but this discomfort did not enter into the spirits of the hearers. Christ complaineth of the same, that the people had both discomfort and comfort preached unto them: and yet they received none of them both. To whom (saith Christ) should I ⟨image 92⟩compare this generation? It is like boys that sit in the streets and cry unto their fellows, and say: We have played upon our timbrels to you, and you have not danced: we have sung mourning songs unto you, and ye have not wept. 1God by his Prophet Isaiah saith the same:2 All the day long have I extended forth my hand unto an unfaithful and intractable people: Meaning, that what so ever he threatened, or gently offered unto the Jews, it came no further then the outward ear.3 Whereof both the Prophets and Christ him self grievously complain,4 in this sort:5 They have ears and hear not, and they have eyes and see not. 6Saint Paul rebuketh men also,7 that by the law of nature knew good, whereof they should have rejoiced: and evil, whereof they should have lamented, and yet did not. And to leave off the examples of our fathers mentioned in the scriptures: we may see the same by daily experience amongest our selves. We read in the book of God, we hear by preaching, we know in our own consciences the displeasure and anger of God, against us for our sins. God outwardly showeth us the same with many horrible plagues: as by sickness, war, sedition, scarcity, enmity, and hatred, by the deliverance and surrender of a whole realm (to the utter destruction thereof) into the hands and rule of a stranger, and by the delivery and giving over of Christian souls into the hands and rule of the Antichristian Pope, and his wicked Clergy: and yet this discomfort cometh no further, then our outward ear. If Asaph the author of this Psalm were amongest us, he would say, His spirit would take no consolation. And this is an horrible plague, that weekly this Psalm is read amongest the Popish Clergy, and yet it bringeth their spirits to no ⟨p. 96⟩sorrow nor feeling of God displeasure. Wherefore our own experience teacheth, that there is an inward and an outward discomfort in this Psalm, and in the rest of Gods most holy word. The one penitent sinners feel, and by it amend their lives: and the other some wicked men feel, and yet despair: but of the most part of the world, it is not felt at all.
but this discomfort did not enter into the spirites of the hearers. Christ complaineth of the same, that the people had both discomfort and comfort preached vnto them: and yet they receiued none of them both. To whome (saith Christ) should I ⟨image 92⟩compare this generation? It is like boyes that sit in the streates and cry vnto their fellowes, and say: We haue played vpon our tymbrels to you, and you haue not daunsed: we haue soung mourning songs vnto you, and ye haue not wept. 1God by his Prophete Esaie saith the same:2 All the day long haue I extended foorth my hand vnto an vnfaithfull and intractable people: Meaning, that what so euer he threatened, or gently offered vnto the Iewes, it came no further then the outwarde eare.3 Whereof both the Prophets and Christ him self gréeuously complaine,4 in this sort:5 They haue eares and heare not, and they haue eyes and see not. 6Saint Paule rebuketh men also,7 that by the lawe of nature knewe good, whereof they should haue reioyced: and euill, whereof they should haue lamented, and yet did not. And to leaue off the examples of our fathers mentioned in the scriptures: we may sée the same by daily experience amongest our selues. We reade in the booke of God, we heare by preaching, we knowe in our owne consciences the displeasure and anger of God, against vs for our sinnes. God outwardly sheweth vs the same with many horrible plagues: as by sicknesse, warre, sedition, scarsitie, enimitie, and hatred, by the deliuerance and surrender of a whole realme (to the vtter destruction thereof) into the handes and rule of a straunger, and by the deliuery and giuing ouer of Christian soules into the hands and rule of the Antichristian Pope, and his wicked Cleargie: and yet this discomfort commeth no further, then our outward eare. If Asaph the authour of this Psalme were amongest vs, he would say, His spirite would take no consolation. And this is an horrible plague, that wéekely this Psalme is read amongest the Popish Cleargie, and yet it bringeth their spirites to no ⟨p. 96⟩
- 1Matth. 11. Luke. 7.
- 2Isaiah. 65.Esai. 65.
- 3Isaiah. 53. 6.Esai. 53. 6.
- 4Matth. 13.
- 5John. 12.Iohn. 12.
- 6Rom. 11.
- 7Rom. 1.
