Davids Blessed Man, Title page – Table of contents
DAVIDS BLESSED MAN: OR, A SHORT EXPOSITION VPONUPON THE FIRST Pſalme, directing a Man to true Happineſſe. Wherein the Eſtate and Condition of all Mankinde is laid downe, both for this life, and that which is to come. The ſecond Edition profitably amplified by the Author SAMVEL SMITH, Preacher of the Word of God at Pritwell in Eſſex.
1. TIM. 4.8.
Godlineſſe hath the promiſe of the life preſent, and the life that is to come.
LONDON, Printed by NICHOLAS OKES, and are to bee ſold by SIMON WATERSON, at his Shop in Pauls Church-yard, at the Signe of the Crowne. 1616.
❧ TO THE HONORABLE SIR ROBERT RICH, KNIGHT OF THE BATH, AND SON and Heire to the Right Honorable ROBERT Lord RICH: and to the Honorable and vertuous Lady, the Lady FRANCIS RICH his wife, S.S. wiſheth all true comfort in this life, and Eternall happineſſe in the Life to come.
HONORABLE,
IT is reported, that when one preſented vntounto Antipater, King of Macedon, a treatiſe of Happineſſe, that hee reiected it with this anſwer, I am not at leaſure: your Honor ſhal finde this a treatiſe tending to Happineſſe, and ſhewing the way to euerlaſting bleſſedneſſe, yet I aſſure my ſelfe it ſhall finde better intertainement at your hands, and that you will finde leaſure at your leaſure to peruſe it. J muſt ingeniouſly confeſſe, that many hauehave, many times, handled many points of doctrine deliuered in this treatiſe: yet I hauehave done it after another method. Jf the water I hauehave drawne from this Well ſhall delight you, J hope it will not taſt the worſe being brought vntounto you in this veſſell. I offer here vntounto your view the Anatomy of Dauids bleſſed Man: or, a ſhort Expoſition of the firſt Pſalme, directing a man how he may be truly bleſſed. Jt is not without deſert that Ierome doth call this book of the Pſalmes, The Treaſury of learning: for out of it moſt frequent teſtimonies are brought by our bleſſed Sauiour himſelfe. And this firſt Pſalme is a Compend, or an abſtract of the whole booke of Pſalmes, directing the way to true happineſſe. The text J am ſure is excellent for the purpoſe, but for my manner of handling it, I leaue it to the cenſure of Gods Church. In Preaching I hauehave euer counted plainneſſe the beſt eloquence, and the carriage of matters ſo, that thoſe of the loweſt forme may learne ſomewhat, the ſoundeſt and the ſureſt learning. For ſurely we are ſo fallen into the dregges of time, which being the laſt, muſt needs be worſt that Security hath ſo poſſeſſed all Men, that they will not be awaked: but if at any time the word of God, or any good motion of Gods Spirit hath met with them, preſently Security whiſpers them in the one eare, that though it be fit to thinke of ſuch things, yet it is not yet time. Youth pleades a priuiledge, though many millions of yong men are in hell for want of timely repentance. And Preſumption warrants thē in the other eare, that they may hauehave time hereafter. And thus men ſpend their daies, vntill at laſt their houre-glaſſe be run, and time then is paſt. Now if your Honor ſhal lay this to heart in the ſtrength of your yeares, it ſhall bee your chiefeſt wiſedome. And if to bee religious in all ages hath been held to be true honor: how much more honorable is it in ſo impious an age? It is religion & godlineſſe that ſhal embalme your name and make it ſhine before men, and glorifie your ſoule amongſt Angels. Mary her box of Oyntment ſhall neuer be forgotten: for Godlineſſe hath the promiſe of this life, & that which is to come: and without it there is no internall comfort to bee found in conſcience, nor externall peace to bee looked for in this world, nor eternall happineſſe to bee hoped for in the next. Now, how can Religion but promiſe to herſelf a zealous patrō of your honor, being the ſon & heire of ſo gratious and religious a father, who hath ſhewed himſelfe a faithfull Dore-keeper in the houſe of his God? Let his godly example teach you not to drinke of thoſe ſtolen waters, or rather indeed the bloud of ſoules, wherwith too many in theſe gold-thirſty daies doe purchaſe Acheldama vntounto them & theirs. The Lord keepe this euer frō the purpoſe of heart in his ſeruants, who hauehave ſo honourable and weighty a truſt committed vntounto them. Let that exhortation of Dauid to his ſon Salomon be euer in your honorable minde: And thou Salomon my ſonne, know thou the God of thy Father, and ſerue him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde: for the Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and vnderſtandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: If thou ſeeke him hee will bee found of thee, but if thou forſake him hee wil caſt thee off for euer. The God of heauen ſo vouchſafe to water you and yours, with the dew of heauen, that with the godly man in this pſalm you may proſper as trees of his planting: and ſo bring forth fruit in due ſeaſon in this
A Table of the Principall Doctrines contained in this Booke.
VERSE. 1.
DOctrine 1. The godly man alone is bleſſed. pag. 21.
Doct. 2. The occaſions of ſinne are to be auoided. pag. 46
Doct. 3. We muſt ſhun the company of wicked men. pag. 53
Doct. 4. Wicked men are euer deuiſing of miſchiefe. pag. 61
Doct. 5. To giuegive euill counſell is a horrible ſinne. pag. 67
Doct. 6. The falles of godly manie. pag. 74
Doct. 7. A godly man doth euer walke with God. pag. 79
Doct. 8. Wicked men deſcribed. pag. 84
Doct. 9. A godly man ſinnes not with deliberation. pag. 88
Doct. 10. Wicked men proceed by degrees to be exceeding ſinful. 99
Doct. 11. The marke of a lewd and wicked man. pag. 107
VERSE. 2.
Doct. 1. Not to do euill is not ſufficient, it is damnable not to do good. pag. 115
Doct. 2. A godly man performes godly duties cheerfully. pag. 122
Doct. 3. The law of God is a godly mans chiefe delight. pag. 134
Doct. 4. A godly man ſets ſome time a part eueryevery day for Gods ſeruice. pag. 140
VERSE 3.
Doct. 1. Miniſters duty to inſtruct the ſimpleſt. p. 158.
Doct. 2. A double vſe of all the creatures of God. pag. 162
Doct. 3. All men that are not ingrafted into Ieſus Chriſt, are miſerable. pag. 170
Doct. 4. OnelyOnly the regenerate man is happy and bleſſed. p. 176
Doct. 5. Members of Ieſus Chriſt are euer fruitfull. p. 189
Doct. 6. A true note of a godly man to waite all opportunities to do good. p. 207
Doct. 7. Perſeuerance required in each child of God. p. 213
Doct. 8. By our vnion with Chriſt we are made ſure of perſeuerance. p. 222
Doct. 9. God doth euer bleſſe the godly endeuours of his children p. 228
VERSE. 4.
Doct. 1. The eſtate of the wicked moſt miſerable. pag. 243
Doct. 2. The eſtate of the wicked exceeding changeable. pag. 258
Doct. 3. The deſtruction of the wicked is vnreuokable. pag. 269
VERSE 5.
Doct. 1. The certainty of the day of iudgement proued. pag. 275.
Doct. 2. All mankind diuided into two rankes. pag. 286.
VERSE. 6.
Doct. 1. A great comfort to the godly, that God doth approue of them. pag. 294
Doct. 2. The Lord hateth a wicked man and all hee doth. pag. 298
A Prayer for the Morning. p. 301
A Prayer for the Euening. p. 309
A Plaine and Familiar Expoſition vponupon the firſt Pſalme; firſt Preached, and now publiſhed for the benefite of Gods Church. The firſt Pſalme.
VERSE. 1.
Bleſſed is the man that doth not walke in the counſell of the wicked, nor ſtand in the way of ſinners, nor ſitteth in the ſeate of the ſcornefull.