the day of tribulation and I will delyuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me So Christ being by all meanes tryed like as we are tryed sinne alwayes I except called vpon his father and rendered thankes to him for that he heard his prayer as in this place he saith I will magnifie the Lord which hath prouided for me And as we learne many thinges in time of calamities So Christ being taught euen in his passion learned to beare with our infirmities as in the 4. cap. to the Hebrewes is written Verse 8 I haue set the Lord in my sight for euer because he is on my right hand that I shall not faile Verse 9 For this cause is my hart glad and my tongue hath reioyced yea and moreouer my flesh shall rest in hope HE recyteth two good giftes where into lookinge he comforteth and confirmeth him selfe The one is the will of God The other is hope of a newe glorie in his resurrection The sonne of God knewe that he was made a sacrifice by the singular and vnspeakable prouidence of God and that this his sacrifice was the randsome for all mankinde After this he looked for or hoped after a resurrection and tryumphe ouer sinne death and hell and with this hope did he mitigate his distressed state But let vs remember this example that we also in calamities may performe obedience and learne partly with acknowledgment of Gods will and partly with hope of delyuerance to lenifie and mitigate the greatnes of our sorowes Verse 10 Because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer the holie one to see corruption NOtably saith S. Augustine Maior est huius scripturae authoritas quam totius humani ingenij capacitas That is Greater is the authoritie of this scripture then the captiuitie of all the wisdome of men For here men do inquire of the article how Christ discended vnto hell what that discending may be First some men vnderstande that before his death his discending vnto hell was signified in that agony of his death wherein Christ felt the horrible taste of Gods wrath against our sinnes Some againe vnderstands the same his death and buriall to be his discending into hell But let vs simply beleue that Christ in deede raised the fathers from death to life as Peter saith He preached vnto the soules which were in miserie This maner of visitinge the fathers after Peters saying do I vnderstand to be his discending into hell neither will I curiously dispute vpon the matters but let the modest and godly persons consider certaine secrete misteries of the death and resurrrection of Christ which the fathers that were raised from death to life hoped after to be signifyed in Peters saying which are more playner recyted in any place Let the reader séeke for a larger exposicion of this litle verse in the commentarie of D. Martin Luther where he expoundeth the 42. cap. of Genesis Verse 11 Thou hast made knowne the wayes of life vnto me filling my countenance with gladnes there is pleasure at thy right hand for euer THe last verse by notable limites distinguisheth this short and fraile life from that which is onely to be called a life in deede For what is this life but a continual Consumption and passage vnto death as in the verse of Manilius it is saide Nascentes morimus finisque ab origine pendet That is New borne into this world we dye our death from first day of life drawes nye Moreouer in this life God alwayes nere vnto one good happe distributeth two euill neyther is there any delectation or gladnes of our minde so perfecte or sounde but it is corrupted or sowred with some bitter sorrow But that life whereunto after a while we shalbe raysed vp and reuiued shall be the true and not fayling life but most plentiful of ioy and gladnes which we shal receiue by the sight and presence of God and his euerlasting ioy wherof in déed that the eternal father would together with his Sonne and holy Ghost make vs partakers let vs al with our whole hearts continually pray Amen The xvij Psalme Exaudime Domine iustitiam c. THE ARGVMENT SO often as we thinke in our minds vpon filthy opinions which with horrible boldnes Heretikes and Fanaticall teachers in all ages haue spread abroad touching God it cannot be but we must with all our hearts abhor the same make our prayers that the Sonne of God would with his light gouerne our mindes and with his holie spirite illuminate and confirme in vs true acknowledgemente of God And truelie me seemeth no doubt it is but that Dauid recyting these wordes of praiet Directe thou my goinges that my footesteppes faile not gathered in his minde the furies of all ages which the deuill hath dispersed in mankinde because hee seeketh all meanes he can to blaspheme God and sith he is one that reioyceth in mischiefe is delighted with the horrible miserie of men after he hath forciblie destroyed them whom he hath plucked away from God and snared in his errors Let vs therefore thinking of these furies continuallie recite this psalme and with feruent prayers let vs beseech God that for his Sonnes sake he would with his holie spirite illuminate in our mindes the Doctrine manifested from him and also true Inuocation or prayer Neither that he woulde suffer vs to goe astray from him but that for his glorie sake he would gouern vs so as we may truelie acknowledge and cal vpon him which that he may effectually worke in vs with my whole heart I beseeche him Amen Verse 1. HEare O Lorde my righteousnes geue eare vnto my petition With thine eares receiue my prayer proceeding not from deceitfull lippes LIke as the Shippe with prosperous winde is spedely carryed in her course so our prayer is more profounde and is better heard when the minde is feruent with some desire as in the verse it is saide Dole tantum sponte disertus eris That is Onlie sorrowfull if thou be thou art distressed willinglie Nec Lachrimis tantum expletur sed etiam verbis egeritur dolor Neither with teares is sorrow expleate But also with words becomes more great Wherefore seeing Dauid thrice repeateth one and the same prayer it is cleere what ardent motions the most sacred breast of the Prophet did feele For not a more sharper sorrow is felte in the mindes of the godly ones then that which is conceyued by the corruptions of doctrine which doe blaspheme God and bringe plague and destruction vnto the Church And before in the eyght psalme I saide there is a two folde maner of righteousnes the one of the person the other of the cause He therefore in this place craueth not that his righteousnes but that the righteousnes of his cause might be heard as if he sayde For thy names sake euen for thine owne names sake doe thou this that blasphemers may be confounded This argument doth hée vse in many Psalmes For we must pray
vnto God and asketh and receaueth forgeuenes of sinnes This description is euident and may be vnderstoode in our dayly exercises Contrition without faith is an horrible feare and sorrowe of the minde flying away from God as in Saule and Iudas Wherefore it is not a good worke But contrition with faith is a feare and sorrow of the minde not flying away from God but acknowledging y e iust wrath of God and truely gréeued that it hath neglected or contemned God and yet approcheth vnto God and craueth pardon Such a sorowe is a good worke and a sacrifice as the Psalme saith The Lord is well pleased in those that feare him and in those which trust in his mercie When this faith first shineth out new obedience is begun in the gouerning of our priuate life and vocation and in sorrowes which pleaseth God for Christes sake and is a worship of God that is a worke wherin God déemeth himselfe to be honoured of vs. Verse 12. Kisse the Sonne least he be angrie and you pearishe in the way Because sodenlie shall his anger waxe whote but blessed are all they that put their trust in him THis last verse vseth a most sweete worde wherin hée commandeth his Sonne to be heard Kisse saith he the Sonne that is he shal come vnto you and shal louingly and swéetely embrace you geuing you a kisse and an embracing Reconciliation and life Eternall He loueth vnfaynedly which geueth a sweete kisse from his hearte Therefore the Sonne of God loueth vs proferinge vs a swéete kisse from his heart The Eternal Father loueth vs whiles he will haue vs swéetely to kisse the lippes of his Sonne But in this place we must consider a contrarietie The vngodly are not delighted with the kis of Christ but spit vpon him and with all maner of crueltie defile the face of Christ Vnto these doeth this Psalme threaten punishment But as touching the others which are delited with his kisse he saith Blessed are al they which put their trust in him These wordes doe teach what kis is here requyred Forsooth fayth or confidence calling vpon God for Christes sake This faith when we shal with inuocation or prayer exercise then shal this psalme be more manifest approoued in vs and we shal finde that this promise is not in vaine but that it is thus truelye kept Blessed are all they which trust in the Lord. The Prayer of the Apostles repeated out of this Psalme and needfull to be exercised in these our dayes O Lord thou God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all that is in them which through thy holy Spirite hast saide by the mouth of our father Dauid thy seruant Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges Kings of the earth stood vp and the Princes came together against the Lord and against his Sonne Christ For in deede they gathered themselues together in this citie against thy holie childe Iesus whom thou hast anointed Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel to doe that which thy hande and Counsell haue decreed to be done And now O Lord beholde their threatninges and strengthen thy seruantes with all confidence in thee to preach thy word Graunt this O Lord we beseech thee to the honor glory of thy holy name Amen The thirde Psalme Domine quid multiplicati sunt c. THE ARGVMENT THe rule which Hilary setteth downe in his bookes of the Trinitie doth well like me That wee muste from the causes of speakinge borowe the vnderstandinge of thinges spoaken But the Title sufficientlie declareth what occasion constrained Dauid to write this Psalme For although it greeued Dauid to be throwne out of his kingdome and to haue sedicion stirred vp by his Sonne whome he greatlie loued and himselfe bereaued of that glorie of wisdome iustice which he had yet notwithstanding these were not his chiefe greefes An other far more great vexed him in that he sawe his owne sinne was the cause o◠so great mischiefes and transgressions wherein manie which were holie perished Herein he iudgeth himselfe to be the plague of the Church and of Gods people and did feele such a huge burden of his sins that he acknowledged him selfe not able to beare the same Therfore he feared least that God had vtterlie cast him away as Saule and other Tyrantes which were the vessels of Gods wrath With this feare and sorowe had hee no doubte bene vtterlie quailed but that he did inculcate into him selfe the words of forgiuenes which he had heard of the Prophet Nathan viz. The Lord hath taken away thy sinnes In this voice of God setling his harte at rest he reuyued and began to call vpon God Therefore although he wrastled with the tentation of casting avvay yet by faith he strengthned him selfe and ouercame both all doubtfulnes and dispaire Which things sith they so be Let euerie one of vs which repent vs of our sinnes returne vnto God with confidence of reconciliacion for Christs sake Neither let vs dispaire by the greatnes of our fall but let vs holde that the mightie power of the Sonne of God is to be preferred before the sinnes of all men neyther to our other offences let vs also adde blasphemie which accuseth God of Lyinge and denyeth forgeuenes of sinnes let these suffice to be brieflie spoken of the Argument of this third psalme which setteth downe necessarie consolation that God will not haue vs dispaire although wee haue horriblie fallen and offended Because when Dauid was an adulterer and a murtherer and repented him fled vnto God he not onelie receiued him into fauoure and grace but also restored him afterwardes vnto his kingdome as in the rightfull recouerie of that which before he had lost Verse 1. LOrd how are they increased which trouble me many rise vp against me HE beginneth this Psalme from a sorowful complaint wherin he bewaileth the greate force of his troubles and the concourse of his calamities For who is able to expresse in words with how great floodes and stormes of sorows Dauid was tossed by reason of his adulterie First was his daughter deflowred after that folowed the slaughter of his sonne afterward sedition being moued by his sonne their wiues was defiled the Citzens were slaine and the father put to flight and it was a lesse thing for Dauid to be thus spoiled of his kingdome then to be bereaued of the great glorie of the power and fauour of God Amongst so great miseries and sorowes hee truely felt Inward feares outward fyghtinges Yt is some help when sinne meeteth not with mischiefes That is truely said for sorow increaseth when we acknowledge that we procure our selues calamitie through our owne transgression and when for grieuous sinnes we feele the wrath of God Verse 2. Many say vnto my Soule there is no saluation for him in God THis voyce signifieth no light griefe But of one wrastling with temptation of casting away I lament not
doubtfullnes Seing therefore Philosophy doth confesse her darknes it is nedefull that kinde of doctrine be embraced which God himselfe delyuered which doth make manifest so great matters For there are three chief and speciall good thinges of man which are shewed in this heauenly doctrine The first is True acknowledgment and calling vpon God The second Firme consolation in calamitics The third is The order of our life These good giftes doth this psalme comprehend when it sayeth But thou O Lord shewe vs the light of thy countenance That is sâ—ing that mans reason is ignorant of God and of true inuocation neither hath in her selfe any firme consolation and is much more seeble then that shee can direct her life and vocation amongst so many snares of the deuil and in so great a heape of buysines and daungers I beseech thee our Lord that with the Gospell and with the holy Spirit thou wouldest illuminate in vs that wisdome which truly knoweth God and calleth vpon him a right that thou wouldest strenghthen our hartes with firme consolation and gouerne the whole course of our life and vocation vnto the glory of thy holy name and saluation of the Church vniuersall Verse 11. Thou hast made me to reioyce in my hart whiles they haue plentie of wine and Corne. THis verse setteth out the degrees of good thinges although saith he The benefits pertaining vnto this lyfe are the blessinges of God and are to be craued of God yet notwithstanding both when other earthly benefits rise and fall too and from vs we haue an inwarde consolation worthely fixed and established in vs an other way and we preferre this consolation â—aâ— beyond al. swete pleasures of this slâ—tting and vanishing life wherin all thinges as it were hang by a â—â—ale thrid Ethings which haue bene of force by soden chaunge come to naught So in the 45. Psalme it is said All the glory of the kinges daughter is within c. that is to say the proper beautie of the Church is ioy of the holy ghost kindled in the heart of the faithfull ouercomminge all feares of death and daungers of hell and beginninge in vs eternall life Verse 12. I will therfore lye downe in peace and take my rest PEace in this place and in other places often signifieth tranquâ—itie of hart springing of faith hope and good conscience For faith holdeth not onely that a man is acceptable vnto God through the Mediator but also that obedience newe begonne pleaseth God through this hye Priest bringing our worshippinges vnto his Father Hope looketh for delyuerance in time to come according to Gods prouidence whether it chaunge in this life eyther els after the resurrection from death For although wee obtaine not alwayes corporall delyuerance yet we surely knowe that there shall folow an vniuersal delyuerance of the Church after the resurrection wherein God shall wipe away all teares from the eyes of the Godly Conscience setteth her selfe at rest in goodnes of the cause whereof God is the author approuer and defender as Teucer â—aith in Sophocles In a good cause it becometh vs to haue a good courage These three namely Faith hope aud good conscience are the causes of peace touching the which this last verse mencioneth I will therefore lye down in peace and take my rest Because thou only oh Lord hast made me to put my trust in thee ⧠The fifte Psalme Verba mea auribus percipe Domine THE ARGVMENT THe fift psalme is a feruent prayer against vngodlie teachers whose mindes are defiled with madde worshippinge of Idolles theire tongue with blasphemies their handes embrewed with the blood of the godly and their other meÌ„bers stained with wicked lustes These teachers as furies sent out of hel to trouble the church prayeth to be destroyed and that the puritie of doctrine and therewith his churche also might be preserued and defended There may also be obserued in this psalm a manifest figure of the vngodlie doctrine and of the vngodlie councels which tend hereunto that true inuocation prayer vsed in the church might vtterlie be extinguisht And because euerie prayer conceyued by the holie ghost hath effecte of promise let vs not doubt but God will helpe vs to the end the vngodlie may be confuted which say where is now theire God Psal 114. Ver. 9. Verse 1. INcline thine eares O Lorde vnto my wordes consider my meditation Verse 2. Hearken vnto the voice of my prayer my kinge and my God because I will praie vnto thee THere are two differences of true and false Inuocation viz. whereof me must continually consider in reading of the Psalmes The one is touching the essence of God The other touching the will of God So often as a man begins his prayer let him consider with himselfe what he calleth vpoÌ„ and what God he is which he calleth vpon or prayeth vnto After that also the Will must be considered what maner God he is and why he doeth heare vs. So in this place Dauid discerneth by the same Inuocation or prayer the true God from counterfet and false gods For Iehoua is a peculiar name whereby the Church alone of the fathers and the Israelites called vpon God And there is a great Emphasis or force in the wordes My king and my God As if he sayde Thou which truely beholdest and curest my griefe thou which truely receiuest and hearest me for thy Sonnes sake the Mediator which is the king of the Church This admonition of the difference of true and false inuocation is in another place largely delyuered which in déede ought to be considered vpon in all our Inuocation and thankesgeuing Also let that be considered that true Inuocation is of two sorts The one which worketh by cogitation of the minde and with confidencies illuminated or enlightened in the will fleeing vnto God inwardly crauing and expecting Gods benefites The other which with the voice or tongue expresseth those motions of the heart and consenteth with the heart Because god requyreth the expresse voice also and that others may be instructed and confirmed yea to the ende that the very deuils when they heare the true god called vpon might tremble for feare and flee away Finally let there be obserued ardent affections of wordes wherin he earnestly vrgeth to be heard as thus Heare me consider me And Geue eare vnto me Verse 3 O Lorde thou shalt heare my prayer betimes I will stande before thee earlie in thy Courte and in thy Congregation ALthough God is not tyed to any places or times and alwayes heareth them that call vpon him inlightned with acknowledgement and faith in the sonne of God yet notwithstanding the morning season is déemed most méetest for meditation and prayer when oure bodies are neither ouercharged with meate nor with fumes of stomack and a most earnest intention may be in an emptie stomack And it is not amisse sayde of a certaine auncyent wryter That Praier is a most harde worke because not onelie the intention or