transgressions of them with a pen of Iron and point of a Diamond with whom thou mindest to enter into judgment let not me O Lord be of that number let not my debt stand registred in that Book but of thy mercy and not my merit put it away and blot it out for if my sin stand upon thy account I am but a dead man Lord quicken me Lord forgive me my trespass and put away the hand-writing of thy Ordinance that is against me O Lord if thou wash me not I shall have no part with thée spots I have Ver. 2 that are not the spots of a son pollutions that are of a scarlet dye wash me then by thy vower from iniquity and cleanse me by thy Spirit from my sin or else as an Aethiop I shall never change my spots O Lord lest my uncleanness banish me from my fellowship with thée wash I beséech thée not my féet only but my hands and my head also Wash my féet that is my unclean affections wash my hands that is my unclean actions and wash my head that is my unclean imaginations cleanse me in all that the pollution of any do not cast me from thy presence O Lord I do not hide and conceal the iniquity of my bosom Ver. 3 I séek not to cover it as hitherto I have done but behold now I know it I acknowledge it I confess it to thée against my self therefore shew Lord some pity and compassion upon a miserable sinner and forgive it my sin is ever before me do thou therefore cast it behind thy back My sin is so secret to the eye of the World that no eye beholds it Ver. 4 to them I séem to be what I am not from them I find no trouble but thou O Lord art he to whom all creatures must render an account against thee then against thee I confess that I have grievously offended and done evil in thy sight and therefore it is not O Lord without cause that I suffer these heavy things from thy hands I have deserved them all and given thée just Reason to procéed against me as thou hast done and now I here acknowledge it before the world that thou mayest be justified and have the praise of righteousness even in those things which by the hands of men thou hast brought upon me Righteous art thou O Lord and just in thy judgments I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwells no good thing it is not one Fact only in which I am culpable Behold I was born in iniquity and in sin hath my mother conceived me A Transgressor I have béen from the womb for that bitter root of sin ingraffed in my nature hath gathered strength and shot forth new branches my understanding is darkned my will perverted and my affections bent to evil so that I am truly abominable in thy sight and ashamed of my self especially being conscious to those foul and enormous actual sins that grow from this polluted féed Behold Thou lovest Truth in the inward affections but wo is me I am a man of a double heart Thou hast often instructed my conscience by many secret motions of thy holy Spirit and taught me the way of wisdom but I foolishly have given a check to those inspirations and strayed like a lost shéep in the wayes of folly the light of my conscience I have put out and against my own knowledge I have transgressed Miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin I thank God through Iesus Christ my Lord he hath shed his blood for me he alone is my Iesus Purge me then O Lord not with hyssop but with his blood nor Sope nor Niter nor Fullers Sope can make me clean but that stream which issued out of his wounds and side Purge me then with this blood and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow though my sins were as scarlet yet I shall be whiter than wool though they be red like crimson yet 〈◊〉 shall be white as the driven snow O Lord I hear within me the accusing voyce of a disquiet conscience which pursues accuseth and terrifies me O Lord let me hear the voyce of joy and gladness send down from above the Comforter who alone can speak peace to my soul and then my body which pineth away under this anguish and my bones which séem to be broken through my disconsolate condition shall again recover their wonted strength and my flesh upon me shall rejoyce If then Lord mark what is amiss who can abide it even thy dear Son when he endured the looks of thy angry face fell into agony his soul was heavy his flesh in such pain that he sweat thick clotts of blood how miserable then am I so long as thou shalt look upon me with an angry brow Hide O hide thy face from my sins and blot out all my misdeeds Turn thy angry look from me and look upon the face of thy Anointed that so thy anger when it reacheth me may as the Sun-beams passing through some thick cloud be refracted and mitigated O Lord by my sin I have grieved thy holy Spirit and forced thée who art properly my heart and life of my heart to forsake me come again Lord and restore life unto me without thée I am dead in trespasses and sins I have lost my life Ver. 10 and like a man wanting his quickning spirit when thou wentest away my life went away Return O Lord and come again and create a new heart within me Of my self I have fallen by thy assistance I must rise lend me then the helping hand of thy grace that may lift me up And being fallen my heart is foul Ver. 11 polluted and unclean and who is able to bring a clean thing out of an unclean This is a work much like the producing the first World out of the Tohu and Bohu set O Lord Almighty thy power to work again and create in me a clean heart Fallen I am into the old age of sin begin with me again and make me young and lusty as an Eagle Ver. 12 Cast me not away and forsake me not in my old age of iniquity as a dead man out of mind but let thy presence yet be with me and restore me to the joy of thy salvation O take not from me the graces and assistances of thy Spirit thy right Spirit thy holy Spirit thy frée Spirit A perverse spirit I find in my self thy Spirit will rectifie it and teach me to go the right way an unclean spirit I am possessed with thy Spirit will sanctifie it and purge it from pollution 't is the spirit of bondage to which I am subject thy Spirit can set it at liberty and make it frée impart therefore some nay a liberal portion of this thy Spirit that may teach me the right way that may set me in a holy course that may kéep preserve uphold and confirm me in it that
Zion and make choice of it for thy peculiar habitation more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Thou séest Lord with what winds with what storms this thy holy City is assaulted there be who are ready and bent to raze it oven to the foundations Have mercy therefore upon the inhabitants of this City O Lord and thou who hast promised to protect these Walls give the glory to thine own name And suffer not those thy enemies who have not known thée or do envy thy glory Vers. 5 continualiy to reproach thy name and triumph over thy people though they cry Down with it down with it to the ground yet do thou who art the most High establish and confirm it and never suffer the gates of Hell to prevail against it Many Glorious things are spoken of thee O thou City of God The Gates are of pearls the stréets of gold the light in it beyond that of the Sun so that the glory of it was far to excéed the old Temple The glory of any City is in the multitude of the inhabitants bring in hither all Nations and let them walk in the light of this City that they may be saved let the Kings of the Nations bring their glory and honour unto it Day and night let these gates stand open and let those of Rahab and Babylon enter by them and those who were born in Philistia and Tire with Ethiopia be regenerated and born again in her of water and of the Holy Ghost When thou shalt enrole and write up the names of thy Citizens in the book of life set it down in fair Characters that this Alien this Stranger from the Common-wealth of Israel was born in thy house And declare it to the whole world at the day of judgement that his portion shall be with thy natural children In the mean time establish unity and concord betwixt all Nations and let us live in such love and peace that there be no dissonancy no jarres no tumults among us but such an Harmony as is among those who with joyful hearts who with Songs and Musical Instruments sound forth thy praises In Zion are the Springs of living water In Zion are to be found the hid treasures of all knowledge In Zion alone are the cléer fountains of all content all joy Lord evermore refresh our thirsty souls with this water enrich out souls with this treasure Affect us with some degrée of this joy while we remain in this City below and give us full draughts of it when we shall be translated into that heavenly Jerusalem which is above through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. LXXXVIII THIS present Psalm expresseth to the life the sad case of an afflicted and a troubled soul complaining to God upon the vehemence of the disease and sense of death that he could feel no comfort Four parts of this Psalm 1. A Petition vers 1 2. 2. The cause of this Petition the misery he was in which he describes from vers 3. to 9. 3. The effect which this his miserable condition wrought upon him which was 1. A special Prayer vers 9 13. 2. An expostulation with God for deliverance vers 10 11 12. 4. A grievous Complaint from vers 14. to 18. 1. The first part His Petition grounded on four Arguments The Prophet offers his Petition but before he commenceth it he premiseth four Arguments that may perswade the admittance of it 1. His confidence and reliance on God O Lord God of my salvation Vers. 1 2. His earnestness to speed I have cryed 3. His assiduity in it Day and night 4. Yea and that sincerely Before thee And then he tenders his request for audience Let my prayer come before thee Vers. 2 encline thine ear unto my cry 2. And then next he sets forth the pitiful condition he was in The second part that thereby he might move God to take compassion which he amplifies divers wayes The sad condition he was in 1. From the weight and variety of his troubles many they were and press'd him to death For my soul is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh to the grave Vers. 3 2. From the danger of death in which he was which is illustrated by three degrees 1. That he was Moribundus no hope of life in him even by the estimate of all men I am counted with them that go down to the pit I am as a man that hath no strength 2. That he was planè mortuus but as a dead man Free among the dead Freed from all the business of this life as far seperate from them as a dead man 3. Yea dead and buried Like the slain that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more i.e. to care for in this life and they are cut off from thy hand i.e. thy providence thy custody as touching matters of this life 3. And yet he farther amplifies his sad condition by two Similitudes Which he amplifies by two Similitudes 1. Of a man in some deep dark Dungeon Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the deeps As was Jeremiah Cap. 37. 2. Of a man in a Wrack at Sea that is compassed with the waves to which he compares Gods anger Thy wrath lieth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves Vndaque impellitur unda The recourse of his troubles was perpetual one no sooner gone but another succeeded 2. And to add to this his sorrow his friends And over and above his friends afforded him no comfort Which he amplifies by an Auxesis whose visits in extremity use to alleviate the grief of a troubled soul even these proved perfidious and came not at him He had no comfort from them Which was Gods doing too the more was his grief The auxesis is here very elegant 1. Thou hast put away my acquaintance far from me Thou 2. Thou hast made me an abomination to them No less an abomination 3. I am shut up I cannot come forth As a man in prison I cannot come at them and they will not come to me 3. The effect of which grievous affliction was threefold 1. The third part The effects this wrought on him An internal grief and wasting of the body 2. An ardent affection in prayer And 3. An expostulation with his God 1. My eye mourns by reason of affliction An evidence it is that I am troubled and grieved to the heart 1 A wasting of the body that my eye droops and fails For when the animal and vital spirits suffer a decay the eye will quickly by her dimness deadness and dulness discover it 2. It produced an ardent affection a continuance 2 A fervency in prayer and assiduity in prayer which is here made evident by the adjuncts 1. His voice I have call'd dayly upon thee It was 1. Clamor 2. Assiduns 2. By the extension of his hands I have stretch'd out my hands to thee Men use to do so when they expect
2. He goes on For thy righteousness sake bring my soul out of trouble And that upon mercy Freedom he desires but still upon mercy 8. His last Petition is for the destruction of Satans Kingdom 1. Of thy mercies cut off my enemies 9 He petitions for the destruction of Satans Kingdom His reason and destroy all them that afflict my soul 2. His reason For I am thy servant a Client a Follower one under thy Protection and Patronage one of thy Family honoured with the dignity of thy servant and well contented to do my Duty and serve thee honestly therefore defend me and destroy my enemies for these in being mine are thy enemies The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and forty third Psalm being penitential O God Thou God of mercy and compassion Ver. 1 hear the prayer of an afflicted penitent soul and give ear to my humble supplications answer me O Lord in thy faithfulness and remit my sin in thy righteousness many promises I find thou hast made to a grieved spirit and to blot out the transgression of a returning sinner to which now in anguish of my spirit I lay claim Ver. 2 I believe thy promises I rely upon thy equity in performance of them as thou art then both faithful and just remit my sin Merits good God before thée I have none to plead I could produce a Bill loaden with a Mass of corruptions and rebellions these make me unworthy to approach thy presence and appear in thy sight O my God pity me for thy Names sake 〈…〉 thy own goodness sake and enter not into a severe account and reckoning with thy servant be not my adversary contend not in judgment with me for if thou shouldst call me to the Bar Ver. 3 I have nothing to put in against the dreadful sentence nothing of my own that can appease thy anger or abate the fury of one stroak of thy severe arm My case is the same with other men with all men when thou shalt call us to an account of our stewards place silent we must be as having nothing to say for our selves because in thy sight shall no man living be justified That enemy of Mankind hath persecuted my soul pursued me he hath with a whole storm of tentations and by these he hath smitten and wounded me and made me vile and contemptible in thy sight He hath so far prevailed Ver. 4 that I have fastned my affections on earth and earthly things Walked I have in the vanity of my mind my understanding hath béen darkned I have béen alienated from the life of God by ignorance and blindness of heart I became past séeling and gave my self over unto all lasciviousness working uncleanness with greediness and this hath brought me to the sad condition in which I am Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me and my heart within me is desolate shame and sorrow is upon me for so offending so gracious a God a stonishment and amazement possess my soul because I am destitute of thy comfort I put my mouth in the dust and my face in darkness and hate my self because I have yielded to that sin which I am sure that thou hatest just cause I have but yet I will not despair methinks as in thy servants from the beginning of the World Thou hast set me a pattern of repentance so thou hast prescribed me a remedy against desperation I remember then the dayes of old that Adam transgressed Ver. 5 and that thou graciously madest a promise unto him for the womans Seed to break the Serpents head that Noah was dronken and incestuous Moses refractery and disobedient Aaron â—â—olatrous and perverted by the people to sin to all which with infinite others when they turned unto thée by hearty repentance Thou gavest a pardon upon these monuments of thy mercy I will meditate upon these examples of thy grace I will muse and when I sée thy works of goodness in them and upon them encouraged I am to stretch forth my hands unto thée as hoping to receive the like savour and as a thirsly Land doth gape for the latter rain Ver. 6 so doth my soul hunger and thirst after thy righteousness as knowing well that without it my soul can neither be beautiful in thy eye nor yet fruitful in the works of piety or charity Hear me then gracious God spéedily and without delay for till thy grace descend Ver. 7 my spirit faints and fails hide not thy loving countenance from me any longer lest my heart become as cold as a stone within me and I be wholly comfortless and like them that go down into the pit cause me to hear of thy loving kindness and let the morning of thy grace comfortably shine upon me who have too long sate in the darkness of sorrow Ver. 8 for in thée alone is my confidence in thée my trust Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk Ver. 10 and teach me to do thy Will and let thy good Spirit lead me into the Land of righteousness Ver. 11 quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake and for thy righteousness sake bring my soul out of this agony and trouble Thou art my God and I lift up my soul unto thee deliver me O Lord from my enemies for I flie unto thee to hide me and of thy mercies cut off mine enemies and destroy all them that afflict my soul For thou art my Lord my Patron and I am thy Client and servant The seven following Psalms are Eucharists or Thanksgivings Hymns properly they are PSALM CXLIV An ode of David THis Psalm is of a mixt kind for in it is contain'd a thanksgiving A prayer And doctrine Interpreters are not agreed upon the occasion and time of the writing of it For some think being moved thereto by the Title that it was composed by David upon his victory over Goliah Others upon his victories after over the Philistines Ammonites c. Some again in the beginning of his reign before he was fully setled But be it as it will The parts of the Psalm are 1. A thanksgiving from vers 1. to 5. 2. A petition from vers 5. to 12. 3. A discussion of happiness and wherein it consists from vers 12. to the end 1. The first part He gives thanks In the beginning the Prophet gives thanks and praiseth God 1. He gives him thanks Blessed be the Lord. And he expresseth his reason Ver. 1 Which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight In general 1 For the Art of War God taught him Who hath taught me the Art of War In particular That taught my hands to use the sling and my fingers to choose the stones and direct them to the forehead of Goliah For this was Artis opus non virtutis Skill not strength which he taught me 2. Ver. 2 He praiseth God and that for many Titles He is my strength my goodness 2 Because his strength his goodness c.
voyces but one heart When the soul is pleased it is hereby dilated with joy and when it is sadned with godly sorrow it is hereby resolved into tears for a Psalm will fetch this water sometimes even from a heart of stone Aug. Confess 9.33 Professeth That he had so tender a heart that he melted into teats when he heard the Psalms sung in the Church of Milan and Musculus the like of himself at Auspurge Oh! the Wisdom of our heavenly Master who took care Ut eadem operâ cantemus res addiscamus That found a way to steal in his necessary Documents into our minds for that Doctrine which by violence and much difficulty is beat into us as easily slips out again and is forgotten but what 〈◊〉 drunk with delight and content stayes with us and is fixed in our memory Philoxenus was wont to say Carnes esse suavissimas non carnes pisces non pisces his meaning was That that flesh and fish had the best savour which were so delicately cooked and dressed that the sauce took away from them the natural Relish which might offend Precepts and Rules of Virtue and Piety have to humane palates but a harsh taste and they go down and are digested very hardly but being contrived into a Poem and conveyed into the ear by Musick the rigour and severity is much abated and we are pleased insensibly with the food by the Art with which it is seasoned God knew well our queasie and nauseous stomacks and therefore hath served us our Dyet in a Psalm Sect. Many good Precepts I have taught you many Rules of life out of Moses and the Prophets many Rules of Faith out of the Evangelists and Apostles More than these nine years I have spent my time in the preparation of this spiritual food but I fear me the meat hath been too strong or else your digestion hath not been so good as I desired so little fruit appears in your lives that there be who say you have little Faith Pudet haec opprobria nobis c. A shame it is that it should be objected but more a grief that it is not easie to answer it The Evil is spreading and the Disease very dangerous and I began to think how I might help it At last I thought to bring you the same meat in the Psalm of David and to try whether Faith and Repentance dressed up in Numbers might be effectual to amend your Lives and confirm your Belief These Hymns are yet left you to serve God these when you meet every Sabbath you read these when you come to this place you sing and it shall be the labour of my old Age that the Lessons which are here taught as well as the Musick and Meeter in which they are set forth be brought to your ears would I could say your hearts And thither they would be brought and there they would rest and have their effect could you but sing them with Davids spirit that is with a soul truly affected with what you read and what you sing Eadem est verborum sententia quocunque modo proferantur sed multum refert quo Spiritu quibus coram Deo proferuntur Affectibus Sect. Mirth sorrow hope and fear divide your lives and these are the Plummets of the soul that move it to honest actions Present a future evil men fear a present danger they grieve let good be present they rejoyce to come and they hope to attain it And it cannot be said how much power these have over the soul of man neither is it possible to contain them but they will break out My heart saith David was hot within me at last I spake with my tongue Psal 88. Sect. David was a man of much experience this way he had whereof to rejoyce wherefore to grieve he had sufficient cause to fear more to hope and as these passions took their turns so did his Psalms for now he rejoyceth sometimes he mourns one while he expresseth his Fear at another time his Hope and all in such pathetical Rhetorick that no Eloquence is able to come near it He sets himself before his God opens unto him all his secrets speaks of God to God with his God and poures forth his affections of Faith Hope and Love in such quick and powerful words that who shall lay them aside and make choice of his own shall find them waterish cold frozen I have lately seen some Meditations Vows Soliloquies of an afflicted soul composed with Davids spirit and Davids words and it makes my soul in my body become like melting wax Sect. That then we read or sing these Psalms with hard hearts and dry eyes it is because we want Davids affections we rejoyce not in God we grieve not that he is deported from us we fear not his Power and Majesty nor yet hope in the stedfastness of his Promises Quicken but your affections upon Davids grounds and you shall find there are no such prayers no such praises as these of David Never let any man fear that these words will not fit the affections of any pious and devout soul since an egge is not more like an egge nor a man a man than the Spirit of God is conformable to it self in all the Elect sons of God Have these words united Davids soul to God Have they made him familiar with Heaven Doubt not but they may have the same effect in you your confidence may be the more when you commence the same Petitions to the same God in the same words which he hath heard and granted already Doth he in these express his joy his grief his fear his hopes Be bold also to do the like and then expect the like effect But perhaps it may be said That they may be of singular use when the heart is dilated with joy and opened with that which pleaseth unfit they are altogether for a sad and oppressed soul for who shall sing who rejoyce who exult Is not this proper for chearful souls Is any man merry let him sing Psalms saith the Apostle James 5. What mirth can there be in pious men by which they are called upon to sing to God when they are obnoxious to so many storms of troubles such variety of temptation in this life that a man would think they should have little mind to sing any other Song than that of David Multae afflictiones Justorum and are Psalms fit for sorrow or mourning Quis enim ignorat musicam rebus tristibus parum accommodam All this is most true for no sad and sorrowful heart sings sweetly rather he mourns as a Dove and chatters as a Swallow he sighs he laments he grieves Neither do I deny that the best of Gods servants have alwayes sufficient reasons to water their Couch and bedew their cheeks with showres of tears When therefore they sing this is done out of experience or assured hope and both resolves them into mirth within A tryal they have of their Fathers
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
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
By an Apostrophe he speaks thus to himself Return unto thy rest O my soul Ver. 7 Hitherto thou hast been tost up and down among the waves and various winds of sorrowes doubts and despair and for a long time thou couldst find no Port or Haven wherein to be secure Now because those Tempests are over and Faith hath opened to thee a Harbour where thou mayest be safe be merry and joyful turn in or rather return to that Haven where thou hast heretofore found rest Return to thy rest O my soul 1. For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Ver. 8 he hath retributed to thee good for evil and as thou find'st by experience out of his immense goodness been present with thee and deliver'd thee from the sorrowes of death and hell 2. And then he turns his speech to God attributing to him the whole work 1. Thou hast delivered my soul from death The face of death and damnation was before me but thou hast removed and presented me with life 2. Thou hast delivered mine eyes from tears turned my heaviness into joy and wiped all tears from my eyes 3. Thou hast delivered my feet from falling When my infirmity is great and the Devil thrusts sore at me that I might fall Thou hast setled my feet that I may stand fast fight resist and not fall And this God doth for those who call on him and trust to him he frees them from the sorrowes of death and raiseth them to life he delivers from all sorrow and grief and will at last wipe all tears from their eyes Revel 21. And will give them not only a happy life but also secure that they never shall fall David expresseth upon the favour or be deprived of it they shall be possessed of joy rest eternal peace and quietness 2. David having expressed his sorrowes The second part and Gods goodness unto him in delivering him from them now professeth how ready he would be to do his Duty ever after 1. By his obedience 2. By a faithful confession of his mistake and future confidence 1. Careful he would be ever after to please God 1 His obedience I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living This life is both the Region of death and a land of the living there be those that are dead Ver. 9 who are yet alive viz. which live after the flesh they in this truly live which live after the Spirit David professeth that he would be one of these live the life of grace and serve his God in righteousness and holiness all the dayes of his life walk with God coram Domino as in the presence and eye of God as did Henoch and Noah 2. 2 His faith and confidence He professeth his faith whereon he did rely when he was humbled whereon he will rely if humbled again 1. Ver. 10 I believed and therefore have I spoken the Lord is gracious c. ver 5. Such a confidence came from the Spirit of faith not from any humane demonstration 2 Cor. 4.13 2. I was greatly afflicted that is I therefore believed because I relied not upon mine own thoughts but shewed my self very humble and docile to the Spirit of God that reveals such things to Babes Mat. 11. Or else David again comes over the struglings and doubtings he found in his soul 3 Luctam when he was in his agony betwixt faith and despair those sorrowes were not easily and suddenly quieted I was greatly afflicted even then when I spoke and protested that I did apprehend the promises Ver. 11 and call'd upon God retaining but some sparks of faith For I said in my haste all men are lyars which clause is diversly expressed 1. Moller For some make it an amplification of his former grief I was so amazed and overwhelmed with sorrow that when I found no help I was ready to despair and if any man went about to comfort me with Gods promises I said in my haste all men are lyars as if he should have said Let them say what they will I will not believe them God hath no care of me I am cast out of the sight of his eyes 2. Bellarmine Others refer these words to that clause before the land of the living of which many speak great matters They talk of happiness and felicity in this life but whatsoever they speak of it there is no truth in their words every man is but a lyar that placeth felicity in these decaying and mortal things for true happiness is not to be found but in the land of the living after this life in excessu mentis in an extasie or a heavenly rapture I said this 3. Musculus Some refer the words to Absolon that deceived David by his Vow at Hebron or to Achitophel that revolted from him or to Ziba that brought him a lye of Mephibosheth of whom he might say truly that they were lyars 4. Tremellius Junius Some conceive that in these words he taxeth even Samuel himself that he spoke not by Gods Spirit but came of his own head and was sway'd by humane passion when he anointed him King over Israel of which being persecuted by Saul he saw so little hopes and that for his pains he was but a lyar But the first sense is most coherent with the words Now for the truth of the Axiom All men are lyars It is not so to be understood as if no man could ever speak truth for even a lyar may sometimes speak that which is true But that all men are obnoxious to lying and may possibly erte if they speak of themselves and mov'd by humane affections whereas God cannot lye nor any that are moved to speak by his Spirit 3. The third part Henceforth to the end of the Psalm is set down Davids gratitude or his thankfulness What shall I render to the Lord Ver. 12 for all his benefits toward me As if he had said I acknowledge the benefits that God hath bestowed upon me are many and great Gratitudo Davidis he hath deliver'd my soul from the sorrowes of death and hell 1 De modo agendi deliberat Fig. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath redeem'd me from my iniquity he hath quieted my heart and hath made good his promises to me neither is there a desire to shew my self thankful wanting in me but how now shall I do it what shall I return unto him And when he had cast about and found that he had nothing that was fit to give he professeth only that he would give thanks this only he could and these he would return which he knew to God was the best payment 1. I will take the Cup of salvation Here Interpreters vary Ver. 13 what is to be understood by the Cup of salvation He would bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Definit statuit quid acturus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The most refer it to the
the Amoritish Kings and the thirty one Kings of Canaan He smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings as for example Ver. 10 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Ver. 11 And gave away their land for an heritage Ver. 12 an heritage unto Israel his people All which is evident out of the books of Numb Deut. Joshua 5. The fifth part For this he extols God To the commemoration of the revenge that God took upon the enemies of his people and the benefits he bestowed on them he adds a conclusion formed into an Epiphonima in which he first extols Gods name and then shews his mercy to his people 1. Thy Name O Lord endures for ever i. e. for these thy wonderful works 2. And thy memorial throughout all generations Thy memory thy fame the remembrance of thy Acts shall flourish and remain to all posterity 2. And the reason is drawn from his mercy which excites us also to praise him 1. And shews his mercy to his people For the Lord will judge his people The world judgeth them forsaken but he is their keeper and defender and will judge their cause and at last take revenge on their persecutors and deliver them 2. And he will repent himself concerning his servants Though he punisheth his dearest children yet he will be at last entreated be propitious and kind and remove his heavy hand Psal 136.23 6. The sixth part 2. God above all gods The Prophet hath proved that God is absolutely great in himself which he proposed vers 5. And now he proves the second part of his proposition that our Lord is above all gods For being compared to the Idols of the Heathen he far exceeds them They were Divels not gods they the work of mens hands made of earthy materials they could not infuse life sense reason into their images as God did into his image man they nor saw nor heard nor moved For he shews their vanity divers ways And shews the vanity of Idols 1. From their matter wherof they were made The Idols of the beathen are silver and gold Ver. 15 2. From the efficient cause their makers men The work of mens bands 3. From their impotence from performing any act of life They have mouths but they speak not eyes they have but they see not They have ears but they hear not neither is there any breath in their mouths 4. From the sortishness and misery of those that worship them They that make them are like unto them Ver. 18 so is every one that trusteth in them The makers are blind mute deaf understand nothing at all who suppose that they can make gods And they that trust in them more sotrish that think a stone can help them 7. The seventh part In the last part he invites all the true worshippers of God to praise him because they are lively images of the living God they see they hear they speak they understand That therefore all praise God and therefore they praise that God from whom they the faculty of living hearing speaking seeing and understanding To this he invites 1. All Israel Bless the Lord O house of Israel 2. Ver. 19 Then the Priests Bless the Lord O house of Aaron 3. The Levites Bless the Lord O house of Levi. 4. Lastly of all the Laity Ye that fear the Lord bless the Lord. To which he adds his own vote concluding with this Epiphonima 1. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion where he shews his presence by the Ark. 2. Which dwelleth at Jerusalem who though he be every where by his Essence and presence yet peculiarly dwells in his Church by his inhabiting Spirit Let the Citizens of Zion and Jerusalem never cease to bless him The Hymn and Prayer collected from the One hundred and thirty fifth Psalm O Omnipotent God all we thy servants now gathered together in thy Spirit to blesse thy name and here met in the Courts of the house of our God to praise thee Ver. 1 do acknowledge that we have instnite reasons to pay this debt to thy divine Majesty For we know O Lord that thou art good good absolutely in thy self and gracious unto us and that all our goodnesse is as nothing in comparison of thee We know again that to sing praises unto thee is a pleasant thing and therefore our heart shall be glad when we send forth prayses unto thee with joyful lips Wee know also that thou art great and far above all Gods Thy benefits are innumerable not only which thou hast conferd upon thy chosen people thy Israel who is thy pecultar treasure but even which with a full hand thou hast poured forth upon all mankind For in heaven the earth the seas and in all deep places thou hast done whatsoever thou pleasedst Thou so orderest the clouds the vapours the lightning winds and rain that they may be obedient to thee and serviceable for the use and sustenance of man And when thou hast in thy power the hearts of all Kings and Princes thou so bendest them as may make most for the good and saidation of thy people upon them thou revengest their wrongs and deliverest in due time thy chosen people from their power and oppression Egypt the Amorites and Canaanites felt thy power whom thou smotest in thy anger plaguest and slew in thy wrath and gavest away their Land for an heritage even for an heritage to Israel thy people Thy Name O Lord endureth for ever Ver. 13 and thy memorial through all generations and therefore our hope which is grounded upon thy promises is thereby confirmed and increased that though thou art risen up in judgment against thy people yet at last it will repent thée concerning thy servants O merciful God arise we beséech thée and behold the miseries and calamities of thy poor servants and deal not with us according to the merit of our iniquities Pardon our offences and let it repent thée of the evil thou hast brought upon us We have liv'd unworthy of thy Name unworthy of our Vocation yet at last break the force of the Devil and his instruments and repress their pride and boldness that we be not compelled to fall down and worship the imaginations of their own brains which are little better than the Idols of the Heathens that nor saw nor spake nor heard nor understood Which mercy if thou will grant us then all that fear the Lord both Priest and people the whole house of Aaron of Levi and all Israel shall have just occasion to bless the Lord and say Blessed be the Lord out of Zion which dwelleth at Jerusalem Allelujah PSAL. CXXXVI THIS Psalm is of the same Argument that the former For in it all men are call'd upon to praise God for his greatness and goodness his providence and mercy in creating governing and ordering the world but especially his love shew'd to his people the Church All which works because they proceeded from his Mercy therefore
for our former ingratitude and forgive this great sin of thy people once more let thy light shine amongst us and do for us O Iehovah the Lord for thy Names sake because thy mercy is good deliver us Thou art the mighty Iehovah Thou then canst and thy mercy is great and therefore we hope thou wilt do it for us we plead no merit we ask it not for any desert but méerly for thy Names sake for we are assured that by the doing of it thy Name will be magnified thy Clemency thy Goodness thy Faithfulness in defence of thy Church and thy Iustice in executing vengeance upon the enemy will be exalted and celebrated Our condition O Lord at this time is very low poor we are and men of a troubled spirit néedy we are being robb'd and outed of our worldly Goods Ver. 22 our heart is wounded within us in a sharp and true compunction for our rebellions against Heaven drawing we are to our last home as the shadow that at Even departs and yet we can have no rest but are tost up and down from Herod to Pilate from Pilate to Herod as the Locust we have chastised ou◠soul with fasting till our knees are weak and our flesh is worn away for want of fatness And yer all this we could digest with patience were it not for the opprobrious language and usage we sustain from them it wounds our hearts and pierceth our souls that we should become a reproach to them when they these mockers of Religion these wolves in shéeps cloathing these monsters of men destitute of all humanity and piety looked upon us in our affliction so far they were from remembring to shew mercy That they persecuted us whom thou hadst smitten they shaked their heads at us and cryed Ah thou wretch Arise help us O Lord our God O save us according to thy mercy They blasphemously entitle thée to all their Actions they impute all to thy Providence ashamed they are not to declare That thou art pleased with all their enormities But O our God arise and in thy good time make them know That they were but thy Rod and thy Scourge that the blowes they gave were from thee and so many as thou pleasest in which they ought to take small content that it was thy hand thus for their sins to chastise thy people and that thou Lord hast done it and that being done Thou wilt take them and cast them into the fire Let them then O Lord curse Let them speak evil as they do of us let them vlaspheme and account us the off-scouring of the World out-casts and a spectacle to men and Angels But do thou O Lord bless bless thy people bless thine inheritance They arise against us but let them be ashamed and astonished that all their plots are frustrate and brought to naught Let our Adversaries be cloathed with shame and cover and enwrap themselves with their own confusion as with a Mantle This at the last day will be certainly done when they shall desire if possible to fly from the presence of the Almighty whereas thy servants then with great boldness shall stand in the presence of the Almighty and lift up their heads and rejoyce O Gracious God defend and help thy poor Church stand at the right hand of every one that is poor in spirit and of an humble heart save him from those that would condemn his soul So will we greatly praise the Lord with our mouths yea we will praise thee among the multitude in all the Churches of the Saints with great affections and many Jubilees we will honour thy Name and sound forth thy praise through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CX Propheticus de Regno Christi THIS Psalm is short in words but copious and deep in Mysteries the Subject of it without doubt is Christ which no Christian can deny since both St. Peter Acts 2.34 and St. Paul Hebr. 1.13 expounds it of Christ and Christ applieth it to himself Matth. 22.44 In this then Christ is described as a King and a Priest In it are to be considered 1. Christs Kingdom in the three first verses 2. His Priesthood in the fourth fifth sixth and seventh 1. The first part Christ a King As touching his Kingdom the Prophet first acquaints us with his Person 2. His Power and the Acquisition of it 3. The Continuance of it 4. The Execution of it first over his enemies and secondly over his own people which is the sum of the three first verses 1. The Person that was here to reign was Davids Lord 1 His Person his Son according to the flesh but his Lord as equal to God Phil. 2.6 7. As made flesh Ver. 1 the Son of David as born of a Virgin the Son of David but as Emmanuel the Lord of David which the Jewes not understanding could not answer Christs question Mat. 22.45 2. As for his Power the Authour of it was God The Lord said to my Lord. 2 His Power The Lord said said it that is Decreed it from everlasting And said it again when he made it known The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head 3. And of this Kingdom as I may so say he then took Possession 3 His Inauguration to his Kingdom at his Ascension when the Lord said unto him Sit at my right hand Christ as the Son of God was ever at Gods right hand equal with him in Might and Majesty but as Man was not exalted to this honour before his glorious Ascension Acts 2.34 Ephes 1.20 Phil. 2.8 This then was the day of Inauguration to his Kingdom 4. For the continuance of it It is to be donec 4 The continuance of his Kingdom which notes not a piece of time but a perpetuity Sit till I make all thy enemies thy foot-stool Sit he shall at Gods right hand that is in power and glory till he shall say to all Tyrants and Hereticks and Hypocrites and Antichrists Depart from me Mat. 25. Yet not so as if he were to be dethron'd then but till then he shall reign in a secret manner for now though he executes his Power yet it is not seen Tyrants acknowledge it not But when once all his enemies shall be made his foot-stool then he shall openly and visibly Rule Sitting at his Fathers right hand for evermore Bellarmine interprets it well Go on to reign neither desist to propagate and enlarge thy Kingdom by converting men to faith and obedience until there be not an enemy alive not a man which will not bow his knee to thy Name till all Opponents be beaten down 5. The beginning of this Kingdom was in Zion 5 The beginning of his Kingdom in Zion The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Zion 1. The Rod of his power and strength was his Scepter and his Scepter is his Word the Gospel the Wisdom of God 1 Thes 2.13 Ver. 2 The Sword of the Spirit
Ephes 6.17 The mighty power of God unto salvation For the Gospel began to be preach'd in Zion Rom. 1.16 Able to cast down c. 2 Cor. 10.5 2. And this was to be sent out of Zion Isa 2.3 Micah 4.2 It behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again the third day that repentance and remission of sins be preached in his Name to all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.47 The sound of the Apostles words went into all Lands but at Zion it was and must be first heard Acts 13.46 Acts 1.8 6. And now the Prophet comes to the execution of his power 6 The execution of his power which was either over his enemies or his good Subjects 1. As for that over his enemies 1 Over his enemies that converted or confounded he ushers it in with a Vote and Acclamation Dominare Rule thou in the midst of thy enemies converting such enemies as appertain to Gods Election and confounding such enemies as are the sons of Perdition Now 1. These are the greatest number for the Church however it be propagated and increased yet is in the midst of enemies of Jewes Turks Infidels Hereticks c. 2. Dominare then be thou Ruler go on and set up the standard of thy Cross in the midst of these Pagans and will they nill they yet erect thy Kingdom 2. For thy good Subjects they are easily dealt withall Ver. 3 there needs not any harsh dealing to subdue them and bring them to 2 Over his good Subjects which are a willing people and continue them in obedience 1. For thy people shall be willing not enforc'd by compulsion but coming in upon love They confluunt they will flow together as water which runs downward by a natural inclination Isa 2. and will bring free-will offerings 2. Upon grace offer'd them But yet not before thy grace hath wrought upon their hearts Tracti sequentur in the day of thy power i. e. in the dayes of thy solemn Assemblies in the dayes of thy Gospel when thou shalt send forth thy Apostles to preach and by preaching to collect and constitute thy Kingdom then they will shew themselves to be a willing people and in pure devotion and chearful obedience they will do their homage to thee their King 3. 3 And a holy people The third quality of this good people is That they be holy For some read the words thus They shall offer free-will offerings with an holy worship our last Translators point it somewhat otherwise for they read The people shall be willing in the day of thy power There they pause and read on thus In the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning The Vulgar in splendoribus sanctorum Moller in ornatibus sanctis and stops there Tremellius in decoris sanctitatis But let the reading be as it will agreed for ought I perceive all Expositors are That holiness must be an eminent and resplendent Ornament of Christs good Subjects 4. Which holiness is from grace Which Sanctity yet these good people have not from themselves it is by some secret and efficacious work of the Spirit They shall worship in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth This is a very difficult place and the rendring of it is so various so perplexed so alter'd by the several pointing of it that it increaseth the difficulty for full satisfaction if it be given by any I refer you to the Translators and Expositors The sense of these words inquired into Three opinions I find about the words The Fathers expound them of Christ himself The later Divines of his people that were willing to serve him which indeed is most likely and will best consist and cohere with the sense of the former words But those that expound them Expounded of Christ and apply them to Christ run not one way neither Some suppose the Prophet speaks of his Godhead some of his Manhood some of his Gifts and Graces Thus they open themselves 1. The Prophet say they Notes out here Christs eternal Generation before all Worlds following the Septuagints Translation that reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the womb that is of mine own Essence saith the Father to the Son before the morning Star that is before there was Light or Star which was the first Creature i. e. before the World was I have begotten thee or Thou hast the dew of thy youth that is thy Nativity or Birth 2. Others apply the words to Christs Nativity of the Virgin Mary and open thus their meaning From the womb of the morning that is the Virgin Thou hast the dew of thy youth i. e. Thy birth which birth is therefore compared to dew because as a celestial dew the Son of God sent from Heaven was at his Incarnation conceived in the Virgins womb without the seed of man 3. Others yet applying them to Christ expound the words of the fulness of those dewes as it were of Gifts and Graces with which his Humanity was invested and beautified even from the womb which is also very true for he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy one from the womb and even then received those Gifts and Graces in an abundant and plentiful manner without measure which he after communicated by portions to his Church For of his Fulness it is that we receive He was anointed with the oyle of gladness above his Fellowes but yet for his Fellowes 4. Of the Church his people Now this Interpretation as I conceive gave occasion to our Modern Expositors to apply the words not to the Messias nor to the plenitude of Grace in him but to our new Birth and the Graces then bestowed upon his Subjects and people By their Youth they understand their Regeneration by the Dewes the Graces then bestowed on them which they have not from the will of man nor from the will of the flesh but of God or as the Prophet phrases it from the womb of the morning As if the Holy Ghost had said By the preaching of thy Word thou shalt bring forth a people not only good but great whose increase shall be so plentiful and wonderful as the drops of the morning dew For as the dew that secretly falls from Heaven abundantly covers and refresheth the Earth so thy power regenerating the hearts of men by thy Gospel and secret operation of thy Spirit distilling as the dew and as the showers upon the herbs is that immortal Seed by which an incredible number of children are begotten to God How properly may it be said to and of every regenerate man from the womb of the morning that is not from thy self or any other womb but from above from the Spirit of God Thou hast the dew those sweet and comfortable dewes of grace which do better and beautifie thy youth thy new birth thy youthful and lively condition in Christianity hence is thy birth thy