Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 3 · Psalm 87
PSAL. LXXXVII. foreign.
THIS Pſalm is ſhort, but ſweet; for it contains many excellent priviledges of the Church of God, of which every one muſt be a Member that hopes for ſalvation; whoſoever was the Authour, it was his purpoſe to excite men to be in love with the Aſſemblies of Gods Saints; and to that purpoſe the dignity and amplitude of the Church is ſet forth in this Pſalm; and the notes of her beauty and perfection may well ſerve for the Analyſis.
1. The Church commended. 1. For the foundation, laid on a holy Mountain.Firſt, the Church is here commended for her foundation, the Authour of it is God, it is his foundation, and it is ſurely laid, not in the ſand, but upon a Mountain, and no common Mountain neither, but a conſecrated place; laid it is in the holy Mountains.
His foundation is in the holy Mountain: No queſtion the Prophet alludes to the hill of Zion, Ver. 1 which was the Type of the Catholick Church, and indeed the foundation of it: 2From Gods love to her.For the Law was to come out of Zion.
2. Ver. 2 The ſecond Prerogative of the Church, is taken from Gods love and favour to it, 3From the predictions that went of her.far beyond that of any other Aſſembly: The Lord loves the gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
3. Now beſides the commendation it hath from the builder, which was God, and his free love to it, Ver. 3 a third Prerogative it hath, and that is from the teſtimony and predictions of the Prophets, 4From the increaſe of it, by the acceſs of the Gentiles.Iſaiah, Haggai, Saint John, who not. Glorious things are ſprken of thee, Thou City of God. Selah.
4. And one of thoſe glorious things foretold by the Prophets, was the great increaſe and amplitude of the Church, Ver. 4 by the acceſs of the Gentiles; even thoſe Nations which were the greateſt enemies to Gods people, ſhould become friends and Citizens of this City; even the Egyptians, Babylonians, Tyrians, Aethiopians, in effect all the Gentiles, of what language, Countrey ſoever.
1. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me, i. e. among my friends and family; Behold Phyliſtia and Tyre with Aethiopia; ſome of all Nations are come into my family; there is one Fold, one Shepherd.
2. This man was born there; this man, whom you now ſee a Citizen of Zion, was an Alien, he was born there, in Egypt, Babylon, &c.
5. But now having renounced his Countrey, and his fathers houſe, Vers. 5 his Idols, and old wayes, it ſhall be ſaid of Zion. Ʋir & Ʋir, 5From her continuance for ever.foreign. This and that man was born, regenerate, and become a new man in her; Here he receiv'd his adoption, and the earneſt of the Spirit.
6. Farther yet, the felicity of this City ſhall in this far exceed all other, 6From her free Denizons, whoſe names arethat whereas they fall to decay, and periſh, this ſhall our-laſt all time. The gates of hell ſhall not prevail againſt it. For the most higheſt ſhall confirm and est abliſh her.1Eni…ll'd.
7. A ſeventh Prerogative of the Church, is, That God agit Cenſum, Vers. 6 and does, as it were, enrole the names of the Citizens. So that now there is no difference betwixt Jew and Gentile, bond, nor free, all are one in Chriſt Jeſus. The Lord ſhall count, when he writes up the people, That this man, this caſt-off Gentile, was burn there. Be as free a Denizon, and have all the priviledges and prerogatives of this City, as the natural Jew.
8. Another Prerogative of theſe Citizens, is, 2And they ſhall enjoy a perpetual Solemnity.That they ſhall enjoy a perpetual Solemnity, grief and ſorrow ſhall ceaſe, and with Songs and inſtruments of Muſick they ſhall ſound forth Gods praiſes. As well the ſiagers, as players on inſtruments, ſhall be there.
9. Laſtly, He concludes the Pſalm with an excellent Epiphonema, Verſ. 7 that indeed comprehends all that can be ſaid in the praiſe of the Church, viz. For that in her all good is to be found.All my ſprings are in thee. Here are the fountains of living water. Here are to be found the hidden treaſures of all knowledge. Here the waters, that will refreſh a thirſty ſoul, and a fainting ſpirit. Here all comforts, all content. The waters that are muddy and troubled in other ſtreams, in this are as clear as Criſtal. 'Tis Virgo aqua.
A Prayer collected out of the eighty ſeventh Pſalm, for the Catholick Church.
O Lord Ieſas Chriſt, that by thy Almighty power madeſt all creatures, both viſible and inviſible: that by thy wiſdom haſt diſpoſed all things in a comely order, and now doeſt govern them: that by thy unſpeakable goodneſs yet doeſt preſerve, protect, and promote all actions and ſucceſſes: who by thy mercy doeſt reſtore what is decay'd, renew what is fallen, and raiſeſt the dead: Vouchſafe to caſt thy eye upon, and view with a pleaſing countenance, thy well-beloved Spouſe thy Church, which thou haſt purchaſed with thy blood, and betroth'd to thy ſelf in righteouſneſs, and in judgement, and in loving-kindneſs, and in mercies. Look upon her with that amiable and merciful face, wherewith thou pacifieſt all things in heaven and earth. Vers. 1
This is that new City, that new Jeruſalem, which thou haſt founded upon the Mountains of holineſs; Thy holy Apoſtles and Prophets were at thy command, the chief Labourers in the building of it, and all men ſince as living ſtones, are built upon their Doctrine. Be pleaſed then to love the gates of this City, by which all muſt enter, that look for ſalvation; and proſecute with greater care and affection this thy choſen Spouſe, than thou didſt the old Synagogue, even as thou didſt love the hill of Zion, and make choice of it for thy peculiar habitation, more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Thou ſéeſt, Lord, with what winds, with what ſtorms this thy holy City is aſſaulted, there be who are ready and bent to raze it oven to the foundations. Have mercy therefore upon the inhabitants of this City, O Lord; and thou who haſt promiſed to protect theſe Walls, give the glory to thine own name. And ſuffer not thoſe thy enemies, who have not known thée, or do envy thy glory, Vers. 5 continualiy to reproach thy name, and triumph over thy people, though they cry, Down with it, down with it to the ground, yet do thou who art the moſt High, eſtabliſh and confirm it, and never ſuffer the gates of Hell to prevail againſt it.
Many Glorious things are ſpoken of thee, O thou City of God. The Gates are of pearls, the ſtréets of gold, the light in it beyond that of the Sun, ſo that the glory of it was far to excéed the old Temple. The glory of any City is in the multitude of the inhabitants, bring in hither all Nations, and let them walk in the light of this City, that they may be ſaved, let the Kings of the Nations bring their glory and honour unto it. Day and night let theſe gates ſtand open, and let thoſe of Rahab and Babylon enter by them, and thoſe, who were born in Philiſtia, and Tire with Ethiopia, be regenerated and born again in her of water, and of the Holy Ghoſt.
When thou ſhalt enrole and write up the names of thy Citizens in the book of life, ſet it down in fair Characters, that this Alien, this Stranger from the Common-wealth of Iſrael, was born in thy houſe. And declare it to the whole world at the day of judgement, that his portion ſhall be with thy natural children.
In the mean time eſtabliſh unity and concord betwixt all Nations, and let us live in ſuch love and peace, that there be no diſſonancy, no jarres, no tumults among us, but ſuch an Harmony as is among thoſe who with joyful hearts, who with Songs, and Muſical Inſtruments, ſound forth thy praiſes.
In Zion are the Springs of living water. In Zion are to be found the hid treaſures of all knowledge. In Zion alone are the cléer fountains of all content, all joy. Lord, evermore refreſh our thirſty ſouls with this water, enrich out ſouls with this treaſure. Affect us with ſome degrée of this joy while we remain in this City below, and give us full draughts of it when we ſhall be tranſlated into that heavenly Jeruſalem, which is above, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.