The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

Vers. 150. They draw near, that follow after malice, and are far from thy law. Vers. 151. Thou art near, O Lord: for all thy commandments are true.

Vers. 150. They drawe neere, that followe after malice, and are farre from thy law. Vers. 151. Thou art neere, O Lord: for all thy commaundements are true.

WE showed before, that the man of God to the obtaining of his request useth three especial arguments: the one drawn from his person in the first four verses: the other from the person of God in the fifth verse: the third and last from the person of his adversaries, contained in these two verses. The plain sense whereof briefly is thus much: They, O Lord, that have an ill cause, are ready to bring their wickedness to an end; and as they are ready to hurt me, so they are far from thy law: wilt thou then maintain such? they being so near my neck? No, they are no more near to hurt, than thou art near to deliver me; they are not nearer with malice, than thou art with deliverance. Thus he draweth away his consideration from the judgement of flesh and blood, and looketh down to his watch-tower, and to the Lord his sanctuary. O Lord, saith he, I have cried, I have called upon thee, and that with mine whole heart; I prevented the morning light, and the night-watches; I waited on thy word, I mediated on thy word; I have observed thy judgements of old: when I am thus near, wilt thou forsake me? They are far from thy word, canst thou leave them unpunished? no, thou art near their punishment, and my deliverance. I know as they depart from thee, so they shall not escape unpunished in the end, because their sin is come to such ripeness, as thy justice can no longer suffer them.

WE shewed before, that the man of God to the obtaining of his request vseth three especiall arguments: the one drawne from his person in the first foure verses: the other from the person of God in the fift verse: the third and last from the person of his aduersaries, contained in these two verses. The plaine sense whereof briefly is thus much: They, O Lord, that haue an ill cause, are readie to bring their wickednes to an end; and as they are readie to hurt me, so they are farre from thy law: wilt thou then maintaine such? they being so neere my necke? No, they are no more neere to hurt, than thou art neere to deliuer me; they are not neerer with malice, than thou art with deliuerance. Thus hee draweth away his consideration from the iudgemēt of flesh and blood, and looketh down to his watch-tower, and to the Lord his sanctuarie. O Lord, saith he, I haue cried, I haue called vpon thee, and that with mine whole heart; I preuented the morning light, and the night-watches; I waited on thy word, I mediated on thy word; I haue obserued thy iudgements of old: when I am thus neere, wilt thou forsake me? They are farre from thy word, canst thou leaue them vnpunished? no, thou art neere their punishment, and my deliuerance. I know as they depart from thee, so they shall not escape vnpunished in the end, because their sinne is come to such ripenes, as thy iustice can no longer suffer them.