down Vers. 3 Saul had broken all Leagues and Covenants he had made with him 2 The want of assistance The Priests were slain with the Sword His fortresses taken from him His outward estate destroy'd Laws subverted If he staid perish he must some few righteous men are left But what can the righteous do 2. The second part To these their Arguments and counsel David returns his answer in a sharp reprehension I tell you 1. Davids answer I trust in God In the Lord put I my trust How say you then to my soul Vers. 1 and he gives his Reasons for it from the Sufficiency and Efficiency of God 1 That he trusts in God 1. What say you the foundations are cast down yet I despair not for God is sufficient 1 Who is sufficient 1. Present in his holy Temple He can defend 2. Vers. 4 He is a great King and his Throne is in heaven 3. Nothing is hid from him His eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men 4. 2 Just He is a just God which is seen in his proceeding both to just and unjust Vers. 5 1. He tryeth the righteous by a Fatherly and gentle correction 2. But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hates These two last Propositions he expounds per partis and begins with the wicked 1. Vers. 6 Vpon the ungodly he will rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible Tempest For he will punish the wicked this shall be the portion of their cup. 1. Pluet He shall rain upon them when they least think of it even in the midst of their jollity As rain falls on a fair day 2. Or he shall rain down the vengeance when he sees good for it rains not alwayes Though he defers it yet it will rain 3. The punishment comes to their utter subversion as Sodoms fire 4. This is the portion of their cup that which they must expect from him 2. Vers. 7 But he does good to the just For the righteous God loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright And reward the just He bears him good-will and is careful to defend him The Prayer collected out of the eleventh Psalm IT is not unknown to thée O merciful Father to how many dangers to how many enemies thy elect people are exposed Our enemies drive us from our dwellings and say unto our souls Vers. 1 Fly and wander as a bird from hill to hill as Fowlers they pursue us and suffer us in no place to build or to be at rest And when they have chased us from house to home even in this obscure place they give us no respite Vers. 2 but hunt us as a Partridge upon the Mountains they bend their how and make ready their arrow upon the string that when we think least of it Vers. 3 they may privily shoot at the upright in heart To those streits and miseries we are brought that we know not what to do All our fortunes are decay'd all our strong holds taken all outward helps fall us the very foundations of our hope and help is perish'd when that Religion truth and service in which we were wont to glory and rejoice is taken from us Yea those very Leagues Oaths Covenants which they have given us for our security they have null'd and broken off from their necks and cast away thy cords from them O Lord what shall the righteous do what shall he say Vers. 3 whether shall he fly for aid and succovr to whom shall he make his moan when they whose heart is upright and would are unable to help And what have we done that these men should pursue us to take away our lives O Lord thou art my God in thee will I trust who art able to do all things Vers. 1 and wilt never forsake those who hope in thy mercy and relie upon thy word and power And though these present dangers hang over my head yet I will not despair For I know the Lord whom I have believed fits above in Heaven as in a Royal Palace and. Throne and is over and above all Therefore I will not fear though the foundations of the earth be moved despair I will not of help nor depose my expectation of deliverance since his eyes behold from that holy Temple and his eye-lids sée consider try Vers. 5 and judge the doings and sufferings of the children of men Thou Lord knowest how to discern the just from the unjust and to put a difference in their rewards Vers. 6 for thou doest approve try and gently correct the righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence thy soul hates For as the fairest day is overcast with clouds and thunder and lightning suddenly break out from abova and affright and involde the world in an unexpected Tempest So wilt thou O Lord though thou defer thine anger rain down vengeance on the wicked in their greatest jollities when they think not of it and promise to themselves the fairest dayes and are in greatest security Thou wilt cast down snares and take them a sudden fire and brimstone shall destroy them as it did Sodom the storm and tempest of thy fury shall overwhelm them This is the portion this their reward this their lot which thou hast measured to them out of thy cup. But I know thou art in thy Temple Vers. 7 and wilt be present with the just in all his dangers to govern to help to defend to frée him For it is not as men think and as Reason would over-hastily judge the foundations are not overthrown nor all our helps and aids perished For thou O Lord lovest righteousness and thy countenance doth behold the upright A just God thou art and a lover of justice and just men and thou wilt set thy face to do good to those who are upright in thy eyes These thou wilt love their cause thou wilt defend their persons thou wilt protect for the merits of thy dearly beloved Son Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. XII The Summe is A prayer of David to God to save and help him and keep him from the deceits and contagion of the wicked of which the world is too full THERE be four parts of this Psalm 1. A Prayer and the reasons of it vers 1 2. 2. A Prophecy of the fall of the wicked or an Imprecation vers 3. whose arrogance he describes vers 4. 3. Gods answer to Davids Petition with a promise full of comfort vers 5. for it is tatified vers 6. 4. A Petitory Conclusion Keep them thy people or a confident affirmation That God will keep them from the contagion of the wicked vers 7. Of which there are too many vers 8. 1. The first part He calls for help His Petition is brief and jaculatory for he breaks upon God with one word Help or Save Lord vers 1. Of which he gives two reasons 1. Vers. 1 1 Because good men are few The
Wicked men these are corrupters of all Truth and Religion Blood-thirsty men these are that thirst after the blood of thy Saints and use all their force power and conspiracies to root them out of the Earth they lie in wait for our souls they are gathered together for our ruine O send us help from thy holy Heaven and save us from the rage of them who would eat us up Many many grievous offences we have committed against thée our God but it is not for these crimes they at this time invade us but they are haters of true Religion and implacable enemies to true Piety which because we maintain therefore they craftily take counsel and wisely they work to our destruction O Lord Thou knowest that without any fault or offence of ours they run and prepare themselves to Battel Therefore O just God who art a witness of our innocency and their cruelty be not like one that sléeps arise to help us that séek thée behold our miseries and stand up for us that stand for thée and since thou art the Lord of Hosts who hast all Armies at thy Command and the God of Israel whom thy people serve suffer not thy chosen to be thus oppressed by wicked men whose pride excéeds that of the Heathen Visit them in anger O Lord and be not merciful to them that offend of malicious wickedness they are an object of vengeance not of mercy execute then thy severe wrath upon them Are not their works altogether the symptoms of an obstinate and hard heart Earnest they are to execute their plots they run too and fro In the Evening when good men are at rest then they arise for mischief mad as Dogs to bring their purposes to pass They grinne they threaten they walk round the City observing where they may take their Prey Boldly they speak with their mouth what their heart intends and the words that procéed from thence are very Swords breathing to us nothing but death and utter extirpation Thy Majesty they regard not and as for man their pride and power is so great they care not who hears them for they know that few are able and fewer willing to help us But thou O Lord sittest in Heaven upon thy Throne and hearest and séest all things both our oppressions and their insultations frustrate their attempts evacuate their endeavours have their persons in derision and laugh all their projects to scorn Let them not be visited with the visitation of all men Slay them not lest the people forget it but scatter them among the people make them for their flagitious lyes and perjuries become Wanderers and Beggars Let them run here and there for meat and grudge if they be not satisfied Consume them O Lord consume in thy wrath bring them down from their Throne out them from their power and dignity let their unjust gotten goods perish and their great wealth come to nought that they may know that it is God that rules in Jacob and unto the end of the World The sin of their mouth is impudent the words of their lips blasphemy Ver. 12 their very preaching is cursing and lyes therefore spare them not but let them be taken by the pride of their words and fall into that snare of destruction in which they were wont to boast that they would catch other innocent men Make us so happy O our Eod that we may sée our desires upon thy enemies so shall we sing of thy power and praise thy mercy aloud in the Morning and all shall know that thou art a strong Tower of defence and a sure refuge to all that in sincerity of heart in the day of trouble call upon thée Unto thee O Lord will I sing for thou O God art my Refuge and the God of my Mercy Thou alone hast mercy on me and to thée alone will I call for mercy through Iesus Christ my Lord. Amen PSAL. LX. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vel Triumphale BEfore Davids time 1 Chron. 18. and in the beginning of his reign Israel was in a distressed condition He composed and quieted all And made War and conquered the Moabites c. Edom only was not vanquished In this Psalm then he gives thanks for his victories And prayes for assistance for the conquest of Edom. The parts of it in general are 1. A commemoration of the former lamentable distracted condition of the Israelites vers 1 2 3. 2. The condition of it under his reign much better from vers 4. to 9. 3. His thankfulness in ascribing all his victories to God from vers 9. to 12. 1. The first part The former condition of Israel which he laments In the first he shews that God was angry with Israel 1. Of which he laments the effects of his anger 2. And then prayes for the aversion 1. O Lord thou hast or hadst cast us off 2. Thou hast scattered us abroad thou hast been displeased 3. Vers. 1 Thou hast made the earth to tremble 4. Thou hast broken it 5. Thou hast shew'd thy people heavy things 6. Thou hast given us a drink the wine of astonishment Every syllable of which Congeries will appear to be most true to him that shall examine the story of the Israelites before Sauls reign under his government upon his death and the first entrance of David to the Kingdom The stirs he had and wars with the house of Saul until Ishbosheth was taken out of the way 2. Imputes to Gods anger All which wars civil and external with the calamities that flowed from them Vers. 1 he imputes to Gods anger vers 1. Thou hast been displeased 3. And prayes to God to turn to them And upon it prayes 1. O turn thee to us again Let us enjoy thy countenance which was averted Vers. 1 2. Vers. 2 Heal the breaches of the Land Close the wounds made by these contentions and it seems they were not yet all perfectly closed For he adds It shaketh 2. The second part But now the condition of it was much better All being brought under one King The present condition of Israel 2. And he victorious over his forreign enemies 1. Thou now hast given a Banner to them that fear thee All Israel all those that are thy servants are brought to acknowledge and fight under one standard Vers. 4 in effect have receiv'd me for their sole King the factions and parties being quieted David being King 2. That it may be display'd Set up that Israel may know under whom to fight and whose part to take 3. According to Gods promise Because of thy Truth Who by this hast made it appear that it was no fiction nor no ambition of mine to set up this standard But a Truth that I was by Samuel by thy special appointment Anointed to be King And I am now invested with the Crown for the performance of thy Truth and Promise 4. Vers. 5 And the end is especially that I should bring deliverance to thy
13. the fertility of the Deserts Hills Valleys Meadows Pastures is from thee in all parts of the Earth thy riches are conspicuous so much That they even the little Hills shall rejoyce they shall laugh and sing Redebit ager i. e. florebit His meaning is that men may plow sowe dig dung c. but it is God that gives the encrease A Thanksgiving collected out of the sixth fifth Psalm O Heavenly Father the great the good God so many and so great are thy mercies and benefits toward the children of men that honour and praise and glory is thy due from all into whose Nostrils thou hast breathed the breath of life Ver. 1 but more especially from those whom thou hast chosen to be thy people In Zion then the Mansion that thou hast made choice to dwell in we will sound thy praises in Jerusalem the City of the great King will we perform our vows Such is thy gracious goodness Ver. 2 that thou wilt encline thine ear and hear the prayers of a poor afflicted people In trouble when man would turn away his face and stand afar off then thou hast commanded to call on thée and hast promised deliverance in trouble therefore shall flesh weak and sinful but penitent and believing flesh come unto thée being assured that thou wilt hear Is this the fashion of men O blessed Lord God nay they stop their ears they turn away their faces this thou wilt not do and for this thy Name be praised This is an act of thy méer mercy Ver. 3 not of our desert for our iniquities prevail against us many they are even a plurality of them great they are sins of a scarlet dye of a crimson colour and they prevail against us far excéeding our strength to master if either the multitude or quantity or prevalence were able to condemn our condition were miserable our case desperate But we know O Lord that thou art a merciful God and that thou hast ordained a Laver for us of thy dear Sons blood and we believe That the blood of Jesus Christ shall purge us from all our sins as for our transgressions we know thou wilt purge them away This is an inestimable favour but thy goodness stayed not here Ver. 4 as out of love Thou hast elected us before the foundation of the World so again after our submission Thou wilt again be reconciled unto us and cause us to approach unto thée O the blessed estate of that soul whom thou hast chosen for he shall dwell in thy Courts and be satisfied with the goodness of thy House even of thy holy Temple O satisfie our thirsty souls with the pleasures of this house séed us with the bread of thy heavenly Word refresh and strengthen our souls with thy holy Sacraments so shall our dying hearts rejoyce and our mouth shall be filled with thy praise for thy loving-kindness is better than life it self our lips shall praise thee O God of our salvation Thou that art the hope of all the ends of the Earth Ver. 5 and the confidence of them that remain in the broad Sea we know thou hast done terrible things for thy people and shewed mighty signs and wonders for their deliverance in righteousness thou hast procéeded against their Oppressors and answered their Petitions when they cryed unto thée Thou art the same God still hear us and answer us also and do wonders for us on Earth and signs in the Heavens above that so the out-goings of the Morning Ver. 8 they that dwell where the Sun ariseth and the out-goings of the Evening that dwell where the Sun sets may rejoyce and sing beholding the great deliverance which thou hast given to thy people Vnworthy we are of the least of thy mercies but yet thy goodness hath overflowed unto us Thou hast opened thy hand and filled us not only with these but with many temporal blessings Thou by thy strength hast set fast the Mountains Thou hast stilled the noise of the Seas and set bounds to its pround waves that they return not again to cover the Earth Thou hast quieted and stilled the tumults and madness of the people Thou hast appointed the Moon for certain seasons and the Sun knoweth his going down Thou in mercy to us hast visited the Earth when it was parched and burnt and dry and by the Bottles of thy Clouds hast watered it and greatly enriched it by thy Rivers causing that dry Element to be a kind nursing mother to all kind of fruits and herbs for the sustenance of man and beasts The Corn that stands in the Vallies is thy Corn the water that descends into the furrows thereof is thy rain Thou makest it soft with thy showres for so thou hast prepared it so thou hast provided for it that it bring forth meat for the use and service of men The séed fastens upon the root shoots into the blade knits in the ear but this spring is from thée it is thy blessing that it fills it swells it ripens for the Sickle The crown and glory of the year is thy goodness and the fatness and fertilty of the earth is from thee Paul may plant and Apollo may water but it is God that gives the increase That every part of the year yields its fruits in dus season is from the continuance in that path which thou hast ordained for every creature to walk in Thy drops descend upon the Pastures of the desert places that the wild Beasts may have whereon to féed thy Clouds empty themselves upon the little hills that the clusters of Grapes shrink not and wither by the abundance of pasture the shéep are cloathed with wool and from thy bounty the Vallies stand so thick with corn That men shall laugh and sing Great and marvellous are thy works O Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes Thou King of Saints thy wisdom is infinite thy mercies are glorious and we are not worthy to appear before that presence at which the Angels cover their faces yet since thou O Lord art worthy to receive glory and honour and power because thou hast made preserved redeemed us we unworthy wretches do in all humility and obedience offer thée all possible laud praise and honour O my God I will give thanks to thée for ever Amen PSAL. LXVI ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THE occasion of this Psalm was some great deliverance which God shew'd to his people for which David invites the Church to give thanks and proposeth himself for an example of Gratitude The parts are 1. An Invitation 1. To praise God from ver 1. to 5. 2. To consider his works from ver 5. to 8. 2. A Repetition of the Invitation ver 8. for the benefit and deliverance lately received from ver 9. to 12. 3. A Protestation and Vow for his own particular to serve God ver 13 14 15. 4. A Declaration of Gods goodness to himself from ver 16. to 20. 5. His Doxology ver 20. 1. An
seventy fifth Psalm for the King those that are in authority and for the Church under affliction O Almighty God Lord of all power King of kings and Lord of lords who hast taught us by thy holy Prophet that promotion comes nor from the East nor from the West nor from the North nor from the South but that thou art the righteous Judge that puts down one and sets up another Establish we beséech thée in the Throne of this Kingdom thy faithful Servant our bread Soveraign Let the dew of thy abundant blessings fall upon his head give him the success of David the wisdom of Solomon and the zeal of Josiah Take pleasure in him O Lord and restore him to his just right and people and make him a most mighty Protector of thy heritage a most religious Defender of thy Sacred Truth and a gracious Governor to all his Subiects When he shall receive the Congregation Vers. 2 and at any time sit in judgement Vers. 10 let him judge according to right let him cut off the horn the pride the power of wicked men and on the contrary be studious to honour and exalt the right and humble desires of the righteous At this time the foundations of the earth are out of course the earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved Vers. 3 The seats of justice are corrupt all Laws are silenc'd an indulgence is given to theft and rapine Religion is trode under foot and men in their manners are dissolute being guided by their own counsels and swayed by their own affections How is the faithful City become an Harlot It was full of judgement righteousness lodged in it but now Murderers Our Princes are become rebellious and companions of Thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards they judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Set up then thy Servant upon the Throne that he may restore our Iudges as at first and our Counsellours as at the beginning Religion and Iustice are the Pillars of the Land they are now ready to fall or rather fallen O let him bear up these Pillars repair the breaches of this distracted Church and Kingdom and confirm both Laws and Iustice being heard to speak and a right order for thy worship and service being re-establishes So shall this our Land be call'd again The City of righteousness the holy and faithful City Give him O Lord courage in the execution of his Office Vers. 4 let him make the wicked to pass under the whéel and the ambitious arrogant and proud to know that in his Kingdom they are not to deal foolishly nor yet being confident of their power to exalt their horn and in contempt of all Laws exercise rapine and violence Let such as set their horn on high be brought down by his hand and those that are contumacious and stiff neck'd fort'd to bow to his yoke and made to féel that he carries not the sword in dain but that as he is the Minister of God for good to those that do good so also he is the Minister of God a revenger of wrath upon him that doth evil And now having presented unto thée our supplications for our King we are bold also to offer unto thy Majesty our humble petitions for that part of thy Church which thou hast committed to his care this for many years thou hast fed with the bread of tears and entertain'd with the water of affliction But it is our comfort that the Cup is in thy hand Thou measurest out our draughts and beginnest such a portion as thou pleasest The wine is indéed red and of a high colour but yet it is full of mixture with the tartness of thy great displeasure there is mixt the swéetness of thy promises engaged thou art that we shall taste and drink no déeper of it than thou wilt make us able to bear O Lord make thy Word good unto us stay thy hand turn from thy fierre wrath let it suffice that we have drunk so déep of this Cup. There remains only the dregs behind and as we have béen inebriated with this wine so let the ungodly of the earth wring out the dregs and suck them out So shall we have just rââson to declare the equity of thy justice Vers 9 and to sing praises to the honour of the God of Jacob. Unto thee O Lord Vers. 1 will we give thanks yea unto thee will we give thanks for that thou art near and thy name is ready to help all that call upon thee of which the exaltation of our King and the deliverance of thy people will be a miraculous declaration Thy Church shall for ever remember thy just judgements and sing forth with full voice thy praises when they shall sée the horns of the wicked broken and those preserved and secured who have wholly addicted themselves to the study of justice and piety as we are taught and commanded by our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ PSAL. LXXVI ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vel Triumphalis THE Glory and Power of God is in this Psalm amply set forth in his defence of Jerusalem and Zion which were types of his Church and it hath Three parts 1. The Prerogative of Judah and Israel vers 1 2. 2. A Narration of Gods Majesty in his Church from vers 3. to 11. 3. An Exhortation to worship and serve God vers 11 12. 1. 1 The Jews Prerogative The first part In the two first verses is set forth the Jews Prerogative above other Nations 1. Vers. 1 That God was known among them In Judah is God known 2. That his Name was great in Israel Great for his manifold deliverance Vers. 2 Illustrious 3. 2 Gods zeal for his Church At Salem is his Tabernacle his Temple his seat of worship His presence singular 4. His dwelling in Zion I will dwell in the midst of them and I will be their God 2. The second part Next he declares Gods power and Majesty and vindicating his people and destroying their enemies There i. e. at Jerusalem before Zion as in the dayes of Senacherib Or else in the Land of Judah There brake he the arrows of the bow By which he shew'd himself 1. Glorious the shield and the sword and the battail Selah By which he became Glorious 2. And Terrible vers 7. 1. Glorious Thou art more Glorious and Excellent viz. among good men than the Mountains of prey Than the Kingdoms gotten by violence murder and robbery And this his glory was made manifest in these particulars 1. That they who came to spoyl were spoyled The stout-hearted are spoyled 2. They have slept their sleep Either dead Or overtaken with so deep a slumber that like men surpriz'd by a deep sleep and suddenly awaked they were amaz'd and knew not which way to turn themselves Their hands were feeble their courage lost 3. Which he explains in the words following And none of the men of might have
the place of thy service where I may publickly acknowledge thee to be all these O happy men that may dwell in thy house for there as a good Master of the Family thou dispensest to them the bread of eternal life Thou suppliest unto them matter of praise and they again are as ready to praise thee in which constists the chief pleasure and selicity of man So often as they meet there they will invocate thy name offer thanksgiving confess their sins and give glory to God vow they will to propagate thy Truth and in reverence and fear do all acts of piety and devotion These are happiest but those are also happy that have a destre and a liberty to ascend thither O Lord increase in us these destres and give us again this freedom our strength is in thee and our hearts are in thy wayes and though we must pass through the Valley of tears yet we desire to ascend to that place which thou Lord hast appointed to thy self for an habitation In the strength of the Lord God we will procéed till we appear before God in Zion and find that Majesty and mercy which we so earnestly long for and séek For whatsoever happiness we are capable of in this life we know it is to be obtained in the pious Assemblies of thy Saints O Lord God of hosts hear my prayer give ear O God of Jacob. Thou who art our Shield and Protector behold me with a serene countenance and when I shall lift up my eyes unto thee O turn thy face toward thy Anointed and for his sake look upon me and thy people with mercy and bring us back again to thy house Grant that the love of thy house may be to us that which thou desirest that we may think the time of one day spent in it better than thousands in doing our own pleasure yea and that it is better to be the meanest servant a door-kéeper in the house of God than to dwell with honour in the Tents and Palaces of ungodly men The pleasures and delights which we may hope for in those Tents are nothing to the contents we may enjoy in thy house for there we shall enjoy thée who art our Sun our Shield the Father of all good gifts and wilt deny no good thing to those who sincerely serve thée O Lord be unto me a Shield and a Sun A Sun to illuminate us A Shield to protect us Dispell our darkness comfort and warm our hearts with thy light increase us with thy swéetest influence and defend us by thy power Give us grace and adopt us for thy Sons and at last bestow upon us eternal glory Thou hast promised to deny no good thing to those who walk before thée in simplicity and integrity Inable us then O God to walk in thy wayes with a pure and an honest heart For then we may be comforted with this hope and assurance that we shall be blessed and that we shall come at last to those eternal Mansions in heaven by the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. PSAL. LXXXV ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã MYstically this whole Psalm is a Prophesie concerning the redemption of Mankind from the Tyranny of sin and Satan by the coming of Christ prefigured by the deliverance of the Jewes either from Egypt or rather from Babylon after which they fell again into grievous troubles under Antiochus Three parts of the Psalm 1. An Acknowledgment of Gods formet mercies ver 1 2 3. 2. A Petition upon that ground that he would still do the like 4 5 6 7. 3. A profession of obedience and an advice to continue in it ver 8. that men may be partakers of the promises both spiritual 9 10 11. and temporal ver 12. which shall be performed to those who keep in the wayes of God ver 13. 1. In the three first verses A Commemoration of Gods mercies the Prophet makes a Commemoration of Gods mercies to his people of which the Fountain is his good will and favour Lord Thou bast been favourable of which the effects were temporal and spiritual The first part 1. Temporal Thou hast been favourable to thy Land Ver. 1 Thou hast turned away or brought back the captivity of Jacob 1 Temporal freed them from the Babylonian yoke 2. Spiritual which consisted in two things Ver. 2 1. Justification Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people 2 Spiritual and covered all their sins Ver. 3 2. Reconciliation Thou hast taken away all thy wrath and hast turned thy self from the fierconess of thy anger 2. And now upon the experience of these former mercies The second part Upon this favour he prayes the Prophet commends a new Petition the sum whereof is briefly this Thou hast been favourable to us before and therefore we hope that thou wilt be so now this is the consequent of the former antecedent and upon it in confidence he prayes Turn us then O God our Saviour c. to the 8th verse Ver. 4 in which Petition is said over again That God would assure those mercies what was acknowledged before in the Commemoration of the benefits 1. Thou hast turned away the captivity Restore us then turn us then or return to us O God our Saviour 2. Thou hast been reconciled be again reconciled to us Thou hast taken away all thy wrath c. ver 3. Ver. 5 Now cause thine anger towards us to cease Wilt thou be displeased at us for ever Wilt thou draw out thine anger to all Generations This is contrary to thy nature who art slow to anger 3. Thou hast brought us back and so revived our hearts ver 1. And wilt thou not revive us again by delivering us from our present calamities and this death that thy people may rejoyce in thee 4. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people c. ver 2. Shew us then thy mercy O Lord and grant us thy salvation Save us in mercy first from sins the cause of our sufferings and then from the punishment our present miseries 3. And that the Church might prevail in her Petition she now promiseth obedience and to wait upon God I will hear what the Lord God will speak The third part As if she had said For which he waits why do I expostulate thus with my God why do I thus complain I will attend to his Word and hear what he will say for he is a trusty Counsellor in all our afflictions Ver. 8 and this it is that he will say I wound and I make whole I kill and I give life Being assured that God will turn all to the best 1. For he will speak peace unto his people and to his Saints Though he begins to his people in the cup of his Cross yet he keeps the best wine till the last and turns his Cross into a Crown if they hear what he saith he will speak peace to them And speak peace to his people 2. If they
By the first the Metaphor is more hard by the second the more easie and sweet but the sence will be the same 1. By light then here is understood Gods favour the light of understanding truth goodness with the effect of it or that which ariseth from it comfort content of soul tranquility peace of conscience 2. Now this is sown as seed it often times lies hid under the clods but at last it shews it self 2. Or as light is obscured by some cloud which at length breaks forth or riseth to some height as the Sun in the morning The sence then is this Such a time there is when the just man may say Wisd 5. 6. The light of righteousness hath not shined unto us and the Sun of righteousness rose not upon us The favour of God hath seemed to us to be hid and buried as it were in disfavour But this saith our Prophet shall not be alwayes the favour of God is sow'd and it will spring up again The light of comfort of peace of conscience though it be clouded and darkned yet it will break forth and rise again 2. Again There shall be gladness for the upright in heart 2 Gladness of heart For uprightness doth direct and establish the heart whence there ariseth an ineffable joy in the conscience when a man is a Witness to himself that his will is conformable to Gods Will and all those things and only those things please him which please his God Which is the second reward or fruit that he reaps who loves God and hates evil 3. He concludes Therefore And out of these premises the Prophet draws his inference and conclusion which he forms into an advice Vers. 12 Since light and joy doth arise to those who are upright in heart and that joy is from God Then 1. You that are just rejoice not in the vanities of this world 1 Rejoice in the Lord. as do the unjust but rejoice in the Lord who gives you this justice 2 Be thankful and rewards it with this joy 2. Then again be thankful for it Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness It is his holiness his righteousness not your own that you carry in your hearts and so often as this comes to your remembrance bless and thank him for it The Prayer collected out of the ninty seventh Psalm O Omnipotent Lord I never think of that great day when I must stand before thy Tribunal and render an account of my words thoughts and actions but my heart trembles for fear and my knees are ready to smite one against another Terrible thou wert upon Mount Sinai when thou gavest and terrible thou wilt be when thou wilt exact an answer for the breach of thy Law The clouds and thick darkness then round about thee amaze my sinful soul the fire that shall go before thee Vers. 2 and burn up thine enemies round about thee flasheth in my eyes the lightning darting out of the clouds Vers. 3 and the earth trembling under me makes me tremble Methinks I hear men call to the Mountains to cover them and the Hills to hide them from the severity of thy wrath but these Rocks of Stone dissolve and melt as Wax at thy presence at thy presence O Lord at the presence of thee who art the Lord of the whole earth My heart O Lord is hard like one of those Rocks hardned it is by the deceitfulness of sin send down into it the fire of thy holy Spirit that may dissolve and melt it as war and make it apt to receive thy impressions of grace of a hard heart make it soft and tender of a heart of stone make it a heart of flesh that I may hear thy Law and obey it that I may repent for the breaches of it and every day judge my self that I may not be judged of the Lord. Never let that day flip out of my memory when the heavens shall declare thy righteousness Vers. 6 and all the people see thy glory for then the whole world shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with all the Angels about him with the voice of the Arch-angel and the Trump of God when that general Summons shall be blown abroad Arise ye dead and come to judgement A day indéed this will be of darkness and gloominess a day of sorrow Vers. 7 and such as never was from the beginning of the world So in it self so to thy enemies so to Idolators These would not that thou shouldst reign over them Confounded therefore on that day be all they that serve graven Images and that boast themselves of Idols Thou art our King O God send help unto Jacob and we are surâ thou wilt send help Vers. 2 because thou hast set up thy Kingdom for that end and reignest that thou mightest do good to those that are upright in heart Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of thy Throne Vers. 8 as in judgement thou wilt procéed against the workers of iniquity so wilt thou also in justice deal with all those that love the Lord and hate iniquity At the hearing of this it is that Zion rejoiced and the daughters of Judah were glad O make me one of the inhabitants of this Zion that I may lift up my head and not be amazed at the remembrance of that fearful day being fully assured that it shall be the day of my Redemption not my destruction O thou who shalt be my Iudge be my Saviour also preserve my soul and the souls of all thy Saints and deliver us out of the hand of the wicked Able thou art to do it for thou Lord art far above all the earth thou art exalted far above all gods If thou wilt thou canst save us and we believe thou wilt because it was the end thou camest into the world the end why thou sufferest that painful and shameful death of the Cross to save sinners Sinners O dear Saviour we are we desire in uprightness of heart to serve thée though we cannot shake off the sin that hangs so fast on yet we detest and hate it The consciousness of our guilt too often over clouds ouâ joy O let it break forth again and shew us the light of thy countenance the comforts of our souls are buryed under the thoughts of thy displeasure oh that the day were come that they might shoot again and spring up then would we hope though we sowed in tears yet we should reap in joy This if thou wilt grant us Then will we rejoice in thee our Lord and King and give thanks at the remembrance of thy righteousness thy holiness thy merits thy innocent life and undeserved death which alone we can trust to at that day PSAL. XCVIII Propheticus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THIS Psalm is an evident Prophecy of Christ's coming to save to judge the world and therefore the Church hath well subjoined
which they have endeavoured That salvation which I expect is from thée Ver. 3 and my eyes have even failed for the vehemency of my desire to obtain it Thy promise thy righteous Word is passed unto me deal therefore with thy servant according to thy great mercy in making this promise frée me from these present evils and infuse also so much love and charity into my heart that I may learn what thou teachest Ver. 4 and practice what I learn and edifie others in thy statutes by my practice I am no stranger unto thée but thy bomestique servant and I have addicted my self to thy service by a firm purpose of heart let me not want that grace that may enable me to do my duty give me then understanding Ver. 5 that I may know thy Testimonies for I shall never be able to do that which I know not It is time O Lord to work thy Church is oppressed thy people are brought very low the sins of the Amalekites are at the full their impiety is grawn to that height Ver. 6 That they have not only broken but contemned nor only cantemned butanede vow and by their practice destroy'd thy Law they are not only my enemies and séek to oppress me but are thy enemies and labour to evacuale thy Truth It is now then a time to shew thy self Arise O Lord and take a Just revenge upon them for this their audacious impiety and malice Ver. 7 It must néeds be good which they hate their malice therefore hath inflamed my zeal They would destroy therefore I love thy Commandments I love that Law which I break I love it above gold yea than much fine gold By it I learn to do that which is just by it I learn to hate every evil way therefore I set an high estimate upon every particular Command in it Lord increase this zeal this love this estéem this hatred in me that I may direct my conversation aright so please thée in every one of thy Commands on earth that after this life is ended I may live with thée in heaven for ever and ever Amen 17. PE. IN this Octonary David praiseth Gods Word 2. Shews his affection to it The Contents 3. And prayes for Grace to keep it 1. The Elogy he gives Gods Word in this verse Ver. 1 is from a new quality not mentioned before Davids Elogie of Gods word that it is wonderfull 1. Thy Testimonies are wonderful For though the literal sense of them be easie and plain yet wonderful are the Mysteries contain'd in the two Testaments Great is the Mystery of Godliness The whole Ceremonial Law is wonderful because under those Ceremonies were obscurely shadowed out to us the Mystery of our Redemption by the Blood of Christ The Decalogue is wonderful written in so few words in which yet are hid all the principles of Justice and Charity to which may and must be reduced all the just Laws that have been or shall be made All these are but Conclusions and Determinations of the Laws of the Decalogue And must receive their trial by it As for the Mysteries of the New Testament no man can say but they are wonderful 2. Therefore doth my soul keep them Learn them love them 2 That it illuminates practise them 2. The next Elogy he gives Gods Law is that it is the Word of Illumination Yea the very 1. Entrance into it such the very first declaration of it Ver. 2 whether it be done by God by infusion of divine light or by some skilful Doctor or Teacher And if the first opening as it were of the door gives light what will the progress and continuance do 2. The entrance of thy Word gives light It is a light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 without it then men walk in darkness 3. It gives understanding unto the simple The Simple Not to such as are high-minded and double in heart that are so wise in their own eyes that they will examine the Mysteries of Godliness by the strength of their own reason but to such as deny themselves and captivate their reason and submit it to the Word of God and labour more to believe than to reason These are the simple to whom the Word of God gives understanding of whom our Saviour speaks Mat. 11.25 And St. Paul 1 Cor. 1.25 26 c. 4. And now saith David I being one of these simple ones Ver. 3 Opened my mouth and panted For which David pants and longs 1. I opened my mouth by prayer as desirous of this good Spirit of light and piety 2. I panted after it as men do that want breath and defire fresh aire 3. For I longed for thy Commandments had a vehement intention to understand to fulfil them 3. From the praises of the Law David turns himself to prayer He said but now I opened my mouth and here he acquaints us what he said after his mouth was open I said 1. Ver. 4 Look thou upon me either as unjustly oppressed or under spiritual desertion 2. 2 He prayes for Mercy to pardon sin And be merciful unto me This is well subjoyned for God looks upon some in displeasure Shew me mercy who labour under the burden of thy precepts that by my own strength I cannot fulfil 3. As thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name shew me at least so much mercy as thou affordest to others let not thy custom be broken in me but do by me as thou usest to do by thy friends which love thee in sincerity and truth 2. And Grace to be kept from sin This was his first Petition for Mercy and to it he subjoins a second for Grace Many seek for Mercy to forgive sin that seek not for Grace to deliver them from the power of sin Ver. 5 which is to abuse Gods Mercy to wantonness And therefore David prayes 1. Order my steps in thy Word that is my whole conversation inwardly and outwardly let me be ordered by thee for as our director such will be our actions 2. And let not any iniquity have dominion over me Let me be no slave to sin and Satan in captivity to them so that they domineer over me 3. And deliverance from Calumnies And yet he makes a third Petition Gods children have not only to wrestle against the sin that dwells in them but with enemies from without Oppressors Ver. 6 Calumniators there be that by false reports and pressures retard good men in their way therefore David prayes 1. Deliver me from the oppressions of men that being nor disturb'd by their oppressions nor yet dishearthed by their calumnies I decline from the right way 2. So will I keep thy precepts This favour obtained should not disoblige David but bind him the more So will I keep 'T is but an ill use of a benefit obtained by prayer when we abuse it to Licentiousness How inexcusable are we 4. And that he might have a sense
morning and cried 2. Mine eyes prevent the night morning and evening he prayed 2. For audience deliverance increase of grace That which he pray'd for was 1. Audience Hear me O Lord And again Hear my voyce ver 5. 2. Ver. 1 Deliverance Save me ver 2. 3. Increase of grace Quicken me ver 5. 3. Ver. 2 The end that he desires salvation and grace 1. That he might keep Gods statutes First is That he might keep Gods Statutes Hear me I will keep thy Statutes 2. Ver. 1 Save me that I may keep thy Testimonies ver 2. 3. Ver. 2 I prayed and watched that I might meditate in thy Word ver 4. 4. Ver. 4 Quicken me according to thy Word for the self-same end ver 5. 4. His arguments to perswade it The Arguments he especially useth besides the former to move God to hear and grant his Petitions are 1. His faith and hope I cried because I waited and hoped in thy Word and promises 1 His faith 2. Gods mercy Hear my voyce according to thy loving-kindness The common Argument to be used by all Gods children 2 Gods goodness for were they never so righteous and just yet in mercy they must desire to be heard and not for their merits 3. The danger that he was now in by persecuting enemies 1. Ver. 6 They draw nigh they are at hand the danger is near 2. 3 The danger he was now in His comfort that God was near him Yea and great too for they are mischievously bent they follow after mischief hunted after all occasions to do evil 3. Most impious men they are far from thy Law they hate it shun it labour to make it odious in every eye 5. But the comfort is that they are not so near but thou art as near they to do mischief but thou to defend me let then their number power malice be what it will thy power and mercy is beyond it 1. Thou art near O Lord let then these my enemies be far from thy Law they cannot be far from thee Ver. 7 Thou art near and wilt reach them by thy justice And would not desert him and this is my comfort 2. For all thy Commandments are Truth Albeit the evil of wicked men follow me because I follow thee yet I know thy Commandments are true and it is not possible that thou shouldst desert thy servants who stand to the maintenance of thy Word their wickedness shall never escape thy hand of punishment they may punish my body but they cannot deprive me of my Crown of glory 6. He concludes with an Epiphonema Of which he is confident being assured upon his own experience of the stability and immutability of Gods Word I know thy Commandments are Truth for Ver. 8 1. Concerning thy Testimonies thy Will that thou hast testified in thy Word 2. I have known of old even ever since I began to look into them study them and practise them 3. That thou hast founded them for ever They are of eternal Truth immutable and indispensable and this is the Anchor of our souls that we be not carried away with the winds and waves of tentations The Prayer OVL of a vehement desire I have cried to the Lord for help and that not only with my tongue and voyce but with my whole heart Ver. 1 hear me good God which if thou wilt vouchsafe to grant I will more studiously and fréely séek to know and kéep thy statutes Ver. 2 I have called and eried to no other God but thée therefore save me from these pressures and dangers Ver. 3 and being by thée saved and delivered I will more diligently kéep thy Testimonies Neither have I only called upon thée by bay but I have prevented the bawning of the morning with a great cry I have sought thy face and implored thy help because I repose my sole hope in thy promisses I have prevented also the night watches my eyes day and night have béen intent upon thée that I might be occupied in the meditation of thy words both in those in which thou hast promised thy mercy and in those in which thou hast signified thy Will and exacted my obedience Hear therefore my voyce according to thy loving-kindness and according to that equity by which thou usest to procéed with all those that love thée and call upon thy Name quicken me with the sense of thy savour and deliver me from this imminent death and danger And the impiety of my enemies makes me be the more instant to obtain this mercy for they that persecute my soul are set upon mischief they hunt after my life nay they hate not me only but thy Law it is odious in their eyes they look strangely upon it and desire it should be as odious in others From this imminent dagger it is not possible for me to be safe but by thy hand and guidance As then they approach near to hurt so do thou approach near to help and make it appear by my deliverance that all thy promises are truth This I have known long since and now Lord let me have erperience of it again so shall I have just cause to praise thy judgments and sing of thy mercies and make it known That thou hast founded them forever nor the rage of man nor the malice of Devils shall be ever able to shake thy-Truth or evacuate thy promises which thou hast maââ to thy Church in Iesus Christ our Lord. 20. RESH IN this Section David petitions to God for help in his affliction The Contents 2. Complains of the multitude of his persecutors 3. Laments their condition 4. And shewes his constancy and love to Gods Word 1. David in his affliction prayes to God David begins with a petition In afflictions it is some comfort to us to have our case known consider'd and examined especially by those that love us therefore David desires 1. Ver. 1 That God would consider his case Consider my afflictions so much at least 1 To help him 2. Then that he would help him Deliver me from my tempting enemies 3. His Reason to perswade both For I do not forget thy Law though I perfectly keep it not yet I have not cast it behind my back I do not forget it I desire to keep it This he could plead with a good conscience if not what he had done yet what he would have done therefore he could boldly make this request Deliver me 4. 2 To be his Advocate But yet he goes further and desires God to be his Advocate to him he appeals 1. Plead my cause and deliver me At the bar of men a just cause oftentimes miscarries for want of a good Advocate Ver. 2 and is born down by an unjust Judge wherefore I beseech thee who art the just Judge of the World take my cause in hand plead it to their faces and deliver me Arise up for me in the judgment that thou hast commanded 2.
is the help of man This is our infirmity this is our sin And while we are compassed with this tentation our faith presents us thée alone a God both able and willing to help diffident then of all other helps we fly to thée we cry co thée being fully perswaded that our help must come from that Lord not from the arme of flesh Ver. 2 not from other gods but from th Lord alone who hath made heaven and earth By that power then O Lord that thou hast made heaven and earth we beg from thy merciful hands that thou wouldst come and save thy poor Church that is afflicted and persecuted by bloody and mercilesse enemies Lord Ver. 3 suffer not any of their insultations so far to prevail against us that the féet slip or fall in the way of Truth let not our faith be shaken nor our hope ashamed Thou art that good Shepherd that kéeps Israel séem not then any longer to these gréedy wolves to slumber and sléep in deferring to take vengeance upon them Ver. 4 lest they insult over us and say Where is now your God Return return O Lord to the ten thousands which mourn in Israel and vouchsafe to deal with us not as we are a sinful Nation a people loaden with iniquity but as thou art in thy self immense goodness and clemency inexhausted Make thy promise good to us and be our Kéeper be a shadow to us on our right hand a refreshment when the hottest Sun of persecution scorches our heads and any dark tentation cools our devotion O Lord preserve us from all evil if it be thy pleasure and though some disaster may lite upon our body and goods yet preserve our soul that being safe and preserved by thée we cannot miscarry Kéep us Lord in all our actions in all tentatious in all places at all times be present with us in out going out and at our coming in prosper whatsoever we take in hand and make the end thereof be successful never leave us in this present life but let thy grace guide us to that which is eternal through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The third Psalm of Degrees CXXII THE Ark was a Testimony of Gods presence among his people and a Type of the Church this was by David brought up and fix't at Jerusalem when the Jebusites were by him driven out of the Fort of Zion To the place where that was fixed the people of Israel were bound to ascend three times a year to worship and that with gladness of heart to which end they went up thither with a Pipe David then in the person of the people The sum of this Psalm 1. Expresseth his joy that he might join with the Church in Gods service ver 1 2. 2. Commends the Church under the name of Jerusalem for her Unity ver 3. Religious Worship ver 4. Policy Civil Ecclesiastical ver 5. 3. Exhorts all to pray for her Peace and Prosperity ver 6. And puts the Form of Prayer into their mouths ver 7. 4. Shewes his own readiness and professeth to do it or rather performs it ver 8 9. 1. The first part David congratulates that the Ark c. was setled The Proposition of this Psalm is a Congratulation in which he doth express his joy and thanks that so happy a time was come in which a certain place was assign'd where he and the people might meet and worship God in which the Ark of the Covenant which was a Testimony of Gods presence might rest which was not done till his time And he took it for an assurance that the Jewish Religion and the Kingdom or Scepter should not depart from Judah till Shilo came and for this he doth congratulate with the people 1. I was glad First he expresseth his own joy 2. When they said unto me Ver. 1 He was to hear of the unanimity of the people mutually exhorting one and other to this Service 3 We will go into the house of the Lord the place of his worship where we shall hear his Word call upon him give him thanks when I hear these words from them I am ravished with joy 4. And I will gladly join and bear a part with them Ver. 2 Our feet shall stand in thy gates O Jerusalem Hitherto our feet have not had a certain place to stand and worship thee the Ark being carried from place to place But now it is fixed at Jerusalem and we know whither from henceforth to resort our feet are quiet and rest stantes or rather constantes we will go up to the house of the Lord and constantly there serve thee it is a mercy to know where the Church is fix't to which we ought to resort 2. And upon this he takes an occasion to commend Jerusalem three wayes The second part 1. For the unity of it especially in Religion He commends Jerusalem expressed under the Metaphor of a City whose buildings were well compacted together till the Jebusites were thence expel'd it was two Cities but now it was but one Ver. 3 guided by the same Lawes ruled by the same Religion 1 For her Unity in which there was a great and admirable consent among the Citizens Jerusalem is builded as a City that is compacted together In such a City the Buildings are uniform orderly disposed handsomely erected and seated so in Jerusalem all things in Gods worship are uniform orderly beautiful and there is a wonderful harmony of minds and consent among the Citizens 2. He commends Jerusalem next that it was the place constituted for Gods worship Ver. 4 1. For thither the Tribes go up three times a year as was ordained Exod. 2 For Gods Service to which all Israel resort unanimously 23. to remember their Eduction from Aegypt the Law given his preservation of them in the Wilderness and conservation ever since for these were the ends of the three Feasts the Passeover Pentecost that of Tabernacles 2. The Tribes of the Lord An honourable Title bestowed on Gods people holy men out of every Tribe 3. Vnto the Testimony of Israel to the Ark of the Testimony Or as it was agreed by Covenant betwixt God and his people concerning which he testified his Will Exod. 23. 34. Dent. 16. 4. The end of their ascending was To give thanks unto the Name of the Lord that was their work and it must be ours Psal 84.4 Gods Will is that nunquam cesset à laude qui nunquam ab amore 3. He commends Jerusalem thirdly for the Civil Policy and Ecclesiastical Ver. 5 it was the Metropolis 3 For the Civil Policy and Ecclesiastical 1. For there do sit the Thrones of judgment the Tribunals and Courts of Justice are there 2. The Thrones of the house of David The Kings Court and Seat was there which was established in David and therefore the Prophet useth the word sitting as if he had said now setled there which before this time were not Nor in
Name attributing the success to thy mercy only Never suffer us to be distracted with anxiety for the things of this life or be over-sollicitous for to morrow but having used those means which thou hast ordained honest labour and a competent thrist let us rely upon thy Providence and compose our minds to rest and sléep in it for this is the acquiescence thou givest to those thou lovest We know O Lord that children are the props of our Families Ver. 3 and that these are thy blessings also For children are an heritage of the Lord and the fââit of the womb are thy Reward Thou O God hast the Keyes of Heaven and Hell of Rain and Providence of the Grave and of the womb let not then thy servants féel the curse of dry breasts and a barren womb but make us joyful parents of children that may increase the number of thy redéemed Give us thy grace and favour that we may instruct them with diligence and méekness govern them with prudence and holiness and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord provide for them such useful imployments That they may be as Arrowes in the hand of a mighty man Ver. 4 defences and succours to our old age If it he thy blessed Will let them live to a full age and make us happy that we have our quivers full of them from whose powerful arm may be shot quick and sharp arrowes into the very hearts of those Ver. 5 who are enemies to all Piety thy Gospel and thy Truth fill O Lord thy Church with such children of youth who while they oppose the Adversary and maintain the sincerity of Religion in word and déed may never be ashamed nor yield when they speak with the enemies in the gate Grant us these things O gracious Father for thy Son our Lord Iesus Christs sake PSAL. CXXVIII IN this Psalm the Prophet perswades to fear God upon the several Rewards that attend upon Piety The Contents are these 1. He describes the pious man and pronounceth him blessed ver 1. 2. He proposeth the particulars of his blessing ver 2 3 5 6. 3. He gives his Acclamation to it ver 4. 1. The first part That man that fears God He describes the man who is to expect the blessing two qualities be must have 1. He must fear the Lord Fear to offend him not decline from him Ver. 1 2. Is Blessed He must walk in his wayes For this is the true character of his fear 3. This man shall be blessed yea every such man high or low rich or poor there is no exception Blessed is every one In a happy condition 2. The second part And the blessedness and happiness consists in these particulars 1. He shall enjoy those Goods which he hath honestly gotten with the labour of his hands Ver. 2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands His happiness is not in having much 1 In his goods but enjoying it Eccles 6.1 2. 2. Happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee So well that he shall have enough for himself and be able to relieve others and leave somewhat to his children 3. 2 In his wife Happy he shall be in his marriage too often ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã But he that fears the Lord and marries in the Lord shall be happy in his match 1. Ver. 3 His wife shall be as a fruitful Vine Fatifera non steriliâ 2. Upon the walls of thy house Domi porta modest and shamefac't staying at home and caring for the things of the house while her Husband is taking care abroad ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 4. 3 In his children Happy in his children 1. Thy childreâ like the Olive-branches Fresh green spredding fruitful and pledges of peace not like sharp Thorns and a pricking Hedge 2. Round about thy Table It will be a comfort to see them sit with them eat with them and hear their pretty Discourse Now these temporal happinesses the Prophet concludes with an Acclamation Lo ãâ¦ã the man be blest that fears the Lord. Thus in his goods Ver. 4 wiââ ââildren The third part 3. But there is a blessing attends him far beyond all this The Acclamation the summe of which is Ver. 5 1. Gods blessing The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion God shall-bless him by a federal blessing a Church-blessing 2. Thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem 1 With a Church-blessing the peace and prosperity of the Church all thy dayes 3. Yea thou shalt see thy childrens children Ver. 6 Et natos natorum qui nascuntur ab illis 2 With grand-children 4. And peace upon Israel 3 With a peaceable life And a flourishing Commonwealth and Kingdom for by peace is understood all prosperity The Prayer out of the One hundred and twenty eighth Psalm O Holy and just God if no blessing or happiness can befall any Ver. 1 but those which fear thée and walk in thy wayes we must needes acknowledge the cause to be just why we are brought into these straits and woful afflictions For when thou hadst opened unto us a full Sea of mercies and beyond our deserts confer'd upon us infinite and unspeakable benesits we have neglected thy fear and gone a whoring after our own inventions and thy Commandments being cast aside we have walked after our own wayes O Lord pardon our iniquities and be merciful to our sins Ver. 2 put thy fear into our hearts and obedience to thy Lawes Ver. 3 so shall we yet hope to eat the labour of our hands that we may yet be happy that our wives may be as the fruitful Vines upon the walls of our houses and our children as the Olive-branches round about our Tables Good God however thou please to deal with us yet remember thy afflicted Church and bless her out of thy high and holy place of Zion Ver. 5 she is thy Spouse let her then flourish as a fruitful Vine Ver. 6 and bring forth children unto thée let her sée her childrens children and enjoy a perpetual and a setled peace After our great troubles and afflictions it would be the rejoycing of our hearts might we but sée the good of Jerusalem all the dayes of our life and behold thy people Israel that are now divided by Factions and Schisms united in a Christian peace O thou who art the God of peace grant us this for his sake who made our peace thy only Son our Saviour Iesus Christ PSAL. CXXIX THE intent of the Prophet in this Psalm is to comfort the Church in affliction and to stir her up to glorifie God for his Providence over her alwayes over her for her good and bringing her enemies to confusion and a sudden ruine The Contents are 1. The indefatigable malice of the enemies of the Church ver 1 2 3. 2. That their malice is in vain for they pâââail not from ver 2. to 4. God saves them
and before all others for ye are the servants of the Lord chose out of the people to this service 3. Ye are those which by night stand in the house of the Lord ye are appointed Levit. 8. Numb 18. and must therefore stand upon your watch In the Temple you ought not to be sleepy and idle for you were set for another purpose Therefore 4. Lift up your hands by prayer in the Sanctuary before the Ark of the Covenant which was the symbol of his presence And to bless the people 5. Bless the Lord laud and magnifie his Name The other part of your office is to bless the people let not that be forgotten neither but say in this Form of words 1. Which they do The Lord blesse thee Let them know from whom the blessing comes 2. Out of Zion So long as they remain'd in the unity of the Church no blessing to be expected The form of blessing when Zion was left 3. That Lord who hath made heaven and earth He that hath power to bless and hath given and must give his blessing to all creatures without which they will not be blessed to thee The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and thirty fourth Psalm O Merciful God that hast chosen the Tribe of Levi and taker us neere unto thy self give us grace and abilities to perform our duties to thee We are thy chosen servants we are to stand in the house of the Lord cause us therefore night and day to stand consciouably upon our watch to lift up our hands in thy Sanctuary to offer up our prayers continually unto thee and to intercede for thy people and never let us forget to bless thee our Lord and thy people in thy name And moreover we intreat of thee dear Father that thou wouldst ever do good to thy people out of Zion who fly unto thée for a blessing Thou art the Lord who hast made heaven and earth deliver us from our present difficulties and dangers and since thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy truth give us a hoart to land and praise thy holy Name for ever and ever Amen Here endeth the Psalms of Degrees PSAL. CXXXV IN this Psalm the Prophet invites the servants of God to praise him and Ministers especially vers 1 2. by arguments drawn 1. From his goodness especially in his election of Israel vers 3 4. 2. From his greatness and power shewed in his works from vers 5. to 8. 3. From his justice shewed upon the enemies of Israel from vers 8. to 13. 4. From his loving kindness extended and to be extended to his servants vers 13 14. 5. He invites the Levites to praise God The first part Having derided the vanity of Idols from vers 15. to 19. he returns to his exhortation calling upon all to blesse God from vers 19. to 21. 1. He calls upon the Ministers of Religion especially to attend to the recitation of divine praises and in the same words of the former Psalm 1. Ver. 1 Praise ye the Lord praise ye the Name of the Lord praise Him O ye servants of the Lord. 2. Ver. 2 Ye that stand in the house of the Lord in the Courts of the house of our God 2. The second part The reasons And now ingeminating his words again he produces his reasons to perswade it 1. Ver. 3 Because the Lord is worthy of all praise Praise the Lord for he is good What is good is worthy of praise 1 Because he is good what is bad worthy of dispraise But God is absolutely good not comparatively nor by participation from himself good not from any other and therefore praise the Lord because he is good 2. 2 It is a pleasent work Sing praises to his Name because it is pleasant it is no troublesome work or laborious but full of delight sweetness content The Hebrew word Nahim may be referred to the Lord to his Name or to the praise so that the sense may be sing unto the Lord because the Lord is sweet or sing to his name for it is sweet or sing unto the Lords Name for it is a pleasant and an action of content that delights the soul Ver. 4 3. Praise the Lord for his love to Israel which imposeth a debt and obligation to praise him 3 They tyed to do it because God chose Jacob. 1. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself to be his inheritance portion 2. And Israel to be his peculiar treasure Rom. 9. Malach 1. I have lâved Jacob and hated Esau And this obligation lies upon Christians now The third part 3. The next Argument which the Prophet useth to perswade to the praise of God is from his greatness of which he was assured For I know first that the Lord is great secondly Ver. 5 that our Lord is above all gods 4 Because God is great And first that the Lord is great and of great power he proves by many instances 1. From his Empire and universal dominion in heaven the earth the seas c. Ver. 6 1. Whatsoever the Lord pleased that he did In his works Nothing is impossible to him We would do many things but cannot He does all by his free will not out of any need but we work for the most part because we want necessity compels us 'T is but 't fithen we give to him the praise not to our selves 2. He doth all things what he pleaseth in all places in heaven earth seas hell And these last words the Prophet amplifies by setting down some especial places in which his works are most apparent 1. In the earth 1 In the earth He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth from all parts East West North South Ver. 7 which are endued with several qualities 2. In the air and clouds above He maketh lightning for the rain 2 Aire A wonder that fire should be mixt with water and not distinguished 3. In the water For he brings the winds out of his treasures 3 The water A third wonder for nothing is more obscure than the generation of the winds out of his treasures they come from his rich and secret power John 3. 4. The third argument the Prophet useth to perswade us to praise God The fourth part is from his justice in taking vengeance of the enemies of his people as 5 Because just 1. Upon the Aegyptians Ver. 8 1. Who smote the first-born of Aegypt both of man and beast For instance on Egypt and it was evident that it was his hand because the first-born only were smitten and of the Aegyptians onely and not of Israel 2. Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee O Aegypt upon Pharaoh and all his servants Exod. 7.8 9 10 11 12. in brief he minds us of all the signs and plagues of Aegypt 2. On the Amoritish Kings Sihon and Og 2 On
They shall not stand in judgment though some refer this clause to this life When he is judg'd by men causa cadet he shall be condemn'd 2. Exclusion from the company of the just Sinners shall not stand in the Congregation of the righteous 3. Ver. 6 The cause of both In the close he shews the cause why the godly is happy the wicked unhappy 1. Because the way of the righteous is known to God approved by him and defended 2. But the way studies plots counsels of the wicked shall perish The Prayer out of the first Psalm O Almighty and most merciful God who hast taught us by thy holy Word that the only way to obtain felicity Ver. 1 is to avoid evil and to do good never suffer me to walk in the counsels of the ungodly nor to stand in the way of sinners nor to acquiesce and sit down and rest in the Chair of the Deriders of Religion and Piety Ver. 2 But so renew and quicken all the faculties of my soul by the gracious assistance of thy Spirit that my delight may be to walk in the paths of thy Commandments and the meditations of my heart day and night taken up with the study of thy sacred Word and Will By nature I am a wild Trée Ver. 3 barren of good fruit be pleased then to transplant me and ingraff me into the true Olive root me in true faith sustain me in charity let those heavenly dews of grace and Rivers of waters which flow from thy Sanctuary moysten and comfort my dry soul so I may bud and knit and fructifiâ and in a fit season bring forth such fruits as may chear thee my God and be beneficial to man then I may expect happy successes and prosperity upon the work of my hande O Lord thou knowest my frailties no Trée more subject to the violence of tempests than I am to the fury and rage of enemies who if they may have their will will not leave one leaf upon me they will deprive me of my juice and devest me of my greenness O let not then the scorching heat of any temptation wither nor the storm of a winter persecution beat off a leaf of grace with which thou hast beautified my soul but in the midst of this fiery trial let me still flourish and in the coldest blast let me retain my life and fresh vigour that howsoever I séem to men to be in an unhappy condition yet I may have the testimony of thy Spirit within that thou who disposest all things to the best for those who love thée wilt make me prosper Prosper me therefore in my wayes prosper me in my actions prosper me in my afflictions prosper me in life prosper me in my death whatsoever I do let it prosper Should I sell my self to work wickedness consent to ungodly counsels or settle upon the lees of sin and sit down in the Chair of the scornful I can expect no such success from thy hand Ver. 4 thy mouth hath said it As for the ungodly it shall not be so with them though they may séem to men to be well rooted and excéedingly to flourish yet their prosperity is but for a moment their happiness light and vain Carried they are with every violent wind of lewd affections and empty Doctrines Ver. 5. 6. and therefore they shall be as the Chaffe which the wind drives from the face of the earth their way shall perish they shall never be able to stand in judgment But thou O Lord art a sure protection for thy people Grant therefore O Lord Ver. 6 that when I shall appear before thy Iudgment seat I may be able to stand with boldness in thy presence and let thy mercy absolve me from my sins for the merits of my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen PSAL. II. The prime Subject of this Psalm is Christ the Type David THE persons we are chiefly to reflect on are three which make three parts of the Psalm The Enemies of Christ Christ the Lord. The Princes and Judges of the earth 1. The enemies to Christ are great men who are described here The first part The enemies of Christ described partly from their wickedness and partly from their weakness First Their wickedness is apparent 1. They furiously rage 2. They tumultuously assemble 3. They set themselves stand up 1 By their wickedness and take counsel against the Lord and against his Anointed 4. They encourage themselves in mischief saying Come and let us cast away their cords from us Ver. 1 All which is sharpned by the interrogative Why Secondly Their weakness 2 Their weakness for their plots vain in that they shall never be able to bring their plots and conspiracies against Christ and his Kingdom to pass for 1. What they imagine is but a vain thing Ver. 1 2. He that sits in Heaven shall laugh and have them in derision Ver. 4 3. He shall speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure Ver. 5 4. For maugre all their plots Ver. 6 God hath set up his King upon his holy hill of Zion 2. At ver 6. begins the exaltation of Christ to his Kingdom The second part Christ by God exalted to be King which is the second part of the Psalm in which the Prophet by a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã brings in God the Father speaking and the Son answering First The words of the Father are Vnxi te in Regem I have set my King Ver. 6 where we have the inauguration of Christ or his calling to the Crown 1 His inauguration Secondly The answer of the Son I will preach the Law which sets forth his willing obedience to publish and proclaim the Laws of the Kingdom Ver. 7 of which the chief is Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee 2 His willing obedience Thirdly The reply of the Father 3 His reward containing the reward that Christ was to have upon the publication of the Gospel which was Ver. 8 1. An addition to his Empire by the conversion and access of the Gentiles 1 The amplification of his Kingdom Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance and the uttermost ends of the Earth for thy possession Ver. 9 2. And the confusion of his Enemies Thou shalt break them 2 The confusion of his enemies who would not have thee reign that did rage and stand up against thee with a Rod of iron and break them in pieces as a potters vessel 3. In the third part the Prophet descends to his Exhortation and Admonition The third part The Prophet exhorts and that very aptly for is Christ a King is he a King anointed by God is he a great King a powerful King so great that the Nations are his Subjects Ver. 10 so powerful that he will break and batter to pieces his Enemies Besides Kings 1. to is he the only begotten
Son of God Be wise therefore O ye Kings in which Ver. 11 1. The persons to whom this fair Caveat is given Kings and Judges 1 Know their Duty 2. What they are here taught 2 To do their Duty First To know their Duty Be wise be learned Secondly To do their Duty Serve the Lord in fear rejoyce with trembling Ver. 12 kiss the Son 3 Without delay and that 3. The time when this is to be done even Now the Reason double 1. Drawn from his wrath and the consequent punishment 1 Lest he be angry and destroy them Lest he be angry and ye perish from the right way 2. From the happy condition of those who learn to know him and fear 2 Because they are happy that trust in him and serve and adore him For if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him The Prayer collected out of the second Psalm O Blessed God unto whom all hearts are open and from whom no secrets are hid whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun and pass through the World and behold all the thoughts and conspiracies and actions of men Encline thine ear and hear open thine eyes and sée the attempts of Satan and wicked men The Heathen have raged furiously and the people have tumultuously assembled Ver. 1 and imagine vain things yea the Kings of the Earth have risen together they have taken counsel and joyn'd their power against God Ver. 2 and against him who is thy Anointed These many in number Ver. 3 strong in power encourage themselves in mischief saying Come let us break off these Bonds of Laws and Religion from off our necks by which they would yoke us and cast away their cords in which they would bind us for we will not that he or his Anointed reign over us For of a truth Lord against thée and thy holy child Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the Nation of the Jewes have gathered themselves together and do whatsoever thy hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done And now O Lord behold their threatnings for thy Names sake for thy Sons sake for thy Promise sake let not the gates of Hell prevail against thy Church Ver. 4 Thou that sits in Heaven laugh them to scorn Ver. 5 Thou which art the most High have them in derision speak unto them in thy wrath and vex them in thy sore displeasure Raise up thy power Ver. 6 O Lord and come amongst us Set thy King upon thy holy Hill of Zion Ver. 7 He is thy only begotten Son from everlasting and yet was content for our Redemption to humble himself to the womb and be born and made of a woman that he might preach thy Law and make known the glad tidings of salvation to all people Ver. 8 Give him therefore the Heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his possession Merciful God who hast made all men and hatest nothing that thou hast made nor wouldest the death of a sinner but rather that he should be converted and live have mercy upon all Iewes Turks Infidels and Heretiques and take from them all ignorance hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and fetch them home blessed Lord to thy stock that they may be saved among the remnant of thy true Israelites that there may be but one Fold and one Shepheard As for such who obstinately and wilfully and maliciously stop their ears that they may not hear and shut their eyes that they may not sée lest they should hear with their ears and sée with their eyes and thou shouldst heal them These are the men O Lord who will not have thée reign over them poure therefore thy indignation upon them and bring them down in their pride and obstinacy Ver. 9 break them in pieces with a rod of iron and dash them into shivers like a Potters vessel of which being broken into smaller parcels there is no use nor hope or possibility of reparation Gracious God Ver. 10 poure down the graces of thy holy Spirit upon all thy people especially upon the Kings and Rulers of the Earth give them those gifts that may make them wise and those graces that may make them good let them learn their Duties Ver. 11 and do their Duties to thée O so encline all our hearts that we may serve thee in fear rejoyce before thee with reverence that we kiss bow down and adore thy Son submit and be obedient to him receive his Doctrine and acquiesce in his Laws and never be at rest till our heart assure us that thou art reconciled unto us through him O who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry we tremble therefore to féel at this time the effect of thy hot wrath upon us Ver. 12 for thou hast suffered us to perish from the right way for truth to embrace lying vanities and for thy Gospel to worship our own imaginations This is the just reward of our disobedience this is the just revenge and punishment of our sin in that we have not served thée in fear nor come into thy Courts and rejoyced before thée with reverence nor bow'd our knées and béen obedient to thy Son Vers 12 For this thy wrath is kindled and it burns not a little against us O Lord grant that this thy severity may have a true impression upon our hearts let us be true penitents and by our sighs and groans give thée no rest in heaven till thou return and have mercy upon us Recall us again to the right way Vers. 12 and never let us more erre and wander from it Confirm our hope it rengthen our faith alwayes let us put our confidence in thy mercy knowing that they alone who put their trust in thée are blessed for when thy wrath is kinded they shall be gather'd under thy wings and shall be safe under thy feathers Call us O Lord to thy truth justifie us by thy Sons blood sanctifie us by his Spirit and make us of that number to whom thou wilt say at the last day Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world Amen Amen PSAL. III. The occasion of this Psalm was Absalons rebellion DAVID being deserted by his subjects rail'd upon by Shimei pursued for his Crown and life by his ungracious son and not finding to whom to make his moan betakes himself to his God and before him he expostulates his wrong confesseth his faith and makes his prayer There be then three strains of this accurate Psalm 1. His complaint 2. The confession of his confidence 3. His Petition The first part Davids complaint of his enemies 1. He begins with a sad and bitter complaint amplified 1. By the Number and Multitude of his enemies That they were Multi Many Multi valde very many that they were multiplicati
Lord. Vers. 7 The administration of his Kingdom is 1. Eternal The Lord shall endure for ever Vers. 8 2. His Office to be Judge He hath prepared his Throne for judgement 3. He is an universal Judge He shall judge the whole world 4. He is a just Judge He shall judge in righteousness Which begets a confidence in his people he shall minister judgement to the people in uprightness 5. He is a merciful Judge to his people Vers. 9 For the Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in time of trouble 5. The effect or consequent upon this his execution of justice which is the confidence thence arising in the hearts of his people which are here describ'd by their knowledge of God 2. Seeking him Vers. 10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 2. An Exhortation to others to praise God 2 He exhorts others to praise God Sing praises to the Lord that dwells in Zion that is in the midst of his people and Church to defend them Declare among the people his doings The second part Of which he assigns the reason that he is a just God and will require their blood at the hands of those that oppressed and slew them Vers. 11 An inquisition for blood he will make And when he makes inquisition for blood For his justice he remembreth them the innocent unjustly oppressed and slain Vers. 12 and forgets not the cry of the humble The cry of their blood shall be heard 3. A Petition for himself that God would shew him mercy 3 He Petitions for favour and look upon his affliction Have mercy upon me O Lord The third part consider the trouble of them that hate me thou that lifts me up from the gates that is the power of death Vers. 13 As if he had said Do by me now as thou hast done heretofore And the Reason or Argument by which he perswades God to hear him and shew mercy is drawn from the final cause Vers. 14 he looks not so much upon himself as Gods honour it is That he may have just cause to praise God which he vows That I may shew thy praise 2. All thy praise 3. In thy Church in the gates of the daughter of Zion 4. That I may do it with joyful lips 5. Which I will do I will rejoice in thy salvation 4. And then as if he were shewing forth this praise in the Congregation The fourth part he sings forth his Song of Triumph his ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã over his enemies in Metaphors And performs in a Song of Triumph 1. The heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made 2. In the net which they hid is their own foot taken 3. This is the Lords doing Vers. 15 Therefore though wicked men did doubt before of his providence and justice yet Vers. 16 now the Lord is known by the judgement he executes For 4. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgaion Selah Which is a thing exceedingly to be meditated on and not forgotten 5. The wicked shall be turn'd to hell and all the people that forget God Vers. 17 their breath is in their nostrils and dye they must which is some comfort to those they oppress and if they repent not Vers. 18 suffer eternal punishment 2. But the chief comfort is The fifth part is A Petition and proceeds from Gods justice and his goodness toward the innocent unjustly oppressed For the needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Their hope shall not be frustrate Vers 19 5. The Conclusion is Petitory Arise O Lord. Against the enemies of the Church 1. Let not man prevail over thy people 2. Let the heathen be judg'd in thy sight Vers. 20 3. Put them in fear O Lord now they fear nothing That they may fear being in their height and prosperity they are insolent and proud manifest thy divine presence to their terrour For then 4. And know themselves to be but men They will know themselves to be but men infirm and mortal creatures and not insult over thy people and glory upon their own strength and prosperity The Prayer and Hymn out of the ninth Psalm for the Church in affliction persecuted and oppressed by enemies I Will praise thee Vers. 1 O Lord with my whole heart and I will make known to others as much as in me lies those wonderful works which thou hast done for thy people in all ages Vers. 2 I will not be glad and rejoice so much in the vain and empty things of this life as in thée the giver of them and for that I will sing praise to thy name O thou most high higher than all things in this world and far beyond all praise that I can give For thou Vers. 7 Lord who art from all eternity and shall continue the same for ever Vers. 8 hast prepared thy seat to judge the world on which being ascended thou wilt judge the world in righteousness rewarding every man according to his deserts repaying good things to those who know thy name and séek thée but heavy judgements to those who dishonour thée and oppress thy people Have mercy upon me Vers. 13 O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me Vers. 4 O thou that sittest in the Throne and judgest right maintain my right and my cause Vers. 16 and lift me up from the power of death Make thy self known by executing judgement for me Vers. 3 O let my enemies be turn'd back and perish at thy presence Vers. 18 Forget not the cry of the needy and let not the expectation of the poor perish for ever Vers. 12 Make inquisition for that innocent blood of thy servants which they have poured out like water that cannot be gathered up again and forget not the voice of Abels blood that yet from the earth cryes unto thée O God we have heard with our ears and our Fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their dayes and in the old time before them Vers. 5 how thou hast destroy'd the wicked and rebuked the heathen and put out their name for ever and ever Vers. 9 Arise therefore O Lord be a refuge to the oppressed Vers. 19 a refuge in this needful time of trouble let not man prevail and let thy enemies be judged in thy sight Put them in fear O Lord that they may know themselves that they are not God but weak infirm and mortal men Now they are proud of their victories and puff'd up with their successes O break the hardness of their heart with some calamities and fearful disasters that being brought to consider their own frail condition and intolerable insolence they may cease to pride it against thée and thy Church O thou enemy Vers. 6 thou breathest nothing but
destroy'd them and consum'd them that we have wounded them Vers. 38 till they were not able to rise that they are fallen under our feet And that we should do thus valiantly it is not our strength and skill in Warre but thy goodness For it is thou Lord only that hath girded us to battle thou hast subdued under us those that rose up against us Thou hast given us the necks of our enemies that we might destroy them that hate us In their trouble and distress they cryed to the Lord who is wont to hear those that cry and call to him but wretches they were and unworthy and therefore there was none to hear to the Lord whom they before derided and contemn'd did they cry but he would not hear them Then being destitute of thy help and forsaken by thée we beat them as small as the dust which the wind whiffles away from the face of the earth we cast them out as dirt of the streets which is troden to nothing by the féet of every passenger O Lord deliver our King from the strivings and tumults Vers. 43 and contradictions of the people restore Him to His Crown and rights and make Him the Head to this people who for their perfidiousness and perjury deserve it not bring down this rebellious Nation this heathenish people and let them fall down and submit to Him and those who out of malice and self-ends would not acknowledge Him serve Him Assoon as they hear of His name let them obey Him and not as if they were méer strangers and aliens to Him reject Him any longer and laying aside all dissimulation willingly and readily yield homage to Him The Lord who liveth be His Rock and blessed be His name and let the God of His Salvation be exalted Avenge Him and subdue the people under Him deliver Him from His enemies kéep Him as the apple of thine eye lift Him up above those who have risen up against Him and preserve Him from the tyranny and treachery of the violent man So shall all honest Subjects and true-hearted Israelites that bear any good-will to Zion celebrate thée O Lord who art foorthy to be praised and give thanks unto thee among the people and sing praises to thy name O Lord send deliverance to the King shew mercy to thy Andinted to restore Him to His Throne and people bless Him in His person and bless Him in His posterity for evermore Amen PSAL. XIX This Psalm is Doctrinal and teacheth us the way to know God His Glory is the Subject THERE be two parts of it The first is Doctrinal 2. Penitential The Doctrinal parts âath two Members 1. The first member teacheth us to know God by natural reason even from the book of the Creatures from vers 1. to vers 7. 2. But because this way is unsufficient to save a soul therefore in the second part we have a better way prescribed which is The Book of the Scriptures whose excellencies are described from vers 7. to vers 11. The Penitential part begins at the twelfth verse For since the reward to be expected proceeds from the keeping of Gods Law and Davids heart told him he had not kept it therefore he beggs pardon and grace from vers 12. to 14. By the Glory of God understand his Goodness The first part The Declaration of God from the creatures especially the heavens his Wisdom his Power in a word all his Attributes of which we have a double Declaration 1. A testimony from the Creatures but especially the Heavens whose Magnitude Beauty Order variety perpetual motion light influences c. declare that there is an Omnipotent wise good God and Creatour of them Vers. 1 With this David begins The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work 2. Vers. 2 The vicissitude of Day and Night proceeding from their motions declare this also Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge c. 1. The Heavens then are diligent Preachers for they preach all day and all night without intermission One day telleth another and one night certifies another 2. Vers. 3 They are leraned Preachers for they preach in all Tongues For there is nor speech nor language but their voices are heard among them 3. Vers. 4 They are Universal and Catholique Preachers for they preach to the whole world Their sound is gone through all the earth and their words to the end of the world 3. Vers. 4 But among all these Creatures the Sun for which God in heaven hath set a Throne 2 The Sun or Tabernacle makes the fairest and clearest evidence or declaration and that three wayes especially 1. Vers. 5 By his splendour light beauty He riseth as gloriously as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber 1 By his splendour 2. Vers. 6 By his wonderful celerity and quickness of his motion running every several hour 225. 2 By his motion Germain Miles as Math maticians teach He rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit is to the end of it and yet is not tired nor weary 3. 3 By his heat The second part By his strange and miraculous heat that pierceth even to the Minerals concocts matures enlives all things Sol homo generant hominem Nothing is hid from the heat thereof 2. 2 The Declaration by his Word Which is commended But because this Declaration is not sufficient to make man happy therefore hath God made a farther Declaration and revealed himself in his Word the Scripture call'd here The Law which is here commended 1. Vers. 7 From the Authour It is the Law of the Lord. 2. In many respects From the Sufficiency thereof It is perfect 3. From the Utility It converts the soul gives wisdom to the simple 4. From the Infallibility The Testimony of the Lord is sure 5. Vers. 8 From the perspicuity and plainness of it The Statutes of the Lord are right Without perplexities ambiguities sophisms windings turnings 6. From the effect it breeds in the Soul it quiets the troubled conscience They rejoice the heart Justificati pacem habemus 7. From the purity of it The Commandments of the Lord are pure they admit no feces of foul Opinions nor give countenance to any sin 8. Vers. 8 From the effect it hath upon the soul It enlighteneth the eyes for it dispells all ignorance doubting of God carnal security diffidence false worship And makes us understand our own deformities defects c. 9. Vers. 9 From the Sincerity of it The fear of the Lord is clean Other Religions are polluted with humane inventions strange Ceremonies Sacrifices Worships Lusts Wickedness gods This not so but the contrary 10. From the continuance of it It is to be a perpetual standing Law It endureth for ever Aeternum Evangelium 11. And therefore both From the truth and equity contain'd in it True and righteous
Thou shalt make them turn their back when thou shalt make ready thine Arrows upon the siring against the face of them And at last the cause is added of this severity against them Ver. 11 of that succour he will afford his afflicted The cause oppressed people and the sharp revenge he will take upon their enemies For they intended evil against and imagin'd a mischievous device which they were not able to perform A great comfort this The Epilogue is an Acclamation The third part A Vote to Gods glory and it hath two parts 1. A Petition 2. A Profession 1. Be thou exalted Lord in thy own strength Shew thy self more powerful than all Men or Devils in destroying the enemies of thy Church Ver. 13 2. Their thankfulness And we will be a thankful people So will we sing and praise thy power 1. Serva Regem Populum 2. Nos agemus gratias A Prayer for Kings and all in Authority collected out of the twenty first Psalm O Lord shew thy mercy to the King that is now in great distress and cast aside by a stubborn rebellious and self-ended people Call for him again Ver. 1 and make him the Head-stone of the Corner that he may unite these distracted and divided Kingdoms give him occasion to rejoyce in thy strength and to be excéeding glad of that salvation which thou alone now he is deserted of all men art able to send him against his malicious enemies Thou art the Lord of Hosts and victory and success procéed from thée fight for him O Lord and fight with him that he may be safe and being saved rejoyce and rejoycing ââng of thy Name all the day long With instant and fervent prayers he Ver. 2 and with him his true-hearted people sollicite thée to avert thy wrath and shew tender compassion grant him then what he shall desire with his heart and deny him not the request of his lips With heart and tongue Petitions are presented to thy Throne for him hear O Lord Ver. 3 and grant and grant and do what is desired Nay prevent his Petitions give him more than he hath asked or we can expect let the blessings of thy goodness flow upon him unexpected and set upon his head a Crown of the purest gold which of right belongs to him and which his ambitious and bloody enemy most injuriously hath ravish'd and detains from him Ver. 4 His enemies purshe him to take away his life but do thou bestow upon him length of dayes let him live to a good old Age safe and obeyed in his Kingdom He is now despised but let his glory be again great and illustrious he is now dishonour'd but do thou load him with honour his Majesty is laid low in the dust but do thou raise it so he shall have just cause to make his boast not of his wealth not of his power not of his wisdom but of thy salvation goodness and deliverance only Set him a blessing for ever to his people and make him exceeding glad with thy favour and countenance He hath had often experience that the help of man is but vain that they are all but weak and broken réeds which run into the hand wound and grieve those that lean upon them therefore setting aside all humane confidences he reposeth his trust only in thée Thou art his God and the God of his Father whose blood was shed to maintain thy Truth through the mercy then of thée the most High God let him not be moved much less removed as he places his trust in thée so place him again in his Fathers Seat As thou hast heretofore shewed thy Power against thy enemies Ver. 8 so declare thy Might now let no lurking places hide them no Fortresses secure them find them out with thy hand and make them féel thy just and severe revenge Ver. 9 pursue those that hate thée and thy Truth let thy right hand lay hold of them and execute thy wrath upon them never suffer them to escape Ver. 10 but make them as a fiery Oven in the day of thy anger that presently devoures those that are cast into it swallow them up in thy hot indignation Ver. 12 and let the fire of thy just vengeance consume them Destroy the fruit of their loyns from the Earth and root out their seed from among the children of men make them to turn their backs and slie in the day of Battle and yet so let them not escape for even then make thou ready the arrow upon the string and set them as a Butt to shoot at prepare thy Bow against the face of them let them sée with great grief the faces of those thou hast saved and féel their arm For by their Treason and Rebellion against thy King Ver. 11 they have intended evil against thée they have imagined to destroy thy Truth to abolish thy Gospel and Ordinances which yet as appears by their own factions and divisions they are not able to perform Frustrate O Lord their counsels and never let them be able to perform them Raise up thy power O Lord and come amongst us Ver. 13 Be thou exalted in thy own strength shew thy self more potent than all Divels and Men who rejected our Kings and do eat up and oppress thy people so shall we sing and praise thy power PSAL. XXII De Messia ejus Passione Regno THIS Psalm though in some sense it may be applied to David as a Type yet Christ is the thing signified and therefore it is primarily and principally verified of and in him for he is brought in here speaking First complaining of his dereliction then shewing his Passion and the cruelty of his Enemies Thridly intreating ease and deliverance from them Lastly Promising to his Father thanks foretelling the preaching of the Gospel and the enlargement of his Kingdom by the accession of all Nations There be three chief parts of this Psalm 1. Our Saviours complaint and the causes of it lively and prophetically expressing his sufferings almost through the whole Psalm 2. His Petition and Prayer that God would not absent himself but deliver and save him ver 3 4 5 9 10 11 19 20 21. 3. His Thanksgiving from ver 22. to the end Davids and in him Christs complaint of dereliction 1. He begins with a heavy complaint of Dereliction in his extremity and that he could not be heard though he roared and cried which is thus pathetically expressed and ingeminated My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The first part why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Ver. 1 O my God I cry in the day-time but thou hearest not and in the night-season and am not silent 2. And that he might seem to have the more just reason to complain for this desertion God carried himself to him after an unusual manner when other his Saints called upon him he heard them he sent them comfort which in this
hence I shall dwell with thée in that celestial house above and with them sing Honour and Glory to thee who sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore Amen PSAL. XXIV Of Christs Dominion and the Church and his Ascension THE Subject of this Psalm is Christ calld The King of Glory vers 7. And it hath two parts 1. The first that concerns Christs Lordship which is in general over the whole world vers 1 2. But in particular the Church from vers 3. to vers 7. 2. An Exhortation to all men to receive Christ for their King The first part of this Psalm shews that God is King of all the world The first part Christs Dominion but in his Kingdom he hath two kind of Subjects 1. Either all men in general For the earth is the Lords Vers. 1 and all that therein is the compass of the world and they that dwell therein 1 Over all And of it he gives a reason from the Creation of it He ought to have the dominion of it Vers. 2 and all in it For he hath founded it upon the Seas and establish'd it upon the floods 2. But all are not his Subjects in the same way There are a people 2 Over the Church whom he hath call'd to be his Subjects in another manner A Mountain there is which he hath sanctified and chosen above all other Hills to make the Seat of his Kingdom 't is the Church and over them that live in it he is in a more peculiar manner said to be a Lord than of the whole earth And these are more properly call'd his Servants and Subjects And yet among these there is a difference too For some only profess to be his Servants and call him Lord as Hypocrites some other there are that are his Servants really and truly And that this difference be taken notice of the Prophet asks Quis Vers. 3 Who shall ascend into the bill of the Lord And Who shall stand in his holy place In which some of his Subject are hypocrites As if he should say Not Quisquis 'T is not every one for Infidels are not so much as in the Church Hypocrites howsoever in the Church are no true Members of the Mystical Church and some which come to the Hill of the Lord yet stand not in his Holy place For many believe only for a season and few continue faithful to death 3. That then it be truly known 2 Others true Subjects Their Characters who they are over whom he is truly Rex gloriae The King of glory The Prophet gives us their Character and sets down three distinctive Notes by which they may be known 1. Cleanness of hands He that hath clean hands à cade furto c. Vers. 4 is free from all external wicked actions 1 Clean hands For the hand is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 2. Purity of heart For external purity is not enough except the heart 2 A pure heart the Fountain of our actions be clean Hypocrisis est in cor consentiat 3. Truth of the tongue is not guilty of lyes and perjuries 3 A true tongue He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworne deceitfully After that the Prophet had given the Character by which you may know the man he then assigns his reward and ends with an acclamation 1. Their reward a blessing This is he that shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness i. e. be justified from the God of his Salvation 2. Vers. 5 Vers. 6 This is the generation of them that seek thee i. e. These are the people of God Because these are alone the people of God let other boast themselves and please themselves as they list yet these are the godly party these they that seek thy face O Jacob i.e. O God of Jacob. This part is an Exhortation to all men in the whole world The second part especially Princes Nobles He exhorts all to receive Christ Magistrates that they receive acknowledge and worship Christ as King 1. Life up your heads O ye gates i. e. O you Princes that sit in the gates Vers. 7 lift up your heads and hearts be ye lift up you everlasting doors portae mundi and the King of glory shall come in 2. Vers. 8 To which good counsel the Prophet brings in the Princes asking this Question in scorn and contempt Which they deride Who is the King of glory To which he answers The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battle I tell you who he is To their ruine one able to destroy you and will destroy you if you reject him For he is far beyond all the strength and power of men He is the Lord mighty in Battle Dominus excercituum And that his Exhortation pierce the deeper he ingeminates it with the answer vers 9 10. I know this last part is otherwise interpreted and I dislike it not See Bellarmine The Prayer out of Psalm 24. which was composed to be Sung on the Sabbath O Omnipotent God the Creatour and preserver of the whole Vniverse Vers. 1 who art Lord of the whole earth of whose fulness all partake and to whom all that dwell in the world owe homage and subjection For thou hast created the Globe of this earth upon which we tread Vers. 2 and so immoveably founded and fixed it upon the floods that the violence of the Sea doth not overwhelm it nor the waves thereof ascend above it We acknowledge that the whole stock of men that walk upon this earth and are sustain'd from it as they are thy creatures so they are thy vassals and that thou hast a just dominion over them This is an Argument of thy Power and Majesty But thy love to man-kind hath far more abounded in that out of all Nations thou hast cast thy eye upon a select company vouchsafed to call them into thy Church Vers. 3 in which thou hast set thy Seat as sometime in Mount Zion that thou wilt dwell among these be adored by these and give a favourable answer to the petitions that these shall make unto thée Of these thou requirest integrity purity fidelity Clean hands a pure heart Vers. 4 and a faithful tongue These are the generation that séek thée and to these thou hast promised thy blessing thy mercy Grant therefore O Lord. that we may have hands clensed from all impure actions a heart frée from all hypocrisie and base affections a tongue that will never take thy Name in vain either rashly deceitfully or maliciously but that in heart word and déed we may be so sincere that we may be accompted by thée of that number who are worthy to ascend into the Hill of the Lord and dwell remain and continue in thy Holy place O Lord afford us thy grace thus to seek thee and then we shall never despair of thy blessings and
notwithstanding our failings we shall have good hope to have thy righteousness imputed to us for our justification when we shall appear before the God of our Salvation O Lord who art the Saviour of all those that séek and open to thée I lift up my heart to thée being destrous to approach thy presence in the right place where thou may'st be found and the right time whilest thou may'st be found Open my dull ears and hard heart that thy Son my Saviour that King of Glory may come in and dwell with me Grant me grace Ver. 7 that I may still hear while he calls open while he knocks and kéep him with me after he is entred that I may ascend thy Hill and stand in thy holy place that I may not only sojourn in thy Tabernacle but also rest and dwell upon the Mountain of thy holiness And O Lord give this Grace unto all Princes that they shut not the gates nor of their Cities nor hearts against thy Son when he would enter and bring the glorious light of the Gospel rather let them set them wide open that there may be a frée passage for the King of Glory to enter for then thou Ver. 8 who art the Lord of Hosts and Mighty in Battle wilt go forth with their Armies and subdue before them their enemies O thou who art the King of Glory the Lord strong and mighty remember thy dwelling place that now lies waste and those doors in which we do hope everlastingly to praise thée By these we entred to offer unto thée our supplications before thée in these houses we were want to praise thée But now they are thrown down desolate and forsaken Arise therefore O Lord thou and the Ark of thy strength build again the walls of Jerusalem and set up the gates of Zion that thy people may enter in and magnifie thy Name singing with joyful lips Thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen PSAL. XXV This Psalm is a continued and earnest Prayer of a man pressed with enemies danger and sensible of Gods heavy displeasure for his sin AND the several Petitions which he makes may make the Partition 1. His first Petition is that his enemies triumph not over him ver 2 3. 2. His second is for instruction ver 4 5. which he urgeth ver 8 9 10 12 13 14. 3. His third for mercy and forgiveness ver 6 7 11. 4. He inforceth and renews his first Petition ver 15 16 17 c. with many Arguments 5. He prayes for Gods people the Church ver 22. 1. He prefaceth with the profession of his faith and confidence in God The first part which is the chief wing of all prayer Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Ver. 1. 2. O my God I trust in thee He relies not on nor seeks not after any humane helps David relies on God and prayes and upon this living hope he prayes 1. For his hope that it shame him not as it doth when a man hopes 1 That his hope be not frustrate and is frustrated Let me not be ashamed make it appear that I hope not in thee in vain 2. Let not my enemies triumph over me glorying that I am deserted Ver. 3 and this Petition he perswades by this Argument the consequent may prove dangerous if thou send me no help but it will be to thy glory if I be relieved for if he were delivered the faith and hope of others would be confirmed if deserted the good would faint and fail the wicked triumph and therefore he prayes O let none that wait on thee be ashamed but let them be ashamed which transgress that is do me wrong maliciously without any cause given them by me 2. Then he petitions for instruction The second part for instruction that he may be so alwayes governed and confirmed by the Word of God that he sink not under the Cross but relie on Gods Promises 1. Shew me thy ways and teach me thy paths Ver. 4 that thou dealest harshly with thy best servants bringest down before thou exaltest mortifiest before thou quicknest settest the Cross before the Crown Teach me shew me that this is thy way 2. Ver. 5 Direct me in thy Truth and teach me Make me remember that thy promises are firm and true yea and Amen to those that trust in thee this makes me hope still Thou art the God of my salvation on thee do I wait all the day 3. The third for mercy He prayes for mercy and a remove of his sin that might obstruct it 1. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses which have been ever of old Ver. 6 i.e. Deal mercifully with me as thou hast ever done to those that flie to thee in their extremities 2. Ver. 7 Remission of sin especially of the rebellious concupiscence which in youth most domineers And remission Remember not the sins of my youth nor my ransgressions Ver. 11 according to thy mercy remember me for thy goodness sake O Lord This Petition he repeats ver 11. For thy Names sake O Lord pardon my iniquity and upon this my confession for it is multa or magna great David here breaks off his prayer Of which that he may be the more assured he calls to mind Gods goodness and to confirm his confidence discourseth of the Nature and Person of God even in the greatest fervency of our prayers the greatness of our sins the unworthiness of our persons the anger of God against sin come into our minds stagger our hope and tell us we shall not be heard no better way than to confirm us than to call to mind the nature and the wayes of God with his people and this course David here takes he saith 1. 1 That he is good Good and upright is the Lord. 1. Good for he receives sinners gratis 2. Vpright constant and true in his promises therefore instruet He will grant me my request ver 4. He will teach sinners and me though a great sinner in the way 2. 2 Favourable The meek he will guide in judgment He will not suffer them to be tempted above their strength but will teach them what to answer and will not proceed secundnm rigorem juris but will interpret all in the most favourable sense 3. 3 All his wayes mercy and truth In a word All the wayes of the Lord are Mercy and Truth Mercy in that he freely offers remission of sins the graces of his Spirit government in this life mitigation of our calamities and at last a discharge from them and eternal life Truth in that he will perform what he hath promised To those that keep his Testimonies Non est mendax sed verax But with this caution that men perform with him for it is unto such as keep his Covenant and Testimonies i. e. in faith and a good conscience walk before him the Covenant
what to do that I may please thee and lead me in a plain path that I may escape the ambushes and snares of my enemies deliver me not over to their will for they seek my ruine Ver. 11 1. Who are They are perjured men false witnesses are rise up against me 2. Ver. 12 They are mischievously bent They breath out cruelty 5. 1 Perjured men And their cruelty and falshood is so great that I had fainted were it not for my hope in thee 2 Cruel men I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living Ver. 13 At last he concludes with an Exhortation The fourth part He takes heart and perswades others to it that all others would take out his example and in their greatest extremities be couragious and put trust in God as he did Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart Wait I say on the Lord Be an expectant for he that shall come will come in his good time The Prayer collected out of the twenty seventh Psalm O Heavenly Father whatsoever the World plots the Devil endeavours and wicked men conspire against us that we are fully perswaded shall come to nought Ver. 1 and be utterly frustrate For thou O Lord art our delight to direct and comfort us our salvation to deliver us the strength of our life to support us whom then should we fear of whom then should we be afraid when we have so powerful a Saviour to defend us Though an Host of armed men should encamp against us our heart should not fear though War should rise against us Ver. 5 in this we would be confident that in the time of trouble he will hide us in the secret of his Tabernacle he shall set us upon a Rock to which the malicious hand of our enemies shall never be able to reach How often have our enemies Ver. 3 no otherwise than ravening Dogs set upon us to fear and eat up our flesh and how often have they béen defeated and frustrated of their purposes and fallen before us This O Lord is thy doing this the work of thy hand Ver. 6 Thou only hast lift up our heads above our enemies round about us For which great mercy One thing I have desired of thee this One before all other things Ver. 4 and this I will ever seek deny me not that in peace and quietness I may dwell all the rest of my life in that place where the House of my God is that I may have experience of the beauty of holiness and taste of that delight with which thou dost affect thy servants by the manifestation of thy presence that I may there inquire and learn my Duty and make a progress in the knowledge of spiritual things Ver. 6 that I may there compass thy Altar and offer the Sacrifices of Joy and sing Psalms of Praise and Hymns of Thanks to thee my God O my God hear my voyce for I have long cried and called unto thee deliver me from mine enemies that pursue me Ver. 7 and bring me back and give me a quiet Mansion in the place thine Honour dwelleth being moved by my unjust persecution have mercy upon me and return me a favourable answer My careful heart hath alwayes thought upon thée and béen revived with thy command Seek ye my face call upon me in the day of trouble and therefore with elevated eyes and hands and with an intent heart I have sought thy face thy presence thy favour thy protection and I will never cease to séek it till I shall sée thée face to face And since from my heart I séek it O do not turn and hide thy face from me and deny me not thy favour Conceive not so great anger and displeasure against thy servant who yet have deserved it for his sins as to cast me away and deny me that help which thou hast hitherto graciously afforded me My father my mother my friends my acquaintance my neighbours have all stood afar and forsaken me in my trouble and wilt thou also leave me at this time This hath not béen thy custom for when I have béen destituâe Thou hast been my help when I have béen exposed Thou hast taken me up Forsake me not then now O God of my salvation be my Helper who without thée am nothing be my Saviour who except thou save am like to perish Teach me thy Law and set me in the way in which I am to walk make it plain to me that I mistake it not lest by the errour in thy way and transgression of thy Law being forsaken of thée I fall into those snares and ambushes which my enemies have set for me O never deliver me over to their will Consider O Lord their injustice who have suborned false witness against me and such as breath out cruel words to take away my life So great is their malice That I had utterly fainted but that I believe verily to receive that happiness which thou hast promised in this life and after to enjoy those good things which thou hast engaged to give in Heaven which is truly the Land of the living For these thy word is past and therefore I will wait on thee this shall make me of good courage and strengthen my heart I will wait I say on the Lord with patience and though he defer me I will not faint but I will be instant with him in prayer and beg his aid being assured that at the last he will hear me for the merits of Iesus Christ my Saviour Amen PSAL. XXVIII A Prayer for Help and a Thanksgiving THREE parts there are of this Psalm 1. A Prayer from ver 1. to 6. 2. A Thanksgiving from ver 6. to 9. 3. A Prayer for the Church ver 9. The first part is a Prayer to God and he first prayes for Audience ver 2. The first part He prayes for Audience Hear me And his prayer is so described that it sets forth most of the conditions requisite in one that prayes 1. The object God Unto thee O Lord I cry Ver. 2 2. His faith To thee I cry who art my Rock Ver. 1 The conditions required in a supplicant 3. His fervour it was an ardent and vehement prayer I cry 4. Humility it was a supplication Hear the voyce of my supplication 5. His outward gesture I life up my hands Ver. 2 6. According to Gods order Towards thy holy Temple His Argument to perswade Audience The Argument he useth to perswade Audience is drawn ab incommodo Lest if thou make as though thou hearest not Ver. 1 I become like them that go down into the Pit have no hope of life in me no comfort no heart at all ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That he prayes for is that he might not partake with hypocrites 2. Then he expresses what he prayes for which is that either First He might not be
that fear thee It passeth mans understanding to conceive and the eye of humane reason sées it not which judgeth of all things by the present success This thou hast reserv'd in secret for those which serve thée with a sincere heart and in thy good time thou by great works which thou wilt do for those who trust in thee wilt manifest it even before the sons of men The pride of man is great and in their pride they attempt to throw down those who in sincerity worship thée their tongues are sharp and contentious and in their malice they invent many lyes and scandals against them but thou O Lord wilt hide those thou lovest in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man and wilt keep them secretly as in a Pavilion from the strife of tongues And yet I pressed with the consideration of many evils in which I thought my self forsaken said rashly in my hast Surely I am cut off from before thine eyes thou wilt never certainly cast any favourable look toward me Such was my infirmity so great my inconsideration But thy mercy passed by even then my weakness and setled my staggering soul Notwithstanding my imperfections thou heardst the voice of my Supplications when I cryed unto thee Hear me then now O Lord consider my troubles know that my soul is in adversity have mercy upon me for I call unto thée for help and let me not be ashamed But as for the wicked let them be put to confusion and let them be cut off for the grave that they be able to do no more mischief Let those that invent and speak lyes be put to silence that with pride disdain and cruelty speak against the righteous Blessed be the Lord and praised be his name who hath not only delivered me out of danger but hath shewed unto me in a superabundant manner his marvellous great kindness and loaded me with happiness glory and superfluity of all things yea and set me in a safe and defenced place O lovâ ye the Lord all ye his Saints all ye that serve the Lord in holiness murmure not against his providence but when ye sée me a man destitute of all humane help delivered hope for the same favour from his hands be of good courage and strengthen your hearts O Lord preserve the faithful and though the wicked flourish and pride it in their success yet look upon our affliction and plentifully reward the proud doer As for those who with an honest heart serve thée give them constancy and perseverance in thy love fear and Truth and let their hope in thée be well rooted and confirmed through the Son of thy love Iesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen PSAL. XXXII Is Doctrinal and sets forth the happiness of one whose sins are remitted THE Title of the Psalm is Maschil and at the eighth verse the reason is given I will instruct thee and teach thee In this then there is an instruction given especially about these three points which divide the Psalm 1. The Happy estate of a justified person vers 1 2. 2. The unhappy condition of that man who is not assured that he is justified and reconciled to God vers 3 A justified person is happy 4. and the way prescribed how to gain that assurance vers 5. 3. A Lesson given for obedience after a man is brought into that state v. 8 9. 1. The Prophet first instructs us in what justification consists It is a free remission The first part How he must be qualified a covering of sin a non-imputation of iniquities 2. How the man must be qualified that obtains it He must have an honest sincere and upright heart Vers. 1 be far from guile doubling hypocrisie vers 3. Now such a one he pronounceth Vers. 2 A Happy man Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered He must confess his sin not excuse or hide it Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputes not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile who doth not excuse palliate extenuate his sin but confesseth it 2. The second part And this he makes good by his own experience he hid his sin he doubled with God he confessed not and he was in an unhappy and unquiet condition all the while This David did he hid it 1. I held my peace I confessed not I did not ask pardon and When I held my peace And he was unquiet in his soul and kept silence dissembled my sin 2. I was wounded with the sting of a guilty conscience fears horrours troubles of soul c. My bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moysture is turn'd into the drought of Summer 3. But when he confessed it And then he shews you the way he took to recover his happiness which was a clear contrary course He would conceal his sin no longer from which he had so much unrest but he was resolv'd to open and display it before his God 1. Vers. 5 I acknowledg'd my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid 2. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. Of which the effects are divers 1 He obtained remission 1. The first upon himself He recover'd his happiness consââing in Remission And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin 2. 2 By his example others seek for grace The second upon the whole Church upon every good man that took out and follow'd his example For this i. e. that thou hast been so merciful to me Vers. 6 and pardoned me a penitent confessor shall every one that is godly pray unto thee for pardon in a time when thou may'st be found in the day while grace is offered 3. Vers. 6 Comfort in extremities and safety in the greatest dangers Surely in the floods of great waters 3 And are secure in extremities in an inundation of calamities the troubles shall not come nigh him that depends upon Gods goodness and mercy and is reconcil'd unto him by repentance And he shews the reason from his own experience God was his Protector 1. Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble 2. Thou shalt compass me about with Songs of deliverance deliver me and make me sing for joy and give thanks 3. And now David sets down the Duty of a justified person The third part David instructs a justified person in his way that he be after his pardon obedient to his God and that not out of compulsion but freely and willingly About which that he be not to seek either God from Heaven or David in his person becomes his Doctor I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go I will guide thee with my eye Vers. 8 And a good servant needs no stripes he will observe nutum or nictum heri As my eye is alwayes over you carefully to instruct
the highest Heaven there is not any thing which is not partaker of thy goodness Those bottles of Heaven that continually resolve and water the Earth are expresses of thy Constancy and Truth Thy way of suffice is incomprehensible and thy judgments by which thou dispensest all things in the Earth a great deep Ver. 6 which no man can search an abysse which no humane understanding can find out Man and Beast have their being life motion from thée to man and beast thou suppliest wharsoever is necessary for food or existence they are sustained by thy goodness and preserved by thy mercy But thy care O Lord and providence over thy people is far more gracious Who can Ver. 7 as it ought estéem it Who can set a sufficient price upon it O how excellent is thy loving-kindness toward them thou lovest and them that love thée These thou wilt protect as a Hen doth her Chickens under the shadow of thy wings These shall enjoy not only temporary good things common to man and beast but in this present life thou wilt give them a taste of thy heavenly treasures by the Holy Ghost diffused in their hearts which as Rivers of pleasure will refresh their thirsty souls and after receive them into a celestial mansion where they shall be satisfied with the abundance of thy House that is with the beatifical vision and full fruition of thyself for thou art the fountain of that life which is true life indéed and perpetual Thou art the spring of light and when we come to enjoy that light all darkness being dispelled we shall sée light indéed Till we come thither we pass through a vally of darkness and live a life that may rather be called a death 't is so full of cares so full of miseries so full of sin howsoever in this let us have a taste of thy mercies protect us under thy wings let us dwell in thy house satisfie us with the graces of thy Spirit let us drink of the Rivers of thy pleasure make our life comfortable and let us enjoy the light of thy countenance This will be life to us even when we sit in this shadow of death this will be light to us even while we remain in this darkness Here we are subject to many temptations and the ungodly thrust sore at us that we might fall But O never let the foot of pride come and prevail against us let not the hand of the wicked remove us We know O Lord that their malice is so great against thy Truth that they are not moved with any fear or reverence of thy Name resolved they are to please and flatter themselves in their own eyes till their iniqity be found out and made apyear to be odious before God and man whatsoever they speak is full of iniquity and fraud they are not only ignorant but they will not be taught to be wise whosoever shall advise them to do good is accounted their enemy and hateful in their sight In the night-season when the mind is retired and should meditate on the best things then they fasten it upon the worst in their Bed they devise mischief and so hardned in their sin that they will not set themselves in any good way nor abhor even the foulest evil Therefore O Lord for thy mercy and faithfulness for thy loving-kindness and righteousness sake we beséech thée suffer not our souls to be delivered over as a prey into their hands and since they will not desist from their mischievous and bloody enterprise let these worker of iniquity fall together for peace let them find war for security trouble let them be cast down from their fancied state of dignity and felicity and never be able to rise again by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen PSAL. XXXVII ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THE intent of this Psalm is that good men be not over-much troubled at the prosperity of wicked men and what is here delivered may be reduced to these two general Heads 1. He sets down the Duty of a good man which is to be patient and put his confidence in God when he sees the wicked prosper and flourish The first part That we fret not at wicked mens prosperity 2. He gives many Reasons to perswade unto it 1. He begins with an Interdict and then descends to give forth some Commands 1. His Interdict is Fret not thy self because of evil doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity Be nor angry not envious to which he adds this Reason That their prosperity is but short for they shall be cut down as the grass and wither as the green herb This interdict is repeated ver 7 8. and the reason ver 9 10 35 36 38. He sets down some Rules to keep from envy 2. Then he sets down some commands or rules to keep from fretting and anger 1. The first is a perpetual rule for our whole life Trust in the Lord rely not on humane helps riches friends c. trust to God 2. Do good increase not thy state by ill arts and means 3. Dwell in the land desert not thy station for verily thou shalt be fed 4. And therefore enjoy quietly what thou hast at present 5. Delight thou in the Lord be pleased with his way Ratio Dabit petitiones cordis 6. Commit thy way unto the Lord labour in an honest vocation leave the rest to him for he shall bring it to pass he shall bring forth thy righteousness c. 7. Rest and acquiesce in the Lord and wait patiently for him his time is the best and then he repeats his Interdict Fret not thy self Then he resumes his former Reason mentioned at the second verse The first Reason and amplifies it by an Antithesis viz. that bonis benè malis malè erit ver 9 10 11. The second part Evil doers cut off and so it falls out plerumque but not semper which is enough for temporal blessings 1. Evil doers shall be cut off but those that wait on the Lord shall inherit the Earth 2. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not be yea and thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be But the meek shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace To this he adds a second Reason taken from the Providence of God 1. The second Reason Gods Providence Object 1. Bad men hate good men In protecting the righteous and confounding their enemies 2. In blessing the little they have in which he seems to remove a double objection The first about the tyranny of the wicked over just men The second that they were commonly in want and poverty The first Tentation that much troubles pious souls is the power the cruelty the implacable hatred of wicked men The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth To which David answereth Resp God shall revenge it The Lord shall laugh at
from me All these pressures and calamities were upon David from within 2 From without thus he suffer'd in body and in mind But what had he now aâââomfort from without Not any 1. None from his friends 1 By friends My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore and my kinsmen stand afar off Amici non amici 2. As for his enemies they even then added to his affliction 2 Enemies They also that seek after my life lay snares for me and they that seek my hurt speak mischievous things and imagine deceit all day long In action How he carried himself in this extremity tongue and thought they seek to undo me He next descends to shew his behaviour in these grievous sufferings both from within and without He murmur'd not at them but was silent and patient as a Lamb he opened not his mouth But I was as a deaf man that heard not and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth 1 Patient he was Thus I was as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofs He seem'd not to hear what they objected and made no sharp reply to their bitterness In patience and silence he possessed his soul that was his strength Isa 30.15 Which is another chief Argument he useth to mitigate Gods wrath and hot displeasure Of which patience he gives these reasons 1. His reliance on God for audience and redress For in thee O Lord For he relied on God do I hope Thou wilt hear me 2. For this he petitions For to God he was not silent And prayed though deaf and dumb to man for I said Hear me And this also made him patient being assured that being heard Gods honour would be vindicated in him For if not heard his enemies would triumph Hear me then lest otherwise they should rejoice over me as accompting me a patient fool When my foot slippeth they magnifie themselves against me 3. That in the greatness of his grief he was thus patient 2 Under a bitter Cross for I am ready to halt and my sorrow is continually before me I am under a bitter cross and I know if I be thy Servant I must be under the cross and therefore I take it up and bear it patiently 4. And this cross I know I have deserv'd also 't is for my iniquity and I will not conceal it For I will declare mine iniquity Which he had deserved I will be sorry for my sin I suffer justly and therefore have reason to be patient Only O Lord I hope this shall not be imputed to my impatience 3 He yet complains of his enemies if I complain again of my enemies and put thee in mind of their prosperity that they live quietly securely plentifully that they are strong and powerful that they hate me and are ungrateful persons But mine enemies are lively and they are strong and they that hate me wrongfully are multiplied They also that render evil for good are my adversaries because I follow the thing that good is And so he concludes with a petition to God in which he beggs three things He concludes with a Petition for 1. Gods presence Forsake me not O Lord O my God be not farre from me 2. Ayd and help 1 Gods favour 3. And then that it be speedily afforded Make haste to help me O Lord my salvation 2 Speedy help The Prayer collected out of the thirty eighth Psalm O Lord when I consider the multitude of my sins and grievousness of my transgressions I must confess though I suffer heavy things under thy hand yet they are far inferiour to my deserts for my iniquities as some great floods of waters are gone over my head and threaten to drown me in despair and my sins are a heavy burden that load my memory and conscience so heavy they lie upon my soââhat I am not able to bear them but am ready to sink under them And for these the sharpest arrows of thy wrath stick fast in me and thy severe hand sorely whippeth me and presseth stripe after stripe there is no part sound no part whole in my whole body because of thy anger and revenge neither is there any rest in my bones much less any peace in my soul for the multitude and greatness of my sin Through great folly I have committed sin and through greater folly I have dissembled them and hid them being committed I skinned them not search't not healed them and therefore this ulcer remained in my soul and putrified which therefore makes me to stink in thy Nostrils with which filthy savour thou art so offended that my loins are justly fill'd with a loathsom disease that there is no soundness in my flesh I am troubled righteously for the evils I have committed I am depressed for them and bowed down greatly I go mourning and that deservedly all the day long I am féeble sorely afflicted and humbled I have roared for the disquietness and anxiety of my heart My heart through the greatness of my affliction the conscience of my sin and consideration of thy wrath pants beats and is troubled the strength both of my body and soul failesh me and a flood of tears and a night of adversity together hath dimmed that clear light of my eyes And in the extremity of this my sorrow I find no comfort either from friends or enemies for those who were of old my friends and familiars and pretended much friendship and love these now stand aloof off from my sore nay my very kinsmen stand afar off affording me no comfort no shew of help As for my enemies they seek after my life they lay snares for me they wish me evil they speak lies and utter calumnies against me mischievous things they invent and imagine deceits all the day long yea and these my enemies live in prosperity they are potent and able to mischieve me they are in number many in hatred implacable daily they multiply and so ungrateful that for the good I have done them they séek to render me evil O Lord Thou knowest that wrongfully and that without any just cause at all given by me they are my adversaries no reason at all I am able to think of no cause I am able to assign why they should thus hate me why they should thus persecute me except it be that I am constant in defence of thy Truth and follow the thing that good is Thy hand Lord is justly upon me and I am content to bear thy reproach I have spoken once nay twice but I will not answer again in silence and hope I will possess my soul at all their reproaches I will be as a deaf man that hears not at their scorns as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth and commit my cause wholly to thée nevertheless before thée I will not be silent confessing with an humble and true penitent heart that all this great
life I am a stranger with thee and a sojourner as all my fathers were therefore parce Faith is alwayes strugling with tentations before ver 7. he is confident God is his hope but yet his calamities his sickness his enemies the brevity fugacity troubles of his life ever and anon come into his memory and therefore he prayes again for mitigation of these and his prayer ariseth by a gradation 1. He prayes for Audience Hear my prayer O Lord. 2. He inforceth his prayer Then that his cry for such it was be heard Give ear unto my cry 3. For admission of his tears Hold not thy peace at my tears the Reason is a stranger thy grace thy favour 4. For some relaxation and ease O spare me that I may recover my strength which he quickens with this motive before I go hence and be no more seen Restore me to thy favour in this life hereafter it will be too late to expect it Ne moriar desperans The Prayer collected out of the thirty ninth Psalm O Lord when I beheld the flourishing estate and successes of the wicked and the life of the godly worn out with sorrow and afflictions I being not able to comprehend the secret wayes of thy Providence was resolved to lay my hand upon my mouth and acquiesce in thy will and wisdom Even so Lord it pleased thée so thou wisely disposest and brings to pass all things and though I were able to put in a just Apology for this thy doing yet I said weithin my self Ver. 1 I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle especially while the wicked is before me that I say nothing against thée my God nothing unworthy my self But while I was dumb with silence while I held my peace and refrained even from good words Ver. 2 that which my heart gave me I must justly speak the grief within me was so vehement and my sorrow was so stirred Lord I confess my own weakness and infirmity that my heart was like fire within me and in that intemperate heat zeal and indignation at the wickeds prosperity I spake thus unadvisedly and immodestly with my tongue being tyred and wearied out of my life I desired to dye O Lord make me know when this my miserable and calamitous life shall end in which I suffer such heavy things and of which I am over-weary make me know the period and measure of my dayes that I may be certain what and how long I am to suffer and what the delay is that I must be under this Cross Short I know my time is and easily measured as easie as a hand-breadth 't is a moment 't is as nothing in comparison of thée and eternity and wilt thou not then suffer me to swallow my spettle Behold all things that are in the World are vanity of vanities and man among the rest his labour his power his strength his favour promise much and little satisfie and wilt thou then contend with such an one and persecute him as the dry stubble O Lord man is but the shadow of a shadow which is the image of a thing and yet is truly nothing so he passeth away being onward his journey toward death never continuing his condition in one and the same state and wilt thou then add so his affliction This O Lord néeds not for he is apt to afflict himself that little time which thou hast given him which he ought to endeavour that he might enjoy in a quiet and peaceable manner is disquieted with the perturbations of the mind for he disquiets himself in vain with fear and joy and hope and a covetous desire especially he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them The Prodigal and unthrifty here dissipates what he had with so much care and perhaps sin heaped together or else Thieves or enemies violently plunder and carry them away These considerations O Lord I must confess pierced my soul and these thoughts wounded my heart and made me a little impatient till by thy mercy I recollected my self and retired my heart from all things below and fixed upon thée For now Lord what wait I for what is my erpectation what my confidence what my wealth my power my command my strength my life No no Lord I renounce my trust in all or any of these Thou Lord only art my hope my rock my strong Castle my defence my help my subsistence Thou O Lord which savest all those who hope in thy mercy deliver me from all my transgressions and make me not a reproach to foolish men to whose hands thou hast now justly delivered me for my iniquities against this thy just procéeding I will not open my mouth because I know that thou who wilt and dost all things uprightly hast caused me thus to be troubled to correct my enormities and exercise my patience But yet O Lord I beséech thée make an end of beating me and remove thy stroak that sense of thy wrath those terrours of conscience and pains of body under which I groan for I am even consumed and am ready to faint by the blow of thy heavy hand Thou hast made me an example that when thou correctest and rebukest man for his iniquity Thou makest his beauty to consume away insensibly as the fair gloss doth from the garment that the Moth frets so vain a thing is man As therefore thou hast made me an example of thy justice so set me forth as a Monument of thy mercy in hearing my prayers and cries and considering my tears which I poure out before thée Lord hear my prayer and give ear to my cry and hold not thy peace at my tears for I am as all my fathers were a man in this World of a short continuance the City I séek is above my way thither through this vally of tears in which for a time I must sojourn a Citizen I am of that City a pilgrim and a stranger here and the time I am to abide in it is but a little while O spare me then and deal more remissly and kindly with me forbear these severe stroaks that I may a little recover my strength by an assurance of thy grace and favour unto me before I go hence and be no more séen among men Cease good Lord to smite and afflict me in this grievous manner give me some ease and relaxation of my pain lay no more upon me than thou wilt make me able to bear O let me recover my strength of faith and hope in thée in this my pilgrimage it is not long but I must depart from hence and not be séen any more in this land of the living Grant therefore good Lord that I leave not this World with a conscience oppressed and affrighted with the grief and burden of my sin but that being discharged of that guilt I may quietly and peaceably resign my soul into thy hands being cloathed and beautified by
the merits of thy only Son my Lord and only Saviour Iesus Christ Amen PSAL. XL. VVhich is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THERE be two main parts of this Psalm 1. A Thanksgiving from ver 1. to 11. 2. A Prayer from ver 11. to the end Thankfulness consists in the exercise of two vertues Truth and Justice 1. Truth causeth us to acknowledge the benefit and from it we have received it 2. Justice ties us to be grateful and to perform some duties as evidences of our thankful mind and both these we meet with in the first part David begins with the profession of his thankfulness The first part David waits on God and he premits to it his confidence I waited patiently for the Lord then shews the success or what God did for him 1. The success of his waiting He inclined his ear and heard my cry 2. He brought me also out of the horrible pit out of the mire and clay 3. He set my feet upon a Rock being drawn from danger he set me in a safe place 4. He established my goings he confirmed my steps that I slip and slide no more 5. And he hath moved me to be thankful He hath put a new song into my mouth He is thankful even a thanksgiving unto our God The deliverance was not common and therefore the praise should not be common but expressed by a new and exquisite song Of which he conceived the consequent would be And conceives others by his example would wait and be thankful also In his thanksgiving he shews the blessed man that his example would be a common document many shall see it my deliverance my thanks and shall fear God and acknowledge his providence and protection and shall put their trust in the Lord. And so he falls upon his form of thanksgiving and First Pronounceth the man blessed that relies on God affirmatively 1. Blessed is the man that makes the Lord his trust reposeth his hope in him 1 He it is that relies on God 2. Negatively trusts on no man respects not the proud men proud of their wealth 2 Not on man wit or power nor such as turn aside to lies trust on lying vanities 3 Admires Gods works which will deceive Secondly Then by an exclamation admires Gods mercies and goodness to his people 1. For their multitude and greatness Many O Lord my God are thy Works 2. For the strangeness they are not vulgar but miraculous Thy wonderful Works 3. For the incomparable wisdom by which they are done and ordered Many O Lord my God are thy wondrous Works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare them and speak of them they are more than can be numbred 2. And so having in words acknowledged his thankfulness 4 His real thanks by obedience he descends to speak of the other part of his gratitude his real thanks to which in equity he thought himself bound viz. To be obedient to Gods voice which is the best sacrifice and indeed far beyond all legal sacrifices as is apparent in Christ to whom these words and the obedience contained in them is principally attributed and by way of accommodation belongs to every one of his Members who means to be thankful for his Redemption 1. And first he acquaints us that the outward worship is to little worship Which was 1. Sincere inward if sincerity and true piety inwardly be wanting Sacrifice and offerings thou didst not desire burnt-offering and sin-offering hast thou not required Not these absolutely but as subservient to true piety and the internal obedience of the heart without which they are of little value I will have mercy and not sacrifice 2. To this end Aures perforasti mihi Thou hast opened boared 2 Outward and made a window in my ear made me docible and thy servant 3. And I will be obsequious a willing and voluntary servant Then said I lo I come this thy whole Law requires 3 Voluntary such in Christ in the Volume of thy Book it is written 4. He describes his singular obedience 1. That he performed it chearfully and with complacency 1 Chearful I delight to do thy Will O my God 2. That he did it heartily Thy Law is within my heart 2 Hearty The obedience of eyes hands and feet may be hypocritical and feigned that which is done with the heart cannot that the heart thou requirest and that thou shalt have to that purpose I have placed thy Law there 3. That he did it charitably to the benefit of others 3 Charitable for our good he published the Gospel 1. I have preached righteousness in the great Congregation 2. I have not refrained my lips and that thou knowest Feci sine fuco In the publication of the Gospel 3. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart 4. I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation 5. I have not concealed thy loving-kindness and truth from the great Congregation The commendation of the Gospel In which verse we have the commendation of the Gospel that it is righteousness for it justifies it sanctifies that it is Gods truth and faithfulness for in it his promises are performed that it is our salvation freeing us from sin death To which we must be obedient Gods wrath hell which must be published and preached in the great Congregation and to it obedience must be yielded to which there be four things necessary set down in this place 1. The help of Gods Spirit Thou hast opened my ears 2. A ready and willing mind Then said I lo I come 3. A ready performance in the work I delight to do thy Will 4. That a respect be had to Gods Law Thy Will is within my heart And thus having premised his thanks for some deliverance already receive The second part He petitions for favour he thought he might be the bolder to petition for continuance of this mercy and favour for the future upon which he now enters in these words Withhold not thou thy mercy from me O Lord let thy loving-kindness and truth continually preserve me His reasons for it Of which Petition he adds a necessary Reason drawn from the greatness of his evils and sins 1. For innumerable evils have compassed me his miseries were many His sad condition 2. My iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are more in number than the heirs of my head 3. Therefore my heart faileth me my agony is great my vital spirits fail And therefore prayes again Be pleased O Lord to deliver me And for the confusion of his enemies make haste to help me 2. The second part of his prayer is for the confusion of his wicked enemies Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it let them
places but especially The excellencies of the Church In the City of our God in the Mountain of Holiness Then he descends to set forth the Excellencies and Ornaments of the Church 1. It is the City of God Built govern'd by him He resides there 2. It is a Holy Mountain The Religion in it Holy The people a Holy people 3. Vers. 2 It is Beautiful for Situation God had put his beauty upon it 4. The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion The joy of all the Land of Juda then and after of the whole earth Because the Law was to come out of Zion 5. The City of the great King that is God He founded it and rules in it Vers. 3 6. God is known in her Palaces In her is the knowledge of God yea and by an experimental knowledge to be an Asylum a sure refuge 2. And well it is that it is so for Jerusalem i.e. The Church hath many The second part The enemies of the Church and great enemies which vers 5. the Prophet begins to describe and desires that notice be taken of them for he points them out with an Ecce Fâr Lo. 1. They are many and powerful They were Kings a plurality of them Vers. 4 2. Confederate Kings The Kings were assembled Many and Mighty But prevail nor Vis unita fortior But all the endeavours of these Kings of these Confederate Kings came to nothing 1. They passed by together Together they came and together they vanished Vers. 5 2. They saw they wondered They saw the strength of this City and wondered how it should be so strangely delivered out of their hands And troubled at it 3. And upon it they were troubled they trembled and hasted away Fear took hold upon them Which the Prophet illustrates by a double Similitude 1. By a travailing woman Fear and trembling took hold upon them Vers. 6 as upon a woman in travail 2. By the fear of Mariners at Sea Vers. 7 when an Euroclydon threatens to tear their shâp Their amazement was such Gods protection of her as when Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an East-wind 3. Now follows the third part of the Psalm The third part in which are two especial points 1. A grateful acknowledgement of Gods protection of his Church 1 Gratitude Vers. 8 as he promised As we have heard so have we seen in the City of our God Heard we have that he will protect this City and we see that he hath done it and perswaded we are that he will alwayes do it God upholds the same for ever 2. And this shall never be forgotten by us Vers. 9 We have thought upon thy Name O Lord and loving-kindness in the midst of thy Temple 3. And so thought of it as to praise thee for it According to thy Name so is thy praise O God to the ends of the earth Vers. 10 All the earth shall know that thy righ-hand is full of righteousness That thou with a powerful hand dost help thy people oppressed with injuries and dost punish their enemies by which thou dost give a manifest evidence of thy righteousness and justice The other point of the third part is an Exhortation to Gods people 1. That they exult and rejoice for that which God does for them 2 To which the Church is incited Let Mount Zion rejoice let the daughters of Judah be glad because of thy judgements in defending thy Church Vers. 11 in punishing their enemies 2. That they take especial notice of his miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem with all the particulars of it that notwithstanding the Army was great that lay against it yet no harm was done to any part of it Walk about Zion and go round about her and tell the Towers thereof Vers. 12 Mark ye well her bulwarks and consider her palaces See mark consider whether they are not all yet standing entire 3. And do it for this That you may tell it to the generation following Vers. 13 Leave it upon Record how miraculously God hath delivered you 4. Now for this there is good reason For this God Vers. 14 This God that so protects and defends his Church and takes revenge for us is our God by Covenant and promise for ever and ever and he will for ever keep this Covenant with us He will be our guide even unto death and in death Leave us he will not when all the world leaves us Therefore exult rejoice mark it and make it known to the generation to come The Prayer collected out of the forty eighth Psalm O Lord God of Israel Vers. 1 thou which dwellest betwixt the Cherubints thou art the God even thou alone of all the Kingdoms of the earth and yet amongst these thou hast erected to thy self an everlasting Kingdom and set thy King upon thy Holy Hill of Zion this thou hast chosen to be the City of our God the Mountain of Holiness This thou hast seated on a fruitful Hill ordained to be the joy of the whole earth In this City of the great king and in her Palaces thou hast hitherto made thy self known for a sure refuge Lord bow down thine ears and hear Lord now open thine eyes and see for lo the Kings of Nations are assembled they passed by together and are confederate against thee they lay their heads together with one consent and take counsel how they may lay Jerusalem in the dust O Lord let not our sins be of more power to destroy than thy mercy to save this thy City shew thy strength and come and help us let all our enemies be troubled let them hast away let fear take hold suddenly upon them as the pangs upon a woman in travail Break their power and dissipate their Armies as ships at Sea are broken to pieces by some violent and unexpected wind O Lord we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us what thou hast done in the dayes of old As we have heard so let it be seen in the City of our God make us experimentally to know that thou wilt establish this thy City thy Church for ever So shall we have just reason to think of thy loving-kindness and to magnifie thy mercy in the midst of thy Temple Vers. 13 to praise thy name to the ends of the Earth to exalt thy right-hand so full of righteousness to speak of thy judgements and to tell of all thy wonderous works to all generations to come O let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad for the bulwarks that yet stand fast and the palaces that flourish proclaim that this God is our God for ever and ever that he is a great Lord and greatly to be praised and that he will be our guide unto death Amen PSAL. XLIX ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã AND the Doctrine it teacheth is That rich men be not proud of their wealth nor poor men dejected and troubled at their mean estate since all
the righteous but in that morning the upright shall have dominion over them They and their beauty shall consume together in the grave when the Lord shall exalt his Servants to eternal Glory Good God when thou hast blessed us with wealth and when we abound in honour give us understanding hearts that we think on these things that our time is short our riches vain our houses frail our honours fading that there is a life after this in which we must be happy or miserable so then let us set our hearts upon these transitory advantages that we never forget the desire of that life to come so use this World as if we used it not making it a passage to the celestial Canaan Amen PSAL. L. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THE Prophet by a Prosopopeia brings in God prescribing rules for his Worship The ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã then or the main debate in this Psalm is How God will be honour'd in his Church which because that none can teach but God himself therefore he brings him in speaking to his people Two general parts it hath 1. The Majesty and Authority of the person that is to judge this debate described from vers 1. to 7. 2. The sentence by him given from vers 7. to 23. The Prophet begins with an Elegant ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã calls an Assize The first part The Majesty and Authority of God the Judge summons a Court presents us with a Judge produceth Witnesses cites those who are to answer and having seated the Judge on the Throne gives forth his charge 1. He presents the Judge in Authority and Majesty The mighty God Vers. 1 even the Lord hath spoken He is Deus Deorum other gods there may be so called so feined but he is the God Almighty over them all vers 1. 2. The place whence he comes to judge is his Church Out of Zion the perfection of beauty God hath shined To Zion the Law was given and out of Zion the Law was to come according to which Law he would judge and therefore it was rightly said That out of Zion the Lord hath shined 3. His coming to judgement is like to be terrible It was so Vers. 3 when he gave his Law upon Mount Sinai and 't is like to be so when he shall come to require it Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about 2 Pet. 3.10 Luk. 21.25 26. Secondly Those that are cited here to appear before him Vers. 5 are call'd his Saints not only those who are truly such but all that bear the name Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me with Sacrifice i. e. undertaken to worship me as I have appointed Not as if others were excluded and should not come to judgement but because those they are who know his Will with whom God hath the contest in this place Vers. 1 Thirdly Against these he produceth his Witnesses The heavens the earth The Lord hath called the earth from the rising of the Sun Vers. 4 unto the going down thereof He shall call to the heavens above and to the earth that he may judge his people And the heavens shall declare his righteousness Witness his judgement to be just and other it could not be For God is Judge himself Next follows the Charge given by God himself the Judge to which The second part The charge at the Tribunal that he might win attention he thus prefaceth Hear O my people and I will speak O Israel and I will testifie against thee I am God even thy God Vers. 7 1. I am God therefore worship and obedience is due to me from all creatures 2. I am thy God thou my people therefore due from thee especially 3. I will speak judge and determine this Controversie about my Worship 4. I will testifie against thee and convince thee for what is amiss A double Worship there is 1. Ceremonial and External 2. 1 About outward worship Spiritual and Moral and I will speak and testifie of both First A duty then there was owing in Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Law which indeed I expect because I have commanded but let no man think that I am satisfied with the outward Act except they be brought perform'd and offer'd with an honest heart 1. I will not then reprove thee for thy Sacrifices or thy burnt-offerings Vers. 8 to have been continually before me These thou bringest and these I accept and that thou according to my Ordinance thou hast brought I reprove not But that thou think'st that by this External service howsoever performed 2 About inward worship without the outward rejected I am pleased and that for these thou deservest a pardon that is it which I reprove 2. For I without an inward reflexion upon that obedience unto my command and a sincere and loving faithful penitent heart in the offer of them will never think my self honour'd Vers. 9 I will take no Bullock out of thy house nor he-goats out of thy folds And that for two reasons 1. First I need them not I am rich and Opulent For every beast of the Forrest is mine Vers. 10 and the Cattle upon a thousand Hills I know all the fowls of the Mountains and the wild beasts of the field are mine Vers. 11 if I were hungry I will not tell thee for the world is mine and the fulness thereof 2. My perfection is such that I need it not The gods of the Heathen may be pleased and fed as their Hierophantae taught ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã indore carnium with the fumes of their Sacrifices and complain of starving when they were detain'd But think'st thou that I will eat the flesh of bulls Vers. 12 or drink the blood of goats I need no meat of thy provision Upon these terms then these Sacrifices though of mine own institution please me not Ex antithesi then I shall acquaint thee with those Sacrifices that worship which will please 2. Inward worship required which hath two parts And here begins the second part of the Charge concerning Moral and Spiritââ Worship which is Synecdochically declared by the two parts of prayer Thanksgiving and Petition or Invocation 1. Vers. 14 Thankfulness he expects Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High 2. Vers. 15 Invocation he looks for And call upon me in the day of trouble Which being done he makes an Indenture with us 1. On his part that he will deliver us I will deliver thee 2. On our part that we return him the Glory of our deliverance And thou shalt glorifie me 3. No worship accepted from hypocrites And yet here he puts in his exception against some men viz. Hypocrites and impious men For praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner and a petition presented by an obstinate rebellious profane soul shall not be heard To such he
speaks in these following words To the wicked God saith 1. Vers. 16 What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth 2. They contemners of Gods Law The reason is because in words thou professest thou lovest me but in deeds thou denyest him Thou hatest instruction in thy heart hatest that Law Vers. 17 that with thy mouth thou commendest and hast cast my words behind thee Written I have to thee the wonderful things of my Law and thou hast counted them a strange thing This I shall now prove and illustrate by a distribution This proved 1. Vers. 18 Thou hast no regard of the eighth Commandment When thou sawest a thief then thou consentest with him In the consent is the more malice it shews that it was not rashly done but on purpose deliberation counsel 2. Vers. 19 Nor of the seventh Thou hast been partaker with the Adulterers 3. Vers. 20 Nor of the ninth Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son Against thy brother not a stranger and that not casually neither or in anger but studiously thou satest and speakest 4. No nor of the first For thou hast had a profane thought even of me Vers. 21 and of my mercy forbearance and long-suffering These things hast thou done and I kept silence arose not presently to take vengeance on thee And thou thought'st that I was altogether such a one as thy self A Patron an approver of wickedness as thou thy self art But from any such imputation God no Abetter of wickedness here I purge my self before the Heaven and Earth and the whole World For I will not suffer this thy wickedness to go unreveng'd The day shall come when I will reprove thee Vers. 21 and punish this thy wickedness with severe punishments and set in order before thine eyes the villany that thou hast committed and labour'd to hide Confess at that day thou shalt that the sentence pronounc'd against thee is most just Yet He gives warning to the wicked threatens that he may spare And yet in judgement God remembers mercy It becomes a Judge even when he is pronouncing sentence to take unto him the bowels of compassion And these God who is to be our Judge here puts on ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã For he gives a fair warning to the wicked that they repent and perish not 1. Now while you have time consider this Vers. 22 that God is not pleased with outward Rites Formalities and Ceremonies only that he is not to be pacified with long prayers and preaching of his Law if the life be wicked For this is upon the point to forget that he is a God of pur eyes and cannot behold iniquity Consider this then I say lest like as an angry lyon Promiseth help to the sincere he break out upon you on a sudden and there be none to deliver This is a fair warning to the wicked Vers. 23 2. Now to those who worship God in sincerity he makes a quite contrary promise of defence help salvation Who offereth with an honest heart praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright goes the right way that Gods Word directs I will shew the salvation of God He shall be saved and know that he worships not God in vain The Prayer out of the fiftieth Psalm O Most Mighty and just God who hast appointed a day in which thou wilt judge the world when all flesh shall appear before thee to render an accompt of their wayes whether good or evil never let that strict accompt that we must make slip out of our memory but let the sound of that Arch-angels Trumpet sound in our eares Arise ye dead and come to judgement God to whom the secrets of all hearts are open is then to be the Iudge Vers. 6 the Mighty God even the Lord is to sit upon the Tribunal himself Vers. 1 Our God that hath been patient and long-suffering shall then manifest himself Vers. 3 Silence he will not keep but by his judiciary power he will vindicate and revenge all the deeds and sayings of perverse sinners And he will come in a terrible manner for before him shall go a fire that shall consume and purge the whole world A day it will be of darkness and gloominess a mighty tempest will go before him and the whole frame of the universe will be in a Commotion How shall then our hearts fail us for fear Vers. 1 when the heaven and earth shall be call'd to as Witnesses against us the heaven whose light and influences we have enjoyed but been unthankful the earth whose various fruits and beneficence we might have used but have abused All his creatures at that day will declare his righteousness and proclaim that we are a rebellious people Out of that celestial habitation and that Zion which is above Vers. 2 shall our God appear in perfect beauty His Saints Vers. 2 and those who have made a Covenant with him shall be gather'd round about him When all the workers of iniquity shall call to the Hills to cover them and the Mountains to hide them from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Majesty O most Merciful and Gracious God Vers. 22 give us an understanding heart to consider this Never suffer us to forget thee that that day-come not upon us unawares snatch us not away to condemnation from which if we dye in our sins no man is able to deliver us Keep us O Lord with thy mighty hand that when in words we profess to know thée in déeds we deny not let us never consent to the Thief nor partake with the Adulterer far be it from us to give our mouths to evil and our tongues to frame deceit let us not join with the malicious and factious and sit and speak against our brother or detract and slander our mothers son never let such obdurate obstinacy seize upon our hearts that we hate instruction or cast thy words behind us These are sins inconsistent with grace and evident Arguments of a reprobate soul those that abuse thy patience and long-suffering commit them and that have profane thoughts of the Divine Majesty defile themselves with them Against all sinners but these especially thou hast testified these thou hast reproved keep me therefore O Lord from these presumptuous sins Thou art God even my God when thou speakest give me an ear to hear and what thou commandest give me a will to do O let me glorifie thee and order my Conversation aright that I may obtain salvation I have grievously sinned and wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before my God Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or ten thousand Rivers of oyle All the Beasts of the Forrest are
transgressions of them with a pen of Iron and point of a Diamond with whom thou mindest to enter into judgment let not me O Lord be of that number let not my debt stand registred in that Book but of thy mercy and not my merit put it away and blot it out for if my sin stand upon thy account I am but a dead man Lord quicken me Lord forgive me my trespass and put away the hand-writing of thy Ordinance that is against me O Lord if thou wash me not I shall have no part with thée spots I have Ver. 2 that are not the spots of a son pollutions that are of a scarlet dye wash me then by thy vower from iniquity and cleanse me by thy Spirit from my sin or else as an Aethiop I shall never change my spots O Lord lest my uncleanness banish me from my fellowship with thée wash I beséech thée not my féet only but my hands and my head also Wash my féet that is my unclean affections wash my hands that is my unclean actions and wash my head that is my unclean imaginations cleanse me in all that the pollution of any do not cast me from thy presence O Lord I do not hide and conceal the iniquity of my bosom Ver. 3 I séek not to cover it as hitherto I have done but behold now I know it I acknowledge it I confess it to thée against my self therefore shew Lord some pity and compassion upon a miserable sinner and forgive it my sin is ever before me do thou therefore cast it behind thy back My sin is so secret to the eye of the World that no eye beholds it Ver. 4 to them I séem to be what I am not from them I find no trouble but thou O Lord art he to whom all creatures must render an account against thee then against thee I confess that I have grievously offended and done evil in thy sight and therefore it is not O Lord without cause that I suffer these heavy things from thy hands I have deserved them all and given thée just Reason to procéed against me as thou hast done and now I here acknowledge it before the world that thou mayest be justified and have the praise of righteousness even in those things which by the hands of men thou hast brought upon me Righteous art thou O Lord and just in thy judgments I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwells no good thing it is not one Fact only in which I am culpable Behold I was born in iniquity and in sin hath my mother conceived me A Transgressor I have béen from the womb for that bitter root of sin ingraffed in my nature hath gathered strength and shot forth new branches my understanding is darkned my will perverted and my affections bent to evil so that I am truly abominable in thy sight and ashamed of my self especially being conscious to those foul and enormous actual sins that grow from this polluted féed Behold Thou lovest Truth in the inward affections but wo is me I am a man of a double heart Thou hast often instructed my conscience by many secret motions of thy holy Spirit and taught me the way of wisdom but I foolishly have given a check to those inspirations and strayed like a lost shéep in the wayes of folly the light of my conscience I have put out and against my own knowledge I have transgressed Miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin I thank God through Iesus Christ my Lord he hath shed his blood for me he alone is my Iesus Purge me then O Lord not with hyssop but with his blood nor Sope nor Niter nor Fullers Sope can make me clean but that stream which issued out of his wounds and side Purge me then with this blood and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow though my sins were as scarlet yet I shall be whiter than wool though they be red like crimson yet ãâã shall be white as the driven snow O Lord I hear within me the accusing voyce of a disquiet conscience which pursues accuseth and terrifies me O Lord let me hear the voyce of joy and gladness send down from above the Comforter who alone can speak peace to my soul and then my body which pineth away under this anguish and my bones which séem to be broken through my disconsolate condition shall again recover their wonted strength and my flesh upon me shall rejoyce If then Lord mark what is amiss who can abide it even thy dear Son when he endured the looks of thy angry face fell into agony his soul was heavy his flesh in such pain that he sweat thick clotts of blood how miserable then am I so long as thou shalt look upon me with an angry brow Hide O hide thy face from my sins and blot out all my misdeeds Turn thy angry look from me and look upon the face of thy Anointed that so thy anger when it reacheth me may as the Sun-beams passing through some thick cloud be refracted and mitigated O Lord by my sin I have grieved thy holy Spirit and forced thée who art properly my heart and life of my heart to forsake me come again Lord and restore life unto me without thée I am dead in trespasses and sins I have lost my life Ver. 10 and like a man wanting his quickning spirit when thou wentest away my life went away Return O Lord and come again and create a new heart within me Of my self I have fallen by thy assistance I must rise lend me then the helping hand of thy grace that may lift me up And being fallen my heart is foul Ver. 11 polluted and unclean and who is able to bring a clean thing out of an unclean This is a work much like the producing the first World out of the Tohu and Bohu set O Lord Almighty thy power to work again and create in me a clean heart Fallen I am into the old age of sin begin with me again and make me young and lusty as an Eagle Ver. 12 Cast me not away and forsake me not in my old age of iniquity as a dead man out of mind but let thy presence yet be with me and restore me to the joy of thy salvation O take not from me the graces and assistances of thy Spirit thy right Spirit thy holy Spirit thy frée Spirit A perverse spirit I find in my self thy Spirit will rectifie it and teach me to go the right way an unclean spirit I am possessed with thy Spirit will sanctifie it and purge it from pollution 't is the spirit of bondage to which I am subject thy Spirit can set it at liberty and make it frée impart therefore some nay a liberal portion of this thy Spirit that may teach me the right way that may set me in a holy course that may kéep preserve uphold and confirm me in it that
I never more fall from thée but with a frée willing loving and an ingenuous soul I may constantly kéep the strait paths of thy Commandments all the dayes of my life this this will be an assurance unto me That I am restored to the joy of thy salvation And being restored my self I shall first labour to confirm my Brethren and then also I shall praise thée I will teach sinners in the way as my example hath seduced them so shall my exemplary Repentance again reduce them I will shew them my tears by which I have recovered thy grace my sorrow my confession by which I have pacified thy wrath what they are to do if they will recover thy favour and how ready thou art to forgive and be reconciled if they do it by which many a poor sinner shall be converted to thee And then they with me and I with them shall sing aloud of thy righteousness That thou art a righteous God that punishest the wicked and impenitent a righteous God that hast promised and performest thy Word in pardoning the believing penitent O Gd of my salvation open my lips which my sin hath shut up and closed and my tongue shall sing of thy mercies all the day long which being offered upon the Altar of a broken tender melting and contrite heart thou hast promised to accept Wouldst thou be pleased with the first-born of my body for the sin of my soul I would not detain it Hadst thou any delight in the fat of Rams or sed Beasts I would bind these sacrifices with cords even to the horns of the Altar but thou delightest not in burnt-offerings but he that offereth thée thanks and praise he honoureth thée but he that brings a heart broken for his sin he pleaseth thée and to him that presents a soul truly contrite that he hath offended so kind a Father thou wilt look this broken heart I bring to thée this contrite spirit I bere sacrifice before thée O Lord accept of this offering of me thy thankful but weak and miserable except thou be merciful servant And in the last place being perswaded that I am reconciled unto thée Ver. 18 I pray not for my self alone but for thy whole Church Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion and build thou the walls of Jerusalem When thy servants think upon her stones it pitieth them to sée her in the dust my sins as well as others have brought upon her this ruine but Lord turn from thy fierce wrath and once more repair her breaches let this City flourish once again let peace be within her Walls and plenteousness within her Palaces but especially a happy progress in true Religion and fear of thy Name Then shalt thou be pleased not with burnt-offerings and oblations Ver. 19 but with the calves of our lips and Hymns and Psalms which they who confess thy Name shall sing melodiously in their hearts to thée O my God I will sing of thy Name and exalt thy power and mercy for ever Amen PSAL. LII THIS Psalm was composed by occasion of Doegs cruelty in falling upon and slaying the Priests of God 1 Sam. 21 22. and the Subject is Doegs malice and Gods goodness Three parts there are in this Psalm 1. An Invective against Doeg and his fall from ver 1. to 6. 2. The comfort that Gods people should take in it ver 6. 3. The security and flourishing estate of those who trust in God and Davids thanks for it ver 9. 1. David begins with an abrupt Apostrophe to Doeg The first part and figures it by an Erotesis Why boastest thou thy self in mischief thou Mighty man and answers Ver. 1 that this boasting was but vain The goodness of God endures continually An invective against Doeg 1. His Character which was enough to quiet any soul that was affrighted with his brags and threats And so having put this black character upon him that he was a malicious bloody man and arrived to that height of impudence that he boasted in mischief he descends to particulars and sets him out in his colours especially by the ill use of that part by which he did most mischief his tongue 1. Thy tongue worketh mischief like a Rasor working deceitfully 1. Which is an instrument to cut the Beard but it comes too near the Throat 2. When this is done a deceit there is in it for the man who came under the edge of the Rasor expected no such usage 2. Thou lovest evil more than good His wickedness was habitual he bore a love to it 3. Thou lovest lying rather than to speak righteousness An enemy he was to the truth and by lyes and flatteries ready to destroy good men 4. Which David in the next verse more plainly expresseth Thou lovest all devouring words O thou false tongue he was as it were all tongue and wholly false and deceitful This is his Character now David foretels his ruine and total destruction which he amplifies from the Author by a Congeries of words 2 His ruine God shall likewise destroy thee for ever he shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place and root thee out of the Land of the living The Rooters up of Gods Priests shall be unrooted 2. The second part The comfort Gods people take in it Then follows how Gods people should be affected upon Doegs fall 1. They The Righteous shall set it and fear fear and reverence God more than before as taking a just revenge on a wicked man 2. And they shall laugh at him using this bitter Sarcasm Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthned himself in his wickedness This ruine is justly hapned to him he trusted in his gold more than God and by adding one wickedness to another thought to strengthen himself But such a fearful end shall not fall upon David The third part The flourishing estate of the good not any good man when a wicked man shall be unrooted he shall flourish as an Olive that is never destitute of leaves nor fruit a good and bad man are here opposed and their successes 1. As for me I am like a green Olive Tree fruitful and green 2. An Olive Tree planted in the House of God without which the fruits are but sowre and the leaves bare leaves only 3. His faith is the cause of it An Olive lasts long two hundred years and long liv'd a good man shall be for ever and ever to a good life longaevity is promised here hereafter eternity 4. And the Reason of all this the good mans faith I trust in the mercy of God Upon which his Conclusion being full of confidence Which is accompanied with praise and hope and expectancy follows 1. I will praise thee for ever because thou hast done it 2. And I will wait on thy Name for this is good before thy Saints this alone is the foundation of
before the Jewes but now all universally Sing unto God ye Kingdoms of the Earth O sing praises to the Lord. Selah And that all Nations do it His Reasons 2. His Reasons to perswade it 1. The Majesty of God testified 1. 1 The Majesty of God By his works To him that rides upon the Heaven of Heavens which were of old 2. 2 His protection His power in his Thunder in his Word He doth send forth his voyce and that a mighty voyce 2. His wise protection and providence to his people Ascribe ye the power to God his excellency is over Israel and his strength is in the Cloud 3. 3 His goodness to his Church His communication of himself to his Church in particular 1. O Lord thou art terrible out of thy holy places 2. The God of Israel is he that gives strength and power to his people 3. Blessed be God with that Epiphonema he concludes The Prayer collected out of the sixty eight Psalm O God in Majesty terrible in thy protection of thy people most merciful since thy power is so great thy presence so powerful that at the blasting of the breath of thy Nostrils thy enemies vanish as a vapour when it is raised to the highest and those that hate thée haste from thy presence Why art thou absent from us why sléepest thou in this néedful time of trouble O Lord awake and arise for us and scatter our nay thy enemies they hate not us Ver. 1 but thée and thy Law and Ordinances make them to flie from thy face drive them away as smoke as wax consumes and melts before the fire Ver. 2 so let the wicked perish at thy presence O God so shall the righteous have just occasion to rejoyce Ver. 3 they shall rejoyce before thee their God they shall be exceedingly joyful O God Thou art infinite in thy Essence wonderful in thy works most merciful in thy wayes to the sons of men Thou ridest above upon the Heavens when we crawle upon this Dunghill of Earth Thou art Jehovah and hast a being in thy self a time there was when we were not and the time will come when we shall not be and what we are at present we have from thée O let us live then and we will praise thée Turn away thy wrath from us and we will rejoyce before thee and sing praises to thy Name As Orphans we are in this World be thou our Father as Widows be thou our Husband Ver. 5 destitute we are without any humane help left alone and solitary O gather us into Families and Societies for our rebellions against thée bound we are with Chains and brought into a dry Land hear the groans and sighs we send up unto thée and out of thy holy habitation make it appear that thou art present with us look upon the humble consider thy dispersed and distracted people have pity on the Widows and Orphans and let us dwell once more together in peace unity and plenty O God Ver. 7 when thou wentest before thy people Israel when thou didst lead them through the Wilderness then thou didst march before them in a cool Cloud by day and in a Pillar of fire by night the dull and heavy earth was moved at thy presence the Heavens drop't Manna the Clouds shot forth lightnings even Sinai it self trembled when thou gavest thy Law unto thy people and after thou brought'st them into a wealthy Land O Lord thy power is yet the same and thy goodness immutable go out before us a sinful Nation and yet thy people as thou didst rain down Manna for them so also we beg of thée to send us necessaries from above and let this our Land that hath béen long afflicted with many evils enjoy a quiet peace and her inhabitants the fruits of peace confirm us Lord in that inheritance which thou hast given us let thy Congregation dwell therein and of thy goodness not for our merits prepare and provide meat and rayment for thy people that hath béen long oppressed by Tyrants We have heard with our ears O God and our Fathers have told us what thou hast done in their time of old great is the company that have published in our hearing that by thy mighty power Kings with their Armies did flie and haste away and that thou hast given the spoil to be divided among thy Houshold-servants This puts us in hope that we even we that have béen for a long time cast aside as the off-scouring of all things and black and inglorious by many pressures shall yet be called for again and set in our inheritances our Dove-like and innocent faces shine as silver and glister as gold the Snow upon the top of Salmon shall not be so white as shall our innocence when thou by these afflictions hast purged away out dross and melted away our tin Such a mercy we cannot expect for our own sakes for we are a sinful people but Lord remember Zion and be gracious to Jerusalem This is the Hill of God in this thou desirest to dwell this thou hast chosen to dwell in for ever Shall then the other Hills insult over it shall the Kings of the Nations and pride of Tyrants trample it to the dust Thy Chariots O God are twenty thousands even thousands of Angels and thou Lord art among them as in Sinai Now Lord shew thy self in glory ascend on High get the victory and triumph over the enemies of thy-Church lead them Captives that have captiv'd us and make them bring and offer thee gifts that have robbed thy Temples and so change the hearts of the rebellious That thou Lord may'st dwell among them and be acknowledged and worshipped by them Bring thy people O Lord out of their troubles as thou of old didst deliver thy chosen from the fury of Og the King of Bashan or thy people Israel from the hands of Pharoah that pursued them to the depths of the red Sea Wound the head of thy enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness let thy Beloved wash their feet in the blood of their enemies and let the very Dogs lick their blood wisely they wrought against us conceiving they had inclosed us but thou art our God the God of our Salvation to thée belongs and thou hast shewed that there be in thy power many issues from death for where the help of man hath failed Thou hast reached forth thy hand and delivered us from the jaw of the Lyon and the paw of the Boar Blessed then be the Lord which daily loads us with benefits even the God of our salvation Make thy Word perfect O our God rebuke the multitude of the Spear-men restrain the fury of those whose rage and anger against us is no less than that of enraged Bulls still the tumults of the people scatter all those that delight in War for thy Temples sake at Jerusalem be propitious unto us and strengthen that O God which
deny me and afford me no comfort And all this is done unto me without any fault or offence of mine Ver. 7 it is for thy sake I have born this reproach For thy sake shame hath covered my face for the zeal of thy House hath eaten me up I have béen very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts they have thrown down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets with the edge of the Sword very studious I have béen and fervent to maintain thy Religion in its purity which others have cast down and in it so much as lies in them have reproached thée but the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Because thy Name was dishonoured I wept I chastned even my soul with fasting and whereas I ought for this to have béen more dear unto them I became a scorn even my humiliation and acts of repentance were turned to my reproach I testified also my sadness by my Sackloth and for this I became a Proverb of reproach The Iudges the chief of the City they which sit in the Gates speak against me condemning me and detracting from me and as for the common ordinary sort of people the Drunkards they made songs of me In a word They gave me Gall to eat and Vinegar to drink so inhumane they were that whereas in my greatest sufferings and extremities they ought to have refreshed and relieved me they increased my sorrows and under a colour of refreshment added affliction to the afflicted Now in the midst of these grievances that which most grieves my heart is the scandal of the Cross afraid I am lest that any of thy people looking upon those things which I suffer should estéem me stricken smitten of God and afflicted and thereby take an occasion to renounce the Truth of Religion and fall from thée I beséech thée therefore O Lord God of Hosts Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed for my sake let not them that seek thee be confounded for my sake O Lord God of Israel O Lord to remove this scandal there is no readier way than to bring them down to humble them and to poure the vials of thy wrath upon them Let then their Table be made a snare unto them and what should have been a welfare let it become a trap Gall and bitterness they have offered to me let their dainties be bitterness in their mouths and gall to their palates A snare they have laid for my féet and let that in which they hope to be prosperous and happy be an occasion of falling the very eating of the Paschal Lamb their ruine and thy Word the food of their souls an occasion of errour In hearing let them hear and not understand and in séeing let them sée and not perceive make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they sée with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Inféeble them O Lord and make their loins to tremble and shake bow down their backs with slavery and hard bondage and press them continually with such burdens of miseries that they may groan and sigh under the heavy hand of their Oppressors Plentifully and speedily poure forth thy indignation upon them and let thy fiercest anger and vengeance continually pursue them let their houses be desolate not a stone left upon a stone and their land without an inhabitant let them procéed from one wickedness to another and add sin to sin till their iniquity come to the full neither ever let them repent them of their wicked wayes that thou might'st pardon and forgive their heinous transgressions or justifie them at thy great Tribunal with mercy thou wilt indulge to all true penitents And although hitherto they have béen reckoned among thy people of whom they are born and with whom thou hast established thy Covenant yet O Lord let them be blotted out of the Book of the living and not be written among the righteous And it is but just that all this happen unto them because when common humanity and thy Word also requires That we weep with him that weeps and lament with him that laments they have helped on the affliction for they persecute Him whom thou hast smitten and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded O Lord I am wounded I suffer justly under thy hand but to them I have done no harm at this time I am poor and sorrowful destitute of all humane help and affected with extream heaviness Arise then for me and let thy salvation set me up on High Deliver me O Lord from these troubles and so shall I praise thy Name with a Song Ver. 30 Save me from my enemies and I shall magnifie thee with Thanksgiving which sacrifice Ver. 31 I know will better please thee than the fat of fed Beasts or the incense of Rams Besides all those that are of a dejected spirit humbled and brought low at the sight of my afflictions will consider this sée they will That God heareth the poor and despiseth not those who are in captivity and imprisoned for his sake and they will be glad and rejoyce at it and the heart of all those that seek thââ which was even dead before will then revive and live O Lord save Sion and build the Cities of Judah let men dwell there and have it in possession let the seed of thy servants inherit it and all those that love thy Name dwell therein so shall the Heaven and Earth praise thee and every thing that moveth therein Amen Amen PSAL. LXX ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THIS Psalme is the same with the five last verses of the fortieth Psalm The Contents of this Psalm are 1. The Prayer of David for himself that he may be freed from his enemies ver 1. which he repeats ver 5. 2. For the speedy destruction of the wicked ver 2 3. 3. For the prosperity of the godly ver 4. 4. The Arguments he urgeth to move God to grant his prayer 1. His miserable condition I am poor and needy 2. Gods office Thou art my Helper and Redeemer therefore make no long tarrying O my God The Psalm needs no farther Analysis because it is fully Analysed before in the end of the fortieth Psalm The Prayer out of the seventieth Psalm O Lord we therefore daily implore thy mercy because we are daily beset with danger Enemies we have without within us from whose malice and cruelty we can find no safety Ver. 5 except in thy favour and mercy Thou alone art our Help and Deliverer make then no long tarrying O my God rather make haste to deliver us Ver. 1 make haste to help us Many there are that seek after my soul let them be ashamed and confounded Ver. 2 many there are that desire my hurt let them be turned backward and put to confusion suddenly let them be turned back and put to flight Ver. 3 that rejoyce at
The Prayer collected out of the seventy third Psalm O Lord God of Israel who sits above the Cherubims and yet casts thy eyes down to behold all things that are in the Earth wisely dispensing and secretly governing and by thy Providence and secret counsel disposing of the Affairs of this World in all humility I present my self before thy Throne intreating thée to forget and to forgive the disorderly passions of my soul and the secret whispers of my heart by which I have béen tempted to doubt of thy Wisdom and Providence When I have séen the prosperity of wicked men Ver. 3 I confess my heart hath grown hot within me my soul hath béen moved with envy at their peace and with indignation at their successes angry I have béen That their strength is firm That they should be fréed from the troubles of famine cold weariness and the sharp pangs and cruelty of death to which thy best servants are subject and which they suffer their pride is intolerable their violence bottomed on their wealth impudent they are and their thoughts impious their words lofty For they set their mouth against Heaven and their tongues walk through the Earth endeavouring to aunul or change the Laws of God and man these are the ungodly and these prosper in the World these are they that increase in riches Yea and this prosperity of their's I confess it to my own shame prevailed so far upon me that I forgot my self Ver. 2 and thy Covenant of mercies made with thy servants upon it my féet were almost gone from that confidence I had in thée my God and my treadings had well nigh slip't from the study of vertue and practice of piety I was even ready to say Verily then have I cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Ver. 13 Especially when I saw how the whole World ran after them how the multitude clove to them applauded their wayes blessed their happiness yea Ver. 10 even then when they impiously blaspheme How doth God know what we do in the Earth Is there any knowledge or care of these worldly businesses in the most High Thus my heart was grieved and disquieted and my very reins within me were sorely pricked The felicity wealth and flourishing estate of wicked men made so déep impression upon my soul that I was tempted with thoughts of falling to them and to tread those steps they had chalked to my happiness So foolish was I and ignorant even as it were a beast before thee Being in this perplexity of soul and agony of spirit I cast about which way to come to a resolution I consulted my own heart but found no comfort my own reason was too dark and flesh and blood too weak to give me satisfaction why the wicked should flourish be rich and mighty and the good man plagued all the day long and chastned every morning when I thought to know this it was too hard and painful for me Again I said if I speak thus that the good man is miserable and the ungodly happy then I shall condemn of vanity the whole Generation of thy children who have béen studious of piety denied themselves and taken up their Cross and followed thée Being thus tossed with these waves of discomfort I found no assurance of rest untill I went into the Sanctuary of God entred thy School and addicted my self wholly to learn thy will and thy wayes for then I plainly understood the end of these whom the World and their own corrupt heart accounted the sole happy men that their felicity was but momentary their end fearful their prosperity as a dream that the temporal things in which they gloried their sole reward for the bad use of which they were like to lose Heaven and be tormented for ever O my God make this thy Word good and as thou hast ser them in slippery places so let them find no stedfast standing let them slip and fall and suddenly cast them down to destruction bring them to desolation in a moment and let their consumption be full of amazement let the conscience of their former wickedness pursue them at their death and their end be accompanied with terrours to themselves and others even as a dream when one awaketh vanisheth suddenly and deceives the man that was detained while he slept with a vain and empty delight of what was represented so let all their pomp and shew of great happiness be unto them at their latter end if the remembrance thereof serve for any thing let it be to vex them that it is past and gone and must be exchanged for a never dying torment For lo they that depart far from thee from thy Law from their Duty shall perish and thou wilt destroy all those who leaving thée the Fountain of living water have digged to themselves broken pits that will hold no water who run a whoring after the creature and forsake thée their Creator to whom they ought only to adhere and be conjoyned in a firm bond of love While then other men féed themselves with the shadow of these pleasing dainties so encline my heart O God That I may be continually with thee persevere and continue thy servant notwithstanding all tentations to the contrary and as a good Father so uphold me by my right hand that I fall not from thée guide me by thy counsel thy Spirit thy Word and afterward receive me to glory for whom have I to flie to in Heaven but thee To which of the Saints should I turn and what one of the Angels should I invocate And when I turn my eyes down upon the Earth I find every creature so unable to make me happy That they are all vanity and vexation of spirit I must confess my own infirmity I do acknowledge my own weaknes when I beheld the prosperity of the wicked my flesh and my heart failed Thy goodness it is that I recovered for I acknowledge that God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever with thée I am content in thee satisfied worldly prosperity wealth preferment honour power are a very poor inheritance in comparison of thée I have learned out of the Oracles of thy Word I have béen instructed in thy School That it is good by faith and love for me to draw near to God and to commit my self wholly to thy dispose I will therefore put my whole trust in the Lord God and therefore having had an assurance of thy mercies I will declare thy wonderful works and sing forth thy praises in the Gates of the daughter of Zion and in the City of Jerusalem for ever and ever PSAL. LXXIV ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THIS Psalm was composed by the Prophet upon some grievous desolation which he either saw or fore-saw to fall upon the Temple and Houses of God in the land of Judaea whether by Nebuchodonozer Antiochus Epiphanes or some other is uncertain Two parts 1. His Complaint from ver 1. to 10. 2.
God of hard dealing to him David betakes him to God in affliction and prays very earnestly he blasphemed not he despaired not nor filled the Aire with empty complaints but he betook himself to his God opened to him his grief and of him he desired help and comfort 1. He prayed 2. He prayed often 3. He prayed earnestly 4. With a troubled foul 1. His prayer was a cry 't was earnest 2. Despairs not With his voyce with his voyce he cryed it was often 3. To God he cryed I sought the Lord. 4. And it was in his agony he no question had done it before in his prosperity which is the best way for then he is near but yet now he does it again even in the day of his trouble and yet he despairs not to be heard then and he gave ear to me The Psalm is not then an expression of a despairing soul but of one that hath a conflict with tentation And now to the 10th verse he expresseth two things First What were the affrights of his troubled soul Secondly What did aggravate and increase this his trouble 1. His complaint is bitter and he sets down the particulars that troubled him which were these Ver. 2 1. The particulars that troubled him His sore ran in the night and ceased not whether he means his sore of body or mind is indifferent both troubled him yea and in the night when he should take his rest then he found no intermission and this his hand as some reads it runs and extends it self in prayer even in this night when no man saw it and so his complaint was in secret and far from hypocrisie which loves witnesses 2. My soul refused to be comforted All the comforts which were offered me were to no purpose my soul respuebat as a sick stomack delicious meats with Rachel with Jacob he would not be comforted all friends were miserable comforters as they were to Job he was ready to say There is no hope 3. I remembred God and was troubled A heavy affliction Ver. 3 when the memory of Gods goodness his example of mercy his pardons to great sinners before us cannot comfort us this was Davids case his memory presented to him all Gods favours to himself and others and yet he was troubled still I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Selah He was as it were in a swoon 4. Thou holdest my eyes waking my sleep is gone from me Ver. 4 by the benefit of sleep the spirits are refreshed these must needs be turbulent and fearful when his sleep was departed 5. I am so troubled that I cannot speak Curae leves loquuntur ingentes stupent At the first verse when he cryed with his voyce he felt some ease but in the extremity of his trouble he was amazed he had not a word to speak 2. Hitherto of his agony and trouble in body soul spirit next That which increased his grief viz. The memory of Gods goodness to him before he shews what did aggravate and increase his grief which were the happiness which Gods people and he himself enjoyed before the memory of which did increase his grief 1. I have considered the dayes of old the years of ancient times how merciful thou hast been to our fore-fathers in pardoning them in delivering them in sending them comfort of which I have now no sense That he could joy in and praise God 2. In particular I call to remembrance my song in the night I remember with how much comfort and joy of heart even in the night-season I was wont to sing unto thee and praise thee 3. But now I commune with mine own heart Now not so and my spirit makes diligent search I have a long dispute with my own heart and make a diligent search betwixt me and my own soul why it should be thus with me why I should be thus afflicted why my God should upon the point cast me off 3. And now by an elegant Hypotyposis in the three following verses The debate betwixt hope and despair in him he sets down what those disputes and disquisitions were he had with his own heart when he strugled with the wrath of God and his own heart tempting to despair of Gods goodness and performance of his Promises to his people he said within himself 1. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more 2. Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise fail for evermore 3. Hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in his anger shut up his tender mercies 2. Now follows the second part of the Psalm The second part How he recovers in which David shews how he did recover out of this tentation and first he confesseth that it arose not from any change in God or alteration of his good-will but from his own weakness and secondly 1 He checks his foul for weakness of faith shewes the way how he would secure himself from the like trouble for the future 1. He begins with a correction of himself And I said it is my own infirmity it is my own weakness of faith that puts me to all this trouble 2 Takes heart upon the memory of which if it were stronger I know I should hope better the Nature the Promises the Works of God being sufficient to confirm me 2. That therefore I relapse not 1. I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High 1 Gods wayes I will remember the power of Gods right hand which is able to turn the most desperate and darksom nights of trouble into the pleasant and joyful dayes of content according to our Saviours words Your sorrow shall be turned to joy 2. I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old 2 His works viz. That God calls not his people to the pleasures of this World but to dangerous conflicts with Satan sin c. And yet his presence is such that he doth defend them yea and miraculously save them This is the work of God these are his wonders of old which I will remember 3. And I will so remember them that I will seriously and sadly meditate upon them Upon which he would meditate and discourse On these he stayes and speak of them I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of thy doings Upon which works of God he makes a stand and insists to the end of the Psalm first in general and then by name in Israel 1. At the 13th verse he turns his speech to God 1. Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary that is in secret and hid from the World Considering Gods wayes to his people in general he that will understand the way of God to his people must by faith enter into his Temple and enquire of his Word as it is Psal 73.17 't is too hard for him else to know else he shall never perceive why God
brings them into the case that David here was 2. To which he adds a Doxology Who is so great a God as our God which he confirms in the following verse Thou art the God that dost wonders Thou hast declared thy strength among the people thy power thy wisdom thy protection of thy Church even to all people the Heathens themselves and strangers to Israel may see it and acknowledge it if not blind 2. 2 To Israel in particular But in particular Thou hast declared thy strength in defence of Israel Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people the sons of Jacob and Joseph And he amplifies this story of their deliverance from Aegypt by several instances of Gods power in it 1. In the red Sea The waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee not only the Aegyptians but the sensless Element felt thy power they were afraid the depths also were troubled Exod. 14. 2. In the Heaven The clouds poured out water the skies sent out a sound thine arrows also went abroad the voyce of thy Thunder was in the Heavens thy lightnings lightned the World Exod. 14.24 25. 3. In the earth The earth trembled and shook and all this was done that Israel might have a passage through it Thy way is in the Sea and thy passage in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known And the final cause of this miracle was The final cause of it that he might shew his severity toward his enemies and his goodness toward his people for whose deliverance he sent Moses and Aaron ordained a King and a Priest by them Thou leddest thy people like sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron The Prayer collected out of the seventy seventh Psalm VVITH all ardency of spirit earnestness of soul and contention of voyce Ver. 1 have I cryed unto thée O Lord constantly and fervently have I cryed unto thée O hear the voyce of my prayer and let my cry come unto thée when I was in trouble I expected I called for no humane help but I fled to thée to thée I called for aid and comfort with stretched-out hands and eyes bent to Heaven I stood before my God O let me not be disappointed of my hope In the night-season Ver. 2 when others devoid of care take their rest and sléep my sore ran and ceased not I found no rest in my bones by reason of my sin yea so great was the grief of my soul That I refused comfort I remembred my God whom I had so often and so foully offended and I was troubled at it my sin my grievous sin lies heavy upon my soul it makes me to complain and the conscience of it so far depresseth my spirit That I am even overwhelmed with fear and sorrow By the dread I have of thy anger my eyes are held waking and I pass the long night in which others are refreshed with sléep without any rest and I am so troubled in my self that I have no mind to speak I revolved in my mind the times that were past and the years of former Generations in which thou hadst dealt mercifully with afflicted souls And in the night-season a season most fit for meditation I called to remembrance my song my song in which with a joyful heart I was wont to praise thée and yet so I received not comfort I communed with my own heart I searched out as with a Lanthorn my soul I called to mind thy clemency to thy children thy Truth in thy Word thy Iustice in thy Promises the causes of all calamities and these my sorrows and yet so I could not be comforted Ah merciful Lord and loving Father Wilt thou cast me off for ever and wilt thou no more be favourable to me Thou art patient and long-suffering Thou art the Father of mercies thy property is to have pity thy promise to forgive and spare thy people and is thy mercy now gone for ever and doth thy promise fail for evermore What hâst thou forgotten to be gracious and wilt thou in anger shut up thy tender bowels of mercies that I shall never more have any sense or féeling of them Of a truth Lord for my wicked life I have deserved the fiercest of thy wrath and all the judgments which thou hast threatned against rebellious sinners but O Lord Thou art able of a Saul to make a Paul of a Publican a Disciple of Zachaeus a Penitent of Mary Magdalen a Convert these changes are in the hand of the most High Turn then me O Lord and so I shall be turned and turn unto me and so I shall be refreshed pardon my sin and change my heart and so I shall be assured that thy mercy is not clean gone For after this long debate betwixt me and my own soul upon the serious thoughts of thy mercy I came to this resolve that my diffidence proceeded from my own pusillanimity for I said all this trouble is from my own infirmity I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High I will remember how gracious he hath béen to other sinners how strangely he hath converted them how mercifully he hath forgiven them and this change hath put me in good hope of an old man to become a new man of a vessel of wrath a vessel of mercy and that though in anger for a time he hath séemed to desert me yet out of méer compassion he will return and be gracious to me I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old time I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of thy doings I will call to mind That thou dost not call thy people to partake of the pleasures of this World but to desperate conflicts with sin death Satan and Hell that there is not any of thy servants of old but have born this burden and heat of the day and shall I then look to escape shall I hope to be exempted Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary A secret there is why thou dealest thus with thy servants and known it cannot be till we go into thy Sanctuary there we may learn That thou chastnest every child that thou receivest there we shall find That the reason of all thy procéedings are full of equity and holiness and that there is nothing we can justly reprehend or complain of Which of the gods of the Nations is in power to be compared unto thée which in mercy is like thée Thou art the God that dost wonders Thou hast declared thy strength in our weakness thy power in our infirmity O shew therefore thy self to be the self-same God and in this my weakness and infirmity support me It is not for nothing that thy favour to thy people Israel is left upon Record the Redemption of the sons of Jacob and Joseph are expressions of thy power and mercy Then O Lord the waters of the red Sea law thee then the waters felt thy presence and as if
to thee for what thou hast done the proud are risen up against us and a whole assembly of armed and violent men have invaded us and sought after our souls and all they imagine is to take away our lives and thy worship not without a great and high contempt of thy Name But thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth Turn thée then unto us and have mercy upon us give thy strength unto thy servants save those who are thy Vassals and deliver our souls from the nethermost Hell O Lord we are oppressed do thou answer for us teach us the way in which we are to go and we will walk in thy Truth unite our hearts close unto thée and we will take delight to fear thy Name shew some token of thy favour at last to us that they which hate us may see it and be afraid let them sée it openly That thou Lord hast holpen us and comforted us So shall we praise thee O Lord our God with all our heart and we will magnifie and glorifie thy Name for evermore PSAL. LXXXVII ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THIS Psalm is short but sweet for it contains many excellent priviledges of the Church of God of which every one must be a Member that hopes for salvation whosoever was the Authour it was his purpose to excite men to be in love with the Assemblies of Gods Saints and to that purpose the dignity and amplitude of the Church is set forth in this Psalm and the notes of her beauty and perfection may well serve for the Analysis 1. The Church commended 1. For the foundation laid on a holy Mountain First the Church is here commended for her foundation the Authour of it is God it is his foundation and it is surely laid not in the sand but upon a Mountain and no common Mountain neither but a consecrated place laid it is in the holy Mountains His foundation is in the holy Mountain No question the Prophet alludes to the hill of Zion Ver. 1 which was the Type of the Catholick Church and indeed the foundation of it 2 From Gods love to her For the Law was to come out of Zion 2. Ver. 2 The second Prerogative of the Church is taken from Gods love and favour to it 3 From the predictions that went of her far beyond that of any other Assembly The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3. Now besides the commendation it hath from the builder which was God and his free love to it Ver. 3 a third Prerogative it hath and that is from the testimony and predictions of the Prophets 4 From the increase of it by the access of the Gentiles Isaiah Haggai Saint John who not Glorious things are sprken of thee Thou City of God Selah 4. And one of those glorious things foretold by the Prophets was the great increase and amplitude of the Church Ver. 4 by the access of the Gentiles even those Nations which were the greatest enemies to Gods people should become friends and Citizens of this City even the Egyptians Babylonians Tyrians Aethiopians in effect all the Gentiles of what language Countrey soever 1. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me i. e. among my friends and family Behold Phylistia and Tyre with Aethiopia some of all Nations are come into my family there is one Fold one Shepherd 2. This man was born there this man whom you now see a Citizen of Zion was an Alien he was born there in Egypt Babylon c. 5. But now having renounced his Countrey and his fathers house Vers. 5 his Idols and old wayes it shall be said of Zion Vir Vir 5 From her continuance for ever ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã This and that man was born regenerate and become a new man in her Here he receiv'd his adoption and the earnest of the Spirit 6. Farther yet the felicity of this City shall in this far exceed all other 6 From her free Denizons whose names are that whereas they fall to decay and perish this shall our-last all time The gates of hell shall not prevail against it For the most highest shall confirm and est ablish her 1 Eniâll'd 7. A seventh Prerogative of the Church is That God agit Censum Vers. 6 and does as it were enrole the names of the Citizens So that now there is no difference betwixt Jew and Gentile bond nor free all are one in Christ Jesus The Lord shall count when he writes up the people That this man this cast-off Gentile was burn there Be as free a Denizon and have all the priviledges and prerogatives of this City as the natural Jew 8. Another Prerogative of these Citizens is 2 And they shall enjoy a perpetual Solemnity That they shall enjoy a perpetual Solemnity grief and sorrow shall cease and with Songs and instruments of Musick they shall sound forth Gods praises As well the siagers as players on instruments shall be there 9. Lastly He concludes the Psalm with an excellent Epiphonema Vers 7 that indeed comprehends all that can be said in the praise of the Church viz. For that in her all good is to be found All my springs are in thee Here are the fountains of living water Here are to be found the hidden treasures of all knowledge Here the waters that will refresh a thirsty soul and a fainting spirit Here all comforts all content The waters that are muddy and troubled in other streams in this are as clear as Cristal 'T is Virgo aqua A Prayer collected out of the eighty seventh Psalm for the Catholick Church O Lord Iesas Christ that by thy Almighty power madest all creatures both visible and invisible that by thy wisdom hast disposed all things in a comely order and now doest govern them that by thy unspeakable goodness yet doest preserve protect and promote all actions and successes who by thy mercy doest restore what is decay'd renew what is fallen and raisest the dead Vouchsafe to cast thy eye upon and view with a pleasing countenance thy well-beloved Spouse thy Church which thou hast purchased with thy blood and betroth'd to thy self in righteousness and in judgement and in loving-kindness and in mercies Look upon her with that amiable and merciful face wherewith thou pacifiest all things in heaven and earth Vers. 1 This is that new City that new Jerusalem which thou hast founded upon the Mountains of holiness Thy holy Apostles and Prophets were at thy command the chief Labourers in the building of it and all men since as living stones are built upon their Doctrine Be pleased then to love the gates of this City by which all must enter that look for salvation and prosecute with greater care and affection this thy chosen Spouse than thou didst the old Synagogue even as thou didst love the hill of
and in Truth according to his Word and Promise He will accept no mans person but render to every man according to his works The Prayer collected out of the ninty sixth Psalm O Merciful Lord so déep is the Sea of thy mercies which hath from everlasting flow'd over unto us and thy dayly favours Vers. 1 2. that thou doest conter upon us that except we will be ungrateful we must sing unto thee a new Song for new blessings and bless thy name for fresh gifts and graces Vers. 5 What is man that thou shouldst be so mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldst regard him Thou who madest the heaven Vers. 4 createdst him after thy own image but he defaced it Vers. 5 Thou who wert to be feared far above all gods gavest him a command to worship and honour thee but he made to himself other gods which indéed were no gods Vers. 4 but petty and ridiculous Deities and cast by thée the great God of heaven and earth a God greatly to be praised a God to be feared above all gods and worshipped the inventions of his own brain and the works of his own hands But all this did not cool thy love nor retard thy mercy even when all the kindreds of the Nations did serve other gods thou sentest them Redemption thou sentest thy Son to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel Great and marvellous are thy works O Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Vers. 2 who ought not to fear thee and glorifie thy Name Warm therefore our cold hearts with thy love that we may shew forth thy Salvation from day to day Vers. 3 Make our flow tongues eloquent and powerful that we may publish this glad-ridings and declare thy glory unto the heathen and thy wonders to all people So resplendent is thy Honour and Majesty so immense thy strength Vers. 6 so illustrious thy beauty that we dust and ashes tremble in our approaches to thee and were it not for those commands thou hast laid upon and invitations and encouragements thou hast given to penitent and believing sinners we durst not presume to tender our selves and our homage before thee Vers. 7 But since thou hast call'd for a gift from us we do fréely give unto thée glory and strength fluce thou doest expect as a due debt glory to thy name we chéerfully give thée glory and proclaim thy name to the whole world The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Offerings we have none that are worthy of thée Vers. 8 yet such as we have we bring we offer unto thée the Sacrifice of a troubled and a contrite spirit we tender unto thée our petitions and thanks upon the Altar of a mortified and broken heart we confess our unworthiness and fast and wéep before thée we come into thy Courts and present what we are able two poor mites soul and body Lord accept of these our offerings for Iesus Christs sake Our desire is to worship thee in the Beauty of Holiness to be holy as thou art holy to be perfect as thou art perfect but being conscious to our selves of the impurity and imperfections of our own hearts and sensible of thy excellencies we step back for very fear and retire for shame Bold and impudent we cannot be in thy presence but we worship thée with trembling spirits and adore with reverence Yet thus much we are and may be bold to proclaim among the heathen The Lord reigneth Vers. 10 Jehovah who is our righteousness is our King long let him reign Vers. 11 for ever let him live Hosannah to the son of David and let all things in heaven and earth say Amen to it Let the Angels and Saints in Heaven rejoice at it Vers. 12 let all men on earth be glad of it let the wicked who are like the troubled Sea will they nill they reare it out let the fulness thereof the impious spirits that move them bow at the Name of Jesus Yea let the wildest tree in the field and wood be brought at last to confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father O thou great King of all the world Vers. 11 to whom all power is given in heaven and earth rule thy people with thy Word and Spirit and judge the adversaries of thy worship and enemies of thy Gospel bear rule and dominion among the heathen that yet have not submitted unto thee let the whole world be established by thy Gospel and thy Laws take place among them and never be removed Lord hasten thy Kingdom and appear in thy glory Even so come Lord Jesus Vers. 13 Come quickly Come to judge the earth seat thy self upon thy Throne and call all the Nations of the world before thee and make it known that thou art not an accepter of any mans person but that thou wilt judge the world with righteousness and the people with thy Truth and that those that have done ill shall go into eternal punishment but the righteous into life eternal Be thou my King O sweet Iesus inform me in thy Law guide and rule me by thy Spirit cause me so to worship and fear thee to offer such spiritual Sacrifices unto thee to give what I owe such glory and honour to thy Name that at thy coming I may be set on thy right-hand and be one of that number to whom thou wilt say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen PSAL. CXVII ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã IN this Psalm David sets forth Gods power and glory and being moved by the Spirit of Prophesie foretels the downfall of Idolators and the happy estate of those who serve God with an honest heart Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. A Prophetical description of Christs power and glory especially at the day of judgement from vers 1. to 7. 2. A manifest difference put betwixt Idolators and the people of God Confusion he imprecates to the first vers 7. And gives notice of the joy of the second with the reasons vers 8 9. 3. He exhorts those that love God to a good life encouraging them upon Gods favour vers 10. And upon the joy that is like to follow it vers 11. for which he stirs them up to rejoice and to be thankful vers 12. He begins with a Solemn Acclamation The Lord reigneth The first part God is the Supreme King being the self-same that he commanded to be proclaimed in the former Psalm vers 10. As if he had said By the coming of Christ the Empire of Death Vers. 1 the Power of the Devil all Oracles are silenc'd and all Idols destroy'd And he will use his Scepter
God in promising and a faithful God in performing thy Holy Covenant that thou hast remembred thy Mercy and Truth toward the house of Israel This is a mercy beyond all mercies and in mercy good Lord continue this mercy unto us Never remove our Candlestick or remove the light of thy Gospel from us And though at this time it be eclipsed and that very justly for our unthankfulness in the use of this light for our undervaluing of it and not rejoicing in it yet we beséech thée upon our contrition and amendment of our lives let it repent thee of the evil that thou hast brought upon thy people and all mists of error and heresie all darkness of prophaneness being dispell'd shew forth the bright beams of thy countenance unto those thousands of Israel who seek and sigh after thy Truth with an honest heart Descend Vers. 9 O Lord descend and with righteousness judge the cause of thy poor afflicted oppressed people in equity raise their grieved souls Let thy Truth flourish the Gospel have a free passage amongst us and bring to a spéedy confusion all that are enemies to thy peace through Iesus Christ our Lord. PSAL. XCIX ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THE Subject matter of this Psalm is the self-same with the former for it sets forth the Glory of Christs Kingdom the Majesty Power and Justice of the King and exhorts all by the example of his former servants to exalt call on him and praise him Two parts of this Psalm 1. A Description of Christs Kingdom 1. From the Majesty and Terrour of it against his enemies ver 1 2 3. 2. From the Equity of it in execution of judgment and justice ver 4. 3. From the King 's Patience and Clemency in giving Audience to his servants 6 7 8. 2. A Demand of praise and honour of all that acknowledge him for their King Psal 93. begun at the third verse repeated at the fifth and continued in the last This is the third time he begins his Hymus with this solemn Acclamation The first part Christ is King The Lord reigneth Jehovah is King And then as is usual in Musick Rests and pauseth as it seems to me after as if he had recovered breath Ver. 1 he sings with full voyce 1. The Terrour Power Glory and Majesty of it He bids the defiance to his enemies and comforts his people 1. He bids a defiance as it were to all his enemies ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã irascantur commoveantur fremant populi let the people be angry fret and be unquiet as Psal 2.1 Let the earth that is the Tyrants of the earth be movd at it yet let them know that all their endeavours are but vain For 1. God is present with his Church For 1. He sits between the Cherubims the Cherubims were over the Ark by which was signified the presence of God with his people and they covered the Propiatory and Ark with their wings The sense then is God is alwayes present with his people to them and therefore no fear though the earth be moved Ver. 2 2. The Lord is great in Zion of great power and high above all people 2 He is potent and higher than all people in Majesty Power Wisdom no fear then for this also though the earth be moved 3. His Name is great and terrible Great Ver. 3 and therefore terrible to his enemies for it is holy and therefore venerable In a word 3 His Name great and terrible holy his Regal Majesty and Regal Sanctity is such that he is a most potent and a most just King and therefore no fear yet though the earth be moved rather let them give the praise and honour due unto his Name 2. Our Prophet describes the Kingdom of Christ 4 He is a just King from the justice and equity which is administred in it and thereby moves his not to fear though the earth be moved Ver. 4 1. The Kings strength Hoz heb strength honour dignity authority holiness c. loveth judgment judgeth righteously out of the love he bears to justice not constrained by fear passion or necessity 2. And this he shews by the following Apostrophe in which he thus speaks to the King 1. Thou dost establish equity Confirm and establish just and equal Laws 2. Thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob In thy Kingdom thou executest these Laws also justly by punishing sin and rewarding good works of which there be examples in both Testaments for though for a time he suffered the godly to be afflicted and the ungodly to be exalted yet he at last frees his servants and crowns their patience but he falls in fury on the wicked and damns them he punisheth sometimes in this life alwayes in the life to come Upon which the Prophet collects That God is to be adoted to which he earnestly exhorts Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his Foot-stool for he is holy For this he exhorts us 1. Exalt ye by praising his Majesty with the heart Ver. 5 and magnifying him with your voyce 1 To ââalt him 2. 2 To adore before his footstool And worship at his footstool not his footstool as some read it that have a months mind to have Images worshipped In which expression David had an eye to the Ark of the Covenant for so I find it called 1 Chron. 28.2 Lam. 2.1 Toward which the Jews were bound to bow And his intention is that all our approaches and applications to the Lord our God be with the greatest reverence and submission of mind and body that may be All is too little 3. 3 For he or it is Holy For he is Holy or it is holy for the skilful in the Hebrew confess it may be read in either gender Holy the Jews call'd whatsoever was eminent excellent perfect chast entire sincere God then is holy because he is so in himself and his house his Priests his Day c. The Ark his footstool is Holy in relation to him when then we approach to him or any place where he ordinarily shews his presence Holy and Reverent actions and gestures are required of us Take heed to thy feet Prophane not what is holy 3. 5 He is a kind King Hears and grants petitions As is evident The third way by which the Prophet sets out the excellency of Christs Kingdom and the Clemency and Mercifulness of our King is in that he is ready to hear Petitioners and receive Petitions and of an inclinable nature to grant them also for which he brings examples of three illustrious men all eminent in their generations Moses a Prince Aaron a Priest and Samuel a Judge in Israel who all fell down and worshipp'd at his footstool call'd upon and were heard in their intercessions 1. Vers. 6 Moses and Aaron among his Priests The Hebrew word here used ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In Moses Aaron alwayes signifies not a Priest but a Prince and
chief Ruler as 2 Sam. 8.18 1 Chron. 18.17 and so it may have reference to Moses a chief Prince but in the proper sense to Aaron for he was the chief Priest Samuel 2. And Samuel no Priest but a Levite yet chief Judge among those call'd on his name 3. They called upon the Lord for themselves and the people and he answered them Of Moses the story is extant Exod. 32.31 Of Aaron Numb 16. 46 47 48. Of Samuel 1 Sam. 7.5 9 10. 4. Vers. 7 He spake unto them that is to Moses Exod. 33.8 9 11. and unto Aaron Numb 12. from 5. to 8. But unto Samuel we read not that he spake in the cloudy Pillar And now he aptly adds the reason why God so readily heard these three Why he heard them it was because they were his servants and obey'd the commands of their King For as Christ saith He that loves me will keep my Commandments He then that will be heard in his prayers Because they were obedient servants ought to hear God in his Commands So did they 1. They kept his Testimonies those Precepts that were common to all others 2. And the Ordinances he gave them as Publick persons who were to rule in Church and State And that this was a great mercy and favour to them and the people the Prophet acknowledgeth by his Apostrophe to God in the next verse 1. 1 He answered them Thou answeredst them O Lord our God Which the Story confirms Vers. 8 2. 2 He forgave them Thou wast a God that forgavest them that is the people for whom Moses and Aaron and Samuel pray'd For as Moller observes in Hebrew the Relative is often put without an Antecedent 3. 3 Even when he punished the people Though thou takest vengeance on their inventions The Calf was broken Exod. 32. and the false gods put away 1 Sam. 7. Though their sin was remitted yet a temporal and corporal punishment follow'd them Numb 14.23 30. Numb 20.12 2. The second part The Prophet concludes the Psalm Carmine Ambaebaeo with the repetition of the fifth verse The Conclusion of all That we only what he calls there Gods footstool he here calls Mount Zion And in the verse is contained the full scope and intent of the whole which is That we exalt our King and adore him 1. Exalt the Lord our God not that we can do it Vers. 9 or make him higher but we must contribute what we can to his exaltation 1 Exalt God which is then done when we gratefully acknowledge his Power in defence of his Church and his Clemency in hearing our prayers and the Intercessions of his servants for us 2. Worship at his Holy Hill 2 Adore which literally is to be understood of Zion the place which he had chosen for his worship where now the Tabernacle was and after the Temple was built But concerns us also that live in the Catholique Church to serve him in unity meeting together in such holy places which are set apart for his worship 3. For the Lord our God is holy which is the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or reason For he is Holy why Zion was Holy and many other persons and things in relation to him A consideration very necessary as Musoulus well observes for this profane age The Prayer collected out of the ninty ninth Psalm O Omnipotent Lord who reignest sitting above she Cherubims and governest the whole world by thy wisdom Vers. 1 though the enemies of thy Church be many yet will we not fear though the whole earth be moved yet will we not be afraid For the Lord is great in Zion and high above all people Vers. 2 Yet because the united force of our enemies is great and their iniquity twisted together for the ruine of thy Church Vers. 3 that they be not alwayes prided with their success and thy people over-much disheartned arise O Lord and make them know that thy name is great terrible and holy so great that thou canst and so holy that thou wilt and so terrible that thou wilt in fury take vengeance upon pride and iniquity We are assured O Lord Vers. 4 that thy authority and Kingly power loves equity that thou doest establish equal Laws and doest execute judgement and righteousness in thy Church by punishing the wicked and rewarding the just Arise up for us therefore in the judgement that thou hast commanded and reward the just according to the integrity of their hearts stir up thy strength and come amongst us and help us for thy Name-sake O God our King and Saviour And if at any time our wickedness go over our heads to provoke thy wrath against us then turn thy face from us upon thy dear Son our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ whose intercession is far more powerfully with thée than that of Moses or Aaron and Samuel could be for thy people He is our High Priest be mindful of his invocation his Sacrifice his Blood his tears his cryes which he offered upon the Altar of the Cross for us His blood speaks better things than that of Abel That of Abel shed by us cryes aloud for vengeance against us and what we suffer are the effects of that cry the revenge of that blood O blessed Saviour still the cry of that blood with thy blood wash the stains of it away with those streams which issued from thy bloody side and for the merit of that blood hear the prayers of Moses Aaron and Samuel who had no hand in that blood but kept and do yet keep thy Testimonies and the Ordinance thou gavest them that offer unto thee for themselves and for thy people They dayly call upon thée hear them O Lord our God and answer them though the sin of this people be great yet forgive them though thou takest vengeance according to their inventions So shall we praise thy great and terrible Name for it is Holy So shall we exalt the Lord our God and worship at his footstool for he is Holy We will exalt the Lord that reigneth over us our God that delivers us and hears our prayers and worship at thy Holy hill and chant with a loud voice that the Lord our God is holy for evermore PSAL. C. A Psalm of Praise ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THE Title shews the Scope that it was composed for a form to praise God yea and in the publique Congregation and therefore is well chosen to be a part of our Liturgy There be two parts of this Psalm 1. An Exhortation to praise God vers 1 2 4. And the manner how to be done 2. The reasons that perswade to it vers 3 5. 1. He exhorts to praise God In his Exhortation to praise God required it is 1. The first part That the praise be Universal none exempted from it All ye lands or all the earth Vers. 1 2. That it be hearty full and performed with a cheerful soul Make a
5 Reproach From the reproach of them who had been his friends but were now his enemies for a wicked man thinks himself reproached by a good mans honest conversation Wisd 5. Mine enemies reproach me all the day long and they are mad against me are sworn against me have conspited by an Oath to undo me 6. And that which made them so mad and sweâr was my repentance which I testified by ashes on my head 6 Sadness and tears in my eyes I have caten ashes like bread my dayly food and mingled my drink with weeping I drank tears with my wine that is I was fed with bitterness and sustain'd with tears which they derided And now behold the reason why every true penitent is thus humbled All these increased by the sense of Gods anger it is not for want nor yet for want of wit but it is out of a true sense of Gods anger which he hopes to pacifie by his sorrow and humiliation 1. Ver. 10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for my former sin 2. Which I collect thus Thou hast formerly lifted me up then sure I was in thy fovour but hast now cast me down whence I may well conclude that I am in disfavour with thee 3. And the effect plainly shews it For my dayes are as a shadow that declines and am withered like grace Become mortal flying fading from thy wrath raised by my own default 2. The second part He yet comforts himself in Gods promises Hitherto the Prophet hath petition'd and complain'd His case was lamentable yet he is notswallow'd up of sorrow Heart he begins to take and comfort he promiseth himself in the Eternity and Immutability of God and his love to his Church Hence he conceives hope of reconciliation and being moved by the Spirit of God foretells the restauration of Zion and Jerusalem and typically the state of Christs Church 1. To his Church on which he will have mercy and had when he restored them True I wither away as grass and so shall all Individual men But 1. Thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and therefore thy Church and promises to thy Church 2. And thy Remembrance from generation to generation The Covenant which thou hast made shall be remembred from father to son Ver. 13 till the worlds end 2. Thou seemest now to sleep But thou shalt arise 1. Thou shalt have mercy on Zion and save thy people 2. For the time to favour her yea the set time is come Literally the seventy years of the Captivity were neer expired Typically by the Spirit the Prophet foresaw and conceiv'd the Redemption of the Church in the future as a thing present And both he calls a time of favour for from the favour and mercy of God both proceeded 3. And this Consideration wrought a double effect This wrought a double effect 1. One upon Gods people for the present viz. an earnest desire to have it so Ver. 14 Earnest they were that Jerusalem should again be built the Church set up For thy servants take pleasure in her stones 1 A desire to have it so and favour the dust thereof Ver. 15 2. The other upon the Heathen 2 Another on the Heathen viz. Compassion Conversion So the Heathen shall fear thy name which began when Darius and Cyrus saw and acknowledged the Prophesies and obeyed them 2. And all the Kings of the earth thy glory which was truly fulfill'd in the conversion of Constantine c. to the Faith And he adds the cause why Kings and Nations should be so strangely converted because he had beyond all belief and expectation of man Ver. 16 so strangely delivered his people from Captivity and so miraculously set up his Kingdom in his Church This shall be done When or because the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory Before he cast his people into the grave as it were without any hope of life or restitution but when he shall bring them from thence he shall make his glory and honour manifest And that which moved him to it was the prayers of his people Ver. 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer Which effects followed on their prayer Of this mercy a Record to be kept Now lest the Jews should conceive that what was done for them did concern them only and not their Children or to speak more properly the whole people of God in all ages to come God would have a Record kept of it 1. This shall be written for the generation to come 2. And the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord Ver. 18 Cum viderint impleta quae praedicta And of this he assigns two reasons even the self-same set down at the 16. and 17. Verses 1. For be hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary Ver. 19 from the heaven did the Lord behold the earth 2. To hear the groans of the prisoners Ver. 20 to loose those that are appointed to death That the glory be returned to God Now this Mercy from God calls upon us for our Duty for the proper end of it was and the effect that it should work upon us is that we should be thankful Therefore he looked down therefore he heard the groans of the prisoners c. That being freed 1. They should declare the name of the Lord in Zion Ver. 21 and his praise in Jerusalem 2. And this praise should be compleated Ver. 22 When the people are gathered simul or in unum united together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. The Gentiles join with the Jews in it And here methinks I hear the Prophet breaking off his comfort The Prophet laments he shal not live to see it and breaking out in the midst of his prophecy with Balaam As if he had said I am assured all this shall come to pass and be done for Gods people but alas who shall live when God doth this Whosoever shall I shall not certainly For he weakned my strength in the way and hath shortned my dayes Ver. 23 Yet my desire is it might be otherwise Yet he desires he might and in this my desire is but the same with many Kings and Prophets that have gone before me all which long and desired to see the flourishing estate of the Church under the Messiah and therefore Ver. 24 I said O my God take me not away in the midst of my age But suffer me to draw out my life to see that that all good men have aspired to see to wit that I may behold Christ promised in the flesh and be a partaker of the glory of his Kingdom Which Petition And presseth that he might Perswading God to it upon 24. The consideration of Gods eternity and immutability that it might be the easier granted he presseth it by a Collation of Gods Eternity and Immutability with his own life As if he should say Spare me
a little before I go hence and be no more seen for I am nothing unto thee Thy years are throughout all generations and therefore 't is but equal that thou indulge an ample space of life to thy image that he may attain eternal happiness And he proves God to be Eternal because he is Immutable not so the earth not so the heavens 1. Not so other creatures all they change corrupt Not the earth for it had a beginning and that from thee Of old though long ago yet a beginning it and thou placed it not upon a foundation already laid but laidst the very foundation thereof broughtst it out of nothing to what it is and placed it in the midst of the World as now it is Ponderibus libratasuis 2. Not the heavens For they are the work of thy hands i. e. thy Wisdom and Power Heaven then and all Creatures in it Earth and all below cannot be Eternal They began 3. Neither shall they continue They shall perish be either annihilated or alter'd from their present condition They shall not be what they are now no not heaven nor earth As then they are not Eternal so neither are they Immutable Now in opposition to these he puts the Almighty God But thou shalt endure And yet more fully he expresseth this Truth in the following words 1. Yea all of them shall wax old like a garment make a farther step and access to a final period in regard of their duration 2. As doth a garment their use shall cease together with man as doth the use of a garment with him that useth it Isa 34.4 1 Pet. 3.10 2. And as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed as the Curtains and Carpets and Hangings are folded up when the Family removes 3. However they shall not wax old by the course of Nature but by the mighty power of the God of Nature Thou shalt change them and they shall be changed Well But God always the same be this so as is most true and must be granted yet it is not so with thee O God But thou art the same Vers. 27 and thy years shall have no end Thou art Immutable Eternal and because Immutable Eternal Now the reason why God cannot suffer any change is evident for every thing that is mutable is endued with a power to attain to something by that change which it had not before But God is actus purissimus and an Essence of infinite perfection and therefore when he wants nothing nothing can be added to him and consequently he is Immutable Now the Eternity and Immutability of God being confirm'd Vers. 28 the Prophet draws hence a comfortable Conclusion for the servants of God His Church and servants shall therefore continue also and for their children viz. such as imitate their piety for they shall be partakers of eternity also So is the Covenant Gen. 17.7 1. The children of thy servants shall continue That is The Apostles with the Patriarchs their Parents shall dwell in thy Kingdom in the heavenly Jerusalem 2. And their seed and as many as they have begotten by the Gospel if they remain in the faith which works by love they shall be established persevere remain continue before thee live in thy presence for ever As thou art Eternal so shall they be Eternal The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and second Psalm O Almighty God great Lord of heaven and earth we miserable sinners with fear and shame cast down our selves before thee Ver. 1 humbly confessing that for our selves we are unworthy that our prayers should have access to thee since we have broken all thy righteous Laws and Commandments and walked unworthy of thy Gospel and our Christian vocation But O Lord of thy mercy and clemency make us so worthy to pray Ver. 2 that thou mayest hear our prayers and let the cry of thy Spirit in our hearts be so vehement that it faint not in the way but approach thy Throne of grace Though we be foul and filthy sinners that have defaced thy image yet do not thou in displeasure turn away thy face from us It troubles us that we are thus foul and this is the day of our trouble for it oh thou who hast promised to accept the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart now when we are in trouble encline thine ear unto us in this day when we call upon thee our heavenly Physician hear us and answer us and that with speed Ver. 3 left if thou prolong the time thou shalt not be able to find whom to heal and save For O Lord we are in a very lamentable condition for the dayes of our life and prosperity are consumed as smoke that vanisheth in the air and the pillars of our bodies our bones Ver. 4 are burnt up as a hearth that the fire wears away Our heart is smitten out of the sense of thy wrath and pineth and withereth away as grass scorched by the heat of the Sun so great is our misery so pressing our calamity that we forget to take our dayly repast to eat our bread which nature it self requires of us We lived in delights Ver. 5 but now by the voice of our groaning by the continual sorrows and expressions of those sorrows that are upon us our flesh is consumed and our bodies brought to such a leanness that our bones will scarce cleave to our skin For very grief we fly the soriety of men and seek out places that are fit for mourners Ver. 6 We are like a Pellican a bird that delights to live alone in the Wilderness and like an Owl which flying the company of other birds the light and sight of men dwells in a secret dark and retired place where she sings a sad tune and we a heavy song Ver. 7 Our nights we spend in continual watchings very grief suffering us not to close our eyes and at break of day we breath forth our sighs unto thee as the Sparrow that sits alone and laments the loss of her mate upon the house top And in these our distresses we find no comforter Ver. 8 all our friends have forsaken us and our enemies making their advantage of it have gathered themselves together against us they reproach and revile us all the day long and being mad against us and set upon mischief they have enter'd into a conspiracy and bound themselves by an Oath to undo us Ver. 9 For this cause we eat no pleasant bread neither came any wine in our mouths but such as was kneaded with penitential ashes and mingled with the salt of tears and weeping And what soul that was ever under the sense of Gods disfavour can blame us for this since Thy wrathful displeasure goes over us Ver. 10 thy indignation pursues us Thou who in mercy didst lift us vp hast in judgement cast us down The sad consideration whereof doth beyond all that man can do afflict us But how long O Lord wilt
thou break a leaf driven too and fro Ver. 11 How long wilt thou pursue the dry stubble While thou Writest these bitter things against us our dayes are like a shadow and decliues and we are withered as grass whose beauty and glory fades in a moment But why art thou thus vexed O my soul Ver. 12 and why art thus disquieted within me O put thy trust in God Call to mind that he endures for ever and the remembrance of his Covenant to all generations 'T is thy promise O Lord we look to 't is thy Covenant only we hope in according to thy word arise and have mercy upon Zion pity thy poor afflicted people for the time to favour her is now very seasonable Ver. 13 yea the time is come For thy servants think upon and take pleasure in her stones not so much those stones with which those goodly structures Ver. 14 in which we were wont to meet and praise thee were built and beautified as those living stones built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ver. 17 Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone and it pitieth them to see her in the dust In the dust Lord we favour them and for these we pray that they may be restored to their places in thy Sacred Temple Ver. 16 O regard the prayer of the poor destitute and despise not our desire for this will tend to thy honour and enlargement of thy Kingdom being alsured Ver. 15 that when the Lord shall build up Zion and when he shall appear in glory that the heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory Look down then O Lord from the height of thy Sanctuary and from heaven behold the earth Ver. 19 Hear the groaning of the Prisoners and loose those that are appointed to death Ver. 20 that they may declare the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise at Jerusalem Ver. 21 May we but obtain so great a mercy it shall be written for the generations to come and the people our children that shall be born Ver. 18 shall praise the Lord They shall praise thee and sing of thy mercy in the great Congregation even when the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. That thou wilt make an Inquisition for innocent blood I am assured that those who have profaned thy dwelling place shall be as a rolling thing before the wind Ver. 23 I do believe that they who have swallowed down riches shall vomit them up again I know for God shall cast them out of their belly But thou hast so weakned my strength in the way and so shortned my dayes that it is not likely I shall lide to sée it Lord might my eyes sée thy salvation I would willingly sing with old Simeon Ver. 24 Now let thy servant depart in peace Yet will I pray O my God take me not away in the midst of my age I am thy Creature O Lord created after thy own image yet not to live for ever on earth as thou shalt live in heaven for thy years are throughout all generations Even the earth whose foundation thou hast laid and the heavens which are the work of thy Power and Wisdom wax old as a garment and as a vesture shall be wrapt up they shall perish and be annihilated spare me a little then because I am a creature of a short continuance and can bear no proportion to thy esernity for thou art the same and thy years have no end But I yield my self to thy Will I submit my self to thy dispose if I cannot arrive to what I desire to sée Jerusalem in prosperity yet grant that I may see my Lord in the Land of the living for I am assured that the children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee and live in thy presence for evermore Amen PSAL. CIII ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã A Psalm to David THE Title shews the Psalm to be inspired into David by the Holy Ghost and the end is to comfort a soul heavy and laden but especially with the burden of sin To him every word in it drops like an Honey-comb so that had not the comfort been revealed and sent from heaven it could never have been believed that Almighty God should be so merciful to sinful man Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. The Exordium in which David by an Apostrophe turns to his own soul and stirs it up to bless God ver 1 2. 2. The Narration or an ample Declaration of the Benefits from the first to the last conferred by God upon him and others and the causes of them from ver 3. to 20. 3. A Conclusion in which he makes a motion to Angels and all other Creatures to joyn with him in the praise of God from ver 20. David stirs up his soul to praise God The first part to the last 1. David being fully perswaded that he was one of the number of the Elect stirs up himself in the person of the Elect to praise and speak well of God in the two first verses 1. Bless God think on the Benefit and bless the Benefactor Ver. 1 Extoll him with praises 2. O my Soul bless him because the Soul alone can know and inform the whole man what God deserves for his blessings 2. Again he would not have it a lip-labour but come from a heart affected with it Heartily done for quod cor non facit non fit 3. Not the Soul alone but that all that is within him Totum hominis And the whole man whatsoever is within his skin every part every faculty about him Will Understanding Memory Affections Heart Tongue Hand Eyes c. All joyn 4. And bless Jehovah for he gave them their Being and their Properties and Operations 2. Praise his holy Name his Essential Properties his Wisdom Power Goodness Justice for to oclebrate God in all these is To praise his holy Name 5. Bless the Lord O my Soul for he comes over it again Ver. 2 that he might press the Duty more emphatically and shew his vehement desire to have it done it shewes we freeze and are cold in the Duty and need a Goad to quicken us 6. And forget not all his benefits He repeats it and adds That we forget not His Benefits 1. Forget not He would not be guilty of the common Errour forgetfulness of a good turn for ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Which if it happen 't is impossible to be thankful and therefore Omnium ingratissimus qui beneficii accepti non reminiscitur Forget not then 2. All his benefits Not all no nor indeed any of them for not one but deserves a blessing 3. His benefits Some read Munera the Vulgar Retributiones If Munera they are freely given if Retributiones they are more than we can deserve yet it pleases him to accompt them so Let but a man well consider how many evils we
not the interposition of our sin so it be repented and left that can hinder his Grace to shine upon us and remove it 3. He is slow to anger and he hath this of a Father also 3 Slow to anger For no men more patient than Fathers in tolerating the infirmities and childishness of their Children this in him also For like as a Father pieth his Children Ver. 13 so the Lord pitieth them that fear him 4. Plenteous in mercy 4 Plenteous in mercy He takes into his consideration what frail Creatures we are and fading For he knoweth our frame he remembreth we are dust Ver. 14 As for man his dayes are as grass as a flower of the Field so he flourisheth for the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more And this fragility and instability of our's causeth him to be exceeding merciful to us which David expresseth in the next verse by way of Antithesis But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting ab aeterno in aeternum from the Eternity of our Predestination to the Eternity of our Glorification yet not bestowed hand over head it is with thy Restriction and Limitation But to those that fear him and keep his Covenant 1. Upon them that fear him 2. And his righteousness that is veracity and faithfulness in performing his Covenant not to the Fathers alone but to Childrens children 3. To such as keep his Covenant Yea and are obedient observe the conditions of Faith and Repentance 4. Yea and of obedience also That remember his Commandments to do them These Benefits are many and wonderful and the mercy from which they proceed infinite but that no man doubt of the performance of it Ver. 19 that God will do for those That fear him and keep his Commandments This mercy God is able to make good what he hath promised and in the Close of this Part the Prophet puts us in mind of his Power 1. He is Dominus in Coelo not like our Lords on Earth his power is no where circumscribed 2. He hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens there he fits pro Tribunali can see and judge the World 3. And that we suspect him not to be some under-Judge set over us and appointed by another David tells us His Kingdom ruleth over all The Supremacy is his he is the Supreme Monarch 3. The third part For these Benefits he invites all Creatures to praise God And thus the Prophet having particularly remembred Gods Goodness and Benefits to his People as being not able to return sufficient thanks alone he invites all the Creatures to joyn with him in his praise and first the Angels Bless the Lord ye his Angels whom he describes 1. 1 Angels From their excellency Ye that excel in strength 2. From their obedience And do his Commandments 3. From their celerity readiness and chearfulness in it That hearken to the voyce of his words that you may shew you selves faithful Ministers and Servants 2. 2 Armies of God He invites all the Armies of God to joyn with him by which Bellarmine understands all the Superiour Order Archangels Principalities Dominations and Powers which is the Militia of Heaven Luke 2. together with the Angels before-named Bless the Lord all his Hosts ye who how glorious soever yet are but Ministers of his that do his pleasure faithfully receive your charge and do it diligently and daily execute it 3. 3 All his works He invites all the Creatures of God to joyn with him also as if they had sense 3 All his works and understood him Bless the Lord all his works All for that no man should think that he meant only rational Creatures in Heaven and Earth 2. He adds in all places of his Dominion which extends over the whole world All Creatures then without exception and all in all places he desires would do it and good Reason for he made all and rules over all and is in all places with all and fills all and preserves all and moves all and in their kinds they have done it the Water at the Flood the Fire at Babylon the Crowes in feeding Eliah the Lyons in sparing Daniel c. And they do it when all keep their own stations and work according to that Law of Nature which God hath put upon them 4. 4 Himself Lastly That no man should imagine that he that called on others would be backward in performing the Duty himself as he began so he concludes this excellent Psalm Bless the Lord O my Soul At all times let his praise be in thy mouth The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and third Psalm BOund I am Ver. 1 O Omnipotent God and most merciful Father for thy great favours unto me with heart with soul with all powers of my mind and all strength of my body perpetually to acknowledge thee to praise thee and laud thy holy Name Wherefore O my Soul Bless thou the Lord and all faculties within me and parts about me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all or any one of his Benefits My actual sins are many and grievous but thou O Lord in mercy hast forgiven my iniquities Thou hast justified me by the death of thy Son cleansed me by his blood of an unjust person made me just of an enemy a friend of a slave a san I consess O Lord that the bitter root of sin is so graffed in my nature that I carry it about me in my mortal body and I lament yet I give thanks to thy grace which hath so healed my infirmities and so subdued them by the power of thy Spirit that I féel it daily dying and the strength thereof so decayed that it cannot reign rule and command within me And this gives me assurance Ver. 4 That thou hast redeemed my life from death hell and destruction and that at last out of thy loving-kindness and tender mercies I shall be Crowned with a Crown of Glory Lord what was I or what could I deserve that thou shouldst bestow these wonderful Benefits upon me when I think upon them I am not able to comprehend them and when I comprehend them I should be never able to believe them had'st thou not revealed them and assured them to my foul by thy boly Spirit O my Soul then bless the Lord bless his holy Name and forget not all his Benefits But as if all these high favours had been too little Thou hast over and above added many temporal blessings I enjoy by thy bounty food and rayment Ver. 5 which are good things so long as well used with these thou hast satisfied my mouth and given me health and strength to make use of them So that my youth is renewed as the Eagles in this my old age I find my body healthful my senses not altogether impaired my
unto us except thou be good And here O Lord I will step aside to the Sea-shore where I may take a prospect of that great Pond of the World which retired at thy rebuke Ver. 7 and dares not return because of thy Command and I know not which more to admire Ver. 9 whether the Element it self or the Inhabitants that take up their dwelling in it It roars foams swells riseth into angry Billows as if it would swallow up the Earth Ver. 25 but thou hast set Bounds upon it that it may not pass over neither turn again to cover the Earth In it are things créeping swimming living innumerable of all sizes and fashions for greatness of number strangeness of shape variety of fashions nor Aire nor Earth can compare with the waters what living Mountains such are the Whales âowle up and down in those fearful Billows for there is that Leviathan whom thou hast made ãâã therein That I say nothing of the Ships which pass upon it which thou first taugh'st man to frame by the example of Noah's Ark and provided that the brinish nature of the Element be able to support them when loaden with heavy Commodities and fearful Passengers O Lord how manifold are thy works in wisdom thou hast made them all the Earth is full of thy riches so is the great and wide Sea also How many millions of wonders doth this Globe below offer us which of the Herbs Flowers Trées Leaves Séeds Fruit what Beast Worm Fish Bird is there in which we may not sée the foot-steps of a Deity wherein we may not read infiniteness of Power a transcendency of Wisdom Their frame is a miracle for thou sendest forth thy Spirit and they are created Their dissolution a wonder for thou takest away their breath and they dye and return to their dust but yet the continuance of all of them in their species matter of greater admiration for though the Particulars vanish yet the Kind lives and shall live till the dissolution of all things without any decay in Nature which could never be But that thou renewest the face of the Earth And for the assurance of this continuance Thou hast set thy two faithful Witnesses in Heaven the Sun to rule the day and the Moon the night who by their constant motions their secret and swéet influences by their light and hoat do comfort all these inferiond bodies They are obedient to thy Word for the Moon as thou hast appointed observes her seasons and the Sun knoweth his going down and so this light is interchanged with darkness That Beasts may rest and prey and man may labour and rest The day dyes into night and riseth in the morning that we never forget that our light of life shall suffer an Eclipse yet so that we shall get up again in the morning of the Resurrection Say thou the word and my Soul shall be renewed again Say thou the word and my body shall be repaired from its dust I am a mortal Creature But thy Glory O Lord shall endure for ever and so be it Hallowed be thy Name and let the Glory of our God continue for ever As for thy works give me wisdom in them to admire thy Wisdom and grace so to make use of thy Goodness That thou mayest rejoyce in them and not repent that ever thou madest any of them for my sake I tremble to think of the abuse when I read That thou lookest upon the Earth with an angry brow and it trembleth and thou doest only touch the Hille and they smoke By the assistance of thy Brace I will use them soberly and to my sobriety I will add thanks I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will praise my God while I have my being my Meditation of him shall be sweet and pleasant unto me and I will be glad in the Lord. As for those sinners who abuse thy Creatures thouch their hearts that they sin no longer in the profane abuse of them but if they shall go on to neglect thy Praise to blaspheme thy Name and obscure thy Glory let them be consumed out of the Earth and let such wicked men be no more O my Soul come not into their Assembly but bless thou the Lord and labour to draw all others to sing an Hallelujah to magnifie his Power to exalt his Glory to sound forth his Wisdom to sing of his Goodness for his wonderful Creating his orderly Governing and Disposing his bountiful Preserving of the whole World O my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever PSAL. CV ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THE Title of this Psalm is Alleluja as is also of the two following and the first fifteen verses of it were sung at the bringing up and setling the Ark by David 1 Chron. 16. The scope of it is the same with the two former That we praise God But yet with this difference in the one hundred and third That he be magnified for his Benefits of Redemption In the one hundred and fourth For the Manifestation of his Power and Providence in Creating Governing and Sustaining the World But in this For the gracious Covenant he made with Abraham and in him with his whole Church Two parts there are of the Psalm 1. An Exhortation to praise God from ver 1. to 7. 2. An Enumeration of the Favours God bestowed to perswade to it from ver 7. to the end 1. He that loves his Prince truly The first part He invites to praise God and shewes how it is to be done desires that others also should magnifie and honour him as well as himself This was David's case he was a true lover of his God and set a true estimate upon him he honour'd and prais'd himself and out of his zeal he calls here upon others to do it outwardly and also inwardly both with tongne and heart He thought all too little and therefore he comes over this Duty often and shewes indeed how it is to be done Ver. 1 1. By giving of thanks O give thanks unto the Lord. 1 Both outwardly 2. By Invocation Call upon his Name 3. By Annunciation Make known his deeds among the people 4. By Voyces and Instruments of Musick Sing unto him sing Psalms unto him 5. By frequent Colloquies of his Works Ver. 2 Talk ye of all his wondrous Works 6. By boasting of him Glory ye in his holy Name Profess that you are happy men that ever Gods holy Name was made known to you He that glories Ver. 3 let him glory in the Lord 2 Cor. 11. He hath invited all outwardly to exhibit praise and now he adviseth that it be done inwardly also with exultation and gladness of heart He would not have men to think it a tedious work 2 And inwardly and to be weary of it but to perform it with joy 1. Let the heart of them rejoyce Spiritus sanctus non canst nisi de laeto corde 2. Of them that seek the Lord For
for our former ingratitude and forgive this great sin of thy people once more let thy light shine amongst us and do for us O Iehovah the Lord for thy Names sake because thy mercy is good deliver us Thou art the mighty Iehovah Thou then canst and thy mercy is great and therefore we hope thou wilt do it for us we plead no merit we ask it not for any desert but méerly for thy Names sake for we are assured that by the doing of it thy Name will be magnified thy Clemency thy Goodness thy Faithfulness in defence of thy Church and thy Iustice in executing vengeance upon the enemy will be exalted and celebrated Our condition O Lord at this time is very low poor we are and men of a troubled spirit néedy we are being robb'd and outed of our worldly Goods Ver. 22 our heart is wounded within us in a sharp and true compunction for our rebellions against Heaven drawing we are to our last home as the shadow that at Even departs and yet we can have no rest but are tost up and down from Herod to Pilate from Pilate to Herod as the Locust we have chastised ouâ soul with fasting till our knees are weak and our flesh is worn away for want of fatness And yer all this we could digest with patience were it not for the opprobrious language and usage we sustain from them it wounds our hearts and pierceth our souls that we should become a reproach to them when they these mockers of Religion these wolves in shéeps cloathing these monsters of men destitute of all humanity and piety looked upon us in our affliction so far they were from remembring to shew mercy That they persecuted us whom thou hadst smitten they shaked their heads at us and cryed Ah thou wretch Arise help us O Lord our God O save us according to thy mercy They blasphemously entitle thée to all their Actions they impute all to thy Providence ashamed they are not to declare That thou art pleased with all their enormities But O our God arise and in thy good time make them know That they were but thy Rod and thy Scourge that the blowes they gave were from thee and so many as thou pleasest in which they ought to take small content that it was thy hand thus for their sins to chastise thy people and that thou Lord hast done it and that being done Thou wilt take them and cast them into the fire Let them then O Lord curse Let them speak evil as they do of us let them vlaspheme and account us the off-scouring of the World out-casts and a spectacle to men and Angels But do thou O Lord bless bless thy people bless thine inheritance They arise against us but let them be ashamed and astonished that all their plots are frustrate and brought to naught Let our Adversaries be cloathed with shame and cover and enwrap themselves with their own confusion as with a Mantle This at the last day will be certainly done when they shall desire if possible to fly from the presence of the Almighty whereas thy servants then with great boldness shall stand in the presence of the Almighty and lift up their heads and rejoyce O Gracious God defend and help thy poor Church stand at the right hand of every one that is poor in spirit and of an humble heart save him from those that would condemn his soul So will we greatly praise the Lord with our mouths yea we will praise thee among the multitude in all the Churches of the Saints with great affections and many Jubilees we will honour thy Name and sound forth thy praise through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CX Propheticus de Regno Christi THIS Psalm is short in words but copious and deep in Mysteries the Subject of it without doubt is Christ which no Christian can deny since both St. Peter Acts 2.34 and St. Paul Hebr. 1.13 expounds it of Christ and Christ applieth it to himself Matth. 22.44 In this then Christ is described as a King and a Priest In it are to be considered 1. Christs Kingdom in the three first verses 2. His Priesthood in the fourth fifth sixth and seventh 1. The first part Christ a King As touching his Kingdom the Prophet first acquaints us with his Person 2. His Power and the Acquisition of it 3. The Continuance of it 4. The Execution of it first over his enemies and secondly over his own people which is the sum of the three first verses 1. The Person that was here to reign was Davids Lord 1 His Person his Son according to the flesh but his Lord as equal to God Phil. 2.6 7. As made flesh Ver. 1 the Son of David as born of a Virgin the Son of David but as Emmanuel the Lord of David which the Jewes not understanding could not answer Christs question Mat. 22.45 2. As for his Power the Authour of it was God The Lord said to my Lord. 2 His Power The Lord said said it that is Decreed it from everlasting And said it again when he made it known The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head 3. And of this Kingdom as I may so say he then took Possession 3 His Inauguration to his Kingdom at his Ascension when the Lord said unto him Sit at my right hand Christ as the Son of God was ever at Gods right hand equal with him in Might and Majesty but as Man was not exalted to this honour before his glorious Ascension Acts 2.34 Ephes 1.20 Phil. 2.8 This then was the day of Inauguration to his Kingdom 4. For the continuance of it It is to be donec 4 The continuance of his Kingdom which notes not a piece of time but a perpetuity Sit till I make all thy enemies thy foot-stool Sit he shall at Gods right hand that is in power and glory till he shall say to all Tyrants and Hereticks and Hypocrites and Antichrists Depart from me Mat. 25. Yet not so as if he were to be dethron'd then but till then he shall reign in a secret manner for now though he executes his Power yet it is not seen Tyrants acknowledge it not But when once all his enemies shall be made his foot-stool then he shall openly and visibly Rule Sitting at his Fathers right hand for evermore Bellarmine interprets it well Go on to reign neither desist to propagate and enlarge thy Kingdom by converting men to faith and obedience until there be not an enemy alive not a man which will not bow his knee to thy Name till all Opponents be beaten down 5. The beginning of this Kingdom was in Zion 5 The beginning of his Kingdom in Zion The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Zion 1. The Rod of his power and strength was his Scepter and his Scepter is his Word the Gospel the Wisdom of God 1 Thes 2.13 Ver. 2 The Sword of the Spirit
expect none but muddy troubled water that then the Prophet saith He shall drink of the Torrent intimates That the drink offer'd him should be much and troubled And at his Passion he descended into the very depth of the Torrent and drank very deep of it 3. In the way That was while he was Viator in his Journey all the time of his life that preceded his Resurrection and Ascension 2. His Ascension and Honour But Claritas Humilitatis praemium because he thus humbled himself and willingly underwent his Death and Passion for the Glory of his Father and the Salvation of Mankind therefore shall God lift up his Head he shall ascend into Heaven sit at his right hand and be constituted the Judge of quick and dead he shall rise from the dead and have all power committed to him in Heaven and Earth The Prayer out of the One hundred and tenth Psalm O Almighty God most gracious and merciful Lord sinned all Mankind hath and by it incurr'd thy displeasure and by the disobedience of our first Parents had we not since added to that disobedience béen utterly lost it was not in the power of any creature to save us it was not within the compass of any humane or angelical ability to make our peace to get our pardon and to reconcile us again unto thée The sentence of death was passed upon us and nothing could respite the execution but thy own Ordinance A Mediator was wanting to interpose and hear all differences a Priest to step in and make an Atonement an Advocate to plead for thy people and allay the anger that was gone forth And such an one O merciful Lord Thou out of thy méer love hast in mercy provided for us Thou saidst to thy own Son Thou art a Priest for ever and thy own Son said Lo I come to do thy Will Ver. 4 and so by thy wonderful Decrée and his willing Obedience we are redéemed Who ever heard so strange a thing who could or would ever believe this report hadst not thou O God revealed it The zeal of the Lord hath done this for us the zeal of the Son of God hath done this brought to pass that which flesh and blood would never believe were it not That thou hast commanded it to be believed O mystery beyond comprehension which when we séem to comprehend yet we understand not the secret so far passeth what our weak capacity can reach unto And in this thou O merciful Father hast condescended to our infirmity for that thy Decrée and thy Sons love be never more doubted Thou hast secured us by an Oath an Oath of which thou wilt never repent That he is a Priest for ever A Priest must have something to offer and he offer'd himself a Priest must offer blood and he offer'd his own a Priest must step in and appease thy anger when it was at the highest a Priest must reconcile when the terms of difference were the greatest And such an High Priest thou hast sworn thy Son shall be given him for us and to us not only to them that lived then and before but to all thine that are now and shall be hereafter for thou hast ordained to be a Priest for ever O holy and good Father how much hast thou loved us who hast not spared thine one only Son but hast deliver'd him to be our Priest and our Sacrifice and therefore our Priest because our Sacrifice to Sacrifice himself upon the Altar of the Cross that he might cancel and nail there the Hand-writing that was against us and by death destroy him that had the power of death the Devil This could not be done till he had drank of the Brook in the way till all thy storms and waves had gone over him for so it behoved Christ to suffer Ver. 7 and to enter into his Glory But now all those indignities that agony those unknown sufferings are at an end and thou hast lifted up his head He that sacrificed himself on Earth is an High Priest an Advocate a Mediator an Intercessor for his Body in Heaven and there applies his purchase and continues this his Office for his Servants and Saints O Lord I am the meanest the most sinful of this Society so often as I provoke thée to anger by infirmity or surreptitious by enormous or presumptuous iniquities turn thy face from me a wretched Caitiff and behold those wounds in his hands féet and side and accept of that precious Sacrifice which he made upon the Cross for me hear the cry of those wounds that intercede for me at thy Throne of Grace I rely upon no other Advocate I will sue to no other Mediator if he be not able to save me then let me perish for ever speak peace to my soul in his Name be reconciled unto me in his blood and make his intercession so powerful unto me That I may be purged from my sins and turned from mine iniquities And this Supplication I do not only offer unto thée for my self but for all thy people Ver. 1 for whose sakes thou hast lift up his head and said unto my Lord Sir thou at my right hand All power is now given unto him both in Heaven and in Earth for he is not only a Priest but a King also a Scepter he hath and a Rod in his right hand this is the Rod of his strength and it came first out of Zion Ver. 2 I mean his Gospel that Law which came first out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem O set thy King upon thy holy hill of Zion give him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Oppose all those that oppose the growth and enlargement of his Kingdom Let him rule in the midst of thine enemies and sit at thy right hand until thou hast made all his enemies his Foot-stool O Lord let him preside and have the Dominion over all till there be no Adversary left that shall dare to oppose him in his Offices Behold we humbly beséech thée how in these our dayes there are risen up blasphemous and wicked men cruel and bloody Antichrists who go about to break his Bands asunder and dare boldly and impudently say of him We will not have this man to reign over us Be present then O Lord our Saviour at the right hand of thy people and strike through Kings Princes and Potentates in the day of thy wrath Exercise judgment against these blasphemous and heathenish Rebels let not thy Eye pity them nor thy Sword spare them but fill the places with their dead bodies and in what Countrey soever they remain what Aire soever they breath let their factious bodies and their Machivillian and Tyrannical heads and leaders receive their deaths wound from thy hand and fury O Lord pronounce a favourable sentence for thy Church and let
he hath done endureth for ever and shall in its time receive an ample reward Prov. 28.27 22.9 2. Nay by it increased his honour and perhaps his wealth also 2 And his Honour His Horn that is his power dignity glory shall be exalted with honour 10. Ver. 10 His last felicity is that he shall exceed and overcome all envy for it is most true 10 He shall overcome all Envy 1. That the wicked shall see it consider the prosperity and liberality of him that fears God and be grieved with his felicity and pine with envy 1 For the wicked shall envy him 2. That as a mad Dog he shall gnash his teeth at it and for very grief melt away 2 But not hurt him and seek his ruine 3. But yet he shall not be able to harm him all his endeavours shall be frustrate and his labours ineffectual The desire of the wicked shall perish He then that fears God is a happy man he that fears him not most unhappy The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and twelfth Psalm O On impotent God it is thy fear alone that can make men truly happy for where thy fear is truly rooted Ver. 1 there piety and justice there thy true worship and all fruits of charity and justice will flourish so therefore affect our bearts with a filial fear that we may make it our delight to run the wayes of thy Commandments Make our will conformable to thy Will and our affectionâ correspondent to what thou dost affect so shall we find no labour or difficulty in thy precepts but be greatly pleased to be thy obedient servants It is time of the greatest of our desires Ver. 2 That our seed should be mighty upon earth which cannot be expected without thy blessing create in us then an upright he art that so the Generation which succéed us may be blessed We desire that wealth Ver. 3 and riches and honour should be in our house let us aim to attain to these in thy fear Ver. 3 in a just and a righteous way that they may endure to our posterity make us content with what thou bestowest and know That Piety is great gain when the mind is satisfied with what thou givest We now live O Lord in a difficult time we know not what to do but our eyes are to thée Ver. 4 Thou art a gracious God and full of compassion and righteous let therefore thy light arise to us in this darkness let thy counsel direct us and thy comforts shine unto us Ver. 5 that we may prudently carry our selves in these distrculties Provocations we have had to anger and revenge but touch our hearts with so much compassion that we may shew favour toward our enemies forgive them as thou for Christs sake hast forgiden us And since we are compassed about with temptations Ver. 6 enrich our hearts with prudence That we may guide our Affairs with discretion Ver. 7 discréetly putting a difference betwixt Truth and Falshood just and unjust acts and though we be violently assaulted make us constant in thy fear and patient in our sufferings O let us not be moved or seduced from the right way for ever Fix our hearts and make us trust in thée establish our hearts and never let any evil tydings make us afraid but let us rely upon thy promises till we sée our desire upon our enemies Let it not be our aim to heap up wealth but give us grace to use it well to disperse as well as to gather and to be content to give as well as to receine that so the loins of the néedy may bless us and the bellies of the poor pray for us With this unrighteous Mammon let us make our selves friends that when they fall we may be receiv'd into everlasting habitations this is a righteousness that will endure for ever this is a means not only to encrease our reward in the life to come Ver. 6 but also in this to exalt our Horâ our power and dignity with honour For a good man alwayes lives in the memory of good men his name is precious his memorial is honourable whereas the memory of the wicked shall be buried in oblivion or remembred with reproach the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Write our names O Lord in the Book of life Ver. 10 and conserve them in the memorials of thy Saints let the wicked sée it and be grieved at it and let the adversaries of thy fear and the blessed estate of thy servants gnash their téeth for envy and melt away to find that their desires come to naught O Lord whosoever he be that shall desire the ruine of those that fear thée let him never be able to fulfil it but together with him let his desire perish So shall thy people and sheep of thy pasture that fear thee the Lord Ver. 1 and delight greatly in thy Commandments bless thy Name for blessing them and call to all that love thee and thy Church to praise the Lord. Amen Amen PSAL. CXIII ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THE Scope of this Psalm is the same with those that went before viz. to excite men to praise God Three parts of this Psalm 1. An Exhortation to praise him directed to his servants ver 1. 2. A Form set down for it expressing how when and where to praise him ver 2 3. 3. The Reasons that perswade us to it first his infinite Power ver 4 5. secondly his Providence most conspicuous in Heaven and in Earth ver 6. in Earth both in Common-wealths ver 7 8. and in private Families ver 9. 1. The Prophet exhorts men to praise the Lord And 1. First He doubles and trebles his Exhortation Praise the Lord praise The first part He exhorts to praise God praise the Name of the Lord that it be not coldly and dully but zealously done or else to shew that he alone is worthy of all praise Ver. 1 The Kingdom is his and therefore the Glory Especially his servants 2. He shewes us by whom he would have it done by his servants Praise the Lord O ye servants He is your Lord you his servants praise him then and do it with a pure heart For praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner 2. The Form in which it is to be done is this Say The second part A Form of thanksgiving 1. Blessed be the Name of the Lord Job 1. 2. And say it at all times Begin it ab ipso nunc From this time forth and continue in it from this time forth for evermore In prosperity adversity in this life in the future 1 For all times 3. And let it be said in all places even all the World over From the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same 2 All places the Lords Name is to be praised 3. And now follow the Reasons The third part The reasons for it by which he perswades men
soever ye live see that ye trust in the Lord and that for the same reason For he will be their help and their shield also In every Nation those that fear him and do righteousness are accepted of him He will be a Lord Protector even to these as to Job Naaman c. 3. And that his Exhortation to trust in God might take the deeper root The third part The blessing upon it he tells all three that they should be no losers by it for it was it that had and would bring a blessing upon them For God doth not use to forget those that trust in him but he hath been mindful of us Ver. 12 And by a singular and especial Providence and care of us he hath shew'd it and he will shew it to every one of you 1. To you of the Nation He will bless the house of Israel 1 To the Nation 2. To you of the Priesthood He will bless the house of Aaron 3. To all you that fear him He will bless them that fear the Lord 2 To the Priesthood both small and great And the Prophet taking his example from God 3 To all that fear him This the Prophet seconds with his prayer poures forth his blessing upon them also he thought it not enough to exhort them only to trust in God and acquaint them that God would bless them except he seconded it with his prayer and therefore to Gods blessing he adds his own and desires the blessing may rest upon the heads of them and their children 1. The Lord shall increase you more and more you and your children 2. Let the World curse you and speak evil of you yet I say Ye are the blessed of the Lord come ye blessed Deutr. 28. 3. That Lord which made heaven and earth which words are added that they be assured that their blessing is a real blessing coming from him in whose hand is the dew of heaven and fatness of the earth in which form Isaac blessed Jacob Gen. 27.28 4. It comes from one that is able to bless 1. For the heaven even the heavens are the Lords In them he especially shewes his Presence Majesty Glory from thence descend the dewes of grace and the drops of rain that water the earth 2. As for the earth he hath made a Deed of Gift for that He hath given it to the children of men that by his blessing upon their labour they may be sustained with food and rayment so that while they live in it and enjoy the Goods thereof they praise him 4. The fourth part For that is the true end of their being here the chief nay the sole end they live upon it And that for their blessing they again bless God the end that God gave it to them an end which they that are dead cannot attain unto This he illustrates by an Antithesis betwixt the dead and the living 1. Ver. 17 For the dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into the silence Among them there is great silence of the dewes of heaven and the fatness of the earth they need neither and therefore they praise not God for them The blessing of the City and blessings of the Field are nothing unto them they have no mouths to fill and therefore no mouths in a corporal manner to open in the praise of God Him they praise but it is after their manner not ours him they praise but it is for other blessings than ours 2. Ver. 18 But we as yet are upon the earth we enjoy his protection we enjoy besides spiritual these temporal blessings also this his gift we must make use of And therefore we will do that the dead cannot We will bloss the Lord from this time forth for evermore By our selves while we live and desire it may be done by our posterity when we are going down into silence 3. However ye that are alive this day Praise ye the Lord. The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and fifteenth Psalm O Omnipotent and Gracious God in all Ages thou hast béen merciful to thy people and even in their greatest afflictions raised up the spirits of some one or other of thy servants by whose hands thou hast delivered them At this time we are in great misery at this time we are in affliction send us help from thy Sanctuary raise us up some Moses to go before us some Joshua to sight for us Ver. 2 some Sampson to deliver us wherefore should the uncircumcised triumph over us and say Where is now their God The reproach O Lord redounds to thée this insultation is to thy dishonour arise then O Lord and give the glory unto thy Name shew thy merciful countenance and that thou art a God of Truth Ver. 1 and for thy Mercy and Truths sake come down at last and deliver us Merit there is none on our part why thou shouldst do it for us and therefore it must be mercy Merit there is too much on our part why thou shouldst not do it and therefore if it be done it must be thy Truth thy Word pass'd to thy servants that moves thée to it We destre not that any part of this work be attributed to us but that the honour of it be wholly thine Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name which is now blashemed and vilified Ver. 3 give the Glory for thy Mercy and for thy Truths sake Make them know that have so long trusted in lying vanities and worshipped the imaginations of their own hearts That our God is in Heaven that he hath done whatsoever pleased him that as it hath béen his pleasure to humble us so it is his pleasure to exalt us he hath brought us very low but he can set us again on high when how and by whom he pleaseth O Lord heal our back-slidings and love us freely turn away thine anger from us be as a dew to thy Israel make his branches âoread Ver. 9 and his beauty as the Olive-trée let him revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine what have we to do any more with Idols vain men That have hands and cannot help and ears and will not hear Thée O Lord will we hear Thée will we alone observe For thou art our help and our shield Thou wilt be the Lord Protector to thy Israel Thou wilt be a shield to the house of Aaron Thou wilt be a helper to all those that fear thée therefore renouncing the arm of flesh we will trust to thée alone O Lord be mindful of us and bless us bless the house of Israel that people which thou hast chosen to thy self and gathered from among the Nations Bless the house of Aaron that Tribe that thou hast chosen to thy self and set apart to come near unto thée among this people O Lord bless them all that sear thy Name in what part of the World soever they remain of what condition soever they he
is The Lord is on my side therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me He saith God is for me therefore I shall not suffer for he knew that he was to suffer many things But God is my helper therefore I will not fear for the evils that man can bring upon me because I know That all things shall work together for good to those that fear God Matth. 10.28 2 Cor. 4.17 2. The Lord takes my part with them that help me And his second Inference is Therefore I shall see my desire upon them that hate me I shall see my self in safety my enemies cast down and peace restored to the Church which last is my chief desire Out of which he deduceth yet a third Inference viz. that men trust in God for 1. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in man Ver. 8 for be it he be willing to help yet oftentimes man is not able 2. And again It is better to trust in the Lord than to put any confidence in Princes for say they be able to help yet they are false politick and will not David found it true in Achish King of Gath But the Lord both can and will and therefore it is far better to trust in him 3. Of which being confident he sings an ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Davids Triumph for his assured victories acquaints us in what dangers he was and yet how God ever deliver'd him and therefore proposeth himself for an example how good it is to trust in God 1. All Nations Moabites Ammonites Edomites Philistines Syrians compassed me about But to no purpose for in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them 2. They compassed me about yea they compassed me about but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them 3. They compassed me about like Bees swarms there were of them and they were angry creatures arm'd with stings but they were quench'd as fire of thorns that makes a great blaze and a great noise but suddenly goes out for in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them A multitude of enemies here were angry and stinging enemies and all compassing and about him David a King for Kings are most opposed and subject to be stung but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them The arms that I confide in and especially prepare against them is Nomen Domini I fight indeed and war against them but my special weapons in all my War in which I trust is the Name the Protection the Tutelage of the Lord setting upon them in his power with his help I will destroy them Now he that fights in the Name of the Lord must be sure to have 1. A Vocation to fight 2. A good Cause And 3dly He must manage the War with affections conformable to piety he must not seek himself nor his own ends but Gods glory execution of justice c. 4. He told us of a multitude of enemies and for the overthrow of these he sang his Triumph now he singles out some one in particular whether Saul Ishbosheth or his son Absolon it is uncertain But to such a one by an Apostrophe he turns his speech 1. Thou hast thrust sore at me that I might fall Ver. 13 I came into some great danger there was little hope of life or of escape 2. But the Lord helped me I impute it not to my own indeavour wit good fortune that I escaped nor yet to any second causes it was the Lord that did it for me Which in the next verse he more fully acknowledgeth The Lord is my strength and song and is become my salvation 1. My strength that I am able to resist my enemies 2. My salvation that I be delivered from my enemies 3. My song The third part The Triumph sung by the Church him whom I joyfully praise and sing of after I am delivered 3. And that this his song might be the fuller here David calls for the whole Quire to sing with him His delivery concern'd the whole Church and therefore he desires the praise be sung in full voyce by the whole Church and so it fell out for they kept a Jubilee a day of Thanksgiving for it 1. Ver. 15 The voyce of rejoycing and salvation is in the Tabernacles of the righteous They congratulate their own safety in my delivery and sing thus to God 2. Ver. 16 The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly The right hand of the Lord is exalted The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly This was the Anthem that the whole Quire of Saints and Believers sang and they repeat it and come over it again and again to express their joy Now this Anthem sung by the Church By David again was no sooner ended but David takes his Harp again and sings this Versicle by himself and insulting over his enemies he chants 1. I will not dye as they desired and indeavoured by a violent death I will not be broken-hearted by these griefs and pressures but I will take heart and rise as it were out of the Grave not to live an idle life and spend my dayes in pleasure but to declare the works of the Lord. 2. And among his works this is one upon which I will especially insist that 1. The Lord hath chastned me sore Within I have strugled with sin with the Devil with the sorrowes of death without I have been assaulted by bitter enemies 2. But in both these I must acknowledge his fatherly affection for these stroaks were not deadly he hath not given me over unto death 4. The fourth part It is conceived that this Psalm was composed by David that it might be sung The Anthymn sung betwixt David and the Priests when Priests and people were assembled together to give thanks to the Lord for that their good King was now fully delivered from his enemies and quietly setled in his Throne that then which followes may be best understood if with Junius we form it into a Dialogue 1. Ver. 19 David in these words speaks to the Priests and Levites who had the care of the Tabernacle Open to me the gates of righteousness that is the gates of Gods house in which righteousness ought to dwell For I will go in to them and I will there publickly and in the whole Assembly of good men praise the Lord and give him thanks for his mercy to me 2. Ver. 20 To this the Priests return answer This is the gate of the Lord the sole gate of justice that leads to him and the just only shall enter into it procul este profani 3. David replies shewing his Reason in brief why he entred into Gods house Ver. 21 his end was to praise God which he doth in few words for God loveth not long prayers I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation And to the 28th verse how God had setled him in his Kingdom made him
up against us Men carnal corrupt men that look after nothing but to satisfie their own Ambition Lust Avarice Those arose seditiously tumultuously rebelliously of such the Proverb is true Home homini lupus 2. Which the Prophet verifies in the next verse expressing the danger that the Church was in from these men or Beasts rather by these two similitudes of Beasts of prey of waters 1. Ver. 3 Then they had swallowed us up quick that had been the consequent of their rising The danger the Church was in before delivered like Wolves and Bears they had rush'd upon us and devoured us as poor sheep eaten us even alive Though Bellarmine refers this Clause to waters also because Beasts tear before they devour and so eat not their prey alive But the Metaphor may be proper enough the other way for he shewes what they would do if they could and that in their fury they spare not a living soul By cruel enemies 2. The cause their wrath Which fury of theirs the Prophet conceals not but illustrates it by a Metaphor This they had done to us when their wrath was kindled against us Ver. 4 3. His other similitude is from waters Then the proud waters had gone over our soul And in the verse before Then the waters had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul He compares the Enemies Army to a swelling Torrent that carries all before it 3. Ver. 6 Next acknowledgeth the deliverance and gives thanks to the Authour to be God alone He gives thanks for it Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us over as a prey into their teeth The deliverance was beyond expectation which he illustrates by another similitude of a Bird taken in but escaping out of a snare unexpectedly 1. Ver. 7 Our soul is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler taken to be killed 2. The snare is broken and we are delivered the Fowler is deceived of his prey 4. Ver. 8 He concludes the Psalm with a gratulatory Epiphonema 1. And relies on God Our help is in the Name of the Lord. The Church relies in all dangers upon God whether they be assaulted openly as by Bears and Wolves or secretly as the Fowler layes wait for the Bird yet her help is in Gods protection and tutelage 2. Who made Heaven and Earth i. e. The Creatour who hath all things in his hand and power and therefore is able to deliver us The Prayer EXcept thou Ver. 1 O Omnipotent and Merciful God shalt by thy power and favour assist and help us our enemies Swords drawn out against us must néeds dispatch and consume us for their wrath is so kindled against us that as Wolves and Bears devour the poor flock so have they rush'd into amongst us and desired to swallow us quick when they seditiously and rebelliously rose up against us yea the déep waters of the proud hath overwhelmed and gone over our soul Sought they have to swéep us away as a mighty Torreut and over-run us at once as an unexpected inundation doth the lower vallies And what they could not do by violence that they have attempted by close and secret practices for they have set snares for our souls as the crafty Fowler doth for the innocent Bird. O Lord avert thy anger from us and take not vengeance upon us according to our deserts be not wanting to thy own Ordinances to thy Name thy Truth which with us is like to suffer Bring to pass that we may at last say Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth let their nets be broken Ver. 6 their plots vissolved weaken their strength and bring to naught their counsels and make a way for our souls to escape as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler from thée alone which hast made Heaven and Earth we look for help therefore we humbly beséech thée that for thy infinite goodness and mercy Ver. 8 thou wouldst be propitious to our prayers and deliver us from these fierce bloody and subtile enemies for the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSALM CXXV ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã IT is the purpose of the Prophet to comfort the Church of God 1. The Sume By an assurance of her perpetuity both from Gods presence and protection ver 1 2. 2. That though God suffer them to be chastised by the wicked yet he will not leave them under the rod ver 3. 3. He prayes for the good 4. Sets down the portion of the wicked ver 4 5. 1. The first part In the beginning of the Psalm the Prophet sets down a general promise of the perpetuity of the Church because of Gods continual presence with her Ver. 1 And shews to whom it belongs 1. They that trust in the Lord. That trust in him The Church shall continue not with a vain confidence and presumption but that rely upon him by faith not fained out of a pure heart and a good conscience and aftervent love 2. These shall be as mount Zion which cannot be moved secure and immovable as is Zion not only immovable because a mountain but because a holy mountain consecrated and dear to God 3. Which the Prophet farther explains and assigns a perpetual duration to it but abides for ever which is a comfort to the Church Because God protects it of which Zion was the Type No tempest no storm no persecution no enemy shall destroy it Of which the Prophet gives a reason in the next verse by a Similitude for Zion which was in Jerusalem hath the mountains round about it for a wall of defence 't is not easie for an enemy to approach Jerusalem nor to take It was a Virgin-City never taken but twice and then when God took away his protection from it and delivered it to the hand and will of the Babylonians and Romans Which protection he will never take from his Church and therefore the Church is unexpugnable 1. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem 2. So the Lord is round about his people A wall of fire round about Ver. 2 Zach. 2. 3. From henceforth even for ever They that trust in the Lord shall be alwayes safe and secure for though they be temporally afflicted yet all shall work for their good He may take from them their wealth health c. yet he gives something better patience comfort with hope of eternal glory 2. Which the Prophet confirms preventing an objection The second part What shall those that trust in the Lord be safe and secure How comes it to passe then that they are oppressed to which the Prophet by way of prevention answers The power of the wicked shal never destroy it He grants it may be so but the oppression is not to continue The power of the wicked shall be over the just for their probation for their trial and correction but it shall not rest upon them it
shall be transient not permanent temporal not eternal 1. For the rod i. e. Scepter and power of the wicked shall not rest i. e. Ver. 3 Stay continue stand settle upon the loât inheritance part Not prevail long portion of the righteous 2. The reason is Lest the righteous put forth his hand to wickednesse That good fall not away i. e. Lest the righteous do faint and being discouraged lose their perseverance in piety justice when they see the prosperity of wicked men to be overlong and joyn with them in their villany 3. And because he said there was some danger to pious men Ver. 4 lest they should be scandalized by the oppression of the wicked He prayes for them and be seduced to fall by their prosperity therefore he prayes earnestly for them 1. Do good O Lord send them patience send them comfort and a speedy deliverance 2. I mean those who are upright in their hearts conform their hearts to thy will do acquiesee in thee wait upon thee and expect thy promises 4. Ver. 5 Now to these men that are upright in heart he opposeth the wicked the revolters and shews the end of Apostatees and Apostates and declares what will be the end of them 1. As for such as turn aside to their crooked wayes That decline from their uprighrnesse of heart to some crooked way and in persecution and tribulation let go their patience and revolt from the Truth and confidence either denying the faith complain of God and murmur at his providence 2. The Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity A terrible Commination their portion shall be with their persecutors the worst of men Hypocrites Factors for mischief 3. Whereas the good shall have peace But peace shall be upon Israel The wicked being separated from the society of good men there shall remain an eternal peace to the people of God The Prayer out of the one hundred five and twentieth Psalm O Most gracious God because all humane helps are vain uncertain weak and deceitful therefore we are commanded and according to thy command 't is the joy of our hearts that we can repose our sols considence in thée Ver. 1 For we are assured that those that can rely on thée with a pure heart a good conscience servent love and saith unseined shall be as mount Zion that Mountain which thou hast chosen before all the earth to set thy name there which nor storm nor tempest nor enemy nor persecution shall remove Be Ver. 2 O good Lord a wall of fire about thy Church and as the mountains were placed round about Jerusalem for her defence so Lord stand round about thy people in this néedful time of trouble let not the gates of hell prevaile against them nor the wicked approach to hurt them but be a strong tower of defence unto them from henceforth even for ever Ver. 3 For our sins and hainous transgressions thou hast justly suffered the wicked to lay their severe rod upon the backs of the righteous people but suffer not this their power and scepter to rest stay and continue overlong upon them Lest that they who are infirme and weak in the saith saint and be discouraged and by the tentation of their and thy enemies prosperity deserting the way of piety and justice joyn with them in their villany and put forth their hands unto iniquity O Lord send to all thy good servants constancie send them patience Ver. 4 send them comfort send them deliverance Do good O Lord to them that are true of heart But as for those Ver. 5 who turn aside to their crooked wayes not only imagine wickednesse in their hearts but by their utmost endeavour bring it to effect whose labour it is that thy Word be dishonoured sincere Religion extinguished and the sincere invocation of thy Name obliterated lead them forth with the workers of iniquity and make them séele and know the hottestot thy wrath and indignation But restore unto thy people Israel who serve thée with an honest heart their former peace and tranquility and make them partakers of thy mercy which thou hast promised to thy Church for thy Sons sake Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The plainer summe of the CXXIV Psalm in which is described 1. The subtilty of the adversaries of the Church in laying snares to entrap it as fowlers do to catch birds vers 7. 2. Their Cruelty in seeking to tear it in pieces yea to swallow it up quick as some cruel beasts of prey or as mighty inundations that overflow all in their way vers 3 4 5 6. 3. The cause of their Subtilty and Cruelty Wrath Displeasure vers 3. 4. The delivery of the Church from both by the power and goodness of God vers 1 2 6 7. 5. The Duty perform'd for this deliverance Praise to God vers 6. PSAL. CXXVI THIS Psalm seems to be penn'd about the end of the Captivity when Cyrus gave liberty to the Jews to return into their own Land and to build again the Temple and Jerusalem For it is the purpose of the Prophet in gratitude to celebrate so great a mercy The Contents of it are 1. An expression of joy for the strange liberty granted them to return which was wonderful both to Jews and Gentiles vers 1 2 3. 2. A prayer for the return of the remaining part vers 4. 3. An excellent Corallary or Moral collected by the Prophet from it that there is a Vicissitude of things that our mourning shall be turn'd to joy vers 5 6. 1. The Prophet first celebrates their return from the Captivity The first part The Prophet exults for the Jews return from Captivity and amplifies it three wayes 1. From the cause 2. From the wonder of it 3. From the joy at it 1. The cause was Jehovah Ver. 1 When the Lord turn'd again the Captivity of Zion though Cyrus gave a Commission for it 1 The Author Jehovah yet it was the Lord that did it 2. So strange and wonderful and beyond expectation it was 2 It was beyond imagination that the Jews were like them that dream When they heard of it for joy they could scarse believe it so that they thought that they nor heard nor saw it but did only dream of such a thing That hapned to them which did to Jacob at the news of his son Josephs exaltation in Egypto he did scarse believe it 3. Their joy for this wonderful deliverance is expressed vers 2. Ver. 2 For from their inward comfort there proceeded an external mirth 3 Their joy for it which they expressed by the joy of their countenance and with the voice 1. Then was our month fill'd with laughter We had a merry look 2. And one tongue with singing Songs they sung to the praise of God This God did for them witness Now that God did this for them he proves by a twofold attestation 1. Of the Heathen Then said they among
the Heathen 1 The Heathen The Lord hath done great things for them i.e. the Jews They saw that it was done at the set time prefix'd by Jeremy That Cyrus named by Isaiah did it that they were not only set free but sent home with rich gifts that a Commission was given to rebuild the Temple and the vessels of gold and silver restored all so far beyond expectation that they could not choose but say This is Gods doing The Lord hath done great things for them Yea and Cyrus himself acknowledgeth so much Ezra 1 2. 2. 2 The Jews Of the Jews 'T is true saith the Jew that you Heathen do acknowledge 1. The Lord hath done great things for us Far beyond our Merit far beyond our Hope Ver. 3 For he hath brought us out of a miserable Captivity and seated us again in our Countrey 2. Whereof we are glad Glad at heart that we are freed from your yoke 2. The second part But there were many of the Jews that stay'd behind They returned not all at once Many Jews stayed behind For the return of these he prayes Some of them went up with Ezra some with Nehemiah and some of them stay'd in those Countries still having married strange Wives and gotten possessions in it and for the return of these they pray to God that there might be a plenary and total reversion 1. Ver. 4 Turn our Captivity O Lord. Put it into their hearts that they may speedily and fully return and dwell with us leaving the Heathen 2. As the streams in the South Or as Junius reads it Tanquam validissimas aquas reducens in regionem siccam They that read it Tanquam torrentes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in Austro give this sense of it That God by his Spirit which is in Scripture compared to a South-wind Cant. 4.16 would so move the hearts of the Jews that still lingred and loytered and remained among the Heathen that they would unanimously and in great companies return from thence Come down as a torrent of water some mighty flood or stream from the hills when the South-wind melts the Winter Snows which runs with such violence that it carries all along with it and the like happens also cum madidis Notus evolat alis And such a reduction the Church prayes for here universal total that by a mighty power God would work in them so to melt their hearts that it should generally sweep them along before it and not leave a man behind ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã when the wind sits in the South But they that read it Tanquam valid as reducens aquas in regionem siccam by occasion of the Hebrew word Negheb that signifies also Australem plagam conceive that the Prophet may allude to some desert and dry places such as are those deserts of Arabia a Southern Countrey And they give this sense of it Turn our Captivity O Lord and let it be like those great rains that fall in those desert and dry places which refresh the earth and bring joy to the inhabitants Make it to us a joyful day as it is with those Southern people when the Rivers flow in dry places Both senses are apt but I prefer the first because it respects more properly the power of God in moving their hearts to an universal reduction and the manner of it their confluence and coming together 3. The third part The benefit great they should receive by it Yea but perhaps this their return might be grievous and troublesome to many of them such as married strange Wives which they were to leaveâ such as had gotten possessions in Babylon such as learned the manners and Religion of the Heathen c. These liked not to alter their dwellings Well be it so the Prophet puts them in mind of an ample recompence Ver. 5 and illustrates it by a Metaphorical Proverb They that sow in tears shall reap in joy They may mourn for their departure from thence but when they should cast up the income benefit and increase that should come by it that would befall them which happens to the poorest Husbandman that sows his seed perhaps in a der year or which he hath bought or in an ill season with which he should sustain his family and therefore could ill spare it This he commits to the ground and covers it with clods not being sure whether ever he shall see it again or reap any benefit by it which puts him into a dump of sorrow He sows in tears But when once the harvest comes and he finds the increase and that the earth returns him his seed with usury then he reaps with joy For your comfort the like upon your return shall happen to you 'T will be youâ joy that you are return'd to your own Land where you shall enjoy your former possessions and over and above the Religion of your forefathers and abundant recompence for all losses you can sustain And this the Prophet amplifies or declares more fully in the next verse 1. He that goes forth and weeps viz. the poor husbandman for the reasons expressed bearing precious seed Semen acquisitionis or Semen acquisitum Seed bought with a price which augments his grief being so poor that he had none of his own Or else it may be read the Seed-basket but to the same-sense 2. He shall doubtless come again with joy with joy at time of harvest and bring his sheaves with him For every grain he sowed full ears of corn The general collection from this is That no man shall be a loser in obeying the voice of God if he part with any thing for him he shall be sure of an ample recompence There will be a turn extrema luctus gaudium occupat For the Cross they shall have a Crown Some refer these two last verses to the time of the Israelites carrying into Captivity and their return thence Thus. Then when they were carried away Captive they sowed in tears they went forth weeping But at their return they reaped in joy they brought their sheaves with them in that they were inrich'd by many gifts and favours But I conceive the former sense more coherent with the Text and closer to the Prophets purpose being a strong argument to the Jews that were over-backward to return The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and twenty sixth Psalm O Lord our God for our disobedience to thy holy Laws Ver. 1 and our ingratitude for that great light of thy Gospel which thou in mercy hadst caused to shine amongst us thou Lord hast brought us under a heavy Captivity Tyrants have had their wills upon us and have loaded our necks with a grievous yoke It is thy mercy alone that can relieve us Ver. 4 thy hand alone that is able to redéem us To thée therefore we fly Turn our Captivity O Lord and bring back our banished let it be so universal and unexpected that it may put all into admiration that behold
yet thou canst hear me and therefore I cry O Lord hear 3. Let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications 'T is to no purpose to cry for audience except he will be attentive to whom we cry And therefore begs of God that he would vouchsafe to hear to attend 2. The second part Yea but there was great reason why God should nor hear nor yet encline his ear to his cry He was a grievous sinner and God hears not such Well be it so yet his case was but the same with other men All men involv'd in sin as well as he and therefore if this should be a sufficient impediment that he should not be heard the like lay against other men and so God attentive to no prayer He desires therefore to remit his sin and that this might not be charged upon him 1. Ver. 3 If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquity O Lord who shall stand mirabilis rhetorica 2 He cryes for Remission of Sin I nor no other man can bring into thy sight any thing else but filth sinne shame and therefore if thou shouldst deal with us in rigour of justice and execute thy anger necessary it is that all be condemn'd not a man stand in thy sight 1 Acknowledging his own misery But it becomes not thy infinite goodness to destroy all men and therefore I need not seem overbold if I cry out of my depths and ask a pardon 2. Ver. 4 But there is mârcy with thee or forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feard 2 Gods mercy True repentance requires two things the recognition of our own misery and the perswasion of Gods mercy Both are needful for he that knows not his own misery seeks not for help and he that knows not Gods mercy despairs In the three former verses David acknowledgeth himself in a pitiful case for he was in the depths and cryes from thence that if God should deal with him in rigour of justice he were undone never able to abide it In this verse he comforts himself with Gods mercy and that notwithstanding the greatness and multitude of his sins he hoped for pardon as if he had said Though no man can abide it if thou shalt mark our iniquities yet I know that by nature thou art merciful and forgivest fin 2. 3 The end of remission that God be feared That thou mayst be feared not with a servile but with a filial fear which comprehends invocation faith hope love adoration confession giving of thanks and all the duties of the first Table With this fear I fear thee in this I fly to the throne of grace and because thou art a Merciful God I hope for pardon 3. The third part The method of Gods Servants in their addresses to heaven is that they Believe 4 He hopes and expects favour Hope Pray Expect This course David took he prayed believed he hopes in Gods mercy and now he expects to find favour in the fifth and sixth verses Ver. 5 Every word of which is able to inform confirm and comfort a distressed soul 1. I expect the Lord. Upon him only he relies and prescribes nor time nor manner leaves to him to succour him at what season he pleaseth For his part he would be still an Expectant 2. For which he will wait My soul doth wait His expectation was not formal but real an expectation that proceeded from the fervency of his heart He hungred and thirsted after righteousness 3. His expectation was no presumption Upon Gods word but well grounded upon Gods Word and Promises Dent. 4.29 30. And in his Word is my hope 4. And that we may know his expectation was earnest Ver. 6 full of faith and hope he repeats it My soul waits for the Lord He ingeminates his hope which he declares by a Similitude of men set upon a watch in the night that long for the morning 5. I wait for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning It was now night with him darkness and misery was upon his soul the morning he expected was remission which must come from Gods mercy for this he waited this he expected more greedily than watchmen look for the morning light that they may be freed from their station Which though it be not in their power yet they expect it He proposeth his example to Gods people 4. This his example he proposeth to Gods people and exhorts them to do the like and to animate and encourage them in it adds his reasons 1. Let Israel hope in the Lord. Take out my example Ver. 7 and do thereafter Let them cry è profundis expect upon his word and promise wait his leasure For which God is mercy 2. For with the Lord there is Mercy Not only a Merciful God but Mercy it self With him it is and from him it flows to us And our Misery is a fit object for his Mercy No other creature can help because miserable And plentious redemption 3. And with him is Redemption That we needed being sold under sin and that we found a price given for us to redeem us the precious blood of his dear Son 4. And this his Redemption was Copiosa redemptio plentiful abundant for by it he redeemed the whole world 1 Joh. 1.2 Ver. 8 and bequeathed to his an inheritance in heaven Rom. 8.17 Which he will apply to Israel only 5. But this is to take effect upon Israel his people only For he shall redeem Israel from all his sins It is not as the Jews expect a temporal redemption but a spiritual as the Angel told Joseph His name shall be Jesus for he shall save his people from their sins which is begun in this life and shall be perfected in the other where we shall be delivered not only from sin but the punishment and danger of sinning The Prayer out of the one hundred and thirtieth Psalm O Most just and holy God whose eyes cannot approve iniquity no not in thy best and dearest servants we must néeds confess that for our rebellion and ingratitude against thée we are justly brought to this abyss of troubles from which without thy help we cannot escape Ver. 1 Being then oppressed and overwhelmed with these depths of sin and misery Ver. 2 from the bottom of our hearts we cry unto thée O Lord Lord hear our voice and let thine ears be attentive to our supplications lest if thou make as though thou hearest not we become like them that descend into the pit Pity our infirmities and remember thy mercy for which our misery is a fit object be not unto us a severe Iudge but a merciful Father and take not that revenge upon us which we deserve for if thou shalt observe and punish according to the rigour of justice Ver. 3 what man amongst us is so holy and pure in thy eyes that he may
ver 13. 3. A Prophecy spoken in the person of God for the stability of Christs Church and the blessings upon the people the Priests and the house of David from ver 14. to the end 1. The first part David reflects on Gods promise In all prayer a man must reflect upon Gods promise otherwise he cannot pray in faith whether then it were David or Solomon that commenc'd this prayer they put God in mind of his promise nor that he can forget it but that till it be performed to us he seems not to remember it and he loves to be called upon for performance and therefore the Prophet begins 1. And upon it prayes remember David Lord remember David that is thy promises made to David In this Psalm he prayes first for the King then for the State Ecclesiastical Ver. 1 ver 8 9. Lastly for the Commonwealth and people ver 8. 2. And all his afflictions Many he had before after he attained the Kingdom and among these one and that an especial one was the care he had of setling the Ark and place of Gods worship he reckoned this among his afflictions That it could not be brought to pass according to his mind which was a sign of his integrity and this he desires might be remembred also Now this his ardent and sincere desire And remembers his Vow to build God a house appeared by his oath and vow which is expressed in the three following verses Remember 1. How he sware unto the Lord and vowed a vow unto the mighty God of Jacob Ver. 2 in this imitating Jacob that erected Bethel But when he made this vow it appears not probable it is that it was when he opened his mind to Nathan 2 Sam. 7. 2. The matter of his vow and oath followes Surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my house Ver. 3 nor go up into my bed I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eye-lids until I find out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. Now the words of this oath are hyperbolical for we must not conceive that David came not into his or went not into his bed or slept not till he found out this place to build Gods house in it he shewes only his great care and sollicitude he had about it that it was chiefly in his head alwayes in his thoughts 1. I swear that I will not enter into the Tabernacle of my house so that I forget to build Gods 2. I will not climb up to my bed that I think not of Gods Temple where the Ark may rest 3. I will not give sleep to my eyes nor slumber to my eye-lids so that I cease from the care of preparing Gods house which oath and vow he as much as lay in him fulfilled as appears by his provision for building the Temple 1 Chron. 26.26 27 c. 1 Chron. 29. from ver 2. to 10. 2. He finds the place to build it and to settle the Ark. And here the Prophet interserts two verses by way of gratitude 1. In the first he exults for the newes they heard of the Ark. Lo we heard of it at Epratah we found it in the fields of the wood This verse hath much obscurity in it Ver. 6 and Expositors vary about it By Epratah some understood the land of Ephraim in which the Ark remained at Shilo in Samuels dayes 1 Sam. 4. After this being sent home by the Philistines it was found in the field of Joshua the Bethshemite and thence conveyed to the house of Aminadab that dwelt in Kirjath-jearim that signifies a woody City where it abode twenty years whence David might well say We heard of it at Epratah that is Shilo in Ephraim and found it in the fields of the wood that is in Kirjath-jearim a City compassed about with woods From Kirjath-jearim David fetch 't it and because Vzzah was smitten for his rashness he left it in the house of Obed-edom whence after three months he fetch'd it brought it up to Jerusalem and placed it in the City of David with gladness 2 Sam. 6. By Epratah others understand David that was born at Bethlehem Epratah and they sense it thus We knew not the place where the Temple was to be built and the Ark to rest till this day only we heard of the same in Epratah our City that it should come to pass that a resting place should be chosen for it for nor Silo nor Nob nor Kirjath-jearim were the places for it to rest only we heard out of the mouths of old men that the place was yet to be revealed And behold now we have found it in the fields of the wood that is in Jerusalem which is compassed about with Olive-yards and the place is the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite on which ground the Temple was after built and found out by David because God answer'd him there by fire from Heaven that descended upon the Altar of burnt-offering 1 Chron. 21.26 2. And the place being found The form used at the Translation of the Ark. suppose now that the Ark being to be translated thither he calls to all Israel saying 1. We will go into his Tabernacles 2. Chron. 5. from 2. to 10. As if they had said Hitherto the Lord hath as it were a stranger Ver. 7 dwelt in divers places but now he shall have a stable house and to that house built in Mount Zion will we go 2. And we will worship at his foot-stool Not make rash approaches to the Ark as some before us have done and suffer'd for it but come with reverence and bowing into his presence The Ark we will not worship but him who shewes his presence by the Ark Psal 99.5 And when Splomon brought it into the Temple And now Solomon being about to bring the Ark into the Temple useth this solemn form of words 2 Chron. 6.41 1. He prayes to God and invites him to enter and dwell in the Temple Arise O Lord Ver. 8 from the place where thou hast hitherto dwelt as a stranger 2. Into thy rest enter and rest here and pass no more from place to place as hitherto 3. Thou and the Ark of thy strength Thou with thy Throne Soloman prayes in which thou hast shewed thy strength at Jordan Josh 3. at Jericho Josh 6 in the Temple of Dagon 1 Sam. 5. at Bethshemes upon Uzzah 2 Sam. 6. And the Ark being brought into the Temple he prayes Ver. 9 1. For the Priests Let thy Priests be cloathed with righteousness 1 For the Priests Inwardly in heart and soul and outwardly in life words and works let them be holy adorned and beautified with it as with a garment that hides all deformities 2. For the people Let thy Saints shout for joy praise thee with a chearful voyce that the Ark hath found a place to rest in 2 For the people Spare all thy people that
appear before thee and let not that happen to them that fell to the Bethshemites 1 Sam. 6. 3. He prayes for the King that is himself For thy servant Davids sake 3 For the King turn not away the face of thine Auointed Ver. 10 1. For thy servant Davids sake David is not here to be taken absolutely for his person only but as having the Covenant and Promise made to him and God could not be better put in mind of the promise than by mention of the person to whom it was made He prayes not then to be heard for Davids merits but for the promise made to David 2. Turn not away the face of thine Anointed That is suffer me not who am Anointed in my fathers stead and sit upon his Throne to depart from thy presence ashamed and confounded rejecting my prayer In this Form Bathsheba petitioned to Solomon for Adonijah 1 Kings 2.20 I desire one small Petition of thee ne avertas faciem meam which we translate Say me not nay Or else this phrase imports That we turn our face from God when we sin and he turns away his face from us and so long as we continue in that state our faces are turned from God Solomon then might pray That when at any time he turned his face from God that God would not continue his face from him but look back upon him as Christ did on Peter that so he might repent and amend and not alwayes stand with his face from God for though we freely sin and turn our face from God yet if God be pleased with a merciful eye to look upon us and pity us that so by his mercy and pity we desire and endeavour to sin no more then he does not turn away our face shame and confound us for ever Solomon in this sense prayes Suffer not my face to be turned from thee which will be done If thou suffer not thy face to be turned from me 2. The second part Gods promise made to David The Prophet now proceeds to reckon up the promises made to his father David which were confirmed by an Oath from God that these being remembred he might the easilier prevail in his Petitions asking of God as it were a due debt in which we are to observe 1. Ver. 11 The manner of the promise he confirmed by his own Oath The Lord hath sworn in truth to David 1 Confirmed by oath having no greater to swear by he swear by himsel 2 The matter of his oath 2 Sam. 12.13 Isa 55.3 Psal 89.34 It was mercy to promise but greater for assurance to bind himself by a faithful Oath and irreversible Oath He will not turn from it he will not repent of it Psal 110.4 2. 1 As it relates to Christ absolute The matter of his Oath expressed in the end of the eleventh and in ver 12 13 14. 1. For the seed of David as it concerns Christ is categorical and absolute Of the fruit of thy body I will set upon thy Seat which words are refer'd by St. Peter unto Christ Acts 2.30 According to the flesh he was from Davids seed Ver. 12 and it is observable that the Prophet speaks reservedly De fructu ventris not de fructu femoris for by the mothers side Christ was to be of Davids seed not by the fathers 2. Again I will set upon thy Seat Luke 1.32 Davids Seat was Zion and Zion typically 2 As it relates to Davids seed hypothetical Isa 2. is the Church over that Christ was to reign as David in Zion 2. For the seed of David as it relates to his posterây the Oath is hypotherical and conditional If thy children will keep my Covenant and my Testimonies that I shall teach them their children shall ãâã upon thy Throne for evermore 1 Chron. 28.9 Psal 89.28 to 37. Ezek. 21.26 For if his posterity observed not the Law 3 And to Zion i. e. the Church eternal but worshipped their own inventions the promise was at an end 3. As the external Kingdom was by this Oath annexed to one Family so by the same Oath and Covenant Ver. 13 the external worship was assigned to one place 1. Ver. 14 For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation 2. This my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it From the time of the promise performed Zion was the Seat of the Sanctuary and so continued to the coming of the Messiah so long Zion was Civitas Regia Sacerdotalis But Zion was but a Type of Christs Church The promise which God makes to his Church The third part of which these words are more truly verified for this Christ hath truly chosen and it shall be his rest for ever with it he will be for ever present efficacious in the hearts of Believers and approve their works and worship to the worlds end 3. In the last part of the Psalm the Prophet brings in God promising to his Church many good things 1. Ver. 15 First He promiseth such abundance of temporal things that the poor shall not want I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread Godliness hath the promise of this life as well as that which is to come Ver. 16 2. Ver. 17 He promiseth for a second blessing That her Priests should be endued with holiness and her Saints shout for joy which answers to the Petition in the ninth verse 3. The third Benefit is That there the Kingdom of David to arise viz. The Kingdom of the Messiah There will I make the horn of a David to flourish that is the power Luke 1.69 I have ordained a Lamp for mine Anointed 1 Kings 11.36 15.4 John 5.35 4. The fourth Benefit is the confusion of their enemies Ver. 18 and eternal Authority in this Kingdom His enemies will I cloath with shame but upon himself shall his Crown flourish The Prayer out of the One hundred and thirty second Psalm Ver. 1 O Lord merciful and gracious declare thy self mindful of the séed of our David be âuindful O Lord of all his mildness charity and patience Ver. 2 in which he suffered with a constant and invincible fortitude many and great afflictions Remember O Lord his dowes remember how mindful he was of his oath given unto thée for the proservation of thy Church and Truth He gave his eyes no sleep nor slumber to his eye lids that he might uphold the places deckcated to the Lord the habitations of the mighty God of Jacob. These O Lord for our sins Thou hast suffered to be demolished and profaned wicked men are come into thine inheritance and made thy house of proper a den of Thieves Arise O Lord and reward the proud after their deservings Then will we go into thy Tabernacle we will worship at thy footstool Arise O Lord into thy rest and come with us into that place that thou hast peculiarly chose unto thy self and
the Amoritish Kings and the thirty one Kings of Canaan He smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings as for example Ver. 10 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Ver. 11 And gave away their land for an heritage Ver. 12 an heritage unto Israel his people All which is evident out of the books of Numb Deut. Joshua 5. The fifth part For this he extols God To the commemoration of the revenge that God took upon the enemies of his people and the benefits he bestowed on them he adds a conclusion formed into an Epiphonima in which he first extols Gods name and then shews his mercy to his people 1. Thy Name O Lord endures for ever i. e. for these thy wonderful works 2. And thy memorial throughout all generations Thy memory thy fame the remembrance of thy Acts shall flourish and remain to all posterity 2. And the reason is drawn from his mercy which excites us also to praise him 1. And shews his mercy to his people For the Lord will judge his people The world judgeth them forsaken but he is their keeper and defender and will judge their cause and at last take revenge on their persecutors and deliver them 2. And he will repent himself concerning his servants Though he punisheth his dearest children yet he will be at last entreated be propitious and kind and remove his heavy hand Psal 136.23 6. The sixth part 2. God above all gods The Prophet hath proved that God is absolutely great in himself which he proposed vers 5. And now he proves the second part of his proposition that our Lord is above all gods For being compared to the Idols of the Heathen he far exceeds them They were Divels not gods they the work of mens hands made of earthy materials they could not infuse life sense reason into their images as God did into his image man they nor saw nor heard nor moved For he shews their vanity divers ways And shews the vanity of Idols 1. From their matter wherof they were made The Idols of the beathen are silver and gold Ver. 15 2. From the efficient cause their makers men The work of mens bands 3. From their impotence from performing any act of life They have mouths but they speak not eyes they have but they see not They have ears but they hear not neither is there any breath in their mouths 4. From the sortishness and misery of those that worship them They that make them are like unto them Ver. 18 so is every one that trusteth in them The makers are blind mute deaf understand nothing at all who suppose that they can make gods And they that trust in them more sotrish that think a stone can help them 7. The seventh part In the last part he invites all the true worshippers of God to praise him because they are lively images of the living God they see they hear they speak they understand That therefore all praise God and therefore they praise that God from whom they the faculty of living hearing speaking seeing and understanding To this he invites 1. All Israel Bless the Lord O house of Israel 2. Ver. 19 Then the Priests Bless the Lord O house of Aaron 3. The Levites Bless the Lord O house of Levi. 4. Lastly of all the Laity Ye that fear the Lord bless the Lord. To which he adds his own vote concluding with this Epiphonima 1. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion where he shews his presence by the Ark. 2. Which dwelleth at Jerusalem who though he be every where by his Essence and presence yet peculiarly dwells in his Church by his inhabiting Spirit Let the Citizens of Zion and Jerusalem never cease to bless him The Hymn and Prayer collected from the One hundred and thirty fifth Psalm O Omnipotent God all we thy servants now gathered together in thy Spirit to blesse thy name and here met in the Courts of the house of our God to praise thee Ver. 1 do acknowledge that we have instnite reasons to pay this debt to thy divine Majesty For we know O Lord that thou art good good absolutely in thy self and gracious unto us and that all our goodnesse is as nothing in comparison of thee We know again that to sing praises unto thee is a pleasant thing and therefore our heart shall be glad when we send forth prayses unto thee with joyful lips Wee know also that thou art great and far above all Gods Thy benefits are innumerable not only which thou hast conferd upon thy chosen people thy Israel who is thy pecultar treasure but even which with a full hand thou hast poured forth upon all mankind For in heaven the earth the seas and in all deep places thou hast done whatsoever thou pleasedst Thou so orderest the clouds the vapours the lightning winds and rain that they may be obedient to thee and serviceable for the use and sustenance of man And when thou hast in thy power the hearts of all Kings and Princes thou so bendest them as may make most for the good and saidation of thy people upon them thou revengest their wrongs and deliverest in due time thy chosen people from their power and oppression Egypt the Amorites and Canaanites felt thy power whom thou smotest in thy anger plaguest and slew in thy wrath and gavest away their Land for an heritage even for an heritage to Israel thy people Thy Name O Lord endureth for ever Ver. 13 and thy memorial through all generations and therefore our hope which is grounded upon thy promises is thereby confirmed and increased that though thou art risen up in judgment against thy people yet at last it will repent thée concerning thy servants O merciful God arise we beséech thée and behold the miseries and calamities of thy poor servants and deal not with us according to the merit of our iniquities Pardon our offences and let it repent thée of the evil thou hast brought upon us We have liv'd unworthy of thy Name unworthy of our Vocation yet at last break the force of the Devil and his instruments and repress their pride and boldness that we be not compelled to fall down and worship the imaginations of their own brains which are little better than the Idols of the Heathens that nor saw nor spake nor heard nor understood Which mercy if thou will grant us then all that fear the Lord both Priest and people the whole house of Aaron of Levi and all Israel shall have just occasion to bless the Lord and say Blessed be the Lord out of Zion which dwelleth at Jerusalem Allelujah PSAL. CXXXVI THIS Psalm is of the same Argument that the former For in it all men are call'd upon to praise God for his greatness and goodness his providence and mercy in creating governing and ordering the world but especially his love shew'd to his people the Church All which works because they proceeded from his Mercy therefore
that Attribute is made the burden of the Psalm and the close in every verse And this was a Solemn form in use in the Jewish Church as is apparent 2 Chron. 7.3 6. 20 21. The parts of this Psalm are 1. A general exhortation to praise God for his goodness Majesty vers 1 2 3. 2. A declaration of his goodness and Majesty by the effects 1. Of his Creation from vers 4. to 10. 2. Of his Providence especially in conserving his Church and exercising his judging toward her enemies from vers 10. to 25. 3. That his Providence extends to all creatures vers 25. 3. A conclusion fit for the exordium for it calls us up to praise God vers 26. 1. The first part An invitation to praise God In the three first verses the Prophet invites to praise God for his goodness and mercy 1. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good For his Mercy endureth for ever 2. O give thanks to the God of Gods For his Mercy endureth for ever 3. O give thanks to the Lord of Lords For his Mercy endureth for ever In these verses Expositors find the Trinity 1. In the first Jehovah God the Father who is the fountain of Being 2. In the second God the Son who is the God of Gods whether Angels or Princes who are called Gods but he is over them 3. In the third the Holy Ghost who is Lord of Lords who as the wind blows where when and on whom he will Other Lords have not Free-will but as Servants must do his pleasure Bellarmine His reasons are The chief reason because good merciful for ever that we give thanks to him because he is good because merciful and his mercy endures for ever For 't is his mercy that we shall live for ever so that his mercy is extended to us both while we live on earth and when we live with him in heaven It is no improbable conjecture of Musculus that this Psalm was sung by the Quire and that the people at the end of every Versicle sung this Responsory For his Mercy endureth for ever Which was no Battology neither saith Moller for it follows and applyes every particular benefit 2. The second part The Prophet now begins to praise God for his great and wonderful works which he alone was able to do such as was the work of Creation in which he used not the power of Angels And farther for his works but his own only Give thanks to the Lord 1. Who hath done wonderful things His instance is presently in the Creation 1 Of Creation in all which he shews his mercy 2. For his Mercy endureth for ever His Mercy was conspicuous in this work for he made not any thing of necessity as if he needed the creature Ver. 4 but meerly out of his ineffable good-will and Mercy Of these wonderful things Instance first the Prophet his 1. 1 The heaven First instance in the heavens To him give thanks that by wisdom made the heavens It was his first work Gen. 1. For whether we look upon the magnitude the figure the beauty the motion the order of the Orbs the splendor the influence the effects of the celestial bodies there is a strange and wonderful evidence of wisdom and power in them not unitable by any creature 2. For his mercy endures for ever because it pleased him to create these heavens out of nothing to be an eternal habitation for Men and Angels 2. Ver. 5 His second instance is in the earth In the beginning God made heaven and earth 2 The earth Heaven to be the Palace of immortal Citizens The Earth to be the Mansion of Mortals 1. Give thanks to him that stretch'd out the earth above the waters So naturally it could not be because it is the heavier element but he furrowed the earth and let into the concavities thereof the water that men and beasts might live upon it 2. For his mercy endureth for ever In this there was a threefold mercy 1. In respect of the earth to make it something of nothing 2. In respect of the water to which he prepared a setled place 3. In respect of man to whom he gave the earth uncovered and safe from the waters yet watered with rivers that he might live in it till it and reap the fruit of it 3. Ver. 6 The third instance is the two great Luminaries and the Stars in the three following verses 3 The Sun and Moon 1. Ver. 7 Given thanks to him who made great lihts For his Mercy endureth for ever The Sun to rule by day For his Mercy endureth for ever The Moon and the Stars to rule the night For his Mercy endures for ever These do wonderfully adorn the heaven and profit the earth For these lights especially by illuminating the earth do comfort us and are over our works by night and day And he instanceth in these rather than in other works of God because these shine to all the world and therefore every man is unexcusable if by them they acknowledge not Gods wisdom 3. From the wonderful works of Gods Creation The third part 2. Of providence to Israel before he descends to speak of the works of his Providence in preservation of his Church and instanceth in his people Israel whom he delivered from Aegypt with a mighty hand as if he had been a man of War and this in respect of Israel was an act of mercy though on the Aegyptians an act of justice Ver. 10 Give thanks to him that smote Aegypt in their first-born for his mercy endureth for ever And brought out Israel from among them for his mercy endureth for ever With a strong hand and stretched-out arm for his mercy endureth for ever To him which divided the red Sea for his mercy c. And made Israel to pass through the midst of it for his mercy c. But overthrew Pharaoh and his Host in the red Sea for his mercy c. Give thanks to him which led his people through the Wilderness for his mercy c. To him which smote great Kings for his mercy c. And slew famous Kings for his mercy c. Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy c. Ver. 20 And Og the King of Bashan for his mercy endureth for ever And gave their land for an heritage for his mercy c. Even an heritage to Israel his servant for his mercy c. He performed unto them all the Offices of a good Captain Guide Leader nay Father for he took care for food for them fed them with bread from Heaven brought for them waters out of the Rock cured their sick defended them and avenged them on their enemies c. But the whole History is so plain in Moses that it needs no explanation 4. All this was done for them before they entred the land of Canaan 2 After they entred Canaan the Prophet goes on to
took himself to prayer ver 1 2. 2. Then his consternation and anxiety of heart which arose from the malice and craft of his enemies and the defect of help from his friends ver 3 4. 2. His addresse to God and Petition ver 5 6 7. 1. The two first verses shew Davids intention in this Psalm viz. David in trouble flyes to prayer by Prayer in his trouble to make his Addresse to God 1. I cried unto the Lord with my voice with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication 2. I poured out my supplication before him and shewed him all my trouble The first part This is amplified 1. From the vehemence instance fervour I cryed I supplicated Ver. 1 I poured out I shewed 2. From the Object unto the Lord him and no other I invocated The conditions of his prayer I poured out before him Ver. 1 3. From the Instrument With my voice Which doth not exclude vocem cordis For no question he understood and attended what he said 4. From the humility in Prayer It was a supplication Ver. 2 I made my supplication 5. From his free and full expression fully and at large he opened his griefs and desires he left nothing behind unsaid that should be I poured out my complaint vented all from my heart as water poured out of a vessel Shew'd and declared my trouble 6. From his sincerity and confidence in God That he durst do this before him in his eye in his sight argues an honest heart The cause anxiety of minde That which caused him to do this was 1. The consternation and anxiety of mind in which he was This I did Ver. 3 when my spirit was overwhelmed within me When my breath was as it were gone and my life for ought I saw almost at an end and I in the confines of death There being then no sufficiency in me I betook my self unto thee who art All-sufficient 2. Then I addressed my self to thee For thou knewest my path my actions my intentions the secret of my wayes my path 2 The flie dealing of his enemies and that without any just cause I suffer these things being forced and hunted into this Cave 3. The craft and sly dealing of his enemies Especially Saul 2. In the way wherein I walked In my Vocation in that way wherein thou settest me 2. Have they privily laid a snare for me Saul gave him his caughter Mical to be a snare to him and a Dowry he must have of an hundred fore-skins of the Philistines that he might fall by their hands 4. Ver. 4 His destitution at this time of trouble all forsook him deserted him even his friends 3 The desertion of his friends 1. I looked on my right hand for the help of my friends and behold if any man would be an assistant to me and take my part stand by me as Souldiers in War to their Captain but there was no man that would know me they were as strange to me as if they had never seen me Not a man durst own me the miserable have few friends 2. Refuge failed me With Achish at Ziglag I have no place to flie for safety 3. No man cared for my soul regarded my life cared whither I perished or not 2. The second part He makes his address to God david being excluded of all humane help now makes his Address to God I cryed unto thee O Lord and said 1. Thou art my refuge my stay my hope my Tower of defence to flie to my Sanctuary 2. Thou art my portion my inheritance in the land of the living while I live in this world And upon it he sends up his prayer to God And prayes as before fortified from a double Argument 1. 1 Because depressed From the lamentable condition to which he was brought 2. From the fury malice and power of his enemies 1. His condition at this time was very pitiful Attend unto my cry for I am brought very low afflicted depressed have none to help me Ver. 6 2. 2 And that by too strong enemies The power and malice of his enemies was very great Deliver me from my persecutors for they are too strong for me He renews his prayer and presseth it from the final cause Bring my soul out of Prison But if saved upon which follow two effects 1. Ver. 7 The first in my self Gratitude That I may praise thy Name 1 He thankful 2. 2 Others would fall to him The second in others Assistance and incouragement to defend me and my Cause The righteous shall compass me about come and flow from all parts unto me 3. The Reason For thou shalt deal bountifully with me Bestow favours upon me after thou hast freed me from my former miseries which men seeing who are commonly the friends of prosperity will magnifie me and resort unto me The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and forty second Psalm WHEN O Omnipotent and Merciful God we are in this life besieged with continual dangers and impetuous enemies to whom should we flie Ver. 1 or to whom we should make our moan but to thee O Lord who art able and ready because thou art merciful to deliver us In my present distress therefore I file to thée and I cry unto thee with my voyce with my voyce unto thee O Lord I make my supplication I open at large and pour out before thée my just complaint Ver. 2 the sadness and anxiety of my soul to thée I shew my trouble who alone knowest the way to deliver thine in their extreamest afflictions My Spirit is overwhelmed within me when I behold the present state of things my life for ought I sée was in the confines of death Ver. 3 but how undeservedly Thou knowest to whom all my acts and secret'st path of my wayes is best known Even in the very way wherein thou settest me and in which I walked with an honest and an upright heart have they my enemies closely and privily laid a snare to take me And in the midst of these dangers and treacheries to the greater discomfort of my soul I found nor friend to help me Ver. 4 nor any Sanctuary to which I might retire I looked on my right hand to sée who would take my part and stand up for me and with me but behold there was no man that would own me or know me I became as a stranger to my brethren and as an alien to my own mothers sons I thought with my self to take Sanctuary but a place of refuge failed me not a man there was that cared or regarded what became of me or of my life In this distress and dereliction whither should I go to whom should I flie Ver. 5 from whom should I look for help but from thée O Lord Men will not but thou art ready men cannot or dare not but thou art able and ready prest to succour thy poor afflicted people To thee
David exhorts to praise God The first part He begins with a Dialogism 1. He speaks to all Praise ye the Lord. 2. Ver. 1 Then by an Apostrophe he turns to himself Praise the Lord O my soul 3. And his soul answers While I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises to my God while I have my being while I am and shall be 2. The second part But because the foundation of this praise is the trust and confidence which men have in God Dehorts from confidence in Princes for from which they are retarded by admiring over-much and relying upon the power and help of Kings and Princes the Prophet therefore subjoins his Dehortation and gives his Reasons for it 1. Ver. 3 Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man 2. His Reasons for it are 1. 1 Their impotency First Their Impotency There is no help in them They may seem potent but they cannot save themselves much less other men Ver. 4 2. 2 Mortality Their Fragility and Mortality Their breath goeth forth they return to the earth in that very day their thoughts perish 3. The third part But happy he that relies on God Those men cannot be happy that trust to them but now on the contrary If a man will be happy the Prophet shewes upon whom he must trust and rely which is on God for 1. Ver. 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help him to whom Jacob trusted 2. And whose hope is in the Lord his God Not in impotent and short-liv'd men And this he confirms by divers Reasons The fourth part Because he is 1. 1 Omnipotent First From his Omnipotence He is God the Creatour he made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein Able then to protect Ver. 6 2. 2 Faithful From his Veracity Who keeps Truth for ever His word is passed for our protection and he will perform it Potest vult quia promisit Ver. 7 3. 3 Just From his Justice He executeth judgment for the oppressed He defends the innocent and punisheth the unjust Good trusting then to him 4. Ver. 8 4 Merciful From his Mercy 1. He giveth food to the hungry Relieves men in their wants 2. The Lord looseth the Prisoners Another Act of grace and the rest follow 3. The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind Whether spiritually or corporally 4. The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down By sin wrath misery 5. From his Love The Lord loveth the righteous Ver. 9 5 Loving Of which the effects are 1. The Lord preserveth the strangers 2. He relieveth the fatherless and widow 3. But the ungodly find a quite contrary effect because they are noââons of love but wrath But the way of the wicked he turns upside down Their glory perisheth and with it the hope of those fools that trusted to them 6. From the Eternity of his Kingdom therefore to be praised 6 Eternal and trusted to for ever Kings dye and perish but he is a King for ever in Zion i.e. Ver. 10 in his Church The Lord shall reign for ever even thy God O Zion unto all Generations Praise ye the Lord. The Hymn and Prayer collected out of the One hundred and forty sixth Psalm O Omnipotent and most Merciful God Ver. 1 Thou art worthy to receive honour and glory and therefore with all my heart and soul while I live I will praise thee while I have any being I will sing praises to my God Thou art my staffe to trust to my sole confidence and my hape as for the greatest and most potent of the sons of men I dare not rely on them Ver. 3 for they are unable in their greatest exigence to help themselves much less to relieve others Their breath goeth forth and they return to the earth whence they came and in that very day all their high thoughts and proud attempts perish and vanish together with them Who then can be happy that relies upon such empty broken réeds Ver. 5 that trusts to such brittle earthen vessels Leaving then all earthly dependances as weak and miserable comforters To thee will I trust who art the God of Jacob the Lord of thy Church and people being assured That he is only happy whose hope is in the Lord his God Thou O Lord hast made Heaven and Earth the Seâ and all that is in it Ver. 6 Thou dost confirm the Truth of thy promises by an exact performance Ver. 7 Execute then judgment for the oppressed give food to the hungry loose thy prisoners from their bonds and chains open the eyes and illuminate the understandings of those who are blinded in sin and errour Raise O Lord the hearts of such as are contrite and bowed down prosecute the righteous and innocent with thy love and favour preserve the stranger relieve the fatherless and widow and turn-upside down the way the plots devices and frauds of wicked mân Turn O Lord the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness An which since we know to be thy wondrous wââks and have experience of the performance of them to thy faithful servants in all Ages our faith is thereby confirmed Ver. 10 and our hope sustained in the miâst of our present troubles and calamities Wherefore being encouraged by this hope we humbly beséech thée look upon the sad condition of thy Church Thou O God reignest in Zion build then the decayed and ruined walls of Jerusalem and preserve and provide for this widow and her fatherless children amidst the storms and fury of her merciless oppressors for the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXLVII A Hymn THE Scope and intent of the Prophet in this Psalm is to stir up men to praise God for which he produceth many Arguments The occasion of the composing of it was the reduction of the Jewes from the captivity of Babylon and therefore it is supposed that Haggai and Zechariah the Prophets were the Authours of it and therefore some Interpreters put their names in the Title of it The parts are 1. An Exhortation to praise God ver 1. which is repeated ver 7. 12. 2. The Arguments to perswade to it Gods bounty wisdom power providence justice and mercy through the whole Psalm 1. He invites to praise God The first part The Exhortation is briefly proposed Praise the Lord ver 1. which the Prophet as the Chanter of the Quire begins and after some reasons given repeats in more words Ver. 1 Sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving sing praises upon the Harp unto our God ver 7. And yet again at ver 12. Praise the Lord O Jerusalem praise thy God O Zion where the Arabique Greek and Latine Translators begin a new Psalm but in the Hebrew they are conjoyned and but one Hymn 2. The second part Now the Prophet hath no sooner ended his Exhortations but to every one of them singly he annexeth his Reasons To
Gods Providence 1 From his Providence of which he gives divers instances 1. Ver. 8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds and prepareth rain for the earth When he brings clouds over the face of heaven The instances of it four it is not in his purpose to obscure or darken the beauty of it but to water and moisten the earth without which it will not be fruitful Psal 104.13 14. Jer. 14.22 2. Who makes grass to grow on the Mountains in the most barren places to which the rain will not suffice except God co-operate with it 3. He giveth to the Beast his food He giveth it them they gather it 4. Ver. 9 And to the young Ravens which cry Naturalists tell us That the Raven seeds not his Chickens till they be plumed not owning them till they be like them all which time God sustains them But others that no Bird so soon suffers his young to prey for themselves as the Raven being then deserted by the Dam croâitant invocant and God hears and sends them meat Job 38.41 Christ useth this Argument that we rely on Gods Providence Mat. 6. Luke 12. Yea Object But how shall we be deliver'd we see no means but here the infirm and distrustful Jew may argue Alas we see no means for our deliverance we have no Strength no Ammunition nor Horse nor Armour for War no nor yet hearts to fight How shall we be delivered The Prophet prevents and answers this objection viz. That God who is to gather them needs no help at all he can do it without means as well as means 1. Ver. 10 He delights not in the strength of an horse which is a warlike creature Resp. God can do it without means and will 2. He takes not pleasure in the legs i. e. nimbleness agility valour of a man that is in any military preparation or power so far forth as if they were necessary means and he could not do his work without them these he will have in ordinary use but not trusted to he delights not in that But he placeth his delight in his servants and those some way or other he will deliver 1. The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him not in the Majesty rich noble or superficial Pharisee but in those that fear him and trembles at his words 2. And in those that hope in his mercy That put their confidence that out of mercy love goodnesse he will deliver them 3. He again repeats this proposition and calls to the Church to perform it The third part of the second Section where in the Greek and Vulgar begins a new Psalm Praise the Lord O Jerusalem praise thy God O Zion He again exhorts to praise God Though others be negligent to praise God yet be not thou Not Jerusalem not Zion And then recites four arguments for which he would have Zion sing praises Ver. 12 1. Security and defence 2. Benediction 3. Peace 4. Jerusalem especially Sustenance or provision 1. Jerusalem is a City secure being defended by God 1 For her Security For he hath strengthened the barrs of thy gates Gates and barrs do well to a City Ver. 13 but then alone the City is secure when God makes them strong The true ammunition of a City is Gods defence Arms Lawes wealth c. are the barrs 2. Jerusalem is a happy City For he hath blessed thy children within hee 2 Benediction thy Kings Princes Magistrates c. with Wisdom Religion Piety c. 3. Jerusalem is a peaceable City He maketh peace in thy borders 3 Peace The very name intimates so much For Jerusalem interpreted is Visio pacis 4. Jerusalem is a City provided by God with necessary food and provision Ver. 14 For He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat 4 Abundance Now that it is God that doth all this for Jerusalem the Prophet makes good by other things that he doth for the whole world The Prophet proves this by his general providence for which he needs not any instruments and under-officers to do it by but only his word and his command 'T is but for him to say the word and what he will is done He sends forth his command upon earth and his word runs very swiftly it pierceth all things Ver. 15 and presently execution follows upon it Heb. 1.3 Wisd 7.22 24. 8.1 For instance 1. He giveth snow like wooll Ver. 16 Sometimes great flakes of it like locks of wooll or else to cover the earth as a winter-garment a man He brings frost snow ice and keep it warm from the nipping of the cold winds as is evident in Northern Countries 2. He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes That thickens the aire as if ashes were cast into it For I have observed that with a hoar-frost commonly there is a mist which resolves into rain within twenty four hours 3. He casteth forth his ice like morsels That is fragments of ice 4. Who can stand before his cold That is able to endure it had not he provided clothes furrs fire against the violence and rigor of it Described he hath the vehemency of the cold in the snow frost ice Annd dissolves and melts it next he shews with what facility and celerity he dissolves and removes it Only by his Word 1. He sends out his word and melts them 2. He causeth his wind to blow His South wind and the waters flow Ice and Snow are resolv'd into water But note here that the Prophet calls it His ice His cold His word His wind that we may know that the constipation and resolution is from him and therefore we depend upon his providence for out food and raiment c. 4. This is an act of Gods providence in common to all Nations 2 The special Act of his providence to his people and by it he teacheth all Nations to acknowledge their Creator But there is a peculiar Act of his providence extended to his people in which other Nations did not nor do not yet communicate with them viz. The knowledge of his word and manifestation of his Will and this is a new argument by which he perswades them to praise God The knowledge of his word and will What Israel might that now the Christian Church may say and that with advantage 1. He shews his word unto Jacob his statutes and judgments unto Israel To them he spake by Moses and the Prophets To us by his own Son his Apostles and their successors 2. He hath not dealt so with any Nation with none at that time And now to none who belong not to the spiritual Jerusalem which is the Church 3. For all these benefits praise the Lord. And as for his judgments The Evangelical Preceps and Rules of life and salvation they have not known them Now for all these benefits and for all these reasons Hallelujah Praise ye the Lord. The Hymn or Prayer Collected out
Musick in a Triumphant manner Now that the Quire might not want how to express their joyful affections the sweet Singer of Israel scored this Antheme and began the Verse himself as was commanded at the remove of the Ark Numb 10.35 The Psalm hath six parts 1. The Entrance or Exordium from vers 1. to 4. 2. An Invitation to praise God vers 4. 3. The Confirmation of it by divers Arguments from vers 4. to 24. 4. A lively description of the Triumph or Pomp in the Arks deportation from vers 24. to 28. 5. A Petition which hath three parts from vers 28. to 31. 6. An exhortation to all Nations to praise God from vers 31. to the end 1. 1 A prayer or Acclamation that God arise Let God arise is either a Prayer or an Acclamation A Prayer that he would or an Acclamation that he doth shew his power and presence of which the consequence would be double 1. Vers. 1 Toward his enemies destruction for which he prayers Let his enemies be scattered The consequence Let those that hate him fly before him 2. Which he illustrates by a twofold comparison 1. 1 To his enemies destruction As smoke when it is at the highest is driven away so drive them away 2. Vers. 2 As wax easily melts at the fire so let the ungodly perish at the presence of God 2. 2 To good men joy Toward good men his servants which is quite contrary to the other Let the righteous be glad let them rejoice before God yea let them exceedingly rejoice Vers. 3 As it fell out at this time For when the Ark was taken by the Philistines the glory was departed from Israel and there was nothing but sadness and sorrow Phinehees Wife named her child Ichabod But with the return of the Ark the glory return'd and there was nothing but joy and gladness 2. The second part And so by an Apostrophe he turns his speech to all good men and exhorts them to praise God 1. He exhorts to praise God Sing unto God Let it be done with your voice aloud publickly 2. Psallite Sing praises to his Name Let it be done with instruments of Musick Vers. 4 3. Extoll him or sternite viam ejus as in a triumph and was in use when our Saviour rode into Jerusalem when they cut down branches and strew'd their garments in the way 3. And so David enters upon his Confirmation producing his reasons The reasons The third part 1. Drawn from his Majesty He rides upon the heavens i.e. 1 Gods Majesty rules in heaven Vers. 4 2. From his Essence By his name Jah the contract of Jehovah 2 His Essence I am He gives Essence to all things therefore Rejoice before him 3. From his general providence and goodness toward his Church 1. He is the Father of the fatherless Loves cares for 3 His special providence provides an inheritance for them 2. A Judge of the Widows He cares for his people when deserred Vers. 5 and for whom no man cares and when expos'd to injury To his Church in general a Husband to her he is even then Even our God is such in his Holy Habitation That God whose presence is represented by this Ark. Vers. 6 3. God sets the solitary in Families He makes the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful Mother of Children As also the barren woman the children the Gentile Church that had no Husband to bring forth children to God 4. He brings forth those which are bound with chains As Joseph Jeremy Daniel Peter Paul 5. On the contrary But the rebellious dwell in a dry land Perish for want and hunger 4. From his special providence toward his people Israel To Israel in special to which he makes his way by an Elegant Apostrophe O God when thou wentest out before thy people and amplifies it by many particulars As Vers. 7 1. Gods going before them and marching along with them Vers. 8 in Egypt in the Wilderness all which time there were manifest signs of his presence For the earth shook the heavens also dropt at the presence of God even as Sinai also was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel Vers. 9 2. Gods provision for them after he gave them the possessionof the Land He fed sustain'd them there counted them his inheritance and gave them rain and fruitful seasons Thou O God didst send a plentiful rain Vers. 10 whereby thou didst confirm thy inheritance when it was weary Vers. 11 Thy Congregation hath dwelt therein Thou O God of thy goodness hast prepared for the poor 3. The Victories he gave them over their enemies expressed vers 12. To which he prefaces by intimation of the ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as was then usually sung by the women and damosels of those times vers 11. The Lord gave the Word i. e. either the Word of Warre or else the matter and occasion to these songs and then great was the company of the damosels that published it As Miriam Deborah c. 2. And in their songs they sung Kings with their Armies did fly apace and they that tarried at home divided the spoile So great was the prey 4. The deliverance he sends from troubles and the advance and joy he after gives them Though ye have lien among the pots i.e. cast aside as some useless old or broken crok been ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the off-scouring of all things yet ye shall be as the wings of a Dove covered with silver and her feathers with yellow-gold i. e. shining and glorious The allusion I guess is from some standard whose portraiture and device was a Dove so overlaid The Babylonian Ensign was a Dove Scaliger Etsi jacueritis splendebitis And this he farther declares by another similitude When the Almighty scattered Kings in it or for her i.e. his Church it was white i. e. glistering glorious to be seen a far off as was the snow upon the top of Salmon with which it was for the most part covered 5. From Gods especial presence among them which that he might make the more evident Vers. 15 he enters upon the commendation of the Hill of Zion to which the Ark at this time was to be brought comparing it with other Hills especially with Basan That is a Hill of God a high plentiful fertile Hill As if he had said So much I grant to them to other Hills But Why leap you so ye Hills why are you so proud why do you insult why do you boast of your vines your fruits your pastures your cattle Zion hath the preheminence of you all in two respects 1. For Gods continual inhabitation and more than ordinary presence in it This is Gods Hill in which it pleaseth him to dwell yea the Lord will dwell in it for ever 2. For his defence of it The Chariots of God are twenty thousand even thousands of Angels and these are for the
defence of Zion his Church for God is among them as in Sinai in the holy place In glory and Majesty there in Sinai and in glory and Majesty here in Zion And yet he hath not done with his Arguments to perswade us to praise God Two Arguments more to praise God 1. The Arks ascension which was a Type of our Saviours Two there are yet behind 1. His strange and wonderful works 2. And the performance of his promises Now among his great works there was none so glorious as was the Ascension of our Saviour of which the Arks ascension to Jerusalem at this time was a type and therefore he instanceth in that 1. Before which it may well be thought that David and the people used these words of Acclamation Ascendisti in altum Thou hast ascended up on high Vers. 18 i. e. Thou O God whose presence is shadow'd out by the Ark hast ascended from an obscure house to a Kingly Palace Zion 2. Thou hast led captivity captive those that led us captives being captives themselves and now led in Triumph 3. Thou hast received gifts for men i. e. spoils and gifts from the Kings that be conquered or who now became homagers unto him and redeemed their peace 4. Yea for the rebellious also formerly so but now Tributaries 5. That the Lord God might dwell among them Might have a certain place to dwell in and the Ark not carried from place to place as before This is the literal sense but the Mystical is other and must be referr'd to our Saviours Ascension the Apostle being our Author for it Eph. 4. 1. Ascendisti in altum When the cloud carried him from earth to heaven 2. Then he led captivity i. e. Those which captiv'd us captive viz. Death the Devil Sin the power of Hell the curse of the Law 3. He receiv'd and gave gifts to men 1. The Apostles Evangelists Prophets Doctors and Teachers were those gifts 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Graces Gists of the Spirit 4. Yea for the rebellious also Paul a persecutor call'd Austin a Manachaean c. 5. That he might dwell among them for to that end St. Paul saith these gifts were given to the work of the Ministry to the edification of the Church to the building up the body of Christ Ephes 4. Of Christs ascension two effects The two effects then of this Ascension were One toward his enemies the other for his friends When thou ascendest up on high 1. 1 To his enemies Thou ledst captivity captive That was the consequent on his enemies 2. Thou receivedst and gavest gifts That 's for his friends 2 To his friends for which he sings a Benedictus Blessed be God for he comes over both these again but by an Epanodos speaking of the last first Ver. 19 1. The gifts to his friends Blessed be God which loadeth us with benefits Ver. 20 even the God of our salvation He that is our God is the God of salvation and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death he knows many wayes to deliver even in ipsa morte when there is no hope 2. The conquest of his enemies for such he counts obstinate impenitent and malicious sinners those he will destroy even the highest the heads of them God shall wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness 2. His last Argument is 2 The salvation of his people Gods performance of his promise to his to save them as if he had said Although you should be in so great straits as you were in the Wilderness when you fought with Og King of Basan or at the red Sea yet I will fetch you out and deliver you as I did them his word is past for it The Lord said Ver. 22 1. I will bring again from Basan from dangers as great as that was 2. I will bring my people again from the depth of the Sea Ver. 23 when there is no hope 3. And for thy enemies they shall be destroyed by a great effusion of blood That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies The pomp at the ascent of the Ark. The fourth part and the tongue of thy Dogs in the same Thou shalt waste and be glutted with their blood 4. And now he descends by an elegant ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã to set before our eyes the pomp and shew which was used in the Ascent and deduction of the Ark and the proceeding of it 1. The people were all present to see the pomp They have seen thy goings O God even the goings of my God my King in the Sanctuary 2. The manner used in the pomp The Singers go before the Players on Instruments followed after amongst them were the Damsels playing with Timbrels 3. In the pomp they were not silent and that they be not he exhorts them Bless ye the Lord in the Congregations ye that are of the Fountain of Israel i. e. Jacobs posterity 4. And he gives in the Catalogue of the Tribes that were present all but these especially 1. There is little Benjamin Jacobs youngest son or now the least wasted with War with their Ruler the chief Prince of their Tribe 2. The Princes of Judah and their Counsel 3. The Princes of Zebulun and Princes of Napthali the farthest Tribes therefore the nearest To the pomp he annexeth a prayer 5. And in the midst of the pomp he interserts a prayer which hath three Votes before which he prefixeth this ingenuous acknowledgment that all the power and strength of the Kingdom of Israel was from God Thy God hath commanded thy strength and then he prays Ver. 28 1. For the confirmation establishment continuance of this strength 1 For confirmation of the Kingdom Strengthen O God that which thou hast wrought in us and let this be evidenced by the Kings and Tributaries that shall bring gifts Because of thy Temple at Jerusalem shall Kings bring presents to thee 2. For the conquest and subduing of the enemy 2 For conquest of the enemies untill they become Tributaries and do their Homage Rebuke the company of Spear-men the multitude of the Bulls and Calves of the people i. e. Kings Princes and their potent Subjects For increase of the Kingdom till every one submit himself with pieces of silver scatter thou the people that delight in War 3. For the increase of Christs Kingdom of which Davids was but a Type by the access of the Gentiles Princes shall come out of Egypt Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands to God These by a Synecdoche put for all Nations 5. The fifth part He renews his invitation to praise God This excellent Psalm draws now toward a Conclusion and it is a resumption of that he principally intended viz. that God be blessed honoured praised to which he first exhorts and then shews new Reasons for it 1. He exhorts all Nations to perform this Duty
thy Gospel which came out of Zion and was planted by thy Apostles and diffused by the impulse and power of thy good Spirit Ver. 3 once more flourish amongst us so visibly and extraordinarily work for us That all men even thine enemies may acknowledge That this is the day of thy power Thy power it must be that can collect us whom Heresie Schism and Tyranny hath dispersed thy power to cause us to méet in our solemn Assemblies speak but the word O Lord and appoint the day and thy people will be a willing people they will méet out of love and joy of heart and offer thee free-will offerings in the beauties of holiness O holy Father we must with shame confess against our own souls that we have profaned thy Sanctuary by entring into it with our shooes on our féet and when we have béen in it we have too often offer'd the Sacrifice of Fools holiness is that virtue which becomes thy house for ever and this holiness is from the womb of the morning it comes not from the will of man it procéeds not from the will of the flesh it is a swéet and Virgin dew that distills from thy holy Spirit and as by the silver drops that descend from above the roots of the Herbs are moistned refreshed and cherished so by these secret dews of grace our dry hearts are quickned and recover life vouchsafe we beséech thée therefore to descend upon us with these dewes that being regenerate and born again we may grow and increase in holiness in obedience in alacrity in thy Service refresh us when we are weary make us shoot when we are at a stand ever let us retain the dew of our youth that being lively in all the exercises of Christianity we may at last be exalted and set at thy right hand as thou art seated at the right hand of thy Father and enjoy those heavenly Mansions which our Lord is gone to prepare for us Grant us this O heavenly Father for thy Son Jesus Christs sake to whom with thee and the Holy Sprit three Persons and one God be ascribed all Honour Glory and Praise for ever and ever Amen PSAL. CXI ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã T IS conceived that this Hymn was set by David to be sung at the Passeover and that it might be the easilier learned and remembred the Colons of it are in number as many and digested by order of the Hebrew Alphabet The Sum of it is an Exhortation to praise God for his wonderful favours and benefits bestowed upon the World at large and in special toward his people Israel and the Church Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. A Protestation of David to praise God and the manner how and the company with whom he would do it ver 1. 2. An Expression of the Reasons that moved him to it viz. his admirable benefits bestowed both general and special which he enumerates from ver 2. to 10. 3. A Conclusion or Inference upon the premises by way of a ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in which he commends the fear of God ver 10. 1. The Title of the Psalm is Allelujah Praise ye the Lord Allelujah The first part He praiseth God himself And that this his Exhortation might pierce the deeper and that his Subjects might the more readily follow his example presently he vowes and protests 1. I will praise the Lord And expresseth the manner how he would do it and as indeed it ought to be done Ver. 1 2. Not hypocritically with the lips and mouth only 1 In sincerity but with the heart 2 In unity and with the Church 3. Not with a heart and a heart but with the whole heart 4. Not separately or Schismatically but in the Assembly of the upright and in the Congregation 1. Both in that Assembly where good and upright men are met 2. And also in the company of many even with the mix't multitude secretly among good men and openly in the Congregation he would praise God 2. And having made a pious confession of his readiness to practise the Duty The second part next sets down the ground and matter of his praise which contains the Reasons that moved him to it as if he had said Which he doing and perswading sets down his Reasons for it There be great and urgent causes that may move me and all others to praise God 1. The first of which is His works of power be it the Creation of the World and its Conservation or be they the favours shewed to his Church these are his works And these works of the Lord are great Ver. 2 1. Great not only for variety and beauty 1 Because his works great 1. Of Creation but that also in the least and most base creature his Wisdom admirable his Power wonderful there is nothing that came from his hand which is not very great and greatly to be admired 2. Great 2 Of Election for it was a great work of his to take to himself a people out of another people to make a Covenant with them to them to reveal his promises to give them a Law to settle among them a policy for Church and State c. This was also a great and admirable work 3. Fools and impious men indeed little consider these works Which fools little think of but wise men consider they think not of the Authour and therefore esteem them not much But in the eyes of all wise men they are exquisite works and they are sought out searched into by all them that take pleasure therein That are pleased both with the Authour the work and the use and end of them 2. Ver. 3 The second of these is His work of Wisdom in the governing of those creatures which he hath created 2 His work of wisdom in governing the World his Church which is 1. Honourable and his Church which he hath collected and this his work is 1. Honourable worthy of honour worthy of praise and therefore much more the Authour 2. And glorious Many Princes have done very glorious works but not to be compared to any work of God the Glory Magnificence and Majesty far exceeds them all 2 Glorious 3. 3 Is his work of Justice The third work is that of his Justice He is a righteous God and his righteousness endureth for ever Men may complain that they see wicked men exalted and his servants under the Cross oppressed and afflicted But the judgments and wayes of God may be secret and hid from us unjust they can never be for he never departs from the exact Rule of Justice though we cannot discern it nor search it out 4. 4 His work of mercy His fourth work is a work of mercy of which he would have a Record kept 1. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembred as in the Jewish Feasts Ver. 4 2. And these proceeded from his meer mercy For the Lord is gracious
therefore O Lord I cry and profess before the whole World Thou art my refuge my stay my hope Ver. 6 my strong Tower of defence Thou alone while I remain in this land of the living art my portion and heritage I have chosen thée for my shield and buckler my affections are to thée and I will rely only on thée Therefore good God attend unto my cry for I am brought very low weakned and humbled and depressed and brought to a forlorn condition Ver. 7 Deliver me from those that persecute me and thirst after my blood for they are grown far too strong for me Bring my soul out of this affliction with which I am straitned as in a Prison and I will praise and magnifie thy Name Nay the righteous and sincere-hearted Israelites that expect the performance of thy promises and long for it upon this mercy extended to me shall then compass me about adhere unto me and congratulate my deliverance and restitution Sing they will in the house of the Lord that thou hast dealt bountifully with me Get thy self honour then upon Pharaoh and all his Army deliver out of this Aegyptian bondage thy poor afflicted Israel bring them into the promised Land expel the Canaanites before them and exalt the Kingdom of thy Son Iesus Christ our Lord To whom with thée and the Holy Ghost be all Glory Dominion and Power now and for ever Amen PSAL. CXLIII Being the last of the Penitentials DAVID being driven from Jerusalem by his son Absolon wisely calls to mind his sin as being the cause of it which in this Psalm he deplores and desires grace and mercy of God The parts of this Psalm are 1. A Prayer to God for remission of sin grounded upon Gods promise and goodness ver 1. not upon his own worthiness ver 2. 2. A Narration of the sad state of his Affairs ver 3 4. 3. The Comfort he received in his sad condition and whence ver 5 6. 4. His Petition containing divers particulars to which are annexed particular Reasons from ver 7. to the last 1. The first part In the beginning he petitions for Audience Hear my prayer O Lord give car to my supplication Ver. 1 but expresses not the matter he pray'd for which yet out of the following words may well be collected to be remission of sin David begs on for which he was thus punished and this he begs of God to grant both in regard of his promise and mercy 1. 1 Gods promise In faithfulness answer me Thou art a faithful God that hast promised pardon to penitents a penitent I am make then thy Word good to me and pardon me 2. 2 And mercy a pardon And in thy righteousness which here signifies mercy and loving-kindness In thy mercy then answer me and seal my pardon justifie me because I confess my iniquities Isa 43.26 Men call for confession from the guilty to condemn God to pardon And that this is the sense appears more clearly by the next verse 1. Ver. 2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant Call me not to a strict and rigorous account at thy Bar of Justice And not for his merit This he deprecates so that justitia in the former verse could not be taken for that justice which punisheth sin and rewards righteous deeds for that he pleads not here but declines it yea and assigns the Reason 2. For in thy sight shall no man living be justified Not I nor any man that ever did doth or shall live Let me then have my pardon upon thy promise and mercy and not for my merits It is not then the most commendable work that can justifie any man at the Bar of God but his mercy in Christ which he hath promised to accept Taught he hath us daily to pray Remitte debita 2. The second part And now he enters upon the Narration of his sad condition which he urgeth as another Reason to perswade God to remit his offence Ver. 3 and it is taken from the grievousness of tentation His sad condition to which the enemy brought him and the consequent of it 1. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul I look not so much upon my son Absolon that seeks my life as upon the enemy of Mankind Satan who entic'd me to Adultery and tempted me to Homicide 2. He hath smitten my life down to the ground He hath humbled me made me vile and contemptible in thy sight made me a lover of the earth and earthly pleasures who before had my Conversation in Heaven 3. He hath made me dwell in darkness as those that have been long dead For after that he had intangled my soul with earthly pleasures he made me dwell in spiritual darkness that I saw not the way to life but was indeed dead in trespasses and sins I knew no more of what belonged to the life of the Spirit than those that have been long dead Eph. 4.18 19. 2.5 And the effect that it wrought upon me For which he was ready to faint and despair was fear consternation and horrour of mind out of the sense of thy wrath against my sin 1. Ver. 4 Therefore my spirit was overwhelmed within me I suffered a kind of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in my soul I was ready to faint when I consider'd thy holiness and my impurity thy severe justice and my inability to satisfie it 2. And my heart within me is desolate far from all comfort Troubled I was not lightly not superficially but seriously and inwardly my soul was heavy to the death 3. The third part But recovers In this sadness I cast about what to do Though I felt thy hand heavy upon me yet despair I durst not even from this miserable state I began to fetch my remedy I found it was thy grace to bring me to this astonishment for my sin that my heart was not hardned in sin but astonished for sin mollified when it was thus troubled and à dolore parturivi salutem That then which came into my head were thy wayes that thou hadst taken with penitent sinners before me 1. I remember the dayes of old The dayes of Adam Noah Abraham Moses c. who all being thy servants yet sinning grievously Upon the remembrance of Gods mercies to others and repenting Thou admit'st to mercy whose examples I applied and they kept me from despair read Psal 77.5 6 7 c. for all these were Testimonies of thy ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã of thy love to man And meditation of them 2. I meditate on all thy works I muse upon the works of thy hands I did not slightly run them over but I meditate I muse upon them for in this combate betwixt hope and despair comfort is not obtained but by a long and serious meditation of Gods works his works in making a second Covenant with us and purchasing and applying Redemption The profit admirable 3. And the profit that came