abroad in Tents we have seen or heard of him but have not yet brought him home into our hearts there to possess and rectify and instruct our wills as well as our understandings Thirdly The whole mystery of Christ articulately set down in our Creed we as punctually believe and to make good our names that we are Christians in earnest we will challenge and defie the Fire and Faggot to perswade us out of it and these are good resolutions if our practices did not give our Faith the lye and utterly renounce at the Church Door whatsoever we profest in our Pews This very one thing that he which is our Saviour shall be our Judge that he which was crucified dead and buried sits now at the right hand of God and from thence shall come to judge the world this main part yea summ of our belief we deny and bandy against all our lives long If the story of Christ coming to judgment set down in the xxv of Matthew after the 30. Verse had ever entred through the doors of our Ears to the inward Closets of our hearts 't is impossible but we should observe and practise that one single duty there required of us Christ there as a Judge exacts and calls us to account for nothing in the World but only works of mercy and according to the satisfaction which we are able to give him in that one point he either entertains or repels us and therefore our care and negligence in this one business will prove us either Christians or Infidels But alas 't is too plain that in our actions we never dream either of the Judgment or the Arraignment our stupid neglect of this one duty argues us not only unchristian but unnatural Besides our Alms-deeds which concern only the outside of our neighbour and are but a kind of worldly mercy there are many more important but cheaper works of mercy as good counsel spiritual instructions holy education of them that are come out of our loyns or are committed to our care seasonable reproof according to that excellent place Lev. xix 17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but in any wise reprove him a care of carrying our selves that we may not scandal or injure or offer violence to the Soul and tender Conscience of him that is flexible to follow us into any riot These and many other works of mercy in the highest degree as concerning the welfare of other mens Souls and the chief thing required of us at the day of Judgment are yet so out-dated in our thoughts so utterly defaced and blotted out in the whole course of our lives that it seems we never expect that Christ in his Majesty as a Judge whom we apprehend and embrace and hug in his humility as a Saviour Beloved till by some severe hand held over our lives and particularly by the daily study and exercise of some work of mercy or other we demonstrate the sincerity of our belief the Saints on Earth and Angels in Heaven will shrewdly suspect that we do only say over that part of our Creed that we believe only that which is for our turn the sufferings and satisfactions of Christ which cost us nothing but do not proceed to his office of a Judge do not either fear his Judgments or desire to make our selves capable of his mercies Briefly whosoever neglects or takes no notice of this duty of exercising works of mercy whatsoever he brags of in his theory or speculation in his heart either denies or contemns Christ as Judge and so destroys the summ of his Faith and this is another kind of secret Atheism Fourthly Our Creed leads us on to a belief and acknowledgment of the Holy Ghost and 't is well we have all conn'd his name there for otherwise I should much fear that it would be said of many nominal Christians what is reported of the Ephesian Disciples Acts xix 2 They have not so much as heard whether there be an Holy Ghost or no. But not to suspect so much ignorance in any Christian we will suppose indeed men to know whatsoever they profess and enquire only whether our lives second our professions or whether indeed they are mere Infidels and Atheistical in this business concerning the Holy Ghost How many of the ignorant sort which have learnt this name in their Catechism or Creed have not yet any further use to put it to but only to make up the number of the Trinity have no special office to appoint for him no special mercy or gift or ability to beg of him in the business of their Salvation but mention him only for fashion sake not that they ever think of preparing their Bodies or Souls to be Temples worthy to entertain him not that they ever look after the earnest of the spirit in their hearts 2 Cor. i. 22 Further yet how many better learned amongst us do not yet in our lives acknowledge him in that Epithet annext to his title the Holy Ghost i. e. not only eminently in himself holy but causally producing the same quality in us from thence called the sanctifying and renewing spirit How do we for the most part fly from and abandon and resist and so violently deny him when he once appears to us in this Attribute When he comes to sanctifie us we are not patient of so much sowreness so much humility so much non-conformity with the world as he begins to exact of us we shake off many blessed motions of the spirit and keep our selves within garrison as far as we can out of his reach lest at any turn he should meet with and we should be converted Lastly The most ordinary morally qualified tame Christians amongst us who are not so violent as to profess open arms against this Spirit how do they yet reject him out of all their thoughts How seldom do many peaceable orderly men amongst us ever observe their wants or importune the assistance of this Spirit In summ 't was a shrewd Speech of the Fathers which will cast many fair out-sides at the bar for Atheists That the life of an unregenerate man is but the life of an Heathen and that 't is our Regeneration only that raises us up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from being still mere Gentiles He that believes in his Creed the Person nay understands in the Schools the Attributes and gifts of the Holy Ghost and yet sees them only in the fountain neither finds nor seeks for any effects of them in his own Soul he that is still unregenerate and continues still gaping and yawning stupid and senseless in this his condition is still for all his Creed and Learning in effect an Atheist And the Lord of Heaven give him to see and endeavours to work and an heart to pray and his spirit to draw and force him out of this condition Fifthly Not to cramp in every Article of our Creed into this Discourse we will only insist on two
most unworthy O do thou afford me that pardon and that grace which I stand in need of and can hope for from none but thee 5. That I may see the good of thy chosen that I may rejoyce in the gladness of thy nation that I may glory with thine inheritance Paraphrase 5. That I may experimentally feel and taste the incomparable felicity of being in the number of thy favourites that I may have my part of that joyous blissfull state that all which sincerely serve thee enjoy even in this world as the present reward or result of their conscientious obedience and so for ever make one in that quire which sings Hosannahs and Hallelujahs to thee 6. We have sinned with our Fathers we have committed iniquity we have done wickedly Paraphrase 6. Meanwhile it is the present duty of every one of us to cast our selves down in all humility before this thy throne of grace to confess before thee the many great and crying sins transgressions and provocations that either every one of us or together this whole nation from our first rise and growth into a people have been most sadly guilty of 7. Our Fathers understood not thy wonders in Aegypt they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies but provoked him at the sea even at the red sea Paraphrase 7. When thou hadst shewed so many signs and wonders in the sight of our forefathers in Aegypt which were abundantly sufficient to convince them of thy power and purpose to bring them safe out of those tyrannical masters hands yet in the very beginning of their march before they were out of the land as soon as the least danger approacht when they discerned the Aegyptians to follow and overtake them they were presently amated and faint-hearted and sore afraid Exod. 14.10 and in that fit of fear and infidelity reproached Moses and in him God himself for looking upon them in their oppressions for offering to disquiet them in their slavery deemed it much better to have served the Aegyptians than now to adventure themselves under God's protection And how many provocations have we severally been guilty of in not laying to heart the signal mercies bestowed on us by God evidences of his goodness and his power and in despight of all fallen off on occasion of every worldly terrour into murmurings at his providence and satiâ—ty of his service into infidelity and Practical Atheism 8. Nevertheless he saved them for his names sake that he might make his mighty power to be known Paraphrase 8. But though they thus provoked God and so well deserved to be forsaken by him though he had so little incouragement to shew miracles of mercy among those whom neither miracles could convince nor mercies provoke to obedience yet that he might glorify himself and give more evidences of his omnipotence to them and the heathen people about them he was now also pleased to interpose his hand in a most eminent manner for these unthankfull murmurers and by a new miracle of mercy to secure and deliver them 9. He rebuked the red sea also and it was dried up so he led them through the depths as through the wilderness 10. And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy 11. And the waters covered their enemies there was not one of them left Paraphrase 9 10 11. For being now at the shore of the red sea and close pursued by the Aegyptians when there was no visible mean of their rescue from the rage of Pharaoh on one side or the sea on the other God then shewed forth his power divided the sea Exod. 14.16 caused it to retire and give passage to the Israelites who marcht through the midst of the sea in part of the channel as upon the driest firmest ground and when the Aegyptians assayed to follow them and were ingaged in the midst of the sea so far that they could not retire even the whole host of Pharaoh v. 23. first God encompassed his own people with a cloud that the enemy came not near them all night v. 20. secondly he troubled the Aegyptians host and took off their chariot wheels v. 24 23 so that they could neither pursue the Israelites nor fly out of the sea and thirdly he caused the sea to return to his strength and overwhelmed their chariots horsemen and whole army there remained not so much as one of them v. 28. Thus the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Aegyptians v. 30. 12. Then believed they his words they sang his praise Paraphrase 12. And this so visible a prodigie of mercy so seasonably and undeservedly afforded them did indeed at the time work upon them convinced them of the power and mercy of God they saw that great work and feared the Lord and believed the Lord and his servant Moses Exod. 14.31 and joyned with Moses in the anthem or song of victory that he composed on this occasion Exod. 15. blessing God for the wonders of this deliverance 13. They soon forgat his works they waited not for his counsel 14. But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness and tempted God in the desert Paraphrase 13 14. But after this when they came into the wilderness they fell a murmuring again first on occasion of the bitterness of the water at Marah Exod. 15.24 then in the wilderness of Sin ch 16. upon remembrance of their flesh-pots in Aegypt and when they had these so many convictions of God's power and providence over them which should in reason have charmed them into a full chearfull resignation and dependance on him they on the contrary without any consideration of any thing that God had wrought for them without ever addressing themselves humbly to God or his servant Moses to learn his pleasure and purposes concerning them were transported praecipitously by their own luxurious appetites and because they had not that festival plenty which could not be expected in the wilderness they again reproached Moses for having brought them out of Aegypt to die as they called it in the wilderness v. 3. and now forsooth God must shew more miracles not for the supply of their wants but to pamper and satisfy their lust Psal 78.18 he must give them fine festival diet in the wilderness Psal 79.19 or else they would no longer believe his power or serve him 15. And he gave them their request but sent leanness into their soul Paraphrase 15. And at this time also God was pleased to magnify his power and providence among them at Marah he directed Moses to a tree which sweetned the waters Exod. 15.25 and soon after brought them to Elim where there were twelve wells c. and he rained down bread as it were ready baked from heaven a full proportion for all of them every day Exod. 16.4 and not onely so but in answer to their importunity for flesh he sent them whole sholes of quails which covered the camp Exod.
of the Anvil which by many strokes is somewhat smoothed but no whit softned all they got by one days preaching was to inable them the better to resist the second Every Sermon of a Paul or Peter was but an alarum to set them on their guard of defence to warn them to cast up some more Trenches and Bulwarks to fortify themselves stronger against any possible invasion of Gods spirit according to that of the Aegyptian Hermes speaking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in a Christian phrase the power of the Scripture they have saith he this property in them that when they meet with evil men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they do more sharpen and egg them on to evil Thus was the preaching of the word to all men every where attended with some effects or other according to the materials it met with never returned unprofitably but either was the power of God to salvation unto all that believed or the witness of God to condemnation to those which were hardned Now if this precious receipt administred to all find not in all the like effect of recovering yet from hence is neither the Physick to be under-prized nor the Prescriber the matter is to be imputed sometimes to the weakness and peevishness of the Patient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he cannot or will not perform the prescriptions sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fault is to be laid on the stubbornness and stoutness of the disease which turns every Medicine into its nourishment and so is not abated but elevated by that which was intended to asswage it as Hippocrates defines it medicinally in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then by way of use If we desire that these commands this Covenant offered to all men every where may evidence it self to our particular Souls in its spiritual efficacy we must with all the industry of our spirits endeavour to remove those hindrances which may any way perturb or disorder or weaken it in its working in us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. saith Hippocrates you must furnish your self before-hand with a Shop of several softning Plasters and take some one of them as a preparative before every Sermon you come to that coming to Church with a tender mollified waxy heart you may be sure to receive every holy character and impression which that days exercise hath provided for thee lest otherwise if thou should'st come to Church with an heart of Ice that Ice be congealed into Crystal and by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the warmth of Gods word not abate but increase the coldness of a chill frozen spirit and finding it hard and stubborn return it obdurate O what a horrid thing is it that the greatest mercy under Heaven should by our unpreparedness be turned into the most exquisite curse that Hell or malice hath in store for us That the most precious Balm of Gilead should by the malignity of some tempers be turned into poyson that the leaves which are appointed for the healing of the Nations should meet with some such sores which prove worse by any remedy that the most soveraign 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or lenitive in the World should only work to our obduration and the preaching of the word of mercy adde to the measure of our condemnation This is enough to perswade you by an horror into some kind of sollicitude to prepare your Souls to a capability of this Cure to keep your selves in a Christian temper that it may be possible for a Sermon to work upon you that that breath which never returns in vain may be truly Gospel happy in its Message may convert not harden you to which purpose you must have such tools in store which the Physician speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 instruments of spiritual surgery to cut and prune off all luxuriant cumbersom excrescences all rankness and dead flesh which so oppress the Soul that the vertue of Medicine cannot search to it And for this purpose there is no one more necessary of more continual use for every man every where than that which here closeth my Text Repentance And so I come to the second respect the universality of the persons as it refers to the matter of the command repentance every man every where to repent And here I should shew you that repentance both generally taken for a sorrow for sin containing in it virtually faith also so the Baptism of repentance is interpreted Acts xix 4 John baptized with the Baptism of Repentance saying unto the people that they should believe c. and more specially in this place taken for the directing of our knowledge to practice and both to Gods glory as hath been shewn is and always was necessary to every man that will be saved For according to Aristotles rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noting both an universality of subject and circumstance is a degree of necessity and therefore repentance being here commanded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be judged a condition necessary to every man who answers at the command i. e. who expects his part in the Covenant of Salvation this I say I might prove at large and to that purpose vindicate the Writings of some of the Fathers especially of Clemens who I am almost confident is groundlesly cited for bestowing Salvation on the Heathen without exacting the condition of Faith and Repentance which now 't were superfluous to insist on 2. Urge it both to your brains and hearts and by the necessity of the duty rouse and enforce and pursue you to the practice of it But seeing this Catholick duty is more the inspiration of the Holy Ghost than the acquisition of our labours seeing this fundamental Cardinal Gift comes from the supreme Donor seeing nature is no more able spiritually to re-inliven a Soul than to animate a Carcass our best endeavour will be our humiliation our most profitable directions will prove our Prayers and what our frailty cannot reach to our devotions shall obtain And let us labour and pray and be confident that God which hath honoured us with his commands will inable us to a performance of them and having made his Covenant with us will fulfil in us the condition of it that the thundering of his word being accompanied with the still voice of his Spirit may suffer neither repulse nor resistance that our hearts being first softned then stamped with the Spirit may be the Images of that God that made them that all of us every where endeavouring to glorify God in our knowledge in our lives in our faith in our repentance may for ever be glorified by him and through him and with him hereafter Now to him that hath elected us hath created redeemed c. SERMON XIV ROM I. 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections IN this most accurate Epistle that ever the Pen of man could lay title to in which all the counsels and proceedings and methods
of the verse used for in may most probably signifie so here also and be rendred in or over and so the Chaldee reads over my oppressors and the Syriack and Arabick over the necks of my oppressors and perhaps the LXXII were willing to express this by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift up thy self in or over their bounds or borders as a phrase to express his subduing of them choosing purposely not to repeat the word anger or fury because that had been sufficiently exprest in the former part as far as referred to God to whom the Chaldee apply it also in the latter place and the other antient Translators do not at all mention it So v. 9. in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteous Lord they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and keep the other word divided to begin the next verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteous is my help from God So v. 11. where the Hebrew hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and God is angry every day the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it seems in the original notion for fortis strong and so doth the Chaldee also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in fortitudine but not only so but then again read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor and then make up this large paraphrase in stead of God is angry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and be is strong and patient and doth not bring forth or loose anger every day which the Arabick follow exactly the Syriack as far as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor is not angry every day and the vulgar to the same sense nunquid irascitur is he angry every day And considering the context and the intire design of this and the following verses this may well pass for a perspicuous paraphrase of it and not any contradiction to the rational though it agree not to the literal notion of it So verse 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he turn not they read in the second person plural by way of paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye turn not and so the Latine and Arabick and Aethiopick In this place Aben-Ezra's gloss may deserve to be remembred who applies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if he return not to God referring to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. return thou on high that as that belonged to Gods ascending the throne of judgment standing up to exert his vindicative justice so his not returning here should signifie his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his not appearing in this manner in vengeance V. 9. Come to an end How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be rendred both for the notion and sense will deserve to be considered The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 complevit finivit used sometimes for good sometimes for ill must here be in the latter sense and then must be rendred either filled up simply or else destroyed or consumed In the former sense the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let it be accomplisht or filled up and so the Syriack and Aethiopick but the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreeing in signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destruxit let it be destroyed and so the Latine consumetur shall be consumed and both these may well have place being one consequent to the other when iniquity is filled up when 't is come to the full measure attained its end saith the Arabick then Gods judgments come it shall be destroyed But the Interlinear have another-understanding of it Consumet malum impios Evil shall consume the wicked and in consent therewith Abu Walid observes the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be used transitively sometimes and instanceth in this place giving it the notion of excidere and consumere as well as perficere And this rendring may deserve to be preferred before either of the former Now for the tense it is certainly in the future and not in the Imperative mood yet those two are so promiscuously taken the one for the other that the Interpreters for the most part render it in the Imperative let it be The thing from thence observable is that in Sacred style especially in the Prophetick Dialect the use of the Imperative mood must not be always thought to denote a wish or when it is of ill to be a curse but only a prediction And this may be of use frequently in Interpreting this Book of Psalms wherein those many passages which in sound pass for wishes of ill or curses are but predictions of the ills that shall befall wicked men To 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is here annexed the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now either as an expletive or to denote the approach of the destruction spoken of V. 13. Arrows against the persecutors The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying two things to persecute and to be set on fire see note on Psal 10. a. the LXXII renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Latine by ardentibus and so the Syriack and the rest seems to take it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I suppose it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ferbuit ebullivit But the Chaldee restrain it to the other notion of persecuting by the addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the righteous he will make his arrows against the persecutors of the righteous And this may probably enough be resolved on as the sense of the place And yet the words are capable of a yet farther rendring thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sagittas suas fecit in ardentes or in persequentes he hath made his arrows for burning or persecuting ones as that signifies he hath made his arrows burning or pursuing arrows Thus the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may either be a pleonasm as it is not unusual or rather may serve to help the construction of the verb with a double accusative as it doth Exod. 27.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All the Vessels thereof thou shalt make brass So Abu Walid thinks and renders it he maketh his arrows bright the Jewish-Arabick Translator swiftly pursuing persecuting arrows And thus burning arrows as burning darts may well signifie sharp and terrible arrows which yet being but made or ordained or in the present in fieri in making or ordaining and not yet shot or sent out of the bow as terrible as they are they still denote Gods sparing a little longer mean-while preparing for it and giving fair treatable warnings of what will come at last if they reform not The Eighth PSALM TO the chief Musitian upon Gittith A Psalm of David Paraphrase The eighth Psalm was composed by David for the magnifying of Gods wonderful goodness as more general in the fabrick of the world and his dignations to mankind in making him Lord of that grâ— work of his so more particular to himself in using him as his instrument to discomfit Goliah of Gath the proud â—oasting Gyant
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no fear was or whether the LXXII after their Paraphrastical manner frequently observable in them added these words either the more to express the nature of the fear viz. that it was a meer worldly and so causless fear or else to fit the words to connect with what follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because or for God is in the generation of the righteous thus The generality of the people was moved with fear to joyn with Absalom but this a Panick causeless fear if they had called on God v. 4. and adhered and relyed on him they had not needed to fear any evil for God is present among such to protect them and to convert all their temporary sufferings to their advantages But this sense is as fully contained in the Hebrew words without this addition if only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that follows be rendred not for but but which is not an unusual signification of it Gen. 65.8 it was not you that sent me hither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but God and if it be so rendrend here the sense will be perspicuous There they feared a fear the generality of them fell off but God is in the generation of the righteous by the help of God I have been susteined though the generality of my Subjects through flattering insinuations first and then through fear was fallen off from me Here only it is to be remembred that the generality though set in very comprehensive phrases All gone out of the way none that doth good no not one is not so to be interpreted as to belong to all and every Jew at that time for it is certain some though very few in comparison adhered to David 2 Sam. 15.17 18. and went out to fight with Absalom 2 Sam. 18.1 And so in the Prophetick sense as it belonged to the times of Christ and his Apostles when though 't is said they were all gaue out of the way Rom. 3. yet as elsewhere appears a remnant there was which still adhered to God believed in Christ and remained stedfast in his Doctrine See Rev. 7.4 But these phrases must be interpreted so as general expressions are wont to signifie he so as to admit of some exceptions or else be applyed only to the men of Israel who universally went after Absalom 2 Sam. 18.6 whilst Davids forces were raised only of his own servants men of Judah and the Cherethites Pelethites Gittites which came after him from Gath 2 Sam. xv 18 and flying from Jerusalem he was relieved by the Ammonites c. c. 17.27 and Ittai the Gittite of Gath a City of the Philistims subdued by him was one of his three Chief Commanders c. 18.2 And so this perspicuously applies the whole Psalm to this particular matter of Absalom's Rebellion The Fifteenth PSALM A Psalm of David Paraphrase Paraphrase 1. Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy holy Hill Paraphrase 1. Let me take boldness to interrogate and demand of the Lord of heaven and earth what kind of person it is that may have assurance and confidence of his favour so as to be accepted in the number of those that perform his solemn Worship here and rewarded with eternal bliss in heaven hereafter And the Answer will I suppose certainly be this 2. He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness and speaketh the truth from his heart Paraphrase 2. He and none but he that is just and blamless in all his actions that lives and goes on in a course of righteousness steddy and constant neither offending against the rules of justice nor mercy but on all occasions and opportunities that offer themselves abounding in the exercises of both and withall hath care that his tongue should not offend in delivering any thing which he is not sincerely perswaded to have perfect truth in it 3. He that backbiteth not with his tongue nor doth evil to his neighbour nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour Paraphrase 3. He that makes strict conscience of detracting or calumniating of doing any kind of wrong that carefully abstains from speaking or acting any reproachful word or deed against any 4. In whose eyes a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that fear the Lord he that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not Paraphrase 4. He that indeavours to defame and discountenance all sorts of wickedness that instead of complying with the disallowable practices of the world represents them in their own ugly colours and deters all men from imitating such examples and on the other side desires to bring virtue and piety and conscience of all kind of duty into a creditable esteem and reputation and payâ— an hearty honour and respect and gives all manner of incouragements to every good and godly man and attracts all to the imitating such and that he may do so demonstrates by his own actions how dear a price he sets upon it and consequently if by any promissory oath he have bound himself to the performance of any thing that comes to cost him never so dear proves unexpectedly most mischievous or dangerous to his estate or even his life it self he doth yet most strictly oblige himself to the discharge of it knowing there is no ill so great as that by which his soul is wounded as it is sure to be most dangerously by any breach of oath 5. He that putteth not out his money to usury nor taketh reward against the innocent He that doth these things shall never fall Paraphrase 5. He that hath not admitted any covetous desires into his breast that will not for the enriching himself lessen any other Mans possessions as doth the Usurer and taker of bribes in Judicature the one grinding the face of the poor borrower the other selling the right the estate perhaps the life of an helpless but innocent person but on the contrary lends freely to him that wants that charity and so is as helpful to him as he may free loanes being oft the most advantageous charities assisting mens wants and obliging their diligence that they may be able to repay and to him that is unjustly assaulted or impleaded gives all timely succour that justice can afford which justice in that case is an eminent charity also These few things though they be not an enumeration of all the duties of a Man are yet so comprehensive and significative contain so many branches especially of our duty to our Neighbour and that uniformly performed is so sure a sign of faith and love and fear of God and all other duties of piety that I may conclude this mans title very good both to the priviledges and dignity of Gods servants here and to the eternal reward of such hereafter Annotations on Psal XV. V. 4. To his own hurt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth certainly signifie to do hurt from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Kal signifiâ—◠〈◊〉 be evil but in Hiphil to doe evil To whom this evil it
to the unjust impious and withall penurious and griping worldling accordingly so it is he prospereth the former and gives them and their posterities a peaceable and plentiful being here and blasteth and curseth and rooteth out the other 23. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way Paraphrase 23. As long as mens actions are conformable to the will of God and the directons which he gives for the guiding of them as the actions of the just and charitable are in an high degree so long are they most acceptable and well-pleasing to him and so sure to be accepted by him 24. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand Paraphrase 24. They that are careful of these practises when afflictions befall shall not be ruined by them for God by his secret wayes of providence shall support them under or deliver them out of them 25. I have been young and now am old yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Paraphrase 25. From the beginning of my life to this day making diligent observation in this matter I am now able truly to pronounce that I never could see or hear of any example of a just and pious and virtuous man that was eminently charitable and merciful-minded that ever brought himself or his posterity to want by that means 26. He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed Paraphrase 26. Though he be continually pouring out of his store in works of mercy giving and lending freely to those that want which a man would thiâ—â— sufficient to wast and ruine his worldly plenty and impoverish him or at least his posterity yet he that observes shall find it much otherwise that the posterity of such scatterers generally thrive much the better for it 27. Depart from evil and do good and dwell for evermore Paraphrase 27. And therefore the most prudent thriving course imaginable is this strictly to abstain from all known sin and to be carefully exercised in all good works especially those of mercy and then thou hast the promise of a long and prosperous life here and of heaven and immortal glory hereafter 28. For the Lord loveth judgment and forsaketh not his Saints they are preserved for ever but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off Paraphrase 28. For the lives of just men are acceptable to God and to merciful charitable men peculiarly the promise is made that God will shew them mercy and deal with them as they have dealt with others relieve and support them in their distress and signally prosper them and their posterity and yet farther reserve a rich reward for them in another world whilst his judgments remarkably seise on the posterity of wicked men especially of the unjust and covetous oppressor 29. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein for ever Paraphrase 29. Accordingly you shall observe that just pious and merciful-mindedman of have their peculiar portion of a long and prosperous life in this world they and their posterity if they walk in their steps 30. The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgment 31. The law of his God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide Paraphrase 30 31. All such mens thoughts and discourses are busied on the true saving not worldly carnal or diabolical wisdom on the practice of virtue and the sincere obedience to all Gods commands And this God is sure to reward with his assistance and support and accordingly preserve them from all evil 32. The wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him 33. The Lord will not leave him in his hand nor condemn him when he is judged Paraphrase 32 33. 'T is to be expected indeed that wicked men should use all arts and attempts of treachery to oppress and even to undoe and kill the pious and meek charitable person who is most weakly furnished with worldly aids to repel or secure himself from their malice But then God will interpose for his reliefe and avert their designed violence from him 34. Wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the Land when the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it Paraphrase 34. Keep close to God and in obedience to all his laws and in so doing rely and depend with confidence on him and prepare thy self contentedly to bear whatsoever he shall send and doubt not but in his due time he will bring thee to a prosperous condition even in this world unless in his secret wisdom he see it better for thee to expect thy full reward in another world and that is infinitely more desirable to thee and thou shalt live to see his punishments poured out upon the ungodly 35. I have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay-tree Paraphrase 35. It is matter of very vulgar observation that wicked men are very great and formidable for a while flourish and prosper exceedingly and have moreover all seeming advantages to aeternize this prosperity to them and their posterity and are not discern'd to have any thing come cross to hinder their thriving in the world 36. Yet he passed away and loe he was not yea I sought him but he could not be found Paraphrase 36. And yet of a suddain in a trice they are destroyed and no remainder of them is to be found their very memory is utterly gone 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace Paraphrase 37. This you may generally observe that sincere and just especially if they be also charitable merciful men do whatever pressures they meet with for a time at length recover a peaceable and prosperous condition to them and their posterity 38. But the transgressors shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off Paraphrase 38. But wicked men on the contrary come to utter ruine and destruction and though it be long deferred sometimes yet it comes with a vengeance at last to the eradicating them and their posterities 39. For the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord he is their strength in the time of trouble Paraphrase 39. And the account is clear God by his providence delivers the righteous and merciful men defends and supports them in all their distresses 40. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him Paraphrase 40. And a sure tenure they have in his mercy for assistance and preservation from all the machinations of wicked men as being in the number of those that rely and depend on God according to his own promise and so may from his fidelity expect and challenge deliverance Annotations on Psalm XXXVII V. 3. Dwell The latter part of this v. 3.
exterminate the people and whole nation of the Jews his crucifiers 2. As smoak is driven away so drive them away as wax melteth before the fire so let the wicked perish at the presence of God Paraphrase 2. As soon as God appears they vanish and are routed immediately smoak doth not turn into air wax doth not melt at the heat of the fire more speedily And as certainly and suddainly shall the either melting or vanishing conversion or destruction of the Jews follow the resurrection and ascension of Christ As soon as he is ascended the apostles shall set on preaching and begin first at Jerusalem and Judaea and by that time they have gone through all the cities of Judaea and converted all that are perswasible Christ shall come in judgment on the obdurate Mat. 10.23 the Roman Eagles or armies Mat. 24.28 with the Ensign of the Eagle in that very generation v. 34. wherein Christ ascended shall besiege and take Jâ—rusalem destroy the Temple and take away both their place and nation And though this were some years about forty before it was finished yet with God with whom a thousand years are but as one day 2 Pet 3.8 these forty years are but proportionable to a moment and so to that space which is required to the vanishing of smoak or melting of wax before the fire and so the Lord is not slack concerning his promise v. 9. this praediction of the greatest swiftness of destroying his enemies hath its due completion 3. But let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Paraphrase 3. And this shall be matter of the highest superlative joy to all pious men who have answers to their prayers from the presence of God in the Ark but most eminently to all faithful obedient servants of Christ who shall in a notable manner be delivered out of that common calamity wherein the unbelieving Jews shall be involved and by the power of Christs Spirit in their hearts chearfully received and made use of be ascertain'd of their portion in eternal heaven 4. Sing unto God sing praises to his name extoll him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah and rejoyce before him Paraphrase 4. He that thus presentiates himself in the Ark as also the Messias that shall be born and rise again in our flesh is no other than the supreme omnipotent God of heaven and earth creator first mover and ruler of the uppermost heaven and all under it let all the world worship and acknowledge and magnifie him as such and take pleasure in performing obedience to him 5. A Father of the fartherless and a Judge of the widows is God in his holy habitation Paraphrase 5. Though he inhabites the highest heaven yet is he pleased here below to exhibite himself in the Ark first and after in our humane flesh to relieve and patronize all that are in distress to heal the broken in heart those that are opprest with the burthen of their sins and so supply all other even secular wants to all that by humble devout prayer and reliance on him are qualified for it 6. God setteth the solitary in families he bringeth out those which are bound with chains but the rebellious dwell in a dry land Paraphrase 6. He is made up all of pity and compassion to all that are in want and distress that serve and wait on him brought the Israelites out of Egypt their state of hard slavery and punished their oppressors very heavily and so constantly supplies all his servants wants And this in an eminent manner shall be the work of the Messias by his miracles going about doing good and healing diseases but especially by his death working spiritual redemption the most soveraign mercy for our souls whilst the impenitent infidels that resist and frustrate all his methods of grace and merey are finally forsaken by him 7. O God when thou wentest forth before thy people when thou didst march through the wilderness Selah 8. The earth shook the heavens also dropt at the presence of God even Sinai it self was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel Paraphrase 7 8. God at his bringing his people with an high hand out of Egypt into Canaan conducted them through the wilderness in a pillar of cloud and fire to denote his special providence over them and bringing them to Mount Sinai delivered them his Law in a most solemn dreadful manner the earth trembling Exod. 19.18 and the air sending out thunder and lightning and a thick cloud of tempestuous rain v. 16. as a token of his presence there and an essay of the terrible account that should be exacted on those that obeyed not this Law And in the like dreadful manner shall Christ after his ascending to heaven come to visit his crucifiers and avenge all impenitent unbelievers 9. Thou O God didst send a plentifull rain whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary Paraphrase 9. When they were in great distress in the wilderness for want of food God made abundant provision fâ—r their refreshment and sustenance by sending them together with the thunder plentiful rerefreshing showres by raining down quails and Manna from heaven and above all the divine irrigation of the Law was thence distill'd And so shall the Messias make his spiritual supplies in great abundance to the comfort of all humble penitent hearts that are sensible of their wants and that ardently desire and pray to him for the supply of them 10. Thy congregation hath dwelt therein for thou O God hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor Paraphrase 10. And so the wilderness became an habitable place or constantly Gods holy Angels went along with them to defend and conduct and provide for them Instances of Gods gracious and special providence and protection over all those that stand in need of him and faithfully serve and humbly wait on him And parallâ—l to these Christ at his departure from the world shall leave his Apostles and their successors called Angels of the Churches Rev. 2. and 3. to provide for the spiritual wants of all his faithful disciples all docible Christians 11. The Lord gave the word great was the company of those that published it Paraphrase 11. And continually from time to time God gave us victories over the nations abundant matter of praise and triumph which the train of singing women mustering themselves up in another army according to their wont set forth in their triumphant hymns A type of the victories over death and hell by the resurrection of the Messias which the women in like manner Mary Magdalen c. should first publish to the Disciples and they preach to the whole world 12. Kings of armies did fly apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoil Paraphrase 12. To this or the like purpose that all the Canaanitish Kings with their forces that opposed or stood out against them
Abu Walid seems to take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for strengths and interprets it of strong and firm resolutions Kimchi in his roots renders it high praises The Jewish Arab expresses the whole passage by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose hearts are sincere 6. Valley of Bacha From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 flevit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 weeping and in Arabick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And from this notion of the word the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the valley of weeping and the Vulgar Lachrymarum of tears and the Chaldee seems to follow that sense Our later interpreters here make use of the notion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Mulberry-tree and the Jewish Arab telling us in a note that it is a valley in Syria Damascena yet renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as much as to say the valley of Plumb-trees so 2 Sam. v. 23. over against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mulberry-trees and so again v. 24. where the Chaldee reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trees The use of the word must probably be deduced from the sort of the soile where mulberry-trees grow For of them it is observable that they use to grow not in dry and waterless soils as vulgar Interpreters would fansy but peculiarly in low grounds or valleys non temere in montibus saith Pliny l. 16. c. 18. in a fat and moist soile say the Herbalists And so if that were the rendring here the passing through the mulberry valley would fitly signifie passing through a low and wet and moist place which according to the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by us called a weeping ground The Syriack here read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which will best be rendred they passed through or by or into profound weeping yet thereby meaning not tears from mens eyes so probably as waters overflowing the ground by which they past for so Job 28.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he bindeth the floods from weeping is by us duly rendred from overflowing So again Job 38.16 we have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the same theme the Interlinear reads fletus maris the weeping of the sea It signifies most probably the waters that distill from thence as tears from the eyes and pass by secret meatus in the earth The LXXII reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spring of the sea And then by analogy with these we shall best render the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the valley of weeping or the moist and weeping valley And to make or turne that into a spring so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies they make it a well or turn it into a spring is by casting up earth and trenching it as the Fens with us are drained to render it a spring the water whereof having gained a regular course becomes a stream passable in the deep of winter when as here it follows the rain covers or fills the pools So those words will best be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea or though or even where the rain covers the pools The ambiguity of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have caused very various rendrings of these words But as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from one notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil for teaching signifies a law-giver and so is by the LXXII rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so from another notion of it for watering it certainly signifies rain so Joel 2.23 he will give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rain and again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the early and latter rain and so in proportion with the valley and the weeping or wateriness foregoing it must be thought to signifie here And so likewise as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 benedixit signifies benediction and is rendred by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blessing so not only the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but with the same points as here the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for a pool Jud. 1.15 give me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a blessing but the pool for thou hast given me a south land or dry land and so it there expresly follows give me also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 springs of waters And so this well connects with the former part of this verse they shall make the mulberry-valley or weeping-valley a spring drain it and make it passable in a channel or water-course and that even after the fall of the greatest rains when the pools are swolne and fill'd highest this being the benefit of the fosse-ways forementioned v. 5. This is the most probable interpretation of the verse in perfect accord with the former and the design of the Psalm in magnifying the felicities of those that are allowed the liberty of the sacred assemblies at Jerusalem And to the same sense follows in the next verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall walk or proceed from valley to valley so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies 1 King 21.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the valley of Jezreel so in the Targum Isa 28.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the valley of fatness or perhaps from trench to trench for so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 122.7 is rendred by the Interlinear in antemurali tuo in thy trench without the wall so Lam. 2.8 Nahum 3.8 expressing the convenience of their journey through all those most suspected and naturally impassable places by the help of trenches or by means of these fosse-ways till at length 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the God of Gods shall appear or be seen or beheld in Sion i. e. shall shew or reveal himself gratiously to them there or as Jehovah jire signifies Gen. 22.8 shall provide and take care of them as he will be sure to do of all faithful servants of his that address themselves to him there in his Temple or Sanctuary V. 11. Door-keeper From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 threshold is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to sit or ly at or on the threshold when one is not admitted into the house in a vile and abject condition The LXXII here renders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be cast down in the house of God to lie as a Lazar at the door or as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the antient Church which lay prostrate without the door of the Church to beseech the prayers of them that enter there being themselves unworthy to be admitted thither The Targum reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cleave to the house i. e. to lie fastened to the door of the house which is not the office of the Nethinim or door-keepers that were admitted in but the condition of the vilest person that is shut out of the Temple only is admitted to lie and beg mercy at the entrance into it And this the Psalmist much prefers before any the most flourishing worldly condition of those that are kept at a greater distance from it The Eighty Fifth PSALM
answer them 3. For my soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave 4. I am accounted with them that go down unto the pit I am as a man that hath no strength Paraphrase 3 4. For this I am one way competently qualified viz. by the great measure of my present troubles and dangers mine own absolute impotence and the deplorableness and desperateness of my condition 5. Free among the dead like the slain that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off from thy hand Paraphrase 5. I am now so low that I begin to have the priviledges of dead men those that are at the lowest or that being brought down to the grave are out of the malice and thought of their enemies I am laid aside as one not considered or concerned in the affairs of this world sequestred from the conversation of Men and which is the worst part of my misery from the Sanctuary accounted by men as one wholly forgotten and forsaken by thee no part of thy care and as uncapable of restauration by thy power as those that are dead already 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps Paraphrase 6. Thou hast permitted me to be brought to a state of the utmost distress and destitution 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves Selah Paraphrase 7. The effects of thy displeasure lie very pressing upon me as one that leans with his whole weight upon another my afflictions come in one upon the neck of another as waves of the Sea beating upon any vessel 8. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me thou hast made me an abomination unto them I am shut up and I cannot come forth Paraphrase 8. The sharpness of thy punishments hath averted all men from me they account me forsaken by thee and so they forsake me get aloofe from me as from an execrable thing and so leave me as in a prison a state of restraint and perfect solitude from which I cannotisceâ—rn any way of rescue or redress 9. Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction Lord I have called daily upon thee I have stretched out my hands unto thee Paraphrase 9. I look and waite and languish but receive no mitigation to my afflictions I continually pray and importune thee my voice and hands and heart are for ever imployed in sending up my complaints to thee 10. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead shall the dead arise and praise thee Selah Paraphrase 10. Thou hast promised me relief and so thy fidelity is concerned in it which therefore I am confident I shall at length receive from thee O when wilt thou please to reach it out and afford it me If thou dost not speedily I am likely to be consumed and destroyed by my pressures and then there will be no remedy no capacity of thy relief unless thou work a miracle for me and raise me when I am dead out of the grave again and so exercise not only thy special extraordinary providence and mercy but even thine omnipotent creative power in my restauration 11. Shall thy loving-kindness be declared in the grave or thy faithfulness in destruction 12. Shall thy wonders be known in the dark and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness 13. But unto thee have I cryed O Lord and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Paraphrase 13. All that I have to do O Lord is in prayer and with importunity daily and duly to solicite thee after this manner 14. Lord why castest thou off my soul why hidest thou thy face from me Paraphrase 14. Lord be thou at length pleased to receive my prayers which proceed from an humble and devout soul to restore thy favour and mercy to me 15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted Paraphrase 15. My pressures are very extreme and of long duration and the continual new dangers that incompass me put me in great anxiety and consternation 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy terrors have cut me off Paraphrase 16. The sense of thy displeasure and the direful expectation of all the miserable effects thereof till thou art pleased to look favourably on me do even overwhelme and destroy me 17. They came round about me daily like water they compast me about together Paraphrase 17. And like continual floods of water inclosing me round about leave no way of passage out of them 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me and mine e acquaintance into darkness Paraphrase 18. As for any humane aid of friends or neighbours I have not the least tender of that they from whom I had most reason to expect it are affrighted with the sight of my afflictions fly from me lest I should implore their aid and keep themselves at a great distance from me 'T is thou O Lord which hast thus punisht me for my sins and from the return of thy mercy alone am I to expect relief Annotations on Psal LXXXVIII Tit. Leannoth That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies hollow instruments hath been taken notice of note on Psal 53. a. To this our English hath joyned Leannoth as if both together Maalath-Leannoth were a proper name But as the former was a mistake so the latter is a double addition to it first in that it is joyned to it when in the original 't is not 2. in that the importance of it which is plain is not considered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is literally as from the LXXII their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Vulgar and the Interlinear read it ad respondendum for answering for which the learned Castellio reads alternis by way of answer or alternation This I suppose refers to the custome in singing their Anthems to instruments or the conjunction of vocal and instrumental Musick mentioned note on Psal 87. d. where the Corahites or singers beginning the tune as a praecentor the instruments follow to the very same tune which is properly stiled answering them this being the primary use of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to begin so to continue a song to proceed or go on in a tune begun by any So 1 Sam. 18.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the women answered playing and said which phrase is expounded by the former verse which tells us that the women came out of all cities singing and dancing with tabrets with joy and with instruments of Musick and so their singing going first they followed or answered their voices with tabrets and instrumental Musick Proportionable to this was the antient Greek custome Poetically exprest by Apollo and the Muses Apollo singing and they following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 answering with Musical instruments to the tune which he began So in Homer in a funeral there are first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginners or praecentors of the lamentations and then
glorifying thee 6. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord Paraphrase 6. For though they be glorious creatures and instruments and ministers of God yet there is no least comparison between all the power and operations of all those and that which is performed by God in these his admirable dispensations toward his people which therefore are to be lookt on with amazement and highest degree of reverence and adoration by all those glorious creatures which attend him 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him 8. O Lord God of hosts who is a strong Lord like unto thee or to thy faithfulness round about thee Paraphrase 8. Thou art the Lord and only supreme commander of all those Armies of Angels and as thou art armed with power above all those so art thou guarded with fidelity by the former thou canst and by the latter thou wilt certainly perform all that thou hast covenanted with us 9. Thou rulest the raging of the Sea when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them Paraphrase 9. Thy power is sufficient to bring down and tame the proudest and most tumultuous element the very Ocean it self when it is most boysterous is immediately quiet at thy command 10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces as one that is slain thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arme Paraphrase 10. By this means as once thou gavest thy people the children of Israel a passage out of Aegypt through the channel of the Red Sea so didst thou return the Sea upon Pharaoh and the Aegyptians the tyrannizing enemies of thy people destroyedst him there as discernibly and illustriously as if thou hadst slain him with a Sword and together with him by thine own immediate interposition didst then overwhelme and drown the Aegyptians 11. The heavens are thine the earth also is thine as for the world and the fulness thereof thou hast founded them Paraphrase 11. Thou art the only creator of the whole world and all that therein is thou gavest it that stable firm being that it hath so that the sea though much higher than the rest of the Globe doth not yet drown the earth And as in the Creation all was ordered by thy command so hast thou still the only right of power and dominion over all in the administration of things 12. The North and the South thou hast created them Tabor and Hermon shall rejoyce in thy name Paraphrase 12. All the regions of all the quarters of the earth as the Northern and Southern so the Western and Eastern coasts are created by thy power and protected and supported by it and accordingly are obliged to bless thy providence for all the least good that they enjoy 13. Thou hast a mighty arme strong is thy hand and high is thy right hand Paraphrase 13. Thy power is far removed above all the oppositions and resistances in nature whatsoever thou wilt thou art perfectly able to do and thy providential power of mercy of delivering and obliging is above all the other works of it eminently observable 14. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne mercy and truth shall go before thy face Paraphrase 14. Whatsoever thou doest thy mercy and pity is discernible in it and so is thy justice and fidelity also Thou makest promises of abundant mercy to thy servants and never fallest to perform them 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy countenance Paraphrase 15. And 't is no small degree of bliss to be thus honoured by God as the people of Israel is to receive such stupendious mercies from him and to be taught the way of praising and acknowledging his mercies so as will be acceptable to him such as they are secured of Gods continual favour if they be not stupidly wanting to themselves there being no more required of them than humbly to beg and qualifie themselves to receive his mercies and then thankfully to acknowledge and being secured of this they can want nothing to live most comfortably and pleasurably Psal 135.3 16. In thy name shall they rejoyce all the day and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted Paraphrase 16. Two soveraign benefits shall they enjoy hereby 1. a continual delight and joy that they are favoured by thee which they shall as delightfully express in singing continual praises to thee and this very communion with God a confidence of Gods kindness and a perpetual blessing him for it is of all others the most pleasurable way of living a paradise or antepast of heaven here 2. the natural consequent of Gods favour and mercy his raising them up out of the most low and dejected state see v. 17. to the greatest height of dignity 17. For thou art the glory of their strength and in thy favour shall our horn be exalted Paraphrase 17. For though such men have no solid strength of their own yet by additions they receive from thee they may confidently attempt any thing and depend on thee for the performance And that gives us thy servants by thy continued favour and kindness to us an humble assurance that thou wilt raise us out of our present dejection v. 38. c. to an high degree of power and dignity see Luk. 1. note n. 18. For the Lord is our defence and the holy one of Israel is our King Paraphrase 18 The ground of our assurance being only this that the supreme God of heaven and earth he that hath made and performed such wonderful promises to this people of Israel and by his own special providence appointed David to be King over us by this owning us peculiarly as his own Kingdom is he that undertakes to shield and secure us from all dangers 19. Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one and saidst I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the people 20. I have found David my servant with my holy oyle have I anointed him Paraphrase 19 20. One special act of his goodness to us it was that appearing in vision to Samuel the good Prophet he told him who it was that he had chosen to be King in Saul's stead to rule and defend his people a person of eminent vertues and though mean in the eyes of men an approved faithful servant of his herein an eminent type of Christ the fountain of all good to mankind 21. With whom mine hand shall be established mine arme also shall strengthen him Paraphrase 21. To him God promised to be always present and ready at hand to assist and preserve and secure him in all his undertakings 22. The enemy shall not exact upon him nor the son of wickedness afflict him Paraphrase 22. To protect him from the stratagems
60. v. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. and i◠a solemn commemoration of God's mercies to David in the victories obtained by him over his enemies round about particularly at the taking of Rabba 2 Sam. 12.29 together with a prayer for continuance of all God's mercies 1. O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise even with my glory 2. Awake Psaltery and Harp I my self will awake early Paraphrase 1 2. Blessed Lord how am I ingaged to bless and praise thy holy name to imploy my tongue and all the instruments of musick and every faculty of my soul in commemorating thy goodness and signal mercies to me This is the least that can be deemed incumbent on me and this I shall most readily heartily and chearfully perform see Psal 57.7 8. 3. I will praise thee O Lord among the people and I will sing praises to thee among the nations Paraphrase 3. And 't is not fit that so great dignations should be acknowledged in the closet or privacy onely 't is most decent that our tribute of praise for them should be in the midst of the assembly with the greatest possible solemnity calling all others to take part in so important an office Psal 57.9 4. For thy mercy is great above the heavens and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds Paraphrase 4. For thy mercy and fidelity have been magnified toward me in a most eminent manner and are each of them infinitely great see Psal 57.10 5. Be thou exalted O God above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth Paraphrase 5. For which therefore blessed be for ever thy glorious majesty in the highest degree that is possible for us finite and infirm creatures see Psal 57.11 6. That thy beloved may be delivered save with thy right hand and answer me Paraphrase 6. Who have received such signal assistances from thee evidences of thy special favour and interposition of thine own right hand in return and answer to the prayers which we have addrest to thee See Psal 60.5 7. God hath spoken in his holiness I will rejoyce I will divide Shechem and mete out the valley of Succoth 8. Gilead is mine Manasseh is mine Ephraim also is the strength of my head Judah is my lawgiver Paraphrase 7 8. God made me a most sure promise which he hath now most signally performed and so given me matter of all triumph and rejoycing and thanksgiving that I am not onely fully and quietly possest of all the kingdom both of Israel and Judah and delivered from the assaults which were made against me by my malicious neighbours see Psal 60.6 7. note d. 9. Moab is my washpot over Edom will I cast out my shooe over Phililistia will I triumph Paraphrase 9. But even that they that thus assaulted me are themselves brought down in subjection to me by name the Moabites the Idumaeans and the Philistims see Psal 60.8 and note d. 10. Who will bring me into the strong city who will lead me into Edom Paraphrase 10. And now let the Ammonites cast us in the teeth reproach us as if we should doe nothing of all this as if their cities were impregnable or our armies utterly unsufficient to vanquish and subdue them 11. Wilt not thou O God who hast cast us off and wilt not thou O God go forth with our hosts Paraphrase 11. That God which for our sins had formerly withdrawn his assistance and so long we must needs be improsperous having no means left to accomplish any victories hath now been graciously pleased to return to us and assist us and manage the whole business for us to give us this last victory over the Regal City and King of the Ammonites and so to testifie by this happy success his signal presence with us 12. Give us help from trouble for vain is the help of man Paraphrase 12. To him therefore alone is our resort in the greatest distress from him must come the relief or we shall be lost all other assistances beside that of heaven being utterly unsufficient see Psal 60.11 13. Through God we shall doe valiantly for it is he that shall tread down our enemies Paraphrase 13. If he interpose his power on our side no enemy shall be able to stand before us It is he and not any strength of ours that shall work all our victories for us see Psal 60.12 And on this we will confidently depend through his goodness and mercy to us Annotations on Psal CVIII V. 4. Above the heavens Among the few variations which are made in this Psalm from the several parcels of Psal 57. and 60. of which it is composed it may be observed that instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the heavens Psal 57.10 't is here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above the heavens which being designed as an expression to set out the greatness of the extent of God's mercies First it doth that very perfectly and signifies the infiniteness of it not onely above the heavens but from thence continuedly down to us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above to the lowest and meanest of us and to all betwixt and Secondly it confirms our rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both there and here not clouds but skyes meaning the bodies of the heavens those pure aethereal orbs where the Sun and Moon and Stars are see note on Psal 57. c. for taking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the regions of the air and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the celestial bodies these two phrases will perfectly accord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above the lower of them the aiery regions and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to or the higher of them the celestial orbs onely with this difference that the former phrase notes the descent from thence hither not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above and the latter the ascent from us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to or as far as to that the former notes the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or depth the latter the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or height of it V. 9. Will I triumph Here is another variation betwixt this Psalm and the copy whence 't is transscribed Psal 60.8 Here 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over the Philistims I will shout 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will jubulate saith the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will cry or make a noise give a shout saith the Syriack but the LXXII by way of paraphrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Philistims are subjected unto me the full intimation of that shouting over them But Psal 60.8 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of that place we have already shewed see Psal 60. note c. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be rendred over me but simply over viz. joyned with that which next follows over the Philistims and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shout thou was to be applied either as speaking to himself
lives are made up of receiving and celebrating mercies and deliverances from God such as his omnipotent hand worketh for them either without the assistance of humane aids or so as the success is eminently imputable to God and not to man 17. I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord. Paraphrase 17. And having received this instance of his mercy at this time being now secured from my greatest dangers what remains for me but to spend my whole age in proclaiming the power and mercy and fidelity of my deliverer and call all men off from their vain and weak trusts the arm of flesh to this more skilfull and politick dependence on God 18. The Lord hath chastened me sore but he hath not given me over unto death Paraphrase 18. God hath most justly delivered me up to be severely punisht pursued and hunted by my enemies but then hath seasonably delivered me out of their hands and not permitted me to be overwhelmed by them 19. Open to me the gates of righteousness I will go into them and I will praise the Lord. 20. This gate of the Lord into which the righteous shall enter Paraphrase 19 20. The sanctuary of God the holy place whither all good men resort to petition mercies and to acknowledge them when they are received is that to which as I am most bound I will now make my most solemn address and there commemorate God's mercies to me Or I will make use of all occasions as may make way for the praiâ—â—ng God 21. I will praise thee for thou hast heard me and art become my salvation Paraphrase 21. Proclaiming to all the gracious returns I have received to my prayers the abundant and seasonable deliverances which God hath afforded me 22. The stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone of the corner 23. This is the Lord 's doing it is marvellous in our eyes Paraphrase 22 23. And now may all the assembly of Israel rejoyce and joyn in their congratulations that being now fallen out in King David's exaltation to the throne and much more eminently in the resurrection and ascension of the Messiah which is ordinarily said whether by way of History or Parable that the stone which in the laying the foundation of some eminent building was oft tried by the builders and as oft rejected by them as unfit for their use to any part of the fabrick and thereupon cast among and covered over with rubbish was at length when they wanted a stone for the most eminent use the coupling and joynting the whole fabrick together found most exactly fitted for the turn and so put in the most honourable place the chief corner of the building A thing so unexpected and strange that it was with reason judged as special an act of God's providence as if it had been sent them down immediately from heaven As strange was it and as imputable to God's special hand that David of no eminent family the son of Jesse and withall the youngest and most despised of his brethren should be in Saul's stead exalted by God to the regal throne and being for this driven by Saul from his court and pursued as a partridge on the mountains should yet continually escape his hand and be peaceably placed in his throne And so yet farther in the mystery that the Messiah the son of a Carpenter's wife with him brought up in the trade that whilst he made known the will of God had no dwelling-place that was rejected by the chief of the Jews as a drunkard and glutton and one that acted by the Devil as a blasphemous and seditious person and as such put to the vilest death the death of the Cross and was held some space under the power of the grave should be raised the third day from death taken up to heaven and there sit in his throne to rule and exercise regal power over his Church for ever This certainly was a work purely divine and so ought to be acknowledged and admired by us 24. This is the day the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it 25. Save now I beseech thee O Lord O Lord I beseech thee send now prosperity Paraphrase 24 25. This day is the celebrating of a mercy wrought eminently signally and peculiarly by the Lord 't was he that exalted David to the throne and he that will advance the Messias to his regality in heaven and thereby peculiarly consecrated by God to his service and so for ever deserves to be solemnized by us being matter of the greatest joy imaginable to all subjects either of David's or of Christ's Kingdom and so this Psalm fit for a Paschal Psalm in the Church of Christ for ever Now it seasonable to use Hosannahs see note on Psal 20. d. and Matt. 21. a. acclamations and wishes of all manner of prosperity to this King exalted by God David the type of the Messiah Let us all joyn in doing it most solemnly crying people and priest together 26. Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord we have blessed you out of the house of the Lord. Paraphrase 26. The Lord be praised for the great mercy of this King sent us so peculiarly by God but especially for the Messias whose coming hath been so long promised and expected see Matt. 21.9 All we that belong to the house of God the Priests that wait on his sanctuary do heartily bless God for this day and beseech his blessing on him that is now crowned and so shall all the Church of the Messias for ever celebrate him bless God for his exaltation and pray to God to prosper this regal office unto him bringing in the whole world unto his service 27. God is the Lord which hath shewed us light bind the sacrifice with cords even to the horns of the altar Paraphrase 27. Thus hath God shewed forth himself as in mercy so in power for us he hath magnified himself exercised this double act of his dominion over the world 1. in raising David from so mean an estate to the regal throne 2. in raising Christ from death to life and then assuming him to an intire dominion over the world to endure to the day of judgment And in both these he hath revived us with the most chearfull beams of his divine goodness O let us in commemoration thereof keep an anniversary sacrifical feast see v. 24. to praise and magnifie his name for these and all his mercies every man giving thanks and saying 28. Thou art my God and I will praise thee thou art my God I will exalt thee Paraphrase 28. I will laud and praise thy mercies so eminently vouchsafed unto me and in so peculiar a manner inhansed to the benefit of my soul and proclaim thy goodness and superlative divine excellencies to all the world 29. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Paraphrase 29. Calling unto all to
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are deemed to come from that original in this place and many others it is surely taken in the Hebrew notion of it i. e. for mercifull and pitifull and so should better be rendred in Latin pius than sanctus as in Salvian and other good Authours pietas piety in God ordinarily signifies mercy However this equivocalness of that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taken by readers for holy when it signifies mercifull and the misinterpreting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for just when it imports mercifull may well be deemed to have contributed occasionally to the leaving v. 14. out of our Bibles Of which the learned H. Grotius asks a question Quomodo ad hoc respondebunt What answer will be given to this by those men which require us in all things to stand to the decrees of the Masorites which by their fence have hedged this verse out of the scripture The onely answer to the question which I shall offer is this 1. That it is no news that one letter or more should be left out and missing in an Alphabetical Psalm especially Psal 25. where ר being twice repeated ק is certainly omitted 2. That the LXXII and the translations that depend on them have admitted several verses and larger additions which are not in the Hebrew text But then 3. since 't is certain the Psalms received divers alterations and both copies were transmitted to the use of the Temple the answer will be satisfactory that so it was here And that will both justifie the Jews from negligence in loosing part of the scripture and the other translatours from presumption in adding to it V. 18. In truth The notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in truth in this place being the qualification required in prayer to make it effectual is fit to be observed The word signifies truth firmness fidelity constancy stability so Jer. 14.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the peace of truth is a stable firm constant durable peace And then that truth or constancy may be applied either to the person praying or to the prayer it self First if to the person then it signifies his firmness of adherence to God styled fearing him v. 19. constancy in his service keeping close to God and making good his dependence on him and not applying himself to any indirect means to obtain what he prays for but waiting onely on God from him in his good time to receive it Secondly in respect of the prayer it self it signifies the continued constancy of address not giving over the petition when it is not immediately granted but inforcing it with importunity And the union of these two is that to which the promise is here made that the prayers so qualified shall certainly in God's due time be answered by him And this specially the former part Saint James styles asking in faith the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying both faith and truth See note on Jam. 1. a. The Chaldee here reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies truth rectitude integrity and so the Syriack also The LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in truth but that capable of this same notion as when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unrighteous See note on Luke 16. a. The Hundred and Forty Sixth PSALM Praise ye the Lord. The hundred forty sixth is another form of solemn praising of God his sole and supereminent power and mercy his patronage to all that are in distress his judgments and the eternity of his kingdom The title of it is Hallelujah and it is anciently thought to have been composed at the return from the captivity 1. PRaise the Lord O my soul 2. While I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being 3. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom there is no help Paraphrase 1 2. I will excite and rouse up all the faculties of my soul to the solemn performance of that great and necessary duty of praising and magnifying the God of heaven This is an office never to be intermitted by me as long as I have a tongue or breath to proclaim the excellencies and glories of so great and gracious a Majesty 4. His breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that very day his thoughts perish Paraphrase 3 4. As for any other be it the greatest and most powerfull Princes in the world none born of woman excepted save onely the Messias the Son of God as well as man they being but mortal men have no power to relieve any and consequently will deceive and disappoint all those that rely on them For how able or willing soever they may be in the eyes of men or in their own resolutions forward to perform any office of charity to any yet 't is certain their whole being depends every minute upon the will of God whensoever he pleaseth they die their soul is separated from the body the one is gathered to the earth from whence it hath its first beginning see Psal 90. note c. the other to the hands of God that gave it Eccl. 12.7 and when this hour comes 't is then too late for them to help themselves whatsoever they designed for the relief of others together with all their other worldly contrivances are evacuated and frustrated 5. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help whose hope is in the Lord his God 6. Which made heaven and earth the sea and all that therein is which keepeth truth for ever Paraphrase 5 6. The onely sure hold and never failing foundation of confidence is the special mercy and protection of the one omnipotent Creatour of heaven and earth the Lord of Israel who as he is able to overrule all his creatures and doe whatsoever he pleases so he hath promised to protect those that depend on him and will certainly make good this promise to all that are carefull to make good their fidelity to him 7. Which executeth judgment for the oppressed which giveth food to the hungry the Lord looseth the prisoners 8. The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down the Lord loveth the righteous Paraphrase 7 8. One peculiar property of his it is to interpose his aid most seasonably when our distresses are the greatest to undertake the defence and patronage of those which are most unjustly opprest to work even miracles of mercy for them that stand in most need of them signally to express his favour to pious and charitable minded men to provide food for some as he did for Elias to send others liberty from their restraints as he did to Daniel to restore sight to the blind to revive and comfort those that are in the greatest distress either of body or soul And this in a far more eminent completion by the incarnation of his Son the Messias of the
their impenitent course of sensuality and to all the most importunate calls and invitations reprehensions and denunciations of God by his Messengers his Prophets nay his own Son incarnate for this end will afford no audience or regard but reiect and frustrate all his wisest and most gracious and powerfull methods designed to work their reformation they are by law of retaliation to expect from him to be neglected and scorned reproached and frustrated in all their addresses and petitions for mercy to be delivered up a prey and laughing-stock to their enemies especially to Satan and find no relief or rescue at God's hands when calamities or dangers come upon them 27. When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you Paraphrase 27. And these they are without question to expect and the less beforehand they apprehend them the more suddenly and frightfully tumultuously and dismally they will seise them as an army falling in upon the unprepared with an amazing noise or a whirlwind that comes on a sudden and carries all before it giving them no space or possibility to prevent them 28. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me Paraphrase 28. And then they that have held out against all God's importunities shall find the sad effects of it their miseries will set them a praying and importuning when 't is too late and then it shall not avail Those that have lived impenitent and obdurate till judgments surprise them the attrition the confession the sorrow or requests for pardon which the sight of their present danger extort from them cannot hope to be accepted by God their former continued obstinacy manifesting that it is not sincere contrition from which it flows 29. For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord. 30. They would none of my counsel they despised all my reproof Paraphrase 29 30. For thus in the case set it was discernible that till these judgments surprized them they continued to avert and hate piety v. 22. rebell'd and stood out obstinately against heaven whilst God's proceedings were soft though never so powerfull whilst he called and advised and instructed them furnishing them with light and strength and all that was necessary onely leaving them the liberty of their choices if they would use them so perversely to their mischief setting life and death before them and in a most friendly manner advising them to choose life and the ways that lead to it and to avoid and forsake the contrary As long I say as God dealt thus treatably with them they would never be brought to piety but stood out unchanged against all his most powerfull impressions resisted and frustrated both the light and the grace the advices and the reprehensions that were afforded them And then what acceptation could that which was so far from voluntary or chosen these their extorted prayers and cries and importunities expect at God's hands Had they been earlier whilst the judgments were onely impendent and might then fitly have infused or occasioned sober counsels to them they might have been deem'd to have come from the heart as sincere and durable but having held out as long as they could and coming in onely when they could hold out no longer God that sees this cannot be imagined to be atoned with such a forced hypocritical change 31. Therefore they shall eat of the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices Paraphrase 31. And then it is most just that they should not be denied but granted their own choices that having the option of life and death of piety and impiety blessing and cursing set before them with sufficient instruction and strength to choose and attain the one and to avert and escape the other if they will still resist and deny their own mercy and whilst their time of choice lasteth obstinately persist in the ways of death 't is agreeable to all rules of the mildest tribunals with which nothing is deem'd injurious that is will'd or called upon a man by his own deliberate choice that they that doe thus should finally fall under the eternal wrath of God which they would not timely prevent and so be more than fill'd even glutted with their own choices come to that sad end to which they so eagerly posted and then though not till then find cause to retract and repent when they begin to taste the bitterer part to reap the fruits and receive the just rewards of their own ways and works 32. For the turning away of the simple shall slay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them Paraphrase 32. Thus nothing but their own perverse obstinacy than which there can be no greater folly is to be accused for the ruine of those that perish God earnestly desired and endeavoured their reformation and salvation but they would not be rescued If any thing on God's part contributed toward it it was his long-suffering and mercy which occasionally encreased as in Pharaoh their obduration And this is of all others the most irrational folly and madness that the very blessings of heaven should enhance their hell and the tranquility and preservations of God afforded them should become so noxious in their hands as to be used for weapons to offend God and so mortally wound their own souls 33. But whoso hearkeneth to me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil Paraphrase 33. Yet thus it is with all that reject the admonitions and frustrate the methods of heaven as every obstinate impenitent sinner finally doth whereas every faithfull obedient servant of Christ shall by his spirit be furnished with sufficient strength to secure him against all danger of temptations and be either delivered from or supported under them and so hath the privilege of living cheerfully and comfortably and fiducially need never fear being forsaken by God as long as he continues carefull to keep close to him and then there is no enemy beside himself that can ever harm him As for any secular infortunities or miscarriages that can befall such a man as he hath not the privilege of exemption from them so he hath an armature that shall fortifie him against the evil of them a superiority of mind that keeps him from being concern'd in such things at least an acquiescence in the wisedom of God's choices who sees these best for him to take off his heart from any thing so gross or transitory as all worldly felicities are and so in all these he is more than conquerour by the instructions and assistance of Christ that eternal uncreated Wisedom Annotations on Chap. I. V. 2. Words of understanding The peculiar importance of the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is fit to be considered it is literally enough rendred words of understanding or intelligent words as that signifies
Army once did and an Army of united prayers may do so again but the Eagle to a carkase the Night-raven to the funeral of a Consumptive Church and Monarchy an Hell from Heaven upon an abominable people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could the Tyrant Phalaris say He that is not made soâ—er by many sufferings is absolutely insensate And yet God knows out of this rock the greatest part of this Age seems to be hewed The thunder about our ears that could teach the most barbarous Nations to believe and tremble the breaking in of the Lions that disciplin'd the Assyrians in Samaria to seek out instruction in the manner of the God of the land 2 Kings 17. Gods using us as the Physician in the Epigram did the Lethargick Patient putting a Lunatick into the same room with him to dry-beat us is possible into sense and life again His proceeding to that great cure of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissolving the habit of the body politick and to that end letting blood to a deliquium which Hippocrates resolves so necessary to abate the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high full athletick health that is so dangerous in his Aphorisms the driving out into the field with Nebuchadnezzar which infused reason into that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which untransform'd him again and raised up his eyes to an acknowledgment of him that liveth for ever Dan. 4. have God knows wrought the quite contrary on us wasted the seeds of natural piety within us erected Academies of Atheism endowed them with Schools and Professours where the art of it may be learned at a reasonable rate a young sinner of an ordinary capacity may within a few months observation set up Atheist for himself prophane scoff at the Clergy be very keen and witty upon Scripture have exceptions against the Service of the Church and all with as good grace as if he had serv'd and Apprentiship in Italy or at the feet of that great Master that Martyr of Atheism Vanninus He that at the breaking in of this torrent of misery upon the land had but walk'd in the counsel of the â—ngodly was but upon probation and deliberation whether he should be wicked or no that after some months when the waters began to turn into blood was yet advanced to a moderate proficiency a standing in the way of sinners and found it but an uneasie wearisome posture a standing upon thorns or flints is now fairly sate down in the chair of the Scorner or prophane Atheist in cathedrâ as a place of ease or repose can blaspheme without any regrets of a petulant conscience in cathedrâ as a seat of state prophanes with a better grace than he can do any thing else is become a considerable person upon that one account is valued among Lookers on by that only excellency and in cathedrâ again as a Professors chair a Doctor of that black faculty ready to entertain Clients to gather Disciples to set up an Independent Church of rational Blasphemers and being himself a complete Convert sufficiently approved to Satan to confirm and strengthen those puny Brethren that are not arrived to the accursed measure of that fulness fit them with Machiavels capacity for vast undertakings by that excellent quality of being wicked enough the want of which saith he hath been the undoing of the world And shall not God visit for this shall he not be avenged on such a Nation as this A wonderful and horrible thing is wrought in the land the judgments that were sent to awake have numni'd and petrefied us the fire in the bowels of this earth of ours hath turn'd us into perfect quarry and mine and as Diodorus tells us in Arabia the Ice and Crystal is congeal'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the power of Divine fire and not by cold so are these icy Crystal hearts of ours frozen by that fire from Heaven that shall one day set the whole Universe a melting But besides these Atheists of the first magnitude other inferiour pretenders there are that cannot shake off all apprehensions of all judgment to come but yet upon distant tamer principles can do Satans business as well for such trifles as this Text takes notice of the contraries to justice and continence they have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Marcus in Iren. that charnied shield from the Mother of the Gods which shall render them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible to the Judge The judicature erected by Christ takes not cognizance of such moral breaches as these there nothing but infidelity proves capital or if the breaches of the First Table may be brought in collaterally under that head yet for these venial defailances against the Second this toy of circumventing our brethren of defiling the flesh as its consequent in S. Jude speaking evil of dignities Christ came to make expiation for such not to receive bills of indictment against them to be their Priest but not their Judge I remember a saying of Picus Mirandula That a speculative Atheist is the greatest monster but one and that is the practical Atheist And yet this is the darling of the carnal Fiduciaries that can help him to reconcile his grossest sins his any thing with Faith how well you will have leisure to see if you please to descend with me from the absolute to the relative view of the matter of S. Pauls Sermon and consider first the relation which it hath to the Text on which he preach'd it and that you shall see in the former verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the faith on Christ and that is my next stage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The faith on Christ the phrase that some nice Observers have laid such weight on to denote the special act of justifying faith as 't is and affiance on Christ of a far higher pitch than either the believing Christ or believing in Christ and yet it seems those so despicable moral vertues those that so few think necessary and some have affirm'd destructive and pernicious to salvation are here brought in by S. Paul I hope not impertinently under this head justice and continence and judgment to come parts of a Sermon of the faith on Christ So 1 Cor. where St. Paul had fasten'd his determination chap. 2. to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified in the very next chap. he charges them with sins of carnality strife envyingâ— factions in the 5. with Fornication or incest In the 6. with going to law before Infidels all these it seems the prime contrarieties to the faith or knowledge of the crucified Saviour Thus in St. James you may mark that works of charity and mercy are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion ch 1.27 And being authorized from such great Apostles I shall not fear to tell you that the prime part of the knowledge and faith and religion of CHRIST the life and power of Christianity is the setting up and reigning of these vertues in our hearts
and then what ever we do there the devil cannot approach us is the very hope of the hypocrite in Job and that hope as hypocritical as himself perisheth and vanisheth when he hath most rest to set upon it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Aristotle the debauch't young man can entertain himself with such daring courageous hopes as these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but old age and death-beds are not of so good assurance There is but one principle I say of our perseverance to be depended on that of Christs daily intercession for the true humble disciple that his faith may not fail and that Intercession an act of power in Christ to give what he thus prayes for All power is given unto me and so in effect a doing and giving what ever is required on Gods part to the working of this blessed work upon our souls a concurrence an actual donation of minutely assistance to them that humbly wait and beg for it and that secondly receive it and make use of it when 't is given That double condition is indispensably required on our parts to the obtaining of this grace as you may see it in the Habenti dabitur the parable of the talent and Heb. 7.25 He is able to save them that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them the ability to save and deliver out of the tempters hand to give perseverance is explained by his continual intercession but that only to those that come unto God by him the pious disciple and true Christian the worshipper of God that doth his will that 1. begs and then doth not resist and grieve that Spirit of his as Heb. 5.9 he is authour of salvation to whom to all those that obey him he is able to save them as if Christ were not able to save any others to give any other perseverance as he could not do miracles in his own country because of their unbelief The truth is his decree and oath hath maniâ—leâ— him noâ— to work such miracles of mercies prodigies of perseverance for the profane impenitent the either spiritual or carnal presumer You see now the dependence betwixt the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on one side and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on t'other the rising on one side and the blessing and turning on t'other I prâ—ceed to my last particular that the turning is but a periphrasis of blessing To bless us in turning c. And I would it were in my power instead of demonstrating to your brain to preach 〈◊〉 home to your affections to perswade you and convince you of this great truth the belief of which your felicity here and eternity hereafter so much depends on could you but acknowledge the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that there is any such thing as blessedness in a regenerate life discern this mystery of godliness the present joyous estate that lies folded up in the new creature 't is impossible you should be any longer in love with perishing There may be perhaps some smooth pleasant parts in sin that the beast about you may delight in some entertainment for that carnal brute but what a poor acquisition is that delight to tempt thee out of blessedness to rob thee of such inestimable treasures A piteous exchange this make the best of it but when that moment any joy is not to be had neither when there is so little so nothing even of transitory carnal pleasure in it then Return O Shunamite return let not the Prodigal out-wit thee out-thrive thee rise up in judgment against thee and condemn thee He after the exhausting not only of his patrimony but of his flesh a crest-fall'n degenerous Prodigal a kind of Lycanthropos Nebuchadnezzar but in worse company driven from men to swine which of all other creatures are unfittest to preach returning their ocular nerves saith Plutarch are so placed that they can never come to see Heaven 'till they are laid upon their backs yet even this guest of swine Prodigal can at last think fit to return to his Father O let this Prodigal turn Preacher as such sometimes when they have run out of all are wont to do I shall give him the Text on which I shall be confident he will be very rhetorical Return unto thy rest O my soul Again consider the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what blessedness is and that may possibly work upon you Other excellencies there are that may set you out in the eyes of men generosity obligingness wisdom learning courage c. and every of these can be thought fit to be some sober mans Idol And yet the utmost that can belong to these is to be praise-worthy And then what proportion is there betwixt all these and one such heroick excellency of which the Philosopher can say praise is too poor a reward for them we count them blessed O then if there be any consolation in Christ any vertue any praise if any so noble a quality as ambition be left in you if any spark of that Vestal flame any aspiring to that which will ennoble and sublime your natures any design on blessedness behold and remember the turning in this Text nay if you are but so wel-natured as to wish a poor piteous accursed kingdom out of the jawes of so many hells and capable of some return toward blessedness again fulfil you my joy Away with those objections and prejudices we have to repentance that 't is a rugged thorny galling way a dull melancholy joyless state what ever you can miss what ever quarrel in it 't will be abundantly repair'd and satisfied in this one of blessedness send me all the torments and miseries of this malicious Age the inventions of wit and cruelty all the diseases that the Heathens fear had deified and in the midst of these a present instant blessedness and I shall certainly defie them all give me blessedness upon the rack upon the wheel and if you will suppose it possible in hell it self and I will never ask Father Abrahams favour or allay to those flames I shall not doubt but to enjoy that any thing that hath blessedness in it The very Heathens saith Saint Austine had a great design upon one treasure that they found they had lost used all means they could think would contribute toward the recovery of it and in that quest went at last saith he and gave their souls to the Devil to get purity for those souls 'T were then but reason that you would give your souls unto God to purchase it that you would set a turning a purifying when the same compendium renders you pure and blest together when the being happier than you were before is all that you pay to be so for ever I have tired you with preaching that that would have been more seasonable to have prayed for you that God having as on this day raised up his Son Jesus will vouchsafe to send him into every of our
mentioned in these words tithing all the tithes of thy increase the third year That there was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 defin'd by God to the Jews Charity a proportion for every man not which they might not exceed for there were other ways of vent for their charity mentioned beside this but which no man was to go under is manifest by the text and c. 14. of this book the proportion you see a tithe or tenth part of all the increase not yearly but only every third year to raise a bank as it were for the maintenance of the poor till that year came about again This if we would dissolve into a yearly rate and so discern the Jewish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more perfectly it is equivalent to a thirtieth part every year the Jew whose yearly revenue amounted to thirty shekels was every third year to pay three of them to the use of the poor that is in effect one for every year the triennial tenth being all one with an annual thirtieth The account is clear and no man but hath Arithmetick enough to conclude that a thirtieth part is the third part of a tenth and so a tenth every third year is all one with a thirtieth every year I shall insist on this no farther than to tell you that Gods judgment in this affair is worth observing that alms-giving or mercifulness being a dictate of nature but that like other such Laws given only in general terms for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not so as to descend to particular cases it pleased God to his people the â—ews to express his judgment at that time in that state for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much was by Law to be laid aside for that use out of every ones increase Now if I should press this practice of the Jews as matter of obligation or prescription to Christians that you are not in conscience to do less than the Jews were bound to do every man to set apart a thirtieth of his yearly revenue or increase for the use of the poor brethren I know not how you would take it many would startle at the news of the doctrine many more when they came to the practice of it many quarrels you would have against it He that were merciful already would think his gift would become a debt his bounty duty and so be wrongd and robb'd of the renown of his charity by this doctrine and the covetous that were not inclined to giving at all would complain that this were a new kind of ghostly stealth a way of robbing him out of the pulpit of burthening his conscience and lightning his bags and both joyn in the indictment of it for a Judaical antiquated doctrine that hath nothing to do with Christians And therefore to do no more than I shall justifie from the principles of the Gospel I shall confess unto you that this precept as it was given to the Jews is not obliging unto Christians and therefore I have not told you it was but only gave you to consider what Gods judgment was for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his own people Only by way of application to our selves give me leave to add these four things which I deliver in as many propositions 1. That mercifulness or charity or giving alms is no part of the Ceremonial Law which is properly Judaism but of the eternal law of reason and nature part of the oath or Sacrament that is given us when the fiat homo is first pronounced to us a ray of Gods mercifulness infused into us with our humane nature in a word that mercifulness is all one with humanity a precept of the nature the God the soul we carry about with us 2. That being so it comes within the compass of those Laws that Christ came 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to destroy but to fulfil i. e. as the Fathers before S. Augustin generally interpreted it to improve it set it higher than it was before require more of Christians than ever was exacted of the Jews or heathens by the Law of Moses or of Nature Thus Irenaeus mentioning Christs improvement of the Law pro eo quod est Non moechaberis nec concupiscere praecepit for Thou shalt not commit adultery thou shalt not look to lust he adds pro eo quod est decumare omnia quae sunt pauperibus dividere instead of tithing this third years tithing thou shalt divide all thou hast to the poor give them some plentiful part of it And this saith he an act of Christ non solventis sed adimplentis extendentis dilatantis legem not loosing but filling up extending dilating the Law And S. Hierome on 2 Cor. 8.20 avoiding this that no man should blame us explains it thus lest any should say how did Christ fill up or fulfil the Law cùm videamus Christianos non tantam eleemosynam facere quantam fieri in lege praeceptum est when we see Christians not give so much alms as was by the Law of Moses prescribed to be given 3. That there were among the Jews two sorts of mercifulness the first called literally righteousness and by the Septuagint when it belongs to works of mercy is rendred sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy and this is that mercifulness that Moses's Law required of the Jews and so was part of their righteousness he was a breaker of the Law that did neglect it and so opera justitiae in Lactantius the works of righteousness meaning works of charity by that phrase The second was mercy i. e. an higher degree of charity rather benignity mercifulness being full of good works and this was more than their Law exacted and therefore was styled goodness as that was more than righteousness 4. That by force of the second proposition and by the tenure of Evangelical perfection that Christ commended to his disciples this highest degree of mercifulness among the Jews is now the Christians task and that to him that will be perfect yet in an higher degree not only that degree which the Law required of the Jew a little raised and improved by us for that will be but the Christians righteousness but even the benignity of the Jews abundance of mercy improved and inlarged by us also And from these premises if I may in the name of God take boldness to infer my conclusion it can be no other than this That the proportion to be observed by the Christian alms-giver to speak at the least must be more in any reason than the thirtieth part of his revenue or increase The thirtieth is but equivalent to the third years tithing of the Jews which was the righteousness that which they were bound to do by the Law the Pharisee did as much and Christ tells us that except our righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very word that signifies the legal alms-giving many times in the Bible and who knows but it
of these words though somewhat obscured in our English reading of them Now the accepting of this righteousness is an act of ours following a proposal or offer of Christ's and consummating the match or bargain between Christ and us Christ is offered to us as an Husband in the Gospel we enquire of him observe our own needs and his excellencies and riches to supply them our sins and his righteousness and if upon advice we will take him the match is struck we are our beloved's and our beloved is ours we are man and wife we have taken him for our husband and with him are entituled to all his riches we have right to all his righteousness and enjoy by his Patent all the priviledges all the promises all the mercies of the Gospel But if the offer being thus made by God to give us his Son freely we stand upon terms we are too rich too learned too worldly-minded too much in love with the praise of men John xii 43 i. e. fixt upon any worldly vanity and resolve never to foregoe all these to disclaim our worldly liberty our own righteousness and to accept of so poor an offer as a Christ then are we the Infidels here spoken of We will not come to him that we might have life John v. 40 When he is held out to us we will not lay hold on him we have some conceit of our selves and therefore will not step a foot abroad to fetch his righteousness home to us And indeed if any worldly thing please you if you can set a value upon any thing else if you can entertain a Paramour a Rival a Competitor in your hearts if you can receive the praise of men how can you believe John v. 44 So that in brief Infidelity consists in the not receiving of Christ with a reciprocal giving up of our selves to him in the not answering affirmatively to Christs offer of himself in the not taking home and applying Christ to our souls And this is done either by denying to take him at all or by taking him under a false person or by not performing the conditions required or presumed in the making of the match They that deny to take him at all are the prophane negligent presumptuous Christians who either never hearken after him or else are so familiar with the news as to underprize him have either never cheapned Heaven or else will not come to Gods price like Ananias and Sapphira perhaps offer pretty fair bring two parts of their estate and lay them at the Apostles feet but will give no more fall off at last for a trifle and peremptorily deny Christ if they may not have him on their own Conditions Some superfluities some vanities some chargeable or troublesome sins perhaps they can spare and those they will be inclinable to part withal but if this will not serve Christ must seek for a better Chapman they stand not much upon it they can return as contentedly without it as they came And this arises from a neglect and security a not heeding or weighing of Gods justice and consequently undervaluing of his mercies They have never felt God as an angry Judge and therefore they now scorn him as a Saviour they have liv'd at such ease of heart that no legal terrour no affrightments or ghastly representations of sin can work upon them and if the reading of the law that killing letter have been sent by God to instruct them in the desperateness of their estate to humble these libertine souls to the spirit of bondage and so school them to Christ they have eyes but see not ears but hear it not they are come to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. i. 28 a reprobate sense or as it may be rendred an undiscerning mind not able to judge of that which is thus read and proposed to it or again a sense without sense not apprehensive of that which no man that hath eyes can be ignorant of nay in Theod. phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an heart that will reverberate any judgement or terrour receiving no more impression from it than the Anvil from the Hammer violently returns it again smooth'd somewhat over perhaps by often-beating but nothing softned Nay if the law cry too loud and by an inward voice preach damnation in their bowels and resolve to be heard before it cease then do they seek out some worldly employment to busie themselves withal that they may not be at home at so much unquietness they will charm it with pleasures or overwhelm it with business as Cain when his Conscience was too rough and rigid for him Gen. iv went out from the presence of the Lord ver 16. and as 't is observed built Cities v. 17. got some of his progeny to invent Musick v. 21. perhaps to still his tumultuous raving Conscience that the noise of the hammers and melody of the Instruments might outsound the din within him as in the sacrifices of Moloch where their children which they offered in an hollow brazen vessel coâ—ld not choose but howl hideously they had tymbrels and tabrets perpetually beating whereupon Tophet where these sacrifices were kept is by Grammarians deduced from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tympanum to drown the noise of the childrens cry These I say which will not be instructed in their misery or better'd by the preaching of the law which labour only to make their inward terrors insensible to skin not cure the wound are Infidels in the first or highest rank which deny to take him at all will not suffer themselves to be perswaded that they have any need of him and therefore let him be offered for ever let him be proclaimed in their ears every minute of their lives they see nothing in him worth hearkning after and the reason is they are still at home they have not gone a foot abroad out of themselves and therefore cannot lay hold on Christ He that never went to school to the law he that was never sensible of his own damned estate he that never hated himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will never receive never accept of Christ Secondly Some are come thus far to a sense of their estate and are twing'd extremely and therefore fly presently to the Gospel hearing of Christ they fasten are not patient of so much deliberation as to observe whether their hands be empty they are in distress and Christ must needs save them suddenly they lay hold as soon as ever they hear a promise and are resolved to be saved by Christ because they see otherwise they are damned And these take Christ indeed but under a false person either they take the promises only and let Christ alone or take Christ the Saviour but not Christ the Lord Are willing to be saved by him but never think of serving him are praying for ever for Heaven and glory but never care how little they hear of grace the end they fasten on the Covenant they hug and gripe
the Champion of the Philistims and in the Prophetical mystical sense his more admirable mercy to men in exalting our humane nature above all the creatures in the world which was eminently compleated in our Saviours assumption of our flesh and ascending to and reigning in heaven in it This Psalm he committed to the Prefect of his Musick to be sung or plaid 1. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the earth who hast set thy glory above the heavens Paraphrase 1. O thou Lord Creator and sole Governour of heaven and earth which hast pleased to be known to us men in a peculiar relation of care and special kindness to instruct and reveal the knowledge of thy will to us How art thou to be admired and praised and magnified by men and angels and by all both in heaven and earth whose superlative greatness and super-eminent Majesty is infinitely exalted above all the most glorious creatures This is most true of thee in thy divine invisible nature true also in thy strange vouchsafements to me at this time but above all is most admirable matter of observation and acknowledgment to us vile sinners if considered in the great mystery of our redemption the descension first and then exaltation of our Saviour to which this Psalm is distinctly applied Matth. 21.16 1 Cor. 15.27 and Heb. 2.6 7 8. 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightst still the enemy and the avenger Paraphrase 2. It is thy blessed and gracious will to give strength to me a Child as it were to subdue this proud Gyant and in him to discomfit the host of the Philistims As in the oeconomy of the world thou wert pleased to chuse us men which are poor mean impotent creatures to be principal instruments of thy service and glory to acknowledge thy power and magnifie thee in all thy glorious attributes and to that end to send thine eternal Son out of thine own bosom to reduce us when we were fallen and call us to this dignity of thy servants which mercy thou hast not vouchsafed to those which are much higher than we the Angels those glorious creatures who when by pride they fell were never restored by thee And in like manner among us men thou art pleased to make choice of the meanest and lowest the most humble-spirited persons and oft-times very children in age to sing Hosannahs to the Son of David See Matth. 21.16 and noted to acknowledge and promulgate thy Majesty and might when the great and wise being oft also the proudest men of the world such were the Jewish Rulers and Pharisees in Christs time are not thus chosen or honoured by thee And this hast thou done on most wise and glorious designs that they whose pride makes them resist and despise thee and thy precepts may be thus visibly punisht finding themselves despised and rejected by thee and above all the Devil that proud and rebellious enemy of God and goodness is by this means subdued and brought down first cast out of a great part of his kingdom in mens hearts none but the proud obdurate sinner being left to him and at last utterly confounded and destroyed 1 Cor. 15.27 3. When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained Paraphrase 3. When I look up and behold those glorious Creatures the Heavens and the innumerable hosts of Angels which behold thy face and attend thee there the first fruits of thy creation and in the outworks the visible parts of those Heavens observe those radiant beauties the Sun Moon and Stars all much more excellent Creatures than are any here below set each of them in their sphere by thine eternal decree on purpose to wait on and minister to us 4. What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him Paraphrase 4. It is in my thoughts a miracle of super-abundant mercy to poor miserable mankind that was at first formed out of the vilest materials the dust of the earth and is still of a very frail infirm mortal condition that thou shouldest thus vouchsafe to advance and dignifie and take care of it above thy whole creation And for me particularly at this time a youth of a mean parentage and the most despicable of all my brethren 't is admirable thou shouldst inable me to do so great a service for thy people But above all this is eminently applyable to Christ that mean despicable son of man scorn'd and scourg'd and crucified yet not forsaken by God or left in the grave but exalted by a glorious resurrection Heb. 2.6 9. 5. For thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels and crowned him with glory and honour Paraphrase 5. Thou hast at first created man in a lower condition than that of the Angels yet hast abundantly recompensed that lowliness of his present state whilst he lives here those glorious Spirits minister to him and at length he is assumed to participation of their glory Nay our humane nature by being assumed by Christ is thereby extolled above all Angels And for me at this time thou hast advanced me to the imployment of an Angel by thy chastising and subduing this vaunting Champion by my hands And in the diviner sense Christ the Son of God being for a while humbled to our flesh and for the space of three and thirty years submitted to a lower condition than that of Angels is yet by this diminution exalted by suffering in our flesh on earth advanced to the greatest dignities in Heaven made supreme Ruler and Judge of Men and Angels Heb. 2.7 6. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feet 7. All sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field 8. The fowls of the air and fish of the sea and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas Paraphrase 6 7 8. This vile clod of earth man thou didst at first invest with a sovereign power over all inferiour sublunary creatures Gen. 1.26 28. all beasts and fowls and fishes and plants to be commanded and injoyed by him And in the like manner thou hast given me power over the chief of these over the Lion and the Bear 1 Sam. 17.36 and over this gyantly Philistim And in the mystery thou hast given to Christ a man on earth a power over all these inferiour creatures for them all to be absolutely subject to all his commands to still the sea remove mountains c. and so likewise the victory over all his enemies over men and devils and over death it self and in thy time this victory shall be so compleated that there shall be nothing left of opposition to his Kingdom and absolute Sovereignty which shall not be wholly subdued unto him See Heb. 2.8 and 1 Cor. 15.27 9. O Lord our Lord how
where else they dwell there So wallowing in the mire being a condition natural to the swine can never be extorted from them wash them rinse them purge them with Hyssop as soon as ever they meet with mire again they will into it Their Swinish nature hath such an influence on them that all care or art cannot forbid or hinder this effect of it So that a customary Sinner who hath as it were made lust a part of his nature hath incorporated prophaneness and grafted it into his affections can as hardly be rid of it as a subject of his property 't is possible for fear or want of opportunity sometime to keep him in and make him abstain the load-stone mayâ—ly quiet whilst no iron is within ken or it may be held by force in its presence but give it materials and leave to work and it draws incontinently So for all his temporary forbearance upon some either policy or necessity the habituate sinner hath not yet given over his habit Leave him to himself give him room and opportunity and he will hold no longer If he be once advanced to this pitch of sin to be walking after his own lusts he may possibly be driven back with a storm or thunder but he will hardly give over his walk hee 'l forward again as soon as ever the tempest is over Nay farther even when he wants objects and opportunities he will yet shew his condition he will betray the desire and good affection he bears to his old lusts his discourse or fashions argue him incontinently bent even when he is at the stanchest As Aristotle observes of the fearful man that even when no formidable object is near he falls into many frights so the voluptuous mans phancy is perpetually possest with the meditation of his own wayes when some disease or necessity will not let him walk In brief unless this second nature be quite taken out of him and another holy spiritual nature created in its room unless a stronger come and bind this Devil and dispossess him of it he hath small hopes of getting himself out of his Dominion and Tyranny there is a great deal more stir in the converting of one customary Sinner than of a thousand others 't is not to be accomplished without a kind of Death and Resurrection without a new Creation of another nature So that if we should judge of Gods actions by our own the spirit should seem to be put to more pains and trouble with this one habituate than in the ordinary business of converting many a tamer Sinner This is enough by the desperateness of the cure to move you to study some art some physick of prevention lest when it is grown upon you it be too late to enquire for remedies How should we dare to entertain and naturalize such an evil spirit within us which if ever he be ravisht out of us again cannot without tearing and torturing and rending even our whole nature in pieces If we must needs be sinful yet let us keep within a moderation let us not so follow the Devils works as to transubstantiate our selves into his nature let us not put off our manhood with our integrity and though we cannot be Saints let us keep our selves men 'T is a degree of innocence not to be extremely wicked and a piece of godliness not to be Atheists Our lust is an infinite thing said a Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jambl. and he that walks after it hath an endless journey there is no hope that he that hath so far to go will ever have leisure to sit still And therefore I say if we must needs sin yet let us not engage our selves to sin for ever if our being men lays a necessity of sinning on us let our care to stay whilst it is possible for us prove that we do not sin like â—evils whose sin is their glory and their resolution peremptory never to give over sinning and so may ours seem and in all likelihood prove to be if we give our selves liberty to walk after our own lusts Secondly If our lusts be such dangerous paths to walk in and this in that very respect as they are our own in opposition to Gods commands if they are the straight direct way to Atheism nay Atheism it self then what care and circumspection is required at every setting down of our feet at every entrance on any action lest there be a Serpent in the way some piece of prophaneness in every enterprize we enter on of our selves How ought we to fear to suspect and balk any way that is our own For where it is Atheism to walk there surely 't is a sin to tread and where we have once ventured to tread we shall be shrewdly tempted to walk every step we have safely taken being an encouragement to a second Verebar omnia opera mea saith Job I feared all my works whatever action I could entitle my self to methought there was some danger in it I was afraid it was not right as it should be I should never be able to justify it This is an excellent tryal of all our serious deliberate actions to mark whether they are our own or no whether we went about them on our own heads without our warrant or directions from God if we did 't is much to be doubted there is some poyson some guilt in them some thing that deserves to be feared and fled from This very suspecting of our own wayes will aliene us from our own lusts will bend us nearer to God and never suffer us to dare to venture where he hath not secured us will join us as it were in an Engine to God himself where the lower Wheels never begin to move without the example and government of the higher If you can but perswade your self to fear your own wayes 't will be a good stop of your progress to Atheism I am confident the Devil will never get you to walk in your own lusts Thirdly If walking in our own lusts be direct Atheism what shall we think of them who make it a piece of Religion and holy policy to do so Beloved there be some learned Catechised Atheists who upon confidence of an absolute eternal predestination of every man in the World that shall ever possibly be saved set up their rest there and expect what God will do with them 'T is to no purpose to hope God will alter the decree they are resolved to leave all to God and if they perish they perish Mark with me is not this a Religious Atheism to attribute so much to God as to become careless of him so to depend as never to think on him and by granting his Decree in our understanding to deny his Godhead in our conversation He that lives negligently on confidence that his care may be spared that if there be any salvation for him God will work it out without his fear or trembling he that believes Gods election so absolute that himself
hath nothing to do in the business whilst he expects mercy makes himself uncapable of it and though he acknowledge a resurrection lives as though he looked to be annihilated Certainly he that expects God should send him a fruitful harvest will himself manure the ground he that hopes will labour according to that 1 Joh. iii. 3 He that hath this hope in him purifies himself c. So that whosoever relies on God for Salvation and in the midst of his hopes stands idle and walks after his own lusts by his very actions confutes his thoughts and will not in a manner suffer God to have elected him by going on in such reprobate courses Lastly If it be this confident walking after our own lusts which is here the expression of Atheism then here 's a comfort for some fearful Sinners who finding themselves not yet taken up quite from a licentious life suspect and would be in danger to despair of themselves as Atheists 'T is a blessed tenderness to feel every sin in our selves at the greatest advantage to aggravate and represent it to our Conscience in the horridst shape but there is a care also to be had that we give not our selves over as desperate Cain ly'd when he said his sin was greater than could be either born or forgiven When the Physicians have given one over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nature hath its spring and plunge and sometimes quits and overcomes the disease If thou art in this dangerous walk and strivest and heavest and canst not get out of it yet sorrow not as one without hope this very regret and reluctancy this striving and plunging is a good symptome If thou wilt continue with a good courage and set thy self to it to the purpose be confident thou shalt overcome the difficulty If this sin be a walking then every stop is a cessation every check a degree to integrity every godly thought or desire a pawn from God that he will give thee strength to victory and if thou do but nourish and cherish every such reluctancy every such gracious motion in thy self thou maist with courage expect a gracious calm deliverance out of these storms and tempests And let us all labour and endeavour and pray that we may be loosed from these toyls and gins and engagements of our own lusts and being entred into a more religious severe course here than the Atheism of our wayes would counsel us to we may obtain the end and rest and consummation and reward of our Course hereafter Now to him which hath elected us c. SERMON XVIII 1 TIM I. 15 Of whom I am the chief THE chief business of our Apostle S. Paul in all his Epistles is what the main of every Preacher ought to be Exhortation There is not one doctrinal point but contains a precept to our understanding to believe it nor moral Discourse but effectually implies an admonishment to our Wills to practise it Now these Exhortations are proposed either vulgarly in the downright garb of Precept as These things command and teach c. or in a more artificial obscure enforcing way of Rhetorick as God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I unto the world which though in words it seems a protestation of St. Pauls own resolution yet in effect is a most powerful exhortatory to every succeeding Christian to glory only in the Cross of Christ and on it to crucifie both the World and himself This method of reducing S. Paul to Exhortation I observe to you for the clearing of my Text. For this whole Verse at the first view seems only a mere Thesis or point of belief that Christ came into the World to save Sinners illustrated and applied by the Speaker as one and the chief of the number of those Sinners to be saved But it contains a most Rhetorical powerful Exhortation to both Vnderstanding and Will to believe this faithful saying That Christ came c. and to accept lay hold of and with all our might to embrace and apply to each of our selves this great mercy toward this great Salvation bestowed on Sinners who can with humility confess their sins and with Faith lay hold on the promise And this is the business of the Verse and the plain matter of this obscure double Exhortation to every mans Vnderstanding that he believe that Christ c. to every mans affections that he humble himself and teach his heart and that his tongue to confess Of all Sinners c. This Text shall not be divided into parts which were to disorder and distract the significancy of a proposition but into several considerations for so it is to be conceived either absolutely as a profession of S. Paul of himself and there we will enquire whether and how Paul was the chief of all Sinners Secondly respectively to us for whom this form of confessing the state and applying the Salvation of Sinners to our selves is set down And first whether and how Paul was the chief of all Sinners where we are to read him in a double estate converted and unconverted exprest to us by his double name Paul and Saul Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ Saul a Persecutor mad against the Christians and that both these estates may be contained in the Text although penn'd by Paul regenerated may appear in that the Pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I signifying the whole complete person of Paul restrains not the speech to his present being only but considers also what he had been more especially set down at the thirteenth Verse Who was before a blasphemer c. So then Paul in his Saul-ship being a Blasphemer a Persecutor and injurious and in summ a most violent perverse malicious Unbeliever was a chief Sinner rankt in the Front of the Devil's Army and this needs no further proof or illustration Yet seeing that that Age of the World had brought forth many other of the same strain of violent Unbelief nothing inferiour to Saul as may appear by those many that were guilty of Christs Death as Saul in person was not and those that so madly stoned S. Stephen whilst Saul only kept the witnesses clothes and as the Text speaks was consenting unto his death seeing I say that others of that Age equalled if not exceeded Sauls guilt how can he be said above all other Sinners to be the chief I think we shall no◠wrest or inlarge the Text beside or beyond the meaning of the Holy Ghost or Apostle if in answer unto this we say that here is intended not so much the greatness of his sins above all Sinners in the World but the greatness of the miracle in converting so great a Sinner into so great a Saint and Apostle So that the words shall run Of all Sinners that Christ came into the World to save and then prefer to such an eminence I am the chief or as the word primarily