Holy Penman would not have born up himself in Conscience of Innocence with respect either to God or Man had he harboured any designs to usurp the proper Honour of the God of Revenges in seeking by Violence to right himself against that Throne of Iniquity which even by a Law endeavoured to do him manifest wrong So Sacred is the Majesty of a Prince that a good Conscience cannot be maintain'd in affronting it though it act Unrighteously much less when it acts righteously under an absolute and unlimited Monarchy There 's no relief on Earth against a Throne though of Iniquity From its unjust Judgment we have with the Psalmist liberty of Appeal to Heaven but to attempt otherways is a manifest violation of the Rights both of God and Man Of God by invading his Property Of the King for who made thee his Judge and set thee above him Let the Supreme Monarch that rules be what he will Just or Unjust Jew or Heathen or Turk or Papist or Protestant true Worshiper or Idolater Christian Antichristian Religious Irreligious Holy or Wicked I find not any Warrant either in the Word of God from Precept or Example nor in any Ancient Father not in any approved Protestant Writer for any Private Persons or Society of such to oppose him by Violence but the quite contrary Calvin I know is charg'd with Antimonarchical Principles but how justly will appear to any serious Considerer of that last Chapter of his Institutions where § 7. sub fin he says The Government of one which least pleased the Great Wits of Old is commended by an eximious Testimony of God above the rest And § 8. permits not private Men to dispute which is best And though he upon some accounts like Aristocracy or a temper of that and Polity as best Yet saith Non id quidem per se Not of it self But because Kings rarely moderate themselves c. which plainly intimates that he judged Monarchy the best in it self though Monarchs not always the best Yet whatever be less eligible ex vitio personarum he will not allow so much as the desire of a change in the Government set over us by God but condemns it as Foolish Needless and Noxious Non modo stulta erit supervacua sed prorsus noxi◠etiam cogitatio And how strict he is in requiring Subjection even to Tyrannical Princes See § 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. which would be too tedious to transcribe That which some pick out to snarl at in the end of § 31. De privatis hominibus semper loquor Nam siqui nunc sint c. as though he allow'd the three States to resist the King This cannot be concluded from his Words which are Hypothetical limited with a Forte and 't is but pro officio intercedere and they are only Persons qui se Dei ordinatione libertatis tutores positos norunt which he does not forbid non veto And let any Man of sence judge whether this be a true or false Proposition Those Persons who know themselves ordain'd of God to be Guardians of Peoples Liberties ought to interceed according to the tenor of their Office with ferocient Princes in the Peoples behalf and not connive at their Oppressions To make pro Officio contra Officium suum is wise Interpretation but since he confines them within the boundaries of their Office or Duty he must be a very Spider indeed that can such Poyson out of it But that may seem more important which we find here ver 16. He demands Who will rise up for me c. Whatever he meant doubtless he judg'd it consistent with Innocency and a good Conscience To clear which 1. The Hebrew to a Word runs thus Who will rise to me with the Evil Doers Who will stand to me with the Workers of Iniquity Now make what you can of it for the Doctrine of opposing Princes Admit that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be Translated For me or in my behalf as 't is Gen. 23.8 c. Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 does not import Opposition and Contrariety but Conjunction and Association being of the kindred of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 People And 't is not that I remember any where in the Bible beside translated against In all places where the Holy Ghost would signifie the Enmity or Contrariety of Persons or things another Preposition is used either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to select one place of Multitudes because very like the Phrase here Psal 34.16 The Face of the LORD is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against them that do evil c. Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to look no farther than this Psalm and but two Verses below my Text ver 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They troop against the Soul of the Just 'T is not sure for nothing that the Spirit of God here lays aside the usual manner of expressing himself The reason is above our reach But may not this account bid fair toward a Probability That possibly some Persons were with Saul and his Pertakers from whom the Psalmist had reason to expect better things than from those who were his profest Enemies The sense then will be Which of you all that being born down with the stream of the times associate with ill Men will now rise and stand for me to interpose and speak in my behalf as once did the truly noble Jonathan a Friend incomparable 2. The end for which he expected they should rise and stand up is not express'd in that Verse but the next has it express a help Vnless the LORD supply out of the former Verse had risen or stood a help to me c. For since those Words will make good sense why should aliene be inserted Therefore on the other hand make up the former Verse by adding that out of this which was the end of their expected rising and standing and 't is thus Who will rise or stand a help to me with evil Doers c. Now consider the quality of this help he expected was it Forcible Violent Vengeful by Arms and Bloodshed No this Psalm repudiates it in his appeals to the God of Revenges And 1 Sam. 24.12 13. and 26.8 9 10 11 16 23. He disclaims and abhors it as sinful urgently dehorts from it and rebukes the temptation to it when irritated by his Followers and invited by a fair opportunity and plansible argument Behold the day of the which the LORD said unto thee Behold I will deliver thine Enemy into thy hand that thou mayst do to him as shall seem good unto thee It was then Moral help that he expected Help by Counsel and Perswasion not by Power and Compulsion Such as he had from God which was not a coactive but a gentle rational and unforcible bowing the wills of Adversaries to desist God did not constrain but incline the Mind and Heart of Saul to cease the pursuit at Selah Hammalekoth 1 Sam. 23.26 27 28. To leave him untoucht and
needless fond thing for the Deity to promise them or interest his own Agency about them which yet is of a blasphemous importance as 't would savour of the highest Arrogance to imagine that I am in a Capacity to act well-pleasingly to God without God For does it consist with the Divine Wisdom and God's Ingenuous procedure with Man to promise what is in Mans power whether he promise or no. And if we be capable of exerting one acceptable Act without Divine Influence Why not another and another till frequent Acts produce a Habit and all this exclusively to the aids of Heaven That he must be made a liar who said Joh. 15.5 Without me you can do nothing And 2 Cor. 3.5 Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God See also again Eph. 2.8 9 10. Let him stand forth and be a publick Spectacle of Ignominy and Malediction who will not subscribe to or having subscribed contradicts the 10th and 13th Articles of Religion which are these X. The Condition of Man after the Fall of Adam is such that he cannot turn and prepare himself by his own natural strength and good Works to Faith and calling upon God Wherefore we have no power to do good Works pleasing and acceptable to God without the Grace of God preventing us that we may have a good will and working with us when we have that good will XIII Works done before the Grace of Christ and the Inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of Faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make Men meet to receive Grace or as the School Authors say deserve Grace of Congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the Nature of Sin If formally upright and acceptable Acts of Submission to the Covenant and its conditions could issue from wicked Men and Hypocrites so continuing in State and Disposition and therefore Enemies to God and Goodness as there would be no need of the promise to Write his Law in the Heart so God would be obliged in faithfulness to fulfil to them his part of the Covenant in communicating all Covenant Mercies But the whole implies a contradiction For sincerely to observe the terms of the Covenant is to be sincere in that thing and therefore supposes the Law to be Written in the Heart or obliges God to Write it For the condition being observed by Man the Engagement upon God becomes absolute he must do his part or violate his Covenant and be unjust to himself and his Son Jesus Christ whose undertaking founded this New Covenant Dispensation Whence a cordial performance of the terms of the Covenant on our part does really introduce or infer that sincerity of State which is implied in the Writing God's Laws in our Hearts implanting therein his fear and pouring out his Spirit on us which is the very Work of Conversion or Regeneration and the basis of all Consolation for Psal 119.50 This is my comfort in my affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because thy word hath quickned me Thy word in general as the Instrument its precepts in particular as the Matter principling my Heart in the nature of a Law engraven on that Fleshly Table by the Finger of God Whatever Mens Sentiments may be under Temptation Melancholy c. yet ordinarily let but this be made out to a considering Man viz. that he is truly born again of God and all his Troubles Disquiets Agonies Horrors of Conscience vanish into nothing and all other his Disconsolate Thoughts are very much moderated If his Grace be found real and sound his Repentance Faith and Love unfeigned his Heart is at ease he has a perfect Demonstration that God the Father is his God and Father Jesus Christ his Saviour because the Holy Ghost has been his Sanctifier Now does he not doubt of the pardon of his Sins of the special Love of God of an interest in all the Benefits purchased by Jesus Christ of a Right to all the Promises and everlasting Consolation and Salvation This is the bottom of all nothing without this will avail in the least to bring the glad tidings of Peace into the Conscience This as a sure and immovable Foundation establishes all our hopes of Comfort which without it is absolutely impossible But this ground laid Joy and Rest and Satisfaction of Soul will infallibly arrive sooner or later all the Malignity and Rage upon Earth all the Malice and Policy of Hell all the Melancholy Imaginations of a Man 's own Heart though they may obstruct and delay it yet cannot finally avert and hinder it any more than a gloomy Night can the rising of the Sun in its season The day of Glory Peace and Consolation everlasting Cant. 4.6 will undoubtedly break Hebr. breath upon such a Soul and Darkness Sorrows Shadows flee away For these Redeemed of the Lord by power and therefore by price shall return and come with singing unto Sion and everlasting Joy shall be upon their heads they shall obtain Gladness and Joy and Sorrow Mourning and Sighing shall flee away Isa 51.11 Weeping may endure in the Evening but Joy cometh in the Morning Psal 30.5 A Child of Prayers and Tears said Ambrose to Monica cannot perish Isa 53.3 A Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief whom it pleaseth the Lord to bruise shall see of the Travail of his Soul and be satisfied This was verified first in the Head and shall be also in the Members They must pass through the Jordan of Repentance and there be wash'd seven times that they may be healed of their Spiritual Leprosies but their next Stage is a welcome Canaan of Solace and Rest This is the basis of the other Privilege viz. Propriety in God and assurance thereof and therefore being a connex Blessing more concerning it will necessarily fall under the following Head Now that the Psalmist had some Reflections upon his Sanctification in assuming to himself the Comforts of God seems evident from the 21. vers where he makes a tacit Profession of his Righteousness and Innocency which no doubt were to him as in like case they are to any Man a singular Support and Satisfaction under all the Calamities and Cruelties endured through the violence and fury of Man Though the Floods and Waves and Storms beat high from without yet if there be a sweet Calm within though the World with a savage barbarousness persecute and pursue me to Death yet if mine own Conscience do not reproach me but testifie that in simplicity and godly sincerity I have had my Conversation in this World not by fleshly Wisdom but by the grace of God in innocency and usefulness to Men 2 Cor. 1.12 This is a singular rejoycing and ground of Comfort though our sufferings abound Vers 5. The Peace of a good Conscience is a powerful Antidote
uphold thee with the right hand of my Righteousness 13. I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand saying unto thee Fear not I will help thee c. Deut. 33.26 There is none like unto the God of Jesurun who rideth upon the Heaven in thy help and in his Excellency on the Sky The Eternal God is thy Refuge and underneath are the Everlasting Arms. He is a mighty Man indeed who thus under chastening is supported by the Almighty Power of God 4. 'T is Jehovah the Performer of Promises that chastizes and therefore his chastening it self is not the Execution of the Old-Covenant Threatning to a Child of God but a fulfilling of a New-Covenant Promise Psal 89. If the Children of him whom God makes his First-born Ver. 27. and his Throne as the days of Heaven Ver. 29. do forsake my Law c. Ver. 30. Then will I visit their Transgression with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes I call this a Promise not a Threat nor a bare Asseveration because inserted as Matter of Privilege amidst a Cluster of Promises true in a sence of David but redounding to Christ and his Children and Seed Heb. 2.13 Is 53.10 But as to Israel in Aegypt so to all his spiritual Israel when in their most grievous Agonies and Oppressions he reveals himself by his Name Jehovah in a peculiar manner For to no Condition are more Promises made to none more fulfill'd 'T is a blessed thing indeed under all the most doleful Circumstances of Providence to inherit in Jehovah all the Promises In this art thou richer under the very depth of Poverty and Distress than in the Gain of infinite Worlds 5. God's Corrections are Instructions the Word signifies both and however to the Children of God they are inseparable If God thus teach with a strong Hand he will also teach out of his Law Job 34.31 32. Elihu there accounts it a very proper Petition Surely it is meet to be said to God I have born Chastisement I will not offend any more what I see not teach thou me If I have done Iniquity I will do no more Therefore David Psal 119.71 professes It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy Statutes Our blessed Redeemer was in this an excellent Pattern Heb. 5.8 Though he were a Son yet learned he Obedience by the things which he suffered And God Almighty declares his consident expectation of this from his People Zeph. 3.7 I said surely thou wilt fear me thou wilt receive Instruction which supposes some to give it so their dwelling should not be cut off howsoever I punished them Indeed if then our Ears be not opened to Discipline and our Instruction sealed when God sets on his teachings with Blows we are very bad Scholars But Mic. 6.9 The Lords Voice the voice of his Rod cryeth unto the City and Wisdom shall see thy Name hear ye the Rod the Lord's voice in it and him that hath appointed it 6. God chastens in order to Rest Rest from Adversity and the Days of Adversity Rest not merited but given and given by Jehovah that can command it who is a self-mover and free in his Communications and when in thee there 's nothing to be a motive to his Bounty can and does take Arguments from himself Thy Miseries shall have an end and a happy end They shall issue in that which is an earnest and pledge of the highest Happiness Rest Everlasting Rest Thy Week-day Labours and Sorrows and Sufferings shall terminate in a blessed Sabbatism even in this Life if God see it good however in the Life to come God will give it and then who can withhold it 7. All the while thou art in Misery thou livest under distinguishing Mercy Thou art not ranked with the Wicked nor reserv'd for their Woes In chastening thee God differences thee from them who though they live in a Paradise of Prosperity yet even there as Adam are digging their own Graves and burying all their good Fortunes Whilst the Lord chastens thee out of thy Sins they are sinning themselves into Plagues beyond the dimension of Chastenings Thou art only carryed through a blessed Purgatory they into and left in the Pit of Perdition which their own Sins and God's Justice are preparing for them and thy Sufferings shall last no longer than till their Iniquities be full and the Pit made ready to receive them in which work both their own Wickedness and Divine Vengeance make hast Their Foot shall slide in due time for the day of their Calamity is at hand and the things that shall come upon them make hast For the Lord shall judge his People and repent himself for his Servants when he seeth that their Power is gone and there is none shut up or left Deut. 32.35 36. Rejoyce Ob ye Nations therefore with his People Ver. 43. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hosts Ob my People that dwellest in Zion be not afraid of the Assyrian He shall smite thee with a Rod and shall lift up his Staff against thee after the manner of Aegypt For yet a very little while and the Indignation shall cease and mine Anger in their Destruction Isa 10.24 25. 8. Thy Affliction is not unto Rejection and Desertion as in the Wicked The Lord will not cast off and forsake though he chasten ver 14. no but own and return unto his Servants Although he may sometimes seem to depart yet 't is with yerning Bowels and a returning Heart and the reason of this is that 9. He owns his Propriety even when he corrects They are his People his Inheritance an Inheritance that cannot that shall not be alienated The Devil and Wicked Men may by God's Permission usurp and make a forcible Intrusion and Entry but the legal Right abides with God and he will infallibly recover it in his own way and time Joh. 10.27 28 29. My Sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hand My Father which gave them me is greater than all and no Man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand 10. The Lord will be thy Patron and Advocate to plead thy Righteous cause that although Judgment be departed from Righteousness i. e. Unrighteous Judgment be past against thee yet God will turn the Scales and cause Judgment at length to weigh thee in a right Balance and sentence shall be given on thy side 11. Thy Affliction shall issue in Honour and Advancement When God exalts Righteousness thou shalt be with it follow after it have like fare with it whether it be done in this World or the future If in this Life you continue under these Depressions yet the honour of a glorious Kingdom is reserved for you at that day when Judgment shall infallibly return to Righteousness Lastly Hence it highly concerns you to consider and search into
Minds and sue for that Mercy for our selves which once we would not receive or so much as desire as an answer to the Petitions of our Mediator Be not a Stranger to thine own Heart yet do not think to dig thy Peace out of thine own Bowels If it be a comforting reviving thing to find in thy self the truth of Grace yet that refreshing vertue of Grace it self is from God Whence we find some that although they be tolerably satisfied of their soundness yet through Ignorance or Inadvertency or Melancholy or Temptation c. cannot settle in a calm and quiet composure of Mind For as I said the Assurance of the truth of a Man's Grace is only comforting as it is the ground of his Assurance of the Love of God of which if a Man be not satisfied i. e. that true Grace is an infallible evidence that God does embrace him with his special Love and is at peace with him through Christ his Conscience will not be at rest for it cannot rest in discord with God whose Deputy 't is in Man Now some are so weak as not to understand this others so opprest with dumpishness of Spirit as not to heed it others so deluded by Satan as not to believe it which mists if not dispell'd damp the comfort of Grace Look therefore to the Sun of Righteousness to clear up thy Comforts by expeling this Darkness Seek abroad for Peace The Bee finds not her Honey at home without the labour of her Wings Let thy Supplications then O my Soul be continually winging thy Affections towards Heaven that they may there suck and be satisfied Isa 66. with the full Brests of Divine Consolation milk out and be delighted with the abundance of its Glory The Celestial Canaan is the Land that flows with the Milk and Honey of Divine and Spiritual Joy into which as at first thou passest over the Jordan of Repentance not upon dry ground but wafted by the breath of Prayer So must thou take possession of it in Armour fighting the good Fight of Faith with Heart and Hands like Moses lift up in earnest Supplications Exod. 17.11 Isa 61.1 3. The Spirit of God is upon Christ because the Lord hath anointed him To appoint to them that mourn in Sion to give them Beauty for Ashes the Oyl of Joy for Mourning c. If it be his Gift to him must we address for it The Tree from whence this Oyl of Gladness flows is planted in the Paradise of God descend to thee it shall not unless thou ascend to it and be ingrafted in the same Stock Oh transplant thy self from Earth to Heaven and take root at the Throne of Grace fix thy self and grow at the Footstool of Mercy by Frayer if as a Tree of Righteousness thou wouldst draw in be nourish'd and refresh'd by those consolatory dews of Divine Love which are the spring of that River of the Waters of Life which makes glad the City of God Be more above with the Father of Meries and God of all Comfort in these Devout and Ardent Suspirations than below glued to the Earth by Carnal Affections if thou desirest to be a Barnabas may I thus transfer it from its active to a passive Sense a Son an Heir an Inheritor of Celestial Consolations If thou canst but pray indeed thou art secure the furious Waves of these two meeting Seas Sin and Suffering may wrack thee but cannot swallow thee up Sink perhaps thou maist but Drown thou canst not the gentle Gales of the Spirit in this duty will most safely transport thee to the Haven of Everlasting Joy and Peace even in the ruin of all thy Fortunes Thy Miseries thy Corruptions shall perish thou thy self shalt not so true is that Saying of a Reverend Bishop Fashionable Suppliants may talk to God Bp. Hall but be confident he that can truly pray can never be miserable Of our selves we lie open to all Evils our rescue is from above and what intercourse have we with Heaven but by our Prayers This is his Catholicon Seneca advises his Lucilius to superadd new to his old Prayers to ask a good Soul good Health of Mind Epist 10 Quidni t◠ista vota saepe facias audacter Deum roga then of Body Why dost not oft renew these Requests Beg of God boldly So live with Men as if God saw so speak to God as if Men heard A good Precept to which adjoyn the like from the wisest of Men Eccles 5.1 2. Keep thy Foot when thou goest into the House of God c. Be not rash with thy Mouth and let not thine Heart be hasty to utter any thing before God For God is in Heaven and thou upon Earth therefore let thy Words be few 'T is not much speaking but hearty that God regards not the Tongue of Men and Angels but Truth in the inward Parts Broken Expressions from a broken Heart are as sweet Eloquence in the esteem of God as the best in Tully or Demosthenes Oh then pour out thy Prayers as a Flood Isa 26.16 If thou desirest they should return in a Tyde of Peace They can never reach Heaven if they have not a spring of Grace within they will never be received there if not the warm Exhalations Transpirations of a melting contrite Heart drawn out and drawn up by the dissolving attractive Rayes of the Son of Righteousness If the Divine Spirit infuse this Breath into thee it will follow him to Heaven and through his Influence who is the Comforter possess thee of the fulness of the Comforts of Elshaddai God all-sufficient If as a cloven Tongue of Fire the Holy Ghost descend and sit upon thee and give thee utterance Acts 2.3 4. not merely in conference with Men but secret speech Isa 26.16 with God If he envigorate and heat thy Graces and Affections that the Fire burn within Psal 39.3 and give speech to thy Tongue If he cast the pure Incense of Spiritual Devotion upon that flaming Altar thy fervent zealous Heart that may ascend in a sweet smelling Cloud to the Throne of God If Lastly this Fire from Heaven fall upon thy Sacrifice as a testimony or the audience of thy Prayers then wilt thou shout for Joy Levit 9. ult and triumph in his Salvation If thou would'st entertain any grounded hopes that the Lord will speak comfortably to thy Heart oh do thy utmost by Premeditation by Reading by Ejaculation c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to blow up into a living Fire those Divine Sparks of the Grace of Prayer which the Spirit doth cast within thee as a preparation for thy solemn Exercise in the duty of Prayer it self and let thy Supplications be rather the inward workings of thy Heart in aversation from Sin and panting after God by godly Sorrow Repentance Desire Faith Love Resignation c. than the labour of thy Lips and a bodily Exercise or the Work of an enlarged invention and fancy or strong Head and