to dye even from my youth up thy terrors I have suffered with a troubled soul yea I have been so amazed and astonished with them that I have been even distracted and ready to dispair In me there hath appeared manifest signs of thy displeasure for thou hast laid me in the lowest pit and imprison'd me in darkness and in the depth of calamities As wave sacreeds wave so thy fierce wrath goeth over me it lies hard upon me and I am afflicted with all thy storms these billows came round about me dayly like water and not one after another set upon me but they engirt me all together My eye mourns Vers. 8 and grows dim by reason of affliction Lord then hear my err that I dayly present unto thee Turn from thy fierce anger and shew me again the light of thy countenance Deliver me from these thy terrors from the grave from this death and I will magnifie thy name and mercy among the living O Lord give a gracious answer to these my sighs and prayers stand not far off for ever Forsake me not in my distress but make haste to help For thou alone art the God of my salvation if thou leave me I must perish Wherefore good Father succour me and pardon my sin which hath brought this thy just indignation upon me for the merits of thy dearly beloved Son Iesus Christ my Lord. And thou O sweet Saviour which thy self hast suffered and wast for my sake tempted be a merciful and faithful High Priest to me in things pertaining to God make reconciliation for my sins and succour me that am tempted Amen PSAL. LXXXIX IN this Psalm the Prophet praiseth God and sets forth his goodness and faithfulness particularly that he made an everlasting Covenant with David and his seed In which the stability and perpetuity of Christs Kingdom of which the Kingdom of David was but a Type is excellently described and foretold The parts of this Psalm are these 1. The Sum Pith and Argument of the whole Psalm viz. the Loving-kindness and truth of God vers 1 2. 2. The particular instance of Gods goodness and truth in making a Covenant with David vers 3 4. 3. A Doxology containing the praise of God for his wonders faithfulness power providence justice judgement mercy truth from vers 5. to 15. 4. The Happy estate of Gods people from vers 15. to 19. 5. A special example of Gods goodness toward his Church exemplified in David but truly verified in Christ from vers 19. to 28. 6. How Davids posterity should be dealt with upon their disobedience from vers 28. to 38. 7. A Complaint or Expostulation upon the contrary events where he doth deplore the torne estate of the Judaical Kingdom from vers 38. to 47. 8. A Petition for mercy and restauration from vers 47. to 51. 9. An Epiphonematical conclusion vers 52. blessing God for the hope he hath in his favour and help in all estates 1. The Breviary of the Psalm is set down in the first verse and amplified by the reason in the second The first part The Sum of the Psalm Gods Mercies Thus he begins 1. I will sing Chant set forth in a Song The fittest way to express our joy for any thing so best inculcated so best remembred so best deliver'd to others to remember Vers. 1 2. Of which David will sing Of the mercies plurally for they are many And his Song should be of all 3. For ever Intentionally though not actually for as a wicked man could he live alwayes would alwayes sin so a good man could he live alwayes would alwayes sing the mercies of the Lord. 2. Or if ever be join'd to Mercies it is his everlasting Mercies 4. With my mouth I will make known thy faithfulness from generation to generation With my mouth while I have a being I will make known and when I have no being I will commit them to writing Ut sciat haec aetas posteritasque legat His reason for it is because Gods mercy is everlasting Because his mercy is everlasting and therefore fit to be the subject of an everlasting Song 1. For I have said Set down this for a certain position Vers. 2 an undoubted truth 2. Mercy shall be built up for ever 'T is not exhausted in one age but as a house built on a strong foundation it shall stand firm and be perceiv'd age after age 3. Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens As is thy mercy so is thy faithfulness perpetual as the heavens in which is found no change 2. And for the proof of Gods goodness and truth The second part The instance the Covenant he produceth an instance in his Covenant made with David Where by a Prosopopeia he brings in God speaking 1. I have made a Covenant with my chosen It was not Merit then Vers. 3 it was free Election 2. I have sworne Faelices nos quorum causâ Deus jurat To David my servant And the Covenant and Oath is extant 2 Sam. 7.11 3. And the tenour of the Covenant is Thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy Throne to all generations Thy seed signally which is true of Christ only who was of the seed of David to whom the Lord gave the Throne of his father David Luke 1.32 33. who was to reign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end The words then are not to be understood of Davids temporal Kingdom but of the seed of David that is Christs spiritual Kingdom for that was to be established for ever 3. And now what the Prophet undertook in the first verse he performs The third part Of this all good men will sing for at the fifth verse his Doxology begins The person is only chang'd and that to advantage For there he spoke of himself I will sing Here he saith it shall be done by others The heavens shall praise Vers. 5 1. Some by the heavens understand the Church and the Preachers in the Church Heavens Angels 2. Others the Angels and blessed spirits in heaven Both are true and of both it may be well affirm'd O Lord the heavens shall praise thy wondrous works Thy faithfulness also in the Congregation of Saints 2. The Subject of the Heavens and the Angels and Saints praise are The Subject of their Song 1. Gods wondrous works and his Truth In general Vers. 5 all his miracles but in particular this wondrous work viz. his making a Covenant with David in taking an Oath to perform it 1 His Works his Truth and his faithfulness in keeping it For it is a wonder that so great a Majesty should so far condescend And now he sings praise to this Majesty setting forth the power of it 2 His Majesty to whom none to be compared and that in three respects 1. By way of comparison in the 6 7 8 verses viz. That there is nor Angel
being this I will be thy God and the God of thy seed upon which follows Walk before me and be thou perfect 4. Upon the confidence of which Promise and Covenant David repeats his prayer Upon which he repeats his prayer For thy Name sake O Lord pardon my iniquity for it is great Multa magna And yet David proceeds in the consideration of Gods Nature his Goodness his Truth and Mercy to those that keep his Covenant And admires the happiness of him that trusts in God and by way of admiration asks Quis i. e. Quantus qualis O how happy how blessed is the man that fears the Lord worships God loves his Word and casts not away his hope and faith in the day of trouble and tentation Ver. 12 which happiness he sets forth by the fruits that follow his piety 1. The first fruit and benefit that he shall reap is instruction and direction in his Vocation and private life For God shall direct him Him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose 2. Ver. 13 The second is that his happiness shall not be momentary but firm and lasting 2 He shall dwell at ease not molested but quiet His soul shall dwell at ease 3. 3 Happy in his seed A third is that he shall be happy in his children and posterity His seed shall inherit the land 4. The fourth is that Redemption of Mankind by the blood of Christ and all the effects of it Remission Reconciliation c. which is a secret unknown to flesh and blood shall be revealed and applied to him Ver. 14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him 4 Gods Covenant applied to him and he will shew them his Covenant Being confirmed with these promises and cheered with these fruits he The fourth part 1. Testifies his acquiescence and faith in God for deliverance My eye◠are ever towards the Lord he shall pluck my feet out of the Net In this he acquiesceth 2. And then returns to his Prayer again being in effect the very self-same that he began with which he offereth in several Clauses 1. Turn thee unto me He renews his former prayer 2. Have mercy upon me 3. O bring thou me out of my distresses 4. Look upon my affliction and trouble and forgive me all my sins 5. Consider mine enemies 6. O keep my soul and deliver me 7. Let me not be ashamed 8. Let integrity and uprightness wait upon me Petitioners and men in misery think that they can never say enough this makes him so earnest and so often repeat the same thing in which longing there is yet an incrementum The sum is That God would hear and grant him defence and deliverance in his dangers remission of sins which caused them and protect direct and govern him in his troubles Now that he might prevail in his Suit as an excellent Orator And useth many Arguments that God be propitious to him he useth many Arguments to induce God to be propitious to him 1. His faith and trust in his promises Min◠eyes are ever towards the Lord. 2. The danger he was now in His feet were in the Net Ver. 15 3. He was oppressed and alone had none to help him I am desolate and afflicted Ver. 16 4. His inward afflictions and pain was grievous Ver. 17. 18. The troubles of my heart are enlarged by which he was distressed in pain in sorrow 5. And without his enemies powerful many merciless cruel Ver. 19 My enemies are many and they hate me with cruel hatred Ver. 21 6. And yet I am an Innocent and desire to be so thy servant Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait upon thee And thus David having through the whole Psalm pray'd for himself He prayes for the Church The fifth part at last in the close he offers up a short but earnest Petition for all the People and for the whole Church which proceeded from that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 22 which ought to be among the Saints Redeem Israel O God out of all their troubles The Prayer collected out of the twenty fifth Psalm UNTO thée O Lord I do lift up not only my eyes and hands Ver. 1 but my very soul and heart early in the Morning will I direct my prayer unto thée and will look up O Lord I am not ignorant how uncapable I have made my self of thy favour by my transgressions multiplied against thée but O Lord Ver. 6 declare thy self mindful of thy pity and mercy which thou hast shewed to Mankind from the beginning of the World and according to the multitude of thy mercies deal with me My sin is very great more in number than the sand heavier in weight than the greatest burden O pardon my iniquity for thy Name sake The offences of my younger years are over-many Ver. 11 into which the boyling of concupiscence inconsideration and my youthful heat and imprudence hath cast me head-long but O good God I beséech thée Remember not the sins of my youth nor the transgressions of my unruly and unbrideled Age but according to thy mercy think thou upon me blot out of thy remembrance my abominations and remit my crying exorbitances for thy goodness sake O Lord. O Lord Ver. 8 Thou art good and upright all thy paths are Mercy and Truth Thy Goodness and Mercy is shewed in admitting sinners to Repentance and thy Vprightness and Truth in pardoning them and making good thy Promises admit me then among the number of thy Penitents and seal my pardon as thou hast promised to penitent and believing sinners Thou art the God of my salvation Ver. 5 on thee do I wait all my life long from thy Mercy I look for my Instruction Ver. 4 from thée my Direction Shew me thy wayes and reach me thy paths and lead me in thy Truth I am a man of a broken and contrite spirit guide me in the day of Iudgment and suffer me not to be tempted above my strength and whatever way I choose be thou my Teacher and Monitor that I slip not and fall not in it I desire O Lord to kéep thy Covenant and Testimonies let therefore that great secret of Mans Redemption by the blood of thy dear Son be made known to me and the mercies of thy Covenant assur'd to my soul by which alone my heart shall dwell at ease and my Conscience be quieted from the guilt of sinne and sense of thy wrath These my sins have procured me many enemies and thou hast justly raised up these Rebels to revenge my Rebellions against thée with these I am so compassed that I know not what to do But mine eyes are toward thee O Lord and except thou pluck my séet out of the Net I must néeds perish in the snares that they have privily laid for me Turn thee then unto me and have mercy upon me for I am destitute of all humane help left
and derision to them that are round about us and this he amplifies Ver. 14 1. From the circumstances 1. That they were a Proverb of reproach The Aggravation by an excellent incrementum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou makest us a by-word among the Heathen 2. That in scorn any one that would used a scornful gesture toward them We are become a shaking of the head among the people 3. That this insultation is continual My confusion is daily before me Ver. 15 4. It is superlative shame so great that he had not what to say to it The shame of my face hath covered me Ver. 16 5. It is publick their words and gestures are not concealed they speak out what they please Asham'd I am for the voyce of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth for the enemy and avenger Thirdly And yet he useth a third Argument The third Argument from the constancy of the Church under the Cross that the Petition may be the more grateful and more easily granted drawn it is from the constancy and perseverance of Gods people in the profession of the Truth notwithstanding this heavy cross persecution and affliction All this is come upon us Thus we are oppressed devoured banished sold Ver. 17 derided Yet we continue to be thy servants still we retain our faith hope service 1. We have not forgotten thee not forgotten that thou art our God 2. We have not dealt falsly in thy Covenant we have not bogled and jugled in thy Service daubing with any side for our advantage renouncing our integrity Ver. 18 3. Our heart is not turned back our heart is upright not turned back to the Idols our Fathers worshipped 4. Our steps are not gone out of thy way Slip we may but not revolt no not though great calamities are come upon us 1. Broken 2. Ver. 19 Broken in the place of Dragons i. e. enemies fierce as Dragons 3. Their appeal Though covered with the shadow of death Now that all this is true we call thee our God to witness Ver. 20 who knowest the very secrets of the heart and art able to revenge it If we have forgotten the Name of our God or stretched out our hands to c. Ver. 21 Shall not God search it out for he knows the very secret of the heart Fourthly But the last Argument is more pressing than the other three The fourth Argument from their profession of truth it is not for any wrong we have done those who thus oppress us that we are thus persecuted by them it is for thee it is because we profess thy Name and rise up in defence of thy Truth Yea for thy sake are we killed all the day long Ver. 22 for thy sake are we counted as sheep for the slaughter The sum then is since thou hast been a good God to our Fathers since we suffer so great things under bitter Tyrants since notwithstanding all our sufferings we are constant to thy Truth since these our sufferings are for thee for thy sake His Petition thy truth therefore awake arise help us for upon these grounds he commenceth his Petition The second part This is the second part of the Psalm which begins ver 23. and continues to the end in which Petition there be these degrees 1. That God Ver. 23 who to flesh and blood in the calamities of his Church seems to sleep would awake and set a stop to their trouble Awake why sleepest thou O Lord ver 23. 2. That he would arise and judge their cause and not seem to neglect them as abjects Arise cast us not off for ever ver 23. 3. That he would shew them some favour Ver. 24 and not seem to forget their miseries Wherefore hidest thou thy face and forgettest our affliction and oppression 4. Lastly That he would be their Helper and actually deliver them Arise for our help Ver. 26 and redeem us for thy mercies sake Which Petition that it might be the sooner and easier granted he briefly repeats the second Argument Ver. 25 ver 25. For our soul is bowed down to the dust our belly cleaveth to the Earth brought we are as low as low may be even to the dust to death to the grave The Prayer collected out of the forty fourth Psalm O God the Father of mercy Ver. 1 Thou hast called those thy people which were not a people and chosen them to be thy children who were aliens and strangers to thy Covenant Ver. 2 We have heard with our ears and our Fathers have declared unto us That thou hast gathered thy Church out of all Nations that thou hast driven out thine own people the Jewes and planted us Gentiles in their room Thou hast called us by thy Gospel redéemed us by thy Blood purified us by thy Spirit and that not for any merit that was in us or goodness or power Ver. 3 to which we could lay claim For we got not a possession in thy Church by our own Sword neither was it out own arm that could save us but it was thy right hand and thy arm and the light and favour of thy countenance no other reason can be given of this wonderful kindness but because thou hadst a favour and borest a good will unto us But now O Lord Thou hast cast us off and put us to shame Thou hast not gone forth with our Armies Ver. 9 Thou hast made us turn our backs upon our enemies and they that hate us spoile us our habitations our goods and thy Temples at their pleasure deslined we are like simple and harmless shéep to be slaughtered and devoured by these gréedy woldes scattered and dispersed whether they please and forced out of our Countrey to dwell among another people As slaves they have made merchandize of us and sold us at so base a rate as if we were of no value as if the most contemptible thing were price good enough for us To our neighbours we are become a reproach to those round about us a scorn a derision a proverb our misery is their mirth and at the sight of us in a scoff they shake their heads every day we méet with what doth amaze and confound us and for shame in every place we come we hide and cover our faces for our enemies lift up their voyces and revile us petulant they are and take their revenge by reproaches and blasphemies Thou Lord knowest the secret of the heart Thou Lord knowest that 't is for thy sake we are killed all day long and accounted no better than sheep appointed to be slain Ver. 21 All this is come upon us for thee these scorns and calamities we suffer for the profession of thy Truth and yet we are patient under the Cross Yet we have not forgotten thee thy Worship thy Service nor dealt falsly and hypocritically in thy Covenant our heart is yet sincere and upright we have not turned our backs upon thee Ver. 17 neither have our steps gone out of
Generation let Him sée His séed and let His séed sit upon His Throne till the Heavens pass away with a noise the Elements melt with fervent heat and this Earth with the works that are therein be burnt up O let Him abide before thee His God for ever never let Him in His own person fall out of thy favour nor his Posterity from the light of thy countenance establish His Throne in mercy and truth and let thy loding-kindness alwayes preserve Him His heart is in thy hand melt it into clemency affect it with mercy that He may be a Father unto thy people and mourn with those that mourn and lament with those that lament yet affect Him sofar with the love of Truth that he be zealous for the Truth of Religion earnest to promote thy worship in sincerity and resolute to administer true judgment unto thy people let him bring the whéel upon the wicked and extend the bowels of compassion to the innocent and oppressed A mercy this is when we cast our eye upon the present calamities and state of things even beyond hope beyond expectation but thou our God art Almighty and All-sufficient stir up thy strength then and come and help us where the help of man is in vain then let thy power be manifest which thing if thou wilt grant us Then will I sing praise unto thy Name for ever I will return unto thée every day that Thanksgiving which I have vowed which is due and which I doubt not thou wilt accept through the Name of Iesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour Amen PSAL. LXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE intent of this Psalm is to teach men to trust in God and not to trust in wealth strength or in the power or promises of man The Contents of the Psalm 1. Davids confidence in God ver 1 2. 2. The mischievous but vain attempts of his enemies ver 3 4. 3. He encourageth himself and others to the same confidence from ver 5. to 9. 4. That no trust is to be put in men or riches ver 9 10. 5. The grounds of our confidence in God ver 11 12. 1. In the two first verses David expresseth The first part His affiance in God or rather labours to express as appears by his often repetition of the same thing in divers words his hope trust and confidence in God Ver. 1 1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God or is silent i.e. I do acquiesce in him 2. From him comes my salvation If I be safe in my greatest troubles Ver. 2 't is from him 3. He only is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence so that I shall not greatly be moved He is to me what a Rock or Tower of defence is to such as flie to them 2. And upon it he infers The second part He upon it insults over his enemies that the mischievous attempts of his bitterest adversaries are but vain with them he expostulates them he checks and over them he insults 1. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man i. e. me he chides their obstinacy Ver. 3 2. Ye shall be slain all of you And shewes their mischievous attempts and their ruine he declares by a double similitude Ye shall be as a bowing wall whence when some stones begin to shut out or fall the rest follow or as a tottering fence that is easily thrown down Next by the description of their manners he intimates the cause of their ruine Ver. 4 1. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency Their counsels to destroy David 2. They delight in lyes invent tales and lies to destroy me 3. Flatterers and Dissemblers they are They bless with their mouth but curse inwardly no marvail then if destined to the slaughter if they be as a broken wall c. 3. And lest his heart faint and fail through the multitude of tentations The third part He encourages 1. Himself he first encourageth himself to be confident still secondly then perswades others to it 1. He encourageth himself Ver. 5 making use of the words of the first and second verses for Reasons My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him he only is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence I shall not be moved In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my strength and refuge is in God 2 Others to trust in God 2. He exhorts others to do the like Trustin him ye people which he amplifies 1. By assignation of the time Trust in him at all times in prosperity that he be not secure in adversity that ye be not heartless 2. And in our saddest occasions he shews and exhorts what is to be done that we bring our grievances and complaints to God and with an honest heart open them Poure out your heart that is the griefs of your heart before him 3. The reason he our refuge Adding this Reason God is our Refuge for us 4. The fourth part So are not other things whether men secondly wealth especially unjustly gotten 1. So not other things Not men there is no credit or trust to be put in them of what degree soever 1. 1 Not men Surely men of low degree are vanity 2. And men of high degree are a lye The low are notable the high deceive and frustrate our hopes 2. Put them into the balance they are altogether lighter than vanity make trial of them as you would of things in a Scale and you shall find them so vain and light 2 Not riches But God is to be trusted for his power and mercy that they carry no proportion to what is weighty they ascend and flurt up and away as an empty Scale 2. Nor riches and wealth especially if unjustly heaped together and therefore rely not on them Trust not in oppression and become not vain in robbery if riches increase set not your heart upon them 5. The fifth paâ—t In the Close he sets down the grounds of his confidence taken upon Gods Word God hath spoken ' twice have I heard the same i. e. He hath often spoken it 1. That power belongs to God and therefore he is to be trusted 2. That mercy belongs to God and therefore also he is to be trusted The consequent of both is Thou renderest to every one according to his works bonis vera malis malè rely upon him The Prayer collected out of the sixty second Psalm O God infinite in essence terrible in judgments though thou hast commanded us in our trouble to call upon thee and to trust unto thee yet such is the infirmity of flesh and blood that we find in our distresses too many discouragements tempted we are to doubt whether thou canst but more often sollicited to doubt whether thou wilt come down and deliver us But such is thy condescension to the weakness of man Ver. 11 That thou hast spoken once Ver. 12 nay twice
and in Truth according to his Word and Promise He will accept no mans person but render to every man according to his works The Prayer collected out of the ninty sixth Psalm O Merciful Lord so déep is the Sea of thy mercies which hath from everlasting flow'd over unto us and thy dayly favours Vers. 1 2. that thou doest conter upon us that except we will be ungrateful we must sing unto thee a new Song for new blessings and bless thy name for fresh gifts and graces Vers. 5 What is man that thou shouldst be so mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldst regard him Thou who madest the heaven Vers. 4 createdst him after thy own image but he defaced it Vers. 5 Thou who wert to be feared far above all gods gavest him a command to worship and honour thee but he made to himself other gods which indéed were no gods Vers. 4 but petty and ridiculous Deities and cast by thée the great God of heaven and earth a God greatly to be praised a God to be feared above all gods and worshipped the inventions of his own brain and the works of his own hands But all this did not cool thy love nor retard thy mercy even when all the kindreds of the Nations did serve other gods thou sentest them Redemption thou sentest thy Son to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel Great and marvellous are thy works O Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Vers. 2 who ought not to fear thee and glorifie thy Name Warm therefore our cold hearts with thy love that we may shew forth thy Salvation from day to day Vers. 3 Make our flow tongues eloquent and powerful that we may publish this glad-ridings and declare thy glory unto the heathen and thy wonders to all people So resplendent is thy Honour and Majesty so immense thy strength Vers. 6 so illustrious thy beauty that we dust and ashes tremble in our approaches to thee and were it not for those commands thou hast laid upon and invitations and encouragements thou hast given to penitent and believing sinners we durst not presume to tender our selves and our homage before thee Vers. 7 But since thou hast call'd for a gift from us we do fréely give unto thée glory and strength fluce thou doest expect as a due debt glory to thy name we chéerfully give thée glory and proclaim thy name to the whole world The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Offerings we have none that are worthy of thée Vers. 8 yet such as we have we bring we offer unto thée the Sacrifice of a troubled and a contrite spirit we tender unto thée our petitions and thanks upon the Altar of a mortified and broken heart we confess our unworthiness and fast and wéep before thée we come into thy Courts and present what we are able two poor mites soul and body Lord accept of these our offerings for Iesus Christs sake Our desire is to worship thee in the Beauty of Holiness to be holy as thou art holy to be perfect as thou art perfect but being conscious to our selves of the impurity and imperfections of our own hearts and sensible of thy excellencies we step back for very fear and retire for shame Bold and impudent we cannot be in thy presence but we worship thée with trembling spirits and adore with reverence Yet thus much we are and may be bold to proclaim among the heathen The Lord reigneth Vers. 10 Jehovah who is our righteousness is our King long let him reign Vers. 11 for ever let him live Hosannah to the son of David and let all things in heaven and earth say Amen to it Let the Angels and Saints in Heaven rejoice at it Vers. 12 let all men on earth be glad of it let the wicked who are like the troubled Sea will they nill they reare it out let the fulness thereof the impious spirits that move them bow at the Name of Jesus Yea let the wildest tree in the field and wood be brought at last to confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father O thou great King of all the world Vers. 11 to whom all power is given in heaven and earth rule thy people with thy Word and Spirit and judge the adversaries of thy worship and enemies of thy Gospel bear rule and dominion among the heathen that yet have not submitted unto thee let the whole world be established by thy Gospel and thy Laws take place among them and never be removed Lord hasten thy Kingdom and appear in thy glory Even so come Lord Jesus Vers. 13 Come quickly Come to judge the earth seat thy self upon thy Throne and call all the Nations of the world before thee and make it known that thou art not an accepter of any mans person but that thou wilt judge the world with righteousness and the people with thy Truth and that those that have done ill shall go into eternal punishment but the righteous into life eternal Be thou my King O sweet Iesus inform me in thy Law guide and rule me by thy Spirit cause me so to worship and fear thee to offer such spiritual Sacrifices unto thee to give what I owe such glory and honour to thy Name that at thy coming I may be set on thy right-hand and be one of that number to whom thou wilt say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen PSAL. CXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN this Psalm David sets forth Gods power and glory and being moved by the Spirit of Prophesie foretels the downfall of Idolators and the happy estate of those who serve God with an honest heart Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. A Prophetical description of Christs power and glory especially at the day of judgement from vers 1. to 7. 2. A manifest difference put betwixt Idolators and the people of God Confusion he imprecates to the first vers 7. And gives notice of the joy of the second with the reasons vers 8 9. 3. He exhorts those that love God to a good life encouraging them upon Gods favour vers 10. And upon the joy that is like to follow it vers 11. for which he stirs them up to rejoice and to be thankful vers 12. He begins with a Solemn Acclamation The Lord reigneth The first part God is the Supreme King being the self-same that he commanded to be proclaimed in the former Psalm vers 10. As if he had said By the coming of Christ the Empire of Death Vers. 1 the Power of the Devil all Oracles are silenc'd and all Idols destroy'd And he will use his Scepter
And he backs his Petition with a strong Reason drawn from the final cause Help me save me that they may know that this is thy hand that thou Lord hast done it That all men especially the Jewes may know by my rising again in despite of their watch and seal that it was not their malice nor power that brought me to this ignominious death but the whole matter my Passion suffering and death proceeded from thy hand Acts 2.23 cap. 3.18 And by his Resurrection he was declared to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 And in the close of his prayer His vote he sings as it were a Triumph over all his enemies the Devil Judas the Jewes those great enemies to him and his Church over them he insults in a bitter Epitrope 1. Let them curse speak evil of me call me a deceiver blaspheme me as the Jewes do in a solemn manner to this day 1 That God bless him let them esteem my followers as the off-scouring and out-casts of the World 2. 2 That the Jewes be confounded But bless thou So thou return me good for their cursing 2 Sam. 16.12 And not only to me in glorifying me and setting me on his right hand but for my sake bless all Nations that by faith in Baptism shall give up their names to me 3. When they arise For 1. Arise they will plot endeavour and oppose all they can both by force and fraud the establishment of my Kingdom 2. But let them be ashamed confounded and astonished that all their attempts are frustrate 4. 3 That he rejoyce But let thy servant for Christ took upon him the name and condition of a servant rejoyce not only that they are saved and their enemies confounded but because thy Name is thereby glorified And he continues his Imprecation But his adversaries cloathed with shame and comes over it again by way of Expolition Let my Adversaries be cloathed with shame and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a Mantle Confounded at the last day for their ingratitude foolishness and malice before men and Angels and wrapp'd about with it as veste talari as with a Robe or a lined Mantle that comes about and covers every part of the body 4. And at last he closeth all with thanks which he opposeth to the confusion of the wicked The fourth part For which he would praise God publickly they for amazement and astonishment of heart shall be struck dumb as the man without the wedding garment but 1. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth with great affection with a â—great Jubilee 2. Ver. 30 And that not closely among private Walls but in open Theater of the whole World yea I will praise him among the multitude Of which praise he renders this reason 1. He shall stand at the right hand of the poor i. e. such poor who are poor in spirit God will defend and save his people meek and humble and being conscious of their own wants and lack of strength are alwayes begging and beating at the door of God who is rich in mercy at the right hand of such a poor man he will stand as a Sword and Buckler to keep off every blow aimed at him for so it followes 2. I will stand at the right hand of the poor to save him from those that condemn his soul from the Devil and all his instruments Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his Church and he hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and nail'd it to the Cross Col. 2.14 So that cùm à mundo damnamur à Christo absolvimur Tertull. The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and ninth Psalm O Almighty Merciful and Gracious Father Ver. 1 Thou art the God of whom we make our boast all the day long and desire to magnifie and praise all our life long who art alone the Witness of the honesty and integrity of our hearts hold not thy peace in this néedful time of trouble but be our Advocate and plead our cause against the wicked and deceitful men the enemies of thy Church and Oppressors of thy Truth and people It is not Lord Ver. 2 unknown to thée That the mouths of these wicked and false-hearted hypocrites are opened against thée our Religion and Profession It is not unknown unto thée That they not only load us with lies and blasphemies but that forgetful of all humanity and piety They have compassed us about with words of hatred Ver. 3 They hate and malice us and what foul aspersions their malice could invent those they have cast upon us But with this their malice was not satisfied for from words they came to blowes our blood have they shed like water by the fury of War and defiled their hands with the slaughter of innocents our Mothers Children have risen and sought against us without a cause For what cause have we given them except it were that in charity we would have taught and informed them in the Truth and continued them in the bosom of thy Church What cause except it were that we prayed for them Father forgive them for they know not what they do Ver. 4 but such is their ingratitude That for our love they are become our Adversaries they have rewarded us evil for good and hatred for our love And for our good-will Ver. 5 repay us with oppression and make use of their power and lay hold of the time put into their hands to destroy waste and root out thy inheritance As for us we have no means to resist their fury no power to oppose against their rage but our prayers and tears and therefore we will give our selves to prayer and first pray for them Lord lay not this sin to their charge Or if they shall persist and go on in their wickedness against them as thou hast taught us in this Psalm O Lord the Curses are bitter the Execrations are fearful and we know of what spirit we are we shall then leave it to thy Iustice to execute them as on whom and when thou shalt think fit not looking so much what these men of a reprobate mind have deserved as what is our Duty taught and enjoyned by thée To love our enemies to bless them that curse us to do good to them that hate us to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us Afraid we are lest we indulge too much to our humane affections of self-love anger hatred and impatience even in using this Form that thou hast taught and therefore we will forbear to curse them and sollicite for our selves Conscious we are to our selves that we have not lived a life worthy of thy Truth and Gospel revealed unto us which is the just cause that at this time Ver. 21 in thy worship there remains almost nothing which is not corrupted with Novelty and polluted with falshood But O merciful God give us true contrition
the time of the Judges when the Judicature was in divers places nor yet in Sauls Reign David seated his Throne at Jerusalem and with it the Courts of Justice which lasted till the destruction of the City 3. The commendation being ended he turns his speech to the Tribes that ascend thither The third part He exhorts the Tribes and exhorts them for their own good to pray for the happy estate of Jerusalem 1. Ver. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem It is our Duty to pray for the Church and Kingdom 1 To pray for her peace since it is the Seat of Gods Sanctuary and the Kings 2. They shall prosper that love thee If not then for their sakes yet for our own let us pray for the peace of the King and Church for in the destruction and disturbance of these Justice and Religion perish King and Priest are ruined and then our ruine must follow as we know by miserable experience whereas if we love and pray for these prosperity is promised us 3. Ver. 7 And that we be not to seek for our prayer the Prophet puts one into our mouths The prayer formed to our hands Peace be within thy Walls and prosperity within thy Palaces Peace and prosperity two things that are especially good and joined maâ—â— happy Cities for peace without prosperity is but a secure possession of misery And again prosperity without peace is but a dubious and uncertain selicity 1. 1 For peace Peace be within thy Walls In thy walls in which consists the strength of any City in the multitude of people in which consists the strength of any Kingdom in thy Armies in which consists the strength of War 2. 2 For prosperity And prosperity within thy Palaces In the Kings house peace for Factions destroyes it and with it the Kingdom and Nation Where the King prospers not the people can never prosper 4. And what the Prophet exhorts others to do he promiseth to do himself This prayer he commenceth 1. I will now say peace be within thy walls a pious Prophet 2. Of which he gives two reasons I will seek to do thee good It shall be my study to do it a pious King And he adds his Reason to both I will say peace be within thy Walls Ver. 8 1. 1 That they in Jerusalem are his Brethren Companions For my Brethren and Companions sake The King calls his Subjects because of the same Church and Religion his Brethren and Companions and in his Vote regards not so much himself as them peace prosperity abundance be within their walls let Jerusalem flourish for their sakes Ver. 9 2. 2 That Religion was established But a second Reason there was which yet moved him more the religious Service of God there established Because of the house of the Lord I will stek to do thee good Jerusalem I know is the City in which the Truth of Religion is established and professed and in it is the house of God where they that profess this Truth must tender their worship and therefore I will with all my endeavour seek out wayes and means to do good to Jerusalem knowing that in the flourishing of that City Religion will flourish Nothing then shall be wanting in me for this Reason to advance Jerusalem I wish more Kings were of Davids mind therefore they wear Crowns The Prayer out of the One hundred and twenty second Psalm O Lord it was the very joy of our hearts and the delight of our souls when Neighbour call'd to his Neighbour Ver. 1 Friend call'd to his Friend and the Master to his Family Come let us go into the house of the Lord but now thou hast turned our joy into mourning debarred we are to offer up our wonted and solemn supplications to our God in thy house of prayer our solemn Feasts are cast aside in which we met to praise thy Name for those infinite benefits of our Redemption and receive the comfortable seals of our Salvation O Lord at last turn away thy wrath from us and bring us out of this captivity speak peace to thy people that sigh after thy Ordinances and long to appear in thy Assemblies before thée Ver. 2 and let our féet stand with chearfulness in thy gates from which the malice and will-worship of our enemies have so long driven us Thou O Lord hast adorned and beautified thy Church with most excellent gifts the unity thereof was far beyond that of any City Ver. 3 where the Buildings are uniform and compacted together the Doctrine in it was pious the Discipline orderly the Rites sew and decent Ver. 4 and among the Citizens there was a wonderful consent and harmony of minds thither the Tribes took delight to ascend even the Tribes of the Lord Ver. 5 that they might appear before thy presence and give thanks to the Name of their God And while thou wert thus serv'd in the beauty of holiness in Jerusalem were set the Thrones of judgment and from the Thrones of David justice did run down as a River But all is quite contrary our unity is dissolved our solemn méetings are disturbed for justice we reap nothing but wormwood and hemlock Lord restore to us our former unity and knit all the members of this Church together in perpetual concord Let the Tribes of thy people go up again to thy house to praise thy Name and all Schisms and Heresies and Blasphemies being dispelled let thy Word alone be heard and obeyed amongst us Restore our Judges as at first and our Counsellours as at the beginning set up the Thrones of judgment the Thrones of the house of David to whom alone Kingly and Judiciary Power doth of Right belong In the profession of true Religion we know our peace consists in the prosperity of Jerusalem we know our prosperity is involved Jerusalem we love Jerusalem we long for let as many then as love Jerusalem join with us in prayer and say Peace be within thy Walls and plenteousness within thy Palaces for peace without plenty is but a secure possession of misery and plenty without peace an unsecure felicity In Jerusalem I have many Brethren and Friends professors of the same Faith and Religion with me for their sakes I will now say Peace be within thee in Jerusalem is the house of the Lord our God the house of prayer set apart to his Service and for this cause also I will séek as much as lies in me to do thee good Lord accept of my poor endeavours for the re-edification of these broken walls and let me never farther prosper then I séek and labour for the peace and prosperity of thy Church and to unite all the infirm and collapsed members of this body to our Head thy Son Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXXIII THIS Psalm is a prayer of a Church in distress and a low condition made unto God to have mercy upon her and to deliver her in which she