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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A16215 Meditations upon the XLII. Psalme. By William Bloys esquire Bloys, William, 17th cent. 1632 (1632) STC 3140; ESTC S114171 95,230 372

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comparison All other writings have either withered and beene consumed by the worme of time like those bookes that Salomon wrote of trees or have bin plucked up by the roots through the malice of some tyrant Desunt nonnulla or if still extant many branches are falne off diverse parts are wanting Desunt plu●ima Or lastly though entire and whole yet are they as the Authors themselves subject to infirmity being like the tree of Knowledge of good and evill therein wee may know some good to be collected and some evill of errour to be reformed or ignorance to be pittied or sin the worst of evils to be avoyded Onely this booke which alone deserves that title though in part most ancient doth still continue one word thereof shall not perish being like that tree of Life whereof if wee eate we shall live for ever The booke of Psalms hath alwayes beene in great estimation being as a spirituall library of most kinds of doctrine fit for meditation a common treasury of all good learning a rich magazin furnished with spirituall armour to withstand any assault of our Adversary The which was so frequently cited by Christ his Disciples who derive not fewer than threescore and foure testimonies from two and forty severall Psalmes Herein wee may see an abridgement of the history of the Church even from the Creation untill those times and many prophecies of those things which should come to passe in succeeding ages Here is the Law and the judgements thereof when hee relateth Gods dealing with the wicked and the confusion of the ungodly And here is the Gospel and the sweet comforts thereof when he sheweth Gods mercy and love towards his children So that it is most usefull as for the Church in generall which hath appointed a more frequent use of this than of any other portion of Scripture So likewise for every one in particular and that in every estate Many of these Psalms doe resemble the life of a Christian for though in the former verses there is mention of sorrow and trouble and manifold afflictions yet in the conclusion there is consolation and thankesgiving And the ayme and desire is so to doe the will of our heavenly Father upon earth as it is done in heaven wherein wee may heare a voyce like that of the Angels saying Blessing and glory and wisedome and thankesgiving and honour and power and might be unto our God for ever and ever But when all is said that can bee the heart of a good Christian will indite more than the pen of a ready Writer in the praise of these Psalmes who in his passage through the valley of this world doth make them a wel of comfort Deformitas corporit turpitudine certabat in● e●● Then may wee abhorre the censure of that evill Angel Politian whose heart was worse than appeared in his outward deformity foming out his owne shame by preferring Pindars Odes before Davids Psalms Ferrea epithera P●ndari drosse and iron before the purest gold The chiefe Author of these Psalms was David the King for that is the title which is given to him alone among many Kings Mat. 3. as being an example unto them all Nor did those women intend him lesse honour in saying that he had slaine his tenne thousands 1. Sam. 18.7 which is the just sum whereby the name of Emperour hath since beene deserved ●sal 78 7● Him God tooke from following the Ewes great with young to feede Iacob his people whom hee fed in the integrity of his heart and brought them to greene pastures plenty of outward blessings and still waters the pure worship of God and meanes of salvation And like a good sheapherd he was willing to lay downe his life for his people when he speaketh Let thine hand 1. Chro. 21.17 O Lord God be on me but as for these sheepe what have they done And yet this precious Diamond though he were made the more eminent and illustrious by his predecessor Saul who was as a foile unto him yet was he not without his flaw and infirmity You see him upon the roofe of his house which prospect was another gallery for his sight to walke in where he burned in lust after her that washed her selfe But in his repentance hee bathed himselfe in his teares Psal 6.6 wherewith he watered his couch You see him numbring his people making flesh his arme Psal 40.12 But after hee doth number his sinnes and confesse his iniquities to bee more than the haires of his head None ever fearched deeper in his foundation of sorrow nor reared an higher building of comfort unto his own soule So powerfull was his repentance which maketh those things that were as if they had never beene that by Bathsheba her selfe hee obtained that son which did succeed him in the Throne So great was the love that hee received from his people 2. Sam 21.17 18.1 19.41 though unstable as water that hee was esteemed as the light of Israel worth many thousands of them And the men of Iuda and Israel strove who should have the great'st right in him Such grace and favour did he find before the Lord that he was esteemed a man after his own heart most eminent for his zeale most excellent for his praising of God I can hardly desist from commendation of him but I heare him speaking as the Angel to Iohn Doe it not for I am thy fellow-servant So that I ascribe all glory to God who gave such great gifts to the sons of men His sepulchre continued after Christs time Act. 2 2● his fame and renowne shall endure unto the worlds end The occasion of this Psalme wee may safely beleeve to bee Absalom who like as Domitian sought to defraud his father the warlike Vespasian Ce●ialis fidem tentavit an sibi imperium traditurus foret Tacit of the governement And his brother Titus the delicacie of mankind that should succeed So hee did endevour to obtaine the Kingdome from the valiant David his Father and to prevent his brother Salomon the wisest of men Using the worst meanes to fulfill his desire His pretence was that there was none appointed to do justice A true complaint in him that found so much mercie And by his outward shew of humility courtesie like a serpent going upon the belly he stole away the hearts of the people O Viper O generation of Vipers thus to destroy the parent of your country whose greatest revenge for this your treacherie would have been to have suffered you to accomplish your unlawfull desires Nil rex mai●s minari ma●è parentibus posset quam ut abiret è regno Senec. And as the ancient manner of Kings was when their subjects provoked them by their evill carriage as the greatest punishment to have forsaken his dominion Had their treason beene legitimated by the successe what an happy alteration had they made There was none to be