Works, Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 6
VAV. THE 6. PORTION.
¶ Vers. 41.
And let thy louing kindnes come vntounto me O Lord: and thy saluation according to thy promise.
HE goeth on yet in his prayer, and here beggeth of God two things. First merciemercy, secondly saluation, and both because God had promised them. No maruell if hee desire Gods louing kindnesse. For thy louing kindnesse saith hee is better then life: it were better to be in hel with Gods fauour, then in heauē without it. Mans sauour is mutable, Gods immutable: mans temporary, Gods eternall: mans of desert, Gods free: mans respecteth somewhat in man, Gods beholdeth man in Christ. This wee must desire aboue all earthly things.
And thy saluation.) First merciemercy, and then saluation, the one is the cause, the other the effect. By saluation, he meaneth, ayde, deliuerance, victorie, and eternall life: this he calleth Gods saluation, because it commeth onelyonly from him.
According to thy promise.) This is … which hee …uer chargeth God with all: it is an easie matter to trust God on his word, in presperitie, … that can doe so in aduersitie, hee is the man indeede. But what benefit shalt thou hauehave Dauid, if God bee a mercifull Sauiour vntounto thee? &c.
¶ Vers. 42.
So shall I make answere to my blasphemers, for I trust in thy word.
MAny aduersaries had this holy Prophet, they came about him like bees, they layde to his charge things which hee neuer did, and especially because hee made his boast of God, and trusted to his word, they oftentimes reproached him for it: and when he was driuen to any extremitie they beganue to say, where is now his God? Thus became hee the shame of men, and th… contempt of the people. All they that sawe him had him inderision: they made mowes, and nod…ea their heads saying; Hee trusted in God, let him deliuer him: let him saue him, seeing hee loueth him. Psal. 22. 6. 7. 8. In this hee was a type of our blessed Sauiour who was taunted in the like sort vponupon the c…osse. Matth. 27. 39. 40. 41: 42. 43. What now doth this man of God labour for to confute, and put to silence these his blasphemers? Surely the performance of Gods louing kindnesse and saluation, the which it pleased him to make promise of. This, if wee pray for in all our troubles, as the propher here doth in his: this if wee staye our selues vponupon, as Dauid euer did; though our enemies hee neuer so many, neuer so mightie, neuer so malitious, wee shall in the ende hauehave such assured victorie, that wee shall not onelyonly answere our aduersaries; but they with shame shall answere themselues and say, wee fooles thought his confidence sollie, but now wee see that hee is the Lords beloued, and blessed are they that trust in him▪
Obserue. 1, That it is no new thing, for the aduersaries of religiō, to scorne such as trust onelyonly in God, and relie vponupon his promises of saluation made vntounto thē. These wicked ones knewe no arme, but flesh: no security but in the things of this life: as for such as thinke the name of the Lord to bee the strongest tower, them they hauehave daily in derision. 2. Not that if we trust in the word of God, we shall be able to answere all our aduersaries, for Christ will giuegive vsus a mouth, and wisedome, whereagainst all our enemies shall not bee able to speake or resist. Luk. 21. 15.
Hugo Cardinalis, obserueth that there are three sorts of blasphemers of the godly, the deuils, heretikes and slanderers. The deuill must be answered by the internall word of humilitie: heretiques by the externall word of wisedome, slanderers by the actiue word of good life.
Vers. 43.
And take not thy word of trueth vtterly out of my mouth: for I waite for thy iudgements.
HE might for a while not finde the word of trueth to answere; yet he prayeth that the word be not vtterly taken from him: so hee saide▪ …sake me not ouer long: This then sheweth that our case doth alter and change, ebbe & flow, as it pleaseth God, which reproueth them that are alwayes in the same case; for the children of God hauehave a other course, and wee must looke to be so our selues. And this is a comfort, when wee feele our selues weake, yet Gods children hauehave been so; also it may humble vsus, considering that God doth for some sinne lay this vponupon vsus; let let vsus pray, that we may not be so for euer.
For I hauehave w…ted, &c.] This sheweth that we may be so for a while, yet we must wait, til it please him to helpe vsus. For thy iudgements: that thou wilt execute iudgement on the wicked, that thy children may obtaine the promises: for then doth the Lord execute iudgements, when he punisheth the wicked as he hath threatned, and when he fulfilleth his promises to his children, giuing them a tong to answere his blasphemers.
Vers. 44.
So shall I alway keepe thy Law for euer and euer.
IF thou wilt deale thus, then shall I keepe thy worde: where hee teacheth, that if God doe daily assist vsus, we shall stand; but if he do not, we shall fal flat. This must teach vsus to pray, and that earnestly: and this sheweth perseuerance, contrary to the Papists, which te… to doubt of saluation: for the perswasion of Gods goodnes doth assure vsus that we shall continue to the ende: and if wee feele our faith weake, and pray with assurance of his goodnesse that he will helpe vsus, we may be assured to stand.
Vers. 45.
And I will walke at libertie: for I seeke thy precepts.
HE will walke in the commandements that he may be at libertie, for that is the plaine way, all other are bi…-paths, which hee shall be free from if he sticke to the commandements. For this is the cause that we are troubled and intangled, because we aske not counsell at Gods word, and wholy sticke vntounto that: and therefore we fall into some sinne, and be ouercome with some temptation. For the word is a lanterne to direct our steps: without this we shall wander; but if we tend to this light, wee shall be at libertie. This setteth out the benefit that those hauehave which enioy the word; and their miserie that want it. This then requireth, that we be thankfull for Gods word: and reproueth them that hauing the word, yet wander astray, and louelove darkenes more than the light, and falshood, heresies and lyes more than the trueth. This is a sin to be punished, when we hauehave the word, and yet walke not at libertie, and if wee cannot be at libertie when we hauehave the word, it is sure that we cherish some secret sinne, and doe not search into God word. For that is so full of wisdome, that it will rid vsus our of all. Yet the children of God hauehave their infirmities, out of which they hauehave good issues. But the ignorance of Gods word is the cause of many troubles; for though a man were in as great a streight as Abraham was when hee should offer his sonne, yet should he be directed. Then this layeth a straight charge on vsus to studie the word of God.
Vers. 46.
I will speake also of thy testimonies before Kings, and will not be ashamed.
IF God will thus assist mee, I will speake euen before the wisest, and stand in the sight of the Kings though it be fearefull. This then will assure vsus that we shall neuer fall, if we study, heare, reade, &c. on Gods holy word, and take heede to our wayes according thereto. Then if we desire to stand for euer, let vsus meditate on Gods word; for God hath giuen this not onelyonly to the learned, but also to idiotes. Here wee see that wee neuer rightly profit, till we be not afraide before whomsoeuer wee come: for if wee bee assured that our cause bee good, then may wee be assured that it shall be giuen vsus what to answere, and this maketh men afraide when they doubt of their cause. Wee are not afraide to speake to a Gentleman if a Lorde bee with vsus: then shall wee not neede to feare a King, when the King of Kings is with vsus: as Moses, Hebr: 11. None then hauehave this gift of bouldnes, but they to whome God giueth it, not the wise, not the mightie of the world. The Word giueth vsus what to answere; then if we faile, it is a signe that wee faile in the Word. But let vsus deale earnestly with the Word, and keepe a good conscience, and it shall be giuen vsus. This doth againe commend the word of God vntounto vsus. If wee be not ashamed of him before Kings, we shall be Kings in his Kingdome.
Vers. 47.
And my delight shall be in thy commandements, which I hauehave loued.
THat he may come to this grace, he will louelove the Word, because he delighteth in it, for delight is the signe of louelove. Doe wee not then delight in the Word? wee hauehave not a louelove to it: so of prayer, and hearing the Word, if we delight in it, we will prepare our selues to heare it, and meditate in it afterward; for hee sheweth his louelove when he saith: I will meditate: then, if we will not finde terror of conscience, and fall into many euils, let vsus make conscience to call it to minde: For if wee doe take the Name of GOD in vaine, by hearing the Word without meditation; then the Word being a true witnes, shall be a witnesse against vsus in that day: for this meditation is commended, Part. 13. There are set times for hearing, praying, &c: but meditation must euer be with thee, that thou mayest knowe, whether the thing thou doest bee agreeable to his will, and whether thou mayest looke for his blessing in it.
¶ Vers. 48.
Mine hands also will I lift vp vntounto thy commandements which I hauehave loued: and I will meditate in thy statutes.
IT was not sufficient (as he thought) to acquaint GOD with the delight of his heart, vnles he also made manifest vntounto him that his outward gesture was answerable to his hart. You shall obserue it euen in little children, that if they desire to hauehave any thing that they see, they will stretch out their hands that they may get holde, and hauing once gotten it, you shall hardly get it from them againe.
And certainly, if the inward man be sound, you shall obserue it by the outward gesture of the bodie. The people were desirous to heare Christs Sermon, their eyes were bent and fixed vponupon him, Luk: 4. 6. Dauid would expresse his louelove to Gods Arke, he da…nced before the Arke of Gods Couenant. If wee louelove Gods Worde, and louelove it in truth, our hands will be as ready to turne ouer the leaues of that blessed booke, as our hearts are desirous of the vnderstanding of it, that in this longing desire, taking it into our hands, we may in the ende hauehave such fast holde of it, that wee will not forgoe it for all the worlde. We cannot employ our hands in a better worke, especially when we hauehave freedome from our callings, then to take vp the booke of God, and peruse it ouer.
Augustine tooke it vp, and was conuerted by that one sentence, Rom: 13. 14. The night is past, the day is at hand, &c. Vrsine tooke it vp and was comforted by this one sentence, None can take them out of my Fathers hands, Iohn, 10 29. Chrysostome tooke it vp, and was assured that in his zeale hee should not want, because Dauid had saide, The earth is the Lords, and all that therein is. Bil…ey tooke it vp, as it is in the booke of Martyrs, and was much quieted by that saying of Saint Paul, This is a true saying, and by all meanes worthie to be receiued, that IESVS CHRIST came into the worlde to saue sinners, of whome I am chiefe. And such was the louelove of one Gregorie Crowe, of whom wee may read in the said booke, that suffering shipwracke, hee cast away his money, and kept his Testament in his bosome, and after many dayes floting on the Sea, vponupon a maste, being taken vp by a certaine passinger, his first care was for that booke of his, fearing least it should hauehave bene wet with the Sea. If he had looked for a Crucifixe as hee looked for Gods booke, surely the whole world should hauehave bene acquainted with it.
Doth Dauid thus shew his inward louelove by his outward gesture, let vsus doe it whensoeuer wee come either to heare God speaking to vsus, or will our selues speake vntounto God. Let our eyes bee fastened, our eares attentiue, our hearts intent, our persons reuerent before our God, that whatsoeuer wee doe, may argue our pietie to God, and bee answerable to the inward affection of the soule.
And I will meditate.) And why should not wee? The Iewes are reported to be so skilful in that Bible, that many of thē were able to tell how many times eueryevery letter of the Alphabet was in the Hebrue Bible. The Scriptures are a light shining in a darke place. 2 P…. 1. 19. we must attend vntounto them while we are wandring in the darke places of this world, can wee attend without meditation? the word of God is the sword of the spirit, Ephes. 6. without meditatiō it is a sword in the hand of a child, or a mad …ā. How many take delight in reading of b…llads, and idle discourses, who neuer meditate to the word of God? The sicke stomacke refu…th meates, the wicked heart the word of God. Wil the spice smel vnlesse it b… bruised? and c…n the Scripture be comfortable vnlesse it be meditated?