OF THE
HUNDREDTH AND NINETEENTH PSALM
LAMED
89 O Lord, thy word endureth for ever in Heaven.
90 Thy truth is from one generation to another: thou hate layed the foundation of the Earth and it abideth.
91 They continue even to this day, according too thy ordinance: for all are thy servantes.
92 Except the Lord had been my delight: I should now have perished in my trouble.
93 I will never forget thy Commandments: For by them thou hat quickened me.
94 I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy Commandments.
95 The ungodly laid wait for me: but I will consider thy testimonies.
96 I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding large.
WE SEE HOW CHANGEABLE MEN ARE. It is very true that when we shall talk of the shadow, we may say that it removeth and changeth every minute of an hour, so that it resteth not: but if we look well and
thoroughly search out that which is in the mind of man: we shall see there a great deal more vanity and change, than is to be seen in the very shadow.
And that which is more, David saith in another place, that if man were laid in one school, and vanity in another, that vanity which is nothing, would weigh down man greatly. And we shall not need to stand long disputing of this: For every man by his own experience can testify what it is, and what it can do, albeit there were nothing written nor yet anything thereof contained in the Scripture. What resteth there then for us to do. Forsooth [in truth] we must seek for our constancy elsewhere than in ourselves.
Now God giveth us a very good means if we will take it, which is, to build and settle ourselves upon his word. And for this cause it is, that the Prophet Esaiah saith, That the word of God endureth forever: (<234008>
Isaiah 40:8)
He had spoken before of the frailty and fickleness of men, as that nothing could be more: and although it might seem that there was some strength in them, it is yet incontinent clean parched and dried up, that it vanisheth away into less than nothing: But he concludeth and saith, That the word of God abideth forever. So then, see the means, how that men (although they be transitory, and have no constancy at all in them) shall notwithstanding have a perfect constancy, and sure estate: to wit, when as they shall stay themselves upon the truth of God and his word. According to this, it is here said, Thy word O Lord abideth forever in heaven. Some expound this, as if it had been said, That because the heavens have continued long, they render a good testimony of the truth of God. But here David namely speaketh of the heavens, because we see by them a more manifest sign of the Majesty of God than we see here below on earth. And indeed in that we are rude and earthly, we had need to have God to guide us, and to lift up our minds when that he would have us to think on him: to the end we might forget the world, and all the corruptible things here beneath. See then the reason why David in this place maketh the seat and house of the word of God in heaven, because we had need to look a great deal more higher than into our own senses, when we would comprehend how God is true and faithful. When we would feel the certainty and assurance of his word, we must enter into a more deep consideration, than our sense is able to bear, and not look so into the visible thing, or into that which we conceive on earth.
He addeth, That the truth of God is from generation to generation. As if he should have said, It is true, O Lord, that men are here very circumspect and advised, and we see also how things have their alterations, so that there is nothing which is not wavering and inconstant: we are as it were in the whirlwinds and tempests: and if at some times things be in peace and at quiet, it lasteth not long: and although the creatures be peaceable and at quiet, yet are the men never at rest, but are continually chafed and
troubled. But thy truth, O Lord, is sure and certain, which can never be shaken through the alterations and changes which here we see, no
otherwise but by the lightness and inconstancy of men, when as they do
nothing else but wander here and there. True it is, O Lord, that all this impaireth no whit the certainty of thy truth and word.
Lo here in sum, the meaning of David in this place. Now he bringeth in a proof of this sentence, to wit, That God hath laid the foundation of the earth, and it abideth: that is to say, That the order of nature hath her course, and so continueth without end. And why so? Forsomuch as God hath appointed them: because that he hath so declared it, and that all creatures are subject unto him. This disposing and ordering must needs continue in his estate. And although we see all things to turn on this side and on that, yet God always giveth us some visible sign, to show us that he never altereth nor changeth his purpose. And chiefly, that his truth is never subject to any change.
We see now in sum what the substance is that is contained in these three verses.
Now that we may apply all this to our use, and to make our profit hereof, let us learn to have recourse unto the word of God, so often as we shall be astonished, and know not what shall become of us: to wit, all the days of our life: For there passeth not one quiet day over our heads, wherein we are not moved to think either of this thing or of that. Sometimes the temptations are easy to overcome: but after, we shall see some appearance of danger, that shall trouble us a great deal more, yea and some one threat or other we shall have that shall even abash us. And if that were not so, yet should we have occasions enough in our heads to make us unquiet, that we should not need to be otherwise troubled: but every one of us hath in himself store of tempests and storms, so that if there were nothing else but our own very fantasies, they would be so many whirlwinds, to make us never to have quiet minds. Now see then a good remedy, that is, Let us know, that although we are environed with a great number of dangers, although there be no certainty in our life: although there is always an hundred deaths before our eyes, yea that we thought the devil should swallow us up every minute of an hour: yet must we be peaceable, and hold ourselves quiet and still, because that God hath laid the foundation of our salvation in his word: and that he hath promised to keep our life. When then, we shall have the word of God, to certify us, that he hath care both of our souls and bodies, let us know and be certainly assured that herein consisteth all our constancy.
So then, let us rightly apply this doctrine for our instruction, that when it is said, that the word of GOD is permanent in Heaven, that his truth showeth itself from age to age, and so continueth, that it is namely spoken, to the end that we should be patient in the midst of all the troubles, griefs, and anguishes, which we may have, being shaken amidst so many dangers:
and also, seeing the endless and incessant changes which are here beneath, and nothing else but all unquietness. Let us then see, what is here to be considered for the first point: we must not seek to take our rest in this world, for we shall never have it here: But let us always have our recourse to the truth of God.
Moreover, let us see if we can rightly practice this doctrine, that nothing hinder us, but that we may live in peace and tranquillity in the midst of the most great and dangerous confusions which may light upon us. Let us also see, that whether the winds blow in this corner or in that, that there be garboils [confused and disordered states] of war, that there be pestilence and famine, and such like, that it seemed we should perish a thousand manner of ways: yet all they which settle themselves upon the word of God, will never be but certain: For they shall feel both in life and death, that they are in his hand and protection. And having this confidence with themselves, they will make no reckoning of all whatsoever shall come unto them: as we see Saint Paul(<450838>Romans 8:38, 39) commandeth us to exalt ourselves against all things present and to come, so that we be fully resolved, that God loveth us. When this shall be in us, and we shall have hereof a good testimony in our own consciences, through Faith and the word of God: Lo how we may assure ourselves, and solace ourselves in the midst of all our troubles and confusions which here we see: and by that means be never at peace and rest, and not to be greatly turmoiled for anything that may come unto us the next day. And why so? For hath God, who hath declared himself unto us to be our Father, spoken it but for a day only? whereas he hath testified unto us, that he will have our salvation in his hand? is here any time limited?
Now we see to the contrary, that God saith, That he will never forsake us.
Our hope then must stretch itself clean beyond the world, and so we shall not be tossed with the winds and tempests which shall blow against us, to make us turn back, when as we shall have a sure foundation upon the word of God. And as concerning this proof which David addeth, saying, That God hath laid the foundation of the earth, the same is but a little taste
which he giveth us of the truth of God. Now it is not enough for us to have this taste only, to know whether God be faithful and that his truth is everlasting. For to prove it to be so, we see that neither heaven nor earth, but are subject to corruption, and that all must pass, only the word of God is said to last forever. And it must needs be so: for else what should
become of our salvation? It should be corrupt very soon.
Let us not once think then, that David his meaning here is to make a comparison, and an equal proportion, of the continuance of this world, and the constancy which we see in the order of nature, with the truth of God.
But he showeth unto us that even in these corruptible things, we might the better perceive how faithful GOD is: and if he be true in these things on the earth, what shall he himself then be? I beseech you tell me, from whence hath the earth her foundation? It is founded both upon the water and also upon the air: Lo her foundation. We cannot possibly build a house fifteen foot high upon the firm ground but that we must lay a foundation.
See all the whole earth is founded only wavering, and as it were hanging, yea, and upon so bottomless depths, as that it might be turned upside down in the minute of an hour, and the whole substance of it utterly overthrown. It must needs then be, that there is a wonderful power of God showed in the conserving of it, in the same sort it standeth. And that is it which is here showed unto us: to wit because that God hath said, That the earth was in the midst of the world, and that it was so laid as it is: hereby we know what the certainty of his truth is. But we must here forsooth [in truth] compare the less things with the greater, as we say. How from the lesser to the greater? I will show you by example, If I say we did see such excellency in the body of a man, as that it might be thought to be even the very image of God: whereby we know the thing that is written, that God hath ordained man to be the chief of all his creatures, and given him great dignity, nobleness, and power over all living creatures. (<190806>Psalm 8:6) Even so also, in praising that which is in man, we may descend from the body to the soul: and this is from the highest to the lowest, and from the less to the more: So likewise is it in this place, when David setteth before our eyes the order of nature: This is not (as I have already said) to measure and compare the truth of God, with such a measure: But to the end we might reason and say, If in these frail and transitory things which are subject to corruption, we see such a constancy because it is God his will it should be so: What shall we then say of his truth, which surpasseth all the
world? When then we shall make such a comparison, between the state of the world, and the truth of God, we may certainly conclude, that God sufficiently granteth us wherewith to settle ourselves upon his word, we must not be so inconstant as to let our Faith be shaken, so often as we shall see the world tossed with any troubles, but rather to take this place which is here showed unto us by David for our refuge. And this is the sum of this place. Now it followeth afterward,
Except the Lord had been my delight: I should now have perished in my trouble.
David here speaketh this of his own proper experience and knowledge before he spake of the truth and excellency of GOD in general, and saith that it was in heaven: and afterward he proveth it by visible things, which is very manifest unto us, and which God pointeth out unto us, as it were with his finger. In the third place he saith that he speaketh not of unknown things, that he might dispute of them at random, but that he had rightly practiced that which he had spoken, because that he was preserved by the word of God. And therefore he now showeth us, where we ought to seek for this word, whereof he had generally spoken heretofore. For we may use this name of the word of God, and yet it may be hidden in the air, or amongst the Clouds: But because he hath given unto us his word
familiarly, and communicateth the same with us daily even in the holy scripture: Let us consider, that in giving honor unto the word of God. We say that it is infallible, Let us not imagine it to be an unknown word, but let us go unto that, which God at all times hath given to his servants: and that is it which is contained in the law. See then, how God hath first declared his word unto us, wherein our salvation is altogether certain.
Now here we have to note in this strain, that David having had such experience, deserveth well to be heard, and that they are no vain words which he here setteth down beforehand: But that God also would have it so, to the end we should give the more credit unto it, and that we should no whit doubt of anything that he teacheth us, when as he himself hath made proof of all that which he before had spoken. And thus much for the first point. The experience then whereof David speaketh should very well serve us instead of our Seal, by which GOD meaneth to make the Doctrine of his Prophet to be of so much the more antiquity. And thus much for this.
Moreover, let us learn rightly to understand, how sure we ought to be of the word of GOD, not to seek for the certainty thereof without ourselves, but rather in our own Consciences. It is true, that we ought thoroughly to look both above and beneath, to make the testimonies which GOD giveth us to serve our faith, to the end we might be certified of the truth of his word, as already we have heard: but yet the principal point is this, for every man to enter into himself, and make such accompt [account] of this certainty of the word of God that it may take such root in our souls, as that we may there feel it to be such as here it is said: to wit, that it never be shaken, although the whole world should be confounded, and that it is the same which must give us peace and rest, notwithstanding it seemed, that all were utterly overthrown. We must then acknowledge the effect and accomplishment of this certainty, which the Prophet here attributeth unto the word of God. In sum, it is as much as if he had said, that no man is able rightly to feel how God is faithful, and his word certain and sure, without he hath a true faith and belief thereof within his heart, and the same to be discharged of whatsoever is contrary to his salvation. As namely he saith, that he should have perished in his trouble, if he had not delighted in the word of God. David here showeth what experience he had: to wit, that he was so afflicted, that he was as it were even in the gulf of Death.
Now if the word of God bringeth us out of the grave, quickeneth us in death, and preserveth our health, notwithstanding that it seemeth to be swallowed up in the gulf, do we not see a good proof given us from God, how firm and sound it is? So then, let us well consider (as we have already said) that since we have known the power of the word of God, to be such as it is here showed us, we may in such sort resist all the greatest
temptations which the devil is able craftily to work against us, so that we shall be able to escape as it were both from death and the grave. And thus much for this.
Now for the second point, David showeth us how it is that we are preserved in all our afflictions by the word of God, how our life shall be safe, and our health assured thereby. And that is if we delight therein: to wit, that we be so comforted with the love which GOD there showeth us and wherewith he certifieth us, that since he hath adopted us for his
children, he will therefore always show himself to be our father. Wherefore we may boldly recommend our souls unto him, and he will receive them, so that we shall not perish, having all our refuge so unto him. If we then