vp for the finishing and closing vp of the diuine seruice And indeede because they are briefe and set forth very notable doctrine Therefore they were most meete for the conclusion and closing vp of all If men would learne to pray vnto God and craue for any mercy and blessing at his hands loe here bee excellent platformes of true heartie and earnest prayers if men would giue thanks for blessings receiued or for Iudgement escaped or for deliuerance from wicked vngodly men here be most worthy examples and directions Againe if men would finde comfort in temptation troubles and affliction and learne with patience to beare them there is no part of the Bible more sweete and comfortable then this booke of the Psalmes therfore it should be our delight and study and we ought to spend the more time in reading and in meditating of so worthy a Booke according to that of our Sauiour Search the Scriptures because that wil bring a man to true happinesse in the end Psal 124. Verse 1. If the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side c. The Argument of the Psalme THis Psalme is a thanks-giuing to God for his great mercy in preseruing his people placed as the Stories do shew in the midst of the Gentiles and heathen people and as a flocke of sheep in a wilde forrest or in respect of the multitude as a Citie compared to a mightie kingdome being compassed on euery side with the Kings of the Assyrians The people of Israel as a sheepe among many wolues the Egyptians the Ammonites the Ishmalites the Moabites who Sathan had stirred vp with deadly hatred to vexe and persecute them seeking by all meanes to roote out them from off the earth that thereby hee might vtterly deface and abolish the word and worship of the Lord. This danger Dauid saw and thanked God which had preserued his people from the rage of many Lyons and Dragons which notwithstanding that they neuer ceased to seeke their destruction yet all that they went about was in vaine And what a miracle was this that this people could so long continue notwithstanding the malice and rage of so many deuils Dauid therefore in this Psalme exhorteth his people to be thankfull to the Lord their God for so mightily preseruing defending and deliuering them from the violence of so many Nations and Kingdomes hating them and persecuting them on euery side If the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side now may Israel say If the Lord himself had not been on our side when men rose vp against vs c. Here the Prophet Dauid exhorteth the people to consider how mercifully God had deliuered thē from the hands of their enemies and how miraculously he had preserued that kingdome and also to praise God with him for the same which words are not to be restrained to Dauids time onely for the Heathen people had oftentimes before warred against them with such force and power as was like to the rage of most huge and terrible floods of water whereof hee speaketh here ready to ouerflow them therefore seeing he mentioneth heere no one kind of deliuerance it seemeth that he meaneth in these words of thanksgiuing to set forth whatsoeuer God had done for the succour and deliuerance of his people at any time before Wherein he sheweth as it were in a glasse the dangerous estate of the Church from the beginning that the faithful may learn to know that it hath not been preserued by the strength and pollicy of man but by the miraculous power hand of God and therefore in their troubles and afflictions should alwaies fly to God for help and succour Israel signifieth the people of God let vs acknowledge thē that there is no way for Gods people to escape the hands of their enemies but by the help power of God and that he will haue the praise and glory therof to be giuen to him alone This praise can none giue vnto God but the true Israel hauing experience both of their owne weaknesse the force and power of their enemies the dangers past and of the mercifull helpe and protection of the Lord. Hence wee learne that it is our dutie to binde our selues by solemne couenant promise to God Solemne vowes a christian dutie that so he deliuer vs from misery trouble affliction iudgments punishments and from vnreasonable men that then we will offer vnto him prayse and thankesgiuing call vpon him serue and worshippe him all our dayes Gen. 28.2.21 Iacob vowed that if the Lord would bee with him in his iourney to keepe him and defend him in it hee would then build an house to God and worship him there Iosias made a couenant vnto the Lord and all the people with him Psa 1.16.14 31. to serue the Lord who did deliuer him from the curse of the Law Dauid did often vse this to binde himselfe by couenant to serue the Lord hee payde his vowes hee made to God So Iephtah vowes vnto the Lord that that hee would offer sacrifice vnto the Lord who gaue him victorie Iudg. 11 30. And though the matter of his vow was vnlawfull yet his vow to honor God was the fruit of his faith Well then seeing it is not onely lawfull but our dueties euen to make solemne couenant vnto God that if he shall be fauourable vnto Sion and build vp the walls of Ierusalem that if he shall deliuer vs from any misery iudgment or affliction whatsoeuer that then wee will bee carefull to honour God and to bee thankfull to his Maiestie Let vs then make this couenant with the Lord our God let vs vow obedience and newnesse of life and let vs say with Dauid Psal 119.106 I haue sworne and haue stedfastly purposed to keepe thy righteous iudgement Let vs euen take a solemne vow of our owne soules that by the grace of God wee will haue more care to prayse him to honor him to serue him to call vpon him And so accordingly let vs be mindfull to performe the same for the Lord will require alll the vowes we make vnto him First this may stirre vs vp to consider what a solemne vow and promise wee haue made in Baptisme that is to forsake the diuell and all his works the vaine pompe and glory of the world that wee will forsake sinne and Sathan so as we will not bee led nor ruled by them yea that wee will manfully fight vnder the banner of Christ Iesus become his faithfull souldiers and seruants vnto our liues end Secondly sworne seruants Not onely are we bought to bee Christs seruants but also wee are sworne for Baptisme as on the part of God it is a seale of the couenant of grace to confirme that promise of remission of sinnes which God hath made to vs in the blood of Iesus Christ So on our parts it is a solemn resignation of of our selues and our seruice to the Lord wherin we giue vp our
Psal 119. Behold mine affliction And notwithstanding godly men be full of afflictions sorrowes and sicknesses necessities molestations and disgraces yet al these or whatsoeuer other calamities vanish away in time and the hope of Gods fauor blessed reward from him shal out liue all these and take place when these are abolished Psal 37.37 Marke well the vpright man and hehold the iust for the end of that man is peace that which he desired hee shal enioy a faithfull man shal not be frustrated of his expectatiō nor defeated of that hee hopes for According as the Psalmes sayth The poore man shall not alway be forgotten Psal 31.29 the expectation of the poore shall not perish for euer for that is euer grounded vpon faith and faith is surely grounded vpon Gods promises Dauid was a godly man and dearely beloued of the Lord his God yet he was sore humbled by affliction Ioh. 15.2.1 for euen those branches which are fruitfull God will purge to make them more fruitful Our nature is so rebellious that without sore afflictions it cannot bee tamed and subdued Stones cannot bee squared for Pallace worke without strokes of the hammer gold cannot be purged and prepared for worke without fire neither is corn separated from the chaffe without winde we are Gods corne let vs abide the winde of temptation to clense vs from the chafe of our corruption wee must suffer the fire of afliction that wee may bee fined and made vessels of honour for the house of God and we must be content that the hammer of God strike vpon vs to beat away the prowd lumps that so we may bee squared and made readie like liuely stones to be layd in heauenly Ierusalem By the which examples we may learne to know the will of the Lord and to seeke our helpe and safety at his hands which suffereth his people to bee exercised in the furnace of Egypt not to their vtter destruction but onely to kill the old man with his vain hope and confidence which hee hath in his owne strength this is the cause why God suffereth his people so to be exercised For it is not hearing reading talking or teaching onely which maketh a Christian man but practise is that which is further required in a true Christian That is to say the crosse to plucke downe the flesh and bring it to nothing that man dispairing of his owne strength and seeing no succour in himselfe should resigne himselfe wholy to the Lord looking with patience and hope for helpe at his hands To know this doctrine is one peece of the victory for they that know it not when temptations assayleth them either doe dispayre or seeke other helpes Let vs learne then out of this Psalme that it is the will of God to exercise his Saints with troubles and afflictions Iam. 1.12 Blessed is the man who endureth temptation for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them who loue him Therfore this is a necessary conclusion our helpe is in the name of the Lord it is a short sentence but it setteth foorth most worthy doctrine and consolation whereof especially in these latter dayes we haue great need seeing the Pope together with the greatest part of the world so cruelly persecute the doctrine of the Gospel c. In respect of these huge mountaines what are we small mole-hils yea though they were no force nor powe of man for vs to feare how are wee able to stand against not onely so many Diuels but euen the very gates of hell also and yet this experience wee haue of the great mercy and goodnesse of the Lord our God that when we are euen in the hands and neuer so much oppressed yet are we not forsaken but are safe through our confidence and trust in his helpe but to this wisedome it is impossible for vs to attaine without continuall afflictions The fruit of afflictions Whereby it is necessary that the confidence of all worldly succours should be beaten downe for vexation and trouble bringeth vnderstanding as Isaiah sayth whereby we are compelled to cry Helpe Lord for else wee perish So in the last houre when death approcheth there is nothing wherein mans heart can repose it selfe or finde comfort but in the helpe of the Lord there is rest and quietnesse there is perfect peace he that can then say my helpe is in the name of the Lord and lay hold on Iesus Christ by a true and iustifying faith dyeth happily and is out of all danger Thus we may learne what it is to haue and enioy God euen to rest in sure trust of his mercyfull helpe and succour in all dangers these are the words therefore of a triumphing and victorious faith our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord which made heauen and earth as if he sayde the maker of heauen and earth is my God and my helper Ye see whither he flyeth in his great distresse hee dispaireth not but cryeth vnto the Lord as one yet hoping assuredly to finde reliefe and comfort rest thou also in this hope and doe as he did Dauid was not tempted to the end he should dispaire In the temptations of sinne and of the wrath of God what we ought to doe thinke not thou therefore that thy temptations are sent vnto thee that thou shouldest bee swallowed vp with sorrow desparation if thou be brought downe to the very gates of Hell beleeue that the Lord will surely rayse thee vp againe If so thou be bruised and broken know it is the Lord that will helpe thee againe If thy heart be full of sorrow and heauinesse looke for comfort from him who said Psal 51.17 That a troubled Spirit is a Sacrifice vnto him Thus hee setteth the eternall God the Maker of Heauen and Earth against all Troubles and Dangers against the flouds and ouerflowings of all Tentations and swalloweth vp as it were with one breath all the raging furies of the whole World and of Hell it selfe euen as a little drop of water is swallowed vp of a mightie flaming fire and what is the World with all his force and power in respect of him that made Heauen and Earth Let the World fret then let it rage then so that this succour neuer fayle vs and if it be the will of God that wee shall suffer Trouble and Affliction yet in him wee shall ouercome at length Onely happie and sure is the estate of that man who is in Christ neither Life nor Death things present nor things to come shall separate him from the loue of God in Christ Iesus Our helpe standeth in the Name of the Lord which hath made Heauen and Earth Hence I gather this Doctrine That no elect child of God that is truely regenerate and borne anew and a liuely member of Christs mysticall Body can perish and finally fall away Rom. 8.30 For whome hee predestinateth him hee calleth whom
all outward things to his hearts wish Zacheus had mercy enough when saluation was come to his house hee neuer got so fast before as now he forgoes restores he was neuer compassed with mercy till now though he was a great rich man neuer so rich as now when he was impouerishing himselfe to entertaine Christ in his house and heart Iacob when he saw Iosephs face his best beloued Son now saith he I haue enough let me now dye seeing I haue seene my sonne Iosephs face how much more shall we haue enough to see the face of the well-beloued Sonne of God yea and God himselfe in that wel-beloued one appeased and fully pacified Simeon hauing seen Christ with his eyes and held him in his armes Now Lord said he let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seen thy saluatiō but to see christ by the eye of faith hold him in our hearts will make death much more welcome to vs we shal think we haue enough the sweet sense of it will frame the mouth to speake plentifully of it as our Prophet doth in this place neither can any good heart either lightly account or speake slenderly of such a mercy neither content it selfe with slight meanes to get it or with superficial phrases in holding it In a word if once wee can claspe hold on this mercy of God in pardoning our sinnes we could desire euen to liue no longer in this world were it not to come to a more full sense fruition of it Where hee addeth from henceforth and for euer by rhese words he sheweth that this vigilancy of the Lord our God ouer vs is not temporall but eternall according to that which he sayd before in the first verse of this Psalme they shall remaine for euer Let vs learne therfore out of this Psalme that our constancy and perseurance consisteth in this that we are defended by the power and prouidence of the Lord on euery side Verse 3. For the rodde of the vngodly cometh not into the lot of the righteous lest the righteous put their hand vnto wickednesse HEre the Prophet plainly decalreth that the people which rest vnder this defence and protection are afflicted and subiect to all miseries and calamities as touching the flesh although they be compassed about with high and mighty mountaines as touching the spirit as Sathan can neuer surmount yet touching the flesh and the old man they lye open on euery side to the darts of Sathan and of the world for God by these means will afflict and exercise the flesh that sinne and the foolishnesse of the flesh may be mortified in them and that spirituall wisedome and the inward man may increase this is the cause why we are according to the flesh as a broken hedge and as a citie Whose walles are cast downe and so lyeth open to the enemy on euery side Hereof cometh intollerable blasphemyes cruell torments and bloody slaughters of the Saints of God for the flesh hath no walles no munitions to defend it but the spirite therefore the flesh is in danger to all stormes and tempests as the Prophet Esay sayth which haue sayd vnto thy soule bow downe that we may go ouer thou hast layd the body as the ground and as the street to them that went ouer These afflictions wee must needes suffer and by patience ouercome them and withall we must beware that by these outward afflictions the inward man be not weakened or ouercome resting in the assured hope and trust that the Lord will neuer forsake vs but that wee are in the bosome of the Father and are closed within most sure and strong holds so that now although our goods our Wiues our Children yea our liues also be taken from vs yet wee shall neuer bee spoyled of our Christ by whom we are so surely defended that in the middest of all our tentations hee will make a way for vs to escape or else giue vs strength to beare them Blessed is the Man who indureth tentation Iam. 1.12 for when hee is tryed hee shall receiue the Crowne of life which the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Thus wee see what consolations the holy Ghost setteth forth vnto them which beleeue the word for vnto such as looke for a better life then this is all things are here full of calamities and miseries death followeth death as Saint Paul saith and we continually die one temptation followeth another vntill at the length by the death of the flesh all miseries shall cease and haue an end This verse therfore admonisheth vs that wee must suffer many troubles yet so that at length wee shall be safe and set at libertie from them although not in this life yet in the life to come as this verse full of consolation doth promise vs. Notwithstanding this promise seemeth incredible both to vs which suffer and also to them which persecute and aflict vs for if wee behold the same with our outward eyes what can be more false yea the contrary seemeth to bee most true behold our Sauiour Christ was hee not so forsaken hanging vpon the Crosse that the rod or scepter of the wicked rested vpon him did it not rest likewise vpon the Prophets the Apostles and orher holy Martyrs this matter then if we consider it with our outward eyes hath another meaning then the words doe import for they promise that the Scepter of the wicked shall haue no power ouer the godly and yet all Stories and examples doe testifie the contrarie therefore the holy Ghost calleth vs backe to the purpose and counsell of God reuealed in his word and commaundeth vs to weigh and consider not what we suffer but what is decreed with the Lord in heauen and he that can so sequester himselfe from the beholding of his afflictions and tentatfons and yeelde himselfe wholy to the will of God and there rest is a right diuine yea hee that is ignorant hereof in true diuinitie knoweth nothing at all for what knoweth he which is ignorant that God is such a God as will not suffer the godly to bee oppressed of the wicked For seeing he hath said I am the Lord thy God he will neuer suffer that which is his owne to bee wrested either by the world or by the gates of hell out of his hands if he then abide and continue they shall also continue for euer which are his Thus to beleeue and thus to lay hold on things inuisible is true diuinitie and true spirituall wisedome indeed Whereupon we may ground this proposition out of the inuisible counsell of God God hateth the wicked and loueth the iust ergo he will damne and destroy the wicked and will deliuer and saue the iust And heere we see that which is the chiefest thing in all Psalmes and Prophets to spring out of the first precept I am the Lord thy God Now haue we to learne how wee may apply this verse rightly and to our great comfort for
he turned Water into Wine so in the other will hee turne all sorrow into ioy To haue ioy without griefe is the condition of them who are glorified in Heauen to haue griefe without ioy is the condition of them who are damned in Hell I meane to bee without sence and hope of ioy but the godly on earth haue their ioy mixed with griefe and griefe tempered with ioy and albeit sometimes they want the sence of ioy yet doe they neuer want all hope and expectation of ioy They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Reasons mouing vs to mourning And to moue vs yet more to this mourning disposition let vs consider two things the euill we incurre if we mourne not and the good that shall ensue to vs if we mourne for the sinnes of others As for the first amongst many wayes whereby the sinnes of other men become ours If wee mourne not for other mens sinnes they become ours 1. Cor. 5.1 2 3 4 5. this is also one if we know their iniquities and bee not grieued therewith And therefore are the Corinthians reproued that they sorrowed not for the incestuous man that was among them by so doing they were defiled by his sinne and became one polluted Lumpe with him Ezek. 9. all the chapter And Ezekiel not onely in Iudgement determined vpon the committers of sinne but of such also as mourned not for sinne They are inuolued in the same Iudgement as partakers of the same sinnes by reason that they mourned not for them And as for the great good wee get by mourning for the sinnes of the Wicked If wee mourne many blessings follow it Matth. 5.4 whereby they dishonour the Lord our God it is also euident Blessed sayth our Sauiour are they that mourne for they shall be comforted When the Heauen waters the Earth in due season there followeth a fruitfull encrease but when the Earth waters the Heauen then shall follow a more plentifull Haruest of spirituall Comfort And this is done when a sinner powres the teares of his penitent Heart into the Bosome of God Then the Heauens are vvatered by the Earth For the teares of the godly fall not to the ground but the Lord gathereth them like most precious pearles vnto him and puts them in his bottle and they bring still increase of comfort to such as shed them They are sowne like good Seed on earth the first fruit whereof is reaped on earth but the fulnesse thereof in Heauen In trouble it is expedient to looke vnto the end thereof Worldlings wrestle for their corruptible Crowne as vncertaine whether they shall obtaine it or no but it is not so with the Christian we runne not as vncertaine we are sure Rom. 8.17 that if wee suffer with Christ Heb. 12.11 wee shall also reigne with him Though for the present no trouble be sweet yet is the end thereof most comfortable and wee are by the eyes of Faith to looke vnto it lest our present manifold Tentations driue vs to impatience For as hee that goeth through a strong running Water is in danger to fall and to be drowned by reason of the dizzinesse of his Head or Braine vnlesse hee fixe his Eyes vpon the Bankes euen so shall wee be readie to faint in Affliction vnlesse wee looke to the comfortable end thereof If wee shall looke to Lazarus vpon the Dunghill and Ioseph in the Prison what can we iudge them but miserable men But if wee consider their end we shall see the one in Abrahams Bosome and the other raigning in great glory vnder Pharoah in Egypt Then shall we say Verely there is fruit for the righteous and we shall find it true which here the Prophet sayth They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Verse 7. He that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him HOw could the state of the Church or the passage wherein it walketh vnder the Crosse be more liuely expressed whereby we may learne so to arme our mindes that wee lose not that Laughter which by Faith we haue apprehended but may encrease and waxe strong and feele this Laughter more and more in vs. For Faith and the life of Christians is not Hypocrisie but the Christian life is that which is here described that is to be exercised with Tentations and Afflictions vnder the Crosse and to apprehend the Word This is our true Vnion wee must dayly encrease because of the Flesh the World and the Deuill which doe exercise vs with continuall Tentations For except in these Dangers wee haue recourse vnto the Word and Prayer wee are gone The Crosse therefore is the meane wherewith God will haue vs not swallowed vp and consumed but exercised that wee may dayly grow more and more towards perfection To goe forth and weepe and to carrie Seed for so the Holy Ghost calleth it It cannot be then but that a Christian must needes bee such a Sower as must reape not in Laughter but in bitter Sorrow and Teares But thou wilt say Where is then the Laughter which is preached to the Redeemed whereof Dauid spake a little before in the Spirit For looke how much Faith thou hast so much Laughter thou hast also But sometimes this Laughter is lost and turned into Mourning yet are wee not forsaken for the Promise is sure and certaine and the Victorie ouer Sinne Hell and Death is ours but yet in hope notwithstanding so long as we are in this life we remaine alwayes in teares and mourning as Christ sayth Ioh. 16.20 The World shall reioyce but you shall sorrow but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy Psal 30.5 Heauinesse may endure for a Night but Ioy commeth in the Morning Eccl. 3.1.4 To all things there is an appointed time a time to weepe and a time to laugh a time to mourne and a time to dance All times are limitted by God to the faithfull but first for sorrow and then for ioy onely the godly men truely reioyce with sound and lasting ioy My seruants shall reioyce Exo. 15.27 and yee shall be ashamed My seruants shall sing for ioy of heart Isa 65.13 and yee shall crye for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of Spirit The stranger shall not enter into his ioy Pro. 14.10 And it is called the ioy of Gods people Thus the Scriptures euer limit this ioy to the saithfull Let them that seeke the Lord reioyce Therefore if they sorrow Psal 40.16 they onely shall out-grow their sorrow and their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy as Christ promised the Apostles Isa 35.10 The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with prayse and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their heads Isa 61.3 they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flye away Christ hath appointed vnto them that mourne in Sion Beautie for Ashes