and thirst This will make that reproofe which to flesh and bloud is most bitter sweet and pleasant for the person that is full despiseth the hony combe but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweete Proposition 2. Now follows the second proposition arising from this verse namely The Psalmist pronounceth him blessed who day and night meditateth in the word of God Where is no need to expound many words for some are cleere enough of themselues and othersome haue before beene sufficiently explained Here onely consider what is this meditation and how that phrase day and night expressing the continuance of this duty is to bee understood This word meditation implies a vehement motion of the minde breaking forth into action The best Interpreter even the holy Ghost thus explaines this word in another place Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou mayest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein Where we see the nature of meditation rightly unfolded consisting 1. in observation that includes diligent attending marking and remembring 2. in practising so what he there particulary commends to Ioshua he inforceth other where generally upon all Deut. 6. 3 4 5 6â— 7. c. where we are commanded to get these words by heart to teach them others continually to thinke of them that we may bring our hearts to the loue of God 2. Night and day is a phrase of speech implying not onely frequencie but such a continuance as though it be not without some intermissioÌ„ yet is without negligence carefully and cheerefully performed in the season of it Some haue thought that night signifies the time of affliction and trouble day the time of our prosperitie and gladnesse and no doubt but darkenesse is in Scripture often taken for grievance and trouble light for solace and comfort No question also but it is our dutie in the evill day and in all our rejoycing to meditate in this word but seeing the former is not onely the genuine or naturall interpretation of the words but also includes the latter by night and day must here bee understood a continuall revolving of the will of God sometime in hearing it when the season giues leaue sometime reading it frequently recollecting it in our memorie and without intermission expressing it in all our actions and constant practise Thus then runne the words Whosoever with a fervent and zealous heart giues up himselfe to the word of God to heare read thinke of it to practice and doe it and that not by starts but in a continuall course of life and conversation this man is already blessed and shall at length attaine to perfect happinesse Proofe Blessed is the man that heareth mee watching daily at my gates and attending at the posts of my doores Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it He that looketh in the perfect law of libertie continueth therin not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke shall be blessed in his deed The grounds or reasons may be 1. in the nature of the word .2 in God ordering it and working with it First therefore as God hath given to every creature a certaine nature wherby it is fitted for any worke or end and hath in it selfe a power to worke unto that end as to light to discover and present things to the eye to feed to produce the like unto it selfe so hath he made this word to be his Ordinance which shall worke powerfully unto salvation And as he hath ordained that our perfection and happinesse shall consist in the knowledge of himselfe in sanctification and eternall life so hath he given a vertue to this his immortall word to open all things unto us necessary for this knowledge and therefore cals it light to sanctifie and breed us to life eternall And as seed simply considered without his appointmâ—nt could haue no force to produce the like no more could this word which therefore by the naturall man is counted foolishnesse 2. In us who are wholly dead in nature and haue no power in our selues to worke out our owne salvation but as since the curse the earth must with much labour be ordered and fitted before it can be fruitfull so since our cursed fall we cannot attaine this fruit but with this spirituall labour and tillage 3. In God working in his owne institution he is the great Husbandman Iohn 15. 1. he that giues the increase 1 Cor. 3. 6. and 15. 10. Now therefore as no instrument hath power in it selfe to worke to its end but must be used applyed and directed by the hand of the workman so here unlesse the Spirit use this hammer it breakes not the stone in our hearts Looke then as in earthly tillage the ground must be first plowed up and prepared the labourer must cast in good seed harrow weed c. and yet still without the former and latter raine and the blessing of that Almighty Creatour and Governour all is in vaine thus God hath made the Law to be as a Coulter to breake up this fallow ground of our hearts sent in his Ministers with this his plough to prepare and fit it so he giues his Gospell to be the seed of life causeth his servants to scatter it nay makes the same Ordinance to bee as raine and heate to draw out the vertue and power of it into our practice yet all this is done by his blessing he onely giues all the successe and causeth it to worke to salvation Vse this first for Instruction 1. It is the word of God and that holy doctrine layd up and treasured in the Scripture thence brought out to us by the Stewards of Christ in the preached word which makes men happy And indeed seeing the Spirit doth there not onely set out one but the onely way to a blessed estate we may hence conclude that there is no other way which leads to happinesse nor any other appointed and effectuall revealed meane to attaine it but this Hence called the power if God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 1.18 Hence it is by the Spirit resembled to such things as are most necessary causes and helpes of life Before we attaine the life of God it is as seed to beget us 1 Pet. 1. 23. Iam. 1. 18. when we are borne againe it is food milke while we are babes that we may grow 1 Pet. 2. 2. stronger meate to establish us Heb. 5.13.14 when we attaine more ripenesse Obserue continually that when the Lord compares this our happines to any earthly thing still the word of God holds that part in the similitude which evidently sheweth it to be his instrument wherby he begins perfects this worke in us As when in some places we are likened to the Temple of God every paâ—ticular Christian to be a liuely stone then in other places
108.109 Scripture An vnreverend estimation of it is a sure argument of Infidelitie and Atheisme 11 The particulars wherein Papists despitefully speake against the Scripturâ— 11.12.13 Scorne Scorner What is meant by these two words 69 How God is scorned in his word in his workes and in his Saints 74.75.76 Scorning what a high degree of sinne it is 77 Seat what is meant by the word seat and phrase of sitting 68 Securitie It must be shaken off 249 The meanes how 250 Selfe a gentle reproof of such as are strangers to themsel 13 How Pharisaicall most men are herein 14 Sicknesse It and sinne resembled 71 Sinne vide wickednesse Sinners the divers acceptation of the word 45 The heart of man is not only prone to sin but resolute in it 47 Degrees of sinnes and sinners 70 Sinne and sickenes resembled 71 Heinous sinnes doe heavily infect ibid One sinne is a steppe to another 72 Examples of this 73.74 A sweet comfort to sinners in their returne by repentance 86 Nothing but sinne brings a curse 179 The wofull senselesne sof such as feele no burden in the waight of sinne 187 Stand what is signifies 45 Subtiltie The Devils subtiltie described 22.23 Successe The folly of such as lay good and evill successe on the shoulders of Fortuâ—e 170 Sweetnesse The Lawes sweetnesse 94 A censure of such as find no sweetnes in the Law 105 T Teach Man is indocible till God doth teach 6 How God doth tutor us in his Teaching 8 A sound and sweet method of Teaching 31 Temptation A prettie description of the Devils subtilties in his Temptations 22.23 Tree the Godly that delight in and meditate on Gods Law are compared to a tree planted by the Rivers side 127.128 What Tree is there meant by the Psalmist 128 How and why the Godly are compared to the Palme-tree 128.129 V Vnderstanding What our Vnderstanding is by the word and what without it 6.7 Vngodly vide wicked That they are not blessed 175 They doe not alwayes prosper 198.199 Vnprofitablenesse It ought to bee acknowledged even in the best 194 W Walking the metaphorical word walke what it signifies 20. Water the word compared not onely to water but to Rivers of water 134 Wickednesse vide sinne Wicked Whosoever desires happinesse must eschew the companie of the wicked 26 How farre the companie of the wicked must necessarily be avoided ibid The inevitable mischiefe of such as follow the counsell of the wicked 43.44 That the wicked are not blessed 175 Every wick man is a cursed creature a wretched man 182 Though their condition seeme altogether contrary 183 The wicked can discerne no beautie in holinesse 185 The wicked are nothing like the Palme-tree 189 The word profits not the wicked 191 Reasons of it 192 The wicked shall never enter into glorie 202 Reasons 202.203 A faithlesse perswasion of the wicked that they haue faith 205.207 The wicked woefull in their prosperous condition 209 Wherein the wicked are likened to chaffe 219 They are good for nothing 220 Base in the eyes of God 221 Though the wicked prosper yet Gods judgements will find them out and so fall on them 222.223 A reproofe of such as will not be winnowed by the wind of Gods word from their wickednesse 222.223 The wicked enjoy good things but not for their good 233 In all the judgements of God the wicked shall fall 234 They aâ—e despised of God in what ever belongs to them or is done by them 263.264 Notable grounds and reasons for it 264 265 The Vses of it 266 Wisedome All the wisedome of the world without the word cannot prosper 212 A reproofe of such as prefer their owne wits before Gods wiâ—edome 215 Word It is the way to blessednes 2 A confutation of Poperie for making the Law no perfect rule or direction 100 How God is denied in his word 103.104 The word is sharpe ibid A reproofe of such as find no sweetnesse in the word 105 The words power to salvation 108.109 It onely makes men happy ibid The word is compared to every thing tending to life 110 Of our studie that should be in the word 111 It is the most excellent object that is 112 We must so haue the word in our selues as thereby to edifie others also 113 A reproofe of our neglect in reading and hearing of Gods word 118.119 The word is not onely as water but as River of water with the meaning of it 134 When the word is rightly heard fruit followes 144.145 The word profits not the wicked 191 Reasons of it 192 A due censure of such as converse not so much in the word as to feele the sweetnesse thereof 196 The rejecting therof by any person or people consumes theÌ„ 197 Motiues to make us cleaâ—e to the word 198 All wisedome without the word cannot prosper 212 World The vanitie of worldly minded men 268 The way to get out of worldly mindednesse 269 Worship A reproofe of that common sinne of devised worship 102 FINIS Iohn 21. 15. 16. 17. Ephe. 3. â—9 1 Pet. 5. 2. and 4. 10. Act .20 28. Math. 25. 26. 30. Gal. 4. 15. Rom. 16. 4. 2 Cor. 12. 5. Phil. 1. 22. 23. 24. M. Bolton Ier. 7.9 10. Prov. 8. 31. Mat. 9. 36. Prov. 9.6 Psal. 119.105 Proposition 2 Sam. 7. 9. 2 Chron. 8.14 Acts 13 22. Proofe 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. 20. 21. Luke 24. 44. 45. Luk. 20.42 2 Sam. 23.1,2 Grounds Luke 10. 21. Psal. 116. 10. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Zach. 7.12 Esay 28.9 10.11 1 Cor. 3. 1.2 Phil. 3. 1. Heb. 5.11.12 Iohn 3. 3.4.5 9. 10. Luke 18. 31. 32. 33. 34. Math. 16 6.7 Heb. 12. 5. Psal. 78. 11. 42. Ier. 2.32 Mat 16 8.9 Iob. 33â—14 16 * 1 Pet. 3. 20 Psal. 95. 10. Iohn 16 13. Psal. 119.98 99,100 1 Sam. 3. 9. 1 Tim. 5. 20. Tit. 1.13 Haba 1. 13. Iohn 16.8 Psal. 51.7 Mic. 6. 9. Hos. 14 3. Ephe. 1.13.14 Psal. 132â— 17. Psal. 6.2 Psal. 143.10 Cant. 1. 3. Psal. 119. 32. Psal. 119. 87 51. 141. 143. 1 Tim. 6. 18. 1. Chron. 29. 3.4 2 Sam. 6. 16. 20.21 August cont Câ—es commu l. 2â— c. 31. 32 * Andrad Orthod Rhem. test 2 Pet. 3. Esay 5. 20. * Concil Trid. Sâ—ss 3. * Concil Triden Sess 3. * Ibid. * Hosiâ— de expr Dei verb. * Bellar. de SacraÌ„ lib. 2â— c. 25. * Pigâ— de Hiâ—rar l. 3. Hosi de anchor scrip Rev. 11. 10. Hâ—siuâ— Rev. 13.11 Prov. 17.24 Ioh. 9.39 40. Mat 15. 2. Luke 5.33 Prov. 26.16 â—sal 406. Deut. 29.4 1 Cor. 3. 18. Luke 8. 18. Luke 8.8 Ier. 5.12 Ier. 42.2 5. 43. 2. Ier. 5.13 Marke 4. 24. Ephe. 4â— 19. Luke 1.53 Rom. 1. 16. Psal. 119.105 Psal. 73.19 Psal. 37.23 24. Phil. 3.19 Proposition Mat. 5. 11. Rom. 5. 3. 8. 18. Mat. 5.4 Actâ— 21.24 Proofe Prov. 9.6 Psal. 34.12 13. 14. Luke 6. 22. Grounds Psal. 73.17 18. 19. Psal. 37.35 36. Instruction Iob 21.15 Mal. 3.14,15 Pro. 1.11,12 13 14. Isay 56.
wayes of men what multitudes tread in this path How common yet is the blasphemy of ignorant and and wilfully blind people who never blush to thinke and speake it openly that it was never a good world since there was so much preaching that when there was lesse preaching then was more doing nay even the greater ones although their knowledg and shame of men makes them abstaine from blasphemies so grosse and senselesse yet they regard it in their hearts as little as the other for they are ready to laugh at those who in confidence of Gods truth take this course to prosper and themselues despising this meane appointed and blessed by God as altogether un-effectuall betake themselues to contrary practise by wicked policies bribes fraud oppression such indirect and ungodly meanes to attaine their ends and prosper in their designes They shame the counsell of the poore because the Lord is his refuge Doe not many learned in the Ministerie despising the frequencie of preaching neglect it in their owne practise condemne it in others And can any of these from his heart beleeue this truth so palpably delivered by the Spirit in this place that the man is blessed who day and night meditates with delight in the word of God Now as Popish ignorance in the understanding and heathenish profanenesse in the heart are the cause of the former see that example of the Israelits Ier. 44. 17. 18. so carnall securitie and wordly wisedome joyned with much contempt of the wisedome of God is the roote of the other Verily even hypocrites yea grosse and palpable hypocrites such as Herod who as a Fox casts out stinke before him and may be found and traced by his smell even such can heare the word come to it frequently sit attentiuely and by continuance in hearing haue their braine and understanding printed with the forme of that hâ—ly doctrine nay they can invite others to heare and call them on to this dutie see Mark .6 20. Rom. 2.20 Ezek. 33. 30. 31. Such therefore as these are farther off from the Kingdome of God then the grossest hypocrite But the truth is that the fault why the world is so naught is in the hearts of this people resisting the word and shutting it out not in the good word which soone would make them good if they would as well obey as heare it Howsoever these ignorants speake by rote of things they know not for had they knowne the former times and could compare them with these present in no sence could they prefer those times before these but it is with these men as with unhappy boyes which excuse their loiteâ—â—ng and trouâ—ntly disposition in learning by the unskilfulnes or some such thing in their Teacher 2. That superstitious custome is here taxed even that heathenish folly of laying our successe either good or bad upon fortune deâ—tinie this mans spite that mans loue wisedome curtesie valour Christians ought not onely to know that the providence of God over-seeth and over-ruleth all things so that a spâ—rrow or haire of our heads cannot fall to the ground without him but to remember it continuallyâ— and so to speake of his providâ—nce and of all actions directed and governed by it as he may haue glory This is a grosse taking of Gods name in vaine to ascribe any worke done by him to the creature and even giving away his glory to man or to an Idol of our owne devising when therefore we see successe goe along with us in our affaires we must looke up to his hand and into our owne hearts now in us wee can find no ground of this or any other mercy in God therefore we may see his grace that free loue without any desert nay beyond and contrary to our desâ—rving and so not onely as Iacob acknowledge I am lesse then the least of thy mercies and with David What am I that thou sâ—ouldest bring mee hitherto but with the Prophet it is thy mercy that wee are not consumed Oh in those wonderfâ—ll and most gracious deliverances of this Kingdome from the cruell invasion of forraine â—nemies in 88 and hellish conspiracies of domesticke and natiue Traitors beheading maiming the whol body with one blow how haue we admired and extolled the wisdome valour of some men how little thought or spoken of Gods mercy how slightly regarded the strong God of our Salvation Alas men are so farre from this Christian practise that they haue nothing almost in their mouthes but fortune sometimes they prayse sometimes they detest and curse their fortune which either they conceiue to be a chance without the providence of God and so set up an Idol in their hearts and are worse then heathen or else to bee that hidden providence of the Lord working beyond their power of discerning and then who sees not how fearefully they blaspheme and how farre they are from any shew of Christianitie 3. Yea also many of the faithfull are here to consider and reproue their wayes for it is too ordinary with the afflicted soule in the cloudy day to thinke I am cast out of the sight of thine eyes If we are a little troubled especially if we find some sinfull infirmitie get ground we are ready strait to conceiue God hath forsaken us but know and remember God knowes how to deliver out of â—entation Certainly should the Lord leaue the disposing of such things to our discretion we should not a little hinder our owne good and obscure his glory Should Ioseph Daniell and those three royall young men haue set the time of their trouble and deliverance how would they haue hindred both Gods and their owne honour The children of Israell if they might haue shaken off the tyrannous bondage and oppression of Pharaoh at their pleasure how should God haue beene glorified among the Heathen by all those wonders or they confirmed in the knowledg of Gods power and providence Follow therefore the direction of the Prophet Commit thy way unto the Lord and trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe and of the Apostle Be nothing carefull but in all things let your requests be shewen to God in prayer 4. Whosoever hath given up his eare and heart to God in his word may hence draw wonderfull and unspeakable comfort Hee shall prosper in all his wayes and whereas he hath bent himselfe now to travaile in the search of happinesse and to that end hath chosen this only Guide hee shall not faile to attaine his desires and hopes but all things shall worke for him for hee that hath promised is true and able to subdue all things to himselfe Marke all the Saints and consider Gods dealing with them in this kind Their examples and experience will cry out unto thee Put your trust in the Lord and you shall bee assured beleeue his Prophets and you shall prosper Did not thy Father eate and drinke and prosper when hee executed judgement and
justice when hee judged the cause of the afflicted and poore hee prospered was not this because hee knew mee saith the Lord Settle this then in thy heart the Lord promiseth and the Lord shall make it good 5. Let us then bee exhorted in the words of God himselfe to Ioshua Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth meditate therein day and night that thou mayest obserue and doe all that is written therein or of this dying Prophet to his Successour and Sonne Salomon Take heed to the charge of the Lord to keepe his testimonies and commandements as it is written c. Say unto the Lord Oh my Saviour hast thou made thy yoake so easie and thy commandements so farre from grievous and shall not I take it joyfully upon me hast thou promised prosperitie and happinesse to all that beare it and should I refuse it Say unto thy soule aske and enquire of the Saints and with one voice thou shalt heare them testifie Thy word is more sweet then hony more precious then all riches more necessary then our daily food the joy and rejoycing of their heart a rich portion helping thee to that most rich inheritance of glory a joyfull Guide leading to joyes unspeakable and glorious and shall not I cleaue unto it that I may prosper Let great men seeke wealth by oppression the meaner by fraud and imposture flatterers by fawning Epicures by surfeiting in riot and pleasure but oh my God I will follow thy way in thy word looke my soule looke unto that Guide and depart not from his direction and it will cause thee to prosper and conduct thee to that eternall rest and peace the end of all thy ends and the onely true prosperitie Psalme I. Verse iiij The ungodly are not so but as the chaffe which the winde driveth away TRue is it that one contrary will not a little illustrate another In colours when blacke and white in our estate when miserie and felicitie are compared together their proper nature will more evidently appeare to any who will heedfully obserue it Therefore when in the former verses the Spirit had set out the godly both in their course and successe in these verses he describes the condition of the wicked that so both their estates may more cleerely bee discerned by those who will with any diligent eye consider it ayming both to this end that as the happinesse of the one might allure and winne us to the same practice so the miserie of the other might affright and driue us from the evill way This misery of ungodly men is liuely pourtrayed and set out to the eye from the contrary and 1. By negation of all that blessednesse mentioned in the former verses in which the godly are instated by the Lord even in this present life 2. By a contrary curse and that curse expressed 1. by a comparison of chaffe 2. by the consequent and conclusion of all wicked courses in the 5. verse The negatiue argument propounding the contrary estate of wicked persons includes all these Propositions 1. The Spirit and Prophet affirmeth that a wicked and ungodly man is not blessed 2. The same Spirit concludeth that a wicked man is not a planted and watered tree 3. The Prophet testifieth that ungodly persons are not as a fruitfull tree ever flourishing 4. The Lord by the Prophet assures us that an ungodly man shall not prosper in all his wayes The first then is this The Spirit and Prophet affirmeth that a wicked and ungodly man is not blessed The words haue before beene opened sufficiently and the meaning of them is briefly this Whosoever delights not nor meditates in the word but rather with pleasure followes the counsell of ungodly persons walking in their disobedience and scorning neither is nor can be happy in this estate The proofe is evident and frequently confirmed there is no peace saith the Lord to the wicked Esay 48. 22. and againe 57. 21. And the curse continually applied to them in Scripture The grounds are 1. the justice of God who cannot by any meanes cleere the guilty 34. 7. The Lord is knowne by the judgement which hee executeth the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hands Psal. 9. 16. 17. Vpon the wicked God shall raine snares stormes and tempests Psalme 11. 6. 2. The very nature of blessednesse for blessednesse is that estate wherin we enjoy good without evil or at least a measure of good out-weighing evill but wickednesse considered of it selfe without the punishment due to it is to a man such an evill as weighs downe any good hee possesseth in this life as being most contâ—ary to his nature in which he was created and to his end unto which he was ordained Learne here 1. That the happinesse of man consisteth not in the fruition of any one or all outward blessings nay some inward and some spirituall also may be cast in to a wicked man and hee still continue most wretched Should riches honour power glory pleasure bee all heaped upon one man in that measure his owne heart desired should wisedome courage health strength beautie and other such endowments of body and mind be added to the other nay the word Sacraments and some illightnings c. bee adjoyned all these could not make up this blessed estate nor seat this man in a throne of happinesse necessarily this followes for all these things may belong to a man drown'd in sinne and hellish wickednes who contemnes and hates the word of God and God himselfe and therefore cannot bee blessed But because this truth doth not easily sinke into flesh and blood it will be needfull as well by evident testimonie of God to confirme it as by reason also and experience to settle it in our mindes First therefore God testifieth of these things that they are not worthy our rejoycing Let not the rich man rejoyce in his riches nor the strong man in his strength nor the wise man in his wisedome but let him that rejoyceth rejoyce in this that hee under standeth and knoweth mee where purposely the Lord chuseth out such blessings as being of all naturall things most excellent comprehend the rest By riches which are most embraced by earthly men he intends all the goods of estate in strength all bodily in wisedome all gifts of the mind are included yet in all these we may not rejoyce or glorie but only in the knowledge of God Many spirituall gifts may also be annexed to the former as some knowledge some kinde of faith baptisme whereby we are entred into the Church yet all these meeting in one man cannot giue him this happines Simon Magus beleeved was baptized yet still was drowned in the very gall of bitternesse No testimonie can bee of more or equall force then that of Salomon whom God purposely called out from the sonnes of men as the foreman of all the Iurie to giue in his verdite