of this verse I doe obserue these things First that there is no true happinesse without the knowledge of God and the continuall meditation of his word And that those who are sincerely adicted to his seruice and the loue of his Truth are in the right way to Blessednesse howsoeuer Atheists and worldly men thinke them simple fooles and their study lost labour Secondly I here note that he cannot promise to himselfe the reward of Blessednesse that frames a Religion or way to serue God out of his owne braine though neuer so strict or seeming holy For it must not be the Lawes or traditions of men that he must meditate but the Law of the LORD Lastly I doe here learne this Method for the right study of Diuinity and practise of Christianity First that there must be a loue vnto the heauenly word Secondly a progresse or going forward in the meditation thereof and lastly such a constant perseuerance therein from time to time and at all times without limitation in so much that there must bee some part of euery day and night separated for the seruice of God that we may say with Dauid Euening Morning by Day and at Midnight will I pray vnto him And he shall be like a Tree planted c. Hauing deliuered in the two former verses who is a Iust and blessed man both by the Negatiue and Affirmatiue he now confirmes his former proposition First by a similitude taken from a fruitefull Tree euerlastingly greene Secondly by the end and prosperous successe of all he takes in hand By which illustration we may not imagine that they are compared with any intent to be made equall For the blessed estate of a good man is farre beyond all earthly comparisons But by such knowne things the holy-Ghost applies his demonstrations to meane capacities And this kinde of teaching was vsuall with our Sauiour as appeares by his illustration of Faith and the kingdome of Heauen in likning it vnto a graine of Mustard-seede or comparing Doctrine to Leauen and such like Nor hath it beene neglected among prophane writers For a liuely Simily is esteemed among all the Poets as well ancient as moderne to be one of the principall ornaments of their Poesie The Elegancy of whose Poems some haue not beene ashamed to preferre before these vnimitable Odes whereas were they as learned in these as they would seeme to be in the other at lest if they could reade them with the same desire and affection they should here finde euen in the literall excellency as many rare and admirable expressions Obserue well this first illustration and see in what Author you can better it For although men may for many respects be resembled vnto Trees by reason of some similitude in their condition as thus Euery Tree is eyther for building or fire wood and so all men are eyther prepared to build vp the new Ierusalem withall or appointed fewell for hell fire yet there are certaine choyse Trees which doe more properly serue to figure out the estate of the Blessed as here in this Psalme and by this comparison you shall vnderstande For hereby fiue things are made remarkeable in the vpright mans happinesse First he is resembled vnto a Tree that is planted By which the stability and certainty of his estate is signified For as such a Tree is where by the carefulnesse and diligence of some gardener or husbandman he may be manured and preferued from the choaking of Thornes and violence of beasts whilst the wilde Trees of the Forrest are euer in danger of some ruine So the iust man who in the Scripture is resembled vnto a Palme tree hath this sure and blessed hope for his comfort That God who first planted him will also protect him from being spoyled of his leaues by the stormes of aduersitie or ouerturned by the malice of the aduersarie When it shall come to passe that as Christ said Those plants which his heauenly Father hath not planted should be rooted vp Moreouer a Tree planted insteede of that wilde nature which formerly it retayned is bettered and made more fruitefull by a new plantation and in like manner that man who had else beene naturally apt to bring forth nothing but the sowre fruits of the flesh being planted in the vine-yeard of Gods Church by the hand of Grace regenerates and yeelds forth plentifully the sweete fruits of the spirit Secondly it is planted by the Springs or Riuers of water by which the blessednesse of the Iust man is further illustrated For as that tree can neither be barren thorough the sterrile drought of the soyle nor endangered by the scorching heate of Sommer whose roote is euer moistened with the nourishing waters of a pleasant streame So the regenerate man hauing his roote in Christ where the euer springing fountaines of his Grace with sweete dewes of mercy continually cherish it euen he shall alway flourish For neither can he be consumed as the wicked are by the burning fire of Gods indignation nor made vnprofitable for want of nourishment To the same effect speakes the Prophet Ieremy in his illustration of such a mans happinesse by a similitude taken from the like Tree He shall bee saith he as a Tree that is planted by the waters and that spreadeth forth her rootes by the Riuer and shall not see when heate commeth but her leafe shall be greene and shall not be carefull in the yeere of drouth neither shall cease from yeelding fruite By the Riuers of water in this Psalme is Allegorically meant the word of God and his Sacraments which are the means whereby he infuseth into vs the graces of his Spirit keepes vs growing in Faith and nourisheth fruits to eternall life Thirdly it giueth fruite in due season Whereby is manifested another propertie of the blessed Iustman By the fruite saith our Sauiour the Tree is knowne and so is the iust man by his workes Who in bringing forth his spirituall fruits may not vnfitly be resembled to a Tree For as the Tree brings forth fruits for others rather then for it selfe So the vpright man fructifies and sends forth good workes and deedes of Charitie not thereby to merit ought for himselfe but to glorifie God and to benefit others Which is a noble Blessednesse For as the Apostle saith it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Further we haue the Pronoune His to shew vs that as the Tree giueth forth no fruite but his owne and according to his kinde So the righteous doth the workes proper to a regenerate man all the good deedes which he performeth are done with that which is his owne and so cherefully that they may be called His. Yea he yeeldeth forth good fruits according to the measure and qualitie of those gifts which he hath receiued Lastly the Tree giueth forth her fruite in season or in time that is in her time of fruitfulnesse and
so the vpright man doth good in due time euen vpon the first occasion offered He is neuer barren when necessity requires fruit If in one day a thousand men neede his comforting hand he is euer willing according to his ability to giue redresse vnto them all Neyther too soone nor too late comes his charity but like sweete and well ripened fruite is euer then ready to be receiued when it may be most acceptable to God timely in respect of himselfe and very profitable to others But indeede by the fruit here is principally meant Faith and the confession of saluation by Christ which can neuer be without workes And that is it which our Sauiour meant when hee said Herein is my Father glorified that you beare much fruit Fourthly His leafe shall not fade Yet the similitude holds very properly in that the blessed man is resembled vnto a tree not onely fruitfull but flourishing also and euer adorned with the comely ornament of greene leaues For as the Palme-tree whereto the Iust man is likened in the 92 Psalme and from which tree it is very likely this similitude was taken is neuer as Pliny saith without fruit and therefore must consequently bee alwayes greene so the Iust man is continually beautified with all the accomplishments of a Christian full of holy thoughts plentifull in profitable words and seriously exercised in good actions without wearinesse in well-doing and to accompany that fruitfulnesse enioyeth such a perpetuall happines as growes at no time subiect to any momentary change What storm soeuer happens hee is still in a flourishing and prosperous estate yea when the vngodly like those trees which are altered according to the disposition of euery season must lose in the winter of their triall all that vncertaine glory gotten in the spring-time of their prosperity euen then the happinesse of the righteous is so permanent as the coldest frost of aduersity can neuer strip him of his faire leaues that is no persecution shall bee able to take from him the faire liuery of his profession nor put him beside the Crowne of an immortall glory Fiftly whatsoeuer he doth shall prosper In these words hee doth as it were summe vp and make perfect his expression of happinesse And the Prophet doth it without the Metaphor for I haue obserued that to expresse one and the same-sentence partly by the figure and partly without is ordinary in the Psalmes Yet the great Scholler and Cardinall Bellarmine in his Comment vpon this Psalme would haue these words whatsoeuer hee doth shall prosper to be referred vnto the Tree Then hauing interpreted the Hebrew Verbe Iasliach prosperare faciet will make to prosper he gathers from thence an actiue vertue to bee in the tree helping on the ripening of his owne fruits And by the application of the similitude would also note vnto vs that there were an actiue vertue of free will in man concurring with the Diuine grace to meritorious works But by his leaue it seemes to mee not so to bee vnderstood for that interpretation is both harsh in the sence and contradictory to the opinion of most Expositors Yea one of his owne faction Lorinus a learned Iesuite writing on this Psalme sayth that it ought rather to be vnderstood of the Iust man then of the Tree Lyra a very ancient Expositor hath so taken it also and so haue the greatest number of most authenticall Writers For which cause I rather allow it but especially by reason I beleeue it to be indeed the best and natural sence of this Text agreeable to the happy estate of a good man and the same blessing which the Scriptures testifie to haue beene vouchsafed to such as feare God For it is sayd of Ioseph The LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hands But from hence wee must neither gather that all those are good men who prosper and thriue in the things of this life neither imagine it is heere promised that the Righteous shall bee without troubles or hinderances in their temporall affaires The meaning rather is that al things euen those wherein they seeme to the world most miserable should redound to their comfort and prosper them in the way to eternall life According to the saying of S. Paul All things worke together for good to them that loue God Dauid also confirmeth the same out of his owne experience for saith he It was good for mee that I was in trouble And indeede it is the end which crownes all and that which makes the vndertaking prosperous or vnfortunate not the occurrences that happen well or ill in the proceeding For though a Commander in the warres finde that all his determinations proceeded ill in the ordering of his Battles and that all his Stratagems turned a while to his hinderance yea though with the losse of many thousands of his men and the effusion of much of his owne bloud he hath endured a terrible and sharp encounter Yet if at last the victory bee on his side he hath his aime and thinks that his vndertaking prospered in his hands So though a Christian man hath in this life suffered innumerable miseries though matters haue succeeded so ill with him that sorrow vpon sorrow and mischeefe vpon mischeefe ouerwhelmed him and euery thing that he endeauoured tell out contrary to his expectation yet if at last as questionlesse he shall he reape the Crowne of immortall glory we may very well say that whatsoeuer he did hath prospered Yea his miseries and infirmities were for his good suffered to come vpon him euen they also prospred in his hands and were the meanes to make him a right blessed man For you must vnderstand that there is a two-fold Blessednesse Beatitudo in via in Regno A blessednesse in the way and in the Kingdom That in the way is also two-fold one on the right hand and the other on the left The left-hand happinesse is the abundance of temporall prosperities For the Psalmist hauing reckoned vp many temporall benefits concludeth with these words Blessed are the people that bee so Happinesse on the right hand is the gift of spirituall graces bestowed in this life For saith our Sauiour Blessed are the poore in spirit the humble those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse c. But the last of these blessings appertaines onely to the children of God the other are indifferently bestowed both on good and bad The Blessednesse in the Kingdome is that which is principally meant in this Psalme and indeede the most perfect compleat happinesse The possession of that wee haue now in hope onely None but the sonnes of God can enioy it in the other world as is aforesayd nor can any man but those that haue their hearts enlarged by the Holy Ghost enter into a worthy thought thereof here For as S. Paul saith It is that which eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither comes it into the heart of
the broad way of sinners acting and perseuering in euill Nor sit in the infectious seat of the scornfull scoffing vertue deriding religion or by false doctrines and euill examples peruerting others For hee is such an one who is not carefull onely to auoyd euill But is enclined to good also His delight is seriously in the Law of the LORD And in his eternall Law that hee may know teach and fulfill it in thought word and deed doth he meditate vpon all occasions and at all times euen Day and night without intermission In this consisteth the meanes of his felicity And he shall be like a flourishing Tree which the Diuine Prouidence hath planted by the riuers of waters For as such a Tree being nourished by those streames hath the meanes that will enable it to bring forth his fruit in due season so the Blessed Man being planted by the fountaines of Grace flowing from the Holy Spirit of God bringeth forth in due time the fruits of faith and good workes to eternall life And in the greatest drought receiueth such refreshing that his leafe shall not fade A word of his shall not be in vaine though for the present it seeme to fall to the ground but it shall take effect And whatsoeuer he doth shall prosper at last both to his euerlasting glory and the instruction of others Now the vngodly because they walke after their owne Counsels are not so blessed neither doth any thing they take in hand so prosper But they are like the chaffe which the winde driueth away For as that is dry vnfruitfull and therfore carried about with euery puffe so they wanting the moysture of grace are therfore ouer-light and the spirit of the Deuill the winde of pride temptations and euill affections vnsetledly hurrie them to and fro without rest And by reason of this euen because these vanities carry them from God Therfore the vngodly shall not be able to stand as innocent before him in the Iudgement Whether it be that which he shall be pleased to inflict on them in this life or at the last Day Nor shall false worshippers or such Sinners who haue neglected this meanes of Blessednesse be admitted in the Congregation of the Righteous among those to whom God hauing separated them at his right hand shall hereafter say Come yee blessed of my Father c. And all this commeth thus to passe For that the LORD accepteth knoweth and alloweth the vndefiled way of the Righteous and the courses which they follow to attaine this blessednesse But contrariwise so abhorreth the way of the vngodly that the endeauors of those Reprobates shall perish with them in eternall damnation The Prayer Wherin the scope of this Psalme is considered and the blessednesse there mentioned implored of God OH thou eternall Son of the euer-liuing God Who art the way of life the meanes of all true Blessednesse and the onely Happy One who continuing in thy integrity hast both auoyded all manner of sinne and euery way fulfilled the whole Law and will of thy Father Thou oh Christ who art that tree of life which brought forth the fruit of our saluation in due season and without whom none can euer haue sure hope to become happy Grant oh sweet Redeemer that by the imputation of thy righteousnesse we who are fallen from our first Integrity may bee regenerated and made spotlesse againe in thy sight Sanctifie our polluted hearts that they may no more wander after the vaine counsels of vngodly affections Let them not haue power to allure vs into the way of sinfull actions Or if we doe through frailty at any time stray from Thee into the trodden path of Sinners which leadeth to destruction as wee must acknowledge we often doe Bring vs backe oh sweet Iesu and let vs not stand there vntill we lose the feeling of our sinnes and forget for euer to returne but let euery slip be attended with immediate repentance to whip vs vp againe left the iteration of sinne bring vs at length to the seat of Scorners and the deniall of Thee Keepe vs oh keepe vs from that low ebb of grace yea although we often run far into the way of sinners and many times carelesly stand still when thou callest vs from thence yet of all mercies wee entreat thee that we neuer bee suffered to stray so wide from the way of Blessednesse to sin against thy Holy Spirit Or to sit downe in that seat of pestilence which may infect our soules to eternall death And to enable vs the better to shun such dangers we beseech thee possesse our hearts with thy loue and a true delight in thy Word Let thy Law day and night openly and secretly in aduersity and prosperity bee our principall study and practise all the time of our life Fashion vs to thine own Image let thy right hand plant vs in thine owne Vineyard And that we may bee as fruitfullflourishing Trees bringing forth seasonable fruits to thy glory and the profit of thy Church Let the plentifull Riuers of thy Grace water vs vntill we grow vp and become fit to bee replanted in thy eternall Paradise Let our words as the leaues of a fruitfull tree be a continuall ornament vnto vs seruing also to heale the wounded consciences of our weake brethren And although for a time thou sufferest vs to appeare miserable and vnhappy yet let all things euen the afflictions which we haue had prosper vs in the way to euerlasting Blessednesse And forasmuch as those who delight not in thy seruice are in a miserable condition and nothing so happy as thy children whatsoeuer they seem to the world Grant ô Lord that wee being warned by thy displeasure against them may truly worship thee haue euer such a measure of faith and of thy grace as may keep vs setled in our consciences quiet from the fury of those affections that carry them headlong into endlesse vnrest And when thou shalt cast that chaffe into the fire purge vs thy seruants from corruption and lay vs vp as pure wheat in thy Heauenly Granard Heare vs oh deere Redeemer and when that dreadfull day commeth wherein thou shalt summon the whole world to Iudgement Let vs not be thrust amongst those guilty ones who shall fall and bee confounded with horrour at thy presence But make vs able to stand in that fearfull doome place vs at thy right hand in that righteous Congregation into which no vnrepentant sinners shall be admitted And when thou shalt turne them off with that terrible answer I know you not Let vs oh let vs bee receiued into thy mercy And seeing wee seeke for Blessednesse by that way and meanes onely which thou hast appoynted Acknowledge it as thine owne ordinance and though we are a while the scorne of the world make vs at length Inheritors of that vnspeakable felicity which wee shall enioy in Thee So both in our safeties and in the destruction of thine enemies also shall thy