Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Seven Consolatory Psalms of David, Commentary 7
MEDITATIONS VPONUPON THE CXVI. PSALME OF DAVID.
BUt how can David ſay Verſe 1 ſo peremptorily; I will love the Lord: as though it were in his owne power to love whom he liſt? Indeed nothing is ſo voluntary as love, that it ſeemes to be the extremitie of the will: for then wee are ſaid to love a thing, when the will is inclined, and violently bent upon it: and yet I know not how, there ſeemes nothing more conſtrained then love; for we often-times love a thing, which we would faine wee could forbeare to love; but that we are drawne to love it, by a kind of violence in the object: and therefore David may well ſay; I will love the Lord: ſeeing both the cauſes of love are here met, a propenſion in the Will, and an excellencie in the Object.
Man indeed is naturally a loving Creature, but doth not alwayes place his love aright: his love is then beſt placed, when it is placed upon the beſt Object; and what is that beſt Object, but God? If he place it upon Beauty, that fadeth: If upon Riches, they periſh: If upon Honour, that vaniſheth: If upon life, that waſteth: but all theſe are in God, not onelyonly in Eminencie, but in Continuance: In him is Beautie that never fadeth: in him Riches that never periſh; in him Honour that never vaniſheth; in him life, that never waſteth; and therfore as the trueſt object of love, as the deareſt object of my love; I will love the Lord.
But though all theſe Eminencies be in God, yet they would bee no cauſe for man to love him, if they had not a relation to man: for what cauſe of love? where there can be expected no effects of love: but ſeeing there is in them, not onelyonly a Relation, but a Propenſion; not onelyonly they are ready to bee imparted, but are imparted with readineſſe; what man is hee that will forbeare to ſay, that can forbeare to ſay; I love the Lord? And if all men will forbeare to ſay it, yet I will ſay it: For hee hath heard my voyce, and my ſupplication. No doubt a juſt cauſe, or rather (indeed to a naturall man) the onelyonly cauſe for loving of God. For of fearing him, of praiſing him, of worſhipping him, of magnifying him, there are other cauſes; but of loving him, no cauſe ſo proper as his loving of us: and the Benefits which he beſtowes upon us. For, love is ſo reciprocall a thing, that we ſhould hardly love God himſelfe, but for his Love to us; at leaſt for our opinion of his love to us; and wee ſhould hardly have an opinion of his love, if we had not a feeling of his Benefits: For what love can wee thinke is borne us by them, that are able to doe us good, and doe it not? but when we have a feeling of their benefits, and find they doe us good; then wee are eaſily perſwaded of their love; and being ſo perſwaded, who can chooſe but ſay, as David doth here; I love the Lord for he hath heard my voyce, and my ſupplication?
But doe we love God, but for his Benefits onelyonly? and if it were not for his Benefits, ſhould we not love him? Indeed to love God as we ought, is not to love him for ought, but for himſelfe onelyonly, without any conſideration had at all of his Benefits: but ſuch lovers wee are of our owne good, that wee ſhould ſcarce love our ſelves, but for the good, we are ready to doe our ſelves: and if we love God in the like degree, we thinke it perhaps to be love enough for him. But, O my ſoule, this is juſt the Divells love; I meane ſuch love, as the Divell thought to be in Job; Doth Job love God for nought? He hoped he did not, though hee knew he ſhould; and therefore was never in quiet, till it might bee tryed; and if hee had found it ſo, he would quickly have made Job leave loving of God, and fall to loving of him. But the hedge which God had ſet about Job, was not a hedge of proſperitie as Sathan ſuppoſed, but a hedge of Grace, and therefore with all his fierie tryalls, hee could never get other words from Job but ſuch as theſe; Shall we receive good at Gods hands, and ſhall we not receive evill? Yes, O Lord, though thou kill mee, yet will I love thee: Thus Job did, and thus ſhould we doe: but God knowes, there is not ſuch a man againe as Job was upon the face of the earth. For alas, wee are commonly but of the Claſſis or forme, of which Saint John ſpeakes; Wee love God, becauſe God loved us firſt: and it were well if we would doe but ſo: how much ſoever Sathan ſlights it, and ſeekes to diſgrace it. Or is it perhaps, that David ſpeakes in the curioſitie of this diſtinction, that we doe not Amare Deum, but for his Benefits: but wee may Diligere Deum, without any conſideration of his Benefits had at all; and in this ſenſe, a naturall man may Amare Deum: but none but the ſpirituall man, Diligere Deum. But, O my ſoule, doe thou endevour to be of Jobs forme; to love God without diſtinction; and whether he heare thy voyce, or heare it not; whether he grant thy ſupplication, or grant it not, yet to love him, and to love with Amando, and with Diligendo; and with any another Devotion of love, that can be expreſſed, or conceived. For it is indeed no true love of God, if wee love him for any thing, but for himſelfe; if we love our ſelves, but onelyonly for him: as it ſeemes both Moſes, and Saint Paul did, who for the love of God, left all care of themſelves, and were contented to have beene (if they might have beene) even Anathema's.
But is this ſuch a Benefit to us, that GOD heares us? Is his hearing our voyce, ſuch an argument of his love? Alas! hee may heare us, and we never the better: hee may heare our voyce, and yet his love to us perhaps but little, for who will not give a man the hearing, though he love him not at all? With men perhaps it may be ſo, but not with God; for his hearing is not onelyonly voluntarie, but reſerved; Non omnibus dormit: his Eares are not open to every ones cry; indeed to heare us, is in God ſo great a favour, that he may well be counted his Favourite, whom he vouchſafes to heare: and the rather, for that his hearing is alwayes operative, and with a purpoſe of helping; that if he heare my voyce, I may be ſure, he meanes to grant my ſupplication; or rather perhaps in Davids manner of expreſſing, in Gods manner of proceeding, to heare my voyce, is no leſſe in effect, then to grant my ſupplication.
And now becauſe hee hath inclined his eare to Verſe 2 heare me; I will therefore call upon him, as long as I live: that if it be expected I ſhould call upon any other; it muſt bee when I am dead; for as long as I live, I have vowed to call upon God. But will this be well done? May I not in ſo doing, doe more then I ſhall have thankes for perhaps for my labour? Is this the requitall that God ſhall have for his kindneſſe in hearing me, that now he ſhall have a cuſtomer of me, and never be in quiet, for my continuall running to him, and calling upon him? Doth God get any thing by my calling upon him, that I ſhould make it a Vow, as though in calling upon him, I did him a pleaſure? O my Soule, that God might indeed have a cuſtomer of me in praying: although I confeſſe I ſhould not be ſo bold to call upon him ſo continually, if his owne commanding me, did not make it a Dutie: for hath not God bid me to call upon him when I am in trouble? and is there any time that I am not in trouble, as long as I live in this vale of miſerie? and then can there be any time as long as I live, that I muſt not call upon him? For ſhall God bid me, and ſhall I not doe it? ſhall God incline his Eare, and ſtand liſtening to heare, and ſhall I hold my peace for the nonce, that he may have nothing to heare? Or ſhall I wave calling upon God, who I know both can, and will heare mee; and call upon ſome other, who I know not whether they can or no? Is Prayer worth any thing if it bee not in Faith? and can there bee Faith, where there is uncertaintie? O my Soule, this is a great ſecret, which we ſhould perhaps have never knowne, if God himſelfe had not revealed it to us: that to call upon him, is not a trouble to him, but a pleaſure; not in us a preſumption, but a dutie: though it be our ſuite, yet it is his ſervice: it is indeed both our ſuite and ſervice: and though his glory be not the more by it, yet his glory is the more manifeſted by it; and as he is a jealous God, ſo of nothing ſo much as of his glory, his glory hee will not communicate with any other, any thing elſe perhaps, but not his glory: and this is all the glory hee can have from us, that wee acknowledge our owne weakneſſe, and his Power; that we call upon him, not onelyonly as one that is able to helpe us, but as the onelyonly One that is able to helpe us, for elſe we ſatisfie not his jealouſie: and if it be a true rule in Philoſophie; Fruſtra fit per plura, quod fieri poteſt per pauciora: It is no leſſe true in Divinitie: It is in vaine to call upon any other for reliefe but God alone; if God alone be able, and willing to relieve us. Either therefore wee muſt ſay, that God is not able, or not willing to helpe us; or elſe confeſſe it at leaſt a great vanitie to call for helpe to any other.
But if Gods benefits be the Motive to love him: why are not his afflictions as well a Motive, not to love him? For is there any evill in the Citie, and God hath not done it? No my ſoule, the reaſon is not like: his benefits are all gratuitous, and come gratis from him: his Afflictions are as it were violent, and come forcibly from him: his Afflictions are puniſhments, or chaſtiſements duly deſerved: but his Benefits are not Wages, or Rewards that are juſtly merited: and therefore we cannot ſo juſtly ſay, that croſſes and afflictions are caſt upon us by God, as that they are drawne upon us by our owne ſinne: for ſorrowes and paines, are as the Ecchoes I may ſay of ſinne: and according as this calls, ſo they anſwer: if ſinnes be but light, there is like to be heard, but a light reflexe of ſorrowes; but if they be crying ſinnes, heynous, and loude: what marvell if the Ecchoes be anſwerable, and that the ſorrowes of Death compaſſe us about, and the paines of Hell take hold upon us?
But if it be doubted, by what meanes afflictions and croſſes doe happen to us, yet it cannot be doubted by what meanes they muſt be removed from us: ſeeing there is none able to rowle away the Grave-ſtone of our ſinnes, but onelyonly God: and therefore no meanes to remove afflictions, but onelyonly his Mercy: and no meanes of this meanes, but to call upon him. Doe Phyſitians uſe to come to a Patient, unleſſe they be called? and why then ſhould wee looke that God the great Phyſitian of our ſoules, ſhould come to helpe us, if we call not upon him? Upon him, O my ſoule, and upon no other: for of his Power and Will to helpe me, I cannot doubt, of others I may: For, the Verſe 3 ſorrowes of death compaſſed me; and the paines of hell tooke hold upon me; and can I doubt of his power, that hath delivered me from theſe? Or can I thinke of any other, that could deliver me from theſe, but onelyonly hee? Could any deliver me from the ſorrowes of Death, but hee onelyonly who triumphed over Death? Could any free me from the paines of Hell, but hee onelyonly who put Hell it ſelfe to paine, and caſt Death and Hell into the Lake of fire? and ſhall I call upon any other to deliver me, but upon him onelyonly, who I am well aſſured is able to deliver me? No my ſoule, but to leave no time, for calling upon any other; I will call upon God, as long as I live: Not for a day, or a monethmonth, but all the dayes of my life; even as long as I live. And how long will that bee? Alas! how long can it be; ſeeing the ſorrowes of Death have already compaſſed me about; and the paines of hell have taken hold upon mee? For what are the ſorrowes of Death, but ſorrowes like thoſe of Rachel, that would not be comforted, becauſe they were not? What are the paines of Hell, but paines cauſed by guiltineſſe of ſin that deſerves Hell? Paines not more in ſenſe of torment, then deſpaire of remedie? What is it for the ſorrowes of death to compaſſe me about, but as it were to beſiege me? and was it ever knowne, where they once beſieged, that ever they did raiſe their ſiege? Was it ever knowne, where the paines of Hell did once take hold, that ever they did let goe their hold? and alas, in this extremitie of diſtreſſe, in this gulph of deſpaire, what hope could David poſſibly have, that ever hee ſhould be delivered? O my ſoule, the hope of Abraham: In ſpe contra ſpem credidit: Hee beleeved againſt all credibilitie; Hee hoped againſt all poſſibilitie; againſt all poſſibilitie indeed in the courſe of nature; againſt all credibilitie in the eye of Reaſon; and therefore he makes his moane to one above the reach, both of Nature and Reaſon; Verſe 4 O Lord, I beſeech thee, deliver my ſoule: a ſhort Prayer for ſo great a ſuite; and yet as ſhort as it was, it prevailed, that if wee wondred before at the power of God, wee may wonder now at the power of Prayer, that can prevaile with God, for obtaining of that, which in Nature is impoſſible, and to Reaſon ſeemes incredible.
There are many ſhort Prayers recorded in the Scriptures, of which we may note eſpecially three: This of David here; O Lord deliver my ſoule: and that of the Publican in the Goſpell; Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner: and that of the Thiefe upon the Croſſe; Lord remember me, when thou commeſt into thy kingdome: All three ſhort, yet all three Prevalent; that wee may know, it is not the multiplicitie of words, or the length of Prayers that prevailes with God; but the fervencie of ſpirit, and the devotion of the heart. Yet leſt it ſhould be taken as a reſtraint of longer prayers; and ſpecially, leſt it ſhould be a ſcandall to the Prayer which Chriſt taught us, and is much longer: we may obſerve withall, that each of theſe prayers, is but of one Petition in Chriſts Prayer: For to ſay, O Lord, deliver my ſoule, is no more, nor fully ſo much, as to ſay, Deliver us from evill: and to ſay, Lord be mercifull to me a ſinner, is no more, nor fully ſo much, as to ſay; Forgive us our treſpaſſes: and to ſay, Lord remember mee, when thou commeſt into thy Kingdome; is no more, nor ſo much, as to ſay, Thy kindome come.
But ſeeing David with his ſhort Prayer, prevailed with God, to deliver his ſoule: why ſhould I deſpaire of the like ſucceſſe of my prayers, to be delivered from my troubles? O my ſoule, I ſhould not deſpaire of the like ſucceſſe, as David had, if I could but pray with the like ſpirit as David did: O therefore, thou great God, that didſt inſpire Davids heart with a ſpirit of zeale: which made his prayers not onelyonly acceptable, but effectuall: vouchſafe alſo to kindle in my heart, a fire of Devotion, that my prayers may aſcend unto thee, like the ſacrifice of Abell: ſo acceptable, that they may be accepted; ſo accepted, that they may be effectuall: and may make mee able to ſing this Allelujah of David: I will love the Lord; for he hath heard my voyce, and my ſupplication.
And now, O my ſoule, me thinkes I ſee the Lord, as it were inclining his eare unto me; and I ſeeme to feele an acceſſe of force in my confidence Verſe 5 of his goodneſſe, for indeed, the Lord is gracious, and righteous; yea, our God is mercifull: Hee is gracious in hearing; Hee is righteous in judging; hee is mercifull in Pardoning; and how then can I doubt of his will to helpe me? Hee is righteous to reward according to deſerts; He is gracious to Reward above deſerts; Yea, he is mercifull to reward without deſerts; and how then can I doubt of his Will to helpe mee? Hee is gracious, and this ſhews his bountie; he is righteous, and this ſhews his Juſtice; Yea, hee is mercifull, and this ſhews his love, and how then can I doubt of his Will to helpe mee? If hee were not gracious, I could not hope he would heare me: If he were not righteous, I could not depend upon his Promiſe; If hee were not Mercifull, I could not expect his Pardon; but now that he is gracious, and righteous, yea, and mercifull too, how can I doubt of his Will to helpe me?
But are there no others that are gracious, and righteous, and mercifull, as well as Hee? Are not the Saints, and Angels in Heaven? They are ſo no doubt, but not as well as hee; God forbid, wee ſhould once have ſuch a thought; They are Gracious, and Righteous, and Mercifull by participation onelyonly; and onelyonly by having, as it were, ſome beames imparted to them: but to bee gracious, as the Fountaine of Grace; to be Righteous, as the Sunne of Righteouſneſſe: to be Mercifull, as the Authour of MercieMercy; there is none, there is none at all, neither Saint nor Angell that is ſo, but onelyonly God; and therefore of Gods Power and Will to helpe me; of his, and of his onelyonly, I can onelyonly be aſſured. And if I erre in ſimplicitie, yet the Lord preſerveth the ſimple: he takes Verſe 6 not advantage of errours, where there is a good intention; yet not a good intention onelyonly, where the truth is manifeſt, and revealed: for then ſhould Uzzah have beene preſerved: but in matters obſcure, and not plainly revealed, there to ſerve God in ſimplicitie of heart; this falls within the compaſſe of Gods mercy: and ſuch he takes into his Protection. He gives them perhaps ſome reſentment of their errours by worldly croſſes, but yet hee denyes them not his aſſiſtance; and this I can ſpeake of my owne experience; For, I was brought low, and yet hee helped me: I was brought low, and in trouble, by the juſt provocation of my ſinnes; but becauſe I ſinned not in preſumption, but in ſimplicitie, at leaſt by infirmitie; the Lord hath had mercy on me, and preſerved me. Or, I was brought low, and hee helped mee: for then is the time of helpe, when we are brought low: and therefore God who doth all things in due time; when I was brought low, then he helped me. Wherefore, O my ſoule, let it never trouble thee, how low ſoever thou bee brought; for when thy ſtate is at the loweſt, then is Gods aſſiſtance at the neereſt; that we may truly ſay, Gods wayes, are not as the wayes of the world: for in the world, when a man is once brought low, he is commonly trampled upon; and nothing is heard then, but downe with him, downe to the ground: but with God, it is otherwiſe; for his propertie is to raiſe up them that fall, and when they are brought low, then to helpe them. That it is no ſuch hard caſe for a man to bee brought low; may I not rather ſay, his caſe is happy? for is it not better to be brought low, and have God to helpe him, then to be ſet aloft, and left to helpe himſelfe? At leaſt, O my Body; this may bee a comfort to thee: for thou art ſure to bee brought low, as low as the Grave, which is low indeed: yet there thou maieſt reſt in hope; for even there, the Lord will not leave to helpe thee.
Or is it that he was brought low, was humbled in ſpirit, to ſeeme vile in his owne eyes; and then God helped him? For God reſiſteth the proud; but giveth grace to the humble.
Verſe 7 Now therefore, O my ſoule, returne to thy reſt; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee: Now my ſoule, let it be no longer ſaid; Why art thou ſo heavie, and why art thou diſquieted within me? For the Lord hath exceeded the bounds of mercifulneſſe, with his bountifulneſſe: Not onelyonly in mercy hee hath forgiven my ſinnes, but as if my ſinnes had been Merits, he hath made me alſo to taſte of his bountie. Hee hath dealt indeed moſt bountifully with thee, for where thou didſt make ſuite but for one thing, hee hath granted thee three: Thou didſt aske but to have my ſoule delivered; and he hath delivered mine eyes, and my feet beſides: and with a deliverance in each of them, the greateſt that could be: for what greater deliverance to my ſoule, then to bee delivered from Death? What greater deliverance to mine eyes, then to be delivered from teares? What, to my feet then to bee delivered from falling? that if now, O my ſoule, thou returne not to thy reſt, thou wilt ſhew thy ſelfe to bee moſt inſatiable: ſeeing thou haſt not onelyonly more then thou didſt aske, but as much indeed as was poſſible to be ask'd.
But can my ſoule dye? and if not, what bountie is it then to deliver my ſoule from that to which it is not ſubject? The ſoule indeed, though immortall, hath yet her wayes of dying: It is one kind of death to the ſoule, to bee parted from the body, but the trueſt kind is to bee parted from God: and from both theſe kindes of death, hee hath delivered my ſoule: From the firſt, by delivering me from a dangerous ſickneſſe, that threatned a diſſolution of my ſoule and body: from the other, by delivering me from the guilt of ſinne, that threatned a ſeparation from the favour of God; and are not theſe, bounties to give my ſoule juſt cauſe of returning to her reſt? It is true, it is the imperfection of life, that it is ſubject to ſickneſſe, and ſickneſſe drawes mortalitie after it: but this imperfection is not here; for hee hath delivered my ſoule from death; and what is this, but to have perfect health? yet it is the imperfection of health, that it is ſubject to croſſes, and croſſes are a cauſe of teares: but neither hath this imperfection any place here, for he hath delivered mine eyes from teares; and what is this, but to have perfect Joy? yet it is the imperfection of joy, that it uſeth not to continue; as it is ſaid of the proſperitie of the wicked: They are ſet in ſlipperie places, and are apt to fall: but neither is this imperfection found here; for hee hath delivered my feet from falling: and what is this but to be aſſured of continuance? If then thou haſt ſuch health, ſuch joy, ſuch ſtabilitie; Health, not ſubject to ſickneſſe; Joy, not capable of ſorrow; Stabilitie, not obnoxious to falling: How canſt thou, O my ſoule; how canſt thou chooſe but pacifie thy unquietneſſe, and returne to thy reſt? But alas, the reſt thou canſt returne to now, is but a type of that true Reſt, when thou ſhalt reſt from thy labours; and when thy workes that now goe with thee, ſhall then follow thee. Thou haſt now but one day of Reſt for ſixe dayes of labour; but then thou ſhalt have an eternall Sabbath, without any dayes of labour to diſquiet it.
But though this reſt cannot now bee had, whilſt thou dwelleſt in a reſtleſſe body, and thy body in a reſtleſſe world: yet there is a Reſt that is worth the having; and may onelyonly, my ſoule, be called Thy Reſt: the reſt which conſiſts in the peace of conſcience: and to this reſt thou maiſt well returne, ſeeing not onelyonly thou art at peace with God, as being juſtified by his Grace; but thou art in his favour alſo, as having dealt ſo bountifully with thee. And when thou returneſt to this reſt; to the end thou maiſt have ſome exerciſe to thy reſt, that thy reſting make thee not reſtiffe, I will walke Verſe 9 before the Lord, in the land of the living. For now that my feet are delivered from falling, how can I better imploy them, then in walking? were they delivered from falling, to the end they ſhould ſtand ſtill and bee idle? No my ſoule, but to encourage me to walke: and where is ſo good walking, as in the land of the living? Alas! what walking is it in the Winter, when all things ſeeme dead, when the very graſſe lyes buried under ground, and ſcarce any thing that hath life in it, to be ſeene? but then is the pleaſant walking, when Nature ſpreads her greene Carpet to walke upon, and then it is a Land of the living, when the Trees ſhew they live, by bringing forth, if not fruits, at leaſt leaves: when the Valleys ſhew they live, by bringing forth, if not ſweet flowers to delight the ſmell, at leaſt freſh graſſe to pleaſe the eyes. But is this the walking in the Land of the living, that David meanes? O my ſoule, to walke in the Land of the living, is to walke in the pathes of Righteouſneſſe: for there is no ſuch death to the ſoule as ſinne; no ſuch cauſe of teares to the eyes, as guiltineſſe of Conſcience; No ſuch falling of the feet, as to fall from God: and therefore to ſay the truth, the Soule can never returne to its reſt, if we walke not withall in the paths of righteouſneſſe: and we cannot well ſay, whether this Reſt bee a cauſe of the walke; or the walking, be a cauſe of the reſting: but this wee may ſay, they are certainly companions one to the other, which is in effect but this; that Juſtification can never be without Sanctification; Peace of conſcience, and godlineſſe of life, can never be one without the other. Or is it perhaps, that David meanes that Land of the living; where Enoch and Elias are living, with the living God? but if he meane ſo, how can he ſpeake ſo confidently, Verſe 10 and ſay; I will walke in the Land of the living; as though hee could come to walke there by his owne ſtrength, or at his owne pleaſure? Hee therefore gives his reaſon: I beleeved, and therefore I ſpake: for the voyce of Faith is ſtrong, and ſpeakes with confidence; and becauſe in Faith he beleeved, that hee ſhall come, to walke in the Land of the living; therefore with confidence he ſpeakes it; I will walke in the land of the living: and perhaps to ſignifie, that hee ſhall not walke there againſt his will: but that he endeavours, and uſeth the beſt meanes he can, that hee may walke there. For indeed if we endeavour not to walke here, with Enoch and Elias in the paths of righteouſneſſe, we ſhall never come to walke with God in the Land of the living.
But though I had ſpoken thus, and thus confidently; yet I found my ſelfe in trouble, and affliction ſtill, which made me ſay in my haſt; All men are lyars. In my haſt indeed, for I Verſe 11 thought not of one man who was farre from being a lyar; and in whoſe mouth was found no guile.
It ſeemes, that to give the lye, was not ſo heynous an offence in Davids time, as it is in theſe dayes, for elſe how durſt he have ſpoken ſuch words, that all men are lyars: which is no leſſe, then to give the lye to the whole world? And yet, no man I thinke, will challenge him for ſaying ſo; no more then challenge S. John for ſaying, that All men are ſinners. And indeed, how ſhould any man avoid being a lyar, ſeeing the very being Man, is it ſelfe a lye? Not onelyonly a Vanity, and put in the ballance is leſſe then vanity: but a very lye, promiſing great matters, and is able to doe juſt nothing, as Chriſt ſaith; Without me, yee can doe nothing: and ſo Chriſt ſeemes to come in, as it were, to be Davids ſecond; and to make his word good, that all men be lyars. And now let the world doe its worſt, and take the lye how it will; for David having Chriſt of his ſide, will alwayes be able to make his part good againſt all the world, for Chriſt hath overcome the world.
But though all men may be ſaid to be lyars, yet not all men in all things: for then David himſelfe ſhould be a lyar in this: but all men perhaps in ſomething or other, at ſometime or other, in ſome kind or other; Abſolute truth not found in any man, but in that man onelyonly, who was not man onelyonly; for if hee had beene but ſo, it had not perhaps beene found in him neither, ſeeing abſolute Truth and Deitie, are as Relatives never found to be aſunder.
But in what thing is it, that all men ſhould be lyars? Indeed in this for one; to thinke that God regards not, nor loves not them, whom he ſuffers to be afflicted: for we may rather thinke hee loves them moſt, whom hee ſuffers to be moſt afflicted: and we may truly ſay, he would never have ſuffered his ſervant Job, to be afflicted ſo exceeding cruelly, if he had not loved him exceeding tenderly; For there is nothing loſt by ſuffering afflictions; No my ſoule, they doe but ſerve to make up the greater weight of glory, when it ſhall be revealed.
But let his afflictions be what they can be, yet I will alwayes acknowledge, they can never be in any degree ſo great as his benefits: and oh, that I could thinke of ſomething, that I Verſe 12 might render to him for all his benefits: for ſhall I receive ſo great, ſo infinite benefits from him; and ſhall I render nothing to him, by way of gratefulneſſe? But alas, what have I to render? all my rendring to him, will bee but taking more from him: for all I can doe, is but to take the cup of ſalvation, and call upon his Name; Verſe 13 and what rendring is there in this taking? If I could take the cup of Tribulation, and drinke it off, for his ſake; this perhaps might be a rendring of ſome value: but this, God knowes is no worke for me to doe: It was his worke who ſaid; Can yee drinke of the cup, of which I ſhall drinke? Indeed he dranke of the Cup of Tribulation, to the end that wee might take the Cup of Salvation; but then in taking it, wee muſt call upon his Name; upon his Name, and upon no others; for elſe wee ſhall make it a cuppe of Condemnation, ſeeing there is no Name under Heaven, in which we may bee ſaved, but onelyonly the Name of Jeſus.
Yet it may be ſome rendring to the Lord, if I pay my Vowes; and doe, as it were, my Penance openly; I will therefore pay my vowes to Verſe 14 the Lord, in the preſence of all his people. But might hee not pay his Vowes as well in his Cloſet, betweene God and himſelfe, as to doe it publickly? No my ſoule, it ſerves not his turne; indeed not Gods turne, but he muſt pay them in the preſence of all his people; yet not to the end hee ſhould be applauded for a juſt Payer; for though he pay them, yet he can never pay them to the full; but to the end that men ſeeing his good workes, may glorifie God by his example; and the rather perhaps, for that David was a King; and the Kings example prevailes much with the people, to make them pay their vowes to God: but moſt of all, that by this meanes, Davids Pietie may not be barren; but may make a Breed of Pietie in the people alſo: which may be one myſticall reaſon, why it was counted a Curſe in Iſrael, to be barren; for he that payes not his Vowes to God, in the preſence of his people, may well be ſaid to be barren in Iſrael; ſeeing hee begets no children to God, by his Example. And perhaps alſo, the Vowes which David meanes here, was the doing of ſome meane things, unfit in ſhew for the dignitie of a King; as when it was thought a baſe thing in him to Daunce before the Arke; he then vowed he would be baſer yet: and in this caſe, to pay his Vowes before the people, becomes a matter of neceſſitie: for as there is no honour to a man, whilſt he is by himſelfe alone; ſo there is no ſhame to a man, but before people: and therefore to ſhew that he is not aſhamed to doe any thing how meane ſoever, ſo it may tend to the glorifying of God; Hee will pay his vowes in the preſence of all his people: And hee will doe it, though it coſt him his life, for if he dye for it, he knowes, that Pretious in the ſight of the Lord, Verſe 15 is the death of his Saints.
But that which is pretious, is commonly deſired: and doth God then deſire the death of his Saints? He deſires, no doubt, that death of his Saints, which is to dye to ſinne: but for any other death of his Saints, it is therefore ſaid to be pretious in his ſight, becauſe hee layes it up with the greater carefulneſſe. And for this it is, there are ſuch ſeverall Manſions in Gods Houſe, that to them whoſe death is pretious in his ſight, hee may aſſigne the moſt glorious Manſions. This indeed is the reward of Martyrdome, and the encouragement of Martyrs, though their ſufferings bee moſt inſufferable, their tortures moſt intolerable; yet this makes amends for all; that Pretious in the ſight of the Lord, is the death of his Saints: for if it be ſo great a happineſſe, to be acceptable in his ſight; how great a happineſſe muſt it be, to bee pretious in his ſight? When God at the Creation, looked upon all his workes; it is ſaid, he ſaw them to be all exceeding good: but it is not ſaid, that any of them were Pretious in his ſight, and how then comes Death, to bee pretious in his ſight, that was none of his workes, but is a deſtroyer of his workes? Is it poſſible that a thing which deſtroyes his creatures, ſhould have a Title of more value in his ſight, then his creatures themſelves? O my ſoule, this is one of the Myracles of his Saints, and perhaps one of thoſe which Chriſt meant, when he ſaid to his Apoſtles, that greater Myracles then he did, they ſhould doe themſelves: for what greater Myracle than this, that Death which of it ſelfe is a thing moſt vile in the ſight of God, yet once embraced by his Saints, as it were by their touch onelyonly, becomes pretious in his ſight? and to alter a thing from being vile to be precious; is it not a greater Myracle, then to turne Water into Wine? Indeed ſo it is, Death doth not damnifie his Saints, but his Saints doe dignifie Death: Death takes nothing away from his Saints happineſſe, but his Saints adde luſtre to Deaths vileneſſe: and it is happy for Death, that ever it met with any of Gods Saints; for there was no way for it elſe in the world, to be ever had in any account. But why ſay I, in the world? for it is of no account in the world for all this: It is but onelyonly in the ſight of God; but indeed this onelyonly, is All in All; for to be pretious in Gods ſight, is more to be prized then the world it ſelfe. For when the World ſhall paſſe away, and all the glory of it be laid in the duſt; then ſhall Trophyes be erected for the death of his Saints: and when all Monuments of the world ſhall bee utterly defaced, and all Records quite raſed out; yet the death of his Saints ſhall ſtand Regiſtred ſtill, in faire Red letters in the Kalendar of Heaven: for if there be glory laid up for them that dye in the Lord; much more ſhall they bee glorified, that dye for the Lord.
I have wondered often-times, why God will ſuffer his Saints to dye; I meane not the death naturall; for I know, Statutum eſt omnibus ſemel mori: but the Death that is by violence, and with torture: for who could endure to ſee them he loves, ſo cruelly handled? but now I ſee the reaſon of it; For, Pretious in the ſight of the Lord, is the death of his Saints: and what marvell then, if he ſuffer his Saints to dye: when by dying they are wrought, and made fit Jewels to be ſet in his Cavinet: for as God hath a Bottle which he fills up with the teares of his Saints; ſo I may ſay, he hath a Cabinet which he decks up with the deaths of his Saints: and O my ſoule, if thou couldſt but comprehend, what a glory it is to ſerve for a Jewell in the decking up of Gods Cabinet; thou wouldſt never wonder why he ſuffers his Saints to bee put to death, though with never ſo great torments: for it is but the ſame which Saint Paul ſaith: The afflictions of this life, are not worthy of the glory that ſhall bee revealed.
But if you will have a Glaſſe to view the Extent of this pretiouſneſſe; and plainly to ſee, how pretious in the ſight of God, the death of his Saints is; then look upon the revenge that is taken for it: for there is nothing that God takes ſo much to heart; and of which hee takes ſo ſharpe revenge, as the death of his Saints: to touch them, is to touch the Apple of his eye: and if the puniſhment of Cain bee not thought ſufficient, to make it appeare; at leaſt the complaint of Chriſt againſt Hieruſalem, will be ſufficient: O Hieruſalem, Hieruſalem; Thou that killeſt the Prophets: and it is thought by ſome, that the deſtruction of Hieruſalem was the rather haſtened, to revenge the death of James, who was called the Juſt: but how ſoever, this wee know, it was therefore executed, to revenge the death of Jeſus, who was truly the Juſt: and may we not well take notice, that the death was exceeding pretious; when the revenge that was taken, was ſo exceeding furious? But why ſpeake I of Death, when I may yet doe God good ſervice in life: and if the death of his Saints be pretious in his ſight, certainly the life of his ſervants is not unregarded; For whether we dye, wee dye to the Lord; or whether wee live, wee live to the Lord: and though in this life, we cannot expect the reward of Saints; yet in this life wee may claime the reſpect of ſervants: and in this I claime an intereſt my ſelfe; Verſe 16 for truly, O Lord, I am thy ſervant: and oh that I could ſerve thee ſo truly, that I might heare thee ſay; Euge bone ſerve: For we are all very ready to profeſſe our ſelves thy ſervants; but very unready to doe the ſervice of our profeſſion: and ſpecially in theſe times, when Servant is growne to be a word of complyment, rather than of truth; that to ſay, I am thy ſervant, is all one as to ſay, I am an Hypocrite: But, O Lord, let it not be found ſo in me; not be thought ſo of me, for I am thy ſervant by a double right: (and oh that I could doe thee double ſervice) as thou art the Lord of life, and as I am the ſonne of thy Handmaid: Not of Hagar, but of Sarah: not of the Bond-woman, but of the Free; and therefore I ſerve thee not in Feare, but in Love: or therefore in feare, becauſe in love: and then is ſervice beſt done, when it is done in love: and in love indeed I am bound to ſerve thee; For, thou haſt looſed my bonds: the Bonds of death which compaſſed me about, by delivering me from a dangerous ſickneſſe, and reſtoring me to health: or in a higher kind; Thou haſt looſed my Bonds, by freeing me from being a Captive, to bee a Servant; and which is more, from being a ſervant to be a ſonne: and more then this yet, from being a ſonne of thy Hand-maid, to be a ſonne of thy ſelfe: and therefore indeed a ſonne of thy ſelfe, becauſe a ſonne of thy Handmaid: for what is thy Handmaid, but thy Church? and he that is not borne of this Handmaid, though he may have the generall benefit of a ſervant, ſuſtenance and protection, yet hee can never have the ſpeciall benefits of a ſonne, freedome, and inheritance.
Or thou haſt looſed my bonds; Thou haſt freed me from the heavy yoak of the Ceremonies of the Law; and haſt Enfranchiſed mee with the glorious liberty of the Goſpell: that where before, thou didſt require the ſacrifice of Servants, which was the bloud of Beaſts; now thou accepteſt the ſacrifice of ſonnes, which is Verſe 17 Prayer, and Thankſ-giving: I will therefore offer to thee the ſacrifice of thankſ-giving, and call upon thy Name: For Prayer and Thankſ-giving make both but one Sacrifice: and ſeeing all ſacrifice is due onelyonly to thee; therefore to thee onelyonly I will offer both my Thankſ-giving, and my Prayer. I could not make Thankeſ-giving a Sacrifice, if Prayer did not begin it: I could not make Prayer a Sacrifice, if Thankſ-giving did not finiſh it. If there ſhould bee Thankeſ-giving, and no Prayer, the Sacrifice would want a foot: if Prayer, and no Thankſ-giving, it would want a Head: for as the Baſis is Prayer; ſo the Coronis is thankſ-giving. Although perhaps Thankſ-giving bee but the Act, and Thankfulneſſe the Habit: and it is the Habit that makes the Sacrifice, becauſe it muſt bee, Juge ſacrificium, A continuall Sacrifice: which the Act cannot be. And if there had beene a word to expreſſe the Habit of praying, as Thankfulneſſe doth of Thankſ-giving: perhaps Saint Paul would have uſed it, where he ſaith, Pray continually, for who can doubt but hee meanes the Habit of praying, and not the Act? and where he ſaith; In all things give thankes; foreign: It intends perhaps but this; In all things be thankfull.
And what then ſhall the Thankfulneſſe, or the Thankſ-giving be, that I will offer to God for a ſacrifice? O my ſoule, it ſhall bee an acknowledging of his benefits, and of his onelyonly benefits; it ſhall be a proclaiming him to bee my Patron, and my onelyonly Patron; It ſhall bee an extolling him for his Mercy in forgiving my ſinnes; for his graciouſneſſe in healing all my infirmities; for his compaſſion, in Redeeming my ſoule from deſtruction, and for his bountie in crowning me with loving kindneſſe and tender mercies: it ſhall bee indeed a Vowing to him the whole ſervice of all the faculties of my ſoule and body. And not to be done in a corner, as though I were not willing it ſhould be knowne; nor before ſome few people onelyonly, as though I were loath too many ſhould ſee it; but I will pay my vowes to him in Verſe 18 the preſence of all his people: that young and old, rich, and poore, high, and low, may all bee witneſſes of my thankfulneſſe; This, for the perſons before whom it ſhall be done: and then for the place in which it ſhall be done; it ſhall be done in the courts of the Lords houſe: if any Verſe 19 place be more conſpicuous, more publick then other it ſhall be done there: it ſhall be done in the midſt of thee, O Hieruſalem: that the Fame of it may be ſpread, that the ſound of it may equally goe forth into all parts of the world; that as all thy people ſhall be beholders of my thankfulneſſe, ſo all the world ſhall bee admirers of thy goodneſſe; and as there is in Heaven an Allelujah of thy Saints; ſo there ſhall be in Earth an Allelujah of thy Servants; of which Number; of both which numbers, my hope is to be one; and that I may be ſure to be one, O my ſoule, praiſe thou the Lord: and becauſe my owne praiſing, will be but a very ſmall ſervice; therefore mend it my ſoule, by calling upon others, and ſaying; Praiſe yee the Lord.
FINIS.
End of the text · Sir Richard Baker, Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Seven Consolatory Psalms of David (1640)