PPuritanSearch
Primary source research library
SearchWilliam NicholsonSource
English Puritan & Reformed

Davids Harp Strung and Tuned

William Nicholson (1591-1672) · 344,939 words · 1533 min

Large work readerShowing section 9 of 12. Corpus search still uses the whole work; source find opens the first matching section.
Previous sectionNext section
Section 9/12
He hanged himself.

3. The third, Let his prayer be turned into sin; his supplication be abominable, Prov. 28. For he turns his ear from hearing God, why then should God hear him; no prayer can be acceptable to God, but through Christ; none; but from a heart purified by faith: Nor any impious man that lives in a constant course of sin, hath such a heart; nor the Jews, nor Judas, offer any prayer through Christ, and therefore David's curse is fallen upon them, Their prayer is become sin.

4. The fourth is, the shortening of their life and their honor.

  • 1. [unspec 8] Of their life: Let his days be few. Length of days is promised to the obedient, and is a blessing; wherefore David prays, that this man may be of a short life, which fell out in Judas, for he enjoyed not long his bargain.
  • 2. And let another take his Office; which, without contradiction, must be applied to Judas, since St. Peter, Acts 1. so interprets it. And is at this day as true of the Jews, for they have no High Priest: Another, after the order of Melchizedek, hath succeeded into the Priesthood of Aaron.

5. [unspec 9] Let his Children be fatherless, and his Wife a Widow; which must needs be the consequent of the former curse; for if his days be few, a Widow must on necessity be left behind, and fatherless children also: This curse reacheth to his Family, and he adds to it.

  • 1. [unspec 10] Let his children be Vagabonds, and beg. Vagabonds the Jews are to this day; and upon the overthrow of Jerusalem, no better than Beggars for a longtime. Juven. Sat. 3. In qua te quaero proseuchâ.
  • 2. Let them seek their bread also out of desolate places. Have no houses at all to dwell in, but such as ruinous, fallen, and desolate, i. e. dwell among old walls, as Beggars, and thence rome abroad to seek their bread.

6. The sixth Execration, is upon his Goods.

  • 1. Let the Extortioner catch all that he hath. The Extortioner might be the Publicans, [unspec 11] who, for their Extortions, were hateful to the Jews.
  • 2. And the stranger spoil his labor; which was verified in Titus Soldiers, that ripit up the Bellies of the captive Jews for gold. And to this day, in the Turkish Empire, they are used as Spunges, suffered to gather riches, as the Spunge sucks in water, for no other end, but to be squeezed.

7. But the Prophet again returns to his Children, and lays yet other curses upon them.

  • 1. [unspec 12] Let there be none to extend mercy unto him, neither let there be any to favor his fatherless Children. To beg, to want, is a misery; but there is some comfort in it, when the Beggar meets with someone, that will pity and relieve him. This our Prophet votes against, Let there be none to pity him and his; and probatum est, upon Judas; for he found no pity from the High Priests: What is that to us, say they, look thou to it. And the posterity of those Murders did, have, do find as little; for who pities a Jew?
  • 2. [unspec 13] Men, because they must die themselves, desire they do to be immortal, if possible, in their issue, they would have their houses to continue forever. That such a happiness befall not these Reprobates, David prays, Let his posterity be cut off, and in the Generation following, let their name be blotted out: He would have a quick dispatch of them. 'It is acutely observed by Bellarmine, That Judas in the place he was in, his Bishops had no seed; for Matthias that came into his place, derived not his Office from him. And for the Jews, though a posterity of them yet remain after the flesh, yet in the very next Generation, their Ecclesiastical and Civil Policy was at an end; and since their dispersion, they sit without King, without Priest, without Sacrifice, without Altar, without Ephod, without Teraphim, as it was foretold by Hosee.
  • 3. [unspec 14] Yet farther, the Prophet continues his Imprecation against the posterity of these Reprobates: Let the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. This Imprecation answers God's threat in the Commandment, I will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children; and the Jews have found this curse to come upon them to the uttermost, they devoted themselves, and their posterity; Let his blood be upon us, and our children: And 'tis known to the whole World, that it hath taken its effect to the full. The guilt of his blood is yet upon them, the iniquity of their fathers is remembered; and the sin of their mother, the Synagogue, is not yet done away.
  • 4. And he repeats again, what he mentioned of the iniquity of their fathers, and the indelible Character of the Synagogues sin; [unspec 15] for this verse is but the expolition of the former.
    • 1. Let them be before the Lord continually: As if he had said, Let the memory of their father and mothers sin live forever, never let God cast it behind his back.
    • 2. That he may cut off the memory of them from the Earth: Never let there be any memory of them, except it be in contempt; which that ungrateful Nation hath found true.

And so the Prophet having ended his Execrations, acquaints us with the causes of this bitterness: 2. And then prays, that they pierce far, and work effectually upon them.

The causes he assigns, are these.

  • 1. The first was, their want of pity toward men in distress: Hard-hearted men they were, without any bowels of compassion. By the Prophet Jeremy this is complained on, Lam. 1.12. Have ye no regard all ye that pass by? Never was there sorrow like my sorrow, and yet nor Judas, [Ver. 16] nor the Jews considered it: 'It is but just then, That they find judgment without mercy, that would show no mercy, Jam. 2, Let his memory be cut off, &c. Because he remembered not to show mercy.
  • 2. So far from that, That he persecuted the poor and needy man, that he might even slay the broken in heart; which is the second cause, the inhumanity and cruelty of Judas, and the Jews, against Christ, who is here called:
    • 1. Poor, because when he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich, 2 Cor. 9.
    • 2. The needy man: For the Foxes have Holes, and he Birds of the Air Nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head, Luk. 9.58.
    • 3. The broken in heart: For he was in an agony, and his soul was troubled, and besieged with sorrows, when he sweat drops of blood, when he cried, My God, my God; but not with Compunction, or Contrition for any fault he had committed; but out of the sense of pain, and anxiety, and solicitude, which he bore in his heart continually for the salvation of Mankind.

In this verse then there is noted the extreme cruelty and inhumanity of the Jews; for they that persecute a man for his life, have some reasons that move them unto it: Either they are incensed to do it by anger for some injury received, or moved by hope of gain by spoiling some rich man; or else through envy, that grudgeth at another's felicity. But Christ was humble and low in heart, a poor man, that never did any man wrong: He contemned the World, was needy, and had not what should provoke the eye of any covetous wretch. Lastly, he was broken in heart, and wept for other men's sins; not in so happy a condition, that any man should envy him. It then aggravates their sin, that they should persecute him; and because they did it, they are justly accursed.

  • 3. And yet there is a third cause behind, He loved cursing; and then 'tis but reason, that he have what he loved; he delighted not in blessing, why then should any man delight to bless him? As he loved cursing, [unspec 17] so let it come unto him; as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him. No man can love a curse, or hate a blessing, if it be proposed to the will under the form of cursing and blessing: But a man is then said to love a curse, and hate a blessing, when he is the cause, by his own choice, of a wicked course, that he be cursed, and not blessed. This Judas, and the Jews did; Judas, by loving money more than his Master; love a curse, he forsook Christ, and would not be blessed. The Jews refused him, and would have his blood upon them; as they loved then, so let them have; as they delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from them.

— Neque enim lex justior ulla est, &c.

Yea, and let this curse, as our Prophet adds farther, come with effect upon them, sit as close to him, as the garment about him; let it be converted into his very substance, as is the water he drinks, and pierce his marrow and bones, as the oil, with which he anoints him; let him carry it perpetually along with him, as he doth his garment, and his girdle: For this is it which the Prophet intends by the following similitudes, who would have the curse be not only piercing and efficacious, but lasting and perpetual.

  • 1. [Ver. 18] As he clothed himself with cursing, like as with a garment; loved to have it always about him, as a man doth the clothes he most delights in.
  • 2. So let it come, as waters into his bowels; that the stomach concocts, and turns into the very flesh of the Animal; so let this curse be converted into his nature and manners.
  • 3. But water pierceth not the bones, oil will do that, and therefore let it come as oil into his bones. The intent of the Prophet is, That it be wholly, outwardly, and inwardly accursed, deprived of all good, and filled with mischief, and all evil.

And as he would have the curse to be of great efficacy, so he would have him carry it always about him.

  • 1. [unspec 19] Let it be unto him, as the garment that always covers him: That is, let it always stick close to him, as his garment, which he puts not off, least his nakedness appear.
  • 2. And for a girdle, with which he is girded continually; i. e. compass him, and go round about him, being fastened either with buckles or knots.
    • 1. Moller, for a garment, reads Pallium, which is a Cloak that a man puts off at home, and calls for when he goes abroad: By which he conceives the Prophet desires, that God would set some external mark upon him, as a note upon him, that he may be known to be a Cast-away. 'It is noted of the Jews, that they carry an illsent about them, and their ears are grown into a Proverb; some say, their Visage betrays them.
    • 2. If Doeg were the Type of Judas, as most agree, in this Psalm, then by the girdle also might be understood, Cingulum militare, which they cast not off while they were of that profession: And he Doeg being a misitary man, he would have the curse cleave as long to him, and encompass him, as did his girdle.

[unspec 20] And now the Prophet concludes this part of the Psalm with an Exclamation and Vote, by which he shows, that he was persuaded, that his execrations were not in vain.

Let this be the reward of my Adversaries from the Lord, and of them that speak evil against my soul; that say I am a Deceiver, a Seducer, and deny me to be the Son of God.

3. The Prophet now turns from cursing, into prayer, and in the person of Christ directs his prayer to God for protection and deliverance, both of himself, and for the whole Church; and as before he prayed against Judas and the Synagogue, and indeed foresaw the evils that were to fall upon them; so doth in this, pray for himself, and in that for the Church, foreseeing the many good things that should be conferred on that Body, of which the Messiah was to be the Head.

  • 1. He begins his prayer in this Form: But do thou to me, O God the Lord, [Ver. 21] for thy Names sake, because thy mercy is good. Help he asks against his Persecutors, on three grounds.
    • 1. Because his Lord was Jehovah, the Fountain of all Being, of all Power; and therefore could, if he would, repress his Persecutors.
    • 2. Because it would be for his honor: Do it for thy Names sake; thy Name, i. e. thy Clemency, thy Goodness, thy Faithfulness in defense of thy Church, and Justice in executing Vengeance on her enemies, will be thereby celebrated, and declared; for the Name of God imports all this.
    • 3. Do it, because thy mercy is good; is easily inclined to succor such as are in misery, which animates me also to ask, being assured that out of mercy, thou wilt do it.
  • 2. Deliver thou me; [unspec 22] methinks this part of the Petition seems to have an eye to that hour in which Christ prayed: Father, save me from this hour, John 12.27. O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, Mat. 26.39. For the reasons to persuade it are the same.
    • 1. Deliver me, for I am poor and needy, destitute of human help; the Disciples slept, fled.
    • 2. Deliver me, for my heart is wounded within me, my soul it exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, Mat. 26.38.

And to these, he adds many other Reasons; the first of which, illustrated by the two similitudes of the Evening shadow, and the Locust; [unspec 23] Bellarmine very acutely refers to his apprehension in the Garden, and his being posted off from the High Priests to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and so back again.

  • 1. I am gone like the shadow, when it declines; which passeth away in a moment silently, without the least noise: So was Christ pulled from his Disciples, and led away as a Prisoner, without any murmur, without any resistance, without any defense: He was led as a Lamb to the Slaughter, Isa. 53.
  • 2. I am tossed up and down, as the Locust: Tossed from one Tribunal to another, as the Locusts, base Creatures, that the wind carries from place to place, Exod. 10.12, 19. And so also it fell out to the Apostles and Martyrs, who died patiently, and were 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , tossed up and down the World. [unspec 24]

2. A second Reason, from his debility, or weak condition his body was now in.

  • 1. My knees are weak through fasting: The little sustenance Christ took in the night before the Passion, his watching in prayer that night, makes this good.
  • 2. And my flesh faileth of fatness; through the loss of much blood, so faint he was, that they compelled Simon of Cyrene to carry his Cross.

3. A third Reason yet to move God to pity and deliver, is, [unspec 25] taken from his opprobrious usage, the Sarcasms, and Scorns, and Jeers they put upon him; than which, there is no injury more grievous to a Noble and ingenious spirit: I am become also a reproach unto them; when they looked upon me, they shaked their head; which needs no illustration, the four Gospels being an ample Comment upon this verse, and so he concludes the Passion.

This is the first part of his prayer: A second part there is of it, which follows, [unspec 26] for a speedy Resurrection, as he prayed before in the 22. Psalm, which was also a Psalm of the Passion, which is there set out to ver. 18. And then he prays, as here, that he might not lie long in the Grave, ver. 19.20, 21. Help me, [unspec 27] O Lord my God, save me from the pains of death, Acts 2.24. according to thy mercy.

And he backs his Petition with a strong Reason, drawn from the final cause, Help me, save me, that they may know, that this is thy hand, that thou, Lord, hast done it: That all men, especially the Jews, may know by my rising again, in despite of their watch and seal, that it was not their malice, nor power, that brought me to this ignominious death; but the whole matter, my Passion, suffering, and death, proceeded from thy hand, Acts 2.23. & cap. 3.18. And by his Resurrection he was declared to be the Son of God, Rom. 1.4.

And in the close of his prayer, he sings, as it were, a Triumph over all his enemies, the Devil, Judas, the Jews, those great enemies to him and his Church; over them he insults in a bitter Epitrope.

  • 1. [unspec 28] Let them curse; speak evil of me, call me a deceiver, blaspheme me, as the Jews do in a solemn manner to this day; let them esteem my followers, as the off-scouring and outcasts of the World.
  • 2. But bless thou: So thou return me good for their cursing, 2 Sam. 16.12. And not only to me in glorifying me, and setting me on his right hand; but for my sake, bless all Nations, that by faith in Baptism shall give up their names to me.
  • 3. When they arise: For,
    • 1. Arise they will, plot, endeavor, and oppose all they can, both by force and fraud the establishment of my Kingdom.
    • 2. But let them be ashamed, confounded and astonished, that all their attempts are frustrate.
  • 4. But let thy servant (for Christ took upon him the name and condition of a servant) rejoice; not only that they are saved, and their enemies confounded, but because thy Name is thereby glorified.

And he continues his Imprecation, and comes over it again by way of Expolition: Let my Adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their own confusion, as with a Mantle. Confounded at the last day for their ingratitude, [unspec 29] foolishness, and malice, before men and Angels, and wrapped about with it, as vest talari, as with a Robe, or a lined Mantle, that comes about, and covers every part of the body.

4. And at last, he closeth all with thanks, which he opposeth to the confusion of the wicked; they, for amazement and astonishment of heart, shall be struck dumb, as the man without the wedding garment; but,

  • 1. I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth, with great affection, with a • great Jubilee.
  • 2. [Ver. 30] And that not closely, among private Walls, but in open Theater of the whole World; yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

Of which praise he renders this reason.

  • 1. He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, i. e. such poor, who are poor in spirit, meek and humble; and being conscious of their own wants, and lack of strength, are always begging, and beating at the door of God, who is rich in mercy; [unspec 31] at the right hand of such a poor man he will stand, as a Sword and Buckler, to keep off every blow aimed at him, for so it follows.
  • 2. I will stand at the right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemn his soul; from the Devil, and all his instruments. Christ is the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to his Church, and he hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us, and nailed it to the Cross, Col. 2.14. So that cùm à mundo damnamur, à Christo absolvimur. Tertull.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and ninth Psalm.

O Almighty, Merciful, and Gracious Father, [Ver. 1] Thou art the God of whom we make our boast all the day long, and desire to magnify and praise all our life long, who art alone the Witness of the honesty and integrity of our hearts, hold not thy peace in this needful time of trouble, but be our Advocate, and plead our cause against the wicked and deceitful men, the enemies of thy Church, and Oppressors of thy Truth and people. It is not Lord, [Ver. 2] unknown to thee, That the mouths of these wicked and false-hearted hypocrites are opened against thee, our Religion, and Profession. It is not unknown unto thee, That they not only load us with lies and blasphemies, but that forgetful of all humanity and piety, They have compassed us about with words of hatred. [Ver. 3] They hate and malice us, and what foul aspersions their malice could invent, those they have cast upon us: But with this, their malice was not satisfied; for from words, they came to blows; our blood have they shed like water, by the fury of War, and defiled their hands with the slaughter of innocents; our Mothers Children have risen, and sought against us without a cause.

For what cause have we given them, except it were, that in charity we would have taught, and informed them in the Truth, and continued them in the bosom of thy Church? What cause, except it were, that we prayed for them, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do? [Ver. 4] but such is their ingratitude, That for our love, they are become our Adversaries; they have rewarded us evil for good, and hatred for our love: And for our good-will, [Ver. 5] repay us with oppression, and make use of their power, and lay hold of the time put into their hands, to destroy, waste, and root out thy inheritance. As for us, we have no means to resist their fury, no power to oppose against their rage, but our prayers and tears, and therefore we will give ourselves to prayer, and first pray for them, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge: Or, if they shall persist, and go on in their wickedness, against them, as thou hast taught us in this Psalm.

O Lord, the Curses are bitter, the Execrations are fearful, and we know of what spirit we are, we shall then leave it to thy Justice to execute them, as on whom, and when thou shalt think fit, not looking so much what these men of a reprobate mind have deserved, as what is our Duty, taught and enjoined by thee, To love our enemies, to bless them that curse us, to do good to them that hate us, to pray for them that despitefully use us, and persecute us. Afraid we are, lest we indulge too much to our human affections of self-love, anger, hatred, and impatience, even in using this Form that thou hast taught, and therefore we will forbear to curse them, and solicit for ourselves.

Conscious we are to ourselves, that we have not lived a life worthy of thy Truth and Gospel revealed unto us, which is the just cause that at this time, [Ver. 21] in thy worship, there remains almost nothing which is not corrupted with Novelty, and polluted with falsehood: But, O merciful God, give us true contrition for our former ingratitude, and forgive this great sin of thy people; once more let thy light shine amongst us, and do for us, O Jehovah the Lord, for thy Names sake, because thy mercy is good, deliver us. Thou art the mighty Jehovah, Thou then canst, and thy mercy is great, and therefore we hope thou wilt do it for us; we plead no merit, we ask it not for any desert, but merely for thy Names sake; for we are assured, that by the doing of it, thy Name will be magnified, thy Clemency, thy Goodness, thy Faithfulness in defense of thy Church, and thy Justice in executing vengeance upon the enemy, will be exalted and celebrated.

Our condition, O Lord, at this time, is very low, poor we are, and men of a troubled spirit; needy we are, being robbed and outed of our worldly Goods; [Ver. 22] our heart is wounded within us, in a sharp and true compunction for our rebellions against Heaven, drawing we are to our last home, as the shadow, that at Even departs, and yet we can have no rest, but are tost up and down from Herod to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, as the Locust; we have chastised ou • soul with fasting, [unspec 23] till our knees are weak, and our flesh is worn away for want of fatness: And yer all this we could digest with patience, were it not for the opprobrious language and usage we sustain from them; [unspec 24] it wounds our hearts, and pierceth our souls, that we should become a reproach to them, when they, these mockers of Religion, [unspec 25] these wolves in sheep's clothing, these monsters of men, destitute of all humanity and piety, looked upon us in our affliction, so far they were from remembering to show mercy, [unspec 16] That they persecuted us, whom thou hadst smitten; they shaked their heads at us, and cried, Ah thou wretch!

Arise, [unspec 26] help us, O Lord our God, O save us, according to thy mercy. They blasphemously entitle thee to all their Actions, they impute all to thy Providence; ashamed they are not, to declare, That thou art pleased with all their enormities: But, O our God, arise, and in thy good time make them know, That they were but thy Rod and thy Scourge; [unspec 27] that the blows they gave, were from thee, and so many as thou pleasest (in which they ought to take small content) that it was thy hand, thus, for their sins, to chastise thy people, and that thou, Lord, hast done it; and that being done, Thou wilt take them, and cast them into the fire.

Let them, [unspec 28] then, O Lord, curse: Let them speak evil, as they do, of us; let them vlaspheme, and account us the off-scouring of the World, outcasts, and a spectacle to men and Angels: But do thou, O Lord, bless; bless thy people, bless thine inheritance. They arise against us, but let them be ashamed, and astonished, [unspec 29] that all their plots are frustrate, and brought to naught: Let our Adversaries be clothed with shame, and cover and enwrap themselves with their own confusion, as with a Mantle.

This at the last day will be certainly done, when they shall desire, if possible, to fly from the presence of the Almighty; whereas thy servants then, with great boldness, shall stand in the presence of the Almighty, and lift up their heads, and rejoice.

O Gracious God, defend and help thy poor Church, stand at the right hand of everyone that is poor in spirit, [unspec 31] and of an humble heart; save him from those that would condemn his soul: So will we greatly praise the Lord with our mouths, [unspec 30] yea, we will praise thee among the multitude, in all the Churches of the Saints, with great affections, and many Jubilees, we will honor thy Name, and sound forth thy praise, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSAL. CX. Propheticus de Regno Christi.

THIS Psalm is short in words, but copious and deep in Mysteries; the Subject of it, without doubt, is Christ, which no Christian can deny, since both St. Peter, Acts 2.34. and St. Paul, Hebr. 1.13: expounds it of Christ, and Christ applieth it to himself, Matth. 22.44. In this then Christ is described as a King, and a Priest.

In it are to be considered:

  • 1. Christ's Kingdom, in the three first verses.
  • 2. His Priesthood, in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh.

1. As touching his Kingdom, the Prophet first acquaints us with his Person. 2. His Power, and the Acquisition of it. 3. The Continuance of it. 4. The Execution of it; first over his enemies; and secondly, over his own people; which is the sum of the three first verses.

  • 1. The Person that was here to reign was David's Lord, his Son according to the flesh, but his Lord, as equal to God, Phil. 2.6, 7. As made flesh, [Ver. 1] the Son of David, as born of a Virgin, the Son of David; but as Emmanuel, the Lord of David; which the Jews not understanding, could not answer Christ's question, Mat. 22.45.
  • 2. As for his Power, the Author of it was God: The Lord said to my Lord. The Lord said; said it, that is, Decreed it from everlasting: And said it again, when he made it known, The Seed of the woman shall break the Serpents head.
  • 3. And of this Kingdom, as I may so say, he then took Possession, when the Lord said unto him, Sit at my right hand. Christ, as the Son of God, was ever at God's right hand, equal with him in Might and Majesty; but as Man, was not exalted to this honor before his glorious Ascension, Acts 2.34. Ephes. 1.20. Phil. 2.8. This then was the day of Inauguration to his Kingdom.
  • 4. For the continuance of it: It is to be donec, which notes not a piece of time, but a perpetuity: Sit, till I make all thy enemies thy footstool. Sit he shall at God's right hand; that is, in power and glory, till he shall say to all Tyrants and Heretics, and Hypocrites, and Antichrists, Depart from me, Mat. 25. Yet not so, as if he were to be dethron'd then, but till then he shall reign in a secret manner; for now though he executes his Power, yet it is not seen, Tyrants acknowledge it not: But when once all his enemies shall be made his footstool, then he shall openly and visibly Rule, Sitting at his Fathers right hand for evermore. Bellarmine interprets it well, Go on to reign, neither desist to propagate and enlarge thy Kingdom, by converting men to faith and obedience, until there be not an enemy alive, not a man which will not bow his knee to thy Name, till all Opponents be beaten down.
  • 5. The beginning of this Kingdom was in Zion: The Lord shall send the Rod of thy strength out of Zion.
    • 1. The Rod of his power and strength, was his Scepter; and his Scepter, is his Word, the Gospel, the Wisdom of God, 1 Thes. 2.13. [Ver. 2] The Sword of the Spirit, Ephes. 6.17. The mighty power of God unto salvation, Rom. 1.16. Able to cast down, &c. 2 Cor. 10.5.
    • 2. And this was to be sent out of Zion, Isa. 2.3. Micah 4.2. It behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise again the third day, that repentance, and remission of sins be preached in his Name to all Nations, beginning at Jerusalem, Luke 24.47. The sound of the Apostles words went into all Lands, but at Zion it was, and must be first heard, Acts 13.46. & Acts 1.8.
  • 6. And now the Prophet comes to the execution of his power, which was either over his enemies, or his good Subjects.
    • 1. As for that over his enemies, he ushers it in with a Vote and Acclamation, Dominare, Rule thou in the midst of thy enemies; converting such enemies as appertain to God's Election, and confounding such enemies as are the sons of Perdition: Now,
      • 1. These are the greatest number; for the Church, however it be propagated, and increased, yet is in the midst of enemies, of Jews, Turks, Infidels, Heretics, &c.
      • 2. Dominare then, be thou Ruler, go on, and set up the standard of thy Cross in the midst of these Pagans, and will they, nill they, yet erect thy Kingdom.
    • 2. For thy good Subjects they are easily dealt withal, [Ver. 3] there needs not any harsh dealing to subdue them, and bring them to, and continue them in obedience.
      • 1. For thy people shall be willing; not enforced by compulsion, but coming in upon love: They confluunt, they will flow together as water; which runs downward, by a natural inclination, Isa. 2. and will bring free-will offerings.
      • 2. But yet not before thy grace hath wrought upon their hearts, Tracti sequentur, in the day of thy power; i. e. in the days of thy solemn Assemblies, in the days of thy Gospel, when thou shalt send forth thy Apostles to preach, and by preaching, to collect and constitute thy Kingdom, then they will show themselves to be a willing people, and in pure devotion, and cheerful obedience, they will do their homage to thee their King.
  • 3. The third quality of this good people, is, That they be holy: For some read the words thus, They shall offer free-will offerings with an holy worship; our last Translators point it somewhat otherwise, for they read, The people shall be willing in the day of thy power: There they pause, and read on thus, In the beauty of holiness from the womb of the morning: The Vulgar, in splendoribus sanctorum. Moller, in ornatibus sanctis, and stops there. Tremellius, in decoris sanctitatis: But let the reading be as it will, agreed, for ought I perceive, all Expositors are, That holiness must be an eminent and resplendent Ornament of Christ's good Subjects.
  • 4. Which Sanctity yet these good people have not from themselves, it is by some secret and efficacious work of the Spirit: They shall worship in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning; Thou hast the dew of thy youth.

This is a very difficult place, and the rendering of it is so various, so perplexed, so altered by the several pointing of it, [unspec 3] that it increaseth the difficulty; for full satisfaction (if it be given by any) I refer you to the Translators and Expositors: Three opinions I find about the words. The Fathers expound them of Christ himself. The later Divines, of his people, that were willing to serve him, which indeed is most likely, and will best consist and cohere with the sense of the former words.

But those that expound them, and apply them to Christ, run not one way neither: Some suppose the Prophet speaks of his Godhead, some of his Manhood, some of his Gifts and Graces: Thus they open themselves.

1. The Prophet, say they, Notes out here Christ's eternal Generation before all Worlds, following the Septuagint's Translation, that reads it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of the womb; that is, of mine own Essence, saith the Father to the Son, before the morning Star; that is, before there was Light or Star, which was the first Creature; i. e. before the World was, I have begotten thee, or, Thou hast the dew of thy youth; that is, thy Nativity or Birth.

2. Others apply the words to Christ's Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and open thus their meaning: From the womb of the morning, that is, the Virgin, Thou hast the dew of thy youth; i. e. Thy birth, which birth is therefore compared to dew, because as a celestial dew the Son of God sent from Heaven, was at his Incarnation conceived in the Virgins womb, without the seed of man.

3. Others, yet applying them to Christ, expound the words of the fullness of those dew, as it were of Gifts and Graces, with which his Humanity was invested and beautified, even from the womb, which is also very true; for he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that holy one from the womb, and even then received those Gifts and Graces in an abundant and plentiful manner, without measure, which he after communicated by portions to his Church: For of his Fulness it is that we receive; He was anointed with the oil of gladness above his Fellowes, but yet for his Fellowes.

4. Now this Interpretation, as I conceive, gave occasion to our Modern Expositors, to apply the words not to the Messias, nor to the plenitude of Grace in him, but to our new Birth, and the Graces then bestowed upon his Subjects and people.

By their Youth, they understand their Regeneration; by the Dewes, the Graces then bestowed on them, which they have not from the will of man, nor from the will of the flesh, but of God; or as the Prophet phrases it, from the womb of the morning. As if the Holy Ghost had said, By the preaching of thy Word thou shalt bring forth a people, not only good, but great, whose increase shall be so plentiful and wonderful, as the drops of the morning dew: For as the dew that secretly falls from Heaven abundantly, covers and refresheth the Earth; so thy power regenerating the hearts of men by thy Gospel, and secret operation of thy Spirit, distilling as the dew, and as the showers upon the herbs, is that immortal Seed, by which an incredible number of children are begotten to God. How properly may it be said to, and of every regenerate man, from the womb of the morning; that is, not from thyself, or any other womb, but from above, from the Spirit of God, Thou hast the dew, those sweet and comfortable dew of grace which do better and beautify thy youth, thy new birth, thy youthful and lively condition in Christianity, hence is thy birth, thy vigor, thy growth. And because the Prophet in the beginning of the verse spoke of God's people, of their holiness, their willingness, methinks it is most consonant to the drist of the Text, to expound these words of their Regeneration also, of their increase, of their growth in grace, and the causes of it; the Word of God, and the operation of his Spirit, which as I said, is the dew: But I leave to every man to take for his guide in this case, either the Ancient, or Modern Divines.

Now I go on with the Psalmist.

2. The Prophet having foretold Christ's Kingdom, now descends to predict his Priesthood, under which his Prophetical Office may well be implied; for the Priests lips were to preserve knowledge, [Ver. 4] and the people were to require the Law at their mouth. Now that no man ever doubt that the Messiah was to be a Priest at his coming, God hath confirmed with an Oath, with an irreversible Oath.

  • 1. The Lord sware. His Word had been enough; but for Assurance, he hath given his Oath: Beatos nos quorum, causa jurat Deus, sed miseros nos, sine juranti quidem credimus. It seems, that in the Priesthood of Christ lies the main weight of our Redemption, that God takes an Oath to assure us he should be a Priest, that he should be a King, that he should be a Prophet; he swears not, though he was to be both, but he secures to us this Office, because nor his being a King, nor Prophet, could have redeemed us, had he not been a Priest to offer himself to die, to intercede, to satisfy God's wrath for us.
  • 2. Sworn he hath, and he will not repent. [unspec 4] This is also added for our greater assurance: Sometimes we shall read in Scripture of God's Repentance, as in the case of the old World, in the case of Nineveh, then he was to do justice, and to destroy, which Isaiah calls, opus alianum: But now he was to save the World by this Priest his Son; and he takes an Oath to do in, and he repents not, nor ever will repent of it. His sentence for judgment is ever conditional, and then he is said to repent, when he executes it not; his words have not the effect: Non affectu vertitur, sed avertitur nostra penitentia, & orationibus: But his Decree for mercy is absolute, as it was here, he will not repent, nor alter the thing gone out of his lips.
  • 3. The matter of the Oath follows: Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek: Not a word here, that ought to pass without a Note.
    • 1. Thou, is emphatical: Thou, David's Lord, art a Priest, [unspec 4] and none such a Priest, but Thou.
    • 2. Art: For this Priest was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , I am, and then it might rightly be said of him, Thou art,
    • 3. A Priest; whose Office thus the Apostle describes, Hebr. 5.1. To be a person taken from among men, yet ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.
    • 4. For ever: They truly, viz. Aaron and his Successors, were many Priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; but this man, because he continueth forever, hath an unchangeable Priesthood, Hebr. 7.23, 24.
    • 5. After the Order; that is, the Right, the Law, the Custom, the Tradition, or Rites.
    • 6. Of Melchizedek, which is opposed to the Order of Aaron; he was not then to be a Priest after the Order of Aaron, but by a former and higher Order; the difference lies in this.

1. In the Constitution of him to the Priesthood: He was made with an Oath, and so were not any of Aaron's Order. This Saint Paul observes, Hebr. 7.20, 21.

2. In the Succession. In Aaron's Priesthood, the High Priest being mortal, as he began, so also he ended; he died, and another succeeded: But this Priest after Melchizedek, had no Successor; as Melchizedek, he was without father on earth, without mother in heaven; he had neither beginning of days, nor end of life, Hebr. 7.

3. Melchizedek was King and Priest, and so was Christ; Aaron a Priest only:

4. Aaron and his sons offered up Oxen, Sheep; first for their own sins, then for the people, Levite. 16.6. But Christ being holy, blameless, undefiled, Hebr. 7.26. offered not any Sacrifice for himself, but for our sins, Isa. 53.9.

5. Aaron was a local Priest, tied to the Temple at Jerusalem, a Priest of one people; but Christ an universal Catholic Priest, a Priest for all persons, all places, John 4.21.

6. Aaron anointed with material Oil, Christ with the Holy Ghost, Luke 4.18, 21.

7. Aaron's Priesthood temporary, Christ's forever. The difference betwixt his Priesthood, and that of Aaron, is evident; though then no such Priest, yet a Priest, and according to Saint Paul's definition, Hebr. 5.1, 2.

  • 1. A Priest is to be a person taken from among men; a man then he must be, though a select, a choice man, every man not fit for the Office; and so was Christ a perfect man, yet a choice man, one of a thousand, Cant. 1.
  • 2. A Priest must be ordained by God; For no man takes upon him that honor, who is not called by God, as was Aaron; so Christ glorified not himself, to be made an High Priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, Hebr. 5.
  • 3. The High Priest was ordained for men in things pertaining to God; for men he is ordained, that he may plead their cause to God, to be their Advocate, Mediator, Interpreter, and Reconciler in all those things in which men make their Addresses to God, or God is to signify his Will to them: And so was Christ; for he is the Advocate, the Mediator for his people, he reconciles man to God, he interprets his Will to us, by preaching the Gospel to the poor.
  • 4. The High Priest was ordained, that he might offer Gifts and Sacrifices for sins. Their Sacrifices were the blood of Bulls and Goats, which could not take away sins: But as a Priest, Christ offered also a Sacrifice, a Sacrifice of blood, but far more precious than that of Beasts, being himself, and his own blood, Ephes. 5.2. & Hebr. 9.26. Hebr. 10.10, 11, 12.
  • 5. The High Priest must have compassion on the ignorant, and on those that are out of the way: And such a Priest was Christ; For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, Hebr. 4.15.
  • 6. Lastly, The High Priest must be compassed with infirmities, and so was Christ, In all things like us, sin only excepted; He took our infirmities, and bare our sorrows; and in all things it behooved him to be like unto his Brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, for in that he himself hath suffered; being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted, Hebr. 2.17, 18.

2. A Priest then, it is evident, Christ is, it remains now to show,

  • 1. How he is a Priest forever?
  • 2. How a Priest after the Order of Melchizedek?

1. A Priest forever, Christ is said to be, in respect of his Person, his Office, the Effect.

  • 1. In respect of his Person: For he succeeded no Priest, his Vocation being immediate, neither is any to succeed him in this Priesthood; for he lives forever, and therefore needs not, as the Priests under the old Law, any Successor to continue his Priesthood to posterity; whosoever since do any service for him, are but his Under-Officers, and Authoriz'd by him: The plenitude of his Power shall never be transferred to any other, he lives, and keeps it in his own hands; 'tis but in vain to talk of a Successor.
  • 2. A Priest he is forever, in respect of his Office. Not of offering, for that is ended, and was, when he offered himself upon the Cross; but in respect o •• his Intercession, in that forever he doth intercede in Heaven to his Father for his people.
  • 3. A Priest he is forever, in respect of the Effect; because by that Sacrifice which he once offered on the Cross, he becomes to all his the cause of these inestimable Effects, Redemption, and eternal Salvation; in which sense, that his Sacrifice once offered on the Cross, may well be said to be Eternal.

2. That Christ is a Priest, that he is a Priest forever, is evident; it remains now to be examined, How a Priest after the Order, the Rite, the Manner, the Word, and Power given and prescribed to Melchizedek, or the similitude of Melchizedek.

  • 1. This Melchizedek (suppose it were Sem ) was King of Salem, and Priest of the most High God, Gen. 14. So was Christ a King of Jerusalem, above God's own City, and a Priest, offering himself a sacrifice for sin.
  • 2. Melchizedek is by interpretation, King of righteousness; so is Christ, The Lord our righteousness, Jer. 23.6. 1 Cor. 1.30.
  • 3. Melchizedek is King of Salem, i. e. peace; so Christ is the Prince of peace, Isa. 9.6.
  • 4. Melchizedek was without father, without mother, to us so, as being to us revealed by God; so was this our Priest, Having nor beginning of days, nor end of life, as touching his Godhead, Apoc. 1.11.
  • 5. Melchizedek, blessed; Abraham ex Officio, the greater, the less; and Christ blesseth us, In turning everyone of us from our iniquities, Acts 3. ult.
  • 6. Melchizedek brought forth bread and wine to refresh Abraham's Army, and Christ hath in the Sacrament set forth bread and wine to refresh hungry and thirsty souls. Thus much we can grant, and yet not admit of the Popish Sacrifice.

Now I proceed in the Exposition of the Psalm.

The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through Kings in the day of his wrath. [Ver. 5]

After that the Prophet had said, That the Messiah should be a Priest forever after the Order of Melchizedek. He intimates in this verse, That notwithstanding all opposition that should be made against him, yet his Priesthood should be eternal; as if he had said, Many Kings of the earth shall conspire, as did Herod, Domitian, Decius, Maximinus, Dioclesian, Julian, &c. to overthrow Christ's Priesthood, and overturn Religion; but it shall never be done, his Priesthood and holy Rites shall stand and continue; for,

  • 1. The Lord is on thy right hand: Given thee power, who sits at his right hand, which thou wilt use in defense of thy Church.
  • 2. And this thy Lord shall strike through Kings, the greatest, the potenst enemies.
  • 3. In the day of his wrath: For such a day there is, and that will come; and when this day of revenge and vengeance comes, the proudest Tyrant shall not escape: He will recompense the slackness of revenge, by the sharpness of the punishment; he hath leaden feet, but iron hands, he will lay on, Confringet.

Which the Prophet farther explains in the following verse, in which Christ is described as a valiant Conqueror over his enemies.

  • 1. [Ver. 6] He shall rule and judge; not only over the Jews, but the Heathen also; set up his power, and judge the people in righteousness.
  • 2. He shall fill the places with dead bodies; make such a slaughter among his enemies, as enraged Soldiers do in the storm of a City, that fill the Trenches with the dead: The meaning is, that the execution upon his enemies will be great and furious, not one spared.
  • 3. He shall wound the heads over many Countries: Even Kings and Monarchs, those in the greatest Power and Authority. Of this, Herod, the Persecutors, Maximinus, Dioclesian, Julian, &c. are Examples.

The Prophet through the whole Psalm had spoken of Christ's Exaltation; [Ver. 7] How he was set on God's right hand, and made a King: How by the Oath of God he was made a Priest, and how in the defense of his Priesthood and Kingdom, he would subdue, conquer, and break to pieces his enemies. In this last verse, he acquaints us by what means he came to this honor; his Cross was the way to the Crown, his Passion and Humiliation to his Exaltation. He, saith David, shall drink of the Brook in the way, therefore shall he lift up his Head; as if he had said with the Apostle, He humbled himself, and became obedient to death, even the death of the Cross, wherefore God hath also highly exalted him, &c. Phil. 2.8, 9. Hebr. 2.9. & 12.2. Isa. 5.11, 12.

  • 1. He shall drink: To drink, is to be afflicted, Jer. 49.12. Matth. 20.22.
  • 2. He shall drink of the Brook, de Torrente, and that's more than of the Cup; for a Cup contains a certain portion of sorrows, but a Torrent a whole Ocean of miseries. 2. In a Cup, that which is •• unk may be clean and clear, but in a Torrent, a man can expect none but muddy, troubled water; that then the Prophet saith, He shall drink of the Torrent, intimates, That the drink offered him should be much, and troubled. And at his Passion, he descended into the very depth of the Torrent, and drank very deep of it.
  • 3. In the way: That was, while he was Viator, in his Journey, all the time of his life, that preceded his Resurrection and Ascension.

2. But Claritas Humilitatis premium; because he thus humbled himself, and willingly underwent his Death and Passion, for the Glory of his Father, and the Salvation of Mankind, therefore shall God lift up his Head, he shall ascend into Heaven, sit at his right hand, and be constituted the Judge of quick and dead; he shall rise from the dead, and have all power committed to him in Heaven and Earth.

The Prayer out of the One hundred and tenth Psalm.

O Almighty God, most gracious and merciful Lord, sinned all Mankind hath, and by it incur'd thy displeasure, and by the disobedience of our first Parents, had we not since added to that disobedience, been utterly lost; it was not in the power of any creature to save us, it was not within the compass of any human or angelical ability to make our peace, to get our pardon, and to reconcile us again unto thee. The sentence of death was passed upon us, and nothing could respite the execution, but thy own Ordinance. A Mediator was wanting to interpose and hear all differences; a Priest to step in, and make an Atonement; an Advocate to plead for thy people, and allay the anger that was gone forth. And such an one, O merciful Lord, Thou, out of thy mere love, hast in mercy provided for us. Thou saidst to thy own Son, Thou art a Priest forever; and thy own Son said, Lo, I come to do thy Will; [Ver. 4] and so by thy wonderful Decree, and his willing Obedience, we are redeemed.

Who ever heard so strange a thing? who could, or would ever believe this report, hadst not thou, O God, revealed it? The zeal of the Lord hath done this for us, the zeal of the Son of God hath done this, brought to pass that which flesh and blood would never believe, were it not, That thou hast commanded it to be believed. O mystery, beyond comprehension! which when we seem to comprehend, yet we understand not, the secret so far passeth what our weak capacity can reach unto. And in this thou, O merciful Father, hast condescended to our infirmity, for that thy Decree, and thy Sons love, be never more doubted; Thou hast secured us by an Oath, an Oath of which thou wilt never repent, That he is a Priest forever.

A Priest must have something to offer, and he offered himself; a Priest must offer blood, and he offered his own; a Priest must step in, and appease thy anger, when it was at the highest; a Priest must reconcile, when the terms of difference were the greatest, And such an High Priest thou hast sworn thy Son shall be, given him for us, and to us; not only to them that lived then, and before, but to all thine that are now, and shall be hereafter; for thou hast ordained to be a Priest forever.

O holy and good Father, how much hast thou loved us, who hast not spared thine one only Son, but hast delivered him to be our Priest, and our Sacrifice; and therefore our Priest, because our Sacrifice, to Sacrifice himself upon the Altar of the Cross, that he might cancel, and nail there the Hand-writing that was against us, and by death, destroy him that had the power of death, the Devil.

This could not be done, till he had drank of the Brook in the way, till all thy storms and waves had gone over him; for so it behooved Christ to suffer, [Ver. 7] and to enter into his Glory. But now all those indignities, that agony, those unknown sufferings are at an end, and thou hast lifted up his head. He that sacrificed himself on Earth, is an High Priest, an Advocate, a Mediator, an Intercessor for his Body in Heaven, and there applies his purchase, and continues this his Office for his Servants and Saints.

O Lord, I am the meanest, the most sinful of this Society, so often as I provoke thee to anger by infirmity, or surreptitious, by enormous or presumptuous iniquities, turn thy face from me a wretched Caitiff, and behold those wounds in his hands, feet, and side, and accept of that precious Sacrifice which he made upon the Cross for me; hear the cry of those wounds that intercede for me at thy Throne of Grace; I rely upon no other Advocate, I will sue to no other Mediator; if he be not able to save me, then let me perish forever; speak peace to my soul in his Name, be reconciled unto me in his blood, and make his intercession so powerful unto me, That I may be purged from my sins, and turned from mine iniquities.

And this Supplication I do not only offer unto thee for myself, but for all thy people, [Ver. 1] for whose sakes thou hast lift up his head, and said unto my Lord, Sir thou at my right hand. All power is now given unto him both in Heaven and in Earth; for he is not only a Priest, but a King also; a Scepter he hath, and a Rod in his right hand; this is the Rod of his strength, and it came first out of Zion, [Ver. 2] I mean, his Gospel, that Law which came first out of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. O set thy King upon thy holy hill of Zion, give him the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, break them with a Rod of Iron, and dash them in pieces like a Potters Vessel. [unspec 2] Oppose all those that oppose the growth and enlargement of his Kingdom: Let him rule in the midst of thine enemies, and sit at thy right hand, until thou hast made all his enemies his Foot-stool. [unspec 1] O Lord, let him preside, and have the Dominion over all, till there be no Adversary left, that shall dare to oppose him in his Offices.

Behold, we humbly beseech thee, how in these our days, there are risen up blasphemous and wicked men, cruel and bloody Antichrists, who go about to break his Bands asunder, [unspec 5] and dare boldly and impudently say of him, We will not have this man to reign over us? Be present then, O Lord our Savior, at the right hand of thy people, and strike through Kings, Princes, and Potentates in the day of thy wrath: Exercise judgment against these blasphemous and heathenish Rebels, [unspec 6] let not thy Eye pity them, nor thy Sword spare them; but fill the places with their dead bodies, and in what Country soever they remain, what Air soever they breath, let their factious bodies, and their Machivillian and Tyrannical heads and leaders, receive their deaths wound from thy hand and fury.

O Lord, pronounce a favorable sentence for thy Church, and let thy Gospel, which came out of Zion, and was planted by thy Apostles, and diffused by the impulse and power of thy good Spirit, [Ver. 3] once more flourish amongst us; so visibly and extraordinarily work for us, That all men, even thine enemies may acknowledge, That this is the day of thy power.

Thy power it must be, that can collect us, whom Heresy, Schism, and Tyranny hath dispersed; thy power, to cause us to meet in our solemn Assemblies; speak but the word, O Lord, and appoint the day, and thy people will be a willing people, they will meet out of love, and joy of heart, and offer thee free-will offerings in the beauties of holiness.

O holy Father, we must with shame confess against our own souls, that we have profaned thy Sanctuary, by entering into it with our shoes on our feet; and when we have been in it, we have too often offered the Sacrifice of Fools; holiness is that virtue which becomes thy house forever; and this holiness is from the womb of the morning, it comes not from the will of man, it proceeds not from the will of the flesh, it is a sweet and Virgin dew that distills from thy holy Spirit; and as by the silver drops that descend from above, the roots of the Herbs are moistened, refreshed, and cherished, so by these secret dews of grace our dry hearts are quickened, and recover life; vouchsafe, we beseech thee therefore, to descend upon us with these dew, that being regenerate, and born again, we may grow and increase in holiness, in obedience, in alacrity in thy Service; refresh us when we are weary, make us shoot when we are at a stand, ever let us retain the dew of our youth, that being lively in all the exercises of Christianity, we may at last be exalted, and set at thy right hand, as thou art seated at the right hand of thy Father, and enjoy those heavenly Mansions which our Lord is gone to prepare for us.

Grant us this, O heavenly Father, for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake, to whom with thee, and the Holy Sprit, three Persons, and one God, be ascribed all Honor, Glory, and Praise, forever and ever. Amen.

PSAL. CXI. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

T IS conceived that this Hymn was set by David, to be sung at the Passover, and that it might be the easilier learned and remembered, the Colons of it are in number as many, and digested by order of the Hebrew Alphabet. The Sum of it, is an Exhortation to praise God for his wonderful favors and benefits bestowed upon the World at large, and in special toward his people Israel, and the Church.

Three parts there are of this Psalm.

  • 1. A Protestation of David to praise God, and the manner how, and the company with whom he would do it, ver. 1.
  • 2. An Expression of the Reasons that moved him to it, viz. his admirable benefits bestowed, both general and special, which he enumerates from ver. 2. to 10.
  • 3. A Conclusion, or Inference upon the premises, by way of a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in which he commends the fear of God, ver. 10.

1. The Title of the Psalm is Allelujah, Praise ye the Lord: And that this his Exhortation might pierce the deeper, and that his Subjects might the more readily follow his example, presently he vows and protests.

  • 1. I will praise the Lord: And expresseth the manner how he would do it, and as indeed it ought to be done. [Ver. 1]
  • 2. Not hypocritically, with the lips and mouth only, but with the heart.
  • 3. Not with a heart and a heart, but with the whole heart.
  • 4. Not separately, or Schismatically, but in the Assembly of the upright, and in the Congregation.
    • 1. Both in that Assembly, where good and upright men are met.
    • 2. And also in the company of many, even with the mixit multitude; secretly among good men, and openly in the Congregation he would praise God.

2. And having made a pious confession of his readiness to practice the Duty, next sets down the ground and matter of his praise, which contains the Reasons that moved him to it; as if he had said, There be great and urgent causes that may move me, and all others, to praise God.

1. The first of which is, His works of power, be it the Creation of the World, and its Conservation; or, be they the favors shown to his Church; these are his works, And these works of the Lord are great. [Ver. 2]

  • 1. Great; not only for variety and beauty, but that also in the least and most base creature, his Wisdom admirable, his Power wonderful, there is nothing that came from his hand, which is not very great, and greatly to be admired.
  • 2. Great; for it was a great work of his to take to himself a people out of another people, to make a Covenant with them, to them to reveal his promises, to give them a Law, to settle among them a policy for Church and State, &c. This was also a great and admirable work.
  • 3. Fools and impious men indeed, little consider these works; they think not of the Author, and therefore esteem them not much: But in the eyes of all wise men, they are exquisite works, and they are sought out, searched into, by all them that take pleasure therein: That are pleased both with the Author, the work, and the use, and end of them.

2. [Ver. 3] The second of these, is, His work of Wisdom, in the governing of those creatures which he hath created, and his Church, which he hath collected, and this his work is.

  • 1. Honorable; worthy of honor, worthy of praise, and therefore much more the Author.
  • 2. And glorious: Many Princes have done very glorious works, but not to be compared to any work of God; the Glory, Magnificence, and Majesty, far exceeds them all.

3. The third work is, that of his Justice: He is a righteous God, and his righteousness endureth forever. Men may complain, that they see wicked men exalted, and his servants under the Cross, oppressed and afflicted: But the judgments and ways of God may be secret, and hid from us, unjust they can never be; for he never departs from the exact Rule of Justice, though we cannot discern it, nor search it out.

4. His fourth work, is a work of mercy, of which he would have a Record kept.

  • 1. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered, as in the Jewish Feasts. [Ver. 4]
  • 2. And these proceeded from his mere mercy: For the Lord is gracious, and full of compassion.
    • 1. Gracious, in doing these works; for they came from his mere grace, pity and favor, and not from any desert of man's.
    • 2. And full of compassion; Rachum, affected with the bowels of a father toward his children; gracious in habit, compassionate in act.

Of which the Prophet now descending to particulars, gives in several instances; gracious, [unspec 5] and full of compassion he was, in that,

  • 1. He hath given meat to them that fear him: He nourished his people for forty years in the Wilderness, and gave them Manna from Heaven; this meat he gave especially to those that feared him, and for their sakes to others; or else the whole Congregation might well be said to fear him, because at that time they took him for their God, and worshipped him.
  • 2. He will be ever mindful of his Covenant, which is his second instance. A mercy it was, to make a Covenant with them; but notwithstanding their high provocations, to be ever mindful of it, and keep it, is a higher degree of mercy. [unspec 6]
  • 3. He hath shown his people the power of his works, which is a third instance: His works were the turning of Jordan backward, the overthrow of Jericho, by the sound of Rams Horns, the staying of the Sun and Moon in the valley of Ajalon at Joshua 's prayer, &c. All these were works of power, which he then showed his people.
  • 4. And these he did, That he might give them the heritage of the Heathen, which is his fourth instance: For who can deny, but it was a work of mercy to expel the Canaanites before them, and bestow upon his own people their inheritances.

Now as before, he used an Acclamation, when he entered upon the works of God in the Creation of the World, [Ver. 7] and the Conservation and Governance of it: The works of the Lord are great, honorable, glorious: So after these instances of his works of mercy, lest any man should suspect him unjust in this last instance, especially, viz. ejecting the Canaanites, and giving away their inheritances, he aptly interserts this Elogy of them.

  • 1. [Ver. 7] The works of his hands are verity and judgment.
    • 1. Uerity; these works had truth in them, for by it he had made good his promise made to Abraham, to give them the land.
    • 2. And secondly, Judgment; for by it his Justice was executed upon Idolaters, and profane persons.
  • 2. Which shows unto the whole World, that,
    • 1. All his Commandments are sure: That his Laws, especially that which is Moral, are certainly true, and that he deceives none in the promulgation of them; but that they bring a punishment to the Transgressors, and a reward to the Observers of them; as it appears, by the example of the Canaanites, that were ejected for the breach of them, Levite. 18.24, &c.
    • 2. That these Commands being but the Law of Nature, stand fast forever, [Ver. 8] that they are indispensable and immutable, and for this reason, because they are done and established in truth and uprightness, containing in them the most absolute Justice, Equity, Rectitude, and Truth, that is conceivable.

5. The Elogy of God's Law being ended, he at last instances in a work of mercy that exceeds all the rest; to wit, the work of Redemption of all Mankind by his Son; for however it be true of the Redemption of Israel out of Egypt, yet it is better, with the Fathers, to expound it, of that Redemption purchased by Christ, of which he saith:

  • 1. He sent Redemption, i. e. a Redeemer, so often promised, [Ver. 9] so much expected, to his people, who redeemed them from the power of darkness.
  • 2. And with them in him, he established an eternal Covenant: For he hath commanded this his Covenant forever, which is extant, Jer. 31.31. Hebr. 8.8.

3. Thus the Prophet having enumerated many of God's works, both of Power, Wisdom, and Mercy, concludes the Psalm with three Epiphonema 's, which show us the manner how God is to be praised, holily, reverently, fearfully. [Ver. 9]

1. The first Epiphonema is, to the Name of God: Holy and Reverent is his Name, i. e. his Service, or anything whereby he is signified: This is,

  • 1. Holy: It may not then be polluted with a false hypocritical Service, the Command being, Be ye holy, for I am holy.
  • 2. Reverent: Not then rashly, carelessly, negligently to be performed, but with the greatest Reverence that may be: Or, as some read it, Terrible; and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

2. The second Epiphonemn follows upon the other; [Ver. 10] for if the Name of the Lord be Holy and Reverent, then it is wisdom to fear him: Now,

  • 1. This fear, is the beginning of wisdom; for then men begin to be wise, when they begin to fear God, eschew evil, and do good; and it is best out of filial fear, out of love, rather than dread of punishment.
  • 2. This fear, if it be right, will be practical, and this practice will proceed out of science and knowledge of what is to be done; all other knowledge is but vain: For a good understanding have all they, that do his Commandments; for to him that knows what is good, and doth it not, to him it is sin, Jam. 4.

3. The third Epiphonema, or Acclamation, is, His praise endureth forever; which some refer to God, others, to the man that fears God, and both are true.

  • 1. For the praise of God will and must continue forever; his power, his wisdom, his mercy is forever, and then his praise must continue for over.
  • 2. But if refer'd to the man that fears God, then the sense will be, that,
    • 1. His praise, that is, the praise with which a man that fears God, praiseth him, will endure forever; For they that dwell in thy house, will be always praising thee, Psal. 84.4.
    • 2. Or his praise; that is, the commendation of a good man will be had in everlasting remembrance, Psal. 112.6. The name of the wicked shall rot, but the memorial of the just is blessed, Prov. 10.7. The Lord will say to such a man, Well done, thou good and faithful servant, Matth. 25.21. His praise is in this World lasting, in the future everlasting.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and eleventh Psalm.

O Omnipotent, most wise, and merciful God, it is our Duty to praise thee, not with the lips only in an hypocritical manner, but with the whole heart, [Ver. 1] sincerely and truly; yea, and to set forth thine honor, not privately only, but openly, in the Assembly of the upright, and in the Congregation of the faithful, for thy wonderful works expressed toward the children of men.

I never look upon the Creature, but I admire thy Power: How great a work was it, [Ver. 2] to create all things of nothing, in such variety, in such beauty? How great a work, to preserve the same, being created in so decent and constant an order? I take pleasure in the search of it, and the more I search, the more I admire, and the more I admire, the readier I am to magnify, praise, and adore the Author of it. [Ver. 3] To me the work is honorable, but much more the Author of it. In my eyes the work is glorious, but much more the Lord of Glory.

For their sins, O Lord, Thou oftentimes layest thy Rod heavy upon thy best servants, and for their sins, Thou exaltest the wicked, and sufferest impious Atheists to have dominion over them, at which the hearts of thy best servants have been troubled, and their treadings had well nigh slipit: But when we cast our eyes upon our deserts, [Ver. 3] we must needs confess, that thy judgments are just, though thy proceedings are hid from us, yet we know, they are most equal in themselves, because thy righteousness endures forever.

We never call to mind thy great works which thou hast done for thy people, [Ver. 4] but our hearts are raised in the greatest extremities. The memorials of them, which thou wouldst have kept upon Record, show, That thou art a gracious Lord, and full of compassion; no fathers bowels can yearn more over the fruit of his own loins, than thy heart hath been pitiful to thine own children; [Ver. 5] though they have been rebellious and froward sons, yet thou hast been ever mindful of thy Covenant, and showed thyself a merciful and compassionate Father.

O Lord, notwithstanding our ingratitude, forsake us not in the depth of our sufferings; remember the Oath that thou swaredst to our forefathers, and established for a thousand Generations; and quench not the light of thy Gospel that once shined amongst us. This, O merciful God, is that, this is that chiefly which we beg at thy hands: Then send Redemption unto thy people, [unspec 9] as thou didst to thy afflicted in Egypt; supply us that fear thy Name with necessary food, as thou didst give them meat; show thy people the power of thy work, [unspec 5] restore to, and keep us in our inheritances, of which men, worse than the Heathen, [unspec 6] have dispossessed us. And though we now suffer grievous things under thy hand, yet we complain not of thy justice; for we are assured, [unspec 7] That all the works of thy hands are Verity and Judgment: Thy Truth hath been verified upon us, in bringing a judgment upon a sinful Nation; and we acknowledge thy judgments to be just, because we have broken all thy Commandments: They are sure, and the punishments which were threatened in them, is come upon us; by our abominations we had defiled the land, and therefore the land is ready to spew us out.

But, O compassionate Father, turn once more the light of thy countenance toward us, teach us to know, That thy Commandments must stand fast forever, [unspec 8] that they are immutable and indispensable, and that they are established in truth and uprightness, containing in them an everlasting truth, and the most absolute equity that can be conceived: Quicken our hearts then with such a measure of grace, that we may never dispense with them, nor go about to change them, or bend them to our corrupt affections, making our depraved hearts the rule of our actions, and not thy eternal Law.

Establish thy Covenant with us, which thou hast commanded forever; [unspec 9] put thy Laws in our minds, and write them in our hearts; be to us a God, and make us to be thy people; make us to know thee, from the least to the greatest; and when being compassed by infirmities, we fall from thee, then send us Redemption, and a Redeemer, thy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; and for his merits, be merciful to our unrighteousness, and remember no more our sins, and our iniquities, as thou hast promised.

Thy Name, O Lord, is holy, make us a holy people. Thy Name, O Lord, is terrible, make us with reverence approach thy Hajesty. [unspec 9] And because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, make us so wise, [unspec 10] that we may always begin in thy fear, and continue in thy fear, and practice and end all our actions in thy fear. Teach us to know thy Will, and thy Word, and to believe in thee, and love thee, and to trust in thee, and to give thanks unto thee, according to that good understanding which thou shalt infuse into us.

So let us live, and so let us die, that whereas the name of the wicked shall rot in oblivion or ignominy, our memorial for the present may be blessed, and in the World to come, Thou with thine own mouth mayest call to us, and say, It is well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into thy Masters joy: Which we beseech thee grant unto us, for the merits of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

PSAL. CXII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

DAUID having put it down for an infallible Maxim in the close of the former Psalm, That the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; in this, sets down the felicity of that man in many particulars.

Two parts there are of the Psalm.

  • 1. A Proposition in general, that he is blessed, ver. 1.
  • 2. An Enumeration of particulars, in which that blessedness doth consist, from ver. 2. to the end.

1. To the first part, he prefixeth an Allelujah, Praise the Lord, which is the intent and scope of the Psalm, That God be praised for those rewards of piety, which God bestows upon such as fear him; and so he enters upon the matter.

2. And delivers this one general Postulatum, or Proposition, which by divers instances he proves through the whole Psalm, that he may persuade men to piety.

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, [Ver. 1] that delights greatly in his Commandments.

  • 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; that believes in him, honors him, serves him.

2. But because a man should not be mistaken, supposing that he fears him, when he does not, he adds these three Restrictions to his Proposition.

  • 1. That it must be an obediential fear: For he must keep his Commandments.
  • 2. That it must be a filial, no servile fear; out of delight, not compulsion, He delights in them; is pleased with the equity of them, and loves them.
  • 3. That it must be a cheerful, ready fear, performed with all alacrity, earnestness, care and study, He delights greatly in his Commandments. Done with all the heart, with all the affection, exceedingly well-pleased to do them.

2. In the rest of the Psalm, he insists upon that in which this blessedness doth consist, and makes good St. Paul's words, That Godliness is great gain, and hath the promises both of this life, and that which is to come.

  • 1. For temporal Goods in this, the wicked may have, but they have no promise made to them that they shall be blessings; but the righteous have a promise made to them both for these temporal Goods, and that they shall be blessings.
  • 2. Then again, That for these temporal blessings they shall enjoy them, yet so, that they are not exempted from the Cross, 2 Tim. 3.12.
  • 3. That God in his certain counsel distributes them in this life, not to every person equally, but as may be most profitable for him; so that the promises made unto the Church for temporal things, are conferred upon everyone, as God thinks fit for him. The promises for spiritual blessings to him that fears God, are absolute; but for temporal, conditional only.

This being premised, [Ver. 2] I come now to the blessings here promised.

  • 1. The first felicity, is for his seed and offspring: His seed shall be mighty upon earth; the Generation of the upright shall be blessed, which was verified in Abraham and his posterity, in them God made good his promise in the second Commandment, I will show mercy to thousands in them that love me, and keep my Commandments.
  • 2. The second felicity consists in wealth, riches, honors: Wealth and riches, that is, [Ver. 3] abundance of all things shall be in his house, and remain in it: For his mind is not corrupted with these things, content he is with what God bestows, and seeks not to amplify them by ill means: And therefore his righteousness, his Goods well-gotten, endures forever, Phil. 4.11, 12. 1 Tim. 6.6. His just dealing preserves his wealth to his posterity.
  • 3. The third felicity, is the comfort he finds in turbulent times, which the Prophet calls here darkness; but when this overspreads the face of the Church, yet he that fears God, will acquiesce in him, and thence receive joy and comfort: Unto the upright there ariseth light; the light of counsel, the light of consolation, in the thickest darkness, of all doubts, tribulations, and afflictions, which the Prophet ascribes here to the mercy of God; comfortable he is, because God is his light, who is gracious, full of compassion, and righteous.
  • 4. [Ver. 4] The fourth felicity is, that he hath in him bowels of compassion, of which he shows two effects.
    • 1. [Ver. 5] Hard-hearted he is not, but a good man, shows favor, he easily forgives an injury, is easily reconciled to an enemy; forgives, that he may be forgiven, Luke 6.37.
    • 2. Tenacious he is not; he thinks not that he was born for himself alone, but for the good of others, and therefore he exercises the acts of charity, and lends; and it is a part of happiness to be able to do it, Luke 6.34.
  • 5. A fifth felicity, is in his Discretion: [Ver. 5] He will guide his affairs with discretion, with prudence, with judgment. Discreet he is to discern betwixt truth and falsehood, just and unjust acts; and therefore in judgment he is no accepter of persons, nor in his bargains fraudulent and injurious, nor false in his testimonies, but true and constant in word and deed; discreetly he manageth all his Affairs.
  • 6. A sixth felicity, is h • s constancy and patience; [Ve. 6] troubles and dangers may so increase, that his case may seem desperate; yet in these he looks for help from Heaven, and remains firm in his principles. Justum & tenacem propositi v • rum, non civium ardor prava j • ben • um, non vultus instantis tyranni mente quatit solidâ. Surely he shall not be moved forever.
  • 7. A seventh felicity is, that there is a Commemoration of him with honor: The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance. His name is written in the Book of life, his Name is precious in the Church. Records are kept of his doings and sufferings, as are of the Martyrs; with much honor he shall be spoken of: His memory shall not live, as doth that of Judas, Cain, Pilate, &c. that are indeed mentioned, but with detestation; whereas at the mention of his name, all men shall have a veneration of him in his Grave. At the last day good men shall be called to, Come ye blessed; wicked men dismissed with, Go ye cursed. [Ver. 7]
  • 8. The eighth felicity is, that the scandals raised upon him, calu •• nies and false reports little move him: He shall not be afraid of evil tidings. He may be called a troubler of Israel, a seditious person, a wine-bibber, a gluttenous person, a murderer, an idolater, a superstitious person, a blasphemer; he knows that it was his Savior's case, the condition of his servants, the Prophets and Apostles; but he is not much moved at it, he bears it patiently. And the Reasons are,
    • 1. Because his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord: He hath a sure Rock to fly and trust to, God will clear up his innocence.
    • 2. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid: [Ver. 8] He knows God will take care of him, and will be propitious to him, until be see his desire upon his enemies, till God bring them to confusion, which he knows he shall either live to see now, or believes he shall see hereafter. [Ver. 9]
  • 9. A ninth felicity is, that God gives him a heart to put his Goods to a right use in his distribution of his charity.
    • 1. He hath dispersed; he thinks not that he only lives to gather and reap; but he sows also, and that liberally, as men do their seed, never grudging that they commit to the earth; many, not one only, are the better for him.
    • 2. And he doth it freely, without looking for anything again: He gives; and there is nothing freer than gift.
    • 3. And he doth it wisely; for 'tis not to such as need it not, but to those that need it, 'tis to the needy; He hath given to the poor.

Now for this liberality, he is a great gainer in two respects, for both which he may well be called a blessed and happy man.

  • 1. Though he hath by it lessened his money, yet he hath increased his righteousness, his piety and charity is more conspicuous. The good work he hath done endureth forever, and shall in its time receive an ample reward, Prov. 28.27. & 22.9.
    • 2. Nay by it increased his honor, and perhaps his wealth also: His Horn, that is, his power, dignity, glory, shall be exalted with honor.

10. [Ver. 10] His last felicity is, that he shall exceed and overcome all envy; for it is most true:

  • 1. That the wicked shall see it; consider the prosperity and liberality of him that fears God, and be grieved with his felicity, and pine with envy.
  • 2. That as a mad Dog, he shall gnash his teeth at it, and for very grief melt away, and seek his ruin.
  • 3. But yet he shall not be able to harm him, all his endeavors shall be frustrate, and his labors ineffectual: The desire of the wicked shall perish. He then that fears God, is a happy man; he that fears him not, most unhappy.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and twelfth Psalm.

O On impotent God, it is thy fear alone that can make men truly happy; for where thy fear is truly rooted, [Ver. 1] there piety and justice, there thy true worship, and all fruits of charity and justice will flourish; so therefore affect our bearts with a filial fear, that we may make it our delight, to run the ways of thy Commandments. Make our will conformable to thy Will, and our affection • correspondent to what thou dost affect, so shall we find no labor or difficulty in thy precepts, but be greatly pleased to be thy obedient servants.

It is time of the greatest of our desires, [Ver. 2] That our seed should be mighty upon earth, which cannot be expected without thy blessing; create in us then an upright he art, that so the Generation which succeed us may be blessed. We desire that wealth, [Ver. 3] and riches, and honor should be in our house, let us aim to attain to these in thy fear, [Ver. 3] in a just and a righteous way, that they may endure to our posterity; make us content with what thou bestowest, and know, That Piety is great gain, when the mind is satisfied with what thou givest.

We now live, O Lord, in a difficult time, we know not what to do, but our eyes are to thee: [Ver. 4] Thou art a gracious God, and full of compassion, and righteous, let therefore thy light arise to us in this darkness, let thy counsel direct us, and thy comforts shine unto us, [Ver. 5] that we may prudently carry ourselves in these distrculties. Provocations we have had to anger and revenge, but touch our hearts with so much compassion, that we may show favor toward our enemies, forgive them, as thou for Christ's sake, hast forgiden us. And since we are compassed about with temptations, [Ver. 6] enrich our hearts with prudence, That we may guide our Affairs with discretion, [Ver. 7] discreetly putting a difference betwixt Truth and Falsehood, just, and unjust acts; and though we be violently assaulted, [unspec 8] make us constant in thy fear, and patient in our sufferings; O let us not be moved or seduced from the right way forever: [unspec 9] Fix our hearts, and make us trust in thee; establish our hearts, and never let any evil tidings make us afraid, but let us rely upon thy promises, till we see our desire upon our enemies.

Let it not be our aim to heap up wealth, but give us grace to use it well, to disperse, as well as to gather, and to be content to give, as well as to receine; that so the loins of the needy may bless us, and the bellies of the poor pray for us. With this unrighteous Mammon let us make ourselves friends, that when they fall, we may be received into everlasting habitations; this is a righteousness that will endure forever; this is a means not only to increase our reward in the life to come, [Ver. 6] but also in this, to exalt our Hor • , our power and dignity with honor: For a good man always lives in the memory of good men, his name is precious, his memorial is honorable; whereas the memory of the wicked shall be buried in oblivion, or remembered with reproach, the righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.

Write our names, O Lord, in the Book of life, [Ver. 10] and conserve them in the memorials of thy Saints, let the wicked see it, and be grieved at it; and let the adversaries of thy fear, and the blessed estate of thy servants, gnash their teeth for envy, and melt away, to find that their desires come to naught: O Lord, whosoever he be that shall desire the ruin of those that fear thee, let him never be able to fulfil it, but together with him, let his desire perish: So shall thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, that fear thee the Lord, [Ver. 1] and delight greatly in thy Commandments, bless thy Name for blessing them, and call to all that love thee, and thy Church, to praise the Lord. Amen, Amen.

PSAL. CXIII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

THE Scope of this Psalm is the same with those that went before, viz. to excite men to praise God.

Three parts of this Psalm.

  • 1. An Exhortation to praise him, directed to his servants, ver. 1.
  • 2. A Form set down for it, expressing how, when, and where to praise him, ver. 2, 3.
  • 3. The Reasons that persuade us to it; first, his infinite Power, ver. 4, 5. secondly, his Providence most conspicuous in Heaven, and in Earth, ver. 6. in Earth both in Common-wealths, ver. 7, 8. and in private Families, ver. 9.

1. The Prophet exhorts men to praise the Lord: And,

  • 1. First, He doubles and trebles his Exhortation, Praise the Lord, praise, praise the Name of the Lord; that it be not coldly and dully, but zealously done; or else to show, that he alone is worthy of all praise; [Ver. 1] The Kingdom is his, and therefore the Glory.
  • 2. He shows us by whom he would have it done, by his servants; Praise the Lord, O ye servants; He is your Lord, you his servants, praise him then, and do it with a pure heart: For praise is not comely in the mouth of a sinner.

2. The Form in which it is to be done, is this: Say,

  • 1. Blessed be the Name of the Lord, Job 1.
  • 2. And say it at all times: Begin it ab ipso nunc, From this time forth, and continue in it, from this time forth for evermore. In prosperity, [unspec 2] adversity, in this life, in the future.
  • 3. And let it be said in all places, even all the World over: From the rising of the Sun, unto the going down of the same, the Lord's Name is to be praised. [unspec 3]

3. And now follow the Reasons, by which he persuades men to praise him.

  • 1. The first is his Majesty, his infinite Power, Glory; this extends not to men alone, but to the Heavens, and all above the Heavens: [Ver. 4] The Lord is high above all Nations, and his Glory above the Heavens; above Princes, Heavens, Angels; therefore praise him.
  • 2. The second is, his admirable Providence, Benignity and Bounty, which being joined with so great Majesty, appears the more admirable. Who is like the Lord our God, who dwells on high? None in Heaven and Earth to be compared to him; and yet, which sets forth his goodness, [Ver. 5] the care he hath of all things: He, as it were, humbleth himself to behold the things that are in Heaven and in earth. [unspec 6] He is present with the greatest Angels, and ready to help the meanest creature.

Now of his Providence, in humbling himself to behold the things on earth, he gives two instances; the first is, in States and Kingdoms; the second, in private Families.

  • 1. [unspec 7] In States: He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the Dunghil: The examples of it, may be Joseph, Moses, David, Daniel, Job, Mordecai; let then no man say,
    Non vacant exiguis rebus adesse Jovi.
    And the end is, [unspec 8] That he may set him with the Princes, even with the Princes of his people. He vindicates their name, not only from contempt, but exalts them to the highest places of honor.
  • 2. In private Families: As the infelicity of men is a low and despised condition, so the infelicity of women, is barrenness; as therefore he looks upon humble men, and raiseth them to a Crown; so he looks upon humble women, and makes them fruitful, in which the happiness of a Family consists; and therefore the Prophet adds this other instance of his Providence, He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. [unspec 9] A joyful mother; for that women rejoice in nothing more than in bearing of children; the examples may be Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Anna, Elizabeth, Jo. 16.21.

But by most Expositors, this last verse hath a higher meaning, and relates unto the Church of the Gentiles, which was the barren woman before Christ's coming, but hath now more children than she that hath a Husband, i. e. the Jewish Synagogue: Isa. 54.1. Rejoice, O barren, that didst not bear, break forth into joy, and rejoice thou that didst not travel with child, for the desolate hath more children than the married wife; and is to this purpose applied by St. Paul, Gal. 4.27.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and thirteenth Psalm.

O Omnipotent Lord, [Ver. 1] whosoever are addicted in faith and fincerep • ety to thy worship and service, are bound at all times, in all places to return unto thy Name immortal praises; [Ver. 2] we then, who acknowledge thee to be our Lord, and ourselves thy dassals and servants, with our whole hearts, both secretly, and in the Congregation of Saints, do sound forth with full voice, Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God, [Ver. 3] from this time forth, for • vermore; from the rising of the Sun, unto the going down of the same, our Lord's Name be praised.

O Lord, thy Majesty is great, thy Glory illustrious, thy Goodness, Clemency and Providence wonderful, [Ver. 4] thy Power is high above all Nations, and the greatest in those Nations; thy Glory above the Heavens, and the most glorious in those Heavens: [Ver. 5] Who, O Lord our God, is like unto thee? or among men or Angels may be compared with thee? And yet, though thou dwellest on high, such is thy care, thy provision, thy clemency toward us men below, [Ver. 6] that thou dost, as it were, humble thyself, and descend from thy Throne of Majesty, to behold the things that are in Heaven, to take a care for the things that are done in, and on the Earth; there is no action, no event, either in Heaven or Earth, which thou rulest not, which thou guidest not, and orders not. If the proud Angels in Heaven aspire to thy Throne, Thou beholdest it, and they shall feel thy power. If insolent men on earth shall exalt themselves against thee, they shall drink of the cup of thy wrath; when thy servants sin against thee, and yet shall humble themselves before thee, Thou wilt behold their contrition, and accept their tears, and forgive their ungracious behavior.

Look down, O Lord, at this time from thy dwelling place, and behold the afflicted slate and condition of this thy Church; [Ver. 7] we have for many years been trod underfoot, and lain in the dust; we have been, and are yet oppressed, and cast aside, as it were, to the Dunghil. Thy judgments, O Lord, are just, and thy ways equal, for unsavory salt we were, and deserved no better: But thou, who raisest the poor out of the dust, and liftest the needy out of the Dunghil, vouchsafe to stretch out thy arm of power, and right hand of help to our Princes and Armies; set our King, whom thou hast hitherto dejected, once again with Princes, even the Princes of his people.

O Lord, who makest the barren woman to keep house, [Ver. 8] and be a joyful mother of children; take pity on the afflicted woman, thy Church, and let her not mourn and longer for her barrenness; grant, that by thy Word and Spirit, [Ver. 9] she may be a mother of many children, with whom she may rejoice in thy house, and celebrate thy Name with perpetual praises, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSAL. CXIV. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

DAUID in this Psalm, chants forth the wonderful works and miracles that God wrought, when he brought forth the people of Israel out of Egypt.

Two parts there are of this Psalm.

  • 1. A Narration of Israel's deliverance, amplified by the state they were in, ver. 1. The state to which they were brought, ver. 2. The miracles then done, first, at the red Sea, and Jordan, ver. 3. and at Sinai, when the Law was given, wer. 4.
  • 2. A Prosopopeia, set down by way of Dialogue; first, For the Prophet asks the Sea, and Jordan, Why they fled, turned back? ver. 5, 6. secondly, To which the answer is made by the brutish Earth, which is enough to strike a terror, a veneration and fear into all men, That it trembled at the presence of the Lord, ver. 7, 8.

1. In the Narration, Isra • ls condition is set down by way of comparison, that so their deliverance might make the deeper impression. First, we are to know that Israel, and the house of Jacob and Judah, in this place, signify the same thing, viz. The whole Nation of the Israelites, that descended out of Jacob's loins; but of the house of Jacob there is peculiar mention, because with him they came into Egypt; and of Judah, because from him they were called Jews.

This being premised, I come now to Analyse and explain the Psalm, in which is described,

  • 1. The condition of the Jews before their deliverance, they were in Egypt; [Ver. 1] all one, as if he had said in bondage, and lived among Idolaters, nor formed into a State, nor into a Church. 2. Among a barbarous people, or a people of a strange language.
  • 2. The condition of the Jews after their deliverance, they were then his Sanctuary, and his Scigniory: When Israel went art of Egypt; &c. then Judah was his Sanctuary, and Israel his Dominion.

  • 1. [Ver. 2] His Sanctuary, a people sanctified and adopted by him, a peculiar people consecrated to his Worship, as holy Temples and Sanctuaries, and having holy Priests to govern them in points of Piety.
  • 2. His Dominion or Seigniory, in whom he reigned as a King by his Laws and spirit, and appointed godly Magistrates to rule them in matters of Policy; for the Government among them, was, first a 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , till they cast it off, by choosing to themselves a King; whence God told Samuel, They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them, 1 Sam. 8.7.

2. The Prophet sets down the manner of their deliverance, which was not by ordinary means, but extraordinary, by signs, miracles and wonders, of which he gives us these instances.

  • 1. [Ver. 3] In the red Sea: The Seasaw that, and fled: That is, the Sea seeing God's people come toward it, and desirous to pass through it, at the presence of the Lord turned back all night, Exod. 14. Wisd. 19.7. Where in a Poetical, st • rein he attributes sense to the Sea: The Sea saw that.
  • 2. In or at Jordan forty years after, when they were entering the Land, when Jordan was driven back, and suffered a reflux for a long time, Josh. 4. [Ver. 4]
  • 3. At Sinai, where the Law was given, where the greater parts of that Mountain, and the lesser Hillocks about it trembled and quaked: The Mountains skipped like Rams, and the little Hills like Lambs. The sum is, That all the Creatures at the Commandment of the Creator, were then turned upside down, ready to do, or not to do; to continue in, or to change their natural courses, according to his good-will or pleasure, Wisd. 19.18.

2. The Psalm is composed after a Poetical vein, and therefore having related the wonderful deliverance, and the manner of it, he expostulates with the Sea, Jordan, and the Mountains, what the matter was with them, that they so strangely altered their course, with what passion they were affected, and why?

What aileth thee, [Ver. 5] O thou Sea, that thou fleddest? and thou Jordan, that wast driven back?
O ye Mountains, [unspec 6] what aile ye, that ye skipped like Rams? and ye little Hills, like young sheep?

To which, in the person of the earth, speaking to herself, the Prophet answers, so that it is both a Prosopopeia, and an Apostrophe.

  • 1. [Ver. 7] Tremble thou earth at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. As if it had been said, Would you know the reason why we fly, turn back, move? The cause is this, The Lord hath appeared, and shown his Force and Power, and laid his Commands upon us, and therefore not abiding his Presence, trembleth, the Mountains are moved, &c.
  • 2. Now of his Power, let this miracle suffice for an instance; 'tis that God, Who turned the hard Rock into a standing water, [Ver. 8] and the flint-stone into Fountains of water. Caused not only waters to flow from thence, but turned the very substance of a flint, which is apter to yield fire than water, into that fluid Element, Numb. 20.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and fourteenth Psalm.

O Lord our Governor, how excellent is thy Name in all the World? Thou art glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders, able to do whatsoever thou wilt, [Ver. 2] and willing to do whatsoever is best for Judah, whom thou hast adopted to be thy Sanctuary, wherein thou wilt be served; and Israel thy Dominion, over whom thou wilt reign as a King by thy holy Word and Spirit.

O God, Thou hast been very gracious unto us, that were Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel; for in every Nation, everyone that feareth God, and worketh righteousness, is now accepted of thee; all true believers are now become the seed of Abraham, and the house of Jacob. Thou hast brought us out of Egypt, out of that Kingdom of darkness and ignorance in which we lived, into a marvelous light; Thou hast freed us from the bondage of Pharaoh, the Prince of darkness, under whom we served and groaned. [Ver. 1] Thou hast taken the burden of the Law, a yoke grievous and heavy to be born, from off our shoulders, and cancelled the Hand-writing that was against us, laying upon our necks an easier yoke, and upon our shoulders a lighter burden. Thou hast overturned, as it were, the Chariots and Horse-men, and destroyed the Host of our enemies, by su •• uing our iniquities, and casting all of them into the bottom of the Sea, that they may never appear before us again, to confound our Consetences in this World, or condemn our Souls in the next.

O Lord, shall the dumb and insensible Creatures tremble at thy presence, and shall not we be moved with so great mercies? Shall they all in their kinds praise thee, and shall not we, who are endued with reason, always sing of the loving-kindness of our God? Shall the Sea flee, and the waters r etire, and the Mountains and Hills skip at the presence of the God of Jacob, [Ver. 3] and shall not Jacob himself serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice before him in trembling? Shall the hard Rock be turned into a standing water, [unspec 4] and the flint-stone into a springing Well, and shall not our hard and flinty hearts, in consideration of our own miseries, [Ver. 8] and God's unspeakable mercies in delivering us from the bondage of our sins, and tyranny of Satan (if not gush forth into Fountains of tears) express so much as a little standing water in our eyes? It is a hard heart indeed, that is not rent with compunction, nor softened with kindness, nor moved with prayers, nor will yield to threats and blows.

And yet, O Lord, such are our hearts, so hard, so flinty: O touch thou the Mountains, and they shall smoke; touch our lips with a Coal from the Altar, and they shall show thy praise: Smite, Lord, our flinty hearts, as hard as the nether millstone, with the hammer of thy Word, and mollify them also with the brops of thy mercies, and dew of thy Spirit; make them humble, fleshy, flexible, circumcised, soft, obedient, new, clean, broken; for we know, That a broken and contrite heart thou wilt not despise.

O Lord our God, give us grace from the very bottom of our heart to desire thee, in desiring to seek thee, in seeking to find thee, in finding to love thee, in loving thee, utterly to loath our former wickedness; never let us return in our hearts back again into Egypt, never let us long after the Leeks and Onions, and Garlic thereof: But being by thy mercy delivered and brought from thence, and from the slavery of sin and Satan, let it be our whole endeavor to walk humbly and obediently before our God, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, when we have passed through the Wilderness of this World, we may possess that heavenly Canaan, and happy land of promise, prepared for all such as love thy coming, even for every Christian soul, and who is thy Dominion and Sanctuary. Grant this, O gracious God, in the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with thee, and the Holy Spirit, one God, World without end. Amen.

PSAL. CXV. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

THE Prophet being zealous of God's Honor, which the Heathens went about to take from him, and attribute to their Idols, is earnest with God, that it might be manifest, that Honor did belong to him alone, and might not be given to another.

There be four parts of this Psalm.

  • 1. His Vote and Petition for God's Honor, ver. 1. that did not belong to any Idols, because of their vanity, from ver. 3. to 9.
  • 2. An Exhortation to praise God, and hope in him, from ver. 10. to 12.
  • 3. The Benefit that will accrue from it, a blessing, from ver. 12. to 16.
  • 4. A Profession, that for the blessing they will bless God, ver. 17, 18.

1. Some join this Psalm to the former, conceiving, that the Prophet having expressed the goodness of God in the deliverance of his people from Egypt, would not have any part of the Glory attributed to Moses, Aaron, or any merits in them, but wholly ascribed unto God himself: And therefore he thus begins.

  • 1. [Ver. 1] Not unto us, not unto us, nor any Leader amongst us.
  • 2. But unto thy Name give glory: We seek it not, take it wholly to thyself.

And this he desires, he would always show in the protection of his people, for three Reasons.

  • 1. For manifestation of his mercy: Give glory to thy Name, for thy mercy.
  • 2. [Ver. 2] For declaration of his faithfulness in keeping his promise: Do it, for thy Truths sake.
  • 3. That there might not be given an occasion to the Heathen to blaspheme, as if they his people should be forsaken, and destitute of help: Wherefore should the Heathen say, Where is now their God?

Well, say it so fall out, that the Heathen impiously ask the question, Ubieorum Deus? We have in a readiness what to answer them, To the glory of our God, but to the dishonor of their Idols, which he proves by an elegant Antithesis.

  • 1. As for our God, he is in the Heavens, and his miracles wrought for his people testify as much; [Ver. 3] for he hath done whatsoever pleaseth him. He hath, and can deliver his people when he pleaseth; and if it be his pleasure, they must suffer also.
  • 2. But now I may better ask, Where are their gods? gods did I call them? nay, nay, they are but Idols, they deserve not the name of gods, as is evident by the matter, whereof they are, 2. the Makers of them. 3. Their vanity and inutility.
    • 1. Their Idols are silver and gold; at the best; of no more precious stuff; [Ver. 4] and yet though such, from the Earth they fetch their Original.
    • 2. The work of men's hands. Works they are, and not Masters of the work; they made not themselves, but were made, and therefore baser, than the basest Smith that made them.
  • 3. Of no use, of no power at all; for they can make no use at all of those parts which they seem to have; for having the shape of men, they can do nothing as men.
    [Ver. 5] For they have mouths, but they speak not; eyes they have, [Ver. 6] but they see not. [unspec 7]
    They have ears, but they hear not; noses they have, but they smell not.
    They have hands, but they handle not; feet they have, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat.
    They cannot do that which Beasts can, send out of their mouths an inarticulate voice or found, so far they are from speaking.
  • 4. And thus the Prophet having derided their Idols, he goes on, and derides,
    • 1. The Idol-makers: They that make them, are like to them; [unspec 8] a senseless people, that think to make a god, out of gold, silver, wood, and stone.
    • 2. The Idol-worshippers: So is everyone that puts their trust in them; trust and relies on that which cannot help. In this life they are like to them; for they seem neither to see and hear, than hear and see indeed; when they will not hear and see what belongs to their good, and the Truth; whence Christ saith, out of the Prophet, of such, Having eyes, they see not, and ears, but they hear not, Mark 8.

2. And so the Prophet having passed this Sarcasme upon the Idols, and Idolaters, he leaves them, and turns his speech to the Israelites, whom he exhorts to trust in God.

  • 1. In general, the whole Nation; O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: Let the Heathen trust in their Idols, but you are God's servants, [unspec 9] trust you then in that Lord you serve. And to encourage them, he adds his Reason, He is their help, and their shield; the Lord Protector of the whole Nation. [unspec 10]
  • 2. In particular, the Tribe of Levi; O house of Aaron trust in the Lord: You are the Leaders and Guides in Religion, and God is your portion, [unspec 11] and therefore you ought to trust especially in him: He is their help, and their shield; a shield you need, and he will be the Lord Protector of your Tribe.
  • 3. In a word: Ye that fear the Lord, Jews or Proselytes, in what Nation soever ye live, see that ye trust in the Lord; and that for the same reason; For he will be their help, and their shield also. In every Nation those that fear him, and do righteousness, are accepted of him: He will be a Lord Protector even to these, as to Job, Naaman, &c.

3. And that his Exhortation to trust in God might take the deeper root, he tells all three that they should be no losers by it; for it was it that had, and would bring a blessing upon them: For God doth not use to forget those that trust in him; but he hath been mindful of us: [Ver. 12] And by a singular and especial Providence, and care of us, he hath showed it, and he will show it to everyone of you.

  • 1. To you of the Nation: He will bless the house of Israel.
  • 2. To you of the Priesthood: He will bless the house of Aaron.
  • 3. To all you that fear him: He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great. [unspec 13]

And the Prophet taking his example from God, pours forth his blessing upon them also; he thought it not enough to exhort them only to trust in God, and acquaint them that God would bless them, except he seconded it with his prayer, and therefore to God's blessing he adds his own, and desires the blessing may rest upon the heads of them, and their children.

  • 1. The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children. [unspec 14]
  • 2. Let the World curse you, and speak evil of you; yet I say, Ye are the blessed of the Lord; [unspec 15] come ye blessed, Deutr. 28.
  • 3. That Lord which made heaven and earth; which words are added, that they be assured that their blessing is a real blessing coming from him, in whose hand is the dew of heaven, and fatness of the earth; in which form Isaac blessed Jacob, Gen. 27.28.
  • 4. [unspec 16] It comes from one that is able to bless.
    • 1. For the heaven, even the heavens are the Lord's. In them he especially shows his Presence, Majesty, Glory, from thence descend the dew of grace, and the drops of rain that water the earth.
    • 2. As for the earth, he hath made a Deed of Gift for that, He hath given it to the children of men; that by his blessing upon their labor, they may be sustained with food and raiment; so that while they live in it, and enjoy the Goods thereof, they praise him.

4. For that is the true end of their being here, the chief, nay, the sole end, they live upon it, the end that God gave it to them; an end, which they that are dead, cannot attain unto. This he illustrates by an Antithesis, betwixt the dead and the living.

  • 1. [Ver. 17] For the dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into the silence. Among them there is great silence of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, they need neither; and therefore they praise not God for them. The blessing of the City, and blessings of the Field, are nothing unto them, they have no mouths to fill, and therefore no mouths in a corporal manner to open in the praise of God. Him they praise, but it is after their manner, not ours; him they praise, but it is for other blessings than ours.
  • 2. [Ver. 18] But we as yet are upon the earth, we enjoy his protection, we enjoy besides spiritual, these temporal blessings also: this his gift we must make use of. And therefore we will do that the dead cannot, We will bloss the Lord from this time forth for evermore. By ourselves, while we live; and desire it may be done by our posterity when we are going down into silence.
  • 3. However, ye that are alive this day, Praise ye the Lord.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and fifteenth Psalm.

O Omnipotent and Gracious God, in all Ages thou hast been merciful to thy people, and even in their greatest afflictions raised up the spirits of someone or other of thy servants, by whose hands thou hast delivered them. At this time we are in great misery, at this time we are in affliction, send us help from thy Sanctuary, raise us up some Moses to go before us, some Joshua to sight for us, [Ver. 2] some Sampson to deliver us; wherefore should the uncircumcised triumph over us, and say, Where is now their God? The reproach, O Lord, redounds to thee, this insultation is to thy dishonor; arise then, O Lord, and give the glory unto thy Name, show thy merciful countenance, and that thou art a God of Truth, [Ver. 1] and for thy Mercy and Truths sake, come down at last and deliver us. Merit there is none on our part, why thou shouldst do it for us, and therefore it must be mercy. Merit there is too much on our part, why thou shouldst not do it, and therefore if it be done, it must be thy Truth, thy Word passed to thy servants, that moves thee to it. We destre not that any part of this work be attributed to us, but that the honor of it be wholly thine. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name, which is now blashemed and vilified, [Ver. 3] give the Glory, for thy Mercy, and for thy Truths sake. Make them know, that have so long trusted in lying vanities, and worshipped the imaginations of their own hearts, That our God is in Heaven, that he hath done whatsoever pleased him; that as it hath been his pleasure to humble us, so it is his pleasure to exalt us; he hath brought us very low, but he can set us again on high, when, how, and by whom he pleaseth.

O Lord, heal our backslidings, and love us freely, turn away thine anger from us; be as a dew to thy Israel, make his branches • oread, [Ver. 9] and his beauty as the Olive-tree; let him revive as the Corn, and grow as the Vine; [unspec 10] what have we to do anymore with Idols, vain men, That have hands, and cannot help; and ears, and will not hear? Thee, O Lord, will we hear, [unspec 11] Thee will we alone observe; For thou art our help; and our shield. Thou wilt be the Lord Protector to thy Israel, Thou wilt be a shield to the house of Aaron, Thou wilt be a helper to all those that fear thee; therefore renouncing the arm of flesh, we will trust to thee alone.

O Lord, be mindful of us, and bless us; bless the house of Israel, [unspec 12] that people which thou hast chosen to thyself, and gathered from among the Nations: Bless the house of Aaron, that Tribe that thou hast chosen to thyself, and set apart to come near unto thee among this people. O Lord, bless them all that sear thy Name, in what part of the World soever they remain, [unspec 13] of what condition soever they he, both great and small; whether thou hast raised them to a high degree of honor, or made them vessels of dishonor. Thou Lord, art that great Lord, that hath made both heaven and earth; she power in heaven, Thou hast reserved to thyself; the earth, Thou hast given to the children or men, that they may inhabit it, and be sustained by it. By thine own mouth, [unspec 15] all those who serve thee in fear and reverence, [unspec 16] are pronounced to be the Blessed of the Lord; give then, good God, to these the dew of heaven, and the famess of the earth; multiply and increase them more and more, [unspec 14] both the fathers and their children.

Of this nothing can deprive us, but our abuse and unthankfulness; that may make heaven brass, and the earth iron under us: So touch our hearts then with thy grace, that we never receive a blessing, but we be as ready to return a blessing; that we use not the gift, without blessing thee the Doner; [unspec 17] tis the end we live, 'tis the end we breath. The dead praise thee not; for the gifts of the earth, because they have no use of them; they that go down into the stlent places of the grave, are altogether silent for thy sweet dew and showers wherewith the earth is impregned and fatned, because they stand not in need of any of her supplies. We are the men, who yet live, and draw our breath, which must be nourished and sustained by the dugs of this good mother, which we will never praw without thankfulness. We will bless the Lord while we live upon the earth, even from this time, to the end of our life; [unspec 18] and if we could live forever, for evermore.

Since therefore, O merciful Lord, Thou hast given the earth for a possession to the sons of men, and to that end, that there may be upon the earth some to celebrate thy Name, we beseech thee to defend thy little flock from the hands of violent men, and suffer them not by their rage and fury, to be taken from their possessions, by a violent and immature death. But much more, O Lord, preserve them from eternal death and damnation, in which no man can praise thee; and grant unto them, that while they live on earth, they may live by the life of thy Spirit, that both now, and forever, as it is their bounden duty, they may praise and magnisle thy Name, and set forth thy mercies in Jesus Christ our only Lord and Savior. Amen.

PSAL. CXVI. Didascalicus.

THIS Psalm is gratulatory, for it shows some great straits to which David was brought, from which God delivering him, he vows to be thankful.

The points of this Psalm are three.

  • 1. David makes profession of his love, and shows the Reasons of it, viz. God's goodness to him in hearing him, when he was in a sad condition, and helping him, from ver. 1. to 9.
  • 2. He professeth his duty and faith, ver. 9, 10, 11.
  • 3. He vows to be thankful, and in what manner, from ver. 12. to 19.

1. He begins with the expression of his content and love, I have enough, I love the Lord; and presently sets down his Reasons.

  • 1. [Ver. 1] Because he hath heard my voice and my supplications; good reason then to love him.
  • 2. Because he hath inclined his ear to me; a certain evidence that he was heard.

Upon which certainty and experience of Audience, [Ver. 2] he infers this protestation, Therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

2. Another Reason that moved him to love God, and acquiesce in him, was, That he heard him in his greatest need and extremities, which he describes in the next verse: Neither can there be any greater; for he suffered in body and soul by the sense of God's wrath, which, how great they are, those only can tell you, that have had experience of them.

  • 1. [unspec 3] The sorrows of death compassed me; even death itself is the King of fear.
  • 2. The pains of Hell gat hold upon me: He feared the anger of God for his sin, and the consequent of that anger.
  • 3. Both these brought him into a heavy case; many compassed about with the sorrows of death, living in prosperity, they observe it not, they consider it not, and therefore they nor fear, nor grieve: But David was sensible of his condition, he found where he was, and therefore in grief and fear he-professeth, I found trouble and sorrow; but at last faith seems to conquer them, he despairs not.

For he betakes himself to his old and safe remedy, a remedy that never had failed him.

  • 1. [unspec 4] Then, in these sorrows, these pangs, these troubles:
  • 2. I called upon the Name of the Lord: Invocation was his sole Refuge.
  • 3. And he sets down the very words of his prayer, for our use in the like case: O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul, i.e. from the sorrows of death, and dangers of hell.

And then, that he might show that he prayed to God in faith and hope, he acquaints us upon what ground he did it, viz. those Attributes of God, of which everyone that happens to be in his case, hath especial use, or else he is not like to find comfort; for then, no talking of merits of predestination, of Enthusiasms, in such a case, these are no Cordials to a soul under the sense of God's wrath: That which will then comfort any man, is to remember and believe, what David doth here.

  • 1. That God is gracious; he inspires prayer and repentance into a man, [unspec 5] and freely remits sin, and receives to favor all such as by a lively faith fly to him.
  • 2. And righteous and just, that will perform what he hath promised, and grant an induigence upon those terms that he hath promised.
  • 3. Yea, our God is merciful; he mingles mercy with his justice, and though he scourgeth every son that he receives, yet 'tis with a fathers hand, which is more prone to forgive, than to punish.
  • 4. The Lord preserves the simple; i. e. Men, sine plicis, [unspec 6] such simple men as Job was, these being without counsel or help, he keeps, he saves.

Of which David gives an instance in himself: I was brought low, and he helped me: And the like favor others may find, that call upon him on those grounds that I did, relying on him, because he is gracious, righteous, and merciful, and preserves the simple.

3. Another Reason he had to love God, was the great rest, quiet, peace and tranquility he found in his soul, after this storm was over; and therefore after he had described the Tempest, and the means he used for his deliverance out of it, viz. Faith and Invocation, and found them effectual: By an Apostrophe, he speaks thus to himself.

Return unto thy rest, O my soul: [Ver. 7] Hitherto thou hast been tost up and down among the waves and various winds of sorrows, doubts and despair, and for a long time thou couldst find no Port or Haven wherein to be secure: Now because those Tempests are over, and Faith hath opened to thee a Harbor, where thou mayest be safe, be merry and joyful, turn in, or rather return to that Haven, where thou hast heretofore found rest: Return to thy rest, O my soul.

  • 1. For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee; [Ver. 8] he hath retributed to thee good for evil; and as thou find'st by experience, out of his immense goodness been present with thee, and delivered thee from the sorrows of death and hell.
  • 2. And then he turns his speech to God, attributing to him the whole work.
    • 1. Thou hast delivered my soul from death. The face of death and damnation was before me, but thou hast removed, and presented me with life.
    • 2. Thou hast delivered mine eyes from tears, turned my heaviness into joy, and wiped all tears from my eyes.
    • 3. Thou hast delivered my feet from falling. When my infirmity is great, and the Devil thrusts sore at me, that I might fall, Thou hast settled my feet, that I may stand fast, fight, resist, and not fall.

And this God doth for those who call on him, and trust to him; he frees them from the sorrows of death, and raiseth them to life; he delivers from all sorrow and grief, and will at last wipe all tears from their eyes, Revel. 21. And will give them not only a happy life, but also secure, that they never shall fall, or be deprived of it; they shall be possessed of joy, rest, eternal peace and quietness.

2. David having expressed his sorrows, and God's goodness unto him in delivering him from them, now professeth how ready he would be to do his Duty ever after.

  • 1. By his obedience.
  • 2. By a faithful confession of his mistake, and future confidence.
    • 1. Careful he would be ever after to please God; I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. This life is both the Region of death, and a land of the living; there be those that are dead, [Ver. 9] who are yet alive, viz. which live after the flesh; they in this truly live, which live after the Spirit. David professeth that he would be one of these, live the life of grace, and serve his God in righteousness and holiness all the days of his life; walk with God, coram Domino, as in the presence and eye of God, as did Enoch and Noah.
    • 2. He professeth his faith whereon he did rely, when he was humbled, whereon he will rely, if humbled again.
      • 1. [Ver. 10] I believed, and therefore have I spoken, the Lord is gracious, &c. ver. 5. Such a confidence came from the Spirit of faith, not from any human demonstration, 2 Cor. 4.13.
      • 2. I was greatly afflicted; that is, I therefore believed, because I relied not upon mine own thoughts, but shown myself very humble and docile to the Spirit of God, that reveals such things to Babes, Mat. 11.

Or else David again comes over the strugglings and doubtings he found in his soul, [unspec 10] when he was in his agony betwixt faith and despair; those sorrows were not easily and suddenly quieted: I was greatly afflicted, even then when I spoke, and protested that I did apprehend the promises, [Ver. 11] and called upon God, retaining but some sparks of faith: For I said in my haste, all men are liars; which clause is diversely expressed.

  • 1. For some make it an amplification of his former grief; I was so amazed and overwhelmed with sorrow, that when I found no help, I was ready to despair, and if any man went about to comfort me with God's promises, I said in my haste, all men are liars; as if he should have said, Let them say what they will, I will not believe them, God hath no care of me, I am cast out of the sight of his eyes.
  • 2. Others refer these words to that clause before, the land of the living; of which, many speak great matters: They talk of happiness and felicity in this life, but whatsoever they speak of it, there is no truth in their words; every man is but a liar, that placeth felicity in these decaying and mortal things; for true happiness is not to be found, but in the land of the living after this life; in excessu mentis, in an ecstacy, or a heavenly rapture, I said this.
  • 3. Some refer the words to Absalom, that deceived David by his Vow at Hebron, or to Achitophel, that revolted from him; or to Ziba, that brought him a lie of Mephibosheth; of whom he might say truly that they were liars.
  • 4. Some conceive, that in these words, he taxeth even Samuel himself, that he spoke not by God's Spirit, but came of his own head, and was swayed by human passion, when he anointed him King over Israel, of which being persecuted by Saul, he saw so little hopes, and that for his pains, he was but a liar: But the first sense is most coherent with the words.

Now for the truth of the Axiom, All men are liars. It is not so to be understood, as if no man could ever speak truth; for even a liar may sometimes speak that which is true: But that all men are obnoxious to lying, and may possibly erte, if they speak of themselves, and moved by human affections; whereas God cannot lie, nor any that are moved to speak by his Spirit.

3. Henceforth to the end of the Psalm, is set down David's gratitude, or his thankfulness.

What shall I render to the Lord, [Ver. 12] for all his benefits toward me? As if he had said, I acknowledge the benefits that God hath bestowed upon me are many and great; he hath delivered my soul from the sorrows of death and hell, he hath redeemed me from my iniquity, he hath quieted my heart, and hath made good his promises to me; neither is there a desire to show myself thankful wanting in me, but how now shall I do it? what shall I return unto him? And when he had cast about, and found that he had nothing that was fit to give, he professeth only that he would give thanks, this only he could, and these he would return, which he knew to God was the best payment.

1. I will take the Cup of salvation. Here Interpreters vary, [Ver. 13] what is to be understood by the Cup of salvation: He would bring 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

  • 1. The most refer it to the Eucharistical Sacrifices of the old Law, in which, when any man offe'd 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, a Sacrifice to God out of thankfulness for so • e deliverance, he made a Feast to the people, as did David, 1 Chron. 16.1, 2, 3. where he dealt to everyone of the people a loaf of bread, a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine; in the receiving of which, with a joyful voice, they sang praise to God for his benefits. This then, they say, David here promised, and he calls it the Cup of salvation, because it was to be offered in thankfulness of the salvation obtained.
  • 2. But Bollarmine casts this off as too light, and with the Fathers, understands it of the Cup of patience and affliction, and tribulation, which is often in Scriptures called a Cup, Matth. 20.22. Psal. 75.8, &c. and may well be called the • up • f tribulation, because through many tribulations, we must enter into the Kingdom of God. This then is it, that David saith, When I have nothing more excellent to offer to God for his many benefits, I will drink with a willing mind the Cup of the Lord, though it be a bitter Cup, full of tribulations and afflictions; for I am assured, that it will be a Cup of salvation unto me; and therefore,

2. I will call upon the Name of the Lord, that he would strengthen me to drink of it, whensoever it pleaseth him to administer it to me. Or if we follow the first Interpretation, I will call on the Name of the Lord, offer unto him an Eucharistical Sacrifice for my deliverance.

3. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, in the presence of all his people. [unspec 14] It was usual for God's servants in their extremities to make vows; it is likely David did so, and here he promiseth to pay them, and that not privately, but publicly, in the presence of all the people. Bellarmine refers the words to his open confession of his God, and his readiness to drink the Cup, although it were to Martyrdom.

And in the next words, he renders a reason why he was so ready to pay his vows, or to confess his Name in the open Assembly; because he had learned, that pious men are under God's protection, that even in death itself they are his care.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of all his Saints. [unspec 15] An excellent Epiphonema. The lervants of God do trouble themselves in vain, and doubt to no purpose whether they be a care to him or no while they live, for even their very death is precious unto him, or they are precious to him in their death, then he takes care of them, as a man would do of the most precious Diamonds.

4. David yet waxeth not proud upon this, nor upon any of God's favors, but in all humility, though he were a King, yet he was not too great to be a servant to his God, a son of his Handmaid, the Church; which passionately he expresses.

  • 1. Oh Lord, truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant, [unspec 16] and the son of thy handmaid.
  • 2. And yet no slave, but a voluntary servant: Thou hast loofed my bonds, taken from my neck the bonds of fear, and fallen upon me with the yoke of love, Mat. 11.30. Thou hast freed me from the slavery of the Law, and wouldst have me to be thy servant out of love; Cur servire reguare est.
  • 3. And therefore I will do what thy servants ought, and so he takes an occasion to say over again, what he said before.

I will offer unto thee the Sacrifice of thanksgiving, [unspec 17] and call on the Name of the Lord. I will pay my vows unto the Lord, [unspec 18] now in the presence of all his people. In the Courts of God's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem, [unspec 19] praise the Lord. Within the Church he would do his service, what is without, is nothing worth.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and sixteenth Psalm.

O God most merciful, most gracious in making, and most righteous in performing thy promises, [Ver. 5] who forgivest iniquity and sins, and [Ver. 6] preservest the souls of them that walk with a simple and sincere heart before thee, [Ver. 1] because thou hast heard my voice, [unspec 2] and my supplications, because thou hast inclined thine ear unto me.

The sorrows of death compassed me, [unspec 3] and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I tound trouv'e and sorrow, I was brought very low; then I called upon the Name of the Lord; [unspec 4] then I cried, O Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul, [Ver. 8] [unspec 7] and thou wast ready at hand to help me: Thou hast delivered my soul from ceath, [Ver. 2] mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Thou hast dealt very bountifully with me, [unspec 9] in pardoning my sin, hearing my petitions, and restoring me to the comforts of thy Spirit; therefore I will call upon thee as long as I live; therefore I will walk before thee in righteousness and holiness as long as I have a Being.

I was greatly afflicted, [Ver. 10] and all the comforts that I could receive from the lips of man were but vain; [unspec 11] they all proved miserable, miserable comforters unto me; In my baste, I said they were all liars, till thou by thy holy Spirit didst secure me, that thou wert, and wouldst be unto me a merciful Father, and sealest unto me an unexpected pardon. This by the power of thy Spirit I have, and do believe, [Ver. 10] and in it I acquiesce. I expect no more, I have enough; Return then unto thy rest, [Ver. 7] O my troubled soul, for the Lord hath dealt very bountifully with thee.

And now, [Ver. 12] What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me? I find by experience, that the death and afflictions of his Saints, are as precious Jewels in his fight; these, for his sake, I am content, if it be his Will, to undergo; of this Cup, if it seem good to him, I am content to drink. [unspec 16] Oh Lord, I am thy servant, truly I am thy servant, and the son of thy Hand-maid. A patient son of my mother, the Church; and if it please thee to pour out to me a full draught of this red wine, Thy Will, not mine be done.

But if thou shalt take away the Cup from me, or else proportion it according to my strength; [unspec 13] I will take the Cup of salvation with a contented mind, and I will offer the Sacrifice of thanksgiving, [unspec 17] and will call upon the Name of the Lord. I have vowed myself to be thy servant, [unspec 14] though I can be but an unproficable servant; [unspec 18] yet I will pay my vows unto the Lord, now in the presence of all his people: Now, even now, while I remain in the land of the living, I will endeavor, That my light may so shine before men, that they may glorify my Father which is in Heaven.

Thy praise I will sound forth, thy Name I will magniffe; confess I will, that thou hast been to me a gracious God, and merciful Father, even in the Courts of the Lord's house, [unspec 19] even in the midst of thee, O jerusalem; in which, I know thou wilt alone accept of thanks, and hear and grant the pelitions of thy servants, that are offered unto thee through the merits, and in the Name of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

PSAL. CXVII. A Hymn. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

T HIS Psalm is short and sweet; it contains a Doxology to God for his mercy and truth; and it is also Prophetical, in reference to the calling of the Gentiles, as it appears, Rom. 15.11.

Two parts there are of it.

1. An Exhortation to all Nations to praise God, both Gentiles and Jews.

  • 1. He speaks to the Gentiles, Praise the Lord all ye Nations; he means, after they were converted, and made sons of the Church; For how shall they call on him, in whom they have not believe •• Rom. 10.
  • 2. He speaks to the converted Jews, whom he notes under the name of people, as they are called, Psal. 2.1. & Acts 4.25. Praise the Lord all ye people. Both now make but one Church, and therefore both now ought to join together in the praise of God.

2. The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , or the Reason give for it.

  • 1. Because his merciful kindness is great; nay, confirmed toward us, in sending his Son to be a Savior both of Jews and Gentiles. His Church is built on a foundation, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail.
  • 2. Neither is his mercy only by this confirmed, but the truth also of his promises fulfilled; as he promised to send a Messias, so he hath performed it; and this his truth endures forever; for it shall never be challenged, there is no other Messiah to be expected; now for this, Praise ye the Lord.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and seventeenth Psalm.

O Omnipotent and gracious God, when all Mankind walked according to the course of this World, according to the Prince of the power of the Air, the spirit that works in the children of disobedience. When they walked according to the lusts of the flesh, and fulfilled the desires of the flesh, and were by nature the children of wrath; Thou, who art rich in mercy, for thy great love wherewith thou hast loved us, wast pleased to send thy only begotten Son Jesus Christ, and to deliver him to death, for the salvation of the World.

This thy great mercy, it pleased thee to make known to us by thy Apostles, and to call us, who were Aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the Covenant of Promise, to be partakers of thy merciful kindness. In Christ Jesus we, who were sometimes afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ, so great hath thy mercy been even toward us; therefore from us, immortal thanks are due unto thee, who find ourselves saved not for our merits, but by thy sole goodness.

We therefore beseech thee, that thou wouldst so confirm our hearts by the Spirit of faith, that without any doubt adhering to thy truth, which endures forever, we may apprehend those good things which thou hast promised, and offerest freely to us. O Lord, have mercy upon all Jews, Turks, Iufidels, and Heretics, and take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of thy Word, and so fetch them home, blessed Lord, to thy flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of thy true Israelites; let us all meet in one Fold, and have but one Shepherd, that all Nations may praise the Lord, and all people sing Hallelujah to thy holy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

PSAL. CXVIII. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

DAUID being freed from many dangers, and confirmed in his Kingdom according to God's promise, in this Psalm gives thanks.

The parts of this Psalm are:

  • 1. An Exhortation to praise God for his mercy, from ver. 1. to 5.
  • 2. A persuasion to trust in God, and that from his own example, who called upon God in trouble, and was delivered, from ver. 5. to 15.
  • 3. The Exultation of the Church for it, from ver. 15. to 19.
  • 4. A solemn Thanksgiving kept for it, and in what manner it was celebrated, from ver. 19. to 28.
  • 5. A short Doxology, ver. 28, 29.

1. David invites all to praise God, O give thanks unto the Lord; and adds his Reasons.

  • 1. For he is good, than which nothing could be said more briefly, nothing more powerfully; he is properly and absolutely good, and therefore ought to be praised, because there is nothing rightly worthy of praise, but that which is good. [Ver. 1] Solum honestum laudabile.
  • 2. But secondly, He is good, and ever good to us; a merciful God, which flows from his goodness, and is then most conspicuous, when it is imparted to those in misery: Praise him, because his mercy endureth forever. His mercy created us, his mercy redeemed us, his mercy protects us, his mercy will crown us; there is then no end of his mercy.

This his mercy extends especially to his people, and therefore he puts into the mouth of all his people this song of his mercy; whom he distributes into three parts.

  • 1. [Ver. 2] Let Israel now say, the whole Nation, that his mercy endureth forever.
  • 2. [Ver. 3] Let the house of Aaron, that whole Tribe consecrated now to him, say, that his mercy endures forever.
  • 3. [Ver. 4] Let them now that fear the Lord, Proselytes, &c. now say, that his mercy endures forever; that is the burden of the Hymn; so he begins, so he ends, ver. 29.

2. And so in general having given a Commendation of his mercy, he desoends to that particular in which his mercy did consist, viz. A great deliverance of him, when he was in a great strait, which he could impute to no other cause than his mercy.

  • 1. [Ver. 5] I was in distress: And that's the case of God's people, as well as David's.
  • 2. I called upon the Lord: I boasted not of my merits, I complained not, that I suffered unjustly, but I fled to his mercy, and invoked; so did the Church in Peters case, Acts. 12.5.
  • 3. The issue was, The Lord answered, and set me in a large place; and so it fell out to Peter. [unspec 6]

Upon which experience David exults, as the Church in the like case may; so that all be still attributed to God, and his mercy.

  • 1. The Lord is my helper: And the first inference upon it, is, The Lord is on my side, therefore I will not fear what man can do unto me. He saith, God is for me, therefore I shall not suffer; for he knew, that he was to suffer many things: But God is my helper, [unspec 7] therefore I will not fear for the evils that man can bring upon me, because I know, That all things shall work together for good to those that fear God, Matth. 10.28. 2 Cor. 4.17.
  • 2. The Lord takes my part with them that help me: And his second Inference is, Therefore I shall see my desire upon them that hate me; I shall see myself in safety, my enemies cast down, and peace restored to the Church, which last is my chief desire.

Out of which, he deduceth yet a third Inference, viz. that men trust in God; for,

  • 1. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man; [Ver. 8] for be it, he be willing to help, yet oftentimes man is not able.
  • 2. And again, It is better to trust in the Lord, [unspec 9] than to put any confidence in Princes; for say they be able to help, yet they are false, politick, and will not. David found it true in Achish King of Gath: But the Lord both can and will, and therefore it is far better to trust in him.

3. Of which being confident, he sings an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , acquaints us in what dangers he was, and yet how God ever delivered him, and therefore proposeth himself for an example, how good it is to trust in God.

  • 1. All Nations, Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Philistines, [unspec 10] Syrians compassed me about? But to no purpose; for in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.
  • 2. They compassed me about, yea they compassed me about; [unspec 11] but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them.
  • 3. They compassed me about like Bees; swarms there were of them, [unspec 12] and they were angry creatures, armed with stings, but they were quenched as fire of thorns, that makes a great blaze, and a great noise, but suddenly goes out; for in the Name of the Lord will I destroy them.

A multitude of enemies here were, angry and stinging enemies, and all compassing, and about him; David a King (for Kings are most opposed, and subject to be stung) but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them. The arms that I confide in, and especially prepare against them, is Nomen Domini; I fight indeed, and war against them, but my special weapons in all my War, in which I trust, is the Name, the Protection, the Tutelage of the Lord, setting upon them in his power, with his help, I will destroy them. Now he that fights in the Name of the Lord, must be sure to have, 1. A Vocation to fight. 2. A good Cause: And 3dly, He must manage the War with affections conformable to piety, he must not seek himself, nor his own ends, but God's glory, execution of justice, &c.

4. He told us of a multitude of enemies, and for the overthrow of these he sang his Triumph; now he singles out someone in particular, whether Saul, Ishbosheth, or his son Absalom, it is uncertain: But to such a one by an Apostrophe he turns his speech.

  • 1. Thou hast thrust sore at me, that I might fall: [Ver. 13] I came into some great danger, there was little hope of life, or of escape.
  • 2. But the Lord helped me. I impute it not to my own endeavor, wit, good fortune, that I escaped, nor yet to any second causes; it was the Lord that did it for me.

Which in the next verse he more fully acknowledgeth, The Lord is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.

  • 1. My strength, that I am able to resist my enemies. [unspec 14]
  • 2. My salvation, that I be delivered from my enemies.
  • 3. My song, him whom I joyfully praise and sing of after I am delivered.

3. And that this his song might be the fuller, here David calls for the whole Choir to sing with him. His delivery concerned the whole Church, and therefore he desires the praise be sung in full voice, by the whole Church; and so it fell out, for they kept a Jubilee, a day of Thanksgiving for it.

  • 1. [Ver. 15] The voice of rejoicing and salvation, is in the Tabernacles of the righteous: They congratulate their own safety in my delivery, and sing thus to God.
  • 2. [Ver. 16] The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted. The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly. This was the Anthem that the whole Choir of Saints and Believers sang, and they repeat it, and come over it again and again, to express their joy.

Now this Anthem sung by the Church, was no sooner ended, but David takes his Harp again, and sings this Versicle by himself, and insulting over his enemies, he chants,

  • 1. [unspec 17] I will not die; as they desired and endeavored, by a violent death; I will not be broken-hearted by these griefs and pressures, but I will take heart, and rise, as it were, out of the Grave, not to live an idle life, and spend my days in pleasure, but to declare the works of the Lord.
  • 2. And among his works, this is one, upon which I will especially insist, that,
    • 1. [unspec 18] The Lord hath chastened me sore. Within I have struggled with sin, with the Devil, with the sorrows of death; without I have been assaulted by bitter enemies.
    • 2. But in both these, I must acknowledge his fatherly affection; for these strokes were not deadly, he hath not given me over unto death.

4. It is conceived, that this Psalm was composed by David, that it might be sung, when Priests and people were assembled together to give thanks to the Lord, for that their good King was now fully delivered from his enemies, and quietly settled in his Throne; that then which follows, may be best understood, if with Junius, we form it into a Dialogue.

  • 1. [Ver. 19] David in these words speaks to the Priests and Levites, who had the care of the Tabernacle: Open to me the gates of righteousness; that is, the gates of God's house, in which righteousness ought to dwell: For I will go in to them, and I will there publicly, and in the whole Assembly of good men, praise the Lord, and give him thanks for his mercy to me.
  • 2. [Ver. 20] To this the Priests return answer: This is the gate of the Lord, the sole gate of justice that leads to him, and the just only shall enter into it; procul este profani.
  • 3. David replies, showing his Reason in brief, why he entered into God's house; [Ver. 21] his end was to praise God, which he doth in few words, for God loveth not long prayers: I will praise thee, for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation.

And to the 28th. verse, how God had settled him in his Kingdom, made him the head of the corner, [unspec 22] that was rejected, that it was God's doing alone, and a marvelous work, [unspec 23] that the day in which this was done, was a Festival, and the people to rejoice in it; [unspec 24] that then they prayed to God to save them by his hand, and blessed their King, [unspec 25] adorned their Temple, and offered Sacrifices with many thanks to God for his mercies. [unspec 26] Thus no question these verses may literally be understood of David: [unspec 27] But it must be confessed that in all this, David was but a Type of Christ; and that these words properly belong unto him, we have a clear testimony, first from his own mouth, attested by three Evangelists, Matth. 21.42. Mark. 12.10. Luke 20.17. and by his Apostles St. Peter, Acts 4.11. and St. Paul, Rom. 9.33. out of Isa. 28.16. Of Christ then I shall rather interpret them, than of David; without doubt the Prophet being wonderfully illuminated by the Holy Ghost, wrote concerning Christ, as followeth.

  • 1. The stone which the builders refused, is become the head-stone of the corner. [Ver. 22]
    • 1. The Church is oftentimes in Scripture likened to a building, of which the Saints are living stones, of which Christ is the chief stone, the head and corner stone, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that joins and keeps together the two walls, Jews and Gentiles.
    • 2. But the Jews, the Priests especially to whom did pertain the office of building the Church, refused this stone, and cast him aside; We will not have this man to reign over us, we have no King but Caesar. They crucified him, and in his Grave called him a Deceiver; St. Peter lays it to their charge, Acts 4.11.
    • 3. But God called for him again, and he is become the head of the corner, Ephes. 2.20. That is, he is made head of the whole Church, and such a head, that whosoever is not built upon him, cannot be saved.
  • 2. This, saith the Prophet, was the Lord's doing; [unspec 23] both his rejection, and raising again, was from him; it was done by his Election, and Divine Power, not from any counsel or hand of man, Acts 2.23, 24.
  • 3. And it is marvelous in our eyes: For who can do less than wonder, that a crucified man, dead and butied, should by his own power rise again after three days, be immortal, and have all power given to him, and be made Head and Prince of all men and Angels, and that by him there should be a way made to mortal men to the Kingdom of Heaven, to the society of Angels, and an immortal life.

For so great a work, fit it is, that a day be set apart, and such there is, saith David.

  • 1. This is the day that the Lord hath made, [unspec 24] which questionless was the day of his Resurrection, and God is said to have made this day more than other, as honoring it above other, making it memorable to posterity, in which the Son of righteousness arose from the Grave; and making it an high and holy day, from which every other Sunday had his Original; This is the Lord's day.
  • 2. And the end, why this day was made for joy and gladness. The day wherein Adam fell, was a doleful day; but this day wherein Christ rose from the dead, is a joyful day. The Redemption by Christ is a year of Jubilee, the Resurrection of Christ is the chief day in the year. We will therefore rejoice for it, and be glad in it.
  • 3. Yea, and in the midst of our rejoicing, we will pray, [unspec 25] and sound forth Osanuah to the son of David, which is, being interpreted, Save now, we beseech thee, O Lord; O Lord, we beseech thee, send now prosperity. Blessed be he that comes in the Name of the Lord: [unspec 26] Which was the gratulato •• and precatory words, that the people used to our Savior, when he rode in Triumph into Jerusalem, Mat. 21. That we may be assured, that the Form of Acclamation belongs nor so much to David, as to Christ; and it was the opinion of the Jews, That when their Messiah came, these words should be sung before him; that being the cause that the people used them then.

The whole Prophesy of Christ's coming, riding into Jerusalem in Triumph, Rejection, Passion, Resurrection, Benediction, being thus explained, the Prophet turns his speech to the people, putting into the mouth of the Priests these words, in which they were to do their Duty, Numb. 6. and to bless.

  • 1. We have blessed you, as we ought to do; all happiness be to you under this King.
  • 2. And all happiness be to you, out of the house of the Lord; from the Church, [unspec 26] and to the Church alone, the blessing belongs: Ye are the blessed of the Lord.
  • 3. [unspec 27] God is the Lord, which hath shown us light. Revealed unto his Son the light of the World, and removed from us the darkness of error, sin, hell, &c.
  • 4. Therefore be thankful unto him, bind the Sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the Altar; make a solemn day for it, and meet in the Church to praise him.

5. The Prophet concludes with a Doxology, fit to be used by the people met and assembled, in which he sets forth his faith and gratitude.

  • 1. [unspec 28] Thou art my God.
  • 2. And I will praise thee; which he ingeminates, Thou art my God, and I will exalt thee; which ingemination, shows his ardent desire to be thankful.
  • 3. And so concludes with the same Exhortation that he began the Psalm, and in the same words. [unspec 29]
O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endureth forever.

The Prayer collected out of the One hundred and eighteenth Psalm.

O Blessed and Holy Jesus, King of the World, and Head of the Church, who hast bought us by thy blood, and espoused us in mercy and lovingkindness; [Ver. 13] it is not unknown unto thee, how the enemies of thy Truth dally oppose us, [unspec 10] and with what storms and tempests of persecutions we are daily assaulted. [unspec 11] The Devil daily thrusts sore at us, that we might fall; and Antichrist, with his complices, [unspec 12] compass us about, they compass us about, they compass us about, in anger and rage they swarm about us, as thick as Bees, to sting us even to death, might they have their will upon us.

In these our dangers, we have none to fly to, but thee, we have none to call upon in our distress, [unspec 5] but on thee, Who art the Lord our God; answer us, O Lord, and set our feet in a large place. [unspec 6] Be on our side, and then we will not fear what man can do unto us; [unspec 7] take our part with them that help us, and so shall we see our desire upon them that hate us.

We confess, O Lord, we confess before men and Angels, that our sins with which we have provoked thy justice, [Ver. 18] have deserved far greater punishments; and that for these, Thou hast sorely chastened and corrected us, yet in mercy, Thou hast not delivered over our souls to death; this encourageth us yet to rely upon thee, [Ver. 8] and to trust to thee; and we know, It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in man: It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put any confidence in Princes: [Ver. 14] For some would, but cannot; some can, but will not help; but thou art a God of power, and if thou wilt, Thou canst become our salvation; and we believe thou wilt, because thou hast spared us hitherto, and hast not given us over to death.

Save now, [unspec 25] we beseech thee, O Lord; O Lord, we beseech thee send us now prosperity. [unspec 14] Be our strength, that we may resist; and be our salvation, that in thy Name we may destroy them that compass us about. [unspec 10] Let the voice of rejoicing and salvation be once more in the Tabernacles of the righteous, [unspec 11] and let this be their song, [unspec 12] The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted. [unspec 15] The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly. [unspec 16]

We have been froward and stubborn children, and for this, the doors of thy house have been shut against us; in mercy, O Lord, open unto us once more the gates of righteousness, [Ver. 19] that we may go into them, and praise the Lord: That hath befallen to us, [Ver. 22] which befell our Head, thy dear Son, our Lord and Savior; He was the Head-stone of the corner, and yet the chief builders refused him, and cast him aside; but thou didst not forsake him in this contempt, and low condition, Thou call'ost for him again, and gavest him a Name above every name: This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes. [unspec 23] Look down now, O Lord, from thy Mercy-seat, behold how the living stones in thy building are refused, and cast aside; call for them again, and set them in their places, and do it in such a way, that the whole World may say, This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes: Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, [unspec 24] but unto thy Name give the praise. In the day of thy power, [unspec 27] thy people shall offer thee free-will offerings, they shall appear in the beauty of holiness, and sing, This is the day that the Lord hath made, we will rejoice, and be glad in it; God is the Lord, that hath shown us light. [unspec 28] The Priests then shall bless thy people, as they ought, out of thy house, [Ver. 1] and everyone of thy people shall sing with a loud voice, and with his whole • eart, Thou art my God, and I will praise thee; Thou art my God, and I will exalt thee. [unspec 29] How joyful will be the melody of the whole Assembly, as the Seraphims, crying one to another, O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, because his mercy endureth forever. [unspec 2] Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth forever. [unspec 3] Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth forever. Let them all now that fear the Lord, say, that his mercy endureth forever. [unspec 4] It is his mercy that we were not consumed, and his mere mercy that hath brought us together again into his house, to offer unto him this Sacrifice of Thanksgiving in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord: Amen.

PSAL. CXIX. Est mixti generis; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

A S this Psalm is the longest of all the rest, so it is of most use, because it teacheth us in what true happiness doth consist, and by what means it may be obtained; to wit, in the keeping of God's Commandments.

1. To these David shows a singular affection, because there is not any one verse, except the 122. in which he makes not mention of God's Word, under some of these names, Law, Statutes, Precepts, Testimonies, Commandments, Promises, Ways, Word, Judgments, Name, Righteousness, Tr • th.

2. What he writes of them, he desires no doubt to be committed to memory, and to help us in that, he hath divided the whole into twenty two Sections, and comprised every Section in eight verses, and every verse in the Hebrew of each Section, begins with that letter with with the Section is entitled; as if it begins with Aleph, then Aleph begins every verse; if with Beth, with Beth, and so in all the rest; for which, this Psalm may be called the A. B. C. of godliness.

3. Any other method of this Psalm cannot well be laid; only we may say, that every verse in it, either contains,

  • 1. A Commendation of God's Word, from some excellent quality in it.
  • 2. Promises to those that keep it.
  • 3. Threatenings against them that keep it not.
  • 4. A prayer of David for grace to confirm him in the observation of it.
  • 5. Protestations of his unfeigned affection toward it.

The meaning of those Synonyma'es used in this Psalm, under which the Commandments of God are signified, which are ten.

  • 1. The Law, because it is the Rule of our actions; Torah, God's Doctrine.
  • 2. Statutes, because in them is set down what God would have us do.
  • 3. Precepts, because God, as the great Law-giver, prescribes the Rule for us.
  • 4. Commandments, because God lays his Commands upon us for their observation.
  • 5. Testimonies, because they witness his Will to us, and his Good-will, if observed by us.
  • 6. Judgments, because they pronounce God's judgment, of our words, works, thoughts.
  • 7. His Word, because they proceeded from his mouth.
  • 8. The ways of God, because they show the way that God would have us walk.
  • 9. His Righteousness, because they contain an exact righteousness and justice in them.
  • 10. Promises, because they have the promises of life, if kept.

PSAL. CXIX. ALEPH.

I N this first Octonary, the Prophet commends to us the Law of God, and persuades to the practice of it, by two Arguments. The first is happiness, ver. 1, 2. The second is, the excellency of the Law-giver, ver. 4.

2. He shows his affection to this Law, desiring grace to keep it, ver. 5. upon which he knew there would follow a double effect.

  • 1. Peace in Conscience: He should not be ashamed and confounded, ver. 6.
  • 2. Thankfulness to God for his teaching, ver. 7.

3. He acquaints us with his Resolution, if God should assist him, ver. 8.

Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, [Ver. 1] who walk in the Law of the Lord.
Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies, [Ver. 2] and seek him with their whole heart.
They also do no iniquity, [unspec 3] they walk in his ways.

1. The first Argument the Prophet useth to persuade men to obedience, is Blessedness; which is so true, that godliness hath the promise of this life, and that which is to come; eternal and temporal felicity depend upon it. He then that would be happy, must be obedient; and his obedience, if true, may be thus discerned.

  • 1. [Ver. 1] He must be undefiled in the way: Uia is vita; and he must keep himself as much as may be from the dirt and filth of sin.
  • 2. He must walk in the Law of the Lord, not after the Law of the flesh. The Law of God is the Rule of our Faith, Life, Worship, and he must not decline to the right hand, nor to the left, neither be Heretic, vicious man, superstitious, idolatrous.
  • 3. He must keep his Testimonies: Search out what God in his Word testifies to him, and keep it.
  • 4. [Ver. 2] He must seek him with a whole heart: Not superficially, not hypocritically; search his Law to the utmost, both what it bids, and what it forbids. Enquire out the sense of the whole Law, and the mind of the Law-giver, and then observe it in sincerity and integrity, which hypocrites do not.
  • 5. [Ver. 3] The also do no iniquity; i. e. They are no workers of iniquity with purpose of heart. 2. Delight. 3. With perseverance and continuance.
  • 6. They walk in his way. They that work iniquity, walk a contrary way. They that through infirmity and ignorance offend, walk besides the way: But holy men walk in the ways of God, because their will is to keep God's Law, habitually they remain in it; and when they err and wander, by repentance and confession they quickly return again to it.

2. The Prophets second Argument to persuade obedience, is from the Authority of the Law-giver. All man's disobedience to God's Law, proceeds either out of Rebellion, or Oblivion; they either forget, or contemn the Law-giver: That then our obedience may be the better fixed, David brings to our mind who is the Author of this Law, and from whom the Command came; they are not the Commands of men, but of God; and that God, who may lay what Commands he pleaseth, and exact obedience from his servants.

Thou hast commanded that we keep thy Commandments diligently.

  • 1. Thou, who knowest when we err, and wilt revenge when we do amiss. [Ver. 4]
  • 2. Hast commanded: Not only counseled, but absolutely commanded.
  • 3. That we keep thy Commandments: They may not be dispensed with, or broken at our pleasure.
  • 4. Diligently: Not negligently, lazily; for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently; but with great care and zeal: For Satan is diligent in tempting, we are weak and infirm; and if there be not diligence used, we are like to fall; and being fallen, 'tis not so easy to rise: A wound is sooner made, than healed.

3. The blessedness promised to the keepers of God's Law, and the Authority of the Law-giver commanding so strictly that his Law be observed, moved the Prophet to send forth this ardent prayer: [Ver. 5]

O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes.

  • 1. David was a Prince, a great King, and yet he desires to be obedient; much more others.
  • 2. He answers God's Command with a prayer; what he commands, he seeks grace to do it. Domine da quod jubes, & jube quod vis.
  • 3. Oh that my ways were directed; my counsels, my actions, speeches conformable to the regularity and straitness of thy Law.
  • 4. He knew of himself he cannot be so closely united to God, as he ought; that his God and he have but one way, and therefore he prays to be directed. [Ver. 6]

Which prayer of his, if it pleased God to hear, then he knew well that two excellent effects, or three rather, would follow upon it, with which he was much affected.

1. Such a quietness in soul, and boldness to appear at the Throne of Grace.

  • 1. Then shall I not be confounded, nor ashamed to appear before thee. Whereas if his ways were distorted and crooked, and not conformable to the Will of the Law-giver, and equity of his Law, he should be strangely amazed to appear in his sight, fly from his presence, as did Adam; for that's the fruit of disobedience.
  • 2. Whereas if God granted him his wish, and directed his ways to keep his statutes, he should not find any amazement in his conscience, while he had a care, that his obedience were universal and total, not to one Commandment, but to all. I shall not be confounded, [Ver. 7] while I have respect to all thy Commandments: An eye to them, a care to keep them in all my actions, even when I weakly break them.

2. And this effect will produce another fruit yet, viz. a joyful and a thankful heart.

  • 1. I will praise thee: Give thee thanks and praise for thy grace and assistance.
  • 2. With uprightness of heart. His tongue only should not praise God, but his heart also, and it should be well-tuned, no discord in it; for it should be upright and honest.
  • 3. But this could not be done, till God had taught him, and therefore he adds, I will praise thee when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. Learned; not to know them only in my understanding, but learned to love them, and approve them as the most perfect rule of life; which love cannot be had, but by the infusion of thy Spirit of Grace.

3. [Ver. 8] And that which follows upon this, will be a resolution, a firm purpose of heart to be obedient.

  • 1. I will keep thy statutes: So I am fully resolved, so I have decreed with myself; and it is a great help to godliness, to resolve to live a godly life; for how shall that be performed, which is not first concluded.
  • 2. And yet this conclusion he makes not without God, it had been over-much boldness to resolve without God's assistance, and therefore he resolves conditionally, and prays, O for sake me not utterly. This I am resolved on, but then thou O God again must not leave me utterly destitute of thy grace and help; for without it, I can do nothing. And if at any time in thy just judgment thou shalt desert me, that I may know mine own weakness, and learn the better to fly to thee, and rely on thee, yet let it not be an utter desertion, For sake me not, usque minis, usque-quaque, over-long.
The Prayer.

THOU, [Ver. 4] O Lord, who solely hast over us a Legislative power, hast given us a Law in Mount Sinai, and interpreted it upon the Mountain to thy Disciples, and not counseled, but commanded us to keep thy precepts with all care and diligence. Of ourselves, how unable are we to perform it, it is thy assistance and thy grace that must make us obedient, give therefore what thou commandest, [Ver. 5] and then command what thou wilt. O that our ways, our actions, speeches, and counsels, were so directed by thy Spirit, that we might keep thy statutes.

Lord, [Ver. 6] I am resolved to keep thy statutes, I have decreed with myself to have respect unto all thy Commandments; [unspec 8] but then thou must be my Master to teach me;