A HOLY ALPHABET FOR SION'S SCHOLARS FVLL OF SPIRITVAL INSTRVCTIONS AND HEAVENly Consolations to direct and encourage them in their Progresse towards the New IERVSALEM Deliuered by way of Commentary vpon the whole 119. Psalme By WILLIAM COVVPER Minister of Gods Word and B. of Galloway PROV 1. 5. A wise man shall heare and increase in knowledge and a man of vnderstanding shall attaine vnto wise counsels Amb in Psal. 119. NVN. Intelligimus ideo per literas Heb â—…rum Psalnium â—…unc esse digestum vt home noster tanquam paâ—…vulus ab insantia per literarum element a forâ—…atus 〈◊〉 at as puerâ—…'is assueuâ—… vâ—…q ad maturitatem virtutis exâ—…scat LONDON Printed by H. Lownes for Iohn Budge and are to be solde at his Shop at the great South-â—…oore of Paules and Britannes Bursse 1613. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE DAVID LORD OF SCONE ONE OF HIS MAIEsties most Honorable Priuy Councell in this Kingdome MY Lord when I dedicated to the Earle of Dunbar of good memory my Treatise of the Anatomy of a Christian I was then of purpose to haue presented to your L. this Holy Alphabet for Sions Scholars but could not perfit it till now Ye liued together in his Maiesties most honourable seruice like a paire of faithfull friends louing and pleasant in your liues and shall not be diuided in your deaths for me As my other Treatise went forth for a witnesse of my fauour without flattery toward him for the Dedicatorie Epistle was printed after his death so will I that this stand as a testimonie of my loue toward your L. partly for that which yee are and partly for that which I hope yee shall be Ille enim veraciter amat amicum qui Deum amat in amico aut quia est in illo aut vt sit in illo For he doth truely loue his friend who loueth God in his friend that is eyther for the good which is in him or else that the good which he wants may be in him There are many in this age with whom Satan hath couenanted as Nahash the Ammonit would haue done with the Israelites of Iabesh Golead vpon this condition That he put out their right eies These men haue an eye to see and a tong to speake of that which is euill in another but none to se that which is good compared properly by Nazianzen to venemous flyes who passing by the part that is whole light vpon that which is sore and make it worse then they sound it For mine owne part I neuer mind to be one of these If I should praise you for the good which ye want I knowe I should neyther please you nor prosite you your vnder standing being more solid then that shadowes in stead of substance can content you neyther yet also on the other hand will I so looke vnto that which ye want that I passe by the good which ye haue vnder hope also that this shall make you better There are none who knowe your L. but haue marked an affection toward Religion so indiuertâ—…ble that no man contrary minded durst euer attempt to alter it which in this declining age deserues no small commendation A heart in like maner toward execution of iustice sâ—… inslexible that ye haue preferred the lawe to the loue of men who otherway haue bin most deere vnto you for the which howsoeuer yee haue beene misliked of many yet haue you proued a profitable seruant to your Master in most difficill times for By iustice the Throne is established Your naturall iudgement in discerning betweene right and wrong may iustly be admired specially sith your education hath not been by precepts of artes in the Academie but by practise of them in the Palace where unto yee could also hardly haue attained if yee had not learned vnden such a King as is not onely a patterns of vertue himselfe but a solid Thealog and Philosopher euer discussing to his Domestiques of that which is good and euill both in Religion manners and policie But my Lord howsoeuer these be good things and worthy commendation yet haue they need to be strengthenea with better for all gifts were they neuer so excellent if they be not crowned with godlinesse may well increase conuiction but can render no consolation in the day of trouble This is it therefore which now I haue to recommend vnto your L. that yee growe in knowledge and in the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ whereunto beside these common reasons that should stirre vp cuerie Christian there are three which more particularly prouoke you vnto it The first is that GOD by your first generation hath brought you forth a man of honour in this earth for in regard of naturall descent your honourable Father the Lorde of Baluaird was a brother of the Earle of Tullibardin whose house is as a noble stocke from which hath sprung out like branches exceeding many honourable Families all of the name of Murray and hath continued in this Lande these fifteene hundreth yeares Your Mother a Grahame daughter of the right Noble Earle of Montrose whose house hath continued with honour since the beginning of this Kingdome Your Mothers mother a Keith daughter to the right noble Earle Mershell whose House and Family being long before honourable in this Kingdome was sixe hundreth years agoe decorated with the Office of the Marshalship of Scotland for their vertue and valour in batteil whereâ—… they continue vnto this day among the chiefest Peeres of the Realme Your Fathers Mother a Lyndsay daughter to the right noble Lord the Lord Lyndsay whose Houâ—…e not inferiour to many in honour may aboue many most iustly he commended for their earnest zâ—…ale and sincerr affection toward the aduancement of true Religion All these should greatly increase your care that ye be no found lesse honourable in Christ then ye are in this world For this world properly is compared to a Stage-play wherin oftentimes Nobles are clad in beggars garments and the beggar takes on the habite of a King but when the guise is ended and the maskes remoued then euery one appeares to be that which he is and the man of base estate was not so much comforted with his temporall representation of an honourable man as he is now grieued to see hee was but honourable in sport and shew not in effect Yet many such are there in the world who goe in the state of honorable men but shall be found in the end vessels of dishonour To be honourable in both is rare yet such as may be obteyned by godlinesse for godlinesse hath the promise both of this life and of the life to come The second reason Ye haue serued his Maiestie these eight and thirtie yeares not as a Domestique onely but as a Counceller and Officer of estate also and that with so constant an affection that ye haue not spared to incurre the displeasure and malecontentment of any whatsoeuer so be it ye might procure pleasure and contentment to
light of his countenaunce vpon his owne and make the dewe of his grace to fall vpon them Yea if we our selues when we were enemies were reconciled how much more now beeing reconciled shall we be saued And this as it serues to confirme the godlie that the whole earth is full of Gods goodnes so doth it also convince the wicked of a blind stupiditie Euery creature hath in it some note of Gods goodnes and yet they cannot see it they looke to heauen they walke vpon earth they breathe in the ayre they warme at the fire euery moment they vse Gods creatures but neuer see nor feele his his goodnesse in them to lift vp their harts and praise him for them TETH VER 65. O Lord thou hast dealt graciously with thy seruaunt according to thy word IN the verse following Dauid seekes mercy in this hee giues thankes for mercy receiued Mercies receiued as they should be returned with praise to him who gaue theÌ„ so should they confirme our harts in an expectation of greater to bee receiued It is not with God as it is with man a man the more he giueth the lesse he hath it is not so with the Lord. Among men this is a reason as they alledge why they should not giue I haue giuen you already why then doe yee trouble mee any more but it is not so with God the treasures of his grace can neuer be emptied whom he loues he loues vnto the end and to him that hath hee giueth more Yea all that now wee get hee willeth vs to receiue as an earnest or a pledge of greater good hee hath to giue vs. So Dauid confirmes himselfe Psalme 23. that because the Lord had beene a Shepheard to him in time by-gone hee gathers this conclusion Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercy shall follow me all the daies of my life But how saith Dauid did God deale graciously with him seeing hee did humble him from his youth with many sore afflictions These agree very well together for the Lord is most louing when he chastiseth EtiaÌ„ in seueritate est bonitas Dei vt recurrat vnusquisque castigatus pedem referat à peccatis ad tramitem bonamque conuersationem reuertatur euen in seueritie Gods gracious goodnesse appeares in that hee vvho is chastised returnes from his sinnes to the right trade of a godlie conuersation Will any man accuse a Physition of cruelty because hee cutteth away the rotten member vvith yron or burnes with fire a fretting canker Or shall the Master bee blamed for correcting his negligent Disciple that hee may make him more diligent and attentiue to learning Sic castigare amantis est non execrantis ideo bonitatis est noncrudelitatis so to chastise is the vvorke of one that loueth not that hateth there is no crueltie in that but gratious goodnesse And albeit these chastisements seeme not sweete for the present yet afterward as the Apostle saith they bring the quiet fruite of righteousnesse to them vvho are thereby exercised And therefore Dauid still craueth to bee taught of GOD the same manner of way Sciebat namque Propheta disciplinae vtilitatem because hee had learned by experience vvhat great good Gods discipline doth to the soule of a man Yee may perceiue by this how Dauid kept remembrances of the seuerall proofes of Gods fauour shewed vnto him in performing to him the promised kingdome and in deliuering him from many outward and inward temptations Thus the children of GOD keepe with themselues memorials of mercie receiued for albeit the time of the full performance of Gods promises bee not yet come yet doth he performe so much of them as binds vs in all conscience to remember his praises who is a most true and mercifull God vnto vs. Thy seruaunt Dauid frequently delights in this stile Hee found that his greatest comfort stood in the seruing of GOD in a good conscience and if we do not so with what boldnes can we looke for comfort from him in the day of our trouble or houre of death who made no conscience of his seruice Yea rather iustly may the Lord giue vs that fearefull answer which he gaue to the rebellious Iewes wheÌ„ they sought his help in the day of their distresse Goe vnto the gods whoÌ„ yee haue serued and let them deliuer you According to thy vvord Naturall men will not belieue that GOD will doe according to his vvord they haue it in derision The vision say they is but wind In so dooing they highly offend the maiestie of GOD imputing this note of dishonestie vnto him That hee is not so good as his word but in experience they shall find the contrary The godly shall find the truth of his word in mercie as Ezechias did so shall they praise him The Lord hath said it and the Lord hath done it but the wicked shal find it in iudgement Your Fathers vvhere are they and doe the Prophets liue for euer But did not my word and my Statutes vvhich I commaunded by my seruaunts the Prophets take hold on your Fathers And they returned and said As the Lord of hosts hath determined to doe vnto vs according to our ovvne waies and works so assuredly hath he dealt with vs. So shall all the wicked find at the length that as God hath a mouth to speak so hath he a hand to execute it Then shall they discerne betweene the righteous and the wicked between him that serueth God and him that serueth him not VER 66. Teach mee good iudgement knowledge for I haue beleeued thy coÌ„maundements THis verse containes a prayer with a reason In the prayer he beseecheth God to teach him good iudgement The word Tob Tagnam signifieth the goodnesse of taste so Vatablus Bonitatem sensus doce me The naturall sense of tasting is heere by a Metaphortranslated to signifie iudgement and vnderstanding and that because as taste discernes meat makes choise of vvhat is to bee sent into the stomacke â—…o the vnderstanding discernes betweene truth to be embraced and falshood to be reiected This is the grace for which the Apostle prayeth to the Philippians I pray that yee may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that yee may discerne things which are excellent This is a rare grace For many by the iudgement of light knowes what is good and what is euill who knowe it not by the iudgement of taste for if by sense they felt the bitternesse of sinne and sweetnesse of righteousnesse they wold not so loue the one set light by the other as they doe And againe this puts a difference between that knowledge which wee haue in this life and that which we shall haue in the life to come Now we haue but a taste then shall we be filled and satisfied with his image now wee knowe but in part heereafter wee shall knowe fully now we
to thē who loue to liue in the body for no other end but that they may enioy carnall pleasures in the body no tongue can expresse their miserie To a godly man sin makes his life bitter so the Apostle protested O miserable man who shal deliuer me from this body of death And if they loue to liue it is that they may mourn for sin break off the course of their sins by amēdement of life This straited godly Nazianzen that he knew not whether to make choise of death or life when he considered that death makes an end of sin he desired to die but when he remembred that after death there was no time to mourne for sin he desired to liue VER 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy law MAn by nature is blind in the matters of saluation He vnderstands not the things of God neither can he because they are spiritually discerned Satan promised man great knowledge both of good euill but experience may declare what a false deceiuer he is By nature we are all borne blind ignorant of things vvhich concerne the kingdom of God and by reason of our darkned mind so wicked is the hart of man that by looking to the best works of God miserable man contracts euill So euill doth hee see with the eyes which are left him that by looking to that which is good the hart of him is wakened vnto euill So traiterously hath this aduersarie dealt with mankind that where he promised thē more knowledge he spoiled them of that which they had and hath brought now vpon them all a greater shame then that vvhich Naash the Ammonite vvould haue done to Israel For hee hath put out their right eye that no light remaines in them vvherby they can see that which is good to saluation till the Lord restore it againe vnto them And heere if it be asked seeing Dauid was a regenerate man and so illuminated already How is it that hee prayes for the opening of his eyes the aunswere is easie That our regeneration is wrought by degrees The beginnings of light in his mind made him long for more for no man can account of sense but he who hath it The light vvhich he had let him see his owne darknes and therefore feeling his wants hee seekes to haue them supplied by the Lord. Neque enim medicū rogat nisi qui remedium agritudini suae poscit But the word which here Dauid vseth imports the taking of a vaile from his eyes detrahe velamen oculis meis So that the blame of his ignorance he layes not vpon the word which is cleer enough in it selfe as he confesseth ver 130. The entrance of thy vvord giues light to the simple but he blames himselfe and the vaile which couered the eyes of his mind Till this be remooued no reading no hearing no teaching can make a man vnderstand the wonders of the lavv of God This is it saith the Apostle which hinders the Iews that in reading the old Testament they cannot see Christ because of the vaile that couers their harts And this same is it that this day hinders many wise and learned men that albeit they read the most cleare prophecies of Antichrist whereas S. Paul and S. Iohn poynts him out as it were with the finger yet can they not perceiue him The doctrine of Christ is the mysterie of godliness the doctrine of Antichrist is the mysterie of iniquitie Who can learne it till God remoue the vaile that couers the mind Non omnes qui diuina eloquia legunt quae in illis admiranda sunt considerant nisi illi qui coelesti splendore potiuntur But whose worke is this to remoue the vaile Who is able to doe it Certainly neither Angel nor Power nor Dominion It is onely the vvorke of GOD who giues sight to the blind Hee sends forth his spirit and renewes the face of the earth He opened the disciples eyes made them to know him He made scales to fall from the eyes of the Apostle Paul when he conuerted him These two benefits hee giues together to his owne the opening of the eyes and conversion of the hart So long as a man abides vnder the seruitude of sin and earthly affections he can neuer haue eyes to see the secrets of Gods word Therefore saith the Apostle speaking of the blinded Iewes when their harts shall be turned to the Lord then the vaile shall be taken away The wonders of thy law The wonders of the works of God are many and great the wonders of his word are greater Euery article of our faith is a mysterie to be wondred at that a Virgine conceiues a child that GOD is manifested in the flesh If wee will be fruitfull scholars in the learning of these mysteries let vs pray for the opening of our eyes and for grace to belieue VER 19. I am a stranger on earth hide not thy commaundements from me THis petition in effect is one with the former hauing no more but an annexed reason vvhich is this I am a stranger on earth and knowe not the way may lead me to heauen vnlesse thou teach me therefore hide not thy cōmandements from me The like of this he hath Psa. 43. Send thy light thy truth let them lead me bring me to thy holy Mountaine This is not the voice of euery man I am a stranger on earth Sed eius qui terrenis renuntiauit voluptatibus mundanae cupiditatis exuerit affect us It is the voice of him who hath renounced pleasures of the earth is weary of this life desires to be dissolued not fearing when his dissolution approches but rather reioycing because he knows he shall be with Christ vtitur hac vita vt transitoria ad aliam nimirum vitam festinans He vseth this life as a transitory life because he makes hast to a better It is true in regard of time and continuance the wicked are also strangers on earth but in affection they are not so for neither know they of a better Cittie neither desire they a better But the Christian accounts himselfe a stranger not so much for his short continuance vpon earth as for that his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is aboue that Citie wherof he is Burges and freeman that countrey frō which he came that fellowship wherein he reioiceth is aboue therfore longs he to be where they are But as to the wicked they are called by Gods Spirit inhabitants or indwellers of the earth Men of this world who haue their portion in this life they haue receiued their cōsolation here their generation is of the earth they speak of the earth their whole disposition is earthly Higher then the earth in thoughts and desires they cannot go Praesentibus bonis quasi diuturnis inflati insolescunt The godly
able to doe abundantly aboue all that we can aske or thinke Example hereof we haue in Zaccheus he desired but to see Christ and hee got not onely a sight of him but familiar speech of him yea Christ went to his house and dined with him and made him by grace the childe of Abraham So shall the Lord do to all his children he shall giue them more then eyther they desired or looked for at his hands For the heart cannot vnderstand those things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Thy commandements He saith not I haue done thy commandements but I desire to do them Let this serue as a Commentarie to other places wherein he makes protestation of his begun obedience so gratious is the Lord that in his children he accepts their will for a deed There is no man so wicked but he desires mercie but the godly doe so desire mercy that first they desire the way to mercy They know that without sanctification no man can see the Lord therefore all their care is to purge themselues euen as God is pure as here ye see for this end Dauid prayeth for the grace of obedience It was a preposterous desire of Balaam who wished the death of the righteous and would not liue the life of the righteous no better are the desires of wicked men Quicken me He acknowledgeth that his desires were nothing vnlesse the Lord gaue him life As a false conception which evanisheth and comes not to the birth so is the desire of man not quickned nor continued by the grace of God More of this see ver 149. 159. VAV VER 41. And let thy louing kindnesse come vnto me O Lord and thy saluation according to thy promise OVt of this Psalme we see how feruent and continuall Dauid was in prayer Euery third Verse hee turnes him to prayer No maruell he was inriched with a great measure of spirituall grace for hee sought it diligently Not like the colde professors of our time to whom a colde morning prayer is sufficient for the whole day and of that also oftentimes they are weary before they haue done it A lamentable euill that hauing all good for the seeking yet we should not seeke If we would consider how many sinnes we haue contracted which we must craue to be forgiuen would offer vp but one supplication for euery one of them and againe that albeit all our sinnes vvere presently forgiuen yet hovv readily should we fall into new sinnes if we get no grace daily to reforme vs and thirdly how difficil a thing it is against so many strong enemies as Principalities Powers and spiritual wickednes which with restlesse tentations pursue vs vpon the right hand the left to enter through them all into the kingdome of God and lastly how our time is short and when it is done no more place of supplication will be left vnto vs If all these with many moe wee did consider they would waken in vs a more earnest care to call vpon our God while we haue time This whole section consists of petitions and promises Petitions are two ver 41. 43. Promises are six This among many is a difference betweene godly men and others all men seeke from GOD but the wicked so seeke that they giue him nothing backe againe nor yet wil promise in sinceritie to giue Their prayers must be vnprofitable because they proceed from loue of themselues and not of the Lord. If so be they obtaine that which is for their necessitie they haue no regard to giue to the Lord that which is for his glory but the godly as they seek so they giue praise to God when they haue gotten and returne the vse of things receiued to the glorie of God who gaue them They loue not themselues for themselues but for the Lord vvhat they seeke from him they seeke it for this end that they may be the more able to serue him Let vs take heed vnto it because this is a cleere token whereby such as are truly religious are distinguished from counterfet dissemblers Let thy louing kindnes c. In his first prayer he ioynes these two Gods louing kindnes and his saluation and so it is they goe together inseparably As for the kindnes of man thou maist haue it and not be the better for it the friend may loue his friend and not be able to help him yea the Father may looke with compassion vpon his child in danger and not be able to relieue him but the kindnes of the Lord euer works saluation he can doe what he will and none is able to resist him All creatures in heauen earth are vnder his commaund health sicknes life death heauen and hell for he hath the keyes of both Let vs seek his fauour that we may be saued let vs feele his loue and none euill present nor to come temporall nor eternall shall make vs afraid According to thy promise As Dauid seekes his comfort in GOD onely so seekes hee it for Gods sake alleaging nothing in himselfe for which hee should obtaine it but that the Lord as of his mercie hee had promised so of his truth hee vvould performe And this is first for Papists who either doe seeke from others beside the Lord or if they seek from him they seeke for others sake then for his founding their prayers vpō the merits of others not vpon the mercie of God and merits of Christ onelie And next it giues this vvarning vnto all men that seeing the chiefest argument vvee can vse in prayer to mooue the Lord to pittie is his own promise vvee should remember alwaie to make conscience of our promise of seruice and obedience vvhich vve haue made to the Lord otherwise vvee can not vvith boldnesse seeke comfort in that promise which God hath made vnto vs. VER 42. So shall I make aunswer to my blasphemers for I trust in thy word SEe what great effects the sense of Gods louing kindnes works in the harts of his children hee feares no malice nor power of man vvho finds the Lord kind and mercifull to him This works gloriation against euill men a bold confession before all men as after followes and toward God an holy conuersation in all his obedience to the law For I trust Confidence in the promises of Gods word is the anchor of the soule vvhich holdeth it fast that it abide stable not driuen to and fro with the wind of tentations nay not with the feares terrors of death I know whom I haue belieued VER 43. And take not the word of truth vtterly out of my mouth for I wait for thy iudgements BY the word of truth Euthymius vnderstands the grace of prophecie by which Dauid comforted his owne hart and was able to speake to the edification of others and to stop the mouthes of his Aduersaries This grace
message sake esteeme them alwayesarorthy to be welcomed And sith they pray vnto God for your L. be loth to refuse them in their reasonable requests to you remembring that reason which Ambrose vsed to Theodose the Emperour Si dignus non sum qui à te audiar nec etiam dignus qui pro te à deo exaudiar If I be not worthy that I should be heard of thee when I speake vnto thee farre lesse am I worthy that I should be heard of God when I speake to him for thee The third is that ye haue a continuall care of your selfe Nature can teach you to care for those things which are yours but it is grace must learne you to care for your selfe Satan is a restlesse tempter but yet so subtill that he can frame his temptations according to the ages and states of men he tempts not children as he doth young men neyther tempts hee young men as hee doth the aged neyther tempts he the aged as he doth any of the other two Hee tempts children with folly and playes with them as the Prouerb is at the belly blinde seeking no more of that age but that it be passed ouer with foolish and friuolous things Young men againe he tempts to wickednesse many wayes by the fury of their inordinate concupiscence these are called by the Apostle The noysome lusts of youth Aged men most commonly he tempts them with couetousnesse and excessiue cares of the vvorld Omnia in homine cùmsenescunt vitia sola iuuenescit auaritia When all other sinnes waxe olde and feeble in a man onely couetousnesse waxeth young and increaseth her strength And who can tell how miserable that man is vvho in his childehood liued like a foole in his youth vvaâ—… filthy in his olde age a vvorldling vnlesse God by grace bring him out of that fearfull bondage I speake not this as if I for baâ—… the vse of this vvorld or â—…id condemne all care thereof or those lawfull pleasures your L. takes in building planting or other such 〈◊〉 vertues wherein ye stand vnto all that are about you a patterne of policy but to warne you that ye walke cere â—…spectly vsing this world as if ye vsed it not What-euer your actions be about it set your affections vpon better things knowing as saith the Apostle that the shape and figure of this world goes away It is vvisedome to forsake this vvorld vvith our vvill before we be forced to forsake it against our vvill to leaue it euen when we do possesse it Abraham liued not so long as did many of his fathers yet when he died it is said of him that he died full of dayes because he desired no mo Sith ye know ye must remoue be prepared like Israel in Egypt with their loines girded and their staues in their handes ready to march forward from Egypt to Canaan Be content with the dayes ye haue gotten line so as not needing any moe but vse euery day as if it were your last day after which if God giue you another take it as a super-plus and be thankefull to him for it For all these causes which I haue premitted and that the seed of godlinesse which these many yeares I haue knowen in you breeding spirituall remorse with teares and godly holy desires may at length be cherished and brought forward both to the flourishing and further fructifying I hauâ—… here presented to your L. these Meditations which I ordinarily deliuered to my people in time of their euening Prayers and haue 〈◊〉 it A holy Alphabet or A. B. C. of godsinesse so plaine in it selfe that children may vnderstand it and yet 〈◊〉 plentifull in heauenly instruction that the mest 〈◊〉 godly and auncient may euery day learne something by it Accept it reade it practise it right Honourable steppe forward in the godd course which now ye haue happâ—…y begun and these good conclusions which I know ye haue 〈◊〉 with your selfe may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…orth â—…to 〈◊〉 that so the world may see by the fruit that the tree growes euerth longer the better Such of your waies and workes as your L. â—…nowes haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others 〈◊〉 now â—…o amend them that all reaâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 satisfaction and such as before mistiked you for your euill may now thanke God for your good and you by wel-doing bringing forth fruits worthy of amendment of life may make sure to your selfe your calling and election Which mercie the Lord more and more confirme towards you for Christâ—… sake Amen Your L. in Christ Iesus William Cowper B. of Galloway A HOLY ALPHAbet for Sions Scholars My helpe is in the Name of the Lord. THere is no way by which a man may learne but by the same God doth teach him by precepts he instructs by requests he exhorts by promises hee allures by threatnings he terrifies and â—…herfore hath he sent his seruants of sundry quaâ—…ities according to their seuerall gifts vnto vs â—…ome like Moses to teach vs some like Esay to â—…omfort vs some like Ieremie mourning to vs â—…om like Dauid singing to vs. If when they teach we learne not if when they mourne we lament not if when they pipe we dance not yea if the sweetest songs of the sweet Singer of Iâ—…rael Qut noster Orpheus est delight vs not to raâ—…e vp our affections to the Lord are we not inexcusable By the deceit of vaine pleasure Sathan steales the heart of man from God and the Lord most artificially by the sweetnesse of true pleasure alâ—…lures him home againe What could the Lord haue done any more vnto vs that he hath not done He propones most profitable things for vs in his word and to make them the more welcome he seasons them with pleasures Nam quod gratum est iucundius recipitur constantius retâ—…netur Vnto this vse serues the whole booke of the Psalmes which is Commune quoddam medicinae promptuarium but in speciall this Psalme which in the iudgement of Ambrose exceeds the rest as farre as the light of the Sunne excels the light of the Moone It was written by one of the Saints of God but in so maruellous a manner that the wordes therof convene and agree vnto all Quod huius operis proprium est So that it is Veluti penu doctrinae publicum vnicuique apta conuenientia distribuens and therefore should be in no lesse account with those who loue the spirituall lise then is the vse of the Sunne the ayre and the fire for the entertainment of this naturall life The Author of this Psalme was most properly called by Euthymius Primi regis cor lingua calamus for he receiued this testimony from the heauenly Oracle That hee was a man after Gods heart Now because no greater ioy can come to the children of God then to know that God esteemes of them as he esteemed of Dauid that they are also men after the heart of God let
them here learne a ready way whereby they may know it It was promised that vnder the Kingdome of Christ the meanest or least should be like vnto Dauid If therefore by grace thou be partaker of Dauids disposition recorded to thee in this Psalme thou maist be out of doubt thou art also partaker of his approbation for the Lord is no accepter of persons what he approues in one he will also approue in another This is it which Pontius the Deacon records of Cyprian that when euer he heard or read any person commended in the Booke of God hee warned vs to make diligent inquisition of their actions for which they were commended as namely when we heare said he that Iob receiued this praise from God that he was an vpright and â—…ust man one that seared God and eschued euill and how none was like him on the earth let vs turne ouer to the 31. chapter where we haue a short compend of his life and let vs endeuour to order our lise as he did his Vt dum nos paria facimus simile in nos Dei testimonium prouoceâ—…us We need not then goe vp to the counsell of God to enquire there whether or not we be beloued of him let vs come downe to our selues Make sure our calling and election by wel doing let vs trie our selues by this disposition which here is in Dauid where we finde a conformity let vs giue thankes for the beginnings of Gods grace in vs where not let vs prease to amend being assured vnlesse wee follow Dauid in the practise of piety we cannot be partakers of his praise which hee receiued from God Now among many points of godlinesse manifest in him there is one here throughout the whole Psalme more euident then the rest and that is his feruent affection toward the word of God for in euery verse except one onely to wit the 122. he makes mention of the word of God vnder some of these names Lawe Statutes Precepts Testimonies Commandements Word Promises Wayes Iudgements Name Righteousnesse Truth the reason hereof is because in euery state of life he found light life comfort in the word of God and therefore was his affection inflamed toward it Euen as children new borne by the instinct of nature haue an appetite to milk for conseruation of their life so the children of God once regenerate by the instinct of grace haue a spirituall appetite to the word of God according to that of Saint Peter As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may growe thereby Neyther is it possible that any man can esteeme of that worde as a foode for their nourishment but they to whom first it hath beene a seede of their newe birth and the onely cause why the cold professors of this age esteemes it not as a food for which they hunger and thirst but rather be weary of it more then Israel was of Manna is that it was neuer vnto them a liuely seed of their new birth and so sith they haue neyther gotten life nor light by it what maruell is it they haue no delight in it As to the order of this Psalme it is diuided into two and twenty Sections euery Section hath in it eight Verses and euery Verse beginnes in the Hebrew with that letter wherewith the Section is intituled as all the Verses of the first Section begin with Aleph the Verses of the second with Beth and so forward according to the Hebrew Alphabet for which wee may call this Psalme an A. B. C. of godlinesse Another method of this Psalme can we not lay saue that euery Verse containes in it eyther a praise of Gods word from some excellent quality of it or a protestation of Dauid his vnfayned affection toward it or else a prayer for grace to conforme himselfe vnto it for vnto one of these three Prayses Prayers or Protestations may all the Verses of this Psalme be reduced And so we enter into it ALEPH. VERS 1. Blessed are these that are vpright in their way and walke in the Lawe of the Lord. THis verse beginnes the Psalme with a summary proposition of the blessed estate of all Gods children Properly onely God is blessed God ouer all blessed for euer For this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies ImmortaleÌ„ vt sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ideÌ„ quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est immortalis the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both the syllables being turn'd into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the pleasantnes of the sound yet this name is also attributed to Gods children who of his mercy are deliuered from death and allotted vnto eternall life The blessednesse of man is foure manner of wayes described in holy Scripture First from the originall thereof and fountaine from which it flowes and that is our election so the Apostle when he blesses the Lord who hath blessed vs with all spirituall blessings in Christ he begins at this As he hath chosen vs. Secondly from the beginning thereof in vs and that is our calling and iustification Blessed is the man whom thou chusest and causest to come vnto thee Againe Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Thirdly from the progresse thereof which is made by sanctification as Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnesse and so here Blessed are they that are vpright in way Lastly from the perfection therof which shall be done in our finall glorification vnto one of these may be referred euery sentence of holy Scripture which makes mention of the happinesse and felicity of man Vpright in their way We haue here first to see what is this Way next who are vpright in it By the Way vnderstand Transitoriam hanc vitam and so indeed properly mans life on earth is called a Way for in it man walkes from the wombe to the graue by so continuall a motion that there is no resting nor returning for him into it But as a Ship which goes right before the winde makes haste without staying toward her hauening place what-euer they doe that are in her whether they eate or they walke or they rest still the Barke that carries them goes on to her proposed end so is it with man in the body so soone as he comes out of the wombe he is carried by a continuall course to the graue whether he sleepe or walke whether he haue minde of it or not he is carried on in his course to his end without intermission And in this sense the life of euery man whether good or euill is a Way Via vita est hanc siquidem ab vtero ad sepulchrum ambulamus omnes But in this Way there is a great difference for some are vpright in it these are exponed to be such as walke in the way of the Lord others againe