Hebrew It is true it is not but is it not in the i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 5. Gracè Greeke or in the Septuagint Is it not in that from whence the Psalter is translated for the most part without reference to the Hebrew Were it a matter in controversie that the Greeke and the Hebrew were contrary no doubt but we should be tried by the Hebrew rather but seeing it is about such Additions as more copiously explicate the meaning of the Text what need so much adoe about Trifles and Nifles only Wherefore now to the Matter in hand Worldly Ioy when it is caused by reason of Wealth is commonly but briefe and of a short continuance How many Rich Men Yesterday l Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 5. saith S. Austen and to Day but Poore how many haue gone Wealthy to Bed and by reason of Theeues that haue robd them in the Night haue awaked in the Morning as poore as poore might bee Our Age hath seene within the space of an m The lamentable burning of Teuerton Aº 1612. Houre by casualty of Fire and that at Mid-day to the Wealthiest in a City as poore as Iob. Vae tibi Ridenti quia mox post Gaudia Flebis is a Verse one n Goclen de Risu saith that comprehendeth in it all the Eight parts of Speech like as o Plutarch Platon Quaest Quaest 9. Homer in a Greeke Verse comprehended the like I shall not need now at this time to examine that in the Latine but sure I am it compriseth in it all Worldlings whatsoever our Saviour speaking to all when he spake vnto them in Prose p Luc. 6.25 Woe be to you that Laugh now for you shall Mourne But is the Ioy of the Godly such and shall it last no longer then so Nay but he saith to them Your Heart shall Reioice and your Ioy nee Man taketh that is shall be able to take from you q Ioh. 16.22 Verse 9. I will lay me dowâ—e in peace and take my rest for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safty The Prophet in the former Psalme told vs what he had done I lâ—id me downe r Ps 3.5 saith he and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me he tells vs here what he would doe Both come to one reckoning both intimating vnto vs that for all our Nights past which wee haue slept heretofore for all we shall sleepe hereafter as long as our Liues shall last we haue beene wee are to be beholding to the Lord. Except the Lord keep the City Å¿ Ps 127.2 saith David the Watchman waketh but in vaine and except the Lord keep our Bodies at that time the Cities of our Soules the Sleepers sleep but in vaine nether How quickly are we gone in the turning of an Hand Truly as the Lord liueth and as thy Soule liueth t 1. Sam. 20.3 saith Dauid to Ionathan there is but a Step between me and Death Truly many times there is in this case not so much Let but our Spittle mistake the Passage which is easily done in the Night time by reason of the Rewme how irrecouerably may we be gone The u French Academ Part. 2. c. 16. The Epiglottis or little Tongue that closeth the amplitude of Larinx or the top of the Rough Artery as the Cover of a Pot how doth it still saue vs from dayly and deadly Dangers Howbeit the Dangers here meant are not so much in regard of such Infirmities as of the Cruelty of Enemies who would haue done by our Prophet as Abishai would haue done by King Saul when he found him fast asleep would but David haue said the word God x 1. Sam. 26.8 saith Abishai to Dauid hath deliuered thine Enemie into thine Hand now therefore let me smite him I pray thee with the Speare even to the Earth at once and I will not smite him the second time But I haue spoken on this Argument in the Psalme y Exposit on Ps 3.5 p. 70. before I now conclude with that of David in another of his Psalmes z Ps 124.1 If the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side now may Israel say if the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side when Men rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quicke when they were so wrathfully displeased at vs. Yea the Waters had drowned vs and the Streame had gone ouer our Soules And thus much of this Fourth Psalme concerning which if any be desirous to haue more said of it then is I referre him to that which S Austen hath in his Booke of Confessions where speaking of the Psalmes in Generall and Particularly of this Fourth Psalme I would the Manichees a Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 4. saith hee had beene by me so I had not knowne of it when I had occasion to read the Psalms especially the Fourth Psalme and then he recites it wholy word by word and makes a Paraphrase therevpon as if it touched those Hâ—reticks as neere as neere might bee Nor can I here forget what Erasmus saith of this Psalme This one Psalme alone b Erasm Op. Tom. 5. in Ps 4. p. 246. saith he as short as it is would suffice vs for Salvation did we but Vnderstand what we read therein and what we Vnderstand did we but Practise in our Liues Indeed Practise is all in all For haue we in our Crosses Calamities that doe betide vs any recourse vnto the Lord No surely not a whit Little difference now adaies nay none at all betwixt Turkes and Infidels once wronged those that beare the Name of CHRISTIANS Euery Man now quits himselfe with like for like and is his owne Caruer Or if he be of a brauer Spirit then ordinary then is hee a c Gen. 4.23 Lamech streight or a d Examinat and true Relâ—t .. c. of the Murther of S â— IOHN TYNDAL Aº 1616. Bertram though he play the part of Mat. 27.5 Act. 1.18 Iudas too in murthering himselfe when he hath done We are like for all the World the Cat in the f Aesop Fab. Gr. Lat. Fab. 172. Fable as demure as may be till wee are crossed but then let a little Mouse runne by suppose some petty Iniury not worth the speaking of and all our demurenesse is quite dasht and streight wee prooue Cat after kinde Strange it is to consider vpon what slight occasions what Hurly burlies haue beene in the World Let me speake it in Michael Montaigne his Words g Nos plus grandes agitations ont des ressorts causes ridicles Poure la querelle d'vne charrette de peaux de mouton L' engraueure d' vn caâ—bet Les Essates de Michael Seigneur de Montaigne l. 3. c. 10 Our greatest Agitations haue strange Springs and ridiculous Causes What ruine did our late Duke of Burgundie run into for the Quarrel of a Cart load of
alone then when alone in such sort The Similitude of a Lyon here annexed is to shew the maner of his Devouring to be most Dreadful Who will not feare t Amos 3.8 saith Amos when the Lyon hath Roared And yet the Faith of Christians that always opened their own Mouths hath stopped the Mouths of u Heb. 11.33 Dan. 6.22 Vid. Euseb Hist Eccles l. 8. c. 7. Lyons Or if God sometimes suffered them to bee devoured of Lions it was to make them like Ignatius who going to his Martyrdome x Euseb Hist Eccl. l. 3. c. 32. Act. Mon. Edit 4. p. 40. Col. 2. out of Euseb and S. Ierom. Now doe I beginne to be a Disciple I weigh neither Visible nor Invisible things so that I gaine CHRIST let FIRâ— GALLOWES Violence of BEASTS Bruising of the BONES Racking of the MEMBERS Trampling on the BODY and all the PLAGVES invented by the mischiefe of Sathan light upon me so that I may winne CHRIST IESVS And againe I am the Wheat of God I am to bee grinded with the Teeth of Beasts that I may be found Pure Bread or Fine Manchet Vers 3. O Lord my God if I haue done any such thing or if there be any Wickednesse in my Hands What this thing was was notorious no doubt in those Dayes though now not knowne so y Calvin in hunc Ps Calvin Pronomen Istud de re Vulgo nota eum loqui significat We may ghesse it to be some one Sclander or other that was raysed vpon the Prophet where of himselfe was most innocent Who here satisfieth himselfe in approouing his Innocency to the Lord and teacheth vs in like case what wee also ought to doe Behold z Iob. 16.19 saith Iob my Witnes is in Heauen and my Record is on High Whereas the Sclanderers Witnesses are in Hell and their Record from below But what Was not our Prophet againe to requite them with like Language was hee not to yeeld them Quid pro Quo to giue them againe as good as they brought Oh no that had beene the next way for him to suffer with them Shipwrack too as speaks S. Chrysostome If one a Chrys Hom. in Ps 7. saith S. Chrysostom about to split his Ship consequently to be drowned should speake spightfully vnto thee setting on the Shoare thou wouldst not so much grieue thereat as that thou wouldst forsake thy place of safety and hie thee vnto him to bee partaker with him of his wrecke Then thus thinke with thy selfe that hee that wrongs thee in this sort and speaks so spightfully of thee is driuen by Storme and Tempest vpon the Shipwrack of Anger and Wrath but thou if thou bearst it patiently standest safely on the Shoare But once come to the passe that he is in and thou drownest not him thou dâ—ownest thy selfe Thus Hannah who when Eli mistooke her but was iealous over her with godly Iealousie as b 2. Cor. 11.2 speakes the Apostle S. Paul How long wilt thou be drunken Put away thy Wine from thee What Language should he haue had againe of many of our Gossips and who will seeme Religious too What you a Minister of God and wrong me thus palpably You a Minister You a Diuell And then at every Gossipping Out vpon him I haue done with him for ever I would we were well rid of him a worse I am sure wee cannot haue Said Hannah thus No but as a Monument of Patience and worthy to be Registred as wee see she is in the Booke of God No my Lord c 1. Sam. 1.15 saith shee I am a Woman of a sorrowfull Spirit I haue druncke neither Wine nor strong Drinke but haue powred out my Soul before the Lord. Count not thy Handmaid for a Daughter of Belial for out of the aboundance of my Complaint and Griefe haue I spoken hitherto Heauenly Hannah Happy Hannah most worthy to haue beene the Mother of such a Sonne as afterwards became such a PROPHET Where shall wee finde thy like How many Others now adaies instantly Whetting their Tongues vpon their Teeth would haue shaped him such an Answer especially had they been Innocent that they would haue been Nocent enough ere they had gone out of the place and the Towne and Country both should haue knowne of the Prophets Mistake But I goe forward Where our Prophet here so absolutely speakes of any Wickednes in his Hands it is to be referred to that Particular whereof he now speaks to wit any such Wickednesse as he was accused of like as at another time to King Saul My Father d 1. Sam. 24.11 saith he see yea see the skirt of thy Robe in my Hand for in that I Cut of the skirt of thy Robe and Killed thee not knowe thou and see that there is neither Evill nor Transgression in mine hand and I haue not sinned against thee yet thou Huntest my Soule to take it Where it is worth the obseruing how well in this case he iustifieth himselfe vnto Saul There is neither Evill nor Transgression in mine hand and I haue not sinned against thee Who yet in regard of God was no wise able thus to Iustifie himselfe and therefore the Scripture declared e V. 5. before that It came to passe afterward that Davids Heart smote him because he had cut of Sauls skirt Good Reason Abstaine f 1. Thes 5.22 saith the Apostle S. Paul from all appearance of Evill Here was more then Appearance here was Evill it selfe The Iews haue a conceit that by reason hereof David in his old Age by way of Retaliation could get no Heate by his owne g 1. Kings 1.1 Cloathes for that he had thus trespassed against Saul Sed illi magis Frigent quà m ipse Dauid But their Conceit h Vid. P. Mart. in 1. Sam. 14.5 saith P. Martyr is much more cold then Dauid was And so it is for the Concert but the Ground of that Conceit is warme enough namely that it was Sin in their opinion to doe but thus much against the Annointed of the Lord. And therefore they that dare doe more and thinke they Sin not what are they but worse then Iewes Verse 4. If I haue rewarded Evill vnto him that dealt friendly with me yea I haue deliuered him that without any cause is mine Enemy To reward Evill vnto him that deals friendly with vs is a point of Ingratitude to style such an one i Ingratum dixeris omnia dixeris Vox Pop. Vngratefull is to say all the ill by him that may be said Our Prophet not only not did this but hee had befrended them that were Enemies to him without a cause and this may we see in the first of Samuel where wee shall finde him so doing Did hee not there deliuer King Saul when he had that opportunity of quitting himself of him for ever Behold l 2. Sam. 24.4 say his Men the Day of which the Lord said vnto thee Behold I
knowledge of God but whereas they lived in great warres of ignorance those so many so great plagues they called peace The zeale that they had and the contentation of their hearts made them believe that all their superstition and idolatry and other enormities was Catholique unitie This zeale as on the one side it hath many tokens of goodnesse for that it hath a conscience and a feare and an obedience towards God so on the other side it is very dangerous because it lacketh knowledge even as a ship for lack of a governour is ever in danger of the Rocks and as the body which hath no eye is ever in danger of falling Such kinde of zeale the greater it is the worser it is the more vehement it seemeth the more vehemently it fighteth against God For our good meaning maketh not our doings good our zeale is not a rule whereby we may measure out either our faith or our works but only the knowne will and pleasure of God Therefore speaketh God in this manner by the Prophet Esay Esai 55. my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies Therefore saith Solomon Prov 3. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and leane not to thy own wisdome in all thy waies acknowledge him and he shall direct thy doings This counsell also doth Moses give Deut. 5. take heed that yee doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you turn not aside to the right hand nor to the left But the true and godly zeale proceedeth not from hypocrisie or intention but is led and trained by understanding and is molten into the heart and the vehemency and heat of it no man knoweth but he that feeleth it It taketh away the use of reason it eateth devoureth up the heart even as the thing that is eaten is turned into the substance of him that eateth it as iron while it is burning hot is turned into the nature of the fire so great and so just is the griefe that they which have this zeale conceive when they see Gods house spoiled or his holy name dishonoured 1. King 19 So saith Elias J have been very jealous for the Lord God of hoasts for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant broken down thy Altars and slaine thy Prophets with the sword and I only am left and they seek my life to take it away So when Moses found that the people had forsaken God and were fallen down before a molten Calfe did put their trust in the work of their own hands his wrath waxed hot and he cast the tables out of his hand Exod. 32. and brake them in peices beneath the mountaine his heart was so inflamed with zeale that he considered not what he had in his hand nor what he did Jeremy when he saw the disorder of the people how they were not mended with his preaching and would inwardly conceale the griefe he conceaved and purposed not to make mention of the Lord nor to speak any more in his name yet could he not for his zeale found way Ierem. 20. and brake out His word saith he was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones and I was weary with forbearing and J could not stay And albeit there is much likenesse between the rage and fury of hypocrites the godly zeale of good men for either are hot either are vehement either wisheth redresse yet this is an evident difference godly zeale is tempered and seasoned with charity the ungodly is joyned with bitternesse and revenge the godly seeketh to win the ungodly to kill and to destroy the ungodly have their hands full of bloud they kill the Prophets they say we have a law and by our law He must dye they say come let us destroy them that they be no more a nation Let not the name of Israel be had any more in remembrance they burn the holy books of the Scriptures as did Aza and Antiochus they say ransack it pull it down rase it to the foundation let not one be left alive they dig up the bodies of the dead out of their graves they shew their crueltie upon the bones and ashes which were long before buried and well nigh consumed It grieveth them when they lack upon whom they may whet their bloudthirstie and cruell zeale It grieveth them no one thing else so much that they did not work surely and cut up the root Such is the zeale of the ungodly even such a zeale as was in Nero in Caligula of whom it is reported he wished that all the Romans had but one neck that he might cut off all their heads at one stroke as was in Herod in Annas and Caiphas the like murtherers But the godly when they see any disorder they doe nothing like the other they mourne in their hearts to see that the truth is not received to see the mindes of their brethren so obstinately hardned they make prayer to God for them they are deeply touched with the feeling of such calamities which God layeth upon other The zeale of Moses could not like the Idolatry of the people yet he went unto the Lord againe and said Exod. 32. Now if thou pardon their sinne thy mercy shall appeare but if thou wilt not I pray thee rase me out of thy book which thou hast written Christ lamented over Jerusalem ô Jerusalem Jerusalē which killest the Prophets Mat. 23. stonest them which are sent to thee how often would I have gathered thy childrē together as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings and yee would not behold your habitation shall be left unto you desolate Paul suffered much at the hands of the wicked Jewes they troubled the Church of God they hindered the course of the Gospell they were enimies of the Crosse of Christ they were dogs they were Concisiō yet he saith I have great heavinesse Rom. 9. and continuall sorrow in mine heart for I would wish my selfe to be separated from Christ for my brethren that are my kindsmen according to the flesh which are the Israelites David saith Psal 118. Mine eyes gush out with rivers of water because they keepe not thy law And again My zeale hath even consumed me because mine enimies have forgotten thy words Againe I saw the transgressours was grieved because they kept not thy word And when he saw the whole nation of Israel wasted by the enimies how mournfull a complaint made hee to God O God the heathen are come into thine inheritance Psal 19. thine holy Temple have they defiled and made Jerusalem heapes of stones the dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the foules of the heaven and the flesh of thy Saints unto the Beasts of the earth At this time when the Tabernacle was lost when Saul was unquiet and the Priests were slaine and the Prophets despised and the people left without all comfort
notice of the Kingdome of our Saviour and submit themselues wholly thereunto now that the Kingdome is thus spread and the whole World as it were in Beliefe what better befitteth vs Christians then when wee solemnize such Feasts to say this Psalme amongst the rest which sorteth so exceeding well both with the Mystery and the Season PSAL. III. Domine quid 1 LORD how are they increased that trouble me many are they that rise against me 2 Many one there be that say of my soule there is no helpe for him in his God 3 But thou O Lord art my Redeemer thou art my Worship and the lifter vp of my Head 4 I did call vpon the Lord with my Voyce and he heard me out of his holy Hill 5 I laid me downe and slept and rose vp againe for the Lord sustained me 6 I will not be afraid for tenne thousands of People that haue set themselues against me round about 7 Vp Lord and helpe me O my God for thou smitest all mine Enemies vpon the Cheeke bone thou hast broken the Teeth of the Vnâ—odly 8 Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord and thy blessing is vpon thy People THE ANALYSIS VVHat occasion the Prophet David had of writing this Psalme is evident by the Title as the Title is specified in the Hebrew and in some Translations thereof Quomodo Ianna introducit in Domum sic Titulus Psalmi introducit in Intellectum As the Gate a Aug. de Verb. Apost Ser. 20. saith St Austen le ts in to the House so doth the Title of a Psalme to the Vnderstanding thereof In the Vulgar it is thus A Psalme of David when he did flye from the Face of Absolon his Sonne The Story is in the Second of Samuel and is in effect to this purpose Absolon wicked Absolon had made against his Father David a maine Conspiracy Absolon b 2. Sam. 15.10 saith the Scripture sent Spies throughout all the Tribes of Israel saying As soone as yee heare the sound of the Trumpet then yee shall say Absolon reigneth in Hebron David vpon the newes hereof fled from Ierusalem and betooke himselfe vnto the Wildernes at which time as it is not vnlikely he composed this Psalme The Psalme is framed vnto God by way of Petition that in regard his Enemies were so many as it is in the First Verse and so maliciously bent against him as it is in the Second and yet his Faith in God was very firme as it is in the Third Verse Againe in regard the Goodnes of the Lord had bene formerly such vnto him that he never made his Prayer vnto him but he was heard effectually as it is in the Fourth Verse and therefore still relyed on him with much Security as it is in the Fift and Confidence as in the Sixt Verse his Petition I say is to God that he would now also deliuer him as it is in the Seuenth Verse especially for he alone was able to effect it as it is in the Eight Verse And thus much of the Analysis VErse I. Lord how are they increased that trouble mee many are they that rise against mee It was a memorable saying of King Solomon c Prov. 16.7 When a mans Wayes please the Lord hee maketh euen his Enemies to bee at peace with him and it is as true againe on the contrary that when the Wayes of a man please not the Lord he maketh euen his Friends to be at Enmity with him What wayes they were that David took before these Troubles did befall him is recorded in holy Writ namely first the Way of Concupiscence then the Way of Adultery next the Way of Dissimulation afterward the Way of Murther and how displeasing these Wayes were vnto the Lord witnesse the Words of Nathan to David Thou d 2 Sam. 12.9 saith he hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the Sword and hast taken his Wife to be thy Wife and hast slaine him with the Sword of the Children of Ammon Now therefore the Sword shall neuer depart from thy House because thou hast despised me and hast taken the Wife of Vriah the Hittite to be thy Wife Thus saith the Lord Behold I will raise vp Euill against thee out of thine owne House and I will take thy Wiues before thine Eyes and giue them vnto thy Neighbour and he shall lye with thy Wiues in the sight of this Sun For thou didst it secretly but I will doe this thing before all Israel and before the Sun Hence then that Encrease of those that troubled him hence those Many that rose against him His complaint here in this place was not of the Philistians the Idumaeans the Moabites and such like vtter Enemies to the Church of God and consequently to himselfe but of his Subiects his Servants his Counsellers of Estate all in a manner falling from him and adoring now the Sun rising for so they tooke Absolon his Sonne to bee In this his speech then and in these words is both Admiration and Astonishment Admiration for that it was strange that such great Frends a little before should prooue such Enemies vnto him and grow in a tryce from one Extreame vnto another Astonishment for that they were such as himselfe not long before had promoted to the Honours and Dignities they did enjoy But this is no new thing now-a-dayes such vngratefull Wretches as these the World hath such stoare of as there be Moats in the Sun Nay euen at that time it seemes they were so many that David himselfe could not number them onely the Scripture will enforme vs and by that we may guesse the Multitude was exceeding great in that no lesse then e 2 Sam. 18.7 Twenty Thousand of them were slaine in one Day Besides the Captaine and Ringleader of them Absolon him selfe who how he was taken vp betweene the Heauen and the Earth Some say by the Haire the Scripture saith by the Head remaines a Spectacle for all vndutifull and vngracious Children to their PARENTS for euer to behold It shall not bee amisse here to remember that Epitaph or Epigram which f Strigelii Loc. Theolog. a Christoph Pezel edit Part. 3. p. 385. Pezelius hath made vpon him Degener immerito rapâ— Sceptra Parenti O Iuvenis Patriae Pestis acerba tuae Dignatuis coeptis sed Poena secuta vagantem Frondibus arboreis implicuere Comae Hasta Ioab maduit forti vibrata Lacerto Sanguine transfixo Pectore tincta tuo Has Scelerum Poenas pulso dedit ille Parente I nunc Patrijs insidiare Bonis THE ENGLISH Disloyall Princox Plague of natiue Soyle Thou vndeseruedly didst Scepter wring From Fathers hand and made the same thy Spoyle When afterwards it did due Vengeance bring The Trees themselues thee punisht for thy Haire Tangled therewith they hoyst thee in the Aire Nor only so but Ioabs Dart beside Eftsoones bereft thee of thy Life 's strong Fort Into thy Bowels it did swiftly glide And made thy Bloud gush forth in ample sort
It is taken for the whole Man consisting of Body and Soule So the Prophet Ezechiel b Ezech. 18.20 The Soule that sinneth it shall dye It is taken for the Will and Affections where of the Soule is the Seat so is it said in holy Scripture that the Soule of Ionathan was c 1. Sam. 18.1 knit with the Soule of David But here in this place it is taken for Life and his Enemies now thought that they had him at such a lift that Safety it selfe could not haue saued him Witnesse their very Words There is no helpe for him in his God What not for David what not in God what not in his God Sathan himselfe durst neuer haue said it and shall his Miscreants speake that which Sathan dares not But why no Helpe why not for David why not in God why not in his God Why but for they saw forsooth themselues so Many they saw Davids Friends so few Davids Army in respect of them were like two litle d 1 Kings 20.27 Flocks of Kids they themselues filled a whole Countrey I told you in the Verse before that we might guesse how great an Army Absolon had when two and twenty Thousand of them were slaine An Army consisting of 30000 Foote and 4000 Horse is sufficient some e Gener. Hist of Spaine transl by Mr Grimst l. 28. p. 1057. say for the execution of any worthy Enterprize whatsoeuer Nay the Cardinall of Sion was wont to f Guicciard Hist l. 12. say that an Army of 40000 Swissers was a Power able to meet in the field with the whole residue of the World joyned in one strength By much likelyhood Absolons Army came not much short of the greater of these two Nombers What Davids was the Scripture tels vs not onely Iosephus eâ—formes vs in the g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioseph Antiq. l. 7. c. 9. Greek that it was but 4000 I say in the Greek for that the English Iosephus so much mistaketh readeth 40000. Now being but 4000 his Enimies so many calling to mind our Saviours h Luc. 14.31 Proportion of Ten to meet with Twenty Thousand how vnequall it is well may we thinke they had cause to be so confident and to think but meanly of David but to thinke as meanely of Davids God to and that he could not or would not helpe it was Blasphemy to say he could not and to say he would not Incredulity And was not all this verified in our SAVIOVR vpon the Crosse It is the Observation of Arnobius What say they here which the Iewes said not l Mat. 27.43 He trusted in God let him deliuer him now if he will haue him But what sayth David to all this was he of the same mind Nay for it followeth f Arnob. in hunc Ps Verse 3. But thou O Lord art my Defender thou art my Worship the Lifter vp of my Head Faith m Heb. 11.1 saith the Apostle St Paul is the Substance of things hoped for the Evidence of things not seen Loe here the force of Faith which whatsoeuer Men or Divels say to the contrary is fixed in God aboue and assureth it selfe of those things which are not as yet seene He had scarcely retyred himselfe in these his Meditations vnto God whenas immediatly he began to feele a secret working of the Spirit and an invisible presence of Gâ—d aboue David could not but remember how he had betaken himselfe to his heeles and how hee did flye from Absolon and yet hee here acknowledgeth God his Defender he was not ignorant how full of Infamy and Obloquie he was and yet hee here acknowledgeth God to be his Worship lastly hee lyes prostrate as it were and groueling on the Ground and yet he acknowledgeth God to be the Lifter vp of his Head that is as n Drus Observat l. 3. c. 5. Drusius obserues to make him goe with a glad and merry countenance opposite whereunto is that of God to Cain o Gen. 4.6 Cur concidit Vultus tutes why is thy Countenance fallen that is why goest thou so sad and heavily Thus whatsoeuer befell David he had by Faith a Salue and Remedy for the same Oh the excellency of Faith the invincible Strength Force thereof These bodily Eyes p Chrys in Gen. Hom. 10. saith Chrysostome that see things visible cannot possibly doe so much as the Eyes of the Spirit may For the Eyes of the Spirit are able to see the things that be not seene and that haue no being at all And againe in an other place The Eyes of the Mind q Chrys de Verb. Esaiae Vid. Dom. Hom. 3. saith he notwithstanding they find Walls or Mountaines or the Bodies of the Heauens themselues opposed against them yet they for all that will easily passe them through Vers 4. I did call vpon the Lord with my Voice and he heard me out of his holy Hill We saw in the Verse before the Excellency of Faith we may see in this Verse the Excellency of Prayer David was now at Deaths doore chased out of his owne Kingdome robd and bereft of his Royall Dignitie forsaken of his Frends and Familiars his Enemies rayling on him his own Sonne seeking his Life and yet he for all this giues himselfe vnto Prayer That time which others would wholy haue bestowed or in breathing out Slaughter and Revenge or in giuing the bridle to the Tongue in Cursing and wicked Speaking and Rayling on their Enemies hee spends in his Soliloquies vnto God and in his Meditatioâ—s vnto him accordingly as he saith in another of his r Ps 109.3 Psalmes For the Loue that I had vnto them loe they take now my contrary part but I giue my selfe vnto Prayer But it is here said hee did call vpon the Lord with his Voice intimating that his Prayer was not Mentall but Vocall and so indeed oftentimes ought Prayer to bee The eis Å¿ P. Martyr in 1. Sam. 1.12 saith Peter Martyr no need at all of Voice when we make our private Prayers vnto God in regard that God heareth and beholdeth our Hearts and Minds And yet sometimes saith he it may be vsed to very good purpose because it may fall out that we may languish in our Prayers our Minds may be wearied which the Voice againe will refresh and giue thereunto a new Vigour It followeth And he heard me out of his Holy Hill The Hill here meâ—nt was Mount Sion wherevpon was placed at that time the Arke of the Lord. The Story is t 2. Sam 15.25 recorded in the Second of Samuel where we shall read that whenas David flew from Absolon the Levites went with him and Abiathar the Priest and carried the Arke with them Howbeit David in many respects would none of all this and therefore caused them to returne againe to the City of Ierusalem where Sion was This that here then he saith in these words is to this effect that
all meanes of good vtterance and explanation of his Words The like to these Phrases here of Smiting the Cheek-bone and Breaking the Teeth the Prophet hath in an other Psalme where he prayeth it may bee done to some other of his Enemies n Ps 58.6 Breake their Teeth O God in their Mouthes saith hee smite the Iaw-bones of the Lyons O Lord. And Iob to this purpose o Iob. 29.17 I brake the Iawes of the Wicked and pluckt the Spoile out of his Teeth Lastly concerning the dependance of these Words with the former they doe not p Aug. in hunc Ps saith S. Austen so depend as if the Lord therefore saued him in that he smote his Enemies on the Cheek-bone but the Prophet being saued before his Enemies were smitten long after And indeed it oftentimes comes to passe that many of Gods Servants being delivered from their Enemies they see or euer the time growes long how those their Enemies by vntimely comming to their End are smitten as it were on the Cheek-bone and their Teeth burst asunder disinabled euer after to bite againe There is to this purpose a memorable Story in the Ecclesiasticall History Narcissus a Bishop of Ierusalem was accused of a certaine Crime by three false Witnesses that had taken their Oathes against him The One wished that he might perish by FIRE if hee swore not true The Other that if he swore not true his BODY might pine away The Third that he might loose his EYES if so be he swore not true to It was not long after but all Three sped accordingly The First by reason of a litle Sparke of Fire that fell amisse had his whole House set on fire himselfe and Family burnt The Second had an incurable Disease whereby he pined and wasted away The Third to see both these Examples before his Eyes wept so abundantly as that he lost both his Eyes And this may be a Smiting of the Cheek-bone here meant and a Breaking of the Teeth namely when such publique and notorious Calamities as these doe light vpon our Adversaries that haue been malitiously bent against vs. One perhaps stands in the Pillory either for thine or some others cause an Other is sent vnto the Iayle a Third holds vp his Hand at Barre and is prosequuted so farre as that he takes his farewell of the World in some conspicuous and eminent Place suppose Tyburne or elsewhere For likely it is that when the Lord hath scourged thee sufficiently by thine Enemies he will as Parents doe Proijcere Sarmentum in Ignem cast the Rod into the Fire as r Aug. in Psal 73. speakes S Austen Thus Achitophel might be said to haue beene smitten on the Cheeke-bone when he haltred himselfe as he did and Absolon to haue his Teeth broken when slaughtered as he was by Ioab he verified the old Saying Mortui non mordent Absolon now could bite no more Or if our Enemies still liue and make no such publique ends for Reasons best knowen to Gods al-knowing Wisdome yet may they bee smitten on the Cheek bone and their Teeth broken an other way as Davids Enemies here might bee and so might David meane too That is God might so represse and hamper them in such sort as that they should haue no power at all to hurt though their Minds perhaps should be as malevolent as euer Benè quod Malitia non habet tantas vires quantos conatus Perierat Innocentia si semper Nequitiae iuncta esset Potentia totum quicquid cupit Calumnia praevaleret It is wel Å¿ Hieron Apol. advers Ruff. saith S. Ierom that Malice is not so powerfull as wrathfull and Innocency were vndone if Wickednesse should still haue power to doe what she list and Detraction should prevaile as farre as she desired And this is the more likely to be the meaning here in this place for that the Prophet elswhere explicating vnto vs what hee meaneth by Teeth I lye t Ps 57.5 saiâ—h he among the Children of Men whose teeth are Speares and Arrowes and their Toung a sharpe Sword And againe in an other u Ps 64.3 Place Which haue whet their Toung like a Sword and shoot out their Arrowes euen bitter Words So that Railing and Reviling being sometimes meant by Teeth the x Linguam ita ligatam habere vt inutire non aâ—â—eâ—nt Plutar. ex Pind. De cap ex Host Vâ—il curbing of their Toungs and putting them to silence that they dare not be so lavish as formerly they were euen this is a Smiting on the Cheeke bone and Breaking the Teeth of the Vngodly Verse 8. Salvation belongeth vnto the Lord and thy Blessing is vpon the People By SALVATION in this place outward Safety and Deliverance from outward Dangers and Enemies is meant And this belongs so peculiarly to God aboue that the Man is cursed y Ier. 17.5 saith Ieremy that trusteth in Man and maketh Flesh his arme And againe z Ier 3.22 Behold we come vnto thee for thou art the Lord our God Truly in vaine is Salvation hoped for from the Hills and from the multitude of Mountaines truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel Agreeable wherevnto is that of our Prophet in an other Psalme a Ps 36.7 Thou Lord shalt saue both Man and Beast It seemes the Prophet Ionas borrowed this Speech Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord of this our Prophet when in the last words of his Prayer he said b Ion. 2.9 SALVATION IS OF THE LORD as it is in the last Passage of this Psalme Much may bee said hereof but I will content my selfe with that which I finde so ready to my hand in a worthy Prelate of our Church concerning this Scripture Salvation is the Lords c My Lord of London vpon Jonas Lect. 29. saith hee is the Summe of the whole Discourse of Ionas his Prophecie the Morall of the History It is the Argument of the whole Prophecie and might haue concluded euery Chapter therein The Marriners might haue written vpon their Shippe insteed of Castor and Pollux or the like Device Salvation is the Lords The Ninivites in the next Chapter might haue written it on their Gates and whole Mankind whose Cause is pityed and pleaded by God against the hardnesse of Ionas his heart might in the last Chapter haue written it in the Palmes of their hands It is the Argument of both the Testaments the Staffe and Supportation of Heauen Earth They would both sinke and all their ioynts be severed if the Salvation of the Lord were not The Birds in the Aire sing no other Noat the Beasts of the Field giue no other voyce then Salus Iehovae Salvation is the Lords The Walls and Fortresses to our Countrey Gates to our Cities and Townes Barres to our Houses a surer Couer to our Heads then an Helmet of Sâ—eele a better Receit to our Bodies then the Confection of Apothecaries a better Receit to our Soules
Sheepe-skins And was not the grauing of a Seale the cheefe Cause of the most horrible Breach and Topsy-tuâ—uy that ever this Worlds Frame endured For Pompey Caesar are but the new Buddings and continuation of two others And a little after Poets haue most iudicially lookt into this who but for an Apple haue set all Greece and Asia on Fire and Sword We learnt it in Tullies Offices long agoe but we left it at Schoole behind vs as soone as we left the Schoole h Tull. Offic. l. 2 Convenit à Litibus quantum liceat nescio an paulò plus quà m liceat abhorrentem esse Est enim non modò liberale paulum nonnunquam de suo iure decedere sed interdum etiam fructuosum Which were it englished as it should be would teach English Men how convenient it is as much as may be and happily more then well may be to abhorre BRABLING i Vid. D. Prideaux his Two Sermons of Christs Counsell for ending Law Cases LAWING For that it is not only a point of Ingenuity sometimes to yeeld a little of our Right but there is also Profit in it But thus much of this Psalme PSAL. V. Verba mea Auribus 1 POnder my Words O Lord consider my Meditation 2 O hearken thou vnto the voice of my Calling my King and my God for vnto thee will I make my Prayer 3 My Voice shalt thou heare betime O Lord earely in the Morning will I direct my Prayer vnto thee and will looke vp 4 For thou art the God that hast no pleasure in Wickednes neither shall any Euill dwell with thee 5 Such as be Foolish shall not stand in thy Sight for thou hatest all them that worke Vanity 6 Thou shalt destroy them that speake Leasing the Lord will abhorre both the Blood-thirsty and Deceitfull man 7 But as for me I will come into thy House euen vpon the Multitude of thy Mercy and in thy Feare will I worship towards thy holy Temple 8 Lead me O Lord in thy Righteousnes because of mine Enemies make thy Way plaine before my Face 9 For there is no Faithfulnes in his mouth their inward parts are very Wickednes 10 Their Throate is an open Sepulchre they flatter with their Toung 11 Destroy thou them O God let them perish through their owne Imaginations cast them out in the multitude of their Vngodlines for they haue rebelled against thee 12 And let them that put their trust in thee reioyce they shall euer be giuing of Thankes because thou defendest them they that loue thy Name shall be ioyfull in thee 13 For thou Lord wilt giue thy Blessing vnto the Righteous and with thy fauourable kindnes wilt thou defend him as with a Shield THE ANALYSIS THis Fift Psalme of David as it is a Prayer in general so is it a Combination and Bundle of Prayers containing in it many Severals as it were so many severall Suits Here is a Prayer for Himselfe here is a Prayer against his Enemies and here is a Prayer for the Church or to goe more particularly to worke as we haue done in the former Psalmes Verse by Verse our Prophet performeth in this Psalme three severall Things First by the way of Preface hee prepareth as it were the Heart of the Lord to giue him Audience now at this time and that in the First and Second Verses Secondly he proposeth two Things First his Confidence and Trust that he hath in the Lord in regard whereof he will be bold to approach vnto Him as it is in the Third Verse Secondly his Arguments and Reasons confirming that his Confidence drawne partly from the Persons of his Enemies who are hated and detested of God as it is in the Fourth Verse in regard whereof they shall not only not bee able to stand before him as it is in the Fift but they shall be all of them confounded as it is in the Sixt Verse partly from his owne Person for that trusting in the Mercies of God he will reverently come vnto him as it is in the Seauenth Verse Thirdly he makes his Petition to God partly to direct him in the Course of his Life by reason of his Enemies and that in the Eight Verse whom he describeth inside and out-side in the Ninth and Tenth Verses partly to destroy those his Enemies as it is in the Eleauenth Verse that so the Godly may haue comfort thereby as it is in the Twelfe and Thirteene Verses And thus much of the Analysis VErse 1. Ponder my Words O Lord consider my Meditation Concerning the Word LORD I haue spoken a Exposit on Ps 3.1 p. 64. before Prayers b Mr Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 23. saith Reverend Hooker are those c Hosea 14.3 Calues of Mens Lips those most gracious and sweet d Rev. 5.8 Odours those rich e Act. 10.4 Presents and Gifâ—s which being carried vp into Heauen doe best testifie our dutifull Affection and are for the purchasing of all Favour at the Hands of God the most vndoubted Meanes we can vse Now Prayer is twofold namely Vocall by way of Voice when as we vse Words to that purpose or Mentall when we vse no Words but onely the Conceits of our Mindes According to both these waies did the Godly vse to pray and though most commonly the Former way yet sometimes the Latter to So f Exod. 14.15 Moses so g 1. Sam. 1.13 Hannah and S. Austen speaking of himselfe My Confession oh my God h Aug. Confess l. 10. c. 2. saith he is made in thy Sight secretly and yet not in secret Tacet enim strepitu clamat affectu it makes no noyse at all by way of sound and yet is it clamorous by reason of her Loue. And S. Gregory to this purpose They are not our Words i Greg. in Iob l. 22. c. 18. saith he but our Desires that yeeld a most forcible Sound in the most secret Eares of God For if we aske Eternall Life onely with the Mouth and desire it not in Heart Clamantes tacemus for all our crying we are indeed but dumb but if wee desire it from the Heart though we speake neuer a word Tacentes clamamus though we hold our peace yet we doe cry Thus the Prophet here in this Place hee hath his Vocall Prayer and his Mentall he hath his Words and his Meditation and in our Private Devotions at Hoame it is all one to God aboue whether we vse the One or the Other As our Eares l Aug. in Ps 148 Hom. 16. saith S. Austen are to our Words so are Gods Eares to our Thoughts and againe in an other place We m Aug. in Ps 141. saith he heare not One the other without the Benefit as of our Lungs so of our Toungs Cogitatio tua Clamor est ad Dominum thy very Thoughts are shrill in Gods Eares But what saith the Prophet here concerning these Words and Thoughts Ponder Consider Ponder my
i Expos on Ps 4.4 p. 96. befoâ—e too Only here it may be doubted how the Proâ—â—et should be so skiiful as to know the Heart Quid tam altum tam profundum quà m Mens Hominis quae quasi involucro quod an Corporis tegitur occultatur vt eam haud facile quisquam introspicere speculari queat What so High and so Deep l Ambros Instit Virg 3. saith S. Ambrose as is the Minde of Man which is hid as it were covered within the Bulck of his Body that no Man may easily prye into it It is true no man can vnlesse he be taught of God as the Prophet Dauid here was the holy Spirit directing his Penne to Paint them out to the full But I come to the Throat and Tongues Verse 10. Their Throat is an open Sepulcher they flatter with their Tongues In that the Throat is here said to be a Sepulcher and that an open one too wee may call to minde what our Saviour m Mat. 23.27 said concerning Sepulchers namely how they are full of dead mens Bones and all Vncleannesse Such Bones and such Vncleannes haue the Wicked in their Throats m Pers Sat. 3. Gutture Sulphureas lentè exhalante Mâ—phites Doe but tell them of their Faults and they will cast you presently such Bones to Gnaw vpon as you will wonder at their Impudency They are set on Fire as o Ps 57.5 speakes the Prophet 〈◊〉 if so be they were made of Tuch-Wood their Teeth are Speares and Arrowes and their Tongue a sharpe Sword But it was the Proverb of the Ancients and it may be a Moderne Proverb now adaies p 1. Sam. 24.13 Wickednesse proceedeth from the Wicked Concerning their Tongues which the Prophet calls Swords and Sharpe Swords to that here it is said They Flatter with them they shewe the skill of Lysander againe concerning the Lyons Skinne and the Foxes Case as you heard q Pag. 125. before These the Prophet elsewhere styleth by the name of Balmes and what more gentle and supple then Balme And yet who would thinke it Nothing more forcible to giue a Broken Pate Let the Righteous r Ps 141.6 saith the Prophet Smyte mee friendly and Reprooue mee but let not their Precious Balmes meaning the Flatteries of the Wicked breake my Head Why Can Balmes doe such a Feat Balme Å¿ Plin. Nat. Hist l. 12. c. 25. saith Pliny is that Sweet and Odoriferous Liquor that goeth beyond all others Howbeit as the same Pliny saith in the same Chapter that there is no Marchandise Commodity in the World wherein there is practised more Fraud Deceit then in the traffique of Balme so falls it out in this case when Flattery workes such Wonders It puts me in mind of a saying in Tacitus Pessimum Inimicorum genus Laudantes speaking of Agricola Often was he in those daies t Tacit. Vit. Agricolae saith Tacitus accused to Domitian in absence and in absence acquitted The Cause was neither matter of Crime nor Complaint of Party aggrieued but the Renowne of the Man and the Princes disposition hating all Vertue the most Capitall kinde of Enemies Commenders procured the Peril Wherevpon that Matchlesse Translator and worthy of all Admiration Sr HENRY SAVILE u Annot vpon the Life of Agricola nu 16 To Hurt or Disgrace by way of Commendation albeit it seemeth a strange Position at the first fight yet may bee and daily is both easily and diversely performed Hee bringeth many Examples which I here omit sufficient it is that I haue pointed to the Fountaine I conclude with that of S. Austen x Aug. in Ps 69. Plus persequitur Lingua Adulatoris quà m Manus Interfectoris The Tongue of a Flatterer strikes more deadly then doth the Hand of a Murtherer And thus haue you seene the Description of the Wicked by their Mouths Hearts Throats and Tongues Faithlesse Mouthes Wicked Hearts Deadly Throats Flattering Tongues what doe they all say vnto vs but that 's the Man Like as y Plin. Nat. Hist l. 35. c. 10. Apelles on a time being at Ptolemies Table and King Ptolomy demanding of him what hee made there and who had invited him Apelles not knowing the name of the Party that had invited him caught vp a dead Coale of Fire from the Chimny corner and drewe him so liuely thereby that every man knew who the Party was But our Prophet like another Apelles drawes them hereby not so much to knowe them as to teach vs to beware of them least participating with them in their Sinnes we participate with them in Punishment too z Cic. Philip. 2. Tully wondred at Antonius that hee feared not to followe their Steps whose ends were so remarkable And it is a thing indeed to be wondred at that our Mouthes Hearts Throats and Tongues so often imployed in GODS SERVICE I say so often should prooue so Malepert so Sawcy so Waspish so Outragious in the turning of an Hand But the a Esay 57.20 Wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose Waters cast vp Myre and Dyrt Verse 11. Destroy thou them O God let them perish through their owne Imaginations cast them out in the Multitude of their vngodlinesse for they haue rebelled against thee It was the Promise of our Saviour as I told you b Expos on Ps 5.8 p. 132. before that the Faith of the Church should bee able to remooue Mountaines and as Arriuâ— Donatus and Maximinus were all of them Mountaines by way of HERESIE and the Church hath remooued them so the persecuting Heathen Emperors they were also Great Mountaines by way of TIRANNIA and the Faith of the Church hath remooued them too Looke vpon Domitian c Mr Gosset his Trumpet of Warre saith a good Devine Decius Dioclesian Iulian the Apostata Herod Antiochus and a number such like Princes persequuting the Church all of them haue miscarried by some one fearefull death or other Now as these did stand in the Churches way and the Church did pray against them so Davids Enemies stood here in Davids way and David prayes against them too The effectuall fervent Prayer of a Righteous Man availeth much d Iam. 5.16 saith S. Iames and S. Chrysostom giues the reason For as Trees e Chrys de Incompreh Dei Natur. Hom. 5. saith he which haue taken deepe Root are well able to withstand the Force and Violence of the Winds by reason of that rooting so the Prayers which the Soule sendeth forth from the bottome of the Heart ascend aloft into the Skies nor is their Growth hindred with the Puffing and Blowing of any By-thoughts whatsoever But what is it here the Prophet prayes for For the Destruction the Perishing the Casting out of his Enemies and that they themselues might be the Cause of their own Destruction Let them Perish through their owne Imaginations As if the Prophet had said let their Proiects bee to no
purpose let them never bring to proofe what they haue deuised among themselues An excellent Patterne hereof we haue in Achitophel who for the Counsell hee gaue miscarried and was not accepted of made no more adoe but f â— Sam. 17.23 Hung himselfe in a Halter Here a Question ariseth Whether we also as David may Pray against our Enemies we that are Christians And indeed our Saviour vpon occasion g Mat. 12.3 Marc. 12.35 alleaging Davids Sayings and Doings both who would not Say as David who would not Doe as David did But the Answere is that this kind of Prayer here vsed as also h Ps 59.13 Ps 109 7. others of like nature as the Prayers of the Prophet i Ier. 18.21 Ieremy and of l 2. Tim. 4 14. S. Paul sauour of a peculiar zeale which David and they had but are not to be imitated by every Christian And therefore our Saviour to them that in all hast would haue Fire come downe from Heauen to consume the Samaritans that refused him and pleaded m 2 King 1.10 Elias his Example to that purpose Yee knowe not n Luc. 9.55 saith hee what manner Spirit yee are of For the Sonne of Man is not come to Destroy Mens Liues but to Saue them And yet David Ieremy S. Paul pronounced not those Curses Vindictae Liuore sed Iudicio Iustitiae not vpon a Spleene to bee Revenged as o Greg. Moral l. 4 c. 5. speakes S. Gregory but in Iudgement and Iustice for that they knewe by the holy Spirit that they were Abominable and Disobedient as p Tit. 1.16 speakes the Apostle S. Paul and vnto every good worke Reprobate q Aug. in hunc Ps S. Austen he takes these words to be rather a Prophecy then a Prayer And as elsewhere he r Aug. in Ps 68. speaketh of Davids Curses in particular that they were not Stomachatio Maledicentis sed Praedictio Prophetantis of the Prophets in Generall Å¿ Aug. de Temp. Ser. 59. Ser. 109 De Ser. Dom. in Monte. Per Imprecationem quid esset futurum cecinerunt non Optantis Voto sed Spiritu Praevidentis By the Imprecations they made they shewed what was to come not by way of Wishing but by the Spirit of Prophecying But to returne to the Words againe The Prophet shewing here the reason of this his Prayer in this place saith it is Rebellion against the Lord For they haue rebelled against thee Where the Prophet saith not as he might haue said For they haue Rebelled against me No but Against thee alluding in all likelyhood or to that of Moses in the Booke of Exodus or to that of the Lord himselfe in the First of Samuel Your Murmurings t Exod. 16.8 saith Moses are not against vs but against the Lord and They haue not Reiected thee u 1. Sam. 8.7 saith the Lord to Samuel but they haue Reiected me that I should not Raigne over them Little thought those Israelites that their Murmurings and Rebellions were against the LORD himselfe they no doubt would haue made many a Pamphlet in defence of themselues as a Franco-Gallia or a Franco-Iudaae a Philo-Pater or a Philo-Mater a De Iure Regni apud Scotos or a De Iure Regni apud Iudaeos or the like all which might haue beene answered with this single sole Sentence of holy Scripture and the Words we haue in hand IRRITAVERVNT TE DOMINE They haue Rebelled against thee Thus speakes our Saviour of his Ministers too x Luc. 10.16 He that Despiseth You Despiseth Me and yet many of vs as if we had never Read nor Heard it or did certainly beleeue what our Saviour saith are ready to say with the Evill Spirit y Act. 19.15 Iesus we knowe and Paul we know but who are yee And as they said of our Saviour himselfe z Mat. 13 55. Is not this the Carpenters Sonne Is not his Mother called Mary and his Bretheren Iames and Iohn and Simon and Iudas and his Sisters are they not all with vs Right so doe they say of many of vs They knowe our Fathers they knowe our Friends they know our bringing vp and they are offended in vs. But it was an excellent Note of a Oâ—iâ—en in Num. c. 12. Hom. 7. Origen Nunquam invenimus tantas Laudes Deum dixisse de Moyse Famulo suo quantas nunc dici videmus quando ab Hominibus ei derogatum est We never finde that God more praised Moses then when hee was most of all spoken against by the Israelites Verse 12. And let all them that put their trust in thee Reioice they shall ever be giuing of Thanks because thou Defendest them they that loue thy Name shall be Ioyfull in it He comes at length to pray for the CHVRCH even for All and Every of them that put their Trust in the Lord and in none but him There are but Few that can thus doe for what with the Words of Man what with the Bewty of Man what with the Strength of Man what with the Wealth of Man what with the Wit of Man what with Princes the Best of Men as hath beene obserued b Expos on Ps â— 5 p. 102. heretofore there goes our Trust and Confidence away But what is it here the Prophet prayes for For Ioy Gladnesse of Heart Let them that put their trust in thee Reioyce he meant no doubt such a Reioycing as should never be taken from them No not in Infirmities no not in Reproaches no not in Necessities no not in Persequutions no not in Distresses for Christ his sake the Apostle S. Paul may be an Example For when I am weake c 2. Cor. 12.10 saith hee then am I Strong But of this Ioy and this Reioycing hath beene spoken d Expos on Ps 4.8 p. 106. heretofore Come wee now to the Effect thereof and that is Thankes-giuing for so it is in the next Words They shall ever be giuing of Thankes Euer that is continually that is all the Dayes of their Life to dwell in the House of the Lord as David e Ps 27.4 promised to doe and Anna in S. Lukes Gospell perfourmed no lesse There was f Luc. 2.37 saith S. Luke one Anna a Prophetesse the Daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser she was of a great Age and had liued with an Husband seuen yeares from her Virginity And she was a Widow of about Fourescore and foure yeares which departed not from the Temple but serued God with Fasting and Prayer Night and Day No doubt but amongst those Prayers this Giuing of Thanks is included Giuing of Thanks being the most proper and peculiar Seruing of God For as that worthy g D Howson his Sermon at Oxford Nov. 17 Aº 1602. Doctor now our Right Reverend Diocesan hath observed God is not only or chiefly worshipped Evangelici Sermonis Auditu by hearing the Word preached sed Latriae Cultu in
receiue my Praier 10 All mine Enemies shall be confounded sore vexed they shall be turned backe and put to shame suddenly THE ANALYSIS THis is the First of those Psalmes which are called the Seauen POENITENTIALL Psalmes which in our Account are these The 6 the 32 the 38 the 51 the 102 the 130 and lastly the 142. I say in our Account for they are otherwise reckned in the Vulgar all but the Sixt though the Psalmes bee the same As for example the 32 is the 31 the 38 the 37 the 51 the 50 and so forth The Reason is for that the Ninth Psalme which the Hebrewes divide into Two namely into the Ninth and Tenth the Vulgar Translation makes but One But then to make vp an Hundred and Fifty for so many there are both with the Vulgar and the Hebrewes the 146 and the 147 which are but One Psalme with the Hebrews the Vulgar maketh Twain So that howsoeuer they did disagree towards the Beginning they accord again towards the End Like as the Iewes and Gentiles parted themselues in the Beginning of the World who shall both of them ioyne againe towards the a Rom. 11. â—6 Vid. Coel. Sec. Cur. de Amplit Regni caelest de Iud. Vocat ante extrem Iudicij diem Printed 1617. End Consummation thereof They are called POENITENTIALL Psalmes for that vpon the knowledge of our Sinnes and acknowledging of the Wrath of God to follow therevpon b Frid. Balduinus in 7. Ps Poenitent in Prolegom Vid. â—olet in Ps 31 Innocent in 7. Ps Poenitent Prooem they shew vs how to flye to the Mercy of the most Highest with an earnest Repentance and hearty Sorrow Now howsoeuer there are many more of this Argument amongst the Psalmes yet Venerable Antiquity made choice of these Seauen partly in respect of the Number of Seauen so religiously obserued of Wrighters both Sacred Prophane partly in respect of the Seauen Dayes of the Weeke that forasmuch as wee had need of Repentance every Day therefore every Day should haue a severall Psalme to be a Remembrancer vnto vs to that purpose Memorable is that which is c Possidonius de vita Augustini c. 31. related of S. Austen who lying on his Death-bed caused these Seauen Poenitentiall Psalmes to be painted on the Wall over against him where he lay so would he still behold them and in Beholding read them and in Reading them Weepe amaine Concerning the Analysis of this Psalme framed it is partly by way of Petition partly by way of Reprehension In which Psalme the Prophet David perfourmeth two things First he turneth himselfe to the Lord in certaine Soliloquies vnto him Secondly hee turneth himselfe to his Enemies and Expostulateth with them First concerning the Lord he makes his Humble Petition to him to mitigate his Punishments towards him and that in the First Second Third and Fourth Verses Secondly he giues the Reason First for if he continue them there remaineth nothing for him but Death which as the Case then stood was not so convenient for him as it is in the Fift Verse Secondly for they had wrought in him Repentance to the full as it is in the Sixt and Seauenth Verses Concerning his Enemies hee bids them Avaunt as it is in the Eight Verse partly for his Prayer was heard as it is in part of that Verse and part of the Ninth partly for it should bee effected what he desired of the Lord as it is in part of the same Verse but Principally in the Tenth And thus much of the Analysis VErse 1. O Lord Rebuke me not in thine Indignation neither chasten me in thy displeasure Concerning the Word LORD I haue spoken d Expos on Ps 3.1 p. 64. before only this I may add in this place that it is in this Psalme repeated no lesse then Fiue times as First in this First Verse Twice in the Second the Fourth time in the Third and the Fift time in the Fourth No doubt but a most vehement Affection it was that caused the Prophet to vse it so oftentimes Ioash the King of Israel comming to visit Elisha the Prophet as he was vpon his Death-bed the Prophet wild the King to take his Arrowes and to Smyte them on the ground The King tooke the Arrowes smote Thrice with them and ceased Wherevpon the Prophet waxing Angry Oh e 2. King 13.19 saith he thou shouldst haue Smitten Fiue or Six times then hadst thou Smitten Syria til thou hadst consumed it whereas now thou shalt Smyte Syria but Thrice Syria was one of those that with Ephraim and the Sonne of Remaliah as it is in Esayes f Esay 7.5 Prophecie tooke evill Counsaile against Iudah to vex it and make a Breach therein and to set vp a King in the Midst of it This Syria Ephraim and the Sonne of Remaliah we may Interpret by way of Allegory to be the Prophets Enemies in this Psalme Concerning whom as he Smytâ—s the Ground of his Heart no lesse then Fiue times here in this Psalme with this Arrowe of his LORD so he Smote his Enemies till hee had consumed them as it is in the last Verse of this Psalme But to leaue the Word Lord and to come to the Words that followe Whereas the Prophet requesteth here not to be Rebuked in Indignation nor chastned in Displeasure hee requesteth not simply not to be rebuked or chastned at all for what Sonne is he g Heb. 12.7 saith the Apostle whom the Father chastneth not But if yee be without Chastisement whereof all are Partakers then are yee Bastards and not Sonnes and what the h Spuria Vuâ—lamina non dabunt radices altas Sapient 4.3 Vulg. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Boâ—ke of Wisdome saith of Bastards is well knowne Againe it were against the Iustice of God that there should be no Punishment at all for Sinne though it be in his owne Children For a Abraham in another case i Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Iudge of all the Earth doe Right So was it our Saviours Conclusion that they which did sinne alike should haue like Punishment Suppose yee l Luc. 13 3. saith our Saviour that these Galileans were Sinners aboue all the Galileans because they suffered such things I tell you Nay but except yee repent yee shall all likewise Perish Or those Eighteene vpon whom the Tower in Siloe fell and slew them think yee that they were Sinners aboue all men that dwelt in Ierusalem I tell you nay but except ye Repent yee shall alwaies likewise Perish Indeed sometimes there is some difference and therefore our Prophet in another Psalme The Righteous shall be punished m Ps 37.29 saith he as for the Seed of the Vngodly it shall be rooted out The Prophets Request then in this place is to bee deliuered from Punishments not in Toto as they say but in Tanto not wholy and altogether but so farre forth as it mâ—ght seeme to proceed from an angry and
the greatest Tentations should be lost in Trifles so farre be it from vs that Teares which should be spent for our Sinnes should be spent so vainely But to returne where I left That the Prophet here saith The Lord hath heard the Voice of his Weeping it is not so to be vnderstood as if he were presently to be deliuered and there an End No but for his Faith did assure him that though hee were not as yet Delivered yet that the Lord heard him notwithstanding For what is Faith r Heb. 11.1 saith the Apostle to the Hebrews but the Substance of Things hoped for and the Evidence of Things not seene And yet it may bee that this Psalme and Many other in this kinde were penned after his Deliverance as Calvin Å¿ Calv. in Ps 5.2 speakes in Generall t Jans in hunc Ps Iansenius in Particular of this Psalme and so the Event did then declare what here is deliuered in these Words Verse 9. The Lord hath heard my Petition the Lord will receaue my Prayer The often Repetition of one and the selfe same Sentence u Aug. in hunc Ps saith S. Austen declareth not so much the Necessitie it hath to bee spoken as the Ioy and Affection of him that speakes it For they that are in Ioy so vse to speake as if it were not enough to speake what they speake once onely over but over and over againe Howbeit where the Prophet here saith that the Lord hath not only heard his Prayer but will receaue it the difference is to be obserued betwixt Hearing and Receauing King Solomon did heare his Mothers Request which shee made for x 1. Kings 2.23 Adoniah but he was so farre from receauing it that it cost Adoniah his life Indeed speciall care is still to be taken what we presume to aske at Gods hands S. Iames hath an Elegant Gradation to that purpose Yee lust y Iam. 4.2 saith he and haue not yee desire to haue cannot obtaine yee haue not because yee aske not yee aske and receaue not because yee aske amisse Socrates the Terrestriall Oracle of Humane Wisdome as Valerius Maximus z Val. Max. l. 7. c. 2. calls him was of opinion that Nothing should be asked of the Immortall Gods but only in generall Tearmes that they would bestow Good Things forasmuch as they knew what to every one in particular would prooue most profitable For we many times saith Socrates desire that which it were better for vs to bee without His Instances are in Riches Honour Kingdomes and Marriage Change but the Number there GOD for Gods and somewhat it is that Socrates saith but the Oracle of Heauen goes farther by farre and therefore Reverend Hooker The Faithfull a Mr Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5. §. 48. saith he haue this comfort that whatsoeuer they rightly aske the same no doubt but they shall receaue so farre as may stand with the Glorie of God and their owne everlasting Good vnto either of which two it is no vertuous Mans purpose to seek or desire to obtain any thing preiudiciall Verse 10. All mine Enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned backe and put to shame suddainely S. Austen discoursing on these Words b Aug. in hunc Ps professed that he sawe not how it should possibly come to passe what here is spoken so Generally but onely in that Day when the Rewards of the Iust shall be manifest and the Punishments of the Wicked For now saith he in the mean time they are so farre from being confounded that is ashamed of what they doe that they still insult vpon the Godly and so farre prevaile with the Weake that they rather confound them that is make them ashamed of Professing the Name of Christ But it is likely ynough the Prophet here meant that euen in this World to that which he speaketh should come to passe and he saw no doubt with his owne Eyes to what a shamefull Death many of his Adversaries did come c 1. Sam. 31.4 Saul vpon his owne Sword d 2. Sam. 17.23 Achitophel with his owne Halter e 2. Sam 18.9 Vid. Exposit on Ps 3.1 p. 63. Absolon with his owne Haire Not a Day almost past ouer his Head but he had some visible Monument or other of Gods great good Loue towards him in the Confusion of his Enemies f â— Sam. 3.1 David waxed stronger and stronger and the House of Saul waxed weaker and weaker But it is most remarkeable that here it is said it should be Suddainly to the greater Terror of the Vngodly No doubt least they should repent and so be saued Like as our Saviour himselfe g Mat. 13.15 speaketh This Peoples Heart is waxed grosse and their Eares are dull of hearing and their Eyes they haue closed least at any time they should see with their Eyes and heare with their Eares and vnderstand with their Heart and should be converted and I should heale them h Suet. in Iul. c. â—7 Caesar when he read in Xenophon the Death of Cyrus how being at the point to die he gaue order for his Funerall not onely slighted so lingring and slow a kinde of Death but wished for his part that he when he were to die might die in a trice I and the very Day before he was slaine in a Discourse that was mooued at Supper about the best ending of a Mans Life held that to be the best which was suddaine and vnlooked for Talis ei Mors paenè ex sententia obtigit He had saith Suetonius in a manner such a Death as himselfe had wished And indeed i Mr Hooker Eccles Pol. l. 5 §. 46. saith Reverend Hooker to such as iudge things according to the sense of naturall men and ascend no higher suddainnes because it shortneth their Griefe should in reason be most acceptable Howbeit let vs saith he which know what it is to die as Absolon or Ananias and Saphyra died let vs beg of God that when the Houre of our Rest is come the Patternes of our Dissolution may be Iacob Moses Ioshua David who leasurably ending their Times in Peace prayed for the Mercies of God to come vpon their Posterity replenished the Hearts of the neerest vnto them with Words of memorable Consolation strengthened Men in the Feare of God gaue them wholesome Instructions of Life and confirmed them in true Religion In summe taught the World no lesse Vertuously how to die then they had done before how to liue Now as the Prophet here in this place of his Enemies so the Scriptures of the Wicked in generall l Iob 34.20 In a moment shall they die and the People shall be troubled at Midnight and passe away and the Mighty shall be taken away without hand Thus Korah Dathan and Abiram in the Booke of m Num. 16.32 Nombers Absolon and Achitophel in the n 2. Sam. 18.9 2. Sam. 17.23 Book of Samuel Ananias and
Saphyra in the o Act. 5.9 Acts of the Apostles they all perished in a Moment and came to suddaine destruction And it will be but a poore Comfort to vs that our Griefes are hereby shortned for taken on the suddaine and consequently not repenting how doe we leap as is said out of the Frying-pan into the Fire and change our Temporall Paines in this World for Paines Eternall Witnesse our Saviour who so oftentimes in one Chapter vseth these Words p Marc. 9.44.46.48 Where their Worme dieth not and the Fire is not quenched that is where their WORME the Worme of Conscience shall bee euer gnawing vpon them and the FIRE that is Hell-Fire shall neuer but burne them Body and Soule and yet not consume them the true SALAMANDERS in this one respect of the World to come PSAL. VII Domine Deus meus 1 O Lord my God in thee haue I put my trust saue me from all them that persecute me and deliuer me 2 Least he deuoure my Soule like a Lion and teare it in peeces while there is none to helpe 3 O Lord my God if I haue done any such thing or if there be any Wickednesse in mine Hands 4 If I haue rewarded euill vnto them that dealt friendly with mee yea I haue deliuered him that without any cause is mine Enemy 5 Then let mine Enemy persequute my Soule and take me yea let him tread my Life downe vpon the Earth and lay mine Honour in the Dust 6 Stand vp O Lord in thy Wrath and lift vp thy selfe because of the Indignation of mine Enemies arise vp for mee in the Iudgement that thou hast commaunded 7 And so shall the Congregation of the People come about thee for their sakes therefore lift vp thy self againe 8 The Lord shall iudge the People giue sentence with me O Lord according to my Righteousnes and according to the Innocency that is in me 9 O let the Wickednesse of the Vngodly come to an end but guide thou the Iust 10 For the Righteous God tryeth the very Hearts and Reines 11 My helpe commeth of God which preserueth them that are true of Heart 12 God is a Righteous Iudge strong and patient and God is prouoked euery Day 13 If a Man will not turne he will whet his SWord he hath bent his Bow and made it ready 14 He hath prepared for him the Instruments of Death he ordaineth his Arrowes against the Persecutors 15 Behold he trauaileth with Mischief he hath conceiued Sorrow and brought forth Vngodlines 16 He hath grauen and digged vp a Pit and is fallen himselfe into the Destruction that hee made for Other 17 For his trauaile shall come vpon his owne Head and his Wickednes shall fall vpon his owne Pate 18 I will giue Thankes vnto the Lord according to his Righteousnes and will praise the Name of the Lord the most High THE ANALYSIS THis Seauenth Psalme whether it hath his reference to Saul or Semei or to any other of Sauls Kinred in the Greeke Title there is mentioned Cush the Beniamite as also in the Hebrew as it is partly framed by way of Petition vnto God so partly by way of Doctrine and Instruction vnto Men. Davids Prayer and Petition to God is First to haue his Assistance as it is in the First Verse least by reason of his Enemies he should vtterly miscarry as it is in the Second who falsly accused him as it is in the Third and Fourth Verses which Accusations could they haue prooued he refused no Punishment as it is in the Fift Verse Secondly Davids Prayer and Petition to God is that God himselfe would take the matter into his owne Hands and shewe in his behalfe his Seuerity and Maiesty as it is in the Sixt Verse and that for their sakes who were the Godly as it is in the Seuenth Verse Thirdly Davids Prayer and Petition to God is to justifie him that is to make his Innocency appeare vnto the World as it is in the Eight Verse that so the Vngodly may bee repressed as it is in the Ninth and the reason of this Petition is for the Lord knew David inside and outside euen his inmost Thoughts as it is in the Tenth and Eleauenth Verses Davids Doctrine and Instruction to Men is concerning Gods Iudgments as it is in the Twelfe Verse wherewith he punisheth the Wicked as it is in the Thirteenth the Fourteenth the Fifteenth the Sixteenth and Seauenteenth Verses and therefore is to be praised as it is in the Eighteenth Verse And thus much of the Analysis VErse 1. O Lord my God in thee haue I put my trust saue me from all them that persecute mee and deliuer me Of LORD hath beene spoken a Exposam Ps 3.1 p. 64 and Ps 6.1 p. 149. before as also of b Expos on Ps 3.7 p. 75. GOD and of the Pronoune My that is so vsually annexed therevnto Besides what it is to c Expos on Ps 4.5 p. 102. Trust in God and how he is said to d Expos on Ps 6.4 p. 155. Saue So that nothing remaineth in this Verse to be shewed but only how the Prophet here doth vse the Words Saue and Deliuer in respect of God only and yet how God doth honour his Instruments bee they Ministers or Magistrates or Christians in generall with the selfe same Titles Like as our Saviour Christ he is the e Ioh. 8.12 Light of the World and yet he calleth his f Mat 5.14 Apostles so he is the g Esay 53.7 Lamb and yet hee calleth them h Luc. 10 3. so hee is the i 1. Cor. 10.4 Rocke and yet he calleth Peter l Mat. 16.18 so hee is the m Mat. 14 33. Sonne of God we are the n Rom. 8.17 Children of God and if Children saith the Apostle then Heyres Heyres of God and ioint Heyres with Christ Verse 2. Least he devoure my Soule like a Lyon and teare it in peeces while there is none to helpe That Soule is oftentimes taken for Life and so in this place hath beene obserued o Expos on Ps 6 4. p. 154. before otherwise though Saul were a King yet being but of that Mettle that other Kings are made of the Prophet David was not ignorant that hee was not to p Mat. 10.28 feare them that killed the Body but are not able to kill the Soule But from Words to come to Matter Our Prophet spake in the Verse before of his Persecutors as of Many he aymeth in this Second Verse at onely one One indeed might be the Fountaine of all whether Saul or Semei or Cush but if Saul then his Subiects if Semei or Cush then their Complices were most likely to be against him The Wicked most commonly flock together in q Nos Numerus sumus Horat Epist l. 1. ad Lollium Troops the Godly are commonly alone like r 1. King 19.14 Elias or Å¿ 2. King 6.17 Elisaeus though indeed neuer lesse
will deliuer thine Enemy into thy Hand that thou mayst doe to him as it shall seeme good vnto thee Oh how sweet would Reuenge haue bene to Thousands vpon like Advantage How readily would they haue said with him in the Tragedy m Senec. Thyest Act. 2. Sc. Ignaue Bene est abunde est hic plâ—cet Poenae modus and to him that should haue said the Punishment was greater then the Offence that was made they would haue replyed againe as readily n Senec. Ib. Act. 1. Sc. Festum Diem Sceleri modus debetur vbi facias Scelus Non vbi reponas but David would none of this So likewise at an other time when Abishai would haue bene the Man to haue perfourmed that Seruice Destroy him not o 1. Sam. 26.9 saith Dauid for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed be guiltles I that base Shemei that Rayling Wretch whom with a Wry or Frowning look as p His MAIEST Defence of the Right of Kings in his Workes p. 464. speaketh his Excellent Maiestie hee was able to crush as an Earth-worme in peeces how did he shelter him from Death when the same Abishai would haue strucken that Head off that carried so diuelish a Tongue yet Dauid at that time to Let him Curse q 2. Sam. 16.10 saith he r Extr. De Transt Episcopi Quanto in Glossa because the Lord hath said vnto him Curse David Who shall then say wherefore hast thou done so From whence I trowe came that of the Popes Lawyers concerning the Pope Papa dicitur habere coeleste arbitrium The Pope is said to haue a heauenly Iudgement therefore in such things as he willeth his Will standeth insteed of Reason neither may any man say vnto him Domine cur ita facis And againe Å¿ Petrus de Palud de Potest Papae Totus Mundus non potest accusare Papam Nemo potest dicere Papae Domine cur ita facis The whole World may not accuse the Pope No man may say to the Pope Sir why doe you so So that there is but a Domine between Shemei and the Pope But to returne vnto my purpose David no doubt was a good Scholler and brought vp by that Master that hath taught vs also to doe the like if we could possibly light on it Loue your Enemies t Luc. 6.27 saith our Saviour doe good to them which hate you Blesse them that Curse you and Pray for them which Dispightfully vse you And againe u V. 32. If yee Loue them which Loue you what thanks haue you for Sinners also loue those that loue them And if yee doe good to them which doe good to you what thankes haue you for Sinners also doe even the same But let vs beware to be such Sinners we heard of such in the First x Ps 1.6 Psalme namely that the Vngodly shall not bee able to stand in the Iudgement neither the Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous Verse 5. Then let mine Enemy persecute my Soule and take me yea let him tread my Life downe vpon the Earth and lay mine Honour in the Dust Dauid y Aug de Temp. Ser. 168. saith S. Austen though adorned with many Vertues yet none of them all more familiarly coupled him vnto God then the Loue of his Enemies And speaking a little after of this Parcell of Scripture Behold saith hee with what a Curse he condemneth himselfe if contemning the Precepts of God concerning louing our Enemies hee feared not to keepe hatred still in his Heart Wherevpon it is to be considered with what Face or Conscience hee can possible pronounce this Verse with his Mouth who rendreth to his Enemies Evill for Evill Now how loath King David was to come within the Clutches of his Enemies his Answere well witnesseth to Gad the Seer who when hee propounded to him that threefold Choice either of Famine or Fall before his Enemies or Pestilence Let vs Fall z 2. Sam. 24.14 saith he into the hands of the Lord for his Mercies are great and let me not fall into the hand of Man He refuseth not now to fall into Mans hand if so be the Premises had beene true and not so onely but hee could haue beene contented it seemeth that his Name Fame should haue beene odious to all Posterity An evident Signe and Token of his Innocency could every of vs shewe the like the Hand of God would be more ready to helpe vs then oftentimes it is But for many times it comes to passe a Calvin in hunc Ps saith Calvin that they which annoy hurt vs either are formerly provoked by vs or being annoyed wee breath out presently nothing else but Revenge wee make our selues vnworthy of the Helpe of the Lord in such Cases nay our Distemper Fury is such as that it shuts Heauen Gates against our Prayers Verse 6. Stand vp O Lord in thy Wrath and lift vp thy selfe because of the Indignation of mine Enemies arise vp for me in the Iudgement that thou hast commanded The Prophet here speaketh as if he spake what he speakes not of God but of Man Man indeed when hee is mooued to anger stands vp and lifts vp himselfe as it was noted long agoe in that old Honourable Captain the Earle of Shrewsbury whose patience when a French Embassadour had moued at a Dinner where before his Head by great Age was almost groueling on the Table hee roused himself in such wise that hee appeared b A Defence of Priests Marriages thought to be Dr Parkers so Dr Cosens Apol. Part. 2. c. 12. and Others but I take it rather to be D. Poynets My Reason is for that no lesse then 21. Pages videl from p. 36. to p. 57. are Verbatim taken out of a Book of Dr Poynets mentioned in that Defence p. 36. a Point which Dr Parker would never haue performed D. Poynet might bee bold with his owne saith my Author in length of Body as much as hee was thought ever in all his Life before knitting his Browes gaue the French man such a looke that the Monsieur spoiled no more Vittaile at that Dinner but drancke wondrous oft But to come to the Matter in hand Such Tearmes as these To stand vp and To lift vp himselfe are vsuall throughout the Scripture especially in the Psalmes and applyed vnto God howbeit properly they belong to Man not to a Spirit but God is a c Ioh. 4.24 Spirit So the Psalmist in other Places d Ps 78.66 The Lord awaked as one out of Sleepe and like a Gyant refreshed with Wine And againe in another Psalme e Ps 12.6 I will Vp saith the Lord and will helpe every Man from him that swelleth against him and will set them at rest And where the Prophet here saith Stand vp in thy Wrath In Ira tua id est Paenis In thy Wrath f Mollerus in hunc Ps saith Mollerus that
that when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their Imaginations and their foolish Heart was darkned Fourthly concerning the Excellency here of his Honour Renowne Glory Vertue and Power it were an endlesse peece of Worke to describe each particular for seeing they are all of them infinite where should we begin to speake where should we end The best discourse can be made hereof is to admire here with our Prophet and to say as here is said O Lord our Gouernour how excellent is thy Name Admiracio est interdum ignotâ causà interdum cognitâ We sometimes admire the things whose Causes are vnknowen i Scalig de Subtil Exerc. 312. saith Scaliger sometimes the things whose Causes are knowen well ynough And surely all things being come within this compasse that either knowen they are or not knowen And howsoeuer the Poet say l Horat. Epist l. 4. ep 6. ad Numicium Nil admirari propè res est vna Numici Solaque quae possunt facere seruare beatum and m Tull. Tusc quaest l. 5. Tully accordingly Sapientis est proprium nihil cum acciderit admirari vt in opinatum ac nouum accidisse videatur It is the Property of a wise Man to admire at nothing that happeneth as strange and vnexpected yet in these Cases it is not so our Sauiour himselfe did wonder as n Mat. 8.10 S. Mathew and o Luc. 7.9 S. Luke doe both relate of him For hearing the Centurian He maruailed saith S. Mathew and said to them that followed Verely I say vnto you I haue not found so great Faith no not in Israel Whereupon p Aug. de Gen cont Manich. l. 1. c. 8. S. Austen Whereas our Lord did maruaile he signified to vs that we might maruaile to who haue occasion so to be moued And therefore all such Motions of his they are not the Signes of a troubled Mind but of a Master that thereby instructs vs. Fiftly and lastly where our Prophet here saith That he hath set his Glory aboue the Heauens the meaning is that he is Infinite both in Maiesty and Glory Behold q 1. King 8.27 saith Solomon the Heauen and Heauen of Heauens cannot conteine thee how much lesse this House that I haue builded Vers 2. Out of the Mouthes of very Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordeined Strength because of thine Enemies that thou mightst still the Enemy and the Auenger As if the Prophet had here said that God should commend his Providence to vs he needs not the †Calv. in hunc Ps Eloquence of Rhetoritians to that purpose no hee needeth not so much as words Articulate and Significant he hath Sufficient Testimony from the very Tongues of Babes and Sucklings that can do nothing but Pule and Cry For whence is it that no sooner they issue out from their Mothers Womb and haue Food ready at hand but that by a kinde of Miracle God eftsoones turneth Bloud into Milke Whence comes their present Inclination of sucking the same and ability to draw it forth but that God by a secret Instinct prepareth their Tongues to that purpose Whence comes it that in so few Dayes they waxe so Great that then they grow more then after that in some Yeeres No doubt but in these Particulars God hath a speciall Finger and therefore no marvaile though Infants may well bee said to sound forth Gods Praises And not onely so but Vt destruas Inimicum Vltorem to still the Enemy and the Avenger to euen to put him to perpetuall Silence in somuch that he should not haue a word to say And of this one Parcell of Scripture hath much Vse bene made by way of Application in the Church of God First by our Sauiour Our Sauiour when he rode to Ierusalem and the chiefe Priests and Scribes saw the wonderfull things that he did and the Children crying in the Temple Hosanna to the Sonne of David and sore displeased thereat said vnto him Hearest thou what these say Yes r Mat. 21.16 saith our Sauiour haue ye neuer read Out of the Mouth of Babes and Sucklings thou hast perfected Praise Arguing as Å¿ Calvin in hunc Ps Calvin obserueth à Maiori ad Minus from the Greater to the Lesse Namely that it was no Inc ongruity if God who made very Babes and Sucklings by the Testimony of one of their owne Prophets the Publishers of his Praises caused those that were Elder perhaps seauen yeeres old or thereabouts yet but Children in respect to sound forth like Praises Secondly by the People of the City of t Sulpitius in vita Martini c. 7. Towres in France The Story is this About the Yeere of our Sa Christ 370. The People of the City of Towres vpon the Vacation of the Bishoprick were desirous to haue S. Martin to be their Bishop Vna omnium Voluntas eadem Vota c. Yet some Few and some of the Bishops to which were called thither to constitute some One or Other were earnestly against it saying that he was but a Man contemptible vnworthy of a Bishoprick a homely Man to see to both in his Apparell and in trimming himselfe The more they spake against him the People liked him the more but who so much against him as one Defensor by Name but he was payd for it with a witnesse And thus it fell out Insteed of the Words aboue-mentioned Vt destruas Inimicum Vltorem it was in their Translation that they vsed in those Dayes Vt Destruas Immicum Defensorem Now it so fell out that whereas by chaunce the Reader whose Office was to read that Day was shut out by meanes of the Throng and the Ministers were troubled looking about for him that was not there One of the Company tooke the Psalter and read that Verse that came next to hand The Verse of the Psalme was this Ex Ore Infantium Lactentium perfecâ—sts Laudem propter Inimicos tuos vt destruas Inimicum Defensorem Now as soone as that Verse was read the People made a Shout as if S. Martin had bene meant in the Former Part and the Prophet David in the Latter had directly aimed at his Enemy Defensor whereupon the contrary Part was cleane confounded Thirdly there is in u Ruffin Hist Eccles l. 1. c. 3. Book of Hom. Part. 1. for Whit-Sunday Ruffinus a memorable Story how the VVords of this Verse were fulfilled after a sort though they are not applied there The Story was this VVhen Constantine the Emperour had caused the Cleargy to come together about Arrius his Opinion there came vnto the Assembly Philosophers and Logitians that were exquisite in their Faculty and had great Conceits of themselues Among the rest One there was that was famous in Logick and euery Day hee disputed with our Bishops that were well seene in Logick to Many very Learned came to here and see these Conflicts Nor could the