This Psalm is a lively representation of a man regenerate, and teacheth us, what are, or ought to be his meditations, his exercises, and his affections; so that1 by how much a man shall have found himself to be truly conversant in this Psalm, so much may he think himself to have profited in regeneration: and by how much the less he hath found, that he is less occupied in the practise hereof, so much he is to suspect himself to fail and come short of newness of life. In these days, because we attribute so much to ministerial knowledge, and have felt so little profit by2 the teaching of the Spirit, and seeing we brag so much of faith, & have so little love; lastly, whereas we boast of our profession, and yet are so little profited in holy conversation, the Lord for such contempt of his trueth, doth *now teach us by deluding spirits, and fantastical devisers, and the lying Family of love. Wherefore unless we be more inflamed with a love of the truth, and an hatred of heresy, than we have been; it may come to pass, that as in the Primitive Church the Gospel of Jesus Christ being preached at the first, of men of the lowest state, and afterward for the good liking of it, was brought to be preached after the more learned sort: even so heresy now beginning in the unlearned and ignorant4 people, may by the just judgement of God, for the contempt of the word, take place even among the best learned. For it is as easy for the Lord in his judgements, to send a lying spirit into four hundred learned men, as to suffer the common Israelites to be deluded therewith: so then we have the mysteries of iniquity to teach the mysteries of righteousness, and we must learn love of them, which are the abusers of love. Wherefore if we desire5 to know Christ crucified by the spirit in his word, if we will know him to be our Prophet, our Priest, and our King, we must be new creatures, for the old things are gone, and new things have succeeded them in their place; we must let love be laborious in us, and fruitful in good works. But when we have not so good misliking of heretics, we shall find them as the grasshoppers of Egypt, we shall see new and old enemies join together, to the great dishonour of our God.
THis Psalme is a liuely representation of a man regenerate, and teacheth vs, what are, or ought to bee his meditations, his exercises, and his affections; so that1 by how much a man shall haue found himselfe to bee truly conuersant in this Psalme, so much may hee thinke himselfe to haue profited in regeneration: and by how much the lesse hee hath found, that hee is lesse occupied in the practise hereof, so much he is to suspect himselfe to faile and come short of newnesse of life. In these dayes, because wee attribute so much to ministeriall knowledge, and haue felt so little profit by2 the teaching of the Spirit, and seeing we brag so much of faith, & haue so little loue; lastly, whereas wee boast of our professiō, and yet are so little profited in holy conuersation, the Lord for such contempt of his trueth, doth *now teach vs by deluding spirits, and fantasticall deuisers, and the lying Familie of loue. Wherefore vnlesse we be more enflamed with a loue of the truth, and an hatred of heresie, than we haue been; it may come to passe, that as in the Primitiue Church the Gospell of Iesus Christ being preached at the first, of men of the lowest state, and afterward for the good liking of it, was brought to bee preached after the more learned sort: euen so heresie now beginning in the vnlearned and ignorant4 people, may by the iust iudgement of God, for the contempt of the word, take place euen among the best learned. For it is as easie for the Lord in his iudgements, to send a lying spirit into foure hundred learned men, as to suffer the common Israelites to bee deluded therewith: so then we haue the mysteries of iniquitie to teach the mysteries of righteousnes, and we must learne loue of them, which are the abusers of loue. Wherefore if wee desire5 to know Christ crucified by the spirit in his word, if wee will know him to be our Prophet, our Priest, and our King, we must be new creatures, for the olde things are gone, and new things haue succeeded them in their place; wee must let loue be laborious in vs, and fruitfull in good workes. But when wee haue not so good misliking of heretikes, wee shall finde them as the grashoppers of Egypt, we shall see new and old enemies ioyne together, to the great dishonour of our God.
- 1The use of this Psalm to a man regenerate.The vse of this Psalme to a man regenerate.
- 2Ministerial knowledge.Ministeriall knowledge.
- *Anno Dom. 1580▪ & 1581.
- 4Haresie.
- 5Family of love.Familie of loue.
