A fourth Proceeding in the Harmony of King Dauids Harp That is to say A Godly and learned Exposition of six Psalmes moe of the princely Prophet Dauid beginning with the 62. and ending with the 67. Psalme Done in Latin by the reuerend Doctour Victorinus Strigelius Professor of Diuinitie in the vniuersitie of Lypsia in Germany Anno 1502. Translated into English by Richard Robinson Citizen of London 1596. Seene perused and allowed Keepe me O Lord from the handes of the vngodly preserue me from the wicked men Psal 140.4 Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleepe Psal 121.4 The Lord himselfe is thy keeper the Lorde is thy defence vpon the right hand vers 5. LONDON Printed by Valentine Simmes 1596. HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE Qui LEO de Iuda est FLOS de Iesse Leones Protegat Flores ELIZABETHA tuos Briefe Contents of these sixe Psalmes Of Doctrine 62 Of Prayer and Doctrine 63 Of Prayer and Doctrine 64 Of Praise 65 Of Thankesgiuing and Praise 66 Of Thankesgiuing as Psalme 67 Iudith 9.11 Humilium Deus Auxilium Reu. 5.5 Vincat Leo de tribu Iuda radix Dauid To the right honorable Sir Thomas Egerton knight Lord keeper of the great Seale of England grace mercy peace and plenitude of temporal and eternal beatitude in Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauior euerlasting NOw euen now amongst vs in these later dayes right Honourable and chosen Patron do the prouidence presence and promises of God appeare worke and prooue effectually according to that saying of the holy God of Israel in the dayes of Samuel Thâ—â— that honour me I will honour and they that despise me shal be despised This was then spoken and afterwardes effected touching the carelesse and disobedient children of Ely and their posteritie as inward aduersaries of the welfare of Gods Israel This was also then spoken and afterwardes effected in a godly religious and iustified Zadok succeeding Abiathar one in authoritie with king Dauid against his outward enemies the Philistines and other nations in those victories For as in all ages and nations there haue been are and shalbe both inward aduersaries and outward enemies dishonouring God honoring man more then God So the Lord of all power and God of all grace hath euer had a righteous Abraham in Caldea a iust Lot in Sodome a godly Daniel in Babylon a deuout Tobyas in Niniuie a patient Iob in Husse and a zealous Nehemias in Damasco who both amongst inward and outward enemies haue honoured God and been honoured by him despising those which haue despised him And againe Gods prouidence presence and promises haue been no lesse effectuall with others as Ionathas in the Court of Saul to fauour Dauid Obadia in the Court of Achab to entertain the Prophetes Abdemelech with king Zedechias to intreate for Ieremie Petrus Dorotheus and Gorgonius in Dioclesians court to embrace Christianity generally to honour God which hath honoured them and to despise those which haue despised him Neither in our time hath Gods goodnesse in this failed For like as we haue had and still haue inward aduersaries as Athistes Epicures Hypocrites and voluptuous worldlinges which contemning the grace of God peruert both their owne waies and hinder discourage diminish and blemish the welfare of the godly elect by faith So this our age and present happie state wanteth not forreign enemies farre off which with Tyranny Papistry Infidelitie Heresie and Schismes lie lurking looking for a day to assault vs and bend all their pollicies and powers to subuert vs which haue honoured God who hath honored vs and who may iustly contemne them that contemne him As blessed be God for his louing fauour and vnspeakeable mercies manifested long agone and of late time vpon this our little Bethulia of England where our gratious Iudith humbling her selfe in his feare seeking the honour of God hath been honoured by his prouidence is honoured by his presence and shalbe honoured by trusting in his promises aboue humane expectation to his endlesse glory and praise and our continual comfort but to the contempt and confusion of all contrary opposite powers whatsoeuer In respect whereof Right Honourable and for that both Prince and Piere rich and poore haue iust cause to reioyce in his feare and to be thankfull for the enioying of this his fauor As I of many others which may doe better acknowledge my selfe to be one of the least in abilitie yet for that I would not be the last in good will of any which can or may any way expresse their dutifull indeuour in Honouring that God which hath honoured vs and contemning them which contemne him and vs. Hauing these xx yeares and vpwardes applied my time talent in translating learned mens works out of Latin into English approued by authority furthered by faithful benefactors wheras I did certaine yeares past dedicate some of these Expositions vnto the right honourable learned and vertuous Sir C. H. K. Lord Chancellor of England and after him another portion to the right honourable Sir I. P. K. Lord Keeper c. your honours Antecessor and last of all another part to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie well accepted Do now addresse and dedicate the exposition and translation of these fewe Psalmes mo vnto your honourable good Lordship as vnto that honourable personage chosen of the Lord for a shepheard to stand before him in practise against all inward aduersaries of Gods Israel amongst vs and as a chosen shaft in the quiuer of the Lord for praier against all forraigne enemies far from vs. Humbly beseeching your honourable good Lordship heerein thankfully to accept my good wil to the furtherance of my poore pen and studie And my heartie and thankfull praier shall be dayly prest vnto almightie God for your honourable lordships long life health increase of honour and permanent heauenly felicitie in Christ Iesus London in S. Brides parish 2. Nouember 1596. Your Honours humble and deuoted Orator Richard Robinson Citizen of London PSAL. LXII Nonne Deo subiecta erit c. To the excellent Musitian Ieduthun a Psalme of Dauid VVhen he left Asaph and his brethren before the arke of the Lordes couenant to minister there As in 1. Chron. 16.39.40.41 42. THE ARGVMENT THe whole Psalme is a doctrine inioyning vs to haue coÌ„fidence reposed in God alone and forbidding vs to trust in anie humane helpes For he that putteth his trust in the friendship and familiaritie of men as in demonstrations or rules immoueable he holdeth himselfe by a slender and intrueth a rotten threed as that most pleasant Orator Demades sometime said But not with lesse elegancie is it saide by Salomon Prou. 27. vers 19. As in water face answereth to face so is the heart of man vnto man Euery historie is full of examples but we for breuities sake wil be content with the example of Aratus the Siconian Aratus whom Polybius calleth the Grand Guyde of the Achaians
this verse what rule serueth best to beginne our prayer by namely the confession of sinne which is voide of dissimulation and a feruent praier for remission of sinnes For before all petitions prayer touching forgiuenes of sinnes ought first to shine forth as else-where is often time said Hitherto is recited the beginning of the psalme now commeth he vnto the thankesgiuing Verse 4 Blessed is the man whome thou chusest and receiuest vnto thee He shall dwell in thy court and shal be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house euen of thy holy temple He giueth god thankes for the ministery of his worde whereby an eternall church is gathered vnto god for hee calleth the church of god the congregation wherein soundeth the preaching of the gospel and wherein God is truely called vpon To be a citizen of this congregation is the chiefest and greatest benefit vpon earth Because by his word god maketh himselfe knowne vnto vs comforteth vs and with his holy spirit gouerneth vs lest we shoulde being quailed with temptations and calamities vtterly despaire in our selues But as in Dauids time god dwelt in the tabernacle and afterwardes in the Temple of Salomon So now god dwelleth in the whole world wheresoeuer thankefull praise is spread of Christ O the immense goodnesse of God who hath not onely chosen the Iewes but also the Gentiles vnto euerlasting saluation and hath called them to the societie of the true church Hereupon we may reason by a contrary position as in the eight chapter to the Romanes and the fourteenth verse Whome hee hath chosen those hee hath called Therefore al which are not called are not chosen for it is sure that the chosen ones are no where to be sought for but in the societie of them that are called that is of them which retaine the foundation and do not stubbornely defend worshipping of idolles But what are the pleasures of the house and temple of God God hath giuen vnto his church excellent pleasures his sonne Christ faith which ouercommeth al dangers right good works the holyghost vnderstanding of the scripture peace of conscience and other benefites which are innumerable Verse 5 Thou shalt shew vs woonderfull things in thy righteousnesse O God of our saluation thou that arte the hope of all the endes of the earth and of them that remaine in the broad sea He ioyneth vnto thankesgiuing a prayer very necessary wherein he craueth that god would preserue the ministery and confirme that which hee hath begunne in vs. For the doctrine touching Iustification is wonderfull that is put or placed far beyond and aboue the capacitie of mans reason Therefore vnto the Iewes it is an offence and to the Gentiles foolishnesse 1. Corinth 1. For what I pray you seemeth more absurd then that man shoulde be iust before god not by his owne but by an others obedience nor by his owne but by anothers merite especially seeing the law requireth our workes Hereof grow those clamours of our aduersaries The doctrine of faith is the corruption of manners and libertie of discipline Againe Men when they heare this doctrine are made more slowe to liue well and blessedly But the godly ones doe know where faith alone raigneth and what must be esteemed of workes for in that place where it is handled touching remission of sinnes and reconciliation wyth god and touching attainement vnto euerlasting life our workes are no other thing but the filthinesse of dogges so farre as pertaineth vnto merite and the cause of Iustification In this circle if I may so say the alone Mediator beareth all the rule and hath the preeminence whom faith acknowledgeth and taketh hold vpon and beleeueth that for his sake onely wee are freely by God receiued into fauour and are indued with life euerlasting as these sayings following doe witnesse Romanes the third chapter and foure and fiue and twentie verses All are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through saith in his blood Also 1. Corinth 1. Yee are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption That hee that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord vers 30 31. Moreouer 1. Corinth 4.4 I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth me is the Lorde But after that we haue obtained forgiuenesse of sinnes also reconciliation ioyâ—ed with the gift of the holy ghost and life euerlasting and doe againe go out of the holie of holiest there good workes are not in vs as it were filthinesse of dogges but by faith first shining forth are made worshippings of God and sacrifices of thankes giuing which God wil haue rendered vnto him that with his obedience we may declare our thankfulnesse inuite others by our example to the honouring of God To this purpose saith Paul Gal 6. But let euery man proue his own worke and then shall hee haue reioycing in himselfe and not in another And 2. Cor. 1. For our reioycing is this the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse and not in fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world and most of all to you wardes Let this thing therefore remain in this cause which cannot be changed Christ only is the saluation of God Againe as Symcon singeth A light to lighten the Gentiles and the glorie of the people of Israel But seeing the puritie and simplicitie of this doctrine cannot by mans alone diligence be retained in vse let vs most feruently craue of God That he would not only the guide and giuer but also the performer and effecter of this doctrin and seale the same thorowly in our heartes that we forgoe not the word it selfe or the naturall meaning of the word Verse 6 Which in his strength setteth fast the mountaines and is girded about with power He giueth thankes for the institution and preseruation of the estate politicke For the mountaines by an vsuall figure signifie kingdomes and dominions As in Ieremie the 51.25 Babylon is called a destroying mountaine These mountaines hath not mans wisedome and power ordeined but in the order of gouernmentes there shineth wisedome in punishmentes Iustice and in preseruing theÌ„ the goodnesse and power of God For most wisely most truely is it said by Plato Vbi non Deus sed mortalis aliquis dominatur ibi malorum aerumnarum nullum esse effugium Whereas not God but some mortall man beareth rule there can be no escape from mischief and miseries And Iohn Baptist saith A man can receiue nothing except it be giuen him froÌ„ heauen cap. 3. ver 27. That is no gouernment is happy and wholesome except it be ordered and helped by God For humane helpes are more weake then that they are able to conserue or keepe the policies or estates And that I be not here so long in a
heard Doubtles it is a great thing for a man to come in the sight of God and a greater matter to speake franckely and manifestly that which a man thinketh But the greatest matter of all is without doubting to beleeue that God denieth vs nothing Nowe thinke with your selfe what and how great thankes is due vnto the Sonne of God the Mediatour through whose grant and gift we possesse all these things Verse 9 As for the children of men they are but vaine the children of men are deceitfull vpon the weights they are altogether lighter then vanitie it selfe Verse 10 O trust not in wrong and robberie giue not your selues vnto vanitie if riches increase set not your hearts vpon them Euery law is a commandement of that which is right and a conuincer of that which is wrong And Iustice comprehendeth the eschewing of vices and the studie of well doing Like as therefore he hath hitherto deliuered vs a rule or precept touching confidence setling it selfe in God So now afterwardes he forbiddeth vngodly confidence in humane things For our body is weake our feature or beauty fraile our health vncertaine our life most short and fickle fading honour is vaine because it is either fained or not of continuance our wil is corrupt wisdome is small vertue languishing and finally affection troublesome Seeing therfore al humane things are weake britle and fraile may we doubt yea or no but that it is more safe and far better to trust in God onely then to nourish an vngodly confidence not onely in Princes and Peoples good will but also in their wealth and other things which while they glitteringly shine are brickely broken Verse 11 God spake once and twice I haue also heard the same that power belongeth vnto God Verse 12 And that thou Lorde arte mercifull for thou rewardest euery man according to his worke The last verses containe a Reason why it is better to haue our hope reposed in God then in creatures because there is in God a will and power to helpe and saue Creatures either lacke will or power or both For first as Plato saith elegantly Amicus est animal naetura mutabilis A friend is a creature soone changed in nature Next of all second causes can not any way worke without the first But the will of God towards the godly ones is vnchangeable according to that saying Isay 54. verse 10. But my mercy shall not depart from thee nor the couenant of my peace shall be moued saith thy merciful Lord. And how say ye to it that gods power hath nothing to withstand or let it but all things giue place to it and all things yeelde and obey the same Let therefore our hope indeuour it selfe with the will and power of God and not with humane indeuours and helpes But the phrase of Lawe Thou shalt reward euery man according to his worke let that be vnderstoode according to the interpretation of the gospel for the preaching of the gospel teacheth who be iust who be vniust in what maner workes do please or not please God The person is iust that is accepted vnto God not for workes but for the Mediatours sake whom mans faith reuerently embraceth with a kisse Againe obedience be it neuer so lame and vnperfect yet notwithstanding when faith in the Mediator shineth forth before the same it is acceptable vnto God But hee that beleeueth not in the sonne vpon him remaineth the wrath of God than which nothing may be thought more sorrowfull PSAL. 63. Deus Deus meus ad te de luce c. A Psalme of Dauid when he was in the wildernes of Ziph in the Country of Iuda 1. Sam. 23.24 THE ARGVMENT LIke as sound health is more acceptable vnto them which are recouered and broght out of sicknesse then vnto others which were neuer sicke in bodie euen so good things long before desired do more delight vs then those which we haue continually receiued For of Priuation or wanting if I may so say with the Logicians are the habites esteemed and men in wanting vnderstand how precious good things be The same thing hath beene vsually happening to the godly ones for although they loathe not their present benefites namely the voice of the ministery and lawful vse of the sacraments nor yet with fulnesse are estranged from them Yet notwithstanding more feruently doe men desire these benefites so often as from their mothers breast that is from the publike ministery and from the outward societie of the church they are taken and plucked away For then the milke of Gods word waxeth sweeter and sweeter and the crummes falling from the Lordes Table are had in more price and reuerence To this purpose saint Iohn Chrysostome expounding the first chapter of the epistle to the Romanes saieth Nunc verbum Dei inter nos habitat abunde cum omni sapientia sine periculo docetur discitur quia pij Principes suscipiunt patrocinium docentium discentium euâ—ngelij doctrinam Hac autem copia verbi praesenti tranquillitate non ita afficiuntur homines vt par â—erat Veniet igitur tempus triste luctuosum quâ— dissipatis publicis caetibus ecclesiae pauci exulâ—â— in aliquo angulo trepide conuenient inter se communicabuÌ„t fragmenta caelestis doctrinae consolationes pro his reliquiis Deo ingentes gratias agent In English thus Now the worde of God dwelleth plenteously amongest vs. with all wisedome and is without daunger taught and learned because godly Princes take vpon them to defend the teachers and learners of the doctrine of the gospel But men are not so well giuen to fauour this plenty of the word nor to further this present peaceable estate as meet it was they should haue done Therfore a heauie and lamentable time shall come wherein the publike congregations of the Church being scattered here and there a few persons shall assemble themselues in some corner with feare and shall communicate amongst themselues the fragments of the heauenly doctrine and consolation and for these fragments shall render great thankes vnto God This same opinion of Chrysostome hath such familiaritie and likenesse with this our age that neither may one egge be more like another nor milke more like milke For all churches and all schooles do euen as it were thorowly rage with the daily preachings of the gospel and the sacraments are rightly administred But because the greatest part of men is vnthankefull vnto God for so great plenty and abundance of his worde We must feare a famine will come not indeede of bread and wine but of the word of God Let vs therefore walke in the light while we haue light lest darkenesse come vpon vs Iohn 12.35 And although godly exiles and certaine others oppressed in miserable manners are not able to come to the hearing of the gospel preached yet with this consolation do they sustaine themselues that not only they are the citizens and members of the
Church which by the grant and gift of GOD doe heare the preachers of the gospel and ministers therof in Churches and Schooles but they also which ioyne together their prayer and confession with the true church for like as Dauid was not at all seuered from the societie of Gods church bicause hee was banished So the godly ones with Turkish or pontificall tyranny being oppressed and destitute of publike ministery are and remaine citizens of the church if they adioyne their praiers and worshippings vnto those congregations wherein the gospel is preached and doe not cast away their confession of the trueth The Psalme and exposition thereof Verse 1 O God thou art my God early wil I seeke thee Verse 2 My soule thirsteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and drie land where no water is THis is a notable description of a feruent desire For like as the Hart being pursued flieth and is made weary with long chase so that he earnestly desireth the liuely running waters to quench his thirst and refresh himselfe withall so the godly minde vnfainedly and from his heart desireth to haue recourse vnto the publike congregation of the church wherein soundeth the pure word of the gospel and the sacraments are rightly administred for so saieth the 27. Psalme verse 4. One thing haue I desired of the Lord which I will require euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord al the dayes of my life to behold the â—aâ—e beauty of the Lord and to visit his holy temple And the 95. psalme and fourth verse saith Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and receiuest vnto thee He shall dwell in thy Court and shall be satisfied with the pleasures of thy house euen of the holy temple These and such like sayings which are euery where extant in the psalmes do instruct the Reader touching greatest matters For first they do teach that there is no thing better nor any thing more wishfull then to liue most friendly and louingly with the congregation which is the Temple and dwelling house of God and shal for euermore enioy the sight of God Secondly they accuse and condemne the erronious persons which will bee members of no church but seeke for Platoes citie wherein is no infirmitie Let such knowe that they are not chosen vnto the society of life euerlasting because they are not of that congregation of those that be called according to that saying of S. Paul Rom. 8.14 Whom he hath chosen those he hath called Thirdly they comfort the godly ones who indure great sorrow in their mindes to be absent from the common assemblies of the church for Mat. 5.6 They are blessed which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and most earnestly wish and desire to be ioyned with the true church Last of all they discerne the true church from other Sectes For the church holdeth fast the possession of the holy and sacred fountain from whence are drawne necessarie doctrine and whole some consolations But other sectes are desart places full of errours and darkenesse and voyde and barren of al consolation for though they retaine a particle of the Lawe yet they either are vtterly ignorant of or corrupt the gospell But touching this difference I haue oftetimes elsewhere spoken in the Psalmes Verse 3 So haue I looked for thee in holines that I might behold thy power and glory He expresseth plainely the cause of this desire because God is in the Church alone truely acknowledged and called vpon and the speciall presence of God is perceiued for he calleth Gods glorie the proper ornament of the church namely the pure doctrine of the gospel and signes of grace which are called vsually the Sacraments The power of God he signifieth that maner of presence wherwith god is present vnto his church alone for though God in power and substance be euery where according to Ieremies saying 23.24 Doe not I fill heauen and earth And Paul saith Actes 17.28 In him wee are liue and moue yet by another reason God dwelleth in his church for there he is by his word and sacraments so effectuall as he may regenerate sanctifie many vnto life euerlasting This power doeth not reason see which is mal-contented with the simple and base outward shewe of the worde and sacraments But Dauid and other the godly ones feele in their heart a new light and the beginnings of euerlasting life inflamed by the word and signes of grace Rom. 1.16 The gospel is the power of God for saluation vnto all that beleeue Verse 4 For the louing kindenesse is better then the life it selfe my lippes shall praise thee He amplifieth the cause of feruent desire by comparison of present and eternall benefits The greatest part of men seeketh after honours and pleasures and thinketh these fading and vanishing shadowes the chiefe good gifts or blessings But I preferre thy mercy promised in the gospel before al benefites which are momentanie in this life For what doth the whole possession of the world profite a man if thereby he endanger his owne soule with this sentence our mindes are so to be confirmed that we may euen despise those which deride vs so thinking Verse 5 So long as I liue will I magnifie thee on this manner and lift vp my handes in thy name Verse 6 My soule shall be satisfied as it were with marrow and fatnesse when my mouth praiseth thee with ioyfull lips He spake before of the impulsiue cause that is of the obiect which mans will chiefly desireth Now addeth he the small causes of so great a desire I desire not the coniunction or aggregation vnto the church with a certaine ambition or couetousnesse associate themselues with the church for wealth and promotions sake but I looke for and seeke after those chiefest and most excellent conclusions that I may call vpon God and declare my thankfulnesse vnto him both with tongue and other dueties For although in these miseries of banishment I doe call vpon God yet with sighs and teares I make my supplications Seeing then God loueth a cheerefull giuer there shoulde be nothing more wishful vnto me then with a ioyful mind and mouth to worship and honour God And if I might be once partaker of this desire I should iudge my selfe of nothing more happie and with my head to touch the top of the skies But the first fiue verses doe excellently describe the reason of his praier For first in his praier shineth faith beleeuing that wee haue God mercifull vnto vs as the Psalme in this place saith O God thou art my God Secondly his feruent praier riseth of this faith which is compared vnto a thirst My soule thirsteth for thee Thirdly praying he seeth God that is feeleth the speciall presence of God So haue I looked for thee in holinesse Fourthly the feeling of Gods mercie comfort farre passeth all pleasures For thy louing kindnes is better then the light it selfe Fiftly vnto praier is the worshipping of