word ther is no man a right judg of the miserie of Idolaters but hee who hath himselfe felt in times bygane that happinesse which is in the true and onely God The drink offerings of idolaters I will not offer them drinke offrings As he had before pronounced Idolaters to be miserable through the sense of that joye which he had felt of the true God so now he professeth that he will haue no societie either with the Idolaters themselues or with their Idols and he sheweth that from the heart he abhorreth that sort of false worship and religion I will not That is I will not sacrifice with them 〈…〉 after the custome of the profane Gentiles which sacrificed even with the bloud of man not only against the law of God yea but against humanity it selfe I wil not tak vp their names This is somewhat more then that which he saide even now as if he should say I will not
estate of death without Christ of necessitie they must dye in desperation For I will yet He maketh some place to hope in his soule from thence that he shall not be disappoynted of the thing hoped for but even as he hath hoped so shall it fall out vnto him I wil prayse him sayeth hee and the saluation of his face that is of all sortes That is his face in which is the sâ—cietie of joyes or that manifold salvation which is in his face and presence so to prayse is to publish David therefore promiseth that he will praise both God himselfe and also that so great a benefite of his life received from him or finally to praise the salvation of his face is to prayse publish the salvation which shall bee before him from whence in the laste verse he sayth that hee will prayse the salvation of his face that is the salvation which shall bee seene before him My God As he had first turned himselfe vnto his soule now hee turneth himselfe vnto his God and hee lifteth vp his eies sigheth as it were vnto him opening vp vnto him the sorrow of his soule and hee powreth out his carefulnesse and solicitude vppon his bosome Whosoever is indued with Gods holie Spirite This man sigheth vnto God in his affliction and sorrow But he who is indued with mans spirit onely that man wil never sigh vnto God for he supposeth God to be angrie with him especially then when there lyeth any affliction vppon him For he thinketh that that his whole miserie proceedeth from the wrath of God But hee who hath the Spirite of God that spirit I say of adoption by whome wee crie Abba Father This man commeth without feare vnto God because indeed that Spirite is alwaie with some feeling of Gods mercie and fatherlie loue Wherefore as a sonne who hath his Father well-willing vnto him in his sorrow he taketh his way straight to his father Even so the childe of GOD hee passeth in his sorrow and miserie to God his father and maketh his complaint vnto him 7 Therefore I remember of thee out of the Land of Iorden and of the Chermonites out of the little hill 8 Howsoeuer a deepe calleth vppon a deepe at the sound of those that are sent out by thee let al the breaking-in surges and thy vallies passe by me 9 In the day time Iehova will sende away his louing kindnes and in the night his song vnto me I wil continue in my praier vnto the strong God of my life 10 Saying vnto the strong God of my rocke why forgettest thou mee Wherefore go I in mourning apparrell because of the oppression of the enemies 11 They assaile my bones with a shorte sword my enemies reproching mee while they say vnto me daylie where is thy God THerefore He glorieth thereafter verie suddenly first against the places of his banishment whatsoever then against everie one of his most grievous afflictions This particle Therefore appeareth not to giue a reason of anie sentence going before in the texte Then hee begouth this sentence as it seemeth to me from some cutted off and sudden feeling of joye and of the presence of God as if he had said because of that joy and that rejoycing of the soule which I coÌ„ceiue of my God I remember of thee c. Of which thou learnest this how soone a man vseth to be changed that turneth himselfe vnto God for the presence of GOD is forcible to giue life vnto the creature that his face shineth no sooner but the creature beginneth to reviue againe although it bee never so dead When the Psalme speaketh of these grosse bruitish creatures Psalme 104. 29. 30. When thou hidest thy face they are troubled if thou take away their breath they returne to their dust Againe if thou sende foorth thy Spirite they are refreshed finally thou renewest the face of the earth How much more the reasonable creatures as wee call them and not onely the reasonable but the spirituall that is the creatures that are renewed by the Spirite of GOD which haue once felt howe mercifull the Lord is those creatures I saye depend vppon their God for it is necessary yea much more that their life and death depende from his face present absent Psal 4 7. 8 Lift vp sayth David Iehouah the light of thy couÌ„tenance vpoÌ„ vs and put more ioy in mine heart then at the time in which their cornes and wines were increased Of these therefore chiefely do I speake which are already accustomed with the countenance of God that vse to take some pleasure of his face For to speake of others they are not able earnestly to seeke that countenance of GOD in Christ Iesus For there is no desire of that thinge wee know not Also these haue not yet tasted how sweet that sight of God is in Iesus Christ I remember of thee as if he shuld say In every place where it happeneth me to be banished from all the bordours and coastes of Israell From the East where is the riuer of Iorden from the North where it is bounded by the mountaine of Chermon and Libanus froÌ„ the South where the hilly couÌ„try bouÌ„deth Iudaea He calleth these hillie countries by the name of a little Hill because they being compared with the Mountaine of Libanus and with Chermon which are situate vppon the North they are reckoned out onely among little Hilles Of this place thou perceivest that there is no place either of banishment or of imprisonment so vnpleasant and ougly of the selfe which is able to separat the children of God from the countenance of their God yea they glory in that presence of GOD which they possesse against any place whatsoever For this in which we driue over our life what ever it be it is nothing indeede But Gods presence is all things The word Of remembrance which he vseth is to bee marked For surely that remembrance was rather of Gods presence then the presence of God it self which was then without the Citie oâ— Ierusalem in which at that time was that visible presence of God The matter is so then when wee are banished from this outward ministerie of God in his Church yea in which wee chiefelie haue our God present Then surely we that ar the faithful are not said indeed so much to haue our GOD presente as to remember vppon his presence which was some-time with vs. Also this remembrance I graunt is joyfull sweete and acceptable notwithstanding it lacketh not some certaine displeasure heavines of the own yea in it there is a certaine matter of sorrow as we saw before in the fift verse Remembring these thinges sayth hee I power out my soule vppon my selfe I will saye some-what more This presence of GOD also which is in the ministerie of his worde it hath the owne dolour conioyned therewith because it is vnder hope Hope I grant is with joy and glorying from whence the Apostle remembreth
Seeing this is The third part of the amplification in the which indeede while he considereth more diligently this issue for none of them neither the rich man nor the ambitious man is able to redeeme his soule Hee aggregeth the foolish assurance and confidence of those men yea and not onely of those but of the posteritie Seeing sayeth he this is their way And seeing none of them is able to redeeme his own soule neither this man by his honour nor that man by his wealth notwithstanding they waxe so beastly that they put their assurance in those things not only do those go mad but their posteritie also approues them as wise men haue theÌ„ in admiration follow their example Thou seest therefore the wicked that not only they hurt other men while they are aliue but also they are an offence vnto them when they are departed this life These vayne-glorious and ambitious men craue this thing most earnestlie that the deeds atchieved by them be liade vp in remembrance But considder with mee how much they profite by this thing what other thing I pray you do they then increase their owne righteous condemnation how many mo in that respect follow their wicked example so much the more grieuous surely shal be their judgement Therefore we must endeavour so to liue that not onely wee be not an offence to others while wee are aliue but also that we leaue not to our posterity after our death an example of an evill led-life This is specially to bee done of them which are in any account or place and whose deedes done are layde vp in memorie to the posteritie Like sheepe The conclusion of the amplification whereby hee sheweth the miserie of those men That are not able to redeeme their soule either by wealth or by honour But even like sheepe fra once they bee layde downe into the graue death shall eate them vppe And how long To witte while the righteous rule over them that is in Christ Iesus of whose kingdome the righteous shall be participant At what time shall they rule in that morning sayeth he in which to wit the godly shall ryse againe as it were out of the night and darknes of the graue when the Sunne of righteousnesse that is Christ Iesus shall aryse in that his second comming And Hell consume their beautie Againe What he is hee prescribeth that time in which death shall eate them vp to witte while their beautie that is this earthlie visible substance received a new vnited body wholie with their owne soule Hell consume them The Scriptur vnderstandeth by the name of Hell generally whatsoever estate of the dead and therefore this worde according to the circumstance of the place it is whiles to bee applyed to the Graue whiles to the Hel putting a part for the Hell or contrariwise some time to both together Bot we in this place take this word so as we judge it beste to agree with the purpose ordour of the judgemeÌ„ts of God and the opposition following to witte for that place in which the reprobate ar to bee tormented with punishmentes and with the righteous judgement of God Obserue a continuall progresse as it were from misery to miserie Of the which the laste is ever more grieuous then the firste and the last of all is most grieuous For first the reprobate when once they haue departed this life they are laide vp in the graue which indeed is accuâ—sed vnto them being laid in the graue death eateth them down vnto the latter day and vnto that morning as hee calleth it in which the elect and righteous shall rule ouer them Which dominioÌ„ surely shal be vnto them as it were a heauie yoke and some part of that everlasting punishment Not-with-standing the most heauie punishment wherby they shall be tormented evermore aswel in bodie as in soule is resting yet Then let them consider beware who put their confidence more in the riches honours of this world more then in the Lord what ende abideth that sort of men And thus haue wee spoken of the amplification Now followeth the sixteenth verse The argument of his confidence which hee set downe in the sixt verse Which is indeede subioyned vnto the preceeding amplification by a dissimilitude As if he shoulde saye They are not able neither with their riches nor honour to redeeme their soule But God will redeem my soule from the graue that is he wil giue vnto me the resurrectioÌ„ of the flesh eternal life in Christ Iesus who is my deliuerer froÌ„ the corruptioÌ„ of the graue damnation of hel You see here then a cleare difference of theÌ„ who put their trust in the transitorie thinges of this world of those that put their confideÌ„ce in the liuing God All the thinges of this worlde surelie is not able to preserue the seruantes thereof in this life But GOD is of power to call backe againe them that are alreadie deade and that beleue in him at his own time also wil call them back againe Then there is a very great choise what thing or whom we haue for God this world to witte or the things of this world Or rather the God of heauen and earth the father of our Lord Iesus Christ 17 Be not thou affrayde when any man becommeth rich when the glory of his house is increased 18 For he shall take nothing vp thereof in his death his glorie shal not go downe after him 19 Seeing hee hath blessed his soule in his life and they wil prayse thee if thou dost well to thy selfe 20 That hee may come vnto the age of his fathers yet they shal not enioy the light for ever 21 The man which is in acount neither is one that vnderstandeth hee is like vnto beaste which perish The fourth last part of the Psalme BE not thou afraid The laste part of the Psalme in which he concludeth exhorting all the godlie that they be not commoved either by the example or speech of such like men by their speech I say whereby they either flatter themselues or flatter the godly also He bringeth in two reasons of the exhortation the one indeed from the mutabilitie of riches honours When it commrth to passe that he must goe to the graue sayth he those things ouer throw their own worshippers But he bringeth out the other reason froÌ„ the instability and last destruction of the men themselues Although sayth he it falleth out to them to come vnto the age of their fathers neuertheles they shall not enioy that light of eternall life But they shal abide in the thicknesse and black darknesse of the second death Mark There vseth to come vppon the rich and ambitious men of this world an extream great perril for they will haue all men to be involved and folden in the selfe same damnation with them But it is to bee remembred that those men in their temptationes shall at length haue an ende
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
adjoyneth and amplifieth the cause of this loue vnto the 7. verse Secondly by saith he gloryeth with his owne soule Thirdly he gloryeth with God vnto the 10. verse Fourthly hee confesseth his owne weaknesse which was sometime in him and that by a comparison of the faith which the◠he had vnto the 12. verse Fiftly he taketh purpose to render thanks vnto God The CXVI Psalme 1 I loue Iehova for he heareth my voice my deprecationes 2 For he hath bowed the eare vnto me when I called vpon him in my dayes 3 And when the dolours of death compassed mee about and the griefes of the graue met me finding anguish and sorrow 4 I called vppon the name of Iehova saying I besseech thee O Iehova deliver my soule 5 Gracious Iehova and righteous Our God I say mercifull 6 Iehova preserving the simple when I am brought to nothing he besieweth salvation vpon me I Loue Iehova The first parte of the Psalme as we haue spoken in which he professeth that loue whereby hee loved God Also loue is ane certaine affection in the hearte whereby any man carnestlie desireth the communion conjunction of that thing which he loveth whatsoever thing surely it be But if the loue of any man towarde another be very fervente then verely he who loveth desireth himselfe to be made one as it were one man with him whom he loveth Paule expresseth the force of this loue when he saide O Corinthians 2. Cor. 6. 11. 12. my mouth is opened towarde you mine heart is made large Ye are not kept straight in vs but ye are kept straight in your owne bowels By which words indeede hee sheweth by the affection of his loue toward the Corinthians that his heart was so enlarged that he received them as it were within himselfe and into the bosome of his heart and that hee became as it were one man with them The loue of God is whereby we desire the communion conjunction with God ◠Cor. 5 6 8. Paule sayeth Wee are hold though we know that whiles we are at home in the bodie we are absent from the Lorde Neuerthelesse wee are bold and loue rather to remooue out of the bodie and to dwell with the Lord. From whence proceedeth this Pauls approbation surely from that loue of his Lord who as hee sayeth in the same Chapter verse 14. The loue of Christ constrayned him and continually carryed him forward vnto the Lord. And this is the cause wherefore we sighing wait for the comming of Christ For the loue whereby wee embrace Christ earnestly thirsteth for that conjunction with Christ There is also another thing that is required in this loue that is that for the loue of Christ wee would be willing to loose the most deare things whatsoever we haue in this life So Christ speaketh in Luke Luk. 14. 20. If any man come vnto me and hate not his father and mother and wife and children and brethren and sisters yea and his own life also he cannot be my Desciple By which wordes Christ signifieth that his loue is to be bought yea with the hatred of those thinges which are most deare if it can no otherwise be obteined And this indeede was Davids loue which hee professeth in this place Such should al our loue be who professe the same God with him And in this respect wee are chiefely most happie because wee haue that God of Abraham Isaac Iahakob and David whom we may loue whome wee may worship For he heareth This is an argument of loue frō the benefite of his deliverance from whence arose a certain earnest feling of the mercie of God toward him Marke then that the knowledge of the goodnes of God and the sense of his mercy and loue towarde vs continually goeth before our loue toward him He loueth vs sayeth IOHN not because we haue loued him first 1. Iohn 4. 19. For it is impossible that any man can loue God vnlesse that now firste that loue of God in Christ Iesus be powred out in his heart by the holy Spirit Dauid in every place professeth his loue toward God Rom. 5 5. hee giveth an account thereof continually from the mercy of God toward him I wil loue thee saith he frō my very most inward bowels And what is the reason Psal 18. 2. Iehova is my strength Iehova is my rocke and my strong tower c. By which words indeed he declareth the cause wherefore hee so much loved GOD that it was the mercy of God toward him But if verely we wil loue God for except we loue him we are miserable and if we will set our affection vpon God we haue neede of nothing so much then of diligent marking of all his benefites which he continually heapeth vpō vs. For these ar so many testimonies of gods loue toward vs. Now wee haue said that the loue of God towarde vs is the cause of our loue toward him Wherefore to the end that wee may loue God from our soule every particular benefite of God so farre as it is possible is to be marked by vs. For surely the cause wherefore our harts burne not in that loue where in they ought to burne towards God proceedeth from this that we considder so slightlie his benefites toward vs especially that greatest benefite of all the benefite of our Redemption in Iesus Christ for while his benefites are nor weighed there is no sense of his loue toward vs. And when there is not a feeling of his loue towarde vs howe can it come to passe that wee can loue him He heareth my deprecation Therefore the prayers went before the benefites of God and the sense of his mercy For by those degrees we come as it were vnto the loue of God First wee seek at Gods hands any benefite whether it be Temporal or Spiritual Then after we haue gotten the benefite wee feel his mercy loue toward vs as the fountain frō which that benefite flowed Finally from that sense of the loue of God toward vs that our loue again towrad him aryseth Wherefore to the ende that any man may earnestly loue the Lord his prayers ought to be continuall for of continuall prayers and supplications continuall benefites of God come vnto vs which are so many testimonies of that his loue toward vs in Christ For he hath bowed Hee openeth vp at greater length the reason immediatly preceeding of his loue he abydeth in amplifying thereof vnto the 7. verse In my dayes Hee vnderstandeth the dayes of affliction and anguish as the verse following maketh manifest In this meaning the word of daye is taken Psal 137 Remember against the Edomites of the day of Ierusalem that is of the affliction whereby the Edomites afflicted the Church So Ieremy in the Lamentation 1. 21. For times metonymically in every language vse to be taken for misery in times and dayes We see therefore in this place that affliction thrusted David forward to praiers For