receiue Christ comming to thee beleeue onely and thou shalt liue Take heed now to thy foote and enter not into the way of scorners be no more a mocker least thy bonds increase Thou canst not but see every where profane men the plague of these last times making a jest of Religion despising God in his workes in his word in his Saints set not in with them but flie from them as from the pestilence And for a motiue to stop thee from this course consider theiâ— steppes how many feete haue gone that way how few returned Thou shalt find they perish by skores 2 King 2. 24. but hardly one or two single soules retyring safely from this last steppe of sinne But especially awaken thy soule from this sinne with assurance of like measure from God O seriously thinke with thy selfe will not the day come is it not running poast toward me and I know not how neere when I shall fiâ—de no comfort but onely in peace with God My pleasures my wealth will forsake me my friends will weepe for mee my body full of deadly griefes my soule pinched with thousand pangs of conscience the bell summoning me the graue gaping for me my accusers one without another within mee and the Iudge who cannot bee bribed much lesse any longer mocked â—eady to arraine me Oh then how welcome to mee will be the least hope that God would lend me a mercifull eare to heare me If hee should then deride my petition scorne my supplication and laugh at my miserie what can be expected but a fearfull instant damnation how soone would those foule spirits plunge my desolate soule into that eternall torment that lake of fire brimstone Shall I then willingly plucke this infinite misery upon my head Hath not the Truth which cannot lie assured me and will not my reason confirme it that he scornes the scorner How should I looke upon his face when he must be my Iudge whom I scorned to be my friend How shall I stand before his wrath whose grace I dâ—rided O therfore my soule prevent this mischiefe betimes accept of grace while he offers it seeke search sue for it now that thou mayest then assuredly finde it goe forth to meete it which is sent to meete thee take hold of it and leaue it not which will hold up thy head at that day will never leaue thee till thou art seated in eternall happinesse Psalme I. Ver. 2. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night THE Prophet having in the former verse layd downe the way which must bee declined by all those which would come to happinesse in this propounds positiuely the path which without faile wil bring us to it if we follow it to the end In this way he sets out two periods 1. delighting in Gods Law 2. meditating in it day night from which issue two points of doctrine 1. The Prophet affirmes him blessed who delights in the law of God 2. The Psalmist pronounceth him blessed who meditates day and night in the law of the Lord. In the former these particulars must bee openedâ— 1. what is the law of the Lord 2. what this delight in the law The law is sometime strictly taken for the first scriptures the fiue books of Moses and then ordinarily distinguished either from the writer and called the Law of Moses or by adding the other opposite member the law and the Prophets sometime it is more largely extended as comprehending all the propheticall writings of the old Testament as is manifest Iohn 10. 34. where the booke of Psalmes is made part of the Law But the word here used properly signifieth doctrine yet is generally and rightly translated Law because whatsoever God would haue us know concerning his will and pleasure is there by himselfe taught revealed and promulgated Deut. 29.29 so that he appointeth it the only ordinary meanes of life Luke 16. 29 30 31. 2. because all doctrines delivered in the word are so many sanctions of the supreame Majestie binding the conscience to all obedience and perfect subjection Againe his delight is by some translated his will the word signifying that action of the mind whereby willingly pleasingly and with loue the heart cleaues to any thing so used Gen. 34. 19. This then is the meaning of the words Whosoever loues the Law or word of God cleaues to it takes pleasure in that which God there coÌ„mandeth he is entred already into a blessed estate This as it is here plainly testified so also the Apostle addes his suffrage unto it evidently affirming that as his misery consisteth in being vexed with the body of death resisting the law of God so his happinesse in delighting in that law concerning the inward man The grounds or reasons of this testimonie in David are 1. his knowledge in the word of God whence hee had taken forth this lessonâ— Deut. 28. 2. his experience having felt by this delight an unspeakable happinesse being holden up in his deepest afflictions and quickened from his deadnesse by this word Hence gather these lessons The Scripture containeth all that doctrine which is profitable to the perfection of a Christian so farre as to make him wise to salvation and to bring him to everlasting happinesse For if he be blessed who with delight entertaines it necessarily it must containe whatsoever is necessary or profitable to that end Thus else-where he pronounceth it perfect And the Apostle speaking of the Scriptures affirmeth them able to make wise to salvatioÌ„ profitable to instruct c. so farre that the man of God may be perfect in every good worke And hence is it that when God by Moses had written this law and delivered it to the people he straitly chargâ—th thâ—m to adde nothing to it nor take any thing from it and againe doubles this precept Deut. 12. 32. And without all question howsoever it pleased the Lord of his goodnesse by the succeeding Prophets to expound and open the law and farther to presse and inforce it yet did never any Prophet adde any new doctrine to the former words they addâ—d to cleare and unfold it but no new matter or precept to the duties coÌ„manded Thus after did the Apostles as witnesseth that chosen Vessell they said no other things then those which Moses and the Prophets did say should come Certainly as in the creation of the bodily light the Lord made spread over the world a generall brightnesse which after he gathered into one body the Sunne and made it as a fountaine from whose beames not onely other creatures but the heavenly lights themselues should borrow all their splendour even the Moone and starres So having in this little world of man created a spirituall light of wisdome and knowledge in his understanding diffused and spread it over mankind and for some ages of the world derived both by traditioÌ„ as
the Spirit resembles the word to an hammer that breaketh the stone and doctrine to morter which holds us in this building so is it that meanes whereby God builds further When our happinesse is compared to an harvest then the word is called seed the Prâ—achers of it sowers The word likewise is raine thâ— Preachers those that water When the blessed estate of man is compared to an inheritance the word is not onely made the meanes whereby we become Sonnes but is said to giue us inheritance with the Saints Very frequent are these similitudes in the Scripture Looke therefore as in all creatures God hath ordained the fruit and therâ—fore appointed the meanes which being blessed by him bring forth their â—ffâ—cts so in this kinde whom God hath ordained unto eternall life to them he sends his word blesseth it and so produceth the effect purposed by himselfe As when he created the first Adam he created no more though he were Almighty to haue of nothing framed many millions but appointed all other men yea even Eve her self to flow from his loynes so when he gaue our Lord to be the second Adam he decreed that all his Elect should flow from him sâ—t out this immortall seed to this end though he be able of stones to raise up childreÌ„ unto Abraham yet doth he use no other means then this appointed by his own wisdom either to giue this life or to nourish it 2. Seing the word of God is the Guide which leades us to happinesse we learne also hence one of the most principal duties of man namely to heare read record and converse with it imploying his time in it Art thou a Minister of the word then hast thou this precept from God giue attendance to reading take heed unto learning continue therein Art thou an hearer Thou must be swift to heare It in authoritie then Gods charge lies upon thee He shall write him this law repeated in a booke and it shall be with him and he shall read therein all the dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord. The like command is given to Ioshua Whatsoever thou art hearken to that generall commandement All these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart and thou shalt rehearse them continually My sonne hearken unto my words incline thine eare unto my sayings Let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the midst of thy heart Let the word of God dwell in you richly The practise of the Saints answereth this precept Thus David he loves the Law this constant love brought forth continuall meditation So Ieremie and Iob Ier. 15. 16. Iob 23. 12. And even our reason it selfe if we hearken to it will strongly enforce this dutie upon us Our owne sense will tell us that an excellent object of the eye is the writings of mâ—n skilfull wittie and learned whereby with little paines we come to know all the fruit of their studies and reape in a few houres what they haue laboured many yeares Now if the writings of prudent and understanding men in which all their wisedome and their very soules are opened and discovered to us be the most noble object of a reasonable creatures eye then certainely the most excelling object of a Christian eye is the written word of God which unlocks and brings forth unto our view the glorious wisedome of our God Thy reason therfore will frame this argument Every creature ought principally to employ it selfe in that which is the most excellent object of it but the Scripture is the most excellent object of the eye therefore the eye must especially busie and employ it selfe in conversing with the Scripture So likewise the most proper object of the eare is sound the most excellent object of the eare is the voice of man and words expressing their notions but that which infinitely excells it is the word of God and his voice unfolding his gracious purpose towards us and therefore aboue all other to be most attended followed The most proper object of the understanding is truth the most excellent then must be the truth of God Certainly the highest degree of happinesse consisteth in our likenesse to God and therefore our beholding him as he is being the meanes whereby we are conformed to his image is of all other things most to bee desired When therefore we shall see him face to face and know him as we are knowne then shall we in our measure be perfected after the similitude of his glory see 1 Iohn 3. 2. Thus when Moses desired to see the glory of God though hee could not see him face to face which no man living on earth can doe but the backe parts alone that is discerned so much onely of his glory as our imperfect nature can receiue as when we see the backe of a man our knowledge is but imperfect yet his face shined so gloriously that the people yea his owne brother Aaron feared to come neere him Our imperfect happinesse then to which we may attaine on earth is to bee imperfectly conformed to his likenesse in some degree of holinesse which is effected by beholding him in his word For now in the prâ—ached word of God we see him not indeed face to face yet not as the Iewes veiled but with open face and so by looking into that perfect myrrour wherin he shines forth unto us in his grace we are changed into the same image by the spirit of the Lord. Looke as the eye receiues into it selfe the object or thing it sees so that it may be seene in the eye so the understanding being as the Philosopher speakes all to all taking into it selfe the image of God expressed in his word is more more conformed unto it A seale joyned to waxe brings forth the same impressure when therefore the Spirit having graven this image of God in his holy word thâ—n applies it effectually to the understanding it cannot but produce the same image and stampe If therefore we would diligently consider and compare those places Iâ—r 9.23.24 and Rom. 10. 14. we would soone confesse 1. that all our good consisteth in the knowledge of God and 2. that the knowledge of God depends on his word and then necessarily acknowledge that it is a maine dutie of every man to converse with the word of God and continually to meditate in it 3. It is also a second dutie belonging to every Christian to bring forth this word which he hath layd up in his heart for the edification of others as occasion shall bee offered this is especially intended by the Apostle Let every man as he hath received the gift minister the same one to another If thou art in the Ministerie then hast thou a strict charge from God to feede the flocke and to be instant in season and out of season If thou art one of
them and aswell by his owne as by this his King of Heralds voyce and by his Sonne the wisest type of Wisedome calls to these wandring wretches Forsake your way yee foolish and you shall liue and walke in the way of vnderstanding Now of this Psalme where our happy estate is excellently described and the way to it plainely poynted out to vs it is fit to consider aswell the Authour as the matter The Authour is either principall or subordinate our head Iesus Christ who by his Spirit indited it and the Prophet David whom he vsed as his Secretary or hand to write it The scope as of all other Scripture is to be a lampe vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths and as the very finger of God to point out the new and dangerous but intising way to misery and the old and safe way which leads to happinesse The method or order is this First our Guide shewes us a farre off a generall confused view of blessednes the end of all our travell then points out the left-hand way which to an unwary eye seemes faire and likely and warnes us to take heed of it which more perfectly he describes by the severall periods of it These are three 1. walking in the counsell of the ungodly 2. standing in the way of sinners 3. sitting in the seate of the scornefull All this in the first verse Secondly he sets out the true way to happines which seemes the farthest about but is the neerest homeâ— and our severall journies in it which are but two first delighting secondly meditating in Gods word which is amplified from the time day and night And this is contained in the second verse Thirdly in the next place he more distinctly and severally discovers this happinesse that so he may winne us to it First by a most familiar and elegant similitude of a tree 1. planted 2. watered 3. fruitfull 4. flourishing then by a part of it namely prosperity This in the 3 verse Fourthly hâ— displayes the woefull estate of those who goe the other way first negatiuely They are not so not blessed not planted not watered not fruitfull not flourishing they prosper not Againe affirmatiuely by a comparison they are as chaffe blowne away with the wind and therefore shall be separated from the wheat and burnt with fire This is deliverâ—d in the 4 and 5 vâ—rses Lastly in the sixt he giues an infallible reason of all he speakes namely the providence of God over-looking and disposing both Now as a Guide who undertakes onely to bring us in the right way to our journies end in our passage will beguile the way with some discourse or name to us the Townes Castles Rivers c. by which we passe So this holy Saint leading us forward entertaines the way with much profitable matter pointing out though obscurely old Babilon and new Ierusalem the false and true Church with their lawes and manners Having thus prepared the way let us now enter upon it and in the first wee 'l obserue the Guide himselfe from whom we gather this proposition The Prophet David and in him the holy Ghost is the Author of this Psalme And that we may profit the more by this Teacher let us consider how he is qualified for this office wise Princes if they cannot make men fit for any place will chuse such as are already made to their hand But the Lords election prepares and enables his servants for any calling in his Church Let us then behold him either in his spirituall or temporall estate First God tooke him the youngest of many brethren from following the sheepe and made him a Shepheard of men King over his onely people the house of Israell and so filled his heart with wisedome valour and other gifts necessary for government that never any Prince joyntly in them all was more or indeed equally renowned He blessed his raigne with many famous victories was with him wheresoever he went cut off all his enemies and made him a great name like the name of the great men which are on the earth Secondly his spirituall estate may be considered either in his publike office as he was a Prophet a man of God none more famous among the Prophets or in his private disposition a man after Gods owne heart propounded as a patterne especially to Princes whence it is that all his successours are either condemned for not following him or commended for treading in his footsteps For confirmation of this Proposition it is evident that the Holy Ghost is the prime Author of the Booke of Psalmes For all Scripture is inspired and holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Moreover our Saviour reckons the Psalmes with Moses the Prophets as holy Scripture and David by Christ is entituled to this Booke and the Scripture giues evident witnesse of the Spirit speaking by him The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me and his word was in my tongue It will not be vnprofitable to lay downe some reasons or grounds of this action aswell in God the principall as in David the subordinate Author The cause then why God writes and writes in this kinde by songs and why he employes David as his hand are either in himselfe in vs or in this holy Prophâ—t In himselfe his gracious will and wisedome He reveales and conceales these things because it so pleaseth him See also Exod. 33. 13. 17. and Numb 12. 6 7 8. In vs whom he teacheth there are some occasions as 1. our difficulty in learning especially things spirituall 2. our naturall delight in Musicke 3. A certaine aptnesse in numbers to convey to our mindes and settle in our memories these profitablelessons The reasons why he vseth David in this imployment may be 1. the gift of Musicke in which he excelled 2. the sanctifying gifts of Gods Spirit which afforded ditties to his notes and by expressing his holy affections filled others on all oâ—casions to lay open and poure out their hearts to God in prayer In Dauid the cause of writing may be 1. his Faith I beleeved therfore I spake 2. his loue desiring to draw others on to that happinesse which himselfe had found Ioyne these together and we shall find a good ground of this action We are vnapt to learne there is an aptnesse in this kind of teaching to sinke easier and deeper into our mindes God knowes in his wisedome what is best for vs and his loue will effect it therefore having-fitted David with this qualitie of holy Musicke he stirres vp his heart to vtter by faith what he had learned and by loue to draw on our lagging affections to the like gracious practise Now beâ—ause the Word of God whether written or preached is given for our vse and profit for teaching confuting trying comforting and exhorting that by applying it partly to our vnderstanding we might grow in light and be better informed in
and thirst This will make that reproofe which to flesh and bloud is most bitter sweet and pleasant for the person that is full despiseth the hony combe but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweete Proposition 2. Now follows the second proposition arising from this verse namely The Psalmist pronounceth him blessed who day and night meditateth in the word of God Where is no need to expound many words for some are cleere enough of themselues and othersome haue before beene sufficiently explained Here onely consider what is this meditation and how that phrase day and night expressing the continuance of this duty is to bee understood This word meditation implies a vehement motion of the minde breaking forth into action The best Interpreter even the holy Ghost thus explaines this word in another place Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein Where we see the nature of meditation rightly unfolded consisting 1. in observation that includes diligent attending marking and remembring 2. in practising so what he there particulary commends to Ioshua he inforceth other where generally upon all Deut. 6. 3 4 5 6â— 7. c. where we are commanded to get these words by heart to teach them others continually to thinke of them that we may bring our hearts to the loue of God 2. Night and day is a phrase of speech implying not onely frequencie but such a continuance as though it be not without some intermissioÌ„ yet is without negligence carefully and cheerefully performed in the season of it Some haue thought that night signifies the time of affliction and trouble day the time of our prosperitie and gladnesse and no doubt but darkenesse is in Scripture often taken for grievance and trouble light for solace and comfort No question also but it is our dutie in the evill day and in all our rejoycing to meditate in this word but seeing the former is not onely the genuine or naturall interpretation of the words but also includes the latter by night and day must here bee understood a continuall revolving of the will of God sometime in hearing it when the season giues leaue sometime reading it frequently recollecting it in our memorie and without intermission expressing it in all our actions and constant practise Thus then runne the words Whosoever with a fervent and zealous heart giues up himselfe to the word of God to heare read thinke of it to practice and doe it and that not by starts but in a continuall course of life and conversation this man is already blessed and shall at length attaine to perfect happinesse Proofe Blessed is the man that heareth mee watching daily at my gates and attending at the posts of my doores Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it He that looketh in the perfect law of libertie continueth therin not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his deed The grounds or reasons may be 1. in the nature of the word .2 in God ordering it and working with it First therefore as God hath given to every creature a certaine nature wherby it is fitted for any worke or end and hath in it selfe a power to worke unto that end as to light to discover and present things to the eye to feed to produce the like unto it selfe so hath he made this word to be his Ordinance which shall worke powerfully unto salvation And as he hath ordained that our perfection and happinesse shall consist in the knowledge of himselfe in sanctification and eternall life so hath he given a vertue to this his immortall word to open all things unto us necessary for this knowledge and therefore cals it light to sanctifie and breed us to life eternall And as seed simply considered without his appointmâ—nt could haue no force to produce the like no more could this word which therefore by the naturall man is counted foolishnesse 2. In us who are wholly dead in nature and haue no power in our selues to worke out our owne salvation but as since the curse the earth must with much labour be ordered and fitted before it can be fruitfull so since our cursed fall we cannot attaine this fruit but with this spirituall labour and tillage 3. In God working in his owne institution he is the great Husbandman Iohn 15. 1. he that giues the increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. and 15. 10. Now therefore as no instrument hath power in it selfe to worke to its end but must be used applyed and directed by the hand of the workman so here unlesse the Spirit use this hammer it breakes not the stone in our hearts Looke then as in earthly tillage the ground must be first plowed up and prepared the labourer must cast in good seed harrow weed c. and yet still without the former and latter raine and the blessing of that Almighty Creatour and Governour all is in vaine thus God hath made the Law to be as a Coulter to breake up this fallow ground of our hearts sent in his Ministers with this his plough to prepare and fit it so he giues his Gospell to be the seed of life causeth his servants to scatter it nay makes the same Ordinance to bee as raine and heate to draw out the vertue and power of it into our practice yet all this is done by his blessing he onely giues all the successe and causeth it to worke to salvation Vse this first for Instruction 1. It is the word of God and that holy doctrine layd up and treasured in the Scripture thence brought out to us by the Stewards of Christ in the preached word which makes men happy And indeed seeing the Spirit doth there not onely set out one but the onely way to a blessed estate we may hence conclude that there is no other way which leads to happinesse nor any other appointed and effectuall revealed meane to attaine it but this Hence called the power if God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1.18 Hence it is by the Spirit resembled to such things as are most necessary causes and helpes of life Before we attaine the life of God it is as seed to beget us 1 Pet. 1. 23. Iam. 1. 18. when we are borne againe it is food milke while we are babes that we may grow 1 Pet. 2. 2. stronger meate to establish us Heb. 5.13.14 when we attaine more ripenesse Obserue continually that when the Lord compares this our happines to any earthly thing still the word of God holds that part in the similitude which evidently sheweth it to be his instrument wherby he begins perfects this worke in us As when in some places we are likened to the Temple of God every paâ—ticular Christian to be a liuely stone then in other places