thou art bound no never to forget neither all nor any of them but to sum them up in thank-ful praises to his name 3 Who hath called thee to be faithfull and of his onely good grace hath freely in the merits of his son forgiven thee all thy sins justified thee from their guilt and pardoned their punishment so that from an heir of hell thou art translated to be an heir of heaven And hath also enabled thee by the spirit of regeneration to walk worthie so rich grace in mortifying thy lusts and raising thee to newness of life and conversation by his sanctifying quickening graces bestowed upon thee 4 Who to save thy life lost his own gave it a price for thee the virtue whereof hath influence every day and hour upon thee O my soul for every trespass thou committest dying virtually as oft as thou sinnest whereby thou art kept from perishing everlastingly as else thou hadst done and wouldst do continually and though the bodie wherein thou doest officiate do die a temporal death and lie down in the grave as all men must yet at that instant shalt thou be translated to live with him in Heaven that died for thee on earth instead of being sent to Hell according to thy demerits and at the resurrection shalt have a happie re-union with a glorified incorruptible bodie having honoured and enriched thee here with the first fruits of glorie pardoning protecting regenerating justifying graces more than I can enumerate because of his love and mercie to thee and for no cause else 5 Who feasts thee with Spiritual and Heavenly dainties suting thy tast and appetite answers all thy prayers touching requisit graces and comforts so that whensoever thy stock of either seems to be spent thy graces enfeebled and thy comforts exhausted then at thy request comes God with sweet and seasonable supplies and maketh them and so thee that wast a dying to live again vigorous and active like an eagle that by casting her beak and feathers and new-ones coming in their stead resumes her former agilitie and strength till then disabled so is thy regenerate part and sanctified habits by fresh auxiliaries and immediate breathings revived when at a loss 6 And not onely in spiritual soul-desertions but also in external bodily afflictions does the Lord appear seasonably for when I was oppressed and opened my case to God pleading mine innocencie and mine enemies injurie how did he judge my cause against them and upon them and so will he do for all his faithful upright innocent people in their wrongful pressures in a season most comfortable and profitable he will deliver them and judge their oppressours 7 Witness his wonderful works of old in the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt he did foretel to Moses what powerful and terrible judgements he would bring upon the Egyptians and how wonderfully in truth and righteousness he would enfranchise his people and what he said he did all he told to Moses by promise he made it good by experience in the sight of all the twelve tribes Israels posteritie he faild not in a tittle nor shall his Covenant of grace made with our redeemer Christ touching his redeemed 8 And as the Lord betwixt man and man is pitiful to the oppressed especially to his Church and terrible to their enemies So is he also betwixt himself and them a very graciously disposed God in respect of the sins and deserved punishments of his people as Israel well experimented all along the wilderness exceeding readie to shew mercie and to pardon sin and punishment when it is petitioned for not easily provoked nor apt to anger as they found and extream readie to grant forgiveness of one sin after another if the sinner pray it uprightly God will grant it willingly even the pardon of all our sins though both many and great as theirs were 9 And when he does visit our sins upon us for he will not alwayes bear with us so nor then will he be alwayes wroth against us punish us he may destroy us he never will no nor yet be alwayes angrie at us or frown upon us his face shall clear up and his favour shine forth after a while faithful prayer will scatter those clouds 10 We of all the World have cause to acknowledge him such an one he hath not done by us as we have deserved our experiences from time to time have made good all his gracious properties of grace long-suffering and plenteous mercie having ever been a God exceedingly bearing with us and forbearing of us though a provoking ungreatful people towards him 11 For the immensity of his mercie is superlative to any natural comparison no dimensions can proportion it the height of heaven above the earth does not resemble it to us such and beyond it is his mercie in preterition and pardon to his people that unfeinedly repent them of their sins and with full purpose of heart Covenant to fear and serve him 12 Consider the heavens either for height or wideness and which you think is the greater for the help of your faith conclude that so great and greater is the mercie of God towards such as turn to him and walk with him sincerely The East and West shall as soon come together as the sins of such shall be laid to their charge how grievous so ever they have been for at a greater distance and disproportion hath God sundred a penitent sinner and his sins even as far as infinite is from finite Christ himself who is God having taken them off of him upon himself 13 You that are earthly parents know what are the bowels of a father to a child when with tears and prayers it begs pardon for its offences such for such comparisons we are fain to use for the help of our natural apprehensions and far greater are the earnings of God and his compassions towards those that in the faith of his mercie repent of their transgressions beg pardon of their punishments and promise and perform upright obedience 14 For the Lord knoweth of what brickle matter we are made he remembers how transitorie our natures are so that should he deal with us after our sins and would punish us according to our provocations he would have no people left on earth to serve him or to carrie on the existence and being of a Church so that our frailtie moved him to mercie and not to do as sin would have him cut our short lives shorter 15 Man being no better than grass both sprung out of the earth hath a little time of Being alotted him here wherein he takes some contentment during part of that little in his youthful season as a flower that hath its moneth to spring flourish and decay in so at best is mans condition by course of nature but besides that naturally he is so frail and momentany he is subject to be cut off by infinite accidents that
their hope and desire having heard his prayer and pittied his case and assures them it shall not be long before they see it to their shame and grief To him that is most skilful upon the stringed instrument Neginoth to be sung with a high voice to the eighth tune or instrument of eight strings called Sheminith whereto this Psalm is chiefly set do I David that made it recommend it 1 O Lord thou hast many ways afflicted me for besides my many enemies thou hast now brought upon me a very soar and painful sickness which make me fear thine anger is kindled against me which I humbly knowledge my sins have deserved But good Lord remember mercie and chastize me for them not in thy heavie displeasure but according to thy Fatherly compassion 2 For though sin doth provoke thee to anger yet miserie is wont to move thee to shew mercie and truly O Lord my case is very woful for I am exceeding low brought by my disease therefore have pittie upon me for certainly thou mayest do a great cure and get thee a great deal of honour in recovering me now I am grown to that extremitie that my very bones are tortured with pain and are not of strength to support me 3 Nor am I onely sick in bodie but that which most makes me fear thy displeasure towards me is this That my soul is also soar troubled and as my bodie can find no ease so nor my soul find comfort which indeed is a grievous sadning to me But thou O Lord who I am sure art a God of mercie and compassion as well as of just displeasure how long canst thou behold me in this case and forbear to help me specially with soul-comfort 4 Good Lord change thy mind and now after so great and long affliction become my God again by setting my soul at least at libertie from its comfortless state Look no longer at my sins to punish them but consider and cast an eye upon thine own merciful nature now a while and for its sake restore me to health and inward peace 5 And so shall I live to praise thee whereas if thou pursue me to death what good wilt thou get by that here if thou letst me live I shall remember from time to time this mercie of my recoverie with many other good turns done me to thy glorie and praise but in the grave I shall forget all for both the knowledge of thee and the remembrance of all the mercies thou hast shewed me which I was wont to celebrate with thankfulness in this life must needs vanish when life it self departs and be buried in the grave with me in oblivion and silence 6 Truly Lord I have had a very sad time of it and a heavie burthen have I born a long while which hath cost me much sorrow and grief in so much as my groans have been incessant and without any ease or intermission so that I am now quite spent and wearie ready to give over for want of breath and spirit to express my moanings night nor day have I had any quiet nor taken any rest but instead of sleep I have spent the night in continual weeping and in stead of repose upon my couch in the day time I have done nothing but shed tears 7 In so much as my sight is decaied and mine eyes wasted with incessant sorrowing and sunck into my head as it were with old age because of thy heavie hand and chiefly for the insultations of my many enemies over me because of mine affliction 8 But blessed be thy name me thinks of a sudden upon this my prayer I find my heart much cleared and my spirit well assured of thy favour and future mercie to me so that now I hope mine enemies shall have small cause to rejoyce over me for that I know thou wilt speedily disappoint that malicious and wicked desire they had of my destruction and wilt restore me for though my grief hath cost me many tears yet the Lord I perceive hath taken notice of them and pitied me for them 9 Yea he hath listned to the supplications I made in mine extremitie and will not reject them but according to my prayer will shew me mercie receive me to favour and restore me to health and comfort 10 So that now I am confident it shall be mine enemies turn to hang their heads for shame and vexation and mine to triumph over them when they see such an unexpected and sudden alteration and God to appear so much for me in it who they thought had been quite out of favour and should have now perished in his displeasure Seventh PSALM David being falsely accused to Saul by Cush to have abused his favour and made use of his reconciliation to strengthen himself against him and supplant him in the Kingdom and Saul by this slanderous report being inraged against David prosecutes him with greater hatred than before whereupon David flies to God by prayer for deliverance from Sauls inraged cruelty pleading his innocencie in the thing whereof he was accused whereupon he stirs up God to stand for him against his cruel adversaries for the promise sake which he had made him of the Kingdom and the service he would procure him in Israel thereby and withall prayes him that he will judge him according to his innocencie and the wicked according to their wickedness for that he knew who was in fault he or his enemies And in confidence thereof prophesies his enemies ruin and disappointment and that he shall live to see the day when he shall have cause to praise God for it and when that day comes he promises not to fail to do it A Psalm which David made and set to the tune of Shiggaion whereby he sought the Lord when as he was endangered by false accusation of him to Saul by that pick-thank flatterer Cush the Benjamite 1 MOst Almighty Lord and my most gracious God unto thy power and goodness do I flie for safe-guard relying onely on thee and therefore pray thee undertake my defence against my many adversaries Saul and his partizans who do most wrongfully persecute me from whose hands therefore good Lord deliver me 2 Lest if I fall into his hands he take away my life and put me to death by torments now that he is so inraged by false flatterers and I have none left about him that will or dare stand my friend and speak a good word for me 3 My most righteous Lord and God if this thing be true that Saul is informed off against me and for which he thus persecutes me if I have had any treacherous design upon him or broken Covenant with him as is suggested 4 If under the colour of peace and agreement I have sought to bring to pass any treacherous or treasonable thing or since our capitulation have falsified my word nay I am so far from thinking evil
to procure it when it is utterly of it self helpless and at anothers finding this doth most convincingly testifie to thy praise thy power and providence in despight of all wicked and ungodly Atheists that list not to acknowledg thee and stops the mouth of the most perverse and devillish-minded caviller against thee whilst they must needs see thy great power and as great goodness whereof themselves have shared in putting that instinct into little children to provide for themselves and that power in nature to accommodate their need with food suting their weak estates and that love and pity in parents to understand their meaning by instinct 3 When for my part I take view and seriously consider that wonderfull workmanship of thine the Heavens with their infinite height and vast extent and the world of great and weighty Clouds that pass and repass therein and those foresaid Lights of Moon and Starres which thou hast appointed to move in their courses and appear in their Seasons and to give Light and influence down below 4 It maks me thankfully acknowledg and wonder at that great goodness thou hast shewed to man above all how unsensible soever others are of it whom thou madest out of dust and clay that thou shouldest set so much by him as to create and ordain such things for his use and shouldest further have such continuall regard to him that is of such ill desert by sin and so little worth by nature frail and mortall subject to generation and corruption as to exercise such a daily care and providence over him from first to last and to redeem him out of his lost estate by taking his nature 5 For notwithstanding all these superexcellent and permanent creatures yet hast thou given him and renewed unto him the principal place in the order of creation next the Angels honouring him with a greater dominion and likeness to thy self in heavenly and angelical qualities than any thing but they and made him capable of that celestial and everlasting glory and happiness which they enjoy with thee by the redemption which thou hast afforded him in Christ who himself became lower than the Angels by suffering in our nature that he might invest him with a title to heaven and the glory and happiness that is there which in virtue of his resurrection he is already possessed of for him 6 And restore him again to his dominion over the creature having as at first put the rule of all terrestriall things into his hands though they were made by thee and not by him and hast subordinated every creature to his use and regiment 7 The multitude of sheep and neat that are every where in the world yea both tame and wild beasts are subjugated to his dominion and ordained for his service 8 The fowl that flee above him yet are subjected under him and the fish that inhabit the great vast and deep seas and live and move there invisibly to man are yet ordained for him and subordinated to him 9 O Lord whom we must needs acknowledge to be Lord over us though thou hast made us Lords over all its admirable to consider how many wayes and in how many and sundry things thy wisdom power providence greatness and goodness excels towards mankind by what thou hast provided for him and doest bestow upon him furnishing every place both above and below throughout the whole world with infinite store and variety of all good creatures for his sake Ninth PSALM David breaks out into a joyful and faithful praising of God for his many wonderful deliverances his enemies overthrows and his executing judgement according to the justness of his cause and his enemies wickedness shewing his adversaries by the success the difference between their trust and his and the different judgement that righteousness and unrighteousness shall ever have from God encouraging all Gods people to take notice of what he hath done for him thereby to strengthen their faith for themselves He praiseth the Lord and excites others to it who when the time cometh will punish the oppressor and right the oppressed And after praises given for former victories having further need of his help because of more enemies he praies him still to be his deliverer that still he may have farther matter of praise and rejoycing in him Stirring up all men to take notice of the admirable defeats God hath given to his wicked enemies and that so all the Churches enemies shall be served Concluding with prayer to God not to suffer himself to be wounded in his honour through his sides by his proud enemies To him that is most skilful upon the instrument Muth-labben so called some conceive from the victory he had in the duel fought with Goliah to which this Psalm is chiefly set do I David that made it recommend it for the care and ordering of it in the Quire 1 O Lord I have often praied to thee and alwaies sped so well as that now I will praise thee with as good a heart and will as ever I praied unto thee for my preservation in my greatest danger and will let the world know what wonderfull things thou hast done for me from time to time by dedicating a Psalm of praise to thee for them 2 I will wonderfully chear up my heart in the apprehensions of thy favour to me so amply manifested and will with publick praises glorifie thy power and goodness which have appeared in thy marvellous works O God of infinite might and Majesty 3 Mine enemies though they vex me sore and persecute me long yet when the time comes that thou wilt foil them then they shall be able to make no resistance but in thy just displeasure shall certeinly come to nought 4 As hath been already made apparent for maugre their power and malice thou hast still hitherto maintained and manifested my title to the Kingdom to be just my cause to be honest by thy righteous judgements whereby thou hast made it appear more than once that thou art and wilt prove thy self a righteous judge 5 Thou hast punished all that were against me whether they were my heathen and forraign enemies that knew less what they did yet they have smarted for it or my wicked countreymen and domestick foes who should have had more understanding them therefore hast thou quite destroied and divested of all their power and authority and cut of all title to the throne of Israel from them and their posterity for ever 6 O thou mine implacable enemy that wouldest never be reconciled till thou wast ruined which now thou art and all thy destructive plots and practises with thee never to trouble me more Both themselves and the great Cities and Fortresses they builded for to establish their dominion and eternize their name hast thou Lord destroied and caused them and their memorials to perish for ever 7 But the Lord who is my city of refuge abides for
sun by their blackness and greatness 12 And then suddainly changing the face of the heavens from that immensity of darkness to such an extraordinary and supernatural brightness which ushered in his presence as instantly dispelled those foresaid clouds wherein before he terribly appeared and then again as terribly in the contrary temperament of the sky being all of a light fire by flashes of lightening which even consumed and burnt up what was combustible accompanied with showers of hail issuing from those clouds so broken with the brightness of his appearing 13 Or when as the Lord raised terrible thunder-claps in the heavens and sent forth that dreadful voice of his to the amazement of his peoples enemies the Egyptians and others and therewith powred down upon them hailstones mingled with fire which beat them and burnt them up like straw or stubble 14 Yea when he shot his mortal thunderbolts amongst them and put them to flight frighting them out of all order and array and discharged his swift and penetrating lightnings upon them and utterly routed and discomfited them 15 And when his people being in danger upon their prayer God made the very sea it self dry and fordable for their safe retreat and their enemies ruine And the bottom of that deep concave and Abisse whereinto the earth received the water at the creation was disclosed by the seas dividing it self at the Lords command and by the winds that he raised to interrupt its course and force it to a stand 16 As much as all this hath he done for me though by a more occult way of providence he hath wrought and fought from heaven for me many a time and after diverse manners he ever had a special eye to me and care of my safety and from manifold and great dangers hath he powerfully maugre the force and malice of mine enemies delivered me 17 Yea from Saul who was my mightiest and cruelest enemy and from all that sided with him against me in hatred to me hath he most miraculously delivered me whom else I could never have escaped nor prevailed against considering their strength above mine 18 For in humane power and policy they were ever too hard for me in the time of mine adversity and persecution But I firmly trusted in the Lord who was alwayes on my side and still sustained and delivered me notwithstanding all they could do 19 Yea he hath not onely brought me out of my troubles but moreover hath advanced me highly and stated me in a most happy condition from out those straits I was in And the reason why he thus wrought for me and had such care over me to deliver me was his good grace and free favour to me 20 And to the honest cause which I maintained and which he sustained in my behalf prospering me in it and for it and mine innocent and just behaviour against mine enemies injustice and cruelty hath he recompenced with their downfal and mine advancement 21 For in all my troubles I was careful to keep a good conscience towards God in doing justly and walking uprightly and did not saving the slips of humane frailty and infirmity at any time perversly step aside or fail in my duty to God whom I ever found so gratious 22 For I was sincere and had alwayes his righteous precepts in mind and memory to order my self and my wayes impartially thereafter and did not refuse upon any reason or occasion to yield obedience to them 23 Nor was mine inward man wanting but he that sees all things knows my obedience was performed from my heart in faith and affection to the commander as well as to the commandment and that in love to him I bridled and refrained my self from the sin that either by nature or occasion I was most prone and tempted to 24 And now I find I am no loser by it for the Lord in mercy hath had consideration of the justice of my cause and of mine innocent and holy demeanour and hath rewarded me accordingly with the ruine of mine enemies and mine own preservation and advancement 25 I and mine enemies are a pattern of thy truth and justice and that thou wilt reward all manner of men according to their works they that shew mercy shall find mercy at thine hands as I have done in my deliverance and they that exercise their faith and love towards thee shall find both love and faithfulness from thee again 26 And such as are undefiled in the way careful to walk uprightly and do justly according to thy commandments shall in the end find thee just in thy promises and gracious in thy providences and on the contrary so shall they find thee cross in providence and just in judgements that proudly and perversly erre from thy precepts 27 For thou wilt not fail to save and deliver the innocent and oppressed that trust in thee and call upon thee but on the other hand wilt be sure to bring to ruine those that set light by thee and thine 28 I may say it for so I have and shall find it more and more to be true for thou both hast and wilt make my condition prosperous and happy the Lord in whom I trust and whom I have ever found trusty to me as he hath out of love and faithfulness begun so I know and believe he will go on until he have estated me in perfect peace and prosperity and made me as happy as ever I was miserable 29 For by what thou hast done I know what thou wilt do in that by thy power I have been wonderfully preserved in battel and defeated mine enemies and by thy assistance have escaped many perils and skaled their fortresses even so shall I do still 30 As for God you need not doubt him for his way of proceeding towards his people is a most absolute and perfect way full of wisdome justice and truth his promises have alwayes been found true and never deceived them that trusted to them for according to them he ever was and ever will be a preserver and defender of all them that faithfully depend upon him 31 And the contrary is very foolishness for who is a God to be trusted in and depended on save the Lord Almighty onely and who can defend and protect but that God who hath shewed such wonderful strength and power in our preservation that relied on him 32 It is God and God alone that hath made me of mean and impotent to become thus considerable and potent above mine enemies and that maketh all my proceedings prosperous and successefull 33 He enables me to over-run conquer all mine enemies with ease and expedition and subdues them under me making me Lord of them and all their strength 34 He puts power and skill into me and makes me both too cunning and too strong for mine enemies 35 Thou hast not onely thus given me power
and power of God to all parts and people thereof In them may all men see how wonderfully God hath ordained the sun to reside and shine 5 Which at its first arising and mornings beautiful appearance is most welcome to all mens sight bringing light and as it were life with it from under the dark curtain of the sable night and with a free and natural motion fit for such an undertaking without difficulty sets upon the course it is to run and finish in the appointed time from one end of the heaven to the other 6 His setting forth is from the East and in a day he makes his progress to the West diffusing also his light and influence North and South whose penetrating heat in this his motion reacheth the very lowermost parts of the earth concocting minerals and quickening vegetables 7 Glorious is God in his works which declare his power and wisdom to all men but much more glorious is he in his word and doctrine delivered peculiarly to his people which holds forth to them his covenant of saving grace Those things by a natural propensity convey to men many common and bodily benefits But the word of God is far beyond them all restoring both our title to them lost by our fall and which is infinitely more supernaturally revealing to us the perfect and infallible way of life turning again to God and powerfully bringing it to pass upon us The truth delivered in it by the Lord touching our salvation is unquestionable and may be trusted to which understood and imbraced enriches us who foolishly lost our first estate of holines and happines with understanding how to get it again 8 The saving principles and ordinances which God gives us in his word to walk by are holy and righteous and such as being observed and obeyed in faith and conscience to the Law-giver brings joy and hearts ease in the comfortable sense of our sinceritie and assurance of Gods favour to us and acceptance of us The whole will of God revealed is it self pure void of errour or corruption and makes them so that walk according to it enlightning them with understanding to tread in the way of truth and life when others wander in by-paths of death and errour 9 The holy law of God which he hath ordained his people to fear and serve him by is free from corruption and makes them like it that observe it holy and pure and is everlastingly the same like God the giver of it not to be varied by us at no time nor occasion bringing with it the reward of everlasting happines The ordinances and commandments of the Lord by which he expects to be obeyed and purposes to judge the world are compleatly perfect free from all errour and injustice and onely makes men so 10 They are of more worth and yield a man more profit than all the riches of the world better are they to be prized and more to be desired than the most refined gold And more true pleasure and content do they bring to the soul and conscience by faithful observance than the sweetest honey does to the taste 11 After a special manner they are and ever have been useful to me and to all that fear thee shewing us how to stear a right course in every condition by chusing the good and refusing the evil And well worthie are they to be obeyed for they bring a blessed reward with them even peace of conscience and everlasting life 12 So holy are all thy foresaid laws and commandments and so binding both to the inward and outward man as who lives that can know how oft he offends against them Lord pardon me therefore my unknown sins and sanctifie my heart and spirit conformably to thy law which is spiritual 13 Protect me also who am thy servant and desire to yield thee universal obedience from outward and grosser iniquities committed against knowledge let not such prevail over me by strength of temptation And so being thus pardoned and sanctified notwithstanding my many frailties and daily infirmities I shall be uprightly righteous in thy sight and shall be though not innocent and free from all sin yet from known and presumptuous ones any of which lived in may justly stagger my sinceritie and covenant-peace which without thy special preventing grace I shall notwithstanding fall into 14 Yea cleanse me throughout Let my very words and thoughts as well as deeds be such as sute with thy law and will Thus Lord grant me grace and pardon who onely art my sanctifier and redeemer The xx PSALM David as a prophet instructs his people in a pattern and form of prayer to pray for him their King and to seek their own welfare in him as the Churches in Christ whereof he and they were respective types And to look at God for all the good they expected by his means and withal to be confident of it by saith grounded upon pregnant experiences of his grace and favour to him And how ever God might make them strong in outward things yet not to change their trust but to keep it firm in God by example both of their enemies miscarriages through their misgrounded confidence and of their own experienced success by trusting in the Lord. Closing up the prayer with a brief of all Praying God to preserve both them and their King and to make him able to govern and defend them in equitie and tranquillitie as Christ his Church To him that is the first and principal of all the Quire do I David that made this Psalm recommend it for the care and ordering of it to be sung 1 WE the people of God and thee whom God hath set over us pray for thee That the Lord would hear thy prayers against thine enemies in time of need the grace and providence of God which he shewed to our father Jacob and promised to us his seed who are his peculiar people evermore accompany and preserve thee our King 2 Yea the good Lord answer thee succesfully from that place which he hath specially appointed to hear and for us to offer prayers in even his holy Tabernacle And grant thee his Almighty aid according to the daily prayers of his priests and people which they put up unto him in his holy mountain in thy behalf 3 The Lord keep in mind thy pious offerings of praise and thanksgivings for mercies past to give thee further cause to do the like and the Lord accept the propitiation for thy sins to pardon them and shew forth the gratious fruits and effects of his reconciled favour to thee All this we humbly and heartily pray for 4 God grant thee answers and issues according to thine own desire and bless all thy advice and undertakings for God and his people with sutable success 5 We are confident that God is and ever will be with thee and therefore rejoyce before hand in that
infinite power for thereto hath he given a surface above the waters which he hath notwithstanding they were once uppermost and would be so again confined to their concave or the pit he digged for them for all their fluid and spreading nature there he keeps them safe from breaking out and overwhelming the earth again 8 And as the faithfully righteous have cause to praise the Lord for his word and works as being happy in him for their God that is of such power and truth so also from that light and power which is imparted to them out of the creation should all the world one and other submit to his authority and know it to be their duty to honour and obey him reverencing his commandments and fearing his powerfull judgements 9 For all things that they see how great and wonderfull soever above and beneath them were made meerly by his fâ—at or word of command yea the great and weighty globe of the earth was established for ever by its sole and onely center without any other prop or pillar through the Almighty command of God for it so to be 10 And the Lord is as wise as powerfull defeating in his peoples behalf all the machinations that their enemies device against them frustrating and making ineffectual all the plots of the Gentils round about against his chosen 11 For the gracious purposes of the Almighty towards his shall stand good spite of all opposing power and policy yea they shall never be frustrated but ever be effectual and succesfull in the behalf of those that trust in him to the worlds end 12 O therefore blessed are we above all the world who have the knowledge and worship of the true God and so have him in a special manner gracious to us and Lord over us Yea happy are the people whom he hath picked out from amongst all people unto the adoption of sons and servants as we are 13 This God who is our God is in heaven and from thence he beholds and governs all men and all their actions 14 Yea from heaven the place of his most glorious and special residence doth he all-knowingly see and dispose of all men and all things here below 15 The Lord knows all men within and without for he made all and therefore knows all no man made himself but he alike made all as any and therefore knows all as well as any even the subtilest and wisest devices of the deepest politicians he is privy to and considers the events ordering them after his mind and not after theirs 16 So that be mans confidence never so great though he be a King and have never such authority and power or if for bodily strength he be equal to a Giant yet can it neither conquer nor keep himself from being conquered if God be not purposed to favour him 17 If God help not nothing can an Horse which men trust much in be he never so swift or strong will deceive and can neither safeguard his rider nor harm his opposer if God forbid it 18 The gracious favour and good providence of God is worth all which they are sure of that in fear obey him and by faith trust in his goodness and mercy over whom he keeps a carefull and watchful eye 19 To deliver them from the deadly plots of their enemies and other dangerous perils and to sustain and provide for them in times of scarcity and want when he lets other men starve 20 We therefore that are the Lords people ought and I hope we do with one heart and mind faithfully and affectionately seek to him and trust in him as our onely preserver and defendor as do and ever will the faithful 21 And this we may be sure of that we shall find him faithfull he will not fail us but we shall have cause of joy and thanksgiving in the manifestation of his grace and favour to us if so be that we fail not to put our trust stedfastly in his power and goodness which for his holiness sake can never deceive them that trust therein as do the faithful 22 Let Lord accordingly thy merciful loving-kindness and gratious providence be for ever vouchsafed unto thy people who make thee their stay and strength alone xxxiv PSALM For his deliverance mentioned in the title David in the ravishing apprehension thereof excites himself and others to praise the Lord greatly and to believe in him so too promising as he sped so should they in so doing be their danger never so great and their help humanely never so small He would have them that doubt it but try him by trusting and assureth them they shall experimentally find all true that he sayes touching Gods goodness And out of his duty to God and love to the godly he instructs them as a prophet and from his own experience how to out-live temptations and afflictions and be happy and blessed to wit by eschewing evil and doing good for to such and such onely the Lord is good and gracious for the wicked shall certainly smart for their wickedness it shall cost them their undoing A Psalm made by David when as being forced to flie from Saul and not knowing where to be safe in Israel he betook himself to Gath of the Philistins where being known by reason of his late conquest of Goliah and hated for the destruction that befel their Host thereby he was therefore in great danger and put to his shifts to feign himself mad for which being contemned of the King he was dismissed his presence and so escaped again to Judea 1 SO great hath been the goodness and power of God in my behalf as that I will never forget to magnifie him for it but will ever bear it in remembrance and continually be speaking of his praise-worthy mercies to me in my deliverance 2 Yea from my very soul and inmost affections will I praise him and confidently tell both what he hath done and what thereupon I believe he will do for me whereby I shall I am sure incourage all self-denying believers to the worlds end to hope in him in trouble and adversity and for present shall have such as fear God and wish me well partakers of my joy 3 And such I call upon to help me in exalting the Lord and with heart and voice to joyn with me in magnifying his loving-kindness and power the better to amplifie his praises 4 For I in mine extremity put up my prayers faithfully and fervently to the Lord and was presently answered and freed from my dangers by his good providence 5 And as it was with me so shall it be for certain with other his people that from mine example humbly rely upon him and in extremity not knowing which way to turn them with fervency of spirit by faithful prayer and ejaculation cast their eyes towards heaven they shall find favour and have a
thoughtful desire towards the place of thy worship where thou art more especially present 7 Thou hast brought an inundation of misery upon me troubles come so thick successively one in the neck of another like waters falling from the clouds which rise higher and higher and implunge me lower and lower as a ship in a storm in extremity of weather ready to sink so am I wave upon wave endlesly assailing me to the continual hazard of my life Yea the waters both above and below the firmament the windows of heaven are as it were opened and give the watch-word to the fountains of the deep to be broken up as at the deluge and both of them seem to threaten to overwhelm and devour me at once as then they did the world by thine appointment 8 Yet I am not left without inward support in the midst of mine outward troubles I am confident I shall see the sunne of righteousness shine through the clouds with healing in his wings and by the power and grace of God I doubt not but a happy day will succeed this uncomfortable night to the chearing of mine heart nor in the interim shall I be destitute of mercy and goodness but shall ever and anon by particular providences before I arrive at my full establishment have cause of thanksgiving and praise and incouragement to offer up my prayers in faith of him for my preserver at present and deliverer at last 9 I will humbly and faithfully mind him of my condition and his obligation to me and praying say thou that by thy promise and my faith art my great and sole support how is it then that thou hast thus left me why go I mourning and find no relief from under the heavy oppressions and wrongs of mine enemies 10 Whose reproachful and scornful blasphemies against thy word and my faith in it taunting me as one deluded by trusting in thee and rejected by thee wound me to the very heart and torment me exceedingly 11 Yet such is my faith in thee notwithstanding the opposition it receives and all the heavy burdens that lie upon me as that I cannot but rebuke my soul for being dejected at these things and rouse it up to trust and hope still in thee that one day I shall have my mourning turned into rejoycing and my prayers into praises for the good success and gracious favour thou wilt shew me in delivering me as thou hast promised and as I believe The xliii PSALM David under Sauls persecution appeals to God to judge his cause and prâ—yâ—s to be delivered according to his gracious promise that so he may worship him in Sion which he promises to do joyfully and thankfully and quickens up his drooping spirit by the hopes thereof 1 JUdge for me and in my behalf O righteous God and maintain my just and honest cause against an unjust and wicked people that set themselves against me and in me oppose the Lord himself O deliver me thou that art righteous and onely all-sufficient from them and their cheiftane that dealeth deceitfully and injuriously with me 2 For thou and thy promise is all the strength I have and that I trust in why doest thou seem then to neglect me and doest thus expose me to my malignant adversaries Why go I continually mourning because of the intollerable oppressions and injuries of mine enemies 3 O Lord shew forth thy favour and grace and fulfill thy word of promise to me Let them spite of mine enemies bring me into that estate thou hast promised me wherein I may enjoy thy publick worship and frequent thine Ark and Tabernacle in Sion for there shall that be the place thereof 4 Then will I go with a merry heart and carry my peace-offerings and thankfully sacrifice them to God upon his altar even to God who shall at that time by reason of his favour and grace be unspeakable joy and consolation to me I am ravished with the very thoughts of that day when I shall have such exceeding cause of joy and praise which I will abundantly offer up unto him and in the skilfullest and chearfullest manner I can devise upon the Harp which of all instruments I can best finger will I praise thee O Almighty and my most gracious God 5 And seeing these sorrows shall have an end and such an end accompanied with so much happiness be not dejected at thy present sufferings O my soul but chear up thy self in faith and hope for thou shalt praise the Lord in stead of praying to him for thy great and his gracious deliverance xliv PSALM The people of Israel being in grievous captivity The Author of this Psalm accosts God with his Covenant-mercies shewn of old to their forefathers whose seed they are and whose God he also is and so they are confident will in his good time approve himself But in the mean time their extremities are very great and his favour quite eclipsed And yet they are faithful to him chosing rather to die than forsake him and therefore prayes him to pity their case and hear their prayers joined with fasting and deep humiliation for help and succour A Psalm made for the instruction of the Church in afflictions shewing the use of them and carriage in them and committed to Heman the chief musician of the familie of the Korathites for him and them to sing 1 WE have heard it both by word and writing from thy servants and our forefathers O gratious God the grace and goodness thou shewdst to thy people Israel then in their times long ago at their first coming into a Canan 2 How then thou wroughtest for them and shewdst forth thy mighty power against the many heathenish nations and their great strength which notwithstanding thou didst subdue and vanquish in thy peoples behalf driving out them to make way for these whom thou according to promise didst plant in their steads by a marvellous out-stretched arm wherewith thou didst oppress the Cananites destroying some and expelling others from out that land 3 For it was not their own power and might that possessed them of the promised land nor was it their own strength that either preserved them from their enemies or subdued them but it was thy power and strength and thy gracious goodness and presence with them that did it for them because they were the people whom thou hadst chosen and to whom thou hadst promised thy grace and assistance 4 Thou Lord art still the God and King of thy people whom they serve and in whom they trust remember therefore the Covenant of protection and mercy thou madest with Jacob and his seed and as thou fulfillest it to him in his own person so now make it good also to him in his posterity by setting them free from their enemies as thou didst him from his 5 That so by thy powerfull assistance we may now do by our enemies as our forefathers did
PSALM David taketh occasion to ingage God the more to him by how much the more his enemies and dangers increased upon him by secret treacheries and open violences and found God as he hoped his deliverer whereupon he goes a pin higher and strengthens his faith in his ultimate deliverance and establishment promised at which time when it shall come to pass he promises not to be a little thankful to God To him that is most skilfull upon the stringed instrument Neginoth is this Psalm committed of Davids making upon that occasion when the Ziphims came once and again to inform Saul where David had retired himself with his men for him to persecute him Instructing us to draw near to God as dangers draw nearer to us 1 LOrd remember thy gracious ingagements for my preservation and future establishment accordingly in thy grace and faithfulness deliver me out of mine extream difficulties when all humane help fails then for thy righteousness sake who knowest mine innocencie and mine enemies treacherie let thy miraculous and omnipotent power appear for me 2 Lord be mindful of me that flie to thee for succour and make thee my refuge hear my prayer in this my necessitie and grant me the deliverance I so earnestly make suite for 3 For besides the King and his courtiers and his ordinarie souldierie men that never saw my face meerly because I come to safeguard my self amongst them without any harm to any of them The Ziphims are also conspired against me and have betrayed me to Saul and his complices my deadly enemies who are upon their march against me to catch or kill me These Ziphims as they are strangers to me so they are to God and his wayes else they durst never have sought to betray innocent bloud in this sort The Lord remember them for it 4 But though enemies increase and dangers multiply yet by experience I find that God is able to deliver me and doth do so as my late wonderful escapes have made to appear and though I have many against me that seek my life and but few with me or for me yet they that are on my side he is on theirs and preserves them for my sake 5 The Lord shall be meet with these unjust enemies of mine and reward them according to their treacherous dealing and cruel persecution in thine own time and way O Lord ease me of them by destroying them that would destroy me without cause according to thy faithful promises and righteous judgements 6 If so when that time comes whereas now I am exercised in fear dependence then will I be as conversant in faithful thanks-givings when thou shalt set me free I will praise thee with an inlarged heart and offer free-will-offerings peace-offerings to thee in a plentiful and gratuitous manner magnifying thy grace and faithfulness which I have found made good unto me 7 For so it shall come to pass I am as sure of it as if it were already my faith carries me to it beyond and above all intervening difficulties so that I me thinks already enjoy my quietus est and see my bloud-thirsty enemies laid low enough for doing me any more harm The lv PSALM David being greatly oppressed by Saul and in some imminent danger probably that of Keilah plyes God hard by argument in prayer wishing himself any where out of Sauls reach and that God would by some exemplarie judgement both punish and disappoint his enemies declaiming against the base perfidiousness of some old acquaintance and intimates of his wishing such wicked dissemblers to God and man might perish remarkably but for all their crast and hypocrisie towards him doubts not but God will stand by him as he hath done and both preserve him and punish them He sets forth Sauls perfidious hatred against him but strengthens his faith in God who he is assured will put a speedy end to his cruelty and his own miserie To him that is most skilful upon the stringed instrument Neginoth to which this Psalm of instruction to trust in God for deliverance in greatest troubles is chiefly set do I David that made it recommend it for the care and ordering of it in the Quire 1 O God mine extremitie is thine opportunitie as is my danger such is my prayer the one present the other pressing In thy faithfulness hear me making my piteous moan in this my miserie for grace and mercie to be shewn me and thy power to appear for me in this my necessitie 2 Be not careless of my condition but weigh well what I say and pray being so nearly concerned and grant what I ask for as my grief such is my sorrow both of them very great forcing me bitterly to complain to thee of mine enemies and to lament my self with woful bewailing which for all my strivings I cannot smother but they do break out from me 3 Because of the calumnies and threats of Saul and his complices against me and their cruel and unjust persecution of me for they lay treason and conspiracie to my charge which I was never guiltie of and for this their false accusation they as if it were true bear a deadly hatred to me and with furie and revenge seek to take away my life 4 Their rage and crueltie is such as I am in such continual danger by it that I sustain wonderful trouble of mind and am almost sunk into despair of escaping their hands who at this instant do put my life in peril if thou deliver not 5 I cannot express the miserie that I am in and the anguish of mind I lie under at present my dangers are so imminent and my trouble so insupportable 6 Insomuch that I could wish my self any where far enough off to avoid Sauls causless suspition of me where ever I might enjoy my peace and freedom from this continual fear I am in of him 7 Had I but means he should soon see I would quit his Kingdom where I am such an eye-sore to him and live in the most solitarie place in all the world rather than to be thus in continual trouble and hazard I would to God it were so 8 He should soon be rid of me if I could tell how to get from him before I would lead this life to undergo this continual storm and tempest of such uncessant vexations within and without I would thrust my ship into any creek in the whole world go as far from him as my legs nay wings could carrie me if I had them 9 Thou hast O Lord heretofore admirably manifested thy power in a marveilous manner destroying those that opposed and mutined against thy servants witness Korah and his complices and against thee witness the confusion of Babel Truly now art thou also affronted and I thy servant endangered as Moses was then by a sort of people the Lord divert and frustrate their malice by destroying them and scattering
people have cause to remember and acknowledge and with joyfull hearts to praise thee for especially for that transcendent work of mercy in chosing us from out all the world to be thine which together with those concomitant powerfull dispensations and manifestations of thy self in our behalfes from time to time gives cause to me and them to triumph and glory in faith and hope 5 O Lord how unconceivable is thy power and wisdom in all thy decrees counsels and dispensations towards both thy Church and the enemies thereof in thy strange providences and marvellous judgements 6 Which yet are little taken notice of by most men so worldly minded and sensually disposed are people ordinarily that God is not in all their thoughts spending their time more like beasts than men of reason minding the creature more than the Creatour who is never so much as owned much less honoured by the earthly minded and wicked Athiesticall persons of the world in any thing he doth though never so remarkable 7 Neither the hazardous condition that they themselves are in in this their earthly felicity which they take to be a speciall note of Gods peculiar favour to them that they can sin and yet prosper when others that are holy and strict in their wayes are at an ebb-water in poverty and misery not considering that God gives wicked men their hearts desire here le ts them swim in plenty and pleasure for a while during a short life that they may compleat their sins to the sum totall and he his judgements even unto everlasting destruction in endless pains never to enter into his rest 8 They neither understand themselves nor thee O Lord God never imagining that thou rulest in the highest heavens and thence judgest of all men and their actions here below But whatever their vain thoughts are thou art the everlasting King of thy Church and people and the righteous judge of thine and their enemies and so they shall find thee to be to the worlds end 9 For as sure as Gods in heaven so sure shall the wicked of the earth however they prosper and whatever they may think of themselves compared with other men come to ruine and utter destruction for though they think God their friend yet doth he know and reckon them for his enemies and as such shall his proceedings be towards them for all evil doers though they be many and the godly few in all ages and places they shall be weeded out and consume away by the hand of God upon them they and their felicity shall part and be everlastingly seperated 10 But as despicable as the godly are in the eyes of worldlings they shall have their turn I and other thy faithfull servants shall see better dayes when they shall see worse principally in heaven that everlasting sabbatism when our turn comes to rise then they shall fall and there is no doubt but that day will come when we shall be made able by thee whose faithfulness is engaged for it to lift up our heads and enjoy those everlasting consolations hoped for and those divine honours of being Kings and Priests unto thee 11 The faithfull shall not fail of the grace promised them and the justice to be executed upon their enemies but they shall undoubtedly be both eye and ear-witnesses of the righteous judgements of God upon the wicked of the world that hate and persecute them 12 The righteous however they be decried and depressed by wicked worldlings yet shall God so bless them that they shall out-grow their miseries and over-top their enemies Gods Church and his people of whom it consists shall grow in grace untill they arrive in glory 13 Those that are Israelites indeed which by the spirit and faith are made members and have taken rooting in the family and Church of God shall thrive and come on prosperously in spirituall graces by use of holy means in frequenting his sanctuary and sanctifying his Sabbath to Gods glory their own assurance and unspeakable rejoycing They that are rooted here in grace shall grow up from grace to grace and be crowned at last with eternall life in the heavens 14 These trees and plants of Gods own planting by a divine supernaturall supply of spirituall sap and nourishment contrary to the course of nature the elder they grow the better they shall flourish and fructifie both on earth and to all eternity in heaven 15 Thus shall both the wicked perish and the godly flourish to shew that however by outward appearance of providences and weakness of faith the Lord seems oft-times to us to go against himself and break his word yet it s nothing so the Lord for all that is faithfull true of his promise a never failing refuge to every true believer and there is no such thing as our sinfull imagination and unbelief-fancy of him not the least uâ—righteousness in word or deed The xciii PSALM The Psalmist goes about to settle the faith of the Church in the Empire and omnipotency of the Lord her God together with his faithfull engagements the holy performances whereof she is bound to believe and relie upon for ever 1 THe Church and people of God ought to know and believe this for an infallible maxim in practicall as well as dogmaticall divinitie that The Lord reigneth He that is their God is God and King of all and over all the empire and regalitie of the whole world is his the resplendent majestie whereof appears in all created Beings in heaven and earth and in that power which he so effectually and dexterously manifests for his Churches preservation and their enemies confusion whereby the world also is centred so firm as upon a basis so that though it hang like a ball in the air yet it is as firm and immoveable as the fixed mountains 2 This dominion of thine O Lord glorious in its administrations of protection and government hath ever been never was there any vacation of it and as it hath been so it shall be from everlasting to everlasting as thou thy self art 3 As in nature thou Lord hast ordained in the waterie element thereof vâ—â—y formidable and dreadfull agitations as in the tempestuous ragings of the sea the over-flowing of great waters making a hideous noise such storms and concussions are raised on land too even all the earth over against thy Church tossed as a ship at sea and boistrously handled by wicked and unreasonable men that rage against her readie to be swallowed up and devoured by them 4 But as high as these waves and tempests of danger and destruction to thy Church do mount yet is the Lord in heaven both higher and mightier than they be they never so terrible for noise and number he can allay and quiet them at his pleasure yea though the Church be as a boat in a storm at sea in the midst of gusts and surges God can preserve
obedience to thee their Creatour made hast to their confinement at thy appointment Thy word of command pronounced with such power and Majestie as if the heavens had thundred upon them so awed them that it made them yield ready obedience and give place to the surface of the earth to appear above them that ere while were so far above it 8 But when as thy pleasure was otherwayes made known they in post hast break through thick and thin nothing could stay them mountains could not dam them nor level and flat valleys hold them from speeding their course to the place thou hadst appointed for them so effectual was thy command that ascending and descending up-hill and down-hill was then alike easie to them they could rest no where till they were imbodied in the Abyss that thou createdst for them to be their elemental place and station 9 And as by the force and efficacie of thy command they were thus with-drawn from over-flowing the earth into the depths prepared for them and made to yield a readie obedience to it so by the same Almightie power are they now kept in that station by no more visibler bounds than the bare sands that they cannot return to that universal inundation though by their mountainous waves and raging violence they shew their propensitie and inclination and that a supernatural power onely restrains them 10 Which water he returns again amongst the hils and valleys not as it would by a deluge but as he wills by an orderly and usefull way of springs and rivers which though issuing from the salt sea yet are so strained through the veins of the earth and thereby refined that they are made fresh and are refreshing to all creatures both in mountains and valleys where they spring up and run down 11 To the satisfying of all sorts of beasts where ever bred and fed by natures instinct whether on hils or in dales those that are out of mans reach to provide for and of themselves have no forecast as other creatures have yet does the Lord out of his al-sufficient store-house so dispose it that they have no lack but as he hath ordained the fields to give them meat even in the most desert places of the earth where the foot of man never trod there also hath he ordered nature to give them drink by springs and rivers rising and running here and there for the quenching of their thirst and maintaining the life that God hath given them 12 The fowls of the air resort thither also as well as the beasts of the field selecting by special instinct such places as are well watered to be conversant in building their nests and chirping out their notes in those trees that grow in and about them being thereby maintained fresh and green fittest for them 13 14 And as thus he provides for one part of natures sustenance the quenching of thirst so also for the satisfying of hunger he as a faithfull and bountifull Creatour and benefactour supplies the creature in both and therefore waters the earth it self by seasonable and plentifull showres even the high hils and barren mountains have the influences and dew falls off the clouds from heaven upon them to the satisfying and quenching of their thirst too so that thereby the earth is every where made fruitfull by the Lords thus husbanding of it and caring for it and brings forth every creature in its kind and according to the nature thereof both grass and hearbs for food for man and beast as it was at first appointed to do which otherwise would be barren and fruitless 15 Nor doth the Lord cause the earth of it self onely by his own husbandry to bring forth mere necessaries to sustain nature but also by his blessing upon mans art and industrie makes it bring forth far better things than hearbs which as they are of near affinity with grass and appointed for the food of man to humble him into the apprehension of some kind of equality with the very beasts so to shew his supremacie above them he also hath bountifully enriched the earth for his sake with store of creatures of a higher kind and of better nutriment and that not onely to sustain but delight nature in a lawfull and moderate sort as wine to chear the heart within and strengthen the stomack oyl and sweet oyntments to fresh his countenance without and refresh his senses and corn whereof bread is made that staff of mans life wherewith above all it is supported 16 What is there that hath life that God doth not provide for or that can live without him of what kind soever whether they be creatures rational as man sensitive as beasts or vegetive as hearbs that grow upon the surface of the earth or trees that lift up their tops on high they also wheresoever they are take root by his appointment and grow up and increase to their height breadth and bigness by the thriving moisture he affords them watering the earth with showres which as well gives sap sufficient for them as for the meanest shrub or hearb that grows thereon Those famous trees of Lebanon which exceed all others in the world for height and growth were such by his special blessing being intended and put to a special use the building of the temple 17 Them hath he ordained to be a place of harbour and delight to the fowls of the air where they secretly make their nests out of harms way each according to their natural instinct as the stork in the fir-trees because the highest of all the rest 18 All things and all places have their use and property and each creature its several disposition way and means of life and preservation as the high trees harbour birds so the high hils the wild goats the unaccessible rocks they are not uninhabited neither the coneys climbe them though other creatures cannot and so secure themselves and there propagate their kind by a natural instinct given them of God of self-preservation 19 Nor are the earth and the things thereof onely ordered by him but the heavens also and those glorious luminaries that so orderly succeed one another and measure out time into days nights moneths years yea the several seasons in each year as summer winter spring Autumn all these are regularly squared out of God by the sun and moons vicissitudes declensions altitudes and augmentations 20 And as thou hast made the day and the light thereof usefull for some creatures that converse more orderly and civilly than others so again hast thou ordained the night and the darkness thereof to be the time when beasts of prey and rapine take their turns and come out of their dens and caves by a wise and gracious providence awing their natures by the day light that then other creatures as men and cattel may with more securitie go about their business and sustain their natures without hazard of their lives
powerfully enable me in the other let me through thine assistance be as able as willing to do thy will alwayes in all things 36 I know O Lord naturally I have the same corrupt and inordinate affections in me as others have as ready upon temptation to warp world-ward as another man but I know thou hast my heart in thy hands and though I cannot rule it thou canst so that I pray thee have an eye to it and keep an hand over it to dispose and bend it the way of thy will and from the worlds allurements of pleasure or profit let grace supersead me from corruption specially of covetousness the root of all evil 37 Let not my outward sences be caught and sinfully transported with the baits of the flesh or of the world but give me a sanctified understanding to believe truly and not seemingly of sublunary things and to know them to be as in their own natures they are vain and transitory that can convey no permanent nor substantiall good or content to a man but delude him with the shews thereof by a false medium carnall concupiscence and that serves to steal the heart from God but Lord avert both eyes and heart from them give me such active graces and lively affections that may have continuall influence into all the parts of body and soul and so dispose them in love to thee and desire of heavenly things that as dead to the world they may comparatively be indisposed to all things else 38 Lord fulfill those promises of grace and goodness wherein thou standest engaged unto thy servant Thou that art Jehovah in thy Being be so in thy word by giving it a being in all those gracious promises it comprehends and exhibits and wherein thou hast caused me to trust in confidence whereof I have wholly cast my self upon thy grace and providence minding alwayes to serve thee more than how to provide and shift for my self as men of the world do 39 Let not thy servant sinne against thee thereby to provoke thee against him to the loss of thy favour the forfeiting of thy protection and the exposing me to mine enemies scorn and insultation which I exceedingly fear as well for thy sake who art so deeply concerned in me as for mine own If at any time I do fall Lord let not that be my punishment be thou and not they my Judge for that thy judgements are like thy self righteous and good but theirs are like themselves merciless and wicked 40 Thou knowest my heart is perfect towards thee take notice of it O Lord how my desires and affections are upright and sincere to the knowing and doing of thy will according to thy word give me a spirit of power and enablement as well as of will and desire according to thy righteous as well as gracious engagements for thou art as just to fulfill promises as to inflict punishments Vau. The sixth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet signifying the sixth part 41 And as I desire that thou wilt enable me with a spirit of holiness to walk uprightly in the way so also that in mercy thou wilt remember me concerning the promised end that it may effect that for me even my preservation in and my deliverance out of my sad condition and many dangers as thou hast engaged thy self to do 42 By this means I that now onely live by promises unpossessed of the thing promised and therefore cannot at present effectually convince men of carnall understandings and void of faith shall then be able demonstratively to stop their mouthes that now flout me for mine improbable hopes and forreign expectations and because I bear my self upon thy word which they think will never be fulfilled but I am otherwise perswaded therefore O Lord let not my trust be deceived and they in their presumptuous impiety confirmed 43 And let me never so sinne against thee as thereby to have mine own mouth stopped and despoil my self of what thou hast promised me whereof in faith of thy truth and goodness I have openly declared my confidence according to thy word which Lord let me never have cause to retract nor to speak less in praise of thy faithfulness but more by thy turning promises into performances according to the hope I have had in thy just fullfilling what thou hast promised me and threatened mine enemies 44 So shalt thou oblige me when I am delivered out of these heavy pressures which lie upon me as so many clogs and hinderances which I shall never forget without making bawks in mine obedience which through temptation I have been forced to do and fear I shall still do without thy powerfull prevention in love and thankfulness to serve and please thee the utmost hour of my life if set at liberty 45 Yea when thou hast enfranchized me out of these incumbrances of fear and care and made me a man of liberty and authority in Israel I will as thy free-man and servant carry and demean my self in all manner well-pleasing walking in the way of thy service and keeping all thy commandments which never shall be a burden or bondage to me for to be at liberty and to have ability and opportunity to learn and do thy will according to thy word is that I beg above any thing and which I should esteem as my greatest felicity 46 When thou hast advanced me I also will advance thee and execute the office of a Prophet as well as of a King and think it no shame to do so by declaring to others as occasion is offered what thy will and word is even to Kings and mighty men of the earth with whom I shall then be of equall levell and so have opportunity in that condition to converse more with them than now I have and I promise to improve it when I have it 47 And then will I as a man set at liberty from restraint run the wayes of thy commandments by dayly and frequent doing them my delight shall be to be conversant in thine ordinances which I have longed for and heartily loved and desired to be an actour in but hitherto have been an exile from them which hath set a vehement edge upon mine appetite which then I will satiate 48 For then both heart and hand shall act for thee my whole man with my whole might shall be set on work to know and do thy whole will in thy law revealed which I have dearly loved and longed to do and will perform them in spirit as well as in letter for when my mind is free from these distractions it shall move in a higher sphear and be active in and about the Gospel-sence of thy laws and ordinances Zain The seventh letter of the Hebrew Alphabet signifying the seventh part 49 Be mindfull of thy word of promise and voluntary ingagements made to me thy chosen though unworthy servant touching grace preservation and deliverance upon
enemies 80 Let me be enabled by thy gracious assistance to keep faith and a good conscience stedfast to the end that I lose not the prize by falling short of the goal fainting either in faith or dutie and so render my self and cause a laughing-stock to mine enemies which is it they would have Caph. The eleventh letter of the Hebrew Alphabet signifying the eleventh part 81 Lord I have waded through many and grievous troubles and with much long-suffering have a long time eagerly longed and looked for thy promised deliverance almost to the exhausting of my soul and spirit in sighs and groans after it but yet it comes not nevertheless I am still sustained in faith and am resolved to live and die in expectation of thy promise no length of time nor trouble shall null my hopes nor I am confident the thing I hope for 82 I have waited long dreely looked for the accomplishment of thy promise even to the weakening of my sight impairing my senses every foot thinking within my self as my mind gave me and occasion was offered that sure this is the time and that the opportunitie that I shall be delivered but still I am prolonged and put off sighing out my hopes with If not now Lord when then will the time be and what the means that must fulfil thy word and my desire 83 The scorching sun of adversitie hath allmost quite exhausted my radical moisture my spirits which should animate my members and extrinsical parts are spent with continual grief by reason of afflictions and disappointments of my longing expectations which lingringly consume and wast me into leanness and deformitie like a bladder or a skin-bottel hung up in a chimney that in tract of time will parch and crack and shrink up into wrinckles not like it self and so am I become yet though nature thus decayes grace does not by thy goodness to me I am for all that upheld in care and conscience to do thy will and believe thy word 84 Lord how long too is the end of my miseries consider how much of my life is allready spent and wasted in them even of mine who am appointed and designed by thee for great and special services in thy Church therefore consider me who would fain be imployed to shorten these dayes when shall they that unjustly would cut me off be themselves justly so served and I set free to serve thee 85 Mine enemies that scorn thy commands and me thy servant have not onely persecuted me with open violence but with cunning craft and dissimulation sought my life for their will is their Law and not thy word to which they yield no manner of obedience nor bear no regard but practice what them list though never so wicked and unjust so it serves their turns 86 But Lord I have another estimate of thy commandments I set not so light by them for I am sure they come from a faithful God who may suffer the wicked for a time to sin against them but the punishment due to those that break them shall befal them and so shall the reward promised to them that keep them in the faith whereof I do and will innocently persevere and pray thee to make it good in my help and deliverance from and upon these treacherous and unjust persecutours 87 Mine enemies men of the world that take all wayes and advantages upon earth against me had what one way and other by their continual vexations and my griefs allmost brought me down to the grave and got the better of me hadst not thou been above them and heaven more my friend than earth where I had no help but when I was at lowest hopeless and helpless as to outward appearance I still kept faith and a good conscience hoping in thee 88 Lord give me to enjoy that happie condition which of thy free grace and loving beneficence thou hast promised me which will be as a resurrection to life from death after so many sorrows as I have undergone so shalt thou both ingage and enable me when I am set free from these hinderances to do thy whole will and walk in thy Law which bears the stamp of Divine and royal authoritie upon it and therefore is worthy of reverend and solemn observance and obedience which then I will be sure to pay to it but now I cannot Lamed The twelfth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet signifying the twelfth part 89 Thy word and decree O Lord is as firm as thy self no chances nor changes here below can make void what thou above hast determined shall be nor can time it self wear out what thou that art eternal before all time hast appointed 90 Our faith may bear it self boldly upon thy faithfulness which according to thy word of truth and promise is allwayes the same how ever matters frame or seem to be out of frame therefore it is that the world is not long since dissolved because thou hast decreed and promised the continuance of it therefore and for no natural cause doth the earth thus long subsist in nature and order 91 All created Beings according to their several natures stations and operations are as at the beginning thou in wisdom determinedst them which else of themselves would run into confusion and destruction what Laws thou gavest them they keep and thereby are themselves kept and preserved for all the elements and elemental creatures as they are made by thee so they are made for thee to be at thy ordering and dispose and so they are and not at their own and it is well for us and them they are so 92 And surely Lord I hold by the self-same tenure the creation does as it had been long since dissolved and annihilated but for the Law of orderly existence thou laidst upon it whereby ever since it retains a beautiful being notwithstanding the contradictions that are in those primarie principles the elements as also the strange concussions and alterations that time and sin hath brought forth So unless I also had thy righteous word to stay my heart upon and to chear up my soul with which I knew would not fail me in those various providences and strange agitations which I have undergone I could never have lasted thus long but had long ere this been in my grave by the outward pressures and inward griefs I underwent 93 I have cause all the dayes of my life thankfully to remember and bear in mind and I hope I shall thy faithfulness according to what thou hast ordeined in thy word for me to trust in and yield obedience to many a time in mine extremitie when my spirit was readie to sink and die within me thou hast therewith comfortably revived and cheered me and set me upon my feet 94 Let me to the end have experience of thee to be the self-same God in truth and goodness preserve me in and deliver me out
sure to do it and no doubt had done it long ere this but that God would not let them but still preserved and wonderfully delivered us from being swept away with a total destruction as was intended and easie else to have been effected by them 6 O let us lay it seriously to heart and heartily bless and praise the Lord our God for so long preserving and so many sundry times delivering us by no less than miraculous power from the crueltie and outrage of such barbarous bloudie enemies and that hath not been provoked by our sinful ingratitude himself to give us for a prey to their destructive malice as in justice he might 7 But hath brought us notwithstanding all their power malice and treacherie wherewith we have been long insnared and indangered on all hands into a state of libertie and freedom not onely given us our lives for a prey but a libertie from them yea a superioritie above them insomuch as now we are asmuch too strong for them as they were wont to be too strong for us and have them asmuch at an under as they had us their strength is become weakness and by his goodness our weakness is become strength too strong for them 8 Let the power and goodness of God have the praise and glorie of what is done and wrought for us both as to our preservation and exaltation and as in time past we have found him so for time to come let us believe in him as ought the Church and people of God to do in all ages of the world Let us and they magnifie his power and goodness in all estates and times not despairing in adversitie nor presuming in prosperitie but in the one hopefully and in the other humbly believe in him as our all-sufficient and onely deliverer and preserver not fearing nor Idolizing an arm of flesh or second causes but rely on and seek to the onely true God that made all things and disposeth all things and is able to help above all power to hurt if we believe and to hurt above all power to help if we presume The cxxv PSALM For the encouragement of the faithful and sincere hearted the Psalmist tells them as what they must meet with so what they may trust in firm protection in their sorest affliction And addeth praier to promise But bids the hypocrites hands off tells them their doom that are in but not of the Church to whom onely blessedness belongs See the title of the 120 Psalm 1 BElieve firmly in the Lord and you shall be established every such an one is as dear to God as mount Sion it self where is his Temple Ark and all his sanctuarie-worship every faithful servant of God being spiritually all these a living Temple Priest and sacrifice a very heaven on earth in whom God is really more than typically present and to whom belongs all the promises made to the Church in general so that though he may be externally assaulted and seemingly indangered with ghostly enemies and manifold temptations and trials as Jerusalem by the Gentile nations round about yet shall the same invincible guard and protection be upon him and them that so believe as upon it so that the gates of hell shall never prevail against them to un-establish or disinterest them as to the rock whereon they and the whole Church of God are built unmoveably by faith Christ Jesus 2 See you the hills that compass this Citie Jerusalem hence let your faith helped by setting your imagination on work raise a suitable Idea of Gods encompassing his faithful Church and people yea every such one by his Almighty power and guard of Angels for their sure defence and preservation against all assaults of the world and divel who also surround them and this is as everlasting as those mountains an infallible truth for all and every faithful servant of the Lord in all ages and places of the world now and ever to trust unto 3 Not that the godly are in this world exempt from oppression and temptation no for they are the great eye-sore of Satan the Prince of the world and all his malignant instruments and natural Subjects the men of the world which with their utmost malice and power shall labour to afflict the faithful as the Gentile nations do Israel and partly for their sins partly for their trial and exercise of their graces which God sets much by they may be permitted to sit sore upon their skirts and put them to it but this be sure of that the siedge shall be raised before the Town be taken no afflictions nor afflictors by what ever wicked practises shall any longer be permitted to oppress the righteous than they have grace to sustain them under it God allwayes gages one by the other afflictions to the faithful are often less never more tempted they may be and sint hey may by their frailtie and strength of temptation but fall away by sinning they never shall for God is faithfull who will not suffer them to be tempted above that they are able but will with the temptation make a way to escape that they may be able to bear it 4 This is thy promise which as in faithfulness it is made so as faithfully shall it be performed to those that are faithful and holy but thou wilt be sought unto by them and for them for thy promise and its performance is of grace not of debt even to the righteous themselves O Lord therefore be intreated in the name and for the sake of all thy people to be ever mindful of it to do according to it in time of need Let mercie and protection be extended seasonably and effectually to those that themselves are good and suffer in a cause that is good by those that are evil Yea bless with all manner of blessings those that in sinceritie of heart believe in thee and are careful to please thee with integritie of soul and universalitie of obedience active and passive 5 But as for those linsy-woolfy professours Israelites after the flesh that have a room in the Church but no firm rooting in religion that serve the Lord in shew and not in substance neither know him perfectly believe in him firmly nor serve him sincerely either with a right heart or by a right rule but are divided in their faith and affections trusting and obeying by halves deviating into by-wayes and carnal confidences of their own to their own self-pleasing such hypocrites counterfeits in pietie how ever commixed with the Godly partakers of their outward priviledges and formal worshippers of the same God in the self-same ordinances yet the all-seeing and heart-searching eye of God knows them notes them and esteems them as bad as the very Gentiles who worship Idols these making an Idol of the true God when they worship him and their reward and portion shall be alike judgement shall be pronounced against them both and they cast out
evermore had and which many and many a time hath crushed them sore yet could never through the over-ruling hand of our Almightie and good God prevail to supplant and eradicate it as was their aim and desire to have done no nor never shall no more now than heretofore fear it not 3 4 The poor Church and people of God have undergone great hardship by the ungodly men of this world to whom it hath been meat and drink to afflict us witness our late Babylonish task-masters and as much pains have they taken to do it by plots and practices as the plow-man does to tear the ground in pieces and as cruelly they have handled us so far as ever God gave them leave and so they shall Christ himself whose husbandmen they are and ever have been and the Church his field wherein thereby he hath always sown his seed and reaped his harvest that hath been the use he put the Churches afflictions and persecutions to always notwithstanding them approving himself righteous and faithfull to his word and promise of grace and so is still and ever will be to remember mercie though the wicked world know none to abate of what it intends against them both for length of time and measure of affliction as we have experience in our late deliverance and to disappoint their purposes and machinations as he hath always done to his churches preservation and their destruction in his own time and by his almightie power maugre their malice 5 And as Lord thou hast ruined Babylon for our sakes so vouchsafe still to appear for thy Church against her enemies bringing them all to confusion that would do so by Sion the place of thy worship and type of thy Church for ever let not their malicious combinations and wicked projects take effect against the type or anti-type but utterly and shamefully defeat and frustrate them for it is for thy sake that they bear evil will to thy place and people 6 7 8 Lord let such haters of God and godliness however they seem to flourish and over-top thy poor Church come to nought both they all their wicked designs as the light corn that makes a fair shew on the ridge of an house for want of rooting withers in a moment before it ripen and comes to any perfection by the heat of the sun and is of no use nor regard so let alwaies the Churches enemies that are under a curse and not a blessing and at present our persecuting neighbours be blasted and in thy wrathfull displeasure destroyed both their persons and purposes let neither the one nor the other ever come to good like those empty ears let them be found by those they curry-favour with a dissembling lying generation great promisers and no performers and find favour accordingly Let not those that are spectatours of us and them whose pendulous judgements the event will preponderate the common errour of the world to judge and side according to success let them not have cause by their prospering against us to bless them and curse us and to misuse thy name against thine own people in behalf of thine and our enemies by blessing those whom thou cursest and cursing those whom thou blessest The cxxx PSALM The Psalmist sore afflicted under the sense of sin and miserie cries to the Lord for mercie making mercie his onely plea for himself and incouragement to persist in the obedience of faith and patient waiting and eager longing for appearance of grace And draws his practise into precept to all the faithfull people of God willing them to hold out hoping in mercie for deliverance through Christ whatever be their pressure sin or suffering See the Title of the 120. Psalm 1 IN the extream agony of my spirit now that I am to mine own sense and in all appearance quite over-whelmed with outward distress and inward terrour death on the one hand ready to devour me my sins and thy wrath on the other hand grievously afflicting and affrighting me yet as from the bottom of this gulph and sea of miseries have I sent forth mine ardent prayer in the faith of thy power and hopes of thy goodness O Almighty and mercifull Lord. 2 In such a case as this Lord let me not speak to a deaf ear but graciously grant me audience yea watch for my prayers at such a time for they shall never fail thee neither do thou fail them especially in such straits 3 If thou O Lord who art the righteous and terrible Judge of all the world a jealous God and a consuming fire doth take strict notice of our sins to take us to task and punish us for them according to our deservings by the law of righteousness and rule of justice alas in such a case what man can stand before thee in his own justification either to acquit himself as sinless or to make satisfaction being sinfull or in case he be able to do neither as no man can how shall he be able to bear and undergo thy judgement and heavy displeasure for sin without sinking under it no flesh can do it 4 But the case is otherwaies with thee towards poor humble hearted sinners and suitours to such thou standest not upon such terms of strictness for thou hast proclamed pardon to all such which by faith they may take out and plead for themselves as also a gracious acceptance of their weak but filiall services whereby they may be and are incouraged knowing thy loving kindness and mercy to worship and serve thee both by believing in thy promises though with much mixture of unbelief and doing thy commandments though in frailty and weakness short of perfection which none can reach yet in sincerity 5 Though my sinns be heavy and mine affliction burdensome upon me and have been so along time yet I despair not but in the faith of his forgiveness and compassion I wait for the sun to break out from under this cloud my soul is in continuall expectation of it and so long as I have his word for it I will hope and look for deliverance and mercy what ever be my fears and dangers 6 My soul longs for and looks out after the comfortable appearance of the grace of God to set me free from these my tedious insupportable miseries of his disfavour and the sad effects thereof with as eager a desire yea far more earnestly and affectionately do I and will I hold on to expect it than ever the poor weary Watch-man or Centry that hath been kept waking all Night prayes for Day-break that he may be discharged and have his liberty to take his rest 7 What ever be the afflictions of faithfull Israel the people of God let them for all that by no means relinquish their hope in the Lord his power and goodness but hold out in the assured confidence that God both is mercifull in himself however he seem and will be
that though he do yea must both in justice and mercie chastize them for their aberrations thereby to humble and reduce them For impunitie would argue him no father nor they no children as sure I say as he is both just and gracious to lay the rod upon them for sin so he is as merciful and faithful to take it off again when of sinners they become penitents and renew their covenant to be his he will soon be theirs and repent as well as they and then wo be to their enemies we have and shall ever find it so 15 That he hath ever approved himself the onely God of power to deliver us when the time hath come maugre all the Powers on earth that have been against us and their gods to boot which cannot preserve them that worship them against the power of the Almighty whom we onely serve of all the world besides which is heathen and their gods meer Idols at best made of gold and silver nor are they so much as their own makers but have their Beings from men they make them that made not themselves therefore must they needs be goodly Gods 16 They are meer liveless statues without sense or motion able neither to speak nor see having no better mouthes nor eyes than man can make them 17 Their ears are like their eyes the one blind the other deaf and their mouthes as breathless as speechless for such an inversion of nature as men to make Gods can produce no better effects 18 And they that make them are as void of understanding as they of life and sense that against reason can think such things fit to be worshipped for Gods which are their creatures not they theirs and so is every one that seeing what they are and knowing whence they come putteth confidence of good or evil in them both their Gods and they are alike blockish and as void of power as understanding as plainly appeareth when our God appears for us against them 19 Let therefore your faith and zeal be laid out upon no such imaginarie deities nor your fear upon any earthly powers do you that are the posteritie of Jacob from whom you have the name of Israel given of God himself walk worthie such a father and servant of the Lord by honouring and praising him and him alone all of you own him and honour him for your Lord and God specially you that are his in principal place and office by special designation you Priests the sons of Aaron let your zeal exceed as much as do your engagements 20 And you that are of an inferiour rank in the Priest-hood ye Levites remember also your ingagements to honour and praise the Lord who hath called you to so sacred an office about his Temple do your duties worthie your places but because no doubt too many are as formal people so formal Priests that serve the Lord if at all more in shew than sincerity therefore my exhortation is chiefly to you both Priests and people that are regenerate Israelites indeed Priests of the Lord as well as of the Temple endowed with the true fear of God and sanctifying graces of his spirit you are they that I hope and exhort and that God looks should honour and serve him with praise and thanks in faith and spirit worthie your selves and him your God as a chosen generation a royal Priest-hood a holy nation a peculiar people that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light 21 Let all Israel whether in power or profession his visible or invisible people of what rank or qualitie soever Prince Priest people resort unto the place appointed for his solemn worship mount Sion where his sanctuarie is seated and there joyn their forces and affections to bless and serve him who is especially present there of all Israel having preferred Jerusalem to be the place of his residence and of all his glorious dispensations where he will be blessed of his people and whence he will bless them again that honour and serve him Therefore fail not on your part praise him and pray to him that is and will be your God if you do so The cxxxvi PSALM This Psalm for the magnifying of mercie it is thought was sung daily in the Tabernacle and Temple 1 Chron. 16.41 Jer. 33.11 and this clause for his mercie endureth for ever so oft repeated was sung by turns of the Levites and oft used for the burden of the song at solemn celebrations of remarkable mercies 2 Chron. 7.3 and 6. and 20.21 The drift of the Psalmist is to advance covenant-mercie that Church priviledge in the eyes of the faithful as the great and allmost onely thank-worthie benefit by which God himself and all that is Gods is his Churches the fountain of all good general special of creation and providence to the world to the Church which therefore we should behold in every thing and thank God for in all things 1 GOds greatness is better known and more taken notice of than his goodness but this ought principally to be his peoples studie to see all he does as well the acts of his grace and that a stable covenant-grace as of his power Therefore ye that are so be sure to do so be thankful to him and faithful in him for his goodness sake that is so transcendent even to the sins of all mankind in general who live move and have their beings in and from him notwithstanding them and to his Church in particular as appears by his many gracious promises and great performances temporal and spiritual in goodness made and in mercie made good sin cannot finally hinder the current of his grace which is as himself everlasting as in being so in acting an ever overflowing fountain whose mercies therefore are renewed every morning 2 3 Exalt him in his greatness yea in the full dimensions of it superlatively prefer him to all things in heaven and earth principalities powers or imaginarie deities Praise him as such but withal be thankful to him that is such so great and yet of such condiscention in continual dispensation of mercies for the consideration of his goodness setteth forth his greatness with greater beautie and sweetness which by reason thereof becomes a useful propertie and encouragement to his Church and people to draw nigh to him and trust in him for ever 4 And as for his mercie sake he is to be honoured in what he is essentially being thereby that to us and for us which he is in himself so also in what he does for his mercie and free grace it is the cause of the manifestation of so great power in all those glorious works of wonder wrought so apparently by the immediate hand and finger of God who onely is Almighty for and in his peoples behalfs in all their dangers notwithstanding all their sins as we can witness in an everlasting
been under sore dejections and grievous oppressions yet still upheld and in its lowest condition made to keep its feet to have a Being and raised in time to a well-being in despite of its potent adversaries by the Lord whose power many a time hath underpropt it and his grace restored it when it was low brought and who indeed in righteousness is pitiful to all that are wrongfully oppressed to right and relieve them and hath power to do it be their condition never so bad especially if they trust in him and seek to him whose Kingdom over the world is chiefly exercised in administring justice and mercie for and towards the afflicted 15 16 Whose goodness is as universal as his greatness and providencially extends it self to every creature that he hath made which also by instinct of nature it self waits upon providence seeks after and endeavours its own means of subsistence every one what is proper to its nature and kind as by and from God his ordination and especial dispensation thus acknowledging his supremacie both man and beast even the whole creation And he orderly in a suitable and seasonable manner supplies unto them food of several kinds in several seasons of both time and opportunitie for sustaining the nature and satisfying the hunger of all creatures of so many several kinds as are in the world and of every individual of each kind by his liberalitie and bountie so universally extended over the whole earth and providently dispensed to the sundry particulars in it which is onely then had when he gives it and therefore had because he gives it none being able to supply their own wants much less worthy to share in the honour of the worlds providing for both which is of the Lord alone who makes second causes instrumental to him and useful to man the power and governance of all creatures being his which therofore bringeth forth and increaseth because he appointeth and is satisfied because he dispenseth 17 Manifold dispensations there are in the world towards good and bad that seemeth strange to us but in this also is God and his government admirable and transcendently praise-worthy that nothing he does be it never so discrepant to humane reason and rules of policie amongst men but he is both righteous and holy in so doing for his will being the onely rule of both his works can none of them disaagree from either 18 His government and dispensation though it be to and over all yet principally and primarily doth it belong to the faithful as near as he seems to others yet is he far enough from them and as far as he seems from these who have the greatest share of adverse fortune in this life yet is he near unto them They that profess him publickly by adoration and worship and withal serve him sincerely in faith and affection that offer to find him fervent not fained prayer they shall be sure to find him a propitious God to a gracious heart accompanied with a holy life 19 Such as take care of him hee 'l take care of them they that fear to sin shall be satisfied with good such God will hear and answer graciously as hear and obey him conscionably and though sometimes by extraordinarie trials he may put them to it to ask yea crie hard for ease before they have it yet that is but to trie and exercise their graces with patient waiting and fervent importuning till the time the set time be come which he hath determined in himself as most opportune for him and them to be relieved and answered in and then though not till then they shall be sure of it when their fears are greatest and their hopes humanely least 20 The Lord will keep promise with all that fear to offend him out of love and desire to please him he may venture them but he will not lose them his eye is over and his hand under them for he has not many such that so love him nor therefore are there many that are so beloved of him and so they shall find that wickedly transgress against him that as he hath powerful grace in store to preserve the one so hath he vindicative justice to destroy the other which shall certainly fall to their lot every mothers son of them his Kingdom is administred by mercie and justice and so the good and bad shall find 21 My mind shall meditate of these thine admirable excellencies of several kinds exhibited to the world in general and thy people in particular both which are wholly under thy dominion and dispensation subject to thy greatness and sharers of thy goodness respectively common and special as also of thy mercie and justice My mouth shall extol them and praise thee the God of them that art so great in power so gracious in providence so rich in mercie and so severe in justice and let mankind in general in all times and places who ought to know thee under all and do know thee under most of these notions whereof they have dayly and frequent experience bless and magnifie thee in all thy holy attributes and properties that so shine forth in thy works of mercie power and righteousness all the world over in all the ages of it The cxlvi PSALM David exciteth all especially Gods people and most especially himself to praise the Lord principally by trusting in him and distrusting all but him Man both great and small being a perishable creature and God onely to be relied on but then that must be the true God and that also by a true faith acted upon his power goodness and never-failing faithfulness and that is every condition believing in God with a like never-failing stedfastness though our estate be various and miserable for that to the good he is ever graciously enclined and to the wicked quite contrarie As also for the perpetuitie and unchangeableness of his throne and dominion over his Church and people for their protection throughout all ages to the end of the world does the Psalmist again excite to praise him concluding as he began in this and so do every of these 5 concluding Psalms 1 2 AS it is the dutie so I wish it were the practise of all especially his people to be constant and conversant in praising God who himself is so constant and conversant in praise-worthie dispensations of several sorts and what I admonish others of I do much more so to my self that have cause beyond all men to praise the Lord and that with my whole heart throughout my whole life as well he deserves that I should spend and lay out my utmost strenght and best affections in praising him which I will be sure to do whilest my tounge can wag 3 4 But let your praises be real give God the praise of your faith which is thank worthie when in your hearts you set up his throne above all principalities and powers trust in him solely
young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word 10 With my whole heart have I sought thee O let me not wander from thy commandments 11 Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sinne against thee 12 Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes 13 With my lips have I declared all the judgements of thy mouth 14 I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches 15 I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes 16 I will delight my self in thy statutes I will not forget thy word Gimel 17 Deal bountifully with thy servant that I may live and keep thy word 18 Open thou mine eyes that I may behold wonderous things out of thy law 19 I am a stranger in the earth hide not thy commandments from me 20 My soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgement at all times 21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do erre from thy commandments 22 Remove from me reproach and contempt â—or I have kept thy testimonies 23 Princes also did sit and speak against me but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes 24 Thy â—eâ—timonies also are my delight and my counsellours Daleth 25 My soul cleavetâ—â— unto the dust quicken thou me according to thy word I have declared my wayes and thou heardest me teach me thy statutes 27 Make me to unâ—derstand the way of thy precepts so shall I talk of thy wonderous works 28 My soul melteth for heaviness strengthen thou me according unto thy word 29 Remove from me the way of lying and grant me thy law graciously 30 I have chosen the way of truth thy judgemâ—nts have I laid before me 31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies O Lord put me not to shame 32 I will run the wayes of thy commandments when thou shalt enlarge my heart He. 33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end 34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart 35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments for therein do I delight 36 Encline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness 37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me in thy way 38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant who is devoted to thy fear 39 Turn away my reproach which I fear for thy judgements are good 40 Behold I have longed after thy preceptsâ— quicken me in thy righteousness Vau. 41 Let thy mercies come also unto me O Lord even thy salvaâ—tion aâ—cording to thy word 42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me for I trust in thy word 43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth for I have hoped in thy judgements 44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever And I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts 46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before Kings and will not be ashamed 47 And I will delight my self in thy commandments which I have loved 48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments which I have loved and I will meditate in thy statutes Zain 49 Remember the word unto thy servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope 50 This is my comfort in my affliction for thy word hath quickened me 51 The proud have had me greatly in derision yet have I not declined from thy law 52 I remembred thy judgements of old O Lord and have comforted my self 53 Horrour hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law 54 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrim age 55 I have remembred thy name O Lord in the night and have kept thy law 56 This I had because I kept thy precepts Cheth 57 Thou art my portion O Lord I have said that I would keep thy words 58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart be merciful unto me according to thy word 59 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet into thy testimonies 60 I made hast and delayed not to keep thy commandments 61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me but I have not forgot thy Law 62 At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgements 63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee and of them that keep thy precepts 64 The earth O Lord is full of thy mercie teach me thy statutes Teth. 65 Thou hast dealt well with thy servant O Lord according unto thy word 66 Teach me good judgement and knowledge for I have believed thy commandments 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word 68 Thou art good and doest good teach me thy statutes 69 The proud have forged a lie against me but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart 70 Their heart is as fat as grease but I delight in thy Law 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes 72 The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver Iod. 73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding that I may learn thy commandments 74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me because I have hoped in thy word 75 I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me 76 Let I pray thee thy merciful kindness be for my comfort according to thy word unto thy servant 77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me that I may live for thy Law is my delight 78 Let the proud be ashamed for they dealt perversly with me without a cause but I will meditate in thy precepts 79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me and those that have known thy testimonies 80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Caph. 81 My soul fainteth for thy salvation but I hope in thy word 82 Mine eyes fail for thy word saying when wilt thou comfort me 83 For I am become like a bottle in the smoke yet do I not forget thy statutes 84 How many are the dayes of thy servant when wilt thou execute judgement on them that persecute me 85 The proud have digged pits for me which are not after thy Law 86 All thy commandments are faithful they persecute me wrongfully help thou me 87 They had almost consumed me upon earth but I forsook not thy precepts 88 Quicken me after thy loving kindness so shall I keep the testimonie of thy mouth Lamed 89 For ever O Lord thy word is setled in heaven 90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations thou hast established the earth and it abideth 91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances for all are
thy servants 92 Unless thy Law had been my delights I should then have perished in mine affliction 93 I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickened me 94 I am thine save me for I have sought thy precepts 95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me but I will consider thy testimonies 96 I have seen an end of all perfection but thy commandment is exceeding broad Mem. 97 O how love I thy Law it is my meditation all the day 98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies for they are ever with me 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers for thy testimonies are my mediation 100 I understand more than the ancients because I keep thy testimonies 101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way that I may keep thy word 102 I have not departed from thy judgements for thou hast taught me 103 How sweet are thy words unto my tast yea sweeter than honey to my mouth 104 Through thy precepts I get understanding therefore I hate every false way Nun. 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path 106 I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgements 107 I am afflicted very much quicken me O Lord according unto thy word 108 Accept I beseech thee the free-will-offerings of my mouth O Lord and teach me thy judgements 109 My soul is continually in my hand yet do I not forget thy Law 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me yet I erred not from thy precepts 111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever for they are the rejoycing of my heart 112 I have enclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway even unto the end Samech 113 I hate vain thoughts but thy Law do I love 114 Thou art my hiding place and my shield I hope in thy word 115 Depart from my ye evil duers for I will keep the commandments of my God 116 Uphold me according unto thy word that I may live and let me not be ashamed of my hope 117 Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually 118 Thou hast troden down all them that erre from thy statutes for their deceit is falshood 119 Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross therefore I love thy testimonies 120 My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgements Ain 121 I have done judgement and justice leave me not to mine oppressours 122 Be surety for thy servant for good let not the proud oppress me 123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation and for the word of thy righteousness 124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercie teach me thy statutes 125 I am thy servant give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies 126 It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy Law 127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold yea above fine gold 128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right and I hate every false way Pe. 129 Thy testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my soul keep them 130 The enterance of thy words giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple 131 I opened my mouth and panted for I longed for thy commandments 132 Look thou upon me and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name 133 Order my steps in thy word and let not any iniquitie have dominion over me 134 Deliver me from the oppression of man so will I keep thy precepts 135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant and teach me thy statutes 136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes because they keep not thy Law Tsaddi 137 Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgements 138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful 139 My zeal hath consumed me because mine enemies have forgotten thy words 140 Thy word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it 141 I am small and despised yet do I not forget thy precepts 142 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and thy Law is the truth 143 Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me yet thy commandments are my delights 144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting give me understanding and I shall live Koph 145 I cried with my whole heart hear me O Lord I will keep thy statutes 146 I cried unto thee save me and I shall keep thy testimonies 147 I prevented the dawning of the morning and cried I hoped in thy word 148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy word 149 Hear my voyce according unto thy loving kindness O Lord quicken me according to thy judgement 150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief they are far from thy Law 151 Thou art near O Lord and all thy commandments are truth 152 Concerning thy testimonies I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever Resh 153 Consider mine affliction and deliver me for I do not forget thy Law 154 Plead my cause and deliver me quicken me according to thy word 155 Salvation is far from the wicked for they seek not thy statutes 156 Great are thy tender mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy judgements 157 Many are my persecutors mine enemies yet do I not decline from thy testimonies 158 I beheld the transgressours and was grâ—eved because they kept not thy word 159 Consider how I love thy precepts quicken me O Lord according to thy loving kindness 160 Thy word is true from the beginning and every one of thy righteous judgements endureth for ever Schin 161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause but mine heart standeth in aw of thy word 162 I rejoyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoil 163 I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love 164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements 165 Great peace have they which love thy Law and nothing shall offend them 166 Lord I have hoped for thy salvation and done thy commandments 167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly 168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my wayes are before thee Tau 169 Let my cry come near before thee O Lord give me understanding according to thy word 170 Let my supplication come before thee deliver me according to thy word 171 My lips shall utter praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes 172 My tongue shall speak of thy word for all thy commandments are righteousness 173 Let thine hand help me for I have chosen thy precepts 174 I have longed for thy salvation O Lord and thy Law is my delight 175 Let my soul live and it shall praise thee let thy judgements