all afflictions never to leave thee to thine own weakness nor to the will of thine enemies beseech him to mitigate thy miseries to sanctifie them to thee to cause them to yeild thee the peaceable fruit of righteousness to teach thee to make an holy use of them and to give thee a gracious issue out of them in his good time then you may say as Psalm 49.5 Wherefore should I fear in the dayâ—s of evill when the iniquity of my heels shall compasse me about Some may object What is there not cause to fear when the iniquities of our heeles compass us about But I answer That the word in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated heels may signifie supplanters and is read interrogatively thus shall the iniquity or malice of my enemies compass me about shall they have their will upon me his meaning is they shall not and the words following in verses 6 7. favour this sense Use all these meanes to be washed from your iniquities that you may have part with Christ let the world plod carke and care for profit pleasure and preferment the worldly mans Trinity as ever you hope and desire to see the face of Christ to your comfort and to live with him eternally I beseech you now and ever to think of these things for if Christ wash you not you have no part with him SERMON IV. Text PSALM 4.3 But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is gâ—dly for himself THis Psalm was penned by David as the title prefixed shewes and was by him commmitted to the cheif Musician on Nâ—ginâ—th to be sung in the publike service at the Tabernacle and afterwards at the Tempâ—e for among them that were appointed to sing the Psalmes and to play on the Instruments one was appointed cheif to set the tune and to begin who had the charge because he was most excellent as you may see in 1 Chron. 15. 21. and 23.4 for the word Neginoth the godly and learned lights of the Church understand it to be meant of musical instruments and in particular of stringed instruments which were played on with the hand onely as Harps and Cymbals Nehiloth were wind instruments in those dayes the Priests and Levites used divers musical instruments in Gods worship and that onely in the Temple at Jerusalem not in the Countrey Synagogues both to cheer up and to stir up the attention and affection of the hearers to the duties then in hand and to typisie the sweet spiritual melody and comfort Christians shall have by Christ and his glorious Gospel now in the New Testament therefore those musical instruments in Gods worship were part of the ceremonial Law being used in the Temple which was a type of Christs body John 2.19 20.21 and therefore ought not to be used in the Gospel-worship now a dayes because the ceremonial Law was abolished by Christ therefore we must not revive it also because the Primitive Church never used such musick in Gods worship Austin conceives that David penned all the Psalms but that is not like those Psalms which he made have his name prefixed in their title yet some Psalms which have no titles prefixed were made by David as the ninety fifth Psalm verse 7 8. compared with Hebr. 4.7 where it s proved that David made that Psalm and its probable he made more Psalms that want titles prefixed The Psalms are not placed in order as they were made but as they were found by Ezra the Scribe after the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity the 72. Psalm verse 20. saith The prayers of David the Son of Jesse are ended that was the last Psalm that David made but was there placed as it was found the 144 Psalm as the learned conceive and probably was the first Psalm that David made to praise God after he returned from the slaughter of Goliah though it be placed towards the latter end of the Psalmes for it was placed there as it was found not when it was made This Psalm as some conceive was made by David when he prayed for deliverance from Saul when he and his Army had almost compassed David in the wilderness of Maon 1 Sam. 23.25.26 the purpose of David in this Psalm was to shew his confidence in God for safety when his enemies troubled him and this confidence he shewed by three effects 1. By a general deprecation of the danger which was near him verse 1. 2. By a grave expostulation with and instruction of his enemies ver 2 3 4 5. 3. By a solemn profession of his dependance on God alone ver 6 7 8. In his speech to his enemies are the words of my Text which are a reason moving them to desist from their purpose of abusing David and turning his glory into shame verse 2. as if he had said O ye proud enemies that pride your selves in the favour and countenance of Saul how long will ye vainly indeavour to disappoint that glory that regal dignity which God hath by his Prophet fore-promised unto me which reason is drawn from the cause of that glory which they opposed which was Gods decree whereby this dignity was conferred on David in which words are 1. An Admonition But know 2. A Proposition having the nature of a Promise That the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself Hence observe Doct. That God hath set every godly man apart for himself 2 Tim 2.21 If a man therefore purge himself from these he shall be a vessel unto honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work 1 Pet. 2.9 But ye are a chosen Generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People c. Reas Because every godly man is a god-like man he hath part of God in him the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shew his handy work but every godly man shewes forth the vertues of him that called him out of darkness to marvellous light he shines with the beames of Gods Spirit and is a partaker of the divine nature therefore he followes God as a dear child Parents by nature beget children like themselves much more will God by regeneration make his children like himself a godly man resembles his heavenly Father for where God loves he loves where God hates he hates Nature cannot stamp Gods image upon him for he is a heaven-born Creature 2. Because every godly man sets his heart upon God the stream of his affections runs to him his heart opens to him as the Marigold to the Sun in what condition soever he is his heart is still with God and he cries with the Prophet Psalm 73. Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee Prosperity drawes him not adversity drives him not from God he is no vassall to sin Satan or the world 3. Because a godly man indeavours to do every thing that God commands him according to his knowledge
heart Vse 2. I told you the second reason was because every godly man sets his heart upon God The Uses arising out of this Reason serve first for information to let us see the reason why Gods children enjoy such precious peace of conscience and rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of glory namely because they set their hearts on God and their entire love to him will assure them of his eternal love to them Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me now this is the principal ground of true peace and joy worldly favour makes carnal people merry outwardly and feeds them with vain hopes it makes them build Castles in the air and puts them into a fooles paradise but the assurance of Gods love fills the heart of the upright with such joy as no man can take from them John 16.22 wicked men may take their lives from them their estates from them their liberty from them but true peace and joy they cannot take from them for they set their hearts on the God of hope who fills them with joy and peace 2. It may inform us one reason why Gods children will not be drawn away from him and his wayes because their hearts are set upon God and they account it their best way to draw near to God all the wealth and honour of Egypt could not draw Moses from God and his People the King of Babylon with all his power terrour and pollicy could not make the three Children worship his Idol nor restrain Daniel from praying to God 3. It serves to exhort you all to get your hearts fixed on God let out all your love to him in as ample a manner as you can let your love be so hot as many waters cannot never quench it nor flouds drown it To move you to it consider first how infinitely amiable and perfect God is when you understand that from everlasting to everlasting he is God without beginning mutation and end strive to love this eternal God when you consider that God fils heaven and earth yea inhabiteth eternity no place can comprehend his incomprehensible essence set your selves to love this omni-present God when you see how easily powerfully and wisely God made heaven and earth with all things else strive to love this omnipotent God when you see how God pitties releives and succours his people in their misery and gives them help in their time of need O set your heartiest love upon this merciful God 2. Consider how eternally and unchangeably he hath loved thee Jerem. 31.3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love before thou wast born he loved thee yea when thou wast his enemy he loved thee and he will love thee for ever nothing in this world nor in the world to come shall separate thee from his love 3. Consider what comfort thou shalt have by loving God 1 John 4.16 God is love and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God and God in him happy is that soul that hath such a guest for God will make any place a heaven to it Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me thy true love to him will assure thee of his love to thee which worldly wealth and honour cannot do Psalm 91.14 Because he hath set his love upon me therefore will I deliver him God will be thy defence against danger he will be a wall of fire about thee Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God nothing shall fall out amiss to thee but God by his wisdom and power will give thee an holy comfortable use of all mercies with an holy use of and a comfortable issue out of all miseries Vse 3 I told you the third Reason was because the godly man indeavours to do every thing that God commands him The Uses springing out of this reason serve first to inform us the reason why the godly man is a man after Gods own heart namely because he sets himself to do all Gods will for this cause David was so called Acts 13.22 I have found David the son of Jesse a man after mine own heart which shall fulfil all my will O that every one of us had an heart to do all Gods will then we should be such as God would have us to be a hypocrite doth but some part of Gods commands therefore he is not a man after Gods own heart 2. It informes us one Reason is why God so willingly heares and grants the prayers of his people that is because they indeavour to do all Gods commands 1 John 3.22 And whatsoever we ask we receive of him because we keep his commandement and do those things which are pleasing in his sight Humanity teacheth friends to grant one anothers suits when they please one another much more will the God of nature grace and glory graciously answer the prayers of his people that study to please him 2. It serves to exhort us to endeavour to do all that God requires us to do Motives 1. All his commands are holy just and good Rom. 7.12 Prov. 30 5. Every word of God is pure though carnal nature may cavil against some of Gods commands because they crosse it yet there is no defect in them but the Law of the Lord is perfect 2. To do all Gods will is the ready way to prosperity Job 36.11 If they obey and serve him they shall spend their dayes in prosperity and their yeares in pleasures God is the best Master to serve his work is the best and his pay is the best And above all Gods commandements I exhort you all to keep the Lords day holy because he in the fourth Commandement bids us remember to keep it holy 2. Because in Isaiah 58.13 14. he makes it an excellent way of honouring him and promiseth spiritual and temporal prosperity to such as do it but if that place be meant of an extraordinary Sabbath that is a fast appointed by man then doubtless the Lord would have us much more keep holy the ordinary Sabbath appointed by God If any object Col. 2.16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat or in drink or in respect of an holy day or of the new moon or of the Sabbath dayes verse 17. which are a shadow of things to come c. I answer he meanes he would not have them observe the Jewish ceremonial Sabbaths of dayes as the three great feasts Passover Pentecost and Tabernacles and the feast of blowing the trumpets and the feast of expiation he would not have them observe the Sabbath of yeares which was every seventh year Levit. 25,4 5 6. nor the Sabbath of sevens of years the Jubile verse 8 9 10 11. which returned every fiftieth year but he speaks not here of the Sabbath day that is morall 1. Because the word is in the plural number Sabbaths 2. If he had meant the moral Sabbath and consequently the Lords day now observed then it would follow that it is unlawful to observe the