Davids Harp Strung and Tuned, Book 4 [i.e. 5] · Psalm 110
PSAL. CX. Propheticus de Regno Chriſti.
THIS Pſalm is ſhort in words, but copious and deep in Myſteries; the Subject of it, without doubt, is Chriſt, which no Chriſtian can deny, ſince both St. Peter, Acts 2.34. and St. Paul, Hebr. 1.13: expounds it of Chriſt, and Chriſt applieth it to himſelf, Matth. 22.44. In this then Chriſt is deſcribed as a King, and a Prieſt.
In it are to be conſidered:
1. Chriſts Kingdom, in the three firſt verſes.
2. His Prieſthood, in the fourth, fifth, ſixth, and ſeventh.
1. The firſt part. Chriſt a King.As touching his Kingdom, the Prophet firſt acquaints us with his Perſon. 2. His Power, and the Acquiſition of it. 3. The Continuance of it. 4. The Execution of it; firſt over his enemies; and ſecondly, over his own people; which is the ſum of the three firſt verſes.
1. The Perſon that was here to reign was Davids Lord, 1His Perſon.his Son according to the fleſh, but his Lord, as equal to God, Phil. 2.6, 7. As made fleſh, Ver. 1 the Son of David, as born of a Virgin, the Son of David; but as Emmanuel, the Lord of David; which the Jewes not underſtanding, could not anſwer Chriſts queſtion, Mat. 22.45.
2. As for his Power, the Authour of it was God: The Lord ſaid to my Lord. 2His Power.The Lord ſaid; ſaid it, that is, Decreed it from everlaſting: And ſaid it again, when he made it known, The Seed of the woman ſhall break the Serpents head.
3. And of this Kingdom, as I may ſo ſay, he then took Poſſeſſion, 3His Inauguration to his Kingdom at his Aſcenſion.when the Lord ſaid unto him, Sit at my right hand. Chriſt, as the Son of God, was ever at Gods right hand, equal with him in Might and Majeſty; but as Man, was not exalted to this honour before his glorious Aſcenſion, Acts 2.34. Epheſ. 1.20. Phil. 2.8. This then was the day of Inauguration to his Kingdom.
4. For the continuance of it: It is to be donec, 4The continuance of his Kingdom.which notes not a piece of time, but a perpetuity: Sit, till I make all thy enemies thy foot-ſtool. Sit he ſhall at Gods right hand; that is, in power and glory, till he ſhall ſay to all Tyrants and Hereticks, and Hypocrites, and Antichriſts, Depart from me, Mat. 25. Yet not ſo, as if he were to be dethron'd then, but till then he ſhall reign in a ſecret manner; for now though he executes his Power, yet it is not ſeen, Tyrants acknowledge it not: But when once all his enemies ſhall be made his foot-ſtool, then he ſhall openly and viſibly Rule, Sitting at his Fathers right hand for evermore. Bellarmine interprets it well, Go on to reign, neither deſiſt to propagate and enlarge thy Kingdom, by converting men to faith and obedience, until there be not an enemy alive, not a man which will not bow his knee to thy Name, till all Opponents be beaten down.
5. The beginning of this Kingdom was in Zion: 5The beginning of his Kingdom in Zion.The Lord ſhall ſend the Rod of thy ſtrength out of Zion.
1. The Rod of his power and ſtrength, was his Scepter; and his Scepter, is his Word, the Goſpel, the Wiſdom of God, 1 Theſ. 2.13. Ver. 2 The Sword of the Spirit, Epheſ. 6.17. The mighty power of God unto ſalvation, For the Goſpel began to be preach'd in Zion.Rom. 1.16. Able to caſt down, &c. 2 Cor. 10.5.
2. And this was to be ſent out of Zion, Iſa. 2.3. Micah 4.2. It behoved Chriſt to ſuffer, and to riſe again the third day, that repentance, and remiſſion of ſins be preached in his Name to all Nations, beginning at Jeruſalem, Luke 24.47. The ſound of the Apoſtles words went into all Lands, but at Zion it was, and muſt be firſt heard, Acts 13.46. & Acts 1.8.
6. And now the Prophet comes to the execution of his power, 6The execution of his power.which was either over his enemies, or his good Subjects.
1. As for that over his enemies, 1Over his enemies, that converted or confoundedhe uſhers it in with a Vote and Acclamation, Dominare, Rule thou in the midst of thy enemies; converting ſuch enemies as appertain to Gods Election, and confounding ſuch enemies as are the ſons of Perdition: Now,
1. Theſe are the greateſt number; for the Church, however it be propagated, and increaſed, yet is in the midſt of enemies, of Jewes, Turks, Infidels, Hereticks, &c.
2. Dominare then, be thou Ruler, go on, and ſet up the ſtandard of thy Croſs in the midſt of theſe Pagans, and will they, nill they, yet erect thy Kingdom.
2. For thy good Subjects they are eaſily dealt withall, Ver. 3 there needs not any harſh dealing to ſubdue them, and bring them to, 2Over his good Subjects, which are a willing people.and continue them in obedience.
1. For thy people ſhall be willing; not enforc'd by compulſion, but coming in upon love: They confluunt, they will flow together as water; which runs downward, by a natural inclination, Iſa. 2. and will bring free-will offerings.
2. Upon grace offer'd them.But yet not before thy grace hath wrought upon their hearts, Tracti ſequentur, in the day of thy power; i. e. in the dayes of thy ſolemn Aſſemblies, in the dayes of thy Goſpel, when thou ſhalt ſend forth thy Apoſtles to preach, and by preaching, to collect and conſtitute thy Kingdom, then they will ſhew themſelves to be a willing people, and in pure devotion, and chearful obedience, they will do their homage to thee their King.
3. 3And a holy people.The third quality of this good people, is, That they be holy: For ſome read the words thus, They ſhall offer free-will offerings with an holy worſhip; our laſt Tranſlators point it ſomewhat otherwiſe, for they read, The people ſhall be willing in the day of thy power: There they pauſe, and read on thus, In the beauty of holineſs from the womb of the morning: The Vulgar, in splendoribus ſanctorum. Moller, in ornatibus ſanctis, and ſtops there. Tremellius, in decoris ſanctitatis: But let the reading be as it will, agreed, for ought I perceive, all Expoſitors are, That holineſs muſt be an eminent and reſplendent Ornament of Chriſts good Subjects.
4. Which holineſs is from grace.Which Sanctity yet theſe good people have not from themſelves, it is by ſome ſecret and efficacious work of the Spirit: They ſhall worſhip in the beauties of holineſs, from the womb of the morning; Thou haſt the dew of thy youth.
This is a very difficult place, and the rendring of it is ſo various, ſo perplexed, ſo alter'd by the ſeveral pointing of it, that it increaſeth the difficulty; for full ſatiſfaction (if it be given by any) I refer you to the Tranſlators and Expoſitors: The ſenſe of theſe words inquired into.Three opinions I find about the words. The Fathers expound them of Chriſt himſelf. The later Divines, of his people, that were willing to ſerve him, which indeed is moſt likely, and will beſt conſiſt and cohere with the ſenſe of the former words.
But thoſe that expound them, Expounded of Chriſt.and apply them to Chriſt, run not one way neither: Some ſuppoſe the Prophet ſpeaks of his Godhead, ſome of his Manhood, ſome of his Gifts and Graces: Thus they open themſelves.
1. The Prophet, ſay they, Notes out here Chriſts eternal Generation before all Worlds, following the Septuagints Tranſlation, that reads it, foreign, of the womb; that is, of mine own Eſſence, ſaith the Father to the Son, before the morning Star; that is, before there was Light or Star, which was the firſt Creature; i. e. before the World was, I have begotten thee, or, Thou haſt the dew of thy youth; that is, thy Nativity or Birth.
2. Others apply the words to Chriſts Nativity of the Virgin Mary, and open thus their meaning: From the womb of the morning, that is, the Virgin, Thou haſt the dew of thy youth; i. e. Thy birth, which birth is therefore compared to dew, becauſe as a celeſtial dew the Son of God ſent from Heaven, was at his Incarnation conceived in the Virgins womb, without the ſeed of man.
3. Others, yet applying them to Chriſt, expound the words of the fulneſs of thoſe dewes, as it were of Gifts and Graces, with which his Humanity was inveſted and beautified, even from the womb, which is alſo very true; for he was foreign, that holy one from the womb, and even then received thoſe Gifts and Graces in an abundant and plentiful manner, without meaſure, which he after communicated by portions to his Church: For of his Fulneſs it is that we receive; He was anointed with the oyle of gladneſs above his Fellowes, but yet for his Fellowes.
4. Of the Church his people.Now this Interpretation, as I conceive, gave occaſion to our Modern Expoſitors, to apply the words not to the Meſſias, nor to the plenitude of Grace in him, but to our new Birth, and the Graces then beſtowed upon his Subjects and people.
By their Youth, they underſtand their Regeneration; by the Dewes, the Graces then beſtowed on them, which they have not from the will of man, nor from the will of the fleſh, but of God; or as the Prophet phraſes it, from the womb of the morning. As if the Holy Ghoſt had ſaid, By the preaching of thy Word thou ſhalt bring forth a people, not only good, but great, whoſe increaſe ſhall be ſo plentiful and wonderful, as the drops of the morning dew: For as the dew that ſecretly falls from Heaven abundantly, covers and refreſheth the Earth; ſo thy power regenerating the hearts of men by thy Goſpel, and ſecret operation of thy Spirit, diſtilling as the dew, and as the ſhowers upon the herbs, is that immortal Seed, by which an incredible number of children are begotten to God. How properly may it be ſaid to, and of every regenerate man, from the womb of the morning; that is, not from thy ſelf, or any other womb, but from above, from the Spirit of God, Thou haſt the dew, thoſe ſweet and comfortable dewes of grace which do better and beautifie thy youth, thy new birth, thy youthful and lively condition in Chriſtianity, hence is thy birth, thy vigour, thy growth. And becauſe the Prophet in the beginning of the verſe ſpoke of Gods people, of their holineſs, their willingneſs, methinks it is moſt conſonant to the driſt of the Text, to expound theſe words of their Regeneration alſo, of their increaſe, of their growth in grace, and the cauſes of it; the Word of God, and the operation of his Spirit, which as I ſaid, is the dew: But I leave to every man to take for his guide in this caſe, either the Ancient, or Modern Divines.
Now I go on with the Pſalmiſt.
2. The Prophet having foretold Chriſts Kingdom, The ſecond part. Chriſt a Prieſt.now deſcends to predict his Prieſthood, under which his Prophetical Office may well be implied; for the Prieſts lips were to preſerve knowledge, Ver. 4 and the people were to require the Law at their mouth. Now that no man ever doubt that the Meſſiah was to be a Prieſt at his coming, God hath confirmed with an Oath, with an irreverſible Oath.
1. The Lord ſware. His Word had been enough; but for Aſſurance, 1Confirmed by an Oath.he hath given his Oath: Beatos nos quorum, cauſa jurat Deus, ſed miſeros nos, ſine juranti quidem credimus. It ſeems, that in the Prieſthood of Chriſt lies the main weight of our Redemption, that God takes an Oath to aſſure us he ſhould be a Prieſt, that he ſhould be a King, that he ſhould be a Prophet; he ſwears not, though he was to be both, but he ſecures to us this Office, becauſe nor his being a King, nor Prophet, could have redeemed us, had he not been a Prieſt to offer himſelf to dye, to intercede, to ſatiſfie Gods wrath for us.
2. Sworn he hath, and he will not repent. This is alſo added for our greater aſſurance: Sometimes we ſhall read in Scripture of Gods Repentance, 2Of which God repents not.as in the caſe of the old World, in the caſe of Nineveh, then he was to do juſtice, and to deſtroy, which Iſaiah calls, opus alianum: But now he was to ſave the World by this Prieſt his Son; and he takes an Oath to do in, and he repents not, nor ever will repent of it. His ſentence for judgment is ever conditional, and then he is ſaid to repent, when he executes it not; his words have not the effect: Non affectu vertitur, ſed avertitur nostra penitentia, & orationibus: But his Decree for mercy is abſolute, as it was here, he will not repent, nor alter the thing gone out of his lips.
3. The matter of the Oath followes: 3The matter of the Oath.Thou art a Prieſt for ever after the order of Melchizedech: Not a word here, that ought to paſs without a Note.
1. Thou, is emphatical: Thou, Davids Lord, art a Prieſt, and none ſuch a Prieſt, but Thou.1Thou art a Prieſt.
2. Art: For this Prieſt was foreign, I am, and then it might rightly be ſaid of him, Thou art,
3. A Priest; whoſe Office thus the Apoſtle deſcribes, Hebr. 5.1. To be a perſon taken from among men, yet ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and ſacrifices for ſins, who can have compaſſion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way, for that he himſelf alſo is compaſſed with infirmity.
4. 2For ever.For ever: They truly, viz. Aaron and his Succeſſors, were many Prieſts, becauſe they were not ſuffered to continue by reaſon of death; but this man, becauſe he continueth for ever, hath an unchangeable Prieſthood, Hebr. 7.23, 3After the order of Melchizedech.24.
5. After the Order; that is, the Right, the Law, the Cuſtom, the Tradition, or Rites.
6. Of Melchizedech, which is oppoſed to the Order of Aaron; he was not then to be a Prieſt after the Order of Aaron, but by a former and higher Order; The difference betwixt the Aaronical Prieſthood and Chriſts.the difference lies in this.
1. In the Conſtitution of him to the Prieſthood: He was made with an Oath, and ſo were not any of Aarons Order. This Saint Paul obſerves, Hebr. 7.20, 21.
2. In the Succeſſion. In Aarons Prieſthood, the High Prieſt being mortal, as he began, ſo alſo he ended; he dyed, and another ſucceeded: But this Prieſt after Melchizedech, had no Succeſſor; as Melchizedech, he was without father on earth, without mother in heaven; he had neither beginning of dayes, nor end of life, Hebr. 7.
3. Melchizedech was King and Prieſt, and ſo was Chriſt; Aaron a Prieſt only:
4. Aaron and his ſons offered up Oxen, Sheep; firſt for their own ſins, then for the people, Levit. 16.6. But Chriſt being holy, blameleſs, undefiled, Hebr. 7.26. offered not any Sacrifice for himſelf, but for our ſins, Iſa. 53.9.
5. Aaron was a local Prieſt, tyed to the Temple at Jeruſalem, a Prieſt of one people; but Chriſt an univerſal Catholick Priest, a Prieſt for all perſons, all places, John 4.21.
6. Aaron anointed with material Oyle, Chriſt with the Holy Ghoſt, Luke 4.18, 21.
7. Aarons Priesthood temporary, Chriſts for ever. The difference betwixt his Prieſthood, Chriſt a Prieſt, having the characters required by St. Paul.and that of Aaron, is evident; though then no ſuch Prieſt, yet a Prieſt, and according to Saint Pauls definition, Hebr. 5.1, 2.
1. A Prieſt is to be a perſon taken from among men; a man then he muſt be, though a ſelect, a choice man, every man not fit for the Office; and ſo was Chriſt a perfect man, 1A man. 2. Ordained.yet a choice man, one of a thouſand, Cant. 1.
2. A Prieſt muſt be ordained by God; For no man takes upon him that honour, who is not called by God, as was Aaron; ſo Chriſt glorified not himſelf, to be made an High Prieſt, but he that ſaid unto him, Thou art my Son, 3For men.this day have I begotten thee, Hebr. 5.
3. The High Prieſt was ordained for men in things pertaining to God; for men he is ordained, that he may plead their cauſe to God, to be their Advocate, Mediator, Interpreter, and Reconciler in all thoſe things in which men make their Addreſſes to God, or God is to ſignifie his Will to them: And ſo was Chriſt; for he is the Advocate, the Mediator for his people, he reconciles man to God, he interprets his Will to us, by preaching the Goſpel to the poor.
4. 4To offer ſacrifice.The High Prieſt was ordained, that he might offer Gifts and Sacrifices for ſins. Their Sacrifices were the blood of Bulls and Goats, which could not take away ſins: But as a Prieſt, Chriſt offer'd alſo a Sacrifice, a Sacrifice of blood, but far more precious than that of Beaſts, being himſelf, and his own blood, Epheſ. 5.2. & Hebr. 9.26. Hebr. 10.10, 11, 12.
5. 5Compaſſionate.The High Prieſt muſt have compaſſion on the ignorant, and on thoſe that are out of the way: And ſuch a Prieſt was Chriſt; For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touch'd with the feeling of our infirmities, Hebr. 4.15.
6. Laſtly, The High Prieſt muſt be compaſſed with infirmities, 6Compaſſed with infirmitiesand ſo was Chriſt, In all things like us, ſin only excepted; He took our infirmities, and bare our ſorrowes; and in all things it behoved him to be like unto his Brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Prieſt in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the ſins of the people, for in that he himſelf hath ſuffered; being tempted, he is able to ſuccour them that are tempted, Hebr. 2.17, 18.
2. A Prieſt then, it is evident, Chriſt is, it remains now to ſhew,2A Prieſt for ever.
1. How he is a Prieſt for ever?
2. How a Prieſt after the Order of Melchizedech?
1. A Priest for ever, Chriſt is ſaid to be, in reſpect of his Perſon, his Office, the Effect.
1. In reſpect of his Perſon: For he ſucceeded no Prieſt, 1In his Perſon.his Vocation being immediate, neither is any to ſucceed him in this Prieſthood; for he lives for ever, and therefore needs not, as the Prieſts under the old Law, any Succeſſor to continue his Prieſthood to poſterity; whoſoever ſince do any ſervice for him, are but his Under-Officers, and Authoriz'd by him: The plenitude of his Power ſhall never be transfer'd to any other, he lives, and keeps it in his own hands; 'tis but in vain to talk of a Succeſſor.
2. A Prieſt he is for ever, in reſpect of his Office. Not of offering, 2In his office of interceſſion.for that is ended, and was, when he offer'd himſelf upon the Croſs; but in reſpect o… his Interceſſion, in that for ever he doth intercede in Heaven to his Father for his people.
3. A Priest he is for ever, in respect of the Effect; 3In his effects 1. Redemption 2. Salvation.becauſe by that Sacrifice which he once offer'd on the Croſs, he becomes to all his the cauſe of theſe ineſtimable Effects, Redemption, and eternal Salvation; in which ſenſe, that his Sacrifice once offer'd on the Croſs, may well be ſaid to be Eternal.
2. That Chriſt is a Prieſt, that he is a Prieſt for ever, is evident; 3After the order of Melchizedech.it remains now to be examined, How a Priest after the Order, the Rite, the Manner, the Word, and Power given and preſcribed to Melchizedech, or the ſimilitude of Melchizedech.
1. This Melchizedech (ſuppoſe it were Sem) was King of Salem, 1King and Prieſt.and Prieſt of the moſt High God, Gen. 14. So was Chriſt a King of Jeruſalem, above Gods own City, and a Prieſt, offering himſelf a ſacrifice for ſin.
2. Melchizedech is by interpretation, King of righteouſneſs; ſo is Chriſt, 2Our righteouſneſs.The Lord our righteouſneſs, Jer. 23.6. 1 Cor. 1.30.
3. Melchizedech is King of Salem, i. e. peace; 3Our peace.ſo Chriſt is the Prince of peace, Iſa. 9.6.
4. Melchizedech was without father, without mother, to us ſo, 4God for everas being to us revealed by God; ſo was this our Prieſt, Having nor beginning of dayes, nor end of life, as touching his Godhead, Apoc. 1.11.
5. Melchizedech, bleſſed; Abraham ex Officio, the greater, the leſs; 5He bleſſeth.and Chriſt bleſſeth us, In turning every one of us from our iniquities, Acts 3. ult.
6. 6Ordains the Sacrament.Melchizedech brought forth bread and wine to refreſh Abrahams Army, and Chriſt hath in the Sacrament ſet forth bread and wine to refreſh hungry and thirſty ſouls. Thus much we can grant, and yet not admit of the Popiſh Sacrifice.
Now I proceed in the Expoſition of the Pſalm.
The Lord at thy right hand ſhall ſtrike through Kings in the day of his wrath. Ver. 5His Kingdom and Prieſthood muſt continue.
After that the Prophet had ſaid, That the Meſſiah ſhould be a Prieſt for ever after the Order of Melchizedech. He intimates in this verſe, That notwithſtanding all oppoſition that ſhould be made againſt him, yet his Prieſthood ſhould be eternal; as if he had ſaid, Many Kings of the earth ſhall conſpire, as did Herod, Domitian, Decius, Maximinus, Diocleſian, Julian, &c. to overthrow Chriſts Prieſthood, and overturn Religion; but it ſhall never be done, his Prieſthood and holy Rites ſhall ſtand and continue; for,
1. For God hath given him power to revenge the enemies of his Church.The Lord is on thy right hand: Given thee power, who ſits at his right hand, which thou wilt uſe in defence of thy Church.
2. And this thy Lord ſhall ſtrike through Kings, the greateſt, the potenſt enemies.
3. In the day of his wrath: For ſuch a day there is, and that will come; and when this day of revenge and vengeance comes, the proudeſt Tyrant ſhall not eſcape: He will recompence the ſlackneſs of revenge, by the ſharpneſs of the puniſhment; he hath leaden feet, but iron hands, he will lay on, Confringet.
Which the Prophet farther explains in the following verſe, This David explains.in which Chriſt is deſcribed as a valiant Conqueror over his enemies.
1. Ver. 6 He ſhall rule and judge; not only over the Jewes, but the Heathen alſo; ſet up his power, and judge the people in righteouſneſs.
2. He ſhall fill the places with dead bodies; make ſuch a ſlaughter among his enemies, as enraged Souldiers do in the ſtorm of a City, that fill the Trenches with the dead: The meaning is, that the execution upon his enemies will be great and furious, not one ſpared.
3. He ſhall wound the heads over many Countries: Even Kings and Monarchs, thoſe in the greateſt Power and Authority. Of this, Herod, the Perſecutors, Maximinus, Diocleſian, Julian, &c. are Examples.
The Prophet through the whole Pſalm had ſpoken of Chriſts Exaltation; Ver. 7 How he was ſet on Gods right hand, and made a King: How by the Oath of God he was made a Prieſt, and how in the defence of his Prieſthood and Kingdom, he would ſubdue, conquer, and break to pieces his enemies. In this laſt verſe, he acquaints us by what means he came to this honour; His Croſs the way to the Crown.his Croſs was the way to the Crown, his Paſſion and Humiliation to his Exaltation. He, ſaith David, ſhall drink of the Brook in the way, therefore ſhall he lift up his Head; as if he had ſaid with the Apoſtle, He humbled himſelf, and became obedient to death, even the death of the Croſs, wherefore God hath alſo highly exalted him, &c. Phil. 2.8, 9. Hebr. 2.9. & 12.2. Iſa. 5.11, 12.
1. He ſhall drink: To drink, is to be afflicted, Jer. 49.12. Matth. 20.22.
2. He ſhall drink of the Brook, de Torrente, and that's more than of the Cup; His Paſſion ſet out by a Torrent.for a Cup contains a certain portion of ſorrowes, but a Torrent a whole Ocean of miſeries. 2. In a Cup, that which is …unk may be clean and clear, but in a Torrent, a man can expect none but muddy, troubled water; that then the Prophet ſaith, He ſhall drink of the Torrent, intimates, That the drink offer'd him ſhould be much, and troubled. And at his Paſſion, he deſcended into the very depth of the Torrent, and drank very deep of it.
3. In the way: That was, while he was Viator, in his Journey, all the time of his life, that preceded his Reſurrection and Aſcenſion.
2. His Aſcenſion and Honour.But Claritas Humilitatis praemium; becauſe he thus humbled himſelf, and willingly underwent his Death and Paſſion, for the Glory of his Father, and the Salvation of Mankind, therefore ſhall God lift up his Head, he ſhall aſcend into Heaven, ſit at his right hand, and be conſtituted the Judge of quick and dead; he ſhall riſe from the dead, and have all power committed to him in Heaven and Earth.
The Prayer out of the One hundred and tenth Pſalm.
O Almighty God, moſt gracious and merciful Lord, ſinned all Mankind hath, and by it incurr'd thy diſpleaſure, and by the diſobedience of our firſt Parents, had we not ſince added to that diſobedience, béen utterly loſt; it was not in the power of any creature to ſave us, it was not within the compaſs of any humane or angelical ability to make our peace, to get our pardon, and to reconcile us again unto thée. The ſentence of death was paſſed upon us, and nothing could reſpite the execution, but thy own Ordinance. A Mediator was wanting to interpoſe and hear all differences; a Prieſt to ſtep in, and make an Atonement; an Advocate to plead for thy people, and allay the anger that was gone forth. And ſuch an one, O merciful Lord, Thou, out of thy méer love, haſt in mercy provided for us. Thou ſaidſt to thy own Son, Thou art a Prieſt for ever; and thy own Son ſaid, Lo, I come to do thy Will; Ver. 4 and ſo by thy wonderful Decrée, and his willing Obedience, we are redéemed.
Who ever heard ſo ſtrange a thing? who could, or would ever believe this report, hadſt not thou, O God, revealed it? The zeal of the Lord hath done this for us, the zeal of the Son of God hath done this, brought to paſs that which fleſh and blood would never believe, were it not, That thou haſt commanded it to be believed. O myſtery, beyond comprehenſion! which when we ſéem to comprehend, yet we underſtand not, the ſecret ſo far paſſeth what our weak capacity can reach unto. And in this thou, O merciful Father, haſt condeſcended to our infirmity, for that thy Decrée, and thy Sons love, be never more doubted; Thou haſt ſecured us by an Oath, an Oath of which thou wilt never repent, That he is a Prieſt for ever.
A Prieſt muſt have ſomething to offer, and he offer'd himſelf; a Prieſt muſt offer blood, and he offer'd his own; a Prieſt muſt ſtep in, and appeaſe thy anger, when it was at the higheſt; a Prieſt muſt reconcile, when the terms of difference were the greateſt, And ſuch an High Prieſt thou haſt ſworn thy Son ſhall be, given him for us, and to us; not only to them that lived then, and before, but to all thine that are now, and ſhall be hereafter; for thou haſt ordained to be a Prieſt for ever.
O holy and good Father, how much haſt thou loved us, who haſt not ſpared thine one only Son, but haſt deliver'd him to be our Prieſt, and our Sacrifice; and therefore our Prieſt, becauſe our Sacrifice, to Sacrifice himſelf upon the Altar of the Croſs, that he might cancel, and nail there the Hand-writing that was againſt us, and by death, deſtroy him that had the power of death, the Devil.
This could not be done, till he had drank of the Brook in the way, till all thy ſtorms and waves had gone over him; for ſo it behoved Chriſt to ſuffer, Ver. 7 and to enter into his Glory. But now all thoſe indignities, that agony, thoſe unknown ſufferings are at an end, and thou haſt lifted up his head. He that ſacrificed himſelf on Earth, is an High Prieſt, an Advocate, a Mediator, an Interceſſor for his Body in Heaven, and there applies his purchaſe, and continues this his Office for his Servants and Saints.
O Lord, I am the meaneſt, the moſt ſinful of this Society, ſo often as I provoke thée to anger by infirmity, or ſurreptitious, by enormous or preſumptuous iniquities, turn thy face from me a wretched Caitiff, and behold thoſe wounds in his hands, féet, and ſide, and accept of that precious Sacrifice which he made upon the Croſs for me; hear the cry of thoſe wounds that intercede for me at thy Throne of Grace; I rely upon no other Advocate, I will ſue to no other Mediator; if he be not able to ſave me, then let me periſh for ever; ſpeak peace to my ſoul in his Name, be reconciled unto me in his blood, and make his interceſſion ſo powerful unto me, That I may be purged from my ſins, and turned from mine iniquities.
And this Supplication I do not only offer unto thée for my ſelf, but for all thy people, Ver. 1 for whoſe ſakes thou haſt lift up his head, and ſaid unto my Lord, Sir thou at my right hand. All power is now given unto him both in Heaven and in Earth; for he is not only a Prieſt, but a King alſo; a Scepter he hath, and a Rod in his right hand; this is the Rod of his ſtrength, and it came firſt out of Zion, Ver. 2 I mean, his Goſpel, that Law which came firſt out of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jeruſalem. O ſet thy King upon thy holy hill of Zion, give him the Heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermoſt parts of the earth for his poſſeſſion, break them with a Rod of Iron, and daſh them in pieces like a Potters Veſſel. Oppoſe all thoſe that oppoſe the growth and enlargement of his Kingdom: Let him rule in the midſt of thine enemies, and ſit at thy right hand, until thou haſt made all his enemies his Foot-ſtool. O Lord, let him preſide, and have the Dominion over all, till there be no Adverſary left, that ſhall dare to oppoſe him in his Offices.
Behold, we humbly beſéech thée, how in theſe our dayes, there are riſen up blaſphemous and wicked men, cruel and bloody Antichriſts, who go about to break his Bands aſunder, and dare boldly and impudently ſay of him, We will not have this man to reign over us? Be preſent then, O Lord our Saviour, at the right hand of thy people, and ſtrike through Kings, Princes, and Potentates in the day of thy wrath: Exerciſe judgment againſt theſe blaſphemous and heatheniſh Rebels, let not thy Eye pity them, nor thy Sword ſpare them; but fill the places with their dead bodies, and in what Countrey ſoever they remain, what Aire ſoever they breath, let their factious bodies, and their Machivillian and Tyrannical heads and leaders, receive their deaths wound from thy hand and fury.
O Lord, pronounce a favourable ſentence for thy Church, and let thy Goſpel, which came out of Zion, and was planted by thy Apoſtles, and diffuſed by the impulſe and power of thy good Spirit, Ver. 3 once more flouriſh amongſt us; ſo viſibly and extraordinarily work for us, That all men, even thine enemies may acknowledge, That this is the day of thy power.
Thy power it muſt be, that can collect us, whom Hereſie, Schiſm, and Tyranny hath diſperſed; thy power, to cauſe us to méet in our ſolemn Aſſemblies; ſpeak but the word, O Lord, and appoint the day, and thy people will be a willing people, they will méet out of love, and joy of heart, and offer thee free-will offerings in the beauties of holineſs.
O holy Father, we muſt with ſhame confeſs againſt our own ſouls, that we have profaned thy Sanctuary, by entring into it with our ſhooes on our féet; and when we have béen in it, we have too often offer'd the Sacrifice of Fools; holineſs is that virtue which becomes thy houſe for ever; and this holineſs is from the womb of the morning, it comes not from the will of man, it procéeds not from the will of the fleſh, it is a ſwéet and Virgin dew that diſtills from thy holy Spirit; and as by the ſilver drops that deſcend from above, the roots of the Herbs are moiſtned, refreſhed, and cheriſhed, ſo by theſe ſecret dews of grace our dry hearts are quickned, and recover life; vouchſafe, we beſéech thée therefore, to deſcend upon us with theſe dewes, that being regenerate, and born again, we may grow and increaſe in holineſs, in obedience, in alacrity in thy Service; refreſh us when we are weary, make us ſhoot when we are at a ſtand, ever let us retain the dew of our youth, that being lively in all the exerciſes of Chriſtianity, we may at laſt be exalted, and ſet at thy right hand, as thou art ſeated at the right hand of thy Father, and enjoy thoſe heavenly Manſions which our Lord is gone to prepare for us.
Grant us this, O heavenly Father, for thy Son Jeſus Chriſts ſake, to whom with thee, and the Holy Sprit, three Perſons, and one God, be aſcribed all Honour, Glory, and Praiſe, for ever and ever. Amen.