is a quickening which giveth spiritual life to those that a eâ—…t dead in their sinnes and trespasses and a quickening which giveth strength and comfort to the weak disconsolaâ—…e and discouraged souls of Gods children for the first sort of quickening every regenerate man should pray in behalf of all the elect in the visible Church who are not as yet converted and for quickening in other respects they should pray in behalf of themselves and other afflicted spirits of the godly as here the beleevers do pray Quicken us 2. The honouring of God in spiritual worship should be the end of our petitions which we do make for any good to our selves Quicken us and we shall call upon thy Name 3. Albeit the work of calling on Gods Name and worshipping of God in Spirit and trâ—…h be the work of the regenerate man yet the spiritual life and the motion or stirring up of the regenerate man unto this work the enabling of the man unto it and in it and the cheering up of his heart to do it affectionately is the work of the Lord for these doth the Pâ—…lmist here distinguish first he sets down Gods part Quicken thou us and then oâ—…r part And we shall call upon thy Name From the third request ver 19. repeated now the third time Learn 1. In what respects soever the Church of the Jewish Nation may seem to be alienated from God yet theâ—…e is hope of their repentance and returning and reconciliation unto God for there is a petition of the Lords enditing standing he e thrice repeated in their favour to be granted in due time by God to whom nothing is hard and here in this third repetition of this prayer the Name of God Jehovah whereby he told Israel that he would be known to them to be the performer of promises is added expressely Turn us again O Iehovah God of hostes 2 Albeit we our selves do breed the mist and clouds which do hide from us the shining of Gods favour towards us and we do build the partition walls we do raise up mountains of transgressions which separate between God and us vet it is the Lord himself only who of his own free grace and by his own power doth dissolve these clouds and remove these impediments out of his own way towards us Turn us again and cause thy face to shine 3. So oft as we are burdened with the same pressure and straitened with the same necessity as oft we may and should have recourse to God for relief by prayer for this staffe hath God put in faiths hand to help the believer in every stop of his journey till he come home to the Lord and be past all perill Turne 〈◊〉 again cause thy face to shine 4. As the sight of our distance from God and sense of his displeasure and fear of perdition do serve to be a spurre to our prayer so desire of reconciliation desire and purpose of repenting and hope of salvation â—…o serve to encourage us to persevere in prayer till we have what we ask perfected to us Turn us again cause thy face to shine so shall we be saved PSAL. LXXXI To the chief Musician upon Gittith A Psalme of Asaph THis Psalm was appointed to be sung in their solemn seasts new moones and feast of tabernacles in special for a testimony of Gods gracious and bountiful dealing with his people on the one hand and of their provocation of God on the other hand moving him to change his dispensation toward them and to withhold many benefits from them which otherwayes they might have had if they had not rejected Gods counsel and had chosen their own wayes that by this Psalme his people might learn to be wiser The parts of the Psalme are three The first is a Preface wherein there is a mutual stirring up of the Church-members to keep the solemn feasts and blowing of trumpets ver 1 2 3. and a reason or this mutual exhoâ—…tation taken from Gods institution of this ordinance when he brought his people out of Egypt from the service of strangers ver 4 5. In the second part is set down how God delivered them from bondage in Egypt and from troubles in their journey ver 6 7. and how reasonable commands the Lord did give unto them which commands are all summed up in this one That God should be their God alone ver 8 9 10. In the third part is set down First how they rejected God and his counsel ver 11. Next how therefore they were plagued by being given over to their own lusts ver 12. Thirdly how they deprived themselves of Gods benefits which by following Gods counsel they might have enjoyed ver 13 14 15. Ver. 1. SIng aloud unto God our strength make a joyful noise unto the God of Iacob 2. Take a Psalm and bring hither the timbrel the pleasant harp with the psaltery 3. Blow up the trumpet in the new Moon in the time appointed on our solemn feast-day From their mutual stirring up of one another to rejoyce in God commanded here by the Psalmist in the Lords Name Learn 1. That whatsoever may be our own private condition it is our duty ever and in all things to give glory to God to rejoyce in him to professe and avow his Name Sing aloud unto God 2. The Lords people have the fulfilling supplying and supporting of their emptinesse wants and weaknesse in God whose sufficiency they ought to make use of and rejoyce therein Sing unto God our strength 3. It is the Covenant of grace whereby God becometh our God which doth intitle us and giveth us interest in and right unto his all-sufficiency which we should entertain joyfully in our communion with God praising him and thanking him for it and delighting in his presence because of it Make a joyful noise unto the God of Iacob for God was Iacobs God because God was by Covenant Abrahams and his childrens God whose children also we are who are Christs Gal. 3. 29. From the use and variety of musical instruments called for Ver. 2 3. Learn 1. Albeit the external melody of musical instruments in the Lords publike worship with the rest of the paedagogie and shadowing dark figures of the Ceremonial Law be abolished now when the Lord the Sunne of righteousnesse is come yet the moral duties represented by them are still to be acknowledged and followed by us to wit that the praises of the Lord are unexpressible by us and that we are unsufficient of our selves to set forth the same that we have matter of unspeakable joy in God our Redeemer and should stir up all the powers of our soul to this part of his spiritual service for this did those musical instruments teach Take a Psalm and bring hither the timbrel the pleasant harp with the Psaltery 2. We ought to acknowledge the stately magnificence of our exalted Lord and our dulnesse and slownesse to praise him and what need we had to be stirred up and to stirre up
A BRIEF EXPLICATION Of the other fifty Psalmes From Ps. 50. to Ps. 100. BY DAVID DICKSON Professour of Divinity in the Colledge of Edenburgh Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts we shall be satisfied with the goodnesse of thy house even of thy holy Temple Psal. 65. 4. Imprimatur Iuly 16. 1653. EDMUND CALAMY London Printed by T. R. E. M. for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Cornhill near the Royal Exchange 1653. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The EARL of EGLINGTON Mercy and Peace through Iesus Christ. My right Noble Lord THE reason of my sending forth of this piece under your Lordships name is that by this means I may pay home before I die the old debt which I owe to your Lordship and to the whole noble family for countenancing and encouraging me openly in my Ministery all the while I was in Irwin near your Lordship full twenty yeares And the reason why I do confesse my debt now and go about to discharge some part of it at this time of your Lordships restraint in England is because when I call to minde the time of my restraint about some thirty yeares ago when the High Commission Court of Prelates procured my confinement within a little village in the North beyond Aberdein in regard I could not give them satisfaction by receiving the yoak of some Popish ceremonies imposed then upon the Ministery I cannot forget how comfortable your Lordship was to me then and what paines and travel you endured summer and winter without wearying untill they who at that time had power to loose me from my confinement being made sensible some of them of the iniquity and all of them of the inexpediencie of keeping me in bonds I was restored to the free and full use of my Ministery Wherefore I do esteem it a part of due gratitude to do what in me lieth to be comfortable to your Lordship in this your present condition and do heartily pray to God that your exercise and trouble may prove a meanes of your happinesse It is true indeed that happinesse without this meanes were to be wished if so it were Gods pleasure but unto God onely in whose hands alone it is to make men blessed and in whose friendship and favour through Christ only men are really blessed it doth belong as to choose the man to whom so also to choose the meanes whereby and the manner how he will communicate the right and possession of true blessednesse If happinesse were at mens wish and carving no man would choose God for his chief good nor Gods way to bring his felicity about for the multitude of men do say Psal. 4. 6. Who will shew us any good The good which God doth shew unto them and the way how by reconciliation with himself and walking humbly and uprightly before him they may have God to be their rich reward is not the thing they love to have but corn and wine and oile and whatsoever may best please their fleshly fancie is their desire And of this the Lord doth complain Psal. 81. 11. My people saith he would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me And what was it which they did preferre unto God they loved to have their own will in this world whatsoever should befall them after death they loved rather to have their own earthly desires satisfied then to have the friendship of God and their choice was given unto them to their owne destruction So saith the Lord I gave them over to their owne hearts lust and they walked in the counsell of their owne heart Few when they look upon the course which the world doth runne after yea very few do preferre the fellowship of God reconciled to them in Christ before riches honour and sensual pleasure For Who will shew us any good is that which many do say Psala 4. 6. buâ—… Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us is the petition of the few opposed to the multitude and even those few godly would wish to go to heaven with ease and to be free from trouble in their journey if it were the Lords will as we may see in the prayer of Iabez 1 Chron. 4. 10. Who called on the God of Israel saying Oh that thou wouldest blesse me indeed and enlarge my coast and that thine hand might be with me and that thou wouldest keep me from evill that it may not grieve me But our loving and wise God who knoweth perfectly what is fittest for every man doth crosse and correct those natural desires of his children And howsoever he will now and then possibly grant the prayer of Iabez to some of his people yet he hath appointed this to be the ordinary road-way to heaven which the Apostle pointeth forth to us Acts 14. 22. We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God And this course of carrying of Gods children through many afflictions doth no wayes hinder their happinesse for how many soever their crosses be yet this holdeth alwayes fast Psal. 65. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee If therefore by plurality of chastisements the Lord shall draw and drive them to seek remission of sinnes and reconciliation with himself and the renewed sense thereof through Christ and shall by the rod hedge them within the way of walking with him in a friendly communion they lose nothing except their lusts and do gain eternal blessednesse And certainâ—y there is so much reliques of natural corruption so strong inclinations unto sinne so many actuall outbreakings and grosse transgressions to be found in the most precious Saints that there is no wonder the Lord should visit their trespasses with the rod and their iniquity with stripes but all the wonder is that he will not take his loving kindnes utterly from them There is also so great need of loosing their affections from what seemeth love-worthy in this world so great need of raising the hearts of the heires of Salvation unto the seeking of a Kingdom which cannot be shaken and of a crown uncorruptible as all reason doth call for the mixture of troubles with earthly comforts lest the sweetnesse of temporary vanities should prove unto them poysonable Moreover the experience of the Saints set down in Scripture and especially in the Psalmes doth make it manifest that by the variety of outward and inward troubles the faith of Gods children hath been tried and trained to farther strength Their love hope and patience and all other spiritual graces in them have been so fostered and augmented as they have been made joyfully and thankfully to subscribe this truth Psal. 94. 12. Blessed it the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law This is the language of the Lords present dispensation toward his people and the lesson which his Providence doth recommend to us all that we may learn it
so should all benefits confirm their faith in the Covenant and lead them to the hope of receiving after all other benefits salvation also Blessed be the lord who daily loadeth us with benefits even the God of our salvation 4. Albeit the Covenant of salvation be sure and solid in it self yet are we slow to beleeve it weak in our laying hold of it and have need to have the stamp and impression of it set deep upon our hearts as here the Psalmist teacheth the Church by inculcating this point He that is our God is the God of salvation 5. Temporal things which men do idolize may serve a man in this life but at death in death and after death he can have no good by them It is God only who can deliver from death and give an issue out of it Unto God the Lord belong the issues of death 6. Let a man be once setled in the faith of his salvation then he shall be comforted against all the troubles and dangers wherein he can fall yea even against death it self if he can say He that is our God is the God of salvation he may also say with confidence and application to himself and comfort Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death Ver. 21. But God will wound the head of his enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses From the ninth reason of Gods praise Learne 1. How great soever be the majesty of God and the riches of bounty and grace offered in Christ yet will men be found even within the visible Church who will wickedly refuse his grace and oppose his Kingdom but all to their own shame and damage But God shall wouâ—…d the head of his enemies 2. The character of Gods irreconcileable enemies is that they cease not to follow the course of sin He goeth on still in his trespasses 3. Though God spare his enemies long and suffer them to grow old in the course of enmity against him yet shall shameful sudden and irrecoverable judgements overtake them in their old dayes But God shall wound the hoary scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses Ver. 22. The Lord said I will bring again froâ—… Bashan I will bring my people again from the depthâ—… of the sea 23. That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies and the tongue of thy dogs in the same From the tenth reason of praise wherein the Prophet promiseth in the Loâ—…ds Name that God shall work over again such works of delivery to his people and such works of victory over their enemies as he had wrought before Learn 1. The Lords Word is certainly sufficient for performance of his promises and ground of comfort and confidence and thanksgiving and praise to God even before the work be wrought The Lord said I will bring again c. 3. As the Lord will have the memory of former dangers and deliveâ—…ies of his Church kept in remembrance for his own glory so will he have former dangers for his peoples good to be looked upon as advertisements of what straits his Church may be cast into and his former merciful deliveries looked upon as pledges and pawns of the promises of like mercies in time to come as need shall require I will bring again from Bashan I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea doth import thus much 3. As the Lord will give as great deliverances to his Church when they are in straits as ever he did before so wil he give as terrible blows to his adversaries as ever he did according as the Churches need or good shal require I will bring again from Bashan c. that thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies 4. Albeit neither the Lord nor his people do delight in bloodshed yet will he let his people and all men see in the bloodshed of their enemies how terrible he is in justice especially against the enemies of his Church and how dear his people are to him and that rather then they should be overthrown he will destroy Nations for their safety and give unto his people in their own defence against their oppressors notable victories So that thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies 5 When the Lord thinks it fit not to make his own people instrumental in their own delivery then can he yoke the enemies among themselves or raise up proâ—…ane dogs like themselves to avenge the quarrel of the Lords people upon their enemies That the tongue of thy dogs may be dipped in thâ—…â—…ame that is in the blood of thine enemies Ver. 24. They have 〈◊〉 thy goings O God even the goings of my God my King in the sanctuary 25. The singers went before the players on instruments followed after amongst them were the damosâ—…ls playing with timbrels To confirme what is promised he bringeth forth old experiences acknowledged by the enemies registred in the Word of the Lord and read in the Temple Whence learn 1. The Lord useth to work so evidently for his people and against his enemies that both his people and their enemies are made witnesses and are forced to acknowledge the Lords work They have seen thy goings O God 2. It is the glory of a people when God so worketh as he is seen to be their God their leader their defender and all as in Covenant with them They have seen thy goings O God even the goings of my God saith he 3. That Gods honour may be seen mans honour should be laid down at his feet and put case a man were the greatest King yet is it greater glory and matter of contentment to have God for his King then to be a King without God They have seen thy goings O my God my King saith David now setled in the Kingdom 4. The most clear sure and profitable sight of the Lordâ—… work and wayes is to be had in the use of publick ordinances where his Name Nature Covenant and course he keepeth with all men together with the causes use and ends of his works are to be seen They have seen the goings of my God in the sanctuary 5. Where all the people receive a benefit it becometh all the people publickly and solemnly and with their best expression of affection as God doth appoint to praise God and in his worship to see that all things may be done orderly as Israel did when they came through the red sea and at other times as the Lord gave occasion The singers went before the players on instruments followed after amongst them in the middle-ward the Damoâ—… playing with timbrels 6. All the powers of our soulâ—… and bodies should concurre each of them in their own order with the best harmony of knowledge affections and expressions which can be attained unto for setting forth the Lords praises and our obligation to him for his goodnesse of his people and so should 〈◊〉 â—…rch on all
the meanest of men and exalt them how high soever he pleaseth but also to represent from how low a degree of humiliation Christ incarnate was to be raised to the government of his Church and Kingdome he setteth down the mean condition of life wherefrom David was raised to the royal dignity of governing Israel He took him from the sheep solds from following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Iacob his people and Israel his inheritance From Ver. 72. Learn The duties and properties of a good King are these First He must resolve to be Gods servant in his charge as David was Seconly All his subjects and in special the Lords people must be cared for by him in a civil way as a flock of sheep is cared for by the Pastour David fed them Thirdly A Kings heart must be set uprightly for Gods honour and for the subjects welfare in the whole course of his government He fed them according 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 King â—…st deâ—… prudently with his subjects accomodating the whole â—…se of his dealing with them as their several conditions do reâ—…ire He guided them by the skilfulnesse of his hands And whatsoever measure David had of those properties were but a shadow of the perfections of Christ in his Government Fifthly neither lawes nor teaching nor miracles nor benefits nor judgments can avail unto the salvation of a people or person till they be put under the hand and guiding of Christ as we are taught here in the example and representation of the Lords dealing with Israel in this Psalme wherein when God hath tried his people with oft repeated mercies and judgements they come to no setled estate till they be put under the Government of David who in this is 〈◊〉 type of Christ. For he closeth with this he guided them by the skilfulnesse of his hands PSAL. LXXIX A Psalme of Asaph THe scattered and captive people of God after the destruction of Ierusalem and of the Temple do put up a pitiful complaint unto God to ver 6. and do pray for a merciful reliefe to his Church and for avenging their blood upon their enemies As for the complaint in it they lament four things First the profanation and desolation of the Lords inheritance and Temple by the heathen their enemies ver 1. Secondly the barbarous cruelty and inhumanity used against them ver 2 3. Thirdly the contempt and mocking of their wicked neighbours in their misery ver 4. Fourthly â—…as they acknowledge this to proceed from Gods displeasure so they lament that it is like to be everlasting ver 5. In their prayer in the latter part of the Psalme they crave First justice upon their enemies ver 6. 7. Secondly pardon of their own sins and deliverance out of their misery for sundry reasons ver 8 9 10 11. Thirdly that God wolâ—…d reward their inhumane neighbours who mocked at their misery ver 12. And do close their petition with a promise of praise and thanks unto God by the Church in all succeeding ages Whence learn in general 1. The Church of God may be brought so low as here we see once it was 2 So many of Gods people as live to see such publike calamities and misery must not despaire of a recovery but should and may run to God and pray for the Church in affliction expecting order after consusion and after dissipation to see a gathering of Gods people again and after apparent overthrow of Religion a restoring of Gods publick worship as the example of the Psalmist in this Psalm doth teach whose courage and confidence in God for relief of the Lords people is wonderful as the condition of the Church at that time seemed to be desperate As the holy Ghost the enditer of this Psalm doth give warning here to all Churches in all ages to beware to provoke the Lord unto wrath lest he deal with them as he dealt with those Israelites so doth he give warrant to all afflicted Churches to follow the example of this afflicted Church to run to God for help for which cause he hath given this Psalme to be made use of by the Church A Psalme of Asaph Ver. 1. O God the heathen are come into thine inheritance thy holy people have they defiled they have laid Ierusalem on heapes In the first part of this Lamentation Learn 1. Albeit there be no place nor person how near and dear soever unto God exempted from judgement when they are polluted yet the wicked instruments of the judgement poured out upon the place and persons consecrated to God may justly be complained of as here we see O God the heathen are come into thine inheritance 2. When Gods people who should be holy defile themselves and Gods Ordinances it is no wonder that by prophane persons they be punished and their holy things polluted Thy holy Temple have they defiled that is they have abused it dealt with it as a vile and proâ—…ane thing 3. Albeit people in Covenant with God have disgraced their holy profession and polluted his ordinances and be justly plagued by seeing holy ordinances put over in the hands of profane men for their cause yet neither will the Lord disclaime his interest in his own ordinances nor do his people lose right and interest in God and in his ordinances when they take with their punishment and do make their addresse to God for reliefe Thy holy Temple have they defiled 4. When God giveth over religious ordinances in the hands of profane men to be abused no wonder if they that are the cause of this do suffer in their civil state also no wonder the City suffer with the Temple Ierusalem have they laid on heaps Ver. 2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowles of the heaven the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth 3. Their blood have they shed like water round about Ierusalem and there was none to bury them From the second part of the lamentation and complaintâ—… Learn 1. Falling in battel before the enemies may prove that God hath a just cause against the party overcome but cannot prove that the victors cause is good presuppose both parties had appealed to God for there the heathen do overcome and the Lords servants and Saints are slaine and they who are lest alive do complaine of the victors and take with their punishment at Gods hand who doth follow his own quarrel as he pleaseth and will not at mens pleasure sit down and decide appellations when they call to him or stand unto 〈◊〉 time set down by men to him to determine their controversie O God the 〈◊〉 are come into thine inheritance c. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fowles aâ—… Heavy and fearful are the judgements temporal which may come upon Gods people when they have provoked God to wrath against them for their sinnes even such as are here
strong for thy self In the Hebrew it is the Son whom thou madest strong even Christ who is the true Sonne of God the true Vine-tree Iohn 15. 1. whereabout the Fathers husbandry is in a special way imployed 6. The visible Church or people of God by Covenant at some time may be so farre from a glorious and flourishing condition of prosperity that on the contrary in outward appearance she may be almost destroyed and like to perish utterly as here of the Lords Vineyard or the whole visible Church we read It is burnt with fire it is cut down he meaneth Gods people They perish saith the Psalmist at the rebuke of thy countenance 7. We are to look not so much to instruments of the Churches desolation as to the peoples sinnes procuring it and to Gods wrath causing it They perish at the rebuke of thy countenance Ver. 17. Let thy band be upon the man of thy right hand upon the Sonne of man whom thou madest strong for thy self 18. So will not we go back from thee quicken us ana we will call upon thy Name 19. Turn us again O LORD God of hostes cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved In the last place they put up three requests In the first they insist upon that point of their prayer v. â—…5 which concerneth the Branch of the Vineyard of Israel the promised Messiah Christ the Redeemer and do make request over again that the stock and lineage of David whereof Christ was to come might be kept to the fore till he should assume humane nature and become the Sonne of man according to the solid grounds which God had laid down to bring this promise to passe For the substance of the prayer is this Seeing thou hast made one branch of this Vine which thou broughtest out of Egypt strong for thy self or for thy own purpose namely the man of thy right hand the Sonne of man the promised Messiah God to be incarnate Let thy hand or power be imployed for bringing this to passe that he who is at thy right hand thy equal may be made man the man of thy right hand the Sonne of man So will not we go back from thee that is by him we thy redeemed shall be preserved from apostasie and separation from thee In the second request they pray for the pouring forth of the Spirit upon his dead people that having spiritual life communicated unto them they may worship God in Spirit and truth Quicken us and we will call upon thy Name say they In the third request they repeat the third time that prayed for repentance and reconciliation to be manifested to his people From the first request ver 17. Learn 1. The refuge rest consolation and confidence of a distressed Church or person is Christ and toward him must the afflicted cast their eye for relief as here the Church in her deepest desolation doth 2. Christ is alwayes at the right hand of the Father in regard of power and glory and it is for him no robbery to be equal with God the Father Phil. 2. 16. and his humane nature assumed doth not degrade him from the glory which he had with the Father before the world began Iohn 17. 5. 〈◊〉 is the man of Gods right hand in a singular manner 3. Christ and his Kingdom are established before God for ever for bringing to passe the purpose and service of God in the Redemption of his elect He is the man whom the Father hath made strong for himselfe for his humane nature is united with his divine nature in one person his incarnation was made sure by the eternal and immurable decree of the Covenant of Redemption wherein the elect were given over to Christ and grace was granted and given to them in Christ Jesus before the world began 2 Tim. 1. 9. And as his incarnation was made 〈◊〉 by decree so also made sure by many times repeated Promises in the Law and Prophets beginning at Gen. 3. 15. where it is promised that the seed of the woman should tread down the head of the serpent all along the Scripture unto Malachi 3. 〈◊〉 where it is revealed that Christs messenger to wit Iohn Baptist in the power of Elias should come before him and straightway after he himself should shew himself as did come to passe This is the Sonne of man saith he whom thou hast made strong for thy self 4. To bring this promise to effect and accomplishment the Almighty power of God shall set on work and never drew back from operation till his purpose was brought to passe for after the time that the man Abraham was designed of whose seed he was to take flesh the Scripture sheweth what care the Lord had of Isaac and Iacob and the Patriarchs in Egypt and about the bringing of their posterity out of it to Canaan till Davids family is designed for his stoâ—…k and when the ten tribes were scattered abroad he preserved Iudah to the foxe and when that tribe also was thrust out into captivity he brought it back again and preserved Davids race and the tribe of Iudah under civil Government till Christ came and this the prayer here propounded did make request for Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand 5. Neither the Church nor any member thereof needeth any more security for their stability and perpetuation but Christ for now when the Vineyard is burnt and the visible Church defaced the remnant are cotent to rest satisfied with this which also they take for granted and do subscribe unto it Let thy hand he upon the man of thy right hand upon the Sonne of man whom thou hast made strong for thy self 6. The consanguinity of Christ with the beleever and his humiliation in his humane nature are strong supporters of the faith and comfort of his people that do seek salvation through him therefore do the faithful here fixe themselves on this that as he is Gods Sonne so he is a branch of their Vineyard also that as he is at the right hand of the Father as God so he is the man of his right hand also the Son of man or of Adam partaker of flesh and blood with us of the same stock that we are of in all things like to us except sin for the Son of man is the stile whereby Christ stiled himself in his humiliation 7. The perpetuity of the Church and the perseverance of the Saints is founded upon the sufficiency of Christ and the unseigned beleever may assure himself as of the continuance of the Church so of his own perseverance and constant communion with God through him Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand c. so will not we go back from thee From the second request v. 18. Learn 〈◊〉 As there is a death of alienation from the life of God in the unregenerate and a death of disability discomfort and discouragement found in the regenerate in Scripture so there