aboue Reu. 22.25 which all Christians should earnestly attend and feruently pray with the spouse Come Lord Iesus The watchman looketh about to see the Sun spread out his beames he knoweth that light doth not come from below We should turne our eies from the world because here is no comfort Nots and looke vnto Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of the Father with Saint Steuen from whom onely we may expect a comfortable deliuery out of all our miseries Act. 7.56 4. The light commeth in the morning Before breake of day is greatest darkenesse and then the Sunne ariseth and by his beames expelleth the same the light commeth not till the euening The Apostles rowed all night Mat. 14.24 till they were become weary and out of all hope and then Christ came in the fourth watch and relieued them being then in a most desperat case God will come So the Lord although he tarieth to let vs feele our owne weakenesse yet no doubt he will come he dealt this way with Iacob he wrestled all night with him till the breake of day Ge. 32.28 and then blessed him Dauid after he was long pursued and persecuted by Saul 2. Sam. 1. yet at last gat rest and ease Iudg 2.16 The Iewes were neerely destroied by their enemies but God raised vp Sauiours to defend them Dispare not then and disquiet not your selues be not discouraged howsoeuer yee see the Church which is as the Disciples boate tossed to and fro by the waues of persecuting tyrants Mat. 14.23 looke to heauen for the day of her deliuerie is at hand yea that euerlasting deliuerie when the Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise and shine on her for euer she may haue a night for a time but her morning will be most gratious she may be in paines as a woman in trauell for a time but her deliuery will be most comfortable God albeit he seemeth to come serò late yet he commeth seriò in earnest as he did in preseruing the Church in Queene Esters daies Ester 8. By the contrary the wicked may haue a short morning in this world but they cannot escape an euerlasting night in that bottomlesse pit of darknesse Nota. out of which is no deliuerie Verse 7. Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercy and with him is great redemptions After the Prophet hath spoken of himselfe that he awaited vpon the Lord he now exhorteth all the Church to do the same He euer desireth the Church to be a partner with him in any benefite which he obtained from the Lord as in the 51 psalme after he hath prayed for mercy to himselfe he in the 18 verse prayeth vnto the Lord for the Church that he would be fauorable to Sion The like did Moses Daniel Ieremie they all prayed for her weale All should pray for the peace of the Church Dâ—uid exhorteth others to pray Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Such sort of preachers are to be highly respected who night and day powre out their prayers for the peace and welfare of Sion who depend on God and stirre vp others to put their trust and hope in God This did Iosua and Caleb after they had viewed the land Numb 13.31.33.34 giue heart and courage to the people of Israel to goe forward to Canaan whereas the other ten spies discouraged them saying their walls reached to heauen and the people were as the sonnes of Anak When Dauid desireth the whole Church to put her hope in God he recalleth her from alâ— other vaine hopes or putting her trust in any other This should make those who professe themselues to be Christians to blush and be ashamed to put their trust in any other but God I looked saith Dauid vnto the mountaines from whence mine helpe shall come Psal 12â— â— 2 mine helpe commeth from the Lord who made the heauen and the earth When Israel looked to haue helpe fortification and refuge of man then she was disapointed and left comfortlesse in her greatest extremeties Ier. 17.5 Cursed be he who maketh the armo of flesh and blood his confidence For with the Lord is mercie That which he so patiently attended vpon was mercie and that which he desireth the Church to waite for is mercie He repeeteth to the Church the goodnesse of that which he had tasted himselfe that which was needfull to him was needefull to the whole body of the Churchâ— and therefore as he wished mercie to himselfe he wished mercie to the whole Church militant Euery Christian should loue the Church more then himselfe which teacheth euery Christian to loue the Church as well as himselfe yea more and as he would haue health and welfare to himselfe so to procure the same for the Church And with him is great redemption He pointeth out this mercie First By the wonderfull effect thereof redemption Secondly By the qualitie thereof great redemption Redemption is the freeing of that which is in thraldome by giuing of a price What redemption is as the redemption of land presupposeth that it was ingaged for summes of money giuen to the owner and thus folde vpon reuersion or warriours that are taken in battell and ransoned at a price Oh that we would consider the thraldome we are in and how we stand in Gods debt the freedome which we get and the meanes whereby we obtaine the same God gaue vs his golden law and we haue nothing whereby to pay him but the drosse of our merits wherewith we will neuer be able to pay him that summe wherein we are oblished and thus we lie in thraldome Man may be redeemed But heerein is our comfort that we are not solde out at the ground but God hath alwaies reserued to vs a reuersion that we may be redeemed But what is the meanes whereby we are redeemed either it must be by strong hand as Abraham freed Lot or by the gratious fauour of those Ge. 14.16 whose captiues we are as a Master through loue which he beareth to his seruant may set him free or by paying of a ransome The parties were God and the Deuill Gods iustice must be satisfied Sathan must be vanquished or no redemption for vs. This Christ Iesus the sonne of God seeing that blessed seed of the woman and pâ—tying vs became a redeemer for vs by his valour and strength he vanquished that old serpent the Diuil and made vs free from him and by his death he satisfied the wrath of God and paied a ransome for vs euen his pretious blood Mans redemption is by the blood of Christ This redemption then is neither by gold nor siluer but by Christs blood All the world was not able to haue redeemed his blood only was a perfect satisfaction to the Father Lands impignorated become free at the Iubilie and when we are made free from our sinne we may account that the most ioyfull Iubilie that we euer saw Great
enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned backe and put to shame suddenly THis is a Prophecie of the finall extirpation of his enemies Doctr. The Churches enemies will not prosper albeit it is to be vnderstood that Dauid was not of a vindicatiue spirit that he had malice against Simei Saul or Doeg for the particular wrongs hee receiued from them yet because they were enemies to Gods counsell in his promotion he triumpheth ouer them whereby by wee may learne to abandon our affections in our particular quarrels Doct. We ought in our own quartels to bee mercifull but sharpe in the quarels of God Numb 12.3 that wee may affirme before God and the world wee can be content to pardon whatsoeuer iniury done to our selues labor to be as vvas Moses the meekest man in the world in our own particular but most sharp in reuēging wrongs done to God It should teach Prince Preachers to imitate this Prince and Prophet to sharpen the edge of their sword tongue against Gods enemies namely these diuelish Iesuites and factions Papists to forget their own particulars against any so far as they may But in this his Prophesie it is most remarkable what shall be the end of all the enemies of Gods Church whatsoeuer they be either Kings Balaamites Baalites Iulians Turkes Papists they shall be confounded and ouerthrowne and shall be shamefull spectacles of the iudgement of God as Pharo Saul Achab Iezabel Herod Iulian there is no man breathing that sets him against that truth of God that shall escape shame in this world Let Persecutors learne by the examples of their Prodecessors eternal cōdemnation in the world to come without repētance But the examples of our Predecessors wil not learn this future age to be wise and therefore they shall inherit shame for a reward of their hostility against Gods Church except they repent But shame cannot befall Gods Children they shall neuer be ashamed for albeit they commit oftentimes things shamefull yet their repentance blots them away Suddenly Doct. Sudden Iudgemēts are the greatest are the greatest iudgemēts Dan. 5.30 Mat. 24.38 This is an amplification of their iudgement that it commeth suddenly vnlooked for as befell Beltazar for when God giueth men time to repent it is happy but when hee taketh them in their sinne then they are most miserable as those in the first world they were eating and drinking marying and giuing in mariage when the floud came The Lord help vs and keepe vs from such suddenties which may take vs in our sinnes but that we may be prepared with the fiue wise Virgins Mat 25.10 whensoeuer our Bridegroome shall come to call vs To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory world without end Amen FINIS A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSItion on the twenty fifth Psalme the second of the PENITENTIALS DAVID being oppressed by his enemies The substance of this Psalm in this Psalme desires that God would deliuer him from shame and sinne the cause of all his euils that he would direct him to walke in his wayes as also confirmes himselfe by many arguments in the assurance of Gods goodnesse and finally praies for deliuery to himselfe and to the Church This Ode of Dauids is set downe in 22. Sections or Verses after the number and order of the Hebrew Alphabet at least very neere as are the 34.111.112.119 as also the Lamentations of Ieremiah and the 31. of the Prouerbes Those who seeke a reason of this let them reade S. Ierome Epist 155. in Lament Ieremiae and Euseb de praepar Euang. For he alludeth to the fignification of euery Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet which hath a spirituall meaning But in my iudgment these Psalmes are so framed for our memory that keeping in minde the Letters wee may the more easily remember the matter Man hath need of many helps For wee haue need of many helps to confirme our memory in goodnesse These Verses are called Acrostichi as were Sibyllaes verses of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedullius in like manner made an Hymne A Solis ortus cardine Beatus auctor seculi Castae parentis viscera c. As also Nazianzen I would not wish men to be too curious in the searching of the causes hereof but rather be diligent in the confirmation of their memories by these 22. Alphabeticall Letters The Diuision of the Psalme THis Psalme containeth a Prayer to the eight Verse a Confirmation to the eighteenth and a Conclusion petitory to the end In the first seuen Verses hee craueth three things at God First that hee may not be a shamed Secondly that hee may learne Gods wayes and be taught by him Thirdly that he may be deliuered from sinne Then there is contained a deprecation against sinne and shame and the meane by which he may escape them both that is by the word of God which may direct him in such a way wherein hee may not fall vnder shame and sinne Shame proceedeth of sinne There are two things which we may lawfully craue of God to eschew sinne shame sinne as the mother and cause shame as the daughter and effect And as we desire to flye them so especially wee should craue of God that onely meane by which wee may shunne them euen that we submit our selues to be gouerned by his word The word of God freeth man both of sinne and shame and frame all our actions therto by which we may perswade our selues that we shall escape both All pray Lord keepe vs from shame and sinne when as many contemne the meane by which they should bee preserued euen that blessed word of God VERSE 1. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule To whom God is Iehouah hee is also Elohim THe names which he giues God are Iehouah and Eloim the first taken from his nature the other from his power and he applyeth them to himselfe My strong Gods including the persons of the Trinitie He leadeth vs to God in our praiers Psal 73.23 Heb. 11.6 Whom haue I in heauen but thee Hee that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that he is able to saue such as come to him God appeared in sundry names to others Exod. 6.3 but to Moses in his essentiall name Iehouah Claime first to his nature and next to his power Note First he must be thy God Iehouah and then thy strong God First he must loue thee and then hee will defend thee Ps 144.15 Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. Those are foolish who seeks his protection not first hauing assurance of his loue If hee be to thee Iehouah then shall he also be to thee Eloim Three arguments to moue God to beare him The arguments by which he would moue God to heare him are taken from three persons First from
patience before God to moue him the more to pitie him For if we be wronged by men and beare it patiently it maketh men to pitie our case the more much more pitie wil it be with God who truly can consider our wrongs If we are silent in our owne cause then God will pitie vs Cast thy cause ouer vpon the Lord. but if we take our owne cause in hand then God will leaue vs. So if we would haue God to be our patron and speechman let vs bridle our affections and not giue loose reines to our sudden passions If it be possible as much as in vs is Rom. 12.18 let vs haue peace with all men Certaine it is that Dauid if he might haue had place to be heard was able to maintaine his innocencie but when he saw he was exempted from all patrocinie he suffered it patiently expecting the celestiall Iudge For so long as there is a place left before magistrates to a iust defence then it were a token of an euill conscience or little courage if a man durst not giue a reason of his iust proceeding but when all equitie is buried and no place left to reason it is better to be silent then to speake and so to possesse our soules in patience Verse 15. For on thee O Lord do I waite thou wilt heare me my Lord my God IN this verse is contained the reason which moued Dauid albeit he was tormented with so heauie a disease in his bodie and the vnkindnesse of his friends yet he answered not to their calumnies but suffered them all Why Dauid did not answer to his rebukers as a dumbe and a deafe man to wit because he depended altogether vpon God And truly this is the fountaine of true patience when we trusting in Gods fauour thereby ouercome all the tentations of the world to which vntill we attaine we can neuer be setled to endure any assault neither to bridle our furious motions and perturbations The want of this repose maketh men rage at their trouble by impatiencie vttering the weaknesse of their nature requiting railing with railing bitternesse with bitternesse flesh meeting flesh and corruption corruption as one fire meeting with another great flame being far off from Christian modestie which should be in vs all when as the Apostle commandeth that a patient mind should be knowne to Phil. 4. all the world From hence come those recriminations brawlings contentions declaring that yet we are fleshly and not well setled on God Thou wilt heare me He nourisheth his hope by prayer grounded on true faith in his Lord and Master his God and Father He assureth himselfe that God will not reiect his prayers but answer them out of his fatherly care And this is the onely way of perseuerance when we being instructed in Gods promises pray earnestly vnto his Maiestie for performance of the same Doctrine Prayer strengtheneth our faith in Gods promises and hasteneth him to deliuer vs. Faith taketh hold of things to come Marke I pray you that the best meanes by which ye both strengthen your owne faith in Gods promises and prouoke God to hasten your deliuerie is prayer by which we should giue the Lord no rest till he deliuer his owne Israel Furthermore in this that he saith Thou wilt heare me there is the voice of faith certifying it selfe of a comfortable answer as though it were done already My Lord my God My is not in the Hebrew or Greeke text but it is his common word of application as it was Christs My God my God The one is a word of power the other of loue not as Lorinus saith of science for then you might inferre vnder it all Gods properties Learne that we haue to do with one that hath both loue as God and power as Lord. God hath both power and will to helpe vs. Many haue power to help vs who beare vs but little good will many haue loue who want power but God hath them both if we depend still vpon him for whatsoeuer he hath is ours and is ready to do vs good when we need Our God is rich in mercie to all those that call vpon him Verse 16. For I said heare me lest they reioyce ouer me for when my foote slippeth they extoll themselues against me HE vseth an argument to moue the Lord to heare him taken from his enemies insultation ouer him For the nature of the wicked Iud. 16.23 The wicked insult ouer Gods children Lam. 1.2 Sa. 1.20 is to insult ouer Gods children as the Philistims did ouer Samson Ieremie lamenteth that the enemies opened their mouth against the citie and nation and Dauid feared that Sauls death should be published in Gath or Askelon and Micah Reioyce not ouer iue mine enemie This insultation displeaseth God so much that he turneth backe that euill vpon the insulter So did the children of Edom crie Psal 137.7 Raze it raze it to the foundation thereof And when my foote slippeth The wicked reioice at the fall of others 2. King 18. This is a mark of an euill and diuellish man who can be glad at the fall of others euen his enemies speaking great things as did Rabsheketh Against which sort of railers Saint Ierome inueyeth mightily Caninam saith he exercent facundiam eloquenter maledicentes Nerones foras intus Catones They exerce doggish eloquence without Neroes within Catoes Which sort of people God will ouerthrow It seemeth to be the comfort of wicked men as the same Father saith to carp at good men because of the multitude of offenders they suppose the blame of their faults to be lessened or because by the dispraise of others we would seeme to be praiseworthy Finally that there be few which abandon this vice and seldome are they found who shew their life so vnreproueable when they reproue another and therefore this euill is rife and therefore in many this vice is hot because it is willingly entertained of all Paulinus in the life of Saint Ambrose sheweth that when one through sliding had fallen on the earth Theodolus then a Notary and after Bishop of Mutines laughed at it to whom Ambrose turned and laid Et tu qui stas vide ne cadas And thou who standest take heed lest thou fall And shortly after he that iested at another mans fall lamented for his owne Verse 17. Surely I am readie to halt and my sorrow is euer before me SOme of the interpreters thinke that this verse sheweth his halting of a bile but it is not very likely neither is there greater reason then to say the like of Ieremie who saith that his enemies intended and awaited for his halting But the sentence is that like a cripple man without helpe he is like to fall downe 1. Kin. 18.21 We halt in sin and often betweene two opinions as the Israelites whereupon we are forced to halt in our bodies And my sorrow is euer before me The meaning is that he is
A SACRED SEPTENARIE OR A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE SEVEN PSALMES OF REPENTANCE viz. the VI. XXV XXXII XXXVIII LI. CXXX CXLIII the 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. of the penitentials Seruing especially for the direction and comfort of all such who are either troubled in minde diseased in body or persecuted by the wicked The second impression By Mr. A. Symson Pastor of the Church at Dalkeeth in Scotland LONDON Printed by W. I. for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his shop at the two Greyhounds in Cornehill neare the Royall-Exchange 1623 To the Reader GEntle Reader although many both of the auncient Fathers and moderne Diuines haue worthily learnedly and feellingly written on these seuen Penitentialls so that it may seeme in a maner vnnecessarie and superfluous that any thing should be added yea because this Ocean is not dried vp and he that coÌ„meth last may as well fill his bucket as he that coÌ„meth first for the great aduantage to my Master and the performance of my promise to mine owne people and certaine other godly Christians and not for any desire of commendation or gaine as God is my record I haue strained my selfe to put forth this my Talent to the view of the world whereby I might though not as those worthies of Dauid who haue gone before whose weapons I haue in some places vsed giue some blowes to the enemie Herein albeit there may be somewhat both redundant and defectiue for there is no perfection in man and Apelles alwaies found somewhat to be amended in those pictures which he had most curiously drawne yet let not that somewhat which is imperfect withdraw thee from the vse of the rest but read conferre consider and if any thing be added to the trauiles of others giue thankes to God and reape thou the commoditie Farewell A. SIMSON A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSITION ON THE TWENTY FIVE AND THIRTY TWO PSALMES THE SECOND AND THIRD OF THE PENITENTIALS Seruing especially for the Direction and comfort of all persons who are either troubled in minde diseased in bodie or persecuted by the wicked By Mr. A. SYMSON Pastor of the Church at DALKEITH in Scotland LONDON Printed by W. I. for Iohn Bellamie and are to be sold at his Shop at the two Greyhounds in Cornehill neare the Royall-Exchange 1623. TO THE RIGHT NOBLE AND POTENT LORD WILLIAM EARLE of Morton Lord Dalkeith one of his Maiesties most Honorable Priuie Councell of Scotland c. And TO HIS NOBLE LADY Dame ANNA KEITH eternall felicitie AS my first trauels on the seueÌ„ words which our Lord spake vpon the Crosse sought to shelter themselues vnder the shadow of your Ladiships protection So these vpon the first of the 7. Psalmes of Repentaâ—â— craueth the Patronage of 〈◊〉 both and doth specially appâ—taine to your Lo. Because yâ—â— Grandfather of good memory 〈◊〉 led by al men the good Earle of Mâ—â—ton was the first who moued 〈◊〉 in my youth to preach the samâ— not only publike in the Churcâ— but priuately in the Castle to 〈◊〉 Lady your Grand-mother whâ—â— memorial is so sweet that it is liâ—â— the smell of fragrant odors aâ— is honorable among all men Hâ— had the true feare of God a siâ—â—cere loue to the truth all goâ—â— men a mirrour of chastitie meâ—cifull instant in prayer constaâ—â— in the truth In a word Goâ— knoweth I lie not neither flatteâ— the only Phoenix of this age And as your Lo. represents his person in body so I pray God you may draw as neare to the gifts of his mind wherby your name may be eternalized especially in zeale to the glory of God your duty to your Prince and Country the honor of your estate care to liue honorably dutifully to al your equals and inferiors And finally to crowne all the actions of your precedent yeeres with such a glorious testament as he did wherof your Lo. was eye-witnesse that your noble house may be so much the more ennobled in your noble person leaue a memorable example to your posterity that shall follow I was thrice happie that I was brought vp vnder his hand who that same yeere he entred to his Earledome choosed me to his Church of Dalkeith where I haue serued these thirtie fiue yeares Wherefore my hearty desire is that this book may be a memoriall of my loue and seruice to your Lordship to your Lady which I trust in God will giue you faithfull admonitions and directions as I my selfe haue done oft-times both how to liue in your Religion and conuersation So wishing many good prosperous daies to you both and your hopefull Posteritie I rest Your Lordships and Ladiships seruant A. SYMSON A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSITION ON THE SIXT PSALME the first of the PENITENTIALS THE accustomable method of doctrine which Moses and the Prophets Leuit. 5.5 Christ and his Apostles Ezek. 18.20 Mat. 4.17 Acts. 2.38 Revel 2.5 Mat. 3.2 and Iohn Baptist vsed in their Sermons was Repent for the kingdome of heaven is at hand For as it were folly to powre in Wine and Oyle in the wound till it be first ripped and searched So to offer the Kingdome of God and the promises of saluation to a sinner Simil. vnlesse he be penitent and feele what need he hath of Christs bloud were lost labour yea as none cared for the brasen serpent but those who were stung by the fiery Serpents Numb 21.9 Marke 2.17 and none sue and seeke after the Physitian but the sicke So none cares for Christ Iesus but these that feele themselues stung by sinne That then is the first and best preaching and he the fittest Preacher to cure soules who can first wound then heale first cast downe and then raise vp I loue saith the Ancient that Pastor who doth not moue the people by his doctrine to applaud him but moueth mee to mourne for my sinne For as the Law preceeds the Gospell so Repentance doth the remission of sinnes not that I would haue you to thinke that repentance were a cause of the Kingdome of heauen albeit it be a necessary preparation for the same Simil. as a needle to make entrie to the threed of grace which must tie vs to God This is the first and most necessary lesson to be learned by vs all Note and at whose schoole can we learne better than at such an experimented Prince and Prophet experience hauing great place in any who would teach and instruct others 1 Reg. 15.5 2 Sam. 11.4.17 2 Sam. 12.13 that which hee hath first felt in himselfe who albeit a man after Gods owne heart did commit murther and adultery for which hee repented sincerely and hath honored God more by his repentance than he offended him by his sinne For as the sinne of a Prince is very great so also should their repentance be not as Saul 1 Sam. 22.18 who committed horrible murthers in killing fourescore Priests of the Lord and yet repented
smitten them with Mildew Amos 4.9 Grashoppers c. and yet they haue not returned vnto me 1 Sam. 2.25 4.11 and therefore it is to be feared that it befall to vs as to the Sons of Eli who would not heare the voice of their Father Distiction betwixt Gods chastising his children punishing his enemies because the Lord would sâ—y them In thine anger Dauid deprecates not Gods rebukes or corrections but that hee would not rebuke him in his anger neither chastise him in his wrath by which he makes a manifest distinction betweene Gods chastisements to his owne and his punishments to his enemies for God strikes them both but not with a like affection as a father will correct his childe and punish his enemy being in a contrary disposition to the one Gods children increase their griefe in not discerning betwixt a curse and a crosse Some marks betwixt a curse and a crosse in which he was not to the other It is true there is a great similitude betweene a curse and a crosse and oftentimes Gods children haue beene deceiued thereby and through his hard handling of them haue iudged him to haue become their enemie but indeed there is great difference as the one comming out of his loue the other out of his hatred as a beginning of their euerlasting paines And to the end yee may know whether they come from the hands of a louing God or no 1. Mark To look to our selues as caâ—sing it and not to secondary meanes consider these marks and tokens First if they lead thee to a consideration of thy sinne which is the ground and cause of them so that thou lookest not to the instrumentall or second cause but to thy selfe the cause of all they come from the hand of a louing God 2. Mark If by them we be driuen from sinne Secondly if these corrections and chastisements make thee leaue off to sinne and reiect it they come from a louing God And thirdly 3. Mark If they driue vs to God 2 Kin. 6 33. if vnder thy crosse thou run vnto God whom thou hast pierced that he may deliuer thee and not say with that godlesse King Iehoram Why should I attend any more vpon the Lord. Moreouer 4. Mark If they worke in vs humilitie and patience Simil. the crosse worketh in the godly a wonderfull humilitie and patience so that they submit themselues vnder the hand of the liuing God that they vnder it may be tamed and from Lions be made Lambes The wicked either howle as doe dogges that are beaten through sense of their present stroke or if they be humbled and seeme patient it is coacted and perforce as a Lion which is caged and cannot stirre In a word Note their affliction may well restraine their peruerse nature but it can neuer change alter nor renue it it must be the power of Gods restraining grace which will renue man and mortifie his affections The Lord sanctifie our corrections that they may worke in vs a true conuersion to our God for which God hath laid them vpon vs. And let vs desire his Maiestie that since he visiteth vs euery morning and deales to the outward appearance more strictly with vs than with our enemies that he may whip vs with the rod of his children take not away his holy Spirit from vs as he doth from the wicked The thing that he deprecates here is the wrath of God and therefore it falleth out naturally that I should speake concerning the wrath of God Opinions of Gods anger The Philosophers said of old that there was neither wrath nor grace in God and therefore that he neither rewarded his worshippers nor punished those that contemned him The Stoicks affirmed that there was no wrath in God because they considered nothing in wrath but that which is corruptible and sinfull as to runne after a beastly manner to reuenge But alas these persons doe not consider the difference betwixt the qualities that are in our sinfull nature and the essentiall properties which are in God for he is angry and sins not His anger is as pure as his mercy for his Iustice is his anger but our anger is annexed with sinne and therefore euill The Scriptures themselues make mention of Gods wrath that he was angry against the Israelites Num. 11.1 Gen. 19.24 Exod. 4. c. 1 Kin. 11.9 Hosea 1.4 against the Sodomites against Pharaoh against Salomon against the Iewes for the sin of Ioacham the sonne of Iehu But it is to be vnderstood that the names of Furie and Anger are not in God secundùm affectum How anger is in God that is not according to the passion and affection vnto which God is not subiect sedsecundùm effectum but according to the effect as when God chastiseth sinne it seemeth to the sinner that God is in choler and so he measureth God according to humane sense The anger of God is threefold 1. Generall Gods anger threefold 1. General Ephes 2.3 2. Temporarie 3. Eternall which is laid vpon all men for which cause the Apostle saith we are all the children of wrath 2. Temporary wherein God is angry both against the sins of the elect reprobate is this present life 3. That eternall wrath which the Apostle calleth the wrath to come 1 Thess 1.10 Matth. 3.7 of which also Iohn the Baptist speaketh Who hath forewarned you to escape the wrath to come Three sin in mans anger 1. To be angry against them they should not 2. For things they should not 3. More than they should Neither of which befall God Those who are subiect to anger whom the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are suddenly passionate and haue three great infirmities in being angry 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against those whom they should not 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for matters they should not 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more than they should be which three fall not into God for his wrath is only against sinners who doe transgresse his Law not against the righteous as a iust Iudge being angry at malefactors Next his anger is one y against sin for he hateth not his owne creature but the corruption of sin that destroyes his creature And thirdly the whole Scriptures testifie vnto vs that he doth moderate and temperate his wrath that in his greatest indignation he hath remembred mercy and hath not prosecuted with the extremitie and rigour of his iustice But yee must remember that as his grace is very great Gods angeâ— great Psal 90.11 so his wrath is very heauy And therefore saith the Psalmist Who knoweth the weight of thy indignation The wrath of a King is as the roaring of a Lion Pro 19.12 Dan. 3.16 19. as the wrath of King Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel was great and the fire very fearefull But the three Children feared not so much that temporall fire as the fire of the angry
these three things to obserue Doctr. An appointed time set by God for the end of our crosses First that there is an appointed time which God hath measured for the crosses of all his children before which time they shall not be deliuered and for which they must patiently attend not thinking to prescribe times to God for their deliuerie or limit the holy One of Israel Exo. 12.40 The Israelites remained in Aegypt till the complete number of 400 yeares were accomplished Ps 115.18 Ioseph was three yeares and more in the prison till the appointed time of his deliuerie came The Iewes remained 70. yeares in Babylon Dan. 9.2 Simil. So that euen as a Physitian appointeth certaine times to the Patient both wherein he must fast and be dieted and wherein he must take recreation So God knoweth the conuenient times both of our humiliation and exaltation The impatience â—f our nature vnder the crosse Next ye see the impatience of our nature in our miseries our flesh still rebelling against the Spirit which oftentimes forgetteth iâ— selfe so farre that it will enter in reasoning with God and quarrelling with him as we may reade of Iob Ionas c. and here also of David Thirdly albeit the Lord delay his comming to releene his Saints yet hath he great cause if wee could ponder it for when wee were in the heat of our sinnes many times he cryed by the mouth of his Prophets and Seruants Our iust recompeÌ„ce from God O fooles how long will you continue in your folly and we would not heare and therefore when we are in the heat of our pains thinking long yea euery day a year till we be deliuered let vs consider with our selues the just dealing of God with vs that as he cried and we would not heare so now we cry he will not heare VERSE 4. Returne ô Lord deliuer my soule saue me for thy mercies sake DAVID before hath vsed some arguments to moue the Lord to deliuer him from his present troubles the first whereof was taken from his infirmitie the next from Gods mercies hauing an obiect before them his miseries Now he goes forward in a repetition of his request desiring God to returne to him Returne ô Lord. These words presuppose that in his tentation God was alienated from him Simil. and went his way as when a Physitian goeth from his patient And againe that he had felt Gods presence sensibly before this his absence not that God indeed at any time vseth to absent himselfe from his elect but to their conception and iudgement he seemeth to do so when they feele not the tokens of his presence at some time for their humiliation as the Sunne goeth not out of the firmament Simil. suppose he be obscured by the clouds ouercasting or some other impediments naturall So albeit the clouds of our sinnes and miseries hide the faire shining face of God from vs yet he wil pierce thorow dissipate these clouds and shine clearly vpon vs in his owne appointed time How God is said to returne God is said to returne to vs not by change of place for he is in all places but by the dispensation of his gratious prouidence and a declaration of his new mercies and benefits toward vs. Such a returning God promised to Abraham Gen. 18.10 I will certainly come againe vnto thee according to the time of life and lo Sarah thy wife shall haue a sonne So he promised to returne to the Israelites to doe them good Ier. 32.40 and he will turne againe and haue compassion vpon vs and Ier. 12.15 returne vnto me Zach. 1.3 and I will returne vnto you And Iames the brother of our Lord Acts 15.16 bringeth further a sentence out of the 9 of Amos After these things I shall returne restore the Taberuacle of Dauid Therefore as Dauid hath lamented the absence of God in the former verse in this he desireth a signe of his presence to be giuen to him Herein stands our happinesse if God looke fauorably vpon vs for then all things prosper well in our hand But because I haue spoken largely of the presence and absence of God from the soule in my Booke on the seauen words which our Lord spake on the Crosse and namely vpon the fift word My God my God why hast thou forsaken me whither I referre the Reader who is desirous to vnderstand any more of this subiect Desperate dangers get comfortable remedies Deliuer my soule This clearly declareth that Dauid hath beene in some extreame dangers both of his spirituall and corporall enemies from which he could not be deliuered but by the mighty hand of God who behoued to doe violence to his enemies euen as Dauid himselfe deliuered his fathers sheepe from the clawes of the Lion 1 Sam. 17.34 and pawes of the Beare and smote them both So it is miraculous to consider in how desperate perils and dangers good men will be cast wherein no doubt they would perish if they were not supported by the mighty hand of God Doctr. Saluation onely belongeth to God Obserue farther that it lyeth not in the power of any man to deliuer himselfe for saluation onely belongeth to the Lord yea whether hee worke our deliuery mediately or immediatly alwaies he is to be praised The reason why Iehouah so often named I finde that the name of Iehouah is fiue times mentioned in this prayer which is emphatically done being a great testimony of the certainty of his knowledge that hee knew assuredly vpon whom he called not vpon an vnknowne God but vpon him who manifested himselfe to Moses vnder the name of Iehouah Exod. 6. whereby his faith was greatly strengthened hauing assurance of deliuery by him who onely is and giues being to others makes his promises to be extant and the sweet name of Iehouah is so comfortable to a Christian that in the middest of dangers yea at deaths doore Pauls defire Dauids conceâ—ing lice death reconciled it will not onely temper the bitternesse of afflâ—ctions but also quite take them away Saue me This ingemination of his praier to be deliuered from death would presuppose that Dauid was ouer-much afraid of death when as the faithfull should not loue this life ouermuch neither feare death aboue measure but ought to say with the Apostle Paul Phil. 1.23 I desire to be dissolued and be with Christ And again My life is not deare to me that I may finish my race with gladnesse as also when Agabus prophecied of his bonds the faithfull of Caesarea requesting him not to goe to Ierusalem answered Acts 21.13 What doe ye weeping and breaking my heart for I am not onely ready to be bound but also to dye at Ierusalem I answer Dauid desired the continuation of his life to settle the kingdome in Solomons person that the promises of God might be confirmed and that himselfe might haue longer space
mine afflictions and my trauell and forgiue all my sinnes THere he acknowledgeth the root of al his troubles to be sin for which he craueth mercy at God Ye may see here that sin toucheth him so neere the heart that he cannot find ease but in the remission thereof Sin is sweet in the mouth as honey but it is in the womb as grauell There is no venome in the affliction but sinne so being quit of sin he esteemes nothing of the affliction Sin is the noysome humour purge the humour and saue the patient The goodnes wisdome of God which maketh affliction a bitter water to eat vp the rust of sinne The affliction is not profitable which hath not made some diminution of sin When Gods anger was quenched Gen. 8.1 then the flouds were abated so as thy sin decreases thy affliction diminisheth daily VERSE 19. Behold mine enemies for they are many and they hate me with cruell hatred THis endeth as the sixt Psalme Doct. The subduing of sinne is the triumph ouer out enemies Acts 9.3 1 Sam. 31.4 for triumphing aboue sin his spirituall enemies he triumpheth aboue all his bodily foes he preuailes with God he preuaileth also with men He vseth no imprecations against them but that God would looke on them either mercifully to conuert them with Saul who was called Paul or to confound them as the first Saul who killed himselfe His enemies are described from their multitude number next frō their malice cruelty Alwayes Gods honor is so much the more greater that he is one for all his loue preuents their cruelty He complained of their craft before they had spred nets for him and the deuill who before was a Serpent and could not preuaile now becommeth a fiery flying Dragon Gen. 3.1 Apoc. 12.3 to deuoure the seed of the woman so craft disappointed becomes cruell he was first a Serpent yet he is more dangerous when he is a serpent cheaping Doct. Craft disappointed becomes cruelty Eph. 6.14 then when he is roaring as a Lyon when he roares he is heard far off and is eschewed but who can shun a Fox and a Serpent therefore craft is alwaies cruell Since then we haue to doe with malitious enemies and crafty deceitfull men let vs inarme vs against them by the brest plate of righteousnesse to strike by their darts and by patience to suffer their wrongs VERSE 20. Keepe my soule and deliuer me let me not be confounded for I trust in thee HE ends as Christ ended his life Doct. The soule is wel kept when God keepeth it Luk. 23.46 Mat. 6.19 In thy hand I commit my spirit By the soule he meaneth also the life for it is well kept when the Lord keepes it no earthly place so sure but the thiefe may come in or rust consume but if thy soule be bound vp in the bundle of life and treasured with God no violence or cōsumption can attain therunto And he vseth that same argument in the end which he did in the beginning For I trust in thee VERSE 21. Let mine vprightnesse and equity preserue me for mine hope is in thee LEt no man claime the patrocinie of God Doct. God will not patronize an vnrighteous cause 1 Sā 26.17 vnlesse he maintaine a righteous cause quarrell for what fellowship hath the Lord with the throne of iniquity This he speakes because of his enemies to whom he neuer did iniury and the more ingratefull were they yea these he benefited as Saul with whom in the field he pleaded his innocency when Saul said Psal 143.2 My son Dauid thou art more righteous then I. But when he came before God he cried Enter not in iudgement with thy seruant but recountering with men he braggeth of his innocency Our eyes are sharp sighted and bright enough to behold the earth but when we looke to the Sunne they will be dim For I trust in thee Ye see albeit he claimes to his innocency yet he retireth him to faith and hope in God Our righteousnesse is not such as that we can altogether stand by it there are some slips and faults in the best of our actions Note therfore we are forced to retire to God who can supply them all in his al-sufficiency VERSE 22. Deliuer Israel O God out of all his troubles THis last verse containeth a prayer for the Church Doct. Atrue note of a Christian to be affected with the state of the Church Psal 51.8 Doct. The Church subiect to infinit troubles so that hee is not contented to enioy any priuate benefit from God himselfe vnlesse the Church of God be partaker thereof whose welfare he promiseth to procure and desires others to pray for the peace of Ierusalem and this is a marke of a feeling member of Christ who remembreth not his owne sorrowes without regard of the tribulations of Gods Church Next ye see that the Church is subiect to infinite tribulations she is a Lillie among thorns Exod. 3.2 Mat. 14.24 Gen. 8.1 there must be a fire alway in that bush is no maruell to see the ship of the Disciples tossed in the seas and the Arke of Noah in the deluge but indeed it were a maruel to see the Church not persecuted Doct. God will in the end deliuer his Church Finally he prayes for deliuery to her letting vs see two things First that the Lord will compasse his Church with ioyfull deliuerances and not let the rod of the wicked lie alwayes on the backe of the righteous but as they haue many crosses Doct. The Churches deliuerance is Gods prerogatiue so they get many comforts from God Next God commonly takes that honour to himselfe to deliuer his Church when Princes persecute the same to their owne ruine and shame Let vs pray vnto our God to deliuer his Church in Europe this day which is fearfully assaulted by wicked men and to giue his Saints patience and perseuerance in the truth to the end Amen FINIS A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSITION ON THE THIRTIE TWO PSALME THE THIRD OF THE PENETENTIALS THis is the third Psalme of Repentance the Title thereof is Davids Instruction 12. Psalmes are Psalmes of instruction shewing both the substance and matter of the same that is Instruction as also the writer thereof David There are many other Psalmes which beare this title especially the 42.44.45.52.53.54.55.74.78.89.142 For if yee would deuide the 150. Psalmes vnto classes yee shall find some instruction as these twelue others for consolation others of deprecations The Scriptures are profitable for all vses 2 Tim. 3.16 Simil. others of imprecations for the Scriptures of God are profitable for all vses to rebuke to comfort to instruct c. Amongst all this booke of the Psalmes especially is as an Apothecaries shop wherein yee shall finde all sorts of Drugs Cordiall to comfort our heart or Corrasiue to eate vp the cancer of our nature yea in what estate was
euer man or can hee be but he shall finde comfort and good in this booke of Psalmes For the Psalmes are an Epitome of the old Testament Simil. a mirrour or looking glasse of the grace of God a perfect Anatomie of the whole man Wherein are expressed all sort of documents both of the gracious promises of God to his owne children and his iustice against his aduersaries also of our faith in the promises of God of our infirmities our patience our constancie our deliuerie from our troubles and our thankesgiuing for the same finally of our duetifull obedience to God and care of his Church Dauid by his doctrine teacheth these to repent whom by his example he had taught to sinne A generall lesson for al persons This is a Didascalique Psalme wherein David teacheth sinners to repent by this doctrine Who teached them to sinne by his example This science is vniuersal and pertaineth to all men and which necessarily wee must all learne Princes Priests and people men and women children tradsemen and whatsoeuer they be mâ—st be put to this Schoole without which lesson all others are vnprofitable A marke of a true penitent sinâ—er But to the poynt This is a marke of a true peâ—itent when hee hath beene a stumbling blocke to others hee may be as carefull to raise them vp by his repentance as hee was hurtfull to them by his sinne and I neuer thinke that man truly penitent who is ashamed to teach sinners repentance by his owne particular proofe The Samaritan woman when shee was conuerted Ioh 4.29 left her bucket at the Well entred the City and sayd come forth yonder is a man who hath told mee all that I haue done Luk 22.32 and our Sauiour sayth to S. Peter when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren 1 Tim 1.14 S. Paul also after his conuersion is not ashamed to call himselfe chiefest of all sinners and to teach others to repent their sinnes happie and thrise happie is the man who can build as much as hee hath cast downe Let Princes be ashamed to sinne but not to repent Next hee is a King and yet not a shamed to be an example of repentance by which all kings and noblemen should learne to be ashamed of their sinne but neuer be ashamed to repent Theodosius the Emperour after the slaughter that his Souldiers made at Thessalonica came to S. Ambrose The example of Theodosius the Emperour and humbly fell downe on his face amongst the penitents saying that part of the Psalme Agglutinata est terrae anima mea Ps 44.25 my soule is glewed vnto the earth David an experimented teacher Thirdly David is an experimented doctor as I haue said in the former two Psalmes who hauing felt himselfe teacheth others The Pilot who hath Sailed the Sea can best teach others the art of Nauâ—gation Simil. a Captiane can direct an armie best who hath had proofe of the enemie himselfe So experience in Spirituall combates is of great worth and hee can best teach others to avoide sinne who hath ouercommed sinne in his owne person Learne to get remission of sinne The doctrine most necessarie for a Christian to learne is the remission of sinnes For although yee had learned all other sciences what could they auaile you without this For as one of the worthiest fathers sayes all sciences without this are vnprofitable What if thou thou were neuer so prudent in the lawes if thine owne conscience accuse thee and expert in Physicke if thine owne soule be sickly and know the power of the stars if thy sinne throw thee downe to the lowest hels yea albeit yee learned all the heads of Theologie and taught them vnto others yet they are nothing worth to thy selfe if thou hast not learned to repent thy sinnes and to haue perswasion of mercy for them Iam. 2.19 Mar. 5.12 The Deuils beleeue and they tremble the legion of Deuils which came from the possessed could pray to Christ that hee might licence them to enter into the heard of Swine they they could confesse and professe that Christ was the Son of God 2 Cor 7.14 the Deuill can change himselfe into an Angell of light Balaam can Prophecie and many shall say Numb 23. we haue done miracles in thy name Iudas can preach and many can speake eloquently thinking to adde to Pauls bands but one thing can they neuer doe euen assure themselues that their sinnes are forgiuen them This lesson none can learne but those who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught by God And this is the lesson that David teacheth al Christians who come to his Schoole which if they learne it is sufficient this is that one thing which is needfull I wish to God from mine heart Note that Pastors of Gods word would leane ostentation words of humane eloquenâ—e and the shew of learning and labour more to worke most vpon the hearts of the people a remorse for sinne and an assurance of mercie Et vt plactum populo non sibi plausum moâ—eant that they may moue a weeping among the people more then an applause to themselues VERSE I. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinnes is couered BEfore I come to the particular parts of this excellent Psalme I must obserue wherein David doth place happinesse and felicitie He more then twentie times in the Psalmes d scribing who are happie accounteth thesee onely happie who are godly Sometimes in the cause Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord Psal 33.12 Psal 41.1 Psal 128.1 Psal 32.1 Blessednesse sometimes imputed to the causes sometimes to the effect sometimes to the meane sometimes in the effect Blessed is the man who iudgeth wisely of the poore sometimes in the meanes as blessed are those that feare God whose sinnes are forgiuen for as gold is alwaies gold whither it be in the mine where it grew or put forth to exchange or in the kings treasurie so godlinesse must be esteemed all one whither yee iudge it by the cause from which it had its beginning or from the effects thereof or from the meanes whereby it is intertained albeit euery one of those haue their owne place the one as the fountaine the other as the spring flowing therefro There is no man although neuer so vnhappie who doth not aspire and desire to be happie Wherein many put happines 2 Sam. 13.4.29 but they perceiue not wherein happinesse consisteth some put it in the pleasure of their flesh with Ammon but his sudden repentance in thrusting away his sister and his infortunate end shew that there is no happinesse in those filthie pleasures some place happinesse in riches with Crassus but finding the incertaintie thereof they wil be forced to cry Plutarchus O Solon Solon other place happinesse on honours as Absolom and Haman who were both exalted on trees 2 Sam. 18.9 Ester 7.10 But David albeit hauing riches honours and pleasures
In this verse he pointeth out his inward diseases in the former words My reines are full of burning and his outward in the latter words And there is no soundnesse in my flesh He was vniuersally tormented both within and without Should not this asswage our griefe when God visiteth vs in any one part of our bodie seeing Dauid was visited in them all The word Csihelim is diuersly expounded but I agree best with those that call it the reines vnder the loines and by a Metonymie the generatiue facultie For the strength of man is in the loiues and it is mentioned of the children who came out of the loines of Iacob and in the 35. of Genesis vers 11. Kings shall come out of thy loins And in Prouerb 31.17 she girdeth her loines with strength So that as Dauid gaue his strength to sin and that filthy act of adulterie so God punisheth those same parts which did offend his Maiestie Obserue Gods iustice against whorehunters And commonly God in his righteous iudgement recompenceth whore-hunters and harlots with filthy consumptions in those places whereby they took pleasure to offend God Therefore giue not your strength to sinne Rom. 6.13 nor your members to be weapons of iniquitie remembring that sentence of the learned Father Per quod quis peccat per idipsum punitur Man is punished by that selfe same thing by which he sinned Of the latter part of this verse is spoken before in the beginning of the third verse Verse 8. I am weakned and sore broken I roare for the very griefe of my heart Againe by diuers formes of speaking he expresseth the intolerable vehemencie of his paine that it rent and brayed him and forced him not to crie but to roare as a Lion See ye not such a weight of miserie which sinne bringeth on mans bodie and soule forcing God to disgrace his owne image that pleasant pourtraiture of mans bodie and soule which he builded vp for his glorie and to breake it downe and turne it into ashes and to deface that picture which he painted so gloriously and artificially that he taketh as much pleasure to pull it downe as did to reare it vp to cut downe his carued worke verse 1 to be angrie and chastise that child whom he loued so well verse 2 to shoote his arrowes at his spouse whom he kept in his bosome verse 3 to turne his hand which fed him to correct him to afflict that flesh which he cherished verse 4 to lay burdens on him whom he eased verse 5 to putrifie him whom he beautified verse 6 to bow him whom he straightened verse 7 and to turne his laughter into mourning verse 8 and his beautie into blacknes and deformitie his warming into burning his strength into weaknesse his manly speaking into beastly roaring Ye may see therefore how sinne can turne Gods good disposition towards vs into hard dealing his louing lookes into a frowning countenance Sin enfeebleth mans nature But where he saith he is weakned it is euident that sinne enfeebleth mans nature As we may cleerly perceiue in Samson and Dauid For when Goliah and all Dauids enemies were not able to ouercome him 1. Sam. 17. his owne sinne weakneth him And when Samson killed a thousand Philistins Iudg. 15.15 16.9.21 and no bands were able to keep him fast his owne sinne made him a slaue to the Philistims And in like maner he complaineth of his roaring as he did in the 22. Psal verse 1. So that as sinne changeth vs into beasts and through it we liue as beasts so in the end it will make vs to crie as beasts Then let vs liue as men subduing by reason our beastly passions and affections and like Christian men let vs ouercome the same by the Spirit of grace which is in Christ Iesus that we may speake to God as children crying Abba Father Rom. 8 15. Verse 9. Lord I powre my whole desire before thee and my sighing is not hid from thee THis desire is a desire of mercie and forgiuenesse and of his fauour and to walk innocently and holily before him For God looketh to the purpose of mans heart in repentance more then to the words of his outward confession For albeit Ezekiah chattered like a swallow and mourned like a done Esa 38.14 turning him to the wall yet the Lord said I heard thy prayers and saw thy teares This is the desire of mercie of which the Apostle Paul speaketh 2. Cor. 7.12 calling it epipthesis My whole desire By this he would shew that he parted not his thoughts betweene God and the diuell or his flesh and the world but keepeth a sound and a whole heart to God He would not deuide the child 1. Kiâ— 3.26 but keepe it altogether for God whereas the worldlings do farre otherwise Against by poeriâ—â— giuing their countenance outward shew of holinesse and repentance to the Lord and keeping that which is best to sinne Which sort of dealing the Lord euer did abhorre Esa 29.13 This people come to me with their lips but their heart is farre away from me Thirdly he taketh God to be witnesse who is onely cardiognostes the searcher of the heart And such should be our disposition in Gods seruice that albeit our heart be not so well disposed as it should be yet we may protest of the soundnesse thereof that it is not false or double And my sighing Yet againe he protesteth of his sinceritie and vprightnesse that in his heart there is no guile that not onely his purposes are vpright before God but also his sobs and sighs For sighs may be counterfet as the Hiena doth a mans voice and Crocodile doth teares In euery action of religion In Gods seruice vse always sinceâ—itie and vprightneâ— but especially in repentance we are to present our vprightnesse and sincerity before God that we do it from a single minde without counterfeit hypocrisie wherein albeit we may delude mon yet can we not mocke God who esteemeth our seruice by our intention and not by our action For men onely can iudge by our actions but God by our vpright intentions Verse 10. Mine heart panteth my strength faileth me and the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne WHen he hath protested of the sinceritie of his repentance hee falleth forth to his former passions that his heart is troubled confused circumagitate and caried about as it were giddie troubled with diuers cogitations and rolling about scarce knowing what he was doing The Hebrew word signifieth such an agitation which maketh him to wag and thereby breedeth such anxietie that he as destitute of all counsell knoweth not what he doth For when men are disquieted they turne them on all sides not knowing what to do first When the sorrow and dolour rageth the heart vseth to pant and leape insolently and therefore he saith that his heart panteth and goeth about as it were altogether inuerted but
faith setleth our heart and fixeth it on God This wagging error did shake Dauid so far that he remembred not himself albeit he leaned to the promises of God yet through humane fragilitie he wauered a little Gen. 7.18 Albeit the Arke of Noah was assured by Gods couenant not to be drowned yet it was tossed vehemently and Peter Mat. 14 30. albeit by faith he walked on the sea yet he sanke at the sight of the waues So let vs alwayes remember that there is no perfection in our faith Our faith hath its owne defects and our prayers their wauerings but that it hath the owne defects and infirmities yea in our prayers we haue our owne wauerings till God call vs home to himself And if we haue such agitations in our prayers in the time of our rest what maruell though we be disquieted in the time of our tentations as a ship in a tempest catied to and fro as Iob and Dauid that we keep not a constant course in trouble when we cannot do it in prosperitie My strength faileth me Behold what benefit man getteth by sinne euen debilitie and weaknesse we become through it a prey to our enemies And the light of mine eyes euen they are not mine owne The effect of the former is euident in the sight of his eyes which he said in the sixt Psalme were dimmed For his eies were instruments of sinne full of adulterie when he made not a couenant with them Vse therefore thine eyes rightly O man lest those who looke through the windowes Eccle. 12.3 grow dim before the time To whom cometh bleerdnesse of eyes Pro 23.29 30. c. saith Salomon and he answereth To those that look to the red wine and tarie long at wine to them that go and seeke mixed wine that is by art to make wine stronger and more pleasant Notâ— I like well of the iudgement of the Fathers who thinke that his teares had dazeled his sight And would to God that when our sight faileth it were by teares of true repentance that our consciences may beare vs witnesse that where sinne abounded by wantonnesse grace superabounded by sorrow Albeit it destroyeth nature it repaireth grace in vs. And is not that a good change in vs that when the eyes of our bodie do decay the eyes of our minde are renewed Christ saying vnto vs Luk. 18. Ephatha be opened I thinks also that when men spend their eyes vpon continuall reading of the Scriptures and holy writers Now to spend our eies rightly and thereby contract dimnesse and some also blindnesse they spend them in a good cause which too few do but rather spend nights and dayes in reading idle writings of prophane and fuperstitious men which prouoke them to wantonnesse or infect their minds with heresies Bernard writing vpon the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Ser. 5. bringeth in three things which impeach the light of the eye contracted humors blindnesse or any outward impediment as dust smoak What things take away the sight of the eyes c. For saith he the blindnesse is the ignorance of God the dust is the cares of the world the filthy humours are the abundance of sin which floweth in such measure that all the three stayeth our sight of Christ Age also and sicknesse dimmeth our eyes but sin doth dim them more then any other thing whatsoeuer That we may conclude this verse obserue the glorie of God in giuing light to our eyes Doctrine Gods great power manifested in making the eye in placing so great a light in so little an organ as the apple or pupill of the eye which is the least part of the eye yet all the light is closed within that that it may looke vp to the starres as a little star it selfe and from thence is retroflected or brought backe againe when as the beames of the Sunne neuer passe the mid region of the aire Whereby we are taught to admire his Maiesties worke in this little creature as also to vse this light rightly not abusing it in wantonnesse as those who haue their eies full of adulterie nor in malice hauing eyes of reuenge nor in couetousnesse Pro. 23.6 as those who haue an euill eye as I haue spoken before And finally let vs know that if his Maiestie hath closed within so little roome so great a light now If our eyes see so cleerly now being imperfect how cleerly shal they see being made perfect in heauen vnspeakable shall the brightnesse of that light be when we shal be glorified and our eyes perfected For when we cannot now behold the Sun then our eyes shall be brighter then the Sunne and see that euerlasting Trinitie and the Angels in eternall glorie Verse 11. My louers and my friends stand aside from my plague and my kinsmen stand a far off NOw he addeth some new circumstances to augment the heauinesse of his euill by which he might prouoke God to mercie namely that he was left alone by such whom either nature should haue bound to him as his brethren and kinsmen or of acquaintance as his familiars of whom Solomon said that a friend is nearer then a brother Pro. 18.24 This might haue come either through disdainfulnesse that they were ashamed of his crosses as is the custome almost of all men For in prosperitie when they see a man in a good case then they forge acquaintance on him A man in prosperitie hath many friends in aduersitie few or none they alledge they are of his kinred and blood and come of his house though they be not in any degree of his kinred but when he is distressed and in aduersitie though they were of his kinred they will be as Iobs friends and looke not seâ—en dayes onely Iob 2 13â— but seuen yeares a for on him and misknow him or for feare to purchase hatred for his cause Thus through feeblenesse they refuse him help and stand aside from his plague wherby they did greatly exaggerate his griefe in that when he flourished they followed him when he was troubled they did forsake him whereof he complaineth at another time Psal 142.4 Iob 6.15 Luk. 23.49 2. Tim. 4.16 I looke to the right hand and none knoweth me And Iob My brethron passed by me And when Christ was naked on the crosse his friends stood a farre off And Saint Paul saith In my first defence none was with me but all left me By which examples we shold be enarmed with patience Though all forsake vs God cleaueth to vs. though all forsake vs if God be with vs. For our God will not leaue vs or be ashamed of vs or be afraid to assist vs. Therefore also saith Dauid Psal 31 1â— 5â— â—3 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind I am like a broken vessell And in another place But it was thou O my companion my guide and my familiar which delighted to consult together and
went vnto the house of God as companions And I am become a stranger to my brethren euen an alien to my mothers sonnes Psal 69.8 88.8.18 And. Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me and me to be abhorred of them I am shut vp and cannot get forth and my louers and friends hast thou put farre from me and mine acquaintance hid themselues And Isaias the Prophet saith I looked and there was none to helpe Isa 63.5 Zech. 13.6 and I wondred that there was none to vphold And Zechariah Thus was I wounded in the house of my friends And Iob Iob 6.13 19.13.14 15.16.17.18.19 30.1 Is it not so that in me there is no help and that strength is taken from me And He hath remoued my brethren farre from me And also My acquaintance were strangers vnto me c. And But now those that are yonger then I am mocke me yea those whose fathers I haue refused to set with the dogs of my flocks Iulius Caesar said to Brutus stabbing him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thou also my sonne And Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Coram amici timuerunt pedes vero firma verunt socij 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Qui vero me prope euntes de longe recesserunt Many of the Fathers expound this of false teachers Against false teachers who in time of trouble forsake the flocke Bern ser 77 in Cantie who then looke a farre off to the sheepe and their people when they should be most comfortable to them in the day of their trouble Those are but hirelings who seeing the wolf coming do leaue the flock Woe be vnto those men who abound in the world to whom shame and condemnation doth appertaine Dauid had experience of this in Absolon his sonne Amasa his nephew Achitaphel his Counceller By this expenence of Dauid let vs learne Doctr. No coniunction can stand vnlesse it be in God that there is no coniunction so strict if it be not in God which can be able to bind any flesh to vs. For the bonds of nature are very weake because the ground of them is but fleshly that is brittle and inconstant Therefore let vs not trust in flesh and blood Woe be vnto him who putteth his strength in man Ier. 17.5 Next Trouble trieth our friends Trouble trieth who are friends Iob 6.15 â— They will be vnto thee as a brooke and as a broken tooth in the day of thy aduersitie I know the proofe of them and if thou wilt not trust me then thou shalt learne by thine owne experience when thou shalt stand in need of their comfort They will be as a broken reed 2. Ki. 18.21 which howsoeuer it may seem to be a precious staffe if thou leane vnto not onely will faile thee but iniure thee and pierce thy hand There are many rarities in the world which men seeke after but there is not it well raâ—er then to find in all thy life a faithfull A rare thing to find a trustie and faithfull friend constant and secret friend whom if thou can find to keepe him is better then gold It is written of Alexander that coming to the sepulcher of Achilles he wept saying Plut in vita Alexandri O foelicem inuenem qui Homerum laudum suarum depredicatoram vnicum fidelem amicum Patroclum inuenerit O happy youth who found such a preacher of his praises as Homer was and such a faithfull friend as Patroclus Valerius Maximus maketh mention of two who kept constant kindnesse Pythias and Damon of whom the one being adiudged to death on a certaine day the other entered himselfe in his fellow companions place til he went home to put his affaires in order who abode vntill the very last day and then came which thing the Tyrant seeing and admiring pardoned the other desiring that they would admit him the third of their societie Should not we be ashamed that are called Christians that neither loue nor truth can be found amongst vs. We loue for gaine and we discord for gaine The heathens may condemne Christians amongst whom loue and truth is rare to be found Luk 18.18 Mat. 10.36 and therefore those Heathenish people shall condemne vs at the latter day Now is found to be true that sentence which our Sauiour foretold that in the latter dayes faith nor loue should not be found in the earth and loue should wax cold the father against the son c. a mans enemies should be those of his owne house Verse 12. They also that seeke after my life lay snares and they that go about to do me euill talke wicked things and imagine deceit continually BEllarmine expoundeth this and all the rest typically of Christ which may stand but he omitteth the literall interpretation of the person of Dauid and the common estate of Christs members The substance of it is Seeing my friends furnish me no comfort but look vpon me a far off carelesse of me yet mine enemies are not idle against me but set themselues by all their engine and labour to destroy me WheÌ„ frieÌ„ds are slow in helping foes are most busie For it commeth often to passe that when our friends are slow in helping vs our foes are earnest against vs. Our friends should blush that the wicked should be more instant against vs then they are to maintaine vs. But it is no wonder since by nature men are more bent and prone to euill then to do good things By constraint they do good but willingly they commit euill He describeth his enemies 1. from their malice 2. from their meanes to performe it 3. from their continuance Their malice in two they sought his life and deuised euill things against him The meanes meditating and musing euill and taking counsell Next speaking euill last doing euil laying snares by craft like fowlers to take my life Their profit and pastime was to vndo me The order is here inuerted for meditating properly precedeth speaking and speaking doing but in the words of the text it is otherwayes their malice extendeth to the highest degree they will not be contented to banish him prison him and reuile him nothing can satisfie their thirst but his blood This is the enuie of the Serpent against the seed of the woman The Diuell is a murderer and so are his children The wild beasts do prey vpon the poore sheep and its blood is sweete to their taste so are the cruell and bloody Papists of the Iesuitical sect so much gape for the blood of Christians that albeit we professe one God one Christ Against the cruell malice of Iesuites one Bible and Scripture no bonds can bind them to vs. They will be content rather to agree with Iewes who denie Christ to whom Synagogues in Rome are not denied by the Pope or with Turks with whoÌ„ they haue often taken assurance to the preiudice of Christians yea with the Diuell
himselfe by witchcraft and Necromancie but there is no agreement betweene them and the sincere professors of the Gospell they paint them as horned diuels they raise vp Princes to shed their blood vnkindly and vnnaturally to triumph on their owne funerals Thus the Iesuites enemies of all Common-weales powder-blowers of all kingdomes to be exploded from all Christians casten in in the end of the world as vials to powre forth Gods anger vpon the inhabitants of the earth They are onely to haue their name translated from Iesus to Iudas and so to be named Iudasites They deuised euill against him And what can be euill if blood and crueltie be not euil against the Creator and creature If they did it ignorantly it were tolerable but ye know they do against their conscience They think when they slay vs they do God good seruice as our Sauiour faith but they are murderers And therefore the Lord open their eyes that they may see what they do and their eares may heare Christ saying vnto them Acts 9.4 Saul Saul why persecutest thou me The second point is the meanes which they vsed against him their puposes their words and their actions The last word of the verse they meditated is the ground of the rest of their mischiefes They meditated they consulted for wrâ—ngs done rashly are lesse dangerous and more excusable out of a splene and choler but adâ—â—â—ed euils are more fearfull and more hardly to be eschued laying the grounds and pillars of their proceedings vpon some sâ—re â—uld But we haue one aduantaâ—â—e A comfort to Gods children that God can disappoint the wickeds counsell â— Kin. 5.9 Iob 15.35 Psal 56.2 Psal 94.20 that God is present in all their counsels aâ—d can not onely reueale them but also d â—â—ppoint them as the counsels of the king of Aram. They haue trauelled with vanitie and brought forth lies and wind for their trâ—uels And from the abundance of their heart their mouth spake What Vanities iniquities Mine enemies would daily swallow me vp for many sight against me Vnrighteousnesse Hath the throne of iniquitie fellowship with thee which forgeth wrong for a law And many other significations as labour sharpnesse c. See how this one word comprehendeth many mischifes which flow from a cruel heart against Gods children The heart of man is deep and excogitateth a world of euils and they busie themselues so about that businesse that they forget themselues Yet this is a comfort to vs that all their speeches calling vs Diuels Hugonites seditious and what not are all but vanities Nota. as they are vaine men who style vs so Finally those their meditations communications which proceeded from cruell hearts burst forth in actions which were mixed with craft and so much the more perillous for they are said to lay snares for him taking the metaphor from hunters fowlers or fishers whose trade is onely to catch birds beasts and fishes by their engines and policie seeing hardly they can be taken otherwayes So these bloodie Nimrods mightie hunters before the Lord Gen. 8.9 Psal 124. those fowlers who lay grins who lay nets to snare Gods Saints God shall disappoint them In them both craft and cruelty are conioyned Satan more to be feared because of his craft theÌ„ cruelty and Satan is not so much to be feared being a Lion as being a Serpent Pharaoh said Let vs worke wisely with them Exod. 1.10 that is craftily Lord keepe thy Church from the policie and craft of hypocrites more then from their sword and open violence Verse 13. But I as a deafe man heard not and am as a dumbe man which openeth not his mouth NOw Dauid declareth his singular mansuetude and meeknesse against the perfidie and violence of his enemies that he became as a deafe and a dumbe man who vsed no confutations against the sycophanties and calumnies of his enemies but suffered patiently He answereth them by silence and taciturnitie as Christ himselfe did before Pilat Herod and Caiaphas Mat. 27.12 14. Luk. 23.9 For there is a time to speake to a foole and a time to be silent When thy particular is touched be silent but when Gods errand is a doing When fit to speake when to be silent then speake Nihil fortius nihil egregius quà m audire noxia non respondere contraria saith the Father Cassiod Nothing more couragicus nothing more excellent then to heare iniuries and to make no answer againe Silentium responsi loco c. let silence be an answer This is a great victory of a Christian to haue the commandement of his affections A great victory in a Christian to subdue his passions and not to reply to wicked men nor to reuile those who haue reuiled him but blessing those who curse him not answering to them For by meeting iniurious speeches with like reproches we shew our impatiencie depriue God of his glorie to whom belongeth vengeance enarme our enemies giuing them further aduantage and expose our weaknesse to the ludibrie of the world Viuendo melius argunitur obtrectatores quà m loquendo Slanderers are better checked by our life then our speeches Finally it were better to many that they were dumbe and deafe Against such as speake in choler then to speake vntimely in choler when they should be silent For they giue such aduantage to the enemy through their hot and rash speeches and they stay the Lord to speke for them So it were better their innocencie should pleade cause then they should mixe their affections with the equitie of their cause He saith not he was dumbe and deafe in the probleme of Aphrodiseus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the father of Iohn Baptist Luk. 1.20 who neither heard but by signes nor spoke the nerues being bound vp by God which serued both the senses of seeing and speaking Saint Marke saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 surdus vix loquens deafe searce speaking Saint Ierome in Math. 8. thinketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather to be called deafe then dumbe Verse 14. Thus I am as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofes A Repâ—tition of this deafnesse not that he heard not but that he seemed not to heare By the which hee would twice teach vs how we may dissimulate without sin the opprobries spoken against vs in our owne persons but we should heare with both our eares the iniurious calumnies spoken against God We can heare too well our owne reproches but not the Lords Nota. we close our eares at the dâ—shonorable speeches spoken against Gods honour And in whose mouth are no reproches He compareth himselfe to a dumbe and deafe man for two causes For first he would signifie that he was so wearied with vaine calumnies that he could not haue time to speake one word in his owne defence for why should he make apologies for his equitie to the pertinacious slanderers of his iust cause Next he produceth his
so strictly vrged that he can get no relaxation of his euill being so incurable except he get a remedie froÌ„ God These would seeme to be the words of an impatient mind but we must not thinke that a Christian can keep a continual course but as Iob fell forth in bitter speeches so the best man in the world may do as much and more Therefore when men are thus passionate let vs not cast them off iudging them to be reprobates When he faith they are euer before him note the extremitie of his tentation that he hath no stay of his trouble but continually pressed therewith Should not we thank God that deales more mercifully with vs that notwithstanding of our sins doth not suffer vs to be ouerwhelmed with troubles for he is faithfull 1. Cor. 10.13 who will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare Lorinus here bringeth in Purgatorie as though Dauid had not had purgatorie of afflictions in this lâ—fe but had need of another purgatorie in another life Verse 18. When I declare my paine and am sorie for my sinne Verse 19. Then mine enemies are aliue and are mightie and they that hate me wrongfully are many HEre the malice of his enemies is described from the circumstance of time when they vtter their malice in the highest degree when he is lowest in declaring both his sinne and the punishments thereof and being afflicted of God they afflict him and impeach his spirituall meditations Thus Satan taketh vs at the shot and at the pinch that when we haue to do with God specially and most particularly he then manifesteth his malice most against vs to interrupt our diuine seruice yea he goeth mad in furie when he seeth vs seruing God Satan abhorreth our repentance and confession of sin for there is no exercise which he doth more abhor then repentance and confession of our sinnes for in so doing we bid adieu to the diuell and acquit our selues from his camp Lorinus following Origen expoundeth this of auricular confession to the Priest yet he granteth that this place doth not conuince the vse of confession sacramentall which was not vnder the law neither the other which was made sometime to men yet he thinketh it fauoureth them both lest contadicting the Fathers he may seeme to fauour the heretikes who abhorre the sacramentall confession Mine enemies are aliue The miseries of Gods children inanimates their enemies and giues them new courage as though they got a new life and were reuiued when they heare the destruction of Gods children and yet they are in effect dead who delight in the dead works of sinne Non est viuere sed valere vita Si viuis animae si quid antiquà tibi Remanet vigoris pelle foemineos metus Eâ—â— inhospitalem caucasum mente indue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ardere but rather as Plato in Cratylo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viuere vnde Iupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The lust of the wicked is sinne Also I mark here what is the life of wicked men sinne and doing of wrong The diuel he delighteth to tempt men to sin and the wicked cannot sleep till they haue done some sin and neither can eate nor drinke with delight till they haue performed some mischiefe And they that hate me wrongfully are many An argument to perswade God to deliuer him is his innocencie that the wrongs he suffereth are causlesse For surely the Lord will not maintaine vs against our enemies if we haue iustly prouoked their anger Psal 5.4 For he is a God that loueth no iniquitie and no wickednesse dwelleth with him It is not his pleasure that we should be enuious neither wil our Christian profession admit it which is so far from doing wrong A mark of one truly religious he doth wrong to none that by the contrary it will be content patiently to endure iniuries Then if this be a note of true religion to do violence to none what religion thinke ye the Romanists haue who teach that it is sâ—ruice done to God 〈◊〉 murder Princes shed Christian and innocent blood it is a bloodie religion aâ—d the Diuell is the father of iâ— and Rome the mother which hatched it Flie from â—haâ— Babel that ye be not partakers of her iudgements Verse 20. They also that rewarded euill for good are mine adâ—â—rsaries because I â—oâ—â—ow goodnesse THis is a higher dâ—gree of iniquitie that not onely they harâ—d him without any cause or wrong done by him to any of them but also he had prouoked them by his benefiâ—s to loue him and yet they were so diuellishly disposed that as Iudas did recompence Christ so did they Dauid repaying him euill for the good things he had bestowed on them Three sorts of spirits 1. naturall There be three sorts of spirit a naturall when a man can do good for good and euil for euill which theeues Pagans Barbarians and the very beasts will do 2. celestiaâ—â— The second celestiall who can do good for euill to shew their conformitie and obedience to Christ their Master The third sort are infernall 3 diabolical possessed by the diuell who render euill for good who in our dayes abound too much whom God reserueth to eternall darknesse Were mine aduersaries or did calumniate From this commeth the name of the Diuell Satan an accuser of the brethren The wicked calumne always Gods children Gods children haue euer the diuels children set against them to accuse who if at any time they praise let vs suspect our selues lest we haue done any euil for which they do it As Antisthenes when he heard the people praise him said Quid inquit mali feci Plutarch What euil haue I committed Because I followed goodnesse This is the highest degree of their persecution to trouble him for religion and because he feared God So they hated God in him and persecuted God in him 21. Forsake me not O Lord be not thou far from me my God Verse 22. Haste thee to help me O my Lord my saluation THese two verses containe a prayer wherein he imploreth the help of God by a three-fold repetitionâ— euer he feareth desertion for sinne ingendreth this feare For if we were cast into the deepest dangers this will euer comfort vs if we be assured of the Lords presence heauen is hell to vs if he be not with vs Nota. hell is heauen to vs if he be there Haste thee to helpe me O my Lord my saluation Here is the weaknesse of our nature described that through our infirmitie we cannot waite the time of Gods deliuerie which maketh vs to crie hasten God will come if we patiently attend his coming But let vs learne patiently to attend his good leisure assuring our selues that he will come Come Lord Iesus and deliuer thy Church from all her miseries by thy glorious appearance O my Lord my saluation He attributeth those names to God Iehouah the name
the rockes of a stonie heart and maketh an heart of flesh And as out of rags being brused is brought forth fine paper so is a troubled heart brused with sorrow for sin turned into a gratious subiect whereinto God may worke and write his law And as the poole of Bethsaida being troubled Ioh. 5.4 brought health to mens bodies so doth the conscience afflicted by God bring certaine health and saluation to soule and body Saint Ambrose sayeth that repentance is so difficult and hard a matter that he hath oftner found mo who liued innocently then who did truely repent It is written of Augustine that he caused the psalmes of repentance to be put on the wall ouer against him before he died and reaped aboundantly reading them ten daies at which time none came to him but either the phisitians or his refreshment Seeing therefore God liketh this sacrifice of a contrite heart without which none other thing will please him let vs take the bests of our affections seperate them from their olde pleasures to God bind them by the coards of the word lay them downe at his feete and slay them and that sacrifice shall please him offer thy selfe a liuing sacrifice and be assured God will accept of thee and neuer reiect thee not thine offering other sacrifices die being offered Nota. but we by offering our selues to God yet liue Verse 18. Be fauourable vnto Zion for thy good pleasure build the walles of Ierusalem HE hath prayed for mercie to himselfe now he praieth for the Church which he hath offended by his sinne and vpon which he had brought such euills that it would please God to be mercifull to her build vp her walles and repaire her ruines No man can truely pray for himselfe vnles he pray for the church No man can truely pray for himselfe vnlesse he pray for the Church also as Dauid doth in many Psalmes If a man be a sensible member of the body it is not possible but the euills which befall to any one member let be all touch not him to the heart as it were done to himselfe In this verse are three things contained first for whom he prayeth for Sion and Ierusalem secondly what he suiteth Gods fauour thirdly out of what ground for thy good pleasure But before we enter to any of these particulars we haue some generalls necessarely to be marked The chiefe care of princes should be for the Church First that the chiefe care of Princes should be the weale of the Church The Church is as the heart in the body which being troubled of necessitie the body must be in danger if ye loue your head keepe your hear The Church is as the heart The Church nurisheth the heart bloud of Christ in her bosome the resâ— of the members haue also their owne of fices but she hath the chiefest office being the most noble part and who should maintaine her more then the head whâ— hath all the sences infixed therein anâ— from which all the members sinewes anâ— veines take their life And what greater honour can they haue then to be nursinâ— fathers of the Church If a king concrediâ—â— his child and his first borne to be nourisheâ— by any of his subiects may not that subieâ—â— thinke he hath gotten great honour Simil. anâ— may expect for his trauell great commodâ—tie and when a king hath receiued Gods first borne for Israel is his first borne in his custodie may he not thinke he hath gotten great glorie and if he neglect his first borne shall he not receiue great infamie Those who are greatest officers in a kingdome as Chancelour Chamberlane President Secretarie and men of estate are in greatest estimation and credite and shall not great men thinke they are greatlie obliged to God who hath made them administrators of his kingdome whose standing is the weale of the Church the principall estate of their Common-weale if it stand then they stand if it fall they fall for their subiects obey them more for conscience then for any terrour or feare of their lawes Then it is best for them to be religious and to propagate holie religion for their owne standing The Romans wrought more by religion then the sword The auncient Romans Lacedemonians Athenians were most carefull of religion because they affirmed that they wrought more by deuotion then they were able to doe by the sword This was their good poâ—icie as Plutarch amplie reciteth in his Historie Then when Princes innade religion and draw the people to atheisme see if they be not gratest enemies to themselues to their estate and posteritie The Turke and other polititions may giue Christian princes sufficient proofes of this my assertion as also if examples of Dauid Solomon Iosias Ezechia Constantine Let princes follow Dauids example Theodosius may moue them whose posteritie hath brought eternall renowne vnto them and if not let Iulian affray them and wicked princes like vnto him The care of religion a princes chiefest safeguard The care of religion and to be a religious prince is the greatest safeguard to a prince For religion hath Gods maintainnance and God hath shewen his mightie hand for Ezechia against Senacherib and for Dauid against all his enemies for Queen Elizabeth who died in peace notwithstanding all the maginations of her enemies and for our dread Soueraigne Lord King Iames against all the horrible and monstrous designes of his enemies Princes religious bring wealth to their subiects 1. King 10.21 Princes maintaining religion bring great wealth to themselues and to their subiects as Solomon did when gold was as dust and siluer as the stones Next the Church being vnder continual danger should be helped by princes The Church being troubled should be helped by princes Since the Church is the princes depositum which God gaue to their custodie they ought to haue a chiefe regard of her The fatherlesse widow and orphans are concredited to them much more they should defend the Church because the deuill and his instruments and her fight against her and who should maintaine her but princes who are set in authoritie onely for her cause to debate and take her part against all the world Her enemies are more then notorious she was neuer at rest her enemies are assaulting her continually hell hath broken loose against her in these latter daies princes haue put their diadems on the hornes of the beast people are rageing And seeing that eternall spouse of God is so hated of the world should not princes with Dauid procure her welfare euen to their vttermost Princes must by prayer and power support the Church Princes who would fight well must pray well Exo. 17.11 Gen. 31.28 Prayer hath more power then armour Therefore princes who would fight well must pray well Moses did more with his hands lifted vp to God then Iosua did with his sword Israel wrestled with God gat his name by prayer for otherwaies he could not
haue preuailed with such a maiestie Therefore princes who be athiests can neuet be good to the Church and no maruell because they know not what prayer is Wicked princes cannot abase themselues so low as to pray to a superiour but Dauid who will be renowned for euer not onely prayeth but biddeth the people pray for the peace of Ierusalem In a word the chiefe armour of the Church and all Church wardens and Church defenders are spirituall Arma militia non sunt carnalia The weapons of our warrefare are not carnall but spirituall Be fauorable vnto Zion He prayeth for Sion and Ierusalem this is a noueltie should the king pray for the Church I thinke the Church should pray for the king Yea but this king thinketh that all his prosperitie standeth in the weale of the Church and therefore he as the most principall member thereof prayeth for her The Church is represented by the names of Sion and Ierusalem What Sion and Ierusalem were and what they signifieâ— Sion was the mountaine vpon which the fort and Temple were builded Ierusalem was the cittie But these two haue spirituall interpretations being shaddowes of things to come as all the Fathers confesse Sion was a mountain in the holy land which the Lord loued more then all mountaines He might haue chosen Olimpus for height Basan for fatnesse And what was Sion it is to be seene yet there are many bigger stronger and fairer mountaines in Scotland then was Sion I will compare it to Authur seate at Edinburrough how commeth it to passe that the Lord chooseth it before all mountaines What but because he loued it and made it a place of his habitation there he built a Church out of it he will let the law yea the Gospell came to all nations mount Sion is a place so firmely fixed by Gods prouidence that it shall neuer be moued So is the Church a number indeed obscure and base in comparison of other people but so sure by his power that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her for Sion is a watch tower specula and the watchman of Israell standeth on the top thereof who can take it or do it wrong she seemeth weake in comparison of mighty mountaines who leaped and scorned her yet she standeth and they are all fallen for they exalted themselues by their pride and power but she abideth strong by the strength of God and the arme of the Almightie We haue now left mount Sinai which is in Arabia where was earth quake and thunder and are come to mount Sion the Church in the Gospell where is peace and grace So our estate is better then theirs was firmer then theirs for God hath chosen it to be euerlasting What doe ye then thinke of those persecutions and nouations in the world nothing for the Church but extremitie her enemies are seeking to roote her out but let these murthers of Caines seede beware of themselues let God roote out their seede Our mountaine is fixed by God which cannot be mooued and that little stone which came out of the mountaine without hands shall bruise that golden image in peeces Therefore let vs build our selues vpon mount Sion and not on the sand of mans inuentions that we stand in the euill day and be approued of God reioyce therefore daughter Sion for thy foundation is in heauen they shall inuade heauen and pull Christ from the right hand of his Father before they ouerthrow thee Let them build vp their towre Babel but God will confound their languages when the gates of hell cannot ouercome her the sword of princes shall destroy her Ierusalem The name Ierusalem importeth a vision of peace a vision or a sight Ierusalem a vision of peace for there is neither sight nor light in all the world but blindnesse and ignoranâ—â— as there was no light in Aegipt foâ— three daies but a palpable darkenesse except among the Israelits in the land of Goshen Exo. 10.23 so there is no knowledge of God or Christ the light of the world to be found in all the earth but in the true Church of Christ Then as there is a great difference betwixt a blind man who seeth nothing and a seeing man as great difference is there betwixt one who knoweth Christ and an ignorant These ignorants blinde leaders of the blinde doe not see this peace of Ierusalem This peace is onely in the true Church it groweth where grace groweth which two are inseperable Gal. 1.3 grace and peace was the salutation of Saint Paul which he wished to all the Churches this peace is first with God by the peacemaker Iesus Christ next in a tranquillitie of the conscience after reconciliation and last with all men There is no peace to the wicked saith my God Esa 48.22 Therefore dwell in Ierusalem and ye shall see peace Be fauourable 2. What he craueth to the Church euen that God would be fauorable to her and that he would build vp her walls as he saith in the 132. Psalme Peace be within her walls and prosperitie within her palaces The Church can neither prosper in peace or warre without God blesse her The Church haue palaces for peace and walls for warre he prayeth the Lord to blesse her in both for neither can the Church of God flourish in peace neither be victorious in warre vnlesse God blesse her in both estates To be fauorable to Sion is to giue her tokens of his good will and of his comfortable assistance This is a token of his fauour when he giueth her good gouernours and heads A speciall token of Gods fauor when the Church hath good gouernours both in Church and policie And againe a signe of his wrath when he giueth her such as Saul and Achab wicked and euill gouernours The next token of his fauour is prosperitie when the Gospell hath free passage When the Gospell hath a free passage the worship of God is inlarged heretiques are put away true teachers are diligent and vigilent Thirdly when vnitie is in the Church and all are in one mind When then God is among them but when God hath casten them off vnitie is in the church all are rent and spoiled religion decayeth heritiques increase Sathan hath gotten the vpper hand Gods Church is miserablely spoiled by wolues and foxes troublers of the Lords vine Build the walles The second part of his prayer is for the walles that they may be builded for Ierusalem is not onely a citie for peace but to be prepared for warre she hath not onely pallaces but castles towers fortresses and walles and therefore Dauid craueth that these might be built vp againe First see what are these walles Secondly whereof they are builded Lastly who is the builder What are the walles The Church of God is a fortefied towne which must haue defences to resist the enemie for the deuill and all euill men princes wise-men gentiles Iewes are conspired against the citie
quod non haebet veritas hebraica And therefore willing to reconcile them he saith that both night and day they should awaite vpon God But seeing he granteth there is no word of the night in the Hebrew verity why would he goe by that light of the Scriptures to his corrupt translation citing Saint Ierome who maketh twice mention of the morning not once of the night But he peruerteth Scriptures as his manner is and in confessing that our translation is according to the Hebrew veritie he graunteth that his translation is after a Latine lie which indeede is both mutilat and redundant leauing out that which should be in the morning twise and putting in night which should not be there But no maruell so is all their doctrine bringing in darkenesse of ignorance and putting away the light of the morning the Lord Iesus Christ Read Chrysos translation The night diuided in to foure warches More then the morning watch watching for the morning The night was diuided in foure watches euery watch had three houres the last watch because neerest the day and light of the Sunne is most comfortable and therefore most desired Out of this verse I obserue these foure things First that this world is a night Secondly that Christians are watchmen Thirdly that their comfort and light must come from aboue from Christ that Sonne of righteousnesse Fourthly that the light commeth not till the fourth watch 1. This world is a night The world is a night and its darknes represents Hell as the light represents Heauen The morning presupposeth the night and this world most properly is compared to a long winters night which is verie comfortable The light is comfortable both to those that are in health and sicknesse when men lie in darkenesse they are discouraged and their griefe is augmented and â—ncreased but when they see the day breaking they take heart The darkenesse representeth hell wherein there is vtter darkenesse and no light neither materiall not spirituall there shal be a fire burning but neither giuing heate or light and the light representeth heauen where there shal be no darkenesse Reu. 21.23 For the Lambe shal be the light of the house As the night is cold so is this world comfortles The night also is cold wanting the Sunne which warmeth the earth man and beast so is the world a shaddow of death a darke dungeon a portrature of hell no comfort to be had in it but displeasure and matter of mourning Ignorance a most obseure night Ro. 13.12 The greatest night in this world is the ignorance of God of which the Apostle speaketh The night is passed and the day is come This darkenesse ouerspread the whole face of the earth Gen. 1.3 till it pleased God who brought light out of darkenesse the first day to illuminate our darkned minds by the knowledge of his truth of which also the Apostle speaketh yea are no more darkenesse but light in the Lord. Spirituall darkenesse which carieth to eternall darknesse Eph. 5.8 Spirituall darknes as most euill is most to be feared is more fearefull then corporall darknesse Forasmuch as prisoners lying in darkenesse would most gladlie see the light But these who are lying in ignorance of God desire neuer to see the light of heauen they thinke ignorance the mother of deuotion they take pleasure in it they hate knowledge they will not be informed I pray God open all your eies that wee may see the light of God in Iesus Christ that we doe no more take delight in ignorance despising the light offered vnto vs for the saluation of our soules Let vs not suffer our selues to be deceiued by sesuiticall sophistications For when our soules shall present that terrible tribuniall at the houre of our death then we would wish we had beene of the number of the wise virgines Mat. 25.4 and had prepared oile for our lampes and might haue had the light of the knowledge of God shining in our soules which alacke some of vs both contemne and seeke to haue it quenched in others 2. Christians are watchmen The duty of a watchman Dauid compareth himselfe to a watchman the office of a watchman is to take heed least the enemie come at vnawares and to giue warning to the cirizens Euery particular Christian ought to be a watchman Euery Christian should watch for he hath euemies both spirituall and corporall continually assaulting him to destroy both his soule and his body for which cause our Sauiour often exhorted his hearers to watch and pray Mat. 26.41 and by nature we fall asleepe Ibid. 40. as the Apostles did in the garden and Ionas in the ship Ionah 1.5 Therefore it is good we should be carefull to watch ouer our waies The watch lookes to the enemie without but we haue more neede to watch vpon our domestique and inward enemies Nota. least they supprise vs euen our Iustes and concupiscences our pride our auarice our malice all which are like to ouerthrow our soule Let vs therefore watch least we be supprised Preachers are Gods wâ—tchmen Ezech 3.17 〈◊〉 And as euery Christian should watch so much more should pastors who are called watchmen whom God hath made watchmen of Israel that when they see traitours and wolues entering into the fold of God they may giue warning and blow the trumper and adoertise the citizens of their danger So those who take vpon them the title of watchmen vpon the walles of Ierusalem and watch diligently for their owne benefite Faise watchmen shall be destroyed onely looking to themselues and not to the Church they are false watchmen and shall be destroyed with the first Woe and woe againe to such as call themselues watchmen who smite the Bride and pull her vaile from her going and following after the bridegroome when they should watch for the welfare of Sion if the watchman be false he may betray the camp As false and negligent watch men are most dangerous to a common wealth so are false and secure Preachers to the Church or the house wherein he is and if he be negligent and sleepe all is in perill so if the watchmen and preachers be salfe and secure when the enemie is comming the Church is in great danger Lord make thy ministrie true to the Church that they seeing the enemies entred into the Lords Ierusalem they may in time giue warning least both they and the citie perish 3. Comfort and light must come from aboue The watchman waiteth for the day and he is very glad when he seeth it breake for then he knoweth the Sunne is a rising vpon the earth which will inlighten all the world No comfort is to be found on earth for a Christian soule in this darke night we must look to the day dawning when Christ in that day of his glorious appearing shall come to deliuer his Church from all miseries Our light commeth from
little world and yet he calleth himselfe Gods seruant not as the Pope who stileth himselfe seruus seruorum Dei seruant of the seruants of God when he is a Lord ouer Lordes both Ecclesiasticall and ciuill But he indeede in the humilitie of his heart confesseth God to be his onely liege Lord Princes as much bound to serue God as their subiects to obey them vpon whom he depended of whom he holdeth his crowne So princes may thinke that their subiects are no more bound to them then they are to God and that they are as inferiour and more to God then their subiects are to them Vse which should moue princes to humble them vnder the mightie hand of God Inferiour subiects may at certaine termes put their seruants from them and take others in their place for seruice is no heritage and if they much more princes who may put their seruants away whether ob culpam or placitum none ought to inquire So God the supreame Maiestie hath an absolute and vnlimited libertie ouer all as well rich as poore he can displace kings and giue their kingdomes and crownes to others if they displease him He can rent the kingdome from Suul and giue it to Dauid 1. Sa. 15.28 1. Ki. 12.24 from Rehoboam and giue it to Iereboam if they breake his commandemenents Psal 2.10 Be wise therefore O kings serue the Lord in feare For no liuing shal be iustified in thy sight The like he hath in the 130 Psalme Who can stand before thee so that not onely he refuseth any clame of mercy by himselfe but includeth all liuing vnder sinne so that none is exempted for all are sinners All are sinners that all may at God beg the remission of sin and are destitute of grace that God may shew mercy to all and all his creatures may beg from himselfe alone that which is not in any of them Away away with merits away with our worthinesse seeke it where it is to be found euen in Christ Where he saith they cannot be iustified there he cleerelie auoucheth the Doctrine of Saint Paul that iustification commeth by faith and not by workes Rom 3.24 directlie against the Papisticall heresie Against iustificatiō by workes which teacheth men to seeke a part of it at least in others and themselues whereas here all men are excluded from righteousnesse but that which they must finde in God Verse 3. For the enemie hath persecuted my soule he hath smitten my life downe to the earth he hath laid me in the darkenesse as they that haue bin dead long agoe THis is the complaint of his enemies extreme malice against him by a threefold exaggeration thereof their persecuting of his soule their throwing downe of his life to the earth and their laying him into darknesse as a dead man Their malice was so vehement against him that nothing could content them till they vtterly ruine him both in body and soule and name This representeth cleerely vnto vs the malice of the enemies of the Church Note the malice of the Church her enemies especially of the Iudasits orders Pro. 17.10 which is so extreame that nothing can satisfie them vnlesse they bath themselues in the blood of the poore members A Lyon is more mercifull to his prey then a tyrant is to a Christian there is not the smallest fauour to be looked for at his handes The mercies of the wicked are cruell a cleere example hereof we haue in the Papists but specially in those blood thirstie wolues the Iesuites who will bragge of a singularitie in puritie and yet will stirre vp princes and all other fauourers of their sect to roote out Christians who professe the name of Iesus according to his word those they go about dayly to massacre without respect of any as witnesseth the bloodie massacrie of Paris Anno 1572. August 24. at which time they murthered a great many thousands in France for professing Christ As also that diuelish and hellish pouderplot what a bloudie execution was intended against our gratious Soueraigne and hopefull children These bloudie Iesuites and mastiue dogs are not fierce against the Turkes Panims but against the Israel of God Yea as Lyons Wolues and Foxes take most pleasure in the bloud of the lambes then in any other beast which they will spare and passe by except they be in great hunger so these must desire Christian bloud and thinke they doe God good seruice in killing v◠And this should be a matter of great comfort to the Church of God seeing persecution is a marke of the true Church and Christ accounteth men blessed when they are persecuted and euill spoken of for his sake Mat. 5.10.12 For so saith he did their Fathers to the Prophets that were before you Let vs therefore be patient and suffer calamities through hope of eternall glorie which we shall inherit when these short tribulations shall expire The more the Church be troden vnder foot the greater is Gods honour in her deliuerie Moreouer yee may see how farre the Lord permitteth the wicked to preuaile aboue his children that he will suffer them to tread vpon their bellies as though they were dead and no hope of life left to them that his honour may be the more magnified who out of their dead ashes could make a resurrection as he did to Dauid who was as a dead man and forgotten yet God raised him vp and erected his throne aboue his enemies O Lord deliuer thy Church from her troubles and persecution Verse 4. And my spirit is in perplexitie in me and mine heart within me was amased HE spake before of his externall calamities now he confesseth the infirmetie of his minde that he was wonderfully cast downe in heart and troubled in his soule so that his strength was almost gone not like the strength of a whale fish or of a rocke but being ready to drowne with sorrow he was sustained by faith and Gods Spirit he swimmed vnder these euils Our Sauiour himselfe confessed of himselfe my soule is troubled to the death Mat 26.38 God knoweth our moulde we are not stockes without passions or perturbations Gods children haue their owne passions we are not like lepers whose flesh is senslesse but we are sensible of euills that we may run to God for helpe and comfort Iob. 42.7 Had not Iob his owne perturbations and griefes which made him vtter hard speeches for which God rebuked him and he afterward repented Simil. yea God affirmed that he spake better of him then all his friends did Can a shippe saile a long with such a constant and direct course in stormie weather as it were calme and before the winde it is enough that it directeth the course euer toward the port albeit it be forced to cast boord twentie times So God careth not albeit we be troubled in our course to heauen Let vs euer aime at the port of eternall glory howsoeuer we be disquieted with contrarie