Divine MEDITATIONS WRITTEN By an HONOURABLE PERSON Whereto is adjoyned a Determination of the Question whether Men ought to Kneele at the Receipt of the HOLY COMMVNION And an Essay of FRIENDSHIP Dat Rosa mel apibus LONDON Printed by T. Badger for Humphrey Mosley and are to be sold at his Shop at the Princes Armes in S. Pauls Church-Yard 1641. A MEDITATION upon PSAL. 91. I. Who so dwelleth under the defense of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty THe Holy Ghost by the Prophet David exhibites here matter of singular comfort to all such as can well understand it and rightly apply it to themselves But wee must bee carefull that wee runne not too fast to the Application lest we deceave our selves and thinke wee are safe under the defense of the most High when perhaps wee are in the shadow of Death All men naturally beleeve easily what they desire strongly Quod nimis miseri volunt hoc facile credunt Senes and there 's no Hypocrisie so dangerous as when men deceive their owne soules and think they are safe when they are in danger Many runne boldly to God with Lord Lord in their mouth as if they were his Children who shal receave for answer Nescio vos I know you not Matth. 7.22 23. This is a spirituall Phrensie not unlike that of the mad-man in Athens who seeing any Ship arrive ranne straight to the Haven and tooke an Inventory of all the Lading imagining it to bee his owne when he had no part therein Wee must therefore study to know who are those that dwell under the defence of the most High before wee can conclude who shall abide under the shadow of the Almightie This Point is excellently cleered by the same Prophet who seemed to comment on this Text in the fifteenth Psal demanding in the first Ver. Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle or who shall rest on thy Holy Hill and resolving the question in the words following to the end of the Psalme Even hee that leads an incorrupt life and doth the thing that is right c. Thus let the true Christian examine his owne heart and consider whether his life hath been or is incorrupt whether he doth the things * See Zechar 7. ver 9 10 that are right whether hee speake the truth from his heart whether hee hath used no deceit with his Tongue nor done evill to his Neighbour c. as it followes there and then he may conclude with David in the last words of that Psal that he shall never fall having done these things and consequently that he dwells under the defence of the most High There is likewise another Rule by which wee must examine our selves and that is properly ministred to us in the Phrase which the Prophet useth of dwelling under the defense of the most High It is an ordinary expression in the Scripture that God dwells with his Elect and they with him and these are Relatives which cannot stand one without the other Hee then that would know whether hee dwell under the defence of the most High must see whether God dwell with him Of this no man can bee ignorant Fruits of the Flesh and Spirit evidently discernable Gal. 5.9 for where the Spirit of God is it will evidently appeare and make it selfe knowne Saint Paul in his Epistle to the Galathians declares what are the Fruits of the Spirit viz. Love Ioy Peace Long-suffering Gentlenesse Goodnesse Faith Meekenesse and Temperance and likewise what are the Fruits of the Flesh viz. Adultery Fornication Uncleannesse Wantonnesse Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Debate Emulation Wrath Contention Sedition Heresies Envie Murther Drunkennes Revelling and such like Hee that will sit in Iudgment on himselfe and examine which of these Fruits spring out of his heart shall soone know whether God dwell in him or the Devill For the eyes of God cannot behold impurity He is all purity and sanctity and his Spirit will not inhabit a polluted Temple If therefore thou finde thy Heart and Soule to be corrupt and impure know that it is a Cage of uncleane Birds and no fit Tabernacle for God But if thou have washt away thy filthinesse by Repentance and the Bloud of Christ hath clensed thee from all sinne then maist thou bee sure that God is with thee and that thou dwellest under the Defence of the most High and maist boldly goe on with David and say 2. I will say unto the Lord Thou art my Hope and my strong Hold my God in Him will I trust If any man would have a Paraphrase upon these words hee may have recourse to the 18. Psalme and say with David there The Lord is my strong Rock and my Defence my Saviour my God and my Might in whom I will trust my Buckler the Horne also of my salvation and my Refuge In the 144. Psalme ver 2. the same Prophet calls GOD his hope and his fortresse his Castle and deliverer his Defender in whom hee will trust Psalme 31. ver 3. he stiles him his strong Rocke and House of Defense and verse 4. his strong Rocke againe and Castle Psalm 62. ver 2. Hee verily is my strength and salvation hee is my defense so that I shall not greatly fall which words are repeated ver 6. Through the whole Body of Scripture there is nothing more frequent then such like expressions of Gods power to secure his children from any danger whatsoever and Exhortations unto them to rely upon him without * Doubting of Gods mercy or providence is not beleeving Abraham staggered not at Gods promise by incredulity but was strong in Faith glorifying God Rom. 4.20 And Iacob ceased not to wrestle with the ANGEL though his thigh were bruised Gen. 33.26 Doubting and to trust in him as a faithfull Creator Is he a Rock then pray with the Psalmist O set mee on the Rocke that is higher then I Psalm 61.3 Follow our Saviours counsell Matth. 7. and Build thy House on the Rocke which nor storme of winde nor deluge of Water shall ever be able to shake Is hee thy Hope then maist thou be sure he will not faile thee for hee never did forsake those that put their trust in him Is he thy strong hold Feare then no persecution of any enemy whatsoever For no Battery can make breach in this Castle nor any craft of Man or Devill undermine it This Fortresse is God in whom onely David trusted who having created the World and all that is therein commands and over-rules all his Creatures so that nothing shall offend those his Children whom hee hath taken into his protection Yea Satan himselfe shall tempt Iob no further then God shall permit him Some put their trust in Chariots and Horses but they are brought downe and falne Psalme 20. But wee that remember the Name of the Lord our God are risen and stand upright Ver. 7 8. O then trust not in Princes nor in any child of man for there
's no helpe in them Psalme 146.2 Nothing can be saved by the multitude of an Host nor is any Mightie man delivered by much strength Psal 33.15 Wherefore blessed is he that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe and whose hope is in the Lord his God which made Heaven and earth the Sea and all that therein is which keepes his Promise for ever Psalm 146. For they that put their trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Sion which may not bee removed but standeth fast for ever Who so can with a true and lively Faith anchor his hopes on God in this manner may boldly repose in him and rest secure in all Time of Danger Adversity and Tribulation 3. For hee shall deliver thee from the snare of the Hunter and from the noisome Pestilence 4. Hee shall defend thee under his Wings and thou shalt bee safe under his Feathers his Faithfulnes and Truth shall bee thy shield and buckler Ob. The particle For may seeme to some to come a little too close after the former words I will say to the Lord Thou art my hope and strong hold my God in him will I trust For hee shall deliver thee c As if he would not trust in God unlesse he were sure of deliverance Iob seemes to speake more resolutely shall I receave Good at the hands of God and not Evill Iob 2.10 shall the Child of God thanke him and trust in him onely for Blessings and not for Afflictions also God forbid Whatsoever God doth unto us must be accepted thankfully because it proceeds from him be it Blessing or Visitation Is there any evill in the City that I have not done saith the Lord by the Prophet and shall we therefore cease to blesse praise and magnifie him because he visits and afflicts us Not so This for is not conditionall but illative The Psalmist here instructs the godly to whom to have recourse in dangerous times and as in the former verses he shewed that their Protector is the Almightie that it is God who is their strong Hold thereby declaring his Power so here hee specifies his Willingnesse and Readinesse to defend and protect his children and causally exhorts all Gods Children to trust in the Lord for or because as he is their strong Hold and their God in whom they trust so hee will and shall deliver them in all Occurrents of danger Were that particle For conditionall as it is not but illative yet were there no * The Reason is because thogh wee are to live by saith yet a dram of tried faith is better than a pound of untried incongruity For when Iacob went towards Laban hee did in a manner stipulate with God saying If God will bee with mee and keepe mee in this way I goe and will give mee Bread to eate and Rayment to put on so that I returne to my Fathers house in peace then shall the Lord be my God Genesis 28.20 21. So may every good Christian being in danger necessity and Tribulation pray to GOD for deliverance comfort and supply of his Wants and vow as Iacob did that if God will blesse him and deliver him then hee shall bee his God and Lord and that he will feare honour and serve him and him only which vow hath no negative Implication that if GOD deliver him not then hee shall not bee his God The Prophet David understood this perfectly as is evident by his often thanking God for afflictions and Visitations Psal 119. he saith first O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant for before I was troubled I went wrong but now I have kept thy word And presently after It is good for me that I have beene in trouble that I may learne thy statutes and in Psalme 16. I will thanke thee Lord for giving me warning ver 8. After that manner throughout the whole book of Psalms he frequently expresses his thankefull acknowledgement for Afflictions Visitations and Persecutions Here he instructs the godly in whom to trust namely in God assuring them they may boldly doe it for or because he will or shall deliver them from the Hunters snare c. that is from all Persecutions of enemies spirituall or temporall Our spirituall Adversary is the devill who may be properly termed a Hunter because beside his owne daily wicked suggestions he doth by the Vanities of the World and the lusts concupiscence of the Flesh lay nets and snares to entrap us Trust firmely in God and hee will deliver thee from this formidable enemy who goes about like a Roring Lion seeking whom to devoure At the beginning he got the start of our first Parents when securitie made them forfeit their Innocencie by yeelding to his Temptations But God presently rose and shewed himself passing sentence ore that seducer Gen. 3. I will put Enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betwixt thy seed and her seed hee shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heele This enemy is most to be feared because his snares are most dangerous he daily plowing with our owne Heifer and fomenting our Flesh in her Rebellion against the Spirit so that if God were not our Hope and strong Hold it were impossible for us to escape But if in him we trust God will breake his snares and our Soule shall bee delivered as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler Psalme 144. ver 6. Let Satan seeke to winnow us as hee did Saint Peter we have Christ to intercede for us as hee did for him that our Faith faile not Trust then in this Advocate be not wanting to thy selfe but put on the whole Armour of God as Saint Paul adviseth especially the Shield * It was anciently the greatest dishonour of a Souldier to be disarmd of his Shield of Faith which may quench the fiery Darts of Satan Ephes 6.16 As for temporall dangers and persecutions they are lesse to be feared for hee that hath a care of thy Soule will preserve thy Body so that no Enemy shall hurt nor Danger overwhelme thee Of all Temporall Dangers those that touch the Body and threaten the Life are most sensible and most dangerous as the Devill though a Lyar from the beginning said truely Skinne for skinne and all that a man hath will he give for his Life Iob 2.4 Nothing endangers life more than the Plague or Pestilence against the dread and danger whereof this Psalme seemes more especially to bee dictated That this very Affliction is the greatest of all temporall Afflictions may appeare by David who having his choice of War Famine and Pestilence out of a true sense and feeling of his great sinne chose the * Herein the learned Author followes Iosephus greatest punishment and such a one as is unavoidable by greatnesse or any temporall helpe the cure wherof or preservation from it depending * Ther 's no specificall Antidote against the Pestilence as Physitians confess Vid. Vntzer de Peste immediately on God whose
Angell strikes where he commands and spares those whom hee would have preserved It is a swift flying Arrow that lights on us unawares and commonly strikes at the heart Witnesse the first-borne of Egypt who were all destroyed by it in one night the Army of Sennacherib of whom the Angell of the Lord slew 185000. by the Pestilence in another night and the mutinous murmuring Israelites who were smitten in a moment For no sooner had Moses said Wrath is gone out from the Lord but immediately 14700. died of the Plague Num. 16. It is noisome and by consequence uncomfortable depriving men of succour assistance or reliefe so that he who is visited therewith may truly say with David My loynes are filled with a sore disease and there is no sound part in my Body Psal 38.7 Adde hereunto out of the same Psalme My lovers and Neighbours did stand looking on my trouble and my Kinsmen stood a far off It is a Terror and that by night when small dangers seeme great and great apprehensions are terrible But as it walkes in Darkenesse which is dreadfull so it flies by Day and destroies likewise at Noone-day not only affrighting but astonishing and amazing us with fearefull spectacles of Mortality as thousands that fall besides us and tenne thousand at our right hand It respects no persons as wee see by example of Ezekias who being a King and a good King was therwith visited There 's no avoyding it because it proceeds immediately from God from whom thou canst not flye Whither shall I goe from thy Spirit or from thy presence If I climbe up to Heaven thou art there if I descend to Hell thou art there also Psal 139. Is there then no remedy must wee despaire of helpe or comfort in this time of Mortality Is there no Balme in Gilead yes sure When Naaman had the Leprosie a Captive Mayd told her Maister Would God my Lord were with the Prophet that is in Samaria for he would recover him of his Leprosy 2 Kings 5. Could a Prophet cure the Leprosy Then remember there is here a greater then any Prophet See what a Physitian the Psalmist hath provided what Antidote he ministers against this deadly Disease The Physitian is God Omnipotent who will defend thee under His Wings so that thou shalt bee safe under His Feathers The Antidot and Preservative is thy Hope Affiance in Him * Credere est extra nos ire in Christum transire Repaire then to that Physitian take that Antidote and thou shalt not be afraid for any terrour by night nor for the Arrow that flies by Day A thousand shall fall beside thee and tenne thousand at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee Pray then for Faith and Confidence in God and nothing shall dismay thee God is our Hope and strength a very present Helpe in Trouble therefore will we not feare though the Earth be moved or the Hills throwne into the midst of the Sea Psalme 42.1 2. Doth not the Prophet tell thee in this Psalme that His Faithfulnesse and Truth shal be thy Shield and Buckler He hath commanded thee to invocate Him when thou art in Trouble and promised to deliver thee Iames 5.13 Psalme 50.15 Returne to the Lord thy God and be obedient to His Voice He will not forsake nor destroy thee Deut. 4.30 Cast thy Burden on the Lord and Hee shall nourish thee Psal 55.22 Come to me saith He all yee that labour and are heavy-laden and I will refresh you Mat. 11 28. Consider then with whom thou hast to deale and bee confident of His Clemency who is so rich * Men oft falsify but God wil be as good as His Word in mercy so bountifull in His promises and so * See Rom. 10.12 faithfull and punctuall in performance of His Word If His fidelity and verity be thy Shield and Buckler thou hast a good and warrantable Ground for thy Hope and Trust in Him For God is not like Man that he should lie nor like the Sonne of man that He should repent but immutable and without variation His promises are yea and Amen Hee will not suffer His Truth to faile nor breake His Covenant nor alter the thing that is gone out of His mouth Psalme 89.33 34. He hath beene ever mindefull of His Covenant and Promise that He made to a thousand Generations Psalme 105.8 His word cannot be frustrated Esay 55.11 Heaven and Earth shall passe but My Word shall not passe away saith our Saviour Matth. 24.35 Having therefore in this perillous time of the Plague such a Physitian at hand who can and will either cure or preserve us we may rest secure under His wings and safe under His Feathers if we will Beware that wee bee not like the Iewes of whom our Saviour spake O Ierusalem Ierusalem how oft would I have gathered thy children together even as a hen gathers her chickens under her Wings and ye would not Matth. 23.37 If chickens runne from under the wings of the hen no mervaile if the Kite seize on them Since then thou hast in this Danger the Wings of God for thy defence and His Feathers for thy safety keepe thee there without wandring after vaine pleasures for feare of being caught And since our Physitian hath prescribed us such Soveraigne Antidotes and Preservatives it must be our care to use them * Cum debito regimine as Physitians say according to His Prescript The ingredients of this Diacatholicon are Faith Hope Repentance and Prayer No Affliction or visitation befalls us but as a chastisement or punishment for sin He therefore that would be freed of the Paine which hee suffers must endeavour to remove the Cause whereto he must put his owne helping hand and apply to himselfe those salves that are proper for his Sore Naaman the Syrian was not cured of his Leprosie till he had washed himselfe seven times in Iordan Doe thou every night wash thy Bed and water thy Couch with thy Teares Psalme 6.6 and then thou shalt be cleane likewise When the murmuring Israelites had provoked God and pulled downe the Plague upon themselves Moses perceaving that wrath was gone out from God commanded Aaron to take a Censer and put Incense therein and quickely * Numb 16.46 to make an Attonement for the People When wee see Gods hand neere us or over us or feele it in our selves wee must presently * Zec. 8.21 seeke to make an Attonement and offer to Him first the Calves of our lips which is Thankes for having given us warning and next the sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart which he doth never despise When the first-borne of Egypt were smitten the Israelites were commanded to kill a * This Lamb was a type which prefigured Christ Lambe and sprinkle it's Bloud on the Lintells of their Doors that the ministeriall Angell sent to punish the Egyptians â—eing the Bloud of the Lamb on their Doores might passe over them