Mistress of their actions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a creature sent on purpose to preserve them and these saith he deserve not to be chid but pitied for nature at first appointed them this condition of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is their birthright and inheritance and therefore no body will be angry with them for living on it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But for them who were made Creatures of light and had it not been for their wilfulness had still continued light in the Lord who are altogether encompast and environed with light light of nature light of reason light of religion nay the most glorious asterism or conjunction of lights in the World the light of the Gospel to walk in for these men meerly out of perverseness of wilful hearts to hate and abjure and defy this light to run out of the World almost for fear of it to be for ever a solliciting and worshipping of darkness as Socrates was said to adore the Clouds this is such a sottishness that the stupidst Element under Heaven would naturally scorn to be guilty of for never was the earth so peevish as to forbid the Sun when it would shine on it or to sâ—ink away or subduce it self from its rayes And yet this is our case beloved who do more amorously and flatteringly court and woo and sollicite darkness than ever the Heathens adored the Sun Not to wander out of the sphere my Text hath placed me in to shew how the light of the Gospel and Christianity is neglected by us our guilt will ly heavy enough on us if we keep us to the light only of natural reason within us How many sins do we daily commit which both nature and reason abhor and loath How many times do we not only unman but even uncreature our selves Aristotle observes that that by which any thing is known first that which doth distinguish one thing from another à priore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be called the beginning or cause of that thing and that the light of reason distinguishing one action from another being the first thing that teaches me that this is good that otherwise may from thence be termed the beginning of every reasonable action in us and then where ever this cause or beginning is left out and wanting there the thing produced is not so called a positive act or proper effect but a defect an abortion or still-born frustrate issue and of this condition indeed is every sin in us Every action where this Law within us is neglected is not truly an action but a passion a suffering or a torment of the Creature Thus do we not so much live and walk which note some action as ly entranced asleep nay dead in sin by this perverseness 't is perpetual night with us nay we even dy daily our whole life is but a multiplyed swoon or lethargy in which we remain stupid breathless senseless till the day of Death or Judgment with a hideous Voice affrights and rouses us and we find our selves awake in Hell and so our dark Souls having a long while groped wilfully in the Sun are at last lead to an Everlasting inevitable darkness whither the mercy or rays of the Sun can never pierce where it will be no small accession to our torment to remember and tremble at that light which before we scorn'd Thus I say do we in a manner uncreature our selves and by the contempt of this Law of our Creation even frustrate and bring to nothing our Creation it self and this is chiefly by sins of sloth and stupid sluggish unactive Vices which as I said make our whole life a continued passion never daring or venturing or attempting to act or do any thing in Church or Commonwealth either toward God or our Neighbour and of such a condition'd man no body will be so charitable as to guess he hath any Soul or light of reason in him because he is so far from making use of it unless it be such a Soul as Tully saith a Swine hath which serves it only instead of Salt to keep it from stinking For 't is Aristotles observation that every one of the Elements besides the Earth was by some Philosopher or other defin'd to be the Soul Some said the Soul was fire some that 't was air some water but never any man was so mad as to maintain the earth to be it because 't was so heavy and unweildy So then this heavy motionless unactive Christian this clod of Earth hath as I said uncreatured himself and by contemning this active reason within him even deprived himself of his Soul Again how ordinary a thing is it to unman our selves by this contempt of the directions of reason by doing things that no man in his right mind would ever have patience to think of Beloved to pass by those which we call unnatural sins i. e. so in the highest degree as too horrid for our nature set down in the latter end of this Chapter for all Christian Ears to glow and tingle at and I had hoped for all English spirits to abhor and loath To pass these I say our whole life almost affords minutely sins which would not argue us men but some other Creatures There be few things we do in our age which are proper peculiar acts of men one man gives himself to eating and drinking and bestows his whole care on that one faculty which they call the vegetative growing faculty and then what difference is there betwixt him and a Tree whose whole nature it is to feed and grow Certainly unless he hath some better imployment he is at best but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plant-animal whose shape would perhaps perswade you that it hath some sense or Soul in it but its actions betray it to be a mere plant little better than an Artichoak or Cabbage another goes a little higher yet not far doth all that his sense presents to him suffers all that his sensitive faculties lust and rage to exercise at freedom is as fierce as the Tyger as lustful as the Goat as ravenous as the Wolf and the like and all the Beasts of the Field and Fowls of the air be but several Emblemes and Hieroglyphicks concurring to make up his character carries a Wilderness about him as many sins as the nature of a sensitive Creature is capable of and then who will stick to compare this man to the beasts that perish For 't is Theophilus his note that the Cattle and Beasts of the Field were created the same day with man Gen. i. 25 to note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brutish condition of some men and that therefore the blessing was not bestowed on them but reserved for the man which should have the dominion over them Verse 26 28. In summ every action which reason or Scripture or Gods spirit guides not in us is to be called the work of some other Creature
the discomfiture and confusion of Davids enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith the Chaldee they shall be confounded both in the beginning and end of the verse and the Syriack instead of the latter hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perish and the LXXII their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them be made ashamed is to the same purpose and whereas some Copies have for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which might incline to the rendring it of their conversion or repentance whereto the Latine convertantur may seem to sound yet Asulanus's Impression and others have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them be repulsed and others more largely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let them be turned backward and so the Arabick reads it which must needs belong to their flight That they put it in that mood of wishing is ordinary with them when yet the Hebrew is in the Indicative future sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be put to shame and so forward And this surely best connects with the former verse the Lord hath heard the Lord will receive my prayer and then as an effect of that All mine enemies shall be confounded c. The Seventh PSALM SHiggaion of David which he sang unto the Lord concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite Paraphrase The Seventh is stiled by a peculiar title not elsewhere used in this Book which yet signifies no more than a Song or Psalm of David a pleasant delightful ditty being indeed a cheerful commemoration of Gods continued kindness to and care of him and a magnifying his Name for it together with a confident affirmation or prediction that his enemies shall but bring ruine on themselves by designing to mischief him and this he sang unto the Lord on occasion of some malitious words delivered by some servant of Saul stirring him up against David 1 Sam. 26.19 The Chaldee Paraphrast misunderstands it as an interpretation of his Song made on the death of Saul to vindicate his no ill meaning in it v. 3. 1. O Lord my God in thee do I put my trust save me from all them that persecute me and deliver me Paraphrase 1. Thy many continued deliverances and wonderful protections which assure me of thy special kindness toward me make me to come to thee with affiance and confidence and to appeal only to thy peculiar favour and thy almighty power so frequently interessed for me and upon this account to importune and depend on thee for my present rescue from all my persecuters and opposers 2. Lest he tear my soul like a Lion renting it in pieces while there is none to deliver me Paraphrase 2. Shouldst thou withdraw thy aid one hour I were utterly destitute and then as the Lion in the wilderness prevails over the beast he next meets seises on him for his prey kills and devours him infallibly there being none in that place to rescue him out of his paws the same fate must I expect from Saul my rageful implacable enemy 3. O Lord my God if I have done this if there be iniquity in my hand Paraphrase 3. I am accused to Saul as one that seeks his ruine 1 Sam. 24.9 reproached by Nabal that I have revolted from him 1 Sam. 25.10 and that shews me that by many I am lookt on as an injurious person But O Lord thou knowest my integrity that I am in no wise guilty of these things I have not done the least injury to him I may justly repeat what I said to him 1 Sam. 26.18 What have I done or what evil is in my hand 4. If I have rewarded evil to him that was at peace with me yea I have delivered him that without cause is my enemy Paraphrase 4. I have never provoked him by beginning to do him injury nor when I have been very ill used returned any evil to the injurious he is my enemy without any the least cause or provocation of mine and being so I yet never acted any revenge upon him but on the contrary in a signal manner spared him twice when he fell into my hands 1 Sam 24.4 7. and c. 26.9 23. If this be not in both parts exactly true 5. Let the enemy persecute my soul and take it yea let him tread down my life upon the earth and lay mine honour in the dust Paraphrase 5. I shall be content to undergo any punishment even that he that now pursues me so malitiously obtein his desire upon me overtake and use me in the most reproachful manner and pour out my heart-blood upon the earth 6. Arise O Lord in thine anger lift up thy self because of the rage of my enemies and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded Paraphrase 6. But thou knowest my guiltiness O Lord to thee therefore I appeal for my relief be thou gratiously pleased to vindicate my cause to express thy just displeasure against my malitious adversaries and calumniators and speedily exercise the same justice in taking my part against those that injure me which thou severely commandest the Judges on the earth to dispense to the oppressed 7. So shall the congregation of the people compass thee about for their sakes therefore return thou on high Paraphrase 7. This shall be a means to make all men admire thy works to address and repair and flock unto thee acknowledge thee in thy attributes and enter into and undertake thy service and let this be thy motive at this time to shew forth thy power and majesty to execute justice for me and to that end to ascend thy Tribunal where thou fittest to oversee and to judge the actions of men 8. The Lord shall judge the people Judge me O Lord according to my righteousness and according to mine innocency that is in me Paraphrase 8 Thou art the righteous Judge of all do thou maintain the justice of my cause and vindicate my perfect innocence in this matter 9. O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end but establish the just for the righteous Lord trieth the heart and reins Paraphrase 9. God will now soon bring to nought the malitious designments of wicked men their sins will suddenly provoke and call down his judgments on them In like manner he will shew forth his justice in upholding and supporting the innocent such as he sees upon trial to be sincerely such for as all righteousness belongs to him the doing of all eminently righteous things bringing his fierce judgments on the obdurate and upholding and vindicating all patient persevering righteous persons when they are causelesly accused or persecuted so 't is his property also to discern the secretest thoughts and inclinations and accordingly to pass the most unerring judgments upon both sorts of them 10. My defence is of God which saveth the upright in heart Paraphrase 10. To thee it peculiarly belongs to deliver and vindicate those whom thou discernest to be sincere or inwardly upright and accordingly my trust is fixt wholly
my distress was greatest see note on Psalm 17. k. and all humane aids were obstructed by them then God by his own special providence and interposition sustained and supported me 19. He brought me forth also into a large place he delivered me because he delighted in me Paraphrase 19. He freed me from all my streights restored me to a prosperous condition and this upon no other account but only of his kindness and mercy to me 20. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me Paraphrase 20. Thus hath God vindicated my uprightness and given me at last those returns which were answerable to the justice of my cause 21. For I have kept the wayes of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God Paraphrase 21. As seeing that indeed I have not knowingly transgrest any command of his save only in the matter of Uriah for which he repented and obtained pardon from God 1 King 15.5 22. For all his judgments were before me and I did not put away his statutes from me Paraphrase 22. But have observed his statutes diligently never refusing to be ruled by any of them 23. I was also upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity Paraphrase 23. And by so doing preserved my innocence and guarded me from compassion of any sin This still according to Scripture stile to be understood with exception of the matter of Uriah 24. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness acccording to the cleanness of my hands in his sight Paraphrase 24. And accordingly hath God out of his abundant mercy to me accepted and rewarded my uprightness and given testimony to the sincerity thereof 25. With the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful with an upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright 26. With the pure thou wilt shew thy self pure and with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward Paraphrase 25 26. For God is a most just impartial rewarder sees the heart and accordingly recompenses To a merciful pious man he makes returns of mercy and pity to the upright he will administer justice vindicate his cause from the oppressor and injurious He that keeps himself pure from sin with him God will deal most faithfully perform his promise to him exactly never leave any degree of goodness in him unrewarded And on the other side the rule holds as true that those that deal frowardly and stubbornly with God shall be sure to be opposed and punished by him See note on Mat. 9. k. 27. For thou wilt save the afflicted people and wilt bring down high looks Paraphrase 27. For it is Gods constant method to relieve the oppressed and destroy in his due time the oppressor be he never so confident 28. For thou wilt light my candle the Lord my God will inlighten my darkness Paraphrase 28. And on this ground I have built my confidence that how hopeless soever my present condition can at any time be the powerful Lord of Heaven and my gratious God will rescue me out of it 29. For by thee I have run through a troop and by my God have I leaped over a wall Paraphrase 29. By him I have been inabled to subdue and bring down the strongest forces 30. As for God his way is perfect the word of the Lord is tried he is a buckler to all that trust in him Paraphrase 30. He is most just and faithful his promises without all deceit or possibility of failing he will certainly protect all those that rely and depend on him 31. For who is God save the Lord or who is a rock save our God Paraphrase 31. This cannot be said of any other The deities of the heathens are not able to yield them any defence nor any but the one God whom we adore 32. It is God that girdeth me with strength and maketh my way perfect Paraphrase 32. From him I have received all my strength to him I acknowledge it wholly due that I have been preserved in safety 33. He maketh my feet like hinds feet and setteth me up upon my high places Paraphrase 33. When I was pursued by Saul he inabled me by swiftness of flight to escape to the wilderness and mountains and so to secure my self 34. He teacheth my hands to warr so that a bow of steal is broken by my arme Paraphrase 34. At other times he gave me strength for battel and inabled me to obtain most wonderful victories by mine own hand on Goliah on all other my enemies by my armies 35. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation and thy right hand hath holden me up and thy gentleness hath made me great Paraphrase 35. Constantly he hath protected me from all evil â—n time of distress supported me and at last by his continued multiplyed acts of providence raised me to the greatest height 36. Thou hast inlarged my steps under me that my feet did not slip Paraphrase 36. I am now by his mercy brought to a condition of safety no enemies to distress or streighten me no dangers to apprehend 37. I have pursued my enemies and overtaken them neither did I turn again till they were consumed Paraphrase 37. Having put all my enemies to flight pursued my victory and finally subdued and destroyed them 38. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise they are fallen under my feet 39. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battel thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me Paraphrase 39. And all by that strength with which thou hast furnisht me my victories are all thy gifts of mercy 40. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies that I might destroy them that hate me Paraphrase 40. 'T is thou that hast by thy wise and powerful providence subjected them to me See Jos. 10.24 41. They cried but there was none to save even unto the Lord but he answered them not Paraphrase 41. When thou wert thus their enemy there was none to yield them any relief the aid from heaven failed them and no other would stand them in any stead 42. Then did I beat them as small as the dust before the winde I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets Paraphrase 42. Being thus assisted by thee I put to flight and destroyed all their forces 43. Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people and thou hast made me the head of the heathen a people whom I have not known shall serve me Paraphrase 43. And now I am landed in a calm harbour after all the stormes that incompast me not onely mine own Kingdom being quieted but the neighbouring heathens Philistims Moabites c. added to my dominions 44. As soon as they hear of me they shall obey me the strangers shall submit themselves unto me Paraphrase 44. Some of them overcome and subdued by me others through their dread of my power
V. 11. My countenance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here my countenance may possibly have this difference from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his countenance v. 6. which the Chaldee there renders the redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is from before him that David first mentions the salvations of Gods countenance i. e. his saving power and providence and then closeth the Psalm by applying it to himself and acknowledging the particular mercy of his deliverance Yet considering that all the Antients versions the Chaldee only excepted seem to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my countenance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faciei mei my face in both places and that these words are the burden as of this so of the following Psalm and that as the sense is the same in other words so in all likelihood the two Psalms did correspond in this therefore 't is not improbable that the old reading was here in both places 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my countenance as it is in both places of the following Psalm The Forty Third PSALM THe Forty Third Psalm is exactly of the same mournful subject and probably on the same occasion with the former but perhaps lightly varied from thence on some other occasion such as the Babylonish captivity as the mention of the ungodly nation inclines it v. 1. and adjoyned to Psalm 42. because of its affinity to it 'T is a complaint of ill usage from enemies yet endeth with full relyance on God and place of hope from thence as the former did 1. Judge me O God and plead my cause against the ungodly nation O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man Paraphrase 1. O God what ever our sins against thee have been we have certainly not injured these which are maliciously bent against us Be thou pleased therefore to vindicate our innocency in this to clear us from the calumnies of these and to rescue us out of their treacheries and bloody designs 2. For thou art the God of my strength why dost thou cast me off why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy Paraphrase 2. To thee alone can we appeal who art our only defender O be thou pleased to restore us to thy favour not to forsake us utterly not to leave us to that sad disconsolate condition to which the oppressions of our mortal enemies have brought us 3. O send out thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles Paraphrase 3. O let thy mercy shew forth it self and thy fidelity in performing thy promise to us let these be our guide and safeguard in our way as thy pillar of cloud and fire to the Israelites in their passage from Aegypt to Canaan and at length restore us successefully to that rest and peace that we may securely resort to thy publick service in the place which thou hast appointed for it where the Ark is 4. Then shall I go unto the altar of God my exceeding joy yea upon the harp will I praise thee O God my God Paraphrase 4. And that will be an happy time indeed to go in the society of the saints to offer sacrifice to God that God that revives out of the greatest sadness is the only author of all the felicity of my life when that time comes we shall be most happy and celebrate thy mercies and goodness to us in the most solemn manner of exultation and never give over acknowledging thy goodness and fatherly bounty toward us 5. Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God Paraphrase 5. Mean while there is a competent stay to our drooping souls an argument that we should not be too much dejected or disturbed that we have still place of hope and trust in God that we shall yet live to receive deliverance from him and injoy happy opportunities of acknowledging his mercies in the publick assembly who is even now that he thus permits us to be distrest the only comfort and support of our lives and our merciful loving father even now that we are under his sharpest chastisment Annotations on Psalm XLIII V. 4. Exceeding joy The chief difficulty of this Psalm is how the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that in Hebrew denotes commotion and generally any kind of commotion as Abu Walid tells us see note on Psal 2. k. whether of joy or sorrow It is certain it most frequently signifies exultation and joy and so it must be thought to do as oft as it is joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing by any conjunctive particle as Psal 45.15 with gladness and rejoycing shall they be brought and so 't is there rendred by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who yet in this place have rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God that makes merry my youth and therein the Syriack Latine Arabick and Aethiopick follow them and only the Chaldee otherwise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whom is the joy of my exultation Of this rendring of the LXXII the account is ordinary that they took 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a notion wherein 't is used in Arabick for age or generation So in their rendring of Psal 79.13 we will shew forth thy praise from generation to generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Gen. 3.9 Noah was upright in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generation So Psalm 112.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the generation of the just shall be blessed And Mat. 1. These are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the generations And then 't is conceived that in this notion of generation as that signifies the whole age and course of a mans life the LXXII taking the word thought fit to render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my youth viz. the former pâ—â— of my age But the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Arabick signifies also a fat well-grown youth and the Arabick being but a dialect of the Hebrew and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evidently thus signifying in the Arabick 't is most probable that thus it did signifie originally in the Hebrew and the LXXII their thus understanding it and rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 youth is a fair evidence for it And if indeed it thus did signifie in the Hebrew then there is all reason to understand it so here and to render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the joy of my youth i. e. of my whole course of life from my youth till now and to make that the title of God that he hath always been such to David i. e. the only author of joy and rejoycing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that ever David had And thus the rendring is more literal than either to read it the God of my joy and gladness for there is neither
shall be sufficient to bring down thy greatest enemies and many shall feel the effects of it being conquered by thee In the mystery the grace of Christ shall come with great efficacy to the converting of Idolatrous heathens and shall be mightily successful in bringing the Gentile world to subjection to his kingdom 6. Thy throne O God is for ever and ever the scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter Paraphrase 6. The kingdom of the Messias is never to have an end the Laws by which 't is administred are admirably good and just most agreeable to the dictates of true reason and the nature of man not seduced or corrupted with passion And herein is Solomon a type of him the kingdom of Judah now setled on him shall indure till the time of the Messiah's coming and entring on his immutable kingdom And they are divine laws of Gods own prescribing by which he shall administer his government 7. Thou lovest righteousness and hatest wickedness therefore God thy God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladness above thy fellows Paraphrase 7. He hath earnestly espoused the cause of all goodness justice hath wrought by his precepts and promises and grace effectually to bring the practice of all virtue into the world and beareth a perfect hatred against vice and by strict prohibitions and threats of eternal hell and by suffering himself upon the cross for our sins an example of Gods great wrath against sin chusing rather to punish it on his own Son than to suffer it to go unpunisht hath laboured to cast that out of mens hearts And therefore God the Father hath advanced and dignified him above all Angels and men see note on Matth. 26. c. and Act. 10.10 exalted him to his own right hand there to reign for ever and to dispence his graces abundantly and freely into all mens hearts Herein also was Solomon a type of the Messias whose choise of wisdom rather then of all secular wealth was highly rewarded by God beyond all other men 8. All thy garments smell of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia out of the Ivory palaces whereby they have made thee glad Paraphrase 8. This Bridegrooms garments are very richly perfumed the odour of them comes out from the magnificent rooms wherein he takes pleasure and so commonly resides in them And so the mystical Bridegroom Christ his graces send forth a most fragant perfume most grateful and pleasant to all to whom they come 9. Kings daughters were among thy honourable women upon thy right hand did stand the Queen in gold of Ophir Paraphrase 9. He is very magnificently attended many royal beauties are in his train and his Bride the Queen is placed at his right hand in the most glorious nuptial array Proportionably the faith of the Messias shall be received by many persons of great rank in the world and the Church his spouse shall be advanced by him to a most flourishing condition 10. Hearken O daughter and consider and incline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy fathers house Paraphrase 10. It will now be happy for the Bride if she will consider the true dignity she is advanced to and the advantages she may reap by it if she will utterly forsake the Idolatries wherein she hath been brought up in Aegypt as the new-married spouse entring into a new family must relinquish all her old relations and not preserve so much as her former name and give up her faith and obedience uniformly to the law of the true God which here is worshipt And so in the mystical sense the Jews being assumed after their many adulteries and divorces unto that better wedlock celebrated in the Gospel must think themselves obliged to forget their old relations all the rites of their law nay the distinctive marks of their extraction from the loins of Abraham circumcision c. and so recommend themselves to their Lord and Bridegroom And so generally they that will come to be members of the Christian Church must forsake all their old wicked courses and perform all diligent faithful chearful obedience to the commands of Christ or else they will be little the better for being Christians 11. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty for he is thy Lord God and worship thou him Paraphrase 11. So shall she become truly amiable to her husband Solomon the King the type of the Messias that eternal son of God who when he comes into the world shall be the very God of heaven in our humane nature and is therefore he and none but he to be adored by all men in the world and so shall be acknowledged and worshipt by the Christian-Church see Justin Martyr Dial. cum Tryph. p. 287. B. 12. And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour Paraphrase 12. The Tyrians shall bring him presents see 1 King 5. and so the greatest and most potent of his Neighbours shall court him and be ambitious of his friendship And so shall the heathen people come in to the faith of Christ and in process of time the Emperors and greatest Princes 13. The Kings daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought gold Paraphrase 13. The spouse being of a regal extraction is a very accomplisht person both in respect of inward virtues and outward splendor and magnificence And such shall be the Christian Church gathered first and made up of the pious faithful remnant of the Jews 14. She shall be brought unto the King in raiment of needle-work The virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee Paraphrase 14. She shall be conducted to the Bridegroom in a very sumptuous and glorious guise and attended with her Bride-maids after the nuptial manner And this signifies the Churches glory inward from the graces of God humility charity c. with which it is content without any others and yet hath also the accession of outward from the good Providence of God waiting over it and advancing it to a very flourishing condition Nor shall this Elder sister the daughter of Sion the Jewish believers come single to these nuptials But the Gentile Churches aâ— virgins to accompany the Spouse shall likewise come in to the faith be presented to him a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but holy and without blemish Ephes 5.17 15. With gladness and rejoycing shall they be brought and shall enter into the Kings palace Paraphrase 15. And this shall be a very joyful and festival meeting And so shall the reception of the Christian faith in the heathen world their entring into the Church the palace and house of God and their giving themselves faederally to the obedience of Christ there being no state of life in this world so blessed and matter of so much inward real satisfaction and joy as the life of a sincerely humble and charitable Christian 16. In stead
righteousness of Christ thou mightest be able to say to him How should the world be condemned by one Adams sinning By which words of his it appears that this doctrine of the whole worlds being under condemnation for the sin of Adam was such as he thought no Jew would doubt of for else it could be no fit means to silence his objection against the redemption of the whole world by Christ To this of the Jews belongs their ordinary style of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil formation which the Chaldee lightly vary into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meaning our evil affections or concupiscence and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the formation of sin or proclivity to sin from their frame or fabrick So Eccl. 10.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the flyes of death are by the Chaldee rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evil concupiscence which abiding at the gates of the heart brings the cause of death into the world and Psal 103.14 where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our frame the Chaldee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil concupiscence which impells us to sin So Psal 119.70 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the figment of the heart So say the Rabbins three men subdued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their concupiscence Joseph Gen. 39. Boaz Ruth 3. Phalati 1 Sam. 25.44 Where by the example of Joseph c. it is evident that the desire of carnal forbidden objects such as another mans wife is comprehended by them under this style of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 formation And this from Gen. 8.21 where of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imagination or formation or figment of the heart of man it is said that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evil from the youth So in the Midras Tehillem on Psal 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Now the evil figment is born with a man and goes about with him all his days as 't is said the imagination of mans heart is evil from his youth and if it can find occasion to overthrow him when he is twenty years old or forty or seventy or eighty it will do so And this the Talmudists saith Buxtorfe observe to be called by seven names in Scripture 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evil 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foreskin 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unclean 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the enemy or bater 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stumbling-block 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a stone 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hidden thing What they say of these is much of it indeed phansiful and Talmudical and their writings are too full of such stuff to be here set down See Buxtorf Lex Rabbin who farther refers the reader to Caphtor fol. 55.1 Cad habkemach fol. 35.2 Afcat Rochel fol. 12.1 In the forecited place of Succa they add that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. in time to come God shall bring the evil figment or evil concupiscence and slay it before the just and unjust and that as long as the just live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they fight with their concupiscences Berish Rabba sect 9. elsewhere 't is given for a rule that this concupiscence is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that i. e. the future world See Basra fol. 58.1 So the question being asked in Sâ—nhedr fol. 91.2 from what time this evil figment obteins dominion on a man whether from time of his birth or of his formation in the womb the answer is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the time of his formation c. The like dispute is in Beresh Rab. sect 34. Elsewhere they say that in the beginning 't is like a thred of a spider but in the end 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is like a cart-rope and again that at first it is as a stranger afterward as a guest and at length 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Master of an house See More Neu. par 3. c. 22. and Vaiikra Rabba Sect. 17. The beginning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the end bitter So R. Solomon on Psal 78.39 for the wind that passeth away and cometh not again reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil figment hidden in the heart which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 goes when a man dyes and returns not again And Midras Tehill to avert the argument drawn from that text against the resurrection of the dead says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evil figment is meant in this place not the soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which goes with a man at the hour of death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and returns not with him at the hour of the resurrection of the dead So when Ps 16.3 there is mention of the saints that are in the earth Midras Tehill understands the words as of those that lye buryed there adding God calls not here the righteous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints till they be buryed in the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the evil figment is in a man in this age and as it follows God doth not fully confide in man till he be dead So Kimchi on Ps 103.14 and Aben Ezra on this very verse of Psal 51. where he resolves the Psalmists meaning to be that in the hour of his nativity the evil figment was planted in his heart and on ver 10. that this evil concupiscence had drawn him to sin and therefore he prays to God that he would help him against the evil figment that he might no more be misled by it or admit sin To conclude the Talmud it self tract Berach hath a very sober and Orthodox account of this matter And so this may suffice for the second thing the notion of Davids being born and conceived in sin Thirdly then it may be demanded how this mention of his conception and birth in sin comes in here or how it is a fit ingredient in a penitential Psalm the humbling himself for so many gross actual sins as he stood guilty of at this time And the reason of the doubt is because the sin of our conception and birth being no act of our own wills and yet farther a spring of all our corrupt streams a strong tendency to our actual sins the mention of that might seem rather a means of extenuating than aggravating our actual guilts To this I answer 1. that if Christ the second Adam had not repaired the errors of the first Adam if original corruption had inevitably betrayed David to his adultery and murther c. if he had not had power to resist his corrupt inclinations or repress them from breaking out as they did into those gross sins there would then be reason in the objection But the doctrine of Original sin supposes not any such inevitable necessity but on the contrary acknowledges the gift of Christ to be an antidote fully proportioned to the poison of our nativity and his grace a sufficient auxiliary to inable men not only to resist but overcome temptations and in some degree
later passage seems to be here set in a parenthesis to give some account of the overplus those that were not numbred as well as the former words did of those that were for not to them but the former belongs the conclusion of the verse with the causal particle in the front 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is suddenly cut off and we flee away so to all them it was that were numbred at the coming out of Egypt save only to Caleb and Joshua in the space of forty years their carcasses fell all and every of them in the Wilderness and so they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mowed grass or stubble cut up by the roots so the word signifies from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pluck up and like stubble before the wind or a rolling thing before the whirl-wind Isa 17.13 they fled away The Jewish Arab reads when the harvest is nigh we flee so taking it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it be deduced from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it may then be compared with the Arabick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to pass along and so R. Solomon renders it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But to the rest this cannot be applied who did survive in Canaan and were not thus cut off This the LXXII have much transformed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so after them the Latine for mansuetude is come upon us and we shall be stricken How they came thus to render the words is not that I find taken notice of by any That which seems to me most probable is that the Greek copies are corrupt and that their original reading was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as now we have it but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is early gone and we shall be smitten For so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to cut off signifies also to pass and go away and so might probably be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is gone away and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 celeriter quickly might as fitly be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 early as that is frequently used for quickly see v. 14. and so the Chaldee here adds in the end of the verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the morning to express the swiftness of the flight And then for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to flee they seem to have deduced it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to smite changing the ×¢ into × and so to have rendred it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and we shall be smitten V. 11. Thy fear All difficulty will be removed from this verse if only the ×› in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken as an expletive unsignificant for then the words will lie plainly thus who knows the power of thy thy anger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thy terror or terribleness of thy wrath Thus the Syriack have taken it rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the terror Thus to know the force and terror of Gods wrath is to discern the cause of it our sins and to be truly affected with it so as to prevent it by seasonable reformation This is the interpretation of knowledge in Scripture-stile as 't is used for spiritual prudence and practice proportionable to our knowledge And this the Chaldee have paraphrastically and more largely exprest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who is be that knoweth to avert the strength of thy anger but the just who fear thee and appease thy fury The rendring the particle ×› as or according to seems not here so facile or agreeable for by that according to thy fear signifying our fear of God 't is certain that Gods wrath is not proportioned to our fear of him And that our fear of God should signifie our want of that fear to which only his wrath is apportioned is very remote and without example Aben Ezra would have it to signifie the same with those words of the Law Levit. 10.3 I will be sanctified in all them that come nigh me viz. that Gods anger is encreased according to our knowledge of him and so Jarchi and Kimchi But seeing the knowledge of God is oft separated from obedience to him but the fear of God in the sacred style is not so separable and therefore they that know God and so only approach him may incur his highest displeasure but they that fear God cannot be imagined to do so therefore I cannot adhere to that notion Yet if the former shall seem remote then I shall propose this third that the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thy fear thy wrath shall bear proportion with that way of speaking Judg. 8.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a man his strength which proverbial form may probably have been transferr'd to other things and then the meaning here may be that Gods wrath is equal to what men fear or apprehend of it God affrights not with vain empty terrors but will really inflict on impenitent sinners to the utmost of his threats or of what they can apprehend or expect This may not improbably be the meaning of the phrase Yet the context seems better to accord with the other the prayer following So teach us being fitly opposed to the former complaint that no man takes notice or lays to heart the terribleness of Gods wrath in cutting off so many daily before their eyes And therefore of that only I have taken notice in the paraphrase For indeed that which follows in our books as the beginning of v. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to number our days will best be adjoyned to this v. 11. and so the LXXII joyn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our days they seem to have read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy right hand and so render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thus we set it the sense will be most current in the first way of intepretation Who knows the power of thine anger c. to number i. e. so knows the power of Gods anger and terror of his indignation as thereby to be moved or to learn to number his days i. e. to look upon his life as short and fading for so we number that which is short pauperis est numerare pecus the poor man that hath but a few cattel may number them the flocks of the rich are innumerable and accordingly to spend it the more to his eternal advantages The asking the question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who knows signifies a strong negation and complaint that no man knows they fall every day and no man considers it so in the example of others as to number his own days or apply it to his own benefit or amendment And then follows a prayer to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do thou so teach us or make us know that we may apply or as that phrase may
and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the walkers or they that walk And although what follows be in the future and preter tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall seek done walked yet are they all to be rendred in Syntaxis with the former they that seek that doe that walk all making up the subject to which the blessedness belongs And so doth the Jewish Arab take them and therefore v. 3. repeats again and blessed he that doth not iniquity also and hath gone in his ways or paths V. 8. Vtterly The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and v. 43. is literally unto very much So the LXXII render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. to any high degree the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto all at once but the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever both referring it to the time whereas the Hebrew seems rather to the degree from the noun that signifies multitude plenty abundance And then God's not forsaking in any eminent degree as it contains his not forsaking altogether or for ever so it is somewhat more than that and a greater privilege of a pious man this not to be forsaken in any eminent degree than not to be forsaken eternally whatsoever the degree be at present v. 4. 't is said that God hath commanded his precept to be kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very much not to be heard and talked of but obeyed and here v. 8. having said he hath decreed thus to keep them he begs keep me in proportion at least forsake me not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to any great degree V. 9. By taking heed Two difficulties there are in this place first how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be rendred then how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the first it is in all reason from the force of the preposition ל and by analogy with the use of it v. 4 and 5. to be rendred to observe or guard or keep i. e. as the end of his cleansing his ways precedent that he may doe it So the Chaldee and Syriack understood it the former retaining the Hebrew preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to observe the latter expressing it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he may observe And so the Jewish Arab Behold I seek by what a man may cleanse his ways that he may keep them in or by thy precepts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though the LXXII have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence the Latin and others have their in custodiendo in or by keeping yet 't is frequently observable that their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so is to be rendred not in or by but to And so 't is certain that every young man will have special need of some purgatives the preventing grace of God to purge and cleanse his ways to work out his natural corruptions and actual contracted pollutions which will otherwise extremely incumber him in the course that he may be in any competent measure qualified for the observing of God's commandments For the second 't is very ordinary for prepositions to be redundant and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be best rendred as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy word so the LXXII reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy words and the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy commandments and the Latin accords with them And so the whole verse will be best rendred as one intire question Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his ways that he may observe thy word To which question seeing there follows no distinct answer in the next words it is to be understood as a poetick form of prayer poured out to God for that grace whereby young men may cleanse and without which they have nothing in themselves to doe it V. 10. Let me not wander The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here in the conjugation Hiphil from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be ignorant or erre Now of that conjugation the Hebrews observe that as it signifies sometimes no more than to permit so it sometimes notes to cause sometimes to occasion that which the verb imports Consequently the word here taken in that form is capable of these three interpretations to cause to erre to deceive to seduce So Deut. 27.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that maketh the blind to wander And in this sense the Psalmists prayer could not probably be conceived that God would not cause him to erre seduce him deceive him for whatsoever his condition were this would not be looked on as possible for God to deceive any in this sense of causing to erre nor consequently be so solicitously averted For though of the false Prophet Ezek. 14. it be said if he be deceived when he hath spoken a thing I the Lord have deceived him yet the deceiving there is not the causing him to believe or foretell that false thing but the disappointing him doing the contrary to what he hath prophesied He was first deceived or seduced so the text hath it A prophet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when he is seduced 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and speaketh a word i. e. prophesieth what he hath no commission from God to prophesie I the Lord saith God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have deceived or as the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will make him erre and the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will in the future so the preter in prophesies is oft taken for the future I will deceive that Prophet i. e. I will falsify or frustrate him and his prediction when he predicts peace I will send destruction for so it follows I will stretch out my hand upon him and will destroy him from the face of the earth which certainly God would not doe if he had been the cause of his error or sin of prophesying as he did It remains then that the Psalmists prayer is to be understood here either in the first or in the third sense The first that of the non-permission is not so probable for it is the common state of good men here to be still left peaceable so as not to be totally restrained and hindred and so not permitted to fall into sin if it be in this sense it must be of not being permitted to be tempted above their strength 'T is more probable to be understood in the third sense of God's doing nothing that may occasion their wandering from his commandments This God may be said to doe when he withdraws sufficient grace leaves a man or delivers him up to himself But that God by the tenure of Evangelical mercy will not doe unless we first leave him And therefore the Psalmist that can say as here he doth with my whole heart have I sought thee may pray in faith found his request on God's promise that he will not thus leave him deliver him up to wander from his commandments The LXXII
thy estate and enrich her own family with the spoils of thine 11. And thou mourn at the last when thy flesh and thy body are consumed 12. And say how have I hated instruction and my heart despised reproof 13. And have not obey'd the voice of my teachers nor enclined mine ear to them that instructed me 14. I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly Paraphrase 11 12 13 14. Thus is it evident before hand what cause of repentance and indignation at himself and his own folly this sin if indulged to is sure to bring upon any man when he hath exhausted and rotted his very flesh and brought himself to utter ruine he will too late to mend his temporal condition most sadly bewail and lament his madness wish every vein of his heart that he had taken the advice I now give him betimes that he had believed the serious and sad truth of such documents as these by despising of which and so adventuring on some beginnings and degrees of this sin he at last comes to be a most scandalous spectacle of misery and woe to all the people marked and pointed at for a wretched sottish creature that hath brought himself to the brink of endless ruine by his own imperswasible folly and obstinacy 15. Drink waters out of thine own cistern and running rivers out of thine own well Paraphrase 15. Having thus represented to thee the dangers and wasting miseries of incontinence the advice will be but seasonable and necessary that every man resolve to satisfie himself with his own wife and most strictly abstain from wandring lusts 16. Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad and rivers of waters in thy streets Paraphrase 16. This shall beside all other felicities yield thee the comforts of a numerous and flourishing offspring which as streams or rivers from a fountain shall flow from a chast conjugal bed 17. Let them be onely thine own and not strangers with thee Paraphrase 17. This shall give thee assurance that the children thou ownest are truly thine whereas those which come from the strange woman and call thee father 't is very uncertain whose they are she being no enclosure of thine but common to others also 18. Let thy fountain be blessed and rejoyce in the wife of thy youth Paraphrase 18. This shall secure God's blessing of fruitfulness to thy wife and that flourishing state to thy offspring which bastard slips cannot pretend to This shall yield thee a constant never fading pleasure in the love and embraces of her whose purity and loyalty thou hast so long been acquainted with and the longer thou art afforded this blessing the more pure unallayed satisfaction thou wilt find in it when wandring lusts end in satiety and misery and being thus furnished by her thou hast no temptation to aliene thy self from her and take any other into thine embraces 19. Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe let her breasts satisfie thee at all times and be thou ravisht always with her love Paraphrase 19. Thou mayst alwaies find matter of pleasure and kindness in her the same that the stag or rain-deer doth in his beloved mate which he hath long associated with and so perfectly confine thy love to her and never wish for the society of any other or be weary of hers 20. And why wilt thou my son be ravisht with a strange woman and embrace the bosom of a stranger 21. For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings Paraphrase 20 21. If all this be not sufficient to engage thee to a constancy to thine own wife and an exact abstinence from all others if the true joy and delights resulting continually from the one ballanced with the consequent satieties and miseries of the other be not competent motives effectually to prevail with thee then sure this one determent may work on thee the consideration of the law of marriage made by God in Paradise that every man shall forsake all others and cleave to his own wife and the severe judgments threatned against the violaters of this obligation and the no possibility that be it never so close it should be kept secret from God's all-seeing eye which discerns and observes and will severely avenge all such enormous sins in all that are guilty of them 22. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins 23. He shall die without instruction and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray Paraphrase 22 23. And an eminent act of his vengeance and providence it is that this sort of sinners seldom goes unpunished in this life His sin without any other aid constantly brings sore punishments upon him seises on him as the Hound or Vulture on its prey or as the Lictor and Serjeant on the malefactour lays him under the custody of some noisome disease His unnurtured unsavoury life his disobedience to the laws of marital chastity and continence is the exhausting his body and perhaps estate and good name and all that is valuable and brings him to a scandalous death he goes out unpittied and scorned as guilty of the highest folly and mistakes as well as injustice and such like enormous crimes against his wife and others and himself he thought he had pursued his pleasure and at least gratified his senses but in the end he finds it quite contrary he acquires nothing but loathsome maladies and untimely death and so appears cheated of all that he projected to gain by his sin beside the yet sadder losses and pains both of body and soul to all eternity Annotations on Chap. V. V. 6. Lest thou shouldest ponder That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here to be rendred not and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 applied to the strange woman whose feet and steps are mentioned v. 6. is agreed on by all ancient Interpreters and there is no cause of doubting it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she goes not in the paths of life saith the Chaldee and so the Syriack in the same words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she enters not on the ways of life say the LXXII and the Latin applying it to her feet precedent per semitam vitae non ambulant they walk not by the path of life Which agree also to give us the right notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here for directing the steps i. e. walking or going which it is acknowledged to signifie as well as pondering and which properly belongs to it in this place the steps being mentioned in the former verse To this interpretation agrees that which follows her paths are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wandring vagi saith the Latin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dangerous say the LXXII because they that wander run into danger but unstable saith the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally not to know i. e. either thou canst not know them non scies
another and we bear it with a strange constancy continue still in as perfect an unconcern'd tranquillity as if 't were but a Scene a Romance a News from Germany all this while the Jonas that is gone down to sleep in the sides of the Ship and is the cause of all this tempest must not be awaked after all these billows our lethargick habits of sin not disturbed only a few cowardly Mariners may be allowed to pray every man to his God and that 's the utmost that all these prodigies of vengeance can extort from us You will therefore give me leave to count it a prize that I have here found a clap of thunder that could awake somebody a Sermon that set one Felix a trembling I should be too happy if the repeating of it might have the same effect on any here present And as he reasoned of c. In the Words I shall but observe 1. The matter of St. Pauls Sermon righteousness and temperance and judgment to come And 2. the form of it by way of reasoning As for the trembling that must be Gods work on you while I treat of these The matter I must consider 1. Absolutely then as it is here cloathed in a double relation 1. To the Text on which 't was preach'd and that you shall see in the verse precedent to be the Faith of Christ 2. In relation to the prime Auditor Felix whether as an Officer of Caesars or as a Heathen or as one peculiarly guilty of these sins to which the discourse is accommodated I begin first with the matter consider'd absolutely righteousness c. Three grand particulars which though they are Common places and vulgar themes may yet have leave to give you divertisements awhile The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whether justice or righteousness in the front if you had the Fathers wish to see and hear S. Paul in the Pulpit a pressing at large what you have here only in brachygraphy would look very sternly upon the most unrighteous oppressions of the many that trade of subtilty and intricacy that hath gotten the inclosure of all not only the wealth and greatness of the world but of the credit also the reputation of wisdom yea and of vertue too the only honourable handsom quality that all our respects and estimations are paid to that new body of morality that instead of the old out-dated despised rules of justice and uprightness hath set up that one beloved law of self-preservation that other Antipheron in the Rhetoricks that always seeth his own picture before him and if health or security may be acquired can say to himself as Paracelsus to his scrupulous Patient if the cure be wrought what matter is it whether it be by God or the Devil in stead of the comfort of a pure immaculate conscience the pleasure of satisfaction of having outwitted and over-reach'd our Brethren the joy and ravishment the high taste and sensuality as it were of an indirect action being to him far above the advantage and gain of it and either of them able to outweigh the mystery of Godliness the whether conscience or reward of blameless souls O! 't is a fatal character of an accursed rebellious people when in the Prophets stile he that abstaineth from evil maketh himself a prey when all those generous Christian vertues of meekness and innocence and charity and not retaliating to enemies shall become both undoing and scandalous qualities a lawful prize for every Harpy to seize on and ex abundanti over and above matter of contumely and reproach to any that shall have so learn'd to be fools of Christ And it were a glorious and a royal design worthy the gallantry of this Congregation and that which would bring Christianity into some credit in the heathen world would give us more hope of Proselytes from thence than the Apostle of the Indies Xaverius with his double Gospel one of Christ the other of Saint Peter ever brought back his Masters if sincerity and uprightness and dove-like innocence those good natured rarities that our Saviour could not behold without loving the owner of them although he were no Christian Mar. 10.21 might be brought in fashion in a Court or Kingdom if oppression and the grosser acts of piracy might be driven out like Wolves and Bears and beasts of prey and disguises and crafts and cheats and all kind of artifices and stratagems have as many names of vermin allotted to them and all in one herd pursued and hounded out of the world if the examples of a Jacob a David a Nathaniel a Christ might be permitted to rescue the guileless hearts and lips at least from reproach and scorn if not from the Vultures talons if it might be esteemed but as infamous and vile to act as 't is to suffer injuries as ungentiemanly a thing to thrive by fraud as to perish by good conscience And till this be set afoot among us this that an heathen Socrates would if he were alive again venture another martyrdom to replant among his Athenians may this first point of St. Paul's Sermon be for ever a ringing in your ears 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of righteousness and a thundering judgment to come for all those that are not edified by that doctrine 2. For Temperance or as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both here and elsewhere more properly signifies Continence and command of passions and lusts the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mastery over a mans self One cannot in charity to Christendom but stay upon it awhile and recommend it to mens favour so far at the least that it may find the ordinary justice to be preferr'd in their judgments if not their passions before bestiality and villany before the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the infamous affections which nature itself hath reproach'd and branded that the preserving our bodies the temples of the holy Ghost may be but as creditable a thing as any of those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noon-day Devils in Gregentius phrase those impudencies that have put off the vail that are become so daring and confident fornication adultery uncleanness i. e. in the New Testament dialect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 outlared abominable idolatries that chastity may be kept in some countenance not pass either for such a strange or such a ridiculous such an impossible or such a scandalous rarity Beloved there was once a piece of discipline in the Church of God of sending the Devil into such swine of delivering up the incontinent to Satans smart his real corporeal stripes and inflictions in the Apostles Age and after this smart was commuted for shame casting them out of the Church out of the society of all civil men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they might be ashamed It seems it was then a more fashionable creditable thing to be a praying in the Church than a dallying in the Chamber Continence was recommended to Christians not only among the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
you may see it Tit. 2.11 The grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Catholick salvifick grace be it Christ himself or the Gospel of Christ and the end of this Epiphany follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to discipline or to teach us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly and righteously the very vertues in this Text with the addition of one transcendent one and godly in this present world A strange catalogue of fundamentals one would think for Christ to ascend the cross to preach unto us We expect other manner of doctrines from him doctrines of liberty Jubilee and manumission as the merit and acquisition of his sufferings of security and protection from sin that a little carnality shall not hurt us of freeing us from this bondage to obediences at least from any judgment to come for such errors as these that flesh and blood makes so necessary and incorrigible We have generally a smoother scheme of Christianity than Salvian dream'd of in his Quid est fides nisi praeceptis Christi obedire What is is Faith but obedience to the commands of Christ The necessity of purifying or mortifying of lusts goes for an heresie of this nicer Age which must superadd works to faith our own obedience to the righteousness of Christ and so in Simon Magus his phrase homines in servitutem redigere make slaves of free-born men have them live as well as if Christ had never died for them The truth is the doctrine we have now in hand if believed and obey'd is so certainly destructive of the Devils kingdom and none other so certain but this that you cannot blame Satan and his instruments to cry it down as the vilest heresie in the world He may hope for some tolerable quarter from any other principles especially from those of the Solifidian and Fiduciary brave delicate inoffensive doctrines that have nothing in them contrary to passions and that gets them such zealous Advocates for by this divinity they have their lusts And though it pleases God by the power of his Grace to preserve some men that have imbibed these principles from those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Epiphaniuâ—'s phrase those streams of brimstone that naturally flow from such mines as these I mean from the pernicious and poysonous effects of them though some that conceive obedience unnecessary to justification live very strict and gracious lives in spight of all those advantages and encouragements to the contrary yet now God knows the truth is too grosly discovered the Gnosticks Divinity begins to revive a great deal of carnal I am sure of spiritual filthiness yea all the profaneness and villany in the world is now the most natural spawn of those infusions and to look no further than the glass and those foul selves which that reflects unto us The cause of God and the faith of Christ of which we are seriously such Champions is I fear as much dishonoured and renounced by our faithless apostate atheistical actions by our hellish oaths and imprecations that pultroon sin that second part of Aegyptian plague of frogs and lice and locusts the basest that ever had the honour to blast a Royal Army that casts us into such Epileptick fits such impure foamings at the mouth and will not be bound no not with chains in a word by our going on in such sins against which the denunciation is most punctual that they which do these things shall never enter into the kingdom of Heaven and yet flattering our selves that we shall not fail to enter as by all the species of infidelity all the Judaism and Mahometism and Barbarism in the world And therefore as it is the mercy of the Apostle thus to disabuse his besotted Corinthians know ye not and be not deceived neither Fornicators nor any of that bestial crew shall inherit the kingdom of heaven in thâ—si so is it the justice of his charity to make it a prime ingredient in an Apostolick Sermon scarce any other Article so necessary to be preached especially to a Felix whether as a Commander or as a Heathen or as one peculiarly guilty of those sins and that is the second part of the relative aspect of these words as they refer to the Auditory my next particular And 1. as Felix was an Eques Romanus Procurator of Judaea whose power gave him opportunities to be unjust and his splendid life temptations to incontinence no part of Christian Religion no Article of the Creed is so proper for his turn as the doctrine of the judgment to come for such sins as these that palliate vulgar cure of healing and not searching of wounds of preaching assurance of present pardon before reformation is wrought of solacing but not amending of sinners is not the method in Saint Pauls in Christs dispensatory 't is the scandal rather and reproach of Christianity in Julian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 security and protection and place of confidence from Christ to the most polluted villain the defamation of Constantine in Zosimus that he turn'd Christian because he was guilty of such sins for which no other Religion allowed expiation No the only safe medicinal course is to apply corrosives and causticks the terrours of the Lord and the consuming fire of the Lord the judgment to come when any mortified flesh is to be gotten out and to accept the face of a Fâ—lix in this kind to withhold those saving medicines in civility to the person to whom they are to be adminisâ—â—ed and so suffer that sin upon my splendid Neighbour that my charity requires me to rebuke in any meaner person this is the unjustest rudeness in the world the most treacherous sensless compliance the most barbarous civility cruel mercy the telling him in effect that he is too great to be cured this saith Procopius is the saluting by the way which Elisha forbids Gehazi and Christ the Disciples the one when he went to cure the other to preach and 't is his observation there that such civilities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keep Preachers from working any miracles the gentle handling of the great mans sins is many times the damning of him and debauching all the neighbourhood The Lord be merciful to our whole Tribe for our uncharitable omissions in this matter And for once I may chance to deserve your pardon if I do not conceive the flatteringst addresses to you to be always the friendliest If in meer charity to some Auditors I imitate my Saviour and tell you of woes even under a Saviour of casting into utter darkness where the worm never dieth and the fire is not quenched with all the variations and exchange of accents three times repeated by our Saviour within four Verses of an horrendum est what a fearful thing it is to fall into Gods hands and be ground to powder by that fall if I bring out all those Topicks of so true and withall such amazing Rhetorick with
rules of Art You will presently discern it if you but look into the nature and causes and process of the disease I shall give you but one way of judging of these by remembring you that all sin is founded in bono jucundo in the pleasing or delighting of the carnal faculty Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed when his carnal pleasurable faculty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 draws him out of his road of piety by an amiable pleasurable lure or bait Of this kind if you will look into the retail you shall find every sin in the world to be some law of the members some dictate of the flesh which is all for sensitive pleasure a warring a contending arguing and pleading before the will against the adversary law of the mind against the dictates of honest or vertuous of the rational or christian which is a pretending and contending on the other side Three representations there were of the apple in the first sin and every of those under this notion of pleasure The woman saw 1. That 't was good for food pleasurable to the taste 2. A desire as 't is in the Heb. which we render again pleasant to the eyes And 3 that 't was to be desired to make one wise i. e. according to the same Heb. notion pleasurable in this that it would make them know more than they did before a kind of satisfaction and so pleasure to the understanding as you know knowledge though it be but of trifles and news is a most pleasurable thing And so generally every sin is begotten after the image and likeness of that first the pleasures of lust the pleasures of revenge that huge high Epicurism the pleasures of pride the greatest that Aristotle or the Author 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conceived that the old Heathen gods could pretend to in their recesses their not vouchsafing to see or hear any thing but by Perspectives and Otacousticks or again the pleasures of heresie of schism which he that is guilty of saith the Apostle is he not carnal the pleasures of singularity and being head of a Faction they say the hugest sensuality and voluptuousness the most bewitching ravishment of any And even covetousness and ambition the sins which seem to be particularly fastned on two other notions of the forbidden fruit the profit and honour the wealth and greatness the baits of the world and not of the flesh and may have smitings of God proportion'd to them on our estates and honours as well as on our flesh yet I say even these would certainly never be able to work upon us if there were not a notion of pleasure in them and therefore one of them is call'd the lust of the eye and the worldly pomp and greatness the object of the other as that in Moses of the honour of being called the son of Pharaohs daughter is distinctly styled the pleasures of sin in the plural Heb. 11.25 And indeed the matter is clear and demonstrable there being but two contrary faculties about us the rational and the carnal principle the inward and the outward man as every vertuous and christian thought and action is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 7.22 a complacency and delight of the upper nobler spiritual faculty in the law of God the object apportion'd to that so is every sin that is ever committed a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a complacency or conjunction in liking a being pleased with the law of the members a chusing of that which may be most agreeable and proportionable to the designs of the flesh i. e. most desirable and pleasurable to that Having given you the character of the disease the distinct nature of sin the propriety of the distemper that some either true or false sensual pleasure something that is really delectable to the flesh or that either by a false glass of passion or custom or else by an imperfect half light appears to be pleasurable is the foundation and matter of every sin never any revolts from God but when we hope to enjoy our selves better in some other company some revenue or income of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or joy to the flesh expected and aim'd at in every extravagance or out-lying you cannot now chuse but acknowledge the propriety of the Physick which we have here before us the usefulness of the strokes or smitings for this recovery When a man is in the pursuit of a meer pleasurable object which he confesses to value for nothing else but that it is sweet to taste could he but discern or espy the whole sweetness and pleasurableness of it secretly let out or spilt upon the ground or evaporate before his eyes or but a scourge held over his head or a Vial of gall or wormwood imbibed that for every dram of pleasure shall give him a terrible proportion of bitterness at the present of instant pain and smart 't is not imaginable that any man in his senses should advance one step further in this pursuit the more sensual and carnal man he is the more he must abhor such marches as these which are so treacherous and malicious to the very flesh he that can satisfie himself with the empty name of sin though 〈◊〉 taste never so sowr or loathsome that will not in this case compremise and compound with innocence take purity on Christs terms rather than venture on present racks and torments had need be a sublime aereal spiritual sinner indeed like Lucifer himself who we know is all Spirit he must have nothing left of sense or flesh about him Were but the thousandth part of that Hell which expects the indulgent sinner in another world mixt in the very cup of his pleasurablest sin here the least present whip instead of all those future scorpions it would be almost impossible for the most magnanimous sinner to venture so deep for that empty honour the bare opinion or phansie or credit of having assaulted and rebelled against Heaven and gain'd nothing by it to pay so dear for that which is not bread hath nothing of substance or satisfaction in it And therefore this is the design of Gods rod his smitings his punishments to give us a little of that Hell before hand which our infidel senses apprehend nothing of as long as 't is future to help us to some disrelish to sin at the present to give us some part of its portion of the odiousness bitterness of it in the very mouth that we may not have any joy in chewing or swallowing down so abhorred a mixture which hath such a certain arrear of horror and bitternest in the stomach to rain down some fire and brimstone into our throats whensoever we are gaping after that forbidden Tree thus to discourage if not to allay our hâ—dropick thirst to incumber and trafâ— us in our violent furious marches to pluck off the wheels of our Egyptian chariots that they may drive more heavily that finding the most
riches of the coelestial paradise which like that other of Eden is the posing of Geographers pars globi incognita undiscovered yet to the worldlings heart Methinks there should be no hurt in that if such friends may be made of this Mammon of unrighteousness this falsehearted unfaithful wealth of yours that when you fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations sure this may be allowed to joyn with other motives to the performance of a well-tasted wholsom duty In a word if earth and heaven combined together be worth considering the possession of the one and reversion of the other abundance and affluence here the yearly wages of alms-giving and joys and eternity hereafter the final reward of alms-giving a present coronet and a future crown a Canaan below and a Jerusalem above if the conjunction of these two may have so much influence on your hearts as in contemplation of them to set you about the motion that nature it self inclines you to and neither world nor flesh have any manner of quarrel to feign against it then may I hope that I have not preach'd in vain that what I have now only as a precentor begun to you the whole chorus will answer in the counterpart what hath been now proclaimed to your ears be echoed back again by your hearts and lives and the veryest stone in the temple take up its part the hardest impenetrablest unmercifullest heart joyn in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this shall be the summ not only of my exhortation but my prayer That that God of mercies will open your eyes first and then your hearts to the acknowledgement and practice of this duty direct your hands in the husbanding that treasure intrusted to them that mercy being added to your zeal Charity to your devotion your goodness may shine as well as burn that men may see and taste your good works glorifie God for you here and you receive your crown of glory from God hereafter THE END XIX SERMONS PREACHED On Several Occasions BY THE REVEREND and LEARNED Henry Hammond D. D. How shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they Preach except they be sent Rom. x. 14 15. Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every creature St. Mark xvi 15 LONDON Printed for RICHARD ROYSTON Bookseller to the KING' 's most Sacred MAjESTY and Richard Davis Bookseller in OXFORD MDCLXXXIV A TABLE OF THE XIX SERMONS A Sermon on Ezek. 16.30 The work of an imperious Whorish Woman Page 561. A Sermon on Philip. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me p. 569. A Sermon on Prov. 1.22 How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity p. 575. A Sermon on Matth. 1.23 Immanuel which is by interpretation God with us p. 582. A Sermon on Luke 9.55 You know not what manner of spirit ye are of p. 588. A Sermon on Ezek. 18.31 For why will you die p. 595. A Sermon on Jer. 5.2 Though they say The Lord liveth surely they swear falsly p. 601. A Sermon on Luke 18.11 God I thank thee that I am not as other men c. p. 607. A Sermon on Matth. 3.3 Prepare ye the way of the Lord. p. 618. A Sermon on John 7.48 Have any of the Pharisees believed on him p. 625. A Sermon on Matth. 10.15 It shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrha c. p. 633. Two Sermons on Acts 17.30 And the times of this Ignorance God winked at c. p. 639 p. 646. A Sermon on Rom. 1.26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections p. 653. A Sermon on Gal. 6.15 But a new Creature p. 663. Two Sermons on 2 Peter 3.3 Scoffers walking after their own lusts p. 670 676. Two Sermons on 1 Tim. 1.15 Of whom I am chief p. 681 and p. 687. SERMON I. EZEK XVI 30 The Work of an imperious Whorish Woman NOT to chill your ears by keeping you long at the doors not to detain you one minute with a cold unprofitable Preface This Chapter is the exactest History of the Spiritual estate of the Jews i. e. The elect of God and the powerfullest exprobration of their sins that all the Writings under Heaven can present to our eyes From the first time I could think I understood any part of it I have been confident that never any thing was set down more rhetorically never more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more affection and sublimity of speech ever concurred in any one writing of this quantity either sacred or profane 'T were a work for the solidst Artist to observe distinctly every part of Logick and Rhetorick that lies concealed in this one Chapter and yet there is enough in the surface and outward dress of it to affect the meanest understanding that will but read it For our present purpose it will suffice to have observ'd 1. That the natural sinful estate of the Jews being premised in the five first Verses 2. The calling of them in this condition in their pollutions in their blood and bestowing all manner of spiritual ornaments upon them following in the next ten Verses the remainder is most what spent in the upbraiding and aggravating their sins to them in a most elevated strain of reproof and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or highest pitch of it is in the words of my Text The work of an imperious Whorish Woman For the handling of which words I first beg two postulata to be granted and supposed before my discourse because I would not trouble you to hear them proved I. That the elect chosen people of God the Jews were degenerate into heathen desperate devillish sinners II. That what is literally spoken in aggravation of the Jews sin is as fully applicable to any other sinful people with whom God hath entred Covenant as he did with the Jews And then the subject of my present discourse shall be this That Indulgence to sin in a Christian is the Work of an imperious Whorish Woman And that 1. Of a Woman noting a great deal of weakness and that not simple natural weakness through a privation of all strength but an acquired sluggish weakness by effeminate neglecting to make use of it 2. Of a Whore noting unfaithfulness and falseness to the Husband 3. Of an imperious Whore noting insolency and an high pitch of contempt And of these briefly and plainly not to increase your knowledge but to enliven and inflame the practical part of your souls not to inrich your brains with new store but to sink that which you have already down into your hearts And first of the first That Indulgence to sin in a Christian is the work of a Woman an effect and argument of an infinite deal of weakness together with the nature and grounds of that weakness The work c. And this very thing that it may be the more heeded is emphatically noted three several times in this one Verse 1. The work
fooling after Idols which was the Original of the Heathens being given up to vile affections Rom. i. for one that lives in a civil Countrey among people that have the faces and hearts of men and Christians made as it were to upbraid his ways and reprove his thoughts for one that is within the sound of Gods Law and Light of his Gospel by which he may edifie more than ever Heathen did by thunder and lightning for one that cannot chuse but fear and believe and love and hope in God in some measure or kind be he never so unregenerate for him I say that hath all these outward restraints and perhaps some inward twinges of Conscience to curb and moderate him to be yet so stupid under all these helps as never to be able to raise up one thought toward heaven to have yet not the least atome of Soul to move in the ways of godliness but to fall prostrate like a Carkass or a Statue or that Idol Dagon with his feet stricken off not able to stand before the slightest motion of sin or if a lust or a phansie or a devil be he the ugliest in Hell any thing but God appear to him presently to fall down and worship This is such a sottish condition such an either Lethargy or Consumption of the Soul such an extream degree of weakness that neither original sin that Serpent that despoiled Adam nor any one single Devil can be believed to have wrought in us but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Platonicks call it Apopular Government of sin under a multitude of Tyrants which have for so long a while wasted and harassed the Soul so that now it is quite crest-faln as that legion of Devils Mar. v. 3 which dwelt among the Tombs in a liveless cadaverous noisome Soul or more truly that evil spirit Mark i. 23 that made the man disclaim and renounce Christ and his mercies when he came to cure Let us alone what have we to do with thee by which is noted That contentedness and acquiescence in sin that even stubborn wilfulness and resolvedness to die that a long sluggish custom in sin will bring us to and that you may resolve on as the main discernable cause of this weakness of the heart a habit and long service and drudgery in sin But then as a ground of that you may take notice of another a phancy that hath crept into most mens hearts and suffers them not to think of resisting any temptation to sin that all their actions as well evil as good were long ago determined and set down by God and now nothing left to them but a necessity of performing what was then determined I would fain believe that that old heresie of the Stoicks revived indeed among the Turks concerning the inevitable production of all things that fatal necessity even of sins should yet never have gotten any footing or entertainment among Christians but that by a little experience in the practice of the world I find it among many a main piece of their faith and the only point that can yield them any comfort that their sins be they never so many and outragious are but the effects or at least the consequents of Gods decree that all their care and sollicitude and most wary endeavours could not have cut off any one sin from the Catalogue that unless God be pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come down upon the Stage by the irresistable power of his constraining spirit as with a Thunderbolt from Heaven to shake and shiver to pieces the carnal man within them to strike them into a swoon as he did Saul that so he may convert them and in a word to force and ravish them to Heaven unless he will even drive and carry them they are never likely to be able to stir to perform any the least work of reason but fall minutely into the most irrational unnatural sins in the world nay even into the bottom of that pit of Hell without any stop or delay or power of deliberating in this their precipice This is an heresie that in some Philosopher-Christians hath sprouted above ground hath shewed it self in their brains and tongues and that more openly in some bolder Wits but the Seeds of it are sown thick in most of our hearts I sear in every habitual sinner amongst us if we were but at leisure to look into our selves The Lord give us a heart to be forewarned in this behalf To return into the rode Our natural inclinations and propensions to sin are no doubt active and prurient enough within us somewhat of Jehu's constitution and temper they drive very furiously But then to perswade our selves that there is no means on earth besides the very hand of God and that out of our reach able to trash or overslow this furious driver that all the ordinary clogs that God hath provided us our reason and natural conscience as Men our Knowledge as Christians nay his restraining though not sanctifying graces together with the Lungs and Bowels of his Ministers and that energetical powerful instrument the Gospel of Christ Which is the power of God unto salvation even to every Jew nay and Heathen Rom. 1. To resolve that all these are not able to keep us in any compass to quell any the least sin we are inclined to that unless God will by force make Saints of us we must needs presently be Devils and so leave all to Gods omnipotent working and never make use of those powers with which he hath already furnished us This is a monstrous piece of unchristian divinity a way by advancing the Grâ—â—e of God to destroy it and by depending on the Holy Ghost to grieve if not to sin against him to make the corruption of our nature equal to nay surpassing the punishment of the Devils a necessary and irreversible obduration in all kinds and measures of sin This one practical Heresie will bring us through all the prodigies of the old Philosophical Sects from Stoicks to Epicurism and all sensual Libertinism and from thence to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Pythagoreans For unless the soul that is now in one of us had been transplanted from a Swine or some other the most stupid sottish degenerous sort of Beasts it is impossible that it should thus naturally and necessarily and perpetually and irrecoverably delight and wallow in every kind of sensuality without any check or contradiction either of Reason or Christianity If I should tell you that none of you that hath understood and pondered the Will of God wants abilities in some measure to perform it if he would muster up all his forces at time of need that every Christian hath grace enough to smother lusts in the Womb and keep them at least from bringing forth to quell a temptation before it break out into an actual sin you would think perhaps that I flattered you and deceived my self in too good an opinion of your
that piercing Sun every atoâ—e of that flaming Sword as the word is phrased shall not though it be rebated vanish the day of Vengeance shall instruct your Souls that it was sent from God and since it was once refused hath been kept in store not to upbraid but damn you Many other petty occasions the Spirit ordinarily takes to put off the Cloud and open his Face toward us nay it were not a groundless doubt whether he do not always shine and the cloud be only in our hearts which makes us think the Sun is gone down or quite extinct if at any time we feel not his rays within us Beloved there be many things amongst us that single fire can do nothing upon they are of such a stubborn frozen nature there must be some material thing for the fire to consist in a sharp iron red hot that may bore as well as burn or else there is small hopes of conquering them Many men are so hardned and congealed in sin that the ordinary beam of the Spirit cannot hope to melt them the fire must come consubstantiate with some solid instrument some sound corpulent piercing judgment or else it will be very unlikely to thrive True it is the Spirit is an omnipotent Agent which can so invisibly infuse and insinuate its virtue through the inward man that the whole most enraged adversary shall presently fall to the earth Act. ix the whole carnal man lie prostrate and the sinner be without delay converted and this is a Miracle which I desire from my heart might be presently shewed upon every Soul here present But that which is to my present purpose is only this That God hath also other manners and ways of working which are truly to be said to have descended from Heaven though they are not so successful as to bring us thither other more calm and less boysterous influences which if they were received into an honest heart might prove semen immortalitatis and in time encrease and grow up to immortality There is no such encumbrance to trash us in our Christian Progress as a phansie that some men get possessed with that if they are elected they shall be called and saved in spight of their teeth every man expecting an extraordinary call because Saul met with one and perhaps running the more fiercely because Saul was then called when he was most violent in his full speed of malice against Christians In this behalf all that I desire of you is First to consider that though our regeneration be a miracle yet there are degrees of miracles and thou hast no reason to expect that the greatest and strongest miracle in the world shall in the highest degree be shewed in thy Salvation Who art thou that Gâ—â— should take such extraordinary pains with thee Secondly To resolve that many precious rays and beams of the Spirit though when they enter they come with power yet through our neglect may prove transitory pass by that heart which is not open for them And then thirdly You will easily be convinced that no duty concerns us all so strictly as to observe as near as we can when thus the Spirit appears to us to collect and muster up the most lively quick-sighted sprightfullest of our faculties and with all the perspectives that spiritual Opticks can furnish us with to lay wait for every glance and glimpse of its fire or light We have ways in nature to apprehend the beams of the Sun be they never so weak and languishing and by uniting them into a Burning-Glass to turn them into a fire Oh that we were as witty and sagacious in our spiritual estate then it were easie for those sparks which we so often either contemn or stifle to thrive within us and at least break forth into a flame In brief Incogitancy and inobservance of Gods seasons supine numbness and negligence in spiritual affairs may on good grounds be resolved on as the main or sole cause of our final impenitence and condemnation it being just with God to take those away in a sleep who thus walked in a dream and at last to refuse them whom he hath so long sollicited He that hath scorned or wasted his inheritance cannot complain if he dies a bankrupt nor he that hath spent his candle at play count it hard usage that he is fain to go to bed darkling It were easie to multiply arguments on this theme and from every minute of our lives to discern some pawn and evidence of Gods fatherly will and desire that we should live Let it suffice that we have been large if not abundant in these three chief ones First The giving of his Son to the World Secondly Dispatching the Gospel to the Gentiles And lastly The sending of his Spirit We come now to a view of the opposite trenches which lie pitched at the Gates of Hell obstinate and peremptory to besiege and take it Mans resolvedness and wilfulness to die my second part Why will you die There is no one conceit that engages us so deep to continue in sin that keeps us from repentance and hinders any seasonable Reformation of our wicked lives as a perswasion that God's will is a cause of all events Though we are not so blasphemous as to venture to define God the Author of sin yet we are generally inclined for a phansie that because all things depend on God's decree whatsoever we have done could not be otherwise all our care could not have cut off one sin from the Catalogue And so being resolved that when we thus sinned we could not chuse we can scarce tell how to repent for such necessary fatal misdemeanors the same excuses which we have for having sinned formerly we have for continuing still and so are generally better prepared for Apologies than Reformation Beloved it will certainly much conduce to our edification instead of this speculation whose grounds or truth I will not now examine to fix this practical theorem in our hearts that the will of man is the principal cause of all our evil that death either as it is the punishment of sin eternal death or as it is the sin it self a privation of the life of grace spiritual death is wholly to be imputed to our wilful will It is a Probleme in Aristotle why some Creatures are longer in conceiving bringing forth than others and the sensiblest reason he gives for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hardness of the Womb which is like dry earth that will not presently give any nourishment to either seed or plant and so is it in the spiritual conception and production of Christ that is of life in us The hardness and toughness of the heart the womb where he is to be born that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dry Earth in the Philosophers or that way-side or at best stony ground in Christ's phrase is the only stop and delay in begetting of life within us the only cause of either barrenness or hard
coals of fire which hath a vehement flame She had before often lost her beloved which made her so fiercely fasten on him for having roused him ruit in amplexus she rusht into his embraces she held him and would not let him go Thus you see the jealousie and eagerness of love produc'd by either a former loss or present more than ordinary want of the object both which how pertinent they are to the regenerate man either observing his past sins or instant temptations this Discourse hath already made manifest The Vse of this Thesis to wit that the greatness of ones sins makes the regenerate man apply himself more fiercely to Christ is first by way of caution that we mistake not a motive for an efficient an impulsive for a principal cause For where we say It makes him apply himself c. we mean not that the encrease of sin produces faith formally but only inciteth to believe by way of instruction by shewing us what distress we are in and consequently in what a necessity of a deliverer The meditation of our sinful courses may disclose our misery not redress it may explore not mend a Sinner like a touchstone to try not any way to alter him It is the controuling spirit which must effectually renew our spirits and lead us to the Christ which our sins told us we had need of The sense of sin may rouze the Soul but it is the spirit of God that lays the toils the feeling of our guilt may beat the Waters but it is the great Fisher of our Souls which spreads the Net which entraps us as we are in our way to Hell and leads us captive to salvation The mere gripings of our Conscience being not produced by any Pharmacon of the spirit but by some distemper arising from sin what anxiety doth it cause within us What pangs and twinges to the Soul O Lord do thou regenerate us and then thy holy spirit shall sanctifie even our sins unto our good and if thy grace may lead us our sins shall pursue and drive us unto Christ Secondly By way of character how to distinguish a true convert from a false A man which from an inveterate desperate malady shall meet with a miraculous unexpected cure will naturally have some art of expression above an ordinary joy you shall see him in an ecstasie of thanksgiving and exultancy whilst another which was never in that distress quietly enjoys the same health and gives thanks softly by himself to his preserver So is it in the distresses of the Soul which if they have been excessive and almost beyond hope of recovery as the miracle must so will the expression of this deliverance be somewhat extraordinary The Soul which from a good moral or less sinful natural estate is magis immutata quam genita rather chang'd than regenerate into a spiritual goes through this business without any great noise the spirit entring into it in a still small voice or at a breathing but when a robustous obdurate Sinner shall be rather apprehended than called when the Sea shall be commanded to give up his ship-wrack't and the Sepulchre to restore her dead the Soul surely which thus escapeth shall not be content with a mean expression but will practise all the Hallelujahs and Magnificats which the triumphant Liturgies of the Saints can afford it Wherefore I say if any one out of a full violent course of sinning conceive himself converted and regenerated let him examine what a degree of spiritual exultancy he hath attained to and if he find it but mean and flight and perfunctory let him somewhat suspect that he may the more confirm the evidence of his calling Now this spiritual exultancy of the regenerate consists both in a solemn humiliation of himself and a spiritual rejoycing in God his Saviour both exprest in Maries Magnificat where she specifies in the midst of her joy the lowliness of his handmaid and in S. Pauls victory-song over Death So that if the conversion of an inordinate Sinner be not accompanied with unwonted joy and sorrow with a godly sense of his past distress and a godly triumph for his delivery if it be not followed with a violent eagerness to fasten on Christ finally if there be not somewhat above ordinary in the expression then I counsel not to distrust but fear that is with a sollicitous not suspicious trembling to labour to make thy calling and election sure to pray to that Holy Spirit to strike our hearts with a measure of holy joy and holy sorrow some way proportionable to the size of those sins which in our unregeneracy reigned in us and for those of us whom our sins have separated far from him but his grace hath called home to him that he will not suffer us to be content with a distance but draw us close unto himself make us press toward the mark and fasten our selves on that Saviour which hath redeemed us from the body and guilt of this so great death The third Vse is of comfort and confirmation to some tender Souls who are incorporate into Christ yet finding not in themselves that excessive measure of humiliation which they observe in others suspect their own state and infinitely grieve that they can grieve no more Whereas this Doctrine being observed will be an allay to their sorrow and wipe some unnecessary tears from their Eyes For if the greatness of sin past or the plentiful relicks of sin remaining do require so great a measure of sorrow to expiate the one and subdue the other if it be a deliverance from an habituate servitude to all manner of sin which provokes this extraordinary pains of expression then certainly they who have been brought up with the spirit which were from their baptism never wholly deprived of it need not to be bound over to this trade of sorrow need not to be set apart to that perpetual humiliation which a more stubborn sin or Devil is wont to be cast out by I doubt not but a soul educated in familiarity with the spirit may at once enjoy her self and it and so that if it have an humble conceit of it self and a filial of God may in Earth possess God with some clearness of look some serenity of affections some alacrity of heart and tranquillity of spirit God delights not in the torment of his children though some are so to be humbled yea he delights not in such burnt-offerings as they bestow upon him who destroy and consume and sacrifice themselves but the Lords delight is in them that fear him filially and put their trust i. e. assurance confidence in his mercy in them that rejoice that make their service a pleasure not an affliction and thereby possess Heaven before they come to it 'T is observed in husbandry that soyl laid on hard barren starved ground doth improve it and at once deface and enrich it which yet in ground naturally fruitful and kept in heart and good case