exhortations thereunto do intimate so much unto us O come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a noise let us come before him 2. Every one but specially the Lords Ministers should stirre up their people and others also to this duty to discharge it not only in secret but also publickly in their Congregations and that with chearfulnesse with heart and voice whatsoever shall be their private grievances and burdens Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms 3. Whatsoever evil or grief do trouble us there is reason of joy and praise and thanks when we look to Jesus Christ and his benefits Make a joyful noise unto the Rock of our salvation From him is our full deliverance and upon him lieth our victory over sin Satan death hell and all enmity founded as upon a Rock 4. It is time to come before God for mercy to prevent justice while yet we are spared and he is not come to us in judgement for so the Word in the original giveth ground signifying coming speedily and with prevention Let us speedily come before his presence or preoccupy his presence 5. He that cometh to God in Christ meeteth with his reconciled face for the coming to the Tabernacle the Ark and mercy-seat did signify and promise so much and therefore it is said Let us come before his presence or before his face 6. Singing of Psalmes should be done as a matter of honouring God and not as a matter of pleasing our own eares or the eares of others Let us come with thanksgiving or confession and praising and make a joyfull noise unto him with Psalmes Ver. 3. For the LORD is a great God and a great King above all gods Another reason of praising Christ is his greatnesse and supremacie above all Rulers and above all imaginable excellency Whence learn 1. He that hath a minde to praise God shall not want matter of praise as they who come before Princes do who for want of true grounds of praise in them do give them flattering words For the Lord is a great God for power and preheminency for strength and continuance 2. Except we put all things that bear the name of excellency under Gods feet whetheâ—… they be Angels or Princes or whatsoever the world maketh their god we do not give him his due honour He is a great King above all gods Ver. 4. In his hand are the deep places of the earth the strength of the hills is his also A third reason of his praise is this he is strong sustaining by his power sea and earth and all things of weight Whence learn 1. Whatsoever is most secret and remote from mens power or from our sight and knowledge God hath it at his disposing for he sustaineth it and maketh it subsist In his hand are the deep places of the earth 2. There is nothing of any strength among all the creatures which hath not its strength borrowed from God The strength of the hills is his also Ver. 5. The sea is his and he made it and his hands formed the dry land 6. O come let us worship and bow down let us kneel down before the LORD our maker A fourth reason of Christs praise is because he is the Creatour of all things and to be worshipped of us as our CreatoÌ„uâ—… That Christ as God or God to be incarnate one with the Father and holy Spirit is here intended appeareth by the command given to the worshippers to present themselves in the Temple and to kneel down toward the place of the Aâ—…k before God dwelling between the Cherubims that is before Christ God to be incarnate Whence learn 1. All things were made by Christ whether high or low Coloss. 1. 16. And it was meet that our Saviour should be no other then he by whom sea and dry land were made so great is the work which the Mediator hath in hands The seâ—… is his and be made it and his hands formed the dry land 2. Christ as he is one with the Father and holy Spirit in greatnesse and power in respect of his Godhead and divine nature so is he one with the Father and holy Spirit in the capacity of divine honour O come let us worship and show down 3. Religious kneeling is a part of divine worship whereby we testify our absolute submission unto and highest giving of honour to God in soul and body and this honour is incommunicable to any creature Come let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our maker Ver 7. For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand to day if ye will hear his voice The fifth reason of Christs praise is because he is our God and Pastor of his Church by office of his Mediatorship Whence learn 1. God deserveth praise of all the world but specially of his Church because of the near relation of Covenant between God and his Church Let us worship and bow down for he is our God 2. The good shepherd of the Church who layeth down his life for his sheep the great Doctor and Prophet of the Chuech the Mediator of the Covenant of grace and covenanted spouse of the Church is very God and was knowne believed on and worshipped as very God before his incarnation He is our God and we are the people of his pasture 3. Christ the Makeâ—… the God the Mediator and Pastor of the Church doth not only effectually feed his people by teaching but also effectually governeth and defendeth his Church by his omnipotent power We are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand whom his Almighty hand and power governeth and protecteth in all ages Ver. 8. Harden not your heart as in the provocation and as in the day of temptation in the wildernesse 9. When your fathers tempted me proved me and saw my work 10. Fourty years long was I grieved with this generation and said It is a people that do â—…re in their heart and they have not knowne my wayes In the latter part of the Psalme which beginneth in the former verse To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your heart 〈◊〉 he giveth another exhortation to his Church visible to believe and obey the voice of our great Prophet Jesus Christ as the Apostle Heb. 3. 7 8 9 10 11. teacheth us to expound it The main argument to enforce the exhortation is lest the curse of God should overtake the disobedient and they should be debarred from heaven and happinesse as the misbelieving Israelites were secluded from Canaan and from heaven signified by it the history may be seen Exod. 17. Whence learue 1. The voice of God in the Scriptures in the Gospel appointed to be preached by sent Ministers is the voice of God the Father God the Son and God the holy Spirit one God in three persons for all who do grant the Scriptures to
and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce He prayeth for remission of sin the second time with an eye to the bloud of the Messiah Christ and joyneth with it a petition for comfort to his afflicted spirit Whence learn 1. No lesse loathsome then leprosie is the sight of sin when it is looked upon as unpardoned and nothing lesse then the bloud of Christ signified by the bloud of the clean bird slaine to cleanse the leper can purge a man of it for David doth look unto the manner of cleansing the leper as it is set down Levit. 14. Where two birds were taken and one of them slaine and the living bird being dipped with bysope in the bloud of the slaine bird was let flie away to signifie the leprous sinners deliverance from perdition by the bloud of that cleanly bird Jesus Christ purge me with bysope saith he 2. Whatsoever application hath been made to a man of Christs blood in justification of his person it doth not hinder but rather doth open a way unto the renewed acts of application thereof according as new sins do draw on new guiltinesse for here justified David prayeth to be yet again purged with bysope 3. Renewed acts of remission of sin granted by new application of the vertue of Christs blood cleanseâ—…h the conscience of the guilt of sin and cleareth the man before Gods justice purge me with bysope and I shall be clean saith he 4. Howsoever remission of the guilt for Christs sake be inseparable from the imputation of righteousnesse for Christs sake yet may these two be distinguished and distinctly looked upon for the beleevers comfort for here David looking on the removing of the guiltinesse of sin by Christs death saith purge me with bysope and I shall be cleane and looking upon the imputation of Christs righteousnesse or obedience even unto â—…he death he saith Wash me and I shall be whiter then snoâ—… Now that these two branches of this mercy are distinguishable may appear from this that as to be freed from eternal torment is one benefit put case a man were annihilated in his loosing from it and to be not onely freed from eternal torment but also made blessed by the gift of eternal life is another and a greater benefit So removing the guilt of sin in relation to the removing of punishment is one thing and the assignation of Christs righteousnesse in relation to eternal life is another thing and these two benefits both of them are purchased by Christs perfect obedience unto the death and are holden forth Levit. 14. for after the delivery of the leper from death figured and symbolized by the letting go of the living bird dipped in the bloud of the slaine bird the cloathing of the leper with righteousnesse is figured and symbolized by the washing of the man and putting clean cloaths upon him Now it is not the mans personal sanctification inherent which in every man is joyned with much pollution that maketh him clean but the imputation of Christs righteousnesse This maketh him whiter then snow 5. As we must not neglect the Ordinances of God but must use them carefully for obedience unto God and for strengthening of our faith so we must not rest upon them but seek in unto the signification substance and end of them which is Christ as here David seeketh perfect pardon by Christs blood perfect purging and cleansing through him under the termes of purging with bysope and washing 6. The grief and torment which followeth sinne and is felt by a wounded spirit even in the children of God in the time of their repentance is greater then ever the pleasure of sin was to them as David sheweth here who speaketh of his vexation and wounded spirit as of the painfullest trouble which can fall upon the body for by the bones which thou hast broken he meaneth the chastisement of his spirit inflicted of God 7. Nothing can heal this wound of the spirit save the hand that made it nothing but Gods lively application of his word of Grace and pardon to the guilty sâ—…nner can do it so David will not rest with what Nathan had spoken till God speak the same effectually unto him make me to hear joy and gladnes 8. As there is no sorrow so deep as the sense of Gods displeasure so there is no joy so refreshing as the inward consolation of Gods Spirit for Davids broken bones will rejoyce if God will speak peace to his soul make â—…e to hear joy and gladnesse that thâ—… ones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Ver. 9. Hide thy face from my sint and blo out all mine iniquities 10. Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me 11. Cast me not away from thy presence and take not thy holy Spirit from me 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit 13. Then will I teach transgressours thy wayes and sinners shall be converted unto thee He prayeth for remission of sin the third time ver 9. And joyneth therewith a petition for rectifying his sad condition first by renovation of that grace which was decayed and as it were lost in his sense ver 10. Secondly by preventing his deserved and feared separation from God from communion with his Spirit ver 11. Thirdly by repairing and restoring of his some-time gracious condition and setling him therein by the Spirit of adoption ver 12. And then he promiseth to make good use thereof for the comfort and ediâ—…ication of other sinners ver 13. Whence learn 1. Sin is soone committed and guiltinesse and inisery soone drawn on but not soone and easily removed many a cry to God may be uttered in the sense of felt displeasure of God and fear of more and more evill following on it before the soul finde freedome from it as this frequently repeated petition for pardon and these expressions here set down do make evideâ—… 2. Earnestnesse of affection maketh often repetition not to be babling and when that which most presseth us is most pressed and insisted upon by us in our prayer it is no vaine repetition or idle multiplication of words as here is to be seene 3. Sin seen in its own shape is a loathsome sight to God and horrible to the sinner which loathsome sight nothing can remove save the Lords voluntary forgiving of it and his not setting it before his own face to be pursued in severe justice Hide thy face from my sins 4. As one sin doth waken up the conscience of many other sins so nothing can quiet the conscience about that one sin except both it and all other sins be forgiven therefore saith he â—…lot out all mine iniquities 5. A â—…ncere penitent is no lesse desirous of renovation and sanctification then he is of forgivenesse of sin for with blot out all miâ—… iniquities he joyneth create in me a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within me 6. Albeit
Lord the motions of body and soul of the victor are the work and upstirring of God within him and the operation and effects wrought by the instrument are the works of God without the victor for he it is that shall tread down our enemies PSAL. LXI To the chief Musician upon Neginah A Psalm of Devid DAvid now in his exile maketh his addresse to God in 〈◊〉 sad condition ver 1 2 3. And is comforted in the Lord and perswaded of his present and future happinesse ver 4 5. And of the perpetuity of the Kingdome of Christ represented by him to the comfort of all Christs subjects in all ages ver 6 7 8. Ver. 1. HEar my cry O God attend unto my prayer 2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee when my heart is overwhelmed lead me to the rock that is higher then I. 3. For thou hast been a shelter for me and a strong tower from the enemy 〈◊〉 In his sad supplicication he prayeth for a comfortable receiving of his request and for a comfortable rest of his soul on God himself through Christ hoping to be heard because he was resolved to look toward God and to continue praying whatsoever condition of spirit he should be in and in whatsoever part he should be and also because he had experience of Gods help in his straits in former times Whence learn 1. The best expedient for a sad soul is to run to God by prayer for comfort and to insist earnestly albeit God should seeme not to attend Hear my cry O God attend unto my prayer 3 When the godly are driven from their countrey and fellowship with the Saints and from exercise of the publike ordinances no wonder they fall in perplexity of spirit for David forced to flee to the ends of the land finds his heart overwhelmed within him 4. It is exile indeed to be secluded from the liberty of publike ordinances and it is our home to be where God is publikely worshipped for David counteth himself cast out unto the ends of the earth when he is debarred from the Temple of the Lord. 5. Albeit a man were never so farre banished from the free society of the Church and communion with Gods people in ordinances yet he is still within cry unto God from the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee 6. There is a rock of refuge for safety and comfort to the exiled and perplexed Saint which is able to supply all wants and to sweeten all sorrows and this is the Rock of Gods felt friendship in Christ from heaven represented by the visible rock of Sion where the Tabernacle and mercy-seat was situate the appointed trusting place where God did receive the prayers of his people and did answer them from heaven when David could not come to the typical mount oâ—… rock he prayeth to have accesse to the thing signified lead me to the Rock that is higher then I 7. Sensible and comfortable communion with â—…od is a mystery spiritual which mans wisdome oâ—… power cannot discover nor bring unto him but God himself must reveal and must renew the revealing of himself to a soul in trouble and must make a mans soul to apply it selt to him powerfully else a man cannot feel this comfortable fellowship with God more then a blinde man can sinde out what is removed from him or a weak childe can go not being led or a man can reach up to a steep high place not being lifted up unto it Therefore must the Lord himself draw us near to himself and lift us up to himself lead me to the rock that is higher then I. 8. This spiritual felt communion with God is able to put a man farre from the reach of any enemy 〈◊〉 doth make a soul quietly to rest it self from fear of trouble how great soever the external danger can be â—…s David many times felt by experience for thou hast been a shelter unto me and a strong tower from the enemy 9. A beleevers resolution for depending on God and praying to him in hardest conditions and his present use making of former experiences as they do serve much for strengthening of his faith in prayer so they are the nearest means that can be for coming by a renewed sensible comfort as heâ—… we see for David resolveth from the end of the earth I will cry and prayeth lead me to the rock and saith Thou hast been a strong tower to me and so comfort doth follow quickly after this preparation as the next verse doth shew Ver. 4. I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever I will trust in the covert of thy wings Selah 5. For thou O God hast heard my vowes thou hast given me the heritage of those that feare thy Name Here he is comforted in his exile and made to be at home in his spirit by reason of the present sense of Gods favour to him and of his confirmed hope of the performances of the promises made unto him Whence learn 1. The Lord can give such satisfaction to a sad heart in the time of its trouble that the trouble may turne to be no trouble even while it lieth on still as here is to be seen in Davids comfort who speaketh as if he were restored while he is yet in exile 2. Spiritual consolations in temporal troubles do both give satisfaction to a soul for the present and for time to come for everlasting happinesse I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever his hope is that not only he shall be restored to the fellowship of the Saints at the Tabernacle in Ierusalem but also that he shall be in Gods company in heaven represeted by the Tabernacle and that for ever 3. True consolation standeth not in earthly things but in things heavenly and things having nearest relation thereto for Davids comfort was noâ—… so much that he should be brought to the Kingdome as that he should be brought to the Tabernacle and to heaven by that means I will abide in thy Tabernacle 4. Sincerity setteth no term-day to Gods service or to the seeking of communion with him I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever 5. The ground of all spiritual consolations is in the mercy and grace of God offered to us in Christ represented by the wings of the Cherubims stretched out over the mercy-seat There fâ—…ith findeth a rest and solid ground able to furnish comfort abundantly I will trust in the covert of thy wings 6 Accesse to God in prayer and approbation of the conscience and the sincere pouring forth of the heart melâ—…ing with present felt sense oâ—… Gods love do strengthening early the assurance of everlasting communion with God for thou O God hast heard my vowe 7. As spiritual comfort in time of trouble granted to a beleeve is indeed the earnest of everlasting life so should they to whom soever the earnest is given make reckoning that by this earnest the inheritance is confirmed unto them by way of
sin against the conscience in a renewed man defileth it throughly and desaceth the work of thâ—… holy Spirit openeth the flood-gate of natural corruption to the pollution of the whole frame of a holy heart openeth the way unto and strengthens the work of an evill and deluding spirit yet no principle of grace in the renewed man is able to remove this evill but the removing and remedying of it must be by the immediate work of Gods own omnipotent hand This work is no lesse then creation therefore saith he Create in mo a cleane heart and renew a right spirit within me that is it is not in my power to clear my conscience and my polluted heart or to set my perverted spirit in a right frame again but thy creating and renewing power which borroweth nothing from the creature must do it create in mo importeth this 7. Albeit a renewed soul cannot be utterly cast off from God nor be berest utterly of saving grace once bestowed on him yet if he grieve the Lords Spirit by presumptuous sinning his assurance of standing in Gods favour may be mightily brangled and he put in 〈◊〉 of losing the possession of what is behinde of the saving work of Gods Spirit in him especially when he considereth that his provocation doth deserve no lesse at Gods hand Therefore saith he Cast me not away from thy presence and take not away thy holy Spirit from me 8. Nothing is so terrible to a renewed soul which hath been sometime sensible of Gods favour and sure of the presence of his Spirit as to be shut out from Gods favour and sever'd from the communion of his Spirit as this prayer testiâ—…ieth Cast me not away c. 9 As a beleever may come to assurance of his own salvation and when he keepeth a good conscience may sweeâ—…y rejoyce therein so when he seeth that the pleasure of sin hath marred this joy unto him he cannot rest nor be quiet till he recover the assurance he had and his wonted joy be joyned therewith restore unto me the joy of thy salvation 10. The godly by their fall should learn sensibly to acknowledge their own weaknesse and their need of the supporting strength of Gods Spirit and to account the hands of Gods Spirit keeping them in order and in Gods obedience to be their only freedome Therefore David after prayer to have the joy of Gods salvation restored unto him 〈◊〉 lost he should lose it again if he were left to himself doth 〈◊〉 another prayer Upâ—… me with thy free Spirit 11. As the end of seeking merâ—…y to our selves should be this that we may be 〈◊〉 to be instruments of glorifying God and saving of others so the sensible feeling of mercy which is sought after doth greatly encourage a man to the work Then will I teach transgressours thy wayes Then that is when the joy of Gods salvation is restored to me and I confirmed somewhat in the grace of God 12. As the way which God keepeth in manifesting his justice against transgressours and his mercy to self-condemned sinners flying to him in Christ is not known by nature to sinners so long as they go on in their evil course or before they be effectually taught to know both so none is so â—…it to teach and perswade them of this mystery as they who by frequent experience are acquainted with the wayes of God Then will I teach transgessoâ—…rs thy wayes 13. The communicating the knowledge and experience of Gods justice and mercy according to every mans place and calling is a good means of converting of others who know no such thing I will teach others thy wayes and sinners shall be converted unto thee Ver. 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse He prayeth the fourth time for remission of sin and namely of that fearful and bloody transgression in the matter of Urâ—… which now did most trouble his conscience Whence learn 1. As the conscience doth passe upon particulars in the midst of confused challenges for multitudes of sins so doth it presse some particulars more eagerly then other some according as it is set on work as here the guiltinesse in the matter of Bathsâ—… and Uriah presseth David deliver me from blood-guiltinesse 2. Though sin seeme pleasant at the beginning yet at length it is found a devouring enemy from which none can deliver a soul save God alone Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse O God 3 Upon the general grounds of the Covenant of Grace made with us for salvation through Christ must a soul seek to have particular mercies Deliver me thou God of my salvation 4. The righteousnesse of God which standeth in the remission of sin and imputation of Christs obedience unto us through faith according to Gods promise is the matter of our joy and song of praise to God which song a soul being in thraldome by self guiltinesse can hardly sing but after the intimation of pardon will sing 〈◊〉 chearfully Deliver me from blood-guiltinesse then shall my tongue sing aloud of thy righteousnesse Ver. 15. O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise 16. For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offering 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou will not despise He pursueth this fourth petition for remission of sin with 〈◊〉 request for enlarging of his heart and furnishing him with mâ—…te and ability for praising of God Wherein he sincerely renounceth all confidence in external ceremonies of the Law oâ—… in any thing else which he could performe Whence learn 1. Howsoever proud spirits think that they can do any thing they please in Gods service yet a humbled soul under exercise knoweth that it is God that giveth both to will and to do of his good pleasure such a man knoweth that the habit of grace is a gift and the bringing forth of the habit to exercise is another gift he knoweth that when one hath gotten grace to will to praise God he must have grace to put this will to act effectually This the Psalmist doth acknowledge and prayeth open thou my lips and my tongue shall show forth thy praise 3. Whatsoever holy ordinances and outward services God doth prescribe to his Church they are not required for satisfaction of his justice nor are they the maine thing he is pleased with but they are meanes onely to lead men to himself in Christ in whom onely justice findeth satisfaction and man findeth strength to go about the worship that so God himself may have all the praise of our services Therefore David giveth it for a reason of his former petition for thou desirest not or thou hast not pleasure in sacrifice 4. That which God aimeth at we should most intend and what he is well pleased with we should most endewâ—… Thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it
The 〈◊〉 oâ—… the reason is the Lord cannot forsake the soul which hath committed it self to him 3. The Lord offeâ—…eth relief and protection in Christ to miserable sinners in as warme a manner as the similitude of a hen gathering her chickens or the type of the stretching of the wings of the Cherubims about the Mercy-seat could expresse and saith doth creep no less waâ—…y in unto this offer in time of straits then this similitude doth imporâ—… yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge 4. The use of Gods protection and warme love is best known in time of trouble and faith also is best set on work to make use of Gods love and protection in time of troubles In the sâ—…a â—…ow of thy wings will I make my refuge untill thâ—…se calamities be overpast ver 2. I will cry unto God most High unto God that performeth all things for me From the second argument which he useth for strengthening his faith Learn 1. Faith in God and invocation of his name are gâ—…s inseparable and resolution to persevere in beleeving is unseparable from resolution to persevere in praying unto God and he that findeth in his heart such resolutions may also be confident to speed in his requests made to God for the Psalmist as he did resolve to beleeve in the former verse so here he addeth I will cry unto God and hereby expecteth that God shall be merciful 〈◊〉 him 2. It is needfull for the supplicant in his stâ—…aits to keep in his fight the Lords Supremacy and Omnipotency for incomaging himself in hope to speed I will cry to God most High saith he 3. The consideration of the Lords constant going on in the perfecting of the work of grace which once he beginneth graciously in us or for us doth serve much to strengthen our faith in prayer I will cry to God who performeth all things for me Ver. 3. He shall send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up Selah God shall send forth his mercy and his truth From the third argument and prop of his prayer taken from his hope to be helped Learn 1. Albeit faith be no help on earth yet it looketh for help in heaven and if ordinary means do fail it assureth it self of Gods working wonders for perfecting of his promises He shall send from heaven and save me 2. The godly mans making God his refuge is a matter of mâ—…king to the wicked which mocking God will certaâ—…nly refute by making the godly finde the fruit of their flying to him he will sâ—…e me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up 3. The mercy and truth of God whereupon faith doth six it self do remove all impediments and sâ—… on wâ—…k all the mâ—…ans of the salvation of the beleevâ—… and that â—…tually God shall send forth his mercy and his truth Ver. 4. My soul is among lions and I liâ—… even among them that are set on fire even the sons of men whose teeth are speares and arrowes and their tongue a sharp sword From the fourth reason of his prayer taken from the beastly cruely of his enemies Learn 1. The condition of the people of the Lord in this world may be oâ—…-times like sheep in peâ—…l of their lives compassed about with â—…nous beasts My soul is among â—…ions 2. Yet they may be so desolate as having no assistance from without themselves to flie or fight they shall be forced like dâ—…rned birds chased by the hawke or like bound sheep to clap close down to the ground I lie saith he among them 3. The desolate condition of the godly doth not move their persecuâ—…s to pity deadly malice is most ready then to break forth and to devour I lie even among them that are set on fire 4. Gâ—…acelesse men destitute of the â—…e of God are sit enough instruments for the persecution of Gods children and his 〈◊〉 servants if they be no more but yet in nature even the children of men 5. The slanders mockings lies calumnies reproaches and aspersions cast upon the godly by godlesse men are no little part of their cruel persecution of cutting and piercing the Lords people very deeply whose teeth are spears and arrowes and their tongue a sharp sword Ver. 5. Be thou exalted O God above the heavens let thy glory be above all the earth From the fifth reason of his peâ—…ition Learn 1. When the godly are born down and the wicked do caâ—…y all matters before them the glory of the Lord is obscured and eclipsed in some sort among men therefore saith he Be thou exalted O God 2. In what measure Gods children are helped by him and his enemies are born down in that measure is be gloriously manifested to be the ruler of heaven and earth Be thou exalted aboâ—… the heavens and tâ—…y glory above all the earth 3. However the wicked do obscure the glory of the Lord and how little evidence soever Gods children do see of his appearing for their relief yet they ought to glorifie him in their heart and not onely beleeve his sovereigne power able to set all things in order but also to professe their hope that he shall manifest himself from heaven to be Lord over all his enemies and adversary powers of the world Be thou exalted above the heavens and thy glory aboâ—… all the earth Ver. 6. They have prepared a net for my steps my soul is bowed down they have digged a pit before me into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves Selah From the last reason of his supplication Learn 1. Great slight and subtilty do the wicked use to overtake the godly in some snaâ—…e one or other They have prepared a net for my steps 2. The godly mans strength will soone â—…ail him in time of straits if the Lord do not give supply yea the Lord for the clearer manifestation of his glory both before the godly and before the wicked also doth suffer his children to come to so low a condition of spirit that they are ready to succumbe if he do not help My soul 〈◊〉 bowed down 3. When the enemies are at the highest of theiâ—… plots and the godly at the lowest step of their humiliation then is the Lords time to turne the chase and to fall upon his enemies and that oft times by that same very means wherby they were about to make all fast for their own power and the oppression of the godly They have digged a pit before me in the midst whereof they are fallen themselves And this last sentence is the first part of his thanksgiving in acknowledging the Lords wonderful mercy and justice in changing up-side down the seales of his low condition and the enemies lofty persecution on a sudden Ver. 7. My heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise In the rest of the Psalme he prosecureth his thanksgiving and this is the second put of it wherein he professeth
to give him more comâ—…ort then what is most comfortable in this world yea to make life it self without the feeling or hope of feeling â—…his love to be little wâ—…th to hâ—…m Thy loâ—…g kindnesse is better then life 3. Rich experiences of the felt love of God in the use of the meanes deserve to be brought forth to the praise of God when it may glorifie him Because thy loving kindnesse is better then life my lips shall praise thee 4. One proof of Gods loving kindnesse towards us is reason abundant for us to blesse God for ever thereafter and to acknowledge him the fountain of blessings even to our selves whatseever change of dispensations we shall meet with Thus will I blesse thee while I live 5. As our assurance of Gods love unto us and of hiâ—… purpâ—…e to blesse us doth serve to prepare us for straits and difficulties hereafter so also for praying to God with confidence to be helped in whatsoever change of condition we may fall into afterwards Thus will I blesse thee while I live I will lift up my hands in thy Name to wit as a man engaged to depend upon thee to call upon thee as my need requireth and a man particularly encouraged by thee and confirmed by experience from thy former helping of me that I shall have a good answer from thee who hast manifested thy self unto me by Word and works 6. The spiritual life of the soul hath its own food as well as the bodily life of nature and the life of the godly is not so barren so sad and uncomfortable as the world doth beleeve They have their hid Manna and the water of life solid and satisfactory consolations and joy in the holy Spirit wherewith strangers do not intermeddle of which joyes the sweetest morsels of delicate banquets are but shadowes My soule shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse 7. Such as do hunger and thirst after communion with God in Christ and do resolve to spend their life in Gods service may promise to themselves that they shall feel sweet satisfaction in this course and with David say My soule shall be satiâ—…fied as with marrow 8. Spiritual joyes are not like carnal joyes which end in sadnesse but they resolve in glorifying and do make the very outward man partaker of the benefit therefore doth the Psalmâ—…st adde And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips 9. The way to finde refreshment spiritual is beside publike ordinances to give our selves to spiritual exercises in secret at such times as our necessities civil and natural may best spaâ—…e and then and there to recall to minde what we have heard seen or felt of Gods Word or working and to keep up our thoughts upon this holy subject by prayer soliloquie and meditation as David sheweth to us the example When I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night-watches 10. As one experience should call another to remembrance so the calling of experiences to our memory should oblige and encourage us in all conditions joyfully to make use by faith of Gods standing offer of grace to us in Christ shadowed forth by the wings of the cherubims stretched out alwayes over the mercy-seat Because thou hast been my helper therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce for here and here only is the remedy of all sinne and misery Ver. 8. My soule followeth hard after thee thy right hand upholdeth me From the second fruit of the gracious answer given to Davids prayer that is from his giving the glory of the acts of grace which he did unto God the furnisher thereof Learne 1. The Lord useth to exercise the soules of his own children with sense of desertion and withdrawing of his presence one way or other This is presupposed in Davids following after the Lord when he felt him retiring himself as it were 2. A believer in God cannot endure a thought of separation from God nor forbear to seek after God when he misseth his presence but will use all meanes to recover the sense of his presence which he hath felt before My soule followeth hard after thee 3. It is our wisdom to reflect upon and acknowledge the grace of God in us and upon the acts of our saith and love toward God for our own strengthening as David doth here saying My soul followeth hard after thee 4. Although the exercise of gracious habits be our acts yet the enabling of us to bring these acts forth is the Lords work who giveth us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure and as it is our duty to acknowledge this so is it the fruit of our feelings of Gods help to professe it My soul followeth hard after thee but by what power strength and furniture doth he this Thy right hand upholdeth me 9. But those that seek my soul to destroy it shall go into the lower parts of the earth 10. They shall fall by the sword they shall be a portion for foxes The third fruit of the answer of his prayer is assurance given that his enemies shall be destroyed for it is revealed to him that Saul should be slain by the sword he knew by revelation that his carcasse should lie in the fields a prey for foxes and wilde beasts Whence learn 1. The deadly and unreconcileable enemies of Gods people hating them for a good cause do draw destruction on themselves Those that seek my soule to destroy it shall go down to the lower parts of the earth 2. It is agreeable with Gods justice that bloody enemies of Gods people be punished by their bloody enemies God can stirre up the wicked against the wicked to avenge the wrongs done to his children They shall fall by the sword they shall be a portion for the foxes 3. The Lord to ease the hearts of his oppressed children doth sometimes before hand make them foresee the destruction of their adversaries whether by teaching them in an ordinary way to apply the general sentences of the Scripture unto them or in a more special way revealing his minde as he seeth fit as here They shall fall by the sword c. 11. But the King shall rejoyce in God every one that sweareth by him shall glory but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped The last fruit of his prayer is assurance that he shall be King and that all the godly shall be comforted by this means and that his righteousnesse shall be cleared against all the calumnies of the wicked Whence learn 1. Howsoever it may go hard with the righteous and their enemies may prosper for a time yet their lot shall be changed to the better at length and when heâ—… enemies are born down their head shall be lifted up and whatsoeveâ—… is pâ—…omised unto them they may be as sure of it as if they had pâ—…ssion of it yea they may stile themselves by the title whiâ—…h Gods â—…ord hath given unto them as David doth
yet will they be forced to feign submission unto him Through the greatnesse of thy power shall thy enemies submit themselves to them 5. Over and above what is already accomplished of this prophecie concerning the conversion of the Gentiles a higher measure is yet to be expected in the bringing in of that number of them which the Scripture calleth the fulnesse of the Gentiles and the making all the Kingdomes of the earth to become the Lords and his Sonne Christs for this word in a greater measure then yet is come to passe must be fulfilled All the earth shall worship thee they shall sing unto thee they shall sing unto thy Name Which word doth import the revealing of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ unto them and their joyful acceptation of the Gospel and glorifying of God for it 6. As it is the Lords glory to have many praising him so should it be the joy of all that love him now to foresee the successe of Christs Kingdome as well as it was of old when it was the Churches song All the earth shall worship thee Ver. 5. Come let us see the works of God he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men 6. He turned the sea into dry land they went through the flood on foot there did we rejoyce in him 7. He ruleth by his power for ever his eyes behold the nations let not the rebellious exalt themselves Selah He pointeth out in special the Lords works already wrought for his people Whence learn 1. Albeit the Lord doth work for the delivery of the Church and his own glory yet men are so carelesse to observe his works that they can neither make use thereof for their own profit nor for Gods praise so that there is much need to stirre up our dulnesse to observe them and make right use thereof Come and see the works of God 2. Whosoever do observe the works of God which he hath wrought for his people they shall be forced to fear and admire his wonderful Acts for them and his respect unto them He is terrible in his doing toward the children of men 3. The work of redemption of his Church out of Egypt is a work one for all worthy to be made use of to the end of the world and sufficient to shew that if need be God will invert the course of nature for the good of his people and for their delivery out of difficulties He turned the sea into dry land 4. As the Lord will work wonders for the delivery of his people out of misery so will he work wonders for performing of promises to them and for bringing them to the possession of what he hath given them right unto for the drying of the river Iordan that his people might go in to possesse the promised land was a pawn and evidence of this his purpose for all time coming They went through the flood on foot 5. As all the people of God are one body and that which is done in one age to one generation doth concern all and every one to make use of it in their generation so every one in after-ages should reckon themselves one body with the Lords people in former ages and make use of Gods dealing with them as if they had been present then with them as here the Church in the Psalmists time joyneth it selfe with the Church in Ioshuahs time rejoycing in God with them at their entring into Canaan There did we rejoyce in him say they 6. Whatsoever the Lord hath done for his people in any time by-past he is able and ready to do the like for his people in any time to come He ruleth by his pouer for ever and for this cause his former Acts are perpetual evidences and pledges of like Acts to be done hereafter as need is 7. Nothing is done in any place which the Lord is not witnesse unto no plot or motion against his people which he seeth not His eyes behold the Nations 8. Albeit there will be from time to time a generation who will not submit themselves to this sovereign Ruler but will stand out against him and maligne his Church yet shall they not long prosper nor have cause of gloriation in their rebellion Let not the rebellious exalt themselves ver 8. O blesse our God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard 9. Which holdeth our soul in life and suffereth not our feet to be moved 10. For thou O God hast proved us thou hast tried us as silver is tried 11. Thou broughtest us into the net thou layedst affliction upon our loines 12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads we went through fire and through water but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place In the second part of the Psalm the Psalmist exhorts the Church in his time to praise God for preserving them from extirpation in the time of their fiery trial and sore affliction under the tyranny and oppression of their enemies Whence learn 1. The Lords people in every age besides all the reasons they have to praise God for his former works want not their own particular reasons for his care providence and kindnesse to themselves in their own time to stirre up one another to blesse his Majesty O blesse our God ye people 2. It is the Churches proper priviledge and her glory above all other incorporations and societies beside to have special interest in God as her own O blesse our God 3. It is not sufficient that the Lords people acknowledge inwardly the mercies of God to themselves but it is their duty in an orderly way to bring others on to the knowledge of God and to shew to others how praise-worthy he is make the voice of his praise to be heard 4. Albeit the Lord takes many things away from his people when he is pleased to exercise them yet he keeps life in their soul some sweet communion of spirit between himself and them and doth not suffer all his people to be extirpate and rooted out from the earth Which boldeth our soul in life 5. It is great mercy to be kept from desperate courses in the time of sad calamities and to be supported under burdens that we sink not and to be prevented from denying of God or of his truth in time of persecution He suffereth not our feet to be moved 6. One end of the troubles of the Church among others is the trial of the graces of his people and purging them from their corruptions for which cause the Lord useth to bring on one trouble after another as mettal is put in the fire oftner then once For thou O God hast proved us thou hast tried 〈◊〉 as silver is tried 7. When God doth bring his Church into trial there is no escaping we must look for affliction and not dream of declining it by our own wit or skill Thou broughtest us into the net thou layedst affliction upon our â—…ines 8. It is wisdome
not a simple telling of their duty but a prophecie of their joyful joyning in the worship of God and that they shall have cause of joy within themselves to praise him O sing praises to the Lord. 2. True Converts will renounce Idols and false gods and reverently worship the omnipotent Creatoâ—… and Governour of heaven the eternal God Sing praises to God that rideth upon the heaven of heavens that were of old 3. As the glorious government of heaven doth shew the Lords power so the thunder also doth shew his power and terror the consideration whereof is needful to dispose our stupid mindes to praise him Lo he doth send forth his voice even a mighty voice 4. The right use of Gods great and sensible and daily seen works is to make us to glorify the power of God who is able to work whatsoever he pleaseth Ascribe strength unto the Lord. 5. The Lords glory in his Church is more excellent then all that is to be seen in the works of Creation His excellency is over Israel 6. The true worshipper must study the power and all other properties of God both by what he hears in the society of the Church and by what he seeth in his visible works as well daily transient works such as the clouds are as constantly enduring works such as the heavens are His excelâ—…ency is over Israel and his strength is in the clouds And surely it is no small power which doth bear up such weight of mountaines of snow and seas of water and doth make them saile as it were and flee with wings in the aire which God doth dissolve by sittle and little as we daily behold 7. Wheresoever God sheweth his presence whether in heaven or in his Church in any place of the earth there and from thence doth he shew himself a dâ—…eadful God to such as fear him not O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places 8. Albeit there were no man to hear us glorifie God or no man to take his praise of our hand we should acknowledge his greatnesse in our heart and before himself who will take true worship of our hand for David here turneth his speech to God in the end of the Psalme saying to him O God thou art terrible out of thy holy places 9. The Lord hath an everlasting interest in the people of â—…srael and they in him for the elections cause and every true Israelite hath an everlasting interest in God he is the God of Israel 10. What the Lord hath is forth-coming to his peoples furniture as they have need The God of Israel is be that giveth strength and power to his peâ—…le 11. It is reason that at all the several remembrances of Gods mercy to us we should acknowledge his blessednesse and his blessing of us and this is all we can do and that also can we not do except he strengthen and enable us for praise for blessed be God saith the Prophet for this very reason after he hath spoken of his giving power to his people PSAL. LXIX To the chief musician upon Shoshannim A Psalm of David DAvid as a type of Christ earnestly dealeth with God for a delivery from his perplexed condition and from the malice of his adversaries and doth finde a comfortable event There are three parts of the Psalm In the first is his prayer six times presented and strengthened with new reasons to ver 22. In the second part of the Psalm is his imprecation of ten plagues against his enemies with some reasons added for the justice of the inflicting the plagues mentioned to ver 29. In the third part are four evidences of his victory from ver 29. to the end In all which whatsoever is proper to the type is to be referred to the type only and whatsoever is fit also to be applied unto Christ the Antitype must be referred to him only in that sense which is suitable to his Majesty His prayer at first is propounded in few words Save me the reasons are foure The first from the danger he was in ver 1 2. The next from his long and patient waiting for an answer to his prayer ver 3. The third from the multitude and malice and iniquity of his enemies ver 4. The fourth is by way of attestation of God that he was innocent of that whereof he was charged by his enemies joyned in with his humble acknowledging of whatsover other sins justice could charge upon him in any other respect ver 5. Ver. 1. SAve me O God for the waters are come in unto my soul. 2. I sink in deep mire where there is no standing I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me His first Petition is to be saved and the first reason of it is because of the danger he was in Whence learn 1. A childe of God may in his own sense be very near to perishing and yet must not in the most desperate condition cease to pray nor cease to hope for delivery prayed for Save me O God 2. With danger of bodily death a childe of God may have in his spirit a sore conflict with the sense of wrath like to swallow up his soul as deep waters do a drowning man The waters are come in unto my soul. 3 The condition of a soul exercised with the sense of wrath threateneth no lesse then perdition certain inevitable without any event and endlesse whereof the bodily danger of a drowning man is but a shadow I sink in deep mire where there is no standing I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me Ver. 3. I am weary of my crying my throat is dried mine eyes faile while I wait for my God The second reason of the first Petition is because he had long and patiently waited on God Whence learn 1. Faith in hard exigences doth not give over for appearances of perdition knowing that what is impossible to mans appearance is not impossible to God for David as a believer and a type of Christ prayeth still for all this although he finde no delivery I am weary of my crying 2. Prayer put up in faith to God keepeth in life and is like a mans drawing breath in the water when the head is lifted up above the floods for here although the floods overflowed the Psalmist yet he is able to shew this to God and to cry till he be weary of crying 3. For exercising of faith and making patience to have the perfect work it is no strange thing for God to delay relief unto an earnest supplicant till he be like to give over till his case seem desperate and his relief hopelesse Mine eyes faile while I wait for my God 4. Though the flesh of the regenerate man be weak yet the spirit is ready and will never give over calling on God depending on him holding fast the Covenant and the hope of deliverance for it will make this a new ground of speech unto God that it is noâ—… able
pride compasseth them as a chaine violence covereth them as a garment They glory in their oppression 3. Albeit God bestow riches on the wicked and more then they could reasonably wish and do give them health of bodies to make use of their riches as they please so as they swell for fatnesse which abundance should oblige a man to serve the Lord more heartily yet the recompence they render to God is this they become more and more vicious in their own persons and do threaten more and more injuries to their neighbours They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression They stand in awe neither of God nor man but openly in their speeches they despise all authority over them They speak loftily They scoffe and mock religion and speak blasphemously of God and his providence They set their mouth against the Heavens They speak as they please of all things and all men not caring against whom they speak or what they speak to any mans prejudice Their tongue walketh through the earth not caring whom it tread upon or whom it abuse 4. The prosperity of the wicked and their thriving in an ill course doth ensnare many inconsiderate people even members of the visible Church and moveth them to follow the evil wayes of the openly wicked and to make defection from their own professed duties Therefore his people return hither saith he 5. When men stumble at righteousness because of trouble and follow the course of the wicked for love of worldly advantage it is righteousness with God to give both the bait for a while to such changelings and the hook also for hardening them in their own wicked choice And waters of a full Cup saith he are wrung out unto them that is they finde some worldly commodity by their defection 6. There is a threefold tentation to draw a man from the course of holiness unto looseness and profanity one when the wicked 〈◊〉 observed to prosper in the world another when multitudes 〈◊〉 off a good course and follow the example of the wicked and a third when those backsliders also seem to prosper after their defection as here 1. The wicked do calumniate every good course and they prosper 2. Gods people return hither for love of prosperity 3. Then waters of a full Cup are wrung out unto them All these things may concurre and the way mean time is most damnable notwithstanding Ver. 11. And they say How doth God know and is there knowledge in the most High 12. Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches Here he bringeth in the poor deluded people defending their defection and their following the example of the ungodly and hardening themselves in their evil course saying in substance that if God disliked the ungodly he would not let them prosper so in the world and heap riches upon them as he doth and this is in substance to blaspheme God as an ignorant Governour of the world or a misregarder how men do carry themselves Whence learne 1. When men are once insnared in an ill course they will seek reasons to justifie themselves those thoughts which did insnare them do also hold them for they to whom waters of a full Cup are wrung out do say How doth God know 2. Men are ready to reproach the Lord if he do not guide the world to their fancy yea and to blaspheme God rather then blame themselves for their faults as these words do import How doth God know that is how can it be that God taketh notice of such mens wayes as wrong seeing he doth prosper them 3. To think that God is well-pleased with the way of the wicked because they prosper and that he respects not his Saints because he doth afflict them more then the wicked is as much as in effect to say The Lord is not wise that doth so well to his foes and dealeth so hardly with his friends for so here is it interpreted by the Lord Is there knowledge in the most High 4. It seemeth very reasonable to carnal reason that if God hate ungodlinesse he should not suffer the ungodly to prosper in the world and if he will suffer them to prosper then he doth not hate ungodlinesse and therefore when it is clear to all men that the ungodly do prosper they conclude that God knoweth not taketh no notice of ungodlinesse or is not displeased with it for here is their proof Behold say they these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches 5. The thing that deceiveth the ungodly and the misbelieving world about Gods dispensation is that they look only to 〈◊〉 which is done by God in this world no punishment after death or felicity after death do they think upon These are the ungodly say they who prosper in the world 6. In the very tentation whereby the wicked is insnared the worme of their gourd and the staine of their felicity is discovered their felicity is but in riches and their prosperity is but in this present world They prosper in the world say they Ver. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency 14. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning Here is the well near slipping of the Psalmists feet set down in his begun yielding unto the devils tentation forcibly born in upon him and repeated over by him after the manner of a resolute conclusion condemning all his former course of godlinesse upon this one poor pretence because he seemed to himself more miserable then the wicked were Whence learn 1. A tentation sometime may be so powerfully born in upon the spirit of a childe of God as it may seem to be admitted yielded unto and subscribed unto as truth as here we see Verily I have cleansed in vaine c. 2. The true course of sanctification consists in the study of cleansing a man from all pollution both of soul and body or in cleansing the heart and the hands as here is set down The heart is cleansed by the blood of the expiatory sacrifice laid hold on by faith and by the begun works of the Lords Spirit manifested in the hearty resolution purpose and study of holinesse the hands are cleansed by a blameless and harmless conversation or course of life and actions I have cleansed my heart and hands in innocency 3. When a man is under a tentation or in a fleshly temper of spirit for the present he putteth a high price upon any good he hath done and forgetteth by what strength he did it he forgetteth Gods part and his glory in it for the Psalmists part was the consenters part the instruments part and he was in the point of action only a subordinate agent and co-worker at the best by a borrowed strength and yet as if all the work had been his work alone In vain saith he have I cleansed my heart and washed my hands in innocency 4 That
like and to teach patience and furnish consolation to those who are under such exercises for here is one of the Saints telling us 1. That his own trouble in this kinde was so pressing as it made him cry 2. And shewing the course he took He cried to God and did put the whole powers of soul and body to a bensal in his seeking of God I cried to God with my voice And 3. That he saw there was no remedy for this evil save God above to whom he made his addresse with resolution to hold unto God only Even unto God with my voice I cried And 4. Thâ—…t at length he did prevaile and receive his request graciously granted unto him And he gave eare to me and so he was relieved Ver. 2. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore ran in the night and ceased not my soul refused to be comforted 3. I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed Selah 4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking I am so troubled that I cannot speak He declareth this his sad exercise more specially and first how great his trouble was Whence learn 1. The fearing and feeling of the sense of Gods wrath and displeasure is of all troubles the chief and doth challenge to it selâ—… most deservedly the name of trouble or straitening affliction as if the Psalmist had never known any trouble in câ—…mparison of this 2. Albeit the sense of Gods wrath and displeasure while it doth last doth seem a sort of eternity as Shall I never be remembred and such like expressions do declare yet when the trouble is gone it is counted but a short time but a day In the day of my trouble saith he now being relieved 3. As in this trouble most of any Gods face or comfortable presence is withdrawn so nothing in this case can content a godly soul till he finde the Lord reconciled and his gracious facâ—… to shine again toward him In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. The wicked in such a case they will either not seek God at all but some earthly comfort or but take an essay what they can have by calling on God they will not make it their work to seek him 4. The sense of wrath giveth a sore wound unto a mans spirit like to a wound in the body which is like to bleed unto death My sore ran in the night 5. Trouble of conscience as it is like a deadly wound so is it also like a filthy boile venting rotten issue for many are the sins which the conscience doth cast up in this case which do cause pain and loathing to look upon My sore or my plague my stroke by a hand ran in the night 6. There is no healing of this wound no easing of this sore no cleansing of the conscience no quieting of a mans spirit till God whom the soul seeketh shew himself Physician the evil continueth still and groweth My sore ran in the night and ceased not 7. Where misery seemeth remedilesse there the sad soul fitteth it selfe to endlesse sorrow and as it is hopelesse of relief so it is heartlesse to seek comfort yea what earthly comforts are offered for the reliefe of a spiritual wound are but a burden to a broken spirit My soule refased to be comforted Nothing can satisfy a soul which is sensible of Gods displeasure save the sense of Gods favour 8. A troubled spirit hath many thoughts for it runs out in meditation calleth for the records of the memory but can finde nothing to fixe upon save God himselfe I remembred God 9. It is possible that the matter of most comfort at some time may give no ease the sweet promises of grace when a soul is not able to apply them yea the thought of God himselfe and his goodnesse may augment grief when the conscience doth present his abused savours as the câ—…use of Gods present felt wrath I remembred God and was troubled 10. Lamentation and complaints when vented and not eased with following comfort do but double the grief I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed 11. Redoubled thoughts of a perplexed soule do cast it over in a confusion and a sort of swound I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed 12. A wounded spirit is able to bereave a man of the nights rest and affect the body with a share of its miserable condition Thou holdest mine eyes waking 13. When a soul could possibly de sire to case its grief with a little forgetting of it and seek a sleep when the body is now weary it may fall out that even thus much ease may be refused to a Saint for a time which must be looked on as Gods hand for the further exercise of the Lords sick childe Thou holdest mine eyes waking 14. Trouble not lenified not mitigated groweth to such a height as it stops the use of natural powers I am so troubled that I cannot speak The sorrowes of a soul sensible of Gods wrath are unspeakable neither can the tongue utter them nor the minde endite to the tongue what it feeleth Ver. 5. I have considered the dayes of old the yeers of ancient times 6. I call to remembrance my song in the night I commune with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search 7. Will the Lord cast off for ever and will he be favourable no more 8. Is his mercy clean gone for ever and doth his promise faile for evermore 9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies Selah In the second place he setteth down his wrestling and how after he was overwhelmed he fell again about the using of all means to be relieved considering the Lords work of old with others his children and his own experience and what could be the cause of the change ver 6. and how the Lords unchangeablenesse in his loving kindnesse towards his own might help him ver 7 8 9. Whence learn 1. Were our case never so desperate yet must we not give over but gather strength after swouning and use all meanes of â—…elief as the Psalmist here doth 2. It is one chief means of comforting a troubled sinner and of strengthening the faith of a weak wrestler to cast an eye upon the Lords manner of dealing with his Saints mentioned in Scripâ—…ure as the â—…salmist did who had the books of Moses and Iob at least to make use of I have considered the dayes of old and the yeares of ancient times 5. It is also a good means for gathering strength and comfort for a soul under the sense of wâ—…ath to call to minde his own experiences of deliveries and consolations received after trouble and his own observations made upon his own experiences I call to remembrance my song in the night 4. It is a third holy meanes for deliverance from the straits of a troubled conscience to search our wayes and to seek out diligently what cause in us we can finde
and this is the fifâ—…h comfort of the favoureâ—…s of the Chuâ—…ch in the time of trouble Ver. 6. The LORD shall count when he writeth up the people that this man was borne there Selah The sixth comfort is from Gods estimation which he hath of every one of the true Citizens of his Church Whence learn 1. As all the elect all the regenerate are taken notice of by God no lesse particularly then if their names were all written up in a book one by one so there is a time when he manifesteâ—…h his enrolling of them partly to themselves by his witnessing unto them that they are his children parâ—…ly to the world by sustaining them in their trials and troubles and 〈◊〉 by a full delivery of them and confessing their names before men and Angels at the great day The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people that is in his owntime when he seeth it fit to manifest his respect to his own 2. The Converts among the Nations shall be reckoned up among the Câ—…nverts of the Lords people of the Jewes The Lord shall count when 〈◊〉 â—…riteth up the people that this man was born there that is whatsoever man he be who is converted out of any countrey tongue or language he shall be counted a member of the Church of Israel Ver. 7. As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there all my springs are 〈◊〉 thee The last comfort is from the joy spiritual and the everlasting springs fountains and causes of joy which God doth furnish and will furnish to his Church Whence learn 1. As the Church is subject to her own griefs in the world so also is sâ—… sure of ahundant consolations to be had and laid up in store for her expressed here in the termes of typical joy appointed in solemn festivals As well the fingers as the players on instruments shall be there 2. The causes of the joy of the Saints are everlasting comparable to wells and springs of living water All my springs shall be in thee 3. Such Saints as have had their senses exercised are able to subscribe the truth of promises by their own experience and in special that there is no joy or comfort no gift nor grace no refreshment nor delectation worthy to be named except that which they have by Church-priviledges and communion of Saints as here the Psalmist doth confesse All my springs are in thee saith he speaking to the Church or to God dwelling in his Church PSAL. LXXXVIII A Song or Psalme for the sonnes of Korah To the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite THis Heman the Ezrahite was one of those foure wisest men in all Israel next after Solomon who is preferred above them all 1 Kings 4. 31. The exercise of this wise and holy man is set down here under the heaviest condition of a wounded spirit of any that we read of wherein first he prayeth for comfort to his soul now afflicted under the sense of sad wrath and long desertion ver 1 2. In the second place he poureth out his soul to God and layeth before him a most pitiful lamentation of his distressed condition ver 3 4 5 6 7 8. In the third place he wrestleth by faith in his prayer to God for comfort ver 9 10 11 12 13 14. And lastly finding no comfort he reneweth his lamentation leaveth his prayer before the Lord and writeth it for the edification of the Church in all time coming as the matter of a joyful Song From the Inscription Learn 1. David was not the only man acquainted with sad exercise and affliction of spirit for here is another to wit Heman the Ezrahite as deep in trouble of spirit as he or any other beside 2. They are not all men of â—…eak mindes and shallow wits who are acquainted with trouble of spirit and borne down with the sense of Gods wrath for here is Heman one amongst the wisest in all Israel and inferiour to none for wisdom except to Solomon alone under the heaviest exercise we can imagine possible for a Saint 3. When it pleaseth God to exercise a man of parts of great gifts and graces he can make his burden proportionable to his strength and give him as much to do with the difficulties he puts him to as a weaker man shall finde in his exercise as appeareth in the experience of Heman 4 Wise men in their trouble must take the same course with the simpler sort of men that is they must run to God as others do and seek relief only in his grace who as â—…e distributeth the measures of trouble can also give comfort â—…se and deliverance from them as the practice of Heman doth â—…h us 5. What trouble of a wounded spirit some of Gods children have felt in former times others dear to God may finde the like in after ages and all men ought to prepare for the like and should not think the exercise strange when it cometh but must comfort themselves in this that other Saints whose names are recorded in Scripture have been under like affliction for the Psalm is appointed to give instruction it is Maschil of Heman 6. What is at one time matter of mourning to one of Gods children may become matter of joy and singing afterward both to himself and to others as this sad anguish of spirit in Heman is made a song of joy unto Gods glory and the comfort of all afflicted souls labouring under the sense of sin and felt wrath of God to the worlds end It is a Song a Psalm for the sons of Korah 7. Such as are most heavily afflicted in spirit and do flee to God for reconciliation and consolation through Christ have no reason to suspect themselves that they are not esteemed of and loved as dear children because they feele so much of Gods wrath For here is a Saint who hath drunken of that Cup as deep as any who shall read this Psalm here is one so much loved and honoured of God as to be a Pen-man of holy Scripture and a patern of faith and patience unto others even Heman the Ezrahite Ver. 1. O LORD God of my salvation I have cried day and night before thee 2. Let my prayer come before thee incline thine eare unto my cry In the first place he fasteneth his faith and resolution to pray constantly to God till he receive answer and requesteth for comfort now at last Whence learn 1. Whosoever have fled to God for grace and have received the offer of reconciliation made to the Church in the Messiah are entered in Covenant with God for their everlasting salvation and ought to stand fast in the holding of this Covenant whatsoever hard condition they may fall into as Heman doth here saying to God O Lord God of my salvation 2. When'a soul hath received the offer of grace made to the Church in the common tender of the Covenant of grace he is entered into Covenant
with God so particularly as if the Indenture were past between God and that soul by name so that the beleever may reade his own name in Gods everlasting stiles and titles and may reade in himself the mark of Gods interest unto him and the mark of his interest in God for evermore for O God of my salvation importeth no lesse 3. When a beleever hath laid hold on eternal life he may by the same right ask and expect comfort in and deliverance out of every trouble as an Appendix of the great salvation which is coming unto him as here Heman doth 4 God can love a man and keep him in faith and exercise of prayer a long time without a comfortable answer and all in love wise love I have cried day and night before thee saith Heman and the answer is not come yet 5. There is a difference of the lamentation of the worldly man and of the beleever The worldly man sighes and cries and he knows not to whom but the godly do present themselves in their lamentations to God I have cried day and night before thee as his dâ—…lour did cleave unto him or was renewed upon him so he had his recourse to God at all times 6. Albeit our prayer being presented before God do seem to us â—…ot to have been admitted yet must our bill lie still and be put up to God again and again till it be received to our sense and knowledge Let my prayer come before thee 7. The beleevd may be sure to have a good answer at length but he must be instant and deal still with God for it and presse it hard and patiently wait for it as Heman here doth Incline thine eare unto my cry Ver. 3. For my soule is full of troubles and my life draweth nigh unto the grave In the second place he layeth out his trouble before God in nine degrees thereof each of them superadding something to the former under which he is not only wonderfully upheld but also he maketh use of this lamentation and long catalogue of miseries as a ground of his hope to have a gracious answer at last which came to passe as the turning of this lamentation into a Song to the comfort of others in the Church that should feel the like in any measure thereafter doth shew for his condition he setteth it down under the name of trouble soul-trouble more troubles then one or two and the first degree thereof is that his soul is fulâ—… of troubles replenished so as it can hold no more Whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Albeit we hâ—…d nothing to bring before God but our grief and miserie we want not matter of confidence to finde favour from our pitiful God as this example teacheth us Incline thine eare for my soul is full of troubleâ—… 2. If the godly should smâ—…ther their grief and not go to God with it then sorrow were able to châ—…ke them but this is no small ease to them that they have God to go unto to whom they may freely vent their minde as here we see 3. Soul troubles are the most pressing troubles and with those readily will the Lord exercise his children when he mindeth to trie their faith making their spirits to smart with trouble after trouble with a number of troubles which they are neither able to reckon nor to beare My soul is full of troubles 4. The dolours of the minde are able to waste away the body which cannot but shrink and pine away when the soul is sick with anguish My life draweth near to the grave saith he and this is the second degree of his trouble Ver. 4. I am counted with them that go down into the pit I am as a man that hath no strength The third degree of his trouble is that in the judgement of them who knew his condition and possibly lamented iâ—… he was counted a lost man yea and he himself did finde no strength to beare out or to recover himself Whence learn 1. It is no small tentation and vexation of spirit to the godly beleever to be in the judgement of beholders a lost man because of the seeming desperate condition of his soul and yet it may befall a dear childe of God I am counted with them that go down in the pit 2. Albeit God hath by grace severed death from hell unto the believer yet the connexion of these two if justice were not satisfied in the Redeemer should never be forgotten as the Scriptures giving the same name to death grave and hell may teach us I am counted with them that go down to the pit or grave or hell 3. Whatsoever strength of soul or body a man hath in his possession shall be soon emptied when God putteth him in distresse except new furniture be supplied unto him and that no losse then unto the weakest I am as a man that hath no strength Ver. 5. Free among the dead like the slaine that lie in the grave whom thou remembrest no more and they are cut off from thy hand The fourth degree of his trouble is that he is like the Leper in the law shut out from the living and put among the dead and no more fit for any duty of the living which teacheth us that the beleever in God may at some time be so burdened with trouble of spirit as he can neither think nor speak nor go about any duty of the living for a time I am or I am counted saith he as one free among the dead or shut out and separate among the dead The fifth degree of his trouble he is a man whose life is violently pluckt from him who gets not liberty to die at leasure or in peace but is thrust out of the world suddenly with a deadly wound and such may the condition of a soul dear to God seem to it self to be I am like the slaine that lie in the grave The sixth degree of his trouble is he seemeth to be deprived of the comfortable vicissitude of the common benefits of life and of those changes which ordinarily Gods visitations do make as if he were left under the power of death there to lie without a change of that condition for ever and such may the case of a beloved Saint seem to be both to himself and to others I am as one in grave whom thou remembrest no more yea the beleever at a time may lose the sight of everlasting promises and seem to himself to be rejected of God I am as they that are cut off from thy hand Ver. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darknesse in the deepes The seventh degree of his trouble he seemeth as a man already condemned and possessed of the torment of hell in the extricable misery of the damned deprived of all light of consolation in the gulfe of desparation wherein a man cannot finde ground nor deliverance from it Whence learn 1 That this also may be the case of a beleever in his own sense Thou hast
carelesse security but Gods judgements do draw them forth to the light and do make it appear that God hath observed them all Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance 4. The misbelief and disobedience of Gods visible Church maketh their life both short and miserable as the experience of the Israelites doth shew For all our dayes are passed away in thy wrath we spend our life like a tale that is told 5. The more we study to see the length of mans life it appeareth the shorter the more we look upon mans strength and beauty and glory we finde him the weaker the vainer and the naughtier The dayes of our yeares are threescore yeares and ten and if by reason of strength they be fourescore yeares yet c. 6. If our infancy and ordinary sicknesses and casualties of incident griefs and sorrowes sometimes for one cause and sometimes for another be considered the life of man hath little in it except trouble and grief Their strength is labour and sorrrow 7. If any man seem to have lesse trouble and sorrow or more strength then others it is nothing to count upon the shortnesse of it maketh it to lose worth and estimation for It is soon cut off and we flee away Ver. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according to thy feare so is thy wrath In the calamities of the Israelites he observeth how terrible the Lords wrath is which albeit few do consider yet might men see it in his fearful threatnings and judgements Whence learne 1. Albeit the misery and short life of sinful man doth speak somewhat of the terriblenesse and power of Gods anger yet is it taken notice of by few Who knoweth the power of thy anger 2. The wrath of God may be known by the fear and terror of God which his severe justice almighty power terrible threatnings and fearful judgements executed against sinne do teach mâ—…n to know Even according to thy fear so is thy wrath Seeing men know not the power of Gods wrath till it break forth upon them it is wisdome to study his fear that wrath may be prevented and to take the measure of the power of Gods wrath by measuring his dreadful feare and terrible terror and to stand in awe of him in time Who knoweth the power of thine anger even according thy fear so is thy wrath Ver. 12. So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our heartt unto wisdome In the third part of this Psalme he putteth up six Petitions for the right use and gracious seasoning of the short and sorrowful life of the Lords people The first Petition is for wisdome to provide in time for the remedy of sin and of everlasting misery before this short and uncertain life be ended Whence learn 1. Albeit our life be both short and uncertain how soon it may end yet we look upon the indesinitesse of the time of continuance of it as if the duration of it were infinite and our yeares were innumerable for Teach us to number our dayes importeth some acknowledgement of this fault 2. Albeit it be easie for us to consider how many of our dayes are already past and how few these that are to come must be by course of nature or may be few in the way of Gods ordinary providence yet this lesson how easie soever must be taught of God before we can profitably consider of it So teach us to number our days as we may apply our hearts unto wisdom 3. The only remedy of sin and of the wrath of God and misery of mortal men for sin is the wisdom whiâ—…h is taught of God in the Scripture to wit that sinners should seek reconciliaâ—…ion with God through the â—…acrifice and obedience of Châ—…ist and study to keep friendship with God by the power of his Spiâ—… So teach us to number our dayas as we may apply our hearts unto wisdome 4. The right use of the sin wrath and judgements which we see in our time manifested is to deal wiâ—…h God by prayer that not only he would inform us of our danger and duty not onely reveal to our mindes the mystery of grace and reconciliation but also that he would effectually move our will heâ—…t and affections by faith which worketh by love to make application of the remedy of those evils to our selvâ—…s So teach us to nuâ—…ber our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome Ver. 13. Return O LORD how long and let it repent thee concerning thy servants The second Petition is that God would not only remove the tokens of his displeasure against his people but also now at length would shew himselfe reconciled by changing his dispensation toward them in a course of comfort Whence learne 1. Albeit the Lord do not go away from his people but â—…oth ever remain with them in some one or other gracious operation yet in respect of a comfortable presence he may turn away till his people request him to return as here Return O Lord. 〈◊〉 The Lords withdrawing of his comfortable pâ—…esence from his people for how short a time soever seemeth a long time to us in this short life Return O Lord how long 3. Albeit the Lord do not change his affection and repent like a man yet he can change his operation like a father who commiserates his childes affliction and goeth about to cherish him after correctionâ—… Let it repent thee concerning thy servants 4. Albeit we be but very slight servants and be fore smitten for our disobedience yet should we not cast away our calling nor suffer our relâ—…tions unto God to be dissolved but should adhere unto them by any means as here they call themselves still servants Let it repent thee concerning thy servants Ver. 14. O sati fie us early with thy mercy that we may rejoyce and be glad in our dayes 15. Make us glad according to the dayes wherein thou hast afflicted us and the yeares wherein we have seen evill The third Petition is for some spiritual comfort and refreshment to their spirits which might keep them in heart and hope of eternal salvatior Whence learn 1. A soul sensible of wrath hath as great hunger for spiritual comfort as a â—…ished man hath for meat O satisfie us 2. The renewed intimation of Gods mercy pardoning sin and making clear ouâ—…â—…onciliation is able to comfort us in our greatest sorrow O satisfie us with thy merâ—…y 3. As bodily hunge cannot suffer delay so neither can sense of wrath and desire ofâ—…favourable acceptation long endure the want of consolation but after a night of trouble earnestly expecteth a morning of comfort O satisfie us early with thy mercy 4. A poor hungry soul lying under sense of wrath will promise to it selfe happinesse for ever if it can but once again sinde what it hath sometime felt thâ—… is one sweet fill of Gods sensible mercy towards it O satisfy us that we may