An exposition vppon the thirtie two psalme describing the true manner of humbling and raising vppe of Gods children. Set foorth by Maister David Blak.

A Psalme of Dauid to giue instruction.

THE Psalme hath this title common vnto it, with diuerse others; set∣ting downe first the au∣thor, and then the end. The author was Dauid, which is called in the Scriptures, The sweete singer of Israell: who although he was a King, yet abused not his prosperi∣tie, to spend his time in dalliance, and in the workes of pride; as many do when God hath advanced them; but bestow∣ed those houres which might be spared from his politick ••onsultations, in wri∣ting Psalms, for the exercise of his faith,

& the edifying of the Church, wherin it is to be feared, that his example shal giue sentence against manie wanton nobles of this worlde, who abuse and disgrace the worthie facultie of Poetrie, with vn∣cleane Sonnettes, to satisfie their louse mindes with a kinde of contemplatiue fornication, abandoning their good wittes, (which God hath giuen them) by writing of Pamphlettes, in the ho∣nour of Venus and Cupid, which one day will be coumpted no better then so ma∣ny sacrifices to the Deuil. We are taught therfor, if we haue any vein of versifica∣ting, or any other good vse of our veine, how to vse it, that by this example, our writings may sauour of godlinesse to stirre vp the mindes of others, aswell as our selues therunto, not to leaue vnchast ditties behinde vs (as it were bawdes in the world) as many haue done.

The end of the Psalme is, to giue instruc∣tion; that is to say, to teach others by his owne example, in a particular thing, whereof he maketh me••••tion. Now this

instruction, as appeareth in the dis∣course of the Psalme, proceeded not from judgement gotten by much rea∣ding and obseruation of others, but by inwarde experience and obseruations of GOD his dealing with himselfe, which in the end of his laboures and a∣gonies, hee recompteth and commit∣teth to writing; which appeareth by many other Psalmes to haue bene his vsual manner. So this instruction hath that singuler commendation, that it was deliuered out of the feeling of Da∣uids heart, that our spirites might be in∣structed by his: as one face aunswereth to another in water; which kinde of teaching, if not onely, yet for the most part and principally is availeable, either to humble when a man speaketh not of spirituall things, as of the inhabitable ones (if any such be) but as of thinges which he himselfe felt & tasted before. And this is that holy experience, which taught the high Priestes of the Iewes compassion, and made his offrings for

his brethren more zealous; because he felt himselfe also pertaker of their infir∣mities, as the Epistle to the Hebrewes wit∣nesseth: but now a daies, it may be coun∣ted amongst the causes, why the mini∣strie of many succeedeth not better, be∣cause they faile in this poynt; in vsing so little conscience in teaching the people, and being without all affections: But those that are Rhetorical and prompted by the mother-witte, not by any expert soule, whereby it commeth to passe, that a godlie man, of no mouth or lippes, as Moyses calleth himselfe, that is nothing furnished with eloquence & vtterance, shall build more sound worke in Gods Church in one sermone, then those prophane Orators in twentie; though they haue neuer so great a facilitie in vtterance, and sweete louse of their words, as many senseles men haue. Wee are therefore to make some profite of this, if we will be wise admonishers of others; that we labour first our selues to be spirituall men, that we may discerne

al things, that we may obserue how God hath wrought for vs in the like cases be∣fore; that both we may leaue behinde vs a sting in the consciences of others, and be safe guydes in such a labyrinth, as a troubled minde is oft to bee led through. The maister of a shippe which is ignorant of the Seas, what skill soeuer he haue in Astronomie (which thing yet is necessary for Nauigation) whilest he gazeth vpon the starres, or any other artificiall direction, wracketh his ship vppon some rock, lurking vnder the waues, which would not bee, if experi∣ence had made him heedfull by sayling that way before. And indeed, this intol∣lerable defect neuer sheweth it selfe more shamefullie, or with greater hurt, then when men haue neede of spiritual comforte, at the houre of death; or in time of great affliction: for at such times those foolish sheep-heardes, when they want skill to help their poore sheep out of the ditch, are driuen to play the mi∣serable comforters, and to take some o∣ther

indirect course (as many vse to doe in such case) to cut the sheeps throate in time, to make him mans meate, least it should be said he died in a ditch: And these are the miserable and desperate calamities of the people prouided for, when they neede most of all spirituall instruction. And here we may espye the cause why manie admonishers and in∣structers of others, become so ridicu∣lous, as to be made the jesting-stocks of sinners; because they admonish not, nor instruct not of feeling, weakning the power of their instructiones; if not by hypocrisie, yet by flatnes and dulnes of Spirite, that it cannot be receiued with that reuerence, that admonitions & re∣bukes wrought in the Primitiue cōgre∣gations of the Church, when men be∣ing touched home, fell vpon their faces, worshipped God; affirming that God of a trueth was in those ministers. I might be ashamed in a diuine exercise, to make mention of a Paganes counsel, especiallie in so spiritual a poynt as this:

saue that we are not ashamed to let the Heathen get grounde in that wherein our Idiottes ought to excell their Phi∣losophers; if thou wilt reproue (say they) considder first, if the same fault be not in thy selfe, or at least some other, as ill or worse, that the reformation there∣of may be a foundation whereon to build thy brothers amendement. And indeed, although it is vntrue to affirme, that a man may not reprehend the fault which he hath in himselfe; yet where men are carried head-long into an out∣rage against other mens sinne, without detestation or feeling any remorse for their owne; It is very sure, that in such a man dwelleth that spirit of hypocrisie, which is the fowlest furie of hell. Let vs haue therefore in our reprehensions, whether publik or priuat, to our friends or to enemies, the spirite of compas∣sion and invocation; that our wordes may haue grace with the hearers: For if before euery reprehension (if it were possible) and before euery instruction,

we did lift vp our minds in some briefe meditation, commending the infirmi∣ties of our selues, and that present offen∣dour, both at once to God, and then proceede to a louing censure, as occasi∣on requireth, our sinceritie, our graui∣tie; our charitie would so adorne the re∣buke, that the offender would rather be rauished with the admiration of Gods grace in vs, then eyther scoffe it or grow into a choler, as many doe. But for-as∣much as to men of a quiet nature, which hate the reproch of a busie bodie, the deutie of instruction & admonishing of others, seemeth an harder impositi∣on then they are willing to beare, be∣cause there is not one amongst a thou∣sand, that will take it in good part. It re∣maineth therefore, that to that purpose we gather this third instruction from this title: namely, that men must make Gods proceedings with their own con∣sciences, profitable for the edifying of others, giuing them instructions there∣vnto, as here we see Dauid doth: For it

is the nature of faith to open mens mouthes, and to labour to make manie pertakers of their conuersion. That loue which followeth true repentance, is neyther bashfull nor fearefull, nor en∣uious, nor partiall: for when a man hath once got a good conscience, all the rest of his life after he spendeth in the instruction of others. Peter being con∣uerted, must strengthen his brethren; Dauid being forgiuen, must turne sin∣ners to God. I will say more, Nabuchad∣netzar being restored, published the ser∣uice of God to the Heathen: Nay, I will yet say more, the woman of Samaria; be∣ing but a woman, yet being reproued of her adulteries, & instructed by christ; I will not say preached, but saith to her neighbours, Come, see a man that tolde me all that euer I did. And if her instructi∣on be Chronicled in the Gospell to her commendation, surely the double si∣lence and vncharitable quietnesse of those that will not meddle with other mennes matters, to instruct them when

occasion is offered in matters of so great weight, must beare a note of their con∣fusion, and be marked with the blacke coale of crueltie, and of soule-murther, for what is it els when we say, let them answere for themselues, we will not put our fingers in the fire for them: as if Cain had not murthered his brother Abell, be∣cause he said, What? am I my brothers kee∣per? If we loue God, the same spirit is in vs, which was in Dauid, Mine eyes (saith he) gusheth out with teares, because men keep not thy commandments; If we loue men, the thread of our affection must be mea∣sured by our care to instruct them, and wee will saue some by plucking them out of the fire with feare; and if we loue neyther God nor men, so that neyther the dishonour of the head, nor the hurt of the member will touch vs; it is be∣cause we our selfes are members of an∣other bodie, and not of Christ which is the head of his Church.