destroy'd them and consum'd them that we have wounded them Vers. 38 till they were not able to rise that they are fallen under our feet And that we should do thus valiantly it is not our strength and skill in Warre but thy goodness For it is thou Lord only that hath girded us to battle thou hast subdued under us those that rose up against us Thou hast given us the necks of our enemies that we might destroy them that hate us In their trouble and distress they cryed to the Lord who is wont to hear those that cry and call to him but wretches they were and unworthy and therefore there was none to hear to the Lord whom they before derided and contemn'd did they cry but he would not hear them Then being destitute of thy help and forsaken by thée we beat them as small as the dust which the wind whiffles away from the face of the earth we cast them out as dirt of the streets which is troden to nothing by the féet of every passenger O Lord deliver our King from the strivings and tumults Vers. 43 and contradictions of the people restore Him to His Crown and rights and make Him the Head to this people who for their perfidiousness and perjury deserve it not bring down this rebellious Nation this heathenish people and let them fall down and submit to Him and those who out of malice and self-ends would not acknowledge Him serve Him Assoon as they hear of His name let them obey Him and not as if they were méer strangers and aliens to Him reject Him any longer and laying aside all dissimulation willingly and readily yield homage to Him The Lord who liveth be His Rock and blessed be His name and let the God of His Salvation be exalted Avenge Him and subdue the people under Him deliver Him from His enemies kéep Him as the apple of thine eye lift Him up above those who have risen up against Him and preserve Him from the tyranny and treachery of the violent man So shall all honest Subjects and true-hearted Israelites that bear any good-will to Zion celebrate thée O Lord who art foorthy to be praised and give thanks unto thee among the people and sing praises to thy name O Lord send deliverance to the King shew mercy to thy Andinted to restore Him to His Throne and people bless Him in His person and bless Him in His posterity for evermore Amen PSAL. XIX This Psalm is Doctrinal and teacheth us the way to know God His Glory is the Subject THERE be two parts of it The first is Doctrinal 2. Penitential The Doctrinal parts â—ath two Members 1. The first member teacheth us to know God by natural reason even from the book of the Creatures from vers 1. to vers 7. 2. But because this way is unsufficient to save a soul therefore in the second part we have a better way prescribed which is The Book of the Scriptures whose excellencies are described from vers 7. to vers 11. The Penitential part begins at the twelfth verse For since the reward to be expected proceeds from the keeping of Gods Law and Davids heart told him he had not kept it therefore he beggs pardon and grace from vers 12. to 14. By the Glory of God understand his Goodness The first part The Declaration of God from the creatures especially the heavens his Wisdom his Power in a word all his Attributes of which we have a double Declaration 1. A testimony from the Creatures but especially the Heavens whose Magnitude Beauty Order variety perpetual motion light influences c. declare that there is an Omnipotent wise good God and Creatour of them Vers. 1 With this David begins The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work 2. Vers. 2 The vicissitude of Day and Night proceeding from their motions declare this also Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge c. 1. The Heavens then are diligent Preachers for they preach all day and all night without intermission One day telleth another and one night certifies another 2. Vers. 3 They are leraned Preachers for they preach in all Tongues For there is nor speech nor language but their voices are heard among them 3. Vers. 4 They are Universal and Catholique Preachers for they preach to the whole world Their sound is gone through all the earth and their words to the end of the world 3. Vers. 4 But among all these Creatures the Sun for which God in heaven hath set a Throne 2 The Sun or Tabernacle makes the fairest and clearest evidence or declaration and that three wayes especially 1. Vers. 5 By his splendour light beauty He riseth as gloriously as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber 1 By his splendour 2. Vers. 6 By his wonderful celerity and quickness of his motion running every several hour 225. 2 By his motion Germain Miles as Math maticians teach He rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit is to the end of it and yet is not tired nor weary 3. 3 By his heat The second part By his strange and miraculous heat that pierceth even to the Minerals concocts matures enlives all things Sol homo generant hominem Nothing is hid from the heat thereof 2. 2 The Declaration by his Word Which is commended But because this Declaration is not sufficient to make man happy therefore hath God made a farther Declaration and revealed himself in his Word the Scripture call'd here The Law which is here commended 1. Vers. 7 From the Authour It is the Law of the Lord. 2. In many respects From the Sufficiency thereof It is perfect 3. From the Utility It converts the soul gives wisdom to the simple 4. From the Infallibility The Testimony of the Lord is sure 5. Vers. 8 From the perspicuity and plainness of it The Statutes of the Lord are right Without perplexities ambiguities sophisms windings turnings 6. From the effect it breeds in the Soul it quiets the troubled conscience They rejoice the heart Justificati pacem habemus 7. From the purity of it The Commandments of the Lord are pure they admit no feces of foul Opinions nor give countenance to any sin 8. Vers. 8 From the effect it hath upon the soul It enlighteneth the eyes for it dispells all ignorance doubting of God carnal security diffidence false worship And makes us understand our own deformities defects c. 9. Vers. 9 From the Sincerity of it The fear of the Lord is clean Other Religions are polluted with humane inventions strange Ceremonies Sacrifices Worships Lusts Wickedness gods This not so but the contrary 10. From the continuance of it It is to be a perpetual standing Law It endureth for ever Aeternum Evangelium 11. And therefore both From the truth and equity contain'd in it True and righteous
so be you as ready to observe it 2. Ne sitis Be not like beasts like horse and mule Vers. 9 which have no understanding whose mouths must be held in by force with bit and bridle To obey freely lest they come near unto thee â—ing thee hurt thee kick thee kill thee Constrain'd obedience is for a beast free and voluntary for a man 3. Besides to quicken your obedience I will teach you two reasons Which he perswades by two reasons 1. Ab incommodo Many sorrows shall be to the wicked their griefs their troubles their punishments many and grievous Vers. 10 Be not then disobedient like the wicked Rebellious as they are 1 That the troubles of the rebellious are grievous 2. A commodo Your obedience shall be rewarded and that amply But he that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about It shall be like the girdle that he is girded withal 2 The willing obedience of the good rewarded God will be present with him in his troubles he shall perceive he is in favour with God that his sins are covered and that he is an beir of eternal life Upon which he concludes with this Exhortation Be glad in the Lord Vers. 11 and rejoice ye Righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart These he exhorts to rejoice in God As there is great reason for this Doctrine of the Free Remission of sin can alone quiet the Conscience The Prayer collected out of the 32. Psalm O Merciful Father Lord of Men and Angels to whose Will and Command all Creatures ought to be obedient I have béen through my whole life a rebellious wretch and with a high hand sinn'd against Heaven and against thée neither am I worthy to be call'd thy Son I have serv'd thée with a double heart and after the commission of many a grievous sin I have sought for fig-leaves to cover my nakedness either extenuated and sought to conceal it from thy eyes I have done wickedly Vers. 3 and have not open'd my mouth in confessien and therefore now that my sins present themselves to my conscience out of the sense of thy wrath I roar all the day long my bones are dryed Night and day thy hand is so heavy upon me that my moysture is become like the drought in Summer But O my God I humbly acknowledge that the state of my soul is sad and deplorable and by my own fault I am in an ill condition and how to recover I know no other way but to fall at thy féet and confess my errour I do therefore now acknowledge my sin unto thee and my iniquity do I not hide A time there is when thou may'st be found and in this time I do confess my transgressions unto thee forgive O Lord the iniquity of my sin O let not the sloods of great waters come so near my soul that they drown me in despair Be thou to me a hiding place till thy anger is overpast deliver me and let me rejoice in thy salvation Cover my sins forgive my transgressions impute not unto me mine iniquities but impute unto me thy Sons righteousuess for my justification when I shall appear before thy great Tribunal For this alone can make me Blessed and Happy And for the future Instruct me and teach me in the way that I am to go Vers. 8 guide me with thy eye let the least intimation of thy Will be a powerful motive to my soul and win it to obedience Suffer me not to be like a bruit beast like the head-strong horse or the sottish mule whose mouths must be held in with bit and bridle kept in their way by force and violence rather out of love give me Grace to do my duty than out of fear and compulsion If O Lord thou wilt procéed in wrath and anger let it be against the rebellious stiffmecked sinners let the sorrows of the wicked stubborn and perverse men be many But let all those that trust in thée be compassed and defended by thy mercy And let all those who labour to serve thée with an upright and in an honest heart though in great imperfection and weakness rejoice in thée and shout for joy knowing that they serve a good Lord who will remit their sin hide their transgressions and not impute their iniquiies Amen PSAL. XXXIII Is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Contents are 1. AN Exhortation to the just to praise God vers 1 2 3. 2. The Arguments he useth to perswade to it from vers 3. to 20. 3. The Confidence of Gods people in his Name Their joy in him and petition to him vers 20 21 22. 1. David exhorts the righteous to praise God The first part In the three first verses he exhorts to praise God But whom 1. The righteous not all For praise is comely for the upright 2. That it be given with all zeal and affection with exultation with singing Vers. 1 with voice with instruments Some new Song composed for some new mercy Vers. 2 and that it be skilfully expressed 2. His reasons The second part To this he perswades upon divers good grounds 1. The first in general fetcht from the truth the faithfulness the justice the goodness of God 1. For the Word of the Lord is right 2. Vers. 4 And all his works are done in Truth 3. He loveth righteousness and judgement 1 From Gods goodness c. 4. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Vers. 5 2. 2 From his power His second Argument is fetcht from Gods power in the Creation of all things and that by his Word alone vers 6 7 9. and upon it interserts Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him 3. Vers. 8 3 His providence His third Argument is fetcht from Gods providence in governing the world which may easily be discerned by those who will diligently consider his wayes and proceedings both to other people and to his Church 1. 1 In defeating his enemies He makes void all stratagems undertaken against his Will not of single men but whole Nations The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought Vers. 10 He maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect 2. Vers. 11 Whereas on the contrary what he hath decreed shall be done 't is not possible to infringe it 2 In bringing to pass his counsels The counsel of the Lord stands for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations Upon the consideration of which he breaks out into this Epiphonema Vers. 12 Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord and the people For which he accompts his people blessed He amplifies Gods providence and illustrates it whom he hath chosen for his inheritance After which he returns to his discourse of Gods providence and by an elegant hypotyposis amplifies his former Argument For he sets God before us
and derision to them that are round about us and this he amplifies Ver. 14 1. From the circumstances 1. That they were a Proverb of reproach The Aggravation by an excellent incrementum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou makest us a by-word among the Heathen 2. That in scorn any one that would used a scornful gesture toward them We are become a shaking of the head among the people 3. That this insultation is continual My confusion is daily before me Ver. 15 4. It is superlative shame so great that he had not what to say to it The shame of my face hath covered me Ver. 16 5. It is publick their words and gestures are not concealed they speak out what they please Asham'd I am for the voyce of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth for the enemy and avenger Thirdly And yet he useth a third Argument The third Argument from the constancy of the Church under the Cross that the Petition may be the more grateful and more easily granted drawn it is from the constancy and perseverance of Gods people in the profession of the Truth notwithstanding this heavy cross persecution and affliction All this is come upon us Thus we are oppressed devoured banished sold Ver. 17 derided Yet we continue to be thy servants still we retain our faith hope service 1. We have not forgotten thee not forgotten that thou art our God 2. We have not dealt falsly in thy Covenant we have not bogled and jugled in thy Service daubing with any side for our advantage renouncing our integrity Ver. 18 3. Our heart is not turned back our heart is upright not turned back to the Idols our Fathers worshipped 4. Our steps are not gone out of thy way Slip we may but not revolt no not though great calamities are come upon us 1. Broken 2. Ver. 19 Broken in the place of Dragons i. e. enemies fierce as Dragons 3. Their appeal Though covered with the shadow of death Now that all this is true we call thee our God to witness Ver. 20 who knowest the very secrets of the heart and art able to revenge it If we have forgotten the Name of our God or stretched out our hands to c. Ver. 21 Shall not God search it out for he knows the very secret of the heart Fourthly But the last Argument is more pressing than the other three The fourth Argument from their profession of truth it is not for any wrong we have done those who thus oppress us that we are thus persecuted by them it is for thee it is because we profess thy Name and rise up in defence of thy Truth Yea for thy sake are we killed all the day long Ver. 22 for thy sake are we counted as sheep for the slaughter The sum then is since thou hast been a good God to our Fathers since we suffer so great things under bitter Tyrants since notwithstanding all our sufferings we are constant to thy Truth since these our sufferings are for thee for thy sake His Petition thy truth therefore awake arise help us for upon these grounds he commenceth his Petition The second part This is the second part of the Psalm which begins ver 23. and continues to the end in which Petition there be these degrees 1. That God Ver. 23 who to flesh and blood in the calamities of his Church seems to sleep would awake and set a stop to their trouble Awake why sleepest thou O Lord ver 23. 2. That he would arise and judge their cause and not seem to neglect them as abjects Arise cast us not off for ever ver 23. 3. That he would shew them some favour Ver. 24 and not seem to forget their miseries Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and oppression 4. Lastly That he would be their Helper and actually deliver them Arise for our help Ver. 26 and redeem us for thy mercies sake Which Petition that it might be the sooner and easier granted he briefly repeats the second Argument Ver. 25 ver 25. For our soul is bowed down to the dust our belly cleaveth to the Earth brought we are as low as low may be even to the dust to death to the grave The Prayer collected out of the forty fourth Psalm O God the Father of mercy Ver. 1 Thou hast called those thy people which were not a people and chosen them to be thy children who were aliens and strangers to thy Covenant Ver. 2 We have heard with our ears and our Fathers have declared unto us That thou hast gathered thy Church out of all Nations that thou hast driven out thine own people the Jewes and planted us Gentiles in their room Thou hast called us by thy Gospel redéemed us by thy Blood purified us by thy Spirit and that not for any merit that was in us or goodness or power Ver. 3 to which we could lay claim For we got not a possession in thy Church by our own Sword neither was it out own arm that could save us but it was thy right hand and thy arm and the light and favour of thy countenance no other reason can be given of this wonderful kindness but because thou hadst a favour and borest a good will unto us But now O Lord Thou hast cast us off and put us to shame Thou hast not gone forth with our Armies Ver. 9 Thou hast made us turn our backs upon our enemies and they that hate us spoile us our habitations our goods and thy Temples at their pleasure deslined we are like simple and harmless shéep to be slaughtered and devoured by these gréedy woldes scattered and dispersed whether they please and forced out of our Countrey to dwell among another people As slaves they have made merchandize of us and sold us at so base a rate as if we were of no value as if the most contemptible thing were price good enough for us To our neighbours we are become a reproach to those round about us a scorn a derision a proverb our misery is their mirth and at the sight of us in a scoff they shake their heads every day we méet with what doth amaze and confound us and for shame in every place we come we hide and cover our faces for our enemies lift up their voyces and revile us petulant they are and take their revenge by reproaches and blasphemies Thou Lord knowest the secret of the heart Thou Lord knowest that 't is for thy sake we are killed all day long and accounted no better than sheep appointed to be slain Ver. 21 All this is come upon us for thee these scorns and calamities we suffer for the profession of thy Truth and yet we are patient under the Cross Yet we have not forgotten thee thy Worship thy Service nor dealt falsly and hypocritically in thy Covenant our heart is yet sincere and upright we have not turned our backs upon thee Ver. 17 neither have our steps gone out of
the Ark or else by the setling of it in the Temple by Solomon to foretel the Ascension of Christ into heaven who was the true Ark of the Covenant and the Propitiatory Then there was a Jubilee and so there must be at the remembrance of this It contains a Prophesie of Christs Kingdom and it hath two especial parts First Christs ascension typified An invitation to sing praises to Christ Secondly The reasons that perswade to it 1. Vers. 5 The Ascension of Christ is under the Arks ascension typified Verse 5. God is gone up with a shout His invitation to praise God for it the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet 2. Upon which he invites that we do that at this feast which was then done Vers. 1 viz. That we clap hands and sing praises That this be done 1. Cheerfully O clap your hands for clapping of hands is an outward sign of inward joy Nahum 3.19 2. Universally O clap hands all ye people 3. Vers. 6 Vocally Shout unto God with the voice of melody 4. Frequently Sing praises sing praises sing praises sing praises vers 6. And again sing praises vers 7. It cannot be done too often 5. Knowingly and discreetly Sing ye praises with understanding know the reason why you are to praise him 3. Now these reasons are drawn from his Greatness and his Goodness 2 The reasons to perswade to it 1. He is Great He is the Lord the most high 2. Terrible 3. A great King over all the earth All power at his Ascension 1 God great given to him in heaven and earth Vers. 2 2. He is a Good God Vers. 7 1. In collecting his Church by subduing the Nations 2 Good and that in four respects not by a Sword but by his Word and Spirit by which he would subdue their iniquities the iniquity of the Jew first Vers. 3 and then of the Gentile For the Law was to come out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem To the discipline of that Religion and Service which we profess both were to submit and therefore both might well be said to be subdued to us and be brought under our feet Vers. 4 2. In honoring and rewarding his Church He shall chuse out an heritage for us even the worship of Jacob whom he loved 1. His Church was his choice A chosen generation a select people 2. His heritage for he will dwell among them and provide an inheritance for them blessings on earth and an inheritance in heaven 3. This is the worship and glory of Jacob of Jacob after the Spirit the Kingdom Priest-hood and all the promises made unto Jacob and the Fathers being theirs 4. The cause His love only He chose Vers. 7 c. because he loved 3. In increasing and amplifying his Church God is the King now of all the earth not of the Jews only For he reigneth over the heathen also He sits upon a Throne of Holiness rules by his Holy Word and Spirit making them Holy who were unholy 2. Yea and a willing people also For the Princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the God of Abraham 4. In protecting his Church whether by himself Vers 9 or by the Princes he raiseth up for her defence For the shields of the earth belong unto God Princes and Prelates are shields of the Church but God is the chief He is greatly exalted The Eucharistical Prayer collected out of the forty seventh Psalm O Lord God who hast exalted thy Son Iesus Christ with great Triumph into the Kingdom of heaven we beséech thée leave us not comfortless but send to us thy Holy Spirit to comfort us and exalt us to the same place whither our Saviour is gone before And thou O blessed Saviour Vers. 5 who when thou hadst finished our Redemption on earth didst ascend to the beaven in great glory and Majesty Vers. 2 and satest down on the right-hand of thy Father and art become the Lord the most high terrible and a great King over all the earth receive the petitions of thy humble Servants present them at the Throne of Grace and make intercession for us Subdue the people by the power of thy Spirit Vers. 3 and bring the Nations under thy féet by the sharp edge of thy Word Cause those who are yet strangers and aliens from thy worship to fall low before thée and perswade all those who are yet afar off to come néer and to embrace thy Gospel and the truth and equity of thy Law The time was Vers. 4 when in Judah only God was known and thy Name was great in Israel it was the excellency of Jacob which thou didst love but now thou hast merited Vers. 7 and art ordained to be the King of all the earth since therefore thou hast chosen these also for thine inheritance Vers. 4 reign thou even over the Heathen Vers. 8 and subduing their iniquities sit upon thy Throne of Holiness among them O happy day Vers. 9 when not the meanest and lowest but the greatest and the noblest when the Princes of the people shall be gathered together and be united to the people of the God of Abraham being all worshippers of the same God professors of one and the same Faith and partakers of one and the same mercy For then should the name of our God who is truly the shield and defence of his people be greatly exalted in the earth The praises of our God should then be in our mouths Vers. 7 and with-wisdom and understanding should we sing our Psalms heart and hand affections and work being every way agréeable to our Psalmodie O Lord infinite and wonderful are thy wayes and works toward the children of men but the work of Redemption by the blood of thy dear Son farre excéeds them all For this love for this mercy O work upon our hearts to sing praises to thy honour our tongues to sing praises to thy glory our lips to shout with the voice of melody O all ye Saints of his Vers. 1 Clap your hands for joy shout for triumph sing praises to God Vers. 5 sing praises sing praises to our King sing praises Let hands and tongue and works and words be ready prest to sing praises to the God of Jacob. Amen PSAL. XLVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 UNder the Type Jerusalem is set down the happiness of the Church which is alwayes protected by Gods favour Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. The excellencies and priviledges of the City of God from vers 1. to 4. 2. A Narration of a miraculous deliverance she obtain'd and upon it the Terrour that fell on her enemies from vers 4. to 8. 3. An Exhortation to consider it and praise God from vers 8. to 15. 1. The first part He begins with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised Great in himself Vers. 1 and greatly to be praised for all things in all
vers 1. and the reason vers 2. 2. A double vow vers 3 4. with the reason The vow repeated vers 5. 3. The effects which were to follow vers 6 7. 1. The first part A prayer for 1. Mercy He first desires of God that he would so carry himself to his Church and people that it might appear that he hath a care of them that he loves them 1. Vers. 1 God be merciful to us favour us for his Mercy is the fountain of all our good 2. 2 A blessing Then Bless us Give whatsoever is good Temporal spiritual blessings 3. 3 The blessing of favour and grace Vers. 2 In particular Cause his face to shine upon us Clear up his countenance to us Every man desires a blessing the good man this blessing 4 That this blessing be extended to all people the blessing of the right-hand Let him openly shew that he favours us And for this he gives his reason viz. That the light may be communicative and the benefit pass over to others The second part even unto all men all Nations 1. In which he votes praise to God and desires that all may join with him That thy Way thy Will thy Word thy Works may be known on earth 2. Thy saving health not in Jury alone but among all Nations He desires that all men may come to the knowledge of the Truth and take notice of those wayes which he takes for the salvation of his people 2. And upon it he Votes honour to God for one will easily and naturally flow from the other Vers. 3 his mercy brings knowledge and his knowledge praise Let the people praise thee O God Let all the people praise thee This verse is Emphatical 1. Vers. 5 In respect of the Object Te. Thee Not other strange gods 2. Celebrent omnes All the people Not mutter thy praises but make them illustrious 3. And do it he artily And do it often Repeat them again and again as he doth this verse vers 5. 4. Vers. 4 And do it with a joyful and glad heart O let the Nations rejoice and sing for joy And of this also he gives his reason The reason the Acts that flow from Gods special providence his governing his moderating his directing his people 1. 1 Gods equity in judging His equity in judging Thou shalt judge the people righteously 2. 2 His wisdom in ordering His wisdom in governing Thou shalt govern lead and direct the Nations and that on earth that they know the way to eternal happiness Via gratia via gloriae 3. The third part The Consequences The effects of his blessing and our praise are expressed in the two last verses 1. Vers. 6 Then shall the earth yield her increase Which literally is an ample Harvest Spiritually 1 An increase the inhabitants of the earth shall increase in knowledge thanks c. 2. And God shall bless this increase for without his blessing 2 A blessing of that increase the increase will be to little purpose God even our God shall bless Which he ingeminates that it be not forgotten God shall bless Vers. 7 3. The last effect is 3 Gods worship that God shall be worshipped and honoured all the world over And all the ends of the earth shall fear him The Prayer collected out of the sixty seventh Psalm O God great in power but infinite in mercy acknowledge we do that thou art the Father of all gifts and the Fountain of all goodness Vers. 1 and from thy bounty and liberality it is that we receive whatsoever we can call ours and therefore we humbly beséech thée to be favourable and merciful to us to bless unto us whatsoever is good and make it openly and plainly appear that thou doest carry a serene aspect and a clear countenance towards us That so while we remain in this earth we may perfectly know that way that leads to thée and to our future happiness And this mercy we ask not for our selves alone but for all Nations Vers. 2 O happy day when not in Jury alone but all the world over thy wayes shall be made known when there shall be but one fold and one shepherd and thy saving health made evident and receiv'd by all Nations Bring to pass O God that many may come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God Vers. 3 Thy name will be glorious thy honour enlarg'd when the Gentiles with the Jews and the Jews with the Gentiles shall with one heart and one voice sing hymns to thy name O then let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Thou art a just God in equity judge for us thou art a wise God in wisdom govern and direct us Deliver thy people from the tyranny of men and from the rage and fury of Devils direct and govern our hearts in the way of thy Laws and in the works of thy Commandments so shall we appear in thy presence with joyful and glad hearts and sing merrily our songs of Zion to thy name Again and again I beg of thée O Lord that all men may come to the knowledge of thy truth and confess thy name O let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Let them cast away their strange gods and fall low before thy foot-stool and adore thée alone the Maker of all things the Redéemer of all men for then the Lord will hear the heavens and the heavens shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oyle and they shall hear Israel Out of thy mercy O God bestow upon us the light of thy countenance and grateful hearts that so all other things may be administred unto us bless our fields with increase and our houses with abundance and because all plenty is no better than poverty without thy blessing give thy blessing to that thou hast given so shall we fear thy name and adore thy Majesty and admire thy wise providence and in all reverence and humility set forth thy praise from generation to generation Amen PSAL. LXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DIverse conjectures there are of the occasion of the composure of this Psalm But the most probable is that it was composed by David when he brought up the Ark of God which was the Type of the Church and Symbol of Gods presence to Jerusalem This after it was sent home by the Philistines rested first in the obscure Lodge of Aminadab then for a while it stay'd with Obed-Edom near sixty years in both places It was Davids care to provide a fit room for it in the head of the Tribes even in his own City And to express his joy and honour the Solemnity David led the way dancing with all his might in a linnen Ephod and all the house of Israel followed with shouts and instruments of
before the Jewes but now all universally Sing unto God ye Kingdoms of the Earth O sing praises to the Lord. Selah And that all Nations do it His Reasons 2. His Reasons to perswade it 1. The Majesty of God testified 1. 1 The Majesty of God By his works To him that rides upon the Heaven of Heavens which were of old 2. 2 His protection His power in his Thunder in his Word He doth send forth his voyce and that a mighty voyce 2. His wise protection and providence to his people Ascribe ye the power to God his excellency is over Israel and his strength is in the Cloud 3. 3 His goodness to his Church His communication of himself to his Church in particular 1. O Lord thou art terrible out of thy holy places 2. The God of Israel is he that gives strength and power to his people 3. Blessed be God with that Epiphonema he concludes The Prayer collected out of the sixty eight Psalm O God in Majesty terrible in thy protection of thy people most merciful since thy power is so great thy presence so powerful that at the blasting of the breath of thy Nostrils thy enemies vanish as a vapour when it is raised to the highest and those that hate thée haste from thy presence Why art thou absent from us why sléepest thou in this néedful time of trouble O Lord awake and arise for us and scatter our nay thy enemies they hate not us Ver. 1 but thée and thy Law and Ordinances make them to flie from thy face drive them away as smoke as wax consumes and melts before the fire Ver. 2 so let the wicked perish at thy presence O God so shall the righteous have just occasion to rejoyce Ver. 3 they shall rejoyce before thee their God they shall be exceedingly joyful O God Thou art infinite in thy Essence wonderful in thy works most merciful in thy wayes to the sons of men Thou ridest above upon the Heavens when we crawle upon this Dunghill of Earth Thou art Jehovah and hast a being in thy self a time there was when we were not and the time will come when we shall not be and what we are at present we have from thée O let us live then and we will praise thée Turn away thy wrath from us and we will rejoyce before thee and sing praises to thy Name As Orphans we are in this World be thou our Father as Widows be thou our Husband Ver. 5 destitute we are without any humane help left alone and solitary O gather us into Families and Societies for our rebellions against thée bound we are with Chains and brought into a dry Land hear the groans and sighs we send up unto thée and out of thy holy habitation make it appear that thou art present with us look upon the humble consider thy dispersed and distracted people have pity on the Widows and Orphans and let us dwell once more together in peace unity and plenty O God Ver. 7 when thou wentest before thy people Israel when thou didst lead them through the Wilderness then thou didst march before them in a cool Cloud by day and in a Pillar of fire by night the dull and heavy earth was moved at thy presence the Heavens drop't Manna the Clouds shot forth lightnings even Sinai it self trembled when thou gavest thy Law unto thy people and after thou brought'st them into a wealthy Land O Lord thy power is yet the same and thy goodness immutable go out before us a sinful Nation and yet thy people as thou didst rain down Manna for them so also we beg of thée to send us necessaries from above and let this our Land that hath béen long afflicted with many evils enjoy a quiet peace and her inhabitants the fruits of peace confirm us Lord in that inheritance which thou hast given us let thy Congregation dwell therein and of thy goodness not for our merits prepare and provide meat and rayment for thy people that hath béen long oppressed by Tyrants We have heard with our ears O God and our Fathers have told us what thou hast done in their time of old great is the company that have published in our hearing that by thy mighty power Kings with their Armies did flie and haste away and that thou hast given the spoil to be divided among thy Houshold-servants This puts us in hope that we even we that have béen for a long time cast aside as the off-scouring of all things and black and inglorious by many pressures shall yet be called for again and set in our inheritances our Dove-like and innocent faces shine as silver and glister as gold the Snow upon the top of Salmon shall not be so white as shall our innocence when thou by these afflictions hast purged away out dross and melted away our tin Such a mercy we cannot expect for our own sakes for we are a sinful people but Lord remember Zion and be gracious to Jerusalem This is the Hill of God in this thou desirest to dwell this thou hast chosen to dwell in for ever Shall then the other Hills insult over it shall the Kings of the Nations and pride of Tyrants trample it to the dust Thy Chariots O God are twenty thousands even thousands of Angels and thou Lord art among them as in Sinai Now Lord shew thy self in glory ascend on High get the victory and triumph over the enemies of thy-Church lead them Captives that have captiv'd us and make them bring and offer thee gifts that have robbed thy Temples and so change the hearts of the rebellious That thou Lord may'st dwell among them and be acknowledged and worshipped by them Bring thy people O Lord out of their troubles as thou of old didst deliver thy chosen from the fury of Og the King of Bashan or thy people Israel from the hands of Pharoah that pursued them to the depths of the red Sea Wound the head of thy enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness let thy Beloved wash their feet in the blood of their enemies and let the very Dogs lick their blood wisely they wrought against us conceiving they had inclosed us but thou art our God the God of our Salvation to thée belongs and thou hast shewed that there be in thy power many issues from death for where the help of man hath failed Thou hast reached forth thy hand and delivered us from the jaw of the Lyon and the paw of the Boar Blessed then be the Lord which daily loads us with benefits even the God of our salvation Make thy Word perfect O our God rebuke the multitude of the Spear-men restrain the fury of those whose rage and anger against us is no less than that of enraged Bulls still the tumults of the people scatter all those that delight in War for thy Temples sake at Jerusalem be propitious unto us and strengthen that O God which
not submit to his Laws and wayes But they escaped not unpunished vengeance as God had sworn overtook them and their carcasses fell in the Wilderness nor above two of six hundred thousand souls entred into that rest promised them the land of Canaan I read and tremble I tremble and pray Lord kéep me from this disobedience this obstinacy this hardness of heart melt my soul with the fire of thy Spirit and soften it with the oyle of thy grace that when thou speakest I may answer and at the sound of thy voyce I may be obedient so that shewing not the least reluctation to thy commands and never murmuring at thy doings I may obtain by thy infinite goodness after the manifold errors and furious storms of this life that secute Port of Heaven where there remains a perpetual rest to the people of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. XCVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ALthough this Psalm was composed by David at the bringing back of the Ark 1 Chr. 16.23 yet with one voyce all Christian Expositors acknowledge it a Prophesie of Christs Kingdom and Church to be enlarged by the access of all Nations and of his coming to judgment Two parts of the Psalm 1. A general Exhortation both to Jewes and Gentiles to praise God 2. A Prophesie of Christs Kingdom described by the Greatness ver 4 5. the Honour and Majesty verse 6. of the Majesty of the King verse 6 7 8. 2. The amplitude of it ver 10. 3. His judicature in it from ver 10. to the end 1. The first part An invitation to praise God The first three verses contain a general Exhortation to set forth Gods praises for the benefits exhibited to the whole earth by Christ 1. First That the praise be full he thrice repeats Cantate O sing sing sing to the honour of the Trinity Ver. 1 saith Bellarmine obscurely insinuated in the Old but plainly to be preached in the New Testament 2. Ver. 2 Shew forth Benedicite i. e. Cantando laudate or gratias agite 3. Ver. 3 Declare Hashern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carry good news a fit word for the Gospel Ver. 1 which is Evangelium glad-tydings 2. The Song that was to be sung was to be a new Song Sing unto the Lord a new Song New for a new benefit New to be sung by a new people 3. It was to be sung by the whole Earth by new men and all men all the World over for God was not now to be known in Judaea only but to all Nations Ver. 2 4. It must be continually sung from day to day without cessation or intermission for as one day succeeds another so should there be a continual succession in this praise After he expresseth the benefit or matter that all the earth is to praise him for For the redemption of the World by his Son which in one word is the Redemption of the World by his Son 1. Shew forth his salvation which he hath conferred on Mankind by Christ Ver. 2 2. Ver. 3 Declare his glory among the Heathen his wonders among all people His glory and wonders which is the self-same with salvation which was a glorious work and full of wonders and this now was to be Evangelized as before to the Jewes by the Prophets so now to all people by the Apostles 2. The second part To this end he presents God as a great King And that his Exhortation might seem more reasonable he presents God as a King and sets down the Greatness the Amplitude and Equity of his Kingdom 1. Sing to the Lord all the Earth for he is Lord of the whole Earth 1. The Lord is great great in power great in wisdom great in goodness great in mercy great in dominion and riches great every way that any thing can be great 2. 2 Worthy of all praise He is greatly to be praised or worthy of all praise for his innumerable benefits he bestows spiritual temporal his Creation Redemption Preservation of the world What can be found praise worthy in any King may be found superlatively in him 3 To be feared above all gods Moller Quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non dii Bellarm. Muscul Supreme not so any of those gods They Deastri 3. He is to be feared above all gods For he can cast body and soul into hell They though call'd gods can do nor good nor hurt The devils that set them up do believe him to be above them and tremble Jam. 2. Sing to him then and not to them for the Supremacy is his He is Super omnes Deos. Gods did I call them alas they are nothing less they are all of them Elilim Deiculi petite gods or Deastri ridiculous gods or Elilim Vanities Idols no gods If they be Gods shew their works produce the heavens they made or the earth they framed whereas our God made the heavens and all things that â—â—e in it and under it Ver. 5 He then to be feared and not they In which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophet doth elegantly deride the heathenish gods Especially the gods of the heathen and the heathen for fearing such gods 1. For the multitude of them For they were many which is contrary to the nature of God who must be but one in reason there can be but one Supreme 2. For their division one of the Ammonites another of the Moabites one of the Philistines many of the Assyrians Egyptians Greeks Romanes according to the number of the Cities were there gods three hundred Jupiters thirty thousand of these Deities 3. They were Elilim petite gods Moloch had the rule of the Sun Astarte of the Moon Ceres over Corn Pluto his dominion in heaven Neptune in the Sea c. Their power was not universal as the power of God ought to be 4. For their Vanity they could not help If Baal be a god let him plead for himself Judg. 6. Bell boweth down Nebo stoops c. they could not deliver the burden they themselves are gone into captivity Isa 46.1 2. For an Idol is nothing in nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. 4. Lastly in the opposition They Dii facti he Factor which lively shews the difference betwixt God and Idols It was man that first made them gods and made Idols for them They then are at best but works of mens hands But our God is Factor a Maker a Creator He made the Heavens those great and beautiful bodies and all that is contain'd in and under those Orbs. He then is terrible he to be feared and not those diminutive those vain those unprofitable gods of the Nations and their Idols 2. And so having removed out of his way all the gods of the Nations he returns to the description of our God and King He said he was great greatly to be praised to be feared above all gods and now he adds that which makes farther for his honour For he presents God
it to the Magnificat for what is here foretold by David is there chanted forth plainly suppose then David to be the voice and Mary the eccho and thus you may easily see the return 1. O sing unto the Lord a new Song saith David My soul doth magnifie the Lord saith Mary 2. David the voice saith He hath done marvellous things He hath magnified saith the eccho 3. With his own right-hand and with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory saith David He hath shewed strength with his arm and scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts saith Mary 4. The Lord hath made known his salvation his righteousness hath he openly shewed c. saith David His mercy is on them that fear him throughout all generations c. saith Mary 5. He hath remembred his Mercy and Truth toward the house of Israel saith David the voice He remembring his Mercy hath holpen his Servant Israel saith Mary the eccho An Egg then cannot be more like an Egg than this Hymn is like the Magnificat and both sung for the same end viz. To praise God for the Salvation of the world by Christ Two parts of the Psalm 1. An exhortation to sing to the Lord and the reasons of it vers 1 2 3. 2. A new invitation to praise him and that it be universal from vers 4. to 9. 1. He begins with a very fervent and earnest exhortation it hath an O. The first part He incites to praise God before it 1. O sing Cantate not canite 2. A Song a Hymn it would be 3. To the Lord not men Vers. 1 2. A new Song because a new occasion is given for a Song it is not for your Creation or Preservation you are now to sing but for your Redemption Nova res novum Canticum No common no ordinary Song will now serve turn but as Gods Mercy in this Work was extraordinary so our thanks ought to be more than ordinary And that men may yield to this motion and put it in practice the more readily and cheerfully the Prophet subjoins his reasons The reasons to perswade it 1. His Miraculous work of Redemption 1. For he hath done marvellous things he hath opened his greatness and goodness in this great work of Redemption especially In this work there be marvellous things indeed He was conceived by the Holy Ghost he was born of the Virgin Mary he cured the blind healed the lame raised the dead c. And which is yet more marvellous though he were the Lord of life yet dyed raised himself ascended into heaven sent down the Holy Ghost and by unlearned men converted the world Domuit orbem non ferro sed ligno A marvellous thing that men should believe in a Crucified God 2. His right-hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory 2 A work of power and holiness It was his own work he had no Coadjutors in it And it was a work of his right-hand and of his arm that is of his Son who in Scripture is called the arm of God 2. Of his holy arm for the work was not done by Swords and Warlike Weapons but by his Holiness manifested by his Humility Patience Obedience Submission to the Will of God and a Holy life and an undeserved death 3. He hath gotten himself the victory to himself first then to all his over Sin Death Hell 3. The Lord hath made known his Salvation First 3 This work made known by himself to the Jews after by his Apostles to all Nations His Salvation that is Vers. 2 A Salvation of his people from their sins which had been of no use had he not in mercy made it known 4. His righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen 4 And applyed to us 1. His righteousness by which he makes us just by remission of sin and imputation of his justice by which we are alone justified at the Bar of God 2. 5 That which moved him to it Mercy and Truth This he hath openly shewed plainly revealed in his Gospel 3. In the sight of the heathen for it is now made known to them as well as the Jews 5. Vers. 3 He hath remembred his Mercy and Truth toward the House of Israel 1. To the House of Israel for to them were the Prophecyes given and with them the promise made which yet concerned us Gentiles 2. His Mercy in promising For it was out of meer mercy and grace and not any merit of mans that he should promise That the seed of the woman should break the Serpents head 3. And he remembred it when he performed it by sending Salvation by his Son Then he remembred his Truth and performed the Oath which he sware to our fore-fathers by visiting and Redeeming his people 4. Which now all Nations have seen For all the ends of the earth have seen the Salvation of our God The Nations have heard the Apostles and their Successors they have believ'd the Gospel and so by a heart purified by Faith and experiment of Grace they have actually seen the Salvation of our God By the eye of faith they embrace it love it and labour by a holy life to be partakers of it 2. The second part Upon these reasons he perswades us to sing unto the Lord a new Song that Salvation was by him alone wrought for us 2. Proclaimed and made known to us For this again he perswades 3. That he had performed his Covenant and applyed it making all the ends of the earth partakers of it And now he returns to exhort us to do that with which he began and as if he could never sufficiently express his desires he runs descant upon it Praise him with a loud voice sing with your tonges exult with your hearts take in the help of all Instruments and call to all creatures to accompany you and complete your mirth This is the Summe of the following verses 1. Vers. 4 Make a joyful noyse unto the Lord all the whole earth Jubilate keep a Jubilce for it To praise him all wayes we can Cantate Chant it out aloud Exultate Fetch as it were a leap for it And Psallite Sing praise all the wayes you can 2. And let all the earth do it because all the earth is partaker of the Saviour and Salvation 2. Vers. 5 Sing unto the Lord with a harp with the harp and the voice of a Psalm Vers. 6 with Trumpets and sound of a Cornet With Vocal with Cordal with Pneumatical Musick All wayes we can are too little to express our joy 3. Make a joyful noyse before the Lord our King You are in conspectu ejus his eyes sees and his ear hears what you do let it be done heartily 4. Vers. 7 And to make the Musick the fuller as if the senseless creatures had ears and hands to give an applause at the relation And call all creatures to join with us and
distress he afforded not him Martyres si non eripuit tum non deseruit His case then was more grievous than any before Nunquam dolor sicut Ver. 3 and of this he puts God in mind in the three following verses and presseth him in effect to remember his Promise and Covenant Call on me in the time of trouble and I will hear thee For of this they that went before had experience and he was the same God still and why then should not he be heard and eased why only deserted and cast aside 1. God heard his other servants in extremity Thou continuest Holy i. e. propitious and benevolous O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel dwellest among the Israelites help'st them and thence givest them an occasion to praise thee 2. Christ deserted Our Fathers trusted in thee they trusted in thee and thou didst deliver them 3. Ver. 6 They cryed unto thee and were delivered they trusted in thee and were not confounded But it seems my case is worse than any mans Vermis ego non homo And then he expresseth the extremity of his miseries by parcels 1. Scoffed The scoffs and scorns put upon him I am become the reproach of men and the despised among the people 2. They express their scorns by words and gesture All they that see me laugh me to scorn they shoot out the lip and shake their head saying 3. They labour to take my God from me insulting over me with this Sarcasm Insulted over The second part Yet trusts in God He trusted in the Lord that he would deliver him let him deliver him since he delighted in him Now here he breaketh off the Narration of his sufferings and converts his speech to God Refutes their Irony shews his confidence in God and prayes assistance by three Arguments drawn from Gods goodness to him 1. His generation and birth Thou art he that tookest me out of my mothers womb 2. His sustenance and nourishment ever since That didst make me hope when I was upon my mothers breasts I was cast upon thee from the womb thou art my God from my mothers belly My Saviour Protectour Preserver 3. Trouble it near and there is none to help Therefore Be not far from me And now he returns to the Narration or Story of the passion again The second part of the first part In which he sets forth the despite cruelty and rage of the Jews toward him whom he compares to Bulls Vers. 12 Lions Doggs vers 16. 1. The Jews rage toward him They apprehended him to that end as many Bulls they compassed him strong Bulls of Basan beset him round 2. They long'd to condemn and devour him They gaped upon me with their mouths as a ravening and roaring Lion 3. The Rulers Vers. 16 This was the cruelty and rage of the Bulls and Lions the chief Rulers towards him And people and now follows the Ravin of the Doggs the multitude the people they were caetus malignantium the assembly of the wicked and being stirr'd up by the chief Priests and Rulers they compassed him they enclosed him 4. They Crucifie him They Crucifie him And this his passion is expressed by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foretelling what Christ was to sustain in his body his soul 1. I am poured out like water No part of my body hath any consistency The passion described no more than water that being poured on the ground runs every way Or else my blood is poured out freely and no more accompt made of the effusion than of water 2. All my bones being rack'd on the Cross are luxated and out of joint 3. My heart at the sense of Gods wrath is dissolv'd and melted like wax at the fire It is melted in the midst of my bowels He was in an Agony 4. My strength my radical humour is dried up like a baked pot 5. My tongue for thirst cleaves to my jaws Sirio 6. Thou hast brought me to death 2. To the dust of death Dead Buried 7. And Crucified also For he was to dye upon the Cross They pierced my hands and my feet 8. My bones are so disjointed that they may be all told I may tell all my bones 9. And yet for all this they shew no pity no compassion at all For 1. They look and stare upon me With pleasure they behold my misery which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an affection fit for the Devil 2. They part my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture He prayes as Christ did on the Cross And he falls to Prayer again Which in effect is the same with that ejaculation with which Christ gave up the Ghost Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit The second part of the second part But be not thou far from me O Lord O my strength hast thee to help me Deliver my soul from the Sword my darling that is Vers. 19 my soul from the power of the dog Save me from the Lions mouth for thou hast heard me from the horns of the Vnicorn The third part of the Psalm is the profession of thanks for the delivery The third part The thanksgiving for deliverance and it contains a clear Prophecy of the Resurrection of Christ that having conquerâ—d Death and the Devil he was to reign and gather a Church out of all Nations which was to continue for ever This is amplified 1. By a Publick Profession of this benefit receiv'd from God Vers. 22 I will declare thy Name to my brethren In the midst of the Congregation I will praise thee And again Shew'd in the promulgation of the Gospel My praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation and I will pay my vows before them that fear him In which we have 1. The Propagation Proclamation or Preaching of the Gospel Which is amplified 1. Narrabo nomen by the notation of the Object to whom preached honour'd here by the name of Brethren Vos vocavit fratres Those that fear the Lord the seed of Jacob the seed of Israel The afflicted the Meek Vers. 22 The fat of the earth they that go down to the dust Vers. 25 2. By the place In the midst of the Congregation In the Church and Gods worship there observ'd in the great Congregation that is in the Church grown great by the Accession of all Nations 3. By the Worship they were to exhibit Praise paying of vows Fear I will praise thee My praise shall be of thee I will pay my vows c. 2. An Exhortation to his brethren c. to do this duty Vers. 23 and that they be fit to do it 2 To which he exhorts Gods people For every one is not fit to take Gods name into his mouth It is Ye that fear the Lord the seed of Jacob the seed of Israel do ye praise him glorifie him fear him Serve the Lord in fear and rejoyce before him with reverence Exhibit
hence I shall dwell with thée in that celestial house above and with them sing Honour and Glory to thee who sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore Amen PSAL. XXIV Of Christs Dominion and the Church and his Ascension THE Subject of this Psalm is Christ calld The King of Glory vers 7. And it hath two parts 1. The first that concerns Christs Lordship which is in general over the whole world vers 1 2. But in particular the Church from vers 3. to vers 7. 2. An Exhortation to all men to receive Christ for their King The first part of this Psalm shews that God is King of all the world The first part Christs Dominion but in his Kingdom he hath two kind of Subjects 1. Either all men in general For the earth is the Lords Vers. 1 and all that therein is the compass of the world and they that dwell therein 1 Over all And of it he gives a reason from the Creation of it He ought to have the dominion of it Vers. 2 and all in it For he hath founded it upon the Seas and establish'd it upon the floods 2. But all are not his Subjects in the same way There are a people 2 Over the Church whom he hath call'd to be his Subjects in another manner A Mountain there is which he hath sanctified and chosen above all other Hills to make the Seat of his Kingdom 't is the Church and over them that live in it he is in a more peculiar manner said to be a Lord than of the whole earth And these are more properly call'd his Servants and Subjects And yet among these there is a difference too For some only profess to be his Servants and call him Lord as Hypocrites some other there are that are his Servants really and truly And that this difference be taken notice of the Prophet asks Quis Vers. 3 Who shall ascend into the bill of the Lord And Who shall stand in his holy place In which some of his Subject are hypocrites As if he should say Not Quisquis 'T is not every one for Infidels are not so much as in the Church Hypocrites howsoever in the Church are no true Members of the Mystical Church and some which come to the Hill of the Lord yet stand not in his Holy place For many believe only for a season and few continue faithful to death 3. That then it be truly known 2 Others true Subjects Their Characters who they are over whom he is truly Rex gloriae The King of glory The Prophet gives us their Character and sets down three distinctive Notes by which they may be known 1. Cleanness of hands He that hath clean hands à cade furto c. Vers. 4 is free from all external wicked actions 1 Clean hands For the hand is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Purity of heart For external purity is not enough except the heart 2 A pure heart the Fountain of our actions be clean Hypocrisis est in cor consentiat 3. Truth of the tongue is not guilty of lyes and perjuries 3 A true tongue He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworne deceitfully After that the Prophet had given the Character by which you may know the man he then assigns his reward and ends with an acclamation 1. Their reward a blessing This is he that shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness i. e. be justified from the God of his Salvation 2. Vers. 5 Vers. 6 This is the generation of them that seek thee i. e. These are the people of God Because these are alone the people of God let other boast themselves and please themselves as they list yet these are the godly party these they that seek thy face O Jacob i.e. O God of Jacob. This part is an Exhortation to all men in the whole world The second part especially Princes Nobles He exhorts all to receive Christ Magistrates that they receive acknowledge and worship Christ as King 1. Life up your heads O ye gates i. e. O you Princes that sit in the gates Vers. 7 lift up your heads and hearts be ye lift up you everlasting doors portae mundi and the King of glory shall come in 2. Vers. 8 To which good counsel the Prophet brings in the Princes asking this Question in scorn and contempt Which they deride Who is the King of glory To which he answers The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battle I tell you who he is To their ruine one able to destroy you and will destroy you if you reject him For he is far beyond all the strength and power of men He is the Lord mighty in Battle Dominus excercituum And that his Exhortation pierce the deeper he ingeminates it with the answer vers 9 10. I know this last part is otherwise interpreted and I dislike it not See Bellarmine The Prayer out of Psalm 24. which was composed to be Sung on the Sabbath O Omnipotent God the Creatour and preserver of the whole Vniverse Vers. 1 who art Lord of the whole earth of whose fulness all partake and to whom all that dwell in the world owe homage and subjection For thou hast created the Globe of this earth upon which we tread Vers. 2 and so immoveably founded and fixed it upon the floods that the violence of the Sea doth not overwhelm it nor the waves thereof ascend above it We acknowledge that the whole stock of men that walk upon this earth and are sustain'd from it as they are thy creatures so they are thy vassals and that thou hast a just dominion over them This is an Argument of thy Power and Majesty But thy love to man-kind hath far more abounded in that out of all Nations thou hast cast thy eye upon a select company vouchsafed to call them into thy Church Vers. 3 in which thou hast set thy Seat as sometime in Mount Zion that thou wilt dwell among these be adored by these and give a favourable answer to the petitions that these shall make unto thée Of these thou requirest integrity purity fidelity Clean hands a pure heart Vers. 4 and a faithful tongue These are the generation that séek thée and to these thou hast promised thy blessing thy mercy Grant therefore O Lord. that we may have hands clensed from all impure actions a heart frée from all hypocrisie and base affections a tongue that will never take thy Name in vain either rashly deceitfully or maliciously but that in heart word and déed we may be so sincere that we may be accompted by thée of that number who are worthy to ascend into the Hill of the Lord and dwell remain and continue in thy Holy place O Lord afford us thy grace thus to seek thee and then we shall never despair of thy blessings and
places but especially The excellencies of the Church In the City of our God in the Mountain of Holiness Then he descends to set forth the Excellencies and Ornaments of the Church 1. It is the City of God Built govern'd by him He resides there 2. It is a Holy Mountain The Religion in it Holy The people a Holy people 3. Vers. 2 It is Beautiful for Situation God had put his beauty upon it 4. The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion The joy of all the Land of Juda then and after of the whole earth Because the Law was to come out of Zion 5. The City of the great King that is God He founded it and rules in it Vers. 3 6. God is known in her Palaces In her is the knowledge of God yea and by an experimental knowledge to be an Asylum a sure refuge 2. And well it is that it is so for Jerusalem i.e. The Church hath many The second part The enemies of the Church and great enemies which vers 5. the Prophet begins to describe and desires that notice be taken of them for he points them out with an Ecce Fâ—r Lo. 1. They are many and powerful They were Kings a plurality of them Vers. 4 2. Confederate Kings The Kings were assembled Many and Mighty But prevail nor Vis unita fortior But all the endeavours of these Kings of these Confederate Kings came to nothing 1. They passed by together Together they came and together they vanished Vers. 5 2. They saw they wondered They saw the strength of this City and wondered how it should be so strangely delivered out of their hands And troubled at it 3. And upon it they were troubled they trembled and hasted away Fear took hold upon them Which the Prophet illustrates by a double Similitude 1. By a travailing woman Fear and trembling took hold upon them Vers. 6 as upon a woman in travail 2. By the fear of Mariners at Sea Vers. 7 when an Euroclydon threatens to tear their shâ—p Their amazement was such Gods protection of her as when Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an East-wind 3. Now follows the third part of the Psalm The third part in which are two especial points 1. A grateful acknowledgement of Gods protection of his Church 1 Gratitude Vers. 8 as he promised As we have heard so have we seen in the City of our God Heard we have that he will protect this City and we see that he hath done it and perswaded we are that he will alwayes do it God upholds the same for ever 2. And this shall never be forgotten by us Vers. 9 We have thought upon thy Name O Lord and loving-kindness in the midst of thy Temple 3. And so thought of it as to praise thee for it According to thy Name so is thy praise O God to the ends of the earth Vers. 10 All the earth shall know that thy righ-hand is full of righteousness That thou with a powerful hand dost help thy people oppressed with injuries and dost punish their enemies by which thou dost give a manifest evidence of thy righteousness and justice The other point of the third part is an Exhortation to Gods people 1. That they exult and rejoice for that which God does for them 2 To which the Church is incited Let Mount Zion rejoice let the daughters of Judah be glad because of thy judgements in defending thy Church Vers. 11 in punishing their enemies 2. That they take especial notice of his miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem with all the particulars of it that notwithstanding the Army was great that lay against it yet no harm was done to any part of it Walk about Zion and go round about her and tell the Towers thereof Vers. 12 Mark ye well her bulwarks and consider her palaces See mark consider whether they are not all yet standing entire 3. And do it for this That you may tell it to the generation following Vers. 13 Leave it upon Record how miraculously God hath delivered you 4. Now for this there is good reason For this God Vers. 14 This God that so protects and defends his Church and takes revenge for us is our God by Covenant and promise for ever and ever and he will for ever keep this Covenant with us He will be our guide even unto death and in death Leave us he will not when all the world leaves us Therefore exult rejoice mark it and make it known to the generation to come The Prayer collected out of the forty eighth Psalm O Lord God of Israel Vers. 1 thou which dwellest betwixt the Cherubints thou art the God even thou alone of all the Kingdoms of the earth and yet amongst these thou hast erected to thy self an everlasting Kingdom and set thy King upon thy Holy Hill of Zion this thou hast chosen to be the City of our God the Mountain of Holiness This thou hast seated on a fruitful Hill ordained to be the joy of the whole earth In this City of the great king and in her Palaces thou hast hitherto made thy self known for a sure refuge Lord bow down thine ears and hear Lord now open thine eyes and see for lo the Kings of Nations are assembled they passed by together and are confederate against thee they lay their heads together with one consent and take counsel how they may lay Jerusalem in the dust O Lord let not our sins be of more power to destroy than thy mercy to save this thy City shew thy strength and come and help us let all our enemies be troubled let them hast away let fear take hold suddenly upon them as the pangs upon a woman in travail Break their power and dissipate their Armies as ships at Sea are broken to pieces by some violent and unexpected wind O Lord we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us what thou hast done in the dayes of old As we have heard so let it be seen in the City of our God make us experimentally to know that thou wilt establish this thy City thy Church for ever So shall we have just reason to think of thy loving-kindness and to magnifie thy mercy in the midst of thy Temple Vers. 13 to praise thy name to the ends of the Earth to exalt thy right-hand so full of righteousness to speak of thy judgements and to tell of all thy wonderous works to all generations to come O let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad for the bulwarks that yet stand fast and the palaces that flourish proclaim that this God is our God for ever and ever that he is a great Lord and greatly to be praised and that he will be our guide unto death Amen PSAL. XLIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AND the Doctrine it teacheth is That rich men be not proud of their wealth nor poor men dejected and troubled at their mean estate since all
willingly others against their wills obey him They that dwell in the Wilderness shall bow before him 2. His enemies shall lick the dust Croutch at his feet low to the earth 3. Homage shall be done to him by Asian Europaan and Arabian Princes 1. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents The Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts 2. Nay all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him 5. He sets down divers excellent qualities of this King 1. He should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ready to good 3 The qualities of the King a gracious Lord to the meanest Subject For he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth the poor also and him that hath no helper Vers. 12 2. He should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far from loading his Subjects with exactions Vers. 13 burdens penalties He shall spare the poor and shall save the soul of the needy 3. Vers. 14 Far from all tyranny For he shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence 4. Far from shedding innocent blood And precious shall their blood be in his sight 6. 4 The gratitude of his Subjects And as he shall be kind and loving to his Subjects so shall his Subjects shew great love and affection to him 1. Vers. 15 They shall pray for his life He shall live 2. They shall offer him presents And to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia 3. They shall pray for him Prayer also shall be made for him continually 4. The motive to their gratitude They shall speak well of him Dayly shall he be praised 7. And that which in all likelyhood might move them to it was that besides the equity and justice love and kindness he shew'd to all they found that under him they were in a happy condition they enjoyed a very great plenty and abundance of all things The plenty they enjoyed under him 1. For the earth brought forth corn in abundance not so much as the Mountains Vers. 16 but afforded them an ample Harvest There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top the highest part of the Mountains The fruit even there shall shake stand so thick that the ears brush one against another as the trees in Lebanon 2. And the Kingdom shall abound in people They of the City shall flourish as grass upon the earth Which is thick set and green In a word Which moved them to love his Memory this King shall be so dear unto his people that they shall love his name living and honour his memory when he is dead and continue it to all posterities 1. Vers. 17 His name shall endure for ever His name shall be continued as long as the Sun 2. Men shall be blessed in him God bless thee as he did Solomon 3. All Nations shall call him blessed acknowledge his happiness and wish a blessing to themselves after Solomons example 3. The third part The Doxology In the close of the Psalm according to his manner he gives thanks For taking into his consideration the happiness that was to accrue unto his people under such a King even when he was laid up in his grave He breaks forth 1. Vers. 18 Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel which only doth wondrous things for indeed such a King is a wonder and 't is the grace and Spirit of God that must make him so 2. And again Blessed be his glorious Name for ever 3. Vers. 19 And that not in Judea alone but all the world over And let the whole earth be fill'd with his glory Amen Amen The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse Vers. 20 are ended Of which 1. Some and most judge that this was the last Prayer David made 2. Jumus that it was so the last that it is absolutely the last and those that follow were composed by some other And adds Haec est mea sententia But Bellarmine runs as wide another way affirming that all the Psalms were composed by David The Prayer collected out of the seventy second Psalm O Merciful God Vers. 1 the fountain and giver of all good things give unto our Solomon whom thou hast set to be King over thy people an understanding heart grant that the equity of thy Law may alwayes be before his face commit unto this son of our King thy power of judicature and let him alwayes bear in his mind that he is in thy place and judgeth for thée whose sentence is righteous and execution just For so long as he shall be guided by thy righteousness he will rule thy elect people with equity and thy poor Vers. 2 that are left to thy care and depend on thée with a righteous decrée Grant that all those who are Magistrates under him be they Mountains Vers. 3 or lower Hills in a higher or a lower order may receive from above and from his example peace and justice and administer both so unto thy people that all unjustice boing removed thy people may lead a peaceable and quiet life under this King in all godliness and honesty Then shall prosperity and plenty again dwell in our Land Vers. 5 then shall righteousness and peace once more kiss each other Vers. 6 then shall thy fear and service which is now neglected and derided return unto us Vers 7 Let him come to us as rain upon the mow'd grass and as the showers that water the thirsty earth Vers. 15 that the Righteous may flourish and the Oppressor be broken to pieces Vers. 16 For him we make our prayer that he may live and they of the City under him flourish like grass upon the earth But this King and Kingdom is nothing in comparison of that of thy dear Son our Lord and Saviour for the advance then and prosperity of that we offer up our prayers unto thée O let thy Kingdom come Vers. 4 He we are assured shall judge the poor of thy people he shall save the children of the needy from the violence of their oppressor and shall break in pieces the slanderer and accuser of thy people that impious and accursed Tyrant the Devil When he was pleased to descend to this great work Vers. 6 his coming was new and wonderful He came as the rain into Gideons fléece of wooll without noyse without any alteration in the fléece so thy Son the man from heaven by a new and unheard of manner descended into the Virgins womb neither corrupting her Virginity by his ingress nor violating her modesty by his egress This was the first step it pleased him to take to his Crown and in this insensibly he descends still that he may reign in the hearts of his people O let then those swéet dews and drops of grace flow into our dry earthy hearts that they may mollifie and make them fruitful that whereas before we brought forth the fruits of the flesh we may now abound in the fruits of the Spirit Before
an Assize the Judge sits in the midst of the Justices so God is present and President Vers. 1 and sits in the midst of the Judges hears sees and will reward or revenge what they do God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty he judgeth among the gods 2. And this being laid for a foundation he falls in the person of God to contest with the Judges The second part His contestation with inferiour Judges 1. He reproves them First reproving them vers 2. Then exhorting them to their duty vers 3 4. Lastly proposeth the event upon the neglect of justice both to the Common Wealth vers 5. and to themselves vers 6 7. 1. He reproves them in the second verse and that very sharply as they deserved 1. For their judgement that it was unjust Ye judge unjustly 2. Vers. 2 For their obstinacy Not once done but often they continued in it Vsque quo 1 For injustice How long 3. 2 Obstinacy in it Their partiality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye accept the persont of the wicked 2. 3 Partiality He exhorts them to do their duty which is double 1. 2 He exhorts to do their duty Defend the poor and fatherless do justice to the afflicted and needy Do right to every man 2. Deliver the poor and needy Rid them out of the hand of the wicked Be a shield to them Vers. 3 a Saviour 3. Where this is not done all is out of order The Judges the cause of it either He acquaints us with the events which will follow where justice is not done In that Common Wealth All the foundations of the earth are out of course And the Judges are the causes of it In whom there are three foul defects 1. The first is Ignorantia juris They know not 2. Vers. 5 Their wilfulness negligence or oscitancy in sifting the cause Neither will they understand 1 Through ignorance 2. Wilfulness 3 Perverseness 3. Their perverse resolution to go on their own way without any respect had to the Laws of God or man They walk on still in darkness and then it was no wonder that all the foundations of the earth should be out of course 2. Their punishment Death yea though gods The other event was death and judgement which was to fall upon their persons vers 7. Which that they might take down the better he brings it in with an honourable Preface that they might know he had an high esteem of their place and persons Vers. 6 yea though unjust Judges I have said Ye are gods and all of you are children of the most high Your Ordination is from Heaven your Power from God your Office is his Creature But withal he would have them know that they were but mortal gods Vers. 7 they themselves must come to judgement which was the other event But mortal gods 1. Ye shall dye like men ye shall dye as those that are no gods that are de plebe 2. Ye shall fall as one of the Princes as those whose death is inglorious their memories infamous and hateful and after death you shall not be happy ye shall fall as Lucifer did Mortal you are become as Adam by your sin and you shall be deprived of immortality 3. The last part is a prayer The third part He prayes that God would be Judge that since by injustice all the foundations of the earth be out of course he desires that God would take the matter to his own cognizance 1. Arise O Lord He saith not You that are oppressed Vers. 8 rise against your Judges but that they leave it to God 2. That he would sit upon the Bench and judge the earth 3. He would amplifie and enlarge his Kingdom For thou shalt inherit all Nations The Prayer collected out of the eighty second Psalm O Almighty Lord who art the fountain of all honour and power Vers. 1 by whom Princes raign and Magistrates decrée just things Vers. 3 vouchsafe thy presence in the midst of our Congregations and preside and be thou the Judge among our gods that they judge thy people with equity and thy inheritance with righteousness So the poor and fatherless shall be delended the afflicted and néedy have justice done them By the just execution of thy power committed to thy Vicegerents the poor and needy shall be delivered and rid out of the violent hand of the wicked man But O God such hath béen our ingratitude that that power which was ordained for our good and peace is now become our greatest mischief for thou hast subjected us to wicked powers and set over us hard Task-masters our superiours or who at least take upon them to be so are companions of Thieves they judge unjustly they accept the persons of the wicked they pronounce an unjust sentence and out of the scale of justice they weight unto us gall and wormwood All the foundations of our Land are out of course For those who are stept into the Tribunals of justice either are so ignorant they do not know or so perverse that they will not know and understand what is right So blinded they are either by honour money or malice that they will not grow wiser by thy admonitions but walk on still in the darkness of their own heart Leave not O Lord thy people in the power of them who are blind and cannot or malicious and will not understand their duty but go about for their own ends to overthrow the two Pillars of the Land Piety and Iustice And since thou hast permitted them to come to that eminency that they are called gods and sons of the most High but have forgotten and dishonoured thée that raised them and discredited those places to which they are raised bring them down O Lord and make them know they are but men that they shall dye as the meanest man and be brought to judgement And that it they continue in their unjust and violent wayes their end shall be that of some inglorious Prince whose name shall rot whose memory shall be infamous whose soul shall be cast from his height and dignity into the depths and torments of the infernal pit Since then O Lord thou hast set over us such tyrannical Lords from whom we can expect no justice Arise thou in thy power and judge the earth Thou art not now a God of the Jews only but the Gentiles also even we that were not a people are become thy people and thine inheritance and therefore it belongs to thée to exalt the Kingdom of thy Son Come O sweet Jesus come quickly And as at thy first coming thou didst redeem thy people from that unjust Oppressor the Devil and didst establish thy Church to be governed by just Laws the execution of which thou hast put into the hand of the Magistrate so O Lord come again and by thy second coming deliver us from the injustice and violence of our Oppressors And thou who dost render to
and in Truth according to his Word and Promise He will accept no mans person but render to every man according to his works The Prayer collected out of the ninty sixth Psalm O Merciful Lord so déep is the Sea of thy mercies which hath from everlasting flow'd over unto us and thy dayly favours Vers. 1 2. that thou doest conter upon us that except we will be ungrateful we must sing unto thee a new Song for new blessings and bless thy name for fresh gifts and graces Vers. 5 What is man that thou shouldst be so mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldst regard him Thou who madest the heaven Vers. 4 createdst him after thy own image but he defaced it Vers. 5 Thou who wert to be feared far above all gods gavest him a command to worship and honour thee but he made to himself other gods which indéed were no gods Vers. 4 but petty and ridiculous Deities and cast by thée the great God of heaven and earth a God greatly to be praised a God to be feared above all gods and worshipped the inventions of his own brain and the works of his own hands But all this did not cool thy love nor retard thy mercy even when all the kindreds of the Nations did serve other gods thou sentest them Redemption thou sentest thy Son to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel Great and marvellous are thy works O Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Vers. 2 who ought not to fear thee and glorifie thy Name Warm therefore our cold hearts with thy love that we may shew forth thy Salvation from day to day Vers. 3 Make our flow tongues eloquent and powerful that we may publish this glad-ridings and declare thy glory unto the heathen and thy wonders to all people So resplendent is thy Honour and Majesty so immense thy strength Vers. 6 so illustrious thy beauty that we dust and ashes tremble in our approaches to thee and were it not for those commands thou hast laid upon and invitations and encouragements thou hast given to penitent and believing sinners we durst not presume to tender our selves and our homage before thee Vers. 7 But since thou hast call'd for a gift from us we do fréely give unto thée glory and strength fluce thou doest expect as a due debt glory to thy name we chéerfully give thée glory and proclaim thy name to the whole world The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Offerings we have none that are worthy of thée Vers. 8 yet such as we have we bring we offer unto thée the Sacrifice of a troubled and a contrite spirit we tender unto thée our petitions and thanks upon the Altar of a mortified and broken heart we confess our unworthiness and fast and wéep before thée we come into thy Courts and present what we are able two poor mites soul and body Lord accept of these our offerings for Iesus Christs sake Our desire is to worship thee in the Beauty of Holiness to be holy as thou art holy to be perfect as thou art perfect but being conscious to our selves of the impurity and imperfections of our own hearts and sensible of thy excellencies we step back for very fear and retire for shame Bold and impudent we cannot be in thy presence but we worship thée with trembling spirits and adore with reverence Yet thus much we are and may be bold to proclaim among the heathen The Lord reigneth Vers. 10 Jehovah who is our righteousness is our King long let him reign Vers. 11 for ever let him live Hosannah to the son of David and let all things in heaven and earth say Amen to it Let the Angels and Saints in Heaven rejoice at it Vers. 12 let all men on earth be glad of it let the wicked who are like the troubled Sea will they nill they reare it out let the fulness thereof the impious spirits that move them bow at the Name of Jesus Yea let the wildest tree in the field and wood be brought at last to confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father O thou great King of all the world Vers. 11 to whom all power is given in heaven and earth rule thy people with thy Word and Spirit and judge the adversaries of thy worship and enemies of thy Gospel bear rule and dominion among the heathen that yet have not submitted unto thee let the whole world be established by thy Gospel and thy Laws take place among them and never be removed Lord hasten thy Kingdom and appear in thy glory Even so come Lord Jesus Vers. 13 Come quickly Come to judge the earth seat thy self upon thy Throne and call all the Nations of the world before thee and make it known that thou art not an accepter of any mans person but that thou wilt judge the world with righteousness and the people with thy Truth and that those that have done ill shall go into eternal punishment but the righteous into life eternal Be thou my King O sweet Iesus inform me in thy Law guide and rule me by thy Spirit cause me so to worship and fear thee to offer such spiritual Sacrifices unto thee to give what I owe such glory and honour to thy Name that at thy coming I may be set on thy right-hand and be one of that number to whom thou wilt say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen PSAL. CXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN this Psalm David sets forth Gods power and glory and being moved by the Spirit of Prophesie foretels the downfall of Idolators and the happy estate of those who serve God with an honest heart Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. A Prophetical description of Christs power and glory especially at the day of judgement from vers 1. to 7. 2. A manifest difference put betwixt Idolators and the people of God Confusion he imprecates to the first vers 7. And gives notice of the joy of the second with the reasons vers 8 9. 3. He exhorts those that love God to a good life encouraging them upon Gods favour vers 10. And upon the joy that is like to follow it vers 11. for which he stirs them up to rejoice and to be thankful vers 12. He begins with a Solemn Acclamation The Lord reigneth The first part God is the Supreme King being the self-same that he commanded to be proclaimed in the former Psalm vers 10. As if he had said By the coming of Christ the Empire of Death Vers. 1 the Power of the Devil all Oracles are silenc'd and all Idols destroy'd And he will use his Scepter
feet to dance at it he calls to them to join with him in the mirth Let the Sea roar Vers. 7 and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein Let the floods clap their hands Vers. 8 let the hills rejoice together It is a Prosopopeia frequently used in Scripture as afore Psal 96.11 12. 5. And let it be heartily and sincerely done For it is before the Lord in his eye For he cometh to judge in his sight in his presence who can judge with what affection any thing is done And for this he gives a reason Vers. 9 with which he concludes For he cometh to judge the earth which may be referred to his first or second coming 1. 1 Either in humility as at his first If to the first then the sense is Let all creatures rejoice because he comes to judge that is to govern and order with just and excellent Laws the whole Orb of the world not only by the invisible Majesty of his Divinity but being made into the similitude of man and in form now found a true man 2. If to the last his second coming then let all creatures rejoice 2 Or in Glory as at his second coming because he shall root out sinners from the earth and make new heavens and a new earth The whole creature shall be delivered from corruption under which it greans and travails in pain together until now and shall be restored into the glorious liberty of the children of God Rom. 8.21 22. 3. Now both these shall be done with that rectitude of judgement that there be nothing crooked nothing oblique nothing savouring of iniquity in it With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with his Truth A Thanksgiving and Meditation upon the Redemption of Man-kind taken out of the ninty eighth Psalm I Will sing unto thee O gracious God and merciful Lord a new Song Vers. 1 as it becomes me for a new savour an ordinary hymn might be in my mouth for ordinary blessings but this was extraordinary and therefore requires thanks more than ordinary That thou didst create me after thy image was a great mercy that thou hast governed me by thy Word preserved me by thy Power provided for me by thy Fatherly goodness ever since I was born are all acts of mercy but that thou hast set thy love upon me from all eternity and in the fulness of time didst send thy beloved Son to be born to live to dye for me and redéem my poor soul from thy just wrath and the consequents of it is a favour more than I could expect more than I could deserve and therefore I sing with the blessed Virgin My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people This is a favour so beyond all favours and so neerly concerns all the world that I wish all men had hearts and all creatures tongues to sound it forth O come and make a joyful noyse unto the Lord all the earth make a loud noyse and rejoice and sing praise Your voices are not swéet enough take then the Harp and join to the Harp the voice of a Psalm Your voices are not loud enough call then for Trumpets to sound it out and blow it abroad with the wind of a Cornet Let the praise vs illustrious and the noyse joyful for it is before the Lord the King And O that the inanimate creatures who shall be by this one day freed from the bondage of corruption had tongues also to join with you However in their kind let them do what they can let the Sea roare forth the praises of God and the fulness thereof resound the fulness of his mercy and let the world and they that dwell therein as in a clap of thunder say Amen Amen to it Let the floods join with the Sea and clap their hands let the hills be joyful together and eccho forth the praise of the Lord our Redeemer For he hath done marvellous things Things which we may admire Vers. 1 but shall never be able to comprehend shall and must search into but shall never fully fathom For without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit séen of Angels preach'd unto the Gentiles believ'd on in the world receiv'd up into glory Marvellous O swéet Saviour was thy conception marvellous thy incarnation marvellous thy life marvellous thy death We cannot choose but wonder that the Lord of life should dye that the Lord of heaven and earth should be buried in the earth And that which increaseth the wonder is that he should rise from thence to justifie us that he should ascend in our nature to heaven to prepare a place for us that he should sit on the right-hand of God to be our Advocate to plead for us to be our Intercessor to step between and make our peace when our God is offended with us And that we yet marvel the more all this was done for us when we were without strength and could not help our selves without grace and could not deserve his when we were ungodly and thought not of him sinners that did provoke him enemies that did cebell against him In this then God commended his love that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us O sweet Jesus thy love to us was wonderful passing the love of women This was a work that passed the power of men and Angels Angels were too weak and man too sinful to undertake in it Yet so great was thy love to lost man that rather than he should perish for ever thou who wert without sin Vers. 1 wouldst be made sin for him thou who wert the arm and power of God wouldst appear clothed with our infirmities Yet so powerful thou wert in this weakness so mighty in our infirm flesh that by thy right-hand and thy holy arm thou hast gotten to thy self the victory conquer and triumph thou didst over Sin Death and Hell and over all the power of the Prince of darkness It was thine own right-hand without any other power that did it thine own arm without any assistant that led Captivity Captive and received gifts for men yea even for thine enemies that the Lord God might dwell among them We the heathens Vers. 2 were the greatest part of these enemies yet to us thou sentest thy Apostles to preach these glad-tidings and ever since by thy Ministers hast made known thy salvation Thy righteousness which is now our righteousness blessed be thy name for it by which our pardon is sealed and we are justified is not as a Candle hid under a bushel but is openly shew'd in the sight of the heathen It is not in Judaea only that God is known but all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God all Nations now sée and know that thou wert a merciful
5 Reproach From the reproach of them who had been his friends but were now his enemies for a wicked man thinks himself reproached by a good mans honest conversation Wisd 5. Mine enemies reproach me all the day long and they are mad against me are sworn against me have conspited by an Oath to undo me 6. And that which made them so mad and sweâ—r was my repentance which I testified by ashes on my head 6 Sadness and tears in my eyes I have caten ashes like bread my dayly food and mingled my drink with weeping I drank tears with my wine that is I was fed with bitterness and sustain'd with tears which they derided And now behold the reason why every true penitent is thus humbled All these increased by the sense of Gods anger it is not for want nor yet for want of wit but it is out of a true sense of Gods anger which he hopes to pacifie by his sorrow and humiliation 1. Ver. 10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for my former sin 2. Which I collect thus Thou hast formerly lifted me up then sure I was in thy fovour but hast now cast me down whence I may well conclude that I am in disfavour with thee 3. And the effect plainly shews it For my dayes are as a shadow that declines and am withered like grace Become mortal flying fading from thy wrath raised by my own default 2. The second part He yet comforts himself in Gods promises Hitherto the Prophet hath petition'd and complain'd His case was lamentable yet he is notswallow'd up of sorrow Heart he begins to take and comfort he promiseth himself in the Eternity and Immutability of God and his love to his Church Hence he conceives hope of reconciliation and being moved by the Spirit of God foretells the restauration of Zion and Jerusalem and typically the state of Christs Church 1. To his Church on which he will have mercy and had when he restored them True I wither away as grass and so shall all Individual men But 1. Thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and therefore thy Church and promises to thy Church 2. And thy Remembrance from generation to generation The Covenant which thou hast made shall be remembred from father to son Ver. 13 till the worlds end 2. Thou seemest now to sleep But thou shalt arise 1. Thou shalt have mercy on Zion and save thy people 2. For the time to favour her yea the set time is come Literally the seventy years of the Captivity were neer expired Typically by the Spirit the Prophet foresaw and conceiv'd the Redemption of the Church in the future as a thing present And both he calls a time of favour for from the favour and mercy of God both proceeded 3. And this Consideration wrought a double effect This wrought a double effect 1. One upon Gods people for the present viz. an earnest desire to have it so Ver. 14 Earnest they were that Jerusalem should again be built the Church set up For thy servants take pleasure in her stones 1 A desire to have it so and favour the dust thereof Ver. 15 2. The other upon the Heathen 2 Another on the Heathen viz. Compassion Conversion So the Heathen shall fear thy name which began when Darius and Cyrus saw and acknowledged the Prophesies and obeyed them 2. And all the Kings of the earth thy glory which was truly fulfill'd in the conversion of Constantine c. to the Faith And he adds the cause why Kings and Nations should be so strangely converted because he had beyond all belief and expectation of man Ver. 16 so strangely delivered his people from Captivity and so miraculously set up his Kingdom in his Church This shall be done When or because the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory Before he cast his people into the grave as it were without any hope of life or restitution but when he shall bring them from thence he shall make his glory and honour manifest And that which moved him to it was the prayers of his people Ver. 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer Which effects followed on their prayer Of this mercy a Record to be kept Now lest the Jews should conceive that what was done for them did concern them only and not their Children or to speak more properly the whole people of God in all ages to come God would have a Record kept of it 1. This shall be written for the generation to come 2. And the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord Ver. 18 Cum viderint impleta quae praedicta And of this he assigns two reasons even the self-same set down at the 16. and 17. Verses 1. For be hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary Ver. 19 from the heaven did the Lord behold the earth 2. To hear the groans of the prisoners Ver. 20 to loose those that are appointed to death That the glory be returned to God Now this Mercy from God calls upon us for our Duty for the proper end of it was and the effect that it should work upon us is that we should be thankful Therefore he looked down therefore he heard the groans of the prisoners c. That being freed 1. They should declare the name of the Lord in Zion Ver. 21 and his praise in Jerusalem 2. And this praise should be compleated Ver. 22 When the people are gathered simul or in unum united together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. The Gentiles join with the Jews in it And here methinks I hear the Prophet breaking off his comfort The Prophet laments he shal not live to see it and breaking out in the midst of his prophecy with Balaam As if he had said I am assured all this shall come to pass and be done for Gods people but alas who shall live when God doth this Whosoever shall I shall not certainly For he weakned my strength in the way and hath shortned my dayes Ver. 23 Yet my desire is it might be otherwise Yet he desires he might and in this my desire is but the same with many Kings and Prophets that have gone before me all which long and desired to see the flourishing estate of the Church under the Messiah and therefore Ver. 24 I said O my God take me not away in the midst of my age But suffer me to draw out my life to see that that all good men have aspired to see to wit that I may behold Christ promised in the flesh and be a partaker of the glory of his Kingdom Which Petition And presseth that he might Perswading God to it upon 24. The consideration of Gods eternity and immutability that it might be the easier granted he presseth it by a Collation of Gods Eternity and Immutability with his own life As if he should say Spare me
And to this day in the Turkish Empire they are used as Spunges suffer'd to gather riches as the Spunge sucks in water for no other end but to be squeezed 7. 8 No pity shew'd to his children But the Prophet again returns to his Children and layes yet other curses upon them 1. Let there be none to extend mercy unto him neither let there be any to favour his fatherless Children To beg to want is a misery but there is some comfort in it when the Beggar meets with some one that will pity and relieve him This our Prophet votes against Let there be none to pity him and his and probatum est upon Judas for he found no pity from the High Priests What is that to us say they look thou to it And the posterity of those Murders did have do find as little for who pities a Jew 2. Men because they must dye themselves desire they do to be immortal if possible 9 His posterity quickly cut off in their issue they would have their houses to continue for ever That such a happiness befall not these Reprobates David prayes Let his posterity be cut off and in the Generation following let their name be blotted out He would have a quick dispatch of them 'T is acutely observed by Bellarmine That Judas in the place he was in his Bishops had no seed for Matthias that came into his place derived not his Office from him And for the Jewes though a posterity of them yet remain after the flesh yet in the very next Generation their Ecclesiastical and Civil Policy was at an end and since their dispersion they sit without King without Priest without Sacrifice without Altar without Ephod without Teraphim as it was foretold by Hosee 3. Yet farther the Prophet continues his Imprecation against the posterity of these Reprobates 10 The sin of the father revenged on the child Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembred before the Lord and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out This Imprecation answers Gods threat in the Commandment I will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the Jewes have found this curse to come upon them to the uttermost they devoted themselves and their posterity Let his blood be upon us and our children And 't is known to the whole World that it hath taken its effect to the full The guilt of his blood is yet upon them the iniquity of their fathers is remembred and the sin of their mother the Synagogue is not yet done away 4. And he repeats again what he mentioned of the iniquity of their fathers and the indelible Character of the Synagogues sin for this verse is but the expolition of the former 1. Let them be before the Lord continually As if he had said Let the memory of their father and mothers sin live for ever never let God cast it behind his back 2. That he may cut off the memory of them from the Earth Never let there be any memory of them except it be in contempt which that ungrateful Nation hath found true And so the Prophet having ended his Execrations acquaints us with the causes of this bitterness 2. And then prayes that they pierce far and work effectually upon them The causes of these Imprecations The causes he assigns are these 1. The first was their want of pity toward men in distresse Hard-hearted men they were without any bowels of compassion 1 Their want of compassion By the Prophet Jeremy this is complained on Lam. 1.12 Have ye no regard all ye that pass by Never was there sorrow like my sorrow and yet nor Judas Ver. 16 nor the Jewes considered it 'T is but just then That they find judgment without mercy that would shew no mercy Jam. 2 Let his memory be cut off c. Because he remembred not to shew mercy 2. So far from that That he persecuted the poor and needy man 2 They persecuted the afflicted i.e. Christ who was that he might even slay the broken in heart which is the second cause the inhumanity and cruelty of Judas and the Jewes against Christ who is here call'd 1. Poor because when he was rich yet for our sakes became poor 1 Poor that we through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 9. 2. The needy man For the Foxes have Holes 2 Needy and he Birds of the Aire Nests but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head Luk. 9.58 3. The broken in heart For he was in an agony and his soul was troubled 3 Broken in heart and besieged with sorrowes when he sweat drops of blood when he cryed My God my God but not with Compunction or Contrition for any fault he had committed but out of the sense of pain and anxiety and sollicitude which he bore in his heart continually for the salvation of Mankind In this verse then there is noted the extream cruelty and inhumanity of the Jewes for they that persecute a man for his life have some reasons that move them unto it Either they are incens'd to do it by anger for some injury receiv'd or mov'd by hope of gain by spoiling some rich man or else through envy that grudgeth at anothers felicity But Christ was humble and low in heart a poor man that never did any man wrong He contemn'd the World was needy and had not what should provoke the eye of any covetous wretch Lastly he was broken in heart and wept for other mens sins not in so happy a condition that any man should envy him It then aggravates their sin that they should persecute him and because they did it they are justly accursed 3. And yet there is a third cause behind He loved cursing 3 He loved cursing and then 't is but reason that he have what he loved he delighted not in blessing why then should any man delight to bless him As he loved cursing so let it come unto him as he delighted not in blessing so let it be far from him No man can love a curse or hate a blessing if it be proposed to the will under the form of cursing and blessing But a man is then said to love a curse and hate a blessing when he is the cause by his own choice of a wicked course that he be cursed and not blessed This Judas and the Jewes did Judas by loving money more than his Master love a curse he forsook Christ and would not be blessed The Jewes refused him and would have his blood upon them as they loved then so let them have as they delighted not in blessing so let it be far from them Neque enim lex justior ulla est c. Yea Let this then sit close to him and let this curse as our Prophet adds farther come with effect upon them sit as close to him as the garment about him let it be converted into his very substance