may bee compassed about with that brazen wall of a good conscience and secured from the censures of uncharitable men as Mithridate is made of the viper so let us make that to bee our Antidote which is here spoken by those that had sharpened their tongue like a serpent Psal 140 3 judging our selves that wee may not be condemned by them In the time of prosperity let this bee ever sounding in thine eares Where is thy God And thou shalt bee kept from wrath and misery when they do wound thine heart while they continually say unto thee Where is thy God Had Eve thought upon these words they would have bin an ornament of grace unto her head and chaines about her necke Shee would not have beleeved the father of lyes before the God of truth but for want thereof shee miscarriâ—d by eating that forbidden fruite for which her soule longed Had David thought upon these words being on the roofe of his house hee would have said as hee did at another time The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy-worke Then would he not have defiled himselfe with her that was purified from her uncleannesse Neither should these his enemies have said unto him Where is thy God And although this affliction be grievous for the present yet wee receive many benefits thereby which may bee sufficient to deterre an evill speaker from that outrage Thereby wee are put in minde to examine our selves and to humble our soules for our former sinnes We know they could not speak thus without Gods permission Wee hope that the Lord will requite good for their cursing We mourn before him wee duely consider his dealing with us and fervently pray to be set at liberty as David when they spake thus unto him he had teares for his meate hee remembred these things and hee powred out his soule in him VERSE IIII. When I remember these things I powre out my soule in me FOrmerly hee powred out his teares and now hee powreth out his soule For as the body without the spirit is dead so our teares without the soule are dead also Wee know that young Ptolomy being in Cesars custody he wept before him Regius animus disciplinis failacisâ—imiâ— cruditus Hirt. But when hee was dismissed hee warred against him So there be too many that while they be under the rod of correction doe lament greatly feeling present anguish and fearing future torment But being set at liberty they return to their pollutions which sheweth plainly that though they shed many teares they did not with holy David powre out their soules Hee remembred the reproach of the wicked for how could hee forget that which was so often objected against him and this made his soule melt for heavinesse Psal 119.28 Iob 30.16 and be powred out upon him as Iob speaketh Hee remembred his happy estate which compared with the misery now suffered did augment his sorrow Lam. 2.19 and made him powre out his heart like water before the face of the Lord as Ieremiah doth counsell And hee hoped to bee restored unto his former joy and to finde comfort by prayer and therefore hee powred out his soule before the Lord as Hannah practised 1. Sam. 1.15 And hee was inlarged by trusting in Gods mercies Hee received a twofold benefit by considering the dayes of old the yeares of ancient times The one was to sustaine him in his trouble Psal 77.5.10 by remembring the yeares of the right hand of the most High who had dealt bountifully with him Heb. 11.21 And as Iacob worshipped leaning upon the top of his staffe So he in this weak estate did repose himselfe upon the grace and favour of the Almighty The other was to makâ—â—â—â—e sinnes to be as detestable unto him as they were abominable before God by calling to minde how gracious the Lord had beene towards him how unworthily hee had requited the Lords goodnesse and how great blessings hee had lost by the sinnes hee committed For I had gone with the multitude even with all the house of Israel being of one heart and of one minde But now I am constrained to flee with my houshold with strangers and exiles I went with them to the house of God But now I goe from the house of God Nor dare I suffer Zadok who should be a Seer to carry the Arke which ought to abide in the city with mee in this my private condition lest that anger of the Lord which smote Uzzah bee kindled against mee also I went with the voice of joy and praise playing upon all maner of instruments with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet blessing the people in the name of the Lord But now we weepe and have our heads covered I went with a multitude that kept holy-day unto whom I gave bread flesh and wine Yea I danced before the Lord and offered burnt offerings peace offerings But now I may feare that I am appointed as a sheepe for the slaughter and that the Lord will have no delight in me In this disconsolate estate hee flyes unto God by prayer And as he powred out his complaint before the Lord when hee was pursued by Saul Psal 142.2 and was delivered so now hee powred out his soule and thereby became more imâ—râ—gâ—â—ble than hee should â—ave beene by abiding in the strong hold of Zion Having found such safety therein he commends the use thereof unto others Trust in him at all times yee people Pâ—â—l â—1 8 Powre out your heart before him God is a refuge for us In the time of trouble wee must renounce all strength and worthinesse of our owne and then God will have mercy upon us Wee must empty our selves that so wee may be filled with heavenly comfort How glorious things are spoken of Prayer in the holy Scripture Moses would not let God alone untill hee had quenched that wrath which waxed hot against the Israelites Exod. 3â— 10 Iacob would not â—et Him goe Gen 32 28. untill hee had obtained a blessing and was â—â—â—refore called Israâ—l It is â—â—ported of Archimedes â—hat hee vainely presumed by â—is art hee could move the whole earth if he might have beene lifted up from it But wee know assuredly that righteous Elijah being cast downe upon the earth 1. King 18 4â— did move the heavens themselves Iam. 5 7. hee prayed earnestly that it might not raine Hee prayed againe and the heaven gave raine So that prayer may bee compared to the ladder which Iacob saw in his dreame Gen. 28.12 It was set upon the earth and the top of it reached to heaven and behold the Angels ascending and descending on it By prayer men made a little lower than the Angels doe ascend and the Angels doe descend for our protection to pitch their tents about us As Ionathan climbed up the sharpe rocke and subdued his enemies 1. Sam. 14.13 So by prayer wee overcome principalities and powers
and spirituall wickednesse in high places But then wee must take heed to observe the manner here prescribed which is to powre out the soule to confesse all our sinnes to purge out the old leaven Wee cannot thinke to possesse our vessels in holinesse 1. Thes 4.4 if wee suffer any dregs of uncleannesse to remaine in them And as the sent tast of the first liquor will continue a long time in a vessell after it be emptied Quo semel est imbuta â—â—cens servab â—odorem Testa diu So though wee have sincerely repented of all our sinnes yet that originall corruption remaining will make us cry unto the Lord to deliver us from this body of death But such as are indulgent to themselves may feare that their presumptuous sinnes will get the victory over them Wherefore as it is more commodious in the first making and digging of a garden to have it once well weeded when the bad roots may bee taken out than many times afterward So if thou wouldest bee like that paradise wherein God walked like that garden into which Christ delighted to come Cant. 5.1 6.2 then search every corner of thine heart in the time of humiliation that there may not be any roote bringing forth gall and wormewood Deut. 29.18 Wee know that the least childe remaining in the house doth hinder in giving state And how can God take possession of thy body to be his Temple when there is any sinne reigning therein If wee sinne we have an Advocate with the Father And as that client is like to speed ill in the triall who giveth advantage to his adversary in concealing the worst of his case from the Councell So hee shall bee confounded in the day of judgement that hath sought to hide his sinne For Satan thine accuser will discover that which thou didst hope should have beene for ever buried Then learne of Him that thus humbled himselfe to acknowledge all thy transgressions Hee is a foole in worldly affaires that powreth out all at once But it is heavenly wisedome in confession of sinne Pro. 29.11 to powre out all at once and not to keepe it in untill afterward David saith I powre out my soule in mee His prayer was sincere before God and it was inward and hidden from the world There was a time when hee cryed unto the Lord Psal 22.1.2 Why art thou so farre from the words of my roaring But now the greatnesse of his sorrow for his grievous sinnes and the calamities waiting upon them made him stand amazed as not being able to speak And doubtlesse there is great benefit in the use both of secret and open prayer As Paul became all things to all men that hee might winne some so wee may use every kinde that wee may receive a gracious answer Sometime to cry aloud lifting up both heart and voyce to shew our fervency and importunity and it shall bee opened unto us that knocke Sometime to shew our reverence by a still voyce that God may therein reveale himselfe unto us Sometime praying with the spirit and with understanding speaking in the heart onely not daring to use our tongues to call upon his name seeing wee have dishonoured him thereby Hâ—miles preces in excelsa porâ—â—gite Boet. And those our humble prayers will ascend into heaven Though wee shut both the doore of our closet and the doore of our lips when wee pray being wholly spirituall therein our Father seeth in secret and is well pleased with such a sacrifice If wee desire to make our tongue to be our glory therein yet the sound of our words may bee submissive and rather a gentle noyse than a voyce They that doe thus they speake softly Qui Deum precantes susurrant tacitè loquuntur atque intus clamant but inwardly they cry aloud Hannah when shee prayed did move her lips but her voyce was not heard yet shee found such comfort that her countenance was no more sad VERSE IIII. For I had gone with the multitude HIs present misery is increased by comparing the same with his former comfortable estate wherein hee served the Lord And the sorrow for the losse of his perfect freedome doth exceed the griefe of worldly men in their crosses as much as the gladnesse in his heart Psal 4. had formerly beene more than the joy which they received by the increase of corne and wine Outward benefits are deceitfull and vaine Riches and the like may betake themselves to their wings and fly away But heavenly blessings are unchangeable did not wee by our disobedience stop the course of Gods mercies and cause his judgements and curses to fall upon us Wherefore when our destruction doth come from our selves when by our rebellion wee shall pull downe Gods anger InfelicissimuÌ„ genus est infortunii fuisse felicem Boet. Then the remembrance of our former happinesse is the greatest aggravation of our present wretchednesse and woe Also we may observe that hee was not satisfied with that good which he had formerly done neither did hee rest contented therein But his chiefe desire was ever to continue in those holy exercises From whence wee receive this instruction that wee ought to forget those things which are behind Phil. 3.13 and reach forth unto those things which are before pressing toward the marke having set our hand to the plough not to looke backe nor to spare and favour our selves during the time of our pilgrimage Such as desire to worship the Lord unto the end of their lives and are constant unto death they shall receive a crowne of life and an everlasting inheritance But ungodly men that forsake their first love like those foolish Galatians bewitched by that evill spirit and with Demas doe embrace this present world 2. Tim. 4.10 they shall undergoe the fierce anger of the Almighty And as Iordan divided the tribes of Reuben and Gad from the rest of Israel who Num. 32. allured with the fertility of the countrey did set themselves downe and take up their habitation before they came to the land of promise So there shall be a great gulfe to separate the wicked who like sluggards fold their armes together as if they had wrought sufficiently from those that abide in the place of blessednesse Whereas hee speaketh of himselfe that hee had gone with the multitude it will not bee impertinent to consider his twofold regiment Over the Priests 1. Cron. 15. verse 17. Rex Anius â—ex idem homâ—num Pâ—aeb que sacerdos Vittis c. Virg. and the people For at this time when hee blessed the people hee had put on a linnen Ephod over his kingly robe Also his sonne Salomon succeeded him therein who was called the Preacher This was observed by many nations that their Kings were Priests Gen. 14.18 So Melchizedek was King of Salem and Priest of the most high God So was Numa the second King of the Romanes Livi. lib.
my selfe by giving an answer to Davids demand before I come to the question which is VERSE V. Why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou dâ—squieted in me hope thou in God for I shall yet praise him for the helpe of his countenance VVHerein hee makes further declaration of his sorrowfull and perplexed estate that his soule in this time of trouble did pant and thirst and was powred out and cast downe and disquieted not finding release from misery nor evasion out of these calamities Now if the light that is in thee be darknesse Mat. 6.23 how great is that darknesse and if the soule that is in thee be sorrowfull how great is that sorrow Pro. 12.25 When heavinesse in the heart of man maketh it stoupe yea to be cast down as Davids was And yet there is great cause that the soule bee lifted up with joy and not dejected with griefe if wee consider the originall of it Igneus est illis vigor coelestis origo Virgil. that it proceedeth from God himselfe Gen. 1.27 2.7 Psal 8.5 Mortalibus alti quantum coelicolae tantundem animalibus isti praecellunt cunctis Silius Eccles 3.21 12.7 who created us after his own image breathing into us the breath of life whereby wee became living soules So that wee who were made but a little lower than the Angels were made much higher than all other creatures For when the spirit of the beast goeth downeward to the earth our spirit shall returne to God that gave it Also there is cause of ioy unto the soule in regard of the body Deus dedit corpus animae ut illud in coelum eveneret Non dedita animam corpâ—ri ut c. God gave the body unto the soule that it might raise the body unto heaven Hee did not give the soule unto the body that it might presse the soule to the earth Admonet figura c. Boet Shall the body be erect towards heaven and the soule decline towards the earth Let us consider how helpfull the body is to the soule in the worship of God when our eyes wait upon him and our tongue is our glory to praise him and wee lift up pure hands and daily bow our knees before him when our feet doe carry us to his house and there wee prostrate our whole body in his presence Thus in our estate of grace there is an happy union and consent betweene them both But as Eve â—en 2.18 who was made a meete helpe proved a cause of the greatest woe and misery So the body which should assist the soule doth rebell against it and thereby becomes a great annoyance Like that kinde of torment when they did binde the dead and the living together Corpora ca daveribus ad versa adversis alligata Val. Max. So the soule that lives for ever and is willing to doe good is ioyned unto a body that is weake yea even dead to any holy duty And then the servant is upon an horse Ephes 2 5. Eccles 10 7. and the Prince doth walke as a servant upon the earth the hand-maide is advanced Eucherius ad Valeâ—ian and the mistresse brought downe to the foot-stoole The body doth bring the soule into captivity and make it of a king to become a servent Modo rex esâ— modo tyraâ—nus Sence oâ— else a tyrant Wherefore when wee finde a law in our members warring against the law of our minde wee must pray to be delivered froÌ„ this body of death Rom. 7. verse 23.24 It was observed that when the body sleepeth Anima dum corpori vires admâ—nistrat nequaquam vacat sibi c. Hippocrat the soule hath most liberty And wee know assuredly that when our bodies shall bee laid to sleepe in the grave our soules shall bee inlarged Terreno carcere resoluta caelum ibera petâ—â— Boet. and delivered from that earthly house wherein they were long pent and imprisoned Vt novus serpens pofitâ cum pelle senectâ c. Ovid. And as the serpent doth become young againe after it hath cast off the skinne so the soule shall bee clothed with maiesty and glory when this fraile body shall waxe old like a garment and bee folded up as a vesture untill the end of all things and then this vile body shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ and being reioyned unto the soule shall enter into the ioy of our Master If that father did so reioyce when he saw his sonne to be alive Gen. 46.30 whom hee thought to bee dead then how excellent shall our ioy bee when the body which was dead shall bee alive and they both being knit together shall live in blisse for evermore 29.20 Did those seven yeares seeme to bee but a few dayes 31.40 for the love that Iacob had to Rachel though hee suffered the drought in the day the frost by night and watched both day and night Then how wonderfull ought the love of the soule be to the body cheerfully serving the Lord patiently enduring all tryals and afflictions not being cast downe as if it were without hope but looking for the Saviour who shall unite both soule and body And wee shall be as the Angels of God in heaven Mat. 22.30 Let us now take notice of Davids examination of himselfe that wee thereby may learne to iudge ourselves and wee shall not bee iudged Formerly hee had with his whole heart sought unto the Lord to shew him the light of his countenance He had earnestly desired to appeare before God Hee had humbled himselfe in sorrow for his owne transgressions and the sins of other men Now God accepteth the will for the deed And they that mourne have a promise of comfort Mat. 6. Why then art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Psal 4.4 Also hee did commune with his owne heart and was no fugitive from it as many are who have greatest reason to bee sorrowfull and to feare lest their soules should bee cast downe lower than Davids was because they never looke home to examine and prove themselves and to know that Christ is in them 2. Cor. 13.5 except they bee reprobates But David did make diligent search in his owne heart Psal 77.6 and in all things desired the good and comfortable estate of it Then why art thou cast downe O my soule and why art thou disquieted in me Remember the workes of old how graciously the Lord hath dealt with thee Say not within thy selfe that his mercy is clean gone for ever for thou dost stil enioy many blessings and his grace doth now keep thee from fainting Consider that in this chastisement the Lord dealeth with thee as with a childe and it is not his good pleasure that thou shouldest have sorrow upon sorrow but that this light affliction working for thy good may bring thee to an
city where hee lived To be expelled out of his kingdome wherein he governed as unworthy to come within the borders of it and yet God had promised that his throne should bee stablished for ever and when his daies should bee fulfilled his seed should bee set up after him but not before him as Absalom desired building his house upon his fathers ruine Then to have his concubines defiled in the sight of all Israell And all this not by an enemy for then he could have borne it more patiently but by his owne sonne And one messenger brings word that the hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom Another tels him that Ahitophel the Kings Counsellor was among the conspirators Moreover Shimei doth vex his righteous soule with malicious reproaches Now what could bee done more that was not done to make the measure of his sorrow to bee pressed down in heavinesse of soule and running over in the outward expressioÌ„ of his griefe How great and manifold are the dangers of them that goe downe to the sea in ships â—sal 107.26 that see the workes of the Lord For he commandeth and raiseth the stormy wind which lifteth up the waves thereof They mount up to heaven they goe downe againe to the depths So here Deepe calleth unto deepe David is exposed to the greatest perils that may be The windowes of heaven are opened â—en 7.12 as in the floud There is the noise of thy water-spouts but no Arke of deliverance like Noahs no not so much as that little Arke of Moses Exod 2.3 whereby he may hope to be drawn out of these miseries There is a mighty tempest but no ship to defend him nor yet any signe of a calme as to the Mariners neither any creature to waft him to the shore Ionah 1.4 as Ionah had There is a boystrous winde that made the billowes to goe over him but the helping hand of the Divine providence is not stretched out to uphold him Mat. 14.30 Psal 69.2 as unto Peter The flouds over-flow him the proud waters goe over his soule 124.5 Hee is cast into the deepe and all thy waves are upon him Ionah 2.3 Not one wave alone but many but all of them There was such a variety of his crosses and such a succession of his trouble that as the day was prolonged untill such time as Ioshuah had subdued his enemies so here the night of his misery was doubled untill such time as God had perfected the work of humiliation in him God who is most perfect will finish every good worke that hee hath begun in any of his children And being the author of time hee disposeth of all things for our good making us strong when wee are weake so that wee may take pleasure in infirmities 2. Cor. 12.10 in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake And by seeing our miserable and weake estate wee learne not to trust in our selves but in God who raiseth the dead When the water of affliction doth flow over our head we are thereby cleansed that we may be presented unto Christ without spot and blemish As Pharaoh and his host were covered by the depths Exod. 15.5 and sanke into the bottome as a stone so they that want faith to stand in temptation are ready to be swallowed up of despaire But every one that is godly hath this comfortable protection That in the flouds of great waters Psal 32.6 18.4 they shall not come nigh unto him and though the flouds of ungodly men make him afraid though he be compassed about with many tribulations Psal 130.1 yet out of the depth of his misery hee cryeth unto the depth of Gods mercy and prayeth unto the Lord on high who is mightier than the noyse of many waters 93.4 yea than the mighty waves of the sea to deliver him from them that hate him 79.14 15. that the water-floud may not over-flow him nor the deepe swallow him up And in conclusion hee finds this comfort that neither height nor depth shall bee able to separate him from the love of God Rom. 8.39 When Christ was asleepe in the ship that sailed over unto the other side of the lake Mat. 8.26 there came downe a storme insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves but when the disciples awoke him hee said Why are yee so fearefull O yee of little faith and rebuking the sea there was a great calme So in our voyage to heaven when the winde doth blow the raine doth fall and the waves doe beate upon us In strong temptations when wee are opposed on every side and looking up to heaven see nothing but the terrour of Divine justice ready to fall upon us looking downe wee see the horror of the pit ready to shut her mouth upon us and looking about wee see all the creatures armed for our destruction then through want of strength we are ready to sinke under the burthen of our calamities But when the quickning spirit shall revive our faith that slumbred within us and restore us to the life of grace wee begin to bee comforted in assurance that God will put an end to our trials and deliver us out of all affliction Such was Davids anchor which he cast out now in this storme and thereby hoped for safety Though the waves and billowes doe goe over me VERSE VIII Yet the Lord will command his loving kindnesse in the day time and in the night his song shall bee with me and my prayer unto the God of my life AS before his teares were his meate day and night Verse 3. So now hee finds cause of rejoycing both day and night for the loving kindnesse of the Lord who did put songs of praise into his mouth His misery and trouble were now present before him His comfort was only hope but not to bee discerned by sense and reason Yet such was the strength of his confidence which he had fixed upon Gods love that thereby he became as fully assured of deliverance as if he were already restored to his former liberty The wicked shall feare day and night Deut. 28.66 67. in the morning he shall say Would God it were Even and at Even he shall say Would God it were morning And his greatest woe shall then begin when time shall be no more But the righteous that like Anna serve God night and day Luke 2.37 shall at all times be refreshed by trusting in Gods mercy who will command his loving kindnesse in the day time as He hath promised to command the blessing upon them that observe his Lawes Deut. 28.8 And we know that all things obey the voyce of God Hath he spoken and shall he not performe it Do the souldiers come when the Centurian calleth Mat. 8.9 and shall not all creatures be ready prest to doe the will of God Though his loving kindnesse be as it were unwilling