meanes and why he is delyuered Namely calling vpon the Lord. But I wil not stay longer in this so euident playne a sentence which oftentimes elswhere is repeated Verse 8 The earth was mooued and quaked with feare And the founda ions of the hilles were troubled and did shrinke because he was angrie therewith Verse 9 There arose a smoke in his wrath and a fire from before his face burned And coales were kindled thereat Verse 10 He bowed the heauens and came down and a darkenes was vnder his feete Verse 11 And he was caried vpon the Cherubins and did flie vpon the winges of the winde Verse 12 And he made darkenes his secrete place in the compas of his Tabernacle A darke water and thicke Clowdes Verse 13 From lightning in his sight there passed away his cloudes Haile and coales of fire Verse 14 And the Lord thundered from heauen and the most highest gaue foorth his voice haile and coales of fire Verse 15 And he sent his arrowes and scattered them He increased lightninge and troubled them Verse 16 And the welspringes of waters opened aâ— the foundations of the whole world were disclosed at thy rebuke O Lord at the blast of the breath of thy wrath THese â—yne verses which follow conteyne a Figuratiue description of an horrible tempest such as is that whereof Virgill speaketh 1. Georg. Ipse pater media nymborum in nocte corusca Fulmina inolitur dextra quo maxima motu Terra tremit fugere ferae mortalia corda Per gentes humilis strauit pauor c. This Father then in stormie midnight late With his right hand gaue foorth fierce flashing fire Whereby the earth did tremble sore and quake Wilde beastes away fast runne and eke retire Mens heartes were mazed through nations far nier But when Dauid expresly saith He sent his arrowes and scattered them it appeareth sufficientlye vnto what ende this manifest description may bee referred For without all doubt he signifyeth thereby the maiestie of God whereat the enemies of Dauid were stricken with a sodaine terror And if we may be so bold as with sacred histories to confer prophane matters not vnlike vnto this case seemeth the historie of Anniball and the Romanes which Liuius speaketh of in his sixte booke and 3. Decade on this maner In the 8. yeare of the second battell fought at Carthage Anniball remooued his Tentes vnto the flood Anien three mile from the sayde citie Lastly passing ouer the Riuer Anien hee set all his hostes in battell aray Neither did Flaccus and the Consuls prolong time from fight When both their hoastes were redely prepared for the purpose vnto that hazarde of handstrokes wherein the citie of Rome might become due salarie vnto the Conquerors a great shower of rayne mixed with hayle so troubled both the hoastes that scarcely could they betake them into their Tentes with their armour and weapons in safetye nothing lesse then with feare of hostilitie And the next day euen in the same place this same tempest scattered those hostes once more prepared Who when they had goâ— to themselues againe into their Tentes there arose a marueyleus cléerenes of wether with a calmenes The matter amongest them of Carthage was turned into an Oracle or Prophesie and it was noysed that Anniball should himselfe say sometime his owne minde discouraged hiâ— and sometime his fortune fayled him to conquere the citie of Rome But what doe I recite examples of the Ethnikes when as the ecclesiasticall historie setteth down vnto vs like deliuerances For so Eusebius in his 5. booke wryteth In the dayes of Antonius the Emperor histories doe recorde that his brother Marcus Aurelius going to warres against Caesar the Germanes Sarmatyans when as with drought and exceeding heate his hoast was welneere perished being in doubt and séeking what way was needefull to worke they found in a certaine bande of men Christian Souldiers who as it is also our vse bowing their knees and praying God did vnfaynedly heare their petitions and sodenlye contrary to all their hope poured downe most large showers of raine so that the hoaste which in deede was neere peryshing and for whom the Christians prayed had their drought refreshed or allayed But the enemies which approched vpon them with deadly foade were put to flight by lighteninges and fearefull flashinge flames of fire often times sent from the heauens But touchinge the Earthquake although Phisitions doe say that vehement spirites of winde blowing in the earth are the cause yet the heauenlie doctrine of Gods worde addeth another cause for it saith That by Gods working therein this windie spirite Inflation and shaking of the earth are so wrought that they may signifie the punishmentes in the world to come Therefore it is notably saide of Plinius in his 2. lib. 48. cap. And it is not simplie an euill neither in the mouing it selfe is there so great daunger but it signifieth a like or greater wonder shortlie ensuing The citie of Rome neuer quaked that it did not foreshew some strange thing would follow So although Phisitions doe say that the windie inflations of the earth when they wrap themselues within a darke cloude and when they haue got into euery most thinne parte thereof doe deuide and burst in sunder the same and that very often and vehemently so they doe Then cause they both lightning and thunder But if out of the raâ—â—…nge of the clowdes an expresse heate doe issue that is the thunderbolt Yet vnto these Phisicall causes the Scripture adioyneth God geuing both thunder and lightening seeing it standeth not with reason that such great matters are brought to passe by the alone force of Nature Verse 17. He sent from an high and receiued me and tooke me from out of many waters Verse 18. He tooke me away from my strongest enemies and from them which hated me Because they were too mightie for me Verse 19 They preuented me in the day of mine affliction And the Lord became my Protector Verse 20. And he brought me foorth at large And saued me because he had a fauour vnto me THese Verses describe gods mightie deliuerance wherby Dauid was taken out of the handes of Saule For so is it written in the 23. Chapter and 2. Booke of the Kinges Saule sought after Dauid all his life time but the Lord deliuered him not into his handes Verse 21. And the Lord shall rewarde me according to my righteousnesse And after the puritie of my handes shall the Lord doe vnto me OF the twofolde kinde of righteousnes I suppose I haue spoken sufficiently in the 8. Psalme Verse 22. Because I haue kept the wayes of the Lord And haue not beene wicked vnto my God Verse 23 Because all his iudgementes are in my sight And I haue not repulsed his righteousnes from me Verse 24 And I shall therewith be vndefiled and will keepe me from mine iniquitie verse 25 And the Lorde shall rewarde me after my righteousnes and according to the
integrity of my hands in the sight of his eyes THe perfecte pullishing of the next verse before is in these 4. verses declaring what righteousnes hee will foreshew For hee saith that Saule hated him for this cause and therefore was he beset with the practises of his enemies because with a simple faith he obayed God calling him For the worde Via or way most commonlye signifyeth a vocation Therefore is there in this place a necessary and most profitable admonition set downe First that we should not follow our owne imaginations or deuises But in all maner of our delyueraunce from dangers we should consider the commaundement and calling of God Secondly because if we heare the commaundemente and calling of God and that our will obserueth his will and studyeth to perfourme obedyence vnto God then are we not idle nor contemptuous Thirdly let vs require help of him euen for this cause for that wee endure the labours enioyned vs of God which are pertayning vnto his glorie This admonition reprehendeth both those vices that is our idlenesse and the confidence in our selues and commaundeth vs that our diligence be set forward and that therewith in true faith and hope we should craue and looke for protection helpe and good successe from God in all our affairs Verse 26 With the holie thou shalt be holie and with the Innocent person thou shalt be innocent Verse 27 With the chosen thou shalt be chosen and with the froward thou shalt be froward HEre is the reason of Dauids deliuerance because in God there is wisdom discerning both right and wrong And agayne a will in him desiring that which is right and forbidding the contrarie also with an vnfained indignation both repelling and destroying the same But whereas it is here obiected God seeing he is iust and good can not be peruerted that may easely be refuted for such a one God is as we are not in déede touching essence but touching effecte and applicacion For as he rewardeth the godly with good thinges and with his strong hand preserueth them in daungers So the disobedient and contumacious in haynous offences and such as contemne his worde doth he hale perforce vnto punishment by wonderful meanes But God preserued Dauid here according to that saying The Lorde knoweth howe to take his holie ones out of trouble And contrary wise he destroyed Saule in his last battle with tragicall calamities Let vs learne therefore to feare God whose hande is stronge for eyther effecte both to delyuer and also to distroy Verse 28 Because thou shalt saue the people which are brought lowe and thou shalt destroy the eyes of the proude Verse 29 Because thou lightest my candle O Lorde my God lighten thou my darknes HEtherto hath Dauid spoken of his defence from God against Saule Now doth he commemorate his glorious victories whereby the pride and insoleny of the nacions neare vnto him was tamed and subdued Reade the historie in the 2. lib. and 8. cap. of the kinges concerning the Syrians Moabites Ammonites Palestines and Amalachites whome he conquered Verse 30 Because in thee shall I burst thorowe a huge hoste of enemies and through my God I shall leape ouer a wall Verse 31 From the vndefiled way the wordes of the Lord are tryed with fire he is the defender of all them that put theire trust in him Verse 32 For who is God besides the Lord or who is stronge but onlie our God Verse 33 God hath girdid me with power and hath made my way vndefiled Verse 34 Who hath made my feete swifte as the feete of harts and setting me vp on hie Verse 35 Who teacheth my handes tofeight and mine armes that I may breake euen a bowe of steele THese sixe verses which folowe require no longe exposition But are easelie to be vnderstoode by a comparison betwene the heathen or ethnickes warâ—â—oures and souldioures of Dauid Mightie and profitable pesonages to theire countrie were Fabius and Scipio but howe much more excellent had they bene if in those theire so greate exploytes they had called vpon God and beléeued that he had bene theire present protector and guyde in so great battels Also if they had exployed their victories to sette forth the doctrine of God of prayer vnto God and of eternall life By right therefore do we extoll Dauid as farre incomparable aboue these warriers whe well knewe that he was by Gods inspiration armed with his valiencie and in those his warres called vpon God and fought his battels for defence of true religion Verse 36 And thou hast geuen me a sheelde of my saluation and thy right hand comforteth me and with thy meeknes doest magnifie me Verse 37 Thou hast enlarged my goinges vnder me and my foote steppes are not weakened Verse 38 I will persecute mine enimies and I will ouertake them And I will not returne till I shall destroye theÌ„ Verse 39 I will bruise them that they shall not be able to stand they shall falle vnder my feete Verse 40 Aad thou hast foregirded me with strength vnto battle and thou hast ouerthrowne them that rise against me vnder me Verse 41 And thou hast made mine enimies to turne theire backes vnto me and hast scatered them that hate me Verse 42 They cryed and there was none to saue them euen to the Lord but he heard them not Verse 43 And I will beate them to peeces like the dust before the face of the winde as the claye in the streetes will I distroy them SAule being slaine and Dauid nowe hauing peace with the nacions adiacent there arose a domesticall fire kindled by his sonne Absolon whereby Dauid him selfe and almost his whole kingdome were in greate â—eoperdie For that saying of Pindarus is most true Facile est ciuitatem mouere etiam deterrimis sed iterum in sua sede eam collocare difficile est nisi deus adsit principibus gubernator It is an easie thing to moue discorde in a citie euen amonge the worst persons but to setle the same againe in her former quyet it is a harde thing except God as cheefe ruler be present with princes Therefore Dauid boasteth not as Timotheus the Son of Conon did who in a certaine speach vauntingly saide This haue I donne and not fortune But he ascribeth vnto God the restoring of his kingdome into her pristine peace and tranquilitie Verse 44 Thou shalt delyuer me from the gainesayinge of the people thou shalt set me in authoritie ouer nations a people whome I haue not knowne shall serue me Verse 45 With attentiuÌ„e eare shall they obey me straunge Children haue dissembled with me Verse 46 Straunge children are worne away and they haue trembled in theire aduersities LIke as Paule oftentimes repeateth a complainte of false brethren which openly can flatter but secretly if at any time occasion serue them can power out theire poyson So Dauid here applyeth the like complainte touching his factious Citizens such as were Seba and many others But he foresheweth that
Princes which nourish the godly studies of true doctrine Graunt that hencefoorth for euermore I may eschew the infection of impietie and crueltie of the enimies of the Gospell and that I may saie with Dauid I will not sitte in company with the wicked I will washe my handes amongst the innocent and will walke about thine altar O Lorde doe not destroye my soule with the vngodly Make me O Lord a flourishing and fruitefull Palme tree in thy Orcharde Make me a vessell of thy mercie and an instrument acceptable and profitable for thee not onlie for thy Church but also for my owne soule Neither cast me awaie amongst the vessels of wrath or chaffe ordeined for eternall fire Finallie suffer not the light of thy doctrine to be extinguished but inflame in our minds and manie others true inuocation and praier and for thy glorie sake in thy most iust wrath destroie all Epicures and suche like which count it wisedome to scorne and deride the worde of the Gospell as it were a fable Suche furies O God eternall Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ creator of mankind and of thy Church vouchsafe I praie thee euerie where vtterlie to subuert and destroy Amen OF THE II. PSALM The seconde Psalme and the exposition thereof Quare fremuerunt Gentes c. THE ARGVMENT THis is lyfe eternall saith the Sonne of God that they acknowledge thee the true God and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent But the true knowledge of God consisteth in acknowledgement of the Essens and will of God For so as touching the Essens of God let this doctrine be alwayes before vs which saith that there is one Diuine Essens and three persons The eternal Father the Sonne which is the word and Image of the eternal Father and the holy Ghost Secondly touching the will of God let vs assuredly hold that that is the only will of God concerninge our saluation which the Sonne hath declared out of the bosome of the eternall Father and shewed in his expresse word and that there are not contrarie willes of God The promise is vniuersall which witnesseth that All which flee vnto the Mediator are receiued This is the will of my father which sent me that euery one which seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him might haue life euerlasting and I will rayse him vp at the laste daye Wee muste not therefore imagine as concerning the will of God that pardon is outwardly offred vnto all men but that there is inwardly an other vvill included vvhich vvil not receiue some fleeing vnto the Mediator But true acknovvledgement of Christ comprehendeth two articles one of the person an other of the office Touching the person vve must most firmely hold according to the heauenly reuelations receiued in the vvritings of the Prophets and Apostles That in this sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ borne of the Virgin for vs crucified and raysed againe there are tvvo natures of the deitie humanitie The Diuine nature is the sonne coeternall and consubstantiall to the eternall Father vvhich is called The vvorde and expresse image of the eternall father This sonne was intercessor for mankinde and is ordeined a Mediator and at the time appointed tooke vpon him nature of man in the Virgin Mary And these two natures are so vnited that they are one person The names of his offices are Mediator Redeemer Sauiour King Priest Pastor c. Let vs therefore acknowledge a Mediator Redeemer Sauiour King and Priest this Christ God and man and let vs giue thanks to God for this infinite benefite that he would his sonne to take on him mans nature and vvould this sonne God and man should be the Redeemer Sauiour and heade of the Church which perfiâ—â—â—th all things Of his wisdome whiche is life eternall in this seconde Psalme cleare and famous testimonies are expounded For concerning the vnitie of the essens in the Father and the sonne it is saide Against the Lord and against his Christ For as he that honoureth the sonne honoureth the father So he that despiseth the sonne despiseth th'eternall father Moreouer these words do euidently distinguish betweene the father and the sonne The Lorde saide to me Thou art my sonne this daie haue I begot thee I saith he this daie that is from euerlasting haue begot thee to saie in a true generation of my substance Besides this touching the will of God this Psalme doth euidentlie and not obscurelie preach vnto vs Blessed are all they which pur their trust in him it clearlie affirmeth that this is the will of God that all which beleeue in the Sonne should haue life euerlasting Furthermore of the diuine nature in Christ most assured and most excellent testimonies may be taken out of this psalme For first the psalme maketh Christ thus speake I will preache of the decree which the Lorde saide vnto me Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee This verse doth the Epistle to the Hebrewes in the first and last chapters plainlie expound Vnto which of the Angels saide God at any time Thou arte my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Agayne Iesus Christe yesterday and to day and for euer Natural birth is one thing and adoption is another thing For the sonne which is adopted and not begotten of the father is taken into the right of the familie But he which is begotten by the father is naturall Neither woulde the Prophet heare teache anie other thing then him vnto whom the Lorde spake to be his sonne but in farre other maner then the other saintes For others vvhether Angelles or men are made the sonnes of God by grace and fauour But this is his sonne by birth Therefore is he sometime called of S. Iohn The onely begotten Moreouer the eternal father vrgeth his onlie begotten sonne in this speech Aske of me and I will giue thee nations for thine inheritaunce and the endes of the earth for thy possession And he saith in the prophet Esaie I will not giue my glorie vnto another Therfore the imparting of this glorie or kingdome is a firme and excellent testimonie of the same substance betweene the father and the sonne Thirdlie the Psalme addeth Serue the Lorde in feare and reioyce to him with trembling Here he ascribeth to the Messias a name which is proper vnto God and commandeth that woorship be giuen to him whereof it is saide in the 6. of Deuter. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onlie shalt thou serue Finallie a conclusion is annexed Blessed are all they which trust in him For the saying of Ieremie is true Accursed is euery one whiche trusteth in man and maketh fleshe 〈…〉 me Blessed is the man which putteth his trust in the Lorde and vvhose confidence is the Lord. Seeing therefore this Psalme distinguisheth the Messias from the children of adoption and giueth vnto him societie of the kingdome and name of God and wiselie requireth that all men should worship this Lorde
in true feare and faith vndoubtedlie we must confesse that the Messias is by nature God and begotten of the substaunce of the father But the humane nature is signified in these words I haue established my king ouer Sion That is I will haue Christ to be the head of the Church Herevpon in the Epistle to the Hebr the 2. Chap. he doth learnedlie dispute that Christ is not onelie God but also man Hee which 〈…〉 and they which are sanctified are all of one For the which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my brethren And againe I and my children which God hath giuen me Because therefore children are partakers of fieshe and bloud he also himselfe is made partaker of the same that in al things he might be like vnto his brethren Lastlie not onelie the offices of this person are described in the names of King Priest and Pastor but also the doctrine of faith is recited which transferreth and applieth vnto vs the benefites of this Lord. He is wiselie called King by the voice of theternall father I haue appointed my king c. The office of his priesthood is signified when he saith I will preache of the Commaundement For to teache is a parte of the priest What that he is also called a shepheard Thou shalt feede them with an yronrodde Finallie of faith applying vnto vs the benefits of the Messias this psalm crieth out Blessed are all they that trust in him There are therefore in this psalme excellent testimonies of the Essence wil of God of the person and benefits of the Messias and of faith wherby the good things of the newe testament muste be receiued And yet neither nakedlie nor without figures are these set foorth but there are intertexed rebukings of the enemies despisers of Christ threatnings of punishments whereby God punisheth the contempt of his sonne and exhortations to thende al men may serue obey the sonne This is the summe of the psalme agreeing with the saying of Christ whiche I haue recited in the beginning Verse 1 Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges Verse 2 Kinges of the earth stoode vp and Princes came together against the Lord and against his Christ ALwayes when we interprete lot vs hold this rule that the Scripture of the new Testament is a speciall light of the Prophets Neither in the exposition of Moyses of the Prophetes and the Psalmes ought wee anye thinge to decline from that purpose or meaning which euen the same sonne of God or the Apostles doe shew vs because the same spirite spake by the Prophets and Apostles and it is the Sonne which expoundeth vnto vs. For as the Lawmaker is the best Interpreter of his owne Law So the Sonne of God which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the worde can most rightlie expounâ—e his oracles or speeches Then following this rule see if it please you with what reason the Apostles Act. Cap. 4. doe interpret this Psalme For so wryteth Saint Luke in the same place O Lord thou God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and al things which are in them which through the holie Ghost by the mouth of our father Dauid thy seruant hast saide Why did the Gentiles rage c. For in deede they gathered themselues together in this Citie againste thy holie childe Iesus whom thou hast annointed Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel to doe whatsoeuer thine hand and counsell had determined to be done c. It appeareth plainly that the beginning of this Psalme is properly and principallie to be referred vnto the history of the passion of Christ For in déede the Jewes and Gentiles defyled themselues by ioyning together in the murthering of Christ and in their cruell counsels Neyther is there any one of vs which as Esay in Cap. 53. at large declareth hath not added somewhat vnto the passion of Christ But although this is the proper and naturall meaning of this Exordium yet notwithstanding it is not absurdlie applyed vnto the dangers of the Church in all ages Because Christ and his Church by a certaine affinitie and likenes of suffering are ioyned together according to that saying Rom. 8. Whom he hath chosen them will he haue to be like vnto the image of his Sonne Therfore as in a sodaine casualtie of fire or in a Citie surprysed there is great feare so kinges and their counsellers when the voice or the doctrine of the Gospel is heard doe tremble for feare and doe mortally hate the same as the firebrande of sedition in a common welth and as the lousnes of discipline The slaunders of Celsus Iulianus and others are well knowen which haue written that the Gospell doth take away Magistrates Discipline Lawes Finallie all the sinewes of ciuill societie and that it doth graunt infinite libertie vnto all mischiefes But why doe I repeate the slaunders of olde time when as our age yealdeth examples too many which declareth how great the â—â—â—â—ltie of hatred of many and mightie kinges and 〈…〉 ainst the reformed dectrine of the gospell by th 〈…〉 e of the reuerent Father D. Martyn Luther Neither in déede would politike persons be so extreme cruell and furious against the Lorde and against his Christ but that they are set on fire of obstinat hipocrits which with tooth nayle holde fast their errors least their opinion should go to wrack or leaste it should any thing impaire their aduantag To thend therfore that we being discouraged with fear of their hatreds and of dangers should not cast away from vs the profession of the true doctrine this Psalme doth comforte vs affirming that al the indeuour of the enemies so farre as toucheth the effect of the matter shall be in vaine and to be scorned For although Dioclesian and his fellowes doe cruellie rage and seeme to deuoure the vniuersall Church yet notwithstanding in midst of their race their crueltie is restrayned and the Church is deliuered Verse 3. Let vs burst in sunder their bondes and cast away their cordes from vs. IN this verse the holy Ghost explaneth before our eyes the effecte of all the Counsels or purposes which the enemies of the Gospell put in practise For as Archers do ayme their arrowes vnto a certaine marke so the enemies of the Gospell bende and bestow all their indeuour vnto the subuersion of the true doctrine and of the true Church of God But thinke with your selues I pray you how great a madnes it is to call the most swéete sentences of the Gospel such as these are Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden and I wil refresh you Again So God loued the world that he sent c. Bondes and cordes But as they that are grieued with some disease in their eyes see not in deede those things which are before their feete so the enemies 〈…〉 spell being vexed with scorching flames of f
adorned after death Wherefore while as yet in the immortall bodie they carry about with them many sinnes repugnant vnto the Law of God as for example securitie pride distrust impatience and diuers wandering motions it is needefull that the flesh be mortifyed and that the old leauen be purged out which can not otherwise more fitly be done then by death and other great miseries which are the admonishers and rebukers of sinne and of Gods wrath and doe represse lewde and vitious desires The meaning of Dauid this worde chased doth witnesse which signifyeth as not without fault or without sorrow but sanctifyed and iustifyed by grace Verse 7. The Lord heareth my prayer when I crie vnto him HE maketh not mention so oftentimes in vaine of prayer and hearing but with great aduise doth he repeate these For Dauid after his example will haue the Church to teach that prayer or Inuocation is the moderator of dangers in this life and most speciall defence in this miserie of mankinde Like as it is written in the 18. chap. Prouerbes The name of the Lorde is a stronge Tower vnto this shall the righteous flee and be deliuered And it is commanded vs in Psal 49. Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble c. Moreouer this sentence witnesseth that prayer is not a vain sounding or noyse but that it is assuredly heard and that it obteyneth delyueraunce or mitigation agreeable with the will of God touchinge the which thing els where in the Church it is declared verse 8 Be angrie and sinne not commune with your heartes in your chambers and be still VNto the former consolation now addeth he a precepte touching christian patience which is to obey God in tollerating calamities according to our vocation so that we swerue not away from God or be angrie with him or contrarie to his commandementes dee any thing when we are broken with sorrow but that wee should moderate our sorrowe with acknowledgemente of the will of God and with hope of his deuine helpe Concerning this vertue there are set downe many sentences euery where As 1. Peter 5. Humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God that hee may exalte you in time conuenient And in the 46. Psalme Prooue and see because I am the Lord That is Séeke not vnlawfull remedies in time of your calamities As Saule before his last battel fled for helpe and remedie vnto the witch But settle your heartes in God whose hand is able and 〈…〉 both to debase and exalte Think with your selues that the Church is not ordeyned for idlenes pleasures but â—â—â— a sharpe and fierce warfare which can not be enduteâ— but with greate vertue Call vnto youre mind the Sonne of God who sith by assured prouitence of God he suffered most bitter calamities it were a thinge contrarie vnto all right and vnequall that we should couet such pleasant idlenes especially when through our offences the wrath of God is prouoked Set before our eyes the examples of mightie personages in the Churche which were in greatest miseries yea behold well the whole creation of thinges which is horribly profaned of the vngodly and suffereth this abuse holding this assured perswasion the day will come that after a while it shall be together with the children of God delyuered from these molestations Considering these and many other in your mindes be still and bridle your affections that they burst not out beyond their bonndes and seing it is a most difficult matter to performe this obedience Craue of God that he would geue you his holy spirit the gouernour of youre mind will and hart according to his promise Howe much more shal your heauenly Father geue you his holy spirit when you aske it of him Thus farre haue I briefly and simply recyted the meaning of the fourth verse agreeing with the whole substance of this psalme It foloweth that I nowe speake of that râ—eaning or sence whereunto S. Paule hath rightly finely applyed this verse in 4. cap. Ephesians For Paule geuinge admonition touching moderation of angre and pardoning iniuries alledgeth this verse Be angry saith he and sinne not And straight waye he addeth Let not the Sonne go downe vpon your wrath Geue no place vnto the deuill But although it seemed vnto many in times past that Paule recyted this verse abusyuely yet let vs kepe stil the rule delyuered vs by Christ The second commaundement touching loue is like vnto the first for the vertues conteyned in both tables are nedeful by necessity of the commaundement and of the dutie and are the worship due to God that is workes whereby God iudgeth him selfe to be honoured when they are donne in acknowledgment of the Mediator Finally the obedienc conteyned in both tables beholdeth the same principall obiect namly God Wherefore there is no absurditie in that whereas S. Paule applyeth this precept touchinge suffering iniuries amoÌ„gst men For although the obictes are externall in great diuersitie about the which that excellent vertue patience is exercysed as there is one obiect in the punishment of Paule another in the exilement of Dauid before Saules death yet notwithstandinge there is one and the same obiect inward or principall whereupon is reposed this moderation of sorowe Let these suffice to be spoken of vs here concerninge the place cited by S. Paule least any man swerue into that opinion that he thinke Paule vnlearnedly vsed testimonies of the scriptures as some men cauell at the worthie commendation of that testimonie out of Gen. viz. Abraham belieued God c. Concerning which we will speaks of els where Now let vs deale with that which is in hand and see if we can gather remidies of immoderate angre out of the worde of God and the wrytinges of Philosophers For what a mischiefe vnbrydled angre is and howe hard a matter for an angry man to restraine him selfe that he therby passe not measure the sainges and examples whereof the nomber weary me to speake sufficiently â—o showe Pindarus saith Anger so troubleth wise men that they sinne And Iuuenal saith But reueÌ„gemeÌ„t is a commoditie more sweete then life it selfe in the Prouerbes it is said Mans wrath worketh mischiefe with these sentences do agree very many examples But we for breuitie sake wil be content with a few Theodosius the Emperour when he was by nature very furious commaunded a multitude of y e base people at Thessalonica their cause not heard to be put to death by reason a fewe souldiers were slaine in an vproare Hierom the ecclesiastical writer by reason of the fond contentions touching Origen so poured out all libertie of anger that he all to bad reproched his frend Ruffinus with whom he had liued very frendly for thirtie yeres spare and set forth bookes of bitter speeches which are yet extant against that man of a right opinion touching the effect of controuersie And although priuate men liuing in idlenes and vanitie can gallantly dispute of courtesie and humilitie yet the
all euents yea all our owne counsels and cogitations Dauid therefore craueth that God would by wonderfull meanes not comprehended in mans reason preserue the church aâ—de his cause and with his mightie right hande defend him against the furies of his enimies Verse 8. Keepe me as the aple of thine eye hyde me vnder the shadowe of thy winges HE doth most plesantly painte out the defence of the church setting before his eyes the siâ—â—litudes of the eye and of a henne But although these comparisones are most easilie vnderstoode nor do require longe circumstance yet I will set downe the wordes of Cicero touching the eye lâ—ddes which are extant in his second booke De natura Deorum For what workeman besides nature then whome nothing can be more subtile could performe such perfecte arte in the sences Who first hath couerd and fensed the eyes with most tender skinnes which skinnes she first framed lightsome that we might see by them and of strength that they might ndure But nature made the eyes to rowle and to stir that they might readely discerne if any thing did hurt theÌ„ and also might easely turne theire sight whither they would and the light it selfe of the eye whereby we see which is called the aple is so smale that she easely escheweth those thinges which may hurt her And the eye liddes which are the coueringes of the eyes are most softe and most fitlie framed least they with touchinge the same should hurt the eye sight and are made to shut and open vpon the aples of the eyes that nothing should fall into the eyes and is circumspecte that the same may often times be donne with greate celeritie And the eye liddes are besette as with a valley of litle haires by which the eyes being open anie thinge that might fall into them is put awaye and these shutting together when we sléepe when we haue no neede to see that they as it were roulled vp should rest For first the vpper partes being couered with the eye bréees do kéepe of the sweate running downe from the heade and the forheade Moreouer the corners of the eyes beinge belowe are defended from thy nethermore parte And the nose is so placed as if it séemed to be a walle setled betwene both the eyes Thus far haue we heard Cicero philosophically reasoning vpon the first similitude Now if it please you let vs heare the same man touching the second For so in his second booke De natura Deorum he saith Now hennes and other birdes both require rest and place wherein they may hatch theire yonge ones and buyld theire byding places and nestes the same make they so soft vnder them as they can possible that theire egges may with ease be saued out of which when they haue hatched theire yong ones they so kéepe them as with theire winges they may foster them that they be not hurt with colde and if there be heate of the sunne they oppose them selues to shadowe the same But wheÌ„ theire chickinges or yong ones can vse theire winges then theire dammes folowing theire flight are delyuered of â—urther care By this commemoration are the most swéete resemblances of Dauid here proponed easely thus vnderstoode Verse 9 From the face of the vngodlie which haue afflicted me and of mine enimies which haue encompassed my soule rounde about Verse 10 Theire fatlinges haue concluded amonge theÌ„ selues theire mouth hath spoken proudlie Verse 11 In our wayes haue they now encompassed me they haue bent theire eyes so that they may cast vs grâ—ueling vpon the earth verse 12 Like vnto the lyon prepared to his pray and like the lyons whelpe lurking in secret places THe foure verses folowing conteyne a description of the wylie deceiptes which vngodly teachers laye for the subuersion of the true church For as the deuill is the same lyon which seeketh whome he may deuoure So the instrumentes of the deuill are the whelps of the lyon and séeke all occasions how to deuoure and distroy the godly teachers in the true church Neither is the meaning of these verses obscure vnto him which considereth the daungers wherein both of olde time and at this day the church hath bene and is exercised Verse 13 Arise Lord preuent him and cast him downe delyuer from the vngodlie man my soule which is thy darlinge I Do not know whether this verse may better in any thing be verifyed then in the historie of Alexander bishop of Constantinople who when both by reporte and heresay he vnderstoode it woulde come to passe that Arius contrarie to his will should be brought into the church and iurisdiction Beséeched God that eyther he would call him out of this world that while he liued his church might not be infected with the poysoned doctrine of Arius eyther els that from the omnipotencie of God he might finde some remedie for this so great mischiefe After this maner crauing helpe and aide in a true confidence of the sonne of God when he had watched called vpon God a whole night longe and besoughte Christ of his protection and sauegard in the morninge he knew what had happened vnto Arius comming thether at midnight For the gréedie faction of this man troubled the church that or euer the day light was espied he went forwarde in that which they had purposed to bringe to passe But beholde as Arius was going to theÌ„ he beganne to fainte and sat him downe vpon the nexte siege or priute to ease his bellie of that burden in what place he dyed wretâ—hedly and therevpon so dead was caried home These doth Athanasius in his first oration against the Arians playnly declare Augustinus lib. de heret Verse 14 From the man of thy handes oh Lord from the men of this worlde theire felicitie is in this life thou fillest theire bellies with treasures they haue increase of children and the rest of theire substance leaue they vnto theire Children MEn of the handes of God are they which seinge they feare no iudgementes of man at length are caught by the mightie hand of God to due punishment like as Antiochus Herode Iulian Arius and many bishops ruling the roste in kinges courtes Children of this world are called they which séeke nothing but pleasures and theire exercises he therefore craueth not only delyuerance from the tyrannie of such men but also sequettration from the opinions affections of these corrupt nature which loueth more riches and pleasure theÌ„ God as that fellowe whereof Plautus mencioneth sateth I had rather that the woman loued me then God This plague O God we pray thee auerte from vs. Suerly riches and children are the giftes of God but when the vngodly ones are like swine in theire liues and conuersation these benefits are geuen them as for acornes wherewith they do but fill theire bellies till they be killed We therefore beholdinge this figure let vs with our whole hart abhor theire conuersation and let vs beséeche of God That he would geue