not the wicked of which he complains nor Gods forbearance would not better Saul He grew worse and worse Behold he travelleth with mischief as a woman with child and hath conceived iniquity and brought forth falshood and ungodliness he hath made and digg'd a pit and is fallen into the ditch which he hath made Ver. 14 that lurking there he may take me His strength his counsels Ver. 15 his crafts the Militia the conceptions of his heart his pit and snares are all laid for my destruction and therefore David prayes that the just God would revenge his cause and retaliate the injury and he is fully perswaded it would so fall out His mischief shall-return upon his own head Ver. 16 and his wickedness and violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate And in faith prophesies his ruine The third part A Doxology 3. The close of the Psalm is a Doxology thanks that a true just and merciful God would judge for the righteous save those who are true of heart establish the just and take revenge upon the wicked for this saith David Ver. 17 I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord the most High The Prayer collected out of the seventh Psalm O Lord God by whose power all things do subsist and before whose Majesty all creatures tremble I at this time beset with cruel enemies do flie so thée for succour and deliverance O Lord thou art my God and Saviour Ver. 1 in thee alone I put my trust be not then absent from me in this néedful time of trouble Ver. 2 but save me that hopes in thée alone from all those that persecute me and deliver me My enemy is of a brutish cruel nature ready to rend my soul as a Lyon that is gréedy of his prey bent to tear me in pieces if there he none to redéem and deliver me out of his paw so great is his rage and fierceness against me an innocent Against thée only have I sinned Ver. 3 and done this evil in thy sight and for that I beséech thée enter not into judgment with thy servant but against them I have done no harm Ver. 9 Thou O God triest the hearts and reins Thou art a righteous Judge Judge me therefore O Lord Ver. 8 according to my righteousness and according to the integrity Ver. 3 that is in me O Lord God if I have done this iniquity that they lay to my charge Ver. 4 or if there be any wickedness in my hands if I have rewarded them evil that dealt friendly with me nay if I have not saved his life that now pursues me to take away mine and done him good that now without any cause is mine enemy Ver. 5 Can any such thing be produced against me then I am content to suffer Then let my enemy persecute me take me whom he persecutes and being taken tread down my life ignominiously upon the earth and lay my honour and the honest memory of my name my Crown and glory in the dust But thou O Lord beholdest their craft and fury against me a poor innocent Thou séest how they Ver. 14 as a woman travelleth with iniquity how they conceive in their hearts false and mischievous wayes to destroy me and that the mischief that they have conceived they bring forth and bring to effect so much as lies in their power Ver. 15 Thou seest how they lay snares and dig pits that I an innocent person may fall into them and be taken by them and perish in them Be not therefore O Lord Ver. 6 like one that sléeps defer not thy justice nor withhold thy power but being conscious of my innocency arise in thy anger lift up thy self above mine enemies by the declaration of thy justice and power make them know that thou art higher than they Awake for me in that judgment that thou hast commanded commanded thou didst Samuel to make choice of me and to anoint me King of Israel his judgment was thy judgment that judgment which thou hast decréed and given Ver. 15 thou knowest the fittest time to perform if that time be now come then awake for me and let my enemies fall into the ditch that they have made Ver. 16 then let their mischief fall on their own head and their violent dealing come upon their own pate O Lord let not the impiety of wicked men longer continue Vers. 11 Make it appear that thou art a just God angry with the wicked every day Vers. 12 and though thou art a God of much patience and longanimity Vers. 13 yet if the wicked man will not turn from his wicked way make them know that thou hast whet thy sword and art ready to strike them that thou hast bent thy bow and art prepar'd to shoot them hast set thy arrow to the string and art aiming to pieres them In a word that thou hast prepared the instruments of death weapons inflamed with wrath hatred and fury against the persecutours of thy Church and people O let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end but establish the just Vers. 9 Restore thy Church to its prestine condition Vers. 7 so shall the Congregation of thy people compass thee about Religion which is now almost extinct shall again flourish and thy worship which is now dishonour'd with scandals and prophaneness shall again recover its ancient lustre by the méeting of thy people in thy house and joyful praises sent up to thée in the great Congregation For thy own Name-sake therefore and for thy honour exaâ—t thy power and shew thy strength and come amongst us Our sole defence is in thée O God Vers. 10 which savest and deliverest the upright in heart I will therefore praise the Lord according to his righteousness Vers. 17 and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high He hath kept defended protected me in so great dangers He will take a just reveâ—ge upon my enemies To his name therefore I give all honour glory laud and praise through Iesue Christ my only Lord and Saviour Amen PSAL. VIII This Hymn is a Meditation of Gods excellent goodness and glory shining in his Creatures especially in man IT begins and ends with a general proposition David admires Gads greatness goodness c. figur'd by an exclamation which contains an Admiration for he doth admire what he cannot perfectly comprehend O Lord our Governour how excellent is thy Name in all the world Vers. 1 who hast set thy glory above the heavens Such is the glory of thy Divinity power Vers. 1 goodness that it fills not only the earth but transcends the very heavens in which Angels and blessed Spirits though they know much more than we on earth yet cannot perfectly comprehend thy Majesty which fills all exceeds all Of which he gives divers instances This general being premised Of which he gives divers instances the Prophet descends to some particular
places but especially The excellencies of the Church In the City of our God in the Mountain of Holiness Then he descends to set forth the Excellencies and Ornaments of the Church 1. It is the City of God Built govern'd by him He resides there 2. It is a Holy Mountain The Religion in it Holy The people a Holy people 3. Vers. 2 It is Beautiful for Situation God had put his beauty upon it 4. The joy of the whole earth is Mount Zion The joy of all the Land of Juda then and after of the whole earth Because the Law was to come out of Zion 5. The City of the great King that is God He founded it and rules in it Vers. 3 6. God is known in her Palaces In her is the knowledge of God yea and by an experimental knowledge to be an Asylum a sure refuge 2. And well it is that it is so for Jerusalem i.e. The Church hath many The second part The enemies of the Church and great enemies which vers 5. the Prophet begins to describe and desires that notice be taken of them for he points them out with an Ecce Fâ—r Lo. 1. They are many and powerful They were Kings a plurality of them Vers. 4 2. Confederate Kings The Kings were assembled Many and Mighty But prevail nor Vis unita fortior But all the endeavours of these Kings of these Confederate Kings came to nothing 1. They passed by together Together they came and together they vanished Vers. 5 2. They saw they wondered They saw the strength of this City and wondered how it should be so strangely delivered out of their hands And troubled at it 3. And upon it they were troubled they trembled and hasted away Fear took hold upon them Which the Prophet illustrates by a double Similitude 1. By a travailing woman Fear and trembling took hold upon them Vers. 6 as upon a woman in travail 2. By the fear of Mariners at Sea Vers. 7 when an Euroclydon threatens to tear their shâ—p Their amazement was such Gods protection of her as when Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an East-wind 3. Now follows the third part of the Psalm The third part in which are two especial points 1. A grateful acknowledgement of Gods protection of his Church 1 Gratitude Vers. 8 as he promised As we have heard so have we seen in the City of our God Heard we have that he will protect this City and we see that he hath done it and perswaded we are that he will alwayes do it God upholds the same for ever 2. And this shall never be forgotten by us Vers. 9 We have thought upon thy Name O Lord and loving-kindness in the midst of thy Temple 3. And so thought of it as to praise thee for it According to thy Name so is thy praise O God to the ends of the earth Vers. 10 All the earth shall know that thy righ-hand is full of righteousness That thou with a powerful hand dost help thy people oppressed with injuries and dost punish their enemies by which thou dost give a manifest evidence of thy righteousness and justice The other point of the third part is an Exhortation to Gods people 1. That they exult and rejoice for that which God does for them 2 To which the Church is incited Let Mount Zion rejoice let the daughters of Judah be glad because of thy judgements in defending thy Church Vers. 11 in punishing their enemies 2. That they take especial notice of his miraculous deliverance of Jerusalem with all the particulars of it that notwithstanding the Army was great that lay against it yet no harm was done to any part of it Walk about Zion and go round about her and tell the Towers thereof Vers. 12 Mark ye well her bulwarks and consider her palaces See mark consider whether they are not all yet standing entire 3. And do it for this That you may tell it to the generation following Vers. 13 Leave it upon Record how miraculously God hath delivered you 4. Now for this there is good reason For this God Vers. 14 This God that so protects and defends his Church and takes revenge for us is our God by Covenant and promise for ever and ever and he will for ever keep this Covenant with us He will be our guide even unto death and in death Leave us he will not when all the world leaves us Therefore exult rejoice mark it and make it known to the generation to come The Prayer collected out of the forty eighth Psalm O Lord God of Israel Vers. 1 thou which dwellest betwixt the Cherubints thou art the God even thou alone of all the Kingdoms of the earth and yet amongst these thou hast erected to thy self an everlasting Kingdom and set thy King upon thy Holy Hill of Zion this thou hast chosen to be the City of our God the Mountain of Holiness This thou hast seated on a fruitful Hill ordained to be the joy of the whole earth In this City of the great king and in her Palaces thou hast hitherto made thy self known for a sure refuge Lord bow down thine ears and hear Lord now open thine eyes and see for lo the Kings of Nations are assembled they passed by together and are confederate against thee they lay their heads together with one consent and take counsel how they may lay Jerusalem in the dust O Lord let not our sins be of more power to destroy than thy mercy to save this thy City shew thy strength and come and help us let all our enemies be troubled let them hast away let fear take hold suddenly upon them as the pangs upon a woman in travail Break their power and dissipate their Armies as ships at Sea are broken to pieces by some violent and unexpected wind O Lord we have heard with our ears and our fathers have declared unto us what thou hast done in the dayes of old As we have heard so let it be seen in the City of our God make us experimentally to know that thou wilt establish this thy City thy Church for ever So shall we have just reason to think of thy loving-kindness and to magnifie thy mercy in the midst of thy Temple Vers. 13 to praise thy name to the ends of the Earth to exalt thy right-hand so full of righteousness to speak of thy judgements and to tell of all thy wonderous works to all generations to come O let Mount Zion rejoice and the daughters of Judah be glad for the bulwarks that yet stand fast and the palaces that flourish proclaim that this God is our God for ever and ever that he is a great Lord and greatly to be praised and that he will be our guide unto death Amen PSAL. XLIX 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AND the Doctrine it teacheth is That rich men be not proud of their wealth nor poor men dejected and troubled at their mean estate since all
indulgence to this sin In giving him 1. A right spirit there was a crooked and perverse spirit that had prevailed over him he judged not as he did before of Gods Law but perversly opposed it he desires that God would give him a spirit to judge rightly as he did before and firmly to resolve to keep to that was the right and strait way to happiness Renew O Lord in me a right Spirit 2. A holy Spirit The profane carnal spirit is opposed to this 2 A boly spirit and to that he hearkned by this holy Spirit he was wont to be carried which opposed all carnality but such good and sweet motions he perceived to be departed and therefore he desires of God a restitution of this holy Spirit this sanctifying and renewing Spirit that might again kindle in him the love of God holy motions agreeable to Gods Law and an obedience to the same Take not thy holy Spirit from me 3. A free Spirit He found that ever since he fell into his sin he did his duty 3 A free spirit and served his God with an ill will with much reluctancy he took no delight in the doing of it as he did before this therefore he begs that God would again give and restore to him a free Spirit that freely chearfully willingly he might run the way of Gods Commandments and that he would so uphold him with his Spirit that he might constantly continue in the same to his lives end Uphold me O Lord with thy free Spirit 2. Hitherto the Prophet hath presented his three Petitions The second part of the Psalm in which he vows three things and upon the confidence of these he makes his vows first to teach others secondly to praise God thirdly to offer him the best sacrifice a sacrifice which should be instead of all sacrifices which he knew would accept a contrite heart 1. Then that is after my pardon obtained and my reconciliation unto thee I shall teach Ver. 13 for a man under guiltiness himself is not meet to speak and declare a pardon to others His first vow to teach others 2. I will teach thy wayes to sinners not my wayes of sinning but thy methods of pardoning viz. That to the stubborn thou wilt shew thy self froward and stubborn but to the penitent such as I am thou wilt shew mercy 3. And the effect will be That sinners shall be converted unto thee They who were perverted before and averted from thee being encouraged by the mercy I have found shall be converted 2. His second vow to praise God His second vow and promise is to praise God My tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness Ver. 14 my mouth shall shew forth thy praise But to this he was unapt so long as he remained in his sin Ver. 15 for praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner And also unable to do without Gods special assistance But because not fit to do this he prayes and therefore he prayes for a capacity to do both 1. 1 For remission Deliver me from blood-guiltiness O God and then my tongue shall sing 2. 2 For assistance O Lord open my lips and then my mouth shall shew forth thy praise 3. His third vow is about a sacrifice which should be better than any then in use not the sacrifice of a beast but the sacrifice of a heart a heart well-conditioned His Preface to his third vow Negatively That God delights not in sacrifices seasoned with contrition and sorrow such he knew God would accept and such he should have 1. Thou desirest no sacrifice That is the outward in comparison of the inward would the outward please I would not be behind for that also I would give it thee but I know Thou delightest not in burnt-offerings without the heart 2. Nor in the heart till contrite No nor with the heart neither till it be broken and contrite broken for sin and contrite for meer love that it hath offended so good a Father I vowe therefore to bring thee this sacrifice this is instead of all other instead of many sacrifices this thou wilt not despise and this I will tender The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit His third vow a contrite heart The third part in which he prayes for the Church a broken and a contrite heart Thou O God wilt not despise 3. David having finished his prayers and vows for himself forgets not to petition for Jerusalem for Gods Church and the reason might be a religious fear in him lest for his sin Jerusalem might suffer such a thing might happen for so it did when he numbred the people Peccant Reges plectuntur Achivi His method was to be commended and his charity 1. His method first to be reconciled to God himself before he prayes for others for the prayers of a righteous man prevails much and the Apostle speaks of intercession 2. His charity for we are alwayes bound to remember the afflictions of Joseph and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem He prayes then for her 1. Ver. 18 That God who out of his good pleasure did choose a Church would out of his meer good will and love preserve it 1 That God protect his Church Do good in thy good pleasure to Zion 2. That he would have a special favour even to the material buildings Build thou the walls of Jerusalem 2 Even the walls for these fall not alone Religion and the Service of God fall when the Temple and Houses of God fall to ruine Probatum est 3. Then Religion would flourish For the consequence of Jerusalems prosperity would be this That Religion would flourish with it Then there would be sacrifices burnt-offerings and Holocausts Ver. 19 then they shall offer Bullocks upon thine Altar And which is yet more we shall offer And God pleased with it and thou shalt accept Then thou shalt be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness We being reconciled unto thee justified sanctified righteous upon thy account and in favour all our sacrifices shall find a gracious acceptance The Prayer collected out of the fifty first Psalm O Almighty Lord and most merciful God thou hast shewed compassion to many penitent sinners since the very beginning of the World thou never rejectedst any that sought to thée with a penstent soul and therefore Lord since thou art the same and no shadow of change in thée I beféech thée cloze not that door of mercy on me that hath béen opened to receive so many before me and let not those Rivers of compassion be dried up to me that have flowed so plentifully to others Have mercy on me O Lord on me Ver. 1 that have sinned against Heaven and against thee and am not worthy to be called thy son but according to thy goodness and multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquities I know Lord thou hast thy debt-book wherein thou writest the
Wicked men these are corrupters of all Truth and Religion Blood-thirsty men these are that thirst after the blood of thy Saints and use all their force power and conspiracies to root them out of the Earth they lie in wait for our souls they are gathered together for our ruine O send us help from thy holy Heaven and save us from the rage of them who would eat us up Many many grievous offences we have committed against thée our God but it is not for these crimes they at this time invade us but they are haters of true Religion and implacable enemies to true Piety which because we maintain therefore they craftily take counsel and wisely they work to our destruction O Lord Thou knowest that without any fault or offence of ours they run and prepare themselves to Battel Therefore O just God who art a witness of our innocency and their cruelty be not like one that sléeps arise to help us that séek thée behold our miseries and stand up for us that stand for thée and since thou art the Lord of Hosts who hast all Armies at thy Command and the God of Israel whom thy people serve suffer not thy chosen to be thus oppressed by wicked men whose pride excéeds that of the Heathen Visit them in anger O Lord and be not merciful to them that offend of malicious wickedness they are an object of vengeance not of mercy execute then thy severe wrath upon them Are not their works altogether the symptoms of an obstinate and hard heart Earnest they are to execute their plots they run too and fro In the Evening when good men are at rest then they arise for mischief mad as Dogs to bring their purposes to pass They grinne they threaten they walk round the City observing where they may take their Prey Boldly they speak with their mouth what their heart intends and the words that procéed from thence are very Swords breathing to us nothing but death and utter extirpation Thy Majesty they regard not and as for man their pride and power is so great they care not who hears them for they know that few are able and fewer willing to help us But thou O Lord sittest in Heaven upon thy Throne and hearest and séest all things both our oppressions and their insultations frustrate their attempts evacuate their endeavours have their persons in derision and laugh all their projects to scorn Let them not be visited with the visitation of all men Slay them not lest the people forget it but scatter them among the people make them for their flagitious lyes and perjuries become Wanderers and Beggars Let them run here and there for meat and grudge if they be not satisfied Consume them O Lord consume in thy wrath bring them down from their Throne out them from their power and dignity let their unjust gotten goods perish and their great wealth come to nought that they may know that it is God that rules in Jacob and unto the end of the World The sin of their mouth is impudent the words of their lips blasphemy Ver. 12 their very preaching is cursing and lyes therefore spare them not but let them be taken by the pride of their words and fall into that snare of destruction in which they were wont to boast that they would catch other innocent men Make us so happy O our Eod that we may sée our desires upon thy enemies so shall we sing of thy power and praise thy mercy aloud in the Morning and all shall know that thou art a strong Tower of defence and a sure refuge to all that in sincerity of heart in the day of trouble call upon thée Unto thee O Lord will I sing for thou O God art my Refuge and the God of my Mercy Thou alone hast mercy on me and to thée alone will I call for mercy through Iesus Christ my Lord. Amen PSAL. LX. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel Triumphale BEfore Davids time 1 Chron. 18. and in the beginning of his reign Israel was in a distressed condition He composed and quieted all And made War and conquered the Moabites c. Edom only was not vanquished In this Psalm then he gives thanks for his victories And prayes for assistance for the conquest of Edom. The parts of it in general are 1. A commemoration of the former lamentable distracted condition of the Israelites vers 1 2 3. 2. The condition of it under his reign much better from vers 4. to 9. 3. His thankfulness in ascribing all his victories to God from vers 9. to 12. 1. The first part The former condition of Israel which he laments In the first he shews that God was angry with Israel 1. Of which he laments the effects of his anger 2. And then prayes for the aversion 1. O Lord thou hast or hadst cast us off 2. Thou hast scattered us abroad thou hast been displeased 3. Vers. 1 Thou hast made the earth to tremble 4. Thou hast broken it 5. Thou hast shew'd thy people heavy things 6. Thou hast given us a drink the wine of astonishment Every syllable of which Congeries will appear to be most true to him that shall examine the story of the Israelites before Sauls reign under his government upon his death and the first entrance of David to the Kingdom The stirs he had and wars with the house of Saul until Ishbosheth was taken out of the way 2. Imputes to Gods anger All which wars civil and external with the calamities that flowed from them Vers. 1 he imputes to Gods anger vers 1. Thou hast been displeased 3. And prayes to God to turn to them And upon it prayes 1. O turn thee to us again Let us enjoy thy countenance which was averted Vers. 1 2. Vers. 2 Heal the breaches of the Land Close the wounds made by these contentions and it seems they were not yet all perfectly closed For he adds It shaketh 2. The second part But now the condition of it was much better All being brought under one King The present condition of Israel 2. And he victorious over his forreign enemies 1. Thou now hast given a Banner to them that fear thee All Israel all those that are thy servants are brought to acknowledge and fight under one standard Vers. 4 in effect have receiv'd me for their sole King the factions and parties being quieted David being King 2. That it may be display'd Set up that Israel may know under whom to fight and whose part to take 3. According to Gods promise Because of thy Truth Who by this hast made it appear that it was no fiction nor no ambition of mine to set up this standard But a Truth that I was by Samuel by thy special appointment Anointed to be King And I am now invested with the Crown for the performance of thy Truth and Promise 4. Vers. 5 And the end is especially that I should bring deliverance to thy
Generation let Him sée His séed and let His séed sit upon His Throne till the Heavens pass away with a noise the Elements melt with fervent heat and this Earth with the works that are therein be burnt up O let Him abide before thee His God for ever never let Him in His own person fall out of thy favour nor his Posterity from the light of thy countenance establish His Throne in mercy and truth and let thy loding-kindness alwayes preserve Him His heart is in thy hand melt it into clemency affect it with mercy that He may be a Father unto thy people and mourn with those that mourn and lament with those that lament yet affect Him sofar with the love of Truth that he be zealous for the Truth of Religion earnest to promote thy worship in sincerity and resolute to administer true judgment unto thy people let him bring the whéel upon the wicked and extend the bowels of compassion to the innocent and oppressed A mercy this is when we cast our eye upon the present calamities and state of things even beyond hope beyond expectation but thou our God art Almighty and All-sufficient stir up thy strength then and come and help us where the help of man is in vain then let thy power be manifest which thing if thou wilt grant us Then will I sing praise unto thy Name for ever I will return unto thée every day that Thanksgiving which I have vowed which is due and which I doubt not thou wilt accept through the Name of Iesus Christ my Lord and only Saviour Amen PSAL. LXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE intent of this Psalm is to teach men to trust in God and not to trust in wealth strength or in the power or promises of man The Contents of the Psalm 1. Davids confidence in God ver 1 2. 2. The mischievous but vain attempts of his enemies ver 3 4. 3. He encourageth himself and others to the same confidence from ver 5. to 9. 4. That no trust is to be put in men or riches ver 9 10. 5. The grounds of our confidence in God ver 11 12. 1. In the two first verses David expresseth The first part His affiance in God or rather labours to express as appears by his often repetition of the same thing in divers words his hope trust and confidence in God Ver. 1 1. Truly my soul waiteth upon God or is silent i.e. I do acquiesce in him 2. From him comes my salvation If I be safe in my greatest troubles Ver. 2 't is from him 3. He only is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence so that I shall not greatly be moved He is to me what a Rock or Tower of defence is to such as flie to them 2. And upon it he infers The second part He upon it insults over his enemies that the mischievous attempts of his bitterest adversaries are but vain with them he expostulates them he checks and over them he insults 1. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man i. e. me he chides their obstinacy Ver. 3 2. Ye shall be slain all of you And shewes their mischievous attempts and their ruine he declares by a double similitude Ye shall be as a bowing wall whence when some stones begin to shut out or fall the rest follow or as a tottering fence that is easily thrown down Next by the description of their manners he intimates the cause of their ruine Ver. 4 1. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency Their counsels to destroy David 2. They delight in lyes invent tales and lies to destroy me 3. Flatterers and Dissemblers they are They bless with their mouth but curse inwardly no marvail then if destined to the slaughter if they be as a broken wall c. 3. And lest his heart faint and fail through the multitude of tentations The third part He encourages 1. Himself he first encourageth himself to be confident still secondly then perswades others to it 1. He encourageth himself Ver. 5 making use of the words of the first and second verses for Reasons My soul wait thou only upon God for my expectation is from him he only is my Rock and my Salvation he is my Defence I shall not be moved In God is my Salvation and my Glory the Rock of my strength and refuge is in God 2 Others to trust in God 2. He exhorts others to do the like Trustin him ye people which he amplifies 1. By assignation of the time Trust in him at all times in prosperity that he be not secure in adversity that ye be not heartless 2. And in our saddest occasions he shews and exhorts what is to be done that we bring our grievances and complaints to God and with an honest heart open them Poure out your heart that is the griefs of your heart before him 3. The reason he our refuge Adding this Reason God is our Refuge for us 4. The fourth part So are not other things whether men secondly wealth especially unjustly gotten 1. So not other things Not men there is no credit or trust to be put in them of what degree soever 1. 1 Not men Surely men of low degree are vanity 2. And men of high degree are a lye The low are notable the high deceive and frustrate our hopes 2. Put them into the balance they are altogether lighter than vanity make trial of them as you would of things in a Scale and you shall find them so vain and light 2 Not riches But God is to be trusted for his power and mercy that they carry no proportion to what is weighty they ascend and flurt up and away as an empty Scale 2. Nor riches and wealth especially if unjustly heaped together and therefore rely not on them Trust not in oppression and become not vain in robbery if riches increase set not your heart upon them 5. The fifth paâ—t In the Close he sets down the grounds of his confidence taken upon Gods Word God hath spoken ' twice have I heard the same i. e. He hath often spoken it 1. That power belongs to God and therefore he is to be trusted 2. That mercy belongs to God and therefore also he is to be trusted The consequent of both is Thou renderest to every one according to his works bonis vera malis malè rely upon him The Prayer collected out of the sixty second Psalm O God infinite in essence terrible in judgments though thou hast commanded us in our trouble to call upon thee and to trust unto thee yet such is the infirmity of flesh and blood that we find in our distresses too many discouragements tempted we are to doubt whether thou canst but more often sollicited to doubt whether thou wilt come down and deliver us But such is thy condescension to the weakness of man Ver. 11 That thou hast spoken once Ver. 12 nay twice
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.
And he backs his Petition with a strong Reason drawn from the final cause Help me save me that they may know that this is thy hand that thou Lord hast done it That all men especially the Jewes may know by my rising again in despite of their watch and seal that it was not their malice nor power that brought me to this ignominious death but the whole matter my Passion suffering and death proceeded from thy hand Acts 2.23 cap. 3.18 And by his Resurrection he was declared to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 And in the close of his prayer His vote he sings as it were a Triumph over all his enemies the Devil Judas the Jewes those great enemies to him and his Church over them he insults in a bitter Epitrope 1. Let them curse speak evil of me call me a deceiver blaspheme me as the Jewes do in a solemn manner to this day 1 That God bless him let them esteem my followers as the off-scouring and out-casts of the World 2. 2 That the Jewes be confounded But bless thou So thou return me good for their cursing 2 Sam. 16.12 And not only to me in glorifying me and setting me on his right hand but for my sake bless all Nations that by faith in Baptism shall give up their names to me 3. When they arise For 1. Arise they will plot endeavour and oppose all they can both by force and fraud the establishment of my Kingdom 2. But let them be ashamed confounded and astonished that all their attempts are frustrate 4. 3 That he rejoyce But let thy servant for Christ took upon him the name and condition of a servant rejoyce not only that they are saved and their enemies confounded but because thy Name is thereby glorified And he continues his Imprecation But his adversaries cloathed with shame and comes over it again by way of Expolition Let my Adversaries be cloathed with shame and let them cover themselves with their own confusion as with a Mantle Confounded at the last day for their ingratitude foolishness and malice before men and Angels and wrapp'd about with it as veste talari as with a Robe or a lined Mantle that comes about and covers every part of the body 4. And at last he closeth all with thanks which he opposeth to the confusion of the wicked The fourth part For which he would praise God publickly they for amazement and astonishment of heart shall be struck dumb as the man without the wedding garment but 1. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth with great affection with a â—great Jubilee 2. Ver. 30 And that not closely among private Walls but in open Theater of the whole World yea I will praise him among the multitude Of which praise he renders this reason 1. He shall stand at the right hand of the poor i. e. such poor who are poor in spirit God will defend and save his people meek and humble and being conscious of their own wants and lack of strength are alwayes begging and beating at the door of God who is rich in mercy at the right hand of such a poor man he will stand as a Sword and Buckler to keep off every blow aimed at him for so it followes 2. I will stand at the right hand of the poor to save him from those that condemn his soul from the Devil and all his instruments Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to his Church and he hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and nail'd it to the Cross Col. 2.14 So that cùm à mundo damnamur à Christo absolvimur Tertull. The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and ninth Psalm O Almighty Merciful and Gracious Father Ver. 1 Thou art the God of whom we make our boast all the day long and desire to magnifie and praise all our life long who art alone the Witness of the honesty and integrity of our hearts hold not thy peace in this néedful time of trouble but be our Advocate and plead our cause against the wicked and deceitful men the enemies of thy Church and Oppressors of thy Truth and people It is not Lord Ver. 2 unknown to thée That the mouths of these wicked and false-hearted hypocrites are opened against thée our Religion and Profession It is not unknown unto thée That they not only load us with lies and blasphemies but that forgetful of all humanity and piety They have compassed us about with words of hatred Ver. 3 They hate and malice us and what foul aspersions their malice could invent those they have cast upon us But with this their malice was not satisfied for from words they came to blowes our blood have they shed like water by the fury of War and defiled their hands with the slaughter of innocents our Mothers Children have risen and sought against us without a cause For what cause have we given them except it were that in charity we would have taught and informed them in the Truth and continued them in the bosom of thy Church What cause except it were that we prayed for them Father forgive them for they know not what they do Ver. 4 but such is their ingratitude That for our love they are become our Adversaries they have rewarded us evil for good and hatred for our love And for our good-will Ver. 5 repay us with oppression and make use of their power and lay hold of the time put into their hands to destroy waste and root out thy inheritance As for us we have no means to resist their fury no power to oppose against their rage but our prayers and tears and therefore we will give our selves to prayer and first pray for them Lord lay not this sin to their charge Or if they shall persist and go on in their wickedness against them as thou hast taught us in this Psalm O Lord the Curses are bitter the Execrations are fearful and we know of what spirit we are we shall then leave it to thy Iustice to execute them as on whom and when thou shalt think fit not looking so much what these men of a reprobate mind have deserved as what is our Duty taught and enjoyned by thée To love our enemies to bless them that curse us to do good to them that hate us to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us Afraid we are lest we indulge too much to our humane affections of self-love anger hatred and impatience even in using this Form that thou hast taught and therefore we will forbear to curse them and sollicite for our selves Conscious we are to our selves that we have not lived a life worthy of thy Truth and Gospel revealed unto us which is the just cause that at this time Ver. 21 in thy worship there remains almost nothing which is not corrupted with Novelty and polluted with falshood But O merciful God give us true contrition
is the help of man This is our infirmity this is our sin And while we are compassed with this tentation our faith presents us thée alone a God both able and willing to help diffident then of all other helps we fly to thée we cry co thée being fully perswaded that our help must come from that Lord not from the arme of flesh Ver. 2 not from other gods but from th Lord alone who hath made heaven and earth By that power then O Lord that thou hast made heaven and earth we beg from thy merciful hands that thou wouldst come and save thy poor Church that is afflicted and persecuted by bloody and mercilesse enemies Lord Ver. 3 suffer not any of their insultations so far to prevail against us that the féet slip or fall in the way of Truth let not our faith be shaken nor our hope ashamed Thou art that good Shepherd that kéeps Israel séem not then any longer to these gréedy wolves to slumber and sléep in deferring to take vengeance upon them Ver. 4 lest they insult over us and say Where is now your God Return return O Lord to the ten thousands which mourn in Israel and vouchsafe to deal with us not as we are a sinful Nation a people loaden with iniquity but as thou art in thy self immense goodness and clemency inexhausted Make thy promise good to us and be our Kéeper be a shadow to us on our right hand a refreshment when the hottest Sun of persecution scorches our heads and any dark tentation cools our devotion O Lord preserve us from all evil if it be thy pleasure and though some disaster may lite upon our body and goods yet preserve our soul that being safe and preserved by thée we cannot miscarry Kéep us Lord in all our actions in all tentatious in all places at all times be present with us in out going out and at our coming in prosper whatsoever we take in hand and make the end thereof be successful never leave us in this present life but let thy grace guide us to that which is eternal through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The third Psalm of Degrees CXXII THE Ark was a Testimony of Gods presence among his people and a Type of the Church this was by David brought up and fix't at Jerusalem when the Jebusites were by him driven out of the Fort of Zion To the place where that was fixed the people of Israel were bound to ascend three times a year to worship and that with gladness of heart to which end they went up thither with a Pipe David then in the person of the people The sum of this Psalm 1. Expresseth his joy that he might join with the Church in Gods service ver 1 2. 2. Commends the Church under the name of Jerusalem for her Unity ver 3. Religious Worship ver 4. Policy Civil Ecclesiastical ver 5. 3. Exhorts all to pray for her Peace and Prosperity ver 6. And puts the Form of Prayer into their mouths ver 7. 4. Shewes his own readiness and professeth to do it or rather performs it ver 8 9. 1. The first part David congratulates that the Ark c. was setled The Proposition of this Psalm is a Congratulation in which he doth express his joy and thanks that so happy a time was come in which a certain place was assign'd where he and the people might meet and worship God in which the Ark of the Covenant which was a Testimony of Gods presence might rest which was not done till his time And he took it for an assurance that the Jewish Religion and the Kingdom or Scepter should not depart from Judah till Shilo came and for this he doth congratulate with the people 1. I was glad First he expresseth his own joy 2. When they said unto me Ver. 1 He was to hear of the unanimity of the people mutually exhorting one and other to this Service 3 We will go into the house of the Lord the place of his worship where we shall hear his Word call upon him give him thanks when I hear these words from them I am ravished with joy 4. And I will gladly join and bear a part with them Ver. 2 Our feet shall stand in thy gates O Jerusalem Hitherto our feet have not had a certain place to stand and worship thee the Ark being carried from place to place But now it is fixed at Jerusalem and we know whither from henceforth to resort our feet are quiet and rest stantes or rather constantes we will go up to the house of the Lord and constantly there serve thee it is a mercy to know where the Church is fix't to which we ought to resort 2. And upon this he takes an occasion to commend Jerusalem three wayes The second part 1. For the unity of it especially in Religion He commends Jerusalem expressed under the Metaphor of a City whose buildings were well compacted together till the Jebusites were thence expel'd it was two Cities but now it was but one Ver. 3 guided by the same Lawes ruled by the same Religion 1 For her Unity in which there was a great and admirable consent among the Citizens Jerusalem is builded as a City that is compacted together In such a City the Buildings are uniform orderly disposed handsomely erected and seated so in Jerusalem all things in Gods worship are uniform orderly beautiful and there is a wonderful harmony of minds and consent among the Citizens 2. He commends Jerusalem next that it was the place constituted for Gods worship Ver. 4 1. For thither the Tribes go up three times a year as was ordained Exod. 2 For Gods Service to which all Israel resort unanimously 23. to remember their Eduction from Aegypt the Law given his preservation of them in the Wilderness and conservation ever since for these were the ends of the three Feasts the Passeover Pentecost that of Tabernacles 2. The Tribes of the Lord An honourable Title bestowed on Gods people holy men out of every Tribe 3. Vnto the Testimony of Israel to the Ark of the Testimony Or as it was agreed by Covenant betwixt God and his people concerning which he testified his Will Exod. 23. 34. Dent. 16. 4. The end of their ascending was To give thanks unto the Name of the Lord that was their work and it must be ours Psal 84.4 Gods Will is that nunquam cesset à laude qui nunquam ab amore 3. He commends Jerusalem thirdly for the Civil Policy and Ecclesiastical Ver. 5 it was the Metropolis 3 For the Civil Policy and Ecclesiastical 1. For there do sit the Thrones of judgment the Tribunals and Courts of Justice are there 2. The Thrones of the house of David The Kings Court and Seat was there which was established in David and therefore the Prophet useth the word sitting as if he had said now setled there which before this time were not Nor in
the time of the Judges when the Judicature was in divers places nor yet in Sauls Reign David seated his Throne at Jerusalem and with it the Courts of Justice which lasted till the destruction of the City 3. The commendation being ended he turns his speech to the Tribes that ascend thither The third part He exhorts the Tribes and exhorts them for their own good to pray for the happy estate of Jerusalem 1. Ver. 6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem It is our Duty to pray for the Church and Kingdom 1 To pray for her peace since it is the Seat of Gods Sanctuary and the Kings 2. They shall prosper that love thee If not then for their sakes yet for our own let us pray for the peace of the King and Church for in the destruction and disturbance of these Justice and Religion perish King and Priest are ruined and then our ruine must follow as we know by miserable experience whereas if we love and pray for these prosperity is promised us 3. Ver. 7 And that we be not to seek for our prayer the Prophet puts one into our mouths The prayer formed to our hands Peace be within thy Walls and prosperity within thy Palaces Peace and prosperity two things that are especially good and joined maâ—â— happy Cities for peace without prosperity is but a secure possession of misery And again prosperity without peace is but a dubious and uncertain selicity 1. 1 For peace Peace be within thy Walls In thy walls in which consists the strength of any City in the multitude of people in which consists the strength of any Kingdom in thy Armies in which consists the strength of War 2. 2 For prosperity And prosperity within thy Palaces In the Kings house peace for Factions destroyes it and with it the Kingdom and Nation Where the King prospers not the people can never prosper 4. And what the Prophet exhorts others to do he promiseth to do himself This prayer he commenceth 1. I will now say peace be within thy walls a pious Prophet 2. Of which he gives two reasons I will seek to do thee good It shall be my study to do it a pious King And he adds his Reason to both I will say peace be within thy Walls Ver. 8 1. 1 That they in Jerusalem are his Brethren Companions For my Brethren and Companions sake The King calls his Subjects because of the same Church and Religion his Brethren and Companions and in his Vote regards not so much himself as them peace prosperity abundance be within their walls let Jerusalem flourish for their sakes Ver. 9 2. 2 That Religion was established But a second Reason there was which yet moved him more the religious Service of God there established Because of the house of the Lord I will stek to do thee good Jerusalem I know is the City in which the Truth of Religion is established and professed and in it is the house of God where they that profess this Truth must tender their worship and therefore I will with all my endeavour seek out wayes and means to do good to Jerusalem knowing that in the flourishing of that City Religion will flourish Nothing then shall be wanting in me for this Reason to advance Jerusalem I wish more Kings were of Davids mind therefore they wear Crowns The Prayer out of the One hundred and twenty second Psalm O Lord it was the very joy of our hearts and the delight of our souls when Neighbour call'd to his Neighbour Ver. 1 Friend call'd to his Friend and the Master to his Family Come let us go into the house of the Lord but now thou hast turned our joy into mourning debarred we are to offer up our wonted and solemn supplications to our God in thy house of prayer our solemn Feasts are cast aside in which we met to praise thy Name for those infinite benefits of our Redemption and receive the comfortable seals of our Salvation O Lord at last turn away thy wrath from us and bring us out of this captivity speak peace to thy people that sigh after thy Ordinances and long to appear in thy Assemblies before thée Ver. 2 and let our féet stand with chearfulness in thy gates from which the malice and will-worship of our enemies have so long driven us Thou O Lord hast adorned and beautified thy Church with most excellent gifts the unity thereof was far beyond that of any City Ver. 3 where the Buildings are uniform and compacted together the Doctrine in it was pious the Discipline orderly the Rites sew and decent Ver. 4 and among the Citizens there was a wonderful consent and harmony of minds thither the Tribes took delight to ascend even the Tribes of the Lord Ver. 5 that they might appear before thy presence and give thanks to the Name of their God And while thou wert thus serv'd in the beauty of holiness in Jerusalem were set the Thrones of judgment and from the Thrones of David justice did run down as a River But all is quite contrary our unity is dissolved our solemn méetings are disturbed for justice we reap nothing but wormwood and hemlock Lord restore to us our former unity and knit all the members of this Church together in perpetual concord Let the Tribes of thy people go up again to thy house to praise thy Name and all Schisms and Heresies and Blasphemies being dispelled let thy Word alone be heard and obeyed amongst us Restore our Judges as at first and our Counsellours as at the beginning set up the Thrones of judgment the Thrones of the house of David to whom alone Kingly and Judiciary Power doth of Right belong In the profession of true Religion we know our peace consists in the prosperity of Jerusalem we know our prosperity is involved Jerusalem we love Jerusalem we long for let as many then as love Jerusalem join with us in prayer and say Peace be within thy Walls and plenteousness within thy Palaces for peace without plenty is but a secure possession of misery and plenty without peace an unsecure felicity In Jerusalem I have many Brethren and Friends professors of the same Faith and Religion with me for their sakes I will now say Peace be within thee in Jerusalem is the house of the Lord our God the house of prayer set apart to his Service and for this cause also I will séek as much as lies in me to do thee good Lord accept of my poor endeavours for the re-edification of these broken walls and let me never farther prosper then I séek and labour for the peace and prosperity of thy Church and to unite all the infirm and collapsed members of this body to our Head thy Son Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen PSAL. CXXIII THIS Psalm is a prayer of a Church in distress and a low condition made unto God to have mercy upon her and to deliver her in which she
Name attributing the success to thy mercy only Never suffer us to be distracted with anxiety for the things of this life or be over-sollicitous for to morrow but having used those means which thou hast ordained honest labour and a competent thrist let us rely upon thy Providence and compose our minds to rest and sléep in it for this is the acquiescence thou givest to those thou lovest We know O Lord that children are the props of our Families Ver. 3 and that these are thy blessings also For children are an heritage of the Lord and the fâ—â—it of the womb are thy Reward Thou O God hast the Keyes of Heaven and Hell of Rain and Providence of the Grave and of the womb let not then thy servants féel the curse of dry breasts and a barren womb but make us joyful parents of children that may increase the number of thy redéemed Give us thy grace and favour that we may instruct them with diligence and méekness govern them with prudence and holiness and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord provide for them such useful imployments That they may be as Arrowes in the hand of a mighty man Ver. 4 defences and succours to our old age If it he thy blessed Will let them live to a full age and make us happy that we have our quivers full of them from whose powerful arm may be shot quick and sharp arrowes into the very hearts of those Ver. 5 who are enemies to all Piety thy Gospel and thy Truth fill O Lord thy Church with such children of youth who while they oppose the Adversary and maintain the sincerity of Religion in word and déed may never be ashamed nor yield when they speak with the enemies in the gate Grant us these things O gracious Father for thy Son our Lord Iesus Christs sake PSAL. CXXVIII IN this Psalm the Prophet perswades to fear God upon the several Rewards that attend upon Piety The Contents are these 1. He describes the pious man and pronounceth him blessed ver 1. 2. He proposeth the particulars of his blessing ver 2 3 5 6. 3. He gives his Acclamation to it ver 4. 1. The first part That man that fears God He describes the man who is to expect the blessing two qualities be must have 1. He must fear the Lord Fear to offend him not decline from him Ver. 1 2. Is Blessed He must walk in his wayes For this is the true character of his fear 3. This man shall be blessed yea every such man high or low rich or poor there is no exception Blessed is every one In a happy condition 2. The second part And the blessedness and happiness consists in these particulars 1. He shall enjoy those Goods which he hath honestly gotten with the labour of his hands Ver. 2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thy hands His happiness is not in having much 1 In his goods but enjoying it Eccles 6.1 2. 2. Happy shalt thou be and it shall be well with thee So well that he shall have enough for himself and be able to relieve others and leave somewhat to his children 3. 2 In his wife Happy he shall be in his marriage too often 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But he that fears the Lord and marries in the Lord shall be happy in his match 1. Ver. 3 His wife shall be as a fruitful Vine Fatifera non steriliâ— 2. Upon the walls of thy house Domi porta modest and shamefac't staying at home and caring for the things of the house while her Husband is taking care abroad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 3 In his children Happy in his children 1. Thy childreâ— like the Olive-branches Fresh green spredding fruitful and pledges of peace not like sharp Thorns and a pricking Hedge 2. Round about thy Table It will be a comfort to see them sit with them eat with them and hear their pretty Discourse Now these temporal happinesses the Prophet concludes with an Acclamation Lo 〈…〉 the man be blest that fears the Lord. Thus in his goods Ver. 4 wiâ—â— â—â—ildren The third part 3. But there is a blessing attends him far beyond all this The Acclamation the summe of which is Ver. 5 1. Gods blessing The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion God shall-bless him by a federal blessing a Church-blessing 2. Thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem 1 With a Church-blessing the peace and prosperity of the Church all thy dayes 3. Yea thou shalt see thy childrens children Ver. 6 Et natos natorum qui nascuntur ab illis 2 With grand-children 4. And peace upon Israel 3 With a peaceable life And a flourishing Commonwealth and Kingdom for by peace is understood all prosperity The Prayer out of the One hundred and twenty eighth Psalm O Holy and just God if no blessing or happiness can befall any Ver. 1 but those which fear thée and walk in thy wayes we must needes acknowledge the cause to be just why we are brought into these straits and woful afflictions For when thou hadst opened unto us a full Sea of mercies and beyond our deserts confer'd upon us infinite and unspeakable benesits we have neglected thy fear and gone a whoring after our own inventions and thy Commandments being cast aside we have walked after our own wayes O Lord pardon our iniquities and be merciful to our sins Ver. 2 put thy fear into our hearts and obedience to thy Lawes Ver. 3 so shall we yet hope to eat the labour of our hands that we may yet be happy that our wives may be as the fruitful Vines upon the walls of our houses and our children as the Olive-branches round about our Tables Good God however thou please to deal with us yet remember thy afflicted Church and bless her out of thy high and holy place of Zion Ver. 5 she is thy Spouse let her then flourish as a fruitful Vine Ver. 6 and bring forth children unto thée let her sée her childrens children and enjoy a perpetual and a setled peace After our great troubles and afflictions it would be the rejoycing of our hearts might we but sée the good of Jerusalem all the dayes of our life and behold thy people Israel that are now divided by Factions and Schisms united in a Christian peace O thou who art the God of peace grant us this for his sake who made our peace thy only Son our Saviour Iesus Christ PSAL. CXXIX THE intent of the Prophet in this Psalm is to comfort the Church in affliction and to stir her up to glorifie God for his Providence over her alwayes over her for her good and bringing her enemies to confusion and a sudden ruine The Contents are 1. The indefatigable malice of the enemies of the Church ver 1 2 3. 2. That their malice is in vain for they pâ—â—â—ail not from ver 2. to 4. God saves them
our Harps we hang'd them upon the Willows in the midst thereof They now had no use of them for their soul within them refused to be comforted 2. Now that which also increased their grief was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The insultation of the Babylonians the joy of the enemy at this their grief and the scoff and scorn they put upon them in an insulting manner they to us in our greatest sorrow 1. There in a strange land in the land of our captivity 2. They that carried us away captive they that wasted us they did it Ver. 3 3. They required of us a song they required of us mirth saying 4. O thou Jew our Captive our Slave Come now sing us one of the Songs of Zion O they are sweet songs your God will be pleased with them they we know will ease your grief Come now The Jewes answer to the Babylonians insulting request 3. To this Sarcasm of the insulting Babylonian the captive Jew returns a double answer 1. A◠impossibili This was a thing that could not be done might not be done Ver. 4 How shall we sing the Lords Song in a strange land The land is strange 1 Impossible for them to sing the people Aliens the Song the Lords destined to his honour to his service and therefore how can we sing it without giving offence to our God and to you Holy Hymns and Psalms were not composed to please carnal ears 2. 2 They are constant in their profession of Religion Next they answer by a protestation of their hope and constancy in Religion and devote and accurse themselves if they do not continue in it 1. Ver. 5 If I forget thee O Jerusalem forget the Feasts I kept there the worship I used to God there which would be done if I should sing the Lords Song in a strange land as you desire No Jerusalem is the place we ought to worship Then let my right hand forget her cunning let my right hand wither dry up and never touch Harp more 2. Ver. 6 If I do not remember thee if I do not make mention of thee Jerusalem And if not devote themselves to a curse and prefer thee make thee the beginning middle end of my mirth then let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth never let me speak more or have any use of that excellent Organ of Gods glory Let me never have use of hand or tongue if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy Which I could not do should I to please you sing the Songs of Zion for by that I should do what were unworthy of my Religion dishonour my God Their faith that God will deliver them scandalize his people satisfie and confirm you in your profaneness and impiety But I know the day will come when exhilarb caput I shall lift up my head and when that day comes I will sing one of the Songs of Zion for it will be a merry day 2. The second part This is the sense of the first part of this Psalm the other is an imprecation against Edom and Babylon both enemies and persecutors of Gods people The Babylonians carrive them away captive An imprecation and overturned Jerusalem and the Edomites did persecute his brother with the Sword and cast off all pity read Amos 1.11 Obadiah from ver 10. to 17. Ezek. 35.5 Against both the Prophet prayes 1. 1 Against Edom Against Edom. 1. Remember O Lord the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem Remember how they carried themselves toward thy people on that day when thy anger did smoke against them Ver. 7 and the walls of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonians 2. Remember how they helped on the affliction and encouraged our enemies crying Rase it rase it even to the foundations Root and Branch down with it to the ground 2. 2 Against Babylon Against Babylon to her he turns his speech by an Apostrophe but foretels her ruine 1. Ver. 8 O daughter of Babylon which art to be destroyed Thou seemest to thy self to be now most happy Blesseth the man that destroyes it or takes the revenge but thy ruine approaches which shortly fell out by Cyrus and the Medes whom he blesseth 1. Blessed shall he be that rewardeth thee as thou hast rewarded us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Ver. 9 Blessed shall he be that takes and dasheth thy little ones against the stones The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and thirty seventh Psalm O God to whom the secrets of all hearts are open Thou knowest it is the desires of us thy poor servants to adore and praise thée and with Hymns and Songs of Zion to magnifie thy holy Name But for many years we have sate at the waters of Babylon we live with a strange people of a divided tongue who have banished us from thy Temple and destroyed thy houses of prayer and abolished thy Service So that hanging up our Harps Ver. 2 and musical Instruments with which we were wont with joyful hearts to appear before thée we sit down and wéep and give our selves wholly to grief and complaints and mourning deploring not so much our own miseries as the devastigation brought upon thy Church and the scorn and contempt cast upon Religion They that carried us away captive insult over us they that have spoiled and wasted us deride us as if they had béen aliens and strangers Ver. 3 and never any of our mothers children they revile and blaspheme and géer at thy Service and at those Songs of Zion with which we were wont to praise thée But the melody of them is yet in our ears and the efficacy of them is in our hearts If I forget thee O Jerusalem forget thy Solemnities Ver. 5 and not remember thy Songs then let my right hand forget her cunning and never touch the strings of Instrument any more if I do not with sighs and groans remember thée and the pleasure I took in thy religious and pious Devotions then let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth yea if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chiefest joy Turn our captivity O Lord as the Rivers in the South let not thy Church for ever be deprived of her holy and spiritual joy suffer not the mouths of those that bring glad tydings of peace to be stop't let not this lawful and sincere Worship alway be laid aside nor the Hymns sung to thy praise and honour for ever be banished from thy house remember those that have done it Edom and Babylon take revenge on both for thy Name sake Remember our brother Edom that helped on the affliction and in the day that thou wert angry with Jerusalem encouraged and made strong the hand of the Babylonian against us when born of the same flesh and regenerated by the same Spirit they should have béen moved with pity They without mercy hastned our Ruine cryed to the Rooters Root and Branch Rase
praise God he exhorts upon two grounds 1. Ab utili jucundo decoro ver 1. 2. For his bounty to Jerusalem in building it and bringing back the dispersed ver 2. in comforting the sad and contrite in soul ver 3. 2. For his wisdom ver 4. For his power ver 5. For his mercy and justice ver 6. His first Arguments are taken from the thing it self His reasons to perswade it because it is for to praise God is 1. Ver. 1 Good For it is good to sing praises to our God Good for divers Reasons 1 Good for four reasons 1. That is good which God commands Micah 6.8 So that Thanksgiving is no indifferent Action no Will-worship but it is cultus institutus not to be neglected 2. It raiseth the heart from Earth to Heaven and being the work of Angels and Saints in Heaven joins us with that Quite above 3. Good again because by it we pay a debt in which is justice Lift up your hearts unto the Lord Resp It is meet and right so to do 3. Good because for it we are like to receive a good and a great reward for if he that prayes to God is like to be rewarded Matth. 6. much more that man that sings praises to him for in prayer we consult with our own necessities in our praises we honour God and bless him for his gifts 2. 2 Pleasant in divers respects To praise God is pleasant 1. Because it proceeds out of love for nothing is more pleasant to him that loves than to make Sonnets in the praise of that party he loves 2. Because it must needs please a man to perform that Duty for which he was created for to that end God created men and 〈…〉 that they should praise him Isa 43.7 A check this is to that slowness and backwardness we find in our selves to praise God or when we feel it tedious unto us 3. Because God is delighted with it as the sweetest Sacrifice He that offereth me praise and thanks he honoureth me Psal 50. 4. It is pleasant to God because he is delighted with those vertues which are in us Faith Hope Charity Religion Devotion Humility c. of all which our praises are a manifest 3. It is comely For there is no greater stain than Ingratitude 3 Comely and decent it is made up of a lye and injustice for either it insinuates and denies that the benefit is not received or that if received a man will not pay for it no not thanks There is then all the decency in the World in it that man be thankful to his God that freely gives him all things 2. These are the first Arguments the Prophet useth and they are drawn 2 For his goodness to Jerusalem à natura rei Those that follow are more particular and as the case then stood respect Israel but may well be applied in all Ages to the Church of God 1. The first taken from the reduction of the people from Captivity and the building of Jerusalem in which appeared the goodness of God to them for it was the mercies of God that they were not consumed 1. The Lord doth build up Jerusalem his Church Ver. 2 the Head of the Kingdom and Seat of the Sanctuary he restored their Polity and Religion 2. He gathereth together the out-casts or dispersed of Israel or banished collected them which were scattered so he collected his Church of dispersed Gentiles John 10.16 3. He healeth the broken in heart the sad the calamitous whether oppressed with captivity or sin Luke 4.18 4. And bindeth up their wounds as if he were a good Chyrurgion Ver. 3 Luke 10.34 2. The second Argument is taken from his Wisdom 3 His wisdom in numbring the stars 1. He tells the number of the stars A thing it seems impossible for man Gen. 15.5 For there be many of them immersae orbi which then being shew'd to Abraham he could not number but God hath them upon account 2. And calls them all by their names They are his Army Isa 40.26 He knows their power properties efficacy of every one of them and calls them forth by their names and they answer Here we are Baruch 3. But by these stars some understand Gods Elect The servants of God like stars whose number is to us without number and whose names are written in his Book Now these are well-likened to the Stars 1. The stars are infinite in number So are his Elect to us not to him 2. Among the stars some are Planets Erratica His Elect sometimes wander up and down 3. The stars shine by night clearest His Elect in the darkness of persecutions 4. One star differs from another in glory The Elect excel each other in grace in piety c. 5. The stars are above far from impurity The Conversation of the Elect in Heaven 6. The stars are obscured with clouds but they being dispersed they shine again So the Church is sometime obscured Matth. 25. But at Christs appearing they shall appear in glory 1 John 3.2 For there is not one of these stars how obscure how dark how little or abject soever but Christ will call him by his name and this the Prophet intends What shall God ever tell the number of his banish'd people and gather together the dispersed into one Church why not He that can tell the number of the stars and call them by their names I hope 't is no difficult thing to him to tell the number of his Elect and call them by nomination 3. 4 From his power His third Argument to praise God is drawn from his power Great is our Lord Ver. 4 and of great power and his understanding is infinite Let no man despair of his power though the thing expected be great and difficult for his understanding is infinite And though we cannot find out a way yet he knows how to bring his Will to pass 4. 5 From his Mercy and His fourth Argument to praise God is taken from his Justice and Mercy 1. Ver. 5 His Mercy The Lord lifts up the meek His wayes are not like mens wayes with whom the meek are despised but these are the men whom he sustains defends exalts 2. Justice His Justice He casts the wicked down to the ground Wicked men shall not reign for ever God will laugh them to scorn and cast them from the highest step of dignity and power to contempt and scorn to the ground 2. The second part of the second Section He repeats his Exhortation to praise God But before the Prophet goes on he repeats his Exhortation as if he meant to rub up our memories and that we call to mind to what purpose he used the former and will yet use the following Arguments Sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving Do it in words Sing praises upon the Harp unto our God Do it in works And presently he falls upon his Arguments Ver. 7 which are drawn from