The Saints Sacrifice, Section 43 – Section 45
§. 43. Of the expoſition and reſolution of the ſeventh Verſe.
PSAL. CXVI. VII.
Returne unto thy reſt, O my Soule, for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.
HEre beginneth the *See §. 2.ſecond part of this Pſalme, which ſetteth out the Prophets Protestation for his after purpoſe. This hath reſpect
1. To his Inward diſpoſition.
2. To his Outward converſation.
For his inward dispoſition he profeſſeth a quiet ſetling of his ſoule.
aforeignRest, whereby his inward diſpoſition is here expreſſed, is oppoſed to bExo. 23, 12. Gen. 8. 9.travell and labour, or to cRuth 1. 9. Deut. 28. 65.trouble and ſorrow, and that both dLam. 5. 5.outward and eIſa. 28. 12.inward.
Here it is taken in the latter reſpect, as oppoſed to inward trouble and anguiſh, as is evident by the relation it hath to his ſoule. It importeth an aſſurance of Gods favour to him, and tranquillity of mind, and peace of conſcience thence ariſing.
This reſt he calleth his ſoules, becauſe it was a reſt wherein his ſoule had ſolaced her ſelfe before: which the Lord having given, he ſweetly and quietly enioyed as his owne.
But it ſeemeth that his bitter affliction had bereaved him of it: and therefore as to a right loſt, and recovered againe, he ſaith fforeignReturne. For this is the very word which the Angell uſeth to Hagar, when ſhe fled from her miſtreſſe, gGen. 16 9.Returne. As Hagar thorow her miſtreſſes rough dealing with her fled from her: ſo the ſoule of this Prophet by reaſon of affliction fell from her former quiet confidence in God. As the Angell therefore biddeth Hagar, returne to her miſtreſſe, ſo the underſtanding of this Prophet biddeth his ſoule returne to her rest.
foreignVery elegant and emphaticall is this manner of the Prophets directing his ſpeech to his Soule, as to another perſon, thus, O my ſoule. Hereby his vnderſtanding well enlightned, and reſolved of Gods favour to him, ſtirreth up his will, conſcience, heart and affections to be quieted, and no longer perplexed and troubled with doubts and feares about Gods wrath, but to reſt aſſured of his love and favour.
To ſhew what good ground there was for his ſoule to repoſe it ſelfe quietly in the Lord, headdeth, For the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. The firſt particle being a cauſall particle, FOR, ſheweth that this is added as a reaſon of that which went before. The reaſon is taken from the manifeſtation of Gods fauour to him: and it may thus be framed.
He with whom the Lord dealeth bountifully may well rest on the Lord.
But the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee O my ſoule.
Therefore thou O my ſoule maist well reſt on the Lord.
iforeign Gods repaying.One Hebrew word is expreſſed by this circumlocution, hath dealt bountifully. The word properly ſignifieth to repay: it hath (in that ſignification) relation to ſome thing done before: and that good or evill: and in both theſe ſenſes it is attributed to God and men. God is ſaid to kPſal. 18. 20.repay, or reward the righteous according to their righteouſneſſe: and to the wicked to lIer. 51. 6.repay or render a recompence. In theſe reſpects he is called m—56. foreigna God of recompences. Men likewiſe are ſaid to repay or render for nPſal. 116. 12.good, and o—137. 8.for evill. But the word is alſo ſimply uſed without relation to any thing before, eſpecially being attributed to God, and that in the better ſenſe, for conferring or beſtowing ſome good. Thus doth the Pſalmiſt pray to God to be pPſal▪ 119. 17.recompenced, that is, graciouſly dealt with by him: and q—141. 7.acknowledgeth that he hath ſo dealt with him. In this ſimple ſignification doe rTargum. foreign retribuit bonum.Hebrew Expoſitors, sL X X. foreign. bene…ecit.Greeke Tranſlators, and tSic Hier. Aug. alijque.other Interpreters and Expoſitors take the word in this place. Thus ſome of our Engliſh Tranſlators turne the word here, hath beene beneficiall: others, hath dealt graciouſly. And becauſe the kindneſſe which God ſheweth, is not ſcanty, or niggardly, but ſuch as beſeemeth his Majeſty to give, others thus tranſlate it, hath dealt bountifully.
To inferre any matter of merit on mans part, becauſe a word that ſometimes ſignifieth to repay, is attributed to God in relation to man, is too ſandy a foundation for ſuch a lofty Babel.
To take occaſion from hence to ſet out the bountie of the Lord, would be too impertinent. The word doth indefinitely ſet downe the grace, favour, mercy, or goodneſſe of the Lord, without any particular or diſtinct reſpect to extraordinary liberality and bounty.
Summe.The principall point here to be noted is the Alteration of the Prophets diſpoſition. Where before he was reſtleſſe, now he returneth to reſt.
page missing mans polluted nature. He indeed tooke to himſelfe our true nature, even the nature of our infirmities, and the infirmities of our nature, but free from ſinne: no dreggs of corruption were in his nature. Though he therefore ſeemed to be ſhaken all to peeces, yet no rebellious, no diſordered paſſion was thereby ſtirred up in him. Theſe phraſes (gIoh. 12. 27. Now is my ſoule troubled. hMat. …6. 38.My ſoule is exceeding ſorrowfull even unto death. i—19.If it be poſſible let this cup paſſe from me. k—27. 46.My God my God why hast thou forſaken me?) manifeſted a very dolorous agony in his ſoule, but no ſeditious mutiny. Such paſſion in our ſoule would ſtirre up much ſedition: yea after we are truly regenerate. For we are but in part regenerate.
1. Reprehenſion of ſuch as diſquiet the diſquieted.1. This infirmity of our nature is not wiſely obſerved of them, who from the perplexities and agonies of Saints, eſpecially if thereby they be forced to manifeſt any diſquietneſſe of ſoule, take occaſion to inſult over them, and to trample the more upon them. Dauid was much troubled with ſuch, and oft complaineth of them. In that reſpect hee ſaith of them, mPſal 60 26.They talke to the griefe of them whom thou haſt wounded. Thus Iobs friends, though they came a long journy to comfort him, yet proved nIob 16. ….miſerable comforters. Too many ſuch miſ…rable comforters there are, who when a man hath need of ſome comfortable cordialls, give him (as oMa 27. 34, 48 Pſal. …9. 21. Vrgere iacent…m est inhumanum. C… pro C …ab. Poſt.Christs and Davids enemies did) gall for meate, and vinegar to drinke. The Heathen accounted this a moſt inhumane part. How ill then doth it beſeeme them who profeſſe themſelves to be Chriſtians?
2. Admonition to do what may be to ſettle the unſetled.2. Let ſuch as thorow Gods mercy have peace and comfort in their ſoules and conſciences, ſo beare with thoſe that are unſetled and perplexed, as they may the better by ſpeaking pIſa. 50. 4.a word in ſeaſon, quiet and ſettle their ſoules. It is an expreſſe charge given to ſuch as are qRom. 15. 1.ſtrong, to beare with the infirmities of the weake: and to ſuch as are rGal. 6. 1.ſpirituall, to reſtore a brother overtaken, with the ſpirit of meekneſſe: and that for this reaſon, lest they alſo be tempted. What any one is ſubject unto, every one is ſubject unto. Thus ſhall we ſhew our ſelves to be as a true brother, ſPro. 17. 17.even borne for adverſity.
3. Inſtruction for being well ſetled.3. From this whereunto Saints are ſubject, to be ſometimes unſetled, all have need to give diligence to make their calling and election ſure: and to be well inſtructed how to have tHebr. 13. 9.—quantum vertice ad our as Aetherias, tantum radice in Tartara tendit, &c Virg. Georg. l. 2.the heart eſtabliſhed with grace, that therewith the ſoule may be faſt fixed, as the oake is ſaid to be, whoſe roots ſpread as farre, and grow as deepe into the earth, as the boughs thereof grow wide and high into the aire; whence it commeth to paſſe that no ſtorme can over-turne an oake: it will ſooner be rent and ſplit cleane thorow then overthrowne. So they who are uCol. 2. 7.well rooted and built up in Chriſt, and eſtabliſhed in the faith: xEph. 3. 17.and rooted and grounded in love, will ſooner have their bodies and ſoules rent aſunder, then be over-turned in their faith on Chriſt. Inſtance the true Martyrs of the Church.
To enforce this point the further, note the next note.
§. 45. Of the rest of Saints.
II. SAints have a rest. Yea even in this world they have a reſt. How els could the Prophet here ſay to his ſoule, Enter into thy reſt? Why els ſhould he aPſal 42. 11.—43. 5.blame his ſoule for being reſtleſſe. That bIoh. 16. 33. Rom. 5. 1.—14 17.peace which as proper to the Saints is expreſly mentioned in Scripture, proveth as much.
To embolden, encourage, and hearten them in the ſea of this world (that by the ſtormes of affliction they ſhould not be overwhelmed and drowned before they come to cHeb 4. 9.the reſt which remaineth for them, and d2 Theſ. 1. 7.which the Lord Ieſus ſhall give them when he ſhalbe revealed from heaven) here they have a reſt; wherein that we be not deceived, mark the third point.