Exercises Upon the First Psalm in Prose and Verse, Exercises · Exposition 1
1. Of the Author of the first Psalme, and the person speaking there: Of the matter also, and method of it: with the occasion, and vse.
THe first Psalme (which hath no title in the Hebrew) most of the learned Fathers ascribe to Dauid; as Origen, Ambrose, Basil, Augustine, Cassiodore, &c. yea, and S. Ierome (though he elsewhere followeth the opinion of the Hebrew Doctors in his time) in one of his*In Epist. ad Paulin▪ de omnibus sacris Scripturis. Epistles, attributes this Psalme to Dauid. Some also there bee, who suppose it to be composed by Esdras, who is affirmed by Athanasius and Hylarie, to hauehave gathered the Psalmes into one volume. But since the Scriptures make no certaine mention thereof, vrging no man to follow this or that opinion, I leaue it as indifferent; although I must confesse, that I my selfe am more enclined to their side, who impute this Psalme, with all the rest, to Dauid. But doubtles, whosesoeuer it were, or by whomsoeuer the whole booke was thus ordered; this, was most properly made a Proeme to the rest, for that it treats of Blessednesse, which is the principall end of all Instructions.
The person speaking in the 1 Psalme, & the matters handled in it.The Person principally speaking in this Psalme, is the Holy Ghost, by the mouth of the Prophet, who doth hereby first teach vsus who is truely happy, vers. 1.2. Secondly, by a Similitude, we are made to vnderstand the excellent estate of him, that is so blessed. vers. 3. And lastly, wee are here informed, that the wicked being nothing so, dreame of a false vncertaine felicity, and are, both in respect of their present and future condition, most miserable. vers. 4.5.6. In breefe, this Psalme may bee diuided into two parts, the first three verses, set forth the blessednesse of the Church in Christ, and the other, declare the lamentable condition of all that seeke for happinesse without him.
Something I will say,The occasion of this Psal. concerning the ground and occasion of this Psalme; for, I hauehave shown you before in my Preparation, Vide Prepar: to the Psalter. cap. 5.that there were certaine diuine subiects, some of which the holy Prophet alwayes made the first Obiects, of his contemplations; and the meanes, whereby he ascended vntounto the cleere knowledge of the high Mysteries, deliuered in eueryevery Psalme. Now, although here be no Title to shew vsus so manifestly, what he made the foundation of his contemplation, that we should peremptorily conclude it, to be this, or that particular; yet, by the matter of the Psalme, we may (I hope) without iniury to the Holy Spirit, giuegive our meditations leaue to ayme therat. And to me it plainely appeareth to bee that Double-Law of God, which was giuen in Paradise. For, though at the beginning, God created man, that he should know, louelove, enioy him, and bee made blessed in that fruition; yet, he would not that such blessednesse should be obtained without some condition. And therfore hee gaue him an easie, but (as I sayd before) a Double-Law,Genes. 2. partly affirmatiue, partly negatiue: the affirmatiue part was, that hee should dresse the garden, and eat freely of eueryevery tree therein: the negatiue was, that he should not eat of the Tree of knowledge of good and euill. And there was both a promise of reward, for his obedience; and a commination of punishment, if hee transgressed: but Adam, who by obedience, might hauehave beene eternally happy; by disobedience, was thrust out of Paradise, into a world of miseries, to wander for euer in discontentment, and in the vnhappy shadowes of death. Which God beholding with pity, bestowed on him, in place of originall righteousnesse which hee lost; a meanes of Iustification: and (changing the accidents, though not the essence of his first command) gaue to him in his Word, that generall Law of Faith, by which hee, and his posterity, might bee directed out of the way of perdition, and ariue againe at true felicity. This Mystestery, being the first in the holy book of God, that most neerely concernes vsus, the Prophet, as it seemeth, contemplated, and made it the obiect and ground-worke of this first Psalme: For, as God gaue to our first Parents in Paradise, a negatiue and affirmatiue Law, so in that vniuersall Law, imposed since their fall, some things are commanded, and some forbidden to bee done; and that Law, in respect of the essence, is one throughout all the ages of the Church. Moreouer, as Adam, if hee had kept the Commandement of God in Paradise, should hauehave there liued a happy life, and peraduenture beene translated from thence without death, into a more glorious blessednesse in Heauen; so wee, by keeping the Law, which is since giuen vntounto vsus insteed of the Tree of life in this world, shall obtaine the blessednesse of Grace in Gods Church for the present, and the perfection of all happinesse (euen the life of eternall glory) hereafter. Contrariwise, as Adam, by contemning the Law of God, with the tree of life, in eating the forbidden fruit, lost thereby the Estate of blessednesse, and incurred for the breach of a double Law, the danger of a double death; so, those which transgresse the two-fold Law of Faith and Workes, which he hath since giuen in his Word, doe both depriue themselues of the fore-named felicity, and are the second time (and that irrecouerably) in the way of eternall damnation.
The effect hereof is opened in this Psalme; and therefore it may with good probability bee supposed, that he tooke the Parable, whereupon he compiled this Hymne, from the Mystery of the Tree of Life planted in Paradise, and from the Law and Charge which was there giuen vntounto Adam; and he sheweth, that as the transgression of the Commandement, is the way that perisheth; so the fulfilling of the Law of the Lord, is the onelyonly meanes which is left vsus, to recouer againe the happinesse that we hauehave lost.
The vse of this Psalme.This Psalme wee may sing, or meditate, when wee are disposed to praise and set forth the blessed and vnspotted life of our Redeemer; or else, when wee are discouraged with the prosperity of wicked worldlings (which seemes to bee the onelyonly happy men) we may hence, both informe our selues of their end: and comfort our soules, with remembrance of the blessed estate, of a good Christian.