LORD The seventh argument of hope to be heard is from the assurance that as their calamity was foretold in Scripture so their delivery promised should be recorded in Scripture also to the praise of God to the edification and consolation of the Church of God in their solemn meetings in whatsoever Kingdoms they lived Whence learn 1. The more glory we foresee shall come to God by the granting of our prayers the more confidence may we conceive to have our petition granted as the Psalmists example doth teach us 2. God hath so provided that the exercise and experience of the Church in former times should serve to manifest his glory and edifie the posterity in after-times This shall be written for the generation to come 3. The Lord hath determined by holy Scripture to propagate true Religion whereby he may be glorified and his Church edified from generation to generation This shall be written for the generation to come 4. The gathering together again of a scattered Church the conversion of more sinners and drawing them into the Church and the perpetuation of the Church from age to uge is a Creation or work of the omnipotent Creator The people whâ—ch shall be created shall praise the Lord. 5. The Lord should be praised as for all his work so in special for the delivery of his Church and praised not only by them who do see his present work and are partakers in their own persons of the gift but also by all them that shall hear of the delivery in after times The people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. 6. The Lord doth so make manifest his particular and active providence about his people as all ages shall acknowledge his care for them for the posterity shall say He hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary c. 7. Howsoever the Lord speak of his dwelling in his Sanctuary or in his Church here on earth yet must we conceive no thoughts but heavenly of him as present at once both in heaven and earth to hear and see the condition and carriage of every one He looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from heaven did the Lord behold the earth to hear c. 8. The Lords heavenly majesty doth not hinder him to humble himself to behold even the most contemptible things on the earth but rather he will thus raise his praise among men From heaven did the Lord behold the earth to heare the gâ—oaning of the prisoner 9. Albeit the Lords people may be prisoners and put to silence among men yet their sighes and groanes have a loud speech in the eares of the Lord He beholdeth the earth to heare the groanes of the prisoner 10. Albeit the Lord suffer his childien to be imprisoned and condemned to die yet he can interpose himself if he please for their delivery before the purpose of their enemies be executed He beholdeth the earth to loose those that are appointed to death 11. The end both of the sufferings and deliverances of the Saints is the glorifying of God and as their danger doth grow so doth the matter of Gods praise for doing for them grow up also For he beholds the earth to hear the sighes of the prisoner and to loose them that are appointed to death To declare the Name of the Lord in Sion and his praise in Ierusalem 12. The time of glorifying God for his works done for the Church of the Jewes is in a special manner to be under the Gospel in the assemblies of the Churches of the Gentiles for He loosed those that were apâ—ointed to death to declare the Name of the Lord in Sion when the people are gathered together and the Kingdomes to serve the Lord that is in the time when Christ shall make the Kingdomes of the earth subject to him Ver. 23. He weakened my strength in the way he shortened my dayes The third part of the Psalme wherein the Prophet declareth the cause of his sorrow v. 23. and his wrastling against it v. 24 25 26 27. and his victory over the tentation v. 28. As for the first he compareth the case of the Church unto his own personal condition for as he in the flower of his age was like to die by reason of grief for the Church so was the Church like to perish in their captivity and not to go on unto the hoped for coming of the Messiah and calling in of the Gentiles which was necessary for the perpetuation of the Church unto the end of the world Whence learn 1. There is such a strait union between the Church of one age and another that the whole Church is as one man the Church of the Jewes is as one Israel and there is such a union between the Church and every member thereof that every member may and should take and esteem the condition of the Church as his own personal condition and may speak of it so especially if he be the mouth of the body a Prophet or Minister of the Corporation of the Church for so much doth the Prophets example here teach us 2. The Church of Israel from Abrahâ—m forward was like a man entered in his journey and as it were by so many steps from one generation to another walking on to the coming and receiving of Jesus Christ the promised Messiah who was to come of them as the forme of speech here borrowed from a wayfaring man giveth us to understand 3. When the Lord did scatter the ten tribes and after that also did lead in captivity the other two unto Babylon it seemed unto Israel a stopping of them from going on their appointed journey to the coming of Christ and a making the tribe of Iudah so weak as there was no appearance of the possibility of their endurance or making progresse to their desired end for so much is imported in the words of the Prophet taking on the person of Israel He weakened my strength in the way 4. Yea there was fear of cutting off of that tribe and of the abolishing of Israel and that the Messiah coming of them should not appear and this was the exercise of the Church scattered in the Babylonish captivitie and the fear and the tentation wherewith the Church and the Prophet about the end of the captivity were wrastling as is expressed in these words He shortened my dayes that is to my appearance saith Israel by the Prophets mouth I was cut off from being as a Church or tribe for any such use as I expected 5. The desire after Christ and communion with him which the Church and every believer hath is like the longing which a man hath to be at his journeys end and the impediments which seem to hinder their communion with him are like the taking away of their life from them He hath shortened my dayes saith Israel Ver. 24. I said O my God take me not away in the middest of my dayes thy years are throughout all generations 25. Of old
help for therefore is it repeated and laid down here for the last part of pouring out his soul My dayes are like a shadow that declineth and I am withered like grasse Ver. 12. But thou O LORD shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance unto all generations In the second part of the Psalme he striveth to comfort himself in the hope of grace to be shewn to the Church by seven arguments The first is because God hath purposed to perpetuate the memorial of himself unto all generations and endureth for ever to see it done Whence learn 1. There is ground of hope to believers in the saddest condition of the Church for albeit beleevers be mortal yet God in whom their life is hid is eternal But thou O LORD shalt endure for ever 2. Because God will have his Name known in all generations and will have his Word and Ordinances of Religion made use of among men for preserving the memory of his attributes works and will therefore the Church must continue from age to age Thou shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance unto all generations Ver. 13. Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come The second argument of his hope that God will shortly have mercy on his Church is because the time of the seventy years set for their captivity was now almost expired Whence learn 1. It is good reasoning from Gods unchangeablenesse to conclude a change of the sad condition of the Church afflicted from a worse unto a better Thou shalt endure for ever and therefore thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion 2. As the Lord hath set times for exercising his people with affliction so also set times for comforting of them again which time when it is come God will have mercy on them whom he hath afflicted Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Sion for the set time to favour her for the set time is come Ver. 14. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof The third argument is because the Lords people had a great affection to re-edifie the Temple lying now ruined Whence learn 1. It is no new thing to see the outward face of Religion and holy Ordinances defaced for the Temple of Ierusalem is here lying in the dust of a ruinous heap 2. The Ordinances of Religion shall not be utterly abolished but so much thereof shall be preserved as may serve for the furtherance of Reformation and re-edification of his Church in Gods appointed time as here the Temple is ruined but there are stones reserved for a new building 3. When the ordinances of God are at the lowest and most deformed in the eyes of the world they are and should be most lovely and looked upon with most estimation and affection of Gods people Thy servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof 4. It is a good ground of hope that God will shortly repaire the ruines of Religion when he provides builders and doth put into their hearts a love to set upon the work of reformation as the Psalmist reasoning here doth teach us Ver. 15. So the Heathen shall feare the Name of the LORD and all the Kings of the earth thy glory The fourth argument of hope is from the promised Conversion of the Gentiles to whom the true Religion was to be transmitted in Gods own time by the means of restoring of the Church of the Jewes unto their wonted priviledge Whence learn 1. The enlargement of the knowledge and fear of God among them that know him not should be the aime and encouragement of zealous Reformers to use all means which may conduce for Reformation for so much we are taught in the Psalmâ—sts example desiring the restauration of the Church of the Jewes that the Gentiles might be brought in and by hope of the Conversion of the Gentiles giving hope of restauration unto the scattered Church of the Jewes for So the Heathen shall feare thy Name is the reasoning of the Psalmist 2. When the Lord is pleased to arise for restoring of his afflicted people unto comfort and of Religion unto its own beautie he can work so as Kings shall feare and tremble to see Gods care of his own despised people for so saith he The Heathen shall feare thy Name and all the Kings of the earth thy glory Ver. 16. When the LORD shall build up Zion he shall appear in his glory The fifth argument of his hope is from the glory which God should have in restoring of his Church Whence learn 1. Whatsoever instruments the Lord useth in the gathering of his Church he will have himself seen to be the builder thereof for it is the Lord here that shall build up Sion 2. As the glory of the Lord is obscured when his Church is scattered so when he sets up his own ordinances again his glory doth appear yea and that more then if his Church had not been scattered When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory 3. The connexion of Gods glory with the salvation of his Church is a comfortable ground of hope that howsoever the Church be demolished yet it shall be restored and repaired again for When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory importeth so much Ver. 17. He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer The sixth argument of hope is from the Lords respect to the prayers of his people Whence learn 1. The Lords people do reckon themselves destitute and desolate when they have not the face of a Church and do want the publick Ordinances of Religion which are the tokens of the Lords presence among them for especially in relation to their scattering from Ieruâ—alem and the Temple doth the Psalmist here call them destitute or desolate 2. When the Lords people are scattered one from another they can trust one another and meet together at the throne of grace by their prayer presented before God as here the faithful scattered in captivity do meet in a joynt Petition for the building up of Sion the destitute have their prayer put up in Gods hearing He will regard the prayer of the destitute 3. Albeit the Lords people be desolate and destitute of all earthly comfort and help and be despised by the world yet their persons and prayer are in estimation with God He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer Ver. 18. This shall be written for the generation to come and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD 19. For he hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary from Heaven did the LORD behold the earth 20. To heare the groaning of the Prisoners to loose those that are appointed to death 21. To declare the Name of the LORD in Zion and his praise in Ierusalem 22. When the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the
end that therein he may set forth his alâ—â— sufficiency to the creatures so is it no need of mans service which made him make a people and crave service of them for he could be served with what he hath in Heaven The heaven even the heavens are the Lords 2. Albeit God hath no need of mâ—n and can live without dependance on man yet man cannot live without dependance on God and use of his creatuâ—es in the world The heaven is the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men wherein they may dwell and be sustained by what he bestoweth on them there 3. As the plenty of â—iches of the earth is a pawne of the Lords readinesse to give better things unto man so it is an evidence of mans poverty and need of the service of so many of Gods creatures and of his obligation to trust in God and depend upon him The heaven is the Lords but the earth hath he given to the children of men Vers. 17. The dead praise not the LORD neither any that go down into silence 18. But we will blesse the LORD from this time forth and for evermore Praise the LORD The seventh reason of encouragement to trust in God is because the Church of believers shall be continued from generation to generation and shall never want reason to praise and blesse God from this time forth and for ever Therefore in confidence of this mercy let them trust in him and praise him this reason he maketh clear thus The dead spiritually cannot praise the Lord and if the succession of the Church of believers should be now cut off with this afflicted generation neither could we who live praise God in the earth longer then we live on it nor should there be any Church after us to discharge this duty among the children of men but this is impossible for God shall not want a generation of living believers to praise and blesse him for his goodnesse to the worlds end Therefore we shall 〈◊〉 and come forth of this present affliction and ere we die another generation of believers shall take this work off our hand and so shall we that are the Church of God blesse him from this time forth and for evermore Whereupon he exhorteth all men in this confidence to praise the Lord and closeth the Psalme Whence learn 1. If there were not a Church of believers God should want his praise on the earth for the dead to wit spiritually do not praise the Lord. 2. And if in any time of affliction while the world standeth there were not a deliveranâ—â—â—â—to the Church so that one generation of believers might â—ot follow another then should Gods praise among the children of men be abolished out of the world for as the 〈◊〉 spiritually cannot praise the Lord so neither can the dead bodily praise him among them that know him not that is on the earth where Godâ— praise is to be taught unto men For the dead praise 〈◊〉 the Lord so neither any that go down into silence 3. Because God shall never want living men on earth to praise him and blesse him for his goodnesse therefore the Church of believers shall be continued from one generation to another that they may blesse and praise the Lord in every age as here is said But we shall praise the Lord from this time forth and for evermore 4. The Churches affliction cannot be so heavy but they shall have cause to blesse the Lord for his goodnesse and to stirre up others to praise God with them for the Prophet closeth the Psalme made in deep affliction of the Church with Praise the Lord. PSALME CXVI THis Psalme is a threefold engagement of the Psalmist unto thanksgiving unto God for his mercy unto him and in particular for some notable delivery of him from death both bodily and spirituall The first engagement is that he shall out of love have his recourse unto God alwayes by prayer v. 1 2. The reasons and motives whereof are set down because of his delivery out of a great strait v. 3 4 5 6 7 8. The second engagement is to a holy conversation v. 9. The motives and reasons whereof are set down v. 10 11 12. The third engagement is unto promised praises or paying of praises and vowes before the Church with the reasons thereof v. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. Vers. 1. I Love the LORD because he hath heard my voyce and my supplications 2. Because he hath enclined his eare unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live In his first engagement unto a constant dependance upon God and calling on him by prayer Learn 1. As it is among the wise purposes of God to put his children to straites that they may call on him and he by granting their petition may give them a new proof of his love to them and so stirre up their love to him so is it the duty of his children to stirre up their love to God upon every fresh experience of his respect to them for this doth the example of the Prophet teach us I love the Lord because he hath heard my prayer 2. Not Gods benefits but God himselfe is the satisfactory object of our complacency and love wherein we may acquiesce I love the Lord saith the Prophet after he had perceived the benefit 3. To loâ—◠〈◊〉 for himself and to love him for his favour and benefits bestowed upon us do consist well together for the loving of him for his favour bestowed on us doth lead us to love him for himselfe I love the Lord because he heard my voyce and my suppâ—â—â—â—ious 4. The root of thanksgiving is love to God therefore love is professed before thanksgiving be promised I love the Lord is first set down and then a promise to call upon him in all straits thereafter 5. It is no small comfort and obligation put upon a man to have experience of Gods regarding of his prayer and granting of his request as the Psalmists twice mentioning of it sheweth once v. 1. and here again because he hath enclined his care unto me 6. One proof of Gods hearing of our prayer may and should stirre us up to believe in him worship him and have our recourse by prayer unto him all the rest of our life Because he hath enclined his eare to me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Vers. 3. The sorrows of death compassed me and the paines of hell gat hold upon me I 〈◊〉 trouble and sorrow The summe of the reasons of this engagement is set down in his late experience containing his deep â—rouble v. 3. His calling to God for relief v. 4 And Gods grace and mercy usually extended unto poor supplicants which helped him out of his low condition v. 5 6 The use whereof name 〈◊〉 rest on God who had delivered him is in v. 7 8. From his trouble and danger wherein he was Learn 1. It is no 〈◊〉
undertaken is the purging out of discovered hypocrites if they shall creep in into credit or trust Whence learn 1. Deceitful and false men and counterfeit hypocrites may escapemens observation and creep into the fellowship of the godly and climbe up to the Court and get place in Kings houses for so doth David presuppose here 2. When men are discovered and found to be deceitful workers and liars then such as have power should purge them out He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight Ver. 8. I will early destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut off all wicked doers from the City of the LORD The eighth duty undertaken is to suppresse all ungodlinesse in the land and that for the good of religion and furtherance of the welfare of the Church Whence learn 1. The duty of Magistrates is to suppresse all the wicked in their Kingdom lest by indulgence shewen to them they do multiplie and so bear down the godly I will destroy all the wicked of the land 2. The more timously the Magistrate doth declare himself against all wickednesse the more doth he what belongeth to his duty I will early destroy all the wicked of the land 3. Albeit it be not possible for any Magistrate corporally to destroy all the wicked in the land partly because it is impossible to finde out every one and partly because the number of the righteous and sound hearted is few and their power weak and partly because none can determine who they are in particular yet a godly Magistrate may civilly destroy them all by causing to execute civil punishments and that Ecclesiastick Discipline be exercised against all them who do not submit themselves to Gods lawes till all men yield outward obedience and unto this duty should every Magistrate set himself I will early destroy all the wicked in the land 4. The Magistrates duty is by his power and by punishment of evil doers to endeavour the welfare of Gods Church within his bounds as the Minister of God appointed for that end for David saith I will early destroy all the wicked of the land that I may cut off all the wicked doers from the City of the LORD If the Magestrate shall punish open transgressions the Church will be in better case This was Davids resolution as a type of Christ and howsoever in execution much was wanting in the type yet Christ will performe all this exactly in his own appointed time and in his own order partly in this life partly at mens death and partly at the last day PSALM CII A prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. THis Psalme agreeth well with the time of the Babylonish captivity of the Jewes about the end whereof the seventy years being now nigh expired the weight of the misery of Gods people and the mockerie of the heathen and the peoples longing for delivery did so afflict the Prophet that in compassion towards the scattered Church he poureth out this prayer and communicateth it at the Lords direction to all other feeling members of the body to be made use of for the waking up of their affections and strengthening of their hope of delivery The parts of it are three In the first he craveth audience to his prayer because of his sad condition wherein he sympathizeth with the Church in affliction to ver 12. In the second he encourageth himself in the hope of being heard in behalf of the Church to ver 23. In the third he layeth forth the occasion of all this grief which was the fear he had of the cutting off of the Church of the Jewes before the coming of the Messiah and sheweth how he strengthened his faith in prayer against this temptation From the Inscription Learn 1. It is no strange thing for the dear children of God to be under heavy affliction for here it is presupposed that they may be afflicted yea and overwhelmed 2. The consideration of the condition wherein the Church is serveth to asswage and mitigate the private calamities of any particular person at any time for this prayer giveth direction to the afflicted whatsoever be his affliction to look upon the condition of the Church in the mean time that it may ease his private grief if it be well with the Church and again that it may either ease his private grief or turn it to run in the right channel if the Church be in a hard condition as here it is held forth for the most kindly grief of a lively member of the Church is that grief wherein he sympathizeth with the calamity of the body and this wisdom is propounded in this Psalm and recommended to Gods people to be made use of 3. The affliction of the Saints before us may and should be the matter of our comfort and song to God and hope of help to us in our prayers for this doth the Inscription and Psalme teach us 4. The way for a man afflicted and overwhelmed to have ease comfort and deliverance is to poure out his soule before the Lord for so much is here imported 5. Albeit a person afflicted cannot fill up the words of this Psalme in his own proper present feeling yet may he make good use of this prayer which teacheth him how to wrestle for a deliverance for the general title prefixed to the Psalme teaeheth so much Ver. 1. HEare my Prayer O LORD and let my cry come unto thee 2. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble encline thine eare unto me in the day when I call answer me speedily In the first part of the Psalme he prayeth for ready accesse and audience to his prayer because of his heavy affliction which is set down more generally ver 1 2. and more particularly branehed fotth in the nine following verses From his petition for audience Learn 1. A soul afflicted seeking relief and comfort in God may both confidently pray for and certainly expect audience and acceptance of its prayer Hear my prayer O God 2. The earnest prayer of an humble Supplicant cannot be kept out from God by whatsoever objected impediment for Let my cry come unto thee is thus much Let nothing hold out my prayer 3. Albeit it is not any strange thing to see a soul in trouble and God to seem to be displeased with it also yet the want of Gods consolation and sense of his displeasure is more heavy then the trouble and is that which the godly can least endure Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble 4. The Lord suffereth his babling children to speak to him in their owne forme â—f speech albeit the termes which they use be not fitted for his spiritual invisible and incomprehensible Majesty such as are Hear me hide not thy face encline thine ear to me and such like other speeches 5. A soul