The Saints Sacrifice, Section 49 – Section 53
§. 49. Of the expoſition and reſolution of the eight Verſe.
PSAL. CXVI. VIII.
For thou hast delivered my ſoule from death, mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling.
THe forementioned kindneſſe of God is here particularly exemplified by the deliverance which God gave him from his diſtreſſe.
How his ſoule may be ſaid to be delivered hath beene before ſhewed on verſ. 4. §. 24.
*Metonymia effecti.Death is here put for ſuch a deſperate diſtreſſe as threatned death. In the caſe wherein he was (to uſe the Apoſtles 2 Cor. 1. 8, 9.phraſe) he deſpaired even of life: he had the ſentence of death in himſelfe: and thus God who raiſeth the dead delivered him from a great death. The words therefore are not literally to be taken of a miraculous raiſing from death: but his diſtreſſe is *In abſtracto.thus by this word, death, ſet out to aggravate his danger, and to amplifie Gods deliverance. Hereof ſee more on Verſ. 3. §. 15.
The teares of his eyes are here mentioned to ſhew how he was affected with that affliction. Teares are outward effects and ſignes of inward anguiſh. When Ieruſalem was caried captive into a ſtrange land, bLam. 1. 2.She wept ſore in the night: her teares were on her cheeks. Yea Chriſt (who with the nature of our infirmities, cHeb. 4. 15.aſſumed the infirmities of our nature, yet without ſinne) had in his bitter agony d—5. 7.teares forced from his eyes.
Gods delivering of this Prophets eyes from teares, implieth a removall of that diſtreſſe whereof theſe teares were… ſigne: with which his ſoule was ſo troubled, as his eyes guſhed out with teares: ſo as the *Metonymia Effecti vel Adiuncti.effect or ſigne, is here put for the cauſe.
Falling of his feet, doth yet further aggravate the diſtreſſe. The word tranſlated eforeignfalling, ſignifieth ſuch a violent forcing of one as he cannot ſtand: as where it is ſaid fPſal. 118 …13. foreignin forcing thou haſt forced me to fall. Now feet are the ſupporters of a body: when they fall, downe fals all the body. Hereby is declared, that the violence of his affliction was ſuch, as like a boiſterous ſtorme it was enough in his beſt ſtrength to overthrow him: and it alſo ſo waſted his ſtrength and weakned him, as he could not ſtand, but was ready againe and againe to fall: it foiled him exceedingly. By removing that affliction God delivered his feet from falling. But this is ſpoken in an Allegory. For, by his feet are meant his ſpirit, by falling, the fainting thereof. So as his very ſoule was preſerved from being overwhelmed.
Eripult anima… mcam dc morte, oculos mcos à lachrymis, p…des meos à lapſis. De morte, dando bonam conſcientiam; a lachrymis, dando tranquillam & bonam: à lapſu, dando ſecuram. Bern. Serm parv. 1.Some diſtinguiſh the three particulars thus, He hath delivered my ſoule from death, by giving me a good conſcience: mine eyes from teares, by giving a quiet and a good conſcience: my feet from ſliding, by giving a ſecure conſcience.
This is the Exemplification of the motive mentioned in the latter clauſe of the former verſe.
Herein note,
1. The Manner of expreſſing it.
2. The Matter whereof it conſiſteth.
The Manner is by *foreigna direct turning of his ſpeech to God, thus, Thou hast, &c.
The Matter conſiſteth in a particular Enumeration of the deliverances which God gave him. So as here is expreſſed
1. The Author of his deliverances. Thou.
2. The Kinds thereof. And theſe are three.
1. His ſoule from death.
2. His eyes from teares.
3. His feet from falling.
For the Manner. In the former verſe he ſpake of the Lord in the third perſon, thus, The Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee: but here to the Lord in the ſecond perſon, thou haſt delivered: which implieth a familiarity. The apprehenſion of Gods bounty had quickned his ſpirit, and made him in a reverend manner the more bold: ſo as,
1. By a due conſideration of Gods favour to us we are made more familiar with God.
This Prophets thus ſpeaking to God, Thoù haſt delivered, ſheweth that,
2. Deliverances are to be aſcribed to God.
The firſt kind of deliverance, my ſoule from death, giveth evidence that,
3. God can deliver from the power of death.
The ſecond kind of deliverance, mine eyes from teares, implieth two points. One intended, the other expreſſed.
4. Saints may be much affected with afflictions.
5. God can remove all matter of mourning.
The third kind of deliverance, My feet from falling, importeth alſo two points, viz.
6. Great diſtreſſes may foile Saints.
7. God eſtabliſheth ſuch as are ready to fall.
The fit applying of deliverances to the diſtinct diſtreſſes, as ſoule or life from death: eyes from teares: feet from falling, demonſtrateth that,
8. Gods remedy is anſwerable to mans neceſſity.
§. 50. Of the meanes to become familiar with God.
I. *§. 4 ….BY a due conſideration of Gods ſavour to us we are made more familiar with God. Thus aExo. …3. 12, 13, ….Moſes having duely obſerved how God knew him by name (that is, tooke eſpeciall notice of him) is emboldened to deſire further, to know God, and to ſee his glory. And b2 Sam …. 27.David well weighing that gracious meſſage which by Nathan God ſent to him concerning the eſtabliſhing of his throne, maketh this inference, Therefore hath thy ſervant ſound in his heart, (that is, beene bold) to pray this prayer unto thee. So cIfa. 6. ….Iſaiah, ſo d—38. 3.Hezekiah, ſo eDan 7. 19.—10. 1….Daniel, ſo many others.
Manifeſtation of Gods favour worketh faith: the more that the evidences thereof are pondered, the more ſtrength gathereth ſaith. Meditation on Gods good-will to us, is to faith as a ſeaſonable ſupply of oile to a lampe, which continueth to preſerve the light thereof. Now fEph. 3. 12.by faith we have boldneſſe and acceſſe with confidence: and the ſtronger faith, the more boldneſſe.
O let not any evidence of Gods kindneſſe paſſe by without due notice taken thereof. Doe in this caſe with God, as g1 King. 20. 33the ſervants of the King of Syria did with the King of Iſrael, diligently obſerve whether any thing come from him, that may demonſtrate his good-will to thee. Thus maiſt thou gaine aſſurance that thou art in the number of h2 Chro. 20. 7. Iſa. 41. 8. Cant. 5. 1.Gods friends. iI am. 2. 23.This was it which made Abraham to be accounted the friend of God, becauſe he beleeved. Gods kindneſſe to men ſheweth that they are his favourites. As wiſe favourites therefore are in a reverend manner familiar with their Soveraigne, ſo may ſuch as know the Lords mind, be with him, and have free entrance into his preſence, and aſſurance of gracious acceptance. A great priviledge.
§. 51. Of aſcribing deliverances to God.
II. *§. 49.DEliverances are to be aſcribed to God. This hath conſtantly beene obſerved by ſuch as have beene guided by the Spirit of God, as by aGen 14. 20.Melchizedech, b—3…. 10.Iacob, cExo. 15. 1, 20.Moſes, Miriam, dIudg. 5. 1.Deborah, Barak, e1 Sam. 12. 11Samuel, f2 Sam. 23. 1.David, g2 Chro. 15. 11Aſa, h—20. 26.Iehoſaphat, iIſa. 38. 9.Hezekiah, kEſt. 9. 17.the Iewes in captivity, lActs 4. 24.the Apoſtles, and many other in all ages, yea and the mRev. 15. 3.bleſſed ſpirits in heaven alſo.
All deliverances are wrought by God. Whatſoever the inſtrumentall meanes be, he is the principall efficient and author As he is the Creator of all things, ſo the Governour, the diſpoſer and orderer of all. And all creatures in the world are his ſervants, his inſtruments uſed by him, according to his will. If therefore by any right victory be aſcribed, not to the munition, but to the Generall: recovery of health, not to the potion, but to the Phyſitian: good-workmanſhip, not to the materialls or tooles, but to the Artificer: by much more right, victory, recovery, all deliverances, all bleſſings are to be aſcribed to God, who enableth Generalls, Phyſitians, and all others to do what they do, and giveth all efficacy to the means that are any way effectuall. It is therefore moſt juſt and equall that that which is done by God be aſcribed to him. His right it is, and ſhall he not have his right? Will ſubjects deale ſo unjuſtly with their King, ſouldiers with their Generall, ſervants with their maſter?
Reprehenſion of ſuch as aſcribe deliverances to any but to God.Fie on them therefore that either take no notice at all of ſuch deliverances as they have, or els impute them to any other then to God: whether it be to themſelves, to other men, to any ſecondary cauſes, to fortune, or to any thing els. Three ſorts of men do eſpecially offend herein. nDan. 5. 22, 23Idolaters, that aſcribe Gods due to Idols. oAct 24. 2.Flatterers, that attribute it to men. pIſa. 10 8. &c. Act. 12. 23.Ambitious perſons that take it to themſelves. Two great evills are thus committed. The Creator is robbed of his due. To creatures is given more then their due. He the onelyonly true God is eſteemed as no God. They that are Gen. 49. 6.no Gods are accounted as Gods. O my ſoule, come not thou into their ſecret: unto their aſſembly mine honour be not thou united.
Exhortation to give God his due.Be rather of the communion of Saints, whoſe underſtanding being rightly informed in the extent of the divine providence, wherby every good thing that is wrought, is wrought, they are ſo in their hearts affected therewith as they cannot conceale the ſame, but make their tongues their glory in acknowledging and making known what God hath done to their ſoules. This, though it be moſt due to God, yet he accepts it as a kindnes, as an honour done to him. And in teſtimony of his gracious acceptance of this gratefull remembrance, he will afterward on other occaſions be ready to deliver. Si D…i beneficia commemoremus ad maiorem il▪lum benevolenti. am excitabimus Chryſ. Hom. 2. in 2 Cor 1.For he never repenteth any goodneſſe ſhewed to ſuch as duly acknowledge the ſame. If we thankfully commemorate his bleſſings, we ſhall excite him to conferre greater bleſſings upon us. Behold then a ready way to give glory to God, and to gaine good to our ſelves.
§. 52. Of Gods delivering from death.
III. *§ 49. Particular deſperate caſes out of which God delivereth.GOD can deliver from the power of death. He can deliver
1. In ſuch caſes as threaten death: wherein men have cauſe to feare death; as the Iſraelites had when Pharaoh with a mighty hoſte purſued them, and they had no way to fly but thorow the ſea, (Exod. 14. 2, &c.) and againe when they were beſieged by the Syrians, 2 King. 6. 24, &c.
2. When death hath begun to lay hold and to ceaze upon them, as c1 Sam. 17. 34.a lion and a beare did upon the lambs which David kept. Thus it ſeemeth that death had ceazed on d2 Cor. 1. 8.Paul, and on e2 King. 20. 1.Hezekiah, who notwithſtanding were both delivered.
3. When there is no poſſibility of avoiding death by any ordinary meanes. Thus was fIon 1. 17.Ionah delivered out of the ſea, and gDan. 3. 26.Shadrach, Meſhach, and Abednego out of the hot fiery fornace. hIſa. 43. 2.God hath promiſed to be with his in fire and water: in moſt deſperate diſtreſſes.
4. When they are in the very power of death, and death actually ceazed upon them, and deprived them of life. Hereof we have many inſtances both in the i1 King 17. 22 2 King. 4. 35.—13. …1.old, and kMat. 9. 25. Luk 7. 15. Ioh. 11. 44. Act. 9. 40.—…0. 10. Mat. 27. 52. Rom. 1. 4.New Teſtament. lEzc. 37. 2, &cThe viſion of dry bones that came together, were knit with ſinewes, covered with fleſh and skinne, and had breath of life breathed into them, and lived, was a viſible demonſtration hereof. But that evidence which farre ſurpaſſeth all, is the mIoh. 5. 28.generall reſurrection of all at the laſt day.
Supreme and abſolute is the power and ſoveraignty of God over all, even nRev. 20. 13.grave and death, and oHeb. 2. 14.him that hath the power of death, the Devill. They are all his vaſſals to hold or to let go whom he will.
Conſolation in all diſtreſſes1. Admirable is the comfort which hence ariſeth to ſuch as being well inſtructed in the power of God, can in aſſurance of faith reſt on him, as p1 Sam. 30. 6.David did, who, when he knew not whither on earth to flie for ſuccour, encouraged himſelfe in the Lord his God. For, nothing can befall us without the limits of his power: no danger can happen, out of which he is not able to deliver us.
How Gods power is to be reſted upon.Quest. May Saints in confidence expect any deliverance that God is able to give?
Anſw. Not ſimply: but with a willing ſubjection of themſelves to his will: as they who ſaid, qDan. 3. 17.Our God whom we ſerve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us from thine hand, O King: But if not, be it knowne to thee, O King, that we will not ſerve thy gods. Herein then lieth the comfort which ariſeth from Gods power, that our God who is able to deliver us, will deliver us, if in his wiſdome he ſee deliverance fit for us. Sorites.For thus we may ſafely conclude.
What God ſeeth to be good for us, he will do.
What God will do, he can do.
What God can and will do, ſhall be done.
Admonition in all ſtraits to reſt on God.Therefore, what God ſeeth to be good for us, ſhalbe done.
Iuſt cauſe is here given unto us of looking to God, when death preſents it ſelfe before our eyes: and to ſay unto him, r2 Chro 20 12We know not what to doe: but our eyes are upon thee. Caſt not therefore thine eyes too much downeward. Fixing eyes aright on God, worketh faith.
§. 53. Of Paſsion in Saints.
IIII. *§ 49.SAints may be much affected with afflictions. They may aPſal. 6. 6.weepe, as this Prophet did: and bEſt 4. 1.cry, yea with a loud and bitter cry: and cPſal. 32. 3.roare all the day long: and dMic. 1. 8.waile and houle: and expreſſe other ſymptoms and ſignes of much anguiſh and great griefe.
eIob 6. 12.Is their ſtrength the ſtrength of ſtones? Or is their fleſh of braſſe? Fleſh and bloud remaining in the beſt while they remaine in this world, maketh them ſenſible of ſmart, of paine, of loſſe, of diſgrace, of other croſſes which lie heavy upon them, and preſſe and pinch them ſore.
1. Refutation of Stoicall ſenſleſneſſe.1. Away with the ſenſleſſe and blockiſh opinion of Stoicks, who ſay that no paſſion beſeemes a wiſe man. The Heathen Philoſophers by that light of nature which they had, have Cic. Tuſcul. queſt l. 4 Lege Lactant de vero cultu l. 6 c. 14 & Aug. de Civ. Dei l. 14. c. 8, 9▪ & l. 9. c. 4 & Quaeſt in Gen l. 1 c. 30 contra Stoicorum foreign. 2. Reprehenſion of raſh cenſures.ſufficiently refuted that paradox. To us that have the light of Gods Word (which commandeth expreſſion of paſſion when there is juſt occaſion, (Ioel 1. 13.) and hath commended it in ſuch as have rightly done it (2 Chro. 34. 27.) yea and hath expreſly recorded the paſſion of him that is the wiſdome of God (Mar. 3. 5.) and taxed the contrary in obdurate perſons (.Iſa. 22. 12, 13.) it cannot but ſeeme a more then Heatheniſh and brutiſh conceipt.
2. Be not too cenſorious of others paſſionate manifeſtation of their griefe: eſpecially when there is juſt cauſe, and a Chriſtian meane is not exceeded. All that Sathan could doe againſt Iob did not ſo deeply pierce to his ſoule as his friends unfriendly cenſure of him.
3 Exhortation to Sympathy.3. Have compaſſion of ſuch as (having cauſe) are in paſſion. kRom. 12 15.Weepe with them that weepe. l1 Cor. 12. 26, 27.Let us ſhew our ſelves to be fellow-members of one and the ſame body, by a Chriſtian Sympathy, and fellow feeling of one anothers ſorrowes.
4. Taxation of inſulters at others ſorrowes.4. As for ſuch as take occaſion from the ſignes and effects of others ſorrowes, to inſult over them, let them well weigh mPſal. 6…. 10, 21, 2…, &c.the fearefull imprecations made againſt them: and withall know that propheticall imprecations are divine denounciations of judgement. It much provokes the righteous Lord to give them juſt matter of ſorrow, who laugh at others ſorrowes.