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.

11 Bee glad ye righteous, and reioyce in ••••e Lord: and bee ioyfull all ye that bee vp∣right

in heart.

The last verse contayneth the efe•••• of the free grace and mercie of Go•• wh••̄ it is felt in the h••rt, that it is a swee•• peace and vnspeakeable joy of con••••••¦ence, to the fruitione wherof he exhor¦teth just and sincere men, where by w•••• are taught, that the ende of Godlie l••¦bours, and of the trauells of a penite•••• soule, is as comfortable as the ende o•• SARAHS trauel, when she was delivere•• of ISA•• the sonne of promise (the child of olde age) & the hope of all the who•••• world. For so it shall come to passe wit•• them that faynt not that they shall no•• be able to contayne the spirituall joy•••• and comfortes which shall rayne vppo•• them in a sweete showre from heau•••• howbeit their joy is here limited, th•••• they should reioyce in the Lorde, whic•• must not bee counted any imparing o•• joyes in Gods children, but an holy c••••¦rection, for want whereof they mig•••• possibly stretche forth their hand wi••••

the wicked, and reape vnto themselues 〈…〉〈…〉 Image of joye in steade of true by ••••e••te: for that is the property of vn∣••••ly men, to r••moue the discomforts 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their heart, by worldly delectations, ••s S•••• called for Musicke when hee 〈◊〉〈◊〉 t••oubled with an ••uill Spirite, and ••o this purpose (men that be affrayed of ••••paire, and loue not to be humbled ••nder the mightie hand of God) doe vse ••heir wifes, their friends, their meate & ••heir drinke, with al the pastime that can ••e deuised, to rejoyce themselues with∣••ll, that they might put themselues out ••f the dompes (as they cal it) But in such ••ases none of these evills come vppon ••••e head of the righteous, but hee refu∣••eth all worldly solace, and will not bee ••o•• ••••••ted, til he haue found the joy of conscience, that hee may rejoyce in the Lorde for this is a sure joy as CHRIST ••ayeth, that no man can take away: which ••s not so spoken, as if a man might not ••aue a joyfull vse of Gods temporall

blessings; as of wife, of children, o•• friendes and posteritie, (& such things) but rather to teach vs how to rejoyc•• rightly in thos•• things, considering tha•• there can bee no harmony, where th•• chiefest string of the instrument is mi••¦sing, which is a good conscience, which referreth all thinges to God, and think∣eth there can bee no safe vse of the•••• thinges, but vnder the shaddowe of hi•• winges. Those therefore that think tha•• godlines is not fit for all thinges, for al•• times and places; but to be reserued to•••• some speciall devotions, as if it were vn∣seasonable and vndiscreete to mentio•••• it in the middle of their pastimes an•• delightes, seeme to bee better acquain∣ted with the sacrifices of the Indians the•• with true godlines: for let vs assure o•••• selues, when wee despise to haue o•••• sp••rtes s••nctified aswell as our serious matte••••, wee are playfellowes with the divell, who supplieth the ro••ne wher•• godlines is expelled, but ioyes thus sea∣soned,

haue no release in the mouthes •••• ••nbridled & vntamed per••ons, who ••ink it a dead worlde if vnchaste daun∣••••s, ••uffenly speaches, and other scur∣••••litie be restrayned, at feastes and ma∣••••ges, and other merrie meetings: Yea, ••any olde people will say, that there is ••••o setting of old mens heads on young ••••ns shoulders, being as it were patrons ••f the vnbridled wantonnes of youth, ••hen they rejoyce altogether without ••he Lorde. The sonne which hangeth ••he head, and looketh like a sheepe in ••esence of his father, bewrayeth a dis∣••••yall, and seruile nature; and he which ••noweth not how to be chereful, and to ••••epe his countenance amongst his bet∣••••rs: will passe all boundes of modest ••••irth & honesty amongst his equalles; ••nd so fareth it with them which can∣••••t be merrie, and wise in the Lorde, ••hich hadde rather bee silent, then b••e ••ounde to the Lawe of grace, which ••aue no certaine course except their

dissolute byas be obserued. These m•••• (I say) bewraie a slavish nature, becau•••• they cannot tell how to bee mer••••e a¦long as God is by them: I meane an•• godly restraynt, that the land-marke o•• vertue may not be remoued; & vndo••••¦tedly, as it is seene in this thing, so it is i•••• the weightest busines of the consc••••¦ence, for when Gods peace is not vpo•• it, all the jestes in the worlde canno•• mooue a man to laughte••, but from th•• teeth outward: except the heart be ha••••¦dened, (which is an horrible thinge t•••• speake off) for himselfe is the substanc•• of our ioye, and these worldly delectat••••¦ons are but circumstances; in him alon•• may we rejoyce though they all faile but without him they are all comfort••¦ble as much as salt is for sore eyes. Fu••••¦thermore, this exhortatione to appr••¦hend spiritual joye, is directed to just 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sincere men: that is, to those that ha•••• set vp justice as a marke to shoote at, an•• haue decreed to hold in the path of si••••¦••rity,

though they be far from any me∣••torious righteousnes, so that this sen∣••••nce doth not allow the justice of men, ••••t doth as it were the Cherubin by the ••••ee of life keep away with Gods sword; ••••ose that loue vnrighteousnes and are ••••e harted, that they should not stretch ••••rth their handes to gather the blessed ••••ite of this joye: for it is sure ynough, ••••at there are manie as S. PAVL sayeth, ••••at rejoyce in the face, which rejoyce ••••t in the heart, nether shal they be able 〈◊〉〈◊〉 get downe anie comfort, so long as ••••ey loue sinne more then God: no, al∣••••ough all the partes of their life be a∣••••rned with such moralities, and out∣••••rd works, as appeare not in many of ••ods deare children: for the workes are ••••t the adjunctes of faith, but the loue ••••d sincerity of workes, for fayth will ••••vne her self to nothing, which can be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Reprobate. And as hope and Faith ••••e not of thinges visible, no more is the ••••••ishment of hope & faith by workes

apparent, but the Lorde loueth th•••• plaine meaning soule, and filleth bo•••• the handes thereof with comfort, fro•••• whence springeth the vnspeake-ab•••• riches of faith, and of hope; and the••••¦fore the scriptures maketh the heart th•••• seate of sincerity, and not the brayn•••• because the heart is the house of the a••¦fections, and the brayne the seate o•••• Iudgement: For IVDAS knew CHRIS•• his bloud to be innocent, but his hear•• was cruelly affected to his maister. L•••• vs therefore bend our selues to striue a••••¦ter since••••ty and vprightnesse, that w•••• may he gladded with the spirite of adoption; and that we may rejoyce not in the flesh, but in the Lord.