h 2. Cor. 1.12 conscience sayth the Apostle Now the wickeds conscience is euer vexed for euen in laughter the heart is sorrowfull so that there is a mixture of dissembled ioy with a desperate griefe Besides to the godly is onely sent the true Comforter Ioh. 16.7 Ioh. 14.16 17. Ioh. 15.26 the holy Ghost I will sayth our Sauiour pray to the Father and hee shall giue you another Comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee know him for hee dwelleth with you and shall be in you Heere then we see that the ioy of the wicked be what it will is in effect no ioy but a counterfeit for Phil. 4.7 Rom. 14.17 there is no peace but the peace of conscience no ioy but the ioy of the holy Ghost no comfort but from the Sonne of consolation Now the wicked they haue not this peace non est pax impijs for there is no peace to the i Is 57 2â— wicked They haue not this ioy because they haue not the holy Ghost and they haue not this comfort because they haue no part in Christ the God of comfort But the godly are said to be anointed with the oyle of ioy Because a ioyfull heart maketh a chearefull countenance and clothed with the garment of k Is 65.3 gladnesse Because inwardly they are clothed with the robes of righteousnesse This ioy was so great and so generall amongst the Saints that as their captiuitie brought vnto them an vniuersall sorrow so their deliuerance brings with it a generall ioy And so the Psalmist doth expresse it whilest hee sayth indefinitely in the person of them all whereof wee reioyce From whence wee note that a common good should worke in vs a common gladnesse A common good should worke in the faithfull a common gladnesse Moses and Myriam did not onely themselues reioyce but the whole congregation with them the men with Moses and the women with Myriam for their deliuerance out of Egypt Mordecas and Esther reioyced not aloneâ— but the whole Church for their deliuerance from Hamans intended massacre For this cause both God hath commanded and the Church haue obserued cerâ—aine dayes set apart whereon they might generally feast reioyce and bee thankefull in remembrance of Gods mercies manifested in their deliuerance from the hands of their enemies As for example the Iewes kept the fourteenth day of the moneth Adar with ioy and feasting and to this day it is a ioyfull day vnto them in remembrance of the before mentioned l Hesâ—â— 9.19 deliuerance And Iudas Maccabeus did institute the Feast of the dedication in remembrance of the purging of the Temple from the prophanations of m 1. Mac. 4. Antiochus a feast which our Sauiour seemed to approoue by his owne n Io. 10.22 23. presence So often as wee consider this it should put vs in mind of the publicke and generall good both the Church and Common-wealth receiued on the fift of Nouember when the Lord by his wonderfull prouidence reuealed the horrible treasons and damnable plots of these Romish Locusts who laboured sought after and attempted the ouerthrow of Prince and Subiect Priest and people and aboue all the extinguishing of the Gospell As there is none of vs no not from Salomon himselfe that sits vpon his throne vnto poore Lazarus that hes at our gates but they haue reapt good and comfort thereby so let there be none of vs that will not obserue this day as holy vnto the Lord. On this day this happie day this blessed fift of Nouember which the Lord turned to vs from sorrow to ioy and from mourning into a ioyfull day The Lord did wonderfull great things for vs whereof we reioyce He subdued those vnder our feet that rose vp against o Ps 18.39 vs. Hee broke the snares and deliuered p Ps 124.7 vs. And whereas the enemie had resolued to shut vp the mouthes of all that praysed God to quench the glorie of his Temple and of his q Esth 14 9. Altar and to open the mouthes of the Heathen to praise their idols The Lord hath shut their r Deut. 18. mouthes and put his Word into the mouthes of his seruants still to speake vnto vs all that hee commands them In all these respects and many moe the Lord hath made vs this day to reioyce ouer our Å¿ 2. Chro. 20. â— 7 enemies For which great blessings let vs sing vnto the Lord let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of our saluation Let vs come before his presence with thankesgiuing and shew our selues glad in him with Psalmes For the Lord is a great God and agreat King aboue all t Ps 95.1 2 3 4. gods Hee hath beene fauourable vnto his owne Land He hath brought againe the captiuitie of Iacob Hee hath forgiuen the iniquitie of his People and couered all their sinner u Psal 84.1 2. Selah O this is the day that the Lord hath made let vs reioyce and be glad in x Psaâ— 118.24 it But how shall wee keepe such holy dayes Quest and how shall wee reioyce at such feastiuall times In the eight of Nehemiah wee read Answ that presently after the walls of Ierusalem were finished the people feasted and reioyced but marke what order and decorum they kept First Their zeale was so great to heare the Word of God that they earnestly require Ezra the Scribe to read the Law vnto them Secondly They giue diligent attention vnto him whilest hee is reading Thirdly With all humiliation and reuerence they praise and worship the Lord. Fourthly When they considered their offences against the Law they sorrowed and wept All these they did before they feasted and reioyced ☞ A good president for vs to begin all our feasts with a holy feare and all our festiuals with Diuine worship First Wee must worship fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker for hee is the Lord our God and wee are the sheepe of his pasture and the people of his hands When wee haue done this then with the Iewes Wee may goe eate of the fat and drinke of the sweet so that wee commit no excesse therein either in drunkennesse with Nabal or in gluttonie with Diues and besides in our feasts wee must remember the poore and send part vnto them for whom none is prepared And then after our feasting wee may reioyce and make great ioy Yet our ioy must not bee like the carnall Israelites who sate them downe to eate and drinke and rose vp againe to play But wee must reioyce as Dauid did when hee danced before the Arke And as Myriam did when shee played vpon a Timbrell and sung praises vnto the Lord. Further the people here made great ioy but why because they vnderstood the words that the Leuites had taught them Teaching vs to be much more
THE IEVVES DELIVERANCE Out of BABYLON and the MYSTERY OF OVR Redemption Plainely demonstrated in ten Sermons vpon the 126. PSALME Viz. 1. Sions Saluation 2. The Saints securitie 3. The Free-mans frankincense 4. The Atheists acknowledgement 5. Gods goodnesse 6. The Godlies gladnesse 7. The Prisoners Petition 8. The commoditie of the Crosse 9. The Captiues case 10. The Christians comfort Preached in Yorkshire By IOHN HVME Minister of the Word and now published by Authoritie PSAL. 53.6 O that the saluation of Israel were come out of Sion when God bringeth back the captiuitie of his people Iacob shall reioyce and Israel shall be glad LONDON Printed by W. Stansby for Michael Sparke and are to besold in Greene-Arbor at the Signe of the Blue Bible in the Old-bayley without New-Gate 1628. The names of those Commentators who haue Written vpon the Booke of PSALMES from whom are many things borrowed for the adorning of this WORKE AVgustinus Chrysostomus Hieronymus Hilarius Basilius Theodoretus Gregor Mag. in Ps Poenit. Lyra. Hugo Cardinal Dionysius Carth. Ludolphus Carth. Fran. de Puteo Carth. Iacobus de Valentia Petrus Alliacus in Psalm Poenit. Bellarminus Lorinus Agellius Remigius Pomeranus Iansonius Iansenius Haymo Episc Halberst Osorius Tittelmannus Gesnerus Genebrardus Bartholomaeus Caluinus Rollocus Heshusius Bucerus Mollerus Musculus Marloratus Fabritius Helmichius Scultetus Innius ☜ ☞ Tremelius The Words of the PSALME A Song of Degrees VERSE I. WHen the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion we were like vnto them that dreame VERSE II. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing VERSE III. Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them VERSE IIII. The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof wee rieoyce VERSE V. O Lord bring againe our captiuitie as the Riuersin the South VERSE VI. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy VERSE VII He that now goeth on his way weeping and beareth foorth good seede shall doubtlesse come againe with ioy and bring his sheaues with him SIONS SALVATION OR THE DECLARATION OF THE IEWES deliuerance THE FIRST SERMON PSAL. 126. When the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion TO passe ouer the Title of this Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sept. consule LorinuÌ„ Hugonem cardinalem Helmichium Fabritium de hac inscriptione A song of degrees as not much materiall whether it bee so called for the lifting vp of the voyce in the tune as some haue coniectured or because it was sung vpon the Staires of the Temple as others haue ghessed or for the excelcellency of it which is most probable sith it containes a Declaration of the Iewes deliuerance from the seruitude and slauerie of the brutish Babylonians and cruell Chaldaeans which was a type and figure of our redemption Lege Tilemâ—nuÌ„ Heshusium in bunc Psalmum from the bondage and captiuitie of sinne and Satan it may be diuided into these three principall parts or mayne branches viz. 1. The diuision of the Psalme A commemoration of their deliuerance together with the sequels ensuing thereupon from the first Verse vnto the fift viz. 1. Their coadmiration Vers 1. 2. Their congratulation Vers 2. 3. The Heathens confession Vers 3. 4. Their owne confirmation Vers 4. 2. A comprecation or a supplication to God for the accomplishing and perfiting of the same Vers 5. 3. A consolation to the captiue Iewes in speciall but generally to all the faithfull that lye vnder the crosse and grone vnder the burden of their sinnes Vers 6 7. In the Declaration or Relation of their deliuerance in these words The first generall part When the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion we may obserue 1. A Redeemer The Lord. 2. The partie redeemed Sion 3. The redemption in bringing againe their captiuitie 4. The circumstance of time noted out in the particle When. Their deliuerer was principall and instrumental principall God himselfe Their principall deliuerer the Lord. Instrumentall Cyrus whom the Lord stirred vp to set his people at libertie who had now serued vnder the yoke of the King of Babel no lesse then three score and ten yeeres as it was prophesied aboue an hundred yeeres before the birth of Cyrus Cyrus thou * Isai 44.23 art my Sheepheard and shalt performe all my desire saying to Ierusalem thou shalt be built and to the Temple thy foundation shall surely be laid and albeit Cyrus may be thought to haue beene wise and hardie noble 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eâ—â—ip Musculus in Psal 14. and expert in marshall policie yet because that valour auaileth man nothing if hee haue not the Lord aiding and assisting the Psalmist doth ascribe their deliuerance to the Lord onely Nameius est liber are cuius est in captiuitatem tradere for as by the Lords permission they were led into captiuitie so onely by his power they were set at libertie When the Israelites had serued in a strange Land foure hundred yeeres it was not Moses but Iehouah that brought them out of the Land of Egypt and out of the House of b Exod. 10. Psal 106. boudage In like manner it was Hee and not Deborah that freed them from Iabin after they had beene vexed twentie yeeres vnder the c Iudg. 4.3 Cananites It was Hee and not Gideon that brought them out of the hands of the Midianites after seuen yeeres d Iudg. 5.2 seruitude It was Hee and not Ipthab that deliuered them from the Phylistims and Ammorites after eighteene yeeres e Iudg. 11.8 oppression Although in all these Hee did imploy Moses and Deborah Gideon and Ipthah as instruments for their deliuerance and so it was not Cyrus valour but the Lords power not his policie but Gods wisedome that ouerthrowing the enemie gaue to Cyrus the victorie and put it into his heart to set his people at libertie for he vp-held his hands to subdue Nations Hee did weaken the loynes of Kings and did open the doores before him he did goe before him and made the crooked places straight and hee did breake the brazen doores and burst the yron f Isai 15.12 barres From whence wee may see that if the Lord had not inabled Cyrus hee of himselfe could haue done nothing and therefore their deliuerance is attributed to God alone who is here for his power called Iehouah the Lord. Neither without reason seeing he was onely able to free them from the seruitude of that proud King and sauage Nation Ierusalem was made so solitarie that notwithstanding her continuall lamentation among all her Loners shee found none to comfort her g Lam. 1.1.2 all her friends were become her enemies Mount Sion was so desolate that Foxes runne vpon h Lam. 5.18 it What thing saith Ieremiah shall I liken to thee O daughter of Ierusalem what shall I equall to thee that I may comfort thee O Virgin daughter of Sion for thy breach is great like the Sea who can heale i
the Aduersarie insults ouer the Saints as if they had the better of them nay the whole victorie and had carryed them already into captiuitie It is not for any respect that God hath to the wicked that hee suffers often his children to be oppressed and vexed by them boasting and bragging of the equitie of their Cause the truth of their Profession and the soundnesse of their Religion but I answere them It was for no goodnesse that was in Nebuchadnezzar that the Lord deliuered his people into his hands for his Idolatrie was great greater was his crueltie and greatest was his pride As for his Idolatrie it was such that according to the custome of other Heathen when they were about to enterprise any thing they were wont to immolate and sacrifice vnto their heathenish Gods and by the looking into the intrailes of the beast sacrificed where the Deuill gaue them some signe they coniectured what would be the end and euent of their enterprize so Nebuchadnezzar doubting whether hee should wage warre against Ierusalem or the Ammonites did immolate and offer sacrifice vnto his Idols and Gods Pecudumque reclusis Pectoribus inhians spirantia consulit exta He stood at the parting of the way and did looke into the u Ezekiel 21.21 liuer As for his crueltie hee made the whole world as a wildernesse he destroyed the Cities thereof and opened not the house of his * Isa 14.61 17. prisoners And as for his pride the holy Ghost calls him Lucifer the sonne of the morning who said in his heart Ibid. vers 12 13 14. that he would ascend into heauen and exalt his Throne aboue the Throne of God hee would ascend aboue the heigth of the clouds and bee like the most High Now I hope our Aduersarie will not say that for any desert in Nebuchadnezzar the Lord put his people into his hands no more is it may I say for their merits or works of supererogation or for the worth and worthinesse of their Nebuchadnezzar their high Priest their Prince their God that the Lord suffered and in many places as yet doth suffer his owne to bee vnder them in captiuitie for their breaden God their woodden Images their canonized Saints c. paint out their foule Idolatrie their torturing and tormenting martyring and massacring of Gods Seruants doth sully paint out their crueltie and his Holinesse assuming vnto himselfe and their attributing vnto him all power in Heauen Earth and Hell doth demonstrate their vanitie and ignorance and his ambition and insolence But as the Iewes transgressions were the cause of their captiuitie Foure reasons why the godly are often ouerthrowne by the wicked so our sinnes are the cause of our afflictions And if you would be further satisfied why the Lord did and doth often suffer the wicked to preuaile against the godly let vs to his glorie and our owne shame confesse first 1. Their owne sinnes generally that our wickednesse is the cause thereof Why was the children of Israel deliuered into the hands of the Philistimes fortie yeeres because they did euill in the sight of the x Iudg. 13.1 Lord. The case is ours it is for our sinnes that the Lord suffers vs often to haue the ouerthrow of our enemies The wicked flee when no man pursueth but the righteous are bold as a y Prou. 28.1 Leuit. 26.36 Lyon saith Salomon doth not the Lord himselfe plainly tell vs that if we harken diligently vnto his Voyce and doe his Commandements then we shall be blessed when we come in and blessed when wee goe forth our enemies shall bee smitten before our face they shall come out one way against vs and flee seuen wayes before vs but if we doe not harken to the Voyce of the Lord nor obserue his Statutes then the Lord will cause vs to bee smitten before our enemies Wee shall goe out one way against them and flee seuen wayes z Deut. 28. before them Againe it is to be doubted there bee too many cursed Achans amongst vs 2. The couetous mind of common souldiers whose heart is onely set vpon the accursed thing I meane their mind is not to fight so much for Gods glorie and the good of his Church as it is for the prey the accursed Babylonish garment and siluer Shekels this forced the children of Israel to flie before the men 2 Ios 7. of Ai and this may be the cause why we flie before the face of our Enemie Thirdly 3. Want of deuotion amongst our selues there is but too little deuotion amongst vs we are not so feruent in prayer nor so zealous in our supplications to God as wee ought doe wee not remember that when Moses hand was lifted vp that Israel preuailed but when his hand fell downe then Amalek b Exod. 17.11 preuailed it was not Iosuahs sword but Moses wordes not Iosuahs power but Moses his prayer that discomfited Amalek Lastly 4. For the wickeds further condemnaâ—ion and the godlies triall and humiliation the Lord doth often suffer the wicked to haue the better hand of the godly for the ones humiliation and for the others destruction Doe we not read in that lamentable conflict betwixt the children of Beniamin and the children of Israel Israel had the better part first in the equitie of the cause for both the wickednesse was committed amongst the Beniamites and then they maintayned their folly in not harkning vnto the good aduice of Israel and deliuering vp the offendors the children of Belial to suffer for their lewdnesse and to put away euill from Israel Secondly there was great oddes in number for Israel was almost twentie for one Lastly they were permitted and licensed by the Lords owne mouth to goe against them and yet for all these they were twice discomfited and fortie thousand of Israel slaine but what did this worke contrition and humiliation in Israel for they sorrowed and wept before the Lord but in the other pride and presumption for they said among themselues they are smitten downe before vs as at the first but what followed in the end Israel hath the victorie the Beniamites are wholly ouerthrowne sauing a sew that fled to the wildernesse vnto the rocke c Indg. 20. Rinnon these are the reasons why the Lord doth often suffer the godly to haue the ouerthrow by their Aduersarie but if the godly would preuaile against their Enemie they must not doe euill in the sight of the Lord they must stone out all accursed Achans forth from amongst them they must lift vp their hands nay their hearts vnto the Lord and they must weepe and lament before him then gird your swords vpon your thigh O you most mightie according to your worship and renowne good lucke haue you with your Honour ride on because of the Word of Truth of Meeknesse and of Righteousnesse and your right hand shall teach you terrible d Psal 45. things pull downe the walls of Iericho
Oyle of gladnesse aboue his fellowes to free vs from the Graue and Hell As Cyrus was the Lords c Isa 44.28 Shepheard to bring his sheep out of the mouth of Daniels d Dan. 7.4 Lion the King of Babylon so Christ was the chiefe Shepheard and Bishop of our e 1. Pet. 2.25 soules to bring vs out of the jawes of the deuill who goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may f 1. Pet. 5.8 deuour As Cyrus releeued the poore and impotent with siluer gold and g Ezra 1. substance so Christ ascending on high gaue gifts vnto men for to euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gift of h Ephes 4.7 8. Christ. As by Cyrus the Temple was replenished and beautified againe with vessels of gold and siluer so through Christ the Temple was purged from Pharisaicall i Luke 19. leauen and the Church beautified againe with the pure and vndefiled Word And as by Cyrus the Lord deliuered the Iewes after Ieremiahs threescore and ten yeeres were expired euen so when Daniels threescore and ten weeks foure hundred and ninetie yeeres were k Dan. 9.24 fulfilled euen in the fulnesse of time God sent his Sonne borne of a woman and made vnder the Law to redeeme vs which were vnder the l Gal. 4.4 Law at what time the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion Sion was a Mountayne by Ierusalem The partie deliuered Sion so famous amongst all the Mountaynes of Iudaea that not onely the Iewes Ierusalem nay nor yet the whole Kingdome of Iudaea but euen the whole vniuersall Church consisting both of Iewes and Gentiles are comprehended vnder that name for Mount sion lying Northward is faire in situation it is the ioy of the whole Earth and Citie of the m Psal 48.2 great King but in this place it is taken for the remnant of the Iewes that were permitted to returne from Babylon to Ierusalem from Chaldaea to Iudaea according as it was shewed to Ieremiah in a vision wherein he saw two baskets of Figs the one exceeding good the other exceeding n Ier. 24. euill by which was signified that the prophane and rebellious amongst the people should be destroyed with the sword famine and pestilence but vpon part of the people God would set his eyes for good build them and not destroy them plant them and not roote them out One part of Ezekiels haires were cut with a knife another burnt with fire the third scattered in the wind but a few in number were bound vp in his o Ezek. 8.1 to the end lap The Prophet saw sixe men euery one hauing a weapon readie to destroy and yet they that mourned were markt in their p Ezek. 9. foreheads By these figuratiue comparisons wee may see that it is the godly who are but few in number compared to the wicked that mourne and grieue for their sinnes to whom properly belongs the tender mercy and free loue of God it is Mount Sion the Lords Church and Children whom hee tenders as the apple of his eye whom hee couers vnder his wings whose mouth hee filleth with good things whose dayes hee renewes like the Eagles whose life hee redeemeth from the graue and whose soule hee freeth from corruption But thou wilt say Quest. were there none else but the Elect of God onely set at libertie and freed from this captiuitie Yea truely Answ Animalia mitia immitia For I know that in Noahs Arke there was the Lion and the Lambe blessed Shem and cursed Cham who were together deliuered from the Deluge representing the visible Church wherein many wicked as well as the godly are freed from corporall troubles and doe frequently participate of temporall blessings as here no question but many of the vngodly as well as the Saints of God did receiue the benefit of this deliuerance but they haue no part in our Redemption they doe not participate of Sions saluation for Cham may bee in the Arke with Shem and yet be accursed and Iudas may be in the ship with Peter and yet bee damned and herein doth their deliuerance differ from our Redemption A difference betwixt their Deliuerance and our Redemption although the one was a type of the other For their deliuerance by Cyrus out of Babylon was common to the vngodly with the godly but our Redemption from hell through Christ is proper and peculiar to the Elect onely Let not vs therefore from this their deliuerance conclude a generall Redemption like the Origenists who hold an vniuersall saluation of Men and Deuils God hath shut vp all vnder vnbeliefe q Rom. 11.32 that he might haue mercy on all this and such like Texts they wrest and misse-construe but we must know that this word is sometimes taken vniuersally for all mankind as in that place In Adam all die sometimes more strictly for some viz. the Elect onely as in the words following r 1. Col. 15.22 In Christ all shall be made aline sometimes indefinitely as in that place All held Iohn as a f Matth. 21.26 Non de singulis generum sed de generibus singulorum Prophet that is many for all neither saw nor acknowledged nor beleeued Iohn I thousands neuer heard of him Lastly Augustine himselfe who for a time was much blemished with this error but after espying the danger thereof hee mightily confutes this erronious opinion and wisely answeres such fond obiections This All saith he must be vnderstood not of euery man but of men of euery sort the Gentile as well as the Iew the poore as well as the rich contra for there is no difference betwixt the Iew and the Grecian for he that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him and whosoeuer shall call upon the name of the Lord shall t Rom. 10.12 13. Reade the second Chapter to the Romans Quest Answ The Church compared to Mount Sion both for the situation and signification of Sion First for situation in foure respects 1. Sion a Hill of great heighth be saued Now why is the Church compared to Mount Sion First for the situation and secondly for the signification of it as for the situation of it one saith that it was a Hill magnae altitudinis fortitudinis plenitudinis pulchritudinis of great height strength fruitfulnesse and pleasure First a Hill of great heighth and sublimitie whereon the Temple of Salomon was built and not below in a Valley Noahs Arke did rest on the Mountayne u Gen. 8.4 of Ararat the figure of the Tabernacle was first shewed vpon Mount * Heb. 8.5 Moriah the Law was giuen vpon Mount x Exod. 20. Sinai and Salomons Temple was built vpon Mount Sion all teaching vs where our conuersation should be ☞ not here below in this theeuish Caue of Cacus in this hellish Den of Cerberus in this wofull Valley of Teares and in this
fearefull Field of Blood but as the Apostle saith Aboue in Heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour y Phil. 3.20 the Lord Iesus Christ. Secondly ☞ shee is compared to Sion to shew vs that as a Citie that is built vpon a Hill z Match 5.14 cannot bee hid so shee and her members should not alwayes lurke in obscuritie nor lye hid through aduersitie the Arke must not euer be kept close in the House of Obededom Moses Basket must not alwayes bee shrowded among the Bull-rushes the Prophets cannot bee continually hid in the Caue of Obadia nor Eliah lurke still in a Caue on Mount Horeb no for it shall bee in the last dayes that the Mountayne of the House of God shall be prepared on the top of the Mountaynes and shall be exalted aboue the Hills and all Nations shall flow vnto it and many people shall say come let vs goe vp to the Mountayne of the Lord to the House of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes c Isai 2.2 3. and we will walke in his paths Againe 2. Sion a Hill of great strength Sion was a Hill of great strength and securitie so the Church of God is so firmely and steadfastly grounded that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it shee is that House of wisedome ☞ surely seated vpon seuen g Pro. 9.1 Pillars she is that goodly edifice built vpon a Rocke against which though the winds blow the floods flow and the raine beate yet can shee not be moued for the Rocke whereon shee stands is Christ how is both the ground-stone that doth vphold and the corner stone that doth conioyne the whole * Matth. 21.42 Psal 118.22 Isa 28.16 Acts 4.11 Rom. 9.33 1. Pet. 2.6 7. building so that neither the assaults of Satan nor the attempts of man can ouerthrow the least stone thereof For all that trust in the Lord shall bee as Mount Sion which cannot be remoued but remayneth for h Psal 125.1 euer Thirdly Mount Sion was not barren through coldnesse 3. Sion a Hill very fruitfull like the Hill Caucasus nor through heate like the Hill Vesuvius it is not cursed like the Mountaynes of Gilboah nor polluted with corruption like Golgatha but it is watered with dew from heauen like Hermon moystned with the siluer Streames like the Springs of Lebanon and stored with all fruitfull Plants like Mount Ephraim where by wee are taught ☜ that the Church is replenished with all spirituall blessings and heauenly graces shee is that Mountayne whereon the Lord doth feast all people with fined wines and fat things shee is that House of wisedome wherein the Lord hath killed his victuals drawne his wine and prepared a Table for his ghests shee is that Orchard replenished with all sweet fruits as Camphyre and Saffron Calamus and Cinamon here are the waters of Life to quensh our thirst here is the bread of Life to stay our hunger here is the precious balme of Gilead the costly oyle of Oliuet to soften our wounds and to cure our sores here is hony to comfort vs milke to nourish vs and wine to cheare our hearts and in a word the Lord will satisfie vs with the fatnesse of his House and will giue vs drinke out of the Riuers of his pleasures for with him is the Well of Life and in his Light shall we see light Lastly Mount Sion aboue all the Mountaynes of Iudaea was most beautifull and seemely 4. Sion a Hill most beautiful the situation of it being delectable and amiable For Mount Sion lying northward is faire in situation it is the ioy of the whole Earth and Câ—tie of the great King whereby mystically was expressed the beautie of the Church the Arke of the Couenant was ouer-layed within and without with gold and all things in Salomons Temple were couered with gold ☞ pointing out the glorie and the beautie of the mysticall Temple the House of Christ the Hill of Holinesse and the Tabernacle of the most High wherein must enter no deformed Thersites no base Abimelek no crooked Vulcan no lame Mephibosheth no couetous Croesus no vncharitable Diues no lasciuious Lamea no gadding Dinah and no wanton Dalilah but such as with Esther are purified and cleane such as leaue their sinnes as the Woman did her pitcher such as forgoe their iniquitie as the Apostles did their Nets such as throw their errors away as blind Bartymeus did his cloke euen such like and none else The Church called Sion in regard of the signification must stay on this holy Mountayne for none shall dwell in the Lords Tabernacle nor rest on his holy Mountayne but such as walke vprightly and worke righteousnesse Now 1. Heape tumulus acer nus as for the signification of the word Sion first it is translated a heape and that doth shew vs first that the Church is a company ☞ called and collected from all the corners of the Earth to be one body in z Rom. 12.5 Christ the Iewes aboue all the Nations in the world were chosento bee a precious people to God â— Deut. 7. yet the inuisible Church was not limited within such narrow bounds for euen among the Heathen God had his throughout all Ages he called Rachab out of Iericho Ruth from Moab and he had Iob in the Land of Vz and now the partition wall is broken downe there is but one Sheepherd and one sheep-fold There is neither Iew nor Grecian bond nor free male nor female but all are one in c Gal. 3.28 Christ Iesus Againe ☞ the Church being compared to a heape conioynd and gathered together doth shew vs what vnitie and amitie what peace and tranquillitie there should be within her walls Shee should be like Ierusalem all within her selfe at vnion and not like the Tower of Babel full of confusion like Christs Coat all of one peece and not like Ieroboams coat cut into twelue peeces teaching vs that there ought to be no contention no diuision no confusion no dissention amongst her members but we should all be of one soule and one minde keeping the unitie of the Spirit in the bond of * Ephes 4.3 2. A Glasse Speculum Speâ—ulatio peace Moreouer Sion signifieth as much as a Glasse or Speculation because the Law which serues for a looking glasse wherein a man may behold his naturall f Iam. 1.23 face ☜ and whereby he may come to know himselfe and his corrupt nature was first there to be read there to be had and there to be vnderstood For the Law came foorth of Sion and the word of the Lord from g Isa 2.3 Ierusalem The Women brought their looking glasses and offered them to the vse of the h Exod. 38.8 Tabernacle teaching vs that if we would apparantly perceiue the leprous spots of our vgly sinnes to repaire to the Tabernacle to Mount Sion where the Law
from his owne words Iob 7.3 for which short season Iob was comforted and reioyced an hundred an fortie q Iob. 42.16 17. yeares Old Tobit lost his sight for the space of eight yeares but hee enioyed it for the space of threescore yeares r Tob. 14. The ioy of the godly and vngodly compared together after So that both Iob and Tobit for a short time of heauinesse were recompenced with a long space of gladnesse and for a little griese they had their mouthes filled with laughter Moreouer in that the ioy of the faithfull is heere called laughter and in that they are said to haue their mouth filled therewith wee may further obserue that there is no ioy to the ioy of the godly for the ioy of the wicked is no perfect q Iob. 42.16 17. ioy and why First because it is alwaies mixed with griese and horrour of conscience for euen in laughing their heart is Å¿ Prou. 14.13 sorrowfull But when the godly are possessed with true ioy and gladnesse all sorrow and mourning flees t Isa 51.11 away Secondly Thereioycing of the wicked is but shert and the ioy of hypocrites is but for a u Iob. 23.51 moment But our Sauiour tells vs that our sorrow shall be turned into ioy and our ioy no man shall take from x Iob. 16.22 vs. Thirdly The ioy of the vngodly ariseth from worldly pleasures and vanities Diues soule reioyceth in y his riches Nabals heart is merrie in his z 1. Sam. 25.37 drunkennesse Haman is ioyfull of his a Esth 5.9 preferment and foolishnesse is ioy to a b Pro. 15.21 foole But the godly can not nor will not fill their mouthes with such laughter for they know that all such ioy is like Ionahs gourd greene ouer night but withered in the c Ionah 4.6 7. morning and like Iohns book sweet in the mouth but bitter in the d Ren. 10.10 bellie But with Habakuk they reioyce in the Lord and ioy in the God of their e Hab. 3.18 saluation Lastly The wickeds ioy doth end in sorrow and all their earthly pleasures are like the Mannah kept ouernight full of wormes in the f Exal 16. morning They are like Nabuchadnezzars Image with a golded head but with feet of g Dan. 3. clay And though they take the timbrell and the harpe and reioyce at the sound of the organs and though they spend their dayes in wealth yet suddenly they goe downe into the h Iob. 21.12.13 pit And the end of all their mirth is i Pro. 14.13 heauinesse But the ioy of the godly shall more and more increase For the hope of the righteous is gladnesse but the hope of the wicked shall k Prou. 10.28 perish Crosses calamities troubles tribulations diseases nor yet death it selfe can terminate or end their ioy for euen then shall the faithfull enter into their Masters l Mat. 25. ioy where there is fulnesse of ioy and pleasures for m Isal 16.11 euermore which shall fill their mouth with laughter Now mee thinkes if wee but rightly considered the vanitie of these earthly pleasures and the vexation that comes by these momentany ioyes First how that they are not simple but euer compound and mixed with care and heauinesse of mind like Babels cup the outside of gold but filled within with abominations and vncleannesse Secondly how that they are short and of no continuance For the hope of the ungodly is like dust that is blowne away with the wind like a thinne froth that is driuen away with the storme and like smoke that is dispersed heere and there with a o Wis 5.14 tempest Thirdly how that they arise from things as vaine as themselues As for example suppose a man be rich and reioyce in his sudstance as Diues did yet if hee fall but into any little sicknesse his riches affoord him no ease If a man be honorable yet fall into pouertie what comfort or reliefe shall hee haue from his honour Yea grant that hee bee rich honourable and healthfull yet will the least misfortune or crosse trouble and grieue him as if hee were of all men most miserable Haman called his friends and Zeresh his wife and told them of the glorie of his riches and how the King had aduanced him aboue all his Princes and Seruants yea and how hee onely was admitted vnto the Queenes banquet yet all this auailed him nothing his health riches honour and the Kings fauour could not fill his mouth with laughter when hee remembred how Mordecai did not bow the knee nor reuerenced p Esth 5. him And lastly if wee did but thinke with our selues how all these earthly ioyes are like the Locusts that ascended out of the bottomlesse pit with a goodly visage but with a stinging q Reu. 9. tayle certainly abhorring and abandoning all such ioyes mee thinkes wee should with godly Dauid call vnto the Lord and after this manner intreat him Remember mee O Lord with the fauour that thou bearest vnto thy people O visit mee with thy saluation that I may see the good of thy chosen that I may reioyce in the gladnesse of thy nation that I may glorie with thine r Psal 106.4.5 inheritance But how shall wee attaine vnto this ioy and by what meanes shall wee obtaine it First Foure things to be done before we can attayne vnto the true ioy of the godly wee must truly humble our selues before wee bee comforted and vnfainedly sorrow before wee can reioyce the prodigali humbled himselfe before hee was entertained with melodie and dancing wine is only to be giuen to the sorrowfull of heart that hee may forget his griese and as light was created after darkenesse so ioy comes after heauinesse Secondly wee must labour for a peaceable conscience For a quiet conscience is a continuall f Pro. 15.15 feast that is a continuall ioy and truly there is no ioy vnto that Nil conscire sibi nullaque pallescere culpa Thirdly wee must delight in the reading of the Word for as Dauid affirmeth The testimonies of the Lord were the reioycing of the heart and therefore they were his songs in his t Psal 119.54.111 pilgrimage Lastly wee must earnestly pray for it as Salomon did for wisedome saying with the Psalmist Make mee to heare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may u Psal 51. reioyce And againe Reioyce the soule of thy seruant for vnto thee O Lord doe I lift up my * Psal 86.4 soule If these rules wee obserue in seeking after this heauenly ioy wee shall find in the end that the Lord will put gladnesse into our x Psal 4.7 heart and fill our mouth with laughter And our toâ—gue with singing Garrulares letitiâ— Sen. Out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaks and if the heart bee glad the tongue is glib Ioy cannot be suppressed in the
this cause the tongue is called mans glorie My heart reioyced and my tongue or my glorie i Psal 16.19 Deus dedit bemint linguam ad tria officia vt eun laudaret Psal 71.23 24. vt proximum adisicaret Isai 50.4 vt so coram Domiâ—â— accusaret Iob 42.6 Iusâ—â—mest vt lingua nomen babeat quod operiipsius ceâ—â—espondeat Muse was glad because it is the instrument to set forth Gods prayse and gloâ—â—e For it is right and reason that it be called by that name vvhich agrees with the thing wherein it is imployed We must not then vvith our tongues blaspheme God vvith Zaneherib Nor by our tongue seeke our owne glorie like Herod Nor there with lye against the holy Ghost vvith Ananias but vvith the tongue like Dauid prayse the Lord vncessantly like Steuen professe Christ constantly and with Peter preach him boldly For euery knee must how unto the Lord and all tongues must confesse unto k Rom. 14.11 God and for the better performing of this office let vs obserue these Rules First Rules to gouâ—ine the tongue in praising God truely Frist Prayâ—r to open ourlips because naturall corruption doth stay our tongue and the Enemie the Deuill like the Iewes aduersaries labours to shut vp the mouthes of all that prayse l Esth 14.9 God Let vs earnestly crie vnto the Lord with Dauid to open m Psal 51.15 our lips that our mouth may shew forth his prayse The Man in the Gospel is said to haue beene possessed with a dumb n Luk. 11. spirit but he is said to haue beene dumbe because hee stopt his mouth Quia mutum fecit à laude Dei Hug. card and stayed his tongue from vttering any thing which might bee to Gods glorie and prayse but God who giues the mouth to man must bee with Moses his mouth and rule his stammering o Pro. 4.11.12 tongue For it is hee that must cast out the Deuill and make the dumbe to speake For he hath the key of Dauid which shutteth and no man openeth and openeth and no man shutteth Secondly 2. Preparation of the heart if we would haue our tongues to prayse God rightly Wee must first wash the inside of the Cup wee must purge and prepare our hearts within For the tongue and all the rest of our members and senses waite vpon their heart as their Mistresse If it bee like the heart of Pharao hardned p Exad 6. and vnmoueable Then like old Tobit our eyes are blinded Like the Man in the Gospell wee are deafe and heare not Like Ieroboam our hands are withered Wee are lame in our feet like Mephibosheth and we are tongue-tyed like Zacharias Nay rather possessed with a dumbe Deuill that we can neither heare see nor speake any thing to the honour of God much lesse walke in the wayes or worke the works of righteousnesse but if our hearts bee like the heart of Dauid q Psal 108.1 prepared Then are our eares like vnto Maries attentiue to heare our eyes like vnto the Eunuches intentiue to reade our hands like the hands of Cornelius full of good works and our tongue like Isaiahs a tongue of the learned to minister a word in season Lastly wee ought to follow the aduice of Saint Hierome 3. Serious premeditation before wee speake Lingua facile volat ideo facile violat Bora. Per limam priusquam per linguam Greg. deliberately to consider with our eclues what wee ought to speake and how wee should set forth his prayse The tongue glides nimbly and so defiles quickly saith Saint Bernard Yet as Gregorie hath obserued it is inclosed with a double hedge the lips and the teeth that our words might passe by the trying file of castigation before they come by the twatling tongue of confusion For it is not enough for man to pray but hee must pray with the heart and with knowledge and it is not enough for vs to sing with the tongue but wee must sing with the Spirit and with vnderstanding also Wherefore let vs duely ponder and truely weigh with our selues vvhat we are about to doe before we take the Name of God in our mouthes or dare talke of his praise If we truely obserue these three Prayer Premeditation and Preparation twisting them together like Salomons threefold cord vvee shall finde that the words of our lips shall bee like appels of gold with pictures of siluer and that our tongues shall bee like the sweet fingers of Israel a fit instrument to laude and magnifie the Lord. But O the peruersnesse and wickednesse of wretched man How is his tongue become an Organ of all euill Lasciuious Ammons songs are of lust and vvantonnesse Rayling Rabshakehs are euer blaspheming the good God of Israel Malicions Sheimeâ—s tongue is full of cursing and treacherous Ioabs lips are full of guile and bloodie Lamech is euer boasting of crueltie Is this the vvay to prayse the Name of God Is this the way to magnifie the Lord No no vncleannesse must not be named amongst vs. We must nor blaspheme God and cruse his Name to be euill spoken of Wee must not blesse God and curse our Neighbour and vvee ought not to talke deceitfully one vnto another Why the tongue is called Mans glâ—rie Once againe let vs remember that the tongue is called mans glorie First as I haue said because therewith vve ought to glorifie God and besides it is the glorie and prayse of man ☞ to gouerne and rule his tongue Iobs commendation vvas that hee did not sinne vvith his r Iob. 2.10 lips and Dauids that he kept his mouth as it vvere vvith a Å¿ Psal 38. bridle and he that sinnes not in vvord â—s a perfect man saith Iames. But. alas the tongue is an vnruly euill a world of wickednesse full of deadly poyson a little member that no man can tame What then must vvee doe What course shall vve take therewith With the Psalmist vve must haue our recourse to God praying him to set a vvatch before our mouth and to keepe the doore of our u Psal 141.3 lips that so they may bee close shut that no euill passe through them and yet stand open that vvee may still prayse him Neither is it to bee omitted that Lorinus the Iesuite hath obserued viz. that the Psalmist nominates the mouth and tongue in the singular not mouthes and tongues in the plurall because all the faithfull and the vvhole congregation of the Iewes vnivocè vvith one voyce vvith one consent and as it vvere vvith one mouth did prayse and glorifie the Lord. For our instruction if wee would but learne it vnanimiter vnivoce with one heart and one tongue to prayse and magnific God But to leaue the ceremonious worship of the Iewes and the superstitious seruice of the Papist it is to be admired and as much to bee lamented the difference amongst our selues though not in fundamentall points of Religion yet in the
seemely order of seruing of God Some of vs crie out against the Kings supremacie some raile against the reuerend Priesthood and Prelacie and too many of vs whet our tongues and sharpen our pennes to speake and write against the 〈…〉 chaste ceremonies and discipline of this Church of England and so wee must fill vp our Sermons with 〈…〉 inuectiues exclayming against the 〈…〉 forsooth and withall falsly reproching the 〈…〉 Ecclesiasticall as full of superstition and Poperie Wee call euery thing in question and raise doubts where the matter is as â—â—eare and euident as the light of the Suâ—â—â— By 〈◊〉 doing wee giue our Adueâ—saries iust cauâ—e to 〈…〉 in hope of aduantage Wee cause the Word of 〈…〉 spâ—ken of and bring many of the ignorant sort to waue and wander in their opinions stumbling at euery straw and starting aside at euery crosse and is to bee seared erelong the complant of Chrysostome in a case not much different bee not verified amongst vs whilst we are doubtfull in questions there be but few true Christians there is but one Faith one Truth and one Baptisme one Law and one Gospell and why should there not bee one heart and one soule one tongue to preach and one hand to penne the onely Truth these jarres about light and slight queres befits not true Christians there is but one harmonie amongst the Saints in heauen and there should bee but one harmonie amongst the Saints on earth Christ is of all with one voyce praysed in the Church triumphant and should be so also in the true Churches militant Wherefore let vs imitate and follow the Apostles who with one consent continued landing and praysing x Act. 2. God Now Lord we beseech thee to be with our mouth as thou wast with Moses to open our lips as thou did deft Dauids and to touch our tongue as thou did dest Ezekiels and to open to vs a doore of vtterance as thou did-deft thy Apostle that so we may continually pray vnto thee and daily prayse thee so long as we liue vpon the face of this earth that hereafter wee may with Quires of Saints and Angels sing vnto thee in the highest Heauens prayse and glorie wisedome and thanks honour and power for euermore Amen THE ATHEISTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OR The third sequell that followed vpon their deliuerance viz. The Heathens confession THE FOVRTH SERMON VERS 3. Then said they among the Heathen the Lord hath done great things for them IN these words you haue the third sequell that followed vpon this deliuerance viz. The Heathens confession what God had done for his people When the land of Israel was desolate and when the house of Iudah went into captiuitie the Ammorites reioyced at their fall crying ha ha against them they clapt their hands they stamped with their feet and reioyced in heart against the land of Israel The Moabites insulted ouer them the Edomites molested them and the Philistimes did reuenge themselues for their old hatred vnto them and all that pâ—ssed by Ierusalem opened their g Theodoretus nonnulli aperite os pro irridere accipiunt iuxta illud Psal 22.7 14 13 14 79.4 Origen aly ex stimant referre potius mâ—rem belluae deuerare cupientes Psal 23.13 Jer. 51.34 Christoph à costro lib. 5. comment ler. mouth they h Sibilare mouere caput signa iocaâ—tis per ludibâ—ium contemnentis itaâ—ccipitur sibilare Reg. 9. Zoph 2. similiter mouere caput Psal 21. hissed they gnashed their teeth they wagged their heads they clapt their hands saying is this the Citie that men call the perfection of beautie and the ioy of the whole earth Come let vs deuoure it for certainely this is the day wee have seene it and found it Thus did the prophane Heathen insult ouer Gods People and Sanctuarie but now when they see that they haue found fauour againe with God and that hee hath graciously brought againe their captiuitie and in his wrath cast downe their enemies they are confounded for all their power and they lay their hands vpon their mouth not daring to barke or bay any more at them but amazed and astonished they are forced to confesse that The Lord hath done great things for them In the words The parts of the Text. we may obserue First The Confessors the Heathen Secondly the thing confessed the Lord hath done great things for them And therein wee may note First the Agent the Lord. Secondly the Act hath done great things And thirdly the Persons for whom for them By whom the godly are reproched by the same they are often commended viz. the Iewes The parties confessing were the Heathen euen they who before did deride them and thought them a people forsaken and not regarded So that here wee may learne that often they who laugh at Gods people and children in time of their afflictions and reproch them * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Gen. kom 51. in time of their miserie euen they in the end are constrained to acknowledge Gods goodnesse towards them and whereas before they opened their mouthes against them so in the end they are forced to commend them And herein is both the power and loue of God manifested when he forceth his childrens enemies to be the trumpets of their praise And so whilest the Viper is vpon Paules hand the Barbarians abhorre him as a murtherer but when he casts it off without harme they thinke a Acts 28.3 4 5 him a God Whilest Iob lyes a wofull wretch vpon the dunghill his neighbours forsake him his acquaintaince forget him his wife disdaines him his seruants him his wife disdaines him his seruants disobey him the wicked despise him and euen vagabonds and villaines deride b Iob 19. him But when the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Iob then they came all to him feast and reioyce with c Iob 42. him As Dauid went out of Ierusalem sleeing from Absalom wicked Shimei vpbraides him as a bloudie man and a man of Belial curses him and throwes stones at * 2. Sam. 16. him but as Dauid returned to Ierusalem hee was one of the first that went to meet him falls downe before him acknowledges him for his Lord and Soueraigne confesses his fault and craues his gracious * 2. Sam. 19. pardon Our Sauiour himselfe whilest he suffered vnder and vpon the Crosse was stripped scoffed at crowned and crucified of the Souldiers and the high Priest Scribes and Pharises mockt him saying He trusted in God let him deliuer him now if he will haue him Yet when the vaile of the Temple rent asunder when the Heauens were darkened and the Sunne obscured when the Graues opened and the Earth quaked the Centurion and his companie were all stricken with an exceeding feare and confessed that he was the sonne of d Matth. 27.43 God And so the Iewes in their miserie and extremity became an open shame vnto their enemies a very
scorne and derision vnto all that were about them And the Heathen said Where is now their c Psal 79.4 and 10. God But now perceiuing how powerfull the Lord was in deliuering them and how mindfull hee was of them they are forced to confesse that the Lord had done great things for them Here wee may see what is the nature and condition of this wretched world it * Hoc sanè mundi est ingenium vt ijs malediâ—at auersetur quibus videt Dâ—um extâ—rnè maledicere contra ei benedicat cui externè à Domino videt benedici Cùm sueris faelix multos numerabis amicos tempora si fuerint nubila solus eris Nihil ergo mirum quod Iob â—b amiâ—is reuâ—faâ—ur afflictione liberatus qui in afflictione ab omnibus suit destitutus Mercâ—in Iob 42. blesseth honoureth and reuerenceth all such as they see the Lord to blesse with worldly honours and preferment and on the other part they curse hate and abhorre all such whom it pleaseth the Lord any wayes to afflict outwardly yea one and the selfesame man shall bee regarded and reproched by the world as his case and estate doth change and alter in the world as you haue heard Iob for an example who first in the time of his prosperitie hee was honoured of all all bowed the knee to him but in his miserie and aduersitie they all fled from him forsooke him yea and laught him to scorne yet when the Lord restered him to his former health and blessed his estate his friends kinred and acquaintance did all flocke to him and feasted with him yea of their owne accord they brought presents to him and comforted him when they saw what great things the Lord had done for him Let this bridle the disdainfull ambition of all such as dare reproch any of Gods seruants in time of their crosse and calamitie as if for their transcending sinnes the Lord had forsaken them like Iobes friends who from the greatnesse of Iobes torments did conclude that hee had beene vnthankefull vnmercifull vncharitable his wickednesse great and his iniquities f Iob 22.5 6 7 8. innumerable or with churlish Nabal because Dauid was in need and want held him as a ruâ—agate g 1. Sam. and a runaway And the neighbouring nations about Ierusalem because of her infinite afflictions thinke the Iewes to bee abiects and cast awayes and so reioyce at their fall and helpe forward their afflictions Let vs not thus peruersely iudge of the Saints of God Let vs not thus adde affliction to the afflicted For Nabal shall sinart for his churlishnesse to Dauid Eliphaz and his companions shall bee sharpely reproued for their vncharitable iudgement of Iob. And the Heathen shall suffer for the vnaduised and wrongfull censure of Gods people For the Lord will purchase vnto his seruants praise and fame throughout all the land of their h Isa 60.14 62.12 Zâ—ph 3.18 19 20. shame which shal make their enemies confesse that the Lord hath done great things for them The second obseruation that offereth it selfe to be considered in these words is that God doth not onely deliuer his Church and Children The godlies deliuerance is often so miraculous that is affrights and astonishes the wicked but hee doth so deliuer them that the wicked stand amazed and astonished thereat When the King of Iericho heard how the Lord had dried vp the waters of the red Sea before the Israelites and what a glorious victorie hee had giuen them of the two Kings of the Ammorites hee and all the inhabitants of the land were sore amazed they were greatly affrighted their heart fainted and their courage was i Iob 2.9 10. abated Proud Nebuchadonosor at the miraculous deliuerance of the three Children out of the fiery furnace was so much astonished there at that hee was constrained to acknowledge and confesse the mightie signes and great k Dan. 3. wonders of God And when Paul and Sylas being cast into prison and hauing their feet made fast in the stockes so that in the Iaylors opinion they were sure enough at midnight the foundation of the prison was shaken the doores opened and euery mans bonds loosed the Iaylor awakened and would haue killed himselfe being so suddenly affrighted and amazed at the sight of those great things which the Lord had done for l Acts 16. them Thus the Lord will deliuer his owne children First to manifest his power and glorie that the Gentiles may know that hee is the God of saluation To this end hee would haue Gideon to encounter with the Amalekites and Madianites with no more then three hundred men that his power might be the better knowne in so m Iudg. 7. great a victorie And so by his wonderfull plagues inflicted vpon the Egyptians and by the miraculous bringing of his people out of Egypt hee did vindicate to himselfe glorie and worship for the Scripture sayth vnto Pharaoh For this same purpose haue I exalted thee that I might shew my power on thee and that my name might bee declared through all the n Rom. 9.17 earth To make the Heathen confesse that the Lord hath done great things for Israel Againe to let the wicked see that there is nothing can hinder or let the libertie and deliuerance of the godly when God once purposeth to redeeme and saue them The Sea shall diuide it selfe Iordan shall start backe that they may passe safely a Pillar of fire shall giue them light by night and a cloud shall ouer-shadow them by day the Heauens shall raine downe meate and the drie Rocks shall powre out drinke vnto them no power no might and no policie in man can detayne them for hee maketh warres to cease in all the earth hee breaketh the Bowe and knappeth the Speare in sunder and burneth the Chariots in the o Psal 45.9 fire Hee breaketh the gates of brasse and bursteth the yron p Is 45. doores hee vnlooseth the capriues bonds hee deliuereth the prisoners out of the q Psal 68.6 stocks and brings them out of the Pit wherein there is no r Zacb. 9.11 water that the Heathen may confesse that the Lord doth great things for them O how should this encourage vs whensoeuer wee are molested and oppressed of the wicked though they with Zanecherib thinke that God is not able to deliuer Ezekiah out of his hands and with Nebuchadnezzar doe confidently beleeue that it is impossible that God should preserue Ananiah Mishael and Azariah from so cruell a death and with Pharao blasphemously say who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce and let Israel goe yet need we not to feare nor bee discouraged but euery one of vs with Dauid ought to say in God is my trust and I feare not what man can doe vnto f Psal 27.1 mee It was the saying of Euripides when the Athenians sought against the Thebans Iupiter is my helper and I doe not feare Now
whole Citie how great things Iesus had done vnto him Here then first is commended to vs our duetie which is with Dauid to speake of all Gods marueilous k Psal 9.1 works With the Shepheards to publish them and with the Apostles to preach them The Souldiers when they saw the earth quake and the Angell rolling away the stone from the doore of the Sepulchre with other miracles at our Sauiours Resurrection they were bribed by the Priests to conceale n Matth. 28. them When Christ prayed to his Father to glorifie his Name there came a voyce from heauen saying I haue both glorified it and will glorifie it againe which many of the Rulers hearing did beleeue in him but because of the Pharisies durst not confesse o 10.12 him Yet neither mony nor malice fauour nor feare of men must make vs conceale Gods prayse or be silent from she wing forth his wonderfull works For if once we beleeue in our heart we must confesse with our mouth For with the heart men beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth they confesse vnto saluation Moreouer here is condemned the slothfull dulnesse of men who neuer enter into the consideration of Gods works done vnto them nor at any time acknowledge Gods goodnesse and kindnesse towards them But as the Prophet saith The Harpe and Viol the Timbrel and Pipe are in their feasts but they regard not the worke of the Lord neither consider the operation of his hands And what is the cause of this Is it not because like the men of Iudah who went into the Land of Egypt they attribute all to the Queene of Heauen and to their p Ier. 44.17 18 19. Idols or like Epicures they ascribe all to Chance and Fortune or with the Peripatetikes to Nature and naturall Causes or with the Stoikes to Fate and Destinie if they bee inriched with temporall things as was Nabal if they bee preferred to honour as was Haman if they bee adorned with externall bodily fauour as was Absalom or inwardly endued with worldly wisedome as was Achitophel they thinke that either by Fortune or by Fate such things come vnto them neuer regarding God nor minding Gods prouidence therein Whereas the Apostle saith That euery good thing and euery perfect gift comes from aboue and commeth downe from the Father of q Lam. 1.17 lights But let vs shake off this blindnesse and with Dauid medicate vpon the wonderfull works of God For they are great and ought to be sought out of all that loue r Psal 111.2 him and if with Iacob we be inriched with Ioseph extold to honour with Ezekia deliuered from sicknesse with Israel freed from bondage and slauerie and here with the Iewes brought out of seruitude and wofull captiuitie Let vs giue the glory to God acknowledge his goodnes before the sonnes of men confessing that the Lord hath done great things for vs. The first thing in particular that I promised Gods power implyed in his Name to obserue in these words was Gods power and that first implyed in his Name and set downe in his Worke. His Name Iehoua a name which the Hebrewes called Tetragrammaton because it consists say they of foure letters as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Grecians and Deus with the Latines They held it ineffable not because it could not be pronounced but because the signification of it could neuer fully be conceiued For some of the learned are of opinion that the Omnipotencie Wisedome and Eternitie of God are all implyed in this Name of all the names of God it was held in greatest reuerence so that seldome the Iewes did name it but when the occasion was weightie and of great importance as when the Israelites were deliuered out of Egypt Moses and the people began their song The Lord is a man of warre and Iehouah is his f Exed 15.3 Name And here in this short Psalme it is no lesse then foure times mentioned the more as it seemes to set forth the greatnesse of their deliuerance Before our Sauiour was conceiued for our Redemption he was named of the Angell IESVS in which blessed Name some obserue to bee included the vowels called Tetragrammaton with one S of the Hebrewes wherein was a mysticall or hidden signification of his Diuinitie But not to be too curious let vs still compare their deliuerance with our redemption and see the Analogie betwixt these two names First as the name Iehouah was not knowne to the Israelites the Iewes predecessors before their deliuerance out of Egypt was at hand For before this Name was not reuealed to the t Pro. 6.2 3. Patriarchs and now after their deliuerance from Babylon they acknowledge that onely hee whose Name is Iehouah was their Deliuerer So before our redemption did approch and before Christ was to be conceiued for our saluation his name IESVS was not reuealed but the Prophets named him u Is 7.14 Emmanuel and entituled him wonderfull x Is 9.6 Counsellor the mightie God the Prince of y Ier. 23.6 peace all which did but explaine the true signification of this one Name and now must we not expect saluation in any other For amongst men there is giuen no other Name whereby we must be saued Act. 4.12 Againe as the full signification of the Name Iehoua cannot be conceiued so the full signification of this name IESVS cannot bee expressed For this one Name contaynes all things which were foretold by the Prophets of the Nature and Office of Christ the fiue Letters saith one that are in the Name IESVS signifies as much as that He is Iucunditas moerentium aeternitas viuentium suaâ—itas doâ—entium vbertas egentium sanitas languentium joy and jocunditie to such as mourne eternitie and life to the liuing sweet comfort of the sorrowfull prosperitie and wealth to the needfull soundnesse and health to the diseased and sicke Moreouer as the Name Iehouah was neuer vsed amongst the Hebrewes but with great feare and reuerence euen so with the like reuerence ought Christians to vse the Name of IESVS For at this Name euery knee must bow of things in Heauen and things in Earth and things vnder the z Pbil. 2.10 Earth In a word therefore Let vs with all reuerence take these Names in our mouthes For holy fearefull and reuerent is the Name of * Psal 111.9 God holy and therefore to be sanctified terrible and therefore to be feared The Lord hath done great things for vs. Because the Psalmist was not able to expresse all things Gods power seâ— out in his workes which the Lord did for his people at their deliuerance Magnificauit i. magnifica fecit magnifice fecit magna nos fecit sic ferè omnes comment from their captiuitie he includeth the ouerthrow of their Aduersarie their owne libertie the reparation of the Temple and restauration of Religion and all things else in two words The Lord hath done great things
precedents to approue it First wee haue Precepts for it Ioel 2.21 23. Zeph. 3.14.15 Reioyce yee righteous in the Lord and bee ioyfull all yee true of m Psal 32.12 heart saith the Psalmist and reioyce in the Lord alwayes againe I say n Phil. 4.9 reioyce saith the Apostle Secondly I say wee haue precedents for it Moses and Myriam with their seuerall Companies reioyced for their deliuerance out of o Exâ— 15.1 20. Egypt So Deborah and Barak exercised the people for their deliuerance from the p Iudg. 5.1 Canaanites and so reioyced the Saints for their deliuerance from Hamans cruell q Esth 8.9 conspiracie This condemneth the Stoicall opinion of some who are so farre from reioycing that they abandon all comfort and repell all occasions of ioy delighting onely to nourish griese and to entertayne a pensiue soule I may say to them as the Prophet saith Quis quaesiuit hâ—â— de manibus vestris Who required these things of r Is 1.12 you But perhaps thou wilt say Quest. doth not the Apostle will vs to sorrow to suffer affliction to weepe to change our laughter into mourning and our ioy into f Iaâ— 4.9 heauinesse Wee must consider to whom the Apostle speaks Answ they were prophane wicked dissolute double minded who being puft vp with worldly prosperitie their hearts reioyced in voluptuous pleasures such kind of people the Apostle bids sorrow whereas they laughed and mourne whereas they reioyced lest whilst as Iob saith they dance with the Tabret and the Harpe and reioyce at the sound of the Organs spending their dayes in wealth they suddenly goe downe into the t Iob 21.11 12 13. pit into that pit of darknesse where there is weeping and gnashing of u Mat. 13. teeth For vnto all such belongs that curse Woe be vnto them that now laugh for they shall mourne Againe the Apostle Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is a sorrow to God-ward and a sorrow to death-ward A godly sorrow and a worldly x 2. Cor. 7. sorrow the one causeth death but the other repentance vnto saluation Now the Apostle Iames where he wills them to change their laughing into mourning his meaning is to change their worldly ioy into a true godly sorrow leauing their abominable sinnes and returning vnto the Lord with fasting weeping and with mourning Let vs therefore cast off and abandon all lumpish deadnesse all dull pensiuenesse and let vs sing vnto the Lord and heartily reioyce in the strength of our y Psal 95.1 Obiect saluation But thou wilt say thy sorrow and thy pensiuenesse is for thy sinnes and so thou mayest aske mee can a man sinne in sorrowing for sinne or transgresse in mourning for his transgressions True it is Answ we ought with Dauid euer to haue our sinnes before z Psal 51.3 vs and the continuall remembrance of them ☜ should daily draw teares from our drie eyes yet must wee not sorrow for them as men without a 1. Thes 4.13 hope for then they should bring vs to desperation with Cain and Iudas and this desperation should throw vs head-long into eternall damnation but as the fearefull sight of our sinnes with the terrible aspect of Gods iustice should cast vs downe with sorrow so the sweet consideration of Gods mercies and the contemplation of Christs merits should raise vs vp againe with ioy For as the Apostle saith wee must weepe as though we wept b 1. Cor. 7.30 not and in our sorrowing bee alwayes c 2. Cor. 6.10 reioycing lest we bee swallowed vp with ouer-much d 2. Cor. 27. heauinesse Againe all worldly sorrow whether it be for losse of commodities and goods or through sense and feare of euill is here condemned God requireth no sorrow but sorrow for sinne no feare but feare to offend no griefe but griefe because wee haue grieued him Prou. 15.13 Prou. 17.22 Prou. 12.25 Eccl. 30.24 1. Mac. 6.8.13 Eccl. 30.21 22 23. Many inconueniences follow vpon this sorrow for it darkens our countenance it dulls the mind it impaires our health it casts downe the heart it brings on old age it causeth sicknesse and hastneth death on the other part ioy and gladnesse cleeres the countenance cheares the heart procures health and prolongs our life which makes the Lord affoord his children matter whereof they reioyce Many as you haue heard were the occasions of the faithfuls ioy As First The ouerthrow of their enemies Secondly Their owne libertie Thirdly The restauration of Religion Fourthly Their deliuerance from the fellowship of the wicked and other great things which the Lord had done for them whereof they did reioyce From whence wee may learne that Gods goodnesse is the ground of the godlies gladnesse Gods goodnes the ground of the Godlies gladnesse Let the naturall man reioyce in his health and strength as Goliah did the worldly man in his wealth and substance as the Lawyer did the sensuall man in his voluptuousnesse as Ammon did the young man in his pleasures as the Prodigall did the prophane man in his wickednesse as Lamech did yet the faithfull reioyce onely in God and his goodnesse Dauid was glad and his tongue reioyced because the Lord was at his right hand his preseruer and keeper the faithfull reioyce because of the Gospell the Apostles are glad that they are accounted worthie to suffer for the name of Christ and the Disciples reioyced that their names were written in heauen Wee must not therefore reioyce with the wicked but be glad with the godly noli laetarâ— Israel reioyce not O Israel as other people qui latantur cùm male fecerint who reioyce in euill doing but with the righteous be glad in the Lord and with the Prophet ioy in the God of our saluation Now they that reioyce were the Iewes themselues It is onely peculiar to the godly truly to reioyce the Heathen onely stand amazed and astonished at these things but the Faithfull who had tasted the sweetnesse and fruit of them they onely are glad and reioyce in them So here wee collect that it is onely peculiar and proper to the godly and faithfull to reioyce truely in Gods blessings My seruants sayth the Lord shall eat ☜ and yee meaning the wicked shall be hungrie my seruants shall drinke and yee shall be thirstie my seruants shall reioyce and yee shall be ashamed my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall crie for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of f Isa 65.13 14. mind Exultate iusti non iniusti bee glad yee righteous not yee vnrighteous laetentur Sancti and let the Saints bee glad and not let the wicked be g Psal 149.5 glad sayth the Psalmist And * Isa 40.1 comfort my people not comfort mine enemies sayth the Lord. The godly haue only true cause of ioy because they haue a good conscience Our reioycing is this the testimonie of our
their ioy and therefore Chrysostome sayâ—h that the duplication and iteration of the words the Lord hath done great things is not rashly set downe by the Prophet but to shew the great ioy they conceiued at their deliuerance O vnspeakable ioy that possesseth the Saints that they doe not once remember the woe and miserie they haue sustained A woman when shee is in trauell hath sorrow Iob 16.21 because her houre is come but as soone as shee is deliuered shee remembreth no more the anguish for ioy that a man is borne into the world Euen so it is with the godly when they are fully freed from all their woe and miserie they are so filled with ioy and gladnesse that they forget all their former heauinesse ☞ When our Sauiour questioned the two Disciples that were going to Emmaus of their serious communications and the cause of their sadnesse and they answering by way of interrogation Art thou onely a stranger in Ierusalem and hast not knowen these things Quasi immemor 〈◊〉 Lorin which are come to passe there in these dayes Christ replied Quae What things as hauing forgotten the infinite iniuries offered to him the vnspeakable torments hee suffered and the grieuous passions hee indured Now the God of all comfort and consolation which comforteth vs in all our tribulation comfort your hearts and giue you euerlasting consolation that as the Apostle sayth both your heart and your flesh may reioyce in the liuing God that you may walke in the feare of the Lord by the comfort of the holy Ghost Amen THE SECOND GENERALL PART OF THIS PSALME Viz. The faithfuls comprecation or supplication to God for the accomplishing and perfiting their deliuerance contayned in one Sermon viz. The Prisoners Petition THE SEVENTH SERMON VERS 5. O Lord bring againe our captiuitie as the Riuers in the south CArdinall Hugo saith Orat propheta conuersionem captiuitatis in persona iusti generalis that the Prophet in the person of all the faithfull prayes for an vniuersall and full deliuerance But what are they not as yet deliuered In the former Verses he makes mention of their libertie and here he prayes for their inlargement Et de qua quasi iam sacta laudaue aâ— â—unc quasi fuâ—â—â—â—m oraâ— and that for which as alreadie effected hee had praysed God now for the same as not yet accomplished and performed he prayes vnto God True it is the Iewes had libertie to returne ☞ freely granted them of Cyrus in the beginning of his reigne yet but a few at the first returned Pâ—â—â—ique metu pericâ—â—orum quae redeuntâ—â—us in Patriam polititiam restauraturis immincre tidebantur ab hosâ—ibus aâ—â— ignauia 〈◊〉 voluptatibus suis delitijs quas exemptâ—â— agris contracta cum Gentibâ—â— assiniâ—ate percipiebant retinebantur vt omnem cogitationem de reditu aâ—â—â—cerent Mollâ—r Fabri in locum for some stayed still in Babylon willingly and with their owne consent others were stayed violently and by constraint As for those that of their owne accord remayned behind some stayed because they feared the dangers and troubles which were like to fall out as they returned and whilst they should repaire the decayed walls of their commonwealth Others * Plurimi prâ—uam babentes mentem in omnibus diuiniâ— legibus repugnâ—â—tes regredi naluerunt Theo in lecâ—m Zach. 8.8 Is 10.21 22. A Primordio institia vim patitur statim vâ—â—oli capit Dâ—us iâ—uidiam 〈…〉 est quâ— Dâ—â— placurat â—â—â—iditur â—uidim 〈…〉 abode still through idlenesse and lazinesse and not a few tarried behind because their worldly pleasures their goods their grounds which they had now purchased and for the affinitie and friendship which they had contracted with the Heathen wherefore the Prophet Zacharie affirmes a remnant onely to haue returned and the Prophet Isaiah foretold that though the people of Israel were as the sand of the Sea yet but a remnant should returne and therefore the Psalmographer here prayeth O Lord bring againe our captiuitie that is let neither the pleasures of Babylon retayne them but cause them all willingly and forwardly to returne from the land of their captiuitie The same impediments that did let the Iewes from returning from Babylon to Ierusalem doth hinder many from becomming of a Heathen a true Christian First because they see that the life of a Christian is exposed to infinite troubles their whole pilgrimage is but a persecution and therefore many dare not professe that profession True it is that from the beginning Righteousnesse hath suffered violence Assoone as God began to be worshipped so soone began Religion to bee enuied Hee that labours to please God and vnto whom God hath respect is murthered and that by his owne brother Yet ought not this to discourage any but rather to encourage them For whosoeuer will saue his life shall lose it and whosoeuer will lose his life shall find it Others through idlenesse leading an Epicurean life in eating drinking and sleeping and others because they are besotted with this world and blinded with these earthly pleasures The like we may say doth impede and stay many from leauing this Westerne Babylon the mother of abominations First the fire and faggots doth terrifie them but we should cast off this faint-heartednesse and shake off this feare and willingly with Daniel goe to the Lions with Isay to the saw with Ieremiah to the stones with Amos to the racke with Paul to the sword and be content with Antipas that faithfull martyr euen to suffer where Satans seate * Reuel 2.13 is Others for idlenesse doe loyter and linger desiring rather to stand idle in the Market b Matth. 20. place then to labour in the Lords Vineyard and to loyter at home like the inhabitants of Iabesh Gilead then with the rest of Israel to goe vp to Mizpeh to the c Iudg. 21. Lord and many hauing drunke of the cup of Babel and waxed rich d Reuel 18. through the abundance of her delicacies wallowing themselues in sensuall pleasures will not forgoe her Oh how loth are the Israelites to part with the flesh pots of Egypt Oh how vnwilling is Lots wife to leaue Sodom And how backward are many of the Iewes to come out of Babylon And how woe are we to leaue that mother of abominations and to returne to Sion and therefore here with the Prophet wee still must pray O Lord bring againe our captiuitie Againe there were many stayed violently and by constraint For albeit they had full freedome granted vnto them by Cyrus to returne and withall a commandement to repaire the walls of Ierusalem and to reedifie the Temple yet * Haec letissimâ— initia turbata sunt partim à vicinis Samaritanis partim aulicis calumnijs cum enim pater â—yrus bellum aduersus Masaâ—atas gerâ—â—et Cambyses domi regnâ—â— et inchoati â—dâ—ficaâ—io templi edicto Cambysis prohibita est Phil. Mâ—l Chr. Carianis lib. 2. these
Persians Thirdly That nothing in this life is stable and permanent vnlesse the Lord doe preserue and confirme it and from these and such like wee may gather good obseruations for our selues touching our redemption through Christ First That as God appointed his people deliuerance before euer they went into captiuitie so before the fall of man nay before euer man was created God had determined his Sonne should be the Redeemer of Man yea as the Apostle saith before the foundations of the world Againe As they were the first yeare of Cyrus reigne set at libertie and after restrayned by Cambyses his sonne Spiritualis nostra liberatio nunc quidems inchoatur in hac vita sed in resurrectione erit integra consummata Fabr. Haec libertas 〈◊〉 sed non quantum ad nos attinet perfecta quapropter iugiter orandum conuerte c. Pomer in loc Haec liberatio quoad nos imperfecta dum sumus in mortali carne sumus adbuc in Babylone Scult in locum so although by our Sauiour we be redeemed from the tyrannie of Sinne and Satan yet still are we molested by the temptations of the one and polluted with the dregs of the other True it is the price of our redemption is paid and the hand-writing is cancelled but the full consummation of our redemption shall be in the end of the world For as the Apostle saith wee haue receiued the earnest of our Inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased libertie vnto the prayse of Gods l Eph. 1.14 glorie Lastly As they could not maintayne their owne libertie without Gods assistance no more can we being deliuered from any grieuous sinne continue from falling thereinto againe or into the like without the assistance of Gods Spirit For when wee thinke m 1. Cor. 10. our selues to stand fastest we are in danger to fall soonest Thus wee see that in all these respects the Iewes had and we still haue reason to pray O Lord bring againe our captiuitie In this prayer I pray you obserue the Matter O Lord bring againe our captiuitie and the Manner as the Riuers in the South In the Matter first wee may note the Psalmists pietie in that he hath recourse to God onely in this time of captiuitie by feruent prayer and then his pittie in that he prayes not for himselfe alone but hauing a fellow-feeling of the Iewes sorrow hee prayeth compassionately for all saying O Lord bring againe OVR captiuitie If I would largely speake of Prayer I might shew you how first there is no time limited and then no place exempted from Prayer I meane from a mans priuate sacrifice and not the publike seruice For that the Temple was the House of n Isai 36.7 Matth. 21.13 Prayer and the ninth houre was the o Act 3.1 houre of prayer but for the other first there is no time limited For the Apostle wills vs to pray p 1. Thâ—s 5.17 continually If in the morning learne of our q Mark 1.35 Sauiour if in the euening of r Gen. 24.63 Isaak if at mid-night of Paul and Å¿ Act. 16.25 Sylas if all the night of t San. 15.11 Samuell learne I say at all times to pray For so our Sauiour bids vs Watch and pray u Luke 21.36 alwayes Againe no place exempted I will saith the Apostle that men pray euery where lifting vp pure x 1. Tim. 2.8 hands If thou bee in thy house learne of y Act. 10.30 Cornelius if in the field of z Gen. 24. Isaak if in the Temple of a 1. King 8.22 Salomon if on the Mount of b Exod. 14. Moses if in the Garden of our c Iob. 18. Sauiour it in thy Chamber of d Dan. 6. Daniel if in thy bed of e Is 38. Ezekiah if on thy Couch of f Psal 6. Dauid Learne I say to pray These and the like generall obseruations I might touch in Prayer but I purpose not to discourse of Prayer common-place-wise and therefore let vs haue recourse vnto the words O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The first thing that offereth it selfe to be considered is the Psalmists Pietie who in this their captiuitie earnestly doth pray vnto the Lord for their deliuerance From whence we leâ—rne that in all our troubles and afflictions we ought to flee to God onely by seruant prayer First I say Oâ— quod 〈…〉 Gâ—â—g in our afflictions because the mouth which is stopt in time of prosperitie is open in time of aduersitie witnesse the Israelites who in their prosperitie and ease forgate God and did not so much as inuocate his Name but when through aduersitie their soule sainted in them then they cryed to the Lord in their trouble and hee deliuered them out of their distresse Agâ—â—ne I say in trouble we must flee to God For so he hâ—th commanded Thou shalt call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer g Psal 50. thee And the Prophet saith Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastning was vpon h Is 26.16 them Further we ought to call vpon God alone for hee onely can heare our crie and cure our sore that is he onely can heare vs. In my trouble I called vpon the Lord and complayned vnto my God and hee heard my voyce out of his holy Temple and my complaint entred into his i Psal 18.5 6. eares saith Dauid I haue seene the affliction of my people in Egypt and I haue heard their crie saith the Lord to Moses And as he can only heare vs so he can only releeue vs. For he without all naturall meanes can cure euery disease aboue nature hee can stay the womans running issue and contrarie to nature he can giue sight vnto the blind borne he onely can bring Ionah out of the Whales belly Daniel out of the Den and his seruants out of the firie furnace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fourthly Oranti subsidium Dâ—â— sacrificium Diabolo flagellum Aug. we must flee to God by Prayer for that is a present helpe to him that prayeth witnesse Ezekiah who in his extreme sicknesse is restored to his former heal â—â—it is a pleasant sacrifice to God for like Noahs sacrifice it smells so sweetly in the Lords Nostrills that it diuerts away his wrath and it is a sharpe scourge vnto the Deuill more fearefull vnto him then Tobias perfume to driue him from vs. Lastly we ought in all our troubles to haue recourse so God by faithfull and feruent Prayer For Faith and Zeale are the supporters of Prayer like Aaron and Hur who vpheld Moses hands whilst hee prayed The ancient Fathers could neuer sufficiently prayse the efficacie of Prayer and therefore Saint Augustine calls it the Key of Heauen and truely so Claâ—em Coeâ—i For by Prayer Elias opened the Heauens when he brought both Fire and Water from thence Fire to burne vp the sacrifice
them with oyle For as wee reioyce with them that reioyce so should wee weepe with them that weepe as Iob did who wept with them that were in trouble and whose soule was in g Iob 30.25 heauinesse And especially wee ought to compassionate the captiued Saints Remember them that are in bonds as bound with them and them that suffer aduersitie as beeing your selues also in the h â—â—b 13.3 bodie sayth the Apostle Secondly wee ought to comfort them When Hannah grieued in her soule being daily vpbraided by Peninnah for her barrennesse her husband Elkanah goes and comforts i 1. Sam. 1. her When Dauid fled from Saul and remayned in the wildernesse in feare of his life Ionathan Sauls sonne arose went to him and comforted k 1. Sam. 23.15 16 17. him When Bathshebah mourned for the death of her child Dauid went in vnto her and comforted l 2. Sam. 13.24 her And when our Sauiour was in his bitter agonie sweating drops of bloud trickling down vnto the ground There appeared an Angel vnto him from heauen comforting m Luke 22.42 43 44. him And in a word hee that is in miserie ought to be comforted of his n Iob 6.14 neighbour Thirdly wee should instruct them that all their afflictions whether they be outwardly in bodie or inwardly in soule as they are to the Godly sufferings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so they are instructions And so with Ieremiah wee should tell them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Man suffereth for his o Lam. 3. sinne and therefore they are chastisements for his transgressions and with Salomon tell them That the Lord correcteth whom hee loueth euen as a father his child in whom p Pro. 3.11 12. Flagellum corrigentis non poena damâ—â—mtis August 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Gen. hom 26. hee delighteth And so they are not the scourge of a rigorous Iudge but a correcting rod of a louing father yea signes of his affection For As many as I loue I rebuke and chastise be zealous therefore and amend sayth Christ to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea And wee ought to let the patient know that afflictions are the harbengers that goe before death and therefore they should daily prepare them for their end as Isaiah wished Ezekiah to put his house in order for hee should die q Is 38.1 and not liue Lastly wee ought to pray for them When Myriam was stricken with a fearefull leprosie Moses prayed for her When the pestilence was amongst the Israelites Dauid mourned and prayed for Å¿ 2. Sam. 14. them When Peter was captiuated and imprisoned by Herod prayer was made without ceasing of the Church vnto God for t Act. 12.5 him When Nehemiah was told of the afflictions and reproches of his countrymen the Iewes he weepes mournes fasts and u Neb. 1. prayes And Daniel knowing that the time of their captiuitie was expired and considering the great miserie wherein they were detained hee did feruently call vnto God to diuert away his wrath from x Dan. 9.1 to the 20. them as you may see pathetically expressed in the ninth of his Prophecie And truly this is a difference betwixt the godly and vngodly The godly pray both for themselues and others as did Dauid and Ezekiah and others But the wicked they are so farre from praying for others that they haue not so much grace as to pray for themselues but like Simon Magus desire Peter and like Pharaoh require Moses and like Ieroboam intreat the young Prophet to pray for them But the Psalmist here hath both grace to pray for himselfe and charitie to pray for the whole Church and therefore hee sayth O Lord bring againe our captiuitie The substance of this prayer is the conuersion of their captiuitie The word Captiuitie sayth Chrysostome is simple in pronunciation Nomen captiuitatis est in prolatione simplex â—abet autem multas intelligentias Chrys Basâ—â— in loc and yet it hath many significations but Captiuitie properly is when one Nation is made subiect vnto another as when the Iewes were wholly subdued by the Babylonians their Princes and thousands of them carried to Babel they are said to be carried away captiues out of their owne Land Secondly the afflictions and troubles of Gods children are called by the name of captiuitie Because there is no estate so lamentable in the world as is the estate of a Captiue and therefore the most grieuous crosses that can befall Man are expressed in one word Captiuitie Infinite were the sufferings of Iob when his goods were taken away by violence his children suddenly destroyed and himselfe stricken with sore byles from the sole of his foot to his crowne Yet all these and many moe are included in this one word for when the Lord restored him to his former health doubled his estate and blessed him with the goodllest children in the world hee is said To turne againe the captiuitie of b Iob. 42.10 Iob. In both these respects the Psalmist here doth powre out this prayer O Lord bring againe our captiuitie desiring God therein both to enlarge the Churches libertie and withall to ease and release them of all their calamities Which whilest wee consider it should put vs in * Sicut hic yeduces pro exulitus apud Denns intercedunt isa nos quoque pro fratribus nostris qui vel sub Turcica tyraunide captius deâ—inenter velsub 〈◊〉 Antichristi miserè offliguntur 〈◊〉 remus conuerte Gesner in loc mind how the Church is not as yet fully freed from the tyrannie of this westerne Babel witnesse the persecution in forraine places and adioyning countries many of Gods seruants are grieuously afflicted still vnder Antichrist and that mother of Fornications Some mockt with c 2. Kings 2.23 Elisha some persecuted with d 1. Kings 19. Eliah some buffeted with e 1. Kings 22.24 Michaiah others stocked with f Ieremiah slaine with g Ier. 26.23 Vriah and thousands murdered with Zacharia and therfore wee must still pray heere with the Iewes O Lord bring againe our captiuitie Againe for our selues whatsoeuer affliction befall vs if any of vs be imprisoned with Ioseph bee in fetters with Peter or in bonds with Paul If wee be forced to liue in exile and banishment as Dauid in Gath and to flee for feare of persecution as Eliah did from the face of Iezabel into the wildernesse If wee bee afflicted in soule as was Hannah or sicke in bodie with Ezekiah If wee bee brought with Iob to sit full of sore byles on the ash-heape or be constrained to lie with Lazarus at the gluttous gate full of sores heere is the onely remedie for our maladie to call vnto the Lord with the Iewes O Lord bring againe our captiuitie Now these captuities are but corporall afflictions but besides there is spiritual captiuities of the soule and mind For first that euill euen sinne that dwelleth in vs
non vs dominâ—â— vllum in no babentes sid per insidizs agentes vs nos ad se pertrahant Zanch. in Eph. 4. and hath ouerthrowne his Kingdome yet he goeth about not as hauing any dominion ouer vs but to insnare vs by his cunning allurements and draw vs to him by his subtle intisements For this cause the Apostle aduising Timothy to labour to win and conuert the opposers of Truth whom hee calls the Deuils captiues hee vseth not the vsuall and proper word for a captiue but a word metaphorically taken from catching wild beasts by hunting Whereby is implyed that the Deuils power is destroyed yet he hunts about to catch vs in his snares and therefore the holy Ghost by the Apostles admonisheth vs to bee wary and vigilant and not to suffer our selues to be deceiued and circumuented Lastly all the ancient Expositors from these words he ascended on high and led captiuitie captiue August Beda Anselm in Ephes 4. infers another Captiuitie which is that wae being freed from the slauerie of sinne and seruitude of Satan are become Christs seruants And whereas before wee were the Deuils bondslaues now wee are Christs captiues and whereas before wee were vnder the bondage of Satan wee are now vnder the yoke of Christ and blessed are they that are vnder this yoke and are of the number of such captiues For here is no mourning no murmuring but great ioying and reioycing For we are redeemed from the hand of our enemies to serue him without feare Yet in regard of our naturall corruption and the Deuils daily temptations may we not cease to pray O Lord bring againe our captiuitie As the Riuers in the South The manner after which the Psalmist would haue their libertie inlarged is set downe in these words b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ageil in loc as the Riuers in the South Which of diuers are diuersly conceiued and consâ—rued First an vnnamed Greeke Author is cited by Agellius who would haue this place to haue reference to tâ—e Câ—tie Rhinocolura built as hee saith in the frontispice of Egypt by such people as for capitall crimes were exiled and driuen out of the Kingdome by Amasis whither the Sarazens often resorted and by violent inuasion and forcible entrie robbed them of their goods and substance and after they had thus spoiled the impotent inhabitants they returned to their owne Tents and Places of abode but by Gods iust iudgement and permission the Riuer that passed by the Sarazens habitations and runne towards Rhinocolura after some tempestuous raine ouerstowing his banks drowned the Sarazens and with a swift current did carry downe their Tents goods and substance to Rhinocolura with all the commodities which they before had carried from thence so that the distressed and impouerished inhabitants of that poore Towne were by the meanes of this invndation both reuenged of their enemies and inriched with greater wealth by this allusion the Prophet should desire both a iust reuenge of their enemies as also a recompence for their losses But to leaue this conceited coniecture and more conceited construction of this innominate Author we come to the opinions of others who come neerer to the Prophets meaning First by these words some thinke that hee vnderstandeth the Riuers which the Lord caused to slow in the wildernesse and the waters which hee caused to gush out of the stonie c Eâ—videtur alludi quando è pet a eduâ— it torrentem fluenta aquarum Genebr in loc Rocke Others are of opinion that indefinitely he meaneth any Waters and Springs whatsoeuer which slowing in any drie ground doth fructifie and make fruitfull the same Some coniecture by this allusion that hee desires the Lord d Captiuos nosâ—â—â—s copiose recâ—rrere saâ— tantâ—â— cum gaudio sâ—â—ctu quo terra sitiens excâ—â— it fluentes p r cam riuulos aqâ—a plenos Cornel. Iansâ—n in loc to cause their fellow-captiues so copiously and in such abundance to returne and with as great ioy and prosit as the thirstic ground drinks in the streames full of water passing by it Others that he would signifie e Voluit signisiâ— re tam graâ—am almrandem fore populâ— ex captiuitate liberationem atque esse posit si hab tanâ—lâ—ss solâ—tudines contingerent fluminâ— Bucerus in locum hereby that their deliuerance out of captiuitie would bee as acceptable vnto them as floods of water can bee to such as dwell in a drie and barren wildernesse And others that he desireth their libertie to be accomplished with as great celeritie as a Riuer being bankfull doth run with a swift current or as Genebrardus saith hee would haue their deliuerance effected speedily more terrentium cito accrescentium as Riuers after rayne on a sudden doe swell and rise Briefly Argumentum petiâ—um vel à potentia Dei vel ab vtili Vide Scult in loc it is an Argument taken either from Gods sufficiencie to effect it or from the vtilitie that would redound to themselues when it was effected As for Gods sufficiency looke with what facilitie and ease hee did formerly bring water out of the hard Rocke and Riuers out of the drie wildernesse for their forefathers with the like facilitie when it pleased him he could bring againe their captiuitie And vpon the assurance of the Lords omnipotencie to effect so much and much more when it best liked his gracious goodnesse for them the Prophet now entreateth him by feruent prayer to coole and refresh their captiuitie as the Springs in the South of Arabia did coole and refresh the drie and scorched wildernesse at the Israelites departure out of Egypt As for the vtilitie they should receiue by this their libettie we may conceiue it if we consider first how the Psalmist in these few words desires the Lord to bring home the remnant that remayned still in Babylon and then to reestablish such as were alreadie returned to their former estate as also looke how profitable showres * Quemadmâ—dum largus insbâ—r aut fluuins eiusmodi solum recreat fruges calore solis adustas mirificè resicit it a liberatio ab exilio vebementer asslictos moerore depressâ—s Israelitarum animos vicissim criget incredibili gaudio perfundet Gein in loc of raine and coole streames would bee vnto the Sunnebeate South no lesse profitable would their deliuerance be vnto them being burnt vp with the burning Sunne of persecution The South countrie is naturally drie and hardned and so vnfruitfull and barren and therefore when it is moistned and mollified besprinkled and bedewed with fresh streames and coole waters it is made fertill and fruitfull so here the Prophet doth couertly expresse how hurtfull and hatefull their captiuitie was vnto them by comparing it to barren ground and how pleasant and profitable their deliuerance would bee by allusion to Riucrs in the South For as where the Sunne beats hot and where the ground is not moystned with the first and latter
glad for the Spirituall blessings then for any temporall benefits wee receiued by the like deliuerance Many were the blessings the Lord conferred vpon vs when hee deliuered vs from that tragicall Conspiracie but these were the principall the Church was not subuerted our gracious Prince the Churches Head vnder Christ and his royall Progenie was not destroyed nor the light of the Gospell extinguished And these should giue vs iust occasion to reioyce First with the Iewes Wee must preferre Ierusalem to our y Psal 137. chiefe ioy Then with Mephibosheth wee ought to preferre our Masters safetie reioycing that our Lord the King is come home in peace And thirdly Heere with the Iewes z 2. Sâ—â— 19.30 wee should make great ioy that wee haue the Law and the Leuites still amongst vs. Thus must we reioyce after this sort must wee exercise our selues at all such times but not giue our selues wholly ouer to delicacie and Musicke as the Israelites did in Amos a Amos 6.4 5 6 time nor yet spend the day in drunkennesse and wantonnesse as the Iewes did in Isaiahs b Is 5.11.12 time For they had the violl harpe timbrell pipe and wine in their feasts but they regarded not the worke of the Lord neither considered the operation of his hands But may wee not at such time vse lawfull sports Quest and exercise our selues in honest recreations Yea For first these pleasures of the bodie and mind which are of good report are indifferent if modestly vsed Answ Secondly honest exercise doth much relieue the debilitie of nature and doth quicken the dull spirits which else would be depressed and ouerladen with immoderate labour Yet in the vse of these lawfull pleasures some cautions must be obserued First they must be iust and lawfull ☜ Whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are worthie loue whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are of good report of there bee any vertue or if there be any praise thinke on c Phil. 4.8 these things sayth the Apostle Secondly wee must take heed weâ— offend not thereby our weake d 1. Cor. 8. brother though in themselues they be f Rom. 14.15 21. indifferent yet must wee abstaine from the vse of things indifferent if they giue any offence to the weake Thirdly lawfull recreations must bee at seasonable times Vpon the Sabbath we must not doe our owne will it is the Lords day and wee must consecrate it as glorious to the Lord in honoring him not doing our owne wayes nor seeking our owne will nor speaking a vaine g Is 58.13 word Lastly wee must not exceede but wee must keepe a moderation in the vsing of these lawfull pleasures for he that reioyceth must bee as though he reioyced h 1. Cor. 7.30 not Wee must vse them as Ionathan tasted the honie onely for his necessarie i 1. Sam. 14.27 refreshment and as Timothie was to drinke wine onely a little to preserue his health and to relieue the debilitie k 1. Tim. 5.23 of nature and like Gideons Souldiers wee must onely but lap with the l Iudges 7.6 tongue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not drinke a full draught of them otherwise wee prooue our selues to be of the number of those who are called louers of pleasure more then louers of m 2. Tim. 3.4 God Now if wee obserue the words some what narrowly it must not be omitted Facti sumus laetantes non laetati sumus Quisacit beneficium facit gaud um qui â—os libâ—râ—t cosdem laetisicat Hugo Card. in locum that the vulgar Latine hath it Wee were made glad and not wee reioyced Because as Hugo sayth Hee that bestowes the blessing giues also grace to reioyce in the blessing and hee that deliuers vs doth also cause vs reioyce in our deliuerie From whence wee gather that God is the onely Author of all true ioy and he alone doth comfort vs after all our troubles It is he that changeth our griefe into gladnesse our mourning into mirth and that wipes away all teares from our eyes and crownes vs with euerlasting ioy which no man can take from vs. And therefore Dauid being troubled in soule and grieued in mind prayes thus vnto the Lord Make mee to beare of ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce But thou wilt now aske mee Quest. how thou mayest know that ioy that comes from the Lord from all other ioy I answere First Answ by the antecedent signes as first true humiliation for as God giueth grace to none but to the lowly so hee giueth ioy to none but to the humble and as darkenesse was before light so there must be first true contrition and then will follow true consolation Secondly it proceeds from a liuely hope for wee reioyce vnder n â—om 12.12 hope as the hope that Abraham had of Christs Incarnation caused him exceedingly to reioyce for mans saluation Againe it is knowen by the concomitants as first righteousnesse of life For the kingdome of God is not in meat and drinke but in righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy o Rom. 14.17 Ghost Then it is alwaies accompanied with these two associats First A holy feare serue the Lord in feare sayth Dauid and reioyce before him with p Psal 2.11 trembling Secondly A quiet conscience and so the Apostle Paul reioyced for the testimonie of his conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse hee had his conuersation in the q 2. Cor. 1.12 world Thirdly it may be knowne by the consequents or effects First Patience in aduersitie Wee reioyce sayth Paul in tribulations knowing that tribulation bringeth forth r 2. Cor. 6.10 Rom. 5.3 patience Secondly it causeth vs to vilipend and vnder-value all other ioy God forbid sayth the Apostle that I should glorie or reioyce in any thing but in the Crosse of Christ. Now if the Lord hath giuen thee grace to bee truely humbled for thy sinnes and hath giuen thee a liuely hope in the death of his Sonne and withall hath endued thee with a holy feare if thy conscience bee at peace with God if thou be patient in aduersitie and if you contemne all earthly and worldly ioy and yet inwardly thou art glad and ioyfull assure thy selse that that ioy that gladnesse proceeds of the Lord and all such may say here with the faithfull wee are made glad To conclude Lorinus sayth Wee are comforted or made glad as hauing forgotten their former troubles Quasi â—â—iorum obliti maâ—rum Lorin in locum so that the Iewes being now as it were rauished with their present felicitie and jocunditie Magnificauit magnificauit non â—emâ—è conâ—â—â—â—ur hâ—c duplicatin sed vâ— osteâ—deret magnam quam coeperunt Letitiam Chrysan locum they altogether forget their former woe and miserie Certainely they were greatly ioyed and great was