light of his countenaunce vpon his owne and make the dewe of his grace to fall vpon them Yea if we our selues when we were enemies were reconciled how much more now beeing reconciled shall we be saued And this as it serues to confirme the godlie that the whole earth is full of Gods goodnes so doth it also convince the wicked of a blind stupiditie Euery creature hath in it some note of Gods goodnes and yet they cannot see it they looke to heauen they walke vpon earth they breathe in the ayre they warme at the fire euery moment they vse Gods creatures but neuer see nor feele his his goodnesse in them to lift vp their harts and praise him for them TETH VER 65. O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy seruaunt according to thy word IN the verse following Dauid seekes mercy in this hee giues thankes for mercy receiued Mercies receiued as they should be returned with praise to him who gaue theÌ„ so should they confirme our harts in an expectation of greater to bee receiued It is not with God as it is with man a man the more he giueth the lesse he hath it is not so with the Lord. Among men this is a reason as they alledge why they should not giue I haue giuen you already why then doe yee trouble mee any more but it is not so with God the treasures of his grace can neuer be emptied whom he loues he loues vnto the end and to him that hath hee giueth more Yea all that now wee get hee willeth vs to receiue as an earnest or a pledge of greater good hee hath to giue vs. So Dauid confirmes himselfe Psalme 23. that because the Lord had beene a Shepheard to him in time by-gone hee gathers this conclusion Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life But how saith Dauid did God deale graciously with him seeing hee did humble him from his youth with many sore afflictions These agree very well together for the Lord is most louing when he chastiseth EtiaÌ„ in seueritate est bonitas Dei vt recurrat vnusquisque castigatus pedem referat à peccatis ad tramitem bonamque conuersationem reuertatur euen in seueritie Gods gracious goodnesse appeares in that hee vvho is chastised returnes from his sinnes to the right trade of a godlie conuersation Will any man accuse a Physition of cruelty because hee cutteth away the rotten member vvith yron or burnes with fire a fretting canker Or shall the Master bee blamed for correcting his negligent Disciple that hee may make him more diligent and attentiue to learning Sic castigare amantis est non execrantis ideo bonitatis est noncrudelitatis so to chastise is the vvorke of one that loueth not that hateth there is no crueltie in that but gratious goodnesse And albeit these chastisements seeme not sweete for the present yet afterward as the Apostle saith they bring the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to them vvho are thereby exercised And therefore Dauid still craueth to bee taught of GOD the same manner of way Sciebat namque Propheta disciplinae vtilitatem because hee had learned by experience vvhat great good Gods discipline doth to the soule of a man Yee may perceiue by this how Dauid kept remembrances of the seuerall proofes of Gods fauour shewed vnto him in performing to him the promised kingdome and in deliuering him from many outward and inward temptations Thus the children of GOD keepe with themselues memorials of mercie receiued for albeit the time of the full performance of Gods promises bee not yet come yet doth he performe so much of them as binds vs in all conscience to remember his praises who is a most true and mercifull God vnto vs. Thy seruaunt Dauid frequently delights in this stile Hee found that his greatest comfort stood in the seruing of GOD in a good conscience and if we do not so with what boldnes can we looke for comfort from him in the day of our trouble or houre of death who made no conscience of his seruice Yea rather iustly may the Lord giue vs that fearefull answer which he gaue to the rebellious Iewes wheÌ„ they sought his help in the day of their distresse Goe vnto the gods whoÌ„ yee haue serued and let them deliuer you According to thy vvord Naturall men will not belieue that GOD will doe according to his vvord they haue it in derision The vision say they is but wind In so dooing they highly offend the maiestie of GOD imputing this note of dishonestie vnto him That hee is not so good as his word but in experience they shall find the contrary The godly shall find the truth of his word in mercie as Ezechias did so shall they praise him The Lord hath said it and the Lord hath done it but the wicked shal find it in iudgement Your Fathers vvhere are they and doe the Prophets liue for euer But did not my word and my Statutes vvhich I commaunded by my seruaunts the Prophets take hold on your Fathers And they returned and said As the Lord of hosts hath determined to doe vnto vs according to our ovvne waies and works so assuredly hath he dealt with vs. So shall all the wicked find at the length that as God hath a mouth to speak so hath he a hand to execute it Then shall they discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked between him that serueth God and him that serueth him not VER 66. Teach mee good iudgement knowledge for I haue beleeued thy coÌ„maundements THis verse containes a prayer with a reason In the prayer he beseecheth God to teach him good iudgement The word Tob Tagnam signifieth the goodnesse of taste so Vatablus Bonitatem sensus doce me The naturall sense of tasting is heere by a Metaphortranslated to signifie iudgement and vnderstanding and that because as taste discernes meat makes choise of vvhat is to bee sent into the stomacke â—…o the vnderstanding discernes betweene truth to be embraced and falshood to be reiected This is the grace for which the Apostle prayeth to the Philippians I pray that yee may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that yee may discerne things which are excellent This is a rare grace For many by the iudgement of light knowes what is good and what is euill who knowe it not by the iudgement of taste for if by sense they felt the bitternesse of sinne and sweetnesse of righteousnesse they wold not so loue the one set light by the other as they doe And againe this puts a difference between that knowledge which wee haue in this life and that which we shall haue in the life to come Now we haue but a taste then shall we be filled and satisfied with his image now wee knowe but in part heereafter wee shall knowe fully now we
the eternity of it And by these two he sustaines himselfe against all tentations wherwith hee was compassed and namely the contempt of men Sith the Lawe of God is truth and his righteousnesse euerlasting they cannot be deceiued who depend vpon it and they who liue in a contrary disposition vnto it cannot be but miserable eternally Neyther is it enough for vs to know this generally as many do but with Dauid wee should earnestly pray wee may bee taught by his word stablished by his truth rectified by his righteousnesse Haec conciliant sempiterna bona that so we may be partakers of that euerlasting good which cometh by them VER 143. Trouble and anguish are com vpon me yet thy commandements are my delight ALbeit Dauid was laden with heauy troubles yet did he neuer quit his affection toward the word of God Where if it be enquired why did the Lord lay such heauy trouble vpon a man whom he loued so dearely and why suffers he his children to be so hardly handled in this life for whom he hath prepared a blessed fellowship and communion with himselfe in the life to come The reason is because as saith the Apostle Neede so requires Necessaria est crux peregrinanti The crosse is necessary for a pilgrime for by it sin is subdued pride weakned patience and all other graces of the spirit increased It workes a contempt of this world and prepares vs for the kingdome of God Of this let such as are vnder the crosse learne with patience to beare it and others who know not yet what it is prepare them-selues for it For if they bee the kindly sonnes of God they shall not eschew it For hee chastiseth euery one whom he receiues Are my delight This is strange that in the midst of anguish he hath delight yea indeed the sweetnesse of Gods word is best perceiued vnder the bitternes of the crosse the ioy of Christ and the ioy of the world cannot consist together A heart delighted with worldlie ioie cannot feele the consolations of the spirite the one of these destroyes the other But in sanctified trouble the comforts of GODs word are felt and perceiued in most sensible manner Many a time hath Dauid protested this delight of his in the vvorde of GOD and truely it is a great argument of godlinesse vvhen men come not onely to a reuerence of it but to loue it and to delight in it Let this bee considered of those vnhappy men who heare it of custome and count it but a wearinesse VER 144. The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting Grant mee vnderstanding and I shall liue THis verse is one with the 142. saue only that he adioynes to it his accustomed petition for vnderstanding that hee may liue Nam propriè homines non viuunt sine intelligentia diuinae legis for it is no life which men haue vvho are destitute of this knowledge The vvord of God is contemned of none but suchas knowe not the excellencie thereof And they are repayed with this fearefull recompence that because they knowe not nor cannot account of it the light the vertue the grace there of is not dilated toward them but they abide still in their naturall darknes and death From which most vnhappy condition the Lord deliuer vs. KOPH VER 145. I haue cryed with my whole heart hear me O Lord and I will keep thy statutes IN this verse wee haue three things a petition Heare mee a reason I haue cryed with mine whole heart a promise I will keepe thy statutes The reason is first sette downe which in effect is this O Lord thou hast bound thy selfe by thy promise to answere them who call vpon thee and thou hast not at any time sent them away comfortlesse that call vpon thee in spirit and truth yea thou hast been found of them vvho sought thee not Then Lord seeing thou hast giuen me this grace to cry to thee with my whole heart shew me also this grace that thou maiest heare me As the husbandman seeks no increase of that land wherein he hath sowen no seed so hee that prayeth not and seekes not the Lord while hee may be found what comfort can hee expect in the time of his trouble Our praiers are seede sowen not in the earth but in the heauen wee cast them into the bosome of God he that sowes sparingly shall reape sparingly if wee looke for a plentifull haruest let vs sowe more aboundantly in the seede time for euery praier feruentlie and in faith sent vp to God either presently returnes with some good or then laies good vp in store for vs which we shall enioy heereafter The feruency of his praier he expresseth when he saith that he cryed it notes Animi propensioneÌ„ the earnestnes of his soule without this the earnestnes of the tongue is but LudibriuÌ„ quoddaÌ„ quo deus non honore sed contumelia afficitur a mockery of God and a dishonouring of him Non â—…ocis magnitudine sed cordis magnanimitate clamaÌ„dum est non sono corporis sed cogitationum sublimitate concentu virtutum It is not by lowdnes of the voice but stoutnes of the heart not by sound of the body but by sublimity of our cogitations and by consent of vertues that wee must cry vnto God When Israell was straighted at the red sea the Armie of Egyptians vpon their backe and the sea before them and in their iudgement they saw no outgaite but lookt either to be deuoured by the sword or drowned by the water no doubt there was among the people murmuring and crying with dolefull lamentation but what Clamabat populus et non audiebatur tacebat Moses audiebatur the people cryed and were not heard Moses is silent and God heares him for his heart was fixed vpon God waiting till God should shew the way of deliuerance which they could not see What auailes the voice of the wicked who honour God with their lips but their heart is far from him Iniustianima deo mertua est The soule of an vnrighteous man is dead vnto God Nihil in illa sublime nihil magnificum est There is no high nor excellent thing in it which can go vp to the most high and excellent God With mine whole heart He amplisies this yet further when he saith that hee cryed with his whole heart Non solum ergo elamandum est sed et toto corde clamandum For as a man cryes most loudly wheÌ„ he cries with al his mouth opened so a man praies most effectually when hee praies with his whole heart Neither doth this speech declare onely the feruency of his affection but imports also that it was a great thing which he sought from God Et tu cum oras magna ora id est ora quae aeterna sunt non caduca And thou when thou prayest pray for great things for things induring not for things perishing praie
them here learne a ready way whereby they may know it It was promised that vnder the Kingdome of Christ the meanest or least should be like vnto Dauid If therefore by grace thou be partaker of Dauids disposition recorded to thee in this Psalme thou maist be out of doubt thou art also partaker of his approbation for the Lord is no accepter of persons what he approues in one he will also approue in another This is it which Pontius the Deacon records of Cyprian that when euer he heard or read any person commended in the Booke of God hee warned vs to make diligent inquisition of their actions for which they were commended as namely when we heare said he that Iob receiued this praise from God that he was an vpright and â—…ust man one that seared God and eschued euill and how none was like him on the earth let vs turne ouer to the 31. chapter where we haue a short compend of his life and let vs endeuour to order our lise as he did his Vt dum nos paria facimus simile in nos Dei testimonium prouoceâ—…us We need not then goe vp to the counsell of God to enquire there whether or not we be beloued of him let vs come downe to our selues Make sure our calling and election by wel doing let vs trie our selues by this disposition which here is in Dauid where we finde a conformity let vs giue thankes for the beginnings of Gods grace in vs where not let vs prease to amend being assured vnlesse wee follow Dauid in the practise of piety we cannot be partakers of his praise which hee receiued from God Now among many points of godlinesse manifest in him there is one here throughout the whole Psalme more euident then the rest and that is his feruent affection toward the word of God for in euery verse except one onely to wit the 122. he makes mention of the word of God vnder some of these names Lawe Statutes Precepts Testimonies Commandements Word Promises Wayes Iudgements Name Righteousnesse Truth the reason hereof is because in euery state of life he found light life comfort in the word of God and therefore was his affection inflamed toward it Euen as children new borne by the instinct of nature haue an appetite to milk for conseruation of their life so the children of God once regenerate by the instinct of grace haue a spirituall appetite to the word of God according to that of Saint Peter As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may growe thereby Neyther is it possible that any man can esteeme of that worde as a foode for their nourishment but they to whom first it hath beene a seede of their newe birth and the onely cause why the cold professors of this age esteemes it not as a food for which they hunger and thirst but rather be weary of it more then Israel was of Manna is that it was neuer vnto them a liuely seed of their new birth and so sith they haue neyther gotten life nor light by it what maruell is it they haue no delight in it As to the order of this Psalme it is diuided into two and twenty Sections euery Section hath in it eight Verses and euery Verse beginnes in the Hebrew with that letter wherewith the Section is intituled as all the Verses of the first Section begin with Aleph the Verses of the second with Beth and so forward according to the Hebrew Alphabet for which wee may call this Psalme an A. B. C. of godlinesse Another method of this Psalme can we not lay saue that euery Verse containes in it eyther a praise of Gods word from some excellent quality of it or a protestation of Dauid his vnfayned affection toward it or else a prayer for grace to conforme himselfe vnto it for vnto one of these three Prayses Prayers or Protestations may all the Verses of this Psalme be reduced And so we enter into it ALEPH. VERS 1. Blessed are these that are vpright in their way and walke in the Lawe of the Lord. THis verse beginnes the Psalme with a summary proposition of the blessed estate of all Gods children Properly onely God is blessed God ouer all blessed for euer For this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ImmortaleÌ„ vt sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideÌ„ quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est immortalis the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both the syllables being turn'd into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the pleasantnes of the sound yet this name is also attributed to Gods children who of his mercy are deliuered from death and allotted vnto eternall life The blessednesse of man is foure manner of wayes described in holy Scripture First from the originall thereof and fountaine from which it flowes and that is our election so the Apostle when he blesses the Lord who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ he begins at this As he hath chosen vs. Secondly from the beginning thereof in vs and that is our calling and iustification Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee Againe Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Thirdly from the progresse thereof which is made by sanctification as Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse and so here Blessed are they that are vpright in way Lastly from the perfection therof which shall be done in our finall glorification vnto one of these may be referred euery sentence of holy Scripture which makes mention of the happinesse and felicity of man Vpright in their way We haue here first to see what is this Way next who are vpright in it By the Way vnderstand Transitoriam hanc vitam and so indeed properly mans life on earth is called a Way for in it man walkes from the wombe to the graue by so continuall a motion that there is no resting nor returning for him into it But as a Ship which goes right before the winde makes haste without staying toward her hauening place what-euer they doe that are in her whether they eate or they walke or they rest still the Barke that carries them goes on to her proposed end so is it with man in the body so soone as he comes out of the wombe he is carried by a continuall course to the graue whether he sleepe or walke whether he haue minde of it or not he is carried on in his course to his end without intermission And in this sense the life of euery man whether good or euill is a Way Via vita est hanc siquidem ab vtero ad sepulchrum ambulamus omnes But in this Way there is a great difference for some are vpright in it these are exponed to be such as walke in the way of the Lord others againe
And truely if it be the Lord whom we seeke it will appeare by this no other thing shall content vs but still we will goe on seeking himselfe till we finde himselfe But we must remember sixe conditions required in them who would seeke the Lord rightly First we must seeke him in Christ the Mediatour No man can come to the Father but by the Son and He is able also perfectly to saue all that come vnto God by him And this excludes Papists who content them not with the Mediatour from the right seeking of God Secondly we must seeke him in truth for God is a God of truth he will be worshipped in spirit and truth for God is a Spirit and loueth truth in the inward affections And this is the condition which here is required Blessed are they who seeke him with their whole heart And this excludes hypocrits Thirdly we must seek him in holiness Let euery one that calles on the name of the Lord depart from iniquity and again saith the Apostle Follow peace and sanctification without which no man can see the Lord. And Whosoeuer hath this hope in himselfe namely that he shall see God as he is purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure And this condition excludes from seeking of God all Atheists vncleane vnpeniâ—…ent persons Fourthly we must seeke him aboue all things and for himselfe not as the carnall Iewes did with whom the Lord was angry They howle vpon me for wine and oyle It is a great dishonouring of God when any thing is sought from him more then himself or not for himself Quisquis à deo praeter deum quaerit non castè deum quaerit as if his creatures serued not to this end principally to lead vs vnto himselfe or among them all there were any thing more precious then himselfe and this excludes mercenaries and worldlings Fiftly we must seek him by the light of his own word the Gentiles sought to finde him by the light of nature but they became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart being full of darknes could neuer find him As the Sun without the light of it selfe cannot be knowne so God without his owne light which shines in his word cannot be known No man hath seene God at any time the Sonne who hath come from the bosome of the Father he hath declared him and the direction of the Sonne is Search the Scriptures And this excludes all those children of darkenesse who disdayning the light of the word depend vpon phantasies or presumptions of their owne Last of all we must seeke him diligently and with perseuerance neuer resting till we finde him with the Spouse in the Canticles We must not seeke him by startings casting off all caâ—…e when we finde him not at the first but without wearying wee must wait vpon him They that looke vnto him that is constantly attend vpon him their faces shall not bee ashamed And this excludes carelesse Christians and temporizers who seeke him by starts but continue not VER 3. Surely they worke none iniquity that walke in his wayes THis Verse containes a commendation of the word of God from this notable fruit and effect thereof that they who keepe it are kept by it from iniquity and so made partakers by it of the third degree of man his felicity which is sanctification If it be demaunded here How is it that they who walke in Gods wayes worke none iniquitie Is there any man who liues and sinnes not And if they be not without sinne How then are they to be blessed The answere is as the Apostle sayes of our knowledge Wee knowe but in a part so is it true of our felicity on earth wee are blessed but in a part It is the happinesse of Angels that they neuer sinned it is the happinesse of triumphant Saints that albeit they haue beene sinners yet now they sinne no more but the happinesse of Saints militant is that our sinnes are forgiuen vs and that albeit sinne remaine in vs yet it raignes not ouer vs it is done in vs but not by our allowance I doe the euill which I would not not I but sinne that dwels in me Secondly to the working of iniquity these three things must concurre first a purpose to do it next a delight in doing it thirdly a continuance in it which three in Gods children neuer concurre for in sinnes done in them by the old man the new man makes his exceptions and protestations against them It is not I sayes hee and so farre is hee from delighting in them that rather his soule is grieued with them euen as Lot dwelling among the Sodomites was vexed by hearing and seeing their vnrighteous deeds In a word the children of GOD are rather sufferers of sinne against their willes then actors of it with their willes like men spiritually oppressed by the power of their enemie for which they sigh and crie vnto God Miserable man that I am who will deliuer mee from this bodie of Death And in this sense it is that the Apostle saith Hee who is borne of GOD sinneth not In his wayes The course of mans life ordered according to the worde of the Lorde is called the way of GOD first because it pleaseth him and next because it leades vs vnto him There are many desirous to be where the Lord is that shall neuer com there all because they delight not in the way that leads vnto him blessed are they who walke in this vvay Confirme mine heart ô GOD that I may keep it vnto the end VER 4. Thou hast commanded to keepe thy precepts diligently AL the sinnes vvhich in this age men commit against the Lord proceed eyther from rebellion or at least from obliuion of his commaundements for now in this great light all excuse of ignorance is taken away None of the former two are good but of the two rebellion is the vvorst Gods children abhorre it as a diuelish euill to rebell against God how-euer by obliuion many times they fall both in sinnes of omission and commission so long as they remember what God hath commanded to be done and what reasons they haue to obey him they are not easily snared but beeing once preuented by obliuion they are easily caried vnto transgression It is good therefore to keep in our hearts with Dauid this short remedy against obliuion Thou hast commaunded to keepe thy precepts diligently As the eyes of seruants looke vnto the hand of their Masters so should our eyes vvait vpon the Lord our GOD euer looking to that way vvhere-vnto his countenaunce â—…oth direct vs. Diligently In worldly affaires no weighty thing can be done without diligence farre lesse in spirituall Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently For three causes should we keepe the commandements of the Lord with diligence first because
our aduersary that seeks to snare vs by the transgression of them is diligent in tempting For he goes about night and day seeking to deuoure vs next because we our selues are weake and infirme by the greater diligence haue we need to take heed to our selues thirdly because of the great losse we sustaine by euery vantage Sathan gets ouer vs. For we finde by experience that as a wound is sooner made then ◅ is healed so guiltines of conscience is easily contracted but not so easily done away VER 5. O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy Statutes IN the former verse Dauid hath meditated vpon the commandement of God Now the fruit of his meditation is ye see a prayer vnto God wherein he wishes that all his actions were answerable to the commandements of God this is customable vnto the godly to answere all the precepts of God by prayers what he commaunds them to doe they seeke from himselfe grace to doe it My wayes In this Psalme sometime ye see mention is made of Gods wayes as Vers. 3. and sometime of man his wayes as Vers. 5. It is well with man when his wayes and Gods wayes are all one for if man haue another way then the way of God of necessity his end must be miserable God is the fountaine of life he that walks not with God abides in death God is the father of light he that will goe from him shall goe to blacknes of darknes yea to vtter darknes where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth Loe all they that withdraw themselues from thee shall perish therefore will we resolue with Dauid It is good for me to draw neere vnto the Lord. Dauid knowing that naturally man is diuided from God and hath a way of his own which will not faile to lead him vnto a miserable end he wisheth from his heart to be vnited with the Lord that Gods will were his will and Gods way were his way This is a worke aboue the power of nature and therfore he humbly prayes that God would worke it Dignoscens quod ex seipso nihil possit efficere nisi Dei ope gratia adiutus fuerit humbly acknowledging that in the framing of his waies to Gods will of himselfe he was able to do nothing without the help of grace We are not of our selues able to thinke a good thought our sufficiency is of God neither is it in him that wils nor in him that runnes but in God that shewes mercie VER 6. Then should I not be confounded when I haue respect vnto all thy commandements SInne hath many euill fruites it offends God and grieues his Spirit it hurts thy neighbour for by it thou temptst some and infectst others but the sosest wound it giues to thy selfe for it brings vpon thee shame confusion and in the end eternall death For sinne when it is finished brings out death Thy owne wickednes shall reproue thee and thou shalt knowe that it is an euill thing a bitter that thou hast for saken the Lord thy God How were Ad◅m and Euah consounded after their fall how ran they away from the Lord in whom they delighted before How lurked they among the b◅shes thinking shame of thēselues they sought to couer their nakednes Praeuaricationis enim fructus est cōfusio If we think to pluck better fruit from the tree of sinne we doe but deceiue our selues It standeth true in all which the Apostle spake of the Romans When ye were the seruants of sin yee were freed frō righteousnes what fruite had yee then of those things wherof yee are now ashamed The end of these things is death If therefore vvee thinke euill to be confounded with shame let vs bevvare we be not perverted by sinne Respect to all thy Commandements Wee must not make a diuision at our owne hand of the commaundements of GOD making a shew to keepe some and taking libertie to transgresse others as Naaman did who resolued that hee vvould offer no sacrifice vnto any other God saue onely to the Lord onely this he reserued that he would bow with his Master the King of Assur to the Idole Rimmon Like him are many now vvho professe they will serue the Lord but still reserue an Idole of their owne to the which their heart enclines so answer the Lord with halfe obedience like the Eccho which makes not a perfit respondence of the voice of men but of some part thereof But the commaundements of GOD are so vnited among themselues that hee who failes in one point of the law is guiltie of all and therfore to euery one of them should we giue obedience wherin if wee cannot doe what wee should yet at least should we haue a respect a purpose and a care so to do hauing a begun obedience to them all not exempting our selues frō any And this for them who thinke all is well if they be not adulterers when in the meane time they are idolaters and so forth of the rest VER 7. I will praise thee with an vpright heart vvhen I shall learne the iudgements of thy righteousnes IN this verse wee haue a prayer for further knowledge together with a protestation of Dauid his thankfull affection for it Thankfulnes is a dutie wherein we are all obliged to the Lord. It is a good thing for vpright men to praise thee Lord. It is good first in regard of the equitie of it Sith the Lord giues vs good things shal not we giue him praises againe especially seeing the Lord is content so to part all his works between his Maiestie and vs that the good of them be ours the glorie of them be his owne When we haue taken good things from him why shall we defraude him of his part that is glory by thanksgiuing Surely the earth vvhich renders increase to them that labour it the oxe that knowes his owner and euery beast in their kind that bowes to the hand of him who giues it meat shal condemne vnthankfull man who receiues dailie from the Lord but neuer returnes praises vnvnto him Secondly it is good to praise the Lord in regard of himselfe who is the obiect of our prayses Sith he is the treasure of all good the author of all blessings it cannot be but a good and blessed thing to blesse him Thirdly it is good in respect of our associates companions in this exercise the Angels Cherubins and Seraphins delight continually in his praises Our elder brethren that glorious congregation of the first borne are described vnto vs falling downe on their faces casting their crownes at the feet of the Lord to giue him the glory of their redemption Now seeing wee pray that the will of God may be done in earth as it is in heauen why doe we not delight in these exercises of praising God by which we haue fellowship with them who are glorified in heauen Lastly
aduantage it is not so with the Lord our God all his commandements are for the vantage and benefite of his seruants Nihil iubet quod sibi profit May a man be profitable vnto God Is it any thing to the Almighty that thou art righteous Or is it profitable to him that thou makest thy wayes vpright yet are we bound to obey and we must be countable for them and therefore should they neuer goe out of our mind And consider thy wayes Dauid his second internall action concerning the word is Consideration where marke well how by a most proper speech he calles the word of God the way of God partly because by it God comes neere vnto men reuealing himselfe to them who otherwayes could not be knowne of them for he dwels in light inaccessible and partly because the word is the way which leades men to God So then because by it God commeth downe to men and by it men go vp vnto God and know how to get accesse to him therefore is his word called his way Of Consideration see Ver. 59. VER 16. I will delight in thy Statutes and will not forget thy word HEe protested before that he had great delight in the Testimonies of God now he sayth he will still delight in them A man truely godly the more good he doth the more he desireth delights and resolues to do Temporizers on the contrary who haue but a shew of godlines the loue of it is not rooted in their hart how soon are they weary of wel-doing If they haue done any small external duty of religiō they rest as if they were fully sanctified there needed no more good to be done by thē True Religion is known by hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse by perseuerance in wel-doing and an earnest desire to do more But to this he addes that he will not forget the word The graces of the Spirit do euery one fortifie and strengthen another for ye see Meditation helps Consideration who can consider of that whereof he thinkes not Consideration againe breedes Delectation and as here ye see Delectation strengthens Memory because he delights in the worde hee will not forget the worde and Memory againe renewes Meditation Thus euery grace of the Spirit helpes another and by the contrary one of them neglected workes a wonderfull decay of the remnant Faile in Loue or in Patience c. Praier decayes faile in Prayer all decayes We haue therefore so much the more carefully to eschue the neglect of any one grace because in the losing of one we lose many and if we want grace we are altogether inexcusable because if we haue a care to keepe any one principall grace one shall keepe many graces vnto vs. GIMEL VER 17. Be beneficiall vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word IN the end of the former Section Dauid had protestations now in the beginning of this he hath prayers In his protestations he acknowledgeth the beginnings which by grace he had made in godlinesse to the praise and glory of God in the prayers he acknowledgeth his wants that he was farre from that which he should be and therfore still beseecheth the Lord to bring forward to perfection that which he had begun in him If ye marke the course of this Psalme ye shall see Dauid cannot long abide in any purpose without prayer he learned by experience that prayer is the life of the soule No more can the Soule liue without prayer then the Body can without breathing and as Samsons strength was in his haire so a Christians strength is in the grace of prayer If this be taken from vs we soone become a prey to the spirituall Philistims Now the first thing he craues as a speciall benefite is that hee may liue and keep the word of God Many benefits had the Lord bestowed vppon him of a Shepheard he made him a King to them all he seeks this benefit grace so to liue that he might keepe the word of the Lord he knew that without this all other benefits are nothing and so doe all Gods children illuminate with the light of God if they were preferred to be Monarches of the world They count more of this To be Christians wanting earthly Kingdoms then To be Kings wanting Christianity As good Constantine albeit he knew he was obliged to the Lord for making him an Emperor yet much more bound to his mercie for making him a Christian. And indeede this life without the other grace though it were seconded with the highest honour and wealth that euer befell to any man in his life what is it Not an Introduction onely to eternall death but a procuring and iust deseruing of it Thy seruant That hee stiles himselfe so frequently the seruant of GOD notes in him tvvo things first a reuerent estimation hee had of his GOD in that hee accounts it more honourable to bee called the seruant of God who was aboue him then the King of a mightie auncient and most famous people that vvere vnder him And indeede sith the Angels are styled his ministers shall man thinke it a shame to serue him with them and especially sith he of his goodnes hath made them our seruants Ministring spirits to vs Should we not ioyfully serue him who hath made all his creatures to serue vs and exempted vs from the seruice of all other and hath onely bound vs to serue himselfe That I may liue Dauid ioynes heere two together which whosoeuer disioynes cannot be blessed He desires to liue but so to liue that he may keep Gods word To a reprobate man who liues a rebel to his Maker it had bin good as our Sauiour said of Iudas that he had neuer been borne that the knees had not preuented him or that incontinent after his birth he had been buried The shorter his life is the fewer are his sinnes and the smaller his iudgements But to an elect man life is a great benefit for by it he goes from election to glorification by the way of sanctification The longer he liues the more good he doth to the glory of God the edification of others and confirmation of his owne saluation making it sure to himselfe by wrestling and victory in tentations and perseuerance in well dooing Without grace this life is but a death so the Spirit of God accounts of it and therefore giues to most liuely naturall men the name of dead men Omnia hic plena mortis sunt By the law if a liuing man had touched the dead hee was defiled and wee beside that wee carry death in our selues where can we go and not touch the dead Great need therfore haue wee with Dauid earnestly to seek this grace that we may liue keeping the word of God aunswering that commandement of our lord Relinque mortuos and of his Apostle Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead For as
presumption vsurped to be equal with GOD Similis ero altissimo like vnto the most high Cum sit ne quissimus peiores tamen discipulos erudiuit He himselfe is a Prince of spirituall wickednesse yet hath he trained vp disciples more vvicked then himselfe such as That man of sinne who as if it were little to be equall with GOD extolls himselfe aboue GOD. And like him are many blinded captiues of Satan vvho in the pride of their heart doe all they can to subiect the Lord his throne his will to their wicked and corrupt will These are fooles and of all fooles the greatest they set themselues as parties against the Lord for he resists the proud not considering that he is stronger then they they cannot stand before him The Lord is the most high GOD but it is not height makes a man stand before him None so sure to stand in his sight as they who are humble and little in their own eyes to them he giues grace Humilis non habet vnde cadat where it is the iust recompence of the proud that because they vsurpe to be before all others the Lord puts them behind all casts them down to the lowest roome for mounting to the highest A notable example heereof we haue in that Pharisee who was not so farre before the Publican in his ovvne estimation as he was behind him in the account of Christ who iudgeth of things according as they are O quantum crimen superbiae vt ei etiam adulteria praeferantur Cursed are they which doe erre from thy commaundements Heere first we haue to see hovv these words must be vnderstood Saith not Dauid of himselfe that he wandred like a lost sheepe Saith he not also of others Who knowes the errors of his life How then doth he pronounce them cursed which erre from the commandements of God The answer is easily made if we conioyne his words together The proud which erre are cursed Heere then we must put a difference between sinnes of pride and of infirmitie he that of rebellion and pride departs from Gods comman dements not so he that sinnes of weaknesse in whom euery sin committed increaseth a griefe for sinne a hatred of sinne and a care to vvithstand it for these there is no condemnation These are not vnder the law but vnder grace Mercie alwaies waits on them as a refreshing medicine to restore them when of infirmitie they fall But as for the wicked who sinne are proud and impenitent in their sinnes the curse of God is vpon them though it be not seene at the first Like a Moth or secret cōsumption it eates them vp it shall deuoure their substance shal quickly turne their glory and prosperitie into shame and confusion VER 22. Remoue from mee shame contempt for I haue kept thy testimonies DAuid beeing a young man liued godlie in the Court of Saul and for godlinesse was mocked and disdained of others For so the blind world counts religion a matter of mockerie which in the estimation of Gods Spirit is man his greatest gaine and glory But from time they saw that Saul the King was displeased with Dauid then did all his flatterers speake against Dauid doing what they could to sley his honest name with calumnies and slaunders And hee borne downe with the iniquitie of time commits his cause to the Lord beseeching him who knew his conscience to cleere his innocencie Which he also did for the shame and contempt which they thought to bring vpon Dauid God poured it vpon themselues For I haue kept thy testimonies Sometime Dauid iustifies himselfe in regard of men And if at any time he reioyce in his vprightnesse before God it is not a boasting of his owne perfection but rather a comforting of himselfe from the honestie of his affection VER 23. Princes also did sit and speake against mee but thy seruaunt did meditate in thy statutes THese two last verses of this section containe two protestations of Dauid his honest affection to the word The first is that albeit he was persecuted and euil spoken of and that by great honorable men of the world such as Saul and Abner and Achitophel yet did hee still meditate in the statutes of God It is a hard tentation when the godly are troubled by any wicked men but much harder when they are troubled by men of honor authoritie And that first by reason of their place the greater power they haue the greater perill to encounter with their displeasure therefore said Salomon The wrath of a King is the messenger of death Next because Authorities and Powers are ordained by God not for the terror of the good but of the euill And therefore it is no smal griefe to the godly when they find them abused to a contrary end that where a Ruler should bee to good men like raine to the fields new mowen on the contrary hee becomes a fauourer of euill men and a persecuter of the good Then iustice is turned into wormwood that vvhich should bring comfort to such as feare God is abused to oppresse them And therefore it should be accounted a great benefit of God when he giues a people good and religious rulers The Christians in the Primitiue Church being sore troubled by the bloody persecutions of Nero and Domitian thought it a great benefit vnto them when vnder Nerua the persecution was relented Albeit he did not professe Christ with them yet he did not persecute them What then should we account of such a King as is not onely a protector of the Church but a professor himselfe so farre from persecuting Christian religion that for professing of it many times hath his Maiestie been persecuted to the death but blessed be the Lord who hath giuē many glorious deliuerances to his annointed Alway we learn here to arme our selues against the like tentation if at any time it shall please the Lord to try vs with it It was an argument the Pharisees vsed against our Lord Doth any of the Rulers belieue in him The Apostle confirmes vs against it Brethren yee see your calling Not many wise men not many noble hath God chosen c. We must not haue our faith in respect of persons nor measure religion by the authoritie of men that are with it or against it but resolue with Iosua Albeit all the vvorld should forsake the Lord yet vvee vvill worship him No Number no Greatnes of men can take out of the harts of such as are truly godly the loue of God and of his truth And speak In externall actions the first weapon wherby the wicked fight against the godly is their tongue Where Satan looseth their tongues to speak euill against vs we may be sure if hee be not restrained he will also loose their hands to do euill And where otherwise it falls out that wee are
walk in is the path of GODS commaundements not anie nevv vvay but the old and pathed vvay vvherein all the seruaunts of GOD haue vvalked before him and for vvhich the Graecians as Euthymius noteth called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi viam tritam But how-so-euer this vvay bee pathed by the vvalking and treading of many in it yet he acknowledgeth it is but one yea and a narrow and difficil path to keepe and therefore seekes he to be guided into it As to the broad way there are many rodes and pathed wayes into it although they meet all in one end all men goe not to hell by one way for we see many men abhorring a sinne in others who yet intertaine a farre more odious sin in themselues but the narrow way that leades to heauen hath but one path or road into it from which if we decline we fall incontinent into some roade of the broad way that leads to hell Let vs therfore vvalke circumspectly considering our naturall disposition to decline and the dangers and difficulties of the vvay let vs wait vpon our guide and follow his foot-steps Praecedit Christus vt sequamur nos hee hath gone before that we should follow he fasted and prayed to traine vs vp in the like exercises he suffred to learne vs patience Ascendit Crucem vt doceret mortem non esse metuendam he went vp to the Crosse that he might teach vs death is not to be feared By this way of innocence holinesse humility patience contempt of death let vs follow our guide nothing doubting but this path shall lead vs to his Paradise For therein is my delight Of this see Verse 47. VER 36. Incline mine heart vnto thy Testimonies and not to couetousnes THis prayer among the rest no doubt flowed out of Dauid his sense hee found his hart euill inclined at least tempted to bow a wrong way For we stand betweene two parties that seek vs the one for our weale the other for our wrack The Lord on the one hand allures vs My sonne giue mee thine hart and offers vs more for it then wee yea or tenne thousand worlds can be woorth and I shall be thy portion On the other hand Satan the deceiuer by faire but false allurements seeks to haue our hart drawne after him Happy is the man can consider this that hee may offer his hart to the Lord and seeke it as a grace as heere Dauid doth Vnto thy testimonies Gods word is called his testimonie because in it hee testifieth his vvill concerning his worship and our saluation and witnesseth also how he is affected to euery man For out of it to some men he speakes as a louing Father to others as a feareful Iudge Men neede not runne vp to Gods secret counsell to enquire how hee is affected toward them if they list they may learne it out of his word But as Achab desired not to hear Michaiah because hee prophecied not good thinges vnto him so many novv because they doe euill can not abide the light of the word they find no ioy in the hearing of it but are striken vvith feare and trembling as Felix was at the hearing of Paul But in truth the blame is in thy self Are not my wordes good to him that walks vprightlie saith the Lord. No doubt if thou wert good thy selfe the word of the Lord should testifie good things vnto thee And not to couetousnes Hee prayes in particular that his hart may be diâ—…crted from couetousnes which is not only an euil but as saith the Apostle The roote of all euill Dauid heere oppones it as an aduersarie to all the righteousnesse of Gods testimonies it inverts the order of Nature and makes the heauenly soule earthlie It is a hand-maid of all sinnes for there is no sinne which a couetous man wil not serue for his gaine We should beware of all sinnes but speciallie of mother sinnes VER 37. Turne away mine eyes from regarding vanitie and quicken me in thy way HAuing prayed for his hart now he praieth for his eyes also Omnia à Deo petit docens illum omnia efficere By the eyes oftentimes as by windowes death enters into the hart therefore to keepe the hart in a good estate three things are requisite First a careful custody of the senses specially of the eyes for it is a righteous working of the Lord Vt qui exteriorâ—… oculo negligenter vtitur interiori non iniustè caecetur that he who negligently vseth the externall eye of his body shold be punished with blindnes in the internal eye of his mind And for this cause Nazianzen deploring the calamities of his soule wished that a dore might be set before his eyes eares to close them when they opened to anie thing that is not good Malis autem sua sponte vtrumque clauderetur The second thing is a subduing of the body by discipline And the third is continuance in prayer Euery creature of God is good and the beholding thereof should waken in vs an affection to praise God Oculi idcireo dati sunt corpori vt per eos intueamur creaturam aâ—… per huiusmodi mirabilem harmoniam agnoscamus opificem for this cause were eyes giuen to the body that by them we might looke to the creature and by the maruailous harmony which is among theÌ„ we might learne to know the Creator But since the fal the creature also is become subiect to vanitie in euery one of them hath the Serpent laid his deceiuable snare to entrap man and steale his affection from GOD so that now Inter tot passiones huius corporis inter tantas illecebras huius saeculi difficile est tutum intemeratum seruare ve stigium in the midst of so many passions of so many allurements of this world it is a dissicile thing to walke and not to be snared Hee that lookes on a woman saith our Sauiour and lusts after her hath committed adultery Behold in how short a time great guiltinesse is committed Malè sic vidit oculus videat ergo fungatur suo munere non lubricae mentis imperio dirigatur ad lapsum vt vitiuÌ„ referat pro officio Dauid knew this hee found the euill of it by experience let vs learn of him to watch ouer our eyes that we may keepe the hart the better Quicken mee in thy way Man by nature is quick enough to walke in his owne waies and the works of nature he can doe them without a teacher but vnlesse the Lord put life in him keepe life in his soule quickning him at all occasions hee hath neither knowledge nor strength nor pleasure to walke in the waies of God Of this petition see ver 88. 145. VER 38. Stablish thy promise to thy seruaunt because hee feares thee HEere is a prayer with a reason The prayer is that God would make sure his
able to doe abundantly aboue all that we can aske or thinke Example hereof we haue in Zaccheus he desired but to see Christ and hee got not onely a sight of him but familiar speech of him yea Christ went to his house and dined with him and made him by grace the childe of Abraham So shall the Lord do to all his children he shall giue them more then eyther they desired or looked for at his hands For the heart cannot vnderstand those things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Thy commandements He saith not I haue done thy commandements but I desire to do them Let this serue as a Commentarie to other places wherein he makes protestation of his begun obedience so gratious is the Lord that in his children he accepts their will for a deed There is no man so wicked but he desires mercie but the godly doe so desire mercy that first they desire the way to mercy They know that without sanctification no man can see the Lord therefore all their care is to purge themselues euen as God is pure as here ye see for this end Dauid prayeth for the grace of obedience It was a preposterous desire of Balaam who wished the death of the righteous and would not liue the life of the righteous no better are the desires of wicked men Quicken me He acknowledgeth that his desires were nothing vnlesse the Lord gaue him life As a false conception which evanisheth and comes not to the birth so is the desire of man not quickned nor continued by the grace of God More of this see ver 149. 159. VAV VER 41. And let thy louing kindnesse come vnto me O Lord and thy saluation according to thy promise OVt of this Psalme we see how feruent and continuall Dauid was in prayer Euery third Verse hee turnes him to prayer No maruell he was inriched with a great measure of spirituall grace for hee sought it diligently Not like the colde professors of our time to whom a colde morning prayer is sufficient for the whole day and of that also oftentimes they are weary before they haue done it A lamentable euill that hauing all good for the seeking yet we should not seeke If we would consider how many sinnes we haue contracted which we must craue to be forgiuen would offer vp but one supplication for euery one of them and againe that albeit all our sinnes vvere presently forgiuen yet hovv readily should we fall into new sinnes if we get no grace daily to reforme vs and thirdly how difficil a thing it is against so many strong enemies as Principalities Powers and spiritual wickednes which with restlesse tentations pursue vs vpon the right hand the left to enter through them all into the kingdome of God and lastly how our time is short and when it is done no more place of supplication will be left vnto vs If all these with many moe wee did consider they would waken in vs a more earnest care to call vpon our God while we haue time This whole section consists of petitions and promises Petitions are two ver 41. 43. Promises are six This among many is a difference betweene godly men and others all men seeke from GOD but the wicked so seeke that they giue him nothing backe againe nor yet wil promise in sinceritie to giue Their prayers must be vnprofitable because they proceed from loue of themselues and not of the Lord. If so be they obtaine that which is for their necessitie they haue no regard to giue to the Lord that which is for his glory but the godly as they seek so they giue praise to God when they haue gotten and returne the vse of things receiued to the glorie of God who gaue them They loue not themselues for themselues but for the Lord vvhat they seeke from him they seeke it for this end that they may be the more able to serue him Let vs take heed vnto it because this is a cleere token whereby such as are truly religious are distinguished from counterfet dissemblers Let thy louing kindnes c. In his first prayer he ioynes these two Gods louing kindnes and his saluation and so it is they goe together inseparably As for the kindnes of man thou maist haue it and not be the better for it the friend may loue his friend and not be able to help him yea the Father may looke with compassion vpon his child in danger and not be able to relieue him but the kindnes of the Lord euer works saluation he can doe what he will and none is able to resist him All creatures in heauen earth are vnder his commaund health sicknes life death heauen and hell for he hath the keyes of both Let vs seek his fauour that we may be saued let vs feele his loue and none euill present nor to come temporall nor eternall shall make vs afraid According to thy promise As Dauid seekes his comfort in GOD onely so seekes hee it for Gods sake alleaging nothing in himselfe for which hee should obtaine it but that the Lord as of his mercie hee had promised so of his truth hee vvould performe And this is first for Papists who either doe seeke from others beside the Lord or if they seek from him they seeke for others sake then for his founding their prayers vpō the merits of others not vpon the mercie of God and merits of Christ onelie And next it giues this vvarning vnto all men that seeing the chiefest argument vvee can vse in prayer to mooue the Lord to pittie is his own promise vvee should remember alwaie to make conscience of our promise of seruice and obedience vvhich vve haue made to the Lord otherwise vvee can not vvith boldnesse seeke comfort in that promise which God hath made vnto vs. VER 42. So shall I make aunswer to my blasphemers for I trust in thy word SEe what great effects the sense of Gods louing kindnes works in the harts of his children hee feares no malice nor power of man vvho finds the Lord kind and mercifull to him This works gloriation against euill men a bold confession before all men as after followes and toward God an holy conuersation in all his obedience to the law For I trust Confidence in the promises of Gods word is the anchor of the soule vvhich holdeth it fast that it abide stable not driuen to and fro with the wind of tentations nay not with the feares terrors of death I know whom I haue belieued VER 43. And take not the word of truth vtterly out of my mouth for I wait for thy iudgements BY the word of truth Euthymius vnderstands the grace of prophecie by which Dauid comforted his owne hart and was able to speake to the edification of others and to stop the mouthes of his Aduersaries This grace
are nothing different from the prayers of Turks for what shall ye heare among them but the like of these voyces God helpe vs God be mercifull to vs these are prayers which any Ethnique will make in time of his distresse but we must learne to frame our prayers another way when we pray wee must pray in the name of Christ and to be heard for Christes sake because he is the Mediator and peace-maker betweene God and man and in him the father is well pleased And againe wee must not take libertie to seeke what wee like out of our corrupt humors as the custome of many is but we must ground our prayers vpon Gods promises which in Christ Iesus he hath made vnto vs. And lastly seeing this is an argument which commonly we vse to moue God to be mercifull vnto vs Because he hath so promised if we wold haue this argument forcible let vs make conscience of those promises which we haue made vnto God Offree mercie hath the Lord made promises vnto vs but of bouÌ„d duty we haue made promises vnto him With what face can that man desire that the Lord should keepe his promise to him who had neuer any care to keep his promise vnto God More of this see ver 76. 116. 176. VER 59. I haue considered my waies and turned my feet vnto thy testimonies NExt vnto determination and supplication consideration would be vsed in all our actions to try and examine whether or no wee haue done according to our purpose and prayers Consideration is so necessary that without it no state of life can rightly be ordered The Mariner considers his course by his Compasse if he neglect it he runneth into remedilesse dangers The Merchant who adviseth not his affaires with his Count-book becommeth quickly a bankrupt The Pilgrim who hath proposed to himselfe an end of his iourney considers euery houre whether or no hee bee in the right way that may bring him to his proposed end and if he see many waies before him stat cogitat ipse secum vtram debeat eligere nec prius adoriendum iter quam animo definierit et pleniore mentis intentione deciderit hee stands and adviseth vvith himselfe which of them he should choose neyther will hee goe forward till he haue by inward consideration resolued what is best How much more should hee whose course is to the kingdome of heauen consider his waies and thinke with himselfe Non omnis via illò ducit non omnis via dirigit ad Hierusalem illam quae in coelis est that euerie vvay directs not a man to that Ierusalem which is in heauen Seeing no estate of life can be rightly ordered without consideration shall onely a Christian be so carelesse as to thinke he can goe from earth to heauen and not vse consideration But what is that which Dauid did consider I haue saith he considered my waies He was not like them who vse the eye of their mind as they doe the eye of their body for with it they looke vnto all things but not vnto it selfe so is it with many carelesse of themselues curious to censure others iudging of euery mans waies and not regarding their owne The godly indeede they looke into all things and make their advantage of all but so that first they looke into their own estate And heere is wisedom All men are naturally wise enough to looke vnto that which is theirs onely religion teacheth a man to looke to himselfe Take heed to your selues saith Moses to Israel the same said the Apostle to Timothie and in them the warning stands for vs all Aliud tu aliud tua there is a great difference betweene thy selfe and that which is thine but this is a pittiful folly that a man shall take a time to consider and take heed vnto all that is his his houses his fieldes his rents his garments and shall take no time to consider himselfe that hee may amend his waies vvhere hee hath gone wrong and repaire his decaied estate which before hee hath hurt by inconsideration And turned my feete vnto thy testimonies As oft as Dauid considered his waies he found alwaies some defect that needed redresse Who can â—…ay hee hath in such sort cleansed his hart that hee hath not neede to make it more cleane Quis ita ad vngueÌ„ omnia à se supersluà resecaâ—…it vt nihil se habere putet putatione dignum Who hath so cut away his superfluities that hee may thinke he hath nothing that needes to be cut away Crede mihi putata repullulant effugata redeunt reaccenduntur extincta Beleeue me when sinnes are lopped they grow againe when they are chased away they returne againe and their fire being once quenched kindles againe Sape putanduÌ„ est imò si fieri possit semper quia si non dissimulas semper quod putari oporteat inuenis Wherefore we should often loppe our superfluous affections yea if it be possible alwaies if a man wil tell the truth as it is he findes alwaies something in himselfe that needs to be reformed Thy Testimonies Of this see ver 79. 95. VER 60. I haue made hast and delayed not to keepe thy Commandements HEere is another protestation of his earnest loue affection toward the Lord That hee delayed not to keep his commaundements It is one of Satans customable policies to tempt men with a delay of repentance hee dare not plainely say that repentance is not needfull onely to deceiue the simple he craues a delay and so after one hee steales away another till all the time bee past wherein man should repent And in this snare many one perisheth that where in their young yeares they will not repent but delay till they be older in their olde age they cannot repent the affection through long custome of sinne waxing strong euen then when the body is weake So that the day of death which they thought to make the day of their repentance becomes to them a day of fearefull perturbation by reason of the great debt of sinne which oppresseth their soules that would not take order with it in time Thus the miserable man for lacke of timely repentance ends not his pilgrimage in peace but in fearefull perturbation vnder this punishment that Moriens obliuiscitur sui qui dum viueret oblitus est Dei When hee dyeth hee forgets himselfe because when he liued he forgat his God In things perteyning to this life delay of good is dangerous If a wound bee not cured before it rotte it becomes incurable if the fire be not quenched in time it becomes vnquenchable and if flesh be not salted before it stinke it becomes so vnsauorie that it cannot be mended If a motefal in the eye or a thorne in the foot we take them out without delay but in things perteyning to the health of the soule delay is much more dangerous
The Lord when hee exhorts to repentance cryes My sonne delay not to turne to the Lord. This day vvhile it is called vpon you harden not your harts but Satans voice is Tarry till the morne Let me first goe and kisse my father that is delight yet a space in the pleasures of this life It was offred by Moses to Pharao When shall I pray for thee and he answered To morrow It is offred by the Lord to man When wilt thou that I haue mercie on thee and in effect it is answered by many Not till mine old daies Miserable was Pharao who delayed Moses but one day and more miserable are they vvho delay the Lord for many yeeres vvhen hee offers them mercy I knowe no difference betweene the vvise Virgins and the foolish but that the one did that in time which the other would faine haue done out of time and could not The most profane men of the world are forced in death to make their refuge to the Lord then the eye and the hand are lifted vp vnto him then they cry for mercie and desire all others to pray for them If wee be wise let vs doe that in time which al men are faine to doe at the length VER 61. The bands of the wicked haue robbed me but I haue not forsaken thy law TRue godliness will indure great tentations euen as trees wel rooted abides the blast of strong winds and gold that is fine abides the triall of fire Many waies was Dauid tempted and among the rest the wicked by troupes and multitudes combined against him yet did he not forsake the law of the Lord. The godly liue in this world like sheep among vvolues euery wicked man in whom Satan ruleth is like a Cananite to an Israelite a thorne in our eye a prick in our side yea and as a dart of Satan shot at vs to driue vs away from the fear of God if so wee can take them it should greatly strengthen vs to indure all troubles that come from them There will neuer be peace among those two parties between whom the Lord himselfe in Paradise proclaimed inimity And howsoeuer to strengthen themselues in an euill cause the wicked goe together by bands and companies yet shall it not availe them nor hurt vs. Babels builders Moab Ammon Edom conspyring in one may tell vs Though hand ioyne in hand the wicked shall not escape vnpunished the wickd are like thornes before the fire their multitude may well embolden it but cannot resist it VER 62. At midnight will Irise to giue thanks vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements IN this verse we haue a protestation of Dauid his thankfull affection toward the Lord wherein we haue three things 1. The dutie promsed namely to giue thanks 2. The time at midnight 3. The cause because of thy righteous iudgements As for the dutie of thanksgiuing wee spake of it verse 7. As for the time hee saith hee will rise at midnight and giue thanks to God We pray that we may doe Gods will on earth as it is done in heauen now in heauen we know they praise God continually without ceasing we should doe so vpon earth but our necessities of sleeping eating and such like interrupt vs that wee cannot doe it as we should yet happy shall we be if wee season all our dyets and doings with prayer and thanksgiuing That as God in nature hath made the knee to bow at euery step so the hart in euery action might bow and blesse the Lord acknowledging our Maker and Redeemer and directing all our dooings to his glory When Salomon made harps and other musicall instruments for the praise of God he made them of Almuggim trees that is of such trees as rotte not Teaching vs by like signification how induring should bee those instruments of our heart and affections wherewith wee praise God that we should not suffer them to decay But alas how soone do we faile Oftentimes we begin the day with some feruencie in praysing and prayer but wee faintere euen yet shall we haue great comfort if when our performance faileth our purpose remaine for this will reuiue our former zeale and make vs to returne vnto an earnest calling vpon God and that with the greater feruencie That we finde our great infirmity hath carried vs away from our former purpose Let vs againe consider here how Dauid spends the time of his life that we may learne at him to be wise Time is a most pretious thing not such a jewell among all things perteyning to this life By this it may be esteemed that in a small point of time an infinite weight of glory may be acquired and men who haue beene prodigall of it spending yeares and moneths without consideration would haue giuen great riches yea all the jewels of the world if they had beene in their possession for prorogation of their life one year yea one moneth Let vs therefore learne at Dauid how he vsed his time when he lay downe at night he watered his couch with teares after the examination of his heart At midnight againe he rose vp to giue thankes there-after he preuented the morning watch that he might meditate on the word of the Lorde then in the day time morning noone and even hee made a noise to the Lord yea seauen times in the day he called vpon God Our Sauiour hath commended the like care vnto vs both by his precept and practise in the Temple at the table in the garden in the mountaine did he pray all night Vt te proprio ad de precandum inuitaret exemplo Happy were we if so we could spend our dayes for certaine it is when our last day coms we shal haue comfort of no by-gone time but that which we haue spent in the seruice of God Sleepe is most necessary for the intertainment of bodily health it is Ros naturae the dewe of nature more necessary then meate or drinke yet as Dauid protests ver that hee loued the word of God more then his appointed food so heere hee preferres the prayses of God to his sleepe and rest in the night This may make vs ashamed when we see how wicked men cannot rest except they haue done euill and how they defraud themselues of sleep that they may commit iniquity and how againe the superstitious Priests of Baal can wake in the night to attend vpon their Idols that Christians professing Gods true worship should so pamper themselues that they will not rise out oâ—… the bedde to bowe their knee to the Lord yea scarsely lying still with their bodies will raise vp their spirits to praise him Sleepe is compared by one to a sory customer that eyther takes vp more then wee should giue or then his Master allowes him The Lord allowes a certaine time for our sleepe and rest as he doth to all the
enim quis persecutiones pati non iniustè and it is euer Causa non poena facit Martyrem But let none of you suffer as a murtherer or a thiefe or an euill doer or a busie body if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but glorifie God in this behalfe Helpe mee Profane mockers thinke that a man is weake when he is driuen to Gods helpe but indeed then he is strongest when he is weakest in him selfe and seeks help in his God So long as we depend on the arme of flesh whether it be our own or others the Lord will do the lesse for vs but when distrusting our selues we relie vppon him then is he strongest to worke for vs. VER 87. They had almost consumed me vpon earth but I for sooke not thy precepts IN this verse are two things a complaint of the malice of his enemies a protestation of his constant affection toward the word of God In the first he complains they had not only troubled him but almost consumed him the malicious cruelty of the wicked is insatiable it cannot be quenched nay not by death for euen after death they rent both the name and the bodies of godly men Dauid was not thus farre deliuered into his enemies hands but he complaines that their malice almost had vndone him We mark it for this end that we may know it is Gods great prouidence that at any time we liue among the wicked and are not consumed by them Secondly we marke here the great weakenesse and infirmity of Gods children who oftentimes are more discouraged w th those tentations which come immediatly from men then with those others which com immediatly from God in the one they stand strong in the other they faint and are ouercome Surely because wee are in a great parte carnall therefore is it that the want of mans comfort and countenance commoues vs. If we were as we should be or as Nazianzen compares vs like Rockes in the Sea what would we regard the wind of mens mouthes or raging waues of their turbulent affections As an arrow shot at a stone returnes to him who sent it or otherwise fals downe to the ground so an iniurie done to a spirituall man who is built like a liuely stone vpon the Rocke Christ Iesus returns to the doer but troubles not the receiuer If it be otherwise that we consume and faint for the iniuries of men all this weakenesse proceeds from our vnregenerate nature Thirdly we marke here the Lords dispensation in his manner of working with his children who not onely suffers them to be troubled but brought so lowe by trouble that in their owne sense they are almost consumed Both in outward inward troubles doth the Lord humble them so farre that they are brought euen to the doore of death that so their faith and his truth may be the more manifested Thus the Apostle protests that he receiued in himselfe the sentence of death all for this end that hee might learne not to trust in himselfe but in God who raiseth the dead For so long as in danger there is any hope of remedy our infidelity casts her eye a wrong way but when we are brought to such extremity that with Peter we begin to sinke in affliction then we looke to the Lord we câ—…aue the helpe of his hand and hee releeueth vs and wee cannot but acknowledge that our dâ—…iuerance is come from him onely and so by the greatnesse of our trouble our faith is â—…roborate and the praise of Gods truth more 〈◊〉 manifested VER 88. Quicken mee according to thy louing kindnesse so shall I keepe the testimonies of thy mouth MAny a time in this Psalme doth Dauid make this petition it seems strange that so often hee should acknowledge himselfe a dead man and desire God to quicken him But so it is vnto the child of God euerie desertion and decay of strength is a death so desirous are they to liue vnto GOD that vvhen they faile in it and find any inabilitie in their soules to serue GOD as they would they account themselues but dead and pray the Lord to quicken them According to thy louing kindnesse Hee oppones Gods kindnesse to his enemies malice and it is very comfortable I am troubled with their malice for thy sake and therefore I craue to be refreshed with thy kindnesse acknowledging that in Gods kindnesse there is comfort enough against all the malice of wicked men whatsoeuer according to that opposition vvhich hee makes in another place Why boastest thou thy selfe in thy malice the louing kindnesse of the Lord indureth daily Dauid knew a two-fold kindnesse or benignitie in God One generall extended to all his creatures whereof he speakes Psalm 145. All liuing creatures depend vpon thee and thou giuest them meate in due season Another speciall toward his owne beloued in Christ and for this hee prayeth Psalme 106. Visit mee with the saluation of thy people And againe Looke vpon mee and be mercifull vnto mee as thou vsest to those that feare thy name And for this now he prayeth that God would be good vnto him not onely by that generall kindnesse by the which as a Creator hee is good vnto all his creatures but according to his speciall fauour whereby as a louing father he abounds in kindnesse towards all his children in Christ Iesus So shall I keepe the testimonies of thy mouth Hee protests heere that 〈◊〉 the Lord quicken him there is no strength in him to obey nor to doe any other acâ—…â—…ing to Gods spirituall worshâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… dead man can doe actions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natural life But the presumptuâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his age find no difficultie in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they can pray well enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…m-selues but they are saire deâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord renew his mercy towarâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daily by his spirit of grace wee â—…hall be buâ—… 〈◊〉 senselesse stocks in praysing praying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord our God Non enim communâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custodit coeleste mandatum sed illa quae 〈◊〉 fulcitur aeterno per operationeÌ„ gratiae spiritualis for it is not this common life which keepes the heauenly commaundement but that life which is sustained by the eternall and spirituall operation of the grace of God which the Lord may encrease and conserue in vs for euer LAMED VER 89. O Lord thy vvord endureth for euer in heauen IN the last Section Dauid complained to God of the malicious doings of his enemies he comes now to shew what sustained him in his troubles to weet the certaintie and eternitie of the word of God by the which he considers that both heauen and earth were sustained and thereof concludes that so long as he trusted to Gods word he could not faile So that he giues this glory to the Lord that his word onely
Christian so profane that when all vices are gathered euery one may say to him Thou art mine Quomodo ergo qui huiâ—…smodi est potest dicere Christo Tuus sum How then may such a man as he say vnto Christ I am thine Concupiscence Auarice Ambition and the rest vpon iust reasons of seruice done by him to them challenge him to be theirs Of such a man it may be spoken that was said of Constantinus Copronymus Eum nee Christianum esse nee Iudaeum nee Paganum sed colluuiem quandam impietatis That he was neyther a Christian nor a Iew nor a Pagan but a confused masse of all impietie And how then can such a one say to the Lord I am thine But if so they will say let them receiue their answere Away ye workers of iniquitie hee is not alway mine that saith Lorde Lorde Wicked men may so say Sed voâ—…e non corde but it is with their tongue not with their heart As Iudas euen then pretended that he was one of Christs when Satan had entred into him but the aduersary iustly might challenge him by the like of these speeches which by Ambrose properly are ascribed to him Non est Tuus Iesu sed mens est quae mea sunt cogitat qua mea sunt in pectore volutat tecum epulatur meâ—…um pascitur à te panem à me pecuniam accepit tecum bibit mihi sanguinem tuum vendit He is not thine said Satan to the Lord Iesus he is mine his thoughts and cogitations are mine he eats with thee but is fedde by me he takes bread from thee but mony from me he drinkes with thee and selâ—…es thy bloud to me A fearfull conuiction of men who giue their word to Christ professing his name but their workes to Satan doing what hee commaunds them These men cannot say with Dauid I am thine O Lord. For I haue sought See here how Dauid qualifies his protestation from his earnest affection to the word of God hee proues that hee was Gods man and his owne seruant It is not wordes but affections and actions which must proue vs to be the Lords Tuus sum quia id solum quod tuum est quasiui I am thine because I sought nothing but that which is thine and how I might please thee Mihi in tuis iustificationibus est omne patrimonium in the obseruance of thy precepts is all my patrimony VER 95. The wicked haue waited for me to destroy me but I will consider thy Testimonies TWo things againe he notes in his enemies diligence in waiting all occasions whereby to doe him euill and cruelty vvithout mercy for their purpose was to destroy him wherin still we see how restlesse and insatiable is the malice of the wicked against the godly Daniel his preseruation in the Lions den was a great miracle but it is no lesse a maruellous vvorke of God that the godly who are the flock of Christ are daily preserued in the midst of the vvicked who are but rauening Wolues thirst for the bloud of the Saints of God hauing a cruell purpose in their heart if they might performe it vtterly to destroy them When we see them disappointed let vs giue thankes with the Iewes If the Lord had not beene on our side may Israel now say If the Lord had not beene on our side when men rose vp against vs then had they swallowed vs quick when their wrath was kindled against vs but praised be the Lord who hath not giuen vs a pray to their teeth But I will consider The coÌ„sideration of Gods word is a strong stay against all temptations See verse 9. 15. 59. 95. 159. VER 96. I haue seene an end of all perfection but thy commaundements are exceeding large IN the conclusion of this Section hee compares Gods word with all other most perfect and excellent things that are in the vvorld and hee sheweth how they shall faile and vanish but the word of the Lord endureth Nihil tam perfectum vel absolutum est omniex parte quod finem suum non habeat Experience lets vs see this to be a truth for there is no day so pleasant but a night puts end to it no Sommer so fruitful but a barren Winter ouertakes it no body so pleasant and liuely but death destroyes it frequent eating and drinking in the dayes of Nâ—…h but the flood came and tooke them all away great mirth among the Philistims vpon their Patrons holy-day but their banquetting house became their buriall The Monarch of Babel that golden head had feet of clay and in the end wormes spred vnder him and wormes couered him All the pomp of the world is like the gourd of Ionas flourishing one day and fading another The wind shall cary away the vngodly like chaffe all their most perfect pleasures are like a light thing bound vp in the wings of the wind which is easily caried away When we come to be men we laugh at those things wee did when we were children for they as wee see take great delight to build houses to themselues in the streets of shells and stones and delight to behold them which albeit they were able to stand yet could they not profit them We are not yet come to the perfect age of Christian men but when we shall be then shall wee vnderstand how foolish now men are whose care is to increase their rents and inlarge their sumptuous buildings Quae ciuem coeli capere non possunt which cannot lodge a Citizen of heauen Let vs therefore so vse this world as if wee vsed it not possessing it so this day as ready to part with it to morrow But thy commandements There 's the other member of the opposition Hee calls the commaundements or word of God exceeding large Quia cos omnes recreat corda corum dilatat qui in angusâ—…ijs afflictionibus versantur because it refresheth them all and inlargeth their harts who are in distresse and affliction And againe it is so large that it hath none end Propter amplitudinem suam fideles nunquam deseret and the amplitude thereof is so great that it neuer failes the faithfull Worldly riches serue worldly men so long as they liue and make some seruice also in conueying their bodies with a pompous funerall to the graue but there it leaues them and goes no further with them Onely the word of God sustaines the godly against all tentations so long as they liue it conuoies them vnto death and the comfort therof abides with them for euer when they are dissolued MEM. VER 97. Oh how loue I thy law It is my mediditation continually HE insists here still in the declaration of his earnest affectioÌ„ toward the word and the notable fruites which he reaped thereby His affection is declared ver 1. Oh how loue I thy law Wherin ye see hee calls God himselfe
it that they haue done it For as the godly shall haue imputed to theÌ„ that good which faine they would haue done albeit they did not performe it so shall the wicked be charged as verely with that euill which they would haue done albeit they neuer did it O what a heape of finnes shall be gathered against them wheÌ„ with the sinnes of their actions and words the sinnes of their affections shall be conioyned also And here we see how-euer God for a time tolerate them yet he hath his owne appointed time to punish them and will not passe it Omnia in statera gubernat Deus God ruleth all things in a balance Diu quidem fert 〈◊〉 peccata vbi verò patientiae eius intuitâ—… aâ—…geri malitiam videt tum pâ—…nas sumit Long doth the Lord suffer the sinnes of mortall men but when they abuse his patience to increase their wickednes then hee doth punish them he doth nothing out of time Totum oportunum est quod fecerit but whatsoeuer hee doth hee doth it most seasonably and therefore whether it bee deliuerance to vs or iudgement vpon our enemies that God delaies let vs knowe it is because his houre is not yet come VER 127. Therefore loue I thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold WE may see here that Dauid was not a temporizer in religion whose affection towards Gods word depends vpon the state of times and persons of men but euen when his enemies did disdaine it yea because they sought to destroy it therefore he loued it This is a tryall of true religion euen then to cleaue to the word of God and professe it constantly when honourable and great men of the world are against it This was Iosua his resolution Albeit all the world should for sake God yet I and my fathers house will worship him And Peters in like manner when many of Christs disciples did forsake him and it was asked at them Will yee go also from me he answered where away shall we goe thou hast the words of eternall life To professe religion when it is warranted by law when both rulers and people professe it is no great matter but when the powers of the world forsake it then to stand to it is an argument of true religion Loue I thy commandements Hee professeth not that hee fulfilled them but that hee loued them and truely it is a great progresse in godlines if we be come thus far as from our heart to loue them The natural man hates the commandements of God they are so contrary to his corruption but the regenerate man as he hates his owne corruption so he loues the word because according to it he desires to bee reformed And here is our comfort That albeit we cannot doe what is commanded yet if we loue to doe it it is an argument of grace receiued Aboue gold It is not vnlawful to loue those creatures which God hath appointed for our vse with these two conditions the one is that the first seat in our affection of loue be reserued to God and any other thing wee loue that we loue it in him and for him and giue it onely the second roome Thus Dauid being a naturall man loued his naturall foode but he protesteth hee loued the law of the Lord more then his appointed foode and here he loues the commandements of God aboue all gold VER 128. Therefore I esteeme all thy precepts most iust and I hate all false wayes IN this verse are two protestatioÌ„s In the first he declares how he esteemed of Gods word in his minde in the second how in his affection he was disposed toward it As the minde of a man esteemes of any thing so are his affections moued to flie or follow it It is shame for many professors now to say they esteeme of Gods word when they shew their affections more set vpon any thing in the world then vpon it Most iust In two respects is the word of God iust first because it commands nothing but that which is most reasonable and next because it shal not faile one iot but the euent of things shall bee according to the predictions of this word What cause haue we then to reioice That how euer our tribulations be many yet wee heare out of this most iust word It cannot bee but well with them that feare the Lord And again what cause of feare is there to the wicked when this same word saith There is no peace to the wicked saith my God And a sinner of an hundred yeeres old shall dy accursed If wee behold the wicked in their most flourishing estate and looke to them in the glasse of the word we shall see their miseraend long before it come And I hate all false wayes The best tryall of our loue to God and his word is the contrary hatred of sin and impietie Yee that loue the Lord hate that which is euill He that loues a tree hates the worme that consumes it he that loues a garment hates the moth that eates it he that loueth life abhorreth death and he that loues the Lord hates euery thing that offends him Let men take heede to this who are in loue of their sinnes how can the loue of God be in them All false wayes Religion binds vs not onely to hate one way of falsehood but all the wayes of it As there is nothing good but in some measure a godly man loues it so is there nothing euil but in som measure he hates it And this is the perfection of the children of God a perfection not of degrees for we neither loue good nor hate euill as wee should but a perfection of parts because euery good we loue and wee hate euery euill in some measure The worst man in the world loues some good and hates some euill Plerumque enim peccata huiusmodi sunt vt si alterum declines incurras alteruÌ„ ofttimes he that declines one sin fals into another It may be thou haâ—…est couetousness yet art snared with lechery there is one very temperate of his mouth but of a proud hauty heart there is another not ambitious of honour but a seruant to gluttony Diuerso vsu in eundem indeuotionis errorem vterque concurrit And this is very dangerous when as men because some good thing is in them take the greater liberty to coÌ„mit some euill for if Sathan get a gripe of thee by any one sin is it not enough to carry thee to damnation As the butcher carries the beast to the slaughter sometime bound by all the foure feete and sometime by one onely so is it with Satan Though thou be not a slaue to all sin if thou be a slaue to one the gripe he hath of thee by that one sinfull affection is sufficient to captiue thee P E. VER 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull therfore doth my soule keepe them THE familiarity of
binde vs not if mercies allure vs not if the cordes of his loue drawe vs not to be thankfull seruants to our God how inexcusable are wee VER 135. Shew the light of thy countenance vppon thy seruant and teach me thy Statutes THis verse contains a petitition which in this Booke of the Psalmes Dauid frequently makes to God as ye may see Ps. 4. 6. Psal. 67. 1. Psal. 80. 3. 7. 19. For vnderstanding whereof wee are to see what the light of Gods countenance is Ther is a common light externall whereby the Maiesty of Godshines after a sort vnto all his creatures There is a common light also internall whereby he illuminates euery one that commeth into the world This is the light of the minde and conscience communicated both to iust and vniust but here he seekes a greater benefite then any of these to wit a declaration of Gods speciall fauour and loue toward him This is called a shewing of his face or the light of his countenance Crassius de Deo sacra Scriptura inter dum loquitur sermones ad Naturam hominis attemperans The spirit of God in holy Scripture attempers his speech to mans nature and so here he puts the face of God for the fauor of God Salomon saith that the wrath of a King is the messenger of death but in the light of the Kings countenance is life and his fauour is as the cloude of later raine The downe-looke of Ahashuer us confounded Haman It was Absaloms speech to Ioab suppose in hypocrisie That it was better to him to be banished then abide in Ierusalem wanting the Kings countenance If such moment bee in the countenance of earthly Kings what is the face of the King of kings Surely such as knowe him reioyce to behold his face continually and it is death to them to want it Certain it is the Lord looks alway fauorably vpon his own elect but he doth not alway shew it no not vnto themselues Before their effectuall calling in themselues they differ nothing from the children of wrath albeit in Gods counsell there be a great diffrence and after their calling for the tryall of their faith he many times forsakes them not according to his truth which is vnchangeable but according to their sense which is changeable He loues them but will not let them knowe that hee loues them but sometime will frown vpon them as Ioseph did on his brethren euen then when his affection was most strong toward them And then the want of the light of the Sunne in the firmament is not so heauy to naturall men as this is to a Christian To want the sight of Gods fauourable face and therfore is it that Dauid heere prayeth so earnestly Shew the light of thy countenance vpon me And teach me As the sunne makes other things bright whereupon it shines so the countenance of GOD workes light in that soule vpon which he looketh fauourably Cum sapientem videris cognosce quia descendit super eum Dei gloria illuminauit eius mentem scientiae fulgore So that this is a speciall argument of Gods fauorable face looking vpon a man when his minde is illuminate and God hath taught him to knowe his way and giuen him grace to follow it according to that of the Apostle God who commanded light to shine out of darkenesse is he who hath shined in our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. VER 136. Mine eyes gush out Riuers of water because they keepe not thy Lawe MAny a time hath Dauid protested his great ioy now here he makes mention of his exceeding great griefe We haue no ioy without griefe in this life neyther yet thankes to God haue we griefe without ioy As the wine failed in that banquet whereat Christ was present so oftentimes failes ioy euen in the heart where Christ dwels But as in the one he turned water into wine so in the other will hee turne all sorrow into ioy To haue ioy without griefe is the condition of them who are glorified in heauen To haue griefe without ioy is the condition of them who are damned in hell I meane to be both without sense and hope of ioy But the godly on earth haue their ioy mixed with griefe and griefe tempered with ioy and albeit sometime they want the sense of ioy yet do they neuer want all hope and expectation of ioy He prayed before ver 37. that the Lord would turne away his eyes from regarding of vanity now hee shewes how hee practised it He was so farre from delighting to behold vanity that he mourned when he saw the vanity wickednesse of other men God who hath made the eyes to be Organs of sight hath also made them to be Conduits of teares if we mourne as we should when we looke to the creatures we shall not easily be snared by them If we look to vnreasonable creatures we may see lying vpon them the fruits of that curse which our sinne procured if we look to reasonable creatures our selues or others what a great dis-conformity is betweene vs and the holy Lawe of the Lord our God If these moue vs to mourning the power of sinne shall be greatly restrained Malum innatum that seekes to breake out by looking and speaking and Malum seminatum that seeks to come in by hearing and looking both of these euils shall greatly be weakened if euery thing we looke to moue vs to mourning as iustly it may in the respects aforesaid And to moue vs yet more to this mourning disposition let vs consider two things the euill we incurre if we mourne not and the good shall ensue to vs if we mourn for the sinnes of others As for the first Among many wayes whereby the sinnes of other men become ours this is also one If we know their iniquities and be not grieued therewith and therefore are the Corinthians reproued that they sorrowed not for the incestuous man that was among them by so doing they were defiled by his sinne became one polluted lump with him And Ezech. 9. Not only is iudgement determined vpon the committers of sinne but of such also as mourned for sin they are involued in the same iudgement as partakers of the same sinnes by reason that they mourned not for them And as for the great good we get by mourning for the sinnes of the wicked whereby they dishonour the Lord our God it is also euident Blessed saith our Sauiour are they that mourne for they shall be comforted When the heauen waters the earth in due season there followes a fruitfull increase but when the earth waters the heauen then shall follow a more plentifull haruest of all spirituall comfort And this is done when a sinner powres the teares of his penitent heart into the bosome of God then the heauens are
not for siluer it is but rust nor for gold it is but metall nor for possessions it is but earth Ista oratio ad deum non peruenit such prayer ascends not to God Non audit deus nisi quod dignum est eius beneficijs Hee is a great God and esteemes himselfe dishonoured when great things with a great affection are not sought from him Heare me and I will keep Of this petition and promise see verse 8. 33. 44. 88. 134. 146. VER 146. I called vpon thee saue me and I will keepe thy testimonies HE insists in his former petition expounding euery part of it He protested before hee cryed with his whole heart now he declares to whom hee cryed Prayer is a point of seruice due vnto God Only he craued before that God would hear him now he shewes wherein Saue mee and thirdly hee renewes his promise and the repetition thereof tells vs that the promises of thankfulnes in Gods children are no sodaine nor vanishing motions but settled conclusions And againe it teacheth vs that as Gods children are carefull to seeke from God that which they neede so are they carefull to giue vnto him that which he requires to witte praise and obedience Otherway where men seek benefits froÌ„ God the fruit whereof they minde not to return vnto him either they get not that which they seeke or if they doe they get in his displeasure as Israell got quailes If we would so seeke that we may obtaine let vs not seek that we may bestow vpon our owne lustes which S. Iames reproues but that we may aduance his glory VER 147. I preuented the morning light and cryed for I waiteden thy word HE amplifies yet further the first reason for which he desires the Lord to heare him taken from his earnest feruency in prayer and it is written for our instruction to learne vs continuance in praier It is required by precept Luke 21. Watch and pray continually and againe 1. Thes. 5. Pray continually For example also at midnight morning and at noone tide did Dauid pray yea seuen times in the day all the night long did our Sauiour pray Non precationis indigens auxilio sed statuens tibi imitationis exemplum not standing himselfe in neede of the help of prayer but setting down to thee an example of prayer for imitation Ille pro te rogans pernoctabat vt tu disceres quomodo pro te rogares when he praied for thee he prayed all the night long that thou also mightst learn how to pray for thy selfe Qui rogat itaque semper roget sinon semper precatur paratum semper habeat precantis affectum He therfore that praies let him pray alway or if he do not alway pray let him alwaies haue ready the affection of prayer But the manner of speech is to be marked hee saith he preuented the morning watch Thereby declaring that he liued as it were in a strife with time carefull that it should not ouerunne him He knew that time postes away and in running-by weareth man to dust and ashes But Dauid preassed to get before it by doing some good in it before that it should spurre away from him And this care which Dauid had of euerie day alas how may it make them ashamed who haue no care of their whole life He was afraide to lose a day they take no thought to lose moneths and yeares without doing good in them yea hauing spent the three ages of their life in vanity and licentiousnes scarse will they consecrate their old and decrepit age to the Lord. I waited on thy word See verse 43. 81. VER 148. Mine eyes preuent the night watch to meditate in thy word HIS former purpose is yet continued declaring his indefatigable perseueraÌ„ce in prayer Oh that we could learne at him to vse our time wel At euening he lay down with praiers and teares at midnight hee rose to giue thanks he got vp before the morning light to call on the Lord. This is to imitate the life of Angels who euer are delighted to beholde the face of God singing alwaie a new song without wearying This is to beginne our heauen vpon earth oh that we could alway remember it An nescis ô homo quòd primitias tui cordis ac vocis quotidie Deo deboas Knowst thou not O man that thou owest euery day the first fruits of thy heart and tongue to the Lord our God Shouldst thou thinke of any thing before that first thou remember him in the morning or should thy tongue speake of any thing before the first fruits of thy speech be offered vnto him by prayer and praysing of his holy name But alas the coldnesse of this age in worshipping the Lord in praising him who is most worthy to be praysed is here greatly conuinced no time of the night will they spend in prayer yea in the day time they had rather doe any thing then be exercised in prayer and praysing snorâ—…ing and sleeping in the very time of diuine seruice when others beside them are intertayning fellowship with God by the exercise of the word and prayer If oftentimes they whose lippes are praysing him haue their hearts farre from him how farre is thy heart from him who canst not do so much as with thy lips to praise him when thou shouldst O man wilt thou remember that no time shall render thee comfort in the houre of death but that which thou hast spent in the seruice of thy God And if thou canst not consecrate all thy dayes and euery houre of the day vnto the Lord yet why wilt thou not diuide thy time rightly that where thou giuest one houre to the world and the affaires thereof why wilt thou not giue another to the Lord the works of his worship In this point the Lord make vs more wise giue vs grace to redeeme the time To mediate in thy word See ver 15. 23. 27. 48. 78. 99. 148. VER 149. Heare my voice according to thy louing kindnesse O Lord quicken me according to thy iudgement THis is a petition frequently vsed by all the children of God That he would hear them and not without great cause for the heauy heart is eased and disburdened by praier and it brings a present mitigation of their troubles when they feele in effect that God hears them Beside that it renders vnto them vnspeakable comfort for the time to come it confirmes them against the feare of death and makes them with boldnesse to goe out of the body that they may be with the Lord because by manifold experience they did finde in the body that God heard them and gaue them comfortable accesse to his Throne of grace According to thy louing kindnesse This is the great and maine argument whereby all Gods children moue the Lord to compassion namely his own fauour and louing kindnesse Semper homo etiam
with our affection Of this it commeth to passe as wee see in daily experience that where men once fall away from their first loue and becom luke warme professing a truth but not louing it zealously misliking vntruth but not abhorring it they easily degenerate into Apostates And therefore our affections would euer bee kept in a right temperature by continuall exercises of the word and prayer In the law God commanded his people to hate all vncleannesse euen in their bodies hee that touched a dead body or any vncleane thing was vncleane himselfe This had in it not only a truth for honestie and comelines become the saints of God but a signification also Immunditia iustis iniquitas est To holy men all iniquity is vncleannesse Quid autem immundius quam mentem qua nihil homini datum est pretiosius turpibus commaculare criminibus And what greater vncleannesse then to defile the mind the most pretious thing which God hath giuen man with filthy sinnes These are not onely polluted in themselues but defile others that come neere them Fuge ergo iniustitiam quae viuentes adhuc mortuos facit Flie therefore with Dauid all vnrighteousnes which makes liuing men to bee dead and to become more hurtfull and horrible to others by their life then they can be by their death But thy law No man can serue two masters of contrary wils and dispositions if he loue the one he must hate the other Ye that loue the Lord hate that which is euill Men now boast much of their loue to God but the best rule to try it is the contrarie hatred of all euill See verse 113. 128. VER 164. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements AFfections of the soule cannot long bee kept secret if they bee strong they will breake forth in actions The loue of God is like a fire in the heart of man which breakes forth and manifests it selfe in the obedience of his commandements and praising him for his benefits and this is it which Dauid now protests that the loue of God was not idle in his heart but made him feruent and earnest in praising God so that seauen times a day he did praise God Numero studium sanctae deuotionis exprimitur For by this number the carefulnes of holy deuotion is expressed and the feruency of his loue that in praysing God he could not be satisfied sayth Basil. Concerning this duety of the praysing of God and time which is the greatest worldly benefit God giues man see ver 62. Onely let Dauids example prouoke vs to the imitation of the like deuotion and pietie and let vs be ashamed of our negligence in this duetie who scarse can doe that on the Sabboth day which Dauid did euery day Vnder the Lawe the Lord commaunded that the daily sacrifice which euery day morning and euening was offered should be doubled on the Sabboth But alas the prophanenesse of this age is such that not onely now is the daily sacrifice neglected but the Sabboth contemned of many who neyther prayse him for his workes of creation remembring they are his creatures nor yet for the workes of redemption as if they were no Christians redeemed by Christs bloud and so least praise giue they to the Lorde vpon that day wherein they are bound to giue him most A fearfull in gratitude God grant Dauids example may learne vs in this point to be more dutifull VER 165. They that loue thy lawe shall haue great prosperity and they shall haue no hurt HItherto Dauid hath declared his great affection toward the Word of God and that vnspeakable comfort he found in it And now lest it might bee thought that this was by any speciall priuiledge or dispensation of God toward him from which others are excluded he now declares that all who loue the law of God may looke for the like comfort in it which he had found And this he sets downe in this proposition speaking now not in his owne person as before but in the person of others Wherein we haue first to consider a description of Gods children and next the priuiledge or benefites belonging to them The description of the godly is heere They that loue thy lawe Many manner of wayes are the children of God described in holy Scripture as from their faith in God from their loue from their feare from their obedience from their patience to declare it is not one but manifolde graces of the spirit which concurre to make vp a Christian and how they all goe together like the linkes of a chaine that one drawes on all the rest His faith is not without loue his loue is not without obedience his obedience is not without feare his feare is not without hope his hope is not without patience his patience is not without prayer which keepes and conserues all the rest And hereof it comes that the godly in holy Scripture are so many waies described But among all the graces of the Spirit the godly are most frequently described from their loue and therefore of all other we should most take heed that the grace of loue be in vs for two causes first because it leades vs to the surest knowledge of Gods affection toward our selues and next it giues vs the surest notice of that estate and disposition wherein wee stand our selues As to the first the grace of feruent and vnâ—…eyned loue iâ—… it be in vs makes vs certainly to know that we are beloued of God So saith the Apostle Herein is loue not that wee loued God first but that he loued vs. If we know him it is because we haue beene knowne of him If a man vtter not his voyce the Eccho makes him no answere if he looke not into a glasse it makes no representation of his face if the Lord had not called vs we should neuer haue answered him if he had not sought vs wee should neuer haue sought him neyther loued him if first hee had not loued vs. Here then is the first benefire wee reape by this grace of loue that by it we knowe the minde of God toward vs to be full of loue So that now we neede not goe vp to Gods secret counsell to enquire what is his minde concerning vs let vs enter into the secret of our owne hearts and try there what is our affection toward him if wee dare say that we loue him then may we be out of all doubt that we are beloued of him The other benefit is that by loue we know we are in the state of grace translated as saith the Apostle from death to life then we begin to liue when we begin to loue our God There may be in man a shadow of grace a profession of faith obedience but though a man had all knowledge and eloquence wanting loue he is but a sounding Cymbal So that by this