believer the Lord lifteth him up above all and compasseth him about with defence for thiâ— David saith My high tower 7. Albeit it pleaseth the Lord sometime to let trouble in upon the believer yeâ— he suffereth not the believer to perish therein nor the trouble to harme him more then if it had been kept off for this cause David calleth God My deliverer 8. Albeit the Lord will guard the believer on all hands when he is to enter the lists with an enemie yet will he be employed for this end for this cause David compareth the Lord to a shield or buckler and calleth him My shield 9. The multitude of wayes how God is and may be steadable unto us serveth to make use of him by faith according to our several necessities as David teacheth saying It is he in whom I trust 10. As the light of faith sheweth what God is to us by right and Covenant so also it sheweth to us what are his operations and particular benefits bestowed upon us It is he saith David who subdueth my people under me 11 Gods mercies are then most highly esteemed of when the beleever is humbled in the sense of his humane frailty and unworthinesse in general and of his own in particular Lord what is man that thou takest knowledge of him 12. It is a mercy to be wondered at that the unworthinesse of man doth neither hinder God to love him nor to esteem of him What is the son of man that thou makest account of him 13. There is nothing in a mâ—n wherein he can glory nothing which can deserve any thing at Gods hand and all natural perfections are but the shadow of something in effect Man is like to vanity 14. Were there no more to abase a man have what he may have in this world his mortality and shortnesse of life is a sufficient reason for it His dâ—yes are a shadow that passeth away and all this commendeth the riches of Gods grace and good-will to man and helpeth the believers faith against the enmity of man Ver. 5. Bow thy Heavens O LORD and come downe touch the mountaines and they shall smoke 6. Cast forth lightning and scatter them shoot out thine arrowes and destroy them 7. Send thine hand from above rid me and deliver me out of great waters from the hand of strange children 8. Whose mouth speaketh vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood In the next place he prayeth to God to let forth his power for subduing the rest of the Kingdome under him by repressing of his enemies and saving him from their contention and conspiracies against him Whence learn 1. How unworthy soever a man be in his own eyes he may seek great things of God according to the estimation and respect he hath in Gods eyes for upon this account David prayeth that God would â—ow the Heavens and come down for his help that is would humble himself so far as to own his owne servant 2. If God please to manifest himself for any of his servants against the highest powers on earth they shall soon feel the force of his wrath like â—ire taking hold on them Touch the mountaines and they shall smoak 3. No man can stand against him who hath thunder and lightning at his command and arrowes of destruction to shoot as he pleaseth Cast forth thy lightning and scatter them shoot out thine arrowes and destroy them 4. Whatsoever the power of adversaries may be or the difficultie or danger the believer can be in if he shall oppose Gods good-will and Omnipotency for him against the difficulty he shall be Master over it Send thine hand from above rid me and deliver me out of great waters 5. The enmity of false brethren counterfeit Professors of Religion whose words Oathes and Covenants cannot binde them nor secure the godly whom they maligne is no lesse dangerous then deep and raging waters are out of which God only can deliver a man for Deliver me out of great waters is expounded here Deliver me from the hands of strange children whose mouth speaketh vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood Ver. 9. I will sing a new song unto thee O God upon a Psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee 10. It is he that giveth salvation to Kings who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword He addeth his purpose and promise to praise God for the benefit which he prayeth for as a reason of his hope to be heard Whence learn 1. The Lord in wisdom giveth deliverance out of trouble by parts and degrees and so dispenseth his benefits as he may give his children occasion both of oftner prayer and of oftner new praises as Davids experience sheweth who having given thanks for the bringing of him to the Kingdome in part prayeth for enlarging of the benefit and promiseth upon this account a new thanksgiving I will sing a new song unto thee O God 2. The upright engaging of our heart to praise God for the benefit which we pray for is an argument of hope that we shall have it as here David maketh use of it I will sing a new Song unto thee O God 3. According as a benefit not yet received hath lustre and doth shine in our eye so are we content to be in Gods debt for thanksgiving if he shall grant it let the performance thereof prove as it may as we see here in David who because the adding of the government of the eleven tribes unto his Kingdome over the tribe of Iudah seemed to be a great accession unto his present possession if God should give them to him he promiseth large thanks Upon a Psaltery and an instrument of 〈◊〉 strings will I sing praises unto thee which imports the highest measure of his praising God that he could imagine and unto this his promise he subjoyneth the forme of thanksgiving which he did purpose to use 4. It is not the place or power of a man how great soever he be which doth preserve a man but the greatest of men must be preserved by God no lesse then the meanest It is he that giveth salvation unto Kings 5. One experience is sufficient to a beleever for confirming his faith in any general doctrine as here He who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword is sufficient to make him subscribe that It is he that giveth salvation to Kings Vers. 11. Rid me and deliver me from the hand of strange children whose mouth speaketh vanity and their right hand is a right hand of falshood 12. That our sonnes may be as plants grown up in their youth that our daughters may be as corner stones polished after the similitude of a Palace 13. That our garners may be full affording all manner of store that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets 14. That our oxen may be strong to labour that there be no breaking in nor
after the imagination of their own heart and make their own conceits their Oracle their fancie their faith and their lusts their God or will by opposing one or other of the Persons of the Godhead deny and separate the indivisible Essence of one God in three Persons or by receiving the doctrine of some of those many lesser antichrists which are in the world will incorporate themselves in the great mystical body of that one Antichrist spoken of in Scripture or in a word will by rejecting the truth and not receiving of it in love when it is offered bring in upon themselves strong delusions and give a powerful possession of themselves to the devil whereby he may so rule in them as to make them vent whatsoever hell can devise to the dishonour of God and Christian Religion that all such may be damned as for their not receiving the truth in love so also for their taking pleasure in unrighteousnesse according as the Apostle did prophecie should come to passe 2 Thess. 2.11 12. In such a time therefore as this is wherein the Lord is manifesting who are of God and who not who do know God and who not who do follow the Spirit of truth and who are led by the spirit of errour and is deciphering them by this infallible mark which the Apostle giveth 1 John 4.6 that the one giveth a beleeving and obediential eare to the Penmen of holy Scripture the other doth not so what a mercie yea what an honour and happinesse is it for the Lords children to make such use of a setled Ministry which is the great gift of Christ bestowed upon his Church as not to be carried about with every winde of doctrine Eph. 4.11 12 13 14. not to be led away with the errour of the wicked nor fall from their own stedfastnesse but to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3.17 18. Which grace and honour and happinesse that it may not only continue with your Lordship but also be granted to all those that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity is the prayer of Your Lordships ready Servant in the Gospel DAVID DICKSON THE EPISTLE TO THE Reader CHRISTIAN READER IN the two former parts of this work I have spoken my minde to thee in relation to this brief Explication of the Psalmes I will not here keep thee up in the entry of this last part nor say any more unto thee save this It is our bound duty to bless him that inhabiteth the praises of Israel who will have all the Mourners in Sion to be comforted and who as he hath prepared in this mountain unto all people Isa. 25.6 a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined by bestowing Christ and the unsearchable riches of his grace upon every Penitent who fleeth to him for delivery from sin and wrath so hath he also prepared to every such soul the excellent songs of Sion to encrease their festival gladness and for evidencing of his purpose to give unto them everlasting joy after this life is ended hath put in their hands for their comfort in every condition wherein they can be in this present life and valley of tears this sweet-smelled bundle of Psalmes wherein he hath made his works of mercy and of judgement the pawnes of his promises for compleat happiness unto them and also of the utter overthrow and perdition of all their enemies and hath appointed both mercy and judgement to be the matter as of their joy so of his owne glory in the Church to be lifted up as a sacrifice upon the Altar Christ Iesus by the voice of his people singing with grace to him both alone and in company and making melody in their hearts therefore as in the changes of our own particular private condition we have liberty to choose for our use such parts of the Psalmes as do speak most near to our present case So let us be bound in publick meetings of the Church to joyne with the Congregation in singing every truth uttered by Gods Spirit in the Psalmes as we are directed by the Minister and mouth of the meeting for glorifying of him who hath done promised threatened and taught whatsoever is therin expressed Remembring that his Praises are the pillars of our faith and that his joy is our strength and that those calves of our lips are acceptable sacrifices to God through Iesus Christ in and for whom I am thy Servant in the Work of the Gospel DAVID DICKSON A BRIEF EXPLICATION Upon the last Fifty Psalmes PSALM CI. DAvid not being as yet entered in possession of his Kingdome doth by direction of the holy Spirit fall upon a consideration of the duties of a righteous Prince which he setteth down as a rule to be followed by himself and all Magistrates obliging himself to endeavour to conforme his Government thereto wherein he is but a type and shadow of Christ in whom alone the perfect performance of the duties here promised are to be found The principal duties which David undertaketh to discharge may be for orders sake reduced to the number of eight according to the number of the verses Ver. 1. I Will sing of mercy and judgement unto thee O LORD will I sing The first duty which he undertaketh is to delight himself in all royal vertues required for the Government of good or bad subjects and to make those duties his Song and to approve himself to God for the sincerity of his intention in this undertaking Whence learn 1. All the duties of righteous Government may be comprehended under these two heads mercy and judgement for mercy taketh in the care of the poor needy oppressed or injured and judgement taketh in the care of equity and righteous dealing among the subjects with the rewarding of the good and punishing of evil doers mercy provideth for all good things which the subject needeth and judgement provideth for their security and for removing whatsoever evill may trouble them I will sing saith he of mercy and judgement 2. Such as are designed unto any calling especially any publick charge should prepare themselves for it partly by laying before themselves the duties belonging to the right discharge of such a calling and partly by bending of their hearts and laying engagements on their spirits for the faithful discharge thereof for so much doth Davids example here teach us 3 Duties of a mans calling should both be studied unto and discharged with some chearfulnesse and readinesse of minde for I will sing of mercy and judgement importeth so much 4. As it is expedient for the peoples better acceptance of a man to a publike charge that his purpose to discharge his duty therein be published so also it is expedient for the mans stirring up and fastening to his duty that he engage his heart unto God for so doth Davids example teach us Unto thee
godly persecuted nor hinder their accesse unto God or Gods befriending of them for so teacheth the Psalmist But do thou for me O God the Lord. 2. It concerneth God in his glory as to punish his foes so to defend his friends and children Do thou for me for thy Names sake 3. The plea of the believer is not his own goodness but the readiness of Gods mercy unto Supplicants Because thy mercy is good deliver thou me 4. Because God is good and merciful therefore he will not suffer his own to perish in their affliction Because thy mercy is good deliver thou me 5. Before the Lord do comfort his children in their affliction he bringeth them to the sense of their own insufficiency and of their need of his help and when this poverty of spirit is given it is a fore runner of delivery Deliver thou me for I am poor and needy 6. As the Lord by affliction doth waken the sense of sin and wound the mans spirit so is he a ready Physician to the contrite Deliver thou me for my heart is wounded within me 7. This mortal life is like a shadow and when affliction is superadded to mortality mans life is like the shadow of the evening which is speedily stretched forth til it vanish and when a Saint is in this condition he may expect the fruit of Gods compassion as here Deliver me for I am gone like a shadow when it declineth 8. The children of God must not look for any certain dwelling place but to be driven to and fro by persecution as the winde maketh the locust to leap from place to place I am tossed up and down as the locust 9. The grief of the godly under persecutioâ— may overcome the natural comfort of meat and drink and bring their body to wasting leannesse My knees are weak through fasting and my flesh faileth of fatnesse 10. As it is usual for the wicked to mock the godly being brought low by persecution so there is no part of the crosse more heavie to the godly then derision I became also a reproach unto them when they looked upon me 11. That which God doth threaten for a curse on the wicked may for the point of outward calamity fall upon the dearest children of God as what is threatened Deut 28. in sundry things is here found on the persecuted childe of God I became a reproach unto them they shaked their heads Vers. 26 Help me O LORD my God O save me according to thy mercy 27. That they may know that this is thy hand that thou LORD hast done it 28. Let them curse but blesse thou when they arise let them be ashamed but let thy servant rejoyce 29. Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle He prayeth again for help and addeth more reasons especially this reason that so the difference of Gods dealing with his servants and with his foes may the better appear Whence learn 1. As trouble is lengthened and lyeth on so must prayer be repeated and insisted upon as here Help me O Lord my God and save me according to thy mercy 2. When the Lords children do perceive that Gods honour is obscured by their suffering they become no lesse desirous to have God restored to his honour then to have themselves delivered from trouble Save me that they may know that this is thy hand that thou Lord hast done it 3. Albeit the Lord be the inflicter of the troubles of the godly for their trial and for manifestation of his truth toward them and grace in them yet the world cannot perceive this till God lift up the hand of his own out of trouble Save me that they may know that this is thy hand and that thou Lord hast done it 4. When God sheweth himself reconciled to a soul light ariseth in trouble to let them see both their own relief and the overthrow of their adversaries as here is shewen in the proposition of the condition of the godly and their enemies 5. It matters not what the enemie speak against the godly so long as God approveth them yea the more the enemie be despiteful the more will the Lord be kinde to his servants Let them curse but blesse thou 6. When the controversie between the godly and their persecutors cometh before the Lord to be judged shame shall cover the face of the persecutor and Gods childe shall rejoyce When they arise to wit for pleading of their cause let them be ashamed but let thy servant rejoyce 7. The pretences whereby the wicked deceive their own consciences in persecuting the Saints shall be their sin and their shame and confusion Let mine adversaries be cloathed with shame and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a mantle Ver. 30. I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth yea I will praise him among the multitude 31. For he shall stand at the right hand of the poore to save him from those that condemne his soule He closeth his prayer and the Psalme comfortably Whence learn 1. Albeit the persecuted children of God be put to mourning and prayer for a time yet the issue of their exercise shall be joy and praise For I will greatly praise saith the Supplicant here 2. It is not unusual to God to make the delivery of his children manifest before the people who were witnesses of their hard usage by the wicked and to make his servants to proclaim his praise with their own mouth I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth yea I will praise him among the multitude 3. As Satan v. 6. shal stand at the right hand of the Persecutor both to drive him on to perdition in his sin and then to accuse him torment him for it so shall the Lord stand at the right hand of his persecuted servants in their lowest condition to strengthen them under their trouble and to deliver them out of it For he shall stand at the right hand of the poor to save him from them that condemn his soul. 4. Albeit the experience of the promised delivery be not yet come yet the foresight of it by faith in Gods Word and gracious nature is sufficient cause of joy to the persecuted Saint and matter of praise unto God I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth for he shall stand at the right hand of the poor to save him PSALME CX THis Psalme containeth the doctrine of Christ God and man in one person concerning his everlasting Kingdom and Priesthood whose Kingdom albeit begun to be manifested among the Jewes yet was to be extended unto the Gentiles with great success v. 1 2 3 As for his Priesthood he is setled therin for ever by an Oath v. 4. and that with the overthrow of his enemies how great or many soever v. 5 6. yet not without Christs sufferings by which he was first to be humbled and then to be exalted v. 7.
ready for men and haeh given forth a commission for making offer of it and for applying it to the benefit of the believer He sent redemption to his people 2. Whosoever do receive the message of Redemption sent unto them God is entered with them in an everlasting and unchangeable Covenant for grace and salvation unto them He hath commanded his Covenant for ever 3. Wherein soever God hath â—ngaged himself by Covenant we must not suspect him to be otherwayes minded then he hath spoken but must in faith and fear subscribe to his declaration lest we take his Name in vain For holy and reverend is his Name Ver. 10. The feare of the LORD is the beginning of wisdome a good understanding have all they that do his Commandments his praise endureth for ever The tenth motive to praise God is from the fruit of believing and obeying him Whence learn 1. As it iâ— true wisdome to know the Lords will and to observe it so then do men begin to give proof of wisdom in them when they begin to make conscience of the obedience of faith and to stand in awe to misbelieve Gods Word or disobey his commands For the feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom 2. Howsoever the wicked who follow their own counsel may seem wise to worldlings and the Lords children to be simple and witlesse yet in effect the man that studieth constantly unto the obedience of faith is the only wise man A good understanding have all they that do his Commandments 3. Albeit many do neglect to praise God yet he shall not want praise for the matter of his praise shall endure and he shall provide such as shall praise him from generation to generation and for evermore His praise endureth for ever PSALM CXII Ver. 1. PRaise ye the LORD Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD that delighteth greatly in his Commandments THis Psalme is a praising of God for blessing of the beleevers and the whole Psalme doth prove that the beleever is blessed which Proposition is set down v. 1. and confirmed with so many reasons as there are verses following Whence learn 1. Albeit in singing of some certain Psalm or part thereof there be nothing directly spoken of the Lord or to the Lord yet he is praised when his truth is our song or when his works and doctrine is our song as here it is said Praise ye the Lord. And thereafter the blessedness of the believer taketh up all the Psalme 2. It is the Lords praise that his servants are the only blessed people in the world Praise ye the Lord why because Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. 3. He is not the blessed man who is most obâ—ervant to catch all opportunities to have pleasure profit and worldly preferment and careth not how he cometh by them but he is the blessed man who is most observant of Gods will and careful to follow it Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. 4. As there is matter of great delight and contentment in Gods Word unto all them who feare God so the true mark of a sound believer and fearer of God is delighting to know beleeve and obey Gods Word for so he describeth the man that feareth God He delighteth greatly in his Commandments Ver. 2. His seed shall be mighty upon earth the generation of the upright shall be blessed The first proof of the believers blessednesse is the blessing of his children if God shall see it good to give him sons and daughters of his body or the blessing of those that do by his teaching and example follow the footsteps of his faith and obedience Whence learn 1 Albeit we are bound to serve God whether he give unto us benefits or not albeit our service at the best be but a very weak endeavour and many wayes tainted and albeit we be unprofitable servants presupposing we could so serve as we should give perfect obedience and do all that is commanded yet it pleaseth God to allure us unto his service by propounding rewards and encouragements unto us as in this Psalme we see 2. The best way to bring a blessing on our children and posterity is to feare God by our instruction and example to teach them to follow us in the Lords fear For their seed shal be mighty upon earth even Kings and Priests unto God whatsoever shall be their worldly portion 3. Albeit few do believe yet is it true that upright dealing hath better fruits then wittie projecting and cunning catching The generation of the upright shall be blessed Ver. 3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house and his righteousnesse endureth for ever The second proof of the believers felicity is the blessing of him in his outward estate Whence learn 1. Whether God shall give more or lesse to the upright man one way or other it shall be more useful to him then all the wealth of the wicked can be to them Wealth and riches shal be in his house 2. Besides the temporal commodity and fruits in this life of the believers righteous carriage gracious rewards are laid up for him in another life for ever His righteousnesse endureth for ever Ver. 4. Vnto the upright there ariseth light in the darknesse he is gracious and full of compassion and righteous The third proof of the believers blessednesse is comfort in all troubles and a deliverance out of all difficulties as the fruit of Gods grace enduring in him Whence learn 1. Albeit the Lord will not exempt the believer from dark passages of his providence or from affliction and perplexity yet he will make him sure of comfort direction and a good event Unto the upright there ariseth light in darknesse 2. The light and comfort which is bestowed upon the upright is the fruit of Gods grace toward him and of the juncture of saving graces in him for the words may be extended both to God and to the believer by Gods donation He is gracious and full of compassion and righteous which is true of the believer in some degree and of God it is true absolutely and infinitely Ver. 5. A good man sheweth favour and lendeth he will guide his affaires with discretion A fourth proof of the believers blessednesse is from his properties or fruitfulness of his faith in the works of justice and mercy dispensed with discretion Whence learn 1. The believer to whom God hath extended favour and kindness will be good to them among whom he liveth and by the fruits of equity love kindnesse and mercy will give evidence of Gods grace dwelling in him for here the believer is called A good man who sheweth mercy and lendeth 2. Grace and godlinesse sound and fruitful faith do not make men to become fooles without discretion but do consist well with prudence and discretion in ordering their affaires wisely and do teach them to give when what and to whom they should give as the circumstances of time and place and person need of the