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021 - Sermon 20 Verses 153-160 · Sermons on Psalm 119

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Speaker 1: Sermon twenty 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. Rash, behold mine affliction, and
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Speaker 1: deliver me, for I have not forgotten thy law. Plead
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Speaker 1: my cause and deliver me. Quicken me according unto thy word.
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Speaker 1: Salvation is far from the ungodly, because they seek not
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Speaker 1: thy statutes. Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord, Quicken
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Speaker 1: me according to thy judgments. Many are there that trouble
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Speaker 1: me and persecute me. Yet do I not swerve from
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Speaker 1: thy testimonies. It grieved me when I saw the transgressors
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Speaker 1: because they kept not thy law. Consider, O Lord, how
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Speaker 1: I love thy commandments. Quicken me according unto thy loving kindness.
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Speaker 1: Thy word is true from everlasting, and all the judgments
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Speaker 1: of Thy righteousness endure for evermore. If we might have
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Speaker 1: whatsoever we would desire and wish. In very deed, we
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Speaker 1: should be the better, at ease and without any grief.
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Speaker 1: And this is it that man naturally desireth. But in
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Speaker 1: the meanwhile, we are to consider that God will exercise
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Speaker 1: us with diverse afflictions, so long as we are in
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Speaker 1: this world. Wherefore, such is the condition and state of Christians,
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Speaker 1: so long as they shall live here upon the earth.
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Speaker 1: That is, they must strive and be exercised with diverse
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Speaker 1: sorts of griefs, sometimes of the body, and other wiles
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Speaker 1: of the soul. And therefore for this cause must we
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Speaker 1: arm ourselves to the end we be not overcome in
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Speaker 1: the midst of our conflicts. Now, the principal peace of
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Speaker 1: our armor is to pray unto God and to call
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Speaker 1: upon Him to help us, and to bring this about.
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Speaker 1: We are thoroughly to consider how all the faithful, which
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Speaker 1: lived long before our time, proceeded herein to the end
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Speaker 1: we might order ourselves after their example. As in this text.
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Speaker 1: Here we see how David was even extremely afflicted. Again,
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Speaker 1: we see also how he behaved himself in all his afflictions,
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Speaker 1: which although they were very vehement, yet did they not
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Speaker 1: hinder him to have recourse under God, and of him
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Speaker 1: he was rescued and saved. See then, what we have
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Speaker 1: to meditate upon to the end that we might do
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Speaker 1: the like. Behold mine affliction and deliver me, for I
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Speaker 1: do not forget Thy law. When as he desireth God
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Speaker 1: to look unto his afflictions. It is even the same
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Speaker 1: which we have already said to it, that although God
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Speaker 1: loved him, yet would he not but that he should
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Speaker 1: be subject to a great number of miseries, torments, and griefs.
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Speaker 1: Let us not think then, to be privileged so long
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Speaker 1: as we are to walk here below on the earth,
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Speaker 1: but that God will exercise us and assay and prove
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Speaker 1: our patience as he hath proved David's, whom he so
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Speaker 1: greatly loved, as the scripture witnesseth of him. Now Here
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Speaker 1: we are to note two things. The one is that
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Speaker 1: when David desired God to look upon his afflictions and
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Speaker 1: to deliver him out of them, he confess aesseth that
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Speaker 1: he was astonished, as if God had turned his back
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Speaker 1: upon him. It is very true that David considered not
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Speaker 1: of all that was to be considered. Neither did he
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Speaker 1: conclude that God would cast off his children in such sort.
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Speaker 1: But yet so far forth as natural reason could reach,
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Speaker 1: see how he might judge of his estate. And at
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Speaker 1: that point also are all the children of God. For
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Speaker 1: on the one side, when as they shall look upon
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Speaker 1: their own state and condition, they cannot choose, but that
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Speaker 1: they must be forced to say what a thing is this? Surely,
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Speaker 1: if God hath any compassion upon us, and that he
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Speaker 1: seeth us, is it possible that ever we should be
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Speaker 1: thus cruelly handled, will not He take some better order
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Speaker 1: for this? See then, that we cannot choose but conceive
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Speaker 1: these and such like imaginations in our hearts, when as
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Speaker 1: we are grieved and persecuted and look into our own
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Speaker 1: present estate. Yea, Even as I have already said, we
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Speaker 1: cannot choose even to feel ourselves as it were, to
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Speaker 1: be forsaken of God. And yet for all this we
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Speaker 1: must be fully persuaded and resolved that God beholdeth us.
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Speaker 1: And oh it seemeth that He hath turned his back
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Speaker 1: upon us, yet that he ceaseth not to help us,
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Speaker 1: and is careful for our salvation. Yea. And though we
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Speaker 1: see nothing, yet let us hold this for a certain
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Speaker 1: and an undoubted truth in our hearts. And therefore, so
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Speaker 1: often as we shall be thus troubled to think that
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Speaker 1: God hath no longer care over us, but that He
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Speaker 1: hath clearly forsaken us, yet let not this hinder us
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Speaker 1: from praying after the example of David. Neither let us
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Speaker 1: be slack, but even say O, Lord behold me. In
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Speaker 1: the second place, we have to note the reason which
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Speaker 1: David here setteth down. For I do not forget thy law,
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Speaker 1: if then we will have gone to hear us. We
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Speaker 1: must have his law as it were, fully settled in
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Speaker 1: our hearts. And how is that forsoth? We must think
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Speaker 1: and study upon his promises. We must know him to
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Speaker 1: be loving and merciful, to help all those that are his,
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Speaker 1: and to aid them in all their necessities. And besides,
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Speaker 1: this must be our sure foundation that his promises are infallible,
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Speaker 1: and that He will not suffer his children to go
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Speaker 1: empty away, when as they shall tend themselves there too.
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Speaker 1: See then how we must meditate upon the law of God,
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Speaker 1: that is to say, upon his word. For under this
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Speaker 1: word the law, there is no doubt but that David
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Speaker 1: comprehended the sum of all the doctrine which God gave
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Speaker 1: unto his church. Every of us then must be exercised
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Speaker 1: in this study. And we, having the law thus imprinted
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Speaker 1: in our hearts, must be certain and sure that God
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Speaker 1: beholdeth us and will help us in all our afflictions. Yea,
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Speaker 1: although it seemeth and we may judge according to our
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Speaker 1: carnal senses, that he hath turned his back upon us,
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Speaker 1: or that he hath closed up his eyes and sleepeth,
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Speaker 1: and as a man would say, never thinketh more of us.
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Speaker 1: Now it followeth in the second verse, plead my cause
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Speaker 1: and deliver me, quicken me according unto thy word. Here
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Speaker 1: David expresseth what this his affection is. Whereof he hath
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Speaker 1: spoken to wit, how that the wicked unjustly persecuted him.
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Speaker 1: As again hereafter shall more at large be declared. Now
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Speaker 1: we know that the griefs which the children of God
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Speaker 1: do suffer in this world are diverse and sundry. For
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Speaker 1: sometimes God will lay his heavy hand upon them, without
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Speaker 1: any man his touching. Sometimes also men shall persecute them
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Speaker 1: with unjust actions, so that the wicked shall torment and
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Speaker 1: grieve them. David then showeth that the affliction which he
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Speaker 1: endured was of this second kind. To it that he
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Speaker 1: had enemies which did unjustly trouble him. And see wherefore
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Speaker 1: he desireth God to plead his cause and restore him.
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Speaker 1: By this we are admonished according to that which I
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Speaker 1: have already said, that when we have lived in a
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Speaker 1: good conscience and have travailed even to do good unto
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Speaker 1: every man, so that no man hath any cause justly
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Speaker 1: to complain of us. Yet, although we are persecuted and troubled,
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Speaker 1: we must not, for all that be over much abashed,
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Speaker 1: because as great matters as all these were laid upon David.
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Speaker 1: For this is most sure that he walked so marvelously soundly,
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Speaker 1: as that every man had occasion to love him. And
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Speaker 1: yet notwithstanding he will not without troubles amongst men, and
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Speaker 1: why so because of their unthankfulness. Let us then understand
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Speaker 1: that this vice began not first in these days I
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Speaker 1: mean the unthankfulness and iniquity of men, but long time ago.
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Speaker 1: And therefore, as much as in us life, let us
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Speaker 1: seek after peace. But if so be we shall procure
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Speaker 1: to do anything wrong. The world will never give over
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Speaker 1: hating of us and procuring of our hurt yea, and
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Speaker 1: go about even to destroy us. But as I have
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Speaker 1: already said, let not that seem strange unto us, seeing
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Speaker 1: it came so to pass in David, and thus much
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Speaker 1: for this now in the second place, we are to
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Speaker 1: beseech God to avenge our cause, to comfort us when
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Speaker 1: we see ourselves to be wrongfully dealt withal when as
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Speaker 1: we are oppressed with false and slanderous reports that we
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Speaker 1: are evil, spoken of without just desert, we must then
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Speaker 1: desire God to be our warrant and deliverer, and let
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Speaker 1: us not doubt but that He will take our cause
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Speaker 1: into his own hand, and show himself to be more
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Speaker 1: than a preteen hector and lawyer. For he saith that
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Speaker 1: He is the adverse party for the maintenance and defense
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Speaker 1: at the causes and quarrels of all his when as
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Speaker 1: they shall have walked sincerely before himself and before men,
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Speaker 1: lo here a notable and very profitable admonition, That is,
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Speaker 1: we must cast all our care upon God, when as
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Speaker 1: we are wrongfully accursed, injuriously dealt withal troubled and oppressed,
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Speaker 1: and beseech God to take the cause into his own
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Speaker 1: hand and to avenge it himself. Now this may serve
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Speaker 1: to make us patient, for what is the cause that
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Speaker 1: men so trouble and torment themselves, wax so fierce and cruel,
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Speaker 1: use revenge, or else grow to be very cowards when
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Speaker 1: any wrong is done them. But because that they have
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Speaker 1: not recourse under God, put not themselves under His protection,
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Speaker 1: and pray him not to hold his holy hand over
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Speaker 1: them and to defend their cause. Now, if we know this,
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Speaker 1: it is most certain that our hearts shall incontinent, be
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Speaker 1: a great deal more quiet. And let us not have
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Speaker 1: such boiling affections as we have to be avenged of
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Speaker 1: them which trouble us. But let us follow the doctrine
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Speaker 1: which is here set down unto us, to it that
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Speaker 1: when we are unjustly treated, let us pray unto God
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Speaker 1: that he will avenge our cause. And besides, also let
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Speaker 1: us learn to stay ourselves of the promise which is
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Speaker 1: made unto us thereof. For like as David maketh here
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Speaker 1: such a request, so also we are to consider that
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Speaker 1: he made it not of his own head, nor at adventure,
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Speaker 1: but he knew it to be the office of God,
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Speaker 1: that is, that he will avenge all outrages. As it
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Speaker 1: is said in the Song of Moses, that if men
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Speaker 1: oppress any unjustly, our Lord saith that it is he
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Speaker 1: which avengeth the cause of the innocent, and of him
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Speaker 1: that is troubled without a cause. David, then, knowing that God,
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Speaker 1: having taken this title unto himself, and declared that he
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Speaker 1: will not suffer the throats of the righteous, to be
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Speaker 1: thus cut, to be tormented and trodden under foot, but
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Speaker 1: that He will stretch forth his hand to help them,
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Speaker 1: he having known this, calling upon God with a sure constancy,
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Speaker 1: that will receive him. Wherefore it is meet that we
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Speaker 1: look unto this p promise. When as we pray to
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Speaker 1: the end, we pray not doubtfully, but in full assurance
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Speaker 1: that God will be incontinent ready to help our necessities.
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Speaker 1: And this is it why, David, by and bye, after
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Speaker 1: our saith quicken me according unto thy word. It is
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Speaker 1: not without cause that this saying was added, For as
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Speaker 1: I have already said, when as we will beseech the
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Speaker 1: Lord our God, to take upon him our quarrel and
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Speaker 1: to assist us in our afflictions, and then we, in
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Speaker 1: the meantime shall stand in doubt of His so doing.
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Speaker 1: We shall profit ourselves little in so praying, but we
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Speaker 1: must be fully assured that He will deliver us. And
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Speaker 1: whensoever it shall come to pass that we shall be
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Speaker 1: destitute of all men's aid, yea, that it shall seem
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Speaker 1: that all the whole world had conspired our destruction and decay,
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Speaker 1: then should we chiefliest assure ourselves that God will avenge
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Speaker 1: our cause, and not only service instead of a proctor,
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Speaker 1: but will be altogether also our judge and adverse party,
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Speaker 1: against our enemies, and against all those which have unjustly
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Speaker 1: afflicted us. For he it is that must take it
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Speaker 1: in hand all just causes. We had need then to
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Speaker 1: assure ourselves of this. But from whence shall we learn
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Speaker 1: this even out of the word of God, because he
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Speaker 1: hath left unto us a testimony thereof in it, as
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Speaker 1: we see that David speaketh not here at a wild adventure,
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Speaker 1: but hath already grounded himself upon a good foundation, whereon
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Speaker 1: he hath settled himself. Now it followeth salvation is far
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Speaker 1: from the ungodly, because they seek not Thy statutes. And
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Speaker 1: afterward he saith, great are thy tender mercies, O Lord,
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Speaker 1: quicken me according to thy judgments. Now here are two
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Speaker 1: things to be considered of the One is that David
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Speaker 1: telleth the reason why all thee contemners of God, and
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Speaker 1: all that rebel against His majesty run headlong into destruction,
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Speaker 1: and that he forsaketh them, that they feel no taste
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Speaker 1: nor ease in their afflictions, but that God clearly forsaketh them.
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Speaker 1: David setteth down here the cause of all this it
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Speaker 1: is saith he, because they have not sought after Thy laws,
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Speaker 1: and therefore are far from Thy salvation. Now he clean contrary,
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Speaker 1: protesteth of himself that he followed the law of God
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Speaker 1: and kept it in his heart. So then we must
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Speaker 1: needs conclude that he could not be estranged from it.
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Speaker 1: In very deed, this sentence at the first sight is
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Speaker 1: somewhat dark, But I will make it plain in three words,
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Speaker 1: and then by little and little, show what doctrine we
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Speaker 1: are to gather out of this. When any telleth us
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Speaker 1: of our salvation, we must in the first place know
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Speaker 1: whence it proceedeth to it from God, and that there
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Speaker 1: is no salvation but in Him, insomuch that so long
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Speaker 1: as God is good and gracious unto us, it must
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Speaker 1: needs be that all must go very well on our side,
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Speaker 1: and be assured that our life is blest, and that
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Speaker 1: we shall want nothing that is meet for our welfare
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Speaker 1: and felicity. So then our salvation and all fullness and
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Speaker 1: perfection of benefits consist in this one only point, that
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Speaker 1: God loveth us and receiveth us unto himself. And since
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Speaker 1: it is so, let us now consider what he is
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Speaker 1: whom God will forsake. Once we are his creatures, And
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Speaker 1: even as he hath created and fashioned us, so also
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Speaker 1: will he continue his goodness towards us now, seeing that
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Speaker 1: His mercy extendeth even to brute beasts, even to the
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Speaker 1: most vile and abject things. Yea, even which we contemn
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Speaker 1: and disdain once to look on. Seeing the mercy of
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Speaker 1: God extendeth so far as the Holy Scripture teacheth us,
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Speaker 1: how can it be that he will forsake us? Yea,
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Speaker 1: unto whom he hath granted so great dignity and excellency.
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Speaker 1: For we have a thing excelling all other his creatures.
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Speaker 1: Which is this that God hath imprinted his own similitude
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Speaker 1: and likeness in us. Now, when as he hath exalted
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Speaker 1: us unto so high a degree of honour, will he
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Speaker 1: think you now forsake us? He will not without all doubt.
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Speaker 1: What is the cause then, that we see so many
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Speaker 1: catus and miserable wretches, which are even given over so
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Speaker 1: that God sendeth them not so much as the least
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Speaker 1: aid and comfort. That it seemeth that He hath set them,
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Speaker 1: as it were, upon a stage, to be a shame
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Speaker 1: and rebuke to the whole world. Whence cometh this forsooth,
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Speaker 1: because they withdraw themselves from God. For when as they
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Speaker 1: withdrew not themselves from Him, it is most sure that
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Speaker 1: then He showed himself unto them such a one as
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Speaker 1: indeed he is of his own nature, that is loving, kind, pitiful, gentle,
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Speaker 1: and merciful to be short. So long as we will
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Speaker 1: be ordered by Him as his children, it is most
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Speaker 1: sure that He will play the part of a father
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Speaker 1: towards us. So long as we will yield our obedience
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Speaker 1: unto him, he will entreat us gently. But when we
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Speaker 1: are so perverse as that we will not submit ourselves
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Speaker 1: neither unto himself, nor yet unto his word, but contemn
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Speaker 1: his love and grace offered unto us. Is it reason
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Speaker 1: that God should put forth his hand to help us?
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Speaker 1: Is it meet that He should entreat us as his
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Speaker 1: children and account us in the number of those which
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Speaker 1: wholly dedicate themselves unto his majesty? No? Not so, But
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Speaker 1: we rather are worthy to be set far from him,
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Speaker 1: and to have nothing at all to do with him.
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Speaker 1: Lo here the meaning of David in this place, when
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Speaker 1: he saith O Lord health is far from the ungodly,
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Speaker 1: because they regard not thy statutes, as if he should
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Speaker 1: have said, we ought not to be abashed, o Lord,
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Speaker 1: although thou givest us over and that we feel no
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Speaker 1: succor of thy goodness, but that we languish in all
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Speaker 1: misery and calamity. And why so, because we have forsaken
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Speaker 1: and refused Thy grace, and therefore of very right we
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Speaker 1: ought to be confounded and come to nought. Now I
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Speaker 1: pray you tell us what meaneth it that God will
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Speaker 1: not be nigh us, But by means of his word
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Speaker 1: we must needs feel his goodness by the effect yea forsooth.
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Speaker 1: And yet God cometh nigh unto us by his word,
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Speaker 1: for that is a preparative by which he fashioneth our
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Speaker 1: hearts to the end he might show himself to be
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Speaker 1: a merciful father unto us. And so he maketh an
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Speaker 1: entrance into our hearts for his mercy, that we might
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Speaker 1: be capable to enjoy his benefits. Seeing then it is
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Speaker 1: so that God, by his word showeth himself and also
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Speaker 1: cometh nigh unto us. We must not be abashed, although
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Speaker 1: they which refuse his wid yea, which so villainously and
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Speaker 1: contemptuously reject it. As we see, we must not, I say,
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Speaker 1: think it strange, although that they feel no help at
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Speaker 1: the hand of God in their afflictions, and that His
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Speaker 1: merciful goodness stretcheth not itself under them. Now David returneth
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Speaker 1: to this sentence which we have seen, and desires to
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Speaker 1: be quickened according unto the word of God. It is
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Speaker 1: very true he useth the word judgment, but all cometh
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Speaker 1: to one, as we have already heretofore declared quicken me.
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Speaker 1: Then according to thy judgments saith he yea which I
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Speaker 1: have loved. But yet notwithstanding it, showeth us how it
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Speaker 1: is that God hath promised to quicken us, and why
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Speaker 1: he attributeth it unto his only mercy. Now this is
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Speaker 1: a saying which importeth a very good and excellent lesson
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Speaker 1: for they which confess that they cannot be saved but
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Speaker 1: by the grace of God. Yet, notwithstanding howsoever it is,
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Speaker 1: they cease not to overthrow the grace of God in
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Speaker 1: extolling their merits, or else in making themselves believe that
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Speaker 1: God hath promised them to be so kind unto them
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Speaker 1: because they have deserved it. It is requisite then that
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Speaker 1: we know with David what it is that hath moved
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Speaker 1: and stirred up God to promise to quicken us, to
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Speaker 1: wit to maintain us. For this word to quicken importeth
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Speaker 1: all whatsoever concerneth our estate and salvation. It is because
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Speaker 1: He is good, and never sought the cause otherwise, but
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Speaker 1: in his goodness. When then we are enforced to confess
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Speaker 1: that it is God which maintaineth us, we must also
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Speaker 1: forthwith confess that God hath done it for his promise's sake,
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Speaker 1: and for that he hath revealed it as a testimony
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Speaker 1: in his word. Moreover, see wherein a great number of
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Speaker 1: people are too too grossly deceived. That is that God
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Speaker 1: promiseth to maintain and conserve us accordingly as we are
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Speaker 1: worthy thereof, or accordingly as every man shall deserve. And hereupon,
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Speaker 1: as I have already said, we darken the grace of
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Speaker 1: God and feign through arrogancy. I know not what presumption
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Speaker 1: that it seemeth that we ourselves are the cause why
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Speaker 1: God favorth us, and that the same cometh at the
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Speaker 1: least partly of ourselves. And therefore we ought so much
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Speaker 1: the more thoroughly to consider of that which David speaketh
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Speaker 1: of in this place. Thy mercies, O Lord, are great,
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Speaker 1: oh quicken me according to thy testimonies. He saith, not
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Speaker 1: only O Lord, I am conserved by thee because thou
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Speaker 1: hast promised, but meaning to declare that it cometh altogether freely,
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Speaker 1: he showeth that God was not moved to make any
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Speaker 1: such promise, nor yet was induced by any occasion that
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Speaker 1: he found in us, or that he took it on
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Speaker 1: our behalf. No. No, but because his mercies are great.
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Speaker 1: So then, by this saying, David teacheth us that the
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Speaker 1: promises of God are altogether free, that they hang not
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Speaker 1: of our worthiness. Nor yet because God found something in us,
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Speaker 1: why to love and succor us? So? But because He
18:48
Speaker 1: is good and pitieth our miseries. Lo what made him
18:52
Speaker 1: to offer himself so liberal to us, and consequently to
18:55
Speaker 1: perform his promise. We must learn, then to glorify ourselves
19:00
Speaker 1: in the mere grace of God, and not to attribute
19:02
Speaker 1: anything whatsoever, either to our own persons or yet to
19:06
Speaker 1: our merits, For there is nothing at all in us. Now,
19:09
Speaker 1: it followeth many there are that trouble and persecute me.
19:13
Speaker 1: Yet do I not swerve from thy testimonies. Here David
19:17
Speaker 1: maketh a protestation and complaint to the end. God might
19:20
Speaker 1: the rather incline himself to hear and help him. And
19:24
Speaker 1: that is according to that which he hath already said.
19:27
Speaker 1: For if we will have God to help us, it
19:29
Speaker 1: is good reason that we should patiently attend his leisure.
19:32
Speaker 1: And in very deed, he that shall presume to advance himself,
19:36
Speaker 1: or thinketh that God will have mercy upon him, and
19:38
Speaker 1: then letteth himself to be overcome with temptation and becometh
19:42
Speaker 1: altogether desperate. He by this means suffereth not God to
19:45
Speaker 1: exercise his goodness, as he hath promised, But in thus
19:49
Speaker 1: doing shutteth the gait against God, as it were. Wherefore,
19:52
Speaker 1: if we be moved to be revenged of our enemies,
19:55
Speaker 1: to be our own carvers, as we say, in revenge,
19:58
Speaker 1: and not tarry until God doth his do we think
20:01
Speaker 1: that he ought to help us. He that will do
20:04
Speaker 1: justice with his own hand and of his own private authority,
20:08
Speaker 1: will he come to crave aid of the magistrate after
20:10
Speaker 1: that he hath killed his enemy. If so be, then
20:13
Speaker 1: there be any man which thinketh to be saved of himself,
20:16
Speaker 1: and yet saith under God, save me, O Lord, this
20:19
Speaker 1: is a very mockery. And therefore for this cause David
20:22
Speaker 1: saith in this place. Many there are, O, Lord, which
20:25
Speaker 1: trouble and persecute me. Yet do I not swerve from
20:28
Speaker 1: thy statutes. David speaketh not here to boast himself, but
20:34
Speaker 1: it is to declare that he waited for the help
20:36
Speaker 1: of God, and putting himself under his protection, trusted to
20:39
Speaker 1: obtain his request, because he might boldly crave it of him.
20:43
Speaker 1: See then, what a full boldness we may conceive to
20:45
Speaker 1: have in calling upon our God, and not to doubt,
20:48
Speaker 1: but that we shall obtain whatsoever we pray for unto
20:51
Speaker 1: Him according to his will. That is, he hath pity
20:54
Speaker 1: of us, so that I say, we must always stay
20:57
Speaker 1: ourselves upon His promises, as we see David here has
21:00
Speaker 1: done so. Then let us here consider in the first place,
21:03
Speaker 1: that so often as we come unto God, we must
21:05
Speaker 1: come unto Him attending his good leisure, and not to
21:08
Speaker 1: be shaken with whatsoever temptations shall come unto us. But
21:12
Speaker 1: we must always seek after God, meditate continually upon his promises,
21:16
Speaker 1: and have them always in mind. We must, I say,
21:19
Speaker 1: have all this, if we will have God to help
21:21
Speaker 1: and defend us. Now, as I have already said, David
21:24
Speaker 1: bragged not hear of his virtues, but meaneth only that
21:27
Speaker 1: he was not carried away with the iniquity of men,
21:30
Speaker 1: to be even with them, or to cry acquittance. As
21:32
Speaker 1: we say that, he was not in haste to have
21:35
Speaker 1: that which was promised him, but held himself continually quiet
21:39
Speaker 1: and still attending patiently to have God to accomplish that
21:42
Speaker 1: which he had promised, touching the revenge of his enemies.
21:47
Speaker 1: Even so, when as any shall grieve and trouble us,
21:50
Speaker 1: yet must we not leave to follow our vocation and
21:53
Speaker 1: to persevere in the fear of God. For the greater
21:56
Speaker 1: part of us will always be full of malice and
21:58
Speaker 1: unthankfulness until such time as God hath reformed us. So then,
22:02
Speaker 1: when as we shall not have hurt any man, if
22:04
Speaker 1: they rise up against us in arms, let us not
22:07
Speaker 1: be astonished thereat and thus much for this Now. The
22:11
Speaker 1: other is that when our enemies shall be infinite in number,
22:14
Speaker 1: we must not be troubled for all this. But let
22:17
Speaker 1: us know what the power of God is, and glorify
22:19
Speaker 1: him as he ought to be glorified. And this is
22:22
Speaker 1: a very necessary point for us to learn, For we
22:25
Speaker 1: must not be afraid of our own shadows, as we say.
22:28
Speaker 1: And therefore, if there be two or three men which
22:30
Speaker 1: are in credit and authority, that shall make war against us,
22:34
Speaker 1: we are so fainthearted before the blow come, as that
22:37
Speaker 1: it seemeth unto us that we are utterly undone, even
22:40
Speaker 1: as though God were not strong enough to help us.
22:43
Speaker 1: See how we, through fond ignorance glory in the power
22:46
Speaker 1: of men, and utterly overthrow the power and might of God.
22:50
Speaker 1: And therefore we ought a great deal. The better to
22:53
Speaker 1: consider of this place where it is said many there
22:55
Speaker 1: are o Lord, which trouble and persecute me. Yet do
22:59
Speaker 1: I not swerve from Thy law? Neither yet have I
23:01
Speaker 1: forgotten it. That is to say that although we see
23:04
Speaker 1: an infinite number of people to rise up against us,
23:07
Speaker 1: that we see a general conspiracy of the whole world
23:10
Speaker 1: and of all the creatures therein. Yet let us not
23:13
Speaker 1: be too too much afraid, knowing that the power of
23:15
Speaker 1: our God shall be sufficient enough to save and defend us.
23:21
Speaker 1: See what we have to note out of this place
23:23
Speaker 1: where it is said it grieved me when I saw
23:25
Speaker 1: thee transgressors, because they kept not Thy law. Here David
23:28
Speaker 1: showeth that which we have already seen before, to wit
23:31
Speaker 1: that it grieved him more to see the offenses which
23:34
Speaker 1: were committed against God than all the outrages which he
23:37
Speaker 1: bear in his own person. And this is also it
23:40
Speaker 1: which we ought to have in great recommendation. For if
23:43
Speaker 1: we be so fine, and as it were, womanish, that
23:46
Speaker 1: we can abide nothing, and yet in the meanwhile have
23:49
Speaker 1: no care how God is dishonored, is justice violated, and
23:53
Speaker 1: his commandments broken? I beseech you, do we not right
23:56
Speaker 1: well show that we are so given to please ourselves
23:59
Speaker 1: as that even condemn his sacred majesty. If a man
24:03
Speaker 1: meaning to defend his honor even with tooth and nail,
24:06
Speaker 1: as we say, and maketh no account to see the
24:08
Speaker 1: glory of God trodden under feet, if he be so
24:12
Speaker 1: gallant and haughty as to be revenged for every injury,
24:15
Speaker 1: and can abide to hear the holy name of God,
24:17
Speaker 1: to be evil spoken of his Lord, to be cast
24:20
Speaker 1: under foot, doth he not right well show himself to
24:23
Speaker 1: be a very essential and fleshly man. Yes, surely he
24:27
Speaker 1: is no better than a brute beast. And therefore for
24:30
Speaker 1: this cause let us learn, after the example of David,
24:33
Speaker 1: to be chiefly grieved and vexed when as we shall
24:36
Speaker 1: see the commandments of God to be broken. It is
24:39
Speaker 1: the common and ordinary fashion amongst us to be extremely
24:42
Speaker 1: vexed when as any injury is done unto us, As
24:45
Speaker 1: if the honor or credit of any of us be touched,
24:48
Speaker 1: we are by and by in a great heat, and
24:50
Speaker 1: desire nothing else but to follow the matter hotly. And
24:54
Speaker 1: why so, because we have no regard but to our
24:57
Speaker 1: own person. If one man shall rob another, his collar
25:01
Speaker 1: or anger will not be appeased. He looketh to his purse,
25:04
Speaker 1: his meadows, his possessions, and to his houses, even as
25:07
Speaker 1: he shall be hindered, either in this thing or in that. Now,
25:11
Speaker 1: a man that can well rule his affections shall never
25:13
Speaker 1: have so great regard to his honor nor to his
25:16
Speaker 1: goods as he shall have whenas he shall see the
25:19
Speaker 1: righteousness of God to be violated. What shall he say,
25:22
Speaker 1: even groaning in himself, ought men in this sort to
25:25
Speaker 1: pervert the righteousness of God? Shall men break and corrupt
25:28
Speaker 1: all order and equity? Lo, say I, what it is
25:32
Speaker 1: that ought to touch us? And to make us very angry,
25:35
Speaker 1: that is, when we see offenses committed against God, and
25:38
Speaker 1: not that which toucheth our own persons. But what shall
25:43
Speaker 1: we speak of this? For very few there are which
25:46
Speaker 1: have any care thereof. And yet for all that it
25:50
Speaker 1: is not in vain that David hath set down unto
25:52
Speaker 1: us this example, but to show how the children of
25:55
Speaker 1: God ought to moderate their passions. That is, they should
25:58
Speaker 1: always begin at this end to be grieved and sorrowful,
26:01
Speaker 1: to see the transgressors which break, contemn, and tread under
26:04
Speaker 1: foot the word of God. And this should be their
26:07
Speaker 1: chief grief and sorrow, which should crucify them. And not
26:10
Speaker 1: to have such regard to their own persons as they have,
26:13
Speaker 1: but to let God always to be preferred before themselves,
26:16
Speaker 1: and to let him to have the most sovereign degree,
26:19
Speaker 1: as he is most worthy. Now, if it grieveth us
26:22
Speaker 1: to see thee transgressors which tear in pieces and break
26:25
Speaker 1: all justice and policy, it is certain that we should
26:28
Speaker 1: also be grieved at the evil which we know to
26:30
Speaker 1: be in ourselves. For every man is to judge of
26:34
Speaker 1: himself without exception. As for those which will say, oh, see,
26:38
Speaker 1: I am not grieved as touching mine own person. And
26:41
Speaker 1: in very deed, I care not so much for myself,
26:43
Speaker 1: as I am grieved to see men thus horribly to
26:46
Speaker 1: offend the majesty of God. And yet they themselves will
26:49
Speaker 1: take leave to commit as great or else greater villanies
26:52
Speaker 1: and wickedness than the rest. And yet when they have
26:55
Speaker 1: thus said, they will cover their own vices and flatter
26:57
Speaker 1: themselves when they have offended His majesty, whereas they should
27:01
Speaker 1: lay them wide open. Now, indeed, these men show themselves
27:05
Speaker 1: to be right hypocrites. And why so I beseech you,
27:08
Speaker 1: because they are not grieved at the transgressors, when as
27:11
Speaker 1: they see the glory of God impeared, his servants not observed,
27:14
Speaker 1: and his righteousness contemned, but rather persecute the persons and
27:19
Speaker 1: hate not the vices which are nourished and purposely maintained
27:22
Speaker 1: in them. For what show soever they make of condemning
27:26
Speaker 1: the evil. Yet it may be easily seen that they
27:29
Speaker 1: are no whit touched therewith, And by this they right
27:32
Speaker 1: well show that they know not what it is to
27:34
Speaker 1: be grieved as they ought. Now this is not to
27:38
Speaker 1: do as we ought. For whatsoever show we shall make
27:41
Speaker 1: of the great zeal we have to the honor and
27:43
Speaker 1: glory of God. We shall very well see that there
27:46
Speaker 1: is nothing but hypocrisy and dissimulation in us. If we
27:49
Speaker 1: look indifferently into the matter. Lo hear what we have
27:53
Speaker 1: to note out at this place. Now, David saith in
27:57
Speaker 1: the end, Consider, O, Lord, how I love thy commandments?
28:01
Speaker 1: Quicken me according unto thy loving kindness. Here David doth
28:06
Speaker 1: nothing else but setteth down more manifestly that which was
28:08
Speaker 1: spoken of Heretofore, consider, O, Lord, I love thy commandments.
28:13
Speaker 1: He speaketh not only of that which is said unto us,
28:16
Speaker 1: that we must love our neighbor, live chastely, honor our
28:19
Speaker 1: father and mother, do wrong to none. But under these
28:22
Speaker 1: words he comprehendeth all the doctrine wherewith God meaneth to
28:25
Speaker 1: govern his people and church, as we have already handled.
28:29
Speaker 1: Now in this doctrine are contained the promises which witness
28:31
Speaker 1: unto us his goodness. Yea. And they have the chiefest place,
28:35
Speaker 1: because that God, showing himself unto us to be our father,
28:38
Speaker 1: will not give us over for anything, for so much
28:41
Speaker 1: as we be assured of our eternal salvation, and that
28:44
Speaker 1: in this world he hath care over us, and our
28:46
Speaker 1: life is as it were committed unto him, So that
28:50
Speaker 1: herein lieth the whole substance, that after he hath pardoned
28:53
Speaker 1: us of our sins, he alloweth us for righteous and
28:56
Speaker 1: will also govern us with His Holy Spirit. See then,
29:00
Speaker 1: what it is that is contained in the testimonies of God.
29:03
Speaker 1: And so David in some protesteth in this verse that
29:06
Speaker 1: he always walked in this love of God which he
29:09
Speaker 1: found in his promises. This is it which he protesteth.
29:12
Speaker 1: And thereupon saith quicken me according unto thy mercy. If
29:17
Speaker 1: David then loved the commandment of God and his testimonies,
29:21
Speaker 1: wherefore desireth he not to be quickened according to his merits?
29:25
Speaker 1: And if it be so that he hath deserved, why
29:28
Speaker 1: hath he recourse to the mercy of God. Now he
29:31
Speaker 1: very well showeth that he meant not to boast of
29:33
Speaker 1: his virtues, neither yet of any such. I know not
29:36
Speaker 1: what perfection to have fulfilled the law of God. But
29:39
Speaker 1: he had a special regard, as I have already said,
29:42
Speaker 1: to the content of God his promises. He allegeth not
29:46
Speaker 1: here that he had deserved to be holpen, but he
29:49
Speaker 1: desired to be defended according to the mercy of God.
29:53
Speaker 1: In this point he setteth before us his example to
29:55
Speaker 1: the end we might follow him, as this is also
29:58
Speaker 1: the meaning of the Holy Ghost, when he spake by
30:00
Speaker 1: the mouth of David. Now he goeth on for a conclusion,
30:04
Speaker 1: and saith, thy word is true from everlasting, and all
30:07
Speaker 1: the judgments of thy righteousness endure for evermore. That is
30:11
Speaker 1: to say, thy just judgments are everlasting, or else thy
30:15
Speaker 1: judgments are always righteous. Here David in some meanest to
30:19
Speaker 1: signify that he so stayed himself upon the Word of God,
30:23
Speaker 1: as that he had set his heart upon it, yielded
30:25
Speaker 1: himself wholly unto it, and bestowed all his thoughts and
30:28
Speaker 1: wits on it. And why did he so saith he
30:32
Speaker 1: the beginning of it is true, and that righteousness thereof
30:35
Speaker 1: endureth for ever more, as if he should have thus said, Thou, o, Lord,
30:39
Speaker 1: art true in thy word, and shalt always be found
30:43
Speaker 1: so and afterward it is nothing but righteous. It is
30:46
Speaker 1: true from the beginning, and thy righteousness shall endure unto
30:49
Speaker 1: the end and without end. See how the two borders
30:53
Speaker 1: or limits of the Word of God are laid out.
30:55
Speaker 1: When as we shall seek for this word, we must
30:57
Speaker 1: make a distinction and difference between truth and righteousness. With
31:01
Speaker 1: this resolution, see how God showeth himself true and righteous.
31:06
Speaker 1: And the farther we go on, the better shall we
31:08
Speaker 1: find His word to be such so that after we
31:11
Speaker 1: have thoroughly unripped and examined it, we shall not have
31:14
Speaker 1: one syllable where righteousness and truth will not show themselves.
31:18
Speaker 1: Even so, may we always attribute this title to the
31:21
Speaker 1: word of God, as David here showeth us in sum
31:25
Speaker 1: when as we would have a perfect assurance to be
31:27
Speaker 1: confirmed and strengthened in all temptations, so that the devil
31:31
Speaker 1: shall never be able to take fast hold upon us.
31:34
Speaker 1: Let us have this regard to stay ourselves chiefly upon
31:37
Speaker 1: the word of God, and therewith to arm us attributing
31:40
Speaker 1: thereto these true titles which are here set down, that
31:43
Speaker 1: there is nothing in it but all truth and righteousness.
31:47
Speaker 1: And therefore this ought greatly to content us to assure
31:50
Speaker 1: ourselves of God, not doubting, but that He will grant
31:53
Speaker 1: us the grace that, when He hath once brought us
31:56
Speaker 1: into the way of salvation, that he will continually conduct
31:59
Speaker 1: and govern us, and hold us with a mighty strong
32:01
Speaker 1: arm until such time as he hath brought us to
32:04
Speaker 1: that end, whereunto he hath called us according to this
32:08
Speaker 1: holy doctrine, let us prostrate ourselves before the Majesty of
32:11
Speaker 1: our Good God, in acknowledging our offenses, beseeching him that
32:15
Speaker 1: it would please him to make us better to feel
32:17
Speaker 1: our miseries than we have heretofore felt them. To the
32:20
Speaker 1: end we may lay ourselves open unto Him, and that
32:23
Speaker 1: we may in the meanwhile attain to that remedy as
32:26
Speaker 1: to crave pardon of Him for them, not doubting, but
32:29
Speaker 1: that He will grant us pardon for them according to
32:31
Speaker 1: our desire through the death and passion of our Lord
32:33
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, albeit we our miserable sinners, and also that
32:38
Speaker 1: he will, through his Holy Spirit so purg us from
32:41
Speaker 1: our sins, as that we desire nothing else but to
32:44
Speaker 1: be confirmed unto His righteousness, to come unto Him, and
32:47
Speaker 1: to advance us thereunto daily more and more, until such
32:51
Speaker 1: time as he hath coupled us unto that holiness of life,
32:54
Speaker 1: whereunto he continually exhorteth us that he will not only
32:58
Speaker 1: grant unto us disgrace, but also so unto all people
33:01
Speaker 1: and nations of the Earth, et cetera. End of Sermon
33:05
Speaker 1: twenty