Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Seven Consolatory Psalms of David, Commentary 4 – Text 5

Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Seven Consolatory Psalms of David · Commentary 4 – Text 5

p. 89MEDITATIONS VPONUPON THE XXXIV. PSALME OF DAVID.

ALas! what a Vow is this that Verſe 1 David makes here? a Vow which hee is ſure before hand, he cannot keepe: for is it poſſible for any man to bleſſe God at all times? Is there not a time of paine and miſerie, in which Jobs Wife perſwaded him to curſe God and dye? and can curſing of God, ſtand with bleſſing of God? O my ſoule, I take not my meaſure of bleſſing God from the laſt of that wicked Woman; it is not paine; it is not miſerie; it is not extremitie of paine, or miſerie, that ſhall make mee to breake my Vow in bleſſing of God: but if it be thought ſo great a matter to bleſſe God inmiſery; I will ſtretch my Vow yet further, for I will bleſſe him for miſerie: and I may p. 90truly ſay, if it were not for paine, and miſery; I ſhould want one ſpeciall Motive for bleſſing of God.

But yet there is a time of ſleepe, which is a tribute due to Nature; and is it poſſible to pay the tribute of ſleepe to Nature, and the tribute of bleſſing to God, both at once? If then ſleepe be of neceſſitie ſo oftentimes, how can bleſſing of God be performed at all times? O my ſoule, when our waking is terminated with bleſſing of God; that bleſſing is in force till we wake againe: for as in what place the tree falleth, there it lyeth: ſo in what ſtate the Soule goes to reſt, in that ſtate it reſteth: If my ſoule ſay to God; I will lay mee downe to ſleepe, for it is Thou, Lord, onelyonly that ſuſtaineſt me; my ſoule ſhall have it returned from God; Thus the Lord giveth his beloved ſleepe.

But if thus perhaps be made good the continuance of Bleſſing God: yet in what conſiſts the worke of bleſſing him? Is it onelyonly in Thought, or onelyonly in a good intention? No my ſoule; his praiſe ſhall continually bee in my mouth: for though the heart indeed bee the Fountaine of bleſſing him: yet out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaketh; and therefore it ſhall not be cloyſtered up in the Cells of ſilence, but it ſhall have vent, and bee brought into the light; that if it bee not ſaid, that men ſeeing my good workes, it may at leaſt be ſaid, that men hearing my good words, p. 91may glorifie our Father which is in Heaven. But doe I not by this, fall againe upon my old difficultie? for if it ſeemed impoſſible before to bleſſe God at all times, may it not juſtly ſeeme as impoſſible now, that his Praiſe ſhould continually be in my mouth? It may perhaps be true of the Angels, in whoſe mouthes wee know of nothing there is continually, but Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabbath: but to be verefied of the mouthes of men, ſeemes a thing impoſſible; for is there not a neceſſitie of ſpeaking many things, beſides Gods praiſes? yet nothing muſt bee ſpoken, but either his Praiſe, or to his praiſe, or elſe wee breake our Vow. And how then is this Riddle to bee expounded? Is it not as Saint Paul expounds it: Whither yee eat, or drinke, or whatſoever yee doe elſe; let all be done to the praiſe, and glory of God. And if all wee doe, may bee done to the praiſe of God, then certainly all we ſpeake, may bee ſpoken to the praiſe of God: and indeed, ſeeing he never ceaſeth to ſend forth continually his bleſſings; with what reaſon can we ceaſe to ſet forth continually his Praiſes?

But when I make this Vow to bleſſe God at all times; I make it not preſuming upon any abilitie in my ſelfe: Alas! I know my owne weakneſſe, and how unready I am to any goodneſſe; but my ſoule maketh her boaſt in the Lord: Verſe 2 My confidence is, that he who hath given mee the reſolution to will it, will give mee alſo the p. 92power to performe it; that Hee who hath begun the worke, will alſo finiſh it; and being ſo good an Architect, as he is, will not lay a foundation, but will as well alſo ſet on the Roofe. If I ſhould boaſt in my ſelfe, I ſhould doe wrong to God: but if I boaſt not in God, I doe wrong to my ſelfe: ſeeing God is a ſtrength to none, but to them that make him their ſtrength; and none make him their ſtrength, but they that make their boaſt of him. It is a hard matter to bring Boaſting, and Humilitie, to meet together in one ſubject, betweene which there is ſo naturall an Antipathie: yet here it is done: for this I may ſay is the humble boaſting; where a vaine man may glory without vaine-glory, where a weake Agent may preſume without preſumption: Not like the boaſting of the Phariſee, ſo hatefull in the eyes of God, ſo offenſive in the eares of the humble: For the Humble can heare this boaſting, and bee glad, which they would never doe; if it were not conformable to the rules of Humility. Can any boaſting be greater then to ſay; I can doe all things? yet in this boaſting, there is humilitie, when I adde; In him that comforteth mee. For though God like not of boaſting; yet he likes of this boaſting, which arrogates nothing to our ſelves, but aſcribes all to him: and ſeeing my ſoule boaſteth her felfe of God, I doubt not, but as the humble heare it, and bee glad; ſo God ſees it, and is pleaſed, and accepts p. 93my Boaſting as a ſacrifice of Humilitie.

But to what end is it that my Boaſting tends? Is it to ſet forth my owne worthineſſe, and to vaunt of my abilities? Is it to tread in the ſteps of Lucifer, or to walke in the way of the Phariſee? God forbid, the humble then would not be glad to heare my boaſting: No my ſoule, it is to magnifie the Lord; O therefore Verſe 3 magnifie the Lord with mee; and let us exalt his Name together: for alas what am I to magnifie his Name my ſelfe alone, if I have not company to helpe me? All I can doe, and all the humble can doe, is but to ſay; Not unto us, Not unto us, O Lord, but to thy Name give the glory; which is rather a vilifying of our ſelves, then a magnifying of him: they muſt be creatures of a better mettall that can ſerve, and yet cannot ſerve to magnifie him as they ſhould: and it is not the worke of a few: all the Millions of millions, in Heaven, and Earth, have enough to doe, and more then enough, to exalt his Name: O therefore, yee Bleſſed Spirits of heaven; doe you magnifie the Lord, but take mee with you in your company, that though I adde nothing to the weight of the worke; yet I may adde one to the number of the worke-men in magnifying his Name. We that are dwellers on the Earth, can exalt his Name no higher then the Heavens, and there you that be Inhabitants of Heaven muſt take it, and exalt it higher; and ſo betweene us all, p. 94wee ſhall make a ſhift to exalt him to his true Elevation, for his Glory is above the Heavens. But if perhaps you thinke ſcorne of our company, as being men of polluted lips, and therefore not worthy to bee of your Conſort; yet the humble will make a conſort by themſelves, and will not, indeed cannot be kept from exalting his Name: for our Humilitie, is his Exaltation; and then wee raiſe him up to the height of his Throne, when we caſt our ſelves downe, as low as his Footſtoole: that it is but a diverſe expreſſing of the ſame thing in ſubſtance, whither we ſay; Let us exalt the Name of the Lord; Or let us fall downe, and kneele, before the Lord our Maker.

David is not wont to uſe Exclamations, but upon ſpeciall occaſion: if he uſe one here, and ſay; O magnifie the Lord; we may know that to magnifie his Name, is a thing of great importance: indeed ſo great, that all things beſides it, at leaſt all things without it, are nothing but vanitie. O then all you that be exalted in Heaven, and all you that bee humble in the earth; and leſt any be left out where all are too few; O all ye workes of the Lord; bleſſe yee the Lord; Praiſe him, and magnifie him Verſe 4 forever. For I ſought the Lord, and he heard me; and delivered mee from all my feares: To ſeeke, and upon ſeeking to be heard, is a great favour: but to bee heard, and upon hearing to bee delivered from all feares, is a favour that deſerves p. 95Magnifying in the higheſt degree.

But why is it that I ſought him? is it not becauſe I had loſt him before? and why ſhould I ſeeke to get him againe, and would not keepe him, when I had him? O my ſoule, Carendo magis quam fruendo; Wee know the goodneſſe of things, more by wanting them, then by enjoying them, though I could not ſee what happineſſe it was to have him; yet I ſee what miſerie it is to want him: and yet in this I account my ſelfe happy, that I have ſought him while he was within hearing: for alas, if I had ſtayed from ſeeking him, till hee had beene out of hearing; What hope could I have had; of ever recovering him?

But O the tender mercies of God, that hath not ſuffered me to put off, my ſeeking him ſo long: for, O my ſoule, it is no leſſe his merciemercy that I ſeeke him, then that hee heares me; my deſire is not more to have him, then his to bee had; for how elſe could he have heard mee as ſoone as I ſought him, but that hee ſtood liſtening, as it were, when I would ſeeke him? and he heard me not as one that were indifferent whither he head me or no; but he gave me audience with no leſſe Intention to grant my ſuit, then attention to know it; for heare the ſucceſſe of my ſeeking him; ſee the fruit of his hearing me; He delivered mee from all my feares; To have delivered mee from all my troubles, had beene a great favour; but a farre greater, to p. 96deliver me from all my feares; for where that, would have but freed me from preſent evill; This ſecures me from evill to come; that now I enjoy not onelyonly Tranquilitie, but ſecuritie: a priviledge onelyonly of the godly: The wicked may be free from trouble, but can they be free from feare? No, God knowes, though they be not in trouble like other men, yet they live in more feare then other men; Guiltineſſe of mind, or mind of the world never ſuffers them to be ſecure; though they bee free ſometimes from the fit of an Ague, yet they are never without a grudging: and (if I may uſe the expreſſion of Poets) though they feele not alwayes the Whippe of Tyſiphone, yet they feele alwayes her terrours; and ſeeing the Lord hath done this for me, hath delivered me from all my feares; have I not cauſe, juſt cauſe to magnifie him, and exalt his Name?

But is Gods mercy confined onelyonly to mee, and not extended as well to others? Yes, my ſoule, Deus omnibus idem; God is good to all: Verſe 5 his mercy is over all his workes; Not onelyonly over them, as being above them all; but over them as extended to them all: for other as well as I, Looked unto him, and were lightened. But ſhould it not bee rather ſaid; God looked to them, and they were lightened, then to ſay; They looked to God, and were lightened? For God is Light, and when the Light lookes to us, we are ſure to be lightened: but wee that p. 97are darkneſſe may looke to the Light, and yet continue in darkneſſe ſtill? but is it not, that the influence of Gods favour deſcends upon the godly in a kind of correſpondence to their ſervice: if they cry, they ſhall be heard: if they mourne, they ſhall be comforted; if they humble themſelves, they ſhall be exalted; ſo here, becauſe they looked to God, they were lightened. Indeed Light is the proper inheritance of the godly, as being the children of light; which though they cannot deſerve, yet they may expect; and have they not reaſon then to looke to him, in whom it is, and from whom it muſt come? They little deſerve to be lightened, that will not looke to him that is their light: If it may be had for a looke, and they will not doe that; they worthily deſerve to be kept in darkneſſe. It is true, all would be lightened, but all take not the right courſe; they looke not the right way: There are ſome that looke to the ſtarres to bee lightened, becauſe the ſtarres indeed are glorious bodyes, and give light to the world; and theſe are ſuch as attribute all to Chance, and Fortune: and there are ſome, and theſe the worſt ſome, that looke to Lucifer to be lightened, becauſe they thinke he beares not his name for nought; and theſe are ſuch as light them Candles of impietie, and by impietie: but theſe are deluſions, and impoſtures: the way to bee truly lightened indeed, is to looke to God: for hee is the Father p. 98of Lights: and as there is nothing with him; ſo there comes nothing from him, but onelyonly Light. O then, my ſoule, looke to God, and he will lighten thee; looke to him with the eye of Faith, and the light of his Countenance ſhall ſhine upon thee.

But though the children of the world bee wiſer in their Generation, then the children of Light; yet in this, the godly are the wiſer: for they looked to God, and were lightened: and their faces were not aſhamed: But may wee not ſay then, the more ſhame for them? for is it not true which is ſaid, that nothing belongs to us, but confuſion, and ſhame of face? may we not be aſhamed to ſhew our faces to God, being ſo foule, and filthy as they are, ſeeing hee endures nothing that is uncleane? O my ſoule, as they that looked to the Brazen Serpent were preſently healed; ſo they that looke to God, are preſently lightened: for though looking to the materiall Sunne, bee a cauſe to ſtayne, and tanne the face: yet looking to the Sunne of Righteouſneſſe is a meanes to cleanſe it, and make it amiable: and why then ſhould they be aſhamed? Is it any ſhame to ſhew our ſores to our Phyſitian? or any ſhame to ſhew our faults to our Confeſſour? No more is it any ſhame to ſhew our faces to God, though never ſo foule, and ſo full of ſtaynes, ſeeing hee is the true Phyſitian that onelyonly can cure us; Hee the true Confeſſour that onelyonly can abſolve us.

p. 99But who are they that were lightened? Perhaps Pauci quos aequus amavit: ſome few that were in his favour; perhaps rich men that could offer him Hecatombes, and plentifull ſacrifices: No my ſoule; The poore man cryed, and hee heard him: and ſaved him out of all his troubles: Verſe 6 for God is no accepter of perſons; Hee neither regards the legges of the ſtrong, nor the faces of the beautifull, nor the wealth of the rich; but whoſoever they be that looke to him, and feare him, they are ſure to taſte of his mercy and goodneſſe.

But though the poore man cryed, are wee ſure he cryed to God? hee might cry out of ſenſe of his miſery; and what were this to move God to heare? O my ſoule, any crying of the godly, is a Muſick with which God is pleaſed, or at leaſt is moved: if it bee a crying out of ſenſe of miſerie, God is moved with it in his mercy, if a crying out of Devotion; God is pleaſed with it in his Juſtice. O then my ſoule, rather never cry, then not cry to God: for by crying to him, thou getteſt, I may ſay, two ſtrings to thy bow: both his MercieMercy, and his Juſtice: and were it not folly to leave out one, where thou mayſt have both? But though wee know not what the poore mans crying was, yet wee ſee what Gods hearing was: for hearing him, hee ſaved him from all his troubles: and who would not cry, to be ſo heard? The world may thinke it a ſtrange p. 100courſe in the poore man, to cry to God to deliver him from his troubles, being ſo farre off from him: but how farre was hee from him, when he heard him? If hee were ſo neere to him, that he might heare him, hee could not be ſo farre from him, but he might helpe him. O my ſoule, let the world thinke their pleaſure; let them ſtudie, and plot, and caſt about how to bring their purpoſes to paſſe; Doe thou cry to God to deliver thee from thy troubles; for if thou cry, thou mayſt be ſure hee will heare thee; and if he heare, thou needſt not doubt but he will helpe thee. But yet miſtake not the meaning, when it is ſayd, that God ſaved him from all his troubles; as though, becauſe hee was a poore man, that therefore hee was preſently made rich: Or if he were in paine, that he had preſently eaſe: for God goes not alwayes the ordinary way of Phyſicians, to cure cold Diſeaſes with hot Medicines; his wayes of deliverance are often-times ſpirituall; and ſo Job might be ſaid to bee delivered from all his troubles, when God gave him patience to endure his troubles; but ſpecially Lazarus might be ſaid to bee delivered from his troubles, when he was carryed by Angels into Abrahams boſome.

Verſe 7 And here it falls out fitly to mention Angels; for the Angell of the Lord encampeth round about them that feare him, and delivereth them. Wee little thinke we have a continuall guard p. 101about us, and leſſe we thinke that wee have a whole Campe for our guard; but leaſt of all, that it is a Campe of Angels: oh how ſafe ſhould we thinke our ſelves, if this were ſo! O my ſoule, this is ſo, and yet wee thinke our ſelves not ſafe enough: and may it not then be juſtly ſaid; What doubt yee of, O yee of jittle faith? But how can wee thinke there be Angells to guard us; when we ſcarce thinke there be any Angels? for if there bee, they muſt bee creatures of God: and then certainly creatures of a moſt excellent nature: and would Moſes then have left them out, in his Catalogue of Creatures, where he reckons them all up? Indeed for this very reaſon, becauſe they are Creatures of a moſt excellent Nature, hath Moſes left them out: for hee ſpeakes but of materiall Creatures, in this materiall world; of which number, the Angels are none. But wee may thinke perhaps there are none, becauſe wee can ſee none: as though we could ſee a thing that is inviſible? ſhall we therefore thinke we have no ſoules, becauſe we cannot ſee our ſoules? Wee live now by Faith, and not by ſight, and therefore can neither ſee ſoules nor Angels; we ſhall then ſee both, when we ſhall live by ſight, and not by Faith. Alas! if we beleeve no more then we ſee, we ſeeme not to live by Faith neither, for Faith beleeves that which it cannot ſee: Oh therefore my ſoule, to make it appeare thou liveſt, and that thou liveſt by Faith; let this be an p. 102Article of thy Creed, that the Angels encampe and pitch their Tents about thee: that if at any time thou bee aſſaulted, if aſſaulted by enemies, if by an Army of enemies, thou maiſt have recourſe to the confidence of this Guard, and never tremble for any Alarum: ſeeing there are more with us, then are againſt us.

But how can the godly thinke they have a Guard about them, when it is for Princes onelyonly to have a Guard; and the godly for the moſt part are but private men? O my ſoule, this is a Guard that attends no leſſe the pooreſt man, then the greateſt Prince, and attends him with as much carefulneſſe, as if he were a Prince.

But if there be Angels to defend the godly, why doe they not defend them? why doe they ſuffer them to be ſo moleſted, ſo afflicted as they are? for who are in ſuch troubles, who groane under ſuch afflictions as the godly? and would this be ſo, if that were ſo? would they be ſo oppreſſed, if they had Angels to relieve them? O my ſoule, thou little conſidereſt the infinite benefits that the godly rereceive by the miniſterie of Angels. If perhaps they ſuffer troubles of the body, doe they not eſcape farre greater of the ſoule? If they endure perhaps ſome momentarie afflictions, doe they not avoid afflictions that would be everlaſting? Is there not an Army of malignant ſpirits to aſſault them, and could they be ſafe from tearing in peeces; if there were not a p. 103campe of Angels to aſſiſt them? But though the Angels be a guard to the whole man, both body and ſoule; yet being creatures ſpirituall and inviſible; they are chiefly a guard to the inviſible and ſpirituall part, which is the ſoule. The body they know muſt goe to the earth, and therefore though a part, is the leaſt part of their care: It is the Soule they chiefly waite upon, becauſe it is the ſoule they chiefly waite for: for they ſtand waiting for the ſoule, when it ſhall leave the body, that they may take it, and carry it into Abrahams boſome: for till then they breake not up their Campe.

And now, O my ſoule, ſeeing the Angels are ſo beneficiall, and ſo good unto us; Oh taſt, Verſe 8 and ſee how good the Lord is: for by the goodneſſe we find in the Angels, we may take a taſte of the goodneſſe that is in God: if it be a great goodneſſe in the Angels to encampe about us: how great is his goodneſſe that gives it them in charge? for the Angels would not doe it, if God did not command them: Alas! they could not doe it, if God did not enable them. Oh then, taſte and ſee, how good the Lord is; Not how good the Angels are, though they bee good, and exceeding good in their kind, as Miniſters: yet what is this to the goodneſſe of God, who is the Fountaine of goodneſſe to the Angels themſelves?

O then, Taſte, and ſee how good the Lord is: for taſte him we may, but we can but taſt him p. 104while we live here, wee ſhall not have a full comprehenſion of him, till wee come to ſee, as we are ſeene, when wee ſhall need no more encamping of Angels round about us.

O then, Taſt and ſee how good the Lord is; but how can wee taſt him that is not bodily? how ſee him that is not viſible? Not him indeed, but his goodneſſe: and not his goodneſſe, neither in its ſelfe, but in its effects; and not in its effects neither, as they ſhall be, but as they are, which God knowes, is but a ſmall part of that they ſhall be.

O then, Taſte, and ſee how good the Lord is: if you would but taſte him, you would never take pleaſure in other meat: if you would but ſee him, you would never delight in other object: O my ſoule, if thou couldſt but taſte the ſweetneſſe; if but ſee the goodneſſe that is in God, it would make thee fall into a greater extaſie, than that of Saint Peter at the ſight of Chriſts glory in the Mount: at leaſt it would weane thee from all the pleaſures, that the taſte, or the ſight, can miniſter to thee in this vaine world; for alas, what are the pleaſures of the taſte, to the ſweetneſſe that is in God, but as bitter Aloes, to the ſweeteſt honey? What are the delights that paſſe by the ſenſes, to the delight in God, that paſſeth all underſtanding? May I not juſtly ſay now: Bleſſed is the man that truſteth in him: for hee that truſteth in God, and he onelyonly, is like to bee admitted to p. 105taſte the ſweetneſſe, and to ſee the goodnaſſe that is in God: which onelyonly are the things that can make us bleſſed. What is it to truſt in God, but to depend wholly upon him, and to put all our confidence in him? To truſt in the world, is to leane upon a broken reede; to truſt in our ſelves, is to leane upon a ſhadow; onelyonly to truſt in God, is the true Terra firma, where the Angels pitch their Tents; and where if wee fixe our ſelves, the gates of Hell can never prevaile againſt us. What preſerved Jonas in the Whales belly? What, Daniel in the Lyons denne; but only their truſt in God? O then my ſoule, doe thou alſo truſt in God, and hee will be the ſame God to thee, the ſame ſafegard in thy dangers, as he was to Jonas and to Daniel. But yet let thy truſting in him be ſuch as that thou preſume not: for there are certaine bounds that muſt not be paſſed: It is as dangerous to goe too farre in truſting in him, as to be too ſhort: and as it is Faith, that puts us on for comming too ſhort, ſo it is Feare that keepes us off from going too farre: O therefore Feare the Verſe 10 Lord yee his ſaints; for there is no want to them that feare him. Verely a ſtrong Motive to make us feare God; ſeeing hee that feares him ſhall want nothing. And yet the Motive not ſo ſtrong, but the reaſon as apparant, for the Feare of the Lord is the beginning of wiſedome; and Wiſedome I may ſay is the godly mans Purviour: and what marvell then if hee p. 106want nothing that hath ſo cunning a Purveiour as Wiſedome, to keepe him from want: but then it muſt be from want of things that are good: for to want other things, is no diſparagement to Wiſedomes pourveyance. O that men would underſtand how to diſtinguiſh betweene things that are truly good indeed, and things that but onelyonly ſeeme good! we ſhould then have a better world then wee have, and men would never complaine of want, when they have but too much: never bee ſo earneſt for ſupply of things, that truly conſidered, are but meerely ſuperfluous. If therefore one that feares God be in any want, we may know that the thing he wants is not good: for if it were good, he ſhould not want it: it may perhaps be good in it ſelfe, but not good for him, and if not good for him, hee cannot be truly ſaid to want it, becauſe indeed he were better be without it.

But is Feare a thing of ſuch force to ſupply our wants? One would rather thinke that boldneſſe and courage ſhould ſupply them? No my ſoule, for what creature ſo couragious Verſe 11 as the Lyon? Yet the young lyons doe lacke, and ſuffer hunger: whether they be young Lyons as depending upon the proviſion of their Parents; or young in the ſtrength of their youth, that can provide for themſelves; yet they ſometimes lacke and ſuffer hunger: for indeed ſtrength of body, is not the beſt Purveiour: No p. 107my ſoule, nothing but wiſedome makes the true purveyance, and no wiſedome without the feare of the Lord; and therefore none but they that feare the Lord can bee free from want.

But is not this a fearefull doctrine, that either wee muſt feare, or elſe wee muſt want? were it not as good to want, as to have our wants ſupplyed by feare? Is not the Remedie worſe then the Diſeaſe? Alas! this is but the objection of Children; either Children in yeares, or Children in underſtanding, who know not what Feare it is I meane: and therefore Come yee children, and hearken to mee: I will Verſe 11 teach you the feare of the Lord: It is not a Feare, that you need be afraid of; it is a feare, that will free you from all other feares; it is a feare that is Active; where all other feares are Paſſive: It is a Feare that workes in love, and who would not love ſuch a Feare? It is a Feare that is joyned with Joy: a Feare, not to offend: but a Joy, for not offending: It is a Feare, not ſo much of Gods juſtice, as of his Mercy: for there is mercy with him that hee may bee feared: It is not a Feare that will ſhorten your life, but be a meanes to prolong it: but then it muſt not be a bare ſpeculative feare, but you muſt put it in practiſe: and theſe may bee the rules: Keepe thy tongue from evill, and thy lippes Verſe 12 from ſpeaking guile: Depart from evill, and do good: ſeeke peace, and purſue it. Long life was once p. 108promiſed before, to them that honour their Parents; and here it is promiſed againe to them that love their Neighbours; for theſe Rules are as the whole body of morall Philoſophie, and are therefore delivered in ſixe parts, like the ſix Commandements of the ſecond Table; which onelyonly concerne our dutie to Neighbours: and in all of them the qualitie of chiefe Predominance, and which keepes then all in tune, is Feare; Keepe thy tongue from evill, for feare of the evill that may enſue: and thy lips from ſpeaking guile, for feare leſt thy guile bee diſcovered to thy ſhame. Depart from evill; for feare of infecting: and doe good, for feare of repenting: Seeke peace, for feare of wanting it; and purſue it, for feare of loſing it. The two firſt Precepts are the dutie of words, for words muſt firſt be regulated, before workes can bee actuated; and they are both Negative; Keepe thy tongue from evill: and thy lips from ſpeaking guile: for it is not required of the tongue to be Eloquent; or of the lips to deliver Oracles: It is enough in the tongue, if it be not irreverent to ſuperiours, nor detracting from equalls: It is enough in the lips, if they be not charmes to deceive, nor Equivocations to delude.

The other Precepts are the dutie of workes, and they are foure; where the Precepts of words were but two; becauſe we muſt be more in workes, then in words: and they are all Affirmative: for it is againſt the nature of a worke, p. 109to be in the Negative: for ſo working ſhould be no better then idleneſſe: the two former are generall, as generall as Good and Evill; that if we meet with any thing that is Evill, our part is to Depart: for there is no demurring upon Evill; No dallying with baytes: leſt ſtaying, we be ſtayed, as Eve was: Therefore depart from evill. If we meet with any thing that is good; our worke is, to fall a working; for vertue conſiſts in action, and is not ſo proper to bee talked of, as to be done: we never reade of any reward for good words onelyonly; but all reward is onelyonly for good workes: Becauſe thou haſt done this; ſaith God to Abraham: Therefore doe good. The two laſt Precepts are ſpeciall; whither we call them ſpeciall, as being particular, or as being excellent, for ſo is Peace: It is the legacie that was left us by Chriſt: and who would loſe Chriſts Legacie, for want of ſeeking it? Therefore ſeeke Peace, and purſue it: but not purſue Peace, for this were to make warre upon peace, but purſue the ſeeking of Peace: for though it be ſaid; ſeeke, and yee ſhall find; yet it is not ſaid how long we muſt ſeeke before wee ſhall find: if therefore ſeeking Peace, you find it not at firſt, purſue the ſeeking it, and you ſhall find it at laſt. Agree with thine Adverſarie while thou art in the way; This is to ſeeke peace: Leave thine offering at the Altar, and goe firſt, and be reconciled: This is to purſue it, Or perhaps the counſell that Saint Paul gives p. 110to Timothy, may expreſſe it plainer: Be inſtant in ſeaſon, and out of ſeaſon: to bee inſtant in ſeaſon, is to ſeeke peace: to be inſtant out of ſeaſon, is to purſue it. Indeed if a man deſire long life, and to ſee good dayes; he muſt have a ſpeciall care of peace: whither it be peace in the humours, or peace in the Paſſions; whither Peace with God, or peace with men: they are all prolongers of life; and life is never ſhortened or diſquieted, but for want of peace in one of theſe, and therefore that you may not bee to ſeeke of long life; ſeeke peace, and purſue it.

And now, O my ſoule, is there not great cauſe, that the feare of the Lord ſhould animate all our words and workes, when ſo great a Majeſtie, as the eye of God is looking upon them? when ſo ſacred an Auditorie, as the Verſe 15 eares of God are hearkening to them? For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous; and his eares are open to their cry; and can any man be ſo without ſhame, as to bee without feare, when he is the ſpectacle which God is pleaſed to looke upon? the ſpeaker which he vouchſafes to hearken to? But, O my ſoule, as it cannot but make thee feare, ſo it cannot but make thee joy; for what greater honour, then to bee the object of Gods eyes and eares? What though the world regard thee not, as long as God regards thee? What are the eyes and eares of the world, but eyes and eares of ſcorne, or elſe of envie: of ſcorne, when in adverſitie, and of p. 111envie in proſperitie? but the eyes of the Lord, are righteous eyes, and are therefore upon the righteous: his eares, are eares of compaſſion, and therefore are open to their cry. But are not the Eyes of the Lord, as well upon the wicked? and what priviledge then is this to the Righteous? No my ſoule, his Eyes are upon the Righteous, but they are againſt the wicked; and not onelyonly his eyes, but his whole Face is againſt them, to cut off their remembrance Verſe 16 from the earth: O my ſoule, as thou conſidereſt with joy, the great force that is in righteouſneſſe, which drawes the eyes, and opens the eares of God: ſo conſider with trembling, the great force that is in ſinne, which not onelyonly turnes away his Eyes, and ſtops his Eares, but makes him to bend his whole Face in furie; that if his favours of looking upon us, and hearkening to us, cannot winne us to feare him out of love: at leaſt the bending his Face againſt us in anger, may force us to feare him out of terrour: for he bends not his Face to make a ſhew onelyonly, as though he did but ſet a face upon it; but it is to cut off the very remembrance of them that doe evill from the Earth.

But may not the wicked erect Tombes and Monuments, that will preſerve their remembrance for many Ages: perhaps as long as the Earth ſhall endure? and how then is their remembrance cut off from the Earth? but from p. 112what Earth? is it not meant from the Land of the living? that in this may be ſeene the different condition, betweene the godly and the wicked; for as it is ſaid here, that the remembrance of the wicked ſhall be cut off from the Earth; ſo it is ſaid in another place of the godly, that they ſhall be had in everlaſting remembrance: and where is any everlaſting remembrance to be had, but in the Land of the living? Indeed to have their remembrance cut off in this Earth, is not worthy of Gods threatning: It is the cutting off from the Land of the living, which is the blotting them out of the Booke of life; that is a worke worthy of Gods ſetting his Face againſt them, and this may well bee called a cutting off; not onelyonly becauſe it ſhall come ſuddenly upon them, but becauſe they are never like to be heard; Alas! never like to be heard of any more, which can never be the condition of the godly, for they can never be ſo out of remembrance, but that they ſhall bee alwayes heard of God: For the righteous cry; Verſe 17 and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

But how is it like to be true, that the godly ſhall never be forgotten, when they ſeeme to be forgotten already while they live? for how elſe ſhould it happen, that they are more in trouble, in more trouble than other men, but that God hath caſt them out of his remembrance? O my ſoule, their very being in trouble, p. 113is a certaine argument that God remembers them: if he had not remembred Job, and his righteouſneſſe, he would never have given Sathan ſo much leave as he did to trouble him. For indeed, though troubles be judgements to the wicked; and are as the firſt blowes to cut off their remembrance from the earth, yet they are but tryals to the godly, and doe but ſerve to make their remembrance be the freſher. Doe we not ſee how Trees are nipt with froſt and cold, and not ſo much as a leafe left hanging upon them, ſcarce ſo much as life remaining in them? but is it not to renue in them the freſher ſpringing, and to make way for fruits in a greater plentie? and ſuch are the troubles of the godly, they end in deliverance; and though they be bitter for the preſent, yet they make the joyes afterward to taſte the ſweeter. And what marvell, if God heare the cry of the righteous, being ſo nigh unto them as hee is? For the Lord is nigh unto them, that are of a broken Verſe 18 heart: Not broken with envie, as many are: Not broken with deſpaire, as ſome are; but broken with ſenſe of their ſinne, as the righteous are; for this onelyonly is the broken heart, to which God is nigh: and hee is not nigh it, in vaine: No my ſoule, it is good having God to be our neighbour; for hee ſaves all them to whom he is nigh; Hee ſaves all them that bee of a contrite, and humble heart: the lower they are in their owne eyes, the higher they are in his: p. 114and when their heart is broken with ſenſe of their ſinne, he makes it whole againe with ſupply Verſe 19 of his grace. It is true; Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers them out of all. For the righteous have many enemies, and therefore muſt needes have many troubles; but their troubles are not troubleſome, becauſe they have the Lord for their deliverer; if it be ſickneſſe, he makes their bed, in their ſickneſſe: If it be hunger, hee fills the hungrie with good things, when hee ſends the rich emptie away: if it be Death it ſelfe; Domini, Domini ſunt exitus mortis; the iſſues of Death are all in Gods hands: and all this while, though their heart be broken, yet their bones are whole ſtill: They may have thornes in the fleſh, but not a bone of theirs is broken: for one of Verſe 20 their bones is Faith, which though it may bee ſhaken, yet it cannot bee broken: Another of their bones is Hope, which though it may bee battered, yet it cannot be broken: and Patience is a bone, which may be vexed, but can never be broken: for in all of them, the Lord hath a hand; Hee upholds the righteous, that they cannot fall: Hee ſtrengthens them that they cannot faint, and as long as their bones bee whole, they are able to ſtand upright, and ſhrinke not for any burthen, that either the Fleſh, or the World can lay upon them. And though David in this, have an eye perhaps upon Chriſt, of whom indeed there was not a p. 115Bone broken; yet what is ſpoken of the Head, may not incongruouſly bee applyed to the Members: and in the ſoundneſſe of Chriſts bones, the bones of the godly are kept from breaking. But the troubles of the wicked are of another nature; for, Evill ſhall ſlay the wicked; Verſe 21 and they that hate the righteous ſhall be deſolate. Their hearts perhaps are broken too, but becauſe they are not broken with ſenſe of their ſinne, but with ſpight and malice to the Righteous, there ſhall be none to make them whole, but their owne evill, ſhall be their owne deſtruction; and having none to deliver them, they ſhall be left deſolate, and without all hope of helpe. But ſhall not the wicked then have this good by being deſolate, that as they have none to helpe them, ſo they have none to hurt them? Alas! it needes not, they doe it faſt enough themſelves; for Sinne is a recoyling Poyſon; it turnes violently backe upon them that commit it: and it may be truly ſaid of every wicked man, that he is Felo de ſe, a Murtherer of himſelfe. Though Righteouſneſſe of it ſelfe, doth not ſave the Righteous, but they need a Saviour beſides; yet wickedneſſe of it ſelfe deſtroyes the wicked, they need no other Deſtroyer: Perditio tua ex te, O Iſrael; Thy deſtruſtion is from thy ſelfe, O Iſrael.

And, O my ſoule, what great Examples there are to verefie this ſaying; They that hate the righteous, ſhall be deſolate. When Cain hated p. 116the righteous Abel, was he not thereupon made deſolate, and became a Vagabond, forſaken both of God and man? but in a higher degree; when the wicked Jewes hated Chriſt the righteous, was there not a Voyce heard as of Angels, ſaying; Migremus hinc: Let us depart from this place? and thereupon left them deſolate, without Prince, or Prophet; without Temple, or Altar, to this day? You may ſay perhaps, that Cain might eaſily be made deſolate, having killed his brother in a time, when there was no more in the whole world, but that one Familie: but how can the wicked bee made deſolate now, when Totus mundus in maligno eſt poſitus; When all the world is full of them; and no Beaſts ſo herd together as they doe? But is it not, that Deſolateneſſe conſiſts not ſo much in want of company, as in want of comfort: was Job the leſſe deſolate for having company, of whom to ſay; Miſerable comforters are ye all? much leſſe ſhal the wicked be the leſſe deſolate for having company of whom to ſay; Miſerable Tormentours are yee all: for alas, all their companie, ſhall bee either Companions in their torments, or Companions their tormentours: which can never bee the caſe of the godly: for though they be not ſo perfect, not to have their faults, yet they are ſo happy, not to have them imputed: for being Gods ſervants, Hee will redeeme them: though they be taken captive, yet hee will not p. 117ſuffer them to continue Captives: but rather then not redeeme them, he will give his onelyonly Sonne to be their ranſome.

But yet how can the godly chooſe but bee Deſolate, when the whole world ſcarce affords enow to make a company? and where then can company be had to keepe them from being deſolate? O my ſoule, they have Angels to pitch their Tents about them, while they live here, and hereafter they ſhall come to bee Citizens in the New Hieruſalem, where they ſhall have company enough: Prieſts, and Patriarks; Prophets, and Apoſtles; Martyrs, and Confeſſours; bleſſed Virgins, and chiefly the Bleſſed Virgin; but above all, where they ſhall ſee the Bleſſed face of God; whoſe onelyonly ſight is able; whoſe ſight is onelyonly able to keepe from being deſolate: and then at leaſt I ſhall bee as able to performe my Vow, as now I am ready to make it: I will bleſſe the Lord at all times; his Praiſe ſhall continually be in my mouth.

THE EIGHTIE FOVRTH PSALME OF DAVID.

1 HOw amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of hoſts!

2 My ſoule longeth; yea, even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord: My heart, and my fleſh, cryeth out for the living God.

3 Yea, the Sparrow hath found an houſe; and the Swallow a neſt for her ſelfe, where ſhee may lay her young: even thine Altars, O Lord of Hosts, my King, and my God.

4 Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe; they will be ſtill prayſing thee.

5 Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſtrength is in thee; and in whoſe heart are thy wayes.

6 Who paſsing thorow the valley of Baca, make it a Well: the raine alſo filleth the pooles.

7 They goe from ſtrength, to ſtrength; every one of them in Syon appeareth before God.

8 O Lord God of hoſts, heare my prayer; Give eare, O God of Iacob.

9 Behold, O God, our ſhield; and looke upon the face of thine Anoynted.

10 For a day in thy Courts, is better then a thouſand: I had rather be a doore keeper in the houſe of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedneſſe.

11 For the Lord God is a Sunne and a ſhield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will hee with-hold from them that walke uprightly.

12 O Lord of Hoſts; Bleſſed is the man that truſteth in thee.