my selfe in this point for we can not giue too much to Christ and surely we haue giuen no more then the iustice of God required And here by the way I would haue a common speech amended That one droppe of blood was sufficient for the whole world Alas then why did God in iustice draw from Christ more then neede My doctrine is most firme and sure that God is equall in iustice and mercie see but the proportion man finite sinned finitely but finite sinnes beeing against infinite God did violate infinite iustice and so an infinite violation Christ as man suffered finitely but finite passions were from a Mediator that is infinite and so were of an infinite merit finite sinnes finite passions infinite iustice infinite merits 2. Vse is to reprehend the fond dreames of the world that when the Minister inquires how they meane to be saued they will answer by their good meanings Why but is not God offended by your sinnes Yes but he will haue mercie for he is a good God and meanes to damne none Alas these damne themselues while they thus damne Gods iustice for to tell them of Christ to make iustice and mercie meete is but to tell them an idle tale and therefore they will haue all by their good meanings and Gods mercies but except their meanings will answer Gods iustice they are sure to goe to hell for all this vaine perswasion of mercie 3. Vse correction of a secret fault in Gods Israel that presume too much of Gods mercie and are ouer much indulgent to themselues Gal. 4. He is an enemie that telleth vs an vntoothsome truth much lingring and listening after the voice of the charmer stoppes the eare and flatterie neuer wants welcome while selfe-loue is at home this hath more of the serpent to beguile then we to beware It is not the Temple of the Lord for the Lord is iust in the middest of it Zeph. 3. it is not we are his people or any vaine title that can make vp the breaches betwixt God and our soules the iustice of God is no trifling matter his eyes cannot be bleered with our small gifts nothing can doe it but the pretious blood of Christ Iesus which is God and man that so both God and man might be brought together therefore be sure that as the Lord will doe no iniquitie so he wil haue vs to doe no iniquitie If we commit our sinnes in the night or vnder any pretence or false couerings be sure the Lord will bring his iudgement to light euery morning and therefore let vs be ashamed of sinning 2. Generall vse is instruction branched into two specialls First an admonition to the wicked that they looke vnto themselues for Gods much silence and their many sinnes will fill vp a great measure of wrath which the Lord in his iustice must needes powre vpon them The second speciall vse is a direction of a Christian to carrie himselfe before God as a sonne and a seruant because God is equally a father and a master a father of compassion but a master that will haue his owne Therefore let God haue the feare and the honour both of his iustice and mercie 3. Generall vse is consolation which hath two branches First in aduersitie Is God equall in iustice and mercie then fret not at the prosperitie of the wicked or be cast downe for the aduersitie that they bring vpon thee for God is iust therefore will hee reuenge thy cause and bring all the wicked to nought Secondly in prosperitie take heed of pride for as I am 1.9 10. counselleth that the poore brother of low degree must reioyce that hee is exalted so likewise the rich brother which is exalted in this that he is made lowe as well by Gods iustice as exalted by his mercie otherwise shall he perish as the grasse flower of the field so that the best consolation in prosperitie is humilitie because thereby our hearts are kept from for getting Gods iustice and making him all mercy Observ 2. It is most certaine that the Lord will reprooue sin Gods nature for it is a necessarie truth I am silent but most surely I wil reprooue Reasons First Gods nature which is truth it selfe and therefore shall God say and not doe assuredly the one shal prooue as good as the other looke then to thy selfe that sinnest securely Secondly the nature of sinne Nature of sin which cannot be without punishment Good of church and common-wealth for the soule that sinnes shall die Thirdly the good of the Church and common wealth which could not stand without Gods reproouing for except God did cut off and restraine offenders by his iustice we should haue men liue together worse then bruit beasts lyons wolues and tygers And in the Church they would become deuills incarnate to make hauocke of Gods people if God had not mette with Hammon what had become of poore Mordecay and of all Israel Vse 1. for reprehension 1. Confutation of the wicked which say Tush God sees not he cares not for our doings he is silent and therefore like vs all things goe alike we suffer no change all is peace let the minister threaten what he will But be you sure that thus forget God that he will reprooue and teare you in peices that others may consider it and be afraid The 2. vse is correction of Gods children that they dally not with the least sinne neither put off their repentance for an houre for be sure that the Lord will reprooue and that suddenly this then must make vs looke for our masters comming Vse 2. for instruction First it is an admonition to the wicked that they breake off their sinnefull wayes against the Lord for as fure as they liue the Lord is comming with his angels in a flaming fire to render vengeance to all that know not God nor obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus 2. Thess 1.8 if want of obedience will doe this what shall become of their rebellions for the former they shall be punished from the presence of God the holy angels and all Saints with sire that cannot be extinguished therefore this added shall kindle a fire to burne to the very bottome of hell Secondly a direction to Gods children that they alwaies prepare for the comming of the Iudge to iudgement Vse 3. for consolation First to all that are afflicted that the Lord will not forget their troubles and let their enemies goe vnreprooued Secondly to all that are at ease in Sion and yet can mourne for the afflictions of Ioseph a sure testimonie of their consolation with Ioseph when the King of Kings shall come to loose him and reprooue euen kings for his sake Touch not mine Anointed nor doe my Prophets no harme Therefore as they haue bin touched and harmed so God will touch the wicked and vexe them in his sore displeasure Observ 3. from the distinction of the parts The Lord hath the daies of his visitations there
men neither are they plagued with them but pride is as a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment What then can be answered for God surely still the consequence is not good bruit beasts may goe to the slaughterhouse without all baiting and it were questionlesse the part of a mad man to disturbe them that goe as heart would wish neither would the deuill for a thousand worlds that these men should once be disquieted to turn back againe and therefore yet you sticke in the question What then will you answer to an argument drawne from their life their eyes stand out with fatnesse they haue more then heart can wish they haue their tongues at libertie power to oppresse boast of it and yet presume thēy shall not be controlled for they dare speake against heauen and suffer their tongues to walke thorough the earth therefore God neither doth neither can he do any good to Israel Let Moses come to Pharaoh with let my people goe he shall be answered not as the deuills answered the Exorcists Act. 19.15 Iesus we acknowledge and Paul we knowe but who are yee It had been well if he had but said Aaron and Moses God I acknowledge and his p eople I know but who are yee that are so impudent with your king this is not his voice but who is God and Exod. 10.10 Let the Lord so bee with you as I will let you goe and your children behold for euill is before your face Here is blasphemie and execration of Gods people he imagines euill against them the Lord shall not preuent it and he desires that the Lord had no better affection to them then he was minded to let them goe What shall be answered to this proud argument that brings all into it they haue the controlment of heauen and earth and therefore how shall the Lord be good to Israel Well O flesh yet is God good to Israel this is but a small matter for neither heauen nor earth are in their hands it is an easie matter to turne their owne swords into their owne bowels for they haue fedde indeede but it is become a surfet and therefore if presently they be not like oxen knocked in the head they will pine away and neither God nor man shall haue profit by them they haue been licentious but soone may they be cooled they haue spoken wickedly of their oppression but a small matter will grauell them and bring them vnto an non plus they haue presumed but soone may they despaire they haue set their mouths against heauen but suddenly while they are about their mischiefe there may shine a most fearefull light yea lightning and thunder from heauen strike them to the ground make euerie ioynt breake a sunder the whole bodie tremble and the heart astonied neither shall they heare any voice from heauen Send for Ananias to put his hands vpon them that they may recouer their sight and haue their hearts comforted yet shall they heare a voyce from heauen Why haue you persecuted me it is hard for you to kicke against my prickes I will make your consciences pricke you to the death the sting shall neuer out of it there shall not be a Moses nor an Aaron to pray for you though you confesse with Pharaoh we haue sinned the Lord is righteous but I and my people are wicked Surely the spirit of God is strong my owne testimonie is answered the death and life of the wicked cannot euince the cause therefore I bring a third sort of reasons euen from the godly themselues v. 10. his people turne hither for waters of a full cup are wrung out to them Hence euen they say how doth God knowe it or is there knowledge in the most high wee dare boldly say the wicked prosper and increase in riches we haue clensed our hearts in vaine and washed our hands in innocencie to no purpose for daily haue we beene punished and chastened euery morning What may be said to this argument surely the testimonie of my brethren doth presse mee sore that they should bee so discouraged yet I hope when they shall haue considered my arguments propounded for the defence of their cause they shall recant their errour and say If I iudge thus behold the generation of thy children are vp against mee I haue therfore trespassed the reason was because I thought to finde out the discourse by my naturall reason but I confesse it was too painefull for mee therefore O Spirit the comforter of thy Church let me heare the arguments that will beare waight in the ballance of Gods sanctuarie First therefore I will begin with an artificiall argument which all men may gather out of the workes of God euen of his iustice They are set in slipperie places they stand but vpon the yee and therefore God may soone cast them into desolation which all the world may see to be done for how suddenly are they destroyed perished and horribly consumed all is but a dreame of their prosperitie but when I am awaked to see it and they to feele it then shall I consider my heauenly felicitie contemne all their vaine pompe and know assuredly that God makes all their image to be despised therefore I ingeniously confesse that the vexing of my heart and the pricking in my reines was because I was too foolish euen as a beast before God yet was I happie in all this for by faith I was alwaies with God and that my faith might not fall he hath holden me by his right hand Secondly for my selfe I haue taken this arguemnt that God will guide mee by his counsell and afterward receiue me to his glorie Thirdly I dare appeale vnto mine owne soule from both these arguments vnto a third whom haue I in heauen but God and I haue desired none in earth before him Fourthly I drawe an arguments from mine owne weakenesse and the daily experience I haue had of Gods goodnesse my flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of mine heart and my portion for euer Therefore now I come to the determination of the question and thus I determine it for the wicked Loe they that withdrawe themselues from God shall perish thou destroyest all them that goe a whoring from thee and for my selfe I haue found that the deepest disputations doe alwaies bring forth the best conclusions and safest determinations therefore thus I resolue That as for me it is good for mee to drawe neere to God therefore I haue put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all his works See but one place more Psal 77. When I entred the consideration of the dayes of olde and the yeares of auncient time called to remembrance my song of thankesginug in the night which vsually I sung in my prosperitie and now thinking vpon God am troubled and when I pray my spirit is full of auguish Thou keepest myne eies awaking all the long night it is time therefore to commune
whose iudgment seat are called his holy ones such as feare him in sinceritie of heart and hypocrits such as feare him in shewe whose lips call vpon him but their hearts are far estranged from him therefore that we may profitably behaue our selues in this matter set our selues to the true consideration of the forme manner of proceeding let vs giue the summe of the whole Psalme in a plaine orderly analysis of the whole matter and the rather I take it in hand because that if I shall vnderstand the Church of God to reape benefit by it I shall proceed in the rest of my purposes tending this way for this I haue purposed to doe by the grace of God and the assistance of his spirit First to shew the changeable estate of Gods Church in outward things Secondly to discouer the lights of Prophecie which haue made these diuers colours apparent least through our corruption wee should ascribe all to fortune Thirdly Due performance of his promises in making all things worke together for the good of his Church and children whereby all doubts that might spring out of the two former are fully resolued and God prooued most wise in disposing of all things and most true in foretelling of all future accidents Fourthly Because the most liuely colour of Gods Church in this world is affliction to laie down a discourse of that whereby euery faithful soule may see what dammage it is to the profession of Christ Fiftly Because affliction is the worst estate of Gods Church I will shew that it is a more happie estate then the best estate in the world Sixtly To drawe men from the confidence of the world and from that vaine conceite of religion as the discontentedst life in the world I will plainely shew that the world and all the excellencie of it can not giue a man content in all his wants ioy in all his sorrowes neither to reach vnto eternitie and therefore men shall find the issue thereof nothing but vanitie and vexation of spirit and that their onely happinesse consists in the feare of God and keeping of his commandements Seuenthly To take away all Balams wishes and the perswasion of hypocrites wee will shewe what the Lord requires for the attaining of true happinesse Eightly Wee will lay downe the true triall of our estates least with hypocrites we build the spiders house and so be swept down with the besome of Gods wrath with hypocrites throwne downe into hell Ninthly Wee will laie downe Gods admonition to all whose case is not desperate that they looke to themselues whilest the gracious call of the day of the Lords visitation is vpon them that they be reclaimed Lastly wee will shew the comfortable invitation of the Lord to euery one that is hungry and thirstie for the bread and water of life Wherewith wee wil ioyne Gods awaking of euery sleeper to stand vp from the dead that Christ may giue him light And because many deceiue themselues this shall be the conclusion that after the light hath appeared how they ought to walke vntil the day starre of righteousnesse hath guided them to the place of all blisse and happinesse These things haue so inflamed my heart that I would faine haue the fire break out and yet my yeeres make mee with Elihu to say I am yong in yeeres and many about mee are ancient Therefore hitherto haue I doubted and still am afraid to shew mine opinion for it beseemes youth to say the dayes shall speake and the multitude of yeeres shall teach wisedome neither blessed be God need I to speake because I haue waited till the ancient haue spoken and yet perceiue that they haue found out no matter to comfort good Christians and condemne the world for the world is full of their learned writings and they haue brought sufficient testimonies to prooue all truths convince all errors establish the godly and throw downe the wicked and profane yet seeing God will haue line vpon line and precept vpon precept I haue beene bold to doe something for the building vp of Gods sanctuarie Surely there is a spirit in man but the inspiration of the Almightie giueth vnderstanding Therefore renouncing my owne spirit and desiring wisedome from the true fountaine I trust in God I shall not speake out of my turne nor shew mine opinion in an vnseasonable time for I confesse God hath made mee full of matter and the spirit within mee compelleth me behold my bellie is as the wine which hath no vent and like the new bottels that brast therefore will I speake that I may take breath I wil open my lippes that so I may be cased of my trauel And God grant that when I haue deliuered my hearts desire I may reioyce that God thereby is glorified his Church edified poore Christians comforted and my owne soule saued when I shall come to giue vp my accounts to my God that bestowed his talents vpon mee to trade withall vnto his comming and therefore in confidence that God wil accept of my poore desire and that it shall not be in vaine I offer this as a pledge of the rest But to returne againe to our former subiect the partes of this Psalme are in number two The comming of the Iudge and his order of proceeding the comming of the iudge to the seauenth verse his proceeding in iudgement in the rest V. 1 The comming of the Iudge laies downe his excellencie and power his excellencie in the two first verses His excellency consists in his authoritie and maiestie his authoritie in the first verse a great commander for he is the God of gods and the Lord of lords And the manner of his commanding is forcible for it is but speaking and calling and at his word heauen and earth obey 2. The extent is exceeding large for it is from the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe thereof and therefore when the Lord shall come to iudge both quick and dead hee shall not extend his authoritie beyond his commission V. 2 The Maiestie of this Iudge is described in the 2. verse first from the subiect place Sion which greatly magnifies the Iudge for Sion is the perfection of beautie and therefore the very appearance of the Iudge shal dazle the eies of all beholders 2. From his effect in these words hath God shined therfore shal Sion reioyce for this honour and all that dwel in Sion shall lift vp their heads for the day of their deliuerance drawes neere but the wicked which are strangers in Sion and Alliants from the common wealth of Israel without God and without Couenant shall be taken at vnawares to their euerlasting confusion and this is the Iudges excellency his power followes V. 3 The power of the Lord is declared 2. prooued declared verse the third by two effects first God shall come it is no rumour or flying tale inuented to terrifie the world withall but it is most certaine as though it were alreadie done secondly God