after this speake touching the argument of this Psalme No doubt it is that the first pare of the psalme is a plentifull notable description of glorie which Christ had in his resurrection triumph and sitting at the right hand of God for euer shall haue For as in his passion he was brought low and debased worse then Angels and men so rising froÌ„ death to life triuÌ„phing he was placed in high dignitie of glorie as in the 2. Philip. it is saide Therefore hath God exalted him geuen him a name which is aboue all names c. This glorie did the Apostles beholde whole 40. dayes together For there saw they mortalitie to be fullie wholie abolished in christ they sawe a new nature shining in the light of heauen in a new righteousnes and life And seeing it properlie appertaineth vnto the priest to blesse not only the kingdome of Christ but also the priesthoode of this Lord is here described Let vs therfore hold still the definition of the high priest in the church that the difference betwene Christ and other priestes may be perceaued The hye priest is a person immediatlie sent from God to the publishing of the gospell to pacefie by his sacrifice the wrath of god to pray for vs hauing witnes that he shall be heard and by which person benefites promised in the newe testament are bestowed vpon vs. By this difinition it is cleare what difference there is betwene the priesthoode of Christ and the ministeries of the teachers in the church For he is the fountaine of doctrine which being pronounced from the bosome of the eternal father he hath made knowne Other teachers onlie receaue the benefites mencioned from this master Secondlie he onelie with his sacrifice and intercession pacifieth the wrath of his eternall father But the miseries or calamities of other ministers are not sacrifices for the sinne of mankind but eyther punishmentes for certaine proper offences eyther els tryals or exercises of faith discerning true faith from hipocrisie eyther els testimonies of the doctrine of immortalitie which they professe and are signes tokens nothing failing coÌ„cerning the iudgments that shalbe Last of al the high priest by his merit efficacie geueth spritual blessing that is delyuerance from the curse of the law froÌ„ the wrath of God forgeuenes of sins the holie ghost life euerlasting as in the 1. of Iohn is written Out of his fulnes we al haue receyued grace for grace Other teachers are onlie ministers of the worde of the gospel of the sacraments by the which the sonne of god is effectuall Let this high priest therefore be discerned from Prophetes Apostles and other teachers in the church as Iohn baptist saith I baptise you with water but he baptiseth with the spirit Mat. 3. cap. The second parte of the Psalme is a tragical sermoÌ„ concerning punishmeÌ„ts of the Iewes who with most cruel kindes of death persecuted Christ and his Apostles for vnto these denounceth he destruction of theire regiment and of theire church and also perpetual banishment thraldome This comminatioÌ„ or threatning can no man read without great feare of minde speciallie seing the thing sheweth that the regiment of the Iewes was so distroyed that it could neuer be restored that the Iewes were punished with perpetuall banishment Also let that come into our consideration which Paule Rom. 11. settes before the reader If God haue not spared the naturall branches much lesse shall he spare the wilde or vnnaturall branches That is if the Iewes were destroyed with so horrible punishmentes for theire vnthankfulnes and contempt of the gospell out of whome Christ was borne after the flesh let vs feare like punishmentes of contempt in greeuous offences sithence the same God is iudge both of Iewes and Gentiles But now let vs proceede to the exposition of the Psalme sVere 1 O Lord in thy strrngth shall the king be glad And in thy sauing helth how exceedinglie shall he reioye THis Pean or solemne songe is a most ioyfull victorie of Christ raysed from death to life and making glorious tryumph ouer sinne death the deuill and hell For as by reason of our sinnes he was weake and mortall and cryed aloude vpon the crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So being exalted by the right hand of God for our righteousnes he spoyled his enemies and caryed them captiues in his triumphes bereaued of all power As in the 2. to the Coloss and in the 68. Psalme is written Men say that Epaminudas Prince of Thebes in accomplishing his greatest exploytes saide that he reaped this speciall profite or fruite of his enterprises in that he had his parentes the beholders of his glorie So there is no doubt but the sonne of God reioyceth in the iudgement and testimonie of his eternall father approouinge and helping forwardes his victorie against the deuil and his champions Being fully repleate with this inspekeable ioy he affirmeth that he is well apayd and reioyceth and that hee can neither by wordes or outwarde apparance sufficiently declare the greatnes of his affecte But seeing this his victorie is also oures let vs with ioy embrace the same and let vs lay foorth the same as a Gorgon or Shield of Pallas before the kingdome of the deuill crying aloude with Paule 1. Cor. 15. Death where is thy stinge Hell where is thy victorie Thankes be to God which hath geuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ Vndoubtedly if with perpetuall minde and consideration we were conuerted vnto the image of Christ thus rayses from death and ascending vp into heauen we should more easelye beare the sorrowes of this most short and most transitorie life and we would lesse be afrayde in the middest of death But our hearts are too colde in considering vpon the promises of Christ Be ye of good cheare I haue ouercome the world Iohn Againe I liue and you shall liue Let vs therefore craue of God that he would with his holy spirite illuminate in vs the consideration of these speciall matters and also woulde geue vs ioy and confidence which is the vanquisher of feares and doubtinges Verse 2 Thou hast geuen vnto him his heartes desire And hast not denied him the prayer of his lippes I Haue before now and then saide That prayer is after a twofolde manner The one which proceedeth from cogitation of minde and a confidence illuminated in the will of God and fleeing vnto God inwardly crauing and expecting good thinges The other which is made with the tongue expressing those motions of the heart and the heart therewith agâ—â—â—ing And God requyreth an expresse veice that others may be instructed confirmed Yea that euen the deuils when true prayer vnto God is heard may tremble for feare and flée away Therefore it testifieth that both sortes of prayer is heard of God For what can the bountifull hande of God deny vnto his onely begotten and beloued Sonne But seeing the Sonne hath
kingdome of his sonne which alloweth and defendeth it and which hath made knowne him selfe vnto maÌ„kinde by publishing so many promises concerninge the preseruation of his Church But here let vs remember the godly profitable admonition which is geuen vs by D. Martin Luther in this exposition vpon these last wordes of Dauides If anie man vnderstand this that he doe see in the writinges of the Prophets whereas anie one person of the Godhead speaketh of the other or vnto the other that is to say So as not one person onely but moe are signifyed To him now shall it be easie to discerne which in those places is the person of the Eternall Father and which is the person of the Coeternall Sonne Now wheras of these two persons mention is distinctlie made there also is the third person signified of the holie Ghost speaking namely by the scriptures as it is saide in the Creede This iudgement of the difference of the three persons in Godhead being thus concluded let vs way as in equall ballance the waight of the wordes in this verse The kingdome of Christ is the gouernmente of Christ collecting vnto him his Church by the Ministerie of the Gospel in all ages of the world and delyuering the same from sinne and eternall death sanctifying the same in geuing his hâ—ly spirit that it may bé his euerlasting inheritance and defending and gouerning y e same marueilously in this life that it would truely call vpon him and acknowledge prayers hearde through him and to worship God raysing from death to life and eternall glorye Let vs therefore not onely discern the person of this king from Cyrus Alexander Augustus and such like but also the kingdome of Christ from all Common wealthes and Gouernmentes For although it be certaine that mightie Princes by whose wisdome and vertue kingdomes are ordered be styrred vp and helped by God as Herodotus rightly speaketh of the Persian kinge That the kingdome of Persia increased vnder the gouernment of God and the kings themselues redilie folowing him Yet Cyrus Alexander Augustus and such like were miserable men subiecte vnto sinne and â—eath neither did the Godhead mingle it selse with their naturs But we which are instructed in the Church by testimonies of Gods worde doe beleeue in Christ not onely that he is mans Nature but that he is the diuine nature of the Sonne of God whom S. Iohn calleth The Worde and who is the expresse Image of the eternall Father Now consider how great a benefite it is and how euident â— testimonie of his great lone towardes vs that the Eternall God hath sent vnto vs the Coeternal Son his Image taking vpon him the nature of man wherin wholy shineth God the Sonne in a league immutable But alack too frozen harted are we in coÌ„sidering so great matters Therefore we must pray vnto God that hée would stirre vp in vs through his holy Spirit motions by all meanes agréeable vnto so great a gifte Namely Faith Thankesgiuing Confession and such like Thus farre I haue spoken a few thinges touching the difference betwixt Christ and other kinges Now let vs distinguish y e kingdomes of Christ from other kingdomes by euident boundes as it is in the Law of gouerning territortes For they differ in forme of gouernment in benefites and stabilitie For other kingdomes are fortifyed with riches and armies and dee punish offenders with the sworde or with corporall force but Christes kingdome is gouerned by the voice of the gospell by y t which God is effectuall and doth regenerate many vnto life euerlasting Moreouer in other kingdomes the chiefe thinges are peace of body and externall discipline But the treasures or riches of this kingdome are remission of sinnes the hâ—ly ghost and life euerlasting Finally other kingdomes haue their fatall periodes as Plato in the 8. booke of his common wealth disputeth That Common weales are changed for Celestiall causes which make certaine interchanges of States in Cities and gouernmentes And the Scriptures oftentimes cryeth out that y e fal of Empires is caused by the 〈…〉 of men that there are punishmentes for haynous offences as it is written in Syrach cap. 10. The kingdome is translated from nation to nation for the iniquities and deceites of men But no limite or space of time can conteyne the kingdome of Christ for as much as it is spirituall and heauenly as the Angell saith profoundly in the 1. Chap. of S. Luke Hee shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be none ende But although some dispute why the hill Sion is called holy yet the answere is simple plaine that the church is sanctifyed of Christ the king who is geuen of God to be our Wisdome Righteousnes Holines and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. And Christ sanctifyeth his Church with his worde his bloud and with the holy Ghost as it is written Iohn 17. Father sanctifie them in thy trueth thy wordâ— is the truth And againe Heb. 13. Iesus suffered without the gate to sanctifie the people by his blood Ephes 5. Christ loued his church and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it washing it with the fountaine of water in his worde Ioel. 2. I will power out my Spirit vpon all flesh c. Verse 7. I will preach of thy commaundement the Lord said vnto me thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee THe Sonne of God affirmeth in this verse that he will preach and set forth the doctrine beside the lawe namely this sentence The Lorde saide vnto me thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee aske of me and I will geue the Nations for thine inheritance Therfore shall hee obserue the ministerie of teaching the scriptures and studyes therein and doth approue these studies in those which learne the Gospell For this verse comprehendeth the whole effect of the Gospell as D. Mart. Luther interpreting vpon the 3. cap. of Iohel sayth For what other thinge doth the Gospell teach then that Jesus was borne of the virgin Mary is the Sonne of the eternall Father and came in this fleshe that he might first teach vs concerning the mercifull will of his father Secondly that he might make satisfaction for our sinnes vpon the crosse and geue his holie spirit and euerlastinge saluation With this doctrine are our mindes through the holie Ghost enflamed that first they might trulie loue God for we see him to burne in so great loue towardes vs that for our saluation he spared not his owne onely Sonne Moreouer that our mindes might embrace the sonne as a sufficient sacrifice for our sinnes wherewith onely the Father would be pacified By this faith we obtaine remission of all our sinnes and willingly obey our Redeemer calling vs vnto Baptisme vnto his worde vnto his supper and exhortinge vs vnto loue And we are assisted by the holy spirit that our harts being chaunged do beginne to hate sinne and not to nowrish sinne anie more
the voyce of my weping Verse 9. The Lorde hath heard my complainte the Lord hath receyued my prayer Verse 10. Let them be ashamed and mightely confounded all mine Enimies Let them be sore ashamed and confounded quickly NOw recoueringe him selfe from out of a vehement and grieuous plonge whereas no sorow may be compared he begins to render thankes to God for that he hath heard his prayer For these wordes testifie that these former sorowes and sythes proceede from a minde praying vnto God and in time of prayer resistinge the deuill which went about to distroy Dauid as he had destroyed Saule But when as faith like a sheeld is apposed against the weapons of the deuill they are repulsed because faith taketh hold vpon Gods promises and verily beleueth that we are cared for are heard and preserued of God and affirmeth that we are gouerned by the hand of the Sonne of God present with vs like as by the hand of God Moyses was led through the standing waters as saith Esayas cap. 63. And as the former verses discribe mortification So the last verses largely expresse Viuification that is Consolation which is wrought by faith For in euery sound conuertion of man God mortifyeth and reuyueth he leadeth downe vnto hell and bringeth back from thence as the example of Ionas declareth For although Ionas was swalowed in the deuouring belly of the whale he came yet to that consideration as that he was forsaken of God and cast out of his fauour notwithstanding he was within three dayes by a wonderfull meanes delyuered and safe recouered from perishing This is the scholehouse of Gods power and the wrastling place wherein the holyones are exercised tasting both death and lyfe hell and heauenly paradise But these so greate matters are not learned with a vaine knowledge or insight but with true and feruent conflictes of the conscience struglinge with the wrath of God with the lawe sinne death the deuill and hell But as the Apostle saith Thankes be vnto God which geueth vs victory against our enimies through Iesus Christ our Lord. For although bitter cogitations come into the mindes of men wherewith the deuill turneth out and plucketh away many from God yet as the Prophet saith He that is in vs is stronger then he that raigneth in the worlde with force and fraude So that we may well say with S. Iohn 1. c. This is the victorie that ouercometh the worlde euen our faith And so verily with the Apostle S. Paule Rom. 8. If God be with vs who shall be against vs The seauenth Psalme Domine Deus meus c. THE TITLE The ignorance of Dauid which he songe vnto the Lorde because of the wordes spoken against him by that Aethiopian the sonne of Ieminus HE calleth it Ignorance which the Graecians call Apologian or defence of innocencie and truth This Psalme is a learned and graue defence opposed against the slaunders of Semeus For it is farre vnlike that Dauid would staine himselfe with such wicked mischiefes as are laide against him by Semeus which he neuer once conceyued in his minde But with what wordes Semeus the Sonne of Ieminus went about to blemish or deface Dauid being in exile the historie teacheth in the 16. cap. of the second booke of Kinges So spake Semeus when he reproched the kinge Come forth Come forth thou blood sucker and childe of Beliall The Lord hath reuenged vpon thee all the blood of the house of Saule because thou hast inuaded the kingdome c. Therefore it was a two foulde slaunder which Semeus spake The one that Dauid was the causer of the destruction of Saules familie The other that he possessed by tyrannical and seditious meanes the kingdome taken from Saule But both these were notorius false and neede not longe refutation For Dauid had suffered manie and greate iniuries done by Saule who gaue his wife vnto an other man and violently droue both him and his father and mother out of his contrie and for his sake slewe the Priestes and with a greate hoste pursued him to take awaye his life from him But although Dauid wanted none occasions to destroye Saule and might iust lie haue dispatched both the ensnarer and his enimie yet he spared him least he should amongest the people of God be author of the example to put kinges to death which thinge others afterwardes through ambition would haue imitated And as touchinge the other sclaunder it was manifestly knowne amongest all men that Dauid possessed not his kingdom by sinister menes or sleights but that he was called by God beyond all hope of mans counsell and deuises vnto the kingdome of Gods people But so great is the impudencie of the deuil and of all sclaunderouse persons that they doubt not to call Light darknes and darknes light Wherefore there is no remedie against the stinging of a Sycophant but that God himselfe with horrible plagues doth stopp and shâ—â—te vp the mouthes of sclaunderers And to the end that God would administer this remedie vnto the most vyle diseases we must not onelie vse an Apology which conteyneth a testimonie of our innocencie but much more must we be earnest in prayer wherein we may craue that God for his glory sake and doctrine would vtterly vanquish and distroy such Sycophantes THE ARGVMENT ALthough the title declare the argument yet before we interpret the psalm we must speak of the apt applying thereof we must confute certaine obiections The enimies of the Gospell at this day accuse vs most cruellie and lay in our dish the most detestable crimes of all others as of mouing seditions in the Church and heresies and call vs both scismatikes and heretikes neither may it be expressed with wordes how much the honest person is vexed with these railinges who will not be seene as the plague and distruction of mankind Yet it were more easie for many to suffer most bitter tormentes of bodie and to be bereaued of life then to heare these sclaunderous speeches But least that these rumors should breake our hartes or dismay vs from profession of the truthe we must hould still true and not sophisticall causes because it is needfull that wee differ in our doinges from the defenders of vniust crueltie and erroures Let vs also against these sclaunders recyte this psalme which containeth a two foulde answere there vnto Namlie vtter denyall and prayer for deliuerance But here the ruder sorte dispute or reason touchinge patient suffering and alledge the saying of Christ If any man smite thee vpon the right cheeke turne thou also the left vnto him This saie they doth not Dauid obserue because he speketh not in silence but reasoneth the matter with Semeus the sclaunderer This cauillation will I refute because of the ruder sorte both vertues is prescribed confession and patience For as it is nede full to defend a truecause speciallie of doctrine by a cleare confession so therewith ought we to be prepared in minde to
man withstand God The vniuersall church is full of histories of such like examples which declare that God when we are weake doth vse courage and strength for vs. Omitting therefore longer recytall of examples touching the latter part of the second verse viz. That thou mayst destroy both the enemie and the auenger I wil now speake a few wordes We beare about with vs a doctrine hated of the world and we seeme not any thing able therein to doe good because mightie kinges are against our proceedinges and there are many impedimentes as pouertie famine and feare of most cruel punishmentes Amidst these mischiefes let vs thinke vpon the promise set down in this Psalme That thou mayst destroy both the enemie and the Auenger And let vs trust not onely to finde defence but also felicitie in gathering the church of God So did God vnto Abraham promise defence rewards and good successe saying I am thy Protector and thy reward is great Gen. 14. and 16. For the enemies of the gospel are restrayned eyther by sound conuersion vnto Christ eyther els by vniuersall coufusion as in this age some be when they reade Luthers works not in déede with zeal of godlines but to catch matter wherein busilie stirring they bestow their infamous speeches but being vanquyshed with the euidencie of trueth they haue yealded vp the victory vnto Christ and of very enemies are become most vehement and earnest defenders of the doctrine of the gospel But Iulianus and other Tirantes vnrecouerable are like little cloudes cleane vanished away by Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father These thinges sith they so be let vs euery one of vs more zealously and feruently in his vocation learne and teach the gospell and let vs daylie adioyn our prayers to this end Let vs call and crye vnto God by the Mediator our lord Jesus Christ that he would gouerne defende and preserue vs and eyther call back the enemies of the gospell vnto sincere doctrine or els vtterlie to confound and destroy them Verse 3. Because I shall see the heauens the workes of thine handes the Moone and the Starres which thou hast framed IN reading the Prophets we must diligently consider what sayinges are spoken touching the accomplishment thereof Therefore as the next verse before specifyeth of the originall beginning and preaching of the gospel by which the church is congregate So this verse descrybeth the accomplishment which shal be brought to passe in the whole church when as raised from death she shall possesse eternall life The example whereof in déed the Apostles saw in the chiefe head and in the members therof when they were beholders of the resurrection and ascention of Christ For therein saw they mortalitie quite abolished they saw a new nature shining in the light of heauen yea a new righteousnes and a new life So doth Esay describe the kingdome of Christ in his 65. Chap. For speaking of the originall and frée preaching thereof he sayth Beholde I goe vnto a nation which know me not And of the fulfilling of this kingdome hee sayeth moreouer Behold I make a new heauen and a new earth cap. eod Reuel Ioh. 21. Verse 4. What is man that thou art so mindefull of him Or the Sonne of man whom thou so regardest Verse 5. Thou hast made him not much inferior vnto God and with glorie and honor wilt thou crowne him THe fourth and fifte verses describe the calamitie and delyuerance of Christ A great and vnspeakeable miserie it is which is set downe in the 8. Chap. of Mathew Foxes haue hoales and birdes of the ayre haue nestes but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head And it is sayde in the 53. of Esay He was despised and abhorred of men he was such a man as had good experience of sorrowes and troubles But a farre greater miserie is it to be séene forsaking of God as it is sayd in this verse of Tyrt Non Exul curae ducitur esse Deo The Exile is not thought Of God to be cared for ought Christ féeling this miserie spake that most sorrowfull sentence which is extant in the 22. Psalme My God my God why hast thou forsaken me As if he had sayde I lament not for the rending of my bodie in péeces or for the death that I suffer but for another far greater mischiefe that thou forsakest me because I féele no ioy at my hart which other holy ones doe féele whom thou comfortest Nay I féele that thou art horribly angry with the sinne of mankind by reason wherof I am now condemned is this death before thy presence I say before thee It were no bitter torment vnto me to be cruelly handled by the iudgement of the world But to feele thy displeasure is a heauie case And although it is true and the church hath always so taught that the nature deuine neither departed from the body nor from the soule of Christ no not after death Yet the nature diuine vnited to the bodie and the soule by a wonderfull and vnspeakeable meanes ceased So as nature of man in him might both suffer and die Like as Ireneus saith That is He did not put forth all his strength but obeyed vnto his eternall Father in this humilitie This secrete wisdome shall be learned of vs in the life euerlasting Now as it is delyuered vs in the word we must embrace it by fayth neyther can it be comprehended in mans cogitation or expressed in wordes But as the Sonne of God before the glory of the future Sabboth rested in death and in the graue So the whole Church hath her beginning from the like rest or surceasing that is from death Wherein albeit we séeme to be forsaken yet we shall assuredly bee raysed agayne from death vnto eternal life Wherein we shall see God in his presence and haue the fruition of his wonderfull great wisdome Thou wilt crowne him with glorie and honour Hetherto hath hee expresly declared the wonderfull and inspeakeable humilitie which Christ perfourmed in suffering the wrath of God as if he had beene polluted with mine thine and the sinnes of all men Now followeth a description of the glory of Christ in his resurrection and ascention This Lord remayned not in death and in the graue but being rysen from death to lyfe ascended vp into heauen that he might geue giftes vnto those which call vpon him Namelye the holye Ghost and life euerlasting But who can expresse the greatnes of this glory whereas vnto Christe God and Man all power is geuen in heauen and in earth Wherby in deede he ouercommeth death destroyeth sinne geueth righteousnes rayseth from death to life geueth his holy Spirite and life euerlasting to all beléeuers This glorie Paule in 2. Philip. describing sayth God hath exalted him and geuen him a name which surpasseth all names that in the name of Iesus euerie knee shall bowe in heauen earth and hell And all tongues shall confesse that Jesus Christ our Lord is
externall sinnes but also lewde disposicions in the hart But the Lawes politique are in maner of a bridle whereby externall discipline is gouerned and they onely accuse externall offences Also by the corrupt doctrine are pharisaicall opinions touching righteousnes confirmed which imagine that men are iust by discipline Therefore that Sinechdoehe must be reiected so as the Psalme it selfe refuteth it by the vniuersal parte so often times repeated and put into our heades but the efficacy of the wordes must be considered There is not one that vnderstandeth nor seeketh after God they haue all gone c. That is all persons cary about with them in theire mindes filthie erroures touching God they feare not God truely they loue him not truely neither rightly call they vpon him neither trust they in Gods helpe but haue many flames of lewd desires in them These euils are not onely in epicures which professe themselues before all men to beprophane persons but in others also which liue honestly It foloweth in the text They are become vnprofitable That is they are corrupted and become sinners as if he saide the light and integritie of nature is lost Nowe are there darknes and erroures in mens mindes and the will and hart of man haue in them vicious desires without measure and end by course of nature runninge headlong against Gods will Verse 5. Do not all workers of iniquitie knowe this which deuoure my people eating them vp as bread and haue not called vpon the Lord HEtherto with greate seueritie of wordes hath hee described the welspring and roote of al euils namely originall sinne Nowe describeth he the litle floodes and fruites thereof That by considering vpon the wrath of God against both mischiefes we should tremble for feare and seeke for reconsiliation through the mediator Most heauie sighes and showes are there in mankinde to see horrible examples of wise men and those in vertue excelling which being moued by the deuil become the practizioners of huge mischiefes they establishe idolatrie and exercise Crueltie vpon the church as Pharao Diocletian Iulian and innumerable others Touching all these he sayth They haue not called vpon the Lorde That is they deuise themselues opinions and religions after their own iudgement They retayne not the worde of God And this impietie of their heartes bringes foorth vngodly counsels and crueltie which 〈◊〉 exercise in killing and slaying the holy ones Verse 6 There trembled they with feare but the Lord is in the generation of the iust THis litle verse doe I vnderstand as concerning punishmentes due to the vngodlie For it signifieth that the wicked ones at length shalbe payed home with horrible punishmentes shall be destitute of al good haps and shall be fast snared with inextricable mischteses like as Pharao Saule and the Jewes after they had crueified Christ were ouer whelmed in great mischtefs wherin they found no succoure nor consolation Therefore pearished their soules into eternall desperation and eternall tormentes So did their punishmentes in this life heape sinne vpon sinne which thing hapneth so often as men without light of the Gospel are ouerwhelmed with punishmentes But why addeth he the little clause The Lorde is in the generation of the Iust Because hee would discerne the Church from the rest of the multitude of mankinde which heapeth vp Idolatrous seruinges of God and manifest fancies For that the whole huge multitude of mankind should not be damned altogether God hath chosen out some part of saluation namely the members of the true Church These doe truely worship God they retayne the doctrine of the Gospell call vpon him in fayth geue thankes vnto him obey him and in all eternitie worship him Vnto the same meaning pertayne the wordes which strayght way followe The Lorde is his trust and confidence That is The true Church though it haue not mannes sauegardes or defences yet she hath reposed all hope of her saluation in God and is marueylouslye preserued and defended by God Verse 7. You haue made a mocke at the councell of the po 〈…〉 t the Lord is his trust THe councell of the needie and poore congregation and yet putting theire trust in the Lord that I may so saye with Sophonie No doubt he calleth the word of God as in the 119. Psalme Thy testimonies are my ioy and my counsellers This wisdome of God saith he is contemned of prophane persons as if the same were dreames of them which dote Of politique worldlinges as if it were the firebrand of sedicions and finally of the hipocriticall crewe as the corrupt doctrine of good manners and the euill libertie of discipline Concerning these wicked iudgements where with the worde of the Gospell is condemned seing els where I haue oftentimes spoken my minde I am nowe more briefe and come to the last verse of this Psalme Verse 8. Who shall giue saluation out of Syon vnto Israell when the Lord shall turne away the captiuitie of his people Iacob shall reioyce and Israell shalbe glad IN the end he addeth a promis of the Messias which shall come and of publishing the Gospel from out of Sion to the end he would shew by whom this lewdnes of nature must be taken away the captiuitie of sinne and of death abolished or adnihilated But some man would perhaps say why do you transforme or chaunge the prayer into a promis or prophesie The rule is knowne most worthy of marking Euery prayer of the holy ghost hath effect of promis Because the holy ghost asketh things congruent with the will of God as paule in 8. Rom. witnesseth But in that he vnderstandeth by saluation to be the Messias It is not obscure vnto any man reading that verse of Symeons songe which saith Because mine eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people Furthermore what the name of the Sauioure or of Jesus foresheweth Saint Matthewe in his firste Chapter teacheth viz. His name shalbe called Iesus because hee shall saue his people from theire sinnes But he saueth after a twofolde maner First by paying the randsome for our sinnes After that by distroying sinne and death and restoring vs to righteousnes and to lyfe euerlasting The which thinge is in this life begonne by the gifte of the holy ghost and shalbe fully and wholy finished in the resurrection of the dead For then being delyuered from sinne and death and being adorned with new and perfecte light and righteousnes shal we reioyce and be glad as the Psalme in this place saith The XV. Psalme Domine quis c. THE ARGVMENT IN all ages there is an accustomed Hypocrisie which arrogateth vnto her selfe praise of righteousnes by reason of her profession and ceremonies as the Iewes would seeme to be holie men because they were skilfull in the lawe and obserued certaine ceremonies So now manie kings and princes thinke they please God by meanes of their profession when they heare masse and obserue certaine ceremonies and by this diligence thinke they
adorned after death Wherefore while as yet in the immortall bodie they carry about with them many sinnes repugnant vnto the Law of God as for example securitie pride distrust impatience and diuers wandering motions it is needefull that the flesh be mortifyed and that the old leauen be purged out which can not otherwise more fitly be done then by death and other great miseries which are the admonishers and rebukers of sinne and of Gods wrath and doe represse lewde and vitious desires The meaning of Dauid this worde chased doth witnesse which signifyeth as not without fault or without sorrow but sanctifyed and iustifyed by grace Verse 7. The Lord heareth my prayer when I crie vnto him HE maketh not mention so oftentimes in vaine of prayer and hearing but with great aduise doth he repeate these For Dauid after his example will haue the Church to teach that prayer or Inuocation is the moderator of dangers in this life and most speciall defence in this miserie of mankinde Like as it is written in the 18. chap. Prouerbes The name of the Lorde is a stronge Tower vnto this shall the righteous flee and be deliuered And it is commanded vs in Psal 49. Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble c. Moreouer this sentence witnesseth that prayer is not a vain sounding or noyse but that it is assuredly heard and that it obteyneth delyueraunce or mitigation agreeable with the will of God touchinge the which thing els where in the Church it is declared verse 8 Be angrie and sinne not commune with your heartes in your chambers and be still VNto the former consolation now addeth he a precepte touching christian patience which is to obey God in tollerating calamities according to our vocation so that we swerue not away from God or be angrie with him or contrarie to his commandementes dee any thing when we are broken with sorrow but that wee should moderate our sorrowe with acknowledgemente of the will of God and with hope of his deuine helpe Concerning this vertue there are set downe many sentences euery where As 1. Peter 5. Humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God that hee may exalte you in time conuenient And in the 46. Psalme Prooue and see because I am the Lord That is Séeke not vnlawfull remedies in time of your calamities As Saule before his last battel fled for helpe and remedie vnto the witch But settle your heartes in God whose hand is able and 〈…〉 both to debase and exalte Think with your selues that the Church is not ordeyned for idlenes pleasures but â—â—â— a sharpe and fierce warfare which can not be enduteâ— but with greate vertue Call vnto youre mind the Sonne of God who sith by assured prouitence of God he suffered most bitter calamities it were a thinge contrarie vnto all right and vnequall that we should couet such pleasant idlenes especially when through our offences the wrath of God is prouoked Set before our eyes the examples of mightie personages in the Churche which were in greatest miseries yea behold well the whole creation of thinges which is horribly profaned of the vngodly and suffereth this abuse holding this assured perswasion the day will come that after a while it shall be together with the children of God delyuered from these molestations Considering these and many other in your mindes be still and bridle your affections that they burst not out beyond their bonndes and seing it is a most difficult matter to performe this obedience Craue of God that he would geue you his holy spirit the gouernour of youre mind will and hart according to his promise Howe much more shal your heauenly Father geue you his holy spirit when you aske it of him Thus farre haue I briefly and simply recyted the meaning of the fourth verse agreeing with the whole substance of this psalme It foloweth that I nowe speake of that râ—eaning or sence whereunto S. Paule hath rightly finely applyed this verse in 4. cap. Ephesians For Paule geuinge admonition touching moderation of angre and pardoning iniuries alledgeth this verse Be angry saith he and sinne not And straight waye he addeth Let not the Sonne go downe vpon your wrath Geue no place vnto the deuill But although it seemed vnto many in times past that Paule recyted this verse abusyuely yet let vs kepe stil the rule delyuered vs by Christ The second commaundement touching loue is like vnto the first for the vertues conteyned in both tables are nedeful by necessity of the commaundement and of the dutie and are the worship due to God that is workes whereby God iudgeth him selfe to be honoured when they are donne in acknowledgment of the Mediator Finally the obedienc conteyned in both tables beholdeth the same principall obiect namly God Wherefore there is no absurditie in that whereas S. Paule applyeth this precept touchinge suffering iniuries amoÌ„gst men For although the obictes are externall in great diuersitie about the which that excellent vertue patience is exercysed as there is one obiect in the punishment of Paule another in the exilement of Dauid before Saules death yet notwithstandinge there is one and the same obiect inward or principall whereupon is reposed this moderation of sorowe Let these suffice to be spoken of vs here concerninge the place cited by S. Paule least any man swerue into that opinion that he thinke Paule vnlearnedly vsed testimonies of the scriptures as some men cauell at the worthie commendation of that testimonie out of Gen. viz. Abraham belieued God c. Concerning which we will speaks of els where Now let vs deale with that which is in hand and see if we can gather remidies of immoderate angre out of the worde of God and the wrytinges of Philosophers For what a mischiefe vnbrydled angre is and howe hard a matter for an angry man to restraine him selfe that he therby passe not measure the sainges and examples whereof the nomber weary me to speake sufficiently â—o showe Pindarus saith Anger so troubleth wise men that they sinne And Iuuenal saith But reueÌ„gemeÌ„t is a commoditie more sweete then life it selfe in the Prouerbes it is said Mans wrath worketh mischiefe with these sentences do agree very many examples But we for breuitie sake wil be content with a few Theodosius the Emperour when he was by nature very furious commaunded a multitude of y e base people at Thessalonica their cause not heard to be put to death by reason a fewe souldiers were slaine in an vproare Hierom the ecclesiastical writer by reason of the fond contentions touching Origen so poured out all libertie of anger that he all to bad reproched his frend Ruffinus with whom he had liued very frendly for thirtie yeres spare and set forth bookes of bitter speeches which are yet extant against that man of a right opinion touching the effect of controuersie And although priuate men liuing in idlenes and vanitie can gallantly dispute of courtesie and humilitie yet the
doubtfullnes Seing therefore Philosophy doth confesse her darknes it is nedefull that kinde of doctrine be embraced which God himselfe delyuered which doth make manifest so great matters For there are three chief and speciall good thinges of man which are shewed in this heauenly doctrine The first is True acknowledgment and calling vpon God The second Firme consolation in calamitics The third is The order of our life These good giftes doth this psalme comprehend when it sayeth But thou O Lord shewe vs the light of thy countenance That is sâ—ing that mans reason is ignorant of God and of true inuocation neither hath in her selfe any firme consolation and is much more seeble then that shee can direct her life and vocation amongst so many snares of the deuil and in so great a heape of buysines and daungers I beseech thee our Lord that with the Gospell and with the holy Spirit thou wouldest illuminate in vs that wisdome which truly knoweth God and calleth vpon him a right that thou wouldest strenghthen our hartes with firme consolation and gouerne the whole course of our life and vocation vnto the glory of thy holy name and saluation of the Church vniuersall Verse 11. Thou hast made me to reioyce in my hart whiles they haue plentie of wine and Corne. THis verse setteth out the degrees of good thinges although saith he The benefits pertaining vnto this lyfe are the blessinges of God and are to be craued of God yet notwithstanding both when other earthly benefits rise and fall too and from vs we haue an inwarde consolation worthely fixed and established in vs an other way and we preferre this consolation â—aâ— beyond al. swete pleasures of this slâ—tting and vanishing life wherin all thinges as it were hang by a â—â—ale thrid Ethings which haue bene of force by soden chaunge come to naught So in the 45. Psalme it is said All the glory of the kinges daughter is within c. that is to say the proper beautie of the Church is ioy of the holy ghost kindled in the heart of the faithfull ouercomminge all feares of death and daungers of hell and beginninge in vs eternall life Verse 12. I will therfore lye downe in peace and take my rest PEace in this place and in other places often signifieth tranquâ—itie of hart springing of faith hope and good conscience For faith holdeth not onely that a man is acceptable vnto God through the Mediator but also that obedience newe begonne pleaseth God through this hye Priest bringing our worshippinges vnto his Father Hope looketh for delyuerance in time to come according to Gods prouidence whether it chaunge in this life eyther els after the resurrection from death For although wee obtaine not alwayes corporall delyuerance yet we surely knowe that there shall folow an vniuersal delyuerance of the Church after the resurrection wherein God shall wipe away all teares from the eyes of the Godly Conscience setteth her selfe at rest in goodnes of the cause whereof God is the author approuer and defender as Teucer â—aith in Sophocles In a good cause it becometh vs to haue a good courage These three namely Faith hope aud good conscience are the causes of peace touching the which this last verse mencioneth I will therefore lye down in peace and take my rest Because thou only oh Lord hast made me to put my trust in thee ⧠The fifte Psalme Verba mea auribus percipe Domine THE ARGVMENT THe fift psalme is a feruent prayer against vngodlie teachers whose mindes are defiled with madde worshippinge of Idolles theire tongue with blasphemies their handes embrewed with the blood of the godly and their other meÌ„bers stained with wicked lustes These teachers as furies sent out of hel to trouble the church prayeth to be destroyed and that the puritie of doctrine and therewith his churche also might be preserued and defended There may also be obserued in this psalm a manifest figure of the vngodlie doctrine and of the vngodlie councels which tend hereunto that true inuocation prayer vsed in the church might vtterlie be extinguisht And because euerie prayer conceyued by the holie ghost hath effecte of promise let vs not doubt but God will helpe vs to the end the vngodlie may be confuted which say where is now theire God Psal 114. Ver. 9. Verse 1. INcline thine eares O Lorde vnto my wordes consider my meditation Verse 2. Hearken vnto the voice of my prayer my kinge and my God because I will praie vnto thee THere are two differences of true and false Inuocation viz. whereof me must continually consider in reading of the Psalmes The one is touching the essence of God The other touching the will of God So often as a man begins his prayer let him consider with himselfe what he calleth vpoÌ„ and what God he is which he calleth vpon or prayeth vnto After that also the Will must be considered what maner God he is and why he doeth heare vs. So in this place Dauid discerneth by the same Inuocation or prayer the true God from counterfet and false gods For Iehoua is a peculiar name whereby the Church alone of the fathers and the Israelites called vpon God And there is a great Emphasis or force in the wordes My king and my God As if he sayde Thou which truely beholdest and curest my griefe thou which truely receiuest and hearest me for thy Sonnes sake the Mediator which is the king of the Church This admonition of the difference of true and false inuocation is in another place largely delyuered which in déede ought to be considered vpon in all our Inuocation and thankesgeuing Also let that be considered that true Inuocation is of two sorts The one which worketh by cogitation of the minde and with confidencies illuminated or enlightened in the will fleeing vnto God inwardly crauing and expecting Gods benefites The other which with the voice or tongue expresseth those motions of the heart and consenteth with the heart Because god requyreth the expresse voice also and that others may be instructed and confirmed yea to the ende that the very deuils when they heare the true god called vpon might tremble for feare and flee away Finally let there be obserued ardent affections of wordes wherin he earnestly vrgeth to be heard as thus Heare me consider me And Geue eare vnto me Verse 3 O Lorde thou shalt heare my prayer betimes I will stande before thee earlie in thy Courte and in thy Congregation ALthough God is not tyed to any places or times and alwayes heareth them that call vpon him inlightned with acknowledgement and faith in the sonne of God yet notwithstanding the morning season is déemed most méetest for meditation and prayer when oure bodies are neither ouercharged with meate nor with fumes of stomack and a most earnest intention may be in an emptie stomack And it is not amisse sayde of a certaine auncyent wryter That Praier is a most harde worke because not onelie the intention or
testimonie of a good conscience neither thinke I to the contrarie but I shoulde both be accursed of God and man if I be such a one as this most impudent Sicophant would haue me accounted to be For all the whole multitude of the people of Israel wel know that I haue beene fauourable vnto Saule and for a publique peace sake haue forgeuen priuate iniuries and thereupon haue taken great sorrwe without simulation when worde was brought me of the miserable death of Saule But if these things be true which are reported by Semeus I wish and desire yea I pray vnfaynedly and not dissemblingly that the enemies hoast which pursueth the charge and safecondite of my sonne may not onely take me and carry me away captiue with triumphe ouer me but also take awaye my life from me and spoyle me of all the glorie of those thinges which I haue done for the welfare of gods people For the sorow which the losse of his glorie brought vnto Dauid was far sharper vnto him then death it self So Athanasius when he was often slaundered with gréeuous crimes so acquyted himselfe that he not onely perswaded the Iudges but also shewed them and declared his innocencie as it were before their eyes For in déede so many enemies as Athanasius had and so mightie coulde not proue any one dishonest poynte by him For as the froath of the sea dashing vpon the rockes doth againe fall of when the Rocks themselues stande immoueable So is trueth the vanquisher of all calamities and cannot be vtterly oppressed Verse 6. Arise O Lorde in thine anger and exalte thy selfe against the furies of mine enemies and restore vnto me iudgement which thou hast appointed Verse 7. That the Congregation of the people may flocke about thee and for this cause ascende thou on hie HEtherto doth he answere Semeus by way of denyall Now because prayer is the speciall defence of a godly minde in so great sorrowes of this common life He craueth of God with vnfayned sorrow that he may be defended against the furies of his enemies and to be restored into his kingdome not for vanitie and pleasure sake but for his Church sake To whom he knew his gouernment was acceptable For in déede so Dauid warred against his enemies as that boyes and gyrles at home in the Church and in schooles might be perfect in learning might reade the Law in Moyses and here the Interpreters of the Law and of the promises wherein God had made himselfe knowen Vnto this rue doe few Gouernours bende their indeuour Iulius Cesar warred because he would not be spoiled of his dignitie by the enuyous Anthonius warred to the ende he might deuoure that which another had gotten But in the Church of God all godly gouernors ought to foresée that good ende and purpose how the pollicies therof ought to be carâ—â— for defended and preserued that in them the knowledge of God might be aduaunced For in déede to that ende are men created vnto societie that in this their often assâ—nâ—blie the knowledge of God might shine soorth amongst them and that God might be honoured and called vpon and that some by others might be edifyed in that doctrine which plainly openeth the way vnto eternall ioy and fellowship with god Vnto this speciall work namely the aduauncement of the doctrine ought all pollicies and degrees of life to serue For as a Lanthorne without a light in it serueth to no vse in darknes So Cities wherein the knowledge of God and doctrine of his benefites is extincte are vnprofitable monumeÌ„ts Neither in déede are these wordes to be so read by the way as if that the Sinagogue of the people should flock about a man But let che conflict in Dauid euen with his owne affections be considered of vs. For not without great motion of the minde was this finall cause of his reduction or recouerie of Gods fauour pronounced He prayeth that he may be reduced and is therwith prepared vnto obedience He is willing to obey gods will yea though he be not reduced and yet doeth he not cast away faith touching sorgeuenes of his sinnes neither prescribeth he any maner of time Yea he wisheth not to be reduced againe if he might deliuer his sonne from eternall damnation rather then so reduced that thereby he should for euer and for euer destroy his son and a great multitude of his Citizens This maner of deliuerance grieued Dauid more then the losse of his kingdome But he knew that when God brought him back again he must obay his wil and that through zeale towardes God and his Church our affections must needes be vanquished So Religion in vs and pietie towardes God and his Church vanquysheth other motions of the minde But where he speaketh of the ascending of God on high that may be vnderstoode by relation and not absolutely so in deede For then is God exalted in our sight when he is knowen of vs aright called vpon and worshipped according to his worde deliuered and when we reiect all false opinions and worshippinges which are wide from the rule of his deuine Institution Wherefore seeing that studies after the heauenly doctrine in tune of tumultes wax more fainte and the due honour of God might so be hindered Dauid being very carefull for these speciall benefites with a godly zeal craued restitution into his kingdome not to seek after vanitie and pleasures but that he might againe gather together and restore the Schooles Churches scattered and defaced with ciuil warres So Athanafius being dryuen into exile by the faction of those Arrians prayed to God to be restored into his state againe for the Churches sake Verse 8 The Lorde iudgeth nations Iudge meâ—â—h Lorde according to my righteousnes and according to mine Innocencie THe sentence of nature and of the Law written is knowen which forbiddeth him to geue iudgement who defendeth the contrarie parte of the controuersie Wherfore Dauid neither arrogateth vnto himselfe authoritie of iudging in this controuersie neither yet granteth he the same vnto his enemies but he appealeth vnto the Iudge in whom there is no respect of persons and which beholdeth thorowly the deepe secretes of mannes heart But he in this Court alleadgeth the righteousnes not in deede of the person but of the cause and setteth against those false forged slaunders the testimonie of a good Conscience as a Gorgon or Shield to terrifie his enemies withall Furthermore many are the causes which exhort vs to defend the integritie of our Conscience The first is the commaundement of God 1. Tim. 1 Fight the good fight keeping faith and good Conscience Also The ende of the commandement is loue from a pure hart and good conscience and faith vnfayned Let these sayinges be fixed in our mindes and guide vs that we doe not any thing against conscience That is that we wittingly breake not the law of God The second cause is that faith may be retayned for there are two contradictorie or gainsaying affectes
To doe willingly and wittingly against Gods commaundementes and to haue a desire to repent without which faith cannot be An euil conscience therefore and faith cannot be in the heart both at once The thirde cause That true prayer might be perfourmed of vs. For he that hath still an euill purpose of minde calleth vpon God in vaine Nay he cannot pray at all because he commeth vnto God without repentaÌ„ce and faith Now let a man consider what a wretchednes it is to liue carelesse of God that is not to bee able to craue and hope for the help of God but to be forsaken of God and enthralled of the deuill The fourth cause is Confidence in the helpe and protection of God This cause ryseth of the former causes For hee that with a good conscience endeuoureth himselfe hath euer a good confidence which is the swéete Nurse of olde age The fifth cause is Tranquillitie of minde Touching this cause let vs holde fast that most swéete saying of Gre. Nazianzen No thing so much reioyceth vs as a pure conscience and a good hope The siste cause is The mitigation and deliuerance in calamities For surely some help it is when sinne and mischiefes meete not together For these causes and such like wee must endeuour our selues that our conscience in all actions agree with the worde of God neither that we doe or allowe of any thing against conscience And when we retaine such integritie of conscience the minde is at quyet it holdeth fast faith and remayneth in fauour with God and man Verse 9 Let the wickednes of sinners I pray thee come to an ende and saue thou the iust O God that searchest heartes and raynes Verse 10 My help commeth of the Lord which preserueth them that be true of heart Verse 11 God is a iust Judge and a God which is angrie euerie day GOd will be acknowledged and discerned from all other natures by certaine properties because we can not feele or embrace him in our corporall armes And these properties in euery our prayer must we thinke vpon that we may discerne the true God from all natures and false gods For it is needfull a man know to whom he speaketh where god hath here made him selfe knowen what maner of God he is whether and why he heareth vs. In this place Dauid recyteth while hee is in praying three notable and cléere properties Whereof the first is Omnipotencie For it is onely proper vnto the Omnipotent nature to looke into all mens harts and to discerne true sorrowes from dissembling sorows And seeing this propertie may not be attributed vnto any creature it must needes be a cleere thing that wee ought not to make our prayers vnto men that are dead The second propertie in this place recyted is The Righteousnes of God who is angrie against al sinnes and wickednesse which are oppâ—gnant to his law Of this propertie we haue spoken more in the fifte Psalme The third propertie is The goodnes of God which helpeth those that are true of heart That is truely calling vpon him in Spirite and trueth without any other causes incident So happened it with Adam and Eue after their fall when they could not be helped by angels nor by their own pollicies neither yet by any other creature Then comes God from his secrete throane and receiued sinners to his fauor and geues them life Let our minde therefore behold this true God which made himselfe knowen by sending his sonne publishing witnes of him by raysing from death to life and other miracles done And let our minde therewith thinke that this is the true Creator and helper which is wise which heareth vs and is both true bountifull Just and sincere punishing also wickednes and sinnes which are contrarie vnto his righteousnes Verse 12. If the wicked wil not be conuerted he hath sharpned his Sworde hee hath bent his Bowe and prepared the same Verse 13. And he hath made redy for them weapons of death and he hath prepared for them whot burninge arrowes THe godly Reader without any Expositor well vnderstandeth how gallant a Description this is and how fearefull vnto the vngodly multitude For hee paynteth out as in a Table how God is armed with his Sworde purposely prepared and with his Bow not vnbent but redy bente whose Arrowes misse not the marke but hit home surelie and cast downe whatsoeuer they are leuelled at Beholding this Similitude let vs acknowledge the most iust wrath of God let vs craue with vn ayned repentance for his Sonnes sake that hee would asswage the same Vndoubtedly if wee were not of heartes as harde as Iron this heauie sight would thorowlie moue vs and would leaue the prickes of repentance in our heartes But we are too frosen hearted to thinke vpon so great matters Wherefore let vs crie â—ut and say with Hieremie Cap. 2. Turne mee O Lorde and I shall be turned Correct me O Lorde in thy iudgement not in thy furie least I be brought vnto nothing Let vs also learne the difference of chastisement towardes the godly and of punishment towardes the wicked For of the godly it is saide in another Psalme I will visite their sinnes with the rod. This Fatherly chastisement is not a token of reiection but an exercise of godlines And vnto this tryall of faith may those little verses of Mantuan be rightly applyed Sit licet in Natos facies austera parentum Aequa tamen semper mens est amica voluntas Though Parentes cast their countenance sterne vpon their children yet An equall minde and friendly will alwayes they vse most fitte But of the vngodly ones Amos recyteth a heauye sentence All sinners shall die with the Sworde That is shall fall out of present punishmentes in this life vnto eternall tormentes Which thinges sith so they be let vs with Dauid earnestly pray for their destruction vniuersallie And for the godly Lord reprooue mee not in thy wrath That is chaâ—â—en vs as a Father not with a Sworde but with a Rodde which within a little while after is cast into the fire Verse 14 Behold he hath conceaued vnrighteousnes and is greate with sorrow and bringeth foorth vanitie Verse 15 He diggeth a pit and delueth the same and is fallen into the pit which he made Verse 16 His labour shall bee turned vpon his owne head and his iniquitie shall rebound vpon his owne pate HEre are notable descriptions of the vanitie of such deuises as are put in vre by the enemies againste the godly ones which truely call vpon God For though the vngodly bende and practise all their counsels to the subuersion of the Church yet so much as to the effecte of the purpose pertaineth they bring foorth vanitie and fall into the same pit which they digged for the godly Finally theâ— mischieuous practises whereby they endeuour to subuert and destroy the godly ones redâ—uÌ„d vpon their owne pates The histories of Senacherib Iulianus and others are knowen which in
THe euentes of thinges which are read in Histories be witnesses of this Psalme The persecution of the Church by the Babylonians stinted when Babylon was taken of Cyrus and Balthasar was slayne as Xenophon wryteth in his 7. booke of the education of Cyrus Yea the Citie and whole Empire of Babilon as Plinie in his 6. booke and 26. Chap. witnesseth beinge the head of all the Caldean Nations became a desolate place or wildernes when that in deede it had before conteyned in length threescore thousande paces within the walles which were in heyght two hundreth feete and in breadth fiftie feete But what so as touching the Monarchie of Babylon I haue here sayde the same let vs suppose may also bee implyed concerninge other kingdomes Verse 7. And the Lord shall raigne for euer preparing his seate for iudgement Verse 8. And hee shall iudge the vvorlde in righteousnes And shall geue sentence vpon all Nations vvith equitie IN the Psalmes there is an vsuall conference of mans infirmitie and of the power of God Wherefore as in the Verse before going he sayde that the change of humane state is more redy then of the most swiftest flying flee Now he adioyneth the contrarie parte as an Antithesis The Lorde saith he together with his worde and Church cannot by any force be wakened nor mooued out of place More safer is it therefore and far better it is to trust in God onely then to put confidence in a thousand Princes amongst mortall men whose mind or pleasure or fortune or life may be changed And what so are here spoken touching the iudgementes of God the same may be reserâ—ed first in déede vnto the ministerie of the worde wherein the holy Ghost rebuketh the world of sinne of righteousnes and of iudgement After wardes they may be applyed vnto the final iudgemente wherein the secretes of all mens heartes shall be brought foorth to light and the damned sinners shall bee throwen into eternall tormentes Of this iudgement are testimonies naturall knowledges which witnesse that there is a God and what maner of God and that he will iudge the worlde For in vayne had God made a difference betwéene honest and filthy cogitations in meÌ„s mindes were it not but that afterwardes sollowed a punishment of the same difference confused Moreouer impossible it is seeing there is a God that there should be no prouidence and no difference betweene the wicked and the godly The wicked florish here the good are oppressed Ergo Needefull it is that there doe another life remayne wherein the difference shall be For in so much as God declared that he had care ouer Abel Ionathas Esaias and Ieremias before their death if he afterwards did neglect them that should not in déede stande with prouidence and righteousnesse It is manyfest therefore that they which deny there remayneth any other iudgement after death doe derogate from God both prouidence and righteousnes touching a great parte of mankinde yea euen of them which here excell in righteousnes For if God both now neglecte his seruantes and afterwards no immortalitie remayn surely I scarcely vnderstande how eyther prouidence or righteousnes might be attributed vnto God But these thinges are in another place more largely declared at full Verse 9 And the Lorde shall deliuer the oppressed Yea in time conuenient will hee deliuer and in Tribulation Verse 10. And let all that knowe thy name put their trust in thee Because thou forsakest not them that seek thee Oh Lorde THis most sweete promise and consolation let vs oftentimes consider vpon and let vs know that it is not geuen vs in vayne God assirmeth that he wil neuer forsake his Church which truely acknowledgeth inuocateth and worshippeth him He also sheweth what maner of Congregation the true Church is Namelye a poore and feeble congregation and which trusteth in the name of the Lorde as Sophâ—nias in his 3. Chap. saith Neyther in deede doth this Psalme vainly interpose the clause of helpe and deliuerance vnto this promise viz. in times conuenyent but with great prouidence speaketh to this purpose It lyeth not in vs to prescribe God a meane and time but these are altogether to be commended vnto his Prouidence because God after another maner and at other time delyuereth then eyther we in this our imperfection doe thinke or wish for Of this rule there is extant a notable example in the historie of Iudith Cap. 8. When Iudith had knowledge that the Priest had appointed God the space of fiue dayes She chyding the Priest saide Who be you that thus tempte God This speech prouoketh more the wrath of God you haue set God a time to helpe vs being ignorant both of meanes and time to helpe our selues therefore let vs haue God before our eyes and of him craue acceptable euent in silence and hope And that I may let passe other examples which declare that God is both present with his Church and doth vnfayuedly heare the sighinges and prayers of the godlye ones Yea certainly euen in our tune God preserued in safetie the noble Prince Iohn Fridericke Dutie of Sarony both in his warres and in his captiuitie and also afterwardes restored him to liue prosperouslye with his wife and children Verse 10. Sing vnto the Lord which dwelleth in Sion Shew foorth his louing kindnesses vnto the Nations HE clearely affirmeth that there is the Churche and House of God and there doth God dwel where the promise of grace and life euerlasting is preached which God hath reuealed peculyarlye For the Ethnickes doe know the Law after a sorte but for this are they not the children of God But that congregation is the Church of God wherein soundeth the voyce of the Gospell as I haue often sayde els where But after we haue learned which is the true Church let vs know the commandement of God is with minde will prayer and confession we adioyne our selues vnto that Congregation wheresoeuer it be Which when we doe we are then the children of God sociates of the true Church and callers vpon God in confidence of his Sonne our Mediator we are vnfaynedly heard gouerned and preserued of God With this doctrine touching the Church we being confirmed doe seeke refuge in the same Tabernacle of God as the Psalme witnesseth in another place and as it were haue hid vs by the Aulâ—ar Let vs knowe also there is diuers calamities set before our eyes but in these let vs craue and looke for helpe from God For that the Church is burthened with great calamities by the verse following it may be vnderstoode where it is sayde that god wil haus an account made him touching the blood of the godly ones Verse 12. Because he vvill haue an account of theire bloud Hee hath remembred it and forgetteth not the cryinge of the poore HYtherto hath he recyted doctrine of the iudgemente of God and concerning his church and what maner a one it is Now makes he mention of the persecution of the holy
ones which is a Testimony of the future iudgement For impossible it is that God will then neglecte those whom he before shewed himselfe carefull of by notable testimonies As that Iohn Baptiste and Paule did please God manifest testimonies doe shew Needeful is it therfore that there follow another iudgement wherein God will make a difference betweene Iohn Baptist and Herode betweene Paule and Nero. With this consideration of the death of the holy ones let vs fully confirme our selues touching the exaltation in the life to come and let vs assure our selues that the godly ones are not created for these miseries onely For although when as the Sonne of God shal againe openly shew himselfe vnto mankinde the vndoubted and open punishments of all the vngodly shall shall be seene in their effecte Yet notwithstanding euen in this life are their examples set before all men Herode who put Iohn Baptist to death not onely receiued a great ouerthrowe by the hoast of Areta king of the Arabians but also was carryed away captiue into perpetuall exilement vnto Lyons in Frannce This misery happened vnto him almost ten yeares after he had beheaded Iohn Baptist So Herode Agrippa as S. Luke telleth in 12. chap. Actes After very great griefes in his inwarde partes dying the fitte day was worthely punished for his crueltie wherewith hee raged againste the first Church in Christes time But it were long to rekon vp al examples which declare that God wil haue account of the bloud of the godly ones yea euen in this life and that Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saintes Vnto this historie let vs aâ—â—ex the parable of the sâ—ow Iudge and of the Widow Luke 18. Wil not God be aduenged for his chosens sake which crie vnto him night and day and will he be patient in their miseries No I say vnto you he will speedelie be reucnged on their behalfe Verse 13. Haue mercie vpon me beholde my affliction by reafon of mine enemie thou that liftest mee vp from the gates of death Verse 14. That I may shew forth thy prayses in the gates of the daughter of Sion I wil reioyce in thy saluation MAny are the causes why God hath burdened his Church with persecution but the specyall cause is for that he will haue his presence euidently seene when as he either preserueth or restoreth them which are destitute of seconde causes As in 2. Cor. 1. it is sayde Wee haue receaued in our selues the answere of death least wee should put confidence in our owne strength but rather in God who reuiueth the dead which hath taken vs out of so greate daungers that thanks might be rendered vnto him not of manie mens mouthes And a notable testimonie is there in the first example of Adam and Eue which manifestly teacheth that God doth onely helpe mankinde without any seconde causes or other meanes Adam and Eue coulde not after their fall be helped neither by Angels nor by their owne dâ—uyses Here commeth God foorth of his secret Throane receiueth transgressors into fauor and geueth them life So after the example of Adam and Eue follow innumerable examples of Gods benefites besides ordinarie meanes in helping mankinde As when God preserued Noah in the Deluge when he preserued Ioseph whom his brethrene purposed to kill Gen. 37. When he made a way for the Israelites through the red Sea Exod. 14. So defended he Dauid against Goliah and others 4. Reg. 17. So preserued he Daniel amongst the Lyons Dan. 6. and 14. Ionas in the Whales belly Ion. 1. and 2. and in our time that noble Prince Iohn Friderike Duke of Saxonie and Elector in his warres and in his captiuitie And all men which rightly call vpon God may repeate some of their deliuerance wheras they are manifestly preserued by God without second causes or other meanes And therefore doth God heare our prayers gouerne and preserue vs that wee agayne should duelye worship him in his power goodnes and mercie and with worde and wryting magnifie the same What els besides is there which wee can render vnto God Wherefore let vs inculcate or beate into oure mindes the benefites of God and commemorate them amongst others Let vs publish it abroade when we are helped and deliuered that others also may be inuyted vnto the acknowledgement â—â—…ocotion and confidence vpon God Verse 15. The Nations are sunke into the pit which they made In the net which they priuelie laide is their feete taken Verse 16. The Lorde is knowen to haue done iudgementes In the workes of his handes is the vngodlie man taken with meditation Sela HE alludeth vnto the Historie in the 15. of Exod. where it is written that the Egyptians were sunk downe in the Sea like Leade For it is a Verse prouerbiall agréeing with the most elegant figures borowed in the seuenth Psalme Also it hath beene vsed in this place to be questioned of what might be coniectured of the Particle Higgaion There be which déeme this saying to be as much effectuall as the worde Sela and that it is the signe of a certaine great and rare affecte or motion as the Poet saith Non vidisse semel satis sit iuuat vsque tueri In hijs here in his habita haec meditare Its not inough this once to see it vayles we vew it still In these stande in these abide and-minde these with goodwill Other wryters amongest whom is the Reuerende Doctor Luther doe vnderstande it touching the exercise of th ministerie of the worde wherby as with the sword of the Spirite greate matters are accomplished in the Church For vnto vs are weapons geuen not brasen péeces but The worde of God and Prayer By the word we geue the Deuill the foyle as Christe gaue him the foyle when he opposed this worde against him Auoide Sathan It is written Thou shalt worshippe the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue So with the Testimonie of Gods worde doe we refute Heretickes and other vngodly sectes And with Prayer doe we confounde the violency of Tyrantes When Moyses prayed the Hoaste of the Israelites got the vpper hand When we teache and preach the Gospell both Deuils and Tyrantes are ouerthrowen that they are not able to wage battell againste vs nor make horrible spoyles which to bringe to passe they enforce themselues with a certayne outrage of theires Verse 17 Let the vngodly be turned downe into Hel yea all Nations which forget God VNto the discourse as touching the Church he mixeth a rebuke wherein he reprehendeth this great mischiese and sinne that a great parte of men eyther know not God or despise him And inuenteth opinions touching God and worshippinge of him after mannes beastly boldnes This sinne which is the fountayne of all other sinnes and which where it abydeth no vertues are acceptable vnto God doeth the holy Ghost rebuke by Dauid when he sayth Let the Nations pearishe which thinke not vpon God And in
vp and firmelie plant those thinges that are true and vtterly destroy and roote out such thinges as are vnto them contrarie When therefore the Deuill enemie to God and his Church cannot abide the building vp of his works he enforceth Tirantes and their Champions to prepare and practise all the industrie of his kingdome vnto the destruction of the true Church and of the Doctrine which she professeth Of this perpetuall warfare was God the Vmpier in paradise saying I will set enmitie betweene thee and the woman c. And all the Children of God in their Baptisme doe denounce a perpetuall warfare vnto the Deuill In certaine wordes conceiued they promise that they will neuer walke into the tentes of the enemie but to doe all thinges which perteineth vnto the destruction of the kingdome of darcknes By reasonwherof it is euident plain what the cause is that moueth the Deuill and his Instrumentes to striue against the Church But although the Church bee exercised in so many and great dangers yet she is not discouraged in minde but comforteth her selfe in the confidence of Gods presence and helpe and doubteth not but that the wicked enemies shall after a while fall headlong into eternall destruction For that God both careth for and regardeth that Societie which retaineth the Doctrine by him deliuered that same thing doeth his promise in this psalm cleerelie testifie Truely as touchinge the punishment of the enemies he saith It shall raine snares Fire and Brimstone vpon the wicked c. Let vs therefore learne to applie the meaning of this psalme vnto the vse of the matter And in so great varietie of dangers which hang ouer our heads nightes and daies Let vs craue and looke for defence from these Enemies of the Eternall Father of Christ Iesus oure Redeemer Hetherto haue I expounded the Argument of this xi psalme Now if it please you let vs more diligentlie looke vpon euerie Verse Verse 1. IN the Lord I put my truste why then say ye vnto my Soule Flie hence vnto the Hilles like a Birde THe beginning consistes in an Enthymem or Silogisme whose Antecedent is the voice of Faith The Consequent is a reiection of that Clamor and Commination which the wicked ones vse He saith In the Lord put I my trust As if he annexed Who hath in this first Commandement made a League with me that he will take care ouer me and looke vpon me yea helpe me heare me and both in this life and after this life preserue me Seeing therefore I am fortiffed with such defence and sauegarde why doe you threaten and denounce vnto me banishment and punishment Know ye not That there are manie Mansions or dwellinges in my Fathers house For although I must here in this life suffer exilementes great calamities and diuers deathes yet notwithstanding I know that I shal in heaueÌ„ haue euerlasting life ioy and gladnes yea euerduring glorie with the vniuerfall Church With this most swéete and most strong comfort do I strengthen my selfe against the outcryinges of the enemies and I beare about with mee both in hearte and mouth the saying of the Apostle S. paule Rom. 8. If God be with vs who can be againste vs Sure I am that neither banishment nor punishment neither anie thinge els hath such effecte and force that it can plucke me away from the Fatherlie loue of God in deede This thy aboundante knowledge O God we beseech thee seale in our hearts with thy holy Spirite so that wee may be able to obey thée in suffering calamities which daylie fall vpon vs for the confession of thy sincere Doctrine Verse 2. For beholde the vngodlie haue bended theire Bowe They haue prepared their Arrowes vpon theire stringe that they may priuelie shoote at them which are vpright of heart As Tirteus the Musition sayth Est miserum patria amissa laribusue vagari Mendicum timida voce rogare cibos Cum natisue errare tuis coniuge mesta Et cum matre pia cumue parente sene A wretched case thy Countrey lefte to wander coastes vnknowen With trembling tongue craue thy foode not hauing of thine owne And with thy children wander so and with thy woefull wife With good olde Sire and Matrone milde All leading Exiles life BVt much more heauyer a case is it to be nights and dayes conuersant among the dartes of the enemies euery moment to loke for present death And such altother is the state of the church in this life For as Aeneas speaketh of him selfe That he a Stranger and in miserie being driuen out of Europa and Asia wandered through the desertes of Libia The same may much more be saide of the Church exiled in this world For how often are the great multitudes of godly old men Matrones with their Children and seruants dryuen out of their natiue Cities and for them troupes of horsemen sent in which haue troden vnder foote the multitudes of miserable distressed soules Surely Maximinus that I may omitte other examples of crueltie made his decrées to be grauen in brasen Tables whereby the Christians were cast out of all Townes and Villages Neyther in deede are the members of the Church only persecuted with banishmentes but also are with most cruell tormentes taken out of this life Vpon these dangers of the Church the Reader now looking shall more easilie perceiue that she is a Figure or representation of a â—illy birde shaken out of her poore nest and flyinge amongest the dartes of her enemies Verse 3. Because the foundations are destroyed what hath the righteous done THe thirde Verse expoundeth the cause why the church is dâ—strâ—â—â—ed with so huge a multitude of calamities For although she be like the Doue which hath no gall hurtes not with her bill and hath harmeles dees Yet for this cause is she hated of the world for that she truely and simplie publisheth the worde of God and sharply reprehendeth lewde opinions and prophane worshipings of God which s 〈…〉 to ouerthrow and vtterly to deface the foundation l 〈…〉 y God The Church warreth not for riches she seekes not for promotion by mouinge seditions she rageth not in slaughters other mischiâ—es which trouble the societies of men But she gathers together the pure graynes of sound Doctrine and plucketh vp the tares out of the field This Extyrhation cannot the worlde away withall being bewitched with loue of his owne wisdome and righteousnes Therefore draweth he his Sworde against the Church therefore blustereth he out fire and lightning against her as histories of all ages declare the same Verse 4. The Lorde is in his holie Temple The Lord hath his seate in heauen His eies doe beholde all things and his eye liddes shal trie the sonnes of men THe fourth Verse opposeth against these furies of the enemies the promise of God which assureth the god ly ones of protection and sauegard We are no doubt destitute of mans help and defence neither seemes there here to
â— saying of Arist who in y e 1. booke of his Pol. condemneth vsuries in these words Vsury is iustly hated because money is vsed for a marchandise out of that which nature maketh not profitable taketh profit But money is made for bying selling it is then especiallie against nature that money is made a marchandise The last vertue wherof mentioÌ„ is here made is coÌ„stan â—ie That is a perseueraÌ„ce in true purpose which is neither vanquished w t hope of coÌ„modity nor broken w t fear This vertue did Thucidides ascribe vnto Perycles in his 2 booke where he saith Pericles was indued with such faith that he seemed impossible to be corrupted with money But how hard a thing it is for such a maÌ„ to be born which w t hands féet mind is by all meanes faithful vncorrupted y e saying of Simonid techeth which Plato in Prot. reciteth Verse 6. He that doth these things shal not faile for euer A Perspicuous senteÌ„ce it is which for good works promiseth not only corporal spiritual rewards in this life but also in y e life to come After the same manner touching rewards in both liues doth y e son of God pronouÌ„ce in y e 10. cap. of Mark He that forsaketh house for my sake for the gospel shal receiue an hundred folde now in this life with persecution in the world to come life euerlasting And in the 1. Epist vnto Tim. cap. 4. it is said Godlines is profitable vnto al things hauing promises of this life present of the life to come But in the saying of Christ it is expreslye added with persecutioÌ„ to the end we may know y t both of these promises are true y t rewardes shal for good workes here be geueÌ„ and that y e church in this life for many causes of which we wil in their due place intreate is subiect vnto persecution How these doe agree in trueth they which are instructed aright in the doctrine of the gospell may rightly iudge The xvj Psalme Conseruame c THE ARGVMENT LIke as gold excelleth all other mettals not onlie in brightnes but also in effecte seing it both giueth courage vnto the hart and enfeebleth the beginninges of leprie that they can not spread further so in the whole booke of Psalmes there are excellent Psalmes which containe prophecies of the passions and resurrection and of the eternall kingdome of Christ For the whole scripture prophetical and apostolical is chieflie directed vnto this bounde or limit That we shoulde beleue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God and that we so beliuing might in his name haue life For it is saide Iohn 20. If anie man in the reading of the scripture do not seeke Christ crucified c. risen from death to life and nowe raigning at the right hand of God the father this man must needes be in a greate erroure and in the ignorant of the chiefest matters as the Prophet Esaie speaketh of the blindnes of the Jewes Chap. 29. And the vision of all the Prophetes is become vnto you as the words of a booke that is sealed vp which men deliuer to one that is learned saying Reade thou in it and he saith I can not for it is sealed and the booke is giuen to him that is not learned saying reade thou in it and he saith I am not learned Wherefore seinge this Psalme entreateth of the death resurrection and euerlastinge kingdome of Christ it is not vainelie nor vnaduisedlie called a golden gift And least anie man doubt of this meaning of the Psalme let him heare the discourses of the Apostles which are extant in the 2. and 13. Chap. of the Actes For so Peter full of the holy Ghost cyting the testimonie of this 16. Psalme sayth Men and Brethren may I boldlie speake vnto you of the Patriarke Dauid because he is dead and buried and his Sepulchre is with vs vntill this day Therefore seeing he was a Prophet and knew that God had sworne vnto him by an oth that fruit of his loynes should sitte vpon his seate he with foreknowledge spake of the resurrection of Christ because he was not lefte in the graue neither shal his flesh see any corruption And S. Paule in the 13. of the Actes sayth Dauid in his generation when he had serued his time by the will of God slepte and was laide vnto his Fathers and saw corruption But he whom God raysed from the death saw no corruption After that it is determined vpoÌ„ what person speaketh in this psalme Let vs consider the parts of this psalme which are two The former is a feruent prayer wherin Christ feeling not only the scourgings tormentes of his bodie but also inspeakable feares and astonishmentes of the minde prayeth that the wrath proceeding from his Eternall Father might being pacified by this his obedience satisfie the righteousnes of God and that his Sonne might rise from death to life and raigne in eternal felowshippe with his Father Eternall and there to geue vnto his heritage euerlasting life and saluation The other parte of this psalme is a thankesgeuing of Christ risen from death to life glorified wherin he honoureth the presente helpe of God and his marueylous deliueraunce This summe of the Psalme is first to be considered afterwards let the partes or members thereof be looked vpon Verse 1 SAue me O Lorde because I haue trusted in thee I haue saide vnto the Lord Thou art my God for thy sake it is not well with me SVffer me not to pearishe in this moste great agony of all the like wherof neuer any man hath nor shall suffer but helpe me wrastlinge with death and delyuer me and restore mee into that glory which I had with thee in the beginning before the world was made But some men perhaps aske the question Why doth Christ make this requeste when hee sayeth in another place that he will yealde vp his life and take the same agayne Why doth he aske that which is in his owne power Againe when he knoweth the euente hereof why faynteth he as in a doubtfull matter These questions vnwillingly I doe but touch by the way for they rise but from vayne and prophane mindes But I wil answere briefly First the times must be discerned in the History touching Christ At this time of his passion the deuine nature ceased in him as Ireneus speaketh and he unfaynedly suffered not onely naturall feare of death but also another farre greater and more vnspeakable sorowe For that in deede hee felte the wrath of God agaynst the sinnes of mankind which was poured vpon him euen as if hee had defiled him selfe with the sinnes of all men These although they be vnspeakable griefes yet are they signifyed when it is sayde For thy sake it is not well with me That is by reason of thy marueylous and secrete prouidence of redéeminge mankinde not for any sinnes of mine Vnto the second question we may more easily answere
the day of tribulation and I will delyuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me So Christ being by all meanes tryed like as we are tryed sinne alwayes I except called vpon his father and rendered thankes to him for that he heard his prayer as in this place he saith I will magnifie the Lord which hath prouided for me And as we learne many thinges in time of calamities So Christ being taught euen in his passion learned to beare with our infirmities as in the 4. cap. to the Hebrewes is written Verse 8 I haue set the Lord in my sight for euer because he is on my right hand that I shall not faile Verse 9 For this cause is my hart glad and my tongue hath reioyced yea and moreouer my flesh shall rest in hope HE recyteth two good giftes where into lookinge he comforteth and confirmeth him selfe The one is the will of God The other is hope of a newe glorie in his resurrection The sonne of God knewe that he was made a sacrifice by the singular and vnspeakable prouidence of God and that this his sacrifice was the randsome for all mankinde After this he looked for or hoped after a resurrection and tryumphe ouer sinne death and hell and with this hope did he mitigate his distressed state But let vs remember this example that we also in calamities may performe obedience and learne partly with acknowledgment of Gods will and partly with hope of delyuerance to lenifie and mitigate the greatnes of our sorowes Verse 10 Because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer the holie one to see corruption NOtably saith S. Augustine Maior est huius scripturae authoritas quam totius humani ingenij capacitas That is Greater is the authoritie of this scripture then the captiuitie of all the wisdome of men For here men do inquire of the article how Christ discended vnto hell what that discending may be First some men vnderstande that before his death his discending vnto hell was signified in that agony of his death wherein Christ felt the horrible taste of Gods wrath against our sinnes Some againe vnderstands the same his death and buriall to be his discending into hell But let vs simply beleue that Christ in deede raised the fathers from death to life as Peter saith He preached vnto the soules which were in miserie This maner of visitinge the fathers after Peters saying do I vnderstand to be his discending into hell neither will I curiously dispute vpon the matters but let the modest and godly persons consider certaine secrete misteries of the death and resurrrection of Christ which the fathers that were raised from death to life hoped after to be signifyed in Peters saying which are more playner recyted in any place Let the reader séeke for a larger exposicion of this litle verse in the commentarie of D. Martin Luther where he expoundeth the 42. cap. of Genesis Verse 11 Thou hast made knowne the wayes of life vnto me filling my countenance with gladnes there is pleasure at thy right hand for euer THe last verse by notable limites distinguisheth this short and fraile life from that which is onely to be called a life in deede For what is this life but a continual Consumption and passage vnto death as in the verse of Manilius it is saide Nascentes morimus finisque ab origine pendet That is New borne into this world we dye our death from first day of life drawes nye Moreouer in this life God alwayes nere vnto one good happe distributeth two euill neyther is there any delectation or gladnes of our minde so perfecte or sounde but it is corrupted or sowred with some bitter sorrow But that life whereunto after a while we shalbe raysed vp and reuiued shall be the true and not fayling life but most plentiful of ioy and gladnes which we shal receiue by the sight and presence of God and his euerlasting ioy wherof in déed that the eternal father would together with his Sonne and holy Ghost make vs partakers let vs al with our whole hearts continually pray Amen The xvij Psalme Exaudime Domine iustitiam c. THE ARGVMENT SO often as we thinke in our minds vpon filthy opinions which with horrible boldnes Heretikes and Fanaticall teachers in all ages haue spread abroad touching God it cannot be but we must with all our hearts abhor the same make our prayers that the Sonne of God would with his light gouerne our mindes and with his holie spirite illuminate and confirme in vs true acknowledgemente of God And truelie me seemeth no doubt it is but that Dauid recyting these wordes of praiet Directe thou my goinges that my footesteppes faile not gathered in his minde the furies of all ages which the deuill hath dispersed in mankinde because hee seeketh all meanes he can to blaspheme God and sith he is one that reioyceth in mischiefe is delighted with the horrible miserie of men after he hath forciblie destroyed them whom he hath plucked away from God and snared in his errors Let vs therefore thinking of these furies continuallie recite this psalme and with feruent prayers let vs beseech God that for his Sonnes sake he would with his holie spirite illuminate in our mindes the Doctrine manifested from him and also true Inuocation or prayer Neither that he woulde suffer vs to goe astray from him but that for his glorie sake he would gouern vs so as we may truelie acknowledge and cal vpon him which that he may effectually worke in vs with my whole heart I beseeche him Amen Verse 1. HEare O Lorde my righteousnes geue eare vnto my petition With thine eares receiue my prayer proceeding not from deceitfull lippes LIke as the Shippe with prosperous winde is spedely carryed in her course so our prayer is more profounde and is better heard when the minde is feruent with some desire as in the verse it is saide Dole tantum sponte disertus eris That is Onlie sorrowfull if thou be thou art distressed willinglie Nec Lachrimis tantum expletur sed etiam verbis egeritur dolor Neither with teares is sorrow expleate But also with words becomes more great Wherefore seeing Dauid thrice repeateth one and the same prayer it is cleere what ardent motions the most sacred breast of the Prophet did feele For not a more sharper sorrow is felte in the mindes of the godly ones then that which is conceyued by the corruptions of doctrine which doe blaspheme God and bringe plague and destruction vnto the Church And before in the eyght psalme I saide there is a two folde maner of righteousnes the one of the person the other of the cause He therefore in this place craueth not that his righteousnes but that the righteousnes of his cause might be heard as if he sayde For thy names sake euen for thine owne names sake doe thou this that blasphemers may be confounded This argument doth hée vse in many Psalmes For we must pray
vnto vs the best part which Marie did chuse which may in no age at anie time be taken away from vs. Luc. 11. Verse 15 But I in thy righteousnes shall see thy face when I shall awake I shall be satisfyed with thy presence THe hope of eternal life is a consolation principal which asswageth al other miseries is together coÌ„teyned in al other consolations S. Paule endured great unseries vexations beholding the end which he knew was laid vp in the life euerlasting But in meane time he suffered calamities punishments because he should obey God So we although we are dispised of Epicures made as open prayes vnto the practises of tirants yet in hope of life euerlasting wherein we shal be adorned with a newe light and righteousnes let vs suffer the short fraile calamities of this life For as S. Paule saith A smale time of tribulatioÌ„ bringeth great treasure of glory euerlasting 2. Cor. 4. Amen The xviij Psalme Diligam te Domine c THE ARGVMENT THe argument of this Psalme is most euident partlie by the title partlie by the scoape of the historie for both the title declareth that Dauid rendered God thankes for defence against the violence fraude of his enimies and also the order of the historie sufficientlie sheweth that this Psalme is Dauids swannes songe a litle after called vnto the ende of his life For like as swannes do singe when they dye So Dauid and all the godlie ones before the flitting out of this life do worshippe God with prayer thankesgeuing and confession And that the readinge of this Psalme is more sweeter and shorter let the godlie ones consider with what varietie Dauids enimies behaued theÌ„ selues For first he was more sharplie assaulted in battle by Saule who burned with ambition and sorowed sore to see his seruant Dauid to be aduanced before him and that valiant warriar his sonne Ionathas So that burning with desire of reuenge he not onely laide subtile snares for Dauid but also sheweth priestes which gaue entertainement vnto Dauid all theire retinew also Therefore in purpose and euent did he comprobate the sentence of Polinices the tyrant which Seneca maketh mention of Proregno velim Patriam parentes coniungem flammis dare imperia precio quolibet constaÌ„tbene In inglish thus So I may rule both country parentes wife and all would I burne and destroye To rule oh braue no price too deare can buy Moreouer continuall battels were sought by Dauid with the nations lying neere him as with the Palestines Syrians Edomites Amalechites Ammonites and Moabites as afterwardes in the 60. psalme he writeth the Nations by name which were enemies vnto the people of God Thirdlie he felt the domesticall wound made by his sonne Absolon then which nothing could be thought more bitter as Sophocles saith Nullum atrocius vulnus est quam defectio amici No wound more gréeuous nor more great Then when a frend doth frendshippe breake Finallie hee found by proofe the falsifying of Cebas faith and of others most troblesome Citizens touching whom it is written in the 2. Reg. cap. 20. Therefore who marueileth by right that Dauid coulde amongest so many and so great impedimentes gouerne his kingdome for that fortie yeares But he was as D. Luther vsed to say A kinge after faith in God and the promis of God towardes him That is with the worde of God and with faith he ouercame the deuil and the world For as saith S. Iohn 1. epist 5. cap. This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith But although this accoÌ„modation of the psalme no doubt is most true touching the historie of Dauids battels and his deliuerance yet because betweene the head the other members in man there is great difference The interpretation hath no absurditie which applyeth the meaning of this Psalme vnto Christ Therefore was Christ and his church assaulted of the Iewes tirantes heretikes and false brethren and yet are they not vtterlie ouerthrowen but thy Christ and his church shall remaine for all Eternitie as it is written The gates of hell shall not preuaile against the most strong rocke whereupon the foundations of the church is builte Verse 1 I Will loue thee O God my Fortitude Verse 2 The Lord is my defence my Castle and deliuerer My God and my Rocke Verse 3 My Shield yea the throne of my saluation is he and my Exalter THis number of Epithets or names of God is a lightsome Paraphrase of the first precept Exod. 20. I am the Lord thy God c. That is truely receauing thee and caring for thee geuing thee not only benefites in this present life but also righteousnes and life euerlasting for thy Mediator sake Ego sum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tuum I am thy keeper thy defence I bring thee wealth and health when thou art forsaken of all Creatures But no discourse of wordes is like the efficacte of those matters which the doctrine of the first precept conteyneth Therfore I am now bréefer and doe procéede vnto the verses following Verse 4. I will call vpon the Lord who is praised and I shall be safe from mine enemies LIke as the complete harnesse nothing profiteth the Soldyar except he put it vpon him and vse his armoure indeede for the defence of his owne bodie and his weapons to foyle therewith his enemies So the promâ—se of the first precept is not auayleable to the hearer except by faith he embrace the same and apply the same vnto vse in prayer and petition for present and eternall benefites He therefore affirmeâ—h that by faith he will cal vpon God whome he hath hetherto praysed and magnified him with so great copie of most swéete appellaâ—â—ons or Epithetes that he might obtaine defence of his life present and also the benefites of eternall life Let euery one follow this example seing in déede it is set forth to be followed and let them not doubt that they shall receiue both necessarie and wholesome benefites Verse 5 The cordes of death encompassed me And the flouddes of Beliall sore troubled me Verse 6 The cordes of hel encompassed me the snares of death preuented me A Declaration of ingent feares and sorrowes which cannot be descrybed â—â— wordes for when as Saint Paule saith there is within vs. feares without strife concurring It cannot besaide what burning heate the hart of man feeleth and abydeth But because in the thirtenth Psalme I haue somewhat spoken as touchinge these astonishmentes I will not so oftentimes whet the edge of my hatchet Verse 7 In my trouble did I call vpon the Lorde and cryed vnto my God and he heard me out of his holy place and in his sight entred into his eares IN the fiftie Psalme there is a precept geuen vs touching Inuocation or Prayer whereunto is adioyned a most sweete promise of God that he will heare vs. Of the same rule in this place is an example set downe For he sheweth cleerely by what
and asswaged so often as she is eyther conforted with inwarde consolation eyther elles feeleth delyuerance redy prest before her eyes Verse 3 Haue mercy vpon me and heare my prayer LYke as in other affaires the minde which is ferueÌ„t in affaires oftentimes rehearsâ—th one sentence by garnishing of the same so Dauid in chaunging the wordes doth repeate the same thinge in the end of his verse which he had said in the beginning A litle before he craâ—ed to be heard for the righteousnes of God touching the which righteousnes the Gospel doth at large intreate Here he prayeth to be heard by the mercy of God But although the lawe discerneth Gods righteousnes from his mercy yet by the phraise of the Gospell righteousnes and mercy are both one thing in God For God iustifieth vs by mercy promised for his sonnes sake and for the righteousnes or obedience of his Sonne through his great mercy receyueth vs. Wherefore there is no difference betwene these two formes of speakinge viz. Heare me oh God of my râ—ghteousnes And Hake mercy vpon me and heare me Verse 4. Oh ye Sonnes of men how longe will ye dispyse my glory THis first part of the third verse grieueously rebuketh the vngodlyones sâ—â—â—â—ing and subuerting the studyes of heauenly doctrine For we may see many so light of disposit oÌ„ and so boldly bragging that they doutt not to compare the sayinges of the prophetes and of the apostles with Democritus his disputaâ—yons Who as Cicero saythe taught with greate Authority greatest vanityes or tryfles And Bembus who was after wards made Cardenall when hee came vnto Sadoletus and had perceyued that he bestowed some trauell in expounding Paules epistie vnto the Romanes Leaue of sayth hee these toyes suche foolish tryfles are vnfitting for suche a graue person as you are Italy is full of such lyke Judgments where when some doe enter into theyre Churches they say they come vnto a common erroure Others although they iudge not of the Gospell as of a vaine tale yet they abhor the natiue meaning or effecte thereof as it were a firebrand of seditions and the confusion of policies Some beinge bewitched with lewde opinions doe curse the wisdome of the Gospell as the corruption of good maners and the lousnes of discipline These vngodly and prophane iudgements doth Dauid with a graue speeche reprehend calling the Gospel his glory like as S. Paule saith I am not ashamed of the Gospel which is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleueth And in Iohn 15. In this is my father gloryfied if you be mademy Disciples and that you beare much fruite The wisdome of the Lawe is a certaine magnificent and glorious thing whereby common welthes are gouerned and this humaine socyetie is kept in good order But a more necessarie and wholsome matter is the true acknowledgement of the Mediator which is vnderstoode by the Gospell and which is the right way leading vnto life euerlasting Let vs therefore learne to magnify this glory and to prefer the same before all humain matters Yea although we be proudlye deryded of Epicures politike men and of hypocrites Verse 5. You loue vanities and seeke after leasinge THis particle of the second verse may rightly be applyed vnto the doctrine and lyfe of the vngodly ones For what are the opinions of other nations touchinge God but sclaunders tryfling toyes and fables That I may vse Paules wordes And neyther are they onely so but many are the open erroures in such as worship Idoles as the examples of Ethnikes Turkes and Papistes do shewe which sith they be knowne vnto all men I thinke them not nedfull for me to remember theÌ„ And I tremble in eche parte of my body so oft as I think vpon the multitude of the gods which the Ethnikes haue with such madnes imagined of theire maner in sacrefysing of men of the wicked and damnable confusion of theire lustes But I beseech God to represse the rayginge deuil and not to suffer such furies to be sene in the Church And if a man turne him with minde and consideration to behold the lyfe of the vngodly ones he shall finde al thinges full of vanities and foolishnes The vngodly séeke after pleasures and such like thinges thereto pertayning But howe much vanitie there is in these thinges what wise man vnderstandeth not For mans bodye is weake his beauty fraile his health vncerteine his lyfe short his hououre vaine pleasure corrupte wisdome smale vertue seeble and his affections boysterous Finally all these faide away quickly like flowers and theire chaunge is more easie then of the swiftest flee that flyeth wherefore it is euident that not onely the doctrine of other nations but also the lyfe of the vngodly is most full of vanity and foolishnes Verse 6. Knowe ye that the Lord doth deale wonderfully with his holy one IN the third verse he beginneth a consolation which is to be opposed against sorowes which the godly endure But heare as I consider this verse I remember the elegant and learned Paraphrasis wherewith Eobanus Hessus openeth this same verse Mirificas Domini tandem cognoscite leges In quibus exercet quos amat ipse suos Depremit vt releuet premit vt solatia prestet Enecat vt possint viuere esse super The Lorde his marueilous Lawes at length knowe ye Wherein those whom he loueth he doth traine He bringeth lowe vnto the ende that he May them comforte and eke relieue againe He geueth griefe and solace sendeth ofte He killes that they may liue and dwell aloft But peradueneure same man will say It goeth well with the Just Iohn Baptist S. Paule and such like are Just and holy therefore it must néedes be well with them This Psalme meeteth with this obiection and answereth orderly vnto the propositions Although saith it the Maior be true That it ought to be well with the Just and after this life all good thinges shall bee geuen and bestowed vpon them yet not withstanding God in his secrete and wonderfull counsell deferreth rewardes and punishmentes in this life and more straitly exerciseth the chiefe members of his church then others The causes of this his connsel are manifolde wherof some are recyted in the doctrine of the Church For the calamities of y e godly are eyther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is punishmentes for certaine offences as the banishment of Dauid was the puninshmeÌ„t for his adultrie Either els they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trials or exercises of their faith as the imprisonmeÌ„t of Ioseph or els they ar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is notable and euident testimonies of the kinde of doctrine and of iudgement to come Furthermore touching the Minor he answereth The holy ones in this life are Iust through Imputation for the Sonne of God his sake and some obedience is begun in them But as yet they are not indued with sincere newnes of life and agréeable strength touching the Law of God wherewith they shalbe