The Fading of the Flesh and Flourishing of Faith, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Preface, Diviſion of the Pſalm, and coherence of the Text.
THe Holy Scriptures are famous above all other Writings for their Verity. The Works and Books of men are like their Bodies, liable to many Weakneſſes. After their moſt correct Edition there may frequently be found more Errata's in the Copy then in the Preſs. But the Word of God is like himſelf, Full, without all imperfection; and faithful, without all Falſhood or corruption. Its Author is the God of Truth, for whom its impoſſible to lie, and therefore its matter muſt needs be the Word of Truth. Thy Law is the Truth, 2 Pet. 1.21. Tit. 1.2. Pſal. 119.142.
Among all the Books of Scripture the Pſalms of David are famous for Variety: Other Books are either Hiſtorical, Doctrinal or Prophetical; the Book of Pſalms is all.Pſalm 22 Pſalm 16 It deſcribeth ſome hiſtories of the Church, foretelleth the paſſion and reſurrection of Chriſt, and declareth the duty of a Chriſtian. The Pſalms, Io. Gerrh. loc. Com. de Script. in Exeg…ſi.ſaith Gerrhard, are a jewel made up of the gold of doctrine, of the pearl of comfort, and of the gems of Prayer. Baſil ſaith, It is a common ſhop of remedies, Baſil in Pſal.a compendium of all Divinity, a ſtorehouſe of excellent Doctrine for all perſons, and in all conditions.
In this Seventy third Pſalm we may conſider,
1. the Title to it.
2. The Subſtance of it.
Le Aſaph, i.e. Aſaphi vel Aſapho, cum le inſervit tum Genitivo tum Dative. A Lap. Exiſtimant non nulli Pſalmum hunc & caeteros qui ſequuntur à Davide compoſitum. De ea re quanquam non diſpute, tamen genus orationis in his Pſalmis tale eſt ut appareat alium eſſe carminum horum Authorem quam Davidem. Moller. in Tit. Pſal. 73. De Pſalmi authore non auxie diſputo, mihi veriſimile eſt, quia canendi provincia mandata fuerit ipſi Aſaphi, nomen ejus poni, praeterito Davidis nomine, ſicuti res per ſe notae ſaepe taceri ſolent. Calvin in loc.Its Title is, A Pſalm of Aſaph, or a Pſalm for Aſaph, ſaith Ainſworth. The original bearing both, cauſeth ſom difference among Expoſitors, whether Aſaph were the Penman of it, or only the Muſician to whom it was directed to be ſet and ſung with the voyce or inſtrument. That Aſaph was a Prophet or Seer is plain, 2 Chron. 29.30. As alſo that he was a Singer, 1 Chron. 15.19. Mollerus thinketh Aſaph the compiler of it. Calvin judgeth David. The matter is not much, for whoſoever of the two were the pen, the Spirit of God, which is called the finger of God, guided it, and wrote the Pſalm.
For the ſubſtance of the Pſalm, it containeth the Godly mans Tryal in the former part of it, and his Triumph in the latter part of it. We have
Firſt, The grievous conflict between the fleſh and the Spirit, to the 15 verſ.
Secondly, The glorious conqueſt of the Spirit over the fleſh, to the end.
In the beginning of the Pſalm he ingeniouſly pointeth at thoſe rocks againſt which he was like to have ſplit his ſoul.
In the middle, he candidly confeſſeth his ignorance and folly to have been the chiefeſt foundation of his fault.
In the concluſion, he gratefully kiſſeth that hand which led him out of the labyrinth.
Or we may obſerve,
Firſt, The cauſe of his diſtemper.
Secondly, The cure of it.
Thirdly, The Pſalmiſts carriage after it.
His diſeaſe was Envy, The Pſalmiſt was much troubled with the Frets, I was envious at the fooliſh. verſ. 3.
Firſt, The Cauſe of it, When I ſaw the proſperity of the wicked, ver. 3. His heart was pained, becauſe prophane men proſpered. That weeds which cumbered the ground, ſhould be watered ſo plentifully, and grow ſo exceedingly, when good corn was ſo thin and lean: That the Lion and Raven, thoſe unclean creatures, ſhould be ſpared, when the innocent Lamb and Dove were ſacrificed: That the wicked ſhould flouriſh like the Bay-tree, enjoy a conſtant Spring and Summer, be freſh and green all the year, though without fruit; when Saints like good Apple-trees had their Autumn and Winter; this touched the good man to the quick; his ſore eyes could not behold the glorious ſunſhine of their proſperity without much pain.
The Heathen have from the flouriſhing of ſuch unholy perſons flatly denied all providence. Diogenes the Cynick, ſeeing Harpalus a vicious fellow increaſing in wealth, whilſt he wallowed in wickedneſs, ſaid, That the Gods took no care how things were carried here below. The Athenians upon the defeat and death of their honeſt General Nicias in Sicily, concluded, That the divine Powers were wholly regardleſs of humane affairs. And not onelyonly theſe blind Heathen who walked in the night of darkneſs, but even Saints themſelves, who were able to ſee afar off, and who pondered the paths of their feet, have ſtumbled at this ſtone, Jer. 12.1, 2. Hab: 1.13.
Secondly, The Cure of his diſtemper; his diſeaſe was bad eyes: An envious eye is an evil eye; Why is thine eye evil becauſe mine is good, Matth. 20.15. His remedy was this, His eyes were anointed with ſome Eye-ſalve out of the Sanctuary which helped them. He ſaw the end of wicked mens proſperity, to be no leſs then endleſs miſery; that they did but like Malefactors, go up the ladder above others, to be turned off and executed; and this ſatisfied him.
The Heathen as they aſcribe the ſubject of the diſeaſe to many cauſes (ſome Naturaliſts to the principles of Generation and corruption; the Stoicks to the neceſſary connexion of ſecond cauſes; the Aſtrologers to the motion and influence of the ſtars, undertaking to ſhew us the very Houſes of Proſperity and Adverſity; the wiſer ſort of thoſe Pagans, though alſo their fooliſh hearts were darkned, to the will of Jupiter, who had his veſſels of good and bad things by him, out of which he gave to all perſons according to his pleaſure) ſo alſo they preſcribe for its removal many cures; though generally their medicines like weak lenitives did only move and ſtir, not remove or purge away the diſtemper: Their receits were all of Kitchin Phyſick, ſuch as grew in Natures Garden, when thoſe drugs which do work the cure muſt be fetcht from far.Hos D us quos probat, quos amat. indurat, recogno cit, exercet. Eos autem quibus indulgere videtur, quibus parcere, venturis malis ſervat. Errat s enim ſi quem jud…catis exceptum. Veni…t ad illum diu felicem ſua port…o, qu ſquis videtur d ſmiſſus eſſe, dilatus eſt. Seneca in lib. Quare bonis viris mala accidant cum ſit providentia cap. 14. I confeſs the Maſter of Moral Philoſophy (whom I moſt admire of all Heathen) ſeemeth to harp upon the ſame ſtring with the Pſalmiſt, Thoſe (ſaith he) whom God approveth and loveth he exerciſeth and afflicteth: Thoſe whom he ſeemeth to ſpare; he reſerveth for future ſufferings. But an ordinary capacity may perceive by the Treatiſe (though there be many excellent things in it) how far the Moraliſt came ſhort of Chriſtianity. It is alſo without queſtion that his ſight was not ſo good as to look into the other world, and there to ſee the eternal pains of the evil, and pleaſures of the good, which viſion did allay the ſtorm in the Prophets ſpirit. He tells us indeed that vicious perſons are not diſmiſt, only their puniſhment is delayed; but to him this life was the time, and this world the place of their execution.
That which did aſſwage thoſe boiſtrous Waves, which threatned to ſwallow up the ſoul of the Pſalmiſt; was the different concluſion of the Saints and ſinners converſations. By faith he foreſaw that the whole life of a wicked man was but a Tragedy; though its beginning might be chearful, yet its ending would be mournful; though their power were great on Earth for a time, yet their portion ſhould be in the loweſt Hell to eternity, Ʋntil I went into the Sanctuary of God, then underſtood I their end. Surely thou didſt ſet them in ſlippery places: thou caſteſt them down into deſtruction. How are they brought into deſolation as in a Moment, they were utterly conſumed with terrors, v. 17, 18, 19. They are but exalted as the Shell Fiſh by the Eagle (according to the Naturaliſts) to be thrown down on ſome Rock and devoured. Their moſt glorious proſperity is but like a Rainbow, which ſheweth it ſelf for a little time in all its gaudy colours and then vaniſheth. The Turks conſidering the unhappy end of their Viſiers, uſe this Proverb, He that is in the greateſt Office, is but a ſtatue of Glaſs. Wicked men walk on Glaſs or Ice (thou haſt ſet them in ſlippery places) on a ſudden their feet ſlip, they fall and break their Necks; Oh the ſad reckoning which they muſt have after all their merry meetings; Though their ſweet morſels go down pleaſantly here, yet they will riſe in their Stomacks hereafter.
The holy Prophet ſaw alſo that Saints after their ſhort ſtorm, ſhould enjoy an everlaſting calm; Thou ſhalt guide me by thy counſel, and afterwards receive me to glory, v. 24. As the Pillar of fire by Night, and cloud by Day, thou wilt march before, and direct me through the Wilderneſs of this World, till I come to Canaan.
Thirdly, His Carriage after it.
1. In an holy Apoſtrophe or converſion to God. Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none on Earth that I deſire beſides thee. What though ungodly perſons abound in ſenſual pleaſures, yet I have infinitely the better portion. They have the ſtreams which run pleaſantly for a ſeaſon, but will ſhortly be ſcorcht up; but I have the Fountain which runneth over and runneth ever. If they like Graſhoppers skipping up and down on earth, have their Notes, what Tune may I ſing who am mounting up to Heaven, and enjoy him who is unſpeakably more deſirable then any thing, yea then all things either in Heaven or earth!