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spirit_n	act_n	holy_a	john_n	6,706	5	7.0083	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A13068	A third proceeding in the harmonie of King Dauids harp that is to say, a godly and learned exposition vpon 17. Psalmes moe of the princely prophet Dauid, beginning with the 45. and ending with the 61. Psalme: done in Latine by the learned Reuerend Doctor Victorinus Strigelius, Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lypsia in Germanie, anno Christi, 1562. Translated into English, by Richard Robinson citizen of London. An. Christi, 1595. Seene, perused, and allowed.; Hypomnēmata in omnes Psalmos Davidis. Psalm 45-61. English	Strigel, Victorinus, 1524-1569.; Robinson, Richard, citizen of London.	1595 (1595)	STC 23361; ESTC S117926	98,441	165

and gorgeous buildings which are garnished with scutchions and pictures and furnished with things wherein they abound that are reputed for blessed Such a life we all doe desire which exceedeth in pleasure and other instruments But the end sheweth howe much vainitie there is in this trifling or britle brauery when one seely houre may bring all topsituruy All men will know what power and riches Alexander the great was of who consumed the huge treasures almost incredible of the Persian Kings after his conquest obteined and vppon Ephestions funeral lauished out twelue thousand talents that is Threescore and twelue tunnes of golde as wee call them But this so mighty a personage when he had drunke too too much wine at the funeral feast of Ephestion and got himselfe thereby a most greeuous burning feuer died the 28. of June in the xxxii yeare of his age twelfth yeare of his raigne and in the 323. yere before the birth of Christ This example admonisheth vs touching the incanstancy of humane affaires and setteth out this verse of this Psalme Man will not abide in honour c. Verse 13. This is the way of them and this is their foolishnes and their posterity praise their saying That the chiefe felicity of man consists in the pleasures of the body not onely the epicure but the greatest multitude of men doth so thinke But this perswasion doth this Psalme expresly cal foolishnes because the obiect of mans will is not a benefit hauing end that is being short and momentany but a benefit without end and euerlasting as else-where more largely is said in refutation of the epicure and in the doctrine touching the obiect of mans will Verse 14 They lie like sheepe in the hell death gnaweth vppon them and the righteous shal haue domination ouer them in the morning their beutie shall consume in the sepulcher out of their dwelling This verse discribes the last degree of punishment alotted for the vngodly ones namely eternall misery which is a worme for euer gnawing the conscience of man and a fire neuer ceasing but without end tormenting them as Isayas sayeth in his 66. and last chapter 24. verse Their worme shall not die neither shall their fire be quenched But as Neither the eie hath seene nor eare hath heard nor mans heart hath conceiued those good things which God hath prepared for them that loue him 1 Cor. 2. 9. So no man can expresse either in thinking or speaking the greatnes of the euerlasting punishment ordayned for the wicked ones But here some man would obiect I see not by what reason Saint Paul being put to death by Nero should be lord ouer Nero I answere though Paul was slaine of a most cruell Tirant yet was he not vtterly destroyed neither was he left in destruction and death as Nero is but he is adorned with euerlasting rewarde and in the last day of the world he shal with Christ iudge Nero and al the vngodly ones Now indeede our life as in the 3. Coloss verse 3. is written is hidde with Christ in God When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall yee also appeare with him in glory verse 4. Then shall the vngodly ones haue in their minde and mouth the words extant in the 5. chapter of the booke of Wisedome verse 3. These are they whom we sometime had in de●●●ion and in a parable of reproofe We fooles thought their liues madnes and their end without honour verse 4. Beholde how they are counted among the children of God and their portion is among the saints verse 5. Therefore we haue erred from the truth c. verse 6. Verse 15. But God hath deliuered my soule from hell For hee shall receiue me Hetherto at large he handled the first parte of the Antithesis touching the vanitie and punishment of the vngodly ones which put all their full hope and confidence in their riches Now doth he hereunto adioyne the other partie as touching the godly ones whose hearts are enclined vnto the testimony of the Lord And not vnto death as in 119. Psalme is said And it promiseth plainly vnto the Godly ones deliueraunce from euerlasting death most miserable and restitution vnto life euerlasting for because God in the very lawfull act of adoption receiueth and taketh vs for his children it cannot be that he will leaue his dearest children in death Like as therefore in this life he giueth his holy spirit as a pledge and token of our inheritance So when he hath raised vs from death to life he will doubtles giue vs the full and perfect inheritance and hee shall then be all in all He then that hath this hope sanctifieth himselfe like as he is holy saith Saint Iohn 1. epist 3. chapter 3. verse Verse 16 Be not thou afraid though one be made rich or if the glorie of his house be incresed Verse 17 For hee shall carie nothing away with him when he dieth Neither shall his pompe follow him He repeateth a principal proposition which comforteth the godly ones lest they taking offence at the felicitie and passing prosperitie of the vngodly ones do slide away frō God but that they would preferre the true and permanent good things before the shadowes of fraile and vanishing benefites But seeing it is needelesse here with perspicuous wordes to make any long interpretation I wil recite two histories worthy of memorie which examples propone vnto the sentence of the affirmatiue part that the glory of exploits done and other great benefites nothing auaile them that be dead which things the blinde nature of man coueteth especially Saled nus king of Asia Syria and Egypt saide hee was not lesse wise in his death then when in his life time before he had done any notable act for he commanded that his very linnen garment next to his shert which he vsed to weare should be borne vpon a long speares point throughout all his tents and he that carried it should cry with a lowd voice and say Saladine the conquerour of Asia of so great wealth which hee had gotten caried away with him at his death but only this linnen garment For wisely though lately being admonished of mans misery woulde hee also in such sort admonish others thereof There is extant an historie in the seuenth booke and second chapter of Baptista Fulgosus touching wise sayings and doings and as Dion writeth these wordes are read of Seuerus the emperour When as he lying at Yorke in Britaine neare the point of death deploring mans miseries saide I haue beene all things and nothing auaileth me Verse 18 For while he liued he counted himselfe an happy man and so long as thou doest well vnto thy selfe men will speake good of thee Verse 19 He shall followe the generation of his fathers and shall neuer see light Verse 20 Man being in honor hath none vnderstanding but is compared vnto the beasts that perish Although saieth he the vngodly superabound in pleasures yet within

O daughter and consider encline thine eare forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house This apostrophe or turning speach to the party absent is diligently to be marked wherein the holy ghost speaketh of the Church which is to bee gathered from among the Jewes because it instructeth the reader of the greatest matters namely of the kingdome of the Messias of faith of the abrogation of the Leuitical ceremony and extinction of Moyses law For inasmuch as to heare and to teach are two correlatiues it followeth that the Messias shal not be a king like vnto Alexander who by art of warre and corporall strength keepeth his subiectes in their duety but one which shall gouerne his church with his word and shal encline or frame their mindes vnto most willing obedience Furthermore seeing Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word Rom. 10. 17. let vs not seeke for reuelations besides or without the word of God but let vs know that we must not seeke God any other waies then by the word and testimonies from him deliuered neither that we must call vpon any other God but euen vpon the very same God who sending his sonne and giuing his gospel into the world so often times hath manifested himself by assured testimonies This doctrine touching faith setling her selfe in Gods worde doth this psalme deliuer where it saith in this verse Harken O daughter and consider encline thine eare c. And the phrase of the psalme agreeth with the eternal and immutable commaundement of the father crying of his some Mat. 17. This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare ye him vers 5. Moreouer because that people in the nation of the Jewes were not wilde by nature but as kind and curteous people loued their cuntry especially reuerenced the temple wherein God so often manifested himselfe and loued the whole order of the Jewish pollicy then which they knew there was not a more excellent pollicy in al mākind more than their life therefore the Psalme perswadeth the Church gathered of the seede of Abraham to forget his people and to preferre the Messias before the ancient temple and pollicie and all other things which men in their order do desire as life possessions and peace It signifieth then that the pollicie of Moses must be extinguished and the Ceremonies in the Temple vsed must be abrogated or abolished Verse 12 So shal the King haue pleasure in thy beutie for he is thy Lord God and worship thou him There are many partes in this Psalme the conference or comparison whereof vanquisheth the godly ones that they cannot but acknowledge the Messias to be both Man and God and yet that the person of this Messias must be discerned from the person of the eternall Father The first part is the worthy praise of the excellenty of the Messias his person in the third verse Thou art fairer than the children of men Herehence is borrowed a manifest consequence All men sprung of the carnall seede of Abraham are deformed and polluted with much ●●hinesse as in the third booke of Kings cap. 8. Salomon saieth There is no man liuing but hee sinneth verse 46. and as in the foureteenth psalme it is saide They are al gone out of the way they are altogether become abhominable there is none that doth good no not one verse 4. In this king and husband of the church there is neither any sinne deformitie nor filthinesse Therefore Christ is not only man but God who is only good and harmelesse The second part is that which confirmeth the article touching the diuine nature of the Messias Therefore hath thy god blessed thee In this saying he interpreteth that promise giuen vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all nations be blessed Genes 12. 3. 17. 8. 22. 17. as if he had said All men are accursed that is guiltie before God and worthy of all miseries and calamities because God is vnfainedly and horribly angry with sinnes The greatnesse of this displeasure can no power alone created take away no nor yet endure Needeful then it is that the Messias be God because he taketh away the curse that is Gods wrath sin and death and giueth the blessing that is righteousnesse and life euerlasting The third part confirming that same sentence is this Thy seate O God endureth for euer The psalme affirmeth euidently that the kingdome of the Messias is euerlasting for it is most apparantly seene that no worldly pollicie is perpetuall and the thing sheweth that the complaint extant in Ouids verse is true where he saith Sic omnia verti cernimus atque Alias assumere pondera gentes Item summisque negatum starediu So all things turned plainely we do see And other Nations beare another sway And mightiest states oft times denied be For to endure with any longer day Seeing then no gouernements are perpetuall it is a thing very cleare that neither this king the Messias is onlie man nor that his kingdome is a pollicie which shall perish such a one as the Jewes doe looke for The fourth part of this confirmation is where this psalme saieth Thy God hath annointed thee with oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellows In the 34. and last chapter of Deuteronomie it is written of Moses thus But there arose not a prophet since in Israel like vnto Moses c. verse 10. Therefore this psalme placeth and preferreth the Messias farre aboue Moses Then is there not onely humane but also diuine nature in the Messias The fift and last part of this glory is recited in this verse For hee is thy Lorde god and worship theu him But the Jewes do go about to trifle out so notable a testimony with this cauillation They say by the word Worship is signified the gesture of the body which is made before the presence of Kings But this sophisticall trifling may be refuted by conference of other testimonies as in the 72. psalme it is saide All kings shall fall downe before him All nations shal do him seruice verse 11. In these wordes the psalme euidently affirmeth that this Messias shal alwayes be called vpon or prayed vnto yea when he shal not be seene with eyes Therefore it speaketh not of any bodily gesture the which is made before the presence of Kings but it speaketh of the minde which craueth of the Messias that he would haue mercy vpon vs and be a Mediatour for vs would forgiue vs our sinnes would giue vs his holy spirit and life euerlasting and woulde bee our helper and defender yea euen in the daungers of this life against the outrages of the Diuell and of vngodly persons like as hee himselfe saieth Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voyce No man shall take them out of my hand verse 27. and 28. Such a worship doth truely attribute omnipotencie vnto the Messias and doth witnesse that he is God And that the person of the Messias is to be discerned from

he destroyeth whome hee will destroy yet by an other meanes hee is at this day present with the Gentiles called vnto the societie of the church namely wherby he not only preserueth the liues of them but also worketh motions in them acceptable vnto him and beginneth new light and righteousnesse Touching this gouernement of Christ seeing I haue else-where oftentime spoken I come now to the next verse Verse 9 The Princes of the people are ioyned vnto the people of the God of Abraham for God which is very high exalted doeth defend the earth as it were with a shield In al ages from the beginning of mankind there haue bin and are and shalbe some Magistrates or rulers chosen of God vnto eternall saluation and called vnto the societie of the true church Touching this calling of Princes this last verse makes most sweete mention For first it calleth them Shieldes of the earth that is defenders of good men and good maners and reputing their countries benefits to be their speciall and chiefe commodities For good Princes are the preseruers of peace and discipline defending the bodies and goods of their subiects against vniust violence thrusting away robberies and enemies Therefore Alfonsus king of Naples had this proper crest to his Armes A Pelican sucking out her owne blood for to feed her yong ones with And he put therevnto this his posie or sentence Pro lege pro grege that is for the law and the people And Achilles in the 9. booke of Homers Ilyades saith Sicut Auis quae pro pullis implumibus ipsa Euolat pastum miseris parat haud secus ipse Pro Danais mala multa ferens quot saepe peregi Peruigiles noctes quot luces marte cruentas Assiduò dum bella gero dum praelior ipsis Proque viris coniugibus Dan●umque salute Like as the bird which for her yong ones flies Forth meate to get and there with them to fee de So for my Graecians suffering harmes likewise How many nights haue I watcht for their neede How many daies with martiall cruell might Haue I made warres whiles for all these indeede Both men and wiues and Greekes welfare I fight Furthermore it saieth that they are ioyned vnto the people of the god of Abraham as Noah faith in Gen. 9. 27. They dwell in the Tabernacles of Sem that is they are the companions of the true church of God and do support and cherish the same with godly dueties Truly it is a great glory to be accompted and called a Shield of the earth and a Tree vnder which subiects are fedde But it is a farce greater honor to be seene in that societie whose gouernour and head is the Sonne of God and which is sanctified with the holy spirite vnto life euerlasting Although then there haue beene mighty men and profitable persons to their country as Fabius and Scipio was yet by right we do preferre before these gouernours Dauid Iosias Constantine Theodosius Iohn Frederike Duke of Saxony and such other like who were not only members of the true church but also with their godlie duties furthered the aduancement of the doctrine of God of inuocation and of life euerlasting Last of all this verse affirmeth that God is very high exalted of the shieldes of the earth Let this particle be applied vnto the persons and dueties of Magistrates and Rulers For then do the personages of Princes exalt the Lord when they submit and yeelde themselues and all theirs which they haue in possession vnto Christ and doe preferre the gospel before their tranquilitie life and al worldly goods whatsoeuer Such do rightly spreade their clothes before Christ But as to duety appertaineth the Lord is exalted by them in the ordinance of churches and schooles wherein the worde of God dwelleth plentifully with all wisedome Let godly princes therefore vse this verse as a cognusance or armes and let them thinke that they are Shieldes of the earth and not that indeed onely but also that they are members of Gods people and verely euen the chiefe and head members whose race and course of life maketh most to the glory of Almightie God and the saluation of many men PSAL. XLVIII Magnus Dominus laudabilis valde A Song or Psalme of deliuerance committed to the sonnes of Korah THE ARGVMENT THis Psalme is a most sweete Sermon as touching the Church containing doctrine consolation and precepts For first it describeth the church and discerneth her from other sects For al other sects do onely teach the particle of the lawe touching externall discipline and others deuise other worshippings of Idolles but they are vtterly ignorant of the Sonne of God and of the gospell that is the promise of the free remission of sinnes of reconciliation and of the inheritance of euerlasting life to be giuen by faith in the sonne our mediator But in the church is retained an vpright scund doctrine of the Law and the gospel and the knowledge of the Sonne of God for vs crucified and raised from death to life And that alone congregation wherein the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ is acknowledged who was crucified raised from death to life is the church indeede praising and worshipping God with true inuocation This difference is needeful to be holden by vs against Thammerus Latomus the Louanist Stenchus and such other like which do worke infinit confusion and imagine that the members of the church are in all places whether they be Ethnicks or others whose liues or manners are honest After this the Psalme proponeth here a Consolation very necessary touching the stabilitie of the Church which as a Rock immoueable standeth fast in the sea according to those verses Vt pelagi rupes magno veniente fragore Quae sese multis circumlatrantibus vndis Mule tenet scopuli nequicquam spumea circum Saxa fremunt laterique illisa refunditur alga As rocke or huge sea bancke which sowsing tide With roaring waues rush-on doth firme abide Nor rocke nor foaming stone do fret or fume But flagge or reede ytoste to the shoare consume For although Turkes tyrannicall Kinges and Bishops prepare and practise all their force and indeuor to the destruction of the Church yet the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her Math. 16. 18. neither shall the power of this world destroy her vtterly Finally this psalme deliuereth vs a precept which biddeth vs to loue helpe and adorne the true Church This precept O that euery man would in his place or calling obserue and woulde not rend the Church with discordes nor would not suffer the Cruelty of those Tyranes to rage But because many men are little moued at this exhortation it is therefore not to be merueiled at that in euery place there are so many offenders which bleu●●● the beuty of the Church But woe be vnto them by whom offences come Matthew 18. 7. Psal XLVIII And exposition therof Verse 1 Great is the Lord and

accusation whereby our conscience as touching the lawe accuseth vs. This accusation as it were done away hee sayeth doth hang vpon the crosse of Christ who hath for vs payed the ransome Let vs looke vpon that trophey or piller with fayth so often as wee call vppon God For our vnworthines murmureth against vs thus why commest thou vnto God why darest thou craue good things when as for thy so many sinnes thou hast deserued great punishment wrath and destruction whilest as yet thou feelest many vile motions in thee Against this distrust of minde fleeing away from God doth hee set vs downe this trophey Here sayth he behold thou the accusation hanging and blotted out come thou vnto God in confidence of the mediator and craue his holy spirit and other benefits The metaphor of Washing away may be● vnderstood out of the history extant in the 13. Iohn vers 8. If I wash thee not thou shalt haue no part with mee Againe ibidem verse 10 Hee that is washed needeth not to wash his feete but is cleane euery whit These sayings without doubting do describe iustification Except he himselfe wash vs that is except hee with his owne blood doe redeeme vs and except wee beleeue that we are redemed by the blood of Christ wee shall not be heires of eternall life Hee that is washed needeth not to wash his seete that is hee that is iust by fayth and is sanctified is cleane that is altogether pleasing God But yet in this life our feete must be washed continually that is our motions Weake nature in this life begetteth many wandring motions These filthie spottes ought continually to be washed and the interpretations are knowen The beleeuing person is cleane altogether that is to say by imputation But in this life is begunne a newnesse not yet altogether fulfilled These things are elsewhere largely spoken of Now let the Reader gather the paraphrasticall parts of the first proposition thus Eternall God father of our Lord Iesus Christ forgiue me my sinnes past wherein I am wicked and filthily defiled By the mercy which is promised for thy sonnes sake our mediator doe away both the most sorowfull accusation of my conscience as it were a hand-writing against me and in the blood of thy sonne wash away the remnants of sinne sticking in my weake nature like as it is written I Iohn 1. 7. The blood of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne That is taketh away not onely sinnes formerly committed but also couereth the remnants of sinne which as yet wee seely soules and weakelings do beare about with vs. Let therefore this proposition be adioyned vnto other testimonies which confirme the article of Justification and let it alwaies sound in our eares heart and tongue because we haue euery moment neede of the free forgiuenesse of our sinnes Verse 3 For I knowledge my faults and my sinne is ●uer before me This verse pertaineth vnto confession wherewith man soroweth in Gods presence that he hath sinnes and by faith craueth forgiuenesse of his offence and mitigation of punishments And there is a great force in the worde The acknowledgement of sinne The acknowledgement is not an idle or vaine consideration such as was in Dauid before his adultery when he also knew that adultery was forbidden but it is a feare and casting downe of man acknowledging God to be angry as Dauid did know his sinne after the most greeuous rebuke which hee had Furthermore in the word Sinne we must consider a relation namely that man by reason of sinne is guilty of Gods euerlasting wrath and punishment except hee haue forgiuenesse for the Mediators sake Touching this guiltinesse in the Lawe it is saide Deuter. 27. Cursed be euery one which continueth not in al things which are written in the Law ver 26. Verse 4 Against thee onely haue I finned and done this euill in thy sight that thou mightest be iustified in thy saying and cleare when thou art iudged He repeateth a confession amplified with most sorowfull wordes as if he should say I come vnto thee not trusting in mine owne righteousnesse or worthinesse but onely bringing a confession of sinne To thee only am I a sinner and do euil in thy sight for the particle only may not be referred vnto the pronowne but is a debarring of his owne dignitie or worthinesse to be referred vnto the word following sinner So first hee teacheth vs to bring the confession of our sinne vnto God This confession of sinne is more feruent and more perceiued when God encloseth vs euery where with signes of guiltinesse in punishments like as when Dauid was driuen into exilement But it followeth in the verse That ihou maiest be iustified in thy sayings and ouercome when thou art iudged These wordes comprehend both a most graue doctrine that God punisheth iustly and a most sweete consolation touching the promise of mercy which God performeth for his trueth or to witnesse that he is true Dauid going forth in his banishment saide I acknowledge and confesse that I am guiltie and haue deserued punishments and I pronounce that thou art a iust God seeing thou doest manifest thy most iust wrath or displeasure against my sinne and doest punish me And I pronounce that thou ouercommest when hypocrites doe iudge thee As Saul Cato and all the vngodly ones do thinke that they haue not deserued so great calamitiess or surely thinke that God is too seuere who hath burdened this our weake nature with such a multitude of miseries so they accuse and condemne God and speake euil of him But let vs render the praise of righteousnes vnto God when he punisheth as Daniel saith cap. 9. 7. Vnto thee Lorde belongeth righteousnes but vnto vs shame Furthermore needeful it is that an other meaning be added touching the promise of mercy because when this consolation commeth not hereunto there remaineth a fretting and grudging of the heart such as was in Saul or Cato wee must therefore adde this I acknowledge my selfe to bee guiltie and to haue deserued punishments I confesse thy wrath is most iust and I craue mercy not trusting in my worthinesse but in thy promise Heare mee that thou maiest be iustified that is to the end thy trueth may bee published that thou keepest promises and in truth hearest receiuest and deliuerest those that call vppon thee shew a testimonie and example wherein it may be seene that thou art the keeper of promises when thou hearest me an vnworthy person Verse 5 Behold I was shapen in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me He accuseth not his parents nor condemneth the selfe worke of generation but he bewaileth this mischiefe the which with most sorrowfull wordes is of S. Paul described where hee saieth Rom. 8. 7. the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For the substance by God is one thing and the disorder which commeth afterwards is an other thing and a deprauing of Gods worke namely darkenesse and doubtings in minde

God alone then for a man to put his trust in a thousand princes And were it not a thing hatefull I would here commemorate examples of the lightnes and lewd loosenesse of some which haue mu●ded and assaulted with hostilitie euen their very colleges and companions of the same iourney by sea But these new examples I omit and I beseech God that he would vouchsafe to defend vs with the shadow of his hand not onely against our enemies but also against our vnfaythfull and vnconstant companions or sociates Amen Psal LV. And exposition thereof Verse 1 Heare my prayer O God and hide not thy selfe from my petition Verse 2 Take heed vnto me and heare me how I mourne in my prayer THe Sonne of God saith True worshippers do worship God in spirit truth Iohn 4. 23. as if he sayd Hypocrites do pray without vnderstāding without deuotion and with a contradietion without vnderstanding because they consider not the essence and will of God manifested in his commandements and promises neither doe discerne things that are to be asked of God Finally neither consider they what a vertue true prayer is but after the manner of prating Parots doe sound words which they vnderstand not Without deuotion because they feele not spirituall motions in time of prayer as faith hope and patience but they pray with wrath and with doubting that is they do fret and fume in miserie against God and doe doubt of his hearing of them Finally they pray with contradiction speaking one thing and thinking another for though they haue these words in their mouthes Sanctified be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done Mat. 6. 9 10 yet their heart disagreeth from their tongue forasmuch as they vehemently desire and earnestly with for the destruetion of the true knowledge of God and the ouerthrow of Christes kingdome and that many things may be vnthankfully done against God Such is the prayer or rather much lippe labor to little purpose of all them which defend idolles and manifest errours but the godly ones as Dauid in this place do worship the father in spirit and trueth that is doe bring with their prayer true acknowledgement of the essence of God and a consideration of the commandements and promises wherein God made his will knowen and they knowe what benefits God will giue vs without condition and wherein he will require obedience Furthermore they acknowledge and bewaile their sinnes yet with faith they vanquish doudtings beleeuing that though they be vnworthy of themselues yet for the Mediatours sake they are and shall be heard Finally in the prayer of the godly ones there is a consonancy of the minde will heart and tongue then which harmony none can be thought more sweet Let this difference betweene true and hypocriticall prayer be often considered in the Psalmes when indeed it bringeth some light vnto the reading of the Psalmes Now thinke with your selfe how feruent Dauids prayer is Heare saith he my prayer O God and with that he addeth this as it were striuing with doubting Hide not thy selfe from my petition yea and he requireth God to take heed vnto him Take heed vnto me and heare me And least any man should thinke that Dauid is colde or goes about some other thing in time of his praying he affirmeth expresly that he will rule his motions in the same prayer that is he will craue of God with most feruent desires and with all his heart benefits necessary both for his soule and his body But why doth he make mention of being vexed berely because he would signifie that he felt outward feares inward fightings 2. Cor. 7. and did not only striue with externall dangers wherein his body was exercised but also with feares and deiections rising from acknowledgement of sinne and of the wrath of God for most commonly the enemies threatnings and the conflicts of conscience striuing with sinne and with the wrath of God doe come together in one obiect But these things are often times repeated and set foorth in the Psalmes therefore I am now more briefe herein Verse 3 The enemy crieth so and the vngodly commeth on so fast for they are minded to doe me some mischiefe so maliciously are they set against me Verse 4 My heart is disquieted within me and the feare of death is fallen vpon me Verse 5 Fearefulnes trembling are come vpon me an horrible dread hath ouerwhelmed me We need not long interpretation in these complaints because they are vnderstood by considering our owne and others examples for how much euery man suffereth so much he knoweth as one of the old writers saith notably But contrarywise he that is tempted what things doeth he suffer For there are three instruments or meanes to learne diuine things by Meditation Prayer and Temptation for the Scripture deliuered from God needeth no allegorie but contemplation and vnderstanding Seeing then we suffer such like things such complaints become more sweet in taste with vs which are euery where extant in the Psalmes Verse 6 And I sayd O that I had wings like a Doue for then would I flee away and be at rest Verse 7 Lo then would I get me away farre off and remaine in the wildernesse Verse 8 I would make haste to escape because of the stormy winde and tempest He addeth vnto the complaine a prayer of fleeing away Would to God sayth he I might be seperated afarre off from my false and vnfaithfull friends which lie in wait for me nights and dayes and are bent vpon all occasions whereby they may ouerthrow and oppresse mee After the same maner all the holy ones desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. that is desire a more sincere beholding of God and full and perfect deliuerance from sinne for like as a trauailer making his iourney in the darke knowing neither the way nor the place where he goeth reioyceth when the morning beginneth to waxe light so all the godly ones feeling the burdens of sinne and striuing with diuers dangers do desire to haue fellowship with God and being called to the end of their life doe willingly cast aside the grieuous burden of doubtings and the filthinesse of sinne which is in this our vncleane lumpe of flesh remaining and do wish themselues altogether and alwayes feruently desire to haue the loue of God and gladnesse in God These prayers are neither obscure nor vnknowen to the godly ones I passe on therefore vnto the verses following Verse 9 Destroy their tongues O Lord and diuide them for I haue spyed vnrighteousnesle and strife in the citie Verse 10 Day and night they goe about within the walles thereof mischefe also and sorow are in the middes of it Verse 11 Wickednes is therein deceit and guile goe not out of their streetes Seeing wee must needes be conuersant in the world as it were in Medeas bosome euen vntill the very last end of our life and vocation let vs