yet sinners beyond their merit but to forgive sinnes freely for Christs sake or not to deale with sinners according to their iniquities is not injustice but mercy Repr This reproves 1 Such as are too strict and severe even against great offenses of their children servants brethren Whereas even their beasts are not to be cruelly used 2 Such as deale with erring or perhaps innocent men according to iniquities laying great punishments upon them for small or no faults We read but of once that God opened the mouth of a beast to speak and then it was to reprove the madnesse of him that offended in this kind though but against his beast Numb 22. 2 Pet. 2. 3 Such as requite evil for good So Nabal 1 Sam. 25. Absalom farre worse who being himself most ungratefull and ungracious to his father yet could accuse Hushai of ingratitude 2 Sam. 16.17 Of such David complaines Psalm 35.12 109.4 5. not without an imprecation vers 6. c. So Jer. 18.20 and that also with an imprecation vers 21. See also Prov. 17.13 4 As worst of all Such as requite God evil for good God I say from Whom cometh whatsoever good we have or are Dent. 32.15 c. Isa 1.2 c. Hos 2.8 And especially if from Gods clemency of which here they take occasion to presume Ezra 9.13 14. But let the clemency of God exhort us 1 To patience under afflictions Exhort seeing whatsoever we suffer is lesse then we have deserved 2 To imitate Him in moderating our anger and the effects of it not onely towards errours as in the former Doctrine but even towards offenses committed perversly against us Motives as in the former 3 That our thankfulnesse as Davids here should rise by the same gradation as Gods clemency doth If we ought to blesse and praise Him for not doing to us according to our errours much more for not dealing with us according to our iniquities The grounds of thankfulnesse in both are the same in generall with those in the former benefits vers 3. c. viz. 1 The greatnesse of the benefit 2 Our need of it 3 4 The love and free grace of God from which it proceeds Vers 11. For as the heaven is high above the earth so great is His mercy toward them that feare Him Now followes the Reason of the foregoing benefits And 1 From the Causa proegum the internall moving cause that is the Mercy or loving-kindnesse of God which is illustrated 1 From the greatnesse of it in this verse 2 From the effects vers 12 13. The greatnesse is illustrated 1 From the subjects or persons to whom it is shewed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that feare Him 2 From a similitude As the heaven is high above the earth 1 Doctrine The heaven is high above the earth 1 The heaven Expl. There are 3 heavens 1 The lowest the aire wherein the fowle◠fly and from whence the rain c. descend Mar. 4.4 Jam. 5.18 2 The middlemost wherein the sunne moone and starres are placed Gen. 1.14 15 17. Mar. 13.25 3 The highest of all or the heaven of the blessed Mat. 7.21 18.10 This number is gathered from the Apostles words 2 Cor. 12.2 where he sayth he was caught up into the third heaven which was the highest as appeares by the context And this also is meant in this place as fittest for Davids scope though even this also comes infinitely short of that which it is here brought to illustrate 2 The earth The earth here by a Synecd memb signifies the whole globe consisting of earth and water as it is often taken in Scripture yea indeed alwaies where the frame of the world is divided into heaven and earth except onely where mention is made of the first act of creation for there by the heaven is to be understood the highest heaven with the Angels the inhabitants thereof and by the earth the chaos out of which all other things were formed in their severall degrees 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the height of the heaven above the earth see Prov. 25.3 And how high even the 2d heaven is may hereby be gathered in that the starres whereof those of the first magnitude are sayd to be every one above 107. times as big again as the whole earth do yet seem to us but as so many small sparks or spangles But how high the 3d heaven is above them can not be conjectured Ephes 4.10 The Reason hereof is from the will and power of the Creatour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uses For our instruction Instr see here 1 The immensity of God Job 11.7 8 9. Isa 66.1 Yea whereas the distance of the opposite parts of heaven is double to the distance of either of them from the center of the earth yet God fills the whole Jer. 23.24 Yea it cannot contein Him 1 King 8.27 Yea it is but a spanne with Him Isa 40.12 48.13 Although therefore God be otherwise in heaven then in earth otherwise in the Temple then in private houses otherwise with the saints then with the wicked yet He is alwaies every where present within all things though no where included without all things though no where excluded 2 Behold the great condescension of God Who though He dwells in the highest heavens yet vouchsafes to take care of earthly things it is Davids observation Psal 113.4 5 6. numbring the haires of His children ordering the flying of every sparrow c. Mat. 10.29 30. But especially Our Saviours abasing Himself in coming down out of the bosome of His Father from the height of heavenly glory to the earth and there living above 30 yeares in the forme of a servant subject to many inconveniences and injuries and at last being obedient to the death of the crosse and lying three daies in the heart of the earth and all this for our sakes who had very ill deserved it at His hands Againe Repr if the heaven Gods dwelling place be so high above the earth how mad are they that fight against God! For 1 Gods nature admits not that he can suffer any hurt 2 Suppose He could yet He is Omnipotent and so able to repell it 3 Grant He were not yet we know the higher ground is great advantage in fight It was that the Jebusites were so confident in 2 Sam. 5.6 See Job 35.5 6. Psal 2.1 2 3 4. This should also exhort us to humility and reverence before God Exhort Solomon gives this reason for it in prayer Eccles 5.2 And there is the same reason in all other things It should also dehort us from the immoderate love of this world Dehort Motiv True felicity is in heaven Psal 16.11 Luke 12.33 In a word there Christ is Acts 3.21 Heb. 7.26 Coloss 3.1 Look therefore how great the distance is between heaven and earth so farre are we distant from true and perfect felicity and absent from Christ our hope
blessings as the healing the diseases of their soules c. So in respect of the acts some give thanks in words but not in deeds and so not with the heart which hath command of the whole man nor with the mind or else they detain the truth in unrighteousnesse Lastly in respect of the intensnesse of the acts some doe it but coldly faintly carelesly not diligently fervently with all the heart with all the soule with all the mind and with all the strength 3 Such as doe not think this healing to be a benefit and so neither a cause of thankfulnesse as being in love with their diseases And therefore neither do they desire it at all but on the contrary when God by His ministers offers to heale them they are angry and murmure at them and return injuries in stead of thanks 4 Such as give thanks for the strengthening of their diseases 1 Sam. 23.21 Zech. 11.5 The Exhortation arising from hence is Exh. that we should imitate David herein Motives See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 4. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction Who crowneth thee with loving-kindnesse and tender-mercies We have seen Davids deliverance from the evil of sin viz. both from the guilt dominion There remaines his deliverance from the evil of punishment in the former part of this 4th verse Wherein we have 3 Axiomes or Doctrines 1 Doctrine Davids life was in danger of destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies corruption or destruction Explic. Also the pit the place of corruption or which receives them that are destroyed Now seeing destruction is either temporall or eternall and so the pit or place of destruction either the grave or hell there is nothing hinders but that all these may be here understood Yea the scope of David being to set forth the greatnesse of Gods deliverances may seem to require that the word be taken in its greatest latitude namely that David was in danger both of bodily death viz. untimely death and so of the grave and likewise of eternall death and so of hell For bodily death and so for the grave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how often he was in danger of it the history of his life abundantly testifies See 1 Sam. 20.3 There is but a step between me and death And Psal 119.109 My soule or my life is continually in mine hand Which phrase notes great danger of death Judg. 12.3 1 Sam. 19.5 28.21 Job 13.14 For eternall death and so for hell his danger appeares by his feares and agonies frequently expressed in this book of Psalmes which considering his valiant and undaunted courage would never have been so great had the cause or object of them been onely bodily death And it is yet more evident from the causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of temporall death he was many waies in danger Whilest he lived a private life by the beare and lion which he encountred by Goliath so terrible to the whole Army of Israel with whom he entred a single combat by the envy of Saul c. After he was come to the kingdome by many forein enemies with whom he had continuall warres more particularly see 2 Sam. 21.15 16. by comesticall treasons and rebellions of Abner and the house of Saul of Absalorn and Achitophel whose desperate counsell see 2 Sam. 17.1 2 3. of Sheba 2 Sam. 20. Of eternall death he was in danger by reason of his sinnes For this death especially is the wages of sinne Rom. 6.23 And what is here said of David is for the same or the like reasons true of men in generall We are all both many waies subject to danger of untimely bodily death as dwelling in houses of clay whose foundation is in the dust which are crushed before the moth Job 4.19 and by our sinnes lyable to Gods wrath and thereby to eternall death both of body and soul Rom. 3.19 Uses The consideration of both may afford us severall instructions Instr 1 For bodily death 1 If we be so many waies in danger of it before our time we may take it the more patiently and contentedly either in our selves or our friends when it comes in its full time in a ripe age in an ordinary course of nature which is elegantly expressed and promised as the complement of all Gods temporall blessings Job 5.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zenob 2 Hereby we see how little reason we have to set our hearts upon outward things which the Apostle calls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things pertaining to this life 1 Cor. 6.3 4. For 1 the life which is the foundation of enjoying them is as we see here very casuall and uncertain 2 The things themselves are yet more casuall more uncertain then the life to which they pertaine both because a man is lesse carefull of them Job 2.4 Prov. 13.8 and because Gods providence also is lesse watchfull over them For although God being alwayes every where present hath a continuall inspection upon all things and so farre as he sees expedient preserves them Psal 36.6 Heb. 1.3 yet His providence hath its degrees as being more intensely exercised about things of more worth 1 Cor. 9.9 Now of all outward things food and rayment are the principall and most necessary and yet the life is more worth then these Mat. 6.25 And therefore Job 1.12 though God gave the devil power over all that Job had yet he restrained him from touching his person And chap. 2.6 when he extended his power to his person also yet he excepted his life If therefore our life which both Gods providence and our own especially tenders be yet lyable to dangers how much more the things which pertain to it And how vain a thing then is it to set our hearts upon them 2 For eternall death if David and all men be by sinne lyable to it then there is no respect of persons with God Rom. 5.12 18. We being all fallen in Adam are alike become the children of wrath and lyable to eternall death Onely therefore the grace of God in Christ exempting out of the common masse those who obey him makes a difference between man and man And if we be all in danger both of temporall and eternall death Repr what a strange lethargie possesses their soules who so live as if they were lyable to neither of both whose deeds declare that they doe not beleeve or at least that they doe not think of either Were it not for bonds indentures c. a man might well think they never dreamed of death There indeed upon supposall and feare of their own death they will put in heirs executors administrators make many provisos in behalf of posterity But they lay their worldly projects for one seaven tenne twenty yeares without once looking after any proviso for their own eternall security if death happen in the mean time Kind hearts that are so much more carefull of the outward estate of their children then of the
eternall welfare of their own soules But will neither the remembrance of all their ancestors dead before them nor the daily examples of mortality nor so many clear testimonies of Scripture that all must die nor that Statute of the immutable and omnipotent God Heb. 9.27 any thing at all move them The reason sure is that which the Philosopher toucheth Rhet. lib. 2. cap. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All men know they must die but because it is not near they regard it not Or that which Thomas saith Plerique non timent mortem quia apprehendunt sub remotâ distantiâ Most men feare not death because they apprehend it as at a remote distance And for the same reason they much lesse feare what may come after death But let us make it our continuall meditation Exhort 1 Of bodily death to which we are so lyable that there is no possibility of avoiding it and for the time as we know it cannot be farre off so we know not how near it may be This meditation will be of excellent use 1 For the taking down of our pride the worst of evils what ever the ground of it be whether we be proud of the goods of the mind Psal 146.4 or of the goods of the body strength beauty c. Job 21.23 24 25 26. or of our kindred Job 17.14 or of outward things riches honours c. Psal 49.16 17. 2 For the moderating our desires of earthly things as which can neither keep off death nor continue with us after death 3 For the bridling our unruly passions anger envy impatience whether at our own or our friends sufferings or at the prosperity of Gods and our enemies Psalm 37. 73. 2 Of eternall death which though it be farre worse yet is avoidable And the meditation of it will be both a Motive and a Meanes to us to avoyd it by hastening our repentance and taking heed of sinne for the future To this purpose is that redoubled admonition of our Saviour to His friends Luke 12.5 Feare Him Who after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell yea I say unto you Feare Him 2 Doctrine The Lord redeemed Davids life from destruction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who redeemeth Expl. This word signifies 1 To preserve a thing which otherwise would be lost Levit. 27.27 Lam. 3.58 2 To recover a thing that is lost and that either by price Levit. 25.25 power Ex. 6.6 Psalm 77.15 Here understand it the first way viz. the preserving Davids life which otherwise would have been lost This David often acknowledges In generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 19.14 In speciall for temporall death 2 Sam. 4.9 for eternall death Psal 71.23 So Nathan tells him 2 Sam. 12.13 For the Reason hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though the first cause of all Gods benefits be that which is mentioned in the latter part of this verse His own loving-kindnesse and tender-mercies and the last end His own glory yet among the benefits themselves also there may be a subordination so that one benefit may be the cause or end of another So here God out of His free love to David and to His people Israel and for His own glory and their good had decreed from all eternity to set him as king over them and for a testimony thereof had commanded Samuel to anoint him 1 Sam. 16. In order therefore hereunto and that the immutability of His counsell and the truth of His promise might appeare He redeemed or preserved Davids life from temporall death both whilest he was yet a private man that He might bring him to the kingdome and after hee was king that he might goe through with the administration of it to the ends before mentioned For eternall death his preservation from it necessarily follows upon his deliverance from the guilt and dominion of sinne vers 3. And therefore that deliverance is the immediate cause of this and the causes of that do mediately and by necessary consequence inferre this Uses Our instructions from hence may be 1 Concerning temporall death Instr 1 We see what it is to walk under Divine protection How many and how great dangers Davids life was lyable to we heard before yet out of them all the Lord delivered him Of this David was throughly sensible Psal 23.4 and could say experimentally of himself in particular what he saith of the righteous in generall Psal 34.19 2 We see also who they are that may expect this protection from Almighty God viz. not such as wander in the by-paths of sinne provoking God continually to His face Such men indeed God sometimes delivers from many dangers but 1 they have no promise from God whereupon they may rely to expect it 2 Though such deliverance be in it self good and by God intended for their good yet if they go on in their sinnes it will through their own fault prove very ill to them as giving them time to heap up more sinnes and so more wrath against the day of wrath but such as are like unto David who serve God and trust in Him who though they have not such speciall promises for this as David had yet they have Gods generall promises Psal 84.11 33.18 19. c. Whereupon they may expect protection from temporall death so farre as is expedient for them that is so farre as that death would be truly hurtfull to them 2 Concerning eternall death we see 1 The great mercy of God not willing to deale with mankind fallen into sinne according to the rigour of His justice but finding out a way whereby we may be delivered from it 2 To whom this deliverance belongs viz. to David and by the like reason to all that observe the condition of the covenant For in this David had no speciall promise nor any other then what all true beleevers in like manner have Here are reproved 1 In respect of bodily death 1 Such as presume to be delivered from it Repr when yet by their own deeds they call it unto themselves as by immoderate worldly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.10 by envy Job 5.2 Prov. 14.30 by drunkennesse Prov. 23.29 c. In like manner by gluttony idlenesse quarrelling unwarrantable venturing upon dangers c. 2 Such as doe not trust or seek to God for deliverance from it but to secondary meanes whether in themselves lawfull as Asa 2 Chron. 16.12 or unlawfull 2 In respect of eternall death 1 Such as expect of God deliverance from it but presumptuously as being nothing lesse then such as David here was 2 Such as expect it otherwise then from God Two things we are here to be exhorted to Exhort 1 In respect of our selves To flee unto God for protection from both kinds of death Motiv 1 In respect of the objectum quod the deliverance it self which we seek 1 We stand in great need of it in regard of the many dangers both bodily and spirituall to which we are
be reduced to His works of mercy toward the Israelites and of justice against the Egyptians the rebellious Israelites the Midianites Amalek and the Canaanites The particulars every where occurre 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the children of Israel Children by a Synecd spec familiar to the Hebrews are put for posterity Why they should be denominated as here and generally they are of Israel rather then of Abraham or Isaac the reason may seem to be because these had children of deferent religions Abraham had Isaac and Ishmael Isaac had Jacob and Esau but Jacobs children though many were all of one faith and religion Why of Israel rather then of Jacob the reason may be because the name of Israel was given him by God Himself and that of honourable signification A prince with God and bestowed upon him for his great and pertinacious piety Gen. 32. That God had before Davids time made known His acts to the children of Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abundantly appeares in all the books of Moses Josuah Judges and Samuel See Deut. 11.2 3 4 5 6 7. Reasons 1 For the impulsive cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods acts of mercy viz. His delivering the Israelites out of Egypt leading them to the land of Canaan bringing them into it placing them in it and so the acts tending thereunto proceeded from Gods truth and fidelity which required the performance of His promises made unto their fathers His acts of justice proceeded from His hatred of sinne And all from His love to that nation even those acts of justice which He shewed on the rebellious Israelites for so he pluckt up the ill weeds that the corn might grow the better and punished some exemplarily that others fearing might be kept in their duty See Deut. 17.13 2 The end in generall was that they so many as were not taken away by his judgements and their posterity to whom they were often commanded to declare His acts might the more diligently keep His commandements Who had done so great things for them to their own salvation and His glory So Deut. 11.7 8. Your eies have seen all the great acts of the LORD which He did Therefore shall ye keep all the Commandements c. So chap. 6.20 c. 10.12 So Psal 105. Where beginning from Abraham verse 9. and briefly reckoning up the acts of God he concludes with the end of all vers 45. That they might observe His statutes and keep His Lawes Hence Psal 78. Not to forget Gods works and to keep His commandements vers 7. and on the other side to forget those and not to keep these vers 10 11. are joined together as causes and effects In speciall for his works of mercy that they and their posterity in all their dangers and necessities might put their trust in God Who had shewed such great power and love toward them Deut. 7.17 18 19. Psal 77.10 11 12. 78.7 For want of which duty Moses reproves them Deut. 1.29 c. as Samuel those of his time who for feare of Nahash asked a King when God who had formerly so many waies delivered them was their King 1 Sam. 12. Also that they might alwaies have matter of praising and giving thanks to God Psal 9.1 26.6 7. So Psal 105. 106. 136. where earnestly exhorting to praise and give thanks to God he takes his argument from these works of God For His works of punitive justice that beholding therein His power and hatred of sinne they might feare to offend Him by committing it Numb 16.40 Levit. 18.24 25 c. 20.22 23. Uses Hence we may observe 1 That God rests not in desires Instr purposes c. of doing good to the godly and punishing the wicked but in due time proceeds to acts of mercy and justice Many men think they have done a great matter if they inwardly wish well to the godly and ill to the wicked desire to doe good to those and punish these though when they have power authority and opportunity they will not doe it Or if their love to those proceed as farre as to word or tongue in praising promising c. and their hatred to the sinnes of these expresse it self by dispraising threatning c. they think they have almost obliged God to them by it But this is not to imitate God Who hath His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His acts both of mercy to the godly and of punishment against the rebellious And such affections and words shall be so farre from doing them any good that they plainly convince them to be wicked servants who knowing their Lords will yet doe it not 2 Though God have some secret things belonging to Himself Deut. 29.29 some judgements unsearchable and waies past finding out Rom. 11.33 yet His acts which it behoves men to know He hath made known unto them that His mercy and justice might be manifest to the ends abovesaid and the like And herein He is to be imitated by us but with caution that is so as it be not done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the dispraise of others or boasting of our selves but to the good of others and our own necessary defence and that modestly 3 Behold here that God is no respecter of persons For there were many nations at that time far superiour to the Israelites in all earthly respects yea of Esau's progeny there were many Dukes Gen. 36.15 c. when the Israelites lived miserably and despicably in Egypt Yet God out of all nations chose these children of promise to whom He would make known His acts Here we may see the reason why God was more angry at the Israelites sinnng against Him then at any others Though He left not Himself without witnesse amongst other nations and therefore might justly punish them also for their sinnes and so many times did yet that witnesse if compared with the manifestation of His wayes in the former Doctrine and of His acts in this to the children of Israel was but litle And therefore of them to whom He had committed much He might justly require more and for want of it more often and more severely punish them By Gods thus manifesting His acts Repr are reproved 1 Such as will not observe or take notice of them Psal 28.5 Isa 5.11 12. And now more especially among us to whom God hath made known those acts not onely in the writings of Moses but also in the Psalmes and often elswhere in the Old Testament and likewise in the New And not those onely but many other acts of God also beyond all admiration especially the miracles wrought by our Saviour Christ and in His Name Yet how few of us set our hearts upon them so as thereby to learne to keep Gods commandements to hope in Him to fear Him to glorify Him c But let us assure our selves if we neglect Gods acts of mercy towards others we shall not enjoy
Gods temporall judgements upon their children c. And shall they not pity those whom themselves have made miserable 2 Children thankfully to requite according to their ability the care and tender affection of their parents who take such pity on them 2 Doctrine So the Lord pityeth them that feare Him 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this before Expl. Here it notes the exercise of Gods mercy strictly taken as it signifies an affection of relieving them that are in misery 2 For the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we must alwaies remember that when similitudes taken from the creatures are applyed unto God we must separate the imperfections of the creatures and understand their finite perfections juxta modum eminentiae after an eminent manner befitting God Who is infinitely perfect So here 1 A father though never so wise and good yet may sometimes be ignorant of the condition of his children and so either not pity them when there is cause or pity them when there is no cause as Jacob did not pity Joseph when he was cast into the pit and sold by his brethren but extreamly grieved and mourned for his as dead when he was well entreated by Potiphar and after when being governour over all the land of Egypt he gathered come to sustaine them all in the time of famine But God is alwaies every where present ignorant of nothing and therefore pities alwaies and onely where there is just cause of pity 2 A father oftentimes out of inordinate affection pities foolishly so tendring the bodies of his children that he suffers their soules to perish whilest for feare of grieving them a litle by reproof or correction he lets them runne headlong into eternall torments and staies them not But God alwaies pities most wisely sparing the body indeed so farre as the necessity of the soule requires but when it is so that externall prosperity can not consist with eternall felicity He spares not to afflict His children temporally that he may make them happy eternally 3 A fathers pity many times can goe no further then the affection can not produce the reall effect of helping His children and relieving their misery But God as He is metaphorically sayd to have the affection Judg. 10.16 so He hath also all-sufficient power to remove any evil present or to avert any that is imminent from those whom He pities which also He doth This Doctrine for the substance we have had twice before viz. Vers 4. Doctr. 4. Vers 8. Doctr. 1. Therefore we may passe it over the more briefly here For further proofe we may adde Isa 63.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 15. 2 Sam. 24.14 Lam. 3.32 Nehem. 9.19 27 28 31. Psal 119.156 The Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Vers 11. Doctr. 2. Uses 1 Instr 2 3. As Vers 11. Doctr. 2. 4 We see the feare of God doth not exempt men from all misery 1 Gods pronenesse to pity reproves such as are contrary Repr Vers 8. Doctr 1. Repr 2. 2 The qualification annexed them that feare Him reproves them that presume God will pity them when they do not feare Him God indeed often so farre pities wicked men as to remove some temporall evils from them Amos 7.1 2 3 4 5 6. and also to afford them meanes of salvation 2 Chron. 36.15 But as they have no promise whereon they may rely to expect this so if they goe on in their sinnes it shall aggravate their guilt and increase their damnation But it is most certaine that such shall not obteine Gods saving pity as which is proper to them that feare God Yea of such see Jer. 13.14 Ezek. 7.4 9. Prov. 1.24 c. This also may abundantly comfort them that feare God Consol What matter is it who hates them or endeavours to hurt them when they have Him Who is Almighty so tenderly pitying them In the middest of all calamities diseases death it self how sweet is the remembrance of Gods mercy The compassion of men though when they can onely pity not help is some comfort to a man in misery not in regard of the grief it self but of the love which is the cause of it how much more then Gods compassion which both proceeds from His love as the cause and produces relief as the effect Lastly this should exhort us Exhort as Vers 11. Doctr. 2. 1 To feare God 2 To imitate Him in being pitifull as He is pitifull 3 Doctrine Because such is Gods mercy and compassion Vers 11 12 13. therefore He mitigates His anger Vers 9 10. The 11 12 13. verses were before considered absolutely here relatively Thus Psal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 136. 23 24. Jer. 3.12 Lam. 3.22 Mic. 7.18 Why God should out of His mercy be prone to mitigate His anger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no reason can be given He is so because He is so It is His nature But why it may stand with the honour of His Justice so to doe the cause is Christ satisfying Gods Justice and by His Spirit making us conformable to the covenant Uses 1 Then if at any time we perceive the anger of God mitigated toward us Instr behold the cause not in us but in Himself 2 They that feare God need not doubt of the mitigation of His anger it being the effect of His Mercy which never faileth as being infinite and essentiall to Him This reproves such as attribute the mitigation of Gods anger to their own merits Repr satisfactions c. Lastly it exhorts us 1 To gratitude for the mitigation of Gods anger Exhort For by this Doctrine it appeares to be a benefit most free and of Gods meere grace 2 To imitate God as in the thing vers 9 10. so in the manner If we mitigate our anger onely towards such as deserve the mitigation of it what great matter doe we more then the publicanes and heathen Verse 14. For He knoweth our frame He remembreth that we are dust Now followes the procatarcticall cause or occasion of Gods mitigating His anger that is mans misery in respect of his soule body for the matter like to grasse or flowers ver 15 16. unlike to Gods mercy vers 17 18. 1 Doctrine Our frame or figment is evil This 14th verse is by most expounded of the body Explic. as if both the parts of it tended to the same thing viz. that God knowes and remembers that we are framed of the dust So the Old Translation more plainly He knowes whereof we be made c. And this sense is also good seeing it cannot be denyed but that in the Psalmes and other parts of Scripture especially those which are most elegant the same thing is often expressed in divers phrases and seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also may be referred to the body as an earthen vessell framed of the clay But this word may also be referred to the soule according to the more frequent use of
children and posterity for their sakes 2 Sam. 7.19 2 See how good a thing it is to be borne of good parents 3 See the best way of providing for thy children which consists not in heaping up wealth honour c. for them but in being thy self such an one as feares God and teaching them also to keep His covenant 4 The mercy of God at least in bestowing eternall happinesse is not promiscuously to all the posterity of those that feare Him Here are reproved 1 Parents who feare not God Repr such stopping the way to Gods mercy from descending upon their children and posterity or at least not opening or making way for it 2 Children 1 Relying too much upon the piety of their parents as if for their sakes it should be well with them though they follow not their stepps but work iniquity And it may be so indeed in temporalls but not so in eternalls as was sayd before Yea they shall be so much the more grievously tormented in hell by how much the greater temporall mercy God hath for their fathers sakes bestowed upon them for to winne them and by how much the greater meanes their parents have used to bring them to salvation which notwithstanding they have gone on in their wickednesse See what Christ answered to the Jewes boasting of their father Abraham Joh. 8. and Abraham to the rich man Luk. 16. 2 Who hate or contemne their parents for this very thing because they feare God Such an one seems Cham to have been Gen. 9.22 For that his deriding his father in his drunkennesse seemes to have proceeded from his hatred of him for his piety 3 Any who so hate them that feare God that for their sakes they extend their hatred to their children also Here also is comfort for them that are poore Consol and have litle or nothing to leave to their children If they feare God they shall leave them for an inheritance Gods first love and a greater measure of it together with His second love also unto eternity if they teach them to keep Gods covenant Lastly Exhort this should exhort 1 Parents to feare God as for Gods sake and their own so here for their childrens sake also 2 Children to keep Gods covenant that upon them may come the blessing promised to their parents Gen. 18.19 1 King 2.3 4. 8.25 1 Chron. 28.7 9. Psal 132.12 4 Doctrine Not as our life so the mercy of God to them that feare Him So Isa 51.7 8. The immediate reason of the dissimilitude is expressed in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. in that our life is like unto the grasse and a flower but Gods mercy is from everlasting and to everlasting The cause why our life is such is sinne why Gods mercy is such is His eternity His constant love to them that feare Him and His omnipotency Uses We see then that they who feare God Instr have not their whole portion in this life Here indeed they have the unspeakable riches of grace and so much of outward things as is sufficient and fit for them which things also as proceeding from Gods second love are very pretious to them But celestiall happinesse which belongs peculiarly to them as it was prepared for them from all eternity so after this life ended it shall continue to them unto all eternity This dissimilitude they very ill consider Repr 1 who preferre this life of a spanne long before the eternall mercy of God for the preservation of this life which yet they can not long preserve using meanes unlawfull and displeasing unto God getting or keeping unjustly the things of this life c. In so doing they plainly cast away the feare of God without which His mercy can not be obteined 2 Who preferre the favour of men whose life is as grasse and a flower before the favour of God whose mercy is from everlasting and to everlasting So they who feare men more then God But for them who truely feare God here is comfort against the shortnesse of this life Consol and feare of death Job 19.25 26 27. 2 Cor. 5 1. And no marvell if walking not by sight but by faith they have great consolation against the terrour of death seeing the mercy of God which faith apprehends is extended beyond the terme of this life even unto eternity For the farre greatest fruits of it are layd up for us in heaven out of all danger of ever losing them nor can we attaine to them but by death 1 Cor. 15.50 Compare this life whilest it lasts with that in heaven and see whether death be not a gaine as it is called Philip. 1.21 23. Lastly Exhort this should againe exhort us to the feare of God the keeping of His covenant and the remembring of His commandements to doe them Motives here 1. This life is very short and fraile as we have heard and the Scripture beside the aforesaid similitudes many waies expresses Job 7.6 9.25 26. Psal 90.9 10. 102.11 144.4 39.5 Jam. 4.14 2 So we shall obtein Gods mercy which toward them that are such is from everlasting and to everlasting and after this life is so immense that they who are dead in the Lord as they have cause so no doubt they do rejoice that this temporall life endured no longer 3. Whereas God out of His hatred of sinne hath His anger no lesse lasting against them who are voyd of His feare then His mercy toward them that feare Him unlesse we doe as we are here exhorted eternall wrath abides for us after this life 5 Doctrine Because God knowes this therefore He mitigates His anger Hitherto our misery in soule and body hath been considered absolutely vers 14 15 16 17 18. Now it is to be considered relatively as it is a reason why God mitigates His anger vers 9 10. That it is so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see for spirituall misery Gen. 8.21 for corporall Psal 78.38 39. Hence Job uses this as an argument to God Chap. 7.7 10.20 21. 14 5 6. So David Psal 39.12 13. 89.46 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The force of this reason from our misery is not by any meanes as if it deserved the mitigation of Gods anger as is evident to any man nor as if God needed the help of men justifyed and saved but of His own most free and gracious love to men which is such and so great that from our malignity deserving eternall damnation He takes occasion of doing us good Rom. 5.20 Yea here Gods mercy is so much the more conspicuous in that all this misery of soule and body hath most justly befallen us for sinne Uses Here then 1 No man can want an argument to urge for imploring the mitigation of Gods anger Instr But it is to be urged rightly Namely come groning under the burden of thy sinnes desiring above all things absolution from them and to be