coals of fire which hath a vehement flame She had before often lost her beloved which made her so fiercely fasten on him for having roused him ruit in amplexus she rusht into his embraces she held him and would not let him go Thus you see the jealousie and eagerness of love produc'd by either a former loss or present more than ordinary want of the object both which how pertinent they are to the regenerate man either observing his past sins or instant temptations this Discourse hath already made manifest The Vse of this Thesis to wit that the greatness of ones sins makes the regenerate man apply himself more fiercely to Christ is first by way of caution that we mistake not a motive for an efficient an impulsive for a principal cause For where we say It makes him apply himself c. we mean not that the encrease of sin produces faith formally but only inciteth to believe by way of instruction by shewing us what distress we are in and consequently in what a necessity of a deliverer The meditation of our sinful courses may disclose our misery not redress it may explore not mend a Sinner like a touchstone to try not any way to alter him It is the controuling spirit which must effectually renew our spirits and lead us to the Christ which our sins told us we had need of The sense of sin may rouze the Soul but it is the spirit of God that lays the toils the feeling of our guilt may beat the Waters but it is the great Fisher of our Souls which spreads the Net which entraps us as we are in our way to Hell and leads us captive to salvation The mere gripings of our Conscience being not produced by any Pharmacon of the spirit but by some distemper arising from sin what anxiety doth it cause within us What pangs and twinges to the Soul O Lord do thou regenerate us and then thy holy spirit shall sanctifie even our sins unto our good and if thy grace may lead us our sins shall pursue and drive us unto Christ Secondly By way of character how to distinguish a true convert from a false A man which from an inveterate desperate malady shall meet with a miraculous unexpected cure will naturally have some art of expression above an ordinary joy you shall see him in an ecstasie of thanksgiving and exultancy whilst another which was never in that distress quietly enjoys the same health and gives thanks softly by himself to his preserver So is it in the distresses of the Soul which if they have been excessive and almost beyond hope of recovery as the miracle must so will the expression of this deliverance be somewhat extraordinary The Soul which from a good moral or less sinful natural estate is magis immutata quam genita rather chang'd than regenerate into a spiritual goes through this business without any great noise the spirit entring into it in a still small voice or at a breathing but when a robustous obdurate Sinner shall be rather apprehended than called when the Sea shall be commanded to give up his ship-wrack't and the Sepulchre to restore her dead the Soul surely which thus escapeth shall not be content with a mean expression but will practise all the Hallelujahs and Magnificats which the triumphant Liturgies of the Saints can afford it Wherefore I say if any one out of a full violent course of sinning conceive himself converted and regenerated let him examine what a degree of spiritual exultancy he hath attained to and if he find it but mean and flight and perfunctory let him somewhat suspect that he may the more confirm the evidence of his calling Now this spiritual exultancy of the regenerate consists both in a solemn humiliation of himself and a spiritual rejoycing in God his Saviour both exprest in Maries Magnificat where she specifies in the midst of her joy the lowliness of his handmaid and in S. Pauls victory-song over Death So that if the conversion of an inordinate Sinner be not accompanied with unwonted joy and sorrow with a godly sense of his past distress and a godly triumph for his delivery if it be not followed with a violent eagerness to fasten on Christ finally if there be not somewhat above ordinary in the expression then I counsel not to distrust but fear that is with a sollicitous not suspicious trembling to labour to make thy calling and election sure to pray to that Holy Spirit to strike our hearts with a measure of holy joy and holy sorrow some way proportionable to the size of those sins which in our unregeneracy reigned in us and for those of us whom our sins have separated far from him but his grace hath called home to him that he will not suffer us to be content with a distance but draw us close unto himself make us press toward the mark and fasten our selves on that Saviour which hath redeemed us from the body and guilt of this so great death The third Vse is of comfort and confirmation to some tender Souls who are incorporate into Christ yet finding not in themselves that excessive measure of humiliation which they observe in others suspect their own state and infinitely grieve that they can grieve no more Whereas this Doctrine being observed will be an allay to their sorrow and wipe some unnecessary tears from their Eyes For if the greatness of sin past or the plentiful relicks of sin remaining do require so great a measure of sorrow to expiate the one and subdue the other if it be a deliverance from an habituate servitude to all manner of sin which provokes this extraordinary pains of expression then certainly they who have been brought up with the spirit which were from their baptism never wholly deprived of it need not to be bound over to this trade of sorrow need not to be set apart to that perpetual humiliation which a more stubborn sin or Devil is wont to be cast out by I doubt not but a soul educated in familiarity with the spirit may at once enjoy her self and it and so that if it have an humble conceit of it self and a filial of God may in Earth possess God with some clearness of look some serenity of affections some alacrity of heart and tranquillity of spirit God delights not in the torment of his children though some are so to be humbled yea he delights not in such burnt-offerings as they bestow upon him who destroy and consume and sacrifice themselves but the Lords delight is in them that fear him filially and put their trust i. e. assurance confidence in his mercy in them that rejoice that make their service a pleasure not an affliction and thereby possess Heaven before they come to it 'T is observed in husbandry that soyl laid on hard barren starved ground doth improve it and at once deface and enrich it which yet in ground naturally fruitful and kept in heart and good case
wish it long continuance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ride upon the horses of the Kingdome saith the Chaldee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for or upon the word or business of truth so the phrase signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being usually taken for matter as well as words and so the Chaldee here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the business the word signifies a cause depending in debate a contention and then more generally negotium tractatus and accordingly so must 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be here understood Then follows 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he that is saith the Chaldee God shall teach thee terrible things with or by thy right hand Against this rendring there is but one objection viz. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in the foeminine gender and so cannot so well be spoken of God Why then may it not belong to the immediate praecedents whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meekness or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth that all or any of those i. e. God by them shall teach him terrible things by his right hand or as the foeminine is oft taken neutrally his riding or ingaging for the cause of these shall bring Gods blessing upon him and so cause him or teach him to do these terrible things with his right hand The LXXII indeed read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Chaldee suggests a more probable rendring V. 5. Thine arrows The fifth verse may most conveniently be read with a parenthesis Thy arrows are sharp then as an effect of that the people shall fall under thee for that is an evidence of the sharpness of arrows when men are thereby wounded and killed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or upon or against the heart of the enemy of the King those being the mark against which his shafts are directed and the sharpness of them experimented upon them This our last English designed in transposing the words first thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the Kings enemies and then whereby the people fall under thee This the Jewish Arab agrees to and for taking away the harshness of the parenthesis transposeth the words in like manner thus And thine arrows being sharp fall into the heart of the Kings enemies and the nations fall under thee So the Chaldee having rendred the former part of the verse Thy arrows are brought out to slay armies the people shall fall under thee They then add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the sons of thy bow i. e. the arrows in the beginning of the verse shall be sent against the heart of the Kings enemies Yet are these words capable of a rendring without either transposing or parenthesis thus Thine arrows are sharp people shall fall under thee in the midst of the Kings enemies i. e. being reached by thine arrows in the midst of thine enemies armies Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart is elsewhere used for the midst of a thing as Deut. 4.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heart i. e. the midst of heaven and Exod. 15.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the heart i. e. the midst of the sea so the heart of the earth for the midst of it And in the Arabick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies the same with the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the proper style for middle or main body of an army V. 6. Thy throne The difficulty here is to whom this verse and the following are literally and primarily appliable And the doubt ariseth from the style which is here inhaunced from the King to God 'T is true indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is here used is sometimes applied to others besides God 1. to the Gods of the Gentiles who are so called Isa 35.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gods of the nations 2. to Angels Psal 86.8 Who is like to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Gods the Chaldee reads among the high 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angels transformed by them 3. to divine and excellent men Prophets and Judges or Princes c. So Exod. 22.28 Thou shalt not vilifie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Gods is explained by what follows nor curse the ruler of thy people and Exod. 21.6 his master shall bring him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Gods we duly render it to the Judges and Exod. 4.16 thou Moses shalt be to Aaron 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a Prince saith the Chaldee And accordingly 't were not strange for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be applied to King Solomon here But the Apostle to the Hebrews c. 1.7 affirming expresly that these words are spoken to Christ the Son of God and the Targum interpreting the King v. 2. and so the whole Psalm of the Messias and so Kimchi Aben Ezra and Jarchi also It is not reasonable or safe to apply them to any other but him and so to take 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the principal signification wherein it is most frequently used for the one God of heaven and earth and of him to understand these two verses as also v. 11. allowing to Solomon only an imperfect limited partial sense of them as he was a type of this Messias Which may well be reconcileable with the understanding the rest of this Psalm literally of Solomon and only mystically of Christ it being not unfrequent with Prophets of the old Testament speaking of some other matter mystically referring to Christ but immediately to somewhat of present concernment to be carried by the Divine Spirit whereby they were acted to speak immediately of Christ Of this see Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew p. 287. where he concludes from this testimony 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he was to be worshipt being God and Christ v. 11. As also S. Augustine de Civ Dei l. 17. c. 16. V. 8. Made thee glad The former part of v. 8. being read as it lies in the Hebrew Myrrhe and Aloes and Cassia all thy cloaths i. e. they are so perfumed with these odors as if they were nothing else that which follows will be clear also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the palaces of tooth thereby saith the Chaldee meaning the Elephants tooth brought from Armenia it may more probably be said from Africa with which it seems their choice rooms were beautified of this Solomons throne is said to be made 1 King 10.18 and so Ahab made an Ivory house 1 King 22.39 from which as the bridegroom passeth or from whence as he abideth therein his garments yeeld this high perfume over all the adjoyning rooms As for that which is added in the close 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with which they have delighted thee it must be understood according to the vulgar Hebraisme oft taken notice of see Luk. 16. note b. they have delighted thee i. e. thou art delighted or pleased with them V. 9.
successively before the Sun i. e. live and prosper and the names of evil men die and perish The LXXII literally enough render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall continue before the Sun and so the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is before the Sun But the Jewish Arab in agreement with his notion of v. 5. till the heavens vanish V. 17. Men shall be blessed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be blessed in him is no more than men shall bless themselves in him i. e. when they will bless any man they shall use this forme let him be blessed as Solomon was Thus we see the phrase explained Gen. 48.20 In thee shall Israel bless saying God make thee as Ephraim where to bless in any man or any name is to pray that he may be as that man wise as Solomon a peaceable and happy ruler as Solomon c. see more of this phrase note on Gal. 3. c. The interpreters generally joyn it with the nominative case that follows all nations shall be blessed in him and so it may well be but it may also be set absolutely they shall be blest i. e. men shall bless themselves in or by him and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all nations shall bless him or proclaim him blessed The Chaldee renders it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all nations shall be blessed in his righteousness or purity merito saith the Latine interpreter of the Targum which though it have a primary sense in application to Solomon thus All nations shall bless themselves in this or the like form God make thee as pious just blameless excellent a person as Solomon was yet it must be allowed a much more eminent notion in reference to Christ that all Christians shall desire to imitate his divine patterns and bless and pray for one another in that form God indow thee with some degree of those virtues which were eminently observable in Christ THE THIRD BOOK OF PSALMS The Seventy Third Psalm A Psalm of Asaph Paraphrase The Seventy third Psalm the first of the Third Book of this Collection seems to have been composed by Asaph either the Recorder the chief of the Levites that ministred before the Ark of the Lord who is frequently mentioned in the story of David see 1 Chron. 16.5 or else some other of that name of latter times It contains a discourse of Gods providence and the wise purposes thereof in permitting wicked men to prosper though but for a time It is much of the same subject with Psalm 49. and seems to have been composed by him for the use or as in the person of David see v. 24. 1. Truly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart Paraphrase 1. It is a most certain infallible truth that God is abundantly gracious and kind and not faithful and just only to every true hearted sincere upright servant of his 2. But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well-nigh slipt Paraphrase 2. Yet was I under no small temptation to doubt of the truth of this and so to deny that which is so main an article of the belief of all that acknowledge a providence 3. For I was envious at the foolish when I saw the prosperity of the wicked Paraphrase 3. For I had a zealous displeasure or indignation against ungodly wicked men to see them go on still in their sins so foolishly and irrationally and being thus affected I was surprised with a sudden incitation to think that they were likely to prosper and enjoy a secular felicity and all good successes in their impieties and this was a matter of temptation to me 4. For there are no band◠in their death but their strength is firm Paraphrase 4. For when I considered them me thought they were strong and vital likely to live and prosper a long time 5. They are not in trouble like other men neither are they plagued like other men Paraphrase 5. Whereas many other men meet with diseases and maladies of all sorts and the generality of mankind with misadventures and afflictions and sundry sore scourges and chistisements these seemed to 〈◊〉 an immunity from all 6. Therefore pride compasseth them as a chain violence covereth them as a garment Paraphrase 6. And being thus heightned and puft up they set themselves out most magnificently and make use of all the unlawfullest means oppression and rapine to maintain it 7. Their eyes stand out with fatness they have more than heart could wish Paraphrase 7. They thrive and increase in wealth and grandeur exceedingly and unexpectedly advance to a greater height than either themselves could at first project or any man else divine or imagine possible 8. e They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression they speak loftily Paraphrase 8. And being thus elevated they deride all others say any thing that may tend to the mischieving others and out of the pride and haughtiness of their hearts profess to commit all injustice to oppress and scorn to be restrained by any laws divine or humane 9. They set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue talketh through the earth Paraphrase 9. They profestly blaspheme the God of heaven despise his threats oppose and resist all his commands and take liberty to say what they please of any the most innocent or holiest man upon earth 10. Therefore his people return hither and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them Paraphrase 10. And this tempts pious men when they see them thus riot it in violence and blasphemy and contempt of all sanctity to pour out abundance of tears in the contemplation 11. And they say How doth God know is there knowledge in the most high Paraphrase 11. And thus to dispute and argue within themselves Doth God indeed see and discern and take notice of all this If he doth how comes it about that he permits them 12. Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches Paraphrase 12. 'T is most visible that they which are thus wicked injoy the greatest tranquility and prosperity in this life have all the wealth and greatness of the world heaped upon them 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency Paraphrase 13. And there◠as they are moved to argue what reward is there for perfect purity of hearts and hands of thoughts and actions for all the strictest exercises of all virtues if the quite contrary to all this be thus prospered by God 14. For all the day long have I been plagued and chastened every morning Paraphrase 14. And they that have faithfully endeavoured to make good their innocence in both are yet exercised with continual afflictions 15. If I say I will speak thus behold I should offend against the generation of thy children Paraphrase 15. Such thoughts as these are apt to suggest themselves on
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the evil days i. e. from persecution see Ephes 5.16 which God gives to good men is to continue till the pit be digged up for the ungodly i. e. till the measure of their sins be filled up and so destruction be ready for them whereas the contrary to this is evident that either the destruction of the wicked is first and the quiet and rest of the good oppressed by them a natural effect of that and so subsequent to it or that both of them are of the same date at once tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest 2 Thess 1.6 7. And this is evidently the meaning of it here and so will be discerned if only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be rendred dum whilst as it is elsewhere used Jon. 4.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whilst I was Job 1.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whilst he was speaking for then thus it will run very fitly That thou mayst give him rest whilst the pit is digged V. 15. Vnto righteousness The notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness for charity and mercy hath oft been observed only the Emphasis of the preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto here offers it self to consideration which will best be exprest by even unto as when Gen. 14.23 we read from a thred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even to a shooe latcher and Gen. 7.23 Every living substance was destroyed from man to beast to creeping things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usque ad saith the Interlinear and even to the fowls of heaven which were in least danger to be destroyed with water And thus here it seems to import that the present rigour of their enemies shall by Gods judging or taking their part not only be removed but be even converted into the greatest mercies Thus in every revolution of state it is ordinary none are so likely to escape and be favoured by the conquerer as they that were opprest by the former government And so was it to the Jews of the Captivity of whom the learned Jews understand this Psalm when the Persian executes judgment on the Babylonian when the sacrilegious drunken Tyrant is taken in his city as in a pit or snare v. 13. the Jews then are no losers by their former oppressions but receive preferments in the common-wealth Dan. 6.5 and licence to return to their own countrey And the same observation held both in the destruction of the Jewish and Heathen enemies of Christ the Christians were not only freed from their persecutions but became most flourishing And this is the full importance of judgments returning even to righteousness God not only pleading their cause and delivering them which is meant by judgment but even converting their former sufferings into their greatest advantages To this is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after it all the pure in heart What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies may be learned from Jud. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after thee Benjamin i. e. saith the Chaldee Saul the son of Benjamin succeeded Joshuah noted before by Ephraim And so after this all the upright in heart i. e. to this shall immediately succeed the flourishing prosperous condition of all pious men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they shall be redeemed saith the Chaldee but it is somewhat more they shall return to a flourishing condition and so this very fitly agrees to what went before and is as the proof of it The severity of their enemies is turned into mercy and then follows the prosperity of all pious men V. 19. Delight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to look upon with delight is in Piel doubled and used for looking kindly and lovingly imbracing and making much of doing any thing that is grateful to another So the Chaldee understood it rendring it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make much of so they use the word Prov. 29.21 for that which we render delicately bringeth up And hence it is that the LXXII render it here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have loved i. e. behaved themselves in a loving manner so as they which love are wont to do Isa 11.8 it is used for playing or sporting dealing friendly and with confidence with any and Isa 66.12 for being dandled on the knees like a child by the nurse or parent and by analogy with all these being here applied to Gods consolations it will most significantly be rendred have cherished or refresh't caressed or gratified my soul The Ninety Fifth PSALM The Ninety Fifth Psalm is an invitation to all to bless and praise the Name of God and to live obediently before him 'T is affirmed to be written by David Heb. 4.7 and may probably have been fitted by him among others here put together for the solemnity of bringing the Ark to the place of Gods rest v. 11. and is by the Jews confest to refer to the duties of the Messias as we see it applyed Heb. 3. 4. 1. O Come let us sing unto the Lord let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation Paraphrase 1. The Lord of heaven is he from whom all our deliverance and strength doth come see note on Psal 89. l. O let us uniformly joyn in praising and glorifying his Name 2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms Paraphrase 2. Let us make our daily constant addresses to him with all the acknowledgments and expressions of thankful hearts 3. For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all Gods Paraphrase 3. As to him that is the supreme God of heaven and earth the only super-eminent Monarch over all powers and dignities the Angels his ministers in heaven and the mightiest Princes his vicegerents upon earth 4. In his hands are the deep places of the earth the strength of the hills is his also Paraphrase 4. The bowels and bottom of the earth are in his disposal and what is emblematically intimated by them the meanest and lowest men or creatures on the earth are particularly respected and ordered by his providence in all that befals them here and so likewise the loftiest and stoutest hills and the mightiest men in the world are bounded and governed by him 5. The sea is his and he made it and his hands formed the dry land Paraphrase 5. It is he that framed the whole Orb of the sea and dry land and contrived them so the one in the bowels of the other that neither should incommodate the other but both together make up an useful globe for men and all other creatures to inhabit 6. O come let us worship and bow down let us kneel before the Lord our Maker Paraphrase 6. O let us joyntly adore and praise and pray unto him and make the members of our bodies partners and witnesses of the real devotion of our hearts joyn inward and outward reverence
wilder men and if this Raven sent out of the Ark the place of God's rest in Heaven thus long hovering over this Earth of ours going to and fro only on this errand to see whether the waters be dried up from off the Earth whether the Deluge of sin be abated may not yet be allowed some rest for the soal of her foot if at the heels of that the Dove-like Spirit moving once more upon the Waters may not find one Olive-leaf among us to carry back in token that we are content to hear of Peace to be friends with God if having Moses and so many Prophets the rod of the one so long on our shoulders and the Thunder of the other in our ears we cannot yet be brought this day to hear this voice this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this clamorous importunate voice Repent or perish irreversibly I must then divert with that other Prophet with an O altar altar hear the word of the Lord because Jeroboam's heart was harder than that with an O earth earth earth with a Hear O heaven and hearken O earth flie to the deafest creatures in the world because I can have no better Auditors In this case Preaching is the most uncharitable thing apt only to improve our ruine like breath when it meets with fire only to increase our flames there is nothing left tolerably seasonable but our Prayers that our hearts being the only whole Creatures in the Kingdom may at last be broken also that by his powerful controlling convincing Spirit the proud Atheistical spirit that reigns among us may at last be humbled to the dust that in the ruine of the Kingdom of Satan his pride his sorceries his rebellions may be erected the humble heavenly Kingdom of our Christ that meekness that lowliness that purity that mercifulness that peaceableness that power of the Gospel-spirit that we may be a Nation of Christians first and then of Saints that having taken up the close of the Angels Anthem Good will towards men we may pass through peace on earth and ascend to that Glory to God on high and with all that Celestial Quire ascribe to him the Glory the Honour the Power the Praise c. God is the God of Bethel The V. SERMON GEN. 31. beginning of ver 13. I am the God of Bethel THE story of God's appearing to Jacob at Luz Gen. 28. is so known a passage so remarkable even to children by that memorative topick the Ladder and the Angels that I shall not need assist your memories but only tell you that that passage at large that vision and the consequents of it from the 12 ver of the 28. to the end of the Chap. is the particular foundation of the words of this Text and the rise which I am obliged to take in the handling of them That hard pillow which the benighted Jacob had chosen for himself in Luz and became so memorable to him by the vision afforded him there he anointed and christned as it were named it anew on that occasion into Bethel the house or residence of God consecrated it into a Temple solemnized that Consecration endow'd that Temple with a vow and resolution of all the Minchahs and Nedabahs acts of obedience and free-will-offerings duty and piety imaginable and the whole business was so pleasurable and acceptable to God God's appearing to him and his returns to God that in the words of my Text twenty years after that passage God puts him in mind of what there pass'd and desires to be no otherwise acknowledg'd by him than as he there appeared and revealed himself I am the God of Bethel c. For the clear understanding of which it will be necessary to recollect the chief remarkable passages that are recorded in that story and seem to be principally refer'd to here and then I shall be able to give you the survey and the full dimensions of Bethel the adequate importance of this Text. And the passages are more generally but three 1. God's signal promises of mercy and bounty to Jacob emblematically resembled by the Ladder from Earth to Heaven God standing on the top of that and the Angels busie on their attendance ascending and descending on it and then in plain words the embleme interpreted the hieroglyphick explained v. 13 14 15. I am the Lord God of Abraham thy father and the God of Isaac the land whereon thou liest to thee will I give it c. And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth c. And behold there is the signal Promise I told you of that belongs to every Pilgrim Patriarch every toss'd itinerant servant and favourite of Heaven that carries the simplicity and piety of Jacob along with him though he be for the present in that other title of his the poor Syrian ready to perish behold I am with thee and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest and will bring thee again into this Land for I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of The second passage is Jacob's consecrating of this place of God's appearance anointing the Pillar and naming it Bethel in the 18 and 19. verses The third and last is Jacob's vow unto God on condition of that his blessing him ver 20. And Jacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come to my Father's house in peace then shall the Lord be my God and this stone which I have set for a pillar shall be God's house and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee These are the three principal passages in that story and in relation to each of these I am now obliged to handle the words and consequently to divide them not into parts but considerations and so look on them as they stand First in relation to God's promise there made and so first God is the God of Bethel Secondly in relation to this dreadful this consecrated Place as Bethel signifies the residence the house of God and so secondly God is the God of Bethel Thirdly in relation to Jacob's vow there made and so thirdly and especially and most eminently God is the God of Bethel as it follows in the verse I am the God of Bethel where thou anointed'st a pillar and vowed'st a vow unto me I begin first with the first of these The relation of the words to God's appearing and making promise to Jacob so Ego Deus Bethelis God is the God of Bethel And in that first view you will have tender of three severals I will give you them as they rise 1. That God takes a great deal of delight in making and recounting of promises made to his Children the free omnipotent Donour of all the treasures of the world is better pleased to behold himself our Debtor than our Prince
perfect obedience that was the condition of the first covenant made in paradise when there was ability to perform it but a condition proportioned to our state sincerity in lieu of perfection repentance in exchange for innocence evangelical instead of legal righteousness believing in the heart i. e. cordial obedience to the whole Law of Christ impartial without hypocrisie or indulgence in any known sin persevering and constant without Apostasie or final defection and at last humble without boasting If you will come yet nearer to a full sight of it sometimes regeneration or new life is said to be the condition Except you be born again you can in no wise enter Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision but a new creature Sometimes holiness without which nemo Deum no man shall see the Lord Sometimes repentance in gross nay but except you repent sometimes in retail repentance divided into its parts he that confesseth and for saketh shall have mercy sometimes repentance alone but now commands all men every where to repent as if all duty were contained in that sometimes in conjunction with faith repent you and believe the Gospel sometimes faith sometimes love sometimes self-denial sometimes mercifulness sometimes hope but that an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a this hope that sets us a purifying every one of these when you meet them single goes for the only necessary the adequate condition of the Gospel to teach you to take them up all as you find them leave never an one neglected or despised lest that be the betraying of all the rest but make up one jewel of these so many lesser gems one body of these so many limbs one recipe compounded of so many ingredients which you may superscribe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholicon or the whole duty of man From this general proposition without the aid of any assumption we may conclude demonstratively enough promises of the Gospel are conditional promises therefore all confidence must take rise from duty Duty is the performance of that condition and to be confident without that is to conclude without promises and consequently to claim justification or pardon of sins before sanctification be begun in the heart to challenge right to heaven before repentance be rooted on earth to make faith the first grace and yet define that assurance of salvation to apply the merits of Christ to our selves the first thing we do and reckon of charity good works duty as fruits and effects to be produced at leisure when that faith comes to virility and strength of fructifying what is all or any of this but to charge God of perjury to tell him that impenitents have right to heaven which he swears have not or to forge a new lease of heaven and put it upon Christ the calmest style I can speak in is that it is the believing of a lie and so not faith but folly an easie cheatableness of heart and not confidence but presumption Hope a man may without actual performance of duty because he may amend hereafter though he do not now and so that possibility and that futurity may be ground of hope but then this hope must set us presently upon performance He that hath this hope purifies himself or else it is not that grace of hope but an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a youthful daringness of soul a tumour a disease a tympany of hope and if it swell farther than it purge if it put on confidence before holiness this hope may be interpreted desperation an hope that maketh ashamed an utter destitution of that hope which must bestead a Christian O let us be sure then our confidence our claims to heaven improve not above their proportion that we preserve this symmetry of the parts of grace that our hope be but commensurate to our sincerity our daringness to our duty A double confidence there is pro statu and Absolute pro statu when upon survey of my present constitution of soul I claim right in Christs promises for the present and doubt not but I shall be bless'd if I be found so doing Absolute when at the end of life and shutting in of the day I am able to make up my reckonings with S. Paul I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness a crown of felicity I have done what I had to do and now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is nothing behind but to receive my pay I have been too long upon the general consideration of the connexion between confidence and duty if it were an extravagance I hope 't was a pardonable one I descend with speed to the hypothesis the connexion betwixt this confidence and this performance claiming of temporal plenty upon giving of alms my last particular And that I shall give you clearly in this one proposition That alms-giving or mercifulness was never the wasting or lessening of any mans estate to himself or his posterity but rather the increasing of it If I have delivered a new doctrine that will not presently be believed an unusquisque non potest capere such as every auditor will not consent to I doubt not but there be plain texts of Scripture more than one which will assure any Christian of the truth of it Consider them at your leisure Psal 41.1 2. Ps 112. all to this purpose Pro. 11.25 12.9 19.17 and 28.27 Add to these the words of Christ Mar. 10.30 which though more generally delivered of any kind of parting with possessions for Christs sake are applied by S. Hier. to the words of Solomon Pro. 11.24 There is that scattereth and yet increaseth quia centuplum accipient in hoc tempore because saith he they receive an hundred fold in this world And that no man may have any scruple to interpose 't is set in as large and comprehensive a style as the art or covetous scrupulous wit of man could contrive for his own security There is no man who shall not All which being put together must to my understanding make it as clear to any that acknowledges these for Scripture as if the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 daughter of voice were come back into the world again and God should call to a man out of heaven by name bid him relieve that poor man and he should never be the poorer for it 'T is not now to be expected of me in conscience having produced this kind of proof the express texts of Scripture to add any second to it I might else farther evidence it from examples not such as Moscus's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will furnish you with for I know not of what authority they are nor yet from S. Hieroms observation who is said to have turned over histories on purpose and never found any merciful man which met not with some signal blessing in this world as the reward of that vertue but even by appealing to your selves and challenging any man here
finding him in the state of damnation it sets him going suffers him not to lay hold on any thing that may stay him in his Precipice and in the midst of his Shipwrack when there be planks and refuges enough about him hath numm'd his hands depriv'd him of any power of taking hold of them In the second place in respect of Christ and his sufferings the objects of our Faith so Faith is in a manner the Soul of them giving them life and efficacy making things which are excellent in themselves prove so in effect to others Thus the whole splendor and beauty of the World the most accurate proportions and images of nature are beholding to the Eye though not for their absolute excellency yet for both the account and use that is made of them for if all men were blind the proudest workmanship of nature would not be worth the valuing Thus is a learned piece cast away upon the ignorant and the understanding of the Auditor is the best commendation of a Speech or Sermon In like manner those infinite unvaluable sufferings of Christ if they be not believed in are but as Aristotle saith of divine knowledge a most honourable thing but of no manner of use if they be not apprehended they are lost Christ's Blood if not caught up in our hearts by Faith but suffered to be poured out upon the Earth will prove no better than that of Abel Gen. iv 10. crying for judgment from the ground that which is spilt is clamorous and its Voice is toward Heaven for Vengeance only that which is gathered up as it falls from his side by Faith will prove a medicine to heal the Nations So that infidelity makes the death of Christ no more than the death of an ordinary man in which there is no remedy Wisd ii 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is no cure no physick in it or as the same word is rendred Eccles xxviii 3 no pardon no remission wrought by it a bare going down into the Grave that no man is better for It doth even frustrate the sufferings of Christ and make him have paid a ransom to no purpose and purchased an Inheritance at an infinite rate and no man the better for it Again Christ is not only contemn'd but injur'd not only slighted but robb'd he loses not only his price and his thanks but his servant which he hath bought and purchased with his blood For redemption is not an absolute setting free but the buying out of an Usurpers hands that he may return to his proper Lord changing him from the condition of a Captive to a Subject He which is ransomed from the Gallies is not presently a King but only recovered to a free and tolerable service nay generally if he be redeemed he is eo nomine a servant by right and equity his Creature that redeemed him according to the express words Luke i. 74 That we being delivered might serve him Now a Servant is a Possession part of ones Estate as truly to be reckoned his as any part of his Inheritance So that every Vnbeliever is a Thief robs Christ not only of the honour of saving him but of one of the Members of his Family of part of his goods his Servant nay 't is not a bare theft but of the highest size a Sacriledge stealing an holy instrument a Vessel out of Gods Temple which he bought and delivered out of the common calamity to serve him in holiness Luke i. 74 to be put to holy special services In the third place Faith may be considered in reference to God the Father and that 1. as the Author or Fountain of this Theological grace 2. as the commander of this duty of believing and either of these will aggravate the Unbelievers guilt and adde more Articles to his indictment As God is the Author of Faith so the Infidel resists and abandons and flies from all those methods all those means by which God ordinarily produces Faith all the power of his Scriptures all the blessings of a Christian Education all the benefits of sacred knowledge in summ the Prayers the sweat the Lungs the Bowels of his Ministers in Christs stead beseeching you to be reconciled 1 Cor. v. 20 spending their dearest spirits and even praying and preaching out their Souls for you that you would be Friends with God through Christ All these I say the Infidel takes no notice of and by his contempt of these inferiour graces shews how he would carry himself even towards Gods very spirit if it should come in power to convert him he would hold out and bid defiance and repel the Omnipotent God with his omnipotent charms of mercy he that contemns Gods ordinary means would be likely to resist his extraordinary were there not more force in the means than forwardness in the man and thanks be to that controuling convincing constraining spirit if ever he be brought to be content to be saved He that will not now believe in Christ when he is preached would have gone very near if he had lived then to have given his consent and join'd his suffrage in Crucifying him A man may guess of his inclination by his present practices and if he will not now be his Disciple 't was not his innocence but his good fortune that he did not then betray him 'T was well he was born amongst Christians or else he might have been as sowre a profest Enemy of Christ as Pilate or the Pharisees an Unbelieving Christian is for all his livery and profession but a Jew or Heathen and the Lord make him sensible of his condition Lastly Consider this duty of Faith in respect of God the Father commanding it and then you shall find it the main precept of the Bible 'T were long to shew you the ground of it in the law of nature the obscure yet discernable mention of it in the moral law both transcendently in the main end of all and distinctly though not clearly in the first Commandment he that hath a mind to see may find it in Pet. Baro. de praest dignit div legis 'T were as toilsom to muster up all the commands of the Old Testament which exactly and determinately drive at belief in Christ as generally in those places where the Chaldee Paraphrase reads instead of God Gods Word as Fear not Abraham for I am thy shield say they my word is thy shield which speaks a plain command of Faith for not to fear is to trust not to fear on that ground because Gods Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word Joh. i. 1 i. e. Christ is ones shield is nothing in the World but to believe and rely and fasten and depend on Christ Many the like commands of Faith in Christ will the Old Testament afford and the new is nothing else but a perpetual inculcating of it upon us a driving and calling entreating and enforcing wooing and hastning us to believe In which respect the Schools call
in the land famine c. Whatsoever plague whatsoever sickness what prayer or supplication soever be made by any man or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his own heart and spread forth his hand to this house then hear thou in Heaven c. Where the condition of obtaining their requests from God is excellently set down if they shall know i. e. be sensible of be sorry for and confess to God every man the plague of his own heart that is in the bulk and heap of their sins shall pick the fairest loveliest sin in the pack the plague i. e. the pestilential reigning sweeping offence on which all the lower train of petty faults do wait and depend do minister and suppeditate matter to work If I say they shall take this Captain sin and anatomize and cut up and discover every branch of him without any fraud or concealment before the Lord and then Sacrifice that dear darling and with it their whole fleshy lust as an Holocaust or whole Burnt-offering before the Lord then will he hear from Heaven his dwelling place and when he heareth forgive even their other concealed sins because they have disclosed so entirely and parted so freely from that For there is in every of us one master sin that rules the rabble one fatling which is fed with the choicest of our provision one Captain of the Devils Troop one the plague in every mans heart This being sincerely confest and displaid and washed in a full stream of tears for the lower more ordinary sort for the heap or bulk we must use Davids penitential compendious art Psa xix 12 who overcome with the multitude of his sins to be repeated folds them all in this Prayer Who can tell how oft he offendeth c. And do thou O Lord work in us the sincere acknowledgment of and contrition for both them and the whole bundle of our unknown every days transgressions and having purged out of us those more forward known notorious enormities cleanse us also from our secret faults And thus much be spoken of this Proposition that and how every man is to aggravate the measure and number of his sins against himself The whole doctrine is and in our whole Discourse hath been handled for a store of uses for in setting down how you are to aggravate your sins especially your original sin against your selves I have spoken all the while to your affections and will therefore presume that you have already laid them up in your hearts to that purpose Only take one pertinent use for a close which hath not been touched in the former discourse If every one be to aggravate his own sins and to reckon himself of all sinners the chief then must no man usurp the priviledge to see or censure other mens sins through a multiplying glass i. e. double to what indeed they are as most men do now adayes What so frequent among those who are most negligent of their own wayes as to be most severe inquisitors of other mens and to spy and censure and damn a mote or atome in another mans Eye when their own is in danger to be put out by a Beam Hence is it that among lay-men the sins of clergy are weighed according to the measure of the Sanctuary which was provided for the paying of their Tithes Lev. xxvii 25 i. e. double the ordinary balance and their own if not under at most according to the common weight of the Congregation In a Minister every errour shall become an heresy every slip a crime and every crime a sacrilege whereas beloved he that means to take out St. Pauls Lesson must extenuate every mans sins but his own or else his heart will give his tongue the ly when it hears him say Of all c. And so much of this Doctrine of aggravating our sins to our selves which we are to perform in our daily audit betwixt us and our own Consciences There is another seasonable observation behind in a word to be handled this particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of whom hath a double relation either to Sinners simply and so it hath been handled already or to Sinners as they are here set down to wit those Sinners which Christ came into the World to save and so St. Paul here is changed from the chief of Sinners to the chief of Saints and then the Doctrine is become a Doctrine of comfort fit for a Conclusion that he who can follow Pauls Example and Precept can sufficiently humble himself for his sins accept that faithful saying and rightly lay hold on Christ may assure himself that he is become a chief Saint for so could Paul say Of all sinners I am the chief and therefore of all those Sinners that Christ came into the World to save 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am the chief too I shall not discuss this point at large as being too wide to be comprehended in so poor a pittance of time but shew the condition of it briefly He that by Gods inward effectual working is come to a clear sight and accurate feeling of his sins that hath not spared any one minute of circumstance for the discovery of them not one point of aggravation for the humbling of himself he that being thus prepared for his journey to Christ with his burthen on his back shall then take his flight and keep upon the wing till he fix firmly on him may be as sure that he shall dy the Death and reign the Life of a Saint as he is resolved that God is faithful in his promises then may he live with this syllogism of confidence not presumption in his mouth 'T is a faithful saying that Christ came into the World to justify sanctify and save believing humbled sinners but I find my self an humble and believing and consequently a justified sanctified Sinner therefore 't is as certain a truth that I shall be saved And thus you see Pauls I am the chief interpreted by that assured perswasion Rom. viii 38 that neither death nor life nor any creature shall be able to separate him c. I will not discuss the nature of this assurance whether it be an act of faith or hope only thus much it seems to be derived or bestowed upon hope by Faith an expectation of the performances of the promises grounded upon a firm Faith in them and so to be either an eminent degree of Faith or a confirmed Hope The use of this point is not to be content with this bare assurance but to labour to confirm it to us by those effects which do ordinarily and naturally spring from it Such are first joy or glorying mentioned Heb. iii. 6 the confidence and rejoycing of your hope firm unto the end secondly a delight in God mentioned 1 Pet. i. 3.6 a lively hope c. wherein 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you exult you greatly rejoice and are delighted thirdly a patient adhering
Rendrings more nicely and proposed either my own or others Opinions concerning the Causes or Grounds of their Variations which I acknowledge to be more than was necessary to the Work in hand yet deemed it a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which the Learned Reader would be gratified and the more Unlearned not considerably disturbed in his pursuit 24. As for the Syriack that also hath been often conducible to my Undertaking as departing frequently from the LXXII where there was reason for so doing and more simply rendring the Original than the Chaldee as a Paraphrast pretended to do 25. Besides these I have had the Directions sometimes of the Jewish Scholiasts especially Aben Ezra and Kimchi and sometimes of the Jewish Arab Interpreter and of Abu Walid and R. Tanchum which three I wholly owe to the Favour of my most Learned Friend Mr. Pocock who hath those Manuscript Rarities peculiar to his Library and hath been forward to communicate them and which is more his own great Judgment in several Difficulties when I stood in need thereof And by these and other Helps which were more accessible I at length atteined to that measure of Understanding of this very obscure Divine Poem which is here communicated to the Reader by three Steps or Degrees First by some light change of the Translation Secondly by larger Paraphrase and Thirdly to those that have the curiosity to desire the Reasons of these by way of Annotations 26. And if what is here communicated prove in any proportion successful toward the designed End the giving the Reader the plain Understanding of this Book it will then leave behind it a manifold Obligation to make use of it to his own greatest Advantage not only by gathering out of the whole as from a Panacea those peculiar Medicaments which may fit him in whatsoever Occasions but by allotting himself every day of his Life a Dimensum of Heavenly Meditation and Devotion conversing with God in those very Words they need not be refined or put into Rhythme to fit them for his turn the Antients contented themselves with the plain Prose and found it fittest for use with which for this common End the Use and Benefit of Mankind he so long since inspired the Psalmist 27. Till by some better Guidance Men have acquired some competent Understanding of the Book this Paraphrase may possibly be Useful in their retirements to be read Verse by Verse together with the Psalm as Interlinears have been provided for Novices in all Languages But when the Psalm is understood and the recesses competently opened then this designed Help will but incumber the instructed Christian and so is in duty to be laid aside and changed for the indeavour of drawing to himself the most proper Juice out of every Line and then inlarging his Thoughts and inflaming his Zeal on each occasion that the Periods of the Psalm shall severally suggest and the good Spirit of God excite in him whether in relation to himself or others 28. To which purpose it is much to be wished that they that allot any conconstant part of their time to private Psalmody and to that end have as the Antients prescribed and practised gotten the Psaltery perfectly by heart quilibet vinitor every Tradesman at his Manual Work having by this means the whole time of his Labour vacancy for his Devotion would be careful not only to keep their Hearts in strict attendance on their Tongues that it may not degenerate into Lip-labour but also to give them a much greater scope of inlargement to improve these Impresses to beat out this Gold into Plate and Wire by Reflections Applications Soliloquies and so to fasten these on the Mind with references to the Texts which suggested them that they may be so many Topicks and Helps of Memory to bring back the same with all the Advantages that united Devotions shall beget in them when they recite the same in the publick Offices of the Church 29. I have heard of some Pious Men which have constantly compleated the whole Work of their private Prayers by inlarging their Meditations on the several Petitions of the Lords Prayer the profit whereof is probably much greater than of the same or greater space laid out by others in the multiplied Recitation of the same Divine Prayer And proportionably the reciting a few Psalms daily with these Interpunctions of Mental Devotion suggested and animated and maintained by the native Life and Vigour which is in the Psalms may deserve much to be preferred before the daily Recitation of the whole Psalter whereof the Devotions of some Asceticks is said to have consisted The danger being very obvious and easily foreseen that what is beaten out into immoderate length will lose of the massiness and nothing more fit to be averted in Religious Offices than their degenerating into heartless dispirited Recitations 30. That our Devotions unto which the Psalter is set to minister may not be such we are 1. To take care that our Lives bear some conformity with these Patterns and 2. Very sollicitously to attend and provide that the Psalmist's Effusions have the Psalmist's Spirit and Affection to accompany them that we borrow his Hand and Breath as well as his Instrument and Ditties The Antient Fathers of the Church are very pressing on this Subject Form thy Spirit by the Affection of the Psalm saith S. Augustine If it be the Affection of Love inkindle that within thy Breast that thou mayst not speak against thy Sense and Knowledge and Conscience when thou sayst I will love thee O Lord my strength If it be an Affection of Fear impress that on thy Soul and be not thy self an insensible Anvil to such Strokes of Divine Poesie which thou chantest out to others O consider this ye that forget God lest he pluck you away and there be none to deliver you If it be an Affection of Desire which the Psalmist in an holy transportation expresseth let the same breath in thee accounting as S. Chrysostome minds thee on Psal 42. that when thou recitest those words Like as the Hart desireth the Water-brooks so longeth my Soul after thee O God thou hast sealed a Covenant betrothed and ingaged thy Soul to God and must never have a coldness or indifferency to him hereafter If it be the Affection of Gratitude let thy Soul be lifted up in Praises come with Affections this way inflamed sensible of the weight of Mercies of all kinds Spiritual and Temporal with all the Inhansements that the seasonable Application thereof to the Extremities of thy Wants can add to thy Preservations and Pardons and Joys or else the reciting the Hallelujahs will be a most ridiculous piece of Pageantry And so likewise for the petitory part of the Psalms let us be allways in a posture ready for them with our spirits minutely prepared to dart them up to heaven And whatever the affection be Cor faciat quod verba significant Let the heart
Except ye repent ye shall perish Indignation and anger and wrath upon every soul that doth ill Our God is a consuming fire There remains no more sacrifice for sin but a fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall consume the adversary and many the like which are to be admitted into the very bowels of the Soul there to perform their work of Melting Contrition Mortification and Reformation to bruise the Soul and dissolve it and purge all the dross out of it and so refine and prepare it for the uses of Holiness 'T is ordinarily said that the Jews were a typical people the whole divine oeconomy toward them is doctrinal and instructive to us not immediately or literally but by way of Anagogy the severity required of them toward the Canaanites is to be transcribed by us no other way than by our displeasure and revenges on our Lusts and sins the greatest enemies either of God or us And thus our zeal and indignation may be seasonably laid out yea and our Anathemas if we still continue them in that form our solemn delivering them up to God's displeasure judgment and executions without pleading their cause or solliciting any reprieve for them 33. If again it be objected That many affections of the Psalmist are much more divinely elevated than 't is imaginable our dull earthy hearts should keep pace with them That the Beatitudes belong to those which are much higher advanced than we are That the professions of love are exuberant and but reproaches of our lukewarmness not paterns of forms for it I answer That 't is most true that these divine flames are much above the common pitch and were not meant so to our use as to flatter us that we are or may lawfully assume to be such as David was or as he by these pourtraitures desired we should be Yet are there other proper advantages to be made of these They that recite the Beatitudes are to do it with the sincerity of honest hearts aspiring to that pitch and begging God's grace and assistance to advance them to some measure of all those practices to which those Beatitudes are pronounced they that take into their mouths David's forms of professions of love or faith or zeal or resolute adherence and obedience to God are thereby to reproach and excite their own defects to humble themselves before God that they cannot pronounce them so vigorously as they ought and to pray for that growth and spiritual proficiency that at their next approaches to that part of the office they may performe it with more savour and profess with more truth what the Psalmist calls us and teaches us to profess 34. Lastly for the sweetness of Gods Law which is so oft proclaimed in these Books the gratiousness of Gods precepts not only of the promises annext to them by way of future reward but the resultance of present joy and gratefulness and agreeableness which discovers it self in every part of our obedience to Gods Yoke more to be prized than gold yea than much fine gold sweeter also than honey and the honey-combe and such as when it is tried to the uttermost the servant of the Lord not only willingly supports but unfeignedly loves it If we are not cordially able to joyn with the Psalmist in these and the like expressions then as we need not be told 't is for want of the like temper and frame of mind which he had so we must hereby be directed first to cure our appetites and then to taste and see as the Psalmist advises solemnly to make our trials to gain this part of Christian experience which is not to be had but in a constant serious practice of all God's wayes and then we shall not faile to see and discern how gracious the Lord is and that there is not any such probable way to the blessedness even of this life as that of adhering and keeping fast to his precepts and directions in opposition and defiance and abhorrence to all the false wisdom and promises of the World 35. I shall not now farther inlarge this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by inquiring as I had thought into the Measures and Musick of this Divine Poesy Of which as it is not easie to make any exact discoveries so some imperfect observations which are the utmost I can aspire to will not be sufficient to excuse the confidence of entring on a disquisition which no others have adventured to trace before me nor found themselves invited to it either by the Helps which remain in this kind or the Profit that probably were to be reaped by it The only advise with which I shall conclude is That in general we remember that the whole Book is originally metrical and so designed to consort and united affections and therefore ought to be distinguisht and have its use separate from other Scriptures which are read in our presence and accordingly we sit and hearken to them and indeavour to remember them and apply them to the increase of our spiritual knowledge whereas this as all the Hymns of the Church belongs to the whole Assembly of both Sexes not as to Auditors but to Actors and therefore in this part of the Publick Service whether saying or singing of Psalms every person of the Congregation is to preserve his interest with his voice and heart joyning in all or at least by maintaining his right to all by interposing in every other verse by way of Response and alternation Which that it was the Primitive custom if we wanted other evidences the Epistle of Plinie to Trajane would competently assure us where he tells him of the custom of the Christians in their coetus Carmen Christo tanquam Deo dicere secum invicem to say one with another by turns a verse i. e. a Psalm or Hymne to Christ as unto God Which custome together with the reverend posture of standing assigned to this office of Psalmody and the Doxology at the end of every Psalm to testify what Pliny discovered that we say our Psalms to Christ as to God upon what deliberations or designs it hath been indeavoured to be laid aside and the Psalms whilst they are but in Prose barely read in the common mode of other Scriptures and the people denied their parts in them save when they are sung in very ill Metre I list not to conjecture but shall hope when we have attained any part of the Psalmists affections to fit us for the office it will be thought as fit for our Lips and Hearts as for our Ears to turn Psalmodists THE WORKS Of the REVEREND and LEARNED Henry Hammond D. D. The Fourth VOLUME CONTAINING A Paraphrase Annotations UPON THE PSALMS As also upon the Ten First Chapters of the PROVERBS TOGETHER WITH XXXI SERMONS ALSO An APPENDIX to Vol. II. LONDON Printed by T. Newcomb and M. Flesher for Richard Royston Bookseller to the Kings most Sacred Majesty at the Angel in Amen-Corner and Richard Davis Bookseller
use that more modest form of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Eleemosynary or beadsman that God hath advanced and chosen to this great dignity This is in a like style set down Psal 78.70 He chose David also his servant and took him from the sheep-fold From following the Ewes great with young he took him that he might feed Jacob his people c. and Psalm 89.20 I have found David my servant with my holy oyl have I anointed him Of this see more Psal 86. note a. V. 4. Stand in awe What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies here might be somewhat uncertain had not the Apostle Eph. 4. given us the meaning of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denoting commotion either of the body or mind doth in the latter acception import two things especially fear and anger those two principal commotions of the mind In that of anger we have it Gen. 45.24 where we render it falling out or quarrelling and 2 Kin. 19.27 28. in both which we render it rage So Prov. 29.9 And so Gen. 41.10 the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 affirmed of Pharaoh viz. that he was wrath is by the Chaldee rendered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this is much the more frequent acception of it in the Old Testament And thus the Septuagint understood it here and with them the vulgar Latine Syriack Arabick and Aethiopick rendering it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from thence in the same words the Apostle makes use of the place Eph. 4.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be angry and sin not i. e. when ye are angry take care that ye do not sin which that it is no allowance of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anger there but only a supposing it present and a forewarning of the dangerous effects of it See note on Eph. 4.9 and that is more evident by comparing it with this Text where their displeasure against Gods Anointed David the first rise of their Rebellion was certainly a great sin in them V. 5. Be still The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siluit conquievit cessavit signifies in relation to actions as well as words and so denotes a cessation from what they were before doing which to those that were before about any ill is repentance to those which were up in arms submission or quiet subjection And thus 't is rendered here by the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to that the vulgar agree compunction or contrition as that is taken for amendment the effect of godly sorrow and so the Arabick more explicitly Let it repent you and the Chaldee that paraphrases that part of the verse at large Say your prayer with your mouth and your petition with your heart and pray upon your bed and remember the day of death instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 subdue quiet tame your desires or concupiscences and then connects with that the substance of all the following verse thus Subdue your concupiscences and then it shall be reputed to you for a sacrifice of righteousness Agreeably whereto St. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Offer righteousness this is the greatest gift this is the acceptable sacrifice to God not to slay sheep but to do what is just Wheresoever thou art thou mayest offer this thy self being the Priest the Altar the Knife and the Sacrifice V. 5. Sacrifices of righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacrifices of righteousness here do most probably signifie the peace offering or oblation of thanksgiving for deliverance We have the phrase again Psal li. 19. where it is contradistinguisht to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holocaust And there is reason for this appellation because the sin was first to be atoned by the sin-offering and thereby the person restored to some state of righteousness ere he attempted the other And withall it was lawful for a Gentile worshipper a proselyte of the gates to present a sin-offering but the peace-offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacrifice of praise none but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proselyte of righteousness might be allowed to bring And so it is fitly recommended here as a consequent of reformation V. 6. Lift up The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lift up is here rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Septuagint and so by the Latine signatum est referring to a banner or standard or insigne in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is wont to be exalted or lifted up from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 evexit exaltavit Indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word here used is not so usual in the Hebrew tongue but instead of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with ש and Πand so the Chaldee here hath it And therefore the LXXII had some ground for their change and no doubt meant to signifie by it the great security which is enjoyed by Gods favour meant by the light i. e. chearfulness pleasantness of his countenance towards us as they that favour others look pleasantly on them viz. the same that from an insigne or banner the strongest military preparations and thus it lies very consonant to what went before Davids visible strength and military preparations were so small comparatively with those of his enemies that they that look't on were ready to despair of victory But as Elisha in the Mount to his unbelieving intimidated servant shewed him a vision of Horses and Chariots round about them and so more on their than on the enemies side so David here to those fearful objectors opposes the favour of God as a banner or insign that hath a whole Army belonging to it i. e. all security attending it The Fifth PSALM TO the chief Musitian upon Nehiloth a Psalm of David Paraphrase This Fifth Psalm was indited by David on consideration of his many enemies especially his undermining Son Absalom who by flattering the people and slandering him sought to get the Crown from him And by him it was committed to the Master of his Musick to be sung by the whole Quire in parts one voice following another 1. Give eare to my words O Lord consider my meditation Paraphrase 1. O merciful Lord vouchsafe to hearken to my prayer to weigh the groanings of my soul and relieve my wants 2. Hearken to the voice of my cry my King and my God for unto thee will I pray Paraphrase 2. Thou art my King to defend my God to vindicate the power which thou hast communicated to me To thee therefore it belongs to grant my requests and all that remains for me is to address them constantly and importunately to thee 3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Paraphrase 3. The First-fruits and prime care of the day shall be to address and present my heart and prayer before thee with my eyes fixt on heaven after
the mode of an earnest petitioner that waits and never means to move till his requests are granted And thou O Lord answerably wilt be pleased I doubt not to make the same speed to receive that address of mine to hearken to and grant my prayer 4. For thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness neither shall evil dwell with thee Paraphrase 4. Of this I have full confidence when I consider how impossible 't is for thee to favour Rebellion or any sort of wickedness such as mine enemies now practice against me that is the part of false and Idol Gods i. e. of Devils or to abett or indeed endure or not oppose them that design so great a wickedness A stranger if he undertake not some degree of Proselytisme if he renounce not his Idolatry is not permitted to abide or sojourn or even to be a slave among thy people How much less then shall any wicked man be endured in thy presence 5. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight thou hatest all workers of iniquity Paraphrase 5. The mad folly and presumption of these vainglorious vaunters of their own worth and excellencies thou dost abhor even to behold art so far from allowing or favouring the boasts or enterprises of such that thou dost hate them perfectly and so dost thou all others whatsoever their language is whose actions of uniforme obedience do not approve them to thee 6. Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing the Lord shall abhor the bloody and deceitful man Paraphrase 6. Thy Justice and patronage of the innocent ingage thee to destroy the false and treacherous which under fair pretenses maketh the foulest evils He whole double property it is to be made up of mercy and fidelity utterly detests that falseness and treachery which is designed to the oppressing and shedding the blood of the guiltless 7. But as for me I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy in thy fear will I worship toward thy holy Temple Paraphrase 7. This therefore must ingage me by way of just return to thy free and undeserved mercies and the great and continual succession of them in all my times of need to make my frequent visits to that place where thou art pleased to praesent into thy self I mean the Tabernacle with the Ark of the Testimony in it And therein as in the Court and Palace of thy Sacred Majesty to prostrate my soul before thee with all possible humility care and reverence 8. Lead me O Lord in thy righteousness because of my enemies make thy way strait before my face Paraphrase 8. And it shall be a special part of my request unto thee O Lord that by the conduct of thy grace I may be directed and assisted in keeping strictly and close to all thy commands that those that hate me most and observe me most diligently on purpose to get some advantage against me may find nothing to quarrel or accuse in me To which end Lord do thou give me a clear sight of my duty and incline my heart to walk exactly and so acceptably before thee 9. For there is no faithfulness in their mouth their inward part is very wickedness their throat is an open sepulchre they flatter with their tongue Paraphrase 9. This I am most neerly concerned in having so malitious treacherous eyes upon me enemies that will not spare to forge falsities against me that in their hearts meditate nothing but mischief and when they open their mouths 't is as when a Grave is digged or a pit laid open or as when the state of the dead is said to gape only to swallow up and devour the most innocent their tongues when they are softest and most flattering are full of all kind of deceit 10. Destroy thou them O God let them fall by their own counsels cast them out in the multitude of their transgressions for they have rebelled against thee Paraphrase 10. This I am confident thou wilt not suffer to go unpunished even in this life Their own malitious projects shall betray and ruine themselves instead of prospering against me the more their designs of mischief are the more multiplyed are their rebellions against God and thereby will he be certainly provoked to eject and cradicate them 11. But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoyce let them ever shout for joy because thou defendest them let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee Paraphrase 11. On the other side all such as rely on God that do their duty with faithfulness and resort to his safeguard for their protection shall never want cause of joy and exultation his providence shall signally watch over them and his presence secure them And as love is a delightful affection and never suffers them that are possest with it to be sad in the presence and mutual Returns of the beloved so in a most eminent manner the lovers of God whose hearts are fixt on him and their greatest pleasures placed in injoying the constant pledges of his love shall never want matter of the most exuberant joy so good a God will never fail to give them whatsoever they desire 12. For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield Paraphrase 12. For thy promises O God have obliged thee to prosper the righteous to reward and crown his fidelity to thee with thy special kindness toward him and then how can he want any other shield or protection that hath the guard of thy favour under which to secure himself Annotations on Psal V. Tit. Nehiloth The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but this one time found in the whole Bible we can but divine at the signification of it having no certain guide to rely on for it Lexicographers say 't is an eminent Musical Instrument and the word being of affinity both with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a torrent or running river and with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bee it is by some deemed to have the name from the one or the other as imitating the murmurs of either of them Some have derived it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perforavit and then it must signifie a hollow wind-instrument Thus indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a pipe or flute or timbrel and the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to play on a pipe c. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is no where used in this sense The regular way of deriving it and that which is allowed by Lexicographers is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haeres fuit baereditate aut successione accepit and is oft rendered by the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dividing or distributing into parts but most frequently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 succeeding to by inheritance And in this notion it may possibly signifie a song or hymn divided to be sung in parts as in Quires
the Champion of the Philistims and in the Prophetical mystical sense his more admirable mercy to men in exalting our humane nature above all the creatures in the world which was eminently compleated in our Saviours assumption of our flesh and ascending to and reigning in heaven in it This Psalm he committed to the Prefect of his Musick to be sung or plaid 1. O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the earth who hast set thy glory above the heavens Paraphrase 1. O thou Lord Creator and sole Governour of heaven and earth which hast pleased to be known to us men in a peculiar relation of care and special kindness to instruct and reveal the knowledge of thy will to us How art thou to be admired and praised and magnified by men and angels and by all both in heaven and earth whose superlative greatness and super-eminent Majesty is infinitely exalted above all the most glorious creatures This is most true of thee in thy divine invisible nature true also in thy strange vouchsafements to me at this time but above all is most admirable matter of observation and acknowledgment to us vile sinners if considered in the great mystery of our redemption the descension first and then exaltation of our Saviour to which this Psalm is distinctly applied Matth. 21.16 1 Cor. 15.27 and Heb. 2.6 7 8. 2. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies that thou mightst still the enemy and the avenger Paraphrase 2. It is thy blessed and gracious will to give strength to me a Child as it were to subdue this proud Gyant and in him to discomfit the host of the Philistims As in the oeconomy of the world thou wert pleased to chuse us men which are poor mean impotent creatures to be principal instruments of thy service and glory to acknowledge thy power and magnifie thee in all thy glorious attributes and to that end to send thine eternal Son out of thine own bosom to reduce us when we were fallen and call us to this dignity of thy servants which mercy thou hast not vouchsafed to those which are much higher than we the Angels those glorious creatures who when by pride they fell were never restored by thee And in like manner among us men thou art pleased to make choice of the meanest and lowest the most humble-spirited persons and oft-times very children in age to sing Hosannahs to the Son of David See Matth. 21.16 and noted to acknowledge and promulgate thy Majesty and might when the great and wise being oft also the proudest men of the world such were the Jewish Rulers and Pharisees in Christs time are not thus chosen or honoured by thee And this hast thou done on most wise and glorious designs that they whose pride makes them resist and despise thee and thy precepts may be thus visibly punisht finding themselves despised and rejected by thee and above all the Devil that proud and rebellious enemy of God and goodness is by this means subdued and brought down first cast out of a great part of his kingdom in mens hearts none but the proud obdurate sinner being left to him and at last utterly confounded and destroyed 1 Cor. 15.27 3. When I consider the heavens the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars which thou hast ordained Paraphrase 3. When I look up and behold those glorious Creatures the Heavens and the innumerable hosts of Angels which behold thy face and attend thee there the first fruits of thy creation and in the outworks the visible parts of those Heavens observe those radiant beauties the Sun Moon and Stars all much more excellent Creatures than are any here below set each of them in their sphere by thine eternal decree on purpose to wait on and minister to us 4. What is man that thou art mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him Paraphrase 4. It is in my thoughts a miracle of super-abundant mercy to poor miserable mankind that was at first formed out of the vilest materials the dust of the earth and is still of a very frail infirm mortal condition that thou shouldest thus vouchsafe to advance and dignifie and take care of it above thy whole creation And for me particularly at this time a youth of a mean parentage and the most despicable of all my brethren 't is admirable thou shouldst inable me to do so great a service for thy people But above all this is eminently applyable to Christ that mean despicable son of man scorn'd and scourg'd and crucified yet not forsaken by God or left in the grave but exalted by a glorious resurrection Heb. 2.6 9. 5. For thou hast made him a little lower than the Angels and crowned him with glory and honour Paraphrase 5. Thou hast at first created man in a lower condition than that of the Angels yet hast abundantly recompensed that lowliness of his present state whilst he lives here those glorious Spirits minister to him and at length he is assumed to participation of their glory Nay our humane nature by being assumed by Christ is thereby extolled above all Angels And for me at this time thou hast advanced me to the imployment of an Angel by thy chastising and subduing this vaunting Champion by my hands And in the diviner sense Christ the Son of God being for a while humbled to our flesh and for the space of three and thirty years submitted to a lower condition than that of Angels is yet by this diminution exalted by suffering in our flesh on earth advanced to the greatest dignities in Heaven made supreme Ruler and Judge of Men and Angels Heb. 2.7 6. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feet 7. All sheep and oxen yea and the beasts of the field 8. The fowls of the air and fish of the sea and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas Paraphrase 6 7 8. This vile clod of earth man thou didst at first invest with a sovereign power over all inferiour sublunary creatures Gen. 1.26 28. all beasts and fowls and fishes and plants to be commanded and injoyed by him And in the like manner thou hast given me power over the chief of these over the Lion and the Bear 1 Sam. 17.36 and over this gyantly Philistim And in the mystery thou hast given to Christ a man on earth a power over all these inferiour creatures for them all to be absolutely subject to all his commands to still the sea remove mountains c. and so likewise the victory over all his enemies over men and devils and over death it self and in thy time this victory shall be so compleated that there shall be nothing left of opposition to his Kingdom and absolute Sovereignty which shall not be wholly subdued unto him See Heb. 2.8 and 1 Cor. 15.27 9. O Lord our Lord how
PSALM TO the chief Musitian a Psalm of David Paraphrase The Twentieth Psalm is a form of Prayer to be used by the congregation for their Prince in all times of danger that God will protect and assist him It was indited by David himself and committed to the Prefect of his Musick to be used as occasion required 1. The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the Name of the God of Jacob defend thee Paraphrase 1. Whensoever any distress or danger befalls the King we beseech the Lord of heaven to interpose his hand for him to hearken to all his petitions and perform them gratiously and by his own almighty power to preserve him safe as in an impregnable tower or fortress 2. Send thee help from the Sanctuary and strengthen thee out of Zion Paraphrase 2. Whatsoever aid or assistance he shall at any time want that holy Majesty that exhibites himself in the ark of the tabernacle which is now placed in Zion and hath promised to grant those prayers which are duly addrest to him there be gratiously pleased from his heavenly throne to send it down to him 3. Remember all thy offerings and accept thy burnt sacrifice Selah Paraphrase 3. Receive and answer all the requests that he hath at any time made to God accept and reward all his oblations of piety as signally as when by fire sent from heaven to consume a sacrifice he evidenceth his acceptation of it 4. Grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfil all thy counsel Paraphrase 4. Whatsoever he doth now want and wish for whatsoever design he hath in his heart to accomplish the Lord of heaven by his power and wisdom gratiously dispose and perform it for him 5. We will rejoyce in thy salvation and in the Name of our God will we set up our banners The Lord fulfil all thy petitions Paraphrase 5. It is thy strength and guidance and prospering hand thou Lord of hosts on which only we depend for success and victory to thee therefore alone will we give the praise of it when either we go out to battel or return with conquest it shall be only in confidence of thy aid and with acknowledgment of thy mercy And therefore now that our King goes out to battel we have nothing to do but to invoke thy assistance that thou wilt be present with him in all his wants prosper him whatsoever he undertakes 6. Now know I that the Lord saveth his anointed he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand Paraphrase 6. And of this we are confident that he which hath advanced him to be King over his own people will interpose his hand for his rescue and deliverance the God of heaven is of abundant strength to secure him whatsoever the distress be and he will certainly do it as illustriously as if by his own right hand from heaven his holy seat of mansion he should reach out deliverance to him 7. Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we will remember the Name of the Lord our God Paraphrase 7. Let others talk of their military preparations that they have so many chariots and horses are so strongly provided for the approach of their enemies and therein place their confidence that is not our method but only to make claim of Gods protection that through him we go out to battel and on him depend for the victory and on no strength or preparations of our own 8. They are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright Paraphrase 8. And as they that thus go out talking of their own strength are sure to miscarry by that confidence so shall not we fail of victory through this far surer dependance the strength of our God of Heaven 9. Save Lord let the King hear us when we call Paraphrase 9. O Lord of Heaven preserve and deliver the King out of all his streights and let all the congregation resound Amen confidently beseech God to grant this their devout petition which they believe to be most acceptable to him their duty to offer and such as he will not fail to grant their importunate and fervent prayers Annotations on Psalm XX. V. 3. Accept The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies pinguis fuit was fat or was made fat and so 't is rendred here by the LXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let thy holocaust be made fat i. e. as fat and good sacrifices are wont to be accepted so the Latine pingue fiat But the word hath yet a farther notion for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ashes Lev. 1.16 Jer. 31.40 and from thence the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 incineravit to turn to ashes which for God to do to a sacrifice to send fire from heaven and burn it to ashes 1 Kings 18.38 is a sure token of his accepting the sacrifice and him that offers it as there he did Elijah and accordingly in Arabick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath the notion of receiving or accepting as is to be seen in Alkamus And thus I suppose it is taken in this place the Lord consume to ashes thy burnt offerings in token of accepting them Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remembring in the beginning of the verse being as here applied to sacrifices is taken in a peculiar notion so as to include acceptance V. 5. Set up our banners The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is questionless from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lift up a banner so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies and this as a token of military courage going out alacriously to battel Thus the Chaldee renders it we will display our banners but the LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we shall be magnified and so the Latine Syriack Arabick and Aethiopick This is generally thought to proceed from their mis-reading the word inverting or transposing the letters and reading 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magnus fuit was great But it may also well be that they thus thought fit to paraphrase the word in the true reading for so displaying or setting up of banners is a mode of triumph and military magnificence and so seems to be used here V. 7. Trust It is not certain what the verb is that is to be supplied in the former part of this v. 7. That there is an ellipsis is manifest yet none of the antient interpreters have supplied it but read just as the Hebrew doth some in chariots and some in horses but we Our English as being directed by the sense putteth in trust some trust in chariots But the surest way will be to let the beginning of the verse depend on that verb which follows in the end of it for so certainly it lies some do recount or make mention of their preparations for the war their chariots or horses how strong or well provided they are in these but we will recount the name of the Lord as depending only
which ardently and solemnly I address unto thee and so as thou hast promised gratiously to answer them 3. Draw me not away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity which speak peace to their neighbours but mischief is in their hearts Paraphrase 3. And let not me be handled in that manner as wicked unjust oppressors and treacherous designers are wont to be handled perishing in their injurious attempts 4. Give them according to their deeds and according to the wickedness of their endeavours give them after the work of their hands render to them their desert 5. Because they regard not the works of the Lord nor the operation of his hands he shall destroy them and not build them up Paraphrase 4 5. For them it is most just that they should be dealt with as they have dealt that the same measure that they have meted to others should be meted to them again That as they have not heeded God and his actions and works of providence but lived in opposition to all his precepts so he in stead of prospering them as they expect should remarkably blast all their attempts and at length utterly destroy them see note on Psal 10.50 But thus sure thou wilt not deal with me who have kept close to thee in all my undertakings have dealt uprightly with all and attempted nothing but what I have thy warrant for 6. Blessed be the Lord because he hath heard the voice of my supplications Paraphrase 6. On which grounds I come confidently to thee with my request and am so assured of thy hearing and answering it graciously that I have nothing to do but to acknowledge and magnifie thy mercies as if they were already poured down upon me saying 7. The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusted in him and I am helped therefore my heart greatly rejoyceth and with my song will I praise him Paraphrase 7. The Lord of heaven is my only fortification and defence I placed my full trust in him and never made applications to any other aids that humane wisdom might suggest and I am assured I shall reap the fruit thereof assistance and deliverance in due season and therefore I am transported with joy and cannot chuse but triumph and exult and make and sing hymns for the acknowledging of his mercy 8. The Lord is their strength and he is the f saving strength of his anointed Paraphrase 8. Those that adhere to God shall certainly be protected by him he will never fail to come seasonably to the rescue of him whom he hath by his own appointment advanced to the Kingdom 9. Save thy people and bless thine inheritance feed them also and lift them up for ever Paraphrase 9. O be thou now pleased to stretch forth thy hand to rescue thy faithful servants whom thou hast chosen for thy self to be owned by thee in a peculiar manner be thou their pastor to take care of them as of thy flock and for ever to support them and raise them up when they are fallen Annotations on Psalm XXVIII V. 1. Lest if thou The Hebrew idiome is here observable The words are literally thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest thou be silent or hold thy peace from me from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siluit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak by parable Yet here the adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath no influence on that which immediately follows for thus the sense bears not be not silent lest thou be silent but on that only which is farther off lest I be likened that in the midst being only taken in in passage to the latter and is best rendred in sense left thou being silent or lest whilst thou art silent I be likened This idiome frequently occurs in the sacred writings and will be useful to be remembred from hence The LXXII render it literally as it lies in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lest thou be silent to me and I be likened and so the Latine and Syriack also and so it must be rendred the other by if or whilst being the paraphrase and not the version and so used only by the Chaldee which professeth paraphrasing V. 2. Oracle From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used for the place wherein the Ark was the holy of holies in the Temple and so proportionably in the Tabernacle before the Temple was built so stiled not only from the Decalogue or ten 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words which were put into the Ark but specially because from the midst of the Cherubim God was wont to give answer to the Priest when he inquired of ought and so to speak there From this use of it 't is ordinarily stiled the Oracle 1 King 6.5 16 19 20 22 30. and 8.6 8. in all which the LXXII retain the Hebrew word and render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so 2 Chron. 3.15 and 4.20 and 5.6 8. only here they render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not as the Latine takes it in the notion of Templum but as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may best be rendred the Tabernacle of the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see note on Act. 19. e. or Sanctuary a part of that as in the Christian Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but a part of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole Church or Temple is signified and that part particularly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which the table of the holy mysteries is set called also the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or altar-place as we learn from the Scholiast of Nazianzen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This therefore is the meaning of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy holy Oracle in this place so Symmuchus and Aquila read it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oracle the Tabernacle or Sanctuary wherein the Ark was placed toward which they used to pray and expect Gods answers from thence viz. the granting of their prayers as when in matters of doubt they sought to the oracle for the resolution of it the Priest solemnly gave them responses from thence called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oracles answerable to the origination of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to speak see note on Rom. 3.1 V. 3. Draw 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that signifies both to draw and apprehend will be best rendered here seize not on me as he that seizeth on any to carry or drag him to execution The Syriack reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Number me not with the wicked seeming to transfer the phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 26.9 hither for so that is to be rendred number not my soul with sinners In like manner the LXXII which there read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 destroy me not together with do here after they have literally rendred
to mortifie corruptions The Philosopher was said to overrule his nativity and stars and sure Davids divine Philosophy had thus inable him if he had not sinned against grace and strength And so to him that was thus inabled the consideration of his natural corruption could be no competent matter of extenuation The more turbulent his passions were the stronger his inclinations to sin the more he was obliged to devotion and watchfulness the one constantly and frequently to pray for grace which he stood so much in need of and the other to imploy his utmost industry not to betray but make the best use of those aids to secure him from so visible and imminent a ruine And to this sense some of the antients understand the next verse Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and as the LXXII read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast manifested to me the secret and hidden things of thy wisdom Though by nature I am corrupt and unclean yet thou by thy special grace and revelation and communication of the secrets of thy wisdom thy Christ unto me hast elevated me above that low pitch of my natural corruption And thus 't is not extraordinary in Scripture for two things to be mentioned one after the other when the latter only is principally intended and to the purpose and the former only as it is preparative and introductory to the latter And if this be the meaning of the place then the account is clear that the former verse taken alone as it cannot be an extenuation so neither need it be lookt on as an ingredient in the aggravation of Davids present actual guilts but only as an introduction to the latter verse Gods divine revelations to him which were very proper to aggravate his sins as being committed against special grace and illumination and so neither of weakness nor ignorance But then Secondly though his natural inclination to sin were no ground for the aggravation of his actual sins yet being not as hath been shewed useful for the extenuation of them it may fitly come in to bear its part in a penitential Psalm eo ipso as it is a sin though but of our nature For he that is truly sensible and humbled for his grosser actual enormities will and ought to confess to God his lesser and inferior guilts even his sins of ignorance and infirmity and by no means to omit his natural corruptions and all the branches thereof First the darkness of his understanding Secondly the unruliness of his affections and Thirdly the crookedness of his will the bending down of that toward the carnal part and great proneness to gratifie it Which last as it differs very much from the complacency of the senses in their proper objects or the inclinableness of the flesh to that which is prohibited which were in our first parents in Paradise the beauty and sweetness of the apple were then grateful to two of their senses and fit to be desired by them and therefore no sins so is it a degree of aversion from God and so contrary to that degree of love with all the heart which is commanded us by the Law and consequently an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or breach of Gods Law and a sin And being so and withall so connatural to the will since the fall that it is not perfectly rooted out of us in this life it may sure be very fit to be put into the Catalogue and fill up the number and increase the weight of those sins for which men are to humble themselves before God at all times but especially upon conviction of any one or more gross actual sins For then the more truly sensible we are the more wounding will every the least obliquity or but inclination of the will to evil appear to us the least weight adding to his pressure that is so much overladen already And so this is a second use of this reflexion on his natural corrupt state in the work of his repentance But S. Chrysostome hath another notion of this passage that it was used by David to introduce his prayer for that pardon which is promised sinners by Christ For this he makes the meaning of the next verse that God had revealed Christ unto him enabled him to praedict his birth passion resurrection and ascension and therefore as these were means of cure for the corruption of our nature and of obtaining pardon for the infirmities thereof so the Psalmist prays to God who desireth and loveth truth that knowing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the weakness of our nature he will communicate his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 medicines of pardon to them that beg them of him by prayer and again that he that had been taught this mystery of our redemption before-hand by the holy Spirit prayed that he might obtain his part in that grace which he praedicted to others and therefore cried out v. 8. Thou shalt purge me with hyssope And in this understanding of it as a part of a plea for pardon in Christ it will be perfectly fit also for a penitential Psalm though it tended not in the least to his humiliation Deprecation of punishment being as proper a part of such an office as aggravation of sin can be supposed to be But the former seems to me the more probable design of the Psalmist in this passage and that in either part is matter of aggravation of sin and to that I have confined the Paraphrase though the other being honoured with so great an Author was not wholly to be forgotten or omitted V. 6. Truth From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cover is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kidneys or reins because they are covered over with fat So once more 't is used in Scripture Job 38.36 where as here our English renders it inward parts somewhat too generally The Chaldee expressing it more particularly by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the reins and these in the Scripture stile being frequently taken for the seat of the affections the purity whereof is most contrary to the natural corruption or inbred pollution in the preceding verse As for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth that ordinarily signifies sincerity uprightness and integrity and so truth in the reins is aequivalent to an hearty sincere obedience not only of the actions but of the very thoughts and affections to God and so in things of this nature wherein this Psalm is principally concerned denotes the purity of the heart the not admitting any unclean desire or thought the very first degree of indulgence to any lust And this God is said to will or desire or delight in so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 voluit frequently signifies and so to command and require of us Then though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be in the future tense yet in reason that is to be rendred in the past or the present thou makest or hast made me know wisdom secretly by wisdom meaning the knowledge of his duty and by
Goodness The first verse is very distantly rendred by the LXXII Instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O mighty man the benignity of God as the Chaldee rightly render it they read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty for wickedness and the Syriack and Latine c. follow them in it To this they seem to have been lead by a second notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quite contrary to mercy by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for impiety mercilessness and also reproach Lev. 20.17 it is a wicked or abominable thing By analogy with which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 might be thought to signifie that which is to the reproach of God as indeed the killing of the Priests was and so not amiss exprest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the ordinary acception of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is very fit for this place where the great mercy and benignity of God and the continuation or constancy thereof in despight of our greatest provocations Gods bounty even to enemies is very fitly opposed to Doegs unprovoked cruelty and impiety V. 4. Deceitful tongue The reading of the LXXII here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is resisted by the context and 't is not improbable to have been the error of some scribe the change being so easie from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the vocative case to which it may be fitly said in the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou hast loved And thus surely the Latine read it who have lingua dolosa in that case but the Syriack took it in that other and so read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in conjunction with the antecedents and deceitful tongues and so the Arabick and Aethiopick also V. 5. Dwelling place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is literally from the Tabernacle not from thy dwelling place and so the LXXII render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the Tabernacle and though the Latine and Syriack and Arabick have added tuo thy yet neither will the Hebrew bear nor do the Chaldee acknowledge it who read by way of paraphrase he shall cause thee to depart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from inhabiting in the place of the Schechina or Tabernacle the place of Gods presence And thus Aben-Ezra expounds the Tabernacle of the place where the Ark was And then the removing from that so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transtulit will be best understood of the censure of Excommunication which in the last and highest degree was Schammatha delivering up the offender to the hand of heaven to be cut off himself and his posterity according to that of the Jewish Doctors who assign this difference between 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 excision that he that is guilty of death only himself suffers not his seed but excision reacheth both the sinner himself and his posterity as here it doth The Fifty Third Psalm TO the chief Musitian upon Mahalath Maschil A Psalm of David Paraphrase The fifty third Psalm is very little varied from the Fourteen first composed by David on occasion of the general revolt in Absoloms rebellion but now new set to the tune called Maschil which probably was the cause of the variations and accommodated to some other occasion perhaps the first captivity mentioned v. 6. and committed to the Praefect of his Musick to be sung to a Flute or some other such hollow instrument 1. The fool hath said in his heart There is no God Corrupt are they and have done abominable iniquity there is none that doth good Paraphrase 1. See Psal 14.1 2. God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand that did seek God Paraphrase 2. See Psal 14.2 3. Every one of them is gone back they are altogether become filthy there is none that doth good no not one Paraphrase 3. See Psal 14.3 4. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread they have not called upon God Paraphrase 4. See Psal 14.4 5. There were they in great fear where no fear was for God hath scattered the bones of them that incamped against thee thou hast put them to shame because God hath despised them Paraphrase 5. God struck them with a sudden consternation for which there was no visible cause and so they fled and were killed in the flight God being thus pleased signally to interpose his hand for the securing of David and his disappointing and discomfiting his enemies 6. O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion When God bringeth back the captivity of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad Paraphrase 6. See Psal 14.7 Annotations on Psal LIII Tit. Mahalath What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies in the title of this and the 88 Psalm must be uncertain the word being not elsewhere found 'T is most probably the name of an Instrument on which the Psalm was to be sung and it may fitly be deduced from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perforavit or iâ—cidit either from the hollowness of the instrument or farther from the holes cut in it in which respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is ordinarily used for fistula or tibia a pipe The Fifty Fourth PSALM TO the chief Musitian on Neginoth Maschil A Psalm of David when the Ziphims came and said to Saul Doth not David hide himself with us Paraphrase The fifty fourth Psalm was composed by David at a time of his great distress and seasonable deliverance afforded him by God when hiding himself in the wilderness of Ziph 1 Sam. 23.15 and of Maon v. 24. the Ziphites made discovery to Saul v. 19. and he went with forces to seek him v. 25. and compassed him round about v. 26. but was diverted and called home and gave over the pursuit by reason of the Philistims invading his land v. 2â— It was set to the tune of Maschil and committed to the Praefect of the stringed instruments 1. Save me O God by thy name and judge me by thy strength 2. Hear my prayer O God give ear to the words of my mouth Paraphrase 1 2. To thee O Lord I address my self in all humility to thee is my only resort that at this time of distress thou wilt take the care and patronage of me and by thy power and mercy deliver me out of it 3. For strangers are risen up against me and oppressors seek after my soul they have not set God before them Selah Paraphrase 3. For now malitious men have conspired to bring mischief and ruine upon me and by their discoveries excited those who are now hunting me for my life they only consider how they may gratine the King and gain his favour and have no restraint of conscience or piety to repress them from proceeding to the utmost evil 4. Behold God is my helper the Lord is with them that uphold my soul Paraphrase 4. But their malice shall
exterminate the people and whole nation of the Jews his crucifiers 2. As smoak is driven away so drive them away as wax melteth before the fire so let the wicked perish at the presence of God Paraphrase 2. As soon as God appears they vanish and are routed immediately smoak doth not turn into air wax doth not melt at the heat of the fire more speedily And as certainly and suddainly shall the either melting or vanishing conversion or destruction of the Jews follow the resurrection and ascension of Christ As soon as he is ascended the apostles shall set on preaching and begin first at Jerusalem and Judaea and by that time they have gone through all the cities of Judaea and converted all that are perswasible Christ shall come in judgment on the obdurate Mat. 10.23 the Roman Eagles or armies Mat. 24.28 with the Ensign of the Eagle in that very generation v. 34. wherein Christ ascended shall besiege and take Jâ—rusalem destroy the Temple and take away both their place and nation And though this were some years about forty before it was finished yet with God with whom a thousand years are but as one day 2 Pet 3.8 these forty years are but proportionable to a moment and so to that space which is required to the vanishing of smoak or melting of wax before the fire and so the Lord is not slack concerning his promise v. 9. this praediction of the greatest swiftness of destroying his enemies hath its due completion 3. But let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God yea let them exceedingly rejoyce Paraphrase 3. And this shall be matter of the highest superlative joy to all pious men who have answers to their prayers from the presence of God in the Ark but most eminently to all faithful obedient servants of Christ who shall in a notable manner be delivered out of that common calamity wherein the unbelieving Jews shall be involved and by the power of Christs Spirit in their hearts chearfully received and made use of be ascertain'd of their portion in eternal heaven 4. Sing unto God sing praises to his name extoll him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah and rejoyce before him Paraphrase 4. He that thus presentiates himself in the Ark as also the Messias that shall be born and rise again in our flesh is no other than the supreme omnipotent God of heaven and earth creator first mover and ruler of the uppermost heaven and all under it let all the world worship and acknowledge and magnifie him as such and take pleasure in performing obedience to him 5. A Father of the fartherless and a Judge of the widows is God in his holy habitation Paraphrase 5. Though he inhabites the highest heaven yet is he pleased here below to exhibite himself in the Ark first and after in our humane flesh to relieve and patronize all that are in distress to heal the broken in heart those that are opprest with the burthen of their sins and so supply all other even secular wants to all that by humble devout prayer and reliance on him are qualified for it 6. God setteth the solitary in families he bringeth out those which are bound with chains but the rebellious dwell in a dry land Paraphrase 6. He is made up all of pity and compassion to all that are in want and distress that serve and wait on him brought the Israelites out of Egypt their state of hard slavery and punished their oppressors very heavily and so constantly supplies all his servants wants And this in an eminent manner shall be the work of the Messias by his miracles going about doing good and healing diseases but especially by his death working spiritual redemption the most soveraign mercy for our souls whilst the impenitent infidels that resist and frustrate all his methods of grace and merey are finally forsaken by him 7. O God when thou wentest forth before thy people when thou didst march through the wilderness Selah 8. The earth shook the heavens also dropt at the presence of God even Sinai it self was moved at the presence of God the God of Israel Paraphrase 7 8. God at his bringing his people with an high hand out of Egypt into Canaan conducted them through the wilderness in a pillar of cloud and fire to denote his special providence over them and bringing them to Mount Sinai delivered them his Law in a most solemn dreadful manner the earth trembling Exod. 19.18 and the air sending out thunder and lightning and a thick cloud of tempestuous rain v. 16. as a token of his presence there and an essay of the terrible account that should be exacted on those that obeyed not this Law And in the like dreadful manner shall Christ after his ascending to heaven come to visit his crucifiers and avenge all impenitent unbelievers 9. Thou O God didst send a plentifull rain whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance when it was weary Paraphrase 9. When they were in great distress in the wilderness for want of food God made abundant provision fâ—r their refreshment and sustenance by sending them together with the thunder plentiful rerefreshing showres by raining down quails and Manna from heaven and above all the divine irrigation of the Law was thence distill'd And so shall the Messias make his spiritual supplies in great abundance to the comfort of all humble penitent hearts that are sensible of their wants and that ardently desire and pray to him for the supply of them 10. Thy congregation hath dwelt therein for thou O God hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor Paraphrase 10. And so the wilderness became an habitable place or constantly Gods holy Angels went along with them to defend and conduct and provide for them Instances of Gods gracious and special providence and protection over all those that stand in need of him and faithfully serve and humbly wait on him And parallâ—l to these Christ at his departure from the world shall leave his Apostles and their successors called Angels of the Churches Rev. 2. and 3. to provide for the spiritual wants of all his faithful disciples all docible Christians 11. The Lord gave the word great was the company of those that published it Paraphrase 11. And continually from time to time God gave us victories over the nations abundant matter of praise and triumph which the train of singing women mustering themselves up in another army according to their wont set forth in their triumphant hymns A type of the victories over death and hell by the resurrection of the Messias which the women in like manner Mary Magdalen c. should first publish to the Disciples and they preach to the whole world 12. Kings of armies did fly apace and she that tarried at home divided the spoil Paraphrase 12. To this or the like purpose that all the Canaanitish Kings with their forces that opposed or stood out against them
Soveraign whom thou with thine holy oyle hast inaugurated and by thy special providence appointed to be King over us 10. For a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a dorekeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness Paraphrase 10. It is infinitely more desirable and valuable to spend one day in thy presence and service in the place where thou art pleased peculiarly to exhibit thy self than a thousand days in any other condition deprived of this priviledge and advantage more eligible to lye at the threshold in the most abject condition of neerness to this palace of thine than to have all the pompe and glory of any the most splendid worldly condition and to be withheld from this liberty as men excommunicated and separated from thy presence 11. For the Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord will give grace and glory no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly Paraphrase 11. For this God of ours that there exhibits himself is the spring of all light and strength directs us in our way and defends us in it he will not only pity and deliver but even advance and dignifie and heap all abundance of blessings both corporal and spiritual in this life and eternal in another life on all those that faithfully adhere to him and constantly observe his commandments Surely God heareth not sinners but him that is a worshipper of God and doth his will him he heareth denyeth him no request which is truly for his avail to have granted him 12. O Lord God of hosts blessed is the man that trusteth in thee Paraphrase 12. O thou blessed omnipotent Lord of all Majesty how unspeakably great and valuable is that one felicity which consists in a constant adherence to and dependance on thee He that is thus united to the fountain of all good things can never stand in need of any thing that is truly profitable or desirable Annotations on Psalm LXXXIV V. 3. Cryeth out From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cry aloud vociferate or jubilate is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here and it is used either for grief but especially for joy and exultation the LXXII fitly render it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exceeding joy And being here joyned with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it hath a special notation such as is taken from the custom of Mariners or Soldiers or husbandmen the first of which when they loose from land into the ocean set sail with a shout the second when they assault their enemies incourage one another with a shout when they have gotten the victory express their joy with a shout the third when they conclude their harvest do it with a shout called therefore proverbially Isa 9.3 the joy in harvest And so when they went up to the feasts at Jerusalem they went with an holy jubilation or shout And this seems to be the full importance of the phrase in this place My heart and my flesh my rational and even carnal sensitive faculties shout to the living God are ardently desirous of thus going up to the Sanctuary are ready with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ovations and vociferations when they be allowed that favour to go up to the presence of this living God the joy of their very life whose gratious assistance and exhibition of himself is the only tenure they have in all kind of prosperity V. 5. Hearts The difficulties of this verse may possibly be removed by remembring the notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only for the heart but by metaphor being oft applyed to those things that have no heart for the middle So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jon. 2.3 not into the heart but the midst of the Seas So Deut. 4.11 the mountain burnt with fire to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not heart but midst of heaven 2 Sam. 18.14 Absolom was alive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of the Oake So Jer. 51.1 inhabitants of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not heart but midst of them that rise up against me And if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may thus with the learned Grotius be rendred here in the midst of them then the passage will be clear Blessed is the man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 literally strength or as the LXXII and Syriack and Latine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 help to him in thee i. e. which hath in thee strength help or protection being allowed liberty as the former part of the Psalm determins the sense to resort to Gods Sanctuary which is sometimes called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and from whence that protection and aid in all exigencies may be had Then follows to the same sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 paths or highwayes fosseways or causeys from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to raise or pave a way with stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ascents i. e. wayes of going up to the Sanctuary in the midst of them i. e. who have such highways free liberty to go up to the holy assembly in the midst of them or if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must signifie their hearts who take care and look to the maintenance of these causeys in order to the sacred assemblies which they that are deprived of that priviledge of going up to them most sadly bemoan the want of When Jerusalem became the Metropolis of Judaea the roads to it upon civil grounds were to be made large and passable but when the Temple was built there and by the Law the whole nation obliged thrice every year to resort thither this was now upon weightier reasons to be provided for Especially considering that Judaea was a mountainous uneven Countrey where the brooks in the valleys upon any fall of rain were apt to swell so as to be hardly passable And therefore among the causes for a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intercalation of a month and alteration of the seasons of the festivals thereby the chief that are set down by Maimonides are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because 〈◊〉 wayes when in respect of them occasion requires it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and because of the bridges And the same Maimonides tells us Hilch Roths c. 8. that for the maintenance of the wayes every year at the 15. of the Month Adar Commissioners were sent out to look to the repairs of bridges causeys c. This makes it not unreasonable to suppose that the wayes to the Temple should here be mentioned in reference to those sacred solemnities as when Lam. 1.4 't is said The wayes of Zion mourn because none come to the solemn feasts And then as it is a felicity to have the use of these wayes so must it also have been an act of piety in any to take care of them that they might be serviceable to this end for themselves and others And to this purpose also the next verse will be best interpreted see note c.
that are converted or returned to their heart This they seem to have drawn from some affinity of the Hebrew words which with some light changes produce this reading for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to and so joyning it in construction with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 twice foregoing and for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to folly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the heart Selab which because it still makes an imperfect sense and to them that turn the heart Selah they have therefore supplied the seeming Ellipsis the LXXII by addition of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to him i. e. to God the Latine by inserting ad before cor returning to the heart which is a phrase to signifie repentance or resipiscence growing wise again and so better agrees with the Hebrew which indeed signifies not returning to folly That they thus did read the Hebrew words is not so likely as that by occasion of this affinity of phrases they thus thought fit to paraphrase the Hebrew which is not unusual with them in other places And in this place though the words be quite changed the sense doth not suffer much by this paraphrase this being on both sides the condition of Gods removing his judgements that they which receive them be sincerely penitent and then they will not return again to the folly of their former ways of sin V. 10. Mercy and truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truth from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidus fuit is frequently used for fidelity and is all one with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the passive sense for faithfulness and in that notion doth well agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness in the latter part of the verse and is by the LXXII rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness Gen. 24 49. Isa 39.19 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 peace all prosperity given us by God are in effect all one also And then the meeting of these pairs mercy and truth or fidelity and by way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very frequent in Scripture of righteousness and peace will signify the performance on Gods part proportionable to the qualification on ours where truth or fidelity is made good towards God there mercy will undoubtedly be had from him where righteousness on our part there peace on Gods i. e. all the felicity and prosperity imaginable This rendring of the place is most agreeable to the matter here in hand the confidence that God will pardon their sins which unfeignedly return to him v. 7 8 9. And to the same purpose is that which follows v. 11. As truth or uprightness sincere reformation springs out and ascends from the earth the hearts of men the proper soil for it to grow in so shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 righteousness in the other notion very frequent that for mercy and to pass from one notion of a word to another is an elegance and no rarity in these writings look down from heaven as the Sun doth upon the World when it sheds its influences upon it and cherishes the germina or sprouts all productions of the earth here below And so again v. 12. to the Lords giving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good indefinitely i. e. all good things is annexed our land shall give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word signifies from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Hiphil produxit all the sorts of fruits which the earth brings forth and by analogy with v. 11. where Truth was to sprout out of the earth must signifie that sort of fruit or productions i. e. truth or sincerity of obedience to God and so that again by way of regressus naming that first which had been last and that last which had been first is all one with v. 11. in the notion we have assigned it And once more v. 13. Righteousness in the notion of v. 10. uprightness and fidelity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall go or walk 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before his face i. e. the face of God mentioned in the former verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he i. e. God shall set 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his feet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the way say the LXXII i. e. shall follow after where righteousness goes before having such a Prodromus or Vsher to prepare the way before him God will solemnly and in state come on in the Procession as Psal 89.14 mercy and truth are said to go before the face of God as Heralds to engage his following after The Chaldee read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall set him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a good way i. e. set him at liberty in a prosperous condition rescue and return the captivity of them that walk uprightly before him All these but various expressions as in a Poem it is ordinary of the same thing Gods never failing to return in mercy to them that sincerely convert to him by repentance The Jewish Arab reads this last verse in another sense They that seek equity or justice shall walk before him and shall set their steps in his ways as likewise before v. 10. the people of goodness and truth have met together c. But the former sense is more probable The Eighty Sixth PSALM A Prayer of David Paraphrase The Eighty sixth Psalm was composed by David in some time of distress probably in his flight from Absolom and is a mixture of ardent prayer to God and full indisturbed relyance on him and adoration of his power and mercy 1. Bow down thine ear O Lord hear me I am poor and needy 2. Preserve my soul for I am holy O thou my God save thy servant that trusteth in thee 3. Be merciful to me O Lord for I cry unto thee daily 4. Rejoyce the soul of thy servant for unto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Paraphrase 1 2 3 4. O God of all mercy that never failest to hear and answer the prayers of those that being in distress address themselves to thy throne of grace with humble obedient and devout hearts with full reliance and affiance on thee with constancy and perseverance in fervent prayer I that am qualified by my present distress and want of thy supplies to receive this mercy from thee that have been wonderfully favoured by thee and do with all reverence and yet also with confidence and importunately and constantly and ardently pour out my petitions before thee beseech thee at length that thou wilt hearken unto me rescue me out of my present distress refresh and comfort me in my affliction 5. For thou Lord art good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee Paraphrase 5. For it is thy property to hear and answer Prayers and most gratiously to pardon the sins of all humble suppliants and to abound to them in mercy and benignity 6. Give ear O Lord to my prayer
affairs and shut up from the conversation of men And in proportion with these they that are dead and laid in their graves are here said to be free i. e. removed from all the affairs and conversation of the World even 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the commandments say the Jews of them that are dead Nidda fol. 76. Thus is death described Job 3. by lying still and quiet and at rest v. 13. in desolate places v. 14. where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary be at rest v. 17. where the prisoners rest together and hear not the voice of the oppressor v. 18. and where the servant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as here free from his master v. 19. In this verse there seems to be a gradation To be slain is more than to dye to be in the grave more than either but to dye by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be cut off by excision not to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the remembrance of blessing to be utterly forgot and have no share in the world to come which they say every Israelite hath is the utmost pitch of misery V. 10. Dead That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here signifies the dead those that lye in the grave there can be no question The Chaldee render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the carcasses that are putrified in the dust So Isa 26.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shall not rise is but the interpretation of what went before they are dead they shall not live and so v. 19. the earth shall cast out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the dead bodies So Prov. 21.16 the man that wandreth from the way of understanding shall remain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the congregation of the dead the Chaldee reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the sons of the earth The same word is elsewhere used for gyants Gen. 14.5 and Isa 17.5 which makes it probable that the word comes from a notion of the root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not ordinarily taken notice of by Lexicographers who generally take it for healing and curing such as may be common to these two so distant derivatives dead men and gyants The gyants we know are in most languages exprest by phrases taken from the bottom or bowels of the earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and terrae filii born from or sons of the earth and just so the Chaldee even now rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where 't was used for dead bodies Prov. 21.16 which gives us reason to resolve that the Radix originally signified something pertaining to the lower parts of the earth and so 't will be fitly communicated to these two which in the notion of healing it will not be And to this accords a notion of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Hebrews for metals minerals gold silver coral c. which are digged out of the earth and from the very bottom of the Sea the abysse which is very agreeable to both these notions of the word the dead being there laid and disposed of after their departure out of this world their bodies in the grave and their animal Souls in Scheol the state of separation not otherwise capable of being described but by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 disappearing the abyss or deep and the gyants by their great strength and exercise of it in invading and oppressing others and by being of uncertain originals phansied to have received their birth from some subterranean powers and so called by that title The LXXII deducing the word from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to heale render it here and elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Physitians and the Latine medici but the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strong men or Gyants V. 18. Acquaintance From 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was darkned is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here an obscure dark place an hole or hiding-place and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a darke place or hole to my acquaintance signifies the lying hid and sculking of friends hiding themselves for fear they should be seen by him and called to help him The Jewish Arab reads And mine Acquaintance are become as darkness The Eighty Ninth Psalm MAschil of Ethan the Ezrahite Paraphrase The 89 Psalm is a commemoration of the mercies performed and promised to be continued to David and his posterity to the end of the world but now in the time of some great affliction on Prince and People probably in the captivity v. 38. c. see note i. seemingly interrupted by their sins and their breach of Covenant with God together with an hearty prayer for the return of them The Author of it is not known It was set to the tune of a Song of Ethan the son of Zerah called Maschil see note on Psalm 88. b. 1. I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations Paraphrase 1. The mercies of our God in making such gracious and glorious promises to his people and his exact fidelity in performing them is so great that it exacts all our lauds and most magnificent commemorations thereby to proclaim and divulge them to all posterity 2. For I have said Mercy shall be built up for ever thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens Paraphrase 2. God hath promised abundant kindness and mercy and that to endure to us to all our posterities and so I am most confident he will perform make good by his continual faithfulness from his seat of mercy and of justice what he hath thus promised us 3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant Paraphrase 3. This promise of his was most solemnly made by way of a sworn Covenant stricken with David whom he chose to be King over his people when he rejected and removed Saul 4. Thy seed will I establish for ever and build up thy throne to all generations Selah Paraphrase 4. And the sum of his Covenant was not only that he should be King over his people but that this dignity should be continued to his posterity for many generations and that in some degree though with great disturbances which their sins should bring upon them as long as this Nation should continue and that toward the time of the destruction thereof the Messias should be born of this very race of David and erect a spiritual Kingdom in the hearts of all faithful men the only true genuine posterity of Abraham and David which should undoubtedly endure to the end of the world 5. And the heavens shall praise thy wonders O Lord thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the Saints Paraphrase 5. This is a most glorious Covenant of transcendent and wonderful mercies which as thou hast made so thou shalt exactly perform to us the glories thereof shall be admired and celebrated by all the Angels in heaven when they are met together for the praising and
and violences of the most rapacious enemies 23. And I will beat down his foes before his face and plague them that hate him Paraphrase 23. And to bring the greatest mischiefs even destruction and utter ruine on them that designed him any This had an eminent completion in the crucifiers and all other the obstinate opposers of Christ 24. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him and in my name shall his horn be exalted Paraphrase 24. And herein and in all other exercises of his mercy to make good his covenant and promise to approve his fidelity to him as being the immediate visible signal author as of his first advancement so of all the dignities that should be heaped on him 25. I will set his hand also in the Sea and his right hand in the rivers Paraphrase 25. To him he then promised what he abundantly since performed to extend his dominions from the Ocean to Euphrates And therein to typifie the progress and propagation of the faith of Christ to all the regions of the world 26. He shall cry unto me Thou art my father my God and the rock of my salvation Paraphrase 26. To deal with him as a father with a beloved son a God with an eminent servant and to secure and deliver him from all troubles and dangers and finally to support him in or redeem him out of them This had a most literal eminent completion in the Messiah the eternal Son of God to whom God was hypostatically present in all his works and sufferings on earth and at length raised him out of the grave and exalted him to his regal power in heaven 27. Also I will make him my first-born higher then the Kings of the earth Paraphrase 27. To deal with him as with an eldest son to whom the double portion of honour and possessions is due advancing him to greater dignity and wealth than any other Prince in the world This in the fullest latitude was to belong to Christ the first-born of every creature the most eminent person that ever the World saw on whom all power was instated both in heaven and earth 28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore and my covenant shall stand fast with him Paraphrase 28. And herein did the height of this promised mercy consist that it should inviolably be made good to David to the end of the World and when the royal power over this people of God should fail from his family there should be another more illustrious Kingdom erected in the hearts of men the spiritual Kingdom of the Messias who should be born of the seed and posterity of David and that Kingdom should never be extinguished but changed only into the Kingdom of glory in Heaven 29. His seed also will I make to endure for ever and his throne as the days of heaven 30. If his children forsake my Law and walk not in my judgments 31. If they break my statutes and keep not my commandments 32. Then will I visit their transgressions with the rod and their Iniquity with stripes Paraphrase 30 31 32. To him it was foretold and bound with Gods oath v. 35. irrevocably that as in case of uniforme and faithful obedience his mercies should be continued to his seed so in case his succeeding heirs should depart from that obedience and violate the commandments of God falling off to known and wilful transgressions God would deliver them up to very sore and severe punishments deportations and at length to utter rejection from the regal dignity and upon an universal defection of the people and obstinate impenitency holding out against the most officacious methods send an Universal destruction on the Kingdom 33. Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail 34. My covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips 35. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David 36. His seed shall endure for ever and his throne as the Sun before me 37. It shall be established for ever as the moon and as a faithful witness in heaven Selah Paraphrase 33 34 35 36 37. And even when this should by their sins be most justly brought upon them yet should not this covenant of mercy made under oath with David's seed be in the least measure infringed the posterity of that faithful servant of God being perpetuated in Christ the Messias that should rise and spring from the loines of David and his Kingdom though not an earthly or secular yet in a much greater height a divine and spiritual Kingdom in the hearts of Christians is secured that it shall never have an end or be destroyed as long as this world lasts And this is a full evidence of the fidelity and performance of Gods promise to David and his feed beyond any thing that any creature in the world injoys The heavens are lookt on as an immutable unchangeable body the Sun and Moon divide all time betwixt them and are ordained and fixt in their spheres to be signs of times and seasons Gen. 1.14 and so they shall certainly continue as long as this world lasts But then when there shall be no farther use of them they shall be set aside whereas the Church and Kingdom of Christ that spiritual seed of him which is the most eminent son of David when all other branches of this stock are destroyed shall endure beyond all time lasting as long as this world lasts and then not be concluded but removed only and transplanted to heaven 38. But thou hast cast off and abhorred thou hast been wroth with thine Anointed 39. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant thou hast profaned his Crown by casting it to the ground 40. Thou hast broken down all his hedges and hast brought his strong holds to ruine Paraphrase 38 39 40. But notwithstanding this firm promise to David and his posterity and the perpetuating of the Kingdom to them thy punishments are now very heavy upon his family They have provoked thy wrath and thy covenant with them the condition being broken on their part hath not secured them from the bitterest effects of it devesting them of their regal power and demolishing and laying wast all their forces The Covenant it seems mutable in respect of this seed of David and if they continue in their sins revocable but under oath v. 35. and immutable only in respect of Christ that eminent promised seed of Abraham and David 41. All that pass by the way spoil him he is a reproach to his neighbours Paraphrase 41. They that were wont to be victorious over all their assailants that subdued in Davids time the Philistims and Edumeans and Ammonites and Moabites c. are now by their captivation under the Assyrians delivered up to be spoiled and scorned by all these their revengeful neighbours see Psal 83.6 c. 42. Thou hast set
Pharaoh's butlers and Pharaoh's bakers dreams which accordingly came to pass brought him to the knowledge of Pharaoh and then the interpretation of Pharaoh's dream also revealed unto him by God perfectly purged him from the crime of incontinence falsely charged against him this being an evidence of his integrity and perfect innocence that God would vouchsafe thus to inspire him 20. The King sent and loosed him even the ruler of the people and let him go free 21. He made him Lord of his house and ruler of all his substance 22. To bind his Princes at his pleasure and teach his senators wisedom Paraphrase 20 21 22. Hereupon therefore Pharaoh not onely set him free from his restraint but withall advanced him to be next himself in a most supereminent power over the whole nation to controll and do whatsoever he pleased 23. Israel also came into Aegypt and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. Paraphrase 23. By this means joyned with the occasion forementioned v. 16. the famine in Canaan upon which Jacob sent down his sons unto Aegypt where alone by Joseph's providence it was to be had to buy food Joseph by degrees made himself known to his brethren and at length invited his father Jacob to come and bring all his family with him into Aegypt providing him a part of the countrey where they might live by themselves and use their own rites and customs as they pleased and accordingly Jacob overjoyed to hear that his beloved son whom he thought devoured by wild beasts was yet alive accepted the offer and came and dwelt in Aegypt Gen. 46. 24. And he increased his people greatly and made them stronger than their enemies Paraphrase 24. And in his journey at Beersheba God appeared to him Gen. 46.1 and incouraged him in his journey to Aegypt and promised to make to him a great nation there v. 3. And according to that promise so it was For there being but a small number of persons in this family when they came down but seventy reckoned in all Gen. 46.27 whereof some also were born after their coming into Aegypt see note on Act. 7. b. they were within few years increased to a multitude and waxed exceeding mighty and the land was filled with them Exod. 1.7 and the King of Aegypt entred into consultation about them taking notice to his people v. 9. that the children of Israel were more and mightier than the Aegyptians 25. He turned their heart to hate his people to deal subtily with his servants Paraphrase 25. This great and signal goodness of God to the posterity of Jacob in multiplying them so exceedingly was a means to provoke the Aegyptians jealousie and from fear they turâ—ed soon to hatred and mischievous machinations against them giving order first for the oppressing them by burthens and hard labour Exod. 1.11 and when that did not prevail to the lessening but increasing of them v. 12. then inhansing the rigor of their servitude v. 13 14. and at length appointing all their male children to be killed as soon as they were born 26. He sent Moses his servant and Aaron whom he had chosen Paraphrase 26. In this point of time was Moses seasonably born and preserved by Gods providence miraculously and when he was 40 years old it came into his heart to visit his brethren in Aegypt but he was soon forced to fly thence and sojourn in Madian Act. 7.23 29. and about fourty years after v. 30. he was called by God and sent as his impowred commissioner to Pharaoh his brother Aaron being joyned with him to negotiate the delivery and departure of this whole people out of the bondage of Aegypt 27. They shewed his signs among them and wonders in the land of Ham. Paraphrase 27. To that end God gave them power of working miracles to gain belief both from the Israelites themselves that they were sent from God to deliver them and from Pharaoh also and particularly directed them from time to time what miracles they should work and they performed exactly according to direction 28. He sent darkness and made it dark and they rebelled not against his word Paraphrase 28. For example when many of the miracles prescribed by God had been successless and but inraged and not melted or perswaded Pharaoh and withall now after the time that God had told Moses that he would send all his plagues upon Pharaoh's heart ch 9.14 and that he is said expresly to have hardened Pharaoh's heart v. 12. after which Moses was in reason to expect he would be more inraged by his signs yet putting off all fear of Pharaoh's wrath and cruelty as soon as God Exod. 10.21 commanded Moses to stretch out his hand to heaven that there might be darkness over the land of Aegypt even darkness that might be felt Moses immediately obeyed stretched forth his hand to heaven and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Aegypt three days v. 23. 29. He turned their waters into blood and slew their fish Paraphrase 29. Before this God had begun with Pharaoh with variety of other plagues by Aaron's striking his rod upon the waters the waters of all the land of Aegypt were presently turned into blood Exod. 7.20 and the fish that was in the river died v. 21. 30. The land brought forth frogs in abundance in the chambers of their Kings Paraphrase 30. Then after that he smote all their borders with frogs Exod. 8.2 upon Aaron's stretching out his rod over the streams v. 5. and the frogs came and covered the whole land of Aegypt and came into Pharaoh's house and into his bed-chamber and upon his bed v. 3. 31. He spake and there came divers sorts of flyes and lice in all their coasts Paraphrase 31. After this at Gods appointment Aaron with his rod smote the dust of the earth and it became lice in man and beast Exod. 8.17 a judgment wherein the Magicians themselves acknowledged the finger of God all their skill in sorcery being not able to arrive to this Then when that would not work great swarms of flyes Exod. 8.24 came upon Pharaoh and all the Aegyptians the Israelites onely being free from them 32. He gave them hail for rain and flaming fire in the land 33. He smote their vines also and their figg-trees and brake the trees of their coasts Paraphrase 32 33. Then after two other plagues the murrein and the blains Exod. 9.3 and 9. God sent a most grievous hail v. 18. and with it thunder and fire running along upon the ground v. 23. and these brake to small pieces all sorts of trees in the field and smote all sorts of plants v. 25. 34. He spake and the locusts came and caterpillars and that without number 35. And did eat up all the herbs in their land and devoured the fruit of their ground Paraphrase 34 35. Then what was left undestroyed by the hail of their plants and corn and trees and innumerable multitude of
The Hundred and Tenth PSALM A Psalm of David The hundred and tenth Psalm was certainly composed by David see Matt. 22.43 not concerning himself and God's promising the Kingdom to him after Saul as the Chaldee suppose but by way of prophesie of the exaltation of the Messias see Matt. 22.44 Act. 2.34 1 Cor. 15.25 Heb. 1.13 to his Regal and which never belonged to David Sacerdotal office both which are by him exercised at the right hand of his Father and settled on him as the reward of his humiliation and passion see Phil. 2.8 9. 1. THE Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy footstool Paraphrase 1. The Messias which is to come into the world is to be looked on by all men with adoration as being though born in the mean estate of humane flesh and of King David's seed yet really much higher than David which he could not be if he were not God himself the King of Kings and Lord of lords And of him Jehovah the one supreme God Creator of heaven and earth hath decreed that having been for some time opposed and at length crucified by those whom he was sent to call powerfully to repentance he should be exalted in that humane nature which here he assumed to the highest pitch of glory and majesty and authority in heaven there to exercise all power over this inferior world to reign 1 Cor. 15.25 till he hath subdued all that opposeth thâ— his kingdom 1. his crucifiers by converting some and destroying others 2. the Idolatrous heathen world by subjecting them to the Gospel 3. the power of sin and 4. Satan in mens hearts and at last 5. death it self 1 Cor. 15.26 And when all this is done at the conclusion of this world then shall he give up his power into his Father's hand from which he had it and himself be subject to him that put all things under him 1 Cor. 1â— 27 2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Sion rule thou in the midst of thine enemies Paraphrase 2. This kingdom of his is to be a spiritual kingdom exercised by the sword or sâ—epter of his sweet but powerfull spirit the Gospel of Christ the power of God unto salvation to all that believe and obey it And this shall first be preached after his resurrection and ascension by his Apostles at Jerusalem see Psal 2.6 to those that crucified him and from thence it shall be propagated to all Judaea and then to all parts of the habitable world on purpose designed to bring home sinners to repentance and change of life And the success thereof shall be admirable a Church of humble obedient Christians gathered from amongst his greatest enemies some of the rebellious Jews and great mâ—ltitudes of heathen Idolaters Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning thou hast the dew of thy youth Paraphrase 3. At the going out of the Apostles upon their great expedition their sacred warfare to conquer the obdurate world all that have any thing of humility or piety wrought in their hearts by the efficacy of his preventing grace shall come in and receive the faith of Christ most willingly forsake and leave all to follow him and attend him in his Church and the multitude of disciples shall be as the stars of heaven the sands on the sea-shore or the dew that in the morning covers the face of the whole earth 4. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek Paraphrase 4. And as he is to be a King so is he to be a Priest also At his exaltation and ascending to heaven God his Father hath firmly decreed that he shall be advanced to such a sort of Priesthood as that of Melchizedek was see Heb. v. 6. and 7.17 who had those two great offices of King and Priest united in him so shall Christ be instated at the right hand of his Father in the full power of entertaining and blessing his faithfull servants such as Abraham was when he was entertained and treated by Melchizedek and blessed by him And the interpretation of this his benediction is his giving them grace to turn away every man from his iniquities Act. 3.26 to aid them against all their spiritual enemies and support them in all their necessities And this office commencing at his ascension is never to have an end never to be succeeded in by any as the Aâ—ronical priesthood descended from father to son but to continue in his hands and to be most successfully exercised till it be at the end of this world delivered up to God the Father 5. The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath Paraphrase 5. But as he shall be a most mercifull High Priest to all that humbly receive and obey and address themselves to him so to all obdurate sinners that stand out and oppose his power in their hearts that will not suffer this Priest to bless this King to reign over them he shall manifest himself a most terrible Judge and destroy the mightiest grandeur and prowess upon earth that doth not come in unto the faith 6. He shall judge among the heathen he shall fill the places with the dead bodies he shall wound the heads over many countreys Paraphrase 6. All the impenitent wicked world both of Jews and Heathens he shall most illustriously destroy make them a kind of Akeldama and the greatest Antichristian Monarchy in the world most eminently that of heathen Rome which so bloodily persecutes the Christians shall be demolished see Rev. 18.2 and Christian profession set up in the place of it 7. He shall drink of the brook in the way therefore shall he lift up the head Paraphrase 7. Thus shall the Messias and his Kingdom be advanced And all this but a proportionable reward designed by his Father to his great humiliation and patience and fidelity and constancy in the pursuit and discharge of the office prophetick assigned him here on earth the calling home sinners to repentance In this he shall be so diligent and industrious so vigilant and intent on all opportunities of advancing this end of doing the will of his Father the work for which he was sent that he shall wholly neglect himself his own will his own ease his own ordinary food take that which comes next and is most mean and vile like a General in his keenest pursuit of his enemies that satisfies the necessities of nature with water out of the next brook c. and with the same alacrity he shall at last undergo the most contumelious death and for this espousing of God's will and despising and contemning himself God shall highly exalt him and possess him of that both Regal and Sacerdotal power to continue to him and by his hands in
a few special favourites of his but inlarged and vouchsafed to all and every man in the world upon the title of his fatherly mercy to his creature till by their impenitence persisted in against his means of grace they render themselves incapable of it 10. All thy works shall praise thee O Lord and thy saints shall bless thee 11. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom and talk of thy power Paraphrase 10 11. And proportionably according to the just merit of it all the men in the world are obliged to pay thee the acknowledgments of thy supereminent transcendent mercy but especially those that are so qualified by the power of thy grace obediently received by them as to have a more particular interest therein 12. To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts and the glorious majesty of his kingdom Paraphrase 12. These shall never satisfie themselves that they have said enough in depredicating the inward beauties and felicities and admirable excellencies of the kingdom of God in mens hearts that state of souls when by the divine and sanctifying power of his grace the dominion of sin and Satan is subdued and the kingdom of heaven erected in the stead of it and all the faculties of the soul voluntarily and chearfully and constantly subjected to it The sweetness and comforts of this shall so transport and ravish them that have a vital taste of it in their own hearts that they shall earnestly desire and endeavour to discover and recommend it to others and bring all men to a sense and acknowledgment how desirable a thing it is to be the subjects of this kingdom 13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom and thy dominion endureth throughout all ages Paraphrase 13. The magnificence and glory of any other the greatest kingdom is but finite and transitory and so oft in few years is removed and destroyed but the kingdom of God is as durable as God himself and the comforts of subjection and obedience thereto which all pious men injoy have never any end but are swallowed up in the ocean of eternal bliss and glory the never failing portion of all such 14. The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up all those that be bowed down Paraphrase 14. And one special act of this his kingdom one exercise of this power of his grace it is that those which are sincere faithfull subjects thereof shall never want a sufficient supply of strength from him for all their wants whether of souls or bodies Be they never so weak in themselves never so near falling and unable to support themselves and stand by their own strength they shall yet be sure of a sufficiency in him he will support them in the most infirm feeble tottering condition and when through humane frailty they are brought low and actually fallen he will not deny them grace to get up again but afford them effectual means of recovery if by humble confession of their lapses they beg and solicit it and industriously make use of it when it is given them And so for outward distresses he will either preserve them from them or support them under them and in his good time deliver them out of them 15. The eyes of all wait on thee and thou givest them their meat in due season 16. Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing Paraphrase 15 16. This mercy and benignity of his is a spring inexhaustible of all kinds of good things a treasure of abundant supply to all the creatures in the world which consequently attend and wait his pleasure and never fail to receive from him timely and seasonably to their necessities whatsoever they really stand in need of 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and holy in all his works Paraphrase 17. In sum all God's dispensations and dealings with us are made up of abundant mercy and compassion charity and liberality to all our wants and so are to be acknowledged and devoutly praised by all the men in the world 18. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him to all that call upon him in truth Paraphrase 18. Whosoever addresses his prayers to God and faithfully adheres to him that flies not to any indirect course for aids but keeps fast to him in constant obedience and waits God's time with patience and perseverance in prayer shall be sure never to fail of answers of mercy from him 19. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear him he will hear their cry and will save them Paraphrase 19. If they faithfully serve and obey him he will not be wanting to them in their greatest wants but will seasonably grant them their requests and deliver them out of all dangers 20. The Lord preserveth all them that love him and all the wicked will he destroy Paraphrase 20. Those that love God and keep his commandments have by his promise a claim and right to his protections and preservations but for transgressours which are accounted haters of him he will certainly pour out his vengeance upon them 21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever Paraphrase 21. All this exacts the most solemn acknowledgments all the praises and Hallelujahs that our hearts or tongues can express O let all the men in the world joyn to perform this duty and never give over praising and glorifying his holy name Annotations on Psal CXLV V. 7. Abundantly utter The Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to bubble to issue to send out as a spring or fountain issues out water and though here it be metaphorically used of speaking yet it must in reason be rendred with respect to the original use of it The LXXII therefore render it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latin eructabunt for which our English yielding no proper word we must be content with that â—f issuing or pouring out or sending forth The Chaldee which reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word with their termination is rendred by the Latin Translator personabunt shall sound forth as if it were from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which so signifies and is by the Greek lightly changed into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to proclaim V. 9. To all In this place the reading of the LXXII both in the Roman Edition and others is undoubtedly corrupted The Hebrew reads 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all and so is followed by the Chaldee and Latin and Arabick the Syriack omitting it wholly and onely the copies of the LXXII and from them the Aethiopick reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that expect and others add 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that expect him But Asulanus's reading is doubtless here to be preferred which hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all which being the original reading and so followed by the Latin and Arabick was changed by the scribe into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
10 15 34 2 17 3 50 2 Fine gold 19 10 64 2 Finest wheat 81 16 234 2 Fire brimstone 11 6 37 2 Firmament 19 1 61 1 Firmament of his power 150 1 406 1 Firr-trees 104 17 295 2 Flattereth 36 2 110 1 Flee away 55 6 162 1 90 10 261 1 the Floud 29 10 90 2 Fly apace 68 12 193 1 divers sorts of Flies 78 45 225 2 Follow it 94 1â— 27â— â— their Folly 49 13 146 2 not turn to Folly 85 8 246 1 Fools 107 17 312 2 Footsteps 58 10 171 2 89 51 256 2 139 5 383 1 For 102 9 287 1 118 12 337 1 For I shall 10 6 33 1 For so 127 2 366 2 For ever 37 28 114 2 66 7 187 2 For ever O Lord 119 89 354 2 For evermore 18 50 60 1 Forget her cunning 137 5 379 1 Forgiven the iniquity 85 2 246 1 Former 89 49 256 1 Forsake 138 8 381 2 Foundation 87 1 247 1 Foundations 11 3 37 1 portion for Foxes 63 10 181 2 Free 88 5 250 1 Freely sacrifice 54 6 160 1 Fret 37 7 114 1 From the Lord 121 2 360 1 Frost 78 47 225 2 a Froward heart 101 4 284 2 Fruitfull vine 128 3 367 1 Full of children 17 14 53 1 right hand Full of righteousness 48 10 142 2 Fulness 89 11 254 2 Furrows 65 10 185 1 Further not 140 8 387 1 G Gate 69 12 197 1 127 5 366 2 ye Gates 24 7 77 2 Gather 39 6 120 2 56 6 166 2 Gathered together for war 140 2 386 1 Gebal 83 7 237 2 Gentleness 18 35 59 1 Gilead 60 7 176 2 Gittith 8 Tit. 26 1 Given to thee 120 3 358 1 make his praise Glorious 66 2 186 1 Glory 16 9 47 2 30 12 95 2 106 20 307 1 my Glory into 4 2 16 1 with Glory 73 24 208 2 Glory ye 105 3 300 1 God 56 4 164 2 my God 22 2 71 2 meat from God 104 21 295 2 Gods 82 1 235 1 86 8 245 2 97 7 277 1 138 1 380 1 Godly 4 3 16 1 Go in 71 16 199 2 Going out and coming in 121 8 360 2 fine Gold 19 10 64 2 Good 69 18 197 1 104 28 296 2 Good judgment 119 66 353 2 a Good matter 45 1 135 1 Goodness 16 2 45 2 my Goodness 16 2 45 2 Govern 67 4 187 1 as Grass 90 5 259 2 Grave 49 14 146 2 Graves mouth 141 7 389 2 Great 117 2 334 2 Grievous 10 5 33 1 Groweth up 90 5 260 1 128 3 367 1 Grudge 59 15 174 2 Guide thee 32 8 99 1 H Habitation of thy house 26 8 83 2 Habitation of thy throne 89 14 255 1 97 2 277 1 Hagarenes 83 6 237 2 Half their days 55 23 164 2 thy Hand 17 14 52 2 lift up thy Hand 106 26 308 1 thy right Hand 17 7 51 2 110 5 322 2 my soul is in my Hand 119 109 355 2 found their Hands 76 5 216 1 Hand breadth 39 5 120 1 Handfull 72 16 202 1 Happy 146 5 399 1 Harps 43 4 130 2 my Haste 31 22 96 2 soul Hateth 11 5 37 2 as an Heap 33 7 91 2 on Heaps 79 1 228 1 Heapeth up 39 6 120 1 hast Heard me 22 21 74 1 Heard of it at Ephrata 132 6 372 2 Hear me 4 1 16 1 Hear us 20 9 66 1 Hearkning 103 20 290 2 my Heart 27 8 85 1 in the Heart 45 5 135 2 Hearts 84 5 241 1 say in their Hearts 35 25 108 2 Heathens 10 16 35 2 the Heavens 57 10 168 2 68 4 192 1 96 11 276 1 113 5 328 1 Heavens of Heavens 148 4 403 1 by taking Heed 119 9 350 2 iniquity of my Heels 49 5 145 2 Hell 16 10 48 1 Heman the Ezrahite 88 Tit. 249 1 Hermon 89 12 255 1 dew of Hermon 133 3 347 1 Hermonites 42 6 128 1 Hid treasure 17 14 53 1 Hidden ones 83 3 237 1 to Hide me 143 9 392 1 High hill 68 15 193 2 low and High 49 2 145 1 High places 18 33 58 2 to the Hills 121 2 360 1 maketh the Hinds to calve 29 9 90 2 Hold up my goings 17 5 51 1 have Holpen 83 8 237 2 Holy 145 17 397 1 for I am Holy 86 2 245 1 beauties of Holiness 110 3 321 2 Honourable woman 45 9 136 2 Horn of David 132 17 373 2 mine Horn shalt thou exalt 92 10 267 2 Horns of the Altar 118 27 338 2 Horrible pit 40 2 127 1 keep House 113 9 328 2 Houses 83 12 238 1 to his own Hurt 15 4 44 1 I O Jacob 24 6 77 1 Jah 68 4 192 1 Idols 96 5 274 1 115 4 331 1 Jehovah 83 18 239 2 If ye will 95 7 272 1 Image 73 20 208 2 Imagine mischief 62 3 179 1 substance yet Imperfect 139 16 384 2 Inclosed 17 10 51 2 22 16 73 2 Inditing 45 1 135 1 my Infirmity 77 10 219 2 Inhabitest 22 4 72 1 Inheritance 78 55 226 2 Iniquity 18 23 58 1 31 10 96 1 former Iniquities 79 8 228 1 Inlarge my heart 119 32 352 1 Instructed 2 10 10 1 16 7 47 1 Instrument of ten strings 33 2 91 1 Integrity 25 21 81 2 Intended evil 21 11 68 1 Inward parts 51 6 157 2 exceeding Joy 43 4 130 1 sacrifices of Joy 27 6 85 1 be Joyfull 98 8 279 2 Joyfull sound 89 15 255 1 out of Joynt 22 14 73 1 laid in Irons 105 18 300 2 Ishmaelites 83 6 237 2 Issues from death 68 20 134 1 Judge 75 7 214 2 135 14 376 1 their Judges 141 6 389 1 when thou Judgest 51 4 153 1 executed Judgment 106 30 308 1 good Judgment 119 66 353 2 thrones of Judgment 122 5 361 2 coles of Juniper 120 4 358 2 Justice 89 14 255 1 doe Justice 82 3 235 2 K Kadesh 29 8 90 1 Keep 119 1 350 1 shalt keep them 12 7 39 1 Kiss the son 2 12 11 1 I Know it not 35 15 108 1 Knewest my path 142 3 390 1 let him be Known 79 10 228 2 L to Labour 144 14 394 1 Lamp 132 17 373 2 Law-giver 60 7 177 1 Leanness 106 15 306 2 Leannoth 88 Tit. 249 1 Leap 68 16 194 1 Leaped 18 29 58 1 Leave not 141 8 389 2 Lebanon 29 6 89 2 Lest if thou 28 1 87 1 Let me not wander 119 10 351 1 Let the words 19 14 64 2 Let them 35 4 107 1 Leviathan 74 14 211 2 104 26 296 1 their Life 78 50 226 1 in this Life 17 14 53 1 Lift up 4 6 17 2 102 10 287 2 Lift up thy feet 74 3 210 1 Lift up your heads 24 7 77 2 my hands will I Lift up 119 48 353 1 Lift up his soul 24 4 77 1 Lifted up his hand 106 26 308 1 Light 97 11 278 2 the Light 74 16 212 2 Light
which the fisher boys toll and catch with the foam of the Sea and signifies proverbially 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that is quickly and easily drawn or seduced or deceived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Hesychius and this by way of paraphrase yet also with respect to the original notion of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simple or foolish But Aquila and Theodotion reade more literally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 presently CHAP. VIII 1. DOth not wisedom cry and understanding put forth her voice 2. She standeth in the top of high places by the way in the places of the paths 3. She crieth at the gates at β the entry of the city at the coming in at the doors Paraphrase 1 2 3. In this is the infinite goodness and abundant care and solicitude of God expressed that when they provoke him in the highest measure to leave them to their own ungodly desires and purposes and to forsake them utterly without ever recalling them to repentance he contrariwise is most importunate in his calls to them by the law of reason and conscience in the heart by voices from heaven by judgments by mercies by Moses and the Prophets and at last when all other means were successless by his own Son God-man the great Prophet fore-promised and after him by the descent of his Holy Spirit on the Apostles commissionated by him by these so many distinct articulate ways of revelation making known his will to them in such a manner as if he were resolved to leave no one man in the world ignorant of his duty and of his own nearest concernments in the discharge thereof Should divine knowledge be imagined to be an Herald with a Trumpet in his hand or a Crier with his Oies sounded aloud in the presence of the whole world on a place of the greatest advantage to be heard in those meetings of ways entrances into cities and houses that no man living might possibly be left ignorant of that which is proclaimed it could not by that means be more audible and leave mankind more inexcusable in going on in their sinfull ways than now it is and doth by means of those loud calls that God hath vouchsafed to the world 4. Unto you O men I call and my voice is to the sons of men Paraphrase 4. And is it not a great enhansement of the mercy to mankind that when a multitude whole legions of Angels were fallen into an abyss of sin and misery as well as mankind yet this favour being not shewed to any one lapsed Angel of all that multitude all the whole race and kind of men were thus graciously considered by God as to have God's calls nay his Son Christ the most articulate calls communicated to them Gentiles the most idolatrous polluted Gentiles as well as Jews the most proud provoking rebellious crucifying Jews all of each sort redeemed by him and no one of all mankind left out of that purchase and his calls to repentance dispatched to all by the Apostles in his name preaching pardon for what was past and now commanding all men every where to repent Act. 17.30 5. O ye simple understand wisedom and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart Paraphrase 5. And the interpretation of that is that they should rescue themselves from the reproach and wretched effects of the utmost folly judge what the rules of true wisedom or but craft and subtlety and care of their own interests will exact from them and set cordially and resolutely to the practice of it 6. Hear for I will speak of excellent things and the opening of my lips shall be right things Paraphrase 6. This certainly may deserve audience from us being a most venerable and excellent subject and all other knowledge unworthy to compare with it either for profit or certainty 7. For my mouth shall speak truth and wickedness is an abomination to my lips 8. All words of my mouth are in righteousness there is nothing froward or perverse in them 9. They are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge Paraphrase 7 8 9. The precepts which thus are given us by God in order to the regulating our lives are most just and righteous precepts most extremely far removed from all iniquity or impurity such as the law of reason in men's hearts if it do not exact of all men doth applaud and highly approve in those that practise them Onely those that go on in their wicked courses obstinately and imperswasibly that keep at a distance from them that never had the least experience of the pleasures which vertue yields they may doubt of the reasonableness of these precepts imagine them too severe design'd to betray them to a joyless life But for all that apply themselves to true wisedom moderation of affections acting according to rules of vertue as they are most plain and obvious to be understood as visible as what is directly before me so are they most agreeable to the better part of the man to reasonable and ingenuous nature 10. Receive my instruction and not silver and knowledge rather than choise gold 11. For wisedom is better than rubies and all the things that are to be desired are not to be compared to it Paraphrase 10 11. And indeed if the comparison should be made betwixt the practice of vertue in the one scale and all the silver and gold and most precious stones and whatsoever is most valued and eagerly pursued among men it is certain the amiableness and true excellency of the former would in any sober man's esteem infinitely outweigh all the rest amassed together All that outward plenty and splendour can never make any man contented much less happy but generally brings additions of fears and turmoils and so of miseries to the possessours Onely the practice of all vertue moral and christian are the foundation and matter of a pure immixt substantial lasting satisfaction and happiness to all that are uniformly exercised therein 12. I wisedom dwell with prudence and find out knowledge of witty inventions Paraphrase 12. And let all the cunning and subtlety in the world combine in the most dextrous artificious projects which wicked men use in the bringing their unjust machinations to pass the practice of vertue constant and uniform will be able to outvie and outwit them all and though at first the subtlety of the world may seem to get the start yet vertue will carry it at long running and in fine approve it self the onely true policy 13. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil pride and arrogancy and the evil way and the froward mouth do I hate Paraphrase 13. This vertue if it be such as will approve it self to God consists in the forsaking of every wicked way it being certain that not onely some but every sort of such in thought deed and word is most detestable in the sight of God The wisedom
reconcile these contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we might one day celebrate an Advent indeed and that the completion of the Prophecy of this Text might be an Ingredient in the Solemnity that this of ours might be one of those Nations and People judged and rebuked i. e. convinced and converted by the Incarnate Saviour for then would these words of the Text be verifi'd of us They shall beat their Swords c. The words are the Character or Effect of Christ's Kingdom of the state and power of his Gospel in mens hearts and I shall view them first absolutely in the several parts or branches of this Character and then relatively as they are peculiarly verified of the state of the Gospel or as they are a character of that In the Absolute view you have 1. The Swords and Spears on one side 2. The Plough-shares and Pruning-hooks on the other 3. The Passage or Motion of one of these into the other by way of Beating In the Relative view we shall 1. have occasion to vindicate the truth of this Prophecy against the contrary appearances 2. To shew you how and by what means Christianity undertakes to work this great work to beat the Swords c. I begin with the Absolute view and in that with the most formidable part of the Prospect the Swords and Spears sharp assaulting piercing weapons found out and forg'd by the passions and wits of men to arm their rage to satisfie their covetings and ambitions to manage all the quarrels that the carnal or diabolical affections of men have commenc'd or inflam'd through the world These are the gross Elements made use of by the Prophet figuratively to express the instruments of our Hostilities that lie more covertly in our hearts these invisible Swords and Spears animosities uncharitable unpeaceable humors that Christ came to allay and temper to transform and beat into other shapes And to put off the Figure and give you plain words instead of it Three sorts there are of these quarrels or Hostilities which seem all to be comprehended in these words First though more improperly our Hostilities against God our rebellions and resistances against his will our contrary walkings to him the throwing off that yoke of Moral or Christian duties breaking those bands casting of those cords Psal 2. and that either 1. In an universal dislike of his Government a direct nolumus hunc that profest Atheism that begins to set up to gather Disciples and Proselytes abroad in the world that Chair of the Scorner that disclaims Religion as a pusillanimous thing a ridiculous pedantick quality that hath in their opinion dis-spirited and emasculated the world Or else 2. by particular oppositions to his commands in the retail sinning over all the Precepts on either Mount taking part with the Law of the Members against all the Empires of the Law of the Mind and under a Christian profession doing as much despight unto Christ as he that hath shut him out of his mouth and brain also And in relation to these Hostilities it is that we Ministers are posted from Heaven like so many Heraulds at the news of a Battery or approach of the Enemy to demand a Parley before men proceed any farther in their giantly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fighting against God and our Embassie is very submiss as though God did beseech you by us as Lot doth the Sodomites on their assault of the Angels We pray you Brethren do not so wickedly We pray you in Christ's stead that you will not proceed in your course that you will be pacified and reconciled unto God And sure these are formidable slaughtering-weapons very bloudy threatning Enemies that make God think fit to send out Embassies for Treaty and not venture his Heaven to be stormed by them A second sort of Hostilities possibly here meant are these against our selves the fatallest and bloudiest in the world the piercing and wounding and butchering our own poor Souls deforming and infeebling them with our wasting habits of sin exhausting the very principles of civil ingenuous Nature leaving never a vital spark or seed of humanity behind but violating and grieving and quenching all a direct felonia de se murthering and assassinating these divine creatures which God had prepared to people Heaven and casting them out to the noisom'st dunghills employing them to the meanest offices in the world Nay Hostilities to the Flesh it self those sins that undertake to serve the grosser part of us to have special fidelities and kindnesses to the flesh in all their warrings against the Soul are not yet so faithful in their performances work oft the greatest malices to that very flesh cast it sometimes into the fire sometimes into the water despoil it of all the honour beauty spirits joys and life it self leave it in the pitiousest disfigured rifled wasted flesh imaginable and so have their malices and treacheries against that also But the truth is these are but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the prelusory lighter brandishings of these swords The uncharitablenesses here especially designed are in the third place those that as our material swords and spears are ordinarily imployed against our Brethren or fellow-Christians either upon their Lives or their Reputations or their Souls 1. On their Lives when either our ambitions or revenges or which is the worst of all and the bloudiest assassinate when 't is set on it when 't is gotten into the Jesuite Chamber of meditation our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter envying or zeal when that I say like the bloud of the Mulberries to the Elephant shall inflame us to a brutality a thirst of our Brethrens bloud turning the Christian into a Nimrod a mighty Hunter before the Lord giving the Church that new notion of Militant in shedding as much of other mens bloud and triumphing in that effusion as in the Primitive times it poured out of its own veins when the Heathen Persecutors called for it when Christians shall design God Sacrifices bloudy Cannibal Oblations and in that other stern sense of the Apostle's words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rational humane sacrifices whole Herds and Hecatombs at once and think to avert judgments to work expiations to perform supererogating services to God by that means 2. On their Reputations whether in the Language of the Slanderer and Reviler whose words are spears and arrows and his tongue a sharp sword in the Psalmist's dialect the preparative to that former practising on the Life putting men into wild beasts Skins that they may be worried and torn to pieces in their disguises or whether yet in the higher strain of the censorious Anathematizer that breaths out woes and damnations passes that bloudy sentence upon all that walk not in his path toward Canaan this spiritual assassinacy this deepest die of bloud being most Satanically designed on Souls and because they cannot get those into their power practising it in Effigie slaughtering them here in this
Flesh-pots of Aegypt why this minute should not be that of the blessed shrill Trumpet 's sound that of proclaiming a Jubilee a manumission for thee and all thy fellow captives never to return to his Gallies again who art offered so far a more gainful more easie more pleasant and more liberal Service Satan I am confident dares not say his wages are comparable to those that here I have tendred thee from Christ let him shew me in all his Kingdoms of the earth in his Treasury of gold or Gynaeceum of beauty any thing fit to be a Rival with the Graces not which the Poets feign but which the Sermon on the Mount prescribes ingredient and constitutive of a Christian both for the gain and pleasure the commodity and the delight of them even to flesh and blood when the one Bedlam-heat of youth or Lethargick custom of sin is over and I shall no longer pretend to get any Proselyte out of his hands And if after all this I must be content with the fate of other Sermons to have play'd a vain-glorious prize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wounding none but the air this whole hour together if I must miscarry in this so charitable undertaking and may not be heard when I come but to comply with you in all your interests to direct you through one Canaan to another to lay you out a Paradise here for your rode to an eternal Heaven I confess I am fallen upon a peevish auditory a company of sick phancies and crest-faln souls For whose cure I might yet farther set off all this and improve it into little less than a Demonstration by the view of the contrary not only unpleasant and unprofitable but even painful tormenting trade of sin those so many Limbo's in passage to the deeper hell that Sodom of filth and burning in the way to a Tophet of worms and flames But I had rather fansie you the Sheep in Aristotle which the green bough would lead than the Goats in the same Philosopher that the nettles must sting whom the cords of a Man might draw than the whips of Scorpions drive into Paradise into Canaan being confident that I have at this time revealed such pretious truths unto you that he whom they do not melt and charm and win to enter into this so necessary so fecible so gainful a service Father Abraham's Divinity would prejudge and conclude against him that neither will that man convert though one should rise from the dead and preach unto him If there be any here of this unhappy temper the only reserve I have to rescue him is my prayer that God would touch his heart that he would say Ephphatha that if there be an◠consolation in Christ any comfort of love any vertue any praise any such thing as Paradise here or Heaven hereafter we may every of us think of these things and having entred into the blessed Family of this good Master we may all serve him acceptably here fight under his Banner overcome by his conduct and reign with him triumphantly hereafter Now to him which hath elected created redeemed called justified us will consummate us in his good time will prosper this his Ordinance to that end will lead us by his grace to his glory To him c. Ephraims Complaint The III. SERMON JER 31.18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus Thou hast chastised me and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed to the yoke turn thou me and I shall be turned THIS Text is a sad Soliloquy of a provoking afflicted people Ephraim transmigrantem reads the Vulgar and sure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we read bemoaning would be better rendred thus The ten Tribes sealed up in a black night a fatal last Captivity To parallel our state with Israel in the transmigrantem is not my design much less in the bemoaning that 's but a piece of unseasonable pusillanimity that our English hath imposed upon the Text and our Saviour hath inspirited us into a more chearful guise in suffering the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoyce and be exceeding glad the most blissful joyous condition of any The parallel I fear will prove too perfect in the words themselves which Ephraim then was over-heard to utter and perhaps some infidel hearts may be a whispering now and that I may prevent this parallel I have pitcht upon these words I have surely heard Ephraim c. The sense of Ephraim's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus sadly muttered 't is possible you may not articulately understand I shall briefly be his Interpreter by giving you a plain Paraphrase of the Verse I heard the ten Tribes in a melancholick reflexion on their state thus whispering within themselves We have long been punished by God and no more wrought on by those punishments than a wild unmanaged Bullock i. e. not reformed or mended at all by this discipline the Targum hath cleared the rendring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have not been taught and the Septuagint's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath done so too but then Turn thou me return my captivity restore us to our liberty and our Canaan again and then no doubt we shall be turned reformed and mortified by that change Having thus laid bare the words before you you will presently discern the sum of them A people unreformed under God's rod petitioning to be released from that smart because it did not mend them pretending that Prosperity would work wonders on them And this you will dissolve into these three specials each worth our stay and pondering 1. God's judgment what course is fittest to reform sinners not the delicate but the sharp that of smiting Tu percussisti thou hast smitten 2. Man's judgment or the sinner's flattering perswasion of himself quite contrary to God's a conceit that Roses are more wholesom than Wormwood that Prosperity will do it better and a bribing God with a promise that it shall do it Converte Convertar thy smitings have done no good on me Turn thou me and I shall be turned 3. The stating of this difficulty betwixt God and man and in that the falseness of man's judgment and the fallaciousness of such his promise 1. In respect of God who will never send them Prosperity that Adversity wrought no good on and 2. of Prosperity it self which would never do that work on those if God should send it intimated in the Prophet's recounting and upbraiding this speech of Ephraim I have surely heard Ephraim c. I begin first with the first God's judgment what course is fittest to reform sinners not the delicate but the sharp that of smiting And all the proof I pretend to have from this Text for this is the percussisti in the front 'T is clear God had smitten Ephraim and God's actions are a declaration of his judgment his smiting a sufficient assurance that nothing else is judged by God so likely to reform Ephraim and that upon these two plain heads of probation 1. That
my principally-design'd particular as Bethel refers to Jacob's vow there made as it follows in the verse Where thou vowedst a vow unto me and God hath a most particular respect and relation to such vows and so in the chief though last place Ego Deus Bethelis I am the God of Bethel A Vow is a holy Resolution and somewhat more The matter of both is the same a piece of holy valour or courage entring under God's colours into a constant defiance of all the temptations and affrightments invitations and terrours in nature only the bare Resolution hath not the formality of a Vow in it is not made so immediately and directly to God with such a particular invocation of him as is required to the formality of a Vow Yet will not this difference be so great but that in all reason the good Resolution ought to be allow'd its title of pretension to God's owning as he is the God of Bethel as well as the Vow i. e. the material as well as the formal Vow God is a God of all such of either kind I shall consider them undistinctly Whether Resolutions or Vows they are of two sorts either the general necessary vow or resolution that God shall be our God as in the 21. verse of that 28. chapter And Jacob vowed a vow saying If God will be with me c. then shall the Lord be my God a vow'd resolution of universal obedience unto God or whether the matter of it be particularly qualifi'd and restrained to free-will-offerings things that he was not otherwise bound absolutely to have done but yet were very fit matter of resolution and vow especially in such case as this If God will keep me in this way that I go and will give me bread to eat and raiment to put on so that I come again to my father's house in peace then this Stone shall be God's House and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give a tenth to thee a free-will-liberality this the business of this Vow We shall look upon these two separately and first on the former kind of them and shew you how God is the God of such the near respect and close relation he beareth to them and that most eminently exprest in three particulars 1. In approving and applauding the making of them 2. In prospering them when they are made 3. In looking after them as his own property and goods most severely requiring the payment the performance of them For the first sort then the general necessary resolution or vow that God shall be our God the solemn ceremonious entring our selves into his family the giving up our ears to this new Master to be open'd in the Psalmist's bored in Moses phrase to part from the benefit of all Sabbatical years or Jubilees to disclaim all desire of manumission and to become his vow'd servants for ever this is that great duty of Repentance or Conversion or New-birth that is the sum of all Christianity that spiritual Proselytism to which the Jew was wont to be wash'd as the Christian is baptized and both to take upon them new names new kindreds and relations as if they had entred into the mother's womb again and come out in new Families new Countries born neither of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man i. e. none of the principles of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the natural the carnal nay nor the moral virtuous philosophical elements but of God of a supernatural heavenly origination In a word the cordial renouncing of all the impure scandalous doubtful ways that either our selves or any of the vicious company about us the Lacedemonian servants that God hath permitted to be drunk and bestial before us to practise all villanies in our presence that we might detest and abominate them the more have at any time formerly been guilty of such was Job's covenant with the eye that that should not run its riotous courses over the beauties or wealth of others such the covenant with the tongue to break it off its customary oaths and loose language It were infinite to number up the several branches of these so necessary resolutions That this God of Bethel is the God of such is the thing that we are obliged to demonstrate And 1. in respect of God's approbation of such resolutions as these There is no such snare or artifice of taking and obliging God to us as our dedicating and consecrating our selves to God If Solomon consecrate a Temple to God God binds himself to be present there to hear and hearken and answer what prayers or supplications soever any sinner shall make toward that Temple And sure the same privilege belongs to the animate as well as dead Temple to the Temple of flesh as well as of stone to the anointed Pillar at Luz when that turns Bethel I mean to the stony heart of man when by the unction of the Spirit that is mollifi'd and fitted and squared vow'd and consecrated into an habitation for God when out of these stones a child of Abraham the faithful resolv'd new creature is raised up No such good news to Heaven as this not only approbation but joy in heaven over one such convert Prodigal the musick that Pythagoras talks of in the Orbs was that of the Minstrels which our Saviour mentions at the return of that Prodigal to solemnize the Euge's the passionate welcomes of Heaven pour'd out on Penitents And if you please I can do more than the Pythagorean would pretend to make you auditors of one of those Aires No sooner doth the poor penitent Votary begin to God in the Psalmist's Note Then said I Lo I come to do thy will O my God and let me tell you could you hear those words in the language that David sang them there were without a Figure Rhythm and Harmony Numbers and Musick in them but you may presently hear God himself answering in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or counter-part echoing back a Venite one in Isa 55.1 Ho every one that thirsteth come c. another in the Gospel Christ taking up his part in the Consort Come unto me all ye c. yea and to make up the Anthem complete the Third Person comes in also Revel 1.17 The Spirit saith Come and after that all the inferiour Orbs are call'd in to bear their part in the Chorus The Bride saith Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a-thirst Come and Quicunque vult is the Title of the Hymn that they all joyn in Whosoever will thus come let him be sure of the hospitable reception Let him take the water of life freely One signal evidence we have of God's special approbation of such Vows in Abraham's circumcising himself and posterity that you know was the solemnity of his coming to God the ceremony of his Proselytism the Sacrament and Seal of his resolute vow'd obedience unto God of his renouncing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
due ingredients and advantages restored to it every single Christian come to years of knowledge and temptations in the presence of God and Angels and fellow-Christians repeating that Vow in his own name which was made by his Proxies at the Font and the blessings of Heaven powerfully called down by those who have a title to the promise of being thus heard as it would by the way fully satisfie all the pretensions and arguments of the Anabaptist so would it also be a more probable effectual restraint for sin than those which have so solemnly decried or but formally practised that institution have taken care to afford us in its stead But then 3. God is a God of resolutions to exact performance of them The paultring trifler in this kind hath all the vengeance of the God of Bethel belonging to him all that pertains to the sacrilegious profaner of that Temple which himself had consecrated the censure and reward not only of the impious but the fools Eccles 5.3 When thou vowest a vow defer not to pay God hath no pleasure in fools and Prov. 20.25 It is a snare to a man to devour that which is holy to profane that heart which is once consecrated to God and after vows to make enquiry To doubt of the performing faulter in the execution of what is thus solemnly resolv'd in God's service is the fetching the sacrifice from the Altar and is sure to bring the coal of fire along with it the perfectest treachery to a Soul that any sacrilegious enterprise can design it And yet God knows how many such fools there be in the world that solemnly resolve themselves to his service come to the Font to make to the Table of the Lord to repeat these Vows and all their lives after do but busie themselves to wipe off the water of one vomit up disgorge the other bequeath themselves to Heaven in the presence of Angels and then repent of the fact and labour all their lives long to retrive and recover themselves back again and the Apostle hath given those men their doom It had been sure better for them not to have known the way of righteousness never to have raised an expectation in Heaven that they meant any kindness to it than thus to cheapen it and not come to the price of a little perseverance and constancy to go through the purchace Had they never undertaken God's business never put in for the title of Friends and Votaries with a Lord I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest they had not been perjur'd though they had been profane but now the affront is superadded to the crime the contumely to the impiety and all the spiritual desertion with-holding and with-drawing of grace and consequently the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the impossibility for such to renew or recover themselves without some prodigy of new bounty from Heaven which provokers have little grounds to expect is directly become their portion I have dwelt too long on the Portal to Bethel the general necessary Resolutions or Vows that are precursory to those other particularly qualified I must in the last place be so just to the Text and Auditory as to reserve a few minutes for those Vows of building and endowing a House for God which was but a free-will-offering in Jacob design'd by him as a return of acknowledgment for God's care over him if he shall bring him again to his father's house in peace and so God hath a peculiar respect to such Vows beyond all others and in that relation in the last place Ego Deus Bethelis I am the God of Bethel He that hath a long and a doubtful journey before him a voyage of uncertainty and danger and considers how little he hath of his own to contribute towards his convoy how nothing but the benign gale from Heaven to waft him safely thither and such certainly is the condition of some of us here at this time may well be allowed to call in and consult at Bethel take directions from old Jacob here how to set out and begin his journey and that is with vowing a Vow unto the Lord. This I confess was the main of my errand which hath been thus prepared for and prefac'd unto you all this while and there is not a more prudent at once and Christian course that hath more of piety and stratagem in it not a more agreeable seasonable proper use of the present distress and an engagement on God to deliver us out of it than thus to take our selves now in the pliable season and indent some acts of voluntary piety with Heaven most certainly and solemnly to be paid him hereafter whenever God shall so be with us as to return us home in peace to restore us those halcyon days after which we are all so impatiently gasping I say not with Jacob literally to build Houses for God material Bethels to design such stately Structures in an Age of destroying were but a Romance-project for any of us nay blessed be God we need not a Solomon to erect or Zorobabel to restore a Prop to preserve from falling will yet serve the turn but from this blessed Copy every emulous though weak hand to transcribe somewhat at the distance and in proportion to strength One to undertake the building one room of such an house a private 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or oratory for God I mean to vow unto God the so many daily close retirements by confession of sins and deliverances to acknowledge in prostration of Soul if not of body also to bear it company the provocations that have whet God's glittering sword against us every man the plague of his own heart the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the style of the ancient Liturgies my fault my exceeding great fault and the fatherly goodness that shall have sheath'd it again and never to give over those constant returns of devotion with Daniel three nay with David seven times a day to keep some poor kind of proportion with such a deliverance Another to vow the building a Porch of such an house when God shall furnish him with materials where the poor may have but a dining place sometimes I mean not the loose formal scattering of the crums of the table among them but sequestring a set and that a liberal part of all the revenue that God shall ever bestow or now rescue out of the devourer's hand and provide or preserve for us that God in his poor members may have a first-fruits a twentieth a tenth a fifth of all every man out of the good treasure of his heart not in obedience to any prescript quotum I shall be sorry to wrong any man so much as so to change it from being his perfect free-will-offering but as out of a heart attracted by Heaven a liberal chearful heaven-like effusion the constancy and equability of which yea and the performing it upon vow or promise will yet be no blemish to it or make it less like that of
perspective and resolves that all the provocations and sacriledges and rebellions against Heaven shall never be able to resist his Nativity to disturb his horoscope to reverse his fatal destin'd bliss may well be excused if he be not over-hasty to cleanse or purifie 'T is an act of the most admirable power of the divine restraining or preventing grace that some men that do thus believe this doctrine of unconditional Promises are yet restrain'd from making this so natural use of it from running into all the riots in the world And certainly 't is as irrefragable a convincing testimony of man's free will to evil even after his Reason and the Spirit of God have offer'd him never so many arguments to the contrary that many men which believe the conditionate Promises do not yet set resolutely a cleansing the obligation hereto from Reason being so direct and conclusive that all the Devils in Hell cannot answer the force of it Only our stupid undisciplin'd absurd illogical hearts have the skill to avoid it running headlong and wilfully after the old impurities even then when they are most fully without all dubibitancy resolv'd that all the joys of Heaven are forfeited by this choice I have done with the second step in my gradation the special convincing energy of the conditional promises to enforce cleansing Come we now to the third and last step in the gradation the particularity of the these conditional promises in this Text Promises of God's receiving us upon our separating his being our Father and we His Sons and Daughters upon our coming out c. in the end of the former chapter God will not receive any uncleansed polluted sinner will not be a Father to any be he never so importunate or confident in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will not own him to any degree of Sonship that doth not bodily set a purifying 'T was a virulent objection and accusation of the Heathen Celsus against Christ that he called all Sinners to come unto him Publicans Harlots all and had an hospitable reception for such from whence his ignorance and malice was willing to conclude Christ's Church to be a Sanctuary for such uncleannesses a kind of Romulus's Asylum to be filled only with those Inhabitants which all other Religions had loath'd and vomited out And 't was Zosimus's descant upon Constantine that he turn'd Christian because he had committed those crimes for which no other Religlon would admit expiation But Origen in his admirable Writings against that Heathen's objections makes a distinction of Invitations There is saith he the invitation of the Thief and the invitation of the Physician of the Thief to get as many Companions of the Physician as many Patients as he can the first to debauch the innocent the second to recall the laps'd to cure the diseased the former to continue and confirm them in their former impure courses the latter to purge out and to reform all their impurities And the latter only was the interpretation and design of Christ's call that of sinners to repentance the very language in this Text the Come out and be ye separate and touch not the unclean thing And so Christianity in Zosimus's style but another sense than what he design'd it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the strongest purgative in the world the Angel a hastening and leading out of Sodom with an escape fly for thy life neither stay thou in all the plains and then and not till then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and I will receive you And so still the peculiarity of these promises these of our being sons or our being received hath a most perswasive quickening force toward the duty of purifying Will any man be content to be that abject from God that loathed refuse reprobated creature such an one that all the prayers of all the Saints on earth intercessions and suffrages of Martyrs and Angels in heaven yea the very gaping wounds and vocal bloud of Christ upon the Cross I shall add the minutely advocation and intercession of that glorified Saviour at the right hand of his Father cannot help to any tolerable reception at God's hands Can you have fortifi'd your self sufficiently against that direful voice of the Go ye Cursed into everlasting fire and not only not God but not the so-much-as mountains or hills willing or able to receive you into any tolerable degree of mercy not one Lazarus with one drop to cool the tip of a flaming tongue but only the gaping insatiable pit that irreversible abyss of pollutions and of horror that region of cursings and torments of sin and flames the only hospital to receive thee If thou canst think comfortably of this condition be well pleased to venture all this for the inlarging of thy carnal fruitions one minute longer and withall disclaim the whole birthright of thy Christendom the dignity and inheritance of sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty if thou dost not repent of thy long tedious prodigal march into the Aegyptian far Country only to accompany with Swine and be fed with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which the advantages of sin are compared that wooden unhealthy fruit of the Carobe or arbor Ceratonia as Dioscordies and Pliny describe that which we render husks in the Gospel if I say we can upon deliberation prefer this starving and pining in the Herd before feasting and being embraced in the Father's house this portion of Swine before that of Sons we have then a sufficient fortification against this argument in this Text a serious supersedeas for purifying but upon no cheaper condition than this can it be sued out you must give your selves up to the certain fire and brimstone of Sodom if you will still continue in the impurities and burnings of Sodom not the least gleam of hopes upon any terms but those of purifying Whosoever hath this hope on him the this that is the conditional hope of seeing there or here of being received by God if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hope on God he purifies himself saith St. John If he do not purifie 't is either 1. Not so much as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absolute throwing off disclaiming all hope perfect fury and despair or if he have any hopeful thought about him 't is 2. None of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none of the rationable grounded conditional but a flattering fallacious foundationless because unconditionate hope which the bigger it swells the more dangerous it proves an Aposteme or Tympany of hope made up either of air or putrid humor and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like the consumptive Patient the more he hopes the farther he is gone the more deeply desperate is his condition Or 3. no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hope on him on God 'T is a dependance on some fatal chain some Necromantick trick of believing thou shalt be saved and thou shalt be saved nay on Satan himself some response from his Oracle that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that
Army once did and an Army of united prayers may do so again but the Eagle to a carkase the Night-raven to the funeral of a Consumptive Church and Monarchy an Hell from Heaven upon an abominable people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 could the Tyrant Phalaris say He that is not made soâ—er by many sufferings is absolutely insensate And yet God knows out of this rock the greatest part of this Age seems to be hewed The thunder about our ears that could teach the most barbarous Nations to believe and tremble the breaking in of the Lions that disciplin'd the Assyrians in Samaria to seek out instruction in the manner of the God of the land 2 Kings 17. Gods using us as the Physician in the Epigram did the Lethargick Patient putting a Lunatick into the same room with him to dry-beat us is possible into sense and life again His proceeding to that great cure of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dissolving the habit of the body politick and to that end letting blood to a deliquium which Hippocrates resolves so necessary to abate the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the high full athletick health that is so dangerous in his Aphorisms the driving out into the field with Nebuchadnezzar which infused reason into that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which untransform'd him again and raised up his eyes to an acknowledgment of him that liveth for ever Dan. 4. have God knows wrought the quite contrary on us wasted the seeds of natural piety within us erected Academies of Atheism endowed them with Schools and Professours where the art of it may be learned at a reasonable rate a young sinner of an ordinary capacity may within a few months observation set up Atheist for himself prophane scoff at the Clergy be very keen and witty upon Scripture have exceptions against the Service of the Church and all with as good grace as if he had serv'd and Apprentiship in Italy or at the feet of that great Master that Martyr of Atheism Vanninus He that at the breaking in of this torrent of misery upon the land had but walk'd in the counsel of the â—ngodly was but upon probation and deliberation whether he should be wicked or no that after some months when the waters began to turn into blood was yet advanced to a moderate proficiency a standing in the way of sinners and found it but an uneasie wearisome posture a standing upon thorns or flints is now fairly sate down in the chair of the Scorner or prophane Atheist in cathedrâ as a place of ease or repose can blaspheme without any regrets of a petulant conscience in cathedrâ as a seat of state prophanes with a better grace than he can do any thing else is become a considerable person upon that one account is valued among Lookers on by that only excellency and in cathedrâ again as a Professors chair a Doctor of that black faculty ready to entertain Clients to gather Disciples to set up an Independent Church of rational Blasphemers and being himself a complete Convert sufficiently approved to Satan to confirm and strengthen those puny Brethren that are not arrived to the accursed measure of that fulness fit them with Machiavels capacity for vast undertakings by that excellent quality of being wicked enough the want of which saith he hath been the undoing of the world And shall not God visit for this shall he not be avenged on such a Nation as this A wonderful and horrible thing is wrought in the land the judgments that were sent to awake have numni'd and petrefied us the fire in the bowels of this earth of ours hath turn'd us into perfect quarry and mine and as Diodorus tells us in Arabia the Ice and Crystal is congeal'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the power of Divine fire and not by cold so are these icy Crystal hearts of ours frozen by that fire from Heaven that shall one day set the whole Universe a melting But besides these Atheists of the first magnitude other inferiour pretenders there are that cannot shake off all apprehensions of all judgment to come but yet upon distant tamer principles can do Satans business as well for such trifles as this Text takes notice of the contraries to justice and continence they have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like Marcus in Iren. that charnied shield from the Mother of the Gods which shall render them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 invisible to the Judge The judicature erected by Christ takes not cognizance of such moral breaches as these there nothing but infidelity proves capital or if the breaches of the First Table may be brought in collaterally under that head yet for these venial defailances against the Second this toy of circumventing our brethren of defiling the flesh as its consequent in S. Jude speaking evil of dignities Christ came to make expiation for such not to receive bills of indictment against them to be their Priest but not their Judge I remember a saying of Picus Mirandula That a speculative Atheist is the greatest monster but one and that is the practical Atheist And yet this is the darling of the carnal Fiduciaries that can help him to reconcile his grossest sins his any thing with Faith how well you will have leisure to see if you please to descend with me from the absolute to the relative view of the matter of S. Pauls Sermon and consider first the relation which it hath to the Text on which he preach'd it and that you shall see in the former verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the faith on Christ and that is my next stage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The faith on Christ the phrase that some nice Observers have laid such weight on to denote the special act of justifying faith as 't is and affiance on Christ of a far higher pitch than either the believing Christ or believing in Christ and yet it seems those so despicable moral vertues those that so few think necessary and some have affirm'd destructive and pernicious to salvation are here brought in by S. Paul I hope not impertinently under this head justice and continence and judgment to come parts of a Sermon of the faith on Christ So 1 Cor. where St. Paul had fasten'd his determination chap. 2. to know nothing among them but Jesus Christ and him crucified in the very next chap. he charges them with sins of carnality strife envyingâ— factions in the 5. with Fornication or incest In the 6. with going to law before Infidels all these it seems the prime contrarieties to the faith or knowledge of the crucified Saviour Thus in St. James you may mark that works of charity and mercy are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Religion ch 1.27 And being authorized from such great Apostles I shall not fear to tell you that the prime part of the knowledge and faith and religion of CHRIST the life and power of Christianity is the setting up and reigning of these vertues in our hearts
fooling after Idols which was the Original of the Heathens being given up to vile affections Rom. i. for one that lives in a civil Countrey among people that have the faces and hearts of men and Christians made as it were to upbraid his ways and reprove his thoughts for one that is within the sound of Gods Law and Light of his Gospel by which he may edifie more than ever Heathen did by thunder and lightning for one that cannot chuse but fear and believe and love and hope in God in some measure or kind be he never so unregenerate for him I say that hath all these outward restraints and perhaps some inward twinges of Conscience to curb and moderate him to be yet so stupid under all these helps as never to be able to raise up one thought toward heaven to have yet not the least atome of Soul to move in the ways of godliness but to fall prostrate like a Carkass or a Statue or that Idol Dagon with his feet stricken off not able to stand before the slightest motion of sin or if a lust or a phansie or a devil be he the ugliest in Hell any thing but God appear to him presently to fall down and worship This is such a sottish condition such an either Lethargy or Consumption of the Soul such an extream degree of weakness that neither original sin that Serpent that despoiled Adam nor any one single Devil can be believed to have wrought in us but that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Platonicks call it Apopular Government of sin under a multitude of Tyrants which have for so long a while wasted and harassed the Soul so that now it is quite crest-faln as that legion of Devils Mar. v. 3 which dwelt among the Tombs in a liveless cadaverous noisome Soul or more truly that evil spirit Mark i. 23 that made the man disclaim and renounce Christ and his mercies when he came to cure Let us alone what have we to do with thee by which is noted That contentedness and acquiescence in sin that even stubborn wilfulness and resolvedness to die that a long sluggish custom in sin will bring us to and that you may resolve on as the main discernable cause of this weakness of the heart a habit and long service and drudgery in sin But then as a ground of that you may take notice of another a phancy that hath crept into most mens hearts and suffers them not to think of resisting any temptation to sin that all their actions as well evil as good were long ago determined and set down by God and now nothing left to them but a necessity of performing what was then determined I would fain believe that that old heresie of the Stoicks revived indeed among the Turks concerning the inevitable production of all things that fatal necessity even of sins should yet never have gotten any footing or entertainment among Christians but that by a little experience in the practice of the world I find it among many a main piece of their faith and the only point that can yield them any comfort that their sins be they never so many and outragious are but the effects or at least the consequents of Gods decree that all their care and sollicitude and most wary endeavours could not have cut off any one sin from the Catalogue that unless God be pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come down upon the Stage by the irresistable power of his constraining spirit as with a Thunderbolt from Heaven to shake and shiver to pieces the carnal man within them to strike them into a swoon as he did Saul that so he may convert them and in a word to force and ravish them to Heaven unless he will even drive and carry them they are never likely to be able to stir to perform any the least work of reason but fall minutely into the most irrational unnatural sins in the world nay even into the bottom of that pit of Hell without any stop or delay or power of deliberating in this their precipice This is an heresie that in some Philosopher-Christians hath sprouted above ground hath shewed it self in their brains and tongues and that more openly in some bolder Wits but the Seeds of it are sown thick in most of our hearts I sear in every habitual sinner amongst us if we were but at leisure to look into our selves The Lord give us a heart to be forewarned in this behalf To return into the rode Our natural inclinations and propensions to sin are no doubt active and prurient enough within us somewhat of Jehu's constitution and temper they drive very furiously But then to perswade our selves that there is no means on earth besides the very hand of God and that out of our reach able to trash or overslow this furious driver that all the ordinary clogs that God hath provided us our reason and natural conscience as Men our Knowledge as Christians nay his restraining though not sanctifying graces together with the Lungs and Bowels of his Ministers and that energetical powerful instrument the Gospel of Christ Which is the power of God unto salvation even to every Jew nay and Heathen Rom. 1. To resolve that all these are not able to keep us in any compass to quell any the least sin we are inclined to that unless God will by force make Saints of us we must needs presently be Devils and so leave all to Gods omnipotent working and never make use of those powers with which he hath already furnished us This is a monstrous piece of unchristian divinity a way by advancing the Grâ—â—e of God to destroy it and by depending on the Holy Ghost to grieve if not to sin against him to make the corruption of our nature equal to nay surpassing the punishment of the Devils a necessary and irreversible obduration in all kinds and measures of sin This one practical Heresie will bring us through all the prodigies of the old Philosophical Sects from Stoicks to Epicurism and all sensual Libertinism and from thence to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Pythagoreans For unless the soul that is now in one of us had been transplanted from a Swine or some other the most stupid sottish degenerous sort of Beasts it is impossible that it should thus naturally and necessarily and perpetually and irrecoverably delight and wallow in every kind of sensuality without any check or contradiction either of Reason or Christianity If I should tell you that none of you that hath understood and pondered the Will of God wants abilities in some measure to perform it if he would muster up all his forces at time of need that every Christian hath grace enough to smother lusts in the Womb and keep them at least from bringing forth to quell a temptation before it break out into an actual sin you would think perhaps that I flattered you and deceived my self in too good an opinion of your
strength Only thus much then It would be somewhat for your edification to try what you could do Certainly there is much more in a Christians power if he be not engaged in a habit of sin than we imagine though not for the performing of good yet for the inhibiting of evil And therefore bethinking our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Arrian That we are the sons of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let us not have too low and degenerous an opinion of our selves Do but endeavour resolutely and couragiously to repel temptations as often as they sollicite thee make use of all thy ordinary restraints improve thy natural fear and shamefac'dness thy Christian education tender disposition to the highest pitch do but hold sincerely as long as thou art able and though I will not say that all thy sins shall be confin'd to those two heads of original a branch of which are evil motions and of omission yet I will undertake that thou shalt have an easier burthen of actual commissions upon thy soul and that will prove a good ease for thee those are they that weigh it down into the deep that sink it desperateliest into that double Tophet of obduration and despair Final obduration being a just judgment of God on one that hath fill'd up the measure of his iniquities that hath told over all the hairs of his head and sands of the Sea in actual sins and a necessary consummation of that despair the first part the Prologue and Harbinger to that worm in Hell 'T were easie to shew how faith might afford a Christian sufficient guard and defence against the keenest weapon in the Devils armory and retort every stroke upon himself But because this is the Faith only of a Wife not as we now consider as a Woman at large but in a nearer obligation as a Spouse We shall more opportunely handle that in the next Part where we shall consider Indulgence in sin as the work of a whorish Woman where whoredom noting adultery presupposes wedlock and consists in unfaithfulness to the Husband the thing in the next place to be discovered The Work c. That Christ is offered by his Father to all the Church for an Husband that he waits and begs and sends presents to us all to accept of the proposal the whole Book of Canticles that Song of spiritual love that affectionate wooing Sonnet will demonstrate that every Christian accepts of this Match and is Sacramentally espoused to Christ at his Baptism his being call'd by the Husbands Name imports for that is the meaning of the phrase Isai iv 1 Let us be called by thy Name i. e. marry us That Faith is the only thing that makes up the Match and entitles us to his Name and Estate is observable both from many places of Scripture and by the opposition which is set betwixt a Christian and all others Jews and Infidels betwixt the Spouse and either the destitute Widow or barren Virgin the ground of which is only Faith So then every Christian at his Baptism being supposed a Believer and thereby espoused Sacramentally to Christ and so obliged to all the observances as partaker of all the priviledges of a Wife doth at every unchaste thought or adulterous motion offend against the fidelity promised in marriage by every actual breach of this faith is for the present guilty of Adultery but by indulgence in it is downright a whore i. e. either one that came to Christ with an unchaste adulterous love to gain somewhat not for any sincere affection to his person but insidious to his estate and having got that is soon weary of his person or else one that came to him with pure virgin thoughts resolving her self a perpetual captive to his love and never to be tyred with those beloved fetters of his embraces but in time meets with a more flattering amiable piece of beauty and is soon hurried after that and so forgetteth both her vows and love Thus shall you see an handsome modest maidenly Christian espoused to Christ at the Font and fully wedded by his Ring at Confirmation Nay come nearer yet to him and upon many solemn expressions of fidelity and obedience vouchsafed the seal of his very heart in the Sacrament of his Blood another that hath liv'd with him a long while in uniform constant loyalty noted by all the neighbourhood for an absolute Wife a grave solemn matronly Christian yet either upon the allurements of some fresh sprightful sin or the sollicitations of an old-acquaintance lust the insinuations of some wily intruder or a specious shew of a glorious glittering temptation or when these are all wanting upon the breaking out of an evil heart of unbelief which some outward restraints formerly kept in departing from the living God profess open neglect and despight against the Husband which before they so wooed and flattered and made love to 'T were long to number out to you and give you by tale a Catalogue of those defections and adulterous practices which Christians are ordinarily observed to be guilty of which whether they go so far as to make a divorce betwixt the soul and Christ or whether only to provoke him to jealousie whether by an intercision of Grace and Faith or by an interruption and suspension of the acts I will not now examine I will go no farther than the Text which censures it here as a piece of spiritual whoredom of treacherous unfaithful dealing to be light unconstant and false to Christ whose Spouse they are esteemed whose Name they bear and Estate they pretend title to And so indeed it is for what greater degree of unfaithfulness can be imagined What fouler breach of Matrimonial Covenan◠than to value every ordinary prostitute sin before the precious chastest embraces of an Husband and a Saviour to be caught and captivate with the meanest vanity upon earth when it appears in competition with all the treasures in Heaven Besides that spiritual Armor which Faith bestows on a Christian Eph. vi 16 sufficient to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked or as the Greek hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wicked one the Devil methinks there is a kind of moral influence from Faith on any wise and prudent heart enough to enliven and animate and give it spirit against the force or threatnings of any the strongest temptation and to encourage him in the most crabbed uncouth disconsolate undertakings of godly obedience For what sin didst thou ever look upon with the fullest delight of all thy senses in the enjoying of which thy most covetous troublesome importunate lusts would all rest satisfied but one minute of Heaven truly represented to thy heart would infinitely out-weigh A Turk is so affected with the expectation of his carnal Paradise those Catholick everlasting Stews which he fancies to himself for heaven that he will scarce taste any wine all his life-time for fear of disabling and depriving him of his lust he will be very
and lives not to gaze upon the Sun to the dazling nay destroying of your eyes but as it were in a burning-glass contract those blessed sanctifying rayes that flow from it to the enlivening and inflaming of your hearts And 2. In the behalf of others so to digest and inwardly dispense every part of sacred knowledge into each several member and vein of Body and Soul that it may transpire through hands and feet and heart and tongue and so secretly insinuate it self into all about you that both by Precept and Example they may see and follow your good works and so glorifie here your Father which is in heaven that we may all partake of that blessed Resurrection not of the learned and the great but the just and so hope and attain to be all glorified together with him hereafter Now to him c. SERMON II. PHIL. IV. 13 I can do all things through Christ that strengthneth me THose two contrary Heresies that cost St. Austin and the Fathers of his time so much pains the one all for natural strength the other for irrecoverable weakness have had such unkindly influence on succeeding ages that almost all the actions of the ordinary Christian have some tincture of one of these scarce any sin is sent abroad into the World without either this or that inscription And therefore parallel to these we may observe the like division in the hearts and practical faculties between pride and sloth opinion of absolute power and prejudice of absolute impotence the one undertaking all upon its own credit the other suing as it were for the preferment or rather excuse of being bankrupts upon record that so they may come to an easie composition with God for their debt of obedience the one so busie in contemplation of their present fortunes that they are not at leisure to make use of them their pride helping them to ease and if you look nearly to poverty too Revel iii. 17 the other so fastened to this Sanctuary this religious piece of prophaneness that leaving the whole business to God as the undertaker and proxy of their obedience their idleness shall be deemed devotion and their best piety sitting still These two differences of Men either sacrilegious or supine imperious or lethargical have so dichotomised this lower sphere of the World almost into two equal parts that the practice of humble obedience and obeying humility the bemoaning our wants to God with Petition to repair them and the observing and making use of those succors which God in Christ hath dispensed to us those two foundations of all Christian duty providing between them that our Religion be neither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither the vertue of the Atheist nor the prayer of the Sluggard are almost quite vanished out of the world as when the Body is torn asunder the Soul is without any farther act of violence forced out of its place that it takes its flight home to Heaven being thus let out at the Scissure as at the window and only the two fragments of carcass remain behind For the deposing of these two Tyrants that have thus usurped the Soul between them dividing the Live child with that false Mother into two dead parts for the abating this pride and enlivening this deadness of practical faculties for the scourging this stout Beggar and restoring this Cripple to his Legs the two Provisions in my Text if the order of them only be transposed and in Gods method the last set first will I may hope and pray prove sufficient I can do c. 1. Through Christ that strengthneth me You have there first the Assertion of the necessity of grace and secondly that enforced from the form of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which imports the minutely continual supply of aids and then thirdly we have not only positively but exclusively declared the person thus assisting in Christo confortante it is by him not otherwise we can do thus or thus Three particulars all against the natural confidence of the proud Atheist 2. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I can do all things First the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and secondly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The power and 2. the extent of that power 1. The potency and 2. the omnipotency and then 3. this not only originally of Christ that strengthneth but inherently of me being strengthned by Christ Three particulars again and all against the conceived or pretended impotence either of the false spie that brought news of the Giants Anakims Cannibals in the way to Canaan Numb xiii 32 Or of the Sluggard that is alway affrighting and keeping himself at home with the Lion in the streets some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or other difficulty or impossibility whensoever any work or travel of obedience is required of us Prov. xxvi 13 It will not befit the majesty of the subject to have so many particulars by being severally handled joyntly neglected Our best contrivance will be to shorten the retail for the encreasing of the gross to make the fewer parcels that we may carry them away the better in these three Propositions I. The strength of Christ is the Original and Fountain of all ours Through Christ that c. II. The strength of a Christian from Christ derived is a kind of Omnipotency sufficient for the whole duty of a Christian Can do all things c. III. The strength and power being thus bestowed the work is the work of a Christian of the suppositum the Man strengthned by Christ I can do c. Of these in this order for the removing only of those prejudices out of the Brain which may trash and encumber the practice of piety in the heart And first of the first The strength of Christ is the Original and Fountain of all ours The strength of Christ and that peculiarly of Christ the second Person of the Trinity who was appointed by consent to negotiate for us in the business concerning our Souls All our tenure or plea to grace or glory to depend not on any absolute respectless though free donation but conveyed to us in the hand of a Mediator that Privy Seal of his annexed to the Patent or else of no value at that Court of Pleas or that Grand Assizes of Souls Our Natural strength is the gift of God as God is considered in the first Article of our Creed and by that title of Creation we have that priviledge of all created substances to be able to perform the work of nature or else we should be inferior to the meanest creature in this for the least stone in the street is able to move downwards by its own principle of nature and therefore all that we have need of in the performing of these is only Gods concurrence whether previous or simultaneous and in acts of choice the government and direction of our will by his general providence and power However even in this Work of
that against which all these blows and malices rebound the only true sufferer all this while first in the very meditating and designing the malice all which space he lives not the life but the Hell of a Fiend or Devil that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that enemy-man as he is called his names-sake and parallel and again secondly in the executing of it that being one of the basest and most dishonourable imployments that of an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Angel or Officer of Satan's to buffet some precious Image of God which is to that purpose fill'd out of Satan's fulness swoln with all the venomous humour that that fountain can afford to furnish and accommodate him for this enterprise and then lastly after the satiating of his wrath a bloated guilty unhappy Creature one that hath fed at the Devils table swill'd and glutted himself in blood and now betrayes it all in his looks and complexion And as in our malices so Secondly in our loves in our softer as well as our rougher passions we generally drive quite contrary to our own ends and interests and if we obtain we find it experimentally the injoyment of what we pursue most vehemently proves not only unsatisfactory but grating hath to the vanity the addition of vexation also not only the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no manner of fruit then at the point of enjoying an empty paultry nothing but over and above the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shame and perturbation of mind the gripings and tormina of a confounded Conscience immediately consequent and 't would even grieve an enemy to hear the Apostle go on to the dear payment at the close for this sad nothing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex abundanti and over and above the end of those things is death And oh what a simplicity is this thus to seek out emptiness and death when we think we are on one of our advantagious pursuits in this errour of our ways as the Wise man calls it is sure a most prodigious mistake a most unfortunate errour and to have been guilty of it more than once the most unpardonable simplicity From our loves proceeding to our hopes which if it be any but the Christian hope than this hope on him 1 John iii. 3 i. e. hope on God and that joyned with purifying it is in plain terms the greatest contrariety to it self the perfectest desperateness and for secular hopes the expectation of good of advantages from this or that staff of Egypt the depending on this whether prophane or but ordinary innocent auxiliary 't is the forfeiting all our pretensions to that great aid of Heaven as they say the Loadstone draweth not when the Adamant is near 't is the taking us off from our grand trust and dependance setting us up independent from God and that must needs be the blasting of all our enterprises that even lawful aid of the Creature if it be looked on with any confidence as our helper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. i. beside or in separation from the Creator is and God is ingaged in honour that it should be struck presently from Heaven eaten up with worms like Herod when once its good qualities are deified broken to pieces with the brazen Serpent burnt and stampt to powder with the golden Calf and the strong shall be as tow Isa i. 31 the false Idol strength is but a prize for a flash of lightning to prey on And as St. Paul and Barnabas are fain to run in a passion upon the multitude that meant to do them worship with a Men and Brethren c. and the very Angel to St. John in Rev. xxii when he fell down before him vide ne feceris see thou do it not for fear if he had been so mistaken by him he might have forfeited his Angelical estate by that unluckiness so certainly the most honourable promising earthly help if it be once looked on with a confidence or an adoration if it steal off our eyes and hearts one minute from that sole waiting and looking on God 't is presently to expect a being thunder-struck from Heaven as hath been most constantly visible among us and that is all we get by this piece of simplicity also And it were well when our worldly hopes have proved thus little to our advantage our worldly fears in the next place might bring us in more profit But alas that passionate perturbation of our faculties stands us in no stead but to hasten and bring our fears upon us by precipitating them sometimes casting our selves into that abyss which we look on with such horrour running out to meet that danger which we would avoid so vehemently sometimes dispiriting and depriving us of all those succors which were present to our rescue the passion most treacherously betraying the aids which reason if it had been allowed admission was ready to have offered but perpetually anticipating that misery which is the thing we fear the terrour it self being greater disease sometimes constantly a greater reproach and contumely to a Masculine Spirit than any of the evils we are so industrious to avoid 'T is not a matter of any kind of evil report really to have suffered to have been squeez'd to atomes by an unremediable evil especially if it be for well-doing but to have been sick of the fright to have lavish'd our constancy courage conscience and all an Indian sacrifice to a Sprite or Mormo ne noceat to escape not a real evil but only an apprehension or terror this is a piece of the most destructive wariness the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest simplicity that can be I shall not inlarge the prospect any further as easily I might to our Unchristian Joys that do so dissolve our Unchristian Sorrows that do so contract and shrivel up the Soul and then as Themison and his old sect of Methodists resolv'd that the laxum and strictum the immoderate dissolution or constipation were the principles and originals of all diseases in the World so it will be likely to prove in our spiritual estate also nor again to our heathenish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rejoycing at the Mischiefs of other men which directly transform us into fiends and furies and reak no malice on any but our selves leave us a wasted wounded prostitute harrast Conscience to tire and gnaw upon Its own bowels and nothing else I have exercised you too long with so trivial a subject such an easie every days demonstration the wicked mans contradictions to all his aims his acting quite contrary to his very designs a second branch of his Character a second degree and advancement of his simplicity The Third notion of Simplicity is that of the Idiot the Natural as we call him he that hath some eminent failing in his intellectuals the laesum principium the pitcher or wheel in that 12. of Ecclesiastes I mean the faculty of understanding or reason broken or wounded at the fountain or cistern and so nothing
since erected its Babel proud and high imaginations out-bidding Heaven and God These were a long while forged in the Brain when instead of the acknowledgment of one true God all Monsters of Atheism filled the understanding sometimes with a multitude and shole of gods sometimes deprived it quite and left it utterly void of any But now at last the Devil and all the Atheism in the World being at last exorcised and banished out of the Brain by the evidence and power of truth hath like the Legion Luke viii which being cast out of the man had leave to enter the Swine fixt violently and taken possession and intrenched it self in the brutish bestial part the Affections All the swellings and tumors and ulcers that ever shewed themselves in any portion of the circumference are now retired into the center All the Atheism or Heresie that ever soared or floated in the Brain or surface of the Soul is now sunk into the heart and there the Devil is seated at ease there to set up and fortifie and contemn God for ever So that in brief the issue of all is this there is an infinite opposition and thwarting a profest combate and bandying of forces betwixt the will of Man and the Will of God God doing in a kind his best on one side and Man on the other God wonderfully willing and desirous that we should live man most perversely wilful to his own destruction This is a truth of a most dismal importance that concerns you to be instructed in and will not be more powerfully inforced on you from any place of Scripture than the Text which I have read to you Why will ye die It is God speaks it and with an infinite emphasis and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to note his passion and affectionateness in desiring our good and willing that we should live And then secondly Why will you die Mans resoluteness and stubborn wretchlesness towards his own ruine rushing or tumbling as in a praecipice violently to Hell like the swine which formerly our Wills were resembled to Luke viii 33 running full speed down a steep place into the Lake And these are like to prove the parts of my insuing discourse First Gods willingness that we should be saved Secondly Mans wilfulness toward his own damnation And of these plainly to your hearts not your ears not so much to advance your knowledge which though it could be raised to the tallest pitch might yet possibly bear thee company to Hell but rather to increase your zeal to work some one good inclination in you to perswade you to be content to suffer your selves to be saved to be but so tame as to be taken by Heaven that now even besieges you And with my affectionate Prayers for success to this design I will presume of your ears and patience and begin first with the first God's willingness that we should live Why will ye die Amongst all other prejudices and mis-conceits that our phansie can entertain of God I conceive not any so frequent or injurious to his Attributes as to imagin him to deal double with Man-kind in his Word seriously to will one thing and to make shew of another to deliver himself in one phrase and reserve himself in another It were an unnecessary officious undertaking to go about to be God's Advocate to apologize for him to vindicate his actions or in Job's phrase to accept the person of God Our proceedings will be more Christian if we take for a ground or principle that scorns to be beholding to an Artist for a proof that every word of God is an argument of his Will every action an interpreter of his Word So that howsoever he reveals himself either in his Scripture or his Works so certainly he wisheth and intends to us in his secret Counsels Every protestation of his love every indignation at our stubbornness every mercy confer'd on us and that not insidiously but with an intent to do us good are but ways and methods to express his Will are but rayes and emissions and gleams of that eternal Love which he exhibits to the World Now there is no way to demonstrate this willingness of God that we should live à priori or by any thing either in God or us preexistent as the cause of it unless it be his love which yet is rather its genus than its cause somewhat of larger extent though otherwise co-incident with it The more vulgar powerful convincing way is to inforce it to your hearts by its effects and those divers and familiar some few of which we will insist on And first and principally the sending of his Son 1 John iv 9 In this was manifest the love of God toward us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him Mark God's love to us in sending his Son that we might live through him his love the cause of this Mission this Mission the manifestation and argument of that love and that we live the end of both Had God been any way inclined to rigour or severity there had needed no great skill no artificial contrivance for a fair plausible execution of it It had been but passing us by the taking no notice of us the leaving of us in our blood Ezek. xvi and then Hell had presently opened its mouth upon us We were all cast out in the open field to the loathing of our persons in the day that we were born Ezek. xvi 5 ready for all the Vultures infernal to fix on that hideous Old Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eccles xiv 12 The Testament of Hell or in the mercifulest construction the Covenant of Grace had passed on us naturally then what infidelity now makes us condemned already our damnation sealed to us with our life born to no other inheritance but Hell as if the Devil had out of policy faln before Adam or rather descended and that in post like lightning Luke x. 18 lest if his journey from Heaven had been to have been performed after some other Creature should have intercepted him of his prey But God's Bowels were inlarged above the size wider than either the covetous gates of Hell or that horrid yawning head that is all mouth 'T was not within the Devil's skill to fear or suspect what a way of mercy and deliverance God had found out for us Somewhat he understood by the event the decay of his Prophetick Arts becoming now his Oracle and even his silence growing vocal to him But all this could not declare the Mystery at large when Christ was born he would have been rid of him betimes musters all his forces Pharisees and People Herods and Pilates Rome and Jerusalem and all the friends he had in the World to make away with him and yet when he was just come to the pâ—sh to the consummation of his Plot he was afraid to act it as in the Epistle ascribed to Ignatius the
that piercing Sun every atoâ—e of that flaming Sword as the word is phrased shall not though it be rebated vanish the day of Vengeance shall instruct your Souls that it was sent from God and since it was once refused hath been kept in store not to upbraid but damn you Many other petty occasions the Spirit ordinarily takes to put off the Cloud and open his Face toward us nay it were not a groundless doubt whether he do not always shine and the cloud be only in our hearts which makes us think the Sun is gone down or quite extinct if at any time we feel not his rays within us Beloved there be many things amongst us that single fire can do nothing upon they are of such a stubborn frozen nature there must be some material thing for the fire to consist in a sharp iron red hot that may bore as well as burn or else there is small hopes of conquering them Many men are so hardned and congealed in sin that the ordinary beam of the Spirit cannot hope to melt them the fire must come consubstantiate with some solid instrument some sound corpulent piercing judgment or else it will be very unlikely to thrive True it is the Spirit is an omnipotent Agent which can so invisibly infuse and insinuate its virtue through the inward man that the whole most enraged adversary shall presently fall to the earth Act. ix the whole carnal man lie prostrate and the sinner be without delay converted and this is a Miracle which I desire from my heart might be presently shewed upon every Soul here present But that which is to my present purpose is only this That God hath also other manners and ways of working which are truly to be said to have descended from Heaven though they are not so successful as to bring us thither other more calm and less boysterous influences which if they were received into an honest heart might prove semen immortalitatis and in time encrease and grow up to immortality There is no such encumbrance to trash us in our Christian Progress as a phansie that some men get possessed with that if they are elected they shall be called and saved in spight of their teeth every man expecting an extraordinary call because Saul met with one and perhaps running the more fiercely because Saul was then called when he was most violent in his full speed of malice against Christians In this behalf all that I desire of you is First to consider that though our regeneration be a miracle yet there are degrees of miracles and thou hast no reason to expect that the greatest and strongest miracle in the world shall in the highest degree be shewed in thy Salvation Who art thou that Gâ—â— should take such extraordinary pains with thee Secondly To resolve that many precious rays and beams of the Spirit though when they enter they come with power yet through our neglect may prove transitory pass by that heart which is not open for them And then thirdly You will easily be convinced that no duty concerns us all so strictly as to observe as near as we can when thus the Spirit appears to us to collect and muster up the most lively quick-sighted sprightfullest of our faculties and with all the perspectives that spiritual Opticks can furnish us with to lay wait for every glance and glimpse of its fire or light We have ways in nature to apprehend the beams of the Sun be they never so weak and languishing and by uniting them into a Burning-Glass to turn them into a fire Oh that we were as witty and sagacious in our spiritual estate then it were easie for those sparks which we so often either contemn or stifle to thrive within us and at least break forth into a flame In brief Incogitancy and inobservance of Gods seasons supine numbness and negligence in spiritual affairs may on good grounds be resolved on as the main or sole cause of our final impenitence and condemnation it being just with God to take those away in a sleep who thus walked in a dream and at last to refuse them whom he hath so long sollicited He that hath scorned or wasted his inheritance cannot complain if he dies a bankrupt nor he that hath spent his candle at play count it hard usage that he is fain to go to bed darkling It were easie to multiply arguments on this theme and from every minute of our lives to discern some pawn and evidence of Gods fatherly will and desire that we should live Let it suffice that we have been large if not abundant in these three chief ones First The giving of his Son to the World Secondly Dispatching the Gospel to the Gentiles And lastly The sending of his Spirit We come now to a view of the opposite trenches which lie pitched at the Gates of Hell obstinate and peremptory to besiege and take it Mans resolvedness and wilfulness to die my second part Why will you die There is no one conceit that engages us so deep to continue in sin that keeps us from repentance and hinders any seasonable Reformation of our wicked lives as a perswasion that God's will is a cause of all events Though we are not so blasphemous as to venture to define God the Author of sin yet we are generally inclined for a phansie that because all things depend on God's decree whatsoever we have done could not be otherwise all our care could not have cut off one sin from the Catalogue And so being resolved that when we thus sinned we could not chuse we can scarce tell how to repent for such necessary fatal misdemeanors the same excuses which we have for having sinned formerly we have for continuing still and so are generally better prepared for Apologies than Reformation Beloved it will certainly much conduce to our edification instead of this speculation whose grounds or truth I will not now examine to fix this practical theorem in our hearts that the will of man is the principal cause of all our evil that death either as it is the punishment of sin eternal death or as it is the sin it self a privation of the life of grace spiritual death is wholly to be imputed to our wilful will It is a Probleme in Aristotle why some Creatures are longer in conceiving bringing forth than others and the sensiblest reason he gives for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the hardness of the Womb which is like dry earth that will not presently give any nourishment to either seed or plant and so is it in the spiritual conception and production of Christ that is of life in us The hardness and toughness of the heart the womb where he is to be born that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that dry Earth in the Philosophers or that way-side or at best stony ground in Christ's phrase is the only stop and delay in begetting of life within us the only cause of either barrenness or hard
travail in the Spirit Be the brain never so soft and pliable never so waxy and capable of impressions yet if the heart be but carnal if it have any thing much of that lust of the flesh 1 John ii 15 in its composition it will be hard for the spiritual life to be conceived in that man For Faith the only means by which Christ lives and dwells in us Ephes iii. 17 is to be seated in the heart i. e. the will and affections according to the express words That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith So that be your brains never so swelled and puft up with perswasions of Christ our Saviour be they so big that they are ready to lye in and travail of Christ as Jove's did of Minerva in the Poem yet if the heart have not joyned in the conception if the seed sown have not taken root and drawn nourishment from the will it is but an aerial or phantastical birth or indeed rather a disease or tympany nay though it come to some proof and afterward extend and encrease in limbs and proportions never so speciously yet if it be only in the brain neither is this to be accounted solid nourishment and augmentation but such as a Camalion may be thought to have that feeds on air and it self is little better and in sum not growth but swellings So then if the will either by nature or custom of sinning by familiarity and acquaintance making them dote on sensual objects otherwise unamiable by business and worldly ambitious thoughts great enemies to faith or by pride and contentment both very incident to noble Personages and great Wits to Courtiers and Scholars In brief if this Will the stronger and more active part of the Soul remain carnal either in indulgence to many or which is the snare of judicious men in chief of some one prime sin then cannot all the faith in the world bring that man to Heaven It may work so much miracle as Simon Magus is said to have done who undertook to raise the dead give motion to the head make the eyes look up or the tongue speak but the lower part of the man and that the heaviest will by no charm or spell be brought to stir but weigh and sink even into Hell will still be carcass and corruption Damnation is his birth-right Ecclus xx 25 And it is impossible though not absolutely yet ex hypothesi the second Covenant being now sealed even for God himself to save him or give him life It is not David's Musick that exorcised and quieted Saul's evil spirit nor Pythagora's Spondees that tamed a man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set him right in his wits for ever that can work any effect on a fleshy heart So that Chrysostom would not wonder at the voice that cryed O Altar Altar hear the voice of the Lord because Jeroboam's heart was harder than that nor will I find fault with Bonaventure that made a solemn prayer for a stony heart as if it were more likely to receive impression than that which he had already of flesh It were long to insist on the wilfulness of our fleshy hearts how they make a faction within themselves and bandy faculties for the Devil how when grace and life appear and make profer of themselves all the carnal affections like them in the Gospel Joyn all with one consent to make excuses nothing in our whole lives we are so sollicitous for as to get off fairly to have made a cleanly Apology to the invitations of God's Spirit and yet for a need rather than go we will venture to be unmannerly We have all married a Wife espoused our selves to some amiable delight or other we cannot we will not come The Devil is wiser in his generation than we he knows the price and value of a Soul and will pay any rate for it rather than lose his market he will give all the riches in the world rather than miss And we at how low a rate do we prize it it is the cheapest commodity we carry about us The beggarliest content under Heaven is fair is rich enough to be given in exchange for the Soul Spiritus non ponderat saith the Philosopher the Soul being a spirit when we put it into the balance weighs nothing nay more than so it is lighter than vanity lighter than nothing i. e. it doth not only weigh nothing but even lifts up the scale it is put into when nothing is weighed against it How many sins how many vanities how many idols i. e. in the Scripture phrase how many nothings be there in the world each of which will out-weigh and preponderate the Soul It were tedious to observe and describe the several ways that our devilish sagacity hath found out to speed our selves to damnation to make quicker dispatch in that unhappy rode than ever Elias his fiery Chariot could do toward Heaven Our daily practice is too fâ—ll of arguments almost every minute of our lives as it is an example so is it a proof of it Our pains will be employed to better purpose if we leave that as a worn beaten common place and betake our selves to a more necessary Theme a close of Exhortation And that shall be by way of Treaty as an Ambassador sent from God that you will lay down your arms that you will be content to be friends with God and accept of fair terms of composition which are That as you have thus long been enemies to God proclaiming hostility and perpetually opposing every merciful will of his by that wilfulness so now being likely to fall into his hands you will prevent that ruine you will come in and whilst it is not too late submit your selves that you may not be forced as Rebels and Outlaws but submit as Servants This perhaps may be your last parley for peace and if you stand out the battery will begin suddenly and with it the horrendum est Heb. x. 31 It is a fearful hideous thing to fall into the hands of the living God All that remains upon our wilful holding out may be the doom of Apostates from Christianity a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation that shall devour the adversaries Vers 27. And methinks the very emphasis in my Text notes as much Why will you die As if we were just now falling into the Pit and there were but one minute betwixt this time of our jollity and our everlasting hell Do but lay this one circumstance to your hearts do but suppose your selves on a Bed of sickness laid at with a violent burning Fever such a one as shall finally consume the whole world as it were battered with thundering and lightning and besieged with fire where the next throw or plunge of thy disease may possibly separate thy soul from thy body and the mouth of Hell just then open and yawning at thee and then suppose there were one only minute wherein a serious resigning up
thy self to God might recover you to Heaven O then what power and energy what force and strong efficacy would there be in this voice from God Why will you die I am resolved that heart that were truly sensible of it that were prepared seasonably by all these circumstances to receive it would find such inward vigor and spirit from it that it would strike death dead in that one minute this ultimus conatus this last spring and plunge would do more than a thousand heartless heaves in a lingring sickness and perhaps overcome and quit the danger And therefore let me beseech you to represent this condition to your selves and not any longer be flattered or couzened in a slow security To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts If you let it alone till this day come in earnest you may then perhaps heave in vain labour and struggle and not have breath enough to send up one sigh toward Heaven The hour of our death we are wont to call Tempus improbabilitatis a very improbable inch of time to build our Heaven in as after death is impossibilitatis a time wherein it is impossible to recover us from Hell If nothing were required to make us Saints but outward performances if true repentance were but to groan and Faith but to cry Lord Lord we could not promise our selves that at our last hour we should be sufficient for that perhaps a Lethargy may be our fate and then what life or spirits even for that perhaps a Fever may send us away raving in no case to name God but only in oaths and curses and then it were hideous to tell you what a Bethlehem we should be carried to But when that which must save us must be a work of the Soul and a gift of God how can we promise our selves that God will be so merciful whom we have till then contemned or our souls then capable of any holy impression having been so long frozen in sin and petrified even into Adamant Beloved as a man may come to such an estate of grace here that he may be most sure he shall not fall as St. Paul in likelihood was when he resolved that nothing could separate him So may a man be engaged so far in sin that there is no rescuing from the Devil There is an irreversible estate in evil as well as good and perhaps I may have arrived to that before my hour of death for I believe Pharaoh was come to it Exod. ix 34 after the seventh Plague hardning his heart and then I say it is possible that thou that hitherto hast gone on in habituate stupid customary rebellions mayst be now at this minute arrived to this pitch That if thou run on one pace farther thou art engaged for ever past recovery And therefore at this minute in the strength of your age and lusts this speech may be as seasonable as if death were seizing on you Why will you die At what time soever thou repentest God will have mercy but this may be the last instant wherein thou canst repent the next sin may benumb or fear thy heart that even the pangs of death shall come on thee insensibly that the rest of thy life shall be a sleep or lethargy and thou lie stupid in it till thou findest thy self awake in flames Oh if thou shouldst pass away in such a sleep Again I cannot tell you whether a death-bed repentance shall save you or no. The Spouse sought Christ on her bed but found him not Cant. iii. 1 The last of Ecclesiastes would make a man suspect that remembring God when our feeble impotent age comes on us would stand us in little stead Read it for it is a most learned powerful Chapter This I am sure of God hath chosen to himself a people zealous of good works Tit. ii 14 And they that find not some of this holy fire alive within them till their Souls are going out have little cause to think themselves of God's election So that perhaps there is something in it that Matth. iii. 8 the Exhortation Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance is exprest by a sense that ordinarily signifies time past 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have brought forth fruits It will not be enough upon an exigence when there is no way but one with me to be inclinable to any good works to resolve to live well when I expect to die I must have done this and more too in my life if I expect any true comfort at my death There is not any point we err more familiarly in and easily than our spiritual condition what is likely to become of us after death Any slight phansie that Christ died for us in particular we take for a Faith that will be sure to save us Now there is no way to preserve our selves from this Error but to measure our Faith and Hopes by our Obedience that if we sincerely obey God then are we true believers And this cannot well be done by any that begins not till he is on his Death-bed be his inclinations to good then never so strong his faith in Christ never so lusty yet how knows he whether it is only fear of death and a conviction that in spight of his teeth he must now sin no longer that hath wrought these inclinations produced this faith in him Many a sick man resolves strongly to take the Physicians dose in hope that it will cure him yet when he comes to taste its bitterness will rather die than take it If he that on his Death-bed hath made his solemnest severest Vows should but recover to a possibility of enjoying those delights which now have given him over I much fear his fiercest resolutions would be soon out-dated Such inclinations that either hover in the Brain only or float on the Surface of the Heart are but like those wavering temporary thoughts Jam. i. 6 Like a wave of the Sea driven by the wind and tost they have no firmness or stable consistence in the Soul it will be hard to build Heaven on so slight a foundation All this I have said not to discourage any tender languishing Soul but by representing the horrors of death to you now in health to instruct you in the doctrine of Mortality betimes so to speed and hasten your Repentance Now as if to morrow would be too late as if there were but a small Isthmus or inch of ground between your present mirth and jollity and your everlasting earnest To gather up all on the Clue Christ is now offered to you as a Jesus The times and sins of your Heathenism and unbelief God winked at Acts xvii 30 The Spirit proclaims all this by the Word to your hearts and now God knows if ever again commands all men every where to repent Oh that there were such a Spirit in our hearts such a zeal to our eternal bliss and indignation at Hell that we would give one heave and
many times very friendly and peaceably together do not quarrel in an Age or pass an affront or cross word Knowledge doth seldom justle or offer violences to the desires of the flesh a man may be very knowing and very lewd of a towring Brain and a groveling Soul rich in speculation and poor in practice But for the other pair they are like opposite signs in the Heaven have but a vicissitude of presence or light in our Hemisphere never appear or shine together Faith lusteth and struggleth against the flesh and the flesh against Faith The carnal part is as afraid of Faith as the Devil was of Christ for Faith being seated in the concurrence of the dictate of judgment and on the other side the sway of the affections the one must either couch or be banished at the others entrance and then it cries out in the voice of the Devil Mark i. 24 What have I to do with thee or as the words will bear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What communion can there be betwixt me and thee thou precious Grace of God Art thou come to torment and dispossess me before my time O what a stir there is in the flesh when faith comes to take its throne in the heart as at the news of Christ's Incarnation corporal so at his spiritual Herod the King is troubled and all Jerusalem with him Matth. ii 3 All the reigning Herod sins and all the Jerusalem of habitual ruling lusts and affections are in great disorder as knowing that this new King abodes their instant destruction It was Aristotles observation that the Mathematicks being an abstract knowledge had nothing in them contrary to Passions and therefore young men and dissolute might study and prove great proficients in them if they had but a good apprehension there was no more required and that perhaps is the reason that such studies as these History and Geometry and the like go down pleasantliest with those which have no design upon Books but only to rid them of some hours which would otherwise lie on their hands The most studious of our Gentry ordinarily deal in them as inoffensive tame peaceable studies which will never check them for any the most inordinate affections But of Morality saith he and practical knowledge a young man or intemperate is uncapable you may make him con the precepts without Book or say them by roat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He cannot be said to believe a word of them his heart is so possest with green fresh boisterous lusts that he cannot admit any sober precepts any further than his memory If you are in earnest with him to apply and practise what he reads you exact of him beyond his years he is not solemn enough for so sad severe imployment and therefore it is concluded that he is fit for any intellectual vertue rather than prudence this consists in a peaceable temper of the mind an Artist he may prove and never live the better suppose him one of youthful luxuriant desires and never think he will be taught to live by rule all the learning and study in Books will never give him Aristotles Moral prudence much less our spiritual which is by interpretation Faith And this is the second ground of Infidelity amongst Christians the competibility of knowledge and incompetibility of true Faith with carnal desires The third is The easiness of giving assent to generalities and difficulty of particular Application A common truth delivered in general terms is received without any opposition should it be proposed whether nothing be to be done but that which is just whether drunkenness were not a vice whether only an out-side of Religion would ever save a man No man would ever quarrel about it When thus Nathan and David discoursed they were both of one mind the one could talk no more against unconscionable dealing than the other would assent to If you propose no other Problemes than these the debauched'st man under Heaven would not dispute against you But all quarrelling saith the Stoick is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 About the Application of general granted Rules to personal private Cases The Jews and Assyrians and Aegyptians and Romans are all agreed that holiness is to be preferred above all things but whether it be not impious to eat swines flesh and the like which of them observes the rules of holiness most exactly there the strife begins Common general declamations against sin are seldom ever offensive and therefore the Master of Rhetoricks finds fault with them as dull liveless unprofitable Eloquence that no man is affected with The cowardliest Bird in the Air is not afraid of the Faulcon as long as she sees him soaring and never stoop but when the Axe that was carried about the Wood threatning all indifferently shall be laid to the Root of the Tree when Nathan shall rejoynder with a Thou art the man and St. Paul come home to his Corinthians after his declamation against Fornicators and Idolaters with And such were some of you 1 Cor. vi 11 then their hearts come to the touchstone this is a trial of their belief if they will forsake their sins which before their judgment condemned at a distance if they will practise the holiness and integrity which they were content to hear commended That famous War of the Trojans and Iliads of Misery following it in Homer were all from this ground The two great Captains at the Treaty agree very friendly that just dealing was very strictly to be observed by all men and yet neither would one of them restore the Pawn committed to his trust nor the other divide the spoils Each as resolute not to practise as both before unanimous to approve There is not a thing more difficult in the World than to perswade a carnal man that that which concerns all men should have any thing to do with him that those promises of Christ which are confest to be the most pretious under Heaven should be fitter for his turn then this amiable lovely sin that now sollicites him That Scripture is inspired by God and therefore in all its dictates to be believed and obeyed is a thing fully consented on amongst Christians we are so resolved on it that it is counted but a dull barren question in the Schools a man can invent nothing to say against by way of argument and if a Preacher in a Sermon should make it his business to prove it to you you would think he either suspected you for Turks or had little else to say but when a particular truth of Scripture comes in ballance with a pleasing sin when the general prohibition strikes at my private lust all my former assent to Scripture is vanished I am hurried into the imbraces of my beloved delight Thus when Paul reasoned of temperance righteousness and judgment to come Felix trembled Acts xxiv 25 His trembling shews that he assented to Paul's discourse and as in the Devils Jam. ii 29 it was
an effect of a general belief but this subject of temperance and judgment to come agreed not with Felix his course of life His wife Drusilla was held by usurpation he had to led her away from her husband the King of the Emiseni saith Josephus and therefore he could hear no more of it he shifts and complements it off till another time and never means to come in such danger again to be converted for fear of a divorce from his two treasures his Heathenism and his Whore Thus was Agrippa converted from the shoulders upward which he calls Almost a Christian or as the phrase may be rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little way Acts xxvi 28 convinced to the general truths in his brain but the lower half his heart and affections remained as Heathenish as ever And this is the third ground of practical unbelief that generalities can be cheaply believed without parting from any thing we prize The Doctrine of the Trinity can be received and thwart never a carnal affection as being an inoffensive truth Christ's sufferings and satisfaction for sin by the natural man may be heard with joy but particular application is very difficult That our obedience to every command of that Trinity must be sincere that we must forego all and hate our own flesh to adhere to so merciful a Saviour and express our love to the most contemptible Soul under Heaven as he hath loved us that we must at last expect him in majesty as a Judge whom we are content to hug and embrace in his humility as a Saviour This is a bloody word as Moses his wife counted the Circumcision too harsh and rough to be received into such pampered tender fleshy hearts The fourth ground is a general humor that is gotten in the World To take care of nothing but our reputations Nor God nor life nor soul nor any thing can weigh with it in the ballance Now it is a scandalous thing a soul blot to ones name to be counted an Atheist an arrant Infidel where all are Christians and therefore for fashions sake we will believe and yet sometime the Devil hath turned this humor quite the contrary way and made some men as ambitious of being counted Atheists as others of being Christians It will shortly grow into a gentile garb and part of courtship to disclaim all Religion in shew as well as deeds Thus are a world of men in the World either profest Atheists or Atheistical Professors upon the same grounds of vain-glory the one to get the other to save their reputation in the World Thus do many men stand up at the Creed upon the same terms as Gallants go into the field that have but small maw to be killed only to keep their honor that they might not be branded and mocked for cowards And yet certainly in the truth these are the veriest dastards under Heaven no worldly man so fearful of death or pious man of hell as these are of disgrace The last ground I shall mention and indeed the main of all is The subtlety and wiliness of the Devil He hath tried all his stratagems in the World and hath found none like this for the undermining and ruining of Souls to suffer them to advance a pretty way in Religion to get their heads full of knowledge that so they may think they have faith enough and walk to hell securely The Devil 's first policies were by Heresies to corrupt the Brain to invade and surprize Christianity by force but he soon saw this would not hold out long he was fain to come from batteries to mines and supplant those Forts that he could not vanquish The Fathers and amongst them chiefly Leo in all his writings within the first Five hundred years after Christ observe him at this ward Vt quos vincere ferro flammisque non poterat cupiditatibus irretiret sub falsâ Christiani nominis professione corrumperet He hoped to get more by lusts than heresies and to plunge men deepest in an high conceit of their holy Faith He had learned by experience from himself that all the bare knowledg in the World would never sanctifie it would perhaps give men content and make them confident and bold of their estate and by presuming on such grounds and prescribing merit to Heaven by their Lord Lord even seal them up to the day of damnation and therefore it is ordinary with Satan to give men the tether a great way lest they should grumble at his tyranny and prove Apostates from him upon hard usage Knowledg is pleasant and books are very good Company and therefore if the Devil should bind men to ignorance our Speculators and Brain-Epicures would never be his Disciples they would go away sadly as the young man from Christ who was well affected with his service but could not part with his riches Mat. xix 22 So then you shall have his leave to know and believe in God as much as you please so you will not obey him and be as great Scholars as Satan himself so you will be as prophane The heart of Man is the Devils Palace where he keeps his state and as long as he can strengthen himself there by a guard and band of lusts he can be content to afford the out-works to God divine speculation and never be disturbed or affrighted by any enemy at such a distance Thus have you the grounds also whereupon true Faith which is best defined a spiritual prudence an application of spiritual knowledg to holy practice should be so often wanting in men which are very knowing and the fairest Professors of Christianity Now lest this discourse also should reach no further than your ears lest that which hath been said should be only assented to in the general as true not applied home to your particular practices and so do you no more good than these general professions did here to the Jews only to prove you perjur'd Hypocrites swearing falsly whilst you say the Lord liveth we will endeavour to leave some impression upon your hearts by closing all with Application And that shall be in brief meekly to desire you and if that will not serve the turn by all the mercies of Heaven and horrors of Hell to adjure you to examine your selves on these two interrogatories which my Text will suggest to you First Whether you are as good as the Jews here Secondly Whether you are not the best of you altogether as bad For the first the Jews here said the Lord liveth were very forward to profess and 't were some though but a low measure of commendation for us to be no worse than Jews Let there go a severe inquisition out from the Royal Majesty over the whole Court or at least from every particular man upon himself and bring in an impartial Verdict whether there be not some amongst you that are not come thus far as to say The Lord liveth Some are so ingaged in a trade of
from off the earth what means have we left us but our prayers to prepare or mature this reconciliation Shall we then take heart also and bring in our action of trespass Shall we sit and pen our railing accusation in the form that Christ uses against the Pharisees Mat. xxiii 13 Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees Hypocrites for you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men for you neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in This we might do upon better grounds were we so revengefully disposed but we fear to incur our Saviour's censure Luke ix 55 And he turn'd and rebuk't them saying Ye know not what manner of spirits ye are of We should much mistake our Christian spirit if we should not in return to their curses intercede with God in prayer for them First that he will bestow on them the grace of meekness or charity then sincerity and uprightness without wilful blindness and partiality and lastly to intercede for the salvation of all our souls together And this is the only way St. Paul hath left us Rom. xii 20 by returning them good to melt them hoping and praying in the words of Solomon that by long forbearing this great Prince of the West will be perswaded and that our soft tongues may in time break the bone But whilst we preach charity to them shall we not betray partiality in our selves by passing over that uncharitable fire that is breaking out in our own Chimnies 'T were to be wished that this Christian grace which is liberal enough of it self would be entertain'd as gratefully as it is preach't we should not then have so many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sons of fire amongst us as we have who being inflam'd some with faction others with ignorant prejudice others with doting on their own abilities fall out into all manner of intemperate censures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of the sword all sharp contumelious invectives against all persons or doctrines or lives that are not ordered or revised by them For what Photius out of Josephus observes among others to have been one main cause or prognostick of the destruction of Jerusalem the civil wars betwixt the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Zelots and the Cut-throats pray God we find not the same success amongst us Whilst the Zelots saith he fell on the Sicarii the whole body of the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was bitterly and unmercifully butcher'd betwixt them and under one of those two names all the People were brought to suffer their part in the massacre I desire not to chill or damp you with unnecessary fears or to suspect that our sins shall be so unlimited as utterly to out-vie and over-reach God's mercies But beloved this ill bloud that is generally nourish't amongst us if it be not a Prognostick of our fate is yet an ill Symptome of our disease These convulsions and distortions of one member of the body from another as far as it can possibly be distended this burning heat and from thence raving and disquietness of the soul are certainly no very comfortable Symptomes When the Church and Kingdom must be dichotomiz'd precisely divided into two extreme parts and all moderate persons by each extreme tossed to the other with furious prejudice must brand all for Hereticks or carnal persons that will not undergo their razor And then the contrary extreme censure and scoff at their preciseness that will not bear them company to every kind of riot These beloved are shrewd feaverish distempers pray God they break not forth into a flame When the boat that goes calmly with the stream in the midst of two impetuous rowers shall be assaulted by each of them for opposing or affronting each when the moderate Christian shall be branded on the one hand for preciseness on the other for intemperance on the one side for a Puritan on the other for a Papist or a Remonstrant when he that keeps himself from either extreme shall yet be intituled to both what shall we say is become of that ancient Primitive charity and moderation The use beloved that I desire to make of all this shall not be to declaim at either but only by this compass to find out the true point that we must sail by By this saith Aristotle you shall know the golden mediocrity that it is complained on both sides as if it were both extremes that may you define to be exact liberality which the covetous man censures for prodigality and the prodigal for covetousness And this shall be the summ not only of my advice to you but prayers for you that in the Apostles phrase your moderation may be known unto all men by this livery and cognizance that you are indited by both extreams And if there be any such Satanical art crept in amongst us of authorizing errors or sins on one side by pretending zeal and earnestness against their contraries as Photius observes that it was a trick of propagating heresies by writing books intitled to the confutation of some other heresie the Lord grant that this evil spirit may be either laid or cast out either fairly led or violently hurried out of our coasts I have done with the Pharisees censoriousness I come now in the last place to the ground or rather occasion of it his seeing the Publican comparing himself with notorious sinners I thank thee that c. That verse 1 Cor. xv 33 which St. Paul cites out of Menanders Thais that wicked communication corrupts good manners is grounded on this moral essay that nothing raiseth up so much to good and great designs as emulation that he that casts himself upon such low company that he hath nothing to imitate or aspire to in them is easily perswaded to give over any farther pursuit of virtue as believing that he hath enough already because none of his acquaintance hath any more thus have many good wits been cast away by falling unluckily into bad times which could yield them no hints for invention no examples of poetry nor encouragement for any thing that was extraordinary And this is the Pharisees fate in my Text that looking upon himself either in the deceivable glass of the sinful world or in comparison with notorious sinners extortioners adulterers Publicans sets himself off by these foils finds nothing wanting in himself so is solaced with a good comfortable opinion of his present estate and a slothful negligence of improving it And this beloved is the ordinary lenitive which the Devil administers to the sharp unquiet diseases of the conscience if at any time they begin to rage the only conserve that he folds his bitterest receipts in that they may go down undiscern'd that we are not worse than other men that we shall be sure to have companions to Hell nay that we need not neither at all fear that danger for if Heaven gates be so strait as not to
that we again in the Gentilism of our Fathers were all deeply plunged in a double common damnation how are we to humble our selves infinitely above measure to stretch and rack and torture every power of our souls to its extent thereby to enlarge and aggravate the measure of this guilt against our selves which hitherto perhaps we have not taken notice of There is not a better 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the world no more powerful medicine for the softning of the soul and keeping it in a Christian tenderness than this lading it with all the burdens that its common or private condition can make it capable of this tiring of it out and bringing it down into the dust in the sense of its spiritual engagements For 't is impossible for him who hath fully valued the weight of his general guilts each of which hath lead enough to sink the most corky vain fluctuating proud stubborn heart in the world 't is impossible I say for him either wilfully to run into any actual sins or insolently to hold up his head in the pride of his integrity This very one meditation that we all hear might justly have been left in heathenism and that the sins of the Heathens shall be imputed to us their children if we do not repent is enough to loosen the toughest strongest spirit to melt the flintiest heart to humble the most elevated soul to habituate it with such a sense of its common miseries that it shall never have courage or confidence to venter on the danger of particular Rebellions 2. From the view of their ignorance or impiety which was of so hainous importance to examine our selves by their indictment 1. For our learning 2. For our lives 3. For the life of grace in us 1. For our learning Whether that be not mixed with a great deal of Atheistical ignorance with a delight and aquiescence and contentation in those lower Elements which have nothing of God in them whether we have not sacrificed the liveliest and spritefullest part of our age and souls in these Philological and Physical disquisitions which if they have not a perpetual aspect and aim at Divinity if they be not set upon in that respect and made use of to that purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Clement their best friend they are very hurtful and of dangerous issue Whether out of our circle of humane heathen learning whence the Fathers produced precious antidotes we have not suckt the poyson of unhallowed vanity and been fed either to a pride and ostentation of our secular or a satiety or loathing of our Theological learning as being too coarse and homely for our quainter palates Whether our studies have not been guilty of those faults which cursed the Heathen knowledge as trusting to our selves or wit and good parts like the Philosophers in Athenagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. not vouchsafing to be taught by God even in matters of religion but every man consulting and believing and relying on his own reason Again in making our study an instrument only to satisfie our curiosity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only as speculators of some unknown truths not intending or desiring thereby either to promote vertue good works or the Kingdom of God in our selves or which is the ultimate end which only commends and blesses our study or knowledge the glory of God in others 2. In our lives to examine whether there are not also many relicks of heathenism altars erected to Baalim to Ceres to Venus and the like Whether there be not many amongst us whose God is their belly their back their lust their treasure or that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that earthly unknown God whom we have no one name for and therefore is called at large the God of the world Whether we do not with as much zeal and earnestness and cost serve and worship many earthy vanities which our own phansies deifie for us as ever the Heathen did their multitude and shole of gods And in brief whether we have not found in our selves the sins as well as the blood of the Gentiles and acted over some or all the abominations set down to judge our selves by Rom. i. from the 21 verse to the end Lastly for the life of grace in us Whether many of us are not as arrant heathens as mere strangers from spiritual illumination and so from the mystical Commonwealth of Israel as any of them Clem. Strom. 2. calls the life of your unregenerate man a Heathen life and the first life we have by which we live and move and grow and see but understand nothing and 't is our regeneration by which we raise our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from being still mere Gentiles and Tatianus farther that without the spirit we differ from beasts only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the articulation of our voice So that in fine neither our reason nor Christian profession distinguisheth us either from beasts or Gentiles only the spirit in the formalis ratio by which we excel and differ from the Heathen sons of darkness Wherefore I say to conclude we must in the clearest calm and serenity of our souls make a most earnest search and inquest on our selves whether we are yet raised out of this heathenism this ignorance this unregeneracy of nature and elevated any degree in the estate of grace and if we find our selves still Gentiles and which is worse than that still senseless of that our condition we must strive and work and pray our selves out of it and not suffer the temptations of the flesh the temptations of our nature the temptations of the world nay the temptations of our secular proud learning lull us one minute longer in that carnal security lest after a careless unregenerate natural life we die the death of those bold not vigilant but stupid Philosophers And for those of us who are yet any way Heathenish either in our learning or lives which have nothing but the name of Christians to exempt us from the judgment of their ignorance O Lord make us in time sensible of this our condition and whensoever we shall humble our selves before thee and confess unto thee the sinfulness of our nature the ignorance of our Ancestors and every man the plague of his own heart and repent and turn and pray toward thy house then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and when thou hearest forgive remember not our offences nor the offences of our Heathen Fathers neither take thou vengeance of our sins but spare us O Lord spare thy people whom thy Son hath redeemed and thy spirit shall sanctifie from the guilt and practice of their rebellions Now to God who hath elected us hath c. Pars Secunda SERMON XIII ACTS XVII 30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commandeth all men every where to repent THey which come from either mean or dishonoured Progenitors will desire to make up their Fathers defect by
Mistress of their actions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a creature sent on purpose to preserve them and these saith he deserve not to be chid but pitied for nature at first appointed them this condition of life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 't is their birthright and inheritance and therefore no body will be angry with them for living on it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. But for them who were made Creatures of light and had it not been for their wilfulness had still continued light in the Lord who are altogether encompast and environed with light light of nature light of reason light of religion nay the most glorious asterism or conjunction of lights in the World the light of the Gospel to walk in for these men meerly out of perverseness of wilful hearts to hate and abjure and defy this light to run out of the World almost for fear of it to be for ever a solliciting and worshipping of darkness as Socrates was said to adore the Clouds this is such a sottishness that the stupidst Element under Heaven would naturally scorn to be guilty of for never was the earth so peevish as to forbid the Sun when it would shine on it or to sâ—ink away or subduce it self from its rayes And yet this is our case beloved who do more amorously and flatteringly court and woo and sollicite darkness than ever the Heathens adored the Sun Not to wander out of the sphere my Text hath placed me in to shew how the light of the Gospel and Christianity is neglected by us our guilt will ly heavy enough on us if we keep us to the light only of natural reason within us How many sins do we daily commit which both nature and reason abhor and loath How many times do we not only unman but even uncreature our selves Aristotle observes that that by which any thing is known first that which doth distinguish one thing from another à priore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be called the beginning or cause of that thing and that the light of reason distinguishing one action from another being the first thing that teaches me that this is good that otherwise may from thence be termed the beginning of every reasonable action in us and then where ever this cause or beginning is left out and wanting there the thing produced is not so called a positive act or proper effect but a defect an abortion or still-born frustrate issue and of this condition indeed is every sin in us Every action where this Law within us is neglected is not truly an action but a passion a suffering or a torment of the Creature Thus do we not so much live and walk which note some action as ly entranced asleep nay dead in sin by this perverseness 't is perpetual night with us nay we even dy daily our whole life is but a multiplyed swoon or lethargy in which we remain stupid breathless senseless till the day of Death or Judgment with a hideous Voice affrights and rouses us and we find our selves awake in Hell and so our dark Souls having a long while groped wilfully in the Sun are at last lead to an Everlasting inevitable darkness whither the mercy or rays of the Sun can never pierce where it will be no small accession to our torment to remember and tremble at that light which before we scorn'd Thus I say do we in a manner uncreature our selves and by the contempt of this Law of our Creation even frustrate and bring to nothing our Creation it self and this is chiefly by sins of sloth and stupid sluggish unactive Vices which as I said make our whole life a continued passion never daring or venturing or attempting to act or do any thing in Church or Commonwealth either toward God or our Neighbour and of such a condition'd man no body will be so charitable as to guess he hath any Soul or light of reason in him because he is so far from making use of it unless it be such a Soul as Tully saith a Swine hath which serves it only instead of Salt to keep it from stinking For 't is Aristotles observation that every one of the Elements besides the Earth was by some Philosopher or other defin'd to be the Soul Some said the Soul was fire some that 't was air some water but never any man was so mad as to maintain the earth to be it because 't was so heavy and unweildy So then this heavy motionless unactive Christian this clod of Earth hath as I said uncreatured himself and by contemning this active reason within him even deprived himself of his Soul Again how ordinary a thing is it to unman our selves by this contempt of the directions of reason by doing things that no man in his right mind would ever have patience to think of Beloved to pass by those which we call unnatural sins i. e. so in the highest degree as too horrid for our nature set down in the latter end of this Chapter for all Christian Ears to glow and tingle at and I had hoped for all English spirits to abhor and loath To pass these I say our whole life almost affords minutely sins which would not argue us men but some other Creatures There be few things we do in our age which are proper peculiar acts of men one man gives himself to eating and drinking and bestows his whole care on that one faculty which they call the vegetative growing faculty and then what difference is there betwixt him and a Tree whose whole nature it is to feed and grow Certainly unless he hath some better imployment he is at best but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a plant-animal whose shape would perhaps perswade you that it hath some sense or Soul in it but its actions betray it to be a mere plant little better than an Artichoak or Cabbage another goes a little higher yet not far doth all that his sense presents to him suffers all that his sensitive faculties lust and rage to exercise at freedom is as fierce as the Tyger as lustful as the Goat as ravenous as the Wolf and the like and all the Beasts of the Field and Fowls of the air be but several Emblemes and Hieroglyphicks concurring to make up his character carries a Wilderness about him as many sins as the nature of a sensitive Creature is capable of and then who will stick to compare this man to the beasts that perish For 't is Theophilus his note that the Cattle and Beasts of the Field were created the same day with man Gen. i. 25 to note 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brutish condition of some men and that therefore the blessing was not bestowed on them but reserved for the man which should have the dominion over them Verse 26 28. In summ every action which reason or Scripture or Gods spirit guides not in us is to be called the work of some other Creature
whensoever this light shall fail that it cannot guide us or our Eyes dazle that we cannot follow let us pray to the Father of lights and God of Spirits that he will shine spiritually in our hearts and fulfil us with his light of grace here which may enable us to behold him and enjoy him and rejoice with him and be satisfied with that eternal light of his Glory hereafter Now to him that hath elected us hath created redeemed c. SERMON XV. GAL. VI. 15 But a new Creature AMongst all other encumbrances and delays in our way to Heaven there is no one that doth so clog and trash so disadvantage and backward us and in fine so cast us behind in our race as a contentedness in a formal worship of God an acquiescence and resting satisfied in outward performances when men upon a confidence that they perform all that can be required of a Christian they look no farther than the outward work observe not what heart is under this outside but resolve their estate is safe they have as much interest in Heaven as any one Such men as these the Apostle begins to character and censure in the twelfth Verse of the Chapter As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh c. They that stand only on a fair specious out-side and think all the sap and life of Religion lies in the bark they do this and this these will have you circumcised and constrain you to a many burthensom Ceremonies measuring out Religion to you by the weight thus much is required of you to do as Popish Confessors set their deluded Votaries their task of Ave Maries and Pater nosters by tale and thus you may be sure to be saved In brief the Apostle here shews the unprofitableness of all these and sets up the inward sanctity and renewedness of heart against them all as the only thing that will stand us in stead and appear to be of any weight in the balance of the Sanctuary If you observe all the commands and submit your selves to all the burden of both Law and Gospel and bear it upon your shoulders never so valiantly if you be content to be circumcised as Christ was or because he hath now abrogated that make use of Christian liberty and remain uncircumcised notwithstanding all inducements to the contrary In brief be you outwardly never so severe a Jew or Christian all that is nothing worth there is but one thing most peremptorily required of you and that you have omitted For neither circumcision availeth any thing neither uncircumcision but a new Creature The particle but in the front of my Text is exclusive and restrictive it excludes every thing in the World from pretending to avail any thing from being believed to do us any good For by circumcision the Church of the Jews and by uncircumcision the whole profession of Christian Religion being understood when he saith neither of these availeth any thing he forcibly implies that all other means all professions all observances that men think or hope to get Heaven by are to no purpose and that by consequence it exactly restrains to the new creature there it is to be had and no where else thus doth he slight and undervalue and even reprobate all other ways to Heaven that he may set the richer price and raise a greater estimation in us of this The substance of all the Apostles Discourse and the ground-work of mine shall be this one Aphorism Nothing is efficaciously available to salvation but a renewed regenerated heart For the opening of which we will examine by way of doctrine wherein this new Creature consists and then by way of use the necessity of that and unprofitableness of all other plausible pretending means and first of the first wherein this new creature consists 'T is observable that our state of nature and sin is in Scripture exprest ordinarily by old age the natural sinful man that is all our natural affections that are born and grow up with us are called the old man as if since Adams fall we were decrepit and feeble and aged as soon as born as a Child begotten by a man in a Consumption never comes to the strength of a man is always weak and crazy and puling hath all the imperfections and corporal infirmities of age before he is out of his infancy And according to this ground the whole Analogy of Scripture runs all that is opposite to the old decrepit state to the dotage of nature is phrased new The new Covenant Mark i. 27 The language of believers new tongues Mark xvi 17 A new Commandment John xiii 34. A new man Ephes ii 15 In summ the state of grace is exprest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all is become new 2 Cor. v. 17 So that old and new as it divides the Bible the whole state of things the World so it doth that to which all these serve man every natural man which hath nothing but nature in him is an old man be he never so young is full of Years even before he is able to tell them Adam was a perfect man when he was but a minute old and all his Children are old even in the Cradle nay even dead with old age Eph. ii 5 And then consequently every spiritual man which hath somewhat else in him than he received from Adam he that is born from above John iii. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it may be so rendred from the original as well as born again as our English read it he that is by Gods spirit quickned from the old death Ephes ii 5 he is contrary to the former a new man a new creature the old Eagle hath cast his beak and is grown young the man when old has entred the second time into his mothers Womb and is born again all the gray hairs and wrinkles fall off from him as the Scales from blind Tobits Eyes and he comes forth a refin'd glorious beauteous new Creature you would wonder to see the change So that you find in general that the Scripture presumes it that there is a renovation a casting away of the old Coat a Youth and spring again in many men from the old age and weak Bed-rid estate of nature Now that you may conceive wherein it consists how this new man is brought forth in us by whom it is conceived and in what Womb 't is carried I will require no more of you than to observe and understand with me what is meant by the ordinary phrase in our Divines a new principle or inward principle of life and that you shall do briefly thus A mans Body is naturally a sluggish unactive motionless heavy thing not able to stir or move the least animal motion without a Soul to enliven it without that 't is but a Carcass as you see at Death when the Soul is separated from it it returns to be but a stock or lump of flesh the
Soul bestows all life and motion on it and enables it to perform any work of nature Again the Body and Soul together considered in relation to somewhat above their power and activity are as impotent and motionless as before the Body without the Soul Set a man to remove a Mountain and he will heave perhaps to obey your command but in event will do no more towards the displacing of it than a stone in the street could do but now let an Omnipotent Power be annext to this man let a supernatural spirit be joined to this Soul and then will it be able to overcome the proudest stoutest difficulty in nature You have heard in the Primitive Church of a grain of Faith removing Mountains and believe me all Miracles are not yet out-dated The work of Regeneration the bestowing of a spiritual Life on one dead in trespasses and sins the making of a Carcass walk the natural old man to spring again and move spiritually is as great a miracle as that Now the Soul in that it produces life and motion the exercise of life in the body is called a principle that is a Spring or Fountain of Life because all comes from it in like manner that which moves this Soul and enables it to do that which naturally it could not that which gives it a new life which before it lived not furnisheth it with spiritual powers to quell and subdue all carnal affections which were before too hard for it this I say is called properly an inward principle and an inward because it is inwardly and secretly infused doth not only outwardly assist us as an auxiliary at a dead lift but is sown and planted in our hearts as a Soul to the Soul to elevate and enable it above it self hath its seat and palace in the regenerate heart and there exercises dominion executes judgment and that is commonly either by Prison or Banishment it either fetters or else expels all insolent rebellious lusts Now the new principle by which not the man but the new man the Christian lives is in a word the spirit of God which unites it self to the regenerate heart so that now he is said to be a godly man a spiritual man from the God from the Spirit as before a living reasonable man from the Soul from the reason that inform'd and ruled in him which is noted by that distinction in Scripture betwixt the regenerate and unregenerate exprest by a natural or animal and a spiritual man Those Creatures that have no Soul in them are called naturals having nothing but nature within to move them others which have a Soul animals or living Creatures by both which the unregenerate is signified indifferently because the Soul which he hath stands him in little stead his flesh rules all and then he is also called a carnal man for all his Soul he is but a lump of flesh and therefore whether you say he hath a Soul and so call him an animal or hath not a Soul and so call him a mere natural there is no great difference in it But now the regenerate man which hath more than a Soul Gods spirit to enliven him he is of another rank 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual man nay only he properly a Christian because he lives by Christ He lives yet not he but Christ liveth 〈◊〉 him Gal. ii 20 This being premised that now you know what this new Creature is he that lives and moves by a new principle all that is behind will be clearliest presented to you by resolving these four questions first whence it comes secondly where it lodges thirdly when it enters fourthly what works it performs there To the first whence it comes the answer is clear and punctual John iii. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above from whence comes every good and especially every perfect gift James i. 17 but this most peculiarly by a several and more excellent way than any thing else Since Christs Ascension the Holy Ghost of all the persons in the Trinity is most frequently employed in the work of descending from Heaven and that by way of mission from the Father and the Son according to the promise of Christ John xv 26 The comforter whom I will send from the Father Now this spirit being present every where in its essence is said to come to us by communication of his gifts and so to be peculiarly resident in us as God is in the Church from which Analogy our Bodies are called the Temples of the Holy Ghost which is in us 1 Cor. vi 19 God sends then his spirit into our hearts and this I said by a peculiar manner not by way of emission as an Arrow sent out of a Bow which loses its union which it had with the Bow and is now fastned in the Butt or White nor properly by way of infusion as the Soul is in the Body infus'd from God yet so also that it is in a manner put into our hands and is so in the man's possession that hath it that it is neither in any mans else nor yet by any extraordinary tye annext to God from whom it came but by way of irradiation as a beam sent from the Sun that is in the air indeed and that substantially yet so as it is not separated from the Sun nay consists only in this that it is united to the Sun so that if it were possible for it to be cut off from the Sun it would desist to be it would illuminate no longer So that you must conceive these beams of Gods spirit at the same time in the Christians heart and in the spirit and so uniting that spirit to the heart as you may conceive by this proportion I have a Javelin or Spear in my hand if I would mischief any thing or drive it from me I dart it out of my hand at it from which Gods judgments are compared to shooting and lightning He hath bent his bow he hath sent forth his arrows he cast forth lightnings Psalm xviii 14 But if I like any thing that I meet with if I would have it to me I reach out my Spear and fasten in it but still hold the Spear in my hand and having pierc't it draw it to me Thus doth God reach forth his graces to us and as I may so say by keeping one end in his hand and fastning the other in us plucks and unites us to himself from which regeneration is ordinarily called an union with Christ and this union by a strong able band 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Euseb his phrase which no man can cut asunder 'T is impossible to divide or cut a spirit and this Bond is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a spiritual one and that made St. Paul so confident That no creature should ever separate him Rom. viii 39 And this God does by way of emanation as a Loadstone sending out its effluvia or magnetick atomes draws the Iron to
hath nothing to do in the business whilst he expects mercy makes himself uncapable of it and though he acknowledge a resurrection lives as though he looked to be annihilated Certainly he that expects God should send him a fruitful harvest will himself manure the ground he that hopes will labour according to that 1 Joh. iii. 3 He that hath this hope in him purifies himself c. So that whosoever relies on God for Salvation and in the midst of his hopes stands idle and walks after his own lusts by his very actions confutes his thoughts and will not in a manner suffer God to have elected him by going on in such reprobate courses Lastly If it be this confident walking after our own lusts which is here the expression of Atheism then here 's a comfort for some fearful Sinners who finding themselves not yet taken up quite from a licentious life suspect and would be in danger to despair of themselves as Atheists 'T is a blessed tenderness to feel every sin in our selves at the greatest advantage to aggravate and represent it to our Conscience in the horridst shape but there is a care also to be had that we give not our selves over as desperate Cain ly'd when he said his sin was greater than could be either born or forgiven When the Physicians have given one over 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nature hath its spring and plunge and sometimes quits and overcomes the disease If thou art in this dangerous walk and strivest and heavest and canst not get out of it yet sorrow not as one without hope this very regret and reluctancy this striving and plunging is a good symptome If thou wilt continue with a good courage and set thy self to it to the purpose be confident thou shalt overcome the difficulty If this sin be a walking then every stop is a cessation every check a degree to integrity every godly thought or desire a pawn from God that he will give thee strength to victory and if thou do but nourish and cherish every such reluctancy every such gracious motion in thy self thou maist with courage expect a gracious calm deliverance out of these storms and tempests And let us all labour and endeavour and pray that we may be loosed from these toyls and gins and engagements of our own lusts and being entred into a more religious severe course here than the Atheism of our wayes would counsel us to we may obtain the end and rest and consummation and reward of our Course hereafter Now to him which hath elected us c. SERMON XVIII 1 TIM I. 15 Of whom I am the chief THE chief business of our Apostle S. Paul in all his Epistles is what the main of every Preacher ought to be Exhortation There is not one doctrinal point but contains a precept to our understanding to believe it nor moral Discourse but effectually implies an admonishment to our Wills to practise it Now these Exhortations are proposed either vulgarly in the downright garb of Precept as These things command and teach c. or in a more artificial obscure enforcing way of Rhetorick as God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of Christ whereby the world is crucified to me and I unto the world which though in words it seems a protestation of St. Pauls own resolution yet in effect is a most powerful exhortatory to every succeeding Christian to glory only in the Cross of Christ and on it to crucifie both the World and himself This method of reducing S. Paul to Exhortation I observe to you for the clearing of my Text. For this whole Verse at the first view seems only a mere Thesis or point of belief that Christ came into the World to save Sinners illustrated and applied by the Speaker as one and the chief of the number of those Sinners to be saved But it contains a most Rhetorical powerful Exhortation to both Vnderstanding and Will to believe this faithful saying That Christ came c. and to accept lay hold of and with all our might to embrace and apply to each of our selves this great mercy toward this great Salvation bestowed on Sinners who can with humility confess their sins and with Faith lay hold on the promise And this is the business of the Verse and the plain matter of this obscure double Exhortation to every mans Vnderstanding that he believe that Christ c. to every mans affections that he humble himself and teach his heart and that his tongue to confess Of all Sinners c. This Text shall not be divided into parts which were to disorder and distract the significancy of a proposition but into several considerations for so it is to be conceived either absolutely as a profession of S. Paul of himself and there we will enquire whether and how Paul was the chief of all Sinners Secondly respectively to us for whom this form of confessing the state and applying the Salvation of Sinners to our selves is set down And first whether and how Paul was the chief of all Sinners where we are to read him in a double estate converted and unconverted exprest to us by his double name Paul and Saul Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ Saul a Persecutor mad against the Christians and that both these estates may be contained in the Text although penn'd by Paul regenerated may appear in that the Pronoun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I signifying the whole complete person of Paul restrains not the speech to his present being only but considers also what he had been more especially set down at the thirteenth Verse Who was before a blasphemer c. So then Paul in his Saul-ship being a Blasphemer a Persecutor and injurious and in summ a most violent perverse malicious Unbeliever was a chief Sinner rankt in the Front of the Devil's Army and this needs no further proof or illustration Yet seeing that that Age of the World had brought forth many other of the same strain of violent Unbelief nothing inferiour to Saul as may appear by those many that were guilty of Christs Death as Saul in person was not and those that so madly stoned S. Stephen whilst Saul only kept the witnesses clothes and as the Text speaks was consenting unto his death seeing I say that others of that Age equalled if not exceeded Sauls guilt how can he be said above all other Sinners to be the chief I think we shall no◠wrest or inlarge the Text beside or beyond the meaning of the Holy Ghost or Apostle if in answer unto this we say that here is intended not so much the greatness of his sins above all Sinners in the World but the greatness of the miracle in converting so great a Sinner into so great a Saint and Apostle So that the words shall run Of all Sinners that Christ came into the World to save and then prefer to such an eminence I am the chief or as the word primarily
Of all c. Where first the cadence or manner how Paul falls into these words is worthy to be both observed and imitated the chief and whole business of this Verse being the truth the acceptable truth of Christs Incarnation with the end of it the saving of sinners He can no sooner name this word sinners but his exceeding melting tenderness abruptly falls off and subsumes Of all sinners c. If there be any thing that concerns Sinners I am sure I have my part in that for of that number I am the chief The note by the way briefly is that a tender conscience never hears of the name of sinner but straight applies it to it self It is noted by Aristotle the Master of Humane Learning that that Rhetorick was very thin and unprofitable very poor and like to do little good upon mens affections which insisted on general matters and descended not to particulars as if one should Discourse of sin in general and Sinners without reference to this or that particular sin or Sinner and the reason of his note was because men are not moved or stirred with this Eloquence The intemperate person could hear a declamation against Vice and never be affected with it unless it stooped to take notice of his particular enormities and so it is with other Criminals This reason of his was grounded upon the obdurateness of mens hearts which would think that nothing concerned them but what was framed against the individual Offender all such being as dull and unapt to understand any thing that being applied might move or prick them as men are to take notice of a common national judgment which we never duly weigh till we smart under it in particular This senselessness may also seem to have been amongst St. Paul's Corinthians which made him use Aristotles counsel in driving his Speech home to their private persons 1 Cor. vi Where telling them that neither Fornicators nor Idolaters and the like shall inherit the Kingdom of God for fear they should not be so tender-conscienced as of their own accords to apply these sins to themselves and read themselves guilty in that glass he is fain to supply that office and plainly tell them what otherwise perhaps they would not have conceived and such were some of you ver 11. This senseless hard-heartedness or backwardness in applying the either commands or threatnings of the Law to ones self is by the Apostle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we ordinarily translate a reprobate mind but may be brought to signify a mind without judgment that hath no faculty of discerning that cannot in a general threatning observe something that may concern the danger of his particular state or as it may be rendred a mind without sense not apprehensive of those things which are manifestly proposed to them like those walking Idols described by the Psalmist Eyes have they and see not Ears and hear not Noses and smell not only beautiful Carcasses of Christians which have nothing but their shape and motion to perswade you that they live unless we add this most unhappy symptom which indicates a state more wretched far than Death it self that there is strength and vigour to oppose recovery that amidst Death there yet survives a hatred and antipathy to Life In such a Soul as this there is a perpetual re-action an impatience of the presence of any thing which may trash incumber or oppress it a judgment or denunciation is but cast away upon it it shall be sure to return unprofitably and neither move nor mend it This hath been and much more might be observed to you of the carriage of the hard stupid heart toward either Scripture or Preacher to the plain opening of this point for you shall more clearly understand the tender heart by observing the obdurate and learn to be affected aright with Gods Law or punishments by knowing and hating the opposite stubborn senselessness Now in brief this tender heart in the discovery of a sin or denunciation of a judgment needs not a particular Thou art the man to bring it home to his person The more wide and general the proposal is the more directly and effectually is this strucken with it In a common Satyre or Declamation against sin in general it hath a sudden art of Logick to anatomize and branch this sin in general into all its parts and then to lay each of them to its own charge it hath a skill of making every passage in the Scripture a glass to espy some of her deformities in and cannot so much as mention that ordinary name of sin or Sinner without an extraordinary affection and unrequired accusation of it self Of all sinners c. The plain reason of this effect in the tender heart is first because it is tender The soft and accurate parts of a mans body do suffer without re-action i. e. do yield at the appearance of an Enemy and not any way put forward to repell him These being fixt on by a Bee or the like are easily penetrated by the sting and are so far from resisting of it that they do in a manner draw it to them and by their free reception allure it to enter so far that the owner can seldom ever recover it back again Whereas on a dead Carkase a thick or callous member of the body a Bee may fix and not forfeit her sting So doth a tender heart never resist or defend it self against a stroke but attenuates its self layes wide open its pores to facilitate its entrance seems to woo a threatning to prick and sting and wound it sharply as if it rejoyced in and did even court those torments which the sense of sin or judgment thus produced Again a tender heart ordinarily meets with more blows more oppressions than any other its very passiveness provokes every ones malice the fly and dust as if it were by a kind of natural instinct drive directly at the Eye and no member about you shall be oftener rubb'd or disorder'd than that which is raw or distempered the reason being because that which is not worthy notice to another part is an affliction to this and a mote which the hand observes not will torment the eye So is it with the Conscience whose tenderness doth tempt every piece of Scripture to afflict it and is more incumbred with the least atome of sin or threat than the more hardned sinner is with a beam or Mountain Thirdly One that hath any solemn business to do will not pass by any opportunity of means which may advantage him in it One that hath a search to make will not slip any evidence which may concur to the helping of his discovery one that hath any Treatise to write will be ready to apply any thing that ever he reads to his Theme or purpose Now the search the discourse the whole imployment of a tender heart is the enquiry after the multitude of its sins and in summ the
spring before we die that we would but answer those invitations of mercy those desires of God that we should live with an inclination with a breath with a sigh toward Heaven Briefly If there be any strong violent boisterous Devil within us that keeps possession of our hearts against God if the lower sensual part of our Soul if an habit of sin i. e. a combination or legion of Devils will not be over-topped by reason or grace in our hearts if a major part of our carnal faculties be still canvasing for Hell if for all our endeavors and pains it may appear to us that this kind of evil spirit will not be cast out save only by Fasting and Prayer Then have we yet that remedy left First To fast and pine and keep him weak within by denying him all foreign fresh Provision all new occasions of sin and the like and so to block and in time starve him up And then secondly To pray that God will second and fortifie our endeavors that he will force and rend and ravish this carnal Devil out of us that he will subdue our wills to his will that he will prepare and make ready life for us and us for life that he will prevent us by his grace here and accomplish us with his glory hereafter Now to him c. SERMON VII JER V. 2 Though they say the Lord liveth surely they swear falsely NOT to waste any time or breath or which men in this delicate and effeminate Age are wont to be most sparing and thrifty of any part of your precious patience unprofitably but briefly to give you a guess whither our discourse is like to lead you we will severally lay down and sort to your view every word of the Text single and so we may gather them up again and apply them to their natural proper purposes First then the particle Though in the front and surely in the body of the Text are but bands and junctures to keep all together into one proposition Secondly the Pronoun They in each place is in the letter the Jews in application present Christians and being indefinite might seem to be of the same extent in both places did not the matter alter it and make it universal in the former and particular in the latter for Artists say that an indefinite sign where the matter is necessary is equivalent to an universal where but contingent to a particular Now to say the Lord liveth was and is necessary though not by any Logical yet by a Political necessity the Government and humane Laws under which then the Jews and now we Christians live require this profession necessarily at our hands but to swear falsly not to perform what before they profest is materia contingens a matter of no necessity but free will and choice that no humane Law can see into and therefore we must not interpret by the rules of Art or Charity that all were perjur'd but some only though 't is probable a major part and as we may guess by the first verse of this Chapter well nigh all of them Thirdly to say is openly to make profession and that very resolutely and boldly that none may dare to distrust it nay with an Oath to confirm it to jealous opinions as appears by the latter words They swear falsly while they do but say and Jer. iv 2 Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth c. Fourthly the Lord i. e. both in Christianity and Orthodox Judaism the whole Trinity Fifthly Liveth i. e. by way of Excellency hath a life of his own independent and eternal and in respect of us is the Fountain of all Life and Being that we have and not only of Life but Motion and Perfection and Happiness and Salvation and all that belongs to it In brief to say the Lord liveth is to acknowledge him in his Essence and all his Attributes contained together under that one Principle on that of life to believe whatever Moses and the Prophets then or now our Christian Faith hath made known to us of him Sixthly to falsifie and swerve from Truth becomes a farther aggravation especially in the present instance though they make mention of that God who is Yea and Amen and loves a plain veracious speech yet they swear though by loud and dreadful imprecations they bespeak him a Witness and a Judge unto the Criminal pray as devoutly for destruction for their Sin as the most sober Penitent can do for its Pardon yet are they perjur'd they swear falsly More than all this they openly renounce the Deity when they call upon him their hearts go not along with their words and professions though it be the surest truth in the World that they swear when they assert that the Lord liveth yet they are perjur'd in speaking of it though they make a fair shew of believing in the brain and from the teeth outward they never lay the truth that they are so violent for at all to their hearts or as the Original hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in vanum to no purpose 't is that they swear no man that sees how they live will give any heed to their words will imagin that they believe any such matter So now having paced over and as it were spell'd every word single there will be no difficulty for the rawest understanding to put it together and read it currently enough in this proposition Amongst the multitude of Professors of Christianity there is very little real piety very little true belief In the verse next before my Text there is an O Yes made a Proclamation nay a Hue and Cry and a hurrying about the streets if it were possible to find out but a man that were a sincere Believer and here in my Text is brought in a Non est inventus Though they say the Lord liveth a multitude of Professors indeed every where yet surely they swear falsly there is no credit to be given to their words infidelity and hypocrisie is in their hearts for all their fair believing professions they had an unfaithful rebellious heart V. 23. and the event manifested it they are departed and gone arrant Apostates in their lives by which they were to be tryed Neither say they in their hearts let us fear the Lord V. 24. whatsoever they flourished with their tongues Now for a more distinct survey of this horrible wretched truth this Heathenism of Christians and Infidelity of Believers the true ground of all false swearing and indeed of every other sin we will first examine wherein it consists secondly whence it springs the first will give you a view of its nature the second its root and growth that you may prevent it The first will serve for an ocular or Mathematical demonstration called by Artists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is so the second a rational or Physical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how it comes about the first to convince of the truth of it the second