aboue Reu. 22.25 which all Christians should earnestly attend and feruently pray with the spouse Come Lord Iesus The watchman looketh about to see the Sun spread out his beames he knoweth that light doth not come from below We should turne our eies from the world because here is no comfort Nots and looke vnto Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of the Father with Saint Steuen from whom onely we may expect a comfortable deliuery out of all our miseries Act. 7.56 4. The light commeth in the morning Before breake of day is greatest darkenesse and then the Sunne ariseth and by his beames expelleth the same the light commeth not till the euening The Apostles rowed all night Mat. 14.24 till they were become weary and out of all hope and then Christ came in the fourth watch and relieued them being then in a most desperat case God will come So the Lord although he tarieth to let vs feele our owne weakenesse yet no doubt he will come he dealt this way with Iacob he wrestled all night with him till the breake of day Ge. 32.28 and then blessed him Dauid after he was long pursued and persecuted by Saul 2. Sam. 1. yet at last gat rest and ease Iudg 2.16 The Iewes were neerely destroied by their enemies but God raised vp Sauiours to defend them Dispare not then and disquiet not your selues be not discouraged howsoeuer yee see the Church which is as the Disciples boate tossed to and fro by the waues of persecuting tyrants Mat. 14.23 looke to heauen for the day of her deliuerie is at hand yea that euerlasting deliuerie when the Sunne of righteousnesse shall arise and shine on her for euer she may haue a night for a time but her morning will be most gratious she may be in paines as a woman in trauell for a time but her deliuery will be most comfortable God albeit he seemeth to come serò late yet he commeth seriò in earnest as he did in preseruing the Church in Queene Esters daies Ester 8. By the contrary the wicked may haue a short morning in this world but they cannot escape an euerlasting night in that bottomlesse pit of darknesse Nota. out of which is no deliuerie Verse 7. Let Israel waite on the Lord for with the Lord is mercy and with him is great redemptions After the Prophet hath spoken of himselfe that he awaited vpon the Lord he now exhorteth all the Church to do the same He euer desireth the Church to be a partner with him in any benefite which he obtained from the Lord as in the 51 psalme after he hath prayed for mercy to himselfe he in the 18 verse prayeth vnto the Lord for the Church that he would be fauorable to Sion The like did Moses Daniel Ieremie they all prayed for her weale All should pray for the peace of the Church Dâ—uid exhorteth others to pray Pray for the peace of Ierusalem Such sort of preachers are to be highly respected who night and day powre out their prayers for the peace and welfare of Sion who depend on God and stirre vp others to put their trust and hope in God This did Iosua and Caleb after they had viewed the land Numb 13.31.33.34 giue heart and courage to the people of Israel to goe forward to Canaan whereas the other ten spies discouraged them saying their walls reached to heauen and the people were as the sonnes of Anak When Dauid desireth the whole Church to put her hope in God he recalleth her from alâ— other vaine hopes or putting her trust in any other This should make those who professe themselues to be Christians to blush and be ashamed to put their trust in any other but God I looked saith Dauid vnto the mountaines from whence mine helpe shall come Psal 12â— â— 2 mine helpe commeth from the Lord who made the heauen and the earth When Israel looked to haue helpe fortification and refuge of man then she was disapointed and left comfortlesse in her greatest extremeties Ier. 17.5 Cursed be he who maketh the armo of flesh and blood his confidence For with the Lord is mercie That which he so patiently attended vpon was mercie and that which he desireth the Church to waite for is mercie He repeeteth to the Church the goodnesse of that which he had tasted himselfe that which was needfull to him was needefull to the whole body of the Churchâ— and therefore as he wished mercie to himselfe he wished mercie to the whole Church militant Euery Christian should loue the Church more then himselfe which teacheth euery Christian to loue the Church as well as himselfe yea more and as he would haue health and welfare to himselfe so to procure the same for the Church And with him is great redemption He pointeth out this mercie First By the wonderfull effect thereof redemption Secondly By the qualitie thereof great redemption Redemption is the freeing of that which is in thraldome by giuing of a price What redemption is as the redemption of land presupposeth that it was ingaged for summes of money giuen to the owner and thus folde vpon reuersion or warriours that are taken in battell and ransoned at a price Oh that we would consider the thraldome we are in and how we stand in Gods debt the freedome which we get and the meanes whereby we obtaine the same God gaue vs his golden law and we haue nothing whereby to pay him but the drosse of our merits wherewith we will neuer be able to pay him that summe wherein we are oblished and thus we lie in thraldome Man may be redeemed But heerein is our comfort that we are not solde out at the ground but God hath alwaies reserued to vs a reuersion that we may be redeemed But what is the meanes whereby we are redeemed either it must be by strong hand as Abraham freed Lot or by the gratious fauour of those Ge. 14.16 whose captiues we are as a Master through loue which he beareth to his seruant may set him free or by paying of a ransome The parties were God and the Deuill Gods iustice must be satisfied Sathan must be vanquished or no redemption for vs. This Christ Iesus the sonne of God seeing that blessed seed of the woman and pâ—tying vs became a redeemer for vs by his valour and strength he vanquished that old serpent the Diuil and made vs free from him and by his death he satisfied the wrath of God and paied a ransome for vs euen his pretious blood Mans redemption is by the blood of Christ This redemption then is neither by gold nor siluer but by Christs blood All the world was not able to haue redeemed his blood only was a perfect satisfaction to the Father Lands impignorated become free at the Iubilie and when we are made free from our sinne we may account that the most ioyfull Iubilie that we euer saw Great
saluation onely belongs to the Lord let vs runne to him and seeke it at his hands who is onely able to performe and bring it to vs. Seeke it not at Saints but at the King of Saints In thee doe I trust There is described the powerfull instrument apprehending Gods mercies euen faith adorned with his chiefe quality Constancy crowneth all our vertuâ—â— constancy for all the day signifieth as much as continually for there is no vertue in man which can be responsable to God if it be not ioyned with constancie Ye must wait patiently beleeue confidently seeke knocke aske hold vp your hands without fainting strengthen your weake hands and feeble knees Gen. 32 2â— He abode with Iacob the heat of the day and the cold of the morning and shrinked not till the Lord came at last and we must abide to the end of the day of our life Many begin in the morning of their youth to seeke God who forsake him in the euening of their age The day hath a morning a noone and an euening-tide so hath our age a youth a middle age and a declining time blessed is he that perseuers to the end and till his later breath constantly depends on God and leaues him not for certainly that man shall haue the crowne of eternall glory VERSE 6. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy louing kindnesse for they haue beene for euer IN the preceding words Dauid first prayed that God would deliuer him from shame and contempt next that hee woud teach him his wayes Doct. No assurance of the remission of sin till God put his law in our hearts and now he desires that God would haue mercy vpon him and pardon him his sinnes Marke by this his order in prayer how first hee desires that God would teach him his law and then that he would put away his sinne for we can neuer get assurance of the remission of our sinnes till God put his law in our heart After these dayes saith the Lord by Ieremy I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teath no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying Know ye the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest of them sayes the Lord. For I will forgiue them their iniquity and remember their sinnes no more Which the Apostle to the Hebrewes reciteth word by word Doctr. Knowledge of sinne comes before remission of sinne For God first by his word and Spirit workes in the mind of a sinner a light and sight of his sinnes and in his heart a sorrow for it and then he putteth it away and forgiues it Therefore let vs try what sight and sense of sin the word of God hath wrought in vs that we haue a certificate to our conscience of the remission thereof Ps 107.20 He sendeth his word and healeth them He sent Nathan to Dauid and then pardoned him In these two verses he thrice repeateth the word remember not that there is any memory or forgetfulnesse in God as in man for time makes man to forget but God changeth no time absence makes vs forget but all things are present to him memory hath a seat in mans braine which being perturbed it fayles God is all memory But he is said to remember or forget How God is said to remember Gen. 8.1 and 19.29 Gen. 30.22 1 Sam. 1.19 when by visible tokens of doing he sheweth his fauour or displeasure to man As he remembred Noah when the flood diminished Abraham when he saued Lot and brought him out from Sodome Rachel when he made her conceiue and Anna when he granted vnto her her petition Thy tender mercies and louing kindnesse First he craues at God that he would remembe his mercies which is the first thing wee should seeke at God for if we get it as said Iacob wee get all things Gen. 33.11 Mercy against merit And hereby it is clearly seene that hee disclaimes all merits for albeit he fought the Lords battells gouerned his people by the word and sword in executing iustice prayed and praised God continually fasted and bestowed almes on the Saints Psal 16.2 Vse Of confutation of the Papists merits yet he confesseth they cannot extend to God which refureth and damneth the foolish Papists who pretend merits but commit murthers and adulteries and yet with open mouth they cry merits merits Hee amplifieth Gods mercies by three names mercies benignities goodnesse benignity twice repeated see how highly hee doth esteeme of Gods goodnesse when hee cannot finde termes sufficiently to expresse them A liuely representation of the Trinity But these three liuely represent vnto vs the Trinity the Father the fountaine of goodnesse yea goodnesse it selfe the Sonne mercie supplying our misery the holy Spirit benignity and bountifulnesse gratiously working and bestowing these things which the Father and Sonne giue The goodnesse of God is the fountaine begetting mercy and mercy bringeth forth benignity Let vs learne by this that whateuer commeth to vs must either come out of the fountaine of Gods mercy or else it is a curse not a benignity but a malignity Many say Who will shew vs any good thing Psal 4.6 but Dauid sayes Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance on me We should imitate the three properties of the Trinity These three properries of the Trinity all Christians should imitate the goodnesse of the Father the mercy of the Sonne and the bountifulnesse of the Spirit that in so doing they may haue society with the Father Son and Spirit I know thee to be a good man because thou art not cruell but mercifull I know thee to be mercifull in that thy hand is bountifull thou giues and distributes to the poore Psal 112.9 thy righteousnesse endureth for euer The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rachamim signifieth bowels which are the seats and places of the fatherly and motherly loue and therefore the children are called parentum viscera the bowels of the parents which phrase the Apostle writing to Philemon both in the 12. and 20. verse expoundeth spiritually Thou therefore receiue him that is mine owne bowels and in the 20. verse Comfort my bowels in the Lord. Esay 49.19 Can a mother forget her child c. yet the Lord cannot forget Israel Ps 103.13 And as the Father pitties his children so the Lord hath pitty on those that feare him So we see hereby how deare and neere we are to Gods very heart that we haue a place in his innermost affections Infinit miseries haue need of infinit mercies 2 Cor. 1.3 Gods mercies are eternall But when hee speakes of mercies and benignities he speakes in the plurall number because as our sinnes and miseries are infinit so we haue need of infinit comforts and pardons he is called the father of mercies For they
his mercy is aboue all his works extending to a thousand generations Exo. 20.6 Psal 100.5 Hos 6.6 whose mercie endureth for euer With the Lord is mercie and great redemption I will haue mercie and not sacrifire His mercies are often repeated in the Scriptures as Psal 5.6.12.16.17.20.22.23.24 thrice 25.30 thrise 32. twise 35. thrise 39. twise 41. thrise 47.50.50.58 thrise 60.61.62.63.68 twice c. Ioel 2.13 Mica 7.18 Mâ—th 12.7 rich in mercie â— Tim. 1.2 Eph. 2.4 c. The Apostles salutation is Grace mercie and peace Since so it is As a gardeÌ„ is replenished with flowers so is the Scriptures with mercie that this herbe of mercie groweth in euery corner of the garden of holy Scriptures and all the Prophets and Euangelists by plucking thereof haue nourished themselues let vs also in our greatest distresses run vnto it perswading our selues that God will as soone denie himselfe vnto vs as he will denie his mercie if we come with penitent hearts and beg it with such humility as becometh supplicants such faith as beleeuers such hope and patience as becommeth the elect we need not doubt he is faithfull who hath promised The Papists Bellarmine and Larinus in their translations Lorinus Bellarmine adde to the Scriptures following the Septuagints and not Saint Ierome as they confesse do adde magnam great giuing greater credit to their owne translation then to S. Ierome who was knowne to haue bin a godly and learned translator or to the Hebrew veritie They confesse the Scriptures in the originall language to be the best and yet do not spare to adde or pare therefrom as pleaseth them and therefore that curse must fall vpon them in the 22 of the Reuelation that God will adde all the curses of the law vpon those who adde to the Scripture and the words of this book and put their name out of the booke of life who diminish any point of them What need haue they to put in magnam great as though the multitude which followeth did not include the greatnesse O God The person to whom he prayeth is God Obiect Against iâ—uocation of Saintâ— But in regard of his basenesse and vnworthinesse why doth he not make suite to Abraham Moses Samuel Iob or some other holy men onely contenting himselfe with God For I thinke the sinners of old time had as much need of the suppliment of the old Patriarkes and Fathers of the Church as we haue now of the helpe of our Apostles and Saints If they had not mind of such Mediators â—â—â—siâ— but fled onely to God I thinke we should follow their footsteps When God is deficient then let vs go to them and when the Sunne of righteousnes doth not shine it is time to light our halfe â—pennie candles Paul saith O foolish Galatians Gal. 4.3.1 who hath bewitched you and I say O foolish Papists when will you leaue off your folly If Christs intercession being God who knoweth all our necessities and pitieth them were not perfect then we might claime some subsidies but it is vaine to seeke otherâ— when he hath all for that doth greatly derogate to his glorie as I haue spoken in another place He vseth the word Elohim representing the holy Trinitie He inuocateth the whole Trinitie of which some of the ancients haue this coniecture because he failed against the Fathers omnipotencie when he abused his regal power in slaying Vriah against the Sonne being the wisedome of the Father vsing deceitfulnesse and fraud in this murder against the Spirit when he by his filthinesse abused his holinesse who is the Spirit of sanctification Therefore say they he now prayeth to Elohim Iudge of this nomination as ye please Elohim representeth the Trinitie as Iehouah the vnitie of both which Saint Augustine in his Confessions admonisheth vs We should saith he neâ—er remember the vnitie of the essence but we should as soone remember and dissolue our mind vpon the trinitie of the persons and not so soone thinke vpon the trinitie of the persons but to gather in our minds the vnitie of the nature which albeit they be vnspeakable and incomprehensible to vs it is enough that we speake with the Scriptures beleeue with the Scriptures and pray at the direction of the Scriptures whose direction if we follow we cannot erre in whose paths as being the vndoubted writs of God if we walke we cannot fall According to thy louing kindnesse The thing which he reposeth and resteth vpon Against merits is not his owne deserts but Gods good wil. Iudge ye if this ouerthroweth merit or no. For if any man might haue preteÌ„ded good works it was he Psal 16. I giue saith he my goodnesse to the Saints I am companion to all them that feare thee I wash my hands in innocencie and compasse thine altar Looke the 101. Psalme concerning the gouernment of his family and his owne person Of his vpright life he saith Iudge me according to my righteousnes While he hath to do with men there was no man more pure in life and religion but when he hath to do with God he renounceth all and taketh him to Gods kindnes and fauour While we looke downe to the earth our sight is sharp enough and we may see far and cleerly Simil. but when we looke to the Sunne then our sight is dazled and blinded so before men we may brag of our vprightnesse and honestie but when we looke vp to God we are ashamed of our selues yea of the least thought of our harts The Lord of his mercie keep vs from presumption that we presume not in any good thing we do seeing that it is Gods worke in vs let him take the honour of his owne worke and let vs say with Dauid Shame belongeth to vs but glorie to thee Out best actions are contaminate with such imperfections and spots that we haue cause to â—top our mouthes and blush and be ashamed of them we are conscious of the manifold faults and defects which are in them According to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities He exaggerateth the weight of his sin in that it hath need of many mercies whereby he testifieth that his sinnes were many passing the number of the heires of his head and like waters that had gone ouer his head So Gods mercies are more then mans miseries many sinnes require many mercies Men are greatly terrified at the multitude of their sinnes but here is a comfort our God hath multitude of mercies If our sinnes be in number as the heires of our head Gods mercies are as the starres of heauen and aâ— he is an infinite God so his mercies are infinite yea so far are his mercies aboue our sinnes as he himselfe is aboue vs poore sinners By this that he seeketh for multitude of mercies The godly account one sin tâ— be many he would shew how deeply he was wounded with his manifold sinnes that one seemed a hundred where
not excuse vs albeit they may extenuate our paines and make vs to bee punished with fewer stripes I will not insist in this poynt because I haue spoken sufficiently thereof in that Sermon on Christs first word spoken on the Crosse Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe But according to thy kindnesse remember thou mee euen for the goodnesse sake O Lord. The fountaine hee runnes vnto is the mercy of God where hee plainly disclaimes his owne merits Lorinus the Iesuite against merits Lorinus a Iesuite here bringeth in sundry passages of Scripture to qualifie the mercy of God against merits Psal 6.8.51.3.69.14.86.5.15.106.45.119.156.130.7 Dan. 9.18 Isa 55.7 VERSE 8. Gratious and righteous is the Lord therefore will hee teach sinners in the way IN this second part of the Psalme after his Petition Doct. Gods truth and mercy props of a Christians faith Psal 116. he setteth downe the props to the which his faith doth leane to wit the mercy truth and righteousnesse of God He beleeued therefore hee spake so our Prayers except they bee grounded on faith and an assurance that God will grant them they are offensiue to God and not profitable for vs Hee who prayeth without faith saith S. Iames is like a waue of the Sea Iam. 1.6 tost of the winde and carried away The proofe of this is in the sixt Psalme wherein after his prayers with a constant assurance he concludeth all mine enemies shall be confounded Psal 6 1◠After hee had prayed for mercy hee falleth out in a meditation consideration and proclamation of Gods goodnesse in the eighth ninth and tenth verses Simil. as it were to stir vp himselfe vp to Prayer againe as a man finding a fire almost consumed doth put thereinto more coales to kindle it Gracious and righteous is the Lord. First in his owne nature hee is good and righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectus next he is good to vs in teaching vs his way God is not only good but goodnes it selfe but how doth his goodnes appeare not in shewing mercy on Abraham Isaacke Iacob Moses and the righteous but on the most miserable sinners as Manasses saith in his Prayer the Prodigall child harlots such other Therefore will he teach sinners in the way Mat. 6.11.12 In this common benefit of remission of sinnes he inuolueth himselfe with the rest of the Saints and so should all our sutes bee common that wee desire nothing alone but that whereof our brethren may participate This is the communion of Saints which wee beleeue Our dayly prayers are for all Giue vs this day our dayly bread forgiue vs our sinnes and lead vs not into temptation Note Who seeketh any thing for himselfe of God and not for the rest of his brethren shall be repelled receiue nothing The persons to whom mercy appertaines are called sinners Doct. Sinne the onely obiect of Gods mercy Rom. 5.20 as though hee would make sinne the onely obiect of Gods mercy as indeed it is for Gods mercy would not haue been manifested if sin had not been knowne that so where sinne abounded there grace might superabound the whole haue not need of the Physitian Luk. 5.31 but the sick Think not that the multitude of thy sinnes will exclude thee from Gods grace Christ at the vvell was found of the Samaritan woman Ioh 4. mercy and misery met together in the Pharisees house Luke 7.36 euen Christ and the Magdalen Mat. 20.31 in the field hee met with the blind who cried Luke 18.14 Sonne of Dauid haue mercy on vs in the Temple vvith the Publican Iohn 5.2 at the Poole with the Paralitique for Luke 5.32 He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance But what teacheth he His wayes He teacheth Godswaies not mans traditions Ionah 2.8 not the tradition of men of Popes of Councels who could and haue erred but Gods owne wayes his statutes so oft repeated in the 119. Psalm Woe to the Papist who followeth lying vanities forsaking their owne mercy The great Doctor and teacher is God himselfe who hauing the key of the heart must open it himselfe Doct. The conuersion of a sinner is not a work of nature 1 Cor. 3.6 Therefore the conuersion of a sinner is not a worke of nature but it is Gods principall fauour who must giue encrease to Pauls planting and Apolloes watering We should therefore feruently pray to God for the Preachers that hee would so blesse them that by their labours many may be conuerted to himselfe The Israelites vnder the Law being terrified by Gods voice said Let not God speake any more vnto vs Exod. 20 1◠but Moses But wee vnder the Gospel being comforted by his voice say Note Let Moses and Paul be silent but let God speake to vs. The worke of conuersion of sinners Dauid draweth to the fountaine euen Gods grace and free fauour whateuer commeth to vs doth proceed out of his grace But this is wonderfull Doctr. Mercy and iustice meet in the saluatiō of man how grace and righteousnesse which seeme so opposit in the saluation and conuersion of a sinner meets together and kisses one another I answer In the worke of our redemption they accorded when Gods iustice was fully satisfied by the death of Christ and his mercy was cleere by full pardoning vs Simil. Leu. 16.8 when we escaped with the scape-Goat to the wildernesse and he died the suerty paid the debt and wee were freed In the conuersion of a sinner hee vseth both hee vvounds and humbles cures and exalts againe Deducit ad inferos reducit Hee cast downe Paul Acts 9.4.8 made him blind rebuked him and then conuerted and comforted him and sent him to teach the Gospel and conuert others VERSE 9. Them that be meek will he guide in iudgement and teach the humble his way HE setteth down in this verse to whom the former benefit doth appertaine and what sort of sinners shall participate of mercy to wit the meeke and humble whom God hath so prepared by afflictions and crosses Doct. Afflictions teach humility Who are humble Simil. that he hath made them to giue an open way and place to the Gospel to worke in them For as the waxe first is by labour and by fire made soft and pliable before it can take stampe and impression of the Kings image and superscription yea clay must bee made soft and pliable before it bee made a vessell so must God humble vs before he put his image in vs so the gold Simil. siluer c. must be battered before it be stamped Ps 119.71 It is good saith Dauid that thou hast humbled me for thereby I learned thy Commandements If he had not beene first humbled hee had neuer learned Gods Commandements He desired children to come to him for of such is the Kingdome of heauen yea except we become as these Mar. 19.14
them no better then they keepe themselues Dagon could not helpe himselfe 1 Sam. 5.3 Oftentimes our faith is ecclipsed We depend no longer on God then withall we see meanes by which he may helpe vs. that we see not his invisible protection and we cannot depend vpon him longer then wee can see some meanes whereby he will helpe vs and so we leaue the waters of Shiloah and runne to Rezin and seeke other meanes and lurke vnder some fleshly hold which is to be imputed to the distrust and imbecilitie of our faith for we see not the company of the invisible Angels with the servant of Elisha 2 King 5.17 Seeing therefore that the Lord is a sure hold and al-sufficient all other helpes being vaine let vs say with Dauid Doctr. Christians though subiect to troubles yet not overcome by them 2 Cor. 4.8 Thou art my refuge Yet we must not thinke that we are free from all dangers for we lacke not our owne perils but I may well say with the holy Apostle We are afflicted on every side yet are we not in distresse in povertie but not overcome of povertie we are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perish not as vnknowne and yet knowne as dying and behold we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorrowing and yet alway reioycing 2 Cor. 6.9 10. as poore and yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things For if Christians be Warriours haue they taken Weapons to sit idle Simil. and looke about them and goe to pastime that they be not reproched as the Poet sayd Salmacida spolia sine sanguine sâ—dore The spoyle of Sarmatum without bloud or sweat If we would haue victory Nisi praecedat pugna non sequetur victoria Except there precede a battell there will not ensue a victorie For the wisedome of God his power iustice and goodnesse shines most clearely when his Church is in trouble Beside then the drosse and corruption of our nature is burnt vp by the fire of tentations The vse of â—â—oubâ—es to the godly our faith exercised and our patience crowned yea the bitternesse which we felt in our trouble maketh our delivery more sweete and comfortable as the sharper paine the woman hath felt in bringing forth her childe her ioy will be the greater when shee is delivered as Prorsper the Disciple of Augustine sayd Dulcior fit salus cum dolor excruciat sanitatis amissae dulcedinem languoris amaritudo commendat That is Our health becommeth sweeter when dolor hath tormented vs and the bitternes of our disease commends the sweetnesse of our health which was lost We needed not safetie â—f the necessitie of perill did not vrge and what needeth a Saviour where there are none that haue need to be saved Thou preseruest me from trouble Davids faith is not confined within the bounds of the present time of his delivery but looketh â—o the future time and continuance of Gods â—reservation The experience of his former mercies makes him bold The experience of former deliveries a meaâ—â— to cause vs wait for more 1 Sam. 17.36 Psal 23.6 and confident of â—he constant continuance thereof in time to â—ome which often he vsed in his conflict â—ith Goliah Thy servant slew a Lyon and a â—eare and so shall it be with this Philistim And â—n the 23. Psalme seeing before he called him â—is Shepheard he concludeth and I shall dwell 〈◊〉 long season in the house of the Lord. And the Apostle Paul sayth and he hath delivered me out of the mouth of the Lyon 2 Tim. 4.17.18 and he will deliver me from every evill way So we sâ—ould keepe a Booke of memoriall and register written in our hearts of Gods auncient dealings to vs that they may refresh vs in our present trouble Gods children reioyce in the mids of troubles God preserueth his owne children not onely in deliuering them from their troubles as he doth many a time but also in the midst of their grieuous pangues so comforteth and assisteth them by his presence that they reioyce in the midst of death Although some be wounded and slaine as the Martyrs and many other thousand good Christians as in the Marian dayes in England as yee may reade in the booke of Martyrs And in France where on Saint Bartholmews day August 24. 1572. an 100000. Christians were killed The church remaineth euer victorious yet the Church remaineth euer victorious for the Lord maketh the bloud of his seruants the seat of his Church plagueth her enemies and advanceth his truth yea hee turneth their corporall destruction to the best They would not be deliuered because they looked for a better resurrection In the midst of the winter of their afflictions they shall see the Summer sunne-blinks of Gods gracious countenance comforting them which is their greatest preseruation from defection and tentation Thou compassest me about mith joyfull deliuerance or Songs of deliuerance First In this verse hee sayd God was his secret place next Would deliuer him in trouble and now by Gradations he assureth himselfe hee will giue him matter of reioycing and Sing prayses to him for his preseruation Here the nature of faith is seene it sings the triumph before the victorie for it is sure Faith sings the triumph before the victorie 1 Ioh. 1.9 Psal 4.8 Psal 3.6 God who hath promised is faithfull to performe whereby he hopeth against hope This made him lye downe and sleepe when his enemies keepe watch about him hee was not affraid of ten thousand because God was his protection Hee assureth himselfe of Gods preseruation and also that God shall giue him Songs of deliuerance and by his deliuerie shall minister occasion of his owne prayses and this deliuerance hee ascribeth to God and that he would deliuer him from ingratitude for I thinke all our temporall deliueries from troubles so many chaines to fasteÌ„ our selues vnlesse we prayse God for them And doubtlesse this second grace of God to be thankfull is greater then the other for asmuch as the first is often a temporall benefit To be thankfull an especiall gift of God Luk 17.17 2 King 5.18 but gratitude to God is a Spirituall benefit belonging onely to Gods children Many with the nine Lepers returne not backe to giue thankes Few with Naaman promise to serue no God but the God of Israel So to be short that yee know whether your deliuerie be in mercie or iudgement see how yee are affected toward God in thankefulnesse after the same Dauid sayes Psal 51.15 thou shalt compasse me with songs of deliuerance So he acknowledgeth he hath both of God and in the 51. Psalme he sayth Open my lippes and I will shew thy prayses Dauid assureth himselfe God would giue him a thankfull heart which is the worthiest part of Gods seruice for when we pray wee haue some great respect to our selfe When we pray we chiefly respect our sâ—lues when we
vse of his tongue now grace restoreth it The tongue is a noble instrument and as it were a bell hanging in a high place It is a shame it should not be occupâ—ed in sounding and much more shame that it should be ill occupied in sounding euill things It is best vsed when it soundeth Gods praises who formed it Nota. The tong is best vsed when it praiseth God Simil. As the golden bell of Aarons garment sounded so should our tongues sound Gods praises if we be his Priests This condemneth two sorts of persons one Those are to be condemned who do not speake for God who neuer speake any thing to Gods honor thinking they are well discharged when they do not openly blaspheme or speak vilde speeches out of the filthy groues of a polluted heart although they heare others and cannot open their mouthes to rebuke them being ashamed to speake for the Lord and glorifie him by maintenance of his truth Those are to be condemned who speake against God Mat. 12.36 The other sort is more to be condemned who open their mouth daily to lies blasphemies slanders But be assured that if for euery idle word we are to be countable much more for euery wicked speech we shall be answerable to God at the last day Shall sing ioyfully He is not content to say shall speake For the more vehement intention of the minde kindled vp with ioy maketh the tongue to burst out in Psalmes hymnes and spiritual songs to stirre vp thy selfe and prouoke others with greater delight and pleasure to praise God This sweete singer of Israel answereth to his name when he singeth sweete songs and ballads to the praise of our sweet God Against those that sing profane balads So much in this are those to be condemned who sing profane baudie songs to the dishonour of God and offence of his Church Of thy righteousnesse that is not of his iustice in punishing him but of his righteousnes in couering his iniquitie For which Christ is called God our righteousnesse So he would be vnrighteous and denie himselfe if he should denie vs mercie so sure is our saluation which is our great comfort We must praise God for all his benefits whereof we are lesse then the least and if for the smallest much more for the greatest euen that worke of our redemption by Christ that he is made our righteousnesse to saue vs when we had nothing of our selues and knew not our danger he prepared a salue for vs before we were wounded and the remedie before our danger If we were sicke and had receiued health poore and were relieued would we not thanke God and thinke our selues obliged to him as we are Nota. The greatest benefits deserue the greatest praises but seeing he hath deliuered vs â—rom our sins and from hell haue we not â—he greater cause to be thankfull for the greatest benesits deserue the greatest praises Verse 15. Open thou my lips O Lord and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise HE promised in the former verse to sing ioyfully of Gods righteousnesse now he bethinketh himselfe that this is not in his owne power but it must come from God That as his faith and repentance was of him so his thankfulnesse must also proceed from him There is no temporall or spirituall gift which doth not come from God Phil. 2.13 So there is no temporall or spirituall gift which doth not come from God He worketh in vs velle perficere to will and to do The tongue was consecrated before to God now he presenteth his lips another instrument and at last the mouth it selfe which containeth both Seeing God hath giuen to euery member the owne facultie and power Euery meÌ„ber should sound Gods praises it is good reason it should be vied to his glorie God hath giuen thee a tongue mouth and lips for no other end but to proclaime his praises And cursed is that man if he repent not who soundeth any thing with his tongue but Gods honour We see further that we are all close and bound vp by nature except the God of nature enlarge our hearts with his loue and fit our mouthes with his praises God hath the key of his lips he can make infants and sucklings proclaime his praises Psal 8.2 NuÌ„ 22.28 In Soliloq yea he can open the mouth of Balaams asse to vtter his praise Augustine thinketh non posse laudare Deum sine ipso qui non ipsum habeat qui se adiuuet that God cannot be praised without himselfe he who hath not him to helpe them Moreouer obserue Doctr. Sorow for sinne will break open the dumbe mouth to speake for Gods mercie Simil. how sorrow for sin will breake forth the dumbe mouth to speake for Gods mercie I reade of Croesus his sonne who seeing a traitor going about to murder his father though before he was alwayes dumbe began to speake and crie pitifully why should not we when we see that God is wounded with our sinnes once at last begin to crie Obiect But there ariseth here a question whether by our praises Gods name may be more amplified Solut. I answer with that worthy seruant of God M. Robert Rollock a holy man writing on this Psalme Deum in se esse perfectissimum that God is most perfect â—n himselfe without the worke of any creaâ—ure The Father glorifying the Sonne and â—he Sonne the Father the Father and Son the holy Spirit the holy Spirit the Father the Sonne But yet will be glorified by the creature Because he is iust his righteousnes craueth that the creature should acknowledge the Creator whose felicitie standeth in this that he should reuerence his Maker with all dutifull seruice he craueth it more for our weale then for himselfe Thinke ye that God can be either worse or better for our praises but we our selues are then best when we haue grace to praise him Philip finding Nicanor detracting him Plut. relieued him from his necessitie and then he began to praise him wherefore he said Videtis esse in nostra potestate bene male audire Ye see it is in our power both to be well and euill thought of But God is not so he careth not for our praises and our obloquies do not touch him he is so farre from the one and the other We can neither augment nor impaire his dignitie speake what we will or please wee may doe our selues euill him we cannot offend Sinne taketh away the benefit of our tongue Sin maketh a man duÌ„b that he can not praise God that we become dumb and cannot praise God till he forgiue vs our sinnes and then we shall speak and although we would speake God thinketh nothing of our speeches vntill we be reconciled to him What hast thou to do to declare mine ordinances Psal 50.16 and to take my name in thy mouth seeing thou hatest to be reformed But wo to the tongue mouth and
to the Father The sacrifices of righteousnesse are those which be lawfull and are commanded by God They shall offer calues vpon thine altar The calues are the calues of the lippes the alter Iesus Christ who was both represented by the brasen altar and by the golden alter For no sacrifice or prayer could euer be acceptable to God vnlesse it were offered vpon Iesus Christ for he is sacrificium sacerdes et altare Augustine saith he is the Priest the Altar and the Sacrifice the offerâ—r the thing offered and the altar vpon which it is offered All the mosaicall altars are abrogated because the sacrifice is made The heathnish altars haue no place The popish altars are abominable after the apish imitation of the Iewish altars they would offer that incrementum sacrificium â—issa without any warrand of Gods word It is enough for vs to offer not Christ to the Father but our prayers by Christ to the Father who will smell asweet sauour of rest of all our peticions and thankes which are presented vpon Christ and for thirst of him Lord keep vs from the altar of Damasâ—us and let vs offer all our offences vpon Iesus Christ with whom we shall be very heartily welcome to God Amen A GODLY AND FRVITFVL EXPOSITION ON THE CXXX PSALME the sixt of the Penitentials The Title A Psalme of degrees OF the Psalmes there are fifteene called Psalmes of degrees or cantica maaloth of assension whereof foure are assigned to Dauid and one to Salomon Why they are thus intituled it is controuersed vpon some thinke them to be thus called Why called a psalm of degrees because there were so many steppes in the Temple of Solomon wherby men ascended as Angustine in his hundred fiftie Psalme whose opinion Bellarmine citeth But apparantly they haue not taken their name from this because in Dauids daies not so much as the Church was builded Others be of opinion that it was after the people came from Babilon which is as light when that captiuity was so many hundred yeares after their death I thinke the Hebrew word would rather be referred to the tune and notes which should asend in singâ—ng and be swift in high notes being so excellent and so easie to be sung 〈◊〉 allegorie The allegorie is not to be neglected that we should by singing them ascend from this earth to that heauenly Ierusalem in our affections Bellarmines eâ—rour coÌ„cerning the singing of this Pâ—alme for thoâ—e that 〈◊〉 purgatorie Bellarmine thinketh this Psalme should be sung for the soules of those that are in profundo in a deepe place who desire to arise and get Gods mercie But who doth not see except he be blind the heretiques errour What doth he know whither such haue repented whether they haue confessed their sinne or no For thousands dies without confessing them If their sinne be mortall they go to hell say they wherefrom there is no redemption The forme of prayer then seeing it hath no warrand in the word it should be reiected as seruing to no vse and no credite should be giuen thereto This Psalme was made many hundred yeares before purgatorie was inuented for purgatorie was after Christ before Christs daies there was none as they themselues confesse And in this Psalme there is not one word that can giue the smallest warrant to that diuelish and foolish inuention Let them sing their De profoundâ—s as they please they doe themselues no more good then they doe to others and that is none at all Nota. onely they spend some idle houres and gaine somewhat to themselues The substance of this Psalme In this Psalme is contained an earnost and ardent prayer of a troubled heart first for mercie to his sinnes and next for deliuerence therefrom and last an exhortation to all men to hope in God because he will be a continuall redeemer of his people and can find meanes to deliuer them from all their sinnes and iniquites The parts of the Psalme In the first foure verses is contained his tentation by commemoration of his praier which he conceiued when he was in greatest perrill Next by forme of transitation he affirmeth that yet he will depend vpon God and his word in the fift and sixe verses And last he recommendeth this same hope to the Church in the last two verses with a bold assurance of the fauour of God toward his chosen Verse 1. Out of the deepe places haue I called vnto thee O Lord. OVt of the deepe places In this verse he setteth downe First the place from which he spoke de profundis out of the deepe places Secondly the forme of his prayer I called Thirdly the person to whom he prayeth To thee O Lord. By the deep places is meant afflictions into which the godly are often plunged By the deepe places as all the ancients consent is meant the deepe places of afflictions and the deepe places of the heart troubled for sinne Afflictions are compared to deepe waters Psalme 18.17 He drew me out of many waters saue me O God for the waters haue entred to my soule Psalme 96. And surely Gods children are often cast into very desperate cases and plunged into deepe miseries To the end they may send out of a contrite feeling heart such prayers as may mount aloft and pierce the heauens When we are in prosperitie our prayers comes from our lippes Nota. and therefore the Lord is forced to cast vs downe to the end our prayers may come from our heart and that our senses may be wakened from the securitie in which they are lying Albeit the throne of God be most high Nota. yet he delighteth to heare the petition of hearts that are most low that are most casten downe by the sight of sinne And there is no affliction neither any place so low yea if as low as the belly of the whale wherein Ionas lay which can seperate vs from the loue of our Lord Ionah 2.6 or stay our prayers from comming before him Those that are furthest casten downe are not furthest from God but neerest vnto him God is neere to a contrite heart God nighest vnto them that are most low Simil. and it is the proper seate where his Spirit dwelleth Isa 62. And this way God dweleth with vs as men doe with such houses as they are minded to build sumptuously and on high for then they digge deepe grounds for the foundation Thus God purposing to make a faire shew of Daniel and the three children in Babel of Ioseph in Aegipt of Dauid in Israel he first threw them into the deepe waters of affliction Daniel is casten into the den of Lions Dan. 6.16 Dan. 3.23 Ge. 39.20 The three children are throwne into the firie ouen Ioseph is imprisoned Dauid exiled 1. Sa. 27.2 yet all these he exalted and made them glorious Temples to himselfe Marke hereby the dulnesse of our nature that is such The dulnes of our nature hath need
the holiest to an account he could finde them euen by their owne conscience guilty of iudgement Thus Christ reasoned with the Iewes taking an argument from their conscience Let him Ioh. 8.7 saith he who is without sinne among you cast the first stone at the woman taking in adulterie The papists confesse that the imperfection of our workes are supplied by Gods mercie but they diuide righteousnesse giuing Christ one part and taking to themselues another who doth not see how farre they erre from the Prophet Dauids confession Why establish they workes of supererogation which is a superlatiue folly if they cannot deserue more then may saue themselues It is a vaine thing to dreame either of satisfaction or satispassion Against merits that either a man can doe enough or suffer enough to satisfie God for his sinne Christ hath satisfied for vs all both the law by obedience and the iustice of God by his suffering who hath closed all vnder sinne that he may haue mercy on all Rom. 11.32 Bellarmine saith well on this place Vide Bellermin Psal 130. Offensio in Deum est infinita magnitudinis The offence done against God is of an infinite hudgenesse that we can neither condignely and worthily satisfie for them yea not acknowledge the grauitie and weight of them 2. How can a finite man make account for an infinite summe to such a God who knoweth the number of them and craueth so exact a reckoning But mercie is with thee that thou maiest be feared He being plunged in the deepthes of sinnes sorrowes is not able to reskew himselfe What he fâ—ndeth not in himselfe or others he sindeth In God Simil. till God relieued him The thing which he cannot finde in himselfe or in any other he seeketh it in God The earth is barren by nature an hard deud and cold element till it get life heate and moisture from heauen the same warmeth and quickeneth it and so it becommeth fruitfull euen so by nature there is neither light life nor grace in vs vntill God send them downe from heauen Wherefore then doe sinners seeke any releefe from beneath Iam. 2.17 Euery good gift commeth from the father of lights Let vs seeke it where it is to be found Luk. 24 5 Why seeke yee him that is liuing saith the Angell among the dead Why seeke we life in the dead world Mercy excludeth merit Rom. 3.28 Mercie excludeth all merits For grace and merits as Paule reasoneth doe fight ex diametro If we be saued by grace then merite is no merite if by merite then grace is no grace To ioyne those two grace and merite with these olde heretiques the Pelagians or with the Semipelagians arch-here-tique papists is great folly for they can no more agree together then fire and water of which of force the one will destroy the other 1. Iam. 5.2 Dagon and the Arke of God or the foote of Nebuchadnzars image composed of iron and clay Dan. 2.43 How mercie is said to be in God and with God Is with thee It is of him and from him as the author and God of all mercies it is in him as a fountaine to be found It is with him lying in his treasurie yea in a word it is himselfe beginning mids and end is ener mercie and compassion Are you in miserie stand you in neede of mercie ye know where to finde it euen in God and with God All the waies of the Lord are mercie and truth Psal 25.10 to them that walke vprightly If thou be sick thou knowest where to haue medicine without mony if poore where true riches are to be gotten if hungry wher food is The mercies of God supplie all the miseries of man There is no miserie in mans nature which may not be helped by Gods mercie and remission of thy sinnes This mercie as Augustine saith is to be found in the redemption of Christ blood That thou maiest be feared The consequent of this mercie is showen in the latter part of this verse that God may be feared But it seemeth very strange that mercy should beget feare Obiect where rather loue by it should be stirred vp in our hearts Solut. I answere the obteining of mercie begetteth both feare and loue a childish feare least we offend him a childish loue whereby to please him When the Apostle saith Charitas expellit timorem 1. Ioh. 4.18 loue expelleth feare he meaneth of a beastlie and slauish feare True loue and true feare are alwaies together Simil. but true loue and true feare may stand both together a child may feare to offend his louing father whom he loueth The end for which God offereth himselfe so peaceablie to man and so ready to graunt him mercie is that he may be feared If men were not assured to get mercie when they repent there could be no worshipping of God or godlinesse and if we had no esperance of grace why should we pray or vse diuine seruice in vaine The papists vnderstand not this ground for albeit they speake largely of the feare of God The papists are miserable comforters yet they keepe miserable soules in perplexitie denying that God will shew mercie vnto them calling it an high presumption that any should assure himselfe of Gods mercie what do they I pray you but build without a foundation for God can neuer be rightly worshipped vnles we haue an assurance of his mercie I wish that those Doctors who obscure the grace of God and teach mens righteousnesse could weigh this rightly Is it not a vaine thing in them to affirme that they would haue Gods seruice and worship aduanced themselues in the meane while obscuring Gods graces and mercies which should moue men most to worship him But the doctrine of grace say they maketh men secure and negligent of good workes Obiect it is true Solut. fleshly men will abuse Gods grace in wantonnesse but it is reasonable that for their peruersitie the glorie of God should be obscured and the elect and faithfull should be defrauded of their comfort Verse 5. I haue waited on the Lord my soule hath waited and I haue trusted in his word Verse 6. My soule waiteth on the Lord more then the morning watch watching for the morning IN these two verses Dauid declareth that out of the faith which he had of the remission of his sinnes sprang forth the hope which he had of the accomplishment both of his spirituall and temporall deliueries for faith must preceede Wherein faith and hope differ and hope must follow and attend vpon that which was beleeued faith and hope are both one in substance they differ in this that faith presently apprehendeth the promises of God and hope attendeth the receiuing of them If a king would giue his word Ex verbo Principis vpon the word of a king he would giue such a token to his subiects whereby he might be sure of that which he promised Simil.
in our hearts to the Lord Col. 3 16. reiecting vaine idolatrous and profane ballads and sing spiritually vnto the Lord. When Nathan the Prophet came to him Dauid as is thought lay a yeare almost in this sinne asleep till God wakened him by Nathan Ionah 1.6 as he did Ionas by the Pilot. It is certaine we would sleep vnto death before we awake from sinne if God did not put vpon vs Man is lying asleepe till God waken him and stirre vs vp We are so benummed by the spirit of slumber and possessed by a lethargie that all our senses are stupified till Nathan come and awake vs. Next God sends him that which he praied for euen a faithful admonisher Psal 119. One Prophet cometh to another yea a greater then himselfe 1. King 13.18 not as the old Prophet came to the yong at Bethel to deceiue him but as a father to admonish his child There should be an holy freedome and libertie among Preachers Pastors should freely rebuke the vices one of another each one should freely rebuke another when they see them doing wrong One should not winke at an other as most part do and others being reproued rage mightily saying with Zidkiah When went the Spirit of the Lord out of me to thee 1. King 22.24 Esa 30.10 They rebuke the rebuker They say to the Prophet Prophecie not Obserue moreouer that Nathan cometh first to Dauid not Dauid to Nathan the Physitian to the patient not the patient to the Physitian Christ himselfe came to the sinners and Publicans and called them to repentance This is against the pride of some Mat. 9.13 Against the pride and lazinesse of Preachers and lazinesse of others who will not come or take the paines to visit weake Christians yea will scarce admit them to their presence when they come as though they were Princes Woe to their pride who come not to the sicke and heale not the broken as saith the Prophet but feed themselues with the fat of the sheepe Let none of higher gifts despise those of lower Acts 9.17 God vseth Nathan a Prophet inferiour to Dauid both in Prophecie wisedome and other gifts to be an instrument to warne Dauid Let none then of greater gifts despise those of lesser Ananias taught Paul and here Nathan Dauid After he had gone in to Bathsheba Albeit Dauid thought he had hid himselfe well enough yet God found him out by Nathan Adam hid himselfe among the bushes but God called to him Gen. 3.8 Where art thou Let vs not then dreame that God doth not see vs and whatsoeuer starting holes we seeke to hide our selues in The woman lighteth the candle Luk. 15.4 and findeth the lost pennie and our Shepheard will seeke his lost sheepe and bring it home againe No wither can we go from the all-seeing eye of God Gone in to Bathsheba As Dauid was an example of the frailtie of mans nature and Nathan of a faithfull Preacher so Dauid setteth down what euils do come of the beautie of women which is conioyned with impudencie and leuitie For if she had not washed her selfe naked before the pallace and consented so readily to the King Against the impudency of women that he should come in to her a filthy action spoken in cleane termes as Christians should do the like there had not bin such abhominable crimes committed She representeth many women in our days shamelesly haunting such places where they may giue occasion to meÌ„ to suit after theÌ„ Gen. 38 1â— as Tamar sitting by the high way when Iudah came by This doth not disgrace honest women but rather giueth them matter to glorifie God who hath not suffered them to be deborde in their filthy affections As the wise mariner seeing others by throwing themselues in danger suffer shipwrack Simil thanketh God who kept him from the like so honest women may praise God that he hath preserued their honestie which was not in their owne hand Beautie is not to be euill thought of being a benefit and blessing of God Beautie a blessing of God if not abused but the abuse of beautie by the tentation of the diuell and deceitfulnesse of our owne nature when Satan allureth vs to dishonour God and destroy that goodly peece of workmanship which God hath made vp in vs by that which should haue bin an instrument to prouoke vs to Gods seruice Pro. 31.30 Beautie is deâ—â—â—tfull Absoloms beautie deceiued him c. Sa. 14.15 and many with him haue beautie but haue no grace to vse it well Finally I see both the persons are noted by their names and not obscured wherein the Spirit of God in his word as in a true mirror and glasse representeth euery ones naturall face either in their beautie or in their blemishes So Iohn Baptist spoke particularly to Herod Math. 14.4 and the Prophets to their Princes They closed not vp their reproofes vnder generalities that they might interprete them any way which pleased them best but called blacke blacke sowre sowre and sweete whosoeuer sin openly ought opeÌ„ly to be rebuked sweete For particular applications to eminent persons is most requisite and those that sin openly should be openly rebuked that others may stand in awe Verse 1. Haue mercie vpon me O God according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities HAue mercie vpon me O God The thing he craueth most of God is mercie for God hath many qualities which are essentiall to him but none of them could do vs any good without his mercie his power would destroy vs his wisedome confound vs his iustice condemne vs his maiestie affright vs but all these by it turne to our good To beg for mercie is the first word of a supplicant The first word of the forâ—orne sonne to his father was Father Luk. 15.21 I haue sinned against heauen and against thee This Christ in his prayer hath taught vs to pray Math. 6.12 Forgiue vs our sinnes So in euery prayer we should begin at haue mercie vpon me O God We sin daily and vnlesse we offer vp at the doore of the Sanctuarie a sin-offering we cannot offer an offering of thanksgiuing and the sweete incense of praises Thus prayed the woman of Canaan saying Mat. 19.22 Haue mercie vpon me comprehending vnder that the cure of her daughter and the two blind men cried O Sonne of Dauid haue mercie Mat. 9.27 as also did many others The greatest comfort that Christians haue in their trouble is that they haue to do with a mercifull God and not rigorous nor one who wil chide with vs continually Psal 103.9 but one who is flow to anger readie to forgiue whose name is mercie whose nature is mercifull who hath promised to be mercifull who is the Father of mercies 2. Cor. 1.3 The earth is full of his mercies they are aboue the heauens and the clouds