VErs. 1. Blessed is the Man that hath not walked in the counsel of the Vngodly, nor stand in the way of Sinners, and hath not sit in the seate of the Scornfull.] It was Pinda­rus his [...]. Pind. Od. 6. obseruation, that in beginning any worke, the Forefront thereof should bee made glittering and glori­ous. And I may truely say of this First Psalme whether we respect the Psalme in generall, or the very first word of it in particular, it is most glittering, most glorious. Blessed is the Man! Quàm aptum, quàm opportunum principium, Ambros. in hunc. Psal. saith S^t Ambrose, how meet and convenient a begin­ning. For as they, saith he, that take vpon them to exhibit Games, are wont to propose a Reward, and the Excellen­cy [Page 3] of a Crowne, that they which come to the Games may striue the more earnestly to obtaine the same, so our Lord Iesus Christ hath proposed the Glory of an heauenly Kingdome, the benefit of perpetuall Rest, the Blessednesse of eternall Life to the best endeauours of men. And as a Generall, saith he, going to warfar, promiseth a Donatiue to the Souldier, and Promotions to his Captaines, Vt spes commodi furetur laborem, & metum abscondat periculi: that the hope of gaine may both steale away their labour from them, and hide and conceale the feare of any dan­ger that may betide them: so Dauid as the Herald of that great Generall, exhorteth the Souldiers, calls the Comba­tants to the Lists, and proposeth the Reward in these words, Blessed is the Man which hath not walked in the Counsel of the Vngodly. A Praemio coepit, vt pondu [...] futuri certaminis eleuaret. He begins with the Reward to make the burthen of that which they should afterwards endure the lighter. He proposeth the wages that every man lea­ping over in his heart the troubles and vexations of these present worldly affaires, should contend with most spee­dy desire to the happinesse of things to come. Blessed, saith he, is the Man: and what could more be giuen to Man then which nothing greater by the Apostle himselfe could be giuen vnto God. For God is called by the1. Tim. 6.15. A­postle the Blessed, and only potentate, and King of Kings, and Lord of Lords; Beatitudinis tamen non supergreditur potestatem, and yet for all that, God goes not beyond the preheminence of blessednes. Now this word BLESSED as it is the first word, and auspicious beginning of this First Psalme, so is it likewise of Fiue more which begin with the selfe same word, as,Ps 32.1. BLESSED is he whose vn­righteousnesse is forgiuen, and whose sinne is covered, Ps. 41.1. BLESSED is he that considereth the poore and nee­dy. Ps. 112.1. BLESSED is the man that feareth the Lord. Ps. 119.1. BLESSED are those that are vndefiled in the way, and walke in the Law of the Lord. Ps. 128.1. BLESSED are all they [Page 4] that feare the Lord, and walke in his waies. But whereas in the English, the word BLESSED is still an Adiectiue, in the Hebrew both here in this Psalme, as also in the rest, it is alwaies, ASHRE, Blessings, or Beatitudes, not only a Substantiue and in the Abstract, but also in the plu­rall nomber.

First for the Abstract, it sheweth that they are Blessings Substantiall, subsisting by themselues, and that it is much more significant so to speake,So the Poet, Non vitiosus homo es Zeile sed vitium. Martiol. l. 11. Epig. 93. then to call a Man Blessed by the Adiectiue onely. Like as the Apostle speaking of our Saviour, and vs, vseth the Abstract, not the Con­crete, the Substantiue, not the Adiectiue, in both:2. Cor. 5.21. He hath made him to be Sinne for vs, who knewe no sinne, that we might be made the Righteousnesse of God in him. He saith not Sinfull, or Righteous; but Sinne, and Righteous­nesse.

The Plurall sheweth an heap of Blessings that betyde such a man, not as Esaw Gen. 27.38. said to Isaac, Hast thou but one blessing my Father? No: but as Leah in an other case, A troupe Gen. 30.11. saith she, commeth, and she called his name Gad. For what is Blessednes indeed, but a troupe or company of Blessings, intimated by the1 Cor. 2.9. Apostle in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, and specified byDeut 2.3. Moses in his Book of Deuteronomy. Some make it to consist of the Goods of the Body, the Goods of the Mynd, and of externall and outward Goods, but our Sauiour slyes a farre higher pitch. For, beginning his Sermon on the Mount withMat. 5.3, Blessed are the pure in spirit, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen; he addeth thereunto, Blessed are they that mourne, for they shall be comforted; Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth; Blessed are they that doe hunger and thirst after Righteousnes, for they shall be filled; Blessed are the mercifull, for they shall obteine mercy; Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God; Blessed are the Peace­makers, for they shall be called the Children of God; and lastly, to shew that where Blessednes ends, there it doth as [Page 5] it were begin againe, Blessed are they saith he, that are per­sequuted for Righteousnes sake, for theirs is the kingdome of heauen: so that à primo ad vltimum: there is in this Bles­sednes, first the kingdome of heauen; secondly, all comfort; thirdly, inheriting the earth; fourthly, a filling full, or fully satisfying; fiftly, obtayning mercy; sixtly, a seeing of God; seauenthly, aMulti in Im­perio Romano sunt, sed maio­rem Imperii gratiam, qui propiores Impe­ratori sunt, con­sequuntur. Am­bros. sup. Luc. l. 5. c. 13. neerer tye vnto him, as namely to be called the Children of God; eightly and lastly, to be­gin againe, and to haue in propriety and perpetuity, the kingdome of heauen. Incrementa Virtutum, Incrementa Praemiorum: the augmentation of Vertues,Ambros. Ib. saith S^t Am­brose, is the augmentation of Rewards, Plus est enim Dei esse Filium, quàm possidere terram, & consolationem mereri. For more it is to be the Child of God, then to possesse the earth, and to be comforted.

But what? is Man only? is not Woman blessed to? Yes doubtles; for the word Man includeth both. Homi­nis appellatione tam foeminam quàm masculum contineri non dubitatur. There is no doubtDe Verb. sig­nificat. nu. 152. sayth the Ciuil Law, but this word Homo compriseth the Female, aswell as the Male; and, Ʋiris & Mulieribus commune nomen Homo. Homo Clem. Alex. Paedag. l. 1. c. 4. sayth Clemens Alexandrinus, is a com­mon Name to Men and Women both. And if so be reply be made, that the word in the vulgar is not Homo, but Vir, and in the Greeke, not [...], but [...], (about which two Greeke words wasVid. Act. & Mon. edit. 4. p. 1456. col. 2. once no small adoe, concerning Womens receiuing the Communion.) Saint Ambrose Ambros. in hunc Ps. replyes againe, that by the word Ʋir, a Wo­man may be vnderstood to. In Homine signatur vter (que) in Viro sexus exprimitur. Sed quemadmodum cum Homo dici­tur, vter (que) comprehenditur: ita cum Vir nominatur, & mu­lier cuius Vir ille sit, intelligitur. And going on in the same place: Besides that their Nature being one sayth he, their operations must not be severed, and whose worke is e­quall, their reward must be equall to. Like to thisBas. in hunc Ps. hath S^t. Basil, The Creation of Man and Woman were both alike, [Page 6] therefore their wages and hyre must be both alike to.

Man and Woman then being both of them capable of Blessednes, you will happely demaund what Man? what Woman? The word Man is here indefinite, and signifieth not this, or that Man, this, or that Woman in particular, but any, or euery Man, any, or euery Woman, as the Inde­finite signifieth generally throughout the Scripture. And therefore that saying of Moses, Deut. 27.26. Cursed is he (or, cursed is the Man) that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them: the Apostle Saint Paul expounding that place, Cursed is euery one Gal. 3.10. sayth hee, that continueth not in all things which are written in the Booke of the Law to do them. Now what Men, and what Women thus are blessed, wee shall see by and by, in the meane time let vs consider why the time present is here vsed, seeing Blessednes is to bee hereafter, and yet the Prophet here sayth, Blessed is the Man.

It is an vndoubted trueth, there is no Felicity in this World; he that thinks of a Worldly Happines, erres as farre as the World is wyde. In the World Ioh. 16.33. sayth our Sa­uiour, ye shall haue tribulation, and yet to sweeten those words againe, Be of good cheere, sayth he, I haue ouercome the World. Non armato milite, sed irrisa cruce, not by meanes of men at armesAug. in Psal. 62. sayth S^t Austen, but by meanes of my Crosse that was scorned at by men at armes; and as himselfe led the way in this case, so must euery one of his, endeauour to follow him. Now for euery one in this his following, is assured that at the length, it shall be happy with him hereafter, being a member of that Body, whose Head Christ Iesus hath passed the waues of this world: hence it is that his Blessednes being thus begunne in this World, he is styled already Blessed, for he tends to that Blessednes hereafter. Like as the Apostle S^t Paul, Our Conuersation is in heauen Philip. 3.20. sayth he, when yet the A­postle, and his Philippians were still vpon earth. Indeed we haue here the Pledge of Happines, or rather the Ear­nest [Page 7] thereof. For asAug. de Verb. Apost, ser. 13. S^t Austen very wittily, When a thing is restored, the Pledge is taken away, but the Earnest is part of the bargayne, which shall neuer be taken away: so is it in this case, Nescit naufragia, qui semperin portu tranquilli­tatis est. Come what come can, he cannot make Ship­wrackAmbros. de Iacob, & vita beata c. 6. sayth S^t Ambrose, that is alwayes in a quiet har­bour, the same in effect that our Sauiour Mat. 7.25. saith of the wise Man that built his house vpon a Rock. But now let vs see what Men, and what Women are thus Blessed, or rather what Man, or what Woman: That hath not walked in the Counsel of the Vngodly, nor stand in the way of Sinners: and hath not sit in the seat of the Scorneful.

First for the word Stand vsed here in the Praeterperfect tence, as also in the Praeterpluperfect in an other Psalme, where it isPs. 106.23. said, He would haue destroyed them had not Moses his chosen stand before him in the gap, whereas we in these dayes would haue said stood in both places, I can­not but think that it is the phrase of speaking in some of our Shires here in England, in regard that M^r Fox also a moderne wrighter to speake of, doth so vse the word. Speaking of B. Gardiner, Such a platforme Act. & Mon, p. 1787. col. 2, sayth he, to build his Popery vpon, as he thought should haue stand for e­uer, and a day. I once thought it to be the old English, for that old Heywood soHeywood E­pig. vpon Pro­verb. Epig. 67. New broome sweepeth cleane, which is thus vnderstand: New broome sweepeth cleane in the cleane sweepers hand. vseth it, in one of his Epigrams, though it be in the Present tence Passiue that he so vseth it, and in the word Vnderstand; but hauing seene in our great Library an old Manuscript of the Psalmes in Eng­lish, that vseth the word Stood, I was contented to stand no longer in that opinion. But from Words let vs come to Matter.

There is in these words a threefold Gradation, or as it were three Degrees. First of Persons; Secondly of Acti­ons; Thirdly of the Objects of those Actions. The three Degrees of Persons, are the Vngodly, Sinners, and Scorne­full; the three Degrees of Actions, are Walking, Standing, and Sitting; the three Degrees of Objects, are Counsel, [Page 8] Way, and Seat. By the Persons are implyed all the wicked whôsoeuer; by the Actions all correspondence with them whâtsoeuer; by the Obiects, all iniquity & impiety com­mitted, hôwsoeuer. Concerning the Persons, no man at first dash in the Superlatiue degree of being wicked. Ne­mo repentè fuit turpissimus Iuvenal. Sat. 2. sayth the Poet, no man in a tryce as bad as bad may be. Euen good Emperors, as the Emperor Traian Procul differ­re cunctos Prin­cipes Neronis quinquenaio. Sex. Aurel. Vict. de Cae­sar. in Neron. obserued, came farre short of Neroes first fiue yeeres, and he who when Offenders were to be condemned, wished so solemly that he could not aSenec. de Clem. l. 2. c. 1. letter on the Booke, how shamefully did he afterwards murther his owne Mother. But we need not goe to Rome for most abhominable Persons, our owne Nation will affoord vs stoare enough. And because some Popish Catholick may here be prying, to see what I will say, hoping for somewhat against oûr Religion, I will relate vnto him a Story which Sir Thomas Moore hath avowched, and is of his owne setting forth, though it be not in his printed Works, Verely Sir Thomas Moore in the Booke allea­ged before in the Epistle to the Reader, Epistolae aliquot Eruditorum. p. N. 3. saith he, I know one by the institution of his life, a Religious person, and of that kind of the Religious, that is accounted at this day, and truly so accounted, as I beleeue, the most Religious of all the other Orders. He not being now a Nouice, but hauing spent many yeeres in Religious Obseruances, as they call them, came at length to that Promotion, that he became the Prior of the Monastery, yet more neglecting the Precepts of God, then Monastical Rytes & Ceremonies, he fell from Vice to Vice, & came at length so far, that he purposed in his mind Scelus omnium atrocissimum, & supra quàm credi posset execrandum, a most outragious Villany, and much more ex­ecrable then can be beleeued, and not a simple Villany ne­ther, but such as was fraught with many besides, as one that had fully determined to add Sacrilege to Slaughter & Par­ricide. Who when he saw himselfe not able alone to perpetrate so many wicked Acts, he got him certaine Ruffians to be his Followers. They committed the most villanous deed, and the [Page 9] most outragious that ever I saw. Being taken they are cast in prison. And yet am I not purposed to reveale the thing it self, and I abstaine from telling their names, least some old Enuy should be renewed against that harmelesse Order. But to come to the point whereupon I began this Story, I my selfe did heare of those wicked Russians, that when they came to the Chamber of that holy Prior of theirs, they neuer consulted about any wickednes, vntill being brought into his private Oratory, they said as the manner is, the Ave Mary on their knees, and when that was said and done, then presently did they rise, and went about their villany. Thus farre S^r Tho­mas Moore, and thus much of the Persons.

Concerning the Actions they are three Degrees too, and therefore Arnobius: Our Consent, Ambros. in hunc Ps. saith he, shall be happy, if so be it walke not; or if it walk, it stand not; or if it stand, it sit not; that is, persist not in the Seat of the Scornful. Quanto examine, Scripturae diuinae verba ponuntur. With how great heed,Ambros. in hunc Ps. saith S^t Ambrose, are the words of holy Scripture set downe vnto vs. For because we are all of vs in sinne, the Scripture here exacteth not that which is a­boue our Nature, that we sinne not at all, for an Infant of a day old is not without sinne, but it requireth that we a­bide not in Sinne as it were in a dayly Station. And this it is that here is meant by Walking, Standing, and Sitting, though Standing be more then Walking, and Sitting more then Standing The Hebrew style & manner of dis­curse as theDoway Bible in hunc Ps. Rhemists obserue, differing here from other Nations, in mentioning first the lesse Evill, and the grea­test last. Whereas we would say in the contrary order, He is happy that hath not Sit, that is, hath not setled himselfe in wickednes▪ nor finally persisted obstinate: more happy that hath not Stood, that is any notable time continued in sinne: and most happy that hath not Walked, that is, not giuen any consent at all to evill suggestions.

So likewise concerning the Obiects: First of all there [Page 10] is Counsell, and that is one degree vnto wickednesse; then is there the Way of the Wicked, that's another; then is there the Seat of wickednesse, and when men are once setled there, then are they top and top gallant. They are then asIer 48.11. Moab was, setled on his lees; then doe they doe as1. King. 21.20 Ahab did▪ sell themselues to worke evill; then doe they phrase it inIoh, 19 10. Pilates voice, Speakest thou not vnto me! knowest thou not that I haue power to crucifie thee, and haue power to release thee! Rugitus saeuit Leonis, tument colla ser­pentis: It was the roaring of a Lyon,Aug. Hom. 35. saith S^t Austen, and the throat of the Serpent began to swell. Such Walkers as here are spoken of, were they of whom the Apostle writes in his Epistle to the Philippians, & he wrote it with teares in his eyes,Phil. 3.18. Many walke of whom I haue told you often, & now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the Crosse of Christ; Such Standers were they who stood with Corah and his Complices, and withstood Moses, as we read in theNom. 16.27. Booke of Nombers; In a word such Scorners also were they, who when good king Ezechias had aboli­shed Idolatrie, and made a Reformation, and sent Poasts to certaine Cities to call the People to serue the Lord, they laughed his Poasts to skorne, as wee read in the2. Chron. 30.10. Booke of Chronicles. And in this case it will not be a­misse to ioyne the New Testament, and the Old together, and so shall we see the true nature of skorning what it is. For that which Moses deliuereth in the Old, how Sarah saw the sonne of Hagar the Egyptian which she had born vnto Abraham.Gen. 21.9. Mocking: the Apostle S^t Paul in the New doth deliuer it as a Persequution. As then, Gal. 4.29. saith he, he that was borne after the flesh, persecuted him that was borne after the spirit, even so it is now. And it is so now in­deed, Mali persequuntur Bonos, si non ferro & lapidibus, certè vita at (que) moribus: The Bad doe persecute the Good,Aug. de Verb. Apost. Ser. 24. & Hom. 10. saith S. Austen, though not by dint of sword & stoning them, yet by their lewd liuing, and by their behauiour to­wards them, And againe in another place,Aug. in Ps. 127. Christians are [Page 11] not in these daies free from Persecution, because the Divell sets not vpon them by meanes of persecuting Tyrants, doe but begin to lead a godly life, and thou shalt easily finde that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus, shall suffer Persecuti­on. So Saint Chrysostome, Quid [...]is? Non adest Mar­tyrij tempus? To one that should say, It is not now the time of Martyrdome, but if it were, then would he doe, I marry would he (like as many Protestants say now a­daies) What saist thou, Chrys. in 2. a [...] Cor c. 1. Hom. saith S. Chrysostome, is it not now a time of Martyrdome? Nay that time is neuer absent, but is alwaies before our eies, did we but open our eyes to see it, and he proues it there in that place by the Example of Iob.

I should here end this First Verse, but that in all good congruity, somewhat would be said to Beyerlincke, whoLaurent. Be [...] ­erlinck Tract. Synod c. 12 p. 139. & p. 144. misapplyeth so much this Parcell of Scripture concer­ning the Seat of the Scornfull, to that sacred Synod held at Dort, for the composing of Controversies about the Ar­minians, who might haue reserued that Tearme, Cathe­dram pestilentiae, The Chaire of PestilenceVid. Iuels Defence of the Apol. Part 6. c. 6 Divis. 3. p. 676. for Petrus Asotus, and Hosius, and Harding, of his owne side, that said so blasphemously, that The sentence of death pronoun­ced in Councel against our Saviour Christ Iesus, was iust, and true, to whom he might haue ioyned also the Author of that Marginall Noat vpon theDist. 13. Item in Margine. Decrees, Iudaei mortaliter peccassent, nisi Christum crucifixissent: The Iews had com­mitted mortall sinne, had they not crucified Christ Iesus. As for those Reverend Men at Dort, not one of them but might say asTull. Phil [...]p. 2 Tully in another case, In huius me Consilij societatem, tanquam in equum Troianum includi cum Principibu [...] non recuso. But I haue beene too long vp­on this first Verse, and yet before wee part from it, let me briefly tell you two Stories concerning the word BLESSED.

The First is this. When Petilian the Donatist (like Bey­erlinck) had alleaged this Psalme against the Orthodox Christians: S^t Austen answering for them, Who cannot [Page 12] discerne, Aug. cont. lit. Petil. l. 2. c. 46. saith he, in the Scriptures betweene these two kinds of men, the Good and the Bad, but you Cursed as you are, Paleae crimina etiam Frumentis obijcitis the faults of the Chaff you obiect to the Corne it selfe, & being your selues the only Chaffe, you make your boast that you are the onely Corne. Well, I advise you to read this first Psalme in Greeke, so shall you not dare to obiect as a crime to the whole world, that it taketh the part of Macarius. For thereby you may happily understand what Macarius that is, that hath a part in all the Saints, who throu [...]hout all Nations are blessed in Abrahams seed. F r that which is written in Latine, Bea­tus Vir, in the Greeke it is, [...] Now that MACA­RIVS who displeaseth you so much if so be he were a bad man, he is not in this lot, nor is he any hinderance therevnto. But if he were a good man let h m trie his owne worke, that so he may haue the praise in himselfe, and not in another.

The other is this. When one of the Priests in Constan­tines time, hadEuseb. de Vit. Const. l. 4. c. 48. Graecè. p. 154. called him Happy to his face, as one in this life that was full worthy to haue the Gouernment of all the World, & to raigne afterwards with Christ: Constan­tine was ill pleased with the hearing heare of, and willed him neuer to vse any such speech any more, but rather to pray to God, that both in this life, & in the next, he might be thought worthy to be but a Servant of God: who yet afterwards when he was baptised:Euseb. Jb. c. 63. Graece. p. 255. b. [...]. Now of a truth, saith he, I knowe my selfe to be BLESSED▪ and that I am counted worthy to inioy hereafter everlasting life, & that I am made par­taker of heavenly light.

Vers. 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law will be exercise himselfe day & night.] Nobis initi­um bonorum, abstinentia peccatorum est. To vs,Ambros. in hunc. Ps. saith S. Ambrose, the beginning of good things, is an abstinence from sinnes, and therefore we read,Ps. 37.27. Fl [...]e from evill, and doe the thing that is good. The Prophet in the former verse [Page 13] hath taught vs to flee the evill, but because that is not suf­ficient, he teacheth vs now a new Lesson, namely to doe the thing that is good. That is, to delight in the Law of the Lord, and to exercise our selues therein.

First for the Law of the Lord. The Latine word Lex which signifyeth the Law, isVid. Vrsi [...]. Catech. Angl. edit. 1611. p. 886. deriued from Lego, which hath two significations, namely to read, and publish, or els to choose. With the former der [...]vation agreeth th [...] Hebrew word Thorah, with the later [...] the Greeke. In the Hebrew the Law i [...] called Thorah, Doctrine, be­cause L [...]wes are published vnto all, that euery one may learne them. The Greeke [...], commeth from a Wotd that signifieth to diuide and distribute, and therefote the Law is so called, because it distributeth vnto euery one proper charges and functions. Now the Law as it is sometimes taken in holy Scripture for the whole Old Te­stament in generall: so sometimes againe for the Bookes of Moses only, as here in this place. Moses wrote Fiue in all, winch were therefore called the LAVV, for asm [...]ch as all the Lawes that belonged to the Iewes, Morall, Ceremoniall, and Iudiciall, were comprised in those Bookes. The Morall Law is a Doctrine, agreeing with the eternall Wisdome, and Iustice of G d, discer­ning things honest and dishonest, knowen by nature, and engendered in reasonable Creatures at the Creation, bin­ding all the reasonable Creatures to perfect obed [...]ence, both Internall and Externall, promising the fauour of God, and euerlasting Life to those which performe per­fect Obedience, and denouncing the wrath of God, and euerlasting Paines and Punishments vnto them, who are not perfectly correspondent thereunto. The Ceremoniall were Lawes deriued from God by Moses, concerning Ceremonies, that is, Externall solemne Actions and Ge­stures, which in the publique Worship of God, were to be performed, binding the Iewes vntill the comming of the Messias: that they should distinguish that People and [Page 14] the Church from others, and should be Signes, Symbols, Types, or Shadowes of spirituall Things to be fulfilled in the New Testament by Christ. The Iudiciall, were Lawes concerning the ciuill Order, or ciuill Government, or maintenance of externall Discipline among the Iewes, according to the tenour of both Tables of the Deca­logue, that is, of the Order and Offices of Magistrates, of Iudgment, Punishments, Contracts, and of the distingui­shing & bounding of Dominions, deliuered from God by Moses, for the setling and preseruing of the Iewes Com­monwealth. And these are that Law here intimated by the Prophet, and whereof he speaks so much in his 119. Psalme. It is the longest and largest Psalme in all the Booke, consisting of 176. Verses, and not one of all those Verses (one onlyThere are in the English fiue more, the 84. the 121, the 132, the 149, and the 156. but in the Latine they haue one of these Words, according to the Latine. excepted, namely the 122) but makes mentiō of this Law, or by that very name, or by the name of Testimonies, Way, or Wayes, Word, or Words, Commande­ments, Statutes, Iudgements, Ceremonies, Righteousnes, or Trueth. In these Lawes it should seeme the Iewes were so perfect, that Iosephus speaking of them: Euery one Ioseph. cont. Appian. l. 2. sayth he, of our Nation, being demanded of our Lawes, can answere as readily as he can tell his owne Name. For euery one of vs learning them as it were, so soone, as we come to the vse of Reason, we haue them as it were written, and printed in our mindes, and by this meanes offend we much more seeldome, and when we offend, we are sure to be punished,

Secondly, where it is said, His delight is in the Law, it may very well be taken for continuall Reading the same Law. Orationi Lectio, Lectioni succedat Oratio: Let her pray, and read,Hieron. ad Lect. de Instit. Filiae. sayth S^t Ierom read, and pray: wrighting to a Gentlewoman, concerning the bringing vp of her Daughter. And writing to an other, Let the Booke of sacred Scriptures Hieron. ad Rust. Monach. sayth he, be neuer out of thy hands, or from thine eyes. Discatur Psalterium ad verbum. As for the Book of Psalmes, get that in thy memory word by word. For such is our NatureAug. Quaest. mixtim qu. 120. saith S^t Austen, as that [Page 15] it becomes dull and heauy, if we accustome not our selues to reading. For as iron if it be not vsed, gathereth rust, so the Soule vnlesse it be frequent in reading diuine Scrip­tures▪ is surrounded with Sinne, as it were with rust.

Thirdly after Reading he meditates thereupon, and therefore is it here added, And in his Law will he exercise himselfe day, and night.] Excellent things they are, that are spoken of Meditation, and it is strange what in this case Authors report euen of Bruit Beasts. ThisPlin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 3. saith Pliny, is knowen for certain, that on a time there was an Elephant, not of so good capacity as his Fellowes to take out his Lessons, & to learne that which was taught him. Where­vpon being oftentimes beaten for that blockishnesse of his, was found studying and conning those Feates in the night, which he had bene learning the day before. The samePlin. l. 10. c. 42. Pliny tells vs the like of Pyes, and Stares, & Nigh­tingales: andPlutarch. de Solert. Animal. Plutarch tells of a Pye, that to learne cer­taine Tunes which shee heard Minstrels play, waxed dumbe many dayes after. At length vpon the sodaine, she brake forth into the same Tunes which those Min­strels had playd before, to the astonishment of all that heard her, and thought she would neuer haue sung again. But to returne vnto my purpose.

Meditation is that in the Old Law which was signified by Chewing the Cud. For as there the Swine wasLevit. 11.7. vn­cleane to the Israelites, because it chewed not the Cud, howsoeuer it divided the Hoofe: so howsoeuer we read the Word, and divide our times to that purpose, yet vnles we Meditate thereupon, and doe as the BlessedLuc. 2.51. Virgin did, lay it vp in our hearts, as in good ground, either the wicked One commeth, and catcheth it away:Mat. 13.15. or Tribula­tion, or Persecution ariseth, and by and by we are offen­ded; or the care of this World, and the deceitfulnesse of Riches choke it, and so we become vnfruitfull. So that Meditation implyes a long time, before we come to the Perfection of Happinesse here spoken of. The very seed-time [Page 16] may teach vs that we are not to sowe and reape at once. Nay, that which comes vp suddainly, hath not only the prejudice of a Proverb against it, the effect of Experi­ence, Soone Ripe, soone Rotten, but the prejudice of Expe­rience it selfe, the cause of that Proverbe, and that Expe­rience vpon many in the Eyes of euery Age. Sunt aliqui quorum fructus quia minus properè, minus prosperè oriuntur. Some there are,Bern. Serm. de Sanct. Bene­dicto. saith S^t Bernard, whose fruits, for they ripen too soone, become at length too too sowre: They are like those Figs the Prophet Ieremy Ier. 2.43. speakes of, The e­uill, very euill, that cannot be eaten they are so euill. Now as I told you before from the Poets mouth, Nemo repentè turpissimus, no man in a tryce as bad as bad may be; so let me tell you from the mouth of S^t Bernard, that Nemo re­pentè Bernard. de S. Andr. Ser. 1. sit summus, no man in a tryce as good as good may be. Ascendendo, non volando apprehenditur summitas sca­lae: We come to the top of a Ladder, saith he, by ascen­ding thither step by step, not by flying thither at once; wherefore in such sort let vs clyme, and that by the bene­fit of both these Feete, Meditation, and Prayer.

Thirdly, this Exercise or Meditation, it must be Day and Night, that is,Aug. in hunc Ps. saith S^t Austen, either continually without intermission; or, Day sayth he, that is, in the time of Prosperity: Night, that is, in the time of Adversity. And in very deed at both times admirable is the Benefit that euery of vs may reape by reading the Holy Scrip­tures. For ifTull. pro Arch. Poet. Tully could say of Poetry, that it was a Profession for all Ages, Youth, and Old Age: a Professi­on for all Times, Prosperity, and Adversity: a Profession for all Places, both at Hoame, and Abroad: how much more truly may we say of Gods Holy Scriptures, that they confirme our younger Yeeres, they delight our old Age; they are an Ornament to vs in Prosperity, a place of Re­fuge in Adversity; yeelding vs Comfort in such Extremi­ties, they affoord vs Pleasure at Hoame, they no whit hin­der vs abroad, they watch with vs all Night; if we travaile, [Page 17] they travaile with vs, if we husband it in the Country, they will husband it with vs.

Or if Day and Night be here taken, for Continually without intermission, that is, if Day be taken for Day in­deed, and Night for Night indeed, then haue we our Pro­phets owne example, for exercising himselfe in the Scrip­tures, both in the Day time, and in the Night. First for the Day, Lord Ps. 119▪ saith he, what loue haue I vnto thy Law, all the day long is my study in it. Secondly for the Night, Ver [...] [...] I haue thought vpon thy Name O Lord in the night season, and haue kept thy Law. And the Night indeed brings many opportunities of deeper Meditation: Quinetiam in nocti­bus syncerius cogitamus, we more sincerely in the Night-time bethinke our seluesAmbr [...]. de bono Mortis p. 245. saith S. Ambrose. There are that endeavour toT [...]uanu [...] Hist. l. 16. prooue that studying in theNoctem Eu­phronam dixe­ [...]unt Graeci à benè intelligen­do. Plut. de Curiosit. Night is not so dangerous to the Body, as many take it to be, but rather healthfull for it, which if in prophane Studies it be true (for at those they ayme) how much more in these, when Healthfulnesse shal be had both of Body and Soule.

And here I cannot but remember that worthy choyce which our most worthySigillum IO­ANNIS HOVV­SON Episcopi Oxoniensis. Diocesan hath made of these Words Diebus & Noctibus for his Episcopall Imprese, which of all places of holy Scripture, seeing he hath made such speciall choyce of, as to haue it alwayes in his Eye, how doth he thereby intimate both what himselfe doth in this kind, and what by others is to be done, to attaine to that Happines which is to be had both in this World, as also in the World to come.

But what will some say, and is this all to make men BLESSED? Are there no more Ingredients to true Hap­pines then this? To delight in the Law of the Lord, and in that Law to be exercised day and night? Is there nothing required but this? Nothing in effect, forasmuch as in this, all other things are comprised. Like as King Porus Plut. de F [...]rt. Alex. Orat. 1. answered in an other case, who being King Alexanders [Page 18] Captiue, and asked by the said Alexander how he would he intreated? how, saith he, but as Kings should be. Be­ing asked againe, what els besides he would haue done? Nay nothing els, said King Porus, for to be in treated like a King, compriseth all Offices, and all respectiuenes what­soeuer. Excellent are the Verses whichMart. l. 10. Epig 47. Martiall hath of a Blessed Life; there is in our English Tongue also aMy Mind to me a King­dome is, A­mongst M^r Byrds Psalmes, Sonets, & Songs of Sadnes and Piety. Song. 14. Printed 1589. Sonnet to that purpose, but when all comes to all, true Felicity indeed, is that which is deliuered by our Prophet here in this place, and whereat our Saviour no doubt did ayme, when speaking to the Woman that said vnto him, Blessed is the wombe that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked: Yea rather Luc. 11.28. saith he, blessed are they that heare the word of God, and keepe it. I but here me thinkes some Naaman will reply,2 King. 5.12 Are not Abana and Pharphar Riuers of Damascus, better then all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be cleane? So, are not PRO­FIT, PLEASVRE, and PREFERMENT, the three great Riuers of the World, better then all this Delighting in the Law of the Lord? May I not baske my selfe in any of those, and so be blessed? Oh no: this Iordan must be the Riuer, or thou wilt neuer haue true Happines. To which purpose let vs view euery of these in particular.

First for PROFIT, wherein I comprehend all world­ly Wealth whatsoeuer, I know the World is set vpon it, nothing more.

MoneySenec. Epist. l. 21. Ep. 116. saith Bellerophon, is all in all, and to be preferred before Parents, Wife, or Child. A speech which though per­haps be as odious to vs in the hearing, as it was to those that heard him: yet euery man now is a Bellerophon in the acting, and S^t Pauls Words neuer more true,Phil. 2.21. Omnes quae sua sunt, quaerunt, All seeke their owne. And yet how litle makes Wealth to Mans Felicity! The Emperour Con­stantine [Page 19] to a couetous Wretch, shewed the same, no man better. I pre thee, Euseb. de vita Constant. l. 4. c. 29. 30. saith he, how long shall we endeauour to fill this bottomlesse Gulph of Auarice! Then making v­pon the ground, the full bredth of a Man with thePer ea adhuc tempora Reges Hastas pro dia­demate habeb [...]t quas Graecè [...] dixere Iust [...]n l. 43. Speare he had in his Hand: Hadst thou saith he, all the Wealth of this World in thy Cofers at hoame, yet shalt thou enioy no more Ground then I haue here allotted thee out, if yet thou enioy so much.

Concerning PLEASVRE what difference betwixt the very Bruit Beast and Man, but that Man speaketh the Beast doth not. And yet,Lact. Justit. l. 3. c. 8. saith Lactantius, an Asse, a Dog, a Swine, had they the faculty of speaking, & a Body should inquire of them, why so furiously and outragiously they seeke their Females, and will not be driuen from them with any violence whatsoever, what other answer would they make, Nisi summum Bonum esse corporis Voluptatem, eam se appetere, vt afficiantur suavissimis sensibus, eof (que) esse tanti vt assequendorum causa, nec laborem sibi vllum, nec vulnera, nec mortem ipsam recusandam putent. Their an­swere would be this, that the Pleasure of the Body is the chiefest Good of all, that thereby they desire to be trans­ported with that most exquisite and delicious pleasure of the Senses, and that the same is sô to bee accounted of, as that to attain vnto it, they are perswaded that no Labour, no Stripes, no nor Death it selfe is to be refused.

PREFERMENT indeed is that which bewitcheth men nothing more, and I dare say, not the Ambitious on­ly, (such asSenec. Theb. Act. 4. Sc. In me arma. say with him in the Poet,

Preferment is good at any rate, what ever the Price be,) but even those also that are of a more setled disposition. But I cannot giue such a better Item, then tell them that tale of Ariosto concerning the Folly of such as should by Preferment thinke themselues so over happy, which for [Page 20] it may perhaps affect them as much as it did my self when I first read it, I will not be scrupulous to set it downe in aAriost. sea­uen Satyres Sat. 3. Printed 1611. Translation, I take it not much inferior to the Originall.

[Page 21] He that will not be mooued with Verse, I referre him to Senecaes Prose,Senec. Epist, l. 10. Ep. 77. Nemo ex istis quos purpuratos vides, Foe­lix est. Or for I speake of Prose, I referre him to Boethius his Prose, who speaking of Preferment.Boeth de Con­solat. l. 3. Pros. 4 Num vis ea est Magistratibus, vt vtentium mentibus Virtutes inserant, Vitia depellant? At qui non fugare, sed illustrare potius nequi­tiam solent. Is there such vertue in Preferment, saith Boe­tius, that it may plant Vertues in the minds of them that haue it, and suppresse Vices? Nay, but oftentimes so farre it is from suppressing them, that it makes those Vices more knowne vnto the World. But now to the Text a­gaine.

Vers. 3. And he shall be like a Tree planted by the wa­ter side, that will bring forth his fruit in due season.] That Man is like a Tree, but a Tree turned vpside downe, hath beene a saying of old, and is discoursed of by Scaliger, in regard of many resemblances. Trees, Scal, de Sub­til. Exerc. 140. §. 2. saith he, haue their Branches vpwards, we our Branches, that is, our Legs, and Armes, downewards: We inclosed in a skin, they in a barck or rinde: They their mouth in the earth, we haue ours towards Heauen, that as they from thence haue all their being, so wee should drawe from Heauen all the beginnings of our Actions. But it is not in these respects, that the Godly man in this place is compared to a Tree. The prophanest man that is, may in this sort be like a Tree, but to be like a Tree in the Prophets meaning,Virg. Aeneid. l. 6. Hoc opus, hic labor est, Few they are that so may be.

First then let vs consider what Tree it is, is here meant, for all Interpreters are not of one & the selfe same minde. Some take it to be the Oliue Tree, but Hesiod the Poet, who was so skilfull in Husbandry, sets so infamous a marke on that Tree, that of all Trees bearing fruit, a God­ly man me thinks, should not in any case be like that Tree. His Noat is this, asPlin. Nat. hist. l. 15. c. 1. Pliny relateth it to vs, That to that day a man was never knowne to haue gathered the Fruit of that Oliue Tree which himselfe had planted, so late of [Page 22] growth were those Trees in his time, and so slowly came they forward. But I am of their mind who take it to bee the Palme, or Date Tree, whereof in that Land there was such plenty. Pliny speaking of the Palme, or Date Tree, It loues, Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 15. c. 1. saith he, to growe by some Riuers side, where it may haue (as it were) one foot in the water, and be ever drin­king all the yeare long especially in a dry season.

Secondly, where it is said, He shall be like in the Future Tence, the Future in this place signifies the Future, and Present Tence both. It is like the Lawyers Oportebit. Verbum Oportebit, tam praesens quàm futurum tempus sig­nificat. The word Oportebit, De Verb. sig­nif. nu. 8. say they, signifies aswell the Present, as it doth the Future Tence. So that, He shall bee like in this place, signifies indeed, that like he is already: and then, he Is, and shall be too, what is it but a continu­ance in that happy estate of his, without any intermission at all.

Thirdly, whereas he is likened to a Tree that will bring forth his Fruit, it is apparent that here he is likened to a Fruitfull Tree. And not only here, but elsewhere, for sel­dome or never shall wee read in Scriptures, that a Godly man is likened to any other. And therefore S. Iohn the Baptist,Mat. 3.10. Now the Axe is laid vnto the root of the Tree, therefore every Tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe, and cast into the fire. Concerning the Fruit­lesse Tree, it is the Masters question in the Gospell,Luc. 13.7. Why cumbreth it the ground? And though the Dresser of the Ʋineyard make answere for it, Lord let it alone this yeare also, till I shall dagge about it, and doung it: yet his Conclu­sion there is (to shew his Iustice aswell as Mercy) If it beare not this yeare, then after that, thou shalt cut it downe. The Fruitlesse Figtree had not such respite, but in a mo­ment, in a tryce, in the twinckling of an eye,Mat. 21.19. Let no fruit grow on thee hence forward for ever: And presently the Fig-tree withered away.

Fourthly, this Fruit here specified must be in due season [Page 23] to, that is, such as is ripe and rellishing, and of a good and wholsome tast. Behold, Esay 28.16. saith the Lord in Esay, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tryed stone, a precious cor­ner stone, a sure foundation: he that beleeueth shall not make hast. Indeed as Liuy Liu. Dec. 3. l. 2. speakes, Festinatio improvida est, & caeca: Hast or speed hath no foresight, but is blind, and as we vsually say in our English Proverb, Hast makes Wast: so Hast in this case makes wast of Faith, & therfore those Seeds that made such hast to spring vp, because they had no deepnesse of earth, our SaviourMat. 13.5. sheweth how they were scorched and withered away because they had not root. I verily thinke, Senec. de Tranquill. Vit. l. 1. c. 1. saith Seneca, that many might haue attained to wisdome indeed, but that they thought them­selues sure of it to to soone: and it was an excellentHist. of Spain translated by M^r Grimst. l. 28. p. 1069. saying of Charles the fift in his Instructions to his Sonne, that Wise men must not disdaine to goe forwards by insensible de­grees, for so, saith he, the Sun goeth about the whole World. But of this kind of argument I spake of, in the Verse going before.

Fiftly and lastly, the Season here specified, is not so to be taken, as if now, very now were not a seasonable time of bringing forth some Fruit. Euer since we haue had the meanes to come to the knowledge of sauing Trueth, the Time and Season hath bene to Vs, nor can any man make excuse, that he hath not heard of the Gospell of Christ. For as the Apostle in like case,Rom. 10.18. Haue they not heard? Yes verely, their sound went into all the Earth, and their words vnto the ends of the World: So may we say of all Christi­ans, that as many as haue but heard the Word at any time preached to them, are answerable for the bringing forth of such Fruit as will be required at their hands.

4 Verse 4. His Leafe also shall not wither: and looke what­soeuer he doth, it shall prosper.] Hauing done with the Fruit, he commeth now to the Leaues of the Tree, which Nature that doth nothing in vaine, hath not placed in Trees to no purpose. Some be for Shade, some for [Page 24] Medicine, and some (as Pliny Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 16. c. 24. obserueth) may be giuen as fodder to Beasts. All for Ornament, insomuch that the Poet obserues, that Trees without Leaues are asEt Foliis vi­duantur Orni. Horat. Carm. l. 2. Od. 9. Widows. The samePlin. Ib. c. 22. Pliny relateth, that all Trees (except some that he had named before, whereof the Date Tree was one) doe loose their Leaues in Winter; and he tells of some of a wilde sort, that be greene all the Yeare long: but then are they fruitlesse Trees, as the Firre, the Iuniper, the Cedar, the Box, the Holly, the Yew, and so forth. But seeing it is said of the Godly man here, that His Leafe shal not wither, let vs see what that Leafe may be.

Some thinke by Leaues in this Verse, the Godly mans Words should be vnderstood, as his Workes in the Verse before, and there is indeed the same correspondence be­tweene Fruit and Leaues, that is, betweene Works and Words. Howbeit me thinkes it is more probable to say withTremell. in hunc Ps. others, that as in the Verse before, His plantation by the water side, might signifie his Regeneration in Christ, who is indeed the water of Life: His bringing forth fruit in due season, his Sanctification: so in this Verse, The not withering of his Leafe, what should it be but his Constancy, his Stedfastnes, his Perseuerance to the end. For hee it is that shall be saued, asMat. 10.22.24.13. speakes our Sauiour, once and a­gaine. Or if Leaues be taken here for his temporall estate, his worldly Goods, and so forth, euen these also may be said not absolutely to wither (if so be they be taken away) which in good and convenient time may bee asIob. 42.12. Iobs Goods were, restored to him againe. He that nombreth theMat. 10.30. Haires of our head, so that notAct. 27.34. one of them shal fall, nombreth these Leaues to. And that which S^t Austen Aug. Confess. l. 7. c. 6. saith of Providence in general, that the World is gouer­ned thereby, Ʋs (que) ad Arborum volatica Folia; to the very Leaues that fell from Trees, may be applyed to the God­ly man in this case, that the least little belongs vnto him, is not despised, or vnregarded with God.

Whereas it is here added, And look whatsoeuer he doth, [Page 25] it shall prosper: First for the Word [Looke] as much as Ecce, Behold; I graunt it is not in the Originall, nor yet in the Greeke, or Septuagint, no nor yet in the last Tra [...]sla­tion, nor in that other that was before; yet being in a Translation that was before both these, I mean a Transla­tionPrinted by my FATHER, & William Seres A^o D. 1549. set forth in King Edwards time, it seemes it came from thence, if not from the English Psalter which was in King Edwards dayes. But whensoeuer, or howsoeuer, the Word [Looke] came first in, here it is to good pur­pose, lest we should passe ouer such a passage as this, with­out any obseruation at all. But now to the matter it selfe.

According as the Actions of Men are, so are Men most commonly esteemed of, in the World. For Man, as speakes theArist. Ethic. l. 3. c. 5. Philosopher, [...]: he is the F [...]untaine and Father of his Actions, as of his Children. As then it cannot be but a speciall joy vnto him, to see euery thing thriue with him that he ta­keth in hand, so hath he a Promise made him, that so it shall be. So was it withGen. 30.27. Iacob, when he serued vnder Laban: so was it withGen. 39.23. Ioseph, when he serued in the Pri­son And yet this vniversall [whatsoeuer] we must in some sort restraine to, as being to be vnderstood of those things that he doth according to his Vocation. So that if he fol­low his Vocation, & keepe himself within those bounds, then may he build on this Promise, then shall the Lord make him plenteous in euery worke of his hand, asDeut. 30.9. Moses speakes: thenPsal. 32.11. Mercy shall embrace him on euery side, and the Psal. 91.11. Angels shal be charged with him, to keep him in all his wayes, as speakes the Prophet Dauid. But thus much of the Godly: come we now vnto the other sort against whom they are opposed, I meane the Wicked, whom the Prophet shewes next, as thePlutarch. de Ira cohibenda. Lacedemonians did vnto their Children their drunken Helots, to teach them to be­ware of the Vice of Drunkennes the better.

Verse 5. As for the Vngodly it is not so with them, but [Page 26] they are like the Chaffe which the wind scattereth away from the face of the Earth.] It might haue beene thought that the Prophet in this place would haue held on his Meta­phor, and haue compared as the Good, to a Good Tree. So the Wicked to a Tree to, though it were but to a fruitlesse Tree, and so S^t Iude doth, These are Trees without fruit Iude v. 12. sayth he, twyse dead, plucked vp by the roots. Howbeit the Prophet here compareth them with that which is much worse. They are saith he, Like the Chaffe. It is Motz in the Originall, and Motz signifieth the huske, or hull, wherein the Corne lieth when it is brought into the Barne. It is likely S^t Iohn Baptist alluded hereunto, when speaking of the Wicked, he compares them to Chaffe to, &Mat. 3.12. saith, that our Sauiour shall gather his Wheat into his Garner, but will burne vp the Chaffe with vnquencheable Fire. And as the Wicked here are compared vnto Chaffe, so are the Iudgments of God compared here to the Wind. The Wind is anFrytschius de Meteoris. Exhalation, hot, and dry, eleuated by the Sunne to the middle Region of the Aire, by reason of the Coldnes whereof being driuen downewards againe, and meeting with other Exhalations, it is driuen sidewayes v­pon the Earth in the lowest Region, which it fanneth vp and downe, lest the Aire should be corrupted by too much stilnesse. It is called by this our Prophet elsewhere,Ps. 18.15. The breath of Gods displeasure, so powerfull against all withstanding, that we read of goodly Edifices, nay Townes, and Cities, that haue bene ruinated thereby. And how may Chaffe then stand before it? Wherefore as the Rulers of Iezreel said concerning Iehu, 2 King. 10.4. Behold, two Kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? So may the Wicked say, if his Iudgments be like the Winde, and our selues but to Chaffe, seeing so great Buildings can­not stand before the Winde, much lesse Chaffe, how shall we be able to stand? The same which in the next words the Psalmist sayth by way of Conclusion.

Verse 6. Therefore the Ʋngodly shall not be able to stand [Page 27] in the iudgement: neither the Sinners in the Congregation of the Righteous.] The Iudgement here spoken of, is likely to be the last Day, when they shall say to the Mountaines and Rocks,Rom. 6.16. Fall on vs, and hide vs from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great Day of his wrath is come, and who shall be able to stand. And it is the more likely to be that Day, because it is here said, The Congregation of the Righteous, for other­wise here in this World there is no such Congregation of them, they are rather dispersed through the World. Some are tortured, asHeb. 11.35. speakes the Apostle, others haue triall of cruell mockings and scourgings, yea moreouer of bonds, and imprisonment. They are stoned, they are sawen asunder, are tempted, are slaine with the Sword: they wan­der about in sheepe-skinnes, and goat-skinnes, being desti­tute, afflicted, tormented. Of whom the World is not wor­thy, they wander in Desarts, and in Mountaines, and in Dennes and Caues of the Earth. But,Horat. Carm. l. 2. Od. 10. Non si malè nunc, & olim sic erit: There will be a Day when they shall at length be gathered togither. He shall send his Angels, Mat. 24.31. saith our Saviour, with a great sound of a Trumpet, and they shal gather together the Elect from the fowre winds, from one end of Heauen to the other. It is not vnlikely our Savi­our in that place alluded to that of Ezechiel, where Life being put into dead bones, They liued, Ezech 37.9. saith the Prophet, and stood vpon their feet, an exceeding great Army. In this great Congregation then, in this great Assembly, where­in We must al appeare 2 Cor. 5.10. before the Iudgement seat of Christ that every one may receaue the things done in his Body ac­cording to that he hath done, whether it be Good or Bad, how shall the Vngodly be able to Stand. And if the Righteous scarcely be saued, 1 Pet. 4.18. saith S. Peter, where shall the Vngodly & Sinners appeare. If any hidden Crime of ours,Chrys. in Ep. ad Rom. Hom. 5. saith S. Chrysostome, should now at this time be notified vnto the Congregation here met, would not hee, whose fault it were, rather dye in the place, and wish the earth would [Page 28] swallow him vp, then to haue but so many witnesses of his Fault as now are present? And in what case then shall we bee, Wretches as wee are, when all shall bee laid o­pen to the whole World in such a glorious great Th [...]a­ter as that shall be, consisting partly of those wee knowe, partly of those we knowe not. And yet why, saith he, doe I terrifie you with this opinion of Men, when it is much more convenient to doe it, with the Terrors and Iudge­ments of God.

Vers. 7. But the Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous and the way of the Vngodly shall perish.] Drusius Ob­servat. l. 14 c. 4. A Man is called Righteous or lust foure manner of waies. First, by Impu­tation: Secondly, by reason of the Vertues he hath in him: Thirdly, by way of Comparison: Fourthly, and lastly, in a Iudiciall kinde of forme. By Imputation, as the Prophet Habakuk, Hab. 2.4. The Iust shall liue by his Faith; By reason of the Ʋertues he hath, as this our Psalmist in another place,Ps. 11.3. What hath the Righteous done? And King Solomon in this sence,Prov. 10.7. The memorie of the Iust is blessed, and oftentimes in that Booke, where also in the name of Righteousnes, Vertue is vnderstood, as in that sentence of his,Prou. 16.31. The hoa­rie head is a Crowne of Glory, if it be found in the way of Righteousnesse. By way of Comparison, as in Habakuk a­gaine.Hab. 1.13. Wherefore holdest thou thy tongue, when the wicked devoureth the man that is more Righteous then hee, spea­king of the Iewes, who in comparison of the Chaldaeans were honest and iust men. Lastly, by way of a Iudici­all kinde of forme, and so is he called Iust that hath in Iudgement a iust cause, as in the Prophet Amos, Amos. 2.6. They sold the Righteous for Siluer. So the Prophet David, Psa. l. 7.8 Giue Sentence with me O Lord, according to my Righ­teousnesse, vnderstanding by Righteousnesse, nothing else but the Righteousnesse of his Cause, as if hee had said Giue sentence with mee O Lord, according to my Righte­ous Cause. For the better explaining of the Premisses, There nether is,M^r Hookers learned Dis­course of Iu­stificat. Works &c. p. 2. saith Reverend Hooker, or ever was, any [Page 29] meere naturall man absolutely Righteous in himselfe, that is to say, void of all Vnrighteousnesse, of all Sinne. But we are absolutely Righteous in Christ, saith he. So that the World must shew a Christian Man, otherwise it is not a­ble to shew a Man that is perfectly Righteous. And a litle after. There is a Glorifying Righteousnesse of men in the world to come, and there is a Iustifying and a Sanctifying Righteousnesse here. The Righteousnesse wherewith wee shall be cloathed in the world to come, is both Perfect and Inherent. That whereby we are here iustified is Per­fect, but not Inherent. That whereby we are Sanctifi [...]d, is Inherent but not Perfect. The Prophet Abakuk, saith he, doth tearme the Iewes Righteous men, not only because being iustified by Faith they were free from Sinne, but al­so because they had their measure of Fruit in holinesse. Thus the Prophet here in this place, though speaking elsewhere of Men in generall,Ps. 14.4. They are all gone out of the way, saith he, they are altogethe become abhominable, there is none that doth good, no not one, (which hee seemeth there to speake with reference vnto God, whose eyes areEcclus. 23.19. tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne, beholding all the waies of men, & considering the most secret parts) yet speaking now in regard of the VVicked, who are so notoriously bad, hee acknowledgeth some that haue a measure in the Fruit of Holinesse, and a right vnto the Ti­tle of Righteous Men.

Secondly, concerning the Way here, The Way of the Righteous, and The Way of the Ʋngodly, we are to vnder­stand by these Waies, Counsails, Actions, or Endeauours of the Righteous: and the Counsailes, Actions, or Endea­vours of the Ʋngodly, for so in holy Scripture are Waies sometimes taken. Like as the Prophet IeremyIer. 10.23. speakes, I knowe that the way of Man is not in himselfe, it is not in Man that walketh, to direct his steps. Intimating thereby, that Men are fowly deceaued, if so be they suppose that the event of things, is in their own hands, for let them con­sult [Page 30] never so wisely, yet if God blesse not their consultati­ons, all things happen vnder foot.

Thirdly, by Knowing here in this place is meant ap­proouing, and to be pleased with, and by intimating He knoweth not the way of the Vngodly, (for that also is here intimated) his not approouing of their Way. Other­wise take Knowing for that, for which commonly it is ta­ken, and he knowes the way of the Wicked more then the Wicked are aware of. And therefore to them that say,Ps. 73.11. Tush, how should God perceaue it, is there knowledge in the most Highest? His answere is in another place,Ps. 10.15. Surely thou hast seene it, for thou beholdest Vngodlinesse & Wrong. And againe,Ps. 94.9. He that planted the eare, shall he not heare? Or he that made the eye, shall he not see? The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vaine.

Fourthly, and lastly, concerning the Way of the Ʋn­godly, whereas besides the intimation giuen, that it is not approued of God, it is directly here pronounced that it shall vtterly perish: Hoc eis eveniet, Arnob. in hunc Ps. saith Arnobius, in si­ne saeculi, quod in fine Psalmi Sermo Propheticus commina­tur: that shall happen to the Vngodly in the end of the World, which the Prophet here threatneth them in the end of this Psalme. It it an excellent passage which the Booke of Wisdome hath to this purpose, whose Author discoursing of the miserable end of the Wicked: They shal be vtterly, Wis. 4.19. saith he, laid wast, and be in sorrowe: and their memoriall shall perish. And when they cast vp the accounts of their sinnes they shall come with feare: and their owne ini­quities shall convince them to their face: Wisd. 5.1. Then shall the Righteous man stand in great boldnes, before the face of such as haue afflicted him, and made no account of his Labours. When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible feare, & shall be amazed at the strangenesse of his Salvation, so farre beyond all that they loaked for. And they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit, shall say within themselues, This was he whom we had sometimes in dirision, and a pro­verb [Page 31] of reproach. We Fooles accounted his life madnesse, and his end to be without honour. How is hee remembred among the Children of God, and his lot is among the Saints. And a­gaine, a little after:V. 8. What hath Pride profited vs? or what good hath Riches with our vaunting brought vs? All those things are passed away like a shadowe, and as a Poast that ha­sted by. Much more they speake to that purpose, but it is high time now to come to the Second Psalme.

VErse 1. Why doe the Heathen so furiously r [...]ge toge­ther, and why doe the People imagine a vaine thing? [Page 34] First, as touching the Heathen here, it is in the Originall Goijm, Gentes, by which appellation the Iewes call all those Nations that were not of their Religion. The Hea­then then here meant in respect of Dauid, might be the Iebuzites, the Philistians, the Moabites, the Syrians, and the Ammonites, with whom King Dauid had so much to doe. In respect of our Sauiour Christ, all the Nations of the World, might here be meant, Gentiles and Iewes to. For how did the Gentiles rage against his King­dome? how did the Iewes?

King Herod heard no sooner of his Birth, but himselfe wasMat. 2.3. troubled, and all Hierusalem with him. And how like a Fox he went about to haue surprised him, the Story is manifest.

The People areHorat. Epist. l. 1. Ep. 1. Bellua multorum capitum, a Beast with many heads, who if they be once vp in armes, ‘Virg. Aeneid. l. 1.Iam (que) Faces & Saxa volant, furor arma ministrat.’ Fire brands and Stones flye about the Streets, and that's a Weapon that com s next to hand. Where the People are principall Actors, D^r Fentoa Sermon 6. Wisd. of the Ritch. p. 81. saith a good Divine, there's a dange­rous peece of worke towards. How many seuerall times is it said in the Booke of Iudges vpon occasion of great mis­demeanors in the Kingdome of Israel, Iudg. 17.6.18.1.19.1.21.25. In those dayes there was no King in Israel, but euery man did that which was right in his owne Eyes. How furious popular Tumults haue bene in this case, no History whatsoeuer but hath Examples thick and threefold, but of all Histories that of Iosephus concerning the Warres of the Iewes, is in my minde most remarkeable. But what is this Vaine thing here imagined by the People?

Concerning the Word [Ʋaine] Aulus Gellius A. Gell. Noct. Attic. l. 18. c. 4. tels of a great Controuersie betweene two notable Grammari­ans, about the propriety of the Word. The one of them maintaining that Vanity and Folly were both one, the o­ther, [Page 35] that Folly is one thing, and Vanity an other. But howsoeuer they dissented, the meaning of the Word in this place may well be agreed vpon by vs all, that all that was done in this case, or by the Heathen, or by the Peo­ple, was done to no purpose at all. So S^t Austen, Pro eo di­ctum est, vt quid? ac si diceretur Frustra. It is hereAug. in hunc Ps. said, Why doe they so? to intimate vnto vs that it was but lost labour that so they did, it being most true which the Prophet E­say hath,Esay 8.10. Take counsell together, & it shall come to naught: speake the Word, and it shall not stand, for God is with vs. And againe,Esay 40.15. Behold the Nations are as a drop of a Buc­ket, and are counted as the small dust of the Ballance, behold he taketh vp the Yles as a very little thing. Vers. 17. All Nations before him are as Nothing, and they are counted to him, lesse then Nothing, and Vanity.

Verse 2. The Kings of the Earth stand vp, and the Ru­lers take counsell together: against the Lord, and against his Annoynted.] Before was Fury, and Folly, and both in the People, now the Prophet shewes vnto vs that the Magi­strates themselues began to take the matter in hand. So that where formerly there was small likelyhood of bring­ing ought to passe in that kind, the People but an head­strong multitude, and vnable to performe their Designes: now Wit, and Cunning, and Policy, begin to play their parts, and a Body would now thinke that all should be as they would haue it. Loe here an Vnity such at it was, but Ʋnit as Facinoro sorum, asBernard. de Assumpt. Ma­riae Ser. 5. speakes S^t Bernard, an Vnity not of Saints, but of Sinners, Peruersa & execranda talis Vnitas, such an Vnity as that, saith he, is both praepo­sterous, and execrable. Amat & Auaritia Vnitatem. Quod amat bonum est, sed vbi amandum sit, nescit. Euen Coue­tousnes it SelfeAug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 20. saith S^t Austen, doth loue an Vniting to­gether. Now the thing she loueth is good, but she knowes not where to place her Loue. Right so is it a blessed thing that the Magistrate, and the People, should both agree together, but when they shal agree in that which is noto­riously [Page 36] bad as here they do in this place, it aggrauates ei­thers fault, and b [...]th are lyable to the more exception. And that so they do here in this place, witnes the words of this Verse: for it is First, against the Lord, Second­ly, his Annointed.

First, concerning the Lord, though commonly in holy Scripture LORD be put for the second Person in Trinity, God the Sonne, yet here is it set for God the Father, who is the Lord, as the Prophet Amos, Amos. 5.16. speakes, and the God of Hosts It is in the Originall, the Name [...], and God is therfore called Lord, because as S. Ambrose Ambros. in ep. [...] C [...]lo [...]s. c. 4. saith, he hath dominion both ov [...]r our Bodies, & ouer our Soul [...]; because, as [...]act. [...]n [...]it. l. 4 c. 3. Laectantius, hee hath the greatest power that can be, both in correcting and punishing. And our Saviour indeed instructing vs how great his Power is, Feare not them which kill the Body, Mat 10.28. saith he, but are not a­ble to kil the Soule: but rather feare him which is able to de­stroy both Soule and Body in Hell, S^t Gregory speaking of the diverse Appellations that are in holy Scripture giuen to God. When he will be feared, Greg in Cant. Cantic. Prol. saith he, then doth he name himselfe LORD, when he will be honoured FATHER when he will be beloued, HVSBAND, though in the Old Testa­ment the two Appellations F [...]th r, and Hu [...]b [...]nd, are sel­dome mention [...]d Lord, most often. Many thin [...]s, Aug. de Ser. Dom. in Mont. l. 2. such S. Austen, are d [...]liuered in holy Scripture to be spo [...]n in Gods praises, [...] s [...]all [...]ou find it to [...]aue beene com­manded to the P [...]pl [...] o [...] Isr [...]el that s [...]ea [...]g vnto God they sh uld s y OVR [...]ATHER, or that they should p [...]ay vnto God a [...] a Gr [...]tius No­men est Pieta [...], quàm Pote [...]at▪ Tertull. Apo­log. c. 34. FATH R but he is [...] LORD, to put them in mind [...] Servants to [...]im. And yet our S [...] ur C [...]is [...], God and M [...]n, He [...]c [...]f [...]rth I call you not [...], Ioh. 15.15. s [...]i [...]h he, for the S [...]u [...]nt k [...]weth not what hi [...] L [...]rd [...] I h [...] c [...]lle [...] [...] FR [...]NDS: for all things that I [...]au [...] [...]rd of my Father, I haue made knowne vnto you.

Secondly, conc [...]ning An [...]oint [...]d, that is here set for [Page 37] the Second Person indeed, Chr [...]st Iesus our Saviour, who was to be our Prophet, our Priest, and Prince, and there­fore is said in holy Scripture to bee Annointed by God. Not that at any time hee was Annointed with materiall Oyle,Act. 4.27. but as S. Peter in one placeAct. 10.38. With the Holy Ghost, & with Power; And as ourPs. 45.8. Psalmist in another, With the Oyle of Gladnesse aboue his Fellowes. The time of this his Annointing was no doubt in the time of his Conception, even before he was b [...]rne, and therefore he was no sooner borne, but an Angell said vnto the Shepheards:Luc. 2.10. Behold I bring you good Tydings of great ioy, which shal be to all Peo­ple, for vnto you is borne this day in the City of David a Sa­viour, which is Christ, the Lord: CHRIST, that is, An­nointed.

And thus is this Scripture alleaged by the Church in the Acts of the Apostles, who vpon the report Peter and Iohn made of their vsage by the Rulers of the Iewes, they lift vp their voice to God with one accord, & said,Act. 4 2 [...]. Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth, and the Sea, and [...]ll that in them is. Who by the mouth of thy Seruant David hast said, why did the Heathen rage, and the People imagin [...] vaine things? The Kings of the Earth stood vp, and the Rul [...]rs were gathered together against the Lord, and a­gainst his Christ. For of a truth against thy holy Child Iesus, whome thou hast annoin [...]ed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles, and the People of Israel, were gathered to­gether, for to doe whatsoeuer thy Hand, and thy Counsell de­termined before to be done. Thus was itExod. 14.26. Ioh. 19.36. said of the Pas­chal Lambe, that not a Bone thereof should be broken, and it was applyed to our Saviour by the Evangelist S. Iohn; It was said of the Israelites,Hos. 11.2. Mat. 2.5. Out of Egypt haue I cal­led m [...] Sonne, and it was a [...]plied to our Saviour by the E­vangelist S. M [...]thew; It was said of King Solomon,2 Sam. 2 14. H [...]b. 1.5. I will be his Father, and he shall be my Sonne, and it was ap­plyed to our Saviour by the Apostle S. Paul. These two Senses of the Scriptures, there are that call them the one, [Page 38] a Literall, the other, a Mysticall Sence, butDion. Carth. in Mat. 2. Art. 5 Dionysius Carthusianus, Tost. in Deut. 18. qu. 6, Tostatus, and theRhem. in 2. King. 7.14. in marg. Rhemists in the Doway Bible, doe make them both Literall. Tostatus giues the Reason, Nam vna Litera benè potest importare duos sensus, quando vnus subordinatur alteri. Hauing spoken of a place of Scripture that might be vnderstood either of our Savi­our, or of his Prophets, Sensus literalis est vter (que). Either, saith he, is the Literall sense. For one, and the self same Let­ter in Scripture, doth wel import two Senses, when one is sub­ordinate to the other. And of this mind with them, was that worthy Professor of ours, most worthily afterwards Bi­shop of Salisbury, D. Abbots Sermon vpon 1. Cor. 10.32. not prin­ted. D. Abbots, who, in a Sermon of his to the Vniversitie, not only hath the Premisses, but hee hath this passage also: Rightly to vnderstand this double Sense we must distinguish, Subjectum à Praedicato: the thing whereof any thing is said, from the thing which is said, or af­firmed of it. The Subiect is Transient and Ambulatorie; one thing named not so much for it selfe, as for another intended and signified thereby, but whither we respect the one, or the o­ther; the Praedicatum, or thing affirmed, or spoken, is Really and Literally vnderstood and meant of both. He maketh in­stance in the three Examples before: that of Exodus, and of S. Iohn; that of Hosea, and S. Mathew; that of Samuel, & S. Paul. And to this double Literall sense, Hieron. in Ie­rem. c. 11. in fine saith he, S. Ierom was faine to flie, though he expresly name it not, to rid himself of much difficultie in the Interpretation of Scriptures.

Verse. 3. Let vs breake their Bonds asunder: and cast a­way their Cords from vs.] He that keepeth his Mouth, Prov. 13 3. saith Solomon▪ keepeth his Life, but he that openeth wide his Lips shall haue Destruction. Here is an opening of the Lips so wide, that they set vpon Heaven it selfe, and they will by no meanes indure to heare that our Saviour by Bonds and Cords, that is, by his, Ordinances, and his Lawes, should fa­sten, and tie them to himselfe. These Sonnes of Belial, D. Fenton Ser. 1. Want of Disciplin. p. 67 saith a good Divine, who cannot abide a Negatiue, will breake them. I, but yet they can be contented withEsay. 5.18. Cords of Va­nitie, [Page 39] and to be bownd with Sathans Cart-roaps, and they are no whit troubled therewith. Indeed Religion is a Bond, and therefore Lactantius, Being tied, ^r saith he,Lact. Instit. l. 4. c. 28. with this Bond of Pietie, Deo relegati sumus, we are tied vnto God, from the which kinde of Tye, Religion hath her Name, not as Tully will haue it, A Relegendo, of reading againe, Tully de Nat. Deor. l. 2. So S. Austen. de Civ. Dei. l. 10. c. 4. or re­membring. And againe in the same Chapter, We haue said that the name of Religion is deduced from the bond of Piety, inasmuch as God hath tied Man to himselfe, and bownd him by Religion. So, that as the Poet in another case,Senec. Troas Act. 4. sc. Qui­cun (que) Profuit multis capi, it hath beene Happy for Many that they haue beene taken Captiues, so especially may wee say in this Case, where the1. Io. 5.3. Yoke is so easie and the Burthen light, Mat. 11.30. where his1. Io. 5.3. Commandements are not greeuous, and as wee are taught by the Church to acknowledge,Commun. Booke Sec. Coll. for Peace. His Ser­vice is perfect Freedome. The same which Boethius hath in his Booke of Consolation,Boet. de Con­sol. l. 1. Pros. 5. Cuius agi Fraenis, at (que) obtempe-Iustitiae, summa Libertas est.

Verse. 4. He that dwelleth in Heauen shall laugh them to scorne: the Lord shall haue them in derision.] Nihil ho­rum sapere oportet carnaliter, Aug. in hunc Ps. saith S. Austen, This Scorne and Derision here spoken of, we must not so vnderstand, as if such Affections were in God. To Scorne, and to Deride, are Properties peculiar vnto Men, and indeed to the worst of Men, such as come within Horace his Verge, ‘—Horat. Serm. l 1.Hic Niger est, hunc tu Romane caueto’ He is a Blacke one with a witnesse, it is good to beware of such a Fellow. Yea but how then come these tearmes to be applyed vnto God? To shewe Calv. in hunc Ps. saith Calvine, that when the World is vp in Armes against him, he needeth no Muni­tions, no Fortifications, or Engynes in behalfe of himselfe, but that he can bridle them in an instant, with as much facility & ease, as a Man is said to laugh, who laughs by nature. Now it is here said in this place, He that dwelleth in Heauen: in opposition vnto that which formerly was spoken, of the Kings of the Earth, as being no lesse difference betweene [Page 40] them (indeed there is much more) then is in common esti­mation betweene Heaven and Earth. And he is said to be in Heauen, not for we inclose him wholly within the Cir­cle of Heaven, Behold the Heauen, 1 Kings 8.27 saith Solomon, and Heauen of Heauens cannot containe thee: but for that the Heauen is his Throne, asEsay 66.1. speakes the Prophet Esay.

Verse 5. Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath, and vexe them in his sore displeasure.] The Word Then in this place, signifies the fittest time & opportunity that the Iudgments of God were to come vpon those Hea­then, and vpon the People. It is as if the Prophet had said: After that the Lord hath suffered awhile their Attempts, and Oppositions against the Government of his Sonne, he shall in a time convenient to speake vnto them in his wrath, as that he shall vtterly confound them. Which Speaking of his, is not so to be taken, as if himselfe would vouchsafe to talke with them Face to Face, as2 Ioh. 1.12. 3 Ioh. 1.14. speaks the Apost [...]e S^t Iohn, as it may be thought, he spake withGen. 3.17. Adam, withGen. 4.10. Cain, and others: no, but sometimes by his Ministers, as he did by the Prophets of old: sometimes by Plagues, and Punishments, as he did to the Egyptians, and sometimes by both.Iob. 33.14. For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiueth it not. In a Dreame, in the Ʋision of the Night, when deep sleepe falleth vpon men, in slumbring vpon the bed: then he openeth the E [...]res of men, and sealeth their Instruction, that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. Verse 19. He is chastned also with paine vpon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong paine. So that his Life abhorreth bread, and his soule dainty meat. His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seene, and his bones that were not seene, stick out. And thus the Lord sometimes speakes in the Fire of his Iealousie, and in his Fury, and in his Iealousie, and in the Fire of his Wrath, as the ProphetEzech. 36.1. Vers. 6. Ezech 38.19. Ezechiel tels vs: and therefore the Israelites to Moses? Exod. 20.19 Speake thou with vs, and we will heare▪ but let not GOD speake with vs, least we die.

I am not ignorant that insteed of these words, Tunc lo­quetur ad eos in ira sua, Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath; OthersDrusius Ob­servat. l. 7. c. 25. say it should be read, Tunc occidet for­tes eorum: Then shall he slay their strong men; the word Iedabber in the Originall comming of Deber, that some­times signifies the Plague or Pestilence. But seeing it is not so in this Translation, nor in the last Translation of the Psalmes, I for my part haue no Commission to com­mend that reading vnto you.

Vers. 6. Yet haue I set my King vpon my holy Hill of Si­on.] As much to say, as notwithstanding all this: maugre the Folly and Fury, and Vproares of the People: maugre the Wit and Pollicy, and Cunning of the Magistrate: I, God the Father, the First Person in Trinity, Vncreate, In­comprehensible, Eternall, Almighty, maker of Heauen and Earth, and of all things Visible and Invisible, and dis­poser of all things to their truest ends: Haue set my King, that is, my holy One, my beloued Sonne in whom I am so well pleased, vpon Sion, to wit, the Church, vpon my holy Hill of Sion, my holy Catholike Church. ForAug. in Joh. Tract. 115. Sion ille, & Mons ille, non est de hoc Mundo. This Sion, and this Hill is not of this world. Quod est enim eius Regnum, nisi Credentes in eum. Non ait, Nunc autem Reguum meum non est hîc, sed non est hînc. For what is his Kingdome,Aug. in Joh. Tract. 115. saith S. Austen, but those that beleeue in him. He saith not, My King­dome is not hêre, but my Kingdome is not hence.

Concerning the Hill of Sion, there is much speech in holy Scripture. The Hill of Sion, Ps. 48.2. saith our Prophet in an­other place, is a faire place, and the ioy of the whole earth: vpon the North side lieth the City of the great King, God is well knowne in her Palaces as a sure refuge. Againe,Ps. 68.15. As the Hill of Basan, so is Gods Hill, even an high Hill as the Hill of Basan. Why hop yee so yee high Hills? This is Gods Hill, in the which it pleaseth him to dwell, yea the Lord will abide in it for ever. And yet againe,Ps. 78.68. He refused the Taber­nacle of Ioseph, and chose not the Tribe of Ephraim, but chose [Page 42] the Tribe of Iuda: euen the Hill of Sion which he loued. And there he builded his Temple on high, and laid the foundation of it like the ground which he hath made continually. Now it is here said, that the Lord hath placed his Annointed, vpon this Hill of Sion, for that Sion and Ierusalem were the very first places in the World, from whence this Gospell did first beginne. Come yee, Esay. 2.3. saith the Prophet Esay, and let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord, to the House of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vs of his waies, and we wil walke in his Paths: for out of Sion shall goe forth h [...] Law, & the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem. It is called here Holy Hill, or in regard of that peculiar presence which the Lord at that time afforded to it, like as he said to Moses,Exod. 3.5. The place whereon thou standest is holy Ground, or in regard of the Temple, and divine worship therein exercised, like as Ierusalem is tearmed The holy City, both byEsay. 48.2. Esay the Prophet, and byMat. 4.5. S. Mathew.

Vers. 7. I will preach the Law whereof the Lord hath said vnto me, Thou art my Sonne, this day haue I begotten thee.] The Prophet in the Verse before declared vnto vs what the Father said of the Sonne concerning the King­dome: in this Verse he declareth concerning the said Kingdome what it is, the Sonne himselfe saith. Which is thus much in effect: I for my part shall bee farre from op­posing force to force, I will not seeke humaine helpes and encounter in like sort with the Folly, or Fury, or Pollicy of mine Enemies, I will only rely on that Word which the Lord hath said concerning me, and it shall bee powerfull enough against all resistance, Thou art my Sonne, this day haue I begotten thee. This Word, this Law, this Decree of God aboue, is powerfull enough, and much more sharpe then any two edged Sword. It is mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong bolds.1. Pet. 1.24. Al Flesh is as Grasse, and all the glory of Man as the Flowre of Grasse: the Grasse withereth, and the Flowre thereof falleth away, but the Word of the Lord endureth for ever.

Concerning the words here, Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee, the Arrians laid hold vpon them to impugne therby the Eternity of our Saviour, & all for be­cause forsooth mention is here made of Hodie, this day. Wherevpon S. Austen, Quid me stimulas Arriane & rides cum audis hodie. Arrian, Aug. de quin (que) Haeresib. c. 4. saith S. Austen, why dost thou iog me on the elbowe, and laughest in thy sleeue, when thou hea­rest these words, This day? Why man, with God it is neuer to Morrow, nor Yesterday, but alwaies this Day. The Yeare is not turned about with the Circles of the Months, the Month is not passed ouer with Daies that are still comming, and still going, the Houres are not changed, the Times and Moments are not altered, the Day is not finished with bonds & limits, nor begun with any beginning. Againe, in his Confessions, speaking vnto God, Thy Yeares Aug. Confess. l. 11. c. 13. saith he, nether come nor goe, but these of ours, both goe and come, that all at length may come. All thy Yeares are altogither, and all for because they are, nor they that goe are excluded from them that come, because they passe not: but these of ours shall all of them bee, when as all shal not be. Thy Yeares are one Day, and thy Day is not [Quotidie] every Day, but [Hodie] this Day, be­cause thy [Hodiè] this Day, giues not place vnto to Mor­row, the reason is for that it succeeded not Yesterday. Thy [Hodiè] this Day, is no whit lesse then Eternity it selfe, and therefore thou didst beget one Coeternall to thy selfe, whenas thou saidst, This Day haue I begotten thee. And yet againe in another place, The Baptisme of Christ, Aug. Enchirid. ad Laurent. c. 49 saith S. Austen, is not in water only, as was the Baptisme of Iohn, but also in the Holy Ghost, that whosoeuer beleeues in Christ might bee regenerated by that Spirit, by whom Christ being regenera­ted, needed no Regeneration. Wherevpon that voice of the Fa­ther that came vnto him at his Baptisme; This day haue I begotten thee, pointed not out that one Day of time wherein he was Baptized, but that of immutable Eternity, thereby to shew that his being a Man, pertained to the Person of his on­ly Begotten. For where the Day is nether begun with the end [Page 44] of a former, nor is ended with the beginning of any that fol­loweth, there is alwaies This Day.

There are thatVid. D. Boys Festiv. Thursd in Easter week interprete these Words: Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee, of the day of our Savi­ours Incarnation: the Apostle S. Paul, he interpreteth it of the Day of his Resurrection: Act. 13.33. We, ⁱ saith he, declare vnto you glad Tidings, how that the Promise which was made vnto you by the Fathers, God hath fulfilled the same vnto vs their Children, in that he hath raised vp Iesus againe, as it is also written in the Second Psalm, Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee. The same Apostle to the Hebrewes shewes the excellency of this Name, Sonne; For vnto which of the Angels, Heb. 1.5. saith the Apostle, said he at any time, Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee. And againe, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Sonne. True it is the Name Sonne hath beene giuen vnto many. God calleth Is­rael hisExod. 4.22. First Borne, and consequently his Sonne; all theRom. 8.14. Elect are the Sonnes of God;Ps. 45.17. Magistrates are his Sonnes; andIob. 1.6. Angels his Sonnes too; but Israel because his People, the Elect by adoption and grace, the Magistrate because he executeth the Iudgements of the Lord; the Angels by Creation, none of them all according to the worthines of their own Nature: but by Nature, Substance and Eternity (as the Apostle S. Paul meaneth in that place) there is none the Sonne of God, but CHRIST alone, and thereforeAug. Hom. 32 S. Austen, Vnus est Vnicus de illo genitus: He alone is the only one begotten of God. And againe,Aug. Quaest. sup. Deut qu. 23. He calleth him the First borne whom he calleth his only Begotten, for we also are the Sonnes of God, but he calleth him only Begotten, be­cause he alone is of the Substance of the Father, and Equal, & Coaeoernall to the Father.

Verse 8. Desire of me, and I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance: and the vttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession.] The Words againe of God the Father concerning the Propagation of the Kingdome of his Sonne CHRIST IESVS, namely that not the Iewes on­ly, [Page 45] but the Heathen, that is, the Gentiles also, should be his Inheritance, and Possession. Quis Christianus vnquam dubitavit hoc de Christo esse praedictum. What Christian e­uer doubtedAug. de Vnit. Eccles. c. 8. sayth S^t Austen, that this was forespoken of CHRIST, or by this Inheritance here spoken of, vn­derstood any thing els but the CHVRCH.

Josephus indeedIoseph. de Bell. Iudaic. l. 7. c. 12 shewing the causes that mooued the Iewes to fight with the Romans, alleageth this amongst the rest, for that there was a doubtfull Prophecie found in the holy Scriptures, that at the same time one in their Domi­nions should be Mo [...]arch of the whole World, & many Wise­men were deceiued saith he, in this interpretation, making account that he should be one of their owne Nation, yet in­deed thereby was foretold Vespasians Empire. Iosephus ex­presseth not in that place what that Oracle might be, but Eusebius making answere vnto him concerning that Pas­sage of his, sheweth that Vespasian ruled not the whole World, but the Roman Empire only. This Oracle therforeEuseb. Hist. Eccles. l. 3. c. 8. saith Eusebius, may better be referred vnto Christ, vnto whom it was said of the Father, Desire of me, & I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, & the vttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession, the Psal. 19.4. Sound of whose Apostles went at the very same time throughout the Earth, & their words to the end of the World. Here concerning the Word Inheritance, it is not amisse to obserue with that learned and worthieS^r IAMES SEMPLE, of Sacriledge. Part. 1. c. 7. §. 3. KNIGHT, that Gods Inheri­tance in Scripture is twofold: His PEOPLE whome he created to his owne Image: and his TITHES which hee separated to his owne Service; and it is worth the while to consider, how this double Inheritance hath in Scripture Language, a Prerogatiue aboue the Ciuill Cu­stome, in that the Sonne inherits joyntly with the Father. A good Obseruation for Many, that seeing they hold of the One, I meane the Former Inheritance, they would not with-hold the Other, I meane their Tythes. But I goe forwards.

Concerning the Gentiles, and their calling, many and manifold were the Prophesies that were in the Old Testa­ment, the performance wherof was in the New. It was ne­cessary Act. 13.46. said Paul & Barnabas, that the Word of God should first haue bene spoken to you (meaning the Iewes) but see­ing you put it from you, and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting Life, loe we turne to the Gentiles. And from that day forward the Gentiles beleeued indeed. The Iewes as S^t Austen Aug. Quaest. super Iud. qu. 49. & de Temp. Ser. 108. speakes in diverse places of his Workes, were like to Gedeons Fleece. For as at the first, the Deaw was onely vpon that, and al the Earth besides was dry, and af­terwards the Fleece was dry only, and the Deaw on all the Ground besides: so the time was when the Iewes on­ly, and none but they were in request, I am not sent Mat. 15.24. saith our Sauiour, but to the lost Sheep of the House of Israel, howbeit now the case is altred, & asLuc. 1.53. spake the Blessed Virgin, He hath filled the Hungry with good things: and the Rich he hath sent empty away. And now asAug. in Ps. 45. speakes S^t Austen, The Bible is a Book, wherein we read the same, the World is a Booke, wherein we see the same.

But how is it said in this place, Desire of me? Was our Sauiour to aske it at Gods hands? Nulla res carius constat quàm quae precibus empta est. PrayersSenec. de Be­nef. l. 2. c. 1. saith Seneca, often­times is a deare peny-worth. Molestum verbum est, one­rosum, & demisso vultu dicendum, Rogo. This Word Ro­go, Id. c. 2. saith he, I aske or craue, is a difficult or irkesome Word, it is burdensome to him that speaketh it, it is to bee spoken with a bashfull countenance. Properet licet: serò Beneficium dedit, qui Roganti dedit. Make all the speed he can, hee comes but tardy with his good turne, that graunts it not vntill it be asked. Indeed with Men it is many times so, but not with God, for we are bound both to aske, and not to aske amisse, and therefore S^t Iames, Ye haue not Iam. 4.2. saith he, because ye aske not. Ye aske, and receiue not, be­cause ye aske amisse. But concerning our Saviours asking, That Christ as the onely begotten Sonne of God, M^r Hooker his Eccles. Pol. l. 5. §. 48. saith Re­verend [Page 47] Hooker, hauing no Superiour, and therefore owing honour vnto none, neither standing in any need, should either giue thankes, or make Petition vnto God, were most absurd. As Man what could be seeme him better, whether we re­spect his affection to Godward, or his owne Necessity, or his Charity and Loue towards Man. Againe a litle after: Some things he knew should come to passe, and notwithstan­ding prayed for them, because he also knew that the necessa­ry meanes to effect them, were his Prayers. He maketh in­stance in these very Words: Desire of me, and I shall giue thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance, and the vttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession. That saith he, which here God promiseth his Sonne, the Sonne in the Ioh. 17.1. Seuenteenth of Iohn prayeth for; Father, the Houre is now come, glo­rifie thy Sonne, that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee, accor­ding as thou hast giuen him power ouer all Flesh.

Now our Saviour himselfe thus praying, how doth it behoue vs also to pray for that which we would obtaine at Gods hands. To relye on Gods Providence only, and to make that lazy Resolution, That that shalbe, shall be, without any more adoe, is vnchristian Stupidity, To them which asked long agoe, what need there was of Prayer, seeing God did know before-hand what was necessary for vs, S^t Austen makes this answere,Aug. de Serm. Dom, in Mont. l. 2. That the In­tention of Prayer doth purge and purifie our Heart, and makes it more capacious to receiue those divine Gifts that are spiritually powr'd into vs. For it is not the Importunity of our Prayers that causeth God to heare, who is alwayes ready to giue, not only his temporall, but intellectiuall, and spiritu­all Light, but we are not alwayes ready (but by Prayer) to receiue it, being inclined, and addicted to many other things, and darkened with the Desire of Things that are Tempo­rall.

Verse 9. Thou shalt bruise them with a Rod of Iron, and breake them in peeces like a Potters Vessell.] The Words are still the Words of God the Father, who declareth in [Page 48] this Verse, how Victorious his Sonne should be against his Enemies. He compareth here those his Enemies to a Potters Vessell, made of Clay, then which there is al­most nothing more fraile and brittle. Concerning the breaking of such a Vessel the Prophet Ieremy thusIer. 19.11. speaks Thus saith tho Lord of Hosts, euen so will I breake this Peo­ple, and this City, as one breaketh a Potters Ʋessell that cannot be made whole againe. Whereupon S^t Gregory, A Potters Vessel Greg. in Quint. Psal. Poenit. saith he, after it is once broken, can by no meanes be repaird againe, and what then is meant by the breaking of Potters Ʋessels, but finall Damnation.

But what is the Instrument wherewith such Ʋessels shall be broken? A Rod of Iron? what? but Potters Ves­sels? why a Wand were sufficient, a Stick, a Staffe. It isS^t Iohn Harringt. in the Life of A­riosto. p. 420. reported of Ariosto the Poet, that hee serued a Trades­man in such sort, who passing by his Shop, and hearing him singing his Verses, and marring them in the singing, with a litle walking-stick he had in his hand, brake di­verse of his Pots, just after the example of Philoxenus, who doing the like vpon like occasion, Thou Diog. Laert. de Vit. Philos. l. 4. in Arcesil. saith he, marrest my Workemanship, and I will marre thine. And in­deed it is a lesse matter then a Rod of Iron that would serue the turne, but the Seuerity of his Iudgment is better aggravated by the Sh [...]rpnes, and Rigour of the Weapon.

That which is here called A Rod of Iron, is the same which is intimated by the Apostle S^t Iohn in two severall places of hisRev. 2.27. Rev. 19.15. Revelation, and it signifieth literally, An Iron Scepter, Metaphorically, an austere Government, such as should breake them, if they would not bow. This Iron Scepter is that which the Apostle2. Thess. 2.8 S^t Paul to the Thessalonians cals The Spirit of his mouth: the ProphetEsay 11.4. Esay, The Rod of his Mouth, and the Breath of his Lips. Princes make their Conquests by Fire, and Sword, by the Mouth of the Sword, as the Prophet Ieremy In [...]re Gladii Ier. 21.7. Vulg. speak­eth, but our Saviour shall conquer his Enemies with the Sword of his Mouth. Thus did he with Pharao, and his [Page 49] Hoast: Thou didst blow with the Wind Exod. 15.10 saith Moses, the Sea covered them, they sanke as Lead in the mighty Waters. Thus did he with2 Kings 19.35. Senacherib, of whose Hoast he slew in one Night, one hundred fourescore and fiue Thousand. And thus shall he doe with Antichrist, 2 Thess. 2.8. The Lord shall consume him with the Spirit of his Mouth.

Verse 10. Be wise now therefore O ye Kings: be learned Yee that are Iudges of the Earth.] The Prophets infe­rence vpon the Premisses. Is it so that God so little reck­neth of these their Attempts? Is it so that he laughs them to Scorne, and hath them in Derision? Is it so that he will destroy them, and breake them in peeces like a Potters Vessell? Then doth it behooue them to be Wise, and Learned, that so they may the better be obedient to his Lawes.

First for Kings and Iudges (Iudges, that is, inferiour Magistrates) they are here put in this Place, or simply for themselues, as being Heads of the People, or els by the Figure Synecdoche they are put for the People also, of whom was mention made before. But I am rather of opi­nion, that here they are put for themselues only, that if this Counsail prevaile with them, it will be easie enough to bring the People to the right bent they should be at. Excellent are the Verses thatClaudian. de 4. Consul. H [...] ­n [...]r. Claudian hath to this pur­pose.

THE ENGLISH:

And this is the very Counsaile which theHis Maie­sties [...]. l. 2. p. 155. Best of Kings gaue to his Eldest Sonne Prince HENRY of blessed me­mory, who teacheth vs also thatPlato in Po­lit. Plato hath the like, and how that which Plato had, was expressed by this Poet.

Secondly for Iudges, that is, Inferiour Magistrates, they also are named with Kings, as vpon whose Shoulders commonly the Burthen of a Kingdome lyes. These are Gods curious parcell Guilt, Vessels of2 Tim. 2.20. Honour in his House, whether of the Priests, or of the Laity. For euen they also are raised on high for the benefit of their Bre­thren. But what must these Kings? what must these Iudges doe? Intelligere & erudiri; they must be Wise, and be Learned.

First for the Wisdome here meant, it is no Machiavelli­an Wisedome, that's Hypocrisie. Satis est Principem exter­nâ specie pium & religiosum videri, etiamsi ex animo non sit. It is sufficient for a PrinceMachiavel de Princ. c. 18. saith Machiavel, to seeme in outward shew Deuout and Religious, though in Heart he be not so, and hee had wont to bee the Oracle of Prin­ces. But he that so palpably taught Hypocrisie in those dayes, no vnlikelyhood but hee hath by this time his Portion with Hypocrits, Mat. 24.51. where is Weeping and Gnash­ing of Teeth. The next way to obtaine true Wisdome in­deed, is to follow that Counsell which the Lord gaue to Ioshua: This Booke of the Law, Iosh. 1.8. saith God, shall not de­part out of thy Mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein Day and Night, that thou mayst obserue to do all that is written therein, for then thou shalt make thy Way prosperous, and then thou shalt haue good successe: or as it is in the Mar­gent, [Page 51] as agreeing to the Originall, And then thou shalt doe wisely.

Secondly for Learning here, it is not that high Specula­tion, or Humane Knowledge, or Skill in the Liberal Arts and Sciences, that in this Place is required (which yet is very necessary in time, and place) but the Instruction and Reformation of their mindes inRom. 15.4. Godlinesse, and indeed theEphes. 4.20. Doctrine of CHRIST. Where by the way what shal we say of them, that so generally haue maintained, thatVid. B. Iewels Defence of the Artic. Art. 27. Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion. No, Ignorantia Iudicis, plerun (que) est Calamitas Innocentis. The Party Inno­centAug. de Civ. Dei l. 19. c. 6. saith S^t Austen, many times smarts for the Igno­rance of the Iudge: and Origen speaking of Divels, Possi­dent omnes qui versantur in Ignorantiâ; They possesse themselues of all,Orig. in Num. Hom. 27. saith he, that remaine in Ignorance. In­deed concerning the Heathens Mysteries, it was the say­ing of [...]. Vid. Ca­saub. Exerc. 16. c. 43. p. 550. Synesius, Ignoratio Mysteriorum, est illorum vene­ratio: proptereà Nocti creduntur Mysteria. The Ignorance of those Mysteries, was the Honour and Reverence of them, and therefore were they alwayes performed in the Night: but it is not so in Heavenly Mysteries. Nay euen in their owne Vulgar they may read it themselues,1 Cor. 14.38. Si quis ignorat, ignorabitur, Who so knoweth not, shall not bee knowne.

I cannot here forget how this parcell of Scripture wee haue in hand, was alleaged by S. Austen against the Do­natists in behalfe of Christian Princes for dealing in Church Affaires. Gaudentius the Donatist of old (as Pa­pists now adaies) taking much exception against it; Our Lord Christ, Aug. Cont. 2. Gaudent. Epist. l. 2. c. 26. saith he, the Saviour of Souls sent Fishermen, not Souldiers for the propagation of his truth. God never ex­pected the ayd of worldly Warriers, seeing it is he onely that can iudge both of the Liuing, and of the Dead. To whom as S. Austen then answered, so may we to our Adversaries in like case: Heare therefore the holy Prophets, as also the ho­ly Fishermen▪ and you shall not find religious Princes obnoxi­ous [Page 52] to you. For I haue shewed before, saith he, that it apper­tained to the care of a King that the Ninivites appeased God, whose anger the Prophet Ionas had declared to them before. And therefore as long as you your selues doe not hold that Church which the Fishermen foreshewed, the Apostles planted: so long Kings that hold the Church, iudge it most rightly to appertaine to their care, that you scape not scot-free in rebelling against the same. And againe a little after: God expecteth not the ayd of worldly Warriers, seeing to Kings he giues this benefit, that he inspires into them a care that his Lawes be kept in their Kingdomes. For they to whom it is said Be wise now therefore O ye Kings, be learned ye that are Iudges of [...]he Earth, serue the Lord in Feare, ac­knowledge that their Power ought so to serue the Lord, that they ought to be punished by that Power which will not obey the will of the Lord. But whereas you bring their Souldiers into envy, doubtles if this care appertaine to Kings, as in holy Scriptures hath now beene shewed, by whom shall those Kings performe so much either against rebellious Circumcellions, and their mad Complices, or Ring-leaders, but only by Soul­diers that are their Subiects.

Vers. 11. Serue the Lord in feare, and reioice vnto him with reverence.] A specifying of that Wisdome, as also of that Learning, that was spoken of before, namely, Feare & Reverence. Wisdome and Learning are no other, but each of these, Feare, and Reverence. A seruing with Feare, a Re­ioycing with Reverence. First for Feare, it is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and End of Wisdome: the Be­ginning, asPs. 111.10. David the Father teacheth vs; the End, asEccles. 12.13. Solomon the Sonne in his Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher. But it is no Servile Feare. The Apostle S. Iohn, speaking of that Feare, There is no Feare in Loue, 1. Ioh. 4.18. saith he, and Feare hath Torment: No, but this is a Filial Feare, it is a pleasant Garden of Blessing, and there is nothing so beautifull as it, as the Sonne of Syrach Ecclus. 40.27 tells vs. Of this kinde of Feare S. Gregory speaking, As Feare in the way of this World, [Page 53] Greg. M [...]. l. 5. c. 13. saith he, begetteth Weaknesse: so in our Iourny and Course towards Heaven, Feare begetteth Fortitude. Now this kinde of Feare is so farre from hauing Torment, that it hath Reioycing annexed with it, as wee see in the next words.

Secondly, for Reverence, it is in a maner the same with [...]eare, for it is a holy Feare of the Heart towards God, witnessed by all seemely Behauiour, Gesture, Attire, Countenance, Attention, and such like. And Reioycing is here annexed with it, as it were to season every of these, to shew indeed they are all done, not Formidine Poenae, for Feare of After-claps, but Ʋirtutis Amore, in Loue to Ver­tue, as theHorat. Epist. l. 1. ep. 16. ad Quint. Poet obserueth well: making a difference in this respect betweene the Good and the Bad. I cannot before I goe from this Verse, but remember those excel­lent Passages which S. Austen hath herevpon. How doe Kings serue the Lord with Feare, Aug. Ep. 50. saith he, but by forbid­ding, and punishing with a religious severity, those things which are done against the Lawes of God. He maketh in­stance in the King of Ninive, in Darius, in King Nabucho­donosor, and then goes forward in these Tearmes. For the King serueth God one way as a Man, another way as a King. As a Man, by liuing faithfully, as a King, by making Laws with convenient Vigour to command that which is Right. And againe in another place,Aug. contr. Cresc. Gram. l. 3. c. 51. Kings doe serue God in this as Kings, of in their owne Realme they commaund Good Things, and forbid Evill, not only concerning the Civil state of Men, but the Religion of God also.

Vers. 12. Kisse the Sonne least he be angry, and so yee perish from the right Way. If his Wrath be kindled, yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in Him.] Con­cerning Kissing here in this place, I will say as Lipsius did when he wrote a Chapter De Osculis, andLips. Ele [...]. l. 2. c. 6. beganne with these Words, Abi Venus, fallam ego te, quae ipsa multos, & de Osculis Caput scribam & inscribam, in quo tamen nihil ti­bi loci, aut iuris. Venus avaunt, I shall now deceaue thee, as [Page 54] thou thy selfe hast deceiued many: I shall Wright and In­title a whole Chapter concerning Kisses, wherein thy self shalt haue no place, or right at all. This Passage of Holy Scripture, though it be of Kissing, yet concernes it Venus never awhit, no more then doe the Canticles, whose very Beginning is this;Cant. 1.1. Let him Kisse me with the Kisses of his Mouth, for thy Loue is better then Wine. Nor is the Kisse here meant such an one as a Queene of France (they say) once gaue to a famous Chancellor in that Kingdome,History of Lewis 11. tran­slated by M^r Grimston. l. 1. p. 26. who passing in the Court by a Chamber, where the Chancellor lay asleepe, went, saith the Story, and Kist him, and to her Ladies that marvailed thereat: I kisse not the Man, quoth Shee, I kisse that Mouth, from whence haue issued forth so many excellent Discourses. I nothing doubt, but that Kiss was chast enough, yet is this another then that: though I am not neither of Drusius his mind, who will haue it on­ly to beDrus. Observ. l. 2. c. 16. Civill. S. Bernard pleaseth me much better, who speaking of this Kisse: Foelix Osculum ac stupenda dignatio­ne mirabile, in quo non os ori imprimitur, sed Deus Homini vnitur. This,Bernard. sup. Cantic. Ser. 2. saith he, is an happy Kisse, and admirable in regard of the favor God sheweth vs therin, for that here­by Mouth is not ioyned vnto Mouth, but God is vnited vnto Man. Come we to Kisses in that other kind, Mouth to Mouth, and Iudas kist our Saviour, no man neerer, even Iudas Iscariot kist the Sonne, but did his Kissing ought a­vaile him, or was it the Kissing here meant? No: but it came to be a By-word, and is the Summum Genus, as it were, to all treacherous Kisses ever since, and so shall be to the Worlds end, A IVDAS KISSE. Now if the Kis­sing here be not such a Kisse, Mouth to Mouth, much lesse is it a Kissing of his Image, or his Rellicks, as our Adver­saries the Papists Vid. Drus. Ob­servat. l 2. c. 16. following the Superstition of the Gen­tiles, vse to doe. Iudas yet had a neerer proximity then so, in that he Kissed our Saviours owne Lipps, but his ad­vantage thereby was small.

By Kissing, then is here meant the Honouring and O­beying [Page 55] of our Saviour, as Kings themselues would bee Honoured, and Obeyed by their Subiects, a2. Kings. 18.6 Cleauing to the Lord, and a Keeping of his Commandements. So Pha­raoh vnto Ioseph, Gen. 41.40 According vnto thy Word shall all my People be ruled; It is in the Originall, All the People shall Kisse thy Mouth. And as here Kings, and Princes were put in mind of this Duty, so was it Prophesied by Esay, that so it should come to passe, in regard of that great Honour they should performe to his Church. Kings, Esay. 49.23. saith he, shall be thy Nursing Fathers, and their Queenes thy Nur­sing Mothers, they shall Bow downe to thee with their face towards the Earth, and lick vp the Dust of thy Feet. And a­gaine in another place,Esay. 60.16. Thou shalt also sucke the Milke of the Gentiles, and shalt suck the Breasts of Kings, and thou shalt knowe that I the Lord, an [...] thy Saviour, and thy Re­deemer.

Why, but is it not enough will some say, to Honor the Father, except we honour the Sonne too? If so be the Son must needs be Honoured, doth not the Honour redownd to him, that is done vnto the Father? Are not the Fa­ther and the Sonne both one? There is a memorable Story in Theodoret concerning this point.Theodoret. l. 5. c. 16. Theodosius the Em­perour, when neither by Bishops, nor Councels could be got to remoue the Arrians from their Churches, Amphi­philochius alone with his witty behaviour, and answere. wan him to it. For Amphilochius entring the Palace, and finding Arcadius the eldest Sonne of Theodosius lately designed Emperour, and sitting with his Father, Amphi­lochius did his duty to the Father, but made of his Sonne that sate by him, no account at all. Theodosius thinking the Bishop had but forgotten himselfe, willed him to salute his Sonne, to whom the Bishop againe replyed, that what he had done to the Father was sufficient for both. Where­at when the Emperour began to storme, and to conster the contempt of his Sonne, as dishonour done to himself, the wise Bishop made reply: And art thou so grieued, O [Page 56] Emperour, to see thy Sonne neglected, and so much out of pa­tience with those that reproach him? Assure thy selfe then that Almighty God hateth the Blasphemers of his Sonne, & is offended with them as with vngratefull wretches against their Saviour and Redeemer.

But what is the Consequence of the Sonnes Anger here in this place? suppose he should be angry, what then? And so ye perish from the right way.] Here then is the Con­sequence, here is the effect of his Anger; Perishing▪ and a perishing from the Right Way, not a missing of it onely, for many may misse, and at length come in againe, but a Perishing, but an Vndoing, but an vtter consuming of themselues. For there is no other Act. 4.12. Name vnder Heauen whereby they might be saued. Againe, Hee saith not here in this place, Aug. de Nat. & Grat. c. 33. saith S. Austen, least the Lord be angry, and he shew you not the right Way, or he bring you not into the right Way, but walking therein already, hee is able so to terrifie them, that he saith, Least ye perish from the right Way. How? by what meanes? Even for that Pride is to be taken heed of, and that in our Good Deeds, that is, in the Right Way, least that Man repute that to be his owne, which is Gods, & loosing that which is Gods, come to that which is his owne. The like to this he hath in anotherAug. de Cor­rep. & Grat. c. 9 place.

Howbeit here forsooth Exception is taken, for adding the Word Right. The Booke of Common Prayer, Abridgment of that Booke which the Mi­nist. of Linc. Dioces. del [...]ue­red to his Ma­iestie, Decēb. 1 1605. Reprin­ted A^• 1617. p. 15. say Men of our owne Coat, appoints such a Translation to be read in the Church, as doth add both Words, and Sentences to the Text, as part of the Text, and without any neat of distincti­on from it, & that sometimes to the changing or obscuring of the meaning of the holy Ghost. As in the Book of the Psalms Ps. 2.12. this word, Right, is added; Ps. 4.8. this word Oile; Ps 13.6 these words. Yea I will praise the Name of the Lord most High; Ps. 14. three whose Verses are added, Viz. 5.6.7; Ps. 22. these words, Looke vpon me; Ps. 22.31. this word My, &c. Concerning the rest when we come vnto them. But as touching the word Right, whether it be ad­ded [Page 57] or no, doubtlesse they are in the wrong. For if it bee so in the Septuagint, I meane in the Greeke, [...]. Ps. 2.12. and indeed so it is, then is it not added, the Translators following them, and not the Hebrew. But suppose it be added, yet is there an additament of explication, which illightneth the mea­ning of the holy Ghost, as this doth in this place. Now God forbid that every such Addition should be that ad­ding to the Scripture, which the Scripture forbids, and they intimate. Oh but it implyeth a Contradiction to that Tenet of ours concerning the Certainty of Salvation: for if a man may perish from the Right Way, then is he not certaine to persist in it, if not certaine to persist, then not certaine of his Salvation. Nay, but the meaning here is not, of them that are effectually called, and haue their Conversation in Holinesse (such as they are that from the Word of God haue that Certainty) but of Chri­stians in generall, of whom some may perish indeed. I make no doubt but of all men liuing, Protestants are in the right. The Faith that we professe, is doubtlesse the Right Way. Howbeit, for many Protestants liue so loosely and licentiously as they doe, how are they likely to perish from this Right Way, and to come to vtter de­struction both of Body and Soule.

That which is here annexed, If his wrath be kindled, yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him: is a Caveat the Prophet giues, that they should not moue by their wicked behauiour the Sonne of God to Wrath or Anger. He saith not here as in anotherPs. 103.8. place (and as every man is ready to say, and most of all they, to whom least of all it appertaineth) The Lord is full of Com­passion and Mercy: long suffering and of great Goodnesse, and so forth. No, but, If his Wrath be kindled yea but a lit­tle: and with that he makes a stop, a kind of Apostopêsis, Quintil. In­stit. l. 9, c. 3. Quid taceat incertum est, wee knowe not what it is hee suppresseth, but he shuts vp all with this Conclusion, Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. It seemes, [Page 58] D^r Fentons Persume a­gainst the Plague. p. A. 7. b. saith a worthy Divine that when the Prophet did but thus thinke of the Wrath of God, it put him into such a Passion, that as men astonished, and halfe frighted, vse to blesse themselues, so the Prophet here in this place.

S. Auston goes another way, and it is a good way too. The Prophet, Aug. in hunc Ps. saith he, saith not here, that they are safe and secure that put their trust in him, as if this onely were the profit that they reaped thereby, that when Others were puni­shed, they should escape, but he saith they are Blessed, and in this Blessednesse is contained the Perfection and Consum­mation of all good things whatsoeuer, that possibly can betide the Soule of Man. Indeed Gods publique Punishments Plague, Famine, Sword, and the like, sometimes light vp­on the Godly, aswell as vpon the Wicked, and yet the Godly in midst of their Miseries are Blessed, and Happy notwithstanding. S. Cyprian hath an excellent saying to this purpose: Some, Cyp. de Mor­tal. saith hee, are at a stand, for that the Plague now raging, laies hold on vs Christians, as it doth on the Heathen. As if Christians beleeued only to this purpose that they might with hearts case in this present World be free from all adversities; and inioy their time here with much Fe­licitie, and not rather after they had suffered here all Sor­rowes whatsoever, be reserued for those Ioyes which are in the World to come. No: a Man must make full account in this world to tast of Bitter and Sweet, that so he may say as S. Austen Aug. Confess. l. 10 c. 28. saith, Contendunt Laetitiae mea flendae, cum laetandis Maroribus, & ex qua parte stet victoria, nescio. My Reioycings to be Sorrowed for, contend for superiori­ty with my Sorrowes to be Reioyced at, and whether of which shall haue the Victory, I as yet knowe not.

And thus are we come at length to the end of this Se­cond Psalme. A Psalme, that besides the ordinary saying of it the First Day of the Moneth, is appointed to bee road in the Church at Morning Prayer on Easter Day. Easter Day, is the Day of our Saviours Resurrection, when triumphing over Death and Hell, hee began that [Page 59] spirituall Kingdome of his, that shall never haue end. And this Psame, as it was in Davids time, a Prophesie thereof, namely that such a thing was to be: so is it now in these times, a Gospell (as it were) of the same, wherein David shewes no lesse that such a thing hath beene indeed, then did the Evangelists themselues that wrote the Story. For what is this whole Psalme but a Comment, as it were, on those words of the Evangelist S. Mathew, Mat. 28.18. All Power is giuen vnto me in Heaven, and in Earth; and on those of S. Marke, Marc. 16.16. He that beleeueth, and is baptized, shalbe saued, but he that beleeueth not shall be damned; and on those of S^t Luke, Luc. 24 46. Thus is it written, and thus it behooued Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and on those of S^t Iohn; Ioh. 18.36. My Kingdome is not of this World: My Kingdome is not from hence. True it is, that David here did in a literall Sence meane himselfe, against him it was that the Heathen so furiously raged, and the People imagined so vaine things, howbeit David as he was here­in a Figure of our Saviour CHRIST, so did he meane no doubt in this very Psalme, our Saviour CHRIST to. Witnesse the Apostles of our Saviour, who in theAct. 4.21. Acts of the Apostles not only so tooke it, but the Apostle S^t Paul also, in his Epistle to theHeb. 1.5.5.5. Hebrewes. Our Saviour then thus meant, and this Psalme being an Exhortation vnto all such as should liue in our Saviours Time, that they should all of them take speciall notice of the King­dome of our Saviour, and submit themselues wholly thereunto; now that the Kingdome is thus spread, and the whole World, as it were, in Beliefe, what better befit­teth vs Christians, then when wee solemnize such Feasts, to say this Psalme amongst the rest, which sorteth so ex­ceeding well, both with the Mystery, and the Season.

VErse I. Lord, how are they increased that trouble mee: many are they that rise against mee.] It was a memorable saying of King Solomon, Prov. 16.7. When a mans Wayes please the Lord, hee maketh euen his Ene­mies to bee at peace with him: and it is as true againe on the contrary, that when the Wayes of a man please not the Lord, he maketh euen his Friends to be at En­mity [Page 62] with him. What wayes they were that David took, before these Troubles did befall him, is recorded in holy Writ: namely, first the Way of Concupiscence, then the Way of Adultery, next the Way of Dissimulation, afterward the Way of Murther, and how displeasing these Wayes were vnto the Lord, witnesse the Words of Nathan to David. Thou 2 Sam. 12.9. saith he, hast killed Vriah the Hittite with the Sword, and hast taken his Wife to be thy Wife, and hast slaine him with the Sword of the Children of Ammon. Now therefore the Sword shall neuer depart from thy House, be­cause thou hast despised me, and hast taken the Wife of Ʋri­ah the Hittite to be thy Wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold I will raise vp Euill against thee, out of thine owne House, and I will take thy Wiues before thine Eyes, and giue them vnto thy Neighbour, and he shall lye with thy Wiues in the sight of this Sun. For thou didst it secretly, but I will doe this thing before all Israel, and before the Sun. Hence then that Encrease of those that troubled him: hence those Ma­ny that rose against him. His complaint here in this place was not of the Philistians, the Idumaeans, the Moabites, and such like, vtter Enemies to the Church of God, and consequently to himselfe, but of his Subiects, his Ser­vants, his Counsellers of Estate, all in a manner falling from him, and adoring now the Sun rising, for so they tooke Absolon his Sonne to bee. In this his speech then, and in these words, is both Admiration, and Astonishment. Admiration, for that it was strange, that such great Frends a little before, should prooue such Enemies vnto him, and grow in a tryce from one Extreame vnto another: Asto­nishment, for that they were such as himselfe not long be­fore, had promoted to the Honours and Dignities they did enjoy. But this is no new thing now-a-dayes, such vn­gratefull Wretches as these, the World hath such stoare of, as there be Moats in the Sun. Nay euen at that time it seemes they were so many, that David himselfe could not number them, onely the Scripture will enforme vs, [Page 63] (and by that we may guesse the Multitude was exceeding great) in that no lesse then2 Sam. 18.7. Twenty Thousand of them were slaine in one Day. Besides the Captaine and Ringlea­der of them Absolon him selfe, who how he was taken vp betweene the Heauen, and the Earth, Some say, by the Haire, the Scripture saith, by the Head, remaines a Spe­ctacle for all vndutifull, and vngracious Children to their PARENTS, for euer to behold. It shall not bee a­misse here to remember that Epitaph, or Epigram, whichStrigelii Loc. Theolog. a Chri­stoph. Pezel. edit. Part. 3. p. 385. Pezelius hath made vpon him.

THE ENGLISH.

But to returne againe to my purpose. This is the First [Page 64] Psalme of many others that haue the Word LORD in the Vocatiue, a Word so oftentimes vsed in all these Psalmes. It is in the Originall, that peculiar Name of GOD, consi­sting of foure Letters, commonly called [...], whereof as many haue spoken much, soI. Drusii Te­tragram. c. 14. Drusius hath written a whole Treatise, shewing that it is the proper Name of the DIVINE ESSENCE, and that it hath no proper Vowels, and therefore that it is left vnpronounce­able, to shew the better that the Essence of God is incom­prehensible. And yet where euer the Iewes found it, they tooke the Vowels either of Adonai, or Elohim, and so pro­nounced it. It is alwayes in our last Translation transla­ted LORD, and the Word LORD is alwayes printed in Capitall Letters, but if it be the Word Adonai in the O­riginall, which signifies Lord to, or Elohim, then is it prin­ted in smaller Letters. An example hereof we haue Ps. 8.1. O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth! And indeed it was long agoe the Counsail of Antonitu Rodolphus Cevallerius in an Epistle to the Bi­shop of Eli that then was, B. Cox (it should se [...]me) that where euer that Word of foure Letters was in the Ori­ginall, Characteri­bus maiusculis. the Translation should be in Capitall Letters, asI. Drus. ib. c 1 [...]. Drusius witnesseth in his foresaid Book, and our Trans­lators haue most exactly obserued in our English Word LORD, [...]hroughout their whole Translation, not once na­ming the Word IEHOVAH, for ought I haue obserued, but only Exod. 6.3. & 17.15. And as our English Tran­slators, so the Septuagint translate it to, asZanch. de Nat. Dei, seu de divin. At­trib. l. 1. c. 17. Zanchius hath obserued. IndeedIllyr. Clau. Script. Tract. de Rat. cognosc. sac. Lit. p. 45. & De Nomine Jeho­va p. 622. Illyricus mislikes it, and saith that the Name DOMINVS, LORD, doth obscure the nature of that other Name, howbrit since the Apostles themselues asCalv. Instit. l. 1. c. 13. §. 20. Calvin obserueth, translated it by this Name to, [...], Dominus, Lord, their Example in this case, may bee for vs a sufficient warrant. The Word is a Name of Re­lation, and doth intimate vnto vs, that there is a mutuall consequence, or a kind of dependance betweene GOD, [Page 65] and him who stileth him LORD. Whereupon S^t Austen, As he cannot be a Servant Aug. de Trin. l. 5. c. 16. saith he, that hath not a Lord: so cannot he be a Lord, that hath not a Servant. And Tho­mas Aquinas to this purpose, Deus non fuit Dominus an­tequam habuit Creaturam sibi subiectam. Though GOD ^o saith Aquinas be before his Creatures: Aquin. Sum. Part. 1. [...]u 13. Art. 7. Ad Sex­tum. yet forasmuch as in the signification of Lord, it is comprehended that he hath a Servant: and so contrariwise, these two Relations, Lord, and Servant, are by nature extant together, therefore GOD was not the Lord, before he had the Creature subiect vnto him. He that will see more in this case, I refer him to that QuestionZanch. de Nat. Dei. l. 1. c. 10. handled by Zanchius, That seeing God is euerlasting and immutable, and nothing hapneth to him a­new, wh [...]ther there be any Names that so agree vnto him by reason of Time, that they could not be his Names from euer­lasting. In the handling of which Q [...]estion hee sheweth how S^t Austen discoursed like an Oratour, Aquinas like a Schooleman, vpon one and the self-same Point. But now to the Many here, Many are they that rise against me.]

Many in this Verse, and Many in the next, whereby we may perceiue that it is not alwayes the safest way that Many goe. Whereupon S^t Austen, Esteeme not of their nomber Aug. in Ps. 39. saith he, I grant they are Many, who is able to nom­ber them? Few they are that goe the straight way. Bring me hither the Skales, begin to weigh, see what a deale of Chaffe is hoysed vp in one Skale, against a few Barley Cornes in the other. And againe in another place,Aug. in Ps. 128 The Church was sometimes in Abel alone, and Abel was ouercome by his wic­ked, and divelish Brother Cain; The Church was sometimes in Enoch alone, and Enoch was translated from the Society of the Wicked; The Church was sometimes in Noahs House alone, and Noah endured all those that perished by the De­luge; The Church was sometimes in Abraham alone, and we are not ignorant what Wrongs the Wicked did vnto him; So likewise the Church was sometimes in Lot, his Brothers Sonne, and onely in his House, amidst the whole City of So­dom, [Page 66] and he bare with the Iniquities of the Sodomites so long, till at length God deliuered him from the midst of them. Thus Nazianzen, speaking of his owne Time, Where are they now Greg. Naz. ad Arian. & de se­ips. Orat. 24. saith he, that vpbraid vs with our Poverty, and boast so much of their owne Wealth? who define a Church by Multitude, and contemne a smal Sheepfold. Lastly, S^t Chry­sostome, I pray you Chrys ad Pop. Antioch. Hom. 40. saith he, what profit or advantage is it, to be rather a great deal of Chaff, then a few pretious Stones? Multitude consisteth not in the quantity of number, but in the quality, and efficacy of Vertue? Elias was onely one, and the whole World it selfe was not worthy to bee weighed with him. Thus the Fathers, and yetBell. de Ec­cles. Milit. l. 4. c. 7. saith Bellarmire, The fourth Note, or Marke of the Church, is Amplitude, or Multitude, and Variety of Beleeuers.

Verse 2. Many one there be that say of my Soule: there is no helpe for him in his God.] Wee saw in some sort the Many before, but now we see them farre better, in that we not see them onely, but heare them. According as So­crates to one that stood mute before him, Loquere, vt te videam, SpeakeEras Apopth. saith he, that I may see thee. Indeed Speech asPlut. de Lib. educand Laert. in Democrit. said Democritus, is the Shadow of Action: or the Image, and Representation of our Workes, asLaert. in So­lon. So­lon was wont to say, and Seneca to this purpose,Senec. Epist. l. 20. ep. 115. Such is Mans Speech as is his Life. Non potest alius esse Ingenio, a­lius Animo color. He maketh instance in no worse Man then Mecaenas himselfe, and an hundred pities it was, that so good a Man in one respect, was so bad in so many. The Prophet here sees them no man better, and therefore de­scribes them by the impiety of their Words. First con­cerning the Word Soule, Soule in holy Scripture is taken diverse and sundry wayes. It is taken for the whole Man consisting of Body and Soule. So the Prophet Ezechiel, Ezech. 18.20 The Soule that sinneth, it shall dye. It is taken for the Will and Affections, where of the Soule is the Seat, so is it said in holy Scripture, that the Soule of Ionathan was1. Sam. 18.1. knit with the Soule of David. But here in this place it is taken for [Page 67] Life, and his Enemies now thought that they had him at such a lift, that Safety it selfe could not haue saued him. Witnesse their very Words, There is no helpe for him in his God. What? not for David? what? not in God? what? not in his God? Sathan himselfe durst neuer haue said it, and shall his Miscreants speake that which Sathan dares not? But why no Helpe? why not for David? why not in God? why not in his God? Why? but for they saw forsooth themselues so Many, they saw Davids Friends so few. Davids Army in respect of them, were like two litle 1 Kings 20.27. Flocks of Kids, they themselues filled a whole Countrey. I told you in the Verse before, that we might guesse how great an Army Absolon had, when two and twenty Thousand of them were slaine. An Army consisting of 30000 Foote, and 4000 Horse is sufficient someGener. Hist. of Spaine, transl. by M^r Grimst. l. 28. p. 1057. say, for the execution of any worthy Enterprize whatsoeuer. Nay the Cardinall of Sion was wont toGuicciard. Hist. l. 12. say, that an Army of 40000 Swis­sers, was a Power able to meet in the field with the whole residue of the World, joyned in one strength. By much likelyhood Absolons Army came not much short of the greater of these two Nombers. What Davids was, the Scripture tels vs not, onely Iosephus e [...]formes vs in the [...]. Ioseph. Antiq. l. 7. c. 9. Greek that it was but 4000, I say in the Greek, for that the English Iosephus so much mistaketh, & readeth 40000. Now being but 4000, & his Enimies so many, & calling to mind our Saviours Luc. 14.31. Proportion of Ten, to meet with Twenty Thousand how vnequall it is, well may we thinke they had cause to be so confident, and to think but mean­ly of David, but to thinke as meanely of Davids God to, and that he could not, or would not helpe, it was Blasphe­my to say he could not, and to say he would not, Incredu­lity. And was not all this verified in our SAVIOVR vpon the Crosse? It is the Observation of Arnobius, What say they here which the Iewes said not, Mat. 27.43. He trusted in God, let him deliuer him now if he will haue him. But what sayth David to all this? was he of the same mind? Nay: for it followeth:

Arnob. in hunc Ps.Verse 3. But thou O Lord art my Defender, thou art my Worship, & the Lifter vp of my Head.] Faith, Heb. 11.1. saith the Apostle S^t Paul, is the Substance of things hoped for, the Evi­dence of things not seen. Loe here the force of Faith, which whatsoeuer Men, or Divels say to the contrary, is fixed in God aboue, and assureth it selfe of those things which are not as yet seene. He had scarcely retyred himselfe in these his Meditations vnto God, whenas immediatly he began to feele a secret working of the Spirit, and an invisible presence of G [...]d aboue. David could not but remember how he had betaken himselfe to his heeles, and how hee did flye from Absolon, and yet hee here acknowledgeth God his Defender; he was not ignorant how full of Infa­my and Obloquie he was, and yet hee here acknowledg­eth God to be his Worship; lastly hee lyes prostrate as it were, and groueling on the Ground, and yet he acknow­ledgeth God to be the Lifter vp of his Head, that is, asDrus. Obser­vat. l. 3. c. 5. Drusius obserues, to make him goe with a glad and mer­ry countenance, opposite whereunto is that of God to Cain, Gen. 4.6. Cur concidit Vultus tutes? why is thy Countenance fallen, that is, why goest thou so sad and heavily? Thus whatsoeuer befell David, he had by Faith a Salue, and Re­medy for the same. Oh the excellency of Faith? the invin­cible Strength & Force thereof? These bodily Eyes Chrys. in Gen. Hom. 10. saith Chrysostome, that see things visible, cannot possibly doe so much as the Eyes of the Spirit may. For the Eyes of the Spirit are able to see the things that be not seene, and that haue no being at all. And againe in an other place, The Eyes of the Mind Chrys. de Verb. Esaiae Vid. Dom. Hom. 3. saith he notwithstanding they find Walls, or Moun­taines, or the Bodies of the Heauens themselues opposed a­gainst them, yet they for all that, will easily passe them through.

Vers. 4. I did call vpon the Lord with my Voice, and he heard me out of his holy Hill.] We saw in the Verse before the Excellency of Faith, we may see in this Verse the Ex­cellency of Prayer. David was now at Deaths doore, [Page 69] chased out of his owne Kingdome, robd and bereft of his Royall Dignitie, forsaken of his Frends and Familiars, his Enemies rayling on him, his own Sonne seeking his Life, and yet he for all this giues himselfe vnto Prayer. That time which others would wholy haue bestowed, or in breathing out Slaughter and Revenge; or in giuing the bridle to the Tongue, in Cursing, and wicked Spea­king, and Rayling on their Enemies, hee spends in his Soliloquies vnto God, and in his Meditatio [...]s vnto him, accordingly as he saith in another of hisPs. 109.3. Psalmes, For the Loue that I had vnto them, loe they take now my contrary part, but I giue my selfe vnto Prayer.

But it is here said hee did call vpon the Lord with his Voice, intimating that his Prayer, was not Mentall, but Ʋocall, and so indeed oftentimes ought Prayer to bee. The eis, P. Martyr. in 1. Sam. 1.12. saith Peter Martyr, no need at all of Ʋoice, when we make our private Prayers vnto God, in regard that God heareth, and beholdeth our Hearts, and Minds. And yet sometimes, saith he, it may be vsed to very good purpose, be­cause it may fall out that we may languish in our Prayers, & our Minds may be wearied, which the Ʋoice againe will re­fresh, and giue thereunto a new Vigour. It followeth, And he heard me out of his Holy Hill.]

The Hill here me [...]nt was Mount Sion, wherevpon was placed at that time the Arke of the Lord. The Story is2. Sam, 15.25. recorded in the Second of Samuel, where we shall read, that whenas David flew from Absolon, the Levites went with him, and Abiathar the Priest, and carried the Arke with them. Howbeit David in many respects would none of all this, and therefore caused them to returne againe to the City of Ierusalem where Sion was. This that here then he saith in these words, is to this effect, that howsoever by distance of Place hee was depriued of the sight of the Arke, yet was that no cause at al, but that the Lord might giue him the hearing, he beingPs. 145.18. Nigh to all such as call vpon him faithfully. Why Holy Hill, seeExposit. in Ps. 2.6. p 41. before.

Verse. 5. I laid me downe and slept, and rose vp againe, for the Lord sustained me.] Philip King of Macedon ha­uing slept a sound sleepe, and waking at the last, and see­ing Antipater by him, No marvell, Plutarch. A­popth. quoth he, I slept so soundly, seeing Antipater was by, and watched. It had not like to haue fallen out with King Saul so well,1. Sam. 26.15 when he on a time fell asleepe, howsoever Abner was neere him that loued him as well as ever Antipater did King Ph lip. But no such Keeper indeed as the Lord God of Hoasts, not Abner, not Antipater. HadIudg. 4.21. Sisera, andIudyth. 13.8. Holofernes, so beene kept, they had not miscarryed as they did. Not a Night goes over our heads, but it may be our owne case, such a Death, or such like. But as our Enemie ever watch­eth to play Iael, or Iudith with vs, so he that keepeth Isra­el, he that keepeth vs,Ps. 121.4. will neither slumber, nor sleepe. It is strange how the Lord of Heauen hath kept Many of his Servants whenas they were in a dead sleepe, and none by to watch them, but onely the Murtherers themselue [...]. I haue read of One in Queene Maries time (whom since I had good cause to knowe, as being betweene vs both (to speake in S. Ieroms words) Nomina Pietatis, Hieron. de Vi­tand. suspect. Contubern. Officiorum Ʋocabula, Vincula Naturae, secunda post Deum Foedera­tio, that being on a time in bed in an Inne, and One that had beene his Servant lying neere vnto him, & comming at Midnight to haue murthered him, the Master was drea­ming at that instant, that the Bed whereon he lay was all on Fire, whereat starting vp, and crying to God for help, the Murtherer was so affrighted, that he desisted from his purpose, craued pardon for the attempt, and presently re­vealed to him who they were that set him on worke. But concluding this point with that of Moses, Exod. 15.2. The Lord is my Strength, and Song, and he is become my Salvation: he is my God and I will prepare him an Habitation, my FATHERS God, and I will exalt him, I returne vnto my purpose.

The Prophet could not better make knowne vnto vs the tranquillitie of his minde amidst the many dangers [Page 71] he was in, then by these effects hee here tells vs, of Lying downe, and Sleeping, and Rising vp againe. For as when the minde of Man is much troubled by reason of any imminent danger, or hee goes not to Bed at all, or if he goes, he sleepes not soundly: so if so be nothing trou­ble him, then doth he freely take his rest, and much refre­shed by that rest, hee riseth againe with much alacritie. When thou liest downe, Prov, 3.24. saith Solomon, thou shalt not be a­fraid: yea thou shalt lye downe, and thy sleepe shall be sweet. This sweetnesse of Sleep, as it is not the meanest of those Blessings that God bestoweth on vs, and many would giue much for the purchasing thereof, so theOvid. Met. l. 11. Poet de­scribes it accordingly,

and so forth. But the Prophet here, not only slept, but rose againe, which Sleeping of his, and Rising againe hee ascribeth to the Lord. And indeed as S. Austen Aug. Hom. 28 Vid. Greg. in E­vang. Hom. 1. speaketh Nonne multi san [...] dormierunt & obduruerunt? Haue not many gone to Bed safe and sound, and beene found stark dead by the Morning? What need wee Examples of old, as theExod. 12.30. First Borne of the Egyptians, SaraesTob. 6.13. Seaven Husbands, the whole2. King. 19.35. Camp of the Assyrians being an Hundred, Fourescore, and Fiue Thousand, I suppose no Man liuing but may call to mind some one Acquaintance or other, that hath miscarried in this kinde. Now for it may be any mans case, which hath beene the case of so many▪ hence is it that our Mother the CHVRCH teach­eth all and every of her Children to pray against suddaine Death, importing therein, as that WorthyM. Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. §. 46. Devine ob­serueth a twofold Desire. First, that Death when it com­meth may giue vs some convenient respite: or Secondly, if that be denied vs of God, yet we may haue wisdome to provide alwaies before hand, that those Evills overtake vs not, which Death vnexpected doth vse to bring vpon [Page 72] carelesse Men, and that although it be suddaine in it selfe, neverthelesse in regard of our prepared minds it may not be suddaine. And here I cannot but remember that thrice worthieHe died Ian. 25. 1617. ac­cording to the Churches Computati­on, otherwise 1618, and gaue aboue a 1000 Pound to­wards the new Building of the Forefront of the Colledge. Doctor in his Faculty, & as worthy a Gouernour in the Vniversity, the Right Worshipfull M^r D^r Blencow forty yeares Provost of Oriel Colledge, who died thus suddainely (vntimely to many) most vntimely to my self) and yet to whom in regard of his prepared minde appea­ring by his last Will and Testament, Death no doubt was not suddaine. Hee had the first two Letters of both his Names who some 300 yeares b [...]fore, was the First Pro­vost of that House and a most principall Benefactor, inso­much that vpon the Death of the Latter, these Verses were made on Both.

THE ENGLISH.

[Page 73] But to returne to my purpose.

Having thus farre spoken of this Fift Verse, I might seeme to haue done with it, and not to need to goe any farther, but that there are of the Fathers that seeme to see more therein, then as yet we haue seene. Arnobius, and S. Austen, they see in these words our Saviours Passion, & his Resurrection both. Our Sauiour, Aug. de Gen. cont. Manich. l. 2. c. 24. saith S. Austen, tooke his rest with the Sleepe of his Passion, that his Spowse the Church might then be framed, and fashioned to him, which Sleepe of his he thus singeth in the ditty of the Prophet, I laid me downe and slept, and rose vp againe, for the Lord sustained me. Nay vpon this very ground S. Austen Aug. in hunc Ps. saith it more appertaineth to the Person of Christ, then it did to the Person of Dauid. Iesus▪ Arnob. in hunc Ps. saith Arnobius, cried with his voice vnto God, and he was heard, insomuch that hee e­steemed of Death as of a Sleepe. From whence arising, he fea­red no more but now vpon Corruptible putting on Incorrup­tible, and vpon Mortall, Immortality, he feares not Thou­sands of People that set themselues round about him. And so indeed it here followeth.

Verse. 6. I will not bee afraid for Tenne Thousands of People, that haue set themselues against me round about.] An excellent Fruit of an excellent Faith: Boldnesse and vndaunted Courage against all Opposition whatsoever. Such a Courage had Elisha, who when his Servant saw such a mighty Hoast compassing the City where his Ma­ster was, and therevpon fell a crying: Feare not, 2. King. 6.16. saith Eli­sha for they that be with vs are moe then they that bee with them. Ezechiah vpon the like words, concerning the King of Assyria, yeelds his reason, With him is an Arme of Flesh, 2. Chron. 32.7. saith he, but with vs is the Lord our God to helpe vs and to fight our Battails. So the ApostleRom. 8.31. S. Paul, What shal we then say to these things? If God be for vs who can be against vs? And again a litle after,V. 35. Who shal separat vs from the loue of Christ? shal Tribulation, or Distres or Persecution, or Famin, or Nakednes, or Perill, or Sword? Nay in all these things [Page 74] we are more then Conquerers, through him that loued vs. As if all those had beene but Fleabytings. But then in a strain beyond all admiration; I, saith he, am perswaded, that ne­ther Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor Things present, nor Things to come, nor Height, nor Depth, nor any other Creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God, which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Which yet notwithstanding is not so to bee vnderstood, as if the Godly Man were thus continually couragious in this sort: Pray for me, Act. and Mon. edit. 4. p. 1724. col. 1. saith Father Latimer, in his Con­ference with Ridly, for I am sometime so fearefull that I would creepe into a Mouse-hole, sometimes God doth visit me againe with his Comfort. So he commeth and goeth, to teach me to feele and to knowe mine Infirmitie, to the intent to giue Thanks to him that is worthy, least I should rob him of his due as many doe, and almost all the World. Thus was it with our Prophet himselfe, who as couragiously as hee speaketh here, is elsewhere in his Booke of Psalmes in Fa­ther Latimers Tune and Taking. As,Ps. 42.6. Why art thou so full of heavinesse O my soule, & why art thou so disquieted with­in me? And againe,V. 14. Why art thou so vexed O my soule, and why art thou so disquieted within mee? And againe thePs. 43.5. third time, Why art thou so heavy O my soule: and why art thou so disquieted within me? Like our Saviour in the Gar­den,Mat. 26.39. O my Father if it be possible, let this Cup passe from me, neverthelesse, not as I will but as thou wilt; And againe,V. 42. O my Father, if this Cup may not passe away from mee, ex­cept I drinke it, thy will be done: and hee prayed theV. 44. third time, saying the same words. But to returne vnto my pur­pose.

Our Prophet here thus couragious what is it that hee doth? Doth he now set downe and rest him, and makes no more adoe? Nay but he prayes to be holpen notwith­standing, he giue not over Prayer, and therefore saith as here it followeth,

Verse. 7. Vp Lord and helpe me, O my God, for thou [Page 75] smytest all mine Enemies vpon the Cheeke-bone, Thou hast broken the Teeth of the Ʋngodly.] First in that the Prophet here, so particularly speakes of God, in calling him his God, and saying O my God, it is partly the Fruit of Faith and Loue, partly in answere to his Adversaries. First con­cerning that Fruit. God, Aug. de Ovib. c. 16. saith S. Austen, is the God of all, and yet I wot not how, a Man shall hardly dare to say MY GOD, vnlesse it be such an one as beleeueth in him, and also loueth him, such an one saith [MY GOD] Thou, whose thou thy selfe art, hast made him thine. This it is that hee doth loue. Thou in the sweetnesse of thy affection, and vpon the confidence of thy Loue saist, DEVS MEVS, MY GOD, Thou saist it securely, thou saist it truely, because he is thine indeed, and yet thou hast not made him that he is not others too. For thou vsest not to say (in particular sort) MY GOD, as thou vsest to say, My Horse. The Horse that is thine, is no other mans besides, God is not only thine, but his besides that saith as thou dost, DEVS MEVS, MY GOD. So S. Chrysostome, It is the manner of the Pro­phets, Chrys. in Gen. Hom. 34. saith he, to say, MY GOD, notwithstanding hee is the God of all the World. But this is the speciall and sin­gular office of Loue of things common to make them proper. So S. Bernard, who speaking of the Prophets appropria­ting of God vnto himselfe in another of his Psalmes, Here the Prophet, Bern. in Ps. Qui habitat. Ser. 2. saith he, saith MY GOD, but why not, OVR GOD? Because as touching Creation, Redempti­on, & all the rest of those his other like Benefits besides, he is the God of all, but as touching their Temptations, every one of all the Elect hath him as it were peculiar to himselfe. For he is so ready to raise vp every one that falleth, and to recall him againe, that flyeth from him, that it seemes hee leaues all other, and addicts himselfe to one alone. To this purpose S. Austen, O Gracious Omnipotent, Aug. Confess. l. 3. c. 11. saith he, who so curest e­very of vs, as if thou only curedst him, and curest all in gene­rall, as if all were but one in particular.

But that the Prophet here saith, O my God, it is partly [Page 76] as I said, in answere to his Adversaries. His Adversaries had said before, There is no helpe for him in his God: where­vpon the Prophet in this place, Ʋp Lord, and helpe me O my God. As if so be he had said, it toucheth now thine own Honour. Thy owne Might, and Maiestie, and Power is now calld in question. They seeme to acknowledge thee a God, for they say thou art My God: but Power they ac­knowledge none in thee, none at all, for they say there is no Help in thee, Ʋp therefore, and Helpe me, O my God. But now concerning the Words, Vp Lord.

First, what the Prophets meaning may here be, by say­ing Vp Lord, we may gather by another place. For in anPs. 44.23. other of his Psalmes, speaking in these words, Vp Lord, why sleepest thou, awake and be not absent from vs for ever: he may be thought to intimate that the Lord by reason of differring his Helpe, had beene as it were asleepe. And yet himselfe knewe full well, and profest it accordingly, that He that keepeth Israel (and who are the true Israel, Ps. 121.4. but theGal. 6.16. Godly) shall neither Slumber nor Sleepe.

Secondly, whereas he saith, Vp Lord, it is to be obser­ved, that he goeth not to Saints for helpe, but directly to the LORD, a point of Divinity which the Church of Rome will in no wise learne. No doubt Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, and Moses, were for Saints asmuch accounted of by our Prophet, as euer Peter, and Iames, and Iohn, and the Blessed VIRGIN in the estimation of Chri­stians could haue beene, yet goes our Prophet to none of them all, but directly vnto God. I will lift vp mine Eyes to the Hills Psal. 121.1. saith he, from whence commeth my helpe. Mine helpe commeth euen from the Lord, which hath made Hea­uen and Earth. And againe,Psal. 73.24. Whom haue I in Heaven but thee: and there is none vpon Earth that I desire in compari­son of thee. If the holy Angels and Saints in Heaven were at all to bee implored,Vid D. Abbots True Ancient Rom. Cath. Part. 1. p. 356. why did not David in all his Psalmes implore their helpe? The Apostle S^t Paul stood in need of other mens Prayers, and therefore craueth the [Page 77] helpe of theRom. 15.30. Romans, and hopeth by the helpe of the2. Cor. 1.11. Co­rinthians Prayers, to bee delivered from great dangers: but did he euer desire the helpe of the Saints that were dead, as more charitable and desirous of Gods Honour, and our spirituall Good, more forward to pray for vs, and more gracious in Gods sight to obtaine our Requests? No, he knew no such Prayers, who no doubt had hee known them, would haue imparted them to the Church, no man sooner. I could in this case produceAug. in Ps. 64 & cont. Epist. Parmen. l. 2. c. 8. S^t Austen, Orig. cont. Cels. l. 8. Origen, Theodoret. in Coloss. c. 2. Theodoret, andTertul. de Trin. Tertullian, but I had rather send you vntoVid. D. Abbots Answere to D. Bishops Epi­stle to the King. §. 9. Him, who produceth them at large, and discourseth so learnedly of them in his Answere to D. Bi­shops Epistle to the King.

But how comes it to passe, that hauing said in the Fourth Verse before, I did call vpon the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy Hill; And againe in the Fift Verse, The Lord sustained me; And againe in the Sixt Verse, I will not be afraid for tenne Thousands of Peo­ple that haue set themselues against me round about: how comes it to passe, I say, that here in this place he seemes to be somewhat d ffident, Ʋp Lord, and helpe me, as if now, very now, he were afraid to loose his Life. The Answere is, that the Security which the Godly haue amidst their Troubles, and a Contempt in some respects of the Life they here enjoy, and the Petitions in this kind of sauing the same Life, if it stand with Gods Pleasure, may well accord and agree together. For although they are farre in loue with the Life that is to come, insomuch that they may say asTul. Som. Scip. Laelius in Tully, Quid moror in terris? why stay I longer on the Earth? or with the Apo­stle S^t Paul rather,Philip. 1.23. I haue a desire to depart, and to be with Christ: yet cast they not off all ca [...]e concerning th [...]s Life. They know that this Life present is a sin ula [...] Gift of God, and that it is against all good Military Disci­pline, to leaue theirRetinendus Animus in custo­dia Corporis, nec iniussic eius, a quo ille est nobis datus, ex homi­num vita mi­grandum est, ne munus huma­num assignatum a Deo defugisse videamini. Tul. Som. Scip. Station, before their Generall dis­charge them. In which case Paul himselfe who contem­ned [Page 78] his Life no man more, would be beholding to a2. Cor. 11.33. Bas­ket to saue it: and David to saue his Life, would be be­holding vnto1. Sam. 21.13. Madnes, at leastwise to a dissembling and counterfaiting thereof. Elisha bade2. Kings 6.32. shut the Doore when a Messenger came from the King to take away his Life: who before, when Horses, and Charets, and a great Hoast compassed the Place where he was, and purposed to take him, Feare not Verse 16. saith he to his Servant who was much affrighted therewith, for they that bee with vs, are more then they that be with them.

But why cryes the Prophet here for Helpe vnto the Lord? He yeelds the Reason here himselfe, For thou smi­test all mine Enemies vpon the Cheeke-bone, thou hast broken the Teeth of the Vngodly; where First let vs see what it is, To smite vpon the Cheeke-Bone: Secondly, To breake the Teeth: Thirdly, the dependance that these Words haue with them that went before.

Percutere Maxillam figura quasi Proverbiali significat Paenam cum Ignominia, & Dedecore coniunctam. To smite vpon the Cheeke-BoneI. Drus. Obser­vat. l. 3. c. 5. saith Drusius, signifies in a Pro­verbial kind of speech, a Punishment joyn'd with Discre­dit, Reproach, and Infamy. But of that more hereafter.

Concerning Breaking of the Teeth, it is that which ag­gravates the manner, and magnitude of their Punish­ment. For as the Cheeke-Bone may be smitten, and the Teeth, safe ynough, like as Micaiah was1. Kings 22.24. smitten by Ze­dekiah the false Prophet: so if with the Blow, the Teeth be strucke out, besides the violence, it is the disfiguring of a Man. Teeth Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 7. c. 16. saith Pliny, serue not onely to grind our meat for our daily food and nourishment, but necessary also they be for the framing of our Speech. The Fore-teeth saith he, stand in good steed to rule and moderate the Voyce by a certaine concent and tuneable accord, answering as it were to the stroke of the Toung; and according to that rowe and ranke of theirs wherein they are set, as they are broader, or narrower, greater, or smaller, they yeeld a distinction and variety in [Page 79] their words, cutting, and hewing them thicke, and short, fra­ming them pleasant, plaine, and ready, drawing them out at length, or smuddering, and drowning them in the end: but when they be once falne out of the Head, Man is bereaved of all meanes of good vtterance, and explanation of his Words. The like to these Phrases here of Smiting the Cheek-bone, and Breaking the Teeth, the Prophet hath in an other Psalme, where he prayeth it may bee done to some other of his Enemies.Ps. 58.6. Breake their Teeth, O God, in their Mouthes, saith hee, smite the Iaw-bones of the Lyons, O Lord. And Iob to this purpose,Iob. 29.17. I brake the Iawes of the Wicked, and pluckt the Spoile out of his Teeth.

Lastly, concerning the dependance of these Words with the former, they doe notAug. in hunc Ps. saith S. Austen, so depend, as if the Lord therefore saued him, in that he smote his Enemies on the Cheek-bone, but the Prophet being saued before, his Enemies were smitten long after. And indeed it oftentimes comes to passe that many of Gods Servants, being delivered from their Enemies, they see or euer the time growes long, how those their Enemies by vntimely comming to their End, are smitten (as it were) on the Cheek-bone, and their Teeth burst asunder, disinabled euer after to bite againe. There is to this purpose a memorable Story in the Ecclesiasticall History. Narcissus, a Bishop of Ierusalem, was accused of a certaine Crime by three false Witnesses that had taken their Oathes against him. The One wished that he might perish by FIRE, if hee swore not true; The Other, that if he swore not true, his BODY might pine away; The Third, that he might loose his EYES if so be he swore not true to. It was not long after, but all Three sped accordingly. The First by reason of a litle Sparke of Fire that fell amisse, had his whole House set on fire, himselfe, and Family burnt. The Second had an incu­rable Disease, whereby he pined and wasted away. The Third to see both these Examples before his Eyes, wept so abundantly, as that he lost both his Eyes. And this may [Page 80] be a Smiting of the Cheek-bone here meant, and a Breaking of the Teeth, namely when such publique and notorious Calamities as these, doe light vpon our Adversaries that haue been malitiously bent against vs. One perhaps stands in the Pillory, either for thine, or some others cause; an O­ther is sent vnto the Iayle; a Third holds vp his Hand at Barre, and is prosequuted so farre, as that he takes his fare­well of the World in some conspicuous, and eminent Place, suppose Tyburne, or elsewhere. For likely it is, that when the Lord hath scourged thee sufficiently by thine Enemies, he will as Parents doe, Proijcere Sarmentum in Ignem, cast the Rod into the Fire, asAug. in Psal. 73. speakes S Austen. Thus Achitophel might be said to haue beene smitten on the Cheeke-bone, when he haltred himselfe as he did, and Absolon to haue his Teeth broken, when slaughtered as he was by Ioab, he verified the old Saying, Mortui non mordent, Absolon now could bite no more.

Or if our Enemies still liue, and make no such publique ends for Reasons best knowen to Gods al-knowing Wis­dome: yet may they bee smitten on the Cheek bone, and their Teeth broken an other way, as Davids Enemies here might bee, and so might David meane too. That is, God might so represse, and hamper them in such sort, as that they should haue no power at all to hurt, though their Minds perhaps should be as malevolent as euer. Be­nè quod Malitia non habet tantas vires, quantos conatus. Perierat Innocentia si semper Nequitiae iuncta esset Poten­tia, & totum, quicquid cupit, Calumnia praevaleret. It is welHieron. Apol. advers. Ruff. saith S. Ierom, that Malice is not so powerfull as wrathfull, and Innocency were vndone, if Wickednesse should still haue power to doe what she list, and Detra­ction should prevaile as farre as she desired. And this is the more likely to be the meaning here in this place, for that the Prophet elswhere explicating vnto vs what hee mea­neth by Teeth, I lye Ps. 57.5. sai [...]h he, among the Children of Men, whose teeth are Speares, and Arrowes, and their Toung a [Page 81] sharpe Sword. And againe in an otherPs. 64.3. Place, Which haue whet their Toung like a Sword, and shoot out their Arrowes, euen bitter Words. So that Railing, and Reviling, being sometimes meant by Teeth, theLinguam ita ligatam habere, vt inutire non a [...]e [...]nt. Plutar. ex Pind. De cap ex Host. V [...]il. curbing of their Toungs, and putting them to silence, that they dare not be so la­vish as formerly they were, euen this is a Smiting on the Cheeke bone, and Breaking the Teeth of the Vngodly.

Verse 8. Salvation belongeth vnto the Lord, and thy Blessing is vpon the People.] By SALVATION in this place outward Safety and Deliverance from outward Dangers and Enemies is meant. And this belongs so pe­culiarly to God aboue, that the Man is cursed, Ier. 17.5. saith Ie­remy, that trusteth in Man, and maketh Flesh his arme. And againe,Ier 3.22. Behold we come vnto thee, for thou art the Lord our God. Truly in vaine is Salvation hoped for from the Hills, and from the multitude of Mountaines: truly in the Lord our God is the Salvation of Israel. Agreeable where­vnto is that of our Prophet in an other Psalme,Ps. 36.7. Thou Lord shalt saue both Man and Beast. It seemes the Prophet Ionas borrowed this Speech, Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord, of this our Prophet, when in the last words of his Prayer he said,Ion. 2.9. SALVATION IS OF THE LORD: as it is in the last Passage of this Psalme. Much may bee said hereof, but I will content my selfe with that which I finde so ready to my hand, in a worthy Pre­late of our Church, concerning this Scripture. Sal­vation is the Lords, My Lord of London vpon Jonas, Lect. 29. saith hee, is the Summe of the whole Discourse of Ionas his Prophecie, the Morall of the History. It is the Argument of the whole Prophecie, and might haue concluded euery Chapter therein. The Marriners might haue written vpon their Shippe insteed of Castor and Pollux, or the like Device, Salvation is the Lords. The Ninivites in the next Chapter, might haue written it on their Gates: and whole Mankind, whose Cause is pityed and pleaded by God against the hardnesse of Ionas his heart, might in the last Chapter haue written it in the [Page 82] Palmes of their hands. It is the Argument of both the Te­staments, the Staffe and Supportation of Heauen & Earth. They would both sinke, and all their ioynts be severed, if the Salvation of the Lord were not. The Birds in the Aire sing no other Noat, the Beasts of the Field giue no other voyce, then Salus Iehovae, Salvation is the Lords. The Walls and Fortresses to our Countrey Gates, to our Cities and Townes, Barres to our Houses, a surer Couer to our Heads then an Helmet of S [...]eele, a better Receit to our Bodies then the Con­fection of Apothecaries, a better Receit to our Soules then the Pardons of Rome, is Salus Iehovae, The Salvation of the Lord. The Salvation of the Lord blesseth, preserueth, vp­holdeth all that we haue, our Basket, and our Stoare, the Oile in our Cruises, our Presses, the Sheepe in our Folde, our Stals, the Children of the Womb, at our Tables, the Corne in our Fields, our Flores, our Garners. It is not the Vertue of the Stars, nor Nature of the things themselues, that giueth being and continuance to any of these Blessings. The World is my Theater at this time, and I neither thinke, nor can feigne to my selfe any thing that hath not dependance vpon this accla­mation, Salvation is the Lords. Thus much that worthie Prelate, and a great deale more to this purpose, but I haste to an end, and therefore come vnto the last Words, And thy Blessing is vpon the People.]

Blessing? what Blessing? People? what People? What? Blessing vpon the People, that thus revolted from him? the People, that as Pompey Plutarch. Apopth. Occidentē ab eo de [...]en, Orientem spectari. Tacit. Annal. l. 6. spake, adored the Sunne-rising, and turned so treacherously their backs on him, whom now they thought in Setting? whom yet they could not but acknowledge that he was the LORDS ANNOIN­TED? Gods Blessing on such a People? Marry blesse them with an Halter would some haue said, and bene as chari­table as one Browne a Papist was (Papists forsooth are ve­ry charitable) who when one William Hunter was to bee burned for Religion, and desired the Peoples Prayers,Acts and Mon. edit. 4. p. 1538. col. 2. professed he would pray for him no more, then he would pray for a Do [...]. Henry the Third, King of France, Prede­cessor [Page 83] to the last HENRY, both in his Kingdome, and in his Death, shewed himselfe of an other Spirit then this our Prophet was of, vpon like occasion offered him. He at the Barricadoes flying from Paris, towards Chartres, when he came to Chaliot, from whence he might see the City, turned (they say) towards the same, and in the bit­ternesse of his Soule, I giue thee my Curse Iohn de Se­res his Hist. of France, transl. by M^r Grimst. in Hen. 3. p. 851. said he, disloyall, and vngracious City; a City which I haue alwayes honou­red with my continuall abode; a City which I haue more en­riched then any of my Predecessors, I will neuer enter within the compasse of thy Wals, but by the ruine of a great and me­morable breach. King David here flew as hee did, but with Wings more like a DOV [...]. Hee knew there were Many amongst the People that were deceiued by the rest,Calvin. in E­z [...]h. c. 3. Semper aliquos esse sanabiles, etiam si totum Populi Corpus videtur desperatum, that though the whole Body of the Pe [...]ple, as Calvin speakes, were desperately sicke, yet that some of them were curable; that there were Degrees of Offences, and that they did not all deserue alike; that the Ring-leaders, indeed, were to bee punished, the rest to be pityed, and lamented. At an other time, and vpon an other occasion, Loe 2 Sam. 24.17. saith he, I haue sinned, and I haue done wickedly: but these Sheepe, what haue they done? Let thy Hand I pray thee, be against me, and against my Fa­thers House. And thus was David towards his People here, his disloyall, and vngracious People, euen as if in this he had bene a Type of our Saviour, who persecuted as he was, and reviled on the Crosse, Father Luc. 23.34. saith he, forgiue them, for they know not what they doe. The Prophet speakes not here, as Zacharias did, who yet was a Prophet to,2 Chr. 24.22 The Lord looke vpon it, and require it: or as Ioshua did in en­countring his Enemies,Iosh. 10.12. Sun stand thou still vpon Gibeon, and thou Moone in the Valley of Aialon, vntill I be aven­ged of mine Enemies: or as Sampson in the Book of Iudges, a Type of our Saviour to,Iudg. 16.28. O Lord God remember me I pray thee only this once O God, that I may be at once avenged of [Page 84] the Philistians: No, but he prayeth with S. Stephen rather,Act. 7.60. Lord, lay not this sinne to their charge. And hence it is that Tremelius renders it, not as it is here in this place, Thy Blessing is vpon the People: butTremel. in hunc loc. super Populum tuum sit Benedictio tua: Let thy Blessing be vpon the People. As if so be he had said, God prosper them, and all their Af­faires, that (sauing this Quarrell) all may haue good suc­cesse, and turne to their Good. Oh how truely might Da­vid haue here said, which he did in an other Psalme, Ps. 109.3. For the loue that I had vnto them, loe they take now my contra­ry part, but I giue my selfe vnto Prayer.

VErse. 1. Heare me when I call O God of my Righte­ousnesse, for thou hast set me at liberty when I was in trouble, haue mercy vpon me, and harken to my Prayer.] Be­tween the Throne of God in Heaven, & his Church vpon Earth here militant,M^r Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. §. .23. saith Reverend Hooker, If it be so that Angels haue thelr cōtinual intercourse, where should we find the same more verified, then in these two ghostly Exercises, the one Doctrine, the other Prayer. For what is the assembling of the Church to heare, but the receauing of Angels descended from aboue? What to pray, but the sending of Angels vpward? His heauenly Inspirations, and our holy Desires, are as so many Angels of Entercourse, & Commerce betweene God and vs.

Now that our Prophet here, though in exile had this Angelicall Attendance about him, and an Heauen (as it were) vpon Earth, in regard of those Troopes coelestiall, what more pregnant Proofe vnto vs then those many Prayers in this Book, and this amongst the rest of singular [Page 87] good importance. The Prayer it selfe is not many words, it is short and cutted, but of which we may say asTull. Epist. Fam. l. 11. Ep 24. Tully in another case, Quàm Multa, quàm Paucis? How much in how few words? The Christians vpon this Example made their Prayers, it should seeme, of this mould. The Brethe­ren in Egypt, Aug. Ep. 121. c. 10. Vid. Hooker Eccl. Pol. l. 5. §. 33. saith S. Austen, are reported to haue many Prayers, sed eas tamen brevissimas, & taptim quodammo­do jaculatas, but al of them very short, as if they were so ma­ny Darts throwne out with a kinde of suddaine quicknesse, least that Ʋigilant and erect attention of Minde, which in Prayer is very necessary should bee wasted or dulled through continuance if their Praiers were, few, and long. Such a dar­ted Prayer was the Publicans, Luc. 18.13. Lord be mercifull to mee a Sinner. Such another was S. Stephens, Act. 7.59. Lord laie not this Sinne to their charge. And such a short one was that of our Saviours, when being vpon the Crosse,Luc. 23.34. Father, saith he, forgiue them, for they knowe not what they doe. Where by the way may be noted, the obliquity of Him who finding fault with many our Church Prayers vsed at Divine Ser­vice that are not much longer, will not afford them the name of Prayers. Insteed of such Prayers, Cartwright [...] Reply to D. Whitegift l. 1. p. 108. saith he, as the Primitiue Churches haue vsed, and those that bee reformed now vse, we haue divers short Cuts, & Shreddings, which may be better called Wishes, then Prayers, which hee speakes to as good purpose, as if he should say in defence of some that would stab Men with their Daggers, they vsed short little cutted Things and Shreds of Iron which may better be called Daggers, then Weapons. Otherwise what is a Wish, but a thing much desired, a Request, a Prayer, which the Poet might haue taught him by ioyn­ing them both together,

And yet the Prophet here in this place tearmes these few Words, as short a Cut, and as small a Shredding as they seeme to be, a PRAYER. Haue mercy vpon me, saith he, & [Page 88] hearken vnto my Prayer. But to come vnto my purpose.

The Prayer here in this place, as it is but short & briefe, so let me briefly consider therein: First, for what it was: Secondly, to whom: Thirdly, why to him, to whom it was made. It was first for a Day of Hearing, and for Mercy on that Day, whenas that hearing should be. Which yet is not so to be taken as if the Court of Heauen were like some earthly Courts where the Petition may be put in to day, and a day of hearing a Tweluemonth after, I, twaine, I,Only the Areopagites went beyond such Iudges, who posted off a matter till an hundred years after. A. Gell. No [...]t. Att. l. 12. c. 7. Valer. Max. l. 8. c. 1. twenty. Nor meane I in Vtopia, but perhaps in Eutopia too, where all things are, or should be, not Benè onely, but Optime, by reason of the GOSPELL: No: God heareth in a moment and the Petition is no sooner put vp, but the Day of Hearing is granted presently, nay sometimes be­fore. Witnesse the Prophet,Esay 65.24. Before they call, I will an­swere, and whiles they are yet speaki [...]g I will heare. Indeed the selfe same Prophet tells vs that some others he wil not heare,Esay 1.15. When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eies from you, yea when you make many Prayers, I will not heare; marry then there was reason for it, for what kinde of Hands spread they forth? Puras Manus, as1. Tim. 2.8. vulg. speakes the Apostle in his first Epistle to Timothy, Pure and Cleane Hands? No, but they were bloudy, nay they were full of Bloud, for so it followeth in that place. And yet euen that such also should not vtterly despaire, Wash ye, make ye cleane Esay 1.16. saith he, put away the euill of your doings from be­fore mine eyes, cease to doe euill, learne to doe well, seeke Iudgment, relieue the Oppressed, iudge the Fatherlesse, plead for the Widow. Come now, and let vs reason together, saith the Lord; though your Sinnes be as Scarlet, they shall bee as white as Snow, though they be red like Crimsin, they shal be as Wooll. And this is the Mercy here petitioned in this place, without this Mercy what had the Prophet bene, but a Map of Misery? If thou Lord wilt be extreame Ps. 130.3. saith he, to marke what is done amisse, oh Lord who may abide it? And S. Austen to like purpose,Aug. Confess. l. 9. c. 13. Vae etiam laudabili vitae homi­num [Page 89] si remota Misericordia discutias eam. Woe to the Life of Man be it never so praise worthie, if God should exa­mine it without any Mercy at all; And, Iust men, Greg. Moral. l. 8. c. 9. vid. D. Abb. Apol. a­gainst Bishop. Part. 1. c. 8. p. 255. & p. 293. saith S^t Gregory, knowe before hand that perish they must with­out remedy, if God in the iudging of them set Mercy aside, because even that which seemeth our iust Life is but Sinne, if Gods Mercy when he iudge that doth not excuse the same. Be­hold, Iob 4.18. saith Iob, he put no trust in his Servants, and his An­gels he charged with [...]olly▪ how much lesse on them that dwell in H [...]uses of Clay, whose Foundation is in the du [...], which are crushed before the moth.

The Party to whom the Petition is made, is God a­boue, who is styled by the Apostle S. Paul,2. Cor. 1.3. The Father of Mercies, which though it be a sufficient Reason why this Petition is made to him, yet the Prophet here implies another, namely for that the Lord had set him at li­berty when ever he was in trouble: As1. Sam. 19.12 First when Mi­chol saued him;1. Sam. 20.38 Secondly, when Ionathan; 1. Sam. 21.8. Thirdly, when his owne Pollicy;1. Sam. 23.28 Fourthly, when the Messenger by bringing tydings to King Saul that the Philistians inva­ [...]ed the land;2. Sam. 17.11 Fiftly, and lastly when Hushai holpe him: Hushai, and the Messenger, and his owne Wit and Polli­cy, and Ionathan, and Michol his Wise, being but so many severall Instruments which it pleased the Lord to vse in sauing of him.Ps. 115.1. Not vnto vs O Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy Name giue the Praise, for thy louing Mercy, and for thy Truthes sake.

I but how comes it here to passe that the Prophet in these words styles the Lord, The God of his Righteousnesse? Heare me when I call, O God of my Righteousnes. Doubtles it was not in respect of any Righteousnesse of his owne, Not his Speeches are to well knowne even in this his Booke of Psalmes for any confidence hee had in that re­spect. As for example, where he saith,Ps. 19.12. Who can tell how oft he offendeth, O cleanse thou me from my secret Faults; And againe,Ps. 130.3. If thou Lord wilt be extreame to marke what [Page 90] is done amisse, oh Lord who may abide it! And yet againe,Ps. 143.2. Enter not into iudgement with thy Servant, for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified. What is his meaning then in these words, DEVS IVSTITIAE MEAE, O God of my Righteousnesse. It may be taken two waies, as First, Thou O God, who art the Redresser of my Right, or Revenger of my Wrong: or Secondly, in regard of some righteous Cause hee had in hand, mistaken by his Adversaries. Much like to that which hee saith in another place,Ps. 7.3. O Lord my God, if I haue done any such thing, or if there be any wickednesse in my hands: If I haue rewarded evill to him that dealt frendly with me: yea I haue deliuered him that without any cause is mine Enemy: Then let mine Ene­my persecute my Soule & take me, yea let him tread my Life downe vpon the Earth and lay mine Honour in the Dust. So that in regard of those many Slanders raised against him by the Wicked, he calls God to witnesse of his Integrity in those points, and therefore may seeme to style him here, The God of his Righteousnesse. Our Reioycing, 2. Cor. 1.12. saith the Apostle, is this, the testimonie of our Conscience, that in simplicity and god [...]y Synceritie we haue had our Conversati­on in the World. And Conscience if it be bad, as it is a con­tinuall Torture, so is a good one, a continuallSecura Mens quasi iuge Con­vivium. Prov. 15 15. Vulg. Feast. The great Benefit of a good Conscience S. Chrysostome de­clares by this Similitude: As if you let fall a little sparkle, Chrys. ad Pop. Antioch. Hom. 25. saith hee, into a large plash of water, you presently extin­guish it, so all our Griefe and Sorrowe, if so bee it light on a good Conscience it is most easily driuen away.

Verse. 2. O yee Sonnes of Men, how long will yee blas­ph [...]ame mine Honour, and haue such pleasure in Vanity, and seeke after Leasing.] It may seeme somewhat strange that hauing spoken in the Words before to God alone, hee should now leaue speaking with God (as it were) and ap­ply himselfe to the Sonnes of Men. But this is no novel­ty with David throughout his whole Booke of Psalmes, who speaketh sometimes to the Lord, sometimes to Him­selfe, [Page 91] sometimes to the Godly, sometimes to the Vngodly, and then to the Lord againe, and that in one and the selfe­same Psalme. The lesse cause had Cartwright, and such as followed his steps to finde fault with our Church-Service for intermingling Reading of Scriptures and Prayers, one with another. We, T. C. vbi supra saith he, haue no such Formes in the Scripture, as that we should pray in two or three lines, and then after hauing read a while some other thing, come and pray asmuch more, and so the twentith, or thirtith time with pawses betweene. If a man should come to a Prince, and keepe such order in making his Petitions, the Prince might well thinke that either he came to aske before he knewe what hee had need of, or that he had forgotten some peece of his Suit, or that he were distracted in his vnderstanding, or some other such like cause of the disorder of his Supplication. Loe here a Prayer euen in two or three lines; & after that, as it were a Lesson, namely an Instruction to his Adversaries; Lastly somewhat concerning Himselfe, namely how ioyfull in Heart Himselfe was, and secure in hauing nothing, when his Enemies had the World at will. Shall we now say that David was distracted in this case? God forbid. Nay hee spake forth the Words of Truth and Sobernesse, euen as did the Apostle S. Paul, when hee also wasAct. 26.25. challenged by Noble Festus in like sort. As for the Similitude hee brings of petitioning before a Prince, and how vnsavory it would be, to make Requests in such sort, it is wellHooker Ec­cles. Pol. l. 5. §. 34. an­swered by Reuerend Hooker, and retorted vpon himselfe, and al his Complices, how much more vnsavory it would proue, to pray in their fashion, who so much mislike ours. Cartwright got nothing by that Similitude. But now con­cerning the Words.

First, for the Appellation here, O yee sonnes of Men] it is in the HebrewAs there is difference be­tweene Home and Vir in La­tine, Non sen­tire mala sua non est Hominis & non ferre non est Viri, Senec. de Consolat. ad Polyb. c. 36. so in the Hebrew betwixt Adam and Ish. BENI ISH, not ADAM, wherein S. Ie­rom was mistaken, asDrus. Observ. l. 3. c. 19. Drusius obserues, so that the Pro­phet here meanes the Peeres and Potentates of the Land. And what is it the Prophet in this place doth lay vnto [Page 92] their charge? O yee sonnes of Men, how long will yee Blas­pheame mine Honour: and haue such pleasure in Vanitie, & seeke after Leasing. So that the Points here laid to their charge is their evill speaking of Him, and their Continu­ance therein.

First, for evill speaking, it is here cald Blasphemie, and so Blasphemie indeed is taken in diverse places of holyTit. 3.2. 1. Pet. 4.4. Scripture. Now it is a great sault & worthy much blame to speake ill of any, much more of Princes, who are Gods Vice-gerents here on Earth, & seated in his own Throne to execute his Iudgements. Honour in Princes, M^r Gossen his Trumpet of Warre. saith a good Divine, is a curious Parcell Guilt, laid vpon them by Gods owne Finger, and no wicked Tongue can licke it off a­gaine. Curse not the King, no not in thy thought, Eccles. 10.20 saith So­lomon, and curse not the Rich in thy Bed-chamber, for a Bird of the Aire shall carry the voice, and that which hath Wings shall tell the Matter.

But besides their evill speaking, their continuance therein is that which is remarkeable to. Vs (que) quo? How long? And indeed in good things we are easily stayd, but from performing of evill, how exceeding hardly are wee drawen? The Lord himselfe doth note this Property in Men. For speaking of the Builders of Babel, Behold, Gen. 11.6. saith he, the People is one, and they haue all one Language: and this they begin to doe: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they haue imagined to doe. In trueth since the fall of our first Father Adam, there hath issued from his Womb, as S. Austen Ex vtero eius. Aug Confess. l. 13 c. 20. speaketh, a salt Sea of Iniquity, meaning Mankind, profoundly curious saith he swelne and puffed vp like the Waues, reeling and tottering to and from all Inconstancy. Our Nature Calvin. Instit. l. 2. c. 1. §. [...]. saith Calvin, is not only bare and empty of Goodnes, but also it is so plenteous, and fruitfull of all Evils, that it cannot be idle. And therefore in the same place, This Perversnes saith he, neuer ceaseth in vs, but continually bringeth forth new Fruits, euen the Works of the Flesh, like as a burning Furnace bloweth out Flames, and [Page 93] sparcles, or as a Spring without ceasing casteth out Water. But when they had all done, what was the Issue of all? The Prophet here tels it, Vanity, and Leasing. As much as if he had said, Vanity, and Lying. And first concerning Va­nity, it is that I haue spoken ofExp [...]sit. on Psal. 2.1. p. 34. before, and it signifies a thing that is of no force, or vse. These things we doe esteeme Vaine S^r Francis Bacon, of the Advancement of Learning. l. 1. saith that excellent Author of the Proficience, and Advancement of Learning, which are either False, or Fri­volous, those which either haue no Trueth, or no vse at all. Lying, or Leasing (a Word that commeth of anLease. Fals Leasunga, a Leasing, a Lye, Lease-g [...]witnes, False witnes, Lease-witegas, False-Pro­phets Verstegan his Restituti­on of decayed Intel. p. 226. old Word, now out of vse) how ill it becomes Great men, such as King David here intimates, Solomon tels vs in hisProv. 17.7. Proverbs, and therefore Pope Alexander the Sixt, and the Duke of Ʋalencia his Sonne, are both of themGuicciard. Hist. l. 6. branded to all Posterity, for like Father, like Sonne, in that the One of them (the Father) never meant what he spake, the Other (the Sonne) never spake what he meant.

Vers. 3. Kn [...]w this also that the Lord hath chosen to himselfe the Man that is Godly: when I call vpon the Lord, he will heare me.] The Prophet now begins to schoole them: he affoords them Instruction here. They for their parts supposed he was vtterly vndone, that there was no way with him but one, and that Safety it selfe could not haue saued him. Nay but yet know saith he, that howsoe­uer these Calamities come now so thick vpon me, yet that I am not quite forsaken. I for my part little thought of Crownes, and Kingdomes, I neuer dream'd of Diadems, and wileding Scepters, the Lord elected and chose me to them, when as I my selfe was minding no such Matter. I was in the Field, he sent for me; I was the youngest of my Brethren, he advanced me aboue them; I was quite for­gotten of my Father, the Lord by the Prophet Samuel, or rather Samuel by the Lord,1 Sam. 16.13. he annoynted me in the midst of my Brethren. What? and is this all? The Lord that hath gone thus farre with me Hand in Hand, will he suffer me now to goe alone? No: but ouer and aboue all this, [Page 94] whenas I shall settle my selfe to Prayer, and call vpon the Lord, he will heare me forthwith, that is, he will or quite deliuer me, and so restore me againe to the state wherein I was, or in the midst of these my Crosses he will giue mee PATIENCE to endure them, then which what is more comfortable, And this, as it was an Instruction to those his Enemies, so may it be to vs, that are his Friends to, we in like Calamities may learne to make the like Benefit. This our Life is a Vale of Misery, fuller of Thornes, then of Roses: but seeing it is the Way to Heauen, and hath bene trodden by all the Godly, who passed the selfe same way before vs, let not vs that come last (for vpon vs as speakes the Apostle, the Ends of the1 Cor. 10.11. World are come) let not vs expect a new Way to be made for vs, who are nothing comparable to those Worthies that went before vs. We are but Dwarfes to them, as speaks theTerra ma [...]os homines nunc e­ducat, at (que) pu­sillos. Iuvenal. Sat. 15. Poet in an other case, the Righteous being lesse Righteous, the Godly lesse Godly then those before vs. For needs it must be true what our Savior intimates when he saith,Luc. 18.8. When the Son of man commeth, shall he find Faith on the Earth? It is as if he had said, he shall find no Faith at all. No Faith to speake of, none in comparison: for among many vses of an Interro­gation, one isQuintil. Instit. l. 9. c. 2. saith Quintilian, when we aske a Question that cannot be denied.

Vers. 4. Stand in awe and sinne not: commune with your owne Heart, and in your Chamber, and be still.] That which the Ʋulgar hath in this Verse, and the Greeke, and S. Ie­rom acco [...]dingly, Irascimini, & nolite peccare, Be angry and sinne not (agreeable vnto that of the Apostle S. Paul, in his Epistle to theEphes. 4.26. Ephesians, where he hath the selfe­same words) is here read, and more exactly according to the Hebr [...]w, Stand in awe, & sin not, the Word in the Ori­ginal being RIGNV, of RAGNAD, Tremuit, Trepidavit, vnlesse it come of RAGAV rather, which as theBarth. Scherei Itinerar. n [...]m. 997. & 1035. Learned in that Toung note, signifieth indifferently to be mooved either with Anger, or with Feare. But Feare is that which [Page 95] is here set downe, for Awe so signifieth, and by that which hath beneExposit. in Ps. 2.11. p. 52. said vpon the Second Psalme, it may well be vnderstood what kind of Feare is here meant. For whereas in sundry places of holy Scripture,D. Abbots De­fence of the Reform. Cath. Part. 2. p. 323. Feare is com­mended, and reprooved, forbidden, and enioyned againe, the Scriptures so speaking, intimate vnto vs divers Feares. There is a doubting, and distracting Feare, and that is re­prooved, and forbidden, for it is opposite to FAITH, and therefore God appoints his Ministers to call hisEsay 35.4.41.10.43.1.54.4. People from it: but there is an awefull, and ragarding Feare, and that is commended, and enioyned, as we see it here in this place, Stand in awe,]

But how is it the Prophet addes, And sinne not.] Is Sin so easily avoyded? Nihil dictu facilius. It is quickly said indeed, but is it as quickly done? Yes: as the Prophet here meant. For the Prophet no doubt meant what hee spake more expresly in an other place, where speaking of the Wicked, I said vnto the Fooles Ps. 75.5. saith he, deale not so madly: and to the Ʋngodly, set not vp your Ho [...]ne, set not vp your Horne on high, and speake not with a st [...]ffe Neck. Howsoeuer then from Sinnes of Infirmity they could not possibly be free (nor indeed can any man living) yet from Sinnes of this Nature, Sinnes ofThe high arme shall be broken. Iob. 38.15. Height, Sinnes ofThey haue deepely corrupted themselues. Hos. 9.9. Depth, Sinnes of Villany, they might haue bene, and this it is, that is here commanded them. For as S. Austen in his best Advisements, Vs (que) adeò Peccatum voluntarium est malum, vt nullo modo sit Peccatum, si non sit voluntari­um: Sinne,Aug Retract. l. 1. c. 13. Ʋid. c. 15. saith he, is so farre forth a Voluntary Euill that vnlesse it be Voluntary, it is no Sinne at all. Having then commanded them to stand in awe, and not to sinne, an Affirmatiue, and a Negatiue to; to the better effecting of both, he adviseth them to a Retirednesse also, as most commodious to that purpose. Commune saith he, with your own Heart, and in your Chamber, and be still. For as there is nothing more hurtfull, and obnoxious to Melan­choly Humors then to withdraw themselues from Com­pany, [Page 96] and to delight to be alone (an Example whereof we haue in S. Markes Marc. 5.5. Gospell, of him that Night and Day was in the Mountaines, and in the Toombs) so to some kinde of Natures againe, such as are all vpon the hoigh, there is nothing more hurtfull, and preiudiciall to their growth in Vertue, then keeping Company. With Company, they spend that most pretious Time, which cannot be recall'd againe with all the Wealth, the World can affoord; with Company they carowse, and quaffe, and swill, and swagger, as if they would drinke downe whole Cities; they walke in Lasciviousnesse, in Lust, in Banque­tings, in Revellings, as if they, and none but they, were the Worthies of the World. Wherein they thinke it strange, as the Apostle1. Pet. 4.4. S. Peter obserues, that Others runne not with them to the same excesse of riot, and therefore speake euill of them. O nimis inimica Amicitia, cum dicitur, Eamus, Fa­ciamus, & pudet non esse impudentem. O too-too friend­lesse Friendship Aug. Confess. l. 2. c. 9. saith S. Austen, when such Copsemates shall say to one another, Come let vs braue it, and dare to doe somewhat that shall be spoken of another day, and asha­mrd they are not to bee Shamelesse. How much better were it for such, that they would once Commune with their owne Hearts, that so they may see those Evils wher­to they are poasting so hastily.

First, for the Heart of Man it is that which is all in all: onely knowne vnto our selues, and to God the Giuer of it. What is neerer to vs then our Heart Greg. Moral. l. 26. c. 29. saith S. Gregory, and yet if once it be set a wandring, what thing is it in the whole World that is in a tryce so farre from vs? Our Savi­our speaking of the Heart, he shewes it to be the Foun­taine of all Evil, and that a Sinne cannot be named, which hath not his forth from thence. For out of the Heart Mat. 15.19. saith he, proceed evill Thoughts, Murders, Adulteries, Fornica­tions, Thefts, False-Witnes, Blasphemies. Seauen Heads of Vices in general, but vnder these Seuen how many Seuenty times Seauen are comprised? It behooues vs then to look [Page 97] vnto it, and continually to examine it, how it stands affe­cted vnto God: the rather for if our1. Ioh. 3.20. Heart condemne vs, how much more shall He who is greater then our Heart, and knoweth the Secrets of it farre better then we our selues. Quid est Cor hominis nisi sacculus Dei? Vbi dum studiosè conspicimus per quanta deliquimus, Peccata nostra quasi in Dei sacculo signata portamus. What is the Heart of ManGreg. Moral. l. 12. c. 11. saith S. Gregory, but Gods Sachel? wherein when we perceiue how farre we haue gone astray, we carry our Sinnes about vs, as it were sealed vp in that Sachel. Now that we may ransack our Hearts the better, it is expedi­ent that sometimes we Retire our selues apart, and medi­tate on such Particulars as shall be behoofull to our Souls. If a man saith a famousErasm. Tom. 5 De Contemptu. Mundi. c, 10. p. 1047. Writer, and the None such of that Age, hath leisure to peruse the sacred Histories, he shall find that the greatest Miracles that euer were done, were not done among Multitudes, and Assemblies, but in Pri­vacy, and Retirednesse, and much he hath in thatIb. c. 9. p. 1045 Booke, concerning the Liberty, Tranquillity, and Pleasure of such a Life. In this case may we say asHieron. Ep. ad Rust. S. Ierom did, Mi­hi Oppidum, Carcer: Solitudo, Paradisus. The City to me is a Prison, and Solitarinesse is a Paradice, so much harmeful is it to be in Company, so much Pleasure to be alone. The Virgin Mary was alone Ambros. Ep. l. 6. ep 41. saith S. Ambrose, and an Angel came and conferred with her. Luc. 1.35. She was all alone, and by her selfe, when she wrought the Salvation of the whole World, & conceiued in her Womb the Redemption of al Mankind. Act. 10.9. Pe­ter also was alone, and the Mystery of all the Nations to be consecrated to our Sauiour, was reveiled vnto him. Gen. 3.6. Adam was alone, and being alone he offended not, because his Mind claue fast to God, but when the Woman was ioyned with him, then could he no longer obey the Commandements of God.

The Retyrednes here spoken of, is cald their Chamber. Where by Chamber, if the Bed be meant (thoughQuae sunt ista Cubicula, nisi ip­sa Corda. Vid. Aug. Tom. 4. De Ser. Dom. in Mont. l. 2. S. Au­sten vnderstand by Chamber, the Heart) as is specified in our last Translation, Commune with your owne Heart, v­pon [Page 98] your Bed] and it is very probable indeed, that it was the Prophets meaning in this place, then may it mooue vs much more to meditate in this kinde, the N ght being so fit in many respects as it is. For then doe we lye in those Beds, as it were within our Graues; then the Sheetes may put vs in minde of the Winding Sheete wee are to haue; then the Darknes that doth compasse vs, may best teach vs to call to minde the Land of Darknes which wee shall possesse, a Land of Darknes, as Iob Iob 10.21. speakes, as Darknes it selfe; Vbi nullus ordo, where there is no order at all, but we shall lye promiscuously one with another, and where the Light is as Darknes. In a word, then the Iudgment that hath befalne Thousands in the selfe-same kind, may make vs doubt, whether we shall increase that Number, or to haue the Happinesse, to see the next Morrow Light. So S. Chrysostome, Let vs alwayes endeavour to pray Chrys. in Gen. Hom. 30. saith he, both in the Day time, and in the Night, and rather in the Night, for that no Body then is troublesome to vs, then haue we a great Tranquillity of our Thoughts, when our Businesses are not troublesome, when there is none that can hinder vs from hauing accesse to God, when our Mind knitting it selfe together, is able diligently to make reference of all to the Physition of Soules. And againe a little after, Behold the Doctor of the World saith he, fast in Prison, pray­ing notwithstanding the whole Act. 16.25. Night with Sylas, and no­thing hindred from that Action of his, neither with Sorrow, nor with Bonds, nay by so much the more did they shew their Fervency of Spirit towards the Lord.

But Stilnes is here enjoyned to, Commune with your owne Heart, and in your Chamber, and be still. For as in bodily Vid. Zanch. de Redempt. l. 1. c. 13. Diseases to be quiet, and still, is a great Ease and Help towards the procuring of bodily Health, so is it also in the Soares of the Soule. And therefore the ProphetEsay 30.16. E­say, In Returning, and Rest shall ye be saued: in Quietnes and Confidence shall be your strength And Iob to this purpose, [...] [...]0.4. I will lay my Hand vpon my Mouth. Once haue I spoken, [Page 99] but I will not answere, yea twice, but I will proceed no far­ther. Indeed it is not strugling that will in this case serue the turne. The Bird that fluttereth in the Lime-twiggs, doth but intangle her selfe more and more, and the more impatient we shewe our selues, the greater hold hath Sa­than of vs.Esay 57.19. Peace, Peace to him that is farre off, and to him that is neere, saith the Lord, and I will heale him. But the Wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose Waters cast vp Mire and Dirt.

Vers. 5. Offer the sacrifice of Righteousnes, and put your trust in the Lord.] A Sacrifice among the Iewes, was a sacred Action, wherewith they worshipped God, by of­fring some outward thing vnto his Glory, thereby to te­stifie, as his Dominion ouer them, so their Submission to him againe, Hence had they their multiplicity of Offrings, as their Meat-Offring, their Burnt-Offring, their Sinne-Offring, their Trespasse-Offring, their Peace-Offring, as they are all of them specified by Moses in the Booke ofNomb. 7.13.18.9. Nombers, andLevit. 7.37. Leviticus. Such Sacrifices were either Pro­pitiatory, to procure Favour or Pardon for a Sinne com­mitted; or Gratulatory, to giue Thankes and Praise after some Benefit receiued. Now for the most of them con­tented themselues with Opus Operatum, that is, with per­forming of the Thing only, litle caring how they did per­forme it, so performed it were at all, hence it is that the Prophet here puts them in minde how the selfe-fame Sa­crifices should be offred, and that they should not as they had wont to doe, spill their Gifts in the bringing. Offer saith he, the Sacrifice of Righteousnes, as if so be he had said, Offer to God a right Sacrifice, which as he tels vsPsal. 51.17. els­where, is A troubled Spirit, a broken, and contrite Heart.

What? will some say, and had the Iewes so many Sa­crifices, and had not the Christians aswell as they? Had they their Sinne-Offring, and their Trespasse-Offring, their Peace-Offring, and their Burnt-Offring, and haue wee no Offring at all? Yes, insteed of all these, VNVM nos habe­mus, [Page 100] we haue oneAug. in Ps. 74. & de Temp. Ser. 251. saith S. Austen, and he meanes that of our Saviours on the Crosse, which though it be but onely one, yet is it all-sufficient. SoChrys. in Ep. ad Heb. c. 10. S. Chrysostome, We doe not offer an other Sacrifice, but euer the same, or rather we con­tinue the remembrance of that Sacrifice. SoTheodoret. in Ep. ad Heb. c. 8. vid. Bilson True Diff. p. 512. 513 Theodoret, It is cleare to them that are instructed in our Mysteries, that we doe not offer an other Sacrifice, but continue the memory of that one, and healthfull Sacrifice, Yea, but where then shall we finde the Sacrifice of the Masse? It is excluded. By what Law? By the Laws of Protestants? No, but by the Law of those Fathers, whose Sonnes our Romish Catho­licks would seeme to be. And indeed it hath beneIewels Serm. at Paules Crosse, A^o D. 1560. D^r Whitaker Prae­fat. in Lib. ad­vers Sande­rum de Anti­christo, and his Answere to M^r William Rainolds. c. 7 D^r Fulke, D^r Bilson, D^r Sut­cliffe, &c. offred them, by som [...] of our Side, that if they be able to bring a­ny one sufficient Sentence out of any old Catholick Do­ctor, or Father, whereby it may clearely and plainly bee prooved, either that the People was taught to beleeue,Art. 5. that Christs Body is Really, Substantially, Corporally, Carnally, or Naturally in the Sacrament: orArt. 17. that the Priest had Authority to offer vp Christ vnto his Father, & that the People were taught to beleeue both these, for the space of Six Hundred yeares after Christ, they would bee content to yeeld, and to subscribe. It is strange to see what poore Proofes were brought by Harding, to that purpose, and by Such as tooke his part, Rastal, Saunders, Stapleton, Rai­nolds, and Others. But to returne to my purpose.

Besides that One Sacrifice whereof S. Austen speakes, which is most truly a SACRIFICE indeed. We haue other Sacrifices to, as The Sacrifice of Prayer, The Sacrifice of Praise, The Sacrifice of Almes, the Sacrifice of our own Bo­dies, wherof the Apostle to the Romans, Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Bre­thren, by the Mercies of God, that yee present your Bodies, a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable vnto God. In regard of which Foure Sacrifices, euery Christian is a Priest, & ther­fore2. Pet. 2.9 S. Peter, Ye are a chosen Generation, a royall Priest­hood, an holy Nation, a peculiar People, which though it were spoken then to the1 Pet. 1.1. Strangers onely, scattered [Page 101] throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bythi­nia, yet is it spoken to vs in them, forasmuch as now at this time, there isGal. 3.28. neither Iew, nor Greeke, there is neither Bond, nor Free, there is neither Male, nor Female, for we are all one in Christ Iesus. But to returne where I left.

As David here in this place puts them in minde of a Right Sacrifice, so likewise the Prophet Esay, or rather the Lord in that Prophet: To what purpose, Esay. 1.11. saith hee, is the Multitude of your Sacrifices vnto me, I am full of the burnt Offerings of Rams, and the Fat of fed Beasts: and I delight not in the bloud of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of hee Goats. When yee come to appeare before me, who hath required this at your hand to tread my Courts? Bring no more vaine Ob­lations, Incense is abomination vnto me: the new Moones and Sabbaths, the calling of Assemblies I cannot away with, it is iniquitie, even the Solemne Meeting. Your new Moons, and your appointed Feasts, my Soule hateth, they are a trou­ble vnto me, I am weary to beare them. No doubt the Lord required al these things at their hand, even the Multitude of these Sacrifices: the burnt Offrings of Rams, the fat of fed Beasts, the bloud of Bullocks, and of Lambs, as also of he Goats, and that the Offerers thereof should tread in his Courts. No doubt he required Incense at their hands, the observation of new Moones, and Sabbaths, and solemne Meetings and appointed Feasts, but it was the Manner he misliked, not the Materials, and therefore in regard of that Manner if so bee they would mend their manners in washing themselues, and making cleane, in putting away the evil of their Doings from before his eyes, in ceasing to doe evill, and learning to doe well, in seeking iudge­ment, releeuing the Oppressed, iudging the Fatherlesse, & pleading for the Widowe, it is a great Invitation, and a Promise too, that followes after,Esay. 1.1 [...]. Come now and let vs reason togither, saith the Lord: though your Sinnes be as Scarlet, they shall be as white as Snow; though they be red like Crimson, they shall be as Wooll. King Ahasuerus never held [Page 102] out hisEsther. 4.11. Golden Scepter to better purpose.

But besides the Sacrifices to be thus made, the Prophet here enioynes them one point more, namely, To put their trust in the Lord. For as little Children when they learne to goe alone, feeling the feeblenesse of their owne Feet are taught by Nature to thrust out the Hand to the Wall, and trust to it to stay them: so in regard of our own weak­nesse and speciall acquaintance with it, Nature and Reli­gion both, teach vs to trust to a stronger then our selues, least we vtterly miscarry. Now this stronger then our selues, it may not be the,Ier. 7.4. Words of Man; no, nor theEzech. 16.15 Bew­ty of Man; no, norIer 17.5. Flesh, that is, the strength of Man; nor1. Tim. 6.17. Riches, which is the Wealth of Man; nor2. Sam. 15.3. Wit, that is, the Wisdome of Man; nor worldlyPs. 142.2. Princes, and earthly Potentates, who are the best, of the best of Men; No, but it must be He, who is to vs all these, bothRev. 17.14. Bewty, & Strength and Riches, and Wisdome, the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, as he is styled by the Apostle S. Iohn in his Book ofRev. 17.14. Revelation. It is a desperateVid. D. Abb. Apol. against. Bish. Part. 1. p. 247. Doctrine of theirs then that teach vs to Rely on Saints; that wills vs to Pray and make our Petitions vnto thêm; to Offer vnto thêm; to Sweare by thêm; to Giue them the Honour of Temples, & of Altars; for what is it that God himselfe doth more ex­pect at our hands, or that we must reserue for him? May he not say in these cases as did King Solomon to his Mo­ther, when she petitioned for Adoniah, 1. King. 2.22. Aske for him the Kingdome also? It is the Lord then that wee must trust in, the Lord of Lords, and the King of Kings, that as all Na­turall Effects haue recourse to their Causes when ever they stand in need, and they become the stronger: the Fish distressed to the Water, and is relieued; the Bird to the Dam, and is shrowded vnder her Wings; the Child to his Parents, and is cherished by them: So let vs to the LORD of Heauen, who is the Water of comfort, the Henne that would gather her Chickens, and the truest Father, and truest Mother that ever was.Esay. 49.15. Can a Woman forget her [Page 103] sucking Child that she should not haue compassion on the Son of her Womb? yea they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

Verse. 6. There be Many that say who will shew vs any good,] M^r. Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 1. §. 8. As every thing naturally and necessarily doth de­sire the vtmost Good, and greatest Perfection whereof Nature hath made it capable, so likewise Man. Mans Feli­city therefore being the Object, and accomplishment of his Desire, he cannot choose but wish and covet it. This made Aristotle begin his Ethicks with that Vniversall Proposition,Arist. Ethic. l. 1. c. 1. All Arts, all Learning, All Action, All Con­sultation haue their reference to some Good. Howbeit, Man when as he beginneth to propose to himselfe this Good, then is he at a Maze. Quot Capita, Tot Sensus: so many Men, so many Minds. And yet as that worthy Frenchman obserues,Mornaeus de Verit. Rel. Christ c. 19. When none of vs knowe which way to goe, scarce­ly not one of vs but doth professe himselfe a Teacher and Di­recter of all others. One man he cries to the Right Hand, ano­ther to the Left, a Third will vp to the Mountaines, a Fourth will traverse the Fields. All alike certaine, all vncertaine of the Way. Ʋarro as S. Austen Aug. de Civ. Dei. l. 19. c. 1. tells vs, setting himselfe a­worke to number these Diversities of Opinions in this kinde, came to Two Hundred Eighty and Eight, so many By-waies hath wandring Error. Howbeit the Truth is but one. Now the Prophet here endeauoring to bring vs all to that Truth, proposeth here the like Question, con­cerning the Felicity of Man. There be Many, saith he, that say, who will shew vs any Good? Many among the Iews, ma­ny among the Gentiles. Many among the Gentiles, I con­fesse, but Many among the Iewes? Why? They areRom. 9.4. Isra­elites; to them pertaineth the Adoption, and the Glory, & the Covenants, and the Giuing of the Law, and the Seruice of God, and the Promises; theirs are the Fathers, and of them concerning the Flesh, CHRIST came, who is over all, God blessed for ever; Many among them? Yes: among them, for as it followeth there in that place,V. 6. They are not all Israel, which are of Israel, nether because they are the [Page 104] seed of Abraham, are they all Children. Nether is hee a Iew,Rom. 2.28. saith the same Apostle, which is one outwardly, ne­ther is that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh: but he is a Iew which is one inwardly, and Circumcision is, that of the Heart, in the Spirit, and not in the Letter, whose praise is not of Men, but of God. Where we see by the way that the Major Part is not alwaies the better Part, but thereof I haue spokenExposit. in Ps. 3.1. p. 65. before.Piscat. in hunc Psal. Piscator goes an other way, and makes the meaning of the Words of this Verse to be this: Many] All for the most part, the common Sort of Men, weary of these Troubles, when they heare that I am designed from Heauen to be their King, and yet to be persecuted thus by Saul, say, Oh that some would bring it to passe, that we might enioy some Good, that is, Peace, and Worldly Happinesse. Which sence if the Rea­der will, he may take with good Probability. But what is the Answere to the Question here? The Answer fol­loweth.

Vers. 7. Lord, lift thou vp the Light of thy Countenance vpon vs.] Concerning the Word Lord, I haue spokenExpos. in Ps. 3.1. p. 64 be­fore. The Answer here is not by way of Narration, but a great deale more significantly by way of Obsecration. Would we then knowe wherein this Felicity, this chiefe Good doth consist? It is in the Light of Gods Countenance, that is, in Gods Favours towards vs. For as Mens Favour is declared by the Countenance that they shewe, Imag [...] Animi Vultus est, Indices Oculi: The Countenance, Tully de Orat. l. 3. saith Tully, is the Image of the Mind, and that which paints out the Countenance to vs, are the Eies: So by an vsuall Figure in holy Srripture, the Countenance of the Lord, as it is said to be an Austere, and a Clowdy Countenance vnto the Reprobate, so is it Louely and Gratious to his Chil­dren. In the light of the Kings Countenance, Prov. 16.15. saith Solo­mon, is Life, and his favour is as a Clowd of the latter Raine. And if it be so in a Kings Countenance, who oftentimes is pleased to Day, to Morrow is displeased againe, who [Page 105] at one and the selfe same time is contented that Haman should be invited with him to a Feast, and before the Cloth be taken away,Esther. 7.9. giues him a paire of Galows for a Grace-cup; how is it in the light of the Countenance of the King of Kings,Iam. 1.17. with whom is no variablenesse, nether shadow of turning. Againe,Heb. 13.8. Iesus Christ the same Yesterday and to Day, and for ever. O put not your trust in Princes, Ps. 146.2. saith David, nor in any Child of Man, for there is no helpe in them. S. Austen hath an excellent speech to the selfe same purpose we haue in hand. Some places of Refuge there are, Aug. in Ps. 45. saith he, wherevnto if a Man fly, hee is in worse case then he was before. As for example thou retainest to some Great Man in the World, thereby to make him thy Friend, & thou supposest thy selfe secure. And yet for all that, there are such Tanta tamen huius Saeculi in­certa sunt, & ita Potentum Rui­nae quetidiane crebrescunt: vt cum ad tale Re­fugium consuge­ris, plus ibi ti­mero incipias. Vncartainties in this World, and the Fals of great Men are so common, that when thou hast gotten thee such a Refuge thou hast a great deale more cause to feare, then ever thou hadst before.

Vers. 8. Thou hast put Gladnesse in my Heart, Since the time that their Corne, and Wine, and Oyle increased. An ef­fect of the Light of the Countenance of God: Delight, and Ioy, and Gladnesse of Heart. Mihi crede, res severa est verum Gaudium. Beleeue it,Senec. Epist. l. 3. ep. 23. saith Seneca, true Ioy indeed is a matter of much Gravity. Wee may see it by our Prophet here, who had not that Ioy that is de­scribed by the Preacher, to bee as theEccles. 7.5. Crackling of Thornes vnder a Pot, or as aEcclus. 21.20 Lifting vp of the Voice with Laughter: No; but Ioy he had notwithstanding, and such Gladnesse of Heart, as that the Gladnesse of his Enemies, who had all things in such abundance, Corne, and Wine, and Oyle, was nothing comparable therevnto. Even in laughter, Prov. 14.13. saith Solomon, the Heart is sorrowfull; and the end of that Mirth is Heauinesse. Dronysius the Tyrant of Sicily, expressed this, no man better. The Story is at large both inTull. Tusc. Quaest. l. 5. Tully, andMacrob. in Som. Scip. l. 1. c. 10. Macrobius.

The Increasing here of their Corne, and Wine, and Oyle [Page 106] thus specified, doth intimate vnto vs their time of Har­vest. Which three Commodities were so great in the Land of Canaan their Country, as that it was oftentimes called by the Holy Ghost,Exod 3.8.3.17.13.5.33.3. A Land that floweth with Milk and Hony. Now their Ioy in Harvest was so great, as that the Prophet Esay, when hee would expresse great Ioy in­deed, thought good to fetch his Comparison from thence. They ioy, Esay. 9.3. saith he, before thee according to the ioy in Haruest. Which Ioy, no doubt, is the greater, by reason of such Multitude [...] as then Ioy togither. When many Ioy togither, saithAug. Confess. l. 8. c. 4. S. Austen, each Mans Ioy is more Feruent, for that they inflame one another. But yet when all comes to all, the Ioy in Haruest is but Earthly Ioy, and therefore well may the Prophet here preferre his Ioy before that. For howsoeuer it be here read, Thou hast put Gladnesse in my Heart, since the time that their Corne, and Wine, & Oyle increased: yet more agreeable to the Hebrew is that in our last Translation, as also in the Former before, Thou hast put Gladnesse in my Heart, more then in the time that their Corne, and their Wine increased. And againe, Thou hast giuen me more Ioy of Heart then they haue had, when their Wheat and Wine did abound.

Yea but hereThe Abridg­ment of the Booke which the Lincolne­shire Minist. deliuered to his Maiesty. p. 15. Exception is taken for adding of Cyle, seeing it is not in the Hebrew. It is true, it is not, but is it not in the [...] v. 5. Gracè. Greeke, or in the Septuagint? Is it not in that from whence the Psalter is translated for the most part, without reference to the Hebrew? Were it a matter in controversie, & that the Greeke, and the Hebrew were contrary, no doubt but we should be tried by the Hebrew rather, but seeing it is about such Additions, as more co­piously explicate the meaning of the Text, what need so much adoe, about Trifles and Nifles only. Wherefore now to the Matter in hand.

Worldly Ioy when it is caused by reason of Wealth, is commonly but briefe, and of a short continuance. How many Rich Men Yesterday, Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 5. saith S. Austen, and to Day but [Page 107] Poore, how many haue gone Wealthy to Bed, and by reason of Theeues that haue robd them in the Night, haue awaked in the Morning as poore, as poore might bee. Our Age hath seene within the space of anThe lamen­table burning of Teuerton, A^o 1612. Houre, by casualty of Fire, and that at Mid-day to, the Wealthiest in a City as poore as Iob. ‘Vae tibi Ridenti quia mox post Gaudia Flebis,’ is a Verse, oneGoclen. de Risu. saith, that comprehendeth in it all the Eight parts of Speech, like asPlutarch. Pla­ton. Quaest. Quaest. 9. Homer in a Greeke Verse comprehended the like. I shall not need now at this time to examine that in the Latine, but sure I am it compriseth in it, all Worldlings whatsoever, our Saviour speaking to all, when he spake vnto them in Prose,Luc. 6.25. Woe be to you that Laugh now, for you shall Mourne. But is the Ioy of the Godly such, and shall it last no longer then so? Nay, but he saith to them, Your Heart shall Reioice, and your Ioy nee Man taketh, that is, shall be able to take, from you. Ioh. 16.22.

Verse. 9. I will lay me dow [...]e in peace, and take my rest, for it is thou Lord only that makest me dwell in safty.] The Prophet in the former Psalme told vs what he had done, I l [...]id me downe, Ps. 3.5. saith he, and slept, and rose vp againe, for the Lord sustained me: he tells vs here what he would doe. Both come to one reckoning, both intimating vnto vs that for all our Nights past which wee haue slept heretofore, for all we shall sleepe hereafter, as long as our Liues shall last, we haue beene, wee are to be, beholding to the Lord. Except the Lord keep the City, Ps. 127.2. saith David, the Watchman waketh but in vaine, and except the Lord keep our Bodies at that time, the Cities of our Soules, the Sleepers sleep but in vaine nether. How quickly are we gone in the turning of an Hand? Truly as the Lord liueth, and as thy Soule li­ueth, 1. Sam. 20.3. saith Dauid to Ionathan, there is but a Step between me and Death. Truly many times there is in this case not so much. Let but our Spittle mistake the Passage, which is easily done in the Night time by reason of the Rewme, & how irrecouerably may we be gone. TheFrench A­cadem. Part. 2. c. 16. The Epiglottis, or [Page 108] little Tongue that closeth the amplitude of Larinx, or the top of the Rough Artery, as the Cover of a Pot, how doth it still saue vs from dayly and deadly Dangers? Howbeit the Dangers here meant are not so much in regard of such Infirmities, as of the Cruelty of Enemies who would haue done by our Prophet, as Abishai would haue done by King Saul when he found him fast asleep, would but Da­vid haue said the word. God, 1. Sam. 26.8. saith Abishai to Dauid, hath deliuered thine Enemie into thine Hand: now there­fore let me smite him I pray thee, with the Speare even to the Earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. But I haue spoken on this Argument in the Psalme Exposit. on Ps. 3.5. p. 70. before. I now conclude with that of David in another of his Psalmes,Ps. 124.1. If the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side, now may Israel say, if the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side, when Men rose vp against vs, they had swallowed vs vp quicke, when they were so wrathfully displeased at vs. Yea the Waters had drowned vs, and the Streame had gone ouer our Soules.

And thus much of this Fourth Psalme, concerning which, if any be desirous to haue more said of it then is, I referre him to that which S, Austen hath in his Booke of Confessions, where speaking of the Psalmes in Generall, and Particularly of this Fourth Psalme: I would the Mani­chees, Aug. Confess. l. 9. c. 4. saith hee, had beene by me (so I had not knowne of it) when I had occasion to read the Psalms, especially the Fourth Psalme: and then he recites it wholy word by word, and makes a Paraphrase therevpon: as if it touched those H [...] ­reticks as neere, as neere might bee. Nor can I here for­get what Erasmus saith of this Psalme. This one Psalme alone, Erasm. Op. Tom. 5. in Ps. 4. p. 246. saith he, as short as it is, would suffice vs for Salvati­on, did we but Vnderstand what we read therein, and what we Vnderstand, did we but Practise in our Liues. Indeed Prac­tise is all in all. For haue we in our Crosses & Calamities that doe betide vs, any recourse vnto the Lord? No surely not a whit. Little difference now adaies, nay none at all [Page 109] betwixt Turkes and Infidels once wronged, & those that beare the Name of CHRISTIANS. Euery Man now quits himselfe with like for like, and is his owne Caruer. Or if he be of a brauer Spirit then ordinary, then is hee aGen. 4.23. Lamech streight, or aExaminat. and true Rel [...]t.. &c. of the Mur­ther of S^• IOHN TYN­DAL. A^o 1616. Bertram, though he play the part ofMat. 27.5. Act. 1.18. Iudas too, in murthering himselfe when he hath done. We are like for all the World the Cat in theAesop. Fab. Gr. & Lat. Fab. 172. Fable, as de­mure as may be, till wee are crossed, but then let a little Mouse runne by suppose some petty Iniury not worth the speaking of, and all our demurenesse is quite dasht, and streight wee prooue, Cat after kinde. Strange it is to consider vpon what slight occasions, what Hurly burlies haue beene in the World. Let me speake it in Michael Montaigne his Words,Nos plus gran­des agitations, ont des ressorts & causes ridi­cles. Poure la querel­le d'vne char­rette de peaux de mouton. L' engraueure d' vn ca [...]bet. Les Essates de Michael. Seig­neur de Mon­taigne. l. 3. c. 10 Our greatest Agitations, haue strange Springs, and ridiculous Causes. What ruine did our late Duke of Burgundie run into, for the Quarrel of a Cart load of Sheepe-skins? And was not the grauing of a Seale, the cheefe Cause of the most horrible Breach and Topsy-tu [...]uy, that ever this Worlds Frame endured? For Pompey & Caesar are but the new Buddings, and continuation of two others. And a little after: Poets haue most iudicially lookt into this who but for an Apple haue set all Greece and Asia on Fire and Sword. We learnt it in Tullies Offices long agoe, but we left it at Schoole behind vs as soone as we left the Schoole, Tull. Offic. l. 2 Convenit à Litibus quantum liceat (& nescio an paulò plus quàm liceat) abhorrentem esse. Est enim non modò liberale, paulum nonnunquam de suo iure decedere: sed interdum etiam fructuosum. Which were it englished as it should be, would teach English Men, how convenient it is as much as may be, and happily more then well may be, to abhorre BRABLING &Vid. D. Pride­aux his Two Sermons of Christs Coun­sell for ending Law Cases. LAWING. For that it is not only a point of Ingenuity sometimes to yeeld a little of our Right, but there is also Profit in it. But thus much of this Psalme.

VErse 1. Ponder my Words O Lord, consider my Me­ditation.] Concerning the Word, LORD, I haue spokenExposit. on Ps. 3.1. p. 64. before. Prayers M^r Hooker Eccles. Pol. l. 5. §. 23. saith Reverend Hooker, are thoseHosea 14.3. Calues of Mens Lips, those most gracious and sweetRev. 5.8. Odours, those richAct. 10.4. Presents and Gif [...]s, which be­ing carried vp into Heauen, doe best testifie our dutifull Affection, and are for the purchasing of all Favour at the Hands of God, the most vndoubted Meanes we can vse. Now Prayer is twofold, namely Ʋocall, by way of Voice, when as we vse Words to that purpose: or Mentall, when we vse no Words, but onely the Conceits of our Mindes. According to both these waies did the Godly vse to pray; and though most commonly the Former way, yet some­times the Latter to. SoExod. 14.15. Moses, so1. Sam. 1.13. Hannah, and S. Au­sten speaking of himselfe, My Confession, oh my God Aug. Confess. l. 10. c. 2. saith he, is made in thy Sight secretly, and yet not in secret, Tacet enim strepitu, clamat affectu, it makes no noyse at all by way of sound, and yet is it clamorous by reason of her Loue. And S. Gregory to this purpose, They are not our Words Greg. in Iob l. 22. c. 18. saith he, but our Desires, that yeeld a most forcible Sound in the most secret Eares of God. For if we aske Eternall Life onely [Page 113] with the Mouth, and desire it not in Heart, Clamantes ta­cemus, for all our crying, we are indeed but dumb: but if wee desire it from the Heart, though we speake neuer a word, Ta­centes clamamus, though we hold our peace, yet we doe cry. Thus the Prophet here in this Place, hee hath his Ʋocall Prayer, and his Mentall, he hath his Words, and his Me­ditation, and in our Private Devotions at Hoame, it is all one to God aboue, whether we vse the One, or the Other. As our Eares Aug. in Ps. 148 & Hom. 16. saith S. Austen, are to our Words, so are Gods Eares to our Thoughts: and againe in an other place, We Aug. in Ps. 141. saith he, heare not One the other, without the Benefit, as of our Lungs, so of our Toungs, Cogitatio tua Clamor est ad Dominum, thy very Thoughts are shrill in Gods Eares.

But what saith the Prophet here concerning these Words, and Thoughts? Ponder? Consider? Ponder my Words? Consider my Meditations? Why? to whom doth he speake? to whom doth he vse these Words? Speakes he not vnto the Lord? doth hee not vse them to God a­boue? And is it fit that Dust and Ashes should thus speak vnto Hîm? Say but to thy Fellow Creature, if once he bee aboue thee in Authority, and I meane that Lawfull Au­thority,Aug. ep. 160. quam illi Deus Homini in Homines dedit, which to him being a Man, God hath giuen him ouer Men, Sir, Consider my Suit, ponder that I haue spoken vnto you, weigh it well before you iudge, and will hee not presently take it in snuff, and thinke you haue done him great wrong, as if you did call his Wits in question? But oh the Loue of our Creator, that disdaines not to be call'd vpon euen in these Termes, Ponder, Consider, that Magistrates may learne in like sort to giue poore Suiters leaue, if somtimes transported, and carried away with the eagernes of their Affections, they chance to forget good Behaviour. Me­morable is that of a poote Woman, who hauing a Suit to King Philip of Macedon, and hearing him say that he was not at leisure to heare her, Noli ergo regnare Plutarch. Apopth. said She, [Page 114] then be not at leisure to be a King; which bold, and au­dacious Answer of Hers, the King admiring, and taking in good part, gaue audience to Her presently, and not to Her only, but also to Other besides. How many Petty o­ther Magistrates would haue taken an other course, and haue sent her where She should haue learn'd, at least wise haue bene taught better Manners. Yet would I not haue Suitors to be too bold neither. Davus neuer spake bet­ter, then when he said to his young Master, somewhat dis­pleased with his Father,Terent. And. Act. 2. Sc. 2. Pater est Pamphile, difficile est. No more of that Pamphilus, if you loue me. Remember he is your Father, and there is no dealing with him in this kind. Now Magistrates are as Fathers. And if the Apostle, spea­king of Fathers, Heb. 12.10. saith, they chasten vs after their owne Pleasure, and yet we giue them Reverence, how much more should we performe the selfe same Reverence to the Fathers, not of Vs only, but also of our Country. Our Pro­phet goeth on.

Verse 2. Oh hearken thou vnto the Ʋoice of my calling, my King, and my God, for vnto thee will I make my Prayer.] Did I say our Prophet goeth on? Nay it seemes he is no farther then he was before, for what doth he say in these Words, which he said not in the Former? And yet there are not here those vaine Repetitions, such as our Saviour findeth fault withall in theMat. 6.7. Gospel of S. Mathew. There is no [...], no vaine Babling here, such as his, who was the Primum Mobile, or rather the Primum Nobile in that kind:

Ovid. Met. l. 2. Montibus (inquit) erant, & erant in Montibus illis: No: there is no superfluity in these Words. Then is it to be accounted [...], vaine Babling, Multiloquium tum adhibetur, cum citra [...]idem &c. P. Martyr in 1. Sam. 1.12 saith Peter Mar­tyr, when as we multiply Words without Faith, and Spirit, per­swading our selues we shal be heard for our many Words sake. This was farre no doubt from our Prophet here, who was so farre from being without Faith, that as S. Thomas to our Saviour Christ, when as our Saviour had said vnto [Page 115] him, Be not faithlesse, but beleeuing, said presently there­vpon,Ioh. 20.28. My Lord, and my God, so King David here in this Place, My King, and my God. In which Words, let vs consider both the Matter, and the Manner.

The Matter is, that he stileth him, KING, and GOD: King in regard that hee is the Soveraigne Emperour and Ruler ouer the whole World, and so he is as S. Paul in his1. Tim. 1.17. Epistle to Timothy, a King Eternall, Immortall, Invisible: and hee is styled elsewhere by David, Ps. 24.7.8.9.10. The King of Glory, and that oftentimes in one Psalme: God, in regard he is a most powerfull Spirituall Substance, Ineffable, In­comprehensible, of whom we may more easily say,Aug in Ps. 85. & de Trin. l. 8. c. 2. saith S. Austen what he is not, then what he is. And againe, All things Aug in Ioh. Tract. 13. saith he, may be spoken of God, and yet nothing wor­thily may be spoken of him. Nihil latius hâc Inopia, Nothing more large and ample then this Scarcity, this Want.

The Manner is, that he stileth him here, My King, and my God. There isLuth. in Gal. c. 1. saith Luther in Pronounes, much Vehemency, and Power. In worldly Affaires Meum, and Tuum, Mine, and Thine, it is said, they marre all, sure I am they are the Causes of much brangling in the World: but Meum in Spirituall Affaires is so farre from marring, that indeed it makes all. Of the Words, My God, I haue spo­kenVid. Exposit. on Ps. 3.7. p. 75 before, but that the Prophet here saith, My King to, it is much remarkeable. For what was the Prophet but a King himself? He then calling God his King, resigneth (as it were) to God his Crowne, and Dignity. So the foure and twenty Elders in the Revelation of S. Iohn, they cast their Crownes before the Throne, saying,Rev. 4.10. Thou art wor­thy, O Lord, to receiue Glory, and Honour, and Power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy Pleasure they are, and were created. Indeed, Omne sub Regno graviore Reg­num est, saithSenec. Thyest. Act. 3. One: and againe anHorat. Carm. l. 3. Od. 1. Other to this pur­pose,

[Page 116] As Kings are ouer Men, so God is ouer Kings, and Kings though they haue no Superiour here on Earth, yet they haue One aboue, whose Eyes are ouer them in al their do­ings. Kings are free Ambros. Tom. 4 De Apolog. Da­vid. saith S. Ambrose, from being to be pu­nished for their Offences, their Temporall Lawes take no hold of them, by reason of the Power themselues haue, and yet howsoeuer they are safe in regard of that Power, they are not­withstanding subiect to God, in regard of Faith, and Devo­tion. And S. Austen to like purpose, Kings of the Earth are terrible Aug. in Ps. 75 saith he, yet He more terrible then all, that ter­rifies earthly Kings. Nor meanes he the Pope neither. Nay, so farre was he from acknowledging his Vicar-ship from God, that he frankly acknowledgeth it in Earthly Kings, Rex adoratur in Terris, Aug. Tom. 4. Quaest. ex Novo Test. qu. 91. saith he, quasi VICARIVS Dei. It is the King (not the Pope) that is adored here on Earth as the VICAR of God, or Gods VICEGERENT.

Vers. 3. My Voice shalt thou heare betimes, O Lord: earely in the Morning will I direct my Prayer vnto thee, and will looke vp.] The Hebrewes Lyra in hunc Ps. saith Lyra, haue not the Optatiue Mood, and therefore vse the Future of the Indi­catiue insteed thereof. So that Shalt thou heare in this place, is as if the Prophet here wished that the Lord would heare indeed, and that betimes. Iansenius in his Noates hereupon, The Prophet saith, Iansen. in hunc [...]. saith he, thou shalt heare, out of a certaine Confidence he had, that God would heare him, or els the Future is put for the Imperatiue, Heare thou. For that is frequent with the Hebrewes. And my Paraphrasis saith he, sheweth both. I haue heard that some of our Schoolemaisters are like in the Latine Toung to loose vs the Optatius Mood to, in that they teach it not their Schollers, but cause them to skip it ouer, because of ta­king Gods Name in vaine. Surely in my opinion, such Schoolemaisters deserue such vsage as the Schoolmaister inLiv. Dec. 1. l. 5. Livy had, by that noble Camillus the Roman. But ynough of this, least they strike me with their Ferula. I proceed.

This Betimes, and this Earlines, the Prophet explica­teth vnto vs more particularly in an other Psalme.Ps. 130.6. My Soule fleeth vnto the Lord, saith he, before the Morning Watch, I say before the Morning Watch: it is as if hee had said, before the Sun it selfe was vp. S. Ambrose alluding hereunto, Let a devoted Spirit Ambros. in Ps. 36. saith he, prevent the Mor­ning, let it participate of the Night, that it may be illighte­ned by Christ, before the Earth be illuminated by the Rising of the Sun. And indeed If Demosthenes were soTull. Tusc. Quaest. l. 4. aggree­ved, that Handy-crafts-Men in a Morning should be at their Anuyles, before himselfe could be at his Study, how much more should it grieue vs to be preuented by them, nay by Demosthenes himselfe in an early carriage of this Busines. The Night Chrys. ad Pop. Antioch. Hom. 42. saith S. Chrysostome, was not made to this purpose, that we should sleepe all the time, and lye lolling on our Beds. The manuary Trades, and Horse-keepers, and Marchants, can witnesse so much vnto vs. The Church it selfe riseth at Midnight: Rise thou also as doth the Church. Mark the Motion of the Stars, the deep Silence of all things then being, their rest they then enioy, and admire the Pro­vidence of God aboue. Then is thy Soule more pure, more light, and subtle, more lofty, and quick. The very Darknes it selfe, and that great Silence, may induce thee to much Com­punction. And againe a little after: Looke towards the Ci­ty, and thou shalt heare no noise at all: cast thine Eye on thy owne House, and all thy Family shall seeme vnto thee as if they lay in their Graues, or Sepulchres. All this may stirre thee vp to high, and heauenly Meditations.

But what is meant here by the Prophets Looking vp? Earely in the Morning will I direct my Prayer vnto thee, & will looke vp. It is as if he had said, he would expect, and hope for somewhat from aboue. Like as Peter, and Iohn, going into the Temple to pray, & saying to the Creeple that lay in their way, [...]. Act. 3.4. Respice in nos, Looke on vs, they put him in good comfort, that he shovld receiue some­what of them. Thus the ProphetMicah 7.7. Micah, I will looke vn­to [Page 118] the Lord: I will wait for the God of my Saluation, the Prophet vsing the selfe-sameTSAPPAH. in Piel, TSIP­PAH. Word, that is vsed here in this place.

Vers. 4. For thou art the God that hath no pleasure in Wickednesse: neither shall any evill dwell with thee.] It is His Note vpon this place even in these very Words,Calvin in hunc loc. DEVM NON ESSE PECCATI AVTHOREM, God is not the Author of Sinne, whom our Adversaries with open mouth continually yolp against, as if he maintained that he were. In saying, Rhem. in Mat. 13.15. say the Rhemists, that they shut their owne Eyes, which S. Paul also repeateth, Act. 28, he teach­eth vs the true vnderstanding of all other Places, where it might seeme by the bare words that God is the very Author, and Worker of this Induration, and Blindnesse, and of other Sinnes: which was an old condemned Blasphemy, and is now the Heresie of Calvin. So Campian, who laies it to the charge of vs all, These, Camp. Rat. 8. saith hee, are their owne Axioms: God is the Author, and Cause of Sinne, Wil­ling, Prompting, Making, Commanding, and Working it, & therein gouerning the wicked Counsels of Naughty Men. The Adultery of David, and the Treason of Iudas, was as pro­perly the Worke of God, as was the Calling of S. Paul. And Duraeus Duraeus in Whitak. seconds him. But D^r Bishop out-strips them all, (I alwaies except that PLVTO of theirs,Wrights Arti­cles answered in part by D. Barlow after­wards Bish. of Lincolne: wholy by D. Bulckley, and M. Wotton. Wright the Priest, who shames not to say that wee Protestants make GOD worse then the DIVELL) but D^r Bishop hath this Passage: An other Opinion Some of them hold, D. Bishop Sec. Part of the Reformat. of a Cath. Praefat. §. 10. saith he, to wit that God who hath beene alwaies by Good Men esteemed the Author of all Good, &c. is become the Author, Plotter, Promoter, and Worker of all the Wickednesse and Mischeef, that is, or hath beene, committed in the World. This is the Doctrine, saith he, of Zuinglius, with him agreeth Bucer, of the same accursed crew was Melancthon. But the Principall Procter and Promoter of this Blasphemy is CALVIN. And who would not now thinke but that Calvin were guilty indeed. Howbeit the Rhemists haue had a FVLCK, as al­so [Page 119] a CARTWRIGHT; Campian and Duraus a WHI­TAKER: Wright a BVLCKLEY, and a WOTTON: Bi­shop an ABBOT: that haue quitted Calvin, and Vs of this starke staring Sclander. The truth is we all teach, and that with vniforme consent, as that worthyD. Abbots Third Part of the Defence of the Reform. Cath. p. 63. Doctor de­liuereth, that Mans Sinne is wholy of himselfe by corrup­tion of Nature, and that from his owne Heart, as from a poisoned Root proceedeth all the Wickednesse of his Life: to God we attribute no more but that he voluntari­ly permitteth, and wisely ordreth, and iustly vseth to his purposes the Sinne of Man. For as theD Abbot. Ib. p 66. Beames of the Sunne drawe from a dead Carrion a noysome and filthie sauour, whereof the Sunne cannot possibly be said to bee the Cause, which with the same Beames causeth from the Viols:, and the Rose a pleasing and delightsome smell, but the whole matter thereof ariseth from the Carrion or Carcas it selfe: euen so God by the secret operation of his vnsearchable Power findeth meanes to drawe forth the Sin, and Wickednesse of Man, which yet he in no sort worketh in him, but the whole Contagion and Filth there­of ariseth from the Corruption of Man himselfe. All that we say in this case may be proued by the Fathers, I by our Adversaries themselues, as against that Bishop in name, that worthy Doctor, since a Bishop indeed,D. Abbot. Ib. p. 81. hath well obserued. And but that D. Bishop now of late hath put Life into this Sclander, I should thinke by the Doway Bi­ble, and their Notes vpon this place, that his Puefellowes are halfe ashamed to cast it any more in our teeth. Even this might haue taught D. Bishop some modesty, but how should he haue plaid his Prizes then, and been so copious in this point, who I suppose had that ofTully Tusc. Quaest. l. 1. Tully in his mind when he began that Passage, Quia Disertus esse possem, si contra ista dicerem. I will knit vp all this with those excellent Wordes of an other Prelate of our Church, who wrighting vponMy L. of Lond. on Ionas, Lect. 18. Ionas; God is of pure Habac. 1.13. Eies, and can behold no Wickednesse, he hath laid Righteous­nesse [Page 120] to the Rule, and weighed his Iustice in a Ballance, his Soule hateth and abhorreth Sinne, Esay. 42.2 [...]. Amos. 2 [...] 5. I haue serued with your Iniquities. It is a Labour, Service, and Thraldome vn­to him, more then Israel endured vnder their grieuous Task­masters; his Law to this day curseth and condemneth Sinne, his Hands haue Smitten and Scourged Sinne, he hath throw­en downe Angels, plagued Men, overturned Cities, ruina­ted Nations, and not spared his owne Bowels, whilst hee ap­peared in the Similitude of sinfull Flesh; he hath drowned the World with a Floud of Waters, and shall burne the World with a Flood of Fire because of Sin. The Sentence shall stand immoueable, as long as Heauen and Earth endureth: Rom. 2.9. Tribu­lation and Anguish vpon every Soule of Man that doth evil of the Iew first, and also of the Gentile. Seeing God then abhorres all Wickednesse, and can by no meanes away therewith, how ought wee also to frame our Liues accor­dingly therevnto. Our Saviour hauing shewed that hee came to fulfill the Law, and interpreting the Law con­cerning KILLING, to bee but Angry with our Brother vnadvisedly; and the Law concerning ADVLTERY to be but to Looke on a Woman lustfully; and the Law con­cerning SWEARING to Sweare not at all; and the Law of louing our NEIGHBOVRS, to Loue even our Ene­mies, hisMat. 5.48. Conclusion at length is, Bee yee therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heauen, is perfect. Agreeable wherevnto is that of the Apostle,Heb. 1 [...].14. Follow Peace with all Men, and Holinesse, without which (Holinesse) no man shall see the Lord.

Vers. 5. Such as be foolish shall not stand in thy sight: for thou hatest all them that worke Vanitie.] Who they are in Holy Scripture that are meant by Foolish, is evident to such as are conversant therein. They are in very deed Sin­ners and Wicked Men, who despising the Wisdome of the Word of God, follow their owne Lusts and sinfull Appe­tites, and consequently betake themselues to the Wis­dome of the Flesh. Now theThe carnall Mind. Last Translat. Rom. 8.7. Wisdome of the Flesh is En­mity [Page 121] against God: for it is not subiect to the Law of God, nei­ther indeed can be. No marvaile then though it bee here said they shall not stand in Gods sight, for what2. Cor. 6.14. Fellow­ship hath Righteousnesse with Vnrighterusnes, & what Com­munion hath Light with Darknesse. S. Austen giues the same reason, They shall not stand in his sight, Aug in hunc Ps. saith he, for that their Eyes, that is, their Minds, are in regard of the Darknesse of their Sinnes reverberated or beaten backe a­gaine by the Light of Truth. Gerunt secum Noctem suam. They carry their Night about with them, that is, not only the Custome of sinning more and more, but also the loue of it. We had the Phrase before in thePs. 1.6. First Psalme, and the Iudge­ment there specified, is intimated here in this place.

But the Reason is here annexed also why they shal not stand in his sight, namely for that Hee hateth all them that worke Vanity. Where first concerning Hating, if any bee inquisitiue how the Lord is said to Hate, seeing God is Loue, 1. Ioh. 4.16. saith S. Iohn, and where Loue is in the Abstract, there can bee no Hating at all: hee may bee answered byZanch. de Nat. Dei, seu de diuin. Attrib. l. 4. c. 7. Z [...]nchius, that Hatred as it is a thing that is most com­monly in Men, a Passion and Feeblenesse of the Minde, so is it not in God, nor can be, for so is it Vitious: but Hatred as it is a Purpose not to haue Mercy on the Wicked; or as it is a Decree to punish them; or as it is his Displeasure with them; so the Scriptures doe attribute it to him, and Truely and Properly it belongs vnto him. Hee maketh instance in these very words: Thou hatest al them, saith he, that worke Iniquitie, that is, thou dost not only abhorre them, but thou hast decreed to punish them, and so indeed thou doest. Is it not the Property of God to punish the Wicked, saith hee? Yes it belongs vnto his Iustice, and therefore Hatred saith he, in that Sence that the Scrip­tures attribute it vnto God, agreeth truly vnto God, and is properly attributed vnto Him.

Secondly, concerning Ʋanity, it is that which in an o­ther Word is cald Iniquitie, and therefore shall hee say in [Page 122] that day,Mat. 7.23. Depart from me yee that worke Iniquitie. If the Question be here asked why Iniquitie is cald Vanitie, and the Workers therof the Workers of Ʋanitie? It is therfore cald Ʋanity for that Iniquitie in it selfe is a thing of no e­steeme, and serueth to no vse. They trust in Vanity, Esay. 59.4. saith the Prophet Esay, & speake Lyes, they conceaue Mischiefe, and bring forth Iniquity. They hatch Cockatrice Eggs, and weaue the Spiders Web. Their Webs shall not become Gar­ments, nether shall they couer themselues with their Workes. Nor is this spoken in that sence as those Words of the Preacher were,Eccles. 1.2. Vanitie of Vanities, saith the Preacher, Vanitie of Vanities, all is Vanitie. For All there intima­ted to be Ʋanitie, are all Temporall and worldly Things in comparison of true Felicity, but the Vanitie here meant is absolutely by it selfe without any reference to better Things. In comparison of true Felicity, Knowledge, Ri­ches, Autho [...]ity (howsoeuer Gods good Gifts) bee all of them but Vaine: but Mischiefe, and Inquitie haue a dee­per dye in Vanitie.

Thirdly, whereas it is here said, Thou hatest all them that worke Vanitie, the Categoricall word [ALL] shewes that he makes no difference at all, betweene King & Sub­iect, Master and Servant, Mistris and Maid, Bond, & Free. Of a truth, A [...]t. 10.34. saith S. Peter, I perceaue that God is no respec­ter of Persons, but in every Nation he that feareth him, and worketh Righteousnesse, is accepted with him. Right so may it be said, Of a truth we may perceaue, that God is no Re­specter of Persons, but in every Nation hee that feareth him not, but works Iniquity is hated of him. Which word All, in this place, is not so to bee taken neither, as if all Sinnes & all Sinners were meant in generall: No, there are Sinners and Sinnes of Infirmity, and there are Sinners & Sinnes of I [...]iquity; Sinners and Sinnes of Weaknesse, and Sinners and Sinnes of Wickednesse, or Wilfulnesse. Bee not mercifull to them, Ps. 59.5. saith our Prophet, that offend of malici­ous Wickednesse, &Ps. 19.13. keepe thy Servant from presumptuous [Page 123] Sinnes. Here if any are desirous to know how God could loue vs, who before our Conversion to Christ wrought Iniquity as well as others, S. Austen will informe him,Aug. in Euang Ioan. [...]ract. 110 that God loued vs whenas we wrought nothing but Vnrigh­teousnesse against him, and yet that it is said most truly here, Thou O Lord hatest al them that worke Iniquitie. For af­ter a marvellous and heauenly manner, hee loued vs, even when he hated vs: for hee hated vs being such as himselfe had not made. And because our Iniquity did not altogether deface his Worke, hee knewe even in every of vs to hate that which we made, and to loue that which himselfe made.

V [...]rs. 6. Thou shalt destroy them that speake Leasing, the Lord will abhorre, both the Blood-thirsty, and De­ceitfull Man.] That Leasing is Lying, wee heardExposit. in Ps. 4.2 p. 93. before. That Lying and Deceitfulnesse are both ioyned here with Blood argueth the haynousnesse of both. But of Each in their severall order.

First, concerning Lying, S. Austen hath wrote two Treatises thereof, the One, De Mendacio, the Other, Con­tra Mendacium, both in his Fourth Tome. In the Former he shewes in that Speech no lesse then Eight Parts. I mean he makesAug de. Men­dacio c. 14. et c. 21. mention of Eight sorts of Lyes: The First in the way of Religion: The Second when it is hurtfull to some, and profitable to none; The Third, when it is so Profitable to some one, that it hurts another; The Fourth, when it is made vpon custome of Lying: The Fift, when it is made to please others withal; The Sixt, when vpon the demand of any man it profiteth some one, and hurt­eth no body besides; The Seauenth, when vpon the de­mande of the Magistrate it performeth as much; The Eight, when it hurteth none, and yet seemes to bee profi­table for the preservation of Chastity. Now of all these he shewes that no One of them is lawfull, and often there repeats this of the Prophet here, and part of that in the Former Verse, Odisti Domine omnes qui operantur Iniqui­tatem, perdes omnes quiloquuntur Mendacium. Thou hatest [Page 124] all them that worke Ʋanity, thou shalt destroy them that speake Leasing. Zanchius Zanch. in Ep. ad Ephes. c. 4. makes three sorts of Lyes: An Officious Lye, a Pleasant Lye, and a Lye Pernicious. He shewes how all condemne the Last; how the Middle­most is excused by some, and the First and Formost pray­sed by others. But as he is vtterly against all three, so ought we also to be, whatsoever others haueVid. Alberic. Gentil de Abu­su Mendac. c 16 written in defence thereof. Aristotle herein shall haue the prece­dence of such Christians who speaking of a Lye, Arist. Eth. l. 4. c. 7. shewes that it is [...], per se malum & vitupe­rabile, even in his owne nature naught and blame-wor­thy. And therefore that which the Father here, David de­liuers, his Sonne Solomon doth second, when hee shewes that a Lying Tongue is one of theProu. 6.17. Six things hated of God, & one of the Seauen that is abomination vnto him. I will conclude this point with that of S. Austen, where­with he concludeth his second Book against Lying,Aug. Contra Mendac. c. 21. Aut cauenda Mendacia rectè agendo, aut consitenda sunt paenitē ­do: non autem cum abundent infaeliciter viuendo, augenda sunt & docendo. Wee are by well doing either to beware of Lying, or by Repentance to confesse our Lying, but in no wise when by bad liuing Lyes abound in vs, we are to make them superabound by teaching to Lye.

Concerning the Blood-thirsty, no marvaile if the Lord abhorre him to. Man is, GodsGen. 1.27. Image, and if Man defa­cing a Princes Image, that is but stampt on his Coyne, is lyable to sevearest Punishment, how much more is he to be, that defaceth by Murther the Image of God. Bloud Nomb. 35.33 saith Moses, defileth the Land, and the Land cannot be cleansed of the Bloud that is shed therein, but by the Bloud of him that shed it. Our Saviour agreeth hereunto, for in the justest Quarrel that euer was, Put vp againe thy Sword into his place Mat. 26.52. saith he, to Peter, for all they that take the Sword, shall perish with the Sword. Here might be intrea­ted of that admirable Issuing forth of the Bloud, after it is setled in the Body, if hee that slew it, appeare in presence [Page 125] thereof, within the space of certaine Houres, but those that are desirous to see it discussed at large, I referre them toHier. Magius Mi [...]cell. l. 3. c 5. Magius, andCael Rhodig. Lect. Antiq. l. 3. c. 12. Rhodiginus; as [...]lso toAnd. Libavi­us de Ciuen­tatione Ca­dav. Andreas Li­bavius, andLemnius de occult Nat. Mi [...]ac. l. 2. c. 7. L [...]vinus Lemnius, both of them cited by my Lord of Canterbury in hisMy L. of Cant. on Ionas, Lect. 7. §. 21. Lectures on Ionas,

Deceitfull is a Word derived from Deceit, and Deceit doth vsually signifie Subtilty, Craft, and Cunning; when Men hide their evil Meanings by some colorable Words and Deeds, that they may more easily intrap those with whom they haue to deale. It is Aug. in hunc Ps. saith S. Austen, Deceit, when we make shew of one thing, and doe an other. Much is spoken in holy Scripture against such kind of Men, as that theProv. 19.15. Deceitfull Person shall be affamished; that heProv. 12.27. Former Tran­slat. Rosteth not that he tooke in Hunting, that is, that he shall not enioy the Goods he hath got; that heeMal. 1.14. shall not liue halfe his Dayes. And the Prophet Malachy, he reads (as it were) the Church-Commination against him, ^x Cursed be the Deceiuer, which hath in his Flock a Male, and voweth, and sacrificeth vnto the Lord a corrupt Thing, and yet we, as if we ioyed rather to be Lysandrians, then Christians, Ps. 55.25. glory in nothing so much, as in Deceiving our Brethren. That one Speech of Lysander, Plut. Apopth. & Lacon A­popth. Vbi Leonina Pellis non sufficit, ibi adsuenda est Vulpina, Where the Lyons Skinne will not serue, it must bee peeced out with the Foxes Case, is of much more force with Many, then an Hundred of such Passages as these in the Apostle S. Peter, 1. Pet. 2.21. Christ also suf­fered for vs, leaving vs an Example, that ye should follow his Steps. Who did no Sinne, neither was Guile found in his Mouth.

Vers. 7. But as for me I will come into thine House, e­ven vpon the Multitude of thy Mercy: and in thy Feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple.] Howsoever the Lord when time was, spake by the Mouth of the Prophet Esay, Esay. 66.1. The Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my Footstoole: where is the House that ye build vnto me? and where is the Place of my Rest? In regard whereof King So­lomon [Page 126] had said long before,1. King. 8.27. Behold, the Heaven, and Heaven of Heavens cannot containe thee: how much lesse this House that I haue builded! Yet sure and certaine it is, that as out of the whole Masse of Mankind, the Lord hath reserved Some to Himselfe, whom he calleth his E­lect; out of the Times, and Seasons, Some which he calleth his Sabbaths, and Solemne Feasts; out of his Servants, and Attendants, Some whom he calleth his Ministers, and Priests; out of the Goods, and Wealth of Men, Some which he calleth his Tithes, and Oblations; so out of Houses and Habitations, Some he reserueth, which he calleth his owne House, like as Iacob Gen. 28.22. prophesied long before, This Stone which I haue set for a Pillar, shall be Gods House. First then, concerning the House here specified, no doubt but the Sanctuary is thereby meant, and it is called the House of God, for that God had said, he wouldExod. 25.8. dwell a­mongst them, and it was the PlacePs. 26.8. where his Honor dwelt. Secondly, in that it is called here the Temple, (the Temple as yet not being built) it is by the Figure Prolepsis, or Anticipatio, and that Figure then is vsed, when a Place is called by a Name that it hath a long time after, not when formerly it is so called. As when it is said in the Book ofNumb. 32.9. Nombers, Ʋenerunt in Vallem Botri, it is so said, saithAug. Locut. de Numer. l. 4. S. Austen, by the Figure Anticipatio, not because that Val­ly was called so, when the Israelites came thither, but for that it was so called, when the Booke was written. It is in the Originall, HEICALL, whichVid. Ains. worth in hunc Ps. signifieth a Palace, and is attributed to the Places where Gods Maiesty was said to dwell, as the Tabernacle, and Temple, and Heauen it selfe. Thirdly, in that it is called The Holy Tem­ple, it is therefore so called, for that it was set apart by Gods Ordinance, to holy Vses, and Offices. Thus the Priests, and the Altar, and the Sacrifices, and the Shew-Bread, and the Fire, and the Incense, were all of them Ho­ly, euen Ierusalem, as wicked as otherwise it was, was in [Page 127] this respect, The Holy City, and so stiled byMat. 5.45. S. Mathew. Fourthly, that David here did promise to come into this House, was in regard of the great Benefits that occurred vnto him therby, what in respect of the Parties that were present in that House, what in respect of the Things per­formed by those Parties. Fiftly, in that he would come euen vpon the Multitude of Gods Mercy, he thereby inti­mates the Multitude of his Sinnes. For as S. Austen on an other Psalme,Aug. in Ps. 50. Qui magnam Misericordiam deprecatur, magnam Miseriam confitetur: he that sues for great Mer­cy, acknowledgeth great Misery: right so is it here in this Place, he would come to that House even vpon the Mul­titude of Gods Mercy, to diminish thereby the Multi­tude of his Transgressions. Sixtly, and lastly, whereas hee saith, And in thy Feare will I worship toward thy Holy Tem­ple, no doubt but that as Filiall Feare is here vnderstood, (whereof hath bene spokenExposit. on Ps. 4.4. p. 95. heretofore) so a holy Pre­paration to Prayer is intimated also, according to that of the Sonne of Syrach, Ecclus. 18.23 Before thou prayest, prepare thy selfe, and be not at one that tempteth the Lord: or that of the Sonne of David rather,Ecclus. 5.1. Keep thy Foot when thou go­est to the House of God, and be more ready to heare, then to giue the Sacrifice of Fooles. No doubt but that of Iacob was alwayes in his Minde,Gen. 28.17. How dreadfull is this Place! this is none other but the House of God, and this is the Gate of Heauen.

But how is it here said, that he would worship toward the Temple, whereas he had said in the Words before, that he would come into the House? The Answer is, that the Temple here meant, being the Tabernacle, and the Taber­nacle hauing a Court; the Priests onely when they vs [...]d to pray, did enter into the Tabernacle, the Rest stood without in the Court, and prayed towards the Tabernacle. Now the Tabernacle, and the Court (like as afterwards the Temple, and the Court) were both called Gods House, & therefore is it here said, that David would both come in­to [Page 128] it, and also pray towards it.

Where by the Way we may call to Minde how Bellar­mine wrongs Calvin in a Matter of this Argument. Cal­vin had said in hisCalv. Instit. l. 3. c. 20. §. 20. Institutions, That Christ being entred into the Sanctuary of Heauen, vnto the end of the Ages of the World, he alone carrieth to God the Prayers of the People abiding farre off in the Porch. Bellarmine hereuponBell. de Ec­cles Triumph. l. 1. c. 1. in­ferrech, that Calvins Opinion was, that the Soules of the Saints doe not see God before the Day of Iudgment. Why? because in Calvins Iudgment, they are excluded from the Sanctuary of Heaven. Yea but then by like consequence, the People came not into the Temple. But if Bellarmine confesse that theLuc. 20.1. People, I thatLuc. 2.37. Women, I thatLuc. 18.10. Publicans went vp into the Temple, who were admitted onely into the2. Chron. 4.9 Ioseph. cont. Ap. l. 2. Court of the Temple, needs must he granut by like consequence, that the Saints euen in Calvins Iudgement, were not excluded from Heauen, for all our Saviours Pre­rogatiue in being entred into the Sanctuary of Heauen, But to returne vnto my purpose.

That which caused our Prophet here to promis [...] to come to this House, was d [...]u [...]tlesse the Service of God performed in this House, and that not only in his Word, but in his Sacraments, and Sacrifices, and Prayer a [...]d P [...]ay­ses. Especially PRAYER, which albeit the Prophet could haue performed by himselfe alone, no Man b [...]tter, yet did he desire to make his Prayers in those Assemblies no Man more. The Benefit indeed of PVBLIKE PRAYER, S^t Gregory shewes vs in a most apt and fit Similitude: While we pray together in the Church, Greg. Epist. l. 1. ep. 24 saith hee, we with you, you with vs, we hold as it were hand in hand like those that are walking in slippery places, and the more that one of vs doth relye on another, the stronger is every mans Devotion in particular. Harken all you that refuse to frequent the Church, Basil in Ps. 115. saith S. Basil, betaking your selues for sooth to your Home Devotions, miserable Fragments as you are of that pretious Body of Christ, and learne that your Prayers and Devotions, [Page 129] ought to be perfourmed in the midst of Ierusalem, that is in the midst of the Church of God. I find it storyed of ourTh. Walsingh. Chron. p. 1. Henry the Third, that he in his time was so devour, that every Day he would heare no lesse then Three Masses, and al­wayes at the Elevation, he would support the Hand of the Priest, and vse to kisse it. Lewis of France, called the Saint, hapning on a [...]ime to confer with him thereabouts, told him it was not so fit that he should be at so many Masses, but that hee should heare Sermons more vsually then hee did: to whom King Henry, they say, made Answer, Malle Amicum suum saepius videre, quàm de eo Loquentem, licet bona dicentem, audire, that he for his part had rather see his Friend often, then heare an other speaking of him, though he spake much good. Ill applyed as it was to the Masse, but it was the Blindnes of those Times. Queene Elizabeth applyed it much b [...]tter, when She applyed it vnto PRAYER, saying as it isCamde [...] Elizabeth, p. 14. storyed, That She had rather devoutly speake to Go [...] in Her Prayers then heare Others speaking of God, though never so eloquently. Taxing no doubt hereby, the preposterous Zeale of too-too Many who l [...]y all vpon the MinistersNon omnia in Humeros nostros p [...]o [...]cite. Chrys. in Ep. ad Col. Hom. 9. Shoulders, neuer wearying then owne Hands, neuer hardning their owne Knees in the publ que Seruice of God. Wherein such People cry qui [...]tance with the Scribes and the Phari­ses of Old. They bi [...]d heavy Burthens, and grievous to be borne, Mat. 23.4. saith our Saviour, and [...]ay them on Mens Shoul­ders, but they themselues will not mooue them with one of their Fingers. So they can bee content their Minister should [...]reach vnto them Day by Day, or all Day long; but either to practise what he preacheth, or Themselues to endeavour by Themselues, by Reading to get more Knowledge, or to pray as they ought to doe: there they leaue him: God grant they bee not lyable to that which followeth in that place.Mat. 23.5. But all their Workes they doe, (and all is but Hearing of Sermons) for to be seene of Men. Indeed Chrys. vbi supra. saith S. Chrysostome, ye are Sheep, but yet are ye [Page 130] Sheep indued with Reason, and therefore S. Paul committeth many things to your Selues to doe in these Cases, without vs. And againe in other place,Chrys. in 2. ad Thess Hom 3. Concerning the Earth, all the Workmarship is the Husband mans. For it is a senceles Sub­iect, only fit to be wrought vp [...]n, but concerning your spiritu­all Husbandry, it is not so. N [...]n hic totum opus Doctorum, sed si non potior, certè med [...]a Portio Discipulorum est. You are not to relye vpon your Teachers, to haue all things perfourmed by th [...]m, if so be not the better Part, doubtles the one Half is to be perfourmed by your Selues.

Verse 8. Lead me, O Lord▪ in thy Righteousnes, because of mine Enemies: make thy Way plaine before my Face] Of Lord, I haueExposit on Ps. 3.1 p. 64. spoken before, and it being here in our last Translation in Capitall Letters, I haue shewed the Reason thereof in that place; and therefore now to the Word, Lead.]

Duci, Puerorum est, Coecorum, Claudorum, Infirmo­rum, Ignorantium, & Ovium: to be Led Marlorat. in hunc Ps. saith Marlorat, belongs to Children, to Blind men, to the Lame, to the Im­potent, to the Ignorant, and vnto Sheepe: so that the Pro­phet in this one Word, intimates himselfe to be all these. Nay he expresseth himselfe in this his Book of Psalmes, to be euery One of all these. First, that he was but a CHILD, Lord Ps. 131.1. saith hee, I am not high minded, I haue no proud Lookes, I doe not exercise my selfe in great Matters, which are too high for me. But I refraine my Soule, and keep it low, like as a Child that is weaned from his Mother: yea my Soule is euen as a weaned Child. Secondly, that he was a BLIND-MAN, witnes his owne Words, Open thou mine Eyes Ps. 119.18. saith he, that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law. For what was the Request of Blind-men indeed, but that theirMat. 20.33. Eies might be opened, as wee reade in S. Mathews Gospel. Thirdly, that he was a LAME-MAN, behold his owne Words againe, I am ready to halt Ps. 38.17. saith he, and my Sorrow is continually before me, as it is in our last Translation. Fourthly, that he was IMPOTENT, hee doth manifest it [Page 131] in these Words,Ps. 6.2. Haue mercy vpon me, O Lord, for I am weake saith he, and what is Weaknes, but Impotency? Fift­ly, that he was IGNORANT, The very Beasts Ps. 35.15. saith he came against me vnawares: it is in the Vulgar, Et ignoravi, and I was ignorant thereof. Sixtly, and lastly, that he was as a SHEEP, it is his owne very Word, I haue gone astray Ps. 119.176 saith he, like a Sheep that is lost, oh seeke thy Seruant, for I doe not forget thy Commandements. This very Last of going astray, puts me in mind of a good Noate, that I haue read in a good Divine, who speaking of the divers Checks that Sathan giues vs in this World: This lower Hemisphere or visible Part of the World M^r Thomas Iackson, of Iu­stifying Faith. Sect. 1. c. 7. p 55. saith he, is as the Divels Chess-board, wherein hardly can our Souls mooue back, or forth, but he sets out one Creature or other to at­tach him: nor haue we any other meanes to avoid his Subtil­ty but by looking to the Ps. 121.1. Hils, whence commeth our Help; or into that Part of this great Spheare, which is altogither hid from the Worlds Eies, 2. Kings. 6.15. where we may behold more for vs, then th [...]se that be against vs. It puts me in minde also of a say­ing of S. Austen. who hauing spoken of his owne Wan­drings, and his Calamities thereupon, Quid autem mirum cum infoelix Pecus aberrans a Grege tuo, & impatiens Cu­stodiae [...]uae, turpi Scabie faedarir. And what great Marvaile was it,Aug. Confess. l. 3. c. 2. saith S. Austen, if vnhappy Sheep as I was, wan­dring from the Fould, and carelesse of thy Custody, I be­c [...]m [...] so infected as I was, all ouer my Body. But to re­turne vnto my purpose.

Lead me in thy Righteousnes?] What may that be? or how in thy Righteousnes? The Prophet explaines himself elsewhere; for saying in an other Psalme,Ps. 35.24. Iudge me, O Lord my God, according to the Righteousnes; In thy Righte­ousnes here in this place, is according thereunto. So that it is as if the Prophet had said, Lord, because thou art Righteous protect me with thine Aide, that so I may a­voide all the wicked Plots of mine Enemies: the very meaning of these Words: Lead me in thy Righteousnes, [Page 132] because of mine Enemies.

But what is that which here followeth, Make thy Way plaine before my Face? Is not the Lords Way plaine? The Lord himselfeEzech. 18.25 saith in Ezechiel, Are not your Wayes vn­equall? And he repeats the same againe.V. 29. O House of Is­rael, are not my Wayes equall? are not your Wayes vnequall? The trueth is, the Lords Wayes are equall and plaine y­nough, but it is to those that tread them with Faith, and relye wholy vpon the Lord. No doubt in regard of the Wicked they are so full of Hils and Dales, so fraught with such variety of D [...]bts, and [...]ff [...]culties, that it is odds but they miscarry. As for example, there isRom. 8.35. Tribulation, Di­stres, Persecution, Famine, Nakednes, Perill, and Sword: First for TRIBVLATION, it is a very deepe Dale, and DISTRESSE is an other.

Nay by meanes of Tribulation, and Distresse, David of­tentimes thought himselfe in very Hell.Ps. 18.4. The Pa [...]es of [...]eli came about me, saith he, the Suares of Death ouertooke me. PERSECVTION, that's a Mountaine, so S. Austen, Quid sunt Montes nisi Tumores Terrarum? What are Mountaines Aug. [...] Psal. 24. saith S. Austen, but the Swellings, and R [...] ­sings of the Earth? Nero, Domitian, Traian, Antoninus, Severus, Maximinus, and the [...]es [...], what were they but so many Mountaines? The persecuting heathen Emperours, M^r G [...]n his Trumpet of Wa [...]e. saith a good [...]ivine, were very great Mountaines, that stood very high and very stiffe in the Churches Way, but the [...]aith of the Church according to the Promise of our Mat. 17.20. Sa­viour, hath remo [...]ued them all. FAMINE, and NAK [...]D [...]S, what are they but so many Bryars? and so many Thornes?

They that are cumbred with these Guests will finde more a doe to come to their iournies end, the Tully had in fin­ding [Page 133] out by reason of Bryars and Thornes the Toomb ofCic. Tusc. Quaest. l. 5. Archimedes. Lastly PERILL and SWORD, what are they but Hedge and Ditch, Thicke and Thinne, and not such an Hedge & such a Ditch as by the benefit of a good Horse may be easily sprung over, but such a Ditch as in Queene Maries time our Oxford Ditch was, where that m [...]st Reverend Arch-bishop, and Councellor of State, Cra [...]m [...]r, learned Kidly, and old Latimer, were all of them Bu [...]nt, that like a Golgotha, nay worse then that, the very Place mig [...]t breed an horror in the Minds of Men against them. Thus as with the Arrians of old, Non Canicies apud Iudices iniquitatis Venerabilis erat, Neither Age, and an hoare white Head, asBas. Ep. 70. speakes S. Basil neither Godlinesse, nor [...] Life most Vertuously led, had any reverence at all with those bloudy Burreaus. But to returne where I left.

Not the least of all the Premisses but with-holds a Worldling from walking this Way, whereas vnto the Godly every of these is made so plaine, that as the Apostle S. Paul giues out,Rom. 8 37. Wee are more then Conquerers through [...]m that loued vs. So that as the Earth is said to be round, notwithstanding so great Height of Hills, & such Plain­nesse of Downes, because (as Pliny Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 2. c. 6 [...]. tells vs) that if t [...]e Compasse thereof might bee taken by lines, the Ends of those L nes would meete iust in Circuit, and proue the Figure of a iust Circle: so let the Lords Way bee once Le­ueld by the Line of his Word, & nothing more Eeuen, no­thing more Plaine vnto vs then the Way of the Lord.

Vers. 9. For there is no Faithfulnes in his Mouth, their inward parts are very Wickednesse.] A liuely description of the Wicked, I [...]tus & in Cuse, both Within and With­out. Their Mouthes, their Hearts in this Verse (for their Hearts are these inward Parts) their Throats, & Tongues in the next. No Apelles can better paint them, then the Spirit of God here sets them forth. In confesso est Oratio­nem, si explicandi vim ac facultatem habeat, non minus quae velit ponere ob oculos posse, quàm Ʋiros manuum artificio [Page 134] praestantes. It it apparant,Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 3. c. 1. saith Aelian, that Speech, if it hath the Force and Faculty of expressing that which it takes in hand, deliuereth it no lesse vnto the Eye then the Hand of a skilfull Workman.

First for their Mouthes, there was no Faithfulnesse in them, Truth was vtterly banished thence. It should seeme they were all of Lysanders constitution,Plutarch. Apopth. Pueros Talis, Viros Sacramentis decipi oportere, that Children were to be deceiued wi [...]h Chery-stones, and Men with Oathes But the Apost e S. Paul giues vs better Counsaile. Putting away Lying, Ephes. 4.25. saith S. Paul, speake every Man truth with his Neighhour, for we are Members one of another. Where hee not onely giues vs good Counsaile, but a Reason of the same. Namely, that as in our Naturall Bodies the Mouth deceaues not the Hand, nor the Hand the Mouth, nor the Head the Feet, nor the Feet the Hands, for the whole Bo­dy it selfe should loose by the bargaine, if there were any such Deceit amongst them, as is to bee seene by that ele­gant Fable of M [...]nenius Agrippa inLiv. Dee. 1. l. 2. Livy, concerning the Members of th [...] Body: so [...]e deceiues himselfe that deceaues his Christian Brother, nor doth he put vp there­by so much in h s Purse as he is damnified in his Consci­ence. Lucrum in Arca Dam [...]um in Conscientia, His Cofers perhaps are fild,Aug. de Temp. Ser. 215. S. Austen but his Conscience Smarts for it. But of Lying and D [...]ceit I haue spokenExpos. on. Ps. 4.2. p. 93. before.

Concerning their Hearts, intimate there by their In­ward Parts, they are said to be W [...]kednesse in the Abstract nay in the Hebrew it is more, it is Wickednesse in the Plu­rall, as if the Abstract and Plurall both, were both little enough to explicate the Wick dnesse of the Heart. But of the Heart I haue spokenExpos. on Ps. 4.4. p. 96. befo [...]e too. Only here it may be doubted how the Pro [...]et should be so skiiful as to know the Heart. Quid tam altum & tam profundum quàm Mens Hominis quae quasi involucro quod an Corporis tegitur & oc­cultatur, vt eam haud facile quisquam introspicere & specu­lari queat? What so High and so Deep,Ambros. Instit. Virg, 3. saith S. Ambrose, [Page 135] as is the Minde of Man, which is hid, as it were, & co­vered within the Bulck of his Body that no Man may ea­sily prye into it. It is true, no man can vnlesse he be taught of God, as the Prophet Dauid here was, the holy Spirit directing his Penne to Paint them out to the full. But I come to the Throat and Tongues.

Verse. 10. Their Throat is an open Sepulcher, they flat­ter with their Tongues.] In that the Throat is here said to be a Sepulcher, and that an open one too, wee may call to minde what our SaviourMat. 23.27. said concerning Sepulchers, namely how they are full of dead mens Bones, and all Vn­cleannesse. Such Bones, and such Vncleannes haue the Wic­ked in their Throats.

Doe but tell them of their Faults, and they will cast you presently such Bones to Gnaw vpon, as you will wonder at their Impudency. They are set on Fire, asPs. 57.5. speakes the Prophet, [...] if so be they were made of Tuch-Wood: their Teeth are Speares and Arrowes, and their Tongue a sharpe Sword. But it was the Proverb of the Ancients, and it may be a Moderne Proverb now adaies,1. Sam. 24.13 Wickednesse proceed­eth from the Wicked.

Concerning their Tongues, which the Prophet calls Swords, and Sharpe Swords to, that here it is said, They Flat­ter with them, they shewe the skill of Lysander againe, concerning the Lyons Skinne, and the Foxes Case, as you heardPag. 125. before. These the Prophet elsewhere styleth by the name of Balmes, and what more gentle and supple then Balme? And yet who would thinke it? No­thing more forcible to giue a Broken Pate. Let the Righteous, Ps. 141.6. saith the Prophet, Smyte mee friendly, and Reprooue mee, but let not their Precious Balmes (mea­ning the Flatteries of the Wicked) breake my Head. Why? Can Balmes doe such a Feat? Balme, Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 12. c. 25. saith Pliny, is that Sweet and Odoriferous Liquor that goeth beyond all others. Howbeit as the same Pliny saith in the same Chapter, that [Page 136] there is no Marchandise & Commodity in the World, where­in there is practised more Fraud & Deceit, then in the traf­fique of Balme, so falls it out in this case, when Flattery workes such Wonders. It puts me in mind of a saying in Tacitus, Pessimum Inimicorum genus, Laudantes: speaking of Agricola. Often was he in those daies,Tacit. Vit. Agricolae. saith Tacitus, accused to Domitian in absence, and in absence acquit­ted. The Cause was neither matter of Crime, nor Com­plaint of Party aggrieued, but the Renowne of the Man, and the Princes disposition hating all Vertue, & the most Capitall kinde of Enemies Commenders, procured the Peril. Wherevpon that Matchlesse Translator, and worthy of all Admiration S^r HENRY SAVILE,Annot vp­on the Life of Agricola. nu. 16 To Hurt or Dis­grace by way of Commendation, albeit it seemeth a strange Position at the first fight, yet may bee and daily is both easily and diversely performed. Hee bringeth many Examples which I here omit, sufficient it is, that I haue pointed to the Fountaine. I conclude with that of S. Austen, Aug. in Ps. 69. Plus persequitur Lingua Adulatoris, quàm Manus Interfecto­ris. The Tongue of a Flatterer strikes more deadly, then doth the Hand of a Murtherer.

And thus haue you seene the Description of the Wic­ked by their Mouths, Hearts, Throats, and Tongues: Faith­lesse Mouthes, Wicked Hearts, Deadly Throats, Flatte­ring Tongues, what doe they all say vnto vs but that's the Man. Like asPlin. Nat. Hist l. 35. c. 10. Apelles on a time being at Ptolemies Ta­ble, and King Ptolomy demanding of him what hee made there, and who had invited him, Apelles not knowing the name of the Party that had invited him, caught vp a dead Coale of Fire from the Chimny corner, and drewe him so liuely thereby, that every man knew who the Party was. But our Prophet like another: Apelles drawes them here­by, not so much to knowe them, as to teach vs to beware of them, least participating with them in their Sinnes, we participate with them in Punishment too.Cic. Philip. 2. Tully won­dred at Antonius that hee feared not to followe their Steps, [Page 137] whose ends were so remarkable. And it is a thing indeed to be wondred at, that our Mouthes, Hearts, Throats, and Tongues so often imployed in GODS SERVICE, I say so often, should prooue so Malepert, so Sawcy, so Was­pish, so Outragious in the turning of an Hand. But theEsay. 57.20 Wicked are like the troubled Sea, when it cannot rest, whose Waters cast vp Myre and Dyrt.

Verse. 11. Destroy thou them O God, let them perish through their owne Imaginations, cast them out in the Mul­titude of their vngodlinesse, for they haue rebelled against thee.] It was the Promise of our Saviour, as I told youExpos. on. Ps. 5.8. p. 132. before, that the Faith of the Church should bee able to re­mooue Mountaines, and as Arriu [...], Donatus, and Maxi­minus were all of them Mountaines by way of HERESIE, and the Church hath remooued them, so the persecuting Heathen Emperors, they were also Great Mountaines by way of TIRANNIA, and the Faith of the Church hath re­mooued them too. Looke vpon Domitian, M^r Gosset his Trumpet of Warre. saith a good Devine, Decius, Dioclesian, Iulian the Apostata, Herod, Antiochus, and a number such like Princes persequuting the Church, all of them haue miscarried by some one fearefull death or other. Now as these did stand in the Churches way, and the Church did pray against them, so Davids E­nemies stood here in Davids way, and David prayes a­gainst them too. The effectuall fervent Prayer of a Righte­ous Man availeth much, Iam. 5.16. saith S. Iames, and S. Chrysostom giues the reason, For as Trees, Chrys de In­compreh. Dei Natur. Hom. 5. saith he, which haue taken deepe Root, are well able to withstand the Force, and Ʋio­lence of the Winds, by reason of that rooting: so the Prayers which the Soule sendeth forth from the bottome of the Heart ascend aloft into the Skies, nor is their Growth hindred with the Puffing and Blowing of any By-thoughts whatsoever.

But what is it here the Prophet prayes for? For the De­struction, the Perishing, the Casting out of his Enemies, and that they themselues might be the Cause of their own Destruction, Let them Perish through their owne Imagina­tions. [Page 138] As if the Prophet had said, let their Proiects bee to no purpose, let them never bring to proofe what they haue deuised among themselues. An excellent Patterne hereof we haue in Achitophel, who for the Counsell hee gaue miscarried, and was not accepted of, made no more adoe but [...]. Sam. 17.23. Hung himselfe in a Halter.

Here a Question ariseth, Whether we also, as David, may Pray against our Enemies, we that are Christians. And in­deed our Saviour vpon occasionMat. 12.3. Marc. 12.35. alleaging Davids Say­ings and Doings both, who would not Say as David, who would not Doe as David did? But the Answere is, that this kind of Prayer here vsed, as alsoPs. 59.13. Ps. 109 7. others of like nature, as the Prayers of the ProphetIer. 18.21. Ieremy, and of2. Tim. 4 14. S. Paul, sa­uour of a peculiar zeale which David and they had, but are not to be imitated by every Christian. And therefore our Saviour to them that in all hast would haue Fire come downe from Heauen to consume the Samaritans that re­fused him, and pleaded2 King. 1.10 Elias his Example to that pur­pose: Yee knowe not, Luc. 9.55. saith hee, what manner Spirit yee are of. For the Sonne of Man is not come to Destroy Mens Liues, but to Saue them. And yet David, Ieremy, & S. Paul pronounced not those Curses, Ʋindictae Liuore, sed Iudicio Iustitiae, not vpon a Spleene to bee Revenged, asGreg. Moral. l. 4 c. 5. speakes S. Gregory, but in Iudgement and Iustice, for that they knewe by the holy Spirit that they were Abominable and Disobedient, asTit. 1.16. speakes the Apostle S. Paul, and vnto e­very good worke Reprobate. Aug. in hunc Ps. S. Austen, he takes these words to be rather a Prophecy then a Prayer. And as elsewhere heAug. in Ps. 68. speaketh of Davids Curses in particular, that they were not Stomachatio Maledicentis, sed Praedictio Prophetantis: of the Prophets in Generall,Aug. de Temp. Ser. 59. & Ser. 109 & De Ser. Dom. in Monte. Per Imprecationem quid esset futurum cecinerunt, non Optantis Voto, sed Spiritu Praevidentis. By the Imprecations they made, they shew­ed what was to come, not by way of Wishing, but by the Spirit of Prophecying. But to returne to the Words againe.

The Prophet shewing here the reason of this his Pray­er in this place, saith it is Rebellion against the Lord: For they haue rebelled against thee. Where the Prophet saith not as he might haue said: For they haue Rebelled against me: No; but, Against thee: alluding in all likelyhood, or to that of Moses in the Booke of Exodus, or to that of the Lord himselfe in the First of Samuel. Your Murmurings, Exod. 16.8. saith Moses, are not against vs, but against the Lord: and They haue not Reiected thee, 1. Sam. 8.7. saith the Lord to Samuel, but they haue Reiected me, that I should not Raigne over them. Little thought those Israelites that their Murmu­rings and Rebellions were against the LORD himselfe, they no doubt would haue made many a Pamphlet in de­fence of themselues as a Franco-Gallia, or a Franco-Iudaae, a Philo-Pater, or a Philo-Mater; a De Iure Regni apud Scotos, or a De Iure Regni apud Iudaeos; or the like: all which might haue beene answered, with this single sole Sentence of holy Scripture, and the Words we haue in hand IRRITAVERVNT TE DOMINE: They haue Rebel­led against thee. Thus speakes our Saviour of his Ministers too,Luc. 10.16. He that Despiseth You, Despiseth Me, and yet many of vs as if we had never Read, nor Heard it, or did certain­ly beleeue what our Saviour saith, are ready to say with the Evill Spirit,Act. 19.15. Iesus we knowe, and Paul we know, but who are yee? And as they said of our Saviour himselfe,Mat. 13 55. Is not this the Carpenters Sonne? Is not his Mother called Mary? and his Bretheren, Iames, and Iohn, and Simon, and Iudas? and his Sisters, are they not all with vs? Right so doe they say of many of vs: They knowe our Fathers, they knowe our Friends, they know our bringing vp, and they are offended in vs. But it was an excellent Note ofO [...]i [...]en. in Num. c. 12. Hom. 7. Origen, Nunquam invenimus tantas Laudes Deum dixisse de Moyse Famulo suo quantas nunc dici videmus quando ab Homini­bus ei derogatum est. We never finde that God more prai­sed Moses, then when hee was most of all spoken against by the Israelites.

Verse. 12. And let all them that put their trust in thee Reioice: they shall ever be giuing of Thanks, because thou Defendest them, they that loue thy Name shall be Ioy­full in it.] He comes at length to pray for the CHVRCH, even for All and Every of them that put their Trust in the Lord, and in none but him. There are but Few that can thus doe, for what with the Words of Man, what with the Bewty of Man, what with the Strength of Man, what with the Wealth of Man, what with the Wit of Man, what with Princes the Best of Men, as hath beene obseruedExpos. on Ps. [...].5. p. 102. hereto­fore, there goes our Trust and Confidence away.

But what is it here the Prophet prayes for? For Ioy, & Gladnesse of Heart. Let them that put their trust in thee, Reioyce, & he meant, no doubt, such a Reioycing as should never be taken from them. No not in Infirmities, no not in Reproaches, no not in Necessities, no not in Persequuti­ons, no not in Distresses for Christ his sake; the Apostle S. Paul may be an Example, For when I am weake, 2. Cor. 12.10 saith hee, then am I Strong. But of this Ioy, and this Reioycing, hath beene spokenExpos. on. Ps. 4.8. p. 106. heretofore. Come wee now to the Effect thereof, and that is Thankes-giuing, for so it is in the next Words, They shall ever be giuing of Thankes.

Euer, that is, continually, that is, all the Dayes of their Life, to dwell in the House of the Lord, as David Ps. 27.4. pro­mised to doe, and Anna in S. Lukes Gospell, perfourmed no lesse. There was, Luc. 2.37. saith S. Luke, one Anna a Prophe­tesse: the Daughter of Phanuel, of the Tribe of Aser; she was of a great Age, and had liued with an Husband seuen yeares from her Virginity. And she was a Widow of about Foure­score and foure yeares, which departed not from the Temple, but serued God with Fasting and Prayer, Night, and Day. No doubt but amongst those Prayers, this Giuing of Thanks is included, Giuing of Thanks being the most proper, and peculiar Seruing of God. For as that worthyD Howson his Sermon at Oxford. Nov. 17 A^o 1602. Doctor, now our Right Reverend Diocesan hath obser­ved, God is not only, or chiefly worshipped, Evangelici Ser­monis [Page 141] Auditu, by hearing the Word preached, sed Latriae Cultu▪ in Praising, & Mag [...]ifying, and Lauding God in the Memory of hi [...] manif [...]ld Bl ssings. [...]ria or the Worship of God, is a Vertue Morall, not Intellectu [...]ll [...]h [...]rf [...]re to de­spise, saith he, as many doe, or neglect as most doe, Cultum Latriae, this Praising, and M [...]gnifying of God, and to gad vp and downe to heare the Word preached, as they call it, is not only against the Lawes of this Land, the Statutes of our Colledges, but against the chief Institution of the Lords Day.

This by all likelyhood, seemes harsh to Many, that consider not Things aright, but as if the Gospell of Christ were Faction, and all to be as they would haue it,

it is strange how CHVRCH-SERVICE is generally now neglected of all Sorts, nay and so much vilyfied of some, that would seeme to be Protestants to, and of the forwarder Sort, that the very Scriptures there read, are de­spised, and with Choroebus in the Poet, as if they resolved with Papists, to fight with their Weapons against the said Scriptures, ‘Virg. Aeneid. l. 2.Mutemus Clypeos, Danaum (que) insignia nobis Aptemus,’ they stick not to giue out, that they are read there to little purpose, because forsooth not interpreted. And indeed I must needs say, they are so heard by Many, that they profit by them never a whit; who did they heare also Lectures, and Sermons no better, would profit as little by them. And by them how litle they profit, CREDITE OPERIBVS. They are our Saviours owne Words,Ioh. 10.37. If I doe not the Workes of my Father, beleeue me not: But if I doe, though ye beleeue not me, beleeue the Workes. But concerning the Profit that may be taken by Scriptures read in the Church, let vs heare what Strangers say, seeing our owne Men at Hoame haue thought so hardly of it. Concerning the Scri­ptures [Page 142] to be read, Zanch. Tom. 8. De Rel. Christ. Observat. in c. 25. Aphoris. 10. & 11. ex Bucer. in Ep. ad Eph. c. 4. saith Zanchius, and he confirmes it by MARTIN BVC [...]R, whose Words they are; Concerning the Scriptures to be read, saith he, God be thanked it is well or­dered in the English Churches. Let it therefore be pondered diligently, whose Mouth they represent themselues to be, which in the sacred Assemblies read the Divine Bookes vn­to the People, that is to wit, they represent the Mouth of God Almighty. Next of what Moment, of what Dignity the Matters are that are recited, they are the Words and Precepts of Life Eternall. Lastly, to whom they read, namely to the Sonnes of God. These things if a man with true Faith consider with himselfe, what Gravity, Decency, Reli­gion can be yeelded in any Action, which should be omitted by such a Reader. Thus farre Zanchius, and with him Martin Bucer hand in hand. Had our owne Mothers Children at Hoame, had the like Opinion of Reading Scri­ptures in the publike Congregation, which Strangers you see haue had, our Church by this time had bene too hap­py, nor had our Adversaries the Papists gotten so much Ground of vs, as they seeme to haue. But it befalls GODS SERVICE, what oftentimes befalls his Prophets, Mat. 13.57. It is not without Honour, saue in our owne Country. God grant it followeth not with vs, what doth in that place concer­ning our Saviour,V. 58. that it doth not many mighty Workes here, because of our Vnbeliefe. But to returne to my pur­pose.

The Reason here giuen of Giuing Thanks, is, because the Lord defends them, but of Defending them, in the next Verse; in the meane time let vs consider what it is to Loue his Name, and this is the Effect of all.

Thy Name Mollerus in hunc Ps. saith Mollerus, that is, thy Word, whereby we are made acquainted how, and in what sort, the Lord will shew himselfe vnto those that are his. For that is cal­led a Name, saith he, whereby any one is knowen, or the Re­membrance of him is kept in mind. Such are the HOLY SCRIPTVRES, by them the Lord is knowen, by them [Page 143] his Remembrance is kept in mind. The Ignorance of the Scriptures Hieron. Com­ment. in Esay. Prooem. ad Eustoch. Virg. saith S. Ierom, is the Ignorance of Christ; and, Haec est Mors Animae, vt Deum nesciat. Not to know God Aug. Annot. in Iob. c. 9. saith S. Austen, is the Death of the Soule.

Vers. 13. For thou Lord wilt giue thy Blessing vnto the Righteous, and with thy favourable Kindnes wilt thou de­fend him as with a Shield.] Who they are, that are the Righteous, and whence it is they are so tearmed, I haue declaredExposit. on Ps. 1.7. p. 29. before. Here the Prophet shewes vnto vs, that they which indeed are Righteous, what Benefits they shall reape thereby. And first here is Blessing in the Singular Number, which is not so to be taken, as if it were but on­ly One: No; it cannot be said to God, as was said to Isaac, by Esau his Sonne,Gen. 27.38. Hast thou but one Blessing my Fa­ther? For God hath many. So that the Blessing here, though it be but One, yet is it indeed a Swarme, a Cluster of Blessings. One Swarme, many Bees; one Cluster, many Grapes. And as S. Austen in an other case,Aug. in Ps. 141. Quae Ʋia, ipsae & Ʋiae; quae Ecclesia, ipsae Ecclesia; & quod Coelum, ipsi Coeli: Way, and Wayes, Church, and Churches; Hea­uen, and Heauens are spoken Singularly, and Plurally, and therefore by the Singular Number, the Plurall is meant: euen so in this Case, by Blessing in the Singular, the Plural is vnderstood. And would you now see the Plurality of these Blessings? I specified themExposit. on Ps. 1.1. p. 4. before, it is but to haue recourse to the First Word of the First Psalme.

That the Prophet here addeth, that the Righteous shall be defended with the favourable Kindnes of the Lord as with a Shield, we are first of all to consider what this Favoura­ble Kindnes is, then the manner of the Defence thereof, namely, as with a Shield.

It is in the Originall, RATSON, Benevolentia, Bene­placitum, and rendred by the Septuagint [...], that which wee say in English Favour, or Goodnes, the Be­nignity of God, readily doing good to any of his Crea­tures. It is that which the Apostle calls,Rom. 2.4. The Riches of [Page 144] his Goodnes, whereby we may vnderstand that saying of his in the same Epistle, where it is said that he isRom. 10.12. Rich vn­to all that call vpon him. Indeed his gracious accepting of vs, and mercifull Readines to doe vs good, is the everla­sting true RICHES. Of worldly Riches it may be said, that wich Solomon saith of them, and many a man findes too true,Prov. 23.5. they certainely make themselues Wings, they flye away as an Eagle toward Heauen: but Riches of this Na­ture, is that which remaines for euer. The other Riches, Aug. de Temp. Ser. 74. saith S. Austen, what are they but a Testimony of our Want, Maior Indigentia, quasi maiores comparat Facul­tates: and because our Wants be greater, we procure our selues greater Wealth: but here in these, is All-sufficiency, and therefore we heard in the FormerPs. 4.8. Psalme, Thou hast put Gladnes in mine Heart: since the time that their Corne, and Wine, and Oile increased.

That the manner of Defence is said to bee as with a Shield, it was, it seemes, his vsual Phrase, for so he vseth the Word Shield in divers of hisPs. 33.19.35.2.91.4. Psalmes. And King Solomon to this purpose:Prov. 30.5. Every Word of God is pure, he is a Shield vnto them that put their trust in h [...]m. So Aiax of Vlysses, when Vlysses was in danger, and Aiax bestrid him with his Shield, and saued his Life:

Clypeus, Serv. in Virg. Aeneid. 7. & apud Latin. Ling. Auctor. p. 607. saith Servius of the Greeke VVord [...], for that it hides, and covers the Body, which would o­therwise be exposed to the Blowes of the Enemie.Isid l. 18. c. 12. Isidore of [...], which signifies the same.Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 35. c. 3. Pliny o [...] [...], of the chasing, or engraving that was therein.Ʋid. Isid. Loc. cit. Others of an old Latine VVord Cluêre, which did signifie to fight, or to be well reputed of, of Cluco, Clues, not Cluo, Cluis, for the VVords are divers. It was of a round Forme, and therefore Virgil as hee compares Polyphemus his Eye to such a Shield, ‘Virg. Aeneid. l. 3.Argolici Clypei, aut Phoebeae Lampadis instar:’ [Page 145] so Ovid not onely compares the Sunne in the Firmament thereunto, but calls it by the selfe-same Name.

Howbeit the Word in the Originall is CATSINNAH, which though Tremellius interpret Clypeus, yet Arias Montanus, and the Vulgar, haue Scutum, which commeth of the Greeke [...], aSteph. The­saurus in Verbo Scutum. Skinne, or Hide, for that they were made of Hides. Both which words, Clypeus, and Scutum, though they herein differ, that Clypeus belongs to Footmen, and Scutum to Horsemen, asIsid. [...]oc cit. Vid. Turneb. l. 11. c. 27. Isidore obserues: yet for matter of protecting, there is no difference at all. Only this one thing let me remember before I passe from hence, that Demaratus being demanded why they were accounted infamous at Laecedemon, who had lost their Targets, not their Head-peeces, or their Corselets: for that these Things Plut. Apopth. Lacon. Hence that of the Lacedemoni­an Mother to her Sonne: [...]. Cum hoc inquit, aut in hoc redi Au­son. Epig. 24. said he, they beare for their own Safety; but the Target for the Safety of all the Army. And thus is the Lord a Defence vnto the Righteous, not that he vseth any such Shields, it were Folly so to thinke, but for we are vn­der him as safe, nay more by much, then Shields can make vs.

But why is it here said, that He shall defend them with his Favourable Kindnes, and not rather with his Power? The Holy-Ghost,Marlorat. in hunc Ps. saith Marlorat, had rather ascribe the Benefit of his Protection to his Favourable Kindnes, then to his Power, thereby the better to confirme the Mindes of the Weake. For his Favourable Kindnes includes his Power, and all that belongeth therevnto, but his Power doth not include his Favourable Kindnes. Nor ought we to carry our selues Proudly, and Insolently hereupon, that thus we are defended, but as the Apostle giues vs counsaile, to work out our Salvation with [...]. Phil 2.12 Feare & Trem­bling. The Certainty, and Assurance of our Salvation, being not such as whereby a Man is meerely-Secure, and made absolutely out of doubt, butD^r Abbot his Defence of the Reform. Cath. Part. 2. c. 3. p. 256. such as many times is [Page 146] assembled, and shaken with many Difficulties, and Feares, and Doubts, which oft doe intricate, and perplexe the Soule of the Righteous, and Faithfull Man. And againe:D^r Abbot. Ib. p. 289. The Truth of God is alwayes alike, not subiect to Alte­ration, neuer increased, or diminished; but our Faith is greater, or lesse; sometimes hath a Full, and sometimes a Waine, and to vs the Truth of God is according to our Faith, and according to our apprehension, and feeling of it. Wherein we are variable, and diverse, euen after the manner of Peters Faith, of whom S. Austen Aug. de Verb. Dom. Ser. 13. saith, Peter was the Patterne of vs all, sometimes he beleeueth, some­times he wauereth; one while he confesseth Christ to be Im­mortall, an other while he is afraid least Christ should die. In a word, All our Prose may bee concluded in that Di­stick of the Poet, applying to our Saviour CHRIST, what he doth to Augustus Caesar, and putting in FAITH in steed of Hope.

Vnlesse we would mend one thing more, namely that where the Poet begins with CAESAR, and ends with his owne MISDEEDS: we beginne with our MISDEEDS, and end with our SAVIOVR. As if so be we should vse those Words of our Prophet in an otherPs. 130.3. last Translat. place: If thou Lord shouldst marke Iniquity; O Lord, who shall stand? But there is Forgiuenesse with thee, that thou mayst be feared.

VErse. 1. O Lord Rebuke me not in thine Indignation: neither chasten me in thy displeasure.] Concerning the Word LORD. I haue spokenExpos. on Ps. 3.1. p. 64. before, only this I may add in this place, that it is in this Psalme repeated no lesse then Fiue times, as First in this First Verse; Twice in the Second; the Fourth time in the Third; and the Fift time in the Fourth. No doubt but a most vehement Affection it was, that caused the Prophet to vse it so oftentimes. Ioash the King of Israel comming to visit Elisha the Prophet as [Page 150] he was vpon his Death-bed: the Prophet wild the King to take his Arrowes and to Smyte them on the ground. The King tooke the Arrowes, smote Thrice with them and ceased. Wherevpon the Prophet waxing Angry, Oh, 2. King. 13.19 saith he, thou shouldst haue Smitten Fiue or Six times, then hadst thou Smitten Syria til thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt Smyte Syria but Thrice. Syria was one of those that with Ephraim, and the Sonne of Remaliah, as it is in Esayes Esay. 7.5. Prophecie, tooke evill Counsaile against Iudah to vex it, and make a Breach therein, and to set vp a King in the Midst of it. This Syria, & Ephraim, and the Sonne of Remaliah, we may Interpret by way of Allego­ry to be the Prophets Enemies in this Psalme. Concerning whom as he Smyt [...]s the Ground of his Heart no lesse then Fiue times here in this Psalme with this Arrowe of his, LORD, so he Smote his Enemies till hee had consu­med them, as it is in the last Verse of this Psalme. But to leaue the Word Lord, and to come to the Words that followe.

Whereas the Prophet requesteth here not to be Rebu­ked in Indignation, nor chastned in Displeasure, hee re­questeth not simply not to be rebuked or chastned at all, for, what Sonne is he Heb. 12.7. saith the Apostle, whom the Father chastneth not? But if yee be without Chastisement, whereof all are Partakers, then are yee Bastards, and not Sonnes, and what theSpuria Vu [...] ­lamina non da­bunt radices al­tas, Sapient 4.3. Vulg. [...]. Bo [...]ke of Wisdome saith of Bastards, is well knowne. Againe, it were against the Iustice of God that there should be no Punishment at all for Sinne, though it be in his owne Children. For a; Abraham in another caseGen. 18.25. Shall not the Iudge of all the Earth doe Right? So was it our Saviours Conclusion, that they which did sinne alike should haue like Punishment. Suppose yee, Luc. 13, 3. saith our Sa­viour, that these Galileans were Sinners aboue all the Gali­leans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but except yee repent yee shall all likewise Perish. Or those Eigh­teene vpon whom the Tower in Siloe fell, and slew them, think [Page 151] yee that they were Sinners aboue all men that dwelt in Ieru­salem? I tell you nay; but except ye Repent yee shall alwaies likewise Perish. Indeed sometimes there is some diffe­rence, and therefore our Prophet in another Psalme, The Righteous shall be punished, Ps. 37.29. saith he, as for the Seed of the Vngodly it shall be rooted out.

The Prophets Request then in this place, is to bee deli­uered from Punishments, not in Toto, as they say, but in Tanto: not wholy and altogether, but so farre forth as it m [...]ght seeme to proceed from an angry and wrathfull Hand. With how great circumspection, Wisd. 12.21. saith the Wisdome of Solomon, diddest thou Iudge thine owne Sonnes, vnto whose Fathers thou hast sworne, & made Covenants of good Promises? Therefore whereas thou dost Chasten vs, thou scourgest our Enemies a Thousand times more, to the intent that when we Iudge, we should carefully thinke of thy Good­nesse, and when we our selues are Iudged, we should looke for Mercy.

But what? Is there Indignation then, and Displeasure in the Highest? Is he subiect to Passions as we our selues are? No; the Lord is not as sinfull Man, Fury is not in mee, Esay. 27.4. saith he. These Words then, Displeasure & Indignation, are spoken here of God according to the Nature & Pro­perty of Men, who when they Punish seuerely, vse to bee Furious in their Punishments, and so the Lord is said to be. This it was that Iob experimented, & which the Pro­phet now feared. Thou huntest mee, Iob. 10.16. saith Iob, as a fierce Lyon: and againe thou shewest thy selfe marvellous vpon me, Thou renuest thy Witnesses, that is, thy Plagues, against me, and increasest thine Indignation vpon mee; Changes and Warre are against me.

Verse. 2. Haue mercy vpon me O Lord, for I am weak O Lord, Heale me, for my Bones are vexed.] From the Lords Iustice in the former Verse, hee Appealeth in this Verse vnto his Mercy, and of Mercy hath beene spokenExpos. on Ps. 4.1. p. 88. before. Nor is the Prophet at a wrong Doore in crauing [Page 152] these Almes, forasmuch as the Lords Title is,2. Cor. 1.3. The Father of Mercies, and the God of all Comfort. The Mercy here meant is a Commiseration over his Miseries, a Tender Compassion towards himselfe, that suffered Affliction: which how well it agreeth to God aboue, witnesse the Words of the Apostle S Paul: Heb. 4.15. For we haue not an High Priest, which cannot bee touched with the feeling of our In­firmities, but was in all Points Tempted like as we are, yet without Sinne. His Conclusion there is, Let vs therefore come boldly vnto the Throane of Grace, that we may obtaine Mercy, and finde Grace to help in time of Need. And again in the sameHeb. 2.18. Epistle, In that he himselfe hath Suffered being Tempted, he is able to succour them that are Tempted.

Now that here was the Time of Need, wherein this Helpe of Grace was to be found, witnes the Words of the Prophet here, for that he was Weake, and his Bones vexed, which Weaknesse of his what it was, though it be not here expressed, yet may we gather by the Circumstances. Infir­mum non se vocat quia Aegrotat, sed quia Deiectus ac Fra­ctus sit: He calls not himselfe Weake in this place by rea­son of any Sicknesse, Calvin in hunc Ps. saith Calvin, but for he was Deie­cted and Cast downe, by reason of his Broken and Con­trite Heart. A Case which oftentimes happens to the dea­rest Children of God, though sometimes they haue Bold­nesse againe, and Vndauntednesse of Courage against all Opposition whatsoeuer.

By the Vexing of his Bones here the Prophet perhaps meanes not his Bones indeed, but Firmamentum Ani­mae vel Fortitudinem, asAug. in hunc Ps. S. Austen interprets it, the very Strength of his Soule, suppose his Faith, or Hope, or so forth: Praecipuum Robur suum, asCalvin. in hunc Ps. Calvin tearmeth it, his Might, his Strength, Excellency of Dignity, or Excel­lency of Power: or if so bee hee meant his Bones indeed, then asIansen. in hunc loc. Iansenius obserueth, they are put for the Mem­bers of his Body by an vsuall Synecdoche among the He­brewes.

Verse. 3. My Soule is also sore troubled, but Lord how long wilt thou punish me.] The Spirit of a Man, Prou. 18.14. saith So­lomon, will sustaine his Infirmity, but a Wounded Spirit who can beare? That is, saith the Note in the Margent of our Former Translation: The Mind can well beare the Infir­mity of the Body, but when the Spirit is Wounded, that is, the Mind it selfe, it is a thing Vnsupportable. If we Reply as did the Disciples of our Saviour in another Case, when our Saviour had told them that it was easier for a Camell to goe through the Eye of a Needle, then for a Rich man to enter into the Kingdome of God, Who then can bee sa­ued: so, who then can be sustained? who can possibly bee supported? The Answere must bee as our Saviours there was,Mat. 19.25. With Men it is impossible, but not with God, for with God all things are possible. The Lord, 1. Sam. 2.6. saith Hannah, killeth and maketh aliue, he bringeth downe to the Graue, & bring­eth vp. Words which She had learnt, no doubt, of Moses the Prophet, in his Booke of Deuteronomie. Deut. 32.39

Howbeit the Prophet here in the meane time is driuen to such Extremities, that hee is faine to come to VSQVE QVO, to How long he should be Punished? It seemes he was long in Punishing then, & it was not with him as at other times,Ps. 30 5. Heavines may endure for a Night, but Ioy commeth in the Morning: no, but happely he endured many Nights, many Mornings in this plight. So the Prophet here in this place, Ʋsque quo? How long? but especially in anotherPs. 13.1. Psalme, How long wilt thou forget me O Lord, for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy Face from me? How long shall I seeke Counsaile in my Soule, and be so vexed in my Heart! how long shall mine Enemies triumph over me? How long? and How long? and again How long? and How long again the fourth time? Indeed it is Long to vs, but it is our Infir­mitie which makes vs think that Long, which we haue not in a Tryce. Iust for all the world like those that are Sicke, especially, if in their Sicknesse they be Cholerick to. How hasty, Aug. in Ps. 36 saith S. Austen, are sicke Men to haue their Wills? Nothing seemes so long vnto them as while the Cup they call [Page 154] for, is in fetching. They who doe attend them make all the speed they can, and all for he should be pleased, & yet the Sick Man, When? why When I say? When will you bring it mee? When shall I haue it? They make as much hast as possible they may, and yet that which they with so much hast endeauour to perfourme, thy Sicknesse makes it seeme long vnto thee. But it is a good Note and fit to this purpose, which S. Austen hath vpon this Psalme.Aug. in hunc Ps. That which is easily Cured, is not greatly cared for, the Difficulty of Healing makes vs take the greater heed when Health is once obtained. And again,Aug. Ib. The Prophet is in this long Perplexitie, that hereby hee might knowe how great the Punishment is that is prepared for those that will in no wise bee Converted, when they that are Converted find so great difficulty in obtaining of Pardon: as it is written, 1. Pet. 4.18. saith hee, in another place, If the Righteous scarcely be saued, where shall the Vngodly, and the Sinner appeare?

Verse. 4. Turne thee O Lord, and deliuer my Soule: Oh saue me for thy Mercies sake.] Himselfe being now con­verted to the Lord; his Petition to the Lord now is, that the Lord would be converted vnto him, according vnto that of the Lord himselfe in the Prophet Zachary, Turne yee vnto me, Zach. 1.3. saith the Lord of Hoasts, and I will turne vn­to you, saith the Lord of Hoasts. Now what hee here meant by the Lords Turning vnto him, hee explicateth in the Words that follow, namely in deliuering his Soule, and sauing him for his Mercies sake.

First for his Soule likely ynough that his Life is meant thereby, being now (as it were) at the last cast, and vpon the Co [...]fines of Death. For howsoeuer the Soule is some­times taken for that Spirituall, and best Part of Man, whereby we vnderstand, and discourse of things; some­times for the Will, and Affections, whereof the Soule is the Seat; yet here in this place considering the Sequences, it may be taken for Life, by the Figure Metanomia, for that the Soule is Cause of Life.

Secondly, where he petitioneth to be Saued, and that is the Summe of his Request, he tooke no doubt the right course in making his Repaire vnto God. For as this our Prophet acknowledgeth elswhere, that he is thePs. 17.7. Saviour of them that put their trust in him; so the Lord saith of himselfe,Esay 43.11. I, euen I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Saviour. And againe,Esay 45.21. There is no God els beside me a iust God and a Saviour, there is none beside me. The like hath the ProphetHos. 13.4. Hosea. True it is, that the Word to SAVE is applyed to Others to, either Spiritually, or Corporally, as Paul to Timothy, 1. Tim. 4.16. Take heed vnto thy selfe, and vnto the Doctrine: continue in them: for in doing this, thou shalt both saue thy selfe, and them that heare thee; and S. Iames to this purpose,Iam. 5.19. Brethren, if any of you doe erre from the Truth, let him know that he which converteth a Sinner from the Error of his Way, shall saue a Soule from Death. So Mi­nisters by Preaching; Magistrates by Protecting; Christi­ans by Admonishing doe saue. But thus to saue, is to serue Gods Providence, onely as a meanes in the preser­vation of others, as Instruments vnder God, who for their Service herein, honoureth them with the Title belonging to Himselfe.

Thirdly, where he pleads not Merit, but Mercy, which Merit no doubt he might haue pleaded aswell as any our Merit-mongers whatsoeuer, it teacheth vs what wee in like case should bring as a Present to the true IOSEPH our Governour, not aGen. 43.11. little Balme, and a little Hony, Spi­ces, and Mirrhe, Nuts, and Almonds of our owne Workes and Deeds, but only his owne MERCY. Periculosa habi­tatio eorum qui in Meritis suis sperant: periculosa, quia ruinosa. Dangerous is their DwellingBern. in Psal. Qui habitat. Ser. 1. saith S. Bernard, that trust in their owne Merits, it is a Dangerous, for it is a Ruinous Dwelling. When an House is ready to tumble downe,Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 28. saith Pliny, the Mice goe out of it before; and first of all the Spiders with their Webbes fall downe; and surely we should bee more brutish then either Spiders or [Page 156] Mice, should we trust to such ruinous Dangers, as such Confidence would bring vpon vs.

Vers. 5. For in Death no man remembreth thee, and who will giue thee thankes in the Pit?] Two Sorts of Men haue liued in the World (would God we might say Haue liued, as Tully Plut. in Cic. said Vixerunt, of Some, whom he had cau­sed to bee executed as Traitours, for so are these against God) but two Sorts of Men haue liued in the World, that deny theZanch. de O­per. Dei. Part. 3. l. 2. c. 8. Immortality of the Soule: the One of them ab­solutely: the Other by a Consequence. Of those which doe it absolutely, we haue now no cause to speake, cause we shall haue sufficient, when we come to the Fourteenth Psalme. They which doe it by a Consequence, are such, as hold that the Soules dye when as the Bodies doe dye, and that they rise not till the Bodies rise againe. They dare not deny flatly,Zanch Ib. saith Zanchius, the Soules Immortality, for that it is so manifest throughout the whole Scrip­tures, but what they dare, that they doe; they depriue it of all Sence, of all Knowledge, of all Affection, and Ope­ration, stifly maintaining, that it sleepeth forsooth till the Day of the Bodies Resurrection, and then that it shall bee wakened, and not till then. Among the severall Parcels of Scripture, which they haue heaped vp to this purpose, this of this Psalme is one, and as many besides in the Psalmes, as describe Man to bee of such a Condition, as that hee cannot after Death praise the Name of the Lord any more. As namely where David Ps. 88.10. saith, Doest thou shewe Wonders among the Dead: or shall the Dead rise vp againe and praise thee? Shall thy louing Kindnes be shew­ed in the Graue; or thy Faithfulnes in Destruction? Shall thy wondrous Workes be knowen in the Darke, and thy Righ­teousnes in the Land where all things are forgotten? And againe,Ps. 115.17. The Dead praise not thee, O Lord: neither all they that goe downe into the Silence: but we, that is, we which liue, will praise the Lord from this time forth for euermore. And yet again,Ps. 30.9. What profit is there in my Bloud, when I goe [Page 157] downe to the Pit? Shall the Dust giue Thankes vnto thee, or shall it declare thy Truth? But there is as Zanchius Zanch. vbi supra. ob­serues, a twofold Praise: the One, when in this World we shew forth vnto Others the Lords Goodnes towards vs, that Others also by our example, may be stirred vp to put their Confidence in God, and to worship God in like sort, and of this kind of Praises are the foresaid Places to be vn­derstood: The Other, when the Praises of God are reserved for the World to come, to be perfourmed by the blessed Saints that shall at that time praise the Lord. And that they praise the Lord in the World to come, witnes those severall places in the Revelation, that might bee brought to this purpose.Rev. 5.13. Euery Creature which is in Heauen, and in the Earth, and vnder the Earth, and such as are in the Sea, and all that are in them heard I, saying, BLESSING, HONOVR, GLORY, AND POWER BE VNTO HIM THAT SITTETH VPON THE THRONE, AND VNTO THE LAMB FOR EVER AND EVER. Againe,Reu. 14.2. I heard a Voyce from Heauen, at the Voice of many Waters, and as the Ʋoice of a great Thunder: And I heard the Voice of Harpers, harping with their Harpes. And they sung, as it were, a new Song before the Throne, and before the Foure Beasts, and the Elders: and so forth. And againe in a third place,Reu. 19.1. And after these things I heard a great Ʋoice of much People in Heauen, saying, ALLELVIA: SALVATION, AND GLORY, AND HONOVR, AND POWER VNTO THE LORD OVR GOD.

By this then that hath bene spoken, we may gather why the Prophet here in this place, abhorreth Death so much. Not for it was a meanes to conveigh him to a bet­ter Life, where was as S. Gregory Greg. in 7. Ps. Poenitent. & Aug. Medit. c. 17. speaketh, Et certa secu­ritas, & secura Aeternitas, & aeterna Tranquillitas, & tranquila Foelicitas, & foelix Suavitas, & suavis Iucundi­tas: both assured Security, and secure Aeternity, and eter­nall Tranquillity, or Quietnes, and quiet Foelicity, or Hap­pines, [Page 158] and happy Pleasantnes, and pleasant Delightfulnes: but for it did depriue him here in this World of that kind of Serving of the Lord, which by way of Example was so necessary to Many that liued in those dayes. Who knowes not the Apostle S. Pauls distraction in like case, who howsoeuer he had aPhil. 1.23. Desire to depart, and to be with Christ, yet seeing it was more needfull for the Philippians, that he should abide in the Flesh, hee confesseth himselfe in a streight, and what to chose he wotteth not. Howbeit here let vs consider what the Prophet intimates in this place, namely that if so be he might liue, he would then remem­ber his Maker, and Preseruer, and Giue him Thankes, that is, he would praise him all the Dayes of his Life. A point that Many promise, when they are in like extremities, but perfourme so seeldome, that it hath bene the Cause of a common Proverb, andLemnius de occult. Nat. Mi­rac. l. 2. c. 29. See my L. of Cant. vpon Io­nas. Lect. 17. §. 5. Lemnius discourseth thereof at large, That no man in a manner is bettered in Life and Con­versation, either by reason of his long Disease, or by long Travailing on the Seaes.

Vers. 6. I am weary of my groning, euery Night wash I my Bed: and water my Couch with my Teares.] No doubt the Prophet had in this sort groaned, and greeved excee­ding long, otherwise he could hardly, nay he would not haue bene so weary. He was not ignorant by all likely­hood, how sweetly these Grones of his, did sound in Gods Eares. Quoties te in conspectu Domini video suspirantem, Spiritum sanctum non dubito aspirantem: cum intueor flen­tem, sentio ignoscentem. As often as I see thee sighing in the sight of God,Cyp. de Coena Dom. saith S. Cyprian. I doubt not but in those Sighes of thine, the holy Spirit doth breathe: when I see thee weeping, me thinkes he is then forgiuing. A spe­ciall good Noate for Many, who if according to their ha­sty Affections, they haue not present Help from the Lord, either their Prayers they say, are not heard, or the Lord deales with them, as with no Body els, or they say with the King of Israel,2. Kings 6.23 Behold this Euill is of the Lord, what [Page 159] should I waite for the Lord any longer? Certainely there is no Wearines to this Weakenes, and they that are thus hastie, little remember how long the Lord stayd for them before their Conversion. Sustinuit te, sustine illum: GodAug. Hom. 11. saith S. Austen, hath staid thy leasure, stay thou his, an other while: Sustinuit te, vt mutares Vitam tuam malam: sustine illum, vt coronet Vitam tuam bonam: He hath borne with thee, till thou shouldst change thy bad Life, beare with him now till he crowne thy good Life. They are the Words of the Psalmist himselfe,Ps. 27.16. O tary thou the Lords leisure: be strong, and he shall comfort thy Heart. Hast thou not knowen Esay 40.28. saith Esay, Hast thou not heard, that the euer­lasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the Ends of the Earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? He giueth power to the faint, and to them that haue no Might, he increaseth Strength. The Vision Hab. 2 3. saith Habakuk, is yet for an appointed time, but at the End it shall speake, and not lye: though it tar [...]y, waite for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

But how is it that here he saith, that Euery Night hee washeth his Bed, and watereth his Couch with his Teares? What? Euery Night? and that with Teares? Is it probable? nay, is it possible? No doubt but the Speech is Hyperboli­call, and yet like a trueQuintil. Instit. Orat. l. 8. c. 6. Hyperbole, though it be Vltra Fi­dem, beyond beleefe: yet is it not Vltra modum, beyond all measure. No doubt but hee meant hereby Plenty of Teares, like as Scipio in Tully, Tull. Sem. Scip. Equidem vim Lachryma­rum profudi. We haue diverse the like in holy Scripture, I will make thy Seed Gen. 13.1 [...]. saith GOD to Abraham, as the Dust of the Earth. Quis non videat quàm sit incomparabi­liter amplior Arenae numerus, quàm potest esse omnium Hominum ab ipso Adam, vs (que) ad terminum Saeculi? Who sees not Aug. de Civ. Dei. l. 16. c. 21. saith S. Austen, how incomparably the Dust of the Earth is greater then can be the number of all Men from A­dam himselfe to the End of the World, how much more then the Seed of Abraham, which Seed in comparison of the Multitude of the Wicked is onely in a few: albeit euen [Page 160] those Few doe make an innumerable Multitude signified by the Dust of the Earth, according to the Figure Hyper­bole. But now concerning Teares.

Teares Ambros. Tom. 3. Ser. 46. saith S. Ambrose, are as it were a speechlesse Praying, they craue not pardon, and yet they obtaine it, they open not their case, and yet they find Mercy. Why? but for the Prayers of Teares are much more profitable, then the Pray­ers of Words. Words in a Prayer may deceiue, Teares cannot; Words many times doe their Errands by halues, Teares make demonstration of the whole Affection. And S. Austen to this purpose, Sufficit Auribus Imber Oculorum, Fletus citiùs audit quàm Voces. To the Eares of God aboue,Aug de Temp. Ser. 226. saith S. Austen, a Shower of Teares is sufficient, hee heares our Weeping much sooner then our Words.

Concerning the two Synonimaes here, Washing, and Wa­tering, washing his Bed, and watering his C [...]uch, it is a pretty difference that S. Austen obserueth betweene them, Potest aliquid in superficie lavari, Rigatio verò ad in­teriora permanat quod significat Fletum vs (que) ad Cordis in­tima. A thingAug. in hunc Ps. saith S. Austen, may be washed superficial­ly, and on the out-side onely, but watering pierceth euen to the inward Parts, which signifieth that Weeping must in as farre as the very Heart Root.

Vers. 7. My Beauty is gone for very trouble, and worne away because of all mine Enemies.] The Beauty of David, what it was when he was a Child, the Scripture declareth to v [...], namely how1. Sam. 16.12. He was ruddy, and withall of a beauti­full Countenance, and goodly to looke to No doubt when he came to Yeeres, hee retained the same still; for though Beauty be commonly variable, and al corporeal things Ambros. Hexam. l. 6. c. 6. saith S. Ambrose, doe fade, and wither away, by reason of the ac­cesse of Age or excesse of Sicknes: yet with some it is not so, but the Elder they waxe, the more comely, and it is strange to see how some men haue carried their Age. To say nothing of them before the Floud, who liued so many Hundred yeeres: Adam, 930, Seth, 912, Cain, 910, and [Page 161] who liued least, 700 yeeres, being perfected in many re­spects with a most excellent proportion of Humors, and as it likelyVid. Coll. of Hist. by Tho­mas Fortescue. & Printed by my FATHER A^o 1576. Fruits, and Hearbes of farre greater Efficacy, and Vertue in those Dayes, then since the Earth was cur­sed: Moses Deut. 34.7. saith the Scripture, was an Hundred and twen­ty yeeres old when he died: his Eyes were not dimme, nor his naturall Force abated. And Caleb to Ioshua, Iosh. 14.11. Fourty yeeres old was I, when Moses sent me to espye out the Land, I am this Day Fourscore and fiue yeeres old. As yet I am as strong this Day, as I was in the Day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, euen so is my strength now, for warre, both to goe out, and to come in. The Prophet David was likely enough to haue bene such an one, who before this Accident befell, carried his Yeeres it should seeme no man better. Howbeit now the Case was altered, and Sinne had made such a Breach, as that where so much Beauty was, there was nothing now but Deformity. When thou Ps. 39.12. saith he in an other place, doest chasten man for Sin, thou makest his Beauty to consume away like as it were a Moth fretting a Garment, euery Man therefore is but Va­nity. Omnis Animi Dolor statim se prodit in Vultu. All Griefe of Mind Mollerus in hunc Ps. saith One, appeares presently in the Coun­tenance: and therefore King Solomon, Prov. 17.22. A merry Heart doth good, like a Medicine, but a broken Spirit dryeth the Bones. A good instruction by the way, for Women, who so much esteeme of their Beauty, and for feare of marring thereof, will not suffer the Sunne to touch it, but the grea­test Enemy vnto it, is rather Sinne, then the Sunne; the One with his Beames burnes them not so much, as they are scorched by the Other. Though Sinne be as cold as Ice to: and thereforeAug. in Ps. 125. S. Austen, Illigati Frigore Peccatorum gelavimus, we are frozen with the Cold, and benumming of our Sinnes.

But how is it that the Prophet addeth, that his Beauty is worne away because of his Enemies? went the considera­tion of Enemies so neere him? tooke he them so nigh to [Page 162] Heart? For doubtles it could not be but an extraordina­ry anguish of Minde that made such a Metamorphosis of him. Anguish of Mind indeed, if it be extreame, workes strange Effects, and that in an instant. One onely Night hath bene sufficient to make a young Man that was fresh, and of a liuely Hew, gray-headed by the Morning.Lemnius de Complex. l. 2. c. 2. Lem­nius tels of one,Scal. de Sub­til. Exere 312. Scaliger of an other, that haue bene Ex­amples in this kind. But would our Prophet, nay could our Prophet be so much mooued by his Enemies? Yes: for his Enemies by all likely-hood, gaue out hereupon, that what he suffered in this kind, was most worthily de­serued. Like as the Barbarians Act. 28.4. said of Paul, when they saw the Viper on his Hand. No doubt this Man is a Mur­therer, whom though he hath escaped the Sea, yet Ven­geance suffereth not to liue. Indeed there is nothing goes neerer the Heart of a good and godly Man, then the hastie Iudgements of Others vpon him, by reason of those Crosses, which it pleaseth the Lord to send him. Hoc v­num tantum dixerim, vltimam esse adversae Fortunae Sarci­nam▪ quod dum Miseris aliquod Crimen assigitur, quae perfe­runt, meruisse creduntur. It isBoetius de Consol. l. 1. Pros. 4. See my L. of Cant. on Ionas. Lect. 6. §. 6. saith Boetius, the heauiest Burthen that Fortune can lay vpon our Shoulders, that when any Calamity doth betide vs, Men will streightway giue out, that wee haue our Deserts. This it was that wrought Iob so much Trouble with his Friends, who could by no meanes perswade themselues, but that so great Calamities as those, did argue his great Offences both to God, and to the World. Insomuch that he was fain to make for himselfe many Apologies; and as Calvin hathCalvin. in Iob. Conc. 1. observed, Iob maintained a good Quarrell, though hee handled it but ill: his Friends maintained a Bad one, but yet handled it too-too well. The Cause that Iob had in hand, was this: God doth not alwayes punish Men according to the Measure of their Sinnes, and therefore that himselfe is not reiected of God, as they would haue made him to be­leeue. On the contrary, they maintained that God doth [Page 163] alwayes punish Men according to the Measure of their Sinnes, wherein they intreat of Gods Providence; they intreat of his Iustice; they intreat of Mens Sinnes; but herein they goe awry, for that hereby they wholly labour to cast Iob into Despaire, in applying all to him. And this as Beza obserueth, his Wife had aymed at before, when as she bade him to Blesse God, and die. Sathan endeavouring (as heSaluo aliorum Interpretum Iu­dicio, ausim affir­mare hanc Mu­liorem eandem prorsus causam egisse, at (que) postea Iobi Amicos, quorum d [...]s [...]ep­tatio subsequi­tur: & quidem non alia volun­tate, nec alijs ra­tionibus impul­sam. Bez. in Iob c. 2. saith) to worke that by her meanes, which after­wards hee thought to bring about by those his Friends. Doest thou still reteine thy Integrity? Blesse God, and die. As if so be she had said; Seest thou not how exceeding angry God is with thee? How, thou art now at the Pits brink, rea­dy to giue vp the Ghost? Nay, but yet while thy little Life remaineth (for dye instantly (she thought) he should) giue Glory vnto God, as to a Righteous Iudge, and esteeming the Multitude of thy Sins, according to the Multitude of thy Calamities, which he now sends vnto thee, prepare thy self vnto thy End. An Interpretation I should well like of, did not our last Translators turne it, Curse God, and die, The Rhemists indeed, in their Doway Bible, haue BLESSE in the Text, which would serue Bezaes Interpretation ex­ceeding well, but then their Marginall Note out ofGreg l. 3. c. 24. Gre­gory, that she perswaded her Husband to Desperation and Blasphemy, marres all that Hope that Beza might haue had of them by their Translating that Word Howbeit were Beza aliue, and should say vnto them: I commend you for Translating the Word so, for so Mercerus doth in his Comment, whose Translation I follow; but it is very vnlikely, that a Matron, bred vp in so godly an House, should forget herselfe so far, as to vse such Impudency of Speech: and Iobs Reprehension would haue bene in more forcible Termes, then to haue said, she spake like aNec eos probo qui Stultam pro Insana, & Impia interpretantur, quod fateor in­terdum Hebraea Voce NABAL intelligi, & sanè huic Mulieri optimè conveni­ret, si tam prae­sertim impuden­ter Marit [...]m ad Deum ipsum ex­ecrandum esset hortata. Stultā igitur opponit Sapienti & Cir­cumspectae. Bez. Ib: Foolish Woman: No, but like a Wicked Woman: No, but like a Di­uelish Woman; Nay Iulian himself, that most wicked Apo­stata, came not to this height of Impiety of Cursing God, on­ly he said, Ʋicisti Galilaee, though thereMontaigns Essayes. l. 2. c. 19. are that think, he [Page 164] said not that neither: should Beza, I say, thus say, what would our Rhemists reply againe? If so be they would re­ply, that they but followed the Interpretation of S. Gre­gory, or of the Fathers, their owne Andradius will tell them, that Experience inforceth vs to confesse,Andrad. De­fens. Fid. Trid. l. 2. p. 446. Edit Colon. 1580. Nisi prae­clarissimis Ingenijs, Ingraeti esse volumus, vnlesse we will be vnthankfull to most excellent Wits, that many things in the Scripture, are in this our Age, more exactly expoun­ded, through the Diligence of Learned Men, then euer they haue bene heretofore. And so himselfe expounds that ofEsay 53.8. Esay, Who shall declare his Age? that of thePs. 40.8. Psal­mist, Sacrifice, and Meat Offering thou wouldst not haue, but mine Eares hast thou opened: that ofGen. 20.16. Abimeleh vnto Sarah, I haue giuen thy Brother a Thousand peeces of Siluer: farre otherwise then the Fathers did. But to returne to my purpose.