mighty work of wise disposal and contrivance for the preservation of mankind and though once for the sins of the old World these waters were appointed to break out and so overwhelmed the whole earth yet God hath firmly promised that they shall never do so again 3. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place Paraphrase 3. But though all the whole Universe be his and he effectually present in every tâ—â— smallest corner thereof yet in a more peculiar manner will he exhibit himself in Mount Sion at the placing the Ark of the Covenant in it that image of heaven it self the special place of his residence built on purpose for the adoring and worshipping and performing service to him And as to heaven so to this every one promiscuously is not meet to be admitted nor can expect to partake of his blessing auspicious presence there 4. He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworn deceitfully Paraphrase 4. But only such as keep close to the commands of God that preserve their minds as well as their bodies their inward thoughts and consents as well as their external actions from all forbidden unlawful objects that never make use of perjurious deceitful means for the inriching themselves or depriving others but serve and worship God uprightly 5. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation Paraphrase 5. Such and none but such shall be accepted and rewarded by God at their approach to his Sanctuary when they pray unto him and when they most want and depend upon his mercy Though God in Christ be a Saviour to all sincere worshippers and servants of his none 't is sure but such shall have part in this salvation 6. This is the generation of them that seek him seek thy face O Jacob. Selah Paraphrase 6. These indeed are the men that may properly be said to pray to and worship God these are the true Israelites that are meet to appear before the God of Israel whose peculiar presence is exhibited in the Ark of his Covenant or that associate themselves and joyn with thee O Jacob in the worship of the one true God 7. Lift up your heads O ye gates and be ye lift up ye everlasting dores and the King of glory shall come in Paraphrase 7. For the admission of this Ark of the Lord to a place where it may long continue the gates of the Fort of Sion are now to be set wide open those strong invincible gates as for the cheerful hospitable reception and entertainment of that great King whose Palace it is 8. Who is the King of glory the Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel Paraphrase 8. And if any aske what King this is the answer is ready That powerful omnipotent Lord that hath wrought all Davids victories for him 9. Lift up your heads O ye gates even lift them up ye everlasting dores and the King of glory shall come in Paraphrase 9.10 And let this be a solemnity to all Israel as for the most glorious and welcome news the placing the Ark of Gods Covenant in the Royal City and so securing to us the presence of God himself the God of all victory in war to whom we may daily assemble and make our addresses with confidence to be accepted and heard and so be for ever happy and joyful in his presence This primarily belonging to the bringing the Ark into Sion doth also literally belong to the ascension of Christ our Saviour into the highest heavens and so the antient Fathers frequently apply it 10. Who is the King of glory the Lord of hosts he is the King of glory Selah Annotations on Psal XXIV V. 4. Lift up his soul That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take to lift up which is used in very many senses according to the matter to which it belongs doth sometimes signifie to swear by there is no question Thus 't is in the third Commandment and generally when it is the taking Gods name for Gods name being God himself the taking of that is the swearing by God see note on Psal 16. e. And though applied to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul it frequently in the Psalmist signifies somewhat else lifting it up in devotion as it were a sacrifice to God yet the consequents here belonging evidently to perjury and among the forms of swearing that by the soul or life being one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Am. 6.8 God hath sworn by his life or soul therefore it is here most probable to be taken in that sense especially having 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vain joyned with it which again makes it more parallel to that in the third Commandment where by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith our Saviour Mat. 5. perjury is denoted The only remaining difficulty is how the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred my soul or his own soul The points direct to render it my soul and so the Interlinear reads animam meam my soul or life as if it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 making God the speaker of this verse and then it is God's life or soul But the the text writing ו not ×™ and the context according with it the punctation must in reason give place and accordingly all the antient interpreters appear to have read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soul by that meaning his own soul or the soul of the swearer And thus it may probably be And yet it is as probable also that the Lord being formerly more than once mentioned in this Psalm the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soul or life may be the life of God by whom oaths are wont to be conceived and are then an acknowledgment of Gods vindicative power which if it be invoked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a vain i. e. a false thing is a huge degree of profaneness and so may here fitly be set to signifie those that are not meet to be admitted into Gods holy place where he is to be honoured and worshipt V. 5. Righteousness That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness is oft taken for mercy is frequently observed see note on Mat. 1. g. and Mat. 6. a. and so 't is most probably to be taken here being explicative of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessing going before as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the two words for blessing benefaction and benediction are frequently used for works of mercy and thus the LXXII read it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine Arabick and Aethiopick in like manner mercy from God his Saviour V. 6. O Jacob What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jacob is set to signifie here is uncertain The LXXII leaving out the affix of the former word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy face and reading it only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Joseph and Benjamin to bless the people on the one and Reuben Gad Dan Asher Zabulon and Napthali on the other to curse six on one side and six on to'ther And being thus found so long before and so long after this time 't is the less to be doubted but it was practised now at the bringing of the Ark to Sion To which purpose 't is farther to be observed from Psal 48. written for the removal of the Arke and beginning with the solemn form Let God arise c. prescribed in the law for that occasion Num. 10.36 that the manner of this Procession is thus described v. 24. They see thy goings O God the goings of my God and King in the Sanctuary The singers went before the players on Instruments followed after amongst them were the Damsels playing upon the timbrels One 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 company or chorus of vocall Musick went before the Ark the other of Instrumental of all kinds followed it Whereon it follows Bless ye the Lord in the Congregations in the plural these two companies And then it cannot be improbable that as Neh. 12.40 So stood the two companies in the house of the Lord so here at the entry of the Ark into Sion these two chori should be drawn up at the gates on each side of it and so stand and the first be supposed to begin with the three first verses of this Psalm The earth is the Lords c. Who shall ascend c. to which the other answered in the three following He that hath clean hands c. Then the first resuming their turn in the seventh verse Lift up your heads c. the other answered in part of the eighth Who is the King of glory then the former answering The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in battel The other resumes again Lift up your heads c. And then the first asking the question Who is c. the second concludes The Lord of hosts he is the King of Glory The Twenty Fifth PSALM A Psalm of David Paraphrase The Twenty Fifth Psalm composed by David in some time of distress is a divine mixture of Prayer for pardon of sin and deliverance from evil and also of meditation of Gods gracious dealings with his servants 1. Unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Paraphrase 1. O Lord I have none but thee to whom to address my prayers in times of distress to thee therefore I come with the tribute of an humble heart the offering of a devout soul be thou pleased to accept it from me 2. O my God I trust in thee let me not be ashamed let not mine enemies triumph over me Paraphrase 2. In thee O my gracious God do I repose all my confidence O let me not be left destitute or forsaken by thee let not my adversaries have occasion to rejoyce and deride me as one that have been disappointed or frustrated in my dependences on thee 3. Yea let none that wait on thee be ashamed let them be ashamed that transgress without cause Paraphrase 3. Yea let all those that rely and depend on thee be constantly owned by thee let not any man that hath reposed his whole trust in thee find himself disappointed Let that be the fate of treacherous perfidious persons those that rely on their own ungodly policies let them miscarry and be disappointed of their hopes and so appear ridiculous among men The only way that may most probably work reformation in them Psal 83.16 4. Shew me thy wayes O Lord teach me thy paths Paraphrase 4. O Lord be thou pleased by thy special grace to direct me in the performance of all that may be acceptable in thy sight 5. Lead me in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day Paraphrase 5. Preserve me from all straying and wandring out of the right way On thee I depend for this and every minute look up to thee for the directions and support of thy good spirit 6. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness for they have been ever of old Paraphrase 6. Lord thou hast allwayes abounded to thy servants in compassion and bounty relieved the distrest and plentifully supplyed all wants to those that have addrest their prayers to thee Be thou pleased at this time thus in mercy to deal with me 7. Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions According to thy mercy remember me for thy goodness sake O Lord. Paraphrase 7. Lord the sins of my younger dayes are many the breaches innumerable wherewith I have ignorantly or foolishly for want of knowledge or consideration offended against thee Lay them not I beseech thee to my charge but of thine own free mercy and compassion to a wretched sinner be thou pleased to be reconciled to me O Lord. 8. Good and upright is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way Paraphrase 8. It is an act of the great purity and justice and rectitude of God to direct and assist toward the wayes of virtue all those that are by error and weakness fallen away and departed from it and timely to reduce them to good life 9. The meek will he guide in judgment and the meek will he teach his way Paraphrase 9. Those that are truly humbled before him for their sins and failings and de voutly address to him for pardon and grace he will never fall to allow them his assistance and direction in the wayes of virtue 10. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his testimonies Paraphrase 10. God will never fail either in mercy or fidelity any man that walks diligently and industriously in obedience to him The pardon and the grace that he hath promised to such the pardon of all their frailties and the donation of sufficient strength to support their weakness shall never fall to be performed to them that remain thus faithful to him 11. For thy names sake O Lord pardon my iniquity for it is great Paraphrase 11. I have many wayes greatly sinned against thee and have no ground of hope for mercy but only from thy free abundant pardon which I know exceedeth my sins and for which I am the more abundantly qualified by how much my state is more sadly miserable without the interposition of this mercy On that only account therefore of thy free pardon to the greatest so they be truly penitent sinners I beseech thee to be reconciled unto me who unfeignedly repent and return to thee 12. What man is he that feareth the Lord Him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse Paraphrase 12. Where the fear of God is planted truly in the heart there God will not fall of his directions and illuminations but will certainly afford him knowledge what will be acceptable in his fight 13. His soul shall dwell at ease and his seed shall inherit
do what the words signify Cassian hath said over the same thing more largely and earnestly That we injoy this treasure it is necessary that we say the Psalms with the same spirit with which they were composed and accommodate them unto our selves in the same manner as if every one of us had composed them or as if the Psalmist had directed them purposely for our uses not satisfying our selves that they had their whole completion in or by the Prophet but discerning every of us our own parts still to be performed and acted over in the Psalmists words by exciting in our selves the same affections which we discern to have been in David or in others at that time loving when he loves fearing when he fears hoping when he hopes praising God when he praises weeping for our own or others sins when he weeps begging what we want with the like spirit wherein his petitions are framed loving our enemies when he shews love to his praying for ours when he prays for his having zeal for the glory of God when the Psalmist professes it humbling our selves when he is humbled lifting up our spirit to heaven when he lifts up his giving thanks for Gods Mercies when he doth delighting and rejoycing in the beauty of the Messias and of the Church his Spouse when he is delighted and rejoyceth when he relates the wonderful works of God in the Creation of the World bringing his People out of Aegypt c. admiring and glorifying God as he stands amazed and glorifies him and when he mentions the Punishments inflicted on rebellious sinners and Rewards and Favours bestowed on the obedient we likewise are to tremble when he trembles and exult when he exults and walk in the Court of Heaven the Sanctuary as he walks and wish to dwell in it as he wishes Finally where he as a Master teacheth exhorts reprehends and directs the just man each of us must suppose him speaking to him and answer him in such due manner as the instruction of such a Master exacts And that we may in some measure performe this vital substantial part of our task Let us saith he at the beginning of the Psalm beg of God that light and affection and gust and savour with which David was affected when he made it and that with the affection and desire of obteining what he felt 31. And if it be here objected First that there be many things in these Psalms which are not agreeable to every mans condition and so cannot at all times be attended with the spirit of the reciter as the Eucharistical Psalms are not proper for him that is in distress c. Secondly that there are many which have no propriety to the spirit of any Christian as those which are spent in calling down vengeance on Gods and the Psalmists enemies Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul Psal 35.4 Let them be as chaffe before the wind and let the Angel of the Lord chase them v. 5. Let destruction come upon them at unawares v. 8. and especially Psal 109. allmost throughout the answer will not be difficult To the first 1. that the very objection is a grant that the Psalms contein devotions proper to the most distant conditions of all men and then that which is no way agreeable to my present circumstances being yet most agreeable and accommodate to several other men this is but a summons to my charity to swell above its own banks and diffuse it self to the refreshing and supplying of others wants and so this not any defect but an advantage in the Psalms which will never be complained of by those which begin their Forms as our Saviour directed addressing them to the common Father and Redeemer of all men and desire not to inclose benedictions but take all others into a principal part of their care and so can pray most zealously for any thing that any other Christian stand in needs of And yet 2. it will be hard to mention any thing which was ever fit for the Psalmist to say which will not have some propriety to every of us in whatsoever condition 'T is certain as to the particular instance that he that is in the greatest distress hath yet various matter for and obligations to Thanksgivings when his very distress which seems to set him at the greatest distance from it is the most peculiar ingagement to it God's taking all away bringing to the boiles and dunghill from the ease and splendor of the Palace is Job's summons to blessing the name of the Lord as well as the memory of his greatest donatives and the Psalmist oft assures us of the goodness and most valuable benefits of afflictions and consequently teaches us the duty of blessing and magnifying our benefactor for the mercy of those wholsome be they never so bitter ingredients And the same will be found appliable to all other affections of the Psalmist which will seldome miss to meet seasonable matter to work on in any mans breast which wants not devotion to discern and bring it home to him 32. To the second Objection I shall not need accommodate any other answer than the Reader will find allready given in the Margin and Paraphrase and Annotation on Psal 35.4 and other the like that the Hebrew is as capable of the Future as the Imperatiue mood and sense and so the Translation in all reason to be changed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not let them be confounded and put to shame but they shall blush and be ashamed they shall be turned back 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be as chaffe before the wind and the Angel of the Lord shall chase them Their way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall be dark and slippery and the Angel of the Lord shall persecute them Destruction shall come upon him unawares and his net that he hath hid shall catch himself into that very destruction shall he fall That David who was a Prophet inspired by God with knowledge of future events should thus rather predict and denounce Gods just judgments on obstinate sinners and that out of designs purely charitative by denouncing to work repentance that repentance might frustrate and cancel the denunciation is much more reasonable for us to resolve than that in the spirit when possibly without the power of Elias he should so frequently call for thunder from heaven either upon his own or Gods enemies And in many places particularly that of Psal 109. 't is reasonable to resolve that it is Christ himself that speaketh in the Prophet as being the person there principally concerned and the completion most signal in many circumstances there mentioned the succession especially of Matthias in his Apostolical and Episcopal office And then there remains no more question or difficulty how these and the like passages are to be accommodated to the Christians affection and spirit than how the plain denunciations of the Gospel are to be entertained by it
〈◊〉 the face for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jacob read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the God of Jacob and so the Latine and Arabick and Aethiopick but the Syriack thy face O God of Jacob as our English doth making an unusual Ellipsis which they supply with O God of But it may be more probable that Jacob is here set as oft it is for the children or posterity of Jacob as Israel the other name of Jacob is we know very frequently used for the men or children of Israel the Israelites so the Jewish Arab here of the family or posterity of Jacob and then two rendrings the words will be capable of For Jacob i. e. the children of Jacob will be a fit appellation for those that are diligent seekers of God truly pious men and so may be joyned with them by apposition or as the substantive to which that participle is to be annext in construction though it be placed before it so the Jewish Arab which seek the light of thy countenance of the family c. And to this the Chaldee may seem to have lookt who without any paraphrase to illustrate it or supply any Ellipsis set it just as the Hebrew do only in stead of thy face they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sight of his face To this sense the learned Castellio reads it thus expresly Jacobaeorum qui sunt ejus praesentiae cupidi the Jacobaeans or Israelites which are desirous of his presence which love and earnestly desire and frequent the assemblies where God hath promised to exhibit himself to those that worthily approach him But there is also a second possible and not improbable rendring to be fetcht from the importance of the phrase seeking the face which is no more than joyning themselves to another So Prov. 7.15 Therefore came I out to meet thee diligently to feek thy face c. 'T is the speech of the whore to the lover and signifies no more then to get into his society to joyn her self to him Now the sons of Jacob being the only people that had the knowledge of God and that were owned by him and that should have liberty to enter into the Temple the holy hill the representation of heaven and this priviledge being communicable to Proselytes that should come and seek and joyn themselves to them and the Prophets oft foretelling that thus the Nations should flow in to them which was most eminently fulfilled in the Gentiles receiving the faith and so becoming the spiritual seed of Abraham and Jacob the true Israelites therefore this may very fitly be the rendring of the words that seek thy face O Jacob that come in and are proselytes to Israel joyn themselves to them in the worship and landing of God and undertaking of his obedience the seeking of Jacobs face in this sense being all one with being proselytes to their Jewish Religion as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coming to God Heb. 11.6 the periphrasis of a proselyte to Christ is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeking him diligently in the latter part of that verse This interpretation will be yet more commodious if we suppose see note d. this Psalm sung by way of antiphona one chorus answering to'ther For then they to whom the answer is given may fitly be meant by the other in that phrase thy face O Jacob as those that represented the whole people and praised God in their name V. 7. Lift up your heads Where the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift up O gates your heads the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be construed Ye Princes lift up your gates so the Latine render it attollite portas principes vestras and so the Arabick and Aethiopick and so Apollinarius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye Rulers lift up your gates But that rendring can have no accord with the Hebrew which joynes the affixe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yours to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heads not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gates 'T is therefore more probable that the LXXII set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your Princes to render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your heads so inverting the Syntaxis your heads or Princes lift up the gates for ye gates lift up your heads But this is a misrendring of theirs and the Chaldee and Syriack read ye gates lift up your heads what that is may next be considered The gates are specified by the Chaldee to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gates of the house of the Sanctuary i. e. of Sion whither the Arke was to enter and to be placed there The Arke we know is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glory 1 Sam 4.22 The glory is departed from Israel for the Ark of God is taken And God having promised to be present there he is as in other so peculiarly in that respect here called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King of glory and he to come in when the Ark enters Now there be some hanging gates the letting down of which is the shutting of them and the lifting them up the opening of them Such are those which we call Portcullis of use for fortified places such as Sion was the strong hold of Sion 2 Sam. 5.7 and so the gates of Sion lifting up their heads is their being opened for the Ark to come into it And this we know was done with solemnity 2 Sam. 6.12 with gladness saith the text and this Psalm was either made for that solemnity or else for the commemorating of it That these gates in the next words are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eternal gates the reason may be taken from the durableness of the matter whereof they were made as strong holds have iron-gates or the like In this place it is not amiss to add of this Psalm that being designed for so solemn an occasion as that of the bringing the Arke into Sion or the commemorating thereof it was probably sung by way of Antiphona or response or alternation Thus it seems to be practiced at the Encania or dedication of the wall Nehem. 12. the solemnity whereof was performed by drawing up the whole train of Attendants into two companies or Processions Then saith Nehemiah v. 31. I appointed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 two great companies or chori 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and processions saith the interlinear we render it from the vulgar laudantiâ—m of them that gave thanks whereof one went on the right hand and v. 38. the other company of them that gave thanks went over against them So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of the Lord v. 40. This same usage on solemn occasions to divide into two chores though without respect to alternations appeareth also more antiently before this of bringing the Ark to Sion from the performances on Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal Deut. 27.12 where the quires were after this manner divided Simeon and Levi and Judah and Issachar and
he hath no pleasure in it no joy in those daily vomits were they not Physick against something else against that burthen of time that lies so unsupportable upon his hands against Melancholy against pangs and twinges of conscience like Cain's building of Cities and his Childrens inventing of Musick that the noise of the Hammers and the melody of the Instruments might out-sound the dinne within him or at least to take up quarter before Christ to help stop the ear from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that still whispering trumpet in Appian fit for the secret invasion of the soul to keep him from the pain or perhaps the reproach of being too precise and most other sins are of the like making we flie to them as to our refuge to save us from Christ as the horns of our Altar to keep us from that Goel which we dread as the Revenger of blood our only enemy and persecutor in the world 'T is not any prime quality any special excellence we find in our carnal entertainments those not only vanities but vexations not only unsatisfying but wounding acquisitions those gainless torments those painted flies with barbed hooks under them that makes us so passionately dote upon them the Jews were not in love with Barabbas but only our prejudices to Christ our vehement dislikes to holiness our impatience of any thing that may do us good our league with perdition our covenant with death our zeal to Hell and absolute resolvedness to be miserable eternally Such malice hath every sinner to his own soul such hating to be reformed that the painful'st uneasiest sin the most prodigal expenceful lust a very Sodom of filth and burning not only the sins of Sodom but the fire and brimstone rain'd down and mixt with the sins gotten into their composition shall be abundant pleasure and Epicurism to him that hath found no other to stay his appetite I appeal to your consciences whether many of you have not suffer'd more hardship in Satans service than any man hath in Gods whether your very sins have not cost you dearer than every any Martyr paid to get to Heaven Tell me hath not your lusts had Martyrs of you many pass'd thorow the fire to Moloch hath not your ambition had Martyrs of you many a base submission a toilsome pluck a climbing or crawling up that hill of honour Believe it the Poet jeer'd you in that not truth but irony that sarcasm and bitter taunt against you Facilis descensus Averni the descent to Hell is an easie passage If he spake what he thought I am confident you can give him the lye produce your selves so many visible demonstrations of the contrary truth that you can shew him by your scars as 't were by the Half-moon in your Breasts what a tyrannical Turkish task-master Satan hath been to you 'T is an ordinary passage in the story of Julian that when he receiv'd his deaths wound he fell a railing at Christ but Philostorgius seems to rectifie the story tells us it was his own Gods i. e. Devils that he rail'd at that he took his blood in his hand out of his wound and cast it against the Sun his deified Idol with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be thou satisfied yea and call'd the rest of his many Gods saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Manuscript hath it evil and execrable persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cursing and declaiming at his own Gods and not at Christ the application is plain the Devil he is the bloody Master his is the course service and sad wages not Christs none is so fit to be curst by his own Clients as that Prince of darkness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Monarch ruler of this Age of ours I have reason to believe there are no fitter Judges to appeal to in this particular than my present Auditory 'T was a French Friars conceit that Courtiers were of all men the likeliest to bear him company to his Covent not only fittest but likeliest to forsake the world and turn Penitentiaries He judg'd it because such an one of all others had most reason to be displeas'd with the pleasures of the world he hath seen to the bottom of sensual delights found the emptiness and torments of those things which the distance and ignorance that other men are kept at makes them behold with reverence and appetite the Courtier hath made the experiment and sees how strangely the world is mistaken in its admired delights and with Solomon after a glut of vexatious nothings is now fit to turn Ecclesiastes or Preacher I wish you would be but at so much leasure as to think of the Friars meditation that you would try what mortifying Sermons you could make out of your own observations concerning the vanity of sensual miscalled pleasures I am confident you would be very eloquent able to outpreach all the Orators you ever heard from the Pulpit to write more pathetical descriptions of the madness of a carnal life than from any more innocent Speculator could be hoped for That you may begin that useful edifying lasting Sermon I shall close up mine having at length run thorow the particulars of my Text shew'd you your selves in the Jewish glass if it were possible to put you out of countenance to shake you out of all tolerable good opinion of your selves And now let every man go home with a tu es homo he is the very Jew I have preach'd of all this while O that he would think fit to hate that Jew humble him labour his conversion bring him down into the dust if so be there may yet be hope And that God that can bring from the dust of death again open this door to us a forlorn destitute people so shall we see and praise the power and seasonable bounty of our Deliverer and ascribe unto him as our only tribute the honour the glory the power the praise the might the majesty the dominion which through all Ages of the world have been given to him that sitteth on the Throne to the holy Spirit and to the Lamb for ever more Amen Saint PAVL's Sermon to FELIX THE EIGHTH Being a Lent SERMON at Oxford A. D. 1645. ACTS 24.25 And as he reasoned of righteousness and temperance and judgment to come Felix trembled THE Words are the Notes taken from a Sermon of St. Pauls And the success it met with among the Auditors the trembling of one heathen Officer that was at it is intirely the consideration that commended it to me at this time in hope it might help to perform that strange work beget a spiritual palsie or soul-quake in the Christian sinner that worâ—er kind of Heathen at the repetition There 's matter enough God knows of trembling abroad though there were never a judgment to come to put us all into Belshazzars paralytick posture the countenance changed the thoughts troubled the joints or the loins loosed and the knees smiting against one
principle of action and practice they must open to him as the Tulip to the rising Sun or as the everlasting dores to that King of glory give him an alacrious hospitable reception as the friend to the friend as the diseased to the Physician deliver themselves up most willing Patients to all his blessing warming influences to all his medicinable saving methods that he may sanctifie and reform bless and turn live and reign in our hearts by faith and prove a Shlloh in the Criticks notion of the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fortunatus est the work of the Lord for which he raised him thrive and prosper in his hands We must rise with Christ as well as die with him doe as the bodies of the Saints that slept Mat. 28.53 arise and come out of our graves of sin go into the holy City and appear to many Our resurgere must be attended with an ire an ire of obedience Go and he goeth an ire of motion too an active stirring vital life not sit only or creep but go and walk and run the way of Gods commandments and then 2. we must have a term for that motion a matter for that obedience an ubi for that ire and that civitatem sanctam 1. the City and then the holy the life of the man the Citizen the Common-wealths man risen with Christ in every of these capacities and then the sanctam a superaddition of all sanctity of all that 's Christian and in all these notions we must ire and praire go before as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so do that great act of charity attract others after us by exemplary lightsom actions apparere multis conduct the stray multitude to heaven That this is the benefit of Christs resurrection and that there is no faith or belief in this article to be counted of but that is thus improv'd thus evidenced is the special thing that I meant to perswade you from these words which I shall endeavour to do by reserving the remainder of the time for the third and last particular the interpretation of this Priestly office of Christ to which the resurrection instal'd him or wherein this blessing consists In turning c. For the equal dealing with which I conceive my self obliged to shew you these three things 1. What is meant by turning away every one from his iniquities 2. What the dependence is betwixt this and the resurrection of Christ 3. How this turning is an interpretation of blessing God having raised up his son Jesus sent him to bless us in turning c. For the first every syllable will be a hint of direction for this matter 1. Turn that one syllable is the best description of the great saving grace of repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Athanasius's phrase the inverting the transposing or the turning of the soul and less than that wâ—â—â— not prove sufficient humbling and confessing and grieving and hating will not serve the turn these are but initial preparatives to that last hand but dull lines but liveless monagrams which that vital pencil in this Text that of turning must fill up The want of this one accomplishment is the ruining of all makes that vast Chasm as wide as that betwixt Dives and Abrahams bosom the sorrowing confessing self-hating if unreformed sinner may fry in Hell when none but the returning Prodigal can find admission to Heaven and that for the turning The manner of which will be worth the observing also the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here is common to Christ and us but in a different power and sense he by way of efficience we of non-resistance active in Christ and but neutral in us he to turn us and then we to turn not to resist that power of his grace not to go on when he turns So in other phrases of Scripture he to draw and then we to run after him God to work in us both to will and to do and then we to work out our own salvation he to knock and we to open he to rouze the sleeper and we to awake and rise from the dead we to obey his grace but his grace most necessary thus to turn us or yet more plainly Christ to use all the means of turning us that can belong to God dealing with reasonable creatures and such as he means to crown or punish his call his promise his threats his grace preventing exciting assisting in a word all but violence and coaction which is destructive of all judgment to come and we not to resist to grieve to quench those blessing methods to turn when he will have us turn Then every one of you the extent of that grace consequent to that resurrection He is gone up on high hath led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men men indefinitely there and all flesh in the other prophecy I will pour out my spirit on all flesh and here every one of you i. e. primarily every one of you Jewes unto you first in the beginning of the Verse but then from them diffusively to all others The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.11 hath appeared unto all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. taking them all into the school of discipline teaching them to live soberly and justly and piously in this world and again every one this turning is indispensably necessary and therefore to every self flatterer O be not deceived c. and bring forth fruit c. and think not to say within your selves We have Abraham c. There is no dispensation for Abrahams Children for the elect for men of such and such perswasions no special priviledge for Favourites no Postern-gate or back stairs for some choice privado's all their prerogative is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 earlier grace or more grace and consequently so much the more obligation but then except you repent and return you shall all perish 3. From his iniquities Iniquities first and then his Iniquities not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 every legal breach or declination the resurrection and grace of Christ will not thus return us to a Paradise on earth will not thus sublime us quite out of our frail sinner-state till our mortality be swallowed up with life but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 villanies and wickednesses of the carnal man the wasting acts and noisome habits of an unsanctified life from these Christ died and rose that he might turn us There is not a more noxious mistake a more fatal piece of Stoicism amongst Christians than not to observe the different degrees and elevations of sin one of the first another of the second magnitude one ignis fatuus or false star differing from another in dishonour though not in glory some spots that are spots of sons that by a general repentance without particular victory over them by an habitual resolution to amend all that is amiss without actual getting out of these frailties are capable of Gods mercy in Christ reconcileable with a regenerate