Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Seven Consolatory Psalms of David, Commentary 5
MEDITATIONS VPONUPON THE LXXXIV. PSALME OF DAVID.
WHen wee cannot expreſſe the Verſe 1 greatneſſe of a thing in direct tearmes; wee are faine to flye to wonder, and ſo doth David here; becauſe he cannot expreſſe ſufficiently how amiable the Tabernacles of the Lord are; hee therefore falls to wondering, and helpes himſelfe with a queſtion: How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts? But is not Davids wondering it ſelfe wonderfull, that the Tabernacles of the Lord of Hoſts ſhould be ſo wonderfully amiable? Is it not a wonder they ſhould bee amiable at all? For are not his Tabernacles, Tents of Warre? and is there any thing in Warre that can be amiable? If he had ſaid; How terrible are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts; his wonder had beene with ſome congruitie: for the Lord of Hoſts is terrible in all his workes: but to ſay, How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts; ſeeme to imply a contradiction: for though they may be amiable, as they are Tabernacles; yet they muſt needs bee terrible, as they are Tabernacles of the Lord of Hoſts: and when this Terribleneſſe hath made an abatement in their Amiableneſſe: What place will be left for wonder, to give cauſe to ſay; How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts? But if hee had ſayd; How terrible are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts; though it might have beene wonderfull in the degree, yet it could not bee wonderfull in the kind: for what wonder is it, if the Tabernacles of the Lord of Hoſts bee terrible? but when he ſaith; How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of Hoſts; this is not onelyonly wonderfull in the degree; but in the kind, much more. For what can be more wonderfull, then that being Tabernacles of the Lord of Hoſts, they ſhould be amiable, and ſo amiable, as to be wondred at? But is it not, that God is in himſelfe ſo amiable, that all things of His, even his Terrours themſelves are amiable: his Tabernacles and his Tents; his Sword, and his Speare; his Darts, and his Arrowes; all amiable: Terrible no doubt to his Enemies; but amiable, wonderfull amiable to all that love and feare him: and great reaſon they ſhould be ſo; ſeeing they are all in their defence, and for their ſafeguard: though they be Tabernacles of the Lord of Hoſts to the wicked, yet they are Courts of the Prince of peace to the godly: and this makes my ſoule to Verſe 2 long for the courts of the Lord. For I deſire indeed to be a Courtier, yet not as I am now; God knowes I am very unfit for it: but becauſe Gods Courts are ſuch, they make any one fit, that but comes into them: they receive not men fit, but make them fit; and he that was before, but a ſhrub in Baca; aſſoone as hee comes into the Courts of the Lord, is preſently made a Cedar in Lebanon.
Indeed, if his Tabernacles bee ſo wonderfull amiable; they muſt needs be as wonderfull attractive, for there is no ſuch Adamant as Amiableneſſe: Nothing that ſo powerfully attracts, and drawes all hearts unto it. And to know the meaſure of their Amiableneſſe, by the power of their Attracting, you need but looke upon my ſoule: For, my ſoule longeth, and even fainteth for the Courts of the Lord: which it would never doe, if it were not for their wonderfull amiableneſſe, that attracts, and drawes it by a kind of violence, indeed by a kind violence unto them.
Every Amiableneſſe is not ſo great to make a longing: Nor every longing ſo great, to make a fainting: Nor every fainting ſo great, to make the ſoule to faint: Oh then conſider, how great this Amiableneſſe is, which makes my ſoule not onelyonly to long, but to faint with longing? And blame me not for fainting, as though it were my owne fault, that would not reſtraine my longing: for ſeeing his Tabernacles are of infinite amiableneſſe, they muſt needs worke in me an infinite delighting; and that delighting, an infinite longing: and what reſtraint can there be of that which is infinite? No alas, my fainting is but anſwerable to my longing, and my longing but anſwerable to the Amiableneſſe: If I had the offer made me, which was made to Chriſt, to enjoy all the Kingdomes of the Earth, but with condition to want the Courts of the Lord; this want would bring to my ſoule a greater griefe, then that enjoying, would give it contentment: for ſeeing his Tabernacles are ſo amiable, where he is Lord of Hoſts; how amiable muſt they needs be, where hee is Prince of Peace? and Prince of Peace he is in his Courts, though in his Campe he be Lord of Hoſts.
And that you may know it is not the weakneſſe of my ſoule, that it faints with longing: (for indeed weake ſpirits are apt to faint upon every light occaſion) but that it is the very operation of the wonderfull attractive power, that is in the amiableneſſe of his Courts: ſee my Heart, and my Fleſh alſo, how they are drawne to long after the Lord, which they would never doe, if it were not for ſome wonderfull amiableneſſe that is in him: for you may well thinke, it muſt bee an Adamant of a wonderfull attractive power, that can draw theſe heavy I rons of my heart, and my fleſh unto it: for indeed, though my Soule have a longing for the Courts of the Lord, yet my Body perhaps could be content to want them; there are Courts in the world, that might pleaſe my Body as well; perhaps better then theſe, but God forbid: God forbid I ſhould be one, to have my ſoule and body divided while they are united, to have my ſoule runne one way, and my body another: No, I am none of thoſe; but aſſoone as my ſoule longed for the Courts of the Lord; My heart, and my fleſh fell a longing for the living God: As my Soule longed for the Place, ſo my heart, and my fleſh, for the Perſon: for my heart, and my fleſh, are of a duller apprehenſion; they muſt have a preſent Enjoying of that they long for, or they cannot be ſatisfied: but my ſoule is of a cleerer ſight, and knows if it can but come to the place where he is, it ſhall be ſure withall, to enjoy his preſence, and with his preſence, his Perſon. The Soule indeed is a ſpirituall ſubſtance, and therefore it is natural to the ſoule, to long after ſpiritual things; but the fleſh is an earthly ſubſtance, and therefore it is naturall to the fleſh, to long after earthly things: and as long as theſe two are linked in the Body together, they will alwayes be working upon one another, alwayes ſeeking to draw each other to their partie: and if the Soule can draw the fleſh, to goe her ſpirituall way, then all is well: it is as it ſhould be: but if the Fleſh draw the Soule to goe her earthly way, then all is out of order; there will be no longing for the Courts of the Lord, for they are ſpirituall, and are never longed for, but where the Soule is predominant, and hath the leading. And this is the order in Davids longing: firſt his Soule begins to long for the Courts of the Lord; and this is yet but a ſingle cord: but then comes in, the Heart, and the Fleſh too; and make it a Cord of three, that is impoſſible to bee broken. Indeed the Courts of the Lord are ſo exceeding amiable, that it is impoſſible, but every ſoule muſt needs long after them: but yet every ſoule conſiders not what belongs to this longing: but as Balaam longed to dye the death of the Righteous, yet was loath to live the life of the Righteous; ſo there are many that long for the Courts of the Lord, but are loath to live the life of ſuch Courtiers. They that be in Kings houſes, weare ſilke, and ſoft rayment, becauſe ſo it is fit for the honour of the place; and they that will be in the Courts of the Lord, muſt likewiſe weare rayment, that is fit for the holineſſe of the place: they muſt be cloathed with the ſoft rayment of meekneſſe, and humilitie; they muſt put on the robe of Righteouſneſſe, and the garment of Sinceritie; or becauſe they are Courts of the Lord of Hoſts: their cloathing muſt rather be in Armour, as Saint Paul expreſſeth it; they muſt take the ſhield of Faith, the Helmet of Salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit; and if they come thus Cloathed, and thus Armed, they may juſtly then be ſaid, to long for the Courts of the Lord: but if they weare not theſe garmens, their longing will prove but a falſe conception, and they ſhall heare it ſaid: Friend, what makeſt thou here, without a Wedding garment?
If my God were, as the Gods of the Heathen, that have bodyes, but live not; that have eares, but heare not; my heart, and my fleſh, would then never cry after him, that could not heare them: but now that he is a living God, and hath eares to heare; how can they now forbeare to cry after him, that cannot be without him? for alas, if hee ſhould leave them, what would become of them? what would my heart be, but as a dead corps; and what would my fleſh be, but as the Coffin?
Thou affordeſt, O Lord, thy meaneſt creatures, Verſe 3 their places of reſt and pleaſure; The Sparrow hath found an houſe; and the Swallow a neſt for her ſelfe, where ſhee may lay her young: and wilt thou not afford me to enjoy thine Altars, the onelyonly places of reſt and pleaſure to my ſoule? Alas! O Lord, if thou wilt not afford me thine Altars, for places of pleaſure; at leaſt afford them to me for places of Devotion; that if I cannot make them a Neſt for my young ones; my humble Meditations, and my penitent ſubmiſſions; at leaſt I may offer upon them, the ſacrifices of Prayer, of praiſe, and Thankſ-giving.
I knew before by thy Courts, thou wert a King; and now I know by thine Altars, thou art a God; that confidently now I can ſay; O Lord of Hoſts, my King, and my God: that if I feared thee before, as Lord of Hoſts; I honour thee more now as my King: and adore thee more yet as my God; which as they are to thee, the tender of my dutifulneſſe; ſo they are no leſſe to me, the meanes of my bleſſedneſſe: Verſe 4 For bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe, they will ſtill be praiſing thee.
But alas, how happens this? There were Tabernacles before, as belonging to a Lord; and Courts, as belonging to a King; and Altars, as belonging to a God: and now to be but a Houſe, as belonging to a private man? and ſo all this great Riſing to end in a Fall? No, my ſoule, it is no Fall: it is an aggregation rather of all the other; for where his Tabernacles did but ſerve to ſhew his Power: his Courts but to ſhew his Majeſtie, his Altars, but to ſhew his Deitie; his Houſe ſerves to ſhew them all: for in his Houſe there will bee ſtill prayſing him: and his Praiſe and Glory is the ſumme of all. Or is it, that to dwell in Gods houſe, is a kind of appropriating him to our ſelves, ſeeing his Tabernacles, and his Courts, lye open to ſtrangers; his Houſe, open to none but his ſervants: and ſeeing in the neereneſſe to God, and converſing with him, conſiſts all true bleſſedneſſe; therefore, Bleſſed are they that dwell in his Houſe. But how dwell in it? Not to looke in ſometimes, as we paſſe by; or to ſtay in it a time, as we doe at an Inne; but to be conſtant abiders in it day and night, as to which we have devoted our ſelves, and vowed our ſervice.
But it may be doubted, when David ſaith; Bleſſed are they that dwell in Gods houſe: What Dwelling it is he meanes; whither dwelling in it, as Tenants, or as ſervants? for if as Tenants, it is like there is ſome Rent to be paid, and there is ſmall Bleſſedneſſe in paying of Rent: It would be a more bleſſed thing, if they could dwell in his Houſe, and pay him no Rent. If as ſervants, it is like there is ſome worke to bee done, and there is ſmall bleſſedneſſe in working: It would be a more bleſſed thing, if they could be his ſervants, and doe no worke, and how then comes any Bleſſedneſſe in, by dwelling in his Houſe? Indeed take it either way, let them dwell in his Houſe as tenants, or as ſervants, and they ſhall bee Bleſſed: let them have Rent to pay, as Tenants; let them have worke to doe, as ſervants, and yet they ſhall be bleſſed: and that which may ſeeme moſt ſtrange, the Rent, and the Worke which ſeeme to hinder their bleſſedneſſe, is the very thing that makes them be bleſſed: for they are both but one thing, both but praiſing of God; and praiſing of God is the onelyonly thing, that whether they be Tenants, or Servants; whether Bond, or Free, will make them be Bleſſed.
And yet there is a Dwelling that hath not yet beene thought of; a Dwelling indeed that makes the true Bleſſedneſſe: and it is, to dwell in Gods houſe, neither as Tenants, nor yet as ſervants, but as ſonnes: for neither Tenants nor Servants, abide in the houſe for ever, onelyonly the Sonne abideth for ever: and therefore though the Houſe of God ſeeme a meaner Title, then his Tabernacles, and his Courts; yet to us, it is the more comfortable title, ſeeing it makes us to be ſonnes, which neither his Tabernacles, nor his Courts can doe.
But how appeares it to bee true, that they who dwell in Gods houſe, wil alwayes be praiſing him? ſeeing it is but ſeldome ſeene, that ſervants be ſo forward to praiſe their Maſters? O my ſoule, it is not ſo much the good diſpoſitions of the ſervants; as the infinite worthineſſe of the Maſter, that makes them to praiſe him: for when they ſee the admirable O economie of his Government, when they ſee how ſweetly he diſpoſeth all things in weight and meaſure, when they find him to uſe them more like children, then ſervants; what heart can bee ſo ungratefull as not to praiſe him? and ſeeing by dwelling in Gods Houſe, they ſee theſe things continually; therefore they that dwell in his Houſe, will alwayes bee praiſing him.
But is it not a ſtrange reaſon of Bleſſedneſſe, to ſay they are bleſſed, becauſe they are ſtill praiſing him? to be praiſed themſelves, might perhaps be ſome bleſſedneſſe: but what bleſſedneſſe can it be to praiſe another? Indeed if that other, were but ſuch another as our ſelves, it could be none: but when that other is ſuch, as that there is not ſuch another, or rather not another at all, to praiſe ſuch a one, certainly muſt needs bee bleſſedneſſe, or there can bee none; and ſuch a one is God: for alas what are we, but that in him wee live, and move, and have our Being: Hee onelyonly is All in All. O my ſoule, if it were not for praiſing of God, there had never beene Created ſuch a thing as Prayſe: at leaſt we may juſtly ſay, that God, and Prayſe, are as truly Relatives, as any that are found in either Art, or Nature.
You may ſay then, It is like to bee an eaſie matter to be Bleſſed, if there goe no more to Bleſſedneſſe, but prayſing of God. Marke therefore how David ſpeakes; They will be ſtill prayſing him. It is not enough to praiſe him; it muſt bee a praiſing him ſtill, before it will make a Bleſſedneſſe, and though to praiſe God be an eaſie matter; yet to praiſe him ſtill, will be found a buſie worke; indeed to fleſh and bloud a miſerable worke; for if I be ſtill praiſing him, what time ſhall I have for any pleaſure? O my ſoule, if thou make it not thy pleaſure, thy chiefe, thy onelyonly pleaſure to bee prayſing him; thou art not like in haſt to come to Bleſſedneſſe. And marvell not that David ſpeakes thus under the Law; When Saint Paul under the Goſpell ſaith as much: Whether ye eat, or drinke, or whatſoever yee doe elſe; let all be done to the glory, and praiſe of God. And indeed, how can I doubt of attaining to Bleſſedneſſe by praiſing of God; when it is praiſing of God; that makes the Angels in heaven Bleſſed? for the ſeeing of God, would never make them bleſſed, if ſeeing him, they did not praiſe him: and praiſing him would never make them bleſſed, if they did not praiſe him continually; crying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabbath: for as we praiſe God here on Earth, with ſaying, O Lord God of Hoſts; becauſe here, he fighteth for us againſt our enemies; ſo wee ſhall praiſe him in heaven with ſaying, O Lord God of Sabbath, becauſe there he will give us reſt from our enemies.
Verſe 5 But if it bee thought that praiſing of God will not be enough to make Bleſſedneſſe, or not to make Bleſſedneſſe enough; at leaſt, take this with it, and it will ſurely be enough: Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſtrength is in God: and in whoſe heart his wayes are. For though our praiſing of God, being our owne worke muſt needs be too weake to make a bleſſedneſſe; yet when our ſtrength is in God, this makes it his worke, and then our bleſſedneſſe hath a ſure foundation. When we truſt to our owne ſtrength for Bleſſedneſſe, we are often deceived, indeed as often as alwayes; but when our ſtrength is in God, we may reſt ſecure; our bleſſedneſſe is upon a Rocke, and cannot be ſhaken. But then Gods wayes muſt be in our hearts: for what way hath his ſtrength to the heart, if his wayes be not in the heart: That's their place, if wee looke for ſtrength from him. Are we not in a continuall fight againſt Sin; and have we any ſtrength to fight, but onelyonly in him? and will he take it well to be placed in a Wing? No my ſoule, he will ſtrengthen us no longer then hee is placed in the heart of the Battell: That's his place, if wee looke to bee ſtrengthened in him.
It is not enough that Gods wayes bee knowne, if they be not walked in; nor walked in, if not embraced: and it is not enough to embrace them with the armes, which is oftentimes feigned, and but onelyonly complimentall; they muſt be embraced, with the two armes of the heart; Integritie, and Sinceritie: Integritie will embrace them all; Sinceritie will embrace no other. Though Gods wayes be many, yet they muſt all goe into one Heart; if any be left out, the reſt will not tarry; though they muſt be in ſingleneſſe of heart, yet they muſt not be ſingle in the heart; They are fruites that grow in cluſters, not one by one.
There are many that have Gods wayes in their mouthes, can talke holily, and make Sermons of godlineſſe, though they bee no Preachers; but becauſe they draw neere to God with their lips, and their hearts, are farre from him; they are like to have but the Phariſees entertainment, not ſo well juſtified as the Publican. There are many that have Gods wayes in their hands, they give almes plentifully, they diſtribute their bread to the Poore liberally; but becauſe their left hand knowes what their right hand doth; they have their reward already. They that have Gods wayes in their hearts, they onelyonly are in the right way to bleſſedneſſe, and no rubbes of the world can turne them out of the way. For when Gods wayes are in the heart together, they lend aſſiſtance to Verſe 6 one another; For paſsing thorow the Valley of Baca, they make it a Well; the raine alſo filleth the pooles, That which ſeemed an impediment turnes to a furtherance; at leaſt, no miſery can be ſo great no eſtate ſo barren, but a godly heart can make it a Well; out of which to draw forth water of comfort; either water to clenſe, and make it a way to Repentance, or water to coole, and make it a way to Patience; or water to moyſten, and make it a way of growing in grace; and if the Well happen to bee dry, and afford no water from below; yet the raine ſhall fill their pooles, and ſupply them with water from above; If naturall forces bee not ſufficient; there ſhall bee ſupernaturall graces added to aſſiſt them: that though troubles of the world ſeeme rubs in the way to bleſſedneſſe: yet in truth they are none, they hinder not arriving at the marke we ayme at; they hinder us not from being made Members of Syon; they hinder us not from approaching the preſence of God: No my ſoule, they are rather helpes; for by this meanes, wee goe from ſtrength to ſtrength; from ſtrength of Patience, to ſtrength of Hope; from ſtrength of Hope, to ſtrength of Faith; from ſtrength of Faith, to ſtrength of Viſion; and then will be accompliſhed that which David ſpeakes here; Bleſſed is the man, whoſe ſtrength is in God; and in whoſe heart his wayes are.
If my ſtrength were not in God, I ſhould not dare to call upon him, being Lord of Hoſts: but now that my ſtrength is in him, and that I know hee is Lord of Hoſts for me, and not againſt me: a Shield to me, a Sword onelyonly to my enemies: now I have confidence to ſay: O Lord God of Hoſts, heare my prayer: give eare, Verſe 7 O God of Jacob: for as I doubt not but hee will heare me, though he bee Lord of Hoſts: ſo I have much more confidenne, he will give eare unto me, being the God of Jacob: for he hath made a Covenant with Jacob, and with his poſteritie for ever: that he will be their God, and they ſhall be his people: of which number, it is my happineſſe that I am one; not after the fleſh, which profiteth nothing, but according to Faith, the onelyonly thing that makes the true Iſraelite.
But yet what good will it doe me, that God heare my prayer, and give eare unto it, if he be ſtill averſe, and turne away his Face? O therefore, Behold, O Lord, our ſhield, and looke upon the face of thine anoynted: For I ſhall never come to looke upon thy Face, if thou vouchſafe not firſt, to looke upon mine: if thou afford me not as well the benefit of thine Eyes, to looke upon me, as the favour of thine Eares to heare me; I ſhall be left onelyonly, to a bare expectation, but never come to the happineſſe of Fruition; but when thou vouchſafeſt to looke upon my face; that looke of thine, hath an influence of all true bleſſedneſſe, and makes me find what a happineſſe it is, to have the God of Jacob for my ſhield.
But it ſhould ſeeme that this Prayer belongs onelyonly to David, or at leaſt to Kings, who like David are the Lords anoynted, and what is it then to us that are private perſons? It is true indeed, that Kings are the Lords anoynted in a ſpeciall manner: but yet every child of God is his anoynted too; for why elſe is it ſaid of Chriſt, that he was anoynted with the oyle of gladneſſe, above his fellowes; if it bee not that his fellowes, meaning the children of God, be anoynted too? Anoynted no doubt with the oyle of Grace; but to bee anoynted with the oyle of gladneſſe, is the very thing I pray for here: the very thing, that makes mee long ſo much for the Courts of the Lord: For one day Verſe 10 in his courts, is better then a thouſand: It is not ſo much the length of time, as the meaſure of joy that makes the bleſſedneſſe: Or is it, that one day which ſhall never end; as the day is in Gods Courts, is better than a thouſand which have an end, as all the dayes of this world are. If he had ſaid, one day in his Courts, is as good as a thouſand; though this had beene a mighty odds, yet it had bin but a thouſand to one, there had at leaſt beene ſome proportion: but when he ſaith; One day in his Courts, is beter than a thouſand; this ſeemes to exceed all poſſibilitie of compariſon, and leaves no place for any proportion. Indeed one day in his Courts, gives ſeiſin of Eternitie, where a Thouſand that are ſpent any where elſe, are but ſteps of Mortalitie. If I be but one day in his Courts, I ſhall ſee that which will bee a joy unto mee, all the dayes of my life: where if I be a thouſand in any other Courts; I ſhall ſee nothing but vanitie, and vexation of ſpirit, that which will grieve me to thinke of, as often as I remember it. And as it is true in reſpect of Time; ſo it is no leſſe true in reſpect of Place: For, I had rather be a doore-keeper in the houſe of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedneſſe. But is it ſuch a diſparagement to be a Doore-keeper? What was the Angell with the flaming Sword, but the Doore-keeper of Paradiſe? and is there not a conceit, that Saint Peter is the Doore-keeper of Heaven? Which though it be a vaine conceit, yet it may leade us to this congruous interpretation of Davids ſpeech, to conceive as if he ſaid, that hee had rather be Saint Peter in the houſe of God, then be Annas, or Caiphas, in the Court of Herod. Indeed in the ſence that Chriſt is a Doore; David may well bee content to be a Doore-keeper: and though in Gods Houſe, there bee many Manſions; yet ſeeing all of them are glorious, even the Doore-keepers place is not without its glory. But if you thinke the Office to be meane: conſider then whoſe Officer hee is: for even a Doore-keeper is an officer in Gods houſe; and God never diſplaceth his Officers, unleſſe it be to advance them to a higher: Where in the Courts of Princes, the greateſt Officers are often-times diſplaced; turn'd off often with diſgrace. However it be, it ſhewes not onelyonly the great glory of Gods Houſe, but the great humilitie of Davids heart; and that he is not of the ambitious humour of the Mother of Zebedees ſonnes, whom no place would ſerve for her ſonnes, but to have one of them ſit at his Right hand, the other at his left. O gracious God, grant me but a Doore-keepers place in thy houſe, and I will never aſpire after any higher roome: Not that I deſire, to let in, and keepe out whom I pleaſe, but that I may thereby have liberty to walke in thy houſe, and to enjoy thy Preſence, in whoſe preſence is the fulneſſe of Joy for evermore. What are the Tents of wickedneſſe, but like Caves that have no light, and like Vineyards that have no Fences? and is there any compariſon to bee made betweene ſuch Tents; and the meaneſt place in the Houſe of God, where God not onelyonly affordeth Light, but is Himſelfe the Light; Not onelyonly is a Defendour, but the Defence it ſelfe? For the Lord is a Sunne and ſhield; the Lord will give grace and glory. I had heard Verſe 11 before, that In ſole poſuit Tabernaculum ſuum: God hath placed his Tabernacle in the Sunne; But I never knew he was himſelfe a Sunne till now: but what Sunne? Not the Sunne that is but the child of light, but the Sunne who is the Father of Lights: Not the Sunne that was not, till three dayes after it was light; but the Sunne that was before ever any light was made; Not the Sunne which the Heathen commit Idolatrie in worſhipping; but the Sunne whom it is Idolatrie not to worſhip. Oh that the Heathen would all worſhip this Sunne: it ſhould not then be ſaid; Plures adorant Solem orientem, quam occidentem: That more worſhip the Sunne riſing, then ſetting: for this Sunne once Riſen, never ſets againe; once ſhining, is never any more Ecclipſed. Oh then vouchſafe, O God, if thou be a Sunne, to lighten my darkneſſe; if a ſhield, to protect my weakneſſe: if thou bee a Sunne, warme my ſoule with the beames of Devotion; if a ſhield, defend my ſoule from the blowes of Temptation: if thou be a Sunne, O ſhine upon me, with the light of thy Countenance; if a Shield, O ſtand betweene me, and the aſſaults of Sathan; for alas, O Lord, I am darkneſſe, and weakneſſe, the Anvile of temptations, the very Butt of Sathan, if thou bee not a Sunne, and a Shield unto mee. O my ſoule, God will doe more then this; Hee will give grace and glory: Grace to be a Shield unto us, and Glory to be a Sunne unto us; Hee will give Grace to prevent us, and Glory to follow us: Grace, to walke uprightly; and Glory, if walking uprightly: Grace for a foundation to Glory, and Glory for a Crowne to Grace: and if theſe things bee not enough, hee will doe more yet: Doe thou but walke uprightly, and what good things ſoever there are in Gods gift, they ſhall all be given thee: for No good thing will God with-hold from them that live uprightly.
But how is this true, when God often-times with-holds Riches, and Honours, and health of body from men, though they walke never ſo uprightly? We may therefore know, that honours, and riches, and bodily ſtrength, are none of Gods good things: they are of the number of things indifferent, which God beſtowes promiſcuouſly upon the juſt, and unjuſt, as the raine to fall, and the Sunne to ſhine: The good things of God, are chiefly Peace of conſcience, and joy in the Holy Ghoſt, in this life; Fruition of Gods Preſence, and Viſion of his bleſſed Face, in the next: and theſe good things God never beſtowes upon the wicked, never with-holds from the godly; and are all caſt up in one ſumme, where it is ſaid, Beati mundo corde, quoniam ipſi videbunt Deum: Bleſſed are the pure of Heart, (and ſuch are onelyonly they that walke uprightly) for they ſhall ſee God. But is walking uprightly ſuch a matter with God, that it ſhould be ſo rewarded? Is it not more pleaſing to God to ſee us goe ſtooping, then walking upright; ſeeing ſtooping is the gate of Humilitie; then which, there is nothing to God more pleaſing? It is no doubt a hard matter, to ſtoope, and goe upright, both at once; yet both muſt be done, and both indeed are done, are done at once by every one that is godly; but when I ſay, they are done both at once, I meane not of the body: I know two ſuch poſtures in the Body both at once, are impoſſible: but the Soule can doe it, the Soule can ſtoope, and goe upright, both at once; for then doth the Soule walke upright before God, when it ſtoopes in humilitie before God and men.
And what remaines now for David to doe, but to bring in the concluſion upon the Premiſſes, ſeeing the Lord of Hoſts, though his Name be dreadfull, yet his Nature is lovely, ſeeing he is a Sunne to cheriſh, and a Shield to Defend; ſeeing he gives Grace and Glory, and with-holds no good thing from them that walke uprightly; Therefore bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him.
And what remaines now for us to doe, but to receive this Concluſion of David, as an abſolute Demonſtration: and thereupon to walke uprightly, and to put our whole truſt and confidence in God, through the merits of his Son Chriſt Jeſus; for then we are ſure, wee are in a ſure way, of attaining to Bleſſedneſſe, to Eternall bleſſedneſſe: that after this, we may leave our wondring, yet continue our Admiring; How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord God of Hoſts!