the broad way of sinners acting and perseuering in euill Nor sit in the infectious seat of the scornfull scoffing vertue deriding religion or by false doctrines and euill examples peruerting others For hee is such an one who is not carefull onely to auoyd euill But is enclined to good also His delight is seriously in the Law of the LORD And in his eternall Law that hee may know teach and fulfill it in thought word and deed doth he meditate vpon all occasions and at all times euen Day and night without intermission In this consisteth the meanes of his felicity And he shall be like a flourishing Tree which the Diuine Prouidence hath planted by the riuers of waters For as such a Tree being nourished by those streames hath the meanes that will enable it to bring forth his fruit in due season so the Blessed Man being planted by the fountaines of Grace flowing from the Holy Spirit of God bringeth forth in due time the fruits of faith and good workes to eternall life And in the greatest drought receiueth such refreshing that his leafe shall not fade A word of his shall not be in vaine though for the present it seeme to fall to the ground but it shall take effect And whatsoeuer he doth shall prosper at last both to his euerlasting glory and the instruction of others Now the vngodly because they walke after their owne Counsels are not so blessed neither doth any thing they take in hand so prosper But they are like the chaffe which the winde driueth away For as that is dry vnfruitfull and therfore carried about with euery puffe so they wanting the moysture of grace are therfore ouer-light and the spirit of the Deuill the winde of pride temptations and euill affections vnsetledly hurrie them to and fro without rest And by reason of this euen because these vanities carry them from God Therfore the vngodly shall not be able to stand as innocent before him in the Iudgement Whether it be that which he shall be pleased to inflict on them in this life or at the last Day Nor shall false worshippers or such Sinners who haue neglected this meanes of Blessednesse be admitted in the Congregation of the Righteous among those to whom God hauing separated them at his right hand shall hereafter say Come yee blessed of my Father c. And all this commeth thus to passe For that the LORD accepteth knoweth and alloweth the vndefiled way of the Righteous and the courses which they follow to attaine this blessednesse But contrariwise so abhorreth the way of the vngodly that the endeauors of those Reprobates shall perish with them in eternall damnation The Prayer Wherin the scope of this Psalme is considered and the blessednesse there mentioned implored of God OH thou eternall Son of the euer-liuing God Who art the way of life the meanes of all true Blessednesse and the onely Happy One who continuing in thy integrity hast both auoyded all manner of sinne and euery way fulfilled the whole Law and will of thy Father Thou oh Christ who art that tree of life which brought forth the fruit of our saluation in due season and without whom none can euer haue sure hope to become happy Grant oh sweet Redeemer that by the imputation of thy righteousnesse we who are fallen from our first Integrity may bee regenerated and made spotlesse againe in thy sight Sanctifie our polluted hearts that they may no more wander after the vaine counsels of vngodly affections Let them not haue power to allure vs into the way of sinfull actions Or if we doe through frailty at any time stray from Thee into the trodden path of Sinners which leadeth to destruction as wee must acknowledge we often doe Bring vs backe oh sweet Iesu and let vs not stand there vntill we lose the feeling of our sinnes and forget for euer to returne but let euery slip be attended with immediate repentance to whip vs vp againe left the iteration of sinne bring vs at length to the seat of Scorners and the deniall of Thee Keepe vs oh keepe vs from that low ebb of grace yea although we often run far into the way of sinners and many times carelesly stand still when thou callest vs from thence yet of all mercies wee entreat thee that we neuer bee suffered to stray so wide from the way of Blessednesse to sin against thy Holy Spirit Or to sit downe in that seat of pestilence which may infect our soules to eternall death And to enable vs the better to shun such dangers we beseech thee possesse our hearts with thy loue and a true delight in thy Word Let thy Law day and night openly and secretly in aduersity and prosperity bee our principall study and practise all the time of our life Fashion vs to thine own Image let thy right hand plant vs in thine owne Vineyard And that we may bee as fruitfullflourishing Trees bringing forth seasonable fruits to thy glory and the profit of thy Church Let the plentifull Riuers of thy Grace water vs vntill we grow vp and become fit to bee replanted in thy eternall Paradise Let our words as the leaues of a fruitfull tree be a continuall ornament vnto vs seruing also to heale the wounded consciences of our weake brethren And although for a time thou sufferest vs to appeare miserable and vnhappy yet let all things euen the afflictions which we haue had prosper vs in the way to euerlasting Blessednesse And forasmuch as those who delight not in thy seruice are in a miserable condition and nothing so happy as thy children whatsoeuer they seem to the world Grant ô Lord that wee being warned by thy displeasure against them may truly worship thee haue euer such a measure of faith and of thy grace as may keep vs setled in our consciences quiet from the fury of those affections that carry them headlong into endlesse vnrest And when thou shalt cast that chaffe into the fire purge vs thy seruants from corruption and lay vs vp as pure wheat in thy Heauenly Granard Heare vs oh deere Redeemer and when that dreadfull day commeth wherein thou shalt summon the whole world to Iudgement Let vs not be thrust amongst those guilty ones who shall fall and bee confounded with horrour at thy presence But make vs able to stand in that fearfull doome place vs at thy right hand in that righteous Congregation into which no vnrepentant sinners shall be admitted And when thou shalt turne them off with that terrible answer I know you not Let vs oh let vs bee receiued into thy mercy And seeing wee seeke for Blessednesse by that way and meanes onely which thou hast appoynted Acknowledge it as thine owne ordinance and though we are a while the scorne of the world make vs at length Inheritors of that vnspeakable felicity which wee shall enioy in Thee So both in our safeties and in the destruction of thine enemies also shall thy
of this verse I doe obserue these things First that there is no true happinesse without the knowledge of God and the continuall meditation of his word And that those who are sincerely adicted to his seruice and the loue of his Truth are in the right way to Blessednesse howsoeuer Atheists and worldly men thinke them simple fooles and their study lost labour Secondly I here note that he cannot promise to himselfe the reward of Blessednesse that frames a Religion or way to serue God out of his owne braine though neuer so strict or seeming holy For it must not be the Lawes or traditions of men that he must meditate but the Law of the LORD Lastly I doe here learne this Method for the right study of Diuinity and practise of Christianity First that there must be a loue vnto the heauenly word Secondly a progresse or going forward in the meditation thereof and lastly such a constant perseuerance therein from time to time and at all times without limitation in so much that there must bee some part of euery day and night separated for the seruice of God that we may say with Dauid Euening Morning by Day and at Midnight will I pray vnto him And he shall be like a Tree planted c. Hauing deliuered in the two former verses who is a Iust and blessed man both by the Negatiue and Affirmatiue he now confirmes his former proposition First by a similitude taken from a fruitefull Tree euerlastingly greene Secondly by the end and prosperous successe of all he takes in hand By which illustration we may not imagine that they are compared with any intent to be made equall For the blessed estate of a good man is farre beyond all earthly comparisons But by such knowne things the holy-Ghost applies his demonstrations to meane capacities And this kinde of teaching was vsuall with our Sauiour as appeares by his illustration of Faith and the kingdome of Heauen in likning it vnto a graine of Mustard-seede or comparing Doctrine to Leauen and such like Nor hath it beene neglected among prophane writers For a liuely Simily is esteemed among all the Poets as well ancient as moderne to be one of the principall ornaments of their Poesie The Elegancy of whose Poems some haue not beene ashamed to preferre before these vnimitable Odes whereas were they as learned in these as they would seeme to be in the other at lest if they could reade them with the same desire and affection they should here finde euen in the literall excellency as many rare and admirable expressions Obserue well this first illustration and see in what Author you can better it For although men may for many respects be resembled vnto Trees by reason of some similitude in their condition as thus Euery Tree is eyther for building or fire wood and so all men are eyther prepared to build vp the new Ierusalem withall or appointed fewell for hell fire yet there are certaine choyse Trees which doe more properly serue to figure out the estate of the Blessed as here in this Psalme and by this comparison you shall vnderstande For hereby fiue things are made remarkeable in the vpright mans happinesse First he is resembled vnto a Tree that is planted By which the stability and certainty of his estate is signified For as such a Tree is where by the carefulnesse and diligence of some gardener or husbandman he may be manured and preferued from the choaking of Thornes and violence of beasts whilst the wilde Trees of the Forrest are euer in danger of some ruine So the iust man who in the Scripture is resembled vnto a Palme tree hath this sure and blessed hope for his comfort That God who first planted him will also protect him from being spoyled of his leaues by the stormes of aduersitie or ouerturned by the malice of the aduersarie When it shall come to passe that as Christ said Those plants which his heauenly Father hath not planted should be rooted vp Moreouer a Tree planted insteede of that wilde nature which formerly it retayned is bettered and made more fruitefull by a new plantation and in like manner that man who had else beene naturally apt to bring forth nothing but the sowre fruits of the flesh being planted in the vine-yeard of Gods Church by the hand of Grace regenerates and yeelds forth plentifully the sweete fruits of the spirit Secondly it is planted by the Springs or Riuers of water by which the blessednesse of the Iust man is further illustrated For as that tree can neither be barren thorough the sterrile drought of the soyle nor endangered by the scorching heate of Sommer whose roote is euer moistened with the nourishing waters of a pleasant streame So the regenerate man hauing his roote in Christ where the euer springing fountaines of his Grace with sweete dewes of mercy continually cherish it euen he shall alway flourish For neither can he be consumed as the wicked are by the burning fire of Gods indignation nor made vnprofitable for want of nourishment To the same effect speakes the Prophet Ieremy in his illustration of such a mans happinesse by a similitude taken from the like Tree He shall bee saith he as a Tree that is planted by the waters and that spreadeth forth her rootes by the Riuer and shall not see when heate commeth but her leafe shall be greene and shall not be carefull in the yeere of drouth neither shall cease from yeelding fruite By the Riuers of water in this Psalme is Allegorically meant the word of God and his Sacraments which are the means whereby he infuseth into vs the graces of his Spirit keepes vs growing in Faith and nourisheth fruits to eternall life Thirdly it giueth fruite in due season Whereby is manifested another propertie of the blessed Iustman By the fruite saith our Sauiour the Tree is knowne and so is the iust man by his workes Who in bringing forth his spirituall fruits may not vnfitly be resembled to a Tree For as the Tree brings forth fruits for others rather then for it selfe So the vpright man fructifies and sends forth good workes and deedes of Charitie not thereby to merit ought for himselfe but to glorifie God and to benefit others Which is a noble Blessednesse For as the Apostle saith it is a more blessed thing to giue then to receiue Further we haue the Pronoune His to shew vs that as the Tree giueth forth no fruite but his owne and according to his kinde So the righteous doth the workes proper to a regenerate man all the good deedes which he performeth are done with that which is his owne and so cherefully that they may be called His. Yea he yeeldeth forth good fruits according to the measure and qualitie of those gifts which he hath receiued Lastly the Tree giueth forth her fruite in season or in time that is in her time of fruitfulnesse and
some God head should Direct them thither and in feare they might Misse that good Deity which guide them could They seru'd too many Gods and lost it quite The old Philosophers not knowing this That Nature by our fall was growne corrupt By Morall Vertues onely sought for blisse Which did their hoped Passage interrupt For when they had done all which might be By strict Morality to gaine their passe And time their course vnto an end had brought wrought Their ayme they mist because Christ wanting was For though some good they did yet missing him To sanctifie their vertues and to take Those faults away which bad escaped them Into this rest no entrance could they make The blinded Iewes by ceremonious lawes And strict obseruing of their ancient guise Haue labour'd for it but vpon some cause That way was long since chang'd and from-ward lies By vaine will-worship others goe And some By formall shewes of Zealous sanctitie By way of their owne merits many come And come farre short of true felicitie A thousand other crooked paths there be Which seeme to be direct yet lead astray Lest therefore some of those miscarry thee That hast a longing to the blessed way Who happy are lo here it shall be showne And how thou mayst thy selfe be such an one VERS 1. Blessed is the man that doth not walke in the counsell of the vngodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornfull FIrst get thee out of that vngodly way The way of Nature in which all the race Of Adams Progeny haue gone astray Walke out of it into the way of Grace To which there lyeth no hard passage thence For if thou wade but thorow Baptismes ford And passe the thorny hedge of Penitence Thou straight art guided thither by the Word Yet take thou heede when thus thou entred art Lest that corruption which doth still remaine By vaine affections ill-aduise the heart To walke with the vngodly backe againe Cast not thine eyes about on those gay bayts That grow beside the way of Blessednesse But shun thou all occasion that awayts To draw thee into paths of wickednesse Let not the loue of honour pleasuré ease Reuenge lust enuy pride or auarice Nor any such ill Counsellours as these Thy feet vnto an euill course entice Pursue not wordly things as worldly men That know not God or true religion do But giue his Honour first respect and then With moderation seeke the creature to Let no desire without that compasse stray Which honesty and piety hath set For if thy thoughts doe euer breake away And Counsels of vngodly longings get They will not leaue thee but from lust to lust Allure thee on in the vngodly path Vntill they bring thee to some act vniust And there the sinners way beginning hath Oh! if through weaknesse and attending to Vngodly Counsels thou shalt thither rome As all indeede though all their best they doe Into the way of euill doers come Yet stand not there continue not in sin But by repentance soone returne againe Lest thou shouldst by insisting long therin Affect it and for euer there remaine Vse gets a habit and the habit got The title of a Sinner gaineth thee And sin in this gradation resteth not Till to a Scorner thy Commencement bee And then beware For if degree thou take So far and be a Doctor of their Chaire The next progression thou from thence canst make Is either hell immediate or dispaire In thinking ill we doe from heauen-ward goe In acting it we further run astray But if we to deride religion grow There 's hardly hope that we repent vs may For though God can the course of nature turne Bid aire descend and earth aboue it rise Quench heat in fire make frozen water burne And in all creatures change the qualities Yet that he therfore will it followes not And so although he can repentance giue To such as haue a wicked habit got And in despight of him and vertue liue Assoone shall I beleeue that desperate Churle Who from a rough steep cliffe or high Tower wall Himselfe a furlong from the top doth burle May raise himselfe in middest of the fall As that the Sinner who of wilfulnesse Hath cast himselfe downe from the hold of grace Can leaue that deep-deep gulfe of wickednesse And in the rocke of mercy get a place It is a rare-gain'd fauour when God daignes That vicious liuer grace at his last breath Who from no sinne for loue of Good refraines Nor thinkes to aske forgiuenesse vntill death But 't is a Miracle if euer hee Shall in his life or death forgiuenesse get Who knowes and scornes the means that profer'd be For neuer was it found exampled yet Of these three steps oh be yee wary then To sit or stand or walke doe you forbeare In seat or way or counsell with those men That Scorners Sinners or Vngodly are Nor will this be enough For as the Swaine Who sitteth downe when he himselfe hath lost Is no more like to reach his home againe Then he that quite another way doth post So they who thinke it is enough to shun The ordinary path that Sinners tread And take no heed what good is to be done Shall neuer of true happinesse be sped Or like as they who without Sterne or Card Dare seeke an vnknowne Coast for golden ore May crowne their voyage with a rich reward Assoone as those that vse nor Saile nor Oare Right so as well may such as loosely liue The prize of happinesse attaine vnto As those who hope they shall at blisse ariue Although not one foot thither-ward they goe And therfore listen my aduise vnto That you may learne what you have yet to doe VERS 2. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD and in his Law doth he meditate day and night WHen Gods great mercy safely brought thee hath From all the counsels waies seats of sin Lest thou stray backe againe take vp the path That iust against it lies and walke therin Keepe on foreright let nothing tarry thee For non-progression there regression is But if thou in continuall motion bee Though slow it doth appeare it brings to blisse To helpe thee on two sacred Scrowles there are Which may direct thy Pilgrimage throughout They profer'd are to euery Passenger And can informe them where they stand in doubt The first sure marke that tels vs we are right In this blest progresse and haue quite abhord The way of Sinners is a true delight Vnto the Law of our eternall LORD Whilst that affection holds there is no feare Or danger of relapse No wicked traine Which the vngodly roundeth in thine eare Can moue thee to partake therein againe But lest thy heart deceiue thee for mans heart Is false and oft betrayes him to his foe Make triall of his truth if wise thou art And I will shew thee how thou mayst doe so Search if there be no carnall vaine respect