Works, Part 3 · Sermon 12
A GODLY EXPOSITION OF THE XVI. PSALME.
THE TVVELFTH SERMON.
PSAS. 16. vers. 1.
Preserue me, O God: for in thee doe I trust.
THis Psalme containeth the acknowledging of the Prophet his vnworthinesse, and sheweth how all things are of God: it witnesseth the man of God his louelove to the Saints, his hatred of false religion, the assurance of God his prouidence, and his vndoubted hope of life euerlasting. All which things containing so many points of heauenly doctrine, ought much to prouoke in vsus the louelove of the Psalme, and louing it to frequent the vse of it. The Psalme seemeth to be generall, and may be vsed at all seasons, and of all estates, as not being bound to any peculiar condition of men, or tied to any seuerall circumstance, as are many other Psalmes, containing particular matter: and therefore is it to be vsed as a notable meditation, which may be shewed by this word Mitchtam. The first verse is the proposition of the whole, and the residue of the Psalme prosecuteth the same matter. Now to the words of the text.
Preserue me, O God. Here Dauid desireth not deliuerance from any speciall trouble, but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the prouidence of God: wishing that the Lord would continue his merciemercy towards him vntounto the end, and in the end: whereby he foresaw that it was as needfull for him to be safegarded by God his protection in the end, as at the time present; as also how he made no lesse account of it in his prosperitie, than in aduersitie. So that the man of God still feared his infirmitie, and therefore acknowledgeth himselfe euer to stand in neede of God his helpe. And here is a sure and vndoubted marke of the childe of God, when a man shall hauehave as great a care to continue and grow in well doing, as to begin: and this praying for the gift of finall perseuerance, is a speciall note of the childe of God. This holy ielouzie of the man of God made him so to desire to be preserued at all times, in all estates, both in soule and bodie. EueryEvery man will say, true it is, if God should not preserue vsus, how could we continue? But few there be who rightly and carefully vse the meanes, as this man of God did, whereby they may attaine this grace. And therefore howsoeuer they pretend a good affection, and well liking generally of the thing, yet they hauehave no true faith, as the Prophet had: for faith would driue them carefully to vse the meanes: how beit this generall knowledge is left in many to take from them all excuse: but in the faithfull it worketh an holy feare, and feare ingendreth a conscience to vse the meanes. I appeale to the conscience of a naturall man: If a man being sicke would crie, Lord helpe me, Lord restore me to my health, and yet in the meane time wilfully refuseth the prescribed meanes for his recouerie, tempted he not God? which if it be so, how much more dangerous is this in things concerning the soule, when a man either for want of hearing & reading the word feeleth not the diseases of the minde; or feeling them effectually▪ pineth and languisheth away vnderunder the burthen of them, neglecting prayer, confessing of his sinnes, repentance, and such like meanes of his saluation? True it is that, man liueth not by bread onelyonly: and therefore the wicked are but stalled vp and made fat against the day of slaughter. And the children of God know and acknowledge, that without the blessing and fauour of God their meate may bring their bane: and therefore they craue that by the word and prayer the meanes may be sanctified vntounto them; much more in things concerning our saluation we must both carefully vse the meanes, and in the vsing of them not to trust in the outward worke wrought, but to craue the inward ministerie of God his holy spirit, which worketh by them, not being ordained for God but for vsus.
For in thee doe I trust. Here the Prophet setteth down the cause why he prayeth to God: whereby he declareth, that none can truly call vponupon God vnles they beleeue: Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they hauehave not beleeued? In regard whereof as he prayeth to God to be his Sauiour, so he is fully assured that God will be his Sauiour. If then without faith we cannot truly call vponupon God, the men of this world rather prate like Parats, than pray like Christians, at what time they vtter these words. For yt they trust not in God, they declare both by neglecting the lawfull meanes, and also in vsing vnlawfull meanes. Some we see trust in friends: some shoulder out (as they thinke) the crosse with their goods: some fence themselues with authoritie: others bathe and …aste themselues in pleasures to put the euill day farre from them: others make flesh their arme: and others make the …edge of gold their confidence: and these men when they seeke for helpe at the Lord, meane in their hearts to finde it in their friends, good authoritie and pleasure, howsoeuer for feare they dare not say this outwardly. Againe, here we are to obserue vnderunder what shelter we may harbour our selues in the showers of aduersitie, euen vnderunder the protection of the Almightie. And why? Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almightie. And here in effect is shewed, that whosoeuer putteth his trust in God shall be preserued: otherwise the Prophet his reason here had not been good. Besides, we see he pleadeth not by merite, but sueth by faith, teaching vsus, that if we come with like faith, we may obtaine the like deliuerance.
It followeth in the Psalme, vers. 2. O my soule, thou hast said vntounto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my weldoing extendeth not to thee. In this conference with his soule, Dauid setteth downe the reason more at large, why he trusteth in God, that he will preserue him: first, he acknowledgeth his owne vnworthinesse: secondly, he giueth himselfe to the Saints, Thou hast said vntounto the Lord. Here he confesseth that whatsoeuer good thing he had, he receiued it of the Lord. And this he doth not barely or barrenly with his lips from the teeth outward, but vnfainedly in his soule, also from the heart inward: and in that he passeth from the conference with his soule to speake vntounto the Lord, he sheweth that God knoweth how his soule lieth not: and that he did behold the sinceritie and simplicitie of his heart herein. So that he dealeth not before men alone, or with his lips, but with God also, and trauaileth with his owne soule: wherein he cleereth himselfe of hypocrisie, and by his owne practise conuinceth and condemneth those kinde of men, who say one thing with their lips, and meane another thing in their hearts. Wherefore we are to learne, that in our prayers we deale not with men, but with God. We must not so much labour for a set order of words as for a well ordered heart; and we must not vse these words as before men alone with our lips, but in our soules and in the presence of God; to wit, Lord thou hast redeemed me, Lord thou hast saued me: and I say to my soule, that it should acknowledge thee to be my Lord, my Redeemer, and my Sauiour, and therefore should vse all things to thy glorie. Thou art my Lord, my soule, O Lord, hath tasted of thy goodnesse, and by good proofe I finde that thou doest gouerne me. My weldoing extendeth not to thee: oh what shall I render vntounto thee, my God, for all thy benefits towards me? what shall I repay? alas I can doe thee no good, for mine imperfect goodnesse cannot pleasure thee, who art most perfect and goodnesse it selfe: my weldoing can doe thee no good, my wickednesse can doe thee no harme: I receiue all good from thee, but no good can I returne to thee: wherfore I acknowledge thee to be most rich, and my selfe to be most beggerly in weldoing: so farre off is it that thou standest in any neede of me. Wherefore I will ioyne my selfe to thy people, that whatsoeuer I hauehave, they may profit by it, and whatsoeuer they hauehave I may profit by it, seeing the things that I hauehave receiued must bee put out to loane, to gaine some comfort to others: whatsoeuer others hauehave, they hauehave not for their priuate vse, but that by them as by pipes and conduites they liberally should be conueied vntounto me also. Wherefore in this straine wee are taught, that if wee be the children of God, wee must ioyne our selues in a holy league to his people, and by mutuall participation of the gifts of God wee must testifie each to other, that wee be of the number and communion of Saints: and this is an vndoubted badge and cognisance of him that loueth God, if he also loueth them that are begotten of God. Wherefore if wee doe professe our selues to bee of God, and to worship him, then must we ioyne our selues to the Church of God, which with vsus doth worship God. And this must we doe of necessitie, for it is a branch of our beleefe, that there is a communion of Saints in the Church: and if we beleeue that there is a God, we must also beleeue that there is a remnant of people, vntounto whom God reuealeth himselfe, and communicateth his mercies, in whom we must hauehave al our delight, with whom we must communicate, according to the measure of grace giuen vntounto eueryevery one of vsus.
But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent: all my delight is in them. The Papists could abide no Saints, but them which are in heauen; which argueth that they liue in a kingdome of darknes, and erre not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God: for if they were but meanly conuersant in the Scriptures, in the holy Epistles, they should finde almost in eueryevery Epistle mention made of the Saints, who are thereunto called in Iesus Christ, through whom they are sanctified by the holy Ghost. And marke, he calleth them excellent. Some thinke rich men to be excellent, some thinke learned men to be excellent, some count men in authoritie so to be: but here wee are taught that those men are excellent, which are sanctified with God his graces. True it is, that learning, wisedome, authoritie, honour, gold and credit, are the excellent gifts of God in their kinde, and yet hauehave they not true excellencie in themselues: for they make not the possessors of themselues excellent, because the wicked may hauehave them as well as the good: and these things we see for the most part are as they are that hauehave them. For if the good man hauehave them, he vseth them reuerentely, moderatly & thankfully, he applieth them …o good vses, and so maketh them serue to the furtherance of good purposes. Againe, if an euill man hauehave them, he vnreuerently vsurpeth them, immoderatly vseth them, and vnthankfully is puffed vp with them, he turneth them to euill vses, and by them promoteth ill causes. Wherefore this excellencie, which is the fruite of God his spirit, is in it selfe only good: and this indeed maketh men truly excellent. Some say the Prophet meaneth, that seeing he cannot doe good to God, he will deserue well of his Saints: but this is but one part of his meaning: so that he meaneth this and somewhat more, that is, that he will delight in them and that not only to doe them good, but also to receiue good from them, as may appeare by his terming of them excellent ones, such as are fit as well to doe good, as to receiue good from others. Wherfore the Apostle saith, Rom. 1. 12. that he desired to receiue mutual comfort by thē. Secondly, this appeareth by the opposition of the verse following, which is of the worship of God: and therefore it cannot be restrained to outward things. Againe, in that verse he maketh mention of false worshippers, as here he nameth excellent ones: meaning that he would vse the benefit of them, to waine himselfe from false worshippers; as men will frequent the companie of the learned that desire learning; and they that will hauehave their lips schooled by the law of grace, will oft resort to the graue speeches of the wise. And surely it is a speciall helpe to further our selues in the pure worship of God, if we diuorce our selues from the crue of false worshippers, and wholy espouse our selues to the fellowship of them that worship in spirit and in truth. This reason also may appeare to be generall, because it followeth in the order of our confession of our faith, that we beleeue the holy and vniuersal congregation, the communion of Saints: and this communion is in receiuing as well as in giuing: and therefore being vnderstood of such a mutuall participation of gifts from one to another, it must followe as a particular part thereof, that wee be readie to doe good. And where he saith, All my delight is in them, that is in the Saints: we must not thinke that he meant to take away ciuill dutie from them that were in authoritie, for that must be giuen to them in outward things, yet in our hearts and in our affections the graces of God his children must be most esteemed. In respect whereof when Iames saith, Iam. 1. 2. that the Iewes had their faith in respect of persons, when they were wont to say to the rich, Sit thou here in a good place; and to the poore, Stand there, his meaning was to rebuke them, for that they so highly despised the one and so vily esteemed the other. Wherefore wee must learne alwaies to giuegive vntounto Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar, but God his children must alwaies bee neerest our heart. And this was it that our Sauiour Christ saith, that they which heard the word and did the same, were his mother, his brother, and his sister: not that he lightly regarded his mother, for he was a patterne of obedience to all children, yet he loued her more as she was the daughter of God, than as shee was his mother. Likewise we reade, that hee answered the woman that cried vntounto him, Blessed is the wombe that bare thee, and the paps that gaue thee sucke. His mother no doubt had as singular blessings, as euer were giuen to woman, in outward things, in that she brought forth the Sauiour of all mankinde: howbeit herein she was chiefly blessed, in that she beleeued in him to bee her Redeemer.
That are in the earth. See hee maketh mention of the Saints here on earth, and speaketh no of the Saints which are in heauen, from whom as we are seuered in body, so are we also in the soule▪ and wee hauehave no dealing with them, either in soule or bodie. Wherefore it is …d of the Prophet, Abraham knoweth not vsus. True it is, that the Lord maketh his Angels ministers vntounto vsus, and therfore sending them to doe any thing, he maketh it known vntounto them. Howbeit wee reade no such thing of the Saints that are dead, who as they know nothing of vsus or our estate, which onelyonly is knowne to the Lord, and are not vsed as ministers of the Lord; so they cānot heare or helpe vsus, as some foolishly hauehave imagined. The Saints which are dead may be in some respect remembred, but in no case worshipped: remēbred, I say, not for their power to be prayed vntounto, but for their vertues to bee imitated. Wherefore in Heb. 11 the holy Ghost setteth downe a register & catalogue of the Saints, that seeing wee are compassed with so great a clowde of witnesses, wee must cast away eueryevery thing that presseth downe, and sinne that hangeth so fast on, that we may run with patience the race that is set before vsus. Here wee see these are set before, that wee might so farre followe them, as they followe Christ, and in this respect they are called witnesses: but to honour them as God, or to appoint holy daies vntounto them, or for them, it is not lawfull. But behold when it was painful to the belly gods of Rome to remember the good life of the Saints to follow them, than which nothing is more grieuous to them, the diuell to drawe them from this, inuented a more easie way for flesh and blood, and taught them an easier lesson, by appointing in the stead of this holy and painfull imitation, a carnall and voluptuous rabble of holidaies vntounto the Saints, and that (as they said) for the better remembrance of them: and thus that transformed Angell of light knoweth how to transforme pure religion. In like manner, whē it was an hard thing to preach Christ crucified, because it would call them to a sight, feeling and forsaking of their sinnes, and so they were made more vnquiet; the diuell found out an easier way, and for sooth would hauehave Christ painted vponupon the crosse in their Church windowes: which was a thing more easie to behold, being pleasant to the eye, than it was to heare that sinne should bee crucified in them, if euer they would hope for the fruite of Christ his death. Againe, when they could not away with bearing the crosse, of losse of name, of friends, goods and life, for Christs sake, they thought it was good to professe it by wearing some crosse about them, or by erecting in eueryevery place a crosse of wood, stone, or such like thing. But let vsus learne to be prouoked by the graces of God in his Saints to follow them in goodnesse, and labour to hauehave Christ crucified in our hearts, by the ministerie of the word, euer preparing our selues in truth to beare the crosse of Christ, by preferring the pure profession of his Gospell, before any thing in the whole world deare vntounto vsus. Besides we are here to learne, that if our delight be in God his Saints on the earth, wee must be farre from vsing them maliciously, or speaking of them cruelly. This delight then must bee to receiue some profit and benefit by these graces which they hauehave, also to vse to the comfort of the childrē of God whatsoeuer good we hauehave receiued. For as well the seruant which puts not out his talent with gaine was punished, as those that contemned the talent. Neither in truth hauehave we any right vse of the gifts which wee hauehave receiued of God, vnlesse we put them out by imparting them to our brethren in louelove, and so the gaine may returne by holy reuenewes to the Lord himselfe; neither hauehave we truly learned any thing, vnlesse wee hauehave in some measure communicated it with others; for whatsoeuer is ours by gift, it is the interest of others by necessitie: whatsoeuer is proper to vsus by possession, is common to the Church by vse and participation; and whatsoeuer wee hauehave, wee hauehave it for dispensation, as the stewards of God his gifts, and disposers of his graces. And therefore as at the audites and dayes of accounts such stewards are culpable and vnworthie of their places, who hauing large summes of money for the liberal maintenance of the family, hauehave appropriated all to themselues; so likewise in that great day of reckoning and audite of Angels, those stewards will bee found damnable, and iudged vnworthie to hauehave had accesse to the Lord his treasurie, who hauing receiued of God singular graces, and plentifull gifts for the building vp of his Church, and distributing things necessarie to the Saints in due season, hauehave notwithstanding enriched themselues alone, and impouerished their fellow seruants, vntounto whose vse, and for whose good such rich reuenewes of God his graces and gifts were committed to their fidelitie.
It followeth in the Psalme, The sorrowes of them that offer to another God shall bee multiplied: their offering of blood I will not offer, neither make mention of their names with my lips. Heere the man of God declareth himselfe to bee no lukewarme professor, and therefore as in the third verse hee sheweth the profession of his faith concerning the communion of Saints, so in the fourth verse be protesteth his hatred to the false worshippers, and he teacheth that none can truly louelove the Saints, but he must also hate the wicked. God cannot abide to be worshipped in part, or by mixture of religion, as though the Arke and Dagon, God and Mammon, Christ and Belial should bee ioyned in worship together. Many are not so fully contented with the Saints, as that they are throughly discontented with the wicked, who so long as they see matters of ciuill authoritie and good order hauehave successe, can louelove the word to serue time and season, whose liking of it is so small, that when other religion commeth, they find not themselues much discontented. But we must learne so to belieue in the true religion, as our faith may drawe out of vsus an vnchangeable louelove, and this true louelove must be free from all appearance of idolatrie, and contrary religion whatsoeuer. If euer this doctrine was necessarie, it is now most needefull, sith true religion so decayeth, false religion so aboundeth, heathenish prophanenes so groweth; all which no doubt arise o… so little esteeming, and small liking of the truth. For whereof first did spring heathenishnesse? Euen from hence, men were contented that eueryevery nation should worship as they listed and liked whereupon they did grow to hauehave both their country gods, and houshold gods; for we reade that the Senate of the Romans would receiue Christ as their God, yet so, as they would also maintaine their owne gods. Not much vnlike is our familie of louelove, and common sort of Protestants, both which can easily tolerate any kind of religion, come what profession come will. Wherefore we may see how this Psalme fitly may be vsed, when we will accuse our selues of want of louelove to the Saints, or when wee will accuse our selues of wa…t of hatred to idolaters, seeing the spirit of the man of God so earnest, and our selues so cold herein.
In that he saith, hee will not make mention of their names with his lips, he declareth his through hatred vntounto them, which the more euidently appeareth, in that hee would not only not cōmunicate with them in his goods, but also that hee would not meddle with their ceremonies. Neither must wee thinke that this was any peculiar thing vntounto Dauid, but that it was common also to all the Israelites, as we may see Exod. 23. 13 ye shall make no mention of the name of other gods, neither shall it be heard out of thy mouth, and not to them alone, but to all Christians in like manner, as appeareth Zechar. 13. 2. And in that day, faith the Lord of hostes, I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, yea and they shall bee no m…re remembred. Besides, the law commaundeth all auoyding of occasions of idolatry, Deut. 7 25. where are set downe two reasons; the one, that wee should not bee snared with such occasions; the other, because it is an abomination to the Lord, wherein although somewhat be political, yet because whatsoeuer is impure is abhominable to the Lord, and our nature is prone vntounto, and hardly kept from corrupt religion, wee hating the impuritie of the doctrine, must also hate the impuritie of the ceremonies. To the Law agreeth also the Prophet, as Esay 30. 22. where the Lord not only commaundeth them to auoid all idolatrie, but euen the appertinances thereof, Yee shall pollute the couering of the Images of siluer, and the rich ornaments of the Images of gold, and cast them away as a menstruous cloth, and thou shalt say vntounto it get thee hence. This seemeth precisenes and puritanisme to the world, which can be content to vse things for forme and fashion; but if we vrge vponupon puritie, wee are counted precisians. Well if it be so, then Dauid was a precisian. The holy ghost also exhorteth vsus also to abstaine from all apparance of euill, 1. Thess. 5 22. 1. Iohn 5. 21. Babes keepe your selues from idols. And the Apostle Iude verse 23. willeth vsus euen to hate the garment spotted by the flesh. True it is, that one may hauehave a priuate vse of the meate prepared for Images; but as it is an appertinance of idolatrie, it is to be auoided. Wherefore we are to pray that we may so hauehave our hearts rectified by the spirit of God, as not only the substance of false religion may be auoided, but also the appertinances thereof, whereby we may the better prouide both for God his glory, and our owne peace. Whereas he saith, the sorrowes of them that offer to another God shall bee multiplied, hee sheweth, how besides the comforts which he had in the Saints, he so much the more hated the idolaters, because hee sawe the more they inwrapped themselues, the more their spirits were troubled in them, and then they could find least rest whē they had most trouble. So that as the man of God commendeth true religion by this effect, that it yeeldeth peace of mind, and comfort of conscience in trouble; so hee discommendeth false religion by the contrarie: because howsoeuer in prosperitie it bringeth aswelling ioy, yet in aduersitie it maketh men cry to the rocks to couer them, & to the mountaines to fall vponupon them. This must cause vsus more narrowly to search our hearts whether we hauehave this louelove of true religion or no, against the which neither the gates of hell, nor terrours of Satan, nor troubles of conscience can preuaile; for this religion is no lesse comfortable than true, when wee feele our selues assured thereby of our iustification by Christ, of the ministerie of God his Angels watching ouer vsus, and that we offering our selues to be gouerned by him, hee will worke in vsus heauenly things: and howsoeuer we are euil by nature or custome, yet by grace we are kept safe in him. This is that which helpeth in trouble of conscience, this comforteth in banishment, this relieueth vsus in pouertie, this is the fruite of true religion. In false religion there appeareth not like effects, not being able to deliuer vsus, much lesse to comfort vsus in time of triall, but it leaueth vsus in a mazed spirit, and troubled mind. Wherefore in respect of the issues of both these compared together, wee see how deare true religion ought to be to vsus, and how wee must abhorre the contrarie. The very heathen men by the instinct of nature did most labour for those things which would in death bring peace of minde, and asswage their inward troubles, who neuer had this remedie: how much more then ought we to imbrace this pure religion, hauing such effects; and hate the contrary, which then yeeldeth a swelling and plausible ioy, when no heauinesse is at hand, but is voide of all substance of perfect consolation to ease a perplexed mind? Wherein it may wel be compared to those water brookes, which in time of winter, when water in eueryevery place aboundeth, flow ouer; but in summer, when droughts bring the necessary vse of water, are for the most part dried vp.
It followeth now in the fift verse, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup: thou shalt maintaine my lot. He prosecuteth the same matter which he handled before, shewing a reason why he linked himselfe so to the Saints, and abhorred the wicked, to wit, because as the Lord defended his holie ones, so he defended him; as he was their inheritance, so he was his; as he was a portion vntounto them, so also he was a sufficient portion vntounto him: for so was he tied to the Lord, and to the louelove of his truth, that no corrupt religion could moue him from it. And why? hee saw in the word, that God prouided on eueryevery side for him, both spiritually for his soule, and corporally for his body. Wherfore his meaning may thus briefely bee gathered. I neede not to seeke for helpe in any false religion, although mine enemies would constraine me, because I am perswaded sufficiētly that God is my portion, hee is mine inheritance, God filleth full my cup; and as his merciemercy hath chosen me, so his power maintaineth me, the sure perswasion whereof maketh me grow in the louelove of true religion, and in the hatred of false. Out of the scope then of the Prophet, we may draw thus much, that whosoeuer is grounded on pure knowledge, and a sure faith, shall neuer wander after idolatry, because the word of God will shewe them now all sufficiencie both for their soules and bodies is in the Lorde, who freely hath taken the whole charge thereof into his owne hands. On the contrarie it is apparant, how that from hence commeth such slipping into idolatrie, because we want true faith in the true religion, and true louelove of those things which we belieue. This place then commendeth vntounto vsus a continuall care, which we must labour for, whereby such assurance of God his fauour and prouidence watching ouer vsus may be in vsus, as we contenting our selues with him, our portion and inheritance should couet nothing else. Some referre this saying of the Prophet, thou art the portion of mine inheritance to the soule, but it is to be thought that hee rather meaneth how he only resteth and stayeth himselfe concerning his whole felicitie of body and soule on the Lord alone, and in that the Lord did not only begin, but did continue in him his grace hee assureth himselfe as well of finall perseuerance, as of his gracious entrance, which vndoubtedly is no small comfort. For many hauehave inheritances, who hardly keepe the assurance of them from all assaults of crafty men, who craftily vndermine the estate and hold off their possessions, by falsifying their euidences. Wherfore he addeth in the latter end of the verse, thou shalt maintaine my lot. For although nothing be more casuall then the life both of body and soule, and in manner of a lot is most vncertaine, yet the issue of them both being in the hands of the Lord, hee dare safely commend himselfe vntounto him. Thus then must wee be perswaded of our inheritance, as for louelove of it, we had rather with Naboth hauehave our bloud spilt, then suffer our selues to be depriued of it; which wee see alreadie to be performed of the Martyrs. But here we are to note how all our assurance hereof is in the word, and not elsewhere to be found, as the man of God himselfe sheweth, Psal. 119. 57. O Lord thou art my portion, I hauehave determined to keepe thy words: and 111. Thy testimontes hauehave I taken as an heritage for euer, for they are the ioy of mine heart. it is both easie and vsuall for all to say, God is my portion, God is mine inheritance, God is hee that prepareth a table before mee, God filleth my cup: The gayest hypocrites will brag of this, and the most wretched worldlings will auouch as much; but here in they be wray themselues in reuerencing so smally the meanes hereof, and accounting so little of the word, which is the onelyonly assurance whereby they holde their inheritance. Doth hee seeke by his portion or inheritance bequeathed vntounto him by testament or otherwise, who maketh none account of his euidence and auncient coppies, whereby he holdeth his assurance? Can men then thinke that God is their inheritance, when they esteeme so smally of his promises which ratifieth their hold, and keepeth in record their assurance? Can a man assure himselfe, that God is his portion when he hath no delight in his sacraments, wherein it is sealed and surrendred into his hands? This then is a true triall, whether we may in truth subscribe to the Prophet his protestation, when we delight in the meanes, that is, in the word, in prayer, in the sacraments, and in discipline: which thing if we hauehave not, pretend wee what we will, all is but hypocrisie. If God be our portion, we must be as charie and warie of the word, as of some Will, wherein some great thing is giuen vntounto vsus; we must be as much afraid and grieued to lose our faith in God his promises, as wee are to lose the euidence of our lands; wee must be as carefull to vse the sacraments, as to keepe whole and vnuiolated the seales of our euidences; we must be as carefull to performe to God that which his will requireth of vsus, as to receiue of him that which in his testamēt is bequeathed vsus, otherwise we hauehave nothing to doe with God, & God hath nothing to doe with vsus in merciemercy, God is none of our inheritance, neither are we his inheritance. Such then as will come a… their leisure, and when they list, or when the world will afford no further profite, nor the flesh further delight, as they did most vnthankefully in the Gospell, who preferred their marriage, bargaining, and toyling in the earth to the heauenly banquet, are not in anie assurance, that God is their portion; for where our portion is, there is our delight; & where we looke for inheritance, there wee prouide for assurance; and where wee looke for treasure, thither wee goe with ioy: wherefore vntill we set the word aloft in our consciences, wee can finde no assurance that God is our portion, or that we are his. The equitie hereof appeareth, Deut. 9. 29. where the people are called the inheritance of the Lord: and Deut. 32. 9. The Lords portion is his people: Iacob is the lot of his inheritance. For as possessions in times past were chosen out by lines, so the Lord is said to diuide to the Nations their inheritance, and to separate Iacob as a part for himselfe. Neither must we shuffle off this from our selues, seeing the Apostle (1. Pet. 2. 6) calleth vsus a spirituall house, and an holy Priesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices: and the holy Ghost (Reuel. 1. 6.) saith, Wee are made Kings and Priests vntounto God through Christ. Wherefore seeing the Lord dealeth so fauourably with vsus, that when hell was our portion by our birthright, he hath measured out heauen for vsus by the promulgation of his Gospell; when we were guiltie of damnation, hath made vsus inheritours of saluation; and when Satan made claime to vsus, he hath rescued the title of vsus to himselfe: what an hellish pride were it, not to set God aloft? what presumption were it, not to make him our chiefe delight, seeing he before freely hath made vsus his chiefe delight? If then we desire that God should be our inheritance, we must be his; if we be his, he must take vp wholy our soules and bodies in his word; which if wee despise, vndoubtedly wee shall be despised of God. Marke then in the latter end of this verse, he saith, I hou shal… maintaine my lot. As if the man of God should say: Howsoeuer the world iudgeth, that my estate commeth of other men, I know it commeth of thee: and, Prou. 16. 4. Thou Lord hast made all things for thy owne sake, although other thinke things to be fortunate, and subiect to lucke; and when as others thinke it strange, that the sonne of Ishai should come to the gouernment of the Common-wealth, yet thou alone hast done it. Neither are we thus alone maintained of God in our outward estate, but also in spirituall things, we are kept by his power, as 1. Pet. 1, 5. We are kept by the power of God through faith vntounto saluation. And howsoeuer the world marueileth that we liue, yet we (saith the Apostle) are kept by the secret finger of God, & that vntounto saluation. This happie assurance caused Paul to say, 2 Timo. 1. 12. I know i… whom I hauehave beleeued, and I am perswaded he is able to keepe that which is committed to him against that day. In which doctrine is … small comfort, in that we hauehave not our saluation in our owne custodie, neither hath the Lord left vsus to our selues in the cō lucting of our bodies & soules, but hath giuen the whole and happie gouernment to his Sonne Iesus Christ: in which dignitie we farre excell Adam in the estate of innocencie. For albeit we are by him and in him fallen from it (so weake was our estate, and so brittle was our hold whilest man possessed it) yet hauing it restored, the credit and custodie of it resteth not on our weaknesse, but on the mightie power of Christ, from whom it cannot be taken. Such is the mercifull wisedome of our good God. Wherefore our Sauiour Christ, Ioh. 6 …aith, that he is the shepheard, and that we are in his custodie. For whereas like sheepe of our selues we are readie to goe astray and wander, the Lord with his shepheards crooke will fetch vsus againe to the fold; and when we are lost in the wildernesse and darke places, he will finde vsus ou…; when we see no issues of our matter, he wil be faithful vntounto vsus, if we commit our selues vntounto him. We see now the blessed securitie of God his children is herein, that their lot is not in their owne hands. This doctrine also is full of comfort to vsus in these times: For in such a multitude of heresies, where with prophanenesse of life hath ioyned it selfe, if it were possible, the very elect should be deceiued, were it not that they were gouerned by the Lord himselfe.
It is added in the next verse, The li…e fallen vntounto me in pleasant places: yea I hauehave a faire heritage. The former matter is amplified, wherein he sheweth, that he so liked his choyse of the word: that in hope to change he chused it not. So his meaning is in effect all one with the verse going before, and may thus shortly be couched together O Lord thou hast dealt with me fauourably, which pleaseth me so fully, that I require no other happines. For notwithstanding my crosses and temptations be many, yet because in all I feele thy gracious helpe, I desire not to change for any other felicitie. In which streame we must learne this one point, that wee neuer feele effectually the fruite of our saluation, vntill we can triumph ouer the world, the flesh, and the diuell: and when our heritage so pleaseth vsus, that we repent not: beware of repenting, beware of repenting when ye hauehave once giuen your names vntounto Christ: for ye are become backsliders, & are fallen partly to heresie, partly to atheisme, partly to profanenes, because they made not a sure & vnchangeable choise of their profession at the first. This verse is especially to be vnderstood of the fauour of God, which he felt; and therefore being assured that the kingdome of God was his, that the prouidence of God watcheth ouer him, and his Angels ministred vntounto him, he was so stayed, that if other outward things did come, he counted them cast vponupon him, as the ouerplus of God his merciemercy; if no other things came, he was satisfied If we thinke our lines to be fallen pleasantly, we must by proportion by so much the more seeke spirituall than carnall things, by how much the soule is better than the body. How then is God their portion, their lot and inheritance? how doth their heritage assigned of God please them, who are so carefull in earthly things to prouide for backe and belly, and so carelesse in heauenly things to prouide for their soules and consciences? For if we were perswaded, whatsoeuer we hauehave, we hauehave it of God, we would vse it with prayer, receiue it with thanksgiuing, we should not rest in outward things, as in lands, possessions or preferments, as in our portion, but in the Lord who giuer… these things. Thus when we are delighted with our heritage, we endeuour not to get things by ill meanes; hauing gotten them, we set not our hearts on them, we pray for the holy vse of them, we returne them to God his glorie, and the comfort of his Saints; when we cannot keepe them with a good conscience, we will willingly leaue them, alwaies making the Lord our chiefe inherirance, as we a…e his; and on this manner being weaned from earthly things, we must looke for our outward estate to be ordered in full measure and scarcitie by God, that we may say with Paul, Philip 4. 11. I hauehave learned in whatsoeuer state I am, therewith to be content. 12. And I can be abased, and I can abound: eueryevery where in all things I am instructed, both to be full, and to be hungrie, and to abound, and to hauehave want. If we hauehave much, it is well, and wisedome is a goodly thing with inheritance: if we hauehave not outward things, the word is able to saue our soules: and blessed are they that in time of triall can say, my lines are fallen vntounto me in faire places. EueryEvery man is to try himselfe, how in his particular calling he can stay himselfe on the word of God. Iacob desired nothing but cloth and meate for foode and raiment; and Paul 1. Tim. 68 saith, When we hauehave foode and raiment, let vsus therewith be content. And surely great rest should we finde in our consciences, if we could command our soules not to looke for greater things than the Lord hath placed vsus in: for nothing doth more be…ray out want of faith than our restles mindes which are not contented with those places allotted to vsus of God. But who in the time of the gospell cannot say, that his lines are fallen to him in faire places? Wherefore we must be so quiet in our proper stations, as if we were Kings or Emperors, knowing that whē our places are not fit for God his glory, and his church, the Lord will fleete vsus. In the meane season let our consciences rest on the Lord his will, how base and inferiour so euer our calling is, and he assured, that by so much the more our walking therein is an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord, by how much our gifts being the greater they doe submit and humble themselues vnderunder the ordinance and appointed calling of the Lord the more. And let vsus stay at the Lord his commaundement and pleasure to be put in his time to some other vse; neither let vsus put the fault of our trouble in our places, as commonly we doe, but in our restlesse minde, which as a rolling stone is carried from one place to another.
It followeth in the next verse. I will praise the Lord, who hath giuen me counsell: my rein… also teach me in the nights. That is, I acknowledge that it is thy free benefit, that I hauehave discerned to make this choise. For how should I thinke thee to be my portion of mine in heritance, and to maintaine my lot, but because thou hast renewed me by thy spirit, and aduised me in that, wherein flesh and blood could not counsel me? The due consideration hereof made our Sauiour Christ say on this manner: I thanke thee, O father, Lord of heauen and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast reuealed them to little ones: for so it is thy good will and pleasure. As if he should say, I would marueile these sillie soules should so profit more in heauenly wisedome, than the wise of the world: but, Lord, I see it is thy will, and the wisedome of the wise can nothing further thee, nor the simplicitie of the other can any thing hinder them for thy kingdome: but thou workest al in al according to thy pleasure. Againe, among so many opinions of the Iewes, of the Scribes, Pharisies, of Sadduces, Herodians, and Essens, it was the onelyonly power of God whereby Peter was taught among the rest of the Disciples, and in the name of all rightly to confesse Christ to be the true Messias, and to be both true God & true man. Wherefore our Sauiour Christ hearing this his confession, saith, Peter, flesh and blood hath not reuealed this to thee, but my Father which is in heauen: that is, thou neuer attainedst to this by thy mother wit, or by the light of nature; thou hast not been fenced by thine owne reason from hunting after me, and opposing thy selfe against me, with the Scribes and Pharisies, but my Father hath both guided and guarded thee. And what shall we thinke of our selues? Is it not the Lord his mightie & secret working in vsus, that among such swarmes of heresies, such boldnes of Papists, such a multitude of Anabaptists, Arrians and Familie of louelove, we are preserued, to discerne the right, and to cleaue to the truth? If we looke to our wits, others which are fallen away are as wise as we: If wee looke to our naturall dispositions, wee are as full of naturall corruption as they: if we looke to our education and helpes in learning, hauehave not others been as much thereby furthered as we? We are made all of one mould, wee were all borne vnderunder one climate, wee are not sanctified by nature more then others; are not wee then highly to praise God, in that wee maintaine not our owne lot; but whilest round about vsus some are become Papists, some Atheists, some Arrians, some Familists, we are both guided of God to make our choise of the truth, and are continued in the well liking of our choise being made? What a benefit is it that in such store of politiques, we should not only vnderstand the letter, but also conceiue the mysterie of the truth? What a grace is it, that we should be so taught of God, that if we abound wee can be thankfull, if wee be in trouble we can be patient, if wee suffer the crosse we are content? But doe not the Papists and Familists commend the Saints? doth not eueryevery man say, God is his portion? how is this then any particular thing in the godly? True it is they doe so: but wee stay on God his will reuealed in the word, which we account our portion. Talke with a blasphemer, talke with a drunkard, an whoremaster or a worldling; talke with a skilfull man of law, or an expert Physition, and eueryevery one will as proudly and as boldly professe God to be his portion as another: but come to them in a matter of saluation, or in a case of faith, and they can say nothing: how much now are we to be perswaded of, and being so perswaded, to bee thankfull for the free merciemercy, and vndeserued good will of God in directing vsus, in chusing, and nourishing our choise?
My reines teach me in the night. This place hath in it some difficultie, and diuers interpreters write diuersly of it. But it is certaine, that often in the Scriptures the heart and the reines are mentioned together: as Psal. 26. Proue me, O Lord, and trie me: examine my reines and my heart. By the heart (I thinke) is meant the more inward and secret thoughts: by the reines are vnderstood the more outward and sensuall affections, as Psal. 51. 6. Behold thou louest truth in the inward affections: therefore hast thou taught me wisedome in the secret of mine heart. And Psal. 139. 23▪ Trie me, O Lord, and know mine heart, proue me and knowe my thoughts.
In the night. Of his holie exercises in the night the man of God speaketh, Psal. 119 55.
I hauehave remembred thy name in the night, O Lord, and hauehave kept thy law. And Psal. 62. At midnight will I rise to giuegive thankes vntounto thee, because of thy righteous iudgements. And vers. 148. Mine eyes preuent the night watches to meditate in thy law. The Physitians affirme, that our dreames in the night season are agreeable to our musings in the day time: and that our affections in our sleepe doe much follow the complexions, the repletiō or euacuation of the bodie: according to these they say also are the dispositions of the minde naturally, without some violent alteration or extraordinarie operatiō. And surely a man by diligent obseruation may espie his inclination of minde as well by his dreames sleeping, as by his cogitations waking: or rather the better by how much the night is more free from those troubles which worke great perturbations & violent distractions of the minde in the day: So that the agitations of the minde are by so much the more strong and effectual, by how much it is more free and naturall; which experience may teach both in them that are renewed, and such as are vnregenerate. The Philosophers not much disagreeing, say, that the ciuill vertuous man is much affected in the night, according to his actions in the day, and that the vertuous and the vicious man concerning halfe their liues, that is, the night seasō or sleeping times, doe nothing differ, sane that the dreames of the vertuous are good, the dreames of the vitious are euill; which if it be so, then much more shall they, whose hearts are throughly sanctified with the spirit of God, either find comfort in good things, or sorrow for their sinnes euen in the night season. Such is the merciemercy of our God, that he ceaseth not to continue our knowledge, and to teach vsus by his spirit and meditation, euen in the night season; and if at any time they breake forth into more sensuall libertie proceeding from their naturall appetite, they make this profite of it by iudging that the Lord correcteth these wandring thoughts in the day, by confused dreames in the night, and their impure cogitations waking, by vnchast imaginations in sleeping. By the reines I gather, is signified not the spirituall parts of the minde, but the more grosse & sensible parts of the bodie separated farre from the heart, and that part which conceaueth and seemeth to be the Prophet his sense, Psal. 51. 6. vers: which before we alleadged; that the Lord will not to that part which is most sensuall, hauehave libertie giuen, and that he hath charged the reformation of the soule to stretch it selfe to the most naturall parts, and which are common with vsus to brute beasts, that euen in them also we should be sanctified. Thus we see there is no part of vsus whereof the Lord in merciemercy hath not care, euen in the night, in which one blessing the Lord will discerne and distinguish vsus from brute beasts, and more confirme vsus in godlines. For it is no small benefit if we rightly consider it, that the spirit of God should so moderate with a continuall regiment our affections, that if our imaginations burst forth, wee should receiue the checke, and be controuled in the night, and by comparing one thing with another, long agoe forgotten, that the Lord should bring things againe to our remembrance. Thus when we know we lye on the Lord his bed, & that in darke we must behold him present, and feele our affections rectified, our reines sanctified, and our bed vndefiled, we may be assured of some further sinceritie of our hearts, wrought by his holy spirit: and doubtlesse as we sayd before, there is no small tryall of our hearts, euen in our dreames; when all things being more quiet then in the day, greater oportunitie is offered of entering into our selues, and furnishing our selues with serious deuises, whether it bee in good or euill. Wherfore God his children are not so lightly to passe ouer their night-thoughts, but that they obserue in them either the mercifull corrections of God of some sinnes past, or his gratious admonition of some sinnes to come, or else his fauourable instructions concerning some sinne present, which not beeing repented of, will as well breake forth openly in the day, as secretly in the night. Nights. To conclude, we see in Dauid a minde throughly sanctified, where the spirit of God keeping a continuall residence, wrought a continuall progresse and growing in spirituall knowledge, as well by nights as by dayes.
It followeth in the next verse, I hauehave set the Lord alwayes before mee, for hee is at my right hand, therefore I shall not slide. Hauing shewed before his delight in the Saints, his hatred of Idolaters, his stayed and full contented minde in God as his portion and inheritance, who as well continued in him as he did begin his grace, and that not only more openly in the day, but also more secretly in the nights; the Prophet now declareth how by all this hee was mooued to thinke that God was at all times, in all places present with him, both as a Lord to suruay his wayes, least he should slip grossely, and as a father to comfort him when he slipt of infirmitie. His meaning and intent then is thus much, that hauing seuered himselfe from Idolaters, and ioyned in league with the Saincts, wholy resting himselfe on the Lord and his word, he desired nothing more, then as the Lord had set a continuall watch ouer him both by day and by night; so he might hauehave his heart in continuall awe to bee prepared for the Lord his presence. The selfe same obedience the Lord requireth of Abraham, Genes. 17. 1. saying, I am God all sufficient, walke before me, and be vpright, that is, seeing I am able by mine Almightie power to bring to passe whatsoeuer by couenant in merciemercy I hauehave promised to thee, make me the arbiter of thy thoughts, the suruayer of thy words, and the viewer of thy workes, commit thy wayes vntounto mee in all things. Neither must we thinke this to be enioyned to Abraham alone, & that others be exempted from this obedience, but that eueryevery true Israelite, eueryevery good Christian, and true beleeuer, who looketh with Abraham for God his power in accomplishing his promises, must be assured hereof like as he was. For where wee looke for like merciemercy, we must performe like dutie; and where wee hope for the like grace; wee must hauehave the like faith, albeit not in so great proportion, yet in some acceptable measure following him, whose example, Rom. 4. we must not thinke so much to be person all, as reall, and for imitation.
How we should thus walke before the Lord we are taught of the holy Ghost, Micah. 6. 6. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow my selfe before the hi… God? shall I com… before him with burnt offerings i… he hath shewed thee ò man what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee; surely to doe iustly, and to louelove mercy, and to humble thy selfe, to walke with thy God, that is, that thou shouldest set him i… thy sight, belieuing that he doth guide and gouerne thee. Besides the Apostle teacheth vsus, …. Cor. 3. 18. that we all behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same image. For when we behold the Lord in his promises of reconciliation, that he is at peace with vsus; of sanctification, that he will renew vsus; of safegard and prouidence, that for our good he will watch ouer vsus, and that he is at our right hand with his Angels, and on the other hand with his creatures; then we behold him as our redeemer, as our teacher, as our prouident father, and as iudge of heauen and earth, so we shall with Steuen see Christ: and thus beholding God in his word and workes, we may be said to walke before the Lord. Whereupon we may easily coniecture, how requisite a thing it is often to heare, reade, and meditate of the word of God, to be frequent in prayer, whereby we may attaine to a cleerer sight of God his promises, which are all yea and Amen in Iesus Christ. Whosoeuer then setteth God before him, first as a God of glorious maiestie, who will not iustifie the obstinate sinner; then as a father of gratious merciemercy, who comforteth the repenting sinner, and in eueryevery particular thing is perswaded that God seeth him as a iudge and a Lord of the spirits, and God of glory and power; it can not be but this will shake from him all drowsie securitie, and chase away all vaine imaginations, as the bright Sunne beames breake the darke and mistie clowdes. And because there is no dealing betwixt God and man, but by a Mediatour, we must set God before vsus in Christ, and Christ in God, that we may behold his iustice vnderunder his merciemercy, and his merciemercy under his iustice. And being thus perswaded, that we are beloued of God in his beloued, we shall doe all in his name, which is the end of all happinesse. This one lesson of Diuinitie will teach vsus the vse of many, and wil stand in steed of a thousand, both to comfort and instruct vsus: to comfort vsus with pacifying our consciences with a godly securitie in things most open and apparant; to instruct vsus by charging our consciences to auoide carnall securitie in things most inward and secret. Vntill we are brought to walke before the Lord in this obedience, all the wisedome of the learned is vanitie. Hauing learned this one ru…e, and made in truth this pedagogie of our actions, the simplest soule shall come foorth himselfe in the conscience of vnfained holinesse.
For he is at my right hand. This phrase of speech is borrowed from them, who when they take vponupon them the patronage, defence or tuition of any, will set them on their right hand, as in place of most safegard. Experience cōfirmeth this in children, who in any imminent danger shrowde and shelter themselues vnderunder their fathers armes or hands, as vnderunder a sufficient buckler. Such was the estate of the man of God, as here appeareth, who was hemmed and hedged in with the power of God, both against present euils and daungers to come. Neither doth the Lord hatch Dauid alone vnderunder the hād▪ but al other that put their trust in him: as Psal. 91. 1. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almightie, &c. Wherein we see this assurance of God his protection to be common generally to all, which flie for succour wholy to him in time of temptation. Againe, Psalme 121. 4. it is said, Behold he that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleepe. Vers. 5. …he Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shadow at thy right hand, &c. Where we see he speaketh of the whole bodie, and no… of any particular number of the Church. We are then to learne thus much out of this straine, that when we hauehave a care to set the Lord continually in our sight, he hath a care continually to watch ouer our estate. This glorious reioycing of faith is also in other places of the booke of God. Psal. 23. throughout the whole Psalme, the man of God sheweth that he had so richly and so sweetly tasted of the promises of God, that in trouble he neuer wanted helpe. The Apostle likewise to the Rom. 8▪ sheweth the happie estate of all the regenerate, although in a more excellent patterne of his owne faith, saying, vers. 31. If God be on our side, who can be against vsus▪ 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God his chosen? It is God that iustifieth. 34. who shall condemne? &c. And afterward vers. 38 I am perswaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. 35. nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate vsus from the louelove of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Howbeit, we must not thinke that the man of God was not remoued at all. For he counteth himselfe a stranger vponupon earth, and he had many pushes and diuers assaults: yet so as he was not finally moued, and vtterly ouerthrowne. He had many battels, but got the victorie; many men rose against him, but the Lord was on his side, & still he was vnremoueable as Mount Sion; and though he was shaken for a time, yet in the end he was safe. Now to the verse following.
Wherefore mine heart is glad, and my tongue reioyceth; my flesh also doth rest in hope. Here are two pestilent opinions of the Papists ouerthrowne. The one, that we should not boldly reioyce in the vndoubted assurance of our saluation. The other, that we should dou…t and be in a mammering of our finall perseuerance. In our confession of the faith immediatly after the article of the remission of our sinnes, followeth the acknowledging of an happie resurrection, and glorious immortalitie: wherein we are assured, that euen as in this life our sinnes are pardoned, so we shall not miscarrie to the very resurrection, and our very flesh shall rise againe to most blessed immortalitie. Shall I doubt, that God watcheth ouer me as a father in louelove, as almightie in power, as a prouident preseruer in gouerning heauen and earth? Shall I doubt that Christ, true God and true Man died for my sinnes, rose for my iustification, ascended to take possession of that glorie, which he will giuegive vntounto me at his comming? Shall I doubt that the spirit of God hath sealed me and sanctified me, preseruing me vnblameable in Christ vntill the day of redemption? Shall I doubt, that I am of the number of the Saints, which are ordained to that glorie, which is freely giuen of God the Father, dearely purchased of God the Sonne, and assuredly warranted by the ministerie of the word, and working of God the holy Ghost? No. Why then should I doubt that my sinnes are freely pardoned? Can a man by reason conceiue the mysterie of the Trinitie in vnitie; the distinction of natures in one person Christ Iesus, the secret working of the holy Ghost in them that are called, the rising againe to life, the dead bodie consumed to earth? No, we walke not by reason, we liue by faith, and we beleeue against reason, euen because the spirit of God by the preaching of the word, hath sealed and beareth record of of these things to our spirits. Wherefore seeing we hauehave no warrant of any thing concerning faith, but by the word and by the spirit, and the same word and spirit assure vsus as well of one parcell of faith as of another; what blockishnes is it to beleeue all other points that doctrine, and to doubt and call in question one concerning the forgiuenes of sinnes? and seeing we beleeue as great things, what peeuishnes is it to doubt either of the comfortable assurāce of our saluation present, or to despaire of finall perseuerāce in time to come? Against these we see the man of God opposeth his glorious reioycing: wherefore the holy Ghost speaketh, Rom. 5 1. Being iustified by faith, we hauehave peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ. And 1. Pet. 1. 8. You beleeue in Christ, and reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious. In which point we are taught, that this reioycing of the heart, praising of God with our tongue, and holie securitie of the whole man is the spirit of faith; and this is our true ioy, euen our assurance, that we are righteous in Christ, that God is our portion, our inheritance, our guider, gouernour, and preseruer of vsus to life euerlasting, yea and this fruite of faith is a sure token of faith, though it be not alwaies and in all men in like measure. Howbeit, where the want thereof is felt, we must remember both to mourne and groane in our spirits for the want of it, and also waite on God in the meane time, and vse all meanes possible to recouer the same. This certaintie of our saluation spoken of by Paul, rehearsed of Peter, and mentioned of Dauid, Psal. 4 7. is that speciall fruit then of faith, which breedeth that spirituall ioy, and inward peace, which passeth all vnderstanding. True it is all God his children hauehave it not. One thing is the tree, and another thing is the fruite of the tree: one thing is faith, and another thing is the fruite of faith. And that remnant of God his elect which feele the want of this fruite, hauehave notwithstanding faith, which manifesteth it selfe in them by groaning and sighing for it, and by the complaining of the absence of it. For albeit indeed there is no greater argument, that a man is aliue, than his liuely, quicke and cheerefull spirits, his fresh memorie, nimblenes and agi…itie of bodie: yet it is some token also of life, when a man not hauing in himselfe this alacritie of minde & acrimonie of weldoing, can complaine of his lumpish, earthly and dead spirits, dull memorie, and heauinesse of bodie, as one that feareth and suspecteth these things to bee forerunners of some fainting, languishing, or dangerous sicknesse, which is towards him. And surely God his children, who hath been made drunken as it were with this spirituall gladnesse, are often wained from it, either for their triall, how highly they esteeme it, or to punish them for some sinne past, or else to forewarne them of some sinne to come. Wherefore when any such morse of our spirits and extraordinarie deadnes doth come vponupon vsus▪ let vsus thus commune with our owne hearts; Surely all is not well, I must looke out, I hauehave not heard the word cheerefully, I cannot reioyce with his Saints, I am subiect to some trouble, and must preprare my heart for some crosse, I must rouse vp my selfe & raise vp God his spirit in me, that I may recouer that life which is in Christ, without the wich I am thus dull, or rather dead. The Prophet Dauia (as wee knowe, Psalm. 119.) finding in himselfe this vntowardnesse to good exercises, the want of this delight, the losse of God his countenance, counteth himselfe as dead; and hauing these things hee thought himselfe aliue. It is a wonderfull thing to see, it is a wonderfull thing, I say, to see how naturall a thing it is to all men to seeke a quiet minde, and glad heart; how vnnaturall it is to wish for sorrow of minde, and griefe of heart; and on the other side, to behold the securitie of men in neglecting the meanes of true ioy, and their vndiscreete plunging of themselues in endlesse and easelesse sorrowes, in pulling vponupon themselues sorrow after sorrowe, and that with phantasticall delights; all which kind of pleasures hauehave either their present paine, or paine to come accompanying them; and therefore worthily are they compared to the cracking thornes vnderunder the pot, which make a sodaine blaze, and are quickly out. So the pleasures of fooles vanish away without any issue, yea they are so farre from bringing any ioy in the houre of death, that euen then most will they sting and accuse vsus for dishonouring of God. On the contrarie when wee feele the glorie of God to be our chiefest ioy, and the peace of the Church with the feeling of our saluation to be the peace of our minds, we hauehave that gladnes and calmenes of a good cōscience, which God reserueth in store as a treasure and pretious iewell, whose vertue is to comfort vsus in time of greatest trouble, whose operation is to draw ioy out of the bottomlesse pit of sorrowe, when the world doth hate vsus, to shewe how God doth louelove vsus, and when our minds are deiect, to bring a pawne from God his spirit to our spirit to assure vsus that our troubles shall hauehave an issue to God his glorie, and our saluation. This solace only cleaueth vntounto vsus in death, and in sicknes, and in time of trouble; and therfore the more carefully must we vse the meanes whereby we may buy and purchase the same: when wee want it let vsus complaine and mislike our selues, accusing our selues of some sin past, or enarming our selues for some euils to come. Vndoubtedly the iealozie of God his children ouer the securitie of these times maketh them to suspect that men may beare out themselues in good things for a time to serue persons, time and place; and that for lack of this true ioy and delight in them they will fall away and deceiue, especially when men come to their libertie, and are without controulement of person, awe of any place, or regard of any time. Men for a time be hearers of the Gospell, men may for orders sake pray, sing, receiue the sacraments; but if it be without ioy will not that hypocrisie in time breake out? will they not begin to be wearie? nay will they not be as readie to heare any other doctrine? Good things cannot long find entertainement in our corruptions, vnlesse the holy ghost hath changed vsus from our old delights to conceiue pleasure in these things. Where louelove is, there is no lack, in pleasure there is no paine, and when we finde the pearle of price which passeth all vnderstanding, we will sell all our former delights, and depart from our vaine pleasures to purchase this. It is a continuall ioy that worketh a conscience to vse the meanes of any thing: it is an abounding delight, that auoydeth and fenceth off all wearisomnes in good things: wherefore the holy Ghost saith, Be yee filled with the Spirit: and in another place, Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously. In which place we are to gather that there is in vsus sometime an emptinesse of the Spirit, and a scantnesse of the power of the holy ghost; the spirit of God duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page is not so mightie in operation, grace is not so plentifull, the word is not so powerful in vsus; and from hence commeth our momentarie ioy, and transitorie gladnes.
And my tongue reioyceth. That which in truth is inward, will in time shewe it selfe outward, as wee may see in these holy affections of the man of God. The Prophet himselfe confirmeth this in another place, Psalm. 116. 10. I beleeued therefore did I speake: which the Apostle repeateth in the person of the whole Church, 2. Cor. 4. 13. because we hauehave the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I beleeued, and therefore hauehave I spoken; We also beleeue, and therefore we speake. And Rom. 10. 10. it is saide, With the heart man beleeueth vntounto righteousnesse, and with the tongue man confesseth to saluation: and sure it is, that of the abundance of the ioy of the heart the mouth reioyceth: as cōtrariwise of the abundance of the griefe of the heart, although there may be for a while an inward deuouring, binding and suppressing of sorrow, yet it will in time breake forth, and wee shall euen rore for disquietnes of minde, and cannot hold long, vntill we hauehave eased our hearts with some outward complaint. For we see if a man hauehave a through griefe how it consumeth him, vnlesse he vtter it. Againe, if a man hath conceiued a true ioy, how he longeth, how hee is rauished, how hee trauaileth, vntill he hath brought it forth. If then in any good measure we feele the ioy of the spirit, the tongue will be at commaundement to vtter it. Wherefore we are to try our selues and examine our hearts, whether we heare, reade, pray, or sing with this grace in our hearts, with this ioy in our spirits, with this comfort of conscience: let vsus lament, considering how singing and spirituall reioycing is decayed, how great a stranger the word is with vsus, what little delight and alacritie we hauehave in holy and religious exercises; and let vsus accuse our selues, that therefore our tongues cleaue to the rough roofe of our mouth, because our hearts are lockt vp in securitie; which vndoubtedly is so open to all men, that there is no man but bewaileth his want of inward ioy. Many indeed, as hypocrites, can blow and bellow outwardly, who make no melodie in their hearts, who sing not in grace, who hauehave not the sweete and naturall voyce, which commeth from a well affected and right ordered minde, either ioyfully shewing a godly digested mirth, or dolefully breathing out into the passions of an exercised minde.
My flesh also doth rest in hope. See, his godly ioy made him hauehave a securitie in his flesh. It is our naturally infirmitie that wee hauehave a trembling of the flesh which hindereth in vsus many good actions, as may be seene in our thoughts, suspecting of dangers, scarefull imaginations, and wandring conceits, forecasting this euill and that euill▪ to the great disturbing and disordering of the peace of our minds, all the which excessiue feares were in this man of God wisely corrected, though not vtterly remoued, but suppressed in him by faith. Whereof commeth then our carnall and immoderate feares in dangers but of want of faith? This our Sauiour Christ teacheth his disciples, at what time they were with him being asleepe in a tempest on the seas, when they through vnbeliefe feared his diuinitie to hauehave slept with his humanitie, where he saith vntounto them, O yee little faith, why doe you not beleeue? Heere wee see hee rebuketh their excessiue feare, which thing hee also doth almost in the same manner. When they carnally feared him to hauehave been a spirit as he walked on the seas, they were not throughly perswaded that God was their portion, their inheritance, and watched ouer them; for if they had, they would hauehave corrected these fleshly and immoderate fea…s, that they should not hauehave hindred their holy meditations of God his powerful prouidence, nor their prayers for his gratious assistance, nor any other good exercises of their mindes. Thus we see how the sure perswasion of God to be his inheritance, his mainteiner both in soule and body, his reacher both by day and by night, both by his word and his spirit made the man of God secure both in soule and body. And what caused this? partly that which wee spake of before, partly that which followeth, for thou wilt …ot leaue my soule in the graue, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption: so that the promises already tasted of, and the sure expectation to hauehave the good worke begunne to bee finished in him, made him rest in hope, and hauing God his cause in hand, he saw how the Lord would not onelyonly watch ouer him for his present estate, but also would guide him to immortalitie. Behold how his inward assurance wrought an outward safetie, wherby wee plainely see, that where there is a want of this comfort and faith in the soule, there is a want of peace and securitie in the body. It is our vnbeliefe then that hatcheth and nourisheth wandring thoughts, and filleth our braine with suspitious phantasies, and fruitlesse illusions, dreaming of dangers where there are none, and imagining mountaines where scarsely are molehils. Let vsus then strengthen our faith, and certifie our soules, that our flesh shall stand before God, which will so worke in vsus, that neither flesh and blood shall weigh vsus downe with securitie in time of prosperitie, nor ouerlode vsus with desperate terrours in time of aduersitie. Neither as we said, must we thinke Dauid to be a senselesse Stoick, as feeling no troubles, but that by the power of God he was in trouble a triumphant conquerour, and in all these dangers through faith more than a victorer. For as God reserueth his vnspeakeable ioyes for his children in vntolerable agonies; so he neuer armeth them strongly, but he prepareth them a field wherethey must fight stoutly. Oh that this heauenly ioy were in vsus more aboundantly, and of moe men more frequented, then should not the small remnant that now alwayes vse it, be counted and called precisians, then should wee giuegive more liuely testimonies of our effectuall faith to our owne consciences, then should wee offer to others a larger cause of magnifying the name of God, who hearing vsus vse such spirituall gladnes, might bee prouoked to an holy emulation and say: surely this is the power of the holy Ghost, this is vndeceiueable ioy, happie are they that can thus reioyce in the Lord. Oh that the Lord would giuegive vsus of the spirit, and fill our hearts with such gladnes: thus others vndoubtedly would plentifully bee rauished by our godly examples. Though some would laugh at vsus, as they did at the Apostles when they had receiued the holy Ghost, yet others would reuerently maruaile at it, and willingly followe it. Wherefore when with the man of God we shall be perswaded of our immortalitie both of body and soule, when wee hauing God his cause in hand shall vse it in a good conscience as he did, wee shall surely and sincerely with him reioyce. And what I pray you in the night season, in thundering and lightning, in earthquakes, blazing starres, and fierie starres, in extraordinarie working of the heauens maketh vsus so dismaid and at our wits end? want of faith. What maketh vsus at the death of our friends to mourne, and that wee will not be comforted? Paul 1. Thessal. 4. 13. telleth vsus want of hope.
FINIS.