lyable 2 The good or benefit of it is as great whereof something shall be said in the Reason of the next Doctrine 2 In respect of the objectum per quod the means whereby we must be delivered 1 No creature can do it but as Gods instrument 2 God even without the help of any creature is able to do it 3 If we rightly seek to Him He will most readily deliver us both from temporall death so farre as shall be expedient and from eternall death simply and absolutely Meanes That we may rightly expect any thing from God it is required of us 1 That we be such as by the tenour of the covenant have part in Gods promises 2 That we diligently doe those things which on our part are to be done in order thereunto viz. dispose our affairs providently Gen. 32.7 recommend our selves to God by prayer fasting c. 3 That we seek Gods deliverances as all His other benefits in their due manner and order that is spirituall and eternall things chiefly and absolutely temporall things moderately and with submission to Gods will 2 In respect of others To procure their deliverance as much as in us lies that so we may be like unto God and according to our ability promote his work Not that He Who is omnipotent stands in need of our help but that He requires of us to love our brethren and by this means to testifie our love We must therefore endeavour to deliver them 1 From bodily or temporall death For if he who is in danger of it be a good man he is deare to God Mal. 3.17 1 Pet. 2.9 and God tenders him as the apple of His own eye Therefore our concurrence herein will be acceptable to God and honourable to our selves also profitable unto others whom a good man whilest he lives here is continually exciting to glorifie God both by his example Mat. 5.16 and by his godly exhortations c. and besides is beneficiall to them in temporall things also by his prayers other endeavours keeping off evils and procuring good things Gen. 18.23 c. 19.21 29. Jer. 5.1 2 King 3.14 15 16 17 18. Psal 106.23 But if he be a wicked man his losse of this life is the losse of eternall life whereas if his life here were longer continued he might haply come to repentance and so to eternall life See Eccle. 9.4 To omit the good which such a man being converted might doe before his death as S. Paul c. 2 From eternal death Motiv 1 From the horriblenesse of it and irrecoverablenesse from it 2 From the danger of falling into it in regard of the multitude of sinnes and enemies 3 From the possibility and comparatively the facility of the means of preventing it 3 Doctrine David mentions this as an argument of blessing God So he doth his deliverance from bodily death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 18. the whole Psalme being composed for that purpose as appeares by the Title So Hezekiah blesseth God for delivering him from his sicknesse which was the messenger of death Isa 38.9 c. David also exhorts others to do the like Psal 107. where mentioning divers deliverances from hunger thirst imprisonment sicknesse shipwrack at the end of every member he adds these words Oh that men would therefore praise the LORD c. For his deliverance from eternall death he doth it Psal 51.14 15. 71.23 So Saint Paul 1 Tim. 1. whereas he had been a blasphemer a persecuter and injurious by which sinnes he had deserved eternall death and yet had obtained mercy ver 13 14 15 16. he praises God for it ver 17. So he exhorts the Colossians chap. 1. vers 12 13. The Reasons mentioned in the former benefits may be applied to this also viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 He knew 1 That this redemption was fit matter of gratitude 1 For the greatnesse of the benefit Deliverance from untimely death of the body is of great moment whether a man be godly or wicked Gods promise of it Exod. 20.12 23.26 Zech. 8.4 and elswhere proves it to be a great blessing to the godly God hath set the mark of honour upon old age Levit. 19.32 Prov. 16.31 20.29 Hence Saint Paul to Philemon stiles himselfe Paul the aged vers 9. And when ancient men are dishonoured especially by young men it is noted as a great ataxie or disorder Isa 3.5 Lam. 5.12 Lastly with the ancient is wisdome and in length of dayes is understanding Job 12.12 Hence old men are wont to be taken into counsell The seventy that were joined in assistance to Moses were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Elders of Israel Num. 11.16 So amongst the Egyptians Psal 105.22 So the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lacedemonians and the Senatus of the Romanes And we know what happened to Rehoboam when forsaking the old mens counsell he followed that of the yong men 1 Kin. 12. The reason why old men get wisdome is because their long life both affords them much time to learne and hath experience as a most certaine guide And that their wisdome may not be idle speculative onely they are freed from many lusts and passions wherewith yong men are usually troubled whence David Psal 25.7 mentions the sinnes of his youth and Saint Paul admonishes Timothy to flee youthfull lusts 2 Tim. 2.22 and so may the more easily apply themselves to the practise of wisdome for the glory of God the adorning their profession and the furthering their own accompts Psal 92.13 14. On the other side if a man be yet wicked and in the state of sin a speedy death throwes him headlong into hell whereas long life affords him time to repent Whether therefore a man be godly or wicked deliverance from untimely death is in it self a great blessing But deliverance from eternall death is so great an one as can not be expressed or imagined whether we consider the greatnesse of the evil escaped or of the good obtained 2 For the conveniency yea necessity How obnoxious David was both to temporall and eternall destruction was shewed before in the first Doctrine of this verse whereupon in respect of himself he stood in need of redemption from both But besides the state of the Kingdome and Church miserably afflicted under the wicked and unhappy government of Saul greatly needed the prolonging of Davids life to restore it again 2 He knew also that his redemption from both these destructions was from God and that of His love free grace 3 That to be gratefull to God for it was his duty and a duty both in it self most excellent and to God most acceptable 2 Being a man according to Gods heart he would not detaine the truth in unrighteousnesse but cheerfully perform that which he knew for so many and so great causes ought to be performed Uses Here beside the generall instructions touched before Instr vers 3. mutatis mutandis 1 we see what
frequent acts the habit may be gotten and confirmed 3 To give unto God the glory of His mercy Motiv 1 God working all things for Himself hath revealed this as all the rest of His Attributes to us in His word and works that we may glorifie Him 2 Holy men in Scripture every where shew us example David especially in this book of Psalmes 3 It is most just seeing the mercy of God is the fountain of all the good we have or hope for That eternall glory and happinesse is prepared for us that Christ was sent to merit and procure it the Spirit to apply it the word and other ordinances which the Spirit useth to this end c. is all the work of mercy Meanes 1 Meditate of the excellency of Gods mercy as it is described in the word 2 Observe the sweet operations thereof in thy self and others 2 Doctrine The LORD is gracious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gracious Expl. The grace of God is often by a Metonym effic put for a double effect of it noting 1 holy habits begotten in the mind and heart as saving knowledge of God faith hope charity c. 1 Cor. 1.4 5. 1 Pet. 4.10 2 The continuall assistance of the Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 12.9 But here it is taken in the proper signification and so it imports the manner according to which God out of His goodnesse love mercy delivers the creature from evils and enriches it with good things namely gratis or freely For deliverance from evil Psal 51.1 For bestowing of good Gen. 33.5 11. When therefore God is sayd to be gracious the meaning is that He is ready to remove evil from His creature and to bestow good upon it not upon any precedent merit or debt or yet out of hope of recompense whereby any thing may accrew to Himself but onely that it may be well with the creature For the Proof and Reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See the former Doctrine Object If it be objected that God doth not give salvation but according to His covenant prescribing conditions without performance whereof He hath threatned and sworne that no man shall enter into His rest Answ I answer that Grace and Faith doe very well agree Whereupon the Scripture ascribing our Justification to Grace doth also often teach that we are justifyed by Faith And so for salvation Ephes 2.8 By grace ye are saved through faith c. Yea Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace c. For it is of the mere grace of God that He would make a new covenant that omitting the rigour of the Law He would require Faith for the condition of it that we are either able or willing to beleeve Philip. 2.13 These two therefore may very well stand together That all who are justifyed and saved are justifyed and saved of the mere grace of God and yet That no man is justifyed or saved but by Faith God doth not enter covenant with us as needing any thing that we can do unto Him Who is in Himself All-sufficient and Blessed from everlasting to everlasting He doth not enter covenant with us as thereby to cut off that absolute right of creation and redemption in regard of which He might require of us whatsoever we could performe without making any promise to us or covenanting thereby for our obedience His covenant is so framed that He commands what we are to doe and adds a terrible threatning of death if we doe it not and promises a reward as of grace and free gift if we doe it we tender the condition to Him from His own power as our duty and seek the reward by humble intreaty that He would remember His holy covenant So that he enters into covenant to excite us the more willingly and cheerfully to doe Him service not to imply that He needs to us or that we can merit any thing at His hands Obj. 2 Yea but He doth not give salvation but for the merit of Christ Answ For answer see Vers 3. Doctr. 3. Uses For our instruction Instr 1 Here we see whence it is that God often plentifully bestowes upon wicked men the good things whereof they are most unworthy and averts the evils which they have most justly deserved though out of His Omnisciency He most certainly foresees their obstinacy to be such that they will not by these riches of His goodnesse be led to repentance Hereupon some of the heathen denyed Gods providence and sometimes holy men envy the wicked But we may easily resist these temptations The former of the heathen if we think of the grace of God which looks at neither antecedent merit nor subsequent recompense in the bestowing of good or averting of evil and out of which He will doe good even to bad men that He may satisfie His love to His creature though He certainly foresee that by reason of their contumacy He shall not obteine his prime end of bringing them to repentance which He seriously intends and for which He useth sufficient meanes The other temptation of the saints we may also resist 1 If we consider the same grace of God whereby He may doe with His own what He will For is it not lawfull for Him so to doe Is our eye evil because He is good 2 If we consider how long He so deales with the wicked of His grace Not for ever but onely so long as He thinks fit to expect their conversion But if they will not be converted but turne His grace into wantonnesse the Spirit of grace to which they doe such despite will not alwaies strive with them but there will be a time when stripping them of all good God will cast them into eternall misery so that it shall be manifest to all that they are nothing lesse then the object of envy 2 See here a just and effectuall cause of patience when either good things are wanting or evils ly upon us If we could deserve or God did any way ow us the bestowing of those good things or the averting of those evils it were another matter But seeing He is gracious dispensing all His benefits freely why do we yet complaine as if He dealt injuriously with us Yea rather let us set in order before our selves our many and great sinnes and amongst the rest our abusing of Gods benefits and then I dare boldly say we are very blind if we do not see most just cause of acknowledging the great grace of God toward us that any good at all even our life and breath is still continued to us and that we are not at this very houre in hell And further we must consider that Gods withholding temporall good things or His sending temporall evils do not alwaies proceed from an intention of revenge neither are as it were forerunners of condemnation but that He often even of the same grace fatherly chastises us for our good yea many times onely proves us that His graces may be exercised
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
the devil Jam. 4.7 2 Doctrine The LORD pardoned all Davids iniquities 1 The object of this forgivenesse was all Davids iniquities that is Explic. both Adams sinne imputed and the actuall sins committed by himself as whereof he had actually repented 2 The pardoning of sin is all one with not imputing it to condemnation or the freeing a man from the guilt of it and consequently from the punishment due upon the guilt 3 The LORD that is the whole Trinity seeing it is opus ad extra a work or act of God terminated upon a thing without Himself Yet as in the Persons there is an internall naturall order of being one from another so also there is an order of working from and by one another even in externall and voluntary actions For as the Father is from none the Sonne from the Father by generation the Holy Ghost from both by procession so the Father creates of Himself by the Sonne and the Holy Ghost the Sonne from the Father by the Holy Ghost the Holy Ghost from both So here the Holy Ghost making men conformable to the stipulation of the covenant immediately applies the remission of sins the Sonne taking our flesh upon him merited and procured it but primarily and in a more speciall manner this act is ascribed to the Father Who dwels in the light that no man can approch to sitting continually in the throne of his Majesty and keeping his authority whole and entire to Himself without any condescension of his Person and therefore the power and right either of justly punishing or graciously remitting sinnes doth after a more principall manner belong to him Quest Here a Question may be moved Whether all a mans sins even those which are to come be at once remitted when he is first converted Answ I answer No by no meanes For if so then a man once converted and so perswaded could not otherwise then frivolously pray daily Forgive us our trespasses as which he knowes are all forgiven already David was converted long before the businesse of Urijah If therefore this opinion stand good see to what purpose all that earnestnesse was Psal 51. and what answer had befitted his petitions Have mercy upon me Answ It is not now to doe I had mercy on thee long agoe yea before thou stoodest in need of it for those very sins Blot out my trangressions Answ They were never upon record but pardoned before they were committed Wash me purge me cleanse me Answ No such need thy sins being forgiven aforehand have not defiled thee Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse Answ It was never imputed to thee c. See Rom. 3.25 This opinion tends directly to take away all care of avoiding sin and all repentance for sin committed For why should any that is thus perswaded be afraid to commit any sin whatsoever or repent of any that he hath committed Lest he fall into condemnation There can be no such feare but very foolish if a man be sure that all his sins are pardoned aforehand Neither can he in common sense fear lest God should be displeased For if clearly foreseeing all his sinnes in their nature kind and degree with all their circumstances He fully forgave them all before they were committed how is it possible that without manifest change of mind He should be displeased when any of them are conmmitted But to returne to the Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Davids sins were forgiven by God see also Psal 32.5 The principall cause of this forgivenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Mercy of God whereby He appointed His Son to be the Mediatour and made a covenant with Him the Stipulation whereof see Psal 40.6 7. the Promise Isa 53.10 11. Then also the Justice of God which Christ having exactly performed the stipulation requires the performance of the promise though made freely and of mere grace The Apostle seems to comprehend both together Rom. 3.24 25 26. Uses Here then 1 we see that though we all have our sinnes as the former Doctrine put us in mind yet the case is not desperate Instr There is hope in Israel concerning this thing It is an Article of our Creed I beleeve the remission of sinnes But then 2 we see also to whom this remission belongeth namely not to such as go on in their sinnes without repentance but to such as David was 3 Behold the greatnesse of Gods mercy For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all notes the generality of the object and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the participle of the present tense notes the continuation of the act and that it is ever present as need shall require This may be a ground of comfort 1 Against the terrours of conscience Consolation Thy sinnes are many but Gods compassions are farre more those great but these infinitely greater 2 Against death whose onely sting is sin 1 Cor. 15.56 which being taken away there is nothing in death that can hurt and a Christian is so far from fearing it that he desires and longs for it as rest from his labours and the way to heaven 3 Against all the afflictions of this world positive or privative which forgivenesse of sinnes supposed all work together for our good Rom. 8.28 c. Quest But how shall I know my self to be of the number of them whose sins are forgiven Answ I answer seeing remission of sinnes is the act of God alone according to His good pleasure therefore we must not judge of it according to our own imaginations which may easily deceive us either on the one side through presumption or on the other through scrupulousnesse but according to Gods word wherein He hath revealed his will so farre as it concerns us to know Now from the word of God we may gather two Notes of the forgivenesse of sinnes One and that a most evident one is taken à priore from that which goes before forgivenesse thus It is most certaine that God will doe whatsoever he hath promised Num. 23.19 For as being most faithfull and simply immutable He neither will nor can change His mind so being omniscient He knowes and being omnipotent He is able abundantly to performe His word If therefore we would know whether our sinnes be forgiven we must see whether our spirit can witnesse that we by the grace of God are of the number of them to whom God hath in Scripture testified the promise of forgivenesse Prov. 28.13 Isa 1.16 17 18. Mat. 6.14 15. 11.28 Act. 2.38 10.43 The other Note is taken à posteriore from that which followes forgivenesse For as there is a great difference in man before and after the forgivenesse of his sinnes so the providence of God concerning him is farre different In temporall goods there is a wide difference seeing to a sinner they are given onely out of Gods first or generall love whereof a man may tast deeply and yet never come neare the kingdome of heaven yea the more of this
those two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercifull and gracious in the 8th verse of this Psalme Quest If it be questioned how our forgivenesse is free seeing it is merited by Christ Answ I answer 1 Christs merit is it self most free both on the part of God the Father freely sending Christ Joh. 3.16 and on the part of Christ Himself freely taking this office upon Him 2 Whereas in regard both of Gods Justice and of our behoof and benefit it was requisite that there should be such an expiation of sin made by Christ and that being perfectly made without any help of ours God might now most freely without violation of His Justice or Truth pardon our sinnes this pardon upon that expiation is so farre from derogating from the Grace of God or the freenesse of this benefit that it much more illustrates and amplifies it Uses For our instruction 1 Here we see to which of all Gods benefits David gives the precedency viz. to remission of sins Instr For till a mans sinnes be forgiven he is liable to all kinds of miseries and as that which fills up the measure of all to eternall death And whatsoever good things or blessings he receives from God though such indeed in themselves they are turned into curses Mal. 2.2 unlesse leading him to repentance they become means of his obtaining forgivenesse of sinnes On the other side forgivenesse obtained as it makes way for all other blessings so it makes us beare all kind of afflictions patiently as knowing them to be none other then fatherly chastisements or trialls and which shall all work together for our good 2 In that David blesseth God for the forgivenesse of all his sins we see there is no sin so small or light but that it both needs forgivenesse and being forgiven deserves and requires that we should blesse God for it Hence are reproved 1 Such as never regard or look after forgivenesse of sinnes Repr this great and prime benefit for which David gives thanks in the first place Nay who are so far from seeking forgivenesse of sins past that they daily heap up new sins and wait for occasions and opportunities of sinning Job 24.15 Psal 10.8 9 10. Prov. 1.11 Jer. 20.10 Luke 11.54 2 Such as haply desire forgivenesse of sins but not upon those terms or conditions upon which God hath promised it thinking they may obtain it though they walk in the stubbornnesse of their hearts Such men the Lord threatens that He will not pardon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He will not yeeld or consent to pardon though desired for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly used but His anger and His jealousy shall smoke against them Deut. 29.20 3 Such who though they nothing doubt but think themselves surer then David of the forgivenesse of their sins yet doe not with David shew themselves thankfull to God for it In words haply they will sometimes give Him thanks But how little they either value the benefit in their minds or love the Benefactour in their hearts appeares by their conversation and secure continuance in their sinnes Which shewes that they either never truly repented of their sinnes at all for true repentance begets the fear of God Psal 130.4 by which men depart from evil Pro. 16.6 and carefulnesse to avoid sin for the future 2 Cor. 7.11 or that they are again returned with the dog to their vomit and with the sow to their wallowing in the mire whose latter end unlesse they timely beware will be worse then their beginning But let us imitate David in a true hearty Exhort and reall thankfulnesse to God for the forgivenesse of our sins and to that end enlarge our meditations upon the reasons before mentioned which will be strong Motives to excite us hereunto We have seen the first part of Davids spirituall deliverance namely from the guilt of sin by Justification or remission Who forgiveth all thy sinnes The 2d followes Who healeth all thy diseases Wherein also three things are in like manner to be considered in the three following Axiomes or Doctrines 4. Doctrine David had his diseases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy diseases This word Expl. as also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof they come properly signifie the diseases of the body but by Metaphor they are transferred sometimes to the body politique Isa 1.5 sometimes to the soule signifying the distempers of it either penall Prov. 13.12 or sinfull Eccle. 6.2 where he speaks of sordid covetousnesse or tenaciousnesse In this place the word seems to be taken not in the proper sense for the diseases of the body which are rather intimated in the beginning of the next verse among the causes of bodily death or destruction but in the metaphoricall for the diseases of the soule namely sinfull corruptions whether inclinations or habits For the healing of these being a great benefit of God and indeed greater then forgivenesse as sinne is worse then damnation therefore it is not probable that David reckoning up particularly the causes of his thankfulnesse would passe this over in silence and insist twice upon another far lesse then it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Davids soule had such diseases appeares in the Text in like manner as was said of his actuall sinnes in the 1 Doctrine of this verse both by the pronown affixt and by the act of God exercised about them So Psalm 41.4 And it is further evident by the history of his life by his own confessions and complaints in this book of Psalmes and by those very actuall iniquities before mentioned which are the effects of these diseases So for the generall Prov. 20.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 1 Adams sin is according to the tenour of the first covenant imputed to all that are naturally propagated from him whereupon being deprived of originall justice and wisedome we become blind in our minds and perverse in our hearts and so sold under sinne that till we be in some measure freed by the grace of God we cannot but do viciously and daily contract strengthen ill habits Joh. 15.5 2 Cor. 3.5 2 Although beleevers having the Sonne Joh. 8.36 and the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.17 are freed as from the guilt of sins past so also from the dominion of sin yet the flesh still lusts against the Spirit and there remain still in them to be further mortified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those earthly members Coloss 3.5 Uses Here then we see 1 How miserable our condition is in this life Instr How many troubles and dangers our bodies are subject to by diseases c. we are not ignorant The soule also hath her diseases too and those sinfull diseases the tympany of pride the burning feaver of filthy lust the dropsy of covetousnesse the consumption of envy c. which as they are in number not inferiour to those of the body so in their
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
just ground we have to pray as we do in our publique Letany against sudden death That a long life whereby death comes upon us not suddenly and unexpectedly but maturely and according to the ordinary course of nature may lawfully with submission to Gods will be desired abundantly appeares by what hath been said in the Reason of this Doctrine and sufficiently by this act of David here For thanksgiving rightly ordered as we must suppose it here to be alwaies implies the cause of it to be some benefit or good thing which therefore being absent may lawfully at least be desired 2 It is cleare that our deliverance from eternall destruction much more our eternall happinesse in heaven is of Gods free grace not of the merit of our works which is opposed to grace Rom. 11.6 for there is no thanks due but for a benefit freely bestowed Luk. 17.9 Here are reproved 1 They that are unthankfull to God for their redemption or reprive from bodily death Repr Such must they needs be who doe not acknowledge it to be received from God for the first degree of gratitude is to acknowledge the benefactour But much more unthankfull are they who when God hath delivered them from any sicknesse employ their recovered health and strength to sinne against Him Such men shew plainly that they think their life serves onely for the satisfying of their lusts as if they were born for none other end but to sinne and therefore having been hindred in their businesse by sicknesse as soon as they are recovered they double their diligence for the regaining that time And this is still so much the worse when done after promises and vowes of amendment Oh what saints do some men seeme upon their sick beds when they think themselves in danger of death How do they blame their former courses What promises do they make for the future if God shall restore them to health But being recovered no such matter appears With the dog they return to their vomit the courses which they so disliked in their sicknesse they rush into again as the horse into the battell Against the amendment then promised they beare an aversation in respect of their lusts anew urging them to their old courses and of their companions who would hate them if reformed Such persons little consider with Whom they have to doe having never heard or not regarded that Galat. 6.7 God is not mocked He knowes whether people be like those Hos 7.14 who cryed not unto God with their hearts when they howled upon their beds c. High time it is then for such to recount what vowes they have made in their distresse and speedily to go about the performance of them Otherwise let them make account to beare the punishment not only of unthankfulnesse as the former but moreover of breaking vowes and those not of things indifferent which yet God will strictly require but either the same with or branches of their vowes formerly made in Baptisme When thou vowest a vow unto God defer not to pay it Dent. 23.21 Eccles 5.4 Not onely Deny not or Forget not or Omit not but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Defer not Slack not Put not off till afterwards For if thou dost remember that God can every moment bring thee into the like or greater danger And then with what faee canst thou look up unto Him again with Whom thou hast before dealt so perfidiously See Job 27.8 9 10. 2 They who so live that they can not give thanks to God for redeeming them from eternall destruction seeing they will not be redeemed from it But are there any such Answ It is incredible indeed that any man if so be he beleeve there is any such destruction should simply be unwilling to be redeemed from it But we must distinguish of the act of willing which is either efficacious inefficacious Essicaciously to will redemption from eternall destruction they onely can be said who diligently frame themselves according to the prescript of the Gospell truly repenting of their sinnes fleeing to Christ the Redeemer by true faith and for the time to come ceasing to do evil and learning to do well Thus wicked men are not willing to be redeemed and therefore not efficaciously It remaines therefore that if they will it at all it is but inefficaciously which kind of willing is called velleity or woulding rather then true willing Which as it is alwayes vaine so here it is also foolish and impious For seeing that impenitent sinning and eternal destruction are inseparably linked together by God as the Scripture every where testifies how foolishly do impenitent sinners wil to be redeemed from eternall destruction Yea how impiously For what else do they wil but that God Who is infinitely and necessarily faithfull should break the new covenant established in the blood of his Sonne and confirmed in the promises and threatnings thereof by his oath and so should become not onely a liar but perjured Such kind of willing God so makes no account of that judging not according to mens foolish thoughts but according to the truth of the thing he plainly saith that such men will to dy Ezek. 18.31 Doubtlesse according to their own opinion they do not will eternall death but yet continuing in their sinnes they do by consequence in the causes altogether necessarie most truly will it See Prov. 8.36 21.6 18.6 17.19 But let us imitate David Exhort Motives see the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have seen the privative benefits viz. Deliverances from evil both of sin and punishment Come we now to the positive The conferring of good things And first in generall both spirituall and temporall are comprehended in the latter part of this 4th verse 4 Doctrine The LORD crowned David with loving-kindnesse and tender-mercies 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loving-kindnesse Explic. This word properly signifies goodnesse or an affection of doing good any way and so is often joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By a Metonymie of the Efficient it is put for the effect thereof viz. the benefit it self or the good deed done as Gen. 20.13 2 Sam. 2.5 6. and so often joined with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the plurall number almost perpetually as 2 Chron. 32.32 Nehem. 13.14 Gen. 32.10 Psal 106.7 Now these effects have reference to all kinds of good as well privative in deliverance from evil whether of sinne or punishment as positive as may appear by the severall places where the word is used But one may suffice for all viz. Psal 136. where this word is 26 times used in reference sometimes to positive sometimes to privative benefits Now though David in this Psalme gives thanks to God for both sorts of benefits yet having spoken of the privative particularly vors 3. and in the former part of this verse this lanter seems rather specially to intend the positive and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here to be restrained to them 2
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tender-mercies The verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is once used in the Kal. viz. Psol 18.1 signifying to love not simply and absolutely largely And so the sense is That God had given him not onely some few but very many blessings as it were compassing him round about on every side amongst which were first spirituall gifts wherewith his soule was wonderfully adorned and made beautifull in the eses of God and all good men also wisdome valour beauty and comelinesse of person wives children power authority and riches lastly frequent victories and from thence ample spoiles c. That Gods benefits bestowed upon him were many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Psal 40.5 68.19 139.17 18. For his spirituall ornaments faith hope charity humility zeal justice c they are every where obvious For his wisdome see 1 Sam. 18.14 His valour he shewed by the acts which he did His beauty is mentioned 1 Sam. 16.12 His wives 2 Sam. 12.8 His children 1 Chron. 28.5 Power and authority he had as being made King over all Israel and having subdued many other nations to his dominion His wealth may be conjectured by what he had provided for the building of the Temple viz. 100000 talents of gold and 1000000 talents of silver c 1 Chron. 22.14 To which he added out of his own peculiar treasure 3000 talents of gold of Ophit and 7000 talents of refined silver Chap. 29.4 A talent after the balance of the sanctuary being of our money in silver 375 l. in gold after a twelve-fold proportion 4500 l. Of his victories and spoiles and subduing his enemies we read every where Now all these God according to His own good pleasure bestowed upon David 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the end that he being both furnished therewith might be able and being excited by the consideration thereof might be willing and ready to serve Him cheerfully to his own salvation and Gods glory Uses This instructs us 1 Who is the Author of all good things namely the LORD Instr Man himself may be a means of some good things to himself by his diligence to others by beneficence But 1 Of some onely not of all for who can adde one cubite to his stature or make one haire white or black or endue the soule with understanding judgement memory c 2 Neither of any at all othertherwise then as an instrument under God without whose blessing all mans industry is but vain Psal 127.1 2. Habak 2.13 That others also have to give unto us and are willing to do it is of God Ezra 7.27 28. God therefore is truly the Authour of all good things of most the solitary cause of the rest the principall cause And this David acknowledges not onely here but often elswhere See 1 Chron. 29.14 So Saint James chap. 1.17 2 How these things come from God viz. not of His strict remunerative justice Job 22.2 35.7 41.11 Psal 16.2 Rom. 11.35 but of His loving-kindnesse and tender-mercies as the Scripture every where testifies Hence that admiration of David 2 Sam. 7.18 3 What it is to serve God viz. not vain and unprofitable as many imagine with them Mal. 3.14 For consider how many and how excellent benefits God here bestowed upon his servant which as comprehended under the metaphor of crowning we before in some sort explained Neither these things onely which are here according to the context specially understood but also deliverances from evil of which before and that which is added ver 5. Nor was the measure of these things either the power of God as though He could not have given more or His love to David as though that had wholly spent it self in these things and were not willing to bestow more but the conveniency in respect of David 2 Sam. 12.8 Lastly all these things were but as a few drops in respect of those rivers of pleasures but a few mites in comparison of the true treasure but the first-fruits of a farre more ample harvest to follow but the earnest of an eternall and incorruptible inheritance c. And seeing God is a Lord or Master Who is no respecter of persons therefore these benefits are not peculiar to David onely but common to all his fellow-servants for the greatest and best of them grace and glory most certainly for the rest also so farre as shall be convenient for them Psal 19.11 31.19 84.11 Here are reproved 1 Such as through their own fault are not crowned with Gods blessings Repr as simply in respect of spirituall grace whilest they not onely neglect but reject the meanes of it yea esteem it as nothing worth yea think it dishonourable and prejudiciall to them so many times in respect of other things also So they who do not seek outward things of God or seek them onely to this end that they may confume them upon their lusts Jam. 4.2 3. So to speak in a word they who by their sins of what kind soever provoke God Isa 59.1 2. Ier. 5.24 25. 2 Such as uncrown themselves decaying in grace besotting brave wits by drunkennesse c. bringing deformities and diseases upon bodies formerly both comely and able chusing such wives as are a rottennesse in their bones and so bringing up their children that they are a shame and greif to them squandring away such wealth as friends have left them polluting their hoary heads with sinne c. 3 Such as are unlike to God herein So they who are wanting in loving kindnesse towards others More they who secretly envy those that are crowned of God Most of all they who out of envy persecute and doe injury unto others These indeed crown others but as Saul crowned or compassed about David 1 Sam. 23.26 or as the foldiers crowned Christ Mat. 27.29 The heads of exhortation may be 1 According to Davids scope that I may here briefly touch the relative consideration of these words that we be thankfull to God that crowns us Exhort But of this something hath been spoken in the 2d verse 2 That we expect and seek from God onely whatsoever good things we want See the 2d Doctrine of this verse Exhort 1. 3 That we imitate God in loving kindnesse and tender mercies Vers 5. Who satisfyeth thy mouth with good so that thy youth is renewed as the eagles This verse containing a speciall benefit may be considered in it self wherein the benefit effect of it as it affords an argument for gratitude 1 Doctrine The LORD satisfyed Davids mouth with good These words contain the Benefit viz. an abundant supply of all things necessary for this life That God did so supply David see Psalm 23.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For 1 God had much work for David to doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fighting his bettells against so many bitter enemies in administring justice and judgement to so great a people c. 2 Though the soule or spirit be
the execution thereof Here in resemblance to magistrates or earthly gods the same acts are eminently attributed to the God of heaven Who is called the Judge of all the earth Gen. 18.25 and the great King over all the earth Psal 47. And the words may here in like manner not unfitly be distinguished so that by Gods executing righteousnesse be understood His relieving the oppressed by his executing judgement His punishing the oppressour Moreover in that both these words are of the plurall number it signifies according to the usuall idiome of the Hebrew tongue an Auxesis or intension in both Omnimodam justitiam judicium He will do it in every particular He will do it throughly and to the full perfectly both for parts and degrees For proof hereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That God is a God of righteousnesse and judgement administers the same to all men in generall see Psal 89.14 97.2 33.5 99.4 c. More particularly that He executeth both these for the oppressed in righting them and punishing their oppressours for both acts commonly goe together see Psal 146.7 8 9. 140.11 12. 10.14 18. Prov. 22.22 23. Deut. 10.17 18. 1 Righteousnesse for the oppressed He executeth out of the multitude of His mercies and compassions toward them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For such is Gods mercy that He pities the afflictions even of them that suffer most justly yea farre below their desert Jud. 10.16 2 Kin. 14.26 How much more will He pity them that are unjustly oppressed of men Act. 7.34 So Isa 63.9 In all their affliction he was afflicted c. 2 Judgement upon oppressors He executeth out of His hatred against oppression Zech. 8.17 Yea He so hates it that He hates to have any thing which is gotten thereby dedicated to His service Isa 61.8 And no marvell seeing oppression is directly contrary to Gods goodnesse and to His will not onely in Scripture every where declared but known even to the heathen by the reliques of Gods image Also it hurts those whom God loves and pities So that even the Mercy of God also is a reason of this as well as of the former act See Exod. 22.21 22 23 24 25 26 27. where in the last words this is given as the cause of all that goes before for I am gracious Moreover God therefore shewes exemplary judgements upon oppressours that others may beware Uses Here 1 we see David takes it for granted that at all times there are men oppressed Instr and those not a few seeing he speaks not of one or of some but of all And this the experience of all times since men began to multiply upon the face of the earth plainly shewes If therefore in these last and dangerous times and as it were the dregs of the world there be many such it is not to be wondred at Eccle. 5.8 Indeed it is strange that a man to whom reason dictates the summe of the law and the prophets that every man should doe as he would be done unto and much more that a Christian man notwithstanding so many dehortations and threatnings so many examples of Gods judgements against oppressours in Scripture yea so many precepts exhortations to defend relieve do good to others should yet wrong and oppresse his brethren But if we consider how great covetousnesse pride envy c. reignes in many men and with all what reasons good ends God hath for which He is pleased to permit oppression so farre as He doth and not altogether to hinder it as by his omnipotency He could we shall see it is not without cause that David here takes it for granted that there alwaies have been are and will be oppressours and men oppressed by them 2 This also is by David here presupposed that there is no oppression but that God sees otherwise how could He execute righteousnesse judgement for all that are oppressed Thus Psal 10.13 14. Wherefore doth the wicked that is the oppressour or persecutour v. 2. blaspheme God saying in his heart Thou wilt not require it Thou hast seen it for Thou beholdest mischiefe and spite to requite it with Thy hand the poore committeth himself unto Thee for Thou art the helper of the fatherlesse If God did not see both what the oppressour does and what the poor orphane suffers he could neither requite the one nor help the other See also Psal 94. where we have at large set down 1 The oppression practised by wicked and proud men and their triumphing in it vers 3 4 5 6. 2 Their blasphemy that God did not see or regard it ver 7. 3 The refutation of it vers 8 c. And Eccles 5.8 He that is higher then the highest regardeth it or observeth keepeth it in mind c. In generall see Hebr. 4.13 3 Wee see how God stands affected to oppression viz. so that He will execute righteousnesse for all that are oppressed and judgement upon their oppressours Gods patience animates many men to do wickedly Eccle. 8.11 And hence they imagine God to be such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 And some of the heathen did hereupon deny Gods providence But the wiser sort even amongst them observing more diligently the event of oppression were of another mind Whence those common proverbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods mils grind slowly but they grind small and Male parta male dilabuntur c. Much more should we who have the Scriptures for it undoubtedly beleeve that God howsoever He reserves in His own hand the time unknown to us yet will most certainly sooner or later execute both righteousnesse and judgement for all that are oppressed This then should terrifie oppressours Repr if they be not altogether hardened in their sin For 1 Let not them or theirs expect that they shall long enjoy goods so gotten God will execute righteousnesse for the oppressed in restoring to them their own making the oppressours vomit up again the riches they have swallowed down and pulling them out of their belly Job 20.15 Neither 2 shall the guilt of their sin be taken away together with the gain of it God will execute judgement also as well as righteousnesse What judgements remaine for them in this world we know not but without repentance they are sure of the judgement of eternall damnation in the world to come For how can they escape He Who hath taken upon him to execute this judgement is God from Whose all-seeing eye they can not be hid Whose almighty power they can not resist Whose will concerning them unlesse they be changed by repentance is unchangeable Now is the day of grace when truly repenting of what they have done and restoring what they have wrongfully taken away or detained and for the time to come despising the gain of oppression Isa 33.15 they may obtain pardon But if they slip this time that succeeds wherein every man shall be rewarded according to his works And if he shall
men may not assume them to themselves are described from their effects of fearing God ver 11 13 17. of keeping His covenant and commandements ver 18. And here we have 1 The foundation or impulsive cause of these benefits in the Attributes of God set down in this verse which are foure viz. Mercy Grace Long-suffring Loving-kindnesse 2 The benefits themselves v. 9. to 19. 1 Doctrine The LORD is mercifull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercifull Explic. This word we explained together with the conjugate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 4. Doct. 4. Here it seemes to be taken in the proper and strict acception for that Attribute of God whereby He is inclined to succour them that are in misery This is either generall or speciall Gods generall mercy hath for the object of it not onely men even them which are strangers from the faith but also unreasonable creatures even all Gods works Psal 145.9 His speciall mercy looks at sinners repenting of their sinnes Joel 2.13 And this is principally here meant as appeares by the exercise of it in the words following especially ver 13. And so it signifies a pronenesse to succour or relieve a man in misery notwithstanding sinne The act or effect hereof is Deliverance immediately from the Guilt of sinne by Remission and from the Dominion by Mortification by consequence from Afflictions so far as is expedient and from Hell This Attribute of God is most frequently celebrated in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But let us hear the immediate testimony of God Himself Exo. 34.6 which very words David repeats not onely in this place but also Psal 86.15 145.8 So others Nehemiah chap. 9.17 Joel chap. 2.13 Jonah chap. 4.2 Seeing Mercy considered in it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in actu primo as here it is is an essentiall Attribute of God there can be no reason given of it but He is mercifull because He is mercifull or because He is God For God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without cause otherwise either He must be the cause of Himself and so before and after Himself which can not be or else some other thing must be the cause of Him and so He should not be Alpha the first and independent but should depend upon His cause as in nature before Him But contrariwise He is the cause of all things and upon Him all things necessarily depend both in their essence and operation Uses Seeing this Attribute belongs to our use especially in the exercise of it whereof David speaks afterwards I shall therefore here be the briefer For our Instruction Instr 1 If God be mercifull to sinners repenting then certainly much more is He tenderly affected towards them who having already repented of their sinnes and mortified the works of the flesh by the Spirit of Christ into Whom they are engraffed by faith serve Him diligently in holinesse and righteousnesse and bring forth plentifull fruit whereby He is glorified 2 We see how it comes to passe that sinne doth not presently damne but that there is hope in Israel notwithstanding sinne If Gods punishing justice should strictly take place there could be no hope But God is mercifull and out of His mercy according to the prescript of His wisdome He so remits of His justice that there remains certain hope of salvation to all that repent though worse then Manasseh the Jewes Act. 2. who notwithstanding Christs innocency the excellency of His doctrine frequency greatnesse and goodnesse of His miracles crucified Him c. 3 We see also the true cause of damnation It is not want of mercy in God to deliver men and so to save them but they are wanting to themselves in that they will not walk in the waies to which God in his wisdome hath annexed and restrained His shewing mercy lest His justice should be contemned This reproves 1 Such as do not carry themselves as becomes this mercy of God viz. either despairing presuming of it Despaire as it is in it self a great sinne Repr so it is also to man very dangerous It is great in it self as being which many other sinnes which he could not hinder may be of a harsh disposition which can never in this life be quite remoyed yet by the powerfull grace of God it may be so farre rectified that a man shall have a mercifull heart and in the generall course of his life exercise it though he can not so expresse it in speech and countenance as others can But he that gives way to such a disposition without grieving for it and labouring to mortifie it is not like our heavenly Father For He is mercifull and so must we be if we will be His children Lu. 6.36 Much lesse are they like Him who contrary to their naturall inclination draw upon themselves a habit of cruelty by frequent acts out of self-love pride c. Here is also Comfort 1 for them Consol who groan under the burden of their sinnes See ver 3. Doct. 2. Consol 1 Against the cruelty of men If they refuse to pardon us when we have offended them though we duly crave pardon of them or if they punish us altogether undeservedly not for any offense or fault of ours and that beyond all moderation without all mercy and if others also have no compassion of us being so used yet let this comfort us that there is mercy with God And as the mercy of men can not procure our salvation so neither can their cruelty hinder it God being mercifull unto us Let this also exhort us 1 To labour that we may be partakers of this mercy Exhort Motiv 1 Otherwise we are undone for ever 2 If we truly seek it we shall not seek it in vain 3 This is able to relieve all our miseries c. Meanes Repentance 2 To be mercifull toward others This belongs chiefly to the exercise of mercy Yet something may be said briefly of the inward affection Motiv 1 The externall acts of pardoning them that have injured us relieving them that are in misery c if the heart be void of mercy are not acts of mercy but of some other principle what ever it be from whence they proceed perhaps of vain-glory cowardlinesse c and therefore shall not onely faile of the reward promised to the mercifull but be punished as hypocriticall at least if not otherwise sinfull 2 If we have the inward affection though for want of power or opportunity we can not exercise the outward act God will in this case accept and reward the will for the deed Meanes 1 Seeing Christ is full of grace of Whose fulnesse we all receive grace for grace it is necessary that being taken out of the wild olive we be graffed into Him the true olive tree 2 Seeing Christ communicates by His Spirit Which is therefore called the Spirit of grace let us labour to be endued with it 3 By the grace of His Spirit exercise mercy that by
also plentifully recompense unto us whatsoever we doe for His sake Mat. 10.42 Luke 6.35 14.12 13 14. 3 Doctrine The Lord is slow to anger or long-suffring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 long of anger Explic. Which is meant not in respect of the continuance of His anger for so he is quite contrary as we shall see in the next verse and Psal 30.5 Isa 54.8 but in respect of the beginning of it that is He is long ere He will be angry For thus is the phrase every where taken whether spoken of God or man And so also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man deferres his anger or makes him slow to anger So Isa 48.9 In like manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles 7.8 To which are contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 short of anger 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 short of spirit that is soon angry or hasty of spirit Prov. 14.17 29. And this also as the former Attribute is here to be understood in actu primo as noting a propension in God to refraine His anger in the effects of it viz. revenge or punishments notwithstanding the greatnesse continuance or frequent iteration of mens sinnes For the Proof and Reason see Doctr. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Uses For our instruction 1 This Attribute of long-suffring presupposes in God a naturall hatred of sinne Instr His refraining for a time the effects of His displeasure implies that He is displeased at it And both these presuppose Gods omnisciency whereby He knowes all sinnes 2 See here the true cause why sinners many times goe so long unpunished Not their desert nor that God either sees not or hates not their sinnes or is not able to punish them but His long-suffring or slownesse to anger 3 Hence also it appeares that the sinnes of impenitent persons are not at all remitted by Gods long-suffring Quod differtur non aufertur Forbearance is no quittance Their punishment is onely put off not taken off Gods suffring is long but not for ever If men will find no end of sinning God will find an end of suffring and a beginning of punishing This reproves 1 Such as are unlike to God Repr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 14.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vers 29. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are soon angry hasty of spirit who like tindar or gun-powder take fire presently at the least spark of any offense yea sometimes where there is none at all but onely in their misapprehension 2 Such as abuse the long-suffring of God to quite contrary ends viz. to pride luxury oppression c. to foster impious conceits of God that He is such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 to set their hearts fully to doe evill Eccles 8.11 3 Such as envy Gods long-suffring towards others yea pray for speedy vengeance upon them It exhorts us 1 To hasten our repentance Exhort lest that come upon us Rom. 2.4 5. c. 2 Patiently to suffer afflictions though they seem very long to us Motiv 1 Let us consider how long God hath suffred our sinnes most unjustly committed against Him and be ashamed not to suffer patiently His chastisements most justly inflicted upon us yea farre below our desert 2 They are sent by God to purge and take away our sinnes Isa 27.9 that we should not be condemned with the world 1 Cor. 11.32 but be made partakers of His holinesse Hebr. 12.10 and consequently of eternall happinesse Shall not we then patiently beare afflictions which are sent for our great good when God patiently beares our sinnes which are good for nothing Rom. 6.21 Ephes 5.11 yea which are directly contrary to the greatest good Gods glory and our salvation 3 How long soever the time of our suffrings seems to us certainly it shall last no longer then is requisite to the ends before mentioned Lam. 3.33 And shall not we so long endure the hand of God Who hath with so much patience endured us pressing Him with our sinnes as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves Amos 2.13 3 To imitate God in being long-suffring or slow to anger patiently enduring the injuries offred to us by others though great though many though long continued and often repeated 4 Doctrine The Lord is plenteous in loving-kindnesse 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loving-kindnesse Explic. This we explained before Vers 4. Doctr. 4. Where we shewed that it extends both to deliverance from evil and to the bestowing of positive good But it is most commonly taken the latter way And so it is here the former being expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercifull 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plenteous This signifies a large quantity either continued that is magnitude or greatnesse Psal 48.2 or discrete that is multitude Psal 3.1 2. But seeing Gods loving-kindnesse taken in actu primo as here it is is one and the same essentiall Attribute of God therefore the former signification is proper to this place He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is exceeding propense to communicate good And so Psal 145.8 in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though in the effects this as the rest also of Gods Attributes is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many waies manifold as we shall see immediately in the proofe Beside the places quoted for the proof hereof in the first Doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the plenteousnesse of Gods loving kindnesse may be further demonstrated by the multitude and greatnesse of the effects of it The multitude will appeare if we consider 1 How many they are to whom God doth good even as many as there ever have been their sinne and the reprobate by their finall impenitence in their sinnes deprived themselves of it Uses Here 1 See what encouragement we have to pray unto God Instr Such is our need that though he by whom it were to be supplied were most tenacious we had cause to beat his eares continually by our uncessant clamours that if he would not for any other cause yet being wearied with our importunity he might grant us what we ask But God Who not onely admits but invites us to pray as He hath an inexhaust plenty of all good things so He is also as plenteous in kindnesse and ready to give But if He deferre His giving the reason is because that which we ask is not convenient for us or because we ask amisse or are not yet fit to receive or because it is expedient for us that our faith hope patience c be thereby exercised c. Otherwise it would come to passe as Isa 65.24 that before we should call God would answer and whilest we were yet speaking He would hear See Dan. 9.20 21 22 23. Let the papists therefore with their will worship goe to their he and she saints but let us goe to God with our prayers as both His commandement layes a
not to be understood generally of all things for then they should know the secrets of other mens hearts which is proper to God onely and all Divine mysteries which S. Paul though eminently spirituall and holy knew but in part but of things necessary to be known unto salvation But if these men erre not in thus thinking themselves free from errour surely David who acknowledges here for himself and the faithfull of his time amongst whom were Nathan Gad c. that they had their errours who also speaks generally Psal 19.12 had not the same spirit which these men have Haply they will object the difference between the Old and New Testament Ans Then they preferre themselves before the best under the Old Testament And indeed in respect of the objects or things revealed by the Spirit the least in the Kingdome of heaven that is under the Gospell is greater then John the Baptist as he then those which went before him But seeing the old Prophets in those things which they delivered to the Church had an infallible assistance of the Holy Spirit as appeares by their prophesies and S. Peter testifies 2 ep 1.21 it is great arrogancy in this respect to preferre before them any under the New Testament except the Apostles But suppose these men excell the old Prophets what shall we think of the primitive Christians or faithfull under the New Testament It is certain that these also not the Apostles themselves excepted had their sinnes 1 Joh. 1.8 yea many Jam. 3.2 and therefore also their errours Seeing then the best of Gods servants whilest they lived had their errours let us so much the more take heed lest either by relying upon our own understanding or by too much admiring of others we fall into errour But if we doe fall into it let us not despair seeing it is the common condition but be carefull we doe not persist in errour but return into the way againe And if others erre let us not be too rigid towards them 2 We see that sinnes though of ignorance in their own nature deserve Gods anger Otherwise David had not had cause to praise Gods goodnesse and clemency in this respect viz. for not doing unto us according to our errours 3 See the goodnesse and clemency of God in not doing unto us according to our errours Rept This reproves 1 Such as make no account of their errours whereas yet if God should doe unto us but according to our errours it would goe ill with us If He should not forgive us our daily trespasses we could not hope He would give us as a blessing our daily bread 2 Such as strictly take notice of every small offense of their brethren though but an errour but a sinne of ignorance or infirmity and doe to them according to it if not beyond it But let us 1 imitate David here in giving thanks to God that He hath not done to us according to our errours Exhort from which especially considering the number of them He might justly have taken occasion to have shewn the effects of His anger upon us not onely in depriving us of His benefits but also in inflicting positive punishments upon us 2 Imitate God in not dealing with our brethren according to their errours Motiv Beside Gods example Consider 1 Thine own infirmity who hast offended or at least mayst offend others yea those very men who have offended thee and yet wouldst be loth that they should deale with thee accordingly 2 What measure thou measurest unto thy brethren the same will God also measure unto thee He shall have judgement without mercy c. Jam. 2.13 3 If thou dealest with thy brother according to his errours thou wilt shew thy self to be voyd of charity the chief of all vertues for that hath contrary effects 1 Cor. 13. Prov. 10.12 without which all that thou hast or doest is nothing worth 1 Cor. 13.1 2 3. thy prayers are vaine Matth. 6. thy preaching or hearing of the Word receiving of the Sacraments c. are all vaine 2 Doctrine He hath not dealt with us according to our iniquities 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this word in the beginning of this verse and Vers 3. Doctr. 1. Expl. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this at large Vers 2. Doctr. 2. The summe of the Doctrine is That God notwithstanding not onely our errours as in the former part of the verse but even our iniquities or sinnes perversly committed against Him yet moderates His anger towards us and not onely mitigates His positive punishments but bestowes also His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof vers 2. His benefits upon us and continues them unto us Thus for the mitigating His punishments 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ezra 9.13 Lam. 3.22 yea even the wicked in this life are not punished according to their iniquities No nor yet in hell shall any man or devil suffer so much punishment but that God could and might justly if He pleased make him capable of more and inflict it upon him For the bestowing and continuing His benefits notwithstanding mens iniquities see Mat. 5.45 Luke 6.35 The Reason see vers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 11. c. Uses Observe here 1 That even good men sometimes though not as such have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their iniquities or sinnes perversly committed Instr As vers 3. 2 3 as in the former Doctrine mutatis mutandis 4 That God doth not punish of necessity He is indeed necessarily just and hence affected to punish sinners but He is also necessarily mercifull and hence affected to spare where He might punish If He should deale strictly according to Justice all sinners should perish and if altogether according to Mercy all should be saved Wherefore His Wisdome dictates and His Free will determines how and how farre both these Attributes are to be exercised Amongst men justice requires that we doe injury to no man either by deteining from him the good due or by inflicting upon him the evil not due but it requires not that we should not doe him more good or inflict upon him lesse evil then is due He that withholds either totally or in part the good that is due is unjust but he that gives over and above what is due is not unjust but bountifull He that punisheth an innocent man at all or a nocent man beyond his merit is unjust but he that either punisheth below the desert or totally remits an offense committed against himself is not unjust but clement and mercifull And if this be so amongst men much lesse may this liberty be denyed to God the supreme Lord of all His justice requires that He should not give lesse then He hath promised for having promised He becomes a debtour though not to the creature yet to Himself Heb. 6.10 but it is His bounty not injustice to give more then He hath promised Again His justice suffers Him not to punish them that are innocent nor
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
our life whilest we are at home in the body creeping as wormes upon the ground Let us not therefore say of this world as S. Peter of the mount in another respect It is good to be here but let us so live whilest we are here that we may be admitted into heaven after this life that is let us doe the will of our Father Which is in heaven and then with the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.8 desire rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord. 2 Doctrine As the heaven is high above the earth so is Gods mercy great toward them that feare Him 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy Expl. or loving-kindnesse Of this Vers 4. Doctr. 4. and Vers 8. Doctr. 4. Here it is taken largely for propensity both to remove evil from us and to bestow and continue good to us and that notwithstanding the demerit of our sinnes 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them that feare Him The feare of God here notes the whole worship or service of God For that was the phrase of the Old Testament whilest the heire being yet a child had indeed the Spirit of adoption but tempered with the spirit of bondage The same thing that is the observation of the condition of the covenant in the New Testament is called Faith or Trust 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 toward This preposition according to the nature of the speech wherein it is used is diversly rendred Most commonly over of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ascend Now a thing may be over another either as being farre above it as the heaven is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over or above the earth or as contiguous to it and so upon it And whereas a thing may be so upon a man either for evil Judg. 16.30 or for good Psal 133.2 hence it sometimes signifies against 2 Sam. 11.23 Psalm 2.2 sometimes towards Psalm 4.6 that is Be favourable to us or manifest Thy love towards us So here 4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usually signifies to prevaile Now one thing may prevaile over another either in strength and so it is commonly taken or amongst other things in height as Gen. 7.19 20. where the LXX render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And feeing height commonly imports greatnesse therefore our Translatours here render it not amisse is great 5 The particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies not exact parity but similitude For the greatnesse of Gods mercy or loving-kindnesse see Psalm 108.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it is sayd to be above the heavens as here the heavens above the earth See also the places before quoted vers 8. where God is sayd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 great or plenteous in mercy Now the Mercy or loving-kindnesse of God in it self or in acta primo as was sayd before vers 8. is His essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without cause But in actu secundo that is in the exercise or effects of it as here towards them that feare Him it hath a cause viz. 1 His mercy in actu primo that is His pronenesse to doe good from whence in Christ Who hath satisfyed His Justice offended by our sinnes He hath graciously promised to shew mercy or loving-kindnesse to them that feare Him 2 His Justice Truth or Fidelity which require the performance of His promise though graciously made Uses Here then 1 we see there is in God infinite mercy or loving-kindnes Instr whereby men may be invited to fear Him 2 Seeing the subject or object of this mercy is limited to a certaine qualification we may learn that God is so mercifull that He also doth not neglect His justice whereby he hates sinne 3 Seeing this qualification is the fear of God we see to whom and to whom onely this mercy belongs 4 It appeares how naturally miserable the condition of men even of them that fear God is to need such mercy and how happy in obtaining it The least degree of Gods mercy shewed to such is excellent because it proceeds from His second love is a pledge of greater following But the greatnesse of it we have here illustrated by a comparison not fully but as the nature of the world will afford wherein the greatest height is that of the heaven above the earth that being the highest part of the world this the lowest The limitation of Gods mercy to them that fear Him reproves them who Repre though they fear Him not yet presume of His mercy On the other side it affords singular comfort to them who truely fear Him Consol Whatsoever good they lose or whatsoever evil they suffer for this cause it is all nothing to this Mercy It comforts them also against the greatnesse of their former sinnes if they now truely repent and fear God For how great soever they were they can not be so great as Gods mercy Likewise against whatever calamities or afflictions they can suffer For though they have not alwaies the sense of Gods mercy He sometimes for a while hiding His face from them either to try them as in the history of Job or to make them before haply not sufficiently esteeming it desire and seek it more earnestly being absent and love and delight themselves in it the more being recovered c yet it is most certaine that Gods mercy is exceeding great towards them and wil so appeare to them in due time Lastly this should exhort us 1 To feare God Exhort that we may be qualified to be partakers of His mercy 2 To imitate our heavenly Father that as He is kind to all Psal 145.9 Mat. 5.45 but more exceedingly to them that feare Him so should we study to doe good unto all but especially to them which are of the houshold of faith to them that feare God Vers 12. As farre as the east is from the west so farre hath He removed our transgressions from us We have seen the greatnes of Gods mercy The effects follow The former in this verse viz. the removing of our sinnes or transgressions from us which in respect of the space is illustrated by the distance of the east from the west 1 Doctrine The east is farre distant from the west This Axiome seems litle to belong to Divinitie and therefore shall be the more briefly handled By the East and West as the notation of the words import 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to arise Explic. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the evening are signified the places of the rising and setting of the sunne and so the two termes à quo and ad quem of the motion of it above our Horizon These the sunne being in the Aequator are points diametrically opposit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so as farre distant one from the other as any can be in the same globe whether of the
hope But to diminish this hope they must know that whatsoever they have of that which is past they have not much of that which is to come unlesse in their own imagination reckoning without their host For God in whose hand is the soule of every living thing and the breath of all mankind Job 12.10 saith unto all To day if ye will heare his voice c. Psal 95. And Boast not of to morrow Prov. 27.1 Rabbi Eleazar sayd that we should repent one day before the day of our death And when his scholars asked Which should be the day of their death he answered That was uncertain and therefore it was best to repent to day The Jewes have a proverbiall speech That many times Old camels carry yong camels skinnes to the market And how often do we see elder folk carry yong mens and childrens bodies to the grave It is then a fault even in yong men to presume of long life How much more therefore in old men who have already one foot in the grave and yet under gray haires nourish green hopes and desires Lastly Exhort this serves for exhortation 1 To such who in respect of their callings are commonly exposed to more then ordinary danger of their lives See that the thing thou goest about be lawfull that it lie upon thee in respect of thy calling that it be such as God would not have thee to omit whatsoever may thereby befall thee and then goe on couragiously and doe it Thy life is like unto grasse It is appointed unto thee once to dy and but once If therefore that once shall then happen blesse God that He will accept of thy death as a free-will-offring which of it self was due unto nature Or if that thy danger be from men consider that their life also is like unto grasse and therefore though thou maist so farre feare their power and malice as to implore Gods help the more earnestly and to order thy businesse the more cautelously as Jacob Gen. 32. and Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20. yet do not so feare them as to be wanting to a good cause and thy duty Thus God Himself reasons Isa 51.12 Sennacherib gave out great threats against Hezekiah and Jerusalem 2 King 18. But his soldiers in whom he trusted were but grasse and one Angel in one night mowed down 185000 of them Chap. 19.35 2 Seeing this life is so fraile let us so much the more diligently seek that life which is eternall in the heavens and fadeth not away 3 Seeing our life is like unto grasse which perishes so many severall waies therefore let us alwaies every where expect death and be ever ready and prepared for it 2 Doctrine As a flower of the field so he flourisheth Thus is the life of man compared Job 14.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Isa 28.1 40.6 Jam. 1.10 11. 1 Pet. 1.24 Why or in what respect David likens the flourishing estate of man to a flower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 himself is his own best interpreter vers 16. Which tending onely to this purpose we may here consider it without further handling In a flower therefore David observes two points of frailty or vanity 1 In respect of the essence of it Though no hand pluck it nor foot tread it down nor beast crop it nor any other casualty befall it yet as soon as the wind that is the nipping or blasting wind such as the cast wind Gen. 41.23 passeth over it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not that is it neither continues any longer in being nor returnes any more into being So how greatly soever any man flourishes in his time yet as soone as a deadly wound or disease cometh upon him all his glory can not save his life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he is gone he is not he both must die and being dead he returns to this life no more Psal 78.39 Job 14.7 8 9 10 11 12. 2 Sam. 12.23 14.14 2 Which necessarily followes upon the former in respect of the appearance of it Though whilest it flourishes the place of it seems as it were to know nothing but it the glory and beauty of it drawes all eies to it nothing else of all that is round about it is lookt at or regarded yet when it is once nipped with the wind not onely the glory and beauty of it but even all appearance and signe of it perishes together with the essence and never returnes againe the place thereof shall know it no more So though whilest a man is in his flourishing estate he is eminent in his place lookt upon and regarded by all pointed at and shewn by one to another This is the man yet when his life is once taken away his glory and appearance in this world vanishes together with it and never returnes againe yea being once out of sight he growes by litle and litle out of mind also litle thought of lesse spoken of many times not so much as his name mentioned or remembred in the next generation Job 7.8 9 10. 14.10 Where is he Eccles 1.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of former men 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every man 8.10 9.5 Hence the state of the dead is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the land of forgetfulnesse Psal 88.12 And Psal 31.12 I am forgetten as a dead man out of mind And that this is the meaning of this phrase appeares not onely by the place first before quoted Job 7.10 but by divers other places also where this and the like phrases are so used See Job 20.9 Nahum 3.17 Psal 37.10 compared with vers 35 36. of the same Psalme Object But we read of three in the Old Testament and five in the New raised from death to life Answ I answer 1. These few examples of men raised from death to life by Gods extraordinary power do not infringe the truth of what the Scripture affirmes of all mankind according to the ordinary course and law of nature 2 Even those men also afterwards died againe and vanished no more to return or appeare againe in this world Uses Instr Observe here 1 That men ordinarily have a time of flourishing whilest their gifts of mind faculties and habits their endowments of body health strength beauty c. their outward good things wealth power c. are in their prime And all these come down from the Father of lights and are given unto men partly that by enjoying them the many calamities of this pilgrimage may be mitigated but chiefly that they may glorify the Giver promote their own salvation benefit the Church common-wealth and particular persons by the rightuse of these according to Gods word 2 When they most flourish they are but like unto a flower whose short continuance and fading condition no man but knowes And that to a flower not of the garden which is much sheltered from sharp winds fenced from the teeth and feet of beasts from the hands of children strangers
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
he can no way get out of it but as the further a man goes from one part of the heaven the nearer he drawes to the other so the further one departs from Gods commanding will the nearer he comes to His punishing will Uses We see then 1 That no creature is sui juris lord of it self Instr Some men indeed have sometimes thought so as Pharaoh Exod. 5.2 So Psal 2.2 3. 12.4 And the conversation of many among us plainly shewes that they think so whilest they follow whatsoever pleases them and refuse whatsoever stands not with their liking notwithstanding the precepts admonitions threatnings c. of God in Scripture But that all men and all creatures are subject to Gods dominion as it is manifest to all Christians especially so these men also shall at last feel For if they will not now in the day of grace be subject to Gods fatherly dominion they shall one day be subject to His masterly dominion and when He bids them Depart into everlasting fire shall not be able to refuse or disobey 2 That no creature can have dominion over another unlesse it be derived from God Who hath the supreame dominion over all Rom. 13.1 Whence both magistrates should learne so to carry themselves in their government as being to give an account to God the chief Lord and people so to yeeld obedience to them as to Gods vicegerents upon earth from Whom and for Whom they governe This reproves all such as goe about any way to diminish Gods dominion So they Repr who by refusing to obey His commandements do as much as in them is withdraw themselves from under His dominion Would they vindicate themselves into absolute liberty and be altogether their own men subject to none other That is impossible For every man obeys either righteousnesse and God or unrighteousnesse and the devil Rom. 6.16 They therefore who will not obey God do voluntarily yeeld themselves slaves to the devil Nor can they so shake off Gods dominion Who is able to subdue all things unto Himself and when He shall visit His house will say Those Mine enemies which would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and slay them before Me Luk. 19.27 See Ezek. 20.33 So they who account all they have so fully their own that they may doe therewith what they list What spend-thrift is there among us that will not be ready to say I hope I spend nothing but mine own And yet it were well if some of them did not by borrowing or stealing spend that which is other mens So covetous men they think they are absolute lords of all that they have 1 Sam. 25.11 otherwise how chance they will not lay out those goods according to the owners will So they who abuse the creatures which surely are Gods creatures He hath made them nor shall any man goe unpunished that shall usurp or use them otherwise then according to His will The stone out of the wall shall cry c. saith the Prophet Habakkuk ch 2.11 12. So the creatures out of the gluttons and drunkards belly shall cry Woe to them that rise up early in the morning to follow strong drink c. Isa 5.11 12. On the other side Consol this may comfort all Gods faithfull subjects against whatsoever can happen to them If they be in perill by sea the sea is subject to the kingdome and dominion of God Psalm 93.3 4. 107.29 Jer. 5.22 If they be in danger from men see 2 Chron. 32.8 Isa 40.15 17. If from the devil Hebr. 2.14 Rom. 16.20 1 John 4.4 If from death and the grave Hos 13.14 Phil. 3.21 1 Cor. 15. Lastly Exhort this should exhort us 1 to humble our selves before the supreame King and Lord of all When Job seemed to trust too much to His innocence or righteousnesse Elihu endeavoured to reduce him to due humility by this argument Job 36. 37. And God Himself especially chap. 38. 39. 40. 41. The successe see chap. 40.3 4 5. chap. 42.1 2 3 4 5 6. 2 To obey and honour Him Motiv 1 He is most worthy of our honour and obedience Revel 4.11 2 He is most able to reward His faithfull subjects and to punish rebels 3 Consider the example of the Angels vers 20. of this Psalme yea of the unreasonable creatures yea of those without sense or life Psalm 148.5 6. And if He will have any thing done by them though contrary to the inclination of their particular nature they straightwaies obey The sunne stood still for the space of a whole day Jos 10.13 went backward 2 Kings 20.11 The heaven gives or withholds raine Jam. 5.17 18. The water stands as a wall Exod. 14.22 Jos 3.16 beares Christ walking upon it Mat. 14.25 The fire though most extreamly ardent singed not a haire of the three children walking in the middest of it Dan. 3.27 The earth swallowed up Corah Dathan and Abiram Numb 16. The hungry lions hurt not Daniel shut up all night with them Dan. 6. 3 To trust in God 3 Doctrine David hence excites himself to blesse God So Psalm 145.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 3. 1 Chron. 29.10 11 12 13. For David knew 1 that God in regard of this His excellent majesty is most worthy of praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the ground of praise is the good which one hath or doth And by how much the greater this is so much the greater praise is due What therefore can be compared to this Divine excellency 2 That God is glorifyed by praises Psalm 50.23 and that we have great cause to glorify Him 3 That our praising God is profitable to others to excite them also to glorify Him For it is to be hoped that many do not sinne against God obstinately but because being intangled with the cares of this life they do not think of His majesty and excellency who hearing the glorious majesty of God set forth by other mens praising Him may be brought to glorify Him both in word and deed And truly God desires to be praised of us not that He being infinitely perfect wants any thing in Himself much lesse any thing that we can bestow upon Him but He desires our praises as He doth all our service first as that which of right belongs to Him secondly for the good and salvation of them that praise and serve Him and that by their example others may be invited to doe the like and so to receive the like reward Uses Here then see the end and use amongst others whereof in the two former Doctrines to which the consideration of Gods lofty throne Instr and kingdome ruling over all ought to serve viz. that we may hereby be excited to praise Him So not onely David here but others also elswhere partly doe as the saints Psal 145.10 11 12. yea a heathen king Dan. 4.34 35 37. partly are often invited to doe See onely Psal 47.1
to Gods voice 1 Because they know as in the former Doctrine how much they are bound to obey Him both for His excellency and goodnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in regard of His covenant with them Also out of sense of the sweetnesse and profitablenesse of obedience in themselves and consideration of the misery following upon disobedience in the devils 2 Because the knowledge of Gods will is necessarily prerequired unto obedience Uses See the nature of true obedience Instr to which is required not onely that the thing be done which our superiour wills to be done but also that His will be first known and then that the thing be done because it is known that He wills it Such must be our obedience towards God This reproves 1 Such as are negligently ignorant of Gods will Repr For this ignorance being voluntary in the root yet in sensu composito or remaining such necessitates to sinne For the will of him that is so ignorant whether it dissent from reason so erring or consent to it is evil Thom. 12 ae q. 19. ar 5.6 o. 2 It also hinders repentance For there can be no repentance of sinne where there is no sorrow for sinne nor can there be any sorrow where there is no acknowledgement yea no knowledge nor any knowledge of sinne without knowledge of the commandement against which it is nor any knowledge of this unlesse we hearken to the voice of His word 2 Much more such as are affectedly ignorant namely who understanding in a confused notion that the thing which God commands is contrary to their lusts will not heare or know it distinctly He that so sinnes doth not sinne out of ignorance that is ignorance is not the cause but the object of his sinne See Job 21.14 Act. 28.27 Hos 4.6 Prov. 1.24 c. 3 Such as hearing the truth with a contemplative eare deteine it in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1.18 4 Such as hearken to the voice of their lusts to fulfill them For every lust hath a voice and that an imperious voice If Envy and malice bid Cain kill his brother he will break all bonds of nature to doe it If Ambition bid Absalom rebell against his father yea and kill him too it shall be done or he shall want of his will If Covetousnesse bid Achan take a wedge of gold he will doe it though he know it to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea if it bid Judas betray his Lord and Master Christ though he have heard before that it were better for him that should doe it that he had never been borne yet he will doe it c. But let us hearken to the voice of Gods word Motive Exhort From the example of these Angels of the highest order who though of excellent understanding and knowledge yet humbly hearken to it Vers 21. We have seen the Description of the Angels vers 20. The effect which they produce is common to them with these vers 21. for both blesse God and so also our blessing God to which David here intends to exhort is alike deduced from both examples Wherefore these two Doctrines may more commodiously be deferred to the end of this verse In this verse then as in the former the words may be considered 1 in themselves 2 in relation to the scope Being considered in themselves 1 they conteine a Description of the Angels 2 they propound the effect of them so described as applyable to the present businesse They are described 1 from their office both extraordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His hosts and ordinary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His ministers 2 from their effect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that do His pleasure 2 The effect of them so described applyable to the present businesse is as in the former verse their blessing the LORD So here we have 4 Axiomes or Doctrines 1 Doctrine The Angels are Gods hosts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His hosts Hosts or armies properly consist of men that are warriours And so Gods hosts in the most proper acception are men who fight His battells whether they be His own people and doe it of conscience 1 Sam. 17.26 36. or whether they be strangers and have no respect to Him in their fighting but onely are used by Him So Matth. 22.7 For in this parable the King is God His Sonne is Christ they who were first bidden to the wedding were the Jews they who were invited upon occasion of their refusall were the gentiles the armies which God sent out to destroy the Jewes and burne up their city Jerusalem were the Romanes as the event shewed By a metaphor in respect of their multitude the whole congregation of Israel brought out of Egypt wherein were also women and children are called the hosts or armies of the Lord Exod. 12.41 51. So the locusts for their multitude and order Prov. 30.27 Joel 2.25 So the Angels those in the former verse as captaines these in this verse as soldiers And thus they are called Gen. 32.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 1 King 22.9 Luk. 2.13 Psal 148.2 and legions Mat. 26.53 In an army properly so called may be observed the adjuncts multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 order ends to which they serve defense offense In all these respects the Angels may fitly be called by way of eminency Gods armies or hosts 1 For the multitude that of Aquinas 1a. 50.3 c. is uncertaine that the Angels do in number as it were incomparably exceed all materiall substances But that they are very many is most certain Dan. 7.10 where he doth not exactly number them but intends by those numbers to signifie a farre greater multitude For 1 he useth a double expression and that by way of gradation 2 That expression is by the two greatest names of numbers Thousands and Myriades which the Chaldee or Hebrew tongue as also the Greek and Latine afford So Deut. 32.30 3 Both those are multiplied each into it self thousand thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand which manner of construction wherein the same word governes it self or a word of cognate signification is a very usuall idiome in the Hebrew and Chaldee and from them in the New Testament also to expresse an amplification as to omit other examples in this particular of numbers thousands of myriads Gen. 24.60 seaventy times seaven times Mat. 18.22 and which alludes to this place of Daniel myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands Revel 5.11 2 That there is order among them hath been already shewed in the former verse Doctr. 1. And God being the God of order not of confusion 1 Cor. 14.33 and having disposed these inferiour things in an admirable order and requiring order to be observed by men especially in the Church 1 Cor. 14.40 how can it be imagined that He should not have set order among His own domesticks 3 The ends for which they serve are that they may defend Gods people 2 King 6.16 17. Psal 34.7 See also
of doing this duty and partly of being exhorted to it then upon the Angels For 1 the Angels in heaven need not any incitement to blesse God but are willing and ready of themselves to doe it But the best of mortall men are not so forward to this duty but that they need to be excited by the exhortation and example of others 2 The excellency of God is clearly known to the Angels but amongst men many litle understand it none sufficiently And therefore God distributing His gifts diversly whilest every man utters what God gives him to understand of the Divine perfections and beneficence all may be mutually instructed one by another And hereupon seemes to have been grounded that which David divers times in the Psalmes and Hezekiah Isa 38.18 speaks concerning the dead not praising God that is they can not doe it so profitably in respect of other men as the living may 3 We have greater cause of blessing God then the Angels have Thomas 22z. qu. 106.2.0 moving the question Whether an innocent or a penitent man be more bound to thank God answers that an innocent man is more bound in respect of the greatnesse of the benefit caeteris paribus and the continuance of it but a penitent man in respect of the freenesse or graciousnesse of it So here the graciousnesse or freenesse of Gods beneficence at which gratitude looks more then at the greatnesse of the benefit is much more conspicuous towards men seeing God was indeed wonderfully good and bountifull to the Angels creating them of nothing enduing them with many excellent gifts upholding and strengthening them with His grace and all this without their merit but to man He was good and gracious notwithstanding the demerit of his sinnes Whilest we were His enemies He so loved us that whereas His Justice being offended by sinne put a barre to our salvation He spared not His onely beloved Sonne but delivered Him up to an ignominious and cursed death whereby His Justice might be satisfyed and our salvation obteined that He sends His Spirit to apply what His Sonne hath impetrated that He shewes forth and exercises His Mercy Patience Meeknesse Clemency Facility to pardon lastly that He hath prepared for us a condition in some respect superiour to the Angels Uses Here 1 we must diligently observe what the Scripture speakes of the Angels Instr viz. of the wickednesse and misery of the evil angels that we may be deterred from sinne of the constancy and happinesse of the good Angels that we may be incited to obedience 2 Seeing beside so many precepts and commendations of this duty of blessing God and so many examples of pious men we have also the example of the Angels who have indeed many reasons of blessing God but yet fewer and in some respects lesse then we here and elswhere propounded to us to imitate we may see how earnestly God desires we should diligently and cheerfully performe this duty how sluggish we are to need so many incitements how inexcusable if we still neglect it Reproof 1 Repr 2 3 4. See Vers 1. Doct. 1. This should exhort us to imitate the Angels Exhort Motives and Meanes See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers 22. Blesse the LORD all His works in all places of His dominion blesse the LORD O my soule In the former part of the Apostrophe David turned his speech to the Angels In this latter part he turnes it to the other works of God that is to the creatures without reason sense and life for men are excluded as being they whom he intends by both parts to excite to blesse God Between the parts there is this difference that the Angels to whom he converts his speech Vers 20 21. doe properly and eminently blesse God and therefore Davids intention was by propounding their example to exhort us to blesse Him but the inanimate and unreasonable creatures having neither speech to utter praises and thanks nor understanding to apprehend the excellency and bounty of God cannot properly blesse God but blesse Him onely objectively in as much as unto us seriously considering them they afford arguments of blessing Him The sense therefore is that men ought by these arguments to be excited to blesse God 1 Doctrine All the works of God in all places of His dominion afford arguments of blessing Him 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His works Explic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies both motum rem motu factam the action and the effect or work thereby produced The former Psal 19.1 The firmament sheweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the work of His hands that is the excellency of the workmanship whereby it was made the latter Psal 102.25 The heavens are the work of thy hands Here understand it the latter way 2 In all places of His dominion Gods dominion extends over all the world as we heard vers 19. Wherefore here understand the whole frame of the world that is the heaven earth and sea together with all creatures therein conteined except the Angels of whom particularly vers 20 21. and men whom both there and here he intends to exhort That all these afford arguments of blessing God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Psal 19.1 to the end of vers 6. So Psal 145.10 All Thy works praise Thee O LORD that is afford matter of praising Thee as the same phrase is used Prov. 31.31 See also Psal 104. where the Psalmist exciting himself to blesse God drawes plenty of arguments from the creatures So the 24 Elders Revel 4.10 11. The Reason or ground of these arguments may be shewed distinctly in praise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be shewed distinctly in thanks 1 Of blessing God by way of Praise the creatures afford arguments because in them the excellency of the Creatour wonderfully shines forth and namely His Goodnesse Wisdome and Power 1 His Goodnesse in that being infinitely perfect in Himself from all eternity and so not needing any thing yet He took the creatures out of nothing which therefore also could merit nothing and communicated His goodnesse to them and continues it so farre and so long as He sees good Psal 145.9 2 His Wisdome whereby He made the whole frame of the world and all the creatures therein to the best end that is ultimately to His own glory and in such manner and order that they might be most fit to attain that end Psal 104.24 3 His Power which most clearly appeares 1 in the innumerable multitude of the creatures and vast magnitude of some of them 2 in the matter or rather terme from whence they were produced mere nothing Some men can and often doe raise lies and slanders out of nothing but in substantiall things the most cunning artist cannot exercise his art or make his work without some matter to work upon that of the Philosopher being here most true Nothing is made of nothing But such is Gods power that He could and did make all things out
persisting in his innocency should have attained yea then the Angels either have or can have in respect of the union with Christ by the mariage bond 2 The way also was more difficult For in the Creation God onely spake the word and it was done but Gods Justice opposed Redemption whereupon the Sonne of His love took upon Him the forme of a servant and being made under the law for so many yeares did and suffred so many and so great things for the satisfaction of Justice Another impediment also there was from the infidelity of men hindring the application of this Redemption for Christ neither did nor would so satisfy Justice that men should be fully made partakers of redemption without the meanes of faith For the removing of this impediment therefore the Holy Spirit sent by Christ the Mediatour for this purpose strives with men in much patience long-suffring gentlenesse clemency c. Seeing then in the Redemption there was required and accordingly shewed a greater degree of Goodnesse Wisdome and Power and besides Mercy Patience Long-suffring c. for the exercising whereof there was no occasion in the Creation it is manifest that Redemption is the more noble work and affords greater matter of blessing God both by way of praise and by way of thanksgiving 4 If God be to be blessed for His works then also for His word David joines both together Psal 19. praising God for His works in the six first verses for His word vers 7 c. And so in the 7th verse of this Psalme and elswhere frequently in this book of Psalmes And much more cause have we to doe it seeing the Scripture is now much fuller then it was in Davids time viz. by addition not onely of a great part of the Old Testament but also of all the New And herein the excellency and beneficence of God do wonderfully lay open themselves as might easily be shewed But it is sufficiently manifest of it self Now as the light reproves the darknesse Repr so the works of God which thus afford arguments of praise and thanksgiving reprove those works of men which are diametrically opposite thereunto viz. which are 1 so farre from deserving praise that as the Apostle speaks it is a shame to mention them 2 so injurious to others that in stead of meriting thanks they force men to cry unto God in the bitternesse of their spirit against the authors 2 Doctrine David hence exhorts to blesse God So doth he often in this book of Psalmes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 See onely Psal 148. where by the same figure he exhorts to praise God for the arguments which the sunne moone starres c. afford For 1 Blessing God is a duty in it self most excellent See vers 1. Doctr. 1. vers 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doctr. 3. 2 The arguments taken from the creatures have great and evident force as was shewed in the precedent Doctrine Uses Onely see here the chief use to which the consideration of the creatures is to be referred Instr viz. that observing the excellency and beneficence of God shining forth in them we may thence gather arguments of returning praise and thanks to Him That this is the principall use appeares because so they are directly and immediately referred to the glory of God which is the chief end of the creation Prov. 16.4 This reproves 1 Such as do not take occasion from the creatures to blesse God Repr What ever they can pretend their excuse will be vaine but certainly they can with no colour pretend want of arguments For seeing all the works of God in all places of His dominion afford many arguments and His dominion extends over all the world so that there is no place within the whole circumference of the heavens wherein there is not something created by God therefore wheresoever a man is or can be he can not want arguments round about him beside those within himself to blesse God 2 Much more such as in the middest of their prosperity abounding with Gods creatures serving for the necessity and pleasure of this life yet do not praise God or give Him thanks for them but forget both the Creatour and the Giver of them 3 Such as abuse the creatures to the dishonour of God by pride luxury oppression c. 4 Who from some creatures draw arguments of murmuring against God But let us as David here by the Apostrophe intends be exhorted to draw arguments of blessing God Exhort from all His works in all places of His dominion Motives See the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3 Doctrine David saith againe Blesse the LORD O my soule David having exhorted others to blesse God by the example of the Angels and by arguments taken from the inferiour creatures concludes the Psalme as he began it with exciting his own soule to doe the same But of this for the substance vers 1. Doctr. 1. and for the iteration of it vers 2. Doctr. 1. Uses Here therefore in a word Exhort they who exhort others to any good are to be exhorted that themselves be not slothfull and negligent in it but shew example of alacrity and readinesse unto those whom they exhort Moreover these words joined to the precedent exhortation may seeme to have the same sense with those Jos 24.14 15. And so they who exhort others to a common duty may be exhorted that whatsoever effect their exhortation obteines with others yet themselves would constantly goe on in performance of their own duty FINIS