false gods readily embrace his truth take the Lord for your God and give your selves to him to be his people count it your happiness to be so that you may have the honour and priviledge to be admitted to put up prayer and to offer praises to him as your God that once were aliens and without God in the world now Christ hath taken down the partition-wall and brought God and you together again be much with him in faithfull and gratefull praising of him 3 Learn this lesson well that the Lord is God and that he onely is so you that have been used to Idolize other gods do so no more own him and honour him for the onely Iehovah that hath being and hath it of himself and that is the sole Creatour of all men we made not our selves and then nothing else but he did nay it is he that hath begotten us again he hath of and by his grace made us new creatures this we are sure is as much of him and as little of our selves as the former those that are his people may thank him they are so their souls had never been renued nor saved by any thing they themselves could have done or suffered vocation justification and sanctification are the gifts of God to his Elect as are all the faithfull of what nation soever of whom we Israelites now his peculiar are a type and as he hath done us in the manifestation of grace and administration of providence such singular love will he bear to his Church for ever 4 Seeing we are to be all one Church begin betime joyn fellowship with us in the worship of this one onely true God do as we do now frequent his holy Temple worship him in the Courts and Ordinances thereof whilest they are till they cease and then in holy Christian assemblies worship him in spirit and truth be thankfull to him and magnifie him for the unspeakable goodness and power manifested in so great salvation 5 For though we be evil yet the Lord is good and though our sins provoke his judgements against us yet his long-suffering and mercy is like himself everlasting we have found it so and so shall his Church in all ages his faithfulness according to the covenant of grace shall not fail on his part though it be too often broke on ours it shall be perpetuated in Christ and for Christ to his Church The ci PSALM David drawing nigh towards the possession of the Kingdom so long promised and delaid to forward the accomplishment preingageth himself to God that he will praise him for it when he hath it and serve him faithfully in it both as a King and a pater-familias in walking uprightly and avoiding sin carefully neither countenancing it in himself nor othors whether in Citie or Countrey Church or Common-wealth but on the contrary the good and godly shall be they he will prefer and imploy A Psalm made by David 1 O Lord when thou shalt in favour to thy servant have seated me in the throne I will magnifie thy free grace and mercifull beneficence in bringing me out of such trouble and hazard unto such an honour and dignity as also thy righteousness and justice when thou shalt have executed those judgements upon mine enemies which thou hast threatned 2 When thou hast advanced me to it I hope I shall walk worthy of it my full purpose is with godly wisdom to order all mine affaires and not be as most Kings are wise to their own and their Kingdoms destruction by exercising their policy to advance their tyranny and governing by no rule of reason or justice but by the arbitrary dictates of their own inordinate appetites I purpose to be wise with other manner of wisdom and to tread in quite other steps in obedience to thy Laws and dispensation of Justice and good government to my people when they are mine Lord when shall that day be that thou wilt come in the full accomplishment of thy promises to me I hope I shall not give thee cause to repent thee whensoever it is for my purpose is to be both a good King over my people and a carefull head over my Court and family to breed my successours and rule my servants and officers as well as my subjects in the fear of God giving good example in my place to all under me both of innocency and sincerity 3 I will watch against the temptations incident to that estate condition whereof it is full will therefore purposely avoid occasions of evil whereby I know beforehand I shall miscarry if not carefully shunned specially then when my power is almost equall with my will therefore in a holy fear of sinning I will turn my back upon allurements refuse their offers and walk in a steady resolved course of holiness and righteousness without coveting an evil covetousness abusing my power to gratifie unlawfull desires for I hate warping and back-sliding such defection is extream distastfull to me by Gods help such corrupt thoughts shall never lodge in my breast nor such wickedness hang at my heels to hinder my progress in piety and good government though I know before-hand the baits that will lie in my way but I will not stoop to take them up 4 I hope then to be rid of this heart which now by reason of my bitter afflictions is sore put to it and oft enclines to discontent and untuneableness but I hope then to be free from the temptation and consequently from the distemper and to be never the prouder for mine honour which I come so hardly by and which whensoever I have it it must be of thy free gift but of meek demeanour both towards thee above me and my fellow-brethren though subjects under me And as I will not allow of wickedness in my self so nor in any other no wicked person nor no person in the practise of any wickedness shall have my countenance to credit him 5 I know how incident Princes are to be misled by whisperers and what false reports they hear by giving ear to flatterers and back-biters to the unjust prejudice of the innocent but I will take a course with such men I will watch mine ears as well as mine eyes will severely punish those that I catch doing so nor shall any proud vain-glorious fool draw me from an humble walking with God such shall see that I know humility and Sovereignty are not incompatible but consistent I will neither pride it over my brethren my self nor suffer any else because of his place or office about me to do so 6 My countenance shall be to the good and not to the bad and my care shall be to find out such as are faithfull and sincere-hearted towards God to entertain and imploy such who I know will also be faithfull and uncorrupt in their places the man that is a practiser of piety and honesty and in the course of his life walks
BRIEF NOTES Upon the whole Book of PSALMS Put forth for the help of such who desire to exercise themselves in them and cannot understand without a Guid. Being a pithie and clear opening of the Scope and Meaning of the Text to the capacitie of the Weakest By GEORGE ABBOT ACTS 18. vers 30 31. And Philip said unto the Eunuch Vnderstandest thou what thou Readest And he said How can I except some man should Guid me LONDON Printed by WILLIAM BENTLEY and are to be sold by Iohn Williams at the Crown and Francis Eglesfield at the Mary-gold in S. Pauls Church-yard Anno Dom. 1651. TO The truly Religious and Virtuous M ris JOAN PUREFOY Wife to the Honourable Colonell William Purefoy of Caldecote in Warwickshire Esquire a Member of this present PARLIAMENT THe Authours name bespeaks entertainment for this Book with those that knew him and the work it selfe with those that knew him not The return of it unto you whose interest and property therein is greater than can be derived by any dedication may peradventure at the first sight have the like operation upon you which those words of Jospeph's brethren had upon their father Jacob. Is not this thy sons Coat But upon further insight into and more inward acquaintance with it you shall find that he who took a great part of your heart with him out of this World Hath distilled into this work so much of those sweet spirits and graces which were fragrant in him while he lived as may represent and continew unto you the fruition of him in that which was his better part besides whom you had no other object of maternall affection and by whom there was left no other off-spring but the fruit of his studies and pen the more lively characters of his heart and spirit of which this is the last drawn forth unto the life immediately before his death left as a legacy to the people of God and as an account of his expence of that time which by reason of bodily infirmities could not be imployed in the service of the Common-wealth in Parliament whereof he was a Member There is not a line added to it by any other pencill neither did it need any thing but midwifery to bring it forth into the World and present it unto you as his or if you please as him The honour of which service pardon me if I claim as of a kind of right upon my acquaintance with his studies and his both frequent communications with me and obligations put upon me for the greater part of twenty years together in which he lived under my Ministery and in intimate correspondence with me whereby he put me into a greater debt to him than I can exonerate by this acknowledgment which indeed might lessen my testimonie by misprision of partiality had he not left a blessed memory behind him for my justification and incouragement If I should set forth his spirituall abilities to the life which I decline and rather chuse to point out the way and means of his improvement to so great a measure and maturity of them and thereby render the point at which he aimed attainable by others that shall transcribe his copy by shewing the line in which he moved to it The method or discipline which God used towards him at his first entrance into the school of Christ was not unlike to that of the Wilderness wherein through the frequent recesses of the spirit and Gods turning the dark side of the cloud towards him he was exercised with fresh agitations discomposures of spirit so as like massive bodies he could not settle upon his true center without previous trepidation whereupon he converted his studies and indeavours to the settlement of his spirituall estate and began to search the Scriptures for the treasure hidden in that field which together with his assiduity in hearing the word Preached his sucking the sweet out of such Books as had marrow and experience in them his constant trade with Heaven by Prayer his communication of experience and conversation with such as knew Jesus Christ brought him to such firmness of consistence in his own spirit as one that was the better rooted by former shakings to such fixedness in his principles as one that did not onely understand the truth of them but had tasted the goodness and felt the power of them to such riches of spirituall experiences as he became the resort of troubled consciences and a dexterous artist in swathing up tender and weak infants in grace and to such spiritualty of affection as in whom the primogeniall virtue and sence of Gods dispensations toward and impressions upon him in his conversion or as the Scripture speaks the love of his espousalls continued fresh and vigorous As for his proficiency and progress in the way of Christianity it was thus advanced in matter of knowledge or doctrine his chiefest inquiry upon any point was cui bono of what proper use and conducement it was unto practicall holiness or fruition of good c. Searching out the nutrimentall pith or marrow that was in it and not greatly ingaging his thoughts into opinions of contention or mere notion which had no kernell In duties altogether unsatisfied except he found the spirit acting and stirring in him or were particularly sensible of the absence withdrawments of it In company communicative and trading in the staple commodities of Heaven Especially upon the Sabbath-day wherein he used to sequester his thoughts and words to the proper work of that day and to divert common and obvious occurrences into matter of spirituall insinuation which day he also vindicated in his Book entituled Vindiciae Sabbati when that controversie was rife and hot and some began to lay open Gods inclosure into common fields and upon which day the Lord of the day honoured him in the defence of an unfortified House by a very few assistants against the furious assaults by fire and sword of a numerous and potent enemy The memory of which deliverance he kept alive in himself and exprest his sence thereof even in his last will and Testament the rather doubtless in respect that you his ever honoured Mother being imbarked in the same bottom with him at that time was supported with courage above your sex and with faith above present sence and so brought clear off that threatning storm by the good hand of the Lord your God unto whom as you have learned and do know it is all one to save by few as by many I shall say no more of him thereby to aggravate your loss which yet was not all yours for the Family the Town the Countrey were sensible of the influence of his exemplary holiness but shall pray for you a heart to make a gain of it by learning to walk with God without a crutch and in him onely to make out all deficiency and wants of secondary helps in whom every creature-comfort is virtually and eminently contained and so shall you quench
your thirst at the spring it self whose waters are purest and which never shall be dry A lesson which you shall be often taught by the holy Psalmist and the godly Paraphrast in this Book whereof I need not say a word being therein prevented by the Authour himself in his Epistle to the Reader who shall here find the sweet spices punned into a greater fragrancy by the Authours accommodating his stile to the most vulgar capacity for it was his aime to elevate affections which in Psalms and spirituall songs are the predominant part and therefore he wrote not so much to the eye as to the tast which pardon the solecisme is the best sence to read him with so carrying on the work in this Paraphrase as also in that of Iob as one that had not a mere notionall or carnall knowledge of spirituall things but that peculiar light which they have which are taught of God Without which even Schollars themselves do see the beauty of them but by candle-light and which that it may increase in you as the light of the Sun unto the perfect day shall be the Prayer of LONDON Iune 17. 1650. Your ever obliged Servant In the work of the Lord Iesus RICHARD VINES TO THE READER In way of ARGUMENT and APPLICATION ALL Scripture was written by the holy men of God as they were moved or inspired by the holy Ghost but this of the Psalms was not onely written by a holy man but by a holy man in holy frames who was not onely moved by the spirit to write them but was in the spirit when he penned them not so much acted by externall impulsion as inward affection warmth of zeal and sensible experience For the Psalms being to be a speciall part of the worship of God in all ages of the Church whereby God not onely speaks to us as in other Scripture but we to him in Prayer and praise the Arguments of almost all of them were therefore dictated by another spirit than other Scripture by the spirit of grace and operation not onely of illumination prophesie or inspiration to shew us how God is to be worshipped not onely by holy regenerate men such as were all the sacred pen-men but by the regenerate part of a regenerate man else Prayers nor praises neither come down from heaven nor go up to heaven It was not enough to be a Priest to offer Sacrifice but it must be done by a holy man with holy fire And therefore should we sing the Psalms of David in the spirit of David and read them as he writ them with frameable tempers to the matter treated Of all Scripture our meditation in the perusall of this Book of the Psalmes so full of practicall Gospel ought to be sweet and spirituall of which one rightly affirms Let all the rest of the Scripture be the body and this is the heart so full of heavenly affections Every Psalm whereof is a spirituall pang or fresh gail breathed by the holy Ghost on Davids heart and penned by him and the rest in instanti in heat of affection His writing is his feeling and so should be thy reading the musick of the Temple should make musick in the living Temples of the holy Ghost the sons of Sion therefore have I laboured not onely to render the proper but also the full extensive meanings of the Psalmists by congruous enlargements to move the affections as well as to inform the judgement That so Davids spirit in these Psalms may be transmigrated into the experienced Reader in proportionable power energie wherewith they were conceived digestedly put over by him to the Church whereof as of Christ he was a most lively type wading through so many dangers temptations ebbings flowings yea and sins too to create him to be a Looking-glass for the Church and Spouse of Christ who may be black yet comly and can never pass through any condition of sin or suffering where first he hath not led the way and shewen the issue whose varieties of providences states and tempers made him of such an evangelicall spirit in the time of the Law as that God stiles him a man after his own heart so that in him we see that neither great sins nor great afflictions can seperate us from the love and approbation of God though the one may cost us dear and the other may lay us low yet neither the one nor the other can build up such a partition wall but that the grapling irons of Faith Prayer and Repentance are able to demolish it and make way for us to the throne of grace whither if we can but come we shall be sure to speed for grace can deny grace to none that graciously ask it And therefore if ever we will gain that Encomium of being as he was after Gods own heart who ever loves a zealous penitent better than a luke-warm innocent it must be by improving all advantages to the encrease of Gospel-growth thus If at any time God in his wisdom let us fall or Satan by his subtility and strength give us a fall or we by our weakness catch a fall all which may be in one and the same sin then know that that sin is thine advantage or opportunity which thou art to improve to mount thee to a higher rise of Gospel-ground and step forward towards more grace by the fresh exercise or exercise of fresh faith and humiliation God being more pleased with us when we penitently and faithfully confess our sin wherein David was very ingenuous than displeased when we commit it For though we are not to sin that grace may abound yet when we have sinned it s both our wisdom and duty too to look that grace do abound and that we make a sanctified sin of it Acts of sinning in the regenerate contrary to Philosophy lessening the habits of sin And so if we fall into afflictions there is another opportunity for the promise is that all shall work for good and that going in and out we shall find pasture yea even a price in our hands which if improved by the exercise of seasonable and suitable graces will ready us in our Gospel-way better than any trade-wind or constant gail of providence can ever do Severall conditions make exceedingly for setting forth the Art of God in the second Creation as severall creatures do his skill in the first which variety in both makes us to abound not onely with necessaries but delights which Scripture calls things both new and old which no one condition unvaried can possibly render us capable of for it is said all things work together for good c. Alluding to the Art of the Apothecary in the mixing of various and diverse Simples no one whereof alone is able to work that effect that many joyntly can And when I speak of change of states I mean inward as well as outward for the soul would be as a cake unturned excellent in something and stark naught in othersome or
and power of God to all parts and people thereof In them may all men see how wonderfully God hath ordained the sun to reside and shine 5 Which at its first arising and mornings beautiful appearance is most welcome to all mens sight bringing light and as it were life with it from under the dark curtain of the sable night and with a free and natural motion fit for such an undertaking without difficulty sets upon the course it is to run and finish in the appointed time from one end of the heaven to the other 6 His setting forth is from the East and in a day he makes his progress to the West diffusing also his light and influence North and South whose penetrating heat in this his motion reacheth the very lowermost parts of the earth concocting minerals and quickening vegetables 7 Glorious is God in his works which declare his power and wisdom to all men but much more glorious is he in his word and doctrine delivered peculiarly to his people which holds forth to them his covenant of saving grace Those things by a natural propensity convey to men many common and bodily benefits But the word of God is far beyond them all restoring both our title to them lost by our fall and which is infinitely more supernaturally revealing to us the perfect and infallible way of life turning again to God and powerfully bringing it to pass upon us The truth delivered in it by the Lord touching our salvation is unquestionable and may be trusted to which understood and imbraced enriches us who foolishly lost our first estate of holines and happines with understanding how to get it again 8 The saving principles and ordinances which God gives us in his word to walk by are holy and righteous and such as being observed and obeyed in faith and conscience to the Law-giver brings joy and hearts ease in the comfortable sense of our sinceritie and assurance of Gods favour to us and acceptance of us The whole will of God revealed is it self pure void of errour or corruption and makes them so that walk according to it enlightning them with understanding to tread in the way of truth and life when others wander in by-paths of death and errour 9 The holy law of God which he hath ordained his people to fear and serve him by is free from corruption and makes them like it that observe it holy and pure and is everlastingly the same like God the giver of it not to be varied by us at no time nor occasion bringing with it the reward of everlasting happines The ordinances and commandments of the Lord by which he expects to be obeyed and purposes to judge the world are compleatly perfect free from all errour and injustice and onely makes men so 10 They are of more worth and yield a man more profit than all the riches of the world better are they to be prized and more to be desired than the most refined gold And more true pleasure and content do they bring to the soul and conscience by faithful observance than the sweetest honey does to the taste 11 After a special manner they are and ever have been useful to me and to all that fear thee shewing us how to stear a right course in every condition by chusing the good and refusing the evil And well worthie are they to be obeyed for they bring a blessed reward with them even peace of conscience and everlasting life 12 So holy are all thy foresaid laws and commandments and so binding both to the inward and outward man as who lives that can know how oft he offends against them Lord pardon me therefore my unknown sins and sanctifie my heart and spirit conformably to thy law which is spiritual 13 Protect me also who am thy servant and desire to yield thee universal obedience from outward and grosser iniquities committed against knowledge let not such prevail over me by strength of temptation And so being thus pardoned and sanctified notwithstanding my many frailties and daily infirmities I shall be uprightly righteous in thy sight and shall be though not innocent and free from all sin yet from known and presumptuous ones any of which lived in may justly stagger my sinceritie and covenant-peace which without thy special preventing grace I shall notwithstanding fall into 14 Yea cleanse me throughout Let my very words and thoughts as well as deeds be such as sute with thy law and will Thus Lord grant me grace and pardon who onely art my sanctifier and redeemer The xx PSALM David as a prophet instructs his people in a pattern and form of prayer to pray for him their King and to seek their own welfare in him as the Churches in Christ whereof he and they were respective types And to look at God for all the good they expected by his means and withal to be confident of it by saith grounded upon pregnant experiences of his grace and favour to him And how ever God might make them strong in outward things yet not to change their trust but to keep it firm in God by example both of their enemies miscarriages through their misgrounded confidence and of their own experienced success by trusting in the Lord. Closing up the prayer with a brief of all Praying God to preserve both them and their King and to make him able to govern and defend them in equitie and tranquillitie as Christ his Church To him that is the first and principal of all the Quire do I David that made this Psalm recommend it for the care and ordering of it to be sung 1 WE the people of God and thee whom God hath set over us pray for thee That the Lord would hear thy prayers against thine enemies in time of need the grace and providence of God which he shewed to our father Jacob and promised to us his seed who are his peculiar people evermore accompany and preserve thee our King 2 Yea the good Lord answer thee succesfully from that place which he hath specially appointed to hear and for us to offer prayers in even his holy Tabernacle And grant thee his Almighty aid according to the daily prayers of his priests and people which they put up unto him in his holy mountain in thy behalf 3 The Lord keep in mind thy pious offerings of praise and thanksgivings for mercies past to give thee further cause to do the like and the Lord accept the propitiation for thy sins to pardon them and shew forth the gratious fruits and effects of his reconciled favour to thee All this we humbly and heartily pray for 4 God grant thee answers and issues according to thine own desire and bless all thy advice and undertakings for God and his people with sutable success 5 We are confident that God is and ever will be with thee and therefore rejoyce before hand in that
from the dead by freeing me from mortal dangers which put my very life in peril and caused much affliction of mind he hath carried on all the course of his providence towards me in a way of truth and faithfulnes according to his promise and that onely for his own free-grace and mercies sake therefore hath nothing failed of all that he promised me 4 Yea I have had such large and unquestionable experience of thy love and faithfulnes that though I should be brought into never so great danger and lie never so long under it yet will I not distrust thy deliverance at last for because all that befals me is by thy permission and makes not void thy grace and providence which is then with me when all things are against me Thou hast a rod of offence for mine enemies and a staff of defence and protection for thy sheep and for me thy servant which sustains my faith and courage against all fears and dangers 5 Thou hast plentifully provided for me enriched me with the spoil of my very enemies and made me master and owner of that was theirs to the great regret of those of them that live to see me so as many of them do Thou hast heaped such an abundance of all manner of affluence and beneficence both for honour delight and necessitie upon me that thou hast made me overflow in blessings and benefits unto others as shall Christ the head to his members 6 I cannot but conclude from that goodnes and mercie I have already found according to thy promise that I shall ever whilest I live be a large sharer in thy free and bounteous beneficence and liberality And I promise by Gods grace I will never so surfet of thy benefits as to forget my benefactor but will diligently frequent thy sanctuarie and hold on a constant course of praise and thanks-giving therein according to thy commandments as thou shalt hold on a course of mercie and favour to me according to promise ending as I begin The xxiiii PSALM David to invite men into a participation of the sanctifying graces of the spirit and salvation and glorification by Christ shews That though all the world and men in it belong to God yet with great difference for though all are his by right of creation yet hath his special favour of election and calling passed onely upon such as are holy others are but his creatures these his sons and daughters whom he spurs on to enlarge their desires after Christ in the exercise of faith and use of means and promises both him and together with him happines and security to such A Psalm made by David 1 THe Lord hath dominion over all the earth which together with those infinit species and individuals of creatures animate and inanimate that are in it are all of them his Yea the whole world from North to South and East to West is his and under his regiment together with all the inhabitants thereof every where 2 For it is he that hath made all both sea and land and that hath given an habitable existence and being to the earth above the waters which he hath placed below it in that great Abysse where the seas remain By his decree it is thus established over and above the waves and surges of the sea which else would soon surmount it 3 But though all the world be the Lords in common right of creation yet who are they that are his redeemed ones in special relation that have the honour and priviledge to be peculiarly elected and called out of the world to worship and serve him here and to be glorified of him hereafter like as in type we are being his peculiar and chosen people who of all the world are priviledged with his sanctuarie which we frequent and where we worship him upon mount Sion the figure of heaven 4 Why onely he that is holy and upright whose conversation and affections are changed from the corrupt course of the world in obedience and love to God purifying his heart from inward concupiscences and leading his life unblameably Who hath not either committed impietie in trusting in vain confidences or worshipping vain idols instead of the true God or iniquitie in swearing falsely to the wronging of truth or equitie 5 Such an one is and shall be blessed of the Lord with his grace and favour and shall partake the righteous reward of his holy walking at the hands of God who hath thereby ordained him unto salvation and glorification 6 These are the peculiar people and children of God chosen out of the world that do thus truly and sincerely set themselves to worship him Yea amongst Israel it self also there are none that are truly that is spiritually the children of holy Jacob that in this wise walk not in his steps sincerely serving and worshipping the God of Jacob. These are onely the blessed people of a blessed God 7 Ye that are thus the living Temples of the Lord and have already entertained his sanctifying spirit into you do you lift up your hearts in the use of holy ordinances through faith in joyful desires and assured expectation of him yea be you abundantly lift up by faith in the use of holy means who are the everlasting habitation of an everlasting God with a joyful and assured welcome of him for so shall you invite and undoubtedly entertain the high and mightie potentate the Lord Christ into your souls with the glorious manifestation and ravishing operation of his love benefits and graces 8 And know O all ye faithful and obedient ones for your courage and comfort who and of what qualitie this glorious King the Lord Jesus is whom the world despises but you honour Why he is the Almighty God of power all-sufficient to preserve and defend his people and Church that in trust of him do love and serve him against all the strength and power of men and devils that do or shall malign or oppose themselves against them and to put them to the foil as we his Israel in the letter have found by experience for your instruction and corroboration that are his people in Spirit 9 10 See the seventh and eigth verses foregoing These being a repetition tending to amplification for further assurance of what is there promised and ratified with a Selah for the incouragement of the Godly The xxv PSALM David notwithstanding the deep sense he had of his sins by reason of the great afflictions he lay under yet confidently repairs to God in prayer for justice against his enemies and mercie for himself both in the pardon of his sins and bestowing grace upon him assuring himself that herein he shall be heard because of Gods goodnes and the many sweet promises which in the general he hath made to his people which he applies to himself in particular And so ends as he begins with prayer forcibly urged upon God by the greatnes of
happy is that man whom in mercie God freely justifies and acquits from the guilt and punishment of his sin and seals it to him by the never-failing testimonie of his sanctifying spirit bestowed upon him creating him anew towards God in sinceritie and holiness 3 I can speak by experience for when as I loved my sin and lived in it and was loth to confess and forsake it not seeking pardon for it nor grace against it how bitter and burdensome at last did the Lord make it to me tormenting me within with most insupportable horrours to the sensible decay of nature by reason of his heavy displeasure and the want of his favour so that it made me restlesly to roar and crie 4 Yea incessantly without intermission was I tormented with fear and terrour so that I was even scorched and my natural moisture dried up with inward anguish like unto leaves and grass by a summers drought I speak it freelingly 5 This made me come off and glad I was to acknowledge my sin unto thee and ask forgiveness which I did not daring to conceal it any longer but spread it before thee with confession and deprecation And truly when once I did but feel my self throughly and sincerely resolved in my spirit no longer to hide and harbour it in my bosom but humbly in self-judging to lay it open before the Lord presently hereupon I felt my heart eased of mine inward pressures and cleared with the comfortable apprehension of the pardon of the guilt and punishment of my sin and thine acceptance of me into grace and favour again I speak it joyfully 6 This testimonie of mine touching thy ready mercie to humble penitents shall incite by the faith thereof all that are or desire to be Godly to make their addresses to thee in their trouble for sin in hope and full assurance to find the like mercie from thee in their miserie which is a time indeed wherein thou art readiest to afford help and comfort Surely in the greatest of outward troubles or inward perplexities such an one as flies to thee for refuge shall find as I have done that though like waves they may threaten and affright him yet they shall not overwhelm him but being in faith by prayer sought unto thou wilt command a calm in his soul as thou didst in mine 7 Thou art the refuge that my soul still flies unto for succour in all distresses and so thou hast approved thy self and so wilt ever do in time of need I am confident thou wilt never but shew me mercie in my miserie and so wilt ever give me cause to praise thee and rejoyce in thee still as I have need of thee by my manifold and seasonable deliverances To thy glorie I speak it 8 As I have learned of the Lord the way of wel-doing so will I as is my dutie teach it unto thee who ever thou art for thy welfare out of a care and and desire of thy good I will shew thee the readie and certain way of gaining the favour of God as I have found it and seen the experience of it so will I declare it to thee 9 Which is this walk humbly with thy God and be tractable to his will and pleasure not rebelliously persisting in sin and so foolishly provoking him against thee to reduce thee by extremities as we are fain to do brute beasts or plague thee with his judgements to keep thee within compass 10 For the wicked by their wickedness do but kick against pricks and heap up judgement to themselves But he that is the Lords by faith and obedience the sails of his soul shall be filled with the comfortable sense of Gods mercie and favour to him and he shall find the good effects thereof in the whole course of his life 11 Therefore if the wicked will still be so at their peril But as for the Godly they have chosen the better part for the Lord is their portion in whom they may and ought to be glad and rejoyce even all that believe in him for the pardon of their sins and are sanctified by his holy spirit such whatsoever the world think of them that are thus sincere and truly Godly which all are not that make profession and shew of religion have infinit cause of joy in their blessed and happie condition which they shall do well to put in practise and make conscience of by an answerable actual rejoycing and comfortable course of life to the conviction of the world and the honour of God The xxxiii PSALM In this Psalm the Godly are incited exceedingly to praise the Lord because of their faithful experience of his word and works his holy nature goodness and power manifested all the world over for which all men also ought to reverence him But principally his people Israel whose happiness he hath decreed and will bring to pass maugre all opposition of contrarie counsels and attempts in case they walk with him and hope in him he will be with them He underrates for Israel in the name of all the faithful that they will and do effectually hope in the Lord and promiseth in so doing they shall speed accordingly and lastly prayes it may be so 1 O all ye chosen Israel who are or should be Saints and servants of the Lord rejoyce and be exceeding glad all those that are so in that you have him for your portion and truly better and more seemly service they cannot do him that are partakers of his grace and spirit than to render him praise for his love and benefits towards them 2 Never think you can give too many or too much praise to God but learn to be skilful in it and every way in the very best manner and with the most raised affections look you perform it to him that so highly deserves it at your hands 3 As he vouchsafes new mercies so still do you indite new praises to him with thankful hearts set all your skill and might on work to magnifie him 4 For the word of promise which he hath made to the righteous is firm to be trusted and will not deceive the believing soul but is and ever shall be true to him and all his works of power and providence towards them and against their enemies are the fruits of his mercy and faithfulness 5 The Lord is righteous and holy hates the wayes of the world injury and oppression and contrarily loves justice and equity and such as practise them he is bountiful also and out of his goodness fills the earth with abundance of good things for the use of man 6 And as his goodness so his power wonderfully appears in the world for at his meer command the heavens and all those lightsome glorious ornaments therein were made and other way of Being they had none saving his command to Be. 7 And as the heavens above so the earth beneath sheweth his
1 BE not thou that belongest to God angrie or agrieved to see wicked men to prosper and to go unpunished in the world neither envie thou the happiness of sinners in their affluence of worldly felicitie nor be moved by it to step out of thy way into theirs 2 For it is but for a very little while that they do so their happines is short-lived commonly God by some unexpected judgement and untimely end snatches them from it or if not yet at best its mortal like themselves and dieth with them 3 But whilest they trust in their strength or store do thou trust in God and whilest they go on in sinning do thou go on in serving the Lord so shalt thou and thy posteritie inherit the promise of life and blessing to survive the wicked maugre their power and malice that at present Lord it as if life and inheritances were not the gifts of God but theirs by an indeleble proprietie whom yet God will extirpate and doubt not but trusting in him and being careful to do thy dutie to him he will provide what is needful for thee and will bless thee with convenient food and raiment as much as a gracious heart and contented mind desires for Godliness hath the promise of this life and that which is to come they shall not hinder it 4 Also the whilest they make riches and pleasures their God and greatest good do thou make God and his good grace thy riches and chief delight and so God will give thee what shall be for thy good and withhold from thee what may do thee hurt which is the desire of every gracious heart 5 Be not over solicitous and careful in and about thine affairs but ease thy mind on God when thou art engaged in his cause or by his providence pass them over to him to manage for thee trusting withall that according to his goodness and faithfulness he will order and dispose them and thou shalt find every thing to prosper better in his hands than in thine and a good success to follow upon it 6 And though thy pietie and innocencie may be rewarded with obloquy and oppression yet be sure the time will come and be comforted in it when God shall right all thy wrongs and vindicate thine uprightness if thou trust in him to do it to thy full satisfaction and the worlds conviction as certainly as light springs out of darkness and day out of night and as clearly as the sun shines in his greatest brightness for all eyes to see it 7 How ever things frame relie thou upon God with a stedfast unwavering faith and a quiet contented mind be not hastie nor impatient of the end but stay Gods leasure submissively to his will and believingly in his promise to the very uttermost period of his pleasure And though thou in a good cause go by the worse and others in a bad one succeed and prosper yet let it not unsettle thy faith or distemper thy spirit to see wicked men fortunate in wicked ways and evil designs 8 At any rate suppress passionate misprisions of God his truth or righteousness and beware of casting off a meek spirit and entertaining a wrathful envious disposition incident in such temptations let not distemper seize upon thee however matters go but specially not so far as to move thee to forgo thy faith and and obedience and to fall to sinful shifts and practises 9 For so thou and they shall fare alike even both be cut off in Gods displeasure whereas if thou hold on in patient and faithful waiting on the Lord thou shalt at last find it to be the most successeful and prosperous course and that in so doing God will bless and provide for thee when as they and their hopes shall perish 10 For if thou wilt but have a little patience and stay Gods leasure it shall not be long before the wicked have their reward though God may let them prosper for a while yet the time will come when either their happiness shall be taken from them or they from it yea thou or thine shall see an end of him and his to your admiration and God his exaltation 11 But on the contrarie they that wait patiently and bear meekly they shall find it the best and happiest way for that God will preserve them and at last bless them with rest and safetie when the wicked shall perish 12 The malice of the wicked indeed is every way very provoking both in real wrongs causelesly working against the righteous in irritating deportments manifesting his inward rancor and imbittered mind against him when he cannot prevail 13 But there 's no danger for God laughs to see his folly so to fret himself and labour in vain to root out the faithful and Godly man when as all that while he is but digging his own grave and hastening his own destruction for the more he endangers him and hath him at a lift the speedier shall be his own ruin to make way for his preservation 14 The wicked do all they can by wit or power to overthrow the poor opressed innocent man and set themselves with all their might to slay without cause the good even because they are good 15 But God shall make use of their power and violence against themselves for they shall work their own destruction and the aim they have at the Godly shall be defeated and they preserved spite of all their power and malice 16 The righteous man that trusts in God and serves him is happier and richer in a little that God gives him than the wicked are with much ill gotten goods wherein they put great confidence 17 For the carnal confidences and strength of the wicked wherein they trust shall be weakened made ineffectual against the Godly and their faith but them will God sustain be they never so despicable and void of secundarie helps spite of all adverse power 18 The Lord hath decreed to a minute how long the righteous shall suffer and remembers his promise touching their surviving happiness after their miseries and their enemies oppressions to keep it which he will certainly do to their well-being here or if not for ever hereafter in heaven 19 Which confidence of theirs shall make them hold up their heads when others droop in times of distress Yea their hope and trust in God shall yield them their bellies full of content even in death 20 When as the wicked for want of it shall comfortlesly pine away and the ungodly ones for whose sake those judgements are sent together with all their substance shall in the Lords anger be consumed by them as the fire melts lambs grease yea they shall be quite consumed 21 The wicked for all his abundance and abundant confidence therein by Gods just judgements are oft times impoverished and put to borrow and disabled to pay again whereas
tongue is made apt to utter them with a ready dexteritie 2 As God hath advanced thee O Solomon with honour to be King over Israel as Christ shall be over his Church so hath he beautified thee above the ordinarie ranck of men and adorned thee with excellent Divine wisdom and utterance worthie thy place of regiment like as he will do Christ the blessed King and bridegroom of his Church with all the excellent inward ornaments of grace and spirit wherein he shall exceed all and of which his excellencies he shall participate to all his people by his powerful and saving word of grace which is an infallible argument of the never failing love and favour God hath to thee and will ever bear thee the type as to Christ the antitype and the blessings that shall accompany it 3 Whensoever thou preparest for war prepare for victorie O thou that art mightily blessed and aided by the Almighty God of heaven and made the King of most renown and majestie in all the world as Christ shall be the most powerful and victorious Saviour of his Church and mightiest potentate to whom all power shall be given both in heaven and earth 4 And in the majestick power that God hath given thee prosperously proceed to aw and conquer all thine enemies not by falshood pride and injustice as do other Kings that move upon earthly principles but in Gods way by the exercise of his graces of faithfulness meekness and justice as shall do Christ by his Kingly office in behalf of his Church prevailing and conquering by the saving truth of his word patient long-suffering and righteous performing of his promises ruling and walking in this manner thou shalt be able to work wonders and shalt strike terrour into thine enemies and reverence into thy people as shall Christ into his 5 Those that shall oppose thy Sovereign rule and government will have but bad success for thou art as Christ shall be of power to quell them whereby whole nations of the Gentils shall be subdued to thy subjection and obedience as they shall to his 6 Thy dominion and sovereigntie O Solomon the type of Christ the son of God is not like meer earthly Kings that perish but it shall in him who is God and our Divine mediator be extended over all and to all eternity Thou hast right to rule for God himself hath given thee dominion over Jews and Gentils as he hath done to Christ over all the world a just and righteous government shalt thou the type execute in him the antitype who is the just and holy God not subject to the corruptions of earthly Princes 7 For he whom thou resemblest perfectly loves and obeys the holy and righteous will of God and as perfectly hateth both sin and sinners for which cause that he may be Gods high officer and King over his Church chosen peculiarly to that place and honour before all mankind and Gods own people too as David was before all Israel and both he and thou before the rest of your brethren therefore is he inabled and enriched from God whose son even by nature he is and whose love most especially he hath with the spirit of consolation and all his Divine graces in his humane nature even without measure whereof the adopted sons of God and fellow-members of Christ that are partakers with him of the Divine nature as he is with them of the humane do share but in measure short of him receiving grace for grace from him 8 All thy royall robes O Solomon are richly and odoriferously perfumed with the most costly aromatick spices when as thou shewest thy self to thy people from out thy stately palaces who at the sight and smell of thee are rejoyced and refreshed and reciprocally return their joyfull and loyal acclamations to thee again to thy great contentment as well as theirs Like as Christ shall come from heaven furnished in his humane nature with all excellent graces and perfections befitting his high office to the infinit joy of his people who enjoy the sweet and benefit thereof which they return again unto him in love honour and service to his good content 9 Thou art honoured with many wives and concubines of high birth even Kings daughters are in the number of them but especially and of most account with thee is Pharaohs daughter who is Queen above all the rest and more gloriously attired than any Like as Christ shall have the attendance and company of many noble and famous congregations that will profess him and worship him externally in his ordinances But his onely and principal spouse is the holy Catholick Church consisting principally of the elect Gentils whom he shall cloth like himself in his own righteousness and adorn her with the Divine nature and the graces of his spirit and prefer her to special favour here and glorie with him hereafter in heaven 10 O daughter of Aegypt whom God hath made so happie as to bring thee thence and to marrie thee to King Solomon the type of Christ be thou also the resemblance of his spouse the Church specially of the Gentils by hearkening unto and embracing the true and saving knowledge of the onely true God and be converted by it as she shall be and turn from the errours wherein thou wast bred and born inheriting them by education and birth-right as do even the elect of God their sinful and corrupt nature till they be married to Christ by a new nature and forsake all for him 11 So shall King Solomon far more entirely love thee and delight in thee thy beautie being much increased thereby and thou made glorious within as well as without who is thy Lord and husband and therefore one whom thou oughtest to obey and desire to please Like as shall the Church be infinitly pleasing to Christ when she hath given herself to him and is endowed with his graces whose Lord and husband he is and whom she ought to serve and honour 12 Nor shalt thou lose thereby but God will greatly increase thine honour and esteem far more than being the daughter of Pharaoah comes to for so shalt thou in conjugal participation gain the homage and subjection of great and rich nations the most mightie and powerful people of all the world shall be brought under and made glad of thy favour through the favour and blessing of God upon thee Like as it shall be with the Church which worships Christ in puritie and sinceritie she shall be so blessed by him as that no enemy shall stand before her but by the assistance of the power and grace of Christ her Lord and husband she shall be Ladie and Mistresse of the whole world sought unto of all nations for the knowledge of her saving truth and participation of her graces with the renouncing of their false confidences to share with her in Christ. 13 Thou the daughter of King Pharaoh art not gloriously
attired onely at such times as thou appearest in the worlds eye as ordinarie women are but art ever so even within thy palace as well as without as is the Church not formally hypocritical and to the worlds view onely but really and sincerely gracious adorned by Christ with his own justifying righteousousness and sanctifying graces 14 That so thou maiest delight and please thy Lord and King when ever thou art presented to him in raiment worthy thy high linage and royal marriage and art accompanied to him with a gallant train of damosels fitting thy state and dignitie As shall the Catholick Church be by Christ his sanctifying spirit presented to himself in holiness and righteousness even all the blessed company of saints gathered from out the whole world to make up that blessed society and onely spouse of Christ. 15 Thou with thy troup of damosels shalt by Somons command and his servants ready attendance and obedience be ushered to his royal presence and pallace with infinit rejoycings and acclamations at that meeting and mutual imbracing As shall the Church and spouse of Christ made up of all the holy saints and sanctified ones be brought and presented by their holy calling in the ministry and by the ministers of the word unto Christ his grace and favour and by Angels into his everlasting glorie and presence in heaven to the infinit joy of Gods ministers and servants and with the acclamation of all those ministring spirits 16 By forsaking thy fathers house God himself will become a father to thee and will bless thee and make thee a happie mother of many hopefull children who shall command both Jews and Gentils As shall the Church of Christ by choosing him the second Adam for her Lord and husband and forsaking the first she shall thereby have God for her father and shall be blessed with a numerous off-spring all the world over all which spiritual progenie are a royal Generation children of the most high and put in Kingly office by him to command over all their earthly corruptions 17 And by so doing thou shalt lose no honour but through my blessing upon thee for it I will make the renown of this glorious act of thine to be famous and thou for it from age to age and thy memorie shall be precious and thy praises recorded in everlasting remembrance by the people of the Lord. As shall be the Church and spouse of Christ successively famous and honoured in all Generations for being his and her memorie happie and blessed from age to age after Generations of Gods people honorably memorizing them that went before with estimation and imitation to the worlds end The xlvi PSALM Ierusalem or the people of Israel being at present in some great strait or siedge by a powerful enemie and receiving deliverance The Author of this Psalm expresseth it in a high and hyperbolical strain thereby to incourage the faith of Gods people to a strong and extraordinarie belief in God for ever from their late eminent experience of his power and readiness to help them his favour towards them and presence with them which ought to establish and secure them for future A Psalm or song made and set to Alamoth an instrument or tune for the treble and committed to the family of the Korathites for them to sing 1 GOd is to us his people that depend upon him and trust in him both safetie from and power against our enemies he may be confided in to the uttermost peril for when we are nearest danger he is nearest to deliver 2 And therefore should there be never such revolutions in nature strange and terrible yet our faith in God shall keep us steadie yea though the center of the earth should shake and remove from its place and that by the violence of tempests the very mountains should be taken and hurled as a stone out of a sling from their place of residence far into the sea yet shall our faith establish our hearts in God his grace and protection how much more in the greatest tumults and commotions of civil affairs 3 Though storms both at land and sea should at once seem to overwhelm us and all the world and to dissolve the very course of nature it self the seas threatning an universal deluge by their tempestuous rising and fearful roaring and should even shake the very mountains with their violent and impetuous beating upon them yet in God shall our hearts hold up their heads 4 When the sea of troubles and combustions seem to overwhelm all the world besides and they be made to drink of most bitter and troubled waters even then shall the land of Jewry and especially the Citie of Jerusalem have peace and tranquillitie and drink their fill of the fresh and pleasant streams of Cedron for that it is Gods peculiar habitation and therefore hath it his peculiar protection and favour as shall have his holy and Catholick Church typified by his sanctuarie there the onely place of resort for all the Israel of God to worship him in 5 God in his worship and presence is there above all the world and therefore she shall be protected though the world be exposed she shall need to fear no danger for God shall both certainly and seasonably deliver her 6 The heathen people with great force and furie were inraged against us whole Kingdoms and conspiracies of the Gentil-nations were moved at us to seek our overthrow but the Lord Almighty took our parts and expressing his wrathful indignation by terrible thunder-claps from heaven against them dissipated and discomfited all their earthly power 7 Whatsoever armies are against us the powerful and great commander the Lord of hosts is with us the God of our father Jacob that mightily delivered him is on our side and in covenant with us to do the like for us Let us therefore be comforted in him 8 Consider well and thankfully remember the mighty mercies he hath shewn us in the powerful overthrows of our great and numerous enemies how for our sakes he hath wonderfully destroyed them more than once and nations more than one or two 9 He hath often times settled his people Israel in an universal peace spite of all the nations of the world their opposits whose forces he hath defeated and disabled their strength though great and as he hath done so his power and promises are still of force to do for his Church which he will preserve maugre her enemies and persecutors that infest her and will give her peace by their destruction and disablement as he hath done for us 10 Repose your hearts on God with inward content and securitie by a faithful expecting and apprehending of him for a God all-sufficient in your behalfs one that for your sakes will destroy the heathen and will honour his power and greatness upon the Gentils round about 11 Whatsoever armies are against us the powerful
friend promises to trust in him worst come that can come hoping his enemies shall not always escape punishment nor he always be oppressed magnifieth God for his great deliverance out of Gath and concludes thence Gods future protection of him To him that is most skilful upon the instrument Jonath-elem-rechokim signifying the dumb dove in a far Countrey a denomination significant and proper to Davids behaviour and condition at Gath of the Philistines where he was in imminent danger and a remarkable deliverance 1 Sam. 21.10 c. by counterfeiting himself mad and speechless which is the occasion and subject matter of this Psalm being chiefly set to it and committed to him by David that made it to be sung to the special tune of Michtam played on that instrument 1 O Lord God be thou my helper and vouchsafe me mercie or else I am in a miserable condition and sure to be undone for I have no friends nor can find no favour on earth but on all hands am beset readie to be devoured and praid upon by cruel-minded men I am forced to flie to my very enemies for refuge and to use my wits to get from them as soon as I am come to them being driven into those inextricable straits by Saul and his complices my bloudy enemies who will let me rest no where seeking my life and with open war and professed enmitie persecuting me continually 2 So bitterly enraged are mine enemies against me that they think every day a year till they have destroyed me greedily affecting it and they are a numerous company of them all set by might and main to mischief me that am a poor innocent lonely man thus pursued and persecuted by Saul and his men of war But my confidence and hope is in thee that art of power and might above them to whom onely I make my moan 3 And in assurance of thy power and good will to help me whensoever I am in extream danger and in never such fear and perplexitie of mind by reason thereof yet such hath been my experience of thee at all times as that when I can flie no whither nor be safe no where I will yet then flie to thee by faith and hope 4 And my confidence is that I shall allwayes find that word and promise of thine which thou hast made concerning me to be faithfully performed by thee thy grace and power shall answerably appear for me and that I shall never have other cause but to praise thee for thy truth and to thank thee for thy goodness notwithstanding all my dangers and therefore as I have hitherto believed on thee so I will still and whilest I have thee that art God on my side and they be but men that are mine enemies I will never so fear them nor the harm they can do me as not to trust and hope in thee for preservation and deliverance from them 5 What I say or do be it never so well meant and be I never so innocent I am sure to be belied and perverted by them as if I plotted and practised nothing but treason when as I do nor think nothing less and as they falsly surmise so they wickedly conspire and complot my ruin 6 They both secretly advise and openly associate themselves together against me a single friendless man they have stratagems and designs against me which they carrie covertly least I should discover and avoid them as by thy goodness to me I have strangely done hitherto and they have spies upon me to pick all advantages against me that they may have whereof to accuse me and a fit opportunitie to cut me off and murder me which notwithstanding they could never yet compass 7 Lord how long shall these wicked wretches practise iniquitie and not be punished nay prosper in such courses O God manifest at last in thine own good time thy just displeasure upon such vile reprobate people as these are by bringing them and their wicked devices to nought 8 How ever I am hated by mine enemies and persecuted from place to place yet am I regarded and preserved by thee that hast pitie on mine unquiet condition and by thy special providence and secret guidance goest along with me to protect me Let my manifold tears which I shed in my manifold miseries when no eyes sees me but thine be heedfully taken notice of by thee to remember me according to them yea Lord I know and find they are so 9 Though my peril be imminent and seemingly inavoidable yet I have found and doubt not still to find it so that if I put up a faithful and fervent prayer unto thee thou wilt in instanti some way or other disappoint and defeat mine enemies and shew me a way to escape them this I know to be true by former experience and shall find it so always for thou O Lord art every whit as careful and vigilant over me to preserve me as mine enemies are to destroy me 10 11. See the fourth verse of this Psalm which specially the former part of it is here repeated to shew the strength of Davids faith in the truth of God and his promises and that it rather increaseth than diminisheth by his dangers 12 Such and so great have been my deliverances that they have drawn solemn vows from me of solemn praise and thanks to be given thee in most exact manner of performance according to thy Law in such cases which though at present I cannot perform in the ceremonies and formalities thereof being banished from the place of thy worship yet I hope and promise to bear them in mind till the time that thou shalt restore and inable me so to do and in the mean time mine heart and lips shall not be wanting to give thee praise in spirit and truth 13 For though thou hast vouchsafed me many a deliverance from many a danger yet none was ever more imminent nor thy goodness and power more conspicuous than in this at Gath where I was discovered and my life endangered very near and shall not I gather from this surely I will and do that thou wilt never let me be a prey to mine enemies nor worship any other God but thee which I was in danger to have done amongst the Philistines hadst not thou speedily brought me thence but wilt still preserve my life and give me to enjoy the happiness of serviving thee the onely true and living God amongst thine own people who onely of all the world that every where lies in darkness and in the shadow of death have the light and knowledge to worship thee aright The lvii PSALM David being driven into a narrow compass and being in great straits by his enemy Saul and his complices surrounding him in the cave flies by prayer and faith to God and promises himself deliverance by miracle rather than not at all He sets forth the cruell and proud nature of his enemies to
and thanks-giving by mercifull and powerfull deliverances which I have celebrated accordingly 18 And now Lord approve thine unchangeableness make out thy goodness to the uttermost period of my life when I have most need stick closest to me now in my declining old age O God withdraw not thine assistance but still be helpfull to me and magnifie thy power in my weakness that I may have cause to declare thy stedfastness and al-sufficiencie to preserve and deliver out and out and may be a pattern to the faithfull throughout the whole series of my life not onely to the past but present and all succeeding ages and generations of thy power to protect by thy wonderfull deliverances vouchsafed me in all of them 19 And thy faithfulness is no less to be extolled than thy power and will be by this mercie magnified in the same degree equally sharing in the glorie of all the wonderous deliverances thou hast and shalt vouchsafe me O God how wilt thou alone be exalted and thy peoples faith strengthened when they shall consider what thou hast done for me from one end of my life to the other it will cause astonishment and admiration and make thee to rule alone in all thy peoples hearts 20 For my sake they shall never have cause to despare when they consider how often I was plunged into most intricate perplexities and yet by thine almighty hand hath been extricated out of them as I shall be out of this as well as all the rest and shall have a resurrection out of this state of death and miserie wherein I seem to be swallowed up as of the grave 21 Yea thou shalt make this humbling a step to my further exaltation and as a foil to my future glorie which shall shine the brighter for it and my present sorrows shall bring me an increase of comforts favour and peace with God and man shall succeed them 22 And as thou shalt exalt my glorie and increase my comforts so will I magnifie thee in thanks-giving and praises which with mine uttermost power and skill I will give thee and particularly for thy truths sake which hath so firmly stuck to me and never deceived me whensoever I relied upon thee for it who hast ever been a faithfull God unto me therefore will I all the waies I can devise celebrate thy praises in the most solemn and affectionate manner that may be O thou God of truth and never failing faithfulness to thine ellect and chosen people that put their trust in thee worship and serve thee in holiness and righteousness 23 Lord I will every way that instrument and voice art and nature inward and outward man can act and perform celebrate thy praises and that with energie of spirit in the joyfull impressions and apprehensions of the things I utter will I express my mind and not with bare lip labour my mouth shall speak my heart and both shall greatly rejoice in thy salvation 24 Nor shalt thou be the onely subject of my song or solemn worship but also of my discourse and common converse thy faithfulness and just performance of thy promises shall never be out of my mouth I will make it even my table-talk for all to take notice of when as thou shalt as I know thou wilt with shame and destruction disapoint and defeat mine enemies that conspire against me to take away my life and Kingdom The lxxii PSALM David having set Solomon upon his throne a little before he dyed praies for him and prophesies of him according to what he praies how blessed a King he shall prove and what a flourishing Church and Kingdom there shall be in his daies how he shall be admired abroad and beloved at home admirably prefiguring Christ and his spiritual Kingdom A Psalm made by David near his death for and concerning his son and successour Solomon and his government 1 O God thou by whom Kings reign as thou hast called me and my son Solomon after me to sway the Scepter of Israel so do thou inable both me for that little time I have yet to live and him in an happy succession to me with those gifts of wisdom and knowledge as also of justice and holiness that are fit for Israels King to have above the Tyrants of the world who is to represent the Messiah thy son his government in and over his Church 2 And Lord what I pray for I also prophesie in thy name concerning this my son and successour whom thou hast especially chosen before all his brethren to rule in my stead He shall with understanding and uprightness administer justice and judgement unto this thy people committed to his charge and with impartialitie with just and fatherly pitie shall he give easie access to and judge the cause of the poor of thy people as well as of the rich he shall be no accepter of persons thy proprietie in them shall make him accept and esteem them equally and administer justice to them accordingly 3 O the wonderfull happiness of peace and plentie by the blessing of God that shall be all the land over under his government by the righteous administration thereof 4 He shall not onely be a father to the poor of thy people Israel but a just impartial Judge also to all other poor that come under his governance and a mercifull protectour of the helpless one or other against those that by might would wrong and oppress them not suffering a just cause to miscarrie for want of money and friends to carry it on but himself shall be the poor mans advocate and the judge of his oppressour who shall not escape by his greatness but be severely yet justly censured according to his merits 5 In his time the Temple shall be built and the Church and people of Israel put into a flourishing condition the worship of God in the types and significant ceremonies thereof shall be in his time compleated never to receive any more augmentation after who shall reign as well long as happily and is to be the liveliest type of Christ the saviour and King of his Church who in the age of the Gospel when he is come and taken upon him the Kingdom shall have a people a Church as in all places so in all ages of the world that shall fear and worship him in spirit and truth according to those resemblances that shall be in Solomons daies 6 His wise and just administrations with sweet and gracious deportments shall clear up the hearts of his people and make Israel by the blessing of God grow again and be a flourishing Common-wealth that hath undergone sad times and afflictions formerly like as Christ shall with evangelical Doctrines and the heavenly divine graces of his spirit distil into and upon the hearts of his people to their spiritual growth and refreshing 7 Together with the worship of God shall the number of the righteous people
temptation of corrupt fleshly reasoning occasioned by the wickeds prospiritie and his own infelicitie that had almost cost him a fall and made him cast off all care of religion and fear of God had not God taken up the business that was in controversie in his mind he abruptly thereupon silenceth all doubts and disputes and in the very beginning and first entrance into the Psalm breaks through all difficulties and dissidences wherewith he had been sore pestred affirming and declaring for the instruction and strengthning of the godly that maâ—ger all objections to the contrarie God is every jot as good as his word for so he had found by experience and befools himself for his mis-judging of God and the Godly as he had done and too highly prizing the wicked mans happie condition in this life acknowledgeth Gods infinite mercie in this his seasonable illumination and supportation of his faith so much staggered but now resolved and thereby enabled to declare God to be righteous in all his works and that to the faithfull he will ever approve himself such A Psalm made by Asaph 1 I Have had my share of trials and my share of temptations thereupon and also my share of experimented providences and mercies from God so that when all things are rightly weighed after a long debate and conflict betwixt flesh and spirit concerning the one and the other whether God be or be not to his people as he hath promised I must needs conclude he is God and as good as his word to Israel but to what Israel for there was my mistake not to all that go under that name because they are the seed of Jacob so called for all are not Israel that are of Israel but to the Israel in spirit not in the letter to them belongs the promise and performance of grace and goodness to such as are purified by faith not onely in the outward part by legal purifyings which are but umbrages but in the hidden man of the heart by effectual operation of faith and the spirit of grace to such the Lord is gracious and ever will be I know it by experience and so shall they let them never doubt it nor question the truth of Gods word and promise because of seeming contraridictoriness in his work of providence thereunto but take it upon the word of a Prophet as well as a promise it is a truth whatsoever is suggested to the contrarie by carnal and corrupt reason God is so will be so and cannnot be otherwise 2 I confess it is no easie matter to be thus perswaded considering the strange order that is in Gods providences and dispensations I my self for all I can now speak it boldly yet the time was when I was as misbelieving as other men extreamly staggered I was in my faith and judgement touching the truth of the promise and the goodness of God according thereunto I was almost fallen from faith and consequently from hope reverence and every thing of that nature ready to to turn Atheist as touching the points of Gods truth and goodness truly I was even going if God had not staied me to deviate and shift for my self by carnal policie and creature-confidence as I saw others do 3 For like a fool as I was I fastened mine eyes upon the outward face of things I saw them that are best suffer most those that are worst prosper best which put me into a passionate envy of them that clouded my judgement so that I could not but raise foolish conclusions upon foolish premises and think with my selfe that surely it is not God but Fortune that orders matters thus or if it be God that then he cannot bring both ends together punish his people prosper the wicked and yet be good to the one and just to the other 4 Whom contrarie to their demerits he lets live in such felicitie all their daies for for all their sins they have the world at will their minds and consciencies free from trouble their constitutions strong and bodies healthfull they feel no punishments nor pains in either neither living nor dying for after a prosperous life I thought I should see God meet with them at their deaths whereas they died as they lived without either pangs of bodie or horrour of conscience to mine admiration and stumbling 5 A man would almost think that judges with worldly judgement as I did that sin and wickedness were the high-way to happiness and that the promises were rather made to the bad than the good for whilest the godly undergo concussions and agitations within and without they live in a serene clime under a perpetual calm and feel not the twentieth part of what the righteous suffer 6 And therefore they brave it over them and pride themselves as the onely men on earth whom God favours far above the Godly whom they look contemptibly upon maligne and oppress them even for their pietie and povertie sake judging them therefore hated of God and so justly persecuted of men and themselves his onely friends and he theirs 7 They pamper their carcasses live deliciously fair well and thrive well upon it they have no want of Worldly wealth and outward felicitie God pours honey into their hive they prosper wondrously even beyond their own desires and expectations 8 Their plentie and voluptuousness makes them quite forget God to be above them they live sensually and sinfully as if they were controlable by none and with open face do injustice and wrong bragging of their power to oppress and threatning thunderbolts to the poor and despised people of God 9 Who if they make their appeal to heaven pray for and plead Gods power to protect them against theirs they contemn them and blaspheme God yea bid defiance both to God and man not caring for God above them and thinking all the world else to be below them for their proud and presumptuous speeches import no less 10 Whereupon it is that the people of God are in my very case they stumble and allmost fall and are in grievous agonies not onely by outward affliction but every way which is worse by inward diffidences and debates in themselves whilest the good are thus extreamly under and the bad a top of the wheel 11 Insomuch as I did so do they begin to question through the infirmitie of the flesh and their astonishment at the strangeness of such proceedings the providence and administration of God whither at all he that is in heaven heed these things below or if he do then how they can stand with his wise and righteous dispensations and word of promise 12 For thus they say within themselves who are they that come on and prosper in the World why generally the wicked and ungodly have most and do best is it not so every where 13 And who are they that have least and are most under hatches why truly they that fear God
should not me if my life did not lie at stake but though their way to the Tabernacle lie through the dry and desart valley of Mulberry trees yet they can comfortably go it and undergo with holy resolution the hardship of it yea pass it with pleasure and esteem it a happiness they have the liberty to purchase such a benefit as the worship and spirituall enjoyment of God in his ordinances which yields them such refreshing of mind all the way they travell as that their very bodies fare the better and are refreshed therewith as it were with springs of water and showers of rain 7 Yea the nearer they draw to the end of their journey like the faithfull towards heaven instead of being more they are less faint and tired gathering strength every step they take by their near approaches to and the comfortable expectation of what all the way they hoped and travelled for even the glorious priviledge of appearing in the presence of God as the saints and angels do in heaven resident upon his holy hill mount Sion where the Ark the faithfull pledge of his presence is there to enjoy soul-ravishing communions gracious audience sweet and sensible supplies of spirit and consolation a very heaven upon earth for so it signifies 8 O God that hast an almighty power and that I am sure art the great commander in chief of heaven and earth and therefore canst restore me to this happiness and satisfie my longing which is infinitely enkeened by these considerations so that I beseech thee gratifie thy poor petitioner with a gracious answer that I may be no longer debarred and hear me a poor branch of the root of Jacob though sore against my will removed from the soil where thou hast appointed him to grow Lord re-plant me 9 Behold me O God an exile and afflicted man the emblem of thy militant Church whereof I am a member as well as a type whose defence and protection nevertheless thou art even of all the faithfull whereof I am one consider me also in an other capacity as the type of Christ anointed by thy special appointment to be King over thy people as he shall be over thy Church Let these considerations move thee to own pitie and restore me to my spiritual priviledges and comfortable exercise of thine ordinances in thy sanctuary 10 For for my part if I might have my choice I speak it unfainedly I had rather have one days comfortable enjoyment of thee in thy sanctuary and prize it higher than to live a thousand years in the very best condition this life can afford and be as I am debarred from thy worship so that I might but have the happiness to wait upon thee there I should think the meanest office in thy service even a porters place to be an honour and preferment far beyond the condition I am in whilest I am forced thus to inhabit among the prophane and Idolatrous heathen though in never so good esteem 11 And truly Lord I will not despair one day to have all that thou hast promised me and more than I desire though rather than none at all I should be glad of a little either time or place in thy sanctuary for I know thou art a God that wilt shine forth to the comfort and reviving of thine afflicted people who in the interim thou wilt protect I shall see better days and doubt not yet to be made happy by thy grace and favour and to be advanced to that glorious condition of being the Kingly type of Christ for had not I a special promise yet thy general promise would engage thee and encourage me to believe for certain it is that thou wilt be gracious and faithfull to give all needfull and requisit blessings and such Lord I desire to those that are thine as I am and walk thereafter in faithfull dependance and sincere obedience which I do 12 What ever my condition be though I am far from present possession of what thou hast promised or enjoyment of what I desire banished both out of the Church and kingdom of Israel yet I dare pronounce it of all faithfull ones that patiently wait and believingly depend upon thee that it shall go well with them one day and so it shall with me because of thine Almighty power which shall make good thy faithfulness The lxxxv PSALM Either at the end of the Babilonish captivitie or under Antiochus tyrannie was this Psalm composed minding God of his former pardoning and restoring-grace to his people to intreat the same again The Psalmist in the name of the Church promising himself a glorious deliverance proportionable in some degree and representative of that happie enfranchisment the Church shall have by the Messiah at his coming To the president of the Quire is this Psalm committed for his ordering of it to be sung by the Korathites 1 LOrd thou hast offered very great and gracious deliverances unto this nation thy people by re-estating it heretofore in a good condition after sad desolations and un-captivating Jacobs posteritie by an Almighty hand 2 Mercifully commiserating their sufferings and pardoning their iniquities because they were thy chosen Israel a people peculiarly belonging to thee though ill deserving from thee yet though their sins were then very great and provoking thou wast pleased after a while to put them out of thy sight and receive thy people again into thy favour we have not forgot it 3 As thou wast pleased grievously to afflict thy people so thou didst as graciously relieve and release them for what thy provoked anger took from them thy free-grace restored it again unto them and wouldest neither quite consume nor everlastingly embondage them but became as much theirs and for them as ever thou wast against them 4 Lord thine anger is again miserably broken out against us by reason of our sins we are fallen under heavy pressures we are now as void of all humane helps as then Thou onely heretofore wroughtest deliverance and so thou must still Turn us therefore we pray thee by unfained repentance and deliver us out of this miserable condition thou that hast been and we hope still wilt be a Saviour to us yea both turn us to thee and do thou also turn towards us the face and not the back-parts let the clouds of thine indignation be dispelled and the sun-shine of thy saving grace break forth upon us 5 Wilt thou do by us as thou never diddest with any before us wilt thou be unexorable and are our sins unpardonable more than theirs shall thine anger never cease and those heavy judgements thou hast laid upon us shall they never be taken off us but must they be an everlasting inderitance to us and our posterity after us God forbid 6 Thou hast raised thy people by thine Almighty power when they were as it were dead and buried and shall the name of Israel now die in us
questioning his power and goodness instead of meekly yielding to be proved by him and answering his expectations by suitable returns These were our progenitours of whom we come and of whose sins we therefore ought to beware 10 11 And this they did not onely once but often nor out of frailtie but obstinacie Nothing I could do or say saith God could reclaim them but they persisted the self same men from first to last from the Red-sea to the skirts of Canaan fourtie years together perpetually vexing me with their unbelief and rebellion even all the generation of them scarce a man that did other insomuch that at last after so long trial and experience of them I concluded that there was no good to be done they are a people whose hearts are not upright with me that erre not of infirmitie but obstinacie and for all that by my word and works I have taught and assured them thus long of my love care power and faithfulness yet have not they learned in all this time nor never will being wilfully blind and perversly inconsiderate how to walk and demean themselves towards me by honouring of me with their faithfull dependance humble submission and hopefull expectation of my goodness and power to appear for them and be extended to them and to return me praise and thanks love and obedience that so a perpetual intercourse of friendship and sweet correspondencie might have been traded betwixt us for ever as I intended But so hatefull and vexatious was their carriage and so infinite and endless their provocation that at last when I had tried them to the uttermost had brought them to the very borders of the promised land and saw they were still the same as unbelieving and murmuring as ever before it made me past patience so that in my rage I sware never to revoke it that so unworthy a people that I saw neither was nor never would be good do all that I could I say I sware they should upon no terms nor entreaty enter into and be possessed of the end of their travels the type of heaven that resting place the land of Canaan but should wast their days and end their lives in the wilderness where they had so sinned against me even the whole generation of them which I made good to the last man of that rebellious crew Let us fear and tremble hearken and obey praise and give thanks lest we the ofspring of such progenitours be guiltie of their sins and partake of their plagues be cast out as they were kept out of this good land The xcvi PSALM This Psalm was â—ndited at the remove of the Ark to its settled abode upon the hill of Sion in Jerusalem being in substance all one with that 1. Chron. 16.23 to 33. wherewith David ravished in spirit and prophetically disposed stirs up all the world Iews and Gentiles to praise the Lord for the Kingdom of Christ which was approching which that typified yea and all creatures the most irrational and unsensible â—or the general Iubilee that shall then be the happie restauration begun and not long to perfecting 1 2 O What a joyfull day is this to see the Ark brought after all its travels to its place of abode the holy mount in Jerusalem This new mercy deserves a new song yea extraordinarie praise and thanks not onely from us but from all the world the Gentiles as well as Israelites which from Sion shall have the glad tidings of salvation published to them news worthy of new songs and ineffable praises to be given to God whom we nor they can praise enough nor bless that infinite goodnese of his in vouchsafing the grace and knowledge of his salvation to us so eminently in this type of Christs peaceable and glorious Kingdom which they shall have really and indeed everlastingly amongst them worthy everlasting praises for them 3 Spread the glorious tidings of Christ and his approching Kingdoms far and near let it be told the Gentiles for they shall share in it and glorifie for it let all that he hath done for his Church and promised to do those wonderfull things of sending his Son calling the Gentiles and spreading his Church over the face of the earth be made known all the world over to prepare them for it with joy and thanks to receive it 4 For the Lord shall be better known though now they are ignorant of him and set light by him valuing stocks and stones before him yet the time will come when they shall know that this our God is the onely great and praise-worthy God and as well worthy to be worshipped and honoured of them instead of those false and fond gods they now serve as of us That there is none like him nor none but him 5 For all other gods which they ignorantly worship every where for all the world lies in darknesse are but dumb and deaf Idols made of wood and stone or at the best but creatures the Lord onely is the Creatour that made the whole world the glorious and beautifull heavens and reigns therein alone 6 In the midst of unaccessible Honour and Majesty which no man can see and live communicating thence some beams and rays of his heavenly and Divine properties of grace and power in that spiritual splendour that powerfully shines out of his holy sanctuarie into the souls and spirits of those that in faith and sincerity worshipping him there have their hearts thereby strengthened in believing and their graces enlivened by the fresh communicating of his ordinances and effectual answers to their prayers against their enemies 7 All ye people whether sons of Adam or of Abraham understand the Lord aright so as to honour him worthy of himself by glorifying him as the onely God of power yea the Lord Almightie 8 Worship not other gods instead of him nor yet together with him let him rule alone in your hearts that rules alone in the world pay your tribute and do your homage to him at his sanctuarie neither worship any God but him nor him in any other manner than as he hath appointed sacrifice to him upon his own altar in his own courts 9 Let all far and near come and welcome too do as we do worship the Lord in his holy sanctuarie O that the whole earth would turn to the Lord Gentiles as well as Jews as when Christ comes they shall have as free access to worship God as we and their worship as well accepted then as ours is now 10 Publish to the heathen what God hath made known to you his people How that the Lord onely is God and that the kingdom of the world as well as of Israel belongs to him and that his Church shall flourish every where as well as here which is not long to all things shall be brought into a better order one God in Christ shall be worshipped and stedfastly believed in instead of those
Church which by a mightie and out-stretched arm thou hast bought and brought thither there to remain in perfect happiness with thee and under me for ever 2 The Lord Almighty who is able to bring to pass great things by weak means shall raise up glorious lights in Jerusalem and Jurie where thou first manifests thy self as Aopstles Evangelist c. that shall give light to them that sit in darkness the glad tidings of the Gospel which is the mightie power of God to salvation that rod of Moses to save Israel shall by these his emissareis be held forth and preached to the Gentiles people of all nations and languages whereby they that now are forreigners shall be brought within the pale and shall take laws from thee and be subjected to thee O blessed Saviour that art advanced in the humane nature wherein thou sufferedst in such power and glorie at the right hand of the most high God there by his appointment to sway the Scepter of thy Mediatorian Kingdom by the power whereof the preaching of the Gospel through the eternal spirit accompanying it shall maugre all opposition of Gentilism who now are thy professed enemies and then shall strongly oppose thy Kingdom prevail to set up thy throne in the hearts of thy chosen all the world over who shall every where make glorious profession of thy name and own thee for their Lord and King spite of all earthly opposing powers and contemners of a crucified Saviour who shall be no more able to hinder thy Church from flourishing than thee from rising out of the grave 3 Those that are given to thee of God the Father and redeemed by thee out of the world when thou shalt have offered thy self a propitiatorie and taken possession of thy Kingdom at his right hand through thy mission of the spirit thence and his mighty working by the word upon the hearts of those thy people they shall thick and three-fold be converted neither the pravitie of their natures nor their long accustomed Idolatries shall obstruct their ready and chearfull compliance with the Gospel but shall willingly imbrace the tender of grace and come under thy governance in the Church which shall then so multiply as to assemble and conveen in all places for the exercise of Christian religion as thy people the Jews do at the beautifull and holy Temple that type of Christ in which Christian Synagogues especially in the first breaking forth of the light of the Gospel as the morning sun upon the face of the earth shall be born unto thee out of the then pregnant productive womb thereof begotten by the holy Ghost in those thy first loves and nuptial imbraces of the Church thy Spouse immediately upon thine ascention and investiture into glory an off-spring spread far and wide upon the whole earth as innumerable as the dew drops which insensibly fall from the heavens as the spirit shall then invisibly upon their hearts at the preaching of the word 4 For the great God of heaven by his everlasting decree and immutable oath revealed for the consolation of his people and corroboration of their faith hath never to revoke it conferred upon thee their Mediatour and Saviour the honour and office of that everlasting Priest-hood not temporary as the Levitical but without change or succession pourtraied in Melchisedeck Yea to be a King and Priest in one person as he was and none else to typifie that glorious priviledge to belong to thee and none other who therefore at thy Fathers right hand for thy Church and people transacts a royal Priesthood of righteousnes and peace according to the office person and name of Melchisedeck King of Salem 5 The Lord the God and Father who onely hath the preheminencie of thee as thou hast under him of of all things else shall imploy his power for the advancement of thine honour and revenge of thy dishonour wrathfully destroying Kings Kingdoms that shall oppose themselves and hinder the coming of thy Kingdom in thy Churches growth and felicity in the time when he thinks fit to judge them for it 6 Thou who art paramount the onely He or the promised Messiah for the Churhes comfort shalt rule the world the Gentiles shall be under his Judicature he will preserve his people that are converted to him and profess his name every where among the heathen taking vengeance on their enemies whom he shall remarkably destroy as he was wont to do the enemies of Israel The earthly Potentates of the world shall find him to be above them if they bruise his heel afflict his people as they will in all places he will bruise their heads their greatness shall not priviledge them at all 7 If you will know the reason of this high preferment of Christ in our nature at Gods right hand and of the power and head-ship he hath there it is because he shall drink deep of the wrath of the Almighty streamed down upon him in the way thereunto and for the obtaining thereof by suffering a cursed death upon the Cross with bodily torments and unutterable soul-agonies the unavoidable means of effecting his Mediatour-ship and mans redemption therefore shall he upon that full and faithfull discharge of his office here upon earth ascend unto and sit for ever at the right hand of his Father which is in heaven to act there the glorified part thereof in full powerâ— and absolute dominion over all there and here Angels and men Jews and Gentiles friends and foes The cxi PSALM The Psalmist first gives the word and then the example for praising the Lord which he tels us Gods works gives us cause enough to do if we consider them well especially to his Church supplying them in their need possessing them of the promised land fulfilling his promises of grace to them and for their sakes his judgements threatened upon their enemies for which he looks his commandements should be respected which are as binding to us as his covenant to him and through grace his covenant is as binding to him as they are to us Therefore he shews a man is never wise pretend what he will till he have gotten God upon this lock to be his by being Gods in faith and obedience And concludes as he begun with invitation to praise him 1 LEt all of us be diligent and cordial in praising the Lord. I will not be wanting on my part and in mine own example herein for he shall have the heartiest thanks that I can give him both in lesser meetings of entire Israelites that voluntarily and frequently assemble themselves to perform such holy exercises as also in those more solemn rare and mixed congregations that at times appointed assemble themselves at thy Sanctuarie 2 Greatly doth the Lord appear in his wonderous works of Creation Providence and Redemption his manifold attributes are made manifest therein yet not to all but onely to those that in love to God love to busie
enemies 80 Let me be enabled by thy gracious assistance to keep faith and a good conscience stedfast to the end that I lose not the prize by falling short of the goal fainting either in faith or dutie and so render my self and cause a laughing-stock to mine enemies which is it they would have Caph. The eleventh letter of the Hebrew Alphabet signifying the eleventh part 81 Lord I have waded through many and grievous troubles and with much long-suffering have a long time eagerly longed and looked for thy promised deliverance almost to the exhausting of my soul and spirit in sighs and groans after it but yet it comes not nevertheless I am still sustained in faith and am resolved to live and die in expectation of thy promise no length of time nor trouble shall null my hopes nor I am confident the thing I hope for 82 I have waited long dreely looked for the accomplishment of thy promise even to the weakening of my sight impairing my senses every foot thinking within my self as my mind gave me and occasion was offered that sure this is the time and that the opportunitie that I shall be delivered but still I am prolonged and put off sighing out my hopes with If not now Lord when then will the time be and what the means that must fulfil thy word and my desire 83 The scorching sun of adversitie hath allmost quite exhausted my radical moisture my spirits which should animate my members and extrinsical parts are spent with continual grief by reason of afflictions and disappointments of my longing expectations which lingringly consume and wast me into leanness and deformitie like a bladder or a skin-bottel hung up in a chimney that in tract of time will parch and crack and shrink up into wrinckles not like it self and so am I become yet though nature thus decayes grace does not by thy goodness to me I am for all that upheld in care and conscience to do thy will and believe thy word 84 Lord how long too is the end of my miseries consider how much of my life is allready spent and wasted in them even of mine who am appointed and designed by thee for great and special services in thy Church therefore consider me who would fain be imployed to shorten these dayes when shall they that unjustly would cut me off be themselves justly so served and I set free to serve thee 85 Mine enemies that scorn thy commands and me thy servant have not onely persecuted me with open violence but with cunning craft and dissimulation sought my life for their will is their Law and not thy word to which they yield no manner of obedience nor bear no regard but practice what them list though never so wicked and unjust so it serves their turns 86 But Lord I have another estimate of thy commandments I set not so light by them for I am sure they come from a faithful God who may suffer the wicked for a time to sin against them but the punishment due to those that break them shall befal them and so shall the reward promised to them that keep them in the faith whereof I do and will innocently persevere and pray thee to make it good in my help and deliverance from and upon these treacherous and unjust persecutours 87 Mine enemies men of the world that take all wayes and advantages upon earth against me had what one way and other by their continual vexations and my griefs allmost brought me down to the grave and got the better of me hadst not thou been above them and heaven more my friend than earth where I had no help but when I was at lowest hopeless and helpless as to outward appearance I still kept faith and a good conscience hoping in thee 88 Lord give me to enjoy that happie condition which of thy free grace and loving beneficence thou hast promised me which will be as a resurrection to life from death after so many sorrows as I have undergone so shalt thou both ingage and enable me when I am set free from these hinderances to do thy whole will and walk in thy Law which bears the stamp of Divine and royal authoritie upon it and therefore is worthy of reverend and solemn observance and obedience which then I will be sure to pay to it but now I cannot Lamed The twelfth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet signifying the twelfth part 89 Thy word and decree O Lord is as firm as thy self no chances nor changes here below can make void what thou above hast determined shall be nor can time it self wear out what thou that art eternal before all time hast appointed 90 Our faith may bear it self boldly upon thy faithfulness which according to thy word of truth and promise is allwayes the same how ever matters frame or seem to be out of frame therefore it is that the world is not long since dissolved because thou hast decreed and promised the continuance of it therefore and for no natural cause doth the earth thus long subsist in nature and order 91 All created Beings according to their several natures stations and operations are as at the beginning thou in wisdom determinedst them which else of themselves would run into confusion and destruction what Laws thou gavest them they keep and thereby are themselves kept and preserved for all the elements and elemental creatures as they are made by thee so they are made for thee to be at thy ordering and dispose and so they are and not at their own and it is well for us and them they are so 92 And surely Lord I hold by the self-same tenure the creation does as it had been long since dissolved and annihilated but for the Law of orderly existence thou laidst upon it whereby ever since it retains a beautiful being notwithstanding the contradictions that are in those primarie principles the elements as also the strange concussions and alterations that time and sin hath brought forth So unless I also had thy righteous word to stay my heart upon and to chear up my soul with which I knew would not fail me in those various providences and strange agitations which I have undergone I could never have lasted thus long but had long ere this been in my grave by the outward pressures and inward griefs I underwent 93 I have cause all the dayes of my life thankfully to remember and bear in mind and I hope I shall thy faithfulness according to what thou hast ordeined in thy word for me to trust in and yield obedience to many a time in mine extremitie when my spirit was readie to sink and die within me thou hast therewith comfortably revived and cheered me and set me upon my feet 94 Let me to the end have experience of thee to be the self-same God in truth and goodness preserve me in and deliver me out
of this my sad condition let nothing fail me that thou hast spoken who am related in a nearer proprietie to thee than that of creation I am thy son and servant not passively but actively by a gratuitous intrinsical principle as thou hast chosen me so I have chosen thee for my Lord and Master and thy Laws for the rule of my faith and manners and allwayes consult them to that purpose 95 I have been in a many a sore temptation and imminent peril of my life by sinister plots and practises of my ungodly adversaries and still am yet will I not deviate by sinful shifts but studie to keep faith and a good conscience for so art thou ingaged to my securitie by thy word the testimonie of thy truth 96 There is but a finite and transitorie good in the very best things that are their natures are too narrow to give either full content to a mans mind or stay to a mans heart being subject to alter or end as I have found by experience and know by reason but thy word is all-sufficient nothing pertaining to holiness or happiness stay or contentment is wanting in thy Law or Divine dispensation nor shall be to him that believes and obeyes it for the dimensions of it are as large as thy self in truth and goodness infinite and permanent superabundantly soul-satisfying Mem. The thirteenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet signifying the thirteenth part 97 I for my part see so much goodness and find so much settlement in and by thy word that the love of it far transcends the love of all things else I cannot express the affections I bear it they are so ardent towards it that they set my mind on work continually upon it my thoughts and meditations are day and night taken up with the consideration and application of the blessed soul-affecting Divine truths and benefits contained and exhibited in that Law and word of thine 98 By thine instructing and enabling me to walk according to the rule of faith and righteousness commanded in thy word thou hast thereby prospered me above mine enemies and made this mine holy simplicitie to be too hard for their subtilitie and craft which hath never yet taken effect against me but come to naught and ever will whilest by thy grace I abandon the wisdom of the flesh and walk in the wisdom of thy spirit and word which I am careful to do allwayes in all things and prosper by it 99 I have had the benefit of education and humane helps as to the affairs and literature of the world and conversed with men of understanding and seen the wayes that they have gone in the managing of their transactions and when I sum up all the wisdom that ever I have learned and known I both count it and find it to be but foolishness compared with the studie and practise of those holy and righteous rudiments thy word dictates wherein I bless thee I have through thy grace being taught of God out-stript all humane teaching and teachers by delightning to know and do thy will revealed for my direction and supportation 100 Yea I find by experience though young that godliness is greater wisdom and better succeeds a mans affairs by the blessing of God according to his promises thereupon than the advice and counsel of the grave senatours and sages of the world who pretend and justly to great wisdom by advantage of years and experience yet with reverence to those hoary heads I like my wisdom which is thine better than theirs and find sinceritie the best policie and that the best wisdom is to do thy will which accordingly I endeavour 101 I have I bless thee ever since thou taughtest it me been of that mind and my practise hath been answerable for my care was still at no rate to sin but in every thing to tread the steps thy word hath chalk'd me out and leave the rest to thee 102 I have not suffered my self to be misled and seduced by mine own or other mens counsels from keeping thy commandments which I am sure must judge me and all men else for I bless thee thou hast taught me better by thy word and over-powered me by thy spirit to yield to those thy teachings which therefore have been to strong for my temptations which else had been too strong for me 103 I cannot express for any to understand but my self that feel it what pleasure and contentment thy covenant of grace and adoption with its concomitant promises and precepts of holiness and happiness believed and applied brings to my soul and conscience beyond all earthly comparisons hony to my pallate is not comparable 104 I make thy precepts my studie and meditation whereby I get by thine assisting grace good understanding and enablement to avoid by-wayes of sin and errouâ— tending to thy displeasing whereunto I am tempted but make constant resistance and from my heart detest deviation as knowing holiness onely leads to happiness and hath the promises both of this life and of that to come Nun. The fourteenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabet signifying the fourteen part 105 Lord throughout this untrodden path of mine where there are so many ways to miscarrie the right way so hard to hit the world and Satan without flesh and corruption within counselling this that to make me stumble and fall my manner is to silence them all consult thy word the Divine light whereof of guids me out of and dispels those mists and fogs that carnal reason taking advantage of my present temptation casts before mine eyes and sets me into and leads me on in the path of thy well-pleasing which I choose to walk 106 As Lord thou hast been pleased to enter covenant with me of pardon acceptance and grace so also have I stipulated with thy Majesty and bound my self by solemn vow for ever to be thine obedient and faithful servant and subject and by thy gracious assistance I am accordingly purposed to walk in conformitie to thy Law the righteous rule of thee my righteous Judge 107 My affliction and grief is very great remember Lord it is for thy sake and by thy providence befallen me therefore grant me what thou hast promised me comfort in and deliverance out of my calamities 108 Thou knowest O Lord I am debarred from sacrificing to thee as else I would but that which is the substance of those ceremonies the free-will-offerings of praise and thanks-giving those I can and do offer which I pray thee accept and shall give me cause so to do by teaching me to know and do thy righteous precepts in all my difficult cases and great temptations 109 I am in perpetual peril of my life imminent danger and destruction is ever at hand yet through faith in thee they do not distract or afright me from my dutie to thee and thy commandments but I call them to counsel and
prosperitie of it the Government and worship in it consists the happiness and tranquillitie of all Israel chiefly the Israel of God whose heaven upon earth Jerusalem is where they worship and serve the God of Israel seek his face and enjoy his presence therefore pray I for her prosperitie and well-fare that they may be blessed with her and by her who are interessed and concerned equally in her felicitie with my self I as the head and they as the bodie 9 It is the zeal I have to the Church and glorie of God that makes me pray thus and for which I will spend and be spent therefore will I lay out mine uttermost endeavours to compass the good and well-fare of Jerusalem that that singular happiness and priviledge of the sanctuarie and sanctuarie-worship of the Lord God of Israel who there is present with us his people and from thence hears our prayers and to which appertains so many excellent promises and by it to us redounds so many precious priviledges and benefits and where is performed the onely true honour and service to the onely true God in all the world Therefore for these reasons do I will I evermore pray and faithfully endeavour the good of this place and so let all others do that are good together with me as members of the Church bodie mystical typified in this resemblance The cxxiii PSALM The Church and people of Israel being at present either under Babylons captivitie or Antiochus his crueltie some Prophet or holy man of God bespake the Lord in this pathetical short psalm in her behalf uttering much of the spirit in few words for afflictions commonly swell the heart too big for the mouth which makes him here to pray rather by signs than words with his eies rather than his tongue yea with both he presseth hard upon God for free grace to shew them mercie in their unspeakable miserie professing their patient waiting till then See the title of the 120 Psalm 1 WHat the present distress and calamities of thy poor Church and people Israel are thou Lord knowest right well utterly helpless and hopeless forlorn and disconsolate none on earth favouring us shewing any mercie or compassion to us but exercise all manner of crueltie and scorn towards us yet Lord in thy Churches and mine own behalf I am an humble suitor to thee in the agonie of my heart who I dare not can not believe hast quite forgotten to be gracious though thou seemest so as things frame here below but O thou that inhabitest the heavens and hast thy reserves of good will and pleasure there known to thy self unknown to us but hoped in by us and power to bring them to pass though to us impossible as much above all sublunarie powers as heaven is above earth to thee there with groans and sighs lift we up our eyes speechless with grief for thee graciously to look down upon us here in this our calamitie 2 Look how bond-men and bond-women who by their condition are as we exposed to hard and uncourteous usage depend upon the free grace and beneficence of their masters and mistesses can chalenge nothing no wages nor reward but wait with patience till pitie and compassion move them to extend their hand of favour and good will to them so do we under this just deserved punishment of long and grievous thraldom by cruel task-masters humbly and patiently wait till thine own mercie move thee towards us a sinful undeserving people yet thy people and thou our God by grace and election which hold us in hope 3 Good Lord take our case into consideration and commiseration to pitie us at last and to shew mercie to us a people that are made the very scum and scorn of our proud imperious enemies who for thy sake whose name we bear and whose we are do Lord it over us with disdain which imbitters our sorrows and breaks our hearts 4 Yea Lord it is not to be spoken how afflictive the reprochful vilifications of our insolent enemies are to us who judging by events because of our calamities scoff and scorn us as a vain besotted people that believe in we know not what and worship we know not whom and boast themselves unmeasurably over us our God and religion to our unutterable grief because of their superioritie and present felicitie which puffs them up with pride and contempt even to blasphemie The cxxiv PSALM David mindes Israel in their prosperitie of their adversitie to make them mindful of God praiseful to God and evermore dependent on God as his Church and people ought ever to be in their transmutations of estates and fortunes See the title of the 120 Psalm the Authors name superadded here 1 2 3 NOw that the Lord hath been pleased to bring us to the happie condition we are in we should do well to look back we the Israel and and Church of God and consider from the beginning to this day ever since we were a people chosen of the Lord out of the world to name his name upon what a world of enemies we have had and perils we have waded through before and since we came into this land where we have been a continual eye-sore not onely to the natives remaining in it but to all the mightie nations and Gentile people bordering round about it who severally and joyntly by combination of great men and Potentates have sundry times and wayes subtilly projected and violently attempted our utter abolition which to speak humanely was inavoidable had not the Lord our good God miraculously from time to time delivered us from their furie and preserved us a people to this day maugre all they could do as he shall his Church spite of the wicked world its power and malice who else long ere this had been no people nor nation but destroyed again and again by those many mightie barbarous enemies of ours that on all hands from all quarters have assailed us with most mortal and bloudie purposes greedy to prey upon us and with that odds of strength that they were able to have devoured us and as it were swallowed us alive as easily as the great fish does the little ones or the savage and ravenous beast tears his prey in pieces if God had not over-powered them and been for us against them when we were altogether unable to make resistance which now we should do well to weigh seriously and in all humilitie to acknowledge thankfully to his praise and glorie 4 5 Yea to consider that when all mankind was as it were against us and we were like sheep in the midst of Wolves and Bears that with mightie power and rage have broken in upon us like an unresistable torrent able to over-run the whole land and destroy man woman and child as easily as the sea or some mightie river drowns the countrey when it breaketh the banks and with pride and confident disdain made
the vile from the precious which here are undistinguished into the place of execution torment together But blessed are they that are Israelites indeed that worship God in spirit and in truth who onely are the Israel and Church of God grace and peace from God their Father through Christ their Saviour shall be their portion interessed in their consciences to their unspeakable consolation here with assurance of glory hereafter The cxxvi PSALM This Psalm shews the excess of joy the Iews specially the Godly had at Gods wonderfull infranchising them after their long captivitie in Babylon which the heathen themselves admired God for but much more his people who pray for accomplishment of those happy beginnings and promise out of their own experience and â—aith that all Gods people that undergo afflictions patiently shall have them end happily See the title of the cxx Psalm 1 AFter we had endured a long and grievous captivitie in Babylon the figure of Satan and Antichrist exiled out of our own countrey and from the priviledges we there enjoyed of worshiping God in Jerusalem at last when the set time was come prefixed long before by Jeremiah's prophesie and that according thereunto the Lord so miraculously moved the heart of Cyrus a heathen Potentate to proclaim our libertie with so much unexpected favour and accommodation for our journey and entertainment at our journeys end when we came into Canaan with leave there to dwell and to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple and there to worship God as formerly It was so great a mercy after so long a miserie so unexpected and improbable considering the disproportion of our abject condition and Cyrus his greatness not worth his taking notice of and so strange to come of himself an Infidel and Pagan together with the suddenness of it and the over-joy we conceived at it that we know not whether we apprehended it sleeping or waking we could scarce believe our own ears what we heard of it or our own hearts what we thought of it to be real fearing the certainty and yet hoping the truth 2 But when we had over-come our amazement and were come to our selves and had digested the certainty and wonderfulness of the thing O the unexpressable joy that we were in like men besides our selves not knowing how to vent our passions sometimes congratulating it amongst our selves with inarticulate laughter and hands lifted up to heaven in stupified admiration other-sometimes more soberly resolving our joy into articulate expressions of thanks and praises expressed in Psalms and Hymns And as God over-powered the King to grant it so he convinced the very heathens in their kind to magnifie him for it those with whom we were captive could not but see and admire the finger of God in this their own very act of our deliverance so much against their nature and interest and to acknowledge both the transcendencie of the King and of the power that wrought it to the glory of our God whom they were forced to magnifie in our behalfs that formerly had contemned both him and us 3 Surely we can say no less of it than they that the Lord hath wrought wonders for us yea let us at least go one step beyond them as we have cause If they that are blind Idolaters and bare spectatours are yet so far enlightened by it as to have the sight of God in it and to magnifie though not gratifie him for it let us do more every way indear it that are the immediate subjects of so rich mercie not onely see his power and greatness as they do but admire his love and goodness thank him for it as a benefit inestimable as well as praise him for it as a miracle and with a holy avarice take the praises out of their mouthes that are no sharers in it and appropriate both him and it wholly to our selves by a joyfull welcom of God again amongst us in his declarative goodness and thankfull acknowledgement of his favour 4 O Lord go on to shew thine omnipotencie as in begetting and beginning so in the progression and perfecting this great work of our return from captivitie and re-establishment in Canaan that as the sun in its season makes streams like rivers to run in the droughtie desarts of southern countries where naturally there are none to the refreshing of the thirstie traveller by dissolving snow and ice from high hils and remote parts so O Lord let thy favour now it is returned upon us go on to move and melt the heathenish hearts of Cyrus his Princes and people on our behalfs to our infinite rejoycing to forward us homeward to Judah out of this our Babylonish captivity under them which with so much hardship we have long endured as also the frozen and carnal hearts of thine own very Israel to accept this opportunity and offer themselves willingly as thy people shall do in the day of thy power and Gospel-jubilee in one joynt compleat bodie universally and unanimously to return as rivers by instinct run towards the sea from whence they came to repossess and replenish our desolate countrey that as a wilderness is uninhabited except by barbarous and savage people without form or beautie of Church or Common-wealth and neither for fear or sloth in respect of difficulties or dangers in the journey or at the journeys end faithlesly draw back chuse to stay and refuse to go as carnal Christians will the tender of grace imbracing rather this present world 5 The Lord will never quite forsake his people we are a perfect emblem of his faithfulness to the faithful that submit to him and wait upon him O the sad hearts that we left our countrey withall at the command of God by his prophet Jeremiah to put our necks into this long Babylonish yoak but our sins and Gods decree had so destined it either so or worse therefore though with great renitencie as the needie husbandman in time of dearth casts his corn which should stustain him for seed into the ground in hope of future gain by present loss so we with a willing willingness for obedience sake put our selves into thraldom loth to displease and as loth to leave our libertie and countrey in hope and expectation of a joyfull return and deliverance as the Church and people of God shall ever have out of their sufferings from out this bondage as now it is made good unto us our joy surpassing our sorrow a hundred fold 6 We are set for the incouragement of the Church in whole and in every part for what is true in the general is applicable to each particular the members singly sharing the promise among them that is made to the bodie joyntly therefore may all and every one that is godly be confident that what precious faith and patience in obedience to God they sow in affliction they shall at last reap it again in reward and consolation God will wipe all tears from their
comparison for brotherly love is a celestial benefit how the spiritual dew is dispensed from God in heaven on those holy consecrated mountains Sion and Moriah where he vouchsafes his presence unto his people who resort thither to worship him and where they meet with soul-enriching graces and consolations othergets blessings than the dew of Hermon which makes them abound in faith and godliness to their own eternal as well as temporal felicitie such like is peace and love among the Israel and people of God it self is a special blessing from heaven and brings with it all manner of blessings from thence both temporal and spiritual if ever we mean to be rich and happie this is the way to live and love as sons of one father and mother God and the Church members of one body under one head the Messiah as all Israel shall be through love and obedience to David and his successours ruling in Sion as types of Christ. The cxxxiv. PSALM David being a man of fervour and affection in the service of God gives a watch-word to the watch-men of the Temple the Priests and Levites and in them to gospel-Ministers not regardlesly to passe over their duties but to be imployed for the whilst as Christ himself is for ever in praying for the people and Church of God and blessing both God and them and that in a proportionable zeal here to Christ and his saints in heaven in their respective imployments there See the title of the 120 Psalm 1 YOu that are by the special appointment and ordination of God chosen as Christ himself from among all your brethren and preferred to the honour of sanctuarie-administration continually in his presence consider the place you hold whom and what you personate even Jesus Christ in his Priestly office at the right hand of God who ever liveth to make intercession and offer thanks-givings for his Church to his father have that allwayes in your eie and be active suitably stand not idle in your offices nor keep not sleepie centry in the sanctuarie but as your turns come to watch do service there as well night as day rouse up your spirits call to mind the moral meaning of your imployments which is to improve your nearer interest in God by virtue of your offices for the good of his Church and people as Christ does in heaven continually through Christ presenting to God in the Churches behalf the spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanks-giving for his mercies vouchsafed together with prayers and supplications for the continuation and constant gracious dispensation of them still as there is need 2 I say again busie and lay out your selves in those sacred and religious imployments of praise and prayer neither idle nor nifle out your time and Turn in the sanctuarie nor yet with formalitie or hypocrisie do you do your service to him as bare pretenders but as holy and real performers clap your wings in your night-watches let your hearts be in heaven and your hands in token of the fervour of your spirits lifted up thitherwards and so bless the Lord not betwixt sleeping and waking but with the whole soul and bodie too considering he whom you worship is a spirit and his proper place of residence is above in the heavens whose service there for condiscention sake you personate in the sanctuarie here in types shadows wherein you must not stick but by them mount up higher even to him where he is in spirit and faith externally manifested by suitable comportment of bodily action and expression such as are significant and adorative commensurable to Gods glorie and greatness your own hearts puritie faith and fervour and the Divine condition of the Church-Triumphant in heaven 3 Your office is double faced upward and downward you are in Christs stead like Jacobs ladder on which and by which blessings are to ascend and descend for as you are the mouth of the Church and people of God to offer him their thanks and praises blessing him continually in their behalfs as Christ does the father for the elect so likewise are you to be the mouth of God down to his people to bless them from him which doubtless is as an honourable so a full imployment if you set your selves to do it as it ought to be done with that zeal and reverence the Church oweth to her head and with that delight and love the head hath in and to his bodie and fellow-members Pray therefore for and as presenting the person of Jesus Christ that effectual mediatour in his name also faithfully bless ye the Israel of God that do worship him in Sion his place of residence with the blessings of his special protection and salvation who is the onely true God and Allmighty master of heaven and earth The cxxxv PSALM The Psalmist quickens up the people of Israel in general the Priests and Levites more particularly but most especially the faithful of both sorts to magnifie and praise the Lord and this he doth by way of argument taken from the congruitie delectabilitie and dutie of it from such a people to such a God who as he is greatly to be preferred for his self-sake and the excellent power that is in him so for the effects of it towards them the grateful memorie whereof should ever be upheld for his glorie and his peoples faith sake All other Gods being but puppits he onely is God and onely to be blessed as such especially of them that are his onely people and Priests his Church preferred by him of all the world to that honour who therefore ought to honour him how and where he will be worshipped 1 O That all sorts of people would consider their dutie of praising God conscionably to discharge it in spirit and power to magnifie him for his greatness as Lord of and over all yea for his excellent attributes and properties not onely absolute but relative of grace and goodness and for his alonenes for as there is no God like him so there is no God but him O ye servants of the Lord chosen by him and set apart for that purpose what ever others do forget not you your duties not onely of your persons but of your places to praise the Lord worthily with hearts enlarged with the apprehensions of him and his manifold excellencies 2 I mean ye Priests and Levites principally be you especially conversant in this service of praising the Lord in his holy Temple where you are priviledged to administer like to the glorified saints in heaven that stand in his presence for ever more praising the Lord. Yea and all others also that are admitted to the participation of grace and that worship him in his ordinances though at greater distance whether Levites or people whose persons and praises faithfully tendered in spirit are yet really accepted and graciously regarded by the God of Israel whose presence is as well in the courts which also are sanctified as in
his temple doth every one speak of his glorie 10 The Lord sitteth upon the floud yea the Lord sitteth King for ever 11 The Lord will give strength unto his people the Lord will bless his people with peaâ—e Psalm xxx A Psalm and song at the dedication of the house of David 1 I Will extol thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up and hast not made my foes to rejoyce over me 2 O Lord my God I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me 3 O Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the grave thou hast kept me alive that I should not go down to the pit 4 Sing unto the Lord O ye saints of his and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness 5 For his anger endureth but a moment in his favour is life weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning 6 And in my prosperitie I said I should never be moved 7 Lord by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong thou didst hide thy face and I was troubled 8 I cried to thee O Lord and unto the Lord I made supplication 9 What profit is there in my bloud when I go down to the pit shall the dust praise thee shall it declare thy truth 10 Hear O Lord and have mercie upon me Lord be thou mine helper 11 Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing thou hast put off my sackcloth and girded me with gladness 12 To the end that my glorie may sing praise to thee and not be silent O Lord my God I will give thanks unto thee for ever Psalm xxxi To the chief musician A Psalm of David 1 IN thee O Lord do I put my trust let me never be ashamed deliver me in thy righteousnes 2 Bow down thine ear to me deliver me speedily be thou my strong rock for an house of defence to save me 3 For thou art my rock and my fortress therefore for thy name sake lead me and guid me 4 Pull me out of the net that they have laid privily for me for thou art my strength 5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth 6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities but I trust in the Lord. 7 I will be glâ—d and rejoyce in thy mercie for thou hast considered my trouble thou hast known my soul in adversities 8 And hast not shut me up into the hand of the enemie thou hast set my feet in a large room 9 Have mercie upon me O Lord for I am in trouble mine eye is consumed with grief yea my soul and my belly 10 For my life is spent with grief and my years with sighing my strength faileth because of mine iniquitie and my bones are consumed 11 I was a reproch among all mine enemies but especially among my neighbours and a fear to mine acquaintance they that did see me without sled from me 12 I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind I am like a broken vessel 13 For I have heard the slaunder of many fear was on every side while they took counsel together against me they devised to take away my life 14 But I trusted in thee O Lord I said Thou art my God 15 My times are in thy hand deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and from them that persecute me 16 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant save me for thy mercies sake 17 Let me not be ashamed O Lord for I have called upon thee let the wicked be ashamed and let them be silent in the grave 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous 19 O how great is thy goodnes which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee whâ—ch thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sâ—ns of men 20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues 21 Blessed be the Lord for he hath shewed me his marvellous kindness in a strong citie 22 For I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes nevertheless thou hearest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee 23 O love the Lord all ye his saints for the Lord preserveth the faithful and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer 24 Be of good courage and he shall strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord. Psalm xxxii A Psalm of David Maschil 1 BLessed is he whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie and in whose spirit there is no guil 3 When I kept silence my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long 4 For day and night thy hand was heavie upon me my moisture is turned into the drought of summer Selah 5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee and mine iniquitie have I not hid I said I will confess my transgression unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquitie of my sin Selah 6 For this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found surely in the flouds of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him 7 Thou art my hiding place thou shalt preserve me from trouble thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance Selah 8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guid thee with mine eye 9 Be ye not as the horse or as the mule which have no understanding whose mouths must be held in with bit and bridle lest they come near unto thee 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked but he that trusteth in the Lord mercy shall compass him about 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoyce ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upâ—ight in heart Psalm xxxiii 1 REjoyce in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright 2 Praise the Lord with harp sing unto him with the psalterie and an instrument of ten strings 3 Sing unto him a new song play skilfully with a loud noise 4 For the word of the Lord is right and all his works are done in truth 5 He loveth righteousness and judgement the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 6 By the word of the Lord weâ—e the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap he layeth up the depth in store houses 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him 9 For he spake and it was done he commanded and it stood fast 10 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought he maketh the devices of the people of none effect 11 The
Bath-sheba 1 HAve mercy upon me O God acâ—ording to thy loving kindness according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies bloâ— out my transgressions 2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity and cleanse me from my sin 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me 4 Against thee thee onely have I sinned and done this evil in thy light that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest be clear when thou judgest 5 Behold I am shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me 6 Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom 7 Purge me with hysope and I shall be clean wash me and I shall be whiter than snow 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce 9 Hide thy face from my 〈◊〉 and blot out all mine iniquities 10 Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me 11 Cast me not away from thy prâ—sence and take not thy holy spirit from me 12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and uphold me with thy free spirit 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways and sinners shall be converted unto thee 14 Deliver me from bloud-guiltiness O God thou God of my salvation and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousâ— 15 O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice else would I give it thou delightest not in burnt-offering 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise 18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Sion build thou the walls of Jerusalem 19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness with burnt-offering and whole burnt-offering then shall they offer Bullocks upon thine altar Psalm li. To the chief musician Maschil A Psalm of David when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul and said unto him David is come to the house of Abimelech 1 WHy boastest thou thy self in mischief O mighty man the goodness of God endureth continually 2 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs like a sharp rasour working deceitfully 3 Thou lovest evil more than good and lying rather than to speak righteousness Selah 4 Thou lovest all devouring words O thou deceitful tongue 5 God shal likewise destroy thee for ever he shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling-place and root thee out of the land of the living Selah 6 The righteous also shall see and fear and shall laugh at him 7 Lo this is the man that made not God his strength but trusted in the abundance of his riches and strengthened himself in his wickedness 8 But I am like a green olive-tree in the house of God I trust in the mercie of God for ever and ever 9 I will praise thee for ever because thou hast done it and I will wait on thy name Psalm liii To the chief musician upon Mahalath Maschil A Psalm of David 1 THe fool hath said in his heart there is no God corrupt are they and have done abominable iniquitie there is none that doth good 2 God looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand that did seek God 3 Every one of them is gone back they are altogether become filthie there is none that doth good no not one 4 Have the workers of iniquitie no knowledge who eat up my people as they eat bread they have not called upon God 5 There were they in great fear where no fear was for God hath scatâ—ered the bones of him that encampeth against thee thou shalt put them to flame because God hath despised them 6 O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Sion when God bringeth back the captiâ—itie of his people Jacob shall rejoyce and Israel shall be glad The liiii Psalm To the chief musician on Neginoth Maschil A Psalm of David when the Ziphims came and said to Saul Doth not David hide himself with us 1 SAve me O God by thy name and judge me by thy strength 2 Hear my prayer O God give ear to the words of my mouth 3 For strangers are risen up against me and oppressours seek after my soul they have not set God before them Selah 4 Behold God is my helper the Lord is with them that uphold my Soul 5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies cut them off in thy truth 6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee I will praise thy name O Lord for it is good 7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies Psalm lv To the chief musician on Neginoth Maschil A Psalm of David 1 GIve ear to my prayer O God and hide not thy self from my supplication 2 Attend unto me and hear me I mourn in my complaint and make a noise 3 Because of the voice of the enemie because of the oppression of the wicked for they cast iniquitie upon me and in wrath they hate me 4 My heart is sore pained within me and the terrours of death are fallen upon me 5 Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me and horrour hath over-whelmed me 6 And I said O that I had wings like a dove for then would I flie awâ—y and be at rest 7 Lo then would I wander far off and remain in the wilderderness Selah 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest 9 Destroy O Lord and divide their rongues for I have seen violence and strife in the Citie 10 Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it 11 Wickedness is in the midst thereof deceit and guil depart not from her streets 12 For it was â—ot an enemy that reproched me then I could have borne it neither was it he that hated me that did magnifie himself against me then I would have hid my self from him 13 But it was thou a man mine equal my guid and mine acquaintance 14 We took sweet counsel together and walked unto the house of God in company 15 Let death seize upon them and let them go down quick into hell for wickedness is in their dwellings and among them 16 As for me I will call upon God and the Lord shall save me 17 Evening morning and at noon will I pray and crie aloud and he shall hear my voice 18 He hath delivered my Soul in peace from the battel that was against me for there were many with me 19 God shall hear and afflict them even he that abideth of old Selah because they have no changes therefore they fear not God 20 He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him he hath broken his covenant 21 The words of his