Works, Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 15
PORTION. 15. AYN.
Vers. 1…1.
I hauehave executed iudgement and iustice: leaue me not to mine oppressors.
THe Prophet goeth on, praying for the increase and continuance of Gods fauour, vsing two arguments: the first, by shewing his afflictions, which hee suffered: the seconde, by declaring his affection to the word; whereunto is added a reason drawne from the nature of GOD, that it is his time to helpe in affliction. His generall desire then is, to hauehave a further louelove of Gods word, to this end hee sheweth his miseries and afflictions, and with what affection hee longed for helpe, trusting that God would now come to doe right. His prayer is, that the Lord would not suffer him to bee ouercome with ouer-much afflictions, but that as it is Psal. 125. 3. that the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous, least the righteous put their hands vntounto wickednesse, andThey may looke to be protected that hauehave a good cause, and de ohandle that cause well. that the hands of the oppressors should not preuaile. God then giueth vsus this libertie, that wee may pray against our and his enemies, but wee must withall consider these two reasons.
I hauehave executed, As if the Prophet said, Thou hast promised to helpe all them, that hold causes and maintaine them well through thy grace; I hauehave vsed a good cause well; performe therefore, oh Lord, thy promise in me. So the Prophet prayeth, Psal. 41. Heare me when I call, O God of my righteousnesse, &c. where hee sheweth, that as God doth promise to helpe in afflictions, so he requireth of our parts, that wee should suffer as weldoers, and as doing well in a good cause, as if hee had expressed his minde in these words: O God, the cause which I maintaine is iust, and I hauehave maintained it well, let them fall then that hauehave an ill cause against me, who hauing so righteous a cause.
As we hauehave to learne, that we shall not be without oppressors, if we doe well: so must we learne how to behaue our selues therein. It seemeth monstrous to some, that we should by weldoing purchase such enemies, as if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong, and take it patiently▪ this is acceptable to God: 1. Pet. 3. 13. Who is it that will harme you, if you follow that which is good? Yet it is a thing in the secret iudgement of God, either to the triall of the faith of his children, or the fulfilling of the sins of the wicked. Who would thinke a man should hauehave enemies, but by desert. True it is, if the world were aright: but because wee liue in such a world, wherein Christ himselfe executing iudgemēt and righteousnes did suffer, because it hated him, much more must we looke for it, as Christ himselfe hath also fore warned, because the seruant must not be aboue his maister; and because we labour and cease not to hinder the kingdome of Sathan, hee enarmeth the world with hatred against vsus also. We must not think that we can be here quiet. For although we be sometimes troubled because we hauehave not done somewhat, which we ought: yet often we must be oppressed as righteous doers, although not so, as our enemies finally shall preuaile against vsus.
We see the Prophet desireth God to be the patrone of a righteous cause, and of a righteous cause rightly handled; we must then, if we will assure our selues of Gods protection, first consider if our cause be iust, and hauing such a cause, whether we hauehave rightly dealt in it. Let vsus therefore when we are oppressed, search our cause; if we feele that our conscience be guiltie, then no maruell though wee suffer, because the Lord correcteth either our euill cause, or our ill handling of a good cause. Wee must see that in the equitie of our request, our cause be iust and true, and being good, that our dealing therein bee also iust and right. Let vsus see this now in particulars.
Our Sauiour Christ saith, he came to put dissension betweene the father and the sonne, the mother and the daughter, and that the father in law should bee against his son in law, and the sonne in law against his father in law. True it is, if it be for the Gospels sake, and we withall hauehave done our duties and obedience, which nature & our callings require, that we be hated; yet must we not be dismaied, although we hauehave the enemies of our own familie, of them which by nature are ioyned to vsus, we are not to be discouraged, if it be righteousnes, which we must maintaine, and vnrighteousnes which they maintaine: if thē our cause being good: we vse all obedience, louelove, and dutie, and yet be grieued, we must recouer our selues with that which Christ hath said: but if our cause bee ill, or being right, wee shewed not our selues humble and dutifull in the defence of it; then we hauehave deserued iustly to be euill entreated of them. If wee shall obserue this to happen either among Magistrates to their subiects, or Landlords to their tenants, or any other gouernours to their inferiours, when they shall deale ill with vsus in debts, fines, and exactions, we must consider, that if we hauehave done righteously, we hauehave the libertie to comfort our soules in prayer: Lord, I hauehave done the part of a faithfull subiect, or the dutie of a good tenant; Lord, helpe me against this man, which oppresseth me wrongfully. But if we hauehave discouraged their hearts either simply by ill doing▪ or in a good thing by ill dealing, we must know, that the Lord by them doth take some good thing from vsus, who from them did take some good duties. We must see then whether we hauehave done our duties in louelove or not, this will keepe vsus from fuming, and will make vsus rest in prayer.
The ignorance of this doctrine maketh vsus fret and fume, who neuer consider whether our cause be good, or whether in a good cause wee hauehave vsed good dealing or no. If Gods children looke thus into their consciences, it will humble them: as surely I did not well to him, God suffereth him to doe the like to me againe, and meateth out vntounto mee the like measure with mine owne meat-yeard. Where wee must learne that Gods children neuer deale so earnestly with their enemies, as with their God. And as this holdeth in superiours so must wee marke this doctrine in all troubles with our inferiours or equals. Now if our seruants or our children doe not deale dutifully with vsus, we must enter into our selues on this sort: Lord, I hauehave brought vp these sonnes or seruants in thy nurture and feare, I hauehave instructed them, and prayed for them, I hauehave vsed all meanes wherby I might bring them to good: yet for all this, they deale ill with me, and in this case wee must knowe that God wil heare our prayers. But if we hauehave not done our parts in cloathing, feeding, or teaching them, or in praying for them, it is the iudgement of God, in that we hauehave not done the dutie of godly parents, & Christian householders in making them the children of God, and seruants of the Lord: neither can we say, Lord release me in this case. Wherefore Iob said, chap. 31. 13. that if hee did contemne the iudgement of his seruant, or of his maide, when they did thinke them selues euill entreated by him, What shall I doe when God standeth vp? and when he shall visite me, what shall I answere? He that made me in the wombe, hath he not made him, hath he not alone fashioned vsus in the wombe?
Vers. 122.
Answere for thy seruant in that which is good, and let not the proude oppresse mee.
ANswere: that is, be suretie for me. So, though his cause was good, yet he thought himselfe not so wise as to answere his enemies, nor so strong as to preuaile against them in that which is good: hee knewe that God would not take his part in any euill cause, which must make vsus, if wee looke for God to be our helpe, to prouide that our cause bee good. His minde then is: if my cause Lord were euill, I durst not craue thy helpe, but it is good: therefore speake for me. We therefore, if our cause be ill, are rather to craue of God, to hauehave our sinne pardoned, because the righteous God is not a defender of an vnrighteous cause. Againe, though our cause be good, wee must not therefore thinke that wee our selues can answere it, because the man of God saith, portion 20. 2. Pleade my cause and deliuer me: that is, Lord put an answere into my mouth, take my cause into thine owne hand, mine enemies are too wise and strong for me.
Thus the Saints of God hauing good causes, would not trust in them. What is then the cause why oftentimes in good causes wee preuaile no more? euen because wee would shoulder them out with our own strength, & say not, Lord put wisedome into my mouth, Lord put a weapon into my hand. Then our good causes must neuer be seuered from our God, for otherwise wee shall neuer hauehave good issue of them. So we must beware, that wee make not God a reuenger of our affections, but pray that wee may bee harnessed with a righteous cause, and with a right handling of it from God.
True it is then, that in trouble we may pray not to be ouercome, yet wee see the man of God confessed, how hee behaued himselfe well in affliction, and as by the fire the gold is both tried good, and purged from the drosse; so the Lord prooued in him the gold of his graces, and scoured him from corrupt affections; he scoured him from the louelove of this world, to stirre vp in him the louelove of the world to come; he scoured him from the workes of the flesh, and quickened in him the workes of the Spirit; he stirred vp his gifts to serue Gods glorie, and scoured him from the louelove of himselfe. So by his fatherly chastisements, the Lord quickeneth vsus in good things, and deliuereth vsus from euil. So we hauehave heard also how in our defence we must pray for Gods graces, because for want of wisedome and patience we cannot answere our owne cause. For as in our suites at law, we get pleaders and Proctors to speake for vsus; so we must know that in the court of heauen, we cannot pleade for our selues, but must open our suites to Christ, which must pleade it for vsus. Now in that he saith, Let not the proud oppresse me: he noteth that they were such as did flatter themselues for graces receiued, as though they should bee controllers vntounto him. No maruell then, though we reproch men, when we reproch Gods merciemercy & maiestie. We may learne here, that wee can neuer deale mercifully with men, which will not deale mercifully with our selues. For our sinnes must humble vsus before God, before wee will be humbled with man, otherwise we shall grow so proude, that we shall not be farre from oppression.
Vers. 123.
Mine eyes hauehave failed in waiting for thy saluation, and for thy iust promise.
HEre is a further thing that the man of God requireth, not looking to be helped at thePerseuerance. first brunt, but neuer to leaue off his suite vntounto the very failing of his eyes, according to that of the Apostle, 1. Pet. 3. 10. If any man long after life, &c. 11. Let him eschew euill and do good, let him seeke peace, and follow after it. So this man of God had long endured trouble, which many will be content happilie to sustaine for a while: but if it be any thing long, they fall from iudgement and iustice. Wee must not thinke then to deale ill with them, that deale ill with vsus: neither must we deale well but for a time, because wee must perseuere. For when we slip too much, we neuer shewe, that we did truly execute iudgement and iustice.
If the man of God here so resisted the diuell and wicked men, which are as the instruments of Sathan, breathing for our destruction; we must also fight against them after his example, although his soule fainted, his eyes failed, his flesh parched, his naturall powers melted. This we may also see, how the Saints of God mourned in their prayer. Away then with this common saying, which proceedes from inconstancie: I hauehave borne iniuries long, I hauehave taken much at his hand, and put vp many wrongs, should I suffer him still to abuse mee, and let my selfe be vndone? Surely euen to the failing of our eyes the Prophet sheweth vsus, wee must maintaine a good cause, and seeing the Lord hath the issues of all things in his hand, and helpeth desperate cases, he will vndoubtedly helpe vsus, if we leaue not our case. Then we see, though he had deuoured many euils, yet he executed iudgement and iustice: so we must swallow vp many iniuries, and yet neither depart from the Lord, nor cease from our cause.
And though we would crie in our prayers, to be heard to the clowdes, and send foorthPrayer. lowde shrikes, though wee would roare as a cannon gunne, yet what is it that seasoneth our prayers; euen the mourning of our hearts, the failing of our eyes, and when we pray with vnspeakeable sighes, which cannot be expressed. For they be not lowde, eloquent, and well set prayers, which are acceptable to the Lord, but our staying our selues on the Lord, and our continuing in well doing, and our maintaining of a good cause to the vtmost; so that a man might sooner pull the eyes out of our heads, and the heart out of ourConstancie in a good cause. bodies, and bereaue vsus of our liues, than make vsus leaue righteousnes; and though troubles shall come, we will still follow our cause to the failing of our eyes, fainting of our hearts, and melting of our powers.
Herein then appeared the true vertue of the faith of this man of God; because, whilest no wickednesse is offered, many will doe well; but after often triall with iniuries, they execute neither iudgement nor iustice; so that where this faith wanteth, there is no true louelove of iudgement and iustice: besides heere we are to marke, that that is a true prayer, which commeth from the true feeling, and deepe sense of his heart; and without this, well set, long, and lowd prayers preuaile not. For such prayers crie lowd in the Lords eares, which make a noise with the feeling of our wants, and when, though they continue to the failingFeeling of wants. of our eyes, yet we mistrust not God. For many either pray coldly, or praying zealously, they become so dull, that they cease to put their trust in the Lord. So that the corruption of our nature, is either not to feele our wants, or if we feele them, to dispaire.
For thy iust promise: Heere we see how the Prophet prayeth, not according to his owne fantasie, but according to the will of God reuealed in his word. When we desire any thing of God, we must doe it according to his promise. For when we pray not according to the promise of the Lord, we waite vponupon our owne fantasies, and seeke after our owne imaginations. Many breake in their prayers into headie and rash conceits, who hauehave not in the meane time the word in their hearts; but they obtaine nothing: neither shall we obtaine, if we be like affected vntounto them. Ye know, saith S. Iohn, ye shall obtaine, if ye aske according to the will of God.
And whereas he saith, I waited for thy iust promise, he sheweth that the Lord is no more liberall in promising, than faithful in performing: for if we waite for his promise, surely he will performe it. EueryEvery man will peraduenture confesse this to be a truth at the first, but the selfe same thing being in this Psalme so often repeated, bewrateth our incredulitie and hardnesse of beleefe of it. We can alledge indeed generally, that Gods promises be true, but we will falle in the particular applying of them to our selues, in saying, They are true vntounto me, I hauehave felt the truth of them by experience in my selfe.
The Prophet vseth oft to giuegive this Epithite to Gods word, as vers. 106. I will keepe thy righteous iudgements. 137. Righteous art thou ô Lord, and iust are thy iudgements. 144. The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting. Why would the spirit of God repeate this oneHard to belieue the word. word so often, but because it is a singular worke of faith to beleeue the word, and a thing much incident to our nature, not to beleeue. Wherefore Paul vseth often this Preface as a prerogatiue: This is a true saying, and of all men worthie to be receiued, or this is a faithfull saying. So that the holie Ghost prepareth such words to purchase credit to the word of God, because flesh and blood is so readie to mistrust, and Sathan so subtil to discredit the truth. This may happily soone seeme true: but put case a man being troubled had prayed, til his eyes failed, his heart fainted, and his flesh were parched, and still trusteth to Gods promises; this man indeed hath a true faith. This then commendeth the Prophet, that when he was at the last cast, he continued in his strength. His sense and meaning is this, although I be not as yet helped, yet I shall be in Gods good time; which thing if we also could truly say, we should neuer be ouercome of temptation.
Vers. 124.
Deale with thy seruant according to thy merciemercy, and teach me thy statutes.
HEre the Prophet is desirous to be further taught in the word. Here we see the man of God complaineth not of the word, though as yet the promise was not performed, but of his owne faith. Here is then a difference betweene the faith of the godly, & theThe triall of our faith, when God delaies to perform his promises. presumptiō of the vngodly, that, when the Lord suspendeth his truth for a while, the godly suspect not the truth of the word, but the vnbeleefe of themselues, and pray against the same. If then when Gods promises are suspended, we be through Sathans policie and our frailtie tempted to mistrust, we can say, Thy word ô Lord doth not faile; but wee are dull in faith, we are wauering, we are full of vnbeleefe, good Lord, increase our faith, take from vsus these mists and cloudes of mistrust, by shining vponupon vsus with the bright beames of thy spirit, and though Sathan would weaken our hope to discredit thy truth, yet strengthen vsus: and though we hauehave failed in many particular points of thy commandements, yet we beseech thee to forgiue the secret errors of our life: wee hauehave beleeued thy word, but if wee failed in faith, then reueale thy couenants vntounto vsus, that we may recouer.
Two things, as we hauehave often heard, sustaine Gods children in trouble, the one is the testimonieTwo things sustaine vsus in troubles. of a good conscience; the other is faith in Gods promises, both which are heere set downe in the verses going before; for in that he executed iudgement and iustice, he had the testimonie of a good conscience; in that his eyes failed by waiting on the promises of God, his faith most plainely appeareth. This faith breedeth a good conscience, and this good conscience doth nourish faith. For whosoeuer will execute iudgement and iustice, must belieue the promises of God, & that the couenant of Christ is a sure couenant ratified in their hearts, which when they feele, they are vrged by louelove to keep a good conscience. For the place to lay vp the treasure of faith in is a good conscience. Here then the man of God prayeth for both these things, and if we will seeke still after knowledge without feeling, we will iudge this prayer to be barren: but if we will looke into our owne incredulitie, and enter with a single eye into our owne hearts (for such Christians are we, as we then shall be found to be) and shall enter into the particular troubles of bodie and soule, wee shall finde our masse of vnbeleefe, and we shall see, that we may labour often in the meditation of this Psalme, and finde sufficient matter all our life long.
For the man of God said before, I hauehave executed iudgement and iustice; and yet heere he saith, teach me iudgement and iustice: hee meant not, that he had iudgement and iustice fully, perfitly, and absolutely, but that it was according to the grace which hee had receiued, yet he thought not himselfe therefore iustified, though he was not conscious in himselfe.
His meaning then is: Lord thou searchest the heart, corrupt is my hart, and blind is my minde; if I hauehave fallen, Lord grant me to recouer my selfe; if I faile in vnbeliefe, Lord increase my faith, that I may daily grow in executing iudgement and iustice▪ So farre off was he from being weary in vpright dealing, that he praied still for the continuance of it.
Then if we be not wearie in our calling, and could come to say with this man of God, and with the Apostle Paul, that we are not conscious in our selues, yet we must further proceede and say, that we are not hereby iustified; because the largenes of the lawe cannot be concluded in the narrow compasse of our braine, we must pray for the increase both of our knowledge and faith.
According to thy merciemercy. Hee saith not giuegive iudgement, because I hauehave done well, but deale with thy seruant according to thy merciemercy. He doth not meane here as the Papists, he assureth himselfe of nothing of desert, but though he shewed mercy vntounto others, yet with God he sueth for merciemercy, and not for merite. If then hee had failed in nothing, hee would notMerite. hauehave pleaded so for merciemercy, as Paul reasoneth in the fourth to the Romanes, vers 4. To him that worketh, the wages is not counted by fauour, but by debt. And here we see that hee doth not glorie, that his executing of iudgement and iustice was his owne worke, but acknowledgeth it to be the gift of God, and bringing nothing of his owne, he craueth pardon. It is an hard matter, when we hauehave thus done, not to hauehave our patience broken, and to doe the things which we hauehave done before. For, for this cause, in that the wicked loaded him with such euils, and they oppressed, and set themselues both against his cause, and his person, and his corruption was great, he praied for perseuerance.
And teach me thy statutes. That is, if thou wilt shew this fauour vponupon thy seruant, so it is; if not, in the meane time, Lord teach me the true vnderstanding of thy word. We craue often Gods mercy and helpe, but we thinke not, that his merciemercy of all other were the greatest, as the Prophet saith, I desire thy fauour; but this is my greatest desire, euen to be instructed further in thy word. Let vsus then looke on this man, who being in trouble, desireth nothing more than the word, and wisheth not so much the ease of the flesh, as hee desired to be deliuered from vnbeleefe. We must therefore aboue all pray for this. As in the greatest haruest we lose none occasion, but if we want oportunitie we craue it by prayer, and striue the more by labour to recompence the losse of time passed; then in our spirituall haruest, which so farre passeth the other, as the soule the bodie, how much need hauehave we to see, whether we hauehave this carking care to pretermit none occasion of Gods word, and to recompence that at one time, which we lose at another. And though he saith, Deale with thy seruant; he doth not here boast of his seruice, but pleadeth for merciemercy. If a NoblemanSimile. should take vsus as vagabonds and rogues, or should rescue vsus out of prison, when wee had any suite, we would craue merciemercy and fauour, and not speake of our seruice, here is no presumption: so likewise, we being taken as stray sheepe, and rescued from the prison of hell, if we crie, Lord deale with thy seruant according to thy merciemercy, we doe shewe no presumption, but plead for merciemercy, and say, Seeing thou hast vouchsafed Lord to take me to thy seruice, consider with what enemies I hauehave bene oppressed, though I am not in all things a skilfull seruant, yet I am faithfull to thee in affection, Lord therefore helpe me. The Papists then are destitute of Gods Spirite, they see not this metaphor, that it is of such seruants, who when they hauehave done all things they can, yet thinke themselues vnprofitable seruants. His meaning then is: O Lord defend me from mine enemies, for my cause is in thy seruice.
Verse 125
I am thy seruant: grant me therefore vnderstanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
WE see the Prophet of God neuer calleth into question the promises of GOD, although they were long suspended, but rather his owne incredulitie and vnbeleefe, because he either did not so execute iustice & iudgement, as he ought to hauehave done; or else beleeued not so throughly the couenants of God, and therefore desireth hee to be taught in the statutes of the Lord, that he may further beleeue his couenants. For albeit he had executed iudgement and iustice, yet hee was oppressed; though hee waited on Gods promises, yet they were not fulfilled: therefore he might hauehave shrinked, had not the Lord taught him his statutes to strengthen his obedience, and exercised him in his couenants to confirme his faith.
His prayer is the selfesame, which in effect Christ taught his Disciples, commaunding them to pray, Lord increase our faith; that is, Lord increase our faith in the assurance of our iustification, according to thy statutes, in the feeling of our sanctification: according to thy couenants. So we see now, that as the man of God praied before, for a further vnderstanding of the statutes of the Lord, so heere he praieth for a further vnderstanding of his testimonies. The Saints of God did neuer so brag of their gifts of knowledge and faith, but thatThe Saints euer bewaile the remnants of ignorance and incredulitie. Perseuerance they still acknowledged and lamented in themselues the remnants of ignorance and incredulitie, and desired the remedie of them by praier.
This ought to be for our instruction, that though we be not conscious in our selues of any grosse disobedience, or palpable vnbeleefe; yet we must pray for a further sight of the law, & finding our vnbeleefe, we must craue of God that we may be more staied in his promises. Perseuerance is an excellent thing, especially when Gods promises are delaied, and we in greatest danger, then is the sure triall both of our knowledge and faith. We are also taught here, that whatsoeuer good things we hauehave, we hauehave them not, as to locke them vp in our possession, but seeing wee may shrinke away and make shipwracke both of faith and a good conscience, we must pray to hauehave a greater knowledge of the statutes of the Lord, and a greater faith in his promises. And here is to be noted, how the Prophet desiring a greater knowledge of Gods testimonies: he doth not so much desire any corporall reliefe against his enemies, as spirituall resistance against his vnbeliefe, teaching vsus, that in perill we should especially craue the true vnderstanding of Gods will, that hauing gotten that, we may hauehave all other things, as it shall please the Lord. Here we see a great differenceDifference betweene the faith of Gods children, and presumption of the wicked betwixt the faith of Gods children, and the presumption of the wicked: flesh and blood after long triall either cast off all weldoing, and perseuering in obedience, or else labour to weaken our faith; but in God his children it must not so preuaile, either to the staying of their obedience, or hindring of their faith. For flesh and blood in all troubles seeke to be released from them, but Gods children are taught to possesse their soules in patiēce, and aboue all, craue that faith, which pleaseth God, and that obedience, which is most acceptable vntounto him.
This then is a token of a reuerent faith in the testimonies of our God, when we call into question rather our obedience and faith, than Gods promises and statutes, and when our consciences tell vsus, that we doe not so much desire to be rid from our troubles, as that the rod of the wicked may not light vponupon vsus, either in rebelling against Gods lawe, or in mistrusting his couenants. For as we hauehave said, flesh and blood would rather be exempted from outward miseries, than to feele the comfort of Gods promises. But we must hauehave a iealousie of our selues, and suspect our want of care herein, as they do, who neuer can content themselues in carking and caring, when they are to bring in the fruites of the wholeDecaies of faith, must make vsus repeat our petitions often. A godly iealousie ouer our selues, a thing most necessarie. Hic & deinceps. yeare in their haruest.
Many would thinke, that this praier of the man of God is superfluous, but if they truly knew their owne decaies of faith, and shrinking in obedience, they would not suspect this Psalme of any needlesse repetition, but would acknowledge, that it is the wonderfull wisedome and goodnesse of Gods Spirit, so to prouide for our vnbeleefe and disobedience. And as the holy ghost doth here set down the glasse of regeneration, and teacheth vsus how to pray for the continuance of our obedience, and strength of faith: so we must so behold our corruptions therein, as from henceforth we may hauehave a greater iealousie of our selues in them both.
We learned in these two prayers, how contrary to the doctrine of the Sophisters, hee craued knowledge not of desert or merite, but of grace and merciemercy. Where we are to remember, that when we are to craue of God any new merciemercy to be receiued, or perseuerance in some mercy alreadie receiued, we must say with the man of God, Deale with thy seruant according vntounto thy merciemercy.
Now in that he doubled (as we may see) his request, he sheweth the great necessitie of it, and that the mysterie of faith is great. This is a thing that much deceiueth many, when we thinke that we hauehave eyes, and can see into matters as farre as other men; we hauehave eares, and can heare as much as another man can doe; we hauehave as good wits and reason; we can conceiue and iudge of a thing as soone and as well as other men commonly doe; Here is a great iudgement of God, that we cannot acknowledge our dulnes and deadnes, and that we cannot attaine vntounto the mightie power of the word as we ought to doe; for wan… of this we become so fruitlesse in reading, and in hearing, because we cannot truly vnderstand what we reade or heare; we gather one thing here, and another thing there; we gather many things falsely, and often finde fault with the deliuerie of the word, when the fault is in our selues, in that we neuer suspect our selues, our reason, nor iudgement. The children of God must be iealous ouer their owne affections, & must know that there is no such naturall thing in them, but that all is the gift of God. We are here then to learne continually to pray, that our iudgement may be enlightened with the true vnderstanding of the word, and our affections renewed into the due obedience of the same. If we should see in how many things our reason erreth, and our affections wauer in vsus, we should surely acknowledge,No superfluitie in this Psalme. that there are no superfluities in this Psalme. For vntill we be fully acquainted with the dulnesse of our hearts, we shall not see our necessitie in vsing the like prayers: but he that seeth the blindnesse of his minde, and corruptions of his heart, and desireth nothing more than to become a new man in Iesus Christ, and to learne nothing more than Iesus Christ crucified, howsoeuer others perswade themselues of more mysticall knowledge, (without this, in truth, knowing nothing) he will count all other knowledge but lothsome, and as dung, in respect of the doctrine of regeneration: whereby he is become a new man in Christ. For it is a greater blessing where this knowledge doth abound, and other gifts are in lesse measure, than where this is but small, though in many other gifts we doe abound. For eueryevery man must not be learned, eueryevery man is not to trauell in the profound mysteries of the Scriptures, but eueryevery one had neede to be humbled; and we being all destitute of grace, had neede to be taught of God as children, that being spirituall we may iudge our selues, that the Lord will not iudge vsus; and howsoeuer we thinke of our selues now, when the Lord shall take from vsus the darknesse of our hearts, and the mists of our affections, we shall espie our dulnes and blindnes to be very great.
Vers. 126.
It is time for thee Lord to worke: for they hauehave destroyed thy law.
AFter the man of God in the verses going before had praied for himselfe, now he commeth to pray against his enemies, & after he had prayed for ease of his trouble, which he had amōgst his enemies, when he himself in the meane time had deserued well of them, and had prayed that his knowledge might be ratified both in the law and Gospel of God; he now commeth, & sheweth a reason why he would the Lord should so do with him, euen because of the generall flood of iniquitie, and vniuersall corruption both in religion and maners, as knowing that it was now high time to keep, and to be taught the statutes & testimonies of the Lord, to be confirmed both in obedience & faith, because happy were they that now could beleeue the law, and keep the couenants, when on no side one might finde examples of the one or of the other. His meaning then briefly is this: O Lord, seeing there is no further place left for prayer for them, seeing I hauehave executed iudgement and iusticeCoherence to be noted. euen to the failing of mine eyes, seeing for all that I can do or say, they wax worse & worse, and whereas before they had some reuerence of thy iudgements, and now they are growne to the contempt and confounding of thy law, seeing mercy will not preuaile with them, but the longer thou bearest with them, the more they are hardned, but iudgement must be vsed, it is time O Lord, to put to thy helping hand. The man of God we see breaketh not out suddenly into this prayer, but vponupon the great neede which vrged him thereunto.
We are here to learne first, that though at all seasons it be needfull to pray, to be guidedSimile. Constancie in the faith in generall backesliding. in the true vnderstanding, and due obedience of Gods word: yet then especially, when through the generall floods of iniquitie all without yt especiall grace of God, all are like to be carried away. For as common and vniuersall floods sweepe all away before them with their swift and violent course: so in the common floods of corrupt religion and manners, eueryevery man thinkes that the best religion, which most men doe hold, and that those things are most lawfull, which are most vsuall. But this is a peculiar and speciall grace of God, to be exempted from that generall corruption, as was Enoch, who was preserued to walke before the Lord in that corrupt age; Noah reserued, when all flesh had corrupted his waies; and Lot who liued a iust man euen among the filthie Sodomites. If then we shall be preserued from corrupt religion, when religion is vsed but of custome, and not of conscience, when it is vsed coldly, and there is no heate in it; if when mens manners are generally become corrupt, so that there is no humilitie, no merciemercy, no pitie, no chastitie, no puritie, no righteousnesse, no true dealing, no care of our neighbours credit; we can walke in the louelove of God, and obedience of his will, doubtlesse this is a speciall grace of God. In this sense the Prophet prayed on this sort: Therefore hauehave I doubled my prayer, because I see so little helpe among men. I cannot see any good example to edifie me, Lord helpe me: It is time for thee O Lord to worke, for men hauehave destroyed thy law. We see then how well this dependeth on that which goeth before For in the beginning of this Portion he prayed, that he might not be oppressed of his enemies, now he prayeth that his enemies might be suppressed.
At the first sight this would seeme not to be a charitable kind of dealing, to pray against enemies, because louelove requireth that we should pray for our enemies: how then doth this agree with the rule of louelove? or shall we thinke that the man of God did any thing here againstHow to pray against enemies. the law of charitie? We hauehave shewed, that the children of God were neuer inkindled with wrath for their owne cause, but for the breach of the law of God: so this man of God had no respect of himself, but of Gods law: his cause was good, his persecutors cause was euill, he hurt them not, but laboured by all meanes to ouercome them with good, he did not for a while, but continued long in it; he was not wearie of his wel doing, but went forward, euen to the very failing of his eies, yea his eies, as he saith in the last verse of Port. 7. gush out with teares, because their sins were so great; he sought peace, & ensued it, and yet he saw no amendment, but that they were worse and worse: wherefore, seeing their sinne was past recouerie, and that there was no ordinarie help on earth, he prayeth God to deale with them from heauen. Neither doth he pray here for their confusion and vtter perdition, as some may falsely thinke, but rather sheweth, that it is now time, that the Lord should vse some chastisement, that they may know that there was a God, and that they had broken the lawes of God, that they might come to a sight and feeling of their sins, that they might be punished, if it were so the wil of God, to their conuersion, or at the least, that they mightNote. be no more a plague to the world, and a reproch to the word.
When our affections are mingled with our cause, we are to suspect our selues; but otherwise when we hauehave a good cause, and see that we hauehave perseuered in executing iudgement and iustice, and yet the iniquitie of our aduersaries laieth it selfe so open, that it groweth desperate, then we may desire the Lord to take his cause into his owne hand.
And here we are to obserue, the Prophet saith, They hauehave &c. where he noteth not any particular person, nor maketh mention of the destruction of any singular man, but vseth a generall rule; wherefore for our instruction, these rules are more diligently to be obserued. First, we are to looke that our cause be good, and our aduersaries cause be euill. Secondly,Rules for prayer against enemies. that we be not incensed with anger, because we are contemned, but because Gods word is despised, that is, that the cause why we pray against them be Gods, and not ours. Thirdly, that we keep our selues in well doing, and thereby heape coales of fire vponupon their head, that we beare them, euen to the breaking of our backes. Fourthly, then, when we1 hauehave vsed curteous admonitions, and by the ministerie of the word, or Magistracie, if the2 matter so require, and may be obtained, hauehave sought to turne them. Fiftly, when we hauehave3 prayed for their amendment, and wept for their sinnes, and yet all these things will not4 serue, we may say as in a last refuge, Lord take the rod into thine hand, spare them not; alwaies5 prouiding this, that we pray not against any particular person, but leaue them to Gods secret iudgement. Thus we see here is no breach of charitie.
But now adaies we may hereby see, men reuenge rather their owne affections, than defend Gods glorie. Wherefore when we hauehave prayed ill against them, for whom we neuerSome prayed with the zeale of the flesh. prayed for good, I say to them, tremble and feare: for this is not the zeale of Eliah; this is not the zeale of Dauid; it is a zeale of the flesh and not of the spirit, it will worke their singular woe, vnlesse they repent.
It is time. That man of God here teacheth Gods children, that when Gods law is destroyed, it is time for the Lord to wake. This eueryevery man may confesse: but blessed are they that can say in a good conscience, I hauehave liued iustly, I hauehave vsed no ill against mine enemies, I hauehave prayed for them, I hauehave deuoured many iniuries at their hands, I neuer reuenged.
Secondly, we are here to learne, that when the law of God is once brought into contempt,When men proceed to the vtter contempt of the word, God will rise against thē. whether it be in a nation, in a countrie, in a citie, or particular person, let that nation, countrie, citie, or particular person know, that the wrath of God is not farre off either to their amendment, or to their further and more speedie destruction. If we goe through the doctrine of the Prophets, we shall see this to be true As first we may see in the first, second, third, sixt, seuenth, and eight of Esay, the Prophet of God threatneth the Israelites, that because they came to worship of a custome, but lay still in their sinnes, because they were rebellious, giuen to pleasure, and contemners of the word, they should be led captiue of the Assyrians, and denounceth many plagues against them, which all came to passe in the daies of Ahaz, they were carried away captiue, and were no more a people of seuentie yeares after, as may appeare Esay 6. And although Gods children hauehave their infirmities, and euen they which are Gods children by calling, may fall into grosse sinnes: yet because there is in them no general falling from honestie, but they hauehave in them a special care and feare of Gods word, so that they louelove nothing more, they feare and tremble at nothing more than at it, though it may be in the meane time they fall into sinne, yet they will not fall from sinne to sinne; surely the Lord will in time draw them out of their sins, and spare them from the common destruction, as he did here Dauid, who though not this generall contempt of the word, yet some sinne he had. This is then in the children of God truely called, that although sometime more carnall than spirituall, and slide into many wants and infirmities, yet they fall not from one sinne to another sinne; but they tremble being rebuked by the word, they esteeme reuerently of the prayers of the faithfull, they thinke highly of the Sacraments vsed in the congregation, & are obedient to all discipline of the Church: in these there is great hope that they shall be reclaimed from sinne, and exempted from the punishment of the same. But when we ioyne sinne with sinne, and draw sinne to vsus as it were with cart-ropes, when we contemne true religion, when we pray in custome, and care not for the Sacraments, when we make no account of the discipline of the Church, then the Lord will surely punish vsus.
Let vsus now looke into particular examples: we shall see in many places of the Scriptures,Generall plagues for the contempt of the word. that the Lord rendreth this reason of his comming to vengeance, euen because his word was forlorne. As Genes. 6. where we may see that after they had begun to corrupt religion, as in the last verse of the fourth chapter of Genesis appeareth, and thereby they begun to mix themselues in corrupt marriage, and after sinne had growne to such perfection, when not a few, but almost all men; not in a few things, but in all things; not at one time, but at all times, euen then in this generall flood of iniquitie, the Lord threatned to send a generall flood of destruction. And as this is apparant in the whole world, now let vsus see it in more particular places and persons. The Lord complaineth, Genesis 18. that the sinnes of Sodome and Gomorrah cryed out to heauen for iudgement, where sinne was so high, that there was no difference betweene Magistrate and subiect, like people like priest, all were defiled, then came fire and brimstone from heauen.
To come yet to more particular iudgements, if we looke into the common-wealths of Iudah and Israel, whether when they liued vnderunder their Iudges, or vnderunder their Kings, we shall finde that before they were punished, mention is made either of their idolatrie and corrupting of religion, or of their vnthankfulnes and like corrupt manners. When the land was diuided into Iudah and Israel, we shall reade, 2. King. 17. that notwithstanding the Lord testified to Iudah and to Israel, by all the Prophets, and by all the Seers, that they should turne from their Idolatrie, & keepe his statutes, they, for the contempt of the word, were taken prisoners of the Assyrians. Likewise 2. Chron. 36. 17. we may reade, that though Israel fell, yet Iudah was not amended, and though the Lord shewed compassion vponupon it in sending his Prophets, yet Iudah contemned their admonitions, and when there could be no remedie, the wrath of the Lord waxed hot against them, and they were carried captiue to Babell: so that we see ere the Lord purposeth a generall sweeping away, he setteth not downe simple sinnes, one or two sinnes, but lincked and chained sinnes, the contempt of his religion, the mocking of his Prophets and Preachers. As this is true in the destruction of societies, so is it also true in the ouerthrow of priuate persons. And althoughContempt of the word in priuate persons. we may see out of the word seuerall denunciations of seuerall plagues to seuerall persons, yet we may learne it euen in our common prouerbe; There is no goodnes in him, he will come to naught; he is a common malefactor, he will come to some shame; he is so common and vsuall a sinner, that there will some plague light on him. The seruants of Nabal told Abigail their Mistres that he railed on them, and they added, that euill lucke would come vponupon their maister, and vponupon all his familie: for he was so wicked that a man could not speake to him, and indeed he liued not long after. So if we looke into Pharaoh, or into Saul, 1. Chron. 10. we shall see the pride of their sinnes went before the height of their punishments.
This doctrine is seene easily in other men and confessed of all, but in the meane time,Vse of the doctrine. few profit little by it in themselues. We hauehave great eyes to see other mens sinnes, but we scarse will see our owne at all. We hauehave many eyes to spie an hole in another mans coate, but we can hardly hauehave an eye to see them in our owne. We can see the moate in another mans eyes, but we leaue beames in our owne: we make mountaines of other mens faults, but we thinke our owne scarsely to be molehils. But Gods children are most studious in iudging themselues, although all the world besides lay nothing to their charge: but this thing much deceiueth vsus, we thinke we are not the worse kind of people, and thinke there are worse than we are, because as yet we are vnspied and spared. But shall we thinke that the whole world, that Sodome, Iudah and Israel, that Saul and Pharaoh were at the first at the height of their sinnes, but that rather they grew by little and little as by degrees, and after one sinne followed many sinnes, and after few sinnes a great number of sinnes, which being ioyned with the rest moued the Lord to vengeance. This then deceiueth vsus, that we compare our selues with the worst, and herein appeareth our madnes, and we shew our selues to be brainsicke, that we doe not perceiue our sinnes at the first, but by falling from one sinne to many, from small to great, at the length we become hardened. It may be thou doest not dispraise the word of God: but thou esteemest not so reuerently of it, as thou shouldest doe: thou wilt not speake ill of the Sacraments, but thou hast little care whether thou vse them or no: thou wilt not despise the Prayers of the Church, but thou makest no conscience of them: thou darest not speake against discipline, but thou doest lightly esteeme it: thou art not yet at the height of sinne, but thou canst commit one sinne after another, and yet not be grieued. But let vsus know, that they were not at the first in the highest degree of sinne, but stepped from few sinnes to make no conscience of many sinnes, and from pettie sinnes, they brast out into grosse sinnes: Wherefore Gods children iudge themselues seuerely, and secretly; they hauehave rather particular sinnes than vniuersall; they striue against their sinnes, they louelove religion, and maintaine the fauourers of it; they hope to recouer themselues by grace in Christ. But if by securitie the louelove of Gods word, the liking of prayer, the delighting in the Sacramēts, the care of discipline be stolne out of our hearts; if we can now sweare, that could sometimes not suffer an oath; if we can now be content to heare the word with sleeping, which were wont to receiue it with teares; if we can now prophane the Sabbath, which could not abide to breake it: if these degrees creepe into vsus, let vsus feare our selues, sinne will deceiue vsus, and deceiuing vsus will harden vsus; sinne will make fat our hearts that we shall not perceiue it, it wil blinde our mindes, that we cannot see it. This is then the wisedome of Gods children, not to tarrie whilest their sinnesThe wisedom of Gods children to preuent sin. be great, but to striue against the least, to esteeme of the word as of the ordinance of God to saluation, to thinke of the house of God as of their paradise or inheritance, which if we could feele, vndoubtedly the Lord would giuegive greater blessings vponupon the preachers, and greater graces to the hearers. But if we pray of custome, without a feeling of our wants, and sorrow of our sinnes, if we hauehave no louelove of the Sacraments, no care of discipline, if our hearts be hardened, all is not well either some iudgement of God is at hand, or else we are to feare to be cast into some heresie or such like euill.
I finde that after Esay had prophecied a long time, The Lord God who would not hauehave his name plasphemed, seeing no amendment in his people comes with a greater maiestie, and bids the prophet Esay. 6. to tell them that they should heare, but not vnderstand, they should plainly see, but not perceiue: hee commandeth him moreouer, to make their hearts s…t, to make their eares heauie, and to shut their eyes, least they should see with their eyes, heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts: And because they would not make the word of God the sauour of life vntounto life, it should bee vntounto them the sauour of death vntounto death. As this is especially meant of the vngodly: yet surely the godly escaped not but by repentance. It is the wisedome of God to vse all meanes, and then to vse destruction when his word wil not serue. We may be comforted euen at this day: that the Lord yet giueth a scattering of his people, and giueth vsus some good ministers and magistrates: but if we cōsider of the Lords long suffering of vsus, of the peace, abundance and many other graces bestowed on vsus, and yet so small amendment; we trust for the remnants sake, that the generall iudgement of God shall not as yet come vponupon vsus: yet this sore saying should make vsus afraide, it is time for thee Lord, to put to thine hand, &c. This may be much for the comfort of Gods children, and for the discomfort of the wicked.
Vers. 127.
Therefore louelove I thy commandements aboue gold, yea, aboue most fine gold.
MArke here the spirit of the man of God. Doe wee not see that this is a common rate,A singular grace to louelove religiō, when it is most commonly despised. the lesse religion is esteemed, the lesse it is of the most regarded; the greater the corruption of manners is, the greater is the follie: then this is a rare blessing of God, when religion is in eueryevery place hated, euen then to louelove religion; when manners are euerie where corrupted, euen then to be of good conuersation. When in our time then we see so many kinds of religion, as papistrie, the sect of the Iesuites, the family of louelove, Anabaptists and such like, it is a singular grace of God, to bee established in the louelove of true religion: When wee looke into their manners, whether we turne vsus to Magistrates or subiects, wee shall neither finde zealous gouernment, nor faithfull obedience. If wee liued in a heauen among Angels, or in a paradise with Saints, and would defile our selues with sinne, wee were worthie to be cast out of Paradise with Adam, and out of the Church with Cain. But to liue with Noah vprightly, and to walke before God with him, when all flesh hath corrupted his wayes; or to liue iustly with Lot in the middest of filthie Sodomits; or to keepe a pure religion or worship of God with Elias, when not one can bee found that hath not bowed to Baal▪ or to liue in keeping iudgement and iustice with Dauid, where are so many oppressors of the truth▪ to hauehave in this case an heart vpright both in religion and manners, o… consider this to be an especiall worke of grace.
This we may also see both by naturall and ciuill reason: we see the more generall and contagious a disease is, the greater care we vse to watch ouer our health; and the greater merciemercy of God we count it if we be not infected with the rest: and shall wee not iudge the same in spirituall and more heauenly matters, that the more hot sinne groweth to bee, and like to ouerrun all, shall wee not grow the more zealous of the saluation of our soules, and thinke it the rarer grace of God, if wee being subiect to the common sinnes are preserued from them? In ciuill matters doe wee not see, that now deceite in buying and selling, vnfaithfulnes in bargaining is so great, eueryevery mā is circumspect to discerne ill dealings, eueryevery man almost is become a lawyer, no man is ignorant of the common shifts of the world; yet this maketh not men therefore to giuegive ouer their deedes, but they make their deedes more sure: neither doth deceitfull dealing keepe them the more from markets and faires, but men are more carefull in their bargayning. Do we louelove the Church thē, though there be so many corruptions of religion, and so many corruptions of manners? Let vsus be more afraide of our selues, and more carefull of the word, and heedie in our liues, than wee hauehave beene: let vsus listen to the word, before the Lord hath sealed vp the prophecie, least the wicked preuaile, and the iust man make himselfe a pray. Now is the time to repent, it may bee that the Lord will mitigate his iudgements, when they fal, & wil make his punishment particular and easier. For then we truly feare the publike iudgements of God, when wee feare the cause of them in our selues, when we carrie not for the height of sinne, but submit our selues with reuerence to all meanes of true religion and godly life, and speedily iudge our selues for not looking to the least occasion of sinne, watching ouer our soules, that we become not remisse, or with looser conscience of prayer, the word, sacraments, or discipline. And as it is a secret iudgement of God to passe from one sinne to another, without any remorse of conscience, vntill wee come to the contempt of the word: so it is a speciall grace of God to be grieued with sinne in the beginning. And surely that so many are giuen to ill workes and so few to good, it is a manifest token, seeing the word wil not moue vsus to be zealous that the Lord will shortly send a iudgement vponupon vsus, if not generall, yet at the least particular.
This then is worthie noting in the man of God; that the more religion decayed, theWe may not louelove that best which the world esteems best. more religious was hee; the more godlinesse departed, the more godly was hee: which is a thing farre contrarie to our practises, who allowe that which most doe; and louelove that least, which most doe like, making other mens examples placards for our sins. For many will say: how I pray, liueth such a man, how doth he? doth not he liue an honest life? can I follow a better man? wee must not doe as other men doe, but as the Lord commandeth by his word.
Let this then be a sure rule whereby eueryevery man may examine himselfe: if the more religionA good rule. and manners decay, thou art the more religious and godly, thou shalt not be carried away with the common destruction: but if thy zeale and care of godlines be the lesse, then feare, vnlesse thou repent, as thou art wrapped in the common sinne, thou shalt also be taken in the common reward of sinne.
Now that corruptions may not preuaile against vsus, wee must thinke there is as great contrarietie betweene vsus and others, as is betweene light and darknesse, God and the diuell. But if wee beginne to bee in mammering of Religion, and know not what to holde, but wauer in all, it is to bee doubted, that wee shall bee partakers of the common punishment.
Let vsus learne then to shut vp our faith within the compasse of Noah his Arke, and not commit it to the broad waters of the wicked world. To this ende saide our Sauiour Christ, When the Sonne of man shall come, where shall hee finde faith in the earth? as though hee should say, it would be an hard matter to finde faith amongst men. We see in this man of God, if we will esteeme aright of the law of God, we must louelove it aboue gold.
Vers. 128.
I esteeme all thy precepts most iust, and hate all false wayes.
HE sheweth, that there is no sound louelove of good things, where there is not an hatred of euill. We shall see this by experience, he that loueth to keepe the Sabbath, he wil hate a prophane breaker of the Sabbath: he that loueth chastitie will abhorre adultery; he that loueth true dealing, hateth all vnrighteousnes; and surely if we doe not in truth louelove good and hate euill, but bee found to halte in hypocrisie, wee shall in time be discouered, and one day taken in a trip. In that he vseth emphatically, I esteeme all thy precepts, hee declareth that he loued not one or two, but all the commaundements. His meaning then is this: O Lord, there is not one of the least of thy commaundements, but I esteeme it: there is not one way of falsehoode but I abhorre it. Now we are to learne not to esteeme well of one commaundement, which our nature best liketh, and to dispense with another, but true christianitie esteemeth all alike, & euen that most, which by nature we are most ready to breake.