The Souls Conflict With Itself, Encomium 2
On the Work of my learned Friend DOCTOR SIBBS.
FOole that I was! to think my easie Pen
Had strength enough to glorifie the fame
Of this knowne Author, this rare Man of men:
Or give the least advantage to his name. (bright,
Who think, by praise to make his name more
Show the Sunns Glory, by dull Candle-light.
Blest Saint! thy hallow'd Pages doe require
No slight preferment from our slender Layes:
We stand amaz'd, at what we most admire;
Ah, what are Saints the better for our praise!
Hee that commends this Volume, does no more
Then warme the fire, or gild the massie Ore.
Let me stand silent then. O, may that Spirit,
Which ledd thy hand, direct mine eye, my brest,
That I may reade, and doe; and so inherit
(What thou enjoy'st, and taught) eternall Rest!
Foole that I was! to think my Lines could give
Life to that work, by which they hope to live.
FRA: QVA:
THE SOVLES CONFLICT with it selfe.
PSAL. XLII.
Why art thou cast downe O my soule, and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
THe Psalmes are, (as it were,) the Anatomy of a holy man which lay the inside of a truely devour man outward to the view of others. If the Scriptures bee compared to a body, the Psalmes may well be the heart, they are so full of sweet affections, and passions. For in other portions of Scripture God speakes to us; but in the Psalmes, holy men speake to God and their own hearts: as
In this Psalme, we have the passionate passages of a broken, and a troubled spirit.
At this time David was a banished man, banished from his owne house, from his friends, and which troubled him most, from the house of God, upon occasion of Sauls persecution, who hunted him as a Partridge upon the mountaines, see how this workes upon him.
1. He layes open his desire springing 1.from his love. Love being the prime and leading affection of the soule from whence griefe springs, from being crossed in that we love. For the setting out of which his affection to the full, hee borroweth an expressiō from the Hart, no Hart being chased by the hunters, panteth more after the waters, then my verse 1.heart doth after thee O God, though hee found God present with him in exile, yet there is a sweeter presence of him in his ordinances which now hee wanted and tooke to heart: places and conditions are happy or miserable, as God vouchsafeth his gratious presence more or lesse, and therefore; When, O when shall it bee, that I appeare before God?
2. Then after his strong desire, hee 2.laies out his griefe, which he could not containe, but must needs give a vent to it in teares: and he had such a spring of griefe in him, as fedde his teares day and night, all the ease he found was to dissolve verse 2.this could of grief into the showre of teares.
But, why gives he this way to his griefe?Quest.
Because together with his exiling Answ.from Gods house, he was upbrayded by his enemies, with his religion: where is now thy God? Grievances come not alone, verse 3.but (as Iobs messengers) follow one another. These bitter taunts together with the remembrance of his former happinesse in communion with God in his house, made deepe impressions in his soule, when he remembred how hee went with the multitude into the house of God, verse 4.and ledde a goodly traine with him, being willing as a good Magistrate, and Master of a familie, not to goe to the house of God alone, nor to heaven alone but to carry as many as he could with him; Oh! the remembrance of this made him powre forth (not his words or his teares onelyonly) but his very soule. Former favours and happinesse makes the soule more sensible of all impressions to the contrarie; hereupon finding his soule over sensible, he expostulates with himselfe; Why art thou cast downe O my souls and why art thou disquieted within me? &c.
But though the remembrance of the former sweetnes of Gods presence did somewhat stay him, yet his grief would not so be stilled, and therefore it gathers upon him againe; one griefe called verse 7.upon another, as one deep wave follows another without intermission, untill his soule was almost over whelmed under these waters; yet he recovers himselfe a little with looking up to God, who he expected would with speed and authoritie send forth his loving kindnesse with command to raise him up and comfort him, and give him matter of songs in the night. For all this, his unrulie griefe will not be calmed, but renues assaults verse 8.upon the returne of the reproach of his enemies. Their words were as swords unto him, and his heart being made very Vers. 10tender and sensible of griefe, these sharp words enter too deepe; and thereupon he hath recourse to his former remedie (as being the most tryed) to chide his soule and charge it to trust in God.