had learned to preferre opportunity before time There might be some by at this first banquet whose company she liked not or she might not yet have so clear an answer in her own heart to her former prayers and therefore desireth some farther time that night to seek God whatever the reason of not putting it off till dext day was Gods holy hand was in it that Mordecai might bâ— first so greatly honoured and Hamans high Gallowes prepared Illum utiquie magiâ—â—eoâ—rum Râ—geâ— autem magis benevoliâ—â— magisque fecit attentuâ— saith Rupertus Hereby she made Haman more secure and the King more kinde and attent Verse 9. Then went Haman that day forth joyful Saeculi laetitia est impunita nequitia saith an Ancient He looked upon himself now as no lesse favoured of the Queen then of the King and was puffed up with this new honour as a bubble is with a childes blast in a walnut-shell with a little sope but it shortly after falls down again into his eyes and vexeth him And with a glad heart But he rejoyced as many more do in a thing of nought Am. 6.13 And the end of this his mirth was heavinesse Prov. 14.13 It was risus Sardonius like that of those who being stung with the Tarantula a viper in Italy die laughing and capering Or as the Dolphin that sporteth most before a storme Or as the little fishes that swimming merrily down the silver stream of Jordan fall shortly after into the dead sea Haman doubtlesse held himself now the happiest man alive as having the royalty not of the Kings care only but of the Queens too as he foolishly fancied Ps 10.3 5 6. This wicked on boasted of his hearts desire and as for all his enemies he puffed at them He said in his heart I shall not be moved I shall never be in adversity Herodotus saith of Apryes King of Egypt Pharaoh-Hophrah Jeremy calleth him chapâ— 44. that he conceited and bragged that his Kingdome was better setled to him then that any Herod l 2. either God or man could remove him yet was he afterwards taken and hang'd by his own subjects Ael var. hist l. 2. Aelian tells us that Dionysius the Tyrant thought it impossible that he should have been cast out of Sicily but it proved otherwise How suddenly were Alexâ—nder the great Conquerour and Julius Caesar the perpetual Dictator cut off Ps 118.12 and quenched as the fire of thornes Sic transit gloria mundi The worlds greatest darlings are in no better condition then the Bull that goes to be sacrificed with garlands on his head and musick before him but suddenly fells the stroke of the murthering axe But when Haman saw Mordecai in the Kings gate There he sat and would not stir an inch for Hamans greatnesse as resolute he remained not withstanding the bloody Edict now published as was Rawlins White the Martyr in Queen Maries dayes The Bishop of Landaffe pretended to pray for his Conversion after which he said Now Rawlins how is it with thee Wilt thou revoke thine opinions or no Surely said he my Lord Rawlins you left me and Rawlins you finde me and Rawlins by Gods grace I will continue Act Mon. 1415. Ibid. 1430. The heavens shall assoon fall said another as I will recant This the mad world stiles stiffenesse self-willednesse fool-hardinesse c. as was before noted but the Saints do it out of Christian courage an invincible saith and zeale for Gods cause and Kingdome That he stood not up nor moved for him No not he ne minimo quidem obsequiolo he neither moved nor muted For he looked upon him first as a vile person and therefore fit to be slighted Pal. 15.4 Next as an utter enemy to God and his people a sworn sword-man to the devil Lastly Mordecai herein shewed himself constant to his principles and to his former practice which a good man may not easily alter left all be questioned Besides should he but have any whit yielded Haman would have been thereby hardened and his pride heightened He therefore very honestly persisteth in his purpose and giveth that wretch lesse respect then ever He was full of indignation against Mordecai Full as heart could hold of hot wrath so that he gloweth like a fire-coal Et ferè crepat medius So unsatisfiable is ambition so restlesse and so vindictive Verso 10. Neverthelesse Haman refrained himselfe Much ado he had to forbeare mischieving him he was faine to force himself thereunto as the word signifieth for his fingers even itched to be having him by the eares or to be bathing in his blood This he did not haply because he durst not because Mordecai was the Kings servant his door-Keeper as 't is thought and so went under his protection It would therefore have reflected upon the King himself if he should lay violent hands on him Most sure it is that God held his hands and preserved Mordecai for further good to his Church Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints neither will he send them to bed till they have done their work And when he came home he sent and called for his friends This had been a wise mans part if he had done it for any good purpose But as he was in an ill case to consult as being full of rage so he minded nothing but revenge and therefore advised with none but such as would say with him and thereby hasten his downfal And zeresh his wife Vt consiliariorum primam praecipuam That she was wife above her sexe See chap. 6.13 But had she been as wife as Pilates wife was She would not have given here such pestilent counsel but have warned her husband of medling with just men Have these workers of iniquity no knowledge that they eate up Gods people as they eat bread that they make account to make but a breakfast of them Psal 14.4 Verse 11. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches Favourites observing their mollissima fandi tempora get many times much wealth under Princes as did Sejanus under Tiberius Seneca under Nero that rich and wretched Cardinal Henry Beauford Bishop of Winchester and Chancellour of England in the reigne of Henry the sixth Cardinal Woolsey under Henry the eight That Haman had well-feathered his nest appears by his large offer to the King of ten thousand talents of silver c. Now riches render a man glorious in the worlds eye hence they go coupled together Prov. 3.16 and 8.18 Hence that of Labans grumbling sonnes Gen. 31.1 Quicquid non acquiritur damnum est Sen. Jacob hath taken away all that was our fathers nay not all but as avarice made Sejanus think all which he acquired not to be lost so did these losels and of that which was of our fathers hath be gotten all this glory But what were all this glory of his riches if for want of children Haman should leave it to those Quos vel
otherwise Nehemiah will never do it to dye for it And now is there that being as I am So greatly beloved of God Dan. 9.23 so highly favoured of the King chap. 2.2 4. so protected hitherto so prospered so entrusted with the government and safety of this people more dear to me then my very life Would go into the Temple As a Malefactour to take Sanctuary there or as a Coward to save mine own life with the losse of the lives of many of the precious sonnes of life Zion I will not go in The Heavens shall sooner fall then I will forsake the Truth Will. Flower Act. Mon. 1430. In Epist said that Martyr Omnia de me praesumas praeter fugam palinodiam said Luther to Staupicius I le rather dye then flye burn them turn Latimer was wondrous bold and stout in his dealing with Henry the eighth both before and after he was a Bishop So were Athanasius Ambrose Basil the primitive Confessours This courage in Christians the Heathen persecutours called Obstinacy and not faith Sed pro hac obstinatione fidei morimur saith Tertullian in his Apology For this obstinacy of faith we gladly dye neither can we dye otherwise for the love of Christ constraineth us Life in Gods displeasure is worse then death as death in his true favour is true life as Bradford told Gardiner Verse 12. And so I perceived that God had not sent him By my spiritual sagacity I smelt him out as having mine inward senses habitually exercised to discern good and evil Heb. 5. ult Doth not the eare try words as the mouth tasteth meat Job 12.11 What though we have not received the Spirit of the World we cannot cog and comply as they can yet we have received a better thing the Spirit of God the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.12 16. But that he pronounced this prophecy against me To make my righteous soul sad with his â—yes Ezek. 13.22 and to bring me to disgrace and danger Luther was wont to advise Preachers to see that these three Dogs did not follow them into the pulpit Pride Covetousnesse and Envy For Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him A mere mercenary he was then and had Linguam Vaenalem he could call good evil and evil good justify the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Isa 5.20 Such false prophets were Dr Shaw and Frier Pinket in Rich. the thirds time who made use of them as his Factours to obtrude bastardy on his brother King Edward the fourth and so to disable his children for the Crown that he might settle it upon his own head Dan. Hist What became of Pinket I know not but Shaw as ashamed of his Sermon at Pauls crosse disconsolately departed and never after that was publikely seen Like unto these were Bishop Bourn and Cardinal Pool in Q. Maries dayes The Cardinal hired with the Archbishoprick of Canterbury took for his Text Esay 66.8 and applyed it to England as then happily reduced to the Popes obedience Bourn for the Bishoprick of Bâ—th preached such staffe at Pauls-cross that the people were ready to tear him in pieces They flang a Dagger at him in the Pulpit Phlugius Melch. Adam and Sidonius Authours of the Popish Book published in Germany by the name of Interim Chrisma oleum pontificium defendebant ut ipsi discederent unctiores defended Chrisme and extreme unction as being liquoured in the fists and promoted to fat Bishoprickes But a Minister as he should have nothing to lose so he should have as little to get he should be above all price or sale Nec prece nec pretio should be his Motto Verse 13. Therefore was he hired that I should be afraid But they were much mistaken in their aimes this matter was not malleable Nehemiah was a man of another spirit of a Caleb-like spirit he was fide armatus Deo armatus and therefore undaunted he was full of Spiritual mettle for he knew whom he had trusted And do so and sin Nehemiah feared nothing but sin and the fruit thereof shame and reproach so great was his spirit so right set were both his judgment and affections But if any thing would have drawn him aside from the straight wayes of the Lord base fear was the likeliest as we see in David at Gath and Peter in the High-priests hall See Zeph. 3.13 with the Note Pessimus in dubiis Augur Timer And that they might have matter for an evil report This wicked men watch for as a Dog doth for a bone and if they get but the least hint oh how happy do they hold themselves what wide mouthes do they open c It is our part therefore by a Nehemiah-like conversation to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men who like Black-moores despise beauty like Dogs bark at the shining of the Moon Of Luther it was said by Erasmus Nec hostes reperiant quod calumnientur Of B. Hooper it is said that his life was so good that no kind of slander although diverse went about to reprove it could fasten any fault upon him Act. Mon. 1366. The like is reported of Bradford and Bucer We should so carry our selves ut nemo de nobis malè loqui absque mendacio possit as Hierom hath it that none might speak evil of us without a manifest lye Verse 14. My God think upon Tobiah and Sanballat Heb. Remember to be revenged on them q.d. I cannot deal with them but do thou do it He doth himself no disservice saith one who when no Law will relieve him maketh God his Chancellour It is a fearful thing to be put over into his punishing hands by the Saints as Joab and Shimei were unto Solomons hands by dying David If men in their best estate are so weak that they are crushed before the moth how shall they stand before this great God According to these their works Qualia quisque facit talia quisque luat Let them drink as they have brewed And on the Prophetesse Noadiah Who joyned with Shemaiah in this dissimulation and was of his counsel Omne malum ex gynaecio False Prophets and Seducers are seldome without their Women Simon Magus had his Helena Carpocrates his Marcellina Apelles his Philumena Montanus his Priscilla and Maximilla c. And the rest of the Prophets Improperly so called but so they pretended to be and here they had conspired a great sort of them to do evil That would have put me in fear By their concurrent prophesies purposely to disgrace and endanger me Suffragia non sunt numeranda sed expendenda Multitude and antiquity are but ciphers in Divinity Verse 15. So the Wall was finished Though with much ado and maugre the malice of all forrein and intestine Enemies So shall the work of grace in mens hearts it is perfected there by opposition and growes gradually but constantly and infallibly In the twenty and fifth day of the moneth Elul Which
turneth the scale Verse 32. Now therefore our God the great the mighty It is an high point of heavenly wisdome in the beginning of our petitions to propound God to our selves under such holy notions and fit expressions as wherein we may see an answer to our prayers as here See chap. 1.5 Let not all the trouble Heb. The wearying the lassitude Afflictions are not joyous but grievous to the flesh which doth soone flag and even sink under the burden if not supported by the hand of heaven Seeme little before thee As if we had not yet suffered enough but as if we wanted weight must be made yet heavier by an addition of new afflictions 1 Pet. 1.6 God is apt to think a little enough and spare Esay 40.1 and to take care that the spirit fail not before him that his children swoon not in the whipping Esay 57.16 He knows that every child of affliction hath not the strength to cry out as Luther did Feri Domine feri smite on Lord smite on for I am absolved from my sinnes or as another did I thank thee O Lord for all mine extremity and I beseech thee if thou think good to adde to it an hundred fold more c. That hath come upon us As foul-weather comes afore it is sent for Heb. Hath found us for we sought it not but would gladly have shun'd it Since the times of the Kings of Assyria Who yet were their most favourable enemies and are therefore compared to a golden head in Nebuchadnezzars Image but any servitude is grievous and among the Greeks after that they were delivered from the tyranny of the Macedonians and Spartans the Cryer at the Namaean games was forced to pronounce the word Liberty iterumque iterumque again and again And how earnest are Gods people here in deprecating another captivity He heareth them and for their late seventy years captivity granteth them seven seventies of years Daniels weeks for the enjoyment of their own countrey Verse 33. Howbeit thou art just So Mauricius the Emperour justified God when he saw his wife and children butchered before his eyes by the traytor Phocas and knew that himself should be soone after stewed in his own broth he cryed out just art thou O Lord and just are all thy judgements So did the Noble Du Plessy when he heard of the death of his onely sonne slaine in Holland which so grieved his mother that soone after she died Verse 34. Neither have our Kings our Princes our Priests c. But as there hath beene a general defection so a well deserved desolation wherein we have all justly shared Nor hearkened to thy Commandments And that because they testified against their contrary practises This wicked men cannot away with they hate him that reproveth in the gate as Ahab did Micaiah None but the gracious can say Let the righteous smite me be the reproof never so well tempered No sugar can bereave a pill of its bitternesse Now the eare trieth words as the mouth tasteth meats Job 12.11 And ungodly men as they write of some creatures have fel in aure and must get their eares cured ere they can be in case to hear Gods Commandments and his Testimonies In vita It is said of Gerson that he loved a friendly reprover and of Queen Anne Bullen that she not onely was willing to be admonished Her life by M. Clark but also required her Chaplains freely and plainly to tell her of whatsoever was amisse Scilicet Christus voluit aliquando etiam Reginam in Coelum vehere as Luther once said of Elizabeth Queen of Denmark These Kings and Princes of Israel were none-such Verse 35. For they have not served thee in their Kingdom As David did who held it his highest honour to be the servant of the Lord and as those three famous Christian Emperours Constantine Valentinian Psal 36. Socrat. and Theodosius who stiled themselves The vassailes of Jesus Christ And in thy great goodnesse that thou gavest them In the abundance of all things Deut. 28.47 they should have considered The more wages the more work and that thus to requite the Lord was to come under the censure of a foolish people and unwise Deut. 32.6 yea of idle and evil servants Mat. 25.26 And in the large and fat land But Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked fulnesse bred forgetfulnesse saturity security Deut. 32.15 therefore he was worthily pent up and pined in a strange land where he had liberty little enough and prisoners pittance Neither turned they from their wicked works They quarrel not with their faults but with their friends that reprove them they turne not to him from whom they had deeply revolted Their impenitency maketh their sinnes mortal saith Saint John 1 Epist 5.16 immortal saith Saint Paul Rom. 2.5 they die in their sinnes as did those Jewes in the Gospel and perish for ever John 8.21 Verse 36. Behold we are servants this day This is twice here bewailed as a singular unhappinesse They that live under the Turkish slavery feele it so Poor Greece that was once Sol sal gentium terrarum flos fons literarum is now vel Priamo miseranda manus Princesse of Nations Queen of Provinces She was that now thus tributary is Lam. 1.1 Out of Greece and other Countreys that had sometimes received the Faith of Christ the Turkish tyrants draw with them to the warres great multitudes of wretched people whom they call Asape These carry all the baggage these carry wood and water for other souldiers of better account these serve instead of Pioners to cast up trenches and raise bulwarks and when battle is to be given if it be in plain field these have then weapons put into their hands and are thrust into the fore-front of the battle to blunt the enemies swords But if a City be to be besieged these serve as fit matter to fill the ditches with their dead bodies Turk Hist 325. 317. or to make bridges for other souldiers to passe over upon And if they shrink to attempt any thing they are commanded then are they more cruelly used by their Commanders then by their enemies And this the Ottoman Kings count good policy Verse 37. And it yeeldeth much increase unto the Kings As this Land once did unto the King of Locusts When it was stiled the Popes hortus deliciarum out of which he could fetch what money or any thing else he pleased so long as he could hold a pen in his hand In the year 720. Ino King of West-Saxons caused in all his Dominion Act. and Mon. in every house having a chimney a penny to be collected and paid to the Bishop of Rome in the name of Saint Peter and thereof were they called Peter-pence These continued till Henry the eighth's time who in his Protestation against the Pope speaketh thus England is no more a babe there is no man here but now he knowes that they do foolishly that give gold for
how old he was answered that he was in health and to another that asked how rich he was answered that he was not in debt q. d. He is young enough that is in health and rich enough that is not in debt Now all this Job was yet and therefore Satan ill apaid and unsatisfied And all that he hath will a man give for his life Life is sweet we say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aesop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist and man is a life-loving creature saith the Heathen fond of life and afraid of death which is Natures slaughterman and therefore the most Terrible of Terribles as Aristotle stileth it The Gibeonites refused not to be perpetuall slaves so they might but live Those that are overcome in battle are content to be stript of all so they may have quarter for their lives Marriners in a tempest cast their lading into the sea though never so precious in hope of life If Job may escape with the skin of his teeth it is some favour he may not think much to sacrifice all that he hath to the service of his life his conscience only excepted Some good people have strained that too for love of life as when Abraham denyed his wife David changed his behaviour Camd. Elis fol. 325. Peter denyed his Master Qu. Elizabeth though afterwards she could say When I call to mind things past behold things present and expect things to come I hold them happiest that go hence soonest yet in Queen Maries time shee sometimes heard divine service after the Romish religion and was often confessed yea at the rigorous sollicitation of Cardinall Pool shee professed her self a Romish Catholick yet did not Queen Mary believe her saith mine Author remembring that shee her self for feare of death had by Letters written with her own hand to her father both renounced for ever the Bishop of Romes authority Ibid. Introd and withall acknowledged her father to be supreme head of the Church of England under Christ and her Mothers marriage to have been incestuous and unjust Those good soules did better that loved not their lives unto death Rev. 12.11 that by losing their lives saved them Matth. 10.39 that held with that Martyr Julius Palmer that life is sweet only to such as have their souls linked to their bodies as a thiefs foot is in a pair of fetters Verse 5. But put forth thy hand now See notes on chap. 1.11 This God did at Satans motion yet non ad exitium Jobi sed ad exercitium Jobs temptation is of Satan but his triall and invincible constancy is of god God in a sense tempted Job Satan also even as the dog may be said to bait the beast and the owner of the beast too that suffered him to be baited And touch his bone and his flesh pinch him to the quick that not his flesh onely may feel it but the marrow also in his bones Psal 6.2 and 32.3 and 51.8 The bone and flesh are the chief materials of mans body which is fitly compared to a fabrick wherein the bones are the timber-work the head the upper-lodging the eyes as windowes the eye-lids as casements the browes as pent-houses the ears as watch-towers the mouth as a door to take in that which shall uphold the building and keep it in reparations the stomack as a kitchin to dresse that which is conveyed into it the guts and baser parts as sinks belonging to the house c. as one maketh the comparison Now in all these and the rest of his parts of body Satan would have Job to be smitten and then he made no question of a conquest Paine is a piercing shaft in Satans quiver of temptations hence he stirred up his agents to tympanize and torment the Martyrs with as much cruelty as the wit of malice could devise but all in vain Heb. 11.35 36. Apollonia had all her teeth pulled out of her head hence Papists make her the Saint for tooth-ach Blandina tired those that tortured her Theodorus was cruelly whipped racked Scerat Theodor. and scraped with sharp shells by the command of Julian but yeilded not Rose Allen had her hand-wrist burnt by Justice Tyrrell who held a candle under it till the sinews brake that all the house heard them and then thrusting her from him violently said ah strong whore wilt thou not cry thou shamelesse whore thou beastly whore c. But she quietly suffering his rage for the time at the last said Sir Acts Mon. 1820. have you done what you will doe and he said yea and if thou think it not well then mend it Mend it said she nay the Lord mend you and give you repentance if it be his will And now if you think it fit begin at the feet and burn the head also for he that set you a work shall pay your wages one day I warrant you As little got the divel by these worthies as he did by Jobs biles and carbuncles We are ashamed said one of Julians Nobles to him we are Ashamed O Emperour the Christians laugh at your cruelty and grow the more resolute And he will curse thee to thy face Heb. If he curse thee not to thy fade q. d. then damne me send me to hell presently This Satan holds in by an Aposiopesis being therein more modest then our desperate and detestable God-damn-mee's let them see how they gratifie the divel who curse and blaspheme or protest openly what they know to be false This the divel did not Verse 6. And the Lord said unto Satan who hath his request it is not alwayes a mercy to have what we wish Deus saepè dat iratus quod negat propitius Be sure we bring lawful petitions and true hearts Heb. 10.22 and then we shall have good things and for our greatest good Behold he is in thine hand Here God puts his child into his slaves hand to correct but not to destroy And surely if we give reverence to the fathers of our flesh who correct us for their own pleasure shall we not much more be in subjection unto the Father of Spirits Heb. 12 9 10. Busbeq chastning us for our profit and live The Turks though cruelly lasht are yet compelled to return to him that commanded it to kisse his hand and to give him thanks and to pay the officer that whipt them This last we need not do but the former we ought taking Gods part against our selves and resting contented though as Paul delivered up some to Satan that they might learn not to blaspheme so God deliver us up to him and his agents such as Satanically hate us and are divellishly bent against us Psal 32.21 causing us to suffer more then any ever did out of hell that we may learn not to be proud secure sensuall and may preach forth the vertues of him who hath brought us out of darknesse into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2.9 Let us not say if God would take
eye hath seen it as Aben-Ezra observeth So doth Keep not silence To that they opened their mouth wide against me Ibid. Vers 23. Stir up thy self and awake This is the same in effect with the beginning of the Psalm to shew his ardour and intention of affection Vers 24. According to thy righteousness i.e. for the honour of thy Justice wherein else thou art likely to suffer And let them not rejoyce over me For I quarter Armes as I may so say with thee Lord and my disgrace will reflect upon thee Vers 25. Ah so would we haveâ—t Heb. Ah ah our soul that is our desire we are voti compotes We have swallowed him up As Swine do swill or ravenous beasts their prey Vers 26. Let them be ashamed c. They shall so and this prayer against the Churches enemies shall still speak effectually Vers 27. Let them shout for joy c. He concludeth with hearty prayer for the Church as he doth in divers other Psalms That favour my righteous cause Though perhaps they dare do no more than inwardly favour it and by their prayers to God promote it Let them say continually c. Let them have continual cause to praise God for this sweet property that he delighteth in his peoples prosperity and afflicteth them not from his heart nor grieveth the Children of men but for their greatest good Lam. 3.35 Vers 28. And my tongue c. I do solemnly promise that thy praises shall never dye on my hand c. PSAL. XXXVI A Psalm of David the Servant of the Lord See Psal 18. title Then hee had well-nigh finished his Ruledom here he is about to begin it and therefore assumeth this title Serum est nomen officii Servant is a name of Office or Duty Tertullian faith of Augustus we may better of David Gratius ei fuit nomen pietatis quam potestatis he took more pleasure in names of duty than of dignity so those heavenly Courtiers rejoyce rather to be stiled Angels that is Messengers and Ministring Spirits than Thrones Principalities Powers c. Vers 1. Hieron Vulgata The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart Some say t is libbi for libbo Jod for Van and render it within or in the midst of his own heart and so make it the same in sense with Psal 14.1 but these make too bold with the text David that zealous Servant of God was fully perswaded of and deeply affected with the profligate wickedness of some graceless persons such as were Saul and his bloud-sucking Sycophants that they were stark Atheists and had not the least spark of common goodness left in them that they had neither the fear of God nor shame of the World to reign them in from any outrage This is mine opinion of them saith David I am strongly so conceited and I will give you my grounds I speak as to wise men judge yee what I say Vers 2. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes This is the first proof of the foregoing charge and the fountain of all the following exorbitancies See the like 2 Tim. 3.2 there self-love brings all out of order here self-flattery Sibi palpum obtrudit he stroketh himself on the head and saith I shall have peace though I walk in the stubbornness of mine heart to adde drunkenness to thirst and rebellion to sin Deut. 29.19 Thus he sootheth and smootheth up himself neither shall any one perswade him but that his penny is as good silver as the best of them all Thus he calleth evil good and good evil and proudly bolstering of himself in his sinful practices he maketh a bridge of his own shadow and so falleth into the ditch of destruction Vntil his iniquity be found to be hateful Till God by his Judgements uncase him and men out of utter hatred of his execrable practices tell him his own to his teeth Thus Stephen Gardiner being charged of cruelty by Mr. Bradford answered in open Court I for my part have been challenged for being too gentle often times which thing Bonner confirmed and so did almost all the audience that he had ever been too mild and moderate But Doctor Taylour told him another tale Act. Mon. 1461. Ibid. 1380. when he said to him How dare you for shame look me or any Christian man in the face seeing you have forsaken the truth denied our Saviour Christ done contrary to your Oath c. So Bonner They report me said he to the Lord Mayor to seek bloud and call me Bloudy Bonner whereas God knows I never sought any mans bloud in all my life To whom Mr. Smith the Martyr answered Why my Lord Ibid. 1537. do you put on this fair visor before my Lord Mayor to make him beleeve that you seek not my bloud to cloak your Murthers through my stoutness as you call it Have you not had my brother Tomkins before you whose hand when you had burnt most cruelly you burnt his whole body and not only of him but of a great many of Christs Members c So upon the Martyrdom of Master Philpot a certain unknown good woman in a Letter to Bonner wrote thus Indeed you are called the common Cut-throat and general slaughterssave to all the Bishops of England and therefore it is wisdom for me and all other simple sheep of the Lord to keep us out of your butcherly stall as long as we can especially since you have such store already that you are not able to drink all their bloud lest you should break your belly and therefore you let them lye still and dye for hunger Ibid. 1672. c. And soon after you have broken a Pot indeed Mr. Philpot but the precious Word contained therein is so notably therewithall shed abroad that the sweet savour thereof hath wonderfully well refreshed all the true Household or Congregation of Christ that they cannot abide any more the stinking savour of your filthy ware that came from the dunghil of Rome though your Lordships Judasses set them to sale every where to fill up your Baggs c. Thus these bloud-suckers stunk above ground and it is probable that the Saints shall look upon such in the next World throughout all eternity with execrable and everlasting detestation Vers 3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit That is saith Calvin he hath something to say to excuse and justifie himself to the hardening of his heart and hastening of his destruction as there is no Wool so coarse but will take some colour But God will one day wash off his varnish with rivers of Brimstone hee can skill of none other Language but that of Hell the words of his mouth are desiderium dolus there is no truth and as little trust to be put in any thing that he speaketh And why there is no fear of God before his eyes See a like Text Rom. 3.13 14 15. He hath left off to be wise and to do good That
Jer. 33.25 Thou hast established See Job 26.7 with the Note Vers 91 They continue this day God never brake promise with them Jer. 33.20 25. much lesse will hee with his people for whose use hee made them For all are thy servants All creatures are at Gods beck and check except evill Angels and men those great Heteroclites who yet do Gods will though against their own wills Vers 92 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 had been my delight Unless it had been setled in my heart as well as it is in Heaven for my singular comfort I had been crusht I should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long 〈◊〉 have perished The Laâ—-grave of Hâ—ssâ—n told mee at 〈…〉 saith 〈◊〉 that it had been impossible for him to have born up under the manifold miseries of so long an imprisonment 〈…〉 verbe divine in sue cords 〈…〉 of the Scripâ—â—es in his heart Joh. Manl. loc com â—39 Vers 93 〈…〉 That is thy promises which are aâ— fire and firm as the commands of the most absolute Monarch upon earth And here the Prophet proposeth his own example for a pattern to others for as Pacatus writeth in his Panegyrick to Theodosius the Emperour blandissime jubetur exemplo examâ—â—â—s are sweet Precepts For with them thou hast quickened mee Thou hast fetcht mee again when ready to faint as vers 92. Vers 94 I am thine save mee Every man will see to his own unless hee bee worse than an Infidel and shall not God For I have sought thy Precepts And can thereby prove my self to bee Thine Where it is implyed that all that wee are to seek in our obedience are the Precepts themselves the thing especially wee are to aim at is obedience it self to the Precepts Vers 95 The wicked have waited Nothing less than destruction will satisfie Persecutors but the Lord knows how to deliver his Peters out of the hands of Herod and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews Act. 12.11 2 Pet. 2.9 But I will consider thy Testimonies And therewith hearten and harden my self against their insolencies and attempts for my hurt Vers 96 I have seen an end of all Perfection viz. Here below Tempora tacta ruunt praetoria Fairest buildings strongest persons goodliest Empires have their times and their turns their rise and their ruine Omnis finis finem vidi Syr. Interp. Omnia sunt hominum tenui pendentia filo Et subito casu quae valuere ruunt Omniae fortunae variis stant obvia telis Aut â—tiam longo tempore victa cadunt But thy Commandement is exceeding broad It is endlesse infinite perpetuall and withall of largest extent witness that of Charity which is the complement of the Law and the supplement of the Gospel David though hee had proceeded further in the discovery of divine truths than those before him vers 99. yet hee was still to seek of that which might bee known Like as those great discoverers of the new found land confess still a Pâ—â—â—-uâ—tra Vers 97 O how love I thy Law Such a pang of love hee felt as could not otherwise bee vented but by a patheticall Exclamation and this was wrought in him by the thought of the largeness and lastingness of Gods law Plato prized one book called Sophron above all the rest whereof hee had many Richard de Bury Bish of Durham as hee had more Books than all the Bishops of England besides so in his Book called Philobiblos hee saith of himself ecstatico quodam librorum amore potenter se esse abreptum that he was carried out of himself by love to good books Floruit anno 1333. but not so much as David was to Gods blessed book Queen Elizabeth at her Coronation received the Bible presented unto her with both her hands and kissing it laid it to her breast saying that the same had ever been her chiefest delight c. Speed It is my meditation all the day Sive locutio commentatio occupatio my daily discourse study or imployment as love is never idle Vers 98 Thou through thy Commandements hast made mee wiser than mine enemies So that I outwit them and mine holy simplicity is too hard for their sinfull subtlety Bee wise as Serpents For they are ever with mee Heb. It is ever with mee that is every one of thy Commandements I am expert in them Or It is mine I have made them mine own by meditation I have turned them in succum sanguinem I have incorporated them as it were into my soul Vers 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers i. e. I have understood by much reading more than they ever taught mee whilst I referred all to practise and so came to know more of Gods mind than they did A friend saith Chrysostom that is acquainted with his friend will get out the meaning of a letter or phrast which another could not that is a stranger so it is in the Scripture Act. Mon. And here Indocti 〈◊〉 calum a pious swain is better learned than a proud Philosopher faith a certain devout Dominican Our King Alfred was held the best in all his Kingdome both for understanding and for 〈◊〉 the holy Scriptures For thy Testimonies are my meditation I do particularly apply the word heard to mine own necessities and work it upon mine affections by an after deliberate meditation Vers 100 I understand more than the Ancients Whom yet Age Use and Experience have taught much but by the practicall study of the Word I ouâ—-go them all with reference to these hoary heads the seniours of the Synedriâ—â— bee it spokens Non prelixa facit sapiâ—â—â— baâ—â— Vers 101 I have refrained my feet c. I have clapt up my unruly affections close prisoners and hampered them abandoning every errour in Judgement and enormity in practise That I may keep thy word Which I shall never do but by self-denyall and mortification Vers 102 I have not departed from thy judgements i.e. From thy Law which is called Judgements because God will thereby judge the World For thou hast taught mee scil To cleave close unto thee with full purpose of heart and not to bee drawn aside by any either Allurement or Affrightment Vers 103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste Heb. To my Palat. Syr. caâ—is gutturis mei the roof of the mouth resembleth Heaven Epicurus was worthily blamed by Ennius for that â—um palatâ— quid sit optimum judicabat cali palatium non suspexerit whiles hee looked so much to his palate hee looked not at all to the heavenly palace David was no Hog of his heard hee had sweet meats to feed on that the World was not aware of Yea sweeter than hony to my mouth Mercuries Priests were wont to say when they did eat their figs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Truth is sweet The Comaedian saith after Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Light is sweet The pleasures of the mind are far beyond those of the body Vers 104 Through thy Precepts I get