them and aswell by his owne as by this his King of Heralds voyce and by his Sonne the wisest type of Wisedome calls to these wandring wretches Forsake your way yee foolish and you shall liue and walke in the way of vnderstanding Now of this Psalme where our happy estate is excellently described and the way to it plainely poynted out to vs it is fit to consider aswell the Authour as the matter The Authour is either principall or subordinate our head Iesus Christ who by his Spirit indited it and the Prophet David whom he vsed as his Secretary or hand to write it The scope as of all other Scripture is to be a lampe vnto our feete and a light vnto our paths and as the very finger of God to point out the new and dangerous but intising way to misery and the old and safe way which leads to happinesse The method or order is this First our Guide shewes us a farre off a generall confused view of blessednes the end of all our travell then points out the left-hand way which to an unwary eye seemes faire and likely and warnes us to take heed of it which more perfectly he describes by the severall periods of it These are three 1. walking in the counsell of the ungodly 2. standing in the way of sinners 3. sitting in the seate of the scornefull All this in the first verse Secondly he sets out the true way to happines which seemes the farthest about but is the neerest homeâ— and our severall journies in it which are but two first delighting secondly meditating in Gods word which is amplified from the time day and night And this is contained in the second verse Thirdly in the next place he more distinctly and severally discovers this happinesse that so he may winne us to it First by a most familiar and elegant similitude of a tree 1. planted 2. watered 3. fruitfull 4. flourishing then by a part of it namely prosperity This in the 3 verse Fourthly hâ— displayes the woefull estate of those who goe the other way first negatiuely They are not so not blessed not planted not watered not fruitfull not flourishing they prosper not Againe affirmatiuely by a comparison they are as chaffe blowne away with the wind and therefore shall be separated from the wheat and burnt with fire This is deliverâ—d in the 4 and 5 vâ—rses Lastly in the sixt he giues an infallible reason of all he speakes namely the providence of God over-looking and disposing both Now as a Guide who undertakes onely to bring us in the right way to our journies end in our passage will beguile the way with some discourse or name to us the Townes Castles Rivers c. by which we passe So this holy Saint leading us forward entertaines the way with much profitable matter pointing out though obscurely old Babilon and new Ierusalem the false and true Church with their lawes and manners Having thus prepared the way let us now enter upon it and in the first wee 'l obserue the Guide himselfe from whom we gather this proposition The Prophet David and in him the holy Ghost is the Author of this Psalme And that we may profit the more by this Teacher let us consider how he is qualified for this office wise Princes if they cannot make men fit for any place will chuse such as are already made to their hand But the Lords election prepares and enables his servants for any calling in his Church Let us then behold him either in his spirituall or temporall estate First God tooke him the youngest of many brethren from following the sheepe and made him a Shepheard of men King over his onely people the house of Israell and so filled his heart with wisedome valour and other gifts necessary for government that never any Prince joyntly in them all was more or indeed equally renowned He blessed his raigne with many famous victories was with him wheresoever he went cut off all his enemies and made him a great name like the name of the great men which are on the earth Secondly his spirituall estate may be considered either in his publike office as he was a Prophet a man of God none more famous among the Prophets or in his private disposition a man after Gods owne heart propounded as a patterne especially to Princes whence it is that all his successours are either condemned for not following him or commended for treading in his footsteps For confirmation of this Proposition it is evident that the Holy Ghost is the prime Author of the Booke of Psalmes For all Scripture is inspired and holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Moreover our Saviour reckons the Psalmes with Moses the Prophets as holy Scripture and David by Christ is entituled to this Booke and the Scripture giues evident witnesse of the Spirit speaking by him The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me and his word was in my tongue It will not be vnprofitable to lay downe some reasons or grounds of this action aswell in God the principall as in David the subordinate Author The cause then why God writes and writes in this kinde by songs and why he employes David as his hand are either in himselfe in vs or in this holy Prophâ—t In himselfe his gracious will and wisedome He reveales and conceales these things because it so pleaseth him See also Exod. 33. 13. 17. and Numb 12. 6 7 8. In vs whom he teacheth there are some occasions as 1. our difficulty in learning especially things spirituall 2. our naturall delight in Musicke 3. A certaine aptnesse in numbers to convey to our mindes and settle in our memories these profitablelessons The reasons why he vseth David in this imployment may be 1. the gift of Musicke in which he excelled 2. the sanctifying gifts of Gods Spirit which afforded ditties to his notes and by expressing his holy affections filled others on all oâ—casions to lay open and poure out their hearts to God in prayer In Dauid the cause of writing may be 1. his Faith I beleeved therfore I spake 2. his loue desiring to draw others on to that happinesse which himselfe had found Ioyne these together and we shall find a good ground of this action We are vnapt to learne there is an aptnesse in this kind of teaching to sinke easier and deeper into our mindes God knowes in his wisedome what is best for vs and his loue will effect it therefore having-fitted David with this qualitie of holy Musicke he stirres vp his heart to vtter by faith what he had learned and by loue to draw on our lagging affections to the like gracious practise Now beâ—ause the Word of God whether written or preached is given for our vse and profit for teaching confuting trying comforting and exhorting that by applying it partly to our vnderstanding we might grow in light and be better informed in
these wicked spirits in this heavenly tillage to make thee a fruitlesse and so an accursed ground How lamentable were the estate of a Towne halfe affamished and round beleagred with a strong enemy who kept them from all succour that they might see even at their gates store of corne sent by their friends but no entrance for it by reason of the enemy This is their condition The food of eternall life is sent by Christ brought by his messengers stands ready at the eare to enter but the devill barres the gate and turnes it from them In respect of God the danger is yet greater for he hath protested to yeeld us the like measure as we shall see more largely hereafter if we suffer him thus to goe after us intreating us to turne and be reconciled and we are carelesse the tide shall change when we shall as earnestly cry and howle for mercy and he will laugh at our destruction see his word Prov. 1. 24 26 28. and the deed answering it Zach. 7. 12 13. Exhortation Let us therefore shake out this spirituall drowsinesse wake our eares and watch them to keepe them waking let this thought be ever in thy heart to hold them open I see indeed a man but I heare the Lord the voice is mans but the word is Gods whether I consider the power and authoritie or the loue of the speaker or matter of the speech necessity of attention lies upon my soule He is my soveraigne Lord in whose hand is my life and death temporall and eternall his loue wonderfull passing the loue of all creatures passing knowledge the subject of his speech is my happinesse laying downe plainely before mine eyes the way of my eternall life and should I neglect such a speech and such a speaker Thus when we haue provoked our hearts to this dutie let us inquire the meanes enabling us to performe it and constantly practise them Meanes 1. Labour to emptie thy heart and to cast out the ignorant conceit of knowledge he feedes the hungry Away with that proud opinion of goodnesse and abilitie 2. Consider the necessitie and the nature of the word purposely sent to supply it being the wisedome and power of God to saluation Verse I. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seate of the scornfull The body of this Psalme hath these two especiall members 1. The double estate of man 2. The cause of it both which the Holy Ghost propounds as the strongest incentiues to godlinesse The first is as a cord of loue to draw the second as a whip to driue us The estate of man is either blessed and happy or cursed and miserable The blessed described first more confusedly and generally in that word Blessed or as in the Hebrew blessednesses where thus God reasons with us Thou desirest to be blessed all thy actions all thy wishes tend to this issue but loe yonder is true blessednes and I am here ready to be thy Guide and haue to this end lent thee my word to be a lampe to thy feete and a light to thy pathes up then follow me and I will certainely bring thee to all thy wishes Secondly he points out the way to attaine it and first that which must be left and forsaken which is three fold 1. the counsell of the ungodly 2. standing with sinners 3. sitting with the scornefull Then he sets out the path which we must take and walke in namely the Word this we doe as well by delighting as meditating in it these are the two feete which carry us in the way to happinesse and this meditation amplified by the time day and night so thus God pleads with us would'st thou goe in the strait way to happinesse the shortest cut nay the onely tract is by holinesse take heed therefore of those three left-hand paths thou shalt see ungodly men walke in evill counsell obstinate sinners stand in perverse wayes mockers sit downe in the chaire of scorning all these may seeme to flesh and bloud faire and likely but take thou heed turne aside and enter not into them and know that they lead thee through vanity to destruction but loe there lies directly before thee a narrow path of meditating and delighting in the word of God set in thy foot here take this strait way and it shall certainly bring thee to thy desired ends and know howsoever it seemes at first hard and much about thou shalt finde it pleasant and the neerest way to thy home Thirdly this happy condition of man is more particularly set out to the view and clearely revealed unto us 1. by a most elegant similitude of a tree 1. planted 2 watered 3. fruitfull 4. ever flourishing 2. by some part of it namely Prosperitie where thus againe our Guide confers with us Lift up thine eyes now and behold right before thee the joy of life the crown of thy labours the haven of all thy desires see how directly this path leads thee to the true vine Christ Iesus and grafts thee in him in whom onely thou art blessed with all spirituall blessings behold how these waters of the Sanctuary flowing from the well of life fill thee with fruit and sustaine thee in a most flourishing estate consider from the time thou hast constantly set thy foote in this way I will blesse thee and make aâ—l thy wayes to prosper In the next place the cursed state of man is laid downe 1. negatiuely not so the wicked that is not blessed but cursed not planted but wilde not watered but parched not fruitfull but barren not â—lourishing but withering and blasted not prospering but confounded 2. positiuely 1. by a comparison of chaffe driven by the winde 2. by a double consequent they cannot stand in the day of judgement nor in the congregation of the just Lastly he shewes the cause of bothâ— namely the Providence of God over-looking and over-ruling all creatures where yet further we may heare our gracious God instructing us Looke yonder and view well the issue and end of these men which take the other way â—â—e further they goe the further they wander from that which they seeke they are in a very wildernes wilde dry and barren see there how they are stubbed up and cast into the fire how sodainly are they destroyed perished horribly consumed Know then the pathes of men are directed by the Lord waite thou therefore on the Lord and keepe his way and hee shall exalt thee and thou shalt inherit the Land when the wicked men shall perish thou shalt see it Now in this first verse obserue 1. the way 2. those that goe in it 3. their proceedings or journies every one of these expressed in three severall degrees In the way marke 1. the entrance counsell 2. the continuance or progresse the habituall practise of sin more specially here called the way 3. the uttermost extent
sweetnes of present gaine for future promises a certainetie for an vncertaintie oâ— a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush With the drunkard he will plead wilt thou change thy merrie companie for such a sowre and joylesse life with the beginning Christian seest thou not all men generally goe another way seest thou not how many reproches what spight what contempt will meete thee in the face If thou takest that way never looke for good houre after all thy former credit and reputation is lost How many silly soules hath he strooke with these affrightings and drawen them head-long from their profession But if we laugh at those that are scared with a vizard how ridiculous to be amazed with such emptie shewes of evill Awake and open thine eyes and see the vanitie of these scar-crowes Thou loosest the pleasures of sinne true and is it not a pittifull thing for a swine to loose his tumbling in the mire Thou loosest thy sinfull profits and is this so woefull a matter to loose a milstone off thy necke when thou art now in a deep water Thou loosest thy credit friends no doubt a shrewd losse to misse his good word who is himself stark naught to lose a coÌ„panion who will bring us to the gallowes summe up thy losse thou shalt finde this is the totall thou loosest death and hell but what dost thou get nothing by this losse thou changest fading and stinking pleasures for the pleasuâ—es at Gods right hand thou changest earthly riches for heavenly reputation among men for the praise of God In a word thou changest vanitie and vexation of spiâ—it for sound and everlasting happinesse and even dung for Christ hee that winnes the whole world and looseth his owne soule makes but a fooles baâ—gaine and as Deborah sings Iudg. 5. 19. get no gaine of money If you tell a true Christian that he hath a great losse in forsaking Father Mother c. he will but pitty thy ignorance when he hath already in possession an hundred fold gaine beside the certaintie of an inheritance infinitely beyond his owne thought excellent Here may divers Christians take good occasion to chide and shame themselues in their own hearts when they looke upon their sloathfulnesse in the harvest of Christ Haue we felt the sweetnesse of Christ his yoke Haue we shaken off those not more heavy then loathsome chaines of Satan doe wee feele the ease of this heavenly libertie why then doe we not call on others and invite them Tast and see how gracious the Lord is When Christ hath taken us by the hand why doe wee not catch hold on others such especially as are neere us when hee draweth us why dâ—aw not wee those that are linked with us in kindâ—ed friendship acquaintance and pull them after Though the labourers reape and binde the sheaues yet even children gleane and gather some handfuls to carry home The Minister is the workman hiâ—â—d by God to gather in his harvest but the very weakest may by his helpe who delights to glorifie his power in infirmitie and ought in private to helpe forward and picke up some â—ooâ—e and straggling soules as God giues them opportunâ—tiâ—â— is he a faithfull servant to the Lord of the harvest who seeing a poore soule separated from the sheaues the Church of God lying as a prey to that Fowle of the ayre will not stretch forth his hand to take it up and bring it home Hath he any charitie who suffers a weake soule bound many yeares in the prison of Satan and pressed under the burden of sin to lie still kept downe with that hellish waight and puts not to his hand to raise it should'st thou see thine enemies oxe straying wouldst thou not driue him home Sawest thou thine enemies Asse fallen under his load would'st thou not heâ—pe him up if thou hast loue to man thou wilt if obedience to God thou must lend him thy helpe And what shall the beast of thine enemie be more precious in thine eye then the soule of thy brother Oh canst thou thinke thy best endevours too much for that for which thy Master the Wisedome of God thought not his best bloud too good Where is thy loue What I pray thee what can be the reason why thou a parent shouâ—d'st beat thy braines toile thy weary and wâ—ake body to inrich thy children traine them up in some serviceable qualities prefer them to great bountifull persons and yet bee altogether carelesse oâ— very cold to stocke them in grace to bring them up in instruction of the Lord fit and commend them to his service who is not onely ready to accept them but to giue them not a corruptible living but eternall life not a poore farme but a rich inheritance to instate them with himselfe in a Kingdome of glory What is the cause that being a Husband who from deare loue to thy wife canst purhase her a joynter whereby shee may liue comfortably when thou art dead canst not draw on thy yoke-fellow to this partnership with Christ Why is it that out of loue to thy brethren allies friends and acquaintance in the flesh thou canst cheerefully shew them all civill curtesies ride runne sue and worke out some good for them mourne with them in their sorrow rejoyce with them in their prosperitie and yet thou on earth worse then Dives in hell wilt never labour to prevent that they come not to that place of eternall torment The truth is the cause of this spirituall carelesnesse is want of spiritual loue and grace Christian loue expresses it selfe in Christian duties as naturall loue in civill offices had'st thou so much as one graine of heavenly loue rooted in thy heart it would spring bud and yeelde this true fruit of doing some good It is a propertie of goodnesse to bee communicatiue of it selfe which effect is as naturall to it as to fire to warme therefore God being infinite Goodnes and working infinitely communicates himselfe even personally to his creature namely to the humanitie of Christ and hath by him united all the Elect to himselfe to bee one with him through Christ. Thus is it with those children whom he hath begotten through the word of truth in his owne likenesse they being partakers of his divine naâ—ure cannot but communicate it with others so farre as they are able to work and diffuse it abroad to those with whom they converse as we heard before There is no signe then of grace in that heart which doth not pitty succour as it is able the soules of their brethren which are intangled in the snare of Satan Those are here deepely censured who stop their cares against the warning of God Come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lord as first those wilfully blind soules who having devoted themselues to that whore of Rome will not open their eyes to see her filthy nakednesse so plainely discovered by God in
to despise the wisdome of the poore Though the wisdome of God hath openly testified The poore which walketh in his uprightnes is a better man then the rich which peruerteth his way yet will not men beleeve it For the better man ought to haue more respect we finde it by experience too true that friends and Brethren reiect thâ— poore be they never so instant with them so gâ—nerall is it that he ascribes it to all what the cause of this contempt is God himselfe telleth us The sinner despiseth his neighbour but he that hath mercy on the poore is blessed where despising and shewing mercy being opposed by God teacheth us that when wee withdraw our hand from doing them good or oppresse them then we despise them and this despising is not onely sinfull but rises from grosse customary sin so that when we are hardned in rebellion then we proceed to despise the poore and God in him But oh thou vaine man thou proud earth art not thou the same clay of the same potter and who hath separated thee who makes rich and poore How presumest thou to despise the worke of God being thy selfe the worke of his hands Looke to thy beginning and ending and spie out if thou canst any difference betwixt thee and the poorest Art thou not servant to the same Lord wearest thou not the same livery of skin and flesh dost thou not sleepe in the same dust and nakednesse wa st thou borne with lands treasure or scepters in thy hand what difference in the graue betweene thy mace and his mattocke Oh if thou hast so much light looke a little into thy heart and see there a farre more miserable and desperate povertie How poore is thy understanding in spirituall light and treasures of knowledge how poore thy heart in bowels of mercie how needie art thou in faith loue and those heavenly riches Thou which art beggerly in the true canst thou despise the want of wicked riches Hast thou not received all from God Art thou not his debtour why boastest thou of thy debts of that of which thou art onely a Steward and accountable to thy Master Certainly as that earth which is replenished with precious mettals is altogether in the superficies barren and unfruitfull so is it with â—arthly men who when they are swolne up with this worldly wealth are most miserable beggers in the true and durable riches insomuch that the Truth himselfe hath spoken it a Camell shall as soone be drawne through the eye of a needle as those men into the Kingdome of God Boldly I dare aâ—firme it that he hath never felt his inward miserie who despiseth outward povertie Againe consider how contemptuously other workes of God are used by most men for to omit many that worke of his mercy in having patience with us and forbearing us how is it despised how scornfully abused May we not say to thousands with the Apostle thou despisest the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long-suffering doe we not see with our eyes the complaint of Salomon verified among us because sentence against an evill worke is not speedily executed therefore the heart of men is fully set in them to doe evill Nay certainely so profane is the heart and so full of cursed Atheisme that when the Lord holds his tongue men begin to thinke that God is like to themselues But surely in nothing more palpably appeares our contempt of God in his workes then in the open wilfull even despitefull breach of the Sabbath so often and nâ—ver enough reproved For first it is a day consecrated and set out by God as holy for remembrance of those two greatest workes of Gods power wisedome and goodnesse towards us namely the Creation and Redemption Againe it selfe is one of those workes of God which especially manifesteth his grace towards us and is one of his loue-tokens in that he hath set out this day as a signe a working and eâ—fectuall signe whereby we in â—anctifying it to him shall finde and feele he is our God who sanctifies us to himselfe Besides in setting downe that precept he hath particularly hedged in our transgressing nature provoking us by many strong motiues to obserue itâ— laying forth meanes to helpe us tying a threed of remembrance about our hearts that wee might bee wholy without excuse so that whosoever with care reads it he cannot but see that the Lord more presseth that commandement and inforceth it upon our conscience then all the rest as being the meanes whereby hee writeth all the rest in our hearts Doe but now behold the practise of men and not to mention the Papists who holding not the head Christ Iesus regard not his day but abuse it maintain the abuse to any journey or other affaires but deifying the Saints most superstitiously obserue dayes by the Pope dedicated to their service lâ—t us look unto our selues Are not Ministers charged nay fearfully adjured to preach the word to be instant in season out of season yet how many despise the very season of sowing that precious and immortall seede As great a charge is given to the people for hearing and as great and more is their neglect and contempt openly proclaimed by them as well by their spending some of those few houres of Gods publike worshippe in their owne workes abroad in the field or at home in their beds by their fires c. as also by an impudent avouching and defending their sinne scorning all reproofe and deriding the reprover Nay even some that are called and reputed honest men and boast themselues to bee good keepers of their Church make no conscience to mispend the rest of the Sabboth in any vaine or idle employment taking liberty to dash out any instruction they haue received with ordinary nay many times unlawfull and at any time sinfull recreations Whence can this behaviour proceede but from a notorious contempt of God from a grounded Atheism and wilfull unbeliefe of heart And what Art thou indeed stronger then God Dost thou provoke him to anger and dost thou not provoke thy selfe to confusion of face Oh! know and remember God is not mocked and when hee denounceth so frequently unto thee for this sinne destruction of body and soule he mockes thee not Thine owne reason will teach thee as thou sowest so shalt thou reape if thou sowest the wind thou shalt reape the whirlwinde if thou sowest contempt thou shalt reape derision with the scorner hee scorneth 2. Mocking God in his Saints must here bee reproved the most common sinne of this Age. Everie abject scornes Christ in his members and indeede despiseth not so much the person as holinesse in the person Holinesse without all question is that Attribute of God in which he most excells and delights the very beautie of the Lord. Here wee admire his power grace mercy but in heaven the Saints and glorious Angels beholding his face
wayes of men what multitudes tread in this path How common yet is the blasphemy of ignorant and and wilfully blind people who never blush to thinke and speake it openly that it was never a good world since there was so much preaching that when there was lesse preaching then was more doing nay even the greater ones although their knowledg and shame of men makes them abstaine from blasphemies so grosse and senselesse yet they regard it in their hearts as little as the other for they are ready to laugh at those who in confidence of Gods truth take this course to prosper and themselues despising this meane appointed and blessed by God as altogether un-effectuall betake themselues to contrary practise by wicked policies bribes fraud oppression such indirect and ungodly meanes to attaine their ends and prosper in their designes They shame the counsell of the poore because the Lord is his refuge Doe not many learned in the Ministerie despising the frequencie of preaching neglect it in their owne practise condemne it in others And can any of these from his heart beleeue this truth so palpably delivered by the Spirit in this place that the man is blessed who day and night meditates with delight in the word of God Now as Popish ignorance in the understanding and heathenish profanenesse in the heart are the cause of the former see that example of the Israelits Ier. 44. 17. 18. so carnall securitie and wordly wisedome joyned with much contempt of the wisedome of God is the roote of the other Verily even hypocrites yea grosse and palpable hypocrites such as Herod who as a Fox casts out stinke before him and may be found and traced by his smell even such can heare the word come to it frequently sit attentiuely and by continuance in hearing haue their braine and understanding printed with the forme of that hâ—ly doctrine nay they can invite others to heare and call them on to this dutie see Mark .6 20. Rom. 2.20 Ezek. 33. 30. 31. Such therefore as these are farther off from the Kingdome of God then the grossest hypocrite But the truth is that the fault why the world is so naught is in the hearts of this people resisting the word and shutting it out not in the good word which soone would make them good if they would as well obey as heare it Howsoever these ignorants speake by rote of things they know not for had they knowne the former times and could compare them with these present in no sence could they prefer those times before these but it is with these men as with unhappy boyes which excuse their loiteâ—â—ng and trouâ—ntly disposition in learning by the unskilfulnes or some such thing in their Teacher 2. That superstitious custome is here taxed even that heathenish folly of laying our successe either good or bad upon fortune deâ—tinie this mans spite that mans loue wisedome curtesie valour Christians ought not onely to know that the providence of God over-seeth and over-ruleth all things so that a spâ—rrow or haire of our heads cannot fall to the ground without him but to remember it continuallyâ— and so to speake of his providâ—nce and of all actions directed and governed by it as he may haue glory This is a grosse taking of Gods name in vaine to ascribe any worke done by him to the creature and even giving away his glory to man or to an Idol of our owne devising when therefore we see successe goe along with us in our affaires we must looke up to his hand and into our owne hearts now in us wee can find no ground of this or any other mercy in God therefore we may see his grace that free loue without any desert nay beyond and contrary to our desâ—rving and so not onely as Iacob acknowledge I am lesse then the least of thy mercies and with David What am I that thou sâ—ouldest bring mee hitherto but with the Prophet it is thy mercy that wee are not consumed Oh in those wonderfâ—ll and most gracious deliverances of this Kingdome from the cruell invasion of forraine â—nemies in 88 and hellish conspiracies of domesticke and natiue Traitors beheading maiming the whol body with one blow how haue we admired and extolled the wisdome valour of some men how little thought or spoken of Gods mercy how slightly regarded the strong God of our Salvation Alas men are so farre from this Christian practise that they haue nothing almost in their mouthes but fortune sometimes they prayse sometimes they detest and curse their fortune which either they conceiue to be a chance without the providence of God and so set up an Idol in their hearts and are worse then heathen or else to bee that hidden providence of the Lord working beyond their power of discerning and then who sees not how fearefully they blaspheme and how farre they are from any shew of Christianitie 3. Yea also many of the faithfull are here to consider and reproue their wayes for it is too ordinary with the afflicted soule in the cloudy day to thinke I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes If we are a little troubled especially if we find some sinfull infirmitie get ground we are ready strait to conceiue God hath forsaken us but know and remember God knowes how to deliver out of â—entation Certainly should the Lord leaue the disposing of such things to our discretion we should not a little hinder our owne good and obscure his glory Should Ioseph Daniell and those three royall young men haue set the time of their trouble and deliverance how would they haue hindred both Gods and their owne honour The children of Israell if they might haue shaken off the tyrannous bondage and oppression of Pharaoh at their pleasure how should God haue beene glorified among the Heathen by all those wonders or they confirmed in the knowledg of Gods power and providence Follow therefore the direction of the Prophet Commit thy way unto the Lord and trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe and of the Apostle Be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be shewen to God in prayer 4. Whosoever hath given up his eare and heart to God in his word may hence draw wonderfull and unspeakable comfort Hee shall prosper in all his wayes and whereas he hath bent himselfe now to travaile in the search of happinesse and to that end hath chosen this only Guide hee shall not faile to attaine his desires and hopes but all things shall worke for him for hee that hath promised is true and able to subdue all things to himselfe Marke all the Saints and consider Gods dealing with them in this kind Their examples and experience will cry out unto thee Put your trust in the Lord and you shall bee assured beleeue his Prophets and you shall prosper Did not thy Father eate and drinke and prosper when hee executed judgement and
justice when hee judged the cause of the afflicted and poore hee prospered was not this because hee knew mee saith the Lord Settle this then in thy heart the Lord promiseth and the Lord shall make it good 5. Let us then bee exhorted in the words of God himselfe to Ioshua Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth meditate therein day and night that thou mayest obserue and doe all that is written therein or of this dying Prophet to his Successour and Sonne Salomon Take heed to the charge of the Lord to keepe his testimonies and commandements as it is written c. Say unto the Lord Oh my Saviour hast thou made thy yoake so easie and thy commandements so farre from grievous and shall not I take it joyfully upon me hast thou promised prosperitie and happinesse to all that beare it and should I refuse it Say unto thy soule aske and enquire of the Saints and with one voice thou shalt heare them testifie Thy word is more sweet then hony more precious then all riches more necessary then our daily food the joy and rejoycing of their heart a rich portion helping thee to that most rich inheritance of glory a joyfull Guide leading to joyes unspeakable and glorious and shall not I cleaue unto it that I may prosper Let great men seeke wealth by oppression the meaner by fraud and imposture flatterers by fawning Epicures by surfeiting in riot and pleasure but oh my God I will follow thy way in thy word looke my soule looke unto that Guide and depart not from his direction and it will cause thee to prosper and conduct thee to that eternall rest and peace the end of all thy ends and the onely true prosperitie Psalme I. Verse iiij The ungodly are not so but as the chaffe which the winde driveth away TRue is it that one contrary will not a little illustrate another In colours when blacke and white in our estate when miserie and felicitie are compared together their proper nature will more evidently appeare to any who will heedfully obserue it Therefore when in the former verses the Spirit had set out the godly both in their course and successe in these verses he describes the condition of the wicked that so both their estates may more cleerely bee discerned by those who will with any diligent eye consider it ayming both to this end that as the happinesse of the one might allure and winne us to the same practice so the miserie of the other might affright and driue us from the evill way This misery of ungodly men is liuely pourtrayed and set out to the eye from the contrary and 1. By negation of all that blessednesse mentioned in the former verses in which the godly are instated by the Lord even in this present life 2. By a contrary curse and that curse expressed 1. by a comparison of chaffe 2. by the consequent and conclusion of all wicked courses in the 5. verse The negatiue argument propounding the contrary estate of wicked persons includes all these Propositions 1. The Spirit and Prophet affirmeth that a wicked and ungodly man is not blessed 2. The same Spirit concludeth that a wicked man is not a planted and watered tree 3. The Prophet testifieth that ungodly persons are not as a fruitfull tree ever flourishing 4. The Lord by the Prophet assures us that an ungodly man shall not prosper in all his wayes The first then is this The Spirit and Prophet affirmeth that a wicked and ungodly man is not blessed The words haue before beene opened sufficiently and the meaning of them is briefly this Whosoever delights not nor meditates in the word but rather with pleasure followes the counsell of ungodly persons walking in their disobedience and scorning neither is nor can be happy in this estate The proofe is evident and frequently confirmed there is no peace saith the Lord to the wicked Esay 48. 22. and againe 57. 21. And the curse continually applied to them in Scripture The grounds are 1. the justice of God who cannot by any meanes cleere the guilty 34. 7. The Lord is knowne by the judgement which hee executeth the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hands Psal. 9. 16. 17. Vpon the wicked God shall raine snares stormes and tempests Psalme 11. 6. 2. The very nature of blessednesse for blessednesse is that estate wherin we enjoy good without evil or at least a measure of good out-weighing evill but wickednesse considered of it selfe without the punishment due to it is to a man such an evill as weighs downe any good hee possesseth in this life as being most contâ—ary to his nature in which he was created and to his end unto which he was ordained Learne here 1. That the happinesse of man consisteth not in the fruition of any one or all outward blessings nay some inward and some spirituall also may be cast in to a wicked man and hee still continue most wretched Should riches honour power glory pleasure bee all heaped upon one man in that measure his owne heart desired should wisedome courage health strength beautie and other such endowments of body and mind be added to the other nay the word Sacraments and some illightnings c. bee adjoyned all these could not make up this blessed estate nor seat this man in a throne of happinesse necessarily this followes for all these things may belong to a man drown'd in sinne and hellish wickednes who contemnes and hates the word of God and God himselfe and therefore cannot bee blessed But because this truth doth not easily sinke into flesh and blood it will be needfull as well by evident testimonie of God to confirme it as by reason also and experience to settle it in our mindes First therefore God testifieth of these things that they are not worthy our rejoycing Let not the rich man rejoyce in his riches nor the strong man in his strength nor the wise man in his wisedome but let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in this that hee under standeth and knoweth mee where purposely the Lord chuseth out such blessings as being of all naturall things most excellent comprehend the rest By riches which are most embraced by earthly men he intends all the goods of estate in strength all bodily in wisedome all gifts of the mind are included yet in all these we may not rejoyce or glorie but only in the knowledge of God Many spirituall gifts may also be annexed to the former as some knowledge some kinde of faith baptisme whereby we are entred into the Church yet all these meeting in one man cannot giue him this happines Simon Magus beleeved was baptized yet still was drowned in the very gall of bitternesse No testimonie can bee of more or equall force then that of Salomon whom God purposely called out from the sonnes of men as the foreman of all the Iurie to giue in his verdite