Son of God Be wise therefore O ye Kings in which Ver. 11 1. The persons to whom this fair Caveat is given Kings and Judges 1 Know their Duty 2. What they are here taught 2 To do their Duty First To know their Duty Be wise be learned Secondly To do their Duty Serve the Lord in fear rejoyce with trembling Ver. 12 kiss the Son 3 Without delay and that 3. The time when this is to be done even Now the Reason double 1. Drawn from his wrath and the consequent punishment 1 Lest he be angry and destroy them Lest he be angry and ye perish from the right way 2. From the happy condition of those who learn to know him and fear 2 Because they are happy that trust in him and serve and adore him For if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they that put their trust in him The Prayer collected out of the second Psalm O Blessed God unto whom all hearts are open and from whom no secrets are hid whose eyes are ten thousand times brighter than the Sun and pass through the World and behold all the thoughts and conspiracies and actions of men Encline thine ear and hear open thine eyes and sée the attempts of Satan and wicked men The Heathen have raged furiously and the people have tumultuously assembled Ver. 1 and imagine vain things yea the Kings of the Earth have risen together they have taken counsel and joyn'd their power against God Ver. 2 and against him who is thy Anointed These many in number Ver. 3 strong in power encourage themselves in mischief saying Come let us break off these Bonds of Laws and Religion from off our necks by which they would yoke us and cast away their cords in which they would bind us for we will not that he or his Anointed reign over us For of a truth Lord against thée and thy holy child Iesus whom thou hast anointed both Herod and Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the Nation of the Jewes have gathered themselves together and do whatsoever thy hand and thy Counsel determined before to be done And now O Lord behold their threatnings for thy Names sake for thy Sons sake for thy Promise sake let not the gates of Hell prevail against thy Church Ver. 4 Thou that sits in Heaven laugh them to scorn Ver. 5 Thou which art the most High have them in derision speak unto them in thy wrath and vex them in thy sore displeasure Raise up thy power Ver. 6 O Lord and come amongst us Set thy King upon thy holy Hill of Zion Ver. 7 He is thy only begotten Son from everlasting and yet was content for our Redemption to humble himself to the womb and be born and made of a woman that he might preach thy Law and make known the glad tidings of salvation to all people Ver. 8 Give him therefore the Heathen for his inheritance and the utmost parts of the Earth for his possession Merciful God who hast made all men and hatest nothing that thou hast made nor wouldest the death of a sinner but rather that he should be converted and live have mercy upon all Iewes Turks Infidels and Heretiques and take from them all ignorance hardness of heart and contempt of thy Word and fetch them home blessed Lord to thy stock that they may be saved among the remnant of thy true Israelites that there may be but one Fold and one Shepheard As for such who obstinately and wilfully and maliciously stop their ears that they may not hear and shut their eyes that they may not sée lest they should hear with their ears and sée with their eyes and thou shouldst heal them These are the men O Lord who will not have thée reign over them poure therefore thy indignation upon them and bring them down in their pride and obstinacy Ver. 9 break them in pieces with a rod of iron and dash them into shivers like a Potters vessel of which being broken into smaller parcels there is no use nor hope or possibility of reparation Gracious God Ver. 10 poure down the graces of thy holy Spirit upon all thy people especially upon the Kings and Rulers of the Earth give them those gifts that may make them wise and those graces that may make them good let them learn their Duties Ver. 11 and do their Duties to thée O so encline all our hearts that we may serve thee in fear rejoyce before thee with reverence that we kiss bow down and adore thy Son submit and be obedient to him receive his Doctrine and acquiesce in his Laws and never be at rest till our heart assure us that thou art reconciled unto us through him O who may stand in thy sight when thou art angry we tremble therefore to féel at this time the effect of thy hot wrath upon us Ver. 12 for thou hast suffered us to perish from the right way for truth to embrace lying vanities and for thy Gospel to worship our own imaginations This is the just reward of our disobedience this is the just revenge and punishment of our sin in that we have not served thée in fear nor come into thy Courts and rejoyced before thée with reverence nor bow'd our knées and béen obedient to thy Son Vers 12 For this thy wrath is kindled and it burns not a little against us O Lord grant that this thy severity may have a true impression upon our hearts let us be true penitents and by our sighs and groans give thée no rest in heaven till thou return and have mercy upon us Recall us again to the right way Vers. 12 and never let us more erre and wander from it Confirm our hope it rengthen our faith alwayes let us put our confidence in thy mercy knowing that they alone who put their trust in thée are blessed for when thy wrath is kinded they shall be gather'd under thy wings and shall be safe under thy feathers Call us O Lord to thy truth justifie us by thy Sons blood sanctifie us by his Spirit and make us of that number to whom thou wilt say at the last day Come ye Blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world Amen Amen PSAL. III. The occasion of this Psalm was Absalons rebellion DAVID being deserted by his subjects rail'd upon by Shimei pursued for his Crown and life by his ungracious son and not finding to whom to make his moan betakes himself to his God and before him he expostulates his wrong confesseth his faith and makes his prayer There be then three strains of this accurate Psalm 1. His complaint 2. The confession of his confidence 3. His Petition The first part Davids complaint of his enemies 1. He begins with a sad and bitter complaint amplified 1. By the Number and Multitude of his enemies That they were Multi Many Multi valde very many that they were multiplicati
Eucharistical Sacrifices of the old Law in which when any man offe'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Sacrifice to God out of thankfulness for soâ—e deliverance he made a Feast to the people 1 Oblatâ—um 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as did David 1 Chron. 16.1 2 3. where he dealt to every one of the people a loaf of bread a good piece of flesh and a flagon of wine in the receiving of which with a joyful voyce they sang praise to God for his benefits This then they say David here promised and he calls it the Cup of salvation because it was to be offer'd in thankfulness of the salvation obtain'd 2. But Bollarmine casts this off as too light and with the Fathers 2 Pati Crucem ferre understands it of the Cup of patience and affliction and tribulation which is often in Scriptures call'd a Cup Matth. 20.22 Psal 75.8 c. and may well be call'd the â—up â—f tribulation because through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God This then is it that David saith When I have nothing more excellent to offer to God for his many benefits I will drink with a willing mind the Cup of the Lord though it be a bitter Cup full of tribulations and afflictions for I am assured that it will be a Cup of salvation unto me and therefore 2. I will call upon the Name of the Lord 3 Invocare that he would strengthen me to drink of it whensoever it pleaseth him to administer it to me Or if we follow the first Interpretation I will call on the Name of the Lord offer unto him an Eucharistical Sacrifice for my deliverance 3. I will pay my vowes unto the Lord in the presence of all his people It was usual for Gods servants in their extremities to make vowes it is likely David did so 4 Selvere votâ— ea ratione quia morâ— sanctorum preciosae and here he promiseth to pay them and that not privately but publickly in the presence of all the people Bellarmine refers the words to his open confession of his God and his readiness to drink the Cup although it were to Martyrdom And in the next words he renders a reason why he was so ready to pay his vowes or to confess his Name in the open Assembly because he had learned that pious men are under Gods protection that even in death it self they are his care Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints An excellent Epiphonema The lervants of God do trouble themselves in vain and doubt to no purpose whether they be a care to him or no while they live for even their very death is precious unto him or they are precious to him in their death then he takes care of them as a man would do of the most precious Diamonds 4. David yet waxeth not proud upon this nor upon any of Gods favours Non superbie David sed profiretur se servum but in all humility though he were a King yet he was not too great to be a servant to his God a son of his Handmaid the Church which passionately he expresses 1. Oh Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the son of thy handmaid 2. And yet no slave but a voluntary servant Thou hast loofed my bonds taken from my neck the bonds of fear and fallen upon me with the yoke of love Mat. 11.30 Thou hast freed me from the slavery of the Law Eumque honestum and wouldst have me to be thy servant out of love Cur servire reguare est 3. And therefore I will do what thy servants ought and so he takes an occasion to say over again what he said before I will offer unto thee the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the Name of the Lord. I will pay my vowes unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people In the Courts of Gods house in the midst of thee O Jerusalem praise the Lord. Within the Church he would do his service what is without is nothing worth The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and sixteenth Psalm O God most merciful most gracious in making and most righteous in performing thy promises Ver. 5 who forgivest iniquity and sins and Ver. 6 preservest the souls of them that walk with a simple and sincere heart before thée Ver. 1 because thou hast heard my voyce and my supplications because thou hast inclined thine ear unto me The sorrowes of death compassed me and the pains of hell gat hold upon me I tound trouv'e and sorrow I was brought very low then I call'd upon the Name of the Lord then I cryed O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul Ver. 8 and thou wast ready at hand to help me Thou hast deliver'd my soul from ceath Ver. 2 mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling Thou hast dealt very bountifully with me in pardoning my sin hearing my petitions and restoring me to the comforts of thy Spirit therefore I will call upon thee as long as I live therefore I will walk before thee in righteousness and holiness as long as I have a Being I was greatly afflicted Ver. 10 and all the comforts that I could receive from the lips of man were but vain they all proved miserable miserable comforters unto me In my baste I said they were all lyars till thou by thy holy Spirit didst secure me that thou wert and wouldst be unto me a merciful Father and sealest unto me an unexpected pardon This by the power of thy Spirit I have and do believe Ver. 10 and in it I acquiesce I expect no more I have enough Return then unto thy rest Ver. 7 O my troubled soul for the Lord hath dealt very bountifully with thee And now Ver. 12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me I find by experience that the death and afflictions of his Saints are as precious Iewels in his fight these for his sake I am content if it be his Will to undergo of this Cup if it séem good to him I am content to drink Oh Lord I am thy servant truly I am thy servant and the son of thy Hand-maid A patient son of my mother the Church and if it please thée to poure out to me a full draught of this red wine Thy Will not mine be done But if thou shalt take away the Cup from me or else proportion it according to my strength I will take the Cup of salvation with a contented mind and I will offer the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. I have vowed my self to be thy servant though I can be but an unproficable servant yet I will pay my vowes unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people Now even now while I remain in the land of the living I will endeavour That my light may so shine before men
Thou shalt make them turn their back when thou shalt make ready thine Arrows upon the siring against the face of them And at last the cause is added of this severity against them Ver. 11 of that succour he will afford his afflicted The cause oppressed people and the sharp revenge he will take upon their enemies For they intended evil against and imagin'd a mischievous device which they were not able to perform A great comfort this The Epilogue is an Acclamation The third part A Vote to Gods glory and it hath two parts 1. A Petition 2. A Profession 1. Be thou exalted Lord in thy own strength Shew thy self more powerful than all Men or Devils in destroying the enemies of thy Church Ver. 13 2. Their thankfulness And we will be a thankful people So will we sing and praise thy power 1. Serva Regem Populum 2. Nos agemus gratias A Prayer for Kings and all in Authority collected out of the twenty first Psalm O Lord shew thy mercy to the King that is now in great distress and cast aside by a stubborn rebellious and self-ended people Call for him again Ver. 1 and make him the Head-stone of the Corner that he may unite these distracted and divided Kingdoms give him occasion to rejoyce in thy strength and to be excéeding glad of that salvation which thou alone now he is deserted of all men art able to send him against his malicious enemies Thou art the Lord of Hosts and victory and success procéed from thée fight for him O Lord and fight with him that he may be safe and being saved rejoyce and rejoycing â—â—ng of thy Name all the day long With instant and fervent prayers he Ver. 2 and with him his true-hearted people sollicite thée to avert thy wrath and shew tender compassion grant him then what he shall desire with his heart and deny him not the request of his lips With heart and tongue Petitions are presented to thy Throne for him hear O Lord Ver. 3 and grant and grant and do what is desired Nay prevent his Petitions give him more than he hath asked or we can expect let the blessings of thy goodness flow upon him unexpected and set upon his head a Crown of the purest gold which of right belongs to him and which his ambitious and bloody enemy most injuriously hath ravish'd and detains from him Ver. 4 His enemies purshe him to take away his life but do thou bestow upon him length of dayes let him live to a good old Age safe and obeyed in his Kingdom He is now despised but let his glory be again great and illustrious he is now dishonour'd but do thou load him with honour his Majesty is laid low in the dust but do thou raise it so he shall have just cause to make his boast not of his wealth not of his power not of his wisdom but of thy salvation goodness and deliverance only Set him a blessing for ever to his people and make him exceeding glad with thy favour and countenance He hath had often experience that the help of man is but vain that they are all but weak and broken réeds which run into the hand wound and grieve those that lean upon them therefore setting aside all humane confidences he reposeth his trust only in thée Thou art his God and the God of his Father whose blood was shed to maintain thy Truth through the mercy then of thée the most High God let him not be moved much less removed as he places his trust in thée so place him again in his Fathers Seat As thou hast heretofore shewed thy Power against thy enemies Ver. 8 so declare thy Might now let no lurking places hide them no Fortresses secure them find them out with thy hand and make them féel thy just and severe revenge Ver. 9 pursue those that hate thée and thy Truth let thy right hand lay hold of them and execute thy wrath upon them never suffer them to escape Ver. 10 but make them as a fiery Oven in the day of thy anger that presently devoures those that are cast into it swallow them up in thy hot indignation Ver. 12 and let the fire of thy just vengeance consume them Destroy the fruit of their loyns from the Earth and root out their seed from among the children of men make them to turn their backs and slie in the day of Battle and yet so let them not escape for even then make thou ready the arrow upon the string and set them as a Butt to shoot at prepare thy Bow against the face of them let them sée with great grief the faces of those thou hast saved and féel their arm For by their Treason and Rebellion against thy King Ver. 11 they have intended evil against thée they have imagined to destroy thy Truth to abolish thy Gospel and Ordinances which yet as appears by their own factions and divisions they are not able to perform Frustrate O Lord their counsels and never let them be able to perform them Raise up thy power O Lord and come amongst us Ver. 13 Be thou exalted in thy own strength shew thy self more potent than all Divels and Men who rejected our Kings and do eat up and oppress thy people so shall we sing and praise thy power PSAL. XXII De Messia ejus Passione Regno THIS Psalm though in some sense it may be applied to David as a Type yet Christ is the thing signified and therefore it is primarily and principally verified of and in him for he is brought in here speaking First complaining of his dereliction then shewing his Passion and the cruelty of his Enemies Thridly intreating ease and deliverance from them Lastly Promising to his Father thanks foretelling the preaching of the Gospel and the enlargement of his Kingdom by the accession of all Nations There be three chief parts of this Psalm 1. Our Saviours complaint and the causes of it lively and prophetically expressing his sufferings almost through the whole Psalm 2. His Petition and Prayer that God would not absent himself but deliver and save him ver 3 4 5 9 10 11 19 20 21. 3. His Thanksgiving from ver 22. to the end Davids and in him Christs complaint of dereliction 1. He begins with a heavy complaint of Dereliction in his extremity and that he could not be heard though he roared and cried which is thus pathetically expressed and ingeminated My God my God why hast thou forsaken me The first part why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring Ver. 1 O my God I cry in the day-time but thou hearest not and in the night-season and am not silent 2. And that he might seem to have the more just reason to complain for this desertion God carried himself to him after an unusual manner when other his Saints called upon him he heard them he sent them comfort which in this
hence I shall dwell with thée in that celestial house above and with them sing Honour and Glory to thee who sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for evermore Amen PSAL. XXIV Of Christs Dominion and the Church and his Ascension THE Subject of this Psalm is Christ calld The King of Glory vers 7. And it hath two parts 1. The first that concerns Christs Lordship which is in general over the whole world vers 1 2. But in particular the Church from vers 3. to vers 7. 2. An Exhortation to all men to receive Christ for their King The first part of this Psalm shews that God is King of all the world The first part Christs Dominion but in his Kingdom he hath two kind of Subjects 1. Either all men in general For the earth is the Lords Vers. 1 and all that therein is the compass of the world and they that dwell therein 1 Over all And of it he gives a reason from the Creation of it He ought to have the dominion of it Vers. 2 and all in it For he hath founded it upon the Seas and establish'd it upon the floods 2. But all are not his Subjects in the same way There are a people 2 Over the Church whom he hath call'd to be his Subjects in another manner A Mountain there is which he hath sanctified and chosen above all other Hills to make the Seat of his Kingdom 't is the Church and over them that live in it he is in a more peculiar manner said to be a Lord than of the whole earth And these are more properly call'd his Servants and Subjects And yet among these there is a difference too For some only profess to be his Servants and call him Lord as Hypocrites some other there are that are his Servants really and truly And that this difference be taken notice of the Prophet asks Quis Vers. 3 Who shall ascend into the bill of the Lord And Who shall stand in his holy place In which some of his Subject are hypocrites As if he should say Not Quisquis 'T is not every one for Infidels are not so much as in the Church Hypocrites howsoever in the Church are no true Members of the Mystical Church and some which come to the Hill of the Lord yet stand not in his Holy place For many believe only for a season and few continue faithful to death 3. That then it be truly known 2 Others true Subjects Their Characters who they are over whom he is truly Rex gloriae The King of glory The Prophet gives us their Character and sets down three distinctive Notes by which they may be known 1. Cleanness of hands He that hath clean hands à cade furto c. Vers. 4 is free from all external wicked actions 1 Clean hands For the hand is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Purity of heart For external purity is not enough except the heart 2 A pure heart the Fountain of our actions be clean Hypocrisis est in cor consentiat 3. Truth of the tongue is not guilty of lyes and perjuries 3 A true tongue He that hath clean hands and a pure heart who hath not lift up his soul unto vanity nor sworne deceitfully After that the Prophet had given the Character by which you may know the man he then assigns his reward and ends with an acclamation 1. Their reward a blessing This is he that shall receive the blessing from the Lord and righteousness i. e. be justified from the God of his Salvation 2. Vers. 5 Vers. 6 This is the generation of them that seek thee i. e. These are the people of God Because these are alone the people of God let other boast themselves and please themselves as they list yet these are the godly party these they that seek thy face O Jacob i.e. O God of Jacob. This part is an Exhortation to all men in the whole world The second part especially Princes Nobles He exhorts all to receive Christ Magistrates that they receive acknowledge and worship Christ as King 1. Life up your heads O ye gates i. e. O you Princes that sit in the gates Vers. 7 lift up your heads and hearts be ye lift up you everlasting doors portae mundi and the King of glory shall come in 2. Vers. 8 To which good counsel the Prophet brings in the Princes asking this Question in scorn and contempt Which they deride Who is the King of glory To which he answers The Lord strong and mighty the Lord mighty in Battle I tell you who he is To their ruine one able to destroy you and will destroy you if you reject him For he is far beyond all the strength and power of men He is the Lord mighty in Battle Dominus excercituum And that his Exhortation pierce the deeper he ingeminates it with the answer vers 9 10. I know this last part is otherwise interpreted and I dislike it not See Bellarmine The Prayer out of Psalm 24. which was composed to be Sung on the Sabbath O Omnipotent God the Creatour and preserver of the whole Vniverse Vers. 1 who art Lord of the whole earth of whose fulness all partake and to whom all that dwell in the world owe homage and subjection For thou hast created the Globe of this earth upon which we tread Vers. 2 and so immoveably founded and fixed it upon the floods that the violence of the Sea doth not overwhelm it nor the waves thereof ascend above it We acknowledge that the whole stock of men that walk upon this earth and are sustain'd from it as they are thy creatures so they are thy vassals and that thou hast a just dominion over them This is an Argument of thy Power and Majesty But thy love to man-kind hath far more abounded in that out of all Nations thou hast cast thy eye upon a select company vouchsafed to call them into thy Church Vers. 3 in which thou hast set thy Seat as sometime in Mount Zion that thou wilt dwell among these be adored by these and give a favourable answer to the petitions that these shall make unto thée Of these thou requirest integrity purity fidelity Clean hands a pure heart Vers. 4 and a faithful tongue These are the generation that séek thée and to these thou hast promised thy blessing thy mercy Grant therefore O Lord. that we may have hands clensed from all impure actions a heart frée from all hypocrisie and base affections a tongue that will never take thy Name in vain either rashly deceitfully or maliciously but that in heart word and déed we may be so sincere that we may be accompted by thée of that number who are worthy to ascend into the Hill of the Lord and dwell remain and continue in thy Holy place O Lord afford us thy grace thus to seek thee and then we shall never despair of thy blessings and
seventy fifth Psalm for the King those that are in authority and for the Church under affliction O Almighty God Lord of all power King of kings and Lord of lords who hast taught us by thy holy Prophet that promotion comes nor from the East nor from the West nor from the North nor from the South but that thou art the righteous Judge that puts down one and sets up another Establish we beséech thée in the Throne of this Kingdom thy faithful Servant our bread Soveraign Let the dew of thy abundant blessings fall upon his head give him the success of David the wisdom of Solomon and the zeal of Josiah Take pleasure in him O Lord and restore him to his just right and people and make him a most mighty Protector of thy heritage a most religious Defender of thy Sacred Truth and a gracious Governor to all his Subiects When he shall receive the Congregation Vers. 2 and at any time sit in judgement Vers. 10 let him judge according to right let him cut off the horn the pride the power of wicked men and on the contrary be studious to honour and exalt the right and humble desires of the righteous At this time the foundations of the earth are out of course the earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved Vers. 3 The seats of justice are corrupt all Laws are silenc'd an indulgence is given to theft and rapine Religion is trode under foot and men in their manners are dissolute being guided by their own counsels and swayed by their own affections How is the faithful City become an Harlot It was full of judgement righteousness lodged in it but now Murderers Our Princes are become rebellious and companions of Thieves every one loveth gifts and followeth after rewards they judge not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them Set up then thy Servant upon the Throne that he may restore our Iudges as at first and our Counsellours as at the beginning Religion and Iustice are the Pillars of the Land they are now ready to fall or rather fallen O let him bear up these Pillars repair the breaches of this distracted Church and Kingdom and confirm both Laws and Iustice being heard to speak and a right order for thy worship and service being re-establishes So shall this our Land be call'd again The City of righteousness the holy and faithful City Give him O Lord courage in the execution of his Office Vers. 4 let him make the wicked to pass under the whéel and the ambitious arrogant and proud to know that in his Kingdom they are not to deal foolishly nor yet being confident of their power to exalt their horn and in contempt of all Laws exercise rapine and violence Let such as set their horn on high be brought down by his hand and those that are contumacious and stiff neck'd fort'd to bow to his yoke and made to féel that he carries not the sword in dain but that as he is the Minister of God for good to those that do good so also he is the Minister of God a revenger of wrath upon him that doth evil And now having presented unto thée our supplications for our King we are bold also to offer unto thy Majesty our humble petitions for that part of thy Church which thou hast committed to his care this for many years thou hast fed with the bread of tears and entertain'd with the water of affliction But it is our comfort that the Cup is in thy hand Thou measurest out our draughts and beginnest such a portion as thou pleasest The wine is indéed red and of a high colour but yet it is full of mixture with the tartness of thy great displeasure there is mixt the swéetness of thy promises engaged thou art that we shall taste and drink no déeper of it than thou wilt make us able to bear O Lord make thy Word good unto us stay thy hand turn from thy fierre wrath let it suffice that we have drunk so déep of this Cup. There remains only the dregs behind and as we have béen inebriated with this wine so let the ungodly of the earth wring out the dregs and suck them out So shall we have just râ—â—son to declare the equity of thy justice Vers 9 and to sing praises to the honour of the God of Jacob. Unto thee O Lord Vers. 1 will we give thanks yea unto thee will we give thanks for that thou art near and thy name is ready to help all that call upon thee of which the exaltation of our King and the deliverance of thy people will be a miraculous declaration Thy Church shall for ever remember thy just judgements and sing forth with full voice thy praises when they shall sée the horns of the wicked broken and those preserved and secured who have wholly addicted themselves to the study of justice and piety as we are taught and commanded by our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ PSAL. LXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel Triumphalis THE Glory and Power of God is in this Psalm amply set forth in his defence of Jerusalem and Zion which were types of his Church and it hath Three parts 1. The Prerogative of Judah and Israel vers 1 2. 2. A Narration of Gods Majesty in his Church from vers 3. to 11. 3. An Exhortation to worship and serve God vers 11 12. 1. 1 The Jews Prerogative The first part In the two first verses is set forth the Jews Prerogative above other Nations 1. Vers. 1 That God was known among them In Judah is God known 2. That his Name was great in Israel Great for his manifold deliverance Vers. 2 Illustrious 3. 2 Gods zeal for his Church At Salem is his Tabernacle his Temple his seat of worship His presence singular 4. His dwelling in Zion I will dwell in the midst of them and I will be their God 2. The second part Next he declares Gods power and Majesty and vindicating his people and destroying their enemies There i. e. at Jerusalem before Zion as in the dayes of Senacherib Or else in the Land of Judah There brake he the arrows of the bow By which he shew'd himself 1. Glorious the shield and the sword and the battail Selah By which he became Glorious 2. And Terrible vers 7. 1. Glorious Thou art more Glorious and Excellent viz. among good men than the Mountains of prey Than the Kingdoms gotten by violence murder and robbery And this his glory was made manifest in these particulars 1. That they who came to spoyl were spoyled The stout-hearted are spoyled 2. They have slept their sleep Either dead Or overtaken with so deep a slumber that like men surpriz'd by a deep sleep and suddenly awaked they were amaz'd and knew not which way to turn themselves Their hands were feeble their courage lost 3. Which he explains in the words following And none of the men of might have
sake whom thou hast sent to bless us Iesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen PSALM IV. The occasion Trouble from enemies THERE be three parts of it 1. An entrance or petition for Audience vers 1. 2. An Apostrophe to his enemies which is Reprehensive 2 3. Admonitory 4 5 3. A Petition for himself and Gods people vers 6 7 8. The first part 1. He proposeth his request and suit for Audience Hear me when I call Vers. 1 Have mercy upon me or be graâ—ious unto me and hear my prayer He prayes for audience and mercy upon four grounds And he seeks to win attention from God by an insinuation implicitely containing four Arguments 1. Gods Covenant with man who hath promised to hear when we call 1 Gods promise Call upon me in trouble and I will hear thee I call Hear me therefore when I call 2. His own innocence He suffer'd without fault 2 His innnocence God is the Judge and Revenger of innocents Hear me therefore O God of my righteousness 3. He requests no more 3 Gods former goodness to him than what God had done for him at other times when he was in distress Thou hast enlarg'd me in trouble and why not now 4. It was mercy and favour to answer him then 4 And his mercy and it will be mercy and favour to do it again Have mercy upon me or be gracious to me 2. His Petition being thus headed and ended The second part he descends to the doctrinal part of the Psalm and turning himself to his enemies he 1. Sharply Reproves them 2. Then warns them and gives them good counsel 1. He turns his speech from God to men the chiefest but the worst of men 1 He reproves his enemies Filii Enosh O ye sons Virorum No Plebeians Vers. 2 but Nobles and chief men The charge he lays to them is 1. That they turn'd his glory into shame 1 That they fought against Gods decree They went about to dishonour him that God had call'd and anointed to the Kingdom 2. That they lov'd vanity A vain attempt they were in love with 2 That in vain 3. That they sought after leasing 3 That lyars They pursued that which would deceive them they would find at last that treachery and iniquity lyed unto it self for God had said he should reign and he must reign whatsoever they conceiv'd to the contrary was but a lye 4. That this his charge might have the more life 4 That obdurate in their rebellion he figures it with a stinging interrogation Vsque quo it is not Quare Why but Usque quo How long By which he doth aggravate their sins It had malice and pertinacy in it They did persist and continue in mischief And he asks How long they would do it But he would have them know that God had chosen and would hear him What never give over to prosecute him 2. And that they might if possible be drawn from their attempts he sends them a Noverint to read which hath two clauses 1. Let them know That God hath set apart him that is godly for himself Vers. 3 2. That God will hear when I or any good man calls upon him 2. 2 He gives them good counsel The Reproof both of Vanity and Malice of their attempts and ignorance being ended He gives them good counsel 1. Vers. 4 1 That they sin not by their anger That though they be angry yet that they let not the Sun go down upon their wrath That they stand in awe of God and sin not in their anger 2. 2 That they seclude their passions and interests That they commune with their own hearts their own conscience that they do it in their bed a fit time a fit place when retired from all Conspiratours that they be still then and seclude their passions and interests Then they should rightly judge whether they were not in an errour their anger causless and their prosecution vain and unjust 3. Vers. 5 3 That they serve God with an honest heart That they offer the sacrifice of righteousness That they serve and worship God with an honest sincere and contrite heart which is the best sacrifice 4. 4 That they trust in God That they put their trust in the Lord. They trust no more to their Lyes nor love their Vanities but relie upon Gods promises For then they would depose all their vain attempts 3. The third part Vers 6. The Question answer'd de Summo Bono The third part of the Psalm begins at the sixth verse with this Question of â—hose men that David reproves and counsels There be many that say Who will shew us any good And some Interpreters referre it 1. To their malice As if they had said Who will shew us the good that we so much desire and long for When shall we see David dead and confounded that which is so good in our eyes 2. Others make them words of insultation in great distress David now was and many said Who is there now that will stand by him and take his part and shew him and his any good any kindness favour or assistance 2. Which consists in the light of Gods countenance But Interpreters generally make it a serious question and a disquisition de summo bono Who will shew us that good which will make us happy To which David returns his answer in effect that it is not Bona animi nor bona fortunae nor bona corporis but the light of Gods countenance and therefore 3. His Petition or Prayer for it He preferres his Petition Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us Gods countenance is his grace his favour his love and the light of his countenance the exhibition and expression of this grace favour The effects of it are love in which alone lies all the happiness of man Of which David expresseth two effects Gladness and Security 1. Vers. 7 1 Gladness Gladness and joy far beyond that which may be had from any temporal blessings Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and wine and oyle increased Gladness beyond the joy in harvest and this joy is from the light of Gods countenance For tu posuisti Thou putt'st Thou signally 2. Vers. 8 2 Security Security express'd under the Metaphor of sleep I will lay me down in peace and sleep Just as in a time of peace and sleeping as securely as if there were at this time nor trumpet nor drumme nor clashing of armour rattling in his ears 3. For this safety God assur'd him To which he adds the reason For thou Lord alone makest me dwell in safety The Prayer collected out of the fourth Psalm O Most merciful and loving Father merciful in promising and faithful in performing thy promises which hast commanded us to call upon thée in time of trouble
shall my prayer prevent thée Lord why castest thou out my soul why hidest thou thy face from me I am afflicted and ready to dye yea from my youth up thy terrours have I suffered with a troubled mind thy fierce wrath goeth over me thy displeasure hath cut me off This is the desire of my enemies Ver. 7 among whom I daily live who insult over me for my sins and labour to draw me to despair of thy mercies these come daily about me like water and compass me about together Oh let not their mischievous imagination prosper left they be too proud never let them cry there there so would we have it But I will praise the Lord for that he hath done I will wait on thy name for thy Saints like it well Ver. 8 therefore all ye workers of iniquity who have temptted me to sin and pressed me to despair Depart from me for the Lord hath heard the voyce of my weeping Ver. 9 the Lord which I repeat with joy and comfort hath heard the voyce of my supplication the Lord hath received and graciously answered my prayer So let thine enemies perish Ver. 10 O Lord so let them be ashamed and suddenly confounded and sore vexed even as many as are adversaries to thy Church and thy Glory Amen PSAL. VII The occasion A slaunder and accusation laid against him by Cush the son of Jemini that he sought to kill Saul from which he frees himself before God THree parts there are of this Psalm 1. His Appeal to God by way of Petition ver 1.2 6. 2. The Reasons of it set down through the whole Psalm 3. The first part Davids Appeal to God by way of petition to which he desires God to be The Doxology or his Thanksgiving ver 17. 1. He begins his Appeal with a Petition for freedom and deliverance from his Persecutors Save me deliver me ver 1. in which he desires God to be 1. Attentive to him first upon the Relation that was betwixt them for he was his Lord his God secondly He trusted in him O Lord my God I trust in thee Ver. 1 ver 1. 2. 1 Attentive 2 Benevolous Benevolous For he was now in danger of death he had 1. Enemies 2. Many Enemies 3. Persecuting Enemies 4. But one above the rest a Lyon who sought first to catch then to tear and rend him to pieces so that if God forsook him he would do it Save me from those that persecute me and deliver me least he catch my soul as a Lyon and tear it in pieces while there is none to deliver ver 2. The second part His reasons of Appeal 2. And then he gives his Reasons why he doth appeal to his God which are his own Innocency and Gods Justice 1. He makes before God a protestation of his Innocency Accused he was 1 His innocency that he lay in wait and plotted for Saul's life and Kingdom but he purgeth himself shews the impossibility of it and that with a fearful imprecation 1. O Lord my God if I have done any such thing as they object Ver. 3. 4. if therâ— be iniquity in my hands if I have rewarded evil tâ— him that was at peace with me ver 3 4. which was indeed an impossible matter And imprecates evil to himself if it were not so for I have deliver'd him that without any cause is my enemy as Saul in the Cave 1 Sam. 24. 2. Upon which he falls to a fearful imprecation to light upon himself if he were any way guilty Then let my enemy persecute my soul and take it Ver. 5 let him tread down my life upon the Earth and lay mine honour in the dust In effect thus then let my enemy have his will upon me take both my life and my honour dearer than my life from me lay all in the dust Kingdom Life Fortunes whatsoever thou hast promised me and I expect 2. And which is the second Reason of his Appeal being thus innocent 2 Gods justice he call to God for justice Arise O Lord in thy anger lift up thy self Ver. 6 because oâ— the rage of mine enemies and awake for me to the judgment that thou hast commanded 1. The rage of my enemies is great 2. The judgment was thine that chose me from my Brethren to be King of thy people Israel Thou commandest Samuel to anoint me Arise thou therefore lift up thy self and awake for me 3. Besides this will be for thy Honour and Eâ—ification of thy Church 3 Gods glory The Congregation of thy people shall compass thee not me about Ver. 7 they will assemble to praise thee for their sakes therefore return thou on High Ascend the Tribunal and do justice Now upon this Argument of Gods justice He stayes upon Gods justice he dwells and insists till the last verse of the Psalm and he implores it upon the ingemination of his own innocency and the impiety of his enemies God the Judge 1. He avows God to be the Judge not of his cause alone but of the whole world The Lord shall judge the people Ver. 8 2. Then he importunes him to do justice to him and to wicked men He implores his justice 1. To him an innocent and upright person 1 To him an innocent Judge me O Lord according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me 2. To the wicked O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end Ve. 9 3. And yet again he prayes over the same thing but not only for himself 2 Upon the wicked In God all the properties of a a good Judge 1. Knowledge 2. Prudence 3. To save but all good men Establish the just and adds his Reason that God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He knows not only the words and deeds but the heart also The righteous Lord trieth the very hearts and reins and therefore fittest to be a Judge in whom is required knowledge and prudence 4. The other two properties of a Judge are to save to punish and the triumph of his faith is that he knows he will do both 1. He will save the just and upright in heart he will judge the righteous Ver. 10 and therefore his defence is in God 2. He will punish the wicked for he is angry with the wicked every day Ver. 11 And yet even to them he shews much clemency and forbearance 4 To punish he stayes for their conversion he whets bends sharpens prepares his instruments of death he cuts them not down shoots not till-there is no remedy 5 Clemency Marry If they will not turn he will whet his Sword Ver. 12 he hath bent his Bowe and made it ready Ver. 13 he hath prepared for him the instruments of death and ordains his Arrows against the Persecutors 5. But mercy shewed unto the wicked it seems will not mend and better him nor Davids innocency But forbearance mends
Lord. Vers. 7 The administration of his Kingdom is 1. Eternal The Lord shall endure for ever Vers. 8 2. His Office to be Judge He hath prepared his Throne for judgement 3. He is an universal Judge He shall judge the whole world 4. He is a just Judge He shall judge in righteousness Which begets a confidence in his people he shall minister judgement to the people in uprightness 5. He is a merciful Judge to his people Vers. 9 For the Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed a refuge in time of trouble 5. The effect or consequent upon this his execution of justice which is the confidence thence arising in the hearts of his people which are here describ'd by their knowledge of God 2. Seeking him Vers. 10 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 2. An Exhortation to others to praise God 2 He exhorts others to praise God Sing praises to the Lord that dwells in Zion that is in the midst of his people and Church to defend them Declare among the people his doings The second part Of which he assigns the reason that he is a just God and will require their blood at the hands of those that oppressed and slew them Vers. 11 An inquisition for blood he will make And when he makes inquisition for blood For his justice he remembreth them the innocent unjustly oppressed and slain Vers. 12 and forgets not the cry of the humble The cry of their blood shall be heard 3. A Petition for himself that God would shew him mercy 3 He Petitions for favour and look upon his affliction Have mercy upon me O Lord The third part consider the trouble of them that hate me thou that lifts me up from the gates that is the power of death Vers. 13 As if he had said Do by me now as thou hast done heretofore And the Reason or Argument by which he perswades God to hear him and shew mercy is drawn from the final cause Vers. 14 he looks not so much upon himself as Gods honour it is That he may have just cause to praise God which he vows That I may shew thy praise 2. All thy praise 3. In thy Church in the gates of the daughter of Zion 4. That I may do it with joyful lips 5. Which I will do I will rejoice in thy salvation 4. And then as if he were shewing forth this praise in the Congregation The fourth part he sings forth his Song of Triumph his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 over his enemies in Metaphors And performs in a Song of Triumph 1. The heathen are sunk down into the pit that they made 2. In the net which they hid is their own foot taken 3. This is the Lords doing Vers. 15 Therefore though wicked men did doubt before of his providence and justice yet Vers. 16 now the Lord is known by the judgement he executes For 4. The wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgaion Selah Which is a thing exceedingly to be meditated on and not forgotten 5. The wicked shall be turn'd to hell and all the people that forget God Vers. 17 their breath is in their nostrils and dye they must which is some comfort to those they oppress and if they repent not Vers. 18 suffer eternal punishment 2. But the chief comfort is The fifth part is A Petition and proceeds from Gods justice and his goodness toward the innocent unjustly oppressed For the needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever Their hope shall not be frustrate Vers 19 5. The Conclusion is Petitory Arise O Lord. Against the enemies of the Church 1. Let not man prevail over thy people 2. Let the heathen be judg'd in thy sight Vers. 20 3. Put them in fear O Lord now they fear nothing That they may fear being in their height and prosperity they are insolent and proud manifest thy divine presence to their terrour For then 4. And know themselves to be but men They will know themselves to be but men infirm and mortal creatures and not insult over thy people and glory upon their own strength and prosperity The Prayer and Hymn out of the ninth Psalm for the Church in affliction persecuted and oppressed by enemies I Will praise thee Vers. 1 O Lord with my whole heart and I will make known to others as much as in me lies those wonderful works which thou hast done for thy people in all ages Vers. 2 I will not be glad and rejoice so much in the vain and empty things of this life as in thée the giver of them and for that I will sing praise to thy name O thou most high higher than all things in this world and far beyond all praise that I can give For thou Vers. 7 Lord who art from all eternity and shall continue the same for ever Vers. 8 hast prepared thy seat to judge the world on which being ascended thou wilt judge the world in righteousness rewarding every man according to his deserts repaying good things to those who know thy name and séek thée but heavy judgements to those who dishonour thée and oppress thy people Have mercy upon me Vers. 13 O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me Vers. 4 O thou that sittest in the Throne and judgest right maintain my right and my cause Vers. 16 and lift me up from the power of death Make thy self known by executing judgement for me Vers. 3 O let my enemies be turn'd back and perish at thy presence Vers. 18 Forget not the cry of the needy and let not the expectation of the poor perish for ever Vers. 12 Make inquisition for that innocent blood of thy servants which they have poured out like water that cannot be gathered up again and forget not the voice of Abels blood that yet from the earth cryes unto thée O God we have heard with our ears and our Fathers have declared unto us the noble works that thou didst in their dayes and in the old time before them Vers. 5 how thou hast destroy'd the wicked and rebuked the heathen and put out their name for ever and ever Vers. 9 Arise therefore O Lord be a refuge to the oppressed Vers. 19 a refuge in this needful time of trouble let not man prevail and let thy enemies be judged in thy sight Put them in fear O Lord that they may know themselves that they are not God but weak infirm and mortal men Now they are proud of their victories and puff'd up with their successes O break the hardness of their heart with some calamities and fearful disasters that being brought to consider their own frail condition and intolerable insolence they may cease to pride it against thée and thy Church O thou enemy Vers. 6 thou breathest nothing but
us from the darkness of sin and ignorance Good God so affect my heart with the love of thy Law that I may desire it more than gold Ver. 10 yea than much fine gold let it be sweeter to my mouth than the honey-comb Grant good Lord that I who desire to be thy servant may be taught by it Ver. 11 and from the kéeping of it let me expect my reward and have my reward in this present life security and peace of conscience and be refreshed by the comforts of thy holy Spirit and in the life to come live with thée in those Mansions which thou hast prepared for those who kéep thy Law for ever But thou O Lord knowest the frailty of my flesh how weak my endeavours are how imperfect my obedience If none but the observers of thy Law shall be rewarded I must néeds despair of a blessing either in this or another life in that the Errors of my life which I know are very many and those which I know not are numberless How often do I commit that wickedness which I ought to leave undone and omit those Duties which I ought to have done How often doth vice steal upon me in the cloaths of vertue and Error and Falshood in the shape of Truth Who can tell how oft he offendeth Ver. 12 Therefore O my good God I beséech thée of thy infinite mercy cleanse me and wash oft these secret spots of my soul with the rest of which in particular I have no knowledge yet my conscience in general tells me that of such I am guilty And however so long as I carry about me this body of flesh Ver. 13 I must also carry about with me this body of sin yet I beséech thée keep me from presumptuous sins never suffer my will to be so over-born that I sin against thée with a high hand though it dwell yet let it not reign though it remain yet let it not dominéer and tyrannize in my mortal body Thy servant Lord I desire to be and no vassal drudge and slave to sin never then suffer it to have the dominion over me This is that great offence which is inconsistent with grace that turneth thée to be our enemy that excludes from the Kingdom of Heaven never never O Lord suffer me to be guilty of it Thou that hearest prayers to thée shall all flesh come Ver. 14 now with a prostrate soul and a penitent heart I appear before thy Throne and humbly beg audience Let these words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be alwayes pleasing and acceptable to thee O Lord thou art my Rock my Strength hold me up that through weakness I fall not from thée Thou O sweet Jesus art my Redeemer and hast bought my soul with a dear price that of thy precious blood frée me from the power of sin the sorrows of death the power of Satan and pains of Hell and bring me by thy Merits and Passion to everlasting life that I may reign with thée for ever PSAL. XX. Is a Form of Prayer delivered by David to the People to be used by them for the King when he went out to Battle against his Enemies THERE be three parts of it 1. A Vote or Benediction of the People for their King from ver 1. to 5. 2. A Congratulation or Triumph of the People after the victory supposed to be obtained from ver 5. to 9. 3. A Petition ver 9. 1. The Vote and Congratulation is directed to Davids person The first part by form of Acclamation the particulars are that he may have Ver. 1 1. Audience in his necessity The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble The vote of the people for the King 2. Protection The Name of the God of Jacob defend thee 3. Help and Strength in the Battle Send thee help strengthen thee which is amplified by the place Out of the Sanctuary out of Zion either from the Sanctuary where prayers were made for him so that they desire their prayers may be heard for him or E Coelo 4. Acceptance of his person testified by the acceptance of his offerings and sacrifices as that of Abel Oderetur omnia munera tua holocaustum tuum in cinerem redigat 5. Answer concession and grant of his Petitions Grant thee according to thy own heart and fulfil all thy counsel which is plainly set down in the next verse The Lord fulfil all thy Petitions Which granted they vow thanks The Vote being ended they perswade that it may be granted because it will redound to Gods glory for then they would shew themselves thankful and honour him for the victory 1. We will rejoyce in thy salvation or as some read it Do this O Lord ut exultemus That we may rejoyce In tua salute referring it to God as the Authour or to the King as saved 2. And in the Name of our God will we set up our Banners Joyfully will we enter into the City with displayed Ensigns and erect them triumphantly as Trophies of the victory to the honour of our God 2. Now follows the Congratulation and Triumph of their faith The second part for they give thanks as for a victory already obtain'd for to their faith it was certain Before they pray'd for Audience and Protection Ver. 6 here they testifie they were certain and secure of both They comfort themselves by faith that God will grant what they ask of him Now know I. 1. Of Protection Now know I that the Lord will save his Anointed 2. Of Audience He will hear him from his holy Heaven 3. Of Help Helping him with the saving strength of his right hand And the certainty of their victory proceeded solely from their confidence in God to him they impute it wholly in the former verse such was their gratitude which that it might be the clearer they illustrate it by an Argument drawn à dissimili they were not as the common sort of Souldiers that trust more to their Arms than to their Prayers 1. Amd the rather because they trust not in their Ammunition As most men do Hi in curru in equis Some put their trust in Chariots and some in Horses as the Ammonites 2 Sam. 10.6 2. But we do not so We will remember the Name of the Lord our God The use of Arms is common and lawful to good and bad men but the difference lies in the confidence Here is an elegant Antithesis 2. And therefore the success was according their confidence in their Armour and Ammunition destroyed our trust in God hath saved us They are brought down and fallen The third part A short ejaculation but we are risen and stand upright The whole sum of the Psalm is repeated in this Epiphonema 1. Save Lord. 2. Let the King that is Christ bear us when we call The Prayer collected from the twentieth Psalm O Lord which art King of Kings Lord of Lords and yet hast commanded us
external internal worship 3. And to perswade to this he gives two reasons 1. Drawn from Gods goodness his acceptance of the Worship 1 Because God will accepts is and hearing our prayers and affording help when we call Vers. 24 For the Lord hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted neither hath he hid his face from him but when he cryed to him he heard him 2. This is the first Reason A second there is at the 26. verse 2 By the promises made to them which is the great good that should happen to those that believe and accept of the Gospel preach'd to them Vers. 26 Whom he calls here The Meek i. e. the humble the broken-hearted the penitent the heavy-laden those who are oppressed with the burden of their sins and astonished at the sense of Gods wrath Three promises of comfort are made unto them 1. 1 They shall be satisfied with the Gospel They shall eat and be satisfied i. e. They shall be fed by the Word of the Gospel and the Sacrament and they shall be satisfied with the glad tidings thereof 2. 2 Celebrate the Eucharist They shall praise the Lord for this mercy seeking his favour in his Ordinances especially the Eucharist The Sacrifices of the New Testament are Sacrifices of praise 3. 3 Their conscience quieted Their heart shall live for ever Their conscience being quieted and pacified and freed from the sense of Gods wrath And now the Prophet goes on These promises made to the Gentiles as wel as the Jews and sets forth unto us the extension and amplitude of these benefits that they belong'd not only to the Jews but even to the Gentiles by whose Conversion the Kingdom of Christ was to be enlarged All the ends of the World Vers. 27 1. Being warn'd by the preaching of the Gospel and allured by these promises shall remember themselves Who were to be converted consider of their lamentable condition in which they are and deplore their former estate impiety idolatry c. and the mercy of God now manifested to them being laid to heart 2. They casting away their gods and forsaking their lewd courses shall turn unto the Lord from whom they have been alienated 3. And embrace a new form of Religion And being converted they shall embrace a new form of Religion under the Gospel All the Kingdoms of the Nations shall worship before thee Of which the reason is Vers. 28 Because Christ is advanc'd to the Throne All power is given to him For Christ is exalted to be King For the Kingdom i. e. of the Church is the Lords and he is the governour among the people And then he instanceth in two sorts of men that should become subjects of this Kingdom In effect all Rich and poor 1. Vers. 29 The fat upon the earth that is the wealthy the mighty Kings Princes 1 To whom the rich should be Subjects Great Men are not excluded from the society of this Kingdom and participation of Grace All they that be fat upon the earth shall eat and worship 2. 2 And the poor penitents Ezek. 27.30 They also that go down to the dust that is who are poor neglected draw out their life in misery and sit as it were in the dust Those that are perpetual Mourners and have perpetual dust and ashes on their heads These shall bow before him And No man hath quickned his own soul Or None can keep alive his own soul This clause is diversly read Moller Et qui animam suam non vivificat Vulgar Et anima mea illi vivet Jun. Qui animam suam in vita non conservaverit Musculus Quorum nemo animam suam vivificabit Chald. Et anima impii non vivet And therefore admits of several interpretations which read in the Authours 3. 2 And to be a perpetual King Lastly He doth amplifie the greatness of this benefit by the perpetuity of Christs Kingdom It was not a Feast of one hour but it was to continue 1. Vers. 30 A seed shall serve him It shall be counted to the Lord for a generation a holy Nation Whom his seed shall serve a royal Priesthood 2. And when one generation was past another should come up to perform this Duty Vers. 31 being instructed by their fathers They shall come and declare his righteousness to a people that shall be born For ever Manebit semper Ecclesia 3. Lastly He concludes with the cause of all why we call'd why justified why sanctified why saved Quia ipse fecit Ipse God the Authour of all This is Gods doing or if we read That he hath done it Then it is to be a part of the Declaration A Prayer collected out of the 22. Psalm to be used by a disconsolate soul in a spiritual Desertion O Heavenly Father and most Merciful God thou séest that at this time I am a man of sorrows and beset with heaviness thy comforts I now most néed and yet thou séemest to turn thy face from me My God Vers. 1 whom I have alwayes served my God whom I have alwayes trusted why hast thou forsaken me why art thou so farre from my help why is it that thou doest not hear the words of my complaint O my God Vers. 2 I cry day and night to thée to take away this bitter cup from me but thou who art wont to hear those who call upon thee yet doest not regard the voice of my roaring As water that is poured out upon the ground and hath no consistence Vers. 14 as wax that melts at the heat of the fire and loseth its continuity so is the heart in the midst of my body it flows every way and is melted by the furnace of thy fierce wrath I have not whereon to stay I have not whereon to consist I pine with grief I dissolve with pain I pine and languish and faint and dye My bones are fill'd with torture Vers. 15 all the strength of my limbs is wasted my vital spirits fail my moysture is dryed up my tongue cleaveth to my gums and I am brought even to the very dust of death I looked about to sée if any would pity me Vers. 17 but I found them all miserable comforters they shew no pity no compassion at all Vers. 6 For as if I were a worm and no man they stare and look upon me delighting themselves in my misery They scoff and scorn me so that I am become the reproach of men and the despised of the people Their words are bitter their gestures worse Vers. 12 They laugh me to scorn they shoot out their lips they shake their heads They thus insult over me nay blaspheme thée He trusted in God that he would deliver him let him deliver him now if he hath any delight in him They compass me as wild Bulls they enclose me as mad doggs they gape upon me as roaring Lyons They pierce my soul
They part my goods among them and cast lots upon mine inheritance But O thou God of Israel thou continuest propitious and benevolous Vers. 3 why then doest thou stop thine ears at my prayers Thou hast perform'd thine Oath to out fore-fathers they trusted in thée in the depth of their calamities and thou didst comfort or deliver them They cryed in their afflictions and thou sentest them help they hoped in thée and were not ashamed or frustrated of their hope But me who have alwayes call'd upon thée who have alwayes hoped in thée thou hast deserted and forsaken exposed as the vilest and most contemptible worm to be trampled upon by every foot and insulted over by my cruel enemy Yet O Lord I am thy creature and thy hands have fashioned me in my mothers womb and being fashioned thou art he that brought'st me into this light upon thée have I fastned all my hope even from my infancy even from that time to this very hour thou hast shew'd thy self a merciful God in nourishing governing and preserving me from all evil Do not thou therefore who hitherto hast béen present with me whom I have acknowledged whom I have honour'd in whom I have hoped Do not O do not thou depart be not farre from me for most grievous trouble is near and there is none besides to help me none to mitigate the pressnre of my calamities with any comfort But O thou Father of Mercies deferre no longer but haste thee to help me O Lord my strength deliver my soul from the Sword my soul I say which is only dear to me from the power of the Dogg Save me from the Lyons mouth from my Adversary the Devil that goes about like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour and hear me and frée me from the hands of Tyrants This if thou shalt do for me Vers. 22 as I certainly believe thou wilt then I will appear before thee in the great Congregation then I will declare thy Name thy Power thy Goodness to all my brethren to those who are bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh to all those who are partakers of the same Covenant and of the same spirit with me I will fréely and openly profess and praise thée Before thée and of thée shall I make my boast in the most frequent Assemblies of thy Servants Thy praise shall ever be in my mouth and those sacrifices of thanksgiving which I have vowed these I will pay in the presence of all thy people And I will call to my brethren to ioyn with me saying O ye of the seed of Jacob that fear the Lord and O all ye of the seed of Israel that imitate his faith and piety praise the Lord glorifie my and your God fall low before him adore and worship him for he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of me a poor afflicted despised wretch neither hath he hid his face from me but when I cryed unto him he heard me O Lord thou heardst thy Son when he pray'd for himself hear him we beséech thée Vers. 16 when he prayes for us And look nor upon us as we are in our selves wretched polluted creatures but look upon the face of thine anointed behold his hands and his féet digg'd through with nayls for our sake behold his blood poured out like water and all his sinews stretched upon the Cross and his bones put out of joint consider his bitter Agony in which as if he had béen near some furnace he fell into a sweat and melted into drops of blood when thou hidd'st thy face affordest him no comfort when in bitterness of soul being forsaken by thee he complain'd and cryed My God my God Remember how for us he became the reproach of men Vers. 1 and the out-cast of the people Vers. 7 how they laugh'd him to scorn and shak'd their heads at him forget not those Bulls those Lyons those Doggs that came about him to devour him and when they had brought him to the dust of death they parted his garments among them and cast lots upon his vesture O let not this blood be spilt in vain but for these sufferings unknown to us but felt by him have pity upon us and save us Since he hath given his soul a Sacrifice for sin Isa 53. divide him a portion with the great and let him divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul to death and was numbred with the transgressours and bare the sins of many let him see his seed let him prolong his dayes and let the pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand Since he hath borne our iniquities and made intercession for the transgressours let him see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied and let this thy righteous Servant justifie many Let all the ends of the world remember themselves Vers. 27 mourn and deplore their former estate lament for their impiety and forsaking their lewd conversation be turned unto the Lord and let all the kindreds of the Nations instead of the creature worship the Creatour For thine O Christ is the Kingdom and Power and Glory and thou by the meritorious Death and Passion Vers. 28 hast merited to be the governour among the Nations A seed even of the Gentiles shall serve thee they shall be counted to the Lord for a generation Vers. 26 These are the méek upon earth these are the poor in spirit these are the contrite and broken-hearted To these thou hast sent the glad tidings of the Gospel for these thou hast prepared a banquet of thine own flesh and blood Oh give us grace so to eat thy flesh and drink thy blood that we may eat and be satisfied and being fill'd with joy of heart we may praise thée that we séek to thée and please thée and our consciences being quieted and secured by this repast we may acquiesce and live in the perswasion of thy peace and reconciliation for ever O let the fat on earth the greatest the richest the mightyest Princes and Potentates on earth long after this food and in testimony of their faith and Religion eat adore and worship These even these must go down to the dust for no man can keep alive his own soul Let these then together with all other Mortals bow their knées at the Name of Iesus and come and eat this spiritual meat that they may live for ever Thou O Iehovah art our righteousness this will we declare to a people that shall be born our childrens children shall know that thou alone hast done this for us that thou hast redéemed us that thou alone art the Authour and Finisher of our justice and salvation that thou doest justifie thou doest sanctifie thy people and wilt save them by the meritorious Death and Passion of our Lord Iesus Christ And therefore for this we will declare thy Name unto our brethren we will praise thee we will glorifie thee we will fear adore and worship thee Our
ever and ever Amen Amen PSAL. XLVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalm is wholly Gratulatory sung by the Church for some very great deliverance after the victory from confederated enemies Two especial things to be considered 1. The confidence the Church hath in God from vers 1. to 8. 2. An Exhortation to behold it and that he is the Lord of Hosts the Authour of Warre and Peace vers 8 9 10. 1. The first part The Churches confidence He begins with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Maxime which is the ground of all the confidence which the people of God can have God is our Asylum or refuge to fly to our strength Vers. 1 stay munition on which to relie a very present help to deliver us in trouble Upon which Gods people inferre this Conclusion The inference upon it boldness in persecution Therefore will we not fear no not in the greatest calamities and multitude of enemies Which he expresseth First Metaphorically then in plain proper terms Fear we will not Vers. 2 1. Though the earth be moved or removed on which the Church is seated 2. Though the Mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea i. e. the great and strongest Empires and Kingdoms should be ruin'd and overwhelm'd 3. Though the waters roar and be troubled Vers. 3 Though a multitude of people threaten and join their forces to ruine the Church 4. Though the Mountains i. e. Kingdoms shake at the tumour and swelling pride of these Compiratours For the waters are people Revel 17. More plainly for we have the interpretation of these Metaphors Vers 6. Vers. 6 Though the heathen raged the Kingdoms were moved yet will we not be afraid Justum tenacem propositi virum non civium ardor prava jubentium Non vultus instantis tyranni Mente quatet solidâ Neque Auster Dux inquietus turbidus Adriae Nec fulminantis Jovis manus Si fractus illabatur orbis Impavidum ferient ruina 2. And of this he next descends to shew the reasons 1. There is a River The reasons of this the streams whereof shall make glad the City of God the holy place of the Tabernacles of the most high Vers. 4 The City of God was Jerusalem the type of the Church and the holy place of the Tabernacles the Temple The little Siloah that ran softly did water Jerusalem and the Gospel-promises that shall flow alwayes in the Church shall make glad the hearts of Gods people Vers. 5 2. God is in the midst of her to keep to defend her therefore she shall not be moved that is utterly removed but shall remain for ever 3. God shall help her and deliver her yea and that right early in a fit season He that should come will come and will not tarry 4. He uttered his voice and the earth was melted The hearts Vers. 6 of the men of the earth that exalted themselves against his Church at the least word uttered from his mouth melted were struck with fear and terrour 5. The Lord of hosts is with us He is Dominus exercituum Vers. 7 their Armies then are at his command vers 7 11. 6. The God of Jacob is our refuge He is our Asylum and he will saye us vers 7 11. The second part contains two Exhortations 1. He calls to all to behold the works of the Lord Exhortations The second part and of two he gives instance for to behold 1. That War is his work Vers. 8 See what desolations he hath made in the earth Vers. 9 2. That Peace is his work Vers. 10 He maketh War to cease to the end of the earth c. 2. Then in the person of God he exhorts the enemies of the Church to be quiet for their endeavours are but in vain and their rage to no purpose Be still and know that I am God I will be exalted among the heathen I will be exalted in the earth The Prayer out of the forty sixth Psalm Or an Hymne O Blessed Lord God Vers. 1 upon whom we have depended ever since we were born forsake us not now in this néedful time of trouble but be our refuge to whom we may flie our strength on whom we may relie our present help in these distracted times either by fréeing us from our pressures or giving us patience to undergo them So shall we not fear in the greatest storms No Vers. 2 though the Devil raise the greatest persecutions against thy Church to remove it from the earth no not though a multitude of people conspire and swell with pride though they compass us about as a flood of waters Vers. 3 Though we behold the shaking and commotions of all other Kingdoms and Empires about us For thy rich promises will sustain our fainting hearts Vers. 4 A River of mercy there is in thee whose ever flowing streams shall make glad the City of our God the most high in which he hath set his Tabernacle to dwell and which we know he will uphold for ever Vers. 5 God is in the midst of her and she shall not be removed by any incursion help her he will in a fit season right early he hath promised to come and he will not tarry Arise Vers. 6 O God to fight for us utter thy voice to defend our cause for then the Nations will tremble the Kingdoms will be moved the hearts of our enemies shall melt like war and all that have exalled themselves against us shall lose their courage and be surprized with an astonishing fear Certainly the Lord of hosts Vers. 7 at whose command there is an Army an Army of Angels is with us The God whom Jacob worshipped and by whose power and mercy he was defended from the fury of his brother Esau will defend us when we flie to him O come then Vers. 8 and consider the works of the Lord behold what wonders he hath done for his people in all ages For their sakes he hath destroyed mighty Armies and brought strange desolations upon the mightiest Kingdoms Vers. 9 Again for their sakes he hath made Wars to cease in all the World he hath broken the Bows of the mighty cut their Spears in sunder and burnt up their Chariots with fire from Heaven giving to his people the blessing of peace All then you who are enemies to his Church Vers. 10 be still cease from your wicked plots and conspiracies for know this for certain that he is God he will get himself honour upon you Vers. 11 and he will be exalted not only in the Heaven above but he will also be exalted by what he doth for his people on Earth So that when we shall see his wonderful deliverance that he sends his people and the revenge he takes on their enemies we shall have reason to say and say again The Lord of Hosts is with us the God of Jacob is our refuge PSAL. XLVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Triumphalis THE Prophet takes occasion from the bringing up of
invitation to praise God The first part He invites all men to praise God and to do it affectionately and heartily 1. Ver. 1 Make a joyful song unto God all ye Lands 2. Ver. 2 Sing forth the honour of his Name 3. Make his praise glorious 4. Say unto God where he prescribes a Form to be used in Thanksgiving How terrible art thou in thy works viz. in redeeming and delivering thy people with a strong and powerful hand 2 To consider his works The effect Of which consideration he shews a double effect one upon Gods enemies 2. The other upon his people 1. 1 On enemies a feigned obedience Upon his enemies a feigned obedience a service done indeed perforce as the conquered do the Conquerors done with lying lips and an unwilling mind Through the greatness of thy power shall thy enemies submit themselves 2 On his people willing service or yield feigned obedience unto thee 2. Upon his people who willingly should magnifie him for his terrible works All the earth shall worship thee and shall sing unto thee they shall sing to thy Name Selah 2. He calls again to consider them especially in At the fifth verse begins the other part of his Invitation in which he exhorts men to consider Gods wayes as if the cause of their ingratitude were as it is indeed their inconsideration this idle carelesness he would have shaken off Come and see the Works of God not ite but venite Come and consider with me Ver. 5 2. delivering his people Then not his works at large but his terrible Works his Wonders his strange doings in the deliverance of his people of which he gives two instances 1. 1 At the red Sea The division of the red Sea when Pharoah pursued the Israelites he turned the Sea into dry land 2. The other the division of Jordan Josh 3. that Israel might pass through They went through the flood on foot 2 At Jordan Which he closeth with this Acclamation There did we rejoyce in him those miracles done for our Fathers concerned us their children we even we are the better for them and therefore in their loyns we did and we will ever rejoyce for it But being not satisfied with these instances as being particular 3 The 〈◊〉 instance of his providence more general In which appears and concerning one people only he calls us to come and see and consider Gods Power Providence Justice over the world His Power in ruling his Providence in beholding the Nations his Justice in punishing the rebellious 1. He rules by his power for ever The Kingdom is his and for ever his and he will administer it to the comfort of his people Vers. 7 to the confusion of his enemies 1 His power 2. His eyes behold the Nations 'T is true 2 His inspection that by a peculiar care he beholds the Jews but yet so that he neglects not other Nations for by his providence their Cities stand their policies are upheld they are provided of necessary food and rayment 3. Let not the Rebellious exalt themselves 3 His justice They shall not prosper as they desire Nor their endeavours succeed to their minds His justice will overtake them 2. And now again he renews his Invitation to praise God O bless our God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard vers 8. The second part He again invites to praise God He exact no obscure secret or vulgar praise but publick manifest such as when the Noble deeds of some excellent man is set forth in Verse And that he move them to this the more willingly he makes mention of a peculiar mercy then well known to them though now hid to us Of which Vers. 8 that he might make them the more sensible And that for some special Mercy Till which came their condition lamentable he recounts in what condition they then were and the reason of it That it was for their trial and probation yet very sharp 1. To deaths door they were brought but unexpectedly saved and gifted with life Thou uphold'st our soul in life 2. At the dangers we were like to fall away Vers. 9 But thou sufferedst not our feet to slip We murmur'd not but were patient under thy â—and But God in thiâ— 3. For we knew that our afflictions came from thee Thou didst it 4. And we knew also for what end we suffer'd it was for our probation 1 Upheld them 2. Was the Author not destruction For thou O God hast proved us thou hast tryed us Vers. 10 5. Although that the trial was very sharp 3 The end to try and prove them which he illustrates by five Similitudes 1. From silver Tryed us as silver is tryed which is purged and refined in the fire 4 Which tryal was sharp 2. From a Net Inclosed we were imprisoned Vers. 11 without any hope of escape 3. From a burden In prison we were loaden with fetters Trouble upon our loines 4. From bondage and slavery Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads That is men did contumeliously and cruelly insult over us and set their feet upon our necks 5. From fire and water Merciless elements all kind of calamities we have undergone The fiery trial 5 But the issue was good and the waters have come to our soul But thou O God with the temptation hast given the issue Thou hast brought us out into a wealthy place 1. Thou hast proved and thou hast brought 2. Thou laidst the trouble and thou tookest it off yea and hast made us an ample recompence for thou hast brought us to a moyst pleasant a mene fertile rich place a happy condition a flourishing condition of things so that thou hast made us to forget all our trouble And for this Mercy it is especially that David exhorts the people to praise God Which if they should be so wretched as not to do yet he would not and so he descends to his own particular and sets them a fair example to follow 3. Where he proposeth an evidence of a grateful heart acknowledging the favour he had receiv'd for which before-hand he had vow'd thanks The third part For this he gives thanks and here he payes it 1. Vers. 13 I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings Empty he would not appear before his God but with his gift in his hand as was commanded in the Law 2. I will pay thee my vows His offerings were not so much a gift as a debt due upon vow Vow'd with his lips and spoken by his mouth when he was in trouble 3. This his vow should be paid of the best and the fattest liberally and freely I will offer unto thee burnt Sacrifices of marrow or fatlings with the incense of Rammes I will offer Bullocks with Goats 4. The fourth part And also because God had been good to him And that he do it there
before the Jewes but now all universally Sing unto God ye Kingdoms of the Earth O sing praises to the Lord. Selah And that all Nations do it His Reasons 2. His Reasons to perswade it 1. The Majesty of God testified 1. 1 The Majesty of God By his works To him that rides upon the Heaven of Heavens which were of old 2. 2 His protection His power in his Thunder in his Word He doth send forth his voyce and that a mighty voyce 2. His wise protection and providence to his people Ascribe ye the power to God his excellency is over Israel and his strength is in the Cloud 3. 3 His goodness to his Church His communication of himself to his Church in particular 1. O Lord thou art terrible out of thy holy places 2. The God of Israel is he that gives strength and power to his people 3. Blessed be God with that Epiphonema he concludes The Prayer collected out of the sixty eight Psalm O God in Majesty terrible in thy protection of thy people most merciful since thy power is so great thy presence so powerful that at the blasting of the breath of thy Nostrils thy enemies vanish as a vapour when it is raised to the highest and those that hate thée haste from thy presence Why art thou absent from us why sléepest thou in this néedful time of trouble O Lord awake and arise for us and scatter our nay thy enemies they hate not us Ver. 1 but thée and thy Law and Ordinances make them to flie from thy face drive them away as smoke as wax consumes and melts before the fire Ver. 2 so let the wicked perish at thy presence O God so shall the righteous have just occasion to rejoyce Ver. 3 they shall rejoyce before thee their God they shall be exceedingly joyful O God Thou art infinite in thy Essence wonderful in thy works most merciful in thy wayes to the sons of men Thou ridest above upon the Heavens when we crawle upon this Dunghill of Earth Thou art Jehovah and hast a being in thy self a time there was when we were not and the time will come when we shall not be and what we are at present we have from thée O let us live then and we will praise thée Turn away thy wrath from us and we will rejoyce before thee and sing praises to thy Name As Orphans we are in this World be thou our Father as Widows be thou our Husband Ver. 5 destitute we are without any humane help left alone and solitary O gather us into Families and Societies for our rebellions against thée bound we are with Chains and brought into a dry Land hear the groans and sighs we send up unto thée and out of thy holy habitation make it appear that thou art present with us look upon the humble consider thy dispersed and distracted people have pity on the Widows and Orphans and let us dwell once more together in peace unity and plenty O God Ver. 7 when thou wentest before thy people Israel when thou didst lead them through the Wilderness then thou didst march before them in a cool Cloud by day and in a Pillar of fire by night the dull and heavy earth was moved at thy presence the Heavens drop't Manna the Clouds shot forth lightnings even Sinai it self trembled when thou gavest thy Law unto thy people and after thou brought'st them into a wealthy Land O Lord thy power is yet the same and thy goodness immutable go out before us a sinful Nation and yet thy people as thou didst rain down Manna for them so also we beg of thée to send us necessaries from above and let this our Land that hath béen long afflicted with many evils enjoy a quiet peace and her inhabitants the fruits of peace confirm us Lord in that inheritance which thou hast given us let thy Congregation dwell therein and of thy goodness not for our merits prepare and provide meat and rayment for thy people that hath béen long oppressed by Tyrants We have heard with our ears O God and our Fathers have told us what thou hast done in their time of old great is the company that have published in our hearing that by thy mighty power Kings with their Armies did flie and haste away and that thou hast given the spoil to be divided among thy Houshold-servants This puts us in hope that we even we that have béen for a long time cast aside as the off-scouring of all things and black and inglorious by many pressures shall yet be called for again and set in our inheritances our Dove-like and innocent faces shine as silver and glister as gold the Snow upon the top of Salmon shall not be so white as shall our innocence when thou by these afflictions hast purged away out dross and melted away our tin Such a mercy we cannot expect for our own sakes for we are a sinful people but Lord remember Zion and be gracious to Jerusalem This is the Hill of God in this thou desirest to dwell this thou hast chosen to dwell in for ever Shall then the other Hills insult over it shall the Kings of the Nations and pride of Tyrants trample it to the dust Thy Chariots O God are twenty thousands even thousands of Angels and thou Lord art among them as in Sinai Now Lord shew thy self in glory ascend on High get the victory and triumph over the enemies of thy-Church lead them Captives that have captiv'd us and make them bring and offer thee gifts that have robbed thy Temples and so change the hearts of the rebellious That thou Lord may'st dwell among them and be acknowledged and worshipped by them Bring thy people O Lord out of their troubles as thou of old didst deliver thy chosen from the fury of Og the King of Bashan or thy people Israel from the hands of Pharoah that pursued them to the depths of the red Sea Wound the head of thy enemies and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness let thy Beloved wash their feet in the blood of their enemies and let the very Dogs lick their blood wisely they wrought against us conceiving they had inclosed us but thou art our God the God of our Salvation to thée belongs and thou hast shewed that there be in thy power many issues from death for where the help of man hath failed Thou hast reached forth thy hand and delivered us from the jaw of the Lyon and the paw of the Boar Blessed then be the Lord which daily loads us with benefits even the God of our salvation Make thy Word perfect O our God rebuke the multitude of the Spear-men restrain the fury of those whose rage and anger against us is no less than that of enraged Bulls still the tumults of the people scatter all those that delight in War for thy Temples sake at Jerusalem be propitious unto us and strengthen that O God which
in your hands persecute him and take him for there is none to deliver him But in thee O Lord is my trust be not far from me O my God Vers. 1 12. make haste to my help Deliver me for thy righteousness and cause me to escape Vers. 2 encline thine car unto me and save me Thou art my Rock and my Fortress be thou thâ—n my strong Habitation whereunto I may alway resort Thou hast given a Commandment to save me Deliver me then at this time Vers. 13 out of the hand of the wicked out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt O Lord for thy sake I am become as a prodigious thing unto many Vers. 7 they cast a scornful eye upon me as if I were the off-scouring of the world but thou Lord art my strong helper under whose wing I shall be safe and overcome come those difficulties Vers. 5 which otherwise are inevitable Thou Lord art he alone in whom from my youth to this day I have put my hope By thee I have been upholden from the womb Thou art he that tookest me out of my mothers bowels and ever since by thy miraculous preservation of me hast given me just occasion to praise thee Let then my mouth be fill'd with thy praise and with thy honour all the day long Now also when I am old and gray-headed good Lord forsake me not So shall I praise thee more and more my mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness thy faithfulness in kéeping promises thy justice in punishing wicked men and thy mercy to me in sending salvation at all times Great and wonderful things O Lord are those that thou hast done for me they excéed for number I cannot reach to them for heighth O Lord who is like unto thee If I would declare them and speak of them they are more than I am able to express Yet what I can do I will do I will shew thy strength to this generation and thy power to all them that are yet for to come Though I am a man of a short time and no way eloquent yet I will go in the strength of the Lord God and I will make mention of thy righteousness even of thine only O God from my youth thou only hast taught me Many experiences I have had of thy power and justice for thou hast shew'd me great and sore troubles and yet hast quickned me again thou hast brought me within the sight of death and the grave and yet hast recovered me again from the depths of the earth From so great a death thou hast delivered me and I am perswaded that thou wilt yet deliver me nay that thou wilt yet adde this over and above to thy goodness that thou wilt yet increase my greatness and comfort me on every side Thought I am by thy Word assured by thy Spirit that thou wilt not be wanting in thy promise neither then will I be wanting in my thanks As thou wilt be merciful so will I alwayes be thankful I will set forth thy praises with the Psaltery I will sound out thy truth in performing thy promises with instruments of Musick To thee will I sing upon the Harp O my God O thou that art holy and makest Israel to be a holy people Neither will I resound thy honour in a dull and a heavy manner my lips shall clearly express what the instrument darkly brings to the ear and my heart and soul which thou hast redéemed shall exult and rejoice at the honour of thy name And after the Anthymne is ended I will yet praise thee more and more for my tongue all the day long shall be employed in talking and making mention of thy righteousness And all that fear thee shall say Blessed be God who hath confounded and brought to shame all those who study the hurt of his people and the subversion of his Church PSAL. LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DAVID being near his death makes his prayer for his son Solomon that he may be a just peaceable and great King and his Subjects happy under his Government But this is but the shell of the Psalm for the kernel is Christ and his Kingdom under whom righteousness peace and felicity shall flourish and unto whom all Nations shall do homage for ever and ever The parts of the Psalm are 1. The Petition vers 1. 2. The general express of the Qualities of this Kingdom vers 2 3 4. 3. The particular unfolding of these in the effects from vers 4. to 18. 4. The Doxology from vers 18. to 20. 1. The first part He prayes for Solomon David being taught by experience how hard a matter it is to govern a Kingdom well prayes to God for assistance to his son Solomon to whom being to dye he was to leave his Crown and Scepter 1. Give the King thy judgements O Lord Vers. 1 The true knowledge of thy Law This granted the effects will be 2. And thy righteousness to the Kings son That he may not decline to the right or left hand but judge ex aquo bono Administer thy justice Judge for God The second part 2. For then this will follow 1. Justice will flourish in his Kingdom 1 Justice He shall judge thy people with righteousness and thy poor with judgement Vers. 2 2. And peace also and prosperity The Mountains i. e. 2 Peace The chief Magistrates and the little hills the lesser officers Vers. 3 shall bring peace to the people 2. But by righteousness For justice upholds the world Opus justitiae pax 3. And now he proceeds to unfold himself upon the two former generals The third part The effects of justice first of justice then of peace 1. Of justice he assigns two effects 1. The defence of good men He shall judge the poor of the people he shall save the children of the needy Vers. 4 2. The revenge of the ill He shall break in pieces the oppressor 2 Of peace The Consequents of peace are 1. Fear and reverence and the service of God They shall fear thee Vers. 5 as long as the Sun and Moon endures throughout all generations 2. Plenty and abundance Vers. 6 He shall come down as the rain upon mowen grass that causeth it to shoot again and as showers that water the earth 3. Prosperity of good men In his time shall the righteous flourish Vers. 7 and abundance of peace so long as the Moon endureth 4. Now he shews the amplitude and greatness of this Kingdom 2 The Amplitude of Solomons or rather of Christs Kingdom which will not be so true of Solomon as of Christ and his Kingdom 1. His Kingdom will be very large He shall have dominion from Sea to Sea and from the river to the ends of the earth 2. His Subjects many some of which shall
willingly others against their wills obey him They that dwell in the Wilderness shall bow before him 2. His enemies shall lick the dust Croutch at his feet low to the earth 3. Homage shall be done to him by Asian Europaan and Arabian Princes 1. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring presents The Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts 2. Nay all Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him 5. He sets down divers excellent qualities of this King 1. He should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ready to good 3 The qualities of the King a gracious Lord to the meanest Subject For he shall deliver the needy when he cryeth the poor also and him that hath no helper Vers. 12 2. He should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 far from loading his Subjects with exactions Vers. 13 burdens penalties He shall spare the poor and shall save the soul of the needy 3. Vers. 14 Far from all tyranny For he shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence 4. Far from shedding innocent blood And precious shall their blood be in his sight 6. 4 The gratitude of his Subjects And as he shall be kind and loving to his Subjects so shall his Subjects shew great love and affection to him 1. Vers. 15 They shall pray for his life He shall live 2. They shall offer him presents And to him shall be given of the gold of Arabia 3. They shall pray for him Prayer also shall be made for him continually 4. The motive to their gratitude They shall speak well of him Dayly shall he be praised 7. And that which in all likelyhood might move them to it was that besides the equity and justice love and kindness he shew'd to all they found that under him they were in a happy condition they enjoyed a very great plenty and abundance of all things The plenty they enjoyed under him 1. For the earth brought forth corn in abundance not so much as the Mountains Vers. 16 but afforded them an ample Harvest There shall be a handful of corn in the earth upon the top the highest part of the Mountains The fruit even there shall shake stand so thick that the ears brush one against another as the trees in Lebanon 2. And the Kingdom shall abound in people They of the City shall flourish as grass upon the earth Which is thick set and green In a word Which moved them to love his Memory this King shall be so dear unto his people that they shall love his name living and honour his memory when he is dead and continue it to all posterities 1. Vers. 17 His name shall endure for ever His name shall be continued as long as the Sun 2. Men shall be blessed in him God bless thee as he did Solomon 3. All Nations shall call him blessed acknowledge his happiness and wish a blessing to themselves after Solomons example 3. The third part The Doxology In the close of the Psalm according to his manner he gives thanks For taking into his consideration the happiness that was to accrue unto his people under such a King even when he was laid up in his grave He breaks forth 1. Vers. 18 Blessed be the Lord God the God of Israel which only doth wondrous things for indeed such a King is a wonder and 't is the grace and Spirit of God that must make him so 2. And again Blessed be his glorious Name for ever 3. Vers. 19 And that not in Judea alone but all the world over And let the whole earth be fill'd with his glory Amen Amen The Prayers of David the Son of Jesse Vers. 20 are ended Of which 1. Some and most judge that this was the last Prayer David made 2. Jumus that it was so the last that it is absolutely the last and those that follow were composed by some other And adds Haec est mea sententia But Bellarmine runs as wide another way affirming that all the Psalms were composed by David The Prayer collected out of the seventy second Psalm O Merciful God Vers. 1 the fountain and giver of all good things give unto our Solomon whom thou hast set to be King over thy people an understanding heart grant that the equity of thy Law may alwayes be before his face commit unto this son of our King thy power of judicature and let him alwayes bear in his mind that he is in thy place and judgeth for thée whose sentence is righteous and execution just For so long as he shall be guided by thy righteousness he will rule thy elect people with equity and thy poor Vers. 2 that are left to thy care and depend on thée with a righteous decrée Grant that all those who are Magistrates under him be they Mountains Vers. 3 or lower Hills in a higher or a lower order may receive from above and from his example peace and justice and administer both so unto thy people that all unjustice boing removed thy people may lead a peaceable and quiet life under this King in all godliness and honesty Then shall prosperity and plenty again dwell in our Land Vers. 5 then shall righteousness and peace once more kiss each other Vers. 6 then shall thy fear and service which is now neglected and derided return unto us Vers 7 Let him come to us as rain upon the mow'd grass and as the showers that water the thirsty earth Vers. 15 that the Righteous may flourish and the Oppressor be broken to pieces Vers. 16 For him we make our prayer that he may live and they of the City under him flourish like grass upon the earth But this King and Kingdom is nothing in comparison of that of thy dear Son our Lord and Saviour for the advance then and prosperity of that we offer up our prayers unto thée O let thy Kingdom come Vers. 4 He we are assured shall judge the poor of thy people he shall save the children of the needy from the violence of their oppressor and shall break in pieces the slanderer and accuser of thy people that impious and accursed Tyrant the Devil When he was pleased to descend to this great work Vers. 6 his coming was new and wonderful He came as the rain into Gideons fléece of wooll without noyse without any alteration in the fléece so thy Son the man from heaven by a new and unheard of manner descended into the Virgins womb neither corrupting her Virginity by his ingress nor violating her modesty by his egress This was the first step it pleased him to take to his Crown and in this insensibly he descends still that he may reign in the hearts of his people O let then those swéet dews and drops of grace flow into our dry earthy hearts that they may mollifie and make them fruitful that whereas before we brought forth the fruits of the flesh we may now abound in the fruits of the Spirit Before
injustice being grown rich and mighty have not only despoyl'd us of our goods but consin'd our bodies also in darksome dungeons and loathsome prisons The Iron hath entred into our souls Forget not the voice of the insulting enemy The tumultuous and proud attempts of those which rise up and hate thée continually increaseth more and more And thou to whose eyes all things are naked and into whose ears all oppressions enter art not ignorant of it Arise therefore O Lord and plead thine own cause and plead the cause of thy people remember how the foolish people reproacheth thee dayly O let not the oppressed thy poor people that humbly flées to thée for help be ashamed and depart out of thy presence as frustrated of their expectation So shall these poor and néedy and destitute of all humane help being delivered by thy Omnipotent hand and Fatherly goodness praise and magnifie thy name for ever and ever PSAL. LXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IT is most likely that David composed this Psalm upon his Inauguration or entrance upon the Kingdom and he sets out unto us in it an example of a good King The parts of the Psalm are 1. His Doxology vers 1. repeated vers 9. 2. His profession to perform his Kingly office vers 2 3 10. 3. His rebuke and remove of mistakes in foolish men 1. Partly for their pride when they rise to great places vers 4 5. 2. Partly that they know not whence their preferment comes vers 6 7. 3. And that they judge not rightly of afflictions vers 8. 1. David begins with thanksgiving and he ingeminates it The Doxology The first part that it be often done 1. Unto thee do we give thanks unto thee do we give thanks Vers. 1 2. His reason for it is For that thy Name is near thou thy help is at hand for God is near to those that call on him For Gods help and his exaltation to the Kingdom 3. Of which he had experience who beyond all hope and expectation was now exalted to the Kingdom Which he calls here Mirabilia Dei This thy wondrous works declare 2. And next he shews which way he would shew his thankful heart to God for his preferment which was in doing the Office of a good King The second part For which he promiseth When I shall receive the Congregation or when I shall take a set time when the people shall come to me for judgement upon every season and opportunity given 1. I will Judge uprightly Which is the first part of the Kingly Office Vers. 2 2. I will restore and set right what is out of order 1 To judge justly Which is the second part of a Kings duty 1. Now till I came to the Crown the earth 2 To rectifie disorders and all the inhabitants are dissolved Vers. 3 In Sauls reign there was a dissolution in Manners Justice Religion 2. But I bear up the pillars of it Religion and Justice are the pillars that support a Kingdom and David was resolv'd to support them 3. From this profession of his duty he falls upon a Rebuke of foolish men The third part 3. To robuke bad men Which is also the third part of the Kingly Office it being for a Superiour to reprehend in the Inferiour what is amiss And he labours to rectifie in them three mistakes 1. The first was their Pride which caused them to do foolish unjust 1 For their pride imous Acts. Vers. 4 1. I said to the fools so David calls Sauls ambitious arrogant Courtiers Deal not foolishly i. e. impiously unjustly Vers. 5 2. And to the wicked Lift not up your horn Vaunt not of your wealth power c. 3. Lift not up your horn on high Be not over-proud of your place 4. Speak not with a stiff neck Be not Rebellious and Contumacious 2. The second was that they thought their honour came from Saul 2 For ignorance that they knew not the true fountain of honour their wit their good parts and not from God which was indeed the cause of their pride To remove this David tells them who is the fountain of Honour 1. Negatively Not any man in the whole world no Prince in the East none in the West none in the North none in the South 1 Negatively Not man or else the wind blows no man to any high place Vers. 6 No not David himself 2. Positively God is the Judge He humbles he exalts Vers. 7 He puts down one put case Saul and sets up another 2 Positively God me David upon the Throne 3. 3 For their mistake in imputing afflictions to a wrong cause Whereas they are from God The third mistake was about the calamities and afflictions that befall men in this life Impute them they usually do to wrong causes whereas these even these come from God Is there evil in the City and hath not God done it To prove this the Prophet useth an Elegant comparison or Hypotyposis for he likens God to a Master of a Feast who invites and entertains all kind of men at his Table and that hath a Cup of mixt wine in his hand by which he understands the miseries that befall men in this life and God reaching to every one good and bad some portion of this Cup to all some but to all not equally nor yet of the same wine Vers. 8 For mark what David saith 1. Who dispenseth them diversly For in the hand of the Lord there is a Cup. The Cup at his dispose 2. And the wine is red 'T is high colour'd faeculent or troubled wine i. e. afflictions 3. It is full of mixture Not all sour nor all sweet The strength of it is allay'd and temper'd by God that it intoxicate not the head nor produce a feavour there are some waters of comfort mixt with it 4. And he viz. God poureth out of the same some of this mixt wine even to his dearest children For you must drink of the Cup that Christ drank 5. But for the dregs thereof the lees that settles in the bottom of this Cup all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them Because they drink last there is nothing left for them but the dregs of Gods wrath in which there is none of the mixt sweet wine He concludes the Psalm with a double repetition He concludes First Of his thanks Secondly Then of a second protestation of his duty 1. Vers. 9 Thankful he would be But I will declare for ever I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 1 With thanks 2. His Duty as King he would do in both kinds 1. Vers. 10 De bellabo superbos All the horns also of the wicked will I cut off 2 With a manifest of his Duty 2. Parcam subjectis bonis favebo But the horns i. e. power dignity honour of the righteous shall be exalted An intercession out of the
an Assize the Judge sits in the midst of the Justices so God is present and President Vers. 1 and sits in the midst of the Judges hears sees and will reward or revenge what they do God standeth in the Congregation of the mighty he judgeth among the gods 2. And this being laid for a foundation he falls in the person of God to contest with the Judges The second part His contestation with inferiour Judges 1. He reproves them First reproving them vers 2. Then exhorting them to their duty vers 3 4. Lastly proposeth the event upon the neglect of justice both to the Common Wealth vers 5. and to themselves vers 6 7. 1. He reproves them in the second verse and that very sharply as they deserved 1. For their judgement that it was unjust Ye judge unjustly 2. Vers. 2 For their obstinacy Not once done but often they continued in it Vsque quo 1 For injustice How long 3. 2 Obstinacy in it Their partiality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ye accept the persont of the wicked 2. 3 Partiality He exhorts them to do their duty which is double 1. 2 He exhorts to do their duty Defend the poor and fatherless do justice to the afflicted and needy Do right to every man 2. Deliver the poor and needy Rid them out of the hand of the wicked Be a shield to them Vers. 3 a Saviour 3. Where this is not done all is out of order The Judges the cause of it either He acquaints us with the events which will follow where justice is not done In that Common Wealth All the foundations of the earth are out of course And the Judges are the causes of it In whom there are three foul defects 1. The first is Ignorantia juris They know not 2. Vers. 5 Their wilfulness negligence or oscitancy in sifting the cause Neither will they understand 1 Through ignorance 2. Wilfulness 3 Perverseness 3. Their perverse resolution to go on their own way without any respect had to the Laws of God or man They walk on still in darkness and then it was no wonder that all the foundations of the earth should be out of course 2. Their punishment Death yea though gods The other event was death and judgement which was to fall upon their persons vers 7. Which that they might take down the better he brings it in with an honourable Preface that they might know he had an high esteem of their place and persons Vers. 6 yea though unjust Judges I have said Ye are gods and all of you are children of the most high Your Ordination is from Heaven your Power from God your Office is his Creature But withal he would have them know that they were but mortal gods Vers. 7 they themselves must come to judgement which was the other event But mortal gods 1. Ye shall dye like men ye shall dye as those that are no gods that are de plebe 2. Ye shall fall as one of the Princes as those whose death is inglorious their memories infamous and hateful and after death you shall not be happy ye shall fall as Lucifer did Mortal you are become as Adam by your sin and you shall be deprived of immortality 3. The last part is a prayer The third part He prayes that God would be Judge that since by injustice all the foundations of the earth be out of course he desires that God would take the matter to his own cognizance 1. Arise O Lord He saith not You that are oppressed Vers. 8 rise against your Judges but that they leave it to God 2. That he would sit upon the Bench and judge the earth 3. He would amplifie and enlarge his Kingdom For thou shalt inherit all Nations The Prayer collected out of the eighty second Psalm O Almighty Lord who art the fountain of all honour and power Vers. 1 by whom Princes raign and Magistrates decrée just things Vers. 3 vouchsafe thy presence in the midst of our Congregations and preside and be thou the Judge among our gods that they judge thy people with equity and thy inheritance with righteousness So the poor and fatherless shall be delended the afflicted and néedy have justice done them By the just execution of thy power committed to thy Vicegerents the poor and needy shall be delivered and rid out of the violent hand of the wicked man But O God such hath béen our ingratitude that that power which was ordained for our good and peace is now become our greatest mischief for thou hast subjected us to wicked powers and set over us hard Task-masters our superiours or who at least take upon them to be so are companions of Thieves they judge unjustly they accept the persons of the wicked they pronounce an unjust sentence and out of the scale of justice they weight unto us gall and wormwood All the foundations of our Land are out of course For those who are stept into the Tribunals of justice either are so ignorant they do not know or so perverse that they will not know and understand what is right So blinded they are either by honour money or malice that they will not grow wiser by thy admonitions but walk on still in the darkness of their own heart Leave not O Lord thy people in the power of them who are blind and cannot or malicious and will not understand their duty but go about for their own ends to overthrow the two Pillars of the Land Piety and Iustice And since thou hast permitted them to come to that eminency that they are called gods and sons of the most High but have forgotten and dishonoured thée that raised them and discredited those places to which they are raised bring them down O Lord and make them know they are but men that they shall dye as the meanest man and be brought to judgement And that it they continue in their unjust and violent wayes their end shall be that of some inglorious Prince whose name shall rot whose memory shall be infamous whose soul shall be cast from his height and dignity into the depths and torments of the infernal pit Since then O Lord thou hast set over us such tyrannical Lords from whom we can expect no justice Arise thou in thy power and judge the earth Thou art not now a God of the Jews only but the Gentiles also even we that were not a people are become thy people and thine inheritance and therefore it belongs to thée to exalt the Kingdom of thy Son Come O sweet Jesus come quickly And as at thy first coming thou didst redeem thy people from that unjust Oppressor the Devil and didst establish thy Church to be governed by just Laws the execution of which thou hast put into the hand of the Magistrate so O Lord come again and by thy second coming deliver us from the injustice and violence of our Oppressors And thou who dost render to
hear I say for he speaks upon a condition that they be not Backsliders the Prophet puts in a Caveat for that But let them not turn again to folly And this the Prophet confirms in the next verse by a vehement asseveration 1. Surely his salvation i. e. freedom from all dangers is nigh them that fear him 2. And the end is That glory may dwell in our land i.e. That our Land may be in a happy condition enjoying peace and the fruits of peace plenty laws liberty and quietness for glory here is opposed to devastation And this the Prophet amplifies by an enumeration of the consequences of peace The consequences of peace Inter arma silent leges silent virtutes Cruelty the opposite to mercy falshood and errour which is opposed to Truth Injustice the opposite to righteousness bears all the sway but when God shall speak peace to his people all will be contrary 1. Mercy and Truth are met together righteousness and peace have kissed each other A combination of mercy truth justice peace These vertues shall be in great honour viz. Mercy and Truth Righteousness and the study of peace and concord Justice and peace kiss for there is such a league betwixt these two that where peace is made without justice it is not like long to continue and Mercy and Truth must meet for it is no mercy to spare errour and falshood 2. Truth shall flourish out of the Earth i. e. Because men shall be lovers and observers of Truth in their bargains contracts leagues words and promises they shall make the earth flourishing and the land where peace dwells happy 3. And righteousness hath looked down from Heaven For as the rain that descends from Heaven doth make the earth fruitful so the justice that comes from Heaven Gods justice is that which will make a people happy for this will teach to love thy Neighbour as thy self Quod tibi hoc alteri which the statutes of Omri will not do 4. In a word which is the sum of all the promises 1 Tim. 4.8 1. They shall enjoy spiritual blessings For the Lord shall give that which is good 2. And temporal And our Land shall yield her increase 4. The last part Our duties for this blessing In the last verse for these mercies he sets down our Duty 1. Righteousness shall go before him i.e. God His Saints shall walk before him in holiness and righteousness 2. And shall set us in the way of his steps that is shall teach us to walk constantly and happily in the wayes of his Commandments all the dayes of our life Luk. 1.72 How this Psalm is aptly applied to Christ and his Kingdom both by all Ancient and Modern Expositors I leave it to be searched in the Authors themselves because the Application would be tedious and is not so consonant to my intent The Prayer collected out of the eighty fifth Psalm O Blessed Lord God we have béen beset with many troubles Ver. 1 but thou out of méer love hast delivered us from them Thou hast delivered thy people into captivity but hast again brought them from the house of bondage great have béen the provocations by which we have dishonoured thée and yet in mercy Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people infinite are our transgressions and yet Thou hast covered all our sins Though we have béen slaves of the flesh and Captives of the Divel yet Thou-hast taken away thy wrath Thou hast turned thy self from the fierceness of thy anger These experiences we have had of thy love these pawns and pledges of thy mercy therefore O merciful God we are bold to approach thy Throne and beg of thée with an humble heart that thou who art the God of our salvation wouldst turn us unto thee and wouldst also be turned unto us and cause thine anger which we have justly kindled against us to cease What hast thou changed thy self as I may so say into another nature so that thou who hast proclaimed thy self to be patient and long-suffering passing by sins and forgiving transgressions wilt thou be angry with us for ever wilt thou draw out thine anger to all Generations Return return O Lord receive us again to thy favour revive us again by the favour of thy countenance that thy people may rejoyce in thée let us have experience of thy mercy as thou hast promised and grant us thy salvation Make us who have béen heretofore contumacious and rebellious against thée to hearken to what our Lord God will speak for then we are assured that salvation would be near unto us and our land would be glorious for plenty liberty and peace O Lord speak peace once more unto us thy people who have béen miserably torn and wasted by the fury of war and we will never being assisted by thy grace turn back again to our former folly Put into us the bowels of thy mercy and make us studious of Truth let justice and peace méet and kiss in our hearts and be tyed together with such an indissoluble knot that we may bring forth plentiful fruits of righteousness and holiness Our land is now over-run with Errors and false Doctrine O let thy Truth flourish again amongst us we measure out justire by the crooked line of mans Ordinances O let thy righteousness look down from Heaven and cause us to love our Naighbours as our selves and do to others as we desire and expect they should do to us Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come teach us then to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live righteously soberly and godly in this present World That thou Lord may'st give us what is good and our land may yield her encrease Thou hast delivered us from the hands of our enemies O stir up our minds to be thankful unto thée and to make a conscience to serve thée in righteousness and holiness all the dayes of our life PSAL. LXXXVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 DAVID in this Psalm being in trouble prayes unto God for continuance in grace and in an innocent life and complaining of the insolence of his Persecutors prayes for protection and some token of Gods goodness This Psalm then is a continued Petition and according to the various Arguments he useth to perswade it it may be divided into These four parts 1. The first is a Petition for safety drawn from his own person the Petitioner from ver 1. to 5. 2. The second a quickning of the same Petition from the Person and Nature of God from ver 5. to 14. 3. The third taken from the quality of his Adversaries ver 14. 4. A conjunction of all these three The first ver 15. The second ver 16. The third ver 17. 1. His Petition The first part The reasons from himself His prayer is varied by many forms Bow down thine ear hear me preserve my soul be merciful unto me rejoyce the soul of thy servant c. and
sing praises to thy Name O thou most High Enable me by the power of thy Spirit that with heart and tongue that upon an instrument of ten strings Vers. 2 and upon the Psaltery that upon the Harp with a solemn sound I may shew forth thy loving-kindness in the morning Vers. 4 and thy faithfulness in keeping thy promises in the night season Make me glad O Lord and give me delight in the consideration in thy work and beauty of the whole Vniverse Vers. 5 and let me triumph and rejoice in the serious meditation of thy immense power wisdom and goodness declared in the works of thy hands Vers. 6 So great and wonderful they are that no man can sufficiently admire them so déep and secret are thy thoughts in them that no understanding of man is able to search them The bruitish man who is destitute of thy Spirit séeks no farther into them than to satisfie his pleasure or profit and therefore he knows not the depth of thy counsels the natural man who is the true fool séeks only in these to satisfie his curiosity and therefore in his understanding he is darkned and erres Oh therefore send down thy Spirit of wisdom into my heart that she may labour with me in the search of thy wayes and works that so all ignorance being removed and all bruitishness being expell'd I may attain to the true knowledge of them and thée and be moved to set forth thy loving-kindness and extol thy wisdom and faithfulness first in Creating and then in wisely governing the whole world Sinners Vers. 7 when they spring up suddenly as the grass and the workers of iniquity so long as they flourish think themselves the sole happy men Put into their hearts O Lord to consider their latter end and give me grace to consider their fall and punishment Their prosperity is not lasting their state is not immutable that is a property that belongs only to thée for thou Lord art the most High for evermore Their raising is for their ruine and their end to be destroyed for ever For lo thine enemies O Lord lo thine enemies shall perish and all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered But Lord I fear thy name and tremble at thy judgements I admire thy power and adore thy wisdom be gracious then to thy Servant and let me partake of that blessing which thou hast promised to thy Catholique Church Vers. 10 O Lord exalt her horn as the horn of an Vnicorn she is depressed raise her she is weak strengthen her she is in sadness and her ointment putrified anoint her O Lord with fresh oyle Her enemies are many that rise up against her bring upon them a sudden destruction and let her eye see her desire on her enemies and her ears hear her desire of the wicked that rise upagainst her But for thy righteous Servants who adhere to the Truth and serve thée in sincerity of heart let them flourish like a Palm tree grow higher and gréener by their pressures let no time consume them nor storm of persecution more shake them than a Cedar in Lebanon the more they are hewed the more make them to grow the more they are cut the more cause them to spread These being by nature Cyences of the Wild-Olive Vers. 13 thou hast engraffed into the good Olive-trée and planted them in thy house thy Church water them by thy Word and Sacraments root them in Charity Vers. 14 prune them by thy Discipline that they may flourish in the Courts of the house of our God let them be fat and full of sap in this old age of the world and when other Trées are barren let them still bring forth fruit Be unto them a strong Rock to which they may fly in every storm Vers. 15 and on which they may stand secure and undanted in the greatest tempest Let them live to praise thy name and shew that the Lord is upright and acknowledge that there is no unrighteousness in thee though thou dost suffer the wicked man to flourish for a time and thy best Servants to lie under the Cross Ah good Father cherish our fainting hearts with this hope comfort us with this thy loving-kindness and faithfulness in Iesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour PSAL. XCIII A Doxology 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 'T IS the purpose of the Prophet to comfort the Church opposed by Tyrants and Persecutors and yet she shall not utterly fail The gates of Hell shall not prevail against her because Christ sits in his Church as King The Sum of it is 1. The magnificence and power of Christ our eternal King vers 1 2. 2. That he defends his Church in the day of a storm vers 3 4. 3. That his Laws are holy and his Church also vers 5. The Prophet in the first verse describes our King 1. From his Office He reigns He is the great and chief Monarch The King of the Church described The first part 1. From his Office He is no idle Spectator of things below but wisely and justly and powerfully he administers all things 2. He is a glorious King For he is clothed with Majesty 3. He is a potent King The Lord is clothed with strength 4. He is a warlike King For he hath girded himself Vers. 1 buckled his sword upon his armour for offence of his enemies 2 His Majesty for defence of his Kingdom 3 His Power Then for his Kingdom 4 His Ammunition 1. It is first Universal The World 2 His Kingdom universal 2. It is fix'd firm and stable The World is also stablished and cannot be moved Vers. 2 3. It is an everlasting Kingdom from everlasting to everlasting 1 Firm immutable Thy Throne is established of old Thou art from everlasting 2 Everlasting Aeternus Rex aeternum Regnum 2. The second part Against this Tyrants arise But in this his Kingdom there be those who raise tumults commotions and rebellions These he compares to swelling waters and foming waves 1. The floods i. e. Tyrants Persecutors c. have lifted up O Lord Vers. 3 the floods have lifted up their voice the floods lift up their waves The Church dwells in the Sea and the waves of tyranny ambition malice beat furiously upon it 2. But to no purpose Well be it so yet the Lord on high is mightier than the noyse of many waters yea than the mighty waves of the Sea He wonderfully and strangely hath shewed his might Vers. 4 in getting himself the Victory over all Persecutors and propagating and inlarging his Kingdom over all the earth in despite of his enemies 3. The third part The Laws of his Kingdom unalterable And as his Kingdom is immoveable so are also the Laws by which it is governed fixt and unalterable also Thy Testimonies are very sure The Gospel is an eternal Gospel the Doctrine thereof holy and inviolable by which God Vers. 5 testatus est hath witnessed his
not submit to his Laws and wayes But they escaped not unpunished vengeance as God had sworn overtook them and their carcasses fell in the Wilderness nor above two of six hundred thousand souls entred into that rest promised them the land of Canaan I read and tremble I tremble and pray Lord kéep me from this disobedience this obstinacy this hardness of heart melt my soul with the fire of thy Spirit and soften it with the oyle of thy grace that when thou speakest I may answer and at the sound of thy voyce I may be obedient so that shewing not the least reluctation to thy commands and never murmuring at thy doings I may obtain by thy infinite goodness after the manifold errors and furious storms of this life that secute Port of Heaven where there remains a perpetual rest to the people of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. XCVI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ALthough this Psalm was composed by David at the bringing back of the Ark 1 Chr. 16.23 yet with one voyce all Christian Expositors acknowledge it a Prophesie of Christs Kingdom and Church to be enlarged by the access of all Nations and of his coming to judgment Two parts of the Psalm 1. A general Exhortation both to Jewes and Gentiles to praise God 2. A Prophesie of Christs Kingdom described by the Greatness ver 4 5. the Honour and Majesty verse 6. of the Majesty of the King verse 6 7 8. 2. The amplitude of it ver 10. 3. His judicature in it from ver 10. to the end 1. The first part An invitation to praise God The first three verses contain a general Exhortation to set forth Gods praises for the benefits exhibited to the whole earth by Christ 1. First That the praise be full he thrice repeats Cantate O sing sing sing to the honour of the Trinity Ver. 1 saith Bellarmine obscurely insinuated in the Old but plainly to be preached in the New Testament 2. Ver. 2 Shew forth Benedicite i. e. Cantando laudate or gratias agite 3. Ver. 3 Declare Hashern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carry good news a fit word for the Gospel Ver. 1 which is Evangelium glad-tydings 2. The Song that was to be sung was to be a new Song Sing unto the Lord a new Song New for a new benefit New to be sung by a new people 3. It was to be sung by the whole Earth by new men and all men all the World over for God was not now to be known in Judaea only but to all Nations Ver. 2 4. It must be continually sung from day to day without cessation or intermission for as one day succeeds another so should there be a continual succession in this praise After he expresseth the benefit or matter that all the earth is to praise him for For the redemption of the World by his Son which in one word is the Redemption of the World by his Son 1. Shew forth his salvation which he hath conferred on Mankind by Christ Ver. 2 2. Ver. 3 Declare his glory among the Heathen his wonders among all people His glory and wonders which is the self-same with salvation which was a glorious work and full of wonders and this now was to be Evangelized as before to the Jewes by the Prophets so now to all people by the Apostles 2. The second part To this end he presents God as a great King And that his Exhortation might seem more reasonable he presents God as a King and sets down the Greatness the Amplitude and Equity of his Kingdom 1. Sing to the Lord all the Earth for he is Lord of the whole Earth 1. The Lord is great great in power great in wisdom great in goodness great in mercy great in dominion and riches great every way that any thing can be great 2. 2 Worthy of all praise He is greatly to be praised or worthy of all praise for his innumerable benefits he bestows spiritual temporal his Creation Redemption Preservation of the world What can be found praise worthy in any King may be found superlatively in him 3 To be feared above all gods Moller Quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non dii Bellarm. Muscul Supreme not so any of those gods They Deastri 3. He is to be feared above all gods For he can cast body and soul into hell They though call'd gods can do nor good nor hurt The devils that set them up do believe him to be above them and tremble Jam. 2. Sing to him then and not to them for the Supremacy is his He is Super omnes Deos. Gods did I call them alas they are nothing less they are all of them Elilim Deiculi petite gods or Deastri ridiculous gods or Elilim Vanities Idols no gods If they be Gods shew their works produce the heavens they made or the earth they framed whereas our God made the heavens and all things that â—â—e in it and under it Ver. 5 He then to be feared and not they In which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prophet doth elegantly deride the heathenish gods Especially the gods of the heathen and the heathen for fearing such gods 1. For the multitude of them For they were many which is contrary to the nature of God who must be but one in reason there can be but one Supreme 2. For their division one of the Ammonites another of the Moabites one of the Philistines many of the Assyrians Egyptians Greeks Romanes according to the number of the Cities were there gods three hundred Jupiters thirty thousand of these Deities 3. They were Elilim petite gods Moloch had the rule of the Sun Astarte of the Moon Ceres over Corn Pluto his dominion in heaven Neptune in the Sea c. Their power was not universal as the power of God ought to be 4. For their Vanity they could not help If Baal be a god let him plead for himself Judg. 6. Bell boweth down Nebo stoops c. they could not deliver the burden they themselves are gone into captivity Isa 46.1 2. For an Idol is nothing in nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8. 4. Lastly in the opposition They Dii facti he Factor which lively shews the difference betwixt God and Idols It was man that first made them gods and made Idols for them They then are at best but works of mens hands But our God is Factor a Maker a Creator He made the Heavens those great and beautiful bodies and all that is contain'd in and under those Orbs. He then is terrible he to be feared and not those diminutive those vain those unprofitable gods of the Nations and their Idols 2. And so having removed out of his way all the gods of the Nations he returns to the description of our God and King He said he was great greatly to be praised to be feared above all gods and now he adds that which makes farther for his honour For he presents God
and in Truth according to his Word and Promise He will accept no mans person but render to every man according to his works The Prayer collected out of the ninty sixth Psalm O Merciful Lord so déep is the Sea of thy mercies which hath from everlasting flow'd over unto us and thy dayly favours Vers. 1 2. that thou doest conter upon us that except we will be ungrateful we must sing unto thee a new Song for new blessings and bless thy name for fresh gifts and graces Vers. 5 What is man that thou shouldst be so mindful of him or the son of man that thou shouldst regard him Thou who madest the heaven Vers. 4 createdst him after thy own image but he defaced it Vers. 5 Thou who wert to be feared far above all gods gavest him a command to worship and honour thee but he made to himself other gods which indéed were no gods Vers. 4 but petty and ridiculous Deities and cast by thée the great God of heaven and earth a God greatly to be praised a God to be feared above all gods and worshipped the inventions of his own brain and the works of his own hands But all this did not cool thy love nor retard thy mercy even when all the kindreds of the Nations did serve other gods thou sentest them Redemption thou sentest thy Son to be a light to lighten the Gentiles and to be the glory of thy people Israel Great and marvellous are thy works O Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes thou King of Saints Vers. 2 who ought not to fear thee and glorifie thy Name Warm therefore our cold hearts with thy love that we may shew forth thy Salvation from day to day Vers. 3 Make our flow tongues eloquent and powerful that we may publish this glad-ridings and declare thy glory unto the heathen and thy wonders to all people So resplendent is thy Honour and Majesty so immense thy strength Vers. 6 so illustrious thy beauty that we dust and ashes tremble in our approaches to thee and were it not for those commands thou hast laid upon and invitations and encouragements thou hast given to penitent and believing sinners we durst not presume to tender our selves and our homage before thee Vers. 7 But since thou hast call'd for a gift from us we do fréely give unto thée glory and strength fluce thou doest expect as a due debt glory to thy name we chéerfully give thée glory and proclaim thy name to the whole world The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Offerings we have none that are worthy of thée Vers. 8 yet such as we have we bring we offer unto thée the Sacrifice of a troubled and a contrite spirit we tender unto thée our petitions and thanks upon the Altar of a mortified and broken heart we confess our unworthiness and fast and wéep before thée we come into thy Courts and present what we are able two poor mites soul and body Lord accept of these our offerings for Iesus Christs sake Our desire is to worship thee in the Beauty of Holiness to be holy as thou art holy to be perfect as thou art perfect but being conscious to our selves of the impurity and imperfections of our own hearts and sensible of thy excellencies we step back for very fear and retire for shame Bold and impudent we cannot be in thy presence but we worship thée with trembling spirits and adore with reverence Yet thus much we are and may be bold to proclaim among the heathen The Lord reigneth Vers. 10 Jehovah who is our righteousness is our King long let him reign Vers. 11 for ever let him live Hosannah to the son of David and let all things in heaven and earth say Amen to it Let the Angels and Saints in Heaven rejoice at it Vers. 12 let all men on earth be glad of it let the wicked who are like the troubled Sea will they nill they reare it out let the fulness thereof the impious spirits that move them bow at the Name of Jesus Yea let the wildest tree in the field and wood be brought at last to confess that Jesus is the Lord to the glory of God the Father O thou great King of all the world Vers. 11 to whom all power is given in heaven and earth rule thy people with thy Word and Spirit and judge the adversaries of thy worship and enemies of thy Gospel bear rule and dominion among the heathen that yet have not submitted unto thee let the whole world be established by thy Gospel and thy Laws take place among them and never be removed Lord hasten thy Kingdom and appear in thy glory Even so come Lord Jesus Vers. 13 Come quickly Come to judge the earth seat thy self upon thy Throne and call all the Nations of the world before thee and make it known that thou art not an accepter of any mans person but that thou wilt judge the world with righteousness and the people with thy Truth and that those that have done ill shall go into eternal punishment but the righteous into life eternal Be thou my King O sweet Iesus inform me in thy Law guide and rule me by thy Spirit cause me so to worship and fear thee to offer such spiritual Sacrifices unto thee to give what I owe such glory and honour to thy Name that at thy coming I may be set on thy right-hand and be one of that number to whom thou wilt say Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world For thine is the Kingdom the power and the glory for ever and ever Amen PSAL. CXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IN this Psalm David sets forth Gods power and glory and being moved by the Spirit of Prophesie foretels the downfall of Idolators and the happy estate of those who serve God with an honest heart Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. A Prophetical description of Christs power and glory especially at the day of judgement from vers 1. to 7. 2. A manifest difference put betwixt Idolators and the people of God Confusion he imprecates to the first vers 7. And gives notice of the joy of the second with the reasons vers 8 9. 3. He exhorts those that love God to a good life encouraging them upon Gods favour vers 10. And upon the joy that is like to follow it vers 11. for which he stirs them up to rejoice and to be thankful vers 12. He begins with a Solemn Acclamation The Lord reigneth The first part God is the Supreme King being the self-same that he commanded to be proclaimed in the former Psalm vers 10. As if he had said By the coming of Christ the Empire of Death Vers. 1 the Power of the Devil all Oracles are silenc'd and all Idols destroy'd And he will use his Scepter
now and at the day of judgement Jehovah is become the Supreme King and all other Kings and Powers become his Vassals and Servants A benefit so great that he moves the world to be glad of it Let the earth rejoice let the multitude of the Isles that is the inhabitants of both be glad thereof All men wheresoever and whatsoever for if they be oppressed by Tyrants yet the Lord they serve is Mightier the Kingdom is his all Power in heaven and earth given into his hands and he can repress and bring into order the proudest Tyrants He hath this name written on his thigh King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19.16 For the good 2. And 't is most certain that he will make use of his Scepter for the good of his Subjects and for the confusion and ruine of their and his enemies which is often done in this life but if deferr'd for some reasons best known unto him yet it shall be certainly done at the last day when his appearance will be very terrible yet comfortable to His. For 1. Clouds and darkness shall be round about him Vers. 2 as it was when he gave the Law in Sinai Of his Subjects 2. Righteousness and Judgement the habitation the Basis of his Throne 1. Righteousness justly to pass sentence in the defence of his people And so comfortable to them 2. Judgement to be poured out upon his enemies And so a terrible day to them 3. A fire goeth before him and burns up his enemies round about Vers. 3 His lightnings enlightned the world the earth saw it and trembled The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth For the confusion of his enemies In which three verses are set down the terror of that day as it is described Mat. 24 29 c. 2 Pet. 2.10 c. Psal 18.7 c. Which fire yet shall not hurt the godly it shall burn up only his enemies as is here said 4. And at this day the heavens declare his righteousness When his appearing shall be glorious when the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and the Trump of God 1 Thess 4. 2. And all people his glory appearing in the clouds of heaven with all the Angels about him when every knee of things in heaven and things on earth and things under the earth shall bow unto him Phil. 2. 2. Upon the consideration of Christs Soveraignty The second part Upon which the Prophet and his glorious appearance at the last day our Prophet imprecates and exhorts 1. He imprecates that confusion and a curse may fall upon all Idolators Confounded be all they that serve carved Images Vers. 7 and boast themselves of Idols Which is indeed their shame 1 Imprecates 2. 2 Exhorts He exhorts Adore him all ye gods ye that excell in power on earth ye Angels that excell in power in heaven adore worship invocate submit to this King For this was and ought to be the practice of Gods people 1. Vers. 8 Sion heard of it heard that the Lord reigned that he would come to judge the quick and dead 3 And the people of God exult that Idolators should be confounded that Christ only was to be adored and rejoiced at it and was very well pleased with the News and desired it should be so 2. Vers. 9 The daughters of Judah that is the people of God rejoiced because of thy judgements O Lord did exult because thou O Lord do'st judge all men with a just judgement 3. But that which did most of all excite and heighten their joy was the exaltation of Christ to the Throne that the Lord of Gods people was now to be the Supreme Lord. Glad they were because Thou O Lord art high above all the earth high above all Kings and earthly Monarchs that thou art exalted far above all gods i. e. far above all Angels who are called gods by participation and far above all Devils who are worshipped as gods by an error of judgement 3. The third part The Character by which Gods people may be known At the eighth verse he made mention of the Church and call'd them Zion he spoke of the people of God under the name of the daughters of Judah and he saith they did exult and rejoice at it But that no man footh up himself with this Title for there be many who lay claim to Zion that belongs not to Zion and seem to rejoice that Christ is King who wish in their hearts it were otherwise Vers. 10 The Prophet sets down an infallible Character by which the Elect may be known viz. The Love of God and the infallible consequent of it The Hatred of evil to which he exhorts Ye that love the Lord hate evil 1. 1 They love God O you that make God your choice and Christ your King not feinedly but truly not with the lips alone but with the heart that fear and worship God not according to the external work but according to the Spirit of the Law 2. 2 They hate evil See that ye hate evil 't is not sufficient to fly it to decline from it but you must detest and hate it which without the work of the heart will never be done For the heart is the fountain of all actions good or bad from it before God they have their denomination and acceptance As out of the heart proceeds the love of the chief good so out of the heart again proceed evil thoughts murders adulteries c. Mat. 15. And that we lend the easier ear to this counsel The reward for this work the Prophet proposeth two great rewards to those that love the Lord and hate evil 1. Enemies they have in this life that hate them that seek to oppress thâ—m against these God promiseth protection from these deliverance 1. Vers. 10 He preserveth the souls of his Saints often their lives but alwayes their souls 1 Preservation which is a benefit beyond the other The Accuser of the brethren shall not hurt them 2. He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked sometime out of their hand that they fall not into it and sometime out of their hand when they are in it Ovis erepta lupo Now this is their first reward 2. Vers. 11 A second reward there is in the next verse That in their miseries they shall be fill'd with content 2 In miseries they shall find comfort and find comfort when they little expected it but then they must be righteous and upright in heart 1. 1 Light content Light is sown for the righteous or as the old Translator reads out of the Septuagint Light is risen up to the righteous The diversity as Moller and Bellarminâ— arose out of the nearness of the two Hebrew words Zarahh and Zarach Zarahh signifying Seminare and Zarach oriri
God in promising and a faithful God in performing thy Holy Covenant that thou hast remembred thy Mercy and Truth toward the house of Israel This is a mercy beyond all mercies and in mercy good Lord continue this mercy unto us Never remove our Candlestick or remove the light of thy Gospel from us And though at this time it be eclipsed and that very justly for our unthankfulness in the use of this light for our undervaluing of it and not rejoicing in it yet we beséech thée upon our contrition and amendment of our lives let it repent thee of the evil that thou hast brought upon thy people and all mists of error and heresie all darkness of prophaneness being dispell'd shew forth the bright beams of thy countenance unto those thousands of Israel who seek and sigh after thy Truth with an honest heart Descend Vers. 9 O Lord descend and with righteousness judge the cause of thy poor afflicted oppressed people in equity raise their grieved souls Let thy Truth flourish the Gospel have a free passage amongst us and bring to a spéedy confusion all that are enemies to thy peace through Iesus Christ our Lord. PSAL. XCIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Subject matter of this Psalm is the self-same with the former for it sets forth the Glory of Christs Kingdom the Majesty Power and Justice of the King and exhorts all by the example of his former servants to exalt call on him and praise him Two parts of this Psalm 1. A Description of Christs Kingdom 1. From the Majesty and Terrour of it against his enemies ver 1 2 3. 2. From the Equity of it in execution of judgment and justice ver 4. 3. From the King 's Patience and Clemency in giving Audience to his servants 6 7 8. 2. A Demand of praise and honour of all that acknowledge him for their King Psal 93. begun at the third verse repeated at the fifth and continued in the last This is the third time he begins his Hymus with this solemn Acclamation The first part Christ is King The Lord reigneth Jehovah is King And then as is usual in Musick Rests and pauseth as it seems to me after as if he had recovered breath Ver. 1 he sings with full voyce 1. The Terrour Power Glory and Majesty of it He bids the defiance to his enemies and comforts his people 1. He bids a defiance as it were to all his enemies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 irascantur commoveantur fremant populi let the people be angry fret and be unquiet as Psal 2.1 Let the earth that is the Tyrants of the earth be movd at it yet let them know that all their endeavours are but vain For 1. God is present with his Church For 1. He sits between the Cherubims the Cherubims were over the Ark by which was signified the presence of God with his people and they covered the Propiatory and Ark with their wings The sense then is God is alwayes present with his people to them and therefore no fear though the earth be moved Ver. 2 2. The Lord is great in Zion of great power and high above all people 2 He is potent and higher than all people in Majesty Power Wisdom no fear then for this also though the earth be moved 3. His Name is great and terrible Great Ver. 3 and therefore terrible to his enemies for it is holy and therefore venerable In a word 3 His Name great and terrible holy his Regal Majesty and Regal Sanctity is such that he is a most potent and a most just King and therefore no fear yet though the earth be moved rather let them give the praise and honour due unto his Name 2. Our Prophet describes the Kingdom of Christ 4 He is a just King from the justice and equity which is administred in it and thereby moves his not to fear though the earth be moved Ver. 4 1. The Kings strength Hoz heb strength honour dignity authority holiness c. loveth judgment judgeth righteously out of the love he bears to justice not constrained by fear passion or necessity 2. And this he shews by the following Apostrophe in which he thus speaks to the King 1. Thou dost establish equity Confirm and establish just and equal Laws 2. Thou executest judgment and righteousness in Jacob In thy Kingdom thou executest these Laws also justly by punishing sin and rewarding good works of which there be examples in both Testaments for though for a time he suffered the godly to be afflicted and the ungodly to be exalted yet he at last frees his servants and crowns their patience but he falls in fury on the wicked and damns them he punisheth sometimes in this life alwayes in the life to come Upon which the Prophet collects That God is to be adoted to which he earnestly exhorts Exalt ye the Lord our God and worship at his Foot-stool for he is holy For this he exhorts us 1. Exalt ye by praising his Majesty with the heart Ver. 5 and magnifying him with your voyce 1 To â—â—alt him 2. 2 To adore before his footstool And worship at his footstool not his footstool as some read it that have a months mind to have Images worshipped In which expression David had an eye to the Ark of the Covenant for so I find it called 1 Chron. 28.2 Lam. 2.1 Toward which the Jews were bound to bow And his intention is that all our approaches and applications to the Lord our God be with the greatest reverence and submission of mind and body that may be All is too little 3. 3 For he or it is Holy For he is Holy or it is holy for the skilful in the Hebrew confess it may be read in either gender Holy the Jews call'd whatsoever was eminent excellent perfect chast entire sincere God then is holy because he is so in himself and his house his Priests his Day c. The Ark his footstool is Holy in relation to him when then we approach to him or any place where he ordinarily shews his presence Holy and Reverent actions and gestures are required of us Take heed to thy feet Prophane not what is holy 3. 5 He is a kind King Hears and grants petitions As is evident The third way by which the Prophet sets out the excellency of Christs Kingdom and the Clemency and Mercifulness of our King is in that he is ready to hear Petitioners and receive Petitions and of an inclinable nature to grant them also for which he brings examples of three illustrious men all eminent in their generations Moses a Prince Aaron a Priest and Samuel a Judge in Israel who all fell down and worshipp'd at his footstool call'd upon and were heard in their intercessions 1. Vers. 6 Moses and Aaron among his Priests The Hebrew word here used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Moses Aaron alwayes signifies not a Priest but a Prince and
mighty King of Kings and Lord of Lords by whom Kings and Princes decree justice Ver. 1 that especially which thou requirest of thy Vicegerents on earth is That they shew Mercy and execute Judgement that they extend acts of Grace and Charity toward the good and to be a terror to evil doers Come Ver. 2 Lord unto me with thy aid and Spirit for without thy help I am not able to do any duty and make me first to reform my self and my house Cause me to walk wisely with zeal and prudence in a perfect way Give me power to walk constantly and with delight in my own family with a perfect heart Ver. 3 that I may be a pattern of good works unto all within my house an example of piety religion iustice and charity to all about me Slip Lord and fall I may but it shall not be willingly and maliciously for I will set no wicked thing before my eyes that I should be tempted thereby Thou Lord hast hitherto put into my heart a hatred of the works of them that turn aside Ver. 4 and gracious God continue in me that hatred still for so I am sure that nor the Wedge of Gold nor the Babylonish Garment shall cleave to my fingers Give me so much courage O Lord as to execute judgement upon the wicked Ver. 5 and so much charity as to extend mercy to the good Let my justice be so exemplar that every man of a crooked and perverse froward heart be afraid of me and depart from me let me never know countenance or shew the least friendship to a wicked person Embolden me to cut off every one that privily slandereth his neighbour Ver. 7 As for the men who shew the pride of their heart with the rowling of their eyes and for such who have a heart so full swoln with ambition and covetousness that nothing can satisfie suffer me not to have any familiarity with them not so much as to admit them to my Table Thou knowest O Lord how full the world now is of fraudulent persons and men of lying lips make my sevetity so awful and my authority so reverential that he that works deceit do not dare to dwell stay and remain within my house and he that tells lyes be afraid to tarry in my sight As on the contrary move me to discern Ver. 6 and to be favourable is all those who are faithful in the Land men of truth and trust let my eyes be bent upon them to do them good these let me call from all places to dwell with me and if there be any that walk in a perfect way bring him to be my servant my Counsellor my bosome-friend Iustice and Religion are the Pillars of any Kingdom and at this time the foundations of the earth be out of course make me to beat up the Pillars of it Write the book of thy Law within my heart and let the advancement of true Religion be my chiefest care Ver. 8 After let me carry so great a love to justice that the wicked of the Land be by me early and speedily destroyed and all wicked doers be unrooted and cut off from the City of my God This is a City of Saints far far be removed from it all yride and covetousness all fraud and lying all Idolatry and false worship all impiety and injustice Let righteousness flourish in the Gates and piety in the Temples thereof and holiness shew it self in the lives of the Citizens to the glory of thy Holy name and the salvation of our poor souls through Iesus Christ our Lord and only Saviour Amen PSAL. CII The Title of this Psalm is A Prayer of the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before God It is by the Church chosen for one of the Penitentials IT seems to me to be composed by the Prophet to be a form of prayer to be used by the faithful Jews in the time of their Captivity at Babylon For in it is expressed the sad condition they were then in in the person of an afflicted man the present state of Religion under the desolation of the Temple which the Prophet laments and yet again comforts himself and his people upon the consideration of Gods Eternity and Immutability and that therefore he will perform his promise have mercy on Sion build again the Temple restore them again to their own Land in which they should quietly and happily dwell This no question is the literal sense of the Psalm but it cannot be doubted but the Prophet had a farther intent in it For the faithful among the Jews knew that the Restitution of Solomons Templâ— was but a Type of that Temple which the Messiah would build up of living stones and inhabit by his Spirit This then they prayed for and for the erection of it when they prayed for the re-edification of the other as appears by very many passages in this Psalm Two General parts there are of this Psalm 1. A description of the Calamity of the Church under the person of an afflicted man from vers 1. to 12. 2. The comfort yet she took in these Calamities and the ground of it from vers 12. to 28. 1. The whole is formed into a prayer A Prayer The first part which is proposed in the two first verses and an earnest motion made for audience 1. Ver. 1 Hear my prayer O Lord and let my cry come unto thee 2. Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble encline thine ear to me In which he complains and shewes his sad condition in the day when I call answer me speedily 2. And he presseth his prayer by way of complaint shewing many wayes what a heavy case he was in 1. Ver. 3 By a consumption of his strength 1. My dayes are consumed as smoke In many respects which though it swells into the air in a great thick body yet it is suddenly dispersed and vanisheth 2. And my bones which are as it were the pillars of this house my body are burnt and dryed up 1 A Consumption as it were an hearth or the stones of the hearth which the fire by continuance burns out 3. My heart is smitten and withered like grass that either cut down withers to hay or standing is burnt up by the scorching heat of the Sun 4. To this pass I am come that I can take no sustenance I forget to eat my bread 2. From his continual weeping and pining away By reason of the voice of my groaning 2 Grief my bones cleave to my skin 3. From his Solitude He was deserted of his friends Clausa fides miseris 3 Solitude I am become like a Pellican in the Wilderness I am become like an Owle in the Desert Solitary Birds 4. 4 Watching From his continual watchings I watch and am as a sparrow alone on the house top As Moller observes this kind of bird impatientissime viduitatem ferunt 5.
5 Reproach From the reproach of them who had been his friends but were now his enemies for a wicked man thinks himself reproached by a good mans honest conversation Wisd 5. Mine enemies reproach me all the day long and they are mad against me are sworn against me have conspited by an Oath to undo me 6. And that which made them so mad and sweâ—r was my repentance which I testified by ashes on my head 6 Sadness and tears in my eyes I have caten ashes like bread my dayly food and mingled my drink with weeping I drank tears with my wine that is I was fed with bitterness and sustain'd with tears which they derided And now behold the reason why every true penitent is thus humbled All these increased by the sense of Gods anger it is not for want nor yet for want of wit but it is out of a true sense of Gods anger which he hopes to pacifie by his sorrow and humiliation 1. Ver. 10 Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for my former sin 2. Which I collect thus Thou hast formerly lifted me up then sure I was in thy fovour but hast now cast me down whence I may well conclude that I am in disfavour with thee 3. And the effect plainly shews it For my dayes are as a shadow that declines and am withered like grace Become mortal flying fading from thy wrath raised by my own default 2. The second part He yet comforts himself in Gods promises Hitherto the Prophet hath petition'd and complain'd His case was lamentable yet he is notswallow'd up of sorrow Heart he begins to take and comfort he promiseth himself in the Eternity and Immutability of God and his love to his Church Hence he conceives hope of reconciliation and being moved by the Spirit of God foretells the restauration of Zion and Jerusalem and typically the state of Christs Church 1. To his Church on which he will have mercy and had when he restored them True I wither away as grass and so shall all Individual men But 1. Thou O Lord shalt endure for ever and therefore thy Church and promises to thy Church 2. And thy Remembrance from generation to generation The Covenant which thou hast made shall be remembred from father to son Ver. 13 till the worlds end 2. Thou seemest now to sleep But thou shalt arise 1. Thou shalt have mercy on Zion and save thy people 2. For the time to favour her yea the set time is come Literally the seventy years of the Captivity were neer expired Typically by the Spirit the Prophet foresaw and conceiv'd the Redemption of the Church in the future as a thing present And both he calls a time of favour for from the favour and mercy of God both proceeded 3. And this Consideration wrought a double effect This wrought a double effect 1. One upon Gods people for the present viz. an earnest desire to have it so Ver. 14 Earnest they were that Jerusalem should again be built the Church set up For thy servants take pleasure in her stones 1 A desire to have it so and favour the dust thereof Ver. 15 2. The other upon the Heathen 2 Another on the Heathen viz. Compassion Conversion So the Heathen shall fear thy name which began when Darius and Cyrus saw and acknowledged the Prophesies and obeyed them 2. And all the Kings of the earth thy glory which was truly fulfill'd in the conversion of Constantine c. to the Faith And he adds the cause why Kings and Nations should be so strangely converted because he had beyond all belief and expectation of man Ver. 16 so strangely delivered his people from Captivity and so miraculously set up his Kingdom in his Church This shall be done When or because the Lord shall build up Zion he shall appear in glory Before he cast his people into the grave as it were without any hope of life or restitution but when he shall bring them from thence he shall make his glory and honour manifest And that which moved him to it was the prayers of his people Ver. 17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute and not despise their prayer Which effects followed on their prayer Of this mercy a Record to be kept Now lest the Jews should conceive that what was done for them did concern them only and not their Children or to speak more properly the whole people of God in all ages to come God would have a Record kept of it 1. This shall be written for the generation to come 2. And the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord Ver. 18 Cum viderint impleta quae praedicta And of this he assigns two reasons even the self-same set down at the 16. and 17. Verses 1. For be hath looked down from the height of his Sanctuary Ver. 19 from the heaven did the Lord behold the earth 2. To hear the groans of the prisoners Ver. 20 to loose those that are appointed to death That the glory be returned to God Now this Mercy from God calls upon us for our Duty for the proper end of it was and the effect that it should work upon us is that we should be thankful Therefore he looked down therefore he heard the groans of the prisoners c. That being freed 1. They should declare the name of the Lord in Zion Ver. 21 and his praise in Jerusalem 2. And this praise should be compleated Ver. 22 When the people are gathered simul or in unum united together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. The Gentiles join with the Jews in it And here methinks I hear the Prophet breaking off his comfort The Prophet laments he shal not live to see it and breaking out in the midst of his prophecy with Balaam As if he had said I am assured all this shall come to pass and be done for Gods people but alas who shall live when God doth this Whosoever shall I shall not certainly For he weakned my strength in the way and hath shortned my dayes Ver. 23 Yet my desire is it might be otherwise Yet he desires he might and in this my desire is but the same with many Kings and Prophets that have gone before me all which long and desired to see the flourishing estate of the Church under the Messiah and therefore Ver. 24 I said O my God take me not away in the midst of my age But suffer me to draw out my life to see that that all good men have aspired to see to wit that I may behold Christ promised in the flesh and be a partaker of the glory of his Kingdom Which Petition And presseth that he might Perswading God to it upon 24. The consideration of Gods eternity and immutability that it might be the easier granted he presseth it by a Collation of Gods Eternity and Immutability with his own life As if he should say Spare me
thou break a leaf driven too and fro Ver. 11 How long wilt thou pursue the dry stubble While thou Writest these bitter things against us our dayes are like a shadow and decliues and we are withered as grass whose beauty and glory fades in a moment But why art thou thus vexed O my soul Ver. 12 and why art thus disquieted within me O put thy trust in God Call to mind that he endures for ever and the remembrance of his Covenant to all generations 'T is thy promise O Lord we look to 't is thy Covenant only we hope in according to thy word arise and have mercy upon Zion pity thy poor afflicted people for the time to favour her is now very seasonable Ver. 13 yea the time is come For thy servants think upon and take pleasure in her stones not so much those stones with which those goodly structures Ver. 14 in which we were wont to meet and praise thee were built and beautified as those living stones built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Ver. 17 Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-stone and it pitieth them to see her in the dust In the dust Lord we favour them and for these we pray that they may be restored to their places in thy Sacred Temple Ver. 16 O regard the prayer of the poor destitute and despise not our desire for this will tend to thy honour and enlargement of thy Kingdom being alsured Ver. 15 that when the Lord shall build up Zion and when he shall appear in glory that the heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord and all the Kings of the earth thy glory Look down then O Lord from the height of thy Sanctuary and from heaven behold the earth Ver. 19 Hear the groaning of the Prisoners and loose those that are appointed to death Ver. 20 that they may declare the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise at Jerusalem Ver. 21 May we but obtain so great a mercy it shall be written for the generations to come and the people our children that shall be born Ver. 18 shall praise the Lord They shall praise thee and sing of thy mercy in the great Congregation even when the people are gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. That thou wilt make an Inquisition for innocent blood I am assured that those who have profaned thy dwelling place shall be as a rolling thing before the wind Ver. 23 I do believe that they who have swallowed down riches shall vomit them up again I know for God shall cast them out of their belly But thou hast so weakned my strength in the way and so shortned my dayes that it is not likely I shall lide to sée it Lord might my eyes sée thy salvation I would willingly sing with old Simeon Ver. 24 Now let thy servant depart in peace Yet will I pray O my God take me not away in the midst of my age I am thy Creature O Lord created after thy own image yet not to live for ever on earth as thou shalt live in heaven for thy years are throughout all generations Even the earth whose foundation thou hast laid and the heavens which are the work of thy Power and Wisdom wax old as a garment and as a vesture shall be wrapt up they shall perish and be annihilated spare me a little then because I am a creature of a short continuance and can bear no proportion to thy esernity for thou art the same and thy years have no end But I yield my self to thy Will I submit my self to thy dispose if I cannot arrive to what I desire to sée Jerusalem in prosperity yet grant that I may see my Lord in the Land of the living for I am assured that the children of thy servants shall continue and their seed shall be established before thee and live in thy presence for evermore Amen PSAL. CIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Psalm to David THE Title shews the Psalm to be inspired into David by the Holy Ghost and the end is to comfort a soul heavy and laden but especially with the burden of sin To him every word in it drops like an Honey-comb so that had not the comfort been revealed and sent from heaven it could never have been believed that Almighty God should be so merciful to sinful man Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. The Exordium in which David by an Apostrophe turns to his own soul and stirs it up to bless God ver 1 2. 2. The Narration or an ample Declaration of the Benefits from the first to the last conferred by God upon him and others and the causes of them from ver 3. to 20. 3. A Conclusion in which he makes a motion to Angels and all other Creatures to joyn with him in the praise of God from ver 20. David stirs up his soul to praise God The first part to the last 1. David being fully perswaded that he was one of the number of the Elect stirs up himself in the person of the Elect to praise and speak well of God in the two first verses 1. Bless God think on the Benefit and bless the Benefactor Ver. 1 Extoll him with praises 2. O my Soul bless him because the Soul alone can know and inform the whole man what God deserves for his blessings 2. Again he would not have it a lip-labour but come from a heart affected with it Heartily done for quod cor non facit non fit 3. Not the Soul alone but that all that is within him Totum hominis And the whole man whatsoever is within his skin every part every faculty about him Will Understanding Memory Affections Heart Tongue Hand Eyes c. All joyn 4. And bless Jehovah for he gave them their Being and their Properties and Operations 2. Praise his holy Name his Essential Properties his Wisdom Power Goodness Justice for to oclebrate God in all these is To praise his holy Name 5. Bless the Lord O my Soul for he comes over it again Ver. 2 that he might press the Duty more emphatically and shew his vehement desire to have it done it shewes we freeze and are cold in the Duty and need a Goad to quicken us 6. And forget not all his benefits He repeats it and adds That we forget not His Benefits 1. Forget not He would not be guilty of the common Errour forgetfulness of a good turn for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if it happen 't is impossible to be thankful and therefore Omnium ingratissimus qui beneficii accepti non reminiscitur Forget not then 2. All his benefits Not all no nor indeed any of them for not one but deserves a blessing 3. His benefits Some read Munera the Vulgar Retributiones If Munera they are freely given if Retributiones they are more than we can deserve yet it pleases him to accompt them so Let but a man well consider how many evils we
for our former ingratitude and forgive this great sin of thy people once more let thy light shine amongst us and do for us O Iehovah the Lord for thy Names sake because thy mercy is good deliver us Thou art the mighty Iehovah Thou then canst and thy mercy is great and therefore we hope thou wilt do it for us we plead no merit we ask it not for any desert but méerly for thy Names sake for we are assured that by the doing of it thy Name will be magnified thy Clemency thy Goodness thy Faithfulness in defence of thy Church and thy Iustice in executing vengeance upon the enemy will be exalted and celebrated Our condition O Lord at this time is very low poor we are and men of a troubled spirit néedy we are being robb'd and outed of our worldly Goods Ver. 22 our heart is wounded within us in a sharp and true compunction for our rebellions against Heaven drawing we are to our last home as the shadow that at Even departs and yet we can have no rest but are tost up and down from Herod to Pilate from Pilate to Herod as the Locust we have chastised ou◠soul with fasting till our knees are weak and our flesh is worn away for want of fatness And yer all this we could digest with patience were it not for the opprobrious language and usage we sustain from them it wounds our hearts and pierceth our souls that we should become a reproach to them when they these mockers of Religion these wolves in shéeps cloathing these monsters of men destitute of all humanity and piety looked upon us in our affliction so far they were from remembring to shew mercy That they persecuted us whom thou hadst smitten they shaked their heads at us and cryed Ah thou wretch Arise help us O Lord our God O save us according to thy mercy They blasphemously entitle thée to all their Actions they impute all to thy Providence ashamed they are not to declare That thou art pleased with all their enormities But O our God arise and in thy good time make them know That they were but thy Rod and thy Scourge that the blowes they gave were from thee and so many as thou pleasest in which they ought to take small content that it was thy hand thus for their sins to chastise thy people and that thou Lord hast done it and that being done Thou wilt take them and cast them into the fire Let them then O Lord curse Let them speak evil as they do of us let them vlaspheme and account us the off-scouring of the World out-casts and a spectacle to men and Angels But do thou O Lord bless bless thy people bless thine inheritance They arise against us but let them be ashamed and astonished that all their plots are frustrate and brought to naught Let our Adversaries be cloathed with shame and cover and enwrap themselves with their own confusion as with a Mantle This at the last day will be certainly done when they shall desire if possible to fly from the presence of the Almighty whereas thy servants then with great boldness shall stand in the presence of the Almighty and lift up their heads and rejoyce O Gracious God defend and help thy poor Church stand at the right hand of every one that is poor in spirit and of an humble heart save him from those that would condemn his soul So will we greatly praise the Lord with our mouths yea we will praise thee among the multitude in all the Churches of the Saints with great affections and many Jubilees we will honour thy Name and sound forth thy praise through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CX Propheticus de Regno Christi THIS Psalm is short in words but copious and deep in Mysteries the Subject of it without doubt is Christ which no Christian can deny since both St. Peter Acts 2.34 and St. Paul Hebr. 1.13 expounds it of Christ and Christ applieth it to himself Matth. 22.44 In this then Christ is described as a King and a Priest In it are to be considered 1. Christs Kingdom in the three first verses 2. His Priesthood in the fourth fifth sixth and seventh 1. The first part Christ a King As touching his Kingdom the Prophet first acquaints us with his Person 2. His Power and the Acquisition of it 3. The Continuance of it 4. The Execution of it first over his enemies and secondly over his own people which is the sum of the three first verses 1. The Person that was here to reign was Davids Lord 1 His Person his Son according to the flesh but his Lord as equal to God Phil. 2.6 7. As made flesh Ver. 1 the Son of David as born of a Virgin the Son of David but as Emmanuel the Lord of David which the Jewes not understanding could not answer Christs question Mat. 22.45 2. As for his Power the Authour of it was God The Lord said to my Lord. 2 His Power The Lord said said it that is Decreed it from everlasting And said it again when he made it known The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head 3. And of this Kingdom as I may so say he then took Possession 3 His Inauguration to his Kingdom at his Ascension when the Lord said unto him Sit at my right hand Christ as the Son of God was ever at Gods right hand equal with him in Might and Majesty but as Man was not exalted to this honour before his glorious Ascension Acts 2.34 Ephes 1.20 Phil. 2.8 This then was the day of Inauguration to his Kingdom 4. For the continuance of it It is to be donec 4 The continuance of his Kingdom which notes not a piece of time but a perpetuity Sit till I make all thy enemies thy foot-stool Sit he shall at Gods right hand that is in power and glory till he shall say to all Tyrants and Hereticks and Hypocrites and Antichrists Depart from me Mat. 25. Yet not so as if he were to be dethron'd then but till then he shall reign in a secret manner for now though he executes his Power yet it is not seen Tyrants acknowledge it not But when once all his enemies shall be made his foot-stool then he shall openly and visibly Rule Sitting at his Fathers right hand for evermore Bellarmine interprets it well Go on to reign neither desist to propagate and enlarge thy Kingdom by converting men to faith and obedience until there be not an enemy alive not a man which will not bow his knee to thy Name till all Opponents be beaten down 5. The beginning of this Kingdom was in Zion 5 The beginning of his Kingdom in Zion The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Zion 1. The Rod of his power and strength was his Scepter and his Scepter is his Word the Gospel the Wisdom of God 1 Thes 2.13 Ver. 2 The Sword of the Spirit
expect none but muddy troubled water that then the Prophet saith He shall drink of the Torrent intimates That the drink offer'd him should be much and troubled And at his Passion he descended into the very depth of the Torrent and drank very deep of it 3. In the way That was while he was Viator in his Journey all the time of his life that preceded his Resurrection and Ascension 2. His Ascension and Honour But Claritas Humilitatis praemium because he thus humbled himself and willingly underwent his Death and Passion for the Glory of his Father and the Salvation of Mankind therefore shall God lift up his Head he shall ascend into Heaven sit at his right hand and be constituted the Judge of quick and dead he shall rise from the dead and have all power committed to him in Heaven and Earth The Prayer out of the One hundred and tenth Psalm O Almighty God most gracious and merciful Lord sinned all Mankind hath and by it incurr'd thy displeasure and by the disobedience of our first Parents had we not since added to that disobedience béen utterly lost it was not in the power of any creature to save us it was not within the compass of any humane or angelical ability to make our peace to get our pardon and to reconcile us again unto thée The sentence of death was passed upon us and nothing could respite the execution but thy own Ordinance A Mediator was wanting to interpose and hear all differences a Priest to step in and make an Atonement an Advocate to plead for thy people and allay the anger that was gone forth And such an one O merciful Lord Thou out of thy méer love hast in mercy provided for us Thou saidst to thy own Son Thou art a Priest for ever and thy own Son said Lo I come to do thy Will Ver. 4 and so by thy wonderful Decrée and his willing Obedience we are redéemed Who ever heard so strange a thing who could or would ever believe this report hadst not thou O God revealed it The zeal of the Lord hath done this for us the zeal of the Son of God hath done this brought to pass that which flesh and blood would never believe were it not That thou hast commanded it to be believed O mystery beyond comprehension which when we séem to comprehend yet we understand not the secret so far passeth what our weak capacity can reach unto And in this thou O merciful Father hast condescended to our infirmity for that thy Decrée and thy Sons love be never more doubted Thou hast secured us by an Oath an Oath of which thou wilt never repent That he is a Priest for ever A Priest must have something to offer and he offer'd himself a Priest must offer blood and he offer'd his own a Priest must step in and appease thy anger when it was at the highest a Priest must reconcile when the terms of difference were the greatest And such an High Priest thou hast sworn thy Son shall be given him for us and to us not only to them that lived then and before but to all thine that are now and shall be hereafter for thou hast ordained to be a Priest for ever O holy and good Father how much hast thou loved us who hast not spared thine one only Son but hast deliver'd him to be our Priest and our Sacrifice and therefore our Priest because our Sacrifice to Sacrifice himself upon the Altar of the Cross that he might cancel and nail there the Hand-writing that was against us and by death destroy him that had the power of death the Devil This could not be done till he had drank of the Brook in the way till all thy storms and waves had gone over him for so it behoved Christ to suffer Ver. 7 and to enter into his Glory But now all those indignities that agony those unknown sufferings are at an end and thou hast lifted up his head He that sacrificed himself on Earth is an High Priest an Advocate a Mediator an Intercessor for his Body in Heaven and there applies his purchase and continues this his Office for his Servants and Saints O Lord I am the meanest the most sinful of this Society so often as I provoke thée to anger by infirmity or surreptitious by enormous or presumptuous iniquities turn thy face from me a wretched Caitiff and behold those wounds in his hands féet and side and accept of that precious Sacrifice which he made upon the Cross for me hear the cry of those wounds that intercede for me at thy Throne of Grace I rely upon no other Advocate I will sue to no other Mediator if he be not able to save me then let me perish for ever speak peace to my soul in his Name be reconciled unto me in his blood and make his intercession so powerful unto me That I may be purged from my sins and turned from mine iniquities And this Supplication I do not only offer unto thée for my self but for all thy people Ver. 1 for whose sakes thou hast lift up his head and said unto my Lord Sir thou at my right hand All power is now given unto him both in Heaven and in Earth for he is not only a Priest but a King also a Scepter he hath and a Rod in his right hand this is the Rod of his strength and it came first out of Zion Ver. 2 I mean his Gospel that Law which came first out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem O set thy King upon thy holy hill of Zion give him the Heathen for his inheritance and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession break them with a Rod of Iron and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel Oppose all those that oppose the growth and enlargement of his Kingdom Let him rule in the midst of thine enemies and sit at thy right hand until thou hast made all his enemies his Foot-stool O Lord let him preside and have the Dominion over all till there be no Adversary left that shall dare to oppose him in his Offices Behold we humbly beséech thée how in these our dayes there are risen up blasphemous and wicked men cruel and bloody Antichrists who go about to break his Bands asunder and dare boldly and impudently say of him We will not have this man to reign over us Be present then O Lord our Saviour at the right hand of thy people and strike through Kings Princes and Potentates in the day of thy wrath Exercise judgment against these blasphemous and heathenish Rebels let not thy Eye pity them nor thy Sword spare them but fill the places with their dead bodies and in what Countrey soever they remain what Aire soever they breath let their factious bodies and their Machivillian and Tyrannical heads and leaders receive their deaths wound from thy hand and fury O Lord pronounce a favourable sentence for thy Church and let
he hath done endureth for ever and shall in its time receive an ample reward Prov. 28.27 22.9 2. Nay by it increased his honour and perhaps his wealth also 2 And his Honour His Horn that is his power dignity glory shall be exalted with honour 10. Ver. 10 His last felicity is that he shall exceed and overcome all envy for it is most true 10 He shall overcome all Envy 1. That the wicked shall see it consider the prosperity and liberality of him that fears God and be grieved with his felicity and pine with envy 1 For the wicked shall envy him 2. That as a mad Dog he shall gnash his teeth at it and for very grief melt away 2 But not hurt him and seek his ruine 3. But yet he shall not be able to harm him all his endeavours shall be frustrate and his labours ineffectual The desire of the wicked shall perish He then that fears God is a happy man he that fears him not most unhappy The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and twelfth Psalm O On impotent God it is thy fear alone that can make men truly happy for where thy fear is truly rooted Ver. 1 there piety and justice there thy true worship and all fruits of charity and justice will flourish so therefore affect our bearts with a filial fear that we may make it our delight to run the wayes of thy Commandments Make our will conformable to thy Will and our affection◠correspondent to what thou dost affect so shall we find no labour or difficulty in thy precepts but be greatly pleased to be thy obedient servants It is time of the greatest of our desires Ver. 2 That our seed should be mighty upon earth which cannot be expected without thy blessing create in us then an upright he art that so the Generation which succéed us may be blessed We desire that wealth Ver. 3 and riches and honour should be in our house let us aim to attain to these in thy fear Ver. 3 in a just and a righteous way that they may endure to our posterity make us content with what thou bestowest and know That Piety is great gain when the mind is satisfied with what thou givest We now live O Lord in a difficult time we know not what to do but our eyes are to thée Ver. 4 Thou art a gracious God and full of compassion and righteous let therefore thy light arise to us in this darkness let thy counsel direct us and thy comforts shine unto us Ver. 5 that we may prudently carry our selves in these distrculties Provocations we have had to anger and revenge but touch our hearts with so much compassion that we may shew favour toward our enemies forgive them as thou for Christs sake hast forgiden us And since we are compassed about with temptations Ver. 6 enrich our hearts with prudence That we may guide our Affairs with discretion Ver. 7 discréetly putting a difference betwixt Truth and Falshood just and unjust acts and though we be violently assaulted make us constant in thy fear and patient in our sufferings O let us not be moved or seduced from the right way for ever Fix our hearts and make us trust in thée establish our hearts and never let any evil tydings make us afraid but let us rely upon thy promises till we sée our desire upon our enemies Let it not be our aim to heap up wealth but give us grace to use it well to disperse as well as to gather and to be content to give as well as to receine that so the loins of the néedy may bless us and the bellies of the poor pray for us With this unrighteous Mammon let us make our selves friends that when they fall we may be receiv'd into everlasting habitations this is a righteousness that will endure for ever this is a means not only to encrease our reward in the life to come Ver. 6 but also in this to exalt our Hor◠our power and dignity with honour For a good man alwayes lives in the memory of good men his name is precious his memorial is honourable whereas the memory of the wicked shall be buried in oblivion or remembred with reproach the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance Write our names O Lord in the Book of life Ver. 10 and conserve them in the memorials of thy Saints let the wicked sée it and be grieved at it and let the adversaries of thy fear and the blessed estate of thy servants gnash their téeth for envy and melt away to find that their desires come to naught O Lord whosoever he be that shall desire the ruine of those that fear thée let him never be able to fulfil it but together with him let his desire perish So shall thy people and sheep of thy pasture that fear thee the Lord Ver. 1 and delight greatly in thy Commandments bless thy Name for blessing them and call to all that love thee and thy Church to praise the Lord. Amen Amen PSAL. CXIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Scope of this Psalm is the same with those that went before viz. to excite men to praise God Three parts of this Psalm 1. An Exhortation to praise him directed to his servants ver 1. 2. A Form set down for it expressing how when and where to praise him ver 2 3. 3. The Reasons that perswade us to it first his infinite Power ver 4 5. secondly his Providence most conspicuous in Heaven and in Earth ver 6. in Earth both in Common-wealths ver 7 8. and in private Families ver 9. 1. The Prophet exhorts men to praise the Lord And 1. First He doubles and trebles his Exhortation Praise the Lord praise The first part He exhorts to praise God praise the Name of the Lord that it be not coldly and dully but zealously done or else to shew that he alone is worthy of all praise Ver. 1 The Kingdom is his and therefore the Glory Especially his servants 2. He shewes us by whom he would have it done by his servants Praise the Lord O ye servants He is your Lord you his servants praise him then and do it with a pure heart For praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner 2. The Form in which it is to be done is this Say The second part A Form of thanksgiving 1. Blessed be the Name of the Lord Job 1. 2. And say it at all times Begin it ab ipso nunc From this time forth and continue in it from this time forth for evermore In prosperity adversity in this life in the future 1 For all times 3. And let it be said in all places even all the World over From the rising of the Sun unto the going down of the same 2 All places the Lords Name is to be praised 3. And now follow the Reasons The third part The reasons for it by which he perswades men
the head of the corner that was rejected that it was Gods doing alone and a marvellous work that the day in which this was done was a Festival and the people to rejoyce in it that then they pray'd to God to save them by his hand and blessed their King adorned their Temple and offer'd Sacrifices with many thanks to God for his mercies Thus no question these verses may literally be understood of David But it must be confessed that in all this David was but a Type of Christ and that these words properly belong unto him we have a clear testimony first from his own mouth attested by three Evangelists Matth. 21.42 Mark 12.10 Luke 20.17 and by his Apostles St. Peter Acts 4.11 and St. Paul Rom. 9.33 These words to be applied to Christ out of Isa 28.16 Of Christ then I shall rather interpret them than of David without doubt the Prophet being wonderfully illuminated by the Holy Ghost wrote concerning Christ as followeth 1. The stone which the builders refused is become the head-stone of the corner Ver. 22 1. The Church is oftentimes in Scripture likened to a building of which the Saints are living stones of which Christ is the chief stone the head and corner stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that joins and keeps together the two walls Jewes and Gentiles 2. But the Jewes the Priests especially to whom did pertain the office of building the Church refused this stone and cast him aside We will not have this man to reign over us we have no King but Caesar They crucified him and in his Grave call'd him a Deceiver St. Peter layes it to their charge Acts 4.11 3. But God call'd for him again and he is become the head of the corner Ephes 2.20 That is he is made head of the whole Church and such a head that whosoever is not built upon him cannot be saved 2. This saith the Prophet was the Lords doing both his rejection and raising again was from him it was done by his Election and Divine Power not from any counsel or hand of man Acts 2.23 24. 3. And it is marvellous in our eyes For who can do less than wonder that a crucified man dead and butied should by his own power rise again after three dayes be immortal and have all power given to him and be made Head and Prince of all men and Angels For this mercy a day set apart and that by him there should be a way made to mortal men to the Kingdom of Heaven to the society of Angels and an immortal life For so great a work fit it is that a day be set apart and such there is saith David 1. This is the day that the Lord hath made which questionless was the day of his Resurrection and God is said to have made this day more than other as honouring it above other making it memorable to posterity in which the Son of righteousness arose from the Grave and making it an high and holy day from which every other Sunday had his Original This is the Lords day 2. And the end why this day was made for joy and gladness The duty of the day The day wherein Adam fell was a doleful day but this day wherein Christ rose from the dead is a joyful day The Redemption by Christ is a year of Jubilee the Resurrection of Christ is the chief day in the year We will therefore rejoyce for it and be glad in it 3. Yea and in the midst of our rejoycing we will pray and sound forth Osanuah to the son of David which is being interpreted Save now we beseech thee O Lord O Lord we beseech thee send now prosperity Blessed be he that comes in the Name of the Lord Which was the gratulatoâ—â— and precatory words that the people used to our Saviour when he rode in Triumph into Jerusalem Mat. 21. That we may be assured that the Form of Acclamation belongs nor so much to David as to Christ and it was the opinion of the Jewes That when their Messiah came these words should be sung before him that being the cause that the people used them then The whole Prophesie of Christs coming riding into Jerusalem in Triumph The Priests duty then to bless Rejection Passion Resurrection Benediction being thus explained the Prophet turns his speech to the people putting into the mouth of the Priests these words in which they were to do their Duty Numb 6. and to bless 1. We have blessed you as we ought to do all happiness be to you under this King 2. And all happiness be to you out of the house of the Lord from the Church and to the Church alone the blessing belongs Ye are the blessed of the Lord. 3. God is the Lord which hath shewed us light Revealed unto his Son the light of the World and removed from us the darkness of errour sin hell c. 4. Therefore be thankful unto him bind the Sacrifice with cords even to the horns of the Altar make a solemn day for it and meet in the Church to praise him 5. The fifth part Being a Doxology The Prophet concludes with a Doxology fit to be used by the people met and assembled in which he sets forth his faith and gratitude 1. Thou art my God 2. And I will praise thee which he ingeminates Thou art my God and I will exalt thee which ingemination shewes his ardent desire to be thankful 3. And so concludes with the same Exhortation that he began the Psalm and in the same words O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and eighteenth Psalm O Blessed and Holy Iesus King of the World and Head of the Church who hast bought us by thy blood and espoused us in mercy and loving-kindness Ver. 13 it is not unknown unto thée how the enemies of thy Truth dally oppose us and with what storms and tempests of persecutions we are daily assaulted The Devil daily thrusts sore at us that we might fall and Antichrist with his complices compass us about they compass us about they compass us about in anger and rage they swarm about us as thick as Bées to sting us even to death might they have their will upon us In these our dangers we have none to fly to but thée we have none to call upon in our distress but on thée Who art the Lord our God answer us O Lord and set our feet in a large place Be on our side and then we will not fear what man can do unto us take our part with them that help us and so shall we see our desire upon them that hate us We confess O Lord we confess before men and Angels that our sins with which we have provoked thy justice Ver. 18 have deserved far greater punishments and that for these Thou hast sorely chastned and corrected us yet in mercy Thou hast not
it yea Ver. 2 that even those that now hold us in bondage may say Ver. 3 The Lord hath done great things for his people Yea and we also in thankfulness and in a just acknowledgment of thy favour will eccho back unto them The Lord hath done great things for us whereof we will be glad So great that we even in the enjoyment of it could scarse believe it or think it possible to be done we were even like unto those that dream But since we have experience of it our mouth shall be filled with laughter and our tongue with joy O Lord long it is that we have sowed in tears Ver. 5 O let us reap in jâ—y for many years we have gone on our way weeping Ver. 6 and eaten the bread of carefulness O let us come again with joy and gather the full fruits of our Piety and Religion for the Merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. PSAL. CXXVII THE Jewes were at this time very busie in building their Temple their Houses and the Walls of their City and that in all they should be sure to take God along with them the Prophet teacheth them That without his assistance all their labour would be in vain for that nothing can be gotten and conserved without his blessing That inheritances are from him and children the props of Houses are his blessing also This the Prophet shewes by these words repeated Nisi nisi frustra frustra and proves it by an Induction 1. Nothing can prosper without Gods help In Civil Affairs whether in House or City 1. Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it God must be the chief Builder in the Family his blessing and help by prayer call'd for 1 In the family to the sustentation and nourishment of Wife Children Ver. 1 Servants Corn Cattle c. else all labour and industry is in vain 2. 2 Or City Except the Lord keep the City the Watchman wakes but in vain And 't is so in Kingdoms and Commonwealths also The Jewes had now a Trowel in one hand and a Sword in the other watchful they were against their enemies But the Prophet tells them that the Lord must be their Protector and Keeper otherwise the Watch would be to sittle purpose Magistrates Judges Officers their great Councel of little value And this he declares and illustrates Without his blessing all labour care is in vain by an elegant Hypotyposis of an industrious man that does all that may be to be rich great and safe but not calling for Gods blessing upon his labours 't is all in vain Such a man omits nothing that may be thought on or is to be done that he may thrive 1. He riseth early No man up before him he prevents the Sun Ver. 2 2. He sits up late No man goes later to Bed or takes less rest 3. He eats the bread of sorrowes He defrauds himself of necessary food fares very hard his mind is so taken up with labour care and fear that a pleasant morsel comes not into his mouth But all this without God is in vain It is in vain for you to rise up early c. Whereas with God it is far otherwise With it all goes well for to what before he said briefly and obscurely he subjoins this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For so he gives his Beloved sleep So in his blessing in his help he gives to all those he loves who call upon him for assistance after the honest labours he gives a quiet and contented mind and sound sleep at night nor cares nor fears distract them 2. Children are a blessing from him After the Prophet had set down that nor in the House nor in the State nor in a mans private goods no man can prosper except God be with him he proceeds to shew Ver. 3 that children the stay props and continuance of a mans house are from him also about which he sets down their Generation Education and the Benefit that comes by them 1. For their Generation Their Generation that from the Lord Lo children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is his reward He hath the key of the womb opens and shuts Rachel said to Jacob Give me children or else I dye What saith he am I in Gods stead Gen. 30.1 2. Children are inheritances that come of God and they are rura relicta non labore parta 2. For their Education being well brought up and in the fear of God and vertue they become to be of generous spirits Ver. 4 Education which is a blessing of God also for we see many that are brought up with great care and cost often degenerate But with Gods blessing they become brave men As Arrowes are in the hand of a mighty man so are the children of thy youth enabled to great Actions to defend themselves and others 3. And the Benefit will redound to the father in his old age Ver. 5 1. Happy is the man that hath his Quiver full of them full of such arrows 3 From them the parents receive comfort in their old age full of such children 2. He shall not be ashamed but they shall speak with the enemies in the Gate able enough he shall be to defend himself and keep off all injuries being fortified by his children and if it happen that he hath a Cause depending in the gate and to be tryed before the Judges he shall have the Patronage of his children and not suffer in his plea for want of Advocates his sons will stand up in a just cause for him The Prayer out of the One hundred and twenty seventh Psalm O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself It is not in man that walks to direct his steps Thou art our sirength and all our sufficiency is in thée vouchsafe therefore so to preserve Ver. 1 and direct us through the whole course of our lives that whatsoever we do may prosper Prosper thou the work of our hands O prosper thou our handy-work build thou our Houses and Families for us let our wives our children our servants our corn and Cattle be watered with the dew of heaven Watch thou upon the Walls of our Cities and assist and bless the Watch-men our Princes Prelates Ver. 2 Counsellors Magistrates and Souldiers with thy favour for we know without thy help except thou build with us and watch over us our building and waking is but vain It is vain for us to rise early to sit up late and to eat the bread of sorrowes anxiety and carefulness all our early labour and late endeavours accompansed with thrist and trouble of mind to come forward in our vocations are to no purpose if thou shalt blow upon it Prevent us then O Lord with thy gracious favour and further us with thy continual help that in all our works begun continued and ended in thée Ver. 2 we may ever gloriâ—â—e thy holy
appear before thee and let not that happen to them that fell to the Bethshemites 1 Sam. 6. 3. He prayes for the King that is himself For thy servant Davids sake 3 For the King turn not away the face of thine Auointed Ver. 10 1. For thy servant Davids sake David is not here to be taken absolutely for his person only but as having the Covenant and Promise made to him and God could not be better put in mind of the promise than by mention of the person to whom it was made He prayes not then to be heard for Davids merits but for the promise made to David 2. Turn not away the face of thine Anointed That is suffer me not who am Anointed in my fathers stead and sit upon his Throne to depart from thy presence ashamed and confounded rejecting my prayer In this Form Bathsheba petitioned to Solomon for Adonijah 1 Kings 2.20 I desire one small Petition of thee ne avertas faciem meam which we translate Say me not nay Or else this phrase imports That we turn our face from God when we sin and he turns away his face from us and so long as we continue in that state our faces are turned from God Solomon then might pray That when at any time he turned his face from God that God would not continue his face from him but look back upon him as Christ did on Peter that so he might repent and amend and not alwayes stand with his face from God for though we freely sin and turn our face from God yet if God be pleased with a merciful eye to look upon us and pity us that so by his mercy and pity we desire and endeavour to sin no more then he does not turn away our face shame and confound us for ever Solomon in this sense prayes Suffer not my face to be turned from thee which will be done If thou suffer not thy face to be turned from me 2. The second part Gods promise made to David The Prophet now proceeds to reckon up the promises made to his father David which were confirmed by an Oath from God that these being remembred he might the easilier prevail in his Petitions asking of God as it were a due debt in which we are to observe 1. Ver. 11 The manner of the promise he confirmed by his own Oath The Lord hath sworn in truth to David 1 Confirmed by oath having no greater to swear by he swear by himsel 2 The matter of his oath 2 Sam. 12.13 Isa 55.3 Psal 89.34 It was mercy to promise but greater for assurance to bind himself by a faithful Oath and irreversible Oath He will not turn from it he will not repent of it Psal 110.4 2. 1 As it relates to Christ absolute The matter of his Oath expressed in the end of the eleventh and in ver 12 13 14. 1. For the seed of David as it concerns Christ is categorical and absolute Of the fruit of thy body I will set upon thy Seat which words are refer'd by St. Peter unto Christ Acts 2.30 According to the flesh he was from Davids seed Ver. 12 and it is observable that the Prophet speaks reservedly De fructu ventris not de fructu femoris for by the mothers side Christ was to be of Davids seed not by the fathers 2. Again I will set upon thy Seat Luke 1.32 Davids Seat was Zion and Zion typically 2 As it relates to Davids seed hypothetical Isa 2. is the Church over that Christ was to reign as David in Zion 2. For the seed of David as it relates to his posterâ—y the Oath is hypotherical and conditional If thy children will keep my Covenant and my Testimonies that I shall teach them their children shall 〈◊〉 upon thy Throne for evermore 1 Chron. 28.9 Psal 89.28 to 37. Ezek. 21.26 For if his posterity observed not the Law 3 And to Zion i. e. the Church eternal but worshipped their own inventions the promise was at an end 3. As the external Kingdom was by this Oath annexed to one Family so by the same Oath and Covenant Ver. 13 the external worship was assigned to one place 1. Ver. 14 For the Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation 2. This my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it From the time of the promise performed Zion was the Seat of the Sanctuary and so continued to the coming of the Messiah so long Zion was Civitas Regia Sacerdotalis But Zion was but a Type of Christs Church The promise which God makes to his Church The third part of which these words are more truly verified for this Christ hath truly chosen and it shall be his rest for ever with it he will be for ever present efficacious in the hearts of Believers and approve their works and worship to the worlds end 3. In the last part of the Psalm the Prophet brings in God promising to his Church many good things 1. Ver. 15 First He promiseth such abundance of temporal things that the poor shall not want I will abundantly bless her provision I will satisfie her poor with bread Godliness hath the promise of this life as well as that which is to come Ver. 16 2. Ver. 17 He promiseth for a second blessing That her Priests should be endued with holiness and her Saints shout for joy which answers to the Petition in the ninth verse 3. The third Benefit is That there the Kingdom of David to arise viz. The Kingdom of the Messiah There will I make the horn of a David to flourish that is the power Luke 1.69 I have ordained a Lamp for mine Anointed 1 Kings 11.36 15.4 John 5.35 4. The fourth Benefit is the confusion of their enemies Ver. 18 and eternal Authority in this Kingdom His enemies will I cloath with shame but upon himself shall his Crown flourish The Prayer out of the One hundred and thirty second Psalm Ver. 1 O Lord merciful and gracious declare thy self mindful of the séed of our David be â—uindful O Lord of all his mildness charity and patience Ver. 2 in which he suffered with a constant and invincible fortitude many and great afflictions Remember O Lord his dowes remember how mindful he was of his oath given unto thée for the proservation of thy Church and Truth He gave his eyes no sleep nor slumber to his eye lids that he might uphold the places deckcated to the Lord the habitations of the mighty God of Jacob. These O Lord for our sins Thou hast suffered to be demolished and profaned wicked men are come into thine inheritance and made thy house of proper a den of Thieves Arise O Lord and reward the proud after their deservings Then will we go into thy Tabernacle we will worship at thy footstool Arise O Lord into thy rest and come with us into that place that thou hast peculiarly chose unto thy self and
it rase it even to the foundations And thou O Babylon which hast done the work as I doubt not but as my God hath begun and will in his good time take a condign punishment upon the Edomites so also he will bring thée down Thou art miserable and thou shalt be miserable Happy shall that King and people be that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the stones O merciful God whatever wrath and indignation is due unto us for the breach of thy Commandments and dishonouring thée in thy Service remove it O Lord from thy people and transfer it upon them that with an implacable malice pursue thy people and séek by all means to corrupt and waste thine inheritance which was purchased by the precious blood of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ PSAL. CXXXVIII DAVID delivered from his enemies and troubles and advanced to the Kingdom gives thanks to God acknowledgeth Gods goodnesse in hearing his prayers foretels the conversion of Kings shews that God regards the humble rejects the proud puts his trust in God for the future and prayes that God would continue and enlarge his mercy to him More briefly 1. In the three first verses he promiseth a grateful heart and to sing forth the praises of God because God heard his cryes and prayers and in tribulations sent him comfort 2. In the three next he shews what after Kings would do when the works and truth of God should be made known to them 3. In the two last verses he professeth his confidence in God shews what he hopes for from him and in assurance that God will perfect his work prayes him not to desert and forsake him David shews his thankfulness 1. First David shews his thankfulness which he illustrates and amplifies 1. The first part And illustrates it that From the manner of the doing of it done it should be cordially sincerely ardently totally I will praise thee with my whole heart 2. From the witnesses before whom it should be done Before the Gods will I sing praise Ver. 1 Coram Elohim Not only privately but publickly before the Potentates 1 He would do it heartily 2 Before all men whether Angels or Kings of the earth Psal 111.1 Psal 107.32 3. From the place the Temple then the Tabernacle a symbol of Gods presence with his people Ver. 2 It was as it were Gods Palace and there he ruled as a King 3 In the Temple and therefore he would fall low bow worship I will worship toward thy Holy Temple Which the Jews did when absent from Jerusalem Dan. 6. 4. 4 The causes inducing him to it From the causes inwardly inducing him to it I will praise thy Name for thy loving kindnesse and for thy truth 1. 1 Gods calling him to be King For thy loving kindnesse in calling me from the sheepfold to the Kingdom 2. 2 Performing his word And for thy Truth in performing thy promise In performing which 5. Thou hast magnified thy Word above all thy Name This clause is diversly read Thou hast magnified thy Name in thy Word that is in performing thy Word above all things Or Thou hast-magnified thy Name and thy Word above all things Or Magnificas cum toâ—o nomine tuo sermonem tuum Jun. All these have the same sense But the vulgar reads it thus Quoniam magnificasti super omne nomen sanctum tuum And Bellarmine by Sanctum tuum understands Christ who Luc. 1. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom he gave a Name above every Name I suppose our English Translation should be pointed thus Thus hast thou magnified thy Word above all thy Name or and above all thy Name For Musculus by and joyns the Substantives 3 For hearing and granting his petitions Magnificasti super omnia nomen tuum eloquium 6. From Gods facility in hearing and granting his petitions which he presented to his God in the time of his banishment and affliction Ver. 3 In the day when I cryed thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Infirme creatures we are and in temptations and afflictions must faint except God strengthen us Out of all these motives David would praise God 2. David having set down what God had done for him The second part in mercy call'd him from following the Ewes great with young ones anointed him to be a King heard his prayers strengthned him in his affliction and in truth performed his promises conceives it impossible but that either the Neighbour or future Kings should take this when they heard of it into their consideration and â—cknowledge the miracle and praise God for it This certainly is the literal sense This mercy to David was like to move other Kings to magnifie God though it may have an eye to the conversion of Kings in future to the faith 1. All the Kings of the earth Hiram Toe c. or the future Kings of Israel Judah shall praise thee when they hear the words of thy mouth what thou hast said of me David and of my seed Ver. 5 2. Yea They shall sing in the wayes of the Lord that is of the wayes of the Lord Muscul of his mercy truth clemency For great is the glory of the Lord he is very glorious in all his wayes his works his proceedings 3. Of which this is one Though the Lord be high yet hath he respect to the lowly of which I David may be an instanÌ„ce But the proud he beholds afar off He removes far from him he will not have to do with them they are in remotis agendis of which Saul may be an example and the Devil 3. Because God who is high looks upon the lowly The third part With it so mov'd he was that he puts his affiance in God therefore David being conscious to himself of his own humility promiseth himself help from God in all his tribulation even for the time to come 1. If I walk in the midst of trouble that is on all sides exposed to trouble Ver. 7 2. Thou wilt revive me make me live and preserve me safe and untouch't 3. Thou shalt stretch forth thy hand against the wrath of my enemies Thou by thy power shalt restrain their fury that would devour me and hinder their endeavours and enterprises 4. And thy right hand shall save me Thy power thy virtue thy Christ who in Isa 53. is call'd the arm of the Lord shall do it The last verse depends on the former because he knew And that that God who had would yet deliver him that as yet many troubles and afflictions remained to be undergone therefore he was confident that the same God who had hitherto delivered him would be a good God to him for the future and deliver him in time to come and so make his work perfect 1. The Lord will perfect that which concernt me not for any
invaded the Kingdom But thou Lord art Omniscient and knowest all things thou art Omnipresent and at all my actions if therefore I be such a man execute justice upon me For 1. Surely thou wilt slay the wicked thou wilt execute vengeance upon them I dare not then be of their society Will not have to do with such men or embrace their friendship 2. Depart therefore from me ye bloody men Joab Doeg Shimei Saul avaunt 3. Besides I desire none of their company and acquaintance for they are not only enemies to me but thee also they speak not only ill of me but they blaspheme For they speak against thee wickedly and thy enemies take thy name in vain 4. And yet he deals more roundly with them that he was so far from shewing them any love and giving them the right-hand of fellowship that he hated them Which hatred arose from their hatred of God their impiety was the cause of it and to that he opposeth himself even with a perfect hatred 1. Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee Such he hates and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee The interrogatory makes it the more quick 2. And to himself he returns this answer Yea I hate them with a perfect hatred I count them my enemies I cannot then be the man they would make me so far I am from the imputed crimes that no man condemns them more than my self 4. The last part And sets himself before Gods Tribunal Lastly for his more full purgation and sets himself before Gods Tribunal It seems his conscience was very clear and his heart sincere that he durst abide that Trial. If I be such as they say I refuse no punishment but if otherwise shew some testimony of my innocency in this matter 1. Search me O God and know my heart What in the beginning of the Psalm he said God did now he intreats him to do and to do it with effect 2. Try me and know my thoughts examine my heart my wayes my thoughts my progess my actions 3. And see if there be any wicked way in me i.e. any malicious bloody presumptuous way Prayes for Gods direction 4. And lead me in the way everlasting This this was the end he proposed of his trial That if God saw any way of wickedness in him that might seduce him he would withdraw him from that way and lead him to think desire and do those things which would bring him to eternal life The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and thirty ninth Psalm SO great is thy knowledge Ver. 1 providence and perspicality O Almighty God Ver. 2 that nothing can be hid from thy eye Thou hast searched and known my actions my thoughts my motions and my intentious There is not a word in my tongue but thou know'st it altogether Whither then shall I go from thy Spirit Ver. 7 or whither shall I go from thy presence Could I ascend to Heaven Thou art there should I make my bed in Hell Thou art there also Nor East nor West nor Sea nor Land nor Night nor Day are able to conceal us from thée for thou knowest all and art present at all our secrets So awe us then O God nay over-awe us by the presence of thy eye that in fear and reverence we may walk before thée as wary to offend the eye of holiness and to provoke the ear of jealousie I never cast my eye seriously upon my self but I find matter of wonder and fear for I am fearfully and wonderfully made Thou wert present with those seminal vessels when I was framed in secret and fashioned in my mothers womb Thy work then was curious the formation strange the symmetry wonderful the harmony admirable the proportions sutable in thy Book were all my members written which in continuance were fashioned from an imperfect Embrio Thou brought'st me to the shape of a perfect child and gavest me life and being O how precious are all thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the sum of them If I should go about to count them they pass my capacity for they are more in number than the Sand and therefore so often as I take thy wayes and works into consideration I awake out of the lethargy of a secure and careless mind and am present with thée in my thoughts and meditations as desirous only to live to thée and to please thée alone Thy wisdom thy knowledge thy presence doth over-awe me in all my wayes for I am assured that thou looksst into the very secret recesses of the heart and that thou wilt slay the wicked and all them that speak against thee wickedly and who take thy Name in vain These thou countest for thy enemies and they never shall be estéemed for my friends Depart therefore from me you bloody men Thou Lord which knowest all things and searchest the secrets of all hearts art my witness That I hate them that hate thee and that I am grieved with those that rise up against thee yea I hate them with a perfect hatred because they are enemies to thée therefore I count them my enemies They lay to my charge many grievous crimes for I am a man of contentions they charge me as a pestilent Fellow a son of Belial a troubler of Israel But ' Lord Thou knowest my Innocency and integrity of my heart to thée there fore I appeal who art an infallible Witness and Iudge of my Conversation Search me then O my God and know my heart try me and examine my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way any action or progress of any wickedness in me And if as by the testimony of a good conscience I am firmly perswaded no such guilt can be found upon me leave we not then to perish with wicked men but lead me constantly in the way of Virtue and Religion in which without thy conduct I cannot walk lead me I say in that way by thy Word and Spirit which will bring me to everlasting life through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXL DAVID being persecuted by Saul Doeg and the men of Ziph prayes to God for his safety and defence from their evil tongues But the Fathers apply it more largely and make it a prayer of the Church in persecution against the Devil and wicked men which are his instruments to persecute Gods people The parts of the Psalm are 1. A Petition to be delivered from his enemies whom he describes from ver 1. to 6. 2. A Protestation of his confidence in God ver 6 7. 3. A prayer against them ver 8 9 10 11. 4. A manifestation of his hope that God will uphold him in a just Cause ver 12 13. 1. He first summarily proposeth his Petition 1. Deliver me O Lord from the evil man Doeg or the Devil The first part David prayes for deliverance from wicked men qui inimious home Mat. 13. 2. Preserve
therefore O Lord I cry and profess before the whole World Thou art my refuge my stay my hope Ver. 6 my strong Tower of defence Thou alone while I remain in this land of the living art my portion and heritage I have chosen thée for my shield and buckler my affections are to thée and I will rely only on thée Therefore good God attend unto my cry for I am brought very low weakned and humbled and depressed and brought to a forlorn condition Ver. 7 Deliver me from those that persecute me and thirst after my blood for they are grown far too strong for me Bring my soul out of this affliction with which I am straitned as in a Prison and I will praise and magnifie thy Name Nay the righteous and sincere-hearted Israelites that expect the performance of thy promises and long for it upon this mercy extended to me shall then compass me about adhere unto me and congratulate my deliverance and restitution Sing they will in the house of the Lord that thou hast dealt bountifully with me Get thy self honour then upon Pharaoh and all his Army deliver out of this Aegyptian bondage thy poor afflicted Israel bring them into the promised Land expel the Canaanites before them and exalt the Kingdom of thy Son Iesus Christ our Lord To whom with thée and the Holy Ghost be all Glory Dominion and Power now and for ever Amen PSAL. CXLIII Being the last of the Penitentials DAVID being driven from Jerusalem by his son Absolon wisely calls to mind his sin as being the cause of it which in this Psalm he deplores and desires grace and mercy of God The parts of this Psalm are 1. A Prayer to God for remission of sin grounded upon Gods promise and goodness ver 1. not upon his own worthiness ver 2. 2. A Narration of the sad state of his Affairs ver 3 4. 3. The Comfort he received in his sad condition and whence ver 5 6. 4. His Petition containing divers particulars to which are annexed particular Reasons from ver 7. to the last 1. The first part In the beginning he petitions for Audience Hear my prayer O Lord give car to my supplication Ver. 1 but expresses not the matter he pray'd for which yet out of the following words may well be collected to be remission of sin David begs on for which he was thus punished and this he begs of God to grant both in regard of his promise and mercy 1. 1 Gods promise In faithfulness answer me Thou art a faithful God that hast promised pardon to penitents a penitent I am make then thy Word good to me and pardon me 2. 2 And mercy a pardon And in thy righteousness which here signifies mercy and loving-kindness In thy mercy then answer me and seal my pardon justifie me because I confess my iniquities Isa 43.26 Men call for confession from the guilty to condemn God to pardon And that this is the sense appears more clearly by the next verse 1. Ver. 2 And enter not into judgment with thy servant Call me not to a strict and rigorous account at thy Bar of Justice And not for his merit This he deprecates so that justitia in the former verse could not be taken for that justice which punisheth sin and rewards righteous deeds for that he pleads not here but declines it yea and assigns the Reason 2. For in thy sight shall no man living be justified Not I nor any man that ever did doth or shall live Let me then have my pardon upon thy promise and mercy and not for my merits It is not then the most commendable work that can justifie any man at the Bar of God but his mercy in Christ which he hath promised to accept Taught he hath us daily to pray Remitte debita 2. The second part And now he enters upon the Narration of his sad condition which he urgeth as another Reason to perswade God to remit his offence Ver. 3 and it is taken from the grievousness of tentation His sad condition to which the enemy brought him and the consequent of it 1. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul I look not so much upon my son Absolon that seeks my life as upon the enemy of Mankind Satan who entic'd me to Adultery and tempted me to Homicide 2. He hath smitten my life down to the ground He hath humbled me made me vile and contemptible in thy sight made me a lover of the earth and earthly pleasures who before had my Conversation in Heaven 3. He hath made me dwell in darkness as those that have been long dead For after that he had intangled my soul with earthly pleasures he made me dwell in spiritual darkness that I saw not the way to life but was indeed dead in trespasses and sins I knew no more of what belonged to the life of the Spirit than those that have been long dead Eph. 4.18 19. 2.5 And the effect that it wrought upon me For which he was ready to faint and despair was fear consternation and horrour of mind out of the sense of thy wrath against my sin 1. Ver. 4 Therefore my spirit was overwhelmed within me I suffered a kind of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in my soul I was ready to faint when I consider'd thy holiness and my impurity thy severe justice and my inability to satisfie it 2. And my heart within me is desolate far from all comfort Troubled I was not lightly not superficially but seriously and inwardly my soul was heavy to the death 3. The third part But recovers In this sadness I cast about what to do Though I felt thy hand heavy upon me yet despair I durst not even from this miserable state I began to fetch my remedy I found it was thy grace to bring me to this astonishment for my sin that my heart was not hardned in sin but astonished for sin mollified when it was thus troubled and à dolore parturivi salutem That then which came into my head were thy wayes that thou hadst taken with penitent sinners before me 1. I remember the dayes of old The dayes of Adam Noah Abraham Moses c. who all being thy servants yet sinning grievously Upon the remembrance of Gods mercies to others and repenting Thou admit'st to mercy whose examples I applied and they kept me from despair read Psal 77.5 6 7 c. for all these were Testimonies of thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thy love to man And meditation of them 2. I meditate on all thy works I muse upon the works of thy hands I did not slightly run them over but I meditate I muse upon them for in this combate betwixt hope and despair comfort is not obtained but by a long and serious meditation of Gods works his works in making a second Covenant with us and purchasing and applying Redemption The profit admirable 3. And the profit that came
receive Petitions of those that call on him in Truth 6. This is the sixth quality of a good King to shew himself easie to receive Petitions and to them that implore his aid which God doth Deâ—â—r 4.7.2 But the Prophet corrects his works and limits them 'T is to all that call upon him in Truth which word includes all the conditions of a good prayer 1. Faith For he that prayes without faith prayes to an Idol of his own brain 2. Hope and confidence He prayes not seriously that hopes not to be heard 3. Love For no man can call on him seriously whom he hates or to whom hateful 4. Desire For no man prayes heartily that desires not to obtain 5. Attention and intention without which the prayer is babling no true prayer Ver. 19 The Lord will fulfil the desire of them that fear him he also will hear their cry and save them 7. 7 To grant Petitions This is the seventh quality of a good King to grant Petitions so that they ask such Petitions as is fit for the King to grant this will Christ do 1. He will fulfil the desires But with this limitation So they fear him 2. He will hear their cry So it must be a cry vehement earnest 3. And will save them Hear he will ad salutem semper licet non ad voluntatem Ver. 20 The Lord preserves all them that love him but all the wicked will he destroy 8 Clemency 8. This is the last quality of a good King Parcere Subjectis debellare Superbos Which Christ will do The Conclusion a Doxology he preserves his Martyrs in patience constancy faith Ver. 21 receives them to glory and takes revenge on their enemies Martyres non eripuit sed nec deseruit 4. The Conclusion is an Epiphonema and answers to the beginning of the Psalm 1. For all these things which I have said My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord This shall be my work while I live 2. And I wish it may be done by all others also And let all flesh blest his holy Name for ever and ever A Hymn collected out of the One hundred and forty fifth Psalm I will ertol thée O my God and King and Governour of the whole World not that my words can make thée Higher who art the most Highest nor my praises make thée more Excellent Ver. 1 who art of all Excellencies the most Excellent but that I may insinuate and commend thy greatness to those that either know thée not or do not honour thée for this end I will bless thy Name through my whole life every day will I praise thée and leave upon Record a Hymn that the people that are yet unborn may magnifie thée it is my desire That thy Name may be praised for ever and ever Ver. 2 For thou Lord art truly great great in Heaven great on Earth there is no end of thy greatness it is unsearchable it is incomprehensible and therefore my desire is That there may be no end of thy praise Ver. 3 but that one Generation report it to another that the father record it to the son and the son deliver over to his séed thy works and thy mighty acts Ver. 4 for which thou art worthy to be praised Glorious O Lord are thy works terrible and yet full of mercy not any of them but beget wonder in me The Heavens above the Sun Moon and Stars speak of the glorious honour of thy Majesty Thy creation of them Ver. 5 declares thy power thy providence for their constant course thy wisdom their light motion influence and their effects in and upon these inferiour bodies thy goodness I never consider those strokes of divine vengeance which thou hast inflicted upon disobedient rebellions and incorrigible sinners Ver. 6 but they declare thée to be a terrible and a jealous God Thy hand was terrible upon the old World mighty upon Pharaoh with his Aegyptians just but full of indignation against that gain-saying Rabble that rose against the King and the Priest At the consideration of these terrible acts I tremble upon the meditation of these works of power I am horribly afraid That only which revives my heart is thy mercy and goodness for I know Thou art a gracious God and full of compassion slow to anger Ver. 8 and of great mercy That thou art good to all and thy mercy is above all thy works which Ver. 9 when I recount in my memory I can no less than abundantly utter thy great goodness Ver. 7 and sing of thy righteousness that gives thy Word and kéeps it that in justice dost administer all things inflicting severe judgments upon the rebellious and sparing thy servants dost reward their weak endeavours with thy choicest blessings Ver. 10 For which thy Saints shall bless thee they shall speak of the glory of thy Kingdom and talk of thy power They shall make known to the sons of men thy glorious Acts and commend to the ignorant the excellency of thy power that it is far beyond any Monarchy on earth in extent of place wealth time For whereas there 's is limited thine is universal there 's encumbred with troubles and wants thine is quiet peaceable and rich whereas there 's have had and shall have their periods thine shall be continual in duration Thy Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and thy Dominion endureth throughout all Generations And since we are assured That thy Church in which thou reignest shall continue for ever O Lord stir up thy strength and come amongst us O let thy Kingdom come O Lord uphold those who are ready to fall and raise up those who are bowed down Our eyes wait upon thee O Lord feed all thy faithful people with thy Word and Sacraments in due season open thine hand and satisfie with thy grace every hungry and thirsty soul Thou Lord art righteous in all thy wayes and holy in all thy works be nigh therefore to all that call upon thee with a pure true and honest heart fulfil the desires of them that fear thee and hear their cry and save them Preserve gracious God with a singular care all them that love thée from all evil but for the wicked which oppress them and séek to trample them under their féet bring them to a spéedy destruction So shall my mouth speak forth the praise of the Lord and I hope also That all flesh shall have just occasion to bless thy holy Name for ever and ever Amen Ver. 21 PSAL. CXLVI A Hymn Hallelujah THE Subject of this Hymn is the same with the former and it hath These four parts 1. An Exhortation to praise God ver 1. which David is resolved to do ver 2. 2. A Dehortation from confidence in man how great soever ver 3 4. 3. On the contrary he pronounceth them happy that trust in God ver 5. 4. And to this confidence in God he perswades for many Reasons from ver 6. to the last 1.
David exhorts to praise God The first part He begins with a Dialogism 1. He speaks to all Praise ye the Lord. 2. Ver. 1 Then by an Apostrophe he turns to himself Praise the Lord O my soul 3. And his soul answers While I live will I praise the Lord I will sing praises to my God while I have my being while I am and shall be 2. The second part But because the foundation of this praise is the trust and confidence which men have in God Dehorts from confidence in Princes for from which they are retarded by admiring over-much and relying upon the power and help of Kings and Princes the Prophet therefore subjoins his Dehortation and gives his Reasons for it 1. Ver. 3 Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man 2. His Reasons for it are 1. 1 Their impotency First Their Impotency There is no help in them They may seem potent but they cannot save themselves much less other men Ver. 4 2. 2 Mortality Their Fragility and Mortality Their breath goeth forth they return to the earth in that very day their thoughts perish 3. The third part But happy he that relies on God Those men cannot be happy that trust to them but now on the contrary If a man will be happy the Prophet shewes upon whom he must trust and rely which is on God for 1. Ver. 5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help him to whom Jacob trusted 2. And whose hope is in the Lord his God Not in impotent and short-liv'd men And this he confirms by divers Reasons The fourth part Because he is 1. 1 Omnipotent First From his Omnipotence He is God the Creatour he made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that is therein Able then to protect Ver. 6 2. 2 Faithful From his Veracity Who keeps Truth for ever His word is passed for our protection and he will perform it Potest vult quia promisit Ver. 7 3. 3 Just From his Justice He executeth judgment for the oppressed He defends the innocent and punisheth the unjust Good trusting then to him 4. Ver. 8 4 Merciful From his Mercy 1. He giveth food to the hungry Relieves men in their wants 2. The Lord looseth the Prisoners Another Act of grace and the rest follow 3. The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind Whether spiritually or corporally 4. The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down By sin wrath misery 5. From his Love The Lord loveth the righteous Ver. 9 5 Loving Of which the effects are 1. The Lord preserveth the strangers 2. He relieveth the fatherless and widow 3. But the ungodly find a quite contrary effect because they are noâ—â—ons of love but wrath But the way of the wicked he turns upside down Their glory perisheth and with it the hope of those fools that trusted to them 6. From the Eternity of his Kingdom therefore to be praised 6 Eternal and trusted to for ever Kings dye and perish but he is a King for ever in Zion i.e. Ver. 10 in his Church The Lord shall reign for ever even thy God O Zion unto all Generations Praise ye the Lord. The Hymn and Prayer collected out of the One hundred and forty sixth Psalm O Omnipotent and most Merciful God Ver. 1 Thou art worthy to receive honour and glory and therefore with all my heart and soul while I live I will praise thee while I have any being I will sing praises to my God Thou art my staffe to trust to my sole confidence and my hape as for the greatest and most potent of the sons of men I dare not rely on them Ver. 3 for they are unable in their greatest exigence to help themselves much less to relieve others Their breath goeth forth and they return to the earth whence they came and in that very day all their high thoughts and proud attempts perish and vanish together with them Who then can be happy that relies upon such empty broken réeds Ver. 5 that trusts to such brittle earthen vessels Leaving then all earthly dependances as weak and miserable comforters To thee will I trust who art the God of Jacob the Lord of thy Church and people being assured That he is only happy whose hope is in the Lord his God Thou O Lord hast made Heaven and Earth the Seâ— and all that is in it Ver. 6 Thou dost confirm the Truth of thy promises by an exact performance Ver. 7 Execute then judgment for the oppressed give food to the hungry loose thy prisoners from their bonds and chains open the eyes and illuminate the understandings of those who are blinded in sin and errour Raise O Lord the hearts of such as are contrite and bowed down prosecute the righteous and innocent with thy love and favour preserve the stranger relieve the fatherless and widow and turn-upside down the way the plots devices and frauds of wicked mâ—n Turn O Lord the counsel of Achitophel into foolishness An which since we know to be thy wondrous wâ—â—ks and have experience of the performance of them to thy faithful servants in all Ages our faith is thereby confirmed Ver. 10 and our hope sustained in the miâ—st of our present troubles and calamities Wherefore being encouraged by this hope we humbly beséech thée look upon the sad condition of thy Church Thou O God reignest in Zion build then the decayed and ruined walls of Jerusalem and preserve and provide for this widow and her fatherless children amidst the storms and fury of her merciless oppressors for the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXLVII A Hymn THE Scope and intent of the Prophet in this Psalm is to stir up men to praise God for which he produceth many Arguments The occasion of the composing of it was the reduction of the Jewes from the captivity of Babylon and therefore it is supposed that Haggai and Zechariah the Prophets were the Authours of it and therefore some Interpreters put their names in the Title of it The parts are 1. An Exhortation to praise God ver 1. which is repeated ver 7. 12. 2. The Arguments to perswade to it Gods bounty wisdom power providence justice and mercy through the whole Psalm 1. He invites to praise God The first part The Exhortation is briefly proposed Praise the Lord ver 1. which the Prophet as the Chanter of the Quire begins and after some reasons given repeats in more words Ver. 1 Sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving sing praises upon the Harp unto our God ver 7. And yet again at ver 12. Praise the Lord O Jerusalem praise thy God O Zion where the Arabique Greek and Latine Translators begin a new Psalm but in the Hebrew they are conjoyned and but one Hymn 2. The second part Now the Prophet hath no sooner ended his Exhortations but to every one of them singly he annexeth his Reasons To
revenge upon us for our disobedience Thou hadst more glorious creatures in heaven to set thy love upon those great whéels which are the work of thy fingers the Moon and the Stars Vers. 3 which thou hast ordained And these are not nor ever were disobedient to thy word they do their duties they move in a constant course and send forth their light and influences they set and rise and rise and set by that perpetual law that thou hast prescribed Whereas Man is a rebellious creature that disobeys thy word and daily provokes thée to displeasure the imaginations of his heart being evil continually What is man therefore that thou shouldst be mindful of him Vers. 4 or the son of man that thou shouldst consider him and visit him Thou art potent man is weak thou wise man foolish thou the Lord of all man poor and in want thou inhabitest eternity man is a mortal thou art glorious man base and vile from the dust and to return to the dust thou holy and man sinful and wilt thou open thy eye upon such an one wilt thou kéep him in mind wilt thou remember so vile and disobedient a wretch for good and visit him with thy grace and mercy Was it a small thing that thou shouldst create him after thine own image that thou shouldst cloath féed and sustain him in this life but that when he had wilfully defaced this thy image and was utterly lost thou shouldst send thine own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh to visit and redéem him The Angels are the most glorious of thy creatures Vers. 5 and thou hast made man little lower than those blessed Spirits He fell from this high dignity became destitute of grace subject to sin vanity misery and punishment but in this forlorn condition thou didst not forsake him but hast crowned him with glory and honour Thou honouredst him that deserv'd to lie under disgrace and ignominy thou restoredst him to life that deserv'd to dye thou madest him partaker of the Divine Nature who had blotted out the Divine Character from his soul in a word of a servant and have of sin thou framedst him anew and madest him a Lord and preparedst a Crown of glory for him To enjoy that Lord is our hope and expectation because it is thy promise Vers. 6 and that our hearts fail us not in the way thou hast in the mean time left us a pledge and a pawn Man by his fall lost his Soveraignty over the creatures but thou hast restored him in thy Son to his command Vers. 7 Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands and hast put all things in subjection under his feet Thou hast given him Sheep to cloath him Oxen to labour for him the beasts of the field to obey and fear him the fowls of the air and fishes of the Sea and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the Seas for varieties and dainties to féed and supply him The consideration of this thy bounty to mankind that deserv'd it not enforceth from me Vers. 9 that exclamation with which I began O Lord O Lord our governour how excellent is thy Name in all the earth O our God since thou hast béen so mindful of us never suffer us to be unmindful of thée since thou hast shew'd thy mercy in visiting and redéeming us never let us shew ourselves unthankful for this thy visitation and redemption Suffer us not to abuse thy creatures which thou hast given us for food nor thy gifts bestow'd for clothing nor wantonly and cruelly to make use of our dominion But give us grace so highly to estéem of thy rich mercies and with such temperance and sobriety to use thy creatures that thy Name thereby may still be the more magnified thy bounty exalted thy providence more declared thy honour enlarged thy person glorified and our souls at last saved by the merits of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen PSAL. IX This is a Psalm of thanksgiving for a victory over his Enemies IT consists of five chief parts 1. Davids thanksgiving or profession of praise vers 1 2. which is amplified and illustrated and continued till the tenth verse 2. An exhortation to others to do the like vers 11. and a reason given for it vers 12. 3. A Petition for himself vers 13. and the reason for it vers 14. 4. A remembrance of Gods goodness in the overthrow of his enemies for which he exults and sings a Song of Triumph from vers 15. to vers 19. 5. The conclusion which is petitory vers 19 20. 1. The first part Davids profession of praise His profession of praise is set down in the two first verses in which we may observe 1. The matter of it with the extent All the marvellous works of God 2. As if he could never express these enough how he varies the Synonima's I will praise thee I will shew forth I will be glad and rejoice in thee I will sing praise to thy name Vers. 1 I will shew forth I will be glad and rejoice in thee I will sing praise to thy name O thou most high In which words there is an Incrementum or Climax 3. The principle whence this praise flow'd Not from the lips but from the heart 2. From the whole heart I will praise thee with my whole heart This he amplifies from the cause Which he first amplifies from the causes which is double 1. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which outwardly moved him and gave him a just occasion to do so 1 The overthrow of his enemies The overthrow of his enemies when my enemies are turned back which were not overcome by my strength and valour but by the presence of thy power 2. Vers. 3 They shall fall and perish at thy presence Thou wert the chief and principal cause of this victory 2 That God alone did it â—â—d therefore deserv'st the thanks Of this the Prophet makes a full Narrative in the two next verses setting God as it were upon the Bench and doing the Office of a Judge 1. Vers. 4 Thou maintainest my right and my cause 2. Vers. 5 Thou satest in the Throne judging right 3. Thou hast rebuked the Heathen 4. Thou hast destroy'd the wicked thou hast put out their name for ever and ever In a word thou art a just Judge that defend'st the innocent and punishest their oppressours and therefore I will praise thee 3. Vers. 6 And then upon the confidence of Gods justice and power he insults over his enemies with this Sarcasm For this he insults over his enemies O thou enemy destructions are come to a perpetual end Thy power of hurting and destroying is taken away and the fortified Cities in which thou dwell'st are overthrown And shews the super-eminency of Gods power and their and thy memory is perish'd 4. Next to make his assertion clearer to the Enemies power he opposeth Gods his Kingdom to their Kingdom But the