Commentary on the Psalms of Ascent, Section 14
The .133. Psalme. Behold how good, &c.
In this Psalme the Prophet commendeth louelove and concord in both the kingdoms,The argument of the Psalme. corporall and spirituall, but specially in the spirituall kingdom, and for the same he giueth thankes vntounto God. For this is not onelyonly a singular gift of God when there is vnitie in the Church and quietnes in the common wealth: but it is also the founteyne and headspring of inestimable benefites and blessings.Dauid had learned by experience that there is nothing better thē peace and concord▪ Here peraduenture you wil aske where Dauid learned that these are so excellent and so profitable things. But he which marketh the historie of Dauid, shall easily perceaue that the maisters of whom he learned this knowledge, were Saul, Doeg and other monsters in the Court of Saul his predecessour: also Absolon, Achitophel and such like: that is to say, Dauid by many tentations and by long experience did learne; that nothing is better then louelove and concord. But they which hauehave not felt that Dauid did, doe thinke that nothing is better then dissention & discord, according to the prouerbe: Warre is sweete to those which hauehave not tryed it. For yong men, which are yet full of ho…e and youthfull blood, thinke nothing more excellent then the glory of warre and victorie, whereby they may winne prayse and fame. These carnall motions and affections afterwardes are easily quenched when men hauehave felt the calamities both of them selues and theirs. But before the calamities be knowne and felt, the commodities of peace are not knowne vntounto the world, and so warre is sweete and pleasant to those which hauehave not felt the miseries thereof: as the histories doe witnesse, wherein we may see that often tymes seditious heades hauehave complayned of peace, saying that in rest and quietnes men be come sluggerds, cowards and dastards. Therefore they desire warre as an encrease of glorie and occasion to set forth their manhood and courage.
This poyson is rooted in our nature through originall sinne, that those thinges which are most excellent and necessary, we loth and shunne: and those things whereby Satan seeketh our destruction, we greedely desire, according to that dutch prouerbe: Men often striue and take great paynes to bring them selues into misery and daunger.Proue. 20.14. It is naught, it is naught, sayth the byer. For the mindes of men doe commonly mislike and loth the most excellent thinges when they hauehave plenty and are full thereof. Wherefore it is an enestimable gift of God, to hauehave peace both in the Church and in the common wealth.A great gift of God, to vnderstand and to acknowledge the giftes of God. And this is also a singular gift, to acknowledge that it is a gift. For howe many doe we see amonges the enemies and persecutors of the Gospell, which hauehave an outward and worldly peace, and yet they enioy not this gift? For in the middest of this quietnes their mindes be vnquiet, and they hauehave no rest nor inward peace, whiles they being inflamed with an hatred against the Gospell, deuise and continually seeke newe occasions to condemne and vtterly to roote out our religion. Let vsus therefore be thankfull vntounto God for this gift, and let vsus not be like vntounto the vnthankefull world, which vnderstandeth not this gift and great blessing of God, but in the very vse thereof forgetteth God. God hasten his kingdom, and giuegive vsus a better life: For I protest that this life is naught: in the which we neither regarde the greate giftes of God, nor yet acknowledge them to be his gifts,
To maintaine this gifte, it is not in the power of the temporall or the spirituall Magistrate: but men being both blind and deffe, will needes doe,Satan ioyning with ye originall sinne & corruption of nature, draweth men to that which they knowe to be euill. not that they like and approue, but that sinne and Satan prouoketh them vntounto. It is the Lord alone therfore which is both the giuer and maintayner of peace: whiche preserueth kingdoms and common wealthes, that they fall not to vtter ruine by warres, vprores and tumultes. This gifte the Psalme commaundeth vsus to acknowledge, and exhorteth vsus to be thankful for the same. For it is the mightie hande of God that there is any peace or concorde amongst vsus. And thanks be vntounto God, that we hauehave this knowledge, that peace is the gifte of God, although we be not able of our selues to maintaine and defend the same. For this is a meanes, not onelyonly to stay vsus that we despaire not in these outrages and hurly burlyes of the wicked world, but also to driue vsus to harty prayer, that God would preserue that peace which he hath giuen vsus, and defende vsus from the power of Satan and wicked men.
Verse. 1.
Beholde how good and how comely a thing it is, brethren to dwell euen togither.
Dauid had bene in many and great daungers, and by experience had learned in the troubles which he suffered through greate and long seditions and other afflictions, not onelyonly what mischiefe there is in discord and the doctrine of error: but also what inestimable good things doe proceede of concorde and sincere doctrine. Wherefore he assureth him self that God preserueth, gouerneth & blesseth these things. For the Psalme treateth of both kinds, that is, of the peace and concorde of the common wealth, and of the Church: like as they also in nature are coupled togither. For the peace of the common wealth is also the peace of the Church, for that in the time of peace the worde of God may be freely published and preached. Brethren he calleth as well those that liue in any societie togither,Brethren. as also the Ministers and Preachers of the word. These liue in vnitie and concorde, when they feede the people with one vniforme & sound doctrine, when the people obey and beleue the worde, and when there is no contention among them. This is a singular gift of God, and not onelyonly a ioyfull, but also a profitable and a comely thing in the Church. So is it also in the common wealth, when the lawes are obeyed and the Magistrate hath a care of the people: and againe, when the subiectes doe louelove and reuerence the Magistrates and obey their authoritie. These gifts the Psalme exhorteth vsus to acknowledge and to be thankfull for the same.
Verse. 2.
It is like to the precious oyntment vppon the heade that runneth downe vponupon the bearde euen vppon Aarons beard, which went downe on the borders of his garments.
This is a homely and familiar phrase of the holy Ghost. The place is knowne 30. of Exodus, where Moses was commaunded to make a certaine precious oyntment, with this inhibition, that it should be made of none else but of him, nor employed to any other vse then to anoynt the bearde of the high Priest. With this oyntment the Psalme compareth vnitie and concorde as an holy & heauenly thing:Concord is compared to a precious oyntment. whiche by no power or policie of man can either be gotten or kept. For although it be giuen euen to the wicked also, as we may see in those kingdoms which are out of the Church, yet is it the gift of God, and a most holy gift, which ought to serue especially vntounto holy vses, for the aduauncing of religion, for the confirmation of matrimony, for the education of children, and for the maintenance and continuance of all honestie and godlines.
In that he saith: from the head, he sheweth the nature of true concord. For like as the oyntment ranne downe from the heade of Aaron the high priest, vponupon his beard, and so descended vntounto the borders of his garment: euen so true concord in doctrine and brotherly louelove, floweth as a precious oyntment, by the vnitie of the spirite, from Christ the high priest and head of the Church, vntounto all the members of the same.The beard what it signifieth. For by the beard and extreme partes of the garment he signifieth, that as farre as the church reacheth, so farre spreadeth that vnitie which floweth from Christ her head. Or by the beard we may vnderstand those to whome the office of teaching belongeth, because the bearde is ioyned vntounto the mouth, which is the instrument of doctrine, and by the extreme partes of the garment the rest of ye church, which is the garment of Christ. This similitude expresseth most liuely how great the vertue of the spirite of concord is wherewith all the members of Christ are anoynted: For it maketh their life sweete and pleasant, in so much, that whatsoeuer they do, it giueth a sweet odor in the sight of God.
If the vnquiet spirits which trouble the Church at this day, could beleue that the peace and concorde of the Church is such an holy and a pleasant ointment to the Lord,Against the Anabaptists and other Sectaries, enemies to the peace & quietnes of the Church. separate from all profane vses: they would be more sober and circumspect then they be. But because they beleue it not, therefore they employ this holy ointment to vnholy vses, seeking therby their owne glory. Yea, they turne the Psalme cleane contrary, and say in their harts. Behold how pleasant a thing it is to trouble the brethren: they would not hauehave them to enioy this holy oyntment, that is, to dwell and liue togither in this heauenly concord. These we must flie: to these we must in no wise be like, but must learne that the vnitie of the Church is the gifte of God, which we must defend and maintaine with all our power. For there is nothing more pleasant in the sight of God and his Angells, then when the Pastors and gouerners of the Churches doe dwell togither in godly concorde, teaching and following with one consent, one true, sincere and vniforme doctrine.
Betwene the Pope and his rable there is great concorde:The cōcord of the Papistes. for there is a concord euen amongest theeues: as there was betwene Iudas and the Phariseis. But this is not the concorde whiche the Psalme here speaketh of: but the Psalme commendeth that concord which is amongst those that hauehave the pure and sincere worde. Therefore the Prophet here vseth a similitude which onelyonly perteineth to Aaron, named to be y• high priest by Gods owne mouth, signifying thereby that this concord is spread by the preachers of the word, throughout the whole body of the Church: so that, not onelyonly the body it selfe is refreshed with this oyntment, but also the sweete smel thereof is dispearsed eueryevery where, and the fame of the Church is glorious both before God & men, those I meane which vnderstand and acknowledge this heauenly benefite.
Verse. 3.
As the dew of Hermon which falleth vponupon the mountaines of Sion: for there the Lorde appoynted the blessing and life for euer.
Hermon.Hermon is a mountaine ioyning vppon Libanus. Hereof it commeth that in an other place he calleth Iudea, which is compassed with mountaines, the land of Hermonijm. As touching this similitude, I thinke the Prophet vseth the common maner of speaking. For whereas the mountaines often times seme to those that beholde them a far of, to reach vp euen vntounto heauen, the dew which commeth from heauen, seemeth to fall from the high mountaines vntounto the hills which are vnderunder them. Therefore he sayth, that the dewe descendeth from Hermon vntounto the mount Sion, because it so seemeth vntounto those that doe behold it a farre of. And this clause, after my iudgement, perteineth to ciuill concorde (like as the former similitude perteineth to the Church) because God, through peace and concord, maketh common wealthes and kingdoms to flowrish: euen as seedes, herbes and plants are fresh and flourish through the morning dewe. The beginning of this peace commeth from the Princes & Magistrates, as from mount Hermon ▪ From whom it floweth vntounto eueryevery particular person, and to the whole common wealth, which is refreshed therwith as it were with the dewe of heauen: wherby all things doe prosper and flourish. For like as by the dewe, all things that growe vponupon the earth do spring and encrease: euen so small things through peace & concord do grow to great increase. Contrariwise, like as in ye time of great heat & drowth all things wither away & perish: so warres, seditions & tumults, su…uert and destroy common weales & kingdoms. Wherfore we hauehave neede, not onelyonly of diligent exhortations, but also of continuall, hartie and faithfull prayer vntounto God, that he would gratiously continue this heauenly benefite of peace and concord amonges vsus, as the Prophet now addeth.
There the Lorde appointed the blessing and life, or liues, for so it is in the Hebrewe. As much to say as: There will God dwell where concord is. This is in deede an excellent commendation wherewith he so bewtifieth and extolleth peace. And with this commendation ought the hartes of all men to be stirred vp to the louelove of peace,The commē dation of concord, and that God will dwell there where concord is. since they heare, that God wil dwel with such Princes, such Pastors and such people as louelove peace and defende the same. It followeth then that where the enemies of peace are, and such as delite in vnnecessary warres, as are those monsters which are idlely and wickedly brought vp in the Courts of Princes and courtly life, togither with the profane & godles multitude, there dwelleth the deuill with his angells, and there hath God appoynted malediction, death and destruction.
There is a certeine vehemency in this word life, or liues in the plurall number. For it signifieth all kindes of life, as the Priests, the Leuites, the faithfull, the Magistrates, artificers, citizens, husbandmen, &c. As if he sayd: All states of life shall be blessed with this peace. This is in deede a notable promise. But doe not we most wickedly contemne this promise? Many of purpose seeke occasions to trouble the Churches. In the common wealth likewise we see what great contempt of …awes there is eueryevery where. By these enormities we doe, as it were, constrayne God, not to bestow vponupon vsus this blessing and life. This is the cause that we are vexed with sundry calamities, for that we doe contemne this blessing so graciously offered vntounto vsus. Notwithstanding the worlde through calamities and scourges will not amende. For what did it profite the Iewes to be so often exercised with all kindes of calamities? God therfore was constrayned at the length vtterly to destroy them. In like maner Loth preached to the Sodomites in vayne: as Noah also did to the first world. The same daunger hangeth ouer our heades. For neither with pestilence, warre nor famine can we be brought to amendement, or bee any thinge the better. Therefore shall destruction followe.
This Psalme therefore is a commendation of peace and vnitie, to the ende we should esteeme of it as a most excellent and holy gift, and that we shoulde rather suffer the losse of all thinges else, then giuegive occasion of dissention and discorde. For if we must suffer any losse, it ought to be borne patiently in this respect, that all other thinges through peace are recouered and restored agayne:Nothing better chepe to the byer thē peace. as one sayd very well: I neuer bought any thing better chepe then peace: For to the byer it bringeth most plentifull fruite. We see often times in our priuate affayres, that if a man be content to lose tenne or twenty crownes that he may liue in peace and quietnes, he wynneth thereby great gayne and commoditie: whereas an other neglecting this quietnes, and by strife and contention seeking ten crownes, loseth many times an hundreth crownes or more. If these thinges so fall out in priuate matters, what hapneth (thinke you) in ye affaires of common wealths & kingdoms? Let vsus learne therefore highly to esteme of peace, & to be thankfull vntounto God for such a singular gift both in the common wealth and in the Church. So shall it come to passe, that we shall feele and enioy this blessing and life, as the holy Ghost hath promised.