Works — Richard Greenham

Works · Richard Greenham

PORTION. 13. MEM.

Vers. 97.

Oh how louelove They law? it is my meditation continually.

THis Psalme is a liuely representation of a man regenerate, and teacheth vsus, what are, or ought to bee his meditations, his exercises, and his affections; so thatThe vse of this Psalme to a man regenerate. by how much a man shall hauehave found himselfe to bee truly conuersant in this Psalme, so much may hee thinke himselfe to hauehave profited in regeneration: and by how much the lesse hee hath found, that hee is lesse occupied in the practise hereof, so much he is to suspect himselfe to faile and come short of newnesse of life. In these dayes, because wee attribute so much to ministeriall knowledge, and hauehave felt so little profit byMinisteriall knowledge. the teaching of the Spirit, and seeing we brag so much of faith, & hauehave so little louelove; lastly, whereas wee boast of our professiō, and yet are so little profited in holy conuersation, the Lord for such contempt of his trueth, doth *Anno Dom. 1580▪ & 1581.now teach vsus by deluding spirits, and fantasticall deuisers, and the lying Familie of louelove. Wherefore vnlesse we be more enflamed with a louelove of the truth, and an hatred of heresie, than we hauehave been; it may come to passe, that as in the Primitiue Church the Gospell of Iesus Christ being preached at the first, of men of the lowest state, and afterward for the good liking of it, was brought to bee preached after the more learned sort: euen so heresie now beginning in the vnlearned and ignorantHaresie. people, may by the iust iudgement of God, for the contempt of the word, take place euen among the best learned. For it is as easie for the Lord in his iudgements, to send a lying spirit into foure hundred learned men, as to suffer the common Israelites to bee deluded therewith: so then we hauehave the mysteries of iniquitie to teach the mysteries of righteousnes, and we must learne louelove of them, which are the abusers of louelove. Wherefore if wee desireFamilie of louelove. to know Christ crucified by the spirit in his word, if wee will know him to be our Prophet, our Priest, and our King, we must be new creatures, for the olde things are gone, and new things hauehave succeeded them in their place; wee must let louelove be laborious in vsus, and fruitfull in good workes. But when wee hauehave not so good misliking of heretikes, wee shall finde them as the grashoppers of Egypt, we shall see new and old enemies ioyne together, to the great dishonour of our God.

Oh, how I louelove thy lawe. We hauehave then in this verse a iust occasion to examine our selues, how we profit in the louelove of Gods word, wherein the Prophet for our example and imitation, pathetically protesteth, how he loueth the word of the Lord, & to declare that it was not in outward shew, but in inward affection▪ and that he did not indeede delude himselfe, as we do in many things, he proueth it by effects, for that here alone is true wisedome, and not elsewhere to bee found. Wherefore it shall not bee amisse, to gather all such proofes,True arguments of louelove to the word. whereby we may see his louelove was vnfained, and came from the bottome of his heart. The first is a speciall hatred that hee had to the contrarie, that is, to all false religion, opposed to the true seruice of God. Secondly, it may be shewed in the circumstance of the time, and1 that for two causes, both in respect of the lawe, which then had little countenance, and in2 respect of his person, which then did suffer contempt. The third is the reposing of his felicitie3 in the word, when either he felt the sweete promises of God, or his inward man delighted with the law, in that he preferred it before all profit, pleasure, & glorie, with which things naturall men are most delighted: as also his great griefe of minde, when either he felt not such comfort in Gods promises, or his inward man not delighting in his word; or4 when he saw any other trāsgressing the same. The fourth is, his careful vsing of the means, which were many, namely, his conference with Gods children, either in reaching his gifts vntounto them, or in the participating of their gifts with him, his praying, & praysing of God▪ his holy meditations, and his vowing with himselfe to keepe the law of the Lord.

In that so vehemently he bursteth forth into this speech, Oh how louelove I the law? we areWearines in good things. to see his great zeale, to compare our selues with it; and where he saith, …, we areWearines in good things. to learne, that if we finde in our selues any wearinesse and loathsomnesse to this exercise, we are not as yet sound at the heart.

Concerning this word, thy law, we may note, that he putteth the law of God, & his louelove thereunto, for his louelove to God, for this end, because eueryevery man wil say, that he loueth God; as the Turke, the Pope, the Familie of louelove; but few of vsus, and none of them, doe louelove his word. For is there any heretike, or hath bin, who perswadeth not himselfe, and would perswadeLoueLove God, louelove his word. Ioh. 14. 23. others, that he loueth God? Wherefore to our vse, we must know, that if we feare the Lord, we must feare him in his threatnings denounced by his word; if we say, we louelove him, we must louelove his promises contained in his truth; if we obey him, we must obey his commandements reuealed in his will; if we will worship him, we must worship him according to the prescript rule of his owne ordinances.

For the first reason, which we hauehave shewed to be, the heartie hatred of false doctrine, or1. Argument of our true louelove to God. false religion, he saith, Portion 15. *Vers. 113.vers. 1. I hate vaine inuentions, but thy law doe I louelove. And in Portion 21. *Vers. 163.vers. 3. I hate false hood and abhorre it but thy law doe I louelove. And in the fourth Portion vers. 5. he …larly prayeth against it, saying, Take from me the way of ly…g, and gra…t me gratiously thy truth. Where we see, that as the mail of God sheweth his louelove to the truth, so he sheweth his hatred to lies. Neither must we vnderstand here, that which he calleth the way of lying, for a breach of any particular commaundement, but for a generall breach of the whole law of God, & for a thing opposite to the truth of Gods word: so also is it to be vnderstood, when the Spirit of God calleth Satan, the father of lies, that is, of fained and forged doctrine, both in religion and life, as also God is said to be the Father of all truth.

Now it is manifest, I neede not, as I thinke, to shew this out of the Law, nor by the Prophets, nor by the example of godly Kings, how it is by precept commaunded, and by practise vsed: onelyonly we will shew a few places in stead of many, Deut. 7. vers. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Deut.Naturall louelove must giuegive place to heauenly louelove. 13. 6. 7. Zach. 13. 3. Where we may see, that naturall louelove shall giuegive place to heauenly louelove; the second table must giuegive place to the first; and the louelove of man to the louelove of God. Psal. 16. 4 the Prophet professeth, that he will not once make mention of their names within his lips. For examples we may see Reuel. 2. 6. how acceptable it was in the sight of the Lord, that the Church of Ephesus hated the heresie of the Nicolaitans: and Reuel. 3. 15. the Spirit of God reprooueth the Laodiceans, because they were neither hot nor cold. So grieuous a thing is it in the eyes of the Lord, when the world will rather take vp false religion, than zealously gainsay it.

But it may be, that their ciuill conuersation, and outward courtesie, doth much slake ourCiuill conuersation of heretikes. hatred against their superstition and heresies. But what? is this such a thing to bleere our eyes? hath not the like kinde of life beene pretended in the Pope, in the Turke, and in other kinde of heretikes? But we must know, that we are espoused vntounto Iesus Christ, and that two manner of waies: first, by pure meanes; then by single and pure hearts rightly vsing those meanes, by whose Gospell preached seeing we through him are washed and purified, to be presented a bride blamelesse before God, shall we thinke that presumptuous sinne shall preuaile against vsus?

It may be we shall faile in some particular things, but it shall not breake the whole course of our life: we may sinne of humaine frailtie, but we shall not sinne of diuellish hypocrisie;Presumptuous, sinnes. temptations may giuegive vsus a foyle, but they shall not finally ouercome vsus; sinne may dwell in vsus, but it shall not raigne ouer vsus. Now when a man will be ouerwise and ouer righteous, not contenting himselfe with those waies, which the Lord in his word hath set downe, he cannot be sound, because his religion being corrupt, his life cannot be vncorrupt.Religion corrupt, life cannot be vncorrupt. On the contrarie, if we finde our sinnes to be couered in Christ, that our ignorance is enlightened by his wisedome, our guiltie liues iustified by his righteousnesse, our vncleane affections sanctified by his holinesse, and our miserable and vnstaied spirits staied vponupon the hope of his redemption, we may boldly say sinne shall not raigne, and ouer master vsus, seeing God hath iustified vsus, who will come and lay any thing to our charge? Wherefore seeing we are purified by faith, and our faith is grounded on Gods word, and seeing all their ciuill behauiour is hidden vnderunder hypocrisie, couered with selfe-louelove, andPopish superstition described. stuffed with vaine-glorie, we may boldly say they are but hypocrites deceiuing vsus with the histrionicall visard of ciuill righteousnesse.

Furthermore, if we shall compare the estate of the Church of God, with the condition of the malignant Synagogue, we shall see them as farre differing, as the light and darknes, as the shadow and the body, as God and Be…iall. As to poynt out one estate, namely in affliction, we shal finde in them neither faith, nor constancie, but hypocrisie, and periurie; noThe true religious and irreligious discerned in temptations and afflictions. wisedome of the Spirit to desend themselues, but dissembling to hide themselues; no heauenly ioy, in their suffering no patience of minde, but miserable murmurings, & blockish vnsensiblenesse, no long sufferings, nor heroical spirits when they shal boyle in cauldrons, as some good Christians hauehave done; all which notwithstanding we shall finde in Christ his Church, wherein they that suffer are persecuted for the testimonie of a true faith; their faith is vnremoueable on the word of God, their cōstancie in perseuering wonderfull, their wisedome in answering abounding with courage and humilitie; their ioy through hope, and as it were a present enioying of the life looked for vnspeakable, their patience vnminishable, which thing whilest the wicked Church goeth about to follow, it is like an ApeSimile. imitating a man, and may be compared to the Asse, which would be like a Lion.

For da…e heretikes auouch their sects, as the true Church professe Christ and his Gospel? will they not lie and dissemble, when Christians speak their conscience? will they not raile,Heretikes discouered by the crosse. when Gods children speake humbly, and constantly? doe they not die either like rauening dogges, or else become like blockes and stockes? so that Sathan seemeth euen to hauehave possessed them wholy. Let vsus see then if the malignant Synagogue doth not so farre differ from the true Church as an Ape from a man, or an Asse from the Lion. Againe, if we looke on them in prosperitie, they are nothing like vntounto vsus, the Papists curse vsus, we in holinesse of the Spirit doe pray for them: their Church the more it florisheth before man, the more abominable it is in the sight of God: our Church is all glorious within, and is the beloued spouse of Christ: finally, they are diuels in m…ns shape; for euen prophane Christians and Protestants dare not but in great secrecie blaspheme the name of God, prophane his Sabbaths, defile their bodies with adulteries; yet these men will not sticke to do these things openly; when light and darknesse with them are so confounded, when ignorance is simplicitie, when euill and good are shuffled together, what constancie can be looked for among men? They be bleared with the viz…rd of ciuill honestie, which notwithstandingA shame to Protestants to suffer Papists to be more righteous than they be. Papists may not be spared for their ciuill honestie. Simile. The 2. argument of our true louelove to God, louelove to the word. is to our shame, in that they can doe so great things for vaine-glorie, and to get credit to their sect, when we cannot doe halfe so much for Gods glorie, and to maintaine his word. But if we will be politike to spare with Saul (euill men) the Lord in his wrath will make vsus persecute good men (for Saul not punishing Agag, did afterward persecute Dauid:) wherefore our righteous soules must be grieued with the iniquities of our times, and we must shew our zeale in religion by a hatred of lies, howsoeuer they be cloaked with the histrionicall visard of ciuill honestie. For as it is dangerous to aduenture our selues to be …ainted with the grosse aire of the pestilence: so must we care and make conscience, to keepe our selues from all contagion of pe…ilous vntruthes.

The second reason as we said, is the circumstance of the time, both in that his owne person was contemned, as port. 14. 6. The wicked hauehave laid a snare for me, but I swarued not from thy precepts. As also in that the word of God was so slenderly regarded and almost brought vntounto vtter contempt, as in port. 16. vers. 6. It is time for thee Lord to worke, for they hauehave destroyed thy law.

For the first how wonderfully doth it commend his louelove to the word, that when they made faire profers, no gaine could get him; when they began to threaten him, no terrour could dismay him; when they circumuented him with preferments, no pleasure could preuaile with him, no promise could winne him? For the second, they oppressed him with iniuries, they vndermined him with benefits, they supplanted him with politike slanders, and set faire faces on their vile causes, and yet none of these did so preuaile, that either their violence could enforce him, nor their liberalitie allure him, nor their policies and subtill cauilling beguile him one whit, to be drawne from the true worship of God, which was an infallible token, that vnfainedly he loued the law. O singular triall, that when the law elsewhere had no entertainment, yet hee did defend it though hee was so highly contemned.

Experience doth teach vsus, that the more godlinesse is oppressed, the lesse it is regarded, and that not of the vngodly and wicked ones onelyonly, but euen of the very children of God, aswell by calling, as by election. Dauid Psal. 73. saith of himselfe, that he fretted to see the prosperitie of the wicked: Iob, Ieremie, Ab…uck in times past, and many of the Saints of God in our times are greatly troubled and grieued, to see how it goeth with the wicked, and fareth with the godly. This then is a sure token of his louelove to Gods word, euen then to esteeme it, when of the times it was hated: neither is this any true triall or argument of the louelove of Gods word, to fauour it whilest others doe fauour it, but when all formall liking of it beginneth to decay, then in truth and constancie to professe it, argueth true and constant louelove of it. And it must not be strāge vntounto vsus, that the Church is often vexed with wicked heresies, because it is the infinite iustice of God, when men with feare and louelove, doe not obey the truth in a good conscience, whereby they diminish the glorious credit of the childrē of God, to giuegive them ouer to some horrible heresie. At what time we may see both the grace of God in giuing strength to his to beleeue euen in the middest of heresies, as also the faith of his children euen then to be constant when others reuolt from the truth. As to continue in our former example of Dauid.

First he was taunted, when it was said, who is this man? is it not the sonne of Ishai? Then being betrothed and contracted to the eldest daughter of Saul, he was deluded and depriued of her. Afterward Saul prouoked him with open violence, how beit still he perseuered in the louelove of Gods truth.

To applie this to our selues, if a man now a daies …e called a precisian, or termed by the name of a Puritane, & that some worldlings thus reason with him: What will you becomeApplication. a Precisian? will you giuegive ouer and forsake your frends? and commit your selfe to their1 companie, who are not able to preferre, pleasure, nor profit you? wil you now enter so hard a life? and suffer so odious a name? Doth it not come to passe, that this first blast bloweth vsus away? Other some can be content to giuegive their names to God, but when they can take2 no course to get liuing and preferment, then they begin to shrinke. These men making godlines a gaine, will so long worshippe God, as they may get profit by it. But wee must neither let contempt abash vsus, nonbenefits allure vsus, and when all law is against vsus, and of all wee shall bee troden vnderunder foote, when wee shall be compassed with so many euils that these temptations wil come vponupon vsus, it is better for you to giuegive ouer, than thus to run on, and to put your selfe in danger: that which hath been in you, was but a melancholike humour, if you giuegive place to such affections, you may hurt your selfe: when all these things shall meete with vsus, wee must shew our louelove by resisting them and cleauing to Gods lawe. If we be not Ieroboams, yet we may be Rehoboams; Ieroboam hee set vp Calues; R…o…o… aIeroboam & Rehoboā how like one another. while determined to keepe the lawes of the Lord, but afterward he fell to … exercise. This now is a singular triall of his louelove, who saith of himselfe for our instructiō, I hauehave bin had in derision, and the bands of the wicked hauehave robbed m…e, &c. They hauehave fo…ged lies and laid snares for mee, yet doe I not forsake thy law. So that no iniuries could wearie him, no contempt discourage him, no benefits allure him, no subtill daungers make him to quaile in despaire: his faith was so sound in Gods word, and his louelove so pure in an whole heart. One thing we hauehave omitted in the former reason which here must not be left out. If we be espoused to Christ in the Gospell, we are assured that he will keepe vsus from falling, or if we fall he will saue vsus from lying in our sinnes.

But leauing this, let vsus come to the third reason, which was the great felicitie, which hee3 felt in the word, and the sorrow, which he felt in the contrary. For the first he preferred theThe third argumēt of our louelove to God. word: 1. Before all profit, as port. 16. 7. I louelove thy commandements aboue gold, ye… aboue fine gold. 2. Before all pleasures, as port. 13. 7. How sweete are thy promises to my mouth? yea more than hony vntounto my mouth. 3. Before glorie as▪ port. 8. 1. O Lord thou art my portion, I hauehave determined to keepe thy lawe. And portion 14. 7. Thy testimonies hauehave I taken as my heritage for euer, for they are the ioy of my heart. Now, because in a spoyle all these things doe meete together, … Gods word yeelds most profit, pleasure, & glorie.….

Seeing then we are giuen to louelove our selues▪ and to make … a gaine, or rather louelove the word for gaine, pleasure, and vaine glorie, wee shall see how great a thing it is, to louelove the word for it owne sake, that is, because it is the word of God▪ But many will vrge the vse of lawfull things and say, Why may I not eate this mea…e? may I not weare this fashion? may I not put on such apparell? they bee lawfull the… natures▪ I answere, thatNote this of libertie. they bee indeede lawfull in themselues, and while the… are nakedly considered, and as they are vncloathed of other circumstances; yet wee are to a …, with meditating on things conuenient, least we turne the libertie of the Spirit to a … of the flesh. See here how wee louelove pleasures more than the word. Some are godly so long as they can get gaine by their godlinesse, who quickly can be cold, when they hauehave gotten greater preferment in the Church of God. They forget that which wee must remember, that wee must grow in zeale, in louelove, in affection, and indiligence, as wee …rease in outward things, that we may shew our selues not so much to seeke after profit as after a better life, not vaine pleasure, but pleasure of the minde, not carnall glory out the hope of Gods kingdome.

On the other side, wee are to see how his afflictions grew, when hee sawe the neglect or contempt of the law in others: for his eyes failed, his heart was …, his spirit panted, his fleshe parched away. Thus, whilest hee measured himselfe by the word how his inward man ebbed and flowed in a delight of the word, his ioy increased, and decreased with the estate of the mind, insomuch that hee desired for no other end to liue, than to feele the comfort of Gods promises, and his affections gouerned by the word of God. For he saith, portion 3. 1. Be beneficiall vntounto thy seruant, that I may liue and keepe thy word. Wherein he agreeth with a saying of Paul, Galath. 2. 20. I liue, yet not I now, but Christ liueth in mee. But I feare that IThe naturall man counts all spirituall things as paradoxes. 1. Cor. 2. 14. speake mysteries and paradoxes vntounto a great many▪ who yet are but naturall men, and may learne these things of simple men in the country. Well let vsus learne if wee cannot bring foorth 100 folde, yet let vsus bring foorth 60 folde; if not so much yet at the least 30 folde; vnlesse we be either stonie ground, who for want of roote, in time of tribulation and persecution will be offended; or as the thornie ground, being choked with worldly cares; or as trampled ground, which is troden of all men. And here is one thing to be noted more notable, that is, he was not grieued for himself alone, but euē for others, which made no conscience of Gods word, was he grieuously vexed and tormented, as portio 7. 5. Feare is come To lamēt the wāt of othersvponupon me for the wicked, which forsake thy law. And portio 17. 8. Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water, because they keepe not thy law. And in portio 18. 3. My zeale hath euen consumed mee, because mine enemies hauehave forgotten thy words. He was not onelyonly grieued for his owne incredulitie, but for the incredulitie of others; he lamented not onelyonly his owne wants; but also the wants of others; his glorie was then chiefest, when the word was glorified; his griefe, when the word sustained wrong, did most abound. Like zeale was in Paul, who cared not for his owne bonds, so the word of God might be free: neither did hee care how much he did suffer for the Gospels sake, which he preached, so others might thereby …e confirmed.

Now if we shall lay this with due examination of our owne hearts to our seuerall liues,Application. Many grieue for their own sinnes, which are not grieued for the sinnes of others. we shall see many grieued for their owne sinnes, which are not grieued for the sinnes of others. But if we could be grieued both for our selues and for others, it were an infallible token, that we sought not our selues, but Gods word▪ Many likewise are comforted, when they finde Gods glory set forth in themselues, who cannot so praise God when they see it in others.

Many indeed (as Io… witnesseth) can declare …loquently against the sinnes of others, yet we see few weepe and lame it for them, as he did▪ But aboue all▪ notable is that place of the Spirit of God to stirre vsus … to this practise, which is Ezech. 9. where a man is mentioned with a writers in…khorne by his side, which is sent of the Lord to goe through the middest of Ierusalem, and to saue from the destroying and reuenging Angell (which was to come) all them that mourned and cried for the abominations, which were done in the citie. In which place▪ by marking the children of God vntounto saluation, is shewed the manner of thē, to w… ▪ to mourne, and c…ie out against the wickednes of the people, which they see committed against Gods glorie. Paul (1. Cor. 5.) sheweth the Corinthians, that they had reiected & despised the incestuous person, but he also telleth them, that they had not mourned for him: the effect where of is set downe 2. Cor. 7. where the Apostle reioyceth, that he had wrought in them a godly sorrow, not to be repented of. We must therefore learne to lament the sinnes of them; with whom we liue, and specially of them ouer whom we hauehave charge▪ least in not so doing we be made guiltie of the sinnes of others. Let vsus then away with that carnall emulation in the graces of another, and let vsus learne to giuegive God the praise of his gifts in others, as though they were bestowed on our selues. But alas, our corruption is great here in▪ and is well set downe (in Luke) in the elder brother, who repined at the receiuing of his younger brother into his fathers fauour.

Now to draw to the fourth and last reason, which concerneth the meanes vsed of theThe fourth argument of our louelove to the word. Prophe… they were these; conference, prayer, praise or thanksgiuing, and a vowing of his obedience to the Lord, whereof I will speake in order, and of the first: first, I am (saith he, port▪ 8▪ 7.) a companion of all them that feare thee, and keepe thy precepts. And port. 10. 7. L… such … feare thee▪ turne vntounto me, and they that know thy testimonies, that I may both **▪ Cor▪ 1▪ 3▪ 4▪ Rom▪ 1▪ 1… ▪ How sweet and comfortable the … is of Gods children.impart my feelings and comforts vntounto others, and that they may strengthen me with their gifts: such was his humilitie▪ that notwithstanding his high calling, he desired euen to profit by others. In naturall things experience doth teach vsus, that young men cannot satisfie themselues with a priuate vse of their exercise, but if any one hauehave inuented a pleasant conceit, he cannot be quiet vntill he hauehave ioyned himselfe with others therein: such is their louelove to their carnall deuices. Which thing if it be so vsuall in earthly things, how much more is it requisite in heauenly things? Many will studie for a trade and methode by themselues, whereof none shall be partakers, but they will still be the fathers of it: but it was not so in Dauid▪ but whatsoeuer he had, he would teach it others, and whatsoeuer good thing heConference and admonition. Rom▪ 1▪ 12. 13▪ Heb 3▪ 12. … Iud. ver. 22▪ 23▪ heard▪ he would learne it. He had not this spirit, to say, Tush, I hauehave enough, I know many things, I neede not to conferre. Paul thanketh the Romanes, and protesteth himselfe a debtor vntounto them, for their communicating of spiritual things vntounto him. Wherfore let vsus exhortione another, wher one another, admonish one another, and watch one ouer another for good▪ and suffer our selues to bee exhorted to perseuerance, to be whetted for our duties, and to be admonished of our infirmities, and let vsus be grieued that wee hauehave made so little exchange of our talents, to bring so small increase to the Lord.

The second meane is prayer: wherfore he said so often, portiō 5. 2. Teach me, O Lord, the 2way of thy statutes▪ &c. & portion 9▪ 2. Teach me good iudgement and knowledge. Where sometimePrayer. he delireth to hauehave his iudgement inlightened; and sometimes his affections cleered. Well, was hee one that was wiser than Gad and Nathan, and yet had this affection to growe in the knowledge of wisedome, and shall not wee be ashamed, if wee pray not? He felt this ioy & delight of the word by measure in him, he felt sometimes a cleane heart, sometimesNote. an hard heart▪ sometimes vnspeakable ioy of mind, sometimes exceeding dulnes of mind, sometime hee seemed to hauehave enioyed the comforts of Angels, sometimes no comfort at all▪ So let vsus thinke our selues to be as betweene light and darknes, clowdes and brightnes, sometimes hauing patiēce, and sometimes murmuring, sometime purposing to do good, sometime fainting in bringing them to passe.

Concerning thanksgiuing, which was another of his exercises, it is said, port. 21. 4. Seuen 3times a day doe I praise thee, because of thy righteous iudgements. Where hee sheweth, that heeThankesgiuing. vsed this kinde of worship often; which thing with vsus is farre contrarie, because wee pray more than we giuegive thankes▪ The reason is, wee are giuen in greater measure to feele our wants, which prouoketh vsus to prayer, than to see Gods benefits receiued, which might moue vsus to thanksgiuing▪

The next meanes, by order the fourth, which the man of God vseth, is here by name set downe, meditation. But some will say; How commeth it to passe, that among so many andMeditation▪ sundrie meanes no mention is made of hearing and reading the word of God? Wee answere, that this is a Psalme of experience, and not of knowledge. And hee that seeketh forThe 119▪ Ps. i…a Psalm. of experience. knowledge here will want methode: but wee must trauaile with the Prophet to finde the truth so applied to our hearts, as wee may shewe as well our infirmities, as our excellent graces. Againe, because hearing is the sense of discipline, and many will attend on reading and hearing, which will not bestowe time to conferre, to pray, to giuegive thankes, to meditate, or vow their obedience to the Lord, he comprehendeth the one in setting down the vse of the other. For if in our reading and hearing for want of meditation we doe not profit, we are as coloured in the Sunne: wherefore wee must admonish, and …ee admonished; we must pray, and prouoke to pray; we must meditate and often thinke o… those things which we hauehave heard or read.

Indeede knowledge, reading, and hearing are sweete euen to a naturall man: …ut toMore attend hearing and reading, than cōference & meditation. conferre, to be admonished, to pray, to giuegive thankes, be things hard and difficult. It may be that some can pray to serue the times, because of the law which constrained them: but how many shall wee finde that doe it priuately, in trueth, and voluntarily? Some read, and they rest in the generall rules, not making any vse of it to themselues, and so learne that which is another mans, not appropriating it to themselues for want of meditation. Whereof it commeth to passe, that wee see many make a learned sermon in generall precepts, who when they come to particulars, to comfort those that lye sicke, or to raise vp them that are tempted, for want of practise in themselues can say nothing. The very HeathenA Christians life is the meditatiō of the law of God, &c. could grant, and you know who speake it, that a m…s life was a cogitation of death. But because we can meditate of death, for that we ioyne with it the hope of immortalitie, I say, that a Christian mans life m…y well besaide to bee a meditation of the law of God▪ and how hee shall stand before Gods iudgement seate. Which meditation in this man of God sheweth, that euen from the heart he loueth the law of God. If we examine our selues, we shall finde our tongues to cleaue to our teeth, and to the roofe of our mouthes▪ whereby wee see, that weAffections dead. cannot say this with the prophet, that from the abundance of the heart our mouth speaketh For we sinde by practise, that we heare, reade, and sing so coldly, as we shew, that our affections are almost dead within vsus.

There followeth in the end of the verse, continually. Wee know by proofe of daily experience, that whatsoeuer we louelove, of that we continually thinke. And in that this qualitie orMeditation must be con…d. Psal. 1. 2. circumstance is ioyned with meditation we are taught, that though we must reade, heare, conferre, pray, and giuegive thanks often, yet we must meditate continually. For as it is absurd to say, that a man should be continually reading, or conferring; so we must know, that it is requisite in all these things to examine our selues by meditation, whether we reade profitably, conferre effectually, or pray vnderstandingly.

That we now hauehave this continuall meditation, we must pray that we may hauehave a louelove to the word. LoueLove indeed were of it selfe eloquent enough, if we had it in any good measure;Meditation must … or on the word. but to stirre vp this louelove, we must vse many reasons about the nature of the word, how it is mysticall, pure, and eternall; which when we see in truth, we shall louelove the word.

Where he saith, in it is my meditation, wee must vnderstand, that it was no rouing meditation, but that it was circumscribed within the compasse of the law of God. Now to our profit, let vsus learne to meditate according to the law of the Lord, and so, as vnderunder the generals we may touch the particulars, to make the vse of them in our selues. Thus we hauehave seene the cause of this effect, to be louelove. For as the rich men of this world meditate of gathering goods, naturall louers of their louelove, and ambitious men of their preferments; so the man of God hauing no greater riches, pleasure nor glorie, than in the word, maketh it his whole delight and studie. For where we louelove, thither louelove doth easily drawe our affections with it.

We hauehave heard why mention is made only of meditation, namely, because it is the lifeWe will alwaies thinke & meditate of the things we louelove. of all the other meanes, and maketh them more fruitfull; and why his meditation was maried to the law, euen because it excludeth all vaine collections, which proceede of general knowledge. Besides, therefore is meditation named, because it most agreeth with the nature of louelove. For though we cannot alwaies be reading, hearing, or talking of those things which we …, we may alwayes thinke and meditate of them. Now what is the cause, that … is preached, and …o little is practised, but because wee vse so little conference, prayer▪ and meditation? The remedie hereof is, to knowe what a sinne this is, and that among all … in the day of trouble, none so great to torment our consciences, as that we hauehave tested in a generall …, and …ng of the word, without applying of it to our seuerall practises by meditation. He hath shewed now his louelove: in the verses following hee setteth downe the fruite of his louelove. For as hee shewed, that the word of God is of such nature, that aboue all other things i… is eternall: so also hee sheweth, that the effects thereof are eternall. And whereas men desire nothing more, than that wisedome whereby they may excel their enemies in policie, their teachers in doctrine, and the aged in counsaile, he declareth that hee made this choyse, to set his louelove on Gods word, which performeth all these things. As louelove then is the mother that breedeth meditation, and meditation is the nurse to cherish this louelove: so here, because the argument of the effect doth most with men preuaile, hee sheweth the mightie power and operation of the word of God. What is the reason why men do not r…st and stay themselues wholy on Gods law? Surely, because they are not perswaded, that there is such excellent wisedome in the same. We see then, that wee must learne for the generals, to bee wise in sobrietie, and according to the word of God, knowing that the Scriptures are sufficient to touch, to improue, and correct, and to instruct i… righteousnesse, that the man of … may bee absolute, being made perfect vntounto all good workes, 2. Tim. 3. The Wiseman counsaileth vsus, Eecles. 7. 18. that wee should not … iust euermuch, … make our selues ouerwise, least web: …. Where he sheweth, that this is the way to bring blockishnes, to make our selues wiser than God, and to deuile to become more iust than the word prescribeth vsus. What is the cause why so many are so foolish in their death, when they hauehave ouerreached themselues, as Achitophel, Surely because the Lord doth in…uate them, whilest they would be wiser than the Lord, so that their wisdome is … into childishnes, and their policie commeth to nothing. What is the cause that we are no more occupiedWherefore so many neglect the word. in the reading and hearing of the word? Doubtlesse because it is a base and simple thing in our iudgemen… and containeth not so high mysteries in it, as the Prophet here setteth downe by proofe in his owne person. Neither must wee thinke, that as it were with a trumpet he doth here blow and sound forth his owne praise, but rather by his example is desirous to stirre others vp.

Vers 98.

By thy commaundements thou hast made mee wiser than mine enemies: for they are …uer with me.

THe first of the particular effects, is contained in these words: By thy cōmandements thou hast made me wiser than mine enemies. Wee see how men now adayes straine their wits to match their enemies in policies & deuices, but few thinke on this sound meanes, whereby we shall surely preuaile against them. Now if it be so that whatsoeuer is written, is written for our instructiō and comfort, in making mention of the meanes, the Prophet of the Lord doth teach vsus, that it was no extraordinarie worke of the Lord proper to him, but a meanes appointed of God for vsus all to follow. Whereby hee teacheth vsus, that God will blesse vsus to attaine to the like wisedome, if we will endeuour to vse the like meanes.

To apply this to our profit, wee must gather the particular out of the generall doctrineApplication. on this manner: whosoeuer shall hauehave the commaundements of God euer with him, hee shall be wiser then his enemies, than his teachers, than the ancient: but Dauid did so, or wee doe so: therefore Dauid and we shall finde this wisedome. But some man will say, Experience teacheth vsus a cleane contrarie doctrine, that Gods children are not so wise inObiection. Answere. their light, as the children of this world are in their generation. I answere: That it is true, experience prooueth, and our Sauiour Christ teacheth, but this I adde, that the experience commeth from our small sight of the word, and not for any want of the word it selfe, when Gods children hauehave it on their side. And our Sauiour Christ his speech tendeth rather to shew what it is, through our corruption, than what it ought to be; so that iustly he vseth it to our shame. Indeede ciuill wisedome which choketh in them all temptations,Carnall securitie. with worldly delights, hauing the diuell to be their schoole master, doth worke in them a contentation of minde, while for a season, they smother, as they thinke, the iudgements of God breathing vponupon them. And because on the contarie, the spirits of Gods children are occupyed in heauenly things, yet often the flesh so laboureth against the spirit, that whilest they would be wiser than the Lord, or would vse any indirect meanes against their enemies, or in vsing good meanes, faile in prayer, or, in not staying themselues on Gods prouidence, and appointed time of deliuerance, it commeth to passe that they are ouercome. *How enemies are ouercome.But whilest they renounce themselues, and their owne wisedome, and craue counsaile of God in his word, and the direction of his Spirit by prayer, whilest they vse good meanes in a good cause, and keeping a good conscience, waite on the hand of the Lorde, they shall bee sure to hauehave the ouerthrowe of their enemies. Proofe doth teach vsus that a silly soule in the Countrey, which walketh in the wayes of the Lorde, will soone discouer the shifting pollicies of a worldly learned man, brought vp in the Vniuersitie; because the wrath of the Lord hangeth ouer the one, and his mercifull spirit watcheth ouer the other: But so long as wee will shoote with Sathan in his owne bowe, and repell policie with policie, whatNot! to shoote with the diuell in his owne bowe. follie shall be found in vsus? though we can howle loftily with the wolfe, and deale cunningly with the Grecians, when as the Lord will neuer suffer a good cause to be maintained by euill meanes? Some of vsus seeke the word, but in seeking it we rest in our owne good meaning, not humbling our selues before the Lord; but our wisdome herein must come from the spirit. For we can no more by the eie of reason, see the light of the word, then Howlets looke vponupon the bright Sunne. Wherefore the Lord will hauehave vsus in all controuersies with our aduersaries, to depend on him, and to know, that the cause must not depend on our owne shoulders, then must we by faith in the bloodshedding of Christ, beleeue that our sinnes, neither new nor old, shall hinder the helping hand of the Lord. We must trust on Gods prouidence and promises, and stay our selues by prayer on his wisedome, if we look to be wiser than our aduersaries.

An excellent example hereof we hauehave to proue, that secret sinnes not repented of, maySecret sinnes not repented of. hinder the Lords dealing with vsus against our enemies. We read that after that filthy incest mentioned in Iudg. 17. which made the Leuite (whose wife was abused) to cut her in twelue peeces, and send her through all the parts of Israel; there was warre betweene the Beniamites and Israel, and the Beniamites being but few in number, and maintaining an euill cause, in two battels ouercame the Israelites, vntil at length they humbled themselues with prayer and fasting, and repented of that euill which was amongst them: so that in the third assault, the Lord gaue his people strength mightily to preuaile against their enemies. So we may hauehave a good cause, and vse good meanes, and yet for want of reconciling our selues to God for some sinne new or old, we may suffer the ouerthrow. If then our cause beNote. good, we must vse good meanes, faith in Christ, trust in his prouidence, and staying our selues on his wisedome. Doe we not see by experience, how the Martyrs of God humblingHow to prosper in a good cause. themselues on this maner, preuailed in mightie power against their accusers? Deut. 4. Moses sheweth, that the enemies of God were driuen to confesse, that only Gods people were wise, euen because God gaue them good lawes. This was it that made Ioseph wiser than his brethren, Moses wiser than the Egyptians, and Daniel than all the Magicians of Babylon, and Dauid than all his politike enemies.

Marke (I pray you) all figuratiue, hyperbolicall and darke speeches, the Metaphors and Parables, which are in the word of God, and you shall finde, that they were learned people to whom the bookes were written, and had attained that measure of wisedome and knowledge, which in our time none can vnderstand, but they which are brought vp in learning: which thing we may also obserue in them, of whom the Histories of the booke of God are written, and yet who were more blockish then the Iewes, after they had transgressed so obstinately the law of the Lord?

But shall wee vnderstand this, as though the children of God were in eueryevery particularHow farre the faithfull are said to be wise. action wiser then the wicked ones? No, but onelyonly in those things, and then, wherein and when they vsed this wisedome of the Spirit, and gaue themselues and their causes to be gouerned according to Gods word. Looke on Dauid, who though hee was wise, so long as he kept a good conscience, yet harkening to policie, and not willing to stay himselfe on the simplicitie of Gods word, how suddenly was hee ouercome, and yeelded so farre, that he dissembled euen to fight against Gods enemies? Whiles he was in his fetching policies, did not the Lord send enemies the instruments of destruction to his wife and children? Whilest he would rest on God hee was wise, but when he would number his people, he was confounded. What did his policie in adulterie preuaile, to disguise in such sort Vria…, to make him drunken, to set him in the forefront of the battaile, was he not much foyled? Salomon, who whilest he walked before the Lord, was wiser than his father Dauid, when hee gaue himselfe to many wiues, and began to be secure, and to runne into grosse Idolatrie, was greatly displeasing in the sight of the Lord. Iehosaphat so long as he obeyed the Lord,Iehosaphat punished in his posteritie. was feared, but when in policie he ioyned himselfe in affinitie to a wicked King, he was almost confounded, and surely had been punished, had hee not in repentance turned, and humbled himselfe before the Lord, whose policie also in ioyning his ships with the ships of Ahaziah, was afterward punished in his posteritie.

Vers. 99.

I hauehave had more vnderstanding than my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation.

IN the second particular effect, the Prophet saith, he did excell his teachers, which hee doth not to bragge or boast of himselfe, but commending the free graces of God, he stirreth vp himselfe to make other men not onelyonly to content themselues, with a care of hearing the word, but also to make conscience of meditation. This then is le…t of the Spirit of God for our comfort, in that we may find the like fruite, vsing by praier the like meanes; so that if we bring not forth an hundreth fold, yet threescore, or at the least thirtie fold, according to Gods wisedome.

True it is, that the scholler often becommeth better learned than the teacher, which is a singular blessing of God, that the learned man should ascribe nothing to himselfe, and to giuegive God the glorie, hee enlighteneth where he thinketh meete, and encreaseth when he seeth it good. Now we may see this by experience euen in heathen men. Aristotle was wiser than his Maister Plato, in whom this blessing of God appeared, in that they ioyned studie and meditation with their learning. In Law & Physicke they are most frequented, who with much reading hauehave vsed much musing and practising. None either in peace or warreMeditation. hauehave euer gouerned excellently, but they were great musers, and did often sequester themselues from company, then more freely to attend on meditation. This doctrine shall be taught in a contrarie thing. We know there is a speciall kinde of musing, whereby Sathan doth often teach and communicate things to many in greater measure, than they can receiue by all the books in the world; so also there is a speciall meditating, whereby the spirit of God communicateth to vsus more heauenly things than either wee heare or reade. As when Sathan will polish a mans wit to any euill, hee will hauehave him to waite on him: so God would hauehave vsus to fill our iudgements in the particular meditation of things heard, to see how all circumstances hold and faile. This is then the wit which experience confirmeth, that when wee are taught any thing, which by reason is conceiued, wee can adde, if this bee true, then that is false; if it holdeth in the lesser, then it holdeth in the greater. On this sortNote. let any man heare with meditation, he shall finde something by the generall rule heard: hauing the Spirit of God for his teacher, which the Preacher had not, or saw not, or seeing expressed not. Doe they then most profit, who after hearing doe meditate, and see more by the ministerie of the Spirit, than by the ministerie of the Pastor? Let vsus marke it then, by the blessing of God vponupon it, and let vsus note the contrary by Gods curse vponupon it. What is the cause that there is so little profit by the ordinarie ministerie of the word, and so great fruites arise, where it is more seldome vsed; but because meditation is the life of learning, and the death of things conceiued is the want of musing?

Mans minde is infinite, which nothing can satisfie but God or the diuell; and continuallyThe …inde of man. rolleth either in good or ill. In that he addeth, thy testimonies are my meditation, wee must note, that to hauehave a sound meditation, wee must be circumscribed within the limits of the word, otherwise it will be erroneous; but being ioyned with knowledge, it refineth our knowledge, and teacheth the vse of it. If Philosophers saw that a mans life was a meditation of death, whereby as they abstained from many pleasures, they became neuerthelesse very vaine-glorious, yet could they not attaine to any sound comfort, because they were destitute of the hope of a better life. But Gods children meditating on the last iudgement day make a conscience of many things past, pare away many present corruptions, and sigh for the remembring of their poysoned temptations to come. How godly people hauehave excelled their teachers, it needeth not long proofe out of the Scriptures.

Moses excelled all the learned men in Egypt, Daniel surpassed all the Magicians in Babylon,Schollers wiser thā their teacher. Paul excelled his teacher Gamaliel, because though the Egyptians were learned, and the Babylonians profound; yet Moses and Daniel refined their knowledge (humane) with the studie of Gods word. And Paul being brought vp in the doctrine of the Iewes vnderunder Gamaliel, after he came to meditate on the Gospell of Christ, excelled not onelyonly his teachers, but ouer-reached all other of the Apostles, in heauenly knowledge. We may then blush at the great knowledge in times past, but herein we may be comforted, because they as they were wise, were also wicked: but we may be as wise vsing their meanes, and more godly meditating on the word, which cutteth off all errors in doctrine, and corruptions of life. Againe, Elie brought vp Samuel, who proued wiser than Elie by his continuall meditation. Salomon excelled Dauid by studie and prayer, vntill he forgetting himselfe, gaue himselfe to women. Paul was taught of Ananias the principles of religion, but he excelled him as far in the learning of the Spirit, as he surpassed Gamaliel in the doctrine of the Iewes.

Let vsus marke then the blessings of spirituall meditations, which make vsus fit in wisedome to admonish, and in the spirit of consolation to comfort. For in my iudgement, their wisedome which depend on generall rules, is in their bookes, and must be fetched from their teachers; but meditations may well be called a readie mother of knowledge, and a nursing mother of wisedome.

If men then will whet their wits, and helpe their memories, they must vse meditation, because when Gods word hath taught vsus, we shall neuer neede to consult with our booke, nor take aduice of our teacher.

Vers. 100.

I vnderstood more than the ancient, because I kept thy precepts.

IT followeth: I vnderstood more than the ancient, &c. As we hauehave heard of the glorious effects of the word in this man of God, how he excelled his foes in policie, and his teachers in wisedome: so now he sheweth, how he went before his elders in prudence and vnderstanding. He was wiser than his enemies. Why? because in all his attempts, deliberated not with flesh and blood, but asked counsaile of the Lord, by the word and by prayer. He excelled his teachers in good learning: wherefore? because he contented not himselfeNote. to stay on the naked rules by them deliuered, but further laboured with his conscience, to make the vse of them profitable to himselfe. He ouer-reached his ancients: Why? because he euer had a speciall care to keepe a true faith, and a good conscience, whereof many had made shipwracke. Whereof then commeth it to passe, that the scholler is often better than his maister? commeth it not from hence, because the Lord worketh according to his will, and bestoweth like effects where like meanes are vsed, blesseth and curseth, depresseth and raiseth vp, according to the vsing, and not vsing of necessarie meanes? By meditation the iudgemēt of the godly is refined, by musing the wicked grow by high degreesThe diuell helpes the wicked in their meditations. to the mysterie of iniquitie. For as they be much giuen to this kinde of occupying their mindes: so Sathan doth most thereby conuey himselfe into them, putting such platformes and deuices into their head, that otherwise were wonderfull to come into a mortall mans minde. So then they, that doe not rest in hearing and reading, but endeuour by meditation to finde and draw out an vse of it in themselues, wonderfully doe profit, and mightily excell others. Let vsus not rest in our ouersights, but stirre vp and prouoke our affections to take a new view of those things which we hauehave heard, whereby we may gather more vntounto our selues, than that which we hauehave heard. And why? Man is a creature reasonable, and by the light of nature can thus reason with himselfe; if this be true, then the contrarie is false; if it holdeth in the greater, then it holdeth in the lesser. If this good thing hath good effects, then tho contrarie euill hath ill issues. See how knowledge by meditation doth increase. Againe, because eueryevery member of Christ is annointed with knowledge, according to that measure which the Spirit worketh, as well the hearer as the speaker may profit by vsing the meanes. For by meditation the iudgemēt is refined, the wit helped, the memory strengthened, and stirreth vp affections, as thus: Is this good? I will doe it: Is this the obedience rewarded? I will obey it: Is this forbidden? I will auoide it: Is this threatned with so fearfull iudgements? I quake and tremble to thinke of it. By the helpe of this, many will speake on a sudden, because they speake out of the experience of their owne consciences, when the learning of others is in their teachers head, or else in their booke. It is then the righteous iudgement of God, that we are so vnapt to practise, wanting dexteritie of wit, bereaued of sound iudgement, besides many other punishments, due to the contempt of Gods word, when our owne conscience shall accuse vsus, saying: This good thou mightest hauehave had, this comfort thou mightest hauehave enioyed, hadst thou meditated on the word.

There remaineth the thrid effect, which is in these words, I am wiser than the ancient, &c. Oh notable wisedome! that made him wiser than gray haires, which are of longer experience. He doth not compare himself with dotish old men, but the wise Ancients, in whom though not the quicknes of wit, yet the pith and marrow of knowledge remaineth. Neither doth he speake this so much to praise himselfe, as to stirre vp others. If then we shall see a comely old man, speaking law on the bench, and desire to heare some wise experience, the man of God here telleth vsus the way, how before those times we may attaine vntounto it. And through the blessing of God on those meanes, the graces of God shall be greater in young yeares, if we labour for knowledge, and with knowledge ioyne conscience, and with conscience practise. For the high way to knowledge is to meditate with our knowledge, and to tremble in our hearts, at the maiestie of the word, not ceasing to labour with our selues, vntill by musing we hauehave felt some comfort. Here of it proueth, that they which hauehave heard the word of God but a yeare, hauehave more profited thā they which hauehave heard it sixe yeares. For vntounto him that hath, more shall be giuen, and from him that hath not, euen that which he hath shall be taken from him. If we obserue it, we shall finde prophane Protestants, who now hauehave seene three Gouernments, which both are ignorant in knowledge,Carnal Protestants. and hauehave gotten many placards and curtaines for their grosse sinnes. This may teach vsus to see into Gods iudgement, who punisheth so seuerely the decay of faith; as also the mercy of God towards them, that lay vp in their hearts, the meditation; and in their liues, the practise of that which they hauehave heard. I see no more fearefull*Fearefull tokens of publike calamities. Most read, not the wisest men. tokens of the desolations of our times, than that men promising whole worlds vntounto themselues, seeke so much for themselues, that they neither desire Gods glorie, nor the Churches profit.

A man may talke with a great Reader, and there be some good things in him, but talke with an exercised minde, and you shall finde in him farre greater, and more excellent wisedome. Why doe not the old Protestants grow in knowledge, as they grow in age? but because they doe not vse to meditate. Many men seemed to hauehave good gifts, great knowledge and dexteritie of wit, who now are destitute and barren of all these heauenly graces. What is the cause? surely the want of faith, and of a good conscience, doth make vsus faileWāt of faith and of a good conscience, make many barren in good things. Youth spent in vanitie, commonly ends oldage in profanenesse. in many good things: or else the cause may be some secret sin not repented of, why there is such store of ill, and such barrennes of good things. So that the Lord striketh many with such follie, that they which sometimes tasted of the good graces of God, are now become dull heads. Another reason, why old men doe not grow in knowledge, is, because the more they hauehave, the more they doe desire. Many are so vaine and light, that a man shall assoone bring an hogge from his haunt, as them from their delights: so the Lord doth make them end their age and life in worldlines, which spend their liues and youths in vanities. If we see one giuen to vanitie, what say we? Oh, there is a wittie yong man: if we see one giuen to worldlines, what say we? Oh, there is a iolly thriuing fellow: and thus for want of a sanctified wit, and sight, we remaine fooles and vnthrifts in spirituall things.

But it standeth with the righteous iudgement of God, that they should be depriued of the vnderstanding of heauenly things, which so greedily turne al their wits to worldlines. On the contrary, where we make conscience to meditate, we growe from a small graine of knowledge to an whole field of vnderstanding. For wee see many vsing their wits to worldlinesse, die in folly, because the Lord recompenceth the vanitie of their youth with ignorance in their age. So it is the mercy of God, to giuegive them comfort of conscience in their death, which hauehave had care of his word in their life. Now, we see, because some menGood death. thinke so basely of the word of God, how the Prophet hath commended it by the effects, found by experience in himselfe.

Againe he sheweth, that this was not in him, by any particular prerogatiue of Gods spirit, (although the spirit wrought wonderfully in him) but that it earne by vsing the m…s of the word. Teaching vsus that as hee was wiser than his enemies, because in all pe…ils … asked counsel of the word: wiser than his teachers, in that he rested not in their vniu…s … ▪ but by meditation did appropriate them to himselfe: and wiser than the An… because he learned as well to line according to the word, as to louelove it: so we also vsus…gNote. … …, shal find the like effects, though not in like measure. By which effects we …out these meanes, wee become foolish, dol…ish and blockish. The word of God … a …easure, that if such an holy thing bee cast to swine, I doe not dou… … see our God will execute his heauie vengeance and iudgements. Wherof now … it to passe, that w… young men, die olde fooles, emptie of Gods grac… …f … youth were well brought vp of their parents, (as Iohaz vnderunder I…hoiada)Old doting and …arnail Protestants. who also whil…st they did look into their former life and repent, spake very effectually aginst sin, but in their age, hauehave not so much knowledge as before? but because they continue not in the faith, and in a good conscience. It were better to preach to one that neuer heard of Iesus Christ, than to such an old Protestāt, because the one is thankful, the other is vnthankfull. Tell me O man, I speake vntounto thy conscience, when thine eye did see into the word, when thine eare did heare it; when thou diddest looke into thine owne conscience, when thou feltest sweetnesse in Gods promises, whē thou diddest tremble with seare of Gods iudgements, and diddest delight in the wayes of the Lord: Oh, how quiet was thy conscience? what comfort didst thou finde in thy minde? Oh, how whole an heart was in thee? And on the contrary, when neither Gods promises were sweete, nor his iudgements fearefull, nor his waies pleasant vntounto thee, oh, how cold was thy zeale? how weake was thy conscience? how feeble was thy heart in good things? We shall see some now adayes, and that many, being but priuate men, speake with greater knowledge and conscience, than a Preacher. Why may a Preacher spend his breath, his strength, and his life in preaching, and so small profiting commeth of it? euen because he preached well, and practiseth ill. Wherefore we see here how necessarily, vponupon the foresaide effects, the Prophet pronounced as followeth.

Vers 101.

I hauehave refrained my feete from eueryevery euill way, that I might keepe thy word.

SEeing the Lord will put much into their hands, who handle a little well, wee must expresse our knowledge by life, and our profession by practise. If a man would consider, how fearfully the Lord hath made him, how wōderfully he hath redeemed him, with what power he hath conuerted him, should he spend his youth in vanitie, or his age in worldlinesse,Youth blessed of God. and so become depriued of all Gods graces in death? Looke into the former times: Ioseph being but seuenteene yeeres old, was wiser than all his brethren: young Samuel was wiser than old Ely: Moyses than the Egyptians: Dauid than Saul: Salomon was wiser in his youth, than the gray haires: Daniel, Azariah, Mishel, wiser than all the Astrologians, Chaldeans, and Magicians: Timothie being but young, was preferred to the Euangelistship: Paul wiser than all the Apostles. Behold our age, how mercifully the Lord hath blessed many young men; and why are ancient men now so barren of knowledge? euen because they are barren in a good conscience.

There was in time past lesse knowledge, more practise, lesse science, more conscience, lesse vnderstanding, more wisedome; but now there is more knowledge, and lesse practise,To keepe the word in a good conscience, brings a man to wisedome. because men labour not to keepe the word of God in a good conscience. When wee shall see therefore heretikes growe wiser then Preachers, Idolaters wiser then true Professors, some young impes of Sathan, wiser then olde Ancients in the house of God; we must knowe, they are made so foolish, either because they are not of a good conscience, or lye in some secret sinne.

Would it not grieue a good … to labour many Winters and Sommers, and in the end to finde no Ha…uest? what … full thing, thinke you, would it then be to a Minister, after he hath long trauailed to … no fruit? The Lord vndoubtedly will punish such fruitlesse Professors, with hardnes of heart, i… they will not heare with care, that care may cause prayer, that prayer may bring forth meditation, and meditation may hauehave in fruit in godlinesse, and practise in perseuerance.

In this verse then, the Prophet declareth, that as before he vsed the right meanes to godlinesse,Two speciall things to attaine true godlines. and therewithall had the proofe of good effects: so now he had power from God, to resist all lets, hinderances, and encombrances therunto. Whereby hee teacheth vsus, that these two things especially make to attaine true godlinesse; the one, to vse good meanes thereto; the other, to auoyde carefully all occasions which may hinder vsus from the same. Neither must wee thinke that all these things can be done presently: for if Rome was not built all in one day, who would thinke Ierusalē should be built in one day? Surely the necessitieTrue godlines, …ow hardly come by. of this practise is such that vnlesse men make couenants with themselues, and bind themselues as it were in body and soule to auoid occasions of euill, they shall neuer attaine to true godlines. Manie will confesse, that they ought and will learne the way to holinesse of life; but in the meane time, because they will not forsake their euill wayes, they faile in their purpose. To the bettter vnderstanding of the Prophet, we must vnderstand, that euill wayes are in two things considered, either as they be euill in their owne natures, or as theyEuill wa…es, how manie wayes considered. be euill by circūstance: the first, all men will confesse to be auoided, as full, concupiscēce, wrath, murther, malice, & such like: and yet the cause why many men are lesse carefull in holy things, is, because they make no conscience to stay euill things, no… to vnburdē themselues of all worldly delights. But what is the cause that thou canst not ouercome worldlines and vanitie? thou dost not consider that thy reason is corrupt, and that if thou fightest not against thy corrupt reason, thou canst not auoide corrupt affections. If a man would fight against Ambition, he must not first fight against the thing it selfe, but against his ownAmbition, how eueryevery sin n…r reaso…eth Striue against reason. reason leauing him there unto, which on this manner perswades him. If I may attaine to such dignitie, I shall not become so much subiect to others, but others shall submit themselues to mee: I shall purchase to my selfe credite, countenance, and authoritie, to pleasure my friends, and withstand mine enemies. Thus we see why we cannot ouer-wrastle the vanities of this life, because we striue not aright. Now likewise, how are we so enabled to forsake our worldlines, euen because we doe not depend on Gods prouidence. Then the way to fight against couetousnes, is to fight against the distrust of Gods prouidene, and wantCouetousnes, how to ouercome it. of beliefe in the word of God, in that for too much louelove of this world, and too little louelove of the word, they doe not deuide their times, that sometimes they may giuegive themselues to prayer, to reading, to conferring of the word. And how doe these men reason with themselues? I shall one day be olde, and Age is accompanyed with many euills of weaknes and impotencie: I must not thinke then to liue without miserie, vnlesse I liue now with some care: I must prouide for my wife and children, and not leaue them to the broad world; it standeth me therefore in hand, to worke, and to take paines, whilest I may. So the pleasure of this temptation, taketh away the sweetnes of the meditation of the life after death. ManieAnger. striue against anger, and yet the more they striue, the more they fret, because they resist not the beginning of their Anger, which is a secret pride conceiued in their mindes. For of pride, (saith the holy-Ghost in the booke of the Prouerbs) commeth contention. Such men hauehave this reason, whereunto they yeelde; I hauehave deserued well of their hands; I neuer did them iniurie, they ought to hauehave esteemed otherwise of mee, they hauehave abused mee greatly; who therefore can beare such contempt and miuries? Now if we fight in humblenesseCorrupt iudgement. of minde, against this corrupt reason; wee shall fight against our Anger. I suppose a bruite beast is not so ill in his kinde, as a man in his corrupt iudgement. Then lowlinesse in taking a fight of our wants in good and heauenly things, is the thing that will humble vsus. This is that, which will cut our combes, when wee thinke too well of ourHumilitie. selues, when we see too much by our painted sheath, this will make vsus to pull downe our peacocks tayle.

What maketh young men so loose, and profit so little by all the admonitions, which are vsed to them, but onelyonly their corrupt reason, which on this sort deceiueth their soules: Why, is not this lawfull? doe I any body harme in so doing? doe not all others this as well as I? Well, if they will not bidde warre against these corrupt imaginations, they shall neuer preuaile against their euill affections. Whereof is it, that the wisest men become whore-hunters, and the wisest women often become whores? is it not because the Lord punisheth the pride of reason with filthinesse, and whilest they will not fight against corrupt reason, they cannot get the victorie ouer their filthie affection? they will thus reason, I hauehave beene thus long married, and hauehave no children, my wife is neuer quiet, she is a shrew; I will see if I can hauehave children with another, and hauehave quietnesse abroad. Bid battell then to reason, if you will fight against sinne, for iudgemēt being conuinced, we may the better encombate with affection. Let vsus then take heede to those conceits, which are not yet in the bowels of the braine; for then the diuell is brought to infect reason, and so draweth neere to corrupt affection. All idle thoughts & discourses comming but to the mind, must make vsus afraide, least we become corrupted. And let vsus remember, that wee must louelove theThe first motions vntounto sin must be crucified. Iam. 1. 13. Lord, with al our hearts & mindes, & that he taketh vp to his glory al our cogitatiōs. And therfore though we yeeld not to lust in affection, we must strike at cōcupisence at the first motion, because our thoughts hauehave not been wholy with the Lord: We must destroy the broode, whilest it is in hatching, and wound sinne before it hauehave receiued a perfect shape. For it is better to striue against sinne, whilest reason is on our side; than when both reason and affection are conspired against vsus. Now let vsus examine our selues, & eueryevery man search his own heart, whether we be grieued for the sudden discourses and glauncing imaginations in vsus, or rather whether they be not sweete vntounto vsus.

What is the reason why wee refuse to sinne? is it not because wee thinke thus with our selues; What shall I doe this thing? Shall I commit this fact? It is a beastly thing; it is a dangerous attempt. For there are some which will mislike to hauehave themselues misled with the temptations of murder, of stealing, or adulterie, and yet will let passe quietly in them rouing imaginations, and idle cogitations. We see in many after their fall repentance commeth:Rouing imaginations dā gerous. for if in iudgement we could before sinne preuailed, discerne the corruption of reason deceiuing and leading captiue our affections, as wee doe after wee hauehave sinned, wee should not so soone be deluded. For we see it commonly commeth to passe, that we repent vsus, and mislike our selues for some foregoing euil: we say, Oh what a foole was I, that could not consider of this? where was my wit? how was I besotted? Conuince a naturall man ofWhy so few heretikes are conuerted. his reason, and he wil be ashamed of his purpose, but so long as he hath reason on his side, hee will not yeeld an inch. Why commeth it to passe, that there are almost no Heretikes conuerted, and so many profane professours conuerted? but because the sinne of these men is the sinne of affection; the sinne of the other is the sinne of reason and iudgement. Peter of whom we reade in the Gospell, did not so much sinne of affection, as in reason▪ For being put in minde of Christ his afflictions, how he should goe vp to Ierusalem, and suffer many things, and consulting with reason, thought it a very straunge thing, and not agreeing to equitie, that such a Prophet and mirrour of the world, and that he that had done so many good things, and had wrought so many miracles, in that country, neuer doing any harme to any man, should suffer of such men. Wherefore when as our Sauiour Christ sawe Peter giuen so much to naturall reason, in that he cried Maister saue thy selfe, hee checked him saying: Come behind mèe Sathan: thou sauorest not of things which are of God, but of fleshe and blood. VponUpon which occasion least the other Disciples also should hauehave presumed, ourHow to labor against our corrupt reasō Sauiour Christ gaue this generall doctrine, that if any would become his Disciples, they should take vp their crosse and follow him. As also that none could follow him in truth, vnlesse they denied thēselues: where in denying of our selues, he meaneth nothing else, as the occasion of his foregoing speech plainely sheweth, then the forsaking of the reason of the flesh▪ S. Iames chap. 1. teacheth vsus, that if wee will mortifie our affections, wee must first vse the meanes: secondly the steadinesse, stilnesse, and mildnesse of our minde, in that wee will not dispute with reason against any thing in our regeneration.

I see, that many that wil not deliuer themselues and their reasons to be captiuated vntounto the truth, and refuse to beleeue the mysticall power of the Gospel, are in time carried away by foule and effectuall illusions. For there are many who hearing in the word of the wonderful creation, redemption, and preseruation of man, and of the matter of the Sacramēts, cannot beleeue them; yet afterwards goe to witches, and to be caught of the diuell, whichWitchcraft. they cannot, vnlesse they professe and practise an euill faith; so that they which will no: profit by the truth, will suffer themselues to be deluded.

The other kinde of euill in my diuision was of things not apparantly euill. As in times past we were carefull for nothing more, then with libertie of minde to vse the creatures ofIf outward liberty brings inward bondage, thē outward things may defile a man. Wickednesse and wantonnesse. God: so now adayes nothing is lesse to be taught, because loose libertie and licentiousnes serue so for the flesh, and we do not by our libertie, serue one another in louelove. We can say, outward things are lawful, eueryevery man obiecteth outward things cannot desile a man. I answere, that when outward liberty bringeth inward bondage, and the pretence of outward things lawfull hinder the necessary inward things, they be made vnlawfull. All things are vnlawfull saith Paul, but I will not be brought vnderunder the bondage of any thing. Well howsoeuer wee pretend this lawfull vse of outward things, which in their owne natures are the good creatures, to cloake our wantonnesse withal, let vsus know that the wickednesse beginneth in wantonnesse, and wantonnesse endeth in wickednesse, because it is the way of a dangerous downfall of our soules. For either the Lord will punish it with present and temporall punishment, or else will cast vsus into some great sinnes hereafter. And though I will not affirme, that eueryevery wanton young man is a meere wicked man, yet I dare affirme that wantonnesse is the way to further euill. Besides, this am I sure of, wantonnesse maketh vsus vnapt to good workes, it takes away the comfort of Gods spirit, the ioye of the word, the sweetnesse of prayer, and of the Sacraments. Againe, as it is certaine that wantons pray not, meditate not, nor doe any good thing aright, because that sinne desireth all euill, and hindereth all good things: so if the word would teach vsus sinne, we would learne it, if it make for our good, wee cannot learne it. And that wee may see, to how many euils youth and wantonnesse be subiect, reade Galath. 6. 1. Cor. 6. Eccl. 11. Psal. 25. Iob. 14. Ierem. 21.

So now we know what is the meaning of the man of God in this word, euill way, that is, that which is occasion of euill. We can say in worldly things, because the way is dangerous through ditches, theeues, pits or such like; Oh that the same minde were in vsus to preuent the perils of our soules! Our Sauiour Christ taught vsus, that if our eye offend vsus we should pull it out: if our hand or foote offend vsus, we should cut them off; the meaning whereof is, that we should not indeed shred them off, but resraine from the corrupt vsing of them▪ and turne them to a better vse. We hauehave shewed hitherto, how carefully the man of God vsed the meanes to godlines, and also how carefull hee was to auoide all occasions of euill. Wee must not then thinke christianity to bee so small a thing, if as lingerers wee make such friuolous excuses, that it is hard to be a good man, we shall surely neuer come to so high a dignitie. We hauehave also shewed, that vnles we labour to deny our selues, we shall neuer buckle our selues after the graces of God.

Vers. 102.

I hauehave not declined from thy iudgements, for thou diddest teach me.

AS if he should say: I hauehave seene and obserued, that whosoeuer did resraine from euill, they were wiser than their enemies, they became more learned than their teachers, and proued grauer than the ancient; and that they which did not resraine were greatlyNote. punished, plagued, and trodden downe, and as thou hast punished some, so wilt thou also punish others: wherefore I hauehave not declined from thy iudgements.

Was there euer towne, people or person, which truly beleeued in Iesus Christ, in whose life and death did not appeare plentifully Gods mercy? And contrarily, how hauehave the vnbeleeuers bin giuen ouer to hardnes of heart, and a reprobate minde, many plagues, wars, and other iudgements of God to them incident? Old Protestants are now become rustie, because they made no account of Gods word in their youth. Esau lost his Birth-right for a messe of pottage; hee sought it afterwards with teares, but could not hauehave it, whose prophanesse grew by pleasures. We see many wanton men to come to fearefull ends and silthie adulteries, who beginning to condemne the word, fell to spending, from spending to rioting, from riot to adulterie, from that to theft, and from stealing to death. If we will obserue godly discipline, we must first learne Gods doctrine: if wee will learne his iudgements, we must learne his merciemercy. We attribute too much to fortune, to fatall destinies, to charmings and such like; but no man doth looke vp to the hand of God, wherein we take his name in vaine, in not vsing aright his iudgements.

Thou hast taught me, that is, thou hast besides the ministeriall preaching, giuen me an extraordinarie knowledge of thy iudgements. Many knowe much, who notwithstandingTo be taught of God. cannot profit by Gods iudgements. So that the briefe and plaine meaning of the Prophet, is thus much in effect, O Lord I hauehave not had this knowledge in and of my selfe; but I receiued it of thy Holy spirite, it was thy merciemercy and thy grace, that made mee knowe thy iudgements.

The man of God then sheweth vsus in this verse, that hee did alwayes set the iudgements of God before him: what made him then so carefull to doe them▪ the considering of them in his mind, the occupying his eies to marke them, the vsing of his eares to heare how God performed his promises to the obedient, & executed his fearefull threatnings on the wicked. A thing than which nothing is worthie of greater meditation. We heare often with our eares, but with little profit, the glorious promises and wonderfull vengeance of the Lord, what is commaunded, and what is forbidden: but when we consider, and see before our eyes, how the Lord hath performed these things, we are humbled from sinne, & comfortedThe consideratiō of Gods iudgements. to obedience. This is it that breeds triall, proofe, & experience, to see how the Lord hath in his mercy dealt with Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Ioseph, & Dauid his faithful seruants, and how he hath plagued the Egyptians, the Sodomites, the olde world, and other of his enemies. Thy iudgements of old O Lord, saith Dauid, hauehave I considered. Wee shall neuer effectually obserue the iudgements of old, vnlesse we obserue the iudgements of God of late. For they must both ioyne together, least that wee considering of them being olde, and not on new, should think they were not, or at least that we resting on the iudgements of God executed of late, not lifting vp our eyes to the iudgements of old, should ascribe them to euil fortune, chaunce and destinie.

We may then see how they which vsed the meanes of good things encreased in them, and how they that resrained not from euill, did slide backe vntounto wickednesse. Wherefore that we may throughly be perswaded of the truth of the Lord in things commanded, forbidden, threatned, promised, it is requisite to obserue the proofe of them, so oft as God giueth iust occasion thereof. For vntill wee looke on these things, and see his blessings andIudgements. his iudgements, we shall neuer hauehave a care to doe good, nor a conscience to auoid euil, and to looke into them, is to looke into the glasse of Gods word. Many deny prouidence, because they hauehave not a knowledge of the word, or else leaning to their reasō, giuegive too much to naturall causes, or lastly, because they hauehave not a daily growing in the word. For that may well be the sense of this place, Thou dost make me to grow in knowledge.

Here is also commended vntounto vsus the teaching of the spirit by the ministry of the word. For otherwise we may often read the Scriptures, and yet be ignorant in Gods iudgements, in not ascribing eueryevery iudgement to his peculiar office. For when we heare of an heretike, wee say, what is he an heretike? I maruell hee is become such a one, I knew him an honest man, I neuer knew any euil by him: yet the word of God telleth vsus, that some mens sinnes goe before to iudgement, and some mens come after, and that it is come to him, either for want of good workes, or for some secret sinne.

It followeth. Vers. 103.

How sweete are thy promises vntounto my mouth! yea, sweeter than …ny vntounto my mouth.

VVEe hauehave heard in the ninth portion, that vntill wee put our whole folicitie in theWhole folicitie in the word. word, wee shall not profit. That which here is called promises, I take rather for iudgements, partly because in the proper tongue the word is left out, and partly because he had vsed this word, iudgements in the verse immediately going before. But so me will say, how can the iudgements of God hee sweete, which are so troublesome, fearefull and grieuous? I answere, that the godly hauehave no greater ioy, than whē they feele either the mercies of God accomplished towards them, that feare him, or his iudgements shewed vponupon the reprobates.

VntoUnto my mouth. That is, I take as greate pleasure in talking, conferring, and perswading thy iudgements, as my mouth, or the mouth of any that loueth honie, is delighted therewith. So he saith, portiō 2. vers▪ 6. I hauehave had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies, as in … manner of riches. The meaning then of the verse is, when I feele, O Lord, such effects of thy promises in my selfe, and in others that feare thee, and such fruites of thy vengeance on them that despise thee, I finde great comfort in thy word. The Prophet Dauid found this sweetnes by experience in himselfe, and therefore spake by proofe. Why doe not we feele the like comfort? because we vse not the same meanes, we finde not the like effects. For ifMeanes to he carefully vsed. we could see our enemies put to the wall by the word, then should our knowledge exceede the knowledge of others: if we felt the allurements of the world, the inticements of the flesh, and the motions of the diuell bitter vntounto vsus; then should wee taste this sweetnesse. Wherefore before wee make conscience to vse the meanes of good, and to auoide the occasions of euill, we cannot profit. Thus we hauehave shewed how the iudgements of God may be sweete, that is, vntounto them, that reioyce either to see the promises of God performed to the penitent, or his wrath fulfilled in the impenitent. This delight made the Prophet out of the abundance of his heart to speake ioyfully of them, portion 2. 6. With my lips hauehave I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth: And because they testifie no small louelove to a thing, which for affection to it will rise at midnight, he addeth portion, 8. 6. At midnight will I rise to giuegive thankes vntounto thee, because of thy righteous iudgements. This is then a true note, that aA good note of our louelove to the word. man hath delight in Gods word, if from the abundance of his heart, his mouth can speake of it, and when the word of God dwelleth so plentifully in him, that hee can speake it in wisedome. Againe, if we hauehave such an earnest and naturall delight being wearie, to refresh our selues with fables; what a dulnesse is it in vsus, that wee cannot finde as great comfort in the word of God? Wherefore we are to examine our owne hearts, that how so euer we hauehave bin delighted before to heare vaine and friuolous tales; so from henceforth we may please our selues in true histories in the word. For though other may be corrupt with flatterings yet these histories are true, & free from all assentation, because they register as well the sins of the Kings and their kindreds, as their vertues. Neither can wee euer sound the Prophet, vntil from the experience of our own selues, we can proclaime forth the examples both of Gods promises, and of his iudgements. We shewed that the cause why wee felt not such profit, as the man of God did in the word, was, because wee vsed not the like paines; wee vse fewer meanes, therefore our louelove is the lesse to the truth; wee auoide not so many occasions of euill, therefore we sinne the more. If we then would be more diligent in conference, more feruent in prayer, more giuen to meditation, wee should profit more; if wee would refraine from euill, and abstaine from occasions of it, wee should both bee great in good things, and auoide many afflictions.

The cause then why we either speake not of Gods iudgements at all, or speaking, speake so coldly, is because we are so dead in vsing the meanes of good, and so dull in auoyding the occasions of euill. The Prophet, port 7. 4. saith, I hauehave remembred thy iudgements of olde, and hauehave beene comforted. Where we are to note, that wee are not at vtter defiance of sinne,Note. and in full league with goodnes, vntill we hauehave found comfort, when either the Lord shewed mercy vponupon his, or vengeance on the wicked. And then Gods iudgements will bee sweete vntounto vsus, when remembring that no sinne shall be vnpunished, we abstaine from sin, …nd seeing that no good thing shall be vnrewarded, we are moued to goodnesse. For what can strengthen a man more, than to consider this, that God will punish sinne one day, and that in time he will fulfill his promises to his childrē, which walke in truth before him, although in great weakenesse? We hauehave also taught, that we must vse such a moderation of our affections, as we may stay our selues in meditation, and that this depriueth vsus of much profit herein, in that we doe not appoint some certaine time for meditation, moderating other things of our ordinary callings, & making a conscience sometimes to refraine from our common speeches So our vnderstanding, our iudgement, our will to practise will beTo redeeme the time f…r good meditations. bettered. If then at our tables, in our beds, at our worke, we would redeeme some time to reade, to pray, or to conferre, wee should finde wonderfull profit, and walking in earthly things, we should hauehave heauenly mindes.

Vers. 104.

By thy precepts I hauehave gotten vnderstanding: therefore I hate all the wayes of falsehood.

AS in the beginning of this part, the Prophet of God protesteth his louelove to the word; so now in the end he sheweth his hatred to the contrarie. This then as we hauehave partly set down before, & more largely by Gods grace shall shew hereafter, is a true token of louelove to the word, whē we either hate falsehood in religion, or corruptiō in manners. We are thenOf our louelove to the word, the true marke. to looke into our hearts to see, if we hate Poperie and heresie, if there bee in vsus an hatred against blaspheming of the name of God, against adulterie, false dealing, and such like. For we cannot louelove the true worship, but we must hate heresie; we cānot louelove Gods name, and yet not hate the abusers of it; wee cannot louelove chastitie and true dealing, but we must hate adulterie, and vnrighteousnesse. But if wee feele our selues to be indifferent persons, and come what come may, we care not greatly, vndoubtedly wee are of no religion. For if thou doest not hate an Atheist, thou louest not God; if thou hatest not heresie, thou doestTo hate sin. not louelove Gods law; if thou hatest not adulterie, thou art not truly chast; if thou hatest not false dealing, thou art vnrighteous. We see heretiks neuer hate one another, because none of them louelove the trueth: for the Papists can be content with the Familie of louelove, and the Family of louelove with them. Wherfore we see, that many doe falsely pretend religion, chastity, and true dealing.

Note here in that he saith, I hauehave gotten vnderstanding by thy word: as though his vnderstandingHeresie. was the cause of his zealous hatred of the false worship. What is the cause then that men doe not hate euill in greater measure? because they bee ignorant and knowe nothing. Indeede noueltie displeaseth them a little, but when they be somewhat acquainted with that which is taught them, they will like it well enough. Why doe we hand ouer head take any religion? euen because we hauehave not gotten vnderstanding. Why doth heresie get such easie entertainment with many of vsus? because we are vnconstant and borne away with eueryevery blast, as witnesse Peter and Iude, and because wee are not fast rooted in knowledge, as is mentioned Ephes. 4. Many in our countrie are stiffe in heresie, because they were neuer sound in iudgement, they were euer inconstant, they were neuer rooted in Iesus Christ, and therefore were carried away with eueryevery puffe of vaine doctrine. Some indeede (as we hauehave said before) fall for lacke of good conscience: but some neuer come so farre, because they heard not, or else heard very negligently: and therefore whosoeuer shall now come, and blow an illusion in their eare▪ he shall be heard. How shall we know an enemie? he commeth vnderunder the cloake of louelove, and is couered with the vizard of honestie, but his vnderstanding faileth, his iudgement is corrupt.

In that it is here saide, all the wayes of falsehood, we must note, that we are to growe from knowledge to knowledge, from faith to faith, from glorie to glorie, that growing in godly vnderstanding, we may grow also in hatred of falsehood. This verse may seeme to hauehave some contrarietie with the verse a little going before, where he saith, I hauehave abstained from euerie euill, that I might keepe thy law: but indeede there is none; because no true mortification, both here and in that place, is required an hatred auoyding of euill. Wee must knowe Note.that the way to make good things fr…te, is the way to feele euill thing sowre: As when thou art grieued to feele thine eye an occasion of euill, or euill thoughts to bee in thine heart with bitternes and vexation of spirit, thou must striue against them, and God will giuegive thee strength to striue not onelyonly without constraint, but also of a louelove of good, and a hatred of euill. The first way then vntounto righteousnes, is wear som…es of sinne, and to striue against it though with great trouble, because the more we vexe, torment, and disquiet our selues, the more we shall come to the louelove of good, and then the hatred of sinne will growe of it selfe. If then a man cannot finde this hatred of sinne in him, hee must labour to auoide all occasions that hinder his vnderstanding of the truth, as distractions & troubles of minde, and vse all meanes to grow in knowledge, as reading, hearing, conferring, and such like. For our not profiting in knowledge, is our not profiting in hating of heresies, and our …otWhy we doe not more dete… heresies. hating of heresie, is a token of our not profiting in knowledge▪ When we heare then, if our hearing doe not worke in vsus a louelove of the truth, and hatred of the contrarie, wee hauehave not profited in knowledge: but if we grow in knowledge, we shall knowe it by profiting in the louelove of the truth, and in the hatred of falsehood. Wee hauehave shewed, how in the former portion, the man of God testifying his affection to Gods law, and concluding with his hatred to the contrarie, intermi…gieth his reasons, that because he found by experience, that the word of God made him wiser then his enemies, than his teachers, and the aged, and did preserue him from eueryevery euill way: therefore he found such comfort in it, that no naturall thing was so liking to his outward man, as this was to his inward man.

Works, Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 13

p. 453PORTION. 13. MEM.

PORTION. 13. MEM.