heart which notwithstanding decreed with his owne mind to suffer all kinde of injuries This is the verie beastlie fearcenes of our country men not any courage of mind Thirdly it is to be observed that DAVIDs affection at last boyled-vp and that he himselfe spake at length For such is the force of our affectiones that violently they draw the regenerate hither and thither Of which it is that you yet perceiue some remanēts of sinne still to remaine in every one of the best men and that this perfect regeneration of the Papistes is but a dreame Surely I beleeue that these men never yet sufficiētly went down into themselues and haue never seen that vyle corruption that lyeth far ben in the heart I know sayeth the Apostle being now regenerate that in me 〈◊〉 7. 18. that is in my flesh no good dwelleth He indeed felt that bitternesse of sin cleauing fast to the ribbes and that law which he calleth The law of the members rebelling against the law of the Spirite which indeed those men haue never yet felte nor would not feele Fourthly it is to bee noted that DAVID gaue not place incontinēt vnto his affection for you see here that he bursted foorth into these voyces by certaine degrees For afflictions cōming vppon vs dailie first of all sorrow like a wounde waxeth greene then the hart groweth hoate thirdly the fyre kindleth vp and then indeede the tongue is lowsed Learne therefore that the affectiones of the renewed man burst not foorth without some wrastling whereby indeed the regenerat man differeth from the vnrenewed which easilie yea with any light motion is brought on to commit any thing and from hence proceedeth also another difference betuixt the renewed man the vnregenerate The regenerate man indeede suffereth greatly for a long time wronges and afflictiones IOB took in patience the los of his goods he suffereth also patiently the tinsell of his children but when it came to boyles in his owne bodie hee suffered not those with so patient a mind Notwithstanding that mans wounderfull patience is recommended to the whole posteritie But he which is not renewed suffereth nothing with a willing minde if he be not able to revenge wronges when hee woulde notwithstāding he reteineth with in himselfe an intention of vengeance Fiftly it is to be marked DAVID kindled vp first then he spake Iame. 3. ◠Iames in his Epistle He calleth the tongue a fyre also the same chap. 3. 6. Apostle calleth it a fyre inflamed of Hell Beholde in this place that hel which is no other thing then the fyre of malice burning vp in the hearte as it were and blowen vp and fed by Sathan Se therefore vnlesse there be first a flamme in the hart ther is no flamme in the tongue That thing which defyleth the man sayeth the Lord commeth out from within the man Then as oft as thou hearest those blasphemies reproches and rotten filthie speaches impute not those so much to the wickednesse of the tongue as to the vncleanesse of the heart For of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh We detest the mens tongues but if wee were able once to see those fowle and filthie hearts of men which God alone beholdeth howe greatly I praye you would we altogether abhorre them For there is nothing more detestable to the godlie man then is the soule and hearte of a man not regenerate by the holie Spirite Hitherto hath bene declared the first parte of the Psalme Cause me ô Iehova to prooue in He maketh mention of the prayer which he vsed in the falling backe whereof againe there are two parts Firste hee earnestly craveth death then he desireth a deliverance from sinne two parts of the petition and from the punishment of sinne To the ende this doctrine may be the easier these two thinges are to be distinguished in the first petition First the petition it selfe in the firste part of the fift verse The first part The second the reason of the petition in the nexte parte of the same verse The third is an amplification in the laste parte of the same verse and in the beginning of the next verse The fourth is an◠certaine acclamation in the seconde parte of the sixt verse the whole 7. verse through out Nowe as concerning the petition Cause me to proove in experience sayeth he mine ende He might haue comprehended this in one word make me to die but he vsed a circumlocution because of his passionat affection to shew the loathsomnes he had of life as if he should saye I haue long sinsine sought the end of life make me to feele it in experience at last Then the reason is adjoyned from the shortnes of this life What is the measure of my dayes sayeth he As if he should say it is nothing Then cōtinuing in the purpose and willing as it were to define more exactlie the time of his life First he maketh a preface that he wil diligentlie endevour that he may see and know how durable he is There after hee prescribeth the time of his life then clearelie hee sheweth as it were to God the author thereof the measure of his life Behold saith he thou haste appoynted my daies as handebreadths that is no longer then is the measure of an hand-breadth Then he proceedeth in the extenuating of his daies My time sayeth he is nothing before thee This much cōcerning the enlarging of the Argument Last followeth the publishing of a graue weightie sentence or acclamation Surly al men saith he is everie way vanitie although he bee never so well established That is firme and fixed in this life like as DAVID appeared to be in a noble pussant kingdome the enemies vppon all sides being overcome when this conspiracie arose Now hee repeateth this parte of the acclamation For in the same meaning he sayth Doubtlesse man passeth away by a shaddow That is by a certaine vanishing fashion 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 31. as PAVLL speaketh by a fashion or figure by which wordes it signifyeth not anie substantiall thinge but a certaine vanishing fashiō of a thing The same is the judgmēt of the Prophet of every wicked mā Psal 7◠60. although he appear to be never so well established The same also is the Apostles judgement concerning this whole presente whorlde The fashion of this worlde sayeth hee goeth away 1. Cor. 〈◊〉 31. And this much indeede hath bene spoken of both the partes of the acclamation Surely in vayne they make a noyse He sheweth the selfe same vanity to be of mens careful indevours which is of the men themselues as if hee should saye They labour runne sweat in vaine which thing he himselfe had before founde in experience who after he had purchased with so great travell the kingdome and so great riches he saw Abschalom his sonne to rage and he beleeveth that Mephibosheth would interprise some thing against the kingdome and therefore hee was
sufficiently the thing that is spoken except wee also feele the same yea with our bodelie senses in the seales and sacraments even from the beginning he hath reached forth as it were his grace in Iesus Christ to bee seene with the eies to be handled with the handes Wash me Againe hee craveth remission of sinnes wash mee sayeth hee to witte with that selfe-same blood That I may waxe whiter then the snow But hee speaketh this out by waye of comparison yea and that indeede making the comparison with the thing which in the owne nature is most white Also the comparison is made from thinges that are lesse to the end hee might declare that there is nothing in nature so white pure and cleane as is man to whome sinnes are once forgiven and who is once washen by that blood of Christ Consider here first Dauid while hee craveth forgiuenesse of sins and peace of conscience hee seeketh it vnder the symbolls and figures of these washings of the lawe whereby sometimes was shaddowed-out that washing through the blood of Christ We see therefore that Dauid soght the forgiuenesse of his sinnes in the onely bloud of Iesus Christ There hes never ben nor never shal be in time to come remission of sinnes and consequently quietnes of the conscience except by the bloud alone of Iesus Christ which is certain that the ancient Church fathers haue apprehended in the sacrifices and shaddowes It may be indeed that the Papistes so long as they feele not the weightines of their sin of the wrath of God for sinne for the conscience of those men so far indeed as my judgement can reach is cast vp in a deep sleep by that doctrine which daylie is taught among them I saye indeed it may be that for a time being thus afflicted they vaunt in their merites indulgences Purgatory and I cannot tell what satisfactiones By all which it is certaine somewhat is pulled awaie from the grace of Christ But if it come to passe that they bee oppressed in earneste with the burthen of sinne and with the sense of the wrath of GOD they shall feele surely and publickly professe that all those things are vaine and none other things but dreames and trisles which now they so much commend for then they shal feele in experience that there is no remission of sinnes or peace of conscience without that bloud and alone sacrifice of Iesus Christ Which would to God at length those miserable men sawe and learned that both Gods wrath is pacified and the consciences of miserable men quieted by that blood alone which in themselues are not disquieted troubled by any other thinge then by that sense of the wrath of God O blessed is that peace quietnesse which is by that bloud of Christ only Mark again in this place he promiseth cleannes whitenes whiter then the very snow If hee but once get that to be washen with the bloude of christ And indeed he doth this thing not to the end that he thinketh it shall not come to passe that sinnes once being forgiven in time to come there shall be no remnant left of sinne and vncleannesse in his nature But to that end because hee thinketh and perswadeth himselfe that all the guiltinesse of sinne shal be taken away by the blood of Christ and by his perfite satisfaction once imputed and that he shall be in that estate as if he had never sinned in his life For wee haue a two-folde purging and washing in Christe the one which is by blood the other which is by the Spirite of Christ That washing which is by the blood of Christ is most perfite and quieteth our consciences But this washing which is by the Spirite it is begunne onely in this life and quieteth not the conscience properly and of the owne selfe To speake it in a worde the forgiuenes of sinnes which is by Christs blood is perfite and absolute in all the partes thereof But the regeneration which is by the Spirite of Iesus Christ is but begun onely in this life Make mee to heare He doth yet continue in the self same petition The meaning is as if he should say witnesse vnto me through thy holye Spirite inwardelie that my sinnes are forgiuen me And so it shall come to passe that thou shalt furnish vnto me ane exceeding great matter of joy and gladnesse This is it which in other wordes hee speaketh els-where Lift vp the light of thy face vpon vs Psal 4. ◠Iehoua and put greater gladnesse in my minde then at that time when their cornes and their wines are increased For the sixtenth Psalme speaketh There is sacietie of joyes before the face of GOD. Then he addeth in the text let the bones which thou hast brused reioyse As if he shoulde say forgiue mee my sinnes and then I whome thou hadest humbled before shal reioice with an vnspeakable gladnesse For the ioye of the man caste downe and humbled is invtterable after that now hee is lift vp with that sense of mercy and confidence of remission of sinnes But wee are to considder the wordes more diligently Make me sayeth hee to heare ioy But by what Preacher and Messenger was it not alreadie before preached by the Prophet Nathan that Davids sinnes were forgiven him It is true But the outwarde testimonie of all men is nothing except that inwarde also of the holy Spirite be conjoyned Wherefore Dauid in this place requireth that inwarde testimony of the Spirite For the remission of sinnes is an action intirely hid in the minde of God And as no man knoweth the thinges of man but the Spirite of man So these thinges of God no man knoweth but the Spirite of God which as Paule sayth searcheth the deapthes of God himselfe ◠Cor. 2. 10 Wherefore except the holy Spirite of God testifie in our heartes that our sinnes are forgiven vs surely no testimonie either of the creature or of man is able to assure vs of that thinge But after what manner at length doth the holy Spirite testifie that our sinnes are forgiven vs The holy Spirite of God worketh in our heartes a wounderfull sense of the loue of God as the Apostle speaketh powreth out loue into our harts whereby God loveth vs in christ But what a loue is this surely not any common loue but a special natural to speak so that affectiō which they cal the natural affection such as is the natural affection of the Father toward his onely begotten Son For the Spirit of God testifieth that fatherlie most tender affection towards vs Of the which also it followeth that the same Spirite beareth witnesse that we are the Sonnes of God For if it witnesse a certaine fatherlie loue It followeth by the force of thinges equal that wee are the sonnes of God From whence also hee is every where called the Spirite of Adoption to witte in respect he witnesseth Rom. ◠1◠19. that we are the sons of
seene the wrath of God he had sene also his grace hee had apprehended grace and after hee had commed by it he cryed be gracius vnto me â— Iehova For bursting out into these words no doubt hee had with a sweete feeling apprehended grace For wee should not be mooved to crie for the grace of GOD for the fashion and some light affection but with the cry that is in the mouth there should bee a deepe feeling thereof in the heart For the godlie no sooner seeke earnestly grace but they get it as soone their heartes being spred over yea with a moste sweete feeling thereof Because I am become feeble He subjoyneth an argument of grace The â—auses of grace â—oughâ— earnestly fought for froÌ„ his languishing siknesse as if hee should saye O God thou seest howe grieuouslie I am afflicted with sicknes therfore be gracious vnto me Heale me ô Iehova Again he earnestly craueth mercy This his frequent praier sheweth that hee had mightely wrastled with the sense of Gods wrath for wee would not nakedly A passionaâ—â— repetition and for a fashion so as men vse to do call for the grace and mercy of God if we were touched with ane earnest sense of Gods wrath but with a loude doubled voyce calling vpon God we would diligently endevour to escape out of that feeling For it cannot be that any man being oppressed with the wrath of God can flie awaie except God him selfe as it were stretching out his hande from the heauens ease vs of that burthen of his wrath Because my bones are altogether troubled Hee repeateth the argument taken from his languishing and sicknesse 〈◊〉 parts of the argument taken froÌ„ the languishing but being layde open in his owne partes Now the partes thereof are these the trouble of the bodie of the most firme and solide partes thereof to wit of the bones then a troubling of the soule be reason of the wrath of God seazing thereon As if he should say both is mine hole bodie troubled likewise is my soule troubled Finally nothing is whole in me Men indeed ar then in a good case when the bodie being sick the soule is touched pricked with a conscience of sin For this cause the bodie is outwardlie humbled by God that the soule also may be inwardly humbled For vnlesse in minde wee rose vp against the heauens and God himselfe what need were there of the casting down of the bodie Therefore DAVIDS bodie was humbled that his soul might be humbled For these things agree verie evil among themselues a proud hart an humble body And that is thought to be the most grieuous judgment of God when the bodie being humbled The most grieuous iudgement of God God boweth not therewith moveth by his Spirit the Soule vnto repentance and the very sicknesse itselfe is most desperate when in the most grievous feeling of the bodie the heart of any man remayneth insensible without the feling of wrath without the feeling of sinne without the feeling of grace But if there be any sense of the wrath of God in any man that is the high-way to recover conversion health but when there is not a feeling of the anger neither a conscience of the sinne then the afflicted man roareth indeed like a Lyon as DAVID testifieth of himself Psa 32. 3. And he is no more able to turne himself vnto God then a wilde beast vnto the man that striketh him The comfortes that commonly are ministred to the sick tend almost al to this end that in sicknesse they be quiet as concerning God they be secure in respect of sin they be at ease in consideration of heaven and hell Bee of good courage The stupiditie of the wisâ—â— say they remember not vppon death but remember of the recovering of the health of the bodie Then they commend the patience and strength of the minde but commend they that strength which proceedeth from confidence in Iesus Christ Noe waies at all but patience is vnto them a fearce minde proude and wrastling with that hand of God which seazeth vpon the sick Also if in the meane time any man make mention of God of his mercy in Christ of sinne of life death to come presently they receiue this speache as a most heauie tale and they cal it a melancholick coÌ„mouing which serveth rather for the increase of the sicknesse then for the diminishing thereof But men should deale far better with any sicke man if ane humbled contrite dejected minde were recommended vnto him For the minde being once caste downe there is some place for repentance for the earnest craving of the grace of God Our miserie the object of Gods mercie Obserue this againe DAVID in this place to the ende hee might moue God vnto mercy he setteth downe as it were to be seene before his eies and amplifieth his miserie so that in a maner it may be altogether seene of God Mercie presupponeth miserie Nowe to the ende that God may be mercifull of necessitie wee must be first miserable Wherefore if any man would earnestly craue the mercy of God of force he must professe before God that he is miserable For every man may truly speake that of himselfe to wit that he is miserable of his owne natur and that confession is aboue al things most acceptable vnto God in whose sight it becommeth vs not to compeare with an oftentation of our I cannot tell what Free will even as if it were in the power of our nature and it were but once to thinke of any thing that were pleasant and acceptable vnto God The impiâ—â—â— of the Pelagians for that were to detract from the grace of God in Christ Iesus of which onely wee haue what-so-ever power wee haue to thinke well will well worke well Neither yet again should we come forth in Gods presence with the opinion of our merites and satisfactions For they that seek righteousnes in these things they finde it not The example of the Pharisee The Pharisee boasted of these things but he returneth home vnjustified Luk. 18. 10. Wee must come forth rather in Gods presence with that miserable Publicane who having layde out his miserie before God and founde mercie Notwithstanding the Papistes cannot see nor will not see the misery of our nature to the ende that they might obtaine the mercie of God Therefore out of these thinges that haue bene spoken it appeareth that wee should lay our miserie open before God But how can it bee that any man can set before him the mercy of God The deuty of the god lie in obteining the merâ—â— of God vnlesse he himselfe first know that he is miserable Now to know that he is miserable and that he may acknowledge his owne misery it is not for the fashion to professe that he is mortall that he is a sinner that hee is subject to many inconveniences when in the meane time he
Butt that they themselues ar taken hold on by God and that they are led on vnto that selfe same Butt while they feele also GOD to be present with them in all their waies moste dangerous whatsoever whereby they must of necessitie passe vnto the heauens For there is no solide ioy in doing of any thing vnlesse wee feele the holy Spirite of God to be the directer and the moover Moreover it is to bee marked in this place that no daungers no afflictiones no not death it selfe can separate vs from God The sure confidēce of the godly For he saieth Although I walk through the valley of the deadly shaddow I would not feare because thou art with me Commonlie it is thought that God is absent from that man who is brought to some extreame danger who hath his abiding in the middest of death For they perceiue not howe those thinges can stande with the providence of God even as though God were not able to hold vs vp vnlesse he vpheld this body and this present life Also this is the most sure signe of Gods presence in perils that the godly are voyde of all feare and that they are of a bold couragious spirit For for this he sayeth I would not feare because thou art with mee Thou seest then to speake it in one summe how particular the care of GOD is toward his owne For seeing in man three things are to be considered the bodie the soule the actiones God leaveth none of those destitute of his presence to the bodie he furnisheth nurishment and governement hee maketh the soule to be at rest he directeth the actions of the body Neither yet onely hath he this particular care of his owne But which thing I haue ever reckoned amongste the chiefest of Gods benefites he perpetually causeth them to feele some sense of his providence and care towarde them so that they are able to declare particularlie the sortes of Gods providence and to attribute fullie to God the whole glory of the same Thou furnishest Hee openeth vp in proper wordes the former allegorie borrowed from the custome of a good sheepheard and hee comprehendeth that whole care of God toward him in those three parts as it were The first is That he furnisheth a table before him The second That he annoynteth his head with oyle The third 2. Sam. 12 20. That he maketh his cup very full The first and the third parte Mat. 6. 17. belong to the necessary nurishment 2. Sam. 13. 12. The second to the decorement for the auncientes for the most parte were annoynted with oyles and oyntments for braverie and seemelinesse cause and not for any necessity Wherefore those who were in the mourning estate absteyned from annoyntings That which he sayeth in the first part is to be marked Thou furnishest a table before mee over against mine enemies Wherby he signifieth that in despite of his enemies he was fed nurished of God by the which great honour redounded vnto him and the greater was the confusion of his enemies while in the meane time that they are looking on he is so honoured of GOD. Then wee are to note in the third part that which he sayeth That God maketh his cup to abound For hee vnderstandeth the aboundance and increase of thinges necessarie to this life as of drink Considder therefore of the care of God toward his owne and howe liberallie he dealeth with them he bestoweth vpon them not only those things which belong vnto necessitie but those things which are for decorement againe he furnisheth not the thinges niggardlye which belong vnto necessitie but aboundantly and liberally And all those thinges surely he doth for their cause their enemies in the meane time looking on and sore againste their willes whereby the greater glorie may redound vnto them and that the confusion of their enemies may be the greater while they see those to be honoured of God whom they earnestly desired to be destroyed So God honoureth euery waye those who honour him Surely goodnesse and mercy An exposition of the seconde part of the proposition that is of the securitie for the time to come For he gloryeth of the securitie and hee promiseth vnto himselfe both all good things in this life and also the everlasting kingdome in the life to come Concerning this securitie we haue observed some thing vpon the first verse before now this one thing I adde to this only And I seeke the cause from whence it commeth to passe that anye man gloryeth so securely of the feeling of the presente favour of God promiseth so surely to himselfe that he shall never be destitute of that favor in time to come The cause is not any thing in vs nor that loue whereby we loue God for there is nothing in vs that can make vs to be at rest such is our inconstācy by very naturall disposition but the cause is that free favour of God who loveth him whom he hath begun to loue forever in that his welbeloved sonne Iesus Christ PAVLE gloryeth securely not indeede of the sense of that loue whereby he himself loved God but of the Feeling of that loue whereby God in Christ had embraced him Rom. ◠Who shall separate vs sayeth he from the loue of God For this is that ground of all glorying and security the loue of God toward vs from the which by no kinde of force wee are able to be pulled away The glorie therefore of al securitie be vnto God in Christ for ever Amen THE ARGVMENT Of the XXXII PSALME It is manifest out of the inscription that it is a Psalme of Doctrine and that it was written by David In it is handled the blessed nesse of man and it conteineth the doctrine of happinesse First therefore is set downe the generall doctrine vnto the 8 verse Then the applying of the generall doctrine vnto the last verse and finally a conclusion of exhortation in the last verse it selfe The XXXII Psalme 1 DAVIDS Psalme of doctrine Blessed is he which is eased of defection whose sinne is covered 2 Blessed is the man vnto whom Iehova imputeth not iniquitie and in whose Spirite there is no guise 3 When I keept silence my bones waxed old in my roaring all the day 4 For thine hand was heavy vppon me day and night my most excellent iuioice was turned into summer droughts Selah 5 I will make my sinne knowen vnto thee neither will I hide mine iniquitie I said I will confesse my defectiones vnto Iehova and thou tooke away the punishment of my sinne Selah 6 For this thing shall every one to whome thou art gracious pray vnto thee what time it shall fall out in the overflowing of many waters they shall not somuch as touch him Saying 7 Thou art a lurking place to me preserue me from trouble compasseme about with songs of deliverance Selah The first propositiō BLessed is he which is eased The proposition of the blessednes of man in
of the lawe and having recived that forgiuenes we are counted just in that righteousnes satisfaction of Christ apprehended by faith Of these three sorts of justification The difference of these maner◠the two former differ from this third that seeing in the two former the cause of the sentēce of justification is in him that is justified in this third sorte the cause of the sentēce of justifying is without him that is justified to make it clearer in that first maner of justificatiō the cause of justifying is in the works of the man justified So ADAM had bin justifyed if he had stoode in the obedience of God so Christ was justified for our cause by his own righteous works by the perfite loue vpon all sides of GOD and of his Neighbour In the seconde sorte of justification which is by punishment the payne it selfe which is suffered by the justified man is the subject and the cause why he is justified of GOD. So Christ alone is justifyed for our cause and hee is made for vs the curse of the law also he hes fully satisfied the law by his death Laste in the thirde manner of justification the cause is that selfe same satisfaction which is in Christe him selfe with-out vs as in ane subject but after some sorte made aires to wit by faith So then by this third manner al the faithful are justified by the cause of justificatiō that is Christs satisfactiō which is with out vs. DAVID therfore that we may returne to him again speaketh not of the first justification nor of the second but of the third he attributeth the justificatiō blessednes of man not to the works of man himself nor to the punishmēt taken according to the threatning of the law vpon man himselfe but only to the free remission of sins Which sorte of justification is accomplished after this order First the sinfull man being called of God beleeveth in Iesus Christ to whose sacrifice the wrath of God pursuing him hee is compelled after some sort one or vther to flie as vnto a certaine Girth Then taking holde vppon that sacrifice the wrath of God is now pacified The wrath being asswaged there is place for grace and mercy and therefore of grace he forgiveth him his sinne and therewith imputeth to the sinner that righteousnesse and satisfaction of Christ which by faith before he had apprehended And so in these two things is situat that sentence of justificatiō the cause wherof wee see to be Christs satisfaction with-out man himself except in this respect you say it to be in man in so far as it is apprehended by faith And this fashion of justification is no lesse effectual yea it is much more forcible and full then if God had justified vs for any cause which can be in vs. For the peace and quietnes of conscience is no lesse neither yet is that rejoycing which is through justification by faith in Christ by his satisfaction any whitles then if we ourselues were by our workes justifyed Being iustified sayeth the Apostle through faith Rom. ◠◠wee haue peace towards God Then a little thereafter We glory sayeth he vnder hope The Apostle also himselfe Rom. ◠◠in this justification of God by faith gloryeth securely against that man whosoever he bee that would lay a crime to his charge a ye experiēce it self hath ever teached since the beginning that this way of justification is more sure then that which is by workes and by a cause inherent in vs. For seeing that inherent righteousnesse both of Angels and also of men is lost this righteousnes of Christ apprehended by true faith shal never be lost In which alone surely to the end we may mak one conclusiō of this discourse who soever hee be that quieteth not himselfe there shall no part be left him in that blessednesse which DAVID sayeth is placed in the forgiuenesse of sinnes In whose Spirit there is no guyle Hitherto hath DAVID published man to be blessed through the forgiuenesse of sinnes now he sheweth him to be blessed through sanctification also especially for simplicitie and sincerity of the hart which is the effect of the remission of sins AS if he shuld say I publish him to be blessed to whom sins ar forgivē yet not with standing so that I separat not sanctification frō the forgiuenes of sins justification So Paul after he had shewed Rom. ◠◠that there is no condemnation for him that is in Christ Iesus presently he subjoyneth who walketh not after the flesh but after the Spirit DAVID therefore conjoyneth with the remissiō of sins sanctification for the blessednes or happinesse of man is no other thing then his blessed estate in Christ Iesus and it is the effect of all the spirituall blessings in Christ Iesus of those to wit which ar reckoned out * Rom. ◠29. there after and ar brought in * Eph. 1. ◠therafter Moreover they are the fore knowledge of Gods Predestination vnto life calling iustifying gloryfiing Then there is no cause why any should gather out of this place that a man is also justified through holinesse of life and good works because the prophet saith blessed is he in whose hart ther is no guyle seing that by the word of blessednes is meant justification but the common effect of all the reste of the blessings of which hesbene even now spoken and among the which sanctification is reckoned out as one Then we may define the blessed man from his owne causes going before that it is he who is called justified and glorified of the fore-knowledge and Predestination of GOD. Out of those thinges you perceiue that sanctification synceritie and cleanesse of the heart are required to blessednesse which in this life is no other thing but a begunne glorifying and that blessednesse is the common effect of all Neither yet also shall it appeare if the sentence of the Apostle be taken good head to in that place and if his words be considdered that the blessed the just man or justified man as they thinke commonly is taken for one thing For blessed also with the Apostle is none other thing then the blessed estate of the justified mā and the effect of justification or of imputed righteousnesse with-out workes From whence also it is that our Prophete in an other place in plaine words publisheth a man to be blessed through the works of sanctification For I would not expound the worde blessed in that place Psalme ◠◠justified as if the Prophete of the consequent effectes described the justified man But I would vnderstand by the name of blessed a man constitute in that estate of life which is the estect of justification sanctification and finally of all spirituall blessings in Christ See those things which we haue observed vppon that place concerning blessednes When I held my peace Hitherto was set down the proposition of the blessednesse of man Here
and weakenesse of men whereby they are not able indeed to suffer so much as the least of Gods judgements he cryeth out as before in the sixt verse Surely all men is vanitie Here my prayer Thirdly he rehearseth the same petition with a greate vehemencie of minde And first he recommendeth vnto God the prayers themselues Then the crying out in powring out of the prayers Thirdly the teares coÌ„joyned with the crying For such circumstances are not adjoyned vnto praiers in vaine as crying teares Yea they are cared for by God who putteth vp into his bottle every teare of his own hes them all in his register as it were as DAVID speaketh in another place Because I am a stranger The thirde reason of the petition repeated in the third place froÌ„ the shortnesse of this life as if he should saye Because I am not able to continue long in this present life be a stranger from the Lord such is the common estate of all mortall men therefore there is an occasion offered vnto thee to excuse thy mercy towarde me a miserable Pilgrime So doe the faithfull speake in other places Cease off from me This is the conclusion as if he should saye Therefore leaue off from afflicting mee longer and more grieuouslie that I may refreshe my selfe before I die not being to returne againe vnto this life So doth IOB dispute 10. 21. c. and as a humble suppliant is turned to God When I goe not away These words declare the shortnesse of this present life as if he should say so long as the shorte light continueth or so long as I enjoy this shorte light And this is the selfe-same argument in effect with that which was in the ende of the verse preceding Out of those things which we haue spoken marke first in DAVID a certain memorable change and prayers greatly disagreeing among themselues Before indeed he had prayed with a troubled minde but nowe hee prayeth with a more quiet and setled hart For sometimes the fleshe hath more the rule in the prayers of the faithful then the Spirit oft-times And some times again the rule of the Spirit is more then of the flesh Thou hast also in this change an instruction of the finall victory of the holy Spirite For although in this present life the victorie appeareth to be oft vpoÌ„ the fleshes side nevertheles by that same thinge that after the motioÌ„ of the flesh the holy Spirit raiseth vp in vs that operation which suppeth vp as it were the motion of the Spirite we are put in minde that once the victorie shal be perfect and full vpon the Spirites sides More over considder how diverse yea how contrary to the selfe the effect of afflictions is in DAVID For seeing before when affliction draue him forward to mourning now the feeling of the same provoketh him to the acknowledging of sin and to the deprecation of the punishment therof For what is all our nature if at anie time wee be oppressed with adversitie then wee are wearied of this present life and wee crie for death But wee are admonished rather to seeke the forgiuenes of sinnes and reconciliation with GOD through Iesus Christ then death seeing that indeede the affliction is not to bee ended with death but it shal be encreased manie waies if through Iesus Christ there bee not reconciliation Finally obserue how diverselie hee doth conclude from the same argument taken from the shortnesse of this life For before because the life is shorte hee earnestlie sought for death Now because the life is short he prayeth that the plague may bee remooved He vseth the argument of the Spirite aright which the flesh abuseth and he draweth out holy petitiones and conclusiones out of the same principles out of the which the flesh draweth out venime The regenerate men foeleth in theÌ„selues this contrarie maner of reasoning concluding out of the same principles Yea and they are happie in that respect that thereafter they haue concluded out of good principles evill thinges out of the same againe they haue gathered good things the Spirit to witte overcomming the flesh when the vngodly and vnrenewed continuallie if at any time it happen them to see good grounds draw out of them false and vngodly conclusions For it is saide That the vngodlie knowing God notwithstanding they glorified him not as GOD but they became vaine in their thoughts Rom. 1. 21 To GOD in Christ Iesus be all glorie Amen THE ARGVMENT Of the XLII PSALME A Psalme it is of doctrine as it is evident out of the â—nscription And it conteineth Davids complaynt that he was banished from the visible presence of GOD which was in Ierusalem Of the Psalme there are foure partes 1 The first a complaynt vnto the 6. verse The seconde is a comforte in the 6. verse to the latter parte of the 7. verse The third is a certaine glorying against all the inconvenients of his banishment and finally against all afflictions vnto the laste verse In the fourth and last parte of the Psalme hee returneth to the comforting of his casten downe soule Psalme XLII 1 A Psalme of doctrine committed to the maister of the Musicke among the posteritie of KORACH to be song 2 AS the hart brayeth for the riuers of waters so my soule brayeth vnto thee â— God 3 My soule is thirstie for God for the strong living God saying When shall I come neere that I may appeare in the sight of God 4 My teares are meate vnto mee day and night while it is said vnto me daily where is thy God 5 Remembring these things I powre out my soule vpon my selfe that I was woonte to passe by in the multitude that I walked with them vnto the house of God with the voice of singing and prayse The congregation in the meane time keeping a feast The first part of the psalme As the hart In this first part of the Psalme and his complaint DAVID vttereth out two most grieuous passiones The first indeede a vehement desire of the visible presence of God which at that time was in Ierusalem The other an exceeding great sorrow of hearte conjoyned with an earnest desire The desire is first set downe by waye of comparison the similitude being made with an hart braying The heart sayeth he brayeth no more for the channels of waters then I bray vnto thee ô God The heart is then said to fly at al times vnto the waters The nature of the heart when painefully he draweth breath which is chiefely when the harvest quarter beginneth at what time in respect of the burning heate hee is most impatient of thirst So are wee all by nature thirstie and drîe and when there is a feeling of that thirste and drough then with no lesse desire are we caried forwarde vnto Christ in whom only wee haue our refreshment then the heart brayeth that is crying out he runneth vnto the waters wherby he quencheth his thirst Then is set down
the remissiof sinnes David in another place publisheth him to be blessed whose sinnes are forgiuen According to thy louing kindnesse This is the cause why Dauid although a sinner notwithstanding dare be so bold to come vnto GOD that is to his judge to wit the loving fauour and mercy of GOD in Iesus Christ Eph. 3. 12. leaning to which hee hath libertie and entrie With confidence vnto God as the Apostle speaketh and craveth grace at him What time the conscience intendeth against vs any crime at the same time God as a juste judge passeth vp vpon his judgement seate and with majestie sitteth therevpon and with such an awfulnes that everie sinner is easily affrayd to come before his face for the vngodly are not able to sustaine that angrie countenance of GOD who haue not as yet felt that mercie of GOD in Christe Neither yet are they able from the hearte to call him Father yea they woulde rather goe out of the worlde that they might flye awaye from that his so fearefull presence Wherefore a sinner except hee feele together with the sense of sin God also to be mercifull he dare not be so bold as to compeire before him But now hauing felt his mercie and that loue by the holy Spirit powred forth into our harts he is no waies skarred away neither by the weightines of sinne nor yet by the maiestie of the iudge but that with confidence he wil draw neere vnto him For the feeling of the mercie of GOD in Christ hath so great a force of alluring If thou wouldest slay me sayeth IOB should I not trust in thee Blot out my defectiones The same petition is repeated from the exceeding greate desire of deliverance Blot out sayth he my defectiones That is forgiue me my sinnes whereby it is come to passe that filthily I haue made defection from thee It can scarsely be spoken how grievously Dauid had sinned First having committed adultery then man-slaughter Thirdly having contracted mariage with the woman defiled in adultery Fourthly the people of God being layde out to an open daunger and with all these finally was conjoyned obstinacie in sinne For hee had sleeped securely many monethes as it were in the sinne DAVID therefore being guiltie of so many sinnes surely he durst not haue bene so bold vnlesse hee had leaned to the infinite mercie of GOD to haue commed into his sight And from hence proceedeth that thing which hee cryed out Blot out my defectiones That is so many and so greate and that O God according to thy superabundant mercy Every sin whatsoever is the offending of that infinite Majestie Of this it commeth to passe that the burthen of sin-after some sorte is infinite if the sinner himselfe be not disburdened thereof in Iesus Christ Wherefore there is neede yea of an infinit mercy that any sinne whatsoever may be forgiven how much more is it necessary that infinite mercy superabundant be had to the end that many grieuous sins may be forgiven For seeing sinne aboundeth of necessitie grace must superabound Which thing experience it selfe teacheth For any man oppressed with some more haynous sinne he findeth not first reste to his soule before he conceiue in his mind the mercie of God which as soone as hee hath felt taken holde of there is no sin of never so great momente Ephe. 3. 8◠of the pardon wherof he may not now perswad him self therfore we shuld trauel al our life according to the saying of the Apostl We may be able to comprehend what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know that loue of Christ Ephes 3. 18. 19. which passeth all knowledge For out of all question the mercy of GOD in Iesus Christ is infinite But wee such is our stupidity are not able to comprehend scarse the thousand part thereof Of which it commeth to passe that in our owne default we are spoyled of a sufficient cōfort For there is no place for comfort in the soule without faith which what other thing is it then a feeling of the mercy of God in Christ Wash me much Thirdly hee repeateth the same thing as if hee should saye Cease not to wash before thou haue fully purged me from my sinne For it is an allusion to the clensings of the Lawe But it is to be marked that not being content with a light and common washing he sayth Wash me much He felt to wit that sinne had sette the rootes thereof deepely in him and that more toughlie it had cleaved to him and therefore he craveth of God that he would multiplie the washings which vnlesse it be done he thinketh that it cannot come to passe that hee can be clensed from the filthinesse of sinne Note then that sinne is not a superficiall thinge but that it occupyes wholie all the deapths of the heart But who knoweth this Surely not these secure men and Libertines who either feele not sinne at all or if they feele it they feele it lightlie and no otherwaies then in the vtter part of the skin Who then feeles it Verely they who repente earnestly and from the hart Those men very wel know within themselues how filthie a thing sin is how deepe partes of the soule it occupyeth and from hence it is that in this life they think they cannot bee sufficiently purged from their sinnes and that those panse vpon this that there is nothing wherby they may be clēged except that alone blood of Christ to whō only the holy Spirit leadeth thē when there is an earnest feeling of sin and a desire of washing For that is not the Spirite of Christ which carryeth a waye else where the soule of a sinner from Christ and to other washings satisfactions whatsoever which the Papistes dreame to themselues Of al these things which haue bene spoken marke this David vttereth the exceeding greate dolour of his heart in these his petitions and the cause of the dolours may be sufficiently knowen out of the petitions themselues Also the sin is whereby hee himselfe had grieuonsly offended his God For he sayeth Blot out my defections c. From whence is manifestly sene the difference betuixt the sorrow of the godly of the wicked These last indeed are sorrowfull not so much for the sinne Gen. 4. 1◠and the offending of God The examples of Iudas and Cain as for the punishment of sinne and the torment So Cain sorrowed Mine iniquitie is more sayeth he then that I am able to beare So also Iudas the betraier of Christ sorrowed But the godly although indeede they abhor the paine notwithstanding for this cause they are chiefly displeased that they haue offended their gratious God they detest sinne not so much because of the punishment as for the evil it self which is in sin and such was Davids sorrow at this time For I acknowledge my defections Hitherto hee hath sought one thing thrise now hee adjoyneth the cause of
God through adoption But if he testifie that wee are the sonnes of God he witnesseth therewith also that our sinnes are forgiven vs and that that heavenly inheritance perteineth vnto vs. Rom. 8. 17 For if we be sons we ar also heires The heires of God and the heires annexed with Christ And all these things are done in Christ For without Christ there is no feeling of the loue of God toward vs yea without Christ there is but a feeling of wrath onely For by nature we are al the sonnes of wrath Wherefore if wee would haue that testimonie of the Spirit First of all we must beleeue in Christe every one of the godly feeleth this in experience in their tentations at what time the conscience accuseth them of sin if then Christ be not present there is no peace or quietnesse of mind in them But if Christ be present contrariwise they feele in experience that their conference is pacified The Apostle while hee considdereth this so necessary a presence of Christ I had not purposed sayeth he to know any 1. Cor. 2. thing among you but Christ yea and him crucified Gal. 3. â— And to the Galathians he writeth that Christ was crucified to wit by the viue preaching of the Gospell before their eies Moreover marke here also he sayeth make me to heare ioy and gladnesse There aryseth a great trouble of the minde and ane extreame great dolour of sinne not forgiven thereafter an evill conscience For if after the sense of sinne there is no entrie made open to grace but contrariwise there is a feeling of Gods anger there aryseth in the mind intollerable horrours For of all enemies the wrath full God is the most terrible and it is a fearefull thing to fall in the handes of the living God These are the speeches of wanton and secure men they had rather enter in count with GOD then with the most vile men otherwise But if the angry God shall at sometime enter in reckoning with them surely they shall feele how terrible a thing it is to fall into the handes of the living God Therefore I say that intollerable horrours follow of the earnest feeling of sinne not forgiuen and that feare with which as Moyses threatneth the wicked being commoued Levit. 26. 16. as with the shaking of a leafe are altogether driuen hither and thither This was the feare of Cain who being now cast out from before the face of God and feeling him selfe spoyled of Gods grace hee complayneth that whosoeuer shall first meete him shall put their hande violently into him These men are afrayde of every creature of God and they seeme to themselues to be sure in no place But contrariwise there followeth ane certaine exceeding great joye of sinne forgiven and of a good conscience and a peace which overcoÌ„meth all vnderstanding For sin being once forgiven wee feele that there is a waye made open to vs vnto the grace of God neither yet can it be saide with how great a joye the minde boyleth And this is that rejoycing of David which who never haue yet felt in their life surely they feele no more gladnes theÌ„ dogs or horses This indeed were to be borne with that men do onely seeke the joyes and pleasures of this life presente if there were no more hope to men then there is vnto bruish beastes of another life immortalitie But how can that be suffered 2. Cor. 5. â— that men created for eternity as the Apostle speaketh notwithstanding in the mean time in this life they taste at no time not so much as with the vtmost part of their lippes the joies of that life to come but as beastes content themselues with the commodities and pleasures of this life Hide thine angry face away The third time hee seeketh the same thing that is the forgiuenes of sins for he who lightly for the fashioÌ„ craveth that his sins may be forgiuen him this man hath not yet learned how horrible the offeÌ„ding of God is neither yet how sweet that feling is of his loue mercy For the sense of the mercy of god causeth a godly sorrow that is that sorow which is for the offending of so gracious a father from this sorrow again aryseth a turning vnto God hatred of sin loue of righteousnes with a confession of sin an often calling vpon God which tendes to that ende that the selfe abolisheth sinne But to returne to the purpose againe Hide thine angry face away from my sinnes sayth he and blot out al mine iniquities That is haue not mine iniquities before thine eies but blot them out of thy bookes of record For hee speaketh of them as if they were written in bookes of record and were continually in the sight of God which thing indeed seemeth intollerable to the wicked sinner For we were not able to abide the sight of the angry God if we walked naked before Gods eies that is not cled with Christ and his righteousnesse But as concerning the wrath of God in few words this much speake we of it The wrath of God by reason of his inviolable holines and also because of the greatnesse of sinne is so horrible that in no case it can bee borne of the creature For seeing sinne is a certain violating as it were of that most holy majestie is it any wounder that the wrath which is a mainteiner and revenger of such a majestie nowe violated is so horrible From whence â—he same David calleth it a consuming fyre and in another place he sayeth If thou shalt straitly marke our iniquities ô Iehova who shall be able to beare Suppose with thy selfe Psal 130. 3. that all the creatures all the Empyres of the worlde conspyre together to susteine and beare as it were in their handes that man with whom God is angry Notwithstanding that man wer not able to susteine that wrath For like as if God with his owne hande would vphold any and comfort him inwardly by his Spirite this man would not bee oppressed with any kinde of violence We are afflicted on every side sayth Paul yet wee are not in distresse in povertie but not overcome of poverty We are persecuted but not forsaken caste downe but wee perish not Everie where vve beare about in our bodie the dying of the Lorde Iesus that the life of Iesus might also bee made manifest in our bodies So if God would shewe himselfe angrie againste anie man This man by no force could be susteined hee should be afrayde yea with the shaking of a leafe let be any great commotion Which wrath indeed when David felt hee was not able to beare it any longer and he prayed that it might bee remooved from him in these wordes Hide away thine angry face from my sinnes Thou seeste therefore by the example of DAVID that even those whome GOD dearelie loveth because of their sinnes at some time are not without some grievous sense of the wrath of God which
indeede is done for this cause that they themselues may come vnto the knowledge of Gods nature And maie knowe firste howe good hee is who will not haue his owne to lye sluggishing in their sinnes Then nexte because hee is holye and just in respect he beginneth his judgement at his owne house yea and will not winke indeed at the sinnes of his owne For that I may affirme boldlie that the godlie for the most parte are chastised of GOD in this life And that GOD is exceeding long suffering towarde the vngodlie But the Godlie on the otherside are touched with a sense of Gods loue in this life From thence arise that interchaunge of sorrowe and joye in this life But the vngodly abusing the long suffring of God in this life they shal feel at last the vnappeaseable wrath of God Hitherto hath bin repeated the petition of remission of sinnes Now he seeketh that other benefite of Regeneration which is conjoyned of necessity with the forgiuenes of sins Creat in me a clear mind Then by way of clearing of the mater be preseÌ„tly subjoyneth Renew a firme spirit within me as if he shuld say This work of New-birth begun in me by thy Spirit but vpon my parte interrupted O God renew repaire in me that thy Spirite in time to come may be firme and constant and I through the benefite thereof may persevere in thine obedience There are two benefits necessary in reconciling vs to â—od which selfe same thinges God promiseth to vs in the free covenant to wit forgiuenesse of sinnes and regeneration Ier. 31. 33. and both are obtained in Christ For by the blood of Christ our sinnes are forgiven and by the powerful holy Spirite of Christ wee are borne of new againe For the alone and selfe-same Christ as the Priest died for our sinnes and as King he is powerfull to regenerate vs by his holy Spirite and worde Dauid therefore after hee hath sought forgiuenesse of sins in Christ hee earnestly craveth the New-birth and renewing of that interrupted worke of Gods holye Spirite in himselfe Considder here first that the holye Spirite is made so joyfull by Gods workes and a good conscience that he courageovsly maketh progres in the work of our Regeneration But contrariwise Ephes â— 30. the Spirite of God is so touched with griefe by evil works as the Apostle testifieth that hee ceaseth as it were from that work and leaveth off in the middest that begun worke of New-birth The Spirite now leaving his owne worke in the middest presently there aryseth darknesse in the minde which maketh that bright light of the countenance of GOD to passe out of sight and to vanish away from our eies and incontinent our heart waxeth harde as a certaine skarre of a wound and becommeth benummed and without sense so that the holy Spirite of God is very hardly raysed vp againe being oppressed with the darknesse of mind and hardnesse of heart And from thence aryse those mournings and sighes of the godlie fighting with the darknesse of their heart And from thence arose that speeche of PAVLE O miserable man that I am who shall deliver mee from the bodie of this death Rom. 7. 24 Considder here againe DAVID craveth not Regeneration by the Spirite of Christ before hee first haue sought the forgiuenesse of sinnes through the blood of Christ This order of the petitiones evidentlie declareth that of necessitie we must bee first justified by Christ before we bee sanctified in our selues which thing also the righteousnesse of GOD requireth which suffereth not the Image of GOD to bee repaired in vs which is according to righteousnesse and holinesse before first God bee satisfied for all our â—innes For it is not possible that GOD canne renounce his owne justice Nowe after that thou art justified then there is place to Regeneration and the Petition thereof not indeede that having attayned to it thou quiet thy selfe chiefelie in the same But thou muste speciallie and alwaie thereafter quiet thy selfe in that moste perfite righteousnesse of Christe without the which not all this holinesse which is in vs dare bee so bolde to come foorth once into the sight of GOD. For our Regeneration and holinesse is but begunne onelie in this life and neither by the selfe pacifyeth the wrath of GOD neither 〈◊〉 our consciences And 〈…〉 the Papistes are more 〈…〉 leaving this moste perfiâ—e righteousnesse of Christ will quiet themselues in their owne and in that which they call inherente And againe for this cause they are more miserable that vnderstande not what this inherente righteousnesse is which is none other thing in verie deede but that the Regeneration of our nature is onely but begun in this life wherfore we ought to praye to GOD that he would not suffer vs to be involved in this darknes and that he would not suffer vs to bee seduced by men which this daye are blinded in so cleare a light Cast me not away Hee continueth in this seconde petition of the holy Spirite and of Regeneration Cast me not away sayeth he from thy face then expressing the same thing clearely Take not thine holy Spirit from me sayeth hee Nothing can befall a man more grievous in this life then if he be left of GOD. For seeing that God is the fountaine of all good thinges GOD leaving man all good thinges also therewith leaue him All good things leauing him hee is therewith layde open to all evill thinges If God be on our side Rom. â— 31. who shall be against vs No not these thinges indeede which seeme to bee most displeasant contrary For all things worke together for the best to them that loue God Contrariwise all worke together for the worse to them that loue not GOD yea even those things which otherwise appeare to make for vs. Nowe although there be so great an evill in the desertion of God Notwithstanding the elect also are at some time destitute of the Spirit of GOD which is the thing that DAVID teached vs in this place by his owne example Verely I say not this for this cause that I thinke the Spirite once giuen to the elect thereafter is allutterly taken from them For the giftes and calling of God are without repentance But that for a certaine space the efficacie of the holye Spirite is not seene in governing of the elect yea that especially for this ende that they maye bee humbled that they may learne that it is not possible for them to stand yea but for one momente vnles they bee susteined by Gods grace and his holy Spirit Whereby it commeth to passe that the elect after they haue found in experience howe infirme and fragill they are by nature without the Spirite of God nowe being destitute thereof for a time they more carefully and with more feruent desires earnestlie craue his presence and helpe This is the second thing which hee offereth here to vs to bee learned by his owne
example Also the third that we in this place learne by his example that that desertion is exceeding doleful whereby he who is once left of God yea that by his most just judgâ—ment God to witte leaving him because of his sinne and being now forsaken left he remayneth in the paines which by his owne sinne he hath deserved Yet notwithstanding in the meane time neither is his minde enlightened by Gods Spirit nor his hart reformed But the more he leaneth thereto the more is he blinded and hardned For to such a man extreame destruction is appoynted vnlesse at last he repente Of this sorte of men that threatning of Iohn Baptist is to be vnderstood The axe is layde to the roote of the trees Math. 3. 10 Also that saying of PAVLE When they shall say peace 1 Thes 5 5 and all things quiet then suddaine destruction shall come vpon them Moreover it appeareth out of this example of DAVID that GOD leaveth not his owne by so sorrowfull a desertion For Dauid repented very soone at the threatning of Nathan For God when he afflicteth his owne he therewith illuminateth and changeth them also by his holy Spirite that repenting they may obteine remission of sinnes and may be restored to life Restore to me the ioy Yet he persisteth in the petition of the holy Spirite or of the presence of God by his Spirite as if hee should saye surely I haue felt O my GOD an exceeding great joy of thy salvation that is since the time thou becammest my salvation protectour and defender But now through mine own default that whole joy is broken off in the middest Therefore O God restore to me that wonted joy proceeding from thy presence The onelie comforte and solide joye of man aswell in life as in death is that hee is not in his owne power and left to himselfe but that hee is the Lordes and that hee hath him to be as it were his protectour and defender David when hee felt in experience Psal 2â— â— that God was no otherwaies his keeper then the sheepheard was to his sheep it cannot be spoken how great a ioye he conceived thereof which also bursted forth in these wordes Thy rode and thy sheep-crooke they haue comforted me This spirituall reioycing which commeth of the presence of God whosoever hath once tasted it this man wil not be content with the whole ioy of this world vnlesse surely he be therewith participant in some measure of that heavenly ioye also David verely had refused the whole comfort of this world and would haue nothing esteemed that his kingdome royall dignitie if that old and wonted ioye had not bene restored vnto him which arose from the presence of God by his owne holie Spirite But if wee would not provoke to wrath God present with vs neither yet would grieue his holy Spirit surely wee should haue that joy of the Spirite more solide and constant For from whence commeth that interruption thereof because we make defection from God Dauid had God present with him hee had the Spirite the comforter But after he had forsaken God by committing adultery and murther together he spoyled himselfe both of that presence of God and likewise of that solide comforte of his presence Men commonly with all the strength they haue provoke that holy Majesty of God to anger But it commeth to passe I cannot tell howe that in the meane time they appeare to themselues to liue at reste and with sufficient pleasure and delight themselues with a vaine dreame For as the Lorde saith there is no peace for the wicked I speak of the true peace for I would not call this stupidity a peace whereby it commeth to passe that neither they feele their own sinne nor yet the wrath of GOD which thing they in wofull experience shal learn some day when suddainly being awakned out of this dead drowsie sleepe they shall be forced to beholde that angry face terrible countenance And vphold me The self-same is the meaning of these words of the words preceeding for so at last wee feele God present his salvatioÌ„ gladnes arising thereof if we be vp-holden by his Spirite David is afraid of the affections of his mind least he be over-whelmed with them as by a certaine deluge He craveth therfore that GOD would susteine him by his Spirit For as if a great bosse be cast into the water presently the water running in into it it is drowned but if first it be blowen vp with wind the aire being inclosed before it be cast into the water it swimmeth in the superfice of the water So our mind if it remaine voyde of the Spirit of God it is drowned incontinent in the middest of the waues of our affections But if it bee replenished with the Spirite of God it is not possible that it can bee overcommed of the affectiones Let everie man take heede what minde hee hath whither it bee voyde and tume or rather full and replenished with the Spirit He calleth the Spirit the Spirite of freedomâ— or of liberty To the ende we may vnderstande the reason of the word it is to bee learned out of the 8. chap. to the Romanes that there is a two fold spirit or rather that there is a twofold effect of that one selfe same spirit of GOD. The Apostle calleth the former the Spirite of bondage to feare that is which at the preaching of the law toucheth vs with a sense of our sin misery for vnles the Spirite of God were effectuall in our hearts with the preaching of the law surely by the preching of the law alone wee should never be touched with an earnest sense of sin of our own misery this spirit ther fore maketh vs to know our sin misery and holdeth vs vnder feare of the wrath of God death coÌ„demnation and therefore it redacteth vs as it were vtterly to a servile estate For this was of old proper vnto servantes continually to feare punishment and vengeance at their maisters hands The Apostle calleth that other spirit the Spirit of adoption It is he who while the Gospel is preached maketh vs to know our deliverance from sinne and misery For we should never be so touched with the preaching of the Gospel vnlesse in the meane time the Spirite of God were powerfull in vs which maketh vs to know our deliverance from sinne and misery and that we feele in our heart that fatherlie affection of God toward vs and consequently leaveth a testimonie within vs that wee are the sonnes of God And if wee be sonnes that we are also delivered from sinne wrath and damnaton From thence it is called the Spirite of freedome or libertie because it witnesseth that in Christ wee are delivered from sinne and death There is also another cause why it is called so to witte because renewing our minde according to the image of GOD it maketh vs in the meane time freelie to serue God and
Now the third time he repeateth that petition of the forgiuenesse of sinnes for the conscience of his haynous facte continually pricketh the man and this infidelitie of nature laboureth to extinguish faith and the Spirite whereby the sinner perswadeth him selfe of the remission of his sinnes therefore by crying and by crying again he wrastleth with his infidelitie of nature There is none of all which is to seeke forgiuenesse of our sins at God without some wrastling I speake of that man which is to seeke by faith and by a serious feeling For it is easie to the secure man and that thinketh nothing of sinne and misery to craue for the fashion the remission of his sinnes yea and that not over againe but onely once O God sayeth he very rawly and coldly be mercifull vnto me David therefore now the third time craveth pardon and forgiuenes of his sinne and he poynteth out his sinne in particular For when the conscience of sinne vrgeth men they are not ashamed to professe and name it in particular yea that publicklie Also the cause wherefore men are ashamed by name to poynt out their sinnes and to confesse them it aryseth of this that there is not an earnest feeling and conscience of sinne But let vs see which was Davids sin in particular Deliver me ô God sayth he from bloud For it appeareth that the conscience of man-slaughter mooved the man chiefely For this tormented him that hee had shamefully slayne that man whose wife hee had defyled in adultery and that he had heaped sin vpon sinne Therefore he craveth that he might bee delivered from bloud no otherwise then if he had bin wholie defiled with the bloud of any innocent man which so fastly had cleaved vnto him that vnlesse it were wiped away with Gods owne hand it could not be at all possible to be wiped away and clensed For man-slaughter being once committed and the slaughter or the murther of an innocent man executed the whole blood is powred out and runneth backe as it were vpon the man-slayer and dyeth him no otherwaies then the purple dye doth the Wooll If your sinnes sayeth the Lord were as skarlet Esay 1. 1â— yet I wil make them as white as the snow As if hee should saye Although ye were dyed as with skarlet dye that aboundant blood being shed out vpon you for he had said before that their hands were bloudy not withstanding I will make you as white as snow Also being this way dyed and spotted with the bloud of the innocent man The man-slayer continually appeareth in the sight of God And God out of his judgmeÌ„t sent looketh vpon him with an horrible countenance by reason hee spoyled his owne Image and likewise the common natur of al men The man-slayer in whatsoever part of the worlde he be in is notable to flie from this face of God But this is the stupiditie of our murtherers that no way they feele this David also for a time sleeped in his sinne neither yet saw he that he was defiled wholy with the blood of the innocent man neither yet did he see that angry face of God but being at length awakened vp at the threatning of the Prophet bee was no longer able to suffer himselfe so to bee defiled with that blood neither yet was hee able to abide being thus defiled with blood to be cast before layd open to the sight of that angry eie but very oft he cryed earnestly sought that God would pardon him his sin that he wold wash him that hee would deliver him from bloud which wold to â—od those murtherers who are not touched either with a conscience of their sinne or of the wrath of God neither yet make any end of murthers and oppressions they would see at last their owne bloodie hands they would see also that God saw them which surely he seeth shal at length see som day when he shal tak a vengeance vpoÌ„ them except in time they repente David appeareth to crye out through some feling of the wrath of GOD that he might bee delivered from bloud For the sense of innocent blood and the feeling of wrath are continually ioyned together Notwithstanding he crieth vnto God the God of his salvation Of the which so familiar an incalling in this appeareth sufficiently that Dauid felt therewith the mercy of his God For the faithful together and at one time vse to bee touched both with some sense of the wrath and with a sense of the mercie of God by which thing indeede the faithfull differ from the Infidels For the faithful feele both that is both the wrath and the mercy of their God in some certain measure and at the same time in which they are afrayd of wrath of the angry God at the same time they cleaue faste vnto him neither yet doe they suffer themselues to be pulled away from his worde and promises Vpon the which they depende as it were vppon a certaine rocke in the exceeding great tossing too and fro of the waues But the infidels and such as the Lord hath casten off at what time they feele his wrath in the meane time there is no sense of grace while they see the helles opened Wherwith they are even nowe presently to bee swallowed vp they haue nothing in the meane time to which they may cleaue or which as it were stretching out the hande they may take hold on neither God nor yet the promises of God in Christ from which aryses vnspeakable horrours with which no comfort is conjoyned Then indeede they are compelled to esteeme those to bee blessed who haue learned in this life to draw neere vnto God by faith and to take a grip of Christ and of the promises made in him Let my tongue sing Here followeth the last argument of the petition from the glory of God himselfe as if he should say O Lord this the whole worke of thy glory is to redound to thine own glory again Wherefore deliver me The wordes of the text are My tongue shall sing thy righteousnesse That is thy mercy which for this cause here hee calleth righteousnesse because it is done according to Gods promise for that which God doth according to his promise that thing hee doth righteousâ—ie Open my lippes ô Lord That is furnish vnto mee matter of thy prayse from the remission of sinnes and deliverance then My mouth shall shew foorth thy prayse Marke what hee doeth being nowe delivered from sinne and damnation DAVID being condemned could not prayse God Who sayeth hee shall prayse thee in hell Also Dauid knewe very wel that God was of that nature and disposition that he would haue al his workes to redounde to his glory againe and the fruites of his benefites to returne vnto himselfe and from thence it is that hee communicateth not his benefites indifferently and without discretion to every sorte of men whatsoever I speak chiefely of spiritual blessings For he giveth those temporal and bodely