what they can yet I know He comforts himself in God except thou permit them they are not able to do it Thou art my God in thee I trust For my time is in thy hand not in theirs i. e. My life And then he falls to prayer again which consists of three parts 1. A Deprecation 2. A Supplication 3. And an Imprecation He prayes yet againn 1. A Deprecation for he prayes that he come not into their power 1 He deprecates Deliver me from the hand of my enemies and from them that persecute me 2. A Supplication Make thy face to shine upon thy servant save me for thy mercies sake Let me not be asham'd for I have call'd upon thee 2 Supplicate◠O Lord. 3. An Imprecation Let the wicked be ashamed and be silent in the grave as we usually say silent leges inter arma when they are of no force 3 Imprecates against the wicked So let the wicked dye be silent and have no power 2. Let the lying lips be put to silence which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous In which there be so many Arguments to quicken the grant of his Imprecation 1. The quality of their persons They are wicked impious men Whose qualities he sets forth 2. There is no truth in them they have lying lips Their words are false 3. And their actions worse they speak grievous things and that against the righteous 4. Then their intention is worst of all for they do it proudly contemptuously disdainfully despitefully It proceeds ex malo habitu In the fifth part he sets out the abundant goodness of the Lord to his people The fifth part and He admires Gods goodness to his people as it were a little carried beyond himself by a divine rapture or extasie in a holy admiration he exclaims O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up Vers. 19 which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men This goodness of God is often laid up and hid as it was to the Israelites in Egypt not seen for many years but after a long time it was brought forth and wrought even before the sons of men But then observe this goodness is laid up for none nor wrought for none but such as fear him 2. Put their trust in him expect and believe his promises Vers. 20 And the Acts and Works of his goodness are here specified 1. The specialties of it Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man 2. Thou shalt keep them secretly in a Pavilion from the strife of tongues Upon which consideration in gratitude he breaks out into a Benedictus 1. Blessed be the Lord for he hath shew'd me his marvellous kindness c. 2. For which he blesseth God And corrects his errour and former mistake I said in my haste tashly imprudently I am cut off from before thine eyes Such was his rash judgement But he confesseth and amends this his folly And corrects his errour Nevertheless thou heardst the voice of my supplication when I cryed unto thee 6. The sixth part He exhorts the Saints to And so he falls upon the last part which is an Exhortation to the Saints 1. That they love God 2. That they be of good courage for it was the same God still and he would be as good to others as he was to him 1. That they love for two reasons 1. For that the Lord preserveth the faithful 1 Love God 2. That he plentifully rewardeth the proud doer That was his Mercy this his Justice 2. 2 That they be couragious That they be of good courage For then he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord. They despair not but keep their heart fix'd and firm to the profession of truth which would be a seal of their hope The Prayer collected out of the 31. Psalm O Merciful Father who art wont to take pity on those who are distressed have mercy on me a poor wretch Vers. 9 who am in trouble and great misery So many and so great are the sorrows of my heart that my eye is grown dim and consumed with grief my soul pines away and the activest parts of my whole body are dryed up and become unserviceable The best part of my life is spent in heaviness Vers. 10 and my years are unpleasant for mourning my iniquity and transgression against thée is so great that when I sadly think thereupon my vital spirits and strength fails me and the solidity and firmness of my bones is wasted with a consumption Yea though my affliction be so great and urgent yet among men I found not any to comfort me To my enemies I am become a proverb of reproach and to the many a scorn and derision they load me so thick with slanderous reports that fear is on every side they take counsel together to take away my life But these were enemies and I expected no other from them that which most déeply pierceth my heart is that all my friends should become miserable comforters these even these when they saw me destitute of thy help have forsaken me conveyed themselves away and fled from me there 's not a Neighbour that doth not scorn me not any of my acquaintance who is not afraid to own me I am forgotten as a dead man of whom being laid in the grave there is no remembrance I am of no more accompt than a broken vessel of which there is no estéem because of no use but is cast to the Dunghill Yet though I am brought to this pitiful condition I do not despair in thee O Lord I do put my trust I have said Thou art my God Suffer me not to be ashamed of my hope and expectation Vers. 2 Bow down thine ear to my complaint and deliver me for thy righteousness sake save me speedily from the hands of my enemies and from them that persecute me Make thy gracious countenance to shine upon thy servant and save me for thy meer Mercy It is only to thy hands to thy power and care I commend my spirit and life which they go about to take from me This at other times Vers. 5 thou hast redeem'd from their fury be then a good God now unto me and trus in thy promises and deliver me now They have laid a net and snare to take me at unawares but do thou pull me out of it Be my house and defence to save me my strength to confirm me my Rock to uphold me my light to lead and guide me They lie in wait for my blood but my time is in thy hand who art the Lord of life and death thou givest thou takest away O then shut me not up in the hand of the enemy set my feet in a large room and let me enjoy my liberty O how great is thy goodness which thou hast laid up for them
to thee for what thou hast done the proud are risen up against us and a whole assembly of armed and violent men have invaded us and sought after our souls and all they imagine is to take away our lives and thy worship not without a great and high contempt of thy Name But thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and truth Turn thée then unto us and have mercy upon us give thy strength unto thy servants save those who are thy Vassals and deliver our souls from the nethermost Hell O Lord we are oppressed do thou answer for us teach us the way in which we are to go and we will walk in thy Truth unite our hearts close unto thée and we will take delight to fear thy Name shew some token of thy favour at last to us that they which hate us may see it and be afraid let them sée it openly That thou Lord hast holpen us and comforted us So shall we praise thee O Lord our God with all our heart and we will magnifie and glorifie thy Name for evermore PSAL. LXXXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalm is short but sweet for it contains many excellent priviledges of the Church of God of which every one must be a Member that hopes for salvation whosoever was the Authour it was his purpose to excite men to be in love with the Assemblies of Gods Saints and to that purpose the dignity and amplitude of the Church is set forth in this Psalm and the notes of her beauty and perfection may well serve for the Analysis 1. The Church commended 1. For the foundation laid on a holy Mountain First the Church is here commended for her foundation the Authour of it is God it is his foundation and it is surely laid not in the sand but upon a Mountain and no common Mountain neither but a consecrated place laid it is in the holy Mountains His foundation is in the holy Mountain No question the Prophet alludes to the hill of Zion Ver. 1 which was the Type of the Catholick Church and indeed the foundation of it 2 From Gods love to her For the Law was to come out of Zion 2. Ver. 2 The second Prerogative of the Church is taken from Gods love and favour to it 3 From the predictions that went of her far beyond that of any other Assembly The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. 3. Now besides the commendation it hath from the builder which was God and his free love to it Ver. 3 a third Prerogative it hath and that is from the testimony and predictions of the Prophets 4 From the increase of it by the access of the Gentiles Isaiah Haggai Saint John who not Glorious things are sprken of thee Thou City of God Selah 4. And one of those glorious things foretold by the Prophets was the great increase and amplitude of the Church Ver. 4 by the access of the Gentiles even those Nations which were the greatest enemies to Gods people should become friends and Citizens of this City even the Egyptians Babylonians Tyrians Aethiopians in effect all the Gentiles of what language Countrey soever 1. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me i. e. among my friends and family Behold Phylistia and Tyre with Aethiopia some of all Nations are come into my family there is one Fold one Shepherd 2. This man was born there this man whom you now see a Citizen of Zion was an Alien he was born there in Egypt Babylon c. 5. But now having renounced his Countrey and his fathers house Vers. 5 his Idols and old wayes it shall be said of Zion Vir Vir 5 From her continuance for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This and that man was born regenerate and become a new man in her Here he receiv'd his adoption and the earnest of the Spirit 6. Farther yet the felicity of this City shall in this far exceed all other 6 From her free Denizons whose names are that whereas they fall to decay and perish this shall our-last all time The gates of hell shall not prevail against it For the most highest shall confirm and est ablish her 1 Eniâ—ll'd 7. A seventh Prerogative of the Church is That God agit Censum Vers. 6 and does as it were enrole the names of the Citizens So that now there is no difference betwixt Jew and Gentile bond nor free all are one in Christ Jesus The Lord shall count when he writes up the people That this man this cast-off Gentile was burn there Be as free a Denizon and have all the priviledges and prerogatives of this City as the natural Jew 8. Another Prerogative of these Citizens is 2 And they shall enjoy a perpetual Solemnity That they shall enjoy a perpetual Solemnity grief and sorrow shall cease and with Songs and instruments of Musick they shall sound forth Gods praises As well the siagers as players on instruments shall be there 9. Lastly He concludes the Psalm with an excellent Epiphonema Vers 7 that indeed comprehends all that can be said in the praise of the Church viz. For that in her all good is to be found All my springs are in thee Here are the fountains of living water Here are to be found the hidden treasures of all knowledge Here the waters that will refresh a thirsty soul and a fainting spirit Here all comforts all content The waters that are muddy and troubled in other streams in this are as clear as Cristal 'T is Virgo aqua A Prayer collected out of the eighty seventh Psalm for the Catholick Church O Lord Iesas Christ that by thy Almighty power madest all creatures both visible and invisible that by thy wisdom hast disposed all things in a comely order and now doest govern them that by thy unspeakable goodness yet doest preserve protect and promote all actions and successes who by thy mercy doest restore what is decay'd renew what is fallen and raisest the dead Vouchsafe to cast thy eye upon and view with a pleasing countenance thy well-beloved Spouse thy Church which thou hast purchased with thy blood and betroth'd to thy self in righteousness and in judgement and in loving-kindness and in mercies Look upon her with that amiable and merciful face wherewith thou pacifiest all things in heaven and earth Vers. 1 This is that new City that new Jerusalem which thou hast founded upon the Mountains of holiness Thy holy Apostles and Prophets were at thy command the chief Labourers in the building of it and all men since as living stones are built upon their Doctrine Be pleased then to love the gates of this City by which all must enter that look for salvation and prosecute with greater care and affection this thy chosen Spouse than thou didst the old Synagogue even as thou didst love the hill of
very garland and head of them is verity Two things he attributes to the Word of God Truth and Righteousness and they both serve very well to his present purpose to confirm him in his Petitions and constancy notwithstanding his many persecutors 1. 1 Truth Thy Word is true from the beginning Which perswasion is the mother of all obedience and faith for therefore we believe and obey it because we are perswaded it is true it begets such an assurance in our souls that no temptation or trouble is able to overcome it upon this St. Peter wisheth us to rely because it is a most sure Word 2 Pet. 1.19 The sure mercies of David God will not fail his people but according to his Word so it shall be 2. 2 Eternal justice And every one of thy righteous judgments endure for ever A reward remains for the righteous and a punishment for the wicked and with this assurance also David sustained himself against the delay of judgment against wicked men viz. A meditation of the eternal righteousness of Gods judgments he collected That for the present they might be spared but at length they would be punished seeing Gods judgments are everlasting The Prayer O Lord our afflictions at this time are great and our dangers are great we humbly therefore beséech thée to look down from thy holp Heaven and to consider our present trouble deliver us good Lord from our enemies for we do not forget thy Law Ver. 1 though we cannot perform it yet we have an especial regard to it and alwayes kéep it in memory desiring that our performances might be answerable to our destres Thou which art a just Iudge and to whom all judgment doth belong and to whom I have committed my cause plead my cause against mine Adversaries Ver. 2 and redéem my life from my unjust Oppressors according to thy promise quicken and revive my heart that is very much cast down by their insolencies Did my heart incline to any evil way I durst not appear in thy presence or expect so great a favour from thée Ver. 3 for salvation is far from the wicked As they are far from kéeping thy Law so also is salvation far from them when they séek not nor estéem thy statutes they cannot expect to be partakers of those promises which thou hast made to them that do séek them But thou O Lord knowest how I séek both them and thée Ver. 4 and thy mercies are great tender and many to those that fear thy Name according to these then deal with me and in equity deal with me that the remainder of my dayes which yet cannot be many may be comfortable The discomforts I have are infinite men and Devils Ver. 5 visible and invisible enemies on every side assault me tentations I méet with on the right hand and on the left and yet such is my love to thy Law Ver. 7 that hitherto I have not declined from thy Testimonies Consider then O Lord how I love thy precepts and according to thy loving-kindness deal with me and assist me and quicken me with thy grace that no tentation prevail over me Ver. 6 Let me not be seduced by any ill example and draâ—n to tread in the steps of wicked men for whose transgressions my heart is grieved because they keep not thy Word Ver. 8 which is a Word of Truth and Righteousness Never suffer me to decline from this Truth ever cause me to rely upon this Righteousness let me not be seduced by Errors nor be discomforted with the prosperity of wicked men whom though thou sparest for this present yet will at last poure upon them thy full Wols of vengeance because thy righteous judgments endure for ever O Lord get thy honour upon thy enemies but let the sure mercies of David never fail thy Church and people for thy Son Iesus Christs sake our only Lord and Saviour Amen 21. SCHIN DAVID in this Section shewes his love to the Law of God 2. The Contents David shewes his love to Gods Law And the perfection of his love 1. The first sign of his love was that notwithstanding he was persecuted for Gods sake yet he still was constant in his obedience to God Ver. 1 1. Princes have persecuted me Saul Ishbosheth Abner his son The signs of it 1. His constancy to it Absolon sought his life It is a great tentation to sustain injuries from any man but if from Princes a greater to persist and be constant then a notable Argument of love and fortitude 2. Without a cause Causes indeed were pretended but none found He spared Sauls life when he might have slain wept over Abner mourned for Absolon 3. But my heart stands in awe of thy Word This was the sign of his love this caused him to spare Gods Anointed revenge Ishbosheths death c. Though Princes degenerate and become Tyrants Touch them not let Gods Word awe thee 2. The second sign of his love is his joy and delight he took in Gods Law 2 His joy and delight in it He tells us that his joy in it exceeded that of men victorious in battel that returned loaden with spoiles Isa 9. David a Souldier and Conqueror could well tell what joy that was and yet he prefers this because it brings better tydings Ver. 2 I rejoyce at thy Word as one that findeth great spoiles 3. A third sign of love to it was his hatred of all iniquity Ver. 3 and his abhorrence of falshood 3 His hatred of false wayes I hate and abhor lying but thy Law do I love It was no lite disliking of sin for a cold hatred of evil in time will be turned to liking no simple refusing of evil but an indignation against it a hatred an abhorrence Ye that love the Lord hate that which is evil for no man can serve two Masters Ver. 4 4. A fourth sign of his love was his fervour earnestness 4 His frequency to praise God and frequency of praising God Seven times a day do I praise thee Ver. 5 because of thy righteous judgments 5 The joy he took in Gods Saints and their peace and prosperity 5. A fifth sign of his love is the content he took that not only himself but others also were the better for loving of it He loved Gods Saints as well as his Law to these was 1. Great peace have they that love thy Law joy prosperity no peace to the wicked 2. And nothing shall offend them or they shall have no stumbling block Scandalize they will not actively nor be scandalized passively for that is offence taken by weak Christians who upon ignorance think that unlawful which is lawful or of Pharisees who interpret that to the worse part which they ought to interpret to the better But they which love the Law of God know why they love it they are perfect in charity nor weakling nor Pharisees and therefore they shall have no stumbling block 2.
the Ark or else by the setling of it in the Temple by Solomon to foretel the Ascension of Christ into heaven who was the true Ark of the Covenant and the Propitiatory Then there was a Jubilee and so there must be at the remembrance of this It contains a Prophesie of Christs Kingdom and it hath two especial parts First Christs ascension typified An invitation to sing praises to Christ Secondly The reasons that perswade to it 1. Vers. 5 The Ascension of Christ is under the Arks ascension typified Verse 5. God is gone up with a shout His invitation to praise God for it the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet 2. Upon which he invites that we do that at this feast which was then done Vers. 1 viz. That we clap hands and sing praises That this be done 1. Cheerfully O clap your hands for clapping of hands is an outward sign of inward joy Nahum 3.19 2. Universally O clap hands all ye people 3. Vers. 6 Vocally Shout unto God with the voice of melody 4. Frequently Sing praises sing praises sing praises sing praises vers 6. And again sing praises vers 7. It cannot be done too often 5. Knowingly and discreetly Sing ye praises with understanding know the reason why you are to praise him 3. Now these reasons are drawn from his Greatness and his Goodness 2 The reasons to perswade to it 1. He is Great He is the Lord the most high 2. Terrible 3. A great King over all the earth All power at his Ascension 1 God great given to him in heaven and earth Vers. 2 2. He is a Good God Vers. 7 1. In collecting his Church by subduing the Nations 2 Good and that in four respects not by a Sword but by his Word and Spirit by which he would subdue their iniquities the iniquity of the Jew first Vers. 3 and then of the Gentile For the Law was to come out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem To the discipline of that Religion and Service which we profess both were to submit and therefore both might well be said to be subdued to us and be brought under our feet Vers. 4 2. In honoring and rewarding his Church He shall chuse out an heritage for us even the worship of Jacob whom he loved 1. His Church was his choice A chosen generation a select people 2. His heritage for he will dwell among them and provide an inheritance for them blessings on earth and an inheritance in heaven 3. This is the worship and glory of Jacob of Jacob after the Spirit the Kingdom Priest-hood and all the promises made unto Jacob and the Fathers being theirs 4. The cause His love only He chose Vers. 7 c. because he loved 3. In increasing and amplifying his Church God is the King now of all the earth not of the Jews only For he reigneth over the heathen also He sits upon a Throne of Holiness rules by his Holy Word and Spirit making them Holy who were unholy 2. Yea and a willing people also For the Princes of the people are gathered together even the people of the God of Abraham 4. In protecting his Church whether by himself Vers 9 or by the Princes he raiseth up for her defence For the shields of the earth belong unto God Princes and Prelates are shields of the Church but God is the chief He is greatly exalted The Eucharistical Prayer collected out of the forty seventh Psalm O Lord God who hast exalted thy Son Iesus Christ with great Triumph into the Kingdom of heaven we beséech thée leave us not comfortless but send to us thy Holy Spirit to comfort us and exalt us to the same place whither our Saviour is gone before And thou O blessed Saviour Vers. 5 who when thou hadst finished our Redemption on earth didst ascend to the beaven in great glory and Majesty Vers. 2 and satest down on the right-hand of thy Father and art become the Lord the most high terrible and a great King over all the earth receive the petitions of thy humble Servants present them at the Throne of Grace and make intercession for us Subdue the people by the power of thy Spirit Vers. 3 and bring the Nations under thy féet by the sharp edge of thy Word Cause those who are yet strangers and aliens from thy worship to fall low before thée and perswade all those who are yet afar off to come néer and to embrace thy Gospel and the truth and equity of thy Law The time was Vers. 4 when in Judah only God was known and thy Name was great in Israel it was the excellency of Jacob which thou didst love but now thou hast merited Vers. 7 and art ordained to be the King of all the earth since therefore thou hast chosen these also for thine inheritance Vers. 4 reign thou even over the Heathen Vers. 8 and subduing their iniquities sit upon thy Throne of Holiness among them O happy day Vers. 9 when not the meanest and lowest but the greatest and the noblest when the Princes of the people shall be gathered together and be united to the people of the God of Abraham being all worshippers of the same God professors of one and the same Faith and partakers of one and the same mercy For then should the name of our God who is truly the shield and defence of his people be greatly exalted in the earth The praises of our God should then be in our mouths Vers. 7 and with-wisdom and understanding should we sing our Psalms heart and hand affections and work being every way agréeable to our Psalmodie O Lord infinite and wonderful are thy wayes and works toward the children of men but the work of Redemption by the blood of thy dear Son farre excéeds them all For this love for this mercy O work upon our hearts to sing praises to thy honour our tongues to sing praises to thy glory our lips to shout with the voice of melody O all ye Saints of his Vers. 1 Clap your hands for joy shout for triumph sing praises to God Vers. 5 sing praises sing praises to our King sing praises Let hands and tongue and works and words be ready prest to sing praises to the God of Jacob. Amen PSAL. XLVIII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 UNder the Type Jerusalem is set down the happiness of the Church which is alwayes protected by Gods favour Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. The excellencies and priviledges of the City of God from vers 1. to 4. 2. A Narration of a miraculous deliverance she obtain'd and upon it the Terrour that fell on her enemies from vers 4. to 8. 3. An Exhortation to consider it and praise God from vers 8. to 15. 1. The first part He begins with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised Great in himself Vers. 1 and greatly to be praised for all things in all
which they have endeavoured That salvation which I expect is from thée Ver. 3 and my eyes have even failed for the vehemency of my desire to obtain it Thy promise thy righteous Word is passed unto me deal therefore with thy servant according to thy great mercy in making this promise frée me from these present evils and infuse also so much love and charity into my heart that I may learn what thou teachest Ver. 4 and practice what I learn and edifie others in thy statutes by my practice I am no stranger unto thée but thy bomestique servant and I have addicted my self to thy service by a firm purpose of heart let me not want that grace that may enable me to do my duty give me then understanding Ver. 5 that I may know thy Testimonies for I shall never be able to do that which I know not It is time O Lord to work thy Church is oppressed thy people are brought very low the sins of the Amalekites are at the full their impiety is grawn to that height Ver. 6 That they have not only broken but contemned nor only cantemned butanede vow and by their practice destroy'd thy Law they are not only my enemies and séek to oppress me but are thy enemies and labour to evacuale thy Truth It is now then a time to shew thy self Arise O Lord and take a Just revenge upon them for this their audacious impiety and malice Ver. 7 It must néeds be good which they hate their malice therefore hath inflamed my zeal They would destroy therefore I love thy Commandments I love that Law which I break I love it above gold yea than much fine gold By it I learn to do that which is just by it I learn to hate every evil way therefore I set an high estimate upon every particular Command in it Lord increase this zeal this love this estéem this hatred in me that I may direct my conversation aright so please thée in every one of thy Commands on earth that after this life is ended I may live with thée in heaven for ever and ever Amen 17. PE. IN this Octonary David praiseth Gods Word 2. Shews his affection to it The Contents 3. And prayes for Grace to keep it 1. The Elogy he gives Gods Word in this verse Ver. 1 is from a new quality not mentioned before Davids Elogie of Gods word that it is wonderfull 1. Thy Testimonies are wonderful For though the literal sense of them be easie and plain yet wonderful are the Mysteries contain'd in the two Testaments Great is the Mystery of Godliness The whole Ceremonial Law is wonderful because under those Ceremonies were obscurely shadowed out to us the Mystery of our Redemption by the Blood of Christ The Decalogue is wonderful written in so few words in which yet are hid all the principles of Justice and Charity to which may and must be reduced all the just Laws that have been or shall be made All these are but Conclusions and Determinations of the Laws of the Decalogue And must receive their trial by it As for the Mysteries of the New Testament no man can say but they are wonderful 2. Therefore doth my soul keep them Learn them love them 2 That it illuminates practise them 2. The next Elogy he gives Gods Law is that it is the Word of Illumination Yea the very 1. Entrance into it such the very first declaration of it Ver. 2 whether it be done by God by infusion of divine light or by some skilful Doctor or Teacher And if the first opening as it were of the door gives light what will the progress and continuance do 2. The entrance of thy Word gives light It is a light shining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 without it then men walk in darkness 3. It gives understanding unto the simple The Simple Not to such as are high-minded and double in heart that are so wise in their own eyes that they will examine the Mysteries of Godliness by the strength of their own reason but to such as deny themselves and captivate their reason and submit it to the Word of God and labour more to believe than to reason These are the simple to whom the Word of God gives understanding of whom our Saviour speaks Mat. 11.25 And St. Paul 1 Cor. 1.25 26 c. 4. And now saith David I being one of these simple ones Ver. 3 Opened my mouth and panted For which David pants and longs 1. I opened my mouth by prayer as desirous of this good Spirit of light and piety 2. I panted after it as men do that want breath and defire fresh aire 3. For I longed for thy Commandments had a vehement intention to understand to fulfil them 3. From the praises of the Law David turns himself to prayer He said but now I opened my mouth and here he acquaints us what he said after his mouth was open I said 1. Ver. 4 Look thou upon me either as unjustly oppressed or under spiritual desertion 2. 2 He prayes for Mercy to pardon sin And be merciful unto me This is well subjoyned for God looks upon some in displeasure Shew me mercy who labour under the burden of thy precepts that by my own strength I cannot fulfil 3. As thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name shew me at least so much mercy as thou affordest to others let not thy custom be broken in me but do by me as thou usest to do by thy friends which love thee in sincerity and truth 2. And Grace to be kept from sin This was his first Petition for Mercy and to it he subjoins a second for Grace Many seek for Mercy to forgive sin that seek not for Grace to deliver them from the power of sin Ver. 5 which is to abuse Gods Mercy to wantonness And therefore David prayes 1. Order my steps in thy Word that is my whole conversation inwardly and outwardly let me be ordered by thee for as our director such will be our actions 2. And let not any iniquity have dominion over me Let me be no slave to sin and Satan in captivity to them so that they domineer over me 3. And deliverance from Calumnies And yet he makes a third Petition Gods children have not only to wrestle against the sin that dwells in them but with enemies from without Oppressors Ver. 6 Calumniators there be that by false reports and pressures retard good men in their way therefore David prayes 1. Deliver me from the oppressions of men that being nor disturb'd by their oppressions nor yet dishearthed by their calumnies I decline from the right way 2. So will I keep thy precepts This favour obtained should not disoblige David but bind him the more So will I keep 'T is but an ill use of a benefit obtained by prayer when we abuse it to Licentiousness How inexcusable are we 4. And that he might have a sense
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
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
the Anaphora Quousque quousque quousque How long what for ever 2. The second part He petitions that His Petition set down in the third verse of which there be three degrees opposed to the parts of his complaint ver 1 2. 1. 1 God would look on him Look upon me or consider me Thou hast hitherto seemed to turn away thy face but once behold me and shew me one good look 2. 2 Hear him Hear me Thou hast seemed to have forgotten but now I pray thee remember me Ver. 3 and shew that thou dost not neglect my prayer 3. 3 Illuminate him Lighten my eyes I have been vexed in my soul and agitated various counsels to recover thy favour but do thou instruct me and illuminate me what course I shall take Now that this his Petition might be the sooner heard This Petition he enforceth he presseth many Arguments 1. 1 From the relation betwixt God and him From that Relation that was betwixt him and God O Lord my God hear me 2. 2 From the event 1. Death From a bitter event that was like to follow upon the repulse and delay if God heard him not he should die his heart failing him Lest I sleep the sleep of death 3. Ver. 4 From another consequent that would follow viz. the boasting and insultation of his enemies 2 Insultation of the enemy Lest my enemy say I have prevailed against him and those that trouble me rejoyce when I am removed But though he were delay'd yet he despairs not for 3. The third part He yet despairs not In the close the Prophet professeth his faith joy thankfulness 1. His faith I have trusted in thy mercy 2. Ver. 5 His joy My heart shall rejoyce in thy salvation 3. Ver. 6 His thankfulness I will sing unto the Lord because he hath dealt bountifully with me The Prayer collected out of the thirteenth Psalm Ver. 1 O Lord how long wilt thou so carry thyself toward me as if thou hadst altogether blotted me out of thy Memory How long O Lord as if thou wert angry dost thou hide thy face and turn thy countenance from me seeming to have no care of me or to shew me the least favorable aspect How long shall I be in a doubt what to do Ver. 2 and deliberate with my self whither or to whom to flie for succour in this my extremity I am daily oppressed with sadness and sorrow in my heart while nothing presents it self to my mind that may ease my grief Besides my enemy thinks that he hath gotten the upper hand over me O Lord how long shall he exalt himself insult and cruelly and proudly triumph over me 'T is enough 't is enough O Lord that thou hast turned away thine eyes from me 't is enough Ver. 3 that thou hast long shut thine ears at the voice of my complaint Now cast upon me one kind look consider my adversities and hear my grievous moans Thou whom I only serve Thou upon whom alone I do depend In these great evils in this agony of soul Ver. 4 in this déep darkness of discomfort I live and pine I pine and grieve and my eyes are grown dim with floods of tears but do thou O Lord with the chearful light of thy countenance dispel this thick darkness that is come over my soul lighten mine eyes that I may sée some way of escape lest being oppressed with the sense of my misery I be swallowed up of sorrow and surpressed by a deadly sléep of despair Should such a thing happen my enemy will rejoyce at it and be apt to boast I have prevailed against him and those that trouble me will be glad when I am moved or removed But O Lord though hitherto I behold outwardly no other things Ver. 5 but signs of thine anger and displeasure yet as I have alwayes trusted so I will trust not in my merits but thy mercy and my heart when thou shalt frée me from this grief and fear shall rejoyce and be glad in that salvation thou shalt send me And for very joy from a grateful heart I will give thée thanks Ver. 6 and sing Hymns to the honour of my Lord who hath repaid me good for the hope that I have reposed in him and I will chant Psalms to the praise of that God who hath dealt lovingly and bountifully with me declaring the greatness and goodness of his power and love for my deliverance ever and ever PSAL. XIV Which is Practical Atheists Character TWO parts there are of this Psalm 1. The Description of the Practical Atheist from ver 1. to 7. 2. A Petition for the Church ver 7. 1. The Atheist is here noted out to us divers wayes The first part The practical Atheist described 1. From his name Nabal a Fool or rather a Churle 1 By his name no natural Fool but a sinful a Fool in what he should be wise 2. His hypocrisie or cunning He saith but he will not have it known 1 By his name 't is to himself he saith in his heart he is a close politick Fool. Ver. 1 2 His hypocrisie 3. His saying or his chief and prime principle There is no God 3 His principle No God which is manifested 4. From his practice confessing God in his words for some politick advantages yet in his works he denies him for 1. His heart is wicked and unregenerate They are corrupt 1 By his corrupt heart 2. He is guilty of the sin of Commission in a very high degree They have done abominable works 2 By his works which are abominable 3. And he is guilty of the sin of Omission There is none that doth good This in general after the Prophet descends to some particulars 3 Never good Davids conviction of the Atheist 2. David demonstrates what he said three wayes and convinceth them 1. By the testimony of God himself for he brings him in as a witness against them and such a witness that cannot be deceived for he is 1. An eye-witness Prospectat He looks on 1 By God who is an eye-witness 2. He is in Heaven above them and by that advantage may see all He looks down from Heaven 3. And all he sees and is diligent to enquire Ver. 2 He looks from Heaven upon the children of men From heaven sees all 4. And enquires into his actions And the end is to enquire into their Religion To see if there were any that would understand and seek after God 2. Ver. 3 And then he gives his testimony in these general terms They are all gone aside And gives this testimony they are all become filthy there is none that doth good no not one 3. 1 In general that not one good And then in the next verse he reckons up two especial sins of which they were guilty Injustice and Impiety 1. Ver. 4 Injustice For they eat up his people
discipline and science strength defence that he had from god 4. from the safe custody that in the battle he receiv'd no wound Vers. 36 5. From the success of the battle He had his enemies in chase Vers. 37 and follow'd them in pursuit 6. From the greatness of his Victory Vers. 38 it was a compleat and full Conquest For by it his enemies were taken consumed wounded not able to rise they fell under his feet subdues their necks brought down c. 7. From the cause in which he takes nothing â—o himself but attributes the whole to God Thou hast girded me c. Thou hast subdued Thou hast given me the necks of my enemies Which is indeed acknowledged through the whole Psalm 2. The Consequent upon this Victory The consequent of the Victory viz. The enlargement of his Kingdom was the propagation and enlargement of Davids Kingdom 1. That before these Victories there was murmuring at him by the people but now being a Conquerour they were all quiet Thou hast deliver'd me from the strivings of the people His Crown was quiet Vers. 43 2. He was exalted to be the head of heathen Moabites Ammonites c. serv'd him Vers. 44 3. Nay a people whom I have not known Aliens shall serve me nay assoon as they hear of me they shall obey me c. Vers. 45 4. 'T is true indeed they shall dissemble in it and do it for fear more than love and take every occasion to fall off and fade away But yet however they shall do it submit and be content to serve me The fourth part Davids Doxology for his Victories The last part contains the main Scope and intent of David in this Psalm which is to celebrate and extoll the Name and Mercy of God for his Victories And it hath two parts 1. His present thanksgiving 2. And his profession for the future 1. The Lord liveth and blessed be my Rock Vers. 46 and let the God of my salvation be exalted And to that end in the two next verses he maketh mention again of his Victories and attributes the whole success to God 2. And he professeth that he will never cease to do it no not among the heathen Therefore I will give thanks to thee among the heathen and sing praises c. 3. And he professeth that he had great reason to do it Great deliverance giveth he to his King His one of his own chaise And sheweth mercy to his Anointed Uncto suo to David And not to David a lone but to his seed for evermore An 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thanksgiving for some great Victory collected out of Psalm 18. O Lord whose eyes are brighter ten thousand times than the Sun thou who beholdest all the wayes of the children of men and wilt reward every man according to his doings Vers. 25 who to the good and innocent wilt shew thy self good and merciful and to the perverse and froward wilt shew thy self averse and severe We thy afflicted people have in the depth of our sorrows cryed unto thée and thou hast out of thy goodness saved us and hast brought down the high looks of the proud The sorrows of imminent death and the incursions of furious men like torrents of water encompassed us the snares they laid for us made us afraid the grave was open and ready to swallow us But in these our distresses we call'd upon the Lord and cryed unto our God and he heard us out of his holy dwelling in Heaven and the cry of our ardent and instant supplication was heard by him accepted and granted Lord when thou wentest out against our enemies when thou marchedst out into the field against Edom Vers. 13 the earth trembled and the heavens dropt the Lord also thunder'd from heaven and the highest gave his thunder hail-stones and coals of fire From Vers 7. to 15. He fought from Heaven the Starres in their courses fought against Sisera O my soul thou hast troden down strength For O Lord the Earth the Heavens the Mountains the lightning the thunder the dark and thick clouds the wind and rain the bail-stones and tempests all have obey'd thy voice and conspired at thy command to the destruction of our enemies to tear them to scatter them to discomfit them They were too strong for us Vers. 16 they took all advantages against us in the day of our trouble and weakness but then thou Lord wert our Protector and Defender even then he reached us his hand and help from Heaven he sent his Angels from above he took us he drew us he deliver'd he fréed us from our strongest Enemies from those who hated us from those bitter calamities which like many waters did environ our souls And he brought us out of these straits into a large and safe place he deliver'd us even because he had a favour unto us Thou Lord out of thy frée love and mercy hast done it So it was because so Lord it pleased thée What shall we give unto the Lord for all the benefits he hath done unto us Assist us with thy Grace and we will from henceforth keep thy wayes and not depart from our God as the wicked do His judgements shall alway be before us and we will not put away his Statutes from us We will walk more closely and uprightly with our God and keep ourselves from our own iniquity even from the temptation of that bosome-sin with which we have been hitherto defiled For then we know that the Lord will reward us after our righteous dealing and integrity according to the cleanness of our hearts and hands in his eye-sight We will therefore love thee Vers. 1 O Lord our strength for thou art our Rock and our Fortress and our Deliverer thou art our God our strong hold in thee will we trust our Buckler and the horn of our Salvation and our high Tower For who is God save the Lord Vers. 31 or who is the Rock save our God It is God that hath girded and arm'd us with strength and blessed us to make his work perfect He hath given us expedition in our actions and power to possess the strongest Fortresses He hath taught and instructed us in the art of Warre and fitted our arms making them in strength like a bow of steel nimble to shoot dextrous to hit and kill the enemy And in the very mouth of danger thou hast given us thy salvation for a shield and the power of thy right hand hath upholden and sustained us Vers. 36 that we fell not and thy favour hath made us great increased us in power and dignity We séemed to be inclosed and shut up in inexecrable difficulties but thou hast enlarg'd our steps and in these slippry places not suffered our féet to flide In thy name and power it is that we have pursued our enemies Vers. 37 that our féet being not wearied in the pursuit we have overtaken them that we have not turn'd again till we have
affrighted me nor flattery won upon me to turn to the right hand or unto the lest But I have put my trust in thee thy loving kindness hath been before my eyes and I have been pleased in the way of Truth Be merciful therefore to me Ver. 1 O Lord that I may go on as I have begun and suffer not my féet to slip in this way nor to fall out of the way By the way side there be too too many tempters and temptations the most are destitute of thy fear having one thing in their heart another upon their tongue in whose hands is mischief and their right hand is full of bribes But thou knowest O Lord That I have not sate in counsel with these vain persons neither will I go in and converse with these dissemblers for I have hated with a perfect hatred the Congregation the Assembly the Society of these Malignants and with my whole heart have detested their Covenants and Engagements I have not I will not sit with these wicked and evil doers lest I should be infected by them or countenance and confirm them in mischief and draw on others by my example They Lord have demolished and polluted thy dwelling place but I love the habitation of thy house by their irreverence in that place they dishonour thée but I will come and fall low before thy Foot-stool well knowing that there thine honour dwelleth And when thou shalt again open those doors unto me if I contracted any soil I will wash it off with a flood of tears and being an innocent among thy innocent people and about thy Altar I will adore and with the Quire of those that sing to thy Name I will praise and exalt thy Mercy and Majesty There will I publish with Thanksgiving and tell abroad all thy wondrous works There with Hymns and Psalms composed to that end I will declare to all men that are there present how wonderfully and mercifully thou hast wrought for me and for thy people in delivering us from the hands of our blood-thirsty enemies Since then O Lord I have alwayes detested and declined the counsels and confederacies of evil-doers since I have béen ever studious of Religion and loved the communion of Saints Take not away my soul with sinners and involve not my life in that perdition which here and hereafter is due to these men of blood and oppressors of the innocent As for me I have walked innocently wronging none nor desirous to wrong any though I have séen the wicked prosper in their wickedness and some have judged them happy men yet I am not moved with their multitudes success or example I will yet walk in my integrity therefore good God destroy me not with these evil doers be merciful unto me and redéem my soul from the evils with which I am encompassed and from those evils that hang over their heads My foot hath hitherto béen kept right by thy grace and mercy therefore when thou shalt bring me back again to thy Temple I will not be unthankful but I will sing praises to thy Name in and with the great Congregation Amen PSAL. XXVII To comfort one in Danger and Adversity against Despair THERE be four general parts of it David shews 1. How free he is in danger from fear and the causes ver 1 2 3. 2. He expresses his love to Gods House and Religion ver 4 5 6. 3. He prayes ver 7 c. 4. He exhorts to depend on God ver 14. Possible it is that some Man Friend or Foe might ask David The first part David fears not because God is with him what heart he had in his miseries and persecutions all the time of Saul To whom David might return this Answer That he was never disheartned he never did despair and the Reason was because God was his Light to guide him his Rock to save him his Strength to sustain and uphold him The Lord is my Light and my Salvation of whom then should I fear Ver. 1 The Lord is the Strength of my life of whom then should I be afraid Of which he had experience And this he amplifies in the next two verses first by experience he had already found this true When the wicked Ver. 2 even mine enemies came upon me to eat up my flesh they stumbled and fell secondly he puts a case Say that an Host of men should encamp against me my heart shall not fear Ver. 3 though War should rise against me in this will I be confident The Arguments of his confidence were Gods goodness ver 1. And was therefore confident and his own experience ver 2. to which he adds three more in the 5 10 13 verses 1. That God would hide him in his Tabernacle ver 5. Ver. 5 2. That when his father and mother forsook him God took him up ver 10. 3. That he should see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living ver 13. He expresseth his great love and desire to the Tabernacle and House of God The second part His love to Gods house One thing I have desired this one before all other things and he was constant in it That emphatically I will seek after that I may dwell in the House of the Lord all the dayes of my life and that for three ends Ver. 4 1. To behold the beauty of the Lord to taste how good and gracious the Lord is 2. To enquire in his Temple there to search the mind of God 3. To offer in his Tabernacle sacrifices of joy Ver. 6 and to sing praises to the Lord. And this was another Argument of his security For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion in the secret of his Tabernacle shall he hide me he shall set me upon a Rock and now shall mine head be lifted up above all my enemies round about me In the last part he falls to prayer The third part 1. He prayes For Audience and an Answer Hear O Lord when I cry with my voyee have mercy upon me Ver. 7 and answer me 2. 1 The ground of his prayer obedience The ground of his prayer his obedience to Gods Command Thou hast said seek ye my face Thy face Lord will I seek 3. Ver. 8 The matter of his prayer in general Hide not thy face from me put not thy servant away in anger Ver. 9 in which he hath good hope to speed even upon former experience 2 The matter of his prayer in general that God desert him not Thou hast been my help be not now worse to me than thou hast been therefore leave me not now nor forsake me O God of my salvation when father and mother forsake me then the Lord will take me up 4. Ver. 10 The matter of his prayer in particular Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a plain path In particular to he taught a way to escape his enemies i. e. Teach me
that fear thee It passeth mans understanding to conceive and the eye of humane reason sées it not which judgeth of all things by the present success This thou hast reserv'd in secret for those which serve thée with a sincere heart and in thy good time thou by great works which thou wilt do for those who trust in thee wilt manifest it even before the sons of men The pride of man is great and in their pride they attempt to throw down those who in sincerity worship thée their tongues are sharp and contentious and in their malice they invent many lyes and scandals against them but thou O Lord wilt hide those thou lovest in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man and wilt keep them secretly as in a Pavilion from the strife of tongues And yet I pressed with the consideration of many evils in which I thought my self forsaken said rashly in my hast Surely I am cut off from before thine eyes thou wilt never certainly cast any favourable look toward me Such was my infirmity so great my inconsideration But thy mercy passed by even then my weakness and setled my staggering soul Notwithstanding my imperfections thou heardst the voice of my Supplications when I cryed unto thee Hear me then now O Lord consider my troubles know that my soul is in adversity have mercy upon me for I call unto thée for help and let me not be ashamed But as for the wicked let them be put to confusion and let them be cut off for the grave that they be able to do no more mischief Let those that invent and speak lyes be put to silence that with pride disdain and cruelty speak against the righteous Blessed be the Lord and praised be his name who hath not only delivered me out of danger but hath shewed unto me in a superabundant manner his marvellous great kindness and loaded me with happiness glory and superfluity of all things yea and set me in a safe and defenced place O lovâ— ye the Lord all ye his Saints all ye that serve the Lord in holiness murmure not against his providence but when ye sée me a man destitute of all humane help delivered hope for the same favour from his hands be of good courage and strengthen your hearts O Lord preserve the faithful and though the wicked flourish and pride it in their success yet look upon our affliction and plentifully reward the proud doer As for those who with an honest heart serve thée give them constancy and perseverance in thy love fear and Truth and let their hope in thée be well rooted and confirmed through the Son of thy love Iesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen PSAL. XXXII Is Doctrinal and sets forth the happiness of one whose sins are remitted THE Title of the Psalm is Maschil and at the eighth verse the reason is given I will instruct thee and teach thee In this then there is an instruction given especially about these three points which divide the Psalm 1. The Happy estate of a justified person vers 1 2. 2. The unhappy condition of that man who is not assured that he is justified and reconciled to God vers 3 A justified person is happy 4. and the way prescribed how to gain that assurance vers 5. 3. A Lesson given for obedience after a man is brought into that state v. 8 9. 1. The Prophet first instructs us in what justification consists It is a free remission The first part How he must be qualified a covering of sin a non-imputation of iniquities 2. How the man must be qualified that obtains it He must have an honest sincere and upright heart Vers. 1 be far from guile doubling hypocrisie vers 3. Now such a one he pronounceth Vers. 2 A Happy man Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered He must confess his sin not excuse or hide it Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputes not iniquity and in whose spirit there is no guile who doth not excuse palliate extenuate his sin but confesseth it 2. The second part And this he makes good by his own experience he hid his sin he doubled with God he confessed not and he was in an unhappy and unquiet condition all the while This David did he hid it 1. I held my peace I confessed not I did not ask pardon and When I held my peace And he was unquiet in his soul and kept silence dissembled my sin 2. I was wounded with the sting of a guilty conscience fears horrours troubles of soul c. My bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me my moysture is turn'd into the drought of Summer 3. But when he confessed it And then he shews you the way he took to recover his happiness which was a clear contrary course He would conceal his sin no longer from which he had so much unrest but he was resolv'd to open and display it before his God 1. Vers. 5 I acknowledg'd my sin unto thee and mine iniquity have I not hid 2. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. Of which the effects are divers 1 He obtained remission 1. The first upon himself He recover'd his happiness consâ—â—ing in Remission And thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin 2. 2 By his example others seek for grace The second upon the whole Church upon every good man that took out and follow'd his example For this i. e. that thou hast been so merciful to me Vers. 6 and pardoned me a penitent confessor shall every one that is godly pray unto thee for pardon in a time when thou may'st be found in the day while grace is offered 3. Vers. 6 Comfort in extremities and safety in the greatest dangers Surely in the floods of great waters 3 And are secure in extremities in an inundation of calamities the troubles shall not come nigh him that depends upon Gods goodness and mercy and is reconcil'd unto him by repentance And he shews the reason from his own experience God was his Protector 1. Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble 2. Thou shalt compass me about with Songs of deliverance deliver me and make me sing for joy and give thanks 3. And now David sets down the Duty of a justified person The third part David instructs a justified person in his way that he be after his pardon obedient to his God and that not out of compulsion but freely and willingly About which that he be not to seek either God from Heaven or David in his person becomes his Doctor I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go I will guide thee with my eye Vers. 8 And a good servant needs no stripes he will observe nutum or nictum heri As my eye is alwayes over you carefully to instruct
his soul as every good man ought in the like vicissitudes of trial and combate by a full assurance faith confidence of Gods favour and protection 1. Chiding himself for his discontent and diffidence Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me 2. Then encourageth and revives his heart upon Gods goodness and faithfulness Hope thou in God for I shall yet give him thanks who is the help of my countenance and my God PSAL. XLIII THIS Psalm is of the same nature with the former and is as it were the Epitom of it and it contains two chief things 1. A Petition which is double 1. One in the first verse 2. The other in the fourth verse Davids Petition that God would be his Judge 2. A comfortable Apostrophe to his own soul ver 5. First He petitions to God The first part 1. That being righteous he would be his Judge Judge me O Lord. 2. That being merciful he would plead his Cause Plead my Cause Ver. 1 3. That being Omnipotent he would deliver him Deliver me ver 1. Of this he assigns two Reasons 1. The first the unmerciful condition of his enemies The Reasons of it two 1. They were a factious bloody inhumane people Plead my cause against an ungodly Nation an unmerciful people ver 1. 2. They were men of deceit and iniquity Deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man ver 1. 2. The other from the Nature of God and his relation to him Ver. 2 For thou art the God of my strength ver 2. Thou hast promised to defend me His expostulation upon it and upon it he expostulates 1. Why hast thou cast me off For so to the eye of sense it seems to me 2. Wh◠go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy ver 2. Secondly The second partt of his Petition is The second Petition for Gods favour that he may be restored to Gods favour and reduced from banishment to his Countrey ver 3. 1. O send forth thy Light and thy Truth Ver. 3 the light of thy favour and countenance and make thy promises true to me let them lead me ver 3. 2. Let them guide me whether to my dignity and honours No I ask not that so much as to thy holy Hill and to thy Tabernacles where I may enjoy the exercises of piety ver 3. Thirdly Ver. 4 Now that he might the more move God to hear his Petition he does as good as vow Which if granted he vows to be thankful that this courtesie should not be cast away upon an ungrateful wretch thankful he would be and make it known how good God had been unto him 1. Then will I go to the Altar of God unto the God of my exceeding joy the joy and content he would take in this should not be vulgar 2. Yea upon the Harp will I praise thee O God my God His joy should be expressed outwardly and Gods Name celebrated with a Psalm and instruments of Musick ver 4. The Petitions being ended The second part His faith by which he quiets his soul and he now confident of audience and favour he thus bespeaks his heavy and mournful heart just as in the former Psalm 1. Chiding 2. Encouraging himself Ver. 5 Why art thou cast down O my soul and why art thou disquieted within me Hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is the health of my countenance and my God ver 5. The Petition collected out of the forty second Psalm O most just God for our heinous transgressions and profaness it hath séemed good unto thy Majesty to turn away thy favourable countenance from us and to banish us from those comforts which we were wont to enjoy in thy Temple and in thy Courts By the want we are come to know the just value of those enjoyments and brought to confess the advantage of those Petitions which in publick we offered with thy Saints and servants before those suits which now we singly make in our retirements This is it that in secret setcheth sighs from our hearts and tears from our eyes that we may once more méet in the beauty of holiness Behold as the chased Hart ready to perish for heat and thirst panteth after the water-brooks Ver. 1 so our souls panteth after thee our God our soul thirsteth for God Ver. 2 even for the living God in whom are the Fountains of living water Oh therefore that that day would once come that we might go to thy Sanctuary again and fréely appear in thy presence The insultations of our enemies are many and bitter they judge us quite rejected and cast off by thée and this is it which breaks my heart and my tears have been my meat day and night Ver. 3 while they continually say unto me in derision Where is now thy God Now when I compare my former estate with my present condition I poure out my soul within me for I lay to heart How I had gone with the multitude I went with them to the House of God with the voyce of joy and praise with a multitude that kept Holy-day But now it is otherwise I am driven from thy Sanctuary I am cast out from thy Temple and this is it which makes my soul within me like melting wax this is it which makes my life a burden to me O my God my soul is cast down within me 't is a trouble that I must remember thée even from this place of banishment even from these desolate places and land of strangers to which I am driven here the evils I suffer are grievous heavy many continual One déep of miseries calls upon another and thy Cataracts and Spouts of calamities fall with a great noise upon my head All thy waves and billows of afflictions are gone over me and are ready to sink and drown me Yet Lord I despair not of thy mercy and goodness I know the Lord will command and make me sensible of his loving-kindness in the day-time and in the night-season he will continue his love so that I shall have just reason to sing of him and my prayer shall approach and come unto the God of my life Why then art thou cast down Ver. 5 O my soul why art thou thus disquieted within me why dost thou despair why art thou so impatient O hope and put thy trust in God be bold upon the confidence of his presence and help for I know the day will come when he will yet look upon me with a favourable eye when I shall yet confess his Name and praise him for the help of his countenance I will say unto God O thou my Rock my stay my hope Ver. 9 why hast thou forgotten me why go I mourning while the enemy oppresseth me Their reproach is no less grief unto me than if I felt a Sword of death in my bones Ver. 10 it wounds me to the very heart to hear them daily say unto me Where
curses perjuries shall be stopped shamed he shall be and confounded The Prayer collected out of the sixty third Psalm O God Ver. 1 thou art my God the God whom I only serve that God whom I have alwayes found propitious unto me therefore even before the morning light I will awake and séek thée I am at this time banished and forced to dwell in a dry and thirsty land where no water is yet the want of necessary relief doth not so much afflict me as the want of thy presence after thée therefore I thirst to thée I sigh of thée I more attentively meditate than of any bodily sustenance It is the grief of my heart that I cannot be present to hear thy holy Word to offer up my supplications before thée Ver. 2 to receive the Seals of thy love and my salvation in the Assemblies of thy Saints there I was wont to behold thy power in thy Sanctuary Ver. 5 I did contemplate thy glory and my mouth shall be satisfied as it were with marrow and fatness even with the chiefest delights might I be again restored to those spiritual comforts in thy house My life is not so dear unto me as is thy loving-kindness that kindness which I was wont to enjoy in thy presence Ver. 3 bring me then back again to thy Sanctuary Ver. 5 and my lips shall praise thee Thus will I bless thée whil'st I live and with the invocation of thy Name in prayer I will lift up my hands unto thée begging help and grace of none but thée who art my Gracious Merciful and Almighty God This I account the joy of my heart and for this my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips And yet being where I am in a desolate Wilderness in a thirsty and dry land I will remember thee in my Bed Morning and in the Night-season I will meditate upon thee and not without great reason for thou alwayes hast béen my help Thou hast protected me as the Hen doth her Chickens under her feathers and therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoyce My soul out of the consideration of thy power and goodness shall cleave unto thée and follow hard after thee and I am perswaded that I shall not be frustrate of my hope for in all my dangers hitherto thy right hand hath upholden me This is my hope this is my confidence I doubt not therefore but that all those that seek after my life to destroy it shall quickly perish and be brought to the power of death or to the lower parts of the earth And many of them as they have sought to shed my blood have their own blood let out by the edge of the Sword and their bodies being unburied torn and devoured by Birds of prey and Beasts of rapine and cruelty O Lord let the King séeing the vengeance which thou wilt take of his enemies rejoyce in thee in thy help in thy salvation And let all those who religiously serve thée and truly fear an Oath glory in thee and make their boast of thée especially when they shall sée That the mouth of all those that have spoken lyes against thy people and by perjury oppressed and undone them shall be stopped by an immature death and made an example to others that they do no more so wickedly nor any more calumniate thy people that serve thée with an honest and sincere heart Amen PSAL. LXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE Subject of this Psalm is the same with many that went before for in this Psalm 1. David being in danger by Saul and his Courtiers commends his cause to God ver 1 2. 2. Complains of his enemies of whose qualities he gives a a very lively description from ver 3. to 7. 3. He foretels their ruine from ver 7. and the event to 10. 1. He prayes in general Hear my voyce O God in my prayer The first part He prayes 2. Then in special That his life may be safe Preserve my life from fear of the enemy Ver. 1 3. As also to be hid from their counsels and practises Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked and from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity Thus in general he speaks of them 1. That they were a sort of wicked men 2. That they were workers of iniquity 3. That they took secret counsel against him 4. That their counsels broke out into act and therefore he desires to be hid as it were in some secret place where he might decline the danger and their attempts 2. And so having set a general character of iniquity upon them The second part The qualities of his enemies as a Reason to perswade God to hear him he descends in particular to describe their villany 1. They were great Calumniators and false Accusers of him Ver. 3 no Sword sharper than their tongue no Arrow swifter than their false aspersions 1 Calumniators with this they were nimble to wound his credit and reputation which he aggravates by two circumstances 1. That it was in secret 2. That it was against him who was innocent and upright They whet their tongue like a Sword and bend their Bowes to shoot their arrows bitter words That they may shoot in the secret at the perfect 2 Obstinate suddenly do they shoot at him and fear not 2. They were obstinate and confirmed in mischief no counsel no perswasion could call them from it so obdurate and hardned in it That they incourage themselves in an evil matter 2. They commune and lay their heads together of laying of snares privily where the Lyons Paw will not reach they take the Foxes Tail 3. Atheistical and impudent they are secure and proud contemners of divine justice 3 Atheistical They say Who shall see them 4. Indefatigable they were and carried on with an earnest desire to do mischief 4 Crafty and indefatigable They search out iniquities they accomplish a diligent search They invent all crafty wayes to circumvent me 5. And all this is done subtilly craftily heartily both the inward thought and the heart of every one of them is deep 't is no easie thing to find their intent 3. The third part Their punishment And now he foretels their punishment 2. And the event 1. Their punishment was like to be hasty sharp deadly and very just 1. 1 Speedy God shall shoot at them with an arrow suddenly they shall be wounded 2. Most just For they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves verifying our Saviours words 2 Just With what measure you mete with the same it shall be measured By their tongues they did the mischief by their tongues they should fall The consequence 2. 1 On them desertion The event should be double 1. In general to all 2. In particular to the righteous 1. Universally All that see them should flee away fear desert forsake them 2. 2 On all fear And all men
was good reason for God had been very good to him which in the next verses he declares and calls to others to come and hear that too 1. Come and hear all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul To those that fear God he calls to come for they were most likely to regard it Vers. 16 And he calls them not to confider what Sacrifices how many how bountiful he offered Not what he had done to God but what God had done to him 2. And this was that God had done for him I cryed unto him with my mouth and extoll'd him with my tongue and God heard me and attended to the voice of my prayer vers 17 19. 3. Yea but then he would have notice taken what kind of person he was when he cryed and prayed No impious person no impenitent sinner conscious enough of infirmities but no way indulgent to his sin For if I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me God hears not sinners 5. The fifth part A Doxology Lastly He closeth the Psalm with a Doxology blessing God that out of mercy not of any merit he would hear and grant his requests Blessed be God which hath not turn'd away my prayer nor his mercy from me The Thanksgiving and Prayer out of the sixty sixth Psalm O All ye that dwell in the earth Vers. 1 make a joyful noise unto God set a Psalm to the honour of his name obscure not his glory darken not his honour but in a glorious and magnificent fashion make it known that praise and honour are his due Say even before God O Lord how wonderful and admirable are thy wayes and thy works past finding out how terrible are thy doings even among thy very enemies so that not only they which love and serve thée with an honest heart shall submit unto thée but even those whom thou hast conquered by thy power and subdued by thy mighty arm Those willingly these against their wills shall adore and worship and sing praise to thy name which is great wonderful and holy But O the stupidity of men O the dullness of our wits God does terrible things but they are not regarded his works are wonderful but they are not considered Come then and sée the works of God and confessed it must be that he is terrible in his doings toward the children of men Who was it that turn'd the red Sea into dry land was it not thée O Lord Who made Jordan to stand on a heap till thy people went through the flood on foot was it not thy power Even we we that were not then born will rejoyce for it being assured that thou which didst these wonders for them wilt do even mighty things for us also in them we were delivered we were saved In him I say did they rejoice and in him will we rejoice since it is the same God that rules by his power for ever the same God whose eyes of providence beholds all Nations conserving Crowns disposing Scepters and upholding Cities and civil Societies in a word the same God that brings down the rebellious though they exalt themselves and set their nests above the clouds O God of our salvation thou hast of late shew'd thy people heavy things Vers. 10 proved us thou hast by many tribulations tryed us by a fiery affliction even as silver is melted and tryed in the fire till it be purified and refined from the dross but not consumed Thou hast permitted us to be brought into captivity and slavery Our enemies have enclosed us as with a Net out of which we had no hope to escape upon our loyns they have laid heavy loads as if we were no better than beasts of burden They have set their feet upon our necks and insulted and rode over our heads So many have been our calamities so many our pressures that we seem'd as men burning in a fiery furnace or compassed round with a vast deluge of waters And yet O Lord we were not consumed thou even thou hast upheld our soul in life and not suffered us for any affliction to fall from thee pressed we were but not oppressed sing'd but not burnt tempted but not overcome in mercy thou hast not suffered our feet to slip And to endear and crown this thy mercy the more unto us after all this trial and trouble thou hast brought us into a moist fertile and wealthy place where for sorrow we shall have joy for discomfort refreshment for barrenness fertility for want plenty in a word for our troubles rest and felicity Now for this wonderful and unexpected vicissitude O bless our God ye people and make the voice of his praise to be heard This thy goodness O Lord shall never be written in sand nor laid up in an ungrateful heart for this I will go into thy house and fall low before thy foot-stool and offer unto thee a Sacrifice of praise which is better than all burnt-offerings I will pay thee there those vowed thanksgivings which my lips have clearly uttered and my mouth hath distinctly spoken when I was in trouble Cheerfully and willingly I will offer unto thee as a Holocaust upon the Altar of a penitent heart the whole man body and soul to be a living holy and acceptable Sacrifice unto thee And indeed I should be very ungrateful should I offer less for Come you hither all ye that fear God and I will declare what he hath done for my soul In my great distress and sorrow of heart I cryed aloud to him for help with my mouth and as I cryed my tongue exalted and extolled him as him alone that was able and I expected to deliver me and because I call'd unto him with a clean and sincere heart he graciously heaâ—â— me and gave attention to my prayer For of this I am assured that had I served him with a double heart and called upon him with hypocritical lips that the Lord had not heard me For obstinate malicious impenitent sinners he will not hear nor such as regard iniguity with their heart Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which hath not turn'd away my prayer not that I am worthy to be heard not that I can bring any thing of worth that may encline his ear It is his sole mercy his love his goodness that I can plead and out of his mercy he hath heard and I am assured that he will hear those petitions which I offer unto him in the name of Jesus Christ his Son my only Lord and Saviour Amen PSAL. LXVII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THIS Psalm contains a Prayer of Israel first for the flourishing estate of their own Church and people and then that the Mercy and Blessing of God might be so extended to them that the Kingdom of Christ might be enlarg'd and all Nations come in and bless and praise God with them with joyful hearts and exultation of spirit The parts are 1. A general Prayer
strength against the Tabernacles of Edom and the Ismaelites against Moab and the Hagarens against the Ammonites and Amalekites against the Philistines and them of Tyre with all their assistants stir up thy strength and come amongst us Do unto these enemies of thy Truth as thou didst to the Medianites deliver them and all their host into the hand of Gideon Go out before them as thou didst before Barak who overthrew Sisera at the brook of Kison and astonished the heart of Jabin King of Canaan when his whole Army perished at Endor and became as the dung of the earth Set every mans sword against his fellow as when thou fought'st for Israel against Oreb and Zeeb They have kill'd our brethren even the sons of our mother save them not then alive but tear their flesh with briars and thorns of the Wilderness as it hapned to those who took part with Zeba and Zalmunna O my God make them like unto a wheel giddy in their counsels as a whéel that is alwayes turning restless in their consciences as a whéel that is apt to motion precipitate in their downfall as a whéel that is alwayes running Make them as the stubble or chast which the wind fiutters up and down and easily blows from its place Let them be consumed as the wood burnt up by the fire and spéedily destroyed as heath and furrs when raised into a flame in the Mountains Let the tempest of thy wrath persecute them and the storm of thy indignation strike terrour into them Bring it so to pass good God that they may not only be frustrated of their hopes and ashamed of their counsels and of their rebellion undertaken against thy Truth and People but that these proud arrogant and insolent men who gloried in their strength and thought themselves invincible become contemptible and despicable their faces being so full of shame that they dare not look a good man in the face nor appear in the presence of thy people Let them be confounded and troubled for ever yea let them be put to shame and perish in their own imaginations So shall other mâ—n take warning by their boldness even for very fear they shall seek thy Name they shall come bending and bowing to thee to appease thy anger Known it will be even to thy greatest enemies that thou alone whose Name is Jehovah art the most High in all the earth That thou art the only God whom all Superstitions and all false worship being rejected they ought only to honour only to serve only to obey in thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. LXXXIV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 WHEN David composed this Psalm he was enforced to be absent from the house of God and the holy Assembly of Gods people In this Psalm then The Prophet doth 1. Set forth his love to Gods house and his desire to be present vers 1 2 3. 2. Account those happy who might continue in that Assembly vers 4 5 6 7. 3. He prayes to God for his restitution thither and sets down the causes vers 8 9 10 11. 4. Yet he accounts himself happy because he trusts in God vers 12. 1. He begins with a pathetical Exclamation as ravished with the beauty The first part By a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he expresses his love to Gods house the excellency the comforts which he once enjoyed in Gods house which he calls Gods Tabernacle How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of hosts Which form is usual when we conceive more than we can express As Vers. 1 Quam bonus Deus O death how bitter is thy remembrance So that How amiable is as if he had said More amiable than I know which way to tell you 2. And his desire to be present in it Then next in plainer terms he expresses his ardent affections to be present in the house of God to the Ministry and Service there done 1. My soul longeth yea even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. 2. My heart and my flesh soul and body cryes out for the living God The Ark of God which was the sign of his presence was so dear to him that he longs faints cryes heart hands eyes tongue all earnestly desire to be present with it 3. He laments his absence 3 He laments his absence from it whether now forced to it by being present with his Armies abroad or driven away by Absolon so that he accounts his case more miserable in this respect than some Birds Sparrows and Swallows that might build about the Temple Yea the Sparrow hath found her a house Vers. 3 and the Swallow a nest for her self where she may lay her young even thy Altar i. e. thy house by a Synecdoche They may nestle there build there sing there be present there but I may not that 's my grief They then upon the point more happy than I. O Lord God of hosts my King and my God By which words he would move God to pity 1. O Lord God of hosts That I acknowledge thee now I am in Arms. 2. My King I a King over thy people but thou a King over me 3. My God whom I serve The second part For he accounts those only happy that might be where the Ark was therefore I desire to be in the place of thy service and where thou dost most gloriously administer thy Kingdom i. e. in thy house 2. In the second place he pronounceth them happy who had free liberty perpetually to live in that Assembly which is call'd the Church whether they did reside there or were but in their way and journey thither 1. Vers. 4 Blessed are they that dwell in thy House viz. The Priests and Levites And that in four particulars 1. Blessed they are for thou in thy House as the good Master of the Family 1 There Gods dispensations to be expected dost there dispense unto them all thy administrations viz. all thy goods thy righteousness the gifts of the Spirit an inheritance of eternal life c. 2. 2 Dwellers there That dwell continue remain not that come and look into it and go out presently from it They must be Citizens dwellers in it not Tenants at will and Passengers habitandi locum habeant non divertendi non commorandâ— 3. A third part of their happiness consists in this that they will do their duty Vers. 4 They will be still praising thee Which is a true Note of Gods Servants 3 There perform their Duties of piety They will offer to God Invocation Thanksgiving Confession they will vow to propagate his Truth and other duties of love and piety 4. Vers. 5 The fourth is That their trust is in God Blessed is the man 4 There they look for an answer to their prayers whose strength is in thee Who relie not so much in their external performances in the Temple as unto thy promises which thou hast made to those who worship thee sincerely in thy Temple 2.
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
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
joyful noyse 1 Universally that it be done in gladness and singing 3. 2 Heartily That it be not partial and restrain'd but complete the Copia verborum in which the Exhortation is offer'd 3 Completely shews it Jubilate colite scitote Vers. 2 venite laudate benedicite 4. 4 Sincerely That it be sincere and not feined done as in his eye and presence Vers. 3 5. 5 Knowingly That it ought to be well grounded arise from knowledge Know ye that Vers. 4 6. 6 Thankfully But thanksgiving be a part of it 7. 7 Publickly That it be as oft as occasion is offer'd Publick Enter into his Courts with Thanksgiving 2. The second part The Duty being set down reasons the Prophet sets down also to perswade to it The reasons for it drawn from the Nature of God 2. The benefits he bestows on us 1. First from his Essence Know ye if you know not so much already that the Lord he is God Vers. 3 Other gods there be talk'd on but none True but he 1 He is God Which shewed by his works of And therefore none to be serv'd but he 2. And this he shews himself to be by his work of Nature and Grace upon you 1. 1 Nature or Creation By his work of Nature for he is your Maker It is he that hath made us and not we our selves Parents are said to get chilcren but that ability is from God He makes the barren to bear and to be a joyful Mother of children Thou hast fashioned me in my mothers womb What saith Elkanah Am I in the place of God when his Wife was displeased she had no child 2. 2 Of Grace By his work of Grace For we were out of the fold but he call'd us into it and ever since accounted of us as his people of his pasture He governs us feeds us And that we be yet the more cheerful and ready to perform this duty in the last verse he puts us in mind of three Attributes of God His Mercy his Goodness his Truth for which he is worthy to be praised by us because we the better for them for be cause he is good he hath mercy upon us and because he is merciful 2 He is he promiseth us aid and assistance and because he is faithful and true he will perform it 1. Vers. 5 For the Lord is good O how good to those that are true of heart He is reconcil'd to us 1 A good God pardons our sin justifies us adopts us for his children and that freely without any merit of ours 2. His Mercy is everlasting He is the Father of Mercies 2 Merciful and begets Mercies as oft as we bring forth sins It is the Mercy of the Lord that we are not consumed 3. And his Truth endureth to all generations 3 Faithful For he never made promise but either he hath or will perform it God is not as man that he should lye The Prayer collected out of the one hundred Psalm O Omnipotent and holy God Vers. 1 the excellency and transcendency of thy Nature and those infinite benefits by thy favour conferr'd upon us exact at our hands that we appear in thy presence to celebrate thy name with joy and gladness and enter into thy Gates with thanksgiving and into thy Courts with praise But being conscious to our own unworthiness which ariseth from the thoughts of our manifold transgressions afraid we are that we dust and ashes sinful dust and ashes should take upon us to speak unto our Lord we tremble at thy presence and are ready to sink under thy displeasure If thou Lord should'st be extream to mark what is done amiss O Lord who may abide it Remember yet we are thy creatures and the work of thy own hands Vers. 3 for thou hast made us and not we our selves Remember that when we were not a people worthy of love thou calledst us and madest us thy people when we were clean without the pale that wentest after us and broughtest us home to thy fold and madest us the sheep of thy pasture Give us grace then O thou great Shepherd of our souls that we may lament our unthankfulness and forgetfulness of these favours and the heinousness of our rebellions being removed be reconciled unto us and inable us that instead of a corrupt and impure life we may serve thée in righteousness and holiness all our dayes Of this we have yet some hope because thou art good Vers. 5 thy mercy is everlasting and thy truth endureth from generation to generation from thy goodness procéeds thy mercy and because thou art merciful thou hast made promises to penitent believing sinners and we are assured thou wilt perform them because thou art faithful and true O seal these promises to our disconsolate hearts by the graces of thy Holy Spirit Vers. 2 then we shall be bold to come into thy presence then will we enter into thy Gates with thanksgiving then we will be thankful unto thée and bless thy holy Name We will serve the Lord with gladness and make a joyful noyse to our Lord the God of Jacob for ever Amen Here ends the Third Book of the Psalms according to the Hebrews PSAL. CI. A Psalm of David Didascalicus DAVID being Anointed by Samuel to be King or as most conceive newly made King promiseth and vows to God to reign in Righteousness and Holiness In a word he would so govern Himself his Palace the Church the State that all wicked doers being taken away and all good men countenanc'd by him God should be honour'd and justice peace temperance piety flourish Two parts of the Psalm 1. The Syllabus or brief of the Psalm with the Dedication of it vers 1. 2. The full Explication of what he means by Mercy and Judgement and how practised 1. Toward himself For he shews what his life shall be from vers 2. to 5. 2. Toward ungodly men vers 4 5 7 8. and the end of it vers 8. 3. Toward all good men vers 6. These should be his Counsellors and Servants 1. The sum of the Psalm The first part He Summarily sets down what he will treat of in this Psalm viz. Mercy and Judgement the two great vertues of a King I will sing of mercy and judgement Ver. 1 1. Mercy Judgement which he really vowes Mercy in countenancing giving audience judging for and rewarding the good 2. Judgement in discountenancing punishing and being a terror to evil works and workers And that he would do this really not talk and seem to profess a great love to Mercy and Judgement as Princes use to do when they mean no such matter He makes a Solemn Vow to God to perform it Unto thee O Lord will I sing From thee proceed these gifts to thy honour they shall be referr'd and by me as in thy sight impartially executed This I Vow and Promise to thee 2. The
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.
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
thy Gospel which came out of Zion and was planted by thy Apostles and diffused by the impulse and power of thy good Spirit Ver. 3 once more flourish amongst us so visibly and extraordinarily work for us That all men even thine enemies may acknowledge That this is the day of thy power Thy power it must be that can collect us whom Heresie Schism and Tyranny hath dispersed thy power to cause us to méet in our solemn Assemblies speak but the word O Lord and appoint the day and thy people will be a willing people they will méet out of love and joy of heart and offer thee free-will offerings in the beauties of holiness O holy Father we must with shame confess against our own souls that we have profaned thy Sanctuary by entring into it with our shooes on our féet and when we have béen in it we have too often offer'd the Sacrifice of Fools holiness is that virtue which becomes thy house for ever and this holiness is from the womb of the morning it comes not from the will of man it procéeds not from the will of the flesh it is a swéet and Virgin dew that distills from thy holy Spirit and as by the silver drops that descend from above the roots of the Herbs are moistned refreshed and cherished so by these secret dews of grace our dry hearts are quickned and recover life vouchsafe we beséech thée therefore to descend upon us with these dewes that being regenerate and born again we may grow and increase in holiness in obedience in alacrity in thy Service refresh us when we are weary make us shoot when we are at a stand ever let us retain the dew of our youth that being lively in all the exercises of Christianity we may at last be exalted and set at thy right hand as thou art seated at the right hand of thy Father and enjoy those heavenly Mansions which our Lord is gone to prepare for us Grant us this O heavenly Father for thy Son Jesus Christs sake to whom with thee and the Holy Sprit three Persons and one God be ascribed all Honour Glory and Praise for ever and ever Amen PSAL. CXI 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 T IS conceived that this Hymn was set by David to be sung at the Passeover and that it might be the easilier learned and remembred the Colons of it are in number as many and digested by order of the Hebrew Alphabet The Sum of it is an Exhortation to praise God for his wonderful favours and benefits bestowed upon the World at large and in special toward his people Israel and the Church Three parts there are of this Psalm 1. A Protestation of David to praise God and the manner how and the company with whom he would do it ver 1. 2. An Expression of the Reasons that moved him to it viz. his admirable benefits bestowed both general and special which he enumerates from ver 2. to 10. 3. A Conclusion or Inference upon the premises by way of a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which he commends the fear of God ver 10. 1. The Title of the Psalm is Allelujah Praise ye the Lord Allelujah The first part He praiseth God himself And that this his Exhortation might pierce the deeper and that his Subjects might the more readily follow his example presently he vowes and protests 1. I will praise the Lord And expresseth the manner how he would do it and as indeed it ought to be done Ver. 1 2. Not hypocritically with the lips and mouth only 1 In sincerity but with the heart 2 In unity and with the Church 3. Not with a heart and a heart but with the whole heart 4. Not separately or Schismatically but in the Assembly of the upright and in the Congregation 1. Both in that Assembly where good and upright men are met 2. And also in the company of many even with the mix't multitude secretly among good men and openly in the Congregation he would praise God 2. And having made a pious confession of his readiness to practise the Duty The second part next sets down the ground and matter of his praise which contains the Reasons that moved him to it as if he had said Which he doing and perswading sets down his Reasons for it There be great and urgent causes that may move me and all others to praise God 1. The first of which is His works of power be it the Creation of the World and its Conservation or be they the favours shewed to his Church these are his works And these works of the Lord are great Ver. 2 1. Great not only for variety and beauty 1 Because his works great 1. Of Creation but that also in the least and most base creature his Wisdom admirable his Power wonderful there is nothing that came from his hand which is not very great and greatly to be admired 2. Great 2 Of Election for it was a great work of his to take to himself a people out of another people to make a Covenant with them to them to reveal his promises to give them a Law to settle among them a policy for Church and State c. This was also a great and admirable work 3. Fools and impious men indeed little consider these works Which fools little think of but wise men consider they think not of the Authour and therefore esteem them not much But in the eyes of all wise men they are exquisite works and they are sought out searched into by all them that take pleasure therein That are pleased both with the Authour the work and the use and end of them 2. Ver. 3 The second of these is His work of Wisdom in the governing of those creatures which he hath created 2 His work of wisdom in governing the World his Church which is 1. Honourable and his Church which he hath collected and this his work is 1. Honourable worthy of honour worthy of praise and therefore much more the Authour 2. And glorious Many Princes have done very glorious works but not to be compared to any work of God the Glory Magnificence and Majesty far exceeds them all 2 Glorious 3. 3 Is his work of Justice The third work is that of his Justice He is a righteous God and his righteousness endureth for ever Men may complain that they see wicked men exalted and his servants under the Cross oppressed and afflicted But the judgments and wayes of God may be secret and hid from us unjust they can never be for he never departs from the exact Rule of Justice though we cannot discern it nor search it out 4. 4 His work of mercy His fourth work is a work of mercy of which he would have a Record kept 1. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembred as in the Jewish Feasts Ver. 4 2. And these proceeded from his meer mercy For the Lord is gracious
both great and small whether thou hast raised them to a high degrée of honour or made them vessels of dishonour Thou Lord art that great Lord that hath made both heaven and earth she power in heaven Thou hast reserved to thy self the earth Thou hast given to the children or men that they may inhabit it and be sustained by it By thine own mouth all those who serve thée in fear and reverence are pronounced to be the Blessed of the Lord give then good God to these the dew of heaven and the famess of the earth multiply and increase them more and more both the fathers and their children Of this nothing can deprive us but our abuse and unthankfulness that may make heaven brass and the earth iron under us So touch our hearts then with thy grace that we never receive a blessing but we be as ready to return a blessing that we use not the gift without blessing thée the Doner t is the end we live 't is the end we breath The dead praise thee not for the gifts of the earth because they have no use of them they that go down into the stlent places of the grave are altogether silent for thy swéet dewes and showres wherewith the earth is impregned and fatned because they stand not in néed of any of her supplies We are the men who yet live and draw our breath which must be nourished and sustained by the dugs of this good mother which we will never praw without thankfulness We will bless the Lord while we live upon the earth even from this time to the end of our life and if we could live for ever for evermore Since therefore O merciful Lord Thou hast given the earth for a possession to the sons of men and to that end that there may be upon the earth some to celebrate thy Name we beséech thée to defend thy little flock from the hands of violent men and suffer them not by their rage and fury to be taken from their possessions by a violent and immature death But much more O Lord preserve them from eternal death and damnation in which no man can praise thée and grant unto them that while they live on earth they may live by the life of thy Spirit that both now and for ever as it is their bounden duty they may praise and magnisle thy Name and set forth thy mercies in Iesus Christ our only Lord and Saviour Amen PSAL. CXVI Didascalicus THIS Psalm is gratulatory for it shewes some great straits to which David was brought from which God delivering him he vowes to be thankful The points of this Psalm are three 1. David makes profession of his love and shews the Reasons of it viz. Gods goodness to him in hearing him when he was in a sad condition and helping him from ver 1. to 9. 2. He professeth his duty and faith ver 9 10 11. 3. He vowes to be thankful and in what manner from ver 12. to 19. 1. Deum David diligit He begins with the expression of his content and love I have enough I love the Lord The first part and presently sets down his Reasons 1. Ver. 1 Because he hath heard my voyce and my supplications good reason then to love him Ratio prima That God heard him 2. Because he hath inclined his ear to me a certain evidence that he was heard Upon which certainty and experience of Audience Ver. 2 he infers this protestation Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live Secunda Ratio Amoris auditum in suâ angustiâ 2. Another Reason that moved him to love God and acquiesce in him was That he heard him in his greatest need and extremities which he describes in the next verse Neither can there be any greater for he suffered in body and soul by the sense of Gods wrath which how great they are those only can tell you that have had experience of them 1. The sorrowes of death compassed me even death it self is the King of fear Describet angustias 2. The pains of Hell gat hold upon me He feared the anger of God for his sin and the consequent of that anger 3. Both these brought him into a heavy case many compass'd about with the sorrowes of death living in prosperity they observe it not they consider it not and therefore they nor fear nor grieve But David was sensible of his condition he found where he was and therefore in grief and fear he-professeth I found trouble and sorrow but at last faith seems to conquer them he despairs not For he betakes himself to his old and safe remedy a remedy that never had failed him 1. Then in these sorrowes these pangs these troubles 2. Invocatio refugium I called upon the Name of the Lord Invocation was his sole Refuge 3. And he sets down the very words of his prayer for our use in the like case O Lord I beseech thee deliver my soul i.e. from the sorrowes of death and dangers of hell And then Ostendit quibus fundament is nixus ad Deum fugit oravit viz. that he might shew that he prayed to God in faith and hope he acquaints us upon what ground he did it viz. those Attributes of God of which every one that happens to be in his case hath especial use or else he is not like to find comfort for then no talking of merits of predestination of Enthusiasms in such a case these are no Cordials to a soul under the sense of Gods wrath That which will then comfort any man is to remember and believe what David doth here 1. That God is gracious he inspires prayer and repentance into a man and freely remits sin Dei Attribut is and receives to favour all such as by a lively faith flie to him 2. And righteous and just that will perform what he hath promised and grant an induigence upon those terms that he hath promised 3. Yea our God is merciful he mingles mercy with his justice and though he scourgeth every son that he receives yet 't is with a fathers hand which is more prone to forgive than to punish 4. The Lord preserves the simple i. e. Men sine plicis such simple men as Job was these being without counsel or help he keeps he saves Of which David gives an instance in himself I was brought low and he helped me And the like favour others may find that call upon him on those grounds that I did relying on him because he is gracious righteous and merciful and preserves the simple 3. Another Reason he had to love God was the great rest quiet Tertia Ratio Amoris acquiescentia animi orta ex reconciliatione peace and tranquility he found in his soul after this storm was over and therefore after he had described the Tempest and the means he used for his deliverance out of it viz. Faith and Invocation and found them effectual
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
whom it belongs viz. the obedient 2. He must walk in the Law of the Lord not after the Law of the flesh The Law of God is the Rule of our Faith Life Worship and he must not decline to the right hand nor to the left neither be Heretick vitious man superstitious idolatrous 3. He must keep his Testimonies Search out what God in his Word testifies to him and keep it 4. Ver. 2 He must seek him with a whole heart Not superficially not hypocritically search his Law to the utmost both what it bids and what it forbids Enquire out the sense of the whole Law and the mind of the Law-giver and then observe it in sincerity and integrity which hypocrites do not 5. Ver. 3 The also do no iniquity i. e. They are no workers of iniquity with purpose of heart 2. Delight 3. With perseverance and continuance 6. They walk in his way They that work iniquity walk a contrary way They that through infirmity and ignorance offend walk besides the way But holy men walk in the wayes of God because their will is to keep Gods Law habitually they remain in it and when they erre and wander by repentance and confession they quickly return again to it Secunda Ratio The Authority of the Law-giver 2. The Prophets second Argument to perswade obedience is from the Authority of the Law-giver All mans disobedience to Gods Law proceeds either out of Rebellion or Oblivion they either forget or contemn the Law-giver That then our obedience may be the better fixed David brings to our mind who is the Authour of this Law and from whom the Command came they are not the Commands of men but of God and that God who may lay what Commands he pleaseth and exact obedience from his servants Thou hast commanded that we keep thy Commandments diligently 1. Thou who knowest when we erre and wilt revenge when we do amiss Ver. 4 2. Hast commanded Not only counselled but absolutely commanded 3. That we keep thy Commandments They may not be dispensed with or broken at our pleasure 4. Diligently Not negligently lazily for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently but with great care and zeal For Satan is diligent in tempting we are weak and infirm and if there be not diligence used we are like to fall and being fallen 't is not so easie to rise A wound is sooner made than healed 3. The blessedness promised to the keepers of Gods Law Davids prayer for grace to obey and the Authority of the Law-giver commanding so strictly that his Law be observed moved the Prophet to send forth this ardent prayer Ver. 5 O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes 1. David was a Prince a great King and yet he desires to be obedient much more others 2. He answers Gods Command with a prayer what he commands he seeks grace to do it Domine da quod jubes jube quod vis 3. Oh that my wayes were directed my counsels my actions speeches conformable to the regularity and straitness of thy Law 4. He knew of himself he cannot be so closely united to God as he ought that his God and he have but one way and therefore he prayes to be directed Ver. 6 Which prayer of his if it pleased God to hear Three effects then he knew well that two excellent effects or three rather would follow upon it with which he was much affected 1. Such a quietness in soul 1 Peace of conscience and boldness to appear at the Throne of Grace 1. Then shall I not be confounded nor ashamed to appear before thee Whereas if his wayes were distorted and crooked and not conformable to the Will of the Law-giver and equity of his Law he should be strangely amazed to appear in his sight flie from his presence as did Adam for that 's the fruit of disobedience 2. Whereas if God granted him his wish and directed his wayes to keep his statutes he should not find any amazement in his conscience while he had a care that his obedience were universal and total not to one Commandment but to all I shall not be confounded Ver. 7 while I have respect to all thy Commandments An eye to them a care to keep them in all my actions even when I weakly break them 2. And this effect will produce another fruit yet viz. a joyful and a thankful heart 1. I will praise thee Give thee thanks and praise for thy grace and assistance 2. 2 Thankfulness With uprightness of heart His tongue only should not praise God but his heart also and it should be well-tuned no discord in it for it should be upright and honest 3. But this could not be done till God had taught him and therefore he adds I will praise thee when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments Learned not to know them only in my understanding but learned to love them and approve them as the most perfect rule of life which love cannot be had but by the infusion of thy Spirit of Grace 3. Ver. 8 And that which follows upon this will be a resolution a firm purpose of heart to be obedient 3 A Resolution to be obedient 1. I will keep thy statutes So I am fully resolved so I have decreed with my self and it is a great help to godliness to resolve to live a godly life for how shall that be performed which is not first concluded 2. And yet this conclusion he makes not without God it had been over-much boldness to resolve without Gods assistance and therefore he resolves conditionally and prayes O for sake me not utterly This I am resolved on but then thou O God again must not leave me utterly destitute of thy grace and help for without it I can do nothing And if at any time in thy just judgment thou shalt desert me that I may know mine own weakness and learn the better to flie to thee and rely on thee yet let it not be an utter desertion For sake me not usque minis usque-quaque over-long The Prayer THOU Ver. 4 O Lord who solely hast over us a Legislative power hast given us a Law in Mount Sinai and interpreted it upon the Mountain to thy Disciples and not counselled but commanded us to kéep thy precepts with all care and diligence Of our selves how unable are we to perform it it is thy assistance and thy grace that must make us obedient give therefore what thou commandest Ver. 5 and then command what thou wilt O that our wayes our actions spéeches and counsels were so directed by thy Spirit that we might keep thy statutes Lord Ver. 6 I am resolv'd to keep thy statutes I have decréed with my self to have respect unto all thy Commandments but then thou must be my Master to teach me for it is from thy Spirit alone that I must learn to love and approve thy righteous judgments for want of which
godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. of this David had experience 1. Ver. 3 I am afflicted very much outwardly inwardly and yet he was constant and resolved to keep his Oath and Vow 2. So that God did enable him He desires that God accept of his vow And of these two the inward affliction was the greatest and therefore he prayes Quicken me restore my decay'd strength as thou hast promised This now was a free-will-offering to swear and vow thus much proceeded freely from him and he expects not to merit by it but desires of God to accept of it Two things he asks in this verse 1. Ver. 4 Accept O Lord I beseech thee th◠free-will-offerings of my mouth Let my endeavours vowes to keep thy Law my invocation giving of thanks confession of my sin profession of thy Truth patience under the Cross be accepted by thee 2. And teach me thy judgments Without thy help I am not able to perform my vow give me therefore strength that I may perform what I have vowed 4. That I am resolved to keep my vow and thy Law appears in this that though for it I am daily in danger of life yet I forget it not I erred not from thy precepts 1. My life is in thy hand That is I am exposed to a present danger of life Ver. 5 a phrase it is borrowed from War where the Souldiers life is in his hand And then no dangers shall affright him from his duty and lies upon the valiant use of his Weapon for if he be a Coward and resist not stoutly his enemy he is like to lose it so Jeptha is said Judg. 12.3 Job 13.14 1 Sam. 28.21 Ver. 6 2. But yet though death be alwayes before my eyes yet do I not forget thy Law 3. And he shewes his danger by another similitude They have laid snares for me What they cannot do by force and violence they seek to do by craft they seek to take away my life by a snare as they do that hunt after wild Beasts both which were verified in Saul that fought against him and hunted after his life both by violence and subtilty he would have slain him 4. Yet I erred not from thy precepts But he would not lay violent hands on the Lords Anointed and therefore erred not 1 Sam. 23. 26. 5. He kept his resolution and vowes still Yet constant he was and now he goes on to shew his diligence and constancy in the study of piety and shewes the Reason 1. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever Ver. 7 Such is the estimation of the godly Gods Law was his 1. Heritage when they compare the Word of God with other things they account them of no price The honey and the honey-comb hath no sweetness gold and silver are of no worth in comparison of it No not all Canaan it self Israels heritage all is but dung to it they therefore David chose for his inheritance He had but one Patrimony or Legacy left him which he esteems and loves beyond all 2. Yea and delighted in above all For they are the rejoycing of my heart 2 His delight Riches and wealth bring care and fear the Word of God joy to a pious soul for it is the Charter of salvation sealed and confirmed by God sealed by the Sacraments confirmed by the Oath of God secured and delivered to us by his Spirit and subscribed by the blood of Christ all which must upon necessity bring joy of heart 3. And upon it he concludes And he therefore adheres to it That he would be a faithful keeper of this great Treasure so long as he had a day to live he would co-operate with Gods Spirit 1. I have applied my heart or inclined my heart that is when on one part the Law of sin drew me and on the other part thy Law I inclined my heart to thy Law and not to the Law of sin The counsel of the soul is like a balance and the mind which hath the commanding power over the affections inclines the balance to that which is best 2. To fulfil and perform In purpose of heart and resolution he ever willed and desired it in performance he might fail To the end but never in his intention 3. Even unto the end His motions were not taken by starts he was no Temporizer whose goodness is like the morning dew the seed of Gods Word was rooted in his heart and therefore as he begun well so he would end well The Prayer O Gracious God in the night of this present life I am encompassed with darkness the Mists of ignorance do darken my understanding and a thick cloud arising from my affections Ver. 1 doth bewitch my will so that I neither know my way nor can choose that which is good O let then thy Word be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path that I may not wander stumble and fall as it happens to those who adventure into dark places without a light without a lanthorn And great tentations I have to fall Ver. 3 for behold I am afflicted very much my soul is alway in my hand every day my life is in danger because I kéep thy righteous judgments Ver. 4 The wicked for this are become mine enemies and what they cannot do by violence that they labor to do by craft for they lay snares for me And yet O Lord Thou knowest the sincerity of my heart nor their force nor subtilty have béen able to overcome my constancy yet I do not forget thy Law yet I do not erre from thy Precepts And that to them my resolution may be the more fixed Ver. 4 and my constancy the more firm I have bound my self by oath and promise I have sworn and by the help of thy Spirit I will perform it Ver. 2 tyed my self I have by vow That I keep thy righteous judgments Accept O Lord I beseech thee the free-will-offerings of my mouth Ver. 4 those promises of obedience which I have made with a voluntary frée heart and teach me to moderate all my actions by thy rule of equity these I prefer before gold and silver these are swéeter unto me than the honey and the honey comb of these I estéem as my patrimony and my heritage they are indéed the joy and rejoycing of my heart be pleased then O Lord to quicken me in them according to thy Word and Promise and incline my heart to fulfil thy Statutes so long as I have a day to live Let me be nor Hypocrite nor Temporizer whose goodness is like the morning dew but grant that the seed of thy Word may take such déep root in my heart that it may bring forth fruit to everlasting life through Iesus Christ my Lord. 15. SAMECH IN this Section The Contents David 1. Declares his hatred to wickedness his detestation of wicked men 2. Expresses his love to Gods Law 3.
And prayes for the grace of God to sustain him in it that be may be quickned according to Gods promise nor frustrated of his hope but persevere unto the end Lastly He insults over his enemies and foretells their destruction 1. 1 David shews his hatred of wickedness David shewes his dislike to all things contrary to Gods Law 1. I hate vain inventions Not only execution of evil but the invention even the very beginnings of it New inventions in his Worship new glosses and interpretations contrary to the Text Ver. 1 David hates not dislikes only 1 His Reasons 1 His love to Gods Law but hates 2. But thy Law do I love And because I love thy Law I hate vain inventions 2 God a shield to him 3. And there is great reason I should do so For thou art my hiding place and my shield 1. Ver. 2 My hiding place That publick evils do not reach me 2. My shield to keep off blowes that are nearly made at me in both my hope is in thy Word 2. To God then and his Law he would adhere in all extremities 2 And to ill men whom he avoids but as for all wicked men he would be sure to sunder from them he knew he should get no good by their company and therefore he turns to them and bids them avaunt 1. D part from me ye evil doers for ye are the pests of piety 2. And your course and mine are contrary you go one way and I another you follow your own inventions Ver. 3 but I will keep the Commandments of my God 3. Now David being fully perswaded that he had a peculiar interest in God He prayes that God uphold him in this resolution turns himself to prayer and not without reason for our intentions and resolutions are nothing except God bless them and therefore David prayes 1. Uphold me according to thy Word that I may live Ver. 4 and let me not be ashamed of my hope Ver. 5 2. Hold thou me up and I shall be safe and I will have respect to thy statutes continually There is in Gods children an instability of love and obedience apt they are to cool and fall necessary then it is that they pray with David that God uphold them in life He did well in hating them by Gods example that they being conjoyned to him in love to hold them up when they slip and stumble that they fall not 4. And that he did well in hating wicked men he now proves it Ver. 6 in that therein he followed the example of God in which he could not choose but do well 1. Thou saith he hast trodden down trampled under thy feet as vile creatures all that erre from thy statutes 2. For their deceit is falshood They deceive themselves in their wickedness for either they conceive that they need nor be subject to the Law of God or that they look for a good in sin which sin promiseth but they shall never find or else they flatter themselves with a vain hope to escape Gods judgment which yet at last shall certainly overtake them 3. This last is certain and David in the next verse expresseth so much Ver. 7 Thou hast taken away all the wicked of the earth as dross for no better they are in Gods account they esteem Gods children for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but they are so and for such shall be dealt with and scowred away 4. Therefore I love thy Testimonies therefore that I may avoid this judgment 5. How by the judgments of God he profited in the love of his Testimonies he shew'd in the end of the former verse in this he shewes how he profited in his fear My flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am afraid of thy judgments Ver. 8 Happy is he that by other mens harms learns to be wise and godly A â—on Whom he fears when he sees a Slave whip't may learn not to offend his father The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord and we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling Our love in this life is imperfect and therefore it may nay must consist with fear nay which is more the love of God will never be kept in our hearts but by the fear of God and therefore this verse is read Confige timore tuo carnes meas Fasten as with Nails my lustful affections to the Cross of Christ that they have no liberty to move to go loose and wander where they please Gal. 5.24 'T is then as if David had said because I have begun to be afraid of thy judgments that bring heavy punishments on wicked men therefore I desire to be established in this holy and filial fear and never to be severed from it Over-much familiarity breeds contempt a true conception of Gods Justice and Majesty begets Reverence The Prayer O most holy God Ver. 1 and merciful Father it is not unknown to thée how I love thy Law thy eyes that séest the very secrets of the heart are conscious that my flesh trembleth for fear of thée and that I am afraid of thy judgments When I behold how thou hast trodden down all that erre from thy statutes how thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross my heart in â—he midst of my body is become like melting wax which every moment presents unto me my sin and what I have deserved Let their sufferings be my instructions and thy wrath executed on them be an admonition to me ever hereafter to love to keep thy Testimonies Lord I desire to be established in this holy and filial fear and to work out my salvation with fear and trembling Which that I may bring to good effect Lord upâ—old me according to thy Word that I may live the life of grace I hope in thy Word let me not be ashamed of my hope Thou art my God and I will keep thy Commandments hold thou me up and I shall be safe stay me in all tentations that I fall not hide me under the shadow of thy wings and be my shield to kéep off those blowes which Satan makes at me either by himself or his instruments these press â—ard upon me to invegle me to a false Worship and to joyn with them in their new coined inventions Ver. 1 but I hate all vain thoughts Depart from me ye evil doers for I will keep the Commandments of my God By thy grace I stand and by thy grace I am what I am O let thy grace continue with me and accompany me through all the changes and chances of this mortal life till it hath brought me to rest in the bosom of my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen 16. AIN DAVID in this Octonary The Contents David professeth his integrity having made 1. Profession of his Integrity 2. Prayes for protection against his enemies 3. And also for grace to know his way upon earth and follow it 1. He begins
and he expresses the cause 2. Because mine enemies have forgotten thy words I did even pine away for grief and anger that men should be so prophane to forget so just and useful Laws 4. 3 Commends it as pure like tryed gold And now he returns to a nother commendation of Gods Law and shewes another affection that from thence arose in him to wit love 1. Ver. 4 Thy Word is very pure or proved most pure 'T is like gold that is tried in the fire from which all drosse is by melting purged Psal 12.6 Upon trial Gods law will be found to be far from all injustice Unjust he is not when he chastiseth his children for there is sin in them nor unjust he is not when he suffers the wicked to flourish for it is their portion Luke 16.25 Righteous are thy judgments 2. And shews his love to it And this raised in David another affection viz. Love Therefore thy servant loveth it Love in God is the fountain of all his benefits bestowed on us and love in man is the fountain of all our service and obedience to our God Love is such a duty that it cannot be excused in any without which all that we can do in his service is nothing He must love Gods Law because it is his Law and a just Law that means to keep it for Love is the fulfilling of the Law 3. A third effect that this wrought in David was a careful remembrance of it yea albeit he was in a mean estate and for it despised by his enemies 1. Ver. 5 I am small the youngest and least among my brethren 2. And his care not to forget it no not in sad times And despised and little set by by my brethren Saul c. 3. Yet do not I forget thy precepts nor my poverty nor contempt can bring me to that passe that I forget my duty to thee Many there are who will professe Religion as long as they see peace and honour followit but rather than they will endure trouble and contempt will utterly forsake it Thus did not David he kept in memory Gods Law And indeed the first step of defection is to forget what God hath commanded for upon this the transgression easily follows 5. 3 He commends it from the perpetuity of it And here he interserts a fourth commendation of Gods Law viz. The immutability perpetulty and eternity of it It is immutable and may never be dispensed with it is a righteousnesse and it is everlasting 1. Ver. 6 Thy righteousnesse is an everlasting righteousnesse No man may change it no man may dispense with it so long as the world stands so long it must be rul'd by it 2. Thy Law is the Truth The Truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath the priority of all Lawes in this it contains no falshood the promises and threats in it shall certainly be fulfilled 6. Upon which he makes mention of a fourth effect that it produced in him Therefore he joyes and delights in it in his tribulation viz. joy and delight yea non obstante all his troubles and sorrows 1. Trouble and anguish hath taken hold upon me The righteous are often under the crosse that sin may be subdued Ver. 7 patience and the graces of the Spirit increased the pleasures of the world contemned and the joyes of heaven desired 2. Yet thy Commandments are my delights Yet even in this great tribulation the meditation of thy truth contained in thy Law doth delight me it is the remedy against all my afflictions to call to mind what thou hast promised This is it that sanctifies all afflictions to me and makes me rejoyce in them 7. Ver. 8 That Gods Word and Truth was everlasting that gave him so much comfort and joy that he repeats it again 1. He repeats both And desires understanding in it The righteousnesse of thy testimonies is everlasting and adds only his accustomed Petition unto it 2. Give me understanding and I shall live Live and revive in all my troubles It is no life that men have who are destitute of this knowledge they live uncomfortably and therefore the Word of God is contemned by none but such as know not the excellency thereof and the comfort it brings The Prayer O Lord thou art a righteous Iudge and thy justice is so essential to thée Ver. 1 that thou canst no more defrand thy servants of thy promised comforts nor let the wicked escape unpunished in their sins than deny thy self to be God Thou art upright in thy judgments even in those stripes thy children receive and in all those plagues the wicked receive at thy hands O Lord we confesse that for our sins we justly have deserved to receive those blowes and yet we comfort our selves in this that these chastisements are to be but temporal whereas the stripes of the wicked are like to be eternal They may escape thy anger and flourish here but they shall never flye from the wrath to come Now from this eternal justice which is in thée hath procéeded thy Law which is a Law of equity for the testimonies which thou hast commanded Ver. 2 are exceeding righteous a Law of truth having no admiâ—tion of vanity or falshood a law of purity the finest gold purged from the drosse is not purer a perpetual and eternal law that to all men and at all times prescribes their duty Put then O Lord into my heart a zeal a love to this Law let me never forget it but take my delight in it even then when trouble and heavinesse have taken hold on me It is not unknown unto thée how I have béen consumed with grief and inflamed with anger because ungodly men have forgotten thy words Ver. 3 this they laugh at for this they despise me but their milice doth but increase my love to thy Law and their contempt quicken me in the memory of thy promises O give me an understanding heart and an inflamed soul to thy truth and so I shall live quietly in the midst of my calamities and chearfully end my dayes in thy sear and by thy favour be brought at last to a safe harbour in heaven by Iesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen 19. KOPH DAVID in this Octonary fervently petitions for Audience The Contents Davids prayer Deliverance increase of grace 2. The end he desires it is to keep to observe and meditate on Gods Word 3. His main reason to perswade it is Gods mercy and the danger he was in by mischievous enemies from whom nothing could deliver him but Gods goodness of which he had had former experience 1. For his prayer it was very well conditioned 1. Ver. 1 It was earnest a Cry rather than a Petition I cried and again ver 2. I cried 2. Ver. 3 It was sincere I cried with my whole heart Toto affectu totis viribus 3. Seasonable and continual he did persevere in prayer 1. I prevented the dawning of the
morning and cried 2. Mine eyes prevent the night morning and evening he prayed 2. For audience deliverance increase of grace That which he pray'd for was 1. Audience Hear me O Lord And again Hear my voyce ver 5. 2. Ver. 1 Deliverance Save me ver 2. 3. Increase of grace Quicken me ver 5. 3. Ver. 2 The end that he desires salvation and grace 1. That he might keep Gods statutes First is That he might keep Gods Statutes Hear me I will keep thy Statutes 2. Ver. 1 Save me that I may keep thy Testimonies ver 2. 3. Ver. 2 I prayed and watched that I might meditate in thy Word ver 4. 4. Ver. 4 Quicken me according to thy Word for the self-same end ver 5. 4. His arguments to perswade it The Arguments he especially useth besides the former to move God to hear and grant his Petitions are 1. His faith and hope I cried because I waited and hoped in thy Word and promises 1 His faith 2. Gods mercy Hear my voyce according to thy loving-kindness The common Argument to be used by all Gods children 2 Gods goodness for were they never so righteous and just yet in mercy they must desire to be heard and not for their merits 3. The danger that he was now in by persecuting enemies 1. Ver. 6 They draw nigh they are at hand the danger is near 2. 3 The danger he was now in His comfort that God was near him Yea and great too for they are mischievously bent they follow after mischief hunted after all occasions to do evil 3. Most impious men they are far from thy Law they hate it shun it labour to make it odious in every eye 5. But the comfort is that they are not so near but thou art as near they to do mischief but thou to defend me let then their number power malice be what it will thy power and mercy is beyond it 1. Thou art near O Lord let then these my enemies be far from thy Law they cannot be far from thee Ver. 7 Thou art near and wilt reach them by thy justice And would not desert him and this is my comfort 2. For all thy Commandments are Truth Albeit the evil of wicked men follow me because I follow thee yet I know thy Commandments are true and it is not possible that thou shouldst desert thy servants who stand to the maintenance of thy Word their wickedness shall never escape thy hand of punishment they may punish my body but they cannot deprive me of my Crown of glory 6. He concludes with an Epiphonema Of which he is confident being assured upon his own experience of the stability and immutability of Gods Word I know thy Commandments are Truth for Ver. 8 1. Concerning thy Testimonies thy Will that thou hast testified in thy Word 2. I have known of old even ever since I began to look into them study them and practise them 3. That thou hast founded them for ever They are of eternal Truth immutable and indispensable and this is the Anchor of our souls that we be not carried away with the winds and waves of tentations The Prayer OVL of a vehement desire I have cried to the Lord for help and that not only with my tongue and voyce but with my whole heart Ver. 1 hear me good God which if thou wilt vouchsafe to grant I will more studiously and fréely séek to know and kéep thy statutes Ver. 2 I have called and eried to no other God but thée therefore save me from these pressures and dangers Ver. 3 and being by thée saved and delivered I will more diligently kéep thy Testimonies Neither have I only called upon thée by bay but I have prevented the bawning of the morning with a great cry I have sought thy face and implored thy help because I repose my sole hope in thy promisses I have prevented also the night watches my eyes day and night have béen intent upon thée that I might be occupied in the meditation of thy words both in those in which thou hast promised thy mercy and in those in which thou hast signified thy Will and exacted my obedience Hear therefore my voyce according to thy loving-kindness and according to that equity by which thou usest to procéed with all those that love thée and call upon thy Name quicken me with the sense of thy savour and deliver me from this imminent death and danger And the impiety of my enemies makes me be the more instant to obtain this mercy for they that persecute my soul are set upon mischief they hunt after my life nay they hate not me only but thy Law it is odious in their eyes they look strangely upon it and desire it should be as odious in others From this imminent dagger it is not possible for me to be safe but by thy hand and guidance As then they approach near to hurt so do thou approach near to help and make it appear by my deliverance that all thy promises are truth This I have known long since and now Lord let me have erperience of it again so shall I have just cause to praise thy judgments and sing of thy mercies and make it known That thou hast founded them forever nor the rage of man nor the malice of Devils shall be ever able to shake thy-Truth or evacuate thy promises which thou hast maâ—â— to thy Church in Iesus Christ our Lord. 20. RESH IN this Section David petitions to God for help in his affliction The Contents 2. Complains of the multitude of his persecutors 3. Laments their condition 4. And shewes his constancy and love to Gods Word 1. David in his affliction prayes to God David begins with a petition In afflictions it is some comfort to us to have our case known consider'd and examined especially by those that love us therefore David desires 1. Ver. 1 That God would consider his case Consider my afflictions so much at least 1 To help him 2. Then that he would help him Deliver me from my tempting enemies 3. His Reason to perswade both For I do not forget thy Law though I perfectly keep it not yet I have not cast it behind my back I do not forget it I desire to keep it This he could plead with a good conscience if not what he had done yet what he would have done therefore he could boldly make this request Deliver me 4. 2 To be his Advocate But yet he goes further and desires God to be his Advocate to him he appeals 1. Plead my cause and deliver me At the bar of men a just cause oftentimes miscarries for want of a good Advocate Ver. 2 and is born down by an unjust Judge wherefore I beseech thee who art the just Judge of the World take my cause in hand plead it to their faces and deliver me Arise up for me in the judgment that thou hast commanded 2.
He shewes the perfection of his love And now he shewes the perfection of his love in the three last verses 1. Ver. 6 By his hope and confidence Lord I have hoped for thy salvation 1 By his hope 2. 2 His obedience By his obedience and done thy Commandments 2 Tim. 4.7 I have fought a good fight I have finished my course henceforth is laid up for me c. 3. And this he repeats in the next verse My soul hath kept thy Testimonies and I loved them exceedingly He that loves me saith Christ keeps my Commandments Si amor operari renuit amor non est 4. And yet again 1. I have kept thy Precepts and Testimonies 2. But this is upon another Motive which is proper to perfect men viz. Gods eye for all my wayes are before thee coram te Gods presence over-aw'd him whatever he did he did as in Gods sight well knowing that he saw all Walk before me saith God to Abraham and be thou perfect Gen. 17. The Prayer O Omnipotent God Ver. 1 Thou hast chosen unto thée a little flock and this flock lives among wolves the Devil and in his instruments séek to devoure it Antichrists and Tyrannical Princes daily without any cause persecute it their labour is to withdraw thy people from thy fear and to violate thy command be then present with these little ones assist these innocents that they fall not that they faint not ever kéep their heart upright and make it stand in awe of thy Word Among these I have had my portion less I confess than I deserve but sufficient to try my love and yet by thy mercy that hath held me up I have béen awed by thy Law and have not declined from thy fear Go on gracious God and assist me with thy Spirit that I may ever rejoyce in thy Word Ver. 2 estéem myself richer in the enjoyment of it than they that have enriched themselves by the gathering together of great spoiles Make me to hate this their iniquity Ver. 3 and mine own cause me to abhor all falshood and lying And out of a love I bear to justice and a dislike of all injustice to love the equity of thy Law Seven times a day as often as I think of it move my heart to praise thée for all thy righteous judgments In these thou hast shewed thy self a just God Ver. 4 that gives peace joy prosperity to those that love thy Law and pursuest the Transgressors of it with a perpetual infelicity for there is no peace to the wicked who though they lay snares for me and cast stumbling blocks in my way yet good Lord let me be so confirmed by thy grace that I be not offended at it Ver. 5 let neither their flatteries and example draw me to transgress nor their threats remove me from the love of thy Truth or a constant practice of piety and charity O Lord I have looked for thy salvation and I know that I cannot be saved except I do my duty both to thée and my neighbour Ver. 6 which is exactly prescribed in thy Law make me then to love excéedingly thy Word and to do what in it thou commandest and to kéep it because it is thy Precept Ver. 7 a just Rule an equal Law and work my heart to this love and obedience out of the consideration of thy eye and presence I am alwayes before thée Thou beholdest all the secret recesses of my heart much more my actions make me then so sincerely to walk before thee and be so studious to please thée in all thy Commandments that I may glorifie thy Name even before men and be glorified by thée in the presence of Saints and Angels at the last day Amen 22. TAU IN this last Section David prayes gives thanks confesseth his errours The Contents and craves mercy and promiseth obedience to Gods Commandments 1. He first prayes in the two first verses in which David prayes 1. He prayes for his prayers desiring God to accept them 1 For his prayers which is a very necessary duty 1. Let my cry come near before thee O Lord. Ver. 1 2. Let my supplication come before thee The ingemination shews his earnestness fervency importunity or perseverance Luke 11. 2. That which he prayes for is understanding 2. And deliverance 1. Give me understanding which he limits according to thy Word 2 Understanding thy promise Psal 32.8 That I may know fulfil and by my obedience obtain life eternal 2. Deliver me according to thy Word The end of understanding 3 Deliverance is to be delivered from sin John 8.36 If the Son shall make you free you shall be free indeed 2. He gives thanks he proceeds to the other part of prayer 2 He gives thanks Thanksgiving 1. My lips shall utter praise His thanks should not be smother'd Ver. 3 nor mutter'd over but utter'd with a distinct and loud voyce not only his heart but his lips also should bear a part in it 2. And his lips should proclaim the equity of Gods commands but yet so that he were first taught and helped by grace My lips shall speak praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes Ver. 4 3. And yet again My tongue shall speak or intreat of thy Word to the edification of others and the Reason why he would speak in their hearing was Because all thy Commandments are righteousness and so most forcible to reform all unrighteousness there is corruption in Religion and confusion in manners when Gods Word is not heard 3. And now he sets to prayer again for having made promises of thankfulness 3 He prayes again for help he seeks help of God to perform them Our sufficiency is not of our selves to will and to do are of him he therefore prayes Ver. 5 1. Let thy hand help me thy power thy wisdom 2. For I have chosen thy precepts Optima ratio without which His Reasons no help from God to be looked for Ver. 6 3. And yet he adds two more both his desire and delight 1. I have longed for thy salvation O Lord 1 Obedience Gods children are not satisfied with the beginnings of mercy still they wait and seek and long 2 His earnest desire and sigh and thirst and hunger and long for more salvation they have but in promise they long for the accomplishment 2. 3 His delight in Gods Law And thy Law is my delight which well followes on his longing for these two are well conjoined salvation and Gods Law For all the hope we can have of salvation is the promise we find in Gods Word and the delight we take in performance of it I have chosen thy precepts longed for thy salvation delighted in thy Law therefore let thy hand help me 4. 4 He prayes again for prolongation of life And yet farther he proceeds in his Petition for prolongation of this life say some for eternal life say other
up against us Men carnal corrupt men that look after nothing but to satisfie their own Ambition Lust Avarice Those arose seditiously tumultuously rebelliously of such the Proverb is true Home homini lupus 2. Which the Prophet verifies in the next verse expressing the danger that the Church was in from these men or Beasts rather by these two similitudes of Beasts of prey of waters 1. Ver. 3 Then they had swallowed us up quick that had been the consequent of their rising The danger the Church was in before delivered like Wolves and Bears they had rush'd upon us and devoured us as poor sheep eaten us even alive Though Bellarmine refers this Clause to waters also because Beasts tear before they devour and so eat not their prey alive But the Metaphor may be proper enough the other way for he shewes what they would do if they could and that in their fury they spare not a living soul By cruel enemies 2. The cause their wrath Which fury of theirs the Prophet conceals not but illustrates it by a Metaphor This they had done to us when their wrath was kindled against us Ver. 4 3. His other similitude is from waters Then the proud waters had gone over our soul And in the verse before Then the waters had overwhelmed us the stream had gone over our soul He compares the Enemies Army to a swelling Torrent that carries all before it 3. Ver. 6 Next acknowledgeth the deliverance and gives thanks to the Authour to be God alone He gives thanks for it Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us over as a prey into their teeth The deliverance was beyond expectation which he illustrates by another similitude of a Bird taken in but escaping out of a snare unexpectedly 1. Ver. 7 Our soul is escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler taken to be killed 2. The snare is broken and we are delivered the Fowler is deceived of his prey 4. Ver. 8 He concludes the Psalm with a gratulatory Epiphonema 1. And relies on God Our help is in the Name of the Lord. The Church relies in all dangers upon God whether they be assaulted openly as by Bears and Wolves or secretly as the Fowler layes wait for the Bird yet her help is in Gods protection and tutelage 2. Who made Heaven and Earth i. e. The Creatour who hath all things in his hand and power and therefore is able to deliver us The Prayer EXcept thou Ver. 1 O Omnipotent and Merciful God shalt by thy power and favour assist and help us our enemies Swords drawn out against us must néeds dispatch and consume us for their wrath is so kindled against us that as Wolves and Bears devour the poor flock so have they rush'd into amongst us and desired to swallow us quick when they seditiously and rebelliously rose up against us yea the déep waters of the proud hath overwhelmed and gone over our soul Sought they have to swéep us away as a mighty Torreut and over-run us at once as an unexpected inundation doth the lower vallies And what they could not do by violence that they have attempted by close and secret practices for they have set snares for our souls as the crafty Fowler doth for the innocent Bird. O Lord avert thy anger from us and take not vengeance upon us according to our deserts be not wanting to thy own Ordinances to thy Name thy Truth which with us is like to suffer Bring to pass that we may at last say Blessed be the Lord who hath not given us over for a prey unto their teeth let their nets be broken Ver. 6 their plots vissolved weaken their strength and bring to naught their counsels and make a way for our souls to escape as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler from thée alone which hast made Heaven and Earth we look for help therefore we humbly beséech thée that for thy infinite goodness and mercy Ver. 8 thou wouldst be propitious to our prayers and deliver us from these fierce bloody and subtile enemies for the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSALM CXXV 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IT is the purpose of the Prophet to comfort the Church of God 1. The Sume By an assurance of her perpetuity both from Gods presence and protection ver 1 2. 2. That though God suffer them to be chastised by the wicked yet he will not leave them under the rod ver 3. 3. He prayes for the good 4. Sets down the portion of the wicked ver 4 5. 1. The first part In the beginning of the Psalm the Prophet sets down a general promise of the perpetuity of the Church because of Gods continual presence with her Ver. 1 And shews to whom it belongs 1. They that trust in the Lord. That trust in him The Church shall continue not with a vain confidence and presumption but that rely upon him by faith not fained out of a pure heart and a good conscience and aftervent love 2. These shall be as mount Zion which cannot be moved secure and immovable as is Zion not only immovable because a mountain but because a holy mountain consecrated and dear to God 3. Which the Prophet farther explains and assigns a perpetual duration to it but abides for ever which is a comfort to the Church Because God protects it of which Zion was the Type No tempest no storm no persecution no enemy shall destroy it Of which the Prophet gives a reason in the next verse by a Similitude for Zion which was in Jerusalem hath the mountains round about it for a wall of defence 't is not easie for an enemy to approach Jerusalem nor to take It was a Virgin-City never taken but twice and then when God took away his protection from it and delivered it to the hand and will of the Babylonians and Romans Which protection he will never take from his Church and therefore the Church is unexpugnable 1. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem 2. So the Lord is round about his people A wall of fire round about Ver. 2 Zach. 2. 3. From henceforth even for ever They that trust in the Lord shall be alwayes safe and secure for though they be temporally afflicted yet all shall work for their good He may take from them their wealth health c. yet he gives something better patience comfort with hope of eternal glory 2. Which the Prophet confirms preventing an objection The second part What shall those that trust in the Lord be safe and secure How comes it to passe then that they are oppressed to which the Prophet by way of prevention answers The power of the wicked shal never destroy it He grants it may be so but the oppression is not to continue The power of the wicked shall be over the just for their probation for their trial and correction but it shall not rest upon them it
and before all others for ye are the servants of the Lord chose out of the people to this service 3. Ye are those which by night stand in the house of the Lord ye are appointed Levit. 8. Numb 18. and must therefore stand upon your watch In the Temple you ought not to be sleepy and idle for you were set for another purpose Therefore 4. Lift up your hands by prayer in the Sanctuary before the Ark of the Covenant which was the symbol of his presence And to bless the people 5. Bless the Lord laud and magnifie his Name The other part of your office is to bless the people let not that be forgotten neither but say in this Form of words 1. Which they do The Lord blesse thee Let them know from whom the blessing comes 2. Out of Zion So long as they remain'd in the unity of the Church no blessing to be expected The form of blessing when Zion was left 3. That Lord who hath made heaven and earth He that hath power to bless and hath given and must give his blessing to all creatures without which they will not be blessed to thee The Prayer collected out of the one hundred and thirty fourth Psalm O Merciful God that hast chosen the Tribe of Levi and taker us neere unto thy self give us grace and abilities to perform our duties to thee We are thy chosen servants we are to stand in the house of the Lord cause us therefore night and day to stand consciouably upon our watch to lift up our hands in thy Sanctuary to offer up our prayers continually unto thee and to intercede for thy people and never let us forget to bless thee our Lord and thy people in thy name And moreover we intreat of thee dear Father that thou wouldst ever do good to thy people out of Zion who fly unto thée for a blessing Thou art the Lord who hast made heaven and earth deliver us from our present difficulties and dangers and since thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy truth give us a hoart to land and praise thy holy Name for ever and ever Amen Here endeth the Psalms of Degrees PSAL. CXXXV IN this Psalm the Prophet invites the servants of God to praise him and Ministers especially vers 1 2. by arguments drawn 1. From his goodness especially in his election of Israel vers 3 4. 2. From his greatness and power shewed in his works from vers 5. to 8. 3. From his justice shewed upon the enemies of Israel from vers 8. to 13. 4. From his loving kindness extended and to be extended to his servants vers 13 14. 5. He invites the Levites to praise God The first part Having derided the vanity of Idols from vers 15. to 19. he returns to his exhortation calling upon all to blesse God from vers 19. to 21. 1. He calls upon the Ministers of Religion especially to attend to the recitation of divine praises and in the same words of the former Psalm 1. Ver. 1 Praise ye the Lord praise ye the Name of the Lord praise Him O ye servants of the Lord. 2. Ver. 2 Ye that stand in the house of the Lord in the Courts of the house of our God 2. The second part The reasons And now ingeminating his words again he produces his reasons to perswade it 1. Ver. 3 Because the Lord is worthy of all praise Praise the Lord for he is good What is good is worthy of praise 1 Because he is good what is bad worthy of dispraise But God is absolutely good not comparatively nor by participation from himself good not from any other and therefore praise the Lord because he is good 2. 2 It is a pleasent work Sing praises to his Name because it is pleasant it is no troublesome work or laborious but full of delight sweetness content The Hebrew word Nahim may be referred to the Lord to his Name or to the praise so that the sense may be sing unto the Lord because the Lord is sweet or sing to his name for it is sweet or sing unto the Lords Name for it is a pleasant and an action of content that delights the soul Ver. 4 3. Praise the Lord for his love to Israel which imposeth a debt and obligation to praise him 3 They tyed to do it because God chose Jacob. 1. For the Lord hath chosen Jacob unto himself to be his inheritance portion 2. And Israel to be his peculiar treasure Rom. 9. Malach 1. I have lâ—ved Jacob and hated Esau And this obligation lies upon Christians now The third part 3. The next Argument which the Prophet useth to perswade to the praise of God is from his greatness of which he was assured For I know first that the Lord is great secondly Ver. 5 that our Lord is above all gods 4 Because God is great And first that the Lord is great and of great power he proves by many instances 1. From his Empire and universal dominion in heaven the earth the seas c. Ver. 6 1. Whatsoever the Lord pleased that he did In his works Nothing is impossible to him We would do many things but cannot He does all by his free will not out of any need but we work for the most part because we want necessity compels us 'T is but 't fithen we give to him the praise not to our selves 2. He doth all things what he pleaseth in all places in heaven earth seas hell And these last words the Prophet amplifies by setting down some especial places in which his works are most apparent 1. In the earth 1 In the earth He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth from all parts East West North South Ver. 7 which are endued with several qualities 2. In the air and clouds above He maketh lightning for the rain 2 Aire A wonder that fire should be mixt with water and not distinguished 3. In the water For he brings the winds out of his treasures 3 The water A third wonder for nothing is more obscure than the generation of the winds out of his treasures they come from his rich and secret power John 3. 4. The third argument the Prophet useth to perswade us to praise God The fourth part is from his justice in taking vengeance of the enemies of his people as 5 Because just 1. Upon the Aegyptians Ver. 8 1. Who smote the first-born of Aegypt both of man and beast For instance on Egypt and it was evident that it was his hand because the first-born only were smitten and of the Aegyptians onely and not of Israel 2. Who sent tokens and wonders into the midst of thee O Aegypt upon Pharaoh and all his servants Exod. 7.8 9 10 11 12. in brief he minds us of all the signs and plagues of Aegypt 2. On the Amoritish Kings Sihon and Og 2 On
the Amoritish Kings and the thirty one Kings of Canaan He smote great Nations and slew mighty Kings as for example Ver. 10 Sihon King of the Amorites and Og the King of Bashan Ver. 11 And gave away their land for an heritage Ver. 12 an heritage unto Israel his people All which is evident out of the books of Numb Deut. Joshua 5. The fifth part For this he extols God To the commemoration of the revenge that God took upon the enemies of his people and the benefits he bestowed on them he adds a conclusion formed into an Epiphonima in which he first extols Gods name and then shews his mercy to his people 1. Thy Name O Lord endures for ever i. e. for these thy wonderful works 2. And thy memorial throughout all generations Thy memory thy fame the remembrance of thy Acts shall flourish and remain to all posterity 2. And the reason is drawn from his mercy which excites us also to praise him 1. And shews his mercy to his people For the Lord will judge his people The world judgeth them forsaken but he is their keeper and defender and will judge their cause and at last take revenge on their persecutors and deliver them 2. And he will repent himself concerning his servants Though he punisheth his dearest children yet he will be at last entreated be propitious and kind and remove his heavy hand Psal 136.23 6. The sixth part 2. God above all gods The Prophet hath proved that God is absolutely great in himself which he proposed vers 5. And now he proves the second part of his proposition that our Lord is above all gods For being compared to the Idols of the Heathen he far exceeds them They were Divels not gods they the work of mens hands made of earthy materials they could not infuse life sense reason into their images as God did into his image man they nor saw nor heard nor moved For he shews their vanity divers ways And shews the vanity of Idols 1. From their matter wherof they were made The Idols of the beathen are silver and gold Ver. 15 2. From the efficient cause their makers men The work of mens bands 3. From their impotence from performing any act of life They have mouths but they speak not eyes they have but they see not They have ears but they hear not neither is there any breath in their mouths 4. From the sortishness and misery of those that worship them They that make them are like unto them Ver. 18 so is every one that trusteth in them The makers are blind mute deaf understand nothing at all who suppose that they can make gods And they that trust in them more sotrish that think a stone can help them 7. The seventh part In the last part he invites all the true worshippers of God to praise him because they are lively images of the living God they see they hear they speak they understand That therefore all praise God and therefore they praise that God from whom they the faculty of living hearing speaking seeing and understanding To this he invites 1. All Israel Bless the Lord O house of Israel 2. Ver. 19 Then the Priests Bless the Lord O house of Aaron 3. The Levites Bless the Lord O house of Levi. 4. Lastly of all the Laity Ye that fear the Lord bless the Lord. To which he adds his own vote concluding with this Epiphonima 1. Blessed be the Lord out of Zion where he shews his presence by the Ark. 2. Which dwelleth at Jerusalem who though he be every where by his Essence and presence yet peculiarly dwells in his Church by his inhabiting Spirit Let the Citizens of Zion and Jerusalem never cease to bless him The Hymn and Prayer collected from the One hundred and thirty fifth Psalm O Omnipotent God all we thy servants now gathered together in thy Spirit to blesse thy name and here met in the Courts of the house of our God to praise thee Ver. 1 do acknowledge that we have instnite reasons to pay this debt to thy divine Majesty For we know O Lord that thou art good good absolutely in thy self and gracious unto us and that all our goodnesse is as nothing in comparison of thee We know again that to sing praises unto thee is a pleasant thing and therefore our heart shall be glad when we send forth prayses unto thee with joyful lips Wee know also that thou art great and far above all Gods Thy benefits are innumerable not only which thou hast conferd upon thy chosen people thy Israel who is thy pecultar treasure but even which with a full hand thou hast poured forth upon all mankind For in heaven the earth the seas and in all deep places thou hast done whatsoever thou pleasedst Thou so orderest the clouds the vapours the lightning winds and rain that they may be obedient to thee and serviceable for the use and sustenance of man And when thou hast in thy power the hearts of all Kings and Princes thou so bendest them as may make most for the good and saidation of thy people upon them thou revengest their wrongs and deliverest in due time thy chosen people from their power and oppression Egypt the Amorites and Canaanites felt thy power whom thou smotest in thy anger plaguest and slew in thy wrath and gavest away their Land for an heritage even for an heritage to Israel thy people Thy Name O Lord endureth for ever Ver. 13 and thy memorial through all generations and therefore our hope which is grounded upon thy promises is thereby confirmed and increased that though thou art risen up in judgment against thy people yet at last it will repent thée concerning thy servants O merciful God arise we beséech thée and behold the miseries and calamities of thy poor servants and deal not with us according to the merit of our iniquities Pardon our offences and let it repent thée of the evil thou hast brought upon us We have liv'd unworthy of thy Name unworthy of our Vocation yet at last break the force of the Devil and his instruments and repress their pride and boldness that we be not compelled to fall down and worship the imaginations of their own brains which are little better than the Idols of the Heathens that nor saw nor spake nor heard nor understood Which mercy if thou will grant us then all that fear the Lord both Priest and people the whole house of Aaron of Levi and all Israel shall have just occasion to bless the Lord and say Blessed be the Lord out of Zion which dwelleth at Jerusalem Allelujah PSAL. CXXXVI THIS Psalm is of the same Argument that the former For in it all men are call'd upon to praise God for his greatness and goodness his providence and mercy in creating governing and ordering the world but especially his love shew'd to his people the Church All which works because they proceeded from his Mercy therefore
Gods Providence 1 From his Providence of which he gives divers instances 1. Ver. 8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds and prepareth rain for the earth When he brings clouds over the face of heaven The instances of it four it is not in his purpose to obscure or darken the beauty of it but to water and moisten the earth without which it will not be fruitful Psal 104.13 14. Jer. 14.22 2. Who makes grass to grow on the Mountains in the most barren places to which the rain will not suffice except God co-operate with it 3. He giveth to the Beast his food He giveth it them they gather it 4. Ver. 9 And to the young Ravens which cry Naturalists tell us That the Raven seeds not his Chickens till they be plumed not owning them till they be like them all which time God sustains them But others that no Bird so soon suffers his young to prey for themselves as the Raven being then deserted by the Dam croâ—itant invocant and God hears and sends them meat Job 38.41 Christ useth this Argument that we rely on Gods Providence Mat. 6. Luke 12. Yea Object But how shall we be deliver'd we see no means but here the infirm and distrustful Jew may argue Alas we see no means for our deliverance we have no Strength no Ammunition nor Horse nor Armour for War no nor yet hearts to fight How shall we be delivered The Prophet prevents and answers this objection viz. That God who is to gather them needs no help at all he can do it without means as well as means 1. Ver. 10 He delights not in the strength of an horse which is a warlike creature Resp. God can do it without means and will 2. He takes not pleasure in the legs i. e. nimbleness agility valour of a man that is in any military preparation or power so far forth as if they were necessary means and he could not do his work without them these he will have in ordinary use but not trusted to he delights not in that But he placeth his delight in his servants and those some way or other he will deliver 1. The Lord takes pleasure in those that fear him not in the Majesty rich noble or superficial Pharisee but in those that fear him and trembles at his words 2. And in those that hope in his mercy That put their confidence that out of mercy love goodnesse he will deliver them 3. He again repeats this proposition and calls to the Church to perform it The third part of the second Section where in the Greek and Vulgar begins a new Psalm Praise the Lord O Jerusalem praise thy God O Zion He again exhorts to praise God Though others be negligent to praise God yet be not thou Not Jerusalem not Zion And then recites four arguments for which he would have Zion sing praises Ver. 12 1. Security and defence 2. Benediction 3. Peace 4. Jerusalem especially Sustenance or provision 1. Jerusalem is a City secure being defended by God 1 For her Security For he hath strengthened the barrs of thy gates Gates and barrs do well to a City Ver. 13 but then alone the City is secure when God makes them strong The true ammunition of a City is Gods defence Arms Lawes wealth c. are the barrs 2. Jerusalem is a happy City For he hath blessed thy children within hee 2 Benediction thy Kings Princes Magistrates c. with Wisdom Religion Piety c. 3. Jerusalem is a peaceable City He maketh peace in thy borders 3 Peace The very name intimates so much For Jerusalem interpreted is Visio pacis 4. Jerusalem is a City provided by God with necessary food and provision Ver. 14 For He filleth thee with the finest of the wheat 4 Abundance Now that it is God that doth all this for Jerusalem the Prophet makes good by other things that he doth for the whole world The Prophet proves this by his general providence for which he needs not any instruments and under-officers to do it by but only his word and his command 'T is but for him to say the word and what he will is done He sends forth his command upon earth and his word runs very swiftly it pierceth all things Ver. 15 and presently execution follows upon it Heb. 1.3 Wisd 7.22 24. 8.1 For instance 1. He giveth snow like wooll Ver. 16 Sometimes great flakes of it like locks of wooll or else to cover the earth as a winter-garment a man He brings frost snow ice and keep it warm from the nipping of the cold winds as is evident in Northern Countries 2. He scattereth the hoar-frost like ashes That thickens the aire as if ashes were cast into it For I have observed that with a hoar-frost commonly there is a mist which resolves into rain within twenty four hours 3. He casteth forth his ice like morsels That is fragments of ice 4. Who can stand before his cold That is able to endure it had not he provided clothes furrs fire against the violence and rigor of it Described he hath the vehemency of the cold in the snow frost ice Annd dissolves and melts it next he shews with what facility and celerity he dissolves and removes it Only by his Word 1. He sends out his word and melts them 2. He causeth his wind to blow His South wind and the waters flow Ice and Snow are resolv'd into water But note here that the Prophet calls it His ice His cold His word His wind that we may know that the constipation and resolution is from him and therefore we depend upon his providence for out food and raiment c. 4. This is an act of Gods providence in common to all Nations 2 The special Act of his providence to his people and by it he teacheth all Nations to acknowledge their Creator But there is a peculiar Act of his providence extended to his people in which other Nations did not nor do not yet communicate with them viz. The knowledge of his word and manifestation of his Will and this is a new argument by which he perswades them to praise God The knowledge of his word and will What Israel might that now the Christian Church may say and that with advantage 1. He shews his word unto Jacob his statutes and judgments unto Israel To them he spake by Moses and the Prophets To us by his own Son his Apostles and their successors 2. He hath not dealt so with any Nation with none at that time And now to none who belong not to the spiritual Jerusalem which is the Church 3. For all these benefits praise the Lord. And as for his judgments The Evangelical Preceps and Rules of life and salvation they have not known them Now for all these benefits and for all these reasons Hallelujah Praise ye the Lord. The Hymn or Prayer Collected out
let us rest in those Mansions which thou hast prepared for us as in our beds and exercised with no other labour but in singing perpetual Allelujahs O let the high praises of thee our God be in our mouth let us sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God Almighty just and true are thy wayes Thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy We do not doubt Ver. 7 but thou art able to take revenge of the Nations and people who do blaspheme thée That thou canst bind their Kings in Chains and their Nobles with Links of Iron Therefore we pray thée that either by the two-edged Sword of thy Word thou wouldst convert them or else execute thy judgment written upon them Lord let thy Kingdom come Thy Kingdom of Grace by which thou dost reign in the hearts of all thy Elect Thy Kingdom of power by which thou wilt subdue all thy enemies and thy Kingdom of glory when thy Saints shall be called to sit upon their Thrones and with thée judge the World When vengeance shall be executed on the Heathen that have not known thy Name and an inheritance given to the Saints whom thou wilt honour for ever and ever PSAL. CL. A Hymn THIS Psalm is of the same Subject that the former In the 148. All creatures are invited to praise God In the 149. Men especially and those that are in the Church But in this that they praise him and that with all kind of Instruments The parts are 1. An Invitation to praise God which word is ingeminated thirteen times according to the number of the thirteen Attributes of God as the Rabbins reckon them 2. That this be done with all sorts of Instruments intending thereby that it be performed with all the zeal care alacrity ardency of affections that may be 1. The first part In the beginning and all along the Psalm he calls on men to praise God Ver. 1 1. He invites to praise God Praise praise praise praise 2. Praise God in his Sanctuary In his Temple or in your hearts which are the Temples of the Holy Ghost Or praise him that dwells in Sanctis that is in his holy Heaven 3. Praise him in the firmament of his power For his power magnificence which is firm Or who shewes his power in the Firmament when he sits as in his Throne or Palace Some understand the Church by it in which his Saints shine as Stats in the Firmament 4. Ver. 2 Praise him for his mighty Acts the works of power he doth 5. Praise him according to his excellent greatness That greatness whereby he excels all other things he being absolutely great they only comparatively 2. The second part He desires that no kind of way be omitted by which we may shew our zeal alacrity and ardency in praising him With zeal and all kind of Musick and to that end he makes mention of all sorts of Instruments which either make Musick being touch'd with the hand or forc'd to sound with wind 1. Praise him with the sound of Trumpet An Instrument then used in their solemn Feasts Tuba flatu sonitum reddet 2. Praise him with the Psaltery and Harp Pulsu chordarum resonant Ver. 3 And to these they sung so that the Musick was made by hand and voyce 3. Praise him with the Tymbrel and dance Tympano Choro Vulg. in the Quire where with the consent and harmony of many voyces 4. Praise him with stringed Instruments Lutes Viols c. and Organs Ver. 5 5. Praise him upon the loud Cymbals They are round and being shaken make a tinkling noise 6. Praise him upon the high sounding Cymbals An Instrument that yielded a great sound as Bells do amongst Christians Bellar. That he be praised by all His Conclusion is universal Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. Allelujah 1. Every thing that breaths whatever hath strength or faculty to do it 2. Every thing that hath life whether spiritual as Angels or animal as Beasts or both as men Or Metaphorically all other things which though they be inanimate yet may be said to live to God because they obey his Order and Decree The Prophets intent may be that all things praise God because all things that have life or being have it from him A Thanksgiving occasioned by the last Psalm O Eternal God Lord and Creator Ver. 1 Governour and Disposer of all things both in the firmament of thy power and in the earth which is thy footstool who loadest us with blessings and only expects our Tribute of thanks we thy obliged creatures and servants in all humility appear before thée to pay that reverence and worship and devotion which is thy due and our duty Ver. 2 We praise thee for thy mighty Acts and we desire to praise thee according to thy excellent greatness Thy wisdom is infinite thy mercies are glorious and we are not worthy O Lord to appear before that presence at which the Angels cover their faces yet since thou O Lord art worthy to receive glory and honour and power Ver. 6 since thou art to be praised in thy Sanctuary because thou hast made preserved and redéemed us We unworthy wretches do in all humility and obedience offer thée all possible land and honour while we have breath we will praise the Lord. And that we do it with the greater alacrity and more attentive zeal Ver. 3 with more chearful hearts and warmer affections let us choose to our selves such apt and melodious instruments that may raise our souls in this Service and that the unity and melody of our devotions may be as swéet and pleasing in thy ears as the harmony is delightful to ours We cannot be too joyful in the presence of our God we cannot be too thankful to our Salvation and therefore we will sing Hallelujah after Hallelujah and call for Hymn after Hymn with Psalms and spiritual Songs voyces and instruments of Musick we will praise the Lord praise thy power praise thy wisdom praise thy goodness praise thy mercy thy bounty thy love to us for ever and ever And here I in particular thank thee for thy assistance in this work which I wholly attribute to thy Grace and dedicate to thy Honour And if I have done well and truly expressed the sense of the Spirit of God who inspired into the Prophet these Psalms and Hymns it is that I desired But if slenderly and meanly it is that which I could attain to Analyticam hanc Psalmorum explicationem per gratiam Dei absolvi devotiones inde collectas Anno. 1658. Octob. 22. Hallelujah FINIS