Works, Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 15

Works · Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 15

p. 488PORTION. 15. SAMECH.

Vers. 113.

I hate vaine inuentions: but thy law doe I louelove.

HE shewed in the last words of the former part, that hee meanes to bee constant to the ende; now hee sheweth foure reasons thereof: the first reason is the hatred that hee had of all wickednesse, in this first verse Hee hath vsed many arguments to proue to his heart that hee loued God, and to commend it to others by his example, as Paul doth. This was one, the louelove that he had to Gods law: secondly, his trust in the word: thirdly, his care to keepe it, &c. and therefore he often prayeth for it. He sheweth his louelove of it, in that he preferreth it to all other things: as in the eight portion, The earth is full of thy goodnesse, teach me thy statutes; hee maketh it sweeter than hony, and better and more pretious than siluer His desire that he had to keepe it, and the prayers that he maketh for it, are to be seene almost in eueryevery portion. Here he vseth a proofe, drawne from the contraries, which is a true and sensible kinde of reason; hee loueth the law, because hee hated all the waies of false hood, either in doctrine or life. Our reason will teach vsus, that there is no agreement betweene fire and water, betweene light and darkenes; and so if we goe through all the course of nature, we shall see that there is no agreement betweene contraries.

This argument is often vsed in the Scriptures, as Psalm. 145. Doe not I hate them, &c. Zachar. 2. Tit. 2. 1. and most plainly 1. Cor. 6, What fellowship is betweene light and darkenes: &c.

This is needfull for men to knowe, that they learne to hate superstition and heresie, and to roote it out, least whilest with Saul they spare wicked Agag, they persecute righteous Dauid.

If a man hate false religion, hee shall neuer be infected with it: for if they be perswaded that it will hurt them, then they will keepe themselues far from it. A man when hee seeth a toade, or any other hurtfull beast, he will be sure to keepe him farre from it: neither will we euer receiue for meate that we know to be poyson: so if wee beleeue that Poperie and Heresie are poyson, then we will not receiue them.

But if men thinke fauorably of Heretikes, and call them honest men, and well dealing p. 489men, then it is very easie to intangle such a one.

Herein doth the coldnes of the louelove of Gods law in vsus appeare, in that we doé so coldly hate the false.

Because louelove setteth the price on things, and hatred maketh vsus far from them, therfore if we will continue in the truth, we must louelove it: and if we wil auoide the false, we must hate it.

And we must not be deceiued by the outward shew of an honest life, for if comparisonNote well: affliction soone tries godly and godlesse. be made betweene Gods children & Heretikes when they are both in prosperity, or both in aduersitie, then we shall see the difference betweene them: for otherwise, there is no comparison to be made, when they are one in prosperitie, and another vnderunder the crosse. When the children of God are in trouble, and in affliction, the graces of God doe manifestly appeare in them: for first they hauehave such spirituall wisedome, & vnderstanding, that euen poore & simple soules in the countrie are able to answere the great and learned men of the Vniuersitie: so that they be not able to withstand the Spirit that speaketh in them. Againe, their boldnes and courage in the truth is such, as that they be not ashamed to speak, euen before Kings, & the mightiest of their enemies. But Heretikes how far are they from this wisedom, when they come to answere, they either say nothing at all, or else their reasons are so blockish, and without sense, that a childe would marueile at their folly: and though they set some face and shew vponupon them, yet if they be vnripped, and then referred to their heads, they are but vanitie. As for their boldnes and courage, it is nothing: for if they speake to some simple man, or in some secret place, then will they be bold to speake their pleasure: but call thē to the place of iudgement, or before them that are able to callThe wicked are but cowards vnderunder the crosse. them to accounts, then their answeres are to seeke. And here of it commeth, that they are periured, vnfaithfull, not men of their word, but dastards and cowards, and such as will not stand to the truth.

In suffering there is a great diuersitie betweene them: for if the childe of God come to suffer, he is neither effeminate to account the paine too painfull, neither yet blockish without sense and feeling in suffering: but he feeleth the smart and bitternes of it, and yet feeling Gods fauour he ouercommeth it. And this is true patience indeed, when men feele the paine to be grieuous, and yet through the hope and feeling of Gods fauour doe ouercome it: and in suffering they can pray for their persecutors, and can be contented to shed their blood for the conuersion of those that seeke their subuersion and ouerthrow. Deale Heretikes thus? or doe they not cleane contrarie? Yes: for in their suffering they are either as men without sense, bereaued of their wits; so they are rather blockes and stones, than men, and their suffering is blockishnes, and not patience: or else they are effeminate and womanish, to howle and crie out in their paines, and to die with cursing and banning and all kinde of railing. Thus they deale. This experience hauehave we seene of both, euen within our daies.

If you compare them together when they are both of them in prosperitie, and if you then consider their liues, you shall also see that there is great difference. For the children of God, whilest they louelove the word, the Sacraments, and discipline, they cannot long lie and continue in any sin: for the word will rebuke them, the Sacraments will admonish them, and discipline will also helpe to bring them from it: but the wicked liue and lie as in a dead sleepe in sinne in prosperitie, and will not be wakened.

He doth not onelyonly speake of corruption in doctrine, but also in manners: as in eueryevery commandement, we cannot louelove the good, but we must also hate the contrarie: as in lust, adulterie, &c. as Ioseph hated his Mistresse, when he once perceiued that she was vncleane. Then whilest men are giuen to vanitie on the Sabbath, they louelove not the Sabbath: for if they did, they would either take heede of such; or if they fell into them, they would recouer themselues. Then we cannot louelove the Sabbath, vnlesse we delight in it, and hate the contrarie. Then if we will trie whether we louelove the word, let vsus trie it by the hatred of naughtines in vsus, and this if we feele, we may be comforted, for God will worke by this.

The word (thoughts) is a metaphor from the crooked boughs of a tree, and signifieth, that as the trees hauehave their boughs spread abroad crookedly, so doe thoughts grow out of p. 490men. And his meaning is, that he hated these ouerthwart thoughts. Therefore he laboured not onelyonly for the outward hatred, but euen the imaginations that are contrary thereto, as the thoughts of idolatrie, vncleannes, &c. and to these all he biddeth battell, that he may louelove the law. This is a good thing for vsus: for though we come not to idolatrie, murder, adulterie, &c. yet the euill thoughts come into our mindes; and these we must not suffer to be setled, but at the first we must hate them, and driue them out.

Thoughts are not free, therefore neither it is enough to louelove in shew, but we must also louelove in thought: for if we fauour them, wee may by little and little bee carryed away. For hereof it commeth that men are brought to reuenge, and other euils, because they make not cōscience of the thoughts. Thus we see that men hauehave thoughts of herefie, anger. &c. and yet they are not at defiance with them, & therefore they fall into the sin. Hereof men fall into adulterie, become enemies to God, his Ministers, and religion: for whilest they make no conscience of thoughts, they fall into the sinnes. It is true then, that we must first fight against reason, when wee will fight against sinne, as a man fighteth not against swearing, because not against anger; and not against anger, because not against reason.

Vers. 114.

Thou art my refuge and shield, and I trust in thy word.

BEcause the Prophet could not perswade himselfe of any other safetie, than of the safe… which he had vnderunder the Lord, he sheweth that so long as he put his trust in Gods …s, he feared nothing. And surely this ought to be the principal thing among Christians▪ to looke for none other defence, than that which is to be looked for out of the promises of God. For what is the cause, why when wee are in daunger, in pouertie, in any distresse, wee hauehave so many by-paths, and can inuent vnlawfull meanes and shifts so for our deliuerance, but onelyonly because the Lord and his word is not our refuge and our shield? For if we were once perswaded, that God were our tower to defend vsus, and our shield to couer vsus, wee should be staied. If wee then call on God in our neede, we must know, that Psal. 33. vers. 18. The eye of the Lord is vponupon them, that feare him, and vponupon them that trust in his mercies. And that Psal. 145. 18. Hee will fulfill the desire of them, that feare him, hee also will heare their crie, and will saue them. And our cause being good, we neede not to doubt of him: forChrists tēptations. Matth. 4.Matt 4 he hath promised to be our shield and buckler. So our Sauiour Christ being tempted of Sathan to turne the stones into bread, was moued by him to distrust Gods prouidence: What (saith he) doest thou thinke, that if thou wert the Sonne of God, thou shouldest bee left in such wants? make some shift therefore for thy selfe. But Christ knowing God to bee the author of his neede, was assured that he would secretly nourish him, vntill hee had receiued ordinarie meanes againe, and so strengthened himselfe in Gods promises. Likewise, when we are in need or in perill, Sathan will cause vsus to vse one shift or other: but we must answere him, The Lord is my shield and tower, I am sure enough; and therfore I hate all ill inuentions; I put my trust in the Lord.

We acknowledge this with our tongue, yet it is a hard thing to bee practised, to put ourHard to trust and rest on Gods promises. trust in Gods word. For howsoeuer wee will grant indeede, that wee must put our trust in God; yet we hardly yeeld vntounto this, that we must trust in his word: but we must here correct this vnbeliefe, and learne that if we seeke for helpe at God, wee must trust in his word. Doth Gods word threaten his iustice, and can wee finde in our liues, that if wee vse euill meanes, we shall be punished? Doth Gods word assure vsus, that God is mercifull, and doe we beleeue that Iesus Christ came to saue sinners, although we were the greatest, and that he came to call sinners, and not the righteous to repentance, and that Iesus Christ came to saue that which was lost, and to refresh all that are wearie and heauie laden? Thus the man of God saith, portiō 8. 1. O Lord, thou art my portiō, I hauehave determined to keepe thy law. And portion 14. 6. Thy testimonies hauehave I taken, as an heritage for euer, for they are the very ioy of my heart. Thus he sheweth, that we must seeke for that in Gods word, which wee seeke for ofSim… …. him. For his word is a conduit or waterpipe, whereby the Lord conueying his mercies vntounto vsus; will hauehave them runne through vntounto vsus. Doe wee beleeue then the promises that God will prouide for vsus? then let vsus beware of al wicked shifts, and trust onelyonly in his word. p. 491For if we beleeue God to be our tower, we must looke to Gods word. The Heathen men and the prophane worldlings, will speake gloriously of the goodnesse, of the strength, and of the mercy of God: but when they come to see it in the word, they will erre altogether out of the way; whereby they shew how they vtter more in their tongues, than they performe in truth. For the Lord hath layde that helpe on his word, which he would hauehave vsus to seeke for at his hand: so Christ by the word put the diuell to flight, with these words in effect, Thou wouldest hauehave me, Sathan, to mistrust my Fathers prouidence, and to giuegive my selfe to be taught of thee: but I know he will keepe me in all my necessities, and why? because he hath said, Man liueth not by bread onelyonly, but by eueryevery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God: the Lord hath prouided ordinarie meanes to nourish me, and hath not commaunded that stones should be made bread, and why then should I vse vnlawfull meanes? Wherefore I will stay my selfe vponupon my Fathers prouidence. We see, he might hauehave said, that God is almightie and strong, or that by his mightie power he might hauehave put off Sathan; but he reciteth the words of Moses, which he vsed, when the Lord so wonderfully had preserued his people the Israelites in the wildernesse, without ordinarie meanes. We must in like manner, when Sathan shall set vponupon vsus in time of neede, say, it is written, The Lord is iust and true in all his promises. It is written, The eyes of the Lord are vponupon the righteous, and his eares are open to their crie, nothing wanteth to them that feare him. The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger: but they which seeke the Lord, shall want nothing which is good. It is written, Rom. 8. verse. 35. Who shall separate vsus from the louelove of Christ? shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakednesse, or perill, or sword? When we are tempted then with doubting in our selues, that we shall not escape, we must know that it is written, Rom. 8. 31. If God be on our side, who can be against vsus? 32. Who spared not his owne Sonne, but gaue him for vsus all to death: how shall he not with him giuegive vsus all things also? If we be tempted to steale, we must say, as it is written, Man liueth not by bread onelyonly, but by eueryevery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God, knowing that God is able to preserue vsus without ordinarie meanes.

Vers. 115.

Away from me ye wicked, for I will keepe the commandements of my God.

THe cause why the man of God could not so stay himselfe on the Lord, was, because what way soeuer he turned himselfe, he could see no man that would helpe him. He had no helpe of the world, eueryevery man prouided for himself, some shifted this way, another that way, he could see no good example of any, which either beleeued Gods promises to be true, or were readie to obey his commaundements. Wherefore it is manifest, that they were impediments rather than furtherances vntounto him. For else why should he say, Away from me ye wicked▪ &c?

Were there so many impediments in his daies, and shall we thinke there are not so many in ours? or was that age wherein he liued more wicked, than the age wherein we liue? First, we are nothing like him in good things, he had greater graces of God than we hauehave, he had gone further in holinesse than we; we liue in more wicked daies than he did. For whom shall we hauehave to follow? Some follow this religion, some follow that; some giuegiveFew men truely fearing. themselues to this shift, some to that: so that we hauehave no examples to build vsus vponupon, but a multitude to bring vsus from the right way. Seeing then we are farre worse than the Prophet, and our daies worse than his times let vsus say, Away from me ye wicked: that is, seeing we cannot auoide our dwelling and liuing among the wicked; yet Lord, let vsus be kept from the corrupt example of the wicked, and graunt that we may eschue all familiaritie with them. And as in haruest, if in eueryevery place of the lands, where we reape or mow, wereSimile. Snakes, we would be very warie least we were stung or impoysoned: so had we neede in these dangerous and plentiful daies of sinne, to be circumspect, least we be either impoysonedTo be poysoned with false doctrin, or stung with an euill conscience. with false doctrine, or stung with an euill conscience. And as a man being a meere stranger in goodnes, liuing in the companie of godly men, hearing them, seeing them, and conferring with them in good things, would by Gods grace so be conuerted: so a good man falling into the familiaritie, and like affections, speeches, and actions of the wicked, p. 492shall easily be corrupted. We shall see sooner that we are infected and hurt, than wee shall espie how wee are infected and hurt, and though presently we see it not, yet hereafter wee shall. And as it is the merciemercy of God to be good by the communion of Saints: so it is the iust iudgement of God to be wicked, with the companie of the vngodly. Neither must we thinke, that here is meant to goe out of the world, to auoide the euill (for we liue all vnderunder one Sunne, which is aboue vsus, we treade all on one earth which is vnderunder vsus, we vse all one water for our necessities, wee hauehave like callings with them, wee ioyne in the same townes with them, yea and often dwell in one house with them) but we must beware wee hauehave no fellowship with them in their sinne, we must away with their deuices to mistrust Gods merciemercy,No familiaritie with the wicked. wee must hate their imaginations, wherewith they displease God, we must not draw in their yoke with them.

If then thou hast a wicked father, or if thou hast a wicked sonne, or vngodly seruant, or an euill companion, thou must not hauehave familiaritie, or drawe in a line with them, thou must not bee a fellowe or a companion in sinne with them, so shall wee keepe our selues vnspotted. For as the euill men, if they purpose to be obstinate in sinne, will take no profit by the companie of the godly: so the good men, if they will feare and suspect the vngodlines of the wicked, and looke vntounto their waies, shall by the Lord bee preserued from their euill. For we see, that as the euill men are not the better for the godly, with whom they are ioyned in the same towne or house with them, because they are so shie of goodnes; so, if we be as shie of their wickednesse, wee shall be freed from much vngodlines. Wherefore wee must not be like affected, we must not thinke as they thinke, speake as they speake, doe as they doe, nor vse their calling as they doe. Otherwise wee see, that as the euill by the godly are bettered, so the good are made worse by the vngodly. Thus we hauehave heard, that as the man of God in the first shewed himselfe to hauehave an hatred to the secret deuices of mans imaginations: so in the second he setteth downe a reason of the same, where we declared, that we could neuer be brought to the true hatred of euil inuentions, vntil we be throughly perswaded of Gods prouidence; whereof when we be once truely perswaded, wee shall not need to swarue this way or that way, because in all assaults we hauehave a sufficient refuge in God.

In that he putteth his trust in Gods word, we must learne, that we must neuer seuer faith and Gods promises, whereby we must be staied, and leane to his prouidence: otherwise we shall hauehave but vaine speculations of his prouidence, vntill wee knowe out of the word, to whom the promises doe appertaine, and what hee requireth of them, to whom they are made. On which word of God, whilest wee take hold, euen as a shield safegardeth vsus from the blow of the aduersarie, so the promises of God are a sufficient buckler to defend vsus from the darts of our enemie. So that, if we hauehave the Lord for our tower against Sathan, if we be in pouertie, we shall see the Lord our shield and wealth; if wee be in sicknes▪ hee shall be our castle and health. The Israelites had proofe hereof, who, so long, as they made the Lord their shield and refuge, were not once touched of their enemies. If this faith be in vsus, then shall wee bee perswaded, that the hearing of the word, and time which wee spend in prayer to the Lord, will not hinder our calling, nor hurt our profit▪ but so long as wee walke in our waies, ioyning with our calling the hearing of Gods word, and prayer, hee will be our defence and tower, and either saue vsus from damage, or turne all our euils to our good. We must see all this out of the word of God. For our Sauiour Christ (as we saide before) did not rest in the omnipotencie of God to put away Sathan being an euill spirite, and therefore hauing nothing to doe with him, but withstood him with this, It is written, still alleaging the word of God: shewing, that whilest he had bread: hee should vse it as anHow the faith of Gods children suffereth from the vane imaginations of vnbelieuers. Simile. ordinarie meane, and when he had none, …e should not make bread of stones, but stay vponupon the blessing of God which is aboue all meanes. Thus wee see how the promises of God in his word did stay him.

And here see how the faith of Gods children differeth from the loose imaginations of the wicked, who, though they giuegive great titles to the Lord of his merciemercy, iustice, louelove, and prouidence, neuer looke for this in his word. But if we will obey the Lord, and waite vponupon his promises, we must doe it by the word, which is as a pipe, through which doe flow Gods p. 493graces towards vsus, and as a chariot to bring his will vntounto vsus. Wee are not then to looke into the ayre, or elsewhere for Gods will, than in his word; but trusting still on God, wee must looke for helpe in his promises.

That the man of God might do this the better, he seuered himselfe from the wicked, giuing vsus to vnderstand, that he could not goe forward, in that hee saw so few examples of good, and so many examples of euill, whereby so many by paths are ministred vntounto him to step out of the right way, in seeing the corruptions of that generation. When wee see then out of the word how we should beleeue, what we should doe, what we should eschue, and looke into the world, wee shall finde so many wicked ones, that which way soeuer a man would turne himselfe, although hee would search the world with a candle, hee shall finde many euill to corrupt him, but fewe good to guide him. And seeing our times are worse, than the times wherein the Prophet liued, and wee are easier and readier to take harme by euill examples, than he was; we must know, that whosoeuer will be truly taught to hate vaine inuentions, and louelove the word of God, he must learne that which is written in the first Psalme, that is, that we walke not in the counsell of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners. Away then with them that say, the Preacher indeed speaketh well, and teacheth the truth aright, but who doth it? and rather let vsus bid the euill away from vsus, let vsus followe them that doe well, so farre as they follow Christ and his word, let vsus be heedfull to looke to our waies, and be the more careful, because in former ages the Lord hath set before vsus so many examples of falling. Wee may communicate with them in our calling, wee may be knit to them by consanguinitie wee may bee ioyned with them in affinitie, and as neighbours dwell together, we cannot in these things bee well free from them: yet we must not deale with them as they be wicked, we must not drawe in the yoke with them, we must not be giuen to the like studies, to the like endeuours, and enterprises with them. Concerning their calling in the world, wee may vse them, but not according to their corrupt dealing with the world. Wee see the Prophet his meaning is, Away from me ye wicked, ye weaken my faith in Gods promises by your inuentions, you inkindle mistrust in me, I will not yeeld to you, I will not consent to you, nor take part in any of your inuentions: for I trust in my God, he is my shield, and my refuge.

Here wee may also learne, how to discerne betweene their persons, wherein they beareDifferēce betweene persons, & callings, and liues. the image of God and their callings, which are the ordinance of God, and betweene their liues, which are full of corruptions. If we looke but into the first commandement, we shall see how hard a thing it is to keepe Gods law, vnlesse wee sequester ourselues from the societie of sinne How shall we beleeue among vnbeleeuers, or pray to the Lord among prophane persons, or trust in the Lord among such shifters? For as euil men continuing in the companie of godly men, shall sodainely at one time or other be coloured with their good things: so the godly abiding in the meetings of the wicked, vnlesse they bee very circumspect,Note. Note well the societie of the wicked. and suspect their owne weaknes, will sodainly be taken. We knowe that Ioseph being in Pharaohs Court, began to be coloured with the Egyptians corruptions. If then wee hauehave any iust cause of meeting with the wicked, we must not auoid their companie; but we must mislike their manners, we must rebuke, reproue, & cry against their sins; we must feare our selues, and in eueryevery thing suspect them. But let vsus see how dangerous a thing it is to bee with the wicked, and what meanes there be with them for our destruction: Whether we be friends, and in league with them, or foes and at defiance with them, all is one. For if wee be at defiance with them, how will they bring our persons in contempt, and raise many calumnious speeches against vsus, and affray vsus with iniuries? If we be in friendship with them, in what danger are wee least they should inueagle vsus, allure vsus, and take vsus slily away from a good conscience. If we be at defiance with them, they will dismay vsus with threatnings:Note. if we be in friendship with them, wee cannot deale so roughly against their sinnes, wee can hardly gainesay them in their wickednesse, wee are drawne away by them, and waxe colde by little and little in those things wherein we hauehave been zealous. Oh here then appeareth the wonderfull and vnspeakeable mercy of God to his children in this world to keepe them as sheepe among wolues, and to saue them from the infection of sinne, in the middest of a wicked and sinfull generation.

p. 494It followeth in this verse, That I may keepe the commandements of my God. As if he should hauehave said, he is not your God, because you put not your trust in him, but follow your own inuentions: he is my God I louelove him; I feare him, I put my trust in him; I louelove his word, because his promises are sweete to me; I feare to sinne, because his threatnings proue true; I trust in him, because of his word: he is none of your God, neither can you assure your selues of him. For as Portion 20.3 Saluation is farre from the wicked, because they seeke not thy statutes. No, no, God is grieued and displeased with you, though for a while hee spare you, he shall one day punish you, he is my protectour and defender.

This is a notable thing, and worthy to be obserued. The man of God recouereth himselfe, because God hath promised in his word, that hee will defend his as with a shield, but he will put to flight the armies of their aduersaries. He reasoneth therefore thus with himselfe. The Lord hath promised to be a tower and buckler for them, that put their trust in him, and beleeue his word: I beleeue this to be true, I see it shall come to passe according to his word: therefore he is my God, my shield, and my refuge.

Let vsus learne in time of trouble, thus to recouer our selues. For doe we not see, how now adaies some take this way, and some take that way, some vse this shift, and some hauehave that policie, doe their dealings shew, that God is on their side, or that hee will take their part? nay rather that he is farre from thē. We must eueryevery one frame this reason, which the Prophet vseth, that eueryevery man may say, I trust in Gods word, I hate the vaine shifts of the wicked, God is my God. My God: wee must here marke, that wee giuegive not God sufficient honour,To louelove God only as we be taught in his word. vntill we cleaue wholy vntounto him, as he requireth of vsus in his first commaundement. For we then hauehave him to be our onelyonly God when we onelyonly feare him, when we onelyonly louelove him, whē we onelyonly obey him, when we put our trust in him alone. So that we deny him his honour, vntill we leauing all other fetches and deuises of louing, fearing, obeying and trusting in him; and louelove, feare, obey, and trust in him, as we are onelyonly and wholy taught in his word. Excellent is that place of the Prophet, Psalm 73. where the man of God, seeing the euill men in number many, in power great; and good men in number few, and abilitie weake, began to bee in a dangerous estate, in thinking almost wickedly of Gods prouidence, and began to be moued, and to dispute as it were with God about the prosperitie of the wicked, and pouertie of the godly, vntill hee came to looke into the glasse of Gods word, where he found, that though the wicked seemed to hauehave an happie time for a while, yet through Gods secret curse, they had a fearefull end, and though Gods children were tried with many troubles, yet through Gods secret blessings they had happie issues.

Thus saith he, Was I so foolish and ignorant, and as a beast before thee, whiles by mine owne wit and reason I would goe about to search out thy secret iudgements. Yet saith hee, I was alway with thee, thou hast holden mee by my right hand, and howsoeuer it went with the wicked, my faith in thy prouidence did assure me, that thou diddest watch ouer me, and wouldest not finally forsake me▪ Whom hauehave I in heauen but thee, and I hauehave desired none in the earth but thee. Though my flesh should pine away, and I should consume, yet am I perswaded that thou wilt not forsake me, they goe a whoring, and thou destroiest them; but as for me, it is good that I trust in thee: that is, let all the world fall from thee, yet I see their end shall be fearefull, and therefore I will still trust, and stay on thee. Marke what word he vseth toSimilie. To trust onelyonly in God. paint forth mistrust in God, he calleth it to goe a whoring; we know what a grieuous thing it is for a woman to prostitute herselfe to a baude; so monstrous a thing it is to giuegive our trust to any but to God. Wherfore we must fight against the corruptions of the world, not by the sight of reason, but by looking into the glasse of Gods word.

Let vsus search then, which be the promises of God, to stirre vsus vp to doe good, which be his threatnings to make vsus afraide of sinne, what examples we hauehave of good men, that wee may follow them, what examples of euil to auoide them. For here be the pictures of good men, here bee the liuely anatomies of the godly, here wee may take delight in beholding them. Let vsus discerne by the word who are true worshippers, who are Idolaters. Let vsus look what rules the Lord doth giuegive in his word, to know the truth, and in whom it is; to discerne heresies, and in whom they be. Then wee shall see, that this man is sound in religion, and carefull of a good life, the Lord is his God, this man is voide of true knowledge, and breaketh p. 495the law of the Lord, therfore vndoubtedly God is far from him. This man though his knowledge be vnperfect, yet he loueth to learne the truth, this man is a good companion for me; that man is an vnbeleeuer, and trusteth not in God, I will not therfore meddle with him. Well now we hauehave learned, that we neuer cleaue wholy vntounto God, vntill all the corruptions of the world be not able to dismay vsus, but rather being stayed and established on the word of God we know assuredly, that the Lord wil not be among the wicked. We hauehave bin taught that if we will truely beleeue in God, we must beleeue in him according to his word, otherwise he is but an Idoll vntounto vsus, or a false God framed vntounto vsus after the imagination of our owne hearts. And if we will truly discerne betweene good men and euill, wee must not iudge them by our owne reason, the common opinion of men, or according to their prosperitie and aduersitie: for so the world cannot perceiue who be Gods children, because the wicked often flourish, and Gods children are vexed: but we must look into the word and see there, how God setteth himselfe against the wicked, and promiseth to bee neare at hand to his saints.

This may commend vntounto vsus what a necessary thing the study of the Scriptures is, which teach vsus to know God and his true worshippers: for otherwise we shall iudge heretikes to be true worshippers, and count wicked men honest.

Vers. 116.

Stablish mee according to thy free promise, that I may liue, and let mee not bee disappointed of mine hope.

HEre the man of God desireth, that the Lord would keepe him safe and sure, and that he would confirme him and strengthen him in his word: where we see he prayeth for a thing mētioned before. Faith is not a sleeping thing, lying dead in vsus, but it is quickThe godly often troubled with vnbeliefe. and is nourished by the word. For Gods children doe not so beleeue, but that they are often troubled with vnbeliefe: yea the Lord doth often suffer them to see their vnbeleefe in themselues to striue against it.

We see here, how the man of God felt some wauering in himselfe, he was not alwaies in one estate, his faith was not euer at one stay, his beliefe had some vnbeliefe with it, and beleeuing he was afraid of himself. Thus we know, Gods childrē are such, as do not presume, but they suspect themselues, & thinke humbly of themselues, which maketh them often to pray, that they may be confirmed to perseuere. For when we begin to be secure, and to thinke too well of our selues, then we cast off prayer, and lay aside all trust in Gods word, so that God casteth vsus off for our pride, and Sathan is readie to beguile vsus. We must not then satisfie our selues, if we beleeue, but our faith must make vsus to grow in feare, & to be more carefull to please, and more grieued to displease God; wee must desire of God to hauehave his promises cōfirmed and ratified in vsus, because we are in a very slippery estate. For as a man walking on slippery ice, and not heedfull to his steps, nor fearing himselfe, is most readie to fall; so we in this world, vnlesse we looke very circumspectly to our selues, are in great danger of sliding down. So fickle and fraile is the world, that in eueryevery place we may take a fall: and as they which are on an high hill and steepe, are in perill of falling down; so in the world, which hath such a downefall, vnlesse wee be very wary, and stay our selues on Gods word, we are most ready to slippe.

We may see in former times, how the deare Saints of God hauehave fallen through securitie, and for want of this feare of themselues. Noah though a man preserued from the corruptions of the olde world, was beguiled of Sathan for presuming in his own strength. Lot also through his corruptiō and Sathans policy, was deceiued, not suspecting himselfe. Whē Dauid had not this feare, but hoped that he was sure as he thought, Psal. 30. he should neuer be remooued, hee fell fouly, and yet so deceitfull, that hee could not see his fall in the space of an whole yeere. Wee see then how hard a thing it is to keepe on our course in this world, and that it is the mightie power of God, as witnesseth Peter in his former Epistle, that wee are kept in the faith. Wee are not our owne guardians, we are not able to take the gouernment of our selues; nay, our Sauiour Christ saide, that if it were possible, the very elect should bee deceiued; so great is the power of the world, the subtiltie of the p. 496flesh, and guilesulnesse of the diuell. But, because they be humble, they feare themselues, they seeke the Lord by prayer, and are desirous to be established in the promises of God, they are as strong as Mount Sion, which cannot be remoued, but remaineth for euer, Psalme 125.1. Though then we be weake, yet our Christ is strong, though we hauehave many enemies, yet the Lord hath promised to be our staie against them all. Let vsus knowePerseuerance that perseuerance is as well the gift of God, as to come at first to God. We know what a free gift of God it was, that we came to him. Hee sought vsus, when we desired him not; he found vsus, when we sought him not. We see how before our calling, we closed our eyes, and would not see him, we stopt our eares, and would not heare him, we drew backe, and refused to goe to him, and the Lord was faine to draw vsus out; so that our beginning came of God, who reformed our iudgements, and renewed our affections: now to be established in seeing, hearing, and willingly drawing neere vntounto God, is his onelyonly gift also. Well, we must be afraide of our selues, and suspect our selues. For why doe we slip often into such grosse sinnes? why are we carried away with our owne affections? why doe so many good motions die and perish in vsus, but only because of our securitie, we are not careful to please God, we are not afraide to offend God? Well, if we see that securitie hath bene the cause of our woe, let vsus labour to be carefull, which is the cause of our good: if securitie hath bene the cause we feared not, let vsus now be carefull, that we may be afraide of our frailtie, and trust in Gods word. Otherwise if we be quiet with our selues, and yeeld to presumption, God will suffer vsus to fall. This is the cause, why our sinnes breake out often to Gods dishonour, and to the griefe of our owne consciences, because we doe not more carefully to looke our thoughts, and watch ouer our words.

It is added in this verse, that I may liue. So he saith, Portion 10.4. Let thy tender mercies come vntounto me, that I may liue. We see heere, that the children of God thinke they hauehave no life, if they liue not in Gods life. For, if we thinke we are aliue, because we see, so doe the bruit beasts; if we thinke we are aliue, because we heare, so do the cattell; if we thinke we are aliue, because we eate and drinke, or sleepe, so do beasts; if we thinke we liue, because we doe reason and conferre, so doe the Heathen. The life of Gods children, is the death of sinne; for where sinne is aliue, there that part is dead vntounto God. Art thou then giuen to malice, to swearing, to cursing, to breaking of the Sabbath, to adultery, to filthines, to stealing, or slandring? surely then art thou dead, and if God should take away thy life from thee whilest thou art in this estate, thy soule should goe sooner to hell, than thy bodie to the graue. We now see, that Gods children, finding themselues dull and slowe to good things, when they cannot either reioyce in the promises of God, or finde their inward man delighted with the law of God, thinke themselues to be dead.

The Prophets meaning is this: I am euen as a lumpe of flesh, I am like an image, or like an idoll of Gods childe, I beare the face of his childe, but I am as dead, and as a blocke, or a stocke, or an idoll. For as an idoll hath eyes and seeth not; eares, and heareth not; mouth and speaketh not; feete and goeth not: euen so hauehave I eyes, but I see not the glorie of my God; I hauehave eares, but I heare not the word of God; I hauehave a mouth, but I shewe not forth the iudgements of God; I hauehave feete, but I walke not in the law of my God. The iust shall liue by faith, Hab. 2. Rom. 1. Now I liue no more, but Christ liueth in me, saith the Apostle. Oh that men would consider this, that they are dead otherwise than their life is hidden in the promise, and they hauehave no life but in Christ, and from his spirit. If the Prophet sayd this of himselfe, where is the faith of our protestants, where is the life of the godly, where is their hope of a better life, where is their practise of repentance, where is the peace of conscience, that passeth all vnderstanding, where is the ioy of Christiās, where is the care of mortification, where is the quicknesse of sanctification; where are all these become? They are sewe and dead to good workes, they liue in sinne, they be but Christians in name, they are very idols: There is no life but in the word, which we must finde by experience in our selues. When Gods children finde this life of God in them, then are they merrie and glad; but when they feele, that God withdraweth his spirit from them, then they see how they are dead, dull, and carelesse, as they were wont to be before they were regenerate. Shall not this make vsus more carefull and zealous of good workes, and to be more iealous of our p. 497selues? Let vsus consider this, that it is a ioy to hauehave a life: and that euen the life of God, the life of Angels, the life of Christ, when we contemne this life: when wee are zealous of good workes, when we feele spirituall ioyes, when wee looke for a crowne of glorie, when we labour to be renewed to the image of Christ. This is an heauenly life, and though we will sweate, and eate, and drinke, this is common with the beasts of the field, and hauing no experience of faith in vsus, wee are either dangerously sicke, or altogether dead. If wee thinke it an hard matter, to restore nature in a consumption, how hard a thing is it to restoreSimile. grace and saluation in a consumption of the soule? If wee are without hope, when a man is in a languishing disease, when he hath no delight to eate, when hee cannot brookeThe cōsumption of the soule. his meate, and his sleepe is gone from him, hee cannot labour, and Physitians dare not meddle with him: what hope is there when we are in such a consumption, that the wo…d which we heare doth vsus no good, the Sacraments which wee receiue doe vsus no comfort, prayer doth vsus no good, and when we cannot abide to labour in good workes? surely it is a token we are almost languished to death, if wee be not already dead wee are in extreame danger. The Lord indeede is gracious and would not our death, but if wee bee consuming and see it not, if Gods life be going from vsus, and Sathans life is comming to vsus, if Gods graces be languishing in vsus, surely we are as dead. Let vsus then search our owne corruptione, that we may see how neare we are to life, or how neare wee are to death, whether wee growe or consume, whether for the one wee are to feare and pray to God, or for the other to reioyce and praise God.

Thus we hauehave heard, that the faith of Gods children are not so sirme, as that it is neuer shaken, they are not alwaies in the tenour, and as the Lord giueth them of his grace in measure, so hee giueth them at sometimes more, at sometimes lesse: he often humblethHow Gods saints hauehave many changes in this life and wherefore. them with incredulitie, to exercise them in prayer, and to confirme them the more by his Spirit, whereof they hauehave had a pledge in his word. Wee hauehave learned, that the Prophet thought himselfe to hauehave no life, but as he had the feeling of the life of the Sonne of God, to be conueyed to him by the spirit of God, through the working of the word of God: and that as we breathe, eate, playe, and labour, wee hauehave nothing differing from bruite beasts; as we hauehave fiue wits to discourse of things, we hauehave nothing more than the heathen, than the Turkes, than the vngodly infidels. The Scriptures shew that all that liue in ignoranceIgnorance and sinne are dead: for they that liue in ignorance, sit in darkenes, and in the shadow of death, as it is in the song of Zacharie: and if we liue in sinne, the Apostle witnesseth, we are but dead, Ephes: 2.1. The death of sinne, is the life of a man: and the life of sinne, is theRom. 6. 2.Rom 6:2 death of a man; sinne then I meane to liue in vsus, when wee giuegive ouer our selues to sin with pleasure, and lye in our sinne with delight.

And yet here is a further thing, for the man of God speaketh of the experience of Gods children, who when they feele delight in prayer, and their inward man delighted with the word of God, they thinke they are aliue, and that so long they walke in the land of the liuing; but when they fal into some sinne, and become vnthankfull or pensiue, there comes a dulnes and deadnes of heart, they are not able to see any difference betweene themselues and the reprobates, and finding in themselues such an heape of ill inclinations, they think themselues to be dead.

It followeth in the verse: And disappoint me not of mine hope. As if he should say: O Lord, euen as I trust in thy word, so my hope is that thy word shall be accomplished. As faith isHope▪ the mother of hope, so hope is the daughter and nurse of faith: for faith breedeth hope, and hope nourisheth faith: faith assureth vsus of the trueth of Gods word, hope waiteth for the accomplishment of it. His meaning then is: Lord as I trust in thy word, so strengthen my faith and disappoint mee not of my hope, for howsoeuer the wicked continue for a while, I beleeue that I shall hauehave a glorious end, I beleeue it is not lost labour to serue the Lord, O Lord I hope to see them troden downe, that breake thy statutes. Thus we see how Gods children feare their vnbeliefe, and nourish their faith with prayer: so the true Minister of God cannot but be zealous to stirre vp his people to feruent and frequent prayer. We see the one halfe of this Psalme to bee prayer; and that in eueryevery portion, two or three or foure verses be prayers. And the man of God, being willing to bring his knowledge to p. 498feeling, hath still this prayer, Stay m…e in thy word: teach mee thy statutes: disappoint me not of Feeling and knowledge how confirmed.my hope: establish thy promises to thy seruant. For as reading, hearing, and conferring, doe more increase knowledge than feeling; so meditating, praying, and singing doe more nourish feeling than knowledge. Had he that had such a faith in Gods word, such ioy, such delight, such life in the spirit, neede so often and feruently to pray? then I beseech you let vsus pray, pray, pray.

Vers. 117.

Stay thou me, and I shall be safe, and I will delight continually in thy statutes.

THis agreeth with that in the verse going before, stablish mee according to thy promise. Hadst thou need Dauid to be staied? didst thou wauer? oh how need we to be stayed, and to pray against our wauering? he meaneth here thus much: although I am well minded, and delight in thy law, yet I am so brittle and so slipperie, that if thou stay mee not, I shall sall, I am gone. Oh man of God, feeling his owne wants and infirmities! I shall be safe, that is, If I be not stayed by thine hand I shall be at the last cast. Psal. 30. 6 he said, hee should neuer be remoued: here is another spirit, where he saith, he should be safe. But here wofull experience taught him, that he durst not be stayed on himselfe: whereby he declareth, that as without Gods word, he could not be safe: so come what come would, befall what danger could befall, in the Lords word he was staied sufficiently. Then we are to learne, that the promises of God must engender in vsus a care and feare of our selues; for if we begin once to be quiet with our selues, when wee begin to be secure and presumptuous, let vsus assure our selues, that we are not farre from sinne. But if we feare that wee are staggering and reeling persons, and that we are very slipperie, is there not cause of humbling, that this humblenes should breed carefulnesse; carefulnesse should cause watchfulnesse; watchfulnesse should vse the meanes; and the meanes should be sanctified by prayer? Then come hell, come the diuell, come the world, come the flesh, if the Lord stay vsus, we shall liue and not die, we shall surely not miscarie. And I will delight continually in thy statutes. Wee see here that there is no free will, for he prayeth likewise Port. 5. 1. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes. Neither did he promise of himselfe before, but did hope in the Lord. Such brittlenes is in the world, such sleights in the flesh, such slinesse in Sathā, such corrupt examples in the world, that vnlesse the Lord stay vsus, we are so farre off from delight in good, that we are ready to fall into great sinnes. EueryEvery man therefore is to search his owne heart, and by the cause we may come to the effects, and by the tree may coniecture of the fruite: so by the effects we may iudge of the cause, and by the fruite we may iudge of the tree. Where is now this delight, when we heare the word, we heare it with such coldnesse? therefore it is a manifest proofe we are not sta…ed in the Lord. For whosoeuer doth not delight in the word, he may deceiue his owne soule: but surely as yet he is not staied on God. If we are not delighted, then are we st…ied on our own selues, but if the Lord work in vsus, then shal we feele delight. This is a griefe of my soule, that I see no delight in the Lords day, all things are done forWherfore the Lord doth no more blesse publike exercises. fashion, but the power of godlinesse is not among vsus. The cause is the want of priuate exercises; the want of priuate reading, and praying, and this bringeth a secret curse of publike exercises, and therefore I cannot but so often v…ge priuate prayer, and meditation.

Vers. 118.

Thou hast troden downe all them, that depart from thy statutes, for their deceit is vaine.

AMong all things to be spoken of, I thinke nothing more necessarie thā this, that God will one day come a righteous iudge to men, that are so slow to keepe a good conscience. All men are at quiet with themselues, and crie peace, peace, our long enioying of the Gospell, our tranquilitie and peace, our abundance of the things of the earth, make vsus drunken with the louelove of this life, and cause eueryevery man to thinke thus with himselfe: I am none of the worst, when troubles arise, I hope to shift for one: but in whom (I pray you) is the Lord delighted? euen in him that hath a contrite heart, Esay 66. and in such as tremble at his word. The Prophet saith in the verse following a little after, that he trēbled for feareVers. …0. p. 499of Gods iudgements, what had he a more tormented conscience than others▪ no, hee had such a cōtinuall feeling of his own corruptiōs, that it made him afraid For as the best fleshSimile. Good conference. is most tender, & where it is most corrupt, there it is most hard; and where the flesh is neerest to healing, there it will more speedily, and more freshly bleede: so the neerer wee are to God, the more fearefull we are; the more pretious our consciences be, the more tender they are; and those things which being vsed in greater measure, will nothing fray a wicked man being vrged, but a little will dismay the conscience of the godly. The minde of the prophet is this, thou hast done away the wicked, thou hast troden them downe, and swept them away, I am as brit…le as they, and as ready to fall vnlesse thou vphold me Portion 16. 6. hee saith, It is time for thee Lord to worke, for they hauehave destroyed thy law: where he complaineth as it were, that the Lord deferreth his iudgements, because the wicked had brought all things to such a confusion. And in the 7▪ portion 4. verse he saith: I remembred thy iudgements of old O Lord, and hauehave beene comforted, as if be should say, though thy children be had in contempt, though thy Church bee kept vnderunder, and the wicked are set aloft; yet I remember how in old time thou hast beene a iust iudge, & hast punished sinne. This comforteth me, both because of thy mercy, which thou wilt shew to me, and because of thy iustice whereby thou welt confound the wicked, and also makest me to feare my selfe: for both thou canst doe as thou hast done, and thou wilt doe as thou canst doe. Wee must learne then in these two verses, thus much. That what iudgement soeuer the Lord hath written downe in hi… word, and wee hauehave either credibly heard reported the like with our eares, or seene them with our eyes, they ought to be vntounto vsus examples, and ratifie to vsus the truth of Gods iudgements, that as he hath promised to punish, and indeed hath punished such and such sinnes; so hee would doe it in vsus for the like, and as sometime he hath euen enwrapped his children in the like iudgements, though not to that end, for which hee punished the wicked; but as they hauehave beene partakers of the sinne in part, so they hauehave sustained the punishment in part: so we must know that he will punish the same sinnes, euenNote the goodnesse of the Lord to his children when hee plagueth the wicked. in vsus, or spare vsus, if wee be without them. Howbeit, the godly shall not hauehave the like iudgement with the vngodly. Hee will not consume vsus as drosse, but will trie vsus as siluer, he will not trample vsus vnderunder his feete, bu… humble vsus vnderunder his hand. Wherefore as in the sweete promises of God, there is a reuerent feare: so in our infirmities, wee must learne with Dauid to feare much more. Genes. 10. We reade, how God trode downe the pride of them, that built the tower of Babel. When Pharaoh was aduancing himselfe ouer the people of God, the Lord tr…mpled him down with tenne plagues, and trode him vnderunder foote in the red Sea. Exod 14 when Chorah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against God, and rose so insolently against Mo…ses and A…ron his ministers; the Lord trode them downe, euen into the earth, which opened her mouth and swallowed them vp quicke. The whole world for their ripenes of sin, did he destroy from the face of the earth, and scoured it with a purging water. The Lord pursued the land of the Sodomites, vntill it lay at his foote, which before was as a Paradise▪ The Lord swept away the Israelites, that they could not come to that plentifull and promised land. How often doe the histories record, how God trode downe many with warres, and swept away others with plagues? For as the Goldsmith purgeth the drosse from the gold, and the potter treadeth the vnprofitable clay to mi…e; euen so the Lord purgeth & treadeth down his enemies. This must make vsus to feare, for many men dangerously peruert their soules, and Sathan beguileth them with many shifts. But heretikes and prophane men say, The iudgements of God indeed in times past hauehave been great, but what is that to vsus? we confesse they were wonderfull in the time of the Law; but we heare not of them in the new Testament, what appertaine they then vntounto vsus? But Christ hath taught vsus this generall doctrine, Luk. 13. 1. where certaine men came to our Sauiour Christ, and shewed him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their owne sacrifices: but Christ answered them on this sort, Suppose ye that these Galileans were greater sinners than the other Galileans, because they hauehave suffered such things? I tell you, …o: but vnlesse ye repent your liues, you shall all likewise perish. Thus he also spake of them, vntounto these Iewes, which tooke occasion to condemne those men for their punishments, vponupon whom the tower in Siloam fell. EueryEvery man will yeeld to this, that the plagues are great, but no man p. 500wil applie them to himselfe. But our Sauiour Christ before teacheth vsus, rather to feare and suspect our owne estates, than to condemne others. Indeede all punishment shall not fall vponupon one man, nor one punishment shal light vponupon all. Though the flood sweepeth them not away, though Serpents deuoure them not, though they be not depriued of the promised land, yet surely the Sonne of God Iesus Christ hath spoken it, and though heauen and earth passe, yet one …ote of his word shall not passe, that vnlesse we repent, we shall all perish: if not in these, yet in some of these; if not in some of these, yet in some other like to these. For the Lord hath many and diuers iudgements, whereby he would tread downe his enemies. Beside the Apostle saith, Eph. 5. 6. Col. 3. 6. speaking of fornicators, couetous mē, adulterers, idolaters, & wantons▪ Let no man deceiue you with vaine words: for, for such things commeth the wrath of God vponupon the children of disobedience. This is spoken to Gods children, that they should not mocke at the menaces and iudgements of God: for if they will not obey, the iudgements of God vndoubtedly will fall; but if they will tremble at Gods word, they shal be children of obedience, and not be subiect to this wrath of God. Thus Christ also reasoneth▪ Matth. 24▪ …7. Luk. 17. 18. As the dayes of Noah were, so likewise shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee. 38. For as in the dayes before the flood, they did eate and drinke, marrie and gaue in mariage, vntill the day that Noah entred into the Arke. 39. And knewe nothing till the flood came, and tooke all away: so shall the comming of the Sonne of man bee. Luke 17. 28. Likewise also it was in the dayes of Lot, when in Sodome the Sunne shined in the morning, and all was well, euen then came the wrath of God from heauen. When the old world was making mirth, and thought of nothing lesse than of drowning, vntill Noah went into the Arke, suddenly the waters came vponupon them. Likewise is our estate, we know nothing now, we see the world is as it was, we prouide for our posteritie. Thus wee see our Sauiour Christ reasoned much like to Dauid. In the peculiar iudgement, it shal be like with vsus as with Sodome, that Citie was destroyed suddenly, and so shall we be. In the generall Iudgement, it shall bee as in the dayes of Noe, the water swept them away at vnawares; so the fire shall purge vsus when we thinke not of it.

Thou hast (saith Dauid) troden downe in times past, thou wilt tread downe againe. 2. Pet. 2. 4. If God spared not his Angels that had sinned, but cast them downe into hell, nor the olde world, nor Sodome. &c. Thus our Sauiour Christ, and with him his Apostles, teach by precepts and confirme by examples, and so must all the godly Ministers approue and teach this doctrine, that the godly may hauehave their faith established in Gods promises, and to leaue the wicked excuse lesse against the day of iudgement. They hauehave left vsus a president to follow, whereby we must be awaked from slum bring, that Gods children may stoope, and the rest be committed to the righteous iudgement of God. We see how we may profit by examining seuerall iudgements for seuerall sinnes, hath not God appointed in his word, andSeuerall punishmēts for seuerall sins. executed from heauen a seuerall punishment for seuerall sinnes? Doth God say that Idolaters, Heretikes, and prophane professors should bee swept away with plagues and warres, and hath he not swept away the Egyptians in the red sea, Exod. 14? Did the Lord threaten the breach of the Sabbath with death? And did he not strike the man, that did but in that day gather stickes, Numb. 15? Whose sinne though men spared on earth, yet the Lord punished it from heauen. Nehemiah taught his people this doctrine, saying, Did not the wrath of God fall on our fathers for our example? Yet there is to be noted, that euermore the Lord hath done, and doth fatherly correct and admonish, before hee vtterly sweepeth away. Shall we thinke that the Lord is altred? His long suffering did not presently punish, neither after hee had threatned, but hee gaue terme to repent: hee hath dealt so gratiously with countries, nations, and people, that hee hath not so troden them downe, as they hauehave troden down his glorie, but by benefits hath allured them, by chastisements driuen them, and by examples perswaded them to repent before his plague came. The Lord hath appointed for disobedient children death, Deut. 21. 18. If any man hath a sonne stubborne and disobedient, which will not hearken vntounto the voyce of his Father, nor the voyce of his Mother, and they hauehave chastened him, and he would not obey them, and after complaint made to the Elders of the Citie, all the men of the Citie shall stone him with stones vntounto death. And Prou. 20. 20. He that curseth his father or his mother, his light shall be put out in obscure darkenes. There is among other, p. 501one wicked generation, euen a generation that curseth his father, and blesseth not his mother; but of such a one, let the Eagle put out his eyes. Hath God so threatned, and will he not punish? 2. King. 2. Little children, who for their age, we would thinke to be spared, for mocking the Prophet of God Elisha, who cried for vengeance by the secret motion ofScorners. Gods spirit, were by two Beares deuoured. Did the Lord punish scorners then, and will he spare them now? For fornication we know twentie foure thousand fell on one day, & wereFornication. swept away with the plague, and shall fornication now be vnpunished? We stand but by grace, we are but petitioners, we must feare least liuing in these and such like sinnes, we be swept away with these and such like iudgements. This must make vsus to feare our selues, to louelove and beleeue the word, to grow in repentance, and make our schooling in the iudgements of God, some in one, and some in another. We hauehave heard now, how the cause of the Prophets prayer, was the sight of his infirmities: this must stirre vsus vp also to priuate prayer. For though we hauehave receiued neuer so many and excellent graces of God, yetPrayer. without prayer shall we not be able to stirre vp our selues by them. We must see how the man of God, seeing the seuere iudgements of God, was moued to prayer, that he should not be troden downe and swept away with the wicked. We are likewise to sweare to this practise, both to make vsus cleaue faster to the word, & also to make vsus the more to feare ourA visible iudgement of God. selues. For it is a visible iudgement of God, when we see the iudgements of God, and are not staied in fixed faith in the Lord, and a reuerent feare of our selues. We hauehave bin taught, because we are giuen to thinke that the iudgements of God appertaine not to vsus, that the long suffering of the Lord, is to leaue the wicked vnexcusable, and not to hauehave one of his vnsaued, and still calleth some, and doth not execute his iudgements, vntill the measure of sin be fulfilled to the brimme, Genet▪ 6. So that he spareth to call his to repentance, to leaue the wicked without excuse, who would neither be moued with his promises, nor feared with his iudgements. And although it seeme an easie doctrine, that God will by one way or other punish sinne, and thinke that we hauehave learned this before it be taught: yet we shall finde our selues ignorant of the practise of it, which if we knew, it would be a key of the whole Scriptures vntounto vsus. And thus much of the generall doctrine, now of the particular; For their deceit is vaine. As if the Prophet should say, notwithstanding all their high imaginationsAll vanitie both of life and religion is but deceit. thou hast destroyed them, for they hauehave but deceiued themselues in false religion and vanitie of life. Thus then let vsus consider of it, that whether our vanitie be in religion or life, it is but deceit. Heresie and Idolatrie carrie a great sway, vnderunder a colour of godly life: but when Gods iudgements sweepe them away, they seeme vaine, that neither their Idols can helpe them, nor their opinions comfort them.

This then may commend vntounto vsus the word of God, that it onelyonly maketh vsus safe, andThe word of God only neuer deceiueth vsus. staieth vsus in all troubles, wherefore it is said, port. 12. 4. Except thy law had beene my delight, I should hauehave perished in mine affliction. So the Prophet Ionah hath a notable sentence worthie to be written in letters of gold, and of all men to be remembred, Ionah. 2. 18. They that waite vponupon lying vanities, forsake their owne merciemercy. Whereby he sheweth that they which depend on any thing, saue on God alone, refuse their owne felicitie, and that goodnesse, which otherwise they should receiue of God. So that the Prophet himselfe in not going to Niniuie waited on vanitie, and could finde no comfort in himselfe. We may for a time trust to Idolatrie or vngodlinesse, but when the touch-stone and triall of Gods law comes, they cannot stay vsus, nor saue vsus, for they will deceiue all vsers of them, as false and vaine▪ 1. Sam. 12. 21. Samuel exhorting the people to repētance willeth them to follow the Lord, and not to turne backe, saying also, If ye turne backe, that should be after vaine things, which cannot profit you, nor deliuer you, for they are but vanitie. Where he teacheth vsus, that when miseries come, our delights are but vaine, and therefore cannot helpe vsus. The Scriptures also applie this to ill manners, as Ephes. 5. the Apostle setting downe a bedrow of many sinnes addeth this, Let no man deceiue you, &c. where because some thinke, that for such sinnes God would be entreated, he saith, nay not so, be not deceiued, vnlesse ye repent, God will not be entreated. Likewise Gal. 5. the Apostle hauing taught them to prouide temporall things for them, that minister spirituall, saith, be not deceiued, where he hath this sense: ye may hauehave many reasons with your selues, against this doctrine, but when God commeth to tread p. 502downe the wicked; then your reasons will not stand before his maiestie, for the truth onelyonly there preuaileth; doe not deceiue your selues, your hope will abuse you. And here all flattering of our selues in sinne will prooue deceiueable, wee walke in a nette, and deceiue our owne consciences, but this must make vsus feare, we must not reckon without our hoast, nor make our account without our auditour: for if we doe, we will beguile our selues, or flatter our selues.

Let eueryevery man therefore looke to the fleights of sinne in himselfe, and to the deceit of his owne conscience, and he shall see that all the wayes of man are euill, but the Lord is for euer true.

Wee must thus examine our selues: Good Lord, will this thing stay mee in the day of trouble, will this thing comfort mee in the houre of death? then it is a sure thing, then it is comfortable, otherwise it is vaine and cannot stay me, it is deceitfull, and will not comfort me. Now if we trust in the word, wee shall in death knowe that it is no imagination, howsoeuer the world would now perswade vsus that we liue too precisely, and Sathan lyeth to get vsus at a bay, we shall then know our labour was not lost, and when the Lord commeth to iudgement, if we hauehave laide a good foundation, when the tempests arise, the windes arise, and the raine fall, we shall be sure, and not beguile our selues, that we shall be on the rocke of Gods word, and built in faith, wee shall bee sure as mount Sion, and safe as Ierusalem, when the floods of vengeance come.

Vers. 119

Thou hast taken away all the wicked of the earth like drosse: therefore I louelove thy testimonies.

MArke the proprietie of the word, he saith not thy statutes doe I louelove, but thy testimonies, Testimonies.he saith here thus much: seeing O God, thou hast summoned the wicked, I will embrace more ioyfully the record and couenant of my saluation, made vntounto mee in thy word. For when we see Gods iudgements on the vngodly, this ought wonderfully to commend Gods merciemercy in free sauing vsus from the like, that whereas wee were in the like condition of sinne, he might hauehave measured the like to vsus, and yet vouchsafed to make his couenant in force vntounto vsus. Was it not a great merciemercy to saue Noah and his, when all the world besides was washed away with water? Did it not wonderfully commend the goodnesse of God, that in the great destruction of Sodome he should deliuer Lot? What a thing is this, that the Lord will make a couenant with vsus as with Noah, that if wee shall trust in Christ, we shall neuer be confounded? Againe, when the man of God seeth the wicked deceiued, because they trusted not in the word, this maketh him to louelove the word, and assureth him, that there is an end of all perfection, but the law of God is exceeding large, that it neuer failes in trouble, nor deceiueth any in death. Wherfore this must make vsus to louelove it also. And if wee compared this word with other vanities of the world, and felt in it such ioyes, and most specially in death and in troubles, and that when all failes, this doth minister sufficient comfort; surely the perswasion hereof would mooue vsus pathetically to expresse our mindes, and say with the Prophet, Oh how louelove I thy lawe it is my meditation continually.

Then when our strength shal faile, our breath draw short, our friends depart, our goods, countrie, and life shall forsake vsus; the word will be so sweete, so deare, and so pretious, that when all these are gone, this will yeeld vsus great comfort. We hauehave also learned here a further thing in the minde of the Prophet, who reasoneth thus: Seeing thou hast troden downe the wicked as earth, and scoured them as drosse, therefore will I embrace thy couenants, and records of thy iudgements, therfore the euidence of thy couenant which thou hast made to me, is most holy and pretious. For when the iudgements of God were so seuere against others, was it not the great merciemercy of God to make a couenant with him? Was it not a wonderfull grace of God, that being conceiued and borne in sinne like vntounto the other, hee should escape Gods iudgement? Was not it a great merciemercy, that when all flesh should perish, Noah and his familie should escape? Was it not the great goodnesse of God, when Sodome was consumed, to saue Lot? When the Lord had left all to ignorance, p. 503was it not his great merciemercy to preserue Abraham? When the Lord ouerthrewe the Egyptians,The rich mercy of God to the faithful in opening their eyes, when so many millions are left in darknesse and miserie. was it not free merciemercy to saue the Israelites? Was it not the great grace of God to leade forward Caleb and Iosua into the promised land, when to so many he had denied it? Our Sauiour Christ gaue thankes to his Father, as for a speciall mercy of God, that he had reuealed those things to babes and little ones, which he had concealed from many mightie of the world. If we consider how many are left in ignorance, giuen ouer to superstition, and remaine vnderunder the heauie hand of God, what a merciemercy of God is it to giuegive vsus his truth, to enrich vsus with his Gospell, and to blesse vsus with such abundance of temporall things? Oh that this were knowne of vsus! oh that eueryevery man would say: Oh Lord, what am I that thou shouldest shewe mee such merciemercy? to giuegive mee the enioying of thy word and Gospell more than any other, and giuing it to mee, makest me to vnderstand it aboue many: oh what am I that thou shouldest offer to mee this goodnesse! I was borne and conceaued in sinne, I hauehave multiplied and enlarged my corruptions both before & since my calling, my vnthankfulnes is great, my vnworthines therefore greater, and yet thou hast not ceased to preferre me in mercies before many. If we consider the fearefull iudgements of God in consuming all hypocrites, who will not say, that many hauehave beene called, and few chosen? When we shall see (I say) in the day of the Lord, his seuere iudgements to tread downe these hypocrites, and cause them to goe from his presence to hell, oh how wil we esteeme that we are in Christ, and say, Oh how louelove I thy law! For I see thy iudgements are equall, and thou dealest not with me in iustice, but in merciemercy; not in anger, but in louelove; not in wrath, but in pittie: therfore they couenant is sweete, because I hauehave deserued thy iudgements, and thou hast spared me.

Vers. 120.

My flesh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am afraide of thy iudgements.

HEre may seeme at the first to be some contrarietie betweene feare and louelove, sith louelove causeth not, but casteth out feare. For he had saide in the verse going before, that hee loued the testimonies of the Lord; and here he saith, that his flesh trembled for feare. Wherefore at the first sight here is some shew of contrariety, but indeed there is none. For he saith, My flesh trembleth, &c. whereby he sheweth, that as he loued the law of God in his inward man, and with his part regenerate: so it is the outward and olde man, and the part vnrenued, which is full of corruption, that did feare. So that as hee had Gods spirit to renue his minde, hee had this witnesse in him, that he did louelove the promises of God: but because his flesh rebelleth against the Spirit, and hee found many corruptions of nature remaining in him, and threatning him, that after hee was like to fall againe, if the Lord, yea but a little should leaue him: he saith, I am afraid, least for my vnthankfulnes, and vnworthie refusing of thy merciemercy, thou shouldest leaue me to my selfe, and so shouldest make a way to thy iudgements. Thus there is an harmonie in the Prophet: for because as the flesh hath a trembling feare, so the spirit reioyceth.

Thus, as wee hauehave often heard, Gods children finde to their comfort in themselues faith in Gods promises, and a delight in his word, & sometime they are grieued for the absence of this sweetnes of faith in the same. For as the presence of Gods spirit bringeth ioy, so the absence thereof feare; as faith breedeth a louelove of Gods promises, so infidelitie maketh vsus afraid of his iudgements. Although Noah had great cause to louelove the promises of God for his wonderfull deliuerance: so he had great cause to feare himselfe, that he might hauehave fallen afterward. Lot also hauing good cause to beleeue and embrace the couenant of God for his safegard, had iust occasion also to hauehave suspected himselfe, that he was subiect to falling. It is said, Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies: but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill For where feare is not, there is securitie; securitie breedeth hardnesse of heart, and hardnes of heart bringeth Gods wrath. Wherfore the Apostle writing to the Philippians, shewing that God worketh in vsus both the will and the deede of doing good, least hereby they should draw to themselues security, addeth, that they must fill the course of their saluation, in feare and trembling. For if wee doe only well by Gods grace working in vsus, wee are much to feare the absence of it. Wherefore wee see how the man of God did p. 504iustly feare his part vnregenerate.

This feare of Gods children differeth much from the feare of the wicked: for it bringeth vsus to the Lord, and driueth vsus not from the Lord; it helpeth, and hindreth not our prayers; it hurteth not, but furthereth our duties. For it maketh vsus to feare least wee should lose Gods grace, it causeth vsus to waite more and more to hauehave it, and hauing it, moueth vsus by prayer to continue it. When Noah had Gods fauour he feared, and being warned of God (as Heb: 11. 7.) of the things which were as yet not seene, moued with reuerence prepared the Arke▪ &c So Habacuk hearing of the iudgement of God, which should fall vponupon the faithfull by the Chaldeans, saith, H…b. 3. 16. My bellie trembled, my lips shooke at the voyce: rottennes entred into my bones, and I trembled in my selfe Paul said he preached with feare and trembling▪ Thus wee see how the good Saints of God did feare, because they knewe, that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vsus, no flesh should be saued, and that there was nothing in them, but of merciemercy: and therefore they acknowledge their weaknes, vnworthinesse, and wretchednesse.

Wee see also that Gods children hauehave diuers affects, according to their diuers estates, and though sometimes they are quickened through faith, other times they are most ready to sinne, if they doe not sinne. No maruell then though the children of God feare, when they see that God restraineth their will, & the greater their feelings are, yet are they mixed with a reuerent feare of Gods maiestie, and sight of their own corruptiōs, least they should not abide his glorie, and least they should not continue in their good things

We see moreouer that this feare humbled Noah▪ that the Prophets & Apostles spake in feare, which the Lord gaue vntounto them, either to prepare them to some grace which they should receiue, or else more zealously to keepe some grace which already they hauehave receiued. And where it might be obiected, that louelove casteth out feare, wee must vnderstand, ofExcessiue feare. that seruile and excessiue feare, which driueth vsus away from God. And seeing though wee feele Gods louelove by faith, wee will feare, then much more had we neede so to doe, when by infidelitie wee feele not this louelove. So wee must hauehave both feare to prepare vsus to grace, and wee must hauehave louelove to continue vsus in this grace. And surely onelyonly they, with whom this thing hath been familiar, doe knowe how louelove and feare doe dwell together. For as blessed experienc… hath taught some, that by this feare they hauehave attained to speciall graces, and continued in them by the same: so also by wofull experience some hauehave found, that for want. …f this, they either hauehave not t…sted of the grace of God, or else not continued in the same.