haue beene for euer A faire commendation of Gods mercies from the eternity thereof His mercies had no beginning as himselfe had none and shall haue no end From euerlasting to euerlasting thou art our God For as the Ocean and maine Sea Psal 100. Simil. can neuer be exhausted but it would furnish water to all the world if euery one should bring vessels to draw water there-from So if wee had faith and prayer to seeke grace from God he is all-sufficient in himselfe to furnish vs all which makes Dauid to cry in one Psalm tweÌ„ty and sixe times Psal 126. thy mercy endureth for euer Therefore we may build our faith on it as on a strong Rocke Mat. 1.6.18 that the gates of hell cannot preuaile against vs for euery thing earthly on which we repose is subiect to mutation and change All things change God onely immutable But herein is our comfort that he is an immutable God on whom wee depend and in whom we trust then as long as God stands our saluation cannot faile Woe to them who put their trust in any other following lying vanities Ionah 2.8 Psal 119. and forsaking mercies I haue seene an end of all perfection sayes Dauid but thy word is very large VERSE 7. Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy kindnesse remember thou me euen for thy goodnesse sake O Lord. Doct. WheÌ„ God â—â—â—embers â—ercies he â—â—â—gets sin HE conioynes these two memorie of mercies and forgetfulnesse of sinnes the one destroyes the other when God remembers mercy hee forgets sinne when he remembers sinne he forgets mercy when God will plague the Whoore of Babel it is said He will remember her sinnes and in Hosea Hos 8.13 Now will hee remember their iniquity and visit their sinnes they shall returne to Aegypt Doctr. If sin had not beene Gods mercies had not beene knowne Rom. 8.28 He craued mercy before at God now hee let 's vs see the obiect of Gods mercy euen sin and here appeares the great wisedome of God who can turne all things to the best to those that loue him so that hee doth make their sinne which they did commit to manifest his glory and work their owne saluation All the properties of God his iustice and mercy excepted might haue beene knowne to the world by the creation his wisedome in framing the world so artificially his power in maintaining it his goodnesse in making man so excellent a creature but if sinne had not beene neither Gods mercy would haue beene manifested in pardoning it neither his iustice in punishing it Rom. 5.20 For where sinne abounded there mercy super abounds Remember not the sinnes of my youth Hee makes mention of his sinnes for when hee speakes to God who is most iust and righteous that he should remember his owne vnrighteousnesse as the brethren of Ioseph when they sought fauour of him they remembred the wrong they did to him as if one seeking the helpe of his friend he would confesse the faults he did against him Luk. 15.21 as the forlorne son did to his father So seeing sinne is the principall wall which diuides vs from God so that he doth not heare our prayers Dauid here taketh away this impediment Doct. We must confesse our sinne if we would be heard Therefore if wee would haue our prayers acceptable to God let vs begin at an humble begging of pardon and remission at which all our praiers should begin that hauing assurance of Gods fauour we may boldly sute what we please But if wee begin not our prayers at crauing pardon Simil. we become like foolish Physitians who neglect the causes of the disease and onely study to mitigate the present dolour and apply outward somentations for the curing thereof But how is it that Dauid specially nominates the transgressions of his youth Obiect did hee not commit other sinnes and are the sinnes of his age of no moment I answer Answ He doth not extenuate his present sinne by remembring the sinnes of his youth but rather aggrauates and aggredges the same while he repeats from his childhood how many wayes hee had kindled Gods wrath against him Confessing that he had heaped sinne vpon sinne and so by processe of time was loadned and ouercharged with it Next if God should deale with him by extreame rigour hee should not onely call to mind the faults which he did yesterday but whatsoeuer sinnes hee did from his youth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 includes all the faults either of commission or omission which hee did Therefore so oft as the Lord terrifies vs with his iudgements Note let vs not onely remember our last offence but let our former transgressions make vs bee ashamed and bring new sobs and sighes in our heart Let old men call to minds their former offences which they did commit in their youth Saint Augustine in his confessions reckoneth out all the follies which he committed in his childhood infancy youth and age calling them to minde euen from the beginning Psal 51.5 for we are conceiued in sinne and a child of one day is not cleane before God As we grow in yeares ye grow in sinne as a Lyons whelpe is borne with a sauage nature and as it growes in age so the cruelty thereof increaseth so does man Solomon in the Prouerbs saith Pro. 30.19 It is hard to know the way of a young man with a maid So young men haue need of sure custody that their parents masters and Preachers should take heed diligently to them Saint Ambrose in a Sermon at the Funerall of the Emperour Valentinian the younger bringeth in that place of the Lamentations Blessed is the man who beares his yoake in his youth Lam. 3.27 God is mercifull to that youth whom he corrects Dauid he deplores the sinnes of his youth which were secret from the world and perchance to himselfe yet hee craues pardon for them Now the smallest sinnes trouble him which before were but sports to him and so it will befall to vs those offences now which we accompt no offences after we will esteem them great sinnes Prou. 6.3 now they are honey in the mouth but after in the belly they will be bitter as gall No time of mans life free of sin Ier. 2. Exod. 22.29 Simil. Note Ex. 23.10 There is no time of mans age which is free from sinne but the youth is not onely first but most subiect thereunto for a youth is like an vntamed Calfe like a wilde Asse which will be taken in her moneth The first borne should bee sacrificed to God the first fruits should be offered to him yea the beast if it had not beene redeemed the necke of it behoued to haue beene broken Thinke yee not that God hath more respect of the first fruits of our life then he hath of the first fruits of Bullocks Thou shalt consecrate thy beginnings to God
with Iosias 2 King 22.1 who in the morning of his life euen early began to seeke the Lord. We should in our life keepe such dyets as did Dauid in his prayers Psal 55.17 Morning noone-tide and at euen he sought the Lord. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth Eccles 12.1 before the yeeres come wherein ye shall say I haue no pleasure Eccles 11.9 Be assured O young man yee shall come to iudgement Iob 20.11 yea thy old bones shall inherit the sinnes of thy youth To what sins youth is most inclined The sinnes of youth whereto they are most inclined are first pride and a contempt of their elders the vile doe contemne the honourable and youth despise age Such was the pride of Absolom 2 Sam. 18.9 whose punishment should terrifie all youths Next lust is naturall to them as the Prodigall child spent his time in riot and luxury Luke 15.14 Thirdly hypocrisie they can very well dissemble their doings and when with the Whore in the Prouerbes they are intending sinne then they pretend they were offering their peace offerings and with Absolom pretending their vowes in Hebron 2 Sam. 15.7 but intending to stirre vp rebellion And finally all youths are subiect to inconstancy they are compared to dreggy wine not setled Simil. so that experience hath taught vs to say It is lost which is done to them If thou hast escaped from iudgement in thy youth and hast passed the dangers thereof thou maist greatly praise God I read of a man Simil. who being drunke in the night passed a very narrow bridge which considering in the morning died incontinently so wee should admire when we remember what dangers we haue escaped If sins of his youth and ignorance be grieuous how much more those of knowledge Then if the sinnes of youth now trouble him in his age what doe ye thinke of the sins which ye doe against knowledge and conscience in your old age Should ye not confesse them and bee ashamed of them If a child blush it is thought good verecundia but if an old man blush it is thought euill because hee is bound to doe nothing whereof hee should be ashamed But many are like to the false Elders that lusted after Susanna and to them appertaineth shame and confusion for their example in courageth youngmen to doe wickedly Yea they are very rare who haue escaped the perils of youth either by one notable sinne or other Now Dauid of these his own sins doth make a speciall confession doth not infold himselfe vnder the mantle of generality A simple confession needfull albeit many are taught naturaly to dissemble their sins to excuse them to extenuate them or else to inuolue them vnder a common necessity of sinning but this will not please God vnlesse wee freely say with Dauid I haue sinned Simil. for as a Patient must needs discouer his sore and wound to the Physitian so must a sinner vncouer his sinne to God vvhich is an euident token of a penitent Moreouer hee desires not onely that God would forgiue his sinnes but more Doctr. When God forgiues sinne he forgets it that hee would forget them wherein God differeth from men men may forgiue but they will remember for malice and anger takes such impression in our hearts that it is hard to rase out the memory of our receiued iniuries although wee pardon them with our heart But God as hee remits so hee forgets Num. 23 2â— hee sees no iniquity in Iacob and because the children of God are imperfect and in this can neuer bee like to God so long as they carry about with them this sinning sinne as may be seene in Dauid 1 Kin. 2.8 who in his Testament remembred the iniury done to him by Simei to bee punished by Solomon although in his time hee did dissimulate it yet let this bee some comfort to vs that if the wicked motions of iniuries done to vs come in our minds let vs resist and controule them which shall bee sufficient before God Nor my rebellions Sinne and rebellion are conioyned 1 Sam. 15.23 Simil. Sinnes and rebellions are ioyned together the mother and her daughter sinne if it grow and increase it turneth into rebellion and disobedience which is like to the sinne of witchcraft and Idolatry and as a Serpent by eating a Serpent becommeth a Dragon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so sinne feeding vpon sinne becommeth at last rebellion There are degrees of sinne Nemo repente factus est turpissimus Dauid prayeth to God to forgiue him his secret sinnes and hee desires that God would keepe him from presumptuous sinnes slay sinne in the cradle if yee let it come to maturity it may turne into rebellion The word also imports ignorances which agreeth very well with this youth to declare that the sinnes of youth commonly springs forth from ignorance Youth is ignorant albeit it thâ—â—â—â—th it â—â—â—â—e wise for they are blind through lack of knowledge for they haue no naturall iudgement they lacke instruction they want experience and such like by nature wee are all borne fooles nature hath taught the beasts to know things profitable hurtfull to them The Swallow knoweth her time the Oxe his crib Isa 1.3 but man knoweth not his owner neither the time when hee shall turne to the Lord. And this ignorance makes youth to be rebellious to their parents whereof the Lord complaines by his Prophet Isa 1.2 I haue brought vp children saith the Lord and nourished them and they haue rebelled against me A profitable Lesson for Parents to train vp their children in vertue This shold teach Parents to remedy the ignorance of their youth by instruction that their minds being inlightned by the knowledge of God and learning they may feare God in the morning of their youth and haue the eyes of their vnderstanding opened to know the true God and feare him that it may bee fulfilled that is spoken by the Prophet Ioel 2.28 And in the last dayes I will poure out of my Spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophesie and your young men shall see visions We may complaine most iustly with that holy Father S. Augustine of the neglect of education of our youth where hee saith Gods iuft recompence to Parents O flores vere non frondium sed veprarum O truely they are flourishes not of branches but of briers and so the Lord doth recompence the Parents in their age that as they were negligent in training them vp in the knowledge of God so they become crosses to their Parents in their age Plutarch Among the Lacedemonians there was a Law that children were not obliged to maintaine their Parents in their age who were carelesse of their education in vertue when they were young Moreouer Doct. Sinnes of ignorance wil not excuse vs. let vs assure our selue that the sinnes of Ignorance will
saluation onely belongs to the Lord let vs runne to him and seeke it at his hands who is onely able to performe and bring it to vs. Seeke it not at Saints but at the King of Saints In thee doe I trust There is described the powerfull instrument apprehending Gods mercies euen faith adorned with his chiefe quality Constancy crowneth all our vertuâ—â— constancy for all the day signifieth as much as continually for there is no vertue in man which can be responsable to God if it be not ioyned with constancie Ye must wait patiently beleeue confidently seeke knocke aske hold vp your hands without fainting strengthen your weake hands and feeble knees Gen. 32 2â— He abode with Iacob the heat of the day and the cold of the morning and shrinked not till the Lord came at last and we must abide to the end of the day of our life Many begin in the morning of their youth to seeke God who forsake him in the euening of their age The day hath a morning a noone and an euening-tide so hath our age a youth a middle age and a declining time blessed is he that perseuers to the end and till his later breath constantly depends on God and leaues him not for certainly that man shall haue the crowne of eternall glory VERSE 6. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy louing kindnesse for they haue beene for euer IN the preceding words Dauid first prayed that God would deliuer him from shame and contempt next that hee woud teach him his wayes Doct. No assurance of the remission of sin till God put his law in our hearts and now he desires that God would haue mercy vpon him and pardon him his sinnes Marke by this his order in prayer how first hee desires that God would teach him his law and then that he would put away his sinne for we can neuer get assurance of the remission of our sinnes till God put his law in our heart After these dayes saith the Lord by Ieremy I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teath no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying Know ye the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest of them sayes the Lord. For I will forgiue them their iniquity and remember their sinnes no more Which the Apostle to the Hebrewes reciteth word by word Doctr. Knowledge of sinne comes before remission of sinne For God first by his word and Spirit workes in the mind of a sinner a light and sight of his sinnes and in his heart a sorrow for it and then he putteth it away and forgiues it Therefore let vs try what sight and sense of sin the word of God hath wrought in vs that we haue a certificate to our conscience of the remission thereof Ps 107.20 He sendeth his word and healeth them He sent Nathan to Dauid and then pardoned him In these two verses he thrice repeateth the word remember not that there is any memory or forgetfulnesse in God as in man for time makes man to forget but God changeth no time absence makes vs forget but all things are present to him memory hath a seat in mans braine which being perturbed it fayles God is all memory But he is said to remember or forget How God is said to remember Gen. 8.1 and 19.29 Gen. 30.22 1 Sam. 1.19 when by visible tokens of doing he sheweth his fauour or displeasure to man As he remembred Noah when the flood diminished Abraham when he saued Lot and brought him out from Sodome Rachel when he made her conceiue and Anna when he granted vnto her her petition Thy tender mercies and louing kindnesse First he craues at God that he would remembe his mercies which is the first thing wee should seeke at God for if we get it as said Iacob wee get all things Gen. 33.11 Mercy against merit And hereby it is clearly seene that hee disclaimes all merits for albeit he fought the Lords battells gouerned his people by the word and sword in executing iustice prayed and praised God continually fasted and bestowed almes on the Saints Psal 16.2 Vse Of confutation of the Papists merits yet he confesseth they cannot extend to God which refureth and damneth the foolish Papists who pretend merits but commit murthers and adulteries and yet with open mouth they cry merits merits Hee amplifieth Gods mercies by three names mercies benignities goodnesse benignity twice repeated see how highly hee doth esteeme of Gods goodnesse when hee cannot finde termes sufficiently to expresse them A liuely representation of the Trinity But these three liuely represent vnto vs the Trinity the Father the fountaine of goodnesse yea goodnesse it selfe the Sonne mercie supplying our misery the holy Spirit benignity and bountifulnesse gratiously working and bestowing these things which the Father and Sonne giue The goodnesse of God is the fountaine begetting mercy and mercy bringeth forth benignity Let vs learne by this that whateuer commeth to vs must either come out of the fountaine of Gods mercy or else it is a curse not a benignity but a malignity Many say Who will shew vs any good thing Psal 4.6 but Dauid sayes Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance on me We should imitate the three properties of the Trinity These three properries of the Trinity all Christians should imitate the goodnesse of the Father the mercy of the Sonne and the bountifulnesse of the Spirit that in so doing they may haue society with the Father Son and Spirit I know thee to be a good man because thou art not cruell but mercifull I know thee to be mercifull in that thy hand is bountifull thou giues and distributes to the poore Psal 112.9 thy righteousnesse endureth for euer The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rachamim signifieth bowels which are the seats and places of the fatherly and motherly loue and therefore the children are called parentum viscera the bowels of the parents which phrase the Apostle writing to Philemon both in the 12. and 20. verse expoundeth spiritually Thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne bowels and in the 20. verse Comfort my bowels in the Lord. Esay 49.19 Can a mother forget her child c. yet the Lord cannot forget Israel Ps 103.13 And as the Father pitties his children so the Lord hath pitty on those that feare him So we see hereby how deare and neere we are to Gods very heart that we haue a place in his innermost affections Infinit miseries haue need of infinit mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 Gods mercies are eternall But when hee speakes of mercies and benignities he speakes in the plurall number because as our sinnes and miseries are infinit so we haue need of infinit comforts and pardons he is called the father of mercies For they
2.17 moreouer that none can truly reioyce but these who haue gotten remissioÌ„ of their sins The righteous doth sing reioyce The stranger shal not medle with his ioy Let them that seeke reioyce and be glad in thee My seruants shall reioyce sayth the Lord. For they get the white stone giuen them And a name written therein which no man knoweth sauing hee that receiueth it And this is Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Indeede the wicked haue their owne earthly and fleshly ioyes but if yee would examine them strictly they are rather torments then ioyes which Chrysostome obserueth wel Chrys hâ—m 18. ad pop Atiochenum affirming that ioy is only proper to the godly neuer to be attributed to the wicked For the couetous man whose pleasure is in riches the more they grow the more his thirst increaseth which desire tormenteth them as also the feare of the losse of them excrutiats his minde night and day when riches grow feare groweth And the Prophet Isaias sayth Isa 57.20 The wicked are like the raging Sea Es 57.21 that cannot rest whose waters cast vp myre and dirt there is no peace sayth my God to the wicked The godly and wickeds ioy differ But there is a great difference beweene the ioy of the godly and the ioy of the wicked if yee will compare them for the one reioyceth onely in God the other in earthly things The scule of the godly is indued with true and solid ioy the flesh of the wicked only enioyes perishing pleasures the godly they reioyce in the midst of their troubles the wicked are grieued in the midst of their ioyes The ioyes of the godly are eternall the ioyes of the godly are euermore augmented till at last they attaine to eternal felicitie but the hope of the wicked turneth in dispaire their life in death eternal Finally the ioyes of the godlie spring out of teares They sow a precious seed in teares and reape in ioy for the spirituall haruest is farre different from the temporall haruest The Spirituall and earthly haruest differ for the husbandmen holdes by their experience that the haruest will be answerable to the seede time but in the Christian haruest wee fow with watrie teares and reapes on dry weather by the contrarie the wicked haue a dry and seasonable seede-time but they reape with waterie teares with confusion Reasons of the peoples ioy The reasons wherefore First because none else haue warrand to reioyce For the wicked man nothing troubles him not sinne 1 The godlie haue a warrand to reioyce for it is his pleasure not tentations these he swalloweth vp not his conscience it is a sleepe not the Deuill he is alreadie made his vassall and Seruant not the world it is his treasure no outward afflictions hee will not indure them Iam. 5 1. Luk 6.25 Yea S. Iames bids them not reioyce but houle Houle yee rich men And S. Luke saith to them woe be to you that reioyce now for yee shall mourne 2. They are commanded to reioyce Secondly as the godly onely are commanded to reioyce so they haue onely cruse to reioyce because they onely enioy the presence of God by reason of the couenant they haue entresse to all things in heauen and in earth as a woman hath to the goods of her husband which is a great cause of ioy Next they know that their names are written in the booke of life as our Sauiour saith Luk. 10.20 Reioyce not in this that yee may cast out deuils but that your names are written in the booke of life 3. They haue the spirit of God the author of ioy Thirdly onely they haue the spirit of God the author of true ioy which is therefore called the ioy of the holy Ghost Onely they are annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse Fourthly onely they haue escaped from condemnation 1 Thes 1.6 Psal 45.7 as the Israelites escaped the hand of Pharoah and reioyced 4. They escape condemnation Exod 15.1 Fiftly onely these sucke and draw their ioy out of the Wells of sound consolation that is out of the Scriptures which are written that their ioy may be full 5. They draw ioy out of the Scriptures Isa 12.3 1 Ioh. 1.4 Sixtly onely these enioy a good conscience which is a continuall feast and the cause of the Apostles ioy in the midst of their persecutions Finally onely they haue the hope of eternall glory We reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God 6. They haue a good conscience Pro. 15.15 sayth the Apostle Ye righteous and vpright in heart They are called righteous in two respects 1. Because they haue received the bloud of Iesus Christ which hath made them righteous before God 7. Hope of eternall glory Why called righteous by his pâ—ssiue obedience in that hee hath suffered for their sinnes as likewise by his actiue obedience whereby he hath fulfilled the law which are both imputed to them as though they had suffered and done both themselues As also they are righteous having received the Spirit of sanctification which teacheth them to render to every one that which is his owne To Caesar Mat. 22.21 that which is Caesars To the Superiours that which is his To his equall that which appertaines to him to his Inferiour that which he ought to doe The rule of righteousnesse The rule of righteousnesse is set downe in the 15. Psalme that neither in name bodie nor goods we should iniure any man The righteous man must be sincere and vpright The righteous man must also be vpright in heart that is sincere for faith and hypocrisie can never stand together for of all vertues God liketh best of sinceritie and singlenesse of heart that in our Religion we meane sincerelie and we may say to the Lord Thou tryest my reines in the night season and foundest nothing in my mouth which was not in my heart And with our neighbours we should deale so vprightly that we may not haue Butter and Oyle in our mouth and a sword in our heart but as we professe kindnesse to them who speake kindly so our heart may meane the same Psal 12. Righteousnes cannot be without sinceritie and haue not an heart and an heart To conclude this point righteousnesse and sinceritie are so ioyned together that the one can never be without the other and they are reciprocall that a righteous man must be sincere and a sincere man must be righteous The godly reioyce in the Lord. The limitation of this ioy is set downe in the last part In Iehovah which distinguisheth the Christian ioy from all ioyes earthly Some reioyce in one thing some in another but the Christian reioyceth in the Lord. Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches nor the strong man in his strength nor the wise man in his wisedome but reioyce in the Lord. Onely one question remaineth to be dissolved Ob
Whether may not men lawfully reioyce in the blessings that God hath given them as a man in the Wife of his youth Parents in their children and in their temporall blessings I answere yea verily providing alway that God be the ground and end of their reioycing Ans that they reioyce in them as pledges of Gods mercie and loue them because they see them readie to serue God and that they regard more grace then nature in their wiues and children otherwise their preposterous affection turneth into sorrow and griefe 1 Sam. 4.17 18. as did the loue of Eli to his children who in the end smarted for it The Lord moderate our ioyes that they may be all in him and sanctifie our persons that they may be righteous and vpright that the loyes we receiue here may be entrances to the euerlasting ioyes we shall receiue in the kingdome of Heaven through Christ our Lord. Amen FINIS A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE xxxviij PSALME THis Psalme hath three parts to be considered First The diuision of the Psalme the title and superscription A Psalme for remembrance Secondly Dauids humble confession of his sinnes which brought forth such miseries on his body and mind which he regrateth throughout all the Psalme vntill the two last verses Thirdly a prayer to God for support and reliefe out of those troubles contained in the two last verses The title A Psalme for remembrance THe meaning of this title is that he would keepe it to be a memoriall and a memento of his miseries which because of his sinne he did sustaine at the making hereof For man by nature is forgetfull of his miseries Man remembreth his trouble no longer then whilst he is vnder it so that they passe as waters that are gone yea albeit they vrge him very vehemently while they are lying on him yet he presently forgetteth them when he getteth the smallest reliefe as men do the stormie blasts of Winter so soone as some few faire Sommer dayes do appeare Simil. This forgetfulnesse springeth out of that roote of ingratitude which is a capitall sin Forgetfulnes springeth of ingratitude Psal 103.2 Doctrine God who deliuereth vs must put vs in mind of our deliuerie Gen. 28.20 and therefore Dauid prayeth vnto the Lord that his benefits slip neuer out of his mind So that God who deliuereth vs out of our troubles must also furnish vs with memorie both to remember the deliuerie as also the troubles out of which he hath deliuered vs. Iacob made a vow at Bethel that if God went with him and would keepe him in the iourney which he went and would giue him bread to eate and clothes to put on c. then he should be his God But when he returned God put him in mind of his vow saying Arise go vp to Bethel and dwel there and make there an altar vnto God that appeared vnto thee when thou fleddest from Esau thy brother Gen. 35.1 And as it is naturall in vs to forget Gods benefits so is it as naturall in vs to remember euill Man remâ—bers euill too well If any hath offended vs in the smallest word that we keepe fresh in memorie Nam ira tardissimè senescit wrath slowly groweth old As the sieue retaineth and beareth aboue the clats and bran Simil. the grosse excrements of the corne and suffereth the good grain easily to passe thorows so doe wee easily retaine euill and forget good This superscription is not to be found in all the Psalmes except in this and in the seuentie Alwaies let vs pray vnto the Lord to furnish vs with a faithfull remembrance both of our sinnes prouoking him to wrath against vs and of his manifold mercies pardoning our manifold sinnes as also that we may forget the particular iniuries wrongs done vnto vs. The substance and vse of this Psalme In this 38 Psalme Dauid deploreth vnto God the violence of his sicknesse the malice of his aduersaries who seeming to pitie him mocked him by their craftie visitation exulcerating his wounds by their deceitfull dealing while he in the meane time in patience possessed his soule not making answer to their iniuries in the first twenty verses in the two last imploring Gods helpe for his deliuerance from them The vse of this Psalme This Psalme will be very pertinent for euery one who is outwardly or inwardly grieued for they haue this godly Prince and Prophet set down before them in that same case as Christ also whose type he was was acquainted with the like miseries and an high Priest who hauing tafted of all our dolours may more heartily compassionate vs in our afflictions The Papists think that this Psalme should be sung for those that are in Purgatorie Against the Papists songs for those in Purgatory which they themselues grant was not before Christs dayes but if they marked it rightly they would be ashamed of that assertion for it destroyeth all the grounds of their purgatoriall fire which some of themselues confesse from whom albeit Lorinuâ— the Iesuite and Bellarmine do not disassent yet they think it not meet to condemne the opinion of others who affirme the same lest thereby they should giue vs whom they call Heretikes cause of reioycing Whereby we may plainly perceiue how those two arch-heretikes detaine the truth of God in vnrighteousnesse 〈◊〉 1.18 commending and approuing the false wresting of the Scriptures yet not daring to condemne that as hereticall doctrine which they cannot proue to be canonicall and agreeable to the truth VERSE 1. O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger neither chastise me in thy wrath THere are 22 verses of this Psalme answering to the order of the Hebrew Alphabet This first verse is agreeable to the first verse of the sixt Psalme of which I haue written at length except only in the two Hebrew words Beappecha and Bekitspecha which are Synonyma and of one signification which two Psalmes Saint Basil conferring together findeth them to agree in many things as the diligent Reader by comparing them together may perceiue He also compareth a sinner to a sicke man Basil lib. 1. de staâ—u animae qui leuia ac mitia pharmaca desideret ferrim incisiones ignem deprecetur who desireth light and easie plaisters and again would be free of cuttings fire and extreme remedies To the foresaid place of the sixt Psalme lest I should seeme tedious in repetition I referre the Reader VERSE 2. For thine arrowes haue light vpon me and thine hand lyeth vpon me SAint Ierom translateth the Hebrew word Nichathu piercing me The arrowes of God are the calamities vexations whereby he was vnquieted in minde and bodie compared to arrowes frequently in the Scriptures as Deut. 32.23 I will bestow mine â—rrowes vpon them And in the 42 verse I wiâ— make mine arrowes drunke with blood And Iob 6.4 The arrowes of the Almightie are in me For God is compared to an archer whose hand is strong