The Fading of the Flesh and Flourishing of Faith, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The Interpretation of the Text, and the Doctrine, That mans fleſh will fail him.
IN an Heavenly poſition concerning his happineſs in God, my fleſh and my heart faileth me, but God is the ſtrength of my heart and my portion for ever.
In reference to which I ſhall
Firſt, Open the Terms,
Secondly, Divide the Text,
Thirdly, Raiſe the Doctrinal truths.
The opening of the Words.My fleſh and my heart faileth me.] Some take the Words in a ſpiritual, others in a civil, others in a natural ſenſe. Amongſt them who take it in a ſpiritual ſenſe, ſome Expoſitors take it in an evil, others in a good ſenſe.
Abbot in lo….They who take the expreſſion in a bad ſenſe, take it to be a confeſſion of his former ſin, and to have relation to the Combat, (mentioned in the beginning of the Pſalm) between the fleſh and the ſpirit, as if he had ſaid. I was ſo ſurfeited with ſelf conceitedneſs, that I preſumed to araign divine actions, at the bar of humane reaſon; and to judge the ſtick under Water crooked, by the eye of my ſenſe, when indeed it was ſtreight; but now I ſee that fleſh is no fit Judge in matters of faith, that neither my fleſh nor heart can determine rightly of Gods diſpenſations, nor hold out uprightly under Satans temptations; for if God had not ſupported me, my fleſh had utterly ſupplanted me. My fleſh and my heart faileth me, but God is the ſtrength of my heart. Fleſh is ſometime taken for corrupt nature, Gal. 5.13. Firſt, becauſe tis propagated by the fleſh, John 3.6. Secondly, becauſe tis executed by the fleſh, Rom. 7.25. Thirdly, becauſe corruption is nouriſhed, ſtrengthned, and increaſed by the fleſh, 1 Joh. 2.16.
They who take the words in a good ſenſe, do not make them look back ſo far as to the beginning of the Pſalm, but onelyonly to the Neighbour verſe. The Prophet (ſay they) having paſſionately fixt his heart on God as the moſt amiable object in Heaven and earth, (v. 25.) was tranſported therewith ſo exceſſively, and carried out in holy ſallies, after him ſo vehemently, that he was ready to ſink and ſwoon away; his ſpirits were ready to expire through the exuberancy of his love to, and longings after the bleſſed God. The weak cask of his body was ready to break, and not able to hold that ſtrong and ſpiritual wine; My fleſh and my heart faileth me. I am ſo raviſhed with delight in, and ſo enlarged in deſires after this infinitely beautiful object, that there is no more ſpirit in me; I am ſick, yea if God ſhould not appear, the ſtrength of my heart, ſhould die for love.
2. They who expound the words in a civil ſence, (as I may ſay) affirm the ſentence to refer to the Pſalmiſt ſufferings.
He had a good rod inſtead of a good piece of bread for his breakfaſt every morning, and the table was covered with ſackcloth, and furniſhed with the ſame bitter herbs both at Dinner and Supper; For all the day long have I been plagued, and chaſtened every morning, verſ. 14.Nam quicquid adverſi accid t, aut carni accidit aut animo. Muſcul. in loc. Now the weight of this burden was ſo great, preſſing his body, and oppreſſing his mind, that without an Almighty power it had broke his back, His fleſh and his heart failed him.
3. Others take the words in a natural ſence, as if the Prophet did neither intend by them his fault, Sunt quibus praeſens tempus pla…et. aliis futurum magis arr det. Marl. in loc.as ſome who take them in a ſpiritual ſence; nor his fear, as thoſe who take them in a civil ſence; but onelyonly his frailty; as if he had ſaid, My moyſture conſumeth, my ſtrength abateth, my fleſh falleth, my heart faileth, or at leaſt ere long my breath will be corrupt, my days extinct, and the grave ready for me; how happy am I therefore in having God for the ſtrength of my heart. Deficit (conſum…tur) caro mea & cor meum. Mollerus.Ainſworth reads the words, Wholly conſumed is my heart and my fleſh.
I ſhall take the words in this ſenſe, as being moſt ſutable to this occaſion.
So far the Theſis, now to the Antitheſis.
Robur cordis. Calv.But God is the ſtrength of my heart] Though my fleſh fail me, the Father of ſpirits doth not fail me, when I am ſinking he will put under his everlaſting arm to ſave me.
The Seventy read it, But God is the God of my heart; becauſe God is all ſtrength: God in the heart is the ſtrength of the heart.
Petra cordis. Moller.The Hebrew carrieth it, But God is the rock of my heart, e. i. A ſure, ſtrong and immovable foundation to build upon. Though the winds may blow, and the waves beat, when the ſtorm of death cometh yet I need not fear that the houſe of my heart will fall, for its built on a ſure foundation. God is the rock of my heart. The ſtrongeſt child that God hath is not able to ſtand alone; like the Hop or Ivy, he muſt have ſomewhat to ſupport him, or he is preſently on the ground. Of all ſeaſons, the Chriſtian hath moſt need of ſuccour at his dying hour, then he muſt take his leave of all his comforts on earth, and then he ſhall be ſure of the ſharpeſt conflicts from Hell, and therefore its impoſſible he ſhould hold out without extraordinary help from Heaven. But the Pſalmiſt had armour of proof ready wherewith to encounter his laſt enemy. As weak and fearful a child as he was, he durſt venture a walk in the dark entry of death, having his Father by the hand: Though I walk in the valley of the ſhadow of death, I will fear none ill; for thou art with me. Pſa. 23. Though at the troubles of my life, and my tryal at death, my heart is ready to fail me, yet I have a ſtrong cordial which will chear me in my ſaddeſt condition, God is the ſtrength of my heart.
And my portion, Its a Metaphor taken from the ancient cuſtome among the Jews, of dividing inheritances, whereby every one had his allotted portion, as if he had ſaid, God is not onelyonly my Rock to defend me from thoſe tempeſts which aſſault me, and thereby my freedom from evil; but he is alſo my portion to ſupply my neceſſities, and to give me the fruition of all good. Others indeed have their parts on this ſide the land of promiſe, but the Author of all portions, is the matter of my portion; my portion doth not lie in the Rubbiſh and lumbar as theirs doth, whoſe portion is in this life, be they never ſo large, but my portion containeth him, whom the Heavens, and Heaven of Heavens can never contain. God is the ſtrength of my heart and my portion for ever; Not for a Year, or an age, or a million of ages, but for eternity; Though others portions, like Roſes, the fuller they blow, the ſooner they ſhed, they are worſted often by their pride, and waſted through their prodigality, that at laſt they come to want, Quicquid praeter deum poſſideas non poteris dicere quod pars tua ſit futura in ſ… ulum. De deo ſolo dicit fi…lis Pars mea deus in ſeculum, Muſcul. in loc.and ſurely death always rents their perſons and portions aſunder, yet my portion will be ever ful without diminution, and firſt without alteration this God will be my God for ever and ever, my guide and aid unto death; nay Death which diſſolveth ſo many bonds, and untieth ſuch cloſe knots, ſhall never part me and my portion, but give me a perfect and everlaſting poſſeſſion of it.
The words branch themſelves into theſe two parts.The parts of the Text.
Firſt, The Pſalmiſt Complaint, My fleſh and my heart faileth me.
Secondly, His Comfort, but God is the ſtrength of my heart and my portion for ever.
Or we may take notice in them,
1. Of the Frailty of his Fleſh; My fleſh and my heart faileth me.
2. Of the Flouriſhing of his Faith; But God is the ſtrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
According to the two parts of the Text, I ſhall draw forth two Doctrinal truths.
Doct. 1 1. Doct. That Mans fleſh will fail him.
The higheſt, the holieſt mans heart will not ever hold out. The Prophet was great and gracious, yet his fleſh failed him.
Doct. 2 2. Doct. That its the comfort of a Chriſtian, in his ſaddeſt condition, that God is his portion.
This was the ſtrong water which kept the Pſalmiſt from fainting when his fleſh and heart failed him.
I begin with the firſt.
The 1. Doct. man is mortal.That mans fleſh will fail him. Thoſe whoſe ſpirits are noble, will find their fleſh but brittle. The Pſalmiſt was great, yet death made little, yea nothing of him, like the Duke of Parma's ſword, it makes no difference between great and ſmall; this Cannon hits the great Commanders as well as the Common Souldiers; like a violent Wind it plucks up by the roots, not onelyonly low Trees, but alſo tall Ceders; They who lye in beds of Ivory, muſt lye down in beds of earth; Some Letters are ſet out very gaudily with large flouriſhes, but they are but Ink as the other; Some men have great Titles, Worſhipful, Right Worſhipful, Honourable, Right Honourable, but they ſignifie no more with Death then other men, they are but moving earth, and dying duſt as ordinary men are; Worſhip, Honour, Excellency, Highneſs, Majeſty, muſt all do homage to the Scepter of this King of Terrors. When Conſtantius entred in triumph unto Rome, and had along time ſtood admiring the Gates, Arches, Turrets, Temples, Theaters, and other magnificent Edifices of the City, at laſt he ask'd Hormiſda what he thought of the place. I take no pleaſure in it at all, ſaith Hormiſda, for I ſee the end of this City will be the ſame with all her Predeceſſors. What he ſpake of places, is as true of perſons, though men may admire them for a while, yet the ſtatelieſt and moſt curious buildings of their bodies, will fall to the ground as their Anceſtors have done before them, Job. 3.15 This ſtorm will beat on the Princes Court, as much as on the Peaſants Cottage, What man is he that liveth, and ſhall not ſee death? ſhall he deliver his ſoul from the hand of the grave? Selah, Pſal. 89.48. The interrogation is a ſtrong negation. The Prophet challengeth the whole World to find out a perſon that can procure a protection againſt Deaths Arreſt.
The Pſalmiſt was gracious, yet grace gave way to nature, death will like hail and rain fall on the beſt gardens as well as the wide wilderneſs; The Wheat is cut down and carried into the Barn, as well as the Tares. A godly man is free from the ſting, but not from the ſtroke, from the curſe, but not from the Croſs of death. Holy Hezekiah could beg his own life for a few years, but could not compound for his death, he did obtain a reprieve, (for fifteen years) but not a pardon, the beſt fruit will periſh becauſe it is wormeaten: The gold and the droſs (the good and the bad) go both into this fire, the former to be refined, the latter to be conſumed. The whole World is a charnel houſe, and the ſeveral inhabitants thereof ſo many walking carcaſſes. The voice ſaid Cry, and he ſaid what ſhall I cry. All fleſh is graſs, and all the goodlineſs thereof as the flower of the field. The graſs withereth, the flower fadeth, becauſe the ſpirit of the Lord bloweth upon it, ſurely the people is graſs, Iſa. 40.6.7. The words ſpeaks mans mortality; He is graſs, withering graſs, a flower, a fading flower; Secondly, Its certainty, the voice ſaid cry. The Prophet had a charge in a Viſion given him, to proclaim ſo much from God to his people, ſurely the people is graſs. Thirdly, the Ʋniverſality, the fleſh of Kings and Counſellors, the fleſh of Saints and Martyrs, the fleſh of high and low, rich and poor, All fleſh is graſs. Man is ſometimes compared to the flower for its beauty, but here for its frailty, a flower will quickly fade, if it be not cut down by an inſtrument of Iron, nor cropt by the hand, yet the gentle breath of Wind quickly bloweth off its beauty; Beſides, an Expoſiter obſerveth, tis to the flower of the field, not of the garden; flowers of the garden have more ſhelter and are better lookt to, then flowers of the field; theſe are more open to hard weather, and more liable to be pluckt up or trod down. Naturaliſts tell us of a Flower called Ephemeron, foreign. Plut. ad Apol.becauſe it laſteth but a day. Man is ſuch a Flower, his life is but a day, whither longer or ſhorter, a Summers or a Winters day; how quickly do the ſhadows of the Evening ſtretch themſelves upon him and make it night with him? Pliny ſpeaks of a Golden Vine which never withereth. The bodies of Saints ſhall be ſuch hereafter, but at preſent the beſt Hearbs wither as well as the worſt Weeds. Neither the Dignity of a Prince, nor the Piety of a Prophet, can excuſe from enrting the Liſt with this Enemy. Againſt this Arreſt there is no Bail.