his mercy is aboue all his works extending to a thousand generations Exo. 20.6 Psal 100.5 Hos 6.6 whose mercie endureth for euer With the Lord is mercie and great redemption I will haue mercie and not sacrifire His mercies are often repeated in the Scriptures as Psal 5.6.12.16.17.20.22.23.24 thrice 25.30 thrise 32. twise 35. thrise 39. twise 41. thrise 47.50.50.58 thrise 60.61.62.63.68 twice c. Ioel 2.13 Mica 7.18 Mâ—th 12.7 rich in mercie â— Tim. 1.2 Eph. 2.4 c. The Apostles salutation is Grace mercie and peace Since so it is As a gardeÌ„ is replenished with flowers so is the Scriptures with mercie that this herbe of mercie groweth in euery corner of the garden of holy Scriptures and all the Prophets and Euangelists by plucking thereof haue nourished themselues let vs also in our greatest distresses run vnto it perswading our selues that God will as soone denie himselfe vnto vs as he will denie his mercie if we come with penitent hearts and beg it with such humility as becometh supplicants such faith as beleeuers such hope and patience as becommeth the elect we need not doubt he is faithfull who hath promised The Papists Bellarmine and Larinus in their translations Lorinus Bellarmine adde to the Scriptures following the Septuagints and not Saint Ierome as they confesse do adde magnam great giuing greater credit to their owne translation then to S. Ierome who was knowne to haue bin a godly and learned translator or to the Hebrew veritie They confesse the Scriptures in the originall language to be the best and yet do not spare to adde or pare therefrom as pleaseth them and therefore that curse must fall vpon them in the 22 of the Reuelation that God will adde all the curses of the law vpon those who adde to the Scripture and the words of this book and put their name out of the booke of life who diminish any point of them What need haue they to put in magnam great as though the multitude which followeth did not include the greatnesse O God The person to whom he prayeth is God Obiect Against iâ—uocation of Saintâ— But in regard of his basenesse and vnworthinesse why doth he not make suite to Abraham Moses Samuel Iob or some other holy men onely contenting himselfe with God For I thinke the sinners of old time had as much need of the suppliment of the old Patriarkes and Fathers of the Church as we haue now of the helpe of our Apostles and Saints If they had not mind of such Mediators â—â—â—siâ— but fled onely to God I thinke we should follow their footsteps When God is deficient then let vs go to them and when the Sunne of righteousnes doth not shine it is time to light our halfe â—pennie candles Paul saith O foolish Galatians Gal. 4.3.1 who hath bewitched you and I say O foolish Papists when will you leaue off your folly If Christs intercession being God who knoweth all our necessities and pitieth them were not perfect then we might claime some subsidies but it is vaine to seeke otherâ— when he hath all for that doth greatly derogate to his glorie as I haue spoken in another place He vseth the word Elohim representing the holy Trinitie He inuocateth the whole Trinitie of which some of the ancients haue this coniecture because he failed against the Fathers omnipotencie when he abused his regal power in slaying Vriah against the Sonne being the wisedome of the Father vsing deceitfulnesse and fraud in this murder against the Spirit when he by his filthinesse abused his holinesse who is the Spirit of sanctification Therefore say they he now prayeth to Elohim Iudge of this nomination as ye please Elohim representeth the Trinitie as Iehouah the vnitie of both which Saint Augustine in his Confessions admonisheth vs We should saith he neâ—er remember the vnitie of the essence but we should as soone remember and dissolue our mind vpon the trinitie of the persons and not so soone thinke vpon the trinitie of the persons but to gather in our minds the vnitie of the nature which albeit they be vnspeakable and incomprehensible to vs it is enough that we speake with the Scriptures beleeue with the Scriptures and pray at the direction of the Scriptures whose direction if we follow we cannot erre in whose paths as being the vndoubted writs of God if we walke we cannot fall According to thy louing kindnesse The thing which he reposeth and resteth vpon Against merits is not his owne deserts but Gods good wil. Iudge ye if this ouerthroweth merit or no. For if any man might haue preteÌ„ded good works it was he Psal 16. I giue saith he my goodnesse to the Saints I am companion to all them that feare thee I wash my hands in innocencie and compasse thine altar Looke the 101. Psalme concerning the gouernment of his family and his owne person Of his vpright life he saith Iudge me according to my righteousnes While he hath to do with men there was no man more pure in life and religion but when he hath to do with God he renounceth all and taketh him to Gods kindnes and fauour While we looke downe to the earth our sight is sharp enough and we may see far and cleerly Simil. but when we looke to the Sunne then our sight is dazled and blinded so before men we may brag of our vprightnesse and honestie but when we looke vp to God we are ashamed of our selues yea of the least thought of our harts The Lord of his mercie keep vs from presumption that we presume not in any good thing we do seeing that it is Gods worke in vs let him take the honour of his owne worke and let vs say with Dauid Shame belongeth to vs but glorie to thee Out best actions are contaminate with such imperfections and spots that we haue cause to â—top our mouthes and blush and be ashamed of them we are conscious of the manifold faults and defects which are in them According to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities He exaggerateth the weight of his sin in that it hath need of many mercies whereby he testifieth that his sinnes were many passing the number of the heires of his head and like waters that had gone ouer his head So Gods mercies are more then mans miseries many sinnes require many mercies Men are greatly terrified at the multitude of their sinnes but here is a comfort our God hath multitude of mercies If our sinnes be in number as the heires of our head Gods mercies are as the starres of heauen and aâ— he is an infinite God so his mercies are infinite yea so far are his mercies aboue our sinnes as he himselfe is aboue vs poore sinners By this that he seeketh for multitude of mercies The godly account one sin tâ— be many he would shew how deeply he was wounded with his manifold sinnes that one seemed a hundred where
enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed they shall be turned backe and put to shame suddenly THis is a Prophecie of the finall extirpation of his enemies Doctr. The Churches enemies will not prosper albeit it is to be vnderstood that Dauid was not of a vindicatiue spirit that he had malice against Simei Saul or Doeg for the particular wrongs hee receiued from them yet because they were enemies to Gods counsell in his promotion he triumpheth ouer them whereby by wee may learne to abandon our affections in our particular quarrels Doct. We ought in our own quartels to bee mercifull but sharpe in the quarels of God Numb 12.3 that wee may affirme before God and the world wee can be content to pardon whatsoeuer iniury done to our selues labor to be as vvas Moses the meekest man in the world in our own particular but most sharp in reuēging wrongs done to God It should teach Prince Preachers to imitate this Prince and Prophet to sharpen the edge of their sword tongue against Gods enemies namely these diuelish Iesuites and factions Papists to forget their own particulars against any so far as they may But in this his Prophesie it is most remarkable what shall be the end of all the enemies of Gods Church whatsoeuer they be either Kings Balaamites Baalites Iulians Turkes Papists they shall be confounded and ouerthrowne and shall be shamefull spectacles of the iudgement of God as Pharo Saul Achab Iezabel Herod Iulian there is no man breathing that sets him against that truth of God that shall escape shame in this world Let Persecutors learne by the examples of their Prodecessors eternal cōdemnation in the world to come without repētance But the examples of our Predecessors wil not learn this future age to be wise and therefore they shall inherit shame for a reward of their hostility against Gods Church except they repent But shame cannot befall Gods Children they shall neuer be ashamed for albeit they commit oftentimes things shamefull yet their repentance blots them away Suddenly Doct. Sudden Iudgemēts are the greatest are the greatest iudgemēts Dan. 5.30 Mat. 24.38 This is an amplification of their iudgement that it commeth suddenly vnlooked for as befell Beltazar for when God giueth men time to repent it is happy but when hee taketh them in their sinne then they are most miserable as those in the first world they were eating and drinking marying and giuing in mariage when the floud came The Lord help vs and keepe vs from such suddenties which may take vs in our sinnes but that we may be prepared with the fiue wise Virgins Mat 25.10 whensoeuer our Bridegroome shall come to call vs To whom with the Father and the holy Spirit be all praise honour and glory world without end Amen FINIS A GODLY AND FRVITFVLL EXPOSItion on the twenty fifth Psalme the second of the PENITENTIALS DAVID being oppressed by his enemies The substance of this Psalm in this Psalme desires that God would deliuer him from shame and sinne the cause of all his euils that he would direct him to walke in his wayes as also confirmes himselfe by many arguments in the assurance of Gods goodnesse and finally praies for deliuery to himselfe and to the Church This Ode of Dauids is set downe in 22. Sections or Verses after the number and order of the Hebrew Alphabet at least very neere as are the 34.111.112.119 as also the Lamentations of Ieremiah and the 31. of the Prouerbes Those who seeke a reason of this let them reade S. Ierome Epist 155. in Lament Ieremiae and Euseb de praepar Euang. For he alludeth to the fignification of euery Letter of the Hebrew Alphabet which hath a spirituall meaning But in my iudgment these Psalmes are so framed for our memory that keeping in minde the Letters wee may the more easily remember the matter Man hath need of many helps For wee haue need of many helps to confirme our memory in goodnesse These Verses are called Acrostichi as were Sibyllaes verses of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth a Fish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sedullius in like manner made an Hymne A Solis ortus cardine Beatus auctor seculi Castae parentis viscera c. As also Nazianzen I would not wish men to be too curious in the searching of the causes hereof but rather be diligent in the confirmation of their memories by these 22. Alphabeticall Letters The Diuision of the Psalme THis Psalme containeth a Prayer to the eight Verse a Confirmation to the eighteenth and a Conclusion petitory to the end In the first seuen Verses hee craueth three things at God First that hee may not be a shamed Secondly that hee may learne Gods wayes and be taught by him Thirdly that he may be deliuered from sinne Then there is contained a deprecation against sinne and shame and the meane by which he may escape them both that is by the word of God which may direct him in such a way wherein hee may not fall vnder shame and sinne Shame proceedeth of sinne There are two things which we may lawfully craue of God to eschew sinne shame sinne as the mother and cause shame as the daughter and effect And as we desire to flye them so especially wee should craue of God that onely meane by which wee may shunne them euen that we submit our selues to be gouerned by his word The word of God freeth man both of sinne and shame and frame all our actions therto by which we may perswade our selues that we shall escape both All pray Lord keepe vs from shame and sinne when as many contemne the meane by which they should bee preserued euen that blessed word of God VERSE 1. Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule To whom God is Iehouah hee is also Elohim THe names which he giues God are Iehouah and Eloim the first taken from his nature the other from his power and he applyeth them to himselfe My strong Gods including the persons of the Trinitie He leadeth vs to God in our praiers Psal 73.23 Heb. 11.6 Whom haue I in heauen but thee Hee that commeth to God must beleeue that God is and that he is able to saue such as come to him God appeared in sundry names to others Exod. 6.3 but to Moses in his essentiall name Iehouah Claime first to his nature and next to his power Note First he must be thy God Iehouah and then thy strong God First he must loue thee and then hee will defend thee Ps 144.15 Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. Those are foolish who seeks his protection not first hauing assurance of his loue If hee be to thee Iehouah then shall he also be to thee Eloim Three arguments to moue God to beare him The arguments by which he would moue God to heare him are taken from three persons First from
may be comforted As for the Mercy of God Gods mercies innumerable Eph. 3.18 to me to speake thereof it is impossible yea to expresse the height bredth depth and length thereof as impossible as if I should recken the number of the sand of the Sea yea all the creatures Angels and men if they would bend their wits they were not able to expresse the least part of the mercies of our God for they are finite creatures and he an infinite God whose mercies are innumerable and infinite yet according to my humane capacitie what I haue conceiued and doe beleeue of his mercy that I will deliuer to you And as I spake before of his wrath and anger that endureth but for a season Psal 136.1 c. Psal 145.9 I will intreat of his mercies which endure for euer and which are aboue all his workes himselfe also being stiled The Father of mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 His mercies are either Generall or Speciall Foure sorts of mercies 1. Generall Temporall or Eternall His Generall mercies are those benefits which he bestowes vpon all mankinde as well elect as reprobate whereupon our Sauiour sheweth vnto vs That he maketh the Sunne to shine vpon the good and vpon the bad and thereupon he inferreth Mat. â— 4â— Be mercifull as your Father in heauen is mercifull So that these same Externall benefits are to the reprobate vnseene and vnfelt benefits and mercies The Speciall mercy is the remission of sinnes 2. Speciall which he bestoweth vpon his owne children allanerly Gen. 25.5 6 So that as Abraham gaue gifts to the children of the Concubines and reserued the heritage for Isaac his sonne and as Helcanah gaue to Peninnah a portion 1 Sam. 1.4 5 but vnto Anna a worthy portion So God giues riches to the wicked but only grace to his chosen children The Temporary mercy is the forgiuenesse whereby he pardons the sinnes of the reprobate 3. Temporarie mercies and out of his clemencie deferies their temporall punishments to make them the more inexcusable Iâ—â—ah 3.10 1 King 21.29 as he did to the Niniuites and to Achab. But that Sempiternall mercy is that whereof the Apostle speakes 4 Eternall That God who is rich in mercy for his great loue by which hee loued vs when wee were dead in sinnes Eph. 2.4 c. hath quickned vs in Iesus Christ to make manifest in the ages to come the riches of his grace This mercy flowes from himselfe Gods mercies vnchangeable and he extends it to whom he pleaseth and it is so sure and constant that he can denie himselfe as soone as he can alter his mercy towards any whom hee hath receiued vnder his fauour And this constancie of his mercy is a sure hold to which all troubled consciences may retire Vse 1 This should incourage all poore sinners to runne to him To encourage Gods poore afflicted children â—say 61.1 Reuel 3.18 Simil. where there is sure and perfect Physicke to be found innumerable riches to the poore eye-salue to the blinde c. Thinke yee that your sins are of greater weight than his mercies or that the gold of his goodnesse in thee cannot ouersway the drosse of thine owne sinfulnesse Hath not the Lord sworne that he delights not in the death of a sinner Ezec. 18.23 will he falsifie his word belie his promise Num. 23.19 or is he like man that he can repent Vse 2 And againe as this his mercy should inarme vs against despaire Against presumption vpon consideraon of Gods mercy so on the other part we should take heed that we presume not too farre by abusing his mercies and making them a couer for our wickednesse so that a false perswasion of mercy maketh vs liue as we please no no there is no mercy for an impenitent sinner The mercy of God should leade thee to repentance and thou on the head of it shouldest not entertaine and nourish thy sinne Vse 3 Further as thou hopest for mercy from God Be mercifull as God is Math. 9.13 so likewise giue thou mercy to others flowing from that mercy which thou hast receiued from God I will haue mercy saith the Lord and not sacrifice Therefore since it shall be an vndoubted token of thine election that thou hast receiued mercy from Gods hands try if thou findest thy selfe vnfainedly disposed to forgiue others whatsoeuer yea euen the greatest faults committed against you for that is the oyntment running downe Aarons beard to the hemme of his garment Psal 133.2 Against merits foure Reasons Moreouer yee see that Dauid doth not present his merits which might redeeme the filthinesse of his sinnes as the Papists thinke neither yet prayers Reas 1 praises alinesdeeds victory ouer Gods foes wherein hee was frequent but he leaueth them all as a broken reede Esay 36.6 to the which he could not well leane in the day of his spirituall temptation as he confesseth oftentimes in the Psalmes and hath his onely refuge to Gods mercy The merits of men alas what are they The best workes we doe are so full of imperfections that there is more drosse than gold in them Simil. What man would be content for good gold to receiue such coyne as is neere by altogether drosse and thinke yee God for his perfect Law which he gaue vs to obserue and doe will receiue our imperfect workes Reas 2 And albeit they were perfect yet are they not of vs Iames 1.17 August for all good gifts come from the Father of lights Cùm numero merita mea saith Augustine enumero dona tua When I number my merits I reckon thy gifts What haue we that we haue not receiued 1 Cor. 4.7 Why then glory we as though we had not receiued them Reas 3 Thirdly although our workes were perfect yet are we bound to doe them by vertue of our Creation Redemption Sanctification Preseruation and if bound to do them what deserue we then Reas 4 Finally he is an infinitly perfect God how then can we thinke our base deeds though they were our owne can merit for wee ought to doe good workes to serue Via regni non causa regnandi August Obiect not to deserue they are the way to the Kingdome not the cause thereof But how is it that Dauid sometimes protests of his innocencie and desires God to iudge him according to the innocency of it Psal 7.8 This is to be vnderstood of his innocencie before men Answ to whom he did no wrong as to Saul Psal 143.2 Absolon A hitophel Doeg c. But not before God in whose sight shall none that liueth be iustified if he enter into iudgement with them as Dauid confesseth What mad doctrine is it then Vse which teacheth men that there is any worthinesse in them Iob 4.18 15.15 since the heauens are not cleane before him yea he hath found folly in his Angels Doct. 3 Dauid vnder
Rom. 8.30 And Paul Whom God predestinateth he calleth iustifieth and glorifieth therefore they cannot fall away finally Which is against that damnable doctrine of the Papists Against the Papists who thinke the elect may be reprobates which is repugnant to the whole Trinitie Against God Against Christ who thinke the elect may be reprobates This doctrine is iniurious to the whole Trinitie for the Father is greatly wronged in that he is thought to be impotent or inconstant who hath ordaned vs before the world to glorie that his work could be hindred or altered by any intervenient fault or sinne in vs as though he would or could not remoue and pardon it And our Sauiour getteth no lesse iniury by them that one of his members can perish and so he should haue a defectiue body For if any who once hath bin a member of his mysticall bodie fall away or be cut off of necessitie his bodie by want of that one member would be disgraced And the holy Spirit who is the pledge of our adoption Against the holy Spirit sealing vp Gods grace in our hearts and giuing vs that full perswasion of Gods promises causing vs to crie Abba Father Rom. 8.15 is greatly wronged when his work is accounted nothing of as friuolous light and vncertaine So to speake the truth the Papists do what in them lieth to disgrace the holy Trinitie and aduance Angels and men in plaine contempt of that glorious Godhead which we ought so much to aduance in our doctrine and writings This is a great comfort to vs The graces of the Spirit can not be taken away that the graces of the Spirit which we haue once gotten cannot be taken away againe For howsoeuer we do not feele them alike at all times yet we haue them sin may take away the feeling of grace but not the possession thereof Albeit God be angrie by correcting his best children yet whom he chastiseth he loueth Heb. 12.6 But Dauid saith Obiect Psa 69 â—0 Blot them out of the booke of life Solut. It is not to be thought that Dauid supposed they were written in the booke of life but because they seemed to feare God and were in the visible Church but not of her he prayeth that God would make it knowne they were neuer written in it And in praying that the holy Spirit may not be taken from him he doubteth yea he standeth in feare of the losse thereof Blessed is he that feareth continually He doubteth but doth not despaire The Spirit may be grieued by vs and so cease to worke in vs good things or to let vs feele good motions but he cannot go away for when he hath brought vs to our selues and letten vs feele our sins then he purgeth his dwelling place and maketh it more meete to worke in such diuine operations as it pleaseth him to inspire in vs. Verse 12. Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation and stablish me with thy free Spirit IN this 12 verse Dauid craueth another necessary gift and effect flowing from the remission of his sinnes to wit the ioy of his conscience For the kingdome of God standeth not in externall things â—om 14.17 as meate and drinke but in righteousnes peace and ioy in the holy Ghost saith the Apostle For being made righteous by Christ and peace made with God there ariseth a wonderfull tranquillitie in out consciences from which finally ariseth a ioy vnspeakable For all the ioyes of the earth could not make vs ioyfull vnlesse God were at one with him neither can all the troubles that can fall vpon our outward man discourage vs if we find the ioy of God in our hearts Nothing spoileth vs of this ioy and pleasure that we haue in God but onely sin Pleasure in sin taketh away our ioy in God For once delighting in sin we can haue no pleasure in Gods seruice for these two can neuer stand together Therefore we must loath sinne that we may reioyce in God Christians haue ioy and sorrow intermingled 2. Cor. 12.7 Next ye see the estate of a Christian is not alwayes one ioy and sorrow is intermingled he hath a Summer of ioyes and a Winter of griefes Saint Paul had the messenger of Satan to buffet him that he should not be exalted aboue measure with his great reuelations After a Christian hath mourned he will reioyce He who neuer sorrowed for sinne will neuer reioyce for grace He that neuer mourned for the affliction neuer reioyceth for the consolation of Ioseph Mourne with them that mourne and reioyce with them that reioyce saith the Spirit The substance and ground of this ioy is the saluation of God so God is the matter of it and this saluation is purchased by God onely Psal 3.8 Saluation is the Lords Whereby he letteth vs see that the first grace will not do the turne to vs of initiation but we haue need of the second grace of confirmation which is the accompanying and perseuering grace Stablish me This stablishing is to make vs sure whereby he would aduertise vs of our instabilitie and vnsurenesse if we were not yet supported Samson was strong in grace but being left to himselfe he fell Peter bragged presumptuously in his owne strength Though all the world would forsake thee Mat. 26.33 yet I will not yet being left to himselfe he fell according as Christ had prophecied Before the cocke crow twise thou shall denie me thrise Let vs now take heed vnto our selues the time is come to trie all Christians what is in them and I feare our weaknesse will appeare to the world to our shame and the dishonour of our profession And I neuer saw any who presumed aboue others of their owne strength Nota. but they haue proued the weakest souldiers who by Thrasonicall confidence in their wisedome holinesse constancie and other of their vertues bragged aboue their neighbours yea contemned them but in the end they proue cowards presuming in pride and falling with shame This is one of the most certaine markes of Gods Spirit that as he is free in himselfe so he giueth libertie and freedome to all his children whom he possesseth For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie They are not bound with the chaines of sin they are not bound with mens traditions but they freely serue God as the children of the house are free The Romans were free men as citizens brag of their freemen and there is great difference between them and other free men that they may vse their trades of merchandize without controlement so is a Christian of all men the most free Our Sauiour said to Peter Who should pay tribute children or strangers But I pray you is a Christian who braggeth of the Spirit Mat. 17 2â— Obiect Solut. free to do what he pleaseth God forbid he is onely free to do Gods commandements and to
little world and yet he calleth himselfe Gods seruant not as the Pope who stileth himselfe seruus seruorum Dei seruant of the seruants of God when he is a Lord ouer Lordes both Ecclesiasticall and ciuill But he indeede in the humilitie of his heart confesseth God to be his onely liege Lord Princes as much bound to serue God as their subiects to obey them vpon whom he depended of whom he holdeth his crowne So princes may thinke that their subiects are no more bound to them then they are to God and that they are as inferiour and more to God then their subiects are to them Vse which should moue princes to humble them vnder the mightie hand of God Inferiour subiects may at certaine termes put their seruants from them and take others in their place for seruice is no heritage and if they much more princes who may put their seruants away whether ob culpam or placitum none ought to inquire So God the supreame Maiestie hath an absolute and vnlimited libertie ouer all as well rich as poore he can displace kings and giue their kingdomes and crownes to others if they displease him He can rent the kingdome from Suul and giue it to Dauid 1. Sa. 15.28 1. Ki. 12.24 from Rehoboam and giue it to Iereboam if they breake his commandemenents Psal 2.10 Be wise therefore O kings serue the Lord in feare For no liuing shal be iustified in thy sight The like he hath in the 130 Psalme Who can stand before thee so that not onely he refuseth any clame of mercy by himselfe but includeth all liuing vnder sinne so that none is exempted for all are sinners All are sinners that all may at God beg the remission of sin and are destitute of grace that God may shew mercy to all and all his creatures may beg from himselfe alone that which is not in any of them Away away with merits away with our worthinesse seeke it where it is to be found euen in Christ Where he saith they cannot be iustified there he cleerelie auoucheth the Doctrine of Saint Paul that iustification commeth by faith and not by workes Rom 3.24 directlie against the Papisticall heresie Against iustificatiō by workes which teacheth men to seeke a part of it at least in others and themselues whereas here all men are excluded from righteousnesse but that which they must finde in God Verse 3. For the enemie hath persecuted my soule he hath smitten my life downe to the earth he hath laid me in the darkenesse as they that haue bin dead long agoe THis is the complaint of his enemies extreme malice against him by a threefold exaggeration thereof their persecuting of his soule their throwing downe of his life to the earth and their laying him into darknesse as a dead man Their malice was so vehement against him that nothing could content them till they vtterly ruine him both in body and soule and name This representeth cleerely vnto vs the malice of the enemies of the Church Note the malice of the Church her enemies especially of the Iudasits orders Pro. 17.10 which is so extreame that nothing can satisfie them vnlesse they bath themselues in the blood of the poore members A Lyon is more mercifull to his prey then a tyrant is to a Christian there is not the smallest fauour to be looked for at his handes The mercies of the wicked are cruell a cleere example hereof we haue in the Papists but specially in those blood thirstie wolues the Iesuites who will bragge of a singularitie in puritie and yet will stirre vp princes and all other fauourers of their sect to roote out Christians who professe the name of Iesus according to his word those they go about dayly to massacre without respect of any as witnesseth the bloodie massacrie of Paris Anno 1572. August 24. at which time they murthered a great many thousands in France for professing Christ As also that diuelish and hellish pouderplot what a bloudie execution was intended against our gratious Soueraigne and hopefull children These bloudie Iesuites and mastiue dogs are not fierce against the Turkes Panims but against the Israel of God Yea as Lyons Wolues and Foxes take most pleasure in the bloud of the lambes then in any other beast which they will spare and passe by except they be in great hunger so these must desire Christian bloud and thinke they doe God good seruice in killing v◠And this should be a matter of great comfort to the Church of God seeing persecution is a marke of the true Church and Christ accounteth men blessed when they are persecuted and euill spoken of for his sake Mat. 5.10.12 For so saith he did their Fathers to the Prophets that were before you Let vs therefore be patient and suffer calamities through hope of eternall glorie which we shall inherit when these short tribulations shall expire The more the Church be troden vnder foot the greater is Gods honour in her deliuerie Moreouer yee may see how farre the Lord permitteth the wicked to preuaile aboue his children that he will suffer them to tread vpon their bellies as though they were dead and no hope of life left to them that his honour may be the more magnified who out of their dead ashes could make a resurrection as he did to Dauid who was as a dead man and forgotten yet God raised him vp and erected his throne aboue his enemies O Lord deliuer thy Church from her troubles and persecution Verse 4. And my spirit is in perplexitie in me and mine heart within me was amased HE spake before of his externall calamities now he confesseth the infirmetie of his minde that he was wonderfully cast downe in heart and troubled in his soule so that his strength was almost gone not like the strength of a whale fish or of a rocke but being ready to drowne with sorrow he was sustained by faith and Gods Spirit he swimmed vnder these euils Our Sauiour himselfe confessed of himselfe my soule is troubled to the death Mat 26.38 God knoweth our moulde we are not stockes without passions or perturbations Gods children haue their owne passions we are not like lepers whose flesh is senslesse but we are sensible of euills that we may run to God for helpe and comfort Iob. 42.7 Had not Iob his owne perturbations and griefes which made him vtter hard speeches for which God rebuked him and he afterward repented Simil. yea God affirmed that he spake better of him then all his friends did Can a shippe saile a long with such a constant and direct course in stormie weather as it were calme and before the winde it is enough that it directeth the course euer toward the port albeit it be forced to cast boord twentie times So God careth not albeit we be troubled in our course to heauen Let vs euer aime at the port of eternall glory howsoeuer we be disquieted with contrarie