as the Grave which is low indeed yet there thou maiest rest in hope for even there the Lord will not leave to helpe thee Or is it that he was brought low was humbled in spirit to seeme vile in his owne eyes and then God helped him For God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble Verse 7 Now therefore O my soule returne to thy rest for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Now my soule let it be no longer said Why art thou so heavie and why art thou disquieted within me For the Lord hath exceeded the bounds of mercifulnesse with his bountifulnesse Not onely in mercy hee hath forgiven my sinnes but as if my sinnes had been Merits he hath made me also to taste of his bountie Hee hath dealt indeed most bountifully with thee for where thou didst make suite but for one thing hee hath granted thee three Thou didst aske but to have my soule delivered and he hath delivered mine eyes and my feet besides and with a deliverance in each of them the greatest that could be for what greater deliverance to my soule then to bee delivered from Death What greater deliverance to mine eyes then to be delivered from teares What to my feet then to bee delivered from falling that if now O my soule thou returne not to thy rest thou wilt shew thy selfe to bee most insatiable seeing thou hast not onely more then thou didst aske but as much indeed as was possible to be ask'd But can my soule dye and if not what bountie is it then to deliver my soule from that to which it is not subject The soule indeed though immortall hath yet her wayes of dying It is one kind of death to the soule to bee parted from the body but the truest kind is to bee parted from God and from both these kindes of death hee hath delivered my soule From the first by delivering me from a dangerous sicknesse that threatned a dissolution of my soule and body from the other by delivering me from the guilt of sinne that threatned a separation from the favour of God and are not these bounties to give my soule just cause of returning to her rest It is true it is the imperfection of life that it is subject to sicknesse and sicknesse drawes mortalitie after it but this imperfection is not here for hee hath delivered my soule from death and what is this but to have perfect health yet it is the imperfection of health that it is subject to crosses and crosses are a cause of teares but neither hath this imperfection any place here for he hath delivered mine eyes from teares and what is this but to have perfect Joy yet it is the imperfection of joy that it useth not to continue as it is said of the prosperitie of the wicked They are set in slipperie places and are apt to fall but neither is this imperfection found here for hee hath delivered my feet from falling and what is this but to be assured of continuance If then thou hast such health such joy such stabilitie Health not subject to sicknesse Joy not capable of sorrow Stabilitie not obnoxious to falling How canst thou O my soule how canst thou choose but pacifie thy unquietnesse and returne to thy rest But alas the rest thou canst returne to now is but a type of that true Rest when thou shalt rest from thy labours and when thy workes that now goe with thee shall then follow thee Thou hast now but one day of Rest for sixe dayes of labour but then thou shalt have an eternall Sabbath without any dayes of labour to disquiet it But though this rest cannot now bee had whilst thou dwellest in a restlesse body and thy body in a restlesse world yet there is a Rest that is worth the having and may onely my soule be called Thy Rest the rest which consists in the peace of conscience and to this rest thou maist well returne seeing not onely thou art at peace with God as being justified by his Grace but thou art in his favour also as having dealt so bountifully with thee And when thou returnest to this rest to the end thou maist have some exercise to thy rest that thy resting make thee not restiffe I will walke Verse 9 before the Lord in the land of the living For now that my feet are delivered from falling how can I better imploy them then in walking were they delivered from falling to the end they should stand still and bee idle No my soule but to encourage me to walke and where is so good walking as in the land of the living Alas what walking is it in the Winter when all things seeme dead when the very grasse lyes buried under ground and scarce any thing that hath life in it to be seene but then is the pleasant walking when Nature spreads her greene Carpet to walke upon and then it is a Land of the living when the Trees shew they live by bringing forth if not fruits at least leaves when the Valleys shew they live by bringing forth if not sweet flowers to delight the smell at least fresh grasse to please the eyes But is this the walking in the Land of the living that David meanes O my soule to walke in the Land of the living is to walke in the pathes of Righteousnesse for there is no such death to the soule as sinne no such cause of teares to the eyes as guiltinesse of Conscience No such falling of the feet as to fall from God and therefore to say the truth the Soule can never returne to its rest if we walke not withall in the paths of righteousnesse and we cannot well say whether this Rest bee a cause of the walke or the walking be a cause of the resting but this wee may say they are certainly companions one to the other which is in effect but this that Justification can never be without Sanctification Peace of conscience and godlinesse of life can never be one without the other Or is it perhaps that David meanes that Land of the living where Enoch and Elias are living with the living God but if he meane so how can he speake so confidently Verse 10 and say I will walke in the Land of the living as though hee could come to walke there by his owne strength or at his owne pleasure Hee therefore gives his reason I beleeved and therefore I spake for the voyce of Faith is strong and speakes with confidence and because in Faith he beleeved that hee shall come to walke in the Land of the living therefore with confidence he speakes it I will walke in the land of the living and perhaps to signifie that hee shall not walke there against his will but that he endeavours and useth the best meanes he can that hee may walke there For indeed if we endeavour not to walke here with Enoch and Elias in the paths of righteousnesse we shall never come to walke with God
a transitorie thing and wert not to continue thou mightst justly then looke after transitorie pleasures and such as have no continuance but seeing thou art a substance perpetuall and immortall O therefore looke after pleasures like thy selfe pleasures that may last and never come to the last that may last and be durable and not leave thee to the miserie of Fuit Ilium ingens gloria teucrorum for Fuisse foelicem miserrimum est To have beene happy and not to bee to have flourished and now to bee withered is the greatest miserie in the world And the greater for that once pluckt off from his stalke Once taken from the Earth the Earth will never know him any more Alas it will scarce take notice that ever such a one there was and the Verse 16 notice it takes but in specie neither not in Individuo some perhaps as of a man None as of this man or rather some as of a Name None as of a man Or is it rather that Man turned once to Dust his place will know him no more for how should it know one from another when they are all so like How know Dives from Lazarus when they have both the same face seeing Death hath but one copie to draw all her pictures by Or is it rather that Man once turn'd to Dust is blowne about with every wind from place to place and what knowes the place when Dust falls upon it whether it be the Dust of a Prince or of a Peasant whether of a Man or of a Beast And must not Man then bee needes very miserable when Time and place the two best helpes of life doe both forsake him for what helpe can hee have of Time when his dayes are but as Grasse What help of Place when his place denyes him and will not know him But O how vaine a thing is Man to forget not onely the very matter of which he is made but the very condition under which hee is made and so to forget it that God must bee faine to remember him of it but much the vainer that being remembred of it never so often yet hee regards it never the more but contenting himselfe to be fading grasse at most a fading flowre never seekes to improve his Dust to that true solidnesse which nothing but the feare of God is able to procure nothing but the pitty in God is able to effect But now at last if neither the Distances of Place nor the Affection of Nature can make you sufficiently conceive the greatnesse of Gods mercy then take an expressing in plaine tearmes and this will certainly make you conceive it For his mercy is from everlasting Verse 17 to everlasting upon them that feare him It is from everlasting for it began to be before the Foundations of the world were laid and it is to everlasting for it will continue to be when the Frame of the World shall bee dissolved that now O my soule there can bee no feare of the greatnesse of Gods mercy all the feare now is of thine owne feare for although Verse 18 Gods mercy bee so Everlasting yet it is so but to them that feare him for if thou feare him not and keepe not his Commandements then his mercy to thee is neither from Everlasting nor to Everlasting but if thou feare him and keepe his Commandements then his mercy to thee is both and not onely to Thee as though Gods mercy were onely a Personall benefit and should end with thy selfe but it shall be continued to thy childrens children Et natis natorum qui nascentur ab illis to thy whole Posteritie O my soule what an Inheritance is this to purchase to our children at least if it bee not an absolute Inheritance yet it is so sure an Entayle that nothing but the want of fearing God can cut it off And indeed why else hath God prepared Verse 19 his Throne in Heaven but to the end the godly may bee assured that though they bee now oppressed on earth yet thither they shall come at last to bee with him in Joy to bee there in Joy for having obeyed him when the wicked shall bee left behind to bewayle their miseries for not obeying him For though his Throne be prepared onely in Heaven Yet his kingdome ruleth over all Over All both Man and Beast both the Godly and the Wicked both blessed Angells and damned Spirits and because his Kingdome ruleth over all therefore All shall serve him and shall serve him indeed with feare yet there shall be a difference for the godly shall serve him with feare and joy where the wicked shall serve him with feare and trembling And now seeing God hath prepared his Throne in heaven Therefore O yee his Angells inhabitants of Heaven that obey his Commandements by the freedome of your will Doe you begin first and prayse his Name for you excell in strength and are best able to doe it And seeing his Kingdome ruleth overall Therefore all ye his Hosts his other Creatures that obey his Commandement too though not by will yet by instinct Doe you second the Angels in praising his Name And then thou my soule that partakest of both the Natures Doe thou also and with thee also the Soules of all the godly joyne with them in his Prayses that so at least there may bee a Consort of Three to Blesse and Praise him who is a Trinitie in Unitie Three Persons and one God to be Blessed and praised for ever and ever But to be blessed and praised as by all the persons of his Kingdome so in all the places of his Dominion which are Heaven and Earth and Hell a Triplicitie too for even Hell is a place within his Dominion And for praising him in Heaven the Angells will be sure enough to looke to that and for praising him in Hell let the wicked and the damned spirits looke to that at their perill but for praising him on Earth Thou my soule and the soules of all the godly will undertake to doe that at least will pray continually to him that sitteth upon the Throne to be enabled to doe it and when all these shall faile or lest they should faile when Heaven and Earth shall passe away when Time and Place shall bee no more yet his Prayse shall bee continued still by his owne Workes which are his Glory and his Power his Infinitenesse and his Eternitie but above all which is above all his Workes the Workes of his infinite and Everlasting Mercie THE HVNDRED AND SIXTEENTH PSALME OF DAVID 1I Love the Lord because hee hath heard my voyce and my supplication 2 Because hee hath inclined his eare unto me therefore will I call upon him as long as I live 3 The sorrowes of death compassed me and the paines of hell got hold upon mee I found trouble and sorrow 4 Then called I upon the Name of the Lord O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soule 5 The Lord is gracious and righteous
yea our God is mercifull 6 The Lord preserveth the simple I was brought low and he helped me 7 Returne unto thy rest O my soule for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee 8 For thou hast delivered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling 9 I will walke before the Lord in the land of the living 10 I beleeved therefore have I spoken I was greatly afflicted 11 I said in my hast All men are lyars 12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me 13 I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the Name of the Lord. 14 I will pay my vowes unto the Lord in the presence of all his people 15 Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints 16 O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the sonne of thy hand-maid thou hast loosed my bonds 17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanks-giving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. 18 I will pay my vowes unto the Lord in the presence of all his people 19 In the Courts of the Lords House in the midst of thee O Hierusalem prayse yee the Lord. MEDITATIONS VPON THE CXVI PSALME OF DAVID BUt how can David say Verse 1 so peremptorily I will love the Lord as though it were in his owne power to love whom he list Indeed nothing is so voluntary as love that it seemes to be the extremitie of the will for then wee are said to love a thing when the will is inclined and violently bent upon it and yet I know not how there seemes nothing more constrained then love for we often-times love a thing which we would faine wee could forbeare to love but that we are drawne to love it by a kind of violence in the object and therefore David may well say I will love the Lord seeing both the causes of love are here met a propension in the Will and an excellencie in the Object Man indeed is naturally a loving Creature but doth not alwayes place his love aright his love is then best placed when it is placed upon the best Object and what is that best Object but God If he place it upon Beauty that fadeth If upon Riches they perish If upon Honour that vanisheth If upon life that wasteth but all these are in God not onely in Eminencie but in Continuance In him is Beautie that never fadeth in him Riches that never perish in him Honour that never vanisheth in him life that never wasteth and therfore as the truest object of love as the dearest object of my love I will love the Lord. But though all these Eminencies be in God yet they would bee no cause for man to love him if they had not a relation to man for what cause of love where there can be expected no effects of love but seeing there is in them not onely a Relation but a Propension not onely they are ready to bee imparted but are imparted with readinesse what man is hee that will forbeare to say that can forbeare to say I love the Lord And if all men will forbeare to say it yet I will say it For hee hath heard my voyce and my supplication No doubt a just cause or rather indeed to a naturall man the onely cause for loving of God For of fearing him of praising him of worshipping him of magnifying him there are other causes but of loving him no cause so proper as his loving of us and the Benefits which he bestowes upon us For love is so reciprocall a thing that we should hardly love God himselfe but for his Love to us at least for our opinion of his love to us and wee should hardly have an opinion of his love if we had not a feeling of his Benefits For what love can wee thinke is borne us by them that are able to doe us good and doe it not but when we have a feeling of their benefits and find they doe us good then wee are easily perswaded of their love and being so perswaded who can choose but say as David doth here I love the Lord for he hath heard my voyce and my supplication But doe we love God but for his Benefits onely and if it were not for his Benefits should we not love him Indeed to love God as we ought is not to love him for ought but for himselfe onely without any consideration had at all of his Benefits but such lovers wee are of our owne good that wee should scarce love our selves but for the good we are ready to doe our selves and if we love God in the like degree we thinke it perhaps to be love enough for him But O my soule this is just the Divells love I meane such love as the Divell thought to be in Job Doth Job love God for nought He hoped he did not though hee knew he should and therefore was never in quiet till it might bee tryed and if hee had found it so he would quickly have made Job leave loving of God and fall to loving of him But the hedge which God had set about Job was not a hedge of prosperitie as Sathan supposed but a hedge of Grace and therefore with all his fierie tryalls hee could never get other words from Job but such as these Shall we receive good at Gods hands and shall we not receive evill Yes O Lord though thou kill mee yet will I love thee Thus Job did and thus should we doe but God knowes there is not such a man againe as Job was upon the face of the earth For alas wee are commonly but of the Classis or forme of which Saint John speakes Wee love God because God loved us first and it were well if we would doe but so how much soever Sathan slights it and seekes to disgrace it Or is it perhaps that David speakes in the curiositie of this distinction that we doe not Amare Deum but for his Benefits but wee may Diligere Deum without any consideration of his Benefits had at all and in this sense a naturall man may Amare Deum but none but the spirituall man Diligere Deum But O my soule doe thou endevour to be of Jobs forme to love God without distinction and whether he heare thy voyce or heare it not whether he grant thy supplication or grant it not yet to love him and to love with Amando and with Diligendo and with any another Devotion of love that can be expressed or conceived For it is indeed no true love of God if wee love him for any thing but for himselfe if we love our selves but onely for him as it seemes both Moses and Saint Paul did who for the love of God left all care of themselves and were contented to have beene if they might have beene even Anathema's But is this such a Benefit to us that GOD heares us Is his hearing our voyce such an argument of his