Exposition of the Proper Psalms, Commentary 8
PSALME 111.
I will giuegive thankes vntounto the Lord with my whole heart, ſecretly among the faithfull, and in the congregation.
THis Hymne may be parted into three portions:
1. A proteſtation of King Dauid in the firſt verſe, that hee will in his owne perſon (hereby giuing all his ſubiects a goodtMollerus. example) praiſe the Lord, I will giuegive thankes; and that notuTileman. Caluine. Agellius. hypocritically with his mouth and lips only, but with my heart; and that not with axHoſea 10.2. diuided heart, or a peece, but with my whole heart; and that both in the ſecret aſſemblies of the faithfull, and in the publique congregation. yBellarmine.Or I will giuegive thankes ſecretlie for the ſatisfaction of mine owne conſcience, and in the congregation openly, for the further edification of my brethren.
2. An enumeration of Gods admirable bleſſings, conferred vponupon the whole world in general. VponUpon his Church in more particular, as thezCaluine. ground and matter of his praiſe, from the ſecond verſe to the tenth, The workes of the Lord are great, his workes of creation, and workes of redemption are worthie to be praiſed and had in honour. His workes of creation,aStrigellius. Turrecremat. as the making of all things of nothing, and the preſeruing of the ſame frō the beginning in a moſt excellent beautie. His workes of redemption, as Chriſts incarnation, paſſion, reſurrection, aſcenſion; all which our mercifull and gracious Lord hath ſo done, that they ought to be had in remembrance. Here then obſerue the reaſon, why the Church allotted this Hymne to be read on Eaſter day: the redemption of Iſrael out of Egypt, is a plainebBucer. figure of our deliuerance by Chriſt, out of the hands of all our ſpirituall enemies; and theirc1. Cor. 5.7. Paſſe-ouer andd1. Cor. 10.3. Manna (which is implied heere, verſ. 5) is a type of our ſpirituall eating and drinking at the Lords table, which is enioyned vsus at Eaſter, aboue al other times in the yeere.
3. A concluſion at ye 10. verſe, containing a
Rule
Propoūded, The feare of ye Lord is the beginning of wiſedome.
eAgellius. Bellarmine.Expounded, A good vnderſtanding hauehave all they, that doe thereafter.
fWilcox.Reaſon, The praiſe of it endureth for euer.
Concerning the two former parts, I hauehave writtengSee notes on 89. Pſalme, & ſermon on Gunpowder treaſon day. heretofore much, and I ſhall hauehave iuſt occaſionhIn Pſal. 113 118 145 hereafter alſo to ſay more. My purpoſe for the preſent is to begin at the Pſalmes end, The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wiſedome, &c. The which Epiphonema concludes the Prophets whole diſcourſe, touching the praiſe of God: as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, ſeeing the works of the Lord are ſo great, ſo worthie to be praiſed and had in honour, ſo marueilous and memorable, that they deſerue the ſeeking out, iArnobius. Mollerus.ſeeing his name is ſo reuerend and holy; doubtleſſe the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wiſedome, and the praiſe of it endureth for euer.
kMelancthon.To feare God is to beleeue in him, to louelove him, to put our truſt in him, to giuegive him thankes, and in all our actions and paſſions to bee ruled according to his holie lawes. In a word, to feare God (as thelEccleſiaſtes. 12.13. wiſe man teacheth) is our whole dutie, concerning offices of pietie toward God, & pitie toward our neighbors. For the word beginning, ſignifieth here not onelyonly principium, but alſomAgellius. Idem Caluin, & Genebrard. praecipuum: not only primum, but alſo primarium: not only the firſt in time, but alſo the firſt in honour and dignitie. For as Dauid here calleth it the beginning of wiſedome: ſo Salomon, Eccleſiaſtes 12.13. the end of all. The feare of the Lord is indeede the firſt alphabet of wiſedome, the beginning, as it were the n begetting, or (asoEccleſiaſticus 1 24. Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach termeth it) the roote of wiſedome. pMelancthon. Caluine. Bellarmine.But that is not all, it is not onelyonly an introduction to wiſedome, but wiſdome it ſelfe, Iob. 28.28. The feare of the Lord is wiſedome, and to depart from euill is vnderſtanding. It is deepe wiſedome (ſaith our Engliſh paraphraſt in meter) yea the perfection and fulnes of wiſedome, Eccleſiaſticus 1.20.qGenebrard. As then in the vulgar Latine, Eccleſiaſticus 11.3. hony, which is the chiefe of ſweete things, is called initium dulcoris, the beginning of ſweetnes: euen ſo Gods feare (which vponupon the point is ſumma ſummarum, as it were the ſumme totall of all holie knowledge) is termed initium ſapientiae, the beginning of wiſedome.
This aſſertion, in worldly mens vnderſtanding, is a grand paradox: for they repute the preaching of Chriſtianitier1. Cor. 1.18. fooliſhnes, and the profeſſors of the ſame, fooles, 1. Cor. 4.10. We are fooles for Chriſts ſake. Loe, ſay the wicked of the godly, Wiſedome 5.5. We thought their life, madnes, accounting them rather mad men, then ſad men. But the ſpirit of truth here proclaimeth on the contrarie, that all worldlings are blindlings, and that none wicked are wiſe. To ſuch as hauehave not the feare of God before their eyes, it is expreſſely ſaid byſProu. 1.22. Wiſedome it ſelfe, O ye fooliſh, how long will ye louelove fooliſhnes, and hate knowledge?
It is obiected out of S. Luke, chap. 16. verſ. 8. that the children of this world are wiſer then the children of light. Anſwere is made by thetOrigine. Ianſenius. Maldonat. Doctors vponupon the place, that Chriſt accounts them not wiſer abſolutely, but only ſecundum quid: they be wiſer in their generation, uTheophylact. Marlorat.that is, in things appertaining to this life preſent, but not in the buſineſſe of regeneration, in things belonging to that other life which is to come. For (asxHall in his Chron. Idem Fox Martyr. fol. 976. one ſaid of Sir Thomas More) that he was either a fooliſh wiſe man, or a wiſe fooliſh man: euen ſo the children of this world are wiſe men in fooliſh things, and fooliſh men in wiſe things. They be not in genere, wiſe, but in genere ſuo, wiſe to doe euill (as theyJerem. 4.2. Prophet ſpeakes), but to doe well they hauehave no knowledge.
Atheists, acknowledging no God, are very fooles: Pſal. 14. The foole ſaid in his heart, there is no God. If this Ignoramus had ſo much braine as brow, thezVide Bellarm. de aſcenſione mentis in deum per ſcalas creat. grad. 1. 2. 8. bookes of the Creatures and Conſcience would informe his vnderſtanding, that the great world without him, and the little world within him, are nothing elſe (as it were) but God expreſſed.
The Gentiles, adoring many gods, are very fooles, before Chriſt (the Sunne of righteouſnes) calles them out ofa1. Pet. 2.9. darkneſſe into marueilous light, a blind and a fooliſh nation, Deut. 32.21. Euen the ſeuen wiſe men of Greece (ſaithbDe vera ſapientia, cap. 1. Lactantius) had no good vnderſtanding, becauſe none but fooles accounted them wiſe. Nay, S.cRom. 1.21. Paul giues this iudgement of all Heathen Philoſophers, that they were vaine in their imaginations, and that while they profeſſed thēſelues to be wiſe, they became fooles. In this reſpect dEpiſt. ad Octauium.Cicero had iuſt cauſe to complaine, O me nunquam ſapientem!
The ſuperſtitious Idolaters, and mingle manglers in religion, who worſhip the true God falſely, not according to his word, but according to their owne will, are very fooles. So Paul called his Galathians, who ioyned the Ceremonies of Moſes vntounto the Goſpell of Chriſt, as neceſſarie to ſaluation: O eGalat. 3.1.3.fooliſh Galathians, who hath bewitched you, that ye ſhould not obey the truth? are ye ſo fooliſh, that after ye hauehave begun in the ſpirit, you will end in the fleſh?
Carnall Goſpellers and hypocrites, who profeſſe they know God in their words, and yet deny him in theirfTit. 1.16. workes, are very fooles. Their prayers are ſacrifices of fooles, Eccleſiaſtes 4.17. Their diſputations about religion, are fooliſh queſtions, Tit. 3.9. all their generation are fooles and blinde, Matth. 23.17. As for example, the ſlow-backe neglecting the workes of his vocation, and liuing in idleneſſe, (though he heares neuer ſo many ſermons vponupon the working daies) in the iudgement of the wiſeſt is a very foole: Eccleſiaſtes 4.5. The foole foldeth his hands, and eateth vp his owne fleſh. So, whoſoeuer is vngratefull vntounto the Lord (which is the Father of mercies, and God of all grace) for his manifold bleſſings, is a very foole:gDeut. 32.6. Doe ye ſo reward the Lord, O yee fooliſh and vnwiſe people? the oxe knoweth his owner, and the aſſe his maſters cribbe: but Iſrael hath not knowne, my people hath not vnderſtood, Eſay. 1.3.
So the couetous wretch (who though he boaſt of his faith and hope,hHabacuc. 1.16. ſacrificeth vntounto his net, and ſaith in his heart to the wedge of gold,iIob. 31.24. thou art my confidence) is a very foole.k1. Sam. 25.25. Nabal is his name, and follie is with him, a blinde foole, likelIudges 16.21. Samſon in the mill, hee grindes for other, but eates not of the fruites of his labour himſelfe, the which is termed by Salomon, an euill ſickneſſe, and a vanitie, Eccleſiaſtes 6.2.
So the proud man, as well in his ambition, as in his honour, is a very foole.mPſal. 32.10. Like horſe and mule without vnderſtanding: like the famous foolenMenſa philoſophica fab. de fatuo. Lobelinus, who being in a new coate knew not himſelfe.oSir R. Barckley felicitie, lib. 5. For if in fauour, he knowes no man; if out of fauour, none know him.
So the Drunkard is a very ſot,pSeneca epiſt. 65 mancipium corporis, a ſlaue to his own ſeruant, a foole with a witneſſe, his fault is written in his forehead and in his face, hee reeles in open ſtreete, and hath in his drunken fit a little leſſe wit then a beaſt, and but a little more ſenſe then a blocke.
So the wanton is deſtitute of vnderſtanding, Prou. 6.32. led by the fooliſh woman as a foole to the ſtockes, Prou. 7.22. For though he may peraduenture blinde the Biſhop, andqViſion of Pierce Plowman paſſ. 3. cope the Commiſſarie: yet GodsrQui minimè fallitur, quia minimè clauditur. Bernard lib. 5. de Conſiderat. all-ſeeing eye (when the night is darke, the doore faſt, and the curtaine cloſe) findeth out his foule follie.
To conclude this poynt, eueryevery kinde of wickedneſſe is a weakneſſe, and eueryevery fault a folly. But on the contrarie, eueryevery poynt of religion is a part of wiſedome, as conducting to bleſſedneſſe (the end of wiſedome). To ſerue the Lord in feare, and to caſt all our care vponupon him, is wiſedome: for,ſPſal. 112.1. Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, bleſſed are they that pitt their truſt in tPſal. 2.12.him. To louelove thy neighbour as thy ſelfe, is a part of wiſedome: for, Bleſſed is the man uPſal. 41.1.that conſidereth the poore and needie, bleſſed are the meeke, bleſſed are the mercifull, &c. To liue ſoberly toward thy ſelfe, is a part of wiſedome: for, bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit, Matth. 5.3. Bleſſed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, leſt hee walke naked, and men ſee his filthineſſe, Apoc. 16.15.
The blindlings of the world cannot in this life ſee this, and therefore they will not ſay this; but one day, to wit, at the laſt day, they change their mindes, and ſighing, acknowledge within themſelues,xWiſdom. 5.3. This is hee, whom wee ſometime had in deriſion, and in a parable of reproch, wee fooles thought his life madneſſe, and his end without honor, how is he counted among the children of God? and his portion is among the Saints: therefore wee hauehave erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteouſneſſe hath not ſhined vntounto vsus, and the Sunne of vnderſtanding roſe not vponupon vsus.
A good vnderſtanding hauehave all they that doe thereafter.] In Philoſophie wiſedome is defined by knowing, but in Diuinity wiſedome is prized by doing. They bee wiſe men in deedyAeneas Syluius comment. in Panormit. lib. 3. Non qui facienda dicunt, ſed qui dicenda faciunt; heretickes reade ſo much, and hypocrites vſually cite ſo much, and the deuill himſelfe knoweth ſo much of the Goſpell as any: yet all theſe notwithſtanding hauehave bad vnderſtanding,zChryſoſt. in loc. onelyonly ſuch hauehave good vnderſtanding in Gods feare that do therafter, aMelanct. Mollerus.that is, in all their actions & paſſions altogether rely vpō his ſure promiſes, euer ready to be ruled according to his word and will, ſo Dauid expounds himſelfe in thebVerſe 99. ſo Moſes Deut. 4.6 Jerem. 8.9. Pſal. 119. I hauehave more vnderſtanding then my teachers, for thy teſtimonies are my ſtudie. I am wiſer then the aged, becauſe I keepe thy commandements. Here then is condemned as folly thecColoſſ. 2.23. will-worſhip, or voluntary religion of all hypocrites, eſpeciallydMollerus. Papiſts, honouring God not according to his feare, but according to their owne fancie.
eSee Reſpon. Elien. ad apol. Bellar. pag. 207. 208 et Mort. Appeal. lib. 1. ca. 2. §. 13.Purgatory, being a figment of idle Poets, and not the iudgement of holy Prophets, is a parcell of foolery; wherein the Pope ſheweth himſelfe moſt vncharitable, for thatfBulla Clemen. 6 & apud Anto. Florent. part. 3. tit. 22. cap. 6. hauing power to fetch all ſoules out of this hell, and to purge whole Purgatory, ſuffers notwithſtanding this fire to burne ſtill, onelyonly becauſe it warmeth his owne kitchen.
Praying to the dead, is another parcell of foolery, the which in the Booke of Gods feare hath neither precept, nor patterne, nor promiſe; for our calling vponupon God we findgEſay 28.10. precept vponupon precept, and promiſe vponupon promiſe. Call vponupon me (ſaith thehPſal. 50.15. Lord) in the time of trouble, ſo will I heare thee, &c. whome hauehave I in heauen but thee, Pſalme 73.25. So Chriſt openly, Come vntounto mee all yee that are weary, and heauy laden, and I will eaſe you. Come vntounto me, that is a precept; I will eaſe you, that is a promiſe. ComeiSee Goſpell on S. Matthias day. not to mine, but to me; not to my Saints, or Angels, or Martyrs, or mother: but to my ſelfe, ſend not other, it is my pleaſure that yee come: ſeeke not for helpe from other, I will eaſe you. There bee likewiſe ſo many patternes of this deuotion, as there be godly prayers recorded in holy Bible; but on the contrary neuer a leafe, neuer a line, neuer a letter in the Booke of Wiſedome that fauoureth inuocation of Saints, and therefore we may well apply that vntounto the Church of Rome, whichk2. Kings 1.3. Elia ſaid vntounto the meſſengers of Ahaziah, Is it not becauſe there is no God in Iſrael, that ye go to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron? is it not becauſe there is no liuing God in heauen, that ye pray to ſtocks on earth, and ſeeke tolSee Sermon on Gunpowder treaſon day, page 6. 7. ſuch Sauiours, as are worthily thought to reſide with Belzebub in hell? Is it not an idle thing to ſue to the man, if the maſter alwaies bee preſent, and euer ready to grant thy requeſt? and is it not a greater folly to call vponupon Saints in our trouble? when our bleſſed Sauiour hath openly not onelyonly ſayd, but alſo ſworne,mIohn 16.23. Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto you, whatſoeuey you aske the Father in my name, he will giuegive it you, &c.
Their prophaning of the bleſſed Sacraments is another parcell of foolery, for is not (I pray you) their chriſtening ofnDurant. de ritibus eccleſ. li. 1. ca. 22. num. 6. ſee Reſpon. Elien. ad apolog. Bellarm. Fox Martyr fol. 786. & Pet. Moulin. defence of our faith againſt Coeffetua. art. 16 Bels an impudent mocking of holy Baptiſme; and the denying of the Cup vntounto Lay-men, a notorious lurching at the Lords Table, contrary to ChriſtsoMat. 26.27. expreſſe word, Drinke ye all of this; in giuing the bread he ſaid onelyonly, Take, eate, indefinitelypCalu. & Marlorat. in loc. Mat.: but when hee tooke the Cup (as fore-ſeeing this innouation of Papiſts) he did adde an vniuerſall note, bibite omnes, drinke ye, drinke all ye: ſo they make mariage a Sacrament, and yet affirme, that holy Prieſt-hoode is prophaned by this holy ordinance, that it isqBellar. orat. in ſchol. habit. tom. 3. controuer. in fine. ſacriledge forſooth, and not a Sacrament. AndrDr. Fulke in Heb. 13.4. ſo they honour it as the Iewes honoured Chriſt, in clothing him with a purple robe. What ſhould I ſpeake of their Maſſe, which is a notorious enemie to Chriſt, in reſpect of his oblation and office, the Lord hath ſworne and will not repent that Chriſt is a Prieſt for ſSee Chemnit. examp. par. 2. page 170. 171.euer, Pſalme 110.4. offering himſelfe once for all, Heb. 9.26.28. Are the Maſſe-Prieſts then any better then idle fooles,tCon. Triden. & Bellar. lib. 1. de miſſa per totum ferè librum. in offering him often vntounto God the Father, vnderunder the formes of bread and wine really and properly, for the ſinnes of the quicke and the dead? It is reported of the zealous and learned MartyruFox Mart. fol. 855. Ioannes Mollius, that he neuer ſpake of the name Ieſu, but inſtantly teares dropt from his eyes. And ſurely the due conſideration of Chriſts all-ſufficient oblation and ſacrifice for all our ſinnes on the Croſſe, ſhould make vsus abhorre thoſe maſſe-mongers, and to ſay with ourxPſal. 139.21. Prophet, Doe not I hate them (O Lord) that hate thee, and am not I grieued with thoſe that riſe vp againſt thee? yea Lord, I hate them right ſore, euen as though they were mine enemies.
But the maine poynt of their fooliſh wiſedome, is the prohibiting of the Scriptures in a vulgar and knowne tongue.yIohn 5.39. Chriſt ſaith expreſſely, Search the Scriptures. Antichriſt on the contrary,zEx regiſtro. Ioh. Longland Epiſc. Linc. fol. 85. apud Fox Mart. fol. 763. the reading of holy Scriptures is againſt the determination of the Church. As long as Lay-men are kept from the light of the Goſpell, and Lanterne of the Lawe, they cannot ſpiritually diſcerne their Prieſts erroneous doctrines and doings. Herein the popiſh Clergy doth vſe the foppiſh Laity, like as theaIudg. 16.25. Philiſtines handled Samſon, firſt they put out their eies, and then being blind-fold; they make paſtime with all degrees of them, euen with Emperours and Kings, andb2. Theſ. 2.3. all that is called God. I hauehave heard often, and readcDr. Carleton, directions to know the true Church. pa. 40. alſo, that Cardinall Caietan comming into Paris, and ſeeing the blinde people very deſirous of his bleſſing, and therein vndoubtedly the Popes: he turned to them and ſaid, Quandoquidem hic populus decipi vult, decipiatur in nomine diaboli: that is, ſeeing this people will needs be deceiued, let them be deceiued in the name of the diuell, and ſo gaue them the Popes bleſſing.
In theſe poynts and many moe the Papiſts (albeit neuer ſo learned) hauehave bad vnderſtanding, and the reaſon hereof is plaine, becauſe they hauehave changed the rule of faith,dConcil. Tridēt. idem Bell. lib. de verbo Dei non ſcripto. cap. 3. §. contro. & cap. 4. § nunc vt. & 12 §. dico ſecundo. adding to the Scriptures vnwritten traditions, and honouring them with equall affection of deuotion and reuerence, and ſo conſequently worſhiping God after their own inuentions, and not according to the preſcript of his holy faith and feare.
The praiſe of it endures for euer.] Or as other Tranſlations, his praiſe, referring iteBucer. Agellius. either to God, or elſe to the man who feares God.fChryſoſt. Euthym. Some Diuines aſcribe this praiſe to God alone,gGenebr. in loc. & in Pſal. 148.13. becauſe Tehilla properly ſignifieth onelyonly that kinde of praiſe which is due to God: and ſo they make this clauſe to containe both ahMelancth. Mollerus. precept, and a promiſe. Precept, exhorting vsus to praiſe God with all our heart, both in the ſecret aſſemblies of the faithfull, and in the publike congregation. And ſo this Hymnes end doth anſwere the beginning, and the Text in eueryevery poynt, the title. Now, leſt any man in executing this office ſhould be diſcouraged, the Prophet addeth a promiſe, Gods praiſe doth endure for euer, as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, The Lord is iPſal. 99.1.King, be the people neuer ſo impatient, the Lord is kKings 18.31.God, albeit the lPſal. 2.1.Gentiles furiouſly rage together, and the Iewes imagine a vaine thing, the Kings of the earth ſtand vp, and the Rulers combine themſelues againſt him. He that dwelleth in heauen hath all his enemies in deriſion, and makes them all his footeſtoole; his power is for euer, and ſo conſequently his praiſe ſhall endure for euer; in the militant Church, vntounto the worlds end, in the triumphant, world without end.
Moſt interpretours hauehave referred this vntounto the good man who feares the Lord, yet diuerſly.mIn loc. Saint Auguſtine expoundeth it thus, his praiſe, that is, his praiſing of the Lord ſhall endure for euermore, becauſe he ſhall bee one of them, of whom it is ſaid, Pſal. 84.4. Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe, they will be alwaies praiſing thee. nArnobius. Dr. Incognitus. Bellarmine. R. Stephanus Tileman.Other vnderſtand byoHis, that is, their praiſe who feare the Lord and doe thereafter, the ſingular for the plurall. Bucer. his praiſe, the commendation of the good man, both in the life preſent, and in that which is to come, for his righteouſeneſſe ſhall be had in an euer laſting remembrance, Pſal. 112.6. Concerning the preſent, howſoeuer the name of the wicked rot either in obliuion, or in ignominie: yetpProu. 10.7. the memoriall of the iuſt is bleſſed, it is like the compoſition of the perfume made by the skill of the Apothecary, ſweet as hony in all mouthes, and as muſicke at a banquet of wine.
rBuchanan.Hunc ventura nepotum ſemper dicent ſecla Beatum. Or as Beza
Hic ſapit, hic demum manſura laude fruetur,qEccleſ. 49.1.
—parere qui Deo ſtudet.
In the world to come, the Lord will ſay to ſuch as louing his feare, hauehave liued thereafter;ſMat. 25.21. It is well done, good ſeruant and faithfull, enter into thy Maſters ioy: to become the peoples Saint, and to be commended of the moſt, is not alwaies honourable, Non minus periculum ex magna fama (ſaidtIn vita Agric. Tacitus) quàm ex mala. That commendation is onelyonly true glory, which (asuTuſc. quaeſt. li. 3 Cicero ſpeakes) is Conſentiens laus bonorum, & incorrupta vox bene Iudicantium. And therefore to bee praiſed by the moſt worthy of all honor and praiſe, the Lord moſt high and moſt holy, ſurpaſſeth all the wickeds glozing, all this worlds glory.
Now then, I demaund of the worldling, what is the moſt high and deepe poynt of wiſedome? is it to get an opulent fortune, to be ſo wiſe as fiftie thouſand pounds? behold, godlineſſe is great gaine, ſaithx1 Tim. 6.6. Paul, and the Chriſtian onelyonly rich, quoth the renownedyClem. Paedag. lib. 3. Catechiſt of Alexandria. Is it to liue ioyfully, or (to vſe the gallants phraſe) Iouially? behold,zPſal. 97.11. there is ioyfull gladneſſe for ſuch as are true-hearted. A wicked man in his madde-merry humor for a while may be Pomponius Laetus, but a good man onelyonly is Hilarius; onelyonly hee which is faithfull inaPſal. 64.10. Prou. 13.9. heart, is ioyfull in heart. Is it to get honour? the praiſe of Gods feare (ſaith our Text) endures for euer. many worthies of the world are moſt vnhappy, becauſe they be commended where they be not, and tormented where they be, hell rings of their paines, earth of their praiſe; butbPſal. 112.1. bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord, for his commendation is both here laſting, and hereafter euerlaſting; in this world renowned amongſt men, in the next rewarded amongſt Saints and Angels in the kingdome of glory.