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.

8 I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the ••••y that thou shalt goe, and I will guide thee ••ith mine eye.

9 Be ye not like a Horse or like a Mule, which ••nderstand not; whose mouthes thou doest ••nde with bitte and bridle, least they come ••eere thee.

10 Manie sorrowes shall come to the ••••cked, but he that trusteth in the Lord, mer∣•••••• shall compasse him.

Hytherto reacheth the first parte of ••he application, as touching the duetie ••••t Prayer: The second parte followeth, ••erswading to obedience: For the bet∣••er performance whereof, the Prophet DAVID, turning himselfe to the faith∣ful, promiseth to be their guide therein: ••nd this his guidance (he saith) shal con∣••••st, first, in instructing them, & advising ••hem in the way wherin they shuld walk 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then in guiding them with his eye. By ••he first, hee meaneth that he will teach ••hem out of the worde of God, the true ••uties of obedience, according to his

Propheticall function, and the perfor∣ming of this dutie ••e signifieth, by va∣rying the same thinges with diuerse Phrases, that hee will bee painefull and plaine in teaching them, giuing such manifest directions, as if the waye were chalked before them. Thus hee v∣seth an argument to perswade to obe∣dience, which indeede, in foldeth in it manye argumentes: That King DAVID, that Prophet of the Lorde, a man of singular experience in spirituall affaires would be their skoole-maister, & that in most playn & paineful maner, whereout we learne this doctrine: That when the Lord sendeth fit instruments into the Church, which haue both skill and will, to feede it with handes of dis∣cretion, it ought to be an argument o•• obedience, to all that haue a sparkle of Gods grace. To this purpose, the A∣postle Sant PAVLL putteth the Galathi∣ans in minde, that he had vsed such dili∣gence, and playnenes, in preaching the passiō of the ••ord, & had done it so liue∣ly,

as if indeed they had seene CHRIST IESVS crucified before their eyes, & be∣cause the labour of the Prophetes, per∣formed in this plaine manner, wrought nothing among the Iews: The Prophet ESAI••, cap. 18. denounceth Gods judg∣ments against them; & after, he sheweth by two familiar comparisons, how they had bene instructed as Children, that learne the A. B. C. which name the letters after their skoole maister; and as they which haue their handes ledde, when they learne to write; which hee meaneth by these phrases; that precep•• ••ath bene vpon precept, and lyne vpon line. And herein they to whose charge it ••ppertayneth, are taught not to bee stamering or squemish, but like louing nurses, to take all in good woorth, though they haue manie a foule hande with the rude people, euen as Saint PAVLL setteth himselfe foorth for ••n example, when hee sayeth, that hee travelled againe with the GALATHIANS although one trauell is as much as a wo∣man

is able to beare for her own childe. I would we had learned well this lesson, that such as teach others, were not cari∣ed away with the spirit of nicenes, and vaine-glorie: so a greate parte of Mini∣sters, whether of a base opinion that they haue conceaued of Catechising; as too low a thing for their excellentnes or whether of anie irksomnesse to tra∣vell with the rude & forgetfull people; or for what other cause I knowe not; whilest they preach themselues and let their owne gestes take winde, leaue the people vninstructed in the necessarie pointes of saluation, not leading them as they ought, in the waye wherein the•• should walke. On the other side, the people in many places, though they haue this argument to moue them to o∣bedience; that is, a paynefull and godly pastor, yet they are mooued hereby no∣thing at all, but had rather haue such an one as should Prophesie no more vnto them in the name of the Lord, yea it is to be thought: that the number of good

teachers had bin greater if such as loue ••not instruction had not given the NA∣••••RITES wine to drinke, they which •• haue none to instruct them, hope to be excused by ignorance, though vainelie, but to them which haue a teacher, and ••efuseth admonitions, there remayneth neyther hope, nor excuse, for euen the prayer of them which will not heare; shall be abhominable (sayth SALOMON.)

The next poynt is, that hee will guyde them with his eyes, which is more nor the former: for hee promiseth not one∣ly with general exhortation to do what good hee can, but also to attend vppon them with his eyes, & at every turne to helpe their wandering, and to goe in & out before them himselfe, which how well he performed in his ordinarie, cal∣ling of a king, and in extraordinary as he was a Prophet, the Scriptures giue am∣ple testimonie. This place teacheth vs, that the continual presence of the teach∣er (necessitie onely excepted) is a forci∣ble meanes to bring men into obedi∣ence

as may appeare both by the Scrip∣tures, and by reason: for we know, that a friend of approued godlines and wis∣dome, whome we vse familiarly, and in∣to whose bosome wee may emptie our secreetes, shall preuaile more with vs then any stranger whatsoeuer. And ther∣fore S. PAVL forbiddeth the minister to beare himselfe coylie and stately a∣mongst the people, but to be gentle and easie to be spoken to, to the end that ac∣quaintance may winne loue, and loue may gaine obedience, and for this cause the people are compared to sheepe; which knowe their owne shepheardes whistle, from all others by dayly vse. It is certaine ynough, that wher the teacher neuer attendeth on his office; but in the pulpet; there the people ar sheepe which feede in lowe places, at their own wills doe rot for want of a better shepheard. S. PAVL in his farwell sermon to the E∣phesians, layeth this example of his be∣fore the Ministers, that hee had taught to the people house by house, and the same

Apostle sheweth that the Leuites were maintained of the ALTAR vpon this cō∣dition, that they were resident at the same. Those therefore that are the Mi∣nisters of IESVS CHRIST, their loue to him will moue them, the word of God will commaund them, the example of DAVID & all good ouerseers wil meete them, compassion of the people, and dreade to murther the soules which CHRIST hath purchased with his owne bloud, will provoke, inioyne and con∣straine them, With diligence to feede that ••••e••ke vvhich dependeth vppon them. The temptations which draw a man from this duety are grosse, and such as euen the shame of the world might shift off: how much more should Gods spirite prevaile against them; for the gaynes which is gotten by spirituall promoti∣ons ioyned with spirituall distructions; is more shamefull and infamous, then the gaines of the vsurer or of the pro∣mouter; yea it is the most odious & bar∣barous shifte that the diuel can deuise.

BALAAMS bribe is called the wages o•• iniquitie; but this filthy lucre (I speak a reprochfull thing) is the Hang-mans wages, for the losse of the precious liues and soules of men is their booty: But of this matter, the complaintes amongst men are so manifold, and the supplica∣tions to God for reformation are so infi∣nite, that it seemeth fitter to expect what God will do, then to preach any longer to the bellie that hath no eares.

This much hath beene spoken of the promise which DAVID maketh, to in∣struct and guyde the people; vsed by him as an argument to moue them to docili∣ty and obedience. Now for asmuch as the most parte when they are to bee or∣dered by good Discipline, doe fare like wilde creatures: he dehorteth thē from the same, shewing what will bee the ef∣fect of disobedience, that it will bring a double paine vpon them, & make them to haue a rougher and greater bitte in their mouthes; that is, they shall be con∣strayned to yeelde to their griefe and

payne, if they will not shew themselues ••••actable by faire meanes. But before he ••••eth this argument, he maketh the sinne 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vntractablenes odious, by comparing 〈◊〉〈◊〉 with the brutishnes of horses & mules, ••hich are not well broken, who manie ••••mes seeke to mischiefe their keepers; 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a wilde horse, if he cannot by kicking ••••d rearing cast his ryder, watcheth the ••••me til the rayne be slacked, & getting ••he bit betuixt his teeth, setteth his tayle 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ende, and runneth his ryder against ••he trees and walles, & through hedges, ••o spoyle him if it bee possible: & when ••••e is downe giueth him a fare-well with ••••s heeles. As for the Mule she is well y∣••ough knowne to be a froward and vn∣••••ly beast; so that if her keeper watch hir ••ot the better, she wil take him vp in her ••••eth; & lay him before her in the man∣••er. The Prophet therefore poynteth ••••rth this sinne of frowardnesse, vnder ••••e Images of an Horse & Mule, to note ••nto vs, that there is nothing so bruitish ••s to reject, the doctrine and gouerne∣ment

which God hath appoynted fo•• our souls: wherof although ther be ma∣ny Iudges, yet none can tel so wel, what a trouble-some peece of work this is, a•• the faithfull ministers of the Gospell, which are driuen to mannage such res•••• and vntamed jades, as ar many amongs•• the multitude, for what with yerking ou•• the heeles, rising vpō the hinder legs, g••¦ing side-long; & other froward touche•• of vnbroken coltes; the poore Minister if he be on their backes, can hardly keep the saddle; and if hee leade them in hi•• hande, on frowarde jade or other in th•• Parish, taketh him vp by the coller, an•• throweth him out of the way; so that 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a man be neuer so honest, and haue ma¦nie good friendes; yet if he will doe h•••• dutie, hee shall hardlie be able to stand•• without suspention or depriuation, o•• some such like foyl; which would neue•• come to passe, if it were not for the H••••¦ses and Mules in his Parishe: and this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the cause, why many giue ouer the•• good beginnings in their ministrie, be¦cause

their people are so tickle heeled: 〈◊〉〈◊〉, & thus it commeth about, that the Lande is full of shiuen jades, which can ••euer be broken of their vnhappie pro∣••erties, because they were marred in the ••andling at the first. Let vs then learne ••ot to mislike or condemne the dili∣gence of good Pastors; notwithstan∣••ing the example of ten thousande ••hich are negligent: For the Scripture sayeth, that they are not busie-bodies in so ••••ing, but we are Horses & Mules in dis∣••beying; as indeed it is evident ynough, ••ow sauagely & furiously many behaue thēselues, in rejecting the nurture of the Gospell; which other-wise, before the Deuill was interrupted in them, had the commendation of ciuill men, of court∣••••e, and courteous Gentle-men: The precepts of ciuilitie, & the rules (as they call them) of vrbanitie, do teach a man ••o avoyde what-so euer is vndecent & vnsightlie in gesture or phrase, in looke ••r gate; so that there are some to bee

found, so exactly framed to these things, as if they had bene caste in the verie mould of ciuill behauiour. But alas, what profite is there in such matters, when men for lack of christian educati∣on, notwithstanding their ciuilitie doe disgrace and discredite them-selues so much, that when the Gospel is applyed, such forgetfulnes of all good manners l••yeth hold on them, that they fome at the mouth, and take on like wild Horses, that a man would wonder, what were become of all their courteous demea∣nure, when they shew their teeth for an∣ger: & I am perswaded, that manie of them, who stand vpon their owne cre∣dites, if they could see their faces in a glasse, would hide their heades long after: yea, there is no more sense nor witte, in such malecontentes, then in them which kick the heele against a prick, as CHRIST told Saint PAVLL. This speaketh DAVID, to make disobe∣dience an hateful thing vnto vs, because

it transformeth men vnto bruite beasts. He addeth (I say) this argument, whose mouthes with bit & bridle thou must con∣straine, least they come near thee; shewing, that as Horses get nothing by their mad∣nes; but the so••er bit and bridle; no more doe stubborne persons get any thing by oppugning the Gospell, For they wrastle with God, (as SAMVEL sayeth) And in∣deede, when wicked men take on a∣gainst Gods worde, they make them∣selues ridiculous, and wretched ridicu∣lous; because they barke at the Moone, and he which sitteth in the heauens, laugheth them to scorne: Wretched, because they crush themselues, by running against this rocke, and are desperately bruised with this stone of offence; euen as wee see many of them which are enemies to Gods worde, with this bruise to spitte blood all their life after; that is, to giue evident tokens of a tormented consci∣ence: For there is nothing gotten by struggling vnder Gods hands; & there∣fore

his owne children, when they be∣come impatiēt of his incision, are bound to a sourme. For it is certaine, that Gods worde cannot giue place to men, & the true minister of the Gospell, will not be repu••sed from his dutcy by Princes, to the hurte of a good conscience; but the spirituall authoritie, in this ministration shalbe such, that it shal suffice. To binde e∣uen Kings with chaines, and noble with set∣ters of Iron, (as some interpreth the place of the Psalme) Wherefore, let vs judge righteous judgement, thinking nothing to be more ••onorable nor to be maiste∣red by the worde; and nothing to bee more prejudiciall, then to shewe our selues wayward and from pole, in cros∣sing and resisting of the same.

And thus the comparison is finished in this verse; now the application of the same followeth in the next verse, in these wordes, Manie sorrowes shall come to the wicked &c So that euerie thing be∣ing put in his place, it is to bee disposed

in this manner: as Horses and Mules for their wildnesse, do bring bittes and bry∣dles vpon themselues; so froward men, by their disobedience, going on in their s••nnes, doe heape sorrow on their owne heades: which is also declared by the contrarie, in the other member of the verse. But he that trusteth in the Lord, mer∣•••••• shall compasse him about. And in this application, wee must haue an eye to the proposition of the Psalme, which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 discoursed of the sinne of hypocri∣••i••, and how hardlie men are brought 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••e the true remedies, that belong to the curing of an euil affected cōscience; ••••••••rat doth he aime in this place also, ••••••••ming, that men shall get nothing by ••••••••ng like wette Ecles out of Gods ••••ndes, but shall double their owne ••••••uble, by shifting and cloaking ma••••∣••ers, when they haue to doe with God: For there is no mischiefe like to this, when men finding themselues discon∣tented with the straightnesse of the gate

of grace, cast about to finde other easier waies, imagining that a man may doe well ynough, though he lay no such im∣position vppo•• himselfe, as the strict doctrine of repentance doth require: For although the vanitie of mans de∣uises be euident in manie things, yet it appeareth in nothing so hurtefull, as when men think they can finde another way of saluation, then that which is sanctified by Gods worde; yea, this is wicked follie, which hath cast men in diuerse calamities, which thinke that they haue a reache beyond the Moone, both to suck still of the breastes of vo∣luptuousnesse, and yet to nourish the hope of saluation in them selues: while men straine their wittes, to bring things to these tearmes, they bring the whole matter out of the sockat, and disturbe their owne consciences, with much dis∣quietnes; and a great deale more heart-byting, than they which neuer looke after saluation at all, by reason that they

striue to bring two ends together, that will neuer meete. And to this purpose, they reject what-so-euer is sharper then aggreeth with their humour as ouer precise, and when they are taken in the ••ette with struggling to get out, they intangle themselues more and more, by persisting in stubbornes, they bring ma∣nie troubles vppon themselues, vntill at the last they dye for verie anger, like Weesels that are taken in a trap. Hereof King SAVLL is an ensample, who was readie to haue vsed manie shiftes by Witch-craft and other odde meanes, when he was vexed with an evil consci∣ence: But all his shiftes tended to no o∣ther end (as things fell out,) but multi∣plyed his calamities and griefes, though ••he propounded cōfort to himself. And so it is with all wicked men, to whome ••••t any aduersitie happen, their consci∣ence can make no construction, that it is Gods louing visitation, but his very curse vpon them, & he crosseth them

in all their actions, feeding them with anguish and confusion, as it were with bread, which play the hypocrites be∣fore him, and distrust his gentlenesse i•• they should submit themselues to him without any condition: yea, the Lords eggernesse against such men, is maruei∣louslie described in the Scriptures, Th•••• hee will make his dartes drunke with bl••••d, that he will spend all his arrowes vpon them, that he will be so hote in the persute of them, that he will not so much as bayte in the 〈◊〉〈◊〉, but drink of the water of the brooke, as wee may see in his horrible judgements vp∣pon Aegypt: Who hampered PHA•••••• and his people? neuer leauing them to long as hee could finde them warme•• For assuredly, as it is his first delight to do wel to his Israel; so the very next is, to glorifie himselfe in his justice, by multi∣plying the sorrowes of the wicked, whereas on the contrarie part it follow∣eth. Those that trust in the Lord, mercie s••••l compasse them about, &c. That is, they

giue themselues into Gods handes, by ••••nfayned confession, keeping nothing ••••ek, but standing contented to abide ••i•• awarde whatsoeuer, because of the ••••dly trust they repose in him, their ex∣••ecration shal faile them no whit: For ••he Lord shal so gird them round about ••••th his mercies, and the sence of his fa∣••••••r, that no terrour shall assayle them, ••ut for the multiplying of their com∣fort in the ende. And all the difficulties shall be so cleane remoued, that they ••hall finde the yoke sweete and easie for ••hem, which galleth the neck of the im∣••••tient dissemblers: for when God is ••••••••d he setteth store of his credite, & ••••th more for them that beleeue him: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 euer they expected, so that they ••••me to be in a dreame rather then to ••e possessed indeed with such blessings, ••••e greatnes and aboundance of them ••••••o incredible as in the Psal. 26.4.