may bee compassed about with that brazen wall of a good conscience and secured from the censures of uncharitable men as Mithridate is made of the viper so let us make that to bee our Antidote which is here spoken by those that had sharpened their tongue like a serpent Psal 140 3 judging our selves that wee may not be condemned by them In the time of prosperity let this bee ever sounding in thine eares Where is thy God And thou shalt bee kept from wrath and misery when they do wound thine heart while they continually say unto thee Where is thy God Had Eve thought upon these words they would have bin an ornament of grace unto her head and chaines about her necke Shee would not have beleeved the father of lyes before the God of truth but for want thereof shee miscarriâ—d by eating that forbidden fruite for which her soule longed Had David thought upon these words being on the roofe of his house hee would have said as hee did at another time The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke Then would he not have defiled himselfe with her that was purified from her uncleannesse Neither should these his enemies have said unto him Where is thy God And although this affliction be grievous for the present yet wee receive many benefits thereby which may bee sufficient to deterre an evill speaker from that outrage Thereby wee are put in minde to examine our selves and to humble our soules for our former sinnes We know they could not speak thus without Gods permission Wee hope that the Lord will requite good for their cursing We mourn before him wee duely consider his dealing with us and fervently pray to be set at liberty as David when they spake thus unto him he had teares for his meate hee remembred these things and hee powred out his soule in him VERSE IIII. When I remember these things I powre out my soule in me FOrmerly hee powred out his teares and now hee powreth out his soule For as the body without the spirit is dead so our teares without the soule are dead also Wee know that young Ptolomy being in Cesars custody he wept before him Regius animus disciplinis failacisâ—imiâ— cruditus Hirt. But when hee was dismissed hee warred against him So there be too many that while they be under the rod of correction doe lament greatly feeling present anguish and fearing future torment But being set at liberty they return to their pollutions which sheweth plainly that though they shed many teares they did not with holy David powre out their soules Hee remembred the reproach of the wicked for how could hee forget that which was so often objected against him and this made his soule melt for heavinesse Psal 119.28 Iob 30.16 and be powred out upon him as Iob speaketh Hee remembred his happy estate which compared with the misery now suffered did augment his sorrow Lam. 2.19 and made him powre out his heart like water before the face of the Lord as Ieremiah doth counsell And hee hoped to bee restored unto his former joy and to finde comfort by prayer and therefore hee powred out his soule before the Lord as Hannah practised 1. Sam. 1.15 And hee was inlarged by trusting in Gods mercies Hee received a twofold benefit by considering the dayes of old the yeares of ancient times The one was to sustaine him in his trouble Psal 77.5.10 by remembring the yeares of the right hand of the most High who had dealt bountifully with him Heb. 11.21 And as Iacob worshipped leaning upon the top of his staffe So he in this weak estate did repose himselfe upon the grace and favour of the Almighty The other was to makâ—â—â—â—e sinnes to be as detestable unto him as they were abominable before God by calling to minde how gracious the Lord had beene towards him how unworthily hee had requited the Lords goodnesse and how great blessings hee had lost by the sinnes hee committed For I had gone with the multitude even with all the house of Israel being of one heart and of one minde But now I am constrained to flee with my houshold with strangers and exiles I went with them to the house of God But now I goe from the house of God Nor dare I suffer Zadok who should be a Seer to carry the Arke which ought to abide in the city with mee in this my private condition lest that anger of the Lord which smote Uzzah bee kindled against mee also I went with the voice of joy and praise playing upon all maner of instruments with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet blessing the people in the name of the Lord But now we weepe and have our heads covered I went with a multitude that kept holy-day unto whom I gave bread flesh and wine Yea I danced before the Lord and offered burnt offerings peace offerings But now I may feare that I am appointed as a sheepe for the slaughter and that the Lord will have no delight in me In this disconsolate estate hee flyes unto God by prayer And as he powred out his complaint before the Lord when hee was pursued by Saul Psal 142.2 and was delivered so now hee powred out his soule and thereby became more imâ—râ—gâ—â—ble than hee should â—ave beene by abiding in the strong hold of Zion Having found such safety therein he commends the use thereof unto others Trust in him at all times yee people Pâ—â—l â—1 8 Powre out your heart before him God is a refuge for us In the time of trouble wee must renounce all strength and worthinesse of our owne and then God will have mercy upon us Wee must empty our selves that so wee may be filled with heavenly comfort How glorious things are spoken of Prayer in the holy Scripture Moses would not let God alone untill hee had quenched that wrath which waxed hot against the Israelites Exod. 3â— 10 Iacob would not â—et Him goe Gen 32 28. untill hee had obtained a blessing and was â—â—â—refore called Israâ—l It is â—â—ported of Archimedes â—hat hee vainely presumed by â—is art hee could move the whole earth if he might have beene lifted up from it But wee know assuredly that righteous Elijah being cast downe upon the earth 1. King 18 4â— did move the heavens themselves Iam. 5 7. hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine Hee prayed againe and the heaven gave raine So that prayer may bee compared to the ladder which Iacob saw in his dreame Gen. 28.12 It was set upon the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the Angels ascending and descending on it By prayer men made a little lower than the Angels doe ascend and the Angels doe descend for our protection to pitch their tents about us As Ionathan climbed up the sharpe rocke and subdued his enemies 1. Sam. 14.13 So by prayer wee overcome principalities and powers
can the Lord stay the course thereof Psal 74 15. Hee dryeth up mighty rivers So that in our greatest necessity wee may bee to seeke when our goods which we thought to be our chiefest good shall deale by us as those brookes did by the troups of Tema Iob. 6.17 what time they waxe warme they vanish when it is hot they are consumed out of their place But let us grant their request which is the desire of the most the most they do desire that they may possesse great plenty of all things during their life yet even therein do they deceive their owne soules Their greedy desires being more boundlesse than the sea which hath it's limits how farre it shall passe whereas they are never satisfied untill death robs them of all And that which is added unto them Cum plenâ— aquâ sint sitiunt semper Alex. Aphrod is but as so much drink â—o him that hath the dropsie to increase his thirst The more wood is heaped on the fire is the greater and their covetous appetite increaseth with their meanes Also though for the present their thirst doth seeme to be allayed yet will it be like the use of snow-water coole and pleasing at the instant Tabemque morbos sensim vâ—â—cenbus â—â—seminaâ—â— A. Cell but ingendring manifold diseases Their wealth which seemed most delightfull will prove a cause of sorrow and anguish unto them When they are in perplexity their estate may be like his Pompâ—ius cum tot â—â—umina possideret mendicavit stillicidia Sence who had the royalty of many rivers and yet was driven to beg a few drops of water So they notwithstanding all their treasures will bee compelled to sue for inward consolation and yet finde the doore shut against them Offer unto that man which is thirsty the best provision of meate and hee will reject it as unprofitable unto him onely give him drinke and his spirit will come againe as Sampsons did Iudg. 15.19 and he shall be revived And therefore well might Saul have a cruse of water together with the speare at 1. Sam. 26.21 his bolster shewing that the one was as needfull to sustaine life as the other to defend it In the greatest exigent when our strength is dryed up like a pot-sheard Psal 22.15 32.4 and our moisture is turned into the drought of summer who can relieve us but God alone what can refresh us but onely this water of life Then let my tongue cleave to the roofe of my mouth rather than I should thirst after any thing but the God of my salvation How intolerable a torment thirst is there is none but have had sufficient experience Our Saviour chose to expresse the paines of hell by the torture which the tongue hath in extremity of a burning ague And here the sick man commeth to be cured Flagrat incensum siti cor Senec. in Thyest whose disease is like a fire in his bones whose bowels are burnt like an hearth whose heart is melted like waxe Then doth he implore the helpe of man Vbi definit medicus incipit theologus Psal 146.3 Quae sitaeque nocent arâ—es cessêre magistri Virgil. Cadunt medentes morbus auxilium trabit Senec. for to proceed otherwise is a methode unknowne to the world and thought to be ominous But there is no helpe in the sonne of man his breath goeth forth and he returneth to his earth Unto whom it may in vaine be said Physitian heale thy selfe As not being able to obtaine deliverance from that anguish which himselfe endureth At last some better helpe is required at which time that saying of the Apostle is true If in this life onely I have hope I am of all men most miserable Unlesse thy soule can finde ease by thirsting for God thy fever is come to torment thee before the time There 's no other remedy but only the sure mercies of David even in death it selfe to thirst for the living God who giveth unto all men the life wee now have who giveth unto King David and to us as Kings 1. King 1.31 that life which is for ever In this my proceeding I finde the poore man desiring drinke to quench his thirst I cannot passe by one in so great misery but with the good Samaritan I must make provision for him Luk. 10.34 Dost thou live in penury and sorrow Know that Christ himselfe did drinke of the brooke in the way Psal 110.7 that is suffered manifold afflictions in this life Art thou denyed reliefe for thy body There is no new thing happened unto thee Did not a woman refuse to give water unto Christ Iohn 4. being wearied with his journey And before that Nabal rejected David Shall I take my water and give unto men whom I know not whence they be 1. Sam. 25.11 And therefore well might Dives that Nabal in the Gospel be denied a drop of water seeing hee denyed to succour those in want But though the hearts of men be hardened 2. Sam. 24.14 Isai 41.17 55.1 the mercyes of the Lord are great who calleth him to the waters that hath no money who giveth liberally Iam. 1 5. and upbraideth not as man often doth who calleth not many mighty noble but hee sendeth the springs into the vallies Psal 104.10 hee causeth the precious dew of heavenly comforts to rest upon those that are lowest and meanest in this world And if the deniall of ordinary water hath beene esteemed so great an indignity Virgil. petiit a Nolanis aquam nomen urbis ex carmine suo derasit A Gell. then how should we esteeme of Gods bounty towards us Ic circo nimirum hoc dicta es nomine Nola Noluâ—ris magnis quod placuisse viris Sanuazar in giving the waters of life without money and without price O that we were as sensible of the drought of the soule as we are of the body then should our soules thirst for God for the living God who hath promised not to forsake the poore needy When they seeke water and there is none their tongue faile for thirst Isai 41.17 I the Lord will heare them And if it be so great a benefit to shew the fountaine unto those that bee thirsty Beneficâ—â—m â—st arentibus siâ— sonâ—em â—sten leâ—e Senec. Then returne returne why will yee dye O yee house of Israel All those that have forsaken God and his true Church wherein is the fountaine of living waters and have hewed out cisternes Ier. 2.13 broken cisterns that can hold no water Come againe and yee shall be satisfied with the breasts of consolation 1. Sam 30.11.12 and as that Egyptian by eating of bread and drinking of water found his spirit to come againe to him so you by the use of the Word and Sacraments shall finde the holy Spirit to come into you Come now and let us reason together Shall the soule of holy David
Gods presence Hee whose musicke was so coelestiall did he not first bring his instruments into tune and then praise the Lord upon them Psal 26 6. Hee first washed his hands in innocency then did compasse thine Altar O Lord. There bee many that doe lend their bodily presence but doe not give their soules unto God Some that have not entred into Iobs covenant with their eies and they gaze after vanity others that minde earthly things and they rob God of his honour making the house of prayer a denne of theeves Mat. 21.13 And â—hough Christ when he came as Man did correct those money-changers with the rods of men onely making a scourge of small coards to drive them out of the Temple Iohn 2.15 yet at his second comming hee will whip them with scorpions even with that woâ—me of conscience which never dyeth How shall any sinner presume to appeare before the Lord before whom all things are naked and manifest unlesse he resolve to abandon all wickednesse Hee seeth thee as if thou wert then acting thine hainous sinnes And if the Lord did threaten to punish a secret sin before all Israel before the sun 2. Sam. 12.12 then how terrible wil he be in taking vengeaÌ„ce upon those daring presumptuous sinners who make that most holy place a stage of wickednes a cage of all uncleannes Therefore let us renounce all sinne and with Cornelius present our selves before God to heare all things commanded of God Let me not seeme uncharitable I would be sorry to offend the least of those little ones There bee some that desire frequently to come and appeare before God which is a good gift and commeth downe from the Father of lights But then you must take heed lest that tares grow up in lieu of the good seed If any shall think the worke done that is being present in the Congregation to be a worke meritorious it proceeds from that old leaven of popery and must bee purged out So often as God suffereth thee to appeare hee giveth another talent which being well used will further thine accompt but otherwise increaseth thy condemnation Thinke that which thou hearest to bee of the nature of a prophecy which is never fulfilled but by thy practice Be not like he blinded horse that goeth â—lwayes in the same compasse 2. Tim. 3 7. It is good to bee ever lea ning but it is most dangerous to bee never able to come to the knowledge of the truth and if not to the knowledge then much lesse to the practice of it Though custome in sinning takes away the sense of sinne yet let not our ill doing of good have the same bad effect Cursed will hee be that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and a surfet by the abuse of Gods blessings must needs bee mortall The continuall sound of the Word hath beene like the Catadupes of Nilus to make us deafe And the frequent usâ— of it hath rebated the edge of our affection so that wee doe not hearken unto the Lord though the Lord hath beene pleased to hearken unto us As yet the Lord hath been slow to anger and plenteous in mercy Mal. 3.16 not rewarding us according to our iniquities Psal 103. For a long time we have enjoyed this freedome to come and appeare before God The Word hath continued as long as man liveth the years of the Gospel have beene threescore yeares and tenne and if those yeares be made up fourescore wee must wonder at the Lords mercy Now is the acceptable time and the day of salvation So long as wee have this blessing to approach into his presence there is hope of pardon and reconciliation Esther 7 8. 6.13 but if once our faces bee covered as Hamans was that we may not appeare before the King of Kings wee may feare that prediction of Zeresh will be fulfilled in us Ne amplius faciem regis videret ut sicbat apud Persas ris qui à gratiâ regis exciderant Iun. Wee shall not prevaile but shall surely fall into woe and misery It is true that God sometimes denieth this liberty unto his beloved children as here unto David that they cannot joyne with the assembly but then they are uncessant in their prayers to be restored and enlarged and their hearts are the more inflamed with the love of God and they learne more highly to prize those blessings which before were offered unto them As the Church refused to open unto Christ when hee knocked Cant 5.6 but after he had withdrawne himselfe shee sought him with all diligence And thus God prepares a table for us in the wildernes and relieves us in our greatest necessity Wee may see what assurance David had in saying When shall I come hee doth not say I shall never come but beleeveth there will bee a time of comfort Psal 27.4 when hee shall inquire in the Temple Nor is it without cause that hee so much desireth to appeare before God having ever found his eare open unto his prayer As for Saul the Lord was angry with him and would not answer him neither by dreames 1. Sam. 28.5 23 2 4 11 12 30.8 nor by Urim nor by Prophets but when soever David inquired of the Lord he received a gracious answer which made him say How amiable are thy tabernacles Blessed are they that dwell in thy house Psal 84. for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand and hee was glad when they said unto him 122.1 Let us goe into the house of the Lord yea in his greatest agony after hee had laine all night upon the earth and his head both was and seemed to be as a fountaine of teares even then in the beginning of comfort he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped before hee would eate any bread 2. Sam. 12.20 And now when he fled from his sonne he thought it the best testimony of Gods love that he might come and appeare before him 2. Sam. 15.25 If I finde favour in the eyes of the Lord hee will bring me againe and shew mee both the Arke and his habitation And although he were prohibited from building of the materiall Temple yet had hee dedicated his body being the Temple of the holy Spirit 1. Cor. 6.19 unto the service of God And hee erected a Church in his house wherein all the vessels were holy Rom. 16.5 for none that wrought deceit might dwell therein Psal 101.7 and there also God was honoured And lastly hee set up a Basilica a building well beseeming such a King when hee and all the house of Israel did bring the Arke into Zion which was an assurance of Gods presence among the people Wherefore let the same minde bee in you Philip. 2.5 which was in David and in Christ himselfe Psal 16.8 who foresaw the Lord alwaies before his face Act. 2.25 Let thy closet
everlasting weight of glory wherefore acknowledge this to bee thine infirmity rebuke and smite thy selfe saying Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in mee It must not bee denied that the soule is sometime disquieted when wee are not able to give any reason of it But then it behoveth us to make strict inquisition into our selves and to see if there bee any root of evill Iosh 7. like Achans wedge which is the cause of our trouble If there bee any Ionas lurking in the bottome which may be sufficient not only to cast downe the soule but also to cast away the soule by a tempest of Gods wrath When we find our selves to bee innocent from great offences and acquitted from regarding iniquity wee must with patience wait upon the Lord How unsearchable are his iudgements Rom. 11. verse 33.34 and his wayes past finding out For who hath knowne the minde of the Lord Iob. 11. Loe hee goeth by me and I see him not Hee passeth on also but I perceive him not Behold hee taketh away Deut. 32.39 who can hinder him Hee woundeth and hee healeth hee bringeth low and hee lifteth up Shall wee receive good at the hand of the Lord Iob 2.10 and shall wee not receive evill Have wee learned to abound and be full of spirituall comfort Phil. 4.11 and have we not learned to suffer need and be abased in the sense of our wants and confession of our unworthinesse who are lesse than the least of all his mercies God will have us to see that wee are not able to merit any of his blessings which are wholly in his own disposing It is not in man that walketh Ier. 10 23. to direct his steps There may bee many devices in his heart neverthelesse the counsell of the Lord that shall stand Pro. 19.21 Also wee must know that wee are now in our passage through the vast wildernesse of this troublesome world unto the heavenly Canaan And we were of all men most miserable if our greatest comforts were not reserved for a better life God doth first cast us downe and then raise us up to a glorious estate Though wee walke in the midst of trouble hee will revive us Light is sowne for the righteous Psal 138.7 97.11 and gladnesse for the upright in heart That which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye first 1. Cor. 15. verse 36. So although wee seeme to be without the life of ioy yet we hope to reape everlasting consolation As sorrowfull wee alwayes reioyce 2. Cor. 6.10 There is an outward apparence of griefe There is an inward substance of true ioy But I may well desist from speaking of this sadnesse whereof wee can give no reason when there are so many causes of heavinesse whether we looke upon the sinnes of other men with charitable compassion or upon our own offences with sorrowfull compunction Psal 119.136 How did David lament for the transgressions of the people And may not we take up the complaint of the Prophet Isai 1.6 From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundnesse in it How great is the number of them that have sold themselves to worke wickednesse and never thinke of their redemption by Him who paid the ransome for us Quibus contra naturam corpus voluptati anima oneri fuit Salust whose bodies serve them for pleasure and their soules are as a burthen such a burthen as will bee greater than they can beare ready to sinke them to the pit of destruction Yet who doth repent of his wickednesse saying What have I done Every one turned to his course Ier. 8.6 as the horse rusheth into the battell Which of them doth search their heart by the light of the Word as with a candle and say as justly they may inverting these words of David Why art thou not cast down O my soule and why art thou not disquieted within mee Wherefore leaving them unto this examination let us reflect upon our selves and as the Circle Circulus fortitudinâ— atque capacitate caeteris figuris praecedit Clavius which doth returne upon it selfe is the strongest and most capacious figure and may bee resembled by the shape of a mans body Vmbilicum esse centrum c. Iul. Scal. So if wee doe returne unto our selves and search our owne hearts wee shall become more strong and capable of grace The opinion of Aristotle is to bee preferred before that of Plato The one held Visio fit recipiendo Arist Emittendo spiritum animalem Plato Keckerm that our sight was by receiving the image of the object into the eye The other by sending out those opticke rayes unto the object It will be our wisedome to keepe within our owne bounds and to looke into our selves rather than to exceed in curiosity to discover the blemishes of other men Like her whom they feigned to have used her sight onely when shee went abroad Lamia in vimineum cophinum oculos exemptiles inâ—iciâ—bat Erasmus but not when shee returned to her owne house Wee ought rather to look into our selves with David who seemeth here to strike his hand upon his breast saying Why art thou full of heavinesse O my soule God onely knoweth the hearts of all the children of men but by this private search 2. Chron. 6.38 1. King 8.38 every man may know the sore and the griefe and the plague of his owne heart and may find that his foule is cast downe when it is surcharged with thorny cares which choke the good seed O curvae in terris animae coelestâ—um inanes Persius and maketh him to become unfruitfull Can that souldier fight the good fight of faith who intangleth himselfe with the things of this life Habak 2.6 Woe to him that ladeth himselfe with thicke clay Such a man may in vaine beate the ayre but hee cannot runne with patience unto the race that is set before him Heb 12.1 unlesse hee doth cast aside every weight that may hinder him therein At the time of death wee see how dangerous and offensive it is by clamour to interrupt the soule in its departure from the body O that wee could as heedfully practise this during our whole life 1. Cor. 15.31 Every good man with Saint Paul doth dye daily being at all times ready to yeeld up his spirit How prudent should wee bee to avoyd all meanes of disturbance that our soule may not bee vexed and disquieted within us as it is oftentimes through distrust and infidelity when there is an inward combat betweene the flesh and the spirit the one lusting against the other Gal. 5.17 and being contrary the one to the other Gen. 25.22 like Iacob and Esau strugling in the wombe Whereas if Christ did dwell in our hearts by faith Ephes 3.17 wee should overcome the world and bee delivered from this vexation
praised like Absalom for beauty and Absalom to bee praised for nothing but his beauty As their first King was higher by the head than the people so the chiefe praise height of this King had been his head the haire whereof he was more fit to weigh than to guide the ballance of justice Such as was the case of David 2 Sam. 16.11 such is the case of every one of us Hee complaines My son which came out of my bowels seeketh my life Mat. 15.19 That which commeth out of us seeketh our life and would defeate us of the kingdome we have and of that we hope for And as to Absalom there joyned Achitophel whose counsell was as the Oracle of God so with our corruptions there doth joyn Satan whose counsels for a long time were Oracles Both of them cruell murtherers in their advice and suggestions In these extremities David finds favour in the eyes of the Lord and is compassionate towards his sonne Not like Manlius Summum Iuâ— who being over-just caused his sonne to be executed for fighting against the enemy Hictor deliga ad palum Livi lib. 8. though not without victory yet without authority Nor like that Senatour that gave command to have his sonne Fulvius put to death for joyning with a traytor Quem retractum ex itinere parens necari iussit Salust Nor yet like Saul who would have put Ionathan to death as being too good a sonne to live under so bad a father But he shewing himselfe to be as naturally a father of pity as of this unnaturall son commanded the Captaines for his sake to deale gently with the young man 2. Sam. 18.5 If wee take this Psalme to bee propheticall it may bee referred unto the Iewes and that in a twofold estate Either as they were captives at Babylon where being reproched and oppressed by their enemies they desire to bee restored to Ierusalem that they may worship the Lord Or else being in a more cruell bondage while they serve the lusts of their owne hearts Rom 11.10.25 their darknesse and blindnesse being worse than that of Zedekiah it pleaseth the Lord the fulnesse of the Gentiles being come in to open their eyes mollifie their hearts and to cause them to seeke and sue for the meanes of salvation If thou art not satisfied in those former explications but dost apprehend the aime and intention of the Psalme to be more generall I will speake that to thy consolation which Nathan doth to the terrour of David Thou art the man who being wearied with daily reproaches of the wicked and heavy laden with the manifold afflictions of this life dost desire to depart and be with Christ where is fulnesse of joy and pleasures for evermore Here we see the carriage of the godly in time of trouble how far it doth differ from that of other men The Lord doth not require that wee should be as the dead sea Non est tranquillitas Malacia est Senec never to be moved by any tempest Apathia etiam ipsis Stoicis improbata Gelli But in all our distresses to be supported with inward comfort expecting a joyfull deliverance as our Author doth in this place in assurance that he shall yet praise the Lord his God Whereas other men are ready to sinke and be swallowed up in any tryall Plutarchus Cicero how did hee droup and wither in the time of his suffering as if his soulâ— also had beene banished out of his body not being able to speake one word to perswade himselfe And Cato so often magnified by Seneca whose works are fraught with the doctrine of desparation as if wisedome had dyed or rather had killed it selfe with him Iob 12.2 with what poverty of spirit did he surrender himselfe Hirtius in bell Aâ—ex Senec. epist 13.24.70 c. in lib. de Bon. vir That his violent fury and outrageous madnesse how is it applauded as a worke of liberty and glory Diverso itinere malos à bonis loca taetra habere Salust And yet formerly upon another occasion hee himselfe was able to speake that there was a place of horror reserved after death for such as were evil 〈◊〉 cum Deus istis te corporis custodiis liberaverit c. Macrob. And it was their owne opinion that only they could passe into the place of blisse whom God did call thereunto But the estate of Christians is otherwise who are so farre from being overwhelmed by crosses and afflictions that like trees exercised by the stormy wind they grow to bee better rooted and established in all graces Psal 92.12 And doe flourish like the Palme-tree who not being surcharged with those burthens imposed upon them Non deorsum palma cedit c. Gellius at last obtaine a victorious triumph In our approach to the entrance of the Psalm wherein David speakes to the Lord wee may see the excellency and dignity of prayer which is a soveraigne remedy for every trouble So long as we seeke to hide and conceale our sorrow wee carry a fire in our bosome which will burne us The winde being pent and restrained within the bowels of the earth what overthrowes and desolations are wrought thereby 1. Sam. 1.15 But if with Hannah out of the abundance of our griefe we can powre out our soules before the Lord spreading our misery and necessity before him as Hezekiah did the letter of Senacherib the Lord will fill us with comfort and make a way for us to escape out of all our tryalls Si operam meduantis expectas oportet ut vulnus detegas tuum Boct. Then doe not thou keepe silence lest thy bones be consumed but discover thy disease that so thou maist bee healed VERSE I. As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God THe Hart panteth after the water-brookes Quibusdam anni temporibus incredibili ardore a quas expetit Calvin as being unable to endure heat which to prevent it will wade into the depth Aquas orâ— tenus subit Iul. Scal. Or else there being deadly fude betweene the Hart and the Serpents Plini when shee hath devoured any of them shee desireth the waters to coole her Pierius Festinat notos subito se â—ergere in amnes Bargaeus Aelian l. 13. cap. 35. Occuliturque undis praeter caput Bar. Cerva in palude delituit Gell. Pluvio cum forte secundo deflueret Virgil. Novas vires colligit Calv. Fragrantem toto de corpore ponit odorem Bargaeus Or being flung by them shee hasteneth to the Rivers where shee obtaineth her medecine Or Lastly being chased by the Huntsmen shee taketh soyle using the water for a refuge being very expert in swimming And that her thirst being abated her strength may bee renewed And shee being cleansed by her washing may bee free from the sent and so avoyd the danger For these and the like
And in the pursuite of any of them wee may well consider that wee our selves are pursued by the enemy of our soules Sed maiori cum fastu Vbi aspexit venientem ad retia cervum Venator tacito â—audia corde premit Bal. Castâ—â—o who doth more desire to take us than wee to take the Hart in our toyles And wee may at the same time both take and be taken as many are who turne their liberty into licentiousnesse If after this manner our thoughts be lifted up in the time of refreshing Meditabar aliquid ut si manus vacâ—as plenas tamen ceras reportarem Plini Iun. Vt quamvis nihil â—â—perim non nâ—hil â—eferam Idem though wee get nothing wee may gaine something and both the outward inward man may be renewed Wee deny not this exercise of hunting to bee very commendable Romanis solemne viris opus utâ—â—etan ae vitaeque membris Horat. venatâ—o Suevorum vtres alit Caeâ—ar the which was much used by many nations in ancient times who beside that helpe of sustenance found many other benefits thereby Their health was preserved their bodies were strengthened Hoc se labore durant adoâ—escentes Gormâ—â—â— Idem and themselves by the hardship endured the better fitted enabled for more serious employment especially for military discipline Venatu extendere vitam abnuit Silvis Non me ulla vetabunt fâ—â—gora Virgil. Manet sub Iove frigido Venator Horat Iugurtha in Salust Olim certabant cum â—â—gacibus feris cursu cum aâ—dacibus râ—bore cum cailidis astâ— Pli. â—â— in Panegyr Pâ—al 32.9 Illa iâ—sa 〈◊〉 delectant nâ—cesse est â—vâ—cent ab intentione operis destâ—nati Quintiâ—an lib. â—o cap. 1. Maleficium â—oâ—â—us quam artific um Io. Sarisb when by those beasts which they hunted they may learne from such as were swift-footed speed and agility from such as were daring valour and courage from such as were crafty stratagems and policy Moreover the minde being surcharged may thereby find some release BUT in the use of them wee must not bee as the horse which hath no understanding Our affections must be restrained that our delight therein bee not either inordinate or immoderate God created us for his owne service we must not bee so re-created by our sports as if we had beene framed for nothing else Heb 11.25 In so doing wee make them pleasures of sinne for a season and that very short and it is folly in any man to place his chiefe contentment in that which he cannot constantly enjoy Also it doth discover the unsufficiency of these sports to satisfie the heart of man when wee shall see many being satiated with their former delights to be ever desirous of new esteeming that to be tedious and irkesome which before seemed most pleasant Great forrests and wide desarts for beasts of chase have proceeded from undigested riches and boundlesse luxury Barbarae opulentiae haud ulla sunt maiora indicia quam magnis nemoâ—bus â—altibusque nâ—bâ—lium ferarum grâ—ges claâ—si Quin. Curt. Camden in Oxon. And it is a strong presumption of the vaine and riotous prodigality of this Kingdom The having more Parkes than all Christendome beside That prophecy of the Apostle may strike terrour and examination into every one of us where he saith That in the last dayes perillous times shall come 2. Tim. 3. â— when men shall be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God Such as are too violent therein doe renounce that which is of more consequence and ought chiefly to bee sought after And those that are ravished with the pleasures of this pilgrimage Qui bestâ—arum cubiliâ—â—ndagat potiora deserit Segec Heb. 11.14.16 Cui peregrinatio duâ—â—â—non amat â—atriam Gen 25. â—7 declare plainly they doe not desire a better Countrey that is an heavenly Profane Esau is described to bee a cunning hunter and was thereby occasioned to sell his birth-right And afterward while hee was hunting he lost the blessing also finding no place of repentance though hee sought it carefully with teares Quam nunc â—ncâ—gnita vellent lustra sibi nuâ—losque datos venatibus annos Val. Flac. O pereant sylvae deficiantque canes Tibul. Take heed lest while thou art wholly devoted to thy delights our heavenly Father doth confer his blessings upon those his children which formerly sought unto him and so thy vanities end in vexation of spirit Then let your moderation herein bee knowne unto all men Phil. 4.5 Veloces iaculo cervos cursuquae satigat Acer an helaâ—ti similis Virgil. Spend not your whole strength and best endeavours so wastfully so unfruitfully Let not thy soule pant after the Hart but as the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so let thy soule pant after the Lord. There are two naturall causes of panting Wearinesse through overmuch labour Defatigatio ex laboris nimietate vel propter pulmonis parvitatem Causabon and so we being wearied with the restlesse troubles of this life should thereby bee excited to pant after the Lord. The other cause of panting is when the lungs are strait and small and not able to receive much breath which is differing from this for we pant after the Lord not when we are straitned in our owne bowels like the Corinthians 2. Cor. 6 12. but when our mouthes are open to cry unto him and our hearts are enlarged to seeke after him Then be you also enlarged and imitate this holy man David whom you may heare speaking of himselfe Psal 63.8 84.2 My soule followeth hard after thee My soule longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord Psal 119.20 My soule breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgements at all times Thus should wee from the beginning of our lives unto the end thereof pant after the Lord who is Alpha and Omega 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who breathed into our nostrils the breath of life Gen 2.7 That wise man among the Heathen Dici suspirium potest Hoc est aniâ—am agere Medici hanc medâ—tationem mortis vocant facit aâ—quando spiritus ille qâ—â—d saepe conatus est Senec. epâ—st â—5 being tormented with the disease of short breathing which he thought to be most painfull doth call it the Meditation of death wherein the breath doth often attempt to doe that which one day must bee done Then well may wee so often as we draw our breath bee put in mind of our latter end when the spirit doth returne to God that gave it And yet the greatest part of men are never sufficiently instructed to pant after the Lord untill extreme sickenesse and the pangs of death doe teach them whereas it the former part of our life had beene spent in numbring our dayes and remembring our Creator with what assurance and comfort might wee expect our dissolution Worthy Calvin Dâ—spâ—aeâ— Assidu è eâ—pâ—â—â—o dum me aâ—heliâ—us dâ—â—icâ—at who laboured of this
my selfe by giving an answer to Davids demand before I come to the question which is VERSE V. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou dâ—squieted in me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance VVHerein hee makes further declaration of his sorrowfull and perplexed estate that his soule in this time of trouble did pant and thirst and was powred out and cast downe and disquieted not finding release from misery nor evasion out of these calamities Now if the light that is in thee be darknesse Mat. 6.23 how great is that darknesse and if the soule that is in thee be sorrowfull how great is that sorrow Pro. 12.25 When heavinesse in the heart of man maketh it stoupe yea to be cast down as Davids was And yet there is great cause that the soule bee lifted up with joy and not dejected with griefe if wee consider the originall of it Igneus est illis vigor coelestis origo Virgil. that it proceedeth from God himselfe Gen. 1.27 2.7 Psal 8.5 Mortalibus alti quantum coelicolae tantundem animalibus isti praecellunt cunctis Silius Eccles 3.21 12.7 who created us after his own image breathing into us the breath of life whereby wee became living soules So that wee who were made but a little lower than the Angels were made much higher than all other creatures For when the spirit of the beast goeth downeward to the earth our spirit shall returne to God that gave it Also there is cause of ioy unto the soule in regard of the body Deus dedit corpus animae ut illud in coelum eveneret Non dedita animam corpâ—ri ut c. God gave the body unto the soule that it might raise the body unto heaven Hee did not give the soule unto the body that it might presse the soule to the earth Admonet figura c. Boet Shall the body be erect towards heaven and the soule decline towards the earth Let us consider how helpfull the body is to the soule in the worship of God when our eyes wait upon him and our tongue is our glory to praise him and wee lift up pure hands and daily bow our knees before him when our feet doe carry us to his house and there wee prostrate our whole body in his presence Thus in our estate of grace there is an happy union and consent betweene them both But as Eve â—en 2.18 who was made a meete helpe proved a cause of the greatest woe and misery So the body which should assist the soule doth rebell against it and thereby becomes a great annoyance Like that kinde of torment when they did binde the dead and the living together Corpora ca daveribus ad versa adversis alligata Val. Max. So the soule that lives for ever and is willing to doe good is ioyned unto a body that is weake yea even dead to any holy duty And then the servant is upon an horse Ephes 2 5. Eccles 10 7. and the Prince doth walke as a servant upon the earth the hand-maide is advanced Eucherius ad Valeâ—ian and the mistresse brought downe to the foot-stoole The body doth bring the soule into captivity and make it of a king to become a servent Modo rex esâ— modo tyraâ—nus Sence oâ— else a tyrant Wherefore when wee finde a law in our members warring against the law of our minde wee must pray to be delivered froÌ„ this body of death Rom. 7. verse 23.24 It was observed that when the body sleepeth Anima dum corpori vires admâ—nistrat nequaquam vacat sibi c. Hippocrat the soule hath most liberty And wee know assuredly that when our bodies shall bee laid to sleepe in the grave our soules shall bee inlarged Terreno carcere resoluta caelum ibera petâ—â— Boet. and delivered from that earthly house wherein they were long pent and imprisoned Vt novus serpens pofitâ cum pelle senectâ c. Ovid. And as the serpent doth become young againe after it hath cast off the skinne so the soule shall bee clothed with maiesty and glory when this fraile body shall waxe old like a garment and bee folded up as a vesture untill the end of all things and then this vile body shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ and being reioyned unto the soule shall enter into the ioy of our Master If that father did so reioyce when he saw his sonne to be alive Gen. 46.30 whom hee thought to bee dead then how excellent shall our ioy bee when the body which was dead shall bee alive and they both being knit together shall live in blisse for evermore 29.20 Did those seven yeares seeme to bee but a few dayes 31.40 for the love that Iacob had to Rachel though hee suffered the drought in the day the frost by night and watched both day and night Then how wonderfull ought the love of the soule be to the body cheerfully serving the Lord patiently enduring all tryals and afflictions not being cast downe as if it were without hope but looking for the Saviour who shall unite both soule and body And wee shall be as the Angels of God in heaven Mat. 22.30 Let us now take notice of Davids examination of himselfe that wee thereby may learne to iudge ourselves and wee shall not bee iudged Formerly hee had with his whole heart sought unto the Lord to shew him the light of his countenance He had earnestly desired to appeare before God Hee had humbled himselfe in sorrow for his owne transgressions and the sins of other men Now God accepteth the will for the deed And they that mourne have a promise of comfort Mat. 6. Why then art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Psal 4.4 Also hee did commune with his owne heart and was no fugitive from it as many are who have greatest reason to bee sorrowfull and to feare lest their soules should bee cast downe lower than Davids was because they never looke home to examine and prove themselves and to know that Christ is in them 2. Cor. 13.5 except they bee reprobates But David did make diligent search in his owne heart Psal 77.6 and in all things desired the good and comfortable estate of it Then why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Remember the workes of old how graciously the Lord hath dealt with thee Say not within thy selfe that his mercy is clean gone for ever for thou dost stil enioy many blessings and his grace doth now keep thee from fainting Consider that in this chastisement the Lord dealeth with thee as with a childe and it is not his good pleasure that thou shouldest have sorrow upon sorrow but that this light affliction working for thy good may bring thee to an
doth behold us as hee did his servant David delivering us out of all afflictions And in the performance of holy duties hee seeth us as he did Nathaneel Ioh. 1 48. sending his grace to prevent accompany and follow us Lastly when that which is perfect is come wee shall with Paul see him face to face 1. Cor. 13.12 Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 If this outward light bee so delightfull then what an excellent blessing is it Num. 6. verse 25 26. when the Lord doth make his face to shine upon us and is gracious unto us and doth lift up his countenance upon us That wee may obtaine this benediction wee must bee obedient unto his Word When hee saith Psal 27.8 Seeke yee my face Our heart must answer Thy face Lord will I seeke Not for a short time 105.4 but continually And though a man beholding his naturall face in a glasse goeth away Iam. 1.24 straightway forgetteth what manner of man hee was yet wee when the Lord hath in mercy revealed himselfe unto us must not forget his benefits but ever bee mindfull of his gifts that are without repentance and alwayes praise him for the help of his countenance Wee cannot expect deliverance out of trouble unlesse God doth helpe us and when wee have received many blessings wee shall neither desire nor yet bee able to praise him without the helpe of his countenance So that God doth provide both the altar and the sacrifice Hee freely bestowes his benefits and he doth enable us to offer our thankes-giving and to praise him for the help of his countenance VERSE VI. O my God my soule is cast down within mee VVHen the disciples could not cure him that was lunaticke Mat. 17.15 they bring him to Christ himselfe So when David could not by his owne endeavours cast out this spirit of heavinesse hee seeketh unto the Lord of life to speake the word and this disease of his â—oule shall bee healed Haâ— he recovered his life of comfort by a stedfast hope in Gods mercy which hee laboured for in the formeâ— verse yet then hee must have confessed that it was the grace of God whereby iâ— was effected But that which is obtained by prayer doth come more immediately from Gods right hand and for such blessings wee are most thankfull Wee come with confidence unto the throne of grace when wee have used and doe use all good meanes to recover strength and assurance Doth God bid us doe some great thing we doe it willingly Doth hee command some small thing therein also we yeeld our cheerefull obedience I cannot give sufficient testimony unto these two so excellent duties serious examination of the soule and fervent praier unto the Lord The former like Mount Sinai full of terrour when by looking into our selves wee feare and tremble because of our guiltinesse having offended against the lawes of God The latter like Mount Sion Heb. 12. bringing consolation through Iesus the Mediator of the New covenant whose bloud speaketh better things than that of Abel In the right performance whereof our griefe is asswaged if we prostrate our selves before the Lord in prayer hee will raise up our soules with spirituall comfort This is the best refuge of every beleever whereby he hopeth for these sure mercies of David And this is the Sanctuary of a Christian from whence hee cannot bee taken and wherein hee shall not perish Our sorrow may often cause us to call upon the Lord but the soule is never cast downe so low as to bee wholly disabled from prayer Being of a sorrowfull spirit though wee cannot expresse our misery yet wee can speake in our heart unto the Lord. David being dejected by griefe and heavinesse doth yet lift up his soule in prayer and beleeves that God is his God though now hee seemed to forsake him When the winde doth blow wee wrap our garments more close about us in trouble wee draw neere unto God and labour to apply his promises unto our soules The childe walking in the darke doth adhere unto his father and takes hold upon him that hee may guide him and preserve him from danger So wee in the most disconsolate estate doe cleave unto the Lord and repose our whole confidence in his love Our Author in speaking of God and his soule doth thus plead for himselfe Thou art my God and I am thy servant Let the wicked bee clothed with shame and dishonour let their heart dye within them But redeeme my soule that I may not bee desolate because I trust in thee Deliver mee from all my feares and thou Lord shalt bee magnified which hast pleasure in the prosperity of thy servant My soule is thy gift it came from thee and I have given it unto thee How can it ascend towards thee when it is thus pressed downe by manifold troubles The waters are come in unto my soule Psal 69.1.2 I sinke in deepe mire where there is no standing My soule abiding in this darke house of earth lyeth prostrate upon the ground and is not able to rise Lord heare the poore and despise not thy prisoner Let thy salvation O God set me up on high let thy light and thy truth lead mee and bring mee unto thy holy hill and to thy tabernacles VERSE VI. Therefore will I remember thee from the land of Iordan and of the Hermonites from the hill Missar ANother help which David used to sustaine himselfe in this time of trouble was by calling to minde the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of Iordan Iosh 3. where God provided a passage for the Israelits preserved him when he passed over to shun Saul So now going over the river 2. Sam. 17.22 hee hoped that God would make a way for him to escape the danger that might come by Absalom Whereas hee nameth the land of Iordan and of the Hermonites he suggesteth to our remembrance the victory which God gave unto his people when they tooke the land that was on this side Iordan from the river of Arnon unto Mount Hermon at which time Og Deut. 3.8 who was of the remnant of the giants was overthrowne And thereby his hope might bee confirmed that although high-minded Absalom was swoln with proud conceits 1. King 20.11 and girding on his harnesse diâ— boast himselfe as if hee had put it off yet the right hand of God was not shortned noâ— his power diminished Buâ— hee will save and deliver all them that put their trust in him Now these three places here mentioned being the bounds of that countrey inhabited by the Israelites Iordan towards the East Hermon the North and the hill Missar the South hee might from thence have this comfortable assurance that God who was pleased to give unto his people so fruitfull a land after their tedious passage through the wildernesse would likewise in
the burthen upon others not seeking the bread of life by any sweat of our owne but onely as wee wipe it off from the face of other men Or else a customary and negligent performance of this duty whereby wee rather quench the spirit than stirre up the gift that is in us 2. Tim. 1. â— that it may shine cleerly for the benefit of others and burne cheerfully for the comfort of our own soules Now let us observe this resolution of David I will say unto God Ought hee not rather to have confessed with Iob Iob 9.3.15 That hee was not able to answer him one of a thousand And though hee had beene righteous yet would not answer but make supplication unto his Iudge As the Publican would not so much as lift up his eies unto heaven So might not he have said that hee was unworthy to lift up his voyce unto the Lord and to speake unto him Who art thou O man Rom. 9.20 that repliest against God Hath not the potter power over the clay Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker Isai 45.9 1. Pet. 2.20 Are servants commanded to take it patiently when they suffer for doing well and shall Gods servants bee impatient when they are corrected for their faults as if like Balaam He did smite us when wee did not offend against him Num. 22.28 Also where hee complaineth that he is now forgotten he speaketh as if God should repent of his love towards him as Adam when he thought to justifie himselfe Gen. 3.12 did impute the blame upon God So David doth not accuse himselfe who had provoked the Lord by his transgressions but speaketh as if God had forgotten to bee gracious and had rejected him in his displeasure In the former part I will say unto God My rocke There is a strong confidence in Gods mercy which emboldened him thus to speake In the latter Why hast thou forgotten me He speakes according to carnall reason Iudg. 2.3 which is as a Canaanite in the land a thorne in our side not to bee wholly conquered untill the last enemy be destroyed 1. Cor. 15.26 Before you saw him panting and thirsting for God but now he is come to the rocke from whence floweth the water of life Before the waves and billowes went over him but now his feet are set upon the rocke For who is a rocke save our God Psal 18.31 He is a rocke of refuge 62.7 94.22 of strength of salvation Thus Hannah calls him in her song 95.1 There is no rocke like our God 1. Sam. 2.2 Thus Moses frequently in his song Deut. 32 31. Their rocke is not as our Rocke Thus David in his song 2. Sam. 22.47 Blessed be my rocke and exalted be the God of the rock of my salvation God who is pleased to call himselfe Exod. 3.14 I AM may fitly be described by this title of the Rocke as being ever the same Yea more stable and permanent than any rocke Mat. 27 51. For the rocks have beene rent but God is immutable with him is no shadow of change wherefore let us put our whole trust in God And as the conies Pro. 30.26 though a feebl folke yet are commended as exceeding wise because they make their houses in the rockes So it will be our wisedome to build upon this Rocke Mat 7.24 that we may noâ— fall when we are opposed exalted by the prince of the ayre Ephes 2. The dove is sayd to be in the clefts of the rocke Cant 2.14 So let our soules being purified by faith enter through the wounds of Christ Isai 2.10 and be united unto him by love In this appellation here used My Rocke the Psalmist alludes to Gods favourable dealing with the Israelites whom he relieved by causing water to come out of the rocke at Horeb Exod. 17.6 Num. 20.11 Meribah The remembrance of Gods grace and love shewed unto others doth bring comfort unto our soules And it is the best menes for us to obtaine the blessings we want when we doe magnifie his holy name for his mercy and goodnesse unto his children and for the great benefits formerly conferred upon our selves Isai 17.10 Not being unmindfull of the rocke of our strength It was Davids infirmity having begun in the spirit in calling God his Rocke thus to end in the flesh saying Why hast thou forgotten mee Had wee faith as a graine of mustard seed Mat. 17.20 wee might bee able to remove mountaines but it doth discover our unbeliefe when wee thinke that our Rocke doth forsake us that our God forgets us Wee doe with Iesurun Deut. 32.18 forget the Rocke that begat us the God the foâ—med us but he never forsakes his servants that wait upon him How often would hee like the henne gather us under the wings of his providence and mercy But when did he like the Ostrich Iob 39 14. leave us wholly destitute of his favour Shall the man that falleth through his owne weakenesse or is overthrowne by the strength of the winds and power of the waves accuse the Rocke whereon hee stood for instability The Rocke is fixed and sure but wee are feeble yet such is our error that as in passing by water the eye is ready to apprehend that the rockes doe remove and the vessell wherein wee are doth stand still So wee many times doe deceive our selves by thinking that God doth goe from us when as wee doe runne from him by disobedience 1. Iohn 4.10 We have not loved God but hee us God hath not forgotten us but wee him Doth David demand Why hast thou forgotten me Might hee not as well have asked Why hast thou dealt so favourably with mee There was great cause of indignation but no merit of love 2. Sam. 7.8 When God tooke him from the sheepe-coat from following the sheepe and anoynted him King over Israel and delivered him out of the hand of Saul 12.7 and gave him his Masters house and the house of Israel and Iudah and if that had beene too little hee would have given him such and such things Having received so great blessings hee brought forth the grapes of Sodom in lust and uncleannesse making his transgression to be like that crying sin of the men of Gibeah Iudg 25. where adultery and murther were both joyned together Wherfore it was a just judgement of God to forget him who had so highly offended And yet in this wee may see that the wayes of God are not like our wayes nor his thoughts as our thoughts Wee thinke hee is well pleased with us when hee is most angry and that hee forgets us when hee begins to looke upon us in mercy David during the whole yeare that hee slumbred in his sin thought the time to bee like a jubilee of ioy wherein all things succeeded prosperously but now that God doth punish him
otherwise than Herod thought to worship Christ Mat. 2.7 when he enquired diligently after him He hoped to have killed the Lord of life and they purpose to doe no lesse comming out with swords Mat. 26.55 as against a theefe though they aime at the members yet they smite the head it selfe in their persecution Act. 9.4 5. What is done to one of those little ones is done unto Christ and what is done to Christ is done to one of them A servant of God cannot heare His holy name which wee ought not to use without great reverence to bee dishonoured but his righteous soule must be vexed thereat It was this which did strike so deepe into David and vexe him so sore See the coherence which hee makes in the same verse Psal 69.9 For the zeale of thine house hath eaten me up and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are falne upon me How free hee was from anger and revenge in his owne particular case may appeare by his carriage when Saul had a quarrell against him For though Saul had so highly offended God by his folly in offering a burnt offering for the which hee was told that his kingdome should not continue God having sought a man after his owne heart And againe hee rebelled by disobedience in sparing Agag the best of the spoile at which time the Prophet threatned him that his kingdome should bee rent away from him And though David was anoynted by Samuel and might have set upon Saul when hee cut the skirt of his robe privily and another time might have suffered Abishai to smite him and make him sleepe his last yet hee would not upon these pretences put forth his hand against him but lamented at his death and calls to the daughters of Israel to weepe over Saul But here when God was contemned he was pricked to the heart and his marrow was turned into the drought of Summer He was upon the racke and all his bones were broken when he heard their evill speeches whereby they infected the ayre and poysoned their owne soules Now between David and most men living in these daies there is as great a difference as betweene the King upon the throne and the meanest subject grinding at the mill Hee had a soveraigne command over him selfe and was slow to anger not sinning by wrath yet most sensible oâ—e malicious words tending to the dishonour of God Whereas many that in Gods cause are like dumbe idols which have eares and heare not as if it did not concerne them being never touched with inward compunction when his name shall bee blasphemed but will rather give some consent thereunto as if they were well pleased with such lewdnesse And yet when their owne reputation shall be brought in question they will whet their tongue like a sword in sharpe invectives and will whet their swords also that they may wash off the least disgrace with the bloud of other men But if God doth whet his glittering sword and his hand take hold on judgement Deut. 32.41 he will render vengeance to all those which are of that mercilesse disposition that Cain was who thought the life of his brother to bee the most acceptable sacrifice VERSE XI Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted within mee Hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God VVHereas David so often repeateth these words we may observe the manifold troubles which befall us in this life Having mentioned his teates and his banishment in the beginning at the fift verse he rebukes his soule for sadnesse Having rehearsed his other afflictions he now againe chides himselfe for this distrustfull heavinesse As Peter Mat. 14.30 though he began to sinke the first time hee went to Christ upon the water Yet he was not thereby discouraged from casting himselfe into the sea againe Iohn 21.7 and then he passed safely to the shoare where Christ was So though the waves billowes went over David when hee hoped to approch unto God by faith yet here againe hee calls upon his soule and casting himselfe upon Gods mercy he arrives at the port of blessednesse Hee did not overcome these temptations and trialls at the first assault nor yet was he wearied with the continuance of them But whensoever he was molested with any evill he labours to strengthen his confidence in Gods love that he may be restored to comfort As Paul prayed thrice that the messenger of Satan might depart from him 2. Cor. 12. â— So our Author shutting up the next Psalme with the same conclusion doth the third time seek to be freed from this thorne in the flesh this heavinesse that was so offensive unto him By this we may learne that lesson which we shall have cause to remember and occasion to practice That through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdome of heaven Act. 14.22 2. Cor. 7.5 Without are fightings within are feares A wounded spirit who can beare What sorrow so neere what trouble so heavy as this when the soule shall be disquieted with doubt of Gods love or sense of his displeasure And yet wee must not faint and forsake our assurance but continue faithfull unto the death that wee may receive the crown of life In afflictions wee must not thinke some new thing doth come upon us which hath not beene before Wee will not compare our sufferings and trials with those which David endured Wee may take this one Prophet for an example of suffering affliction yet did hee not cast away his confidence but hoped in God therfore let us also hold fast the profession of our faith Iam 5.7 Behold the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth and hath long patience for it untill hee receiue the earely and later raine let us also stablish our hearts that wee may bee refreshed with Gods favour As in water face answereth to face Pro. 27.19 so if wee looke unto the Lord Psal 42.5 we shall praise him for the helpe of his countenance who is the health of our countenance and our God The consideration hereof may be of speciall use and importance in all the casualties of this life but chiefly at the time of death Iob 18.14 when wee are brought to the king of terrors when this earthly house is dissolved we shall be conducted to the kings palace when these old garments be laid aside we shall be arraied in long robes I shall yet praise God yea I shall for ever praise God when I shall alwayes appeare in his presence Who is the health of my countenance who raised me from sicknesse to a sound estate who gave me strength after infirmity who filled me with plenty after adversity who revived me with comfort after sorrow and who will bring me to life after death Being then especially the health of my countenance when hee makes my face to shine as the sunne by beholding his glory And doth change this vile mortall corruptible body into a glorious body The lame man Act. 3.4 who was laid at the gate of the temple looking upon Peter received strength and entring into the temple praised God Though now our soules be cast downe yet if we trust in the Lord all our infirmities shall be cured entring into the holiest place we shall blesse the name of the Lord for evermore Then be not discouraged with present afflictions let thy hope be stedfast and sure Though in tempests sometimes they cut the anchors leave them in the sea Act. 27.40 that the men may be saved yet if we let our hope depart from us we perish The time of our life is but as sixe dayes of labour and sorrow and in this space we have so many nights of quiet and comfort yea we have an evening before the morning a time of strength before a time of triall But in the end there is the eternall Sabbath of blessednesse when we shall for ever magnifie the name of the Lord Amos 8.5 Though the carnall man doth with the Sabbath gone that he may set forth wheate and falsifie the ballances by deceit yet let not beleevers make hast by impatience but waite upon the Lord knowing that by this difficult ascent we come to sit upon the throne FINIS
thirst for the living God and shall thy soule thirst for many gods for dead gods for idols that are no Gods but the works of mens hands Shall he thirst for God who doth satisfie us with all good things and wilt thou desire that thirst whereby thou canst never be satisfied Abstemious men without question For when God hath commanded to keepe a feast they will keepe a fast When God hath given unto all the cup of blessing yet they will refuse it as counting themselves unworthy of so great salvation What can they merit by this their abstinence even to drink of that cup in the hand of the Lord Psal 75.8 which he powreth out for them If they shall plead that the use of the cup is freely given to some of them yet then there must bee a miracle in the change which among the Heathens themselves was thought to bee prodigious Insusum paterae Xerxis vinum in sanguinem conversum est Val. Max. But were not that woman drunken with bloud Revel 17 6. shee could not think that to be bloud which shee drinks 2. King 3. â—3 But now both shee and her followers by thinking that to bee bloud which is not as the Moabites did they run upon their own destruction Now if any shall object that David might well thirst after God who had dealt so bountifully with him who looked upon his poore estate and exalted him when hee was of low degree unto the highest dignity who gave him victory over all his enemies and made a way for him to escape out of the greatest dangers So that it had beene unthankefulnesse in him to have done otherwise As for themselves they desire first to compose their outward affairs settle their estates that they may not appeare to be worse than Infidels and then afterward to devote the remainder of their lives to the service of God Whereunto let mee answer That thy petition is the same with Balaams Let me dye the death of the righteous Thou art therefore unexcusable O man who in thy Testament dost in the first place commit thy soule to God and then dispose of thy estate But in the former part of thy life by a confusion without any good order thy chiefe care hath beene about thy worldly possessions and now in thine end it is not the love of God but the love of thy selfe that constraineth thee to take care of thy soule Whereas such as have alwayes used a cloke of covetousnesse a garment well knowne to Iudas but never worne by S. Paul how can they ever expect to put on the Lord Iesus 1. Thes 2.5 or to be clad with the rich robes of his righteousnesse No that thine unsatiable greedinesse will in the end bee as deadly uncomfortable unto thee as the Babylonish garment was unto Achan Iosh 7 11. And such as addict themselves to voluptuousnesse rejoycing in their youth Eccles 11 9. walking in the wayes of their owne heart and in the sight of their eies but intending to rejoyce in the Lord that their soules shall thirst for the living God in the time of age and trouble when they can find no rellish in vaine delights At last when God doth bring them to judgement can they expect to heare that comfortable saying Well done thou good and faithfull servant enter into thy Masters joy No Luke 16.25 they may feare to bee told that in their life time they received their good things but now there remaines no comfort for them Also such as are ambitious to make themselves a name laying a sure ground-worke as they thinke of honours and titles here upon earth intending with those foolish builders which had begun that they could not finish that the top of their tower should reach up to heaven hoping at last to obtaine a crowne of glory But that their Babel will prove their confusion Gen. 11. for they invert the order of Christ who hath commanded us in the first place to seeke the Kingdome of heaven And as in the creation Gen. 1.1 heaven is named before earth so our best endeavours should be to obtaine that estate of happines not casting our anchor of hope upon earth Heb. 6.19 but into heaven as David here did whose soule thirsted for the living God who did not then begin to serve God when he had received many outward blessings from him Such an objection came from Satan Iob 1. Doth Iob feare God for nought For who ever feared God for nought wee being lesse than the least of all his mercies De antiquâ—s illustrissimus quisque pastor erat Varrâ— But in his first estate in that most ancient kinde of life made famous by so many worthyes as Abel Iacob Moses and the like hee put his whole confidence in the Lord who delivered him out of the paw of the Lion 1 Sam. 17.37 and out of the the paw of the Beare which he remembred with thankesgiving 16.16 And having that leasure which shepheards have Pastor otiosâ—s Otium voluptatis ac lasciviae pater In Scal. he did not abuse it to wantonnesse and folly as they were wont for the most part to doe but being a cunning player on the Harp and a divine Poet Videtur autem modulatâ—o in pastroâ—â—b inventa prâ—mum Id. that art of poetry having its beginning from shepheards as the song of Moses doth testifie who formerly had led the flocke of Iethro Exod. 3.1 who at that time led the people like a flocke Hee composed most heavenly and melodious pastorals in praise of his Creator After that being lifted up by the right of the Almighty who loveth a cheerefull giver and not by his owne pride whereof hee was unjustly taxed by Eliab who foresaw that the elder must serve the younger he kept in tune still and did more excell the best of his nobles in gratitude and zeale than in regall dignity And here in his distresse a time of sufficient triall you see with what patience hee endured the cursing of Shimei and what confidence hee placed in God Hee doth not aske the life of his enemies you know the charge hee gave to the contrary and how hee was blamed for too much love of them 2. Sam. 1â— 6 Hee doth not aske long life that hee might bee restored unto his Kingdome and many yeares added unto his reigne But having a wise and understanding heart hee seeketh for God himselfe his soule thirsted for the living God hee knew if his prayer were acceptable God would give him more than hee asked as hee did afterward to Salomon 1. King 3. â—3 And if God gave himself he would give all things also Wherefore let us bee followers of him as hee was of God Phillip 3.8 And with S. Paul suffer the losse of all that wee may winne Christ It will be our best advantage and greatest gaine by any outward losse or imminent danger to be