conuersation Accordingly also as that Princely Prophet Dauid swetely played vpon and song to his Harpe this diuine Harmonicum Hemystichion Psal 68. A God making men to be of one mind in an house vers 6. And againe as that wise sonne of Dauid King Salomon hath it in his Canticles of the true vnitie and louing concord betwene Christ the spouse and his church the spouses singing One is my Doue one is my Darlinge Cantica canticorum cap. 6. Thus then and in this church the glory of God and his inestimable benefites sounding towardes men what more dulce delectable Decacorda Cithera what more profound Fidicula then whose firste string is the eternall Woord of God Secondly what better corner stone then Christ Jesus Ephe. 2. Thirdly what better operation then the Holy Ghost Eph. 4. Fourthly what better builders then Patriarkes Prophets Apostles and Euangelists 1. Cor. 12. Fiftly what better building then Faith in the promises of God Matt 16. Sixtly what better churche then Worshippers in Spirite and Trueth 4 Ioh. Seauenthly what profounder pillers then True Religious Princes True Godly Pastors Apoc. 3. Eightly what brighter lights then Sincere godly liuers 1. The. 5 Ninthlye what heauenlier vertue then louinge concorde in the Trueth Ephes 4. Tenthly and lastly what greater ioye then Life and Blessednes euerlasting John 16. But contrary wise as our Sauiour Christ Jesus himselfe found the ignoraunt incredulous iarring and indurate Jewes a figure of Sathans Synagogue misvnderstanding his wordes John 6. Murmuringe against him and his miracles John 7. 9. Malignantly minded to mischiefe cap. 10. 12. Because obseruing the Lawes of Moses vsing supersticious circumcision of the flesh and worshipping abhominable Idols as Esay cap. 6. saith They had their harts hardened their eares stopped and their eyes shut vp So euen these 1. Honouring Moyses and hating the Messias 2. Louing the Law and lâ—athing the Gospell 3. Following the flesh defying the Spirite 4. Addicted to darkenes leauing the light and 5. Fancying figures not affyinge in the trueth 6. Bondage embracinge more then freedome 7. Death more then life and 8. Transitorie pleasures more then ioyes eternall No maruell it was if this godly father S. Augustine findinge the Jewes in his time of like iarringe incredulitie ignoraunce and induracy Laboured to bringe home the loste sheepe vnto Christes folde with the fatherly aduertisement of this so Grande Doricum not as Mutus but Musicus Hypparchyon thus soundinge vnto them And as thus these iarring Jewes like vnto Cainites haue beene rather worse worse after admonishment so in al ages the members of the malignant church of Rome as Tirantes Hipocrites Epicures Sophisters Papistes Atheistes Anabaptistes Jesuites Sectaries and Scisiatickes are those Jewes and Judasites touchinge whome the holy Doctor S. Ambrose super Lucam 15. cap. sayth Dominus impios quaesiuit qui eum non quaesiuerunt And this hee doth of his great goodnes and merry towards sinneful mankind to the greater encrease of his church kingdome and glory But contrary wise like subtill serpents they stop their eares as deafe worke he neuer so worthely by his wisedome and wonders vnto them approuing this proueth true in themselues Asini Lyrae auscultatores Whereby very well appeareth in them this sentence of S. Ambrose also in lib. De Abel Cain Nihil grauius quam errantem a Deo deseri vt se reuocare non possit Whiche thinge no doubt as it encreaseth the kingdome and churche of God by the decay of the kingdome or Synagogue of Sathan so with toothe and nayle he laboureth to holde faste that he fall not accordinge to that saying in the Reuelation 12. Therefore reioyce ye heauens and ye vvhich dvvell in them VVo he vnto the Inhabitantes of the earth and of the Sea because Sathan is come dovvne vnto you hauing greate vvrath Knovvinge that he hath but a small time And therfore of late this Ninus of Babilon as hee still not onely confirmeth at Rome abhominable idolatry bringing foorth Beel Baal and Beelzebub saith Nicolaus Lyra. in 14. Sap. his whelps of the same bloudy brood but also disperieth them into sondry kingdomes and countries to disturbe the sweete concord of the church and Gospel and altogether hindering the conuersion of others like themselues doe seeke their owne and others vtter subuertion To be shorte how secretly sâ— euer some of those heâ—lhoundes arriuing in englande haue hidde themselues and how subtilly soeuer like sciâ—â—natiekes they purposed by entent to build Thebes with Orpheus yet the euent falleth out that they rather practised with Thales to sowe discord amongst the Lacedemonians But as the Lord neither slombereth nor slepâ—th vvhich keepeth Israell so it is hee whiche turneth their mischiefe vpon their owne pates and it is his Sonne Christe Jesus our Mediatour which against the siftinges of these Scismâ—tickes hath prayed vnto his father for vs That our Fayth should not faile vs. Making milde Moses to ouermatch the Musitians daunsinge about the Calfe Exod. 32. Zealous Phineas to find out the Madianitiâ—h fornicators Num. 25. Godly Iudith to behead the Philistian Holophernâ—s Judith 13. Good Helyas to reproue the wandring people and also to be reuenged vpon Baals priests 3. Reg. 18. Faithfull Paul and Barnabas to reproue the false Prophet Bariehu subuerting the Lordes wayes Act. 13. Godly learned Ambrose and painefull Prudentius by diuine assistaunce to confute these blasphemies and scisines Finally and neither yet wil iust Iacob leaue wrastling with the Angell vntil by prayer he obtaine the victory and beare away the blessing Genes 32. With which Harpe and harmony of Prayers annexing therunto Confession and Thankesgeuing as the threefold sacrifice moste acceptable to the eyes and most delectable to the eares of the heauenly Iehouah Right Honourable As those same xxiiij Elders worshipping the Lambe with their Harpes and golden Vyals in the vniuersall true Catholicke Propheticall and Apostolicall Militant and Triumphant Church of God from the first age of the world hetherto allwayes Haue honoured the Lambe as most vvoorâ—hy of Povver and Riches of VVisdome Fortitude Honour Glorye and Blesâ—inge euerlasting So likewise as members of the same vniuersal church and heyres of the kingdome of Heauen in this latter age manifold causes haue the Churches of England and Irelande considering the time of their blessed visitation vnder the gracious peaceable and prosperouâ— gouernement of our most honorable Hester Vertuous Iudith and diuine Debora Queene ELIZABETH with that Princely Prophet Sacred Psalmograph Incomperable Captaine and Inuincible Conquerour King Dauid the chosen Instrument of Gods Mercy and Trueth euerlastinge To rule ouer Israell and Ierusalem 1. Reg. 16. To feede Iacob his seruâ—unt Israell his Inheritance Psal 78. vers 71. To shine in his throne as the Sunne in the Lordes sight and the Moone perfect for euer 2. King 7. Yea and be a faithfull vvâ—â—â—â—esâ—e in heauen for euer Psal 89. vers 38. Euery one continually confessing
to fall as deceyued in our erroures or as driuen thereunto by â—â—becilitie of the flesh Greate and meruelouse was the wisdome and vertue of Dauid and yet we see that he was nowe and then driuen of the deuill and other whiles by humaine erroure deceyued as when he commaunded the people of Israell to be nombred Seing therefore that the infirmitie is great in all men vouchsafe thou O eternall God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ gouerne vs and geue vnto vs wholsome councels for performance of priuat and publike affaires and confirme our hartes with thy holy spirit that they may obey thee that we be not instrumentes of wrath but instrumentes of mercy and profitable to thy Church Verse 9 For there is no truth in theire mouth theire hartes practise mischiefe their throte is an open sepulcre and they flatter with theire tongues THis notable discription of vngodly teachers must we diligently consider For there are foure proper tokens discerninge godly teachers from the vngodly ones For the godly ministers of the church do cure the woundes of the consciences that is of doubt and of dispaire But the false prophetes do both doubt themselues of Gods will and also leaue theire auditory in doubting as the Areopagites in the councell of Trident do bidde all men to abide in doubtfullnes and do wipe out all this article in the Simbole or Creede viz. I beleue in the forgeuenes of Sinnes yea say they beleue thou not but doubt thou And this doubtfulnes which is not vanquished by faith bringeth forth heauie raginges against God and also disperation Moreouer godly teachers are not the trumpetes of seditions and fyerbrandes of ciuill broyles but with a sound and sincere religion both loue and nourish peace as much as in them may be done Contrarie wise false prophetes exasperate crueltie in Princes and studie to kindle ciuil sedicions and to haue such and so â—any motions distroyed so many honest Matrones and so many infantes slaine and an euerlasting spoyle and deuastacion of churches Men say there is nothing more cruell then Panthers or Tygres and yet notwithstanding we reade that Panthers haue often times spared euen the holy ones in a streete as it were with a certaine reuerence The rage of the vngodly teachers doth farre passe these which so spare no sex nor age of person that they had rather bringe Heauen and earth together and defile there contrie with ciuill bloodshed then to lose theire opinion honour pleasures and riches And that these are true the history of this our age from the yeare 1517. vntill this present time euidently sheweth Which because it is knowne vnto all men I shall not néede to make any reheresall thereof Thirdly Godly teachers do render a reason of theire faith with all mildnes and feare as S. Peter saith and speake those thinges which are true standing with grauitie and which are Just sincere frendly and laudable according to that rule delyuered by S. Paule Philippians 4. But contrariwise the throte of the vngodly is an open sepulcre brething out blasphemies against God and filthie raylinges against honest men slaunders and most impudent lyes As Eaius with a most filthy mouth disaloweth mariage of Priestes and calleth so many honest and godly matrons as are ministers wiues she wolues So Piggliras durst be so bould as to vtter this most filthy speech which is extant in his writings That Priest saith he lesse sinneth which polluteth himselfe with whordome then he that marieth a wife These speeches do sufficiently declare with what spirit the Sycophantes and Pharasites of the Court of Rome are possessed Finally the speeche of truth is plaine But an euil cause hath néede of counterfete colowred medicins which S. Paule calleth in 16. Romaines Sweete and flattering wordes deceyuing the hartes of the innocentes For vngodly doctors do imagine collusions and fained or coloured méetinges where vnto many geue good liâ—ing But Sycophantes flatter themselues too much if they thinke that they can so dally in the Church and scape scotte frée To wrappe vp the truth trimly and glose vp theire erroures cunningly Let them looke for the same end that Iudas had whome they imitate For as he betrayed the Sonne of God with a kisse So these endeuoure to extinguish the Gospell with a certaine deceyuable outwarde show of holines Verse 10. Make them a destruction vnto themselues O God destroy their deuises confound them for their manifolde iniquities because they haue prouoked thee HOw much God hateth lewd corrupting of the heauenly doctrine this precepte teacheth Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine And God threatneth both elswhere oftentimes and also in this place that he will punish blasphemies against his name and also reproches against his true doctrine Therefore let vs thinke it is a great felicitie that we are deliuered from those counsels of the Bishops of Rome and from the league of the deuill which as it blasphemeth God to the ende it may destroy very many so it inflameth those bishops and stirreth vp Tirantes to establish mad worshippings of Images and other mischiefes Nothing can more grieuous be spoken then that which S. Paule saith If any man teach anie other Gospell let him be holden accursed All bitter curses doth hee comprehende in the word Anathema which signifyeth a matter wherewith God is angrie without any pacifying and which is ordeyned for death and destruction Therefore so doeth Paule and Dauid in this place bid vs to be perswaded as touching the enemies of the gospell And in the exhortations of the Prophetes oftentimes this threatning is repeated as in Esay cap. 5. Woe be vnto them which count euill good and good euill darcknesse light and light darcknesse Verse 11 And let them all be glad which put theire trust in thee they shall sing praise vnto thee for euer and thou shalt defende them and they shall reioice in thee which doe loue thy name Verse 12 Because thou O Lord shalt blesse the righteous as with a shield shalt thou defend him and erowne him with louing fauour I Haue oftentimes saide that the Psalmes haue most excellent lightes of Figures which it is not inough for vs once to haue seene but wherein the Reader may dwell and neuer be able to fill his minde with looking vpon them He saide briefly in the third Psalme With thee Lord there is saluation and thy blessing is vpon the people Now doeth he adorne the same sentence and diuerslie beautify it with copie of speech and with excellencie of matter For what can be more finely saide then that he compareth the blessing and helpe of God vnto a Tabernacle couering vs against the force of stormes and tempestes and vnto a shield defending vs from the assaultes of our enemies These most excellent Figures must we somewhat diligently peruse and explane The first Figure is taken out of the historie which declareth how the people of Israell wandering in the wildernes dwelt in Tabernacles and
for our defence for the glory of Gods sake especially But why addeth he Not in deâ—eiptfull lippes because he would discerne hipocrisie from true prayer which is made in spirite and trueth I doe not trifle it saith he with delusions of wordes I doe not with cunninge sieightes and merye toyes cast a mase before thine eyes of that which is impossible to be done But thy selfe being witnes which seest the secretes of mans hart I truely and without dissimulation pray thee that the puritie of doctrine may be preserued and that opinions and worshippinges delyuered without the worde of God may be vtterly taken away Verse 2. Let my iudgement come before thy face let thine eyes beholde the thing that is right THe Church is in this world as a widowe and as an Orphane and hath no Judge but onely God Neyther the controuersies touching religioÌ„ are not by mans authoritie ended or taken vp because the vngodly aduersaries wil not seem to be conuinced by the testimonyes of Gods word Needefull it is then that the conflictes of the Church should be adiudged and decyded by God to the vtter extinction of blasphemies The greater part of the princes and people of the Iewes would neuer allowe of the Apostles doctrine and therefore God refuted or vanquished them by destroying their common wealth And with this execution as I may so say of his iudgement made he an ende of that discention But in the meane season the Apostles were slaine by the Princes of the Iewes So let vs waite for the iudgement of God and in the meane time let vs know that we shall endure the enemies crueltie Verse 3. Thou hast prooued my heart and visited me in the night season Thou hast tried me with fire and hast founde none euill in me I haue determined that my mouth shall not offende HEe amplifieth the litle clause of the first Verse not from deceiptfull lippes Thou seest altogether hast approoued the same that my heart agreeth with thy word For as the heart is enflamed with light loue of God so the tongue manifesteth the deuine motions of y e heart False therefore is the rebuke of my aduersaries which crie out that I not for the glorie of God and soules helth but for a certaine curiositie or some lewd desire or blind wilfull frowardnes doe retaine and propagate a kind of doctrine manifested from God yet the thing it selfe purgeth me For I coulde haue liued in worldly vanitie with promotion if I had beene free from this cause but now for that with great labour and great danger of life I professe the true doctrine and preferre the same before life it appeareth sufficientlye that I seeke no riches or worldly dignitie So are both these matters perceiued in Paules miseries that namely he bare about with him the Gospell for profitte and pleasure sake because he for the doctrine which he taught susteyned greate miseries when he otherwise amongst his contry men in greate reputation might peaceably haue liued Moreouer that Dauid in trueth and earnestly beleueth this doctrine is true he confirmeth it by that because he had rather suffer death then to cast away his profession of the Gospell Verse 4 From the workes of men in the worde of thy lippes haue I marked the wayes of the murderer THis litle verse sheweth clearly for what purpose this Psalme was made For it discribeth the conflictes of the church with heretikes fanaticall teachers which are in very deede théeues and mnrderers like as Christ in the 10. of S. Iohns Gospel saith All they which came before mee are theeues and murderers That is all those which came without my Gospell spred abroade false doctrines and established diuers maners of worshipping idols These workes of men haue I marked and eschewed saith he not with mans wisdome but with the wisdome of God which in his worde is delyuered Let vs therefore loue and reuerence the exercises of his heauenly doctrine that we may rightly acknowledge and call vpon God and be able to eschewe the confusion of fonde opinions and traditions of men For they which refuse and despise these exercises are like reedes tossed hether and thether with euery winde of doctrine as in the 4. of S. Paule Ephes is written Verse 5 Direct thou my goings in thy pathes that my foote steppes faile me not SVffer vs not to be drawne away by the deuill vnto impietie and other mischiefes defend vs against the deceiptes of the deuill gouerne vs with thy light and with thy couÌ„cels suffer vs not to perish deceyued by our owne erroures or moued by the imbecillity of the fleshe Great was the wisdome and vertue in Aharon chiefe prieste ouer the people of God and yet we see this man was moued by the deuill to make and sette vp a golden calfe to be worshipped Seing therefore great is the infirmitie of all men vouchsafe thou O eternall God Father of our Lord Jesus Christ to gouerne vs and shewe vs thy wholesome councels in priuate and publique affaires and with thy holy spirit confirme our hartes that they may obey thy will that we be not instrumentes of wrath but instrumentes of mercy and profitable members of thy church Verse 6 I haue cryed vnto thee because thou wilt heare me incline thine eare vnto me and heare my wordes HE repeateth the prayer to shewe that he did not coldly but with an ingent motion of minde craue of God the preseruation of sincere doctrine and subuertion of idolatrie Neither in deede any thing doubtinge of being heard prayeth he but without all distrust beleneth his praiers are receyued and heard So Paule 1. Tim. 2. biddes vs to pray without wrath and without doubting Let vs therefore withstand all doubtfulnes and vanquishe the same by faith that we may come vnto Godand call vpon him For this speciall worship of God horribly hindered when and so oft as our mindes are tossed and shaken with waues of doubtfulnes as experience teacheth whereby it is euident why it is needfull that the decrée made in the councell of Trent should be refuted which confirmeth erroure touching doubtfulnes in praying Verse 7 Deale wonderfully in thy mercies which preseruest those trusting in thee from them that resist thy right hande AL the godly ones haue néede of spirituall wisdome interpreting the promisses of God God perfurmeth his promises but other wise then mans reasonne thinketh Moyses did not thinke that he should wander fourtie yeares in the wildernes howe many in meane time despaired and cursed Moyses as a deceyuer of the people yea as a seditious and tyrannicall person And yet God at the length performed that which Moyses promised them and had begon by his decrée So was the preseruation of the church promised vnto the Apostels they and theire auditories were put to the sworde and yet in meane time the Church was furdered and more more florished These matters are to be learned of vs that we may prefer the worde of God before
enterchange of their proper names must also be obserued in the other Verses Most truely sayde it is that the Gospell refresheth and comforteth our soules But Philosophie is onely a meditation of death But the Lawe is the power of sinne That is sinne were not so cruell were it not armed with the Law For by the Law sin is made sinne mightely Seeing therefore remedies for our sorrowes can neither be requyred of Philosophy nor yet of y e Law we must confesse that the only doctrine of the gospel doth effectually heale the wounds of the sore as in the 6. cap. of Esay Christ saith The spirite of the Lord is vpon me therefore hath he anoynted me that I may heale the broken or contrite harte c. For as it is also said Of them which being readie to dye of the Apoplepy are saued and as it were brought out of the iawes of death when as they hold the iuyce of wormwood vnto theire nosestrilles So these most sweete consolations So god loued the world c. Iohn 3. And againe Come vnto me all ye that laboure c. with many mo such like are the vanquishers of death and of desperations Dauid when he liued in exile by his sonne Absolon was driuen out of his kingdome felte this effecte of the Gospell working in himselfe and with remembrance of his owne sinnes was not a litle tormented The same felte also the conuerted théefe Finally no doubt euen all the godlyones fynde by experience that they can enioy no comforte in any place but in the Gospell which is the ministerie of the Spirite and of life Verse 9. The testimonie of the Lord is faithfull geuing wisdome vnto the simple THe thirde Epithet or name of the Gospell agréeth with y t saying of Christ Sanctifie them in thy trueth thy word is the truth Iohn 17. That is the only doctrine delyuered by the Sonne of God by the Prophetes and Apostles is the trueth touching God Besides this the doctrine of all sectes touching God are deuilish furies they do not publish God nor sanctifie mens mindes This saying therefore descerns the Church from all other sectes and condemneth all straunge opinions touching God which are contrarie to the gospell The fourth Epithet may be vnderstoode in the sentences of Christ and of S. Paule considered of vs. For so Christ in the 11. of Matt. saith I thanke thee O Father of heauen and of earth that thou hast hidden these thinges frō the wise and hast reuealed them vnto the simple ones And againe S. Paule 1. cor 1. Not many wise men after the fleshe c. But the folishe things of this world hath God chosen c. But they are the simple ones which haue no vaine ostentation or trust in theire owne wisdome and righteousnes but acknowledge theire owne infirmitie and theire corruptions and carefully séeke to put remedies vnto the woundes of theire conscience In such persons is the voyce of the gospell effectuall leauing in them the pearcing perswasions of that wisdome and righteousnes which pleaseth God but others swelling or puffed vp with pride or loue of theire owne righteousnes wisdome remayne in extreme erroures and blindnes yea and in the ignorance of greatest matters Verse 10 The precepts of the Lorde are righteous reioycing the hart the commaundement of the Lord is pure geuing light to the eyes THe fift Epithet is referred vnto the equallitie of the gospell because it accuseth all men without respecte of persons and againe promiseth and bringeth the grace or fauour of God vnto all them that flee vnto the Mediator For both phrases of the effecte of the gospell are vniuersalll viz. The preaching of repentance And the promis of grace But of this sentence els where it is ofte spoken The sixt Epithet agréeth with the second requires no longe exposicion because the godly knowe that The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but peace and ioye in the holy ghost Rom. 14. The seuenth is opposed against corrupt doctrine of true inuocation for no nation nor sectes forsaking this worde delyuered by the sonne of God the prophetes and Apostles hath pure doctrine of god and inuocacion of the true God The eight let it be vnderstoode by an Antithesis The whole nature of men is blinde because she carrieth about her darknes namely doubtfulnes of God carnall securitie distrust false inuocation of the minde doubting and fleeinge from god and other innumerable motions straying away from the lawe of God But this blindnes doth not the world vnderstand No he is in loue with him selfe and extolleth himselfe by reasone of his small shadowe of externall discipline But the church being by the worde of the gospell admonished of sinne acknowledgeth and bewaileth her mishaps and craueth of god new light righteousnes and lyfe Verse 11 The feare of the Lorde is pure abyding for euer The iudgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether THere riseth in deede by the lawe a feare but not sincere that is a seruile feare without faith which fléeth from God and doth not attribut prayse vnto god when man is iustly punished but by the gospel ryseth a sunne-like feare ioyned with faith which amonge sorowes reuyueth and camforteth the minde and draweth nere vnto God yea beséecheth and receaueth of him remission of sinne This faith maketh a notable difference betwene a seruile and a sunnelike feare Verse 12 More to be desired are then gold and farre aboue pearle or precious stone and more sweeter then hony or the hony combe VNgodly persons séeke after riches and pleasures and yet notwithstanding in great aboundance of riches and pleasures are they pore and wreched because these good thinges at length forsake them As when Pompey was ouercome no pleasures did asswage his sorrowe But Dauid being driuen into exilement and destitute of all humane helpes retaineth this firme consolation He knewe that he had his sinnes forgeuen he knewe that he had a mercifull god and he rested in god he knewe he should not vtterly perish This consolation taken out of gods word is more excellent then golde and sweeter then any hony I will adde here for declaration of the Antithesis the versicles of Solon For what so he said touching vertue this more truely may be applyed vnto the worde of God Multi improbi sunt diuites Et boni exiguas opes habent Sed nos non mutabimus cum ipsis Virtutis possessionemque sola firma est Nam opes subinde mutant Dominum Many euill men of welth haue store And good men they are very poore But we with them no charnge will make Of vertues possest nor them forsake Which vertue alone kydes firme with men For riches theire Lord chaunge now and then Verse 13 Yea thy seruant is admonished by them in keeping them there is greate rewarde MAnifolde profit is there in gods worde For it not onely teacheth but also admonisheth it ruleth helpeth vs with counsell it gouerneth the
after this speake touching the argument of this Psalme No doubt it is that the first pare of the psalme is a plentifull notable description of glorie which Christ had in his resurrection triumph and sitting at the right hand of God for euer shall haue For as in his passion he was brought low and debased worse then Angels and men so rising froÌ„ death to life triuÌ„phing he was placed in high dignitie of glorie as in the 2. Philip. it is saide Therefore hath God exalted him geuen him a name which is aboue all names c. This glorie did the Apostles beholde whole 40. dayes together For there saw they mortalitie to be fullie wholie abolished in christ they sawe a new nature shining in the light of heauen in a new righteousnes and life And seeing it properlie appertaineth vnto the priest to blesse not only the kingdome of Christ but also the priesthoode of this Lord is here described Let vs therfore hold still the definition of the high priest in the church that the difference betwene Christ and other priestes may be perceaued The hye priest is a person immediatlie sent from God to the publishing of the gospell to pacefie by his sacrifice the wrath of god to pray for vs hauing witnes that he shall be heard and by which person benefites promised in the newe testament are bestowed vpon vs. By this difinition it is cleare what difference there is betwene the priesthoode of Christ and the ministeries of the teachers in the church For he is the fountaine of doctrine which being pronounced from the bosome of the eternal father he hath made knowne Other teachers onlie receaue the benefites mencioned from this master Secondlie he onelie with his sacrifice and intercession pacifieth the wrath of his eternall father But the miseries or calamities of other ministers are not sacrifices for the sinne of mankind but eyther punishmentes for certaine proper offences eyther els tryals or exercises of faith discerning true faith from hipocrisie eyther els testimonies of the doctrine of immortalitie which they professe and are signes tokens nothing failing coÌ„cerning the iudgments that shalbe Last of al the high priest by his merit efficacie geueth spritual blessing that is delyuerance from the curse of the law froÌ„ the wrath of God forgeuenes of sins the holie ghost life euerlasting as in the 1. of Iohn is written Out of his fulnes we al haue receyued grace for grace Other teachers are onlie ministers of the worde of the gospel of the sacraments by the which the sonne of god is effectuall Let this high priest therefore be discerned from Prophetes Apostles and other teachers in the church as Iohn baptist saith I baptise you with water but he baptiseth with the spirit Mat. 3. cap. The second parte of the Psalme is a tragical sermoÌ„ concerning punishmeÌ„ts of the Iewes who with most cruel kindes of death persecuted Christ and his Apostles for vnto these denounceth he destruction of theire regiment and of theire church and also perpetual banishment thraldome This comminatioÌ„ or threatning can no man read without great feare of minde speciallie seing the thing sheweth that the regiment of the Iewes was so distroyed that it could neuer be restored that the Iewes were punished with perpetuall banishment Also let that come into our consideration which Paule Rom. 11. settes before the reader If God haue not spared the naturall branches much lesse shall he spare the wilde or vnnaturall branches That is if the Iewes were destroyed with so horrible punishmentes for theire vnthankfulnes and contempt of the gospell out of whome Christ was borne after the flesh let vs feare like punishmentes of contempt in greeuous offences sithence the same God is iudge both of Iewes and Gentiles But now let vs proceede to the exposition of the Psalme sVere 1 O Lord in thy strrngth shall the king be glad And in thy sauing helth how exceedinglie shall he reioye THis Pean or solemne songe is a most ioyfull victorie of Christ raysed from death to life and making glorious tryumph ouer sinne death the deuill and hell For as by reason of our sinnes he was weake and mortall and cryed aloude vpon the crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me So being exalted by the right hand of God for our righteousnes he spoyled his enemies and caryed them captiues in his triumphes bereaued of all power As in the 2. to the Coloss and in the 68. Psalme is written Men say that Epaminudas Prince of Thebes in accomplishing his greatest exploytes saide that he reaped this speciall profite or fruite of his enterprises in that he had his parentes the beholders of his glorie So there is no doubt but the sonne of God reioyceth in the iudgement and testimonie of his eternall father approouinge and helping forwardes his victorie against the deuil and his champions Being fully repleate with this inspekeable ioy he affirmeth that he is well apayd and reioyceth and that hee can neither by wordes or outwarde apparance sufficiently declare the greatnes of his affecte But seeing this his victorie is also oures let vs with ioy embrace the same and let vs lay foorth the same as a Gorgon or Shield of Pallas before the kingdome of the deuill crying aloude with Paule 1. Cor. 15. Death where is thy stinge Hell where is thy victorie Thankes be to God which hath geuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ Vndoubtedly if with perpetuall minde and consideration we were conuerted vnto the image of Christ thus rayses from death and ascending vp into heauen we should more easelye beare the sorrowes of this most short and most transitorie life and we would lesse be afrayde in the middest of death But our hearts are too colde in considering vpon the promises of Christ Be ye of good cheare I haue ouercome the world Iohn Againe I liue and you shall liue Let vs therefore craue of God that he would with his holy spirite illuminate in vs the consideration of these speciall matters and also woulde geue vs ioy and confidence which is the vanquisher of feares and doubtinges Verse 2 Thou hast geuen vnto him his heartes desire And hast not denied him the prayer of his lippes I Haue before now and then saide That prayer is after a twofolde manner The one which proceedeth from cogitation of minde and a confidence illuminated in the will of God and fleeing vnto God inwardly crauing and expecting good thinges The other which is made with the tongue expressing those motions of the heart and the heart therewith agâ—â—â—ing And God requyreth an expresse veice that others may be instructed confirmed Yea that euen the deuils when true prayer vnto God is heard may tremble for feare and flée away Therefore it testifieth that both sortes of prayer is heard of God For what can the bountifull hande of God deny vnto his onely begotten and beloued Sonne But seeing the Sonne hath
PART OF THE HARMONY OF KING DAVIDS HARP. Conteining the first XXI Psalmes of King Dauid Briefly learnedly expounded by the Reuerend D. Victorinus Strigelius Professor of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Lypsia in Germanie Newly translated into English by Rich. Robinson Briefe contentes of these 21. Psalmes Of Doctrine Psal 1. 14. Of Prophefies Psal 2. 8. 16. 19. 21. Of Consolation Psal 4. 12. Of Thankesgeuing Psal 9. 18. Of Prayer Psal 3. 5. 6. 7. 10. 11. 13. 17. 20. Of Obedience Psal 15. Zachar. 12. I will power vpon the house of Dauid my Spirite of Grace of Prayer VBIQVE FLORESCIT LONDON Imprinted by John wolfe 1582. G. C. To the Translator Firme frendship feares no feeb le foes faith triumphes ouer all It may be tost and wrapt in woes but downe it cannot fall Did Christ disdaine for frendes to die their fatall doomes to pay Euen God for man iust for vniust his soule to pledge did laye Looke then on frendships force to foes and see it more abound In his triumphes we victors were and riches great haue found Some captaines of his hoast and some his guides and prophetes are And some Apostles for to plant of watring some haue care Muse not therefore that Prophets speake darke speeches which be wise In huskes most tart and shelles most hard the pleasant kernell lies Could greater secretes be conceiude then lurke in Dauids songes Vnknowen to purblinde Iewes to whom of right the law belongs S trigelius tels them plaine to those that latine language knowes Deep mysteries in termes most plaine to studious heads he showes Euen he the huske and shel hath broke to kernell you may come I know his speech all cannot reach he speaketh but to some Exchangde for english pleasant phrase he hath his romish stile Sincerely Robinson hath dealt the vulgar speech to file Therefore praise God as author chiefe for to reueale the same Esteeme the Princelie Scribe whose pen these suered songes did frame Thanke Strigell for the light he gaue to darkesome speech of Harpe Count Robinsons indeuours such as Mâ—â—â—us may not carpe How great a signe is this to thee the frend of God to be Reuealing of his secrete will and giftes bestowed on thee If seruantes may not know the will and masters treasure great Sure frendes and sonnes enioy them both they feede on daintiest meate Thus hast thou treasure lock and key at will to take and chuse In wretched state thou art enthralde if thou such giftes refuse F Frend Robinson thou hast a frend if thou like faithfull be E Euen God and Christ thee to defend gainst all loquacitie A All tinckling Cymbals cease your soundeâ— vaine heads mindes to please R Rest curious workemen of vaine artes your salue helps no disease E Egs of the Cockatrice you lay and weaue the Spiders cloth G Goodly to view no gayne to vse but shame and poyson both O Only Gods will to know and teach is wisdome ioy and blisse D Down with vayne toyes exalt all hands and hearts that brings vs this G Gâ—â—…ch not good will its vertues me ede let labouring bees be fed C â—â—… the drones that spende y t swete that toyling bees haue bred FINIS To the Right Honourable and Vertuous Lord AMBROSH DVDLEY Earle of Warwicke Baron Lisle Master of her Maiesties Ordinaunce Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter and one of her Highnes most Honourable Priuie Counsell Grace mercie and peace in the Sacred Trinitie IN Extolling Religiously the consonante vnitie of the Trinitie as the sacred harmonie of the heauenlye deitie Righte Honourable Eatle Aurelius Augustinus that aunciente Orthodoxus meriteth Christian coÌ„mendation and memorie not onely for those his six bookes De Trinitate greatly edifying the church of God in faith vnited and in concord established but also for that his learned trauell in Libro de Incarnatione Domini contra Iudaeos Endeuouring to win the way ward Iewes vnto God and his church as by that similitude especially where he saith Iudaee cytheram respice vt musicum melos sonisue dulcibus reddat Tria pariter adesse videntur c. For as he biddes the Jew behold the Harpe what musicall melodie it hath and in sweete tunes by those three cecurrentes videlicet Ars dictans Manus tangens and Chorda resonans which altogether working make consonant concord in Musicke So thereby allegorically figuring Monochordium Deitatis in Trinitate personarum as The vnitie of Trinitie in Deitie He meaneth none other thing but to diâ—wade the Iewe from ignorance of God to the knowledge of him from incredulitie to beleefe and of an enemie vnto God and his church to become an embracer of him and a member of his misticall bodie whereof S. Paule truely reporteth as in I. Cor. 12. There is one God which worketh all in all c. And againe Rom. 10. One God ouer all rich towardes all that call vpon him whether they be Iewes or Gentiles none which beleue in him shall be ashamed c. Also as in the 12. Rom. and in 4. Ephesians the liuely members and benefites of his churche are at large described These things then thus framing what more sacred substantiall Instrument then The Essence of God as in his holy word reuealed and of vs acknowledged videlicet John 1. There are thre vvhich beare vvitnesse in heauen The Father The Worde and The Holy Ghost and they three are one One God of diuine essence spiritual eternall and omnipotente sayth Dauid Chytrâ—us in regula vitae And what more sacred consonancy of heauenly harmony in Deitie then The vvill of God as in his word reuealed of vs acknowledged in a three folde benefite towardes mankinde videlicet 1 Touching our Creation Gen. 1. Let vs make man after our ovvne similitude and likenes 2 Touching our Redemption Ephes 1. By Christ vve haue redemption in his bloud and forgeuenes of our sinnes according to the riches of his grace And 3 Touchinge our Sanctification Ephes 1. VVe are sealed vvith the holy Spirite of promise vvhich is the pledge of our Inheritance Which Essence and Will of God as the heauenly instrument and sweete sound in his benefites is onely apparant by his sacred worde published to the Patriarkes Princes and Prophets and in the Gospoll of Christ Jesus and doctrine of the Apostles Like as our Sauiour himselâ— concludeth the same consonant concord of God and his church when on this manner he prayed vnto his father for the same John 17. That all vvhich beleeued in him might be as one That they might be one like as his father and he vvas one I in them and thou in me saith he that they may be made perfecte in one This verely is that duâ—cer Harpe whose consonante concorde S. Augustine so highly coÌ„mending would haue the Jewes to be hearers of this musicke in the church of God by faith followers in vnitie of Religion and fullfillers in life and
kingdome of his sonne which alloweth and defendeth it and which hath made knowne him selfe vnto maÌ„kinde by publishing so many promises concerninge the preseruation of his Church But here let vs remember the godly profitable admonition which is geuen vs by D. Martin Luther in this exposition vpon these last wordes of Dauides If anie man vnderstand this that he doe see in the writinges of the Prophets whereas anie one person of the Godhead speaketh of the other or vnto the other that is to say So as not one person onely but moe are signifyed To him now shall it be easie to discerne which in those places is the person of the Eternall Father and which is the person of the Coeternall Sonne Now wheras of these two persons mention is distinctlie made there also is the third person signified of the holie Ghost speaking namely by the scriptures as it is saide in the Creede This iudgement of the difference of the three persons in Godhead being thus concluded let vs way as in equall ballance the waight of the wordes in this verse The kingdome of Christ is the gouernmente of Christ collecting vnto him his Church by the Ministerie of the Gospel in all ages of the world and delyuering the same from sinne and eternall death sanctifying the same in geuing his hâ—ly spirit that it may bé his euerlasting inheritance and defending and gouerning y e same marueilously in this life that it would truely call vpon him and acknowledge prayers hearde through him and to worship God raysing from death to life and eternall glorye Let vs therefore not onely discern the person of this king from Cyrus Alexander Augustus and such like but also the kingdome of Christ from all Common wealthes and Gouernmentes For although it be certaine that mightie Princes by whose wisdome and vertue kingdomes are ordered be styrred vp and helped by God as Herodotus rightly speaketh of the Persian kinge That the kingdome of Persia increased vnder the gouernment of God and the kings themselues redilie folowing him Yet Cyrus Alexander Augustus and such like were miserable men subiecte vnto sinne and â—eath neither did the Godhead mingle it selse with their naturs But we which are instructed in the Church by testimonies of Gods worde doe beleeue in Christ not onely that he is mans Nature but that he is the diuine nature of the Sonne of God whom S. Iohn calleth The Worde and who is the expresse Image of the eternall Father Now consider how great a benefite it is and how euident â— testimonie of his great lone towardes vs that the Eternall God hath sent vnto vs the Coeternal Son his Image taking vpon him the nature of man wherin wholy shineth God the Sonne in a league immutable But alack too frozen harted are we in coÌ„sidering so great matters Therefore we must pray vnto God that hée would stirre vp in vs through his holy Spirit motions by all meanes agréeable vnto so great a gifte Namely Faith Thankesgiuing Confession and such like Thus farre I haue spoken a few thinges touching the difference betwixt Christ and other kinges Now let vs distinguish y e kingdomes of Christ from other kingdomes by euident boundes as it is in the Law of gouerning territortes For they differ in forme of gouernment in benefites and stabilitie For other kingdomes are fortifyed with riches and armies and dee punish offenders with the sworde or with corporall force but Christes kingdome is gouerned by the voice of the gospell by y t which God is effectuall and doth regenerate many vnto life euerlasting Moreouer in other kingdomes the chiefe thinges are peace of body and externall discipline But the treasures or riches of this kingdome are remission of sinnes the hâ—ly ghost and life euerlasting Finally other kingdomes haue their fatall periodes as Plato in the 8. booke of his common wealth disputeth That Common weales are changed for Celestiall causes which make certaine interchanges of States in Cities and gouernmentes And the Scriptures oftentimes cryeth out that y e fal of Empires is caused by the 〈…〉 of men that there are punishmentes for haynous offences as it is written in Syrach cap. 10. The kingdome is translated from nation to nation for the iniquities and deceites of men But no limite or space of time can conteyne the kingdome of Christ for as much as it is spirituall and heauenly as the Angell saith profoundly in the 1. Chap. of S. Luke Hee shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be none ende But although some dispute why the hill Sion is called holy yet the answere is simple plaine that the church is sanctifyed of Christ the king who is geuen of God to be our Wisdome Righteousnes Holines and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. And Christ sanctifyeth his Church with his worde his bloud and with the holy Ghost as it is written Iohn 17. Father sanctifie them in thy trueth thy wordâ— is the truth And againe Heb. 13. Iesus suffered without the gate to sanctifie the people by his blood Ephes 5. Christ loued his church and gaue himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it washing it with the fountaine of water in his worde Ioel. 2. I will power out my Spirit vpon all flesh c. Verse 7. I will preach of thy commaundement the Lord said vnto me thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee THe Sonne of God affirmeth in this verse that he will preach and set forth the doctrine beside the lawe namely this sentence The Lorde saide vnto me thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee aske of me and I will geue the Nations for thine inheritance Therfore shall hee obserue the ministerie of teaching the scriptures and studyes therein and doth approue these studies in those which learne the Gospell For this verse comprehendeth the whole effect of the Gospell as D. Mart. Luther interpreting vpon the 3. cap. of Iohel sayth For what other thinge doth the Gospell teach then that Jesus was borne of the virgin Mary is the Sonne of the eternall Father and came in this fleshe that he might first teach vs concerning the mercifull will of his father Secondly that he might make satisfaction for our sinnes vpon the crosse and geue his holie spirit and euerlastinge saluation With this doctrine are our mindes through the holie Ghost enflamed that first they might trulie loue God for we see him to burne in so great loue towardes vs that for our saluation he spared not his owne onely Sonne Moreouer that our mindes might embrace the sonne as a sufficient sacrifice for our sinnes wherewith onely the Father would be pacified By this faith we obtaine remission of all our sinnes and willingly obey our Redeemer calling vs vnto Baptisme vnto his worde vnto his supper and exhortinge vs vnto loue And we are assisted by the holy spirit that our harts being chaunged do beginne to hate sinne and not to nowrish sinne anie more
vnto God and asketh and receaueth forgeuenes of sinnes This description is euident and may be vnderstoode in our dayly exercises Contrition without faith is an horrible feare and sorrowe of the minde flying away from God as in Saule and Iudas Wherefore it is not a good worke But contrition with faith is a feare and sorrow of the minde not flying away from God but acknowledging y e iust wrath of God and truely gréeued that it hath neglected or contemned God and yet approcheth vnto God and craueth pardon Such a sorowe is a good worke and a sacrifice as the Psalme saith The Lord is well pleased in those that feare him and in those which trust in his mercie When this faith first shineth out new obedience is begun in the gouerning of our priuate life and vocation and in sorrowes which pleaseth God for Christes sake and is a worship of God that is a worke wherin God déemeth himselfe to be honoured of vs. Verse 12. Kisse the Sonne least he be angrie and you pearishe in the way Because sodenlie shall his anger waxe whote but blessed are all they that put their trust in him THis last verse vseth a most sweete worde wherin hée commandeth his Sonne to be heard Kisse saith he the Sonne that is he shal come vnto you and shal louingly and swéetely embrace you geuing you a kisse and an embracing Reconciliation and life Eternall He loueth vnfaynedly which geueth a sweete kisse from his hearte Therefore the Sonne of God loueth vs proferinge vs a swéete kisse from his heart The Eternal Father loueth vs whiles he will haue vs swéetely to kisse the lippes of his Sonne But in this place we must consider a contrarietie The vngodly are not delighted with the kis of Christ but spit vpon him and with all maner of crueltie defile the face of Christ Vnto these doeth this Psalme threaten punishment But as touching the others which are delited with his kisse he saith Blessed are al they which put their trust in him These wordes doe teach what kis is here requyred Forsooth fayth or confidence calling vpon God for Christes sake This faith when we shal with inuocation or prayer exercise then shal this psalme be more manifest approoued in vs and we shal finde that this promise is not in vaine but that it is thus truelye kept Blessed are all they which trust in the Lord. The Prayer of the Apostles repeated out of this Psalme and needfull to be exercised in these our dayes O Lord thou God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all that is in them which through thy holy Spirite hast saide by the mouth of our father Dauid thy seruant Why did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges Kings of the earth stood vp and the Princes came together against the Lord and against his Sonne Christ For in deede they gathered themselues together in this citie against thy holie childe Iesus whom thou hast anointed Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and people of Israel to doe that which thy hande and Counsell haue decreed to be done And now O Lord beholde their threatninges and strengthen thy seruantes with all confidence in thee to preach thy word Graunt this O Lord we beseech thee to the honor glory of thy holy name Amen The thirde Psalme Domine quid multiplicati sunt c. THE ARGVMENT THe rule which Hilary setteth downe in his bookes of the Trinitie doth well like me That wee muste from the causes of speakinge borowe the vnderstandinge of thinges spoaken But the Title sufficientlie declareth what occasion constrained Dauid to write this Psalme For although it greeued Dauid to be throwne out of his kingdome and to haue sedicion stirred vp by his Sonne whome he greatlie loued and himselfe bereaued of that glorie of wisdome iustice which he had yet notwithstanding these were not his chiefe greefes An other far more great vexed him in that he sawe his owne sinne was the cause o◠so great mischiefes and transgressions wherein manie which were holie perished Herein he iudgeth himselfe to be the plague of the Church and of Gods people and did feele such a huge burden of his sins that he acknowledged him selfe not able to beare the same Therfore he feared least that God had vtterlie cast him away as Saule and other Tyrantes which were the vessels of Gods wrath With this feare and sorowe had hee no doubte bene vtterlie quailed but that he did inculcate into him selfe the words of forgiuenes which he had heard of the Prophet Nathan viz. The Lord hath taken away thy sinnes In this voice of God setling his harte at rest he reuyued and began to call vpon God Therefore although he wrastled with the tentation of casting avvay yet by faith he strengthned him selfe and ouercame both all doubtfulnes and dispaire Which things sith they so be Let euerie one of vs which repent vs of our sinnes returne vnto God with confidence of reconciliacion for Christs sake Neither let vs dispaire by the greatnes of our fall but let vs holde that the mightie power of the Sonne of God is to be preferred before the sinnes of all men neyther to our other offences let vs also adde blasphemie which accuseth God of Lyinge and denyeth forgeuenes of sinnes let these suffice to be brieflie spoken of the Argument of this third psalme which setteth downe necessarie consolation that God will not haue vs dispaire although wee haue horriblie fallen and offended Because when Dauid was an adulterer and a murtherer and repented him fled vnto God he not onelie receiued him into fauoure and grace but also restored him afterwardes vnto his kingdome as in the rightfull recouerie of that which before he had lost Verse 1. LOrd how are they increased which trouble me many rise vp against me HE beginneth this Psalme from a sorowful complaint wherin he bewaileth the greate force of his troubles and the concourse of his calamities For who is able to expresse in words with how great floodes and stormes of sorows Dauid was tossed by reason of his adulterie First was his daughter deflowred after that folowed the slaughter of his sonne afterward sedition being moued by his sonne their wiues was defiled the Citzens were slaine and the father put to flight and it was a lesse thing for Dauid to be thus spoiled of his kingdome then to be bereaued of the great glorie of the power and fauour of God Amongst so great miseries and sorowes hee truely felt Inward feares outward fyghtinges Yt is some help when sinne meeteth not with mischiefes That is truely said for sorow increaseth when we acknowledge that we procure our selues calamitie through our owne transgression and when for grieuous sinnes we feele the wrath of God Verse 2. Many say vnto my Soule there is no saluation for him in God THis voyce signifieth no light griefe But of one wrastling with temptation of casting away I lament not
adorned after death Wherefore while as yet in the immortall bodie they carry about with them many sinnes repugnant vnto the Law of God as for example securitie pride distrust impatience and diuers wandering motions it is needefull that the flesh be mortifyed and that the old leauen be purged out which can not otherwise more fitly be done then by death and other great miseries which are the admonishers and rebukers of sinne and of Gods wrath and doe represse lewde and vitious desires The meaning of Dauid this worde chased doth witnesse which signifyeth as not without fault or without sorrow but sanctifyed and iustifyed by grace Verse 7. The Lord heareth my prayer when I crie vnto him HE maketh not mention so oftentimes in vaine of prayer and hearing but with great aduise doth he repeate these For Dauid after his example will haue the Church to teach that prayer or Inuocation is the moderator of dangers in this life and most speciall defence in this miserie of mankinde Like as it is written in the 18. chap. Prouerbes The name of the Lorde is a stronge Tower vnto this shall the righteous flee and be deliuered And it is commanded vs in Psal 49. Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble c. Moreouer this sentence witnesseth that prayer is not a vain sounding or noyse but that it is assuredly heard and that it obteyneth delyueraunce or mitigation agreeable with the will of God touchinge the which thing els where in the Church it is declared verse 8 Be angrie and sinne not commune with your heartes in your chambers and be still VNto the former consolation now addeth he a precepte touching christian patience which is to obey God in tollerating calamities according to our vocation so that we swerue not away from God or be angrie with him or contrarie to his commandementes dee any thing when we are broken with sorrow but that wee should moderate our sorrowe with acknowledgemente of the will of God and with hope of his deuine helpe Concerning this vertue there are set downe many sentences euery where As 1. Peter 5. Humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God that hee may exalte you in time conuenient And in the 46. Psalme Prooue and see because I am the Lord That is Séeke not vnlawfull remedies in time of your calamities As Saule before his last battel fled for helpe and remedie vnto the witch But settle your heartes in God whose hand is able and 〈…〉 both to debase and exalte Think with your selues that the Church is not ordeyned for idlenes pleasures but â—â—â— a sharpe and fierce warfare which can not be enduteâ— but with greate vertue Call vnto youre mind the Sonne of God who sith by assured prouitence of God he suffered most bitter calamities it were a thinge contrarie vnto all right and vnequall that we should couet such pleasant idlenes especially when through our offences the wrath of God is prouoked Set before our eyes the examples of mightie personages in the Churche which were in greatest miseries yea behold well the whole creation of thinges which is horribly profaned of the vngodly and suffereth this abuse holding this assured perswasion the day will come that after a while it shall be together with the children of God delyuered from these molestations Considering these and many other in your mindes be still and bridle your affections that they burst not out beyond their bonndes and seing it is a most difficult matter to performe this obedience Craue of God that he would geue you his holy spirit the gouernour of youre mind will and hart according to his promise Howe much more shal your heauenly Father geue you his holy spirit when you aske it of him Thus farre haue I briefly and simply recyted the meaning of the fourth verse agreeing with the whole substance of this psalme It foloweth that I nowe speake of that râ—eaning or sence whereunto S. Paule hath rightly finely applyed this verse in 4. cap. Ephesians For Paule geuinge admonition touching moderation of angre and pardoning iniuries alledgeth this verse Be angry saith he and sinne not And straight waye he addeth Let not the Sonne go downe vpon your wrath Geue no place vnto the deuill But although it seemed vnto many in times past that Paule recyted this verse abusyuely yet let vs kepe stil the rule delyuered vs by Christ The second commaundement touching loue is like vnto the first for the vertues conteyned in both tables are nedeful by necessity of the commaundement and of the dutie and are the worship due to God that is workes whereby God iudgeth him selfe to be honoured when they are donne in acknowledgment of the Mediator Finally the obedienc conteyned in both tables beholdeth the same principall obiect namly God Wherefore there is no absurditie in that whereas S. Paule applyeth this precept touchinge suffering iniuries amoÌ„gst men For although the obictes are externall in great diuersitie about the which that excellent vertue patience is exercysed as there is one obiect in the punishment of Paule another in the exilement of Dauid before Saules death yet notwithstandinge there is one and the same obiect inward or principall whereupon is reposed this moderation of sorowe Let these suffice to be spoken of vs here concerninge the place cited by S. Paule least any man swerue into that opinion that he thinke Paule vnlearnedly vsed testimonies of the scriptures as some men cauell at the worthie commendation of that testimonie out of Gen. viz. Abraham belieued God c. Concerning which we will speaks of els where Now let vs deale with that which is in hand and see if we can gather remidies of immoderate angre out of the worde of God and the wrytinges of Philosophers For what a mischiefe vnbrydled angre is and howe hard a matter for an angry man to restraine him selfe that he therby passe not measure the sainges and examples whereof the nomber weary me to speake sufficiently â—o showe Pindarus saith Anger so troubleth wise men that they sinne And Iuuenal saith But reueÌ„gemeÌ„t is a commoditie more sweete then life it selfe in the Prouerbes it is said Mans wrath worketh mischiefe with these sentences do agree very many examples But we for breuitie sake wil be content with a few Theodosius the Emperour when he was by nature very furious commaunded a multitude of y e base people at Thessalonica their cause not heard to be put to death by reason a fewe souldiers were slaine in an vproare Hierom the ecclesiastical writer by reason of the fond contentions touching Origen so poured out all libertie of anger that he all to bad reproched his frend Ruffinus with whom he had liued very frendly for thirtie yeres spare and set forth bookes of bitter speeches which are yet extant against that man of a right opinion touching the effect of controuersie And although priuate men liuing in idlenes and vanitie can gallantly dispute of courtesie and humilitie yet the
doubtfullnes Seing therefore Philosophy doth confesse her darknes it is nedefull that kinde of doctrine be embraced which God himselfe delyuered which doth make manifest so great matters For there are three chief and speciall good thinges of man which are shewed in this heauenly doctrine The first is True acknowledgment and calling vpon God The second Firme consolation in calamitics The third is The order of our life These good giftes doth this psalme comprehend when it sayeth But thou O Lord shewe vs the light of thy countenance That is sâ—ing that mans reason is ignorant of God and of true inuocation neither hath in her selfe any firme consolation and is much more seeble then that shee can direct her life and vocation amongst so many snares of the deuil and in so great a heape of buysines and daungers I beseech thee our Lord that with the Gospell and with the holy Spirit thou wouldest illuminate in vs that wisdome which truly knoweth God and calleth vpon him a right that thou wouldest strenghthen our hartes with firme consolation and gouerne the whole course of our life and vocation vnto the glory of thy holy name and saluation of the Church vniuersall Verse 11. Thou hast made me to reioyce in my hart whiles they haue plentie of wine and Corne. THis verse setteth out the degrees of good thinges although saith he The benefits pertaining vnto this lyfe are the blessinges of God and are to be craued of God yet notwithstanding both when other earthly benefits rise and fall too and from vs we haue an inwarde consolation worthely fixed and established in vs an other way and we preferre this consolation â—aâ— beyond al. swete pleasures of this slâ—tting and vanishing life wherin all thinges as it were hang by a â—â—ale thrid Ethings which haue bene of force by soden chaunge come to naught So in the 45. Psalme it is said All the glory of the kinges daughter is within c. that is to say the proper beautie of the Church is ioy of the holy ghost kindled in the heart of the faithfull ouercomminge all feares of death and daungers of hell and beginninge in vs eternall life Verse 12. I will therfore lye downe in peace and take my rest PEace in this place and in other places often signifieth tranquâ—itie of hart springing of faith hope and good conscience For faith holdeth not onely that a man is acceptable vnto God through the Mediator but also that obedience newe begonne pleaseth God through this hye Priest bringing our worshippinges vnto his Father Hope looketh for delyuerance in time to come according to Gods prouidence whether it chaunge in this life eyther els after the resurrection from death For although wee obtaine not alwayes corporall delyuerance yet we surely knowe that there shall folow an vniuersal delyuerance of the Church after the resurrection wherein God shall wipe away all teares from the eyes of the Godly Conscience setteth her selfe at rest in goodnes of the cause whereof God is the author approuer and defender as Teucer â—aith in Sophocles In a good cause it becometh vs to haue a good courage These three namely Faith hope aud good conscience are the causes of peace touching the which this last verse mencioneth I will therefore lye down in peace and take my rest Because thou only oh Lord hast made me to put my trust in thee ⧠The fifte Psalme Verba mea auribus percipe Domine THE ARGVMENT THe fift psalme is a feruent prayer against vngodlie teachers whose mindes are defiled with madde worshippinge of Idolles theire tongue with blasphemies their handes embrewed with the blood of the godly and their other meÌ„bers stained with wicked lustes These teachers as furies sent out of hel to trouble the church prayeth to be destroyed and that the puritie of doctrine and therewith his churche also might be preserued and defended There may also be obserued in this psalm a manifest figure of the vngodlie doctrine and of the vngodlie councels which tend hereunto that true inuocation prayer vsed in the church might vtterlie be extinguisht And because euerie prayer conceyued by the holie ghost hath effecte of promise let vs not doubt but God will helpe vs to the end the vngodlie may be confuted which say where is now theire God Psal 114. Ver. 9. Verse 1. INcline thine eares O Lorde vnto my wordes consider my meditation Verse 2. Hearken vnto the voice of my prayer my kinge and my God because I will praie vnto thee THere are two differences of true and false Inuocation viz. whereof me must continually consider in reading of the Psalmes The one is touching the essence of God The other touching the will of God So often as a man begins his prayer let him consider with himselfe what he calleth vpoÌ„ and what God he is which he calleth vpon or prayeth vnto After that also the Will must be considered what maner God he is and why he doeth heare vs. So in this place Dauid discerneth by the same Inuocation or prayer the true God from counterfet and false gods For Iehoua is a peculiar name whereby the Church alone of the fathers and the Israelites called vpon God And there is a great Emphasis or force in the wordes My king and my God As if he sayde Thou which truely beholdest and curest my griefe thou which truely receiuest and hearest me for thy Sonnes sake the Mediator which is the king of the Church This admonition of the difference of true and false inuocation is in another place largely delyuered which in déede ought to be considered vpon in all our Inuocation and thankesgeuing Also let that be considered that true Inuocation is of two sorts The one which worketh by cogitation of the minde and with confidencies illuminated or enlightened in the will fleeing vnto God inwardly crauing and expecting Gods benefites The other which with the voice or tongue expresseth those motions of the heart and consenteth with the heart Because god requyreth the expresse voice also and that others may be instructed and confirmed yea to the ende that the very deuils when they heare the true god called vpon might tremble for feare and flee away Finally let there be obserued ardent affections of wordes wherin he earnestly vrgeth to be heard as thus Heare me consider me And Geue eare vnto me Verse 3 O Lorde thou shalt heare my prayer betimes I will stande before thee earlie in thy Courte and in thy Congregation ALthough God is not tyed to any places or times and alwayes heareth them that call vpon him inlightned with acknowledgement and faith in the sonne of God yet notwithstanding the morning season is déemed most méetest for meditation and prayer when oure bodies are neither ouercharged with meate nor with fumes of stomack and a most earnest intention may be in an emptie stomack And it is not amisse sayde of a certaine auncyent wryter That Praier is a most harde worke because not onelie the intention or
was by gods prouidence preserued So let the godly ones alwayes knowe that they are defended and preserued not by mans helpe or sauegarde but by god as it is saide in Oseas chap. 1. I will saue them not in strength of bowe nor sworde but in the Lorde God The other Figure is taken of warfare The chiefe defence of a Soldyer is a Shield or Buckler which beareth back the enemies weapons So Faith in time of Spirituall conflicte repelleth the deuils weapons or instrumentes For faith enuyroneth vs with the presence of Christ who helpeth vs that the enemie is not able to subdue vs euen when we are greatly ouerlayed and repelleth the insulting enemye As the deuill layde sore at Dauid and went about to subdue him as he did Saule but Dauid stoode to him not in his owne strength but in faith that is in confidence of gods presence of whom he was strengthned least he would haue fallen And hee beléeued that he was not deâ—â—late nor cast from out of gods fauour nor forsaken of god but that he was receaued and preserued vnder gods defence and that he should be deliuered from all euil and enioy the socyetie of gods Electe in the life eternall And neither was he satisfyed with the names of Tabernacle and Shielde but he addeth moreouer the Metaphore of Coronation or Crowning because he would signifie that God both helpeth them which fight in a good cause and also geueth them the victory whose badge is a Crowne according to that saying No man is crowned but hee which striueth â—awfullie Furthermore what force the blessing of God hath and what ioyfull gladnes the acknowledgement of the presence and helpe of God stirreth vp in the hearts of the godly ones the heape of wordes after a certaine sort declareth They are saith he glad and they shaell sing c. Finally they triumph as Conquerors deuyding riche spoyles but the peace and ioy which the holy ghost stirreth vp in theÌ„ cannot be expressed in words Therefore I am more bréefe as here and for a conclusion I ad herunto a prayer agréeable vnto this fifte Psalme The Prayer ALthough thou O eternall God Father of our Lord Iesus Christ which art iust and seuerelye punishest sinners yet notwithstanding in confidence of thy great mercie promised for thy sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Mediator I flee vnto thee as a petitioner And craue of thee with feruent prayers and with my whole heart that thou wouldest mercifullie take compassion vpon me and gouerne mee with thy holie Spirit that I swerue not from the rule of thy holie worde Deliuer thy vniuersal Church and me sillie sinner from the manifest violence of Tirantes and vngodly subtilties of Sophisters which bende and practise all industrie and force of theire kingdome vnto our destruction Be vnto vs a strong Forte and Shielde against all cruell enterprises and assaultes of the enemies of thy Gospell and vnto vs enuironed with thy fauour as with a Crowne grant and geue the victory through thy onelie Son our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ our Mediator our Propitiator our hie Priest Amen ⧠The sixte Psalme Domine ne in furore c. THE ARGVMENT THis Psalme is ful of doctrine concerning greatest matters as of sinne of the wrath of God of punishment of repentance and of faith imbracing forgeuenes of sinnes and mitigations of punishmentes For the Prophet acknowledgeeth his imperfection and deformitie and feeleth the wrath of God against sinne and feareth eternall abiection This tentation in the godly ones is much more sharper then death it selfe Neither in deede is it proper vnto a vaine and careles minde to enter into reasoninge with it selfe touchinge the greatnes of sinne the wrath of God and faith embracing forgeuenes of sinnes But this is the proper and secrete wisdome of the Church of God neither is it learned but in an vnfayned conflicte and true wrastling of the minde and in true Inuocation vpon god And as in euery conuersion there are two motions Mortification that is Contrition and Viuification that is Consolation which is wrought by faith So in this Psalme there are not onely most bitter complaintes and feelinges of the wrath of God but also Comfortes wherein the Spirite with inexpressible sorrowe craueth helpe and wrastleth thorowlie These are all and singular the conflictes of the godly ones wherein themselues discerne the greatnes of their sinne are in great feares and tremblings which no tongue of man can expresse at full But least they should vtterlie quaile with sorrowe they are againe raysed vp with Faith and Inuocation whereby they craue Gods fauourable mitigation of afflictions doe praie for the vniuersall end and Consummation of the same Whose examples are proponed in the deluge in the burning of Sodome in the destruction of Aegypte and in the subuersion of the Cananites So â—aith Hieromie in his 10. Chap. Correcte mee O Lorde but yet in thy iudgement not in thy furie least I be consumed and brought vnto nothing And Abacuck cap. 3. Lorde when thou art angrie remember thy mercie c. With such like sayinges doe the Prophetes craue mitigation of punishmentes and doe also witnes that their sinnes deserue greater punishment But that God doeth spare and beare with our infirmitie which cannot abide so great indignation or wrath Which things sith they so be let vs not without sorowe nor without feare of Gods horrible wrath Looke vpon our sinnes which publiquelie and priuatelie doe abound in mankinde but let vs thinke to feele smart therefore and let vs craue mitigation thereof For there is no doubt but through true repentance and ardent prayer both publique and priuate punishmentes are mitigated Verse 1. LOrde rebuke me not in thy furie nor chastize me in thine anger THis most sorowful prayer springeth not in the mouth of the secure or carelesse persoÌ„ neglecting or despysing the wrath of God but in the godly hearte which considereth how great a thing sinne is how great a thing the wrath of God is and so vnfaynedly sorrowing and trembling when hee feeleth himselfe accused by the Law and tasteth y â— wrath of God against sinne Such a heart vnfaynedly craueth forgeuenes of sinnes conioyned with mitigation of punishmentes For he knoweth that in God there is goodnesse surpassing which asswageth and mitigateth al iust displeasure as he himselfe saith in the 11. of Ose I will not execute the fiercenes of my wrath because I am God and not a man That is albeit I am horribly angrie with sinnes and doe threaten grieuous punishmentes vnto the disobedyent yet I lenifie with immense goodnesse this great displeasure and I asswage the punishmentes vnto such as truely repent them because I will not that my creature should vtterly pearish and the knowledge of my name to be vtterly extinguyshed vpon earth but it is my good pleasure that my Church haue her countenance and that there become many fitte and necessarie persons for the vocations of this life and of the Church
To doe willingly and wittingly against Gods commaundementes and to haue a desire to repent without which faith cannot be An euil conscience therefore and faith cannot be in the heart both at once The thirde cause That true prayer might be perfourmed of vs. For he that hath still an euill purpose of minde calleth vpon God in vaine Nay he cannot pray at all because he commeth vnto God without repentaÌ„ce and faith Now let a man consider what a wretchednes it is to liue carelesse of God that is not to bee able to craue and hope for the help of God but to be forsaken of God and enthralled of the deuill The fourth cause is Confidence in the helpe and protection of God This cause ryseth of the former causes For hee that with a good conscience endeuoureth himselfe hath euer a good confidence which is the swéete Nurse of olde age The fifth cause is Tranquillitie of minde Touching this cause let vs holde fast that most swéete saying of Gre. Nazianzen No thing so much reioyceth vs as a pure conscience and a good hope The siste cause is The mitigation and deliuerance in calamities For surely some help it is when sinne and mischiefes meete not together For these causes and such like wee must endeuour our selues that our conscience in all actions agree with the worde of God neither that we doe or allowe of any thing against conscience And when we retaine such integritie of conscience the minde is at quyet it holdeth fast faith and remayneth in fauour with God and man Verse 9 Let the wickednes of sinners I pray thee come to an ende and saue thou the iust O God that searchest heartes and raynes Verse 10 My help commeth of the Lord which preserueth them that be true of heart Verse 11 God is a iust Judge and a God which is angrie euerie day GOd will be acknowledged and discerned from all other natures by certaine properties because we can not feele or embrace him in our corporall armes And these properties in euery our prayer must we thinke vpon that we may discerne the true God from all natures and false gods For it is needfull a man know to whom he speaketh where god hath here made him selfe knowen what maner of God he is whether and why he heareth vs. In this place Dauid recyteth while hee is in praying three notable and cléere properties Whereof the first is Omnipotencie For it is onely proper vnto the Omnipotent nature to looke into all mens harts and to discerne true sorrowes from dissembling sorows And seeing this propertie may not be attributed vnto any creature it must needes be a cleere thing that wee ought not to make our prayers vnto men that are dead The second propertie in this place recyted is The Righteousnes of God who is angrie against al sinnes and wickednesse which are oppâ—gnant to his law Of this propertie we haue spoken more in the fifte Psalme The third propertie is The goodnes of God which helpeth those that are true of heart That is truely calling vpon him in Spirite and trueth without any other causes incident So happened it with Adam and Eue after their fall when they could not be helped by angels nor by their own pollicies neither yet by any other creature Then comes God from his secrete throane and receiued sinners to his fauor and geues them life Let our minde therefore behold this true God which made himselfe knowen by sending his sonne publishing witnes of him by raysing from death to life and other miracles done And let our minde therewith thinke that this is the true Creator and helper which is wise which heareth vs and is both true bountifull Just and sincere punishing also wickednes and sinnes which are contrarie vnto his righteousnes Verse 12. If the wicked wil not be conuerted he hath sharpned his Sworde hee hath bent his Bowe and prepared the same Verse 13. And he hath made redy for them weapons of death and he hath prepared for them whot burninge arrowes THe godly Reader without any Expositor well vnderstandeth how gallant a Description this is and how fearefull vnto the vngodly multitude For hee paynteth out as in a Table how God is armed with his Sworde purposely prepared and with his Bow not vnbent but redy bente whose Arrowes misse not the marke but hit home surelie and cast downe whatsoeuer they are leuelled at Beholding this Similitude let vs acknowledge the most iust wrath of God let vs craue with vn ayned repentance for his Sonnes sake that hee would asswage the same Vndoubtedly if wee were not of heartes as harde as Iron this heauie sight would thorowlie moue vs and would leaue the prickes of repentance in our heartes But we are too frosen hearted to thinke vpon so great matters Wherefore let vs crie â—ut and say with Hieremie Cap. 2. Turne mee O Lorde and I shall be turned Correct me O Lorde in thy iudgement not in thy furie least I be brought vnto nothing Let vs also learne the difference of chastisement towardes the godly and of punishment towardes the wicked For of the godly it is saide in another Psalme I will visite their sinnes with the rod. This Fatherly chastisement is not a token of reiection but an exercise of godlines And vnto this tryall of faith may those little verses of Mantuan be rightly applyed Sit licet in Natos facies austera parentum Aequa tamen semper mens est amica voluntas Though Parentes cast their countenance sterne vpon their children yet An equall minde and friendly will alwayes they vse most fitte But of the vngodly ones Amos recyteth a heauye sentence All sinners shall die with the Sworde That is shall fall out of present punishmentes in this life vnto eternall tormentes Which thinges sith so they be let vs with Dauid earnestly pray for their destruction vniuersallie And for the godly Lord reprooue mee not in thy wrath That is chaâ—â—en vs as a Father not with a Sworde but with a Rodde which within a little while after is cast into the fire Verse 14 Behold he hath conceaued vnrighteousnes and is greate with sorrow and bringeth foorth vanitie Verse 15 He diggeth a pit and delueth the same and is fallen into the pit which he made Verse 16 His labour shall bee turned vpon his owne head and his iniquitie shall rebound vpon his owne pate HEre are notable descriptions of the vanitie of such deuises as are put in vre by the enemies againste the godly ones which truely call vpon God For though the vngodly bende and practise all their counsels to the subuersion of the Church yet so much as to the effecte of the purpose pertaineth they bring foorth vanitie and fall into the same pit which they digged for the godly Finally theâ— mischieuous practises whereby they endeuour to subuert and destroy the godly ones redâ—uÌ„d vpon their owne pates The histories of Senacherib Iulianus and others are knowen which in
middest of their race haue bene ouerthrowen by the hande of God and could not goe thorow with the web that they began to spinne Vnto these Histories I will annexe an Epigram of Absalon hanging vpon the Dake Degener immerito rapuisti sceptra parenti O Iuuenis Patriae pestis acerba tuae Digna tuis ceptis sed pena secuta vagantem Frondibus Arboreis implicuere comae Hasta Ioab maduit forti vibrata lacerto Sanguine transfixo pectore tincta tuo Has scelerum penas pulso dedit ille parente I nunc et patrijs insidiare bonis Causles hast thou O Childe degenerate and Impe destruction of thie countreie dire Depriued thie Parentes of their roiall state but fleeing thou foundst guerdone due for hire When Oaâ—en bowes thie bushie haire fast held and Ioab in thie blood imbrued his lance Thie bodie through For Parentes so exilde goe now and worke thie Countreies hinderance verse 17 I will magnifie thee O Lorde accordinge to thie rightâ—onsnesse and I will sing vnto the name of the most high THe last verse is a thanksgeuing for deliuerance But séeing in other places I haue oftentimes spoken of this vertue I am now more briefe And I hartely beséech God that he would vouchsafe to consute these slauÌ„ders and sicophancies of the enemies of the Gospell as he confounded those in the Deluge in the burning of Sodom and Gomorrha in the destruction of Aegypt and in the subuersion of the Cananites The eight Psalme Domine dominus c. THE TITLE THe Learned sorte do reason what may be signified by the worde Githith Which if we will folowe the true signification we shall finde that this worde importeth the same that Torcular or a vaine presse doth But seing the proper significacion thereof litle purporteth the meaning of the psalm let vs be content with the opinion of them which suppose the wordâ— Githith to be borowed of a musicall instrument resembling some similitude of a wine presse For in such reasoninges or disputations this notable saying of Varroncayrbe commended It is the parte of a Good Gramarian to be ignorant of certaine thinges THE ARGVMENT THere is one proper and principall meaning of the scripture which the common order of the phrase or speeche and scope of matters or argument bringeth forth neither mustwe imagine that the scripture is like vnto softe waxe which some time representeth the figure of Mars somtime of chaste Minerua Now Venus nowe Cupide For that speech which hath not one simple meaninge teacheth no certaine matter and this reason or methode of Interpreting which seperateth out the Oracles of God into diuers meaninges weakeneth the authoritie of the scripture Which thinges sithe so they be we will not applie this psalme vnto our creation and to the knowledge of God vvhich we gather by the workmanship or creation of the vvorlde but vve will follovve the right course and prophesies of the Sonne of God vvho in the 21. of Mat. interpreteth this Psalme as touching his kingdome Of the same effecte or meaning is the Aucthor of the epistle to the Hebrues 2. cap. Therefore is this 8. psalme a prophecie of the kingdome of Christ gathering vnto him an euerlastinge Church out of all mankinde by the ministrie of the Gospell and delyuering her from the tirannie of the deuill and from eternall death and sanctifyinge her vvith his holie spirite Finallie raising the same from death vnto the glorie and life euerlasting But as the best monies are not esteemed by theire greatnes or quantitie but by theire massines and weight So this psalm in a meruelouse breuitie conteyneth manie notable places As in respect of the worde of God of the publishing thereof of the sending of the Sonne of God into the worlde of the calling of the Gentiles of the efficacy of the Gospel of the passion and resurrection of Christ of the glorie of Christ and of the eternall Church Concerning these so greate matters I wil speake not so much as I ought by dutie but so much as I vnderstand and shalbe able to do Verse 1. OH Lord which art our Lord Howe meruelous is thy name ouer all the earth which hast set thy Glorie aboue the Heauens THe beginning is taken from an Admiration I saith he as astonyshed do much muse thinking of the vnspeakable Fatherly loue of God to mankind which thinge he would not for euer haue hidden in an vnknowne light vnto all exeatures But commingeforth of his Heauenly throne made him selfe knowne not onely by making all thinges of nothinge but by sending his Sonne bestowing vpon mankinde his Gospell by which the holy Ghost is made effectuall and regenerateth many from amongest the Jewes and Gentiles vnto life euerlasting For the worde Name here signifieth the knowledge or acknowledgment and the worshippe and inuocation vpon the name of God For by right who would not maruel that by the dispersed voyce of the Gospell the kingdome of God shoulde be begonne in many men and that the kingdome of Sathan horribly raiging in mankinde should be vtterly destroyed Certaine I am more moued with consideration of this wonderfull worke then with that same creation of all thinges For thinke ye well what a matter it is when Ethnickes or Heathen people polluted with worshipping Idolles with sacrifice of mans fleshe yea with vile confusion of lustes and other furies are called vnto the acknowledgment and worshipping of God But because as touching the calling of the Gentiles I do seeme to speake sufficient largely in the 11. psalme I come now to the verse followinge Verse 2. Out of the mouth of infantes and sucklinges hast thou fastened thy strength hy reason of thine enimies that thou mayest ouercome the enimy and the auenger WHat seemeth more absurde then that a fewe feeble persons furnished with no power as it were wanderers some running one way some an other throughout the whole worlde should establish mutation of religion and should promis men eternall benefittes when as themselues are in greatest miseries distressed This obiection touching the absurditie and difficulty of so greate prouidence doth our present psalme beforehand deale with commaunding that the Apostles and other doctors do folowe theire captaine Christ and surely trust that this Lord will encline the peoples mindes to enlarge the Gospell and that he will bridle the crueltie of tyrantes God saith this psalme stirreth vp base and feeble persons to preach the Gospell yea though tyrants withstand the same and great rulers of the worlde In this saying there is set down a double consolation For first we are admonished that being moued with the imbecillitie of these teachers we do not contempne the gospell nay lest our owne weaknes moue vs to forsake the ministery of the Gospell Againe here is helpe promised When it is said That God maketh perfect his praise For God helpeth these teachers as it is said in the 51. cap. of Esay I haue put my worde in thy mouth and the shadowe of my handes shall
protect thee that I may plant the heauens c. Great are these premises which far exceede all human deuises and all the strengthes of men Therfore are they deryded beyonde measure of the vngodlye wyse wordlinges But let vs in the Church of God knowe that this true consolation of necessitie ought to be inculcate into euerie one of vs that our mindes might be confirmed in priuate and publique lyfe against hazardes or daungers in professing of the Gospell And although the importance of thinges which this verse conteyneth can not be conceyued yet notwithstanding let vs diligently consider the efficacy of the wordes For when he saith Out of the mouth he discerneth the principall Cause from the instrumentall cause as if he saide Christ is of power able and effectuall by the ministerie of the Gospell The ministers are onely Earthen vessels wherein is caried about great treasure that it may be the power of God and not oures 2. Cor. 4. For hee which planteth is nothing neither is he any thing that watereth but it is God which geueth the encrease 1. Cor. 3. And Christ saith It is not you which speake but the Spirit of your father which speaketh in you Mat 10. Hether vnto pertayneth that most pleasant saying of Nazianzen Nos linguam commodato damus Spiritui sancto That is We geue our tongue to the holy Ghost bestowed vpon vs. But after that he hath shewed the difference of the cause principall and instrumentall he declareth plainly not obscurely what maner instrumentes they be which God vseth in gathering of his Church together God hath chosen saith Ludouicus Viues in his 2. booke of Christian doctrine vnto so great and wonderfull work the Apostles priuate men base feeble vnskilfull and Infantes then whom none could séeme to be lesse fitte for the purpose But he chose the weakelinges of the worlde as S. Paule saith to confound the mightie ones 1. Cor. 1. It is the pointe of a most skilfull and most expert Artificer to worke that in a bad and simple instrument which another man can scarcely doe in a most apte and most likely for the purpose Like as men say Apelles with a cole taken out of the fire did so liuely paint out him of whom he was bidden to Ptholomeus his dinner that all men there acknowledged the same guestesbidder euen at the first shadowing But it is not to be marueiled that God perfourmeth what pleaseth him in likelye and fitte instrumentes who needeth none instruments at all whatsoeuer he purposeth to make Therefore sent he a very few vnto very many the rude to the skilful he sent children vnto most exquisite and most eloquent persons he sent the simple to the subtile ones the vnarmed to the armed the weaklinges to the warriors and the pore he sent to the rule and domination ouer the people of Rome For it was conuenient that at the beginning such a lowly and base state should be in the founders of this building least they should attribute any thing vnto humane strength and cunninge or repose any trust or confidence in them but vtterly distrusting their own infirmities should depend wholie vpon the helpe and sauegarde of God Both least any man might attribute any thing of those thinges which were wrought vnto mans power and also least that the same Apostles might contemne or despise any humilitie or base estate of others being mindful of their owne Thus farre Viues But as touching that which I haue spoken of the Apostles the same may in like maner be saide of all teachers in the Church For so Paule cryeth out For these thinges who is fitte or meeter Namelie to expound the doctrine to iudge and decyde greatest controuersies and to beare rule in the Church But what doe these infantes and sucklinges bringe to passe Are they onely infeebled with vaine contention which neither profiteth themselues nor other No saith he the labors of the godly Ministers in the church doe not onely profite men a short time but the fruytes are euerlasting of them which teach who doe gather vnto God an eternall church and are themselues enriched with eternall rewardes This Consolation is most oftentimes repeated as Paule saith 1. Cor. 15. Your labor shall not be frustrate in the Lord. And in the 1. Rom. The Gospel is the power of God vnto saluation to so many as beleue That thing also is most worthy of admiration that the Apostles perswaded both the learned and vnlearned of their time in so profound matters and farre passing the vigor of mans wit when as Philosophers could hardly perswade others in morall thinges more hardly in naturall thinges being furnished and prepared with knowledge eloquence and vse But that the kingdome of God as Paule â—aith consisteth not in wordes but in power 1. Cor. 4. The history of most worthy memory sheweth which is recyted of Ruffinus in the 10. booke of the Ecclesiasticall History A certaine olde man in the Councel of Nicene smally learned and of little knowledge but a constant confessor of Christ was not afrayde to encounter with an eloquent and wittie Philosopher and with him to dispute as touching the veritie of faith Neither in deede alleadged he delusions of subtile craftie spéeche but an euident and plaine meaning of truth Heare nie saith he Philosopher There is one God the Creator of heauen and earth and of all thinges as well visible as inuisible who created all thinges with the efficacie of his worde and with his holy Spirite established the same Therefore this Worde whome wee call the Sonne of God being merciful towardes mankind which led their life in errors like vnto bruite beastes was content to be borne of a woman to be conuersant amongest men and for them vouchsafed to die and he shall come agayne to iudge of all those thinges which haue bene done by euery one in this life That thâ—se thinges are and shalbe thus for a truth we beleeue neither inquire we curâ—ouslye vpon any part Doe not thou therefore weary thy selfe in vaine with searching for reasons and demonstrations of those thinges whose protection is faith or with busie questioning by what maner or meanes any one of these thinges may either seeme possible to be brought to passe or not brought to passe But answere me demaunding thee beleeuest thou these thinges The Philosopher being thorowly touched to the quick sayde hee beleeued him and reioyced to see himself conquered professed and held the same opinion in those thinges as the olde man did and perswaded others that they would be of the same minde with him protesting solemnly that this was done by Gods prouidence to the ende he might be conuerted to embrace the Christian Religion For so long sayth he as by wordes the matter was handled with me I answered againe wordes for wordes and what so was spoken with cunning of speech I laboured to confute But when for wordes vertue proceeded out of the speakers mouth words could not withstand vertue neither could
man withstand God The vniuersall church is full of histories of such like examples which declare that God when we are weake doth vse courage and strength for vs. Omitting therefore longer recytall of examples touching the latter part of the second verse viz. That thou mayst destroy both the enemie and the auenger I wil now speake a few wordes We beare about with vs a doctrine hated of the world and we seeme not any thing able therein to doe good because mightie kinges are against our proceedinges and there are many impedimentes as pouertie famine and feare of most cruel punishmentes Amidst these mischiefes let vs thinke vpon the promise set down in this Psalme That thou mayst destroy both the enemie and the Auenger And let vs trust not onely to finde defence but also felicitie in gathering the church of God So did God vnto Abraham promise defence rewards and good successe saying I am thy Protector and thy reward is great Gen. 14. and 16. For the enemies of the gospel are restrayned eyther by sound conuersion vnto Christ eyther els by vniuersall coufusion as in this age some be when they reade Luthers works not in déede with zeal of godlines but to catch matter wherein busilie stirring they bestow their infamous speeches but being vanquyshed with the euidencie of trueth they haue yealded vp the victory vnto Christ and of very enemies are become most vehement and earnest defenders of the doctrine of the gospel But Iulianus and other Tirantes vnrecouerable are like little cloudes cleane vanished away by Christ sitting at the right hand of his Father These thinges sith they so be let vs euery one of vs more zealously and feruently in his vocation learne and teach the gospell and let vs daylie adioyn our prayers to this end Let vs call and crye vnto God by the Mediator our lord Jesus Christ that he would gouerne defende and preserue vs and eyther call back the enemies of the gospell vnto sincere doctrine or els vtterlie to confound and destroy them Verse 3. Because I shall see the heauens the workes of thine handes the Moone and the Starres which thou hast framed IN reading the Prophets we must diligently consider what sayinges are spoken touching the accomplishment thereof Therefore as the next verse before specifyeth of the originall beginning and preaching of the gospel by which the church is congregate So this verse descrybeth the accomplishment which shal be brought to passe in the whole church when as raised from death she shall possesse eternall life The example whereof in déed the Apostles saw in the chiefe head and in the members therof when they were beholders of the resurrection and ascention of Christ For therein saw they mortalitie quite abolished they saw a new nature shining in the light of heauen yea a new righteousnes and a new life So doth Esay describe the kingdome of Christ in his 65. Chap. For speaking of the originall and frée preaching thereof he sayth Beholde I goe vnto a nation which know me not And of the fulfilling of this kingdome hee sayeth moreouer Behold I make a new heauen and a new earth cap. eod Reuel Ioh. 21. Verse 4. What is man that thou art so mindefull of him Or the Sonne of man whom thou so regardest Verse 5. Thou hast made him not much inferior vnto God and with glorie and honor wilt thou crowne him THe fourth and fifte verses describe the calamitie and delyuerance of Christ A great and vnspeakeable miserie it is which is set downe in the 8. Chap. of Mathew Foxes haue hoales and birdes of the ayre haue nestes but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to lay his head And it is sayde in the 53. of Esay He was despised and abhorred of men he was such a man as had good experience of sorrowes and troubles But a farre greater miserie is it to be séene forsaking of God as it is sayd in this verse of Tyrt Non Exul curae ducitur esse Deo The Exile is not thought Of God to be cared for ought Christ féeling this miserie spake that most sorrowfull sentence which is extant in the 22. Psalme My God my God why hast thou forsaken me As if he had sayde I lament not for the rending of my bodie in péeces or for the death that I suffer but for another far greater mischiefe that thou forsakest me because I féele no ioy at my hart which other holy ones doe féele whom thou comfortest Nay I féele that thou art horribly angry with the sinne of mankind by reason wherof I am now condemned is this death before thy presence I say before thee It were no bitter torment vnto me to be cruelly handled by the iudgement of the world But to feele thy displeasure is a heauie case And although it is true and the church hath always so taught that the nature deuine neither departed from the body nor from the soule of Christ no not after death Yet the nature diuine vnited to the bodie and the soule by a wonderfull and vnspeakeable meanes ceased So as nature of man in him might both suffer and die Like as Ireneus saith That is He did not put forth all his strength but obeyed vnto his eternall Father in this humilitie This secrete wisdome shall be learned of vs in the life euerlasting Now as it is delyuered vs in the word we must embrace it by fayth neyther can it be comprehended in mans cogitation or expressed in wordes But as the Sonne of God before the glory of the future Sabboth rested in death and in the graue So the whole Church hath her beginning from the like rest or surceasing that is from death Wherein albeit we séeme to be forsaken yet we shall assuredly bee raysed agayne from death vnto eternal life Wherein we shall see God in his presence and haue the fruition of his wonderfull great wisdome Thou wilt crowne him with glorie and honour Hetherto hath hee expresly declared the wonderfull and inspeakeable humilitie which Christ perfourmed in suffering the wrath of God as if he had beene polluted with mine thine and the sinnes of all men Now followeth a description of the glory of Christ in his resurrection and ascention This Lord remayned not in death and in the graue but being rysen from death to lyfe ascended vp into heauen that he might geue giftes vnto those which call vpon him Namelye the holye Ghost and life euerlasting But who can expresse the greatnes of this glory whereas vnto Christe God and Man all power is geuen in heauen and in earth Wherby in deede he ouercommeth death destroyeth sinne geueth righteousnes rayseth from death to life geueth his holy Spirite and life euerlasting to all beléeuers This glorie Paule in 2. Philip. describing sayth God hath exalted him and geuen him a name which surpasseth all names that in the name of Iesus euerie knee shall bowe in heauen earth and hell And all tongues shall confesse that Jesus Christ our Lord is
vp and firmelie plant those thinges that are true and vtterly destroy and roote out such thinges as are vnto them contrarie When therefore the Deuill enemie to God and his Church cannot abide the building vp of his works he enforceth Tirantes and their Champions to prepare and practise all the industrie of his kingdome vnto the destruction of the true Church and of the Doctrine which she professeth Of this perpetuall warfare was God the Vmpier in paradise saying I will set enmitie betweene thee and the woman c. And all the Children of God in their Baptisme doe denounce a perpetuall warfare vnto the Deuill In certaine wordes conceiued they promise that they will neuer walke into the tentes of the enemie but to doe all thinges which perteineth vnto the destruction of the kingdome of darcknes By reasonwherof it is euident plain what the cause is that moueth the Deuill and his Instrumentes to striue against the Church But although the Church bee exercised in so many and great dangers yet she is not discouraged in minde but comforteth her selfe in the confidence of Gods presence and helpe and doubteth not but that the wicked enemies shall after a while fall headlong into eternall destruction For that God both careth for and regardeth that Societie which retaineth the Doctrine by him deliuered that same thing doeth his promise in this psalm cleerelie testifie Truely as touchinge the punishment of the enemies he saith It shall raine snares Fire and Brimstone vpon the wicked c. Let vs therefore learne to applie the meaning of this psalme vnto the vse of the matter And in so great varietie of dangers which hang ouer our heads nightes and daies Let vs craue and looke for defence from these Enemies of the Eternall Father of Christ Iesus oure Redeemer Hetherto haue I expounded the Argument of this xi psalme Now if it please you let vs more diligentlie looke vpon euerie Verse Verse 1. IN the Lord I put my truste why then say ye vnto my Soule Flie hence vnto the Hilles like a Birde THe beginning consistes in an Enthymem or Silogisme whose Antecedent is the voice of Faith The Consequent is a reiection of that Clamor and Commination which the wicked ones vse He saith In the Lord put I my trust As if he annexed Who hath in this first Commandement made a League with me that he will take care ouer me and looke vpon me yea helpe me heare me and both in this life and after this life preserue me Seeing therefore I am fortiffed with such defence and sauegarde why doe you threaten and denounce vnto me banishment and punishment Know ye not That there are manie Mansions or dwellinges in my Fathers house For although I must here in this life suffer exilementes great calamities and diuers deathes yet notwithstanding I know that I shal in heaueÌ„ haue euerlasting life ioy and gladnes yea euerduring glorie with the vniuerfall Church With this most swéete and most strong comfort do I strengthen my selfe against the outcryinges of the enemies and I beare about with mee both in hearte and mouth the saying of the Apostle S. paule Rom. 8. If God be with vs who can be againste vs Sure I am that neither banishment nor punishment neither anie thinge els hath such effecte and force that it can plucke me away from the Fatherlie loue of God in deede This thy aboundante knowledge O God we beseech thee seale in our hearts with thy holy Spirite so that wee may be able to obey thée in suffering calamities which daylie fall vpon vs for the confession of thy sincere Doctrine Verse 2. For beholde the vngodlie haue bended theire Bowe They haue prepared their Arrowes vpon theire stringe that they may priuelie shoote at them which are vpright of heart As Tirteus the Musition sayth Est miserum patria amissa laribusue vagari Mendicum timida voce rogare cibos Cum natisue errare tuis coniuge mesta Et cum matre pia cumue parente sene A wretched case thy Countrey lefte to wander coastes vnknowen With trembling tongue craue thy foode not hauing of thine owne And with thy children wander so and with thy woefull wife With good olde Sire and Matrone milde All leading Exiles life BVt much more heauyer a case is it to be nights and dayes conuersant among the dartes of the enemies euery moment to loke for present death And such altother is the state of the church in this life For as Aeneas speaketh of him selfe That he a Stranger and in miserie being driuen out of Europa and Asia wandered through the desertes of Libia The same may much more be saide of the Church exiled in this world For how often are the great multitudes of godly old men Matrones with their Children and seruants dryuen out of their natiue Cities and for them troupes of horsemen sent in which haue troden vnder foote the multitudes of miserable distressed soules Surely Maximinus that I may omitte other examples of crueltie made his decrées to be grauen in brasen Tables whereby the Christians were cast out of all Townes and Villages Neyther in deede are the members of the Church only persecuted with banishmentes but also are with most cruell tormentes taken out of this life Vpon these dangers of the Church the Reader now looking shall more easilie perceiue that she is a Figure or representation of a â—illy birde shaken out of her poore nest and flyinge amongest the dartes of her enemies Verse 3. Because the foundations are destroyed what hath the righteous done THe thirde Verse expoundeth the cause why the church is dâ—strâ—â—â—ed with so huge a multitude of calamities For although she be like the Doue which hath no gall hurtes not with her bill and hath harmeles dees Yet for this cause is she hated of the world for that she truely and simplie publisheth the worde of God and sharply reprehendeth lewde opinions and prophane worshipings of God which s 〈…〉 to ouerthrow and vtterly to deface the foundation l 〈…〉 y God The Church warreth not for riches she seekes not for promotion by mouinge seditions she rageth not in slaughters other mischiâ—es which trouble the societies of men But she gathers together the pure graynes of sound Doctrine and plucketh vp the tares out of the field This Extyrhation cannot the worlde away withall being bewitched with loue of his owne wisdome and righteousnes Therefore draweth he his Sworde against the Church therefore blustereth he out fire and lightning against her as histories of all ages declare the same Verse 4. The Lorde is in his holie Temple The Lord hath his seate in heauen His eies doe beholde all things and his eye liddes shal trie the sonnes of men THe fourth Verse opposeth against these furies of the enemies the promise of God which assureth the god ly ones of protection and sauegard We are no doubt destitute of mans help and defence neither seemes there here to
do they deserue remission of sinnes This eroure most deeplie rooted in the mindes of Hipocrites doeth this XV. Psalme reprehende and setteth forth true religion For it leadeth the Reader not vnto ceremonies but vnto morall obedience and affirmeth that this pleaseth god by this foundation laid that is acknowledging the the Mediator and that for his sake remissioÌ„ of our sins reconsiliatioÌ„ with God is purchased For works without faith acknowledging the mediator and whereby for his sake wee receyue forgeuenes of sinnes are as the Grecians say c. And the Latines Hostium dona non sunt dona non sunt vtilia That is in inglish The giftes of enimyes no giftes at all be and nothing auaile our state or degrée Scipio was in deede a man iust and vpright in gouernement and a man of chaste life amongst his friendes and cuntrie men But because he had not the true opinion or knowledge of God but was ignorant also of the Mediator neither did his person please God neither yet his morall vertue of obedience to mans lawes But after that we are freelie receyued of God for the Mediator sake and reputed iust euen then and therefore also the obeydience begunne in vs pleaseth God although manie dregges of sinne are in vs remaining as els where more copiouslie is said of the same Verse 1. LOrd who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle or who shall rest in thy holie hill Verse 2. Euen he that entreth without spot and worketh righteousnes and speaketh the trueth from his heart HE begins his discourse touchinge good workes from a most weightie question which and what maner a one the true Church is which shall worshippe god in an euerlasting societie and gladnes and vnto whom hee himselfe will communicate his light wisdome and Righteousnes in all eternitie Touching this question he answereth That Congregation is the true Churche which publisheth the Gospel and word of God deliuered vnto the Prophets and Apostles and worshippeth the Father in spirite and trueth that is in true motions of repentance of feare faith confidence beholding Christ and finally perfourmeth morall obedience according to the Decalogue or Table of Gods commaundents to the ende it might declare thankefulnes vnto God and shew the will of God vnto others The same description of the Church is in the 119. Psalme Blessed are the vndefiled in the way That is which are not polluted with any error of Doctrine or vngodly Religion Such are not Hipocrites but for the most parte fauour idolatries and errours repugnant vnto the gospell and vse counterfette worshippinges of God which Paule calleth Voluntary seruing of God preferring them before y e works by God commaunded But although some profes the true religion and be not polluted with externall Idoles yet in their heartes they are secure and without repentance without feare of God and without true faith and doe more loue their owne sensualities and wealth then God Such a great multitude is there alwayes in the church yea where the true doctrine is preached like as the Parable of the seede sowen signifieth Therefore let the worde Thamyra be referred vnto puritie of doctrine and religion but let the worde trueth vnto affections not fayned which agrée with the Law of God Verse 3. Which with his tongue hath spoke no guile nor done euill vnto his Neighbour Nor hath not slaundered his next Neighbour Verse 4. In whose sight the malignant person is despised But maketh much of them that feare the Lorde Which promiseth his neighbour and disapointeth him not Verse 5 He which hath not lent his money vpon vsurie And hath not receiued rewardes to deceiue the Innocent LIke as the seconde Verse infreateth of workes pertayning to the first Table So the rest of the verses conteyne the necessarie vertues pertayning to the second Table And in deede the first vertue is Trueth which of right and deseruingly is called the foundation of other Vertues And it is a certaine firmenes in the will of man or a stedfast sounde purpose of well doing perfourming congruence in opinions in wordes and vtter appearance with effect neither through error malapertnes desire of hurtinge any man to thinke one thing and say another The seconde vertue is Justice particular which for biddeth hurting of other mens bodyes wyues gooddes and good fame The thirde vertue is Justice distributiue which at trybuteth vnto all persons conuenyent reuerence Like as Lucilius saith whose verses touching this vertue are knowen viz. A vertue tis to geue to honor that to her is due As aduersarie and enemie eke euil men to pursue Contrariwise good men and eke good maners euery where Next to their Countreies weale alwaies to deeme as thinges most deare The fourth vertue is the religion or profound mistery of taking an othe For an oth taken is an affirmatioÌ„ of a thing possible lawful made with inuocatioÌ„ of the true God wherin we craue y t he be witnes of such things as are spoken that he would punish the parties breaking their promise by oth made we binde our selues vnto y e punishment God himself witnessing the same according vnto his threatâ—ing as if we reproued him of vntrueth if he punish not y e breakers of their oth made like as in y e 3. precept he saith The lord wil not hold him guiltles whosoeuer taketh his name in vaine This definition sheweth how terrible a bond an oth is what a mischief is y e violation or breaking of y e same because y e violatioÌ„ by manifold waâ—es is reprochful vnto god seing he is called vpon to be witnes reuenger The violatioÌ„ deniâ—th him to be a true witnes despiseth his reueÌ„ge reproueth him of vn trueth Such reproches doth y e true iust god sharply punish in expres words hath deliuered his senteÌ„ce touching punishment due to theÌ„ confirmeth y e same daily by horrible exaÌ„ples it augmenteth y e grieuousnes of y t offence for so much as we bind our selues by oth vnto y e punishment These must be ofttimes considered of vs not only to y e end we should not break our othes but alsothat we should not be light or vnaduised in taking our othes Like as that lightnes is reprehended in the 5. of S. Mat. The 5. vertue in this place commanded is Justice in bying selling which in making of bargaines kéepeth equalitie eschueth vsuries other vniust meanes of getting mony And y t it is a thing vniust to aske receiue vsury the law of god witnesseth in the 25. of Leuit. Thou shalt not take vsury of thy brother nor more theÌ„ thou hast geuen And Christ saith Lend ye one to another not hoping for any thing therfore That is not asking again aboue measure Let vs embrace put in practise these diuine testimonies let vs know y â— vsuries do indéed displease God neither let vs seeke cauillatioÌ„s to excuse manifest vsuries as many men doe And let vs obserue y
the day of tribulation and I will delyuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me So Christ being by all meanes tryed like as we are tryed sinne alwayes I except called vpon his father and rendered thankes to him for that he heard his prayer as in this place he saith I will magnifie the Lord which hath prouided for me And as we learne many thinges in time of calamities So Christ being taught euen in his passion learned to beare with our infirmities as in the 4. cap. to the Hebrewes is written Verse 8 I haue set the Lord in my sight for euer because he is on my right hand that I shall not faile Verse 9 For this cause is my hart glad and my tongue hath reioyced yea and moreouer my flesh shall rest in hope HE recyteth two good giftes where into lookinge he comforteth and confirmeth him selfe The one is the will of God The other is hope of a newe glorie in his resurrection The sonne of God knewe that he was made a sacrifice by the singular and vnspeakable prouidence of God and that this his sacrifice was the randsome for all mankinde After this he looked for or hoped after a resurrection and tryumphe ouer sinne death and hell and with this hope did he mitigate his distressed state But let vs remember this example that we also in calamities may performe obedience and learne partly with acknowledgment of Gods will and partly with hope of delyuerance to lenifie and mitigate the greatnes of our sorowes Verse 10 Because thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell neither wilt thou suffer the holie one to see corruption NOtably saith S. Augustine Maior est huius scripturae authoritas quam totius humani ingenij capacitas That is Greater is the authoritie of this scripture then the captiuitie of all the wisdome of men For here men do inquire of the article how Christ discended vnto hell what that discending may be First some men vnderstande that before his death his discending vnto hell was signified in that agony of his death wherein Christ felt the horrible taste of Gods wrath against our sinnes Some againe vnderstands the same his death and buriall to be his discending into hell But let vs simply beleue that Christ in deede raised the fathers from death to life as Peter saith He preached vnto the soules which were in miserie This maner of visitinge the fathers after Peters saying do I vnderstand to be his discending into hell neither will I curiously dispute vpon the matters but let the modest and godly persons consider certaine secrete misteries of the death and resurrrection of Christ which the fathers that were raised from death to life hoped after to be signifyed in Peters saying which are more playner recyted in any place Let the reader séeke for a larger exposicion of this litle verse in the commentarie of D. Martin Luther where he expoundeth the 42. cap. of Genesis Verse 11 Thou hast made knowne the wayes of life vnto me filling my countenance with gladnes there is pleasure at thy right hand for euer THe last verse by notable limites distinguisheth this short and fraile life from that which is onely to be called a life in deede For what is this life but a continual Consumption and passage vnto death as in the verse of Manilius it is saide Nascentes morimus finisque ab origine pendet That is New borne into this world we dye our death from first day of life drawes nye Moreouer in this life God alwayes nere vnto one good happe distributeth two euill neyther is there any delectation or gladnes of our minde so perfecte or sounde but it is corrupted or sowred with some bitter sorrow But that life whereunto after a while we shalbe raysed vp and reuiued shall be the true and not fayling life but most plentiful of ioy and gladnes which we shal receiue by the sight and presence of God and his euerlasting ioy wherof in déed that the eternal father would together with his Sonne and holy Ghost make vs partakers let vs al with our whole hearts continually pray Amen The xvij Psalme Exaudime Domine iustitiam c. THE ARGVMENT SO often as we thinke in our minds vpon filthy opinions which with horrible boldnes Heretikes and Fanaticall teachers in all ages haue spread abroad touching God it cannot be but we must with all our hearts abhor the same make our prayers that the Sonne of God would with his light gouerne our mindes and with his holie spirite illuminate and confirme in vs true acknowledgemente of God And truelie me seemeth no doubt it is but that Dauid recyting these wordes of praiet Directe thou my goinges that my footesteppes faile not gathered in his minde the furies of all ages which the deuill hath dispersed in mankinde because hee seeketh all meanes he can to blaspheme God and sith he is one that reioyceth in mischiefe is delighted with the horrible miserie of men after he hath forciblie destroyed them whom he hath plucked away from God and snared in his errors Let vs therefore thinking of these furies continuallie recite this psalme and with feruent prayers let vs beseech God that for his Sonnes sake he would with his holie spirite illuminate in our mindes the Doctrine manifested from him and also true Inuocation or prayer Neither that he woulde suffer vs to goe astray from him but that for his glorie sake he would gouern vs so as we may truelie acknowledge and cal vpon him which that he may effectually worke in vs with my whole heart I beseeche him Amen Verse 1. HEare O Lorde my righteousnes geue eare vnto my petition With thine eares receiue my prayer proceeding not from deceitfull lippes LIke as the Shippe with prosperous winde is spedely carryed in her course so our prayer is more profounde and is better heard when the minde is feruent with some desire as in the verse it is saide Dole tantum sponte disertus eris That is Onlie sorrowfull if thou be thou art distressed willinglie Nec Lachrimis tantum expletur sed etiam verbis egeritur dolor Neither with teares is sorrow expleate But also with words becomes more great Wherefore seeing Dauid thrice repeateth one and the same prayer it is cleere what ardent motions the most sacred breast of the Prophet did feele For not a more sharper sorrow is felte in the mindes of the godly ones then that which is conceyued by the corruptions of doctrine which doe blaspheme God and bringe plague and destruction vnto the Church And before in the eyght psalme I saide there is a two folde maner of righteousnes the one of the person the other of the cause He therefore in this place craueth not that his righteousnes but that the righteousnes of his cause might be heard as if he sayde For thy names sake euen for thine owne names sake doe thou this that blasphemers may be confounded This argument doth hée vse in many Psalmes For we must pray
recyteth a Philosophicall sentence of the Sun in these words The Sunne through whose hugenes by many parts the earth is ouerspread fetcheth his compas about the same and he rising and falling distinguisheth the day from the night Also he now comming towards vs and afterwardes goinge from vs maketh euerie yeare two contrarie returnes from the ende of the worlde by whose distance he both as it were with a certaine sadnes maketh the earth heauie and also againe maketh her glad as when she seemeth to bee comforted by the bright heauens And what is more excellent then to compare Christ vnto the Sunne vnto a bridegrome or a husband vnto a valiant Captaine Touching these comparisons I wil speake a few words for the instruction of the Reader Like as the Sunne with his light beneficially comforteth all the world So the Sonne of God reacheth his benefites vnto all men so that they will receiue them thankfully and not refuse them disobedyently Morreuer as the sun is the welspring of liuely power so Christ geueth life euelasting vnto all beleeuers Thirdly as the sunne when he ryseth obscureth the light of the skyes and dismisseth them so the righteousnes of faith which for Christes sake is imputed vnto vs doth vanquish the darkenes and as it were dryueth away the night of the glorie of mennes workes Fourthly as the sun when in the midst of the day he is most highest is then most whotest so persecution is the companion of y e pure vncorrupt Religion of Christ Fiftly as the sun with his brighâ—nes dryueth away clowdes and foggie mistes so the Sonne of God sittinge at the right hand of his Father is the conqueror of Tyrantes and heretikes Sixtly as the sunne in winter when he is most far thest of from the Pole is most nearest the earth so the sonne of God is most neere vnto the godly ones in miserie and geueth them helpe and saluation But it were too long to goe through with all partes of this comparyson I doe therefore make speede to the exposition of the other Similitudes Like as the Bridegroome or husband beareth a seruent loue vnto his spouse or wife so is there in Christ true loue not fayned towardes his Church which is testifyed in that he tooke vpon him nature of man For séeing he hath coupled this nature vnto him by that secrete and marueylous league Let vs not doubt but he doth loue the like nature of mankind vnfaynedly Secondly as the husband loueth his wife only and wandreth not out of the boundes of wedlock so Christ loueth his Church only which imbraceth the Gospel and loueth not other sectes Mahoinetical nor hereticall Thirdly as the husband with a franke heart communicateth all maner benefites vnto his wife so Christ bestoweth vpon his church his righteousnes life turning vnto himselfe the sorrowes of his Church and became a sacrifice for our sinnes Fourthly as it is the husbandes parte to maintayn the welfare of his wife so Christ euermore defendeth his church repressing deuils tirants and heretikes Fiftly Christ geueth his worde and holy Spirite whereby from time to time new members are begotten into the Church But this is done in the ministerie of the Church who as a mother fostereth and bringeth vp her children This conference to thinke vpon is profitable because not in vaine saide S. Paule Marriage was a great misterie Namely a figure of the League which is betweene Christ and his Church Lastly Christ is compared vnto a valyant captain which cheerefully finisheth the race that hee runneth in armes But this comparyson seemeth to be â—aken out of Genesis whereas the Messias is called Schylo That is Fortunate vnto whom all thinges doe yeald and all thinges obey For this Lord was not only prompt and ready to the battell but also with a marueylous and heauenly felicitie ouercame our enemie the Deuill and destroyed the workes of sinne and death it selfe Vnto the consideration of this Figure doth the Son of God bring vs Luke 11. When a strong man armed keepeth his house those things which he hath he possesseth in peace But when a stronger then he commeth vpon him he ouercommeth him hetaketh away all his weapons wherein he trusted and distributeth his spoyles vnto his own souldiers Furthermore what a promptitude was in Christ to finish the course of our saluation the wordes by himselfe recyted in the 14. of S. Iohns Gospell doe well declare viz. The Prince of this world commeth and hath nothing in me But that the world may know that I loue the Father and as the Father commaunded me so I doe Arise let vs goe hence Therefore all our life longe let vs remember that Christ is the shining sunne of righteousnes also the husbande of his Church and the inuincible Captayne So that we may craue and hope for of him present and eternall benefites The second parte of this Psalme Verse 8. The Law of the Lord is perfecte Comforting soules ALthough the former parte of this Psalme may be expounded two wayes yet of this parte there is one and that a simple meaning which conteineth a commendation of the Gospell borrowed of the same forme of doctrine and from the effectes thereof But this true and not dissembling prayse is opposed against the iudgementes of the world The world cryeth out wickedly that the Gospell is a vayne â—able and the firebrand of publike discorde Yea some men cry out that the doctrine of the Gospell is the corruption of good manners and the loosenesse of discipline These vngodly udgementes of Epicures politike persons hipocrites doth Dauid with a constant affirmation refute when he saith The Law of the Lord That is the doctrine of the Gospel is perfecte wisâ—ome far excelling the disputations of all Philosophers touching God For althoughe the more sounder Philosophers so beleeued and so reasoned that God was an eternall minde and the cause of goodnes in Nature Yet they neither know the essence or being of God distincte in thrée persons The eternall Father the eternall Sonne and the holy Ghost neyther yet the will of God touching forgeuenes of sinnes but liued in miserable lamentable ignorance of these most speciall and misticall matters But we in the church which doe heare the Gospell preached and taught doe learne the perfecte doctrine concerning the essence will of God Vnknowen vnto mans reason and all other creatures vntill that it was published from the secret bosome of the Eternall Father by his Sonne We know not only what difference there is in the persons of the diuinitie but also the will of God touching forgeuenes of sinnes to be graunted vs for the Sonnes sake our Mediatour Of good right therfore and by good cause is the Phisicall knowledge of God called both lame and dumme But the Gospell named the sound and perfecte wisdome But as the first Epithet or name is taken from the same kinde of doctrine So the other is taken from effecte in working And this indeede
laboures of our vocation and sanctifieth vs vnto life euerlasting But the effectes are largly expounded in the 119. psalm and are easely vnderstoode of the godly which knowe the exercises of faith and inuocation Verse 14 Who can comprise his faultes Clense me from all secrete sinnes THe last part of this Psalme is a prayer wherein there is a plaine petition for remission of sinnes He saith not as hypocrits do who hath sinnes or trespasses but he asketh what man is he which considereth the burden of sinnes sticking in the nature of man But this verse is rightly opposed against the counterfet ceremony of Monckes touching scrupulous numbering vp of sinnes which is neither commaunded by god neither is possible to do but leadeth godly mindes into doubtfulnes and enfeebleth theire faith Verse 15 And from presumptuous sinnes keepe thy seruant that they haue no power ouer me so shall I be vndefiled and shalbe clensed from the greatest sinne MOst rightly out of this place is borowed the difference of sinne raigning not raigning Sinne not raigning is the originall euill and motion stryuinge with the lawe of God which mans will notwithstanding resisteth being helped of the holy ghost that we should not obey that wicked motion against all conscieÌ„ce and this will by faith craueth and beleueth that this infirmitie is forgeuen vs for the Sonne of Gods sake making intercession for vs. Vnto this degrée and steppe pertaine negligences and ignorances not wilfully performed Sin raigning in the fall after conuersion is the breaking of Gods lawe against conscience which taking place the person is made guiltie of eteruall punishment except againe in conuersation forgeuenes be had And in this degrée or step we comprehend sinnes of wilfull negligence that is wilfull negligence in duetie and wilfull ignorance Verse 16 And the wordes of my mouth shalbe suche that they shall please thee and the meditation of my hart is in thy sight oh Lord my helper and my redeemer THe holy ghost is not in vaine called the spirite of grace and of prayer For as he beareth witnesse with our spirite that we are the children of god so doth he stirre vp and prouoke our hartes vnto prayer So Dauid when he had asked of God forgeuenes of his sinnes made humble pentions that god woulde receyue his prayer confession and thankesgeuing as a reasonable seruing of god séeing ther is nothing els which we are able to render vnto God for his greate benefites The XX. Psalme Exaudiat te Dominus c. THE ARGVMENT PRayers of the church are most worthie of diligent consideration not onlie because they aske thinges necessarie and wholsome of god but also because they instruct vs of great matters So this Psalme sithe it prayeth for the Prince or cheefe magistrate teacheth the reader as touching politique order verie profitably For first it plucketh out of mens mindes an vniust imagination which discerneth not betwene gouernement and spoiles like as that Pyrate saide to Alexander Why is it more lawfull for thee to spoyle vpon the land then for me vpon the seat For seeing the scripture so often commandeth prayers to be made for the magistrate that gouernment may remaine vnharmed and be established needfull it is that thing bee good and acceptable vnto god and not anie sinne because we must not pray that sinnes should be established But of this praying there are precepts extant in the 24. of Ieremy Pray ye for the kingdome of Babilon because in the peace thereof you may also haue peace He biddes them praye for the empire which at that time was the harboure or succour of the church And in 1. Tim. 2. Is deliuered a precept full of erudition I exhort you that prayers and thankes geuinges be made for all men For kinges all which are in authoritie vnder them that we may lyue a quiet and peacable life in all godlynes and honestie Hereupon it is cleare what difference there is betwene ruling and robbing For rulinges or gouernements are the ordinance of god and these must we obey for gods cause who is the author of this ordenance But robbings or spoilings are the destructions of gods ordinance and the furies of the deuill wherewith God is horriblie angrie Secondlie this psalme teacheth that gouernments are not preserued by fortune or by the counsels of men onlie but by god who is not onelie so the author of politique order that he alloweth of lawful gouernments but also by this meanes Because like as both by his prouidence he ordeyned the course and mouinges of the starres and also by his power preserueth the same So also politique order is the worke of God and howe much soeuer of this ordinaunce abideth in the confused state of humaine nature is by God truelie and effectuallie preserued For the deuill woulde altogether destroie honest societie but that God represseth his furies and did protecte parte of mankinde And that God is the preseruer of this ordniance the punishments of seditious and rebellious persons do not onlie shewe but also that same burden of affaires and daungers which mans wisdome without God is not able to endure Most truelie therefore is it saide of Plato lib. 4. de legibus whereasnot God but some mortall man beareth rule there is none escape from mischiefes and miseries Finallie he reprehendeth the pride of mans minde which imagineth that greate matters and profitable thinges are gouerned by our wisdome and vertue Like as Timotheus the sonne of Conon saide of a matter happelie exploieted This did I and not fortune And Aiax in Sophocles saide Dasterds and sâ—uggards had need of Gods helpe but he euen without God was able to ouercome Let this therefore be in vs perswaded and let vs altogether holde it approued that mans alone diligence is not sufficient for the weightie charge of gouernement as in the historie sette downe by Herodotus lib. 7. Xerxes rightlie saide That the kingdome of Persia increased vnder the gouernement of God and the kinges themselues redily folowing him For a weightie and hard matter it is the gouernement of a common welth neither can it be ruled by the alone diligence of man the which thing these heauenlie sayinges do teache Ieremy 10. I knowe O Lorde that mans way is not his neither is it in man to direct his owne footesteppes Againe Psalme 127. Except the Lord do keepe the Citie he watcheth in vayne that keepeth the same Which thinges sith they so be let vs feruentlie beseech of God that God woulde gouerne the counsels and successe of godly Princes or Magistrates which geue succour vnto the Church and vnto learning and which also are the obseruers of the workes of God as of the Law of righteousnesse and of peace The disposition of the partes of the Psalme THere are three partes of this Psalme The first is a feruent prayer for prosperitie of the Counsels and successe in gouernments which are the succoures of the Church The second part is a Thanksgeuing for preseruation and
promise that he is heard as Paule in the 5. Heb. saith He is heard by reason of his humilitie There is no doubt but they which call vpon God in confidence of his Sonne are receiued and heard For God loueth vs for his beloued Sons sake vnto whō he hath geuen al things And what thinges the Sonne of God with sorrow of heart and with tongue hath asked of his eternall father the Verses following plainly will teach vs. Verse 3. Because thou hast preuented him with gracious blessinges Thou hast put a Crowne of golde vpon his head Verse 4. He asked life of thee and thou gauest him a long life Yea a life that lasteth for euer Verse 5. Great is his glorie in thy saluation Thou shalt indue him with glorie and great honour ALl these thinges are most easilie vnderstoode in considering an Antithesis of the passion and resurrection of Christ For Christ in his passion was cursed because the curse was turned vpon him whereunto mankinde was subiecte And he himselfe suffered the due punishment of Gods iustice and so payed for vs the raunsome But what a heauie speach is this to bee called cursed of God that cannot be expressed in wordes but let vs with a godly meditation learne when we beholde our sinnes after a sorte and tremble fearinge that wee are in déede cast away into euerlasting damnation But now after his resurrection God is not onelie blessed for euer but also the fountaine of heauenly blessing concerning which I wil anone say more And that he was preuented saith he with blessing that séemeth Paule to interpret Coloss 1. when he saith Christ is the firste begotten of them which die that he may holde the principalitie in all thinges Also 1. Cor. 15. Christ is risen from death the first fruites of them which die Let this prerogatiue of Christ be vnderstoode as touching the circumstance of time and efficacie of Christes resurrection For as vnto the time pertayneth no man was euer so raysed from death before Christes time that he yealded not again vnto mightie death But Christ rysing againe from death after that dyeth not neither hath death any more power ouer him Moreouer the resurrection of the Lord is so effectuall that euen in vs also it ouercommeth death and may make vs partakers of the most ioyfull resurrection of the Saintes We shall therefore liue by the merite and efficacie of Christ according to that saying I liue you shall liue Secondly most sorrowfull was the appearance of Christ when he was brought foorth arrayed in purple crowned with thornes But now he beareth a crown of golde set vpon his head wherein is written King of kinges and Lord of lordes Also Vnto mee shall euerie knee bowe Apoc. 19. 1. Tim. 6. Phil. 2. These precious stones and pearles are imbossed in the crowne of Christ Thirdly to his death and buryall is opposed life not in deede a transitorie and a frayle life but a permanent and euerlasting life In this Antithesis let the example be considered which the saying of paul Ephe. 3. notably setteth downe God is able more aboundantlie to perfourme all thinges then we dare aske or looke for Christ asked of his eternall father life and obteyned life which no Limitte of time compryseth and which alone is to bee accounted for a life Fourthly Vnto the reproches of Christ crucifyed is opposed glorie which is that by himselfe hauing cleansed vs from our sinnes He sitteth at the right hand of maiestie being ordeined in the Heauens as Heire of all thinges And Lord ouer all principalitie power strength dominion is made of God vnto vs righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Heb. 1. Coloss 1. 1. Cor. 1. Verse 6 Because thou shalt power vpon him blessinge for euer Thou shalt make him glad with the ioy of thy countenance HEtherto hath he discribed Christ the king adorned with blessinge with a crowne with life and with glorie Now discribeth he him as prieste and attributeth vnto him the office of blessing his people therewith interpreting the promise delyuered vnto vnto Abraham In thy seede shall all nations be blessed For because he nameth an euerlasting blessing it is needefull the same be vnderstood not of a politique kingdome as the Jewes dreame but as touching forgeunes of sinues and of the frée gifte of his holie spirite of life euerlasting After the same maner doth Paule Ephe. 1. intreate vpon the blessing of the Messias Blessed be God and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ which hath blessed vs with his spirituall blessing in heauenly giftes in Christ in whome we haue redemption through his blood and also remission of sinnes c. Let therefore the dreames of the Jewes be suppressed who not considering the mischéefes wherein mankinde is ouerwhelmto do aske of the messias and loke for of him riches and wordly dominions But let vs vnderstand that Christ was sent of God to the end he might distroy sinne and death and restore vnto vs righteousnesse and life euerlasting Verse 7 Because the kinge trusteth in the Lorde and in the mercy of the most hyghest shall be neuer faile WHen as no kingdome can be firme and stable without necessary defences or safegards Dauid sheweth here what the defences or safegardes of Christs kingdome are namely not riches not hoastes of men not brasen péeces but the mercy of the most highest which can not be weakened by any force or strength neyther yet at any time can be remoued out of place as in the 54. of Esai most swéetly is said The hilles shal be moued the litle hilles shall tremble But my mercy shall not departe from thee neyther shall the couenant of my peace be moued saith the Lord thy mercifull God Let vs therefore hope that the church shall continewe still yea though kingdomes quayle amongst them selues and the whole world should vtterly be frushed together Verse 8 Thy hand shall finde out al thine enimies thy right hande shall finde out them that hate thee ALthough these most sorowfull spéeches in thinking whereof it is needfull that all the godly do trēble in eche parte may be vnderstood of all Christs enemies and of his church yet not absurdly are these by exception referred vnto the Jewes But there are two causes for which the horrible punishmentes of the Jewish people were before spokē of by God First that we may knowe it is the worke of Gods iustice that the vngodly sinnes mischieuous wickednes of the Jewes should be punished with so great calamities Secondly that we may knowe euen these calamities are the voyce of God admonishing vs touching repentance When as therfore we consider the tragicall punishments of this people let vs be stirred vp vnto repentance and let vs craue with true and feruent prayers that we may be gouerned of God that we fall not into like dotage and fury Now let vs way the effectuall substance of the words as by a balance He profoundly calleth the aduersaries of Christ