Davids Blessed Man, Part 7
The firſt Pſalme.
VERSE. 6.
For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous; But the way of the vngodly ſhall periſh.
HItherto the Prophet hath deſcribed the wonderfull bleſſed eſtate of a godly man:The ſecōd generall part of the Pſalme. As alſo the fearefull and curſed eſtate of the wicked: Now in this ſixt verſe, which containes in it the ſecond generall part of the Pſalme, is laid downe a reaſon, both of the happineſſe of the one, and alſo of the miſery of the other.
The godly man is a bleſſed man, why? Becauſe the Lord Knoweth, that is; approueth of the way of a righteous and godly man, hee likes it and directs it, yea takes care of it, and doth bleſſe the way; that is, the life and conuerſation, the actions, ſtudies, and endeuours of the righteous.
Secondly, the wicked are curſed and miſerable, why? Becauſe the Lord doth not thus Know, that is, the Lord doth not like nor allow of the wicked man, hee doth not louelove nor approue of his life nor dealings; but rather diſlikes him and all hee doth, yea hee hates and abhorres his vile and abhominable and wicked life: And therefore both hee and his waies, that is, his ſtudies, labours, and enterpriſes, ſhall periſh, and come to deſtruction.
In that the Lord is ſaid to know the way of the righteous; that is, to like it, to louelove, and to be well pleaſed with it, ſo as hee will direct and bleſſe Doctr. 1. A great comfort to the godly that God doth approue of them.it. Here is matter of exceeding comfort to eueryevery poore childe of God, to eueryevery godly and righteous ſeruant of God, that being iuſtified by faith in Chriſt Ieſus, and ſanctified by the Holy Ghoſt, liue well, and leade a godly and righteous life, that howſoeuer the world contemnes them, ſcoffes and ſcornes them, mockes and mowes at them, reuile, and raile vponupon them, & eſteeme them as baſe and vile; yet here we ſee that the Lord loues them, and eſteemes highly of them, approues them as his, delights in them, to bleſſe them and proſper them: Touch not mine Annointed, 2 Cor. 4.13 Mat. 23.37 Pſalm. 105 Pſalm. 17. Pſ. 142.3.4 Nah. 2.7. 1. Tim. 4.8and do my Prophets no harme; yea, he that toucheth them toucheth the apple of Gods eye, & no aſſaults whatſoeuer ſhall bee able to hurt them: For godlineſſe hath the promiſe of this life and that which is to come: And therefore let vsus labour to plant godlineſſe in our hearts, and ſtore them with the true feare of God, and in ſo doing the Lord will both bleſſe vsus, and our poore endeuours.
This may ſerue to reproue the curſed practiſe of vngodly men, Vſe. it is wonderfull to ſee how bold they bee to abuſe Gods Seruants, to mocke them and to diſgrace them, to ſlander and reuile them: they thinke them the worſt men that liue in the world, they traduce them and bring them on the Stage, they loade them with vile and odious names: Now what doe they elſe then ſet themſelues againſt God himſelfe, ſeeing they hate them whom God loues.
And as this may ſerue for the terrour of the wicked, ſo it ſerues to comfort eueryevery poore child of God: What though the world hate thee ſo God louelove thee? Oh remember that the Lord loues and allowes of thee. Now then if God approue of thee, what though all men in the world, did refuſe or condemne thee? If the King ſhould grace a man, and honour him, what would this man care for the contempt of a Scullion boy? Well, let this be a comfort and encouragement vntounto vsus, that God knowes and allowes of vsus, For what were the fauour and approbation of men, if this were wanting.
Obiect. How a mā may know whether Chriſt approue of him.But how ſhall a man know whether God knoweth him thus with his ſpeciall knowledge or not? I anſwere.
Firſt, if God know any man for his, by his ſpeciall and effectuall knowledge,Anſwere. then hee begets in him the knowledge of himſelfe. As the light of the Sunne falling on our eye, by whoſe light wee behold the Sunne againe.Ioh. 10. I know my Sheep (ſaith Chriſt) and they know mee.
Secondly, if God thus know any man with his eſpeciall and effectuall knowledge of his, ſo as hee loues and likes of him, it begets the louelove of God in a mans heart: So as God loues him, hee is inflamed to louelove God againe;1. Ioh. 4.9. and in louelove vntounto him is loath to offend him, and moſt carefull to pleaſe him. And therefore if wee would know whether wee be thus knowne of God, let vsus labour to finde our hearts thus enflamed with the louelove of him.
Thirdly, whom GOD knoweth thus, he chuſeth to bee his Childe in CHRIST IESVS, delights to bleſſe him: Now then this workes in the heart of a godly man another work; namely, to chooſe God to bee his God, to ſet his heart on him, to delight in him, to adore him as his God, to louelove him, feare him, obey and cal vponupon him, and to truſt in him as his God.
Thus you ſee how a man may know whether God know him with this ſpecial and effectual knowledge which is proper to the Elect alone; namely, by theſe fruites and effects in our hearts: For as we ſee, though eueryevery man cannot come to ſee the Kings Broad Seale, yet can diſcerne the picture of it in wax, and ſay, This is the Kings Broad Seale: So though men cannot aſcend to Heauen to know the ſecret counſell of God, yet by theſe fruites and effectes of his knowledge, men may know his will, whether they be his or not.
Well, to conclude: ſeeing the Lord thus knowes and acknowledgeth, yea loues and likes of the life of a godly and righteous man: let vsus bee encouraged to goe throughſtitch, and to reſolue of this, neuer to be daunted, or diſcouraged with the hard meaſure of vngodly men. All our care ſhould bee to pleaſe God, and to bee approued of him, and therefore ſo long as hee doth approue of vsus, let vsus not care what man can doe againſt vsus.
But the way of the wicked ſhall periſh.
Doct. 2 The Lord hates a wicked man, and al he doth Eſay 1.11.HEere we learne that the whole life of a wicked man, and whatſoeuer he doth, is abhominable, the Lord hates him and all he doth. What hauehave I to doe with the multitude of your Sacrifices, ſaith the Lord. And againe,Eſay 66.3. The Sacrifices of the wicked are abhominable vntounto the Lord. Now if the beſt actions of a wicked man, his Hearing, Reading, praying,Ier. 7.8. Prou. 15.8. and Receiuing, be abhominable to the Lord; how much more their ſwearing, curſing, banning, prophaning the Sabboth, drunkenneſſe, vncleanneſſe, lying, ſtealing, &c. Againe, without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. Heb. 11.6.Now no wicked man can hauehave true faith, becauſe Faith purifies the heart, Acts 15.9.and is neuer ſeuered from true repentance and amendment of life. And therfore the way of the wicked, ſeeme it neuer ſo goodly and glorious in the world, all their ſtudies and endeuours ſhall periſh and come to deſtruction in the end.Pro. 20.17 Iob. 20.29.This is the portion of the wicked man, and the heritage that he ſhall hauehave from God for his workes.
This ſhewes the ſtate of moſt men to bee miſerable and vnhappy. Vſe. For onelyonly thoſe bee bleſſed, whoſe liues do pleaſe God: Now alas, what delight can God hauehave in the filthy liues of moſt men, whoſe whole delight and ſtudy is in ſin and wickedneſſe, in all kinde of lewdneſſe and prophanneſſe, hauehave no care to pleaſe God, but euen obſtinately rebell againſt him, ſurely the Lord hates them and all they do. O wofull condition of ſuch ſinful men, that betake themſelues thus vntounto the way of ſinne. Not as though they walk therein but for a time, but as ſuch as purpoſe to tread therein for euer. From this wofull eſtate the Lord deliuer vsus for his Chriſts ſake. Amen.