Exposition Upon Select Psalms, Biblical commentary · Psalm 3
ANE EXPOSITION vponupon the third Pſalme.
THE ARGVMENT.
A Pſalme of Prayer. Now the maker thereof, and the occaſion of the writing of it, is evident out of the Inſcription. A Pſalme of David (ſaith he) when bee fledde through feare of his ſonne Abſchalom. Looke the occaſion in the 2. booke of Sam. 15. Chapter, to the twenty Chap. at length opened vp. Then to returne to the matter, the Pſalme is compoſed of three partes. The firſt is ane heauie complaint, from the 2. verſe to the 4. Then is a glorying of Faith, through a feeling of the merciemercy and deliverance of God, which he appeareth to hauehave felt and taſted, while he made his complaint vntounto the 8. verſe. Thirdly, there is a two-ſold petition, The firſt for him ſelfe: The other for the whole people, vntounto the end of the Pſalme.
THE III. PSALME.
1 A Pſalme of DAVID when he fledde through feare of his ſonne Abſchalom.
2 O Iehova, how many are mine adverſaries, many they are that riſe vp againſt me!
3 Many there are that ſay of my ſoule, there is no ſalvation for this man in God! Selah.
The firſt part of the Pſalme.
O Iehova, how many] The firſt part of the Pſalme, is the complaint which aryſeth, as it appeareth clearely, from a heart, partely oppreſſed by the grieuouſneſſe of afflictions; partly aſtoniſhed through the multitude of enemies. For hee cannot ſufficiently wonder at ſuch a multitude ſo ſuddenly ſeduced by his ſonne Abſchalom: And therefore wondring and aſtoniſhed at once, he repeateth this thriſe, How many are they! The grievouſnes of the affliction.Now the heauines of the affliction appeareth fullie of the degrees of the complaint: for he complaineth not only of many enemies, but of many enemies riſing vp againſt him: And not that onelyonly, but of many enemies, both blaſphemous againſt God, and ſpiteful againſt himſelfe;The commō church of whome they ſpake, as of one forſaken of God. Of this third and higheſt degree, this thing is to be perceived in Davids example, that God, even after ſuch a maner vſes to exerciſe his owne, and thoſe that are beloved of him, that they appeare to the world to be among the number of the reprobat, and of thoſe that are forſaken of God. And this is not done without a cauſe, for the defections, yea,Cau… of every one that is moſt good, are many, and ſinne appeareth many times to be ſweete vntounto the Electe. Therefore, God ſuffers them againe to taſte how bitter the fruit of ſinne is: Yet notwithſtanding in the mean time, hee ſo mitigateth this ſenſe of the fruit of ſinne, that he ſuffereth them not to feele at one time, and together, the whole ſharpnes thereof: And he changeth ſo that part of that ſenſe and bitternes, which he giveth to them to be taſted, that out of bitternes, he maketh ſweetnes to come; out of that which is, by the owne nature the fruit and puniſhment of ſin, he maketh a way as it were, of amendment of life, yea, vntounto the very heauens themſelues. This way to ſome man may appeare backward, that any by the Helles, ſhould paſſe vntounto the heauens: Notwithſtanding God bringeth it to paſſe, which brought light out of darknes. Then mark next in this complaint, and in this example of DAVID, that every one of the godly vſes in their afflictiones to turne them ſelues at length vntounto God. And that is a plaine proofe, if there were no more onelyonly, that this puniſhment which is otherwiſe inflicted vponupon ſinne, changeth the own nature: For at no time, the turning vntounto GOD followeth the puniſhment, in ſo far as it is the puniſhment of ſin, whatſoever the Papiſts prattle of temporall puniſhments and ſatisfactions (as they ſpeake:) But after what maner now at laſt doth DAVID convert himſelfe vntounto God? For the godly man afflicted many waies vſeth to turne himſelfe vntounto God; for either by confeſſion of his ſinnes, or by ſeeking deliverance from the preſent affliction, or finally, by complayning and quarrelling with God, he turneth himſelfe vntounto him. Now DAVID in this Pſalme turneth himſelfe vntounto God by complayning and lamenting, not indeede that he acknowledgeth not his ſinne together with his deſerving, to wit, that he is juſtlie through his owne procurement afflicted after that maner. For we reade not that DAVID thus complaineth in any other place, that hee vndeſervedly ſuffered any thing of his God. In ſome other place I grant he complaineth, that he ſuffered many things of men and of his enemies, but in no place he maketh moane that hee ſuffered any thing vndeſervedly at Gods hands. Moreover, it is manifeſt ynough by his own wordes in this place, of what thing he complayneth: For he complayneth not only of the multitude of his enemies but alſo of the over grieuouſneſſe of the affliction:David… complayne what on it is. As if any childe chaſtened duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page of the father complaining that he is over rigourouſly handled: Albeit in the meane time that is true, that GOD never tempteth his owne aboue that they are able to ſuſteine: For hee will not ſuffer you to bee tempted aboue that you bee able, but will even giuegive the iſſue with the temptation, that yee may bee able to bear it. 1. Cor. 10. 13. I grant he burdeneth the reprobat aboue, that they are able to beare: and therefore CAINE. Geneſ. 4. 13. complayneth: That his puniſhment is greater, hen that he is of ſtrength to beare. But God tempteth not his owne ſo; albeit ſometimes it appeareth ſo vntounto them, becauſe of the infirmitie of our nature. I praye you, what meneth that,The tentation of the godly. that a man euen in the middeſt of his tentations (I ſpeak of the godlie) while hee hes his recourſe vntounto God, feeleth, that in ſome part he is eaſed of his burthen; & that he feeleth with ſighes that cannot be expreſſed a joy invtterable? What other thing I pray you, is meant by that matter, but that while the godly hes their refuge vntounto God, their tentation is aſſwaged, and that after a ſort they ſlide and eſcape out of the midſt of tentation (to ſpeake ſo with the Apoſtle.)The tentation of the wicked.) The vngodly whiles they are puniſhed of God, they feele not indeede that, neither is there a way made open to them vntounto God: Therefore the burthen of the wrath is heavier then they are able to beare. Of which thing alſo, CAIN. Geneſ. 4. 14. complayneth, who beſide that he was condemned to baniſhment, & caſten out of the Church, hee was alſo caſten out from the face of God. But this complaynt of DAVID is yet a little more diligently to be examined of vsus, and finally, it muſt be taken heede to, from what mind it proceeded. The beginning of this complaint, clearely manifeſteth the ſelfe of this familiar maner of doing with God, which is eaſilie perceived in DAVIDS complaint. For ſuch a familiar faſhion of dealing with God, ſheweth that this complaynte came not from the Spirit of man. For the Spirite of man durſt never yet compeir before God and his judgement ſeate: For howſoever otherwaies it appeare to be fearce, notwithſtanding, it trembleth and ſhaketh at the ſight of God. Wherefore of neceſſitie, this ſo familiar a complaint muſte proceed from the Spirit of God himſelfe. They call this Spirite, the Spirite of adoption, which as PAVL… ſpeaketh, Rom. 5. 5. powring out into our harts that fatherlie louelove of God. teſtifieing therewithal, that we ar the ſons of God: & therfor it openeth our mouth that we cry Abba, father, & that in our affliction we complaine vntounto God. For this is it which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh. Rom. 8. 26. The Spirite it ſelfe maketh requeſte for vsus, with ſighes that cannot bee expreſſed. From this Spirit therefore this ſo familiar a complaynt of afflicted DAVID commeth: For except this ſpirit, and ſome ſenſe of the fatherly louelove of God be preſent; as in the meane time I grant vntounto you that it may be, that ſome man will ſhout and howle in afflictiones, and roare according to the cuſtome of Lyons & wildbeaſtes, as DAVID ſpeaketh of himſelfe, Pſal. 32. at which time in troubles, he is not ſo tuitched with this feeling of the fatherly louelove of God: Nevertheleſſe, that a man may familiarly turne himſelfe vntounto God, and complaine vntounto him as vntounto a father, of the grievouſneſſe of the affliction: no maner of way can it come to paſſe, except this Spirit be preſent, and that there be ſome ſenſe of the fatherly louelove of God.Servile … ſo…y … A ſervant that onelyonly feareth his maiſter becauſe of wrath, and therewith loveth him not alſo; neither yet on the other ſide feeleth that he is beloved of his maiſter, while he is beaten by his angrie maiſter, hee turneth not vntounto him, hee quarrelleth not with him familiarlie: but as his maiſter handleth him inhumanelie; ſo he complayneth, not ſo much according to the maner of men; as hee roareth and howleth like vntounto wilde beaſtes, without all ſenſe of the louelove of his maiſter. But the ſonne, who is touched with a ſenſe of his fathers louelove, in the midſt of the chaſtening, he turneth him vntounto his father, and quarrelleth with him familiarly. So the afflicted childe of God, quarrelleth with God his father; of whome he feeleth himſelfe much more loued yea, euen then while he is afflicted be Gods hand then any naturall ſonne whoſoeuer can be beloved of his father. Hee feeleth alſo God the father to ſuffer together with him, & to be commoved by the ſelf ſame afflictions of his, which otherwiſe hee him ſelfe ſendeth vponupon him: euen as a father is touched with a compaſſion in the very meane time, while he is chaſtiſing his ſonne; notwithſtanding that of neceſſitie he is compelled to chaſtiſe his ſonne; ſpecially, to the ende he ſhould not grow worſe by libertie and impunitie. And ſo to this place wee hauehave ſpoken of DAVIDS complaynt, which we ought to follow in our afflictiones: in which certainlie, we ſhould endeuour, that ther be ever preſent with vsus, a ſenſe of the louelove of God, in Chriſt Ieſus. But ſo far as concernes the perſon of DAVIDS enemies; you hauehave in them, not onelyonly an example of blaſphemie againſt God, but of extreame malice againſt men, who ſpare not ſo much indeede the ſoule, or the other life, in ſo far, as they indevour altogether, to cut away the hope of Gods helpe. In which thing alſo, yet ſee their wonderfull blindneſſe, who thinke that the godly are altogether left by God in the meane time when they are afflicted of him, yea, and alſo that they themſelues are ſtirred vp by God to deſtroy and vtterlie to overthrowe them: like as that blaſphemous lowne Rabſchake gloried againſt the people of God. 1. King. 18. 25. Am I nowe come vp without Iehova vntounto this place to deſtroy it? Iehova hes ſaide vntounto me, Go vp againſt this land and deſtroy it. And thus much hauehave wee ſpoken of the firſt part of this Pſalme.
4 But thou Iehoua art a buckler about me, my glorie, & he who lifteth vp mine head.
5 I crying vntounto Iehova with my voice he anſwered me out of the mountaine of his holines, Selah.
6 I Layd me downe and ſlept, I awakened, becauſe Iehoua ſuſteined me.
7 I will not be affrayd for ten thouſands of the people, which ſtanding round about mee, hauehave pitched their tentes againſt mee.
The other part of the Pſalme.
BVt thou Iehova] The ſecond parte of the Pſalme, in which, through the ſenſe of the preſence and help of God, albeit hee was not yet in effect delivered, notwithſtanding he glorieth, as if hee were euen now delivered; For he had ſcarſe complayned vntounto God, when hee felt ſome preſence and protection of his before hand. For ſurely no man wil hauehave his recourſe vntounto God in Ieſus Chriſt, before he firſt in ſome meaſure feele his helpe: Come vntounto mee (ſaithe hee Matth. 11 28.) all yee who are wearie and burdened, and I will make you to reſt. But what are theſe helpes, to the ende we may come to the particular, which DAVID felt to come from God, in the time he had his refuge to him. DAVID being diſarmed, fledde from his ſonne Abſchalom; now he felt God as a buckler to cover and protect him whollie over.David miſerie … glorie. Hee was in ſhame, hee felt God to be vntounto him Glorie. He lay proſtrate; he felt God lifting vp his head. And to ſpeake it in a word; hee felt God to ſupplie all that wanted in him. The matter is ſo then, ſurely thou ſhalt want nothing, which that onelyonly one God ſhall not furniſh, if thou hauehave thy refuge to him: yea, thou ſhalt alſo feele him only to be all vntounto thee. Deſireſt thou wiſedome? he ſhall be wiſedome vnthee: deſireſt thou glorie? He ſhal be glorie vntounto thee: Deſireſt thou riches? hee ſhall be riches vntounto thee. Finally, he ſhalbe vntounto thee al things that thou deſireſt. Moreover, DAVID whiles he felt the ſethings, he holdeth them not within himſelfe, but the things he feeleth, he ſpeaketh out, & profeſſeth them firſt before GOD. This ſenſe of the merciemercy of God,The ſeeling of the mercy of God. it cannot be altogether ſuppreſſed and reſtrayned, but it will burſt foorth in an open confeſſion. For ſo both God himſelfe is glorified, and he who hes that ſenſe, receiueth the greater conſolation; eſpecially, the ſenſe of the mercy of God, being inlarged by the confeſſion. For how much the more we vtter foorth that ſenſe of Gods mercy in our harts; ſo much more it groweth and is enlarged. But hee who never at any time ſpeaketh a word, either with God, or men of the mercy of God in Chriſt Ieſus: this man by his ſilence declareth plainely ynough, that he is not touched as yet with that ſenſe of the mercy of God, with which it became him to be touched.The acknowledging of the mercy gotion. I crying out] Hee goeth forward in his glorying; and as firſt hee had profeſſed before God himſelfe, that feeling of his mercy: ſo turning himſelfe vntounto men, hee commendeth the ſame vntounto them, beginning firſt from the manner and faſhion, whereby hee had apprehended the mercy of God. Then in following out every particular parte of the mercy. For ſo it commeth to paſſe, that both God is more glorified, and men are alſo more edified through that example of the mercy of God toward him: for no notable mercy of God is beſtowed vppon anie for his own cauſe only, but alſo for the cauſe of others, that others alſo by his example may be turned vntounto God, and may purchaſe merciemercy. Wherefore (ſaith PAVLE 1. Tim. 1. 16.) For this cauſe hee receiued mee to merciemercy, that Ieſus Chriſte ſhould firſt ſhew on mee all long ſuffering, vntounto the example of them, which ſhall in time to come beleeue in him, vntounto eternall lyfe. Therefore the Prophet beginneth from that reaſon, whereby he had apprehended mercy. Now it is perceived in conuerſion vntounto God & prayer; to the ende, that no man ſhould thinke that God giveth grace to that man that ſeeketh it not, or that hee openeth the heavens to the man that knocketh not, let be, to the contemner or refuſer of the grace offered: For God will hauehave our faith exerciſed after that faſhion: albeit otherwaies he giveth vsus not, yea, the leaſte thing that can bee, becauſe of our prayers, as for any deſerving cauſe. He aunſwered] To vvit, out of his heavenly ſanctuarie, yea, and out of the earthly alſo, vntounto which his viſible preſence was then tyed. This is ſubjoyned, that all may know that they ſeeke no ſooner any thing from God, according to his will, but hee wil ſurely therwith anſwere them in ſome meaſure: and ſo they may bee incouraged from the verie ſucceſſe of the prayer, to conceiue prayers thereafter. Alſo, wee ſhall ſee that it cannot be otherwiſe, but God ſhall preſently anſwere to our petition, if we conſider from whence the ſame is: now it commeth from Gods own ſpirit it ſelfe; and ſo it is not poſſible but God will heare his owne Spirit. Wherefore PAVLE. Rom. 8. 27. 28. after he had ſaid that the Spirit maketh requeſt for vsus, with ſighes that cannot be expreſſed, preſently he ſubjoynes, that God knoweth the meaning of his owne Spirit: As if he ſhould ſay, God muſt of neceſſitie heare the interceſſion of his owne Spirite, and anſwere to the deſire thereof. From whence I pray you is that, that with ſighes that cannot be vttered, of which the Apoſtle ſpeaketh, we feele therewith, that invtterable ioy, and ſo wee come from God as if we were ſatisfied: yea euen then, when that ſelf ſame thing is not as yet gotten, which hes bene ſought of him: Surely, none otherwiſe, but from thence that God hes aunſwered our petition. For ſo God vſeth, ſtirring vp in our harts, a certaine vnſpeakable joy, to aunſwere vsus when we call. And this ſenſe is more then all thoſe earthly thinges, more then this preſent life, yea & al things belonging thereto: Wherefore hee hath purchaſed more at Gods hands, who hath felt this joy, then he who hath gotten this preſent life from God, and all things neceſſarie to the ſame. But now we hauehave in the end of the next verſe, what God anſwered to DAVID, when he ſayeth. Iehova ſuſteineth me] Therefore God aunſwered not ſo much by word as by deed, then when he vpheld David: Which thing he ſpake before in more words. [Thou art my buckler about mee, my glorie, and he that lifteth vp mine head,] He comprehendeth the ſame thing in one worde hereafter.The effect of Gods mercy. [He ſuſteined me] ſaith he, whereby hee meaneth that ſenſe of Gods protection, in the midſt of perſecution. I layd me downe] Now hee commendeth the effecte which followed ſo gentle an anſwer of God, of the which he ſpake immediatlie before. And it is indeede, ane certaine ſecuritie of the mind, which he leaveth to be perceiued be the effects. Now there are in it, that he laie downe, that he ſleeped, and that hee awakened out of ſleepe. For as when the minde of any man is troubled through any preſent daunger, either he goeth not to bed, or if he goe to bed, he ſleepeth not quietly, neither yet wakeneth he ſoftly, if peradventure he ſleepe: So when the minde is quiet, then indeed a man goeth to bed, he ſleepeth ſecurely, hee awakeneth ſoftly: Wherefore ſome deepe ſecuritie of minde, is manifeſted by thoſe effectes, yea, and that a ſpirituall reſt. The thing therefore that maketh a minde ſecure in troubles, you ſee it to be Gods preſence, and a feeling of his helpe. Therefore the Apoſtle hath theſe wordes. Rom. 8. 31. If God be on our ſide, who ſhall be againſt vsus? For he felt that quietnes of mind through Gods preſence, which made him thereafter, to provoke whatſoever enemies of his ſalvation. Alſo that is worthie of conſideration, in what meaning the Apoſtle in that place vnderſtandes God to be preſent with him. After that he had fullie rehearſed all Gods benefites, having begunne at the firſt to the laſt in theſe wordes. Rom. 8. 29. 30. Thoſe which he knew before he alſo predeſtinate, whom he predeſtinate, them alſa he called, whome hee called, thoſe hee iuſtifyed, whom he iuſtified, thoſe he gloryfied: then he ſubjoyned, verſ. 13. What ſhall we ſay to thoſe things? To the which interrogation, he anſwereth, If God be on our ſide, who ſhall be againſt vsus? In which words, ſurely he hath brought in one ſumme, all the benefits before ſpoken of; all which eaſilie may bee brought to this:How God is with vsus. That God is with vsus. Therefore Gods preſence is perceived by his powerfulnes in calling, juſtifying, and glorifying of vsus: So that if any man would know whether God be preſent with him or not, hee muſt ſee, whether if he be called, whether if he be juſtified, and by theſe, as by the meanes, he muſt aſcend to the Predeſtination, and fore-knowledge of God, which were from everlaſting. Then leaſt any ſhould doubt of theſe benefites, by which he declareth the Lord himſelfe to be preſent with vsus, he bringeth vsus to that gift of his ſon Chriſt, of al gifts the chiefeſt, and by an argument taken from the thing that is more, to that which is les, he concludeth thus, He who ſpared duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page not his onelyonly ſonne, but gaue him for vsus to death, how ſhall he not with him giuegive vsus all things alſo? Therefore, you ſee that the Apoſtle reaſoneth, from Chriſt given, to all the reſte of the giftes: to the ende wee ſhould learne from thence, howe oft ſoeuer wee would know, whither God be preſent with vsus by his benefites, ſo oft wee muſte hauehave our recourſe vntounto Chriſt, & we muſt ſee, whither if wee be participant of Chriſt of his death, of his reſurrection, without the which, ſurely wee hauehave no preſence of God with vsus, no effectual power of God in vsus. But to the end wee may returne hyther, from whence wee began: That is moſt certaine indeed,The effect of the gracious preſence of God. that the preſence of God, and that indeede by the ſelfe alone, maketh a man ſecure: which thing is ſo true, as if thou take away his preſence, man hath nothing in him but feare and horror, ſpecially when any grieuous affliction ſeazeth vponupon him: Or if there be any ſorte of quietneſſe of minde, that is none other thinge, but a fleſhlie ſecuritie, which is a token of the ſuddaine deſtruction to come. PAVLL ſayeth. 1. Theſſ. 5. 3. When they ſhall ſay peace and ſafetie: then ſhall come vppon them ſuddaine deſtruction, as the trauel vponupon a woman with childe, and they ſhall not eſcape. Therefore, to the ende there may be a deepe ſleepe, and a ſofte wakening out of ſleepe, that is, that there be a true ſecuritie of minde, every man muſt take heede, that hee feele God preſent with him, preſent I ſay, when he goeth to bed, when he awaketh in the night: for our ſleepe ſhould bee no ſooner interrupted in the night, but we ſhould hauehave our recourſe vntounto God: Albeit men commonly are chiefely diſtracted in the night, with the cares of this worlde, yea, with lighter and vayner tryfles. More-over, nothing hath more ſtrength, either to ſettle the minde in the night time, or to call it backe againe to ſleepe, and to refreſh the bodie with reſt, then that ſweete meditation vponupon God. Finally, when the time of awaking commeth in the morning, everie man muſt take head that he finde God preſent with him, when he goeth foorth of the houſe, when hee commeth in againe, while he eateth, while he drinketh, while he is doing any thing, continually that preſence of God is to be ſought. Alſo wee hauehave God preſent at all times, if with our voyce we cry vntounto Iehova, as DAVID did, or if alſo, when there is not place for the voyce, wee call vponupon him with our hearte, which thing yerely may be done, without hindring the moſt ſerious buſineſſe we hauehave ado, to leaue alſo that vnſpoken of, that this way ſpecially, all the honeſt adoes of this life, may be handled with a certain inutterable delight. Now the grounde of this preſence is Chriſt, without whoſe croce and ſacrifice, ſet before our eies, no entrie is patent vntounto God.An other effect of Gods preſence. I will feare none euill] In this verſe, he enlargeth that ſecuritie which he felt through Gods preſence, while hee ſayeth, that hee hath no cauſe to feare hereafter, no, not indeed ten thouſands of his enemies. The amplifying therefore is partly from the time to come, partly, from the multitude of the enemies: As if he ſhould ſay; Not onelyonly was I ſecure, but alſo hereafter I will be ſo ſecure,David… cōfidence exhorteth vsus to invincible conſtanci…. that if ten thouſandes of the people would pitch their tents about me, notwithſtanding I will not bee ſhaken with fear. Of the which thing you learne, that this is the force of the quietneſſe of the minde in God, that there is nothing which it is not able to over-come. From thence Paule, after he had numbred out many things, which are contrarie to vsus in this life, ſuch as were anguiſhes, oppreſſion, and the reſt; finally, hee ſubjoyned. Rom. 8. 36. 37. Yea, in all thoſe things we are more then conquerours through him who hath loved vsus: Behold, you may ſee the grounde of this ſecuritie and victorie: To wit, the louelove of God in Chriſt. For when there is that ſenſe of the louelove of God in Chriſt, and conſequently, any taiſt of that life to come (for this laſt followeth alway of that former) then in deede the childe of God is ſo caryed aboue al thoſe thinges inferiour, that from on high he deſpiſeth and contemneth them.The cauſe brought out of the Apoſtle. Nowe the Apoſtle in the ſame place, bringeth in the cauſe why we are more then conquerours through the louelove of God. For I am perſwaded (ſaith he) that neither death nor life, &c. is able to ſeparate vsus from the louelove of God. For if thoſe things, which are reckoned out in that Chapter, might ſeparate vsus from the louelove of GOD, then certainely, wee ſhoulde eaſilie fall vnderunder the burden through them. But ſeeing they are not able to bring that to paſſe that GOD in Chriſt ſhould not louelove vsus, and wee alſo feele that louelove in Chriſte, and out of that louelove, life: ſurely it will never come to paſſe, that thoſe things fall vtterlie oppreſſe vsus: But on the other, it falleth out directlie to the contrarie, that wee over come them all, DAVID therefore, to returne to him agayne, was ſo caryed away through the ſenſe of Gods preſence and louelove, in the middeſt of perſecution; that hee ſecurelie deſpiſed all the contrarie power, as one, who had perſwaded himſelfe of that, that it was not able to ſeparate him from that louelove of God in Chriſte, the ſenſe whereof indeede he had at that time. For it is not to bee thought that this voyce of DAVID, and his glorying, aroſe chiefelie of that ſecuritie, which hee had then perhaps of the certainty of the keeping of this life preſente: But much more of that ſecuritie, which he had of the certainty of that life to come, yea & that through the feeling of the louelove which is in Chriſt Ieſus: For that is the differance betuixt the godly and others which ſtretch not their hope farther nor this life: Thoſe are never at eaſe, neither yet can they glorie, except they be firſt ſure of this life: yea, but the godly being vncertaine of this life, and certaine of that that is to come, through the feeling of the louelove of God in Chriſt, they are in quiet reſt,The difference be…uixt the godly and vngodly, concerning this life. & do glorie, Sadrach, Meſach, and Abeanego Dan. 3. 16. aunſwered ſo to Nebuchad-netzar threatning them with all extreame torments whatſoeuer, We are not carefull (ſay they) concerning this matter. And thus much hauehave we ſpoken concerning the ſeconde parte of the Pſalme. The glorying and commendation of the benefites of GOD,The ſūme of the ſecond part whereof the firſt was the ſenſe of the help of God: the ſecond, of the ſecuritie p…ſt & to come, proceeding frō that ſenſe of Gods help: Now followeth the third part of the Pſalme.
8 Aryſe Iehova, ſaue me, my God, who hath ſtricken all mine enemies vponupon the cheeke bone, thou haſt broken the teeth of the wicked.
9 Saluation it ſelfe is to be aſcribed to Iehova: let thy bleſsing be vppon thy people. Selali.
ARyſe Iehova] The laſt part of the Pſalme,The third part of the Pſalme. as wee hauehave ſpoken, in which DAVID, turning himſelfe againe vntounto God; Firſt prayeth for himſelfe, that hee may be delivered from the preſent danger: Then for the people. Now he praieth for himſelfe in theſe words.The combat of faith Aryſe (ſaith he) Iehova, ſaue me] For ſo long as we feel not a full deliverance, we remember God ſo, as if he were vn-mindfull of vsus, and did ſir idle in the heauens, caſting away all care of his owne vponupon the earth. Saue me (ſaith he) my God] Embracing GOD as it were in his heart, he craveth that he would ſaue him: For when hee ſayeth [my God] he embraceth God, and by faith, applyeth him to himſelf: now he doth, and ſpeaketh this through the right of the covenant, in which God promiſed to be a God to Abraham, Why David ſure of eternal life, appeareth to be carefull of the preſent.and to his ſeede. Geneſ. 17. 1. But if thou aske in this place, ſeeing now before he had gloryed in God, and in his preſence, which alſo hee felt in his minde, in the middeſte of afflictions: He gloryed, I ſay, againſt all his enemies, againſt life, againſt death: how commeth it to paſſe, that nowe he is ſo carefull of this life, and craveth ſo earneſtly at God, that hee would deliver him out of the preſent danger? I anſwer, that this great ſecuritie of the godlie, and the contempt of this preſent life, fighteth not among themſelues. And the petitiones of this ſorte, whereby they craue alſo the preſervation of this life, alwaies with that condition, if it pleaſe God ſo, that he would grant the ſame to his owne glorie: for neither the godlie, while they hauehave a fore-taiſt of that other life, and leaning thereto, they glory againſte all thinges; caſte not in the meane time vtterly awaye the care of this life, and raſhly powre out the ſame. For this preſent life, among the reſte of Gods giftes is not the baſeſt. Thou haſt ſtriken] Hee mooveth GOD to his preſervation in time to come, from the by gane experience, in deſtroying of the enemies and wicked and therewith alſo filling them with ſhame; For it is thought to bee a ſhamefull thinge to bee ſtriken vponupon the cheeke bone, and to ſuffer the breaking of the teethe, that is, ſtrokes vppon the face, and in the mouth. Obſerue in this place tw… linkes, as it were, of that fine Golden Chaine. which PAVLE linketh together, to witte, Experience and Hope. Experience (ſayeth hee, Rom. cap. 5. 3.) bringeth out Hope. This petition of DAVID, from bygane experience, leaneth to the Hope of the preſent and temporall deliverance to be purchaſed. Albeit indeed I confeſſe that this is not a ſure hope, even that, to wit, which maketh not aſhamed, vnleſſe it be that hope of that everlaſting promiſed deliverance: For that is properly that hope which followes the experience of Gods deliverance, eſpecially, if there be a feeling, with that experience of deliverance of the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus: Therefore the Apoſtle ſubjoyned in that place: For the louelove of God is powred out in our hearts by the holy Spirit: As if he ſhould ſay, of neceſſitie this hope maketh not aſhamed, and it is ſure, ſeeing that experience, from which hope proceedeth, is eſpecially of the louelove of God in Chriſt Ieſus. Salvation it ſelfe] Thereafter he prayeth for the people, yea, for that parte of the people which followed after Abſchalom, and was ſeduced of him. One would marvell, that DAVID in ſuch a great daunger of his life, is ſo mindfull in his prayer of the people, & ſalvation of others: For this would appeare to bee of a man that is ſet a part from all perill and daunger, not onelyonly to reſpect himſelfe, or his own life, but alſo others, and the ſalvation of others. But it is to be knowne, that this is the diſpoſition of every member of that vniverſall body of Chriſt, that it is not onelyonly touched with a ſenſe of the owne miſerie, but alſo it is commoved with a compaſſion of the reſte of the members of the ſame body: And looke how much the more it is touched with a ſenſe of the owne miſerie, ſo much the more it ſuffereth with the reſt, whom it ſeeeth to be miſerable. For he who never yet felt any miſerie, ſurely that man is vnmeet to pitie others, whom he ſeeth to be oppreſſed with miſery. Alſo, the reaſon of this petition is taken from the nature of God him ſelf. To Iehova (ſaith he) is ſalvation to bee aſcribed] as if he ſhould ſay:The reaſ… of the laſt petition. The nature of Iehova, is to ſaue and to bee mercifull: So he declareth vntounto God what his nature is: For there is none other reaſon more effectuall to moue God, then if you bring foorth vntounto him his owne nature, eſpecially, that whereby he is mercifull: For God delighteth chiefely in mercy, and aboue all thinges, in his owne nature he is moſt mercifull. God is louelove. Ioh. 4 …. Now it is not poſſible that this can be done of vsus, to wit, that we be able to bring out this his nature before him, eſpeciallie that hee is mercifull, vnleſſe wee travel diligently, firſt to ſee by the eyes of our ſoule, yea, and feele alſo ſurelie in our heart in ſome meaſure, that infinite Eſſence, Wiſedome, Iuſtice, Power, and merciemercy of God, &c: Except wee holde vsus content to prattle of an vnknowen thing, which wee hauehave never yet, neither ſeene nor felt. Wherefore, the knowledge of the nature of God, is chieflie moſt neceſſarie to conceiue earneſt prayer, and not onelyonly the knowledge, but the ſenſe and feeling of the ſame. And wee muſt indevour all our life long, ſo much as is poſſible we may conceive in this finite that & narrow minde, that infinite majeſtie: To him therefore be all honour and glory, Amen.