Medicines for the Plague, Collection of sermons · Sermon 10
THE TENTH SERMON vponupon the third verſe.
And turne thy burnt offerings into aſhes. Selah.
WE heard the laſt day the meaning of theſe words,They pray that God would ſhew that he had heard his prayers. and the reaſon of this kind of ſpeech, that they deſire the Lord, to turne his burnt offerings into aſhes. The thing that they pray for is this, that God would ſome way ſhew that he had heard his prayers. He did not then ſo pray, as though hee cared not whether hee was heard or no, reſting in the bare worke of prayer: but he was very deſirous that God would heare him, ſo that hee willeth them to pray, that God would ſhew it to him and them, that hee had heard them in deede. It is not enough then for vsus to pray vntounto God, and to beleeue that he doth heare vsus; but to waite vponupon him for the performance thereof, and to be deſirous to ſee it: ſo ſhall wee be comforted, and God ſhall be praiſed. Many come hether to the Church ſo careleſly to pray, that when all is done, they doe not ſo much as knowe what hath been prayed for; ſo farre are they from this, of deſiring to ſee, or marking how their praiers are heard: and ſo either they receiue nothing, or if they doe, they ſee it not; or if they ſee it, they do not obſerue and marke it, to bee thankfull vntounto God, and to bee confirmed thereby in hope of his goodnes for the time to come. Dauid prayeth in this faith, that he doubted not but that God would heare him, and ſo deſireth them to pray, that he would ſhew it to him ſenſibly and plainely as hee did to thoſe whoſe ſacrifices he conſumed with fire, and turned into aſhes, by cauſing it to come downe from heauen vponupon them.We muſt ſo pray that we be deſirous to ſee that God hath heard our prayers. So muſt we doe in all things that we pray for, not only beleeue that God will heare vsus according to his promiſes, but alſo pray him, that hee would ſome way in his good time euidently ſhew by the euent, that he hath heard vsus. When we put vp our ſuites vntounto princes and great men, if they ſay they ſhal be granted, we neuer leaue, vntill we hauehave the things that wee ſue for, or that there be ſome act done for vsus, that it may appeare that they hauehave heard vsus in deed. The Lord hath commanded vsus to aske, and hath made a promiſe that he will giuegive,Matth. 7.7. ſaying, Aske and it ſhall be giuen you, ſeeke and yee ſhall finde, knocke and it ſhall be opened vntounto you. Say then that wee hauehave asked of God and ſought vntounto him, and that we beleeue alſo that we ſhall receiue from him according to our asking; let vsus then come againe vntounto him the ſecond time, that either by granting the thing, or ſome thing for it, or ſupplying the want of it, or ſome way or other as it ſhal pleaſe him, that we might ſee that he hath heard vsus.
And namely, that he hath heard the prayers of all for this plague.As for example (and this very time doth put vsus in minde of it) wee hauehave prayed long and often for the remouing of this grieuous viſitation of the peſtilence: God no doubt hath heard ſo many all this time as hauehave called vponupon him in truth, & hauehave departed from iniquitie; and hee doth well remember what they hauehave ſaid and done vntounto him, and hee will in time bleſſe them for it accordingly: this is that that al of vsus ſhould beleeue. But wee muſt now with new ſuites and ſupplications ſecond theſe prayers of ours, to this effect, that God would ſhew vsus that hee hath heard vsus; either by cauſing this contagion and mortalitie to ceaſe, or ſome way extending fauour vntounto vsus in it. And wee muſt deſire to bee partakers of the prayers of our brethren, that by the benefit of their praiers, we might ſee that God hath heard vsus; as Dauid here was deſirous and willed the people to pray for him to that end. And as they doe thus pray for the King, that God would ſhew that hee had heard his prayers; ſo we alſo are to pray for them that are in trouble, and namely vnderunder this hand of God, that he would ſhew to them that he hath heard their prayers.They that pray for faſhion and coldly, cannot thus doe. All they that pray coldly and for faſhion, and ſo care not whether they bee heard or no, or marke not what they hauehave prayed for, but vtter words of cuſtome without deſiring or feeling, cannot with any comfort make this ſecond prayer for any thing, namely, that God would ſhew them that he hath heard their prayers. But al thoſe that pray in the inward ſenſe and feeling of their wants, and in the faith of Gods promiſes, and ſo not onelyonly know what they pray, but are deſirous to hauehave their requeſts granted, and look for the fulfilling of them; when they hauehave prayed moſt earneſtly, they muſt come againe vntounto God the ſecond and third time, and deſire him that he would ſhew by effect, that he hath heard their prayers. Seeing then that God is the hearer of prayers, as Dauid calleth him, O thou that hearest the prayer, Pſalm. 65.2.to thee ſhall all fleſh come; and hee hath made many promiſes to thoſe that ſeeke vntounto him in their need, that they ſhall not returne away emptie: let vsus neuer ceaſe calling vponupon him both for the taking away of this great iudgement, and for all things that we want, vntill he ſhew, that he hath heard our prayers: ſo ſhall wee ſee it in the ende, as this people did, for in the next Pſalme they giuegive thanks for that which here they pray for.
Now whereas hee teacheth them thus to pray,That wee might ſee how God heareth our prayers, we muſt mark… what followeth vponupon them. that God would ſome way, as it pleaſed him, declare that hee had heard their prayers; it was meete and conuenient, and this muſt neceſſarily be preſumed, that after prayers they ſhould waite vponupon God, and marke the courſe of his prouidence, and conſider what ſhould follow, that ſo thereby they might beleeue that God had heard them in deed. Els it might wel come to paſſe, that God for his part ſhould ſufficiently ſhew that hee had heard him, but they ſhould not regarde it, and ſo they ſhould make this prayer in vaine, that hee would ſhew that hee heard heard him, for he hath done it already, but they ſee it not. For to make this poynt more plaine in that very compariſon that is here vſed, if when the ſacrifice was offered, and God did with fire from heauen burne it vp cleane, and ſo turne it into aſhes, as he did it to Aaron, to Salomon, & to Elijah, as we hauehave ſeene before; he that was there preſent being blind could not ſee it, or if he turned himſelfe from it another way. So if we be wilfully or careleſly blind in the works of God, & do not mark what followeth vponupon our prayers, good or euill; wee ſhall vſe this prayer in vaine, to pray that God would ſhew that he hath heard our prayers; for he hath done it ſufficiently, but we doe not regard it. Therfore it is meet for all men not only to know and to wey what they pray for, and to marke it well, and to thinke of it afterwards; but to waite vponupon God for the ſame, and to conſider what followeth, that ſo they may ſee how God heareth them. For as when a man putteth vp a ſupplication to the King, he is not quiet then, but his minde is running as wee ſay, vponupon it, and he is very inquiſitiue what is done in that matter, and he marketh all things that follow, to ſee whether they make with him or againſt him, that ſo he might ſee whether it bee graciouſly receiued or no: So ought wee to doe in our prayers vntounto God, hauehave our minds, as it were lingering after the things prayed for, and marke how eueryevery thing that followeth, may put vsus in hope that God hath heard vsus. And this is that that Dauid profeſſeth of himſelfe in his prayer.Pſalm. 5.3. Heare my voyce in the morning, O Lord, for in the morning will I direct mee vntounto thee, and I will waite: where hee ſaith, that hee would doe as ſutors doe; they put vp their ſuite, and then giuegive their attendance for an anſwere; ſo hee would pray to God ſpeedely and carefully, and then he would conſider what followed, that ſo he might ſee how God did heare him.
Thus ſhould we doe, when we pray at morning, and at euening. Pſal. 40.1.So muſt wee all doe, when wee hauehave prayed to God for any thing, we muſt waite vponupon him, and conſider what followeth. And Dauid confeſſeth that in ſo doing, hee did ſee plainly, that God had heard him. For ſo hee ſaith, I waited patiently for the Lord, and he inclined vntounto me, and heard my crie: and ſo ſhall we doe, if we continue to pray vntounto him, and waite vponupon him. So that when we pray to God in the morning, we ſhould conſider how things fall out all the day after, well or ill, that wee might ſee how God in beſtowing many bleſſings vponupon vsus hath heard our prayers. Likewiſe at night when wee goe to bed, and pray to God, that hee would defend vsus from daungers, and giuegive vsus quiet reſt, and we awake in the morning, and hauehave our ſtrength renewed for the workes of our calling, and al things well within the doores and without; theſe things though they be ordinarie, we ſhould wel marke, that ſo we might ſee and confeſſe, that God did heare our prayers, and ſo be thankfull vntounto him for the ſame. And ſo in al iourneis that we take in hand, or matters that we go about, wherein we hauehave commended our waies vntounto God, as we ſhould alwaies doe becauſe vponupon his bleſſing dependeth the ſucceſſe of all things, we ſhould mark how they ſucceed and proſper with vsus, that ſo we might ſee how he hath turned our burnt offrings into aſhes, that is, how hee heareth our prayers. So likewiſe for this ſicknes,And in all the prayers that are and hauehave been made for this peſtilēce. that hath been a long time amongſt vsus; wee hauehave prayed vntounto God to be mercifull vntounto vsus in it, and to ſhew vsus ſome token of his fauour: and wee are deſirous alſo to ſee that hee hath heard our prayers: now then let vsus conſider if the extremitie of it be ſtaied from increaſing any where, or if it be kept out from many places, where it was likely that it ſhould come, as out of this countrie, and out of this towne; that ſo we might confeſſe to the glorie of God, and our owne comfort, that God hath heard our prayers. And this is one ſpeciall vſe of the newes, that we heare weekly from London, Norwich, and other places infected, how many died this weeke, how many the laſt; how many of the plague, and how many of other diſeaſes; how many pariſhes infected, and how many are cleere, that ſo we might ſee from week to week, and from day to day, that the Lord heareth our prayers, that ſo by experience wee might bee moued ſtill to call vponupon him for that that remaineth.Or when wee pray in the Church for any that lie ſicke. So when wee hauehave prayed here in the Church for any particular perſon (as we hauehave done for diuers, and doe daily) whereof ſome hauehave been at deaths doore, and yet hauehave been recouered; wee ſhould hauehave kept a regiſter of them, and hauehave marked them a great deale better than we hauehave done: and it had been happie for vsus at this time if we had done ſo, that ſo we might hauehave by great experience been confirmed in the truth of this, that God doth heare our prayers. And to be ſhort, if any of vsus hauehave bin in pouertie, or in any want, and hauehave prayed to God to helpe vsus; then we muſt marke and conſider, how he ſtirreth vp ſome to hauehave a care of vsus,Or who hauehave been in pouertie, or in any need. Rom. 1.20. and how ſome do pitie vsus, or any way how wee be prouided for; and thus wiſely obſerue all Gods dealing according to our prayers in eueryevery eſtate of ours. That as the inuiſible things of God, as his eternall wiſedom and power, and mercy, and truth are to be ſeen in the gouernment of the world & are in his creatures as it were written in great capitall letters for the moſt ignorant to ſee and reade, to leaue them without excuſe, ſo wee might in the ſame wiſely diſcerne and ſee them, and be accordingly affected with the ſame to beleeue in him, and to bee thankfull vntounto him, that thus from time to time ſheweth that hee doth heare our prayers. And truly if wee had thus done all the daies of our life, and in eueryevery thing that we hauehave praied for; we might hauehave ſeene better than now wee doe, or can doe, how many times God hath heard vsus, for our ſelues, and for others, day & night, at home and abroad,Then might we often hauehave ſeen how God did heare our prayers. in the Church and in our houſes. And for want of this diligent obſeruation, (the more is our loſſe, and the greater ſhould be our griefe) though God hath done many great things at our prayers, and hath declared by bleſſed euents that he hath heard vsus, yet we hauehave not conſidered of it, and ſo hauehave not ſeene it; and ſo doe want the comfort of this that they doe pray for here, euen that God would turne their burnt offrings into aſhes, that is, ſhew that he did heare their prayers.
Now that wee might come to a more conſcionable practiſe of this, we may conſider what will follow: firſt of all, when we doe deſire to hauehave our prayers heard, and will accordingly marke the dealing of God towards vsus,If we marke how God heareth our prayers, we ſhall the more eſteeme of the benefits that we receiue. Pſalm. 21.3. it will come to paſſe that we ſhall greatly eſteeme of thoſe benefits that are thus beſtowed vponupon vsus, and be much affected with them; and ſo wee ſhall be the more thankfull to God for them. For though wee ought highly to eſteeme and make great account of the goodnes of God in the benefits that he beſtoweth vponupon vsus vnasked, in that he preuenteth vsus with his liberall bleſsings, as the Pſ lmiſt ſaith; and I cannot tell whether wee ſhould not doe it a great deale more: yet ſuch is our nature for the moſt part, that we eſteeme of things the more, the more hardly that wee come by them, and the more paines that we take for them. Hereupon it commeth to paſſe, that when we hauehave prayed earneſtly vntounto God, and ſo hauehave gotten things that way, and hauehave taken ſome paines for them, then ſhall wee thinke our ſelues the more beholding to God for them. Euen as when a man hath obtained a thing by long ſuite, and it hath coſt him much, then if it bee granted to him at the laſt, he will eſteem of the thing the more, and think himſelfe the more beholding to him that hath granted it. Therefore we our ſelues when in the morning wee pray to God to bleſſe vsus in his waies that day, and to proſper vsus in al our actions, and then obſerue how the Lord preſerueth vsus from much euil that might befall vsus, and doth much good to vsus, that wee were vnworthie of; ſhall wee not greatly reioyce in this goodnes of his, and be thankfull vntounto him for the ſame? And likewiſe at night when wee commend our bodies and ſoules, and all that wee hauehave to his bleſſed protection, that hee would keepe vsus waking and ſleeping; and finde in the morning that he hath done ſo indeed; ſhall we not in the obſeruation of this mercifull prouidence of God towards vsus, bee confirmed in his goodnes to be thankfull vntounto him for it? And ſo in any trouble and danger that we ſhall be in much more, wherein we do pray to him to preſerue and bleſſe vsus;As in this time of the plague. as when wee pray to him in this deadly ſickneſſe of the plague, for ſome fauour in it; and then marke how things fall out, that they are better rather than worſe, and ſo therein ſee the goodneſſe of God towards our ſelues and others; ſhall wee not reioyce in Gods deliuerance, and be ſo much the more thankfull vntounto him for the ſame? Euen as wee ſee Dauid and this people doe here: for they are not onelyonly thankfull to God for it, but they ſay, that they doe greatly reioyce that God had heard their prayers.Pſal. 21.1, 2. The King ſhal reioyce in thy ſtrength, O Lord, yea how greatly ſhall he reioyce in thy ſaluation? for thou haſt giuen him his hearts deſire, and haſt not denied him the requeſt of his lips. And ſo did that godly woman Hannah the wife of Elkanah, when ſhe prayed in the temple for a ſonne, and God gaue her one, for ſhe went home and preſently conceiued, though ſhe had been barren a long time before; ſhe did ſo marke the iſſue and what followed vponupon her prayers, and the prayers of Hely the Prieſt for her, that ſhe confeſſeth to him, that God had giuen her that that ſhe deſired, ſaying, O my Lord, 1. Sam. 1.36.I am the woman that ſtood with thee here praying, I prayed for this child, and the Lord hath giuen me my deſire: and therefore ſhe did not only conſecrate him vntounto God; as the beſt gift that ſhe could beſtow vponupon him, but maketh a ſolemne thankſgiuing vntounto God for him, and in the ſame ſhe confeſſeth that ſhe did eſteeme of him, as if ſhe had had ſeuen, ſaying,Chapt. 2.1. Verſ. 5. My heart reioyceth in the Lord, my heart reioyceth in the Lord, &c. And then after, They that were full, are hired foorth for bread, and the hungrie are no more hired; ſo that the barren hath borne ſeuen, and ſhe that had many children is feeble. See what eſtimation of Gods benefits, and thankfulnes to him for the ſame, followeth vponupon the diligent obſeruation of them after our prayers. Whereas on the contrarie when wee neglect this; many great things, which God giueth vsus, either we regard not at all, or at the leaſt not as we ſhould, and ſo God hath not that praiſe from vsus for them, that is due.
By this obſeruation we ſhal grow in hope of Gods goodnes for the time to come. Rom. 5.4.5.Secondarily, by this obſeruation of Gods dealing towards vsus after our prayers, it will come to paſſe, that wee ſhall grow in faith and hope of Gods goodneſſe towards vsus for the time to come; and ſo wee ſhall be imboldened to pray to him afterwards, becauſe we hauehave ſeene and marked how hee hath heard vsus before. For (as the Apoſtle ſaith) experience breedeth hope, and hope maketh not aſhamed, becauſe the louelove of God is ſhed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghoſt: that is, former experience ſhal confirme vsus in Gods louelove, and ſo giuegive that hope for the time to come, that confoundeth not. And truly if wee had marked all our former experience this way publike and priuate, how many times, and for what God hath heard our prayers; what great hope might wee hauehave had of it now in this time of our neede? When we could hauehave ſaid,1. Sam. 17.37. as Dauid did, God that deliuered mee from the paw of the lion, and from the paw of the beare, will deliuer me frō this vncircumciſed Philistim: that is, God that hath heard me at ſuch and ſuch a time, I hope will heare me now. But for want of this we are new to ſeeke in any great danger, as though God had neuer giuen vsus any thing at our prayers before: and that maketh vsus alſo to hauehave ſo little hope now.And by the ſame we ſhall confirme others in their hope. Thirdly, we ſhal be able to confirme others alſo by our owne experience, and incourage them to cal vponupon God with good hope by our own example: for we ſhall be able to ſay vntounto them, that wee hauehave obſerued how God hath dealt with vsus in the like caſe of theirs: and this ſhall be no ſmall comfort to them to heare it: or to our ſelues from others, to heare at their mouth, how God hath dealt with them in former times. And ſo doth Dauid to this end ſpeake to other of his owne experience which he had gotten, by marking how God dealt with him after his prayers; when he ſaith, This poore man cried, and the Lord heard him, and ſaued him out of all his troubles. And a little before:Pſal. 34.6. Verſ. 4. I ſought the Lord, and he heard me, yea he deliuered me out of my feare: they ſhall looke to him, and runne to him, and their faces ſhall not be aſhamed, ſaying, This poore man cried, and the Lord heard him. We ſee how confidently hee ſpeaketh vntounto others, and aſſureth them, that if they pray to God, he will heare them: for hee had well marked how the Lord had ſo dealt with him before. Let vsus then in all things wherein we hauehave prayed vntounto God, ſo marke his dealing towards vsus, that we may ſee how he hath turned our burnt offrings into aſhes, that is, how he hath declared vntounto vsus, that he hath heard our prayers, that ſo we may reioyce in Gods benefits the more, and hee may bee praiſed for them, and our ſelues and others be confirmed in hope by experience through them.
Turne thy burnt offrings into aſhes. Laſtly, concerning theſe words, wheras in them he teacheth generally to pray,We muſt not limit the hearing of our prayers to any one particular thing. that God would ſhew that he had heard his prayers, and doth not limit it to any particular thing, as to ſay, ſhew it, by doing ſo and ſo: but that concerning the things that be prayed for, hee deſireth that hee would ſhew which way it pleaſeth him, that hee had heard them, and that hee and they might as euidently ſee it, as thoſe did who had their ſacrifices conſumed with fire from heauen: It teacheth vsus, that in al outward things eſpecially, we ſhould not tye the fauour of God, and the hearing of our prayers to any one ſpeciall thing, as to ſay, If God would giuegive me ſuch a thing, that I hauehave prayed for, or deale ſo and ſo with me, I would beleeue that he had heard my prayers, but vntill I hauehave that, I cannot be perſwaded of it. For in all things we ought to pray, that God would giuegive vsus ſuch and ſuch things, ſo farre foorth as it is his holy will, as he knoweth it to be good for vsus, and for his glorie: and with theſe conditions alſo muſt wee pray for others. So then if the Lord ſee it not expedient for vsus, and ſo doe not giuegive it vsus at all, or when we would hauehave it, or in that manner that wee would: yet wee muſt deſire this, that hee would ſome way ſhew that he hath heard our prayers: by giuing vsus minds readie to ſubmit our wils vntounto his, & patience to beare things; and that hee would giuegive vsus ſome thing els for recompence or ſupplie of it, and that hee would turne all to our good, and that we might alſo ſee it to be ſo; and this muſt be ſufficient for all.Rom. 8.26. For we many times know not what to pray, as wee ought, but the ſpirit of God in vsus maketh request then for vsus vntounto God with ſighes and groanes, which cannot be expreſſed: and the Lord who is the ſearcher of the hearts,For God will giuegive not according to that that we name, but that his ſpirit in vsus meaneth. knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit, for it maketh requeſt for the Saints, according to that that they asked or named, which in temptation thēſelues knew not well, but according to the meaning of the ſpirit in them. For euen as thoſe that are ſicke of ſome hot peſtilent burning feuer, or ſome other diſeaſe that diſtempereth their braine; when they aske any thing, thoſe that attend vponupon them will not giuegive them that which they hauehave named, but ſome other thing in ſteed of it, which is better for them in that caſe; and in ſo doing they giuegive them according to their meaning, for they did meane that that was beſt for them, though they erred then through diſtemperature or ignorance in the particular; and ſo when they are well, and can iudge of things, themſelues will confeſſe: So doth the Lord deale with his ſeruants, & ſo muſt we be contēted to be ordred by the Lord, that whatſoeuer we aske he would giuegive vsus that which hee knoweth to bee beſt for vsus, and ſo giuegive vsus according to the meaning of his ſpirit in vsus, that ſo wee may ſee that hee hath heard our prayers.
2. Cor. 12.8.Saint Paul prayed three times that the meſſenger of Satan which buffeted him, might depart away from him; and the Lord heard his prayers: but how? he gaue him this anſwere; My grace is ſufficient for thee, Verſ. 9.for my power is made perfect through weakenes. So that when in all temptations of the diuell hee held out in a good courſe, and God did vpholde him in his weakenes,As he did to the Apoſtle Paul. that he was not ouerthrowne; though the meſſenger of Satan did not depart from him, according to that which he had named in his praiers; yet he ſaw wel enough, that God had heard his prayers, by giuing him ſtrength againſt him. This is worthy to be diligently obſerued, becauſe we are giuen wholy to tie the hearing of our prayers vntounto the receiuing of that particular we aske, and cannot for the moſt part otherwiſe diſcerne of it: as for example, if we aske health and wealth, and God giuegive them, then will we beleeue that he hath heard our prayers, and otherwiſe not: whereas the Lord may no leſſe ſhew that he hath heard our prayers, and deny vsus both of them; when hee ſhall giuegive vsus minds contented with our eſtate, and to waite vponupon his bleſſed will in all our wants. We hauehave now a long time prayed vntounto God for this ſicknes and mortalitie, and wee deſire to ſee that God hath heard our prayers: and ſo we may alſo, though it be not leſſened, but increaſed; yea, though it ſhould come among vsus, and bee vponupon our owne bodies.So will he doe in this viſitation of the Plague. For in that he hath not begun with vsus at the firſt, according to our deſerts, nor is come vntounto vsus with this viſitation as yet, but ſheweth himſelfe ſlowe to anger, and vſeth great patience towards vsus; yea, that hee daily warneth vsus by the harmes of others, and not maketh vsus a ſpectacle vntounto others, therein hee hath ſufficiently ſhewed that hee hath heard our praiers. And now further if he ſhould come and deale with vsus in our owne bodies, and then with all ſhould giuegive vsus grace to profit by it, to amendment of life, if he ſhould alſo giuegive vsus patience; yea, if hee ſhould take vsus away in this plague, and ſhould aſſure vsus in the middeſt of all pains and feares of death, of the forgiuenes of all our ſinnes, and giuegive vsus good hope of euerlaſting life, and of the reſurrection of our bodies, that when wee giuegive vp the Ghoſt, wee might boldly ſay, Father into thy hands I commend my ſpirit: might wee not bee well aſſured by theſe, that God had heard our prayers? Therefore if affliction and trouble doe come, let vsus ſee how we profit by it, and what patience God giueth, and ſo accordingly be aſſured that God hath heard our prayers. And that the Lord in mercy will thus deale with vsus, wee may be aſſured of it, ſo many as pray to him aright: and this muſt be ſufficient for vsus, and a ſure token that God hath heard our prayers, that wee might bee thankfull to him for it. Therefore let vsus not ceaſe praying vntounto him night and day, not doubting but that God in his good time will turne our burnt offerings into aſhes, that is, ſome way or other ſhew, that he hath heard our prayers to his glory, and the comfort of our ſelues and of our brethren.
Selah. The vſe of it for muſicke.Selah. The Hebrew word retained in the Latine and Engliſh tranſlations (for the Greeke hath it not) vſed for the moſt part only in the Pſalmes, which were made to bee ſung in the temple, noteth a vehement lifting vp of the voyce, and eſpecially thereby alſo a contention and affection of the minde; ſo that the Muſitions when they came to this word, (which was vntounto them as a direction in Muſicke) did not ſo much ſing it or ſay it, as we doe now: but letting it paſſe thereby did know that they ſhould lift vp their voyces on high, to that end, that thereby their minds, and the minds of others might be moued with that that was then ſung, according to the matter thereof. And ſo it was a note of ſome change in the muſick, and thereby alſo in the minds: euen as wee when wee ſpeake of any waightie matter wee put in ſome note of exclamation, or word to ſtir them vp to attention, and to marke it diligently; as our Sauiour Chriſt in the Goſpell often in ſuch caſes, and to this end vſeth this word. Behold. So was this word vſed to ſtirre vp their voyces, and thereby to ſtirre vp their minds. That kinde of muſicke that was then vſed in the temple (for which this was written) is now ceaſed with the reſt of that Leuiticall kind of ſeruice,And for the affections of the mind. and ſo there is no more vſe of it that way: yet ſtill it is carefully retained in the text, and there is good vſe of it in the Church: for it ſerueth to the ſtirring vp of the mind with ſome ſpeciall affection vntounto that whereunto it is affixed: which affection muſt alwaies be according to the matter contayned in thoſe words, whereunto this is adioyned. And therefore it noteth out not any one ſpeciall affection of the mind, as ſome interiections doe, but diuers, and generally all kind whatſoeuer, which muſt be in vsus diuerſly according to the matter. As in the third Pſalme it is vſed three times, for three ſeuerall affections, according to that that is ſaid there:Pſalm. 3.2. as Many ſay to my ſoule, there is no helpe for him in his God. Selah. As if he ſhould ſay, O what a great calamitie or croſſe is that? I am greatly affected with that, and would hauehave others to bee ſo too, and pity mee thereafter.Verſe 4. And, I did call vntounto the Lord with my voyce, and he did heare me out of his holy mountaine. Selah. They ſaid God had forſaken him, but hee prayed vntounto God, and God heard him, and then hee addeth Selah, as if hee had ſaid, Oh what a good God is that? and how is that to be marked? And laſtly, in the ſame Pſalme, Saluation belongeth vntounto the Lord, Verſe 8.and thy bleſſing is vponupon thy people. Selah. As if he had ſaid, God only can ſaue, and he ſaueth his people: and then affixeth, Selah. As if he had ſaid, Oh what a bleſſed thing is that? and how ſhould wee therefore put our truſt in him?
So here, when Dauid had willed them to pray, that God would remember his prayers, and ſhew that hee had heard them; he addeth, Selah, to ſtirre vp their minds and his owne: Theirs, that they might pray this earneſtly for him, and know that he had great need of it, for hee commended it vntounto them with ſome feeling: and hee knew that it was a great thing to offer vp any thing to God, that ſhould bee acceptable vntounto him, if we conſider his excellency, and our own vnworthines: And for himſelfe, that he would eſteeme this as a great benefit, if the Lord would ſhew that he had heard his prayers; euen as hee confeſſeth in the next Pſalme.Pſalm. 21.2. Thou hast giuen him his hearts deſire, and hast not denied him the request of his lippes: where hee doth alſo adde this note, Selah: to ſhew, that as before they did earneſtly pray for it, ſo now they ſhould be greatly affected in thankeſgiuing with it: and as they had a feeling of their want in praying for it, ſo they ſhould hauehave of the goodnes of God, in giuing thankes for the ſame: and ſo both in the one, and in the other to hauehave their minds ſpecially moued with that they ſaid. Generally whereſoeuer this is vſed,The generall vſe of this word. we muſt carefully marke it, and make ſome good vſe of it, according to the matter where it is vſed: For though the whole Scripture be excellent in it ſelfe, and in eueryevery part of it, as being giuen by the inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt,2. Tim. 3.16. and is profitable to teach, to conuince, to correct, and to inſtruct in righteouſneſſe; that the man of God may be abſolute, being made perfect vntounto all good works: yet ſome parts hauehave more ſpeciall vſe to vsus in ſome caſes than other; and therefore ſome are commended vntounto vsus with the title of excellencie; as all the Pſalmes commonly called of degrees:Pſalm. 120.1. or as others reade it, of excellencies, becauſe in that ſhortnes they containe ſome excellent matter. So alſo in the ſame Pſalme ſome part may bee of greater vſe, and of more note and obſeruation for ſome cauſes, than ſome other part of the ſame: as here in this Pſalme, though hee commended the whole Pſalme vntounto them, and whole matter of the ſame, as appeareth by the title and inſcription of the ſame, and the whole diſcourſe of it: yet in it, the matter of this verſe he doth ſpecially commend vntounto them for ſome cauſes, with this marke or note (then well knowne becauſe it was in great vſe) when he addeth, Selah. So alſo in another Pſalme, Dauid commendeth one thing vntounto them with a double note:Pſalm. 9 16. Higgaion. Selah. as when he ſaith. The Lord is known by executing iudgement, the wicked is ſnared in the worke of his owne hands. Higgaion. Selah. This Pſalme was made as a ſolemne thankeſgiuing for the conqueſt he had ouer the proude Philiſtim Goliah, as appeareth in the title: therefore when hee commeth to this, to ſhew how the Lord was knowne by executing iudgement vponupon him, and euen this iudgement, that hee was ſnared in the worke of his owne hands (as many other wicked men are) for he was ſlaine in that combate by little Dauid, and that without armour, euen with a ſtone and a ſling, as it were with the hand of God miraculouſly; in that combat I ſay, whereunto he had proudly challenged all the hoaſt of the Iſraelites, with blaſphemous words, tending to the diſhonour of God: he addeth theſe two notes, Higgaion: that is, This is worthy to be meditated vponupon, and thought ſeriouſly on of all men, that the wicked are ſnared in the workes of their owne hands. Selah: As if hee had ſaid; yea in deed, this is worthy moſt ſeriouſly and with great affection to bee thought vponupon. But we ſhall make further vſe of this doctrine hereafter.