The Prayer collected out of the seventy third Psalm O Lord God of Israel who sits above the Cherubims and yet casts thy eyes down to behold all things that are in the Earth wisely dispensing and secretly governing and by thy Providence and secret counsel disposing of the Affairs of this World in all humility I present my self before thy Throne intreating thée to forget and to forgive the disorderly passions of my soul and the secret whispers of my heart by which I have béen tempted to doubt of thy Wisdom and Providence When I have séen the prosperity of wicked men Ver. 3 I confess my heart hath grown hot within me my soul hath béen moved with envy at their peace and with indignation at their successes angry I have béen That their strength is firm That they should be fréed from the troubles of famine cold weariness and the sharp pangs and cruelty of death to which thy best servants are subject and which they suffer their pride is intolerable their violence bottomed on their wealth impudent they are and their thoughts impious their words lofty For they set their mouth against Heaven and their tongues walk through the Earth endeavouring to aunul or change the Laws of God and man these are the ungodly and these prosper in the World these are they that increase in riches Yea and this prosperity of their's I confess it to my own shame prevailed so far upon me that I forgot my self Ver. 2 and thy Covenant of mercies made with thy servants upon it my féet were almost gone from that confidence I had in thée my God and my treadings had well nigh slip't from the study of vertue and practice of piety I was even ready to say Verily then have I cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Ver. 13 Especially when I saw how the whole World ran after them how the multitude clove to them applauded their wayes blessed their happiness yea Ver. 10 even then when they impiously blaspheme How doth God know what we do in the Earth Is there any knowledge or care of these worldly businesses in the most High Thus my heart was grieved and disquieted and my very reins within me were sorely pricked The felicity wealth and flourishing estate of wicked men made so déep impression upon my soul that I was tempted with thoughts of falling to them and to tread those steps they had chalked to my happiness So foolish was I and ignorant even as it were a beast before thee Being in this perplexity of soul and agony of spirit I cast about which way to come to a resolution I consulted my own heart but found no comfort my own reason was too dark and flesh and blood too weak to give me satisfaction why the wicked should flourish be rich and mighty and the good man plagued all the day long and chastned every morning when I thought to know this it was too hard and painful for me Again I said if I speak thus that the good man is miserable and the ungodly happy then I shall condemn of vanity the whole Generation of thy children who have béen studious of piety denied themselves and taken up their Cross and followed thée Being thus tossed with these waves of discomfort I found no assurance of rest untill I went into the Sanctuary of God entred thy School and addicted my self wholly to learn thy will and thy wayes for then I plainly understood the end of these whom the World and their own corrupt heart accounted the sole happy men that their felicity was but momentary their end fearful their prosperity as a dream that the temporal things in which they gloried their sole reward for the bad use of which they were like to lose Heaven and be tormented for ever O my God make this thy Word good and as thou hast ser them in slippery places so let them find no stedfast standing let them slip and fall and suddenly cast them down to destruction bring them to desolation in a moment and let their consumption be full of amazement let the conscience of their former wickedness pursue them at their death and their end be accompanied with terrours to themselves and others even as a dream when one awaketh vanisheth suddenly and deceives the man that was detained while he slept with a vain and empty delight of what was represented so let all their pomp and shew of great happiness be unto them at their latter end if the remembrance thereof serve for any thing let it be to vex them that it is past and gone and must be exchanged for a never dying torment For lo they that depart far from thee from thy Law from their Duty shall perish and thou wilt destroy all those who leaving thée the Fountain of living water have digged to themselves broken pits that will hold no water who run a whoring after the creature and forsake thée their Creator to whom they ought only to adhere and be conjoyned in a firm bond of love While then other men féed themselves with the shadow of these pleasing dainties so encline my heart O God That I may be continually with thee persevere and continue thy servant notwithstanding all tentations to the contrary and as a good Father so uphold me by my right hand that I fall not from thée guide me by thy counsel thy Spirit thy Word and afterward receive me to glory for whom have I to flie to in Heaven but thee To which of the Saints should I turn and what one of the Angels should I invocate And when I turn my eyes down upon the Earth I find every creature so unable to make me happy That they are all vanity and vexation of spirit I must confess my own infirmity I do acknowledge my own weaknes when I beheld the prosperity of the wicked my flesh and my heart failed Thy goodness it is that I recovered for I acknowledge that God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever with thée I am content in thee satisfied worldly prosperity wealth preferment honour power are a very poor inheritance in comparison of thée I have learned out of the Oracles of thy Word I have béen instructed in thy School That it is good by faith and love for me to draw near to God and to commit my self wholly to thy dispose I will therefore put my whole trust in the Lord God and therefore having had an assurance of thy mercies I will declare thy wonderful works and sing forth thy praises in the Gates of the daughter of Zion and in the City of Jerusalem for ever and ever PSAL. LXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalm was composed by the Prophet upon some grievous desolation which he either saw or fore-saw to fall upon the Temple and Houses of God in the land of Judaea whether by Nebuchodonozer Antiochus Epiphanes or some other is uncertain Two parts 1. His Complaint from ver 1. to 10. 2.
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
instances in which the excellency of Gods name doth appear and he gives forth three First Infants Secondly The heavens and the Luminaries therein Thirdly Man himself 1. The excellency of Gods power divinity and goodness appears in infants 1 In infants Out of the mouth of Babes and Sucklings hast thou ordained strength 1. Vers. 2 The sucking of babes and speaking of infants are evident demonstrations of Gods strength and excellent name For who taught the babe to suck or the dumb infant to speak but the Lord our Governour 2. Or the innocent babes that dyed for him by Herods hand were Martyrs and declared his strength 3. Or the children that cryed Hosanna 4. Or by Babes is meant such as the worldly wise repute no better than children and fools by simple Prophets ignorant fishermen humble confessours hath he perfected his praise and still'd the enemy and the avenger confounded the wisest Philosophers and stopp'd the mouth of Devils 2. The next instance 2 In the heavens in which the glory and excellency of Gods name is manifested is the Heavens Moon Stars These are the works of his fingers Vers. 3 call'd here therefore Thy heavens Whose amplitude is great order and Orbs wonderful beauty admirable matter durable motion various yet stable Together with the stars whose multitude is numerous magnitude various order admirable influences secret and wonderful and the constant course of the Moon and the other great Luminary all which thou hast order'd and ordain'd When I say I consider this then I think with my self What is man Vers. 4 that thou art mindful of him or the son of man that thou visitest him 3 In Man which is his third instance to manifest the excellency of Gods providence and government of the world In which he reflects upon man in his baseness and his dignity 1. Whose vileness the Prophet considering In his baseness vileness and misery signified by the question What is man as if he should say What a poor creature how miserable what except dust and ashes when he was at the best for he was taken from the dust of the ground even then when God created him after his own image But now miserable dust while he lives and to dust he shall return when he dyes What then is this miserable creature of what worth of what value that thou so great so immense a Creatour of all other things that dwellest above the stars and celestial Orbs shouldst vouchsafe to visit and have a care of him 2. Admires the love and care of God to him For that is his Dignity that above all other creatures thy love is greatest to man This thou hast shew'd these wayes 1. 1 In visiting him In visiting him Thou visitest him and art mindful of him 1. Thou visitest him by conferring many temporal blessings on him 2. Thou wert mindful of him and visitedst him first by thy Prophets then in person by thy dear Son that brought Redemption to him when he was utterly lost 2. Vers. 5 In making him thy second creature The Angels first him next and not in all things inferiour to them 2 In making him little lower than the Angels Thou madest him a little lower than the Angels Lower indeed according to his body and bodily necessities but in the faculties of his soul resembling those celestial Spirits 3. 3 In adorning him with glory and worship In creating him after thy own image which when he had lost thou again repairedst and restoredst it making him a partaker of the Divine Nature in thy Son And so didst compass invest and adorn him with glory and worship 4. Vers. 6 In making him Lord of all thy creatures Thou mad'st him to have dominion over the works of thy hands 4 In making him Lord of all creatures and putt'st all things under his feet that they should all obey serve him as their Lord and turn to his use and profit which though true of man yet it especially belongs to Christ when he took our humane nature for he was heir of all things And we in Christ are restored to our dominion over the creatures Which the Prophet illustrates and amplifies in particular 1. Vers. 7 All sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field 2. The fowls of the air the fishes of the sea c. He closes the Psalm with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he began The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world The Meditation or Prayer collected out of the eighth Psalm O Lord our God and governour Vers. 1 how great how admirable how ecxellent is thy Name not only in Judea but in all the earth Our words are too flat to express our senses and reason too weak to comprehend the wisdom of thy wayes the immensity of thy goodness which thou hast shew'd to the children of men Thy name and thy will thou hast made known in thy Word thy name thou hast magnified in thy works both which as often as we consider we are put into astonishment and admiration From this earth we cast up our eyes to heaven and in that Arch we behold nothing but matters of wonder for thou hast set thy glory above the heavens There is thy Seat and Throne of Majesty there the Angels and Saints praise thée there the Sun and the Moon with all the stars proclaim thy glory O Lord our God how excellent is thy Name in all the earth thou hast set thy glory above the heavens And though this thy goodness is diffused and may be séen in all things yet it is in nothing more admirable than in thy providence for infants and sucklings Vers. 2 for out of the mouth of these thou hast ordained strength The child is no sooner born but thou hast ordained a teat for it to suck and a strange instinct to séek after it The young of any creature is no sooner brought forth but thou hast provided for it milk and nourishment by which it should live grow up increase and become strong So great is thy care thy love thy provision for all creatures But which is yet more wonderful these very infants and sucklings could no sooner speak but thou hast taught their tongues to sound forth Hosannah to the Son of David What were all thy Prophets and Apostles but as it were babes and sucklings rude and illiterate men and yet in their mouths thou didst perfect the praise It was not by the power of arms it was not by strength it was not by humane wisdom and prudence that thou didst convert the world and gather thy Church but thou didst make choice of those ignorant and weak men by whose mouths no better than Babes and Sucklings thou wouldst still that enemy of our souls the Devil and put to silence that avenger of our sins Satan who by thée is appointed to take and is well pleased that he may take a just and cruel
altogether Out of all which David concludes that it is both precious and sweet Ver. 10 1. The price of it beyond the best gold More to be desired it is than gold Precious Sweet yea than much fine gold obrizo the gold of Ophir 2. The sweetness thereof beyond honey than the honey-comb 3. Yea and besides all this Ver. 11 he shews upon his own experience the excellency of it Moreover by them is thy servant taught probatum est 4. Nay such is the fruit benefit use of it Beneficial to those that keep it That the observers of it are like to be well rewarded no man shall serve God for nought For in keeping of them there is Merces a reward 2. Ampla Merces a great reward 3. But these last words set David to his prayers What a reward The third part Yea but David kept it not a great reward only to those who keep Gods Law My conscience then tells me that the reward belongs not to me for I cannot plead this observance In many things we sin all and I among the many There were but these wayes to help him Confession Petition for Grace and Faith and these he makes use of 1. An offender he was known sins he had too many Ver. 12 and many more that he knew not and even for these he asked pardon This he confesseth desiring to be quit of them not only from the guilt but the filth Who can tell or understand his Errours 2 Asks pardon Cleanse thou me from secret faults 2. However so long as he carried about him this body of sin Ver. 13 he could not choose but erre upon ignorance infirmity c. 3 Begs grace against presumption yet he petitions for so much grace that he may not maliciously offend Keep back also thy servant from presumptuous sins 1. Because the effect would be lamentable sin would become a King For then sin wold domineer and reign in him and reign in his mortal body which is inconsistent with grace Keep back c. Ne lest they get the dominion the upper hand over me command rule and I obey and become a drudge a slave a vassal to sin 2. This is the great offence a sin not of a small size And make him guilty of the great offence therefore keep back thy servant from these sins and then however I be a sinner and guilty yet I shall be innocent from the great offence 3. Lastly that his prayer be heard he begs also he prayes for his prayer Ver. 14 and the meditations of his heart Let the words of my mouth 4 That God would accept his prayer and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight And that which put him in heart notwithstanding his many Errours to do it to pray to trust to confess was because the Lord was his Strength Who was his Strength and Redeemer his Redeemer 1. His Strength his Rock to keep him that he fell not 2. His Redeemer if he did fall In the words he coucheth two benefits 1. Conservation 2. Acceptance of his person through Christ and expresseth his faith The Prayer out of the nineteenth Psalm O God thou art a gracious God to the sons of men and because this is life Eternal to know thee to be the only God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ That man perish not in his ignorance Thou hast revealed thy self unto him in the Book of Nature and in the Scripture The Heavens declare the Glory the Wisdom the Goodness Ver. 1 the Power of thee their Creatour and that ample whéel of the Firmament bestudded with infinite variety of Stars of several Magnitudes doth manifest that they are the work of thy hands and not of any inferiour power They speak to us day after day Ver. 2 and night after night and plentifully teach the knowledge of thee The constant and perpetual succession of times and seasons caused by the uncessant motion of those great luminaries inform us that there is a wise and infinite power that over-rules them Neither do they speak thy glory in an unknown tongue or whisper thy power and wisdom in a low voyce or to some people only but they proclaim it in every Language and Idiom they roar it louder than the voyce of Thunder in all mens ears Ver. 3 there is nor speech nor language nor Nation nor people that may not hear their voyce and understand their language Their light Ver. 4 their constant and perpetual motion their efficacy and general influence is so admirable and well known that their direction is gone out through all the Earth and their words to the end of the World But among all those celestial bodies there is not any which doth so clearly set forth thy Majesty as that bright Globe of the Sun in which thou hast as it were Ver. 5 set up thy Throne and Tabernacle whose lustre and splendour being far more beautiful than that of a Bridegroom Ver. 6 when he comes out of his Chamber whose motion is so swift that in a few houres it cometh from one end of Heaven to another and runneth to the end of it again whose heat is so vigorous that there is nothing hid from the power and vertue of it proclaim and preach to the World that there is a wise and potent God who by his power made and by his wise providence disposeth rules and orders all things in Heaven and Earth Thou then O God hast not left thy self without witness for the invisible things of thée from the Creation of the World are clearly séen even thy eternal Power and Godhead being understood by the things that are made whence we confess that we are left without excuse For we ought to have béen perswaded by the authority and obedience of these thy Creatures to love to honour to fear thée and to adhere unto thée alone but wrethes as we are little regarding these good instructions and instructors we have followed the counsels of our own hearts and béen seduced by our own vain imaginations with the Fool we have said privately to our selves There is no God But such was thy goodness and care of us an ungrateful Generation that in mercy pitying this our carelessness and that which followed upon it our misery and deviation from thée thou hast set us over a better Tutour from whom we might not only learn to know thée but a way to live well here and a way to live for ever Ver. 7 Thou gavest us in mercy thy Law which is a perfect Master and able to convert the soul this is a sure Teacher and can make wise the simple These thy Commandments are pure Ver. 8 and admit no admixtion of false-doctrine false-worship Ver. 9 or iniquity These thy Commandments are right and rejoyce the heart setling a quiet conscience These teach us thy fear in sincerity and Truth and they teach it for ever They enlighten the eyes and keep
as some great King in his Throne providing for all the parts of his Empire examining all Causes and doing justice to every one 1. Vers. 13 The Lord looks from heaven and beholds all the sons of men 2. That he sees all From the place of his habitation he looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth Vers. 14 3. And he is not â—â—iosus spectator neither Vers. 15 He sees and considers their hearts their works Considers in what men put their trust And he sees in what they put their confidence in their Armies in theiâ— strength in their Horse not in him But all in vain Vers. 16 For there is no King that can be saved by the multitude of an Hoast Evacuates their designs A mighty man is not delivered by much strength An horse is a vain thing for safety neither shall he deliver any man by his great strength Multitude strength c. without God are useless 2. Hitherto he hath given a proof of Gods providence toward all men 2 But defends his Church but now he descends to a particular proof of it by his care over his Church which he wonderfully guides defends protects in all dangers and assaults And that notice be taken of it he begins with an Ecce Behold the eye of the Lord his tender'st care is over them that fear him Vers. 18 upon them that hope in his mercy To deliver their soul from death and to keep them alive in famine Upon this Gods people The third part The three last verses contain the Acclamation of Gods people who believe and place all their hope and trust in God For being excited as it were by the former Arguments They do three things Vers. 20 1. They express and profess their faith and dependance on God 1 Wait on him Our soul waiteth on God he is our help and our shield Vers. 21 2. They publish upon what hope they are held up and how comforted 2 Publish his name and rejoice in it For our heart shall rejoice in him because we have trusted in his Holy Name Vers. 22 3. Upon this hope they commend themselves by prayer to God 3 Commend themselves to Gods mercy Let thy mercy O Lord be upon us according as we hope in thee The Prayer collected out of the thirty third Psalm O God thy goodness is so great thy faithfulness so constant thy power so wonderful thy providence so universal but thy care so Fatherly toward thy people that we were unworthy of the least of thy mercies should we not acknowledge them and return thee due honour and thanks For there is nothing in the whole world which doth not witness thée to be a bountiful God Vers. 4 and a most Merciful Father Thy Word O Lord thy Decrée for the Creation and Government of the World is right and equal and all thy works are done in true wisdom righteousness and judgement Vers. 5 For there is nothing that thou hast commanded which is not just Nothing that thou hast promised which thou wilt not make good and bring to pass Out of that love thou bearest to righteousness and judgement the earth is full of thy goodness there being in it nothing so minute and vile which one way or other doth not partake of thy bounty Vers. 6 and commend thy goodness and mercy to us By thy Word alone and sole Command were those incorruptible Orbs of the Heavens made and confirm'd and all the hoast of them that multitude of starres so orderly and beautifully disposed by the breath the word the Fiat of thy mouth Thou hast gather'd together those unruly waters of the Sea into one place and shut them up with bounds and limits that they return not again to cover the earth And thou hast hidden and laid up great streams of waters in the bowels of the earth as in a Treasure-house which at thy pleasure thou bring'st forth to water a thirsty Land He spake and all this was done he commanded and it stood fast For so great is thy power that without any labour without any delay without any help all this was done and that by thy Will and Word only and by thy Word and Will it is that it doth so now continue and remain without dissolution Therefore O ye righteous rejoice in the Lord Praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner Vers. 2 praise therefore a righteous God with an upright heart Neither with your mouth only express his praise but set it forth with musical instruments Praise the Lord with the Harp sing unto him with the Psaltery and an instrument of ten strings And you who have so often sung of his honour now since he hath renew'd his mercies set forth your joy with a New Song play skilfully with a loud voice So set forth his praise his power his wisdom his mercy that all the earth may fear the Lord and the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him For what he hath ordained by his eternal counsel shall be fulfill'd and stand fast for ever and the thoughts of his heart to all generations Since then thou O Jehovah art most just most merciful most Mighty blessed is that Nation who have chosen and worshipped thee O Lord for their God and happy is the people whom thou hast chosen for thine inheritance O make us Lord alwayes of this people that we may be happy under thy protection Dwell in the midst of us and bless us But O Lord bring the counsels of wicked men against this thy people to nought and make the devices of the people of none effect Look down from heaven and behold all the sons of men from the place of thy habitation look upon the inhabitants of the earth Thou searchest the very hearts and reins and knowest all their plots and secret counsels they take against thy people thou séest their preparations and provisions O Lord make them know and so fashion their hearts that they may perceive that all hope and confidence is in vain which is not in thée Because there is no other can save besides thy self For there is no King that can be saved by the multitude of an hoast neither is a mighty man deliver'd by much strength An Horse whether in battle or flight is a vain-deceitful thing to save a man neither shall he deliver his rider by his great strength It is not in these vain helps we put our considence our hope is in thée alone on thée we relie to thée we trust from thée we look for help Let thy eye therefore O Lord be upon us that fear thee who relie not upon any merits and creatures but on thy méer mercy let thy everlasting mercy then follow us and deliver our souls from temporal and eternal death and suffain us with a sufficient livelihood in the time of famine Upon thee O Lord our soul doth wait be our shield to protect us our help to deliver us So shall our heart
speaks in these following words To the wicked God saith 1. Vers. 16 What hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldst take my Covenant in thy mouth 2. They contemners of Gods Law The reason is because in words thou professest thou lovest me but in deeds thou denyest him Thou hatest instruction in thy heart hatest that Law Vers. 17 that with thy mouth thou commendest and hast cast my words behind thee Written I have to thee the wonderful things of my Law and thou hast counted them a strange thing This I shall now prove and illustrate by a distribution This proved 1. Vers. 18 Thou hast no regard of the eighth Commandment When thou sawest a thief then thou consentest with him In the consent is the more malice it shews that it was not rashly done but on purpose deliberation counsel 2. Vers. 19 Nor of the seventh Thou hast been partaker with the Adulterers 3. Vers. 20 Nor of the ninth Thou givest thy mouth to evil and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine own mothers son Against thy brother not a stranger and that not casually neither or in anger but studiously thou satest and speakest 4. No nor of the first For thou hast had a profane thought even of me Vers. 21 and of my mercy forbearance and long-suffering These things hast thou done and I kept silence arose not presently to take vengeance on thee And thou thought'st that I was altogether such a one as thy self A Patron an approver of wickedness as thou thy self art But from any such imputation God no Abetter of wickedness here I purge my self before the Heaven and Earth and the whole World For I will not suffer this thy wickedness to go unreveng'd The day shall come when I will reprove thee Vers. 21 and punish this thy wickedness with severe punishments and set in order before thine eyes the villany that thou hast committed and labour'd to hide Confess at that day thou shalt that the sentence pronounc'd against thee is most just Yet He gives warning to the wicked threatens that he may spare And yet in judgement God remembers mercy It becomes a Judge even when he is pronouncing sentence to take unto him the bowels of compassion And these God who is to be our Judge here puts on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For he gives a fair warning to the wicked that they repent and perish not 1. Now while you have time consider this Vers. 22 that God is not pleased with outward Rites Formalities and Ceremonies only that he is not to be pacified with long prayers and preaching of his Law if the life be wicked For this is upon the point to forget that he is a God of pur eyes and cannot behold iniquity Consider this then I say lest like as an angry lyon Promiseth help to the sincere he break out upon you on a sudden and there be none to deliver This is a fair warning to the wicked Vers. 23 2. Now to those who worship God in sincerity he makes a quite contrary promise of defence help salvation Who offereth with an honest heart praise glorifieth me and to him that ordereth his conversation aright goes the right way that Gods Word directs I will shew the salvation of God He shall be saved and know that he worships not God in vain The Prayer out of the fiftieth Psalm O Most Mighty and just God who hast appointed a day in which thou wilt judge the world when all flesh shall appear before thee to render an accompt of their wayes whether good or evil never let that strict accompt that we must make slip out of our memory but let the sound of that Arch-angels Trumpet sound in our eares Arise ye dead and come to judgement God to whom the secrets of all hearts are open is then to be the Iudge Vers. 6 the Mighty God even the Lord is to sit upon the Tribunal himself Vers. 1 Our God that hath been patient and long-suffering shall then manifest himself Vers. 3 Silence he will not keep but by his judiciary power he will vindicate and revenge all the deeds and sayings of perverse sinners And he will come in a terrible manner for before him shall go a fire that shall consume and purge the whole world A day it will be of darkness and gloominess a mighty tempest will go before him and the whole frame of the universe will be in a Commotion How shall then our hearts fail us for fear Vers. 1 when the heaven and earth shall be call'd to as Witnesses against us the heaven whose light and influences we have enjoyed but been unthankful the earth whose various fruits and beneficence we might have used but have abused All his creatures at that day will declare his righteousness and proclaim that we are a rebellious people Out of that celestial habitation and that Zion which is above Vers. 2 shall our God appear in perfect beauty His Saints Vers. 2 and those who have made a Covenant with him shall be gather'd round about him When all the workers of iniquity shall call to the Hills to cover them and the Mountains to hide them from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Majesty O most Merciful and Gracious God Vers. 22 give us an understanding heart to consider this Never suffer us to forget thee that that day-come not upon us unawares snatch us not away to condemnation from which if we dye in our sins no man is able to deliver us Keep us O Lord with thy mighty hand that when in words we profess to know thée in déeds we deny not let us never consent to the Thief nor partake with the Adulterer far be it from us to give our mouths to evil and our tongues to frame deceit let us not join with the malicious and factious and sit and speak against our brother or detract and slander our mothers son never let such obdurate obstinacy seize upon our hearts that we hate instruction or cast thy words behind us These are sins inconsistent with grace and evident Arguments of a reprobate soul those that abuse thy patience and long-suffering commit them and that have profane thoughts of the Divine Majesty defile themselves with them Against all sinners but these especially thou hast testified these thou hast reproved keep me therefore O Lord from these presumptuous sins Thou art God even my God when thou speakest give me an ear to hear and what thou commandest give me a will to do O let me glorifie thee and order my Conversation aright that I may obtain salvation I have grievously sinned and wherewith shall I come before the Lord and bow my self before my God Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings with calves of a year old will the Lord be pleased with thousands of Rams or ten thousand Rivers of oyle All the Beasts of the Forrest are
do it in such a place and such an Assembly as may most redound to Gods honour I will praise thee O God among the people I will sing of thee among the Nations Now that all this be done The Reason David ver 10. gives a sufficient Reason that which may move any man to do it Gods Mercy and Truth his Mercies his infinite Mercies in promising his Truth in performing For thy Mercy is great to the Heavens and thy Truth to the Clouds And then as is usual in Poesie he repeats the verse before in which we meet with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be thou exalted Lord above the Heavens and thy Glory above the Earth The Prayer collected out of the fifty seventh Psalm O Lord our enemies are many and mighty they roar against us like Lyons they are set on fire to devoure us their teeth are as spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword to wound us in our good name crafty they are for they have digged a Pit and cunning they are for they have spread a Net to ensnare to take us O Lord be merciful O God be merciful unto us send down we beséech thée help from Heaven and save us from the reproach of them that would eat us up Declare thy power O Lord and come amongst us and send forth thy Mercy and Truth for our deliverance thy Mercy is infinite thy Word is past and in that my soul trusteth and in the shadow of thy wings in thy protection only shall be my Refuge till these calamities be over-past Continually and with an ardent soul I will call upon that God which is the most High most potent that God that hath so often done me good and I doubt not but be will perform his word and make perfect his salvation Do thou O Lord declare thy power and shew that thou art the Lord of the whole Earth get thy self a Name by the punishment of these wicked men that all things both in Heaven and Earth may exalt thy justice and give thée the glory To do this O Lord my heart is ready my heart is fixed for thy benefits shall never slip out of my memory nor thy goodness recede from my heart neither will I remember them alone but they shall be my song in the house of my pilgrimage I will compose Hymns to the honour of thy Name and in my song praise thée I will say to my heart and tongue which art my glory awake out of thy bed of forgetfulness shake off this dulness in which thou hast slept so long and readily and chearfully sing Hymns to the honour of thy Saviour and that the praise may be the fuller call for thy Harp and Psaltery and all other instruments of Musick which in these troublesome times have béen broken and cast by call for these I say and make a melodious sound in the ears of the God of Jacob. Come along with me and we will enter together into the house of our God then before the morning Sun that we may praise him early with joyful lips There will we praise thee O Lord in the Assembly of many people there will we chant Hymns to thy honour before many Nations For thy mercy is so great That it reacheth to the very Heavens and thy faithfulness in keeping thy promises such That it extends above the Clouds for both these mount up to the Heavens above and pass through the Earth beneath both these are so high and wonderful that they can never be comprehended by us Therefore I pray and I pray again that thou wouldst shew thy self Lord of the Heaven and that thou wouldst shew thy Glory in the whole Earth which though thou dost eminently when thou dost frée the innocent from the hand of the Oppressor yet then thou shalt perfectly bring it to pass when the goodness and mercy and glory of thy justice being divulged through the World by the preaching of thy Gospel all false-worship being destroyâ—â— thou shalt drow all men unto thy self Arise therefore O good Father Be thou exalted and make thy glory illustrious convert all Nations to the Truth break the Nets fill up the pits make the craft and subtilty of Antichrist and his Followers of none effect which they use to eclipse the light of thy Gospel so shall our hearts be every day more and more confirmed to confess praise and celebrate thy Name and to exalt it above all things through Iesus Christ thy only Son and out only Saviour Amen PSAL. LVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DAVID deprecates the danger that hung over his head from Saul and his counsel The parts of the Psalm are three A sharp Invective or Reprehension of his Adversaries ver 1. An Imprecation or Denunciation of Gods judgments upon them from ver 6. to 9. The Benefits that the reby would redound to the righteous ver 10 11. 1. The first part He reprehends his Adversaries David begins with an Apostrophe and figures it with an Erotesis which makes his reproof the sharper 1. Ver. 1 O Congregation O ye counsel of Saul By which he intimates that indeed they did neither 2. Do you indeed speak righteously By which he intimates that indeed they did neither 3. Do you judge uprightly O ye sons of men By which he intimates that indeed they did neither 2. Ver. 2 Which in the next verse in plain terms he affirms and layes home to their charge Yea in heart you work wickedness 2. You weigh the violence of your hands in the earth heart and hand are bent to do evil which the words well considered do exaggerate 1. They were iniquities a plurality of them 2. It was their work 3. Their hearty work 4. Their handy work 5. Weighed out by their scale of justice 6. Which indeed under the colour of justice was but violence 7. And it was in this earth in Israel where no such thing was to be done 3. He aggravates their crime This their wickedness he amplifies both from the Original and the Progress of it 1. Ver. 3 The root of it was very old into the World they brought it with them 1. 1 From their birth The wicked are estranged from the womb Alienati from God and all goodness 2. They go astray even from their Cradle they take the wrong way 3. 2 From their malice and obstinacy Assoon as they be born speaking lyes enclined from the very Birth to falshood 2. And in this their falshood they are malicious and obstinate 1. Ver. 4 Malicious The poyson of their tongue is like the poyson of a Serpent innate adanct deadly 2. Obstinate for they will not be reclaimed by any counsel or admonition They are like the deaf Adder that stops her ear which refuseth to hear the voyce of the Charmer charm he never so wisely 2. The second part He prayes against 1. their wayes and plots Their wickedness malice and obstinacy being so great now he prayes against
vers 1. and the reason vers 2. 2. A double vow vers 3 4. with the reason The vow repeated vers 5. 3. The effects which were to follow vers 6 7. 1. The first part A prayer for 1. Mercy He first desires of God that he would so carry himself to his Church and people that it might appear that he hath a care of them that he loves them 1. Vers. 1 God be merciful to us favour us for his Mercy is the fountain of all our good 2. 2 A blessing Then Bless us Give whatsoever is good Temporal spiritual blessings 3. 3 The blessing of favour and grace Vers. 2 In particular Cause his face to shine upon us Clear up his countenance to us Every man desires a blessing the good man this blessing 4 That this blessing be extended to all people the blessing of the right-hand Let him openly shew that he favours us And for this he gives his reason viz. That the light may be communicative and the benefit pass over to others The second part even unto all men all Nations 1. In which he votes praise to God and desires that all may join with him That thy Way thy Will thy Word thy Works may be known on earth 2. Thy saving health not in Jury alone but among all Nations He desires that all men may come to the knowledge of the Truth and take notice of those wayes which he takes for the salvation of his people 2. And upon it he Votes honour to God for one will easily and naturally flow from the other Vers. 3 his mercy brings knowledge and his knowledge praise Let the people praise thee O God Let all the people praise thee This verse is Emphatical 1. Vers. 5 In respect of the Object Te. Thee Not other strange gods 2. Celebrent omnes All the people Not mutter thy praises but make them illustrious 3. And do it he artily And do it often Repeat them again and again as he doth this verse vers 5. 4. Vers. 4 And do it with a joyful and glad heart O let the Nations rejoice and sing for joy And of this also he gives his reason The reason the Acts that flow from Gods special providence his governing his moderating his directing his people 1. 1 Gods equity in judging His equity in judging Thou shalt judge the people righteously 2. 2 His wisdom in ordering His wisdom in governing Thou shalt govern lead and direct the Nations and that on earth that they know the way to eternal happiness Via gratia via gloriae 3. The third part The Consequences The effects of his blessing and our praise are expressed in the two last verses 1. Vers. 6 Then shall the earth yield her increase Which literally is an ample Harvest Spiritually 1 An increase the inhabitants of the earth shall increase in knowledge thanks c. 2. And God shall bless this increase for without his blessing 2 A blessing of that increase the increase will be to little purpose God even our God shall bless Which he ingeminates that it be not forgotten God shall bless Vers. 7 3. The last effect is 3 Gods worship that God shall be worshipped and honoured all the world over And all the ends of the earth shall fear him The Prayer collected out of the sixty seventh Psalm O God great in power but infinite in mercy acknowledge we do that thou art the Father of all gifts and the Fountain of all goodness Vers. 1 and from thy bounty and liberality it is that we receive whatsoever we can call ours and therefore we humbly beséech thée to be favourable and merciful to us to bless unto us whatsoever is good and make it openly and plainly appear that thou doest carry a serene aspect and a clear countenance towards us That so while we remain in this earth we may perfectly know that way that leads to thée and to our future happiness And this mercy we ask not for our selves alone but for all Nations Vers. 2 O happy day when not in Jury alone but all the world over thy wayes shall be made known when there shall be but one fold and one shepherd and thy saving health made evident and receiv'd by all Nations Bring to pass O God that many may come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of God Vers. 3 Thy name will be glorious thy honour enlarg'd when the Gentiles with the Jews and the Jews with the Gentiles shall with one heart and one voice sing hymns to thy name O then let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Thou art a just God in equity judge for us thou art a wise God in wisdom govern and direct us Deliver thy people from the tyranny of men and from the rage and fury of Devils direct and govern our hearts in the way of thy Laws and in the works of thy Commandments so shall we appear in thy presence with joyful and glad hearts and sing merrily our songs of Zion to thy name Again and again I beg of thée O Lord that all men may come to the knowledge of thy truth and confess thy name O let the people praise thee O God let all the people praise thee Let them cast away their strange gods and fall low before thy foot-stool and adore thée alone the Maker of all things the Redéemer of all men for then the Lord will hear the heavens and the heavens shall hear the earth and the earth shall hear the corn and the wine and the oyle and they shall hear Israel Out of thy mercy O God bestow upon us the light of thy countenance and grateful hearts that so all other things may be administred unto us bless our fields with increase and our houses with abundance and because all plenty is no better than poverty without thy blessing give thy blessing to that thou hast given so shall we fear thy name and adore thy Majesty and admire thy wise providence and in all reverence and humility set forth thy praise from generation to generation Amen PSAL. LXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DIverse conjectures there are of the occasion of the composure of this Psalm But the most probable is that it was composed by David when he brought up the Ark of God which was the Type of the Church and Symbol of Gods presence to Jerusalem This after it was sent home by the Philistines rested first in the obscure Lodge of Aminadab then for a while it stay'd with Obed-Edom near sixty years in both places It was Davids care to provide a fit room for it in the head of the Tribes even in his own City And to express his joy and honour the Solemnity David led the way dancing with all his might in a linnen Ephod and all the house of Israel followed with shouts and instruments of
other part and to prove The third part The carnal conclusion made out of the premises that notwithstanding all that had or could be said yet the good and godly person is the sole happy man To which before he comes directly he repeats again his tentation to think otherwise confesses his weakness and how far it wrought upon him if this be so then all my study of Religion is in vain 2. All my sufferings are to no purpose 't is all folly 't is all vanity 1. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Ver. 13 2. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastned every morning 2. Then next he shews by a Dilemma He resolves the question But not by reason that too weak to do it His Arguments are the way he took how to find out the resolution of this question and two wayes he proposed first that of Reason and he condemns it by a double Argument the first drawn ab absurdo The second ab impossibili 1. If I say I will speak thus Thus as ver 13 14. That I have cleansed my heart in vain that no man can be happy under the Cross Behold I should offend against the Generation of thy children Ver. 5 for all these were plagued and chastned and yet all these cleansed their hearts 1 Ab absurdo and were innocent 't is absurd then to affirm this 2. If I examine this again in the balance of Reason 2 Ab impossibili That good men should be under the Cross and yet happy it seemed to me impossible to be true let Reason be Judge and the quite contrary will appear viz. that those who have power authority wealth health are the happy men Ver. 16 and therefore the Prophet adds When I thought to know this viz. by the strength of Reason and Discourse it was too painful too hard and difficult for me 3. Irresolved then he was and so shall any other about this point Ver. 17 till he consults with God and the Oracle of his Word Being then irresolved from Reason He consults with God and finds their end miserable there he shall find a remedy in his Book and the School of Christ what shall quiet the passions and tumults of his soul there it is to be learned and not from flesh and blood this he confesses I understood nothing in this point untill I wont into the Sanctuary of God for then I understood the end of these men By the end of life a man is to judge of any mans happiness for ante obitum nemo c. To their end then we are to look and by that to judge What is their end then that Gods Book here teacheth 1. Be it that they are set on high yet their felicity is unstable and uncertain Surely Thou O God Thou raisest them thither but then 1 Their felicity unstable Thou settest them in slippery places They can have no certain stay and standing for their feet 2. Under them is a great Gulf and Precipice 2 They cast down and God not only humbles them for that sometimes befals good men But these thou casts down to destruction prosternis ut intereant 3. Their ruine is not vulgar and common nor delayed long but sudden and unlooked for which the Prophet intimates by his Exclamation How are they consumed and brought to desolation 3 Unexpectedly suddenly as in a Moment 4. Add to this That their destruction is terrible and full of amazement 4 Their ruine fearful both to others that behold it and to themselves being troubled with the affrights of a guilty conscience and the fear of the wickedness that pursues them They are utterly consumed with terrours as Judas Saul Cain Nero Julian c. So that all their happiness in this World was but a vain empty thing like a dream Their happiness then is vain which similitude is explained Isa 29.7 8. As a dream when one awaketh so O Lord when thou awakest thou shalt despise and make contemptible their image totam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all their pomp and great shew 4. The fourth part Upon it he confesseth his weakness that tempted And now the Prophet begins ingeniously to acknowledge his weakness and infirmity in the debating this question betwixt him and his own Reason he takes all the fault to himself and clears God 1. He confesseth that he was transported with indignation animosity and fretfulness at it 1 By animosity Thus my heart was is not now grieved and I was pricked in my reins 2. 2 By ignorance He confesseth his folly ignorance brutishness about it So foolish was I and ignorant I was as a beast before thee in this point I knew no more than a bruit beast 3. 3 And shews the difference of good bad men under the Cross He comforts himself in Gods goodness and presence shewing that though he be in trouble and under the Cross which is the lot of the godly yet there is a great deal of difference betwixt their troubles and those of the wicked for 1. They are not neglected and deserted Nevertheless I am continually with thee 2. Thou hast holden me by my right hand As a Father thou leadest me by the hand 3. Thou directest me with thy counsel by thy Word and Spirit 4. And after receive me to Glory Here I may be vilified but one day glorified yea and if thou seest it good raised to honour glory and promotion in this life 5. The fifth part His resolution upon it And now being as it were ravished with the contemplation of Gods Providence and certainty of his good will toward him in an ardent affection he breaks forth expressing how resolute he is say flesh and blood what it will in all his troubles to stick and cleave fast to his God 1. Whom have I in Heaven but thee What God beside what Angel or Saint to be my hope 2. And there is none upon earth I desire besides thee They are miserable comforts and comforters I nauseate all in Heaven or Earth in comparison of thee 3. I confess through weakness I am often tempted to see the prosperity of the wicked and when I feel my self pressed with miseries poverty violence wrongs so that my flesh and my heart faileth 4. And the conclusions he draws thence The sixth part But through confidence and hope in thee I quickly revive and recover God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever 6. Now two conclusions I have learned from this tentation and debate 1. That they that are far from thee shall perish Thou hast destroyed all that go a whoring from thee 2. That it is good for me to draw near to God I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy works Thy works in governing and defending thy Church in this life and rewarding thy servants with glory
in heaven nor Monarch in earth his Peere For who in the heaven can be compared to thee O Lord Vers. 6 who among the sons of the Mighty i.e. Celestial Spirits can be likened to the Lord Which is so true that the very Angels fear and reverence his Majesty and ought to do it Vers. 7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of his Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him And because this should be alwayes fix'd in our memory he comes over it again Vers. 8 vers 8. O Lord God of hosts who is strong like unto thee or to thy faithfulness round about thee 2. 2 No such Agent or Governor By his Agency in governing the world as for example First The Sea 1. Thou rulest the raging of the Sea when the waves thereof arise thou stillest them Thou brokest Rahab i. e. the Egyptian Pharaoh in pieces as one that is slain Thou hast scatter'd thine enemies with a strong arm viz. in the Red Sea 2. Heaven and earth The heavens are thine the earth also is thine 3. 3 No Creator but he alone By his Creation of all things As for the world and fulness thereof thou hast founded it The North and South thou hast created them Tabor and Hermon i. e. East and West shall rejoice in thy name And then he concludes this part of the Majesty and Power of God with this Epiphonema Thou hast a mighty arm strong is thy hand and high is thy right-hand 2. 2 The Subject of their praise is also his Attributes The other part of the praise which both the Prophet and the Angels sing to Gods honour is taken from his Attributes summ'd up in the 14. verse Justice and judgement are the habitation of his throne mercy and truth shall go before his face He presents God as a great King sitting in his Throne 1. The Basis of which is Justice and Judgement 2. The Attendants Mercy and Truth 1. Justice which defends his Subjects and does every one right 2. Judgement which restrains Rebels and keeps off injuries 3. Mercy which shews compassion pardons supports the weak 4. Truth that performs whatsoever he promiseth 4. The fourth part And in regard that God is powerful just merciful faithful he takes an occasion to set out the happy condition of Gods people that live under this King Blessed are the people In which rejoicing his people are happy divers wayes that know the joyful Sound do know that God is present with them and his Kingly Majesty is at hand to protect them The phrase is taken from Moses For the Law was given by sound of Trumpet The calling of the Feasts by sound of Trumpet At that sound they removed At that sound they assembled Balaam said Clangor Regis The sound of a King is among them Happy then are the people that know the joyful sound God present their King speaking ruling defending pardoning them That they are Happy the effects do evince which are 1. They shall walk in the light of thy countenance i. e. Though beset with troubles yet they shall walk confidently being assured of Gods favour 2. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day long Their joy is firm 3. In thy righteousness shall they be exalted They shall get a name strength In their Union and Communion with God they shall be happy Confident then joyful and strong they are in all temptations which yet they have not from themselves All is from God For Thou art the glory of their strength and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted Vers. 17 For the Lord is our defence the Holy One of Israel is our King 5. The Doxology being now ended The fifth part The Prophet enlarges himself on the Covenant made with David and the happiness of Gods people expressed and proved the Prophet now enlarges himself upon the Covenant formerly mentioned vers 4 5. exemplified in David but truly verified in Christ Which he continues to the 30 vers 1. Then i. e. when David was chosen to be King and invested with the Regal Robe Vers. 19 2. Thou spakest in Vision to thy Holy One. To Samuel for his anointing And saidst 3. I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the people That is David in Type but Christ in the Antitype So explain'd I have found David my servant with my holy Oyle have I anointed him To which there follows the promises made to him The particulars of it 1. For his establishment and confirmation in the Throne With whom my hand shall be established mine arm also shall strengthen him 2. For protection against his enemies The enemy shall not exact upon him nor the son of wickedness afflict him 3. A Conquest over his enemies And will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him 4. And that there be no doubt of the performance of these ample promises nor yet those that follow the Prophet interserts the cause viz. The Faithfulness and Mercy of God In Mercy he said it and it should so come to pass But my Faithfulness and Mercy shall be with him And now he goes on 5. His Horn shall be exalted He shall have as it were the strength of an Unicorn And this his exaltation appears 1. In the dilatation of his Empire I will set his hand also in the Sea and his right hand in the rivers i. e. From the Sea to Euphrates 2 Sam. 8. 2. In the Honour done him to call God Father his God his Rock He shall call me Thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my salvation 3. Then that God asserts and fixes this Prerogative upon him acknowledging him to be his Son his first-born Son Also I will make him my first-born higher than the Kings of the earth 4. In the perpetuity of his Kingdom which is rightly attributed to Gods mercy as vers 25. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him 5. In the promise made to his seed His seed also will I make to endure for ev er and his Throne as the dayes of heaven 6. And next the Prophet puts a Case and answers it The sixth part Object But what if Davids seed prove rebellious But what if Davids seed transgress Gods Covenant break his Laws violate his Statutes become rebels and disobedient will God then keep Covenant with them shall his seed endure for ever and his Throne as the dayes of heaven To this doubt God answers from vers 30. to 38. shewing us how Davids seed if they transgress shall be dealt with 1. If his children forsake my Law That is my whole doctrine of Worship Religion Faith c. 2. And walk not in my judgements i. e. in those Laws which set out rewards and punishments 3. If they break my Statutes Those Statutes I have set down for my service
not submit to his Laws and wayes But they escaped not unpunished vengeance as God had sworn overtook them and their carcasses fell in the Wilderness nor above two of six hundred thousand souls entred into that rest promised them the land of Canaan I read and tremble I tremble and pray Lord kéep me from this disobedience this obstinacy this hardness of heart melt my soul with the fire of thy Spirit and soften it with the oyle of thy grace that when thou speakest I may answer and at the sound of thy voyce I may be obedient so that shewing not the least reluctation to thy commands and never murmuring at thy doings I may obtain by thy infinite goodness after the manifold errors and furious storms of this life that secute Port of Heaven where there remains a perpetual rest to the people of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. XCVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ALthough this Psalm was composed by David at the bringing back of the Ark 1 Chr. 16.23 yet with one voyce all Christian Expositors acknowledge it a Prophesie of Christs Kingdom and Church to be enlarged by the access of all Nations and of his coming to judgment Two parts of the Psalm 1. A general Exhortation both to Jewes and Gentiles to praise God 2. A Prophesie of Christs Kingdom described by the Greatness ver 4 5. the Honour and Majesty verse 6. of the Majesty of the King verse 6 7 8. 2. The amplitude of it ver 10. 3. His judicature in it from ver 10. to the end 1. The first part An invitation to praise God The first three verses contain a general Exhortation to set forth Gods praises for the benefits exhibited to the whole earth by Christ 1. First That the praise be full he thrice repeats Cantate O sing sing sing to the honour of the Trinity Ver. 1 saith Bellarmine obscurely insinuated in the Old but plainly to be preached in the New Testament 2. Ver. 2 Shew forth Benedicite i. e. Cantando laudate or gratias agite 3. Ver. 3 Declare Hashern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carry good news a fit word for the Gospel Ver. 1 which is Evangelium glad-tydings 2. The Song that was to be sung was to be a new Song Sing unto the Lord a new Song New for a new benefit New to be sung by a new people 3. It was to be sung by the whole Earth by new men and all men all the World over for God was not now to be known in Judaea only but to all Nations Ver. 2 4. It must be continually sung from day to day without cessation or intermission for as one day succeeds another so should there be a continual succession in this praise After he expresseth the benefit or matter that all the earth is to praise him for For the redemption of the World by his Son which in one word is the Redemption of the World by his Son 1. Shew forth his salvation which he hath conferred on Mankind by Christ Ver. 2 2. Ver. 3 Declare his glory among the Heathen his wonders among all people His glory and wonders which is the self-same with salvation which was a glorious work and full of wonders and this now was to be Evangelized as before to the Jewes by the Prophets so now to all people by the Apostles 2. The second part To this end he presents God as a great King And that his Exhortation might seem more reasonable he presents God as a King and sets down the Greatness the Amplitude and Equity of his Kingdom 1. Sing to the Lord all the Earth for he is Lord of the whole Earth 1. The Lord is great great in power great in wisdom great in goodness great in mercy great in dominion and riches great every way that any thing can be great 2. 2 Worthy of all praise He is greatly to be praised or worthy of all praise for his innumerable benefits he bestows spiritual temporal his Creation Redemption Preservation of the world What can be found praise worthy in any King may be found superlatively in him 3 To be feared above all gods Moller Quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non dii Bellarm. Muscul Supreme not so any of those gods They Deastri 3. He is to be feared above all gods For he can cast body and soul into hell They though call'd gods can do nor good nor hurt The devils that set them up do believe him to be above them and tremble Jam. 2. Sing to him then and not to them for the Supremacy is his He is Super omnes Deos. Gods did I call them alas they are nothing less they are all of them Elilim Deiculi petite gods or Deastri ridiculous gods or Elilim Vanities Idols no gods If they be Gods shew their works produce the heavens they made or the earth they framed whereas our God made the heavens and all things that â—â—e in it and under it Ver. 5 He then to be feared and not they In which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophet doth elegantly deride the heathenish gods Especially the gods of the heathen and the heathen for fearing such gods 1. For the multitude of them For they were many which is contrary to the nature of God who must be but one in reason there can be but one Supreme 2. For their division one of the Ammonites another of the Moabites one of the Philistines many of the Assyrians Egyptians Greeks Romanes according to the number of the Cities were there gods three hundred Jupiters thirty thousand of these Deities 3. They were Elilim petite gods Moloch had the rule of the Sun Astarte of the Moon Ceres over Corn Pluto his dominion in heaven Neptune in the Sea c. Their power was not universal as the power of God ought to be 4. For their Vanity they could not help If Baal be a god let him plead for himself Judg. 6. Bell boweth down Nebo stoops c. they could not deliver the burden they themselves are gone into captivity Isa 46.1 2. For an Idol is nothing in nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. 4. Lastly in the opposition They Dii facti he Factor which lively shews the difference betwixt God and Idols It was man that first made them gods and made Idols for them They then are at best but works of mens hands But our God is Factor a Maker a Creator He made the Heavens those great and beautiful bodies and all that is contain'd in and under those Orbs. He then is terrible he to be feared and not those diminutive those vain those unprofitable gods of the Nations and their Idols 2. And so having removed out of his way all the gods of the Nations he returns to the description of our God and King He said he was great greatly to be praised to be feared above all gods and now he adds that which makes farther for his honour For he presents God
under the person of a mighty King in whose Palace all things that may set forth his Majesty To be praised also for his Honour Majesty c. are presented to the eye of the Subject and Strangers Honour Majesty Strength Beauty So saith our Prophet Honour and Majesty are before him Vers. 6 Strength and Beauty are in his Sanctuary God is indeed invisible but his Honour and Majesty his Strength and Beauty may easily be seen in his ordering governing and preserving the whole world and his Church both which may not be unfitly call'd His Sanctuary and the last His Holy Palace Which he moves all Subjects to give their King 3. God he hath proved to be an universal King and now he perswades all his Subjects that is all kindreds of the people or the Families of the Nations to return unto their King his tribute his due their debt to wit his due honour and worship which he comprehends in these words Give bring an offering Vers. 7 worship fear proclaim him to be King 1. Give unto the Lord and again 1 To give him freely Glory and Strength Give unto the Lord Glory and Strength Give freely to him and solely attribute to him the glory of your being and well-being that he made and redeem'd you and that by the strength of his right-hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath pluck'd you out of the hands of your enemies This was the glorious Work of Mercy and Power Sing for this with the Angels Glory be to God on high 2. Give unto the Lord the honour due to his Name Remember 't is a debt Vers. 8 and a debt in equity must be paid And the honour due to his Name 2 The Honour due to his Name is To acknowledge him to be Holy True Just Powerful The Lord the faithful God good merciful long-suffering c. all that was proclaim'd before him Exod. 34.5 6 7. Defraud not his Name of the least Honour 3. 3 To bring him Offerings Bring an offering and come into his Courts Appear not before the Lord empty as the Jews were commanded to which out Prophet alludes They had their Sacrifices and we also have our spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ to bring 1 Pet. 2.5 And these are the Sacrifices of a contrite heart Confession of sin Mortification Prayer Fasting Alms. Bring these when ye come into his Courts into his presence and into his House of Prayer 4. Vers. 9 O worship the Lord in the Beauty of Holiness They that come into the presence of a King 4 To Adore him presently fall on their knees in token of their submission and homage when you come into the presence of your King do the like Adore 2. And remember to do it in the Beauty of Holiness which if referr'd to the material Temple consider that it is by relation a Holy place 5 In the Beauty of Holiness and should not then be profaned a Beautiful place and should not then be defaced but kept beautiful But if to be referr'd to the Spiritual Temple the Temple of the Holy Ghost that also is to be beautified with Holiness A holy life holy vertues 5. 6 And to do it in fear and reverence Fear before him all the earth Join fear to your Worship for a man may be too bold and saucy in the presence of this King Serve the Lord in fear and rejoice with reverence There is a fear that ariseth out of the apprehension of greatness and excellency in the person together with our dependance on and our subjection to him which both in body and mind makes us step back and keep a distance And this kind of fear causeth and produceth all Acts of Reverence and Adoration and this is it which the Prophet here calls for 6. Vers. 10 Say among the Heathen The Lord reigns Or as some point it Say 7 Proclaim him to be King The Lord reigns among the Heathen Be as it were Heraulds and proclaim as with sound of Trumpet God is King Christus Regnat Vive le Roy. Hosannah Now here the Prophet begins to set forth the Amplitude of Christs Kingdom The Amplitude of Christs Kingdom 1. Before it was confin'd to Judaea but now it is enlarg'd All Nations are become his Subjects he reigns among the Heathen 2. The Stability of it The stability of it The world shall be established that it shall not be moved the Laws of this Kingdom not to be alter'd as were those given to and by Moses but fix'd and to last for ever The Gospel is to be an eternal Gospel a standing Law 3. The Equity in it The equity to be observ'd in it He shall judge the people righteously for he shall give to those who observe his Laws great rewards but to such as contemn them break them and say Nolumus hunc regnare a condign punishment 4. The Prophet having described the King and the state of his Kingdom exulting in spirit at it Vers. 11 12. as if he had seen him coming to sit upon the Throne he calls not the Gentiles only whom it did very nearly concern but all creatures to rejoice with him heaven earth the Sea the fields the trees the woods And he calls all creatures to rejoice at it Although there be that by heaven understand the Angels by the earth men by the Sea troublesome and restless spirits by the trees fields and woods the Gentiles who were to believe But this needs not because such Prosopopeia's are frequent in Scripture The meaning is that as the Salvation was Universal so he would have the joy for it to be Universal To the words then Let the heavens rejoice and let the earth be glad let the Sea roare Vers. 11 and the fulness thereof Vers. 12 Let the field be joyful and all that is therein then shall the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord. He incites all Creatures to rejoice for Christs coming both for the first And for his coming and the second for the first in which he consecrated all things for the second at which he will free all things from corruption Rom. 8. from vers 19. to 22. 1. For he cometh for he cometh to judge the earth To judge the earth Which first part of the verse the Fathers refer to his first coming Vers. 13 when he was incarnate and came to Redeem the world by his Death And was to the end to judge that is to Rule and Govern the world by his Word Ordinances and Spirit 2. And again He shall come to judge the world with righteousness With Equity and Truth and the people with his Truth Which coming though terrible to the wicked yet will be joyful and comfortable to the righteous For saith our Saviour Lift up your heads for your Redemption draws near And to comfort them and terrifie the wicked He tells them That he will judge in equity that is justice
a little before I go hence and be no more seen for I am nothing unto thee Thy years are throughout all generations and therefore 't is but equal that thou indulge an ample space of life to thy image that he may attain eternal happiness And he proves God to be Eternal because he is Immutable not so the earth not so the heavens 1. Not so other creatures all they change corrupt Not the earth for it had a beginning and that from thee Of old though long ago yet a beginning it and thou placed it not upon a foundation already laid but laidst the very foundation thereof broughtst it out of nothing to what it is and placed it in the midst of the World as now it is Ponderibus libratasuis 2. Not the heavens For they are the work of thy hands i. e. thy Wisdom and Power Heaven then and all Creatures in it Earth and all below cannot be Eternal They began 3. Neither shall they continue They shall perish be either annihilated or alter'd from their present condition They shall not be what they are now no not heaven nor earth As then they are not Eternal so neither are they Immutable Now in opposition to these he puts the Almighty God But thou shalt endure And yet more fully he expresseth this Truth in the following words 1. Yea all of them shall wax old like a garment make a farther step and access to a final period in regard of their duration 2. As doth a garment their use shall cease together with man as doth the use of a garment with him that useth it Isa 34.4 1 Pet. 3.10 2. And as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed as the Curtains and Carpets and Hangings are folded up when the Family removes 3. However they shall not wax old by the course of Nature but by the mighty power of the God of Nature Thou shalt change them and they shall be changed Well But God always the same be this so as is most true and must be granted yet it is not so with thee O God But thou art the same Vers. 27 and thy years shall have no end Thou art Immutable Eternal and because Immutable Eternal Now the reason why God cannot suffer any change is evident for every thing that is mutable is endued with a power to attain to something by that change which it had not before But God is actus purissimus and an Essence of infinite perfection and therefore when he wants nothing nothing can be added to him and consequently he is Immutable Now the Eternity and Immutability of God being confirm'd Vers. 28 the Prophet draws hence a comfortable Conclusion for the servants of God His Church and servants shall therefore continue also and for their children viz. such as imitate their piety for they shall be partakers of eternity also So is the Covenant Gen. 17.7 1. The children of thy servants shall continue That is The Apostles with the Patriarchs their Parents shall dwell in thy Kingdom in the heavenly Jerusalem 2. And their seed and as many as they have begotten by the Gospel if they remain in the faith which works by love they shall be established persevere remain continue before thee live in thy presence for ever As thou art Eternal so shall they be Eternal The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and second Psalm O Almighty God great Lord of heaven and earth we miserable sinners with fear and shame cast down our selves before thee Ver. 1 humbly confessing that for our selves we are unworthy that our prayers should have access to thee since we have broken all thy righteous Laws and Commandments and walked unworthy of thy Gospel and our Christian vocation But O Lord of thy mercy and clemency make us so worthy to pray Ver. 2 that thou mayest hear our prayers and let the cry of thy Spirit in our hearts be so vehement that it faint not in the way but approach thy Throne of grace Though we be foul and filthy sinners that have defaced thy image yet do not thou in displeasure turn away thy face from us It troubles us that we are thus foul and this is the day of our trouble for it oh thou who hast promised to accept the Sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart now when we are in trouble encline thine ear unto us in this day when we call upon thee our heavenly Physician hear us and answer us and that with speed Ver. 3 left if thou prolong the time thou shalt not be able to find whom to heal and save For O Lord we are in a very lamentable condition for the dayes of our life and prosperity are consumed as smoke that vanisheth in the air and the pillars of our bodies our bones Ver. 4 are burnt up as a hearth that the fire wears away Our heart is smitten out of the sense of thy wrath and pineth and withereth away as grass scorched by the heat of the Sun so great is our misery so pressing our calamity that we forget to take our dayly repast to eat our bread which nature it self requires of us We lived in delights Ver. 5 but now by the voice of our groaning by the continual sorrows and expressions of those sorrows that are upon us our flesh is consumed and our bodies brought to such a leanness that our bones will scarce cleave to our skin For very grief we fly the soriety of men and seek out places that are fit for mourners Ver. 6 We are like a Pellican a bird that delights to live alone in the Wilderness and like an Owl which flying the company of other birds the light and sight of men dwells in a secret dark and retired place where she sings a sad tune and we a heavy song Ver. 7 Our nights we spend in continual watchings very grief suffering us not to close our eyes and at break of day we breath forth our sighs unto thee as the Sparrow that sits alone and laments the loss of her mate upon the house top And in these our distresses we find no comforter Ver. 8 all our friends have forsaken us and our enemies making their advantage of it have gathered themselves together against us they reproach and revile us all the day long and being mad against us and set upon mischief they have enter'd into a conspiracy and bound themselves by an Oath to undo us Ver. 9 For this cause we eat no pleasant bread neither came any wine in our mouths but such as was kneaded with penitential ashes and mingled with the salt of tears and weeping And what soul that was ever under the sense of Gods disfavour can blame us for this since Thy wrathful displeasure goes over us Ver. 10 thy indignation pursues us Thou who in mercy didst lift us vp hast in judgement cast us down The sad consideration whereof doth beyond all that man can do afflict us But how long O Lord wilt
not the interposition of our sin so it be repented and left that can hinder his Grace to shine upon us and remove it 3. He is slow to anger and he hath this of a Father also 3 Slow to anger For no men more patient than Fathers in tolerating the infirmities and childishness of their Children this in him also For like as a Father pieth his Children Ver. 13 so the Lord pitieth them that fear him 4. Plenteous in mercy 4 Plenteous in mercy He takes into his consideration what frail Creatures we are and fading For he knoweth our frame he remembreth we are dust Ver. 14 As for man his dayes are as grass as a flower of the Field so he flourisheth for the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more And this fragility and instability of our's causeth him to be exceeding merciful to us which David expresseth in the next verse by way of Antithesis But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting ab aeterno in aeternum from the Eternity of our Predestination to the Eternity of our Glorification yet not bestowed hand over head it is with thy Restriction and Limitation But to those that fear him and keep his Covenant 1. Upon them that fear him 2. And his righteousness that is veracity and faithfulness in performing his Covenant not to the Fathers alone but to Childrens children 3. To such as keep his Covenant Yea and are obedient observe the conditions of Faith and Repentance 4. Yea and of obedience also That remember his Commandments to do them These Benefits are many and wonderful and the mercy from which they proceed infinite but that no man doubt of the performance of it Ver. 19 that God will do for those That fear him and keep his Commandments This mercy God is able to make good what he hath promised and in the Close of this Part the Prophet puts us in mind of his Power 1. He is Dominus in Coelo not like our Lords on Earth his power is no where circumscribed 2. He hath prepared his Throne in the Heavens there he fits pro Tribunali can see and judge the World 3. And that we suspect him not to be some under-Judge set over us and appointed by another David tells us His Kingdom ruleth over all The Supremacy is his he is the Supreme Monarch 3. The third part For these Benefits he invites all Creatures to praise God And thus the Prophet having particularly remembred Gods Goodness and Benefits to his People as being not able to return sufficient thanks alone he invites all the Creatures to joyn with him in his praise and first the Angels Bless the Lord ye his Angels whom he describes 1. 1 Angels From their excellency Ye that excel in strength 2. From their obedience And do his Commandments 3. From their celerity readiness and chearfulness in it That hearken to the voyce of his words that you may shew you selves faithful Ministers and Servants 2. 2 Armies of God He invites all the Armies of God to joyn with him by which Bellarmine understands all the Superiour Order Archangels Principalities Dominations and Powers which is the Militia of Heaven Luke 2. together with the Angels before-named Bless the Lord all his Hosts ye who how glorious soever yet are but Ministers of his that do his pleasure faithfully receive your charge and do it diligently and daily execute it 3. 3 All his works He invites all the Creatures of God to joyn with him also as if they had sense 3 All his works and understood him Bless the Lord all his works All for that no man should think that he meant only rational Creatures in Heaven and Earth 2. He adds in all places of his Dominion which extends over the whole world All Creatures then without exception and all in all places he desires would do it and good Reason for he made all and rules over all and is in all places with all and fills all and preserves all and moves all and in their kinds they have done it the Water at the Flood the Fire at Babylon the Crowes in feeding Eliah the Lyons in sparing Daniel c. And they do it when all keep their own stations and work according to that Law of Nature which God hath put upon them 4. 4 Himself Lastly That no man should imagine that he that called on others would be backward in performing the Duty himself as he began so he concludes this excellent Psalm Bless the Lord O my Soul At all times let his praise be in thy mouth The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and third Psalm BOund I am Ver. 1 O Omnipotent God and most merciful Father for thy great favours unto me with heart with soul with all powers of my mind and all strength of my body perpetually to acknowledge thee to praise thee and laud thy holy Name Wherefore O my Soul Bless thou the Lord and all faculties within me and parts about me bless his holy Name Bless the Lord O my Soul Bless the Lord O my Soul and forget not all or any one of his Benefits My actual sins are many and grievous but thou O Lord in mercy hast forgiven my iniquities Thou hast justified me by the death of thy Son cleansed me by his blood of an unjust person made me just of an enemy a friend of a slave a san I consess O Lord that the bitter root of sin is so graffed in my nature that I carry it about me in my mortal body and I lament yet I give thanks to thy grace which hath so healed my infirmities and so subdued them by the power of thy Spirit that I féel it daily dying and the strength thereof so decayed that it cannot reign rule and command within me And this gives me assurance Ver. 4 That thou hast redeemed my life from death hell and destruction and that at last out of thy loving-kindness and tender mercies I shall be Crowned with a Crown of Glory Lord what was I or what could I deserve that thou shouldst bestow these wonderful Benefits upon me when I think upon them I am not able to comprehend them and when I comprehend them I should be never able to believe them had'st thou not revealed them and assured them to my foul by thy boly Spirit O my Soul then bless the Lord bless his holy Name and forget not all his Benefits But as if all these high favours had been too little Thou hast over and above added many temporal blessings I enjoy by thy bounty food and rayment Ver. 5 which are good things so long as well used with these thou hast satisfied my mouth and given me health and strength to make use of them So that my youth is renewed as the Eagles in this my old age I find my body healthful my senses not altogether impaired my
Canopy extended over his Throne sometimes in his Chariot drawn by the swiftest Horses with all his Nobles Ministers and Servants about him and attending his pleasure And in this manner he presents the Majesty of God which were the work of the first and second day for by that order he proceeds in setting forth Gods works viz. by the order of the dayes they are made 1. His Robe is the light the work of the first day which is the purest The second part the most beautiful the most glorious illustrious vivifical Ver. 2 chearful of all Gods Creatures with this he is cloathed as with a garment 1 Of the first day for he is light John 1.1 and be dwells in that inaccessible light that no man hath seen nor can see 1 Tim. 6. 2. His Pavision stretched round about him is the Heavens 2 Of the second day the work of the second day these as it were the Hangings the Curtains of his Chamber of Presence by his fiat and power stretched out Ver. 3 as we now see them He stretched out the Heavens as a Curtain 3. His Palace built in a most miraculous manner the beams thereof laid not as is usual upon some firm and solid body but upon that which is most fluent He layes the beams of his Chambers in the waters In Gen. 1.7 we read of waters above the Firmament which were a part of the second dayes work and of these surely the Prophet speaks What is to be understood by waters above the Firmament is no dispute for this place Vide Zanch. de op Dei lib. 2. c. 1. 4. His Chariot the Clouds Who makes the Clouds his Chariot upon these he as it were rides and in a wonderful nimble manner is in all places he pleaseth no otherwise than the Clouds who are now in this place and instantly removed to another 5. The Horses that draw it the Winds Alipedes as the Poets feigned the Horses that drew the Chariot of the Sun by it his intent is to shew That by the power of God are brought upon the face of Heaven and remov'd at his pleasure Ver. 4 6. His Attendants Angels He maketh his Angels Spirits In which his Majesty appears his Ministers a flaming fire No Creature of greater quickness and agility than a Spirit no Element more active than fire These blessed Spirits he sends forth as he pleaseth to defend his Servants and as a flame of fire to consume and burn up his enemies in which appears his Might and Majesty 2. Next the Prophet descends from the Heaven and out of the Aire 2 Of the third day in which his Power and Wisdom The Earth created and comes to speak of the work of the third day and he begins with the Earth that Element which is best known to us in which he shewes the power and wisdom of God many wayes 1. In the foundation of it upon its center that whether it have the motion of Verticity as some do teach or else is fix'd and moves not at all Ver. 5 strange it is that so great and heavy a body should remain in the midst of the World and not sink ponderibia librata suis 1 In foundation This the Prophet attributes only to the Power and Providence of God Who laid the foundations of the Earth that it should not be removed for ever 2. Another part of his Providence about the Earth was that whereas the water being the lighter Element did at first cover the Earth 2 The raising it above the waters by his Fiat and made it useless God either by taking of some parts out of the upper superficies of the Earth in sundry places and made it more hollow and laying them in other places made it more convex or to speak more plainly by raising some and depressing others made room for the Sea This was a work of Gods Word and the Prophet speaks of this in the three following verses 1. First He shewes in what condition the Earth was in the first Creation it was covered and under water Thou cover'dst it with the deep Ver. 6 as with a Garment the waters stood above the Mountains 2. He shewes how the Earth became uncovered it was by the voyce power and fiat of God Let the waters be gathered together into one place and let the dry land appear Gen. 1. This the Psalmist here calls the rebuke of God the voyce of Thunder for God had no sooner spake the word Ver. 7 But it was so At thy rebuke they fled at thy voyce of Thunder they were afraid whether they were such waters as are now or thick mists and vapours after to be condensed into vapours afraid they were to stay any longer and to cover the Earth when God rebuked them spoken as it were in Thunder and bid them remove 3. Ver. 8 And so there became a new World as it were Jussit extendi campos subsidere Valles 3 Confining the Sea The Mountains and the Vallies take the lower place Or else as we read They the mists and vapours go up by the Mountains for quanti montes volvuntur aquarum but they stayed not then nor yet do stay upon the Mountains But they go down by the Vallies unto the place which thou hast appointed for them still failing along to Sea 4. Ver. 9 4 His Providence about the Rivers There thou inclosest them as with doors and bars Job 18. Thou hast set a bound that they may not pass over that they turn not again to cover the Earth yet not violently kept there as some suppose but restrain'd by an ordinary way of Nature it being natural for water to descend to the lower places which by Gods power was not hollowed for them to remain in that they once did return and cover the Earth was by Gods extraordinary Command 3. And next he comes to speak of the Rivers and Springs and shewes Gods wonderful Providence about them 1. Ver. 10 He sendeth the Springs that is the streams of water from the Hills into the Vallies 1 Their Springs which yet at first run among the Hills for who knowes not that the domus fluvii the Spring and Well whence the greatest Rivers stream is seated commonly in the foot of some Mountain 2. 2 Their Use And the end of this infinitely declares Gods Providence it is for the sustenance of Beasts and Fowles perish they must for thirst were it otherwise and therefore he adds 1. They i. e. the Springs and Rivers give drink to every Beast of the Field the wild Asses quench their thirst 2. By them shall the Fowles of the Heaven have their habitation which sing among the Branches 4. But the Springs and Rivers cannot water all parts of the Earth were it not then for another part of his Care and Providence 3 The Rain and Dewes the Hills and higher places would be altogether barren and unfruitful his Wisdom therefore
satisfied from thy open hand without which the Husbandmans industry and the fatness of the ground is to little purpose Farther Life and Death is in thy Power 1. 1 Death Death and the Fore-runner of it Trouble 1. Thou hidest thy Face seemest to be displeased and withdrawes thy help and assistance and they are troubled 2. Thou takest away their breath they dye and return to their Dust 2. 2 And life Life also 1. Thou sendest forth thy Spirit a vital Spirit by restoring new Individuals to every species for so they are created that is formed 2. And by this Thou renewedst the face of the Earth which if it were not done The third part He votes all praise to God the whole World would fail in one Age. Now after this long Catalogue of the Creatures and Gods Power Wisdom and Goodness made most manifest in the Creation Governance and Sustentation of them he descends to what he began with and votes all praise to God for so most read ver 32. 1. Let the Glory of the Lord his Glory for his Wisdom Goodness Power endure for ever And moves man to an honest use of the Creature hallowed be his Name 2. The Lord shall rejoyce in his Works Let man be so careful to use them well that by the abuse he put not God to grief and cause him to repent that he made them 3. Which if it happen it would be remembred that he is a God and power able to punish the ungrateful person how great soever For if he looketh on the Earth with a threatning brow it trembleth that Earth whose foundation he said should not be removed ver 5. He toucheth the Hills and they do smoke it was so as Sinai Exod. 19. 2. This praise he would give Then he makes an open profession of his own practice 1. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will praise my God while I have any being 2. And this he would do with delight which is indeed the fat of the Sacrifice My Meditation of him shall be sweet unto me I will be glad in the Lord. 3. The fourth part He imprecates against sinners And he concludes with an Imprecation against unthankful and negligent persons who regard not the Works of God and will not see his Glory Power Wisdom Goodness in his Creating Governing and Sustaining this Fabrique of this Universe and therefore very little praise him against these he prayes Ver. 35 That they may be confounded or converted Let the sinners be consumed out of the Earth and let the wicked be no more i. e. Let them so fail from the Earth that either they be converted and cease to be sinners or else if they will continue obstinate and perverse let them perish out of the Earth But O my Soul be not thou like to them Bless the Lord Hallelujah The Prayer and Meditation out of the one hundred and fourth Psalm O Most Omnipotent Wise Glorious and most merciful God Ver. 1 how should I that am but dust and ashes dare to appear in thy presence Ver. 2 Thou art cloathed with Honour and Majesty and I am a vile worm Thou art vested with light as with a Robe and I am darkness Thou hast stretched out the Heavens over thee like a Curtain the Clouds are thy Chariot the swift winds at thy Command and thy Angels thy Ministers ready to take revenge in a flame of fire upon disobedient sinners if thou give the word How can I that am conscious to my self of so repeated and continuâ—â—â— sobedience presume to be a Petitioner unto thée or offer up any reque◠〈◊〉 There is not a Creature that I cast my eye on but upbraids me for negligence and inconsideration since thy Power thy Glory thy Wisdom thy Goodness is illustrious in all these and yet I have passed these by as if they were not worthy of my saddest thoughts Their Natures I have inquired into but have not looked up to thée the Lord of Nature O my Soul then rouze up this deadness and dulness of spirit ascend from the Contemplation of the Creature to the Meditation of the Creator and remember what the whole Vniverse preacheth unto thée That he must be a God of Power that hath so made a God of Wisdom that hath so disposed a God of Mercy and Goodness that to this day governs and sustains every Creature to thy use and service Canst thou tread upon the Earth and not admire Ver. 5 It would sink under thée had he not laid the foundations of it so strangely and strongly that it should not be removed Canst thou look down upon the Vallies through which there glide many silver streams and less than wonder that they should descend from Rocks of stone and Hills of flint Ever since That at the rebuke of God the waters fled and hasted away and left the Earth uncover'd Had it not béen for this great Providence of the Almighty Thou and thy Cattle had dyed for thirst and perished for want of water But his goodness stayed not here for for a necessary supply he hath placed his Bottles in the Clouds and thence descends in silver showers and watereth the highest Hills and barren'st Mountains That the whole Earth might be satisfied with the fruit of his Works O ungrateful man ascribe not too much to thy wit industry and labour know that he is the Father of the rain and did not he from above water what thou plantest and give an increase to what thou sowest thy early rising would be but lost labour and all thy foresight bread only of carefulness Thoâ— waterest and manurest thy Fields and Meadows but it is the Lord above that causeth the grass to grow for thy Cattle Thou delvest diggest wéedest thy Gardens but it is the Lord of Heaven that gives life to thy Plants and Herbs which he commands to shoot for thy service whether for meat or medicine Man doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God he brings food out of the Earth an Herb a Plant a Root a Fruit it may be by that power and virtue which thou hast established by the perpetual Law of Nature but food it will not be without thy blessing Continue to us then Ver. 15 merciful God these outward things but yet so that thou give thy blessing with them It is thy Wine that must make glad the heaâ—t of man Ver. 16 and thy Oyle that makes his face to shine and thy Bread that strengthens mans heart the sap in our Fruit-trées is from thée and the strength of the Cedars from thy Plantation Ver. 27 upon thée then will we wait upon thy Providence will we depend Give us O Lord our meat and all other necessaries Ver. 28 in due season and when thou shalt give it us we will gather it for we are assured when thou openest thy hand we shall be filled with good No Creature will be good
that Attribute is made the burden of the Psalm and the close in every verse And this was a Solemn form in use in the Jewish Church as is apparent 2 Chron. 7.3 6. 20 21. The parts of this Psalm are 1. A general exhortation to praise God for his goodness Majesty vers 1 2 3. 2. A declaration of his goodness and Majesty by the effects 1. Of his Creation from vers 4. to 10. 2. Of his Providence especially in conserving his Church and exercising his judging toward her enemies from vers 10. to 25. 3. That his Providence extends to all creatures vers 25. 3. A conclusion fit for the exordium for it calls us up to praise God vers 26. 1. The first part An invitation to praise God In the three first verses the Prophet invites to praise God for his goodness and mercy 1. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good For his Mercy endureth for ever 2. O give thanks to the God of Gods For his Mercy endureth for ever 3. O give thanks to the Lord of Lords For his Mercy endureth for ever In these verses Expositors find the Trinity 1. In the first Jehovah God the Father who is the fountain of Being 2. In the second God the Son who is the God of Gods whether Angels or Princes who are called Gods but he is over them 3. In the third the Holy Ghost who is Lord of Lords who as the wind blows where when and on whom he will Other Lords have not Free-will but as Servants must do his pleasure Bellarmine His reasons are The chief reason because good merciful for ever that we give thanks to him because he is good because merciful and his mercy endures for ever For 't is his mercy that we shall live for ever so that his mercy is extended to us both while we live on earth and when we live with him in heaven It is no improbable conjecture of Musculus that this Psalm was sung by the Quire and that the people at the end of every Versicle sung this Responsory For his Mercy endureth for ever Which was no Battology neither saith Moller for it follows and applyes every particular benefit 2. The second part The Prophet now begins to praise God for his great and wonderful works which he alone was able to do such as was the work of Creation in which he used not the power of Angels And farther for his works but his own only Give thanks to the Lord 1. Who hath done wonderful things His instance is presently in the Creation 1 Of Creation in all which he shews his mercy 2. For his Mercy endureth for ever His Mercy was conspicuous in this work for he made not any thing of necessity as if he needed the creature Ver. 4 but meerly out of his ineffable good-will and Mercy Of these wonderful things Instance first the Prophet his 1. 1 The heaven First instance in the heavens To him give thanks that by wisdom made the heavens It was his first work Gen. 1. For whether we look upon the magnitude the figure the beauty the motion the order of the Orbs the splendor the influence the effects of the celestial bodies there is a strange and wonderful evidence of wisdom and power in them not unitable by any creature 2. For his mercy endures for ever because it pleased him to create these heavens out of nothing to be an eternal habitation for Men and Angels 2. Ver. 5 His second instance is in the earth In the beginning God made heaven and earth 2 The earth Heaven to be the Palace of immortal Citizens The Earth to be the Mansion of Mortals 1. Give thanks to him that stretch'd out the earth above the waters So naturally it could not be because it is the heavier element but he furrowed the earth and let into the concavities thereof the water that men and beasts might live upon it 2. For his mercy endureth for ever In this there was a threefold mercy 1. In respect of the earth to make it something of nothing 2. In respect of the water to which he prepared a setled place 3. In respect of man to whom he gave the earth uncovered and safe from the waters yet watered with rivers that he might live in it till it and reap the fruit of it 3. Ver. 6 The third instance is the two great Luminaries and the Stars in the three following verses 3 The Sun and Moon 1. Ver. 7 Given thanks to him who made great lihts For his Mercy endureth for ever The Sun to rule by day For his Mercy endureth for ever The Moon and the Stars to rule the night For his Mercy endures for ever These do wonderfully adorn the heaven and profit the earth For these lights especially by illuminating the earth do comfort us and are over our works by night and day And he instanceth in these rather than in other works of God because these shine to all the world and therefore every man is unexcusable if by them they acknowledge not Gods wisdom 3. From the wonderful works of Gods Creation The third part 2. Of providence to Israel before he descends to speak of the works of his Providence in preservation of his Church and instanceth in his people Israel whom he delivered from Aegypt with a mighty hand as if he had been a man of War and this in respect of Israel was an act of mercy though on the Aegyptians an act of justice Ver. 10 Give thanks to him that smote Aegypt in their first-born for his mercy endureth for ever And brought out Israel from among them for his mercy endureth for ever With a strong hand and stretched-out arm for his mercy endureth for ever To him which divided the red Sea for his mercy c. And made Israel to pass through the midst of it for his mercy c. But overthrew Pharaoh and his Host in the red Sea for his mercy c. Give thanks to him which led his people through the Wilderness for his mercy c. To him which smote great Kings for his mercy c. And slew famous Kings for his mercy c. Sihon King of the Amorites for his mercy c. Ver. 20 And Og the King of Bashan for his mercy endureth for ever And gave their land for an heritage for his mercy c. Even an heritage to Israel his servant for his mercy c. He performed unto them all the Offices of a good Captain Guide Leader nay Father for he took care for food for them fed them with bread from Heaven brought for them waters out of the Rock cured their sick defended them and avenged them on their enemies c. But the whole History is so plain in Moses that it needs no explanation 4. All this was done for them before they entred the land of Canaan 2 After they entred Canaan the Prophet goes on to
the sword then Judiciary power may well be understood Deut. 32.41 Rom. 13.4 And the Saints at the last day are to be Judges 1 Cor. 6.2 Mat. 19.28 Then the exercise of this judiciary power shall be The end of that power 1. Vers. 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen to reprove them and to pronounce a condemnatory sentence against them to exprobate to them their former life Wisd 5.1 c. and to pronounce punishment on the people To judge them to punishment 2. Vers. 8 To bind even the greatest their Kings in chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron The phrase is Metaphorical as is that of the Gospel Mat. 22. Bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darkness The meaning of it is that at the day of Judgement the Saints shall approve the sentence passed by Christ against all Nero's Diocletians Herods Julians when they shall be bound in chains of darkness and crushed by Christs iron Scepter 3. Vers. 9 To execute upon them the judgement written The judgement against wicked doers and persecutors of Gods Church written in Gods Book and as certain as if engraven in a pillar His immutable judgement 3. This is the glory of all his Saints He concludes with an Epiphonema This glory of sitting with Christ in the clouds and judging the world is the Glory of all his Saints Allelujah An Appendix to the four last Verses in this Psalm BEcause these last verses have according to mens fancies been applyed to several purposes as they might suit best with their interests therefore I thought good to say a little more of them 1. The Jews first applyed them to the time succeeding their Captivity and fancied to themselves that the promise was made to them that they should have a two-edged sword in their hand that is power to execute vengeance on the heathen c. But he that shall read the story of the Maccabees and Josephus shall find that such a time never came that so far they were from binding Kings in chains that Kings held them in bondage as Antiochus Seleucus Tryphon Pompey c. This sence then can have no foundation in these words 2. Which the Jews that now live perceiving tell us that these words shall have the accomplishment at the coming of their yet expected Messias for then they shall be Lords of the world and bind all Kings they please in chains and Nobles with fâ—tters of Iron c. But never any such temporal Messiah shall come and therefore this is but a fiction of their own brain 3. The Anabaptists Millenaries Fifth-Monarchy-Men dream also of such a golden age they tell us of a thousand years that Christ shall come and with his Apostles reign upon the earth in which time his Laws only must take place and that his Saints shall have a two-edged sword in their hands execute vengeance and punish who they please binds Kings and Nobles in chains punish who they please and execute the judgement written And the consequent of this Doctrine is destructive and dangerous as experience hath taught us in Muncer John of Lâ—yden our new Sectaries who upon it labour to unroot all Monarchies and destroy all that wear a Crown But this is but an illusion for of Christ it is said That him the Heavens must contain till the consummation of all things when Christ will come and take his Elect to him that where he is they may be also and that is into Heaven not on Earth Here then we may not expect to reign with him 4. A fourth opinion there is which is the most received and by very judicious Divines that these words are to be taken in a spiritual sense That by the Saints are to be understood Christ his Apostles and Successors that by the two edged Sword is to be understood the Word of God by Chains and Fetters the Lawes and Precepts of the Gospel by punishments the sharp rebukes used by the Ministers of the Word to stubborn sinners by the revenge taken on them Repentance which is a revenge taken for a former sin 2 Cor. 7.11 which being admitted the sense will run thus Let the hiâ—gh praises of God be in the mouth of his Ministers and the two-edged Sword of the Gospel Hebr. 4.12 in their hand to execute vengeance upon the Heathen to bring them to repentance and make them take revenge upon themselâ—es for their former wayes and punishments to utter sharp rebukes upon the people to bind not the people only and Plebians but even the most mighty Kings and Princes Nobles and great men with the Lawes of Christ and Precepts of the Gospel as fast as if they were bound with Chains of Brass and Fetters of Iron And 't is known how the greatest Princes have submitted their necks to the yoke and Doctrine of Christ To execute upon them the judgment written Not that any of Christs Ministers usurp Authority over Kings and Princes in temporal matters for they are only to proceed according to the letter of their Commission Go and teach all Nations and acquaint the greatest Princes That if they obey and believe the Gospel they shall be saved but if they believe not they shall be damned This is the judgment written and it is executed when proclaimed and preached to them which if it take no place it is beyond their Commission to raise Arms against them This is no where written Now this is the honour of all his Saints of all those whom he hath entrusted with his Commission And indeed an honour it is unto them to be his Embassadors and Heraulds 5. The fifth interpretation is that which I mentioned before in the Analysis who apply the Text to the Judiciary power that the Saints receive at the last day and I rather embrace it than the former But I leave every one to his choice The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and forty ninth Psalm THOV art worthy O Lord God of Heaven and Earth Ver. 1 to whom a new Song should be sung in the Congregation of thy Saints and indéed how can it he otherwise that that people Ver. 2 who acknowledge thée the God that made them and the King who rules and governs them should do less than rejoyce in thée their Creator and be joyful in their Soveraign Ver. 3 To this end we tune our hearts and conform our voyces and because they are too little call for the assistance we do of all Musical Instruments Praise thee we will with Timbrel and Harp There is no merit at all in us why thou shouldst look upon us a mass of corruption and sin we find in our selves but nothing to deserve thy love Ver. 4 and yet thou in mercy hast béen pleased to take pleasure in us to redéem to justifie to sanctifie us and to beautifie all such as are méek in heart with salvation In thy good time O Lord bring us to glory Ver. 5 where we may be joyful with thy Saints
love that he hath saved them from the Jaw of the Lyon and the Paw of the Bear or else in the midst of their afflictions an inward sense and perswasion of Gods good will and love to them with which being content they can sing even in the Prison and rejoyce under the Whip No man is able to express but he that feels it the joy and content of that soul which is fully perswaded that he hath peace with God load such a man with chains tear his flesh with Whips threaten Fire Swords Rackâ— Halters present him with the grim face of Death he smiles and laughs and rejoyceth That he may be accounted worthy to suffer for Chrisâ—s sake And hath not such a soul reason to sing in misery David had experience of both No man in greater troubles no man more strangely delivered he might well then sing Psalms for that in the greatest of his dangers he had a full assurance of Gods love and good will to him and this enlarged his heart to sing Thy Statutes have been my Songs in the house of my Pilgrimage This difference then the Book of Psalms hath from other parts of Scripture That whereas they may be read and repeated even by carnal minds these can never be heartily sung except by spiritual men and such who have had experience of Gods good will either in their deliverance or else the sense of comforts in their greatest extremities They then are unapt to sing these spiritual Songs who are no more affected with what David sings than as if Gods Providence Protection Love and Goodness did no way concern them Sect. Enough I hope I have said to make you in love with this Book for if either the utility or profit of it can move you or the sweetness of the harmony in it work upon you then you cannot choose but prize it as a Celler full of precious Oyle whereby all your necessities may be provided for or a Tree or rather a whole Paradise of Trees of life which bring forth fruits every Month nay every day and houre whose fruit is fit for meat and leaves for medicine And what marvel the Original thereof being from Heaven not Earth the Author God not man the Indicter the Holy Spirit not the wit of David the Matter verity piety purity uprightness the Form Gods Word the Word of Truth the Word of Salvation the Effects light of understanding stableness of perswasion repentance from dead works newness of life holiness joy peace in the Holy Ghost Lastly the end and reward and study thereof fellowship with the Saints participation of the heavenly Nature fruition of an immortal Inheritance that never shall fade away Happy is that man that delights in the Scriptures in this Scripture and thrice happy is that man who meditates in it day and night Now that your Meditations may be more fruitful it will not be amiss that you know before hand that these things about this holy Book The Authority the Author the Sense the Division or Order of this Book DE AUTHORITATE 1. Sect. Of the Authority I shall need say but very little since our Saviour himself hath given it an ample Testimony Luke 24.44 These were the words that I spake unto you while I was with you That all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and in the Prophets and in the Psalms concerning me Where you see that the old Testament is integrale totum it admits of three limbs The Pentateuch writ by Moses the greater part writ by the Prophets and the Psalms writ by David and all these testifie of Christ and the Psalms especially there being not any one Book out of which more Testimonies are produced and therefore was alwayes and must be continued in the Canon DE AUTHORE And you may remember that I but now said David was the Author of them which may not yet be so understood as if he penn'd them all for some of them were penn'd in and after the Captivity but his they are said to be à parte praestantiori as denominations use to run because he composed the greatest part of them and was so excellent in expressing himself this way that he alone was called the Psalmist DE DIVISIONE ORDINE These as it is conceived Esdras after the Captivity collected and cast them into that Order they now stand One Book he composed of them which by the Jewes was for what reason I know not subdivided into five Tracts The first from Psal 1. to 42. The second from 42. to 73. The third from 73. to 90. The fourth from 90. to 107. The fifth to the end At the end of each there is an Hallelujah Amen hoc primum medium ultimum The whole contains One hundred and fifty Psalms so say Herom Remigins August the Master of the Sentences for some mystery in the Number but as Chrysostom thought in the Honour of the Trinity but Rupert for the Trinity of the three Theological Virtues Faith Hope and Charity to which three Graces he reduceth all the Psalms But Thomas hath another conceit This was done saith he to shew the threefold state of Gods faithful people they are in a state of Repentance Righteousness Glory Penitents they are and that state enas in Psal 50. Miserere mei Deus Psal 51. Justified persons they are and that hath the limit at the 100. Misericordiam Judicium and in their Glory they are and then they sing to the end Omnis Spiritus laudet Dominum But the best Division of these is that of Villa Vincentius who for use reduceth them to these six Classes or Heads 1. Sect. Some of them are simply Didactici or Paranaetici which teach what we are to follow what to avoid According to the letter of Moses Law Vice they condemn and de finibus bonorum disserunt as the 1 11 14 15 32 36 49 50 51 62 73 77 78 84 90 99 101 119 127 130 131 133 134. 2. Sect. Some of them are Prophetical and contain Predictions of Christ of the different state of the Church and Saints of their Persecutions and their liberty and deliverance and the utter destruction of their Enemies as Psal 2 5 8 9 16 19 21 22 24 29 40 41 45 47 53 59 67 68 72 87 89 93 95 96 97 98 100 113 117 145. 3. Sect. Some are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 precatorii in which the Prophet and all depressed souls do implore the mercy of God seek remission of sins and deliverance from danger and preservation of the Church 3 8 6 7 10 12 13 17 20 25 26 28 31 35 38 39 42 43 44 51 54 55 56 57 61 63 64 69 70 71 74 79 80 81 83 85 86 88 94 102 119 120 123 132 133 140 141 142 143. 4. Sect. Others are Consolatory speaking of Repentance of the expectation of deliverance of good men of the Promises Goodness Justice Judgments of God and of that ruine that will fall upon
Vers. 1 That many multiplied and increased So many they were that he could not on a sudden number them Vers. 2 For all Israel was gathered from Dan to Beersheba as the sand of the Sea for multitude 2 Sam. 17.11 2. From their malice They came together to do him a mischief 2 That malicious They rose up not for him but against him not to honour him but to trouble him not to defend him as they ought but to take away his Crown and life 2 Sam. 17.2 3. From their insultation and Sarcasm It was not Shimei only 3 That insulters scoffers but many that said it Many there be that say unto my soul Vers. 2 There is no help for him in his God 2. The second part of the Psalm sets forth Davids confidence The second part Davids confidence in God 1. To their maltitude he opposeth one God But thou O Lord. 2. To their malicious insurrection Jehovah who he believ'd 1. Would be a Buckler to receive all the arrows they shot against him Vers. 3 2. His glory to honour though they went about to dishonour him 3. The lifter up of his head which they would lay low enough 3. To their vain boast of desertion There is no help for him in his God Vers. 4 he opposeth his own experience I cryed unto the Lord and he heard me out of his holly hill 4. By whose protection being sustained and secured he deposeth all care Which quiets his soul and gives him rest and fear all anxiety and distraction 1. He sleeps with a quiet mind I laid me down and slept I awoke Vers. 5 2. He sings a Requiem I will not fear Vers. 6 I will not be afraid for ten thousands of people that have set themselves against me round about The third part He prayes that God would deliver him as hitherto he had 3. In the close or third part he Petitions and prayes notwithstanding his security Arise O Lord Save me O my God To move God to grant his request he thankfully remembers him of what he had done before 1. Arise and save me Vers. 7 for thou hast smitten all my enemies on the cheek bone For to him alone Salvation belongs thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly Thou art the same God do then the same work be as good to thy servant as ever thou hast been 2. Vers. 8 He intersets an excellent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Maxime Salvation belongeth to the Lord. Which he desires may be extended to his people also As if he had said 'T is thy property and peculiar O Lord to save If thou save not I expect it from no other 3. Lastly as a good King should in his prayers he remembers his Subjects Thy blessing be upon the people The Prayer collected out of the third Psalm O Omnipotent and wise Jehovah without whose providence nothing falls out in this world that broughtst thy own people through the red Sea and Wilderness before thou gavest them rest in the land of Canaan We acknowledge that thy wrath is just and that all the punishments brought upon thy people procéeds from thy righteous hand and that we have deserv'd for our disobedience and rebellion to be cast out of thy sight and to have thy Candlestick removed from us But gracious God cast us not off as a people in whom thou hast no delight once more make trial of us whether we will not serve théé with more fear rejoyce before thée with more reverence and give kisses of love and obedience unto thy Son So sanctifie all afflictions unto us that they may be a means to bring us to rest Behold Vers. 1 Lord how they are increased that trouble thy poor Church how many they are that rise up against us Vers. 2 how many that say There is no help for us in our God Will the Lord absent himself forever and will he be no more intreated Is his mercy clean gone for ever and is his promise come utterly to an end for evermore Hath God forgotten to be gracious and will he shut up his loving-kindness in displeasure And I said It is mine own infirmity but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most high I will remember the works of the Lord and call to mind thy wonders of old time Our fathers O God our fathers trusted in thée and thou didst deliver them With their voice they cryed unto thée Vers. 4 and thou heardst them out of thy holy hill They laid them down with a quiet mind and slept without anxiety and thou sustainedst and upheldst them Vers. 5 We are the children of the same fathers sons of the same hope heirs of the same promises Be then O Lord a buckler to us to desend us Vers. 3 our glory who are despised and lift up the heads of thy people that are brought very low Secure us and we will not fear save us Vers. 6 and suffer us not to be afraid of the ten thousands of enemies that have set themselves against us round about Put them in fear that they may know themselves to be but men Vers. 7 Arise and help us and save us O our God and smite all our enemies on the cheek-bone and break thou the teeth of the ungodly Repress their Serceness and break their strength who more cruel than brute beasts séek to devour us Whom have we in heaven but thée Vers. 8 and there is none we desire on earth in comparison of thée Salvation belongs only to thée O Lord Let therefore thy blessing be upon the people that fears thée and wait for deliverance from thée Thy people of Israel many times by their sins provoked thine anger and thou punishedst them by thy just judgment yet though their sinnes were never so grievous if they once return'd from their iniquity thou receivedst them to mercy We therefore wretched sinners bewail our manifold sins and earnestly repent us of our former wickedness and ungodly behaviour toward thée and whereas we cannot of our selves purchase thy pardon and blessing yet we humbly beséech thée for Iesus Christs sake to shew thy mercy upon us and to receive us again to thy favour Let the smell of his garment ascend into thy nostrils and through him let thy blessing be upon the people Let our sons be as the young plants and our daughters as the polish'◠corners of the Temple let our garners be plenteous with all manner of store let our shéep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our stréets let our oxen be strong to labour that there be no decay no leading into captavity no complaining in our stréets O good Father impart to us so great a share of thy blessing that we may be fully perswaded that our help and salvation depends upon thée alone Vngracious children we are and deserve it not yet out of thy méer mercy we humbly beséech thée to bestow thy benediction upon us for his
not the wicked of which he complains nor Gods forbearance would not better Saul He grew worse and worse Behold he travelleth with mischief as a woman with child and hath conceived iniquity and brought forth falshood and ungodliness he hath made and digg'd a pit and is fallen into the ditch which he hath made Ver. 14 that lurking there he may take me His strength his counsels Ver. 15 his crafts the Militia the conceptions of his heart his pit and snares are all laid for my destruction and therefore David prayes that the just God would revenge his cause and retaliate the injury and he is fully perswaded it would so fall out His mischief shall-return upon his own head Ver. 16 and his wickedness and violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate And in faith prophesies his ruine The third part A Doxology 3. The close of the Psalm is a Doxology thanks that a true just and merciful God would judge for the righteous save those who are true of heart establish the just and take revenge upon the wicked for this saith David Ver. 17 I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord the most High The Prayer collected out of the seventh Psalm O Lord God by whose power all things do subsist and before whose Majesty all creatures tremble I at this time beset with cruel enemies do flie so thée for succour and deliverance O Lord thou art my God and Saviour Ver. 1 in thee alone I put my trust be not then absent from me in this néedful time of trouble Ver. 2 but save me that hopes in thée alone from all those that persecute me and deliver me My enemy is of a brutish cruel nature ready to rend my soul as a Lyon that is gréedy of his prey bent to tear me in pieces if there he none to redéem and deliver me out of his paw so great is his rage and fierceness against me an innocent Against thée only have I sinned Ver. 3 and done this evil in thy sight and for that I beséech thée enter not into judgment with thy servant but against them I have done no harm Ver. 9 Thou O God triest the hearts and reins Thou art a righteous Judge Judge me therefore O Lord Ver. 8 according to my righteousness and according to the integrity Ver. 3 that is in me O Lord God if I have done this iniquity that they lay to my charge Ver. 4 or if there be any wickedness in my hands if I have rewarded them evil that dealt friendly with me nay if I have not saved his life that now pursues me to take away mine and done him good that now without any cause is mine enemy Ver. 5 Can any such thing be produced against me then I am content to suffer Then let my enemy persecute me take me whom he persecutes and being taken tread down my life ignominiously upon the earth and lay my honour and the honest memory of my name my Crown and glory in the dust But thou O Lord beholdest their craft and fury against me a poor innocent Thou séest how they Ver. 14 as a woman travelleth with iniquity how they conceive in their hearts false and mischievous wayes to destroy me and that the mischief that they have conceived they bring forth and bring to effect so much as lies in their power Ver. 15 Thou seest how they lay snares and dig pits that I an innocent person may fall into them and be taken by them and perish in them Be not therefore O Lord Ver. 6 like one that sléeps defer not thy justice nor withhold thy power but being conscious of my innocency arise in thy anger lift up thy self above mine enemies by the declaration of thy justice and power make them know that thou art higher than they Awake for me in that judgment that thou hast commanded commanded thou didst Samuel to make choice of me and to anoint me King of Israel his judgment was thy judgment that judgment which thou hast decréed and given Ver. 15 thou knowest the fittest time to perform if that time be now come then awake for me and let my enemies fall into the ditch that they have made Ver. 16 then let their mischief fall on their own head and their violent dealing come upon their own pate O Lord let not the impiety of wicked men longer continue Vers. 11 Make it appear that thou art a just God angry with the wicked every day Vers. 12 and though thou art a God of much patience and longanimity Vers. 13 yet if the wicked man will not turn from his wicked way make them know that thou hast whet thy sword and art ready to strike them that thou hast bent thy bow and art prepar'd to shoot them hast set thy arrow to the string and art aiming to pieres them In a word that thou hast prepared the instruments of death weapons inflamed with wrath hatred and fury against the persecutours of thy Church and people O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end but establish the just Vers. 9 Restore thy Church to its prestine condition Vers. 7 so shall the Congregation of thy people compass thee about Religion which is now almost extinct shall again flourish and thy worship which is now dishonour'd with scandals and prophaneness shall again recover its ancient lustre by the méeting of thy people in thy house and joyful praises sent up to thée in the great Congregation For thy own Name-sake therefore and for thy honour exaâ—t thy power and shew thy strength and come amongst us Our sole defence is in thée O God Vers. 10 which savest and deliverest the upright in heart I will therefore praise the Lord according to his righteousness Vers. 17 and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high He hath kept defended protected me in so great dangers He will take a just reveâ—ge upon my enemies To his name therefore I give all honour glory laud and praise through Iesue Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen PSAL. VIII This Hymn is a Meditation of Gods excellent goodness and glory shining in his Creatures especially in man IT begins and ends with a general proposition David admires Gads greatness goodness c. figur'd by an exclamation which contains an Admiration for he doth admire what he cannot perfectly comprehend O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world Vers. 1 who hast set thy glory above the heavens Such is the glory of thy Divinity power Vers. 1 goodness that it fills not only the earth but transcends the very heavens in which Angels and blessed Spirits though they know much more than we on earth yet cannot perfectly comprehend thy Majesty which fills all exceeds all Of which he gives divers instances This general being premised Of which he gives divers instances the Prophet descends to some particular
destruction and blood overturning of Cities and polluting of holy Temples but thy destructions shall come to a perpetual end Vers. 17.18 and thy memorial shall perish Thou shalt fall into the pit that thou hast made and in the snare that thou hast set thy own foot shall be taken Thou shalt be brought to the sides of the pit thou without repentance shalt be turn'd into hell with all the people that forget God And therefore all ye servants of God Vers. 11 which trust in him sing praises unto God which dwelleth among his people and walks in the midst of the Candlesticks declare in the Congregation his marvellous works shew forth all his praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion and rejoice in his salvation So they Vers. 10 O Lord who know thy name thy eternal power justice and goodness toward them that trust in thee shall fall down and relie upon thee because thou hast never forsaken them who in their tribulations have sought thy help in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ PSAL. X. A Prayer to God to destroy the enemies of the Church and the oppressours of his people THERE be three parts of this Psalm 1. A Complaint 2. A Narration of his enemies malice 3. A Petition to be deliver'd from them The first part is a Complaint 1. The Complaint is contain'd in the two first verses Vers. 1 and it is double 1 Of Gods absence 1. Of Gods absence which is quickned by an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vers. 2 1. Why standest thou so far off O Lord 2. Why hidest thou thy self in times of trouble 2 Of his enemies 2. Then he complains of his enemies Whose Characters are The wicked in his pride doth persercute the poor These he describes by many Characters 2. The first is Insolency Pride and the effect persecution of good men The second part They being gotten to dignity places of honour and enrich'd Vers. 2 they become persecutours And they do it in Pride 1 Insolency and persecution This occasions an imprecation against them Let them be taken in the devices they have imagined They conspire and make Leagues to oppress good men let them be taken when they least think of it 2. The second Note of this wicked man is that he gloryeth in mischief 2 Boasting in wickedness which is a sign of extream malice Vers. 3 The wicked boasteth of his hearts desire 3. A third is that he applauds encourageth others in their rapine 3 Encouragement of others in mischief plunder and spoil to which they are moved by their covetousness He blesseth the covetous whom God abhorreth 4. A fourth is his Contempt of God and man and Perseverance in evil Vers. 5 1. Man he contemns His wayes prosper all succeeds well with him 4 A contempt he never thinks to be call'd to an account 1 Of Man Thy judgements are far out of his sight and therefore in scorn he slights and puffs at all his enemies 2. And God he reverenceth not Vers. 4 Through the pride of his countenance he will not seek after God 2 And God neither is God in all his thoughts 5. The fifth Note is his profane security He saith in his heart Vers. 6 I shall never be moved I shall never be in adversity Excessere metum mea jam bona 5 Profane security Major sum quam cui possit fortuna nocere 6. The sixth Note is his falshood His mouth is full of cursing 6 Falshood Vers. 7 deceit and fraud under his tongue is mischief and vanity Verborum faditas He will not stick at an Oath and curse himself and imprecate God to be a revenger if he perform it not that so under the colour of Religion and Piety he may deceive 7. The seventh is his Cruelty set out in the ninth and tenth verses 7 Cruelty and Hypocrisie Factorū rabies where he is compared to a Thief an Archer a Lyon Vers. 8 and if force will not do it craft shall Vbi non valet vellis leomnia assuit vulpinam for Vers. 9 he falleth down croucheth and humbleth himself Vers. 10 that the Congregation of the poor may fall into the hands of his Captains and strong ones He is animo vers 6. Ore vers 7. Opere malus vers 8 9 10. 8. The eighth Note upon him is that he is a close Atheist 8 Atheism Vers. 11 He hath said in his heart God hath forgotten he hideth away his face A petition to be freed from this wicked man and will never see it Which is the cause of his Cruelty Falshood Security c. The third part of the Psalm is a Petition to be freed from this wicked man The third part Arise O Lord lift up my hand forget not the humble Vers. 12 To perswade which he useth two Arguments 1. Vers. 13 That thereby God should assert his own glory For why should the wicked be suffer'd to blaspheme in this manner Wherefore do the wicked contemn God while he doth say in his heart Thou wilt not require it 2. Vers. 14 Taken from Gods glory nature office 1. In punishing wicked men 2. And defending the helpless Surely thou hast seen it for c. verse 14. Then he returns to his prayer 2 That God would set an end to his power and enforceth his second Argument taken from the justice and office of God 1. That he would out this wicked man from his power and strength Break thou the arm of the wicked and the evil man Vers. 15 seek out his wickedness till thou find none Till thou find none to punish let none escape Let them appear no more 2. Vers. 16 Then that he would hear and defend the righeous be no worse now to his people than he had been 3 That he would hear and defend the righteous as he had formerly 1. The Lord is King for ever and ever 2. He had expell'd the Canaanites before them The heathen are perish'd out of the land 3. Thou hast heard the desire of the humble Upon which he concludes with the expression of his confidence full of much comfort Of which he is confident 1. Thou wilt prepare the heart of the humble to wait on thee 2. Vers. 17 Thou wilt cause thine ear to hear 3. To the safety of the oppressed To judge the fatherless and poor 4. Vers. 18 To the ruine of the Oppressour That the man of the earth may no more oppress The Prayer collected out of the tenth Psalm for deliverance from tyrannous and oppressive enemies O Almighty and Merciful God whose eyes go through the world and doest sée to how many dangers thy poor Church is exposed and the rage and tyranny of wicked men against thy people we grievous sinners yet thy humble servants justly at this time for our transgressions against thée environ'd with cruel enemies and ready to be swallow'd up
down Vers. 3 Saul had broken all Leagues and Covenants he had made with him 2 The want of assistance The Priests were slain with the Sword His fortresses taken from him His outward estate destroy'd Laws subverted If he staid perish he must some few righteous men are left But what can the righteous do 2. The second part To these their Arguments and counsel David returns his answer in a sharp reprehension I tell you 1. Davids answer I trust in God In the Lord put I my trust How say you then to my soul Vers. 1 and he gives his Reasons for it from the Sufficiency and Efficiency of God 1 That he trusts in God 1. What say you the foundations are cast down yet I despair not for God is sufficient 1 Who is sufficient 1. Present in his holy Temple He can defend 2. Vers. 4 He is a great King and his Throne is in heaven 3. Nothing is hid from him His eyes behold and his eye-lids try the children of men 4. 2 Just He is a just God which is seen in his proceeding both to just and unjust Vers. 5 1. He tryeth the righteous by a Fatherly and gentle correction 2. But the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hates These two last Propositions he expounds per partis and begins with the wicked 1. Vers. 6 Vpon the ungodly he will rain snares fire and brimstone and an horrible Tempest For he will punish the wicked this shall be the portion of their cup. 1. Pluet He shall rain upon them when they least think of it even in the midst of their jollity As rain falls on a fair day 2. Or he shall rain down the vengeance when he sees good for it rains not alwayes Though he defers it yet it will rain 3. The punishment comes to their utter subversion as Sodoms fire 4. This is the portion of their cup that which they must expect from him 2. Vers. 7 But he does good to the just For the righteous God loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright And reward the just He bears him good-will and is careful to defend him The Prayer collected out of the eleventh Psalm IT is not unknown to thée O merciful Father to how many dangers to how many enemies thy elect people are exposed Our enemies drive us from our dwellings and say unto our souls Vers. 1 Fly and wander as a bird from hill to hill as Fowlers they pursue us and suffer us in no place to build or to be at rest And when they have chased us from house to home even in this obscure place they give us no respite Vers. 2 but hunt us as a Partridge upon the Mountains they bend their how and make ready their arrow upon the string that when we think least of it Vers. 3 they may privily shoot at the upright in heart To those streits and miseries we are brought that we know not what to do All our fortunes are decay'd all our strong holds taken all outward helps fall us the very foundations of our hope and help is perish'd when that Religion truth and service in which we were wont to glory and rejoice is taken from us Yea those very Leagues Oaths Covenants which they have given us for our security they have null'd and broken off from their necks and cast away thy cords from them O Lord what shall the righteous do what shall he say Vers. 3 whether shall he fly for aid and succovr to whom shall he make his moan when they whose heart is upright and would are unable to help And what have we done that these men should pursue us to take away our lives O Lord thou art my God in thee will I trust who art able to do all things Vers. 1 and wilt never forsake those who hope in thy mercy and relie upon thy word and power And though these present dangers hang over my head yet I will not despair For I know the Lord whom I have believed fits above in Heaven as in a Royal Palace and. Throne and is over and above all Therefore I will not fear though the foundations of the earth be moved despair I will not of help nor depose my expectation of deliverance since his eyes behold from that holy Temple and his eye-lids sée consider try Vers. 5 and judge the doings and sufferings of the children of men Thou Lord knowest how to discern the just from the unjust and to put a difference in their rewards Vers. 6 for thou doest approve try and gently correct the righteous but the wicked and him that loveth violence thy soul hates For as the fairest day is overcast with clouds and thunder and lightning suddenly break out from abova and affright and involde the world in an unexpected Tempest So wilt thou O Lord though thou defer thine anger rain down vengeance on the wicked in their greatest jollities when they think not of it and promise to themselves the fairest dayes and are in greatest security Thou wilt cast down snares and take them a sudden fire and brimstone shall destroy them as it did Sodom the storm and tempest of thy fury shall overwhelm them This is the portion this their reward this their lot which thou hast measured to them out of thy cup. But I know thou art in thy Temple Vers. 7 and wilt be present with the just in all his dangers to govern to help to defend to frée him For it is not as men think and as Reason would over-hastily judge the foundations are not overthrown nor all our helps and aids perished For thou O Lord lovest righteousness and thy countenance doth behold the upright A just God thou art and a lover of justice and just men and thou wilt set thy face to do good to those who are upright in thy eyes These thou wilt love their cause thou wilt defend their persons thou wilt protect for the merits of thy dearly beloved Son Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. XII The Summe is A prayer of David to God to save and help him and keep him from the deceits and contagion of the wicked of which the world is too full THERE be four parts of this Psalm 1. A Prayer and the reasons of it vers 1 2. 2. A Prophecy of the fall of the wicked or an Imprecation vers 3. whose arrogance he describes vers 4. 3. Gods answer to Davids Petition with a promise full of comfort vers 5. for it is tatified vers 6. 4. A Petitory Conclusion Keep them thy people or a confident affirmation That God will keep them from the contagion of the wicked vers 7. Of which there are too many vers 8. 1. The first part He calls for help His Petition is brief and jaculatory for he breaks upon God with one word Help or Save Lord vers 1. Of which he gives two reasons 1. Vers. 1 1 Because good men are few The
discipline and science strength defence that he had from god 4. from the safe custody that in the battle he receiv'd no wound Vers. 36 5. From the success of the battle He had his enemies in chase Vers. 37 and follow'd them in pursuit 6. From the greatness of his Victory Vers. 38 it was a compleat and full Conquest For by it his enemies were taken consumed wounded not able to rise they fell under his feet subdues their necks brought down c. 7. From the cause in which he takes nothing â—o himself but attributes the whole to God Thou hast girded me c. Thou hast subdued Thou hast given me the necks of my enemies Which is indeed acknowledged through the whole Psalm 2. The Consequent upon this Victory The consequent of the Victory viz. The enlargement of his Kingdom was the propagation and enlargement of Davids Kingdom 1. That before these Victories there was murmuring at him by the people but now being a Conquerour they were all quiet Thou hast deliver'd me from the strivings of the people His Crown was quiet Vers. 43 2. He was exalted to be the head of heathen Moabites Ammonites c. serv'd him Vers. 44 3. Nay a people whom I have not known Aliens shall serve me nay assoon as they hear of me they shall obey me c. Vers. 45 4. 'T is true indeed they shall dissemble in it and do it for fear more than love and take every occasion to fall off and fade away But yet however they shall do it submit and be content to serve me The fourth part Davids Doxology for his Victories The last part contains the main Scope and intent of David in this Psalm which is to celebrate and extoll the Name and Mercy of God for his Victories And it hath two parts 1. His present thanksgiving 2. And his profession for the future 1. The Lord liveth and blessed be my Rock Vers. 46 and let the God of my salvation be exalted And to that end in the two next verses he maketh mention again of his Victories and attributes the whole success to God 2. And he professeth that he will never cease to do it no not among the heathen Therefore I will give thanks to thee among the heathen and sing praises c. 3. And he professeth that he had great reason to do it Great deliverance giveth he to his King His one of his own chaise And sheweth mercy to his Anointed Uncto suo to David And not to David a lone but to his seed for evermore An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thanksgiving for some great Victory collected out of Psalm 18. O Lord whose eyes are brighter ten thousand times than the Sun thou who beholdest all the wayes of the children of men and wilt reward every man according to his doings Vers. 25 who to the good and innocent wilt shew thy self good and merciful and to the perverse and froward wilt shew thy self averse and severe We thy afflicted people have in the depth of our sorrows cryed unto thée and thou hast out of thy goodness saved us and hast brought down the high looks of the proud The sorrows of imminent death and the incursions of furious men like torrents of water encompassed us the snares they laid for us made us afraid the grave was open and ready to swallow us But in these our distresses we call'd upon the Lord and cryed unto our God and he heard us out of his holy dwelling in Heaven and the cry of our ardent and instant supplication was heard by him accepted and granted Lord when thou wentest out against our enemies when thou marchedst out into the field against Edom Vers. 13 the earth trembled and the heavens dropt the Lord also thunder'd from heaven and the highest gave his thunder hail-stones and coals of fire From Vers 7. to 15. He fought from Heaven the Starres in their courses fought against Sisera O my soul thou hast troden down strength For O Lord the Earth the Heavens the Mountains the lightning the thunder the dark and thick clouds the wind and rain the bail-stones and tempests all have obey'd thy voice and conspired at thy command to the destruction of our enemies to tear them to scatter them to discomfit them They were too strong for us Vers. 16 they took all advantages against us in the day of our trouble and weakness but then thou Lord wert our Protector and Defender even then he reached us his hand and help from Heaven he sent his Angels from above he took us he drew us he deliver'd he fréed us from our strongest Enemies from those who hated us from those bitter calamities which like many waters did environ our souls And he brought us out of these straits into a large and safe place he deliver'd us even because he had a favour unto us Thou Lord out of thy frée love and mercy hast done it So it was because so Lord it pleased thée What shall we give unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto us Assist us with thy Grace and we will from henceforth keep thy wayes and not depart from our God as the wicked do His judgements shall alway be before us and we will not put away his Statutes from us We will walk more closely and uprightly with our God and keep ourselves from our own iniquity even from the temptation of that bosome-sin with which we have been hitherto defiled For then we know that the Lord will reward us after our righteous dealing and integrity according to the cleanness of our hearts and hands in his eye-sight We will therefore love thee Vers. 1 O Lord our strength for thou art our Rock and our Fortress and our Deliverer thou art our God our strong hold in thee will we trust our Buckler and the horn of our Salvation and our high Tower For who is God save the Lord Vers. 31 or who is the Rock save our God It is God that hath girded and arm'd us with strength and blessed us to make his work perfect He hath given us expedition in our actions and power to possess the strongest Fortresses He hath taught and instructed us in the art of Warre and fitted our arms making them in strength like a bow of steel nimble to shoot dextrous to hit and kill the enemy And in the very mouth of danger thou hast given us thy salvation for a shield and the power of thy right hand hath upholden and sustained us Vers. 36 that we fell not and thy favour hath made us great increased us in power and dignity We séemed to be inclosed and shut up in inexecrable difficulties but thou hast enlarg'd our steps and in these slippry places not suffered our féet to flide In thy name and power it is that we have pursued our enemies Vers. 37 that our féet being not wearied in the pursuit we have overtaken them that we have not turn'd again till we have
destroy'd them and consum'd them that we have wounded them Vers. 38 till they were not able to rise that they are fallen under our feet And that we should do thus valiantly it is not our strength and skill in Warre but thy goodness For it is thou Lord only that hath girded us to battle thou hast subdued under us those that rose up against us Thou hast given us the necks of our enemies that we might destroy them that hate us In their trouble and distress they cryed to the Lord who is wont to hear those that cry and call to him but wretches they were and unworthy and therefore there was none to hear to the Lord whom they before derided and contemn'd did they cry but he would not hear them Then being destitute of thy help and forsaken by thée we beat them as small as the dust which the wind whiffles away from the face of the earth we cast them out as dirt of the streets which is troden to nothing by the féet of every passenger O Lord deliver our King from the strivings and tumults Vers. 43 and contradictions of the people restore Him to His Crown and rights and make Him the Head to this people who for their perfidiousness and perjury deserve it not bring down this rebellious Nation this heathenish people and let them fall down and submit to Him and those who out of malice and self-ends would not acknowledge Him serve Him Assoon as they hear of His name let them obey Him and not as if they were méer strangers and aliens to Him reject Him any longer and laying aside all dissimulation willingly and readily yield homage to Him The Lord who liveth be His Rock and blessed be His name and let the God of His Salvation be exalted Avenge Him and subdue the people under Him deliver Him from His enemies kéep Him as the apple of thine eye lift Him up above those who have risen up against Him and preserve Him from the tyranny and treachery of the violent man So shall all honest Subjects and true-hearted Israelites that bear any good-will to Zion celebrate thée O Lord who art foorthy to be praised and give thanks unto thee among the people and sing praises to thy name O Lord send deliverance to the King shew mercy to thy Andinted to restore Him to His Throne and people bless Him in His person and bless Him in His posterity for evermore Amen PSAL. XIX This Psalm is Doctrinal and teacheth us the way to know God His Glory is the Subject THERE be two parts of it The first is Doctrinal 2. Penitential The Doctrinal parts â—ath two Members 1. The first member teacheth us to know God by natural reason even from the book of the Creatures from vers 1. to vers 7. 2. But because this way is unsufficient to save a soul therefore in the second part we have a better way prescribed which is The Book of the Scriptures whose excellencies are described from vers 7. to vers 11. The Penitential part begins at the twelfth verse For since the reward to be expected proceeds from the keeping of Gods Law and Davids heart told him he had not kept it therefore he beggs pardon and grace from vers 12. to 14. By the Glory of God understand his Goodness The first part The Declaration of God from the creatures especially the heavens his Wisdom his Power in a word all his Attributes of which we have a double Declaration 1. A testimony from the Creatures but especially the Heavens whose Magnitude Beauty Order variety perpetual motion light influences c. declare that there is an Omnipotent wise good God and Creatour of them Vers. 1 With this David begins The Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy work 2. Vers. 2 The vicissitude of Day and Night proceeding from their motions declare this also Day unto day uttereth speech and night unto night sheweth knowledge c. 1. The Heavens then are diligent Preachers for they preach all day and all night without intermission One day telleth another and one night certifies another 2. Vers. 3 They are leraned Preachers for they preach in all Tongues For there is nor speech nor language but their voices are heard among them 3. Vers. 4 They are Universal and Catholique Preachers for they preach to the whole world Their sound is gone through all the earth and their words to the end of the world 3. Vers. 4 But among all these Creatures the Sun for which God in heaven hath set a Throne 2 The Sun or Tabernacle makes the fairest and clearest evidence or declaration and that three wayes especially 1. Vers. 5 By his splendour light beauty He riseth as gloriously as a Bridegroom coming out of his Chamber 1 By his splendour 2. Vers. 6 By his wonderful celerity and quickness of his motion running every several hour 225. 2 By his motion Germain Miles as Math maticians teach He rejoiceth as a strong man to run his race His going forth is from the end of the heaven and his circuit is to the end of it and yet is not tired nor weary 3. 3 By his heat The second part By his strange and miraculous heat that pierceth even to the Minerals concocts matures enlives all things Sol homo generant hominem Nothing is hid from the heat thereof 2. 2 The Declaration by his Word Which is commended But because this Declaration is not sufficient to make man happy therefore hath God made a farther Declaration and revealed himself in his Word the Scripture call'd here The Law which is here commended 1. Vers. 7 From the Authour It is the Law of the Lord. 2. In many respects From the Sufficiency thereof It is perfect 3. From the Utility It converts the soul gives wisdom to the simple 4. From the Infallibility The Testimony of the Lord is sure 5. Vers. 8 From the perspicuity and plainness of it The Statutes of the Lord are right Without perplexities ambiguities sophisms windings turnings 6. From the effect it breeds in the Soul it quiets the troubled conscience They rejoice the heart Justificati pacem habemus 7. From the purity of it The Commandments of the Lord are pure they admit no feces of foul Opinions nor give countenance to any sin 8. Vers. 8 From the effect it hath upon the soul It enlighteneth the eyes for it dispells all ignorance doubting of God carnal security diffidence false worship And makes us understand our own deformities defects c. 9. Vers. 9 From the Sincerity of it The fear of the Lord is clean Other Religions are polluted with humane inventions strange Ceremonies Sacrifices Worships Lusts Wickedness gods This not so but the contrary 10. From the continuance of it It is to be a perpetual standing Law It endureth for ever Aeternum Evangelium 11. And therefore both From the truth and equity contain'd in it True and righteous
hence I shall dwell with thée in that celestial house above and with them sing Honour and Glory to thee who sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore Amen PSAL. XXIV Of Christs Dominion and the Church and his Ascension THE Subject of this Psalm is Christ calld The King of Glory vers 7. And it hath two parts 1. The first that concerns Christs Lordship which is in general over the whole world vers 1 2. But in particular the Church from vers 3. to vers 7. 2. An Exhortation to all men to receive Christ for their King The first part of this Psalm shews that God is King of all the world The first part Christs Dominion but in his Kingdom he hath two kind of Subjects 1. Either all men in general For the earth is the Lords Vers. 1 and all that therein is the compass of the world and they that dwell therein 1 Over all And of it he gives a reason from the Creation of it He ought to have the dominion of it Vers. 2 and all in it For he hath founded it upon the Seas and establish'd it upon the floods 2. But all are not his Subjects in the same way There are a people 2 Over the Church whom he hath call'd to be his Subjects in another manner A Mountain there is which he hath sanctified and chosen above all other Hills to make the Seat of his Kingdom 't is the Church and over them that live in it he is in a more peculiar manner said to be a Lord than of the whole earth And these are more properly call'd his Servants and Subjects And yet among these there is a difference too For some only profess to be his Servants and call him Lord as Hypocrites some other there are that are his Servants really and truly And that this difference be taken notice of the Prophet asks Quis Vers. 3 Who shall ascend into the bill of the Lord And Who shall stand in his holy place In which some of his Subject are hypocrites As if he should say Not Quisquis 'T is not every one for Infidels are not so much as in the Church Hypocrites howsoever in the Church are no true Members of the Mystical Church and some which come to the Hill of the Lord yet stand not in his Holy place For many believe only for a season and few continue faithful to death 3. That then it be truly known 2 Others true Subjects Their Characters who they are over whom he is truly Rex gloriae The King of glory The Prophet gives us their Character and sets down three distinctive Notes by which they may be known 1. Cleanness of hands He that hath clean hands à cade furto c. Vers. 4 is free from all external wicked actions 1 Clean hands For the hand is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Purity of heart For external purity is not enough except the heart 2 A pure heart the Fountain of our actions be clean Hypocrisis est in cor consentiat 3. Truth of the tongue is not guilty of lyes and perjuries 3 A true tongue He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworne deceitfully After that the Prophet had given the Character by which you may know the man he then assigns his reward and ends with an acclamation 1. Their reward a blessing This is he that shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness i. e. be justified from the God of his Salvation 2. Vers. 5 Vers. 6 This is the generation of them that seek thee i. e. These are the people of God Because these are alone the people of God let other boast themselves and please themselves as they list yet these are the godly party these they that seek thy face O Jacob i.e. O God of Jacob. This part is an Exhortation to all men in the whole world The second part especially Princes Nobles He exhorts all to receive Christ Magistrates that they receive acknowledge and worship Christ as King 1. Life up your heads O ye gates i. e. O you Princes that sit in the gates Vers. 7 lift up your heads and hearts be ye lift up you everlasting doors portae mundi and the King of glory shall come in 2. Vers. 8 To which good counsel the Prophet brings in the Princes asking this Question in scorn and contempt Which they deride Who is the King of glory To which he answers The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battle I tell you who he is To their ruine one able to destroy you and will destroy you if you reject him For he is far beyond all the strength and power of men He is the Lord mighty in Battle Dominus excercituum And that his Exhortation pierce the deeper he ingeminates it with the answer vers 9 10. I know this last part is otherwise interpreted and I dislike it not See Bellarmine The Prayer out of Psalm 24. which was composed to be Sung on the Sabbath O Omnipotent God the Creatour and preserver of the whole Vniverse Vers. 1 who art Lord of the whole earth of whose fulness all partake and to whom all that dwell in the world owe homage and subjection For thou hast created the Globe of this earth upon which we tread Vers. 2 and so immoveably founded and fixed it upon the floods that the violence of the Sea doth not overwhelm it nor the waves thereof ascend above it We acknowledge that the whole stock of men that walk upon this earth and are sustain'd from it as they are thy creatures so they are thy vassals and that thou hast a just dominion over them This is an Argument of thy Power and Majesty But thy love to man-kind hath far more abounded in that out of all Nations thou hast cast thy eye upon a select company vouchsafed to call them into thy Church Vers. 3 in which thou hast set thy Seat as sometime in Mount Zion that thou wilt dwell among these be adored by these and give a favourable answer to the petitions that these shall make unto thée Of these thou requirest integrity purity fidelity Clean hands a pure heart Vers. 4 and a faithful tongue These are the generation that séek thée and to these thou hast promised thy blessing thy mercy Grant therefore O Lord. that we may have hands clensed from all impure actions a heart frée from all hypocrisie and base affections a tongue that will never take thy Name in vain either rashly deceitfully or maliciously but that in heart word and déed we may be so sincere that we may be accompted by thée of that number who are worthy to ascend into the Hill of the Lord and dwell remain and continue in thy Holy place O Lord afford us thy grace thus to seek thee and then we shall never despair of thy blessings and
so be you as ready to observe it 2. Ne sitis Be not like beasts like horse and mule Vers. 9 which have no understanding whose mouths must be held in by force with bit and bridle To obey freely lest they come near unto thee â—ing thee hurt thee kick thee kill thee Constrain'd obedience is for a beast free and voluntary for a man 3. Besides to quicken your obedience I will teach you two reasons Which he perswades by two reasons 1. Ab incommodo Many sorrows shall be to the wicked their griefs their troubles their punishments many and grievous Vers. 10 Be not then disobedient like the wicked Rebellious as they are 1 That the troubles of the rebellious are grievous 2. A commodo Your obedience shall be rewarded and that amply But he that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about It shall be like the girdle that he is girded withal 2 The willing obedience of the good rewarded God will be present with him in his troubles he shall perceive he is in favour with God that his sins are covered and that he is an beir of eternal life Upon which he concludes with this Exhortation Be glad in the Lord Vers. 11 and rejoice ye Righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart These he exhorts to rejoice in God As there is great reason for this Doctrine of the Free Remission of sin can alone quiet the Conscience The Prayer collected out of the 32. Psalm O Merciful Father Lord of Men and Angels to whose Will and Command all Creatures ought to be obedient I have béen through my whole life a rebellious wretch and with a high hand sinn'd against Heaven and against thée neither am I worthy to be call'd thy Son I have serv'd thée with a double heart and after the commission of many a grievous sin I have sought for fig-leaves to cover my nakedness either extenuated and sought to conceal it from thy eyes I have done wickedly Vers. 3 and have not open'd my mouth in confessien and therefore now that my sins present themselves to my conscience out of the sense of thy wrath I roar all the day long my bones are dryed Night and day thy hand is so heavy upon me that my moysture is become like the drought in Summer But O my God I humbly acknowledge that the state of my soul is sad and deplorable and by my own fault I am in an ill condition and how to recover I know no other way but to fall at thy féet and confess my errour I do therefore now acknowledge my sin unto thee and my iniquity do I not hide A time there is when thou may'st be found and in this time I do confess my transgressions unto thee forgive O Lord the iniquity of my sin O let not the sloods of great waters come so near my soul that they drown me in despair Be thou to me a hiding place till thy anger is overpast deliver me and let me rejoice in thy salvation Cover my sins forgive my transgressions impute not unto me mine iniquities but impute unto me thy Sons righteousuess for my justification when I shall appear before thy great Tribunal For this alone can make me Blessed and Happy And for the future Instruct me and teach me in the way that I am to go Vers. 8 guide me with thy eye let the least intimation of thy Will be a powerful motive to my soul and win it to obedience Suffer me not to be like a bruit beast like the head-strong horse or the sottish mule whose mouths must be held in with bit and bridle kept in their way by force and violence rather out of love give me Grace to do my duty than out of fear and compulsion If O Lord thou wilt procéed in wrath and anger let it be against the rebellious stiffmecked sinners let the sorrows of the wicked stubborn and perverse men be many But let all those that trust in thée be compassed and defended by thy mercy And let all those who labour to serve thée with an upright and in an honest heart though in great imperfection and weakness rejoice in thée and shout for joy knowing that they serve a good Lord who will remit their sin hide their transgressions and not impute their iniquiies Amen PSAL. XXXIII Is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Contents are 1. AN Exhortation to the just to praise God vers 1 2 3. 2. The Arguments he useth to perswade to it from vers 3. to 20. 3. The Confidence of Gods people in his Name Their joy in him and petition to him vers 20 21 22. 1. David exhorts the righteous to praise God The first part In the three first verses he exhorts to praise God But whom 1. The righteous not all For praise is comely for the upright 2. That it be given with all zeal and affection with exultation with singing Vers. 1 with voice with instruments Some new Song composed for some new mercy Vers. 2 and that it be skilfully expressed 2. His reasons The second part To this he perswades upon divers good grounds 1. The first in general fetcht from the truth the faithfulness the justice the goodness of God 1. For the Word of the Lord is right 2. Vers. 4 And all his works are done in Truth 3. He loveth righteousness and judgement 1 From Gods goodness c. 4. The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Vers. 5 2. 2 From his power His second Argument is fetcht from Gods power in the Creation of all things and that by his Word alone vers 6 7 9. and upon it interserts Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him 3. Vers. 8 3 His providence His third Argument is fetcht from Gods providence in governing the world which may easily be discerned by those who will diligently consider his wayes and proceedings both to other people and to his Church 1. 1 In defeating his enemies He makes void all stratagems undertaken against his Will not of single men but whole Nations The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought Vers. 10 He maketh the devices of the people to be of none effect 2. Vers. 11 Whereas on the contrary what he hath decreed shall be done 't is not possible to infringe it 2 In bringing to pass his counsels The counsel of the Lord stands for ever the thoughts of his heart to all generations Upon the consideration of which he breaks out into this Epiphonema Vers. 12 Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord and the people For which he accompts his people blessed He amplifies Gods providence and illustrates it whom he hath chosen for his inheritance After which he returns to his discourse of Gods providence and by an elegant hypotyposis amplifies his former Argument For he sets God before us
confusion together that take pleasure at my hurt and let them be cloathed with shame and dishonour that magnifie themselves against me So shall my soul be joyful in thee O Lord it shall rejoyce in thy salvation I will not be unthankful nor stupid upon the sense of thy mercy my heart shall exult and all my bones sinews strength shall join in thy praise and say O Lord Who is like unto thée in goodness power mercy and justice Who I say is like unto thée who by thy immense power and goodness deliverest the poor man who is destitute of all help from the violent hands of those who are too strong for him the indigent and afflicted from him that spoileth him As for me I will give thee thanks in the great Congregation I will praise thee among much people and my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long O Lord be merciful to thy poor afflicted and persecuted Church and in thy good time deliver thy people from the hand of the Oppressor Let them shout and be glad that favour and stand up in the defence of a righteous cause yea let them say continually let the Lord be magnified who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants Amen PSAL. XXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE end of this Psalm is to implore God that out of his goodness he would deliver David and all good men from the pride and malice of the wicked To this purpose 1. He sets down a Character of a wicked man and his grievous estate from ver 1. to ver 5. 2. He makes a Narrative in the commendation of Gods mercy from ver 1. to ver 10. 3. He prayeth for the continuance of Gods goodness to his people petitions against his proud enemy and exults at his fall ver 10 11 12. 1. The first part Howsoever other men may judge of wicked men bless them while they prosper Ver. 1 and speak well of them yet my censure and judgment of them is this The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart A character of a wicked man that there is no fear of God before his eyes Sic apud me statuo sic decerno This is Davids postulatum and he first sets it down as the bitter root from which all the ill fruit following doth grow and so he enters upon an induction of particulars and by them describes a wicked man 1. Ver. 2 His first note is the pleasure the glory the boasting he takes in wickedness He flattereth himself in his own eyes 1 He calls evil good His 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love to himself is so great that a great sin in his sight is no sin vice is vertue falshood truth 2. 2 He continues in it The second that in this he continues and will not be perswaded out of it untill his iniquity be found to be hateful till God by some heavy judgment hath past his sentence and dislike against it 3. Ver. 3 The third is his hypocrisie aliud corde aliud ore The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit 2 He is an hypocrite He gives goodly words but hath war in his heart 4. 4 He is obstinate The fourth is his pertinacy in evil and his abrenunciation of good Desinit adhibere intelligentiam he hath left off to behave himself wisely or he will not understand that he may do good 5. Ver. 4 And in the fifth verse he bundles up as it were his sins 1. He plots evil and deviseth mischief upon his bed 5 He is studious in wickedness 2. He sets himself in the way that is not good 3. He abhors no evil He invents wickedness he sets about it to perfect it yea though it be of the highest strain he swallows it and nauseates it not This is the description of a wicked man which some men beholding begin to wonder at Gods patience that he will endure this a buse and affront and are apt upon it to question his providence to whom that David may return an answer he enlargeth himself upon Gods mercy and goodness Gods patience and mercy from which this his long-suffering doth proceed And two streins there are of it the first absolute and general extended to all 2. The other particular The second part which is exhibited to the faithful only First In general God is good to all which is seen in his bountifulness 1 To all even all creatures his fidelity and his justice and his preservation of all things 1. Thy mercy O Lord is in the Heavens Thou preservest them 2. Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the Clouds They water the Earth as it s promised 3. Thy righteousness is like the great Mountains immoveable 4. Thy judgments are a great deep unsearchable past finding out 5. Thou Lord preservest man and beast in thee we live move and have our being 2 But particularly to his people which he admires Secondly But of his special care and providence as it stands in relation to the faithful he gives another account 't is a precious thing he sets a price upon it and admires it O how excellent is thy loving kindness O Lord Ver. 7 Quam preciosa Of which the consequent is in the faithful hope confidence Upon which the faithful comfort in distress 1. Therefore the children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings 1 Trust 2. The effects of it 2 Are satisfied the plenty of all good things prepared for the faithful 1. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy House 2. Thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy pleasure 3. To which he adds the cause For in thee is the Fountaine of life and in thy light we shall see light He concludes with a Prayer 1. For all Gods faithful people 2. For himself The third part He prayes that this effect may light 1. He prayes that this peculiar and precious mercy might light upon the heads of all those that serve God in sincerity O continue thy loving kindness to them that know thee Ver. 10 and thy righteousness to the upright of heart 1 On Gods people 2. He prayes for himself that he may be defended from the pride and violence of wicked men Let not the foot of pride come against me 2 On himself and let not the hand of the wicked remove me Ver. 1 3. Lastly He closes all with this exulting Epiphonema 3 His acclamation upon it There are the workers of iniquity fallen There when they promised to themselves peace and security and said tush no harm shall happen to us there and then are they fallen They are cast down and shall not be able to rise The Prayer collected out of the thirty sixth Psalm O Omnipotent God Ver. 5 such is the amplitude of thy mercy that it extends it self far and wide so that from the lowest Earth to
the highest Heaven there is not any thing which is not partaker of thy goodness Those bottles of Heaven that continually resolve and water the Earth are expresses of thy Constancy and Truth Thy way of suffice is incomprehensible and thy judgments by which thou dispensest all things in the Earth a great deep Ver. 6 which no man can search an abysse which no humane understanding can find out Man and Beast have their being life motion from thée to man and beast thou suppliest wharsoever is necessary for food or existence they are sustained by thy goodness and preserved by thy mercy But thy care O Lord and providence over thy people is far more gracious Who can Ver. 7 as it ought estéem it Who can set a sufficient price upon it O how excellent is thy loving-kindness toward them thou lovest and them that love thée These thou wilt protect as a Hen doth her Chickens under the shadow of thy wings These shall enjoy not only temporary good things common to man and beast but in this present life thou wilt give them a taste of thy heavenly treasures by the Holy Ghost diffused in their hearts which as Rivers of pleasure will refresh their thirsty souls and after receive them into a celestial mansion where they shall be satisfied with the abundance of thy House that is with the beatifical vision and full fruition of thyself for thou art the fountain of that life which is true life indéed and perpetual Thou art the spring of light and when we come to enjoy that light all darkness being dispelled we shall sée light indéed Till we come thither we pass through a vally of darkness and live a life that may rather be called a death 't is so full of cares so full of miseries so full of sin howsoever in this let us have a taste of thy mercies protect us under thy wings let us dwell in thy house satisfie us with the graces of thy Spirit let us drink of the Rivers of thy pleasure make our life comfortable and let us enjoy the light of thy countenance This will be life to us even when we sit in this shadow of death this will be light to us even while we remain in this darkness Here we are subject to many temptations and the ungodly thrust sore at us that we might fall But O never let the foot of pride come and prevail against us let not the hand of the wicked remove us We know O Lord that their malice is so great against thy Truth that they are not moved with any fear or reverence of thy Name resolved they are to please and flatter themselves in their own eyes till their iniqity be found out and made apyear to be odious before God and man whatsoever they speak is full of iniquity and fraud they are not only ignorant but they will not be taught to be wise whosoever shall advise them to do good is accounted their enemy and hateful in their sight In the night-season when the mind is retired and should meditate on the best things then they fasten it upon the worst in their Bed they devise mischief and so hardned in their sin that they will not set themselves in any good way nor abhor even the foulest evil Therefore O Lord for thy mercy and faithfulness for thy loving-kindness and righteousness sake we beséech thée suffer not our souls to be delivered over as a prey into their hands and since they will not desist from their mischievous and bloody enterprise let these worker of iniquity fall together for peace let them find war for security trouble let them be cast down from their fancied state of dignity and felicity and never be able to rise again by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ Amen PSAL. XXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE intent of this Psalm is that good men be not over-much troubled at the prosperity of wicked men and what is here delivered may be reduced to these two general Heads 1. He sets down the Duty of a good man which is to be patient and put his confidence in God when he sees the wicked prosper and flourish The first part That we fret not at wicked mens prosperity 2. He gives many Reasons to perswade unto it 1. He begins with an Interdict and then descends to give forth some Commands 1. His Interdict is Fret not thy self because of evil doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity Be nor angry not envious to which he adds this Reason That their prosperity is but short for they shall be cut down as the grass and wither as the green herb This interdict is repeated ver 7 8. and the reason ver 9 10 35 36 38. He sets down some Rules to keep from envy 2. Then he sets down some commands or rules to keep from fretting and anger 1. The first is a perpetual rule for our whole life Trust in the Lord rely not on humane helps riches friends c. trust to God 2. Do good increase not thy state by ill arts and means 3. Dwell in the land desert not thy station for verily thou shalt be fed 4. And therefore enjoy quietly what thou hast at present 5. Delight thou in the Lord be pleased with his way Ratio Dabit petitiones cordis 6. Commit thy way unto the Lord labour in an honest vocation leave the rest to him for he shall bring it to pass he shall bring forth thy righteousness c. 7. Rest and acquiesce in the Lord and wait patiently for him his time is the best and then he repeats his Interdict Fret not thy self Then he resumes his former Reason mentioned at the second verse The first Reason and amplifies it by an Antithesis viz. that bonis benè malis malè erit ver 9 10 11. The second part Evil doers cut off and so it falls out plerumque but not semper which is enough for temporal blessings 1. Evil doers shall be cut off but those that wait on the Lord shall inherit the Earth 2. Yet a little while and the wicked shall not be yea and thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be But the meek shall inherit the Earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace To this he adds a second Reason taken from the Providence of God 1. The second Reason Gods Providence Object 1. Bad men hate good men In protecting the righteous and confounding their enemies 2. In blessing the little they have in which he seems to remove a double objection The first about the tyranny of the wicked over just men The second that they were commonly in want and poverty The first Tentation that much troubles pious souls is the power the cruelty the implacable hatred of wicked men The wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth To which David answereth Resp God shall revenge it The Lord shall laugh at
be brought to thee i. e. the Church 2. Ver. 15 They shall be brought with joy and gladness and enter into the Kings Palace Ver. 16 gladly and willingly they shall enter into his Courts on earth and after be received to a Mansion in Heaven 5. For her fruitfulness Barren she shall not be for she shall have many children The Churches gratitude good children and great for the Fathers the Patriarchs Prophets Priests in the old Law Apostles Evangelists and their Successors in the New that may be made Princes in all Lands her Officers are not contemptible 3. The third part The conclusion which is gratulatory for for this honour the Church would 1. Erect as it were a statue I will make thy Name to be remembred in all Generations 2. Ver. 17 The praise shall be perpetuated Therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever The Prayer collected out of the forty fifth Psalm LET the words of my mouth and meditations of my heart be alwayes acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redéemer Ver. 1 grant that my heart may endite a good matter and make my tongue a ready instrument of thy Spirit nimbly and aptly and solely to express what thou shalt dictate to me of the King of glory O thou wonderful God and Man the Messiah and Saviour of the World Ver. 2 Thou wert fairer in thy conception and more beautiful in thy birth than all the sons of men born we were all in iniquity and in sin our mother conceived us but thou wert holy in and from the womb being fréed and purified by the Holy Ghost from the stain and spots of our original corruption and when thou wast pleased to manifest thy self to the World thy lips were full of grace thy words drop'◠as the honey-comb never man spake like thée never was there such discourses of mercy such calls and offers of love by which thou didst encourage the weary and heavy-laden to come unto thée and we miserable sinners to be reconciled to God for which God hath blessed thee for ever and given thée all power in Heaven and Earth for which we bless thée for ever on Earth and hope to do it in Heaven Now since thou art the Lord of power Gird thy Sword I pray thee Ver. 3 upon thy Thigh O most Mighty conquer and subdue thy enemies whether impious Devils or devilish men take from the one that dominion which they usurp over thy people and bring the other readily and willingly to submit unto thée this will increase thy glory this will improve thy Majesty and Renown Ver. 4 and in thy power prosper and ride on that Truth and Meekness and Righteousness may flourish in thy Kingdom which is easie for thée to do because the right hand of thy power and Divine Omnipotence shall wonderfully teach and direct thée in this work causing thée to the admiration of all not to desist till thou hast obtained an absolute victory and lead in triumph thy enemies Let the words of thy Gospel be sharper than arrows Ver. 5 with a wonderful quickness let them pierce the hearts of many Nations that whereas now they are rebellious and enemies to thy Kingdom they may be wounded to their good that they may fall under thée even at thy foot-stool yield to thy command and be ready to do thy will whose Throne is for ever and ever Ver. 6 and the Scepter of whose Kingdom is a right Scepter Cause them to love that which thou lovest and hate that which thou hatest Thou lovest righteousness make them then in love with equity Ver. 7 thou hatest iniquity cause them to hate all injustice and since thou wast anointed with the oyle of gladness above thy fellows yet for thy fellows anoint also all those that thou hast taken into this fellowship with a fragrant portion of this thy holy oyle that they rejoyce to do thy will Let Kings Daughters noble and princely souls Ver. 9 stand among those thy Saints whom thou hast honoured and brought to thy obedience O let the Queen thy Church whom in mercy and loving-kindness in judgment and justice thou hast espoused to thée stand on thy right hand cloathed in a golden Robe of thy Righteousness O let the smell of their garments be as a Field that the Lord hath blessed Ver. 8 and the swéet of their vertues and graces more odoriferous in thy Nostrils than the perfumes of Myrrhe Cinnamon and Cassia compounded by the skilfullest art of the Apothicary And thou O Daughter so peculiarly beloved and elected by the Messiah consider and encline thine ear attend and give diligent héed what the King shall teach thée concerning the true God and his Service Our eyes are heavy and we cannot sée our ears are deaf and we cannot hear Lord open our eyes that we may sée and say thou Ephatha to our ears that we may hearken and soften our hearts that we may consider of the great honour thou hast done us Teach us to leave father and mother and house and land for thy sake to forget our own people and our fathers house and all that is most dear unto us the bewitching lusts of our own wills and the vanities of our former lewd conversation Enrich our hearts with thy gifts of Grace so shall the King have pleasure in our beauty and we shall acknowledge him for the Lord our God adore fear reverence and worship him Kéep our hearts O Lord in thy fear for then the Nations round about us shall séek and sue to us the Princes of Tyre shall come and bow to us and offer us gifts the rich also among the people shall intreat our favour and desire they may be united to our Communion Adorn us O Lord inwardly with thy Graces and outwardly with an orderly worship and discipline Let our chief glory be that which is within the hid man of the heart and then make us beautiful without in all the ornaments of true Religion vertuous works and Christian lives and over and above in the vestments of outward Ceremonies which are as it were the needle-work and embroydery of Holiness By all which the Virgin-souls of the people may be brought unto thee and accompany us to glorifie our Father which is in Heaven This may move them to enter into the unity of the Church with joy and gladness which is the door of those mansions which thou hast prepared for them in Heaven where they shall enjoy thy sight and thy presence for ever Raise up O Lord our King instead of the fathers of our profession the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Apostclical men Bishops Pastours and lawful Ministers of thy Word whom thou may'st make Princes to féed and guide to govern and teach thy Church in all lands O Lord thy Mercies are so great and manifold to thy Church that I will make thy name to be remembred in all Generations O let the people praise thee and sing of thy honour for
ever and ever Amen Amen PSAL. XLVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalm is wholly Gratulatory sung by the Church for some very great deliverance after the victory from confederated enemies Two especial things to be considered 1. The confidence the Church hath in God from vers 1. to 8. 2. An Exhortation to behold it and that he is the Lord of Hosts the Authour of Warre and Peace vers 8 9 10. 1. The first part The Churches confidence He begins with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Maxime which is the ground of all the confidence which the people of God can have God is our Asylum or refuge to fly to our strength Vers. 1 stay munition on which to relie a very present help to deliver us in trouble Upon which Gods people inferre this Conclusion The inference upon it boldness in persecution Therefore will we not fear no not in the greatest calamities and multitude of enemies Which he expresseth First Metaphorically then in plain proper terms Fear we will not Vers. 2 1. Though the earth be moved or removed on which the Church is seated 2. Though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea i. e. the great and strongest Empires and Kingdoms should be ruin'd and overwhelm'd 3. Though the waters roar and be troubled Vers. 3 Though a multitude of people threaten and join their forces to ruine the Church 4. Though the Mountains i. e. Kingdoms shake at the tumour and swelling pride of these Compiratours For the waters are people Revel 17. More plainly for we have the interpretation of these Metaphors Vers 6. Vers. 6 Though the heathen raged the Kingdoms were moved yet will we not be afraid Justum tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava jubentium Non vultus instantis tyranni Mente quatet solidâ Neque Auster Dux inquietus turbidus Adriae Nec fulminantis Jovis manus Si fractus illabatur orbis Impavidum ferient ruina 2. And of this he next descends to shew the reasons 1. There is a River The reasons of this the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most high Vers. 4 The City of God was Jerusalem the type of the Church and the holy place of the Tabernacles the Temple The little Siloah that ran softly did water Jerusalem and the Gospel-promises that shall flow alwayes in the Church shall make glad the hearts of Gods people Vers. 5 2. God is in the midst of her to keep to defend her therefore she shall not be moved that is utterly removed but shall remain for ever 3. God shall help her and deliver her yea and that right early in a fit season He that should come will come and will not tarry 4. He uttered his voice and the earth was melted The hearts Vers. 6 of the men of the earth that exalted themselves against his Church at the least word uttered from his mouth melted were struck with fear and terrour 5. The Lord of hosts is with us He is Dominus exercituum Vers. 7 their Armies then are at his command vers 7 11. 6. The God of Jacob is our refuge He is our Asylum and he will saye us vers 7 11. The second part contains two Exhortations 1. He calls to all to behold the works of the Lord Exhortations The second part and of two he gives instance for to behold 1. That War is his work Vers. 8 See what desolations he hath made in the earth Vers. 9 2. That Peace is his work Vers. 10 He maketh War to cease to the end of the earth c. 2. Then in the person of God he exhorts the enemies of the Church to be quiet for their endeavours are but in vain and their rage to no purpose Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the heathen I will be exalted in the earth The Prayer out of the forty sixth Psalm Or an Hymne O Blessed Lord God Vers. 1 upon whom we have depended ever since we were born forsake us not now in this néedful time of trouble but be our refuge to whom we may flie our strength on whom we may relie our present help in these distracted times either by fréeing us from our pressures or giving us patience to undergo them So shall we not fear in the greatest storms No Vers. 2 though the Devil raise the greatest persecutions against thy Church to remove it from the earth no not though a multitude of people conspire and swell with pride though they compass us about as a flood of waters Vers. 3 Though we behold the shaking and commotions of all other Kingdoms and Empires about us For thy rich promises will sustain our fainting hearts Vers. 4 A River of mercy there is in thee whose ever flowing streams shall make glad the City of our God the most high in which he hath set his Tabernacle to dwell and which we know he will uphold for ever Vers. 5 God is in the midst of her and she shall not be removed by any incursion help her he will in a fit season right early he hath promised to come and he will not tarry Arise Vers. 6 O God to fight for us utter thy voice to defend our cause for then the Nations will tremble the Kingdoms will be moved the hearts of our enemies shall melt like war and all that have exalled themselves against us shall lose their courage and be surprized with an astonishing fear Certainly the Lord of hosts Vers. 7 at whose command there is an Army an Army of Angels is with us The God whom Jacob worshipped and by whose power and mercy he was defended from the fury of his brother Esau will defend us when we flie to him O come then Vers. 8 and consider the works of the Lord behold what wonders he hath done for his people in all ages For their sakes he hath destroyed mighty Armies and brought strange desolations upon the mightiest Kingdoms Vers. 9 Again for their sakes he hath made Wars to cease in all the World he hath broken the Bows of the mighty cut their Spears in sunder and burnt up their Chariots with fire from Heaven giving to his people the blessing of peace All then you who are enemies to his Church Vers. 10 be still cease from your wicked plots and conspiracies for know this for certain that he is God he will get himself honour upon you Vers. 11 and he will be exalted not only in the Heaven above but he will also be exalted by what he doth for his people on Earth So that when we shall see his wonderful deliverance that he sends his people and the revenge he takes on their enemies we shall have reason to say and say again The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge PSAL. XLVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Triumphalis THE Prophet takes occasion from the bringing up of
the Ark or else by the setling of it in the Temple by Solomon to foretel the Ascension of Christ into heaven who was the true Ark of the Covenant and the Propitiatory Then there was a Jubilee and so there must be at the remembrance of this It contains a Prophesie of Christs Kingdom and it hath two especial parts First Christs ascension typified An invitation to sing praises to Christ Secondly The reasons that perswade to it 1. Vers. 5 The Ascension of Christ is under the Arks ascension typified Verse 5. God is gone up with a shout His invitation to praise God for it the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet 2. Upon which he invites that we do that at this feast which was then done Vers. 1 viz. That we clap hands and sing praises That this be done 1. Cheerfully O clap your hands for clapping of hands is an outward sign of inward joy Nahum 3.19 2. Universally O clap hands all ye people 3. Vers. 6 Vocally Shout unto God with the voice of melody 4. Frequently Sing praises sing praises sing praises sing praises vers 6. And again sing praises vers 7. It cannot be done too often 5. Knowingly and discreetly Sing ye praises with understanding know the reason why you are to praise him 3. Now these reasons are drawn from his Greatness and his Goodness 2 The reasons to perswade to it 1. He is Great He is the Lord the most high 2. Terrible 3. A great King over all the earth All power at his Ascension 1 God great given to him in heaven and earth Vers. 2 2. He is a Good God Vers. 7 1. In collecting his Church by subduing the Nations 2 Good and that in four respects not by a Sword but by his Word and Spirit by which he would subdue their iniquities the iniquity of the Jew first Vers. 3 and then of the Gentile For the Law was to come out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem To the discipline of that Religion and Service which we profess both were to submit and therefore both might well be said to be subdued to us and be brought under our feet Vers. 4 2. In honoring and rewarding his Church He shall chuse out an heritage for us even the worship of Jacob whom he loved 1. His Church was his choice A chosen generation a select people 2. His heritage for he will dwell among them and provide an inheritance for them blessings on earth and an inheritance in heaven 3. This is the worship and glory of Jacob of Jacob after the Spirit the Kingdom Priest-hood and all the promises made unto Jacob and the Fathers being theirs 4. The cause His love only He chose Vers. 7 c. because he loved 3. In increasing and amplifying his Church God is the King now of all the earth not of the Jews only For he reigneth over the heathen also He sits upon a Throne of Holiness rules by his Holy Word and Spirit making them Holy who were unholy 2. Yea and a willing people also For the Princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the God of Abraham 4. In protecting his Church whether by himself Vers 9 or by the Princes he raiseth up for her defence For the shields of the earth belong unto God Princes and Prelates are shields of the Church but God is the chief He is greatly exalted The Eucharistical Prayer collected out of the forty seventh Psalm O Lord God who hast exalted thy Son Iesus Christ with great Triumph into the Kingdom of heaven we beséech thée leave us not comfortless but send to us thy Holy Spirit to comfort us and exalt us to the same place whither our Saviour is gone before And thou O blessed Saviour Vers. 5 who when thou hadst finished our Redemption on earth didst ascend to the beaven in great glory and Majesty Vers. 2 and satest down on the right-hand of thy Father and art become the Lord the most high terrible and a great King over all the earth receive the petitions of thy humble Servants present them at the Throne of Grace and make intercession for us Subdue the people by the power of thy Spirit Vers. 3 and bring the Nations under thy féet by the sharp edge of thy Word Cause those who are yet strangers and aliens from thy worship to fall low before thée and perswade all those who are yet afar off to come néer and to embrace thy Gospel and the truth and equity of thy Law The time was Vers. 4 when in Judah only God was known and thy Name was great in Israel it was the excellency of Jacob which thou didst love but now thou hast merited Vers. 7 and art ordained to be the King of all the earth since therefore thou hast chosen these also for thine inheritance Vers. 4 reign thou even over the Heathen Vers. 8 and subduing their iniquities sit upon thy Throne of Holiness among them O happy day Vers. 9 when not the meanest and lowest but the greatest and the noblest when the Princes of the people shall be gathered together and be united to the people of the God of Abraham being all worshippers of the same God professors of one and the same Faith and partakers of one and the same mercy For then should the name of our God who is truly the shield and defence of his people be greatly exalted in the earth The praises of our God should then be in our mouths Vers. 7 and with-wisdom and understanding should we sing our Psalms heart and hand affections and work being every way agréeable to our Psalmodie O Lord infinite and wonderful are thy wayes and works toward the children of men but the work of Redemption by the blood of thy dear Son farre excéeds them all For this love for this mercy O work upon our hearts to sing praises to thy honour our tongues to sing praises to thy glory our lips to shout with the voice of melody O all ye Saints of his Vers. 1 Clap your hands for joy shout for triumph sing praises to God Vers. 5 sing praises sing praises to our King sing praises Let hands and tongue and works and words be ready prest to sing praises to the God of Jacob. Amen PSAL. XLVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 UNder the Type Jerusalem is set down the happiness of the Church which is alwayes protected by Gods favour Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. The excellencies and priviledges of the City of God from vers 1. to 4. 2. A Narration of a miraculous deliverance she obtain'd and upon it the Terrour that fell on her enemies from vers 4. to 8. 3. An Exhortation to consider it and praise God from vers 8. to 15. 1. The first part He begins with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised Great in himself Vers. 1 and greatly to be praised for all things in all
the righteous but in that morning the upright shall have dominion over them They and their beauty shall consume together in the grave when the Lord shall exalt his Servants to eternal Glory Good God when thou hast blessed us with wealth and when we abound in honour give us understanding hearts that we think on these things that our time is short our riches vain our houses frail our honours fading that there is a life after this in which we must be happy or miserable so then let us set our hearts upon these transitory advantages that we never forget the desire of that life to come so use this World as if we used it not making it a passage to the celestial Canaan Amen PSAL. L. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Prophet by a Prosopopeia brings in God prescribing rules for his Worship The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then or the main debate in this Psalm is How God will be honour'd in his Church which because that none can teach but God himself therefore he brings him in speaking to his people Two general parts it hath 1. The Majesty and Authority of the person that is to judge this debate described from vers 1. to 7. 2. The sentence by him given from vers 7. to 23. The Prophet begins with an Elegant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calls an Assize The first part The Majesty and Authority of God the Judge summons a Court presents us with a Judge produceth Witnesses cites those who are to answer and having seated the Judge on the Throne gives forth his charge 1. He presents the Judge in Authority and Majesty The mighty God Vers. 1 even the Lord hath spoken He is Deus Deorum other gods there may be so called so feined but he is the God Almighty over them all vers 1. 2. The place whence he comes to judge is his Church Out of Zion the perfection of beauty God hath shined To Zion the Law was given and out of Zion the Law was to come according to which Law he would judge and therefore it was rightly said That out of Zion the Lord hath shined 3. His coming to judgement is like to be terrible It was so Vers. 3 when he gave his Law upon Mount Sinai and 't is like to be so when he shall come to require it Our God shall come and shall not keep silence a fire shall devour before him and it shall be very tempestuous round about 2 Pet. 3.10 Luk. 21.25 26. Secondly Those that are cited here to appear before him Vers. 5 are call'd his Saints not only those who are truly such but all that bear the name Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me with Sacrifice i. e. undertaken to worship me as I have appointed Not as if others were excluded and should not come to judgement but because those they are who know his Will with whom God hath the contest in this place Vers. 1 Thirdly Against these he produceth his Witnesses The heavens the earth The Lord hath called the earth from the rising of the Sun Vers. 4 unto the going down thereof He shall call to the heavens above and to the earth that he may judge his people And the heavens shall declare his righteousness Witness his judgement to be just and other it could not be For God is Judge himself Next follows the Charge given by God himself the Judge to which The second part The charge at the Tribunal that he might win attention he thus prefaceth Hear O my people and I will speak O Israel and I will testifie against thee I am God even thy God Vers. 7 1. I am God therefore worship and obedience is due to me from all creatures 2. I am thy God thou my people therefore due from thee especially 3. I will speak judge and determine this Controversie about my Worship 4. I will testifie against thee and convince thee for what is amiss A double Worship there is 1. Ceremonial and External 2. 1 About outward worship Spiritual and Moral and I will speak and testifie of both First A duty then there was owing in Sacrifices and Ceremonies of the Law which indeed I expect because I have commanded but let no man think that I am satisfied with the outward Act except they be brought perform'd and offer'd with an honest heart 1. I will not then reprove thee for thy Sacrifices or thy burnt-offerings Vers. 8 to have been continually before me These thou bringest and these I accept and that thou according to my Ordinance thou hast brought I reprove not But that thou think'st that by this External service howsoever performed 2 About inward worship without the outward rejected I am pleased and that for these thou deservest a pardon that is it which I reprove 2. For I without an inward reflexion upon that obedience unto my command and a sincere and loving faithful penitent heart in the offer of them will never think my self honour'd Vers. 9 I will take no Bullock out of thy house nor he-goats out of thy folds And that for two reasons 1. First I need them not I am rich and Opulent For every beast of the Forrest is mine Vers. 10 and the Cattle upon a thousand Hills I know all the fowls of the Mountains and the wild beasts of the field are mine Vers. 11 if I were hungry I will not tell thee for the world is mine and the fulness thereof 2. My perfection is such that I need it not The gods of the Heathen may be pleased and fed as their Hierophantae taught 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indore carnium with the fumes of their Sacrifices and complain of starving when they were detain'd But think'st thou that I will eat the flesh of bulls Vers. 12 or drink the blood of goats I need no meat of thy provision Upon these terms then these Sacrifices though of mine own institution please me not Ex antithesi then I shall acquaint thee with those Sacrifices that worship which will please 2. Inward worship required which hath two parts And here begins the second part of the Charge concerning Moral and Spiritâ—â— Worship which is Synecdochically declared by the two parts of prayer Thanksgiving and Petition or Invocation 1. Vers. 14 Thankfulness he expects Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vows unto the most High 2. Vers. 15 Invocation he looks for And call upon me in the day of trouble Which being done he makes an Indenture with us 1. On his part that he will deliver us I will deliver thee 2. On our part that we return him the Glory of our deliverance And thou shalt glorifie me 3. No worship accepted from hypocrites And yet here he puts in his exception against some men viz. Hypocrites and impious men For praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner and a petition presented by an obstinate rebellious profane soul shall not be heard To such he
their malice For every day they wrest and put what sense they please upon our words all their thoughts are against us for evil They conspire assemble lie in wait for us Every word we speak every action we do they observe and mark that they may take away our lives In these extremities we have no security Vers. 1 but in thy mercy arise O Lord and maintain thine own cause be merciful unto us defend thy Truth and thy people that suffer for thy Truth Thou hast made to us many precious promises upon which give us grace so to rely that whatsoever sadness hardship calamity fall upon us that we may trust in thy Word and praise our God for that gracious Word of protection that hath procéeded out of thy mouth Why should we be afraid what man can do unto us when thou hast past thy word to be our Guardian It is not as the profane of the World imagine That thou hidest away thy face and wilt not see For if we are in banishment and pursued Thou tellest every step we take if our eyes drop down tears they are not lost for thou puttest them into thy bottle our sighs and groans are noted in thy Book When therefore now we are Exiles for thy sake and wander among a strange people Bottle up our tears hear our groans register our sighs before us and turn back our enemies Shall they escape by their iniquity in thine anger cast down the people O Lord. So shall we have just reason to praise our God for his Word bound we are by duty bound we have our selves by vow to do it For thy vows are upon us and therefore we will render praises unto thee O Lord deliver our souls from death and keep our feet from falling and we will walk in sincerity of heart before our God in the light of the living in this light the light of thy countenance give us grace to walk that we may live with thée for evermore through Iesus Christ our Lord. PSAL. LVII Ne Perdas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 aut Deprecatoriùs THIS Psalm was composed by David when he hid himself from Saul in the Cave 1 Sam. 24. The contents of it are His Petition ver 1. The Reasons that perswaded him to it from v. 1. to 6. His profession of thanks ver 5 7 8 c. 1. His Petition is ardent the Epizeuxis shews it The first part His Petition for mercy and it is for grace and protection Be merciful unto me O God be merciful unto me 2. And he presently subjoins his Reasons to perswade God to be merciful 1. From his faith and confidence he had in God alone The Reasons The second part 1. His affiance in God For my soul trusteth in thee and under the shadow of thy wings as the Chicken doth under the wing of the Hen shall be my refuge untill this Tyranny be over-past 2. From the sufficiency and efficiency of God I will call upon God 1. The most High sufficient then he is and able to deliver me 2. That performeth all things for me and will therefore effect it 2 Gods sufficiency and efficiency And upon this Argument he insists in the following verse He shall send from Heaven some miraculous way he shall do it send from Heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up Selah God shall send forth his Mercy and Truth perform his word and mercifully save me 3. The third Reason of his Petition was 3 His great danger the extream danger he was then in by a cruel and merciless enemy 1. My soul is among Lyons a ravenous bloody creature Ver. 4 2. I lie even among those that are set on fire their anger and hatred to me is implacable 3. Even among the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp Sword They calumniate me and wound deeper than these weapons A Spear wounds near an Arrow afar off a Sword at hand near or far off they spare not to disgrace me fortiter accusant 4. And now he draws an Argument more strong than all the rest for he puts God in mind of that which he will not part with 4 Gods honour his Glory A glory it would be to him to be merciful to save and deliver and therefore he prayes Be thou exalted O God above the Heavens and let thy Glory be above all the earth that is shew thy Power and assert thy Glory let not the wicked thus exult which if thou shalt do thy Glory will be conspicuous above in Heaven and below over all the earth And then he falls again upon his complaint describing the practises of his enemies 1. He reiterates his danger But foretels the event They have prepared a Net for my steps insidiantur as Fowlers 2. So that my soul is bowed down my life is in great danger 3. They have digged a Pit before me intending to take me as some wild Beast but praised be God I foresee the event They are fallen into the Pit themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neque enim lex justior ulla est quam necis artificem arte perire suâ Upon the confidence of which David gives thanks The third part For it gives thanks which consists of which also may be a fourth Argument for no such way to procure a new favour as to be thankful and by his example we may learn how to give thanks two especial points our thanksgiving must consist of and we meet with both of them here the first is Commemoration the second Annunciation 1. He that will be thankful must treasure up in his heart and memory the courtesie that is done him 1 A Commemoration so had David done and therefore he mentions his heart and to make it more emphatical he names it again My heart 2. 2 An Affection After he remembers it he must be affected with it and resolve upon it so doth David My heart is ready or else My heart is fixed confirmed I am in it to be thankful and I cannot be altered 3. 3 An Annunciation 'T is not enough that a man carry about with him a thankful heart he must anunciare tell it abroad and make it known publickly what God hath done for him 1 With joy yea and do it joyfully too I will saith David sing and give praise 4. He must use all means he can to make it known Tongue Psaltery and Harp 2 By all means possible are all little enough whence by an Apostrophe David turns to these Awake my Glory i.e. Tongue awake Lute and Harp I my self will awake 5. 3 With fervency He must not do it in a sleepy manner but with contention and earnestness of spirit Awake awake I will awake 6. 4 Opportunely He must take the first opportunity to do it and not hang off and delay it I will awake early 7. 5 Publickly He must
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
shall fear and shall declare the work of God for they shall then wisely consider it is his doing Digitus hic Dei But the effect that this their punishment shall have on the righteous will be other viz. not only consider it and fear and acknowledge his justice but 1. The righteous shall be glad in the Lord rejoyce for the revenge God hath taken 3 On the righteous 2. 1 Joy in God And shall trust in him that he will alwayes protect and deliver the innocent 2 Confidence 3. 3 Exultation And all the upright in heart shall glory make their boast of God and tell it abroad what their God hath what he will do for them The Prayer collected out of the sixty fourth Psalm THOU O Lord beholdest the mischievous practises of our enemies against us from thée it is not hid how they whet their tongues as a Sword and shoot out their arrows even bitter words secretly they wound us that are of a true heart and suddenly they aim and hurt us that have not deserved it from their hands They are obstinate and confirmed in mischief They take counsel together and encourage themselves privily they lay snares for us being destitute of any fear of thée our God or careless of the law of man indefatigable they are in their wayes and every day searching new devises to ruine us the inward thought of every one of them and their heart are deep and unsearchable But O God thou art our God to thée we flie for help hear our prayers O God preserve our life from fear of the enemy hide as from the secret counsel of the wicked and from the insurrections of the workers of iniquity make their own tongue to fall upon themselves shoot at them with a swift arrow that suddenly they may be wounded Then shall all those that lay to heart their punishment be amazed and flie from them all men shall fear and declare the work of God and wisely consider and lay to heart thy power and justice in the strange punishment of wicked men But as for the righteous having had experience of thy goodness in the fréeing of the innocent he shall be glad in the Lord and trust in thee his God and being secure in thy Providence and Protection and conscious to the uprightness of his own soul he shall glory and make his boast of thee all day long Amen PSAL. LXV Is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalm is wholly a Psalm of Thanksgiving and 't is the Prophets purpose to set us a pattern how and for what we are to praise God both for spiritual and temporal blessings and that first for those and then for these and that this praise is most acceptable to him in his Church viz. in Zion Two general parts of it 1. He thanks God for his singular benefits to his Church from ver 1. to 6. 2. He thanks him for the common benefits to all Mankind from ver 6. to the end 1. He sets forth the grace of God to his people The first part An Eucharist to God of which he reckons many particulars 1. That he made choice of Israel to serve worship praise him Ver. 1 Praise waiteth for thee O God in Zion 1 For his Election of Israel and unto thee shall the vow be performed 2. That he was so propitious to hear their prayers Thou that hearest prayer 2 For hearing prayers to thee shall all flesh come all thy afflicted people in their distresses 3. To admit men to confession of which we have here a Form 3 For admitting them to confession My iniquities prevail against me not to extenuate our sins before God but to aggravate them 1. For number iniquities 2. For quantity words or matters of iniquities 3. For efficacy They prevail against me are too mighty for me to conquer without thy grace 4. That he grants us remission and pardon As for our transgressions 4 For remission thou shalt purge them away 5. That he elects a peculiar people to himself 5 For reconciliation to whom also he will after an offence be reconciled in which lies their happiness Blessed is the man whom thou choosest and causest to approach unto thee that he may dwell in thy Courts 6. That he satisfies those that dwell with an honest heart in his Courts 6 For his word and Sacraments with the goodness of his House even of his holy Temple viz. by the comforts of his Word and grace of his Sacraments 7. That he protects defends and governs his people 7 For his protection and governance By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us i. e. our prayers O God of our salvation 1. Thou answerest us when we cry and implore thy help 2. By terrible things as in Egypt by signs and wonders 3. And the motive to it is thy justice He concludes with an Elogy of God and his Providence that there be a just revenge taken upon thy enemies and a just retribution to thy people All which he concludes with a double Elogy of God 1. Shewing what he is peculiarly to his people O God of our salvation 2. 1 In special What he is to all The confidence of all the ends of the earth and of them that are afar off upon the Sea for he sustains all be they where they will in him they live The second part and move and have their being 2. And so he descends from his peculiar Providence viz. that care and love and the benefits which from thence flows to his Church 2 In general to speak of his general Providence in ordering and sustaining the whole World of which he gives several instances 1. 1 Ordering Kings He by his strength setteth fast the Mountains being girded with power which literally is true but tropologically Kingdoms Empires 2. He stilleth the noise of the Seas the noise of their waves for to that he sets bounds 2 People and the tumult of the people He stills Divels Tyrants Armies Seditions so that they that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens viz. either the strange signs thou shewest in Heaven above or the Earth beneath or else the vengeance thou bringest on tumultuous seditious men 3. 3 All in Heaven Thou makest the out-goings of the Morning and Evening to rejoyce orderest the course of the Sun Moon Stars 4. Thou visitest the Earth and waterest it thou greatly enrichest it with the River of God 4 On earth which is full of water c. usque ad ver 11. In which the Prophet amplifies this mercy of God viz. That the rain that the Rivers which water the Earth are from Gods store Fertility his blessing the riches it yields the corn it brings forth the fatness the crown of the year is from him 5. They the Clouds the Rivers of God drop upon the Wilderness c. ver 12
before the Jewes but now all universally Sing unto God ye Kingdoms of the Earth O sing praises to the Lord. Selah And that all Nations do it His Reasons 2. His Reasons to perswade it 1. The Majesty of God testified 1. 1 The Majesty of God By his works To him that rides upon the Heaven of Heavens which were of old 2. 2 His protection His power in his Thunder in his Word He doth send forth his voyce and that a mighty voyce 2. His wise protection and providence to his people Ascribe ye the power to God his excellency is over Israel and his strength is in the Cloud 3. 3 His goodness to his Church His communication of himself to his Church in particular 1. O Lord thou art terrible out of thy holy places 2. The God of Israel is he that gives strength and power to his people 3. Blessed be God with that Epiphonema he concludes The Prayer collected out of the sixty eight Psalm O God in Majesty terrible in thy protection of thy people most merciful since thy power is so great thy presence so powerful that at the blasting of the breath of thy Nostrils thy enemies vanish as a vapour when it is raised to the highest and those that hate thée haste from thy presence Why art thou absent from us why sléepest thou in this néedful time of trouble O Lord awake and arise for us and scatter our nay thy enemies they hate not us Ver. 1 but thée and thy Law and Ordinances make them to flie from thy face drive them away as smoke as wax consumes and melts before the fire Ver. 2 so let the wicked perish at thy presence O God so shall the righteous have just occasion to rejoyce Ver. 3 they shall rejoyce before thee their God they shall be exceedingly joyful O God Thou art infinite in thy Essence wonderful in thy works most merciful in thy wayes to the sons of men Thou ridest above upon the Heavens when we crawle upon this Dunghill of Earth Thou art Jehovah and hast a being in thy self a time there was when we were not and the time will come when we shall not be and what we are at present we have from thée O let us live then and we will praise thée Turn away thy wrath from us and we will rejoyce before thee and sing praises to thy Name As Orphans we are in this World be thou our Father as Widows be thou our Husband Ver. 5 destitute we are without any humane help left alone and solitary O gather us into Families and Societies for our rebellions against thée bound we are with Chains and brought into a dry Land hear the groans and sighs we send up unto thée and out of thy holy habitation make it appear that thou art present with us look upon the humble consider thy dispersed and distracted people have pity on the Widows and Orphans and let us dwell once more together in peace unity and plenty O God Ver. 7 when thou wentest before thy people Israel when thou didst lead them through the Wilderness then thou didst march before them in a cool Cloud by day and in a Pillar of fire by night the dull and heavy earth was moved at thy presence the Heavens drop't Manna the Clouds shot forth lightnings even Sinai it self trembled when thou gavest thy Law unto thy people and after thou brought'st them into a wealthy Land O Lord thy power is yet the same and thy goodness immutable go out before us a sinful Nation and yet thy people as thou didst rain down Manna for them so also we beg of thée to send us necessaries from above and let this our Land that hath béen long afflicted with many evils enjoy a quiet peace and her inhabitants the fruits of peace confirm us Lord in that inheritance which thou hast given us let thy Congregation dwell therein and of thy goodness not for our merits prepare and provide meat and rayment for thy people that hath béen long oppressed by Tyrants We have heard with our ears O God and our Fathers have told us what thou hast done in their time of old great is the company that have published in our hearing that by thy mighty power Kings with their Armies did flie and haste away and that thou hast given the spoil to be divided among thy Houshold-servants This puts us in hope that we even we that have béen for a long time cast aside as the off-scouring of all things and black and inglorious by many pressures shall yet be called for again and set in our inheritances our Dove-like and innocent faces shine as silver and glister as gold the Snow upon the top of Salmon shall not be so white as shall our innocence when thou by these afflictions hast purged away out dross and melted away our tin Such a mercy we cannot expect for our own sakes for we are a sinful people but Lord remember Zion and be gracious to Jerusalem This is the Hill of God in this thou desirest to dwell this thou hast chosen to dwell in for ever Shall then the other Hills insult over it shall the Kings of the Nations and pride of Tyrants trample it to the dust Thy Chariots O God are twenty thousands even thousands of Angels and thou Lord art among them as in Sinai Now Lord shew thy self in glory ascend on High get the victory and triumph over the enemies of thy-Church lead them Captives that have captiv'd us and make them bring and offer thee gifts that have robbed thy Temples and so change the hearts of the rebellious That thou Lord may'st dwell among them and be acknowledged and worshipped by them Bring thy people O Lord out of their troubles as thou of old didst deliver thy chosen from the fury of Og the King of Bashan or thy people Israel from the hands of Pharoah that pursued them to the depths of the red Sea Wound the head of thy enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness let thy Beloved wash their feet in the blood of their enemies and let the very Dogs lick their blood wisely they wrought against us conceiving they had inclosed us but thou art our God the God of our Salvation to thée belongs and thou hast shewed that there be in thy power many issues from death for where the help of man hath failed Thou hast reached forth thy hand and delivered us from the jaw of the Lyon and the paw of the Boar Blessed then be the Lord which daily loads us with benefits even the God of our salvation Make thy Word perfect O our God rebuke the multitude of the Spear-men restrain the fury of those whose rage and anger against us is no less than that of enraged Bulls still the tumults of the people scatter all those that delight in War for thy Temples sake at Jerusalem be propitious unto us and strengthen that O God which
were inhumane They gave me Gall to eat and in my thirst they gave me Vinegar to drink Nothing more true than these four degrees in Christs Passion such enemies he found such Jewes 2. His prayer being ended The second part An imprecation he fitly subjoins a heavy imprecation by way of a Prophecy 1. And first he prayes That as they gave him Gall and Vinegar in his thirst that they might find the like at their Table Let their Table be made a snare to them and that for their welfare a Trap A heavy judgment The degrees are eight when that which God ordains for our necessity delight content health prosperity should be our hurt discontent sickness death 2. That they be struck blind and he means not so much in body as in mind a grievous judgment when a man can neither see imminent dangers nor future evils Let their eyes be darkned that they see not 3. That they be infeebled in their bodies and counsels Make their loyns continually to shake i. e. let them be unfit for War and action or as Saint Paul renders it Ever bow down their backs let them be in perpetual slavery and carry burdens 4. That they suffer speedily greatly and continually 1. Greatly for he prays effunde poure out and that is commonly out of a full Vessel and plentifully 2. Speedily Poure out thy indignation on them for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil 3. Perpetually Let thy wrathful anger take hold of them for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. That their Countrey be wasted and their posterity thrust from their inheritance and houses Let their habitation be desolate and none dwell in their Tents And here the Prophet interserts a Reason which was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or which is worse their adding affliction to affliction so far from commiseration that they help to increase the grief of those whom God hath wounded For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten and they talk to grieve those whom thou hast wounded 6. That they may fill up the measure of their iniquity and so be ripe for Gods Sickle Add iniquity to iniquity withdraw thy grace that they sin freely 7. That they dye in the state of impenitency Let them not come into thy righteousness 8. That they finally perish Let them be blotted out of the Book of the living and not be written with the righteous 3. The third part He sings praise Hitherto we have heard Davids complaints and prayers but now out of the sense of divine protection he breaks out into praises 1. Ver. 29 He confesses his own condition As for me I am poor and sorrowful and then acknowledgeth Gods help Let thy salvation set me on high And assures himself of Gods acceptance The effects shall be 2. Then with full voyce he sings praise I will praise the Name of God with a Song and will magnifie it with Thanksgiving 3. And of this praise he promiseth himself acceptance This also shall please the Lord better than an Oxe or Bullock that hath Horns and Hoofs And the effect of this his praise for his deliverance 1 Joy to the afflicted will be double First upon the godly poor afflicted people and secondly upon the whole World 1. The effect upon the poor will be joy The humble and meek shall see this and be glad and your heart shall live that seek God their sad heart shall revive 2. The Reason is For the Lord heareth the poor and despiseth not his Prisoners David and Christ he heard and this gives assurance that he will hear suos vincta those that suffer for him Then secondly 2 Thanksgiving in all men the effect it shall have upon the whole World is a general Thanksgiving 1. Let the Heaven and the Earth praise him the Seas and every thing that moveth therein 2. And the Reason he gives for it is worth noting which is his goodness to his Church and people 1. For Gods goodness to his Church In saving them from their enemies He will save Zion 2. In confirming his Kingdom among them He will build the Cities of Judah 3. In giving them security and peace That men may dwell there and have it in possession 4. In conserving it perpetually that the Cates of Hell shall not prevail against it The seed also of his servants shall inherit it and they that love his Name shall dwell therein Not Hypocrites but they who love him sincerely and worship him in Spirit and Truth The Prayer collected out of the sixty ninth Psalm O Blessed Lord God who art more ready to grant than we to ask let this be the time when my prayer shall be accepted by thée O God Ver. 13 in the multitude of thy mercy hear me Hear me O Lord for thy loving-kindness is good Turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies and hide not thy face from thy servant for I am in trouble Hear me speedily Ver. 1 and save me O my God The waters are come even unto my soul Ver. 1 O let not the water-flood overflow me neither let the deep swallow me up and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me I sink in deep mire where there is no standing deliver me out of the mire Ver. 2 and let me not sink Now in the midst of these extremities I am weary with crying unto thee my throat is dry and hoarse through my daily complaining yea and my eyes are grown weak and dim in looking upward Ver. 18 and in waiting for help from my God Draw nigh then unto my soul and redeem it and let me have an experience of the truth of thy salvation My enemies O Lord are many and mighty and malicious Ver. 4 Those that hate me are more in number than the hairs of my head Mighty they are also Ver. 5 and most injurious for they call me to an account for that I never took and punish me for that I never deserved O Lord Thou knowest my foolishness Ver. 4 and my faults are not hid from thee against thee only I have sinned but to them I have done no harm and yet such is their malice that they séek to destroy me wrongfully and without any cause of mine séek to take away my life To thée O Lord all things are manifest Thou hast known my reproach my shame and my dishonour and my Adversaries are alwayes before thee and this reproach is so great that it hath even broken my heart and I am full of heaviness and which is yet more grievous in this my distress I looked for some to take pity on me but I found none and for comsorters but I found none for not only my enemies afflicted me but even my friends ran from me Ver. 8 and forsook me I am become as it were a stranger unto my Friends and Brethren and an Alien to those who are of my own blood my mothers children and most familiar friends stand staring upon my trouble
deny me and afford me no comfort And all this is done unto me without any fault or offence of mine Ver. 7 it is for thy sake I have born this reproach For thy sake shame hath covered my face for the zeal of thy House hath eaten me up I have béen very zealous for the Lord God of Hosts they have thrown down thine Altars and slain thy Prophets with the edge of the Sword very studious I have béen and fervent to maintain thy Religion in its purity which others have cast down and in it so much as lies in them have reproached thée but the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me Because thy Name was dishonoured I wept I chastned even my soul with fasting and whereas I ought for this to have béen more dear unto them I became a scorn even my humiliation and acts of repentance were turned to my reproach I testified also my sadness by my Sackloth and for this I became a Proverb of reproach The Iudges the chief of the City they which sit in the Gates speak against me condemning me and detracting from me and as for the common ordinary sort of people the Drunkards they made songs of me In a word They gave me Gall to eat and Vinegar to drink so inhumane they were that whereas in my greatest sufferings and extremities they ought to have refreshed and relieved me they increased my sorrows and under a colour of refreshment added affliction to the afflicted Now in the midst of these grievances that which most grieves my heart is the scandal of the Cross afraid I am lest that any of thy people looking upon those things which I suffer should estéem me stricken smitten of God and afflicted and thereby take an occasion to renounce the Truth of Religion and fall from thée I beséech thée therefore O Lord God of Hosts Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed for my sake let not them that seek thee be confounded for my sake O Lord God of Israel O Lord to remove this scandal there is no readier way than to bring them down to humble them and to poure the vials of thy wrath upon them Let then their Table be made a snare unto them and what should have been a welfare let it become a trap Gall and bitterness they have offered to me let their dainties be bitterness in their mouths and gall to their palates A snare they have laid for my féet and let that in which they hope to be prosperous and happy be an occasion of falling the very eating of the Paschal Lamb their ruine and thy Word the food of their souls an occasion of errour In hearing let them hear and not understand and in séeing let them sée and not perceive make the heart of this people fat and make their ears heavy and shut their eyes lest they sée with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and convert and be healed Inféeble them O Lord and make their loins to tremble and shake bow down their backs with slavery and hard bondage and press them continually with such burdens of miseries that they may groan and sigh under the heavy hand of their Oppressors Plentifully and speedily poure forth thy indignation upon them and let thy fiercest anger and vengeance continually pursue them let their houses be desolate not a stone left upon a stone and their land without an inhabitant let them procéed from one wickedness to another and add sin to sin till their iniquity come to the full neither ever let them repent them of their wicked wayes that thou might'st pardon and forgive their heinous transgressions or justifie them at thy great Tribunal with mercy thou wilt indulge to all true penitents And although hitherto they have béen reckoned among thy people of whom they are born and with whom thou hast established thy Covenant yet O Lord let them be blotted out of the Book of the living and not be written among the righteous And it is but just that all this happen unto them because when common humanity and thy Word also requires That we weep with him that weeps and lament with him that laments they have helped on the affliction for they persecute Him whom thou hast smitten and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded O Lord I am wounded I suffer justly under thy hand but to them I have done no harm at this time I am poor and sorrowful destitute of all humane help and affected with extream heaviness Arise then for me and let thy salvation set me up on High Deliver me O Lord from these troubles and so shall I praise thy Name with a Song Ver. 30 Save me from my enemies and I shall magnifie thee with Thanksgiving which sacrifice Ver. 31 I know will better please thee than the fat of fed Beasts or the incense of Rams Besides all those that are of a dejected spirit humbled and brought low at the sight of my afflictions will consider this sée they will That God heareth the poor and despiseth not those who are in captivity and imprisoned for his sake and they will be glad and rejoyce at it and the heart of all those that seek thâ—â— which was even dead before will then revive and live O Lord save Sion and build the Cities of Judah let men dwell there and have it in possession let the seed of thy servants inherit it and all those that love thy Name dwell therein so shall the Heaven and Earth praise thee and every thing that moveth therein Amen Amen PSAL. LXX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalme is the same with the five last verses of the fortieth Psalm The Contents of this Psalm are 1. The Prayer of David for himself that he may be freed from his enemies ver 1. which he repeats ver 5. 2. For the speedy destruction of the wicked ver 2 3. 3. For the prosperity of the godly ver 4. 4. The Arguments he urgeth to move God to grant his prayer 1. His miserable condition I am poor and needy 2. Gods office Thou art my Helper and Redeemer therefore make no long tarrying O my God The Psalm needs no farther Analysis because it is fully Analysed before in the end of the fortieth Psalm The Prayer out of the seventieth Psalm O Lord we therefore daily implore thy mercy because we are daily beset with danger Enemies we have without within us from whose malice and cruelty we can find no safety Ver. 5 except in thy favour and mercy Thou alone art our Help and Deliverer make then no long tarrying O my God rather make haste to deliver us Ver. 1 make haste to help us Many there are that seek after my soul let them be ashamed and confounded Ver. 2 many there are that desire my hurt let them be turned backward and put to confusion suddenly let them be turned back and put to flight Ver. 3 that rejoyce at
his coming injustice and iniquity prevailed in the world there were as many Religions as Nations for men walked in their own wayes Vers. 7 in his dayes it shall be otherwise O Lord therefore raise up thy power and come amongst us that all iniustice being put to flight righteousness may flourish and iniquity chased away holiness may take place and war and contention and strife and hatred being banish'd from among men there may be abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth It is the honour of thy Kingdom that it is established in equity and peace Oh that it might be increased and inlarged Vers. 8 It would be the very joy of our hearts to see thy dominion extended from Sea to Sea and from the river to the end of the earth that as all power is given unto thee in heaven and earth so all knees might bow unto thy name and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father Let the people that dwell in the Wilderness bow before thee and those Vers. 9 who were formerly thy enemies and inhabit the farther parts of the earth Vers. 10 become homagers unto thee and in sign of obedience and subjection to thy power bow themselves at thy feet Vers. 11 and kiss the very ground on which thou treadest Let the Kings of Tarshish and those that remain in the Islands bring thee presents and let the deceiv'd Princes of Arabia and Saba in a reverent and humble manner offer thee honourable gifts O let all Kings fall down before thee and all Nations become thy voluntary Servants Neither shall it ever repent any man of this his profession and reverent submission to thy Scepter since as it is thy office so also thou wilt deliver the needy when he cryeth thou wilt spare the poor thou wilt save and redeem their souls from deceit and violence O Lord we are thy people poor and needy destitute of all true goodness weak and oppressed by the cruel power and impetuous tyranny of the enemy of man-kind the devil Vers. 13 among men there is none to help us among Angels there is not one who can deliver us Vers. 14 and save us an object we are fit for thy power and mercy out of meer compassion arise for us to thee we cry upon thes we call deliver these poor and needy souls of ours from slavery and bondage from the heavy and bitter yoke of this Oppressor Be not severe and harsh to us that are thy Subjects but out of thy clemency spare us pardon the errors of those who are of an humble spirit and pass by the transgressions of those who do acknowledge their own weaknesses and disabilities look unto thy people that are of a broken heart and save their souls from sin from death from the curse of the Law from all evil O thou Saviour of the world which didst purchase that name with the price of thy own precious blood redeem thy people from deceit and violence The deceits and baits of sin are many with which we are too often taken the allurements of the world more with which we are bewitch'd the violences and assaults of the Prince that rules in the air most powerful to whom we too too often yield our selves captive O thou Redéemer of man-kind redéem our souls we beséech thée from this tyranny and base slavery Let not sin reign in our mortal bodies that we obey it in the lusts thereof But as thou hast shed thy blood to redéem us from this vassalage so let us be no longer flaves to sin and Satan but deliver us from this bondage frée us from this tyranny and as we have fornierly serded our lusts so hereafter let us serve thée in righteousness and holiness all the dayes of our life Then shall we hope for prosperity in our wayes Vers. 16 and thy blessing upon our labours the handfulls of corn we sow upon the tops of the hills shall yield us a plentiful increase and the ears shall be sat thick and full like the plenty of Lebanon our Cities shall be full of people and our people flourish as the grass which clothes and covers the ground with a pleasing gréenness O blessed Saviour live for ever and of thy Kingdom let there be no end To thée and to the advancement of thy service and honour let men bring of the gold of Arabia never let them think any thing too rich too good for thée Let thy Temples be had in honour and thou alone honour'd in thy Temples There let men bow with reverence There let prayer and intercessions be made continually to thée And there let men offer the Sacrifice of praise and thanks And thou O King of Saints who sits at the right-hand of thy Father receive the hymns which are presented in thy name hear and hearken to and hearken to and grant those petitions which thy people shall offer for the prosperity of thy Kingdom and the good successes of thy Gospel O let thy name be praised and the praise thereof endure for ever and let thy Fathers name be honour'd in thée as long as the Sun shall rejoice as a Gyant to run his course And according to thy promise made unto Abraham in thée let all the Nations of the earth be blessed with spiritual and everlasting blessings Him O everlasting Father thou hast blessed and glorified and in him and for him bless and glorifie us Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel for he alone by his own power hath done these wonderful things for us He is our King and he saves and he delivers and he redéems and he spares his people pardoning our offences and passing by our iniquities right precious in his sight is the blood of his Saints Let his name be praised and had in perpetual remembrance and let the Majesty of his power the greatness of his mercy and the mercy of his righteousness be glorious for ever and ever and let the whole earth be fill'd with his Glory Amen Amen The end of the second book of the Psalms according to the Hebrews PSAL. LXXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Prophet shews the grief that good men sustain at the prosperity of the wicked and at the pressures of the godly and how bitter a tentation this is but at last consulting the Will of God he finds and acknowledgeth that the felicity of wicked men ends in infelicity and the crosses of the godly are the way to happiness with which consideration he quiets his troubled soul Let then the Question be Who is the happy man whether the godly or ungodly he that serves God with a pure heart or he that serves his belly and lusts And the parts of the Psalm will be in general Are these 1. The Arguments produced for the happiness of the wicked from ver 1. to 10. 2. The impression these Arguments make too often in a carnal mind ver 2 3 10 11 12 13 14. 3. The Rejection of
those impressions and doubts 15 16 17. 4. The Refutation of those former Arguments that for those the wicked were not to be accounted happy ver 18 19 20. 5. The Prophets censure and condemnation of himself for his former judgment ver 21 22. 6. His full resolution of the doubt after the full examination of the Reasons on both sides that it is happiness only to cleave to God and therefore the wicked however they floâ—â—â—h are unhappy from ver 23. to the end The Prophet before he falls to debate the question The first part A Paradox premiseth this Paradox or Probleme Truly or But God is loving or good to Israel 2. And that he be not mistaken in it he warily limits it viz. that be means not all Israel Ver. 1 not every one that carries the name But those who are of a clean heart Israelites indeed That God is good to Israel viz. the sincere-hearted as was Nathanael And this he premiseth for a Truth though at first sight a strange on praeter opinionem vulgi as are all Paradoxes and it seems before he durst pronounce it he had a long debate with himself and strugled with flesh and blood heard all that could be said to the contrary much of which he after expresses and yet he is bold to utter and resolute to stick to this conclusion Truly God is good to Israel David tempted to think otherwise which wrought much upon him Much debate there was as I said betwixt him and his soul before he came to resolve and the temptations to the contrary as it seems were very strong so much he confesseth in the two following verses 1. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well â—â—gh slipt Ver. 2 The Argument on the contrary side had near drawn him to a contrary opinion near made him resolve that God is not good to Israel 2. Ready to breed in him envy emulation vexation Ver. 3 and perturbation of spirit For I was envious at the foolish The Argument was their present prosperity Now the main Argument was The peace the prosperity the successes of wicked persons I well nigh slipt I grew envious Ver. 3 when I saw the prosperity of the wicked A sharp tentation as appears not only in this place but Jarem 12.1 2. Job 21.7 c. The second part This amplified Now this prosperity of the wicked is amplified by a long Narration and shewed in many particulars to the tenth verse and that two wayes Negatively 2. Affirmatively 1. Negatively 1 Negatively 1. There are no bands in their death but their strength is firm the sense diverse Ver. 4 1. Either not vexed with sharp diseases so that they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an easie death 2. Or their death not hastned by misfortunes adversities calamities 3. Or else by their riches they extricate themselves from the bonds of all Laws by which otherwise they ought to dye and therefore their strength is firm for by the power of their purse there is nothing which they cannot do 2. Ver. 5 They are in no trouble like other men neither are they plagued like other men In troubles they are and plagued they may be but not like other men 1. Incumbrances of wife children houshold affairs victuals c. lie on other men 2. Famine war pestilence invade others but they living in prosperity have means to avoid the first and find means to escape the extremities of the last Then affirmatively he shews what follows upon their prosperity 2 Affirmatively and to the life sets out unto us their manners Vermis divitiarum superbia Therefore 1. They are divellish proud Pride compasseth them about as with a chain As their Chains of Gold compass their necks He expresseth their manners so pride surrounds their hearts or they are catenati as slaves in chains so are they bond-slaves of pride 2. 1 Inwardly And guilty they are of that which commonly accompanies pride viz. Violence Tyranny Oppression Violence covereth them as a Garment They are involved and wrap't up in it and hope to keep themselves warm by it 3. 2 Outwardly Pride and fierceness are their internal qualities and now the Prophet shews how they are manifested outwardly in their gesture apparrel gate speech 1. Ver. 7 Their pride is seen in their eyes Their eyes swell with fatness 2. Then in their words They pass the thoughts of the heart on this he stayes 1. They speak against the poor For they are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They impudently boast of their Theft and Rapine 2. They speak loftily They speak with Authority think of others words nothing to theirs 2. They speak against God For they set their months against the Heavens 3. Their tongue walks through the Earth They intermeddle and labour to have an oar in all Kingdoms no Law of God or man holds them This impression the prosperity of the wicked may sometimes make even upon a considerate and good man This their prosperity produceth a dangerous effect on the vulgar but upon the common man and sottish multitude the tentation produceth a far more dangerous effect in them it brings forth 1. Faction and part taking in mischief therefore his people are turned hither i. e. 1 Faction because they have money to feed them they behold them successful therefore his people i. e. Those who profess Religion turn to them side with them fight for them 2. And they again pay them well Waters of a full cup are wrung out to them 2. 2 Atheism Atheism and Blasphemy Hesitation of Gods Providence nay a plain denial of it 1. They say how doth God know as if they had said They are fools which think God takes care of things below and what every one does in this World 2. Nay how can he he is in excelso on high and how can he know what 's done here What is there knowledge in the most High 3. 3 Extream folly Extreme folly for they collect That God cares not for things below because these men are ungodly and yet they prosper in the World and increase in riches 1. In this yet they are wise that they can discern betwixt piety and impiety 2. In this also that they think it just Vt bonis benè ut malis malè à Deo fiat 3. In this lies their folly that they know not that eternal happiness is reserv'd as a portion an inheritance for the just and that the happiness which the Earth can afford is a common commodity alotted to men in general nay to beasts also Hitherto the Prophet hath disputed the Thesis as far as it makes against him and may seem to speak for the felicity of a wicked man together with the impressions their prosperity makes at first on some good men and generally on the vulgar and the multitude 1. But now he descends to speak of the
found their hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pind. 4. The cause of this consternation At thy rebuke O God of Jacob both the Chariot and Horse are cast into a dead sleep Thus God became Glorious and Excellent among good men 2 Terrible 2. Vers. 7 But he became Terrible also to wicked men So Terrible that 1. Thou even thou art to be feared for who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry None be he never so proud 2. Vers. 8 Of which this is an evident Argument Thou didst cause judgement to be heard from heaven It was so in the destruction of Senacherib The earth feared and was still Men saw it were amaz'd at it and put to silence And this work of God in overthrowing his enemies The effects of it and saving his Church he farther amplifies When God arose to judgement to save all the meek of the earth Vers. 9 The consequent was this 1. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee 1 Praise from the wicked The fierceness and rage of man against thy Church shall at last turn to thy praise confess they shall being conquered by thy hand that thou art mightier than they so did Pharaoh This is the finger of God so Julian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain 2 And victory Though they body and rally again yet thou shalt overcome and conquer their fury 3. In the Close he exhorts all Gods people to vow him honour The third part For which and to perform their vow 1. Vow and pay unto the Lord your Gâ—d let all that are round about him bring presents unto him that ought to be feared All to vow praises 2. And he adds his Reason in an Epiphonema 1. He shall cut off the spirits of Princes Take away from Tyrants their courage and prudence 2. He is terrible to the Kings of the earth They shall know he is God A Psalm of Thanksgiving after some great Victory collected out of the seventy sixth Hsalm O Omnipotent God and most merciful Father it hath pleased thy unspeakable goodness beyond any merit or desert of our's Ver. 1 to make thy self known to us in thy Gospel and thy Name great and famous in our Israel Declared thou hast to all Nations that Salem the City of peace is that place where thou wilt set up thy Tabernacle and Mount Sion thy Church Ver. 2 that habitation which thou wilt defend from the violent attempts of her malicious enemies Our ingratitude no question was very great and our provocations many our lives not answering to the light of thy Word which thou madest shine unto us and because we rebelled against thée therefore this great Army of rebellious men is justly risen up against us who threatned to unroot thy people and utterly to lay waste thy Zion But thou O Lord passing by our transgressions hast put a hook into the nose of our enemies and a bridle into their lips defended miraculously thou hast thy City Jerusalem for thy own sake and for thy servant Davids sake our blessed Saviour There hast thou broken the strength of the Bowe Ver. 3 and not suffered him to shoot an arrow there in our land thou hast made void their Shield dull'd the edge of the Sword scattered their Army and by thy power dissolved and brought to nothing all their warlike preparation and ammunition When we are compassed as it were with a darksom cloud of fear and even despaired of any help and succour then thou didst appear in glory thy excellence then arose to save us our aid was from Heaven our deliverance from above thy Kingdom established in righteousness and holiness far excéeds that power that is gotten by violence murder and robbery therefore they that came to spoil us are spoiled they are consumed and have slept their sleep out of which when they awaked they have béen amazed that in their hands of so much wealth and plunder which they dreamed of they found nothing which hapned unto them not by the course and ordinary changes and chances of things in this World no nor yet by our force and power but at thy rebuke O God of Jacob by thy command by the severity of thy judgment both the Chariot and those who trusted in it both the Horse and his Rider are fallen O Lord Thou even thou art terrible Thou even thou alone art to be feared Who is there though never so potent though defenced with the strongest Army that is able to resist thée that may stand in thy sight when thou art angry At this time thou hast fought from Heaven for us Thou didst make all people to hear thy judgments from thence and the Tyrants of the earth when they felt the power of thy hand trembled and shaked at it their heart melted and their knées smote together quiet they were and silent not daring to mutter against thée or against thy people O Lord the fierceness the rage the pride of man shall turn to thy praise even thy enemies the profanest men being humbled by thy judgments shall confess thy power and acknowledge thy hand say they shall This is the finger of God that thou Lord goest before thy people that thou hast done it and their posterity shall by their example be restrained from doing any such wickedness and by their fathers punishment taught to fear God And now O all ye which are Israelites indéed and perptually stand in his presence Vow unto your God for this his great mercy and pay the sacrifice of praise bring presents unto him whom alone you ought to fear and reverence To him I say vow and perform your vows who for your sake hath cut off the animosities and taken down the courage of Princes and made it appear That he will be a terrible God to all the Kings of the earth to whom be praise to whom be glory now and for ever Amen PSAL. LXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In this Psalm the Prophet shews the bitter agony which a troubled spirit undergoes upon the sense of Gods desertion and the comfort again it receives upon the consideration of Gods great and gracious works Two parts of this Psalm 1. He sets forth the strife betwixt the flesh and the Spirit and how the flesh tempts to despair and calls into question the goodness and favour of God from ver 1. to 10. 2. Next he shews the victory of the spirit over the flesh being raised encouraged and confirmed by the Nature Promises and Works of God from the 10th verse to the end of the Psalm an excellent Psalm this is and of great use in all spiritual desertions 1. The first part I cryed unto God with my voyce even unto God with my voyce and he gave ear unto me Ver. 1 in the day of my trouble I sought the Lord ver 1 2. Here David shews the course he took to find ease in his extream trouble of soul he accused not
brings them into the case that David here was 2. To which he adds a Doxology Who is so great a God as our God which he confirms in the following verse Thou art the God that dost wonders Thou hast declared thy strength among the people thy power thy wisdom thy protection of thy Church even to all people the Heathens themselves and strangers to Israel may see it and acknowledge it if not blind 2. 2 To Israel in particular But in particular Thou hast declared thy strength in defence of Israel Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people the sons of Jacob and Joseph And he amplifies this story of their deliverance from Aegypt by several instances of Gods power in it 1. In the red Sea The waters saw thee O God the waters saw thee not only the Aegyptians but the sensless Element felt thy power they were afraid the depths also were troubled Exod. 14. 2. In the Heaven The clouds poured out water the skies sent out a sound thine arrows also went abroad the voyce of thy Thunder was in the Heavens thy lightnings lightned the World Exod. 14.24 25. 3. In the earth The earth trembled and shook and all this was done that Israel might have a passage through it Thy way is in the Sea and thy passage in the great waters and thy footsteps are not known And the final cause of this miracle was The final cause of it that he might shew his severity toward his enemies and his goodness toward his people for whose deliverance he sent Moses and Aaron ordained a King and a Priest by them Thou leddest thy people like sheep by the hands of Moses and Aaron The Prayer collected out of the seventy seventh Psalm VVITH all ardency of spirit earnestness of soul and contention of voyce Ver. 1 have I cryed unto thée O Lord constantly and fervently have I cryed unto thée O hear the voyce of my prayer and let my cry come unto thée when I was in trouble I expected I called for no humane help but I fled to thée to thée I called for aid and comfort with stretched-out hands and eyes bent to Heaven I stood before my God O let me not be disappointed of my hope In the night-season Ver. 2 when others devoid of care take their rest and sléep my sore ran and ceased not I found no rest in my bones by reason of my sin yea so great was the grief of my soul That I refused comfort I remembred my God whom I had so often and so foully offended and I was troubled at it my sin my grievous sin lies heavy upon my soul it makes me to complain and the conscience of it so far depresseth my spirit That I am even overwhelmed with fear and sorrow By the dread I have of thy anger my eyes are held waking and I pass the long night in which others are refreshed with sléep without any rest and I am so troubled in my self that I have no mind to speak I revolved in my mind the times that were past and the years of former Generations in which thou hadst dealt mercifully with afflicted souls And in the night-season a season most fit for meditation I called to remembrance my song my song in which with a joyful heart I was wont to praise thée and yet so I received not comfort I communed with my own heart I searched out as with a Lanthorn my soul I called to mind thy clemency to thy children thy Truth in thy Word thy Iustice in thy Promises the causes of all calamities and these my sorrows and yet so I could not be comforted Ah merciful Lord and loving Father Wilt thou cast me off for ever and wilt thou no more be favourable to me Thou art patient and long-suffering Thou art the Father of mercies thy property is to have pity thy promise to forgive and spare thy people and is thy mercy now gone for ever and doth thy promise fail for evermore What hâ—st thou forgotten to be gracious and wilt thou in anger shut up thy tender bowels of mercies that I shall never more have any sense or féeling of them Of a truth Lord for my wicked life I have deserved the fiercest of thy wrath and all the judgments which thou hast threatned against rebellious sinners but O Lord Thou art able of a Saul to make a Paul of a Publican a Disciple of Zachaeus a Penitent of Mary Magdalen a Convert these changes are in the hand of the most High Turn then me O Lord and so I shall be turned and turn unto me and so I shall be refreshed pardon my sin and change my heart and so I shall be assured that thy mercy is not clean gone For after this long debate betwixt me and my own soul upon the serious thoughts of thy mercy I came to this resolve that my diffidence proceeded from my own pusillanimity for I said all this trouble is from my own infirmity I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High I will remember how gracious he hath béen to other sinners how strangely he hath converted them how mercifully he hath forgiven them and this change hath put me in good hope of an old man to become a new man of a vessel of wrath a vessel of mercy and that though in anger for a time he hath séemed to desert me yet out of méer compassion he will return and be gracious to me I will remember the works of the Lord surely I will remember thy wonders of old time I will meditate also of all thy works and talk of thy doings I will call to mind That thou dost not call thy people to partake of the pleasures of this World but to desperate conflicts with sin death Satan and Hell that there is not any of thy servants of old but have born this burden and heat of the day and shall I then look to escape shall I hope to be exempted Thy way O God is in the Sanctuary A secret there is why thou dealest thus with thy servants and known it cannot be till we go into thy Sanctuary there we may learn That thou chastnest every child that thou receivest there we shall find That the reason of all thy procéedings are full of equity and holiness and that there is nothing we can justly reprehend or complain of Which of the gods of the Nations is in power to be compared unto thée which in mercy is like thée Thou art the God that dost wonders Thou hast declared thy strength in our weakness thy power in our infirmity O shew therefore thy self to be the self-same God and in this my weakness and infirmity support me It is not for nothing that thy favour to thy people Israel is left upon Record the Redemption of the sons of Jacob and Joseph are expressions of thy power and mercy Then O Lord the waters of the red Sea law thee then the waters felt thy presence and as if
they had béen strucken with fear by thy hand they fled and the depths of the Ocean being troubled forgetting to flow on the right and left hand stood up in heaps as if they had béen congealed to Mountains of ice but after thy people were passed through at thy command they relented and with an hasty and hideons reflux overwhelmed Pharoah and his Chariots by their violence Then the clouds poured out water from above there came a fearful noise which astonished his warlike Horses thy hail in manner of arrows were shot from Heaven Thou roaredst from the sky in the voyce of Thunder and thy lightning flashed in their faces from which their fear was so great that they thought the immovable Orb of the earth did shake and tremble under their féet Thy way was then in the Sea and thy path in the waters and after the parted streams came together again thy footsteps are not known no evidence there was thou hadst béen there Moses thy Prince and Aaron thy Priest were then thy Ministers who led thy people as a Shepherd his flock through the depths of the red Sea This thy miraculous redemption is written for our instruction I do remember O Lord what thou hast done fréed a distressed people delivered a broken hearted Nation saved from death those who did despair of life Lord I am distressed send from Heaven and relieve me I am broken-hearted O Lord come and heal me I am even at the point to dye save and quicken me As thou hast set me up for a mark of thy justice so make me also a monument of thy compassion let me obtain mercy that in me first Christ Iesus might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life Despair I will not for I serve a good Lord hope for pardon I will for I trust in a merciful God This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation That Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of these I am the chief the chiefest object then O Lord for thy mercy thy goodness can be no where so conspicuous as in saving me Lord then have mercy upon me Christ have mercy upon me Lord have mercy upon me hear my voyce give ear to my cry in the day of my trouble I have sought to thee let me find thée so shall my heart rejoyce my flesh rest in hope and my tongue be encouraged to sing Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen PSAL. LXXVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Prophet considering that it is Gods Command that his works be not forgotten but that the Fathers deliver his former doings to posterity that they might be to them for comfort and instruction deter them from obstinacy in sin and perswade them to the fear of God he doth in this Psalm give in a prolix Catalogue of Gods dealing with his people even from their coming out of Aegypt to the dayes of David The parts of the Psalm are these 1. A Preface in which he exhorts to learn and declare the way of God from ver 1. to 9. 2. A continued Narrative of Gods administration among his people and their stubbornness disobedience and contumacy together with the revenge that God took upon them from ver 9. to 67. 3. His mercy yet that he did not wholly cast them off but after the rejection of Ephraim made choice of Judah Zion David from ver 67. to 72. 1. In the Exordium he labours to gain attention Give ear O my people The Exordium in which he labours for attention to my Law encline your ears to the words of my mouth and in this and the following verses useth many arguments to gain attention as 1. It is Gods Law which he is to deliver his Doctrine The first part the words of his mouth taught delivered from Heaven Ver. 1 and deposited only with the Prophet To Gods Law from the 1. Excellency of it 2. It is worth hearing for it is a Parable a dark but wise saying and it of old I will open my mouth in a Parable I will utter dark sayings of old it hath dignity wisdom antiquity to commend it Ver. 2 3. Yea and certainty of Tradition also Which we have heard and known and such as our Fathers have told us And now he acquaints them with the end 2 The end to be shewn not hid which is another Argument for attention 1. It was not to hide them or conceal them from their children Ver. 4 2. But to shew them to the Generations to come of vvhich That God might be 1. Praised and the ultimatus finis vvas 1. That God be praised for his benefits 1 Praised and shewing the praises of the Lord. 2. That his povver be celebrated in his miracles And his strength 2 His power magnified and wonderful works that he hath done But the intermedius finis was the good of his people for it was 3 His people edified that they might 1. Know God 2. Hope in God 3. And obey God not being rebellious For he that is God established a Testimony in Jacob and appointed a Law in Israel It was not a Law which our Fathers invented but taught from above Now the Duty of the Fathers was to communicate this Law to their posterity Which he commanded our Fathers that they should make known to their children And the Duties of the children follow which are the three ends before 1. That they know God and his Law and Works 1 In knowledge That the Generation to come might know them and the children that were yet unborn and their Duty is again To declare them to their children 2 Faith 2. That they might trust and set their hope in God and not forget the works of God 3. 3 Obedience and That they might be an obedient people and keep his Commandments which they could not be if they were like their fore-fathers for they were a stubborn and rebellious Generation a Generation that set not their heart aright Not rebellious as their fathers of which he gives divers instances The second part and whose spirit cleaved not stedfastly to God 2. And now the Prophet begins his Narration and proves by examples that they were a stubborn and rebellious Generation of which his 1. First example is of the Tribe of Ephraim who being armed and carrying Bowes turned back in the day of Battel which Moller refers to the children of Ephraim invading the land of Canaan before Moses time 1 In Ephraim and were overthrown 1 Chron. 17.21 and were slain because they did it without command Ephraim by a Synecdoche is put for all Israel who were disobedient and cowardly as Souldiers in War that turn their back on the enemy Bellarmine 2. These Ephraimites kept not the Covenant of God and refused to walk in his Law Jeroboam being
is most likely by the Assyrians The parts are 1. A Prayer vers 1 2 3. 2. A complaint by way of expostulation from vers 3. to 8. 3. In the twelve last verses to move God to commiseration He 1. First reckons up Gods love to Israel under the Allegory of a vine from vers 8. to 12. 2. Deplores the waste made upon it vers 12 13. 3. Prayes that God would return look upon and restore the vine from vers 13. to 18. 4. Makes a vow of perpetual service vers 18. 1. The first part His Petition In the beginning of this Psalm the Prophet offers up his Petition for audience for help for favour for repentance and remission of sin 1. Vers. 1 For audience Give ear For if God will not hear 't is to no end to pray 1 For audience 2. Vers. 2 For aid assistance help Stir up thy strength and come and save us shine forth 2 For assistance shew us a favourable countenance 3. Vers. 3 For amendment which is the essense of repentance Turn us again and cause thy face which seems to us cloudy 3 For grace to amend angry now to shine and we shall be saved Vere faelices And the Argument he useth to perswade this His Argument to perswade it Gods love to his Church is from the person of God and his former administration 1. He shew'd himself a shepherd 2. He was glorious in Israel 1. O shepherd of Israel thou that leadest Joseph like a sheep Free us from these Wolves 2. Thou that fitt'st between the Cherubims hast taken up thy seat among us and shew'd thy glorious presence by the Ark that the Cherubims cover Shine forth and shew thou hast not left us 2. Shew thy self before Ephraim Benjamin and Manasseh i.e. before all Israel 2. The second part To his Prayer as ardent Petitioners use he adjoins his Complaint Of which the particulars are these 1. His complaint 1. For Godsanger He complains that God was angry and shews his anger in this that a prayer would not be heard O Lord how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people A sad case this when God who hath commanded Call on me in trouble and I will hear thee yet will not hear No marvel if he began the Psalm with Give ear O Lord. 2. He complains of their lamentable condition their grief and calamity was so great 2 For the misery the Church was in that they eat nor drank without tears no pleasane meat came in their mouths Thou feedest them with the bread of tears and givest them tears to drink in great measure 3. He complains of the ill usage they found from all Vers. 6 both Neighbours and enemies 3 By the ill usage of their oppressors 1. Thou makest us a strife i.e. an occasion of strife to our Neighbours for they contend about us striving who shall reign and domineer over us 2. And our enemies laugh among themselves Make a mock and scorn of us After which complaint the Prophet ingeminates his principal Petition Upon which he redoubles his prayes 1. Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts Make us penitents Converts new men 2. And cause thy face to shine Clear up thy countenance and frown no more 3. And then we know the effect We shall be saved q.d. Vivemus regnabimus faelices erimus nullo bono destituti 3. And that he might the sooner move God to commiseration The third part And puts God in mind what he had done for his people under the Metaphor of a Vine 1. First he puts God in mind what he had done for his people Israel 1. He brought this Vine out of Egypt A choice Vine then translated thence 2. Thou castest out the heathen Purgest as it were Under the Metaphor of a Vine the ground for it 3. Thou plantest it A plant it was of thy own and men love their own plants 4. Thou preparest room before it Removedst all impediments that might hinder the growth 5. And didst cause it to take root Else the planting the making room had been in vain 6. And it fill'd the Land The Vine that is the people grew and multiplyed Which is amplified in the two following verses in which the Amplitude and Glory of the Kingdom is declared 1. The hills were covered with the shadow of it and the boughs thereof like the goodly Cedars 2. She sent out her boughs to the Sea and her branches to the river i.e. Euphrates 2. The Prophet deplores the waste now made upon the Vine 1 And he deplores the waste made upon it and that by God For he faith 1. Why hast thou broken down her hedges The fence being broken down the Vine cannot be safe This the Prophet laments that God had said flat Whether Angels or Laws or his Statutes were the Hedge all was gone Or if the Kings power that was taken away 2. And upon the remove of the Hedge there followed a Triple mischief 1. All those that pass by the way do pluck her Every one that would made havock of the Clusters 2. The Boar out of the wood doth waste it Some home-bred enemy in power enters and spoils it 3. The wild beasts of the field devoure it Tyrants from abroad 3. He prayes to God to have compassion 2 Prayes that God would have compassion on the Vine and look upon his Vine again 1. Return we beseech thee O Lord God of hoasts Thou art the Lord of Armies return then and fight for us We neglected thee when present but once more return and we shall more esteem thy favour and beware how we drive thee from us 2. Look down from heaven Thence protect us For earth cannot help us 3. Behold and visit this Vine Take it once again into thy care For he that will not visit his Vine is not like to have any care of it 4. And on the Vineyard He prayes for the whole Land the Vineyard And visit the Vineyard that thy right-hand hath planted Vers. 15 i.e. thy power And the branch i. e. people that thou madest strong by thy promise and Covenant that it should grow into an ample and great Kingdom for thy self i. e. for thy glory for thy service To bring forth grapes for thee And now once more he interserts and repeats his complaint 1. It is burnt with fire 2. It is cut down Igne ferro grassantur hostes He repeats the complaint 2. They i. e. the boughs branches shoots of the Vine perish at the rebuke of thy countenance It is not the enemies swords but thy rebuke of us for our sins that hath brought upon us this devastation 5. And again prayes He prayes again almost in the same words of the 15. verse Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right-hand and upon the son of man whom thou madest strong for thy self In the interpretation of this verse Interpreters
agree not For by the son of man 1. Some understand Christ who is often call'd the son of man and is the man on Gods right-hand 2. The Jews Zerobabel or some other chief Leader Which Jansenius saith is the more probable opinion 3. Others the Jewish Nation and the whole body of that people whom God is pleased to call His Son Israel is my first-born who was the man of his right-hand because grown strong by his power To this opinion Musculus and Moller encline According to the first interpretation which is Basils the sense is this Let thy hand and power be shew'd by the man of thy right-hand thy Son and for his sake spare thy Vineyard and let not the enemy utterly waste it 2. According to the second he prayes that God would send them some strong and mighty Saviour or Deliverer 3. According to the third he prayes that God would shew his power and might and not suffer his people whom he had taken unto him in the place of a Son and to the glory of his name join'd to himself by the right-hand of his power and strength of Covenant now to the ignominy of his name to perish by the cruelty of wicked men 4. The fourth part The last part of the Psalm contains a promise of Gratitude That they would revolt and rebell no more but constantly adhere to God and renounce their Idols A vow of Gratitude 1. So will not we go back from thee We will no more be backsliders 2. Quicken us Revive us from this death this calamity Or Quicken us by thy Spirit and Grace 3. And we will call upon thy name We will serve thee and not any strange god And so he concludes the Psalm with that verse twice before set down and explain'd vers 3. vers 7. now repeated Turn us again O Lord God of hoasts cause thy face to shine and we shall be saved The Prayer collected out of the eightieth Psalm O Almighty and Merciful God Vers. 1 who hast béen accustomed to be present with thy people and to lead them and féed them as a good Shepherd doth his flock give ear at this time to our prayers and graciously hear now we call on thée Thou who art the Lord of all Spirits Vers. 2 and sits invisibly above the Cherubims manifest now thy power turn away thy srowning countenance and let the gracious light of thy face once more shine upon us Stir up thy strength which thou hast séemed to withdraw and come and save us from those evils with which we are at this present compassed and deliver us from those oppressors and oppressions we are forced to endure For those iniquities and grievous sins we have committed against thée Vers. 3 we do acknowledge that thou hast justly rejected us from thy grace and favour and as it were turn'd thy back upon us But gracious God turn us from our ungracious and malicious wayes and turn us unto thée that so thou may'st furn from thy sterce anger and turn unto us Assured we are that upon our turning thou wilt refurn and we shall revive we shall live the life of grace we shall be prosperous we shall be happy For so efficacious is the light of thy countenance that upon the least shine thereof upon us all our enemies will be put to flight and we shall be safe O Lord in this needful time of trouble we have as thou hast commanded called and cryed unto thee but thou séemest not to hear nor yet to answer our Petitions than which there cannot be a greater sign of thy displeasure O Lord God of hoasts that commandest all the Armies of heaven and earth vow down thine ear and hear us look down from heaven and consider our afflictions O Merciful and Almighty God how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people They know no other way to paci â—â—ée no other way to recover thy favour If thou reject our supplications we are undone for ever Heavy are the things which we now suffer so heavy that the bread we cat is soaked in tears and the drink we drink mingled with tears and that not sparingly but in a very great measure so that when we are to take our ordinary repast we have more mind to wéep than to take these refreshments for thou hast brought us to that low condition that our Neighbours who were wont to stand in feare of us strive who shall trample upon us and our enemies provoke and load us with ill words insult over and deride us But O Lord God thou which hast the power over all Armies now at length convert us unto thée by thy grace draw us from our evil wayes and receive us to thy favour which for some years thou hast with-held which if in mercy thou shalt vouchsafe then we shall be saved Thou Lord hast béen heretofore very gracious and indulgent to thy Church She is the Vine and we are the branches This Vine thou hast brought out of Egyptian darkness thou hast called it thy choice Vine thou hast planted it in a very fruitful hill thou hast fenced it and gathered out the stones thereof thou hast prepared room for it and caused it to take root and it flourished so much that it filled the Land the shadow thereof covered the Mountains and the boughs thereof were tall and spreading as the Cedars the branches reached from Sea to Sea and her green Cyences to the end of the earth In a word thou hast chosen planted senced rooted husbanded propagased extended this Vine Kings became her Nursing fathers and Queens her Nursing mothers O then why hast thou broken down the Hedges with which she was formerly secured Why hast thou withdrawn thy protection under which she was so safe To that pass being destitute of thy savour we are brought that all that pass by every one that lists now enters into thy Vineyard and without any prohibition pluck off the grapes The Boare out of the Wood doth unroot it the wild beasts out of the field crop devour and trample upon it Vers. 13 cruel and prophane tyrants more like beasts than men do riot in and depopulate thy Vineyard O thou Lord of hoasts who being angry hast turned away thy face from us take pity of thy own plant look down from heaven thy dwelling place and send us help from thence for vain is the help of man behold and visit yet once more this thy Vine with a pleasing countenance That Vine which not with another but with thy own right-hand thou hast vouchsafed to plant that Vine I beséech thée to restore to its former beauty look upon that people which thou hast call'd thy Son thy first-born a weak and unable people to help it self and subsisting only by thy strength that power with which to the honour of thy name thou hast fortified them against their enemies And now upon the withdrawing of thy hand the merciless enemy burns it with fire and hacks
hypocritically and falsly as all flatterers do But to that pass they should have been brought that they should be glad to dissemble with and flatter Gods people 2. 2 Their peace long and lasting The second benefit is That their time should have continued for ever i.e. Their peace their tranquility their health their quiet habitation should have been very long and not interrupted with War Sedition Tumults 3. The third benefit is The abundance of all things Expressed by wheat 3 Abundance of all things to satisfaction and honey 1. I should have fed them also not with bran mixt with flowre as poor folks use and is usual in time of famine with the finest of the wheat 2. And with honey out of the Rock in which in Judaea Bees commonly liv'd would I have satisfied thee 'T is a blessing to say I have enough The Prayer collected out of the eighty first Psalm INsinite Vers. 1 O Lord are the causes that we have with the greatest alacrity to praise thée Thou art our strength thou art the God of Jacob we will therefore sing aloud and make a joyful noyse unto thee and because our breath is too short and low to resound thy praises we will call in the assistance of musical instruments the Nary the Lute and Psaltery and when those Feasts and Solemn Festivals shall come which are set forth for to celebrate thy mercies to man-kind we will blow abroad thy honour with shrill sounding Trumpets In which we yet shall but do our duty for this was made a Statute for Israel and a Law of the God of Jacob. Thou wert merciful to thy people Israel when in trouble they called upon thee thou deliveredst them thou broughtst them to Mount Sinai and proclaimed thy Law in their eares with the sound of a Trumpet when they heard a voice never heard before Thou easest his shoulder from the burden of carrying earth tiles bricks and straw and his hands were delivered from making the pots Thou hast been to us no less merciful than to them when in our afflictions and troubles we have called upon thee thou hast come down and delivered us thou hast freed us from our Aegyptian darkness of ignorance thou hast loused us from the slavery of the devil and from the drudgery and service of sin which laid a heavy burden upon our consciences and instead of thy Law proclaimed with so much terrour in Mount Sinai thou hast spoken to us from heaven by thy only begotten Son and sounded in our ears the glad-tidings of the Gospel And now Lord what doest thou require at our hands for all these favours even the self-same that thou requiredst of Israel For thus thou then spakest to them and thus thou speakest to us Hear O my people Vers. 8 and I will testifie unto thee O Israel if thou wilt hearken unto me there shall be no strange god in thee neither shalt thou worship any other god I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the Land of Aegypt But my people would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me And wo be so us miserable wretches our ears have béen dull of hearing and we have not hearkned to thy command though we have not set up strange gods yet we have worshipped our own imaginations and adored our own inventions We have forgotten that thou brought'st us out of our more than Aegyptian darkness of ignorance and sin and fill'd our mouths with all good things In a word we have not hearkned to thy voice we have set thée by for the vanities of our own hearts and would none of thée In justice therefore thou hast given us up to our hearts lusts and we have walked in our own counsels and because we would not receive the love of the truth that we might be saved for this cause hath God sent us a strong delusion that we should be lieve a lye and take pleasure in unrighteousness But O Lord though Israel hath transgressed yet let not Judah sin in Sodom thou hadst a Lot in Ur of the Chaldees an Abraham in the Land of Uz a Job though the four hundred Prophets have followed Baal yet there is one Micajah left nay seven thousand vnées that have not vowed to the Idol these will hearken unto thee these will walk in thy wayes Lord here their prayers hearken unto their groans for the remnant that are left And thou who wouldst have spared that sinful City at the request of Abraham could ten righteous men have been found in it return in mercy to the thousands of Israel which day and night cry unto thee to spare thy people O Lord for their fakes rather for thine own sake spéedily subdue and bring under our enemies and turn thy hand against our adversaries let all those who by their works and practical Atheism séem to hate thee bow like lerbants before thy people and at least shew and sein a voluntary subjection not daring to carry themselves proudly and stubbornly before thy servants nor to manifest their secret rancour But let the time of those who in sincerity of heart in truth and in spirit worship thée endure for ever let their peace be secure their tranquility long their prosperity perpetual their habitation quiet and their health confirm'd When they shall open their mouths wide in prayer fulfil their requests whatsoever they shall ask in thy name according to thy promise give it Because they first seek the glory and prosperity of thy Kingdom and the righteousness thereof let all other things be added unto them Supply them with the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth when other Prodigals féed upon husks then feed them with the finest of the wheat Let the Rocks yield them honey the Mountains Brass and Iron let their pastures de clothed with flocks Vers. 1 and their valleys to codered over with corn that they shout for ioy and sing that they take a Psalm and bring forth the Tabret the merry Harp with the Lute and on thy great and appointed Solemnities sing aloud to the God of their strength and make a cheerful noyse to the God of Jacob. Grant this O Lord for Jesus Christs sake our only Lord and Saviour Amen PSAL. LXXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THAT the Prophet might admonish and check the Judges of the earth about their duty he sets God in the midst of them commanding that they do justice and â—hreatning revenge for their injustice assuring them that he will rise one day and judge them Three parts of the Psalm 1. The Prophets Proclamation vers 1 2. Gods contestation with the Judges of the earth from vers 2. to 8. 3. The Prophets prayer that God would rise to judge v. 8. 1. The first part Gods preâ—ence proclaimed in the Court. The Prophet as a Cryer in a Court proclaims first a very profitable Doctrine and layes a solid foundation for all justice viz. That all Judges remember that as at
hear I say for he speaks upon a condition that they be not Backsliders the Prophet puts in a Caveat for that But let them not turn again to folly And this the Prophet confirms in the next verse by a vehement asseveration 1. Surely his salvation i. e. freedom from all dangers is nigh them that fear him 2. And the end is That glory may dwell in our land i.e. That our Land may be in a happy condition enjoying peace and the fruits of peace plenty laws liberty and quietness for glory here is opposed to devastation And this the Prophet amplifies by an enumeration of the consequences of peace The consequences of peace Inter arma silent leges silent virtutes Cruelty the opposite to mercy falshood and errour which is opposed to Truth Injustice the opposite to righteousness bears all the sway but when God shall speak peace to his people all will be contrary 1. Mercy and Truth are met together righteousness and peace have kissed each other A combination of mercy truth justice peace These vertues shall be in great honour viz. Mercy and Truth Righteousness and the study of peace and concord Justice and peace kiss for there is such a league betwixt these two that where peace is made without justice it is not like long to continue and Mercy and Truth must meet for it is no mercy to spare errour and falshood 2. Truth shall flourish out of the Earth i. e. Because men shall be lovers and observers of Truth in their bargains contracts leagues words and promises they shall make the earth flourishing and the land where peace dwells happy 3. And righteousness hath looked down from Heaven For as the rain that descends from Heaven doth make the earth fruitful so the justice that comes from Heaven Gods justice is that which will make a people happy for this will teach to love thy Neighbour as thy self Quod tibi hoc alteri which the statutes of Omri will not do 4. In a word which is the sum of all the promises 1 Tim. 4.8 1. They shall enjoy spiritual blessings For the Lord shall give that which is good 2. And temporal And our Land shall yield her increase 4. The last part Our duties for this blessing In the last verse for these mercies he sets down our Duty 1. Righteousness shall go before him i.e. God His Saints shall walk before him in holiness and righteousness 2. And shall set us in the way of his steps that is shall teach us to walk constantly and happily in the wayes of his Commandments all the dayes of our life Luk. 1.72 How this Psalm is aptly applied to Christ and his Kingdom both by all Ancient and Modern Expositors I leave it to be searched in the Authors themselves because the Application would be tedious and is not so consonant to my intent The Prayer collected out of the eighty fifth Psalm O Blessed Lord God we have béen beset with many troubles Ver. 1 but thou out of méer love hast delivered us from them Thou hast delivered thy people into captivity but hast again brought them from the house of bondage great have béen the provocations by which we have dishonoured thée and yet in mercy Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people infinite are our transgressions and yet Thou hast covered all our sins Though we have béen slaves of the flesh and Captives of the Divel yet Thou-hast taken away thy wrath Thou hast turned thy self from the fierceness of thy anger These experiences we have had of thy love these pawns and pledges of thy mercy therefore O merciful God we are bold to approach thy Throne and beg of thée with an humble heart that thou who art the God of our salvation wouldst turn us unto thee and wouldst also be turned unto us and cause thine anger which we have justly kindled against us to cease What hast thou changed thy self as I may so say into another nature so that thou who hast proclaimed thy self to be patient and long-suffering passing by sins and forgiving transgressions wilt thou be angry with us for ever wilt thou draw out thine anger to all Generations Return return O Lord receive us again to thy favour revive us again by the favour of thy countenance that thy people may rejoyce in thée let us have experience of thy mercy as thou hast promised and grant us thy salvation Make us who have béen heretofore contumacious and rebellious against thée to hearken to what our Lord God will speak for then we are assured that salvation would be near unto us and our land would be glorious for plenty liberty and peace O Lord speak peace once more unto us thy people who have béen miserably torn and wasted by the fury of war and we will never being assisted by thy grace turn back again to our former folly Put into us the bowels of thy mercy and make us studious of Truth let justice and peace méet and kiss in our hearts and be tyed together with such an indissoluble knot that we may bring forth plentiful fruits of righteousness and holiness Our land is now over-run with Errors and false Doctrine O let thy Truth flourish again amongst us we measure out justire by the crooked line of mans Ordinances O let thy righteousness look down from Heaven and cause us to love our Naighbours as our selves and do to others as we desire and expect they should do to us Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come teach us then to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously soberly and godly in this present World That thou Lord may'st give us what is good and our land may yield her encrease Thou hast delivered us from the hands of our enemies O stir up our minds to be thankful unto thée and to make a conscience to serve thée in righteousness and holiness all the dayes of our life PSAL. LXXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DAVID in this Psalm being in trouble prayes unto God for continuance in grace and in an innocent life and complaining of the insolence of his Persecutors prayes for protection and some token of Gods goodness This Psalm then is a continued Petition and according to the various Arguments he useth to perswade it it may be divided into These four parts 1. The first is a Petition for safety drawn from his own person the Petitioner from ver 1. to 5. 2. The second a quickning of the same Petition from the Person and Nature of God from ver 5. to 14. 3. The third taken from the quality of his Adversaries ver 14. 4. A conjunction of all these three The first ver 15. The second ver 16. The third ver 17. 1. His Petition The first part The reasons from himself His prayer is varied by many forms Bow down thine ear hear me preserve my soul be merciful unto me rejoyce the soul of thy servant c. and
to thee for what thou hast done the proud are risen up against us and a whole assembly of armed and violent men have invaded us and sought after our souls and all they imagine is to take away our lives and thy worship not without a great and high contempt of thy Name But thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth Turn thée then unto us and have mercy upon us give thy strength unto thy servants save those who are thy Vassals and deliver our souls from the nethermost Hell O Lord we are oppressed do thou answer for us teach us the way in which we are to go and we will walk in thy Truth unite our hearts close unto thée and we will take delight to fear thy Name shew some token of thy favour at last to us that they which hate us may see it and be afraid let them sée it openly That thou Lord hast holpen us and comforted us So shall we praise thee O Lord our God with all our heart and we will magnifie and glorifie thy Name for evermore PSAL. LXXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalm is short but sweet for it contains many excellent priviledges of the Church of God of which every one must be a Member that hopes for salvation whosoever was the Authour it was his purpose to excite men to be in love with the Assemblies of Gods Saints and to that purpose the dignity and amplitude of the Church is set forth in this Psalm and the notes of her beauty and perfection may well serve for the Analysis 1. The Church commended 1. For the foundation laid on a holy Mountain First the Church is here commended for her foundation the Authour of it is God it is his foundation and it is surely laid not in the sand but upon a Mountain and no common Mountain neither but a consecrated place laid it is in the holy Mountains His foundation is in the holy Mountain No question the Prophet alludes to the hill of Zion Ver. 1 which was the Type of the Catholick Church and indeed the foundation of it 2 From Gods love to her For the Law was to come out of Zion 2. Ver. 2 The second Prerogative of the Church is taken from Gods love and favour to it 3 From the predictions that went of her far beyond that of any other Assembly The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3. Now besides the commendation it hath from the builder which was God and his free love to it Ver. 3 a third Prerogative it hath and that is from the testimony and predictions of the Prophets 4 From the increase of it by the access of the Gentiles Isaiah Haggai Saint John who not Glorious things are sprken of thee Thou City of God Selah 4. And one of those glorious things foretold by the Prophets was the great increase and amplitude of the Church Ver. 4 by the access of the Gentiles even those Nations which were the greatest enemies to Gods people should become friends and Citizens of this City even the Egyptians Babylonians Tyrians Aethiopians in effect all the Gentiles of what language Countrey soever 1. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me i. e. among my friends and family Behold Phylistia and Tyre with Aethiopia some of all Nations are come into my family there is one Fold one Shepherd 2. This man was born there this man whom you now see a Citizen of Zion was an Alien he was born there in Egypt Babylon c. 5. But now having renounced his Countrey and his fathers house Vers. 5 his Idols and old wayes it shall be said of Zion Vir Vir 5 From her continuance for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This and that man was born regenerate and become a new man in her Here he receiv'd his adoption and the earnest of the Spirit 6. Farther yet the felicity of this City shall in this far exceed all other 6 From her free Denizons whose names are that whereas they fall to decay and perish this shall our-last all time The gates of hell shall not prevail against it For the most highest shall confirm and est ablish her 1 Eniâ—ll'd 7. A seventh Prerogative of the Church is That God agit Censum Vers. 6 and does as it were enrole the names of the Citizens So that now there is no difference betwixt Jew and Gentile bond nor free all are one in Christ Jesus The Lord shall count when he writes up the people That this man this cast-off Gentile was burn there Be as free a Denizon and have all the priviledges and prerogatives of this City as the natural Jew 8. Another Prerogative of these Citizens is 2 And they shall enjoy a perpetual Solemnity That they shall enjoy a perpetual Solemnity grief and sorrow shall cease and with Songs and instruments of Musick they shall sound forth Gods praises As well the siagers as players on instruments shall be there 9. Lastly He concludes the Psalm with an excellent Epiphonema Vers 7 that indeed comprehends all that can be said in the praise of the Church viz. For that in her all good is to be found All my springs are in thee Here are the fountains of living water Here are to be found the hidden treasures of all knowledge Here the waters that will refresh a thirsty soul and a fainting spirit Here all comforts all content The waters that are muddy and troubled in other streams in this are as clear as Cristal 'T is Virgo aqua A Prayer collected out of the eighty seventh Psalm for the Catholick Church O Lord Iesas Christ that by thy Almighty power madest all creatures both visible and invisible that by thy wisdom hast disposed all things in a comely order and now doest govern them that by thy unspeakable goodness yet doest preserve protect and promote all actions and successes who by thy mercy doest restore what is decay'd renew what is fallen and raisest the dead Vouchsafe to cast thy eye upon and view with a pleasing countenance thy well-beloved Spouse thy Church which thou hast purchased with thy blood and betroth'd to thy self in righteousness and in judgement and in loving-kindness and in mercies Look upon her with that amiable and merciful face wherewith thou pacifiest all things in heaven and earth Vers. 1 This is that new City that new Jerusalem which thou hast founded upon the Mountains of holiness Thy holy Apostles and Prophets were at thy command the chief Labourers in the building of it and all men since as living stones are built upon their Doctrine Be pleased then to love the gates of this City by which all must enter that look for salvation and prosecute with greater care and affection this thy chosen Spouse than thou didst the old Synagogue even as thou didst love the hill of
the Rites Ceremonies New Moons Sabbaths Sacrifice Circumcision Pasch c. 4. Vers. 31 And keep not my Commandments i. e. The Decalogue and Moral Law In a word if they become vitious in their Morals and profane and Rebels in my Worship and Religion This then shall happen unto them Resp They shall smart for it escape they shall not but shall soundly smart for it they shall feel 1. Virgam 2. And Verbera The Rod the Whip Then 1. I will visit i. e. punish their transgression with the Rod. 2. And their iniquity with stripes Which was often done By the Babylon Antiochus c. And yet in judgement I will remember mercy But in judgement God will remember mercy I will remember my Covenant my Promise my Word my Oath and will make that good totally I will not cast off Davids seed which I mean not after the flesh for that is long since cast off but after the Spirit Christ which was of the seed of David and those which are his seed viz. the Church shall enjoy the benefit of my Covenant and Oath for ever Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing gone out of my lips And that there be no doubt of this For the Covenant is immutable he brings in God repeating his Oath and Covenant 1. His Oath Once have I sworn by my holiness that is by my self who am Holy 2. His Covenant That I will not lye unto David For His seed shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sun before me It shall be established for ever as the Moon and as a faithful witness in heaven As the Sun and Moon are not obnoxious to mutations no more is this Covenant they must endure to the end of the world and so must this Covenant They are faithful Witnesses in heaven and so we are to seek for the performance of this Covenant in heaven not in earth the Covenant being about a heavenly Kingdom not an earthly It being evident that the Kingdom of David on earth hath failed many ages since But that of Christ shall never fail 7. The seventh part And that God did punish Davids seed for their rebellion is evident So that he was tempted to charge God for breach of promise Now that Davids Kingdom did fail or at least was brought to a low ebb is the complaint in the following words which flesh and blood considering gave a wrong judgement upon it as if God did nothing less than perform his Oath and Covenant This is it which the Prophet layes to Gods charge But thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast been wroth with thy anointed Both King and people are cast aside Than which nothing seems more contrary to thy Covenant Thou hast made void the Covenant of thy servant thou hast profaned his Crown Of which there be many lamentable consequences 1. His Crown is cast to the ground The glory of his Kingdom trampled upon 2. The instances in which they suffered His hedges broken down his strong holds brought to ruine 3. All that pass by the way spoile him Exposed he is to all Rapine and Plunder 4. He is a reproach to his neighbours Exposed to all contumely and disgrace 5. Thou hast set up the right-hand of his enemies and made all his adversaries to rejoice Thou seemest to take part with the enemy against him and makest him exult and rejoice in oppressing him 6. Thou hast also turn'd the edge of his sword blunted his sword that was wont to slay and hast not made him to stand in the battle but to fly and turn his back Vers. 44 7. Thou hast made his glory The glory dignity authority of his Kingdom to cease and cast his Crown to the ground 8. The dayes of his youth thou hast shortned cut him off in the prime and strength of his years Thou hast covered him with shame made his opulent glorious Kingdom ignominious which was true in divers of Davids posterity especially Jehoiakim These were the sad complaints which the Prophet poures out as despairing so far as sense and reason could direct him of the performance of what God had promised But he recovers and prayes The eighth part But he quickly recovers and recalls his thoughts and that he may move God to help he falls to prayer which is very pathetical 8. He considers the nature of God as kind loving merciful slow to anger and asks 1. Usque quo How long Lord wilt thou hide thy self for ever Hide thy favour 2. Shall thy wrath burn like fire An element that hath no mercy Pathetically moves God to pity Then he useth other Arguments pathetically expressed to move God to pity 1. Drawn from the brevity of mans life Remember how short my time is Upon divers Arguments 2. From the end that man was created not in vain but to be an object of Gods goodness and favour which if he enjoins not he shall seem to be born to no purpose therefore he asks Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain 3. From the weakness and disability of man His life is short and can he lengthen it What man is he that liveth and shall not see death Yea though he live long yet he is a mortal creature Shall he deliver his soul from the grave 4. From the Covenant of which he puts God in mind Lord where are thy former loving-kindnesses which thou swarest to David in thy Truth 5. From the ignominy scorns sarcasms by enemies cast upon them which he desires God to look upon 1. Remember Lord the reproach of thy servant 2. And how I do bear in my bosome not spoken afar off but in my hearing and to my face as if poured and emptyed into my bosome the rebukes not of this or that man but many people 6. And lastly That these reproaches in effect fall upon God For they who reproach Gods Servants are his enemies Remember the reproaches 1. Wherewith thine enemies have reproached O Lord. 2. Wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed i. e. Either whatsoever he sayes or does Quocunque se vertat 2. Or else by footsteps is to be understood the latter end of Davids Kingdom which was indeed subject to reproach 3. But the Chaldee Paraphrast by footsteps understands the coming of the Messiah in the flesh which because it was long promised and men saw not performed they derided mocked at and reproached as vain 9. The close of this long Psalm is a Benedictus by which the Prophet The last part The Doxology after his Combate with Flesh and Blood about the performance of the Covenant doth compose his troubled soul and acquiesce in God blessing him for whatsoever falls out no otherwise than Job did breaking forth into this Epiphonema 1. Vers. 52 Blessed be the Lord for evermore Blessed be his Name who doth and orders all
the misery of it from ver 2. to 7. 3. The causes mans rebellion and Gods anger for it from ver 7. to 12. 4. A Petition which is double 1. That God would instruct man to know his fragility 2. That he would return and restore him to his favour from ver 12. to 17. 1. The first part An acknowledgment of Gods protection to his people In the beginning Moses the man of God freely acknowledgeth what God had alwayes been unto his people 2. What he is in himself and his own nature 1. To his people he had been alwayes a refuge as it were a dwelling place though they had been Pilgrims and Sojourners in a strange land for many years Ver. 1 yet he had been nay dwelt among them and no question he alludes to the Tabernacle of God that was pitched among them as an evidence of presence and protection Lord Thou hast been our dwelling place a secure place to rest in in all Generations Deutr. 33. from 1. to 6. 2. 2 And in himself from everlasting But in himself he was from everlasting other creatures had a beginning and their Creation and Ornaments from him he the eternal being Before the Mountains were brought forth Ver. 2 or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world Not like man even from everlasting to everlasting Thou art God Not like man then whose mutability fragility mortality brevity he next describes 2. The second part Who is from dust and to dust must return Thou turnest man to destruction though framed according to thy own image yet he is but an earthen vessel rid gis mortalem eo usque ut sit contritus to that pass thou bringest him till he be broken to pieces broken as a potters vessel To him thou sayest Return ye children of men of Adam return for dust thou art Ver. 3 and to dust shalt thou return The mortality of man may not be then attributed to diseases Man is then mortal and his life short as a day chance fortune c. but to Gods Decree pronounced to man upon his disobedience First then let the sons of Adam remember that they are mortal next that their life is but very short suppose a man should live the longest life and somewhat longer than the oldest Patriarch a thousand years yet let it be compared with eternity Ver. 4 it is as nothing A thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past Like a But as of a day which is short of a day that is past and forgotten which the Prophet farther illustrates by elegant similitudes 1. 1 Watch. And as a watch in the night A time of three houres continuance which is but the eighth part of a natural day and so far less than he said before the flower of our youth our constant age and our old age may well be the three houres of this watch and wise they are that observe their stations in either of them 2. 2 A flood Thou carriest them away as with a flood as a sudden inundation of waters our life passeth Ver. 5 we swell and fall or as all waters come from the Sea and return thither so from the earth we came and thither return or we are as water spilt on the earth that cannot be gathered up again 3. 3 A sleep or dream They are as a sleep or rather a dream all our happiness a dream of felicity in our dreams many pleasant many fearful things are presented so in life or we pass half our time in sleep drowsily 't is certain there be some men that are filthy dreamers our life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindar 4. 4 Grass Or we are like grass Quasi herba solstitialis paulisper fui repentè exortus sum repentè occidi In the morning they are like grass that groweth up in the morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth The herb hath its morning and evening The causes of it and its midday and so hath our life naturally it fades or violently it is cut off 3. After he had spoken of and explained our mortality the brevity The third part 1. Gods anger the misery of our life he next descends to examine the causes of it which are two 1. Gods anger 2. And that which brought it upon us our own iniquities Ver. 7 1. Gods anger We consume away by thine anger and by thy wrath are we troubled The cause then of death and diseases is not the decay of the radical moysture or defect of natural heat but that which brought these defects upon us Gods wrath 2. Our own sin For this anger of God was not raised without a just cause 2 Our sin that caused it a just Judge he is and he proceeds not to punishment but upon due examination and trial and to that end he takes an account not only of our open sins but even of our secret faults such as are not known to our selves or such as we labour to conceal from others 1. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee 2. And our secret sins in the light of thy countenance No hypocrisie He repeats again the effects no contempt can escape thy eye all to thee is revealed and clear as the light 3. And then he repeats the effect together with the cause Therefore all our dayes viz. the forty years in the Wilderness are passed away in thy wrath 2. We spend our dayes as a tale that is told Et fabusa fies the tale ended vanisheth and is no more thought of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. And as for our age it is of no great length The dayes of our years are threescore years and ten To that time some men may be said to live because the faculties of their souls are tolerably vigorous and their bodies proportionably able to execute the offices of life 2. Our life encumbred with But say now it so happen which happens not to many That by reason of strength some excellent natural constitution a man arrive to fourscore years yet our life is incumbred with these three inconveniences labour sorrow brevity 1. 'T is laborious nay labour it self one is desirous to be rich 1 Labour another wise this man potent that man prudent or at least to seem so and this will not be without labour all is affliction of spirit 2. Sorrow for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sorrow 3. Short For it is soon cut off and we flie away Avolat umbra 3 Brevity Thus much by experience there is no man but knows to be true every man feels that his life is laborious sorrowful short and upon the wing but such is the security of man that this is not well thought nor the nature of our life nor the cause viz. Gods anger for sin is not laid to heart This yet not considered and of this the Prophet in
but in vain to offend thee and think to be hid to attempt to break in pieces thy heritage and murder the innocent and think to escape The Lord knows the thoughts of man that they are vanity Thou Lord at this time hast shewed thy people heavy things thou hast given us a Cup of deadly wine to drink Vers. 20 The enemies of thy Truth have set themselves down in the Throne of iniquity they have framed mischief by a Law they have gathered themselves together met in Assemblies and Synods against the soul of the Righteous and have condemned the Innocent blood Who shall now rise up for us against the evil doers Or who dare stand up for us against these workers of iniquity At this their prosperity our feet had well nigh slipt at this their oppression the treadings of many were well nigh gone Nothing can support us but thy mercy make us trust to it nothing can comfort us in our sorrows but thy promises In the multitude of the thoughts that we have in our hearts send down thy comforts that may delight our souls Make us know that thou wilt have no fellowship society or commeres with the Throne of iniquity that thou art not in the midst of their Assemblies and Councils to bless them nor doest approve their mischief framed by a Law Vers. 14 Teach us out of thy Law that the afflictions of the godly are from thee our Father and a seal of our adoption and therefore Blessed is the man whom thou chastnest Vers. 13 and instructest with this Rod. Out of thy Law we learn That God will not cast off his people nor forsake his inheritance O let this quiet our hearts and set them at rest in these dayes of adversity Laught we are again out of thy Law Vers. 15 That judgement shall return unto righteousness that thy judgements which now seem to sleep will at last awake Vers. 13 and in justice overtake the murderers of thy people assured we are that the pit shall be digged up for the ungodly till that be done let us wait with patience Vers. 15 and wish an upright and sincere heart acquiesce in thy promises and follow the wayes of thy justice approving thy wisdom knowing the time thou choosest is best for us In the mean time be thou our help our defence our rock or refuge our help Vers. 17 when these wolves are ready to devoure us our defence when they strike at us Vers. 22 our rock when they come as the waves of the Sea about us and our City of refuge when they pursue us But as for them the time is best known to thée and we submit to it and when that time is come bring upon them their own iniquity cut them off in their own malicious wickedness Vers. 23 yea cut them off O Lord our God to thee be praise glory and honour now and ever PSAL. XCV A Psalm to be sung at all times in all places Bellar. by all men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FOR it contains an invitation to praise God with internal and external worship and therefore is fitly chosen by the Church to be sung in the beginning of our Liturgy to excite all men present to serve God infear and rejoice with reverence Two parts of this Psalm 1. An Exhortation to praise God to adore worship kneel ver 1 2 6. 2. Reasons to perswade to it 1. Gods mercies ver 3 4 5 7. 2. His judgments in punishing his own people Israel for their neglect of this duty from ver 8. to 11. 1. David begins this Psalm with an earnest invitation including himself The first part David calls an Assembly crying 1. O come let us come along with me though a King he thought not himself exempted Ver. 1 2. And the Assembly being come together he acquaints them what they came for 1. To sing to the Lord heartily merrily joyfully Exaltemus 1 To sing to God 1. Let us make a joyful noise make a Jubilee of it Jubilemus 2. Openly and with a loud voyce Let us make a joyful noise with Psalms 3. Reverently as being in his eye his presence 4. Gratefully Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving 2 To adore and worship outwardly inwardly 2. To worship to bow down to kneel ver 6. Adoration humble Adoration outward worship that of the body as well as inward that of the soul is his due and that for these reasons Ver. 6 2. For God calls for nothing from us which there is not great reason The second part His Reasons to perswade it but that we yield him serve him then we ought with heart and body out of many respects 1. Because he is the Rock of our salvation whether temporal or spiritual Ver. 1 so long as we rely on him as a Rock 1 Because our Rock safe we are from the tyranny of men from the wrath of God from the power of the Divel death hell 2. Because he is a great God and a great King above all gods Jehovah Ver. 5 a God whose Name is I am an incommunicable name to any other 2 A great God and King for his Essence is from himself and immutable all other derivative and mutable and the great Jehovah great in Power Majesty Glory and greater than all other Nuncupative gods Idols Kings for he is above them all above all gods 3. The whole orb of the earth is under his power and dominion Ver. 4 3 Under his Dominion the whole World In his hands are the deep places of the earth the strength of the hills is his also The globe of the earth in all its extensions is subject to him 4. And no marvail for he is the Creator of both 4 The Creator which is another Argument The Sea is his and he made it Ver. 5 and his hands formed the dry land Ver. 6 5. He is our Maker the Creator and Lord of man also 5 Our Maker 6. Our Lord God in particular 6 Our Lord God for he hath called us to be his inheritance For we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand Now all these laid together and well weighed being wonderful expressions of his mercy and loving-kindness are of strength enough to perswade us heartily reverently openly to sing to and praise him to adore bow down and kneel before him 2 In which duty if we fail he proposeth what is to be expected by the example of the Israelites 2. In which if we obstinately and stubbornly fail we have a fair warning given us what is like to follow by the example of the Israelites purposed here by the Prophet That if mercy will not win upon us then judgment may Lege Historiam ne fiat Historia Numb 14. Exod. 17. The sum is this 1. God gave them a day and he gives it you 't is the hodie of your life 2. In this day he speaks he utters his voyce
now and at the day of judgement Jehovah is become the Supreme King and all other Kings and Powers become his Vassals and Servants A benefit so great that he moves the world to be glad of it Let the earth rejoice let the multitude of the Isles that is the inhabitants of both be glad thereof All men wheresoever and whatsoever for if they be oppressed by Tyrants yet the Lord they serve is Mightier the Kingdom is his all Power in heaven and earth given into his hands and he can repress and bring into order the proudest Tyrants He hath this name written on his thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 For the good 2. And 't is most certain that he will make use of his Scepter for the good of his Subjects and for the confusion and ruine of their and his enemies which is often done in this life but if deferr'd for some reasons best known unto him yet it shall be certainly done at the last day when his appearance will be very terrible yet comfortable to His. For 1. Clouds and darkness shall be round about him Vers. 2 as it was when he gave the Law in Sinai Of his Subjects 2. Righteousness and Judgement the habitation the Basis of his Throne 1. Righteousness justly to pass sentence in the defence of his people And so comfortable to them 2. Judgement to be poured out upon his enemies And so a terrible day to them 3. A fire goeth before him and burns up his enemies round about Vers. 3 His lightnings enlightned the world the earth saw it and trembled The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth For the confusion of his enemies In which three verses are set down the terror of that day as it is described Mat. 24 29 c. 2 Pet. 2.10 c. Psal 18.7 c. Which fire yet shall not hurt the godly it shall burn up only his enemies as is here said 4. And at this day the heavens declare his righteousness When his appearing shall be glorious when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and the Trump of God 1 Thess 4. 2. And all people his glory appearing in the clouds of heaven with all the Angels about him when every knee of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth shall bow unto him Phil. 2. 2. Upon the consideration of Christs Soveraignty The second part Upon which the Prophet and his glorious appearance at the last day our Prophet imprecates and exhorts 1. He imprecates that confusion and a curse may fall upon all Idolators Confounded be all they that serve carved Images Vers. 7 and boast themselves of Idols Which is indeed their shame 1 Imprecates 2. 2 Exhorts He exhorts Adore him all ye gods ye that excell in power on earth ye Angels that excell in power in heaven adore worship invocate submit to this King For this was and ought to be the practice of Gods people 1. Vers. 8 Sion heard of it heard that the Lord reigned that he would come to judge the quick and dead 3 And the people of God exult that Idolators should be confounded that Christ only was to be adored and rejoiced at it and was very well pleased with the News and desired it should be so 2. Vers. 9 The daughters of Judah that is the people of God rejoiced because of thy judgements O Lord did exult because thou O Lord do'st judge all men with a just judgement 3. But that which did most of all excite and heighten their joy was the exaltation of Christ to the Throne that the Lord of Gods people was now to be the Supreme Lord. Glad they were because Thou O Lord art high above all the earth high above all Kings and earthly Monarchs that thou art exalted far above all gods i. e. far above all Angels who are called gods by participation and far above all Devils who are worshipped as gods by an error of judgement 3. The third part The Character by which Gods people may be known At the eighth verse he made mention of the Church and call'd them Zion he spoke of the people of God under the name of the daughters of Judah and he saith they did exult and rejoice at it But that no man footh up himself with this Title for there be many who lay claim to Zion that belongs not to Zion and seem to rejoice that Christ is King who wish in their hearts it were otherwise Vers. 10 The Prophet sets down an infallible Character by which the Elect may be known viz. The Love of God and the infallible consequent of it The Hatred of evil to which he exhorts Ye that love the Lord hate evil 1. 1 They love God O you that make God your choice and Christ your King not feinedly but truly not with the lips alone but with the heart that fear and worship God not according to the external work but according to the Spirit of the Law 2. 2 They hate evil See that ye hate evil 't is not sufficient to fly it to decline from it but you must detest and hate it which without the work of the heart will never be done For the heart is the fountain of all actions good or bad from it before God they have their denomination and acceptance As out of the heart proceeds the love of the chief good so out of the heart again proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries c. Mat. 15. And that we lend the easier ear to this counsel The reward for this work the Prophet proposeth two great rewards to those that love the Lord and hate evil 1. Enemies they have in this life that hate them that seek to oppress thâ—m against these God promiseth protection from these deliverance 1. Vers. 10 He preserveth the souls of his Saints often their lives but alwayes their souls 1 Preservation which is a benefit beyond the other The Accuser of the brethren shall not hurt them 2. He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked sometime out of their hand that they fall not into it and sometime out of their hand when they are in it Ovis erepta lupo Now this is their first reward 2. Vers. 11 A second reward there is in the next verse That in their miseries they shall be fill'd with content 2 In miseries they shall find comfort and find comfort when they little expected it but then they must be righteous and upright in heart 1. 1 Light content Light is sown for the righteous or as the old Translator reads out of the Septuagint Light is risen up to the righteous The diversity as Moller and Bellarminâ— arose out of the nearness of the two Hebrew words Zarahh and Zarach Zarahh signifying Seminare and Zarach oriri
By the first the Metaphor is more hard by the second the more easie and sweet but the sence will be the same 1. By light then here is understood Gods favour the light of understanding truth goodness with the effect of it or that which ariseth from it comfort content of soul tranquility peace of conscience 2. Now this is sown as seed it often times lies hid under the clods but at last it shews it self 2. Or as light is obscured by some cloud which at length breaks forth or riseth to some height as the Sun in the morning The sence then is this Such a time there is when the just man may say Wisd 5. 6. The light of righteousness hath not shined unto us and the Sun of righteousness rose not upon us The favour of God hath seemed to us to be hid and buried as it were in disfavour But this saith our Prophet shall not be alwayes the favour of God is sow'd and it will spring up again The light of comfort of peace of conscience though it be clouded and darkned yet it will break forth and rise again 2. Again There shall be gladness for the upright in heart 2 Gladness of heart For uprightness doth direct and establish the heart whence there ariseth an ineffable joy in the conscience when a man is a Witness to himself that his will is conformable to Gods Will and all those things and only those things please him which please his God Which is the second reward or fruit that he reaps who loves God and hates evil 3. He concludes Therefore And out of these premises the Prophet draws his inference and conclusion which he forms into an advice Vers. 12 Since light and joy doth arise to those who are upright in heart and that joy is from God Then 1. You that are just rejoice not in the vanities of this world 1 Rejoice in the Lord. as do the unjust but rejoice in the Lord who gives you this justice 2 Be thankful and rewards it with this joy 2. Then again be thankful for it Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness It is his holiness his righteousness not your own that you carry in your hearts and so often as this comes to your remembrance bless and thank him for it The Prayer collected out of the ninty seventh Psalm O Omnipotent Lord I never think of that great day when I must stand before thy Tribunal and render an account of my words thoughts and actions but my heart trembles for fear and my knees are ready to smite one against another Terrible thou wert upon Mount Sinai when thou gavest and terrible thou wilt be when thou wilt exact an answer for the breach of thy Law The clouds and thick darkness then round about thee amaze my sinful soul the fire that shall go before thee Vers. 2 and burn up thine enemies round about thee flasheth in my eyes the lightning darting out of the clouds Vers. 3 and the earth trembling under me makes me tremble Methinks I hear men call to the Mountains to cover them and the Hills to hide them from the severity of thy wrath but these Rocks of Stone dissolve and melt as Wax at thy presence at thy presence O Lord at the presence of thee who art the Lord of the whole earth My heart O Lord is hard like one of those Rocks hardned it is by the deceitfulness of sin send down into it the fire of thy holy Spirit that may dissolve and melt it as war and make it apt to receive thy impressions of grace of a hard heart make it soft and tender of a heart of stone make it a heart of flesh that I may hear thy Law and obey it that I may repent for the breaches of it and every day judge my self that I may not be judged of the Lord. Never let that day flip out of my memory when the heavens shall declare thy righteousness Vers. 6 and all the people see thy glory for then the whole world shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with all the Angels about him with the voice of the Arch-angel and the Trump of God when that general Summons shall be blown abroad Arise ye dead and come to judgement A day indéed this will be of darkness and gloominess a day of sorrow Vers. 7 and such as never was from the beginning of the world So in it self so to thy enemies so to Idolators These would not that thou shouldst reign over them Confounded therefore on that day be all they that serve graven Images and that boast themselves of Idols Thou art our King O God send help unto Jacob and we are sur◠thou wilt send help Vers. 2 because thou hast set up thy Kingdom for that end and reignest that thou mightest do good to those that are upright in heart Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of thy Throne Vers. 8 as in judgement thou wilt procéed against the workers of iniquity so wilt thou also in justice deal with all those that love the Lord and hate iniquity At the hearing of this it is that Zion rejoiced and the daughters of Judah were glad O make me one of the inhabitants of this Zion that I may lift up my head and not be amazed at the remembrance of that fearful day being fully assured that it shall be the day of my Redemption not my destruction O thou who shalt be my Iudge be my Saviour also preserve my soul and the souls of all thy Saints and deliver us out of the hand of the wicked Able thou art to do it for thou Lord art far above all the earth thou art exalted far above all gods If thou wilt thou canst save us and we believe thou wilt because it was the end thou camest into the world the end why thou sufferest that painful and shameful death of the Cross to save sinners Sinners O dear Saviour we are we desire in uprightness of heart to serve thée though we cannot shake off the sin that hangs so fast on yet we detest and hate it The consciousness of our guilt too often over clouds ou◠joy O let it break forth again and shew us the light of thy countenance the comforts of our souls are buryed under the thoughts of thy displeasure oh that the day were come that they might shoot again and spring up then would we hope though we sowed in tears yet we should reap in joy This if thou wilt grant us Then will we rejoice in thee our Lord and King and give thanks at the remembrance of thy righteousness thy holiness thy merits thy innocent life and undeserved death which alone we can trust to at that day PSAL. XCVIII Propheticus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalm is an evident Prophecy of Christ's coming to save to judge the world and therefore the Church hath well subjoined
feet to dance at it he calls to them to join with him in the mirth Let the Sea roar Vers. 7 and the fulness thereof the world and they that dwell therein Let the floods clap their hands Vers. 8 let the hills rejoice together It is a Prosopopeia frequently used in Scripture as afore Psal 96.11 12. 5. And let it be heartily and sincerely done For it is before the Lord in his eye For he cometh to judge in his sight in his presence who can judge with what affection any thing is done And for this he gives a reason Vers. 9 with which he concludes For he cometh to judge the earth which may be referred to his first or second coming 1. 1 Either in humility as at his first If to the first then the sense is Let all creatures rejoice because he comes to judge that is to govern and order with just and excellent Laws the whole Orb of the world not only by the invisible Majesty of his Divinity but being made into the similitude of man and in form now found a true man 2. If to the last his second coming then let all creatures rejoice 2 Or in Glory as at his second coming because he shall root out sinners from the earth and make new heavens and a new earth The whole creature shall be delivered from corruption under which it greans and travails in pain together until now and shall be restored into the glorious liberty of the children of God Rom. 8.21 22. 3. Now both these shall be done with that rectitude of judgement that there be nothing crooked nothing oblique nothing savouring of iniquity in it With righteousness shall he judge the world and the people with his Truth A Thanksgiving and Meditation upon the Redemption of Man-kind taken out of the ninty eighth Psalm I Will sing unto thee O gracious God and merciful Lord a new Song Vers. 1 as it becomes me for a new savour an ordinary hymn might be in my mouth for ordinary blessings but this was extraordinary and therefore requires thanks more than ordinary That thou didst create me after thy image was a great mercy that thou hast governed me by thy Word preserved me by thy Power provided for me by thy Fatherly goodness ever since I was born are all acts of mercy but that thou hast set thy love upon me from all eternity and in the fulness of time didst send thy beloved Son to be born to live to dye for me and redéem my poor soul from thy just wrath and the consequents of it is a favour more than I could expect more than I could deserve and therefore I sing with the blessed Virgin My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit rejoiceth in God my Saviour Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people This is a favour so beyond all favours and so neerly concerns all the world that I wish all men had hearts and all creatures tongues to sound it forth O come and make a joyful noyse unto the Lord all the earth make a loud noyse and rejoice and sing praise Your voices are not swéet enough take then the Harp and join to the Harp the voice of a Psalm Your voices are not loud enough call then for Trumpets to sound it out and blow it abroad with the wind of a Cornet Let the praise vs illustrious and the noyse joyful for it is before the Lord the King And O that the inanimate creatures who shall be by this one day freed from the bondage of corruption had tongues also to join with you However in their kind let them do what they can let the Sea roare forth the praises of God and the fulness thereof resound the fulness of his mercy and let the world and they that dwell therein as in a clap of thunder say Amen Amen to it Let the floods join with the Sea and clap their hands let the hills be joyful together and eccho forth the praise of the Lord our Redeemer For he hath done marvellous things Things which we may admire Vers. 1 but shall never be able to comprehend shall and must search into but shall never fully fathom For without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifested in the flesh justified in the Spirit séen of Angels preach'd unto the Gentiles believ'd on in the world receiv'd up into glory Marvellous O swéet Saviour was thy conception marvellous thy incarnation marvellous thy life marvellous thy death We cannot choose but wonder that the Lord of life should dye that the Lord of heaven and earth should be buried in the earth And that which increaseth the wonder is that he should rise from thence to justifie us that he should ascend in our nature to heaven to prepare a place for us that he should sit on the right-hand of God to be our Advocate to plead for us to be our Intercessor to step between and make our peace when our God is offended with us And that we yet marvel the more all this was done for us when we were without strength and could not help our selves without grace and could not deserve his when we were ungodly and thought not of him sinners that did provoke him enemies that did cebell against him In this then God commended his love that while we were yet sinners Christ dyed for us O sweet Jesus thy love to us was wonderful passing the love of women This was a work that passed the power of men and Angels Angels were too weak and man too sinful to undertake in it Yet so great was thy love to lost man that rather than he should perish for ever thou who wert without sin Vers. 1 wouldst be made sin for him thou who wert the arm and power of God wouldst appear clothed with our infirmities Yet so powerful thou wert in this weakness so mighty in our infirm flesh that by thy right-hand and thy holy arm thou hast gotten to thy self the victory conquer and triumph thou didst over Sin Death and Hell and over all the power of the Prince of darkness It was thine own right-hand without any other power that did it thine own arm without any assistant that led Captivity Captive and received gifts for men yea even for thine enemies that the Lord God might dwell among them We the heathens Vers. 2 were the greatest part of these enemies yet to us thou sentest thy Apostles to preach these glad-tidings and ever since by thy Ministers hast made known thy salvation Thy righteousness which is now our righteousness blessed be thy name for it by which our pardon is sealed and we are justified is not as a Candle hid under a bushel but is openly shew'd in the sight of the heathen It is not in Judaea only that God is known but all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God all Nations now sée and know that thou wert a merciful
5 Reproach From the reproach of them who had been his friends but were now his enemies for a wicked man thinks himself reproached by a good mans honest conversation Wisd 5. Mine enemies reproach me all the day long and they are mad against me are sworn against me have conspited by an Oath to undo me 6. And that which made them so mad and sweâ—r was my repentance which I testified by ashes on my head 6 Sadness and tears in my eyes I have caten ashes like bread my dayly food and mingled my drink with weeping I drank tears with my wine that is I was fed with bitterness and sustain'd with tears which they derided And now behold the reason why every true penitent is thus humbled All these increased by the sense of Gods anger it is not for want nor yet for want of wit but it is out of a true sense of Gods anger which he hopes to pacifie by his sorrow and humiliation 1. Ver. 10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for my former sin 2. Which I collect thus Thou hast formerly lifted me up then sure I was in thy fovour but hast now cast me down whence I may well conclude that I am in disfavour with thee 3. And the effect plainly shews it For my dayes are as a shadow that declines and am withered like grace Become mortal flying fading from thy wrath raised by my own default 2. The second part He yet comforts himself in Gods promises Hitherto the Prophet hath petition'd and complain'd His case was lamentable yet he is notswallow'd up of sorrow Heart he begins to take and comfort he promiseth himself in the Eternity and Immutability of God and his love to his Church Hence he conceives hope of reconciliation and being moved by the Spirit of God foretells the restauration of Zion and Jerusalem and typically the state of Christs Church 1. To his Church on which he will have mercy and had when he restored them True I wither away as grass and so shall all Individual men But 1. Thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and therefore thy Church and promises to thy Church 2. And thy Remembrance from generation to generation The Covenant which thou hast made shall be remembred from father to son Ver. 13 till the worlds end 2. Thou seemest now to sleep But thou shalt arise 1. Thou shalt have mercy on Zion and save thy people 2. For the time to favour her yea the set time is come Literally the seventy years of the Captivity were neer expired Typically by the Spirit the Prophet foresaw and conceiv'd the Redemption of the Church in the future as a thing present And both he calls a time of favour for from the favour and mercy of God both proceeded 3. And this Consideration wrought a double effect This wrought a double effect 1. One upon Gods people for the present viz. an earnest desire to have it so Ver. 14 Earnest they were that Jerusalem should again be built the Church set up For thy servants take pleasure in her stones 1 A desire to have it so and favour the dust thereof Ver. 15 2. The other upon the Heathen 2 Another on the Heathen viz. Compassion Conversion So the Heathen shall fear thy name which began when Darius and Cyrus saw and acknowledged the Prophesies and obeyed them 2. And all the Kings of the earth thy glory which was truly fulfill'd in the conversion of Constantine c. to the Faith And he adds the cause why Kings and Nations should be so strangely converted because he had beyond all belief and expectation of man Ver. 16 so strangely delivered his people from Captivity and so miraculously set up his Kingdom in his Church This shall be done When or because the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory Before he cast his people into the grave as it were without any hope of life or restitution but when he shall bring them from thence he shall make his glory and honour manifest And that which moved him to it was the prayers of his people Ver. 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer Which effects followed on their prayer Of this mercy a Record to be kept Now lest the Jews should conceive that what was done for them did concern them only and not their Children or to speak more properly the whole people of God in all ages to come God would have a Record kept of it 1. This shall be written for the generation to come 2. And the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord Ver. 18 Cum viderint impleta quae praedicta And of this he assigns two reasons even the self-same set down at the 16. and 17. Verses 1. For be hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary Ver. 19 from the heaven did the Lord behold the earth 2. To hear the groans of the prisoners Ver. 20 to loose those that are appointed to death That the glory be returned to God Now this Mercy from God calls upon us for our Duty for the proper end of it was and the effect that it should work upon us is that we should be thankful Therefore he looked down therefore he heard the groans of the prisoners c. That being freed 1. They should declare the name of the Lord in Zion Ver. 21 and his praise in Jerusalem 2. And this praise should be compleated Ver. 22 When the people are gathered simul or in unum united together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. The Gentiles join with the Jews in it And here methinks I hear the Prophet breaking off his comfort The Prophet laments he shal not live to see it and breaking out in the midst of his prophecy with Balaam As if he had said I am assured all this shall come to pass and be done for Gods people but alas who shall live when God doth this Whosoever shall I shall not certainly For he weakned my strength in the way and hath shortned my dayes Ver. 23 Yet my desire is it might be otherwise Yet he desires he might and in this my desire is but the same with many Kings and Prophets that have gone before me all which long and desired to see the flourishing estate of the Church under the Messiah and therefore Ver. 24 I said O my God take me not away in the midst of my age But suffer me to draw out my life to see that that all good men have aspired to see to wit that I may behold Christ promised in the flesh and be a partaker of the glory of his Kingdom Which Petition And presseth that he might Perswading God to it upon 24. The consideration of Gods eternity and immutability that it might be the easier granted he presseth it by a Collation of Gods Eternity and Immutability with his own life As if he should say Spare me
thou break a leaf driven too and fro Ver. 11 How long wilt thou pursue the dry stubble While thou Writest these bitter things against us our dayes are like a shadow and decliues and we are withered as grass whose beauty and glory fades in a moment But why art thou thus vexed O my soul Ver. 12 and why art thus disquieted within me O put thy trust in God Call to mind that he endures for ever and the remembrance of his Covenant to all generations 'T is thy promise O Lord we look to 't is thy Covenant only we hope in according to thy word arise and have mercy upon Zion pity thy poor afflicted people for the time to favour her is now very seasonable Ver. 13 yea the time is come For thy servants think upon and take pleasure in her stones not so much those stones with which those goodly structures Ver. 14 in which we were wont to meet and praise thee were built and beautified as those living stones built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ver. 17 Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone and it pitieth them to see her in the dust In the dust Lord we favour them and for these we pray that they may be restored to their places in thy Sacred Temple Ver. 16 O regard the prayer of the poor destitute and despise not our desire for this will tend to thy honour and enlargement of thy Kingdom being alsured Ver. 15 that when the Lord shall build up Zion and when he shall appear in glory that the heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory Look down then O Lord from the height of thy Sanctuary and from heaven behold the earth Ver. 19 Hear the groaning of the Prisoners and loose those that are appointed to death Ver. 20 that they may declare the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise at Jerusalem Ver. 21 May we but obtain so great a mercy it shall be written for the generations to come and the people our children that shall be born Ver. 18 shall praise the Lord They shall praise thee and sing of thy mercy in the great Congregation even when the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. That thou wilt make an Inquisition for innocent blood I am assured that those who have profaned thy dwelling place shall be as a rolling thing before the wind Ver. 23 I do believe that they who have swallowed down riches shall vomit them up again I know for God shall cast them out of their belly But thou hast so weakned my strength in the way and so shortned my dayes that it is not likely I shall lide to sée it Lord might my eyes sée thy salvation I would willingly sing with old Simeon Ver. 24 Now let thy servant depart in peace Yet will I pray O my God take me not away in the midst of my age I am thy Creature O Lord created after thy own image yet not to live for ever on earth as thou shalt live in heaven for thy years are throughout all generations Even the earth whose foundation thou hast laid and the heavens which are the work of thy Power and Wisdom wax old as a garment and as a vesture shall be wrapt up they shall perish and be annihilated spare me a little then because I am a creature of a short continuance and can bear no proportion to thy esernity for thou art the same and thy years have no end But I yield my self to thy Will I submit my self to thy dispose if I cannot arrive to what I desire to sée Jerusalem in prosperity yet grant that I may see my Lord in the Land of the living for I am assured that the children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee and live in thy presence for evermore Amen PSAL. CIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Psalm to David THE Title shews the Psalm to be inspired into David by the Holy Ghost and the end is to comfort a soul heavy and laden but especially with the burden of sin To him every word in it drops like an Honey-comb so that had not the comfort been revealed and sent from heaven it could never have been believed that Almighty God should be so merciful to sinful man Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. The Exordium in which David by an Apostrophe turns to his own soul and stirs it up to bless God ver 1 2. 2. The Narration or an ample Declaration of the Benefits from the first to the last conferred by God upon him and others and the causes of them from ver 3. to 20. 3. A Conclusion in which he makes a motion to Angels and all other Creatures to joyn with him in the praise of God from ver 20. David stirs up his soul to praise God The first part to the last 1. David being fully perswaded that he was one of the number of the Elect stirs up himself in the person of the Elect to praise and speak well of God in the two first verses 1. Bless God think on the Benefit and bless the Benefactor Ver. 1 Extoll him with praises 2. O my Soul bless him because the Soul alone can know and inform the whole man what God deserves for his blessings 2. Again he would not have it a lip-labour but come from a heart affected with it Heartily done for quod cor non facit non fit 3. Not the Soul alone but that all that is within him Totum hominis And the whole man whatsoever is within his skin every part every faculty about him Will Understanding Memory Affections Heart Tongue Hand Eyes c. All joyn 4. And bless Jehovah for he gave them their Being and their Properties and Operations 2. Praise his holy Name his Essential Properties his Wisdom Power Goodness Justice for to oclebrate God in all these is To praise his holy Name 5. Bless the Lord O my Soul for he comes over it again Ver. 2 that he might press the Duty more emphatically and shew his vehement desire to have it done it shewes we freeze and are cold in the Duty and need a Goad to quicken us 6. And forget not all his benefits He repeats it and adds That we forget not His Benefits 1. Forget not He would not be guilty of the common Errour forgetfulness of a good turn for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if it happen 't is impossible to be thankful and therefore Omnium ingratissimus qui beneficii accepti non reminiscitur Forget not then 2. All his benefits Not all no nor indeed any of them for not one but deserves a blessing 3. His benefits Some read Munera the Vulgar Retributiones If Munera they are freely given if Retributiones they are more than we can deserve yet it pleases him to accompt them so Let but a man well consider how many evils we
return daily to God for his good things he freely bestowes on us and how many good things he returns to us daily notwithstanding the evil we return him and we shall easily understand how great is the goodness of God That retributes good for evil and makes his Sun to shine on the just and unjust Luke 6. And Beneficia they are to us for we are the better for them The second part Which now he beginâ— by an 〈◊〉 to number the Benefits 1. Done to himself 2. At the third verse the Prophet begins his Declaration and by an Induction of particulars reckons up the benefits and that in this order 1. Those done to himself in which yet he excludes not others as if they might not share with him 2. Done to the whole Church But of the first he had a true sense and experience what others felt he could not say Now these benefits to himself were either spiritual or temporal 1. Ver. 3 The first spiritual Benefit was Justification or Remission of sin by which of an unjust man Spiritual as 1. Justification he made him just of an enemy a friend of a slave a son Bless God who forgiveth all thine iniquities freely forgives thy Debt or unjust Actions although many All everyone Original and Actual 2. 2 Regeneration The second Benefit is Regeneration by which the Power of Concupiscence that dwells in us is daily weakned and subdued though not wholly abolished The full cure must be expected in the life to come but such a cure is done upon us in this life That it shall not reign in our mortal bodies and we obey it in the lusts thereof And of this cure in himself David was sensible and therefore he saith Who heals all thy diseases or infirmities is daily cutting away and snubbing these roots of sin 3. Ver. 4 The third Benefit is Redemption Who redeemeth thy life from destruction 3 Redemption from the Pit from the Grave from Death and that which followeth it eternal Destruction 4. 4 Glorification all out of mercy The fourth Benefit Glorification Who Crowneth thee gives a Crown of Glory and the cause of this and the other Benefits be conceals not it is with or out of loving-kindness and tender mercies ex visceribus miserecordiae Neither is he behind with thee for temporal Benefits for however Bellarmine refers these and the following words to the felicity of the Soul 2 Temporal and immortality of the Body in the life to come which I dislike not in the Anagogical sense yet I conceive the Literal sense of the words may properly be referred to this present life in which God feeds and nourisheth our Bodies and supplies what is necessary for Food and Rayment and also conserves us in this life and gives us health and strength Ver. 5 both which the Prophet teacheth us in the following words 1. 1 Abundance Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things He gives not sparingly and with a Niggards hand but gives abundantly to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. He satisfieth and good things they are till we abuse them 2. 2 Long life and health So that thy youth is renewed like the Eagles An Eagle is a youthful and lusty Bird in her old age and of long life and this often God grants to many of his that they be long-liv'd healthful and lively active and vigorous old men as to Moses Joshua Job which if it happen it is a Gift of God 2. 2 Benefits to the whole Church As man is to pray so also is he bound to bless God for the good that befalls his Neighbour which course David here takes for he blesseth God not only for the Benefits of God bestowed upon himself but such as were common and did belong to the whole Church and in two he gives his instance The first is the defence of his people and deliverance of all that are oppressed The second is the Manifestation of his Will by his Servants the Pen-men of Scripture to them 1. 1 Deliverance Most just God is to his and good in punishing their Adversaries The Lord executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed with wrong Ver. 6 which is a new Benefit Two Alms he distributes 1. A righteous portion to his servants 2. Judgment and a just revenge to his enemies to all that are oppressed with wrong The Israelites were preserved in Aegypt but Pharaoh plagued 2. 2 Manifestation of his Will Most kind in making known his Will which had he not declared to his servants Ver. 7 we had never known it It must then be acknowledg'd for another favour That he made known his Wayes to Moses his Acts unto the children of Israel And here the Prophet interserts four Epithers or Attributes of God Both the Benefits bestowed because God is which declares unto us the true cause of all the former and following favours The Lord is Merciful and Gracious flow to anger and plenteous in mercy 1. Ver. 8 Merciful Rachum because he bears a pateâ—nal Affection to pious men 2. Gracious Channum the Giver of Grace and Benefits For he that loves with a fatherly Affection will give 3. Slow to anger Not easily drawn to strike he will bear long and much as a Father before he punish 4. Plenteous in mercies When he does us good being moved by no merit of our's Of all which Attributes the Prophet shewes the effects and applies them singula singulis in the following verses 1. He is merciful bears a paternal Affection to his Children 1 Merciful He will not alwayes chide neither keep his anger for ever Ver. 9 Angry he will be with his Children when they are untoward yea and chastise them too For every father chastises the son that he loves But his anger shall not last long for in his heart there remains the love of a Father from whence the stripes proceed 2. He is gracious Ver. 10 and therefore out of meer Grace he will give us a Pardon For if he should deal with us according to our deserts 2 Gracious who could abide it Psal 130. For what doth a sinner deserve but death Rom. 6. Whereas he forgives us and gives us Life Grace Glory and therefore we may truly say with David here He hath not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities Ver. 11 This Grace and Favour the Prophet amplifies by two Comparisons 1. The first is the distance of the Heaven from Earth which from the Center to the highest Orb is of an immense Altitude Yet look As high as the Heaven is above the Earth so great is his mercy toward them that fear him 2. The second is the distance of the East from the West which is of an immense Longitude and yet look Ver. 12 As far as the East is from the West so far hath he set our sins from us Let the sin be of what extent it will it is
understanding quick and my judgement bettered Bless the Lord O my tongue and all that is within me bless his holy Name But what do I insist upon the Benefits which thou hast bestowed upon me in particular when thou hast béen merciful to thy whole people Ver. 6 for those also I bless thée and for those now I pray many of them suffer injuries from the hands of Tyrants many of them are in want and necessity Execute righteousness and judgment help the afflicted comfort them who are in want and deliver all that are oppressed as thou didst thy people Israel by the hand of Moses And because ignorance and errour hath brought a missy darkness over thy Truth shine forth again and make thy wayes known as thou didst to thy people by Moses direct them in the right way of a good and a happy life and by the Acts already done for thy children of Israel assure them what in all Ages thou wilt do for thy people Thou O Lord art merciful and gracious flow to anger and plenteous in mercy Be merciful then to the sins of thy children and be not alwayes chiding let it suffice that thou correct and chastise them as a Father but keep not thy anger for ever Why should thy Spirit alwayes strive with those to whom thou beatest a paternal love and affection Be gracious then and out of méer grace seal them a pardon Deal not with them after their sins neither reward them according to their iniquities Make it appear That as the Heaven is high above the Earth so great is thy mercy immense and true toward them that fear thee that as far as the East is from the West that so far thou wilt remove their transgressions from them Shew that it is not the interposition of any sin how dark how swelling soever if repented and left that can kéep off the light of thy countenance from them Thou art slow to anger let not then thy wrath be kindled against the sheep of thy pasture Pity them then O God pity them and me an undutiful Child with them Yea as a Father pitieth his own Children so pity us that fear thee Remember O Lord our frame how thou hast fashioned us Remember that we are but dust and must return to dust Remember we are but grass that suddenly shoots up or as a flower of the Field which is to day in its pride and beauty and to morrow flags and falls a nipping sharp wind passeth over it shrivels it up and it is gone so that the place thereof shall know it no more nor it the place Thus frail thus vanishing is man when the Spirit of thy indignation and thy severe sentence passeth upon him But thou art plenteous in mercy it is not so with thy mercy as with the life of man that fades and decayes But thy mercy is from everlasting toward them that fear thee O Lord we desire to live in thy fear and to kéep thy Covenant and as we are the Children of those who have dyed in and for the Truth so to remember thy Commandments and to do them Bring these desires into Acts that so kéeping thy Covenant and performing thy Commandments with a filial fear we may be partakers of thy righteousness and that mercy which had no beginning and knowes no end no more end than thou canst have no more be circumscribed than thou canst be For thou hast prepared thy Throne in Heaven and thy Kingdom ruleth over all To thée then we his as Supreme for pardon and mercy Thy mercy is above thy works and the Benefits flowing from the Fountain of thy mercy infinite as it cannot be exhausted so I desire the praise for it should not be dryed up Men are sinful and praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner Men are frail and vanity it self and the praise would be everlasting O ye Angels of God then joyn with me Bless ye the Lord ye that excel in strength ye that do his Commandments which I to my grief kéep not and chearfully and readily hearken to the voyce of his words Ye are the multitude of the heavenly Host that sung in the Fields of Galilee Glory to God on High Bless ye then the Lord all ye his Hosts ye Ministers of his that do his pleasure And you also all ye works of his joyn with the Angels and do what you can Bless ye the Lord and sound forth his praises by your obedience and subjection to his Will in all places of his Dominion Lastly O my Soul so fréely pardoned and justified so graciously regenerated and sanctified so dearly bought and wonderfully redéemed so undeservedly to be glorified with this my body which in the mean time is satisfied by him with good things and shall at last in youth be renewed as an Eagle Bless the Lord O my Soul Bless the Lord the Lord who is merciful and gracious flow to anger and plenteous in mercy Thou never canst do enough that hast received so much Tender then unto him all laud all honour all praise all glory through Jesus Christ thy Lord thine only Saviour and Redeemer To God the Father that created us to God the Son that redeemed us to God the Holy Ghost who sanctifies us three Persons and one God be ascribed all Glory Honour Power and Dominion for ever and ever Amen PSAL. CIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE scope and intent of this Psalm is the same with the former viz. to excite men to praise God upon the consideration of his Benefits but yet upon a different ground In the former for the Benefits of Grace conferr'd upon his Elect. In this for the Gifts of Nature bestowed in general upon all Those flow immediately from his mercy these from his power wisdom goodness and depend upon his Providence which are manifest in the Creation Governance and Preservation of all things The Creature then is the Subject of this Psalm concerning which in it we have a long but very methodical Narration by the meditation of which he invites all men to sing Hallelujah The parts of the Psalm are four 1. The Exhortation proposed briefly ver 1. 2. The Exhortation perswaded by Inspection of the Fabrick the beauty the order the government of the World from ver 1. to 33. 3. The Duty practised by himself ver 33 34. 4. An Imprecation on them that neglect the Duty ver 35. 1. The first part He begins with a double Apostrophe 1. Ver. 1 To his own Soul to praise God Bless the Lord O my Soul which was the Conclusion of the former Psalm He exhorts to praise God because of his works 2. To his God O Lord my God whom he describes to be great and glorious And that he may set forth his Majesty and Glory he useth a most elegant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 borrowed from the Person of some great King who presents himself very glorious to his people in his Robes in his Pavilion with a glistering
found out a way to remedy this also and that was by sending Rain out of his Bottles the Clouds a gift so great and peculiar to him that he is called by Job the Father of the Rain He watereth the Hills from his Chambers Ver. 13 that is from the upper Rooms the Clouds the effect and end of which 1. 1 Their use in general In general the satisfaction of the Earth which being thirsty gapes for Rain and drinks abundantly from Gods plenty The Earth is satisfied with the fruit of thy works by the Rain which is by thy hand prepared and is thy work in the Clouds 2. 2 In particular In particular the effects ends and consequences of these dewes and showres are many which all yet are from God as the prime cause for quod est causa causae est causa causati 1. Grass for the Cattle He causeth the Grass to grow for the Cattle 2. Ver. 14 Herbs for Meat and Medicine And Herbs for the service of men 3. All kind of Food And that he may bring forth Food out of the Earth which without Rain would not be had 4. And Wine which hath this lively spirit That it makes glad the heart of man and if we stay there lawful 5. And Oyle to make his face to shine Oyle supples comforts Ver. 15 strengthens the nervs and keeps the flesh and skin smooth fresh plump and youthful 6. And bread which strengthens mans heart Where there is bread there is no Famine it seems it is the strength of the Feast for it is alwayes the chief and necessary part of the Service 5. 4 The Trees Neither hath the Providence of God been forgetful to provide us Trees also which besides they serve for divers uses as shade building fuel and yield many kind of fruit in the production of them God hath not forgotten the very Birds they serve them for their Nests their Songs 1. The Trees of the Lord also his Trees because he first made them and now makes them grow are full of sap which is another effect of the Rain The Cedars of Lebanon which he hath planted 2. Where the Birds make their Nests as for the Stork the Firre Trees are her house in them slie builds 5 Hills 3. Nay other Creatures are not forgotten by him not the Coats nor the Conies For the high Hills are a Refuge for the wild Goats 4 The work of the fourth day Sun Moon by them and the Rocks for the Conies 3. The Psalmist goes on to the work of the fourth day the Creation of the two great Luminaries the Sun and the Moon and the consequences of it Ver. 19 in which Providence also is very conspicuous 1. He i. e. God appointed the Moon for certain seasons that it should shine in a fit and apt time in the night and not in the day 2. And the Sun knoweth his going down that it is not to shine out of season 1 Night and for rest but to give place to the night And in this division of time the Providence of God was admirable both to Man and Beast Thou makest darkness and it is night 1. For the good of the Beasts even the wildest that they may be sustained for 1. The night comes and then the Beasts of the Forrest that durst not appear by day do creep forth The young Lyons roar after their prey and seek their meat from God that is seek their meat in that manner as Gods Providence hath ordained 2. Again the day appears The Sun riseth and they appear not they gather themselves together and lay themselves down in their Dens 2. For the good of man 2 Day for labour for this disposition of seasons by the course of the Sun and Moon are good for him to it is Ver. 23 that he may labour in the day and rest in the night for quod caret alternâ requie durabile non est Man goeth forth to his work and labour See what he was born to to get his living by honest labour and not by preying murdering tearing and ravening as a Beast that riseth in the night to that purpose but to labour in the day and not tire himself out neither labour he must all day and then take rest Labour till the Evening Upon the consideration of all which the Prophet as a little rap't out of himself by the thoughts of Gods Providence Power Wisdom Goodness interserts this Exclamation O God how manifold are thy works in wisdom thou hast made them all the Earth is full of thy riches His Acclamation to Gods Works 1. How manifold are thy works how great how excellent how worthy of praise such that I cannot express them 2. In wisdom hast thou made them all No thing is rashly and by chance done but all with judgment and with great Reason nothing in them doth want nothing doth abound 3. All the Earth is full of thy riches No place no part of it but in it thy works proclaim that thou art a most bountiful and most wise Creator and an open-handed and liberal Bestower of thy Riches 4. The Ordinance for the Sea The Amplitude The Prophet hath hitherto set forth Gods wisdom in his works in the Heaven the Aire the Earth and now he descends into the Sea in which he shewes his wisdom 1. In the Amplitude of it It is the great and wide Sea extended far and wide 2. 5 The work of the fifth day Fish In the Abundance of Fish in it which was the work of the fifth day Wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great animals 3. In the useful Art of Navigation which God first taught by Noah's Ark There go the Ships 2 Creatures in it 4. 3 Navigation In the Whale There is that Leviathan whom thou hast made to play therein 5. Gods good ness in Conservation of the Creature The Conservation of the Creature now followes from ver 27. to 30. where their dependance is shewed upon the Providence of God both for their meat their life and continuation of them in their species For these words These wait all upon thee though they immediatly reflect upon the flesh he last spake yet they must be referr'd to all Creatures all having upon God the like dependance Ver. 27 1. For he gives them meat in season These all wait upon thee They are all expectants and wait they must till thou give 2. That thou mayest give them their meat Freely give and meat fit for them and that in a fit opportune season meat fit for every season of the year and when they want it 3. That thou givest them they gather That and no more nor less for it is not meat till God make it so his power and blessing must co-operate with the second causes 4. Being the Authour of This he farther explains in the following words Thou openest thine hand and they are filled with good filled and
the 13th of Exodus ver 21. And the Lord went before them by day in a Pillar of a Cloud to lead them the way and by night in a Pillar of Fire to give them light to go by day and night This is it then which he judgeth true That the cloudy Pillar did not cover them but went before them to shew them the way till they came to the red Sea till Pharaoh and his Army followed and then the Angel of the Lord with this Pillar of a Cloud interposed betwixt the Israelites and Pharaohs Army that they could not come to each other in which sense the Cloud might well be said to be stretched out for a protection and covering And he adds That besides this Pillar of a Cloud which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there might be another Cloud which might protect the Israelites from the heat of the Sun in their journey of which yet there is no mention in Exodus and this Hieroms Translation out of the Hebrew seems to countenance Expandit nubem in Tentorum And the Authour of the Book of Wisdom chap. 10. ver 17. And was unto them a Cover by day The seventh Benefit was Quails and Manna 1. 1 Quails The people asked and he brought Quails He means those given Exod. 16. not those in the first of Numbers for these last were given by God in anger and were no Benefit 2. 2 Manna And satisfied them with the bread of Heaven that is with Mannâ— which he calls the bread of Heaven because the sweet dew whereof it was made descended from the Aire the Earth had nothing to do in the production of it 8. 3 Waters out of the Rock The eighth Benefit the water he gave them to drink out of the Rock for they travelled through a dry Wilderness where there is great scarcity of springs and waters and therefore he opened the Rock and the waters gushed out and they ran in dry places as a River 1. He opened the Rock turned not the Rock into water as some think but only opened it and made a passage for some River which ran in the bowels of the Rock 2. And this most likely for the waters gushed out upon the passage made for them 3. And they ran in dry places for it is conceived they made a new River by whose Banks the Israelites journeying needed not a new Miracle to quench their thirst Now here he interserts the Reason both of the former and the following Benefits His Covenant the reason of all which was his Covenant his Promise made to Abraham for he remembred his holy promise and Abraham his servant 9. For these they triumph that they had Reason to exult and triumph at it as indeed they did Exod. 15. where Moses sings his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the overthrow of Pharaoh's Host in the red Sea And he brought forth his People with joy and his Chosen with gladness 10. And to make the number of his Benefits compleat he adds a Tenth which was He brings them into Canaan the Complement of all the rest and the exact fulfilling of his promise his introduction of them into Canaan ejection of the Inhabitants and the Donation of their Inheritances to his people which they after possessed being enstated by Joshna And gave them the lands of the Heathen and they inherited the labour of the people the Houses which they built the Vines which they planted the Lands which they tilled fell to them For all which Benefits God requires no more than Obedience from them this he requires The end of all their obedience as it were his Due and his Tribute so many Benefits he bestowed on them for one end only That they might observe his Statutes and keep his Lawes Hallelujah So let your light shine before men that they may glorifie your Father which is in Heaven A Meditation upon the One hundred and fifth Psalm and a Prayer O Lord at first all that thou madest was good and man the best at things below perfect in righteousness excellent in knowledge But it could not content him to know the Creator and the Creature but through curiosity he affected that which thou never â—adest the evil of sin which he indéed made himself by séeking to know it And this in him defaced thy Image and brought thy displeasure and death it self upon him In Iustice thou might'st have cast him off as thou did'st then out of Paradise but thou camest to him in the cool of the day and fréely and mercifully madest a prouise unto him That the Seed of the woman should break the Serpents head Ver. 8 that the blessed fruit of the Virgins womb should conquer and break to pieces the head the wit the policy the strength of that first enemy of mankind the Devil This was thy Covenant made to stand for ever this was thy Word which thou hast commanded to continue to a thousand Generations to all Ages to all persons and this thy Covenant thou madest good when in the fulness of time Thou sentest thy Son made of a woman made under the Law A long Tract of time there was before the World heard any more newes of it Age had defaced it and Antiquity in all like lihood had blotted it out But that which man had forgotten Thou good God forgettest not to Abraham thy friend thou appearest with him Thou renewedst thy Covenant and all his seed Thou establishest with Isaac with an Oath and confirmedst the same to Jacob for a fixed Law and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant a Covenant to last for ever What thou madest with them Thou confirmedst and hast made good also to us and under a Type of an earthly Canaan hast given us an assurance of an inheritance in Heaven I wonder at thy love I can never sufficiently magnifie thy frée Grace but I bless thy Truth Thou might'st justly have passed by us when we were polluted in our blood but even then thou didst cast thy skirt over us and madest it the time of love Offended we had and deserved no favour but thou then out of thy frée Grace did'st enter into a Covenant of Pardon and Salvation for us and confirmedst it with a Seal and an Oath And this in thy good time thou performedst and made it apparent to all Nations that it was not sworn in vain for out of the society of men thou call'st a Church and out of this Church Thou chosest a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a Peculiar People to whom thou will give the Celestial Canaan the lost of their inheritance Thy Counsel O God was wonderful thy Power thy Wisdom infinite That thou didst vouchsafe to choose out of the whole World one Family and at first but one of that Family with whom thou madest a large and a gracious Covenant whom thou protectedst Not suffering any man to do him and his seed wrong but reprovedst even Kings for their sakes They were thy Apointed and
Ephes 6.17 The mighty power of God unto salvation For the Gospel began to be preach'd in Zion Rom. 1.16 Able to cast down c. 2 Cor. 10.5 2. And this was to be sent out of Zion Isa 2.3 Micah 4.2 It behoved Christ to suffer and to rise again the third day that repentance and remission of sins be preached in his Name to all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Luke 24.47 The sound of the Apostles words went into all Lands but at Zion it was and must be first heard Acts 13.46 Acts 1.8 6. And now the Prophet comes to the execution of his power 6 The execution of his power which was either over his enemies or his good Subjects 1. As for that over his enemies 1 Over his enemies that converted or confounded he ushers it in with a Vote and Acclamation Dominare Rule thou in the midst of thy enemies converting such enemies as appertain to Gods Election and confounding such enemies as are the sons of Perdition Now 1. These are the greatest number for the Church however it be propagated and increased yet is in the midst of enemies of Jewes Turks Infidels Hereticks c. 2. Dominare then be thou Ruler go on and set up the standard of thy Cross in the midst of these Pagans and will they nill they yet erect thy Kingdom 2. For thy good Subjects they are easily dealt withall Ver. 3 there needs not any harsh dealing to subdue them and bring them to 2 Over his good Subjects which are a willing people and continue them in obedience 1. For thy people shall be willing not enforc'd by compulsion but coming in upon love They confluunt they will flow together as water which runs downward by a natural inclination Isa 2. and will bring free-will offerings 2. Upon grace offer'd them But yet not before thy grace hath wrought upon their hearts Tracti sequentur in the day of thy power i. e. in the dayes of thy solemn Assemblies in the dayes of thy Gospel when thou shalt send forth thy Apostles to preach and by preaching to collect and constitute thy Kingdom then they will shew themselves to be a willing people and in pure devotion and chearful obedience they will do their homage to thee their King 3. 3 And a holy people The third quality of this good people is That they be holy For some read the words thus They shall offer free-will offerings with an holy worship our last Translators point it somewhat otherwise for they read The people shall be willing in the day of thy power There they pause and read on thus In the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning The Vulgar in splendoribus sanctorum Moller in ornatibus sanctis and stops there Tremellius in decoris sanctitatis But let the reading be as it will agreed for ought I perceive all Expositors are That holiness must be an eminent and resplendent Ornament of Christs good Subjects 4. Which holiness is from grace Which Sanctity yet these good people have not from themselves it is by some secret and efficacious work of the Spirit They shall worship in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning Thou hast the dew of thy youth This is a very difficult place and the rendring of it is so various so perplexed so alter'd by the several pointing of it that it increaseth the difficulty for full satisfaction if it be given by any I refer you to the Translators and Expositors The sense of these words inquired into Three opinions I find about the words The Fathers expound them of Christ himself The later Divines of his people that were willing to serve him which indeed is most likely and will best consist and cohere with the sense of the former words But those that expound them Expounded of Christ and apply them to Christ run not one way neither Some suppose the Prophet speaks of his Godhead some of his Manhood some of his Gifts and Graces Thus they open themselves 1. The Prophet say they Notes out here Christs eternal Generation before all Worlds following the Septuagints Translation that reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the womb that is of mine own Essence saith the Father to the Son before the morning Star that is before there was Light or Star which was the first Creature i. e. before the World was I have begotten thee or Thou hast the dew of thy youth that is thy Nativity or Birth 2. Others apply the words to Christs Nativity of the Virgin Mary and open thus their meaning From the womb of the morning that is the Virgin Thou hast the dew of thy youth i. e. Thy birth which birth is therefore compared to dew because as a celestial dew the Son of God sent from Heaven was at his Incarnation conceived in the Virgins womb without the seed of man 3. Others yet applying them to Christ expound the words of the fulness of those dewes as it were of Gifts and Graces with which his Humanity was invested and beautified even from the womb which is also very true for he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that holy one from the womb and even then received those Gifts and Graces in an abundant and plentiful manner without measure which he after communicated by portions to his Church For of his Fulness it is that we receive He was anointed with the oyle of gladness above his Fellowes but yet for his Fellowes 4. Of the Church his people Now this Interpretation as I conceive gave occasion to our Modern Expositors to apply the words not to the Messias nor to the plenitude of Grace in him but to our new Birth and the Graces then bestowed upon his Subjects and people By their Youth they understand their Regeneration by the Dewes the Graces then bestowed on them which they have not from the will of man nor from the will of the flesh but of God or as the Prophet phrases it from the womb of the morning As if the Holy Ghost had said By the preaching of thy Word thou shalt bring forth a people not only good but great whose increase shall be so plentiful and wonderful as the drops of the morning dew For as the dew that secretly falls from Heaven abundantly covers and refresheth the Earth so thy power regenerating the hearts of men by thy Gospel and secret operation of thy Spirit distilling as the dew and as the showers upon the herbs is that immortal Seed by which an incredible number of children are begotten to God How properly may it be said to and of every regenerate man from the womb of the morning that is not from thy self or any other womb but from above from the Spirit of God Thou hast the dew those sweet and comfortable dewes of grace which do better and beautifie thy youth thy new birth thy youthful and lively condition in Christianity hence is thy birth thy
expect none but muddy troubled water that then the Prophet saith He shall drink of the Torrent intimates That the drink offer'd him should be much and troubled And at his Passion he descended into the very depth of the Torrent and drank very deep of it 3. In the way That was while he was Viator in his Journey all the time of his life that preceded his Resurrection and Ascension 2. His Ascension and Honour But Claritas Humilitatis praemium because he thus humbled himself and willingly underwent his Death and Passion for the Glory of his Father and the Salvation of Mankind therefore shall God lift up his Head he shall ascend into Heaven sit at his right hand and be constituted the Judge of quick and dead he shall rise from the dead and have all power committed to him in Heaven and Earth The Prayer out of the One hundred and tenth Psalm O Almighty God most gracious and merciful Lord sinned all Mankind hath and by it incurr'd thy displeasure and by the disobedience of our first Parents had we not since added to that disobedience béen utterly lost it was not in the power of any creature to save us it was not within the compass of any humane or angelical ability to make our peace to get our pardon and to reconcile us again unto thée The sentence of death was passed upon us and nothing could respite the execution but thy own Ordinance A Mediator was wanting to interpose and hear all differences a Priest to step in and make an Atonement an Advocate to plead for thy people and allay the anger that was gone forth And such an one O merciful Lord Thou out of thy méer love hast in mercy provided for us Thou saidst to thy own Son Thou art a Priest for ever and thy own Son said Lo I come to do thy Will Ver. 4 and so by thy wonderful Decrée and his willing Obedience we are redéemed Who ever heard so strange a thing who could or would ever believe this report hadst not thou O God revealed it The zeal of the Lord hath done this for us the zeal of the Son of God hath done this brought to pass that which flesh and blood would never believe were it not That thou hast commanded it to be believed O mystery beyond comprehension which when we séem to comprehend yet we understand not the secret so far passeth what our weak capacity can reach unto And in this thou O merciful Father hast condescended to our infirmity for that thy Decrée and thy Sons love be never more doubted Thou hast secured us by an Oath an Oath of which thou wilt never repent That he is a Priest for ever A Priest must have something to offer and he offer'd himself a Priest must offer blood and he offer'd his own a Priest must step in and appease thy anger when it was at the highest a Priest must reconcile when the terms of difference were the greatest And such an High Priest thou hast sworn thy Son shall be given him for us and to us not only to them that lived then and before but to all thine that are now and shall be hereafter for thou hast ordained to be a Priest for ever O holy and good Father how much hast thou loved us who hast not spared thine one only Son but hast deliver'd him to be our Priest and our Sacrifice and therefore our Priest because our Sacrifice to Sacrifice himself upon the Altar of the Cross that he might cancel and nail there the Hand-writing that was against us and by death destroy him that had the power of death the Devil This could not be done till he had drank of the Brook in the way till all thy storms and waves had gone over him for so it behoved Christ to suffer Ver. 7 and to enter into his Glory But now all those indignities that agony those unknown sufferings are at an end and thou hast lifted up his head He that sacrificed himself on Earth is an High Priest an Advocate a Mediator an Intercessor for his Body in Heaven and there applies his purchase and continues this his Office for his Servants and Saints O Lord I am the meanest the most sinful of this Society so often as I provoke thée to anger by infirmity or surreptitious by enormous or presumptuous iniquities turn thy face from me a wretched Caitiff and behold those wounds in his hands féet and side and accept of that precious Sacrifice which he made upon the Cross for me hear the cry of those wounds that intercede for me at thy Throne of Grace I rely upon no other Advocate I will sue to no other Mediator if he be not able to save me then let me perish for ever speak peace to my soul in his Name be reconciled unto me in his blood and make his intercession so powerful unto me That I may be purged from my sins and turned from mine iniquities And this Supplication I do not only offer unto thée for my self but for all thy people Ver. 1 for whose sakes thou hast lift up his head and said unto my Lord Sir thou at my right hand All power is now given unto him both in Heaven and in Earth for he is not only a Priest but a King also a Scepter he hath and a Rod in his right hand this is the Rod of his strength and it came first out of Zion Ver. 2 I mean his Gospel that Law which came first out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem O set thy King upon thy holy hill of Zion give him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Oppose all those that oppose the growth and enlargement of his Kingdom Let him rule in the midst of thine enemies and sit at thy right hand until thou hast made all his enemies his Foot-stool O Lord let him preside and have the Dominion over all till there be no Adversary left that shall dare to oppose him in his Offices Behold we humbly beséech thée how in these our dayes there are risen up blasphemous and wicked men cruel and bloody Antichrists who go about to break his Bands asunder and dare boldly and impudently say of him We will not have this man to reign over us Be present then O Lord our Saviour at the right hand of thy people and strike through Kings Princes and Potentates in the day of thy wrath Exercise judgment against these blasphemous and heathenish Rebels let not thy Eye pity them nor thy Sword spare them but fill the places with their dead bodies and in what Countrey soever they remain what Aire soever they breath let their factious bodies and their Machivillian and Tyrannical heads and leaders receive their deaths wound from thy hand and fury O Lord pronounce a favourable sentence for thy Church and let
he hath done endureth for ever and shall in its time receive an ample reward Prov. 28.27 22.9 2. Nay by it increased his honour and perhaps his wealth also 2 And his Honour His Horn that is his power dignity glory shall be exalted with honour 10. Ver. 10 His last felicity is that he shall exceed and overcome all envy for it is most true 10 He shall overcome all Envy 1. That the wicked shall see it consider the prosperity and liberality of him that fears God and be grieved with his felicity and pine with envy 1 For the wicked shall envy him 2. That as a mad Dog he shall gnash his teeth at it and for very grief melt away 2 But not hurt him and seek his ruine 3. But yet he shall not be able to harm him all his endeavours shall be frustrate and his labours ineffectual The desire of the wicked shall perish He then that fears God is a happy man he that fears him not most unhappy The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and twelfth Psalm O On impotent God it is thy fear alone that can make men truly happy for where thy fear is truly rooted Ver. 1 there piety and justice there thy true worship and all fruits of charity and justice will flourish so therefore affect our bearts with a filial fear that we may make it our delight to run the wayes of thy Commandments Make our will conformable to thy Will and our affection◠correspondent to what thou dost affect so shall we find no labour or difficulty in thy precepts but be greatly pleased to be thy obedient servants It is time of the greatest of our desires Ver. 2 That our seed should be mighty upon earth which cannot be expected without thy blessing create in us then an upright he art that so the Generation which succéed us may be blessed We desire that wealth Ver. 3 and riches and honour should be in our house let us aim to attain to these in thy fear Ver. 3 in a just and a righteous way that they may endure to our posterity make us content with what thou bestowest and know That Piety is great gain when the mind is satisfied with what thou givest We now live O Lord in a difficult time we know not what to do but our eyes are to thée Ver. 4 Thou art a gracious God and full of compassion and righteous let therefore thy light arise to us in this darkness let thy counsel direct us and thy comforts shine unto us Ver. 5 that we may prudently carry our selves in these distrculties Provocations we have had to anger and revenge but touch our hearts with so much compassion that we may shew favour toward our enemies forgive them as thou for Christs sake hast forgiden us And since we are compassed about with temptations Ver. 6 enrich our hearts with prudence That we may guide our Affairs with discretion Ver. 7 discréetly putting a difference betwixt Truth and Falshood just and unjust acts and though we be violently assaulted make us constant in thy fear and patient in our sufferings O let us not be moved or seduced from the right way for ever Fix our hearts and make us trust in thée establish our hearts and never let any evil tydings make us afraid but let us rely upon thy promises till we sée our desire upon our enemies Let it not be our aim to heap up wealth but give us grace to use it well to disperse as well as to gather and to be content to give as well as to receine that so the loins of the néedy may bless us and the bellies of the poor pray for us With this unrighteous Mammon let us make our selves friends that when they fall we may be receiv'd into everlasting habitations this is a righteousness that will endure for ever this is a means not only to encrease our reward in the life to come Ver. 6 but also in this to exalt our Hor◠our power and dignity with honour For a good man alwayes lives in the memory of good men his name is precious his memorial is honourable whereas the memory of the wicked shall be buried in oblivion or remembred with reproach the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Write our names O Lord in the Book of life Ver. 10 and conserve them in the memorials of thy Saints let the wicked sée it and be grieved at it and let the adversaries of thy fear and the blessed estate of thy servants gnash their téeth for envy and melt away to find that their desires come to naught O Lord whosoever he be that shall desire the ruine of those that fear thée let him never be able to fulfil it but together with him let his desire perish So shall thy people and sheep of thy pasture that fear thee the Lord Ver. 1 and delight greatly in thy Commandments bless thy Name for blessing them and call to all that love thee and thy Church to praise the Lord. Amen Amen PSAL. CXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Scope of this Psalm is the same with those that went before viz. to excite men to praise God Three parts of this Psalm 1. An Exhortation to praise him directed to his servants ver 1. 2. A Form set down for it expressing how when and where to praise him ver 2 3. 3. The Reasons that perswade us to it first his infinite Power ver 4 5. secondly his Providence most conspicuous in Heaven and in Earth ver 6. in Earth both in Common-wealths ver 7 8. and in private Families ver 9. 1. The Prophet exhorts men to praise the Lord And 1. First He doubles and trebles his Exhortation Praise the Lord praise The first part He exhorts to praise God praise the Name of the Lord that it be not coldly and dully but zealously done or else to shew that he alone is worthy of all praise Ver. 1 The Kingdom is his and therefore the Glory Especially his servants 2. He shewes us by whom he would have it done by his servants Praise the Lord O ye servants He is your Lord you his servants praise him then and do it with a pure heart For praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner 2. The Form in which it is to be done is this Say The second part A Form of thanksgiving 1. Blessed be the Name of the Lord Job 1. 2. And say it at all times Begin it ab ipso nunc From this time forth and continue in it from this time forth for evermore In prosperity adversity in this life in the future 1 For all times 3. And let it be said in all places even all the World over From the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same 2 All places the Lords Name is to be praised 3. And now follow the Reasons The third part The reasons for it by which he perswades men
to praise him 1. The first is his Majesty his infinite Power Glory this extends not to men alone but to the Heavens and all above the Heavens Ver. 4 The Lord is high above all Nations and his Glory above the Heavens above Princes 1 Gods Majesty Heavens Angels therefore praise him 2. The second is his admirable Providence Benignity and Bounty 2 His. Providence and Condescension which being joyned with so great Majesty appears the more admirable Who is like the Lord our God who dwells on high None in Heaven and Earth to be compared to him and yet which sets forth his goodness Ver. 5 the care he hath of all things He as it were humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in earth He is present with the greatest Angels and ready to help the meanest creature Two instances of it Now of his Providence in humbling himself to behold the things on earth he gives two instances the first is in States and Kingdoms the second in private Families 1. In States He raiseth up the poor out of the dust and lifteth the needy out of the Dunghil 1 In Kingdoms in which he exalts men of low degree The examples of it may be Joseph Moses David Daniel Job Mordecai let then no man say Non vacant exiguis rebus adesse Jovi And the end is That he may set him with the Princes even with the Princes of his people He vindicates their name not only from contempt but exalts them to the highest places of honour 2. 2 In private Familes opening the womb In private Families As the infelicity of men is a low and despised condition so the infelicity of women is barrenness as therefore he looks upon humble men and raiseth them to a Crown so he looks upon humble women and makes them fruitful in which the happiness of a Family consists and therefore the Prophet adds this other instance of his Providence He maketh the barren woman to keep house and to be a joyful mother of children A joyful mother for that women rejoyce in nothing more than in bearing of children the examples may be Sarah Rebeccah Rachel Annah Elizabeth Jo. 16.21 But by most Expositors This appliable to the Church of the Gentiles this last verse hath a higher meaning and relates unto the Church of the Gentiles which was the barren woman before Christs coming but hath now more children than she that hath a Husband i. e. the Jewish Synagogue Isa 54.1 Rejoyce O barren that didst not bear break forth into joy and rejoyce thou that didst not travel with child for the desolate hath more children than the married wife and is to this purpose applied by St. Paul Gal. 4.27 The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and thirteenth Psalm O Omnipotent Lord Ver. 1 whosoever are addicted in faith and fincerepâ—ety to thy worship and service are bound at all times in all places to return unto thy Name immortal praises Ver. 2 we then who acknowledge thée to be our Lord and our selves thy dassals and servants with our whole hearts both secretly and in the Congregation of Saints do sound forth with full voyce Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God Ver. 3 from this time forth for â—vermore from the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same our Lord's Name be praised O Lord thy Majesty is great thy Glory illustrious thy Goodness Clemency and Providence wonderful Ver. 4 thy Power is high above all Nations and the greatest in those Nations thy Glory above the Heavens and the most glorious in those Heavens Ver. 5 Who O Lord our God is like unto thée or among men or Angels may be compared with thée And yet though thou dwellest on high such is thy care thy provision thy clemency toward us men below Ver. 6 that thou dost as it were humble thy self and descend from thy Throne of Majesty to behold the things that are in Heaven to take a care for the things that are done in and on the Earth there is no action no event either in Heaven or Earth which thou rulest not which thou guidest not and orders not If the proud Angels in Heaven aspire to thy Throne Thou beholdest it and they shall féel thy power If insolent men on earth shall exalt themselves against thée they shall drink of the cup of thy wrath when thy servants sin against thée and yet shall humble themselves before thée Thou wilt behold their contrition and accept their tears and forgive their ungracious behaviour Look down O Lord at this time from thy dwelling place and behold the afflicted slate and condition of this thy Church Ver. 7 we have for many years béen trod under foot and lain in the dust we have béen and are yet oppressed and cast aside as it were to the Dunghil Thy judgments O Lord are just and thy wayes equal for unsavoury salt we were and deserved no better But thou who raisest the poor out of the dust and liftest the needy out of the Dunghil vouchsafe to stretch out thy arm of power and right hand of help to our Princes and Armies set our King whom thou hast hitherto dejected once again with Princes even the Princes of his people O Lord who makest the barren woman to keep house Ver. 8 and be a joyful mother of children take pity on the afflicted woman thy Church and let her not mourn and longer for her barrenness grant that by thy Word and Spirit Ver. 9 she may be a mother of many children with whom she may rejoyce in thy house and celebrate thy Name with perpetual praises through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DAVID in this Psalm chants forth the wonderful works and miracles that God wrought when he brought forth the people of Israel out of Aegypt Two parts there are of this Psalm 1. A Narration of Israels deliverance amplified by the state they were in ver 1. The state to which they were brought ver 2. The miracles then done first at the red Sea and Jordan ver 3. and at Sinai when the Law was given wer 4. 2. A Prosopopeia set down by way of Dialogue first For the Prophet asks the Sea and Jordan Why they fled turned back ver 5 6. secondly To which the answer is made by the brutish Earth which is enough to strike a terrour a veneration and fear into all men That it trembled at the presence of the Lord ver 7 8. 1. In the Narration Israâ—ls condition is set down by way of comparison The first part Israels condition in Aegype set down that so their deliverance might make the deeper impression First we are to know that Israel and the house of Jacob and Judah in this place signifie the same thing viz. The whole Nation of the Israelites that descended out of Jacobs loins but of the house of Jacob there is peculiar mention because with him
soever ye live see that ye trust in the Lord and that for the same reason For he will be their help and their shield also In every Nation those that fear him and do righteousness are accepted of him He will be a Lord Protector even to these as to Job Naaman c. 3. And that his Exhortation to trust in God might take the deeper root The third part The blessing upon it he tells all three that they should be no losers by it for it was it that had and would bring a blessing upon them For God doth not use to forget those that trust in him but he hath been mindful of us Ver. 12 And by a singular and especial Providence and care of us he hath shew'd it and he will shew it to every one of you 1. To you of the Nation He will bless the house of Israel 1 To the Nation 2. To you of the Priesthood He will bless the house of Aaron 3. To all you that fear him He will bless them that fear the Lord 2 To the Priesthood both small and great And the Prophet taking his example from God 3 To all that fear him This the Prophet seconds with his prayer poures forth his blessing upon them also he thought it not enough to exhort them only to trust in God and acquaint them that God would bless them except he seconded it with his prayer and therefore to Gods blessing he adds his own and desires the blessing may rest upon the heads of them and their children 1. The Lord shall increase you more and more you and your children 2. Let the World curse you and speak evil of you yet I say Ye are the blessed of the Lord come ye blessed Deutr. 28. 3. That Lord which made heaven and earth which words are added that they be assured that their blessing is a real blessing coming from him in whose hand is the dew of heaven and fatness of the earth in which form Isaac blessed Jacob Gen. 27.28 4. It comes from one that is able to bless 1. For the heaven even the heavens are the Lords In them he especially shewes his Presence Majesty Glory from thence descend the dewes of grace and the drops of rain that water the earth 2. As for the earth he hath made a Deed of Gift for that He hath given it to the children of men that by his blessing upon their labour they may be sustained with food and rayment so that while they live in it and enjoy the Goods thereof they praise him 4. The fourth part For that is the true end of their being here the chief nay the sole end they live upon it And that for their blessing they again bless God the end that God gave it to them an end which they that are dead cannot attain unto This he illustrates by an Antithesis betwixt the dead and the living 1. Ver. 17 For the dead praise not the Lord neither any that go down into the silence Among them there is great silence of the dewes of heaven and the fatness of the earth they need neither and therefore they praise not God for them The blessing of the City and blessings of the Field are nothing unto them they have no mouths to fill and therefore no mouths in a corporal manner to open in the praise of God Him they praise but it is after their manner not ours him they praise but it is for other blessings than ours 2. Ver. 18 But we as yet are upon the earth we enjoy his protection we enjoy besides spiritual these temporal blessings also this his gift we must make use of And therefore we will do that the dead cannot We will bloss the Lord from this time forth for evermore By our selves while we live and desire it may be done by our posterity when we are going down into silence 3. However ye that are alive this day Praise ye the Lord. The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and fifteenth Psalm O Omnipotent and Gracious God in all Ages thou hast béen merciful to thy people and even in their greatest afflictions raised up the spirits of some one or other of thy servants by whose hands thou hast delivered them At this time we are in great misery at this time we are in affliction send us help from thy Sanctuary raise us up some Moses to go before us some Joshua to sight for us Ver. 2 some Sampson to deliver us wherefore should the uncircumcised triumph over us and say Where is now their God The reproach O Lord redounds to thée this insultation is to thy dishonour arise then O Lord and give the glory unto thy Name shew thy merciful countenance and that thou art a God of Truth Ver. 1 and for thy Mercy and Truths sake come down at last and deliver us Merit there is none on our part why thou shouldst do it for us and therefore it must be mercy Merit there is too much on our part why thou shouldst not do it and therefore if it be done it must be thy Truth thy Word pass'd to thy servants that moves thée to it We destre not that any part of this work be attributed to us but that the honour of it be wholly thine Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name which is now blashemed and vilified Ver. 3 give the Glory for thy Mercy and for thy Truths sake Make them know that have so long trusted in lying vanities and worshipped the imaginations of their own hearts That our God is in Heaven that he hath done whatsoever pleased him that as it hath béen his pleasure to humble us so it is his pleasure to exalt us he hath brought us very low but he can set us again on high when how and by whom he pleaseth O Lord heal our back-slidings and love us freely turn away thine anger from us be as a dew to thy Israel make his branches â—oread Ver. 9 and his beauty as the Olive-trée let him revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine what have we to do any more with Idols vain men That have hands and cannot help and ears and will not hear Thée O Lord will we hear Thée will we alone observe For thou art our help and our shield Thou wilt be the Lord Protector to thy Israel Thou wilt be a shield to the house of Aaron Thou wilt be a helper to all those that fear thée therefore renouncing the arm of flesh we will trust to thée alone O Lord be mindful of us and bless us bless the house of Israel that people which thou hast chosen to thy self and gathered from among the Nations Bless the house of Aaron that Tribe that thou hast chosen to thy self and set apart to come near unto thée among this people O Lord bless them all that sear thy Name in what part of the World soever they remain of what condition soever they he
both great and small whether thou hast raised them to a high degrée of honour or made them vessels of dishonour Thou Lord art that great Lord that hath made both heaven and earth she power in heaven Thou hast reserved to thy self the earth Thou hast given to the children or men that they may inhabit it and be sustained by it By thine own mouth all those who serve thée in fear and reverence are pronounced to be the Blessed of the Lord give then good God to these the dew of heaven and the famess of the earth multiply and increase them more and more both the fathers and their children Of this nothing can deprive us but our abuse and unthankfulness that may make heaven brass and the earth iron under us So touch our hearts then with thy grace that we never receive a blessing but we be as ready to return a blessing that we use not the gift without blessing thée the Doner t is the end we live 't is the end we breath The dead praise thee not for the gifts of the earth because they have no use of them they that go down into the stlent places of the grave are altogether silent for thy swéet dewes and showres wherewith the earth is impregned and fatned because they stand not in néed of any of her supplies We are the men who yet live and draw our breath which must be nourished and sustained by the dugs of this good mother which we will never praw without thankfulness We will bless the Lord while we live upon the earth even from this time to the end of our life and if we could live for ever for evermore Since therefore O merciful Lord Thou hast given the earth for a possession to the sons of men and to that end that there may be upon the earth some to celebrate thy Name we beséech thée to defend thy little flock from the hands of violent men and suffer them not by their rage and fury to be taken from their possessions by a violent and immature death But much more O Lord preserve them from eternal death and damnation in which no man can praise thée and grant unto them that while they live on earth they may live by the life of thy Spirit that both now and for ever as it is their bounden duty they may praise and magnisle thy Name and set forth thy mercies in Iesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen PSAL. CXVI Didascalicus THIS Psalm is gratulatory for it shewes some great straits to which David was brought from which God delivering him he vowes to be thankful The points of this Psalm are three 1. David makes profession of his love and shews the Reasons of it viz. Gods goodness to him in hearing him when he was in a sad condition and helping him from ver 1. to 9. 2. He professeth his duty and faith ver 9 10 11. 3. He vowes to be thankful and in what manner from ver 12. to 19. 1. Deum David diligit He begins with the expression of his content and love I have enough I love the Lord The first part and presently sets down his Reasons 1. Ver. 1 Because he hath heard my voyce and my supplications good reason then to love him Ratio prima That God heard him 2. Because he hath inclined his ear to me a certain evidence that he was heard Upon which certainty and experience of Audience Ver. 2 he infers this protestation Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Secunda Ratio Amoris auditum in suâ angustiâ 2. Another Reason that moved him to love God and acquiesce in him was That he heard him in his greatest need and extremities which he describes in the next verse Neither can there be any greater for he suffered in body and soul by the sense of Gods wrath which how great they are those only can tell you that have had experience of them 1. The sorrowes of death compassed me even death it self is the King of fear Describet angustias 2. The pains of Hell gat hold upon me He feared the anger of God for his sin and the consequent of that anger 3. Both these brought him into a heavy case many compass'd about with the sorrowes of death living in prosperity they observe it not they consider it not and therefore they nor fear nor grieve But David was sensible of his condition he found where he was and therefore in grief and fear he-professeth I found trouble and sorrow but at last faith seems to conquer them he despairs not For he betakes himself to his old and safe remedy a remedy that never had failed him 1. Then in these sorrowes these pangs these troubles 2. Invocatio refugium I called upon the Name of the Lord Invocation was his sole Refuge 3. And he sets down the very words of his prayer for our use in the like case O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul i.e. from the sorrowes of death and dangers of hell And then Ostendit quibus fundament is nixus ad Deum fugit oravit viz. that he might shew that he prayed to God in faith and hope he acquaints us upon what ground he did it viz. those Attributes of God of which every one that happens to be in his case hath especial use or else he is not like to find comfort for then no talking of merits of predestination of Enthusiasms in such a case these are no Cordials to a soul under the sense of Gods wrath That which will then comfort any man is to remember and believe what David doth here 1. That God is gracious he inspires prayer and repentance into a man and freely remits sin Dei Attribut is and receives to favour all such as by a lively faith flie to him 2. And righteous and just that will perform what he hath promised and grant an induigence upon those terms that he hath promised 3. Yea our God is merciful he mingles mercy with his justice and though he scourgeth every son that he receives yet 't is with a fathers hand which is more prone to forgive than to punish 4. The Lord preserves the simple i. e. Men sine plicis such simple men as Job was these being without counsel or help he keeps he saves Of which David gives an instance in himself I was brought low and he helped me And the like favour others may find that call upon him on those grounds that I did relying on him because he is gracious righteous and merciful and preserves the simple 3. Another Reason he had to love God was the great rest quiet Tertia Ratio Amoris acquiescentia animi orta ex reconciliatione peace and tranquility he found in his soul after this storm was over and therefore after he had described the Tempest and the means he used for his deliverance out of it viz. Faith and Invocation and found them effectual
to God to remove them 1. Ver. 1 The first impediment was a dead soul and a dull heart and therefore he prayes for restitution of grace 1 A dead heart of which he had lost the sense by his sin Ver. 2 Deal bounntifully with thy servant that I may live again the life of grace and keep thy Word 2. 2 Blindness of understanding The second impediment was the blindness of his understanding and the vail upon his heart the perturbations and passions of his soul love fear desire anger with which being disquieted he could not judge aright and therefore he prayes Open my eyes that I may see the wonders the wonderful equity wisdom and profit of thy Law 3. The third impediment was his present condition he was but yet Viator Ver. 3 a Traveller in his way to Heaven and knew not well the way he might mistake it 3 Our imperfect state and therefore he prayes I am a stranger upon earth I am regenerate but in part and know the way but in part therefore hide not thou tâ—y Commandments from me It must be conceived that David was not such a stranger in Israel that he knew not the two Tables that then he craves is That God by the power of his Spirit would teach him the use the necessity the profit the obedience of these Commandments Ver. 4 4. The fourth impediment was his infirmity and imperfections 4 And will or affections He found his desires to be too often cool'd he would and he would not he desired and he did not desire not so heartily as he should which made his obedience imperfect and the effect not to follow and therefore he manifests here a stronger desire against that imperfection My soul breaks for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times As if he had said help me that I may perfectly and ardently desire and that my desire may be brought to act for my soul breaks is contrite and vexed that it is not so 5. A fifth impediment is pride of heart Ver. 5 that suffers not men to submit their necks to the yoke of Gods Law 5 Pride of heart which impediment David doth not acknowledge in himself but yet useth it for an Argument that he be obedient because God hates and curseth them who out of pride and contempt violate his Law Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed which do erre from thy Commandments None with a high hand breaks them that escapes unpunished not Lucifer nor Adam 6. A sixth impediment was 6 Scoffs and scorns from the profane the mocks and scorns that were put upon him by Saul and his Courtiers which he expresseth in the seventh verse which because they might be a great disheartning to him Ver. 6 therefore he first prayes Against all these he prayes 1. Remove from me reproach and contempt which is a grievous temptation to a generous spirit and therefore he desires of God to clear his innocency adding this Reason For I have kept thy Testimonies I cannot be then that seditious rebellious person that troubler of Israel I am presented to be 2. And yet Princes did sit and speak against me Saul Abner Ver. 7 Achitophel Doeg sate in their Councels at their Feasts and laid to my charge things that I knew not It is a hard tentation when the godly are troubled by any wicked man but much harder when troubled by men in honour and authority But yet David so assaulted by their tongues And shews his constancy in his obedience and delight in Gods Word keeps still close with God But thy servant did meditate in thy statutes He renders not reproach for reproach nor contempt for contempt this impediment hinder'd him not to obey God 3. About which he explains himself farther Ver. 8 shewing the fruit he reaps by it 1. Thy Testimonies also are my delight In Adversity a Consolation 2. And my Counsellors In my doubts very faithful friends Saul hath his Councel and I have mine he his Nobles but I no other of my Councel but the Commandments of God from which I receive pleasure to refresh me and Councel to govern me and all my Affairs and Business The Prayer O Lord many are the impediments that are cast in our way Ver. 1 that hinder us from doing our duty to thée our souls are dull and heavy O quicken them our understandings are dark and blind O enlighten them we are strangers on earth and know not the way to Heaven O direct us and hide not thy Commandments from us Desires we have to do thy Will but they are cold and imperfect this we lament and grieve for it breaks our heart that they are not more fervent fix and heighten these that we may have a longing desire to thy judgments at all times These discouragements we find within but we are not without hindrances from without accursed proud men that do erre from thy Commandments are become our enemies and Princes also did sit and speak against us because we have kept thy testimonies O remove from us that shame and contempt they go about to cast upon us for thy sake However we will resolve to be thy servants we will keep thy testimonies and meditate in thy statutes Thy Testimonies shall be our delight and refreshment in all our adversities and thy statutes our Counsellors in all our doubts To thée alone we will repair for comfort and counsel in all our perplexities and ask it in the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen 4. DALETH DAVID in this Octonary The Contents first sets down the state of an imperfect man secondly confesseth it thirdly asks grace and mercy fourthly which being granted professeth what he would do 1. David complains of his imperfection David confesseth his imperfection and petitions for grace 1. He complains My soul cleaveth to the dust Whereas he should have set his affections on things above Ver. 1 he was over-much press'd with earthly cogitations 2. And prayes for grace to quicken him Then prayes Quicken thou me according to thy Word Give me a life according to thy Law by cleaving to the earth I am earthly by cleaving to the flesh I am carnal but if I shall live according to thy Law which is spiritual I shall cleave unto God and become one Spirit with him Now the godly esteem of life not according to that they have in body but in soul when they want a heavenly disposition to spiritual things they lament over it as a dead soul and therefore pray quicken me 2. 2 Again he confesseth them David goes on in confession of his imperfections and petitions for grace 1. Ver. 2 I have declared my wayes heretofore shewed unto thee my wandrings wants doubts griefs I have not been ashamed to open them all and declare them I have hid nothing 2. And thou heardst me sparedst me and forgavest me out of meer mercy And prayes again for grace 3. Do
are the dayes of thy servant How long shall this affliction endure when shall the dayes of this tentation and misery be at an end this persecution be over 2. When wilt thou execute judgement he means temporal punishments on them that persecute me O let me not dye comfortless but let me see that thou art a God of judgement and men behold that there is a reward for the righteous 3. And in the next verse he describes them from their qualities Vers. 5 1. They were proud Men that would endure no yoke of God Who are 1. Proud of man 2. Subtile They digg'd pits For their advantage 2 Subtile submit to any base office crouch and bow Psa 104.10 Absolon abased himself 3. Impious men for the courses they took against him 3 Impious were not according to Gods Word They digg'd pits for me which were not after thy Law 'T is some comfort yet that we have those men our enemies that are enemies to God and whose actions are displeasing to him 4. For they are contrary to thy Law For all thy Commandments are true nay truth it self and they a false generation 5. And yet these are the men that persecute me He prayes for seasonable help but they do it wrongfully 6. Therefore O Lord help me Help me against their treachery 7. And it is but time For their malicious cruelty is unsatiable they have not only troubled me but had almost consumed me upon earth 8. The comfort yet is that it is not done because I forsook not thy precepts 3. He shuts up all with a Petition that he makes often in this Psalm 3 He petitions for strength 1. Quicken me And it may seem strange that so often he should acknowledge himself as it were a dead man and desire God to put life into him But to a child of God every desertion and decay of strength seems a death so desirous they are to live to God that when they fail in it and are dismabled they account themselves as it were dead and pray the Lord for life Quicken me And promiseth obedience 2. Quicken me after thy loving-kindness he opposeth Gods kindness to his enemies malice and it is comfortable I am troubled with their malice for thy sake and therefore I crave to be refreshed by thy kindness In that there is comfort enough Psa 52.1 3. So shall I keep the Testimonies of thy mouth So that is quickned by thee for otherwise there was in him no strength to obey no more than a dead man doth the actions of a natural life The Prayer O Merciful God while that help and salvation Vers. 1 which we alone expect from thée is delayed and with-held from us our very souls have fainted within us To thée we look day and night and our eyes are bent toward heaven in expectation of thy promises O Lord when wilt thou comfort us Our body languisheth our skin is furrowed into wrinkles no bottle in the smoke is more dryed up than is our flesh while we look and long for help from thy hand Proud men the sons of Belial that have shaked off the yoke have digg'd pits for our life They wrongfully persecute us They have almost consumed us upon the earth O Lord how many are the dayes of thy servants How long shall this affliction endure when shall the dayes of this tentation and misery be at an end when wilt thou execute jugement on them that persecute us Help us O Lord for we hope in thy Word arise and deliver us for we have not forgotten nor yet will forsake thy Statutes This we have resolved on Vers. 3.7 this we have decréed but to perform this resolution of our selves we are not able no more than a dead man is to execute the actions of the living Quicken us then with thy Grace according to thy loving-kindness and infiniteness of thy mercy and so will we kéep thy Testimonies which thou hast made known unto us by thine own finger and left unto us by the mouth of thy own Son Iesus Christ our Lord. 12. LAMECH THIS Octonary is an Encomium of the Word of God The Contents and of the perfection thereof which he commends from the immutability and constancy thereof 2. Then from the comfort he received from it in his trouble 1. Gods Word immutable both In the three first verses the Prophet shewes That Gods Word is immutable by an instance in the creatures 1. Ver. 1 In the Heavens For ever O Lord thy Word is setled in Heaven For the Heavens were made by his Word In heaven and earth and continue in the same frame they were made by his Word to this day 2. In the Earth Whose foundations are yet immoveable Thy faithfulness is unto all Generations Ver. 2 Thou hast established the earth and it abideth 3. Ver. 3 They Heaven and Earth both continue this day according to thy Ordinance 4. The Reason is For all things serve thee Thy creatures they are and thou their Lord Creator they then must be at thy Beck and Command 2. 2 It brought him comfort in his trouble Next he shewes the excellent perfection of Gods Word by a rare effect it had upon himself it gave him comfort and kept him from despair in his trouble he collected it from the former instances thus if the Word of God sustained the Heaven and the Earth he saw no reason but it might also sustain him and so leaning upon it he was delighted in it and that delight held him up he knew it would be an Anchor of hope that would not fail him Vnless thy Law had been my delight Ver. 4 I should have perished in my trouble This he knew he could not do because God had promised him the contrary no such comfort in trouble as Gods Word and Promise this will abide when other fails 3. Upon this comfort he vowes Upon which joy and comfort first he makes a promise of thankfulness he had found life in Gods Word and he resolves never to forget it 1. Ver. 5 I will never forget thy precepts that men forget them is because they find no heart in them 2. 1 Never to let it slip out of his memory His Reason is For with them thou hast quickned me He saith not the Word quickned him but God by his Word For the Word quickens not till Gods Spirit come to it Vitam gratiae augendo vitam gloria promittendo 2. 2 To be Gods servant Then next he devotes himself to be Gods servant for the present and for ever 1. Ver. 6 I am thine And I do and will serve no other Lord no base pleasure no profit nor the World nor the flesh nor the Devil and therefore I can with a good conscience ask 2. O save me It is for a Lord to protect and save his servant 3. And that I am thine is evident in this that I am ready to do thy Will For
I have sought thy precepts I am thine because I sought nothing but that which is thine and how I might please thee O how few can say this and upon this account cry to God O save me 4. Which to do David had very great reason at this time This he had reason to do having many enemies and those for he had bitter enemies from whom he could not be safe except God saved him two things he notes in them 1. Diligence Te wicked have waited for me waited for an opportunity 2. Cruelty Waited to destroy me Their malice was so great Ver. 7 that no less would satisfie them 1 Diligent in mischief 3. And here now in such an extremity 2 Cruel Amidst which Gods promise sustained him the comfort of Gods Word is very seasonable the consideration of that is able to stay a fainting soul Psal 124. with which David comforts himself here But I will consider thy Testimonies that thou hast testified that thou art able and wilt deliver those that trust to thy Word Dan. 6.16 22. 5. He hath shewed the perfection of Gods Word in establishing and upholding the frame of the World 2. And then the excellency thereof in bringing joy comfort help to an afflicted soul but in the close of this Section he compares it with all other things which we esteem as excellent and perfect be they Riches Honours Scepters Crowns Kingdoms c. among which the Word of God hath still the preheminence they fail but Gods Word endures 1. I have seen an end of all perfection Ver. 8 Jonah 's Gourd is smitten with a worm the golden head had feet of clay c. 3 The preheminence of Gods Word the fairest day is enter'd at night 2. But thy Commandment is exceeding broad Exceeding broad indeed for in it are contain'd all other National and Municipal Lawes they being nothing else if just but extracts of it or exceeding broad because all Lawes of a good life and the rewards of those that keep the Law and on the contrary the prohibitions of all vices and the punishments of Transgressors are contained in it Or exceeding broad because it is the Commandment of love which extends to God Angels men enemies Or exceeding broad which is nearer Davids purpose because it extends to and refresheth all that are in distress and affliction it abides by them in tentations while they live and forsakes them not in their death but conveyes them into their grave in peace and the comfort of it abides with them for ever when they are dissolved The Prayer O Omnipotent God Thou hast given us assurance of thy Faithfulness and Truth in the performance of thy Word and Promise made unto thy servants even by that constant order and continuance which we behold in thy creatures For why is it that those orbs above have béen so long-liv'd why are they not corrupted why do they continue in that excellent beauty Ver. 1 and perpetual motion but that thy Word is setled in Heaven Why is it that the foundations of earth do not decay and shake Ver. 2 but that thy faithfulness is to all generations they continue this day according to thy Ordinance for they are thy creatures Thou their Lord Ver. 3 and they must serve and do their homage to thée We alone are thy disobedient creatures and for this thou bringest us justly into trouble and under these we should have fainted and utterly perished had it not béen from the comforts that we receive from thy Word Ver. 4 it delights our souls and confirms our hearts even in the extremities of our sorrowes when we find in it thy Word many gracious promises made unto thy servants I will never therefore forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me Ver. 5 I was ready even to expire and dye till I meditated on and called to mind thy Law which by the power of thy Spirit hath encreased grace in me and by the promise of glory brought me again to life Ver. 6 For which promise I am thine and I vow my self to be thine I will no more be a servant to the Devil the World and the flesh I renounce them all I forsake them and betake my self wholly to thy service And since I have given my self wholly unto thée let me be thy care Ver. 7 O save me save me O my God for I am invironed with malicious and cruel enemies whom nothing can satisfie but my blood they are diligent and wait for an opportunity to destroy me and take away my life but thou O Lord hast testified that thou wilt deliver those that trust in thée and therefore I will consider in my troubles these thy testimonies I sée an end of all perfection Riches Honours Crowns Kings Friends fade and fail Ver. 8 and are but miserable comforters but thy Commandment is exceeding broad it extends to and refresheth all that are in affliction it abides by them in tentations while they live and forsakes them not in their death in life and death therefore I will adhere to this Take not then the comfort of thy Word out of my mouth while I live and never let it leave me till it hath brought me to eternal happiness through Iesus Christ my Lord and Saviour Amen 13. MEM. DAVID in this Section shewes his great affection to the Law of God The Contents Davids affection to Gods Word 2. And the many benefits and fruits he reaped from it 1. His affection is declared in the first verse which he pathetically expresseth 1. Ver. 1 O how I love thy Law wherein he calls God himself to be Judge of his love witnessing thereby that it was no counterfeit love but compleat and sincere 2. And he proves that which he sayes The nature of true love is to converse with and think on the thing beloved and it useth all means to obtain it So David here proves his love to God by the love he bears to his Law and his love to his Word by the thoughts he had on it All the day long is my meditation in it I think speak or do little else all the day 2. 2 The Encomium of it first And now he enters upon his Encomium or praise of Gods Word from the admirable effects that it might have in them who will meditate in it of which he makes himself the instance This he amplifies by comparing himself with three kinds of men his Enemies his Teachers the Ancients than all which he grew wiser by this meditation 1. Ver. 2 Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies The Law of God being well thought on 1 It made him wiser than his enemies teacheth a man what how where and when to speak or to be silent to act or desist which wisdom Davids enemies wanted he was then wiser than they A great controversie there is who is the wise man the godly man or the Machivilian Gods Word will easily
wound my good name both déeply and at unawares as fire they consume my good name as coals of Iuniper hoily invade waste my reputation and being set on fire by hell they will not easily be quench'd deliver then O Lord my soul from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue Let the power of thy Word and those sharp arrows by which all the craft and subtility of Satan is wounded and pierced through be sent forth against their impiety and the hot coals of thy anger burn up their malicious snares that they may sée that no profit shall redound to them from a false tongue It is a grief and corrasive to my soul that I am forced to sojourn among these cruel barbarous impious and inhumane creatures in the shape of men it is as if I sojourned in Mesech and dwelt in the Tents of Kedar even the Scythians would be more mild to me the Sarracens more merciful Help me therefore with thy powerful hand or else my pilgrimage upon earth without end will be protracted and sadned by these evils and miseries For they are enemies to peace and my soul hath too long dwelt among them Thou knowest O Lord that I am a man of peace nay peace it self I seek peace and ensue it but when I speak for peace they reject all treaties thereof and make them ready for battel Since then they are for War and I and the rest of thy Servants must hold a continual War against spiritual wickedness in high places do not deny O good Father to those who call upon thée thy aid and assistance and with patience let us fight a good fight being assured that from henceforth is laid up for us an immortal Crown of glory which thou wilt give unto all those that resist till death for the merits of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen PSAL. CXXI THE Scope of this Psalm is The Sum of the Psalme The Prophet in trouble flyes for help that other helps being overweak we put our trust in God and in his providence and gives divers reasons for it 1. In the first verse as most Interpreters conceive we hear Vocem hominis the voice of a man in danger that as a watchman gets him to some high Mountain in time of War and looks about to see who comes to aid him 1 Not to man or to a Mountain to hide himself or to a man that being out of his way gets him up to some Mountain and views what place is near where he may repose It shews that when we are in distress we too often fly to such things that cannot help I will lift up mine eyes to the hills Ver. 1 from whence comes my help 2. 2 But God But in the next verse the Prophet checks this vain confidence for in it we find vocem fidei The voice of a faithful soul that rejecting all confidence in auxiliary and secondary means reposeth his trust in God alone My help comes from the Lord. Ver. 2 Nor from other means nor false gods 3. The reasons of his confidence 1. Gods power And next he sets forth the reasons why he would trust in him 1. The first is his Omnipotency declared in his work of Creation He is the Lord that made heaven and earth Able then he is to help his creature 2. The second from his grace and goodness Ver. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved i. e. he will not suffer thee to fall and slide in the way 2 Goodness but strengthen thy feet and make them stable Thou shalt persevere in thy course Willing to help 3. From his vigilancy over thee He that keepeth thee will not slumber 3 Care so vigilant he is that he will give his eyes no rest Ver. 4 Which the Prophet yet insists on in the next verse Behold he that keeps Israel To protect his Church shall neither slumber nor sleep never omit his care over thee over Israel his people He is asleep saith Elijah of Baal and must be awaked God sleeps not Excubias agit 4. From the end of this his care and vigilancy it is to keep to protect Ver. 5 to keep off all dangers and bad influences from Israel 1. The Lord is thy Keeper Israel in general 1 To it a keeper and thy Keeper in particular A fiery Wall about his Church and it needs because his Church is continually exposed to dangers 2. The Lord is thy shade umbraculum 2 A shadow a quitoso upon thy right-hand He may allude to the custom used in hot Countries in which men use to carry or have carried Quittasols above their heads to keep off the heat of the Sun Or else to the Israelites when travelling in the Wilderness they had a cloud by day to cover them Paris in Homer fighting with Menelaus was by Venus covered with a cloud 3. So that the Sun shall not burn thee by day as it did Ver. 6 when it fell upon Jonas head nor the Moon by night To preserve from all evill no noxious influence from the Stars The sense of these Metaphors is nor the day of prosperity nor night of adversity shall hurt thee nor the heat of persecution nor the coldness of indevotion do thee wrong 5. In a word he shall keep thee not from this or that but the Lord shall preserve thee from all evil From all but not from all that which may light upon the body but from that which may destroy the soul He shall preserve thy soul that shall not perish 6. The Prophet concludes adding this sweet consolation 1. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in He is with his in the entrance progress end of their actions Via est vita and we are going out in it or coming in in it perpetually beginning or ending some action going abroad or returning and resting at home either we enter upon or perfect our work to begin it is to go in to do it to perfect it is to go out of it but the Lord promiseth to preserve us in both Or else David speaks as a souldier who goes out to battle when he is to fight and goes in when he returns home in this God promised to preserve him or else as a Magistrate who goes in and out before the people In all which God promiseth to be his Conducter and safe-guard 2. From this time forth for evermore And ever with them And this defence of God is here promised to be perpetual In all places in all times in all actions His help is present and efficacious verse 4 5. and constant verse 6 7 8. The Prayer O Almighty God because while we live in this valley of tears Ver. 1 we are within and without assaulted by enemies and every day in trouble we fly to the mountains and cast our eyes round to sée who comes to our aide and what and whom to trust to But all in vain for vain
is the help of man This is our infirmity this is our sin And while we are compassed with this tentation our faith presents us thée alone a God both able and willing to help diffident then of all other helps we fly to thée we cry co thée being fully perswaded that our help must come from that Lord not from the arme of flesh Ver. 2 not from other gods but from th Lord alone who hath made heaven and earth By that power then O Lord that thou hast made heaven and earth we beg from thy merciful hands that thou wouldst come and save thy poor Church that is afflicted and persecuted by bloody and mercilesse enemies Lord Ver. 3 suffer not any of their insultations so far to prevail against us that the féet slip or fall in the way of Truth let not our faith be shaken nor our hope ashamed Thou art that good Shepherd that kéeps Israel séem not then any longer to these gréedy wolves to slumber and sléep in deferring to take vengeance upon them Ver. 4 lest they insult over us and say Where is now your God Return return O Lord to the ten thousands which mourn in Israel and vouchsafe to deal with us not as we are a sinful Nation a people loaden with iniquity but as thou art in thy self immense goodness and clemency inexhausted Make thy promise good to us and be our Kéeper be a shadow to us on our right hand a refreshment when the hottest Sun of persecution scorches our heads and any dark tentation cools our devotion O Lord preserve us from all evil if it be thy pleasure and though some disaster may lite upon our body and goods yet preserve our soul that being safe and preserved by thée we cannot miscarry Kéep us Lord in all our actions in all tentatious in all places at all times be present with us in out going out and at our coming in prosper whatsoever we take in hand and make the end thereof be successful never leave us in this present life but let thy grace guide us to that which is eternal through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The third Psalm of Degrees CXXII THE Ark was a Testimony of Gods presence among his people and a Type of the Church this was by David brought up and fix't at Jerusalem when the Jebusites were by him driven out of the Fort of Zion To the place where that was fixed the people of Israel were bound to ascend three times a year to worship and that with gladness of heart to which end they went up thither with a Pipe David then in the person of the people The sum of this Psalm 1. Expresseth his joy that he might join with the Church in Gods service ver 1 2. 2. Commends the Church under the name of Jerusalem for her Unity ver 3. Religious Worship ver 4. Policy Civil Ecclesiastical ver 5. 3. Exhorts all to pray for her Peace and Prosperity ver 6. And puts the Form of Prayer into their mouths ver 7. 4. Shewes his own readiness and professeth to do it or rather performs it ver 8 9. 1. The first part David congratulates that the Ark c. was setled The Proposition of this Psalm is a Congratulation in which he doth express his joy and thanks that so happy a time was come in which a certain place was assign'd where he and the people might meet and worship God in which the Ark of the Covenant which was a Testimony of Gods presence might rest which was not done till his time And he took it for an assurance that the Jewish Religion and the Kingdom or Scepter should not depart from Judah till Shilo came and for this he doth congratulate with the people 1. I was glad First he expresseth his own joy 2. When they said unto me Ver. 1 He was to hear of the unanimity of the people mutually exhorting one and other to this Service 3 We will go into the house of the Lord the place of his worship where we shall hear his Word call upon him give him thanks when I hear these words from them I am ravished with joy 4. And I will gladly join and bear a part with them Ver. 2 Our feet shall stand in thy gates O Jerusalem Hitherto our feet have not had a certain place to stand and worship thee the Ark being carried from place to place But now it is fixed at Jerusalem and we know whither from henceforth to resort our feet are quiet and rest stantes or rather constantes we will go up to the house of the Lord and constantly there serve thee it is a mercy to know where the Church is fix't to which we ought to resort 2. And upon this he takes an occasion to commend Jerusalem three wayes The second part 1. For the unity of it especially in Religion He commends Jerusalem expressed under the Metaphor of a City whose buildings were well compacted together till the Jebusites were thence expel'd it was two Cities but now it was but one Ver. 3 guided by the same Lawes ruled by the same Religion 1 For her Unity in which there was a great and admirable consent among the Citizens Jerusalem is builded as a City that is compacted together In such a City the Buildings are uniform orderly disposed handsomely erected and seated so in Jerusalem all things in Gods worship are uniform orderly beautiful and there is a wonderful harmony of minds and consent among the Citizens 2. He commends Jerusalem next that it was the place constituted for Gods worship Ver. 4 1. For thither the Tribes go up three times a year as was ordained Exod. 2 For Gods Service to which all Israel resort unanimously 23. to remember their Eduction from Aegypt the Law given his preservation of them in the Wilderness and conservation ever since for these were the ends of the three Feasts the Passeover Pentecost that of Tabernacles 2. The Tribes of the Lord An honourable Title bestowed on Gods people holy men out of every Tribe 3. Vnto the Testimony of Israel to the Ark of the Testimony Or as it was agreed by Covenant betwixt God and his people concerning which he testified his Will Exod. 23. 34. Dent. 16. 4. The end of their ascending was To give thanks unto the Name of the Lord that was their work and it must be ours Psal 84.4 Gods Will is that nunquam cesset à laude qui nunquam ab amore 3. He commends Jerusalem thirdly for the Civil Policy and Ecclesiastical Ver. 5 it was the Metropolis 3 For the Civil Policy and Ecclesiastical 1. For there do sit the Thrones of judgment the Tribunals and Courts of Justice are there 2. The Thrones of the house of David The Kings Court and Seat was there which was established in David and therefore the Prophet useth the word sitting as if he had said now setled there which before this time were not Nor in
expresseth these three things 1. Her confidence and hope in God for to him she flies ver 1. illustrated by two similitudes ver 2. 2. Her prayer for mercy ver 3. 3. A short Recapitulation of her distress ver 4. 1. The first part The Church flies to God The Church shewes her trust in God and in it directs us to whom to flie in distress 1. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes To thee no other and from thee I look for help Ver. 1 succour defence 2. And depends on him as servants to their Masters O thou that dwellest in the Heavens by which words she acknowledgeth his inspection and power Out of Heaven the Lord beholds the Earth and by his wisdom goodness power governs all things Thou canst take me out of the hand of the wicked and mighty therefore to thee I lift mine eyes And this the Prophet illustrates by a double similitude of servants and handmaids I look upon thy hand now heavy upon me and beating me by wicked men Behold 1. As the eyes of servants look unto the hands of their Masters i.e. Men-servants Ver. 2 2. And as the eye of a Maiden to the hand of her Mistress Both of both kinds may be beaten Now as they are whip't they cast back their eyes and look to the hand that strikes them begging even with their very heart some favour and an abatement of stripes 3. When beaten by them So our eyes wait upon the Lord our God Gods children alwayes are expectants 4. Until he have mercy upon us Abate his stripes and take off his hand 2. The second part For which the Church prayes in the next verse and in ardency of spirit ingeminates it Have mercy upon us And desires God to take off his hand O Lord have mercy upon us before she lifts the eyes but now cryes 3. Ver. 3 Of which clamour in few words she yields a Reason the great contempt she was fallen to The third part 1. Ver. 4 For we are exceedingly fill'd with contempt And again Our soul is fill'd To suffer contempt is much Because she was in contempt And fill'd with it to be fill'd with it more it argues that she was long under it but to be exceedingly fill'd intolerable especially when it comes to scorn as here 2. Our soul is exceedingly fill'd with the scorning Subsannatione geering derision which to a generous spirit is very heavy it wounds his very soul of which Beasts and Fools have little or no sense despised they may be but of reproach they are not capable And this the Prophet amplifies by the circumstances of the persons that â—â—ntemned and scorned 1. And that by Epicures They were such as were at ease in Zion law no Changes had all things â—â—â—ceeding ex voto as they would have it and no greater contemners and scorners of men in misery than such 2. And proud men And with the contempt of the proud 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Satiety breeds pride and pride makes men injurious apt to heap up contumelies disgraces scoffs scorns and geers upon that man which is brought to a low 〈◊〉 Again proud men are for the â—â—â—part empty 〈◊〉 pâ—ted men and contempt and scorn from such wounds very deep especially if they rise as they often do from the Dunghil The Prayer out of the One hundred and twenty third Psalm O Lord it hath pleased thée to suffer thy people to be brought to great distress and their condition is so deplorable that there is no comfort or help to be expected Ver. 1 but from above therefore unto thée we lift up our eyes expecting salvation from thée alone Thou sittest in the highest Heavens and â—â—est all things Thou sittest in the highest Heavens and over-rulest all things to whom then should we flée for succour but to thée since thou hast ereated and redéemed us by right we are thy servants and never did servants more look to the hands of their Masters in expectation of favour from them than our eyes are intent upon thée our Lord and our God till thou remit off thy stripes and have mercy upon us Withdraw good Lord thy severe hand from us and chastise us not to destruction say unto thy destroying Angel It is enough it is enough spare thy people whom thou hast redéemed with thy precious blood Ver. 3 and be not angry with us for ever Have mercy upon us O Lord have mercy upon us Ver. 4 for except thou be merciful unto us we must perish since we can expect no mercy from men It is not unknown unto thée with what contempt and scorn we are loaded we are excéedingly fill'd with contempt our soul is pierced with the scoffs of proud insolent men and such who for the abundance of spoil now live at ease Good Lord let not the pride and contempt of these rebellious and treacherous wretches procéed any farther who by their successes are so pust'd up that they think they cannot be repressed by humane power O Lord look not upon our unworthiness but consider the dishonour and contumely that in us is cast upon thy Name for while they insult over us the injury redounds to thée while with arms and cruelty they Lord it over us they barbarously do suppress thy Worship thy Religion thy Truth thy Word We thy servants by them thus oppressed contemned derided and scorned have none to flie to but to thée alone O merciful Lord do thou set an end to these contumelies and injuries we séek not our solves in this but thee the desire of our soul is That thou wouldst vindicate the honour of thy Name and glory of thy Gospel which these Miscreants have in contempt O God bring it so to pass that at last these enemies of thy Truth may seel and consess the Truth of thy Word and will they nill they acknowledge thée to be the only God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXXIV THE people of God newly escaped from some great danger The Sum. both acknowledge it and that God only was the Authour of their safety and victory for which they thank him 1. The Prophet begins abruptly The Prophet gives the glory to God alone for their deliverance as is usual to do in pathetical expressions with much joy he expresseth Gods protection over his people and how by his hand meerly they were delivered by some unexpected way and he desires the people to acknowledge it with him 1. If it had not been the Lord who was on our side And again 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ver. 1 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side that had stood and fought for us so that it was not our Swords but his hand that delivered us Nam qui supponit ponit 2. Now may Israel say Now after the victory after the deliverance and his intent is That they thankfully acknowledge it with him 3. On our side when men rose
up against us Men carnal corrupt men that look after nothing but to satisfie their own Ambition Lust Avarice Those arose seditiously tumultuously rebelliously of such the Proverb is true Home homini lupus 2. Which the Prophet verifies in the next verse expressing the danger that the Church was in from these men or Beasts rather by these two similitudes of Beasts of prey of waters 1. Ver. 3 Then they had swallowed us up quick that had been the consequent of their rising The danger the Church was in before delivered like Wolves and Bears they had rush'd upon us and devoured us as poor sheep eaten us even alive Though Bellarmine refers this Clause to waters also because Beasts tear before they devour and so eat not their prey alive But the Metaphor may be proper enough the other way for he shewes what they would do if they could and that in their fury they spare not a living soul By cruel enemies 2. The cause their wrath Which fury of theirs the Prophet conceals not but illustrates it by a Metaphor This they had done to us when their wrath was kindled against us Ver. 4 3. His other similitude is from waters Then the proud waters had gone over our soul And in the verse before Then the waters had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul He compares the Enemies Army to a swelling Torrent that carries all before it 3. Ver. 6 Next acknowledgeth the deliverance and gives thanks to the Authour to be God alone He gives thanks for it Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us over as a prey into their teeth The deliverance was beyond expectation which he illustrates by another similitude of a Bird taken in but escaping out of a snare unexpectedly 1. Ver. 7 Our soul is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler taken to be killed 2. The snare is broken and we are delivered the Fowler is deceived of his prey 4. Ver. 8 He concludes the Psalm with a gratulatory Epiphonema 1. And relies on God Our help is in the Name of the Lord. The Church relies in all dangers upon God whether they be assaulted openly as by Bears and Wolves or secretly as the Fowler layes wait for the Bird yet her help is in Gods protection and tutelage 2. Who made Heaven and Earth i. e. The Creatour who hath all things in his hand and power and therefore is able to deliver us The Prayer EXcept thou Ver. 1 O Omnipotent and Merciful God shalt by thy power and favour assist and help us our enemies Swords drawn out against us must néeds dispatch and consume us for their wrath is so kindled against us that as Wolves and Bears devour the poor flock so have they rush'd into amongst us and desired to swallow us quick when they seditiously and rebelliously rose up against us yea the déep waters of the proud hath overwhelmed and gone over our soul Sought they have to swéep us away as a mighty Torreut and over-run us at once as an unexpected inundation doth the lower vallies And what they could not do by violence that they have attempted by close and secret practices for they have set snares for our souls as the crafty Fowler doth for the innocent Bird. O Lord avert thy anger from us and take not vengeance upon us according to our deserts be not wanting to thy own Ordinances to thy Name thy Truth which with us is like to suffer Bring to pass that we may at last say Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth let their nets be broken Ver. 6 their plots vissolved weaken their strength and bring to naught their counsels and make a way for our souls to escape as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler from thée alone which hast made Heaven and Earth we look for help therefore we humbly beséech thée that for thy infinite goodness and mercy Ver. 8 thou wouldst be propitious to our prayers and deliver us from these fierce bloody and subtile enemies for the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSALM CXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IT is the purpose of the Prophet to comfort the Church of God 1. The Sume By an assurance of her perpetuity both from Gods presence and protection ver 1 2. 2. That though God suffer them to be chastised by the wicked yet he will not leave them under the rod ver 3. 3. He prayes for the good 4. Sets down the portion of the wicked ver 4 5. 1. The first part In the beginning of the Psalm the Prophet sets down a general promise of the perpetuity of the Church because of Gods continual presence with her Ver. 1 And shews to whom it belongs 1. They that trust in the Lord. That trust in him The Church shall continue not with a vain confidence and presumption but that rely upon him by faith not fained out of a pure heart and a good conscience and aftervent love 2. These shall be as mount Zion which cannot be moved secure and immovable as is Zion not only immovable because a mountain but because a holy mountain consecrated and dear to God 3. Which the Prophet farther explains and assigns a perpetual duration to it but abides for ever which is a comfort to the Church Because God protects it of which Zion was the Type No tempest no storm no persecution no enemy shall destroy it Of which the Prophet gives a reason in the next verse by a Similitude for Zion which was in Jerusalem hath the mountains round about it for a wall of defence 't is not easie for an enemy to approach Jerusalem nor to take It was a Virgin-City never taken but twice and then when God took away his protection from it and delivered it to the hand and will of the Babylonians and Romans Which protection he will never take from his Church and therefore the Church is unexpugnable 1. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem 2. So the Lord is round about his people A wall of fire round about Ver. 2 Zach. 2. 3. From henceforth even for ever They that trust in the Lord shall be alwayes safe and secure for though they be temporally afflicted yet all shall work for their good He may take from them their wealth health c. yet he gives something better patience comfort with hope of eternal glory 2. Which the Prophet confirms preventing an objection The second part What shall those that trust in the Lord be safe and secure How comes it to passe then that they are oppressed to which the Prophet by way of prevention answers The power of the wicked shal never destroy it He grants it may be so but the oppression is not to continue The power of the wicked shall be over the just for their probation for their trial and correction but it shall not rest upon them it
and before all others for ye are the servants of the Lord chose out of the people to this service 3. Ye are those which by night stand in the house of the Lord ye are appointed Levit. 8. Numb 18. and must therefore stand upon your watch In the Temple you ought not to be sleepy and idle for you were set for another purpose Therefore 4. Lift up your hands by prayer in the Sanctuary before the Ark of the Covenant which was the symbol of his presence And to bless the people 5. Bless the Lord laud and magnifie his Name The other part of your office is to bless the people let not that be forgotten neither but say in this Form of words 1. Which they do The Lord blesse thee Let them know from whom the blessing comes 2. Out of Zion So long as they remain'd in the unity of the Church no blessing to be expected The form of blessing when Zion was left 3. That Lord who hath made heaven and earth He that hath power to bless and hath given and must give his blessing to all creatures without which they will not be blessed to thee The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and thirty fourth Psalm O Merciful God that hast chosen the Tribe of Levi and taker us neere unto thy self give us grace and abilities to perform our duties to thee We are thy chosen servants we are to stand in the house of the Lord cause us therefore night and day to stand consciouably upon our watch to lift up our hands in thy Sanctuary to offer up our prayers continually unto thee and to intercede for thy people and never let us forget to bless thee our Lord and thy people in thy name And moreover we intreat of thee dear Father that thou wouldst ever do good to thy people out of Zion who fly unto thée for a blessing Thou art the Lord who hast made heaven and earth deliver us from our present difficulties and dangers and since thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy truth give us a hoart to land and praise thy holy Name for ever and ever Amen Here endeth the Psalms of Degrees PSAL. CXXXV IN this Psalm the Prophet invites the servants of God to praise him and Ministers especially vers 1 2. by arguments drawn 1. From his goodness especially in his election of Israel vers 3 4. 2. From his greatness and power shewed in his works from vers 5. to 8. 3. From his justice shewed upon the enemies of Israel from vers 8. to 13. 4. From his loving kindness extended and to be extended to his servants vers 13 14. 5. He invites the Levites to praise God The first part Having derided the vanity of Idols from vers 15. to 19. he returns to his exhortation calling upon all to blesse God from vers 19. to 21. 1. He calls upon the Ministers of Religion especially to attend to the recitation of divine praises and in the same words of the former Psalm 1. Ver. 1 Praise ye the Lord praise ye the Name of the Lord praise Him O ye servants of the Lord. 2. Ver. 2 Ye that stand in the house of the Lord in the Courts of the house of our God 2. The second part The reasons And now ingeminating his words again he produces his reasons to perswade it 1. Ver. 3 Because the Lord is worthy of all praise Praise the Lord for he is good What is good is worthy of praise 1 Because he is good what is bad worthy of dispraise But God is absolutely good not comparatively nor by participation from himself good not from any other and therefore praise the Lord because he is good 2. 2 It is a pleasent work Sing praises to his Name because it is pleasant it is no troublesome work or laborious but full of delight sweetness content The Hebrew word Nahim may be referred to the Lord to his Name or to the praise so that the sense may be sing unto the Lord because the Lord is sweet or sing to his name for it is sweet or sing unto the Lords Name for it is a pleasant and an action of content that delights the soul Ver. 4 3. Praise the Lord for his love to Israel which imposeth a debt and obligation to praise him 3 They tyed to do it because God chose Jacob. 1. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself to be his inheritance portion 2. And Israel to be his peculiar treasure Rom. 9. Malach 1. I have lâ—ved Jacob and hated Esau And this obligation lies upon Christians now The third part 3. The next Argument which the Prophet useth to perswade to the praise of God is from his greatness of which he was assured For I know first that the Lord is great secondly Ver. 5 that our Lord is above all gods 4 Because God is great And first that the Lord is great and of great power he proves by many instances 1. From his Empire and universal dominion in heaven the earth the seas c. Ver. 6 1. Whatsoever the Lord pleased that he did In his works Nothing is impossible to him We would do many things but cannot He does all by his free will not out of any need but we work for the most part because we want necessity compels us 'T is but 't fithen we give to him the praise not to our selves 2. He doth all things what he pleaseth in all places in heaven earth seas hell And these last words the Prophet amplifies by setting down some especial places in which his works are most apparent 1. In the earth 1 In the earth He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth from all parts East West North South Ver. 7 which are endued with several qualities 2. In the air and clouds above He maketh lightning for the rain 2 Aire A wonder that fire should be mixt with water and not distinguished 3. In the water For he brings the winds out of his treasures 3 The water A third wonder for nothing is more obscure than the generation of the winds out of his treasures they come from his rich and secret power John 3. 4. The third argument the Prophet useth to perswade us to praise God The fourth part is from his justice in taking vengeance of the enemies of his people as 5 Because just 1. Upon the Aegyptians Ver. 8 1. Who smote the first-born of Aegypt both of man and beast For instance on Egypt and it was evident that it was his hand because the first-born only were smitten and of the Aegyptians onely and not of Israel 2. Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee O Aegypt upon Pharaoh and all his servants Exod. 7.8 9 10 11 12. in brief he minds us of all the signs and plagues of Aegypt 2. On the Amoritish Kings Sihon and Og 2 On
the Amoritish Kings and the thirty one Kings of Canaan He smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings as for example Ver. 10 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Ver. 11 And gave away their land for an heritage Ver. 12 an heritage unto Israel his people All which is evident out of the books of Numb Deut. Joshua 5. The fifth part For this he extols God To the commemoration of the revenge that God took upon the enemies of his people and the benefits he bestowed on them he adds a conclusion formed into an Epiphonima in which he first extols Gods name and then shews his mercy to his people 1. Thy Name O Lord endures for ever i. e. for these thy wonderful works 2. And thy memorial throughout all generations Thy memory thy fame the remembrance of thy Acts shall flourish and remain to all posterity 2. And the reason is drawn from his mercy which excites us also to praise him 1. And shews his mercy to his people For the Lord will judge his people The world judgeth them forsaken but he is their keeper and defender and will judge their cause and at last take revenge on their persecutors and deliver them 2. And he will repent himself concerning his servants Though he punisheth his dearest children yet he will be at last entreated be propitious and kind and remove his heavy hand Psal 136.23 6. The sixth part 2. God above all gods The Prophet hath proved that God is absolutely great in himself which he proposed vers 5. And now he proves the second part of his proposition that our Lord is above all gods For being compared to the Idols of the Heathen he far exceeds them They were Divels not gods they the work of mens hands made of earthy materials they could not infuse life sense reason into their images as God did into his image man they nor saw nor heard nor moved For he shews their vanity divers ways And shews the vanity of Idols 1. From their matter wherof they were made The Idols of the beathen are silver and gold Ver. 15 2. From the efficient cause their makers men The work of mens bands 3. From their impotence from performing any act of life They have mouths but they speak not eyes they have but they see not They have ears but they hear not neither is there any breath in their mouths 4. From the sortishness and misery of those that worship them They that make them are like unto them Ver. 18 so is every one that trusteth in them The makers are blind mute deaf understand nothing at all who suppose that they can make gods And they that trust in them more sotrish that think a stone can help them 7. The seventh part In the last part he invites all the true worshippers of God to praise him because they are lively images of the living God they see they hear they speak they understand That therefore all praise God and therefore they praise that God from whom they the faculty of living hearing speaking seeing and understanding To this he invites 1. All Israel Bless the Lord O house of Israel 2. Ver. 19 Then the Priests Bless the Lord O house of Aaron 3. The Levites Bless the Lord O house of Levi. 4. Lastly of all the Laity Ye that fear the Lord bless the Lord. To which he adds his own vote concluding with this Epiphonima 1. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion where he shews his presence by the Ark. 2. Which dwelleth at Jerusalem who though he be every where by his Essence and presence yet peculiarly dwells in his Church by his inhabiting Spirit Let the Citizens of Zion and Jerusalem never cease to bless him The Hymn and Prayer collected from the One hundred and thirty fifth Psalm O Omnipotent God all we thy servants now gathered together in thy Spirit to blesse thy name and here met in the Courts of the house of our God to praise thee Ver. 1 do acknowledge that we have instnite reasons to pay this debt to thy divine Majesty For we know O Lord that thou art good good absolutely in thy self and gracious unto us and that all our goodnesse is as nothing in comparison of thee We know again that to sing praises unto thee is a pleasant thing and therefore our heart shall be glad when we send forth prayses unto thee with joyful lips Wee know also that thou art great and far above all Gods Thy benefits are innumerable not only which thou hast conferd upon thy chosen people thy Israel who is thy pecultar treasure but even which with a full hand thou hast poured forth upon all mankind For in heaven the earth the seas and in all deep places thou hast done whatsoever thou pleasedst Thou so orderest the clouds the vapours the lightning winds and rain that they may be obedient to thee and serviceable for the use and sustenance of man And when thou hast in thy power the hearts of all Kings and Princes thou so bendest them as may make most for the good and saidation of thy people upon them thou revengest their wrongs and deliverest in due time thy chosen people from their power and oppression Egypt the Amorites and Canaanites felt thy power whom thou smotest in thy anger plaguest and slew in thy wrath and gavest away their Land for an heritage even for an heritage to Israel thy people Thy Name O Lord endureth for ever Ver. 13 and thy memorial through all generations and therefore our hope which is grounded upon thy promises is thereby confirmed and increased that though thou art risen up in judgment against thy people yet at last it will repent thée concerning thy servants O merciful God arise we beséech thée and behold the miseries and calamities of thy poor servants and deal not with us according to the merit of our iniquities Pardon our offences and let it repent thée of the evil thou hast brought upon us We have liv'd unworthy of thy Name unworthy of our Vocation yet at last break the force of the Devil and his instruments and repress their pride and boldness that we be not compelled to fall down and worship the imaginations of their own brains which are little better than the Idols of the Heathens that nor saw nor spake nor heard nor understood Which mercy if thou will grant us then all that fear the Lord both Priest and people the whole house of Aaron of Levi and all Israel shall have just occasion to bless the Lord and say Blessed be the Lord out of Zion which dwelleth at Jerusalem Allelujah PSAL. CXXXVI THIS Psalm is of the same Argument that the former For in it all men are call'd upon to praise God for his greatness and goodness his providence and mercy in creating governing and ordering the world but especially his love shew'd to his people the Church All which works because they proceeded from his Mercy therefore
remember what was done for them after They proved a rebellious people for which God humbled them and brought the Philistins and the Babylonian Kings against them who conquered them and kept them under and in subjection But God in this their oppression when they cryed and turned to him forsook them not but raised up some Judge King or other to deliver them as Gideon Sampson David Cyrus c. which the Prophet mentioneth in the next verses Ver. 23 Who remembred us when we were in our low estate for his mercy c. And hath redeemed us from our enemies for his mercy Psal 135.14 5. Lastly That this goodness is not extended only to his people 3 And his providence to all creatures but even to all Creatures is manifest in that he provides for nourishes and conserves every living creature for Caro here signifies every thing that hath life and bread all kind of nourishment by which the life is sustained Ver. 25 Who gives food to all flesh for his mercy endures for ever 6. He concludes as he begun O give thanks unto the God of Heaven The conclusion that we praise him for his mercy endureth for ever And he calls him the God of Heaven because he only made the Heaven and hath his Throne in Heaven Ver. 26 having the whole World under him and in his power that preserves moderates governs all things by his wisdom power mercy The Hymn collected out of the One hundred and thirty sixth Psalm O Omnipotent God so great is thy goodness so infinite is thy mercy to the sons of men that we are not able to express it because we cannot comprehend it Whatever we enjoy is from thy mercy whatever we hope to enjoy is thy mercy Thy mercy endures for ever and therefore we will sing of thy mercies from everlasting to everlasting Ver. 5 Whethersoever we cast our eyes we find objects of thy mercy whether we behold the Heavens framed by thy wisdom and adorned with great lights the Sun to rule the day or the Moon and Stars to govern the night or whether we look down upon the earth stretched out above the waters that it might be the habitation and yield food for all creatures in both these nay in all places they occur unto us ample Testimonies of thy bounty and mercy all which should we consider with a pious and serious mind we must néeds with an inflamed heart and free tongue never cease to sing with the Prophet Ver. 25 Thy mercy endureth for ever In the Creation of all things From Ver. 10. To Ver. 22. in giving food to all flesh thy mercy hath been wonderful But in the choosing gathering conserving revenging the wrongs and pardoning the sins of thy people more wonderful our hearts were as hard and as cold as a stone should we not consider what thou didst for thy people Israel which is an engagement to us what thou wilt do for thy Church For thy mercy endures for ever Thou smotest Aegypt and slew mighty Kings for their sakes Thou didst lead them as a Captain and provide Manna and Quails and waier for them as a father defend them from their enemies and never cease to prosecute them with mercy till thou givest them the heritage of the Heathen yea when they were brought to any low estate Thou redeemest them from their enemies for thy mercy endures for ever Thou therefore who art rich in bounty clemency and mercy that never can have an end behold we beséech thée thy Church and remember it now in a low estate remit our sins pardon our transgressions repent concerning thy servants and redeem us from our enemies for thy mercy endures for ever Thou which givest food to all flesh Ver. 25 féed our souls with the celestial Manna thy Word and thy Sacraments for thy mercy endures for ever So shall we give thanks to thee O Lord because thou art good and thy mercy endureth for ever Ver. 1 So shall we give thanks to the God of gods for his mercy endureth for ever So shall we give thanks to the Lord of lords for his mercy endureth for ever We will give thanks to the God of Heaven for his mercy endureth for ever Ver. 26 PSAL. CXXXVII AT the composure of this Psalm the Jewes were in captivity at Babylon under the heavy yoke of the Assyrian Tyrant far from their own Countrey banished from the Temple of God deprived of all publick Exercises of Religion scoffed and scorned by the pride and insultation of an enemy and now they begin to complain and pray remember what they were and what they are what they enjoyed and what they want that at Jerusalem they could sing songs of Zion but now at the Rivers of Babylon they must sit down and hang up their Harps The Psalm hath two parts 1. A complaint of Israel because of the insultation of the Babylonians in which they deplore their sad condition remember the pleasures of Jerusalem and the Religion of the Temple and long to be there from ver 1. to 7. 2. An imprecation for they pray for Divine vengeance to descend upon their Persecutors ver 7.8 9. Israels complaint in their captivity 1. Their complaint ariseth from the sense of their captivity which is aggravated The first part 1. From the place Babylon By the waters of Babylon 1 From the place a place far from their own Countrey where they served a cruel and barbarous people a people that were Aliens from the Covenant God made with Abraham Ver. 1 and scorners of their Religion that had wasted their City consumed with fire defiled robbed their Temple by them they were disposed to the Banks of the Rivers where in their fields they were forced to base and servile works 2. From the continuance of their captivity and misery There we sate down 2 From the continuance and misery took up the seats they alotted us and durst not remove for seventy years exposed to wind and weather and injuries of wild Beasts 3. From the effect it produced in them tears mourning yea 3 The effect tears we wept so we spent our time but our enemies cruelty was such that our tears wrought not any compassion on their hard hearts 4. From the cause that drew these tears from them 4 The cause the remembrance of Zion not so much their present calamities as the remembrance of what they enjoyed before but now were deprived of the Religion and Service of their God We wept when we remembred thee O Zion Toties quoties so often as they remembred the Temple the Feasts the Sacrifices the Songs the Hymns they sung to God in Zion so often they sate and wept 5. From the intensiveness of their grief so great it was 5 Their grief intensive that they laid aside whatever should provoke mirth they had more mind to weep than sing their Harps were unstrung Ver. 2 and their Instruments of Musick laid aside As for
merit but mercy 2. Of which he gives the Reason Thy mercy O Lord endureth 〈◊〉 â—ver Ver. 8 It is not for a moment it vanisheth not with one benefit For his mercy but 〈◊〉 is eternal so is it eternal and the resote I know that God will persâ—â— in me what he hath begun 3. And to that end he concludes with a prayer And for this he prayes Forsake not the work of thy own hands Thou which in mercy hast begun this work conserve increase perfect it because it is thine own work only and none of mine If we desire that God should perfect any work in us we must be sure that it is his work Absolons work had no blessing for it was none of Gods The Prayer out of the One hundred and thirty eighth Psalm O Lord I will praise thee with my whole heart neither will I do this privately and within the walls of my house but in publick and in the Assembly of thy Saints even before Angels and the greatest Princes who are Terrestrial gods Ver. 1 I will sing Psalms to the honour of thy Name I will bow my self and fall low and worship towards thy holy Temple and there praise thy Name for thy loving-kindness in making unto me many gracious promises and for thy Truth in performing what thou hast promised in both which Thou hast magnified thy Name Ver. 2 and thy Word above all things that are in heaven and earth Thou hast commanded me to call on thée in time of trouble and I in obedience to thy Word have call'd And in the day when I cryed Thou answer'dst me by which Thou hast magnified thy Word and in my weakest estate Ver. 3 Thou hast strengthned me with strength and consolation in my soul by which Thou hast magnified thy Name So many have béen thy mercies so wonderful thy Providence so strange thy protection toward me through my whole life so beyond expectation thy salvation sent unto me in my greatest dangers Ver. 4 That whosoever shall hear the words of thy mouth spoken of me and fulfilled in me will be ready to praise thee yea Ver. 5 they shall sing of the wayes of the Lord of thy wisdom thy power thy justice thy goodness and confess upon the consideration of thy works That great is the Majesty and Glory of our God For though thou art high most high in nature most high in power most high in command and empire Ver. 6 yet thou humblest thy self and hast respect to the lowly for whose sake thou humbledst thy self in thy Son didst vouchsafe to descend from Heaven and converse with them As for the proud Thou beholdest them afar off as no way approving their haughty thoughts O Lord remove far from me all pride of heart and create in me an humble spirit that thou may'st cast one good look toward me descend into my heart by grace and that I may from this low estate ascend unto thée Thou O Lord hast hitherto béen merciful unto me and deliver'd me from many troubles Ver. 7 but yet I carry about me a body of flesh and my sorrowes are not at an end I must look for afflictions and I expect them that which alone can arm me against these calamities is the experience of thy former mercies hitherto thou hast and I am assured that hereafter thou wilt deliver me Though then I walk in the midst of trouble I know thou wilt revive me Thou shalt stretch forth thy hand against the wrath of mine enemies quell their fury and allay their rage and thy right hand shall save me O Lord perfect thy work in me that thou hast begun It procéeds not from my merâ—â— but thy mercy Ver. 8 and this thy mercy is not for a moment but endures for ever 〈◊〉 vanisheth not with one benefit but is eternal as thou art eternal And all the works that flow from me whether within me or done upon me are thy works forsake not then but protect and cherish the works of thine own hands nor leave me who am thy workmanship created after thine own image Good God renew in me what is decay'd by the fraud and malice of the Devil or my own frailty let thy grace pursue me and thy right hand uphold me that I may attain to that perfection of thy Saints in glory through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXXXIX IN this Psalm David having aspersions laid upon him by his enemies appeals to God in justification of his innocency and he desires of God to be his Witness and Compurgator ver 23. Now that this his Appeal be not thought unreasonable he presents God in his two especial Attributes Omniscience and Omnipresonce Then he shewes how free he was like to be from the faults with which he was charg'd in that he loved goodness and good men and hated the wayes of wickedness and wicked men This is the Sum. The parts are 1. A Description of Gods Omniscience from ver 1. to 7. 2. The Description of his Omnipresence from ver 7. to 18. 3. Davids hatred of evil and wicked men from ver 19. to 23. 4. The Protestation of his own innocency which he offers to the Test and Tryal of God ver 23 24. 1. He begins with Gods Omniscience The first part Gods Omniscience He and takes upon him the person of mankind for what he saith of himself is as true of all men for we are all known to God Ver. 1 1. O Lord Thou hast searched me out proved examined Knowes tryed me by an exact search or scrutiny it needed not but he would have us know that God most accurately searcheth into all our wayes not the least thing we do is hid from him Thou searchest me out and knowest me Now what he said in general he opens in particulars Ver. 2 2. As first for our Actions he searches and knowes them 1 Our actions 1. Thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising when where and for what cause I sit down or rise 2. For our thoughts he searches them also 2 Our thoughts Thou understandest my thoughts afar off from all eternity Thou knowest my counsels my cogitations even before I began to think them Ver. 3 3. The intents and purposes of our thoughts and actions 3 Our intents the ends we aim at Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my wayes 4. Yea and our words too There is not a word in my tongue but Ver. 4 O Lord Thou knowest it altogether 4 Our words And of this he gives this Reason because God is our Maker Ver. 5 toti quanti quanti sumus we are his work Thou hast beset me behind and before The Reason is because he is our Maker and laid thy hand upâ—â— me The Vulgar reads this verse thus Ecce Domine tu cognovisti omnia novissima antiqua mea tu formasti me posuisti super me manum tuam where Bellarmine saith there be
two Arguments to prove that God knowes all things that belong to us 1. Because God knowes all things past and future antiqua novissima before behind us and therefore no wonder if he know all the actions of men 2. Because he hath made man he governs him Thou O Lord madest man and after hast put thy hand upon him to order him Thou bearest him as it were in thy hands and must therefore of necessity know his wayes The Prophet concludes this Attribute of Gods Omniscience with an Epiphonema Such knowledge is not in man Such knowledge to know the hearts thoughts actions words of all men is too wonderful for me it is a property that belongs to God alone It is high Ver. 6 I cannot attain unto it it passeth my Reach and Capacity 2. The second part His Omnipresence From Gods Omniscience David descends to speak of his Omnipresence and by it shewes That no man can hide himself from the eye and knowledge of God because he is present in every place 1. Ver. 7 Whither shall I go from thy Spirit i.e. That I may be hid from thy knowledge No place can hide us from his presence 2. Or whither shall I go from thy presence i. e. From thy eye face Say I should think of some lurking place to hide my self in it must be in Heaven Hell the Sea the utmost part of the earth or else I must be hid from thee by some dark night But none of these will do it For thou art present in all these places and beholdest in the thickest darkness 1. Ver. 8 If I ascend up to heaven thou art there 2. Ver. 9 If I make my bed in hest thou art there 3. If I take the wings of the morning and remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me ut custos captivum and thy right hand shall hold arrest me and keep me under restraint 4. If I say Surely the darkness shall cover me even the light shall be about me yea the darkness hides not from thee but the night shineth as the day the darkness and light are both alike to thee 3. His instance to prove both is mans formation in the womb And among many instances that might be given to declare Gods Omniscience and Omnipresence omitting other he makes choice of one only viz. the formation of a child in the womb God saith he forms the child in the belly of the mother makes the seminal vessels which are destined for generation sees how to work and how to join all parts together in that dark Cell and therefore night day darkness and light are all one to him He is present in that abstruse and secret place and sees how to knit bones and sinewes and nerves together to form the vital parts endue them with faculties cause flesh to come upon them and till all be perfected to wrap up the Embrio in it Secundine But to the words 1. The excellency of the Authour is commended Thou hast possessed my Reins Ver. 13 The Reins are Organs ordained for generation the Reins are again the most secret and hidden parts of the body Psal 26.2 The sense then is Thou hast undertaken wholly to frame me as I lay hid in the womb and there hast cherished me being formed 2. Thou hast covered me in my mothers womb cloathed me with flesh skin bones and inclosed me with a Secundine And here the Prophet Which the Prophet admires before he proceeds in his description of the childs formation in the womb breaks off the course and falls in admiration of Gods work and sings praise for it 1. I will praise thee and extoll thee my Maker 2. Ver. 14 For I am fearfully and wonderfully made It is enough to strike any man into a reverential fear of thee and a wonder that shall consider seâ—â—ously this work 3. Marvellous are thy works all are marvellous and that my soul knoweth right well but none beyond this And now he goes on He continues his Narration of a childs formation in the womb and continues his Narration of the formation of the Embrio and descends to speak of some parts 1. My substance Vis mea robur meum ossatio mea ossium artuum compages essentia mea for Interpreters differ in the reading is not hid from thee Ver. 15 2. When I was made in secret in the dark and secret Cell of my mothers womb 3. And curiously wrought The word in the Hebrew as Moller observes signifies aca pingere vestes auro variis filis diversorum colorum intexere Man indeed is a curious piece and the variety of faculties Organs parts shew him to be so 4. In the lowest parts of the earth Not that man was made in infinis terrae but in his mothers belly in which yet the work is as secret and remote from us as if God did it in the lower parts of the earth 2 Maccab. 7.22 23. 5. Thy eyes didst see my substance being yet imperfect When I was an Embrio in which there appeared no form or distinction of parts Thy eyes saw what all would come to that from that imperfection time would produce a perfect child and also caused it to be so 6. And in thy book of prescience and providence were all my Members written The Idea of them was with thee Vt pictura in mente pictoris 7. Which in continuance were fashioned mora tempores He again admires Gods works when as yet there was none of them perfect He closeth this part with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he doth admire the wisdom of God in his counsels and in his works Two things he saith of them 1. That they are dear and of esteem to him How precious also are thy thoughts to me O God Not only in the formation of man but in other things 2. That they are infinite as indeed they are to any man that shall reflect upon the kinds the Species the Individua's in the world David might well say O how great is the Summe of them If I should count them they are more in number than the sand For they are indeed innumerable 3. For this cause When I awake I am present with thee I never awake and rise but some new matter or other of thy providence wisdom is offer'd to my mind to meditate on which puts me into an admiration of thy power which should be the use that every man ought to make of Gods works from the consideration of them arise to consider the Creator This is to be present with God 3. The third part David purgeth himself from ambition and blood And so David having ended his Theis of the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God comes up closer to that for which he said all this which was to justifie himself before Gods Tribunal It is objected against me that I am a bloody man a man of Belial and that out of ambition I have
never suffer them to place their felicity in these temporal blessings Sanctifie these unto them and let these be used as arguments to draw them nearer unto thée For I know that they only are truly happy whose God is the Lord those whom he hath chosen and adopted to be hâ—â— people and they who have chosen him to be their God they who relie upon him to de their Protector and they who acknowledge and worship him that they may be protected For God alone is the chiefest good he alone can give good things not only those which are external but those which are internal and eternal even eternal life to those who are his Servants through Iesus Christ our Lord. PSAL. CXLV Hallelujah or an Hymn THis Hymn containeth excellent matter and is penned after an excellent manner The matter of it is Gods holy praise which is the Alpha and Omega of all our actions The manner of it that of the Hebrew Alphabet which is done to help our memory in recording those things which concerns our Makers praise Of which there be These three parts 1. A Proem or a protestation to praise God ver 1 2. 2. And a celebration of divine praises through the whole Psalm and to that end he produceth many arguments which are reduced to these heads 1. From the greatnesse of God ver 3. 2. From his works of wonder ver 4. which works he distinguishes into three kinds 1. Glorious and beautiful of Majesty and therefore wonderful ver 5. 2. Marvellous and full of terror ver 6. 3. Amiable and full of goodnesse ver 7 8 9. But all wonderful 3. From his Kingdom and government of it and in it from ver 10. to 21. 3. A conclusion ver 21. In which be performs his protestation praising God 1. Davids protestation to praise God The first part In the two first verses David proposeth what he will do through the whole Psalm acquaints us fully with his intention 1. I will extoll I will bless I will praise 2. Thee my God my King A King above me Ver. 1 in comparison of whom I am a servant a subject I will bless I will praise thy Name all vertues by which thou art known 3. Every day will I praise thee No day shall passe without a Hymn 4. For ever and ever will I do it It shall now begin and continue by a succession of men who shall sing this and the like Hymns made to thy honour to the consummation of all things 2. And so he sets upon the praise it self The second part He praiseth God for his greatness And the first thing he praiseth God for is for his Essense set forth under this word Great 1. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised This followes on the other for if great greatly to be praised 2. And his greatness is unsearchable Ver. 3 past our weak capacity it is to comprehend it search we may but we shall never find it Higher it is than the Heavens as being higher than the Highest deeper than Hell as passing the depth of our understandings Job 11.8 9. Broador than the Sea as measuring the waters thereof in his fist Isaiah 40.12 And longer than the earth as having no end there it no end of his greatness Or if Great here to be refer'd to him as a King Then a great King he is in respect of extension for all creatures from the highest Angel to the poorest worm are under him great for length for his Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom Great for depth for he rules even in the hearts of Kings of all men over-rules their thoughts affections nothing is hid from him And great again for height being a great King over other gods ruling by his own absolute Power and Authority whereas all other have their Sword from him and Rule by a delegated and Vicarious power 2. From the Essence of God David passeth to his works and effects Ver. 4 which set forth his praise which because no one man is able to do 2 For his works in generall therefore David saith One Generation shall praise thy works unto another and shall declare thy mighty Acts. Every several Age is an eye-witness of several acts of wonder and therefore as one succeedeth another in dayes so shall they succeed in duty The father shall declare them to the son and the son again to his son c. So that no Generation that considers thy mighty Acts but shall have just occasion to admire them and praise thee And so from the works in general all which are mighty he descends to the particulars which he ranks into three sorts In particular 1. His works of glory 1. The first are those which are marvellous and full of glory splendour and beauty such as are his works in Heaven For the Heavens declare his glory The Sun Moon Stars their variety multitude splendour Ver. 5 constant and perpetual motions their influences and effects are all wondrous works and they speak of the glorious honour of his Majesty Why else did the Heathen take and worship these for gods and these works David means in ver 5. 2. A second kind of works there are of God 2 His works of justice and terrour which are full of Terrour and Justice these are terrible Acts and they speak out his Might and Greatness such were the universal Deluge in Noahs dayes the fire of Sodom Pharaphs overthrow in the red Sea Ver. 6 the opening of the earth to swallow Corah Dathan Abiram c. And these he points at in ver 6. 3. Other works are marvellous as being full of his abundant kindness 3 His works of love and mercy love mercy And because he would have us take more special notice of these as those which bring to us more comfort and concern us more to know therefore he in more words insists upon these spending three whole verses in the explication of them of which pag. sequents 1. Ver. 7 They i. e. Thy great works shall abundantly utter Eructabun Vulgar The memory of thy great goodness All Generations fill'd with the abundance of thy bounty they shall be eloquent and without any intermission collect them in their memory and commit them to posterity to be remembred 2. And sing of thy righteousness in exhibiting thy promised blessings Of this kind are all temporal benefits night and day the seasons of the year fertility abundance of Fish Fowle Cattle Rivers Seas Orchards Gardens Groves c. But these are light if compared to the gifts of Grace The incarnation Death Passion Resurrection Ascention of Christ mission of the holy Ghost calling of the Gentiles Justification Sanctification eternal life All which being brought to memory by a pious meditation Eructubunt scaturient eloquentur canent men must abundantly utter Gods goodnesse And sing here with David in the next verse 2. Ver. 8 The Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and of great mercy of which
before Psal 103.8 3. Ver. 9 The Lord is good to all For he rains upon the just and unjust Slow to execute wrath upon the reprobates 2 Tim. 2.4.2 Pet. 3.9 Prov. 1.21 Hos 14.9 Ezek. 18.31 32. 4. His mercies are over all his works There is not any work of God but hath mercy in it Psal 1.36 For whenas in rigour of justice for their sins he might destroy the world out of mercy he gives time of repentance 3. The third part He praiseth God for a new mercy The Prophet hitherto hath sung of the marvellous works of God both of Glory Terror and Mercy And adds for the close All thy works shall praise thee O Lord. But now he begins to praise him for a New matter viz. for the erection of his peculiar Kingdom in his Church viz. The choice of his Church in which he is to have for his Subjects a peculiar people a holy nation a royal Priesthood which he in this place calls Saints Now be it that profane and impious men of the world should neglect to praise God and not admire his works of Glory Terrour and Mercy yet these will not neglect their Duty Ver. 10 And thy Saints shall blesse thee They shall blesse thee for thy marvellous works before mentioned In which he erects his Kingdom but they shall not stay there consider they shall thy Kingdom in thy Church and lay to heart the Quality of that Kingdom and especially praise thee for that Ver. 11 They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power Ver. 12 To make known to the sons of men thy mighty acts and the glorious Majesty of thy Kingdom Ver. 13 Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy Dominion endureth throughout all generations Now the power and glory of Christs Kingdom 1 The amplitude of it from the Kingdoms of men may be known by this fourfold difference 1. That Kings on earth have but few subjects and small wealth and treasure being Commanders perhaps but of one or at most but of some few Provinces But God hath for his subjects Angels Men Devils and the wealth of the whole world is his 2 Independance 2. Earthly Kings so reign over their subjects that they must be servants to their people they depend upon them and are forced to yield to them yea though they abound in wealth yet they want and are forced to beg or exact Subsidies Contributions Tributes Taxes c. from them being often indebted great summes But God is so a Lord that he serves none he needs not their help so abounds that in a moment he can create of nothing much more than he hath 3. Earthly Kings glory indeed in their power 3 Security and rejoyce in their dignity and honour but their crown is but a crown of thornes for they are tormented with cares anxiety fear sorrows But God is glorious without fear or care he reigns in security tranquility peace and ease 4. Earthly Kings reign but for a time Christ for ever 4 Eternity All which differences are found in these verses 1. The first in the eleventh verse They shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom c. They shall speak of the power and glory of it that in multitude of subjects in wealth and riches it exceeds all other Kingdoms 2. The second and third in the twelfth verse They shall make known c. that they Acts are far beyond theirs and thy magnificence no dependency no needy no thorny crown 3. The fourth in the thirteenth verse Thy Kingdom Everlasting so not theirs And so the Prophet having described the Kingdom of Christ The qualities of Christ the King begins to set down the excellent Qualities and Vertues of a good King which do most perfectly agree to Christ In this place after the thirteenth verse it is very probable that there is a verse omitted in the Hebrew Copies we now use which yet anciently were in it For the Septuagint the Arabique Copies and the Vulgar out of them retain it and so doth Kimhi It is supposed it came to pass incuria librariorum And Bellarmine Moller conceive it should be admitted because when the Psalm is disposed according to the order and number of the Hebrew Alphabet it will be imperfect without it For the verse will be wanting that begins with the letter Nun. Musculus receives it into the Text. In it are set down two excellent qualities of a good King 1. Veracity 1 Veracity and 2. Probity The verse is this 2 Holiness Faithful the Lord is in all his words and holy in all his works But I go on Ver. 14 The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all those that be down 3 Goodness 3. This is another quality of a good King which is Veri regia Pastoralis so to govern his Subjects that they fall not and to raise them if fallen This is Mercy Goodness And it is proper to Christ who by his Grace sustains and upholds his people that they fall not into sin or if fallen raiseth them up again by a new Grace when they are down This verified in David Peter the Prodigal c. He sustains raiseth them by his Gospel and Spirit Ver. 15 The eyes of all wait upon thee and thou givest them their meat in due season Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing 4. This is Liberality and Bounty and is an excellent vertue in a King 4 Liberality and Bounty whose care for his Subjects ought to be that they want no necessaries Benefacere regjum est and most properly may be attributed to Christ who provides for his Church all manner of things that are good Temporal Spiritual 1. They are expectants Their eyes wait upon him 2. And he gives 'T is a gift not a debt 3. Their meat Variety to every one what is fit for him 4. In due season Then when fit for them to eat Wine oyle corn c. as the season fits He crowns the year Psal 65.11 He gives when fit to eat for sometimes 't is fit that the meat be taken away when men are wanton exceed and riot in it 5. Thou openest thy hand He gives not sparingly but bountifully 6. Thou satisfiest For a man may have and not be satisfied Avarui semper eget The content and satisfaction is from God 7. The desire of every living thing Giving to every living thing such meat as is sutable to his appetite all which is much more true in spiritual blessings Ver. 17 The Lord is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works 5. 5 Justice This is another vertue of a good King to be just which is most true of Christ for just he is in distribution of punishments and giving rewards Ver. 18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in Truth 6 Easie to
receive Petitions of those that call on him in Truth 6. This is the sixth quality of a good King to shew himself easie to receive Petitions and to them that implore his aid which God doth Deâ—â—r 4.7.2 But the Prophet corrects his works and limits them 'T is to all that call upon him in Truth which word includes all the conditions of a good prayer 1. Faith For he that prayes without faith prayes to an Idol of his own brain 2. Hope and confidence He prayes not seriously that hopes not to be heard 3. Love For no man can call on him seriously whom he hates or to whom hateful 4. Desire For no man prayes heartily that desires not to obtain 5. Attention and intention without which the prayer is babling no true prayer Ver. 19 The Lord will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and save them 7. 7 To grant Petitions This is the seventh quality of a good King to grant Petitions so that they ask such Petitions as is fit for the King to grant this will Christ do 1. He will fulfil the desires But with this limitation So they fear him 2. He will hear their cry So it must be a cry vehement earnest 3. And will save them Hear he will ad salutem semper licet non ad voluntatem Ver. 20 The Lord preserves all them that love him but all the wicked will he destroy 8 Clemency 8. This is the last quality of a good King Parcere Subjectis debellare Superbos Which Christ will do The Conclusion a Doxology he preserves his Martyrs in patience constancy faith Ver. 21 receives them to glory and takes revenge on their enemies Martyres non eripuit sed nec deseruit 4. The Conclusion is an Epiphonema and answers to the beginning of the Psalm 1. For all these things which I have said My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord This shall be my work while I live 2. And I wish it may be done by all others also And let all flesh blest his holy Name for ever and ever A Hymn collected out of the One hundred and forty fifth Psalm I will ertol thée O my God and King and Governour of the whole World not that my words can make thée Higher who art the most Highest nor my praises make thée more Excellent Ver. 1 who art of all Excellencies the most Excellent but that I may insinuate and commend thy greatness to those that either know thée not or do not honour thée for this end I will bless thy Name through my whole life every day will I praise thée and leave upon Record a Hymn that the people that are yet unborn may magnifie thée it is my desire That thy Name may be praised for ever and ever Ver. 2 For thou Lord art truly great great in Heaven great on Earth there is no end of thy greatness it is unsearchable it is incomprehensible and therefore my desire is That there may be no end of thy praise Ver. 3 but that one Generation report it to another that the father record it to the son and the son deliver over to his séed thy works and thy mighty acts Ver. 4 for which thou art worthy to be praised Glorious O Lord are thy works terrible and yet full of mercy not any of them but beget wonder in me The Heavens above the Sun Moon and Stars speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty Thy creation of them Ver. 5 declares thy power thy providence for their constant course thy wisdom their light motion influence and their effects in and upon these inferiour bodies thy goodness I never consider those strokes of divine vengeance which thou hast inflicted upon disobedient rebellions and incorrigible sinners Ver. 6 but they declare thée to be a terrible and a jealous God Thy hand was terrible upon the old World mighty upon Pharaoh with his Aegyptians just but full of indignation against that gain-saying Rabble that rose against the King and the Priest At the consideration of these terrible acts I tremble upon the meditation of these works of power I am horribly afraid That only which revives my heart is thy mercy and goodness for I know Thou art a gracious God and full of compassion slow to anger Ver. 8 and of great mercy That thou art good to all and thy mercy is above all thy works which Ver. 9 when I recount in my memory I can no less than abundantly utter thy great goodness Ver. 7 and sing of thy righteousness that gives thy Word and kéeps it that in justice dost administer all things inflicting severe judgments upon the rebellious and sparing thy servants dost reward their weak endeavours with thy choicest blessings Ver. 10 For which thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power They shall make known to the sons of men thy glorious Acts and commend to the ignorant the excellency of thy power that it is far beyond any Monarchy on earth in extent of place wealth time For whereas there 's is limited thine is universal there 's encumbred with troubles and wants thine is quiet peaceable and rich whereas there 's have had and shall have their periods thine shall be continual in duration Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy Dominion endureth throughout all Generations And since we are assured That thy Church in which thou reignest shall continue for ever O Lord stir up thy strength and come amongst us O let thy Kingdom come O Lord uphold those who are ready to fall and raise up those who are bowed down Our eyes wait upon thee O Lord feed all thy faithful people with thy Word and Sacraments in due season open thine hand and satisfie with thy grace every hungry and thirsty soul Thou Lord art righteous in all thy wayes and holy in all thy works be nigh therefore to all that call upon thee with a pure true and honest heart fulfil the desires of them that fear thee and hear their cry and save them Preserve gracious God with a singular care all them that love thée from all evil but for the wicked which oppress them and séek to trample them under their féet bring them to a spéedy destruction So shall my mouth speak forth the praise of the Lord and I hope also That all flesh shall have just occasion to bless thy holy Name for ever and ever Amen Ver. 21 PSAL. CXLVI A Hymn Hallelujah THE Subject of this Hymn is the same with the former and it hath These four parts 1. An Exhortation to praise God ver 1. which David is resolved to do ver 2. 2. A Dehortation from confidence in man how great soever ver 3 4. 3. On the contrary he pronounceth them happy that trust in God ver 5. 4. And to this confidence in God he perswades for many Reasons from ver 6. to the last 1.
David exhorts to praise God The first part He begins with a Dialogism 1. He speaks to all Praise ye the Lord. 2. Ver. 1 Then by an Apostrophe he turns to himself Praise the Lord O my soul 3. And his soul answers While I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises to my God while I have my being while I am and shall be 2. The second part But because the foundation of this praise is the trust and confidence which men have in God Dehorts from confidence in Princes for from which they are retarded by admiring over-much and relying upon the power and help of Kings and Princes the Prophet therefore subjoins his Dehortation and gives his Reasons for it 1. Ver. 3 Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man 2. His Reasons for it are 1. 1 Their impotency First Their Impotency There is no help in them They may seem potent but they cannot save themselves much less other men Ver. 4 2. 2 Mortality Their Fragility and Mortality Their breath goeth forth they return to the earth in that very day their thoughts perish 3. The third part But happy he that relies on God Those men cannot be happy that trust to them but now on the contrary If a man will be happy the Prophet shewes upon whom he must trust and rely which is on God for 1. Ver. 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help him to whom Jacob trusted 2. And whose hope is in the Lord his God Not in impotent and short-liv'd men And this he confirms by divers Reasons The fourth part Because he is 1. 1 Omnipotent First From his Omnipotence He is God the Creatour he made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein Able then to protect Ver. 6 2. 2 Faithful From his Veracity Who keeps Truth for ever His word is passed for our protection and he will perform it Potest vult quia promisit Ver. 7 3. 3 Just From his Justice He executeth judgment for the oppressed He defends the innocent and punisheth the unjust Good trusting then to him 4. Ver. 8 4 Merciful From his Mercy 1. He giveth food to the hungry Relieves men in their wants 2. The Lord looseth the Prisoners Another Act of grace and the rest follow 3. The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind Whether spiritually or corporally 4. The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down By sin wrath misery 5. From his Love The Lord loveth the righteous Ver. 9 5 Loving Of which the effects are 1. The Lord preserveth the strangers 2. He relieveth the fatherless and widow 3. But the ungodly find a quite contrary effect because they are noâ—â—ons of love but wrath But the way of the wicked he turns upside down Their glory perisheth and with it the hope of those fools that trusted to them 6. From the Eternity of his Kingdom therefore to be praised 6 Eternal and trusted to for ever Kings dye and perish but he is a King for ever in Zion i.e. Ver. 10 in his Church The Lord shall reign for ever even thy God O Zion unto all Generations Praise ye the Lord. The Hymn and Prayer collected out of the One hundred and forty sixth Psalm O Omnipotent and most Merciful God Ver. 1 Thou art worthy to receive honour and glory and therefore with all my heart and soul while I live I will praise thee while I have any being I will sing praises to my God Thou art my staffe to trust to my sole confidence and my hape as for the greatest and most potent of the sons of men I dare not rely on them Ver. 3 for they are unable in their greatest exigence to help themselves much less to relieve others Their breath goeth forth and they return to the earth whence they came and in that very day all their high thoughts and proud attempts perish and vanish together with them Who then can be happy that relies upon such empty broken réeds Ver. 5 that trusts to such brittle earthen vessels Leaving then all earthly dependances as weak and miserable comforters To thee will I trust who art the God of Jacob the Lord of thy Church and people being assured That he is only happy whose hope is in the Lord his God Thou O Lord hast made Heaven and Earth the Seâ— and all that is in it Ver. 6 Thou dost confirm the Truth of thy promises by an exact performance Ver. 7 Execute then judgment for the oppressed give food to the hungry loose thy prisoners from their bonds and chains open the eyes and illuminate the understandings of those who are blinded in sin and errour Raise O Lord the hearts of such as are contrite and bowed down prosecute the righteous and innocent with thy love and favour preserve the stranger relieve the fatherless and widow and turn-upside down the way the plots devices and frauds of wicked mâ—n Turn O Lord the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness An which since we know to be thy wondrous wâ—â—ks and have experience of the performance of them to thy faithful servants in all Ages our faith is thereby confirmed Ver. 10 and our hope sustained in the miâ—st of our present troubles and calamities Wherefore being encouraged by this hope we humbly beséech thée look upon the sad condition of thy Church Thou O God reignest in Zion build then the decayed and ruined walls of Jerusalem and preserve and provide for this widow and her fatherless children amidst the storms and fury of her merciless oppressors for the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXLVII A Hymn THE Scope and intent of the Prophet in this Psalm is to stir up men to praise God for which he produceth many Arguments The occasion of the composing of it was the reduction of the Jewes from the captivity of Babylon and therefore it is supposed that Haggai and Zechariah the Prophets were the Authours of it and therefore some Interpreters put their names in the Title of it The parts are 1. An Exhortation to praise God ver 1. which is repeated ver 7. 12. 2. The Arguments to perswade to it Gods bounty wisdom power providence justice and mercy through the whole Psalm 1. He invites to praise God The first part The Exhortation is briefly proposed Praise the Lord ver 1. which the Prophet as the Chanter of the Quire begins and after some reasons given repeats in more words Ver. 1 Sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving sing praises upon the Harp unto our God ver 7. And yet again at ver 12. Praise the Lord O Jerusalem praise thy God O Zion where the Arabique Greek and Latine Translators begin a new Psalm but in the Hebrew they are conjoyned and but one Hymn 2. The second part Now the Prophet hath no sooner ended his Exhortations but to every one of them singly he annexeth his Reasons To
Gods Providence 1 From his Providence of which he gives divers instances 1. Ver. 8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds and prepareth rain for the earth When he brings clouds over the face of heaven The instances of it four it is not in his purpose to obscure or darken the beauty of it but to water and moisten the earth without which it will not be fruitful Psal 104.13 14. Jer. 14.22 2. Who makes grass to grow on the Mountains in the most barren places to which the rain will not suffice except God co-operate with it 3. He giveth to the Beast his food He giveth it them they gather it 4. Ver. 9 And to the young Ravens which cry Naturalists tell us That the Raven seeds not his Chickens till they be plumed not owning them till they be like them all which time God sustains them But others that no Bird so soon suffers his young to prey for themselves as the Raven being then deserted by the Dam croâ—itant invocant and God hears and sends them meat Job 38.41 Christ useth this Argument that we rely on Gods Providence Mat. 6. Luke 12. Yea Object But how shall we be deliver'd we see no means but here the infirm and distrustful Jew may argue Alas we see no means for our deliverance we have no Strength no Ammunition nor Horse nor Armour for War no nor yet hearts to fight How shall we be delivered The Prophet prevents and answers this objection viz. That God who is to gather them needs no help at all he can do it without means as well as means 1. Ver. 10 He delights not in the strength of an horse which is a warlike creature Resp. God can do it without means and will 2. He takes not pleasure in the legs i. e. nimbleness agility valour of a man that is in any military preparation or power so far forth as if they were necessary means and he could not do his work without them these he will have in ordinary use but not trusted to he delights not in that But he placeth his delight in his servants and those some way or other he will deliver 1. The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him not in the Majesty rich noble or superficial Pharisee but in those that fear him and trembles at his words 2. And in those that hope in his mercy That put their confidence that out of mercy love goodnesse he will deliver them 3. He again repeats this proposition and calls to the Church to perform it The third part of the second Section where in the Greek and Vulgar begins a new Psalm Praise the Lord O Jerusalem praise thy God O Zion He again exhorts to praise God Though others be negligent to praise God yet be not thou Not Jerusalem not Zion And then recites four arguments for which he would have Zion sing praises Ver. 12 1. Security and defence 2. Benediction 3. Peace 4. Jerusalem especially Sustenance or provision 1. Jerusalem is a City secure being defended by God 1 For her Security For he hath strengthened the barrs of thy gates Gates and barrs do well to a City Ver. 13 but then alone the City is secure when God makes them strong The true ammunition of a City is Gods defence Arms Lawes wealth c. are the barrs 2. Jerusalem is a happy City For he hath blessed thy children within hee 2 Benediction thy Kings Princes Magistrates c. with Wisdom Religion Piety c. 3. Jerusalem is a peaceable City He maketh peace in thy borders 3 Peace The very name intimates so much For Jerusalem interpreted is Visio pacis 4. Jerusalem is a City provided by God with necessary food and provision Ver. 14 For He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat 4 Abundance Now that it is God that doth all this for Jerusalem the Prophet makes good by other things that he doth for the whole world The Prophet proves this by his general providence for which he needs not any instruments and under-officers to do it by but only his word and his command 'T is but for him to say the word and what he will is done He sends forth his command upon earth and his word runs very swiftly it pierceth all things Ver. 15 and presently execution follows upon it Heb. 1.3 Wisd 7.22 24. 8.1 For instance 1. He giveth snow like wooll Ver. 16 Sometimes great flakes of it like locks of wooll or else to cover the earth as a winter-garment a man He brings frost snow ice and keep it warm from the nipping of the cold winds as is evident in Northern Countries 2. He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes That thickens the aire as if ashes were cast into it For I have observed that with a hoar-frost commonly there is a mist which resolves into rain within twenty four hours 3. He casteth forth his ice like morsels That is fragments of ice 4. Who can stand before his cold That is able to endure it had not he provided clothes furrs fire against the violence and rigor of it Described he hath the vehemency of the cold in the snow frost ice Annd dissolves and melts it next he shews with what facility and celerity he dissolves and removes it Only by his Word 1. He sends out his word and melts them 2. He causeth his wind to blow His South wind and the waters flow Ice and Snow are resolv'd into water But note here that the Prophet calls it His ice His cold His word His wind that we may know that the constipation and resolution is from him and therefore we depend upon his providence for out food and raiment c. 4. This is an act of Gods providence in common to all Nations 2 The special Act of his providence to his people and by it he teacheth all Nations to acknowledge their Creator But there is a peculiar Act of his providence extended to his people in which other Nations did not nor do not yet communicate with them viz. The knowledge of his word and manifestation of his Will and this is a new argument by which he perswades them to praise God The knowledge of his word and will What Israel might that now the Christian Church may say and that with advantage 1. He shews his word unto Jacob his statutes and judgments unto Israel To them he spake by Moses and the Prophets To us by his own Son his Apostles and their successors 2. He hath not dealt so with any Nation with none at that time And now to none who belong not to the spiritual Jerusalem which is the Church 3. For all these benefits praise the Lord. And as for his judgments The Evangelical Preceps and Rules of life and salvation they have not known them Now for all these benefits and for all these reasons Hallelujah Praise ye the Lord. The Hymn or Prayer Collected out
of the One hundred forty and seventh Psalm O Thou great Lord of heaven and earth Ver. 5 thy power is great and thy understanding infinite thy goodnesse is incomprehensible and thy mercy above all thy works when I consider thy greatnesse I tremble when I look upon thy wisdom I admire but as often as I look back upon thy goodnesse and mercy I am animated to approach thy throne and to pay that debt of thankfulnesse unto thee for thy providence over the whole world and peculiarly thy care and love extended to thy poor Church When the thirsty earth gasps for rain thou coverest the heaven with clouds Ver. 8 and preparest to moisten it thou clothest the mountains with grass and blessest the valleys with plenty There 's not a beast to which thou givest not food Ver. 9 nor a bird of the aire nor a fowle of heaven no nor a young Raven that thou hearest not when they cry for want Ver. 15 Thy command is a Law and thy word runs very swiftly When thou sayest the word in winter the Snow descends like Wooll and the hoar-frost covers the earth like ashes the waters cake into ice and the rivers become stiff and run not But thou again no sooner sends forth thy word in the Spring but their hardnesse is dissolved thou causest thy wind to blow and the waters flow Who Ver. 1 Lord can consider these thy wayes without admiration and admiring Ver. 7 praise and in praising sing unto thée with thanksgiving O Lord make it our work for it is good make it our delight for it is pleasant make it our labour for it is comely that must néeds become us which becomes thy Angels and Saints in heaven whose joy it is day and night to sing prayses to thy holy name for thy wondrous works of providence wisdome goodnesse Ver. 11 and mercy toward the sons of men but especially for thy love and protection over that people that fear thée and hope in thy mercy Gracious God consider their afflictions and how that at this time a principal member groans under the Crosse thy Temples are cast down thy houses of prayer destroyed thy people scattered on the mountains as shéep that have no shepherd Ver. 2 O then build restore and confirme once more Jerusalem Ver. 3 and gather together unto her the outcasts of Israel Heal those that are broken in heart and binde up as a good Physitian the merciless wounds they have received Ver. 4 these are stars in the firmament of thy Church let them not wander up and down in shéeps skins and goats skins being destitute afflicted and tormented for ever their number thou knowest call them all then by their names and though now obscured yet let them shine again in thy Church Ver. 6 These are méek in heart and poor in spirit look to them O Lord and lift them up and execute thy just wrath against their oppressors and cast the wicked who with a proud hand insult over them down even to the ground Take pleasure Ver. 11 O Lord in them that fear thee and tremble at thy word bring back thy banished and build them a sure house provide for them a City to dwell in and strengthen the bars of the gates thereof Ver. 13 blesse her children within her Make peace in her borders and fill her with the finest of the wheat But above all shew thy word unto Jacob Ver. 19 and thy statutes and judgments unto Israel And where thou hast not dealt so with other Nations Ver. 20 to reveal unto them the secret Mysteries of thy Gospel open to us these glad-tydings and inflame our hearts with the love of them and give us grace to conform our lives unto them For so shall Jerusalem praise thee Ver. 12 and Zion magnifie thy Name for ever and ever Hallelujah Hallelujah Praise the Lord. PSAL. CXLVIII A Hymn Or Hallelujah THE Prophet in this Psalm calls upon the whole Creation to be instrumental in the praises of God By which he shews David calls upon all creatures to praise God 1. His ardent desire that God be praised in that as if Creatures endued with reason were too few to praise God he calls even to inanimate things that they would join with him and be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naz. 2. His intention what he would have done then what could be done 3. That what could be should be done that they by our mouths praise God That is we seeing in them God power wisdom goodness be ready to praise 4. That in their kinds they really do praise him because being made in a wonderful beauty and order which they transgress proclaim to the world and testifie of God even without a voice that he must needs be a wise intelligent understanding that so made them The Psalm is disposed by an excellent Distribution 1. He calls to the celestial creatures in General 2. In special 1. The Angels Praise ye the Lord. 1. 1 The Angels Praise ye the Lord from the heavens Ye Of the celestial Order Or ut caeles i. e. Ver. 1 de habitaculo vestro and this is no command 〈◊〉 exhortation as if the Angels were negligent in their duty but an invitation to continue in doing what they do already 2. Praise him in the heights i. e. the heavens above 3. And yet more plainly For the second verse is but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or declaration of the first 1. Praise him all his Angels 2. Praise him all his hosts Which in St. Luke are Militia caeli Ver. 2 2. The Sun and Moon Stars Praise ye him Sun and Moon 2 Sun Moon stars Praise him all ye Stars of light Though not with voice which ye want yet praise him by your greatness motion beauty light efficacy Ver. 3 3. He comes to the body of the heaven the Orbs. 3 The Orbs. 1. Praise him ye heaven of heavens that is the Coelum Empyraum Ver. 4 2. And ye waters that be above the heavens that is all the Orbs above the aire which in the Scripture is called heaven as volucres coeli nubes coeli c. For he established them And in the two next verses he gives the reason why the heavens praise God 1. He commanded and they were created They are his creatures Ver. 5 therefore 2. He hath established them for ever Ver. 6 he hath made a decree which shall not pass They are incorruptible they must keep the Order he made 2. From heaven he descends to the earth and all sublunary bodies as the earth 4 All sublunary Bodies Air water and creatures that live in these or are in these Praise the Lord from the earth All that are from the earth Ver. 7 all made of an elementary substance As 1. Ye Dragons Ye Whales Muse Greater fishes Bellar. 2. All Deeps All kind of waters Lakes Ponds Rivers Seas 3. Fire and hail snow and vapours stormy wind fulfilling his word Meteors 4. Mountains and all hills
Campi patentes Valles 5. Fruitful trees and all Cedars All trees fit to build with 6. Beasts and all Cattle both wild and tame 7. Greeping things Worms Serpents 8. And all flying fowls 3. 5 All mankind In the last place he cites all mankind to praise God 1. 1 Of all degrees The Highest Kings and all people They who command who obey 2. 2 Sexes Princes and all Judges of the earth All inferiour Magistrates 3. 3 Ages Of all Sexes Both young men and maidens 4. Of all Ages Old men and children Let them praise the Name of the Lord. For which he gives this reason 1. 1 For his Name is excellent For his Name is excellent alone There is no Name so sublime so high and worthy of all praise For all created things although great if compared to Gods greatness are nothing for what excellency soever they have they have from him whose Name is alone excellent 2. 2 His glory above His Glory is above the earth and heaven Their glory being from him 4. He concludes the Psalm with his goodness to his Church which is another reason 1. He also exalts the horn that is the power and glory of his people 2. 3 He is good to his Church He is the Praise of his Saints The Pride of Israel viz. 3. Even of the children of Israel a people near to him a people dedicated consecrated to God And near unto him in true knowledge faith true worship adoration Trust and filial love All which is to be understood not of Israel according to the flesh but of Israel according to the Spirit For all are not Israel that are of Israel Rom. 9. There were among them Generations of Vipers Mat. 3. and such as resisted the 〈…〉 â—host Act. 7. Now those that are true Israelites And therefore praise him and those especially he excites to sing Hallelujah Praise ye the Lord. The Prayer out of the one hundred and forty eighth Psalm O Omnipotent Lord Ver. 1 thy wonderful bounty admirable power and wisdom hath sufficiently declared thy Majesty in all those things which for mans sake thou hast created For which all thy creatures in heaven above and in earth beneath sing praises to thy Name The Angels land thée the Sun Moon and Stars magnifie thée the heaven of heavens exalt thée There is not a creature on the earth in the air or water that doth not set forth thy glory By thy command they were created by thy word established as they are and they observe strictly the Law thou hast made and transgress not in the least that decrée thou hast appointed for them All which when we consider we must néeds lament our own backwardness in setting forth thy glory Lamentable it is to think that man alone for whom all these things were made should be the ungrateful creature This we confess this we bewail Henceforth therefore we of all sorts of all sexes of all ages will fly to thée and praise thy Name alone because thy Name is excellent and thy glory above heaven and earth O Lord we humbly beséeth thée exalt the horn the power and glory of thy people those whom thou hast taken near unto thee and who worship thee in Spirit and Truth let not the gares of hell ever prevail against them and though Satan sift them like wheat yet let it be the praise of all thy Saints that still they adhere unto thee and come nearer unto thée by the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXLIX Hallelujah A Hymn IN this Psalm the Saints of God are excited to give him due thanks The Prophes excites Gods Saints to praise him The first part for For two reasons 1. For the Grace and Favour received from him from vers 1. to 5. 2. For the Glory and Priviledges they shall receive Ver. 1 from vers 5. to 9. 1. The Prophet first excites the Saints to a return of thanks And amplifies it divers wayes Let Israel rejoice let the children of Zion praise Which is amplified 1. From the persons who are to perform it Saints call'd here Israel the children of Zion For praise is not comely in the mouth of sinners 2. From the Quality of the Song it must be Canticum novum a New Song it was an old Song the Creatures sung in the former Psalm for their Creation It must be a New Song the Saints must sing for their Renovation and Glorification A new matter to be sung by new men 3. From the place in which it is to be sung not in private but in publick in the Church in a full Congregation of the Saints 4. From the manner in which it is to be done in all allacrity with all the affection that may be with a Song with joy with praise Cantate psallite jubilate And as if all we could do were too little to take the help of all Musical instruments Let us praise his Name in the dance let us sing praises unto him with Timbrel and Harp 5. From the object God who was their Creatour and their King Ver. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him let the children of Zion be joyful in their King And this part he concludes with a strong reason for a New Song 1 For his love and favour to them 1. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people He loved them from everlasting and that out of meer good-will and this his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the root and foundation of all our good therefore he predestinated therefore he called therefore he justified therefore he sanctified Ver. 4 therefore he will glorifie because it was his good-pleasure so to do he takes pleasure in his people Luk. 12.32 2. He will beautifie the meek with Salvation What was his good-pleasure he will fulfill That people who hath learned of him to be meek and humble he will exalt he will save he will honour with beauty and glory 2. And now he begins to describe the future glory The second part with which he will beautifie them 1. Let the Saints be joyful in glory To which they shall never come He describes their future glory except Saints 2. Let them rejoice in their beds i. e. Ver. 5 Their Mansions prepared for them in heaven where they instantly rest from their labours Rev. 14. But not from their praising God that 's no labour They sing aloud they sleep not then Their work there is twofold Their work in heaven for present to praise God one for the present the other for the future 1. For the present The high praises the greatest and highest that can be thought on let these be in their mouths Exaltant Deum exultant Vers. 6 2. Hereafter to exercise judiciary power For the future when Christ shall come to judgement Let a two-edged sword be in their hand The sword is in a Judges hand for he is an avenger of all that do ill By