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017 - Sermon 16 Verses 121-128 · Sermons on Psalm 119

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Speaker 1: Sermons sixteen of Sermons on Psalm one hundred and nineteen
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Speaker 1: by John Calvin, translated by Thomas Stocker. This LibriVox recording
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Speaker 1: is in the public domain. I in I have executed
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Speaker 1: judgment and justice. Give me not over unto mine oppressors.
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Speaker 1: Answer for thy servant in that which is good, and
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Speaker 1: let not the proud do me wrong. Mine eyes have
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Speaker 1: failed in looking for thy salvation and for thy just promise.
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Speaker 1: Deal with thy servant according unto thy loving mercies, and
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Speaker 1: teach me thy statutes. I am thy servant. Grant me therefore,
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Speaker 1: understanding that I may know thy testimonies. It is time
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Speaker 1: for the Lord to lay to his hand, for they
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Speaker 1: have destroyed Thy law. Therefore love I thy commandments above gold,
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Speaker 1: yea above most fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy commandments,
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Speaker 1: most just, and all false ways. I utterly abhor the
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Speaker 1: Holy script which are oftentimes admonisheth us that if we
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Speaker 1: will have God to stand with us against our enemies,
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Speaker 1: we must walk perfectly and soundly. For if we will
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Speaker 1: be like the wicked, rendering evil for evil, it is
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Speaker 1: in vain for us to hope that God will be
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Speaker 1: on our side. Either Yet favor us, But it is
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Speaker 1: meet that he be judged on both parts, when as
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Speaker 1: they incline thus to do evil. Would we have God
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Speaker 1: to be our warrant and defender. Do we believe that
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Speaker 1: He will have compassion on us when we are troubled
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Speaker 1: and violently oppressed, That our consciences be pure and clean
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Speaker 1: before him? Because we know that He taketh upon himself
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Speaker 1: this title to be the maintainer of all those which
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Speaker 1: are unjustly oppressed, and also of the miserable and afflicted. Now,
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Speaker 1: if we have such wicked hearts to enforce us to
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Speaker 1: wicked dealing, how shall God put forth his hand to
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Speaker 1: aid us? For then must he intermeddle himself with a
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Speaker 1: naughty cause, which is an impossibility and altogether contrary to
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Speaker 1: his nature. See then, wherefore it is said, in this
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Speaker 1: place executed judgment and justice, give me not over unto
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Speaker 1: mine oppressors. David here maketh a request unto God, that
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Speaker 1: he might not be delivered into the hands of his
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Speaker 1: enemies which sought to destroy him. Now for the obtaining
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Speaker 1: of that which he demanded, he maketh this protestation that
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Speaker 1: he hath walked rightly before God. Yea even with them
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Speaker 1: which went about to destroy him. Moreover, these two words
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Speaker 1: righteousness and judgment, when they go together, import as much
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Speaker 1: as to do wrong to none, but to proceed in
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Speaker 1: equity and in good faith, as we say, for, to
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Speaker 1: maintain every good cause, and not to suffer any wrong
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Speaker 1: to be done. For it is not enough for us
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Speaker 1: to abstain from hurting and grieving of our neighbor. Neither
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Speaker 1: is it enough for us to go about to discharge
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Speaker 1: us of our duties. But when we shall see any
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Speaker 1: man unjustly trodden down, and a good cause go to wreck,
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Speaker 1: we ought to oppose ourselves against every such wicked act
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Speaker 1: and injury. And as it were, to take part with God, who,
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Speaker 1: as he is the commander of all equity, so will
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Speaker 1: he also have us to maintain it, forasmuch as we
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Speaker 1: are his children. We see then in some the protestation
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Speaker 1: which David here maketh, That is that he did not
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Speaker 1: only abstain from hurting his neighbors and go about to
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Speaker 1: render to every man that which was his. But over
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Speaker 1: and besides all this, he set himself against all violences
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Speaker 1: and extortions which were committed. He would not suffer the
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Speaker 1: innocent to be oppressed to be put forth for a
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Speaker 1: prey or spoil, but pained himself to do what in
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Speaker 1: him lay to help them. When we may be bold
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Speaker 1: to make such a protestation in truth, let us not
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Speaker 1: doubt but that God will stretch forth his hand, that
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Speaker 1: if men went about to trouble us, yea, and that
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Speaker 1: we were, as it were, in great danger to fall
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Speaker 1: into their hands. Let us not doubt but that God
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Speaker 1: will have pity on us and aid us. For this
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Speaker 1: prayer which David here maketh, was not made at adventure,
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Speaker 1: but the Holy Ghost put it into his mouth to
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Speaker 1: the end to teach us to walk as he has
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Speaker 1: done so soundly and perfectly. And hereupon, if men should
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Speaker 1: lift themselves up against us, and use all the outrage
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Speaker 1: and malice they can against us, let us have recourse
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Speaker 1: unto God, and be assured that He will be our
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Speaker 1: defender and protector. Now we very well see by this
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Speaker 1: that David make no mention of his merits unto God,
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Speaker 1: as if he should have said, I have right well
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Speaker 1: deserved a Lord, that thou shouldst keep and defend me
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Speaker 1: against the wicked, because I have done that which is
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Speaker 1: lawful and right. David spake it not to any such end.
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Speaker 1: But he had regard, as I have already said, to
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Speaker 1: the goodness of God and to his promises which are
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Speaker 1: contained in the law and imprinted in his heart, to
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Speaker 1: it that God will uphold all those that are unjustly
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Speaker 1: trodden down, and always help those which are outraged and injured,
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Speaker 1: because that they, for their part, have taken great pain
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Speaker 1: to be at peace with all the world, that they
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Speaker 1: have not given occasion for any to grieve and torment them,
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Speaker 1: and yet that the ungodly have risen up against them.
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Speaker 1: See what a regard David had. Now he addeth answer
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Speaker 1: thou for thy servant in that which is good, and
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Speaker 1: let not the proud do me wrong. The saying that
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Speaker 1: David here useth signifieth sometimes a man to give his word,
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Speaker 1: as we say in this country, that is, to become
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Speaker 1: a man's surety and his pledge. And some there are
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Speaker 1: which do so expound it. But the true sense and
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Speaker 1: most natural meaning of it is this, that David prayeth
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Speaker 1: that he might be given to do good and to
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Speaker 1: delight therein wherein we see this to be a work
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Speaker 1: of God and a grace proceeding from Him. When we
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Speaker 1: shall desire to be given to do good, so that
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Speaker 1: we have pleasure in it and do taste thereof. For
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Speaker 1: this is very certain that, notwithstanding that men follow the
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Speaker 1: very inclination of their flesh to hate the good and
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Speaker 1: love the evil. And when anything shall be told them
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Speaker 1: of God, we see how it maketh them melancholy and sorrowful.
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Speaker 1: So then it is God that must change and reform us,
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Speaker 1: or else we shall never attain to this affection he
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Speaker 1: has spoken of, to take pleasure in well doing, and
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Speaker 1: so to love it. Now, David was no hypocrite to
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Speaker 1: make a fair show to desire a thing at the
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Speaker 1: hands of God which was in his own hand. But
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Speaker 1: he knew this to be the manner of men, that
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Speaker 1: it was impossible for him to come to the full
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Speaker 1: perfection of that, except it were given unto him from above.
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Speaker 1: See here in some what we have to learn and
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Speaker 1: keep by this. For when he addeth at the wicked
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Speaker 1: or the proud outrage against him, he sheweth that when
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Speaker 1: we shall be so given to well doing, we must
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Speaker 1: trust to the protection of God, according to that which
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Speaker 1: I have already said. Let us also note that David
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Speaker 1: in this verse confirmeth the matter already handled. He hath
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Speaker 1: heretofore very well, said, O Lord, I have done the
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Speaker 1: thing that is lawful and right. And yet he ceaseth
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Speaker 1: not to beseech God to grant him such courage and strength?
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Speaker 1: And how is that forsooth that He would increase it
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Speaker 1: in him and give him the grace to stand steadfastly
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Speaker 1: therein unto the end. We see then, that whensoever we
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Speaker 1: shall be the most desirous in the world to follow
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Speaker 1: sincerity and equity, we must understand for all that that
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Speaker 1: we may yet be amended, and that we are nothing
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Speaker 1: near that perfection which is requisite. Wherefore it remaineth that
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Speaker 1: we desire this performance with the graces that David hath
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Speaker 1: here demanded. Thy graces, O Lord, had need to increase
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Speaker 1: in us, grant us therefore, that we may come to
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Speaker 1: the accomplishment of them we have, O Lord, walked purely
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Speaker 1: so far forth as thou hast given us the power.
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Speaker 1: But we fly unto thy promises to the end Thou
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Speaker 1: mightst make us to persevere in well doing. See I say,
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Speaker 1: how we ought to crave the thing at the hands
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Speaker 1: of God which he hath already given us, And that
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Speaker 1: we have received from him, that is, that it would
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Speaker 1: please him to conserve and increase it, considering that we
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Speaker 1: are very far from such a perfection as is most
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Speaker 1: requisite in such sort, as that we never decline from
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Speaker 1: well doing, which we should do if he shaked his hand.
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Speaker 1: See then to what end this petition tendeth, which is
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Speaker 1: here placed. Now we must turn again to the matter,
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Speaker 1: to it that David here repeateth that they which have
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Speaker 1: been thus perfect and have loved well doing, should be
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Speaker 1: under the hand and safeguard of God, never to be
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Speaker 1: delivered into the power of their enemies, so that the
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Speaker 1: proud shall never be able to do them that exceeding
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Speaker 1: great wrong which they had pretended. Not that they should
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Speaker 1: not be assailed, neither yet that the wicked will not
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Speaker 1: craftily go about to work the mischief, but yet so
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Speaker 1: as that God will be their buckler and defend them
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Speaker 1: with his mighty power. And namely, he saith the proud,
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Speaker 1: because that they which are our enemies and make war
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Speaker 1: against us, have such an unbridled liberty as that they
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Speaker 1: think neither God nor yet any other living creature is
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Speaker 1: able to stay them, but that they will bring to
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Speaker 1: pass whatsoever they have determined. Since then it is so
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Speaker 1: that we have to deal with such kind of people
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Speaker 1: as are both stout and cruel, who lift themselves up
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Speaker 1: against all truth, that neither the fear of God, nor
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Speaker 1: yet natural honesty can stop them, but that they will destroy,
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Speaker 1: whether it be right or wrong. As we say, for
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Speaker 1: this cause, David saith o, Lord, let not the proud
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Speaker 1: do me wrong. And so often as we shall see
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Speaker 1: this boldness in men to lift themselves up and to
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Speaker 1: vomit out their pestilent malice against us us, let us
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Speaker 1: fly unto God and beseech him to hold his holy
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Speaker 1: hand over us, and to repress so great and insolent arrogancy.
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Speaker 1: This being done, although men, for their parts make such attempts,
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Speaker 1: yet shall they never bring them to pass, For God
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Speaker 1: will hold them back, as it were, with a sharp break. Now,
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Speaker 1: if this petition came ever in season, it cometh now
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Speaker 1: at this day, in very good season. For we see
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Speaker 1: how many the enemies of God are which bend themselves
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Speaker 1: against the Gospel. We see that malice and obstinacy throughout
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Speaker 1: the whole world. And so it is not possible but
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Speaker 1: that a man which feareth God must needs be assailed
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Speaker 1: and troubled on all sides. Seeing then that men are
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Speaker 1: so furious to wrong us so much, the rather ought
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Speaker 1: we to be careful to make this request unto God
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Speaker 1: with David yea, and that with such a confidence as
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Speaker 1: that we should not doubt, but that when we are
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Speaker 1: under his protection, he shall be sufficient to maintain and
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Speaker 1: defend us. Now it followeth mine eyes have failed in
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Speaker 1: looking for thy salvation and for thy just promise. We
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Speaker 1: shall not need to say stand long upon this sentence,
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Speaker 1: because it hath been already handled here before. David only
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Speaker 1: protesteth that he hath looked for such help from God
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Speaker 1: as he desired, And that is to show that he
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Speaker 1: prayed not hypocritically but faithfully. And this is a thing
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Speaker 1: which we ought thoroughly to mark. For we think ourselves
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Speaker 1: to have done very substantially and sufficiently, when as we
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Speaker 1: have pronounced and rightly placed our words in the time
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Speaker 1: of prayer. But if we shall have spoken never so loud,
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Speaker 1: and with never so full and open mouth, and yet
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Speaker 1: have empty or fast closed up hearts m d I say,
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Speaker 1: and void of all trust and fast closed up, it
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Speaker 1: is a most manifest token that we never surely looked
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Speaker 1: for any succor at the hands of God. And therefore behold,
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Speaker 1: why of very right all our prayers are unprofitable and
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Speaker 1: to no purpose. And so when as we will beseech
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Speaker 1: the Lord our God to take our cause into his
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Speaker 1: hand to help us, let us take this with us
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Speaker 1: which David here showeth in this place by his example
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Speaker 1: to wit. Let us attend and look for our salvation
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Speaker 1: and deliverance from God. Yet, and let us consider of
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Speaker 1: that which is said and according to the word of
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Speaker 1: thy righteousness. For by this he signifieth to us upon
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Speaker 1: whom we must look and cast our eyes. When as
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Speaker 1: we would thoroughly stir up ourselves unto such an hope,
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Speaker 1: to wit unto the promises which God hath given us.
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Speaker 1: For if this be not in us, it can never
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Speaker 1: be said to be any more hope, but a vain
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Speaker 1: imagination which we have forged to ourselves. For to hope
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Speaker 1: or trust in God is to be established in his promises.
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Speaker 1: For if a man imagine a thing which seemeth good
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Speaker 1: in his own sight, and after leaneth thereto this man
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Speaker 1: trusteth not in God but in himself. So then if
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Speaker 1: we look to have any help at the hands of God.
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Speaker 1: We must have a sure testimony of his will. We
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Speaker 1: must be sure that He loveth us, and that when
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Speaker 1: he loveth us, he will not fail us in our need.
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Speaker 1: And how shall we be assured of this? It shall
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Speaker 1: be by the only means of His word. Now, because
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Speaker 1: men are so hard to be brought to rest themselves
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Speaker 1: upon God, and not to content them with his promises,
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Speaker 1: David saith these promises to be just according to the
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Speaker 1: word of thy righteousness, saith he it is not in
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Speaker 1: vain that he thus entitleth the word of God. And
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Speaker 1: why so, for he thinketh that if he have but
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Speaker 1: his bare word, that it is enough for him. And
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Speaker 1: why so, for God make us not unto us liberal
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Speaker 1: and large promises, as men do, and then deceiveth us.
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Speaker 1: His words are just, and as he saith in another place,
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Speaker 1: his words are like pure silver, which is tried in
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Speaker 1: the fire, and hath been seven times purified in the furnace.
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Speaker 1: Even so is it with all the promises of God,
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Speaker 1: we ought to be very assured of them, because He
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Speaker 1: is faithful and just, and there is nothing but righteousness
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Speaker 1: and truth in all that he saith. Now, David goeth
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Speaker 1: further on, for he speaketh not of a simple affection,
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Speaker 1: but saith that his eyes have failed, as if he
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Speaker 1: should have said that he was hardly so resolved, and
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Speaker 1: not without great pain. By this he showeth us that
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Speaker 1: his faith was so troubled as that he knew not
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Speaker 1: what would become of him, That he had great and
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Speaker 1: strong conflicts, that he was in marvelous anguishes and troubles,
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Speaker 1: so that he was as a man half dead, and
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Speaker 1: yet that he was armed and fenced amidst all these
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Speaker 1: hard cases, with the hope and trust which he had
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Speaker 1: in God. See what the words import which he useth
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Speaker 1: that his eyes failed for the health and succor which
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Speaker 1: he looked for at the hands of God. Will we
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Speaker 1: then have a right hope, and such an one as
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Speaker 1: God alloweth of. Let us then, not trust only when
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Speaker 1: we are quiet and at rest, nor yet be thrown
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Speaker 1: down by any temptations, but when as we shall be
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Speaker 1: in our extremest troubles, that we know not at all
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Speaker 1: what shall become of us, that we shall see nothing
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Speaker 1: else but death before us and round about us. Hereupon,
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Speaker 1: I say, let us always be firm and constant, trusting
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Speaker 1: that God will be our savior, Since he hath so
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Speaker 1: promised us. Lo, how we may make this protestation as
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Speaker 1: David here doeth. Now it followeth, deal with thy servant
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Speaker 1: according to thy loving mercies, and teach me thy statutes.
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Speaker 1: Here it may very well seem that day it make
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Speaker 1: us two petitions. But yet they tend boast to one end.
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Speaker 1: For in the first part of this verse he showeth
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Speaker 1: how he desireth and trust us to be heard to
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Speaker 1: wit through the mere mercy of God, as if he
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Speaker 1: should have said, O Lord, teach me thy statutes, and
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Speaker 1: teach me them, not for that I think myself worthy
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Speaker 1: of them, but because thou art pitiful and knowest my need,
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Speaker 1: and has promised also to help all those which call
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Speaker 1: upon thee. Deal then, O Lord, with thy servant according
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Speaker 1: to thy mercy, to the end thou mightest teach me.
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Speaker 1: By this, we see that which I have already touched
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Speaker 1: to it, that this verse containeth not two petitions, but
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Speaker 1: one only. And yet notwithstanding David so setteth it forth
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Speaker 1: in declaring that when he cometh to God to pray
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Speaker 1: him to teach him, that he doeth it not to
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Speaker 1: the end that he presumeth of his merits. Neither yet
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Speaker 1: to make vaunt that he deserveth anything of him. Wherefore,
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Speaker 1: then for sooth, because he looketh and trust us to
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Speaker 1: the mere mercy of God. And in very deed, this
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Speaker 1: is a far more precious thing than that which David
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Speaker 1: here demandeth to be taught the statutes of God, to
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Speaker 1: say that it hangeth not upon our merits, neither yet
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Speaker 1: of any worthiness of ours. It is a question to
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Speaker 1: know the way of everlasting life, and wherein it consisteth
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Speaker 1: and lieth. It is very meet then that God do
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Speaker 1: it because he is pitiful, that he use his goodness
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Speaker 1: towards us, and look uth to none but unto himself,
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Speaker 1: because he is good, and that it pleaseth him to
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Speaker 1: put to his helping hand to those which are his. Now.
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Speaker 1: Although he hath here spoken of an excellent thing, yet
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Speaker 1: of all the petitions which we make, were they the
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Speaker 1: least in the world. We always ought to lay this
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Speaker 1: foundation yea, and to stay upon it, that is, upon
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Speaker 1: the mercy of God. If we should only demand but
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Speaker 1: a drop of water or a morsel of bread, we
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Speaker 1: must not think to obtain by reason of our desert,
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Speaker 1: as if God paid unto us our wages, but his
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Speaker 1: mercy must always go before, for that is the cause
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Speaker 1: why we receive so many benefits at his hand, and
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Speaker 1: especially that we are taught his statute. Now it followeth
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Speaker 1: I am thy servant. Grant me therefore understanding that I
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Speaker 1: may know thy testimonies. This is a more large exposition
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Speaker 1: of the verse going before he had said, O Lord,
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Speaker 1: deal with me according to thy mercies, and now he saith,
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Speaker 1: I am thy servant. And how is this? It should
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Speaker 1: seem that there is some diversity betwixt these two sayings.
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Speaker 1: For doth not David, in calling himself the servant of God,
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Speaker 1: set down before what service he hath done him? Now
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Speaker 1: let us note that, for the first place, that it
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Speaker 1: is not said for any brag, nor that he was
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Speaker 1: so able a man to attain unto any such worthiness.
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Speaker 1: Neither yet that he deserved to be preferred before others.
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Speaker 1: He means not that this honor appertaineth unto him. Of right?
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Speaker 1: What then it is as much as if he had said,
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Speaker 1: O Lord, I am thine. Now cometh it of ourselves
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Speaker 1: that we are the servants of God? Have we obtained
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Speaker 1: this estate or degree as of ourselves? Alas it is
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Speaker 1: very far off, for we have it of free gift.
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Speaker 1: Since the time that we were the bond slaves of Satan,
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Speaker 1: God hath taken us unto himself to be of his
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Speaker 1: household and of his number. In that then because we
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Speaker 1: are his, it is not because we have deserved it,
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Speaker 1: but because he hath called us unto him of his
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Speaker 1: free mercy and goodness. And indeed, if a man who
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Speaker 1: was first of a base condition serveth a noble man,
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Speaker 1: he will not say that he was worthy of the
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Speaker 1: service of such a master, nor yet that he was
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Speaker 1: put unto him. Therefore, but will thus say, Sir, I
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Speaker 1: confess that you have received me into your service of
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Speaker 1: your mere favor and grace, and have done me the
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Speaker 1: honor which appertaineth not unto me. And thus should we,
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Speaker 1: most wretched worms of the earth, say, Lo, God, who
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Speaker 1: ceaseth not still to do us good? And yet we
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Speaker 1: will be so arrogant as to determine to attribute unto ourselves.
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Speaker 1: I know not what, as though he had here nothing
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Speaker 1: to do with us. Now I beseech you tell me
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Speaker 1: whither is this to go? And that which is more,
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Speaker 1: let us consider a little what service it is that
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Speaker 1: God might draw and pluck out from us to do
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Speaker 1: unto his majesty. If he shall leave us unto ourselves,
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Speaker 1: to be as we are about, what shall he employ us?
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Speaker 1: And what service can we do him? For Lo, both
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Speaker 1: we and all that is within us are altogether given
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Speaker 1: to wickedness. We cannot once think any good? How shall
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Speaker 1: we then do any next? Of all? David means not
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Speaker 1: that he, being called to serve God, was able to
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Speaker 1: discharge himself thereof, for he felt himself utterly unable to
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Speaker 1: do it. And so as touching this place, we must
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Speaker 1: not think that he meant to make any vaunt of
18:34
Speaker 1: the service which he had done to God. But it
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Speaker 1: is as much as if he had said, O, Lord,
18:39
Speaker 1: thou hast showed me that favor and grace to be
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Speaker 1: one of thy number, and has received me into it
18:44
Speaker 1: through thy bounty and goodness. I beseech thee therefore to
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Speaker 1: continue the same thy goodness, and to heap grace upon
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Speaker 1: grace in me, as in that behalf thou art wonted
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Speaker 1: to do. Let us now come unto this petition. He saith, Oh,
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Speaker 1: grant me understanding that I may keep thy testimonies. We
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Speaker 1: have already said that he handled that which he had
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Speaker 1: lately spoken. For by these words he meaneth that we
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Speaker 1: should be always like beasts, until such time as God
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Speaker 1: had opened unto us the spirit or understanding of human
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Speaker 1: things very well. Yet shall we learn them according to
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Speaker 1: our natural disposition. It is very true that it shall
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Speaker 1: be according to such measure as God shall therein give
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Speaker 1: it unto us. But yet it is as it were
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Speaker 1: after a natural manner. Moreover, when we shall talk of
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Speaker 1: the secrets of the heavenly life and of the wisdom
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Speaker 1: which God showeth unto us in his word, there must
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Speaker 1: all men confess that all their senses fail them, and
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Speaker 1: that all their reason is dead and buried. What is
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Speaker 1: then to be done? Let us come to the remedy
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Speaker 1: which David here giveth us, to wit that we desire
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Speaker 1: of God to have understanding, that we might become very
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Speaker 1: well learned, For without that we must continue and remain
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Speaker 1: still in our beastliness. And this prayer answereth and very
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Speaker 1: well agreeth with that which we have seen in the verse.
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Speaker 1: Next before, as that matter hath been already touched. Now
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Speaker 1: it followeth soon after it is time for the Lord
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Speaker 1: to lay to his hand, for they have destroyed Thy law.
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Speaker 1: Here David maketh a petition against the contemners of God
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Speaker 1: and transgresses of his law, saying that it is time
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Speaker 1: for the Lord to lay to his hand, since that
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Speaker 1: he seeth his law to be so destroyed that there
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Speaker 1: is no account made of it. It is very true
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Speaker 1: that David greatly desired the conversion of all men, and
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Speaker 1: by little and little their salvation. And it is no
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Speaker 1: doubt but that he prayed to God with a good affection,
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Speaker 1: that it would please him to bring to repentance all
20:39
Speaker 1: those which he see to be led unto wickedness. But
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Speaker 1: yet he was not without this zeal which we see
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Speaker 1: in this place, that is that God would execute his
20:48
Speaker 1: judgments upon the obstinate, and upon all those which were
20:50
Speaker 1: altogether stubborn. And see also how we ought to temper
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Speaker 1: our affections, that when we see men go to do mischief,
20:58
Speaker 1: let us have compassion upon them. If we see them
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Speaker 1: given to sin and wickedness, if we see them to
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Speaker 1: be in the way of perdition, let us travail to
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Speaker 1: bring them again into the right way, to procure their salvation.
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Speaker 1: As much as in us lieth. And we ought to
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Speaker 1: desire and to pray for it, have we had any
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Speaker 1: such affection, then let us never cease to pray unto
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Speaker 1: God to stretch forth his hand upon those his enemies,
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Speaker 1: whom he knoweth to be altogether desperate. It is very
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Speaker 1: true we must not condemn them, But we ought, rather,
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Speaker 1: as I have already said, to use the effect of
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Speaker 1: charity towards all, and pray unto God that he would
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Speaker 1: save them. But because there are a great number which
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Speaker 1: are stubborn and without amendment, we ought to beseech God
21:38
Speaker 1: to show himself a judge over those whom he knows
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Speaker 1: to be such. And why so, because they draw the
21:44
Speaker 1: simple and ignorant unto wickedness, and are an offense unto them.
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Speaker 1: Because also they make the word of God to be
21:50
Speaker 1: evil spoken of, and are the occasion that liberty is
21:53
Speaker 1: given to all evil. When then we see the name
21:57
Speaker 1: of God to be evil spoken of, that there is
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Speaker 1: no reckoning made of His word, that all doctrines cast
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Speaker 1: under foot, we are to pray unto Him to remedy it.
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Speaker 1: It is time, saith he for God to lay to
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Speaker 1: his hand, for they have destroyed thy law. O Lord,
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Speaker 1: He here speaketh in the third person, and after directeth
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Speaker 1: himself to God. And why doth he so, although that
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Speaker 1: this order is not always to be observed, that which
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Speaker 1: he prayeth unto God is to continue in one self
22:23
Speaker 1: same person. Yet it is so that in this place
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Speaker 1: it seemeth that David meant to speak with a greater
22:29
Speaker 1: vehemency when he saith, O Lord, lay to thy hand,
22:34
Speaker 1: as if he should have showed what the office of
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Speaker 1: God is. For if he had simply said, it is time,
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Speaker 1: o Lord, that thou didst look unto the matter, because
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Speaker 1: thy law is destroyed, this had not been spoken with
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Speaker 1: the like vehemency as when he had said, it is
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Speaker 1: time that thou, o Lord, lay to thy hand. For
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Speaker 1: by this saying, he declareth what the office of God
22:53
Speaker 1: is to wit to be judge of the world, and
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Speaker 1: beseecheth him to lay forth his justice in punishing them
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Speaker 1: the offenses and horrible wickednesses committed here below, that after
23:04
Speaker 1: he had suffered them a long time, he desireth him
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Speaker 1: to provide for the punishing of all those which had
23:08
Speaker 1: been so obstinate and hard hearted against him. Now by
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Speaker 1: this we are admonished, when as we see that the
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Speaker 1: law of God is as it were, utterly cast under
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Speaker 1: foot his doctrine to be a reproach amongst men, and
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Speaker 1: all right and equity overthrown, so that there is nothing
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Speaker 1: but confusion throughout that then we ought to pray unto God,
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Speaker 1: the more earnestly to the end it might be known
23:30
Speaker 1: that He doth his office. If this ever were necessary,
23:34
Speaker 1: it is at this present most necessary. For Let us
23:37
Speaker 1: consider the estate of the world. I beseech you, what
23:40
Speaker 1: havoc is there made of the law of God? Are
23:42
Speaker 1: we not come to the very extremity to condemn all
23:46
Speaker 1: doctrine of salvation? When God at this day speaketh unto us,
23:51
Speaker 1: what year give we unto him? And how reverently see
23:54
Speaker 1: here he hath bestowed upon us a singular grace at
23:57
Speaker 1: this day, when as his word hath been once again
23:59
Speaker 1: post Let us behold our unthankfulness. Let us lay all
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Speaker 1: these things together, and we shall see that the majesty
24:06
Speaker 1: of God his word is no more esteemed than the
24:08
Speaker 1: very peal of an onion. As we say, see, I
24:11
Speaker 1: pray you to what a point we are grown and
24:13
Speaker 1: come even unto such a horrible and brutish impiety as
24:17
Speaker 1: is most lamentable. Moreover, let us look into the manner
24:20
Speaker 1: of our life and the order of government. Shall we
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Speaker 1: find either justice, loyalty, reason, or modesty? No but clean contrary,
24:27
Speaker 1: we shall see the whole state of our life and
24:29
Speaker 1: order of government full of treason, malice, cruelty and violence,
24:33
Speaker 1: all full of blasphemy against God, plenty of drunkenness, gluttony
24:37
Speaker 1: and dissoluteness, store of latchery, and all other villanies whatsoever
24:43
Speaker 1: to be short, it seemeth that the whole world hath
24:46
Speaker 1: conspired to exceed even unto the highest degree of wickedness.
24:51
Speaker 1: When then we see the law of God to be
24:53
Speaker 1: thus overthrown every manner of way. Ought not we to
24:56
Speaker 1: give our minds a great deal more than we do
24:58
Speaker 1: to beseech God to take all order and to provide
25:00
Speaker 1: for the same. Now when we shall have such a
25:04
Speaker 1: zeal to pray unto God, as we see that David had,
25:07
Speaker 1: let us not doubt but that He will remedy all
25:09
Speaker 1: the confusions which we see to be at this day,
25:13
Speaker 1: And now He concludeth and saith. Therefore love I thy
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Speaker 1: commandments above gold, yea above most fine gold. Therefore I
25:20
Speaker 1: esteem all Thy commandments, most just, and all false ways
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Speaker 1: I utterly abhor See here what a notable protestation he maketh,
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Speaker 1: and such one as we ought thoroughly to mark. For
25:32
Speaker 1: when David hath said here before that the wicked have
25:35
Speaker 1: destroyed the law yea, and speaking of no small number
25:38
Speaker 1: of men, but as of all in general, seeing all
25:41
Speaker 1: the world to exceede and to be corrupt, he addeth
25:43
Speaker 1: for this cause, O Lord, I have loved thy commandments
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Speaker 1: above all gold, yea, and above most fine gold. I
25:49
Speaker 1: have loved them in all and through all, and have
25:52
Speaker 1: utterly abhorred all false ways. Now I have said that
25:57
Speaker 1: this is an excellent protestation, considering the circumstances. For if
26:00
Speaker 1: David had dwelt amongst the godly, faithful ones which had
26:03
Speaker 1: served God and walked in his fear, then it might
26:06
Speaker 1: have been said that it was an easy matter for
26:08
Speaker 1: him to have conformed himself unto them. For although we
26:11
Speaker 1: see men always inclined to evil, yet they are many
26:14
Speaker 1: times reduced and trained to goodness through good examples. But
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Speaker 1: I pray you, in what time was it that David
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Speaker 1: lived forsooth? In such a time as that he was
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Speaker 1: compassed with the despises of God? He see nothing but
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Speaker 1: following of evil. Throughout the world. He see, as it were,
26:30
Speaker 1: a mad and devilish impiety. He see everything full of
26:33
Speaker 1: an infection. To be sure, there was neither justice, nor equity,
26:37
Speaker 1: nor fear of God, nor yet any religion. And yet
26:40
Speaker 1: notwithstanding he saith that he loved the Word of God
26:44
Speaker 1: and his commandments, and that he made more account of
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Speaker 1: them than of all the most precious things in the world.
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Speaker 1: Let us then, learn to love the Word of God,
26:53
Speaker 1: not only when as we shall be stirred up by
26:55
Speaker 1: those which keep us company, to serve God all with
26:58
Speaker 1: one accord, but also when we shall be among perverse
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Speaker 1: and froward people, that we be, as it were in Hell,
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Speaker 1: amidst all the devils. Yet to persevere in this affection,
27:08
Speaker 1: and not to leave following the word of God, that
27:11
Speaker 1: whatsoever offenses we shall see committed by men, that they
27:14
Speaker 1: withdraw us not from the love which we ought to
27:16
Speaker 1: bear to the word of God. See then, what we
27:20
Speaker 1: must keep in mind for the understanding of this text.
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Speaker 1: And after we are to note for the last verse
27:25
Speaker 1: that David, saying that he loved the commandments of God,
27:29
Speaker 1: saith not that he did it by halves as we
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Speaker 1: many times do. But I saith he have loved thy
27:35
Speaker 1: commandments above all things, as if he should have said,
27:39
Speaker 1: I am not like unto those, O, Lord, which come
27:41
Speaker 1: to serve thee by halves. But in all and through
27:44
Speaker 1: all I love whatsoever that thou hast commanded. And after
27:48
Speaker 1: this manner it is that we must also do. For
27:50
Speaker 1: it is not in us to divide and make a
27:52
Speaker 1: partition of the word of God. Neither yet can we
27:55
Speaker 1: make it. And therefore let us be well advised to
27:58
Speaker 1: obey God in whatsoever he shall command us, and to
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Speaker 1: love his commandments from the first to the last, and
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Speaker 1: not to do as a great many do, which will
28:06
Speaker 1: be contented to receive the Gospel forsooth so far forth
28:10
Speaker 1: as it will serve their turn and pleasure them, or
28:13
Speaker 1: else if they pass over this or that, and think
28:16
Speaker 1: themselves to give God great credit, whenas they shall give
28:18
Speaker 1: Him authority over them in some one point. But if
28:22
Speaker 1: soon after they shall be anything grieved, they will never
28:25
Speaker 1: overslip that point. Nevertheless, we are there admonished to the contrary,
28:30
Speaker 1: that it is not in us, as I have already said,
28:33
Speaker 1: to make a partition of that which God hath conjoined
28:36
Speaker 1: but we must yield our obedience unto him, even to
28:38
Speaker 1: the full, that although whatsoever he saith or commandeth us
28:42
Speaker 1: to do, be hard and sharp to our nature, yet
28:45
Speaker 1: let us take it in good part with a gentle
28:47
Speaker 1: and mild mind, and say, with David, O Lord, I
28:51
Speaker 1: have loved thy commandments, which thou hast given me, not
28:53
Speaker 1: in one, two, nor three points, but in all and
28:56
Speaker 1: through all, according to this holy doctrine, let us humbly
29:00
Speaker 1: prostrate ourselves before the Majesty of our good God, in
29:03
Speaker 1: acknowledging of our offenses, beseeching him that it would please
29:06
Speaker 1: him to make us better to feel our miseries to
29:09
Speaker 1: the end we might be grieved with them, and to
29:11
Speaker 1: seek for remedy at his hands. That, in renouncing whatsoever
29:15
Speaker 1: that is in us, and whatsoever power and strength we
29:17
Speaker 1: think ourselves to have, let us beseech Him to fortify us,
29:21
Speaker 1: and so to enlighten us with his Holy Spirit, as
29:24
Speaker 1: that we may more and more draw near unto him,
29:27
Speaker 1: And as he hath already begun to enlighten us, that
29:29
Speaker 1: it would please him to cause us to see his
29:32
Speaker 1: brightness better than we have done heretofore, until such time
29:35
Speaker 1: as we shall come unto His kingdom, where we shall
29:38
Speaker 1: perfectly see that which now we do but half know.
29:42
Speaker 1: And although this world be so perverse and wicked as
29:44
Speaker 1: that we might take occasion to withdraw us from the
29:47
Speaker 1: right way, notwithstanding, let us beseech him that he will
29:50
Speaker 1: always uphold us with a mighty and strong hand. To
29:53
Speaker 1: the end we may stand steadfastly in that whereunto he
29:56
Speaker 1: hath called us, and never decline from it, whatsoever care
30:00
Speaker 1: of us, that it would please, et cetera. End of
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Speaker 1: Sermon sixteen