A BRIEF EXPLICATION Of the other fifty Psalms, From Ps. 50. to Ps. 100  
BY DAVID DICKSON, Professor of Divinity in the College of Edinburgh.  
Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple.  Psal. 65. 4. 
Imprimatur, july 16. 1653. EDMUND CALAMY.  
London, Printed by T. R. & E. M. for Ralph Smith, at the Bible in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange. 1653.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE The EARL of EGLINGTON, Mercy and Peace through jesus Christ.  
My right Noble Lord,  
THE reason of my sending forth of this piece, under your Lordship's name, is, that by this means I may pay home before I die, the old debt which I owe to your Lordship, and to the whole noble family, for countenancing and encouraging me openly in my Ministry, all the while I was in Irwin near your Lordship, full twenty years.  
And the reason why I do confess my debt now, and go about to discharge some part of it, at this time of your Lordship's restraint in England, is, because when I call to mind the time of my restraint about some thirty years ago, (when the High Commission Court of Prelates procured my confinement within a little village in the North beyond Aberdein, in regard I could not give them satisfaction by receiving the yoke of some Popish ceremonies, imposed then upon the Ministry,) I cannot forget how comfortable your Lordship was to me then, and what pains and travel you endured summer and winter without wearying, until they who at that time had power to lose me from my confinement, being made sensible, some of them of the iniquity, and all of them of the inexpediency of keeping me in bonds, I was restored to the free and full use of my Ministry. Wherefore I do esteem it a part of due gratitude, to do what in me lieth, to be comfortable to your Lordship in this your present condition; and do heartily pray to God that your exercise and trouble, may prove a means of your happiness. It is true indeed, that happiness without this means were to be wished, if so it were God's pleasure; but unto God only (in whose hands alone it is to make men blessed, and in whose friendship and favour through Christ only men are really blessed) it doth belong, as to choose the man to whom, so also to choose the means whereby, and the manner how he will communicate the right and possession of true blessedness. If happiness were at men's wish and carving, no man would choose God for his chief good, nor God's way to bring his felicity about; for the multitude of men do say, Psal. 4. 6. Who will show us any good?  
The good which God doth show unto them, and the way how by reconciliation with himself, and walking humbly and uprightly before him, they may have God to be their rich reward, is not the thing they love to have; but corn and wine and oil, and whatsoever may best please their fleshly fancy, is their desire. And of this the Lord doth complain, Psal. 81. 11. My people, saith he, would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me. And what was it which they did prefer unto God? they loved to have their own will in this world, whatsoever should befall them after death; they loved rather to have their own earthly desires satisfied, then to have the friendship of God: and their choice was given unto them to their own destruction. So (saith the Lord) I gave them over to their own hearts lust, and they walked in the counsel of their own heart. Few, when they look upon the course which the world doth run after, yea very few do prefer the fellowship of God reconciled to them in Christ, before riches, honour, and sensual pleasure: For, Who will show us any good? is that which many do say, Psala 4. 6. bu●… Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us, is the petition of the few opposed to the multitude; and even those few godly would wish to go to heaven with ease, and to be free from trouble in their journey, if it were the Lords will, as we may see in the prayer of jabez, 1 Chron. 4. 10. Who called on the God of Israel saying, Oh that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me. But our loving and wise God, who knoweth perfectly what is fittest for every man, doth cross and correct those natural desires of his children. And howsoever he will now and then possibly grant the prayer of jabez, to some of his people, yet he hath appointed this to be the ordinary roadway to heaven, which the Apostle pointeth forth to us, Acts 14. 22. We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God,  
And this course of carrying of God's children through many afflictions, doth no ways hinder their happiness; for how many soever their crosses be, yet this holdeth always fast, Psal. 65. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee. If therefore by plurality of chastisements, the Lord shall draw, and drive them to seek remission of sins and reconciliation with himself, and the renewed sense thereof through Christ, and shall by the rod hedge them within the way of walking with him in a friendly communion: they lose nothing except their lusts, and do gain eternal blessedness. And certain●y there is so much relics of natural corruption, so strong inclinations unto sin, so many actual outbreakings, and gross transgressions to be found in the most precious Saints, that there is no wonder the Lord should visit their trespasses with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes; but all the wonder is, that he will not take his loving kindness utterly from them. There is also so great need of losing their affections from what seemeth loveworthy in this world; so great need of raising the hearts of the heirs of Salvation unto the seeking of a Kingdom, which cannot be shaken, and of a crown uncorruptible; as all reason doth call for the mixture of troubles with earthly comforts, lest the sweetness of temporary vanities should prove unto them poisonable. Moreover, the experience of the Saints set down in Scripture, and especially in the Psalms, doth make it manifest, that by the variety of outward and inward troubles the faith of God's children hath been tried, and trained to farther strength. Their love, hope, and patience, and all other spiritual graces in them have been so fostered and augmented, as they have been made joyfully and thankfully to subscribe this truth, Psal. 94. 12. Blessed it the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord, and teachest him out of thy Law. This is the language of the Lords present dispensation toward his people, and the lesson which his Providence doth recommend to us all, that we may learn it to our good: whereunto if this piece shall contribute any thing for the edifying of those who shall be pleased to read it; and in special, if it shall be acceptable to your Lordship, this shall do much more than recompense the labour of  
Your Lordship's obliged servant in the Gospel, DAVID DICKSON.   

The Epistle to the READER.  
Christian Reader.  
THe acceptance which the former fifty Psalme●… ha●…e found, doth give me encouragement suf●…ient to offer these other fifty to thy view also, and to give thee the last fifty so soon a●… the Lord ●…all enable me: I am still sparing of thy time, and do strive to point forth, not all the ●…octrines which may be deduced from the words; but so many only a●… being joined together and compared with the ●…xt, may give unto thee both the sense and the use thereof. It is not possible to express grave purposes suffieiently without 〈◊〉 volume, nor to open mysteries in few words unto thy sati●…tion, who c●…st not choose but wish to have more of the purpose, whereof th●…u lov●…●…o hear much, and findest but a little of it ●…inted at. No sort of writing, except that of the Scripture, hath all perfections; but this a●…●…ge thou hast by this mould, thou shalt not r●…d long till thou meet with matter worthy of thy meditation; and whensoever thou meetest with a word spoken in seas●…n, or fit for thy condition, thou m●…t close thy reading for the time, without losing any long discourse, and feed upon what thou hast found till it be digested, and then return when thou wil●…, & seek for as much as may be another morsel. For the reading of many div●…rse doctrines, without some interlaced meditation is like eating of ●…rrow without bread, and cannot but ●…loy thee for the time, or give thee a sur●…eit of wholesome food; which evil if it be●…al thee, may be helped for aftertime by short ejaculations of a word of prayer whilst thou art reading, according as the purpose calleth thee 〈◊〉 seek the Lords blessing unto that which thou readest, whose presence that thou mayest find comfortable, is the prayer of  
Thy servant in the Gospel, DAVID DICKSON.   

The mistakes in the printing which have escaped the Prsse in the former piece, and may possi●…ly also escape it hereafter, I pray thee excuse; because I am a●… such a distance, as I 〈◊〉 neither timously prevent th●…, nor mark them as Errata that 〈◊〉 mightest correct them.   

A BRIEF EXPOSITION Upon the other fifty Psalms.  

PSAL. LI. To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David, when Natha●…▪ the Prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.  
THE Psalmist in the sad sense of his guiltiness, prayeth for remission of sin, with an eye to the Lords large mercy, ver. 1, 2. and followeth his petition with a deep and hearty confession of his sinfulnsse, ver. 3. 4, 5, 6. He prayeth the second time for remission of sin, with an eye toward the blood of the ●…essiah, ver 7. and followeth it with another petition for comfort to his afflicted spirit, ver. 8. He prayeth for remission of sins the third time, ver. 9 and followeth it with another petition for renewed comfort of the holy Spirit, and for removal of felt wrath, with a promise of making use thereof, to the ●…fication of God's people, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13. He prayeth for remission of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fourth time, and namely of that particular sin, wherewith for the present his conscience was most troubled, ver. 14. and he followeth it with another petition, for enabling of him for a more spiritual & sincere manner of serving God hereafter, renouncing all confidence in the external ceremonies of the Law, ver. 15, 16, 17. And l●…st of all, he prayeth for mercy to the Church, ver. 18, 19  
From the Ins●…ription, Learn, 1. How soon the most mortified lust may be kindled and break forth like fire in the embers, when it meeteth with powder; how frail the strongest of the Saints are in themselves, when they are tempted to sin; and what need he who standeth hath to take heed lest he fall: for the holy Prophet, the sweet singer of Israel is here foully defiled by his going in to Bathsheba. 2. How fast asleep in sin, even the most watchful watchman may fall, and that he cannot at all awake of himself, till God of his grace (who in love pursueth fugitives) by some means of his own choosing, stir up his conscience, as here is evidenced in the case of the Psalmist, who did lie still in his sin secure, till Nathan the Prophet came unto him. 3. How faithful Ministers ought to be in their proper cha●…ges, reproving sin, even in greatest personages, when God doth call them unto it: and how acceptable their rep●…oof should be to the honest heart, as Nathan the Prophet, David's Seer, his coming unto David, and rebuking him after the open knowledge of his sin; and David's acceptance of this office at his hands; and the honourable mention made of his sidelity here do teach us. 4. How little a true penitent doth stand to shame himself, when his sin hath dishonoured God, and he seeth that the confession of it may glorify God; and how far the Penmen of holy Scripture do differ in this point from the writers of humane histories, as David in the Inscription of this Psalm giveth proof.  

Ver. 1. HAve mercy upon me, O God, according t●… thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.  
2. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.  
In this first affectionate prayer for remission of sins, Learn, 1. As the conscience, till it be awakened by God, cannot apprehend how displeasant sin is to God; how it meriteth wrath; 〈◊〉 how unsupportable a burden it is to the sinner, when he is chaged with it: So after it is wakened, it can see no refuge till it consider that mercy may be had in God, and then the more it is pressed by the Law, or fear of wrath, the more it seeketh after God's mercy, as here we see; Have mercy on m●…, O God. 2. The consideration of the Lords loving kindness, and readiness to forgive the sinner that cometh unto him, should keep the sinner, (how grievous soever his offence hath been) from running away from him, yea should give him hope to meet with mercy, whatsoever may be his demerits: Have mercy, O God on me, according to thy loving kindness. 3. Sin is a debt obliging a man to a penalty which he cannot pay, but must be forgiven, otherways he perisheth, as blot out my transgressions doth import. 4. All doubts arising from the multitude of sins forgiven before, and from the abuse of many mercies already received, and from the deep deservings of most heinous sins, are solved, when God's loving kindness, and the multitude of the mercies of God are opposed to these doubts and fears, and are put in the balance over against them; according to thy loving kindness, according to the multitude of thy mercies, blot out my transg●…essions. 5. When a Saint now justified doth any thing against the Law of God, his sin is so far from being extenuated or made less, as by the contrary it is multiplied so much the more, and found to have in it a plurality of sins, when it is rightly considered; blot out (saith he) my transgressions, in the plural number. 6. Sin, as it bindeth a man over to punishment, till he be forgiven; so it defileth a man, and puts an abominable deformity on him, which his illuminate conscience cannot look upon, without loathing, till it be by pardon and purging washed away; wash me and cleanse me from mine iniquity and my sin. 7. The pollution of sin goeth through the whole powers of the soul and body, which have been serviceable to it; through mind, will, affections, senses bodily, and all, and nothing can quiet the soul here, except it find pardoning mercy, and sanctifying mercy, going after all the soul footsteps of sin, and doing away the filthiness thereof, wash me throughly, and cleanse me.   

Ver. 3. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.  
4. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and ●…e this evil in thy sight, that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.  
5. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity: and in sin did my mother conceive me.  
6. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.  
Here he maketh confession of his sin and sinfulness, and aggravateth his guiltiness, from the very root of original sin, and subscribeth whatsoever God hath spoken of man's sinful nature, and deserved punishment in the Scripture approving himself for the sincerity of his confession unto God. Whence learn, 1. Whosoever would have mercy and pardon of his sin from God, must acknowledge his sin and debt, and must take part with God, and with justice against himself, because the Psalmist here giveth this for a reason of his hope of pardon, for I acknowledge my transgression. 2. Albeit God hath pardoned sin to a penitent soul, and albeit his Ministers have made declaration of the pardon to him, yet the conscience will not pronounce the sentence of absolution, but still present the sin as unpardoned, till God make it quiet by his immediate intimation: for David after that Nathan had told him from the Lord, that his iniquity was pardoned, still findeth the conscience pursuing for the guilt, my sin is ever before me. 3. The dividing of the grant of pardon from the effectual intimation thereof unto the conscience, is done in God's wisdom and mercy towards his child for good: for here it ripeneth repentance, and bringeth forth this deep confession, I acknowledge mine iniquity, and my sin is ever before me. 4. It is most suitable for true repentance, to pitch upon some particular sin, in the vileness whereof the evil of other sins may be taken up and lamented against thee have I done this evil; he meaneth the particular whereof Nathan charged him in the matter of Uriah. 5. The material injury and hurt of a sinful action may resolve upon a creature, but the formal obliquity of the action resolveth upon the law or command of God, and upon his sovereign authority which gave the law; against thee, thee have I sinned. 6. If the injury done to the creature, could be severed from the offence done to God, the conscience would not be so much troubled for the first as for the last 〈◊〉 if the injury done to God against so many obligations, be compared with the injury done to the creature; the injury done to God is so high as it comprehendeth all the challenge which the creature could make for its part, and leaveth nothing to the creature to say besides: Therefore saith he, against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, 7. Albeit no man should challenge for a wrong done by one man to another, and in particular for a wrong done to a subject by a Prince or Ruler, yet will the Lord challenge for it, and bring the man to an account for it, against thee, thee only have I sinned. 8 How closely soever the circumstances of a sinful action be conveyed, that men should not see the vileness thereof, yet before God all the matter is plain: I have done this evil in thy sight, saith he. 9 The conscience rightly wakened in the sense of sin, cannot but justify what God hath spoken in his Word of man's sinfulness, and of the merit of sin, and of whatsoever God hath done, or shall do in the punishing of sin: for David maketh this deep confession of sin against himself, that God may be justified when he speaketh, and clear when he is judged. 10. Although presumptuous man will not stand to examine, judge, and pass sentence upon God, and his words, and his works, yet shall no m●…n be able to bear a blot upon God; but every conscience when awake, shall be found to blame the man, and to justify God in all his words and proceedings, as David is forced to blame himself here, that God may be justified when he speaketh, and clear when he is judged. 11. As original sin is common to all men by natural propagation from their parents, so is it not abolished out of the most holy in this life, and as it is found to utter itself by actual transgressions, in the children of God, so must the evil thereof be acknowledged by them, and that not to extenuate, but to aggravate their sin thereby, as David showeth here, saying, Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 12. No confession of sin, nor any other part of God's worship giveth ease to the mind, or is acceptable to God, except it be done in sincerity and truth, and when it is done in spirit and truth, it is acceptable to God, and giveth ear to the conscience; Behold, (saith David after his deep confession) thou desirest truth in the inward parts. 13. The last operation of God's gr●…ce in us, is worthy to be observed, acknowledged, and made use of, as an evidence that God hath some work in us, wherein he taketh pl●…asure, Behold (saith Da●…id to God) thou desirest or delightest in ●…ruth in the inward parts. 14. When a man hath sound some spark of grace in himself, he may expect to find yet more grace from God, as David after this observation of grace given unto him, to make a sincere confession of his sin, doth expect that God shall effectually teach him more wisdom, or wise behaviour in his sight. In the hidden part thou wilt make me to know wisdom; that is, thou wilt make my conscience judge yet more impartially of my native sinfulness, and wilt teach me to walk more circumspectly before thee, in the sense of my sinfulness.   

Ver. 7. Purge me with bysope, and I shall be clean: wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.  
8. Make me to hear joy and gladness: that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  
He prayeth for remission of sin the second time, with an eye to the blood of the Messiah Christ, and joineth with it, a petition for comfort to his afflicted spirit. Whence learn, 1. No less loathsome than leprosy is the sight of sin, when it is looked upon as unpardoned; and nothing less than the blood of Christ signified by the blood of the clean bird slain to cleanse the leper, can purge a man of it, for David doth look unto the manner of cleansing the leper, as it is set down, Levit. 14. Where two birds were taken, and one of them slain, and the living bird being dipped with bysope in the blood of the slain bird, was let fly away, to signify the leprous sinners deliverance from perdition by the blood of that cleanly bird Jesus Christ: purge me with bysope, saith he. 2. Whatsoever application hath been made to a man of Christ's blood in justification of his person, it doth not hinder, but rather doth open a way unto the renewed acts of application thereof, according as new sins do draw on new guiltiness: for here justified David prayeth to be yet again purged with bysope. 3. Renewed acts of remission of sin granted, by new application of the virtue of Christ's blood, cleanse●…h the conscience of the guilt of sin, and cleareth the man before God's justice, purge me with bysope, and I shall be clean, saith he. 4. Howsoever remission of the guilt for Christ's sake, be inseparable from the imputation of righteousness for Christ's sake, yet may these two be distinguished, and distinctly looked upon for the believers comfort; for here David looking on the removing of the guiltiness of sin by Christ's death, saith, purge me with bysope, and I shall be clean: and looking upon the imputation of Christ's righteousness, or obedience even unto ●…he death, he saith, Wash me and I shall be whiter than sno●… Now that these two branches of this mercy are distinguishable, may appear from this, that as to be freed from eternal torment is one benefit, put case a man were annihilated in his losing from it; and to be not only freed from eternal torment, but also made blessed by the gift of eternal life, is another and a greater benefit: So removing the guilt of sin, in relation to the removing of punishment is one thing, and the assignation of Christ's righteousness in relation to eternal life is another thing; and these two benefits both of them are purchased by Christ's perfect obedience unto the death, and are holden forth, Levit. 14. for after the delivery of the leper from death (figured and symbolised by the letting go of the living bird, dipped in the blood of the slain bird) the clothing of the leper with righteousness, is figured and symbolised by the washing of the man, and putting clean clothes upon him. Now it is not the man's personal sanctification inherent, (which in every man is joined with much pollution) that maketh him clean, but the imputation of Christ's righteousness; This maketh him whiter than snow. 5. As we must not neglect the Ordinances of God, but must use them carefully for obedience unto God, and for strengthening of our faith, so we must not rest upon them, but seek in unto the signification, substance, and end of them, which is Christ; as here David seeketh perfect pardon by Christ's blood, perfect purging and cleansing through him under the terms of purging with bysope and washing. 6. The grief and torment which followeth sin, and is felt by a wounded spirit, even in the children of God, in the time of their repentance, is greater than ever the pleasure of sin was to them, as David showeth here, who speaketh of his vexation, and wounded spirit, as of the painfullest trouble which can fall upon the body: for by the bones which thou hast broken, he meaneth the chastisement of his spirit, inflicted of God. 7. Nothing can heal this wound of the spirit, save the hand that made it; nothing but Gods lively application of his word of Grace and pardon to the guilty s●…nner can do it; so: David will not rest with what Nathan had spoken, till God speak the same effectually unto him; make me to hear joy and gladness. 8. As there is no sorrow so deep, as the sense of God's displeasure, so there is no joy so refreshing as the inward consolation of God's Spirit; for David's broken bones will rejoice, if God will speak peace to his soul: make ●…e to hear joy and gladness, that th●… ones which thou hast broken, may rejoice.   

Ver. 9 Hide thy face from my sint, and blo out all mine iniquities.  
10. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  
11. Cast me not away from thy presence: and take not thy holy Spirit from me.  
12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free spirit.  
13. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.  
He prayeth for remission of sin the third time, ver. 9 And joineth therewith a petition for rectifying his sad condition; first by renovation of that grace which was decayed, and as it were lost in his sense, ver. 10. Secondly, by preventing his deserved and feared separation from God, & from communion with his Spirit, ver. 11. Thirdly, by repairing and restoring of his sometime gracious condition, and settling him therein by the Spirit of adoption, ver. 12. And then he promiseth to make good use thereof for the comfort and edi●…ication of other sinners, ver. 13. Whence learn, 1. Sin is soon committed, and guiltiness and inisery soon drawn on, but not soon and easily removed; many a cry to God may be uttered in the sense of felt displeasure of God, and fear of more and more evil following on it, before the soul find freedom from it; as this frequently repeated petition for pardon, and these expressions here set down do make evide●…. 2. Earnestness of affection maketh often repetition not to be babbling, and when that which most presseth us, is most pressed, and insisted upon by us in our prayer, it is no vain repetition or idle multiplication of words, as here is to be seen. 3. Sin seen in its own shape, is a loathsome sight to God, and horrible to the sinner; which loathsome sight nothing can remove, save the Lords voluntary forgiving of it, and his not setting it before his own face, to be pursued in severe justice, Hide thy face from my sins. 4. As one sin doth waken up the conscience of many other sins, so nothing can quiet the conscience about that one sin, except both it and all other sins be forgiven, therefore saith he, ●…lot out all mine iniquities. 5. A ●…ncere penitent is no less desirous of renovation and sanctification than he is of forgiveness of sin; for with blot out all mi●… iniquities, he joineth create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me. 6. Albeit sin against the conscience in a renewed man, defileth it throughly, and desaceth the work of th●… holy Spirit, openeth the floodgate of natural corruption, to the pollution of the whole frame of a holy heart; openeth the way unto, and strengthens the work of an evil and deluding spirit; yet no principle of grace in the renewed man is able to remove this evil; but the removing and remedying of it must be by the immediate work of Gods own omnipotent hand. This work is no less than creation, therefore saith he, Create in more a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me; that is, it is not in my power to clear my conscience, and my polluted heart, or to set my perverted spirit in a right frame again, but thy creating and renewing power, which borroweth nothing from the creature, must do it: create in more importeth this. 7. Albeit a renewed soul cannot be utterly cast off from God, nor be bereavest utterly of saving grace once bestowed on him; yet if he grieve the Lords Spirit by presumptuous sinning, his assurance of standing in God's favour may be mightily brangled, and he put in 〈◊〉 of losing the possession of what is behind of the saving work of God's Spirit in him, especially when he considereth that his provocation doth deserve no less at God's hand; Therefore saith he, Cast me not away from thy presence▪ and take not away thy holy Spirit from me. 8. Nothing is so terrible to a renewed soul which hath been sometime sensible of God's favour, and sure of the presence of his Spirit, as to be shut out from God's favour, and severed from the communion of his Spirit, as this prayer testi●…ieth, Cast me not away, etc. 9 As a believer may come to assurance of his own salvation, and when he keepeth a good conscience, may swee●…y rejoice therein; so when he seeth that the pleasure of sin hath marred this joy unto him, he cannot rest nor be quiet till he recover the assurance he had, and his wont joy be joined therewith, restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. 10. The godly by their fall, should learn sensibly to acknowledge their own weakness, and their need of the supporting strength of God's Spirit, and to account the hands of God's Spirit, keeping them in order, and in God's obedience, to be their only freedom. Therefore David after prayer to have the joy of God's salvation restored unto him, 〈◊〉 lost he should lose it again if he were left to himself, doth 〈◊〉 another prayer, Up●… me with thy free Spirit. 11. As the end of seeking mer●…y to ourselves, should be this, that we may be 〈◊〉 to be instruments of glorifying God, and saving of others: so the sensible feeling of mercy which is sought after, doth greatly encourage a man to the work: Then will I teach transgressors thy ways. Then, that is, when the joy of God's salvation is restored to me, and I confirmed somewhat in the grace of God. 12. As the way which God keepeth in manifesting his justice against transgressors, and his mercy to self-condemned sinners flying to him in Christ, is not known by nature to sinners, so long as they go on in their evil course, or before they be effectually taught to know both; so none is so ●…it to teach and persuade them of this mystery, as they who by frequent experience are acquainted with the ways of God: Then will I teach transgesso●…rs thy ways. 13. The communicating the knowledge and experience of God's justice and mercy, according to every man's place and calling, is a good means of converting of others who know no such thing: I will teach others thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto thee.   

Ver. 14. Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.  
He prayeth the fourth time for remission of sin, and namely of that fearful and bloody transgression in the matter of Ur●…, which now did most trouble his conscience Whence learn, 1. As the conscience doth pass upon particulars in the midst of confused challenges for multitudes of sins: so doth it press some particulars more eagerly than other some, according as it is set on work: as here the guiltiness in the matter of Baths●… and Uriah presseth David▪ deliver me from blood-guiltiness. 2. Though sin seem pleasant at the beginning, yet at length it is found a devouring enemy, from which none can deliver a soul save God alone: Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God. 3 Upon the general grounds of the Covenant of Grace made with us for salvation through Christ, must a soul seek to have particular mercies; Deliver me, thou God of my salvation 4. The righteousness of God, which standeth in the remission of sin, and imputation of Christ's obedience unto us, through faith according to God's promise, is the matter of our joy and song of praise to God: which song, a soul being in thraldom by self guiltiness can hardly sing, but after the intimation of pardon will sing 〈◊〉 cheerfully: Deliver me from blood-guiltiness; then shall my tongue sing aloud of thy righteousness.   

Ver. 15. O Lord open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.  
16. For thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt-offering.  
17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou will not despise.  
He pursueth this fourth petition for remission of sin, with 〈◊〉 request for enlarging of his heart, and furnishing him with m●…te: and ability for praising of God; Wherein he sincerely renounceth all confidence in external ceremonies of the Law, o●… in any thing else which he could perform. Whence learn, 1. Howsoever proud spirits think that they can do any thing they please in God's service, yet a humbled soul under exercise knoweth that it is God that giveth both to will and to do of his good pleasure; such a man knoweth that the habit of grace is a gift, and the bringing forth of the habit to exercise, is another gift, he knoweth that when one hath gotten grace, to will to praise God; he must have grace to put this will to act effectually: This the Psalmist doth acknowledge and (prayeth, open thou my lips, and my tongue shall show forth thy praise. 3. Whatsoever holy ordinances and outward services God doth prescribe to his Church, they are not required for satisfaction of his justice, nor are they the main thing he is pleased with, but they are means only to lead men to himself in Christ, in whom only justice findeth satisfaction, and man findeth strength to go about the worship, that so God himself may have all the praise of our services: Therefore David giveth it for a reason of his former petition, for thou desirest not, (or thou hast not pleasure in) sacrifice. 4. That which God aimeth at, we should most intend; and what he is well pleased with, we should most endew●…; Thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it. 5. The main in●…nt of the sacrifices under the Law was, that a man in the sense of his sin and deserved judgement, and inability to satisfy for his faul●…, should come and empty himself before God, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to that only one propitiatory sacrifice, represented in 〈◊〉 external sacrifices: The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; that is, the right way of sacrificing, is that a man's spirit be emptied of its own self-confidence when it cometh to offer unto God the external sacrifices, which otherways God regardeth not. 6. The man who most renounceth his own works, worth, or merits, and despiseth all his own doings, as a broken earthen vessel is most acceptable in his approaches to God's free grace in the Mediator: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise; and that not for any worth in the matter of contrition, but because by contrition is expelled all conceit of selfworth, and so the man is most fit for receiving grace and free pardon from God.   

Ver. 18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion, build thou the walls of jerusalem.  
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt-offering, and whole burnt-offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine Altar.  
In the last verse David prayeth for the Lords people; that what breach had been made in the walls of God's protection about them, by his sins and theirs, might be repaired; and God more holily and heartily worshipped, both by himself and by them in time coming. Whence learn, 1. As every true member of the Church should bear in heart the condition of the body, and put it up to God, whatsoever be the man's own private condition; so in special he that hath by his sins provoked God to with ●…aw his prote●…ion from the incorporation wherein he is, should most earnestly interce●…e for the good of the body, as David doth here: do good in thy good plea●…ure unto Zion, build thou the walls of jerusalem. 2. The rich grace of God, his free love and unchangeable good will to his people is the cause of all the welfare of the Church: do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion. 3. Whosoever have been most instrumental in the building of God's Church, must some way be emptied of the glory of this work▪ that it may be all ascribed unto God alone, who is the only builder of his own Church; as David here emptieth himself of this honour, & ascribeth it to God, saying, Build thou up the walls of jerusalem. 4. When God poureth ou●…●…pon his people his Spirit of g●…ce and supplication, and ot●… proper effects of his good will to them, then, and not till then, are they fit to do him service acceptably: do good in thy good pleasure to Zion; then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices, etc. 5▪ No sacrifice is acceptable to God, save the sacrifices of righteousness; Now the sacrifices of righteousness are first, the propiriatory sacrifice of Christ, whereunto every believer must have respect, as offered in his Name when he cometh to God; and next the sacrifices of thankfulness and new obedience off●…ed up by virtue of Christ's sacrifice, to be accepted: The first sort of sacrifice was represented most specially by burnt-offering, and whole burnt-offering; and the other sort by peace-offerings and other oblations: Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt-offering, and whole burnt-offering, then shall they offer bull●… upon thine Altar.    

PSAL. LII. To the chief Musician, Maschil. A Psalm of David: when Doeg the Edomite came and told Saul▪ and said unto him, David is come to the house of Abimclech.  
THe scope of the Psalmist is, to show that Doeg his enemy had no reason to glory in the favour of the Court, purchased by his false and cruel calumnies against him and the Lords Priests▪ which he proveth by four reasons: First, because God's kindness could not be taken away by Doegs cruel calumnies, v. 1. Secondly, because God s●…ould ●…oot our Doeg out of the world for his wicked calumnies, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5. Thirdly, because Doeg should be made a laughingstock and matter of derision to the godly, ver. 6. 7. Fourthly, because ma●… his malice, David should be blessed as a believer in God, and a true worshipper of him, ver. 8. Whereupon he concludeth with praise to God, ver. 9  
From the Inscription, Learn, 1. It is no new policy of wicked men, to seek to be great in Court, and in the favour of Princes, by maligning the godly, and fostering the displeasure of Princes against them, for D●…eg of old did climb in Court this way. 2. Such practices are most suitable to false brethren: for this Doeg is an Edomite of the posterity of Es●…. 3. When the w●…ked come to be in power and credit with Kings, for their very enmity against God's people, it is a narrow trial, and a sore tentation to the godly, as here in David's case with Doeg is to be seIn. 4. In this case there is nothing so needful as to go to God for direction and consolation; for so David did, and came back with a Maschil, or P●…alme for instruction to himself and others. 5. It is no advantage to a claw back Calu●…niator, to pretend that he told nothing but truth, and said no more than what he saw: for it is true, that David came to the house of Abimelech, but the telling of this to Saul, imported much mischief upon the matter, even all the evil which fell forth, and all this is laid on Doeg presupposing he had said no more than is expressed here, that is, that he told Saul, David is come to the house of Abimelech.  

Ver. 1. Why boast est thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.  
David chargeth Doeg with the vanity of his gloriation, that he was now made so mighty a man, for his ill service done against the Lords servants, and re●…uteth his folly, because he would not take the kindness of God from the godly so easily as he might steal their good estimation from them among men. Whence learn, 1. Prosperity and success following upon a wicked cour●…, d●…th hide the sin and mischief which is in it from the sin●…, as we see here, how the favour which foolish Doeg found a●… Court for his calumniating David and the Lords Priests, did puss●… him up. 2. There is small reason for a wicked man to glory in his wickedness, whatsoever profit or preferment it doth bring unto him, for after examination he will not be able to give a reason of his vain boasting; Why boastest thou thyself of thy mischief, O thou mighty man? 3. Albeit the wicked do think that God forgetteth his simple and silly servants, yet it is not so; and albeit the Lord doth alter the exercise of the godly, and changeth their prosperity into adversity, yet he changeth not his affection to them, this remaineth fast for ever, whatsoever seem to the carnal spectator, of the Lords dealing with his people; The goodness of God endureth continually. 2. So long as God's unchangeable kindness endureth, the wicked have no cause to insult over the godly, nor have the godly cause to faint or be discouraged; for this goodness of God David doth oppose, both to Doegs boasting, and to his own tentation; The ●…indnesse of the Lord endureth for ever.   

Ver. 2. Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs: like a sharp r●…sour working deceitfully.  
3. Thou lovest evil more than good and lying rather then to speak righteousness. Selah.  
4. Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue.  
The next Argument of refuting Doegs folly, is, because this cruel calumny should bring God's vengeance on Doeg, and root him out from all felicity; and here he first sets down his ditty in these three verses, before he sets down his doom, ver. 5. Whence learn, 1. The tongue when it is abused, is a world of wickedness, setting the world on fire, as itself is set on fire from hell by Satan: for whatsoever mischief the devil can suggest, or a wicked heart can devise, the tongue will serve to vent it; therefore is the tongue charged with devising of mischief: Thy tongue deviseth mischief. 2. The smooth convey of a wicked device doth not hide the mischief of it from God's sight, nor extenuate the man's fault, but rather doth help on the mischief more cunningly and powerfully: like a sharp razor working de●…itfully. 3. When a man speaketh no more of a tale of his neighbour, but what may serve to the man's hurt and prejudice, and keepeth up the relation of that part of the tale which might clear the man's innocency, or might give a right construction of his doing, albeit that part of the tale told be true, if all the rest of the tale had been told with it, yet being told alone as if it were the full history, it is evil, it is false lying. It is a murdering and devouring speech, and full of deceit; and doth argue the Speaker such a one as Doeg was, in the particular at least, to whom David saith; Thou lovest evil more than good, and lying rather then to speak righteousness; Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. 4. The more wit, deliberation and affection is in a sin: the heavier is the guilt, and challenge for it more just. Doegs devising mischief, Doegs choosing evil, and not good; choosing lying, and not righteousness; loving these evil and all-devouring words, maketh his ditty most fearful.   

5. God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. ●…ah.  
Now followeth his doom; Whence learn, 1. As any wicked man is instrumental for bringing temporal destruction on the godly, so is he instrumental in drawing everlasting destruction upon himself from God's hand, God shall likewise destroy thee for ever. 2. He that seeketh to settle himself, to enlarge himself, to root himself in the earth, and to prolong his standing in the world, by wrong means, and in special, by hurting the godly, and their good name and cause, shall find the event quite contrary to his desire, design and expectation, as Doeg did, whose doom was destruction, for his evil offices done at Court against David ●…nd the Lords Ministers God shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living.   

Ver. 6. The righteous also shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him.  
7. Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.  
The third Argument of ref●…tation of Doegs vain-boasting, is, that his wisdom should be seen to be ridiculous folly; and his b●…asting to be the matter of his shame and disgrace. Whence learn, 1. The notable enemies of God's children and servants may expect to be notably punished, and that they who did see their sin, shall see also God's vengeance on them: The righteous shall see it. 2. As the godly are the only wise observers of God's work, and dispensation of his mercy and justice: so also are they the only persons that do make spiritual advantage thereby: The righteous shall see it and fear. 3. As the good of godliness is seen and felt by the godly in their own experience of God's blessing upon themselves, so is it seen and observed also in the contrary evils which befall the ungodly; Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength, (say they) but trusted in the abundance of his ri●…hes, and strengthened himself in his wickedness.   

Ver. 8. But I am like a green Olive-tree in the house of God, I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever.  
The fourth Argument for refutation of Doegs foolish boasting, is because, I, saith David, shall flourish in God's favour, in despite of Doeg; Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever may befall 〈◊〉 godly by the malice of their enemies, it shall not hinder their felicity, when their enemies are running to their own destruction, it shall be well with the godly, they may be persuaded of it, for the Psalmists example doth encourage to it: But I am like a green Olive-tree. 2 As the Olive-tree, being planted in a fertile ground, draweth in moisture, whereby it is nourished and groweth up: so doth the believer, being planted in the Church, draw spirit and life trom God by the holy ordinances, whereby he groweth up: I am like a green Olive-tree in the house of God. 3. The wisdom of the godly, and the ground of their true blessedness is this, they make fast work of their everlasting felicity by saith in God, and this maketh them like green Olives all the days of their life; for I trust in the mercy of God for ever and ever, is given here for a reason of his happy growing in the house of God.   

Ver. 9 I will praise thee for ever, because thou hast done it: and I will wait on thy Name, for it is good before thy Saints.  
He closeth the Psalm comfort●…bly, with resoluti●…n to praise God, and to depend upon him. Whence learn, 1. Victory over tentations obtained by saith, i●… very glori●…us, for saith doth make a man as sure of what is to come, as if it were perfected, and filleth him with praise for the certain hope of the performance of Promises; I will prais●… thee for ever (saith David.) because thou hast done it. 2. ●…ith being soli●…ly fixed, bringeth forth hope and quiet expectation of what is promised, I will wait o●… thy Name. 3. As the Christian patience of one of the Saints, is a matter of g●…od example, and great encouragement unto all the rest that behold it: ●…o the consideration of the good which may redound to others, who shall be witnesses of our patient atten●…ing upon God, should sti●…e us up to this duty of patient hope in God, I will wait on thee, for it is good before thy Saints.    

PSAL. LIII. To the chief Musician up●…n Mahalath Maschil. A Psalm of David.  
AS in the fourte●…nth Psalm, so here David comforteth himself, and the rest of the godly in their sad sufferings which they felt from godless men lying in the miserable condition of nature, ver. 1, 2, 3. The grounds of comfort are three; the first, because God was engaged in the sufferings of his own, and would plead their controversy against the wicked, ver. 4. The next, because God's judgements were to come on all the persecutors of the godly, v●…r. 5. and the third, because there is hope of full salvation of the godly in Christ, ver. 6. Comparing this Psalm with Psalmer 14. wherein. the enmity of the wicked against the godly, and the comfort of the godly in that case, in this place are the same which are set down there; We learn, That as the godly may fall oftener than once, in one case, under one and the same tentation, some sort of hard exercise and grief: so may they, and should they make use of the same comforts, and bring to memory the same doctrines for that end, as the Church is taught to do, Psalm 14. and here in this Psalm.  

Ver. 1. THe fool hath said in his heart, There is no God; corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity; there is none that doth good.  
2. God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, that did seek God.  
3. Every one of them is gone back, they are altogether become filthy: there is none that doth good, no not one.  
From the description of the miserable condition, wherein the world and every unrenewed man within the Church visible ●…o lie; Learn, 1. All unrenewed persons are fools before God, how wise soever they may seem to men 2 All unrenewed men are inwardly in their affections and resolutions Atheists in effect, and such as do not regard God in any thing; whatsoever they may seem to themselves or others outwardly, They say in their heart, There is no God. 3. All unren●…wed men are altogether rotten in their principles and motives of their actions: They are corrupt. 4. The actions of the unrenewed will be found abomination before God, and will prove them to be corrupt: They have done abominable iniquity. 5. Among all unrenewed men, whether without or within the visible Church, not so much as one man shall be found to have done so much as one good action, which can stand for good in God's account: There is none that doth good. 6. The truth of this doctrine is put to trial and proo●… by God himself, and sentence is pronounced of all men's natural averseness from God, and impotency to do good. God looked down from Heaven upon the children of men, to see if there we●…e any that did good, and he found none. 7. As it is impossible they can do any good, or be wise who seek not God; so the proof and trial of this naughtiness of all men, so long as they lie in nature unrenewed, is found by their not understanding; not seeking of God; The Lord looked to see if there were any that did understand, that did, sack God. 8. Every man by nature is a Revolter from God, and from the state wherein once God made man, Every one of them is gone back. 9 There is nothing clean or unpolluted in soul or body of the unrenewed man; but the longer he liveth in nature, the viler is he: They are altogether become filthy. 10. Seeing all men by na●…ure are concluded under sin, without exception, And there is none that doth good, no not one; It is no wonder, that the image of God appearing in his children, be ill entertained by natural men, and that God's children expect no good fruits from such ill trees, as all men are by nature, for this doctrine is delivered to quiet the hearts of the godly, when they are molested by the men of this world. 11. It should yield comfort to the godly, to behold the miserable condition wherein all men are by nature, and themselves called forth of this miserable estate, and converted; for this doctrine offereth ground for the comparison and consolation.   

Ver. 4. Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge▪ who eat up my people as they eat bread; they have not called upon God.  
The first direct Argument for the comforting of the godly under their persecution by the wicked among whom they live, is, that God considereth their case, and will plead their cause, When●… learn, 1. The Lord observeth every point of enmity which the world ●…ieth agninst his People; he taketh their case to heart, and will plead their cause, and this is a solid ground of comfort to his People in all their sufferings; H●… the workers of iniquity no knowledge? that ca●… up, etc. 2. Grounds of di●… between the unrenewed, and the renewed or 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 in this opposition of the one sort 〈◊〉 the other are th●…; First, the unrenewed, all of them are ca●… workers of iniquity; but they that aree reconciled, howsoev●… they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin, yet they are not counted by God to be workers of iniquity. Again, the Lord doth own the regene●… and call them 〈◊〉 own People, but doth disclaim the other, as in ●…t not his people, but his enemies. And lastly, the un●…generate do 〈◊〉 call upon God, to wit, in earnest, or in 〈◊〉, but the ●…ate by the oppos●…ion made are presupposed h●… to call on God, and to depend upon him in truth. 3. 〈◊〉 doth more evidence the blindness and beastly be●… of the conscience of sinners, than the pe●…ecuting of the Saints; 〈◊〉 will not 〈◊〉 the un●…dly to ●…ve a godless life themselves, except they m●…igne and most unreasonably oppose Piety in 〈◊〉 there's; Have the workers of iniquity no knowledge? that they 〈◊〉 up my People as they eat bread. 4. To vex, be●… down, and destroy the godly, is as great a pleasure to the wicked, as to 〈◊〉 their meat; They 〈◊〉 up my People as they eat bread.   

Ver. 5. There were they in great fear, where 〈◊〉 fear was; for God hath scattered the bones of him that encamped against thee: thou hast put them to shame, because God hath despised them.  
The next ground of comfort to the godly against persecution, is, because God's judgements shall overtake the troublers of God; People, when they do least fear it. Whence learn, 1. As persecution doth cauterise the conscience, and maketh it sen●…clesse of sin▪ so also doth it make the Persecutors fearless of judgement, when they do eat up the People of God as b●… without fea●…e; For there, faith he, no fear was. 2. The 〈◊〉 secure a sinner is, and in special a Persecutor of God's People, the more terrible shall his wakening be, when God's judgement cometh on him; There were they in great fear where no fear was. 3. The enemies of God's Church make it their study and main work, to overthrow the godly, and to compass them as it were by way of laying siege about them, that they escape not; They encamp against thee, saith the Psalmist, speaking as it were to every one of God's People. 4. Wra●…h pursueth the Persecutor, both living and dead, and ceaseth not to follow him so long as there is any thing of him capable of punishment; for God not only ●…iseth the 〈◊〉, and destroyeth the enemy, and consumeth his flesh, but also he hath scattered the b●…es of him that en●…ampeth against the●…. 5. When the●… is nothing left of the P●… 〈◊〉 unpunished in the world, the wrath of God pursueth his name and memo●…ial; and the wrong done to the innocent, is the Persecutors great●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou hast put them to s●…me. 6 As true h●…ur, and th●…●…ring of ●…pect from men upon any, is the gift of God, who honoureth them that honour him; so deserved s●… and 〈◊〉 for ●…n committed, when it is po●…ed out, as the eff●…ct of God●… justice maketh them who 〈◊〉 him to be lig●…ly esteemed; Thou hast put them to s●…, because God hath 〈◊〉 them.   

Ver. 6. O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion! when God bringeth back the captivity of his people, jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.  
The last ground of comfort to the persecuted godly, is the hope of complete ●…ion to the Church of God, and of every true member thereof in Christ. Whence learn. 1. There is no ●…lid consolation against persecution, or any other grievance, save in the salvation which is to be ●…ad in Christ; He is the S●…iour and salvation of Israel. 2. As Christ's coming ●…o accomplish salvation by p●…t and part, in his own order and time, is most certainly to be bel●…ved and hoped for: so is it most earnestly to be wished, longed after, and prayed for: as the example of the Lords People here (longing for his coming to ●…ion, in his incarnation and mani●…ion of his grace; and then in the spreading forth of his grace and salvation out of Zion to G●…ntiles and Jewe●… doth teach us; O th●… the salvation of 〈◊〉 were come out of Zion. 3. As the captivity of God's People d●… remain in any degree and measure, which may make 〈◊〉 coming to be so much the more de●…eable, and to be the object of wishes, and matter of Prayer; so shall every sort and degree of captivity at last be removed from God's People, till Redemption be completely fulfilled; God shall bring back the captivity of his People. 4. As of all People, whoever had the name of God's People, the miseries and captivities of the Israelites, because of their provocation against God, have been the most conspicuous and signal: So of all the People on the earth, and of all the Nations which have been honoured with the title of God's People, the deliverance of Israel from captivity shall be most eminently and conspicuously comfortable; for when God shall bring back the captivity of his People, than Jacob shall rejoice, and Israel shall be glad.    

PSAL. LIV. To the chief Musician on Neginoth Maschil. A Psalm of David, when the Ziphims came and said to Saul, Doth not David hide himself with us?  
DAvid being betrayed by the Ziphims; First, doth make his Prayer to God for delivery, ver. 1, 2. Secondly, he strengtheneth his faith by some reasons, ver. 3 Thirdly, he is confident of his own delivery, and of God's judgement on the Ziphims, whereunto he subscribes, ver. 4, 5. And last of all, he promiseth praise to God for his own assured deliverance, ver. 6, 7.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. Particular straits and particular deliveries should be particularly remarked, as David here remembereth the danger he was in by the treachery of the Ziphims. 2. Mighty men will find readily more friends in an evil cause, than the godly do find in a good cause: As Saul hath the Ziphims to offer their service to his cruelty, when David was in straits. 3. The wicked are very hearty to do an ill turn, and glad to find occasion of it: Dothnot David, (say they) hide himself with us? as if this had been good and blessed news.  

Ver. 1. SAve me, O God, by thy Name, and judge me by thy strength.  
2. Hear my Prayer, O God, give ear to the words of my mouth.  
From David's Prayer; Learn, 1. The godly can never be so surprised with trouble, but they should fly to God for delivery, as David doth here; and it is a rare virtue not to forget this relief in depth of distress. 2. When men believe that God is all-sufficient and answerable to what is spoken of him, they have great encouragement to go to him in diffi●…ulty, Save me by thy Name, saith David: God's name gave him ground to pray and hope for deliverance. 3. Albeit no man should rashly call God to give judgement, yet in a good cause, against a strong Party, an upright man may call for and expect assistance from God; judge me by thy strongth, saith he. 4. In servant prayer, the very voice hath use, as with the supplicant to express his earnestness, and his faith in God, and to sti●… him up, and hold him fixed to his supplication; so with God also hath it use in regard it is an express invocation of him, and a sign of dependence upon him, and of expectation of a good answer from him; Hear my Prayer, O God, give care unto the words of my mouth.   

Ver. 3. For strangers are risen up against me; and oppressors seek after my soul, they have not set God before them. Selah.  
The reasons supporting his saith in his Prayer, ●…e taken from the unkindness, unnatu●…alnesse and cruelty not only of his Countrymen, but also of his father in law, and of his old acquaintance, slippery Courtiers, who sometime professed friendship. Whence learn, 1. No strangers are more strange than they who cast off the bands of civility and nature, wherein they were bound: false Countrymen, false brethren, false friends, false alliance, are those of whom men may expect le●…st in their need, for David findeth such men to be his greatest enemies; Strangers are risen up against me, saith he. 2. When they who should protect a man, do him most wrong, God will hear the p●…ints put up against such men: oppressors seek after my soul or ●…e. 3. When the fear of God is laid aside, there is nothing to be expected of the godless man but the worst of evils which he is able to do, there is no awe band to restrain him, for they have not set God before them. 4. The less hope there be of man's mercy, the more hope is of God's help, the more unkind and cruel men be, who should be friends, the more may the Lords kindness and comfort be expected for supply of inlacs, as here the d●…ist of David's argument holdeth forth.   

Ver. 4. Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.  
5. He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.  
In the third place he is assured of help to himself, and to his friends and of vengeance to his enemies. Whence learn, 1. Fervent 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath readily a swift answer, and sometimes wonderfully twist, even before a man have ended speech, as here David findeth in experience Behold (saith he) God is my helper, 2. The sight of faith is very clear, and piercing through all clouds, when God holds forth the light of his Spirit unto it, it can demonstrate God present in an instant, ready to help in greatest straits: Behold, God is my help. 3. There is more joy in Gods felt presence, than grief, in felt trouble; for, Behold, God is my helper, is more comfort than his friend's unkindness, and stranger's malice was grievous. 4. Such as do comfort and help a man in time of his tentation, are not only helpers unto him in the matter of his temporal life, but also instruments to save his soul, which by tentations is like to be drawn into sin, and so to distraction; for David saith of such men, they uphold my soul. 5. Such as take part with the persecuted Saints, God will take part with them: The Lord is with them that uphold my soul. 6. As God is a friend to the friends of his distressed children, so is he a s●… to their 〈◊〉 and their foes shall smart for their enmity in due time: He shall reward evil to my enemies. 7. The doom of the wicked enemies of God's children, is set down in God's word, his truth is the wicked man's terror, and the godly 〈◊〉 strength: Cut them off in thy truth. 8. Albeit we may not without cl●… warrant pray against particular persons, yet we may subscribe to God's Word set down in Scripture against his obstinate enemies, and our enemies for his cause: Cut them off in thy truth.   

Ver. 6. I will freely sacrifice unto thee, I 〈◊〉 praise thy Name (O LORD) for it is good  
7. For he hath delivered me out of all trouble; and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.  
In the last place he promiseth praise to God for the certaily he had of his deliverance, whereof he was no less assured, the●… if he had seen it with his eyes. Whence learn●…. Promised and hoped for deliverance is able to affect the 〈◊〉, as a mercy present and already past, as here it doth David: I will sacrifice to thee, and praise thee. 2. Readiness of heart to glorify God, and liberty of spirit, with occasion granted to praise him for a benefit, is another 〈◊〉 benefit superadded, and greatly to be esteemed of, as David doth account of it: I will freely sacrifice unto thee and praise thy Name, for it is good; tha●…●…s, not only is thy name good, but to have a heart sincerely to 〈◊〉 ●…hee, and liberty to express thy praise before others is 〈◊〉. Then is an action good, when it is done, because it is a good ●…on, and is not gone about for byends; I will praise his name for it is good, saith he. 4. In one experience of one delivery man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foresight of full delvery out of every evil or trouble wherein he can fall, as here David speaketh of hopes for full delivery, he hath delivered me out of all troubles. 5. The same light of God's Word, made lively by God's Spirit, is able to show a man, both the destruction of his wicked enemies, and his own deliverance from them; and as a man may rejoice in God's mercy towards himself, so also may he rejoice in God's justice against his enemies, provided he be free of private revenge: mine eye hath scene thy judgements upon mine enemies.    

PSAL. I. V. To the chief Musician on Neginoth, Maschil. A Psalm of David.  
THis Psalm containeth this doctrine, That albeit Christ and his followers may be in great straits by the 〈◊〉 of their pretended friends, yet through God's favour they shall be delivered, as David felt in experience. The use of which Doctrine is subjoined in the end of the Psalm, which well agreeth with the Psalmists condition in the time of Absaloms' and Achitophel's conspiracy.  
The parts of the Psalm we may make these three. In the ●…st is set down his sorrowful supplication to ver. 16. In the next, his comforting of himself in the Lord his deliverer, to ver 22. In the third, the use of this experience, in the two last verses.  
In his supplication he prayeth in the first place for a gracious hearing, because of the calumnies and cruelty of his enemies, ver. 1, 2, 3. In the next place he setteth down his pitiful condition of mind, ver 4, 5. making him to wish to be fair from the company of these conspirators, which were combined against him, ver. 6, 7, 8. In the third place, he prayeth to God to confound their counsels, because the whole City was in an uproar against him, seeking how to execute their mischievous plot, ver. 9, 10, 11. In the fourth place h●… condescends upon a more particular reason of his prayer for confounding their counsels, because the plotter of the conspiracy had been most intimate in his familiarity, and deep upon his counsel, ver. 12, 13, 14. Whereupon in the last place by way of prayer he prophesieth of the curse of God to come upon them, ver. 15.  
In the second part of the Psalm he comforteth himself in God; First, by his resolution constantly to depend upon God, and hopefully to pray, ver. 16, ●…7. Seondly, by his former experiences of deliverances granted to him before, ver. 18. Thirdly, because he was assured God should take order with his enemies for their treacherous breach of Covenant, and pla●…ing of their malicious designs with fair pretences, and deep dissimulation, ver. 19, 20, 21.  
In the third part of the Psalm are the uses of this experience, ver. 22, 23.  

Ver. 1. GIve ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my supplication.  
2. Attend unto me, and hear me: I mourn in my complaint, and make a noise.  
3. Because of the voice of the enemies, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me.  
From his address unto God for relief in this, as in his other sad conditions; Learn, 1. Many grievances are the godly subject unto, but in none of them all is there any ease for them, till they go to God and lay out their case before him: Give care to my prayer, O God. 2. As it is ease of heart to supplicants to have any sign of the acceptance of their supplication; So not to find access in prayer doth add much weight to their trouble. hide not (saith he) thyself from my supplication. 3. When a sad heart is fixed on God, and findeth what to say to him, it may expect that its words shall not be misregarded of God, but punctually taken knowledge of: attend unto me, and hear me. 4. Though a child of God were never so stouthearted naturally, yet when God exerciseth his spirit with trouble, he shall be made to weep before God as a child, and must not be ashamed to be thus humbled before him: I mourn in my complaint, (saith he) and make a noise. 5. A mourning supplicant shall neither 〈◊〉 his prayers nor his tears, for I mourn, is brought for a reason of his hope, that God shall attend and hear him. 6. When the godly fall into persecution and trouble from men, their lives, their estate, and their good name, readily come altogether to be in danger at once; as it befell David when the conspirators made head against him, they traduced his former government, as if he had been a wicked man, and sought to bear him down, and to have his life; because of the voice of the enemy, there is their railing; because of the oppression of the wicked, there is their violence robbing him of his estate; they cast iniquity upon me, there are their slanderous traducing of him, and charging him with faults falsely; In wrath they hate me, there is their cruel seeking to kill him.   

Ver. 4. My heart is sore pained within me: and the terrors of death are fallen upon me.  
5. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and borrour hath overwhelmed me.  
In this pitiful condition of mind; Learn, 1. It is not a thing inconsistent with godliness to be much moved with fear in time of danger; natural affections are not taken away in conversion, but sanctified and moderated: My heart is sore pained within me. 2. Natural wit, and courage are not sufficient to bear a man out in a great stress, for they will fail him, and if a man have not stronger supporters than his natural parts, he is undone, for here the terrors of death are fallen upon me, and borrour hath overwhelmed me. 3. The godly have an advantage above all natural men: for when natural strength and courage doth fail them, they have nothing behind, but the godly have faith in God, to open a fountain of fresh supply of wisdom, courage and strength to them, when parts natural do sail them; for David being now emptied of natural furniture, hath wisdom and strength to go to God, and hope of heart to be helped by him.   

Ver. 6. And I said, O that I had wings like a Dove; for than would I flee away, and be at rest.  
7. Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah.  
8. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.  
Where is he wished to have been out of the reach and society of such wicked enemies; Learn 1. When a man may escape a present hazard of 〈◊〉, with a good conscience, he may lawfully fly and eschew the danger, as David here wished he could have escaped; O if I had wings, than would I fly away. 2. A godly man may be in such peril as it seems to him he cannot without a miracle be delivered, as David saw no way to escape the conspiracy, 〈◊〉 this way: O that I had the wings of a Dove; and yet God may so dispose, as he may be delivered in an ordinary way, as here David was. 3. It is better to be in the Wilderness in some cases, then to be in the company of the wicked: Lo, I would wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. 4. The way to eschew the fury of a sudden insurrection of a tumultuous multitude, is not to come forth and appease them with words, but to decline their present fury by going out of the way, if God offer occasion: I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.   

Ver. 9 Destroy, O LORD, and divide their tongues: for I have seen violence and strife in the city.  
10. Day and night they go about it upon the walls thereof: mischief also and sorrow are in the midst of it.  
11. Wickedness is in the midst thereof, deceit and guile depart not from her streets.  
In the third place he prayeth to confound the counsel of the enemies because they had put the whole City in a confusion, and set the citizens upon a course of 〈◊〉 and violence. Whence learn, 1. A visible Church may at some time be in so sinful a condition, as a godly man shall not know what to do, or to whom he may have 〈◊〉 where to hide him; as here the condition of the holy City, the City of jerusalem is described. 2 The prayers of the godly are more able to disappoint the plots of cruel enemies, than all humane policy: Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues. 3. The believer should make use of such courses as God hath taken before for disappointing wicked enterprises, for supporting of his faith in his need, as here David maketh use of Gods dissolving the conspiracy of Cora●, Dathan and Abiram, and of the proud enterprise of the wicked in building Babel; Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues. 4. A man should be very sure, that such as he doth pray against, and complaineth of unto God, are in a wicked condition, and upon a mischievous course; for David giveth for a reason of his imprecation, that he had seen violence and strife in the city. The Rulers of the city diligently watching for his 〈◊〉 to do mischief; day and night going about the walls, mischief, sorrow, wickedness, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the midst of it, and openly 〈◊〉 in the streets.   

Ver. 12. For it was not an enemy that reproached me, than I could have borne it; neither was it he that bated me that did magnify himself against me, than I would have hid myself from him.  
13. But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance.  
14. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.  
In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place he condescendeth upon a more special 〈◊〉 of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Achitophel and other like 〈◊〉, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abused their trust and familiarity which they had with him, whose ingratitude ●ieved him 〈◊〉 then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; Whence learn, 1. It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thing for 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their 〈◊〉 to become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 specially in a good cause; this doth David's experience make evident. 2. The worst that a professed enemy can do against the godly in a good cause, is more tolerable than treachery against us, or the forsaking of us by a professed friend; for that importeth a reproach in the Party forsaken, as having an evil 〈◊〉, or being unworthy to be assisted; It was not an enemy that reproached me, than I could have borne it. 3. The injuries of a respected enemy, are not so 〈◊〉 ●…ble before they 〈◊〉 done, nor so piercing when they are done, as the injuries of one whom a man suspecteth not, or as the injuries done to us by a professed and trusted friend; Neither was it he that hated me, than I could have hid myself from him. 4. The disappointing of us by a friend in a good cause, much more the open opposition, and most of all the treachery of a trusted friend against us in a good cause, doth carry with it a vilifying and despising of our person and cause; and importeth our ill deserving at their hand, our ill carriage in the cause, and our deserving to be forsaken, and saith in effect, that the false friend or traitor hath reason to be avenged on us, and to oppose us in that cause; and what can be heavier to a godly persecuted person? for this is a very exalting of the Traitor against us: Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me. 5. Amongst many friendly neighbours, it hath been the custom of godly and wise men to choose out some to be their most intimate friends, whom they would use most familiarly and freely, whose counsel they would take, and most readily follow; It was thou, O man, mine equal, my guide, and my acquaintance. 6. To find a godly and wise man, with whom we may be free in all cases of mind or conscience, wherein we may fall, to whom we may freely open our mind, and be strengthened by him in the service of God, it is a notable refreshment, and part of happiness and contentment: We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company. 7. A godly and wise man may be deceived in his choice by the close carriage of an hypocrite, who because he hath no sound principles of steadfastness in a good cause, may both disappoint his friend, and deceive himself also, and so do that which he did not at first intent to do. This disappointment to the godly is a very heavy affliction: But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide.   

Ver. 15. Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.  
From his Prophetical imprecation against his enemies, such as Achitophel was to David, and judas to Christ, and such like, together with their followers and complices; Learn, 1. Swift destruction is the reward of the enemies of God's servants, and specially of treacherous Apostates from a good cause, as Achitophel's and Iudaas' latter end gave example: Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell. 2. Such as give entertainment and lodging to wickedness, shall have hell for their lodging, where wickedness lodgeth; for here it is given for a reason why the wicked shall go down to hell, Because wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. 3. What the Lord hath revealed to be his righteous decree, the godly may warrantably subscribe unto it; Let death seize on them, etc.   

Ver. 16. As for me, I will call upon God: and the Lord shall save me.  
17. Evening and morning, and at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice.  
In the second part of the Psalm, he comforteth himself in his resolution, constantly to depend on God, and his confidence to find access in worship. Whence learn, 1. The right use of God's judgements on the wicked, for their wickedness is to draw near to God, to worship him and depend upon him, as David here resolved; As for me, I will call upon God. 2. A man may be sure to be saved in drawing near to the Lord whatsoever shall befall the wicked, I will call on God, and the Lord shall save me. 3. He who resolveth to live upon God's good will and furniture, and hopeth to be saved at last, must resolve also to be constant, servant and importunate in his daily worship and attendance on God; Evening and morning will I pray and cry aloud. 4. As it is needful upon all occasions to watch unto Prayer, and to entertain a frame of Spirit fit for supplication: so is it fit for giving of ourselves more specially and fully to this work, to have (albeit not fixed canoni●…k hours,) yet set times every day, at or about which we may follow religious worship, such as are morning, evening and noon, or any other time most fitting for the work; all circumstances being compared, as here David's resolution and example doth teach us.   

Ver. 18. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me: for there were many with me.  
His next encouragement is taken from the experiences of former deliveries given to him by God. Whence learn, 1. Then do we make good use of experiences, when we stir up ourselves, thereby to believe the more for them in God, and to call on him in all conditions, as David here giveth this, He hath delivered my soul, as a reason of his former resolution. 2. In the midst of war the Lord can keep a man as safe as in the time of peace, and in extreme perils preserve him from danger; He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that ●…as against me. 3 He that depends upon God in the time of trouble, albeit he had an host against him, yet hath he more with him when God is with him, then can be against him: He hath delivered my soul, for there are many with me.   

Ver. 19 God shall hear and afflict them, even he that abideth of old▪ Selah: because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God.  
20. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him: he hath broken his Covenant.  
21. The words of his mouth were smother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.  
His third encouragement is taken from assurance, that God should punish his enemies for their godless security, b●…each of Covenant, and deep di●…mulation. Whence learn, 1. Upon the complaint of the opp●… servants of God, not only a●…e they delivered them●…lves, but also their enemies are punished; God shall ●…ear and afflict th●…. 2. God's eternity and immutability is a sufficient gro●…d of the mani●…station of his mercy to his own people, and 〈◊〉 against their enemies from generation to generation; God shall hear me, and afflict them, even he th●… abideth of old. S●…h 3. The more gently the Lord: deals with the wicked in not ex●…cising them with so many cresses, outward and inward, as he doth his own, the more godless are they, the more se●… a●…e they; and the more godless and secure they are, the more certain is their vexation coming; He will afflict them sore, because they have no changes; therefore they fear not God. This is one reason of the Lords pursuing the wicked. 4. Whoever he be that maketh a breach in the peace between himself and others, shall have God for his P●…ty, who shall not fail to afflict the Peace-breaker, he shall afflict them, and namely the chief Ring leaders; Who have put forth their hands against such as be at peace with them: and this is another reason of the Lords punishing of the enemies of his People. 5. The Lord will make a quarrel, and pursue for the breach of Covenant in special, because this is a most solemn confirmation of peace, and wherein God hath specially interest to s●…e it performed, or the breach of it punished; He hath broken his Covenant; and this is the third reason of Gods punishing false brethren, pretended friends to God's people, but in effect most pernicious foes. 6. The bosome-enemies of the Church, and underminers of the Lords people, and of his work in their hands, do make fairest pretences; when their vilest plots are in hand, than they are at Hail Master, and at offering of kisses, when they are about to be●…ay; The words of his mouth were smother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords: and this vile dissimulation is the fourth reason of the Lords avenging the persecution of false brethren.   

Ver. 22. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.  
23. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.  
The use of this experience he setteth forth; first, by giving counsel to the oppressed, to cast their burden upon the Lord, when they are over-burdened, and by making promises for encouraging them thereto. Secondly, by giving assurance of the perdition of the treacherous enemies of the Church. Thirdly, by setting forth his own resolution to keep confidence in God. Whence learn, 1. The use of the experience which godly persons have had, of comfort in, and delivery out of trouble, is the encouragement of us to take the same course, which the godly followed before us in seeking our relief in God only; Cast thy burden on the Lord. 2. Whos●…ever do roll over themselves upon God in their weighty troubles, shall never sink under them; Cast thy burden on the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. 3. Though the godly be troubled and tossed, yet because they continue to seek God, and to walk in the way of righteousness, they shall never be driven from their anchor-hold, they shall not be loosed at the root, their building shall be found still in its own place, upon the rock; He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. 4. As on the one hand the Lord shall hold up the believer, how low soever he shall be brought, that he perish not; so shall the Lord still bring down the wicked to perdition, how high soever, how fixed soever his stare appear, believe this who will: God will not suffer the righteous to be moved, but thou, O God, shall bring them down into the pit of destruction. 5. Treacherous and cruel adversaries of the Lords people shall be cut off, before they accomplish their bloody plots, they shall never die full of days, but wrath shall take them away, when they would least; Bl●…y and de●…itful men shall not live half their days. 6. Wherher such as do trouble the godly live longer or shorter, they will breed exercise to the godly, so long as they live; and the only ●…st that godly hearts can have against all the trouble they feel or fear from their en●…mies, or other ways, is to stay themselves on the Lord; for so resolveth the Psalmist, But I will trust in th●…, saith he, and so closeth.    

PSAL. LVI. To the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, ●…im, 〈◊〉 of David, when the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him in G●…  
DAvid flying from Saul to the country of the Philistines, (as w●… 〈◊〉, 1 S●…. 〈◊〉. 13.) is apprehended, he praveth to God, and is delivered. There are two parts of the Psalm●… In the 〈◊〉 part the●… are three conflicts of david's saith with his trouble and ●…ation, and three victories. The first conflict is in prayer, laying forth his enemy's carriage against him, ver. 1, 2. And his ●…st victory by saith, ver. 3, 4. The second conslict is in his complaint he maketh against his enemies, ver. 5, 6. And his second victory by faith, ver. 7. His third conflict is by laying forth his mournful condition before God, with hope to be regarded, ver. 8. And his third and greatest victory by faith, ver. 9, 10, 11. In the latter part of the Psalm is David's obligation, thankfully to acknowledge his merciful delivery, with a petition for grace to persevere in the course of obedience, under God's protection, ver. 12, 13.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. When once God's children are entered on their trials, they meet with new and unexpected difficulties, as David here flying from one enemy, falls in the hands of another enemy. 2. These means of safety which Gods children do devise themselves, readily prove snares; David flying out of the holy land, doth fall in the hands of his adversaries: The Philistines take him in Gath.  

Ver. 1. BE merciful unto me, O God, for man would swallow me up, he fight daily oppresseth me.  
2. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up; for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High.  
His first wrestling in prayer is with the check of his conscience, whether for his daily ●…ns, or in particular for casting himself in so apparent danger, as to have ventured without probable security had, to seek shelter among the enemies of the people of God, whose blood he himself had shed abundantly; for this 〈◊〉 or other sins he beggeth mercy, and layeth out before God, the pressing tentation from Saul and his Country men's cruelty, which d●…ave him to this p●…or shift. Whence learn, 1. There is no fence for challenges of conscience for bygone sins meeting with trouble drawn on by ou●… folly, but flying to the mercy and rich grace and pity of God, as David doth here: Be merciful to m●…, O God. 2. When all men and means do fail us, and we see none but w●…lves and lions re●…dy to devour us, there is hope of help in God's mercy; Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow 〈◊〉 up. 3. Continued tentations and renewed dangers, do over-set the strength of a f●…ail man, till he go to God to have relief from the tentation, or new strength; He fight daily oppresseth me. 4. Whatsoever inconveniences the godly do fall into by flying from persecution, they are all charged justly upon the Persecutor, and the chief Authors of their ●…ouble: He fight daily oppresseth m●…; ●…aith David of Saul, who d●…ave him to these straits. 5. Bloody persecutors follow hard after the chase of God's servants, without intermission, as dog's o●… lions do their prey, with as great desire to have their blood, as hungry beasts have after their food; Mine enemies would daily swallow m●… up. 6. One ringleader in the persecution of the godly, will ●…inde a multitude to run with him; Many are they th●… fight against me. 7. There is one above all, who can and will take order with all the enemies of his people, who only can ca●… their hearts, when they do complain of their foes: Many are they that fight against me, O thou most High.   

Ver. 3. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.  
4. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust, I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.  
Here faith gets the victory, by setting God's Word against all difficulties, within or without him, whereupon he desi●…th what man can do unto him. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the godly be not so stout in their trials, as not to feel their own infirmity, or not to be afraid, yet they are kept from fainting in their fear, by faith in God; What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 2. Albeit faith doth not always put forth itself, yet when fear doth assault most, than faith in God doth most evidently manifest its force; for then especially by directing of t●…e man's eye towards God, it settleth a troubled mind, strengtheneth weak courage, and ●…elieveth the ●…ppressed he●…rt; What time I am afraid, I will trust in the●…. 3. The experience of the sweet fruit of faith endeareth th●… Lord ●…o a soul, and strengtheneth a man to the employing of faith come what can come, as Da●…ids affectionate resolution here teacheth us: What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. 4. ●…aith groweth valian●… in fight; albeit it begin like a coward, and stagger in the first conflict, yet it groweth stout, incontinent, and pulls its adversa●…ies under ●…oot; In God I have put my trust, I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. 5. When fai●…h prevaileth, fear ceaseth, and all opposition of enemies is de●…pised; I will not ●…ear what fl●…sh can do unto me. 6. The best hold that faith can have of God, is to take him by his Word, however his dispensation seem to be, this will give satisfaction at length, for, In God I will praise his Word, is as much as, albeit he withhold comfort and deliverance from me, that I cannot find what I would, yet let me have his Word, and I will give him the glory of all his attributes.   

Ver. 5. Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil.  
6. They gather themselves together: they hide themselves, they mark my steps when they wait for my soul.  
His second conflict is with the malice of his crafty and cruel enemies: of whom he complaineth that they misconstrued his actions, words and deeds, as smelling only of t●…eason and rebellion, whether he stayed in the country, or ●…led out of it, and whatsoever expressions ●…ell from him at any time for his own clearing, all was wrested to another meaning. 2. They devised each of them how to b●…ing mischief upon him. 3. What they could not make out severally, they sought to ripen by consulting one with another. 4. They covered all their plots with fair pretences, and dissembled their intentio●…s. 5. They observed narrowly every one of his steps, to make out something against him by their observations, for which it might seem justice to kill him. 6. They thought to double out their course, by more and more iniquity against him, for which he prayeth the Lord to execute justice against them Whence lea●…n, 1. Le●… the godly say or do whatsoever they can, how justly, how innocently soever they carry themselves, yet their adversari●…s will pu●… another ●…ace upon their words and deeds, than what is right; E●…ry day they wrest my words. 2. The 〈◊〉 of God's people do spend their wits in devising some h●…me or other against them; All their thoughts are against me for ●…il. 3. What the wicked cannot make out against the godly by themselves severally, they labour to make out by mutual counsel and concurrence; They gather themsel●…s together. 4 Though the wicked ●…veal themselves one to another in their pl●…ts and designs against the godly, yet before others they use to put 〈◊〉 v●…ile over their malice, and some fai●…e pretence what they mind to do; They hide themsel●…es. 5. ●…he wicked take occasion of forging their 〈◊〉 from observation of some passage of the carriage of the godly, that they may make them odious, and cut them off▪ They mark my steps, they wait for my soul.   

Ver. 7. Shall they escape by iniqui●…y? in thine anger cast down the people, O God?  
The second victory of faith, is in his f●…ht of the punishment of his enemy's 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 they f●…ared no such thing. When●… learn, 〈◊〉. Sinn●…s see no way to hide the mischief of their actions, save by ●…ing more mischief, ●…nd in special by colou●…ing their 〈◊〉 with calumni●… against the persons whom th●…y inju●…e, and by p●…etending law for what they do; They think ●…o es●…pe by iniquity. 2. Howsoever the wicked may by their 〈◊〉 p●…etences deceive their own eyes, & others like themselves, and so escape man's punishment, yet shall they not eschew the vengea●…e of God, but rather be so much the more liable unto it, as they d●… multiply iniquity, to hide i●…iquity; Shall th●… es●…ape b●… their iniquity▪ cast them down. 3 Nei●…her high place, nor in 〈◊〉 o●… people following wicked men in an evil course against God's se●…vants, shall save them f●…om the wrath of God▪ I●… t●…ine ang●…r cast d●…wn the peopl●…, O ●…od.   

Ver. 8. Thou tellest my wander, put thou my tears into thy ●…ottle: are they not in thy book?  
The third Conflict, wh●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lay●…th ou●… his 〈◊〉 condition before 〈◊〉 hope to 〈◊〉 p●…y 〈◊〉 l●…rn, 1. When saith h●…th g●…tten victo●…y▪ 〈◊〉 will find n●…w assaults: though 〈◊〉 ove●…om a ten●…ation, the I 〈◊〉 will make he●…d a gain; though faith overcame one 〈◊〉 another wi●… ente●… the lists, & set ●…n, as conflict 〈◊〉 conflict her●… m●…keth evident. 2. Many a tear may the g●…ly sh●…d before their trial be ended, when once it is begun, and many un●…uth paths may they 〈◊〉, who are forced to fly the cruelty of 〈◊〉, befo●…e they sin●…e r●…st; multitude of wandering●… had David, and large measure of tears shed he, before he was delive●…ed. 3. The looking back upon many and long continued troubles, being lai●… together in a heap, or put in order one after another, do muster terribly, and make a great assault against 〈◊〉 man's faith and patience, as he●…e the multitude of David's wande●…ings and 〈◊〉 did sh●…w th●…mselves together before him. 4. God hath so great comp●…ssion on his servants in trouble, that he doth 〈◊〉 ●…ven the st●…ps of 〈◊〉 wande●…ing and pilgrim 〈◊〉▪ ●…d do●… number all their teare●…, and keep the count thereof, as it were in a registe●…, and the●…fore every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of G●…, when they l●…k upon their sufferings, should look up ●…n God al●…o, taking as particular notice of their 〈◊〉, a●… 〈◊〉 themselve●…●…n do: Thou t●…llest my wander, put th●…u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…to ●…y ●…ottle, are 〈◊〉 no●… in thy book▪   

Ver. 9 Wh●… I ●…ry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know, for God is for me  
10. In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word.  
11. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.  
The third and complete victory of faith. Now he is confident to ●…ut all his enemies by prayer, and t●… 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 by faith in God's W●…d. Wh●…nce learn, 1. 〈◊〉 fo●…th our c●…s and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 G●…d in p●…ye, is a way t●… g●… 〈◊〉 satisfactory delivery by faith, before the bo●…ly 〈◊〉 d●…●…me; When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemi●… turn back. 2. ●…aith g●…eth upon solid grounds▪ and is not a fallible 〈◊〉: but a sure knowledge; This I know▪ saith he. 3 A ●…ciled m●…n praying to God in a goo●… cause, fo●… victo●…y ov●… his 〈◊〉, may be a slu●… that God will own his quarrel●… and give him the victory; This I know, because God is for me. 4. The special att●…ibute of God, wherewith faith doth meet, and whereby it attaineth un●…o rest and contentment in God, is his truth and fid●…lity in his promi●…s: In God I will praise his W●…d; albeit there be no appearance of pe●…ormance, God's Word is sure enough to ●…ix upon. 5. The grounds of 〈◊〉 a●…e the more sweet and satisfactory, the more they be examined and looked upon, and compared with their effect●…; for David is not content once to say, In God I will praise his Word; but with comfort and confiden●…e reneweth the 〈◊〉 of God's Word, and the benefit he hath by it; I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. 6. As it is necessary for our justifi●…tion to believe in God; so is it necessary fo●… our 〈◊〉 to ●…bserve that we have believed; for than may we promi●…e to ou●… selves all the blessedness whi●…h b●…longs to the believer: In God I ha●…e put my trust, I will not be af●…aid; f●…r when we thus r●…solutely do set to ou●…●…eal to G●…ds t●…uth, 〈◊〉▪ and 〈◊〉 our believing: then he 〈◊〉 his seal●… to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, in com●…ting and relieving us.   

Ver. 12. Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praise unto thee.  
13. For th●… hast delivered m●… soul from death: will't not thou deliver my f●…t ●…om ●…lling? that I may walk before God in the light of the li●…ing.  
In the latter part of the Psalm, having now obtained delivery in his spirit by faith, he obliges himself to thankfulness, wishing to be preserved and enabled of God for that end. Whence learn, 1. As God pu●… the duty of glorifying him upon the supplicant, when he promiseth delivery to him: so may the supplicant put the obligation of glorifying God upon himself, when he is praying for delivery out of his trouble, as David giveth us to understand he did, while he saith, Thy vows are upon me. 2. An honest heart is no l●…e de●…rous to perform the duty of praise to God alter delivery, than he was ready to make his vow and promise before his delivery, yea the conscience of the twofold obligation, is a burden upon his spirit, till he go about the payment of his twi●… due d●…bt; Thy 〈◊〉 are upon me, O God I will render praise●… to thee. 3. As deep dangers do serve to discover our weakness, and our need of God's help: so a well-seen danger maketh clear the greatness of the delivery; and the greatness of the delivery deciphers the wisdom, power and goodness of God to us, and of our obligation unto him; I will render praises unto thee, for thou hast delivered my soul from death. 4. The right use of bypast dangers and deliveries, is to prepare for new dangers and difficulties, (for when one danger is past, all perils are n●… past,) and to ●…enounce our own wisdom and strength as insufficient to preserve us from ruin either of soul or body, and to give up ourselves to Gods guiding and presrvation, and to depend upon God, and steadfastly to hope to be directed and preserved by him, all this is imported in David's words; Thou hast delivered my soul from death, wilt thou not preserve my feet from falling? 5. The end of our desires to have deliveries and ben●…its from God, should be, that we may spend our life, and the gifts bestowed upon us sincerely in the service of God, for the edification of his people; Wilt thou not preserve my feet from falling? that I may walk before God in the light of the living.    

PSAL. LVII. To the chief Musician Al-taschith, Michtam of David, when he fled from Saul in the ●…ve.  
THis Psalm of David, as many other his Psalms, doth represent the condition of his spirit, both in the time of his trouble, and after the delivery: what was his exercise in the Cave, and what was his condition after he was delivered out of that danger, whereof we read, 1 Sam. 24. There are two parts of the Psalm, the first containeth his prayer for deliverance, which is pressed by six arguments, all serving to strengthen his faith; the first, because he trusted in God, ver. 1. The second, because he resolved to insist in prayer till he were heard, ver. 2. The third, because he hoped certainly to find notable delivery from this extraordinary danger, ver. 3. The fourth, because his enemies were beastly cruel, ver. 4. The fifth, because this mercy might contribute much to the glorifying of God, ver. 5. The sixth is, from the low condition whereunto his spirit is brought, by their crafty and cruel pursuit of him, ver. 6. In the rest of the Psalm is his thanksgiving, consisting of five parts; The first is the acknowledgement of the mercy and delivery granted, ver. 6. The next is his fixed re●…olution to praise God for it, ver. 7. The third is the upsti●…ring of tongue and hand, and the whole man to praise God, ver. 8. The fourth is a promise to transmit the knowledge of God's mercy unto other Nations, ver. 9 The fifth is the acknowledgement of the glory of this mercy, with a wish that it might be more and more seen and acknowledged by giving new experience of it, ver. 10, 11.  
From the Inscription, Learn, The godly may be involved in a deadly danger (as David was when he ●…led from Saul in the Cave) and yet not perish. Now he was as a man ready to be buried quick; for the Cave was as a g●…ave, and the army o●… Saul at the mouth of the Cave, was as the grave-stone; let then the army of Saul know only that he is there, and keep him in, and he is gone; yet God blinded them, brought David out, and so delivered him.  

Ver. 1. BE merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.  
From his prayer for deliverance, and first argument taken from his trusting in God, 〈◊〉, 1. The only refuge of a man in trouble, is the mercy of the Lord; be it sin, be it misery, be it peril or pressing evil; in mercy only is the relief of one and all sad conditions: and in this case must a soul double its petition in the Lord's bosom; Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me. 2. As it is not trouble simply which maketh prayer to be fervent, but solid faith pressed with trouble, which doubleth petitions unto God: so where faith in trouble flieth unto God, it cannot but speed; ●…e merciful, O God, for I trust in thee. The 〈◊〉 o●… the reason is, the Lord cannot forsake the soul which hath committed itself to him. 3. The Lord offe●…eth relief and protection in Christ to miserable sinners, in as warm a manner as the similitude of a hen gathering her chickens, or the type of the stretching of the wings of the Cherubims about the Mercy-seat could express; and saith doth creep no less wa●…y in unto this offer in time of straits, than this similitude doth impor●…; yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge. 4. The use of God's protection and warm love, is best known in time of trouble, and faith also is best set on work, to make use of God's love and protection in time of troubles: In the s●…a ●…ow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until th●…se calamities be overpast.   

ver. 2. I will cry unto God most High: unto God that performeth all things for me.  
From the second argument which he useth for strengthening his faith; Learn. 1. Faith in God and invocation of his name, are g●…s inseparable; and resolution to persevere in believing is unseparable from resolution to persevere in praying unto God: and he that findeth in his heart such resolutions, may also be confident to speed in his requests made to God: for the Psalmist, as he did resolve to believe in the former verse: so here he addeth, I will cry unto God: and hereby expecteth that God shall be merciful 〈◊〉 him. 2. It is needful for the supplicant in his st●…aits, to keep in his fight the Lords Supremacy and Omnipotency, for incomaging himself in hope to speed; I will cry to God most High, saith he 3. The consideration of the Lords constant going on in the perfecting of the work of grace, which once he beginneth graciously in us or for us, doth serve much to strengthen our faith in prayer: I will cry to God who performeth all things for me.   

Ver. 3. He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.  
From the third argument and prop of his prayer, taken from his hope to be helped; Learn, 1. Albeit faith be no help on earth, yet it looketh for help in heaven; and if ordinary means do fail, it assureth itself of Gods working wonders, for perfecting of his promises; He shall send from heaven, and save me. 2. The godly man's making God his refuge, is a matter of m●…king to the wicked; which mocking God will certa●…nly refute, by making the godly find the fruit of their flying to him; he will s●…e me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. 3. The mercy and truth of God, whereupon faith doth six itself, do remove all impediments, and s●… on w●…k all the m●…ans of the salvation of the beleev●…, and that ●…tually: God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.   

Ver. 4. My soul is among lions, and I li●… even among them that are set on fire: even the sons of men: whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword  
From the fourth reason of his prayer taken from the beastly cruelly of his enemies; Learn, 1. The condition of the people of the Lord in this world may be o●…-times like sheep in pe●…l of their lives, compassed about with ●…nous beasts; My soul is among ●…ions. 2. Yet, they may be so desolate, as having no assistance from without themselves to fly or fight, they shall be forced like d●…rned birds, chased by the hawk; or like bound sheep, to clap close down to the ground: I lie, saith he, among them. 3. The desolate condition of the godly, doth not move their persecu●…s to pity: deadly malice is most ready then to break forth, and to devour; I lie even among them that are set on fire. 4. G●…acelesse men destitute of the ●…e of God, are sit enough instruments for the persecution of God's children, and his 〈◊〉 servants; if they be no more, but yet in nature, even the children of men. 5. The slanders, mockings, lies, calumnies, reproaches and aspersions cast upon the godly by godless men, are no little part of their cruel persecution, of cutting and piercing the Lords people very deeply: whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.   

Ver. 5. Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.  
From the fifth reason of his pe●…ition; Learn, 1. When the godly are born down, and the wicked do ca●…y all matters before them, the glory of the Lord is obscured and eclipsed in some sort among men, therefore saith he; Be thou exalted, O God. 2. In what measure God's children are helped by him, and his enemies are born down; in that measure is be gloriously manifested to be the ruler of heaven and earth; Be thou exalted abo●… the heavens, and t●…y glory above all the earth. 3. However the wicked do obscure the glory of the Lord, and how little evidence soever God's children do see of his appearing for their relief, yet they ought to glorify him in their heart, and not only believe his sovereign power, able to set all things in order; but also to profess their hope, that he shall manifest himself from heaven, to be Lord over all his enemies and adversary powers of the world; Be thou exalted above the heavens, and thy glory abo●… all the earth.   

Ver. 6. They have prepared a net for my steps, my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.  
From the last reason of his! supplication, Learn, 1. Great slight and subtlety do the wicked use to overtake the godly in some sna●…e, one or other; They have prepared a net for my steps. 2. The godly man's strength will soon ●…ail him in time of straits if the Lord do not give supply; yea, the Lord for the clearer manifestation of his glory, both before the godly and before the wicked also, doth suffer his children to come to so low a condition of spirit, that they are ready to succumb, if he do not help; My soul 〈◊〉 bowed down. 3. When the enemies are at the highest of thei●… plots, and the godly at the lowest step of their humiliation, then is the Lords time to turn the chase, and to fall upon his enemies, and that oft times by that same very means whereby they were about to make all fast for their own power, and the oppression of the godly; They have digged a pit before me, in the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. And this last sentence is the first part of his thanksgiving, in acknowledging the Lords wonderful mercy and justice, in changing up-side down the seals of his low condition, and the enemies lofty persecution on a sudden.   

Ver. 7. My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise,  
In the rest of the Psalm he prosecuteth his thanksgiving, and this is the second put of it, wherein he professeth his fixed purpo●…e to praise the Lord for his delivery: Whence learn, 1. Renewed sense of God's favour, and fresh experience of his mercy towards his children, and of his justice against his and their enemies, doth much refresh, quiet, and settle the hearts of his people, and confirm their faith; My heart is fixed. 2. It is a part of our thanksgiving unto God, to acknowledge the fruit of his gracious working for us, felt upon our spirits, whensoever our hearts are cheered up by him, after any sad exercise My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed. 3. As it is needful to labour on the heart, that it may be fitted and prepared, fixed and bended for God's worship: so in special, for the work of praise, whereunto naturally we are most dull and indisposed; then shall the work go on more cheerfully: My heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise.   

Ver. 8. Awake up, my glory: awake, psaltery and harp; I myself will awake early.  
From the third part of this thanksgiving, wherein he stirs up himself by all means within and without himself, to set forth his sense of God's mercy, and of God's glory in bestowing of it; Learn, 1. A well-imployed tongue for praising of God, and edifying others, is indeed a man's commendation, and glory above other creatures: Therefore David directing his speech toward his tongue, after the manner of Orators affectionate speaking, saith, Awake, my glory. 2. Albeit the abolition of the Ceremonial Law hath taken away the room, which musical instruments once had in the stately, public, instituted worship of God in the congregation, yet neither is the natural private use thereof taken away, nor the signification of that typical ordinance to be forgotten, to wit, that we of ourselves a●… dull and unapt to holy things and that the Lords praises are above our power to reach unto them or express them: and that we should stir up all the faculties of our soul unto this holy service, as David here insinuatech to be the moral signification thereof; for after he hath said, Awake, Psaltery and Harp, he subjoineth, I myself will awake. 3. As he who in earnest is wakened up to glorify and praise God, will find himself short in abilities to discharge this work of praise: so will he find the choicest time of the day, when the body is best refreshed, most deservedly bestowed upon this exercise: I myself will awake early.   

Ver. 9 I will praise thee, O LORD, among the People; I will sing unto thee among the nations.  
From the fourth part of his thanksgiving, wherein he promiseth to let all the world know the mercy bestowed upon him; Learn, 1. The Spirit of God, who indicted this Scripture, made his Penman know, that the Gentiles should have the use of his Psalms, I will praise thee amongst the People. 2 David was a type of Christ in sufferings, exercises spiritual, and in receiving of deliveries; for this promise is fulfilled in Christ, and this undertaking is applied unto Christ, Rome 15. 9 3. Then do we seriously mind the praise of God, when according to our place we labour to make others also know God, as we know him: I will praise thee among the People.   

Ver. 10. For thy mercy is great unto the Heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.  
11. Be thou exalted, O God, above the Heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.  
From the last part of his thanksgiving, wherein he confesseth that the excellency of the glory of God doth transcend his reach and capacity, and that he can follow it no further then by wishing the Lord to glorify himself; Learn, 1. The matter of the joy of the Saints, and of their sweettst Songs, is the goodness of God, which appointed and promised such and such mercies unto them: and the faithfulness of God, which doth bring to pass his gracious purpose and promises made unto them; For thy mercy is great, and thy truth, saith he. 2. There is no possibility of taking up the greatness of God's mercy and truth, they reach so far as our sight cannot overtake them; Thy mercy is great unto the Heavens, where mortal eyes cannot come to see what is there: And thy truth unto the clouds, through which man's eye cannot pierce. 3. Seeing the Lord's glory is greater than heaven or earth can contain, and God himself only can manifest his own glory; it is our part when we have said all we can, for glorifying of God, to pray him to glorify himself, and to make it appear to all that his glory is greater than heaven or earth can comprehend; Be thou exalted above the Heavens, and let thy glory be above all the earth.    

PSAL. LVIII. To the chief Musician Al-●…, Michtam of David.  
TH●… Psalmist being opp essed by the calumnies of the Courtiers ●…t King Saul, and by the Sen●…tors of the Courts of Justice, who should have provided against the oppression of the subjects, chargeth them in the first part of this Psalm, as must guilty of injustice done to him, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. In the second part, he prayeth against them, that God would execute judgement upon them, ver. 6, 7, 8. And in the third part, he pronounceth the sentence of their deserved destruction, ver. 9, 10, 11. From this experience of the Prophet, we may see what strong Parties, and hard opposition the godly may meet with in the defence of a good cause, and how necessary it is in such trials to exercise our faith, and to exalt God above all opposite powers, that we may be borne out, and get consolation and victory in the Lord.  

Ver. 1. DO ye indeed speak righteousness, O Congregation? do ye judge uprightly, Oye sons of men.  
2. Yes, in heart you work wickedness: you weigh the violence of your hands in the earth.  
3. The wicked are estranged from the womb, they go astray assoon as they be borne, speaking lies.  
4. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent, they are like the deaf Adder, that stoppeth her ear.  
5. Which will not hearken to the voice of Charmers, charm never so wisely.  
In the fi●…st part he ch●…rgeth the Council and Senate, or Congregation of the Judges; first, for not giving out righteous decrees or sentences, ver. 1. Secondly, for their resolved, violent, oppressing decrees, ver. 2. Thirdly, for their inveterate wickedness, and falsehood from the womb, ver. 3. Fourthly, for their incorrigible wickedness, which they will not for any admonition or advertisement amend, ver. 4, 5. Whence learn, 1. There is a Congregation of Rulers, whose office it is to administer justice to the people; who presuppose they be the supreme Court in authority and place, above the body of the people; yet are they subject to God's challenge, which he doth send unto them by the hand of his messengers, when they do wrong, as here we see; Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O Congregation? 2. When the just cause of the righteous cometh before the Judge, whosoever be pursuer, were he as great a Party as King Saul pursuing David, the Judge should defend the righteous and absolve him, without fearing man's face: and if he do not, he shall be called to a reckoning for it before God: Do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? 3. The Lord locketh to the affections, purposes and conclusions of a man's he●…tt, and what ill turn a man is resolved to do, for that is a done work before God: and the man is so much the more guilty, as his sin is deliberate: 〈◊〉, in heart you work wickedness. 4. A wicked Judge doth not stand to give out a decree for as much opp●…ession as he is able to put in execution: You weigh the violence of your hands in the earth; and when he is thus oppressing men, he will labour to seem to make his decree no less agreeable to the law, than the equal scales of the Merchant's balance do in a just weight answer one to another; You weigh the violence of your hands. 5. An unrenewed man is a born stranger to God, to good men, and all goodness; The wicked are estranged from the womb. 6. Men●… wicked actions do prove the wickedness of nature, or men's original sin doth augment the ditty and condemnation of unrenewed men for their actual sins: They are estranged from the womb, is made here a part of their challenge. 7. Error, falsehood and lies are kindly sins to men, they break out early, and continue long, and do draw on guiltiness the longer, the more; They go astray assoon as they be borne, speaking lies. 8. There is as great natural enmity in the wicked against the godly, as there is in serpents against mankind, and they are as ready to vent their deadly hatred against them, as serpents are to spew forth their deadly venom: Their poison is like the poison of a serpent. 9 That which filleth up the measure of the sins of the wicked is this, they are obdured in their sins, they are incorrigible, and will not receive instruction, admonition or correction from the Word of God: They are like the deaf Adder that stoppeth her ear. 10. Albeit holy Scripture useth to compare the best things in some points unto the worst things, for clearing the purpose in hand by a similitude, yet doth it not therefore justify the wicked thing, by borrowing a similitude from it, as here the admonition and reproof of sinners is compared to charming of an Adder, and yet for that comparison the damnable sin of charming is not the less damnable; nor is the duty of reproof and admonition of sinners the worse, or less laud●…ble for the comparison, for it is a challenge: They are like the deaf Adder that stoppeth her ear, whi●…h will not hearken unto the charmer, charming never so wis●…ly.   

Ver. 6. Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.  
7. Let them melt away as waters which run continually: When he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.  
8. As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman that they may not see the Sun.  
In the second part of the Psalm he maketh imprecation against them, by special warrant of the Spirit of God, who indicted this Psalm unto him, that judgement might be executed against them unto destruction. Whence learn, 1. The Lord shall in due time disable the wicked from doing the harm they intent to do against God's people; for this prayer is a prophecy and promise to the Church's comfort: Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth. 2. Were the wicked never so potent and resolute to execute their cruelty, God shall break their power in pieces: Break out the great teeth of the young Lions, O Lord. 3. When once God entereth in judgement with the enemies of his people, he shall bring upon them a constant daily consumption and wasting of their power and abilities till they be abolished: Let them melt away like water that runs continn●…lly. 4. The chief plots of the wicked shall miscar●…y in the very point of their putting them in execution: When he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pie●…es. 5. How strong soever the foundation of the enterprises of the wicked against the godly seem to themselves to be, yet the event shall prove them to be weak, seeble and effectless devices: As a snail which melteth let them pass away, at the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the Sun.   

Ver. 9 Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living and in his wrath.  
10. The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.  
11. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: Verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.  
In the last part of the Psalm he pronounceth the sentence of dese●…ved destruction upon the wicked and unrighteous Potentates, oppressors of the godly, as an answer from God to the 〈◊〉 imprecation against them, and that for the consolation of the godly, and clea●…ing of God's justice among men. Whence learn, 1 Howsoever the ungodly do hope to make themselves good cheer by their works of iniquity, and do rejoice a while in their ●…opes, yet before they find any ripe satisfaction by their ill deeds, suddenly are they destroyed, and as it were swallowed up quick, and taken away by the fierce wrath of God against them: Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living and in his wrath. 2. It is lawful for the godly to rejoice in God's justice against the obstinate enemies of his people: provided their joy be indeed in God's justice, not in the destruction of the creature; but in the manifestation of God's just avenging hand: The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance. 3. The punishment of the wicked should reach the Lo●…ds people to be more holy in all their ways, for this is one of the ends of Gods punishing the wicked in their sight; The righteous shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. 4. When the Lord executeth judgement against the wicked, than men who knew not what to think of God's providence, when they saw the godly oppressed, and the wicked high in power shall come to a ●…ight judging of matters: So that a man s●…all say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous. 5. No man serveth God for nought, in following the course of friendship with G●…d, and walking in obedience unto him, fruit certainly will be found. Verily there is a reward for the righteous, 6. Albeit the Lord doth not set down his Court for executing 〈◊〉 ●…o soon as men would, yet he fails not to sh●…w himself Ru●… of the affairs of m●…n; and a right●…ous Judge, as to relieve the opp●…d, so also to take order with oppressors: Verily he is 〈◊〉 God that judgeth in the earth.    

PSAL. LIX. 〈◊〉 the chief Musi●…n All 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 of David: when Saul sent, and 〈◊〉 watched the house to kill him.  
DAvid in present 〈◊〉 of his life by Saul, (who having Da●… inclos●…d within 〈◊〉 City and within his own house, t●…ht surely to have killed him, as we read, 1 Sam. 19 11.) he p●…ayeth to God for deliv●…rance, ver. 1, 2. and for a ●…eason of his praye●…, make●…h a ●…mplaint against his enemies, ver. 3, 4. In the next place, ●…e prayeth the second time for delivery to himself, and judgement against his enemies, ver. 5. and complaineth of them the second time, ver. 6, 7. In the third place, he decl●…eth his confidence to be delivered, ver. 8, 9, 10. In the fourth place, he maketh imprecation ag●…inst his enemies for thei●… wickedness, ver. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. And in the last place, he promi●…eth thanks to God for his delivery, whereof he was assu●…ed before it came, ver. 16, 17.  
From the Inscription, Learn, 1. No common bands of nature or civil relations can secure the godly from the pe●…secution of the wicked; for Saul, David's father in law sendeth to kill David. 2. God's children cannot be in so great straits, nor the diligence of the wicked be so great to overtake the godly in a straight, but God can deliver a supplicant; They watched the house to kill him, yet he escaped and did write this Psalm: by what means he escaped he doth not tell here, for he att●…ibuteth the delivery to God, from whom he did seek it by prayer.  

Ver. 1. DEliver me from mine enemies, O my God: defend me from them that rise up against. me.  
2. Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.  
From his prayer; Learn, 1. Whatsoever means God shall offer for escaping out of a trouble, Prayer is our best weapon against our enemies, and the best of all means, and ●…st of all to be used for a delivery; Deliver me from mine enemies. 2. Time of trouble and difficulty doth put believers to make use of the Covenant of grace, and of God's friendship and power for their deliverance; O my God, defend me from them that rise up against me. 3. When wicked, and powerful, and bloodthirsty men do turn Persecutors of the godly, no power but divine can be looked unto for a relief; Deliver me from the workers of iniquity, and save me from bloody men.   

Ver. 3. For ●…o, they lie in wait for my soul: the mighty are gathered against me, not for my transgression, nor for my sin, O Lord.  
4. They run and prepare themselves without my fault: awake to help me, and behold.  
From his complaint against his enemies, and reason of his prayer; Learn, 1. Desperate-like dangers arising from the power and craftiness of enemies, must not discourage the godly, but sharpen their prayer to God, with whom is power and wisdom to deliver them: For ●…o, they lie in wait for my soul. 2. It is no new thing, to see them who are in greatest power, to be the chief in the persecution of God's children; The mighty are gathered together against me. 3. A good conscience, especially in the particular for which a man is pursued, giveth greatest comfort in the time of trouble; Not for my transgression, nor my sin, O Lord. 4. Albeit the Persecutors of the godly cannot find a fault in them, for which they may pursue them. yet will they devise some challenge, and make a great business to accomplish their design; They run and prepare themselves, not for my fault. 5. The Lord will let the plot go on, and the danger of the godly grow, as if he minded not to take notice of it, that he may first put his children to prayer, and then appear in the fit time: Awake to help me, and behold.   

Ver. 5. Thou therefore, O LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake to visit all the heathen: be not merciful to any wicked transgressors. Selah.  
6. They return at evening, they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the City.  
7. Behold, they belch out with their mouth, swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?  
From his repeated prayer and complaint presented the second time; Learn, 1. In time of straits we should set our eyes most upon those styles of God, which most serve to strengthen our faith, especially such as hold forth his power and good will to employ his power for us; Thou therefore, O Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel, awake. 2. Counterfeit Professors, and professed Pagans are all one before God in effect, and the counterfeit Professor will be as ready an instrument to persecute the godly as a professed enemy; for so is Saul and his followers named here; Awake to visit all the Heathen. 3 Although the Lord bear with the wicked a while, he will at last take order with hypocrites, and obstinately malicious transgressors; Awake to visit all the Heathen, be not merciful to any wicked transgressor. 4. From the time that Persecutors have once resolved cruelty, they cease not to pursue their purpose, but like bloody dogs they run to and fro till they catch their prey; they are busy all the day, and set watches in the night to hurt the man they would have; They return at evening, they make a noise like a dog, and go round about the City. 5. Resolved obstinacy in sin taketh away all remorse of conscience, all fear of God, and shame before men, and maketh men openly avow their wickedness; yea and their cruel hearts will vent their bloody purpose, when they think they are sure to accomplish their design; Behold, they bel●…h out with their mouth, swords are in their lips; for who (say they) doth hear?   

Ver. 8. But thou, O LORD, shalt laugh at them: thou shalt have all the heathen in derision.  
9 Because of his strength will I wait upon thee: for God is my defence.  
10. The God of my mercy shall prevent me: God shall let me see my desire upon mine enemies.  
In the third place, he declare●…h his confidence to be delivered, and doth make sweet use of his saith for keeping up his heart under his trouble. Whence learn, 1. The first f●…it of an humble Prayer, is a spiritual delivery of a man's oppressed spirit, granted to him by faith and ass●…ance of an outgate, as here, and many times elsewhere appeareth. 2. When faith seeth God to be a friend, it scorneth all opposition of whatsoever enemies, few or many, all is one to the clearsighted believer; But thou, O Lord, shalt laugh at them, thou shalt have all the heathen in derision. 3. How weak soever the believer find himself, and how powerful soever he perceive his enemy to be, it is all one to him he hath no more to do, but to put faith on work, and to wait till God work; because of his (that is, the enemies) strength, I will wait upon thee, saith he to the Lord, for God is my defence 4 When faith gets up the head, it seeth its own deliverance, and the overthrow of the enemy, both at once in the proper cause there 〈◊〉, to wit, the fountain of overrunning mercy, engaged unto it by Covenant; The God of my mercy. There is the 〈◊〉 of ●…rlasting mercy, whereof God is called God, because he is the believers God for ever, and therefore the God of all mercy, consolation and salvation to the believer; He (saith he) shall prevent me; that is, he shall give manifest deliverance before I succumb: it sh●…ll come soon●… than I could set it a time. Then, for his enemies, he saith, God shall let me see upon mine enemies; to wit, what I could lawfully desire, or what should satisfy me.   

Ver. 11. Slay them not, lest my people forget: Scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield.  
12. For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride: and for cursing and lying which they speak.  
13. Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be: and let them know that God ruleth in jacob unto the ends of the earth. Selah.  
14. And at evening let them return, and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the City.  
15. Let them wander up and down for meat: and grudge if they be not satisfied.  
In the fourth place, he prayeth to God to glorify himself in the manner and measure of his just judgement on his obstinate enemies; which in effect is a Prophecy of the punishment of Persecutors of the righteous, and of the wrath to come upon the enemies of Christ, of whom David in his trouble and unjust sufferings was a type. Whence learn, 1. Sometime the Lord will delay the cutting off of wicked enemies of his people, for a curse to them, and a benefit to his people: Slay them not, left my people forget. 2. The Lord's people are subject to forget the Lords doing for them, and punishing of their enemies, except the Lord did renew the evidence of his care he hath of them, by often renewed, or long continued judgement on their enemies, whose misery is made more to them, by lingering judgements in the sight of men, then if they were cut off more suddenly; Slay them not, left my people forget; 3. In praying against our wicked enemies that persecute us, we must take heed that we be found pleading, not our own particular revenge, but the common cause of the Church, and the Lords quarrel; Slay them not, left my people forget; scatter and bring them down, O Lord, our shield. It is the good of the Lords people, and the glorifying of God which is in his eyes. 4. Albeit the Lord do not at first cut off the troublers of his Church, but do suffer them to live for the exercise of his people; yet it is mercy worthy to be prayed for, if God disable them, and break their power, that they prevail not over the righteous; Scatter them by thy power, and bring them down, O Lord, our shield. 5. Albeit the Persecutors do not accomplish their purpose against the righteous; yet their pride, their brags, their lies, their slanders, their curses against the godly, are a sufficient ditty for damnation, and wrath to come upon them; For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them even be taken in their pride, and for cursing and lying which they speak. 6. After the keeping alive of the wicked for a time, to the increasing of their misery, at length utter destruction cometh upon them; Consume them in wrath, consume them, that they may not be. 7. By the judgements of God upon the adversaries of his people, the knowledge of his sovereignty over, and Kingly care for his Church is made more known to the world, the increase of which glory of the Lord should be the scope of the prayers of the Saints against their foes; And let them know that God ruleth in jacob unto the ends of the earth. 8. It is suitable to God's justice, and no strange thing to see such as have been messengers, servants, officers of persecuting powers, or searchers out of the godly, as beagles or blood hounds, to be made beggars, vagabonds, and miserable spectacles of God's wrath before they die, roving to and fro●… like hungry and masterless dogs; At evening let them return, and let them make a noise like a dog, and go round about the City; let them wander up and down for meat, and grudge if they be not satisfied.   

Ver. 16. But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning; for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.  
17. Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing; for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.  
In the last place, he promiseth thanksgiving for the mercy which he felt in the day of his trouble, and fixeth his faith on God, as his merciful Protector, and only strength, whereon he was to lean in every condition where in he could fall. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever mischief fall upon the wicked, the Lords children whom they malign, shall have reason to rejoice and to praise God for supporting them in their trials, and delivering of them out of toubles: But I will sing of thy power. 2. When the godly do compare the Lords putting difference between them and the rest of the wicked world, pitying them and pardoning their sins, when he justly pursueth the sins of others, they cannot but rejoice and proclaim God's mercy with earnest affection; Yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning. 3. The shining light of one late experience of God's care of a man, serveth to bring to remembrance, and to illuminate the whole course of Gods by past care, and kindness to him, and to raise a song of joy and praise to God for altogether; For thou hist been my refuge and defence in the day of trouble. 4. What God hath been unto us (being looked on rightly) may serve to certify us, what God is unto us, and what he shall be to us, and what we may expect of him: For from, thou hast been my defence and my refuge, he inferreth hope of joyful experience of the same mercy for time to come; Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing. 5 When a man is sure of God engaged to him by good will and Covenant, and proof given for letting out to him protection and mercy, as his soul needeth, he cannot choose but have a heart full of joy, and a mouth full of joyful praises unto God: Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing, for God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.    

PSAL. LX. To the chief Musician upon Shushan-Eduth Michtam of David, to teach. When he strove with Aram Naharaim, and with Aram Zobah, when joab returned, and smote of Edom in the valley of salt, twelve thousand  
THis Psalm is a prayer for the victory of Israel over their enemies indicted unto the Prophet when Israel was fight with the Syrians and Edomites. It may be divided into three parts; in the first whereof the Psalmist prayeth for help more largely, v. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 In the second part David is made confident of the victory, ver. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. In the third part he repeateth his prayer more briefly, and his confidence of having the victory, ver. 11, 12.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. The children of God must not think it strange, to be put to wrestling, striving and fight for a promised Kingdom, before they be settled in possession, as David was; yea, the Church of Christ must resolve for such like exercises; for this Psalm is given to the public Ministers of the Church for use in all ages. 2. The Church must make use of her prayers, as well when she is furnished with a regular army, as when she wanteth bodily arms, as David teacheth the Church here. 3. There is hope of victory, when God by prayer is more relied upon, than the army in the fields; for with the Psalm the mention of the victory of the Lords host is set down, and the slaughter of the enemy recorded; That joab smote of Edom twelve thousand.  

Ver. 1. O God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased, O turn thyself to us again.  
Of the larger prayer there are three branches; the first is for reconciliation with God, ver. 1. The second for reparation of the decayed state of the Kingdom, ver. 2, 3. The third for delivery and victory in the conflict with the enemy, ver. 4, 5.  
In the first branch of his prayer he acknowledgeth bygone judgements, as the fruit of God's displeasure, and of the people's provocation of God to wrath, and so he prayeth that God would turn again and be reconciled to his people. Whence learn, 1. Terrible evils may befall the Lords people, or the visible Church, when they by their sin do provoke him to wrath, as was seen in the time of the Judges, and in Saul's time; O God thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us. 2. When God doth plague a whole Kingdom, or the body of the visible Church, it is not a matter of simple exercise or trial (as when he bringeth trouble on some of his dear servants, in the time of their upright carriage,) but it is for their sins, and provocation of the eyes of his glory; Thou hast been displeased. 3. Such as would have plagues removed, must acknowledge their sin, and seek to be reconciled with God, and in this way may they expect to find favour; O turn thyself to us again. 4. Whatsoever sins the vi●…ble Church and incorporation of Professors have done against God, or whatsoever injuries they have done against the godly, in assisting of persecuting powers against them; yet the godly must not only not separate from them, but also be ready to receive them into favour, be reconciled with them, forgive their former injuries, join in Church and Camp-fellowship with them being reconciled, share with them by compassion in calamities, intercede with God for them, as for themselves, as being all of one incorporation, as David, the type of Christ's moderate and merciful governing, and a pattern to all the godly, did forgive those that persecuted him, fought against him under King Saul, and stood longest out against him, when Saul was dead, for David here doth say with, and for the people; O God, thou hast scattered us: O turn thyself again to us.   

Ver. 2. Thou hast made the earth to tremble, thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh.  
3. Thou hast showed thy people hard things: thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.  
When Saul did reign, all things went wrong, the wicked abounded, and vile men were exalted, and God plagued the land; therefore in the second branch of his prayer, he praye●…h for restauration of the dejected state of the Kingdom: the calamities whereof he layeth forth, both before and after the petition. Whence learn, 1. When people will not stand in awe of God, and fear him, he will strike them with the fear of his wrath, and sense of sore judgements; Thou hast made the earth to tremble. 2. War, and in special civil and intestine war, is most able to ruin a Kingdom, and like an earthquake to make ruptures and breaches in it, to the renting of it in pieces: Thou hast made the earth to tremble, thou hast broken it. 3. It is a Christian and royal virtue, to seek the union of the subjects among themselves, and to remove divisions of the Kingdom, without the removing whereof the State can never be settled: But it is a divine power to work this union effectually: therefore doth he pray to God for it: Heal the breaches thereof, for it shaketh. 4. When people will not see nor take knowledge of their sins against God, and their obliged duties to him, he will let them see sad spectacles of bloody wars, foreign and intestine: Thou hast shew●…d thy people hard things. 5. When people have besotted themselves in their sin, and have not believed what God hath threatened against them, no wonder they know not what hand to turn them unto, and be stricken with astonishment in the execution of his judgements, which when they fall upon a people, either suddenly or more heavily than they could have expected, they put men's minds in a confusion, as if they were drunk; for sudden, sore and lasting judgements confound the thoughts of secure sinners, so as they can make little use of the Word of God, or of their wit, or any other means of relief, more than a drunken man overcharged with wine; Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment.   

Ver. 4. Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee: that it may be displayed, because of the truth. Selah.  
5. That thy beloved may be delivered, save with thy right hand, and hear me.  
In the third branch of his prayer, he seeketh delivery and victory over the enemy, and that because God had begun to give some hope of changing the face of affairs, by raising a banner in David's hand for the Lords cause and people; Whence learn, 1. When the godly are oppressed, the truth of Religion, and of God's promises do lie at under, like a fallen Standard; and when God raiseth up instruments of their protection and comfort, as here he did in bringing David to the Kingdom, it is like the lifting up of an Ensign in the hand of a valiant standard bearer; Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee. 2. It is for the godlies cause that mercy is shown to a whole land, Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee. 3. When the godly get up their head, all their endeavour, according to the utmost of their power, should be to advance true Religion and the practice of it: Thou hast given a banner, that it may be displayed, because of the truth. 4. As nothing is respected by God in a land so much as his Elect that fear him: so nothing can encourage us to seek and hope for me●…cy to a land, so much as the Lords love to them that fear him in it: that thy beloved may be delivered, save. 5. When God hath begun to appear for his Church, then in special should we follow a begun blessing with prayer, that God would work out the benefit; Thou hast given a banner to them that fear thee, that thy beloved may be delivered, save. 6. Whatsoever difficulties appear in the way of the Church's delivery, we must oppose the omnipotency of God to them all, and sustain our faith in prayer by looking to his love toward his Church, and power to do for her; That thy beloved may be delivered, save with thy right hand, and hear me.   

Ver. 6. God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice: I will divide Shechem, and meet out the valley of Succoth.  
7. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine: Ephraim also is the strength of mine head; judah is my Law— giver.  
In the second part of the Psalm is set down David's confidence to have the victory over his enemies, and to have his Kingdom both settled at home, ver. 6, 7. and enlarged abroad, ver. 8, 9, 10.  
By David's prayer, the word of promise that he should be established King, is made lively unto him, whereupon he is comforted, and made confident of the accomplishment thereof in all points; Whence learn, 1. As faith helpeth up prayer, so by prayer faith is settled and strengthened, as here is evidenced. 2. The word of promise is a more sure evidence then begun possession, for David was not so sure of the Kingdom now, because he had begun to reign, as because God had spoken. 3. Then is the Word of God rested on, and rejoiced in, when it is received 〈◊〉 his Word, when his holiness is taken as a pawn for perform●…nce; God hath spoken in his holiness, I will rejoice. 4. Whatsoever resteth unperfected, of what is promised to us by God, shall be fully put in our possession, as David here assureth himself, to exercise the supreme government in those parts of his Kingdom, on the one, or other side of jordan, which yet were not brought unto subjection, or settled under him; I will divide Sh●…hem, and meet out the valley of Succoth, etc. 5. Whatsoever strength or increase of number the Kingdom of Israel was to have from the plurality of Tribes, and their strength, yet the union of the sons of Abraham, and stability of the Kingdom of Israel, consisted in their joint subjection to the Lawgiver, and government of judah, out of which Tribe Christ came, who is the true Lawgiver and King of Israel, towards whom the Church of old was to direct their eye, through their typical governor's, judah is my Law giver.   

Ver. 8. Moab is my Washpot, over Edom will I cast out my shoe: Philistia triumph thou because of me.  
9 Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom?  
10. Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?  
Here he is assured by the Lord's word, not only of the establishment of his Kingdom at home, but also of the enlarging of it abroad, by the subduing of such as had been enemies to Israel before. Whence learn, 1. When the Lord doth unite his people under the government of judah, and giveth them grace to take the true Ruler of the Tribe of judah for their Lawgiver, then shall the enemies of Israel be brought low, and either used contemptibly, as they did sometimes use the Lords people, or else sh●…ll profess themselves happy in their subjection to the King of Israel; for after that David, as the type of Christ, had indicted a Song to the Church, wherein they should acknowledge judah their Lawgiver, than he as the type of Christ, doth give them to sing this also; Moab is my washpot, that is, Moab shall serve me in the basest service I shall put them unto; Over Edom will I cast out my shoe, that is, I shall subdue them, and trample them under my feet as I pass through them; Philistia triumpb thou, because of me; that is, instead of thy triumphing over my people; thou shalt be made to profess thy joy, to be under my government. 2. The believer when he promiseth to himself great things, must neither be senseless of the difficulties of opposition which he is to meet with, nor of his own inability to overcome difficulties, but being sensible of both must look to God for assistance, and furniture to overcome; for when David considered the strength of the senced royal Cities of the enemy, he saith, Who will bring me into the strong city? Who will lead me in●…o Edom? Wilt not thou O God? 3. It is God's absence from, or gracious presence with a people, which maketh the success of the wars of his people against their enemies worse or better, and their bad success in former time, or bypast judgements on them; for sin must be so far from marring the confidence of a people turning home to God, and seeking to find help from him, that on the contrary, the judgements inflicted upon them in their impenitency, serving for confirmation of the threatenings of God's Word, and evidence of his justice, must be made arguments of confirmation of faith in God's promises, of merciful assistance, when they are turned towards God; for so reasoneth David, Who will bring me into Edom? Wilt not thou, O God, which hadst cast us off, and thou, O God, which didst not go out with our armies?   

Ver. 11. Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.  
12. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall pull down our enemies.  
In the last part he briefly resumeth his prayer, and confidence to be heard; Whence learn, 1. The certainty of hope should not make us the more slack, but rather the more earnest and servant in prayer, for after this professed assurance, David insisteth in prayer; Give us help from trouble. 2. Seeing God only is the strength and furniture of his people, and he cannot endure that they should rely upon any means, which they may and must use, but upon himself only; Therefore the less confidence we put in the creature, the more may we be confident of help from God; Give us help from trouble, for vain is the help of man. 3. A selfdenying and humbled believer may go with courage and hope of success to the use of the means, and may encounter with whatsoever opposition of enemies; Through God we shall do valiantly. 4. The praise of valour and gallant●…y of victorious soldiers must not be parted betwixt God and the victor: but whatsoever God doth in us, or by us, must be no less wholly ascribed unto God, then if he had done all the work without us; for both the valour of the instrument, and the victory are the works of the Lord, the motions of body and soul of the victor are the work and upstirring of God within him, and the operation and effects wrought by the instrument, are the works of God, without the victor; for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.    

PSAL. LXI. To the chief Musician upon Neginah, A Psalm of Devid.  
DAvid now in his exile maketh his address to God in 〈◊〉 sad condition, ver. 1, 2, 3. And is comforted in the Lord, and persuaded of his present and future happiness, ver. 4, 5. And of the perpetuity of the Kingdom of Christ, represented by him, to the comfort of all Christ's subjects in all ages, ver. 6, 7, 8.  

Ver. 1. HEar my cry, O God: attend unto my prayer.  
2. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.  
3. For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy.  
〈◊〉 In his sad supplicication he prayeth for a comfortable receiving of his request, and for a comfortable rest of his soul on God himself through Christ, hoping to be heard, because he was resolved to look toward God, and to continue praying, whatsoever condition of spirit he should be in, and in whatsoever part he should be; and also because he had experience of God's help in his straits in former times; Whence learn, 1. The best expedient for a sad soul, is to run to God by prayer for comfort, and to insist earnestly, albeit God should seem not to attend; Hear my cry, O God, attend unto my prayer. 3 When the godly are driven from their country, and fellowship with the Saints, and from exercise of the public ordinances, no wonder they fall in perplexity of spirit, for David forced to flee to the ends of the land, finds his heart overwhelmed within him. 4. It is exile indeed to be secluded from the liberty of public ordinances, and it is our home, to be where God is publicly worshipped, for David counteth himself cast out unto the ends of the earth; when he is debarred from the Temple of the Lord. 5. Albeit a man were never so far banished from the free society of the Church, and communion with God's people in ordinances, yet he is still within cry unto God: from the ends of the earth will I cry unto thee. 6. There is a rock of refuge for safety and comfort to the exiled and perplexed Saint, which is able to supply all wants, and to sweeten all sorrows, and this is the Rock of Gods felt friendship in Christ from heaven, represented by the visible rock of Zion, where the Tabernacle and mercy-seat was situate, the appointed trusting place, where God did receive the prayers of his people, and did answer them from heaven; when David could not come to the typical mount o●… rock, he prayeth to have access to the thing signified: lead me to the Rock that is higher than I 7. Sensible and comfortable communion with ●…od, is a mystery spiritual, which man's wisdom o●… power cannot discover, nor bring unto him: but God himself must reveal, and must renew the revealing of himself to a soul in trouble, and must make a man's soul to apply it self to him powerfully, else a man cannot feel this comfortable fellowship with God, more than a blind man can finde out what is removed from him or a weak child can go not being led, or a man can reach up to a steep high place, not being lifted up unto it; Therefore must the Lord himself draw us near to himself, and lift us up to himself: lead me to the rock that is higher than I 8. This spiritual felt communion with God is able to put a man far from the reach of any enemy, 〈◊〉 doth make a soul quietly to rest itself from fear of trouble, how great soever the external danger can be, ●…s David many times felt by experience: for thou hast been a shelter unto me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 9 A believers resolution for depending on God, and praying to him in hardest conditions, and his present use making of former experiences, as they do serve much for strengthening of his faith in prayer: so they are the nearest means that can be for coming by a renewed sensible comfort, as he●… we see: for David resolveth, from the end, of the earth I will cry and prayeth, lead me to the rock, and saith, Thou hast been a strong tower to me, and so comfort doth follow quickly after this preparation, as the next verse doth show.   

Ver. 4. I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.  
5. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy Name.  
Here he is comforted in his exile, and made to be at home in his spirit, by reason of the present sense of God's favour to him, and of his confirmed hope of the performances of the promises made unto him; Whence learn, 1. The Lord can give such satisfaction to a sad heart in the time of its trouble, that the trouble may turn to be no trouble, even while it lieth on still, as here is to be seen in David's comfort, who speaketh as if he were restored, while he is yet in exile. 2. Spiritual consolations in temporal troubles, do both give satisfaction to a soul for the present, and for time to come, for everlasting happiness; I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever: his hope is, that not only he shall be restored to the fellowship of the Saints, at the Tabernacle in jerusalem, but also that he shall be in God's company, in heaven, represeted by the Tabernacle, and that for ever 3. True consolation standeth not in earthly things, but in things heavenly, and things having nearest relation thereto for David's comfort was no●… so much that he should be brought to the Kingdom, as that he should be brought to the Tabernacle, and to heaven by that means; I will abide in thy Tabernacle. 4. Sincerity setteth no term-day to God's service, or to the seeking of communion with him: I will abide in thy Tabernacle for ever. 5. The ground of all spiritual consolations is in the mercy and grace of God offered to us in Christ, represented by the wings of the Cherubims stretched out over the mercy-seat; There f●…ith findeth a rest and solid ground, able to furnish comfort abundantly; I will trust in the covert of thy wings. 6 Access to God in prayer, and approbation of the conscience and the sincere pouring forth of the heart, mel●…ing with present felt sense o●… God's love, do strengthening early the assurance of everlasting communion with God; for thou, O God, hast heard my vow. 7. As spiritual comfort in time of trouble granted to a believe, is indeed the earnest of everlasting life, so should they to whom soever the earnest is given, make reckoning that by this earnest the inheritance is confirmed unto them by way of possession begun; thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy Name. 8. The inheritance of the chief of God's servants, and of the meane●… and weakest of them, is one; the right of every believer is alik●… good, albeit the hold laid upon the right by all, is not ali●… strong, and what the strongest of the godly do believe for their own consolation and salvation, the weakest may believe the same to belong to every believer that feareth God, as David doth here; Thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy Name.   

Ver. 6. Thou wilt prolong the Kingslife: and his ●…ares as many generations.  
7. He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him.  
8. So will I sing praise unto thy Name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.  
In the third place, he prophesieth not simply of the stability of the Kingdom in his own person and posterity, bu●… under the type namely he speaketh of the perpetuity of the Kingdom of Christ, the true King of Israel, for which end he prayeth that mercy and truth may be forthcoming to the subjects 〈◊〉 Christ, that his Kingdom may be prolonged, and so David in his ●…e, and all the Saints in their time, may joyfully praise God continually. Whence, learn 1. It is not unusual with 〈◊〉, together with present consolation, and the light of 〈◊〉 ●…tion In Christ, to reveal also and give assurance of great things concerning Christ's Kingdom, as here and elsewhere in 〈◊〉 Scripture is to be seen: Thou wilt prolong the King's life, and his years, as many generations. 2. The glory o●… Christ, and perpetuity of his Kingdom is every subject, good and comfort for this is comfort to David, that Christ shall live for eve●…, that he shalt abide before God for ever. 3. The Kingdom of Christ and government of his subjects; in his Church shall be allowed of God, and be protected ●…f God, 〈◊〉 blessed of God for ever however it be opposed by men in the world: he shall abide before God for ever. 4. The perpetuity of Christ's Kingdom, and preservation of the subjects in this life, till they be possessed of heaven, is by the merciful remedying the misery, and removing of the sin which they are subject unto, and by performing of what he hath promised and prepared through Christ to bestow upon them; O prepare mercy and truth, which 〈◊〉 preserve him. 5. The best retreat that can be made after wrestling and victory over troubles, is prayer and praises as here David after his exercise prayeth, O prepare mercy and truth; and then saith unto thee will I sing. 6 As the main matter of our vows is the moral duty of rejoicing in God, and hearty praising of him: so ●…wed experience of God's mercy and truth towards has people in Christ, is the main matter of our joy in him and praise unto him; O prepare mercy and truth, etc. so will I sing praise unto thy Name, that I may daily perform my vows.    

PSAL. LXII. To the chief Musician, to jeduthun. A Psalm of David.  
THis Psalm is the issue of a sore conflict, and inward combat, which David felt from the strong opposition of his irreconcilable adversaries, and from the lasting troubles which he sustain by their persecution and by his friends forsaking of him, whereby he was put hard to it what to think or what to do: at length faith in God giveth him victory, and maketh him first to break forth in avowing of his faith, and hope in God, ver. 1. 2. Next, to insult over his enemies as dead men, because of their sinful course, ver. 3, 4. Thirdly, to strengthen himself in his faith and hope, ver. 5, 6, 7. Fourthly, to exhort all men to trust in God, and to depend on him, for reasons set down, ver. 8, 9 And not to trust in oppression and robbery, for reasons set down. ver. 10, 11, 12.  

Ver. 1. TRuly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation.  
2. He on'y is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence, I shall not be greatly moved.  
From this abrupt beginning of the Psalm, declaring that he hath had a sore disputation and wrestling with tentations within him, and out of which this is the first coming forth; Learn, 1. Albeit strong faith be put to a conflict, when trouble and tentations do set on, yet when it looketh on God and his promises, it gets the victory, and putteth the soul to a submissive attendance on God, and a quiet hope of complete deliverance: Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him cometh my salvation. 2. Then is faith well tried, and approved, when being stripped of all supporters except God, it doth content itself with him alone, as all-sufficient, he only is my rock and my salvation. 3. Faith findeth as many answers in God's sufficiency, as temptations can make objections against it: he is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence. 4. As a man resolveth to believe and follow the course of sound faith, so he may assure himself of establishment and victory over all temptations, notwithstanding his own weakness: I shall not greatly be moved, doth David conclude from his resolution to rest on God.   

Ver. 3. How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall shall ye be, and as a tottering fence.  
4. They only consult to cast him down from his excellency, they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.  
In the second place, he insulteth over his enemies, and layeth before them the danger of their wicked ways. W●…ence learn, 1. So soon as a man hath fastened himself on God, he may reckon with all adversary powers, and insult over them; for the seeing of God's help discovers to the Believer the vanity of all opposition; how long will ye imagine mischief against a man? 2. As the godly when they fall under persecution, may lie long under it, and must resolve patience all the while on the one hand; so on the other hand, persecutors are unreasonably carried on in the course of persecution, like madmen, who cannot give over the pursuit, albeit they see God against themselves, and with the godly whom they pursue; how long will ye imagine mischief against a man? 3. Persecutors shall not have their will against the godly, but by their persecution shall draw upon themselves complete sudden and irrecoverable destruction: ye shall be slain all of you, as a bowing wall, and a tottering fence; that is, you shall perish suddenly, as when a bowing wall and tottering fence rusheth to the ground in a moment. 4. As the standing fast in the faith and service of God in a good cause, is the excellency of the Believer; so is it the eyesore of his adversaries, which they of all things can least endure in the godly, and therefore do bend all their wit and forces most unto, to break them off their holy carriage and course; They only consult to cast him down from his excellency. 5. Not truth and light, but darkness, error, falsehood and deceit, is the pleasure of the wicked; They delight in lies. 6. When the wicked do mind their worst against the godly, then will they speak fairest words unto them, to see whether by falsehood or force they can prevail most, to draw them off their good course: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly.   

Ver. 5. My soul, wait thou only upon God: for my expectation is from him  
6. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence, I shall not be moved.  
7. In God is m●… salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge is in God.  
In the third place, he strengtheneth his faith and his hope, that he may be able to endure trouble till the sin of the wicked be ripe, and their judgement be executed; Whence learn, 1. Our resolution patiently to keep silence, in waiting on God, and our putting o●… resolution to practice, do differ: our practising is so short of our resolution, that we had need to be stirred up, and to sti●…re u●… ourselves to our duty. And as Satan is still moving new pertu●…bations; so have we need of, and must study to have new confirmations; My soul, wait thou only upon God 2. They that do expect their help from ●…od, must not expect help from any other art, no not when th●…y shall use all means lawful for th●…it delivery, but the success must be without haste making, patiently waited for from God alone; Wait thou only on God, for my ●…xpectation is from him. 3 The grounds of confidence are able to abide new as●…aults, and must be brought forth and averred, so o●…t as they a●…e opposed: for he eunto the new stir of the same tentations, he opposeth this over gain: He only it my rock: he is my defence and my salvation. And wh●…eas he ●…aid before I shall not greatly be moved; n●…w he saith more confidently: I shall not be moved: an●… yet more, he riumphs in the Lord: he is my salvation and glory; whic●… he speaketh in regard of hope to have all good which he ne●…ed. And lastly in regard or supply in whatsoever wants, and delive●…y from all evil: he saith, He is the rock of my strength and my refuge is in God: and so his fai●…h doth set●…e it 〈◊〉 and tentations are overcome.   

Ver. 8. Trust in him at all times, ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.  
9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they ar●… altogether lighter than vanity.  
In the fourth place, he exhorteth all men to place confidence upon God, partly because God is able to give deliverance, as a place of refuge; and partly because men whether great or small, few or many, cannot but deceive, and disappoint the man that trusteth in them. Whence learn, 1. The duty of the comforted and victorious believers, is to communi are the fruit of their experience, for st●…gthening their b●…ethren, and edification of others, as their calling permitteth them, as David doth here: Trust in him at all times, ye people. 2. Whatsoever condition, how hard soever, we fall into, the g●…ace of God, and grounds of confidence in God must not be lost, but always made use of; Trust in him at all times. 3. As a guil●…y conscience, h●…avy trouble, misbelief and suspicion of God's good will, do lock up the heart in sorrow: so any measure of faith in God, going to him by prayer, doth ease the heart and layeth the burden of grief down before the Lord; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge to us. 5. The way to place our confidence in God, is to lift our confidence off all creatures, and in special off men of superior or inferior ranks: and the way to lift our confidence off the creature, is to con●…der the inability of men to help us, except God make them do it; and that without God they are nothing worth to us: men of low degree are vanity. 6. Whosoever do trust on men higher or lower, are su●…e to be deceived of their expectation, and of whatsoever man's help can promise: and if we will not be deceived, the voice of God, and experience of his Saints may give us certainty of the truth of the doct●…ine; for out of experience David saith, Surely r●…en of low degree are vanity, etc. 7. Carnal confidence is not only unable to help a man, when he hath most need, but also bringeth damage unto him, and makes him to find God in his jealousie●… an adversary and just Judge to plague and to curse him; and so if the matter be well weighed, creature-help, and creature-comfort, when it is relied upon, is worse than no help; Being laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.   

Ver. 10. Trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart upon them.  
11. God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this, that power belongeth unto God.  
12 Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.  
The other part of the exhortation doth forbid to trust in oppression▪ or riches, or power, or greatness of place, because God disposeth of all things is he pleaseth, showing mercy to such as do trust in him, and rendering to every man according to his work, Whence learn. 1. There a●…e many more idols than one to draw away a man's heart from God so▪ when trusting in men of high degree and low degree is cast down, than oppression, robbery, riches stand up, and take God's room in the hea●…t, as here we see. 2. It is more hard to divert a man from confidence in himself, and what is in his own power, then to draw him from confidence in men of bighe●… or lower degree. Therefore after c●…sting down of carnal co●…fidence in men, high or low; he 〈◊〉 confidence in whatsoever a man is able to do by himself, as might, and riches, ●…nd 〈◊〉 of high plac●…: Trust not in oppression; if riches increase etc. 3. Wh●…soever is confiden●…, by his own strength and might to 〈◊〉 his business against any man, and to do his adversa●…y two wrongs for one, shall find●… himself to have disobeyed G●…d, and to ●…ve been pron●… i●… a matter of no●…hing: Trust not in oppression, become not vain in robbery. 4. It may stand with godliness and trusting in God, to be rich; but not to h●…ve our heart set upon riches, ei●…her to gather or keep them, either to rejoice in them, or to be proud bec●…use of them; If riches increase, set not thy heart thereon. 5. N●…hing is able to settle man's confidence in God, and to keep his h●…art from id●…ls, or carnal confidence in creatures, or to bear in upon others this two fold duty, save the powerful imp●…ession of the 〈◊〉 Word of God; therefore sai●…h he, God hath spoken once. 6. Albeit one testimony of Scripture for a ground o●… faith, or ●…ule of life, rightly considered be abundantly sufficient, to settle our faith in that point, and to warrant our obedience; yet God will inculc●… that truth oftener, and have us to receive it oftener, and more firmly; and as it is the Lords kindness to us, and care of us to cau●…e his once ●…poken Word, to be oftne repeated unto us, oftener cleared, and confirmed unto us by repeated experimental evidence of the certainty thereof: so it is our duty, to receive it more and more heartily, so oft as it is repeated and inculcated, and to meditate and consider o●… it▪ and to take a deeper and a deeper impression of it: God hath spoken once, twice have I heard it. 7. The proprity of authority and power to do all and everything, is the Lords only: and as 〈◊〉 the power of the creature, it is but lent, and derived to it, at God's pleasure. The creature can neither hurt us, nor help itself or us, but as God is pleased to use it as an instrument; Twice have I heard this, that power belongeth to God. 8. To induce a soul to trust in God only, it is necessary, that ●…t so look to his power. as it also look to his mercy, and lay hold on both; faith ●…ath nee●… of b●…th, as of two wings, to carry it up to God above all vain enticements, and terrors, and tentations, and as props whereon to settle and fix itself jointly; Also unto thee O ●…ord, belongeth mercy. 10. As the man that puts his trust in God, and studieth to obey his Word, shall find God's mercy to pardon his transgression, and God's power to sustain him in all his difficulties, and to pe●…orm all the promises made to his servants: so the man that trusts not in God, but in himself, or in some creature without him el●… thinking to work his own happiness by his own ways, sh●…ll find the fruit of his wicked course, according as God hath forewarned: For thou renderest to every man according to his works.    

PSAL. LXIII. A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of judah.  
WE have in this Psalm David's exercise in his banishment, when he was hiding himself from Saul in the wilderness of judah; wherein is set down his lingering and prayer, after the benefit of the public ordinances, ver. 1, 2. And the fruits of a gracious and comfortable answer given to his prayer, in number four. The first, is a resolution to follow spiritual duties, and in special to praise God, ver. 3. and to be a constant supplicant depending on God, ver. 4. and to take his contentment in God, and in his praises, ver. 5, 6. and joyfully to trust in God's mercy, ver. 7. The second fruit is the acknowledgement of God's power, sustaining him in his adherence unto God, practised by him for time past, and pu●…posed for time to come, ver. 8. The third fruit, is confidence of the destruction of his enemies, ver. 9, 10. The fourth, is assurance that he shall receive the Kingdom promised unto him, to the confusion of all such as did slander him as a traitor.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. Su●…h of God's children as dwell most st●…tely and commodiously among their neighbours, may be driven sometimes to hide themselves in a wilderness, as David was. 2. Banishment from among friends cannot banish a man from God, but may serve rather to drive him toward God. 3. Troubles are grievous when they are present, but may prove a matter of a joyful song, when called to remembrance: A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.  

Ver. 1. O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is.  
2. To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary.  
From his prayer; Learn, 1. The Lord is the only ease of a distressed mind, and there is no speedier relief then to go to God in prayer, as the Psalmist did, saying, O God. 2. When we would speak unto God to purpose, we should fasten our hold on the Covenant; O God, thou art my God. 3. Troubles will sharpen a man in the use of the means, and rouse him out of nasty security; Early will I seek thee. 4. It is good to fasten duties on ourselves by resolution, and to strengthen our resolution by showing it to the Lord; Early will I seek thee. 5. A lively soul will be no less de●…rous of spiritual comfort from God, than the b●…dy for natural food after long fasting; My soul thirsteth fo●… thee. 6 Spiritual affections, when they are strong, will 〈◊〉 ●…e b●…dy with impressions answerable thereto; My flesh longeth ●…fter thee. 7. It is a barren place to a godly soul, where t●…e publik●… exercises of Religion cannot be h●…: for this cause mainly did God c●…ll the wilderness, A dry and ●…hirsty land, where no water is. 8. 〈◊〉 the power and glo●…y of God is no wh●…e so clearly seen▪ as in public ordinances, therefore should t●… ordinances be loved, sought after, and haunted, that we may find communion with God in them; My soul thirsteth to see thy power and thy glory. 9 The more good a man hath found in the public exerci●…s of Religion, the more will he esteem of them, and in ●…cial when he is deprived of them; My soul thirsts to see thy power and glory: so as I have seen thee in thy sanctuary.   

Ver. 3. Because thy loving kindness is better the●… life: my li●…s shall ●…raise thee.  
4. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up ●…ine hands in thy Name.  
5. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and 〈◊〉: and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.  
6. When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches.  
7. Because thou hast been my help; therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.  
Here the Lord giveth to his servant a gracious answer, and 〈◊〉 is condition in the wilderness, m●…king him no less glad than eve●… he was in the public exerci●…e of Religion, by granting him the comfort of his holy Spirit, ●…s the fruits of the answer of his prayer do make manifest. The first wh●…eof is shown in sundry holy resolutions, to prais●… the kindness of God, to bless God, and to call on his Name in all conditions, to take contentment in God, and to trust in him. Whence learn, 1. When a man, who loveth the public ordinances is debarrrd from them, and maketh use of private exercises of Religion, God can and will supply unto him what he wanteth, and be a little sanctuary unto him, as here appeareth. 2. The felt kindness of God, and shedding abroad of his love in the heart of a believer, is joy unspeakable and glorious, able to supply all wants unto him, and to sweeten all troubles unto him, and to give him more com●…ort, than what is most comfortable in this world, yea, to make life itself without the feeling, or hope of feeling ●…his love to be little w●…th to h●…m; Thy lo●…g kindness is better than life. 3. Rich experiences of the felt love of God in the use of the means, deserve to be brought forth to the praise of God, when it may glorify him; Because thy loving kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4. One proof of God's loving kindness towards us, is reason abundant for us to bless God for ever thereafter, and to acknowledge him the fountain of blessings, even to ourselves, whatseever change of dispensations we shall meet with; Thus will I bless thee while I live 5. As our assurance of God's love unto us, and of hi●… purp●…e to bless us, doth serve to prepare us for straits and difficulties hereafter: so also for praying to God with confidence to be helped, in whatsoever change of condition we may fall into afterwards; Thus will I bless thee while I live, I will lift up my hands in thy Name; to wit, as a man engaged to depend upon thee, to call upon thee as my need requireth, and a man particularly encouraged by thee, and confirmed by experience from thy former helping of me, that I shall have a good answer from thee, who hast manifested thyself unto me by Word and works. 6. The spiritual life of the soul hath its own food, as well as the bodily life of nature: and the life of the godly is not so barren, so sad and uncomfortable as the world doth believe: They have their hid Manna, and the water of life, solid and satisfactory consolations, and joy in the holy Spirit, wherewith strangers do not intermeddle, of which joys the sweetest morsels of delicate banquets are but shadows; My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness. 7. Such as do hunger and thirst after communion with God in Christ, and do resolve to spend their life in God's service, may promise to themselves that they shall feel sweet satisfaction in this course, and with David say, My soul shall be sati●…fied as with marrow. 8. Spiritual joys are not like carnal joys, which end in sadness, but they resolve in glorifying, and do make the very outward man partaker of the benefit; therefore doth the Psalm●…st add: And my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips. 9 The way to find refreshment spiritual, is beside public ordinances, to give ourselves to spiritual exercises in secret, at such times as our necessities civil and natural may best spa●…e, and then and there to recall to mind what we have heard, seen or felt of God's Word or working, and to keep up our thoughts upon this holy subject, by prayer, soliloquy and meditation, as David showeth to us the example: When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night-watches. 10. As one experience should call another to remembrance, so the calling of experiences to our memory should oblige and encourage us in all conditions, joyfully to make use by faith, of Gods standing offer of grace to us in Christ, shadowed forth by the wings of the cherubims stretched out always over the mercy-seat; Because thou hast been my helper, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice; for here, and here only is the remedy of all sin and misery.   

Ver. 8. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.  
From the second fruit of the gracious answer given to David's prayer, that is, from his giving the glory of the acts of grace which he did unto God the furnisher thereof; Learn, 1. The Lord useth to exercise the souls of his own children with sense of desertion, and withdrawing of his presence one way or other. This is presupposed in David's following after the Lord, when he felt him retiring himself, as it were. 2. A believer in God cannot endure a thought of separation from God, nor forbear to seek after God, when he misseth his presence, but will use all means to recover the sense of his presence which he hath felt before; My soul followeth hard after thee. 3. It is our wisdom to reflect upon, and acknowledge the grace of God in us, and upon the acts of our saith and love toward God, for our own strengthening, as David doth here, saying, My soul followeth hard after thee. 4. Although the exercise of gracious habits be our acts, yet the enabling of us to bring these acts forth, is the Lords work, who giveth us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure; and as it is our duty to acknowledge this, so is it the fruit of our feelings of Gods help to profess it; My soul followeth hard after thee, but by what power, strength and furniture doth he this? Thy right hand upholdeth me.   

9 But those that seek my soul to destroy it, shall go into the lower parts of the earth.  
10. They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes.  
The third fruit of the answer of his prayer, is assurance given that his enemies shall be destroyed, for it is revealed to him, that Saul should be slain by the sword; he knew by revelation that his carcase should lie in the fields, a prey for foxes and wild beasts. Whence learn, 1. The deadly and unreconcilable enemies of God's people, hating them for a good cause, do draw destruction on themselves; Those that seek my soul to destroy it, shall go down to the lower parts of the earth. 2. It is agreeable with God's justice, that bloody enemies of God's people be punished by their bloody enemies; God can stir up the wicked against the wicked, to avenge the wrongs done to his children: They shall fall by the sword, they shall be a portion for the foxes. 3. The Lord, to ease the hearts of his oppressed children, doth sometimes before hand make them foresee the destruction of their adversaries, whether by teaching them in an ordinary way to apply the general sentences of the Scripture unto them, or in a more special way revealing his mind, as he seeth fit, as here: They shall fall by the sword, etc.   

11. But the King shall rejoice in God: every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.  
The last fruit of his prayer, is assurance that he shall be King, and that all the godly shall be comforted by this means, and that his righteousness shall be cleared against all the calumnies of the wicked. Whence learn, 1. Howsoever it may go hard with the righteous, and their enemies may prosper for a time, yet their lot shall be changed to the better at length: and when he●… enemies are born down, their head shall be lifted up, and whatsoeve●… is p●…omised unto them, they may be as sure of it as if they had p●…ssion of it, yea they may style themselves by the title whi●…h God's ●…ord hath given unto them, as David doth in his particular, calling him el●… King, now when he was a bani●…ed man in the wilderness of judah. The King shall rejoice, saith he. 2. The t●…ue ground of a believers joy, is not the gift he receiveth from God, how great soever it may be, but the good will of the giver, even God himself The King shall rejoice in God. 3 Every true worshipper of ●…od, (whose property is t●…uly to fear the t●…ue God, and the cogni●…ance of whose sin●…y is his on cienc●… king of an oath shall have matter o●… glo●…iation, after while p●…nt suffering in time of trial: Every one that sweareth ●…y him●… all glory. 4. The born-down righteousness of h●…dly, a●…o their cause, by the lies, slanders and calum●…ies o●… the wicked, shall be brought to light in due time, and the wicked m●…e ash med of their lies; The mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.    

PSAL. LXIV. To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David.  
THis Psalm hath two parts: In the former is David's heavy complaint unto God against his deadly enemies, laid forth before God in sundry particular evidences of their malice, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. And in the latter part is the Lords comfortable answer unto him, by giving him assurance of God's judgement coming on them, to their own and others astonishment, and to the comfort of the godly, ver 7. 8, 9, 10.  

Ver. 1. Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy.  
2. Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked: from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity.  
In his prayer he requesteth first in general, for delivery of his life from the secret plotting and oftenpractising of his enemies against him Whence learn, 1. Present danger is able to force out cries to God, and such earnest prayers poured out in extreme necessity, shall not want an answer; ●…eare my voice, O God, in my prayer. 2. The danger cannot be so great, wherein help may not be had from God; he is so near to a supplicant, so powerful, and so ready to save the man who hath made God ●…is e●…ge; Preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 3 God can so overrule and outwit the devices of our enemies, that they sh●…ll either not light upon the mean whereby they might overtake us, or shall make them miss of their intent in case thei●… device be probable; Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked. 4. What the wicked cannot do against the righteous by craft, they will pursue with open violence, but God, as he is wiser in counsel and able to be fool them, so is he st●…onger in power, and able to break them: Hide me from their insurrection. 5. That we may have the greater confidence to be delivered from our enemies, we had need to be sure we are in a good cause, and that our adversaries have a wrong cause: Hide me from the workers of iniquity.   

Ver. 3. Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:  
4. That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not.  
5. They encourage themselves in an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily, they say, Who shall see them?  
6. They search out iniquities, they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward thought of every one of them, and the heart is deep.  
Here he complaineth of his enemies, and layeth forth several degrees of their desperate wickedness before God, as so many arguments to strengthen his saith, and hope for delivery from them. Whence learn, 1. The benefit of a good cause, and of a good conscience appea●…eth b●…st in a straight, when nothing can help a man against his enemies, save God alone, as here appeareth in David's case. 2. Calumnies and slanders against the godly are very cruel weapons: for not only hurt they the estimation of their good cau●…e, and personal good behaviour, but also do stir up all men to take their lives. They whet their tongue as a sword, and bend bend their bows to shoot their arrows, bitter words. 3. There is no fear against a privy slander, a man is wounded ere he is aware, and no man's innocency or integrity of life can be a guard against the shot of a calumniators tongue, they shoot in secret at the perfect, suddenly do they shoot at him. 4. Because only God can heal the wound of a slander, and sustain the man in the conscience of his good cause and carriage, till he clear him, the righteous must content himself to refer the matter to God, as David doth here. 5. G●…dlesse men are dangerous enemies, for they fear not God, and so have no powerful restraint within them from doing any mischief, and the more they sin, they take the greater boldness to sin more; they encourage themselves in an evil atter 6. The wit and wickedness which is wi●…hin themselves, will not suffice their devilish intention, therefore they seek all help they can find from without; They commune of laying snares privily 7. They seek how they may overtake the man's person, after they have killed his good name and cause with calumnies and bitter aspersions. Yea Satan so blindeth them, that they neither look to God the avenger of such plots and practices, nor do they consider that God seeth them, and they think their pretences before men are so thick 〈◊〉 covering, that no man can see through them; They say, Who shall see them? 8. If there hath been any slander of the upright man's misdemeanour in any former time, which for the falsehood of it is evanished, they make search after it, to waken it up again: and if there be any possibility to devise new inventions, with any probability, they go about it busily, yea they search hell itself▪ to find out how to bring a mischief upon the upright; They search out iniquities, they accomplish a diligent search. 9 Last of all, their wickedness is unsearchable, the uncontrolled bent of their wicked wit and will assisted with what Satan can suggest, furnish and stir up, all is employed, and it is hard to say whether their wit or will be most wicked, and do draw nearest to hell; but it is sure to say of both, Both the thoughts of every one of them, and the heart is deep.   

Ver. 7. But God shall shoot at them: with an arrow suddenly shall they be wounded.  
8. So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them, shall flee away.  
9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing.  
10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.  
In the latter part of the Psalm is set down his prayer and confidence of justice to be executed against his enemies, and mercy to be shown to him, and to all the godly. Whence learn, 1. The godly want not a friend to avenge their quarrel: God will shoot against wicked archers, and not miss the mark, ●…ut God shall shoot at them; with an arrow shall they ●…e wounded. 2. Where desperate malice is seen, there sudden mischief may be foreseen, that it shall light upon the malicious: sudde●…ly shall they be wounded. 3. The wicked adversaries of God's people are destroyers of themselves, by their opposition unto them; for as they thought to do unto God's children, God doth to them; So they shall make their own tongue fall upon themselves. 4. Sometimes God will make the wicked spectacles of his judgement to the affrightment of all that knew them, and do see their plague; All that see them shall flee away. 5. The judgement of the wicked should be all men's lesson, and all sorts of people shall learn by their plagues to know God's justice and terror; And all men shal●… fear and declare the works of God. 6. Not every spectator of God's work giveth glory to God, but they only, who compare his Word with his works, and through the veil of means and instruments do look to God the righteous Judge of the world; They shall declare the work of God, for they shall consider wisely of his doing. 7. When woe and wrack doth come upon the wicked, then doth joy and comfort come to the godly, not so much for the damage of the wicked, as for the manifestation of the glory of God: The righteous shall be glad in the Lord. 8 As the Lords mercies do confirm the faith of the righteous, so also do the works of his justice; They shall be glad in the Lord, and shall trust i●… him. 9 The delivery of one of the godly, is a pledge of the like delivery to ●…ll in the like case: and as one so all and every one of the righteous and upright in heart shall triumph at length over all enemies, and make their boast of God: All the upright in heart shall glory.    

PSAL. LXV. To the chief Musician. A Psalm and Song of David.  
THis Psalm is all of God's praises. The Proposition, that he is to be praised, is set down, ver. 1. The reasons of his praise unto the end, are nine. The first whereof is, because he heareth prayer, ver. 2. The second, because he mercifully pardoneth sins, ver. 3. The third, because of his gracious purpose, and powerful prosecution of the decree of election of his own redeemed on●…s, ver 4. The fourth, because of his defending of his Ch●…rch in all places, ver. 5. The fifth, is from his strength manifested in the framing and settling of the mountains, ver. 6. The sixth, from his wise and powerful overruling of all unruly and raging creatures, ver. 7. The seventh, is from his preventing of troubles, which are coming to his Church, by terrifying all Nations at the beholding of the tokens of his displeasure against the enemies of his people, ver. 8. The eighth argument is taken from the joyful peace, granted sometime to his people, ver. 8. The ninth Argument of God's praise, is from the rich plenty of all necessary food from year to year, which God provideth for maintenance of man and beast, and specially of his people Israel in their land, ver. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.  

Ver. 1. PRaise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.  
From the Proposition, concerning his purpose to spend this Psalm only in praising of God; Learn, 1. Although prayer and praises do always agree well, yet some time may call for praises, and for the work of praise only, and may take up the whole man for a time, as here. 2. How mournful a condition soever the Lords people may be in, yet God is preparing thereby matter for his own glory; Praise waiteth for thee. And whatsoever matter of praise be seen, or whatsoever measure of praise be given unto God by his people, more is due to him, and more is making ready for him; Praise waiteth for thee. 3. Although the rest of the world be senseless of God's benefits, yet his Church must set about the work of his praises, and shall be enabled to give him praise; Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Zion. 4. As it is the duty of every man, who doth seek deliverance from trouble, or any other benefit from God, to oblige himself, to praise God for it: so it is the Lords manner to gain to himself praise by granting prayers, and to purchase the performance of praises promised unto him; Unto thee shall the vow be performed.   

Ver. 2. O thou that hearest prayer! unto thee shall all flesh come.  
From the first reason of the Lords praise; Learn, 1. The hearing and granting of prayer is the Lords property, and his usual practice, and his pleasure, and his nature, and his glory; O thou that hearest prayer! 2. The readiness of the Lord to hear prayer, doth open the door of access to all sorts of people, who are sensible of their own frailty and necessities, and do know his readiness to relieve them, Gentiles as well as Jews shall come unto him; O thou that hearest prayer! all flesh shall come unto thee.   

Ver. 3. Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.  
From the second reason of the Lords praise; Learn, 1. Sin is a sore adversary, and many times prevails over us, and draws on troubles on us, which makes us know the ill of it better, than we knew before the committing of it; Iniquities prevail against me. 2. Whatsoever be the sins of the people we live amongst, let us make special account of our own guiltiness in the point of confession, as David doth here, when he saith, Iniquities prevail against me. 3. Our sins should be looked upon, not to chase us from God, but to humble us, and drive us to seek pardon and purgation from the Lord, whose free grace only can take sins away; Iniquity prevails over me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away. 4. The holy Prophets and Pen men of Scripture have no grounds of hope for pardon of sin, save those which are common to the meanest of God's people; for David in his confession cometh in by himself alone aggravating his own sins most; Iniquities prevail against me, saith he. But in the hope of pardon, he joineth with the rest of God's people, saying, As for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.   

Ver. 4. Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy Courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of▪ thy house, even of thy holy Temple.  
From the third reason of the Lords praise; Learn, 1. God hath made election of some out of the rest of mankind, on whom he doth effectually bestow blessedness; Blessed is the man whom thou choosest. 2. All those whom God doth effectually call, and reconcile to himself, and draweth into communion and society with himself, are elected and blessed persons; Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee. 3. It is the free good will of God, which putteth the difference among men, and maketh some to be partakers of blessedness, and not other some; Blessed is the man whom thou choosest. 4. The power and glory of the work of conversion, reconciliation, and drawing near to God, for communion with him, of so many as are converted, is the Lords power and glory, no less than election is his free choice and glory; Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and whom, thou causest to approach unto thee. 5. The man elected, effectually called, reconciled and drawn in society with God, is a true member of his Church, a constant member thereof in this life, and one who shall be a member of the Church triumphant▪ in the life to come, and so effectually blessed; He shall dwell in thy Courts, saith the text in the original. 6. Whatsoever is sufficient for begetting and entertaining the life of grace, and of true blessedness in Gods elect, is to be found by the means of public ordinances in the Church of God; We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple. 7. Whosoever do find in themselves the proper effects or consequents of election, in special, a powerful drawing of them to the Covenant with God, and unto a nearer and nearer approaching unto God, in the way of obedience unto the public ordinances of his house, may be assured of their election, of their effectual calling, of the blessedness, and of their interest in all the goodness of God's house to their full contentment, for after the general doctrine, he applieth, We shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy Temple.   

Ver. 5. By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation, who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea.  
The fourth reason of the Lords praise is taken from the defending of his Church in all ages and places: and saving of his people by giving terrible answers to their prayers against their enemies, for the performance of his own word, and confirmation of the faith of his own people, in whatsoever part of the earth, unto the end of the world. Whence learn, 1. As the love of God to his people doth not exempt them from the molestation of enemies, because the Lord will have the faith of his people by this means exercised, and them put to pray unto him, and complain of the injuries done unto them; so his love to them will not suffer their prayers to want an answer in their troubles, to the amozement of their adversaries; By terrible things wilt thou answer us. 2. In the Lords relieving of his people, and destroying their enemies, he will have the work looked upon as the performance of his Word, wherein he hath promised to be a friend to the friends of his people, and a foe to their foes; By terrible things in righteousness, wilt thou answer us. 3. The reason of particular deliveries of God's people from their enemies, is, because these deliveries are appendices of the Covenant of grace, established for giving to them everlasting life; Thou wilt answer us O God of our salvation. 4. What the Lord hath promised and done to his Church of old, is a sufficient ground of confidence to the people of God, in all times and places, to expect and find the like mercy, unto that which they of old did expect and find; O God of our salvation, the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off, upon the sea: that is, thy people, whether dwelling in the Continent, or in Isles; or sailing on the sea.   

Ver. 6. Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains, being girded with power.  
The fifth reason of the Lords praise is, from his strong power, whereby he is able to do all things, as appeareth by his framing and settling the mountains; Whence learn, 1. The power of God manifested in the work of Creation, is a prop to the saith of his people to believe the promises, and a pledge of the performance thereof unto them; By his strength he setteth fast the mountains. 2. Whatsoever great work the Lord hath done, he is able and ready to do a greater work, if need, be for his people; He is girded with power.   

Ver. 8. Which stillest the noise of the seas: the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.  
From the sixth reason taken from his wise and powerful overruling all commotions of unruly creatures of whatsoever sort; Learn, 1. There is nothing so turbulent and raging, and reasonless in the whole world, which God doth not rule and bridle, and make quiet as he pleaseth: He stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waters. 2. As the commotions of people, their seditions, their insurrections and conspiracies against God's people, within and without the visible Church, are no l●…sse raging and reasonless then are the commotions of the sea: so God hath the ruling of them, as well as of the seas, and by his stilling the noise of the seas, the noise of the waters thereof, he giveth an evidence of his power and purpose to bridle the fury and rage of reasonless men, who threaten trouble and destruction to his people; He stilleth their waves, and the tumult of the people.   

Ver. 8. They also that dwell in the uttermost parts, are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.  
From the seventh reason of God's praise, taken from the affrighting of all the world by his judgements against the enemies of his people, lest they should attempt the like; Learn, 1. As the Lord can still the tumults of the people, when they rage most; so he can by his terror prevent their commotions against his Church, by showing them his terrible judgements executed on others, which are the tokens of the power of his displeasure against all who shall dare to be adversaries to his people; They also that dwell in the uttermost parts, are afraid at thy tokens.  
The eight reason of God's praise is, from the joyful tranquillity and peace, which he when he pleaseth, giveth to his people, after he hath settled their enemy's rage and power against them▪ Whence learn, As the Lord doth sometime exercise his people, with trouble and persecution from their enemies; so also he can, and doth give them some breathing times, some comfortable seasons, as it were fair days from morning to evening; yea sundry ●…ull fair days, one after another, so that his people are made to rejoice before him from day to day; Thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.   

Ver. 9 Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.  
10. Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers, thou blessest the springing thereof.  
11. Thou crownest the year with thy goodness, and thy paths drop fatness.  
12. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.  
13. The pastures are clothed with ●…ocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also ring.  
The ninth reason of the Lords praise is, from his plentiful furnishing of food yearly for man and beast, but in special for his making the promised land fruitful unto his people Israel, when he shall give them rest from their enemies, and peace therein, after their being exercised with troubles. What may be prophetical, in this whole Psalm, as touching the Israelites, we will not here inquire; nor how far the Prophet did look beyond his own and Solomon's time, when he said, Praise waiteth for thee in Zion, etc. Only, Hence learn general doctrines, 1. The Lord's blessing of the ground, and making it fruitful, is his coming as it were to visit it; Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it▪ 2. God's providence is then best seen▪ when particular parts are looked upon one after another; Thou waterest it, thou enrichest it, tho●…●…parest them corn, etc. 3. The sending of timely rain, and plent●… of it, and after that abundance of victual, should not be slightly passed over, but well and carefully marked; for the husbandry is all the Lords: Thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. 4. Second causes, and the natural course of conveying benefits unto us, are not rightly seen, except when God, the first and prime cause, is seen to be nearest unto the actual disposing of them for producing the effect: Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly, etc. Thou ●…ssest the springing thereof. 5. From the one end of the year to the other God hath continual work about the bringing forth of the ●…ruits of the ground, and glo●…iously doth perfect it once a year; Thou crownest the year by thy goodness. 6. Every one of the footsteps of God's providence, for the p●…ovision of his people's food,, hath its own blessing●…, as appeareth in the profitable use of the straw and stubble and chaff, and multiplication of the seed; Thy paths drop fatness. 7. The Lord hath a care to provide food, not only for man, but also 〈◊〉 beasts; and not only for ●…ame beasts, which are most useful for man, but also for wild beasts in the wilderness, making his rain to fall on all parts of the ground: They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness, and the little hills rejoice on every side. 8. Albeit temporal benefits be inferior to spiritual, yet because unto God's children they be appendices of the spiritual, they are worthy to be taken notice of, and that God should be praised for them; as here the Paslmist showeth, praising God for spiritual blessings, in the beginning of the Psalm; and here in the end, for temporal benefits. 9 The plurality of God's creatures, and the comparison of God's benefits set before our eyes, are the scale, music book, and noted lessons of the harmony and melody which we ought to have in our hearts, in praising him: yea these benefits do begin and take up the song in their own kind, that we may follow them in our kind; The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys also are covered over with corn, they shout for joy, they also sing.    

PSAL. LVI. To the chief Musician, A song or Psalm.  
THis Psalm being all of praises, may be divided into three parts In the first, the Psalmist exhorteth all the earth to praise God, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. and that because of the works which God did of old for his people, ver. 5, 6. and because he is able to do the like when he pleaseth, ver. 7. In the second part, he exhorts the Church of Israel living with him in that age, to praise God for the late experience of God's goodness towards them, in the delivery granted to them out of their late trials, troubles, and sore vevations, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. In the third place, the Prophet expresseth his own purpose of thankfulness unto God for the large experience which he had in particular of God's mercies to himself, from ver. 13. to the end.  

Ver. 1. MAke a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands.  
2. Sing forth the honour of his Name: make his praise glorious.  
From this urgent exhortation to praise God; Learn, 1. As the duty of praise is most necessary, and most spiritual: so are we more dull, and indisposed thereto, then to any other exercise spiritual, and had need to be stirred up thereunto; therefore saith he, Make a noise, sing forth, &c 2. The Prophets of old had it revealed unto them, that the Gentiles should be brought to the knowledge of God, and made to worship him; as, Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands, importeth. 3. The praise of the Lord is a task for all the world to be employed about, and a duty whereunto all are bound, seeing they all do see his works, and all do hold what they have of him; but specially those that hear of him by his Word to whom most specially the Word doth speak; Make a joyful noise all ye lands. 4. Men ought to go about the work of praising God so cheerfully so wisely and so avowedly, as they who do hear his praise spoken of, may understand his Majesty, magnificence, goodness, power, and mercy: Make a noise unto God, sing forth the honour of his Name; make his praise glorious.   

Ver. 3. Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works? through the greatness of thy power shall thine enemies submit themselves unto thee.  
4. All the earth shall worship thee; and shall sing unto thee, they shall sing to thy Name. Selab.  
Here the Psalmist, as the Lords penman, doth furnish matter and words of praising God unto the hearers, and prophesieth that the fullness of the Gentiles shall concur in his worship, and take part in the song of his praise; Whence learn, 1. Because we can do nothing of ourselves in this work of the Lords praise, God must furnish to us matter & words; Say unto God, How terrible, etc. 2. As the work of the praise of God should be done in love and confidence, and sincerity, and in his own strength: so may it be directed to him immediately, and that without flattery; (otherways then men are praised) for praise properly is due to God only, and no man can speak of him, except in his own audience; Say unto God, How terrible art thou in thy works? 3. The works of the Lord, every one of them being rightly studied, are able to affright us, by discovering the incomparable, dreadful, and omnipotent Majesty of the worker thereof; How terrible art thou in thy works? 4. When the Lord is pleased to let forth his judgements on his adversaries, and to let them see what he can do, none of them dare stand out against him; but if they be not converted, yet will they be forced to feign submission unto him; Through the greatness of thy power shall thy enemies submit themselves to them? 5. Over and above what is already accomplished of this prophecy concerning the conversion of the Gentiles, a higher measure is yet to be expected in the bringing in of that number of them, which the Scripture calleth the fullness of the Gentiles; and the making all the Kingdoms of the earth to become the Lords, and his Son Christ's; for this word in a greater measure than yet is come to pass, must be fulfilled; All the earth shall worship thee, they shall sing unto thee; they shall sing unto thy Name: Which word doth import the revealing of the glad tidings of Jesus Christ unto them, and their joyful acceptation of the Gospel, and glorifying of God for it. 6. As it is the Lords glory to have many praising him: so should it be the joy of all that love him, now to foresee the success of Christ's Kingdom, as well as it was of old, when it was the Church's song; All the earth shall worship thee.   

Ver. 5. Come let us see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.  
6. He turned the sea into dry land: they went through the flood on foot, there did we rejoice in him.  
7. He ruleth by his power for ever, his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.  
He pointeth out in special the Lords works, already wrought for his people; Whence learn, 1. Albeit the Lord doth work for the delivery of the Church, and his own glory, yet men are so careless, to observe his works, that they can neither make use thereof for their own profit, nor for God's praise; so that there is much need to stir up our dulness, to observe them and make right use thereof; Come and see the works of God. 2. Whosoever do observe the works of God, which he hath wrought for his people, they shall be forced to fear and admire his wonderful Acts for them, and his respect unto them; He is terrible in his doing toward the children of men. 3. The work of redemption of his Church out of Egypt, is a work one for all worthy to be made use of to the end of the world; and sufficient to show, that if need be, God will invert the course of nature for the good of his people, and for their delivery out of difficulties; He turned the sea into dry land. 4. As the Lord will work wonders for the delivery of his people out of misery: so will he work wonders for performing of promises to them, and for bringing them to the possession of what he hath given them right unto; for the drying of the river jordan, that his people might go in to possess the promised land, was a pawn and evidence of this his purpose for all time coming; They went through the flood on foot. 5. As all the people of God are one body, and that which is done in one age to one generation doth concern all and every one to make use of it in their generation: so every one in after-ages should reckon themselves one body with the Lords people in former ages, and make use of Gods dealing with them, as if they had been present then with them, as here the Church in the Psalmists time joineth itself with the Church in joshuahs' time, rejoicing in God with them, at their entering into Canaan; There did we rejoice in him, say they. 6. Whatsoever the Lord hath done for his people in any time bypast, he is able and ready to do the like for his people in any time to come; He ruleth by his pover for ever, and for this cause his former Acts, are perpetual evidences and pledges of like Acts to be done hereafter, as need is. 7. Nothing is done in any place, which the Lord is not witness unto; no plot or motion against his people, which he seeth not: His eyes behold the Nations. 8. Albeit there will be from time to time a generation, who will not submit themselves to this sovereign Ruler, but will stand out against him, and malign his Church, yet shall they not long prosper, nor have cause of gloriation in their rebellion; Let not the rebellious exalt themselves.   

ver. 8. O bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of his praise to be heard.  
9 Which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.  
10. For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried.  
11. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou layedst affliction upon our loins.  
12. Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads, we went through fire, and through water: but thou, broughtest us out into a wealthy place.  
In the second part of the Psalm, the Psalmist exhorts the Church in his time, to praise God for preserving them from extirpation in the time of their fiery trial, and sore affliction under the tyranny and oppression of their enemies. Whence learn, 1. The Lord's people in every age, besides all the reasons they have to praise God for his former works, want not their own particular reasons for his care, providence, and kindness to themselves in their own time to stir up one another to bless his Majesty; O bless our God, ye people. 2. It is the Churches proper privilege, and her glory, above all other incorporations and societies beside, to have special interest in God, as her own; O bless our God. 3. It is not sufficient that the Lords people acknowledge inwardly the mercies of God to themselves; but it is their duty in an orderly way to bring others on to the knowledge of God, and to show to others how praiseworthy he is: make the voice of his praise to be heard. 4. Albeit the Lord takes many things away from his people, when he is pleased to exercise them, yet he keeps life in their soul; some sweet communion of spirit between himself and them: and doth not suffer all his people to be extirpate, and rooted out from the earth; Which holdeth our soul in life. 5. It is great mercy to be kept from desperate courses in the time of sad calamities, and to be supported under burdens, that we sink not; and to be prevented from denying of God, or of his truth in time of persecution: He suffereth not our feet to be moved. 6. One end of the troubles of the Church, among others is, the trial of the graces of his people, and purging them from their corruptions: for which cause the Lord useth to bring on one trouble after another, as metal is put in the fire oftener than once; For thou, O God, hast proved us, thou hast tried 〈◊〉, as silver is tried. 7. When God doth bring his Church into trial, there is no escaping; we must look for affliction, and not dream of declining it by our own wit or skill; Thou broughtest us into the net, thou layedst affliction upon our ●…ines. 8. It is wisdom and justice and goodness in God, to make his people know some time, whether his service or men's service be most easy; Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads. 9 When God's service and men's service are compared, the service of men is a beastly bondage in comparison: for the enemies of the Church will abuse God's people like beasts, when they fall under their power; Thou hast made men ride over our heads. 10. There is no sort of affliction, nor extremity of affliction, from which the godly may secure themselves, after the time of their entering into their trials, till God's time come, wherein their trial is to end; We went through fire, and through waters. 11. After troubles and trials, the Lord giveth ever an event, and a gracious delivery to his own, which bringeth as much comfort with it, as their trial had grief in it; But thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.   

Ver. 13. I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings: I will pay thee my vowe●….  
14. Whichmy lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken, when I was in trouble.  
15. I will offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullocks with goats. Selah.  
In the third and last part of the Psalm, the Psalmist showeth forth his thankfulness for the favours showed to himself in particular: and first, he promiseth to acknowledge his obligation to God in the place of public worship, as the Lord had required in the ceremonial law, ver. 13, 14, 15. Secondly, he declareth his particular experience of God's mercy, testifying his hearing of his prayer by his acceptance of it, ver. 18, 19 And last of all, he blesseth the Lord for the gracious answer of his prayer, ver. 20.  
From the promise, which he maketh of public acknowledgement of the mercy according to the prescript of the Lords appointment; Learn, 1. In common favours and deliveries granted to the visible Church, each true member have their own special mercies bestowed upon them, beside the common: for which in particular, and for the common mercies also, they ought publicly to be thankful, as the Psalmist is here, saying, I will go into thy house with burnt-offerings. 2. As it is a token of lively faith in desperate troubles to trust in God, and to hope for his deliverance, and to promise him praise before the delivery come: so is it a token of an upright heart, to be as willing to perform promises after the benefit received, as it was ready to make promises, before the benefit received; I will pay thee my vows which my lips have uttered, and my mouth hath spoken when I was in trouble. 3. As our persons and best service are polluted, except they be cleansed by the sacrifice of Christ: so in our approaches unto God we should acknowledge the sinfulness of our persons and performances, and the need we stand in of Christ's mediation, and the riches of grace bestowed upon us through him, who perfumeth our persons, and prayers, and praises, as was shadowed forth in the ceremonies of the law; for this was the Prophet's meaning, when he said, I will offer unto thee burnt-sacrifices of fatlings, with the incense of rams: I will offer bullucks with goats, which were appointed in the law to be offered, partly for sin, and partly by way of thanksgiving.   

Ver. 16. Come and hear all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.  
17. I cried unto him with my mouth: and he was extolled with my tongue.  
From his declaration of his lately felt experience of God's mercy to him; Learn, 1. A spiritual man, as he will not neglect outward rites of commanded public worship: so will he not rest on them, but will go about the real glorifying of God before others, as the Psalmist doth here; Come and hear what the Lord hath done for my soul. 2. The true disciples of God's grace, who can best discern of God's works, and of the experience of others, and who will be most ready to praise God with us, are those that fear God; Come and hear, all ye that fear God; I will declare what he hath done for my soul. 3. It is no less needful for the glorifying of God, and edification of others, to make the way of our coming by a benefit manifest to others, that it was by the use of holy ordinances, then to make mention of the benefit itself; I cried ●…nto him, saith he; that is, I was instant in prayer for the benefit. 4. There are cases wherein the uttering of words in prayer, do serve much, not only for our own up-stirring, and fixing of our minds, and for others edification; but also concerneth God's glory, on whom we profess dependence, and in whom we acknowledge power and goodness to dwell; And he was extolled with my tongue.   

Ver. 18. If I regard iniquity in my heart: the Lord will not hear me.  
19 But verily God hath heard me: he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.  
From the clearing of his sincerity in prayer; Learn, 1. Sincerl●…y of heart should be joined with the supplication of the mouth, and with self examination, that we may be sure we pray sincerely: for, If I regard iniquity in my heart, imports so much in the Psalmists practice. 2. He is an upright man in God's account, who doth not entertain affection to any known sin, but doth oppose it sincerely in God's sight; for this the Psalmist bringeth for the proof of his sincerity, that he did not regard sin in his heart. 3. Those only are the s●…nners, whose prayer God will not hear; who live in the love of known sins, and pray for having satisfaction to their corrupt lusts. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. 4. The lawful prayer of the upright heart, shall be granted in substance, and it may be just a●… it was desired; which as it is no small mercy, so should it be well marked, as the return of our prayer; But verily God hath heard me, he hath attended to the voice of my supplication.   

Ver. 20. Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.  
Her closeth with thanksgiving for this particular experience, as an evidence of the running of the fountain of God's mercy toward him. Whence learn, 1. As it is no small mercy, that our prayers are not rejected of God; albeit he should delay to answer us for a long time; so when he delayeth not to answer us, the mercy is the greater, and aught to be acknowledged in both respects Blessed be God, which hath not turned away my prayer. 2. Th●… gracious answer of an upright supplication, evidenceth ready access prepared yet mo●…e for the supplicant, to the fountain o●… God's mercy; and this is yet more mercy: He hath not turned away my prayer, nor his mercy from me.    

PSAL. LXVII. To the chief Mufician on Neginoth. A Ps●…lm or song.  
THis Psalm is a prophetical prayer for a blessing upon the Church of the ewes, for the good of the Gentiles, and enlarging of the Kingdom of Christ among them. The petition is propounded, ver. 1, 2 In the next place, is an acclamation with the Gentiles, glorifying of God at their inbringing, now foreseen that it should come most certainly, ver. 3, 4. In the third place, the Church of the Jews do applaud the second time the conversion of the Gentiles, and their praising of God, promising to themselves that by that means the increase of God's blessing on them shall follow, and the enlarging of the Kingdom of God; through all the world, ver. 5, 6, 7.  

Ver. 1. GOD be merciful unto us, and bless u●… and cause his face to shine upon us. Sela●…  
2. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy s●…ving health among all nations.  
This is the blessing which the Lord commanded the children of Aaron to pronounce upon the people of Israel, Numb. 6. 22, 23. ●…hich here the people do turn into a prayer, for the drawing in ●…f the Gentiles unto God's service. Whence learn, 1. It is safe turning of God's offers, promises, and forms of blessing of his people into prayers; we are sure so to pray according to Gods will, as the Church doth here. 2. It is the duty of every citizen of the Church, as lively members of that body, to pray for the blessing of God upon all his people; God be merciful unto us, and cause his face to shine upon us. 3. Then are the Lords people blessed, when God doth make them instrumental to enlarge his Kingdom, and to propagate the true Religion, that is, the doctrine of man's salvation, and God's service: and this should be the aim we should shoot at▪ in seeking any blessing to his people, That the Lord may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all the nations 4. The world is ignorant of true Religion, till God by his own instruments reveal it; and no way of Religion will please God, nor profit men, save God's way only, wherein he will have men to walk in the course of faith and obedience, and wherein he revealeth how he will deal with us, and how we must behave ourselves toward him; Therefore say they, That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.   

Ver. 3. Let the people praise thee, O God; let all the people praise thee.  
4. O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selab.  
The Psalmist forseeth by the revelation of God's Spirit, that the Gentiles shall be converted, and shall rejoice in God, and praise him, and therefore will have the Church of the Jews to welcome them, and to join in acclamation of praise to God with them, because of Christ's reigning among them, and ruling them by his most holy laws. Whence learn. 1. The manifestation of Gods freely gifted salvation in Christ, and the revealing of his manner of dealing with people, and how he will have people deal with him, and one with another, is a matter of unspeak●…ble praise to God, and joy to men, to whom this grace is revealed, that thy saving health may be known among all nations: let the people praise thee, O God. 2. True converts unto Christ, besides the joy they have of their own salvation, have also daily new accession of joy at the conversion of others, as they come in and aught to bless and praise God heartily with them, when they behold their conversion; Let all the people praise thee: do they say twice, and hereafter also the third time. 3. The conversion of the Gentiles was not a thing only wished for by the Church of the Jews, but also prophesied of unto them clearly: O let the nations be glad, and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge the people righteously, etc. 4. The Spirit which did indite the Psalms, did not degrade the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ from his Godhead, for his future incarnation; but speaketh of him, and to him, as God blessed for ever; that is, the true God, to the Jewish Church before his coming: and true God, to the converted Gentiles after his coming in the flesh, one with the Father and holy Spirit; for six times in this Psalm he is called God, and acknowledged here to be the fountain of mercy, and blessing to men, and of manifested reconciliation with men; and the object of all divine honour and praise, and God the Lord, and Lawgiver of the converted Gentiles; Thou shalt judge the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. 5. The doctrine and discipline of Christ, whereby he judgeth and governeth his Church, is most holy and righteous, and in as far as particular Churches and Christians submit themselves to his Laws, Doctrine, and Government, they are his true subjects, and shall find the fruit of his governing and judging; For these shall he judge righteously, unto these shall he do the part of a Governor, even on earth; He shall govern the nations upon earth.   

Ver. 5. Let the people praise thee, O God, let a●… the people praise thee.  
6. Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God shall bless us.  
7. God shall bless us, and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.  
In the last place, the Jewish Church giveth a second acclamation to the incoming of the Gentiles, and do promise to themselves by that means God's blessing more abundantly upon themselves, as now being one body with the Gentiles, in the same Covenant of grace with them. Whence learn, 1. As the conversion of the Gentiles was esteemed by the Jews, a matter worthy to be oftener presented to God, and prayed for, and earnestly pursued by all that loved God; so was it foreseen to be a matter of growing and lasting joy to men, and growing and lasting praise to God, and to Christ, who is God, the Converter of them, and the Governor and Teacher of them effectually, to know his Name and salvation; Let all the people praise thee, O God, let all the people praise thee. 2. The Spirit of God gave the Church of the Jews to understand, that the conversion of the Gentiles, especially the conversion of the fullness of the Gentiles, (which here is prayed for, when he saith, Let all the people praise thee) was to be a means or a mercy antecedent unto, or nearly joined with the bringing in and blessing of the Jewish Church, and possibly in their own land; Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God even our own God shall bless us: for by the earth he meaneth the promised land of Canaan, which hath been, and is accursed, during the time of their ejection out of it. 3. When God shall be gracious to the Jews, after the conversion and bringing in of the Gentiles, and shall renew the Covenant with them in Christ, it shall far the better with true Religion, and with the Christian Churches among the Gentiles; it shall be to them as a resurrection from the dead, in regard both of the purity of Doctrine and Worship, and of the multiplication of persons converted unto Christ in all places; God shall bless us (saith he then,) and what more? And all the ends of the earth shall fear him.    

PSAL. LXVIII. To the chief Musician. A Psalm or song of David.  
THis Psalm is very suitable to that time, when David having gotten the victory over his enemies round about, did assemble all Israel, and carried the A●…k of God, now returned from the land of the Philistines, triumphantly out of the house of Obed-Edom, into the City of David, as a type of Christ's ascension after the work of Redemption in the world. In which P●…lm after the manner that Moses prayed unto God, or to Christ who was to be incarnate, when the Ark did march; David prayeth here first against the Lords enemies, ver. 1, 2. And then for the Lords people, ver. 3. In the next place, he exhorteth all the Lords people to praise God, ver. 4. and giveth twelve or thirteen reasons for it; First, because of his mercy to the desolate and afflicted, ver. 5, 6. Secondly, because of his wonderfulness and terribleness in delivering of his people out of bondage, as appeared in his bringing of his people out of Egypt, and through the wilderness, ver. 7, 8. Thirdly, because of his fatherly care to entertain his redeemed people; as did appear in his nourishing of his Church in Canaan, ver. 9, 10. Fourthly, because of the victories which he giveth usually to his people, when their enemies do invade them, ver. 11, 12. Fifthly, because of the delivery which he will give to his people out of their most sad calamities, as he hath oftentimes given proof, ver. 13, 14. Sixthly, because his Church is the most glorious Kingdom in the world, being compared therewith, ver. 15, 16. Seventhly, because Christ the King of the Church, hath all the Angels at his command to serve him: and having ended the work of Redemption, was to ascend gloriously, for sending down gifts to his Church, and ruling of it, ver. 17, 18. Eightly, because of God's bounty to his people, in daily renewed mercies, till he perfect the work of their salvation. ver. 19, 20. Ninethly, because of his avenging of himself upon all his enemies, ver. 21. Tenthly, because God hath undertaken to work over again in effect, as need shall require, what he hath done in bringing his people out of Egypt, and in giving them victory over the Canaanites, ver. 22, 23. whereof the experience of his power, already manifested for Israel, was a proof and pledge sufficient, ver. 24, 25, 26, 27. Eleventhly, because it was decreed by God, to establish his Church, and to make her strong, by making Kings to become converts, ver. 28, 29. and that partly by treading down some of her enemies, ver. 30. and partly by making others, even some of her greatest enemies, to seek reconciliation with God, even her God. ver. 31. Twelfthly, he exhorteth to praise God, because of his omnipotent power, in conversion of Kingdoms, ready to be let forth for the defence of his people, ver. 31, 32, 33, 34. and ready to overthrow their enemier, and all for the strengthening of his Church: for all which he exhorteeh all to bless the Lord, ver. 35.  

Ver. 1. LEt God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him, flee before him.  
2. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.  
3. But let the righteous be glad: let them rejoice before God; yea let them exceedingly rejoice.  
In David's prayer against his enemies, and for God's people▪ Learn, 1. Such prayers as the Spirit hath indicted unto the Saints, in Scripture, it is lawful and expedient for strengthening of our faith, to use the same or the like words in the like case; for David prayeth here, as Moses prayed at the marching of the Ark, Numb. 10. 35. Let God arise, etc. 2. As the Ark was amongst the Israelites, so is Christ amongst his people: and what ground of confidence the Church had, because of that pledge of God's presence at t●…e Ark; we have the same, and a more sure ground of confidence in Christ's incarnation, represented thereby; that upon every appearance of his beginning to stir against the enemies of his work, we may say, Let God arise. 3. The enemy; of the Church are the enemies of God, and esteemed haters of him, because they are haters of his people; with whom, albeit the Lord doth be●…r for a while, yet will he take order, when he pleaseth; it will not cost him much labour: on●…y, Let God arise and let his enemy's b●… scattered 4. Although all the enemies of God make head against his people, yet will they not prevail, when God appeareth, they will turn back; Let them also that hate him, flee before him. 5. Whatsoever strength of forces or number the enemies of God's people have in appearance, it is nothing before God, but like smoke before the wind, and wax before the fire; As smoke is driven away ●…s wax melteth before the fire: so let the wicked, perish at the presence of God. 6. Albeit the Lord exercise his people with affliction, and with grief for a while, yet he alloweth unto them comfort and joy, whatsoever become of their enemies: But let the righteou●… be glad. 7. The only true matter of the Saints joy is God himself, and his manifested presence; and he will not be pleased, except his children lift up their hearts, and comfort themselves in him above and against all grief and sense of whatsoever enemies opposition; Let them rejoice before God, yea let them exceedingly rejoice.   

Ver. 4. Sing unto God, sing praises to his Name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens, by his Name JAH, and rejoice before him.  
From his exhortation of the Church to praise God with the joyful voice of singing; Learn. 1. Vocal singing of praises unto God, is a moral duty, and a part of his holy worship, frequently called for in Scripture; Sing unto God, sing praises to his Name. 2. Our thoughts of God should not be base, but high and heavenly, lifting his Name up above the most glorious creatures; all they bei●… but his servants▪ as he pleaseth to make use of them: Extol him that rideth upon the heavens. 3. The Lord is only and properly wo●…thy of praise▪ because he only hath his being of himself, and giveth be●… to all things, which are beside himself; His Name is JAH. 4. The Lords praises are his people's advantage▪ and the true matter of their confidence and joy; Sing praises to him, and rejoice before him.   

Ver. 5. A Father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows is God in his holy habitation.  
6. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those that are bound with chains; but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.  
From the first r●…on of the exhortation to praise God; Learn, 1. The Lord's highness above the heavens doth not hinder him from taking notice of the lowest of his poor people; yea the most helpless and desolate among men, are the first objects of his warmest love; A Father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows is God. 2. Albeit the Lord be infinite and incomprehensible by any place, yet hath he appointed a trusting place where his people shall find him by his own ordinance, to wit, the assembly of his Saints, his holy Temple, shadowing forth Christ to be incarnate, who now is in heaven, now is incarnate, and sitting at the right hand of God, in whom dwells the Godhead, here, here is God to be found: God in his holy habitation. 3. It is the Lords nature, pleasure, and ordinary practice, to make up the wants, and to change to the better the disconsolate condition of his own humbled and emptied children; God setteth the solitary in families. 4. The souls that are most sensible of bonds and bondage, do lie nearest the seeking of the fruit of his redemption; yea, none in bonds have made or shall make use of God the Redeemer, but his bonds and ●…etters hindering him from freedom of God's service, and from attaining of felicity, have been and shall be loosed off him: he bringeth out those which are bound in chains. 5. Such as will not be ruled by his Word, according as they are disloyal rebels to him, so shall they be dealt with as rebels; that is, they shall neither have God's blessing joined with any benefit which they seem to possess, nor any spiritual comfort in their afflictions, when their calamity cometh upon them: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.   

Ver. 7. O God, when thou goest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness. Selah.  
8. The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God, even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.  
From the second reason of praising God, Learn, 1. It is expedient for our up-stirring unto thankfulness, to cast our eye upon some particulars wherein the Lords goodness to us, and our obligation to his love, may appear, as here the P●…almist doth lead us by the hand unto the Lords particular work of redemption of Israel out of Egypt. 2. That one work of the Church's delivery out of Egypt, representing the redemption of his people from the misery of sin, and Satan's bondage, 〈◊〉 a sufficient proof for ever of the Lords love, care power, and faithfulness, to deliver his own out of all their misery; which the Church, and every member thereof should always make use of unto the end of the world, whether we look upon that work in the type singly, or as it is a representation or pawn of the spiritual delivery of his people, this work should we often look upon, and still hold it up unto God; O God, when thou goest forth before thy people, when thou didde●… march through the wilderness. 3. In the wo●…ke of the Lord it is needful not only to look upon that which may foster saith in God, and love toward him, but also to set before us, what may serve to keep our hearts in fear and awe of his dreadful Majesty; The earth shook, the heavens dropped at the presence of God, even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, even the God of Israel.   

Ver. 9 Thou. O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.  
10. Thy Congregation hath dwelled therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.  
From the third reason of God's praise: Learn, 1. The ordinary sustaining of God's people bodily and spiritually in the possession of any benefit temporal or spiritual given unto them, should be observed, as well as the bestowing of any benefit in an extraordinary way, as here the ordinary sustaining of Israel in Canaan, is made a part of the song of praise, no less than their miraculous delivery out of Egypt; Thou, O Lord, didst send a plentiful rain whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was we●…ry. 2. The people who are in Covenant with God externally, are the Lords own peculiar, more nearly and properly then any other society in the world; therefore Israel here is called by the Prophet speaking to God, Thy Congregation. 3. It is for the Church's cause, that the land wherein his people dwelleth, is blessed at any time by God; Thy Congregation hath dwelled in it. 4. The blessing bestowed upon the Church or the place wherein they dwell, is not given for any goodness in his people, but for the goodness, grace and good will of God to them; Thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.   

Ver. 11. Th●… Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.  
12. Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that ●…rried at home divided the spoil.  
From the fourth reason of praise; Learn, 1. The Lord will sometime exercise his Church with wars, afflictions and trials, when he doth not intend to punish them, but to give them the victory over their enemies, and that for his own glory, as in joshuahs' time and david's, whereunto the text doth relate. The matter of joyful news, or the word of the Church's victory over her ●…oes, whensoever it is, proceeds from the Lord, who furnisheth matter for, and words, and utterance of joy to his people, and praise to himself: The Lord gave the word. 2. When God will glorify himself by comforting his Church, he shall not want Heralds of his praise; Great was the company of those that published it. 3. Were the enemies of the Church never so powerful, and God's people never so far●…e inferior unto their enemies in power, yet shall the enemy not be able to stand, when God begins to fight for his people: Kings of armies did flee apacc. 4. It is easy for the Lord to make them a prey to the weakest of his people, who do set themselves to make havoc of the Church, yea and to enrich his people with the spoil of such adversaries: She that tarried at home, divided the spoil.   

Ver. 13. Though ye have lain among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a Dove, covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.  
14. When the Almighty scattered Kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.  
From the fifth reason of praise; Learn, 1. As the Lord sometimes doth beautify his people with victories and wealth: so also at other times for just reasons, he will darken all their outward glory, and make them look as blacked scullions in the kitchen; Though ye have lain among the pots, etc. 2. The Lord after the trial and hard exercises of his people for a time, will give them so glorious an event and delivery, as shall take off all the ignominy of their former affliction, and make up all their losses, yea he will cause their formerly deforming affl●…ions, to serve for washing-balls of soap, to make them so much more beautiful; Though ye have lain among the pots, ye shall be as the wings of a Dove, covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. 3. Experiences of mercies shown to the Lords people, are pawns and evidences of like mercies in time to come, as here, When the Almighty scattered Kings in the land, it was made white, is made a proof of the Promise made, ver. 13. 4. As a dark, dusky mountain, whereupon groweth no green thing, but black h●…th, is made white, when covered with snow: so is a disgraced, shamed, impoverished, enslaved land made glorious again by a merciful manner of delivery manifesting the Lords kind respects unto it; When the Almighty scattered Kings in judea, it was made white as snow in Salmon.   

Ver. 15. The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan, an high hill as the hill of Bashan.  
16. Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in: yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.  
From the sixth reason of praise; Learn, 1. The Kingdoms of this world, especially some of them of more eminent sort, do seem very rich and glorious in comparison of the outward appearance of the Kingdom of Christ in his Church, as the great, high, and fruitful hill of Bashan seemed to be more glorious than the hill of Zion; yet all things being compared, in special the spiritual privileges of the one with the tempor●…l privileges of the other, the Church of God will outreach the most glorious Kingdom on the earth: The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan, an high hill as the hill of Bashan. 2. Although the Kingdoms of the world rejoice in their Prerogatives, and despise the Kingdom of Christ in his Church, yet have they no cause to exalt themselves: Why leap ye, ye high hills? 3. This one privilege of the Church, that it is the place of God's residence, wherein he will manifest himself familiarly and comfortably to his own, may oversway all the excellency of all the Kingdoms of the world; no Kingdom which hath not God's Church in it, can say the like; This is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever.   

Ver. 17. ●…he chariots of God are twenty thousand, even th●…usands of Angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.  
Ver. 18. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for men: yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.  
From the seventh reason of praise, Learn, 1. No Kingdom hath such defence, so potent and so numerous armies to fight their battles as the Church hath; The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of Angels. 2. The defence of Angels is made fast to his Church, and their power made sure to be for her, because God is in his Church, even the Lord whom all Angels do serve and attend upon, is in his Church, as at his giving of the law upon Mount Sinai did appear; The Lord is among them, as in Sinai. 3. The Lord is no less terrible against his foes in Zion, then in Sinai; and whatsoever terror the Lord did show to his Church in Sinai against the violaters of his law, he will manifest it for the comfort and defence of his people, who heartily embrace his Gospel: The Lord is among them, to wit, these chariots and Angels, as in Sinai, so in the holy place. 4. The Ark was not more gloriously conveyed from the house of O●…ed-edom unto the city of David, than God, that is, Christ, who is God, who descended to assume humane nature, that he might therein perfect the work of Redemption, did gloriously ascend into heaven, after the price of Redemption was paid by him; Thou hast ascended on high, Eph. 4. 8, 9, 10. 5. The praises of God, and joy of the Church are perfected in Christ; no satisfaction in the shadows, till Christ the substance be looked unto; therefore here the Lord's Spirit led his people to look through the shadow of the ascending of the Ark toward the city of David, unto the ascending of God incarnate (represented by the Ark) into heaven: Thou hast ascended on high. 6. Christ did not enter into his glory without a battle going before, and that with strong and many enemies: and in his fight he carried the victory, and after his victory he did triumph, first in the Cross, and then in his Ascension, over sin, Satan, the world, hell, grave and all: He led captivity captive. 7. Christ as Mediator and King of his Church, was fully furnished with all things needful, for gathering his Church, for edifying, governing and perfecting of it: Thou hast received gifts for men; even those gifts which the Apostle speaketh of, for the gathering and edifying of the body of the Saints, Eph. 4. 11, 13. 8. The gifts which Christ hath received and given forth, are not for the Jews only, or Gentiles only; for the poor only, or rich only; but for men indefinitely: Thou hast received gifts for men. 9 As he hath received gifts for bringing on to life those that are reconciled: so also to conquer, subdue and bring in rebels, and to reconcile enemies: Thou hast received gifts for men, yea and for the rebellious also. 10. The end of Christ's Ascension, and receiving and sending down gifts among men, is to gather and preserve, and establish unto God a Church in the world, wherein he may make himself manifest, and dwell and rule in the midst of his enemies: Thou hast received gifts for men, that the Lord might dwell among them. 11. Yea what●…oever gifts are bestowed upon unregenerate men within the visible Church or without it, which may any way be serviceable to the Church, they are all bestowed on them in favour of the Church, that God may dwell in his visible Church, which by those gifts is edified; Thou hast received gifts for men, yea for the rebellious also, tha●… the Lord God might dwell among them.   

Ver. 19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.  
20. He that is our God, is the God of salvation: and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.  
From the eighth reason of praise; Learn, 1. Where the Lord will be merciful, he will be merciful, and not weary in doing good to his people in a current course of bounty; the observation whereof should stir up our hearts to thankfulness: Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits. 2. The favours and benefits which God doth bestow upon his people, do come in greater number and measure unto them, than they are able to acknowledge, make use of, or be thankful for, and so in a sort do burden the spirits of the truly godly: Blessed b●… God, who daily loadeth us with benefits. 3. As all benefits do flow unto God's children from the covenanted kindness of God for giving unto them eternal salvation; so should all benefits confirm their faith in the Covenant, and lead them to the hope of receiving after all other benefits, salvation also; Blessed be the lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. 4. Albeit the Covenant of salvation be sure and solid in itself, yet are we slow to believe it, & weak in our laying hold of it; and have need to have the stamp and impression of it set deep upon our hearts, as here the Psalmist teacheth the Church by inculcating this point: He that is our God, is the God of salvation. 5. Temporal things which men do idolise, may serve a man in this life; but at death, in death, and after death he can have no good by them; It is God only who can deliver from death, and give an issue out of it: Unto God the Lord belong the issues of death. 6. Let a man be once settled in the faith of his salvation, than he shall be comforted against all the troubles and dangers wherein he can fall, yea even against death itself; if he can say, He that is our God, is the God of salvation, he may also say with confidence and application to himself, and comfort, Unto God the Lord belong the issues from death.   

Ver. 21. But God will wound the head of his enemies: and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses.  
From the ninth reason of God's praise; Learn, 1. How great soever be the majesty of God, and the riches of bounty and grace offered in Christ, yet will men be found even within the visible Church, who will wickedly refuse his grace, and oppose his Kingdom, but all to their own shame and damage; But God shall wou●…d the head of his enemies. 2. The character of Gods irreconcilable enemies is, that they cease not to follow the course of sin: He goeth on still in his trespasses. 3. Though God spare his enemies long, and suffer them to grow old in the course of enmity against him, yet shall shameful, sudden and irrecoverable judgements overtake them in their old days; But God shall wound the hoary scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses.   

Ver. 22. The Lord said, I will bring again fro●… Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depth●… of the sea.  
23. That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.  
From the tenth reason of praise, wherein the Prophet promiseth in the Lo●…ds Name, that God shall work over again such works of delivery to his people, and such works▪ of victory over their enemies, as he had wrought before; Learn, 1. The Lord's Word is certainly sufficient for performance of his promises, and ground of comfort and confidence, and thanksgiving and praise to God even before the work be wrought; The Lord said, I will bring again, etc. 3. As the Lord will have the memory of former dangers and delive●…ies of his Church kept in remembrance for his own glory: so will he have former dangers for his people's good to be looked upon as advertisements of what straits his Church may be cast into, and his former merciful deliveries looked upon as pledges and pawns of the promises of like mercies in time to come, as need shall require: I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea, doth import thus much. 3. As the Lord will give as great deliverances to his Church, when they are in straits as ever he did before▪ so will he give as terrible blows to his adversaries as ever he did, according as the Churches need or good shall require; I will bring again from Bashan, etc. that thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thy enemies. 4. Albeit neither the Lord nor his people do delight in bloodshed, yet will he let his people and all men see, in the bloodshed of their enemies, how terrible he is in justice, especially against the enemies of his Church, and how dear his people are to him, and that rather than they should be overthrown, he will destroy Nations for their safety; and give unto his people in their own defence against their oppressors, notable victories; So that thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies. 5 When the Lord thinks it fit, not to make his own people instrumental in their own delivery, then can he yoke the enemies among themselves, or raise up pro●…ane dogs like themselves to avenge the quarrel of the Lords people upon their enemies: That the tongue of thy dogs may be dipped in th●…●…ame; that is, in the blood of thine enemies.   

Ver. 24. They have 〈◊〉 thy goings. O God, even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.  
25. The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; amongst them were the damos●…ls playing with timbrels.  
To confirm what is promised, he bringeth forth old experiences acknowledged by the enemies, registered in the Word of the Lord, and read in the Temple. Whence learn, 1. The Lord useth to work so evidently for his people, and against his enemies, that both his people and their enemies are made witnesses, and are forced to acknowledge the Lords work; They have seen thy goings, O God. 2. It is the glory of a people, when God so worketh, as he is seen to be their God, their leader, their defender, and all as in Covenant with them: They have seen thy goings, O God, even the goings of my God, saith he. 3. That God's honour may be seen, man's honour should be laid down at his feet; and put case a man were the greatest King, yet is it greater glory and matter of contentment to have God for his King, then to be a King without God; They have seen thy goings, O my God, my King, (saith David, now settled in the Kingdom.) 4. The most clear, sure and profitable sight of the Lord●… work and ways, is to be had in the use of public ordinances, where his Name, Nature, Covenant and course he keepeth with all men, together with the causes, use and ends of his works are to be seen; They have seen the goings of my God in the sanctuary. 5. Where all the people receive a benefit, it becometh all the people publicly and solemnly, and with their best expression of affection, as God doth appoint, to praise God, and in his worship to see that all things may be done orderly, as Israel did, when they came through the red sea, and at other times as the Lord gave occasion: The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after, amongst them, in the middle-ward, the Damo●… playing with timbrels. 6. All the powers of our soul●… and bodies should concur each of them in their own order with the best harmony of knowledge, affections and expressions, which can be attained unto, for setting forth the Lords praises, and our obligation to him for his goodness of his people, and so should 〈◊〉 ●…rch on all the days of our pilgrimage and warfare, till we come to the promised rest: for this did the external ceremonies used under the pedagogy of the Law, teach. Which ceremonies although they be abolished now, yet the sub●… and intended duties pointed at in them, being moral, do sti●… remain; The fingers went before, players on instruments follwed a●…ter, etc.   

Ver. 26. Bless ye God in the Congregations: even the Lord from the fountain of Israel.  
27. There is little Benjamin with their Ruler, the Princes of judah, and their Council, the Princes of Zebulun, and the Princes of Naphtali.  
As the Psalmist did clear the doctrine of Gods dealing for his Church, and against their enemies by experiences of ol●… so he points here at experience later, as was to be seen by all, at the glorious triumphing of Israel over all their enemies, when they were now assembled in their several tribes, the least as well as the greatest, the most remote tribes, as well as those that were nearest hand; all of them conveying the Ark of God unto the City of David, which was the type of Christ, God incarnate, ascending after his victories into heaven. Whence learn, 1. The mercies of God to his people, in special the great work of Redemption, and victory over all enemies obtained by Christ in favour of his people, are abundant matter and cause to praise God, and to bless him in all the assemblies of the Church; for here it is a commanded duty: Bless ye God in the Congregations. 2. Whatsoever be the part of others in discharging of this duty, it is expected most at the hands of every kindly Israelite, who draw their original from the fountain of Israel, whether they be of the natural stock of jacob, descended of him, as water out of a fountain, or have their descent of the same Spirit of regeneration with him: Bless ye God, even the Lord from the fountain of Israel. 3. Examples and practices of God's children at any time, are the encouragements of his people at all time●… thereafter: There is little Benjamin with their Rulers, etc. set forth here for example. 4. The Piety of Governors, and their precedency before, or joining with others in the Lord's service, is more honourable unto them than their places of dignity, or their gifts of wisdom and power: There were the Princes of Judah. with their Council, the Princes of Zebulun, and the Princes of Naphtali. 5. In the exercise of God's worship, and in privileges spiritual, the Lord doth join the smallest with the greatest, the lowest with the highest, that the lo●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…n their exaltation, and the highest in their hum●… 〈◊〉 ●…s little Benjamin with judah, the people with thei●… 〈◊〉 ●…d Rulers.   

Ver. 28. Thy God hath commanded thy strength: ●…rengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.  
29. Because of thy temple at jerusalem, shall kings. bring presents unto thee.  
From the eleventh reason of God's praise; Learn, 1. Not in Kings, or Rulers, or any thing else, but in the Lord and from the Lord, is the strength of his Church, which she may expect always to be furnished with by virtue of the Covenant; Thy God hath commanded thy strength, saith David to the Church. 2. As the Lord hath dec●…eed to establish his Church: so hath he means and instruments in every age and place prepared for this pu●…pose, and hath given out order by actual providence; which is always going about the work in all ages; Thy God hath com●…anded thy stren●…th. 3. The Lord's decree and the order given forth to accomplish it, consisteth well with the Churches using of all lawful means to further that end, and in spe●…ial should be joined with thankful acknowledging of what ●…he Lord hath begun to do, or done already for it, and with earnest prayer for accomplishing of what is to be further done: so teacheth David's example and prayer here: Strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us. 4. The Lords known presence in his Church, maintaining and blessing of his public Ordinances, shall move kings at last to do homage to God incarnate; that is, to Christ represented by his dwelling in the Temple of jerusalem: Because of thy temple at jerusalem, shalt kings bring presents unto thee.   

Ver. 30. Rebuke the company of spearmen, the ●…ltitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.  
31. Prince's shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall s●…n stretch out her hands unto God.  
How this shall come to pass, he showeth; to wit, partly by breaking the power of some of them, when they make opposition; partly by powerful conversion of other some. Whence learn, 1. It is not against the precept of love, to pray against public enemies of the Church, when private spleen is not the motive, but zeal to the glory of God; Rebuke the company of spearmen. 2. The leaders of armies, parties, and factions against God's Church and cause, and the followers of such leaders, are all of them a company of beasts; Rebuke the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people. 3. God is adversary to all who do oppose his people, and his cause in their hand, and can as easily repulse them really, and overturn them, as reprove them verbally: Rebuko the spearmen, etc. 4. The end of the Church's prayer against her enemies, is, that God m●…y be glorified, and people at least brought to outward obedience unto God, which may be a means to real conversion in God's time; Rebuke them, etc. till every one of them submit themselves, with pieces of silver; that is, till they offer to contribute to God's service 5. The punishing of some of God's enemies, may be a means to move others to offer obedience, and submit to God, when people that delight in war are scattered; For Princes shall come out of Egypt. 6. God will draw into subjection unto himself, some of his most open and inveterate enemies; Princes shall come out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto thee.   

Ver. 32. Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth: O sing praises unto the Lord. Selah.  
33. To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old: lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.  
34. A●…cribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.  
35. O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength anll power unto his people: blessed be God.  
From the l●…st reason of praising of God, taken from his Almighty power, in conversion of Kingdoms of Gentiles, ready to be put forth for the preservation of his Church gathered, and for the overthrow of his enemies. Learn, 1. The ti●… shall come, when the kingdoms of the earth shall turn Christians in profession, in a greater measure than yet hath been seen, for, Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth: is not a simple telling of their duty, but a prophecy of their joyful joining in the worship of God; and that they shall have cause of joy within themselves to praise him; O sing praises to the Lord. 2. True Converts will renounce Idols and false gods, and reverently worship the omnipotent Creato●… and Governor of heaven, the eternal God: Sing praises to God that rideth upon the heaven of heavens, that were of old. 3. As the glorious government of heaven doth show the Lords power; so the thunder also doth show his power and terror, the consideration whereof is needful to dispose our stupid minds to praise him; Lo, he doth send forth his voice, even a mighty voice. 4. The right use of God's great, and sensible, and daily seen works, is to make us to glorify the power of God, who is able to work whatsoever he pleaseth; Ascribe strength unto the Lord. 5. The Lord's glory in his Church is more excellent than all that is to be seen in the works of Creation: His excellency is over Israel. 6. The true worshipper must study the power and all other properties of God, both by what he hears in the society of the Church, and by what he seeth in his visible works; as well daily transient works; such as the clouds are, as constantly enduring works, such as the heavens are: His excel●…ency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds. And surely it is no small power, which doth bear up such weight of mountains of snow, and seas of water, and doth make them sail as it were, and flee with wings in the air, which God doth dissolve by sittle and little, as we daily behold. 7. Wheresoever God showeth his presence, whether in heaven, or in his Church, in any place of the earth, there and from thence doth he show himself a d●…eadful God to such as fear him not; O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places. 8. Albeit there were no man to hear us glorify God, or no man to take his praise of our hand, we should acknowledge his greatness in our heart, and before himself, who will take true worship of our hand; for David here turneth his speech to God in the end of the Psalm, saying to him, O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places. 9 The Lord hath an everlasting interest in the people of ●…srael, and they in him, for the elections cause; and every true Israelite hath an everlasting interest in God, he is the God of Israel. 10. What the Lord hath, is forthcoming to his people's furniture, as they have need: The God of Israel is be that giveth strength and power to his pe●…le. 11. It is reason that at all the several remembrances of God's mercy to us, we should acknowledge his blessedness, and his blessing of us, and this is all we can do, and that also can we not do, except he strengthen and enable us for praise; for, blessed be God, saith the Prophet, for this very reason, after he hath spoken of his giving power to his people.    

PSAL. LXIX To the chief musician upon Shoshannim. A Psalm of David.  
DAvid, as a type of Christ, earnestly dealeth with God for a delivery from his perplexed condition, and from the malice of his adversaries; and doth find a comfortable event. There are three parts of the Psalm. In the first, is his prayer, six times presented, and strengthened with new reasons, to ver. 22. In the second part of the Psalm, is his imprecation of ten plagues against his enemies, with some reasons added for the justice of the inflicting the plagues, mentioned to ver. 29. In the third part, are four evidences of his victory, from ver. 29. to the end. In all which, whatsoever is proper to the type, is to be referred to the type only; and whatsoever is fit also to be applied unto Christ the Antitype, must be referred to him only, in that sense which is suitable to his Majesty.  
His prayer at first, is propounded in few words; Save me: the reasons are four. The first, from the danger he was in, ver. 1, 2. The next from his long and patient waiting for an answer to his prayer, ver 3. The third from the multitude, and malice, and iniquity of his enemies, ver. 4. The fourth is by way of attestation of God, that he was innocent of that whereof he was charged by his enemies, joined in with his humble acknowledging of whatsoever other sins justice could charge upon him in any other respect, ver. 5.  

Ver. 1. SAve me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.  
2. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.  
His first Petition is to be saved, and the first reason of it is, because of the danger he was in; Whence learn, 1. A child of God may in his own sense be very near to perishing, and yet must not in the most desperate condition cease to pray, nor cease to hope for delivery prayed for: Save me, O God. 2. With danger of bodily death, a child of God may have in his spirit a sore conflict with the sense of wrath, like to swallow up his soul, as deep waters do a drowning man; The waters are come in unto my soul. 3, The condition of a soul exercised with the sense of wrath, threateneth no less than perdition, certain, inevitable, without any event, and endless; whereof the bodily danger of a drowning man is but a shadow: I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.   

Ver. 3. I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.  
The second reason of the first Petition is, because he had long and patiently waited on God. Whence learn, 1. Faith in hard exigences doth not give over for appearances of perdition, knowing that what is impossible to man's appearance, is not impossible to God; for David, as a believer, and a type of Christ, prayeth still for all this, although he find no delivery: I am weary of my crying. 2. Prayer put up in faith to God, keepeth in life, and is like a man's drawing breath in the water when the head is lifted up above the floods; for here, although the floods overflowed the Psalmist, yet he is able to show this to God, and to cry till he be weary of crying. 3. For exercising of faith, and making patience to have the perfect work, it is no strange thing for God to delay relief unto an earnest supplicant, till he be like to give over, till his case seem desperate, and his relief hopeless; Mine eyes fail, while I wait for my God. 4. Though the flesh of the regenerate man be weak, yet the spirit is ready, and will never give over calling on God, depending on him, holding fast the Covenant, and the hope of deliverance; for it will make this a new ground of speech unto God, that it is no●… able to speak any thing, and a new ground of laying hold on God, and hoping for help from him, because its hope is failing, as here: I am weary of my crying, my throat is dried; mine eyes fail, while I wait for my God.   

Ver. 4. They that hate me without a cause, are more than the hairs of my head: they that would destroy 〈◊〉, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.  
The third reason of the first Petition is, because his enemies were many, mighty, and malicious. Whence learn, 1. Holiness, and integri●…y cannot ward off the en●… of a wicked world: for the enemies of David, who was a well-deserving man, and Christ (whose type he was) much more beneficial to men, had foes innu●…ble; They that hate me without cause, are more than the haire●… of my head. 1. Albei●… many do aggravate their own grief foolishly, when they suffer hurt of them whom they did not injure or provoke; yet the conscience of harmlessness toward such as wish harm to them, is a great suppo●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confidence, when they 〈◊〉 ●…uriously dealt with; They hate me without a cause. 3. It is no st●…nge m●…tter to see truly godly men to be out of credit and affection with men who a●…e in power and authority in the world; They that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully are mighty. 4. He that is most just, may be troubled and hated without a cause, and may be deal●… with as a thief, being verily an honest man; Then I restored that which I took not away.   

Ver. 5. O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee.  
The fourth reason of the first Petition is, because God was witness to his disposition and carriage. Whence learn, When we are condemned of men unjustly, we have God to appeal unto; and although there may be sins upon us in our private reckoning with God, yet being free of what men do lay to our charge, we may appeal to God in the controversy betwixt our enemies and us, and when we have acknowledged what sins are in reckoning 'twixt God and us, our supplication to God shall not be cast back for our sins; fo●… this is the force of the Psalmists reasoning, for the strengthening of his own faith in prayer, saying, O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins are not hid from thee; that is, whether I be so foolish and injurious to my persecutors, as they say, or not, thou Lord knowest; and whatsoever other sins may be imputed unto me upon any other score, I refuse not to reckon for them, but I am free, thou knowest, of what I am charged with: and this is applicable also in some sort unto Christ, who was most free of what men did lay to his charge, although in another reckoning all the iniquities of the elect were charged upon him by imputation, according to his transaction with the Father about our debt.   

Ver. 6. Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee, be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.  
The second Petition is, that the godly may not be hurt by his manner of exercise, which he strengthens by four reasons; Frst, because his sufferings were for God's cause, ver. 7. Secondly, because he was cast off by his friends, ver. 8. Thirdly, because he did take God's honour deeply to heart, ver. 9 Fourthly, because his holy and religious carriage was mocked: and both by high and low, by honourable and base rascals he was opposed and persecu●…ed, ver. 10, 11, 12.  
From the second Petition learn, 1. The property of the godly is to seek communion with God, and patiently to attend his answer for the time, manner, and measure of it; for they a●…e here described, They that wait on thee, O Lord, those that seek thee. 2. When one of God's children is persecuted for righteousness, all the rest are waiting to see the event, and it c●…nnot choose but be a great dash to them, to see the righteous lie under, or a good cause to lie long oppressed; which inconvenience we should request the Lord to prevent; Let not them that wait on thee, be ashamed; let not those thet seek thee, be ashamed. 3. It is a kindly mark and property of a godly person to be a lover of the good of all God's children, and to be careful that no cause or occasion of stumbling be furnished unto them by him; Let them not be ashamed for my sake; let them not be confounded for my sake. 4. Faith sets its eyes in prayer upon those titles of God, which do serve most for its purpose; as here the Psalmist hath to do with enemies, O Lord God of Hosts, will do his turn against them; he is praying for the good of God's children, and, O God of Israel, speaketh to that point.   

Ver. 7. Because for thy sake I have borne reproach: shame hath covered my face.  
The first reason of the second Petition is, because his sufferings were for God's cause. When●… learn, 1. Though suffering for God's cause in maintenance of his truth, be a glorious sort of suffering, wherein a man may go unto God confidently; yet it may be accompanied with shame from men of this world, and the godly for a time may be so delayed in the point of relief, that they know not what to say to their scorners; but may be forced to hang the head for a while; For thy cause I have borne reproach. 2. He that suffers shame for God's cause, shall neither have cause at length to be ashamed of his suffering, nor shall any other have cause ●…o be ashamed for him; Let them not be confounded for my sake because for thy sake I have borne reproach.   

Ver. 8. I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an al●…n unto my mother's children.  
The second reason of the ●…econd Petition is, because his friends had 〈◊〉 him off; Whence learn, 1. In affliction fo●… God's cause friends will more readily for●…ake a suffere: then in his affliction for a civil cause; I am become a stranger to my brethren▪ 2. The power of R●…ligion in the godly, is stronger than the bonds of blood with their kinsmen, and it will make them cleave to God, when their kindred do cast them off: I am an alien unto my mother's children.   

Ver. 9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up: and the reproaches of them that reproached thee, are fallen upon me.  
The thi●…d reason of the second Petition is, because he was deeply affected with the dishonour done to God. Whence learn, 1. It is not enough to love God, and his ordinces, and kingdom●…●…and his people's good; but it is required also that we be zealous here: The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. 2. Spiritual affections and passions will no less affect and trouble the body, then natural ●…ffections and passion●…; The zeal of thy house hath eaten me up. 3. Inju●…ies done t●… God and Religion, and to the godly, should affect us no less nearly, and be laid to heart, than injuries personally concerning us: The reproaches of them that reproached thee, have fallen upon me.   

Ver. 10. When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.  
11. I made sackcloth also my garment: and I became a proverb to them.  
12. They that sit in the gate, speak against me, and I was a song to the drunkards.  
The fourth reason of the second Petition is, because he was greatly mocked of all sorts for his holy carriage. Whence learn, 1. True zeal is ruled with knowledge, joined with humility in the man's self, and tempered with the love to men, even toward persecutors; such was David's zeal: but Christ's zeal was perfectly such. I wept and chastened my so●…le. 2. Fasting in earnest is not so much the abstinence from meat, as it is the afflicting the soul; When I chastened my soul with fasting. 3. The godly behaviour of the righteous, is subject to horrible misconstruction yet must they not desist from duties for all this, Fasting was to my reproach I made sackcloth also my garment, and I became a proverb to them. 4. I●… is a sore affliction to the godly, to be condemned by Magist●…ates an●… Judges, and yet the truly religious, even Christ ●…nd his followers were, and are subject to this exercise; They that sit in the gate (or in the Courts of Justice, which were erected at the entry of the parts of Cities) do speak against me. 5. Righteousness and truth is not the worse by it●… being condemned by civil Judges; God will not disclaim his own cause for that, but will hear such complaints as this is, in this case: they that sit in the gate, speak against me. 6. When Magistrates do discountenance true Religion, than it becometh a matte●… of derision to rascals, and to every base villain without controlment, and a table talk to every●… tippler; I was a song of th●… drunkards. 7. The shame of the Cross is more grievous than the rest of the trouble of it: This is the fourth time that the shame of the Cross is presented unto God, in these sour last verses; I was a song of the drunkards: after complaining of his being reproached, and being made a proverb.   

Ver. 13. But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.  
This is the third petition for deliverance, or for granting his prayer, or the third time he presen●…eth it; whereunto he addeth reasons taken from the time of presenting of it, and multitude of God's mercy and truth of his promises or Covenant of salvation. Whence learn, 1. The best way to 〈◊〉 out the persecution of the mighty, and the mockage of the b●…se multitude, is to be frequent in prayer to God for our part; But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord. 2. So long as God doth offer a gracious ear to supplicants, a man may be confident that petitions of grace shall have ready access and answer; my prayer is unto thee in an acceptable time. 3. The largeness of God's mercy is a sufficient encouragement for the afflicted to come and take the benefit thereof; In the multitude of thy mercies hear thou me. 4. When besides the mercifulness of God, we have also his Covenant and promise of salvation, we may upon these two pillars lean and roll over, and rest our faith: hear me in the truth of thy salvation.   

Ver. 14. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.  
15. Let not the water-floods overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and l●…t not the pit shut her mouth upon me.  
The fourth petition for delivery, or fourth time he presenteth it, whereunto he addeth reasons taken from the danger he was in. Whence learn, 1. Faith useth to correct the expressions of sense; and as faith doth gather strength, a man's condition groweth clearer; It was the expression of sense, ver. 2 I sink in deep mire, and here the fear is something lessened, because faith is something more cleared; deliver me out of the mire, let me not sink. 2. The man who loveth truth better than worldly prosperity, and maketh the Lord his refuge, shall not faint under persecution, but shall be borne through all troubles, and be delivered; let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. 3. Faith in God giveth hope to be helped, and is half a delivery, before the full delivery come; for the Psalmist is now with his head above the water, and not so feared as when he began the Psalm; for here he saith, Let not the water floods overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up. 4. As the sense of danger sharpens prayer, so the greatness of it is a ground of hope, that the evil which is feared shall not prevail over us; for albeit the Lord suffer the danger to be great, yet will he not leave us in a case desperate: l●…t not the pit shut her mouth upon me.   

Ver. 16. Hear me, O LORD, for thy loving kindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.  
17. And hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.  
The fifth petition for delivery, or fifth time he presenteth it, whereunto he addeth reasons taken from the multitude of God's mercies, conscience of his uprightness, and greatness of his trouble. Whence learn, 1. Albeit God should give no answer for a time, faith will still press for an answer, for it knoweth it hath to do with the hearer of prayer: hear me, said he before, and hear over again, Hear me, O LOR●…. 2. Faith seeth what is in God's heart, whatsoever it doth find or miss in his hand, it fastens on love, and draweth hope and life from that: hear me, for thy loving kindness is good. 3. Though a believing soul find itself deserted of God in some respects; yet while it holds fast on his merciful nature, it may be sure to meet with a change of dispensation more comfortable; turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies. 4. When a believer is persecuted by man for righteousness, and friends and familiars do turn their backs upon him; it is not strange that God for the man's trial, should seem to hide his countenance from him also, which exercise the believer counteth more heavy than all the rest, and can be content to want all the creatures kindness, so he may find the Lords kindness; for he cannot endure long to want God's presence: Hide not thy face from thy servant. 5. The conscience of endeavour to serve God, giveth hope of comfort in time of trouble, and that so much the sooner, that the trouble be great, and perdition apparently near; Hide not thy face from try servant, for I am in trouble: hear me speedily. 6. An upright servant, albeit he be troubled for God's cause, and do miss comfort from God, yet will he not change his Master, nor despair of his favour; Hide not thy face from thy servant, for I am in trouble. 7. It is no limitation of God, to press his hasting to help, when trouble presseth us so sore as we seem near to perish: if he speedily prevent not: hear me speedily.   

Ver. 18. Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.  
19 Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.  
20. Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.  
21. They gave me also gall for my meat, and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.  
In the sixth petition, or sixth time he prayeth for obtaining delivery: whereunto he addeth reasons taken from the inhumanity, and cruelty of his enemies, and desertion of his friends, and want of comfort from all men. Whence learn, 1. As straits do serve to drive the godly more and more near-hand to God: so do they serve to prepare men for renewed sense of communion with God, or for God's sensible drawing more near-hand to them; draw near unto my soul, saith he. 2. A new manifestation of God's love to a soul, is present relief and delivery, whatsoever be the trouble; draw near to my soul, and redeem me. 3. In the delivery of God's children from the hand of persecutors, the Lord doth look not only to the necessity of his children, but also to the insolent pride of the enemies, in case they should prevail; deliver me, because of mine enemies. 4. The consideration of Gods being witness to all the sufferings of the Saints, is a ground of patience under trouble, and of hope to be deliv●…red; Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee. 5 Before a believer once entered in sufferings, and put upon his trials, be delivered, he shall be made very sensible of the weight of ●…rouble, specially of reproaches, and of his own weakness to bear the burden of the cross alone; Reproach hath broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. 6. As a persecuted Saint may possibly be deprived of all common comfort, pity and help from men; so the less their comfort be on earth, they may look for the more and readier comfort from God; I looked for some to take pity, and there was non●…; and for comforters, but I found none. 7. As the wicked are ready to add affliction to affliction unto the godly: so must the godly ever look for it: yea, they must not think it strange to find the means of natural life, and ordi●…ary refreshments of the body, made bitter to them by persecution: They gave me gall for my meat; ●…hat is, they made my natural refreshments tastelesse, yea and bitter to me: they gave me ca●…se of grief, instead of comforting me 8. As all the sufferings of the Saints are but shadows of the sufferings of Christ: so are they all mitigated and sanctified in the sufferings of Christ, upon whom all the suffering●… mentioned in this Psalm, were foretold that they should fall, for expiation of the sin, and sanctifying the crosses of all his followers; In my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink, was a Prophecy of Christ's suffering on the Crosse.   

Ver. 22. Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.  
23. Let their eyes be darkend that they see not: and make their loins continually to shake.  
24. Pour out thine indignatian upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them,  
25. Let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents.  
This is the second part of the Psalm, wherein the Prophet, as a type of Christ, by way of imprecation against his malicious enemies prophesieth of the vengeance of God against all obstinate adversaries, and malicious persecutors of him, whether in his own person, or in his members; and denounceth ten plagues, or effects of God's wrath to come upon them for their wickedness. The first whereof is this, God shall curse all the comforts of this life unto the obstinate adversaries of Christ, and of his followers: all these comforts shall serve to harden their hearts in sin, and lengthen their life therein, till they fill up the measure of their iniquities; Let thei●… table become a snare before them. The second plague, all the means appointed for men's conversion and salvation shall turn for the aggravating of their sin and just damnation: and as all things work together for the good of those that love God, so shall all things work for the woe and wrack of God's enemies; That which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. The third plague, they shall not perceive the true intent of God's work, nor consider the day of their visitation; Let their e●…es be darkened, that they see not. The fourth plague, there shall be no peace to the wicked, but as even in laughter their heart shall be sorrowful; so also their conscience for fear shall never dare to abide the light of the Lords Word, to be examined by it; and even in their greatest prosperity they shall have perpetual secret fear, smother it as they will: make their loins continually to shake. The fifth plague, the threatened wrath of God shall be fully executed against them, and never depart from them when it is once poured out; Pour out thy indignation on them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them. The sixth plague is, the curse of God shall be on their houses and posterity, and the place they have dwelled in shall be abhorred: Let their habitation be desolate, and let none dwell in their tents.   

Ver. 26. For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten, and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.  
He giveth a reason of those fearful imprecations on Christ's adversaries, because they are cruel in their persecution of him, and of the godly, even in the time of their affliction otherways sent by God. Whence learn, 1. It consisteth well with the love of God to his children, (even his only begotten Son Jesus Christ not being excepted) to exercise them with sad calamities, for bringing to pass the work of man's Redemption by Christ, and for perfecting of the sanctification and salvation of the redeemed by Christ; of all of whom now and then it may be said to God, Thou hast smitten him, and they are those whom thou hast wounded. 2. Whatsoever may be the reason of the Lords smiting and wounding his own children, yet their wicked enemies have no just reason to malign them, or to trouble them, and therefore their troubling of God's children is persecution; They persecute him whom thou hast smitten. 3. The very talking and venting of ill speeches, to the prejudice of Christ's cause and truth, and true holiness in his Saints, especially when they are under sufferings & afflictions whatsoever, is a high provocation of God's wrath: They talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded. 4. The persecution of God's children for righteousness, is a sufficient ditty for all the forenamed damnation in the preceding verses; this is the reason of the justice of the imprecation: For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten. 5. The Church without breach of duty to men, may sing and rejoice in these fearful imprecations against the malicious enemies of Christ and his Church; first, as lovers of God more than of men: secondly, as followers, not of their own quarrel, but of the controversy of the Lord of hosts, whose soldiers they are against all his enemies whatsoever: thirdly, as subscribers to the justice of God, who will not suffer malicious cruelty to be unpunished: and fourthly, as rejoicers in God's love to his people, who owns the wrongs done to his Church and servants therein, as done to himself, and will be avenged upon their adversaries, and having decreed doom against the adversaries of his Church, will have his children to be ministers under the great Judge, to pronounce the sentence against his and their enemies; and as it were, to give out order for execution of the sentence, saying, Let their table, let their e●…s, let their habitation be so and so disposed of.   

Ver. 27. Add iniquity unto their iniquity, and let them not come into thy righteousness.  
28. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.  
The seventh plague of the enemies of Christ and his Church, is this: howsoever igno●…ant Zelots, some of them may find mercy; ye●… malicious persecutors of truth and piety grow worse and worse, and being entered in the course of persecution, cannot go off, but do draw deeper and deeper in guiltiness, and that in God's righteous judgement, punishing sin by sin: Add iniquity unto their iniquity. The vl plague is, they are given over to a reprobate sense, so as they cannot lay their own sins to heart, and so cannot see the necessity of the remission of sin, nor put a price upon the purchase of Justification unto sinners by Christ the Redeemer, nor be found among the persons justified by faith in him: Let them not come into thy righteousness. The ninth plague is this: albeit the enemies of Christ and his people may pretend to be among the number of his friends, and to have their names written in great letters, in the Catalogue of the visible Church; yet God shall disclaim them one day as none of his, and thrust them from him as workers of iniquity: Let them be blotted out of the book of the living. The tenth plague is this: as the visible Church hath an open book, wherein all within the external Covenant are written, as Saints by calling, and Covenantets with God for life and salvation, out of which book God dashes out the names of his wicked enemies: so God hath a secret book & roll as it were, wherein he enroleth all the regenerate, all the justified; and among the names of this sort, or among the names of the true members of the invisible Church of the regenerate, none of the names of Christ's malicious enemies shall be written; Let them not be written with the righteous.   

Ver. 29. But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation (O God) set me up on high.  
The third and last part of the Psalm, wherein is set down the glorious event of this sad exercise in four evidences of victory of his saith over this assault. The first whereof is in his confident prayer, not only to be delivered, but also to be exalted, ver. 29. The second evidence is, in his hearty promise of thanksgiving, ver. 30, 31. The third evidence is, in a prophecy of the fruit of this exercise, which the believers shall have by it, ver. 32, 33. The fourth is a thanksgiving for mercies foreseen, which shall come to the Church, and in special to the Church of Israel, ver. 34, 35, 36. All which, in as far as they concern David the type, are but little in comparison of Christ the Antitype. From the first evidence of the victory of his faith, appearing in his confident prayer; Learn, 1. It is no strange thing to see poverty of spirit and sad afflictions joined, the one to help and season the other; But I'm poor and sorrowful. 2. There is as sure ground of hope of an event out of every trouble wherein the children of God can fall, as there is ground of hope of the overturning of the most settled worldly prosperity of their enemies; for the forenamed curses shall come on the enemies of the godly, but the child of God in the mean time may expect salvation, and to be set on high, which he confidently prayeth for; But I am poor and sorrowful, let thy salvation, O God, set me up. 3. The conscience of humiliation under God's hand, is a great evidence of delivery out of whatsoever trouble, if a man in a righteous cause be emptied of self-conceit and carnal confidence, and brought down to poverty of spirit, and affected with the sense of sins and misery following upon it, and withal go to God in this condition, he may be sure to be helped, the poor in spirit are freed from the curse; But I am poor and sorrowful, saith the Psalmist here, let thy salvation set me up on high. 4 The man afflicted and persecuted for righteousness, humbled in himself, and drawn to God for relief, shall not only be delivered, but also shall be as much exalted after his delivery, as ever he was cast down; Let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high. 5. The kindly sufferer of righteousness, will have no deliverance, but such as God will allow him, as God shall bring unto him: and as he doth not look for delivery another way, so he doth look for a glorious delivery this way; Let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.   

Ver. 30. I will praise the Name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving  
31. This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hooves.  
From the second evidence of his victory of faith in his promised thanksgiving; Learn, 1. When the Lord comforts the heart of a sufferer for his cause, he can make him glad before the delivery come, by giving him the assurance that it shall come, and can engage his heart to solemn thanksgiving in the midst of trouble; for poverty of spirit will esteem the far sore-sight of delivery at last, as a rich mercy, and matter of a song; I will praise the Name of God with a song. 2. The Lord in the delivering of his children out of their troubles, will give evidence of his greatness, as well as of his goodness: of his power, as well as of his mercy to them, that he may have the more glory & thanks for his work: I will magnify him with thanksgiving. 3. Moral worship offered in Spirit and truth, in the meanest degree of sincerity, is more acceptable to God, than the most pompous ceremonial service, which can be done to him without Spirit and truth; This also shall please the Lord better than an ox and bullock, that hath bornes and hooses; that is, which is perfect and wanteth nothing in the external part of commanded service. 4. That which we know shall be most acceptable to God, we ought to study and follow that most, that we may walk before God unto all wellpleasing, in special to praise him in affliction, and to praise him from a contrite spirit: This also shall please the Lord better then, etc.   

Ver. 32. The humble shall see this and be glad: and your hearts shall live that seek God.  
33. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.  
From the third evidence of the victory of his faith, in the prophecy of the fruits of his sufferings, mainly as he was a type of Christ, who here is most intended; Learn, 1. The exercise of the Saints, set down in Scripture, and namely the exercise of David, and of Christ represented by him, was foretold, that it should be of great use to the Church of God in aftertimes, as now we see it in effect: The humble shall see this and be glad. 2. The humble soul is most capable of divine knowledge and comfort; The humble shall see this. 3. The escape of our Lord Jesus out of his sufferings for us, and the escape of his afflicted children out of their sufferings through faith in him, is a matter of instruction, comfort and joy to every humbled believer: The humble shall see this and be glad. 4. As such who are pure in spirit and truly humbled, do live upon God's alms, and are daily at his doors for relief of their necessities; and for communion with his gracious goodness: so shall they thrive well in this trade; Your heart shall live that seek God. 5. The Lord●… children have a life beyond the children of men▪ which is able to quicken them in their deepest troubles, and to make them blessed in their delivery out of troubles; a life moral and spiritual, whereby their conscience is comforted; Your heart shall live that seek God. 6. The right way for the godly afflicted to have the benefit of the troubles and events which Christ and his followers have had experience of, is to comfort themselves in hope of the like event and success in seeking God as they did: The humble shall see this and be glad, and your heart shall live that seek God. 7. As the Lords poor men are much in prayer, so shall they be rich in good answers; For the Lord heareth the poor. 8. Whoever in defence of any point of God's truth are put to trouble, either in body or mind, by men, or Satan, or both▪ they are all sufferers for God; they are all prisoners, who howsoever they be misregarded by men, shall be of much price in God's eyes: He despiseth not his prisoners.   

Ver. 34. Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.  
35. For God will save Zion, and will build the Cities of judah, that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.  
36. The seed also of his servants shall inherit it, and they that love his Name shall dwell therein.  
From the last evidence of the victory of faith, set down in a prophetical thanksgiving for the foreseen mercies which were to come to the Church by Christ's procurement, and specially to the Jews; Learn, 1. Large sense of troubles maketh way for large observation, and sense answerable of mercies; The evil of deepest afflictions the Lord can recompense with highest consolation, as the beginning and ending of this Psalm giveth evidence. 2. The soul that seeth the mercy of God toward itself, doth see also the mercy of God upon the same grounds to all others, his people in Zion, his Church in every place and time; and he seeth the benefits of Christ's sufferings to be matter of praise unto God, able to fill the whole world; and he seeth his own insufficiency for the praising of God also, and that all the creatures are all few enough, when they all concur in this Song; Let the heaven and the earth praise him, and the seas and every thing that moveth therein. 3. Whatsoever condition of God's people can be represented by the various condition, motion, settlement or commotion of heaven, earth and seas, and things therein, cannot but furnish matter of joyful praise to God, and come up to contribute to God's praises; Let the heaven and earth, the seas and every thing that moveth therein, praise him. 4. Every delivery of every believer, and above all the delivery of Christ as man from his expi●…tory sufferings, is earnests and pledges of the delivery of the Church militant out of all its troubles; For God will save Zion, saith the Psalmist, being now delivered out of his trouble. 5. As the Lord will ever maintain his Church, his Zion and his judah; so hath he a purpose to give a special evidence of this his care among the Jews, how far soever they may at some times be from all appearance of his respect to them; for in the promise he keepeth in expressly the Name of judah: He will build the Cities of judah. 6. What outward testimonies of God's respect to the Jews for Christ's sake shall be given unto them, after the destruction of their Cities, here presupposed, we must leave it to God, to be in due time by his own works interpreted, and to be made out according to what here is said; That the Cities of Judah shall be builded, that they may dwell there and have it, (to wit, the promised land,) in possession, the seed also of his servants shall inherit it, and they that love his Name shall dwell therein. Only let us observe, that the duty of the true Citizens of the Church is, to transmit true Religion to their posterity, and that this is the best and only way to transmit also the blessing of God, and the constant possession thereof unto them: The seed also of his servants shall inherit it, and they that love his Name, etc.    

PSAL. LXX. To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David, to bring to remembrance.  
THis Psalm is almost one in words with the latter end of Psalm 40. wherein David being in present danger of his life by his enemies, prayeth first, for speedy delivery, ver. 1. next, for shameful disappointment to his enemies, ver. 2, 3. and thirdly, for a comfortable life to all the godly, ver. 4. from which condition albeit he himself was very far for the present, yet he professeth he doth rely on God by faith, and prayeth for a timous delivery, ver. 5.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. Our most notable dangers and deliveries should most carefully be observed and remembered, and made use of; This is a Psalm to bring to remembrance. 2. What hard condition we have been in before, we may fall into the like again; and the same gracious means we have used before, in seeking our relief of God, we should use again; and what words of prayer we have used before, we may use again, without any either needless affectation of other words, or superstitious tying of ourselves to the same words, as the example of David teacheth us, when we compare the end of the 40. Psalms with this Psalm.  

Ver. 1. MAke haste, O God, to deliver me: make haste, to help me, O LORD.  
From the first petition; Learn, 1. Though death or danger of it were never so near, God can come quickly and prevent it; and prayer is a swift messenger, which in the twinkling of an eye can go and return with an answer from heaven, as this abrupt beginning of his prayer doth teach us; O Lord, to deliver me. These words, make haste; are not expressed in the Original; for the haste was so great as he could not express it, till he drew his breath. 2. As we have need of help, God will make haste unto our help; Make haste to help me, O LORD.   

Ver. 2. Let them be ashamed and confounded that seek after my soul: let them be turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt.  
3. Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame that say, Aha, aha.  
From the second petition; Learn, 1. The more that the enemies of God's people do promise to themselves certainly to destroy such of the Saints as they do pitch upon when their plot shall be ripe and fixed, when God doth disappoint them they are the more confounded and ashamed; Let them be ashamed and confounded, who seek after my soul, or my life. 2. All the enemies of God's children, shall at last think shame of their injuries done to them, and evils which they have wished unto them, to wit, when they shall know whose children they are, and what interest God hath in them, then at last shall they flee, and hide themselves for shame; Let them he turned backward, and put to confusion, that desire my hurt. 3. The damage of the godly is the delight of the wicked; and an enemy to the godly, is he that laughs and scorns at the misery of the godly; They say, when they see them in trouble, Aha, aha. 4. Albeit what shame the wicked do put upon the godly for righteousness, or for their sufferings for righteousness, is not the shame of the godly, but the shame of the enemies, who do what they can to expose the godly to shame, yet shall the enemies have shame yet more for their pains, and the terrible wrath of God shall chase them out of God's presence; Let them be turned back for a reward of their shame, that say, Aha, aha.   

Ver. 4. Let all those that seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation, say continually, Let God be magnified.  
From the third petition; Learn, 1. Whatsoever be our own hard condition at any time, we should seek the welfare and prosperity of the rest of God's children, and it is the property of each of the godly in their trouble, to wish all the rest to be partakers of the blessedness which their own soul doth seek after, but not to be like to them in trouble or bonds; Let all those that seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee. 2. If one of the godly be delivered out of his troubles, all the rest, who did pray for the delivery should rejoice in God also, as for a benefit given to themselves; Let all those that seek thee, rejoice and be glad in thee. 3. The godly do not desire deliverance to themselves or their fellows except in God's way, in a cleanly and holy way: and the more of God is seen in the delivery of his servants, the more are they glad in the Lord; They are those that love God's salvation. 4. It is a most suitable service for the Saints, to be always praising God; Let those that love thy salvation, say continually, The Lord be magnified.   

Ver. 5. But I am poor and needy, make haste unto me, O God: Thou art my help and my deliverer, O LORD make no tarrying.  
From the fifth petition; Learn, 1. Albeit we be not in such a condition, as we wish all the godly were in, yet let us lay out that condition before a pitiful God, and submit ourselves to him in the condition wherein we are; But I am poor and needy, 2. The sense of a hard condition, is a preparation and a ground of hope to be brought out of it to a better; I am poor and needy, make haste unto me, O God. 3. Whatsoever dispensation we shall meet with, we should hold fast the claim of faith, and of our interest in God; Thou art my help, and my deliverer. 4. Having settled our dependence upon God, we may without being mistaken of God, speak all our desires to him; and having done so, should leave our supplication and case at his feet with confidence: O Lord, make no tarrying.    

PSAL. LXXI.  
THis Psalm is a Prayer of David in his old age, requesting for delivery from the conspiracy of Absalon, wherein he wrestleth with the Lord by servant supplication 〈◊〉 in seven petitions, all tending to this purpose, that he may delivered, to ver. 14. and from ver. 14. to the end, we have his confidence to be delivered, set forth in four evidences thereof. Absalon here is not named, nor is the particular case set down, otherwise then in general expressions, that so it may serve the better for the larger use of the Church of God, and of the particular members thereof, in their afflictions.  

Ver. 1. IN thee, O LORD, do I put my trust, let me never be put to confusion.  
The first petition is general, wherein he professeth his confidence in God, and prayeth that he be not put to confusion. Whence learn, 1. As long as a child of God doth live in the world, he must look for new afflictions, as here the experience of the Psalmist, tossed in his old age, doth warn us. 2. Look how many new troubles do befall God's servants, so many new messengers are sent of God to call them to him; so many new errands are furnished unto them; so many new petitions are put in their mouth; and so many pressing necessities are sent to make them earnest in their supplication, and frugal in making use of their interest in God by faith, as here and elsewhere doth appear. 3. He that cometh to God must believe in him, and fasten his faith on God, and avow it, how weak soever he find it to be; In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust. 4. Albeit such as believe in God, may have many tentations to mistrust God, and great fears that they shall be disappointed of their hopes, and for a time may seem to be disappointed and put to confusion, yet it shall not be for ever; if they do not take shame unto them by distrust, they shall never have cause to be ashamed; Let me never be put to confusion.   

Ver. 2. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me and save me.  
The second petition is more special, for safety and delivery from his enemies. Whence learn, 1. The righteousness of God is a pawn unto the godly, that their lawful petitions shall be granted, and specially when they seek delivery from their ungodly adversaries; Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape. 2. When the Lord giveth a heart to a believer to pray, he will also grant him audience, and a good answer; Incline thine ear unto me and save me.   

Ver. 3. Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me, for thou art my rock, and my fortress.  
The third petition is, that the Lord would show himself to him in effect, what he hath engaged himself to be unto believers according to the Covenant. Whence learn, 1 What the Lord is to his people by Covenant, he will be to them the same effectually and in deed, as their need shall require; and as they shall employ him; Be thou my strong habitation. 2. The goodness of God covenanted to his people, is not for one good turn, but for every good which they need; not for one day, but for daily use making, and constant enjoying of it; Be thou my strong habitation, where ●…to continually I may resort. 3. As the Lord hath all means, all second causes, all creatures at his command, being Lord of hosts, to execute whatever he doth give order for to be done; so hath he really set his active providence on work, to accomplish what he hath covenanted to every believer; Thou hast given commandment to save me, for thou art my rock and fortress: he giveth his believing in God, who is his rock, as a reason of his saying, that God was about to save him.   

Ver. 4. Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.  
5. For thou art my hope, O Lord God: thou art my trust from my youth.  
6. By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels, my praise shall be continually of thee.  
The fourth petition for delivery is strengthened by reason, taken from the wickedness of the enemy, ver. 4. from his own confidence in God, ver. 5: and from his long experience o●… God's kindness unto him in time past, ver. 6. Whence learn, 1. It is a great advantage to be a Confederate with God, when we have to deal with his enemies and ours in any debate; Deliver me, O my God, (saith he) out of the hand of the wicked. 2. The integrity of the believer in a good cause, and the iniquity of their adversaries in their ill cause, are good tokens of the believers victory over them; Deliver me out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. 3. Confidence in God, avowed against all tentations in God's presence, and specially when it is of long standing, is so strong an argument of being heard in a lawful petition, that it may persuade the believer he shall speed; Deliver me, for thou art my hope, O Lord God, thou art my trust from my youth. 4. True thankfulness will not pass by common benefits, and true faith will read special love in common and ordinary favours, and make use thereof amon●… other experiences for strengthening of faith; By thee have I been holden up from the womb, thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels. 5. The forming of us in the belly, and the common benefit of birth and bringing forth quick into the world, is a smothered wonder, and so glorious a work of God, that he deserveth perpetual praise from us for that one work; Thou art he that cook me out of my mother's belly.   

Ver. 7. I am as a wonder unto many, but thou art my strong refuge.  
8. Let my mouth he filled with thy praise, and with thy honour all the day.  
The fifth petition is strengthened with reasons taken from his hard condition, and from the opportunity of Gods having glory by his delivery out of it. Whence learn, 1. The exercise of the Lords children is sometimes so strange to the beholder, as the world doth wonder at them; I am as a wonder unto many. 2. Knowledge of God's Word and ways, and faith in his Name maketh a believer not think strange, whatsoever fiery trial come upon him, but to rest on God's will whatsoever befall him; I am as a wonder unto many, but thou art my strong refuge: For faith doth not judge of itself, as the world judgeth, but as God hath judged and spoken of it in his Word. 3. The more strange the exercise of the godly be, the more glorious is the Lords upholding of them in it, and delivering of them out of i●…, and for the hope of the glory which shall redound to God by such exercises, the hardship should be the more patiently born, and the delivery sought and expected more confidently, that it shall come when it may be most for God's praise; I am a wonder unto many, let my mouth be filled with thy praise, and with thy honour all the day.   

Ver. 9 Cast me not off in the time of old age, forsake me not when my strength faileth:  
10. For mine enemies speak against me, and they that lay wait for my soul, take counsel together:  
11. Saying, God hath forsaken him, persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him.  
The sixth petition is strengthened with reasons taken from his own old age and weakness, and from his enemy's malice. Whence learn, 1. Such as have been the Lords servants in their youth, may be sure to find God a good and kind Master to them in their old age; Cast me not off in the time of old age. 2. Infirmities in God's children shall not move loathing and casting off, but pitying and cherishing of them, that they may be supported in their weakness; Forsake me not when my strength faileth. 3. The world conceiveth that God doth cast off his children, when he doth bring them under any sad calamity, and by this means do think that they have not to do with God's children, when they persecute his dearest servants; yea, and they encourage themselves to persecute them the more that God doth afflict them; Mine enemies speak against me, and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together: saying, God hath forsaken him, persecute and take him, for there is none to deliver him. 4. The misconstructions of the world, their plots and conspiracies against the godly, their evil speeches of them, their resolved cruelty to undo them, are so many arguments of good hope that God shall deliver them; Forsake me not, for mine enemies speak against me, etc.   

Ver. 12. O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.  
13. Let them be confounded and consumed, that are adversaries to my soul: let them be covered with reproach and dishonour, that seek my hurt.  
The seventh Petition for delivery and disappointing of his enemies, is strengthened with reasons taken from the Covenant between God and him, and from the glory which God shall have by shaming his enemies. Whence learn, 1. When tentations are most, dangers are greatest, and the assault is strongest, then doth the believer draw nearest unto God, and hold him most closely; O God, be not far from me, etc. 2. Relying upon, and avowing of the Covenant between God and the soul of a Believer, is able to bear the greatest stress, whereunto tentations and troubles can drive him; O my God, make haste for my help. 3. God for the glory of his justice against the wicked, and the glory of his grace to his own, shall pour confusion, consumption, reproach, and dishonour upon persecutors of righteousness, and adversaries of his suffering servants; Let them be confounded and consumed, that are adversaries to my soul: let them be covered with reproach and dishonour, that seek my hurt.   

Ver. 14. But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.  
15. My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness, and thy salvation all the day: for I know not the numbers thereof.  
16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.  
In the latter part of the Psalm, is the Psalmists confidence to be delivered, set forth in four evidences thereof. The first is his resolution to persevere in hope to be helped, and in praising of God, and relying only on the Lord's power and righteousness, and not on his own strength. Whence learn, 1. He that is resolved to persevere in hope, may be sure of a gracious event out of his trouble: But I will hope continually. 2. Resolute hope comforteth, enlargeth, and stirreth up the heart unto more and more praising and thanksgiving; I will hope continually, and I will yet praise thee more and more. 3. The matter of the continual praise of God, is partly his righteousness, whereby he keepeth his promise, not only according, but also above condition, and giveth also remission of sins, which did deserve wrath, and partly his deliverances, which he giveth to his children, out of danger of body and soul; My mouth shall show forth thy righteousness, and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. 5. Because in troubles a man's own strength will fail him, and fail him also in commanded duties, therefore the believer must renounce confidence in his own ability in both cases, and lean to the furniture of God; I will go in the strength of the Lord God. 6. Because the conscience of sins and sinfulness still doth stare the Believer in the face, and all to discourage him; the Believer must renounce all confidence in his own holiness, and rely upon the imputed righteousness of Christ only, which is called the righteousness of God by saith, being witnessed unto both by the Law and Prophets, Rom. 3. 21. I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only; for in the point of justification, and absolving of us from sin, this righteousesse of God only hath place.   

Ve●…. 17. O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wonderou●… works.  
18. Now also when I am old and gray-headed, O God, forsake me not: until I have showed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.  
The second evidence of the Prophet's confidence to be delivered, is the experience of God's kindness for time past, making him with comfortable assurance of being heard to pray for the continuance of that same kindness for time to come. Whence learn, 1. We are all of us ignorant of God and his ways, till he teach us by his Word, and by his Spirit, and by his giving to us experimental knowledge thereof; O God, thou hast taught me from my youth. 2. The conscience of sincere endeavour to make use of God's gifts to us for the glory of God, and edification of others, according to our place; is very sweet and comfortable in the day of trouble, and giveth much encouragement in approaching to God; Hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works. 3. He that hath had long experience of God's mercy to himself, and thankfully doth acknowledge the same; may assure himself that the course of God's kindness to him shall not be broken off: O God, thou hast taught me from my youth, now also when I am ol●… and gray-headed, forsake me not, O Lord. 4. It is a noble design for a man who hath received gifts, whereby he may glorify God and edify his people, to destinate all the days he hath to live, to serve his own generation, and the posterity, in the communicating to them what he knoweth of the Lords all-sufficiency, and not to love to live in this world, except for this end; Forsake me not until I have showed thy strength to this generation, and thy pow●…r to every one that is to come.   

Ver. 19 Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee?  
20. Thou which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.  
21. Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.  
The third evidence of his confidence to be delivered, is his looking to the unsearchable fountain of God's wisdom, faithfulness, and omnipotency, and his expecting from this wellspring, that as large consolation shall come forth to him, as he hath had a large measure of troubles. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the effects of God's wisdom, faithfulness, and omnipotency, be near unto us, and do fall under our sense in his daily operations, yet the fountain thereof, which is Gods own perfect on, is unsearchable, incomprehensible, and incomparably great; Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, who hast done great th●…ngs: O God, who is like unto thee? 2. That which we see of the Lords works, may lead us up to know what is not seen in relation to difficulties, and power of men, and to see what he is able to do; and when we see the invisible God, we cannot choose but admire his Majesty, and exalt him as Sovereign over all, and then, and not till then that we give him the honour of omnipotency and faithfulness, can the heart rest and be quiet: Thy righteousness, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: who is like to thee? 3. He that acknowledgeth God's justice and wisdom in his troubles, may look to see God's power and grace no less evident in his delivery and consolation: and he who in trouble hath seen his own infirmity, emptiness, and death, may look to see God's power and life in raising of him out of the grave of his trouble; Thou which hast showed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth. 4 As trouble humbleth and abaseth a man before the world: so the Lords delivering of him, and showing his respect to him, honoureth the man again, and exalteth him before men; Thou shalt increase my greatness. 5. As no trouble doth come alone, but multitudes of troubles joined together, when the Lord will humble and try a man; so no comfort cometh single or alone, when the Lord will change the man's exercise, but a multitude of comforts joined together; Thou wilt comfort me on every side. 6. Losses are made lighter, and comforts weightier, when God is seen and acknowledged in them: Thou which hast showed me sore troubles, (it is but a view of trouble what we have felt when troubles are seen to come from God's hand,) thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.   

Ver. 22. I will also praise thee with the Psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the Harp, O thou holy One of Israel.  
23. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee: and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.  
24. My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded; for they are brought unto shame that seek my hurt.  
The fourth and last evidence of his confidence, is his promise of joyful thanksgiving, by way of a begun song, and that for the foresight of his own delivery, and of his enemy's overthrow. Whence learn, 1. Faith is so satisfied with God's promise, that it can praise heartily for what is promised, before it find performance: I will praise thee with the Psaltery, even thy truth. 2. It is our interest in the Covenant, which makes us to have interest in particular promises; I will praise thy truth, O my God. 3. A soul sensible of God's kindness, and sure by faith of the performance of his faithful promises, cannot satisfy itself in praising of God, it hath so high estimation of his fidelity, power, and love: Therefore after he hath said, I will praise thee, he addeth, unto thee will I sing with the Harp. 4. How hardly soever a soul hath been exercised with troubles for a while, so soon as it seeth by faith the Lords prepared event; It will justify all the passages of God's providence, as just, and wise, and good, and in a word, as holy in all respects. To thee will I sing, O holy One of Israel. 5. Singing with our voice unto the Lord, is a part of moral worship, as well as prayer with the voice, when his honour, and our upstirring, and others edifying calleth for it; My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee. 6. As the work of praising God requireth sincerity, earnestness, and cheerfulness; so the work thus done, becometh not only honourable to God, but also refreshful to the worshipper; My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee, 7. Dangers and distresses, how grievous soever they be for the time, yet do they furnish matter of praise to God, and joy to the party troubled afterward when the delivery cometh: My lips shall rejoice, and my so●…'e which thou hast redeemed. 8. Beside, singing of Psalms unto God, speaking of his praise in all companies, and upon all occasions, is a part of our bounden duty of thankfulness, for making his word good to us in the overthrow of our enemies, and delivering of us: My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long. 9 The overthrow of the enemies of the godly is as certain to come, as if we saw it with our eyes already come to pass. The same Word of God, the same light and persuasion of spirit, manifesteth the delivery of the godly, and the destruction of their enemies: For they are confounded, for they are brought to shame, that seek my hurt.    

PSAL. LXXII. A Psalm for Solomon.  
IN this Psalm under the shadow of King Solomon's reign, Christ's gracious government is praised; and first, the Church is taught to pray for a blessing on King David and his son's government, including Christ's, ver. 1. Next, the answer is given by the spirit of the Lord in a prophecy of the blessedness of the Reign, and Kingdom of Christ the Son of David, from ver. 2. to ver. 18. Thirdly, the use hereof is ●…et down in thanksgiving unto God, ver. 18, 19 and herein is the accomplishment of all the desires of David, obtained by this satisfactory answer, ver. 20.  
From the inscription and prayer; Learn, A King may command within his kingdom many things, but he cannot command a blessing on his own government; he must make suit for this to God: He may leave a kingdom to his child; but because a kingdom is nothing without God's blessing, he must pray for this blessing, and seek the assistance of the prayers of the Church for this intent: and this duty Kings may crave of the Church, and God's people should not refuse it; A Psalm for Solomon.  

Ver. 1. GIve the king thy judgements, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.  
From the prayer of the Church; Learn, 1▪ Gifts from God are necessary to fit a man for an office; and it is n●…t every gift, which doth make fit for a particular office, but such gifts specially as are for the discharge of the place a man hath, and those must be asked from, and granted by God, and by this means sanctified; Give the King thy judgements, O God. 2. Nothing is more conducible to make a King's government prosperous and blessed, than equity and justice, according to the revealed will of God; Give the King thy judgements, and thy righteousness to the King's son.   

Ver. 2. He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgement.  
3. The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills by rightoousnesse.  
4. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.  
5. They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endure, throughout all generations.  
6. He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.  
7. In his days shall the righteous flourish, and abundance of peace so l●…ng as the Moon endureth.  
8. He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river, unto the ends of the ●…arth.  
9 They that dwell in the wil●…ernesse shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the d●…st.  
10. The kings of Tarshish and of the Is●…es shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.  
11. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.  
12. For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth, the poor also, and him that hath no helper.  
13. He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall ●…ve the souls of the needy.  
14. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence, and precious shall their blood be in his sight.  
15. And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba, prayer also shall be made for him continually, and daily shall he be praised.  
16. There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereo●… shall shake like Lebanon, and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.  
17. His Name shall endure for ever: his Name shall be continued as long as the Sun: and men shall be blessed in him, all nations shall call him blessed.  
The Propheti●…al answer given here to the Church's prayer, promiseth above twenty benefits of Christ's government▪ all of them tending to the glory of the King, and good of the subjects; the shadow whereof was to be seen in David, and Solomon's reign, ●…oyned with many imperfections; but the real accomplishment is only in Christ. The first is, Christ's subjects shall have good rules how to carry themselves in all duties, how to behave themselves righteously, and how to be made righteous, by his direction and conduct; He shall judge thy people with righteousness. The second benefit or commendation is, Christ will see the nec●…ssities of his subjects, his humble ones, his afflicted ones, to be supplied most discreetly, and the wrongs done unto them repaired; He shall judge thy poor with judgement, ver. 3. The third benefit is, Christ is not to take away civil Governors, nor Potentates places, nor the several orders and ranks of greatness of superior and inferior powers, Rulers and Judges; all these are to be fixed rather by him, for the good of the people: The superior as mountains, and the inferior as little hills, shall stand in their place for him. The fourth benefit is, Christ sha●…l make such Magistrates as do embrace him, for their Lord and Governor, a blessing to the people under them; for by their righteous government the people shall live quire and safe in God's service under them: The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills; but how shall the mountains and little hills do this? By righteousness, ver. 4 The fifth benefit is, albeit Christ do suffer his subjects to be brought low in the sense of their own weakness, and in danger of being swallowed up by their persecutors, yet shall he take their controversy to his cognition, and deliver his people out of the hands of their adversaries: He shall judge the poor of the people: he shall save the children of the needy; he shall break in pieces the oppressors, ver. 5. The sixth benefit, Christ the true King of Israel, shall never want a kingdom, he shall never want subjects, but shall always have a Church of such as shall worship and fear him, and do homage unto him, so long as the world doth stand, amidst all changes and revolutions that can come: They shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endure, throughout all generations. ver. 6. The seventh benefit, whatsoever sad condition his people shall be in, how far soever spoiled of their lust●…e and glory in the world, or in any other respects whatsoever, they shall be made as a mown down meadow possibly; yet Christ by his Word, Spirit, and effectual blessing shall revive and recover them: as grass cut down being watered by rain, is made to grow again: He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth, ver. 7. The eight benefit, all the true subjects of Christ are justified persons, and devoted in their hearts to righteousness, in the obedience of God's will, and such as do endeavour to abound in the fruits of righteousness: The righteous shall flourish in his days. The ninth benefit, Christ's justified subjects and students of holiness, shall have peace with God, peace abounding and passing all understanding, lasting peace, without end, in all revolution of conditions, The righteous s●…al flourish, & have abundant peace, so long as the world endureth. v. 1. The tenth benefit of Christ's government, is the enlargement of the Church, and number of his subjects, according to the length and breadth of God's promises made to his people Israel, whether Israel in the letter, or in the Spirit: He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth, ver. 9 The eleventh benefit of Christ's government is more special; whomsoever he pleaseth to make subjects unto himself, how wild and savage soever they be, yea how great enemies soever they have been to his Kingdom, he shall tame them, bring them in subjection to himself, and to most humble submission unto his commands: They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him, and his enemies shall lick the dust, ver. 10. The twelfth benefit is yet more special; The Kings and Rulers of the Gentiles shall find it a blessing to themselves, and to their dominions, to be under Christ's government, and shall effectually contribute their riches, power, and authority, to advance the Kingdom of Christ, their sovereign Lord and protector: The kings of Tarshish, and of the Isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts, ver 11. The thirteenth benefit. of Christ's government, is so great an enlargement of his Kingdom, by bringing of all Kingdoms and Nations someway under his Sceptre, that the Prophecy of john the Divine, Rev. 11. 15. shall be acknowledged to be fulfilled; All the kingdoms of the earth are become the Lords and his Son Christ's, how improbable soever this may seem: for answerably hereunto is it said here, Yea all kings shall f●…ll down before him, all nations shall serve him, ver. 12. The fourteenth benefit serving for the commendation of his government, is by way of giving a reason of the marvellous enlargement of his Kingdom, from his care of the meanest of his subjects, from his effectual pity toward them, love and estimation of them. The care Christ hath of his subjects is such, that the●…e is not one so mean in all his Kingdom, of whom, and whose necessities, and of whose particular petitions he doth not take most particular and exact knowledge, whose petitions being presented in the sense of their need, he doth not grant: He shall deliver the needy, when he crieth. There needeth no Mediator be●…ween him and his subjects; He heareth the needy when they cry. The man that hath nothing within him or without him to commend him to Christ, to assist, help, relieve, or comfort him in heaven or earth, is not despised by Christ, but delivered from that which he fe●…reth: He shall deliver the poor also, and him that hath no helper; and this he doth by teaching his subjects to bear troubles, by strengthening them for the burden; by comforting them in their grief; by giving a delivery to their spirits by faith, and a full delivery at last, v 13. The fifteenth benefit and commendation of Christ's government, he doth not exact any thing of his subjects, but that which he offereth to furnish and enable them to discharge: he lets none be tempted above his strength; he taketh small beginnings in good part, he spareth the rod in a great measure, mitigates the correction, and in midst of wrath he remembereth mercy: He shall spare the poor and needy; whatsoever hard exercise he put them to, he will give them their soul for a prey: They shall not perish, who in the sense of their need depend upon him: He shall save the souls of the needy, ver. 14. The sixteenth benefit and commendation of Christ's Kingdom, albeit the Lord suffer his subjects to be tried with heresies and seducers, by oppressors and persecutors, yet he will assist them in the trial and bring them out of it: He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence, and if for his own glory he put any of them to lay down their life for his cause, it shall be a point of special honouring of them, as of precious sons, whom he esteemeth much of, both living and dead; Precious shall their blood be in his sight, v. 15. The seventeenth benefit and commendation of Christ's government is from his everlasting endurance; albeit other Kings die, and leave their kingdom to their successor, yet it is not so with Christ, he endureth for ever: his death for paying the ransom of our sins, did not interrupt his reign, but made way for his more glorious reigning, after his resurrection; he hath life in himself, as in the fountain; He shall live, he shall live conquering, and bringing in more subjects, who shall pay tribute unto him; To him shall be given of the gold of Sheba. The eighteenth benefit and commendation of Christ's Kingdom is this, Christ shall be well beloved of all his subjects, whose exercise it shall be to wish and pray for the prosperity of his Kingdom, Church, and mystical body, and who shall commend and praise his glorious and lovely Majesty; Prayer also shall be made for him continually, and daily shall he be praised, v. 16. The nineteenth benefit & commendation of Christ's government is, that a little seed of his precious Word sown among men, of whose conversion there might be least hope, like a handful of corn sown upon the mountains or most barren ground, shall have a glorious increase of the conversion of many notable Saints, like as corn in a barren place should grow up like Cedar-trees; There shall be an handful of 〈◊〉 in the earth, on the top of mountains, the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and this blessing of the Gospel he can make it to be without prejudice of the manured land of Churches already planted, which are as cities inhabited; those he can bless and will bless at his pleasure, with the abundant growth of grace amongst them; And they of the City shall flourish as the grass of the earth, ver. 17. The last commendation and benefit of Christ's government, summeth up all that can be said in these four generals; 1. That Christ's Name, fame and honour, shall be perpetuated from one generation to another, for the running of his benefits to his subjects, and for the course of his judgements on his enemies: His name shall endure for ever; his Name shall be continued as long as the Sun. 2. His Gospel shall spread further and further among men, to deliver his own from the curse due for sin, to make them partakers of the blessing of full felicity; Men s●…all be blessed in him. 3 It shall be in vain to seek blessedness any where, except in him only, who is the procurer, applier and maintainer of true blessedness; the way whereunto is, to come to God in and through Christ: In him men shall be blessed. And 4. Such a fullness of converted Gentiles at length shall be brought in, that the blessedness of the Gospel of Christ, and of spiritual communion with him, and the riches of his goodness and grace shall generally be acknowledged in all the world; All Nations shall call him blessed.   

Ver. 18. Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things.  
19 And blessed be his glorious Name for ever, and let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen, and Amen.  
After this gracious answer of the Church's prayer in so glorious a prophecy of Christ, thanksgiving and praise is indicted unto the Church, to be offered up to God for this mercy. Whence learn, 1. When the heart hath believed what the ear hath heard of the blessedness to be found in Christ, the mouth should be opened to praise and bless God; Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel. 2. As the keeping of the race of David till the coming of Christ, distinct from other families, in so many revolutions of affairs, as were between David's reign and Christ's coming, is very wonderful: so the enlarging of the Kingdom of Christ, since he came, is full of wonder also, whether we look to the King, o●… to the subjects converted, or the way of converting them, by the preaching of his Word, or the preservation or continuing of Christ's Kingdom in the world amongst so many Devils and wicked adversaries, all his subjects being so weak and sinful as they are; It is a matter of great wonder indeed: Blessed be the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things. There are no wonders like the wonders done in the Redemption of men by Christ, 〈◊〉 yea there is no other who can work any wonders, but Christ alone. 3. As the blessings of Christ are everlasting, so should the thanksgiving for them be; and no less can content the heart of a true believer, who, the more he thinks of Christ, the more glory seeth he in him; and blessed be his glorous Name for ever, saith he. 4. Before Christ do put an end to his work, and give up the Kingdom to the Father, his glory shall shine in all the parts of the world, for the prayers indicted to the Church, are not vanishing wishes, but real promises, and certain prophecies; ●…et the whole earth be filled with his glory. 5. As faith sets so its seal unto the truth of God's Word, in special what concerneth the salvation of men, and the glory of God in Christ; so love to both the glory of God and salvation of souls se●…s to its seal also; or both faith and love do subscribe the same truth of God in both respects, again and again:  
Amen and Amen   

Ver. 20. The prayers of David the son of jesse, are ended.  
This clos●…e of the Psalm is added by the Psalmist David himself, and is a part of the text; serving first, to show that this was the last of the Psalms, indicted by the Spirit to him a little before his death, when Solomon was now reigning; howsoever in the order of providence it be not in the hindmost place of this book of the Psalms. And next, it serveth to show, that in this answer made to his prayer set down in this Psalm, all his desires were granted, both concerning himself and his house; for he could wish no more. And thirdly, it serveth to show his mean estimation of himself, notwithstanding of the Lords lifting of him up so high, that so the grace of God in him may be the more conspicuous; for which causes he calleth himself, The son of Jesse. Whence learn, 1. As a man liveth, so readily he dieth: David was a worshipper of God all his life, and now when he hath given over the Kingdom to his Son, and is going his way, he is upon the same work of praying and singing Psalms, for God's glory and edification of his Church. 2. The meditation of Christ, contemplation of his glory, seeking after and foreseeing the enlargement of Christ's Kingdom, is a noble and comfortable closing of a man's life, as here we see it. 3. It is the note of true humility and sincere love to God, to abase ourselves, and acknowledge our low condition, wherein God did find us when he did let forth his love to us, that thereby we may commend the riches of God's goodness and grace unto us, as appeareth here in David.    

PSAL. LXXIII. A Psalm of Asaph.  
THe Psalmist setteth down here the doctrine of God's goodness to the faithful, however he seem to deal with them, ver. 1. and cleareth it by his own experience: Wherein first, after he had stumbled to see the wicked prosper in the world, comparing his own calamities with their prosperity, ver. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. he was like to be overcome with the tentation, and to forsake the course of godliness, ver. 13, 14. Next, with this tentation he wrestles, ver. 15, 16. And thirdly he getteth the victory, by consulting the Word of God, ver. 17, 18, 19, 20. In the last place, he maketh a fourfold use of this experience; the first whereof is, the acknowledging of his own weakness under the tentation, ver. 21, 22. The next is, the confessing of God's kindness to him in the time of tentation, ver. 23. The third is, the confirming of his own faith for time to come, ver. 24, 25, 26. The fourth is, his resolution to draw more near to God hereafter, ver. 27, 28.  

Ver. 1. TRuly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.  
The doctrine set down in this verse, is the result of his sad exercise, after he had gotten the victory of the tentation, which did call in question the blessedness of believers, whensoever their outward condition should be found more miserable than the condition of the wicked. Whence learn, 1. As the tentations of Satan do aim at the weakening of our believing of saving doctrine, so our exercises, our experiences of conflicts against the tentation, and our victories over it, should strengthen our faith so much the more, to hold fast that truth which the tentation did oppose; After this experience the Prophet not only holds forth this doctrine, That God is good; but also prefixeth unto it, truly, yet, or notwithstanding. 2. However the Lord seem to deal more hardly with humble believers, and worshippers of him, then with the wicked, yet is his dispensation toward them always for their welfare: Truly God is good to Israel. 3. Those persons are true Israelites, who not only do cleanse their conscience by the blood of the Lamb of God, but also study to be holy in soul and body in the sincerity of their heart: This is the cleanness of heart which the Scripture teacheth; God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart.   

Ver. But at as for me, my feet were almost gone: my steps had well nigh slipped.  
3. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  
The Psalmist compareth his late carriage under a tentation unto the rule of this doctrine, and doth acknowledge that he did not hold it so firmly as he should have done, but was almost driven from the maintaining of it. Whence learn, 1. In the time of adversity a believer may prove weak in the faith of that truth, which was not questioned by him in prosperity, and be near-hand unto the quitting and renouncing of it; But as for me, my feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped. 2. Albeit the Lord so far decipher the weakness of his own children, as to let them be brought to the very brink of misbelieving of a necessary and saving truth, yet he preventeth their quitting of it altogether; they may be very near the fall, and not shall altogether: My feet were almost gone, my steps had well nigh slipped. 3. The godly will not stand to confess to their own shame their own weakness, when it may serve to strengthen others, and give warning to prevent the fall of others, or any way prove profitable to others, as in this example we see. 4. The measure of our faith or love to God and to Religion, the measure of our faith to obey known truth, is best known in time of tentation, when the object is in our eye, and the tempter is making use of it to ensnare us: I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 5. If the prosperity of the wicked, and trouble of the godly be looked upon, in respect of their outward worldly estate only, it cannot choose but trouble a man's thoughts; I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.   

Ver. 4. For there are no bands in their death: but their strength is firm.  
5. They are not in trouble as other men: neither are they plagued like other men.  
6. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain: violence covereth them as a garment.  
7. Their eyes stand out with fatness: they have more than heart could wish.  
8. They are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression, they speak loftily.  
9 They set their mouth against the heavens: and their tongue walketh through the earth.  
10. Therefore his people return hither, and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them.  
What was the prosperity of the wicked, which stumbled him, he setteth down in particular inthese verses, Whence learn, 1. Albeit the great multitude of the wicked are subject to such outward miseries, as others are, yet to some of them, yea and to some of the worst of them, God for his own holy ends useth to give health of body, long life, little sickness, and a quiet death, when the time of it is come, and in their death to keep them from many troubles, which others are subject unto: and yet God doth not love them, nor approve any whit more of them for this: There are no bands in their death, but their strength is firm; they are not in trouble as other men, etc. 2. The more liberally the Lord deals with the wicked, they are the more insolent and proud, and vainglorious; they are the more unjust and violent oppressors of others: their prosperity doth blind them, and serveth to increase their wickedness; Therefore pride compasseth them as a chain; violence covereth them as a garment. They glory in their oppression. 3. Albeit God bestow riches on the wicked, and more than they could reasonably wish, and do give them health of bodies to make use of their riches as they please, so as they swell for fatness, (which abundance should oblige a man to serve the Lord more heartily) yet the recompense they render to God is this, they become more and more vicious in their own persons, and do threaten more and more injuries to their neighbours; They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: They stand in awe neither of God nor man, but openly in their, speeches they despise all authority over them; They speak loftily: They scoff and mock religion, and speak blasphemously of God and his providence: They set their mouth against the Heavens: They speak as they please of all things, and all men, not caring against whom they speak, or what they speak to any man's prejudice; Their tongue walketh through the earth: not caring whom it tread upon, or whom it abuse. 4. The prosperity of the wicked, and their thriving in an ill course, doth ensnare many inconsiderate people, even members of the visible Church, and moveth them to follow the evil ways of the openly wicked, and to make defection from their own professed duties; Therefore his people return hither, saith he. 5. When men stumble at righteousness because of trouble, and follow the course of the wicked for love of worldly advantage; it is righteousness with God, to give both the bait for a while to such changelings, and the hook also, for hardening them in their own wicked choice; And waters of a full Cup (saith he) are wrung out unto them: that is, they find some worldly commodity by their defection. 6. There is a threefold tentation to draw a man from the course of holiness unto looseness and profanity; one, when the wicked 〈◊〉 observed to prosper in the world; another, when multitudes 〈◊〉 off a good course, and follow the example of the wicked: and a third, when those backsliders also seem to prosper after their defection, as here. 1. The wicked do calumniate every good course, and they prosper. 2. God's people return hither for love of prosperity. 3. Then waters of a full Cup are wrung out unto them. All these things may concur, and the way mean time is most damnable notwithstanding.   

Ver. 11. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?  
12. Behold, these are the ungodly: who prosper in the world, they increase in riches.  
Here he bringeth in the poor deluded people defending their defection, and their following the example of the ungodly, and hardening themselves in their evil course, saying in substance, that if God disliked the ungodly, he would not let them prosper so in the world, and heap riches upon them as he doth: and this is in substance to blaspheme God as an ignorant Governor of the world, or a misregarder how men do carry themselves. Whence learn, 1. When men are once ensnared in an ill course, they will seek reasons to justify themselves; those thoughts which did ensnare them, do also hold them; for they to whom waters of a full Cup are wrung out, do say, How doth God know? 2. Men are ready to reproach the Lord, if he do not guide the world to their fancy, yea and to blaspheme God, rather than blame themselves for their faults, as these words do import: How doth God know? that is, how can it be, that God taketh notice of such men's ways as wrong, seeing he doth prosper them? 3. To think that God is well-pleased with the way of the wicked, because they prosper; and that he respects not his Saints, because he doth afflict them more than the wicked, is as much as in effect to say, The Lord is not wise that doth so well to his foes, and dealeth so hardly with his friends; for so here is it interpreted by the Lord: Is there knowledge in the most High? 4. It seemeth very reasonable to carnal reason, that if God hate ungodliness, he should not suffer the ungodly to prosper in the world: and if he will suffer them to prosper, than he doth not hate ungodliness; and therefore when it is clear to all men that the ungodly do prosper, they conclude that God knoweth not; taketh no notice of ungodliness, or is not displeased with it, for here is their proof; Behold, (say they) these are the ungodly who prosper in the world, they increase in riches. 5. The thing that deceiveth the ungodly and the misbelieving world about God's dispensation, is, that they look only to 〈◊〉 which is done by God in this world; no punishment after death, or felicity after death do they think upon: These are the ungodly (say they) who prosper in the world. 6. In the very tentation whereby the wicked is ensnared, the worm of their gourd, and the stain of their felicity is discovered: their felicity is but in riches, and their prosperity is but in this present world; They prosper in the world, say they.   

Ver. 13. Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocency.  
14. For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning.  
Here is the well near slipping of the Psalmists feet, set down, in his begun yielding unto the devil's tentation, forcibly born in upon him, and repeated over by him, after the manner of a resolute conclusion, condemning all his former course of godliness upon this one poor pretence, because he seemed to himself more miserable than the wicked were. Whence learn, 1. A tentation sometime may be so powerfully born in upon the spirit of a child of God, as it may seem to be admitted, yielded unto, and subscribed unto as truth, as here we see; Verily I have cleansed in vain, etc. 2. The true course of sanctification consists in the study of cleansing a man from all pollution both of soul and body, or in cleansing the heart and the hands, as here is set down: The heart is cleansed by the blood of the expiatory sacrifice laid hold on by faith, and by the begun works of the Lords Spirit manifested in the hearty resolution, purpose and study of holiness the hands are cleansed by a blameless and harmless conversation or course of life and actions: I have cleansed my heart and hands in innocency. 3. When a man is under a tentation, or in a fleshly temper of spirit, for the present he putteth a high price upon any good he hath done, and forgetteth by what strength he did it; he forgetteth God's part, and his glory in it; for the Psalmists part, was the consenters part, the instruments part, and he was in the point of action only a subordinate agent and co-worker at the best by a borrowed strength; and yet as if all the work had been his work alone; In vain (saith he) have I cleansed my heart, and washed my hands in innocency. 4 That which is the break-neck of the wicked, may readily be a stumbling-stone for a time to the godly: that which is the irrecoverable deadly sickness of the wicked, may be the hot fever or distemper of the godly for a season. In special, as the wicked man at all times doth look only to this present world, and to what may make him prosperous or miserable in this present life: so it may befall the godly man also in a fit, at a time, to look only upon temporal prosperity and trouble, as here we see the Psalmist looketh only to his present troubles; For all the day long I have been plagued; never a word here of his sweet consolations and man fold benefits bestowed on him. 5. To find some new cross daily, either from Godimmediately, or from the world, or from Satan, or from our own corruption, is no strange thing to the godly; All the day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning, saith the Psalmist: even while he was daily cleansing his heart, and washing his hands: so doth divine wisdom see it fit for the good of his children, and glorifying of his own Name.   

Ver. 15. If I say, I will speak thus: behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children.  
Thus have we seen his tentation. In the next place, we have his wrestling with it, by bringing this conclusion suggested by Satan to a further examination: and first, of humane reason, whereby he perceiveth, that if this conclusion should be maintained, than the Church of God in all ages, and all the godly from the beginning of the world should be condemned as miserable souls: which consequence he thinketh to be a rash condemning of the constant resolution of the godly wise in all ages past. Whe●…ce learn, 1. Tentations driving at the subversion of faith in Christ, and holiness of life, do find resistance in the heart of a renewed man, how far soever they seem to prevail at first: The seed of God remaineth in him, the principles of spiritual life, the infused habits of saving graces, the new creature by God's up-stirring do make opposition, as in this example we see. 2. The way to take up and decipher Satan's tentations, is to consider what they aim at, tend unto, drive at, what may be the consequence thereof; If I say, I will speak thus, than such a thing will follow. 3. So long as a tentation remaineth under dispute, and is not come to a settled decree and resolved practice, it hath not obtained full victory; it is with the Psalmist here, for all that was suggested and seemingly yielded, no more yet, but, If I say I will speak thus. 4. Whosoever doth condemn piety and holy conversation, because the world doth so, or because trouble doth follow such a course, he doth a high injury to all the Saints from the beginning of the world, and to God the Author of all holiness; If I should speak thus, behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 5. The godly are not the authors of their own spiritual being, the making them new creatures is the work of God, they are the children of God, begotten of him, by his Word and Spirit, and do resemble their Father in wisdom and righteousness; so doth the Psalmist style them, in the time of his hard exercise here, The generation of God's children. 6. In our disputing with tentations by the weapons of reason, we shall do well to make God Moderator of the disputants, and to look to God in our reasoning, that we may by his testimonies rectify every thing, lest we reason amiss, as here the Psalmist doth; I should offend against the generation of thy children. 6. We ought to reverence the judgement of the godly, and the more universally their judgement is one, and agreeing together in a point of controversy, the more fear should we have to descent from them, as the Psalmists example teacheth us.   

Ver. 16. When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me.  
17. Until I went into the Sanctuary of God, then understood I their end.  
18. Surely thou didst set them in slippery places, thou castedst them down into destruction.  
19 How are they brought into desolation as in a moment? they are utterly consumed with terrors.  
20. As a dream when one awaketh: so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.  
In the third place, finding himself not yet satisfied, he consulteth the Oracle of God, revealed in his Scripture and ordinances of his house, and so he findeth his doubt resolved, and victory over his bitter tentation granted unto him. Whence learn, 1. When a man doth see himself in a mist, and out of the Lords way, he is not able by himself to find it again; for the strongest of humane testimonies will not settle him and make him quiet; When I thought to know this, it was too painful. 2. The last refuge of brangled faith, is God himself manifesting his will in his Word and Ordinances; no settling or satisfaction of doubts in Divinity, but by the Scriptures; It was too painful for me, until I went into the Sanctuary of God; that is, till I consulted the Scriptures, and considered what God had revealed in his Church by his Ordinances; this did satisfy and settle him. 3. The Lord hath revealed in Scripture what shall be the end and close of men's course, who study not to walk according to his direction, how prosperous soever they may seem to be: and because the felicity of men is not to be known by God's outward dispensation of worldly comforts or crosses, therefore the man's end must put the difference; Then understood I their end. 4. Whatsoever alterations and changes the godly man be subject unto in his temporal condition, bodily or spiritual, yet his felicity is settled unto him on the rock but 〈◊〉 felicity of the wicked is builded on the sand; the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are lifted up in that felicity earthly, which only they do affect, the more near are they to a fall and fearful ruin: Thou hast set them upon slippery places. 5. Whatsoever may seem to the wicked themselves, or to the world, or to the godly who look upon the wicked, how little appearance soever there be of their fall; yet it is decreed it shall be; for notwithstanding of all appearance it is said, Surely thou hast set them in slippery places. 6. As the wicked do not arise unto any greatness or power in the world by themselves, but the Lord is he that setteth them up for his own glory; so they do not fall of their own accord, but the Lord doth cast them down: beside their own weight, they have the throw of the right hand of the Lord, who showeth his power in their overthrow, and doth drive them to more deaths than one; Thou castest them down into destruction. 7. The wicked perish suddenly, when neither they themselves nor others are looking for their ruin, in a way much more wonderful than their lifting up was; They are destroyed, how are they brought into desolation, as in a moment? 8. The destruction of the wicked is full of terror; how senselessly soever some of them go away, all their riches, honour and prosperity is pulled from them, and in great wrath they are sent out of the world, never to see any token of favour again; they are adjudged to irrecoverable perdition of soul and body for ever: They are utterly consumed with terrors. 9 When the wicked are flourishing in wealth, ease and honour, men do think that God is as it were sleeping; but the truth is, both the wicked themselves, and all who look upon them, and do judge them to be happy, are in a dream, as they shall see when the Lords time is come to execute judgement on them; for then all their riches, honour, pleasure and contentment shall be found nothing but a despicable picture of these things; As a dream when one awaketh: so, O Lord, when thou awakest, thou shalt despise their image.   

Ver. 21. Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins.  
22. So foolish was I and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.  
In the fourth place, he maketh a six-fold use of this experience. The first is this, that by it he is taught how weak and foolish he is in himself, and how unable so stand in time of trial and tentation. Whence learn, 1. Hardly will a man discern a powerful tentat●… 〈◊〉 is under it. The best sight to be had of the danger o●… 〈◊〉 is, when it is overcome and gone and look how well p●…ed a man is, when the tentation is beautified with specious col●… of carnal reason, so much will he be displeased with it, when it is seen, and discerned by spiritual light, as here we see in the Psalmists experience. 2, Much trouble do we bring to our own spirits, when we examine Gods dispensations by carnal reason, and not by the Scripture; and we may thank ourselves for the misery which we draw upon ourselves, as here the Psalmist doth; Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. 3. So soon as the godly can perceive rheir own error, they will no longer maintain it, and no man will more shatply censure them for their fault than they will do themselves: This is a part of their up rightness, and ingenuous honesty of heart; So foolish was I and ignorant. 4. The sin of envy, and malcontent with Gods afflicting of us, and sparing of the wicked, hath its own judgement bound upon the back of it: for as a soure-leavened vessel, turneth all things put into it unto sourness, so doth envy of the prosperity of others make all the good that the Lord doth to ourselves, uncomfortable, and unpleasant unto us: for the Word My heart was grieved; is in the force of the original, My heart was embittered, made sour, and leavened. 5. Perplexity of mind, rising upon the mistaking of God's providence, is like the pain of the gravel in the reins, very troublesome till we be rid of it; I was pricked in my reins, is a similitude borrowed from the bodily pain of the gravel. 6. Carnal reason not corrected by God's Word, is beastly ignorance: it may bear some show of reason among foolish men, but indeed it is nothing before God, but brutish folly; I was as a beast before thee.   

Ver. 23. Nevertheless, I am continually with thee: thou hast holden me by my right hand.  
The second use of thi●… exercise, is the acknowledgmen●… that hi●…●…nding in grace, and God's obedience, depended only upon the Lord, by whose powerful sustaining of him he was kept from being utterly overcome by the tentations of Satan, and from falling from the way of God by the tentation. Whence learn, 1. The ●…verance of the Saints is not of themselves, but of the Lord, who doth not forsake them, when they of themselves are ready to forsake him, but by his power secretly uphold them, and keep them fast to himself: This doth the Psalmist here acknowledge; Nevertheless I am continually with thee. 2. ●…hen we have gotten proof of our own folly, and weakn●… 〈◊〉 deserving, then do we most clearly see and confes●… 〈◊〉 ●…e and power in preserving of us: Thou hast holden me by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hand.   

Ver. 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.  
The third use is the confirmation of his faith and hope in God for time to come. Whence learn, 1. The Believer, how sensible soever he be of his own weakness, may be persuaded of his own perseverance, by looking on God's constancy, and felt experience of his work of grace in him in time past; Thou wilt g●… me with thy counsel, etc. 2. There is an unseparable connexion between walking by God's direction in the time of this life, and our receiving into heaven after this life: and he who is resolved to walk by the rule of God's direction, may promise to himself to be received into glory immediately after his journey in this life is ended; Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 3. Albeit the Believer may meet with many doubts and disficulties in his way, yet hath he a guide to direct him, and a rule to walk by, to wit, the Word of God revealed in the Church or Sanctuary, whereby he may be advised effectually how to walk on his way to heaven: Thou wilt guide me with ●…hy counsel.   

Ver. 25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.  
26. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.  
The fourth use of this exercise is, the settling of his affection and confidence on God, as the matter of his satisfactory cont●…ntment, and upholding, when all creatures failed him. Whence learn, 1. As nothing can give true contentment, excep●… God: so God will have us to lose our heart from all creatures, and expect no contentment in any of them, but in himself; Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none on earth whom I desir●… besides thee. 2. He that seeth God's sufficiency, seeth also t●… emptiness of the creatures, and nothing to be in them, but wh●… they have of God. A Believer may see that he needeth nothing in heaven or ●…th, but communion with God, to make him fully blessed; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I in heaven but thee, and there is none 〈◊〉 earth that I d●… 〈◊〉 thee. 3. As to find all things to fai●… us, except God, in the time of trial, doth serve to lose our affections and confide●…e off them: so to find help in God when all things do fail, serveth to tic the hear of a Believer strongly to the Lord; My heart and my flesh faileth me, but God is the strength of my hea●…t. 〈◊〉 4. When the Believer hath seen his own strength fail him, and yet not the less doth believe in God, he shall find his sailing heart and fainting courage upholden, and his own exhausted strength supplied with a greater strength from God: My heart and my flesh fail me, but God is the strength of ●…y heart. 5. Every man seeketh something for his portion▪ some one thing in the creature, some another, but the believers portion is the Lord himself, and no less will content him: The Lord is the strength of my heart, and my portion. 6. This is the Believers advantage above all that do seek their blessedness in the creature; for his portion is the eternal God, and he is made an everlasting enjoyer of him: God is my portion for ever.   

Ver. 27. For lo, they that are far from thee, shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.  
The fifth use, is his resolution to draw nearer unto God: the reasons of which resolution are two; one, because they perish, who do not draw near to God: ver. 27. The other is great advant●…ge is to be had by drawing near to him, ver. 28. Whence lea●…n, 1. The Lord's child doth profit by hardest exercises, and h●… tentations being resisted by faith, do leave him in better case than they did find him: his knowledge of God's ways, his faith, his love to God, and hatred of wicked courses are augmented, as in this example is to be seen. 2. They whose confidence, ●…ffections, course of life and actions do run toward, and cleave unto the creature, do depar●… from God more and more; for here they are said to be f●…rre from God: and they that depart from God, do draw near to eternal perdition: They that are far from thee, shall p●…rish. And howsoever this truth be not believed, yet it is as sure and certain, as if it were seen with our eyes; For ●…o, they that are far from thee, shall perish. 3. A chaste soul ●…ath no choice, no love, to delight itself in contentedly, except God: no confidence to rest itself upon, but God. And whosoever do seek their delight and satisfaction in the creature, especially if they be members of the visible Church, in Cove●…ant with God, they are adulterers: They go a whoring from God: and they shall not find felicity in the creatures; but perdition no less certainly, then if it were already past: Thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.   

Ver. 28. But it is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.  
In this verse, he giveth the other reason of his adherence unto God, from the advantage he findeth by so doing, and closeth the Psalm with the sixth use of his experience, which is the fixing of his faith on God, that his experiences may be more and more frequent, and he may be a fitter instrument to glorify God. Whence learn, 1. The right use of the perishing of the wicked, is to be more holy, and to seek nearer communion with God, as our only blessedness, how many soever depart from him: They shall perish who are far from thee, but it is good for me to draw near to God. 2. No man is so near in communion with God in this life, but there is a further degree to be aimed at, and possibly to be found; as there are degrees of departing from God, so also degrees of coming near unto him; and the better for us, the nearer we draw: It is good for me to draw ne●… to God. 3. The use of all assaults against our faith, is more and more to fix our ●…ith and confidence on God; for this is the use the Psalmist do●…h make of the assault spoken of in this Psalm: I have put my trust in the Lord God. 4. None but a Believer can discern the Lord▪ working, it is only faith that giveth a right construction unto all the Lords works, only faith makes men fit instruments to glorify God; I 〈◊〉 put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works. 5. As the Believer is the best observer of God's work●… and sittest to set them forth before others; so he is the man of greatest experience; and he of all men is filled with most matter of God's praise: for the Lord never disappoints the believer, but makes him ●…ave new proofs of his wonderful wisdom, power, and goodness; so doth the Psalmist lay his reckoning: I have put 〈◊〉 trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.    

PSAL. LXXIV. Maschil of Asaph.  
OF this Psalm there are three parts. In the first the pitiful lamentation of the Church presented unto God, because of the destruction of jerusalem, and burning of the Temple by the Chaldeans, to ver. 11. In the next is the strengthening of the saith and hope of God's people, that God would send a delivery, to ver. 18. In the third, there are sundry petitions for relief of his people, restitution of his own work, and suppression of his enemies, to the end of the Psalm.  

Ver. 1. O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever? why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture?  
2. Remember thy congregation which thou hast purchased of old, the rod of thine inheritance which thou hast redeemed, this monnt Zion, wherein thou hast dwelled.  
In the first part of the Psalm there is a lamentation and prayer for relief in general, ver. 1, 2. Secondly, a complaint against the enemy, laying forth before God the desolation which the Chaldeans had made, especially in destroying the Temple, ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 And thirdly, a prayer unto God for vengeance upon them for their pains, ver. 10, 11.  
From the lamentation and prayer for relief in general, Lear●…, 1. In all judgements inflicted by whatsoever instruments, the Lords people must look first to God; and albeit wrath, and f●…r of utter wrath do stare them in the face, as hardly it can be otherways when God putteth hand in his own Temple, and taketh away all the tokens of his presence from among a people, and seemeth to cast them utterly oft; yet must they make their address to God, how angry soever he seem to be; as here the Church under this sad judgement doth, saying, O God, why hast thou cast u●…. off? 2. In the point of casting off, and fear of casting off for ever, the Lord craveth no yielding or submission to the pressing thoughts thereof, but will allow us to call in question every appearance of any such purpose of God, and to debate that point with him, and not to endure utter casting off, yea and to say, Why hast thou cast us off for ever? whether it be our own particular case, or the case of the visible Church, ours and others case with us, who cannot endure to be separate from God, 3. When the wrath of the Lord is kindled against his people, all that they do see, doth seem to be but the beginning of more wrath, as smoke is but the beginning of burning: Why doth thine anger smoke against thy sheep? 4. Albeit we by our sins have provoked the Lord to fall upon us, as 〈◊〉 enemies; yet must we not quit the least relation, no not of 〈◊〉 external Covenant, between God and us, but make use of it for supporting of our faith in him, as here; Why doth thine anger smoke against the sheep of thy pasture? that is, thy Church and people, the care of whom, thou hast taken, as a shepherd over his flock. 5. The Believers ask, Why? is no quarrelling; nor is any speech of the Saint●… unto God, a quarrelling, which endeth or resolveth in petition and supplication, as this doth wherein after their ask, Why? they turn themselves to supplication, and do pray, Remember thy congregation. 6. Let the Lord do to his people what he pleaseth, they must pray unto him, and make use of all the b●…nds between him and them, as here the Church doth, pleading, 1. That they are by outward Covenant his Church, consecrated unto him; Remember thy congregation. And 2. That they are his purchase by paying price, and conquest: Thy congregation which thou hast purchased. And 3. That they have been in his possession for a long time; Which thou hast purchased of old. And 4. That the Lord had taken them into manuring, as a piece of land measured out by line or rod, and his inheritance not to dispose, or put away: The rod of thine inheritance. And 5. That he had granted deliverances out of straits before; The inheritance which thou hast redeemed. And 6. That he had taken up house amongst them in his public ordinances: This mount Sio●… wherein thou hast dwelled.   

Ver. 3. Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations: even all that the enemy hath done wickedly in the sanctuary.  
4. Thine enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations: they set up their ensigns for signs.  
5. A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees.  
6. But now they break down the carved work thereof at once with axes and hammers.  
7. They have cast fire into thy sanctuary, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy Name to the ground.  
8. They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them together: they have burnt up all the synagogues of God in the land.  
9 We see no●… our signs, there is no more any prophet, neither is there among us any that knoweth how long.  
In the complaint he desireth the Lord to come and see, and to take order with the desolation made by the enemies in his land, and specially in the Temple, ver. 3. What insolent domineering of them was over his people, yea over God himself, so far as their listed up banner against him could do, ver. 4. Each of them thinking it as great matter of commendation to them, to throw down the Temple, as ever it was for any man to build it, or prepare materials for it, ver. 5, 6. How they had burnt and demolished the Lords house, ver. 7. with a resolution to root out his people, according as they had burnt all their Synagogues in the land, ver. 8. And how there was no appearance of comfort or delivery from this calamity, ver. 9 Whence learn, 1. All the evils which the enemy doth unto God's Church, proceed from the Lords desertion of, and departing from his people, who have provoked him to wrath; for this prayer, Lift up thy feet, or come and see, doth import his departure, and leaving his people naked without his protection. 2. Albeit the Lord doth seem to turn his back, & depart far away from his own people, when they do provoke him to anger, and to let their enemies do unto them, what they please; yet will he be entreated by his people to come again, and see, and pity the desolation brought upon them, and punish the instruments of it; Lift up thy feet unto the perpetual desolations: that is, Lord, come speedily, and see what desolations thy enemies have made amongst us, and pity and relieve us by thy manifested presence. 3. Among all the calamities of God's people, nothing doth afflict them so much, as the ●…nsolent profa●…ation of the worship and Name of God among them; for here in the first petition, they lament the abusing of the Temple, Even all that the enemies have done wickedly in the Sanctuary; and then do insist most upon this. 4. When the wicked are le●… lose upon God's people, they are most insolent, cruel and savage in their carriage toward them; Thy enemies roar in the midst of thy congregations. 5. It will not suffice the enemies of the Church to insult over God's people, but they will insult over their way of religion, and over God whom they worship; They set up their ensigns for signs; they display their banner upon the ruins of the Temple, as signs of their victory over that religion which is professed there, and over God's worship there▪ 6. When God's people do abuse religion, and do mock God in their profession of worship, and do dishonour him by their carriage and conversation; it is justice with God to give over his people, and all the means of religion into the hands of his enemies, to be abused by them, rather than to suffer his own people to mock him continually, as in this example is to be seen. 7. It is a matter of a man's commendation, to contribute any way to the setting up of God's worship and ordinances in a land; A man was famous according as he had lifted up axes upon the thick trees: that is, as he had cut down timber out of Lebanon Wood, to build the Lords Temple withal. 8. When the Lord is provoked by his people's evil carriage towards him, no wonder he let the work of edification or reformation of religion go as fast down amongst them, as ever it rose up, as the Church of the Jews did feel by experience, when now the enemies did break down the carved work of the Temple at once, with axes and hammers, much more speedily than it was builded; They have cast fire into the Sanctua●…y, they have defiled by casting down the dwelling place of thy Name to the ground. This the Lord choosed to permit, rather than to suffer his people still to mock religion, and still to abuse the Temple, and make it a shelter for them to trust in against all Gods threatenings, so long as it did stand. 9 Albeit the Lords mind be only to correct his people, by letting them see their provocation in the judgements brought upon them: yet the enemies whom he useth as instruments in their correction, do mind their utter destruction, and the rooting of them out of the world: They said in their hearts, Let us destroy them. 10. When the enemies of religion cannot kill all the worshippers of God, yet will they labour to mar the means of their assembling for public worship, so far as they can: for after they have said, Let us destroy them together, it is subjoined, They have burnt up all the Synagogues of God in the land: that is, all the houses built for the weekly assembling of the people unto public worship, in their several divisions, through the land. 11. Houses built for meeting of the Lords people to public worship, albeit they be not typically holy, as the Temple of jerusalem was; yet do they belong to God, as means dedicate for maintaining his service, and when they are marred, it is a wrong done to God, and a cause of complaint to God against the sacrilegious spoilers thereof, as here we see. 12. External troubles are much lighter, when the public ordinances and signs of God's presence in a land may be had for spiritual comfort; but when those are removed, every trouble is the more heavy: We see not our fignes, there is no more any Prophet, ne●…ther any among us, that knoweth how long: that is, public means, ordinary and extraordinary, which may give us comfort, do now cease. If it be asked, how can this be applied unto the time of the captivity, seeing jeremy, Ezekiel, Daniel, and the Prophet who did write this Psalm by inspiration, were living at the beginning of the captivity, and after the burning of the Temple? It may be answered, that jeremy was carried away ●…o Egypt, and the people could not have use of his ministry; Ezekiel and Daniel were carried away to Babylon, and the poor which remained in the land had none of the Prophets to comfort them; yea Ezekiel and Daniel were but now and then employed of God to utter their prophecies, and the multitude of the captives, who were to make use of this Psalm, were scattered in sundry places, and could not have the benefit of their or of any others ministry, as they were wont to have; and this in special maketh the jamentation to have a ground, that the table was drawn from the children: the people had not that access, which they enjoyed before▪ unto means either extraordinary or ordinary; they had not their former allowance; and howsoever in the copies of jeremiahs' prophecy, 70. years was determined for the people's captivity, yet none of the Prophets at the time of writing this, told, or could tell them, how long time should pass before their dissolution should be repaired; how long it should be ere the Temple should be builded again; and the Prophet, by whom this Psalm was indicted, had no further commission than he speaketh of; and so these foresaid expressions, may stand with the time of the beginning of the captivity of Babylon.   

Ver. 10. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever?  
11. Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right band? pluck it out of thy bosom.  
After the lamentation is subjoined an imprecation against the enemies, that God would not defer to punish them. Whence learn, 1. men's patience is much short of God's long-suffering and forbearance; for here it is the speech of a suffering people: O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? when with God it is not yet time to fall upon them. 2. The Lords long-suffering patience doth greatly harden the adversaries in their insolent mocking of God's people; for instead of saying, Lord, how long wilt thou bear with them? he saith, O God, how long shall the adversaries reproach? 3. The truly godly can endure their own troubles better than they can bear the open dishonouring and blaspheming of God, by occasion of their trouble: Therrfore this expression, from the deepest sense of his heart, doth break forth, Shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever? 4. Albeit tentations from carnal sense do represent God as if he were idle when he suffers his enemies to trample on his people, and on his glorious Name; yet faith will not admit of such a thought, but dealeth with God by prayer, to let his strength and power be so manifest, that the world may not think his hand is in his bosom; Why withdrawest thou thy hand, even thy right band? pluck it out of thy bosom. This he believeth the Lord shall do, and giveth reasons for his hope, in that which followeth.   

Ver. 12. For God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.  
13. Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength: thou brakest the heads of the Dragons in the waters.  
14. Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the ●…ople inhabiting the wilderness.  
15. Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood: thou driedst up mighty rivers.  
16. The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the sun.  
17. Thou hast set all the borders of the earth, thou hast made summer and winter.  
In the second part of the Psalm, the Psalmist doth confirm his own and other believers saith that God would undoubtedly deliver his people, and take order with their enemies; First, from the interest they have in God, and God in them. Secondly, from the experience of sensible deliveries passed of his people, ver. 12. Thirdly, from the great work of redemption of his people from Pharaohs tyranny. ver. 13, 14. Fourthly, from the Lords seeding his people in the wilderness, ver. 15. Fifthly, from the Lords sovereignty, and disposing of all creatures in the world, ver. 16, 17. Whence learn, 1. Relations between God and his Church, and in special this, that he hath made himself King thereof, are pawns of Gods defending his Kingdom and injured subjects, and punishing of his enemies; for here the Church giveth it for a reason of their hope of delivery; God is my King. 2. The more time is passed since God did avow himself King of his Church, the more confident may later generations of the Church be to find new evidences of his royal actions for them, and against their enemies; God is my King of old. 3. New troubles must not make us forget old mercies, but rather call them to memory, to be made use of afresh as pledges that what he hath done before, he will do the like again; God is my King of old, working salvation in the earth: that is, such deliverances of his Church, as all the earth was witness of. 4. The delivery of Israel out of Egypt, and the destruction of the Egyptians, is a pawn unto the Church in every age after, that God will destroy their enemies how strong and terrible soever they be, and will deliver his Church: Thou didst divide the sea by thy strength, thou brakest the heads of the Dragons in the waters. 5. As all the enemies of the Church are no less cruel and savage against the Lord's people, then unreasonable Sea-beasts, and Sea-monsters: so can he make their carcases a prey to unreasonable beasts, as he made Pharaoh and his Captains to become food to the beasts of the wilderness, when the Sea did cast up their carcases on the sho●…e, like sea-wrecked; Thou brakest the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and gavest him to be meat to the people inhabiting the wilderness. 6. The Lord will not fail to provide consolation to his Church in her necessity, though no probable means do appear, as he furnished his people drink from the flinty rock in the wilderness: Thou didst cleave the fountain. 7. The Lord can and will remove all difficulties and impediments out of the way of his people, which may hinder them from the possession of promises, as he did to Israel: Thou didst cleave the fountain and the flood, thou driedst up mighty rivers. 8. Faith is so thrifty, as not to let the works of creation, and common providence pass by, without use-making thereof: The day is thine, the night also is thine, etc. 9 As God hath appointed vicissitudes of day and night, light and darkness, summer and winter; so hath he no less resolvedly, wisely, and graciously appointed vicissitudes of dangers and deliverances, of grief and consolation to his people, for their good: The day is thine, the night also is thine: thou hast prepared the light and the Sun. 10. As the Lord hath set bounds to the sea, bounds and borders to every Kingdom, to summer's heat, and to winter's cold: so can he do, and so hath he done, and so will he do unto all the troubles of his own, to all the rage, power, plots and purposes of their enemies: Thou hast set all the borders of the earth, thou hast made summer and winter,   

Ver. 18. Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord, and that the foolish people have blasphemed thy Name.  
19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.  
20. Have respect unto the covenant: for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.  
21. O let not the oppressed return ashamed: let the poor and needy praise thy Name.  
22. Arise, O God, plead thine own cause: remember bow the foolish man reproacheth thee daily.  
23. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee, increaseth continally.  
In the third part of the Psalm, he returneth to prayer, and redoubleth his requests for delivery to the Church, taking arguments; Frst, from the injuries done to God by the enemy, ver. 18. Secondly, from the danger and weakness of God's people, ver. 19 Thirdly, from covenanted help in time of need, ver. 20. Fourthly, from the Lords interest in his own quarrel against the growing insolency of his despightful enemies, ver. 22, 23. Whence learn, 1. Although sins, especially persecution of God's people, and blasphemy against God, be not presently punished, yet shall they not be forgiven: Remember this, that the enemy hath reproached, O Lord. 2. All sins, but in special blasphemy of God's Name, are aggravated by the naughtiness of the sinner, and excellency of God: The foolish people have blasphemed thy Name. 3. The Church of God, in comparison of her many and strong enemies, is like a solitary, weak, desolate turtle-dove, harmless, meek, lowly, patient in desolation, and easing her grief by sighing, and exposed to a multitude of ravenous birds; O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-dove. 4. How weak soever the Church be, and how many and strong soever the enemies be, yet cannot they all devour the Church, except the Lord should deliver his Church over into their hands, against which evil the Church hath ground of confidence to pray, O deliver not the soul of thy turtle-love unto the multitude of the wicked; for he hath given his Church wings, and a hiding place too, as the comparison importeth, if he please to give her the use thereof also. 5. The Church is the Lords hospital, where his poor ones are sustained upon his provision and furniture, and he will not neglect them; O forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever. 6. Albeit the Lords people deserve to be secl●…d many times from the Covenant of grace, yet the Lord will never debare them from their right unto it, when they in their need draw near to him, and plead for the benefit of it: Have respect, (saith he) to the Covenant. 7. Such places as want the light of the Lords presence in his Ordinances, are but dark and uncomfortable places, where there is no less hazard for the people of God to remain, then for sheep to be in the midst of the dens of cruel lions and ravenous beasts: And when it pleaseth God to cast his people by captivity or exile in such places, there is much need to make use of God's Covenant for preservation: Have respect unto the Covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty. 8. The emptied supplicant coming to God, especially when overladen with troubles, shall find comfort, and shall not be disappointed of his hope; O let not the oppressed return ashamed. 9 The sense of need and emptiness, is the best disposition for prayer, and best preparation for praises also: and such as are poor in their prayers, shall be rich in their praises; Let the poor and needy praise thy Name. 10. The Church's cause is the Lords cause; for the wicked do not malign the godly for their sins, but for righteousness, and so the quarrel is the Lords, which he will and must maintain, though he seem to sit still a while: Arise, O Lord, plead thine own cause. 11. The Lords enemies are all foolish men; for they beat out their brains upon the Church's bulwark; because the Lord forbeareth for a time, they go on to blaspheme him daily to his face, but shall find at length that God hath all their reproaches upon record: Remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. 12. Every sin, and in special enmity against God and his Church is fearful; but open gloriation therein is worse, which God will take knowledge of, and punish: for so much is imported in this prayer, forget not the voice of thine enemies. 13. Sin, and in special persecution gloried in, doth grow daily more and more; and the growing of sin, and in special of persecution, doth hasten the delivery of the godly, and the destruction of the enemies: The tumult of those that arise against thee, increaseth continually.    

PSAL. LXXV. To the chief Musician Al-taschith. A Psalm or Song of Asaph.  
THis Psalm doth well agree with the time of David's entry into the Kingdom after Saul's death, before he was established King over all the tribes, wherein he with the Church; First, doth thank God for bringing him wonderfully to a begun possession of a part of the Kingdom, ver. 1. Secondly, he promiseth, that when the Lord shall give him the rest of the Kingdom in possession, to employ his power for righteous governing and settling of it, after it shall be put once in a right frame, ver. 2, 3. Thirdly, he begins to triumph over the wicked that followed Saul, bringing to their mind the advertisement he had given them, not to be proud in their places, ver. 4, 5. partly, because God had the disposing of preferments in his own hand, ver. 6, 7. and partly, because albeit God gave to all his own children a taste of troubles, as he saw fit, yet the dregs of wrath were reserved for the wicked, ver 8. Fourthly, he promiseth to praise God continually, for casting down the wicked, and exalting of the godly, ver. 9, 10.  

Ver. 1. Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks; for that thy Name is near, thy wondrous works declare.  
From his thanksgiving; Learn, 1. The Church of God should take out of his hand every beginning of mercies and deliverances with affectionate and frequent thanksgiving: Unto thee, O Lord, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks. 2. As the Lord is described in his Word; so will he be found in his works, to wit, near at hand, and ready to help his people as they stand in need; We do give thanks, because thy Name is near; for this is the nearness of God's Name, when his powerful, gracious felt presence is answerable to what is said of him in his Word. 3. Whensoever the Lord doth show himself for his Church's comfort, he doth it in some wonderful means, in one respect or other, that is, a far other way then any could have expected; That thy Name is near, thy wondrous works declare.   

Ver. 2. When I shall receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly.  
3. The earth, and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved; I be are up the pillars of it. Selah.  
From David's undertaking to govern the Kingdom well, when it came all in his power; Learn, 1. Possession in part of promises made to us, doth give good hope to have the whole of what is promised in possession also; for, When I shall receive the Congregation, presupposeth his certain hope and expectation to have it. 2. He that is advanced to a civil Kingdom, consisting of people in Covenant with God, he hath gotten charge to nourish the Church, and to procure whatsoever a King civilly can procure to a Church, that his subjects may be all of them God's Church; therefore David saith not, When I receive the Kingdom, but when I receive the Congregation, or the Church. 3. Foresight of a charge, whereunto a man is likely to be called, should make him prepare himself, and resolve beforehand for doing the duties of that calling, as David did before he was possessed in the Kingdom, When I shall receive the Congregation, I shall judge uprightly. 4. When a land is destitute of godly and gracious Governors, the whole country is left loose, both in the matter of Religion, and of civil Justice, as was seen in Saul's time before David was settled; The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved. 5. Kingdoms and Commonwealths have their pillars whereupon they should stand, to wit, religious and righteous government; for, I will judge uprightly, in the second verse, is as good as, I will hear up the pillars thereof, in the third verse. 6. Those that mind the reformation of a land, should be sensible of the desolation of it, and have not only will, but also skill and place of power to 〈◊〉 matters in a right frame, as here the Psalmist, after saying, The land and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved, addeth, I bear up, or shall bear up the pillars of it. And here, whatsoever David speaketh or could say, was but a shadow of what is to be found in Christ, of whom he is a type: For the Kingdom and Country is ill guided, where Christ doth not reign; but wh●… people do subject themselves to him, he sets the Kingdom o●… Country upon true pillars, and sustaineth all by his power.   

Ver. 4. I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly and to the wicked, Lift not up the horn.  
5. Lift not up your horn on high: speak not with a stiff neck.  
In the third place, he calleth to mind his own prophecy of the change of affairs, and advertisement given by him before to his adversaries, not to behave themselves so insolently as they did. Whence learn, 1. Even in time of trouble, the godly, by the light of God's Word, may be enabled to foresee and prophesy of the overturning of the wicked from the top of their preferment. I said unto the fools, Deal not so foolishly, saith the Psalmi. 2. When the prophecy u●…ed according to God's Word, is like to take effect, it is no small comfort for believers to call to remembrance acts of their believing beforehand, what they do see in their own time; I said to the foolish, Deal not so foolishly, is a sort of triumph over his enemies here. 3. Such as are acquaint●…d with true wisdom, do justly account all wicked men to be fools, forsakers of Gods teaching, and followers of their own wit and will, to the ruin of their own bodies, souls, houses and same; I said unto the fools. 4. The fruit of a wicked man's prosperity is pride, vainglory, audacious boasting against the godly, wherein they grow more and more insolent against all warnings of God's Word, as this reproof importeth; Deal n●… foolishly, lift not up the horn: list it not on high, speak not with a stiff neck.   

Ver. 6. For promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South.  
7. But God is the judge, he putteth down one, and setteth up another.  
From the first reason of his admonition unto the wicked, Learn, 1. As the cause of men's pride in a wicked course, is t●… forgetting of God, and of his government in the world on the one hand, and a strong con●… of their own ability, to co●… 〈◊〉 designs by their own w●…, power and industry o●… the 〈◊〉 the●… hand: so the way of wisdom to remedy the evil, is to consider that God doth govern the world, and that men are nothing but what he pleaseth to make of them; Promotion cometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South: that is, howsoever, or from whence soever preferment to places of power in the world seemeth to come, yet the disposing of places is from a higher hand. 2. Places of power and preferment are disposed of only by the wise and righteous pleasure, and determination of the supreme Ruler of the world; But God is judge. He opposeth God the Judge his determination unto all the appearances from second causes. 3. As God hath a mind for the glory of his grace, to try, or to correct, or to comfort and employ some men in his service, so he putteth them down, or setteth them up, and as he hath a mind to have the glory of his justice on other some, so he setteth them up, or putteth them down; God is judge, he putteth down one, and setteth up another.   

Ver. 8. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red: it is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.  
From the second reason of the admonition given to the wicked; Learn, 1. As the Lord doth wisely distribute his benefits and temporal comforts among men, to testify his goodness to his creatures: so also afflictions and calamities are measured our by him unto men, to testify his justice and indignation against sin; For in the hand of the Lord is a Cup; that i●… a measure of affliction proportioned unto them, for whom it is prepared. 2. This measure of affliction ordained for each man, is prepared for the time appointed, like drink, ready for the mouth of him to whose head the cup shall be put; it is a cup with wine in it, in God's hand, ready to be set to any man's head be pleaseth. 3. The affliction is like strong wine, quietly piercing through all the man's veins who drinketh it, and cleaving fast unto him; The wine is red. 4. The Lord hath as it were ●…oth hot and cooling waters, whereby he doth mitigate the Cup 〈◊〉 calamities to some, and increaseth the sense of his fiery in●…nation unto others; It is full of mixture: or it is perfectly mixed, as the case requireth. 5. What is each man's measure of calamities, how mixed when it is executed, all is in God's dispensation; He poureth forth of the same into the mouth and ●…lly of every person, as he pleaseth. 6. The calamities of the wicked, do follow ofttimes alter that the godly have drunk the first draughts of the Lords Cup; It is toward the bottom and dr●…ga when the wicked drink; the hottest wrath, and heaviest indignation is reserved for them, and none of them shall escape, how long soever their judgement shall be delayed; But the dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall drink. 7. The wicked shall be no less accessary to the drawing on of their own calamities, than he that wringeth the dregs, to draw out more liquor for himself to drink, is accessary to his own drunkenness and damage; The dregs thereof all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them; their vanity, pride, greediness, lust, ambition, envy, and pleasant courses of sinning, wherein they delight themselves, while they are drinking in iniquity as an ox doth water, shall be their destruction, as in the point of merit, so also in the point of means of their own overthrow.   

Ver. 9 But I will declare for ever, I will sing praises to the God of jacob.  
10. All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.  
In the last place, he promiseth to make this holy and wise dispensation of justice upon the wicked, and mercy toward the godly, the matter of his song in God's praise. Whence learn, 1. However matters seem to go, how deep soever the godly drink of the cup of calamities, yet the believers in God shall ever have matter of joy in God, and praising of him: But I will declare for ever, (saith the Psalmist) I will sing praises to the God of jacob; yea sanctified affliction shall be a part of their joy and their praising of God. 2. It doth delight the godly to be in the same Covenanr, and of the same faith with those that are commended by God in the Scripture; I will sing praises, (saith he) to the God of Jacob. 3. As a sincere heart doth resolve, never to weary in God's service, so may it be assured never to want matter of great joy in God's service, for 〈◊〉 he hath said; I will declare for ever: then he addeth, I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. 4. It is the Magistrates part, as they have authority in their supreme or subordinate places, to cut short the power of wicked men; All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off, saith David; which promise he did not cease to execute, by turning every man indifferently, whom he did not judge to be regenerate, out of his place; but by taking course how every man, whom he found in place, should be bound to apply his power for the good of Religion and Justice, as the history of Scripture doth show; and by this means especially did David reform the Church of Israel; and this was the way of his true policy, to cut off all the horns of the wicked, not to kill, or banish, or forfeit, or put from all place of power and trust, all those leading men, who did oppose and malign him under King Saul; but by causing them all to concur with him to set up true Religion, and bring up the Ark to Mount Zion, and to administer justice unto the subjects in their several places. Thus by binding all men to Religion and Justice, and ordaining that wickedness should have no horn or power for it, but all bound to be against it; He cut off all the horns of the wicked; And because the civil Magistrate or Ecclesiastical Governors are able to do in their Courts externally not so much as were need, the real effecting of what here is undertaken by David belongeth to the Antitype Christ; for he only can say, and make his words good; All the horns of the wicked will I cut off. 5. The godly shall be victorious over all their wicked opposers, and righteousness shall bear them better out, and shall purchase more help and power unto them, than any course the wicked do take to have their power established against them; The horns of the righteous shall be exalted.    

PSAL. LXXVI. To the chief Musician on Neginoth. A Psalm or Song of Asaph.  
THis is a Psalm of praise, given forth upon occasion of some great deliverance of the Church, such as was that when Sennacheribs host was destroyed, or some other like overthrow given to the enemy.  
The sum of the Psalm is this, the Lord is glorious in hi●… Church, and greatly to be praised by his people, set down, ver. 1, 2. The reasons given for this are six; the first, ver. 3. the second, ver. 4. the third, ver. 5, 6. the fourth, ver. 7. the fi●… ver. 8, 9 the sixth, ver. 10. the use whereof, with a reason for it, is set down, ver. 11, 12.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. The visible Church ha●… need to be stir●…ed up to the work of thanksgiving unto, and praising of God, no less then to any other duty; for this duty is 〈◊〉 less needful, no less spiritual, no less difficult and disagreei●… with our carn●…l and corrupt natural inclination, than any oth●… duty, an●… usually is more neglected and more slighted than 〈◊〉 point of worship, although frequent occasion and cause be giv●… unto It▪ therefore it is oftenest called for of any. If we comp●… this title w●…th others, this is a Song, 〈◊〉 Psalm, taught to 〈◊〉 Church, to stir her up to the praising of Go●…. 2. God had 〈◊〉 Psalmists, more sweet Singers in Israel then one; David's 〈◊〉 is not prefixed here, and the matter is most suitable to a la●… time than his. 3. We are not to be curious about the Pen●… of Canonic Scripture. The first Author is he, to whom 〈◊〉 must look most and rest upon him: For concerning all 〈◊〉 Hebrew ●…ible, we are taught by Christ and his Apostles th●… 〈◊〉 was all given by inspiration, and that the holy Writers spok●… 〈◊〉 they were moved by the holy Spirit; for here it is not cer●… whether Asaph was the name of the Writer of it, or whe●… Asaph be the name of the order of such of Aaron's posterity, 〈◊〉 were 〈◊〉 unto the Church▪ and had the charge 〈◊〉 the Music, to whom this Psalm was committed for 〈◊〉 Churches use, as many more Psalms in David's time, and ●…ter it also were; A Psalm or Song of Asaph or to Asaph: 〈◊〉 words may bear both alike.  

Ver. 1. IN judah God is known: his Na●… great in Israel.  
2. In Salem also is his Tabernacle: and his dw●…ling place in Zion.  
From the sum and scope of the Psalm s●… down 〈◊〉 Learn, 1. Albeit God be in some sort known in all the 〈◊〉 because of the works of Creation, manifesting some way t●… visible excellencies of God, yet is he most of all made manifest to his visible Church, where his Word doth sound, and his Works are best interpreted; In judah God is known. 2. Where the knowledge of God's Name is most revealed, there should he of duty be most glorified: for albeit Israel many times did not understand, did not acknowledge him, but were more ignorant and neglective of him, than the ox or ass were of their Owners and Master's crib, yet daily among them he manifested his great majesty, and sometime he made them all acknowledge it, and of duty always they should have magnified his majesty, and so his Name is great in Israel. 3. The Lord doth provide always a place, where his Church may visibly profess his Name, and worship him: he will not want a place, where he hath a people in Covenant-bond unto him; In Salem is his Tabernacle. 4. It is a great glory to the place where God is worshipped, for there also doth he make his residence: In Salem also, or jerusalem is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. 5. It is not for the worthiness of any people or place, that the Lord is among them, or manifested there; but it is his own free choice, among whom and where he will reside. The place where the vile Canaanite had been, and the place longest possessed and abused by the Canaanite, will he choose for his chief dwelling; he will turn the Canaanites Salem to be jerusalem: and the strong hold of the Jebusites to be the place of his Temple; therefore, saith he, In Salem, (rather than jerusalem) is his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion.   

Ver. 3. There broke he the arrows of the bow●…, the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Selah.  
The first reason of God's praise is taken from the Lord▪ fight at jerusalem against the enemies of the Church, and discomfiting of them. Whence learn, 1. The greatest overthrow given to armies, will be found in their fight against God; Church: There (in special manner) broke he the arrows of the bow, etc. 2. In the deliverance of the Church the Lord will be seen to do all the work; There broke he the arrows. 3. As there is no means or instrument fit to destroy men which the enemy will not make use of against the Church▪ so there is no weapon form against her which shall prosper, when she doth reli●… on her Lord: There broke be the arrows of the bow, the sh●…ld, and the sword, and the battle.   

Ver. 4. Thou art more glorious and excellent th●… the mountains of prey.  
The second reason of God's praise is, because he is more glorious than all the Kings and Kingdoms of the world, wherein the cruel and beastly raging enemies of his Church have their strength and strong h●…los. Whence learn, 〈◊〉. Those Kingdoms and Powers which do not subject themselves to God or Christ the King of Saints, are to be esteemed of as mountains where wild and ravenous beasts do lie, every one of them according as they are more mighty, oppressing the weaker; for they are called here, Mountains of prey or Powers maintaining all oppression, as mountains give shelter to ravenous beasts which live upon prey. 2. Whatsoever excellency is to be found in the Kingdoms of the world, wherein men do glory, as wisdom, riches, strength, multitude, courage, or what else can be imagined, is all nothing to the matter of gloriation, which the Church hath in God; Thou (saith the Psalmist unto God) art more glorious than the mountains of prey.   

Ver. 5. The stouthearted are spoiled, they have 〈◊〉 their sleep, and none of the men of might have found their hands.  
6. At thy rebuke, O God of jacob, both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep.  
The third reason of God's praise is, because he did evacuate, and make of no use unto the enemy, whatsoever they did put their confidence in. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever strength, courage, wit, or any other point of perfection any man hath, God who gave it, can take it away when he pleaseth; yea, can make it a means of hardening his heart in carnal confidence, to engage him in a business for a mischief to him, that he may lose all whereunto he leaned; The stouthearted are spoiled, they have slept their sleep, and none of the men of might have found their hands; that is, God hath made the courageous and strong to be found feeble and weak, and unable to save their own goods or lives. 2. Albeit the Church hath no strength in herself, yet the Lord can with a word of his mouth do all her work, and defeat her enemier; At thy rebuke, O God of jacob, they are ca●… in a deep sleep. 3. The more powerful, wise and stout the enemies of God's Church be, the more should the Church rely upon God, and the more glory doth the Lord get in overthrowing them; Therefore the stout-heartedmen of might, ch●…ariots and horse are here mentioned.   

Ver. 7. Thou▪ even thou art to be seared; and who may stand in thy sight when once thou art angry?  
The fourth reason of God's praise is, because he is so terrible that none can stand before him when he is angry. Whence learn, 1. When the Lord doth smite the wicked▪ he doth wa●…n his own people to stand in awe; therefore doth the Church make use of what is set down before; Thou, ●…ven th●… art to be feared. 2. Only God is to be feared lest we offend him, and no man's anger is to be feared in comparison of provoking God to anger; Thou, even thou art to be feared; and no regard unto, nor mention of any other to be feared in comparison of him. 3. Man against man may stand, and wicked men in the time of God's patience may stand: but when the time cometh of Gods judging and letting forth his wrath upon his enemies, none can escape his hand; Who may stand in thy sight, when on●…e thou art angry? 4. The terror of the Lord against his ●…oes, is the comfort of his people, and the matter, as of his praise, so of their singing and rejoicing, as here is to be seen.   

Ver. 8. Thou didst cause judgement to be heard from heaven: the earth feared and was still,  
9 When God arose to judgement, to save all the m●…ek of the earth. Sel●…b.  
The fifth reason of God's praise is, from the experience of fearful judgements on God's enemies, when he was about to deliver his people from their oppression. Whence lear●…, 1. Late mercies and deliverances given to the Church, should renew the thankful memory of old deliveries, as here is done 2. When ordinary means and advertisements do not make the Persecutors of the Church to cease, God hath extraordinary judgements from heaven, whereby he will speak unto his adversaries; Thou didst cause judgements to be heard from heaven. 3. If by one sor●… of more mild advertisement or rebuke men cannot be brought in order; by another, and more terrible rebuke they shall be made quiet: Thou didst cause judgement to be heard from heaven; the earth feared and was still. 4. The property of the Lords people is to be so acquainted with afflictions, and so sensible of their own sinfulness; that they do not impatiently fret at God's dispensation, even when they are oppressed by men; but do study submission unto God, and commit their cause to him; therefore are they called The meek of the earth. 5. When the Lords meek ones are in danger to be swallowed ●…p, and destroyed by their oppressors, the Lord, who is the sovereign Judge to decide controversies, and to determine who is in the wrong, albeit he be silent for a while, yet will arise in due time, and speak from heaven by judgements, to the terrifying and silencing of proud oppressors; The earth feared and was still, when God arose to judgement to save all the meek of the earth. 6. When the Lord ariseth to save the meek in one place, and of one generation, it is an evidence and earnest, that he shall arise to save at length all and every one of the meek in every place, in all times after; for his arising for his people, which was now past, is sai●… here to be for to save all the meek of the earth.   

Ver. 10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain.  
The sixth reason of God's praise is, that he shall make the malice of the adversaries of his people to contribute to his glory. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the rage and cruelty of men against the Lords meek ones, may seem for the present to obscure God's glory, and to tend to his dishonour; yet when he hath hu●…bled, tried, purified his own, and done his work in Mount Zion, all the rage of persecutors shall turn to God's glory undoubtedly; Surely the ●…rath of man shall praise thee. 2. When God hath glorified himsel●… in the purging of his Saints, and punishing their pe●…secutors, yet the enmity of the wicked world against God's people will not cease, there will be still, as here is presupposed, a remainder of wrath 3. Let the wrath of the wicked against the godly be never so great, inveterate, lasting and unquenchable, yet it shall vent itself only as the Lord sees fitting: he shall madera●…e the outletting of it, as he seeth expedient for his pe●…ples good; it shall not break out to the destruction of his people; The remainder of wra●…h sha●…t thou restrain.   

Ver. 11. Vow and pay unto the LORD your God, let all that be round about him bring presents unto him that ought to he feared.  
12. He shall cut off the spirit of Princes: he is terrible to the Kings of the earth.  
The use of the former doctrine is, to teach God's people to give unto God that respect and praise which is due to him from them; and to exhort all Nations without the compass of the visible Church to submit themselves unto him, lest he cut off fearfully the chiefest of them. Whence learn, 1. The use of the Lords deliverances of his Church, which the people of God should make, is to call on God in their troubles, engage themselves to glorify him in word and deed for his mercies, and to entertain the conscience of their obligation; Vow and pay unto the Lord. 2. It is not enough to discharge a promised duty to God in outw●…rd formality, as the Philistines made their offering to the Ark of God, but the godly must do what service they do to God, as to their God, reconciled unto them, and in Covenant with them; Vow and pay unto the Lord your God. 3. The Lord is to be feared and honoured of all that are nea●… to him in Covenant or Profession, yea or in vicinity of place unto his people and Church, where the Lord manifesteth himself in his ordinances; Let all that be round about him, bring presents unto him that ought to be feared. 4. How terrible soever the power of Princes and great men seem unto the Lord's people, when they engage themselves and their subjects against the Church; yet ere they bring forth the ripe grapes of their designs and plots against God's people, God can and will cut off their wisdom, courage and lise, as easily as the branches of a Vine-tree; He shall cut off the spirit of Princes. 5. There is greater cause why Princes should be afraid of God, then why God's people should be afraid of Princes: Princes cannot do so much to any one of God's people, as God can do to the highest Princes on earth: God can make their fall great according to the height of their place; he can root them out and their posteriry, not only from all place of power, but also from all being on the earth; he can make them a terror to themselves; he can destroy them soul and body; yea, he useth to do this t●… his adversaries: He is terrible to the Kings of the earth.    

PSAL. LXXVII. To the chief Musician, to jeduthun. A Psalm of Asaph.  
THis Psalm doth express the deep exercise of the Psalmist troubled with the sense of God's displeasure, and how he wrestled under this condition, and had deliverance from it, which is summarily propounded, ver. 1. and made plain more particularly in the rest of the Psalm; for first, he setteth down his trouble of mind, ver. 2, 3, 4. Secondly, his wrestling with the sense of felt wrath, ver. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Thirdly, his begun victory by faith, ver. 10, 11, 12. Fourthly, the settling of his mind by consideration of God's manner of dealing with his Church of old, to the end of the Psalm.  

Ver. 1. I Cried unto God with my voice: even unto God with my voice, and he gave ear unto me.  
In this summary Proposition of his sad exercise of spirit, and of his delivery out of that condition; Leorne, That as there are many troubles whereunto God's children are subject (whereof this is one of the most heavy, to be under the sense of the wrath of God, and fear of final cutting off:) so God hath set down examples of this exercise in some of his dear children, for preparation of those who have not yet been acquainted with the like, and to teach patience, and furnish consolation to those who are under such exercises; for here is one of the Saints telling us, 1. That his own trouble in this kind was so pressing, as it made him cry. 2. And showing the course he took; He cried to God, and did put the whole powers of soul and body to a bensal, in his seeking of God; I cried to God with my voice. And, 3. That he saw there was no remedy for this evil, save God above, to whom he made his address with resolution to hold unto God only; Even unto God with my voice I cried, And, 4. Th●…t at length he did prevail and receive his request, graciously granted unto him; And he gave ear to me: and so he was relieved.   

Ver. 2. In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted.  
3. I remembered God, and was troubled: I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah.  
4. Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.  
He declareth this his sad exercise more specially; and first, how great his trouble was. Whence learn, 1. The fearing and feeling of the sense of God's wrath and displeasure, is of all troubles the chief, and doth challenge to it sel●… most deservedly the name of trouble, or straitening affliction, as if the Psalmist had never known any trouble in c●…mparison of this. 2. Albeit the sense of God's wrath and displeasure while it doth last, doth seem a sort of eternity, as, Shall I never be remembered? and such like expressions do declare; yet when the trouble is gone, it is counted but a short time, but a day; In the day of my trouble, saith he, now being relieved. 3. As in this trouble most of any God's face or comfortable presence is withdrawn: so nothing in this case can content a godly soul, till he find the Lord reconciled, and his gracious fac●… to shine again toward him; In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord. The wicked in such a case they will either not seek God at all, but some earthly comfort; or but take an essay what they can have by calling on God, they will not make it their work to seek him. 4. The sense of wrath giveth a sore wound unto a man's spirit, like to a wound in the body, which is like to bleed unto death; My sore ran in the night. 5. Trouble of conscience, as it is like a deadly wound; so is it also like a filthy boil, venting rotten issue; for many are the sins which the conscience doth cast up in this case, which do cause pain and loathing to look upon: My sore, or my plague, my stroke by a hand, ran in the night. 6. There is no healing of this wound, no easing of this sore, no cleansing of the conscience, no quieting of a man's spirit, till God whom the soul seeketh, show himself Physician; the evil continueth still and groweth; My sore ran in the night and ceased not. 7. Where misery seemeth remediless, there the sad soul fitteth itself to endless sorrow: and as it is hopeless of relief, so it is heartless to seek comfort, yea what earthly comforts are offered for the relief of a spiritual wound, are but a burden to a broken spirit; My soul refased to be comforted. Nothing can satisfy a soul which is sensible of God's displeasure, save the sense of God's favour. 8. A troubled spirit hath many thoughts; for it runs out in meditation, calleth for the records of the memory, but can find nothing to fix upon, save God himself; I remembered God. 9 It is possible that the matter of most comfort at some time may give no ease; the sweet promises of grace, when a soul is not able to apply them; yea the thought of God himself, and his goodness, may augment grief, when the conscience doth present his abused savours, as the c●…use of Gods present felt wrath: I remembered God, and was troubled. 10. Lamentation and complaints, when vented and not eased with following comfort, do but double the grief; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. 11. Redoubled thoughts of a perplexed soul, do cast it over in a confusion, and a sort of swound; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. 12. A wounded spirit is able to bereave a man of the night's rest, and affect the body with a share of its miserable condition; Thou holdest mine eyes waking. 13. When a soul could possibly the sire to case its grief with a little forgetting of it, and seek a sleep when the body is now weary; it may fall out, that even thus much ease, may be refused to a Saint for a time, which must be looked on as God's hand, for the further exercise of the Lords sick child; Thou holdest mine eyes waking. 14. Trouble not lenified, not mitigated, groweth to such a height, as it stops the use of natural powers: I am so troubled that I cannot speak. The sorrows of a soul sensible of God's wrath, are unspeakable, neither can the tongue utter them, nor the mind indite to the tongue, what it feeleth.   

Ver. 5. I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.  
6. I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart, and my spirit made diligent search.  
7. Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more?  
8. Is his mercy clean gone for ever? and doth his promise fail for evermore?  
9 Hath God forgotten to be gracious, hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.  
In the second place, he setteth down his wrestling, and how after he was overwhelmed, he fell again about the using of all means to be relieved, considering the Lords work of old with others his children, and his own experience, and what could be the cause of the change, ver. 6. and how the Lords unchangeableness in his loving kindness towards his own, might help him, ver. 7, 8, 9 Whence learn, 1. Were our case never so desperate, yet must we not give over, but gather strength after swooning, and use all means of ●…elief, as the Psalmist here doth. 2. It is one chief means of comforting a troubled sinner, and of strengthening the faith of a weak wrestler, to cast an eye upon the Lord's manner of dealing with his Saints, mentioned in Scrip●…ure, as the ●…salmist did, who had the books of Moses and job, at least to make use of; I have considered the days of old, and the years of ancient times. 5. It is also a good means for gathering strength and comfort for a soul under the sense of w●…ath, to call to mind his own experiences of deliveries and consolations received after trouble, and his own observations made upon his own experiences: I call to remembrance my song in the night. 4. It is a third holy means for deliverance from the straits of a troubled conscience, to search our ways, and to seek out diligently, what cause in us we can find, which might procure such a de sertion and sense of wrath, as we do lie under; I communed with my own heart, and my spirit made diligent search. 5. Albeit it be possible when all the former means are used, and diligent search is made by our conscience, what may be the reason of our hard exercise, that for all that, we find no consolation, no ease, nor event; yet the use of these means will witness for our wise and upright dealing, and be evidences of our endeavour and diligence in duties, as here we see the Prophet to make mention of his diligence for this end. 6. Albeit it be no strange thing for a wounded spirit to have suggestions cast in for overthrow of saith, yea to have sense of wrath, speaking no less than what the tentation unto desperation doth allege; yet the nature of faith is such, that it cannot yield, but must fight against the tentation, as a thing which cannot be true, cannot be admitted, as this disputation of the Psalmist doth give evidence; Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? 7. The Lord may seem to cast a m●…n off, and to stop the course of his wont favour toward him, but this exercise is only for a time: It is not possible that God should cast off for ever the soul that cannot endure to be thrust from him: It is not possible that God should not be favourable to such as have had experience of his favour, and do long to have new proofs thereof: Will the Lord cast off for ever? will he be favourable no more? Which question, Will he do so and so? is thus much in effect, as if he had said, it is not possible that the Lord should do so, albeit it seem he will do so. 8. When the conscience of sin doth make objection against faith, than faith makes its defence in God's mercy, and the constancy of the course of mercy, where grace is begun to run; yea faith will not yield to a contrary thought: Is his mercy clean gone for ever. 9 The troubled conscience hungering after the sense of mercy, hath not only Gods merciful nature: and God's constancy in his good will, but also his promises to lean unto, for supporting of itself. Therefore after mentio●… made of God's favour and mercy, he mentioneth here his promise also. 10 It is possible, that for a time no promise do occur to a wounded spirit, which is fit for its present condition; or at least, no promise, which it dare or is able to apply, yea it is possible that the conditional frame of the promises being made to such as are so and so qualified, may seem to pertain nothing to the troubled conscience, yet faith will not quit its interest in the propromise, but will expect good according to the promise at last; Doth his promise fail for evermore? 11. As it is the Lords nature to be gracious to such as come to him in the sense of their unworthiness; so faith layeth hold on him, as gracious, and will never, admit a suggestion of any change in him, whatsoever seem to be in his dispensation; Hath God forgotten to be gracious? this is to faith an absurdity and impossibility. 12. The compassions of God toward the miserable when they come before him, are like a running fountain, that cannot restrain itself, yet may it seem to be shut up, and wrath and displeasure to run in the place thereof, when God is pleased to exercise his child with the sense of wrath against sin; but faith will not admit this seeming for a certainty: Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? This is a saying which a Believer must abhor to give way unto, and yet may be assaulted with, and brangled, and weakened by the tentation of it.   

Ver. 10. And I said, This is mine infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High.  
11. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.  
12. I will meditate also of all thy works, and talk of thy doings.  
In the third place is set down the begun victory of faith, wherein the believer checketh himself for harkening so much unto sense, for admitting the suggestions of misbelief to come unto a disputation, and resolveth to make use of the grounds of faith, and of his former comfortable experiences, ver. 10. and of the wonderful dealing of God with others his Saints before, ver. 11. and to settle his saith on God's Word, confirmed by his works, and to set himself to give glory unto God, ver. 12. Whence lear●…, 1. In the inward exercise of God's children, after a whiles darkness, cometh light; after grief, comfort; and after wrestling, cometh victory, as here we see. 2. The trouble and disquietness which cometh from fear of utter rejection from God, is from the root of natural unbelief, and in lack of the strength of faith; This is my infirmity, saith he, as being now assured, that matters were nor as they seemed to him, concerning Gods merciful affection to him 3. Weakness of saith, and fear of utter wrath, is a sickness whereunto God's children are subject; but a sickness whereof they will certainly recover: a sickness not unto death: This is my infirmity. 4. Our event from inward trouble, and our victory over it, doth begin at a right sight of our own weakness, of our own faults, and of a right judging of ourselves for them: And I said, This is my infirmity. 5. The remembrance of the experience of former changes, which we have found wrought by God's great power, doth serve to make us both patient under a sad condition, and hopeful to come out of it: I will remember the years of the right hand of God. 6. Albei●… we do not see how our comfort delivery and event, from trouble shall come, yet may we find solid ground to expect that it shall come, if we consider aright God's sovereignty over all creatures, that he is most High, and the omnipoteney of his right hand; and his continuance, being the eternal, unchangeable one, and the same from year to year, from age to age; I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High; From this ground he doth expect, that he shall have experience yet again of the omnipotency of a Sovereign and constant God, working for his consolation. 7. When faith begin●…th to recover after its infirmty o●… sickness, it will make use of memory, med●…tation; judgement 〈◊〉 speech, which were all bound up before; I will remember, 〈◊〉, and talk. 8. We must not think to come out of perplexity, out of sense of wrath, out of trouble of conscience, out of hard exercises of faith, by having great consolations, high and ravishing joys of the Spirit at the first hand; but must be content to come creeping out of our trouble by little and little; for here the Psalmist, under the deepest sense of God's displeasure, must use all ordinary means, and wrestle with bitter tentations, till he come to suc●… height as is expressed, ver. 7, 8, 9 and for an event, must begin and reprove his own misbelief, dispute for the help of his faith▪ taking arguments from his experience from God's power and good will, and Gods dealing with others before him. 9 Th●… works of God, when they are looked on cursorily, or lightly p●…st by, cannot be discerned, but when they are well considered, they will be found wonderful; I will remember the works of the Lord, surely I will remember thy wonders of old. 10. It is good for a soul in a hard exercise, to raise itself from thinking of God and of his works, unto speaking unto God directly; no ease or relief will be found, till address be made unto himself, till we turn our face toward him, and direct our speech unto him, as here the Psa●…mist doth, from the midst of the eleventh verse to the en●… of the Psalm. 11. Estimation of any of God's works, and good gotten by meditation on some of his works, is able to engage the heart to a deeper consideration of all his works; I will medit●… also of all thy works, saith he. 12. He that would have pro●… by God's works, must bridle the levity of his own mind, which cannot stay fixed in the consideration, till it be tied in meditation; I will meditate of all thy works. 13. When we have ●…d our own souls upon God's works, we should study to make use of what we have learned thereby to the good of others, and glory of God: I will meditate of all thy works, and t●…lk of all thy doings.   

Ver. 13. Thy way, O God, is in thy sanctuary: who is so great a God at our God?  
14. Thou art the God that dost wonders, thou hast declared thy strength among the people.  
In the last place, he confirmeth his faith, and settleth his mind by consideration of the Lords dealing with his people, recorded in 〈◊〉 Scripture, whereof h●… speaketh▪ first, in general▪ v●…. 〈 ◊〉 〈◊〉▪ Then more specially, of the bringing of his people out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the wilderness, terribly discomfiting their enemies, and tenderly leading them, as his own flock, by weak and 〈◊〉 instruments. Whence 〈◊〉, 1. When the heart of a man is turned toward the Lord, than the veil of darkness, confusion, and misbelief is removed; he can justify the Lord in all that he doth, as most holy and ●…ust▪ as here we see in the Ps●…ist, who since he began to direct himself toward God, can now ●…y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Thy way, O God▪ is in the Sanctuary. 2. There is no understanding of Gods dealing with us, nor can any right construction be made of his exercising of us, except we come to the Lords Ordinances, where his Word, his Oracles of Script●…e do 〈◊〉 his works per●…ectly▪ Thy w●…y, O God, is in the Sanctuary▪ 3. When the works and ways of God are looked upon by the ●…ght of the Word, in his Sanctuary, or Church; and God is looked ●…o, through his works and Word, then is a soul forced to admire his holiness, and wisdom, and justice and power, and goodness, above, all comparison, Who is so great a ●…od as our God? 4. The exercise of the believers conscience with fears and suspicions o●… God's affection unto him, endeth in admiration of God in exaltation of God, ●…n believing more firmly in God, in magnifying the grace of his ●…ing in Covenant with God, in acknowled●…ing his own blessedness, and the blessedness of all other believers, for having God for their God; Who is so great a God as our God? 5. So much in general▪ may be seen of Gods dealing with his people, as may 〈◊〉 a man in his own particular, who is troubled about God's ●…sation toward him: for when Israel in Egypt was put to 〈◊〉 straits, as they saw nothing but rooting of them out with 〈◊〉 and oppression, God did work so well, so wisely, so powerfully, and so graciously for them, as all their hard exercise was ●…rned to their greater comfort, an●… God's greater glory. This in general is the use that the Psalmist maketh of Gods dealing with his people, and doth find it applicable to h●…s own conditio●…; T●…u art the God that doth wonders. 6. When we cannot see how it is likely or possible we can be extricated out of the difficulties we are cast into, especially in our spiritual condition, we are ●…ged to give unto God the glory of doing above all things we can conceive, for the good of those that des●…e to be his subjects▪ Thou ●…t the God that do●…st wonders. 7. What God hath con●…ed the world of already, concerning what he can do for his 〈◊〉 ●…ay satisfy eve●…y par●…icular soul of his wisdom, power▪ and goodness toward itself, when it doth draw in toward him, 〈◊〉 one of his people, for this use doth the Psalmist make of Gods doing for his people; Thou hast declared thy strength among thy people.   

Ver. 15. Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of jacob and joseph. Selah.  
16. The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee: they were afraid, the depths also were troubled.  
17. The clouds poured out water, the skies sent out a sound, thine arrows also went abroad.  
18. The voice of thy thunder was in the heaven: the lightnings lightened the world, the earth trembled and shook.  
He descendeth more specially to the consideration of the Redemption of Israel out of Egypt, (which is a representation of the spiritual Redemption of his people) whom at the time when they were in the deepest misery, and least able to help themselves; were most oppressed by the enemies: and for their own disposition, were in a most sinful condition, and in a desperate mood against the means and instruments of their delivery; God did deliver and remove all the difficulties which might hinder their event and escaping from misery: from whence the Psalmist might strongly reason for his own comfort, that God would not fail to deal graciously with his soul, who was seeking favour from God, and a renewed sense of reconciliation with him. Hence learn, 1. That no soul can be under such sense of wrath and desolation, but he may draw comfort from the great work of Redemption of lost sinners: for if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved from wrath by his life. And this spiritual Redemption was figured by the bodily delivery of Israel out of Egypt; Thou hast with thine arm redeemed thy people, the sons of jacob and joseph. 2. It is by reason of the Covenant that people receive deliverances, and consolations, and proofs of God's power working for them: Therefore doth he style the sons of jacob from their interest in God, and God's interest in them by Covenant: Thou hast redeemed thy people. 3. No obstacle how great soever, can stand in the way of the delivery and comfort o●… God's people, but God can and will remove it; were it as the red sea, so soon as he manifests himself, it will get out of the way as affrighted at his Majesty; The waters saw thee, O God, the waters saw thee, they were afraid, the depths also wre troubled. 4. The commotions which God hath made in heaven by rain, hailstone, thunder, fire, and lightning, when he would show himself for his people, and against their enemies, do testify sufficiently what God can and will do for his own children, who draw near unto him, and how he will rebuke every adversary power which is against them; The clouds poured out water, the skies sent out a sound; thine arrows went abroad, the voice of thy thunder was in heaven; the lightnings lightened the world, the earth trembled and shook. Whether we refer these words to what God did in plaguing Egypt, before he brought out his people, or after when he showed his anger in pursuing the Egyptians in their flight, when they were seeking to escape out of the red sea: or to what the Lord did in fight for his people against the Canaanites, they teach the same doctrine to us.   

ver. 19 Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters: and thy footsteps are not known.  
20. Thou leddest thy people like a flock: by the land of Moses and Aaron.  
He closeth his meditation with two observations; one is, that the Lords ways are past finding out, and this he insinuateth by making a way through the red sea, where never one went before, and never one could follow after. The other observation is, that God can save his people by how few and weak instruments he pleaseth. Whence learn, 1. The Lord draweth deep in the working out of the delivery and salvation of his own people, bringing them first unto extremity of danger, and then making a plain and clear escape from all their straits; Thy way is in the sea, where no man can wade, except God go before him, and where any man may walk, if God take him by the hand; and lead him through. 2. What God is in working, when he engages his children in dangers, and which way he is going, when he leads them into overflowing troubles and deep waters; they cannot understand, till he hath done his work: Thy path is in the great waters. 3. A particular reason of every thing which God doth, can no man find out: for the which cause the Lord craveth submission of all his children in their exercises, as he did of job; Thy footsteps are not known. 4. Whether men do see reasons of Gods dealing with them or not, the Lord hath a care of his weak and witless people, as a shepherd hath of his flock, and is a gracious leader of his people that follow him; Thou leddest thy people as a flock. 5. The Lord hath his means and instruments of whose ministry he maketh use: and those, albeit they be few and weak, yet shall he do his greatest works by them, according as he doth employ them; Thou leddest thy people as a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.    

PSAL. LXXVIII. Maschil of Asaph.  
IN this Psalm, the Lords Spirit doth stir up his people to make a right use of the Lords works of justice and mercy set down in holy Scripture, and to this end he giveth account of God's dealing very mercifully with his people, and never in justice, but when mercy was abused; and he showeth also the people's dealing with God unthankfully, deceitfully, whether he dealt mercifully or in justice with them.  
The Psalm may be divided thus: After a Preface to prepare the hearer for attention and observation of what he was to deliver, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. he bringeth forth; first, the evidence of God's gracious care he had of his people, in giving them his blessed Word, to teach unto them faith and obedience, ver. 5, 6, 7, 8. Secondly, the evidence of God's judgement against his people, who were put to flight before their foes, when they did not believe the Lord, and did not make use of his works among them, ver. 9, 10, 11. Thirdly, he setteth down how great things God did for them in Egypt, and in the wilderness, ver. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Fourthly, how they made no better use of these mercies, then to tempt God, and provoke him to wrath, ver. 17, 18, 19, 20. Fifthly, how for their tempting of God, he was angry at them for their unbelief, and notconsidering of the miraculous feeding of them with Manna, v. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25. and how in wrath he satisfied their lust by sending quails for them, to eat flesh their fill, ver. 26, 27, 28, 29. Sixthly, how because they repented not of their provocation, the Lord did plague them, and they went on in their misbelief and disobedience 〈◊〉 and God went on in the course of multiplying judgements on them, and cutting off multitudes of them, ver. 30, 31, 32, 33. Seventhly, how they at last made a fashion of repenting and seeking of God, but proved in effect nothing but flattering dissemblers and hypocrites, unconstant in the Covenant, ver. 34, 35, 36, 37. Eighthly, how the Lord in mercy pitied and spared them many a time, notwithstanding all their provocations of his justice against them, ver. 38, 39, 40, 41. Ninthly, he setteth down the prime cause of all this their sin and misery, because they marked not, or made no use of the difference that God put between the Egyptians and them; nor how for their cause he had plagued the Egyptians with plague after plague, ver. 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51. And brought their fathers safely out of Egypt, when their enemies were drowned before their eyes, ver. 52, 53. Tenthly, he setteth down how the Lord perfected their journey to Canaan, and brought them to the possession of it, thrusting our the Canaa●…ites, that they might have place, ver. 54, 55. Eleventhly, how they for all this provoked God to anger with their idolatry and superstition, ver. 56, 57, 58. Twelfthly, how the Lord for this their oft repeated provocation did miserably vex them in the days of Eli and Samuel, giving over his Ark into the Philistines hand, and plaguing their country with variety of plagues, ver. 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64. Thirteenthly, how God of his free mercy put his enemies to shame, and restored Religion and Liberties to Church and Kingdom, ver. 65, 66. And last of all, how he brought them to a settled condition under David, who was a type of Christ, ver. 67, 6●…, 69, 70, 71, 72.  

Ver. 1. GIve ear, O my people, to my Law; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.  
2. I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:  
3. Which we have heard and known; and our fathers have told us.  
4. We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generations to come the praises of the LORD: and his strength, and his wonderful work▪ that he hath done  
In the Preface, the Spirit of the Lord calleth for attention unto the doctrine which he is to deliver, for four reasons. The first, because it was his law and words of his mouth directed to his covenanted people, ver. 1. The next, because this doctrine was mysterious and full of ●…id wisdom, ver. 2. The third, because it is an ancient doctrine delivered to the Church of old, and transmitted unto them that succeeded, ver. 3. The fourth, because it must be known and transmitted to the succeeding posterity, and following generations of the Church, for the glory of God's wonderful working for his Church, v. 〈◊〉. Whence learn, 1. Such is our dulness and slowness of heart, to understand and believe what the Lord doth say unto us, that we have gre●… need to be admonished▪ and stirred up to attention and hearing with ●…aith; Give ear, O my people, saith the Spirit by his Prophet. 2. The authority of divine doctrine should tie ou●… cares to hear it reverently, beleevingly and obediently: it is the Lords law, and the words of his mouth, speaking by his Prophet to us: Give ear, O my People, to my law, incline your ●…ares to the words of my mouth. 3. Albeit the Word of the Lord be plain to the attentive believer, yet to the unattentive misbeleever it is a hid mystery, and for this reason we have need to hear attentively and beleevingly; I will open my mouth in a parable, I will utter dark sayings. 4. The Word of the Lord hath true antiquity with it; divine doctrine is no new doctrine: and for this reason should we hear it attentively and beleevingly; I will utter dark sayings of old. 5. Albeit the Word of the Lord be a mystery, and dark sayings to the misbelieving multitude of the world, yet it is understood, received and believed by the true members of the Church from age to age; therefore the Prophet, speaking of himself, and of the godly in his time, saith of their parables and dark speeches, Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. 6. Those are worthy of the name of Fathers in the Church, in relation to posterity, who transmit to posterity the truth of God contained in Scripture, such as is here set down in this Psalm: and this is the only infallible sort of tradition, which delivereth to posterity what God delivered to the Prophets, or their Predecessors by Scripture, such as is the doctrine delivered in this Psalm; Which we (saith he) have heard ●…d known, and our fathers have told us, we will not hide them from their children. 7. The godly in every age ought to have the same care to transmit the Word of truth to their posterity, which their ancestors had to transmit it unto them, and to pay the debt they owe to their faithful Ancestors unto succeeding generations; We will not hide them from their children, showing to the generations to come etc. 8. The subject matter of sound and saving doctrine, is the setting forth of the glory of God in his attributes, and wonderful operations for his people: Showing to the generations to come the praises of the Lord, and his wonderful works that he bathe done.   

Ver. 5. For he established a Testimony in jacob, and appointed a Law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers: that they should make them known to their children.  
6. That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be borne: who should arise and declare them to their children:  
7. That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God: but keep his Commandments.  
8. And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright: and whose spirit was not steadfast with God.  
After the Preface, he bringeth forth a notable evidence of the Lords care of his Church, in giving them his Scriptures and revealed rule of faith and obedience, to be transmitted from one generation to another, ver. 5, 6. that they might have faith and hope in God, and obey his commands, ver. 7. and not be like such of their Predecessors, as were rebellious hypocrites, and backsliders from their covenanted duties, v. 8. Whencelearn, 1. One of the chiefest mercies that can be bestowed on a people, is the giving of the holy Scripture●… unto them, and revealing unto them the way of salvation, and of God's service which he requireth; this is put in the first room here: For he established a Testimony in jacob, and appointed a Law in Israel. 2. God's words and ordinances appointed in Scripture, are witnesses for him, of his wisdom, power, holiness, mercy, and justice against such as do not make use thereof, and a fixed rule for men's faith and obedience; therefore is it said, He established a testimony in jacob, and appointed a Law in Israel. 3. The Scriptures were not appointed for a rule only to those to whom they were first directed, but for the use also of the Church in all ages following, which every man must both study to understand and obey himself, and also teach his children, and those under his charge to understand and obey, according to his place; he gave a testimony and a law to the fathers, That they should make them known to their children, th●…t the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be borne, who should arise, and declare them to their children. 4. The end of revealing and teaching of God's Word, is to beget and increase men's faith in God, and dependence upon him, as here is set down: the Word was to be declared to their children, That they might se●… their hope in God. 5. The way to foster saith and hope in God, is to mark and consider and keep in a sanctified memory, how God hath al●…eady confirmed his Word by his works, and by pawns and pledges, both of his power and purpose to perform what he hath said; therefore doth he join unto the duty of setting their hope in God, the duty of not forgetting his works; intimating that if his works were forgotten, his Word would not be believed, and faith and hope in God would not remain constantly fixed on God. 6. The faith and hope which God craves of his people to be fixed on him, is such as may bring forth obedience to his precepts: therefore unto hoping in God, and not forgetting his works, he addeth, But keep his Commandments: So this is the sum of true religion, to have faith in God, upon the terms of grace offered unto us through a Redeemer, and to hope for and expect the accomplishment of all his promises, and to foster our faith and hope by the consideration of what he hath done for his people, and uprightly to set ourselves to keep his Commandments,. 7. The example of fathers is not to be followed, except wherein they followed the Lord: where their practice is not conformable to God's Word we must not be like them; therefore saith he, And might not be as their fathers were, stubborn. 8. This is the natural inclination of corrupt mankind, to go on in our finful course obstinately, howsoever God discharge us: to come contrary to his commands, and flatly to refuse to obey him; and if we at any time seem to do him service, to do it from corrupt principles and for corrupt ends, still remaining unreconciled to him: and whatsoever we tie our elves unto by Covenant, as double-hearted persons, to deal deceitfully therein, and turn back from it: such were all the unrenewed Israelites: A stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not steadfast with God. 9 Nothing is able to bring us off this our natural course and sinful inclination. except faith and hope in God, and obedience to his commands be begun and entertained in us by the Word of God, as the connexion of these duties here, and order they are set down in doth teach. 10. The Lord will have his people obediently to hearken to his reproofs, and not reject his yoke, and meekly to submit to his government, and not rebel; to study sincerity of affection toward God, and steadfastness in his Covenant, as his condemning these carnal Israelites for the contrary faults doth teach us.   

Ver. 9 The children of Ephraim being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.  
10. They kept not the Covenant of God: and refused to walk in his Law.  
11. And forgot his works: and his wonders that he had showed them.  
In the second place under the name of Ephraim, as the most mighty and numerous tribe of all the rest, he understandeth all Israel, and shows that the reason of the Lords many a time deserting of Israel from age to age in the day of battle, was their carnal confidence in their own strength, and their not believing in God, their not regarding the Covenant they were entered into with God, their disobedience to his commands, and their not making use of his wonderful works amongst them. Whence learn, 1. When men are under greatest guiltiness, and at greatest distance from God, they are least sensible of their sin! least afraid of God's wrath, and most confiden●… of their own abilities. Ephraim and Isral many a time lying under breach of Covenant and rebellion against God, being armed and carrying bows, do think themselves sufficient to encounter with their enemies. 2 Multitude of men and arms will not avail a people in the day of battle, when God is against them: God can take wisdom, and courage, and strength, and good success from them; The children of Epbraim being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of ba●…l. 3. The cause of general calamities coming upon God's people, will be found in their sins, which have provoked the Lord against them, whereof God will convince them by judgements, when they will not be convinced otherways; They turned back in the day of battle; how came this? They kept not the Covenant of God. 4. The Lord useth by his Word in the mouth of his messengers to convince his backsliding people of their defection, and to press upon them to return to the rule, and walk in his obedience, but when this admonition and offer is refused, than no wonder judgement come: for here, They turn back in the day of battle; when, and wherefore? They refused to walk in his Law. 5. As the sanctified and thankful remembrance of Gods dealing with his people, is the way to keep the heart in the love, faith and obedience of God: so the letting of his works, and specially the most remarkable and wonderful works, to slide out of their memory and affection, is the fountain of defection from God, and cause of falling unto carnal courses and confidences, and drawing on of God's judgements on themselves; They forgot his works, and his wonders that he had showed them.   

Ver. 12. Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers: in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan.  
13. He divided the sea, and caused them to pass thorough, and he made the waters to stand as an heap.  
14. In the daytime also he led them with a cloud: and all the night with a light of fire.  
15. He clavae the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.  
16. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.  
In the third place, he setteth down some of these wonderful works done for his people, which should have tied their faith, love and obedience unto the Lord: in special the great work of Redemption and delivery of his people out of Egypt, representing the spiritual Redemption and delivery of his own out of the bonds of sin, Satan and wrath,) how God plagued the Egyptians with wonderful plagues, in the sight of their King and Princes in Z●…an, the most famous City of Egypt, ver. 11. How he dried the red sea, and made his people go through between mountains of liquid water on both hands, ver. 13. How he directed them, and refreshed them by a pillar of fire by night, and by a cooling cloud by day, ver. 14. How he furnished them drink out of the flinty rock in the wilderness, ver. 15, 16. Whence learn, 1. The great work of bodily redemption of God's people out of Egypt, and the spiritual Redemption of his People from the bondage of sin and misery by Christ represented thereby, should be as inducements unto, and props of faith in God, to all who seek life in him, and a sufficient motive unto love and obedience unto him, to the world's end; for to this end did he declare his love, care and power to save them who enter in Covenant with him to be his people; Marvellous things did he, etc. 2. The works of God done for his people in any former age, do oblige those of that age, and all the succeeding ages to make use thereof, for the increase of faith in God, and of love and obedience to God, and do answerably aggravate the contrary sins, when they are not so made use of; for, Marlous things did he in the sight of their fathers; is the ground of challenging of the posterity for their defection. 3. The plagues of Egypt, should serve for the comfort of God's oppressed people; and for terror to their enemies in all ages; Marvellous things did be in the sight of their fathers in the land of Egypt. 4. As the Lord avoweth his people, and owns their quarrel most openly in the sight of King's Courts and royal Cities; so should his people avow their loyalty to God before all men: otherways, the more evidently God hath appeared for his people, the more heavy is the challenge of unthankful disobedience; as here it is made the challenge of back-sliding Israel, that God in the most open theatre of the Kingdom of Egypt, (whereby the fame of his works might go into all the world) did work for them and their fathers; Marvellous things did God for them in the field of Zoan; from whence passage was to many country's. 5. The Lords making of a way through the red sea for his people's delivery, is an evidence and pawn once for ay, of his power and purpose to make a way for his own to escape, how great soever their straits shall be; He divided the red sea, and caused them to p●…sse through. 6. The Lords causing the liquid waters to stand as a wall, heaped up contrary to the nature thereof, is a pawn of his power and purpose to make the creatures, which by nature should deyoure, to be not only harmless; but helpful also to this people, as need requireth; He made the waters to stand as an heap. 7. The Lords bringing of his people, both out of Egypt and out of the sea, is a pawn of his power and purpose to bring his people through all hazards whatsoever, wherein others shall perish; He caused his people to pass through. 8. The Lords leading on of his people night and day, is a pawn of his constant love to his own people, and of his power and purpose never to leave nor forsake such as love to have his guiding and conduct; In the daytime also he led them. 9 The Lords covering of the host of his people with a cool and comfortable cloud all the day long, to keep them from the scorching heat of the Sun in the dry and hot wilderness, is a pawn of his kind care of his people, and constant purpose to give refreshment in the time of persecution, or whatsoever troubles they shall be exercised with▪ In the daytime also he led them with a cloud. 10. The Lords making of a pillar of fire to burn and shine all night, for tempe●…ing the cold of the night, and directing of Israel's steps, when they were to march in the night, is a pledge of his love, power and purpose to furnish the light of direction and consolation unto his own people, as they have need; He led them all the night with a light of fire. 11. As the Lord's people wanting of water in the wilderness, through which their way did lie, doth teach us that we may be redacted to great straits in this life, both bodily and spiritual; so the Lords furnishing unto them drink, doth teach, that the Lord both can and will furnish his people in their necessities, bodily and spiritual; He clavae the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink, as out of the great depths; he brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.   

Ver. 17. And they sinned yet more against him: by provoking the most High in the wilderness.  
18. And they tempted God in their heart: by ask meat for their lust.  
19 Yea, they spoke against God: they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?  
20. Behold, be smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed: can be give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people?  
In the fourth place, he setteth down how the people made no better use of the foresaid mercies, then to tempt God, and to provoke him to wrath, by seeking satisfaction to their carnal lusts, and questioning whether or no God was able to satisfy their desires. Whence learn, 1. Unrenewed nature is strongly inclined to meet the Lords goodness with more and more ingratitude, and to sin over and over again the same sins, when new benefits and old faults being well considered, might teach more wisdom and thankfulness; They sinned yet more against him. 2. We are so foolish in our sinning, that we do not consider what we ourselves are, how great a majesty we offend, and what may be the consequents thereof; They sinned yet more by provoking the most High. O how unreasonable, uncircumspect, undiscreet and blind fools are men in their sinning! 3. Albeit we have no outward enticements, albeit the place of our sojourning here should warn us as strangers and pilgrims to abstain from fleshly lusts, albeit we have the Word & works of God, as witnesses of God, and evidences of his beholding of us, yet so pregnant are we in wickedness, so beastly passionate in our carnal affections, and so gross in Atheism, that naturally we run on in our own ways, as the horse rusheth into the battle; They provoked the most High in the wilderness. 4. When God giveth sufficiently to supply necessities, and we seek to satisfy our lusts; when God hath said and done abundantly already for evidencing his power, justice, truth and care of our welfare, and we will not rest on him, except he give such other new and extraordinary proofs of his properties, as we do prescribe, then do we tempt God, and highly provoke him, by seeking thus to subject him to our direction, will and carnal affections; And they tempted God in their heart, by ask meat for their lust. 5. When the sinful motions of the mind and heart are not controlled, the sin will break forth openly to outward acts tending to God's dishonour, and to the evil example of others; They tempted God in their heart, and then they spoke against God. 6. Words of misbelief, not disputing against tentations, but in effect calling in question God's truth, power, care of us, or his good will to us, are in effect slandering of God, and bearing false witness against him; They spoke against God: they said, Can God furnish, & c? 7. The carnal ungodly man hath no estimation of God, or any of his spiritual benefits, but doth set him a task of satisfying of his fleshly conceits and affections, which if God do not answer, he misregardeth God; They said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? 8. Albeit the unbeliever be convinced of God's power and goodness to his people by his works for time past, yet 〈◊〉 he not the wiser afterward, when it cometh to the giving credit unto God in another work: yea, the work which God hath wrought, is esteemed by him as nothing, except God do father as the unbeliever shall prescribe; Behold, (say they) be, 〈◊〉 the rock, that waters gushed out: but can he give brea●… 〈◊〉 so? can he provide flesh for his people?   

Ver. 21. Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against jacob, and anger also came up against Israel.  
22. Because they believed not in God: and trusted not in his salvation.  
23. Though he had commanded the clouds from above: and opened the doors of heaven.  
24. And had reigned down Manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven.  
25. Man did eat Angel's food: he sent them meat to the full.  
In the fifth place, he setteth down how God was wroth for their unbelief, & for their not having a due estimation of the miraculous feeding of them with Manna. Whence learn, 1. Sins continued in, and in special expressions to the dishonouring of God flowing from misbeleef, have a loud cry in God's ears, and he taketh notice of them for executing of judgement; Therefore the Lord heard this, and was wroth. 2. When God is openly dishonoured, the Lord by open judgement will sanctify his own Name on the sinner, whatsoever be his privilege, and though he were never so near to God in external privileges; So a fire was kindled against jacob, and anger also came up against Israel. 3. Misbelief is a more grievous sin then men do esteem of it; for it calleth God's truth, mercy, goodness, power, constancy, and all in question, and even his justice amongst the rest, which if the misbeleever did consider, he would not provoke justice against himself by this sin; Wrath came up against Israel, because they believed not in God. 4. They do not believe in God, who study not to depend upon him for salvation, and for whatsoever is necessary to them for salvation: yea they who do not believe that the Lord shall bring them out of every straight, in a way most serving to their welfare, and for his own honour; do not believe in him for salvation, so solidly as he requireth of them: They believed not in God, (saith he) and trusted not in God's salvation. 5. The more means, encouragements, helps and props to support a man's faith are furnished of God, the greater is the sin of unbelief in him: As the Israelites misbelief was the greater, for God's miraculous bringing of water out of the rock, and Manna from the clouds, as here the Israelites misbelief is aggravated thus; They trusted not in his salvation, though he had commanded the clouds, and reigned down Manna. 6. Man liveth not by bread, but by the efficacious Word of God. It is so easy for God to rain down victuals out of the clouds, as to make them grow out of the ground; let him say the Word, and it is done: He commanded the clouds, and opened the doors of heaven, and reigned down Manna on them to eat. 7. The Lord doth provide well for his own redeemed people; what the earth doth not yield unto them, he maketh the heaven one way or other furnish unto them: as when the Israelites wanted the corn of the earth, the Lord gave them of the corn of heaven, so that man did eat Angel's food; not that there is corn in heaven, or that Angels do eat any corporal food, but manna is so called for the excellency of the food, that it might have served for food to Angels, if they had any need of food. 8. The more excellent the benefit is which God giveth, the greater is the ingratitude of him who doth not esteem of it, and make use of it as becometh; as we see in Israel's sin, who did not esteem of Manna, as they should have done: had the Lord said them with dust of the earth, or roots of grass, be any other m●…n thing, they should have had no reason to complain: but when he giveth them a new food, created every morning for their cause, sent down from heaven as fresh furniture every day, of such excellent colour, taste, smell and wholesomeness: what a provocation of God was it, not to be content now; in special, when he gave them abundantly of it? He sent them meat to the full.   

Ver. 26. He caused an East-win●… to blow i●… 〈◊〉 heaven, and by his power he brought in the So●… wind.  
27. He reigned flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea.  
28. And he let it fall in the midst of their cam●… round about their habitations.  
29. So they did eat and were well filled: for he ga●… them their own desire.  
Here the Lord being tempted by a murmuting and unthankful people, to refute their suspicion of his power, sendeth the●… the most delicate flesh that could be found in the world, quail●… in abundance, till they were all filled. Whence learn, 1. T●… Lord, that he may show what regard he hath to satisfy good and lawful desires, doth sometime grant unto men their unlawful and unreasonable desires, that holy desires may be the better entertained, and constantly followed till they be granted; as appeareth by the Lords granting of the unreasonable desire of the Israelites after flesh. 2. The Lord hath the Commandment of the winds to make them blow from what air and in what measure he pleaseth: He caused an east-wind to blow in the heaven, and by his power he brought in the south-wind. 3. The Lord can gather so many creatures as he mindeth to make use of at his pleasure, he can gather birds and fowls, and make their flight longer or shorter as he pleaseth, and make them light and fall where he pleaseth, and can bring near to man's hand, what he hath a mind to give unto him: He reigned flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea; and he let them fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. 4. As the Lord doth grant lawful desires in mercy, so also doth he grant sinful desires in wrath; So they did eat and were filled, for he gave them their own desire. 5. When the carnal heart doth meet with the object of his lust, he falleth upon it as a beast doth without fear of God, or moderation of affection: They did eat and were well filled, for be gave them their own desire.   

Ver. 30. They were not estranged from their lust●… but while their meat was yet in their mouths,  
31. The wrath of God came upon them, and sle●… the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen m●… of Israel.  
32. For all this they sinned still: and believed not for his wondrous works.  
33. Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.  
In the sixth place, he setteth down their impenitency continued in, and the Lords judgements poured out one after another upon them. Whence learn, 1. Sinful lust is unsatiable, even when the body is overcharged with the service of it; To lust sinfully is a snare, but to continue in the slavery of lust, is a felling of a man's self, and a wedding of him unto that lust: such was the sin of the carnal Israelites; They continued in their lusting and repent not, albeit they ●…t time to repent, they and their lust did not discord; They were not estranged from their lust. 2. When men will not be enemies to their own sinful lusts, they do provoke the Lord to become enemy to them, and to pour wrath on them in the very act of their sinning; While their meat was yet in their mouths, the wrath of God came upon them. 3. Such as are most headstrong in sin, and take to themselves most liberty to sin, and do give example most unto others to sin, shall be most notoriously punished. High places and eminency in power, as it doth not lessen sin, but aggravate it; so doth it not exempt from judgement, but procu●…eth that it should be augmented rather, as is to be seen here in the punishment of the Nobles and great men in the camp of Israel; The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. 4. Such is the perverseness of our natural inclination, that neither by God's gentle dealing with us, nor by his sad judgements on others or on out selves, can we be amended, as is to be seen in unrenewed Israelites: For all this, they sinned still. 5. Neither extraordinary works of mercy, nor judgement, nor miracles, are able to convert men, or turn them from their evil ways, or beget saving faith in them, with whom ordinary means do not prevail; For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous work. 6. When all means are ●…ssayed, and none do prevail to bring men to repentance and reconciliation with God through faith, no wonder God in his righteous judgement should cut off the impevitent as an un●…ful and evil tree is cut down and cast away; They sinned 〈◊〉 therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their ye●… 〈◊〉 trouble. 7. By following of lusts, and not seeking felicity 〈◊〉 God, men do both miss the good they hoped to have by sinning, and find nothing in their way but vanity; and also meet with trouble and torment, which they did not fear; They sinned st●…, and believed not, therefore their days did God consume in vanity, and their years in trouble.   

Ver. 34. When he slew them, than they sought him: and they returned, and enquired early after God.  
35. And they remembered that God was their Rock, and the High God their Redeemer.  
36. Neverthesse's, they did flatter him with their mouth: and they lied unto him with their tongues:  
37. For their heart was not right with him: neither were they sleòfast in his covenant.  
In the seventh place, he describeth some fits of their temporary faith and repentance, ver. 34, 35. which in effect proved to be but flattery or hypocrisy, and did resolve in back-sliding and apostasy, ver. 36, 37. Whence learn, 1. When men neither by the Lord's liberality, nor lighter chastisements can be moved to repent, it is righteousness with God, by fearful judgements to cut off a number, and to put the rest in fear of present cutting off, and so to waken them out of security; as here, when the carnal Israelites went on in their provocations, The Lord slew them. 2. The sense of present devouring wrath, and the ●…error of an angry God, may drive men to a temporary repentance, and to f●…king of friendship and favour with God, for sparing them from wrath and present plagues, and all this may be without serious repenting of sin, without flying to a Mediator by saving faith, without minding hearty and solid reconciliation: and may proceed only from the natural principle of fear of death, and love of selfe-preservation; as here, When he slew them, than they sought him. 3. Temporary repentance, may make a temporary change of a man's course of li●…e and carriage, from the worse to the better; may make him leave off his way of provocation, and seek after God for a time with some diligence in the outward forms 〈◊〉 Religion; as here, They returned, and enquired after God 〈◊〉 As there is a temporary Repentance, moving from sin op●… temporary grounds, so there is a temporary faith in many, moving toward God upon temporary considerations, that is, drawing toward God, to obtain of him sparing of their life and temporal benefits, and making use of God's goodness and bounty, as much as serveth to a man's purpose: as here, They remembered that God was their Rock. 5. Temporary faith may make use of Redemption, so far as may serve for deliverance from, or recovery out of temporal trouble, and present danger of wrath, and plagues; as here, They remembered that the High God was their Redeemer. 6. Acts of faith and repentance, extracted by sore judgements, fear of wrath, and desire of temporal deliverance, may be found to be the fruits of flattery, and not of saving faith; Nevertheless they flattered him with their lips. 7. Profession of faith and repentance, which doth for sake sin and seek God only for temporal reasons, is but a lying unto God in effect, howsoever the temporary believer and repenter may judge himself sound enough; as here, And they lied unto him with their tongues. 8. When the heart or affections of a man are not set sincerely against sin, and for God, or toward God; all the outward profession is but hypocrisy in effect, and a lie; as here, They lied unto him with their tongues, for their heart was not right with him. 9 Temporary faith can produce no steadfastness in the Covenant, or covenanted duties, but make a man only a temporizer therein, as outward motives do lead him toward duties, or from them: Their heart was not right with God, neither were they steadfast in the Covenant.   

Ver. 38. But he being full of compassion for gave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.  
39 For he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.  
40. How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness: and grieve him in the desert?  
41. Yea, they turned back, and tempted God: and limited the holy One of Israel.  
In the eighth place, he showeth the Lords merciful sparing of his people many a time, and pitying of their natural frailty, because if he should have killed them, they were not to live again in this world, ver. 38, 39 notwithstanding of their frequent provocations in the wilderness, their limiting of God, and taking upon them to direct God what he should do unto them, ver. 40, 41. Whence learn, 1. There is a remission of sin, in regard only of temporal judgement, Leu. 4. 20. which is in effect only the not inflicting temporal punishment upon the sinner, or the not destroying of the sinner presently, the persons remaining the same impenitent sinners, such as was Gods pardoning here of impenitent Israel, flattering and falsehearted Israel: But he forgave their iniquity. 2. It is not any good in the sinner, but pity in God, which is the cause of sparing sinners from present perdition, when they provoke the Lord; But he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not. 3 The Lord doth evidence his mercy and pity toward sinners, partly by his often sparing to strike, and turning away of his wrath ready to break out against them; and partly by his mitigating his anger, and not suffering it to break out in full force; Many a time he turned his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath. 4. Let men conceit of their own natural strength as they list, yet the truth is, their frailty is great; They are but flesh, and a vapour that passeth away, and cometh not again. 5. When no good at all is found in man for which God should spare him, he taketh occasion of his frailty and misery, whereunto man is subject, to pity him: For he remembered that they were flesh, a wi●…e that passeth away, and cometh not again. 6. The oftener sin be repeated, the greater is the provocation; and the greater is the mercy, that so often doth forbear to destroy: and when the frequency of sinning, and frequency of sparing are numbered the reckoning will not be easily ended, nor the number condescended upon; How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness? 7. The sins of God's people do greatly displease him, and that so much the more, as they are oftener repeated and committed contrary to what Gods kindness and care requireth of them: How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness? and grieve him in the desert? where God gave his daily presence led them, said them, and protected them miraculously. 8. Amongst other aggravations of sin, this is not the least, after conviction, and correction, and promise of amendment, resolutely to go back again to their vomit; yea, they urned back, and tempted God, 9 The Lord cannot endure that his people who, ought wholly to depend upon, submit unto him, and be ruled by him, should prescribe, as they please, how and when he should help them, or set bounds unto his power, truth, wisdom, or mercy; as if he could do no more than they conceive to be probable. Therefore is it put amongst the highest aggravations of their sins: They tempted and limited the holy One of Israel,   

Ver. 42. They remembered not his hand: nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy.  
43. How he had wrought his signs in Egypt: and his wonders in the field of Zoan:  
In the ninth place, from this to ver. 54. he setteth down the prime cause of all their sin and misery, which followed upon it; to wit, they marked not, nor made use of the difference which God did put between them and the Egyptians, whom he did plague for their cause, while he delivered them. Whence learn, 1. When the merciful proofs of God's respect unto us, do not confirm our faith in God, and tie us to love and obedience unto him; these experiences will soon wear out, if not out of common memory, yet out of estimative and affectionate memory: as here, They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. 2. As the right remembrance of former mercies may be a bridle from all sin, and a confirmation of faith against all doubtings and suspicions of Gods good will to us: so the not rightly remembering of experiences of Gods respect showed unto us, doth prove an inlet to many wicked mastaking of God, and disobediences to him: for here the cause of the former sins and plagues, is rendered to be this; They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. 3. Not remembering the Lord's Word and Works affectionately, and with purpose, and endeavour to make right use thereof, is in the Lords account no remembrance of him in effect: for of this people, who could well tell the story of their coming out of Egypt, and so had a common remembrance thereof, the Lord saith, They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. 4 Signs and wonders once done for confirmation of the doctrine of the true God and his Covenant and true Religion, should su●…e in all times and ages after for that end: and it is not lawful to tempt God still, to do more wonders for confirmation of that truth; They remembered not, how he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan. 5. The Lords plagues on the enemies of the Church, being rightly remembered, should warn God's people to stand in awe of him, depend upon him, submit unto him, and to be wary to contend with him, which use, when it is not made it giveth a ground of challenge: They remembered not how he had wrought his signs in Egyt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan.   

Ver. 4. And had turned their rivers into blood: and their floods that they could not drink.  
45. He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them: and frogs, which destroyed them.  
46. He gave also their increase unto the caterpillar: and their labour unto the locust.  
47. He destroyed their vines with hail, and their Sycamore-trees with frost.  
48. He gave up their cattle also to the hail: and their flocks to hot thunderbolts.  
49. He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.  
50. He made a way to his anger, he spared not their soul from death: but gave their life over to the pestilence  
51. And smote all the firstborn in Egypt: the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Ham.  
He numbereth out sundry plagues poured out upon the Egyptians, whereby the Israelites should have been wise. From ver. 44. Learn, 1. The means of men's life comfort, wealth, and defence can stand them in no stead, when God hath a controversy against them: The Lord can deprive them of the benefit thereof, and turn benefits into the means of their grief and vexation, as he did the waters of Egypt, which were the means of life and wealth unto them: He turned their rivers into blood, and their floods, that they could not drink. 2. By what means people do sin and provoke the Lord to wrath, he can by the same means punish them. As the Egyptians had defiled their rivers with the blood of the infants of Israel, so God did make their river speak their sin, and threaten their death; He turned their rivers into blood, and their floods, that they could not drink.  
From ver 45 Learn 1. The meanest and basest of the creatures do declare the power of the Lord, and are so far from being useless, that they lie as it were in garrison among men, to be sent out in parties upon service, as the God of hosts is pleased to give orders; He sent divers sorts of flies among them, and frogs. 2. Flies and frogs, and every meanest vermin, are too sore for man, when God doth arm them to avenge his quarrel; He sent out flies which devoured them, and frogs which destroyed them; that is, which were about to destroy them, and were able enough for the work, and were acknowledged to be so by the Egyptians, who did reckon themselves lost men, if these armies should not be taken off them.  
From ver. 46, 47, 48. Learn, 1. When God is not acknowledged to be the giver of corn and cattle, and fruits of the ground, by a right using of them, he will be known to be the giver thereof, by removing of them; He destroyed their increase, labour, vines, and cattle. 2. The Lord hath means how to destroy and take away the fruits of the ground, and other serviceable creatures at his pleasure; The caterpillar, the locusts, quail, frost, and thunderbolts.  
From ver. 49. Learn, 1. The plagues of God's enemies are out of mere justice, and not from fatherly love, as the strokes of his own chosen are; He cast upon the Egyptians the fierceness of his anger. 2. Trouble of itself is not so heavy, as when indignation and wrath is joined with it, or sendeth it forth; He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble. 3. As the Lord hath good Angels, by whom he can work his own will: so hath he also evil angels, whose service he can use holily to his own purpose; He cast the fierceness of his wrath upon them, by sending evil angels among them.  
From ver. 50, 51. Learn, 1. When the Lords judgements lighting upon men's houses, corns cattle, and fruit-trees, do not humble men, the Lord doth make his judgement light upon their own persons; and when lighter judgements on their persons do not yet humble them, than God will destroy their lives, and their last plagues shall be heavier than the first; as here, when former plagues did not the turn, the Lord laid aside former pitying and long-suffering, and so he made a way for his anger, he 〈◊〉 ●…ed not their soul from ●…eath, but gave their life over to the pestilen e. 2. As the persecutors of God's people do smi●…e that whic●… God loveth best, so doth God smite that which persecutors love best; He smote all the firstborn in Egypt. 3. The curse of God coming upon the Egyptians, the posterity of Ch●…m, commendeth the grace of God toward the Israelites, the posterity of Sem his brother: Therefore in opposition to the tabernacles of the Israelites in the land of Goshen, it is said, He smote the chief of their strength in the tabernacles of Cham.   

Ver. 52. But made his own people to go forth like sheep: and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.  
53. And he led them on safely, so that they feared not: but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.  
This was the Lords dealing with the enemies of Isr●…, whereof the Israelites made no right use. Now he setteth down the Lords different dealing with Israel, whereof also they made no right use; when he hath plagued and drowned the Egyptians, he gave Israel safe passage and conduct through the sea; Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever be the unworthiness of God's confederate people, yet the Lord putteth a difference between them and their enemies and testifieth his respect to the one above the other: the Egyptians he did divers ways plague; But he made his own people go forth like sheep. 2. Though the Lords people be both weak and witless, yet God ca●…eth for them, as a shepherd doth for his flock; He made his own people to go forth as sheep, and guided them in the wilderness as a flock. 3. Albeit the Lord doth put difference between such as ●…re in Covenant with him in the letter only, and those that are in Covenant with him in the spirit also, when he compareth the sheep with the goats: yet when he compareth the whole bulk of his people with the rest of the world, and in special with their enemies, he putteth a peculiar respect upon them all, and avoweth his interest in them all above all people in the world, and doth for them, as for his own; he 〈◊〉 his own people to go forth. 4. Whatsoever ●…ear may possibly fall upon God's people when they are following his directions, yet their course is safe and without just cause of fear, and if at some time fear do surprise them, yet the Lord so cleareth their way after that, that they are out of fear; He l●…d them on safely, so that they feared not. 5. The perdition of the world and the wicked enemies maketh the safety of those that are saved so much the greater benefit: 〈◊〉 people feared not, but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.   

Ver. 54. And he brought them to the border of his Sanctuary, even to this mountain which his right hand had purchased.  
55. He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line: and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents.  
In the tenth place, he pointeth at the perfecting of their journey through the wilderness, and possessing them in Canaan, with the casting out of the Canaanites. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever become of particular persons in the visible Church, the Lord doth follow on the course of his care and kindness unto the Church, and increaseth the obligation of the incorporation in the succeeding ages, partly by what he doth for their predecessors, and partly by what he doth for themselves, as we see in the Church of Israel: whatsoever became of misbelievers in the wilderness, he brought his own people to the border of his Sanctuary. 2. Albeit we should fight for the liberty of a place, where God's ordinances may be publicly celebrated, and shed our blood in coming by it; yet is the commodity not our purchase, but the Lords purchase, and the Lords gift to us; He brought them to this m●…untain which his right band hath purchased. 3. Success in war is the Lords work, and such as are dispossessed of their inheritance, have God to crave for it; He cast out the he●…then also before them. It is neither the stoutness of the one, nor the ●…eeblenesse of the other, but God's hand or power which doth the business. 4. The settling of a people in a peaceable possession, so as every man may without contention enjoy what is allowed him of God, is no small benefit and obligation of a people so dealt with by God: He divided them an inheritance by lot, and made the tribes of Israel dwell in their tents.   

Ver. 56. Yet they tempted ●…d provoked the 〈◊〉 High God, and kept not his testi●…onies▪  
57 But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a decei●…ful ●…owe.  
58. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their grav●… images.  
In the eleventh place, he setteth down, how this people yet again provoked the Lord to anger with their idolatry and superstition; ●…eir high places and their graven images: for when God had appointed one place for their solemn worship, to wit, his Tabernacle▪ where his Ark and Mercy-seat was, signifying the necessity of worshipping him through the promised Mediator Jesus Christ, in whom alone he would be sought and ●…ound, and in whom he would have all his people agreeing, and attending his appointment, and not to devise ways of pleasing of God by themselves; they would have a place o●… their own 〈◊〉 public worship, high places, or hills and groves, which pleased them better than Mount Zion, or the place where the Tabernacle was pitched. They would have representations of their own devising, and loved them better than the A●…k of the Covenant, to wit, graven images, which God had forbideen in the moral law. and so they provoked him to anger. Whe●… learn, 1. Such is the wickedness of natural men, that neither for judgements nor for favour shown to them, will they subject themselves to God's direction, but will take upon them to set rules unto God one way or other: This the Pr●…phet showeth in the example of the Israelites: Yet th●…y tempted and pro●…ked the most High God. 2. When God giveth his Word and Ordinances for his worship to a people, and they will cast away this rule, and make another to themselves, it is a tempting of God, and a striving with the most High God, whether he shall direct them, or they shall direct him in the means of his worship; They provoked the most High God▪ How? They kept 〈◊〉 his testimonie●…. 3. Altering or changing the ●…orme of worship which God h●…th appointed, is a relinquishing of God and his way, a point of treache●…y against him, and a notable b●…each of Covenant; They kept not his testimonies, but turned back and dealt unfaithfully. 4. Following of antiquity in an error is so far from the excusing of sin, that it makes the children liable to their father's debt and deserved punishment, because they approve their fathers and their deeds, above God and God's testimonies; They dealt unfaithfully like their fathers. 5. The service of the wicked is like a bow; they will do nothing commanded, but by compulsion; and like a deceitful bow, which 〈◊〉 it hath a cast or throw in it, and doth shift the arrow as●…de from the mark, whereunto it is directed: so they will aim at another m●…k than God doth direct them unto; They were turned aside like a deceitful bow. 6. The alteration of the rule of worship prescribed by God, is a provocation of God to anger, were it but in a circumstance; They provoked him to ang●… with their high places. 7. Such as take libe●…ty to themselves to depart from the ordinances of God in the less, will depart also from him in the greater: They provoked God to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. 8 Howsoever men do dream that they may make good use of pictures & graven images, to further them in devotion and the service of God, who is represented thereby, and that they mind not to communicate any of his worship to the images, yet the Lord doth count that religious use of images no less than adultery, and matter of bitter provocation; as the word imports: Partly, because it is impossible not to communicate divine worship to the images, before whi●…h a man doth bow himself, of purpose to be stirred up by it, to wors●…p God represented by it; Partly, because the deviser and user of this sort of relative worship, ha●…h thrust himself in the Lord's place, to whom only it belongeth to prescribe how he will be worshipped; or at least he hath admitted another Lord then God, in the appointing of the means of Religion; And partly, because the Lord expressly declareth, that by graven images he is provoked justly to jealousy; Therefore (saith he) they moved him to jealousy with their gr●…ven images.   

Ver. 59 When God heard this, he was wrath, and greatly a●…horred Israel.  
60. So that he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh: the tent which he placed among men.  
61. And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's han●….  
62. He gave his people over also unto the sword: and was wroth with his inheritance.  
63. The fire consumed their young men: and their maidens were not given to marriage.  
64. Their Priests fell by the sword: and their widows made no lamentation.  
In the twelfth place, he declareth how the Lords wrath was kindled, v. 59 and how he took his Ark from Shiloh, where it was abused in Elies' time, ver. 60. and gave his ●…rk (the sign of his strength or powerful presence among them,) into the Philistines hands, ver. 61. made his people fall in battle, ver. 62. the young men died in battle, and so maids wanted matches, ver. 63. their Priests were slain, and their wives made no lamentation for them, 1 Sam. 4. 22. in comparison of greater losses, ver. 64. Whence learn, 1. Corrupting of God's worship and ordinances, is a sin crying so judgement, which voice God will answer; When God heard this he was wroth. 2. The Lord goeth not rashly to judgement; but as it were after perfect understanding of the cause: When God heard this, he was wroth. 3. Were a people or person never so dear to God, superstition and imagery, and abusing of his public worship, will provoke him to jealousy against them, and drew forth such judgements as will speak the Lords abhorring them for that sin; And he greatly abhorred Israel.  
From ver 60. Learn, 1 When the public ordinances, the tokens of the Lords presence, are removed from any place, the Lord removeth, and forsaketh that place; So that he forsook the Tabernacle of Shiloh; where the Ark had been till Elies' death. 2. It is in vain for any to boast of God's presence in any place, when once his public ordinances are polluted; He forsook Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men.  
From ver. 61. Learn, 1. When God's people abuse Religion, and pollute his ordinances, no wonder he make their open enemies to deprive them thereof as here we see. 2. The Lord's people cannot promise unto themselves the continuance of the manifestation of the Lords strength and the Lords glory among them, longer than they do esteem of him, and advance him as their glory and their strength; for when Israel tempted God kept not his testimonies, and moved him to jealousy, he delivered over his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hands.  
From ver. 62. Learn, When enemies get advantage against God's people by reason of their provocation of God, and when the enemies of Religion get power over God's people, so far as to deprive them of the means of Religion, the Lords anger will be more against his people who were the causes of this wrath, then against the enemies who were the instruments of the execution of the wrath; and therefore beside the taking away of his ordinances from his people, he will send his vengeance upon them also; He gave his people over also unto the sword, and was wroth with his inheritance.  
From ver. 63. Learn, 1. When the Lord sendeth the sword on a land, he can soon consume the flower of the youth as with a fire; The fire c●…nsumed the young men. 2. When Religion is overthrown among God's people, let not the Commonwealth think to stand; when God gave his glory into the enemy's hand, he ●…ave his people over also unto the sword, and the fire consumed their young men. 3: When God's people by abusing of Religion do provoke God against them, it shall be no wonder if God give them such sad blows by their enemies, that there shall be no hope for one age at least to recover their estate; and no wonder if there be fearful appearance also of cutting off the posterity: The fire consumed their young men, and their maidens were not given to marriage.  
From ver. 64. Learn, 1. It is amongst the fearfullest tokens of God's displeasure against a land, when he removeth his Ministers from them, especially when the good are taken away with the bad; Their Priests fell by the sword. 2. When the Ministers are the abusers of Religion, and chief in the provocation, no wonder to see them also exemplarily punished; for as Hophni and ●…hinehas made the sacrifice to be snuffed at, so God made their carcases fall in the battle; Their Priests fell by the sword. 3. When God's wrath breaks forth against his own people for their provocations, he can make public calamities so great, as they shall swallow up domestic miseries: yea he can make those that live, and are reserved from the sword, so weary of their lives, as they shall reckon the dead to be more happy than the living. Their Priests fell by the sword, and their widows made no lamentation.   

Ver. 65. Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep: and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of ●…e.  
66. And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put them to a perpetual reproach.  
In the thirteenth place, he showeth how notwithstanding of all the former provocations and sore judgements, the Lord of his own free grace, by taking vengeance upon his enemies; restored his people to the privileges of Church and Kingdom. Whence learn, 1. Howsoever the Lord's people draw on judgements upon themselves, and deserve to be left in their miseries; yet God of his free and constant love to them, sendeth relief when they least expect, as here is to be seen; when his people is in a most desperate condition, Then the Lord awaketh. 2. As people do sleep securely in their sin, when God doth call them to repentance: so it is justice with God to misken them in their calamity, and to be unto them as one asleep, as here he is described. 3. God doth not so far wink at the troubles of his own people, but the cry of their misery, and the insolency of the enemy against them, will awake him. When Israel is now as a lost people, and their enemies have taken God's Ark, Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouted because of wine. 4. Whatsoever weak similitude the Scripture useth to make us conceive somewhat of the Lords operations, yet must we always think of him, as beseemeth the glory of his majesty, leaving the imperfection of the creature, (from which the similitude is borrowed) as the dregs of the comparison, to rest with the creature itself, as here we are led to do, except we should think blasphemous thoughts of God. 5. Albeit the enemies of God's people may be at ease, when his people are in trouble, and lying under their feet, yet God will arise in due time and punish them; The Lord awaked, and smote his enemies in the hinder parts. 6. The dishonour done to God, and to God's people, is but for a time, and is shortly removed; but the recompense of the enemy which do dishonour God, is perpetual and everlasting; He smote his enemies in the hinder parts; to wit, with Emerods' and a bloody flux; And so he p●…●…hom to a perpetual reproach.   

Ver. 67. Moreover, he refused the Tabernacle of joseph: and chose not the tribe of Ephraim.  
68 But chose the tribe of judah: the Mount Zion which he loved.  
69. And he built his Sanctuary like high palaces: like the earth which he hath established for ever.  
70. He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds:  
71. From following the ewes great with young: he brought him to feed jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.  
72. So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart: and guided them by the faithfulness of his hands.  
In the last place is set down, how albeit the Lord did not return to Shiloh with his Ark ver. 67. yet he stayed in the land among his people, and placed his Ark in jerusalem, and built himself a glorious Temple and Sanctuary on Zion, ver. 68, 69. and settled his people under the government of David, a type of Christ, exalted from an humble and low condition, to be King of Israel, ver 70, 71. by whom the people were well governed, ver. 72.  
From, ver. 67, 68 Learn, 1. The Lord can so temper his justice and mercy in his dealing with his people as the effects of both shall be manifest: Because he was so dishonoured in Shiloh, he will have his justice seen, in not suffering his Ark to come there again any more; Moreover, he refused the Tabernacle of joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim; to wit, for the tribe that he would most respect, or where he would have the residence of his Ark to be; there is his justice. Again, he will not forsake the land, or the people of Israel altogether, but will dwell in some other part of the land, and will take another tribe to have the chief evidence of his respect shown unto them; But he chose the tribe of judah: there is his mercy, with an insinuation of the main means of the mercy, which is the coming of Christ in the flesh, out of the tribe of judah; Thus God will not depart from Israel, and yet he will no●… be found save in the tribe of judah, out of which came Christ, the root and fountain of mercy, to all Israel, who shall seek unto God through him. 2. Whatsoever be the privilege of the Church universal, yet no particular place is to privileged, but God will leave it, and take another to dwell in, when he is provoked in 〈◊〉 particular place to forsake it: for the dishonour done to his Majesty in Shiloh, he resused the Tabernacle of joseph; he refused th●… his Ark, the chief sign of his presence, should have its residence any more in the bounds of Ephraim or Manasseh, the sons of joseph. 3. The cause why God chooseth unto any privilege, one tribe more than another, or one person rather than another, or one place rather than another, is only his own free will, grace and love; He chose the tribe of judah, the Mount Siou which he loved.  
From ver. 69. Learn, 1. In the type of the building of the Temple on mount Zion, we are taught that the Church of God is his own edifice, who ever be the workmen, whom he in his providence doth employ to build it. Therefore is it said, He built his sanctuary like high Palaces. 2. Albeit the Lords Church, may have many troubles and commotions in it, yet shall it endure and not be overthrown utterly for ever; He built his sanctuary as the earth, which he hath established for ever.  
From, Ver. 70, 71. Learn, 1. The Church shall not want a King to defend, and protect her; for God hath his own chosen servant appointed for the purpose. As for the typical Kingdom of Israel he had David: so for the Church universal, represented by the type, he hath appointed Christ the eternal Son of God, who took his humane nature of the lineage of David, to be King mystical in Zion for ever; to be a type of whom, he did choose David his servant. 2. The Lord to the intent he may not only show his sovereign power, whereby he can raise the meanest of men, and exalt them how high soever he pleaseth, but also to represent from how low a degree of humiliation Christ incarnate was to be raised to the government of his Church and Kingdom, he setteth down the mean condition of life, wherefrom David was raised to the royal dignity of governing Israel: He took him from the sheep solds, from following the ewes great with young; he brought him to feed jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance.  
From, Ver. 72. Learn, The duties and properties of a good King are these. First, He must resolve to be God's servant in his charge, as David was. Seconly, All his subjects, and in special the Lord's people, must be cared for by him in a civil way, as a flock of sheep is cared for by the Pastor: David fed them. Thirdly, A King's heart must be set uprightly for God's honour, and for the subjects welfare in the whole course of his government; He fed them according 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 King ●…st de●… prudently with his subjects, accommodating the whole ●…se of his dealing with them, as their several conditions do re●…ire: He guided them by the skilfulness of his hands. And whatsoever measure David had of those properties, were but a shadow of the perfections of Christ in his Government. Fifthly, neither laws, nor teaching, nor miracles, nor benefits, nor judgements can avail unto the salvation of a people or person, till they be put under the hand and guiding of Christ; as we are taught here in the example and representation of the Lords dealing with Israel in this Psalm, wherein when God hath tried his people with oft repeated mercies and judgements, they come to no settled estate, till they be put under the Government of David, who in this is 〈◊〉 type of Christ. For he closeth with this, he guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.    

PSAL. LXXIX. A Psalm of Asaph.  
THe scattered and captive people of God, after the destruction of jerusalem and of the Temple, do put up a pitiful complaint unto God, to ver. 6. and do pray for a merciful relief to his Church, and for avenging their blood upon their enemies. As for the complaint, in it they lament four things. First, the profanation and desolation of the Lords inheritance and Temple by the heathen their enemies, ver. 1. Secondly, the barbarous cruelty and inhumanity used against them, ver, 2, 3. Thirdly, the contempt and mocking of their wicked neighbours in their misery, ver. 4. Fourthly ●…as they acknowledge this to proceed from God's displeasure, so they lament that it is like to be everlasting, ver. 5.  
In their prayer, in the latter part of the Psalm, they crave: First, justice upon their enemies, ver. 6. 7. Secondly, pardon of their own sins, and deliverance out of their misery, for sundry reasons, ver, 8, 9, 10, 11. Thirdly, that God wol●…d reward their inhuman neighbours who mocked at their misery, ver. 12. And do close their petition with a promise of praise and thanks unto God by the Church in all succeeding ages. Whence learn in general. 1. The Church of God may be brought so low, as here we see once it was 2 So many of God's people as live to see such public calamities and misery, must not despair of a recovery, but should and may run to God and pray for the Church in affliction, expecting order after consusion, and after dissipation, to see a gathering of God's people again, and after apparent overthrow of Religion a restoring of God's public worship, as the example of the Psalmist in this Psalm doth teach, whose courage and confidence in God for relief of the Lords people is wonderful, as the condition of the Church at that time seemed to be desperate. As the holy Ghost, the enditer of this Psalm, doth give warning here to all Churches in all ages, to beware to provoke the Lord unto wrath, lest he deal with them, as he dealt with those Israelites: so doth he give warrant to all afflicted Churches, to follow the example of this afflicted Church, to run to God for help: for which cause he hath given this Psalm to be made use of by the Church, A Psalm of Asaph.  

Ver. 1. O God the heathen are come into thine inheritance, thy holy people have they defiled, they have laid jerusalem on heaps.  
In the first part of this Lamentation; Learn, 1. Albeit there be no place nor person, how near and dear soever unto God, exempted from judgement when they are polluted, yet the wicked instruments of the judgement poured out upon the place and persons consecrated to God, may justly be complained of, as here we see; O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance. 2. When God's people, who should be holy, defile themselves and Gods Ordinances, it is no wonder that by profane persons they be punished, and their holy things polluted; Thy holy Temple have they defiled; that is, they have abused it, dealt with it, as a vile and pro●…ane thing. 3. Albeit people in Covenant with God have disgraced their holy profession, and polluted his ordinances, and be justly plagued by seeing holy ordinances put over in the hands of profane men for their cause, yet neither will the Lord disclaim his interest in his own ordinances, nor do his people lose right and interest in God and in his ordinances, when they take with their punishment, and do make their address to God for relief; Thy holy Temple have they defiled. 4. When God giveth over religious ordinances in the hands of profane men to be abused, no wonder if they that are the cause of this, do suffer in their civil state also; no wonder the City suffer with the Temple: jerusalem have they laid on heaps.   

Ver. 2. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven: the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth.  
3. Their blood have they shed like water round about jerusalem, and there was none to bury them.  
From the second part of the lamentation and complaint●… Learn, 1. Falling in battle before the enemies may prove that God hath a just cause against the party overcome, but cannot prove that the victor's cause is good, presuppose both parties had appealed to God: for there the heathen do overcome, and the Lords servants and Saints are slain, and they who are lest alive do complain of the victors, and take with their punishment at God's hand, who doth follow his own quarrel as he pleaseth, and will not at men's pleasure sit down and decide appellations, when they call to him, or stand unto 〈◊〉 time set down by men to him, to determine their controversy: O God, the 〈◊〉 are come into thine inheritance, etc. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat to the fowls. a●…. Heavy and fearful are the judgements temporal, which may come upon God's people, when they have provoked God to wrath against them for their sins, even such as are here set down, to wit, overturning of the outward face of Religion, destruction of their lands, cities and estate, killing of them in abundance, and want of burial when they are dead. 3. As not by outward prosperity, so also not by outward calamities, is the love of hatred of God to be known; the same sort of outward dispensation may befall both; The dead bodies of thy servants they have given to be meat to the fon●…es of heaven. 4. No tempered wrath hot calamities whatsoever can separate the Lords children from God's love and estimation of them, nor untie the relations between God and them: for here, albeit their carcases fall, & be devoured with the fowls of the heaven and beasts of the earth, yet remain they the Lords servants and Saints under these sufferings. The dead bodies of thy servants etc. the flesh of thy Saints. 5. The slaughter of the Lords people, and the scattering of such as escape of them may be so great, when his anger is kindled against them, that none may be found to bury the slain, but the dead may lie unburied; Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem, and there was none to bury them. 6. Nothing is to be expected of God's enemies towards God's people when they fall in their hands, but savage cruelty and barbarous inhumanity, for which they are to answer unto God, to whom the complaint of the living and the cry of the blood of the slain doth call for vengeance, as the experience of the Lords people in this place doth teach.   

Ver. 4. We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.  
From the third part of the complaint and lamentation; Learn, 1. In the day of God's displeasure against his people, yea in the day of the trial of the faith and patience of his people, no wonder that such as should most pity our calamity, and be comfortable unto us, rejoice to see us in misery, yea and make our calamity a matter of reproach to us, a matter of scorn and derision of us; for here it is said, We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about 〈◊〉. 2. When God doth afflict his people, all their privileges, and the Religion which they profess, do become contemptible and ridiculous to the ungodly, who do not esteem either of God's ordinances or of his people, but when they are adorned with outward prosperity. The Lord's people were seared and honoured by them that were about them, when God did fight for them, and countenanced them; but now they lament, We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. 3. To be mocked in misery, and specially of them by whom we should be comforted, is amongst the saddest passages of our affliction: Therefore here, is this part of their lamentation set down, after the formerly mentioned misery, as a load above a burden, and that which did embitter their sorrow most of all, because it did reflect upon their Religion, their faith, their interest in God, as if all had been ridiculous.   

Ver. 5. How long, LORD, wilt thou be 〈◊〉 gry, for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?  
From the fourth part of the lamentation; Learn, 1. The Lord's displeasure and anger against his people, is more heavy to them then all the calamities which have lighted on them; How long wilt thou be angry? putteth the capstone on their prisonhouse. 2. Guilty consciences cannot but apprehend wrath, when their plagues are heavy, yea they cannot escape a conflict with the fear of everlasting wrath, when his hand doth lie long upon them. How long, Lord? Wilt thou be angry for ever? 3. When God's people do fall from their matrimonial Covenant with God, and their heart and eyes do go a whoring after idols, no wonder the Lord be jealous, and his wrath for this be most hot, and be like to devour unto utter destruction: Shall thy jealousy burn like fire? 4. Whatsoever hath been our calamity, whosoever have been the instruments of our misery, yea how great soever our provocation of God's anger hath been: it is wisdom, as to expound all the malice and cruelty of men to be the effects of God's anger and jealousy, and that his anger and jealousy is kinled by our sins: so to run to God, and lament the whole matter before him, and deprecate his wrath, as the Church doth here; How long, Lord? Wilt thou be angry for ever?   

Ver. 6. Pour cut thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy Name.  
7. For they have devoured jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.  
In the latter part of the Psalm is their prayer; and first, for justice and vengeance on their enemies. Whence learn, 1. Albeit it be not lawful for us in our own quarrel to pray against our enemies, yet in the Church's quarrel, in the Lords quarrel it is lawful to pray in general against the incorrigible and desperate enemies of God and his people, as here the Church is taught. 2. Albeit temporal judgements may overtake Gods visible Church, when the open enemies of God's people and of his true worship are spared, yet at length the fullness of wrath is reserved for the ungodly, one and all: Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee. 3 Prayer to God, and invocation of his Name upon all occasions, as God's honour and men's necessities and duties public, private, and secret do call them to come before him, is a mark differencing God's people from the ungodly, whether professed or real heathens, and a mark of such as shall find mercy distinguishing them from the object of God's wrath: Pour out thy wrath upon the Kingdoms that have not called on thy Name. 4. Unto the tied worshipping of God the true knowledge of God is required: for how shall men call upon God in whom they believe not, whom they know not, or whom to know they care not? Therefore such as are strangers from God here, are described by this They have not known thee, they have not called on thy Name. 5. The members of a visible Church may be scattered one from another, that they cannot in one place jointly and professedly enjoy public Ordinances; as here, jacob is devoured, and his dwelling place laid waste. 6. The heaviest article in the ditty of the ungodly is their being either accessary to, or active in the overthrow of God's people; Pour out thy wrath on them; for they have devoured jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.   

Ver. 8. O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.  
9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the the glory of thy Name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins for thy Names sake.  
10. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.  
11. Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee, according to the greatness of thy power: preserve thou those that are appointed to die.  
Secondly they pray for pardon of their sins, and delivery from the misery which their sins had procured; unto which Petitions sundry reasons are added for strengthening of the faith of the Church. Whence learn, 1. The sense of sin maketh the afflicted to be patient, and submissive unto God without murmuration, and their lamentation for their misery doth resolve in prayer, and in a prayer for remission of sin; O remember not against us former iniquities. 2. The only right way to remedy a miserable condition, is to sue for remission of sins, and for the renewed evidence of reconciliation: for before the Church here do ask any thing for their outward delivery, they pray, O remember not against us former iniquities. 3. A people's long continuance in sin doth furnish ground of fear of the long continuing of begun wrath and judgement upon them, and therefore they pray for the forgetting of their sin, that the quarrel being the judgement may be removed; O remember not against us our former iniquities. 4. When warth and justice are like to consume us, and quickly make an end of us, a refuge is open to us in God's tender mercies, who cannot destroy utterly a sinner fleeing to his mercy; Let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us, for we are brought very low. 5. When the Lords people are brought low, let them not look for a lifting up or relief, except from God only, therefore say they, here, Help us, O Lord. 6. Such as have laid hold on God for salvation promised in the Covenant, may also look for particular deliveries out of particular troubles, as appendices of the main benefit of salvation; Therefore, Help, us, O God of our salvation, say they. 7. When men do ask any thing, the granting whereof may glorify God, they may confidently expect to have it; and in special, when God may be so glorified, as his people may also be preserved and comforted: Help us (say they) for the glory of thy Name, and deliver us. 8. As the conscience of sin useth to step in oftener between us and mercy, so must we call oftener for remission of sin; for earnest affection can double and treble the same Petition without babbling: Deliver us, and purge away our sins. 9 It is the glory of the Lord to forget sin, and when remission of sins is prayed for according to God's promise, the Lords glory is engaged for the helping of faith to obtain; Purge away our sin for thy Names sake. 10. Idolaters are ready to insult over God's people and their religion, and over God also, when the Church is afflicted, and this dishonour of God true Saints cannot endure; Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? 11. Howsoever the Lord will punish his own people for their sins in the sight of the heathen, yet will he not suffer the heathen long to insult over his people, or over the true religion; but by showing kindness to his people, will have the heathen to know that he is their God, who will answer for himself, and for his people, and their religion also; Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? 12. As it doth belong ●…o God's honour to deliver his people in their distress, so also to punish the persecutors of his Church and blasphemers of his Name; Let him be known among the heathen in our sight, by avenging the blood of thy servants. 13. It is a comfort and encouragement of living Saints, to see God avenge the blood of dead Saints slain by their enemies; Let him be known in our sight, by avenging the blood of thy servants. 14. As it is no wonder to see grief and sighing to be the cheer of God's people when the Lord hath scattered them, and they are captive prisoners under their oppressors; so may we be sure their tears and sighing shall not be misregarded by God: Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee. 15. Albeit it seem impossible to deliver God's people, when they are as condemned prisoners, destinated by their enemies unto destruction, yet saith seethe delivery very possible to God's omnipotency: According to the greatness of thy power, preserve thou those that are appointed to die.   

Ver. 12. And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom, their reproach where with they have reproached thee, O Lord.  
13. So we thy people, and sheep of thy pasture, will give thee thanks for ever: we will show forth thy praise to all generations.  
In the last place, they pray for vengeance on their wicked neighbours, who mocked them and their Religion in the time of their calamity: and thus they close their prayer with a promise to praise God for the granting of their petitions. Whence learn, 1. Such as rejoice at the calamity of God's people, and mock them in their misery, especially neighbours who should be most comfortable, as they are in some respect more guilty than open oppressors; so shall they be most severely plagued of God for their cruelty: Render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their besom their reproach. 2. The mocking of God's people in their misery, especially for their Relgion, is the mocking of God, and reproaching of him whose servants they are; Render them the reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord. 3. When God taketh vengeance on the enemies of the Church, then is it seen what interest God hath in that despised company: for the Church here is confident, that then their relations unto God, and Gods care of them, shall be evident; So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture shall give thee thanks: that is, we shall come out of distress, and gather ourselves together, and profess ourselves to be thy people, and chosen flock, and shall praise thee. 4. The troubles of the Lords people, and their mourning, are but temporal, and of short endurance: but their deliverance and comfort, when their troubles are ended, is everlasting, and no less than everlasting duration can suffice them to praise God and thank him for his kindness; So we thy people shall give thee thanks for ever. 5. As the Lords work for his distressed people calleth for thanks at their hands, so also doth it call for praise at their hands, who shall hear of it; and they whose duty it is to give thanks, ought also according to their power, to stir up others to praise God with themselves, and to stir up also the posterity in all succeeding ages, as the Church here promiseth: We will show forth thy praise to all generations.    

PSAL. LXXX. To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim Eduth. A Psalm of Asaph.  
THis Psalm given to the Church to be made use of, is of the like sad subject with the former, and may be applied to the time of carrying away the ten tribes out of the holy land, while judah was yet in possession of it, and the Temple was yet standing, and the Lord was dwelling between the Cherubims in the Sanctuary, where the Ark and Mercy-seat was yet remaining; or to the time of the begun desolation of the land by Nabuchadnezzar, or to any other desolation which did threaten their final rooting out. The sum of the Psalm is a lamenting of the miserable condition of the Israelites, and an earnest entreating of the Lord to give them repentance and a delivery. In the first place, the Church maketh her address to God, and propoundeth the main Petition, ver, 1, 2, 3. In the second place, they lament their misery, and repeat the same Petition; ver. 4, 5 6, 7. In the third place, they call to mind the Lords care to plant his people in the land as a vinetree, and do lament the doleful change of their happy condition into that of their present misery, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. In the fourth place, they pray for God's mercy and pity toward his desolate people, ver. 14, 15, 16. In the last place, th●…y pray for the standing of the tribe of judah, and that ●…or Christ's cause, who was to take his humane nature of this tribe; and do close the Psalm with repearing the third time their special Petition for repentance and delivery to be granted unto them, ver. 17, 18, 19  

Ver. 1. Glve ear, O shepherd of Israel, thou that leadest joseph like a flock, thou that dwellest between the Cherubims, shine forth.  
Many sweet fruits hath the Lord drawn forth from the bitter afflictions of his people, and this Psalm amongst the rest; wherein first, the Church beggeth from God audience, for the relations between God and them, ver. 1. and then prayeth for salvation, ver. 2. and to this end doth make request for the gracious gift of Repentance to his people, that they might be saved, ver. 3.  
From the fi●…st verse; Learn, 1. When our heart is full of grief, or of any holy affection, which we desire to lay forth before the Lord, we may call for, and expect audience at the Lords hands, as the Church doth here, saying to the Lord, Give car. 2. He that would speak to God in the d●…y of calamity, had need to fasten faith on God, and should go about it, how grievous soever his rod seem, as here the Church is taught by the Psalmist to do. 3. Albeit faith will find small strength from anything in the supplicant, yet on Gods part it cannot miss solid ground to fix upon, according to the tenor of the Covenant of grace, such as is Christ's Prophetical and Kingly office, whereby the Lord taketh on him to lead and feed his people; to govern and protect them, as a shepherd doth his flock: as here the Church doth, O shepherd of Israel. This is one consideration. Another is, the constant experiment and proof given of his actual exercising of this office; Thou that leadest jacob as a flock: and unto the former they ●…oyn the free offer of grace to all that do seck for mercy from God ●…hrough the Mediator Christ; Thou that dw●…llest between the Cherubims. 4. Albeit sin doth overcloud the manifesting of God's favour and loving kindesse towards his people, yet the prayer of faith upon the grounds of the Covenant may expect the clearing up of his countenance again: O shepherd of Israel, shine forth.   

Ver. 2. Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, stir up thy strength, and come and save us.  
For understanding of the second verse, we must remember, that when the A●…k of the Covenant rested, or marched in the wilderness, these three Tribes, Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manassc●…, were in the teareward of the host of Israel, or on the Westside thereof, as is set down, Numb. 2. 18, 19, etc. when the host marched, and the Art set forward, Moses said to the Lord, Rise up, Lord, and let thine enemies be scattered; and let them that hate thee, flee before thee: answerable to this, doth the sixty ●…ight Psalm begin, when the A●…k removed and was carried up to mount Zion, now the people of God being in distress here, do call those days to remembrance, and do request the Lord, that as he had in the eye sight of those three tribes here mentioned, ma●…isisted himself many a time to be the leader and defender of his people: so he would now also in this their lamentable condition stir up himself for th●…ir relief and safety. Whence learn, 1. The remembrance of the Lords humbling himself to be fafamiliar with his people, and how sweet and glorious communion his people have had with him, may and should encourage believers in him to seek and expect new experience of the like mercy in their need, as here the Israelit●…s do pray for new proof of that favour, which their ancestors did find sometime; Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh stir up thy strength, and come and save us. 2. The posterity of those who have been in fellowship with God, should pray for themselves, and be prayed for by the Church, that they may have room in the Lord's host, and have God their leader, as their godly fathers had before them; Before Ephraim, Benjamin, and Manasseh stir up thy strength.   

Ver. 3. Turn us again, O God: and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.  
This is the special Petition most insisted upon, that God by giving of Repentance would reclaim his people from their apostasy, and grant the evidence of his former favour unto them, and so deliver and save them. When learn, 1. As the apostasy of God's people f●…om God, is the fountain of all their calamity: so their repentance and returning unto God, is the first step unto their relief, and delivery from procured misery of captivity, or any other calamity, as the prayer here importeth: Turn us again, O Lord. 2. Conversion of people from their sin unto God, and leading of them back from the misery drawn on by sin, is the work of God, which no man can work of himself, or in himself, or in others, till God begin and enable them to return, and lead them on in their turning; Therefore saith the Psalmist, Turn us again, O Lord: thus they say as unable to turn again of themselves. 3. When a people or person do turn unto God, repenting their sin or back-sliding from him, they may expect the Lord shall show unto them evidences of his reconciliation and favour toward them; Turn us again, and cause thy face to shine upon us. 4. It is to God's children very salvation to be in favour with God, and to be assured of reconciliation with him: Turn us again, cause thy face to shine, and so shall we be saved.   

Ver. 4. O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people:  
5. Thou feedest them with the bread of tears: and givest them tears to drink in great measure.  
6, Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours: and our enemies laugh among themselves.  
7. Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.  
In the second place, the Church lamenteth the Lord's wrath, manifested first, in answering their prayers with indignation, ver. 4. Secondly, by increasing of their woeful misery without consolation, ver. 5. And thirdly, by making them the matter of their enemy's strife among themselves (which of them should have meanest Hebrews to be their slaves,) and the object of their enemy's sport, when they had parted the prey among them, ver. 6. After which he repeateth the former prayer for Repentance, and for delivery, ver. 7.  
From the first part of their complaint and lamentation, set down, ver. 4. Learn, 1. The people of God may in their affliction put up prayers to God, which he will not accept, to wit, prayers for removing of judgement, when they have not repent the sins which drew on the judgement; yea they may pray long, and be instant in such prayers, and not receive a comfortable answer; yea they may find their prayers answered with evidencing of Gods displeasing such prayers; How long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people? 2. When God doth not answer the prayers of his people in their affliction, the afflied must not cease to pray on still, neither may the truly godly among them cease to deal with God for his afflicted people, joined in external Covenant with them, but must continue and be still instant with God, as here they do; For how long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people? is a part of their prayer, notwithstanding that God seemeth angry at their prayers. 3. As God's supremacy over all the hosts of the creatures maketh his wrath more terrible to the supplicant, so should it make the supplicant more instant in prayer, and more loath to take a refusal to his supplication, as here it doth; O Lord God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people? 4. We are not always to look after a present answer to our prayers, but must wait on so long as God pleaseth not to answer: yea it is possible, that after a believer hath begun to humble himself, God may send messenger after messenger of more and more appearance of wrath; but we must resolve, as to wrestle with all difficulties, so also with the sense of God's anger against us, yea, and that against our prayers: How long wilt thou be angry against the prayers of thy people?  
From the second part of the lamentation, ver. 5. Learn, 1. When God's people will not mourn for sin in time, as penitents, no wonder he drive them to mourn for the fruit of their sin in sad affliction: Thou feedest them with the bread of tears. 2. We are more sensible of the evil of trouble, then of the evil of sin; the tears of Repentance are very rare, and soon d●…ied up, but the tears of sorrow for affliction do easily flow, as affliction increaseth or continueth, and that in God's wise dispensation, that worldly sorrow for afflictions, may drive us to godly sorrow for offending of God; Thou feedest them with the bread of tears. 3. The comfort of the creatures, yea of necessary food, may be overcome and swallowed up by trouble and worldly sorrow, and that in God's wise dispensation, that men may learn to hunger and thi●…st for heavenly and strong consolation: as it befell this people, who were taken up so with weeping, as they forgot their ordinary meals, and when they did eat and drink, did drench their food with tears; Thou feedest them with the bread of tears, and givest them tears to drink in great measure.  
From the third part of their lamentation, ver. 6. Learn, 1. It is righteousness for God to make his people find the bitterness of men's hatred and enmity, when they have slighted his friendship and favour; as here, he gave Israel over ●…to the hands of their enemies, when they had provoked him: Thou makest 〈◊〉 a strife to our neighbours, and our enemies laugh. 2. When the Lord lets the wicked world lose upon his people, they find as many neighbours, as enemies, who make havoc of them, and strive amongst themselves who shall do them most harm, and serve themselves most of their persons ●…nd goods; and this is the Lords wise despensation, to let hi●… own know, what his protection is worth; Thou makest us a strife unto our neighbours. 3. The grief and trouble of the Lords people, is the joy of the wicked, and it is the property of an enemy to rejoice at their calamity; and God in his most wise dispensation will give his people a taste of this, that they may know the fruit of their rejoicing in that which offended God, and what they may expect of the world, if they fall out of his favour; Thou makest us a strife to our neighbours, and our en●…mies laugh among themselves.  
From the repetition of the same prayer for giving them repentance, reconciliation, and salvation, ver. 7. Learn, 1. Ardency of affection maketh the repetition of the same prayer not to be babbling; Turn us again, O God, is now the second time propounded. 2. The way to remedy all the evil ●…oth of sin and punishment lying upon God's people, is to repent their sins, and to seek reconciliation with God; if his people would repent, than would not the Lord be angry with their prayers; then affliction should either be removed; or made light to them: for to remedy all the lamented evils, they pray, Turn us again, O God. 3. A praying people's case cannot be so dark and desperate, but looking to God's power shall give light and hope of relief; Turn us again, O God of hosts, saith he; nothing is too hard for him to do. 4. God's people cannot dispense with the want of his manifested good will to them; Turn us, and cause thy face to shine upon us, is their fixed Petition. 5. Salvation may be certainly expected in God's order●… and if we labour to be sure of our turning to God, and living in the sense of communion with him, we need not make question of salvation; for that shall follow infallibly on the former two: Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine upon u●…, so shall we be saved. The last is not put up by way of prayer here, but p●…omised to themselves, and put out of question, that it sh●…ll follow; Turn us, so shall we be saved, say they.   

Ver. 8. Thou hast brought a Vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.  
9 Thou preparedst room beforehand: and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land.  
10. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly Cedars.  
11. She sent out her boughs unto the sea: and her branches unto the river.  
In the third place, they renew their Lamentation, by comparing the sometime blessed condition of the Church of Israel with the present miserable estate they are now in. In former times Israel was as a fruitful vineyard, v. 8 9, 10, 11. but now the Lords protection is removed, and they are made a prey to every beastly enemy, ver. 12, 13. Whence learn, 1. Adversity bringeth to mind neglected prosperity in time past, and the distress of a Church deprived of former favours putteth a price upon, and giveth lustre unto abused mercies looked back upon: as here, the calamity of the ten tribes, or of the whole twelve tribes cast out of their land, doth make their delivery out of Egypt, their planting in Canaan, and the mercies which they felt in that land to appear very glorious; and setteth up that their sometime condition in the similtude of a fruitful vineyard. 2. There is no fitter similitude then of a vinetree and of a vineyard, to represent the weakness of God's Church and people, and Gods care of them, to have fruits of faith and obedience from them: therefore here and elsewhere is this comparison made use of. 3. It serveth much to help the faith of God's people in their calamity, to call to mind Gods begun work among them, and in them, and for them: for when his people do claim to wont kindness, the Lord is ready to make his mercy run in the former channel. This is the ground of the: Churches reasoning here, in her supplication to God. 4. It is not enough lightly to mention a course of kindness shown to us of God, but every part and passage of it is worthy to be marked and prized highly; as here, 1. Israel's bringing out of Egypt is observed, and compared to the bringing of a noble plant out of a far country in the Lords own hand; Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt. 2. The casting out of the Canaanites, is compared to the purging of the ground from stones, and thorne●…, and blocks in comparison of Israel, to be planted there; Thou hast cast but the heathen, and planted it. 3. They observe the benefit of enlarging their dwelling for commodious habitation: Thou preparedst room for it. 4. And their settling in the land; Thou causedst it to take deep root. 5. And their multiplying in it; It filled the land. 6. And their riches, and power, and glory in the land, comparable to a wood of Cedars; The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the bought thereof were like the goodly Cedars. 7. And the spreading of their authority and government, according to the bounds 〈◊〉 to their promised possession, Gen. 15. 18. from the Mediterranean sea westward, to the river Eupbrates eastward; She sent out her boughs to the s●…, and her branches to the river. Thus a well ordered Church is like 〈◊〉 pleasant and fruitful vineyard.   

Ver. 12. Why hast thou then broken down her hedges: so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her?  
13. The boar out out of the wood doth waste it: and the wild beast of the field doth devour it.  
After calling to mind this glorious condition they were in, they in a weeping and lamentable manner do compare their present misery with what happiness once they had, and do lay it forth before the pitiful eyes of the lord Whence learn, 1. As present felt misery commendeth prosperity past, so past prosperity doth augment present misery, when the two conditions are compared, as in this comparison is held forth. 2. The most glorious and best planted Church may for its unfruitfulness and provocation of God by its ill fruits, be plucked up again, and the hedge of discipline, the hedge of civil government, and the hedge of God's protection may all be removed suddenly from it, as here we see; Why hast thou broken down the hedges? 3. It is a wonderful and astonishing judgement, to see the Lord casting down the work of Reformation once begun by him, and plucking up the plantation of his Church once made by him; and yet the provocation of a wicked generation may procure this evil, which hardly can be believed till it come; and even then it is wonderful, and should send men unto God, to make them see rightly the causes thereof, as this interrogation importeth; Why best thou broken down her hedges? 4. When God removeth his hedges from about his people, for their provocation of him, than any body that pleaseth may make a prey of them; So that all they who pass by the way do●…ck her. 5. If God remove the hedge of his protection from about his people, no wonder they call into the hands of the most savage, cruel and beastly sort of men, as did besal Israel; The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast out of the field doth devour it. 6. When the Lords Church is in the worst condition, she is not so wasted and destroyed, but a remnant is left to present by prayer her condition unto God, to deal with him for her restauration, as the case in hand here and elsewhere doth show.   

Ver. 14. Return we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this Vine.  
15. And the Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted: and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself.  
16. It is burnt with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.  
In the fourth place, they pray that God who was departed from them, would return and have compassion on the desolate condition of his Church. Whence learn, 1 Although the Lord seem to depart from his Church, yet he is within cry, and may be recalled by prayer, and may by his power set all right again: Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts. 2. Although no hope of help or possibility of relief can be seen on earth, yet there is hope of help from heaven; Look down from heaven. 3. In the least degree of God's respect and kindness to a desolate Church, begun to be manifested after pouring out judgements on it, faith will read hope; of relief and restauration of it; Behold and visit this Vine: for to come and see, is all to them which they crave. 4. The labour and care which God hath bestowed on his Church, for setting up, and settling of it in any place, may give hope to those who pray for it, that albeit the Lord afflict it heavily, yet he will not lose his labour; Visit this Vine, and the Vineyard which thy right band hath planted. 5. There was a branch to come of the stock of Israel, for whose cause the Nation of the Israelites could not be utterly forsaken and destroyed, and this was the Messiah, Christ Jesus (promised to come of Abraham, Isaac, jacob, judah, David,) of whose coming, because God had a special care that the stock should be underpropped and upheld and made strong till this branch came forth, the Church of Israel might be confident not to be utterly cast off, and therefore in their prayer they make mention of him; Visit the Vineyard and the Branch (to wit, of the house of David,) that thou madest strong for thyself: In the Hebrew, it is the Son whom thou madest strong, even Christ, who is the true Son of God, the true Vine-tree, john 15. 1. whereabout the Father's husbandry is in a special way employed. 6. The visible Church or people of God by Covenant, at some time may be so far from a glorious and flourishing condition of prosperity, that on the contrary in outward appearance she may be almost destroyed, and like to perish utterly, as here of the Lords Vineyard, or the whole visible Church we read, It is burnt with fire, it is cut down: he meaneth God's people; They perish (saith the Psalmist,) at the rebuke of thy countenance. 7. We are to look, not so much to instruments of the Church's desolation, as to the people's sins procuring it, and to God's wrath causing it? They perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.   

Ver. 17. Let thy band be upon the man of thy right hand: upon the Son of man, whom thou madest strong for thyself.  
18. So will not we go back from thee: quicken us, ana we will call upon thy Name.  
19 Turn us again, O LORD God of hosts, cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved.  
In the last place, they put up three requests. In the first, they insist upon that point of their prayer, v. ●…5. which concerneth the Branch of the Vineyard of Israel, the promised Messiah, Christ the Redeemer: and do make request over again, that the stock and lineage of David, whereof Christ was to come, might be kept to the fore, till he should assume humane nature and become the Son of man, according to the solid grounds which God had laid down to bring this promise to pass: For the substance of the prayer is this: Seeing thou hast made one branch of this Vine, which thou broughtest out of Egypt, strong for thyself, or for thy own purpose, namely, the man of thy right hand, the Son of man, the promised Messiah, God to be incarnate: Let thy hand or power be employed for bringing this to pass, that he who is at thy right hand, thy equal, may be made man, the man of thy right hand, the Son of man: So will not we go back from thee; that is, by him we thy redeemed shall be preserved from apostasy and separation from thee. In the second request, they pray for the pouring forth of the Spirit upon his dead people, that having spiritual life communicated unto them, they may worship God in Spirit and truth: Quicken us, and we will call upon thy Name, say they. In the third request, they repeat the third time that prayed for repentance and reconciliation, to be manifested to his people.  
From the first request, ver. 17. Learn, 1. The refuge, rest, consolation and confidence of a distressed Church or person is Christ: and toward him must the afflicted cast their eye for relief, as here the Church in her deepest desolation doth. 2. Christ is always at the right hand of the Father, in regard of power and glory; and it is for him no robbery to be equal with God the Father, Phil. 2. 16. and his humane nature assumed doth not degrade him from the glory which he had with the Father before the world began, john 17. 5. 〈◊〉 is the man of God's right hand, in a singular manner. 3. Christ and his Kingdom are established before God for ever, for bringing to pass the purpose and service of God in the Redemption of his elect; He is the man whom the Father hath made strong for himself: for his humane nature is united with his divine nature in one person; his incarnation was made sure by the eternal and immurable decree of the Covenant of Redemption, wherein the elect were given over to Christ, and grace was granted and given to them in Christ Jesus before the world began, 2 Tim. 1. 9 And as his incarnation was made 〈◊〉 by decree, so also made sure by many times repeated Promises in the Law and Prophets, beginning at Gen. 3. 15. where it is promised, that the seed of the woman should tread down the head of the serpent; all along the Scripture unto, Malachi 3. 〈◊〉. where it is revealed, that Christ's messenger, to wit, john Baptist in the power of Elias should come before him: and straightway, after he himself should show himself, as did come to pass; This is the Son of man (saith he,) whom thou hast made strong for thyself. 4. To bring this promise to effect and accomplishment, the Almighty power of God shall set on work: and never drew back from operation, till his purpose was brought to pass; for after the time that the man Abraham was designed, of whose seed he was to take flesh, the Scripture showeth what care the Lord had of Isaac and jacob, and the Patriarches in Egypt: and about the bringing of their posterity out of it to Canaan, till David's family is designed for his sto●…k: and when the ten tribes were scattered abroad, he preserved judah to the fox: and when that tribe also was thrust out into captivity, he brought it back again, and preserved David's race, and the tribe of judah under civil Government till Christ came; and this the prayer here propounded did make request for: Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand. 5. Neither the Church, nor any member thereof needeth any more security for their stability and perpetuation, but Christ: for now when the Vineyard is burnt, and the visible Church defaced, the remnant are cotent to rest satisfied with this, which also they take for granted, and do subscribe unto it; Let thy hand he upon the man of thy right hand; upon the Son of man, whom thou hast made strong for thyself. 6. The consanguinity of Christ with the believer, and his humiliation in his humane nature, are strong supporters of the faith and comfort of his people that do seek salvation through him; therefore do the faithful here fix themselves on this, that as he is God's Son, so he is a branch of their Vineyard also; that as he is at the right hand of the Father as God, so he is the man of his right hand also: the Son of man, or of Adam, partaker of flesh and blood with us, of the same stock that we are of, in all things like to us, except sin: for the Son of man is the stile, whereby Christ styled himself in his humiliation. 7. The perpetuity of the Church, and the perseverance of the Saints, is founded upon the sufficiency of Christ: and the unseigned believer may assure himself, as of the continuance of the Church, so of his own perseverance and constant communion with God through him: Let thy hand be upon the man of thy right hand, etc. so will not we go back from thee.  
From the second request, v. 18. Learn, 〈◊〉 As there is a death of alienation from the life of God in the unregenerate, and a death of disability, discomfort and discouragement found in the regenerate in Scripture: so there is a quickening which giveth spiritual life to those that a e●…t dead in their sins and trespasses; and a quickening which giveth strength and comfort to the weak, disconsola●…e and discouraged souls of God's children: for the first sort of quickening every regenerate man should pray in behalf of all the elect in the visible Church, who are not as yet converted; and for quickening in other respects they should pray in behalf of themselves and other afflicted spirits of the godly, as here the believers do pray; Quicken us. 2. The honouring of God in spiritual worship should be the end of our petitions which we do make for any good to ourselves; Quicken us, and we shall call upon thy Name. 3. Albeit the work of calling on God's Name, and worshipping of God in Spirit and tr●…h, be the work of the regenerate man; yet the spiritual life, and the motion or stirring up of the regenerate man unto this work, the enabling of the man unto it, and in it, and the cheering up of his heart to do it affectionately, is the work of the Lord: for these doth the P●…lmist here distinguish; first, he sets down God's part: Quicken thou us; and then o●…r part: And we shall call upon thy Name.  
From the third request, ver. 19 repeated now the third time; Learn, 1. In what respects soever the Church of the Jewish Nation may seem to be alienated from God, yet the●…e is hope of their repentance and returning and reconciliation unto God; for there is a petition of the Lords enditing standing he e, thrice repeated in their favour to be granted in due time by God, to whom nothing is hard: and here in this third repetition of this prayer, the Name of God Jehovah, whereby he told Israel that he would be known to them to be the performer of promises, is added expressly; Turn us again, O jehovah, God of hosts. 2, Albeit we ourselves do breed the mist and clouds, which do hide from us the shining of God's favour towards us, and we do build the partition walls, we do raise up mountains of transgressions, which separate between God and us; vet it is the Lord himself only, who of his own free grace, and by his own power doth dissolve these clouds, and remove these impediments out of his own way towards us; Turn us again, and cause thy face to shine. 3. So oft as we are burdened with the same pressure, and straitened with the same necessity, as oft we may and should have recourse to God for relief by prayer: for this staff hath God put in faith's hand, to help the believer in every stop of his journey, till he come home to the Lord, and be past all peril; Turn 〈◊〉 again, cause thy face to shine. 4. As the sight of our distance from God, and sense of his displeasure, and fear of perdition, do serve to be a spur to our prayer: so desire of reconciliation, desire and purpose of repenting, and hope of salvation ●…o serve to encourage us to persevere in prayer, till we have what we ask perfected to us: Turn us again, cause thy face to shine, so shall we be saved.    

PSAL. LXXXI. To the chief Musician upon Gittith. A Psalm of Asaph.  
THis Psalm was appointed to be sung in their solemn seasts, new moons, and feast of tabernacles, in special for a testimony of God's gracious and bountiful dealing with his people on the one hand, and of their provocation of God on the other hand, moving him to change his dispensation toward them, and to withhold many benefits from them, which otherways they might have had, if they had not rejected God's counsel, and had chosen their own ways: that by this Psalm his people might learn to be wiser.  
The parts of the Psalm are three. The first is a Preface, wherein there is a mutual stirring up of the Church-members, to keep the solemn feasts, and blowing of trumpets, ver. 1, 2, 3. and a reason or this mutual exho●…tation, taken from God's institution of this ordinance when he brought his people out of Egypt from the service of strangers, ver. 4, 5.  
In the second part is set down, how God delivered them from bondage in Egypt, and from troubles in their journey, ver. 6, 7. and how reasonable commands the Lord did give unto them: which commands are all summed up in this one: That God should be their God alone, ver. 8, 9, 10.  
In the third part is set down: First, how they rejected God and his counsel, ver. 11. Next, how therefore they were plagued, by being given over to their own lusts, ver. 12. Thirdly, how they deprived themselves of God's benefits, which by following God's counsel, they might have enjoyed, ver. 13, 14, 15.  

Ver. 1. SIng aloud unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of jacob.  
2. Take a Psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant harp with the psaltery.  
3. Blow up the trumpet in the new Moon; in the time appointed on our solemn feast-day.  
From their mutual stirring up of one another to rejoice in God, commanded here by the Psalmist in the Lords Name; Learn, 1. That whatsoever may be our own private condition, it is our duty ever, and in all things to give glory to God to rejoice in him, to profess and avow his Name; Sing aloud unto God. 2. The Lord's people have the fulfilling, supplying and supporting of their emptiness, wants and weakness in God, whose sufficiency they ought to make use of, and rejoice therein; Sing unto God our strength. 3. It is the Covenant of grace, whereby God becometh our God, which doth entitle us, and giveth us interest in, and right unto his all-sufficiency, which we should entertain joyfully in our communion with God, praising him, and thanking him for it, and delighting in his presence, because of it; Make a joyful noise unto the God of jacob, for God was Jacob's God, because God was by Covenant abraham's, and his children's God, whose children also we are, who are Christ's, Gal. 3. 29.  
From the use and variety of musical instruments called for, Ver. 2, 3. Learn, 1. Albeit the external melody of musical. instruments in the Lords public worship, with the rest of the pedagogy, and shadowing dark figures of the Ceremonial Law be abolished now when the Lord, the Sun of righteousness, is come; yet the moral duties represented by them are still to be acknowledged and followed by us, to wit, that the praises of the Lord are unexpressible by us, and that we are unsufficient of ourselves to set forth the same, that we have matter of unspeakable joy in God our Redeemer, and should stir up all the powers of our soul, to this part of his spiritual service; for this did those musical instruments teach: Take a Psalm, and bring hither the timbrel, the pleasant harp with the Psaltery. 2. We ought to acknowledge the stately magnificence of our exalted Lord, and our dulness and slowness to praise him: and what need we had to be stirred up, and to stir up one another to this duty: for this was pointed at in the use of the trumpets; Blow up the trumpet. 3. We ought to acknowledge that we are subject to various changes, and alteration of conditions in this life, and that all these changes are sanctified unto the Lord's people, and that new consolations may be expected from God, one after another, to season the darkness and nights of our affliction: and we should consecrate ourselves anew from time to time to God, and give him the first part and flower of our time; yea, should study, that all our time, in all changes whatsoever may be spent in his service: for thus much did the solemnities in their new Moons hold forth; Blow up the Trumpet in the new Moon. 4. We ought to acknowledge that we are strangers here in the world, and we have no certain dwelling-place, but that we are in our sojourning depending upon God's provision for us, and protection of us, expecting the time when we shall appear before him, and shall be put in possession of those mansion-places p●…epared for us, wherein we shall have fullness of joy, and God constantly present with us, and that in the mean time we should study to rejoice in the tiches of the Lords goodness to us in our Redeemer; for this in substance was h●…ld forth in those solemn feasts, and in special, in the feast of Tabernacles: Blow the Trumpet in the time appointed, on our solemn feast-day.   

Ver. 4. For this was a statute for Israel: and a law of the God of jacob.  
5. This he ordained in joseph for a testimony, when he went out through the land of Egypt: where I heard a language, that I understood not.  
The Church giveth two reasons of the exhortation, cheerfully to glorify God in the observation of his appointed ordinances, and solemn convocations: One is, because God did institute and command this solemn rejoicing in him, ver. 4. The other is, because he appointed it after the bestowing on them of a great 〈◊〉 out of Egypt from their bondage under strangers, and people of an uncouth language, ver. 5. From the first reason; Learn, 1. It is a sufficient motive for observation of any religious action, that God hath ordained it; and no less authority then divine can warrant a man in the matters of Religion. therefore it is said here, For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of jacob. As none may appoint acts of religious worship, but God: so also none may alter nor abrogate them, except God himself only: For they are statutes and laws of the God of jacob. 2. The Ordinances of Religion appointed of God, as they are witnesses of his will, how he shall be served, and witnesses of his good will toward us, and care of us to have us saved: so a so are they witnesses of our faith and obedience, to testify for us or against us, as we m●…ke use of them; This he ordained in joseph for a testimony. 3. The greatness of the work of Redemption, the powerful manner of bringing it to pass, and the misery wherein we were before we were delivered, should augment our joy and thankfulness to God, and 〈◊〉 our tie to his worship and service, as the force of the Churches reasoning here doth teach: for the Lord went through the Egyptians, and over their belly as a mighty Conqueror, when he re●…emed his people and delivered them from the servitude of a people of a strange language, therefore they were bound joyfully to keep his solemn Ordinances; He ordained this for a testimony (saith the Church) when he went through the land of Egypt, where I heard a language, which I understood not.   

Ver. 6 I removed his shoulder from the burden: his hands were delivered from the pots.  
7. Thou called'st in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder, I proved thee at the waters of Meribah. Selah.  
In the second part the Lord speaketh, and putteth his people in mind of his kindness to them in their delivery from Egypt, ver. 6. and of his wife care of them in the wilderness, ver. 7. And how he c●…aved nothing of them, but that they should keep close to him, and not go after idols, ver. 8. 9 First, because he is God all sufficient. Next, because he had entered in Covenant to be their God. Thirdly, because he had given proof what he could do for them by their delivery out of Egypt. And lastly, because he was ready to make them fully blessed upon their willingness to receive his offered goodness, ver. 10. And then he shows what an evil meeting they gave him.  
From the renewing the memory of their delivery out of Egypt, ver. 6. Learn, 1. For right taking up of the benefit of our Redemption, whether spiritual or bodily, the heaviness of our yoke and baseness of our slavery must be called to mind; I removed his shoulder from the burden, and his hands were delivered from the pots; for Israel were as pioners and scullions in Egypt, basely employed in carrying straw and mortar to make brick, as most abject slaves: and this resembleth the condition we are in by nature; under the slavery and burden of sin and misery; 2. God only is the Redeemer of men from whatsoever evil condition; no instruments which God doth use, must intercept his glory: none can ease our burden nor cleanse our hands, but God only: I (saith the Lord) removed his shoulder from the burden, and hands from the pots.  
From the Lords wise care of them, when they were come out of Egypt, ver. 7. Learn, 1. After delivery of us out of the state of misery, other particular troublesome passages may meet us, as did meet Israel at the red sea, when they came out of Egypt, and we may fall into new troubles for a little, as they did. 2. God who delivereth us from the state of misery, must also deliver us from particular miserable cases, or miserable conditions; yea, and being called upon by us in our misery, he will deliver us as he did Israel; Thou called'st in trouble, and I delivered thee. 3. It is Gods wise disposing, that n●…w trouble should bring to mind our former delivery, and our deliverer, and should press us to pray to God, and make way for a new experience of delivery, as here we see. 4. The more the Lord doth manifest himself from heaven for us, and against our enemies, the greater is our obligation, as Israel's obligation was augmented, when at their prayer in the red set, the Lord by thunder out of the black cloud against the Egyptians following them, did declare himself for Israel: I answered thee in the secret place of thunder. 5. It is an evidence of the Lords care of his people to put them to the trial of their faith and sincerity of affection to God, that so they may either find their former profession and opinion of themselves solid and upright, or finding it otherways may be humbled and repent, and become more sincere; therefore is the trial of Israel after their coming out of the red sea numbered among the evidences of God's care of them; I proved thee at the waters of Moribah. 6 Calling to mind our misbelief made manifest unto us in the day of our trial, should make us more humble and way to depart from God thereafter; for this is the lesson, which Israel's striving with God at the waters of Meribah, should have taught them; I proved thee at the waters of Meribah, or waters of strife.   

Ver. 8. Hear, O my people, and I will testify unto thee; O Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me.  
9 There shall no strange God be in thee: neither shalt thou worship any strange God.  
10. I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.  
We have heard of God's gracious dealing with Israel, in the point of doing for them; Now the Lord declareth, what thankfulness he required of them, and how reasonable and equitable his demands were: unto the consideration whereof he wakeneth them up, ver. 8. Summeth up all in the first command of the moral Law, ver. 9 Giveth reasons io move them to this, ver. 10.  
From his awaking them to hear, ver. 8. Learn, 1. When the Lords Word is to be delivered unto us, we should have our minds gathered in, and humbled, and fixed unto a reverend attention, hearty belief, and humbled obedience; therefore, saith he, Hear, O Israel, and I will testify unto thee. 2. When the Lord doth speak, whether for conviction of duty to be done, or duty not discharged, there needeth no other witness beside himself, to convince the conscience, his speech is so clear, so full of truth and authority: Hear, and I will testify unto thee. 3. Both the Lord and we ourselves have just reason to question our willingness to hear God's Word inclulca●…ed unto us: because it will be found that we have proved misbelieving and rebellious hearers before, and because it is our natural disposition to be averse from all God's commands; therefore, saith the Lord, O Israel, if thou will hearken unto me. 4. The Lord requireth his people to be a willing people, and nothing can be more forcible to make us willing and obedient to God, then to understand that God is willing to te●…h, direct and bless us; Hear, O Israel, if thou will, or shalt hearken unto me.  
From the sum of that service which God requireth of us, ver. 9 Learn, 1. The sum of God's Law is comprised in the first command: for as God is feared, delighted in, submitted unto, and made our God in effect: so are all the Commandments kept: There shall be no strange God in thee. 2. As soundness in Religion, and cleaving close to our only one God, (as he hath revealed himself to be the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, of whom, and through whom, and for whom are all things is the fountain of all obedience, and keeping communion with God: so the corrupting of Religion, and departing from this ground in any sort, is the fountain of all following misbehaviour, and discommunion with God; There shall no strange god be in thee, neither shalt thou worship any strange god.  
From the reasons of this duty set down, ver. 10. Learn, 1. The consideration of having our life, and motion, and being of God, and that he will give to all his promises and threaten certain performance, should move us to believe in him, adhere unto him, and serve him only; I am the Lord, I am jehovah. 2. The Covenant of grace, wherein the Lord hath drawn us, who profess ourselves to be his in Christ, should move us to depend on him for righteousness and life, and to study in his strength to please him; I am the Lord thy God. 3. The great work of our Redemption, and all the benefits bestowed upon us, in relation to our bringing out of the slavery of idolatry and Egyptian darkness, to the beholding of the marvellous light, and Kingdom of his dear Son, represented by the delivery of his people out of Egypt, should move us to adhere to our Redeemer, and to aim at his service singly; I am thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt. 4. The fair allowance which God bestoweth upon his servants, to wit, Ask and have, should tie our hearts to su●…h a potent, all-sufficient and gracious God; Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. 5. It is the narrowness of our saith, and of our spiritual desire, which hindereth our felicity; we are not straitened in God, but in ourselves: for his offer is, Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. The Lord will give g●…e and glory and will withhold no good thing from them that w●…e up●…ightly: and for this end he calleth for the enlarging of our desires, and of our belief to receive satisfaction, that we may have in him full contentment, and not be alured from him to vanities which cannot profit us.   

Ver. 11. But my people would not hearken to my voice, and Israel would none of me.  
In the third part of the Psalm is set down, how Israel to their own detriment and depriving of themselves of great happiness, did reject the Lords com●…and, and the offer of his grace. Whence learn, 1. The people, to whom the Lord is most liberal, are not always most thankful: his people by external Covenant are not always obedient to him, but readily do give him the worst meeting; But my people would not hearken unto my voice. 2. The cause of not harkening to, and obeying of God's commands, is our not believing in God, not taking satisfaction, pleasure and delight in God: for how came it, that God's people by Covenant did not obey his voice? It may serve for an answer; And Israel would none of me, or rested not on me, or had no pleasure in me.   

Ver. 12. So I gave them up unto their own hearts lust: and they walked in their own counsels.  
Here is shown how fearful was Israel's plague for their not delighting in God, they were given over to follow their own will unto their own perdition. Whence learn, 1. The idols which come in competition with God, are a man's own carnal lusts and affections, as here appeareth. 2. If these idols be adhered unto, when God doth offer himself for giving a man contentment, it is justice with God to take a refuse at the man's hands, and to cease to deal with his heart any more, but to give him over to the service of his idol; They would none of me, so I gave them up unto their own hearts lust. 3. Whosoever do refuse to serve God, shall not eschew to serve a worse Master, to wit, their own beastly affections, and Satan, who ruleth men by their lusts; They would have none of me, so I gave them up to their own hearts lust; and this of all judgements is the heaviest. 4. When God leaveth a man to himself, there is no restraint to keep him from going to a mischief, and to perdition, as here we see; I gave them up, and they walked in the counsel of their own hearts.   

Ver. 13. O that my people had harkened unto me: and Israel had walked in my ways!  
Last of all, is set down by way of Gods lamenting for his people, what felicity they did lose by this their refusing to make God their delight, and his voice their rule to walk by. First, if they had obeyed God, their enemies should not have been their Master, but they should have been made victorious over their adversaries, ver. 13, 14, 15. Next, they should have been satisfied with all contentments abundantly, set forth under the terms of feeding them with fine wheat and honey. This lamenting of God for his people's misery, is borrowed from the manner of men, lamenting the misery which their disobedient children have brought upon themselves, and is not to be taken so, as if there were in God any passion or perturbation, or miserable lamentation, but this speech is to be conceived, as other like speeches in Scripture, which are borrowed from the affections of men, and are ●…med to move some holy affection in men, suitable to that affection, from which the Lord taketh the similitude; and so, O that my people had harkened unto me, serveth to move his people, (who should hear this expressi●…n) to repent and lament their not harkening unto God; and to study in all time to come to be more obedient unto him, even as they would eschew the curse which came upon misbelieving and disobedient Israel; and as they desire to obtain the blessings, whereof carnal Israelites did come short, and did deprive themselves, and if it be asked, what may be imported by this speech properly? We answer, O that my people had harkened unto me, etc. showeth these six things; First, what order the Lord hath set in giving blessings to his visible Church; namely, that they begin and believe in him, and study to obey him, and that they by means appointed by him, should look to have such blessings, as he hath promised to believers, and to obedient people. Next, this manner of speech showeth, how acceptable and pleasant unto God it is to see the saith, obedience and welfare of his people, all joined together in his appointed order. Thirdly, that the meritorious and culpable cause of men's misery, is not in God, but in man, who by his sin deserveth it, and draweth it on himself. Fourthly, that God delighteth not in the death or destruction of his people, but that they should repent and live. Fifthly, that this is his will, that whosoever shall hear of the evil meeting, which the Israelites did give unto God, and of the judgement which they did draw upon themselves, may be made wise by this lamentation made by God for Israel's destruction, and so may rather choose to hearken to God, as they did not, then to be given over in his wrath to their own lusts, and to perish in his indignation as befell them, Sixthly, that God requireth a suitable meeting of his people to his dispensations, that is, that they may be so willing to hearken to his voice, and so loath to offend him, as he doth manifest by word and works his willingness to save them, and his loathness to destroy them.  
From the Lords lamenting, Learn further, 1. As on the one hand the miscarriage and misery of others before us, should make us wise to eschew the evil which befell them, & to obtain the good whereof they by their disobedience were deprived: So on the other hand, the willingness of God to bless those who do follow his direction, should make us diligent to understand what course God hath prescribed, and should make us confident to obtain blessedness in our endeavour to follow it; for, O that my people had harkened unto me, etc. doth teach us so much. 2. They may be in the number and estimation of God's people, by virtue of Church-Covenant, who for their refusing to follow God's counsel may come short of God's blessings; for, O that my people had harkened unto me, etc. maketh this evident 3. He who heareth God uttering his wishes for the conversion of his people, and lamenting that his Word is not believed, and that his offer of grace is not received, doth give God an evil meeting, and neither believeth God's goodness, nor careth for his own salvation, except he join with God, lamenting his own misbelief in time past, and do wish heartily the same wish with God for his own conversion for time to come; for this speech, O that my people had harkened unto me, etc. is framed to this very end, to make the hearer willing, and so to convert him, or else to convict him, if he take not hold of the offer. 4. Whatsoever be the Lords secret decrees concerning the salvation of some, and condemnation of other some in the visible Church; yet the means of execution of those decrees, are so holy and just, and wisely carried on, as those decrees shall not be particularly revealed to the stumbling of any man, but the offer of grace and declaration of God's goodness is so laid out in common, that whosoever doth not embrace the same, is made inexcusable; for when God saith, O that my people had hearkened unto me, he that doth not answer the Lord, with O that thou wouldst frame this heart of mine, to the obedience of faith, hath nothing to say if he be damned, for his slighting of the offer so freely held forth unto him, and pressed upon him.   

Ver. 14. I should soon have ●…bdued their enemie●… and turned my hand against their adversaries.  
15. The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever.  
16. He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey but of the rock, should I have satisfied thee.  
From the good which should have come to his people, set downs ver. 14, 15, 6. Learn, 1. God's blessings are not to be looked after, except in the ways of God; and i●… any man come short of God's blessing, he beareth the blame himself: O that Israel had walked in my ways, I should soon have subdued their enemies, etc. 2. If the Lords people have provoked him to let loose their enemies upon them, and to prevail over them; the only way to have affairs changed, is to turn to God, and to walk in his ways; If Israel had walked in my ways, I should have turned my hand against their adversaries. 3. They that are enemies to the Lords people, are haters of the Lord: and where the profession of true religion and righteousness is hated, there the quarrel is common to God with his people; for their enemies are here called Haters of God. 4. It is a benefit to God's people, and a point of glory to God, when God's enemies and theirs do submit themselves to God, albeit but feignedly; which good God's people do hinder, when they walk not in his ways: If Israel had walked in my ways, the haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves, or lied unto him; as the Word will bear. 5. There is no means to perpetuate a visible Church in any place, but to walk in the Lords ways: If Israel had walked in my ways, etc. their time should have endured for ever. 6. Obeying the voice of God, that is, the embracing of the offer of grace and reconciliation with God through the sacrifice of the Messiah Christ, and studying to walk holily as persons reconciled, is the only way of coming by true felicity, the only way of being furnished with all things necessary for life and salvation, the only way of having large allowance from God of sweet and satisfactory food, for entertaining of spiritual life and communion with God, promised here under the similitude of earthly food; He should have said them with the finest of the wheat: and with the honey out of the Rock should I have satisfied thee.    

PSAL. LXXXII. A Psalm of Asaph.  
THis Psalm agreeth with the time of David's persecution by Saul and his Counsellors, the Peers of the land, wherein the Psalmist comforteth himself in God's supremacy, and his Judging of all Judges on the earth; for exercising whereof God cometh unto their meeting, ver. 1. Then challengeth them for their injustice and oppression, ver 2. Thirdly, readeth the law and rule of their duty unto them, ver. 3. 4. Fourthly, condemneth them as guilty ver. 5. Fifthly, pronounceth sentence of doom upon them, ver. 6, 7. And then the Psalmist closeth the Psalm with prayer, ver. 8.  

Ver. 1. GOd standeth in the congregation of the mighty: he judgeth among the gods.  
From the Lord's presence in the Assembly of Judges; Learn▪ 1. The name of a Congregation or Church, is given in Scripture in the orderly meeting of Rulers and Governors, met for the execution of their office; as here, God standeth in the Congregation or Church of the mighty. 2. No Judge is absolute Lord over a people, but in subordination to God, who is Judge above all Judges, and will judge of all the decrees of Judges under him. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty: he judgeth. 3. God doth put his Name upon civil Magistrates, and hath clothed them with honour; that as their eminency is a part of his image, so their decrees should be such as God will own; He judgeth among the gods.   

Ver. 2. How long will ye judge unjustly: and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.  
From the Lords challenging of them for their partiality and injustice, Learn, 1. Men in honour and power, readily do forget God their Master and Sovereign Lord; and do neglect to do justice according to their office: the splendour of their power doth make them forget their duty to God above them, and to their subjects under them, as the instance of the Rulers of I●… showeth, who had God's express law in stead of Acts of Pa●… meant: and God dwelling in the midst of them in a wonde●… manner, for direction in extraordinary cases, even they 〈◊〉 judge unjustly. 2. Corrupt Judges are inclined to show 〈◊〉 only to the wicked, and are partial when the cause of the wicked cometh before them: Ye accept the persons of the wick●…. 3. Albeit the Lord keep peace for a while, yet will he no al●… be silent, but at length will call them to an account; How 〈◊〉 will ye judge unjustly?   

Ver. 3. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.  
4. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.  
From the rule of justice which is set to Magistrates; Le●…, 1. The touchstone of Magistrates justice is in the causes and cases of the poor, fatherless, afflicted and needy, who are not able to attend long their suits of law, have no friends nor money to deal for them; to whom therefore the mighty should be eyes to direct them, and a staff to their weakness, to support and help them to their right; Defend the poor and fatherless; is justice to the afflicted and needy. 2. As the poor and afflic●… have need of the Judges help, to clear their right, when they seek justice: so also when they are unjustly drawn to the 〈◊〉, or any way oppressed, the mighty or Judges should interpose for their relief, and rescue the oppressed from the oppressor: Deliver the poor and needy, rid●… them out of the hand of the wicked.   

Ver. 5. They know not, neither will they understand, they walk on in darkness: all the foundatio●…▪ of the earth are out of course.  
From the condemnatory sentence for their guiltiness; L●…, 1. It is a great fault in a Judge, not to know the duty of his office, or not to acquaint himself with the solid rules of justice, for upon this ground are they here pronounced g●…ty: They know not: 2. It is a great fault when a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to refuse instruction, information, and direction ●…ed from the Lords Word, as here: Neither will they under●…. 3. It is yet most culpable of all, for any man, but to ●…ges in special, to go on still in a sinful course; They walk on 〈◊〉 darkness. 4. When justice, and judgement-seats are corrpted, and Judges do not mind justice in their places, than the ●…ars of that land or kingdom must stagger, and all matters 〈◊〉 to ruin or a perilous alteration: All the foundations of the 〈◊〉 (or of the land) are out of course, saith the Lord, where the foresaid injustice or faults in Governors are found.   

Ver. 6. I have said, Ye are gods: and all of you are children of the most High.  
7. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.  
From the sentence of doom pronounced against them; Learn, 1. Princes, Magistrates, chief Rulers and Judges, have allowance from God, of honour, power, and strength, tribute and revenues, for the better discharge of their office under him: I have said, Ye are gods, and all of you are children of the most High; that is, I have put the image of my superiority on you, and given you pre-eminence of place, power, and gifts over others in my Name. 2. Great places among men do not exempt any man from God's power, justice and judgement; but all men, great men no less than others, must die and come to judgement, as hath befallen others before them. A Prince among God's people, who doth not execute justice, as becometh God's servant, shall be punished, as profane persons are who rule without the pale of God's Church; But ye shall die like men, and fall as one of the Princes. 3. The meditation of death and judgement following on it, is a pressing motive unto amendment of life: for this is 〈◊〉 before men of high place, who do not stand in fear of their subjects: Ye shall die like men, and fall as one of the Princes.   

Ver. 8. Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou ●…lt inhert all nations.  
From the close of the Psalm by this short prayer, wherein the oppressed servant of God prayeth that God would put order unto the government of his people, and redress the wrongs done to them; Learn, 1 Albeit the oppressed servants of God cannot find justice at men's hands, yet there is help to be had from God, and prayer, shorter or longer; as the Lord furnisheth unto them, must they seek their ease of mind and comfort; Arise, O God, judge the earth. 3. When Magistrates or Rulers do oppress God's people, private persons may not go beyond their bounds, but must have their recourse to God, that he may set matters that are wrong in a better condition, as here the Psalmist doth. 4. As the Church of God among the Jews was acquainted with the prophecies of the enlargement of the Church and Kingdom of God among the Gentiles, and upon this ground prayed that he would not suffer his interest in his people then to decay by the malice of men: so may the Lords Church in any place or time upon the same ground pray for the like mercy; for still the reason holdeth, that God who is about to enlarge his Kingdom, will not lose what he hath already; and so to pray: Arise O Lord, judge the earth; for thou shalt inherit all nations.  
Amen.    

PSAL. LXXXIII. A song or Psalm of Asaph.  
THis Psalm agreeth with such a condition of the Church, as we read of in the days of jehosaphat, 2 Chron. 20. and serveth to comfort the Church in the greatest conspiracies of her enemies against her. The Psalm hath two parts. In the former, the Church doth cry to God to show himself for his people, ver. 1. and complaineth of their conspiracy and preparation to come against her, ver. 2, 3. and of their purpose to root out the Lords people, ver. 4, 5. specifying a number of nations, who were upon the plot, ver. 6. 7, 8. In the latter part, they pray that judgement may so befall them, as befell other such their enemies before, who enterprised the same enterprise, ver. 9, 10, 11, 12. In particular, that the whole host may be overturned and consumed, ver. 13, 14. and the remnant may be chased and scattered, ver. 15. and ashamed and confounded for ever, ver. 16, 17, that so God may have the m●… glory among them, ver. 18.  

Ver. 1. KEep not thou silence, O, God: hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God.  
From his cry to God to let forth a word for his people in this straight; Learn, 1. The Church may be in such a straight, as if God do not speedily interpose himself, she cannot but be swallowed up of her enemies quickly, as here we see. 2. Sense of danger putteth an edge on prayer, and kindleth affection in it; Keep not silence, O God, hold not thy peace; and again, O God, be not still. 3. The Lords uttering a word of comfort to his people, and of terror to his enemies in the extremity of danger, will satisfy his Church, and do all her work; Be not silent, hold not thy peace, be not still, is the sum of all she craveth: for let him speak, and it shall be done.   

Ver. 2. For lo thine enemies make a tumult, and they that hate thee, have lift up the head.  
3. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones.  
From their complaint of their enemy's preparation to come against them; Learn, 1. The enemies of God's Church are the enemies of God, bearing the same affection to God and to them that are reconciled to him; For lo, thine enemies that hate thee, make a tumult. 2. The more din the enemy makes, the more insolent he is; the higher he lifteth his head, he is the more near to be knocked down by Gods appearing for his people against him: Keep not silence, for thine enemies make a tumult, they have lifted up the head. 3. The chief enemies of the Church are not the silly and simple sort of people, but the most subtle politicians usually, whose heads are most fit for Satan's devices against God's people; They have taken crafty counsel against thy people. 4. The true children of God, his secret ones, who in the sense of their own weakness do shelter themselves under God's wings, and do glory in him, are the special object of the malice of Satan, and of his wicked servants; They have consulted against thy hidden ones. 5. Against the craft and policy of enemies the Church hath nothing in herself to oppose, but doth run to God, who can easily disappoint all the enemies plots, as here we see, ver. 4, 5.   

Ver. 4. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation: that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance.  
5. For they have consulted together with one consents they are confederate against thee.  
From their purpose to root out God's people; Learn, 1. No less will satisfy the enemies of God's Church, than extirpation and abolishing of the Church; Let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. 2. When the Church is least 〈◊〉, and least able to defend herself, the wicked encourage and strengthen one another in an evil course against he●…; They have said, one to another, Come, let us cut them off. 3. Although the wicked be at enmity one against another, yet they will all agree together to overthrow the Church; They have consulted together with one consent, (saith he) they are confederate against thee. 4. This consideration, that the conspiracy against the Church, is a conspiracy against God, whose people the Church is, is very comfortable in the Church's extremity; They are confederate against thee.   

Ver. 6. The tabernacles of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab, and the Hagarens.  
7. Gebal and Ammon and Amelek: the Philistines, with the inhabitants of Tyre. c  
8. Ashur also is joined with them; they have holp ●…n the children of Lot. Selah.  
In the reckoning up of the several nations conspired against Israel; Learn, 1. When the Church looketh upon the multitude of her enemies, and their confederacy, and their resolution to destroy her, she should gather grounds of hope, to be helped so much the more, and so much the sooner; for this is the Church's argument of hope to be helped here. 2. In the persecution of the Church, no wonder to see false brethren to be the chief leaders whoever be followers and assistants; for here the Church complaineth of it: They have helped the children of Lot, and importeth, that Moab and Ammon (their bastard-brethrens) were first in the enmity. 3. It is no wonder, nor strange thing, to see many nations on all hands to invade the Lords people at once: for here are ten nations coming all together against Israel.   

Ver. 9 Do unto them as unto the Midianites: as to Sisera, as to jabin at the brook of Kishon.  
10. Which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth.  
11. Make their nobles like Oreb, and like Zeeb: yea all their princes, as Zebah and as Zalmunna:  
12. Who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.  
In the latter part of the Psalm, is the Church's prayer to God, that he would be party against her enemies, and plague them. There are sundry branches of the malediction, which the Church doth imprecate against the enemies. The first is, that God would destroy them, as he destroyed others before them, who were upon such a wicked plot of roo●…ing out God's people. Whence learn, 1. When the Church hath to do with her enemies, she should look what in Scripture the Lord did for her in times past; for so doth the Church look here to what the Lord did to his enemies, judg. 7. 22. and 4. 15, 24. and 7. 25. and 8. 〈◊〉. 2. It is lawful to pray for judgements upon the enemies of the Church, provided it be out of a public spirit, and not out of private malice or revenge; in which case the prayers of the Church are more forcible for the overthrow of their enemies, than all her external force is: Do unto them, as unto the Midianites, is a hard charge against them. 3. Former plagues poured out upon the Church's enemies, are pledges of the Lords bringing like judgements on her enemies afterward, and of giving like preservation unto the Church, as before; Do unto them as to the Midianites in gideon's time, and to Sisera and jabin in Deborah time, when small means were sufficient for a great overthrow of the enemy. 4. The dead bodies of God's enemies shall not only be contemptible before men, which is incident to the bodies of the Saints sometimes, but also contemptible before God, as here we see; Their enemies perished at Endor, and became as dung for the earth. 5. The Nobles, leaders, & chief amongst God's enemies, may look for most eminent judgement: Make their Nobles, like Orch and Zeeb, yea all their Princes like Zebah and Zalmunna. 6. It is all one for enemies to resolve to spoil God's Church, and to rob God of his habitation specially; so long as God's people love: to have God dwelling among them, for the injuries done to the Church redound to the contumely of God, who hath taken the maintenance of 〈◊〉. They say, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.   

Ver. 13. O my God, make them like a wheel: as the stubble before the wind.  
14. As the fire burneth a wood: and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire:  
15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.  
16. Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy Neme, O LORD.  
17. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever: yea let them be put to shame and perish:  
From the rest of the branches of the imprecation, wherein sundry similitudes are looked unto, for showing forth the effects of God's wrath upon the enemies of the Church; Learn. 1. Use is to be made of our Covenant with God, so well against our enemies, as for ourselves; for, O my God, saith he no, wwhen he is about to curse the enemy. 2. The enemies of God's Church have many a mischief waiting on them, of which if they escape one, another shall overtake them; yea, no one similitude can set forth what misery is prepared for them: no peace, no rest for them, no standing in any established prosperity, but they shall be rolled as a bowl turned upside-down, or as a wheel; Make them like a wheel. 3. They shall have no strength to resist the blast of God's wrath; Make them as stubble, or chaff, before the wind. 4. The Lord's indignation against them shall burn them as a flame doth a Forest; let them be cons●…med, as fire that burneth a wood, which is the greatest flame we can easily conceive; or when a mountain of sulphur or coals is kindled, as the flame sets the mountains on fire, where f●… above the earth and under it do meet together. 5. If they escape for a while, yet judgements shall follow them, and overtake them, and 〈◊〉 them, and turn them in a circle, till they be giddy; So persecute them with thy tempest, or whirewinde. 6. Beside what torment their present plague shall bring unto them, horror and fear of worse to come shall vex them; Make them afraid with thy storm. 7. At last they shall be ashamed, when both they shall be disappointed of what they intended against the godly, and also meet with the misery which they least feared: Fill their faces with shame. 8. If any of the enemies of God's people do belong to God's election, the Church's prayer against them giveth way to their conversion, and doth not seek more than that the judgement should follow them only, till they acknowledge their sin, and do turn and seek God: Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek thy Name, O Lord. 9 For the rest of the wicked irreconcilable adversaries, when shame of disappointment and temporal judgements are come upon them, the worst of all doth yet follow, even everlasting perdition: Let them be confounded and troubled for ever: yea let them be put to shame and perish.   

Ver. 18. That men may know, that thou, whose Name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most High over all the earth.  
He closeth the Psalm with showing the end of all this complaint and imprecation. Whence learn, 1. The end of all cursing of the wicked enemies of the Church, is not to satisfy private revenge, but that God may be glorified; Let them perish, that men may know, that thou art he whose Name is JEHOVAH. 2. The Name jehovah signifying Gods being of himself, and the cause of the being of all things created, is incommunicable to any creature (and in Scripture is given only unto the three persons of the Godhead, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, whose essence is one) as here is taught; Th●… men may know, that thou whose Name alone is jehovah. 3. If men will not acknowledge the true God to be the supreme and only Governor of all the world, they shall by his heavy ●…ements, either upon others, or upon thgmselves, be made to show it: for the Church doth here declare, that they do use this heavy imprecation against, Gods enemies, that men may know (say they) that thou whose Name alone is jehovah, art the most High over all the earth.    

PSAL. LXXXIV. To the chief Musician upon Gittith. A Psalm for the sons of Korah.  
THis Psalm is of the same subject with Psalm 42. and Psalm 63. Wherein the Psalmist lamenteth his banishment from the Temple and the public Ordinances of Religion, to ver. 8. and then prayeth for his restoring to that privilege in the rest of the Psalm. This Psalm agreeth well with the time of David's parting with the Ark, when he fled from Absalon.  
In his lamentation; First, he commendeth the place of public worship, ver. 1. Then showeth his longing after it, ver. 2. Thirdly, he wisheth to be as a sparrow, in the meanest condition partaker of that privilege, ver. 3. Fourthly, he proclaimeth the blessedness of all the Lords Ministers, who may always be there, ver. 4. Fifthly, he calleth them blessed who have liberty to come on foot from any part of the country, to keep at least the solemn feasts, ver. 5, 6, 7. In his prayer he requests in general terms, to be restored to the Lords worship, ver. 8, 9 for two reasons; one is, because he preferreth the meanest officers condition in God's house to the most quiet dwelling among the wicked, ver. 10, Another reason, because felicity is to be found in God, by the means of his Ordinances, ver. 11. and mean time while his p●ayer should be granted, he resteth by faith on God, in whom believers are made blessed wherever they be.  

Ver. 1. HOW amiable are thy tabernables, O LORD of hosts!  
The Psalmist being now in exile, casteth his eyes upon his own country, wherein throughout all the land the Lord was worshipped in their several Synagogues, but most solemnly in Zion, the place where the Ark and the Tabernacle were; and putting a difference between the holy Ordinances of God's worship, and the multitude of profane mixed among the godly, who did join in the worship, he beholdeth the glorious beauty of the holy service, and places where the occasion thereof was offered, and so breaketh out in commendation and admiration of the loveliness thereof. Whence learn, 1. As God is glorious in all his hosts, which all are very ready as soldiers to fight for him at his com●…d: so is he most glorious in the camp of the visible Church ●…ilitant: for here his authori●… justice, mercy, grace, wisdom, and power is most of all manifested, for the overthrowing of the kingdom of sin and Satan; therefore saith he, How ●…iable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of hosts?  
〈◊〉. This beauty of the Lords Churches and places of his residence, as it is not discerned by the blind world, but only by such as are illuminated with heavenly light: so is it highly prized, loved and admired by them only: for it is the sweet singer of Israel, who saith, How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord of hosts? 3. Albeit the world will not believe what here is said, nor take this praising of the loveliness of Gods public worship from the hand of the godly, yet the Lord will receive this testimony unto the beauty of his Ordinances from such as do present it before him; therefore doth the Psalmist most confidently direct his speech to God himself here; How amiable are thy Tabernacles, O Lord?   

Ver. 2. My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.  
In the next place, he professeth his longing after liberty to enjoy the privileges of the public Ordinances, albeit he was to have it no ways, but in the society of such people, as were then in the visible Church, of whose wickedness he had sufficient experience, they being now in arms against him, following Absalon. Whence learn, 1. The beauty and loveliness of God's public Ordinances, is best discerned, and love and longing after th●… most stirred up, when a man is deprived of them for a time, ●…y soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord. 2. Bodily affliction sharpeneth the sense of spiritual wants, and the sense of wan●… of spiritual means of comfort augmenteth bodily affliction: My soul fainteth, my heart and my flesh cryeth out. 3. It is not the public Ordinances alone, to be enjoyed in an outward formality, which Saints do seek after, but it is to find God in, and by the means; it is to find the Lords lively operation on their hearts, which they long after; My heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.   

Ver. 3. Yea the sparrow hath found an house, 〈◊〉 the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay 〈◊〉 young; even thine Altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.  
In the third place, he wisheth to be partaker of the public worship, were it in never so mean and despicable a condition; so he may enjoy God's presence in his ordinances, he is content to creep into any corner of God's house, and go out and seek his meat, and return like a sparrow or swallow. Whence learn, 1. A soul which loveth communion with God indeed, will choose any temporal condition of life, how poor soever, how despised soever, rather than be deprived of what may make better for his spiritual condition, as appeareth in the Psalmist, who wished to have the place of a Sparrow, or of a Swallow; any residence near God's Altar. 2. The soul which craveth lively communion with God, should cleave close unto the title and interest which he h●…th in God by Covenant; as the Psalmist doth here: Thine Altar (saith he) my King and my God.   

Ver. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will be still praising thee. Selah.  
In the fourth place, he proclaimeth the Priests and Levites, the Lords Ministers to be blessed men, for their privilege and opportunity to serve the lord Whence learn, 1. Albeit, many who have the means and opportunity of profiting by public ordinances, do not consider the day of their visitation, to make use of the means while they have them: yet the godly who are deprived of the means and do behold the fair occasions of grace offered by them, do count them blessed, as here: Blessed are they 〈◊〉 dwell in thy house. 2. It is a blessed thing indeed to have the occasion of communion with God in public ordinances, and to make use thereof in setting forth the Lords glory; and in this respect there are no men in the world more blessed then faithful Ministers; Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee.   

Ver. 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee: in whose heart are the ways of them.  
6. Who passing through the valley of Baca, make 〈◊〉 Well: the rain also filleth the pools.  
7. They go from strength to strength: every one, of them in Zion appeareth before God.  
In the fifth place, he looketh upon their condition who dwell far o●… from the Tabernacle, who might at least thrice a year come front the farthest corner of the land, to keep the solemnities appointed of God; and he counteth them blessed, albeit in their voyage they should endure never so much toil in travelling, and should with difficulty drink their water, either reigned down from the clouds, or drawn from a well or cistern digged with much labour: for albeit they should sustain toil and drought in their way, yet having refreshments one after another, and renewed strength for their journey, they should all come at last to the place of public ordinances in Zion; and here he describeth the true and blessed Israelites, whether Proselytes or borne Jews, resolved to come and appear before the Lord in the appointed solemnities, by these six properties: First, they encourage themselves for the journey, by hope in God to be furnished with strength: Blessed is the man, (saith he) whose strength is in thee. Next, they are resolved in their heart for all the inconveniences they may meet with in the journey, to hold on their course; In whose heart are the ways of them. Thirdly, they do hold on their course through dry and comfortless places, which may be called places of Ba●…a, or weeping; They pass through the valley of Baca. Fourthly, they overcome this difficulty of wanting water, either by digging a Well, where they may find water, or by finding some already digged cistern, wherein God's providence had reserved some quantity of rain-water for them▪ Who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a Well: the rain also filleth the pools. Fifthly, after refreshment found in their journey they are encouraged to go on their way, till they need and find some new refreshment, and reparation of their strength; They go from strength to strength Sixthly, these godly travellers all come at length to the place they aimed at, to Zion, where they appear before God in the holy Feast, cheerful and joyful souls; Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. And therefore doth he call them blessed, because at length they come through all difficulties to have sweet communion with God.  
These two degrees of blessed Israelites, are so painted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 figurative terms, as they may most easily lead the spiritual 〈◊〉 ●…o the blessedness which the figure is fit to represent, so that the typical words cannot well be understood, except the spiritual blessedness be taken along: for there are two degrees of really blessed persons; some are at home already dwelling with God, of whom it may be most solidly said: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, they will be still praising thee, which is their perpetual exercise. Others are travellers, who are in their way toward heaven, the Lords house; who indeed despair of their own strength to make out their journey, but their confidence is in God's strength, and their encouragement to set forward is this, that of them it may be well said, Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee: such men's journey doth take up their heart, the stream of their affections run●… thitherward; I●… whose heart are the ways of them. Those travellers have a wilderness to go through, a comfortless valley wherein they do fi●…e matter of mourning, and no solid consolation, save that which God doth provide, beyond the nature of the place, which God one way or other doth furnish unto them, that they shall not fail to have a timous consolation: Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a Well: the rain also filleth the pools. So that albeit God suffer them to thirst, yet he suffereth them not to want a sufficient measure for bringing them on their ways a strengthening them to go torward: if they miss a Well, they shall have a Cistern filled with rain from heaven; the measure furnished unto them, reneweth their strength after weariness, and sufficeth them till they need, and meet with another renovation of their strength; They go from strength to strength. Not one of those resolute travellers, or selfdenying persons, relying on God's strength and furniture do perish by the way, all are upheld, and brought forward, till they come where they would be, to enjoy God's presence in Zion which is above; Every one of them, without exception, in Zion appeareth before God.   

Ver. 8. O Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ●…are, O God of jacob. Selah.  
9 Behold, O God, our shield: and look upon the face of thine anointed.  
In the latter part of the Psalm is his prayer, wherein he maketh request for communion with God, both in the 〈◊〉 type, and in the spiritual truth. Whence learn, 1. The godly man's holy wishes and desires do not vanish and die, but are recommended to God in prayer. What the Psalmist longed for in the former part of the Psalm, in the latter part he prayeth for. 2. The earnest supplicant hath no will to be refused, but fasteneth his hope to speed on God's power and Covenant, and doubleth his petitions in the Lord's bosom; O Lord of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of jacob. 3. Albeit the believer be separate in place from the communion of Saints in public worship, yet he will find a conjunction with them in affection and prayer at the throne of God's grace, and claim the same interest with them in God for protection and comfort; Behold, O God, (saith he) our shield. 4. How little appearance soever of possession, or performance of promises the believer hath, yet must he claim his right and titles, which shall bring him to possession; Look upon the face of thine anointed. He counteth himself King in regard of his right to the Crown, because God had caused Samuel to anoint him to be King. 5 He who hath right to a principal mercy, may pray and look for every accessary mercy, which is presupposed in the principal, or annexed unto it; as here upon the promise of the Kingdom, David prayeth for the liberty of the Temple, which behoved to follow upon his repossession in the Kingdom, and here also he looks through his own anointing unto the Messiah Christ, of whom he knew himself to be a type: and for the Messiah Christ, he seeketh to have his petition granted, through whom alone every good thing is purchased, and must be conveyed unto us: Look (saith he) upon the face of thine anointed.   

Ver. 10. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedness.  
This is the first reason, why he desireth to have the privileges of the public ordinances restored unto him. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever may be a means to bring us to the ●…ition of God, is incomparably better than any earthly thing; and one hour●… spent in the means of eternal felicity, is worth a thousand spent 〈◊〉. The lowest and most painful condition of life, joined 〈◊〉 any measure of communion with God, is better than the 〈◊〉 quiet, easy, and plentiful condition of life▪ without commu●… on with God; To be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord, better than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. 3. The god man whose judgement is rectified about things spiritual, is 〈◊〉 only right estimator of estates and conditions of life in th●… world, for that is best to him (if he may choose) wherein he may be most serviceable to God, and best helped to heaven. He for his part had rather have the meanest condition of life, joined with the benefit of the public ordinances, then live without them more plentifully among the wicked; I had rather (saith the Psalmist) be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, then to dwell in the tents of wickedness.   

11. For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly.  
The second reason why he so loveth the public ordinances is, because by this means he getteth access to the fountain of all felicity, who doth ward off all evil from the upright believer, and giveth unto him whatsoever is good for his soul or body i●… this life and in the life to come. Whence learn, 1. The g●… have need of light and direction, life, vigour, strength and con●… folation; and all this is in God, or what more can be imported in the similitude taken from the Sun, in relation to earthly creatures; For the Lord God is a Sun. 2. The godly are subject to dangers and perils from without, especially from enemies bodily and spiritual, and have need of preservation and defence from all adversary power, malice and craftiness: and this protection only God is able to give: The Lord is a Sun and 〈◊〉 shield. 3. The believer is burdened with the body of sin, and born down frequently with the sense of his own unworthiness, witlesseness and weakness, and in God is the perfect remedy of all those evils; The Lord will give grace. 4. Albeit the beauty of godliness be much obscured in this life, with crosses and afflictions from God, with calumnies and persecutions from men, and the godly must lie in grave, and suffer corruption of the●… 〈◊〉, as others; yet the remedy of this also shall be, found God to the believer; He will give grace and glory: grace in 〈◊〉 life, and glory after it without fail. 5. Albeit the Lord ●…n to keep the godly in great scarcity sometimes of things com●…table in this life, and of spiritual consolations also for a time, ●…et doth he so dispose of their entertainment in all respects, as every thing shall work together for their good; For no good thing will be withhold from them that walk uprightly.   

Ver. 12. O LORD of hosts: blessed is the man that trusteth in thee  
When the Psalmist hath lamented his exile from the public ordinances, and prayed to be restored to that privilege; he comforteth himself in the mean time, by the consideration of God's grace and power to supply all wants, even that of public ordi●…nces, when it cannot without hazard of life be had by the believer. Whence larn, 1. How hard soever the Lords dispensation be to his own children, yet must we ever continue to trust in God, as the Psalmists example here doth teach. 2. God can supply the want of the public ordinances, and be a little Sanctuary to his children, and make them quiet; yea, and blessed in believing in him: O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee: for in the beginning of the Psalm his heart ●…eth for the longing after the public ordinances; he count●… the Ministers of God's house blessed, he counteth every man who may be in any corner of God's house happy; he counteth the travelling Israelite coming to the ordinances blessed; and at length pronounceth every believer blessed, and so himself to be blessed also.    

PSAL. LXXXV. To the chief Musician. A Psalm for the sons of Korah.  
THis Psalm agreeth well with the condition of the Church of the Jews, now fallen into new troubles, after their re●… from the captivity of Babylon. In the former part where●… they pray for a new proof and experience of God's mercy, to 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. In the let: part is set down a comfortable answer to their prayer, and for the help of their faith in their prayer. Fi●… they make mention of their gracious delivery from the captivity, ver. 1, 2, 3. Next, they pray for repentance, and removing of the tokens of God's wrath, ver. 4, 5. Thirdly, they pray for restauration of their miserable and dead condition wherein they were lying, by some merciful deliverance, ver. 6, 7.  
As for the answer in the latter part, he prepareth himself to receive it from the Lord, and by inspiration receiveth indeed a comfortable prophecy of five notable fruits of mercy: The first is, of peace to God's people, ver. 8. The next is, of deliveranes and salvation to his servants, ver. 9 The third is, of the grace of Christ unto justification, and the fruits of it, ver. 10, 11. The fourth is, of temporal blessings, upon the place where the Lords people do dwell, and that for his people's comfort, ver. 12. The fifth is, of the grace of Christ unto sanctification, ver. 13.  

Ver. 1. LORD, thou hast been favourable unto thy land: thou hast brought back the captivity of jacob.  
2. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin. Selah.  
3. Toou hast taken away all thy wrath; thou hast turned thyself from the fierceness of thine anger.  
After the Church of the Jews had been delivered from captivity, they fall into new troubles, because of their sins and their new provocations of God; and in this Psalm they cry to God for mercy, and for strengthening of their faith: They acknowledge the Lords favour in losing their captivity, ver. 1. and in forgiving their sins, ver. 2. and in removing all the tokens of his wrath from them, ver. 3. Whence learn, 1. After great mercies shown to God's people, new provocations do draw on new judgements, as appeareth in the change of the condition of the Church here represented. 2. Neither old sins ●…or late, neither old judgements nor presently lying on wrath, must keep back God's people from running unto God by prayer, for obtaining favour of God again, as the example of the Church here doth teach. 3. As no sins can make the Lord so forget his Covenant with his people, as mercy should not be let forth to ●…ent sinners suing for grace; so no wrath is so great, as ●…ll debar poor supplicants from access unto God, when they come to seek mercy. 4. As new necessities do call to mind old supplies received from God; so they who would have any new benefit from the Lord, should thankfully remember the old, and take encouragement from those to hope for further; Lord, thou hast been favourable to thy land; thou hast brought back the captivity of jacob. 5. As grace is the only ground of God's bounty to his people, so is it the only ground of his people's prayer for new experiences of his grace; as here, God's favour is acknowledged to be the cause of bringing back the people from captivity, and the ground whereupon the Psalmist foundeth his prayer; Thou hast been favourable to thy land. 6. As that is a benefit indeed which is given with remission of sins; so every one who seeketh a benefit, should desire to have the benefit which they come to seek, joined with remission of their sin: as the Psalmist here maketh the bringing back from captivity a complete favour, because joined with remission of sins: without which it had been the less comfortable; Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people. 7. The way of God's forgiving of sins is, by not imputing of them, not bringing of them forth to be reckoned, but hiding them from justices view, and covering them with the imputation of the righteousness of the Redeemer; Thou hast covered all their sin. 8. As while sin unrepented and unforgiven remaineth, wrath also remaineth; so when sin it taken away, God's wrath also is taken away, when God forgiveth sin, he takes away the punishment of sin; for after he hath said, Thou hast covered all their sin: he subjoineth, Thou hast taken away all thy wrath; thou hast turned from the ●…nesse of thine anger. 9 As the conscience of sin, and feeling of wrath lying on, and fearing the growth of it, do much hinder the guilty from confident approach unto God: so the seen experiences of Gods drawing of those bars in form●… times, do open the door to afflicted sinners, confidently to come and seek mercy, as here the Psalmist doth teach us, in his making of this preface to his following prayer.   

Ver. 4. Turn us, O God of our salvation: and cause thine anger towards us to cease.  
5. Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt th●… draw out thine anger to all generations?  
In the next place, upon the foresaid grounds, the Church afflicted prayeth for grace to repent, that so remission of si●…, and removing of wrath may follow. Whence learn, 1. Whosoever in a Church afflicted are sensible of their own and th●… Churches sins, should deal with God for giving repentance to his back-sliding people, and to increase their own repentance, before they seek removal of the tokens of wrath, as here the godly do pray in the first place, Turn us, O God. 2. The Lord's Covenant with his people for everlasting salvation, is a ground to pray and hope for temporal deliverance from God, who hath power and ways of his own, how to save, when we see no event, Turn us, (saith he) O God of our salvation. 3. When God giveth grace to a people, to repent and turn to him, the tokens of his wrath will be removed also: or be so changed, as they shall be no more effects of wrath; therefore joineth he with, Turn 〈◊〉, this petition also, And cause thine anger toward us to cease. 4. The anger of the Lord toward his people, is but temporal and for a moment in comparison of deservings, albeit it seem to endure long: and the believer may be persuaded, that it shall not continue against supplicants long; for, Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations? doth import so much, that his anger could not be perpetual.   

Ver. 6. Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?  
7. Show us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.  
In the third place, he prayeth for some relief from the distress wherein they were for the time, and putteth his petition out of question, by this interrogation, because God's purpose and pleasure was that his people should have joy in their God, and thereupon he requesteth for new tokens of mercy, from the ground of his Covenant with them for salvation. Whence learn, 1. As it is a death to be deprived so much as of the evidence and sense of God's favour, so it is life to be clear that we are in favour with God: and as such who have had the sense of God's favour, cannot endure to want it; so shall they have it restored; Wilt thou not revive us again? 2. Because plagues and wrath upon God's people are temporal, they may look certainly for a change to the better; and after they have smarted for their sins for a while, yet may expect to be restored to joy and comfort again: Wilt thou not revive us again, that thy people may rejoice in thee? 3. When God changeth the cheer of his people, their joy should not be in the gift, but in the Giver; That thy people may rejoice in thee. 4. Albeit the dear children of God, for whom mercy and salvation is appointed, may be destitute of the sight and evidence of both, yet must they believe both, claim both, and hope for the manifestation of both unto them: show 〈◊〉 thy mercy, O Lord, etc. grant us thy salvation. 5. As mercy is the cause of salvation temporal and eternal, and no merit in us; so must he who looks for salvation of either sort, make mercy his plea, and no good in himself; Show us thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us thy salvation.   

Ver. 8. I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints: but let them not turn again to folly.  
In the latter part of the Psalm is the answer of this prayer, which the Psalmist doth expect and receive by way of prophecy, of five sweet effects of God's mercy to his people: whereof the first is, peace and reconciliation, and removing the tokens of his wrath. Whence learn, 1. The prayer of a believer put up to our everliving Lord, is not a vain work of pouring out words in the air, but a profitable exercise of faith, grounded upon God's Word and goodness, whereof he may expect certainly a return: I will hear what the Lord will say. 2. Comfortable promises will suffice the believer, who if he know what the Lord doth say, he will be clear also what the Lord will do; I will hear what the Lord will say. 3. Albeit God's people be under the sense of wrath, yet the Lord will comfort them after seeking grace of him: he will speak peace to his people. 4. Those who indeed do mind true holiness, are God's people, to whom the Lord will speak peace; and for whose cause the society wherein they are, shall partake of the fruits of God's favour to them: he will speak peace to his people, and to his Saints. 5. As the interruption of our peace with God is procured by our folly, or foolish following of the vanities which allure unto sin, and divert us from co●…munion with God, so the restoring of us to peace must come 〈◊〉 our forsaking of those sinful and foolish courses which ha●… procured wrath; and the way to keep us in that peace, is not 〈◊〉 return to these courses again; and this is the very end both of God●… correcting of us, and of his restoring of us to peace, that we sin not as before: He will speak peace to his Saints, but let them 〈◊〉 return again to folly.   

Ver. 9 Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.  
The second effect of mercy to his Saints, is the nearness of free salvation in Christ, who is the glory of the land of Iud●…, where he was borne, and the glory of that land whatsoever it is, wherein his Saints, and he amongst his Saints do dwell. Whence learn, 1. The heirs of the promises are only such as do study to please God, and to eschew provoking of him: for the answer of the former prayer, and the word of Promise and Prophecy here, is made in favour only of them that fear him. 2. There is no satisfactory deliverance to the afflicted believer, labouring under the sense of wrath, except Christ Jesus, who is really the only complete salvation of God: only able to answer fully to that name, & who was known to the Church before his coming in the flesh by that name, as we may understand, Luke 2. from the words of Simeon, who was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and had a promise that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lords Christ, ver. 25, 26. And when he had Christ in his arms, he saith: Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, ver. 30. There is the name whereby Christ was of old known to the Church among many other titles, he is God's salvation; as he is called here. 3 Consolation, and deliverance, and salvation in Christ, is near-hand to every upright afflicted believer, whether the afflicted do see it comfortably for the time or not; Surely Gods salvation is near them that fear him. 4. What land the true Church of Christ, the Saints and they that fear God do dwell in, there doth glory dwell: there God, there Christ by his Spirit bringing righteousness and salvation to such a society is glorious: and for his presence the people are glorious: and the land glorious above all other lands whatsoev●… 〈◊〉 Surely his salvation is 〈◊〉 them that fear him, that glory may 〈◊〉 in our land; This commendation for many reasons the ●…d of judea might claim, far above all other.   

Ver. 10. Mercy and truth are met together: righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  
11. Truth shall spring out of the earth: and righteousness shall look down from heaven.  
The third effect of mercy, is the grace of Christ unto justification, and the fruits thereof bestowed upon them that are justified by faith. There are here three conjunctions or couples sweetly agreeing together; one is, of mercy and truth; another it, of righteousness and peace: and the third is, of truth and righteousness For the first couple, mercy and truth, may be either referred to God, bestowing something on his people: and so God's mercy doth pity, spare and pardon his sinful people; and his truth doth perform all the good things which in his Word he promised: and this couple indeed did most eminently meet, when Christ the salvation of God, came in the flesh: for Christ's coming is the highest manifestation of mercy that ever was heard tell o●…, when God out of love, and pity, and mercy, did give his Son to redeem sinners; and this also was the most glorious performance of the richest and the noblest promises that ever was made to man: for in the sending of Christ promised, all the promises are made Yea, and Amen; for the way is made sure now to perform all the rest of the promises: or mercy and truth may be referred, the one (namely mercy) to God; and the o●…her, to wit truth, may be referred to men, to whom God will show mercy; and in this consideration we are given to understand, that as a merciful God, and misbelieving sinners are separated, & do stand at a great distance, he one departing more and more from the other: so a merciful God and a believer are surely reconciled, and do quickly meet together; for God in Christ holdeth forth mercy to the sinner, and mercy doth bestow faith upon the redeemed, and faith layeth hold on mercy, and so mercy and truth are met together: mercy calleth for faith, and createth it: and saith calleth for mercy, and so this couple do meet together.  
As for the second couple, of righteousness and peace, they are both of them the effects of the meeting of mercy and truth together: or of mercy and of faith, saying Amen to mercy's offer: for faith laying hold on mercy, bringeth down from God rig●…teousnesse or justification by faith; and we being justified by faith, have both peace with God and our own consciences, at least in the point of right and privilege: albeit sense, and possession of the sense of this peace may be interrupted. Whence learn, In whomsoever mercy, or the offer of grace, and faith receiving the offer do meet, justification also, or imputed righteousness and peace with God do meet: Then righteousness and peace have kissed each other.  
The third couple is of truth, or true faith in man on earth, and righteousness from God in heaven; faith springing out of the earth, (as the plantation of mercy,) in the sensible fruits thereof, that is, in the true effects of sincere love to God and man; and the righteousness of God from heaven shining down as the Sun, for nourishing and protecting his own plantation, and performing all promises to the believer. Whence learn, As mercy in God, and true faith in man meeting together, are followed with righteousness of justification and peace with God; so true faith in man is followed with fruits: for it cannot be idle, but must be operative in bringing forth the effects of faith or truth; Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness from heaven is followed with active influence upon springing faith, for defending, and increasing, and blessing of it, as the Sun fostereth and refresheth the fruits of the ground; Truth shall spring out of the earth, and righteousness shall look down from heaven.   

Ver. 12. Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good, and our land shall yield her increase.  
The fourth fruit of mercy, is of giving temporal benefits to the believer, and blessing the land where believers do dwell. Whence learn, 1. The things of this life are Appendices of the chief mercies of the Gospel, which reconciled people may expect to receive of God, as their need and good doth require; Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good. 2. As the place or land where the Lords people do dwell, beareth the tokens of God's displeasure, when they provoke God: so shall the land be sensibly blessed, when his people are reconciled unto him; And our land shall yield her increase.   

Ver. 13. Righteousness shall go before him: and set us in the way of his steps.  
The fifth fruit of mercy is, the grace of Christ for directing and furthering of Believers in the way of sanctification; Christ shall be their leader, and righteousness imparted unto Believers from Christ (in the grace of conversion or holy inclination, and of perfect direction by his Word and Spirit) shall make Believers to follow Christ's ways and go on in the paths of his obedience. Whence learn, 1. Christ is the Captain of his redeemed and reconciled people, or the shepherd of his purchased flock: for he and his people here are walking in one way, wherein he goeth before his people, that they may follow his steps, and behind them also, to bring them up, and set them forward in the way that none do fall off; as the similitude doth import. 2. As Christ is the leader of his people, so righteousness is the preparer of his people to follow him; First, in the work of conversion or regeneration, wherein the mind is illuminated to behold, and the heart inclined to follow righteousness. Secondly, in the work of daily direction, by his Word and Spirit; Righteousness shall go before him. 3. As the way that the Believer must walk in, is that which is prescribed by the Lord his leader: so the effectual mover of the Believer unto sanctification, is the grace of righteousness or sanctification, which Christ the leader doth send forth into his people's heart, to make them follow the direction given unto them: For, Righteousness shall go before him, and set us in the way of his steps.    

PSAL. LXXXVI. A Prayer of David.  
THis Psalm agreeth well with the time when David was in trouble, being persecuted by Saul. The sum of it is a prayer for relief, consisting of 7. Petitions; some of them more generally; some of them more particularly expressing his trouble and his desire of relief: all which Petitions have reasons joined unto them, serving to strengthen the faith of the supplicant.  

Ver. 1. BOw down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.  
The first Petition is for audience, and the reason of his hope to be heard, is, because of his necessity to be helped. Whenc●… learn, 1. When a believer hath any Petition to present unto God, he may expect access unto God, and audience, and acceptation of his person and prayer: O Lord, hear me. 2. Albeit the supplicant be on earth, and God to be found in heaven; albeit the supplicant be mean and base, both in his own eyes and in effect, and God be the high and lofty one, that inhabi●…h eternity, yet will he humble himself to take notice of the supplica●…ion of 〈◊〉 believing supplicant; Bow down thine ear, O Lord. 3. Of that whereof misbelief would make use unto discouragement and desperation, faith maketh a ground of hope to be helped: for affliction, and weakness, and want of all help and comfort from man, is the Lords forerunner to advertise the believer, that the Lord is coming: O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy.   

Ver. 2. Preserve my soul, for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.  
The second Petition is for protection of his life, and the reasons of his hope are taken from the qualities of such a person as hath right to expect God's protection. Whence learn, 1. The bodies and souls of God's children have snares l●…id for them by enemies, bodily and spiritual, from which they cannot deliver themselves, except they do commit the custody thereof u●…o God, as the Prophet doth, saying, Preserve my soul: our wit, our prudence our power, our fight, our fleeing, or whatsoever means we can use under heaven, are little worth, if God do not preserve us. 2. That man hath a ground of hope to be preserved by God, who being pursued for his life by malicious persecutors, for falsely alleged wrongs done by him, can attest God for his innocency, in the particular whereof he is charged; as here David doth; Preserve my soul, for I am holy; that is, free from the fault whereof I am charged; or I am a favourite of thine, or a man who hath been bountiful in doing good, to him that pursueth me: for thus much also will the word bear. 3. The conscience of studying to please God, is very sweet in time of trouble, and especially when trouble falleth on for God's service; O my God, save thy servant. 4. Innocency in a particular cause is not sufficient to bear us out, not yet the conscience of out good service done to God, but we must make use of the Covenant, and put our trust in God's goodness, whensoever we do expect any good from God: O my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.   

Ver. 3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord; for I cry unto thee daily.  
The third Petition is for mercy and forgiveness of sin, and the reason of hope is, because he is a daily supplicant. Whence learn, 1. Innocency in our carriage toward men, and the goodness of the cause which we defend, may leave us in the mire in time of trouble, because of our sins, whereof we are guilty in other respects, except we flee to God's mercy: Therefore when sin is objected, mercy must be our refuge and plea; Be merciful to my, O Lord. 2. Assiduity and instance in prayer doth promise certainly a good answer after ask, seeking, and knocking: Be merciful to me, for I cry unto thee daily.   

Ver. 4. Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee (O Lord) do I lift up my soul.  
5. For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive: and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.  
The fourth Petition is for comfort; the reasons of his hope are, because he seeketh his comfort no where else but in God. Next, because God is gracious to all supplicants. When●…e learn, 1. As the Lord doth burden his own children sometime with affliction and sorrow, for their humiliation and trial of faith: so will he also comfort them in due time, and give them cause of joy in himself, for the strengthening of their faith, and they may pray for this and expect it; Rejoice the soul of thy servant. 2. He that would have comfort from God, must set himself to seek it in him only, and not look after it elsewhere under the heaven▪ and in this way he may oray for it, and expect it, as the Psalmist doth here; For I lift up my soul unto thee, O Lord. 3. The knowledge of God's goodness and mercy, is the ●…ife of ●…aith, the fountain of consolation and ground of prayer, Rejoice t●…e 〈◊〉 ●…f thy servant; for thou, O Lord, art good. 4. Whatsoever evil the sinner doth find in himself, there is a remedy in God for it: if he 〈◊〉 any good thing, God hath it, and is ready to communicate it; For thou, Lord, art good; If the sinner be smitten with the conscience of sin, and deserving of wrath: The Lord is ready to forgive; If a man's sins do seem so many and heinous, as he dare not approach; The Lord is plenteous in mercy. 5 He who desireth to partake of God's goodness and mercy, must resolve to worship the Lord, to believe in him, and to pray unto him; and whosoever taketh this course, whatsoever he be, without exception he shall find the Lord, to be good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all them that call upon him.   

Ver. 6. Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer, and attend unto the voice of my supplications.  
7. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me.  
8. Among the gods there is none like unto thee (O Lord:) neither are there any work like unto thy works.  
9 All nations whom thou hast made, shall come and worship thee, O Lord: and shall glorify thy Name.  
10. For thou art great, and dost Wondrous things: thou art God alone.  
The fifth Petition is for relief and deliverance out of his present distress, propounded in the general terms of granting his supplication. The first reason of his hope to be heard, is, because he is resolved to make use of the Lords promise, that he will answer when one calleth on him in trouble, ver. 7. The next reason is, because there is not a God beside God; and he alone 〈◊〉 able to work wonders, ver. 8. The third, is, because the Lord is to let all nations know him; and to gain them in to his worship, by his great power and wonderful working, as the only true God, ver. 9, 10. And therefore able and willing to give him a new experience of his power. Whence learn, 1. When God delayeth to answer supplicants, they must not faint in prayer, but continue instantly, and be importunate; Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer, saith he now over again. 2. Albeit the supplicant do meet with doubts whether his Petition be regarded or not, ye●… must he not yield to them, but pray directly against them, as here we are taught; Attend unto the voice of my supplication. 3. Every man should so make use of, and apply to himself the general command of God, to call upon him in trouble, w●… a promise of deliverance, as his faith may be most strengthened by it; for so the Psalmist doth here: In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee; for thou wilt answer me. And this relateth to that which is said, Psal. 50. 15. Call upon me in the day of thy trouble. 4. He that hath found the fruit of true Religion, and hath experience of the gracious work of God upon his own spirit, will set at nought all Idolatry and false Religion▪ Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O God. 5. The works of God working according to his Word, are such as may prove him to be the true God; with whose works, no creatures works can be compared. Where is such a work of power as the creation of the world, and preservation of it? Where is there such a work of grace as the work of Redemption? And who can work any thing like unto the least of the works of the Lord, in his making and upholding of the meanest creature? Neither are there any works like thy works. 6. The consideration of the largeness of God's grace and power, which he hath manifested in the conversion of Nations, and is to manifest yet more and more in his own due time, may encourage any man to come and worship God, and expect grace from him for his own particular: he will not refuse alms to any beggar, who is about to gather all poor beggars to receive of his alms: All nations shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and glorify thy Name. Whatsoever is already done for accomplishing of this prophecy, more is to be done ere the Lord close the course of time; and whatsoever shall be done by way of conversion, before the last day, we are sure that at least by way of conviction and extorted acknowledgement, all this shall be done at the last day, for the Lord hath sworn that every knee shall bow to him, and every tongue shall confess to his Name. 7. It is the cognizance of a kindly subject of God's Kingdom, to delight in the increase and glory of it: and he that findeth in his heart to love the enlargement of God's glory, may expect the benefit of a kindly subject, as the Psalmist doth here. 8. The omnipotency of God, and the wondrous works which God hath already done, may lose all doubts about the accomplishment of all his promises how great soever; All nations shall come and worship before thee: for thou art great (saith he) and dost wondrous things. 9 All Idols and Idolatry must at length be defaced, and he found to be vanity, and God 〈◊〉 length must be known to be the only true God: All N●… shall glorify thy Name, for thou art God alone.   

Ver. 11. Teach me thy way, O LORD, I 〈◊〉 walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy N●….  
The sixth petition is, to be kept from following any sinful course, specially now in this his trial and tentation, 〈◊〉 11. And this he hopeth shall be granted to God's glory, ver. 1●… First, because he had experience of God's mercy before, ver. 1●…. Next, because he had to do with proud and godless enemies, ver. 14. Thirdly, because God was exceeding gracious and merciful, ver. 15.  
As for the petition to be saved from all sinful courses, it hath two branches: one is, to be instructed in God's way; the other, that his heart may be made to follow that way, and to stand 〈◊〉 awe to offend. Whence learn. 1. The Lords children under trouble and persecution, are in danger to be driven by rentation to some sinful course, and this they should pray against, and be no less feared for it, then for any bodily trouble, as hear the example of David teacheth us. 2. It is necessary for eschewing sin, to know how God useth to deal with his own children, lest we think that some strange thing hath befallen us, when we fall into trouble; and it is necessary to know also how we ought to carry ourselves in every passage of our trouble and trial, le●… we neglect our duty, or do contrary to it: Teach me thy way, O God. 3. Beside the information of the mind concerning the duty in general, which God giveth by the ministry of his Word, and common operation of his Spirit, there is a more special, lively, efficacious teaching of a man, whereby he is fitted to make particular practical application of the general rule 〈◊〉 particular circumstances of time and place; and for this we must pray to God also, after we are taught to know the duty in general, Teach me thy way, O Lord. 4. No man must count 〈◊〉 way to be of Gods teaching, but that which is warranted by his Word; and no man can walk safely, except he that followeth the Lord's truth: Teach me, and I will walk in thy truth. 5. Whosoever would have God to inform them of his will, must first resolve sincerely to follow his will when he hath shown it; for so doth David: Teach me thy way, and I will walk in thy 〈◊〉 6. To make instruction effectual, not only must the mind 〈◊〉 informed, but the heart also must be wrought upon, and framed ●…to obedience: Unite my heart. 7. It is the natural disease of sinful men's hearts, to be loosed from God, and scattered and distracted about variety of vain objects, which are offered unto it to follow; and this disease only God can cure: Unite my heart. 8. It is not sufficient for a man once to resign over his heart ●…nto God in his conversion, but this resignation of the heart must be renewed upon all occasions into God's hand, that he may 〈◊〉 the affections to himself, and to his holy Law, and reclaim the heart from ranging and going a whoring from him after sinful objects: for this prayer for uniting the heart is David's prayer, who long before was converted. 9 Then is the heart united and fixed, when the fear of God doth rule it; that is, when after it is informed of God's will, it feareth to omit what he commandeth, and to do what he forbiddeth: Unite my heart to fear thy Name.   

Ver. 12. I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy Name for evermore.  
13. For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.  
Here David hopeth to be heard, and promiseth praise to God, both for his bypast, and also for his foreseen deliverance, flowing from the greatness of God's mercy to him. Whence learn, 1. He who prayeth according to Gods will, may promise to himself satisfaction, and unto God thanks for granting his requests: I will praise thee, O Lord my God. 2. The thanksgiving of the godly, especially when the heart is enlarged, is very hearty, joined with great delight, and constant purpose of glorifying of God constantly: I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify thy Name for evermore. 3. When a man seeth his sins great, his deserving great, his danger and delivery great, he must also see God's mercy toward him great, and his obligation to thanksgiving great: I will glorify thy Name for evermore: for great 〈◊〉 thy mercy toward me. 4. Preventing mercy keeping us from the evil we were in danger to fall into, is to be esteemed of by ●…s as delivering mercy, bringing us out of the evil wherein we were lying. The Lords keeping of us from falling into hell, should he accounted by us no less mercy, then if we had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and had been brought back out of it by him: Thou hast de●… 〈◊〉 my soul from the lowest hell. The same may be said of 〈◊〉 particulars: and when our eyes are open to see the evils 〈◊〉 which the Lord hath kept us; when we were in danger of them, 〈◊〉 shall be forced so to judge.   

Ver. 14. O God, the proud are risen against 〈◊〉 and the assemblies of violent men have sought af●… my soul; and have not set thee before them.  
15. But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious: long-suffering; and plenteous in mercy and truth.  
Here are other reasons of his hope to be delivered, taken 〈◊〉 the pride and oppression of the godless enemy, and from 〈◊〉 pity and compassion. Whence learn, 1. Proud, violent, cruel, and godless men, are the readiest instruments which can be found unto Satan for persecuting Gods children: Such were the enemies of David a type of Christ, and an example of his persecuted followers: The proud are risen against me. 2. Whatsoever wicked man pleaseth to make head against the godly, he will readily find multitudes to follow him: The proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul. 3. When men do reject the fear of God, there is no, wickedness so great, which they will not commit: They have sought after my soul, and have not set thee, O God, before th●… that is, they neither fear thy judgements, nor care for what may please thee. 4. The more violent, cruel, profane and ungodly our persecutors are the more hope is of God's pity towards us, as the Psalmist reasoneth: But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion. 5. Whatsoever objections may arise from our unworthiness, from our former sinful provocations of God, and the multitude and greatness of our former sins, to hinder our hope that God shall pity us in our affliction; they are all answered and taken away by consideration of the unspeakable, greatness of God's goodness: for in God is compassion, he is full of compassion, a God full of compassion; that is, infinitely compassionate, and as it were affected wi●…h our misery; he is gracious, though we be unworthy; he is long-suffering, although we be given to strife and provocation of him; and how great soever our misdeferring have been, he is plenteous, in mercy; and howsoever we have forfeited our interest in his promises, yet he will not follow the forfeiture, but will keep up our right unto his promises still; he is plenteous in truth, great is his faithfulness, who keepeth promises, albeit he might justly reject them.   

Ver. 16. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant: and save the son of thine handmaid.  
17. Show me a token for good, that there which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast helpen me, and comforted me.  
The seventh pe●…ition is, for strength to stand out, till such a clear delivery should come to him from God, as might put his enemies to confusion, when they should see it. Whence learn, 〈◊〉 Whosoever do consider well the riches of God's grace and goodness, may confidently pray for a proof of it in the changing of a miserable condition into a better, even when God seemeth angry and ●…erse: Thou art plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me. 2. It is no small mercy to have strength from God to subsist under troubles, till the delivery come; and for this strength the man emp●…ied of self-confidence may call, and should be content with supporting strength till the Lord's time of deliverance come. Give thy strength unto thy servant. 3. The longer course the kindness of the Lord hath had toward us, and the more relations are between God and us, we may expect the more confidently for further effects and fruit of his kindness for our deliverance: for David here reckoneth from his being born within the Covenant, borne as a domestic, as a child of the Church, who belonged to Gods, protection and care, as the son of the handmaid belonged to the care of the master of the family: Save the son of thy handmaid. 4. As the wicked delight to see the godly in misery, that they may insult over godliness; so the go●…ly desire deliverance, that in their person godliness may not suffer, nor wicked men be heartened in their insolenci●…: Show me a token for good, that they, who hate me, may see it. 5. The good success and delivery of some of the Saints out of their troubles and 〈◊〉 is a good token both to themselves, and to all other godly persons, of a blessed event unto them from all their troubles. Therefore David prayeth for it, Show me a ●…oken for good. 6. As the good event of the godly from their troubles, is a matter of 〈◊〉, and gloriation unto the godly, so is it also the matter of shame and confusion to the wicked, who do hate them: Show me a t●…ken for good, that they who hate me may see it, and be ashamed, because thou, Lord hast holpen me, and comforted me.    

PSAL. LXXXVII. A Psalm or song for the sons of Korah.  
WHen God loosed the captivity of the Jews by Cyrus, son of them did return from Babylon: the work of repuration of Church and S●…ate, Temple and City had few to assist it: their enemies were many, they were straitened with poverty and famine; and the hearts and hands of the Godly were weakened; they were like to faint and despair, that either Church or State should flourish any more amongst them; for comfort in such a time was this Psalm fitted, leading the Lord's people to live by faith, and to work on in the building of the Lords house, and reparation of the City, looking to God the Builder of his Church, and maintainer of his people. To which purpose the Psalmist giveth them seven consolations opposite to so many tentations unto discouragement. The first is, that they should look to God who had founded his own Temple solidly, and so not saint for the weakness and fewness of the builders, ver. 1. The second, that they should look to God's love and good will, and not be troubled for want of external power and riches, ver. 2. The third is, that they should look to the prophecies concerning the Church, and not be troubled for what present outward appearance and carnal reason did represent, ver. 3. The fourth is, that they should not be troubled for the multitude of their foes for the present time, but look to the multitude of friends and converts which they should have hereafter, ver. 4, 5. The fifth is, that they should not be troubled with the fear of the ruin of the Church, but look to Almighty God, who would establish her so, that no power should overturn her, ver. 5. The sixth is, that they should not be troubled with the present contempt under which they did lie, but look to the glory and estimation which God should put in his own time upon the Church and her children, ver. 6. The seventh is, that they should not be troubled with their present grief they were in, but should look to the spiritual joy and causes thereof, which the Lord was to furnish to his people, ver. 7.  

Ver. 1. HIs foundation is in the holy mountains.  
The first comfort of the afflicted Jews, troubled for the hindering of the building of God's Temple is, that God had by his decree and promise made the mountains of Zion and Moriah the place of his rest amongst his people, till the Messiah should come, in whom these types were to be accomplished, and for whose cause they were to be preserved till he came, who is the only solid rock whereupon the Church is builded. Whence learn, 1. When the builders of the Lords Church are few and weak, his people had need to be comforted against their fears and doubts, as here we see: and the way to be comforted in such hard times, is to look by faith to God, as the builder of his own house, who hath laid the foundation upon solid grounds, that every believer that trusteth in him, may be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed; His foundation is on the holy mountains.   

Ver. 2. The LORD loveth the gates of Zion: more than all the dwellings of jacob.  
The second comfort is, that God had chosen Zion above all other places to be his rest, and did love there to dwell rather than elsewhere. Whence learn, 1. The dignity of any place, person or society, proceedeth not from any thing in the place or society, but from the Lords election and free love; The Lord loveth the gates of Zion, more than all the dwellings of jacob. 2. The love of the Lord to his chosen Church, is a solid ground of assurance of her continuance: as here in the figure we are taught.   

Ver. 3. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God. Selah.  
The third comfort is, from the prophecies passed about the Church; and promises made unto ●…her in figurative terms. Whence learn, 1. The Church is the incorporation, in which the Lord reigneth, ruleth and resideth; It is the City of God. 2. The privileges of the Church are very glorious; the glory of Kings, Crowns and Diadems is nothing to them, but bodily and temporal shadows of what is spiritually and everlastingly bestowed on the Church; Glorious things are sp●…ken of thee. 3 Albeit glorious things are bestowed on the Church, yet it is not so much any thing already done, as what is to be done, which maketh the Church blessed: it is not present possession, but hope; not sight, but faith, which maketh the Church blessed: and the Scriptures are a sufficient right to us for all blessings which are to come: Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God.   

Ver. 4. I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon, to them that know me: Behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia: this man was borne there.  
5. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was borne in her: and the highest himself shall establish her.  
The fourth comfort is, that the Churches chief enemies should be converted to the faith, and should count it their greatest honour so to be Whence learn, 1. It is among the troubles of the Church that she ha●…h so many enemies, and those so mighty and potent as the Egyptians and Babylonians; I will make mention of Rahab; that is, Egypt, and Babylon, and Palestina, and Tyre, and Ethiopia, which are here named as the most eminent oppressors of the Church, among all other Kingdoms. 2. It should comfort the Church, that God is able to make her chiefest enemies to become Converts, and that he hath done it sundry times, and will yet do it more; and that he can take order with those enemies which shall not be converted, as he did with Rahab and Babylon; for, I will make menti●…n of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me, signifieth a mention-making of them; viz. to the edification of the Church's children, both concerning what God had done to those Nations in justice, and what he would do to them in mercy, or unto other enemies like unto them. 3. As it is the glory and comfort of the Church, to have her enemies made Converts: so is it honourable to the enemies, were they never so potent in the world to be Citizens of the City of God; I will make mention of them, that this man was born there; that is, in the City of God. 4. The conversion of men from Paganism and Idolatry unto fellowship in the Covenant with the Church is a sort of new birth to the externally converted, f●…om which their new birth and n●…w being is to be reckoned; This man was borne there. 5. As whatsoever honour men have in the world, it is not to be compared with the honour of regeneration, and being born Citizens of the Church, so whatsoever contempt the members of the Church do suffer of the world, it's made up by the honour of being bo●…n in the Church: for, of Zion it shall be said, This and that man were born in her. 6. I here is no reason to fear the ruin of the Church, or the not continuing of her from age to age, to be a mother and receptacle of Converts; For the highest himself shall establish her, and this is the fif●…h comfort of the favoure●…s of the Chu●…ch in the time of trouble.   

Ver. 6. The LORD shall count when he writeth up the people: that this man was borne there. Selah.  
The sixth comfort is, from God's estimation which he hath of every one of the true Citizens of his Church. Whence learn, 1. As all the elect all the regenerate are taken notice of by God, no less particularly, then if their names were all written up in a book one by one: so there is a time when he manifeste●…h his enrolling of them; partly to themselves by his witnessing unto them that they are his children; par●…ly to the world, by sustaining them in their trials and troubles; and 〈◊〉 by a full delivery of them, and confessing their names before men and Angels at the great day; The Lord shall count when he writeth up the people; that is, in his owntime when he seeth it fit to manifest his respect to his own. 2. The Converts among the Nations shall be reckoned up among the C●…nverts of the Lords people of the Jews; The Lord shall count when 〈◊〉 ●…riteth up the people, that this man was born there, that is, whatsoever man he be, who is converted out of any country, tongue or language, he shall be counted a member of the Church of Israel.   

Ver. 7. As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are 〈◊〉 thee.  
The last comfort is, from the joy spiritual, and the everlasting springs, fountains and causes of joy, which God doth furnish, and will furnish to his Church. Whence learn, 1. As the Church is subject to her own griefs in the world, so also is s●… sure of ahundant consolations to be had and laid up in store for her, expressed here in the terms of typical joy, appointed in solemn festivals; As well the fingers as the players on instruments shall be there. 2. The causes of the joy of the Saints are everlasting, comparable to wells and springs of living water; All my springs shall be in thee. 3. Such Saints as have had their senses exercised, are able to subscribe the truth of promises by their own experience, and in special, that there is no joy or comfort, no gift nor grace, no refreshment nor delectation worthy to be named, except that which they have by Church-priviledges, and communion of Saints, as here the Psalmist doth confess; All my springs are in thee, saith he: speaking to the Church, or to God dwelling in his Church.    

PSAL. LXXXVIII. A Song or Psalm for the sons of Korah. To the chief Musician upon Mahalath Leannoth, Maschil of Heman the Ezrahite.  
THis Heman the Ezrahite, was one of those four wisest men in all Israel, next after Solomon, who is preferred above them all, 1 Kings 4. 31. The exercise of this wise and holy man is set down here under the heaviest condition of a wounded spirit, of any that we read of; wherein first, he prayeth for comfort to his soul, now afflicted under the sense of sad wrath and long desertion, ver. 1, 2. In the second place, he poureth out his soul to God, and layeth before him a most pitiful lamentation of his distressed condition, ver. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. In the third place, he wrestleth by faith in his prayer to God for comfort, ver. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. And lastly, finding no comfort, he reneweth his lamentation, leaveth his prayer before the Lord, and writeth it for the edification of the Church in all time coming, as the matter of a joyful Song.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. David was not the only man acquainted with sad exercise and affliction of spirit, for here is another, to wit, Heman the Ezrahite, as deep in trouble of spirit, as he or any other beside. 2. They are not all men of ●…eak minds and shallow wits, who are acquainted with trouble of spirit, and borne down with the sense of God's wrath; for here is Heman, one amongst the wisest in all Israel, and inferior to none for wisdom, except to Solomon alone, under the heaviest exercise we can imagine possible for a Saint. 3. When it pleaseth God to exercise a man of parts, of great gifts and graces, he can make his burden proportionable to his strength, and give him as much to do with the difficulties he puts him to, as a weaker man shall find in his exercise, as appeareth in the experience of Heman. 4 Wise men in their trouble must take the same course with the simpler sort of men, that is, they must run to God as others do, and seek relief only in his grace, who as ●…e distributeth the measures of trouble, can also give comfort, ●…se and deliverance from them, as the practice of Heman doth ●…h us. 5. What trouble of a wounded spirit some of God's children have felt in former times, others dear to God may find the like in after ages, and all men ought to prepare for the like, and should not think the exercise strange when it cometh, but must comfort themselves in this, that other Saints, whose names are recorded in Scripture, have been under like affliction; for the Psalm is appointed to give instruction; it is Maschil of Heman. 6. What is at one time matter of mourning to one of God's children, may become matter of joy and singing afterward, both to himself and to others, as this sad anguish of spirit in Heman is made a song of joy, unto God's glory and the comfort of all afflicted souls, labouring under the sense of sin and felt wrath of God to the world's end; It is a Song, a Psalm for the sons of Korah. 7. Such as are most heavily afflicted in spirit, and do flee to God for reconciliation and consolation through Christ, have no reason to suspect themselves, that they are not esteemed of and loved as dear children, because they feel so much of God's wrath: For here is a Saint who hath drunken of that Cup, (as deep as any, who shall read this Psalm here is one so much loved and honoured of God, as to be a Penman of holy Scripture, and a pattern of faith and patience unto others; even Heman the Ezrahite.  

Ver. 1. O LORD God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before thee.  
2. Let my prayer come before thee: incline thine ear unto my cry.  
In the first place, he fasteneth his faith and resolution to pray constantly to God, till he receive answer, and requesteth for comfort now at last. Whence learn, 1. Whosoever have fled to God for grace, and have received the offer of reconciliation made to the Church in the Messiah, are entered in Covenant with God for their everlasting salvation, and aught to stand fast in the holding of this Covenant, whatsoever hard condition they may fall into, as Heman doth here, saying to God, O Lord God of my salvation. 2. When'a soul hath received the offer of grace made to the Church, in the common tender of the Covenant of grace, he is entered into Covenant with God so particularly, as if the Indenture were passed between God and that soul by name, so that the believer may read his own name in God's everlasting styles and titles, and may read in himself the mark of God's interest unto him, and the mark of his interest in God for evermore; for, O God of my salvation, importeth no less. 3. When a believer hath laid hold on eternal life, he may by the same right ask and expect comfort in, and deliverance out of every trouble, as an Appendix of the great salvation, which is coming unto him, as here Heman doth. 4 God can love a man, and keep him in faith and exercise of prayer a long time, without a comfortable answer, and all in love, wise love: I have cried day and night before thee, saith Heman, and the answer is not come yet. 5. There is a difference of the lamentation of the worldly man, and of the believer: The worldly man sighs and cries, and he knows not to whom, but the godly do present themselves in their lamentations to God; I have cried day and night before thee; as his d●…lour did cleave unto him, or was renewed upon him, so he had his recourse to God at all times. 6. Albeit our prayer being presented before God, do seem to us ●…ot to have been admitted, yet must our bill lie still, and be put up to God again and again, till it be received to our sense and knowledge; Let my prayer come before thee 7. The believed may be sure to have a good answer at length, but he must be instant, and deal still with God for it, and press it hard, and patiently wait for it, as Heman here doth; Incline thine ear unto my cry.   

Ver. 3. For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto the grave.  
In the second place, he layeth out his trouble before God in nine degrees thereof each of them superadding something to the former: under which he is not only wonderfully upheld, but also he maketh use of this lamentation and long catalogue of miseries, as a ground of his hope, to have a gracious answer at last, which came to pass, as the turning of this lamentation into a Song, to the comfort of others in the Church, that should feel the like in any measure thereafter, doth show; for his condition, he setteth it down under the name of trouble, soul-trouble: more troubles than one or two: and the first degree thereof is, that his soul is ful●… of troubles, replenished so as it can hold no more. Whence 〈◊〉. 〈◊〉. Albeit we h●…d nothing to bring before God but our grief and misery, we want not matter of confidence to find favour from our pitiful God, as this example teacheth us; Incline thine ear, for my soul is full of trouble●…. 2. If the godly should sm●…ther their grief, and not go to God with it, than sorrow were able to ch●…ke them; but this is no small ease to them that they have God to go unto, to whom they may freely vent their mind, as here we see. 3. Soul troubles are the most pressing troubles, and with those readily will the Lord exercise his children, when he mindeth to try their faith, making their spirits to smart with trouble after trouble, with a number of troubles, which they are neither able to reckon nor to bear; My soul is full of troubles. 4. The dolours of the mind are able to waste away the body, which cannot but shrink and pine away when the soul is sick with anguish; My life draweth near to the grave, saith he; and this is the second degree of his trouble.   

Ver. 4. I am counted with them that go down into the pit: I am as a man that hath no strength.  
The third degree of his trouble is, that in the judgement of them who knew his condition, and possibly lamented i●…, he was counted a lost man: yea and he himself did find no strength to bear out, or to recover himself. Whence learn, 1. It is no small tentation and vexation of spirit to the godly believer, to be in the judgement of beholders a lost man, because of the seeming desperate condition of his soul, and yet it may befall a dear child of God; I am counted with them that go down in the pit. 2. Albeit God hath by grace severed death from hell unto the believer, yet the connexion of these two, if justice were not satisfied in the Redeemer, should never be forgotten, as the Scriptures giving the same name to death, grave and hell, may teach us; I am counted with them that go down to the pit, or grave, or hell. 3. Whatsoever strength of soul or body a man hath in his possession, shall be soon emptied when God putteth him in distress, except new furniture be supplied unto him, and that no loss then unto the weakest; I am as a man that hath no strength.   

Ver. 5. Free among the dead, like the slain that lie in the grave, whom thou remember'st no more: and they are cut off from thy hand.  
The fourth degree of his trouble is, that he is like the Leper in the law, shut out from the living, and put among the dead, and no more fit for any duty of the living; which teacheth us, that the believer in God may at some time be so burdened with trouble of spirit, as he can neither think, nor speak, nor go about any duty of the living for a time; I am, or I am counted (saith he,) as one free among the dead, or shut out, and separate among the dead.  
The fifth degree of his trouble, he is a man whose life is violently plucked from him; who gets not liberty to die at leisure or in peace, but is thrust out of the world suddenly with a deadly wound; and such may the condition of a soul dear to God, seem to itself to be: I am like the slain that lie in the grave.  
The sixth degree of his trouble is, he seemeth to be deprived of the comfortable vicissitude of the common benefits of life, and of those changes which ordinarily Gods visitations do make, as if he were left under the power of death, there to lie without a change of that condition for ever: and such may the case of a beloved Saint seem to be, both to himself and to others; I am as one in grave, whom thou remember'st no more; yea, the believer at a time may lose the sight of everlasting promises, and seem to himself to be rejected of God; I am as they that are cut off from thy hand.   

Ver. 6. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit: in darkness, in the deeps.  
The seventh degree of his trouble: he seemeth as a man already condemned and possessed of the torment of hell, in the extricable misery of the damned, deprived of all light of consolation, in the gulf of desperation, wherein a man cannot find ground, nor deliverance from it. Whence learn, 1 That this also may be the case of a believer in his own sense; Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit: in darkness, in the deeps. 2. Whatsoever trouble we are in, or how great danger soever we seem to ourselves to be in; it is the believers wisdom still to look to God, as our party with whom we have to do, and to lay it forth before him: for albeit this may augment grief and fear on the one hand, yet it prepareth way for the remedy, and keepeth the believer in terms with God on the other hand, as this example doth teach us; Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit: in darkness, in the depths.   

Ver. 7. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Selah.  
The eighth degree of his trouble is, the felt wrath of God pursuing him, overtaking him, lying heavy upon him, tossing him with new affrightments and assaults, as the waves of the sea do, when they come one after another, and do beat with endless dashing upon what they find in their way; and such may be the case of a beloved soul in its own sense, which when we consider, we may say, How gentle is the ordinary exercise of weak believers, when this exercise is looked upon? Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves.   

Ver. 8. Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me: thou hast made me an abomination unto them: I am shut up, and cannot come forth.  
The ninth degree of his trouble is, that beside all the burden of the foresaid vexation, the Lord deprived him of all comfort, and did not bestow upon him so much as any consolation from his friends, or from the fellowship of the godly wise; but by God's providence they did leave him as a man desperate, yea as a man whose condition they were afraid to look upon; yea they abhorred his case and forsook him: and he being thus in appearance shut out from heaven, and followed with wrath from God, was not only left comfortless among men, but also was looked upon by his friends as a damned and abominable reprobate; dealt with as a man shut up for the plague of pestilence, so that he kept his chamber and could not come abroad to look any man in the face: and this also may be the case of a soul precious in God's eyes, beloved and accepted of him in the very mean time of all this hard exercise: Thou hast put aw●…y my acquaintan●…e far from me, tho●…ast m●…de me an abomination to them: I am shut up, and cannot come forth.   

Ver. 9 Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction, LORD, I have called daily upon thee: I have stretched out my hands unto thee.  
In the third place, he wrestleth by prayer with God for comfort, using for this end four reasons to st●…engthen his faith, and hope to be comforted. The first is, from the conscience of his earnest seeking his comfort and ●…elief from this his trouble only in God. Whence learn, 1. G●…dlinesse doth not make men senseless of grief, nor doth it hinder te●…re, or mourning, or any other effects of sorrow to be seen in thei●… body; Mine eye mourneth because of affliction. 2. Sorrow should neither hind●… the godly to seek God, nor move them to seek their consol●… elsewhere: Lord, I have called daily upon thee. 3. It is possible that a go●…ly man may be instant daily with God, praying with tears for comfort, and yet not obtain for a long time, as this example doth ●…each. 4. As in serious prayer, specially in secret, the affections of the heart do utter themselves in the answerable gestures of the body, as well as in the voice and words of the mouth: so those gestures have their own speech unto God, no less than the words o●… the mouth have; as here, I have stretched out my hands unto thee, is brought forth to express his submissive rende●…ing up of himself unto God, and his dependence upon him.   

Ver. 10. Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? shall the deadrise and praise thee? Selah.  
11. Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?  
12. Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?  
The second reason is because if God do not shortly answer him, (as he thinks) he cannot choose but die, and then it wil●… not be time to give an answer to his prayer, for the edification of others, and glorifying of his Name among men in this world, by relieving of a poor supplicant, such as he was, except he would raise him up again after he is dead extraordinarily and miraculously, which he cannot look for, and therefore he hopeth and prayeth to be comforted in time; wherein he puts it out of question, that he cannot but die quickly, if the Lord comfort him not shortly. Here he speaketh his own sense, and hasteth a little to be comforted, and doth somewhat indirectly set a time to the Lords manifesting of himself, and showeth some humane infirmity, yet such as the Lord useth not to quarrel for with his children in their lamentations, mean time in this he showeth himself a noble wrestler; First, that he assureth himself God would not fail so comfort him before he died; and again that the Lord would rather miraculously raise him from the dead, than not glorify himself in his deliverance: and in this also he taketh a safe course to seek for what he might expect, rat●…er in an ordinary way, then to look for miracles. Whence learn, 1. When the Lord delayeth to comfort a believing supplicant, he doth call him to wrestle in prayer, and to exercise his faith so much the more, as here we find this Saint to do, expounding God's dispensation, and bending his sp●…rit in his supplication to w●…estle for comfort, as those often interrogations do make evident. 2 When faith is fixed upon the Covenant, and p●…omises and power, and goodness of God; it will expect miracles, rather than sea breach of God's Promise: as, wilt thou show wonde●…s to the dead? doth import. 3. A t●…ue believer should love to be comfored, yea and to live in the wo●…ld, not so mu●…h for his own satisfaction, as ●…hat he may glorify God in his life: as, shall the dead rise and praise thee? doth import. 4. It will not content a believer to have the use of any benefit unto himself alone, but resolveth to make it forthcoming, as to the glory of God; so also to the edification of others: and therefore loveth to have the benefit which he seeketh, mainly for that end; as, Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave? doth import. 5. The only time to glorify God, so as others may be edified, is this present life; after death a man may praise God in heaven, but shall not instruct any ignorant person there by his example or counsel; as, Shall thy faithfulness be declared in destruction? doth import: and that which followeth also showeth the same; Shall thy wonders be known in the dark, and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? 6. There is no commerce between the living and the dead, the dead do not know what men are doing on the earth, for death is the land of forgetfulness, wherein the living and dead so part and go asunder, as those do who forget one another. 7. A soul acquainted with God, hath no will to die, till the sense of wrath be removed; and the feeling of the sense of reconciliation be granted, as this example doth show; and no wonder in this; for it is a fearful thing to have the terror both of temporal and eternal death to set on at once.   

Ver. 13. But unto thee have I cried, O LORD: and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.  
The third reason of his hope to have his request granted is, from his resolution never to give over praying, but as he had done before, so to continue still in his supplication. Whence learn, 1. Instancy in prayer, and resolution never to give over, as it argueth solid and strong faith: so doth it give good ground of hope to be heard, as in this example of the Prophet may be see●… 2. Albeit we do not find an answer to our warrantable prayers so soon as we would, yet we must not conclude that our bypast prayer hath been amiss, but rather must avow our bypast exercise, and resolve to continue as the Psalmist doth here: But unto thee have I cried, O Lord, and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee.   

Ver. 14. LORD, why castest thou off my soul? why hidest thou thy face from me?  
The fourth reason is, from the impossibility of his being a castaway, albeit it seemed so or that God should always hide his face from him, albeit it seemed so, as his ask Why, in the reasoning of faith against sense and outward appearance, doth show to be his meaning, especially if these words be compared with the ●…ceding ver. Whence learn, 1. As the faith of God's dear children ●…y be assaulted with suggestions moving them to suspect their ●…ection from God; so is it the nature of faith, and the duty of ●…ievers to reject those thoughts, to lay them out before God, ●…d to dispute against them; Lord, why castest thou off my soul? 〈◊〉. When God doth hide the sensible signs of his favour toward ●…s, we are allowed to deal with God to remove the veil; Why hidest thou thy face from me? 3. A glimpse of God's face, or of his sensible manifested love may mitigate the sorest trouble of 〈◊〉 s●…d soul, and satisfy the afflicted, as the Petition involved in this speech, Why hidest thou thy face from me? doth import: for if he could have found any glimpse of favour, he would not have so complained.   

Ver. 15. I am afflicted and ready to die, from my youth up: while I suffer thy terrors I am distracted.  
In the last part of the Psalm, the Prophet finding no conselation, returneth to his lamentation, by which he made way to his wrestling in prayer, from ver. 3. to the 9 and layeth down his misery at the Lords feet, as the object of the bowels of his pity: in which misery he is persuaded, that he could not but find the effects of the Lords compassion in due time. The parts of the lamentation are three. The first is, for the long continuance of his sad exercise, even from his youth up, wherein he showeth first, that he was afflicted, that is, put to great strait●… by calamities. Secondly, that he was ready to die, as a man overset and able to bear no more. Thirdly, that he was as much vexed with what he feared to come, as he was troubled with what he felt; He suffered the terrors of the Lord. Fourthly, that he was exercised frequently, and of a long time this way; From his youth ●…p. Fifthly, that by the hard exercise, and returning terrors of God upon him, he was so rend and perplexed, that ofttimes he could not; make use of his natural reason; as he did reckon. Whence learn, 1. When we have assayed all means for having comfort of God, it is safest for us to lay our grief before God, till he be pleased to show pity: The child of God hath no oratory but mourning to his Father, as here we see. 2. A grieved mind can reckon all its afflictions, and call to remembrance those troubles that are long since past, as here we see. 3. It is an ordinary doctrine, but hardly believed, when it cometh to application, that God loveth them whom he chastiseth, as the Proph●… 〈◊〉 mentation and wrestle do teach us. 4. In a through 〈◊〉 the Lord bringeth the soul to the b●…ink of death. I am ready 〈◊〉 die. 5. The weight of present troubles, is accompanied readily wi●…h the fear of worse to come, and the fear of evil to come dot●…▪ double the weight of evil that is present; for the Lords terrors here are reckoned as his saddest sufferings. 6. Some of God's children are more exercised in their consciences then other some, yea some souls may all their days be frequented with the terrors of the Lord and fears of his wrath; as this example of Heman exercised from his youth up, doth show. 7. Sore trials may put fait●… sometimes to stagger with doubting, and by perplexity put a man's reason to a stand, and make him many times like a man beside himself; I am distracted. 8. Albeit the godly may be p●… to doubt, yet are they not driven to despair; Albeit they be cast down, yet they are not destroyed, as he●…e we see.   

Ver. 16. Thy fierce wrath goeth over me: thy terrors havo cut me off.  
17. They came round about me daily like water: they compassed me about together.  
The second part of the lamentation, is for the feeling of the apparent effects of God's wrath; fierce wrath, overwhelming wrath going over him, fears and terrors of more & heavier wrath coming: affrighting wrath in appearance, surrounding wrath and terror compassing about, like deep waters, from which no event can be seen. Whence learn, 1. Trouble hath its own weight, but wrath maketh it unsupportable; the wrath of a Father, when it is seen, is terrible; but fierce wrath of a Judge, when it appeareth, is unspeakable: it ove wh●…lmeth, swalloweth up, and yet this may be the exercise of a child of God; Thy fierce wrath goeth over me. 2. Albeit the exercise of a child of God may seem to himself to be the very case of 2 damned reprobate, yet in the midst of it the footsteps of gr●…e and evidence of faith may be seen by a beholder, as in the experience of 〈◊〉, who in his deepest trouble adhered to God, may be seen: For first, the sea●… which set upon him, is called the terror of God, which importeth not only wrath, present wrath, but also unresistible wrath: yea and growing of God's wrath, comi●…g▪ apace upon him, for terror importeth this. 2. The terrors of God in the plural number are upon him, that is, frequent terrors, and multiplied terrors. 3. The effect of those terrors as th●… seemed; they were aff●…ighting terrors, which did threaten to separate his soul from God utterly, altogether, and for ever to his ●…ense and likelihood; they sp●…ke no less than that he was to be sound a cast●…way: Thy terrors (saith he) have cut me off. 4. L●…st of all, for the manner of the assault made by those terrors upon his poor soul, they are compared to wate●…s enclosing a man before he be aware, compassing him so about that he can find no event; and like the returning of the tide, compassing him daily; yea like contrary tides one of them thrusting another, and setting upon him on all hands together; whereby the inexpressible trouble of a soul under the sense of God's wrath is described, bu●… so as none can understand it, except he, who either in lesser or greater measure hath felt i●…; and all this may b●…all a chil●…e of light: Thy fierce wrath goeth over m●…, thy terrors have cut me off, they came round about me daily like wa●…er, they compassed me abo●…t together.   

Ver. 18. Lover and friend hast thou put far from me: and mine acquaintance into darkness.  
The third and last part of the lamentation is repeated from ver. 8. that there was no man compassionate towerd him▪ 〈◊〉▪ none to pity him, none to counsel or comfort him, none to whom he might imp●…rt his mind fully for easing of him; b●…t his ol●… friends, and such as loved him before, did fail him and forsake him: and God m●…de it manifest, that he did thrust them away from him; none were to be●…r him company, but he demea●…ed himself to sit solitary in darkness. So then L●…rn, 1. A●…beit a friend be made for the day of trouble; and a●…beit it would have been an ease to have had any friend's company, ●…or means of c●…fort, yet he could find none: God withheld them all for the trial of his servant he●…e: and such a heavy and comfor●…lesse condition may be the lot of a beloved child; Lover and frien●… h●…st thou put fa●…re from me, and mine acquaintance into 〈◊〉. 2. In that he endeth the P●…alme wi●…hout any comfort fo●… the time, it maketh this Psalm no less comfortable, than any other▪ Psalm; because it showeth that he was suppo●…ted insensibly for the ●…ime, and had comfort given to him the ●…after, so much as to make this sad complaint to be turned into a song both to hims●…lfe, an●…●…o the Church. and it teacheth, that seeing God can sustain a 〈◊〉, secret supporting of a man's faith, without comfortable sense; yea and that under the sadd●…st ●…ense of wrath; therefore a believ●…▪ in G●…d must lay hold on 〈◊〉 goodness, Promise, a●…d Covenant, and must trust still in the Lor●…; a●…beit he should seem to s●…ay him, as the example of Heman the Ezrahite here doth teach us.    

PSAL. LXXXIX. Maschil of Ethan the Ezr●…ite.  
THis Psalm is intit●…led Maschil, or a Psalm written for instruction by Ethan the Ezra●…ite, who af●…er Solomon was another of the ●…our w●…st men in Israel: ●…is man survivi●…; the glory of Solomon's Kingdom, and beholding the diminishing o●… the glory of David's house, lamenteth the desolation thereof unto God.  
The Psalm hath three parts. In the fi●…st he sette●…h his saith upon God, and laboureth to strengthen it against the te●…ation which was boiling in his breast, to ve●…. 9 In the second part he expoundeth the ●…umme of the Covenant of Grace, made between God and Christ, typi●…ied by David: wherein indeed, alb●…it David hath his own interest, yet the substa●…ce was t●… be found only in Christ, who came of David according to th●…●…esh, from ver. ●…9, to 38. In the thi●…d part is a lamentatio●… of the apparent dissolving of this Covenant with David's 〈◊〉, and a prayer for repairing the ruins of ha●…▪ Kingdom, 〈◊〉 the glory of God: which prayer he 〈◊〉 himself shall be granted.  
From the inscription; Learn, 1. Wisdom do●…h not exempt a man from grief and anguish from tentation of fai●…h and hard exercise of mind: for here is another ex●…mple beside Heman; to wit, Ethan the Ezrahite, a man of the ●…ame family with Heman. 2. The Lord d●…th 〈◊〉 unto men their in●…ard exercises, that one may have his trouble fo●… one ●…ause, and another have it ●…or ●…th 〈◊〉 cau●…e as it ple●…seth him to measure out in his wisdom; 〈◊〉 He●…ans ●…ouble is made abou●… his own p●…ivate condition, but Ethans' trouble is about the publi●…k calamity of Church, an Kingdom Not tha●… we think ●…eman ●…as insensible of the public▪ or Ethan not acquainted with trouble for his own pa●…ticular also, but bec●…use the Lord will have the one exemplary in the one sort of exercise, and the other ●…xemplary in the other sort of exercise, and will have the exercise of both to be the instruction of his people: Maschil of Heman, and Ethan both.  

Ver. 1. I Will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.  
Before he utter his tentation, or bring forth his lamentation for the apparently dissolved Covenant between God and David, he obligeth himself to maintain the glory of the mercy and faithfulness of God, ver. 1, 〈◊〉. in relation to the stability of the Covenant made with David particularly, ver. 3, 4. and to this end he strengtheneth his faith by a numbor of reasons to ver. 19 The fi●…st is, from his resolution to hold fast the b●…liefe of God's mercy and faithfulness, notwithstanding it did at this time seem th●…t God had dissolved the Covenant with David's house. Whence learn, 1. Whatso●…ver promises the Lord hath made to his people, they must not wonder, albeit sometime he makes it very improbable to carnal sense and reason, that ever they shall be performed: for this is needful for the exercise of faith, as in this example we see. 2. In the conflict of faith with misbelief, it is wisdom for the believer to suppress the suggestions of unbelief, to take part with saith, to break through the throng of desperate thoughts, and without disputation close with the mercy of Good, and with the faithfulness of his Word, and to avow faith, and to engage hims●…lfe to maintain faith, before he utter his tentation unto misbelief▪ or suffer it to vent itself; as here the Psalmist doth re●…ch by his example, saying, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever, etc. 3. The mercy of God, and the faithfulness of God, are two strong pillars of confidence in God: mercy to take away sin and mi●…ery, and faithfulness to perform all the promises of every good unto the believer: I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations.   

Ver. 2. For I have said▪ Mercy shall be built up for ●…ver: thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.  
He addeth a reason of his resolution to give the glory of mercy and truth unto God, because he was perswaded the work of God's mercy promised to David in the Messiah, should go on and be perfected and settled for ever, and that the evidence of God's faithful promise should be manifested from heaven, albeit sometime it should disappear in the earth. Whence learn, 1 It is believing with the heart which sealeth God's truth, and maketh the mouth to confess unto God: With my mouth will I make known thy faith fullness, for I have said, Mercy shall be built up for ever. 2. The sure mercy's promied to David in special concerning the Redeemers taking flesh of his stock, is like a building which hath a foundation already laid by a wise and powerful builder, and shall come up certainly to perfection, and endure for ever; I have said that mercy shall be built up for ever. 3. When the effect of God's truth disappeareth on earth, it is to be found in heaven in God's decree, good will, power, and faithfulness, whence it will not fail to manifest itself in due time: Thy faithfulness shalt thou establish in the very heavens.   

Ver. 3. I have made a covenant with my chosen: I have sworn unto David my servant.  
4. Thy seed will I establish for ever: and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.  
That which he meaneth by the Lord's truth and faithfulness in general, he expoundeth in particular to be in relation to the Lords promise made to David concerning the perpetuity of the Kingdom in his posterity for the good of the Church; which promise hath accomplishment in Christ the Son of David according to the flesh Whence learn, 1. As all the Lords promises, so especially these which concern Christ, and all saving graces in him (which are called the sure mercies of David) should be narrowly looked upon, that nothing be passed by, whereof faith may take advantage: for what is promised concerning Christ, doth concern all believers in him to the world's end; and this the example of the Psalmist here doth teach us: for he observeth the promise-maker, I the Lord; and the qualification of the receiver of the promise, clothed with the styles of Christ, whom David represented, and in whose favour chiefly the promise is made: Thy chosen servant; and the nature of the promise by way of solemn ●…ovenant; and the consirmation of it by an ●…ath; I have sworn; and the substance of the promise, that one should come of David who should be of everlasting continuance, established by divine power for ever; to wit, Christ the Lord: and that the kingdom of Israel called David's throne, which was erected for governing the people of God, as it was now well founded upon the decrce of God, and begun to be builded already, should be builded up, and grow unto a perspicuous perfection, from one generation to another; and be perpetuated for ever: Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. When disappearance of hoped good things doth brangle faith, than the Word of God and his promises must be called to memory, upon which faith must fix itself, as this example teacheth. 3▪ The mercy and faithfulness of God, which are the common grounds of the stability of all he Lords promises, being believed in the general, should be applied particularly to every promise, as we have need thereof, that we may strengthen our faith by reasoning from this ground thus; Gods mercy and faithfulness do make all his promises fast, and therefore do make fast this particular promise also, whereupon I do row pitch, as the example of the Psalmist doth teach us. 4. As all the promises of God are worthy to be taken notice of; so in special these promises that are made to Christ in favour of Believers, who are the subjects of his Kingdom, in whom all the promises are made Yea and Amen, to the benefit of the subjects: for this are we taught to do by the example of the Psalmist, who when desolation was like to swallow up both Church and Kingdom, doth make fast to his own faith the promise of Ch●…lst, and of the stability of his Kingdom; which promise being sure of necessity, the tribe of judah, and the posterity of David behoved to be preserved, and continued till Christ came.   

Ver. 5. And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD: thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints.  
He laboureth to strengthen his faith in this promise by ten reasons further. The first whereof is this, The heavens are an evidence both of God's power to work wonders for his people, and of his faithfulness to perform promises unto the Church; therefore will he say, I have reason for me to believe this promise made to David concerning Christ▪ Kingdom. Whence learn, 1. The consideration of the power of God manifested in the works of creation, to be able to perform whatsoever he promiseth, were it never so wonderful, may and should confirm our faith in his promise, how improbable soever it appear: For the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O Lord. 2. As the heavens are a pawn of God's power, in respect of their first framing them out of nothing: so are they a pattern of God's faithfulness, in their constant and orderly motion according to his Word since their framing; The heavens shall praise thy faithfulness also. 3. However the power and faithfulness of God may be seen and heard in the work and speech of the heavens by all men, yet are they not observed and harkened unto, except in the Church by God's children; Therefore saith he, They shall praise thy faithfulness also in the Congregation of the Saints.   

Ver. 6. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the LORD? who amongst the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the LORD?  
The second reason to confirm his faith is this, God is above all Angels in heaven and men on earth, and hath them all under him to perfect by them what work he pleaseth; and presuppose they had a mind to hindet any purpose of God concerning performance of his promise, they could not hinder him, they being infinitely inferior in all excellencies unto God, and no way to be compared with him: Therefore will he say, I have reason to believe his promise concerning the stability of Christ's Kingdom. Whence learn, 1. The height of God's excellency is above the reach of our thoughts, and we cannot take him up otherways then by climbing up upon the shoulders and tops of all created eminency, and there to proclaim God to be greater than them all: for Who in heaven can be compared unto the Lo●…d? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? 2. God hath given power natural, most of all to Angels; and power accessary, most of all to Princes and Magistrates and Potentates in the earth, whom here he calleth the sons of the mighty; in whose power and authority we may see somewhat of God, if they be for God; and may see Princes to be nothing, if they be against God; for, Who in heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?   

Ver. 7. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints: and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.  
A third reason to confirm his faith, is this; God is terrible, and to be stood in awe of by all his people, and it were a fearful injury for his Saints not to give him the glory of his power and sidelity; Therefore will he say, I have reason to believe what he hath promised concerning the Kingdom of Christ. Whence learn, 1. Holy Angels and sanctified men, of all creatures have nearest access unto God, and are most like to the domestics and Courtiers of a King, who attend him daily, and wait upon him; for they are here said to be about him. 2. The fear and reverence of God imprinted on Angels and Saints, doth evidence the greatness of God's power, excellency, and majesty; God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints. 3. The terribleness of God's holy Majesty, and the reverence due to him from all his Saints, should make us afraid to misbelieve his Word and Promises; for this is made a reason of the Psalmists believing the Lord's Word: God is greatly to be feared in the Assembly of the Saints, and to be had in reverence by all them that are about him.   

Ver. 8. O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?  
A fourth reason to confirm his faith, is this; GOD is LORD of Hosts, and incomparable in strength and faithfulness, whereby he is compassed on all hands round about; therefore will he say, I have reason to believe his promise concerning Christ's Kingdom. Whence learn, 1. As the Lord only knoweth perfectly his own Omnipotency, and his own Excellency in all perfections; so we know GOD b●…st when we come to him, and acknowledge that he only knoweth himself fully, and do give unto him this glory, as the Psalmist di●…ecting his speech to GOD immediately doth t●…ach us: O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong LORD like unto thee? 2 The same power which serveth to humble a man by afflicting of him, serveth also to comfort him, and strengthen his faith in affliction, when he doth draw near unto God: for the Psalmist maketh use of the same stile here, both to direct his saith, and to keep down his pride, his s●…etting and repining against God, saying, O LORD God of hosts. 3. As the Lord is (as it were) compassed about on all hands with power, and is incomparably strong in all difference of time past, present, and to come, above all his creatures; so also first and l●…st, in all difference of time, he is incomparably faithful above all his creatures: O LORD God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee?   

Ver. 9 Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them.  
A fifth reason to strengthen his faith, is; The LORD who doth rule the raging Sea, is able to suppress and compose all tumults and troubles, whatsoever are raised, or shall be raised against his Church; Therefore I have cause, will he say, to believe his promise concerning Christ's Kingdom. Whence learn, That the power of GOD in ruling and calming the raging Sea, may strengthen the faith of his children, amidst all the tumults of people against Christ's Kingdom.   

Ver. 10. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain: thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm.  
The sixth reason, is this; GOD hath done as much already for delivering his Church, by destroying Rahab, or the Egyptians, and scattering of his enemies from time to time, as may assure me both what he can, and what he will do for his people, therefore I may be quiet. Whence learn, 1. Faith may, and should make use of every example of GOD'S working for his people in all times after, and in special the overthrow of the Egyptians, as a perpetual pawn of GOD'S promise to tread down and destroy all the enemies of his Church and Kingdom: for Thou hast b●…oken Rahab in pieces, is here and elsewhere frequently called to rememb●…ance for this end. 2. It is as easy for GOD to dest●…oy a Nation of enemies, were they never so many or powerful, as to wound or kill one man: Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain; thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong hand.   

Ver. 11. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, thou hast founded theu.  
Ver. 12 The North and the South, thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.  
The seventh reason for confirmation of his faith, is: Heaven and earth, and all creatures in all corners of the world, are the LORDS work sustained by him, and cared for by him, and there is not a mountain or hill greater or lesser, such as Tabor or Hermon, which do bear grass, or corn, or herbs, or trees, or whatsoever may make them look as it were cheerfully and rejoice, but it is by the power of GOD'S Name: Therefore I may be sure, GOD will much more care for his Church, and for the stability of the Kingdom of Christ. Whence learn 1. The heaven and earth, and fullness thereof, belongeth to the LORD by due right, and are cared for by him as his own possession: The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and fullness thereof, thou h●… 〈◊〉 sounded them. 2. The making and governing of the world, which was made and is governed for the use of man, may give assurance that his Church and people, (for whose cause especially all was made,) shall be continued from age to age, to long as heaven and▪ earth do remain; and shall be more particularly cared for, than any other part or piece of his workmanship: for to this end doth the Psalmist make mention of other creatures appointed to serve man. 3. Seeing the Lord maketh the hills and mountains, after Winter-blasts of frost and snow, to change their countenance, and as it were look joyfully and rejoice; we may be persuaded that his Church after troubles shall much more change its countenance,, and rejoice in God's Name: For to this end is it said, that these mountain's Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy Name.   

Ver. 13. Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.  
The eight reason is taken from the exceeding great power of GOD, to do more than ever he hath done for his Church. Whence learn, If a greater work than the making and upholding of the world; or if a greater work than any thing which is done by GOD hitherto, were needful to be done for the good of the Church, there is power enough, infinite power in GOD to effect it; Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand.   

Ver. 14. justice and judgement are the habitation of thy throne; mercy and truth shall go before thy face.  
The ninth reason for strengthening his faith, taken from the properties and attendants of GOD'S Kingdom, is this: Justice and judgemet are the supporters of his throne; and mercy and truth are his officers, preparing way for the LORD, when he is about to do justice in favour of his people: therefore I need not fear that the promise of Christ's Kingdom shall fail. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever oppression or desolation the Lords people may be under, the unalterable tighseousnesse of GOD cannot f●…ile to execute justice and judgement for punishing of the oppressor, and relieving of his people: for justice and judgement are the habitation of his throne: or the base whereupon his throne is settled. 2. Albeit the sins of the Lords people might stop the way of relief coming to them, or prejudice them of having any benefit from justice; yet mercy and truth are ready at hand, to prepare the way by pardon of their sins, and performing all promises unto them: Mercy and truth shall go before his face.   

Ver. 15. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.  
16. In thy Name shall they rejoice all the d●…y: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.  
17. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.  
18 For the Lord is our defence: and the holy One of Israel is our King.  
The tenth reason for strengthening of his faith, is taken from the blessedness of Believers in GOD, whose properties and privileges are set ●…own in order, six: all of them proving GOD'S people to be blessed. Whence learn. 1. Whatsoever are the afflictions of the LORDS people, and in what danger and difficulty soever they be in, yet are they certainly blessed: Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound. 2. Those are to be accounted GOD'S people, who with a good heart join with others at GOD'S command in the worship and service of GOD; Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: for the joyful sound was the sound of the silver trumpets, which were blown at the joining in battle in their wars, or for their journeys, or gathering of Assemblies, or intimation of solemn feasts, and at the offering of the sacrifices of Israel, Psal. 81. Numb. 10. joel 2. And the knowing of this joyful sound signifieth the alacrity of God's people to serve and obey the Lord, as he in his Ordinances should warn, direct and guide them. 3. The properties and privileges of B●…lievers in GOD, make sure proof of their blessedness; for they live in grace and favour with GOD, whether they do sensibly feel it or not: as their persons, so also their carriage in faith, and upright endeavour to please GOD, are always acceptable to GOD: And this is the first privilege of GOD'S people, They shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. 4. Believers have matter and just cause to rejoice in GOD for their interest in him, what soever be their present condition; In thy Name shall they rejoice all the day. This is another privilege of God's people. 5. The joy of Believers is underpropped and enlarged, when they consider that God's righteousness (which is by faith in Christ,) is imputed unto them, and God's righteousness in performing his promises is set on work for their direction, encouragement, reformation and defence; And in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. This is the third privilege of Believers. 6. Albeit the godly find no power in themselves, either to do or suffer, no power either to defend themselves, or oppose their enemies; yet they want not strength, either employed for them, or furnished (as they need) unto them, by God in a glorious manner, as they will see, if his helping them be rightly looked upon; For thou, Lord, (saith he) art the glory of their strength, wherein they may glory in their weakest condition. And this is the fourth privilege of GOD'S people. 7. The free grace and love of GOD graciously tendered to Believers, is the ground of their strength, comfort, confidence and gloriation, because it is the fountain of all their felicity, and wellspring of life to them, to look unto this, that they are in favour with GOD; And in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. And this is the fifth privilege of the LORDS people. 8. Albeit B●…lievers be destitute of help from men; yet they are neither left without protection, nor without government, because God or Christ who is God, is the Church's King, to protect, guide and govern her; for The Lord is our defence or shield; and the holy One of Israel is our King: the O●…iginal also will bear of and to, The Lord is our defence of and to, the holy One of Israel is our King; whereby what may be said of the typical King, David, and of the true King, Christ, considered as man, may give assurance that God would be their defence and King, because David, ann Christ as man, were God's Kings, and Kings for God's service and honour, authorized of God, and devoted to him. And this is the sixth privilege of GOD'S people. All which privileges are so many proofs of the blessedness of the Believers, in whatsoever condition they are. 9 It is wisdom for every Believer, when he is about to reckon the riches of GOD'S people; and to set forth their privileges, to make application thereof to himself in amongst the rest of that number, as the example of the Psalmist here doth teach us, who in the later part of this computa●…ion doth so: In thy favour our horn shall be exalted, the Lord is our defence, our King.   

Ver. 19, Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy One: and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty: I have exalted one chosen out of the people.  
20. I have found David my servant, with my holy oil have I anointed him.  
In the second part of the Psalmist, for the further comfort of the Church in her saddest condition, and to strengthen yet more the godly in their troubles. 1. He expoundeth the Covenant of Grace made with Christ, represented typically by David, because he must be looked upon only as the shadow, but Christ as the chief party and as he in whom the real substance is accomplished perfectly. Therefore shall we speak of both, as the word doth relate unto the one, or unto the other, or to both in several respects. And first of the circumstances of the Covenant, and then of the several Articles thereof: for the Psalmist marketh, 1. The time of revealing of the Covenant; They, to wit, when it pleased God to let it be known, that he purposed to take a course for the comfortable governing of his Church and People. 2. He observeth the way of revealing it, which he showeth to be by vision; he spoke to his holy servant, to wit, Samuel or Nathan. 3 He commendeth the man who was to rule, as fit and able to be helpful to his people; I have laid help upon one that is mighty. 4. He showeth the cause of his prese●…ment, to be his own free love and good will; I have exalted one chosen o●…t of the people. 5. He nameth him and his offi●…e: I have found David my servant. 6. He telleth of his spiritual furniture, figured forth by anointing; With my holy Oil have I anointed him. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the Lord hath always a special care of the governing of his people, yet doth he not at all times alike clearly make manifest this care, by giving comfortable Governors he hath his own times, as to hide his face in this particular, so his own then also, when to show his love; Then thou spakest. 2. The Lord's mind is not to be found by conjectures, but by his Word revealed to his holy Prophets; Then thou spakest to thy holy One in vision and said. 3. As the Lo●…ds people stand in need of a good King, a man of power, able and willing to be helpful to the subjects, and not hurtful: so God must be the inabler of him, and designer of him after the way he pleaseth, and the maker of him to be effectually helpful: I have laid help upon one that is mighty. 4. It is conducible, to the intent a Ruler may be helpful to the subjects, that there be some natural tie between him and them: for this God did provide for in the appointing comfortable Governors over his own people; I have exalted one, chosen out of the people. 5. That one is preferred before another, or advanced to any place of power or trust over others in mercy, it is of God's grace, free choice and good will; I have exalted one, chosen out of the people. 6. The man who must in his government do good to God's people, must be a man for God, God's servant, not by office and duty only, but of a set purpose also: I have sound David my servant. 7. The man whom God employeth in Government for his people, must be furnished with gifts and graces of his Spirit, figured by holy oil; With my holy oil have I anointed him. 8. As David was in type, so Christ is in truth, and in all respects more eminently than David●… strong helper, mighty to save, appointed of the Father to help us in all cases; and to whom we are directed to go, that we may find help, on whom help doth lie, in whom we sha●… surely find help; he is one of our kind, taken out from among the people, acquainted with the meanest condition his subjects can be in, exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour, chosen and predestinated (as man) for the office before the world was, devoted to the service of the Redemption, sanctification, government, and salvation of his people; and filled, as man, with the holy Ghost above measure, that out of his fullness we may all receive grace for grace: of whom it is most really true, With my holy oil have I anointed him.   

Ver. 21. With Whom my hand shall be established: mine arm also shall strengthen him.  
From this ver. to the 38. he bringeth forth ten promises, as so many heads and articles of this Covenant, whereof this is the first, concerning assistance to be given to David in type, and to Christ more substantially, and in more eminent effects. Whence learn, 〈◊〉. As to David in his Kingdom: so to Christ as man in his Kingdom, God hath engaged his outwardly assisting power constantly: With whom my hand shall be established. 2. As to David: so to Christ full furniture of power for all the parts ●…f government is p●…omised in favour of all the subjects of his Kingdom●…: Mine arm also shall strengthen him; as the work is great or difficult, divine strength shall enable him to go about it and do it.   

Ver. 22. The enemy shall not exact upon him: nor the son of wickedness afflict me.  
The second promise is, that as David's subjects, albeit they had many battles, yet were they not subdued in his time, nor made tributaries to their enemies, nor made miserable by them: so shall Christ's subjects and kindly converts unto him, be sound during his time, which is from generation to generation, and for ever; albeit troubled by the spiritual enemies of his Kingdom, yet they shall not be made tributaries, voluntary servants, or miserable slaves to them: for sin shall not have dominion over them, nor shall Satan or persecuters have such power, as to drive them away from their liege Lord Jesus Christ, the true David, the true King of the I●…rael of God: The enemy shall not exact upon him, nor the son of wickedness afflict him, or make him really miserable: for all things shall work together for their good.   

Ver. 23. And I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him.  
The third promise, is of the destroying the enemies of david's and Christ's Kingdom, which albeit they should not want enemies, both open enemies, openly envading the Kingdom, or opposing it to their power, and also inward secret enemies, who in heart should wish the hurt and harm of their Kingdom, yet God should dest●…oy as David's enemies, so far as might serve the type, so Christ's enemies more eminently, and in a more complete manner and measure: I will beat down his enemies before his face, this is for open enemies: I will plague them that bate him, this is for secret intestine enemies in special: both these sorts shall be permitted to exercise Christ's subjects, but shall at length be fully destroyed.   

Ver. 24. But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him: and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.  
The fourth promise is, for removing all difficulties and impediments which might hinder the growing of Christs-Kingdom, and of his subjects unto full glory: for here the promi●…e, as it relates unto the type, hath not the accomplishment clearly and fully. Whence learn, 1. There are two things which do oppugn and assault faith: the one is, the greatness of the work and benefit promised: the other is, the sins of these to whose behoof the promise is made; but God's faithfulness and mercy promised to be with Christ for the benefit of his subjects, doth answer both those obstacles: for God's promise must be accomplished; how great things soever he hath promised, there is nothing too hard for him: and God's mercy taketh away the obstacle of unworthiness and ill-deserving by reason of sin: Mercy holdeth truth on upon the course thereof toward us, when justice otherways might break it off from us; But my faithfulness and my mercy shall ●…e with him. 2. The subjects of Christ's Kingdom want not matter of gloriation, albeit they have nothing in themselves to boast of: God's power, misdom, goodness and mercy manifested in the Word, is the only ground of their gloriation: In my Name shall his horn be exalted; for when Christ's subjects glory in God through him, Christ's glory is exahed in God's Name.   

Ver. 25. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.  
The fifth promise made to David in the shadow, but to Christ in the most real substance, is the enlarging of his Kingdom through the world by sea and land, continent and is●…es: and so Christ's Kingdom must not be confined to more narrow bounds then his charter doth bear him unto, but must be stretched out to the due length and breadth, even to whither soever he sendeth out his Gospel: and doth extend his hand to subdue and conquer subjects unto himself, and to bring them within the visible Church; for, I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers: showeth, that the Kingdom must reach beyond the bounds of Canaan, whether we look to David the type, or to Christ the Antitype; we are led by this speech to the largeness of this Kingdom.   

26. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father: my God, and the rock of my salvation.  
The sixth promise, properly belonging to Christ, according as it is declared by the Apostle, Heb. 1. 4. from this place, and from a Same 17. 19 For albeit David and Solomon were God; sons by adoption, office of Government, and chosen types, yet Christ who came of David according to the flesh was God's Son by personal union of the humane nature with the Word or second Person of the Trinity. And here he is promised as Head and Prince of the Covenant of salvation, made in favour of the elect, only Mediator and Intercessor for all the redeemed. Whence learn, 1. The Covenant of grace is consolidated in Christ our Head: and he hath the first right as man, to say unto the Father, that which is here said as Intercessor and Mediator for the elect; He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father: my God, and the rock of my salvation. 2. Hereby it is intimated also, that both Christ in his own person, and the persons of his redeemed ones also, (in whose name Christ taketh the right of what is promised to his subjects) was to be exercised with trouble, and was to be put to it, to make use of the Covenant, and of the privileges and promises of it for sustentation and salvation; Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.   

Ver. 27. Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the Kings of the earth.  
The seventh promise most proper also to Christ, who in respect of his humane nature personally united with the divine nature of the eternal only begotten Son, is made and declared to be the Father's firstborn, and more excellent than all the Kings of the earth, how despicable soever his Kingdom doth seem; for all ear●…hly Kings are under his foo●…stool, and of them none can make or preserve the life of one of his subjects, nor his own; Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the Kings of the earth. David's prerogative above other Kings, was but a shadow of this, and of short continuance.   

Ver. 28. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore: and my covenant shall stand fact with him.  
The eighth promise is of everlasting mercy to Christ's subjects, to be kept in store for Christ's dispensing forth thereof; My mercy will I keep for him for ever; and this is the ground of the Cov●…nant, and the sweetest consolation of the Covenant, which shall never he disannulled, because established in Christ, and to him for our behoof; My Covenant shall stand fast with him.   

Ver. 29. His seed also will I make to endure for ever: and his throne as the days of Heaven.  
The ninth promise is, of the continuance and increase of his off spring and Kingdom, while the world standeth, which cannot be fulfilled but in Christ. Whence learn, 1. Christ hath from age to age a succession of children, whom he by his Word and Spirit begetteth unto a spiritual life; and this succession shall not be cut off, but one generation shall follow another: His seed also will I make to endure for ever. 2. As Christ shall not want subjects in any age to shall he not cease to govern his people in any age; His throne shall be as the days of Heaven.   

Ver. 30. If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgements:  
31. If they break my statutes, and keep not my Commandments:  
32. Then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes.  
33. Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him: nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.  
The tenth promise is of a merciful manner of dealing with Christ's subjects, (that is, with persons regenerate and reconciled with God, by correcting them with temporal rods, when they break forth into offences, and do turn back or go aside from obedience to God's law, that being corrected they may repent, and so be saved. Whence learn, 1. The Covenant here made with David in type, and with Christ the Antitype, is for the behoof and benefit of the children, as this article maketh evident; If his children forsake my law. 2. There is a provision in the Covenant, against the sins which may fall out in the persons covenanted, and might mar all our comfort if remission were not covenanted; If his children forsake my law. 3. If the Lords children watch not over their own corrupt nature, and against tentations, they are in danger of falling, and certainly will fall into fits of fearful sinning against Gods revealed will, both by way of commission and omission, so as they may seem not renewed, as here is presupposed; If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgements: if they break my statutes, and keep not my Commandments. 4. The Lord doth not allow sin in his own children more than in others, but will testify his indignation against the sins of his own children with ●…ad judgements; If they keep not my commandments, then w●…ll I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. 5. The sharpest rods and forest stripes, wherewith God doth visit the children of Christ, may stand, and do stand with loving kindness unto them; for they are fatherly corrections, medicinal pre●…ervatives against sinning afterward, and tokens of Gods hating of sin, and not of rejection of their persons, but rather effects of his love to the persons corrected; Nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take from him. 6. The mercy shown to the children, is with respect to the Father with whom the Covenant is made in favour of the children: My loving kindness will I not utterly take from him: that is, from David as type, and Christ as Antitype, for whose sake the kindness is derived to the children. 7. Except the Covenant of grace had this article in it, for remission of sin, and for fatherly correction, to drive unto repentance, that the penitent person coming to God by faith, might have sin forgiven him, and loving kindness shown to him; this Covenant should fail us no less than the Covenant of works: My loving kindness I will not take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.   

Ver. 34. My covenant will I not break: nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.  
35. Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David.  
36. His seed shall endure for ever; and his throne as the Sun before me.  
37. It shall be established for ever as the Moon: and as a faithful witness in heaven. Selah.  
After the articles of the Covenant, he subjoineth the confirmation of it; first, by the subscribed Peomise of God, ●…or evidencing of the immutability of it, ver. 34 Secondly, by ratification of his oath formerly made for the stabili●…y of it, ver. 35. Thirdly, by witnesses and pledges o●… the indu●…ance of it, to wit, the Sun and the Moon, ver. 36. 37. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the sins of God's children do b●…eak the Covenant on their pa●…t, ve●… do they not dissolve the Covenant on God's part, or make God to break his part of the Covenant, which is to correct and chastise the sinner, and bring him back by repentance, and not take away his loving kindness●… from the sinner; My Covenant will I not break. 2. Th●… Covenant of grace is that which is revealed in the Gosp●…l for ●…emedy of sin, and relief from wrath; and what is revealed we may be sure shall not be altered: My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth. 3. As we are 〈◊〉 to be naturally averse from believing God, who do stand ●…n need of confirmation by his ●…ath: so God by ratification of his promise by oath doth declare his will to the uttermost, that we should believe in him, and rest upon this Covenant, and so make an end of controverting with him any more by ●…r misbeli●…f in this matter; Once have I sworn. 4. There can be no●…, eater security, than the true Ch●…istian hath for his sal●…tion; for God hath laid in pawn his t●…uth and his holiness' whi●…h is the glory of all his attributes, that he will not take his loving kindness away from any of Ch●…ist, children: Once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David. 5. The stability of David's seed which is Christ; and the pe●…petuity of his kingdom for the comfort of all his subjects, as it is confirmed by an oath, and by pledges laid down for assurance thereof: so hath the Lord taken the Sun an●… Moon to be witness, of this Covenant of grace, as the r●…inebow is wi●…nesse of that Covenant for not destroying the worl●… wi●…h a flood: ●…is seed shall endure for ever; and his throne as the Sun before me. 6. As the witnesses of the Covenant, the Sun and the Moon, do remain in heaven whatsoever change do seem in them, and howsoever both of them do disappear every day once, and the Moon every day and every month seemeth to change something in the measure of her light, yet is the●…e no question made about them, but they shall appear again in due season. so the Covenant of grace made with us in Christ, (whatsoever alterations do seem to come therein, and howsoever it doth disappear at some times) should not be called in question, but esteemed faithful as the witnesses of 〈◊〉; It shall be established for ever as the Moon, and as a faithful witness in heaven.   

Ver. 38. But thou hast cast off and abhorred: thou hast been wroth with thine anointed.  
In the third part of the Psalm he falleth upon a sad lamentation, and representeth the affairs and Kingdom of David, as in appearance close contrary to the Covenant, to v. 46 where be taketh up himself, and prayeth to God ●…or remedy o●… all those evils, and closeth the Psalm with thanksgiving and prai●…e.  
In his lamentation he b●…oaneth fi●…st, as it seemed to him, that David and his house we●…e rejected of God, and that in wrath, v. 38. Next, that the Covenant was dissolved and the Kingdom and Crown ruined ●…ogether, ver. 39 Thirdly, that all ●…ences and strong holds were removed and thrown down, ver. 40. Fourthly, that he was made a prey to any that pleased to spoil him, and a reproach to his neighbou●…s, ver. 4. Fifthly, that his enemies were assisted of ●…od, and he being 〈◊〉 in b●…ttel was put to flight, ver. 42, 43. Six●…hly, that all th●… privileges and prerogatives of his Kingdom were abolished, ver. ●…4. Seventhly, that the happiness of his Kingdom had lasted a very short time, and that ●…ll expectation of hoped for blessings were blasted, and turned to matter of sh●…me and confusion, ver. 45. Whence learn, 1. From the order and place of the lamentation; It is not time for us to enter the lists with ●…entations and doubts, till first we have fixed our heart●… by faith in the Lords promises against all tentations, and doubts, and fears, and appearances of evil, as the P●…almist doth here. 2. The esta●…e of Christ's Kingdom, no l●…sse then of David's Kingdom, may at some times seem to humane sense in a condition qui●…e contrary to what is promised concerning it ' as this lamenta●…ion, wherein the hopes of Christ's Kingdom is questioned by the Psalmists tentation, doth m●…ke evident. 3. The only relief of God's distressed people at such a time, is to follow the ex●…mple of the Psalmist, that is, to st●…engthen their faith, contrary to what appeareth outwardly to sense, and then lay out the doubts, fears and tentations before God, to be answered by him, as here the Prophet doth. 4. All those calamities might come upon David's civil Kingdhm, and yet this Covenant made with him as the type of Christ not be dissolved, as experience hath proved, because the Covenant was not made to exempt him, or his family, or Kingdom from the rods of men, in case by their miscarriage and transgressions they should provoke the Lord; for the last article in the Covenant, in ver. 30, 31, 32. expressly holdeth out the contrary. Secondly, because the Covenant in the main scope belonged to Christ and his spiritual Kingdom; to David and his children and Kingdom, as to a type and shadow of Christ and his Kingdom, or as they were members of Christ's Kingdom for their spiritual good. 5. Sense and carnal reason may misrepresent the Lords dispensation, as if it were contrary to his Covenant and Promise, and contrary to what the godly do believe according to God's Word; as here we see, comparing this lamentation with the former part of the Psalm. 6. If the godly do hold fast to the Word of God, and believe what the Lord hath promised, whatsoever appear in the contrary, then may they with great freedom, (yea, and they should of duty and wisdom) lay forth all their tentations, and what carnal reason and sense speaketh to them before the Lord, who is able to solve all doubts, and satisfy faith, without fear of being mistaken, as this lamentation compared with what precedeth, maketh manifest. 7. Whatsoever calamity shall cross the believers hope, God still must be esteemed and held the sender out of the calamity, as well as the Author of the Promise, which the dispensation seemeth to cross: that the glory, both of justice wounding his child, and of mercy healing him, may be given to the Lord, as the example of the Psalmist doth teach, who in all the complaint fasteneth all the branches of the calamity upon Gods doing.   

Ver. 46. How long, LORD, wilt thou hide thyself, for ever? shall thy wrath burn like fire?  
47. Remember how short my time is: wherefore hast thou made all men in vain?  
48. What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death? shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? Selah.  
49. Lord, where are thy former loving kindnesses, which thou swarest unto David in thy truth?  
50. Remember (Lord) the reproach of thy servants: how I do bear in my bosom the reproach of all the mighty people.  
51. Wherewith thine enemies have reproached, O LORD: Wherewith they have reproached the footstops of thine anointed.  
52. Blessed be the LORD for evermore; Amen, and Amen.  
Here he turneth his complaint into prayer for remedy, to show that he did not fre●…; but believe, that the Lord both could and would give relief. The reasons for strengthening of his faith are four. First, because the wrath of God against his people cannot be everlasting, ver. 46. The second, because the Lords afflicted people were of a short life, and did expect comfort before they died, ver. 47, 48. The third, because former experience, and Gods sworn Covenant behoved to have evident comfortable effects, ver. 49. The fourth, because the mockery of the enemy against God's people, and Christ's Kingdom was insupportable, ver. 50, 51. After which, as being assured of a good answer, he closeth the Psalm with p●…ayer and thanksgiving. Whence learn, 1. From the first ●…eason; The children of God are more affected with God's displeasure, then with the t●…ouble they a●…e put unto; How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thy face? This showeth their chief wound. 2. Whatsoever be the Lord's purpose in afflicting, yet sore trouble doth always speak the wrath of God, to the apprehension of the afflicted; Shall thy wrath burn like fire? 3. As God cannot be angry for ever with his people; so his people cannot endure any appearance of everlasting wrath, and utter destruction; How long, Lord, wilt thou hide thy face, for ever? shall thy w●…ath burn like fire?  
From the second reason, to confirm his hope to be heard, set down, ver. 47, 48. Learn, 1. As our life is short, and the shortness of it should be a spu●…e to seek the sense of God's good will to us while we are in this life: so may all God's children expect, how short soever their life be, to find sensible proofs in this life of God's love to them, and care of them; for, Remember how short my time is: doth import so much in the Psalmists reasoning. 2. Albeit God hath created no man in vain, but for his own glory one way or other, yet God's children have little or no estimation of this life, except that they therein may find God reconciled, and have communion with him in this life; for this passionate expression, Wherefore hast thou made all men in vain? doth import as much; as we count our life in vain, and nothing worth to us, if thou shalt not be reconciled unto us. 3. Albeit our words in prayer should be well weighed, yet in sad affliction and grief of heart, words sometime may escape a Saint, which cannot be justified, as here this speech giveth us an instance: for this is a limiting of God to crave comfort in this life to the afflicted, at the time when they shall prescribe, or else to make all their formerly received comforts, and life itself to be in vain given unto them: for presuppose a man should suffer God's terror from his youth up, as Heman did, and be as a distracted man, because of the terror of God, and should end his life, as Heman doth the preceding Psalm without comfort; yet life eternal might make up the troubles of the wrestling of such a man's ●…aith, and soon recompense the loss of comfort in this life: and yet such is the weakness even of Champions like Ethan; as to vent some passionate expressions in their trouble: Why hast thou made all men in vain? 4. Mortality and shortness of life is common to all men: but to be stirred up thereby to the more earnest seeking of spiritual comfort, and preparation for eternal life, is the property of a child of God only; such as the Psalmist is, who for this very end, that he might have spiritual comfort, draweth an 〈◊〉 from mortality; What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death?  
From the third reason set down, ver. 49. taken from the experience of mercies, and sworn promises made to David; Learn, 1. Albeit a man were in never so hard a condition for his own case, or the case of other godly persons, yet that which God hath done and promised to do unto any believer, may sustain him when he misseth all comfort or appearance of it; Lord, where are thy former loving kindnesses unto David? 2. When the believer doth miss the comfort which he or any other hath got 〈◊〉 of God, he should go to the same fountain to have some new experience thereof, as the Palmists example doth teach. 3. The believer taketh God's part against all doubts, and disappearances of the performing of his promises, as we see in the Psalmist, who when he is missing Gods former loving kindness, the continuance whereof was promised and sworn; he asserteth the truth of the promise, saying, Which thou swarest unto David in thy truth.  
From the fourth reason of his hope to have a gracious answer to his prayer, taken from the reproaching of the enemies, as it is set down, ver. 50, 51. Learn, 1. Beside inward tentations unto misbelief in the day of trouble, the Lords people use to meet with the mockings of the wicked, insolently scorning their faith in God, which as it vexeth the godly, so is it taken notice of by God: Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servants. 2. The mocking of Religion in the day of the Church's calamity, is so much the more a terrible tentation, as the adversaries who do insult over Religion, are many and powerful to annoy God's people, and tread down Religion; Remember the reproach of all the mighty people. 3. The reproach of Religion and of the godly doth lie near, and should lie near the heart of every lively member of the Church: Remember the reproach which I do bear in my bosom. 4. Such as do reproach Religion and the godly in their calamity, are God's enemies, and against them God is engaged; Remember the reproaches, wherewith the enemies have reproached, O Lord. 5. The blasphemies which do strike against God's promised salvation in Christ, and the progress of his Kingdom, are of all tentations most heavy, and are resented of God most deeply; Remember the reproaches, wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of thine anointed; for as David's posterity and succession went on one generation after another, so Christ made his approaches nearer to his incarnation; and when the family of David seemed to grow weak, the godly were assaulted with fears and doubts about the coming of the Messiah: and the ungodly mocked the matter of Chris●s coming altogether, and reproached the promise of his progress.  
From the close of the Psalm, ver. 52. Learn, 1. Presuppose a believer should not find present comfort in his sad condition, yet it is an ease to have poured out his complaint before the Lord: and this liberty of speech is a gift worthy of thanksgiving; for, Blessed be the Lord, doth the Prophet add, when he hath said all he would say. 2. We should close and leave our prayer before God in good terms, however he shall answer us, or seem to dispose of matters towards us: and we should bless him, do what he pleaseth as the Psalmist doth here: Blessed be the Lord for evermore. 3. The believer may be sure to have his lawful requests granted unto him, and may 〈◊〉 to his seal to God's promises without fear, as the Psalmist teacheth us in his saying, Amen. Yea the more tentation doth drive us unto misbelief, the more should faith look for a deliverance, and adhere to the truth of God's Covenant, as here the Prophet doth by doubling his seal, say,  
Amen, and Amen.    

PSAL. XC. A Prayer of Moses the man of God.  
THis Psalm agreeth well with the latter end of Moses' life, when he being now to remove, did present this prayer to God, and delivered it unto the Church, for their comfort and direction, how to carry themselves towards God in their short and sorrowful life.  
The Psalm may be divided into three parts. In the first, is the Churches fourfold comfort against temporal troubles and miseries in this world. The first is taken from the Lords kindness to his people in all ages, ver. 1. The second is taken from the decree of their election, ver. 2. The third from the hope of their resurrection, ver. 3. The fourth from the shortness of time unto it, ver 4. In the second part, the shortness and miseries of life procured by sin, are lamentably set forth before the Lord, who is full of pity, ver. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. In the last part are six petitions, some whereof are for the right use of the shortness and sorrows of this life, and some of them for a gracious deliverance from them, ver. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. A teacher of God's people should earnestly intercede by prayer for God's people, as Moses did; This is a prayer of Moses. 2. He that sitteth in Moses his chair should be furnished with gifts for the Ministry, called of God, consecrated unto God in his heart for this purpose, and altogether set for God in his practice, for so Moses was, A man of God. 3. As the conscience of being, A man of God, is a singular comfort and encouragement to a Minister in his life-time: so is it a singular honour to him, living and dead, before God and men, to be in effect, A man of God, as here it is to Moses, who is called, A man of God; ●…o his commendation, because he was faithful in all the house of God.  

Ver. 1. LOrd, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.  
The first comfort of the Lords people, against the miseries of this life is, from the Lords kindness to his people in all ages. Whence learn, 1. There is no dealing with God in prayer, except we lay hold on the offer of God's kindness, according to the Covenant of grace, and do look upon God as gracious to us in Christ; Therefore here and elsewhere, supplicants do begin with renewed acts and expressions of saving faith. 2. God's people in every place and age, is one incorporation with God's people in all ages preceding and following and may lay claim to all the privileges of God's people before them, as here the Church in Moses time joineth itself with all the Lords people in former times, for the use of succeeding ages which were to come; Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 3. Albeit the Lords people be strangers in the earth; partly, because they have no certain residence in this world; partly, because they are evil entertained by men of this world, but specially, because in their affections they are pilgrims in this world; yet they want not a resting place, and a dwelling in heaven, even God himself, in whom they dwell by faith, and find in him rest, and food, and protection, and comfort; yea, and in his heart they have had a lodging in all generations; Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 4. Troubles and miseries of this life do make the godly to search out their interest in God, and in another life, as here and elsewhere we may perceive in the exercise of God's children: their straits on earth, do make them seek enlargement in heaven.   

Ver. 2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst form the earth and the world: even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.  
The second comfort of the Believer against the miseries of this short life, is taken from the decree of their Election, and the eternal Covenant of Redemption of them settled in the purpose and counsel of the blessed Trinity for their behoof, wherein it was agreed before the world was, that the Word to be incarnate, should be the Saviout of the Elect: for here the asserting of the eternity of God, is with relation to his own chosen people; for, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations, and thou art God from everlasting to everlasting, is in substance thus much. Thou art from everlasting to everlasting the same unchangeable God in purpose and affection toward us thy people, and so thou art our God from everlasting, in regard of thy eternal purpose of love, Electing us; and in regard of thy appointing Redemption for us by the Redeemer. Whence learn, 1. From God's good will to us in time, we may arise to God's good will to us before time; and from grace showed to us in time, we may conclude grace and good will purposed toward us, and ordained for us before time: Thus doth the Psalmist teach us to climb; for after he hath said, From generation to generation, thou hast been our dwelling place, that is, in all time passed thou hast been our God; he subjoineth, Before the mountains were brought forth, cre ever thou hadst form the earth and the world, thou art God: That is, the same God unchangeably in thy purpose and love toward us before time from everlasting. 2. From special love shown to us in time, we may conclude love toward us, not only before time from everlasting, but also that it shall continue toward us after time for ever; Even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God, saith he; that is, the same strong God immutable in thy purpose and love toward us first and last: and indeed faith cannot fix itself, till by the warrant of God's Word, and feeling of his gracious working 〈◊〉 us in time, it join Gods wo●…k of grace, and his purpose of g●… together. Therefore the Apostle, Ephes. 1. d●…h lead the Believer in Christ, to election in Christ before the world was, and to predestination unto Adoption by Jesus Christ, ●…ccording 〈◊〉 the good pleasure of his will before the world was, ver. 3, 〈◊〉, 5. And 2 Tim. 1. 9 he leadeth us to a completed Covenant before the world was made, between God the Fa●…her and God the Son, according whereunto all conditions required of the Redeemer are settled; and all the Elect, all the redeemed are delivered over to the Son, the Word to be incarnat●…, designed Redeemer; and all saving grace is given over into Christ's hand, to the behoof of the Elect, to be let forth unto them in due time: for there it is said, That grace was given to us in Christ jesus, before the world began. 3. The nature of God which is to be one and the same, unchangeable from everlasting to everlasting, is the solid ground of the reasoning of faith after this manner, as here we are taught; From everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. 4. The knowledge of God's eternal goodwill to us, is a sufficient cordial to soften and sweeten all our grief and affliction in this life: for the very end why this Doctrine is prefixed unto what is following about temporal misery, is to comfort the Lords people against all the troubles of this life.   

Ver. Thou turnest man to destruction: and sayest, Return, ye children of men.  
A third comfort, is from the resurrection of the dead. Whence learn, 1. Albeit God doth execute the decree, which hath appointed all men once to die, yet he hath appointed also a resurrection, whereby he is powerfully to recall and make return from death all the posterity of Adam; Thou turnest man to destruction: and so all men must die, and sayest, Return, ye children of men, and so all men must rise again. 2. It will cost the Lord but a word to make the dead to rise again, or to make them that are destroyed, to return again; Thou sayest, Return, ye children of men. His Word is already past forth in the Doctrine of the Resurrection, and is altogether operative, shall prove fully effectual at length.   

Ver. 4. For a thousand years in thy sight, are but as yesterday, when it is past: and as a watch in the night.  
The fourth comfort, is from the shortness of the time between a man's death and his returning from it in the Re●…urrection, set down by way of answering an objection, which might be moved concerning the long time since the Resurrection was promised, till the time that it be really accomplished. Whence learn, 1. Albeit it may seem a long time between a man's death and his Resurrection, yet is it before God but a short time; yea and in effect it is nothing in comparison of eternity: For a thousand years in thy sight is but as yesterdy when it it is past, and as a watch in the night 2. Except we do reckon time as God doth re●…on it, we cannot but be weary and think long, and wonder at th●…●…elay of the performance of promises, and so to fall in tentation of unbelief, as we are taught by the obviating of the objection, and comparing of a thousand years in God's sight with yesterday when it is past, and with a watch in the night.   

Ver. 5. Thou carriest them away as with a flood, they are as a sleep: in the morning they are like grass which groweth up.  
6. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up: in the evening it is cut dowwn and withereth.  
In the second part of the Psalm he setteth forth the shortness and miseries of this life; first in general, v. 5, 6. and then the miseries of the people of Israel in special, to ver. 12. As for the first, he sets forth the mortality and misery of men under the similitude of men overflowed with a flood, and in the similitude of a sleed; and of grass or flowers, which flourish in the daytime, and et even are cut down and wi-her. Whence learn, 1. Mortality is like a flood growing greater and greater, compassing some sooner, others later, and at last overflowing all men without exception; as the deluge in Noah's days once did overflow all the earth, so doth death: which similitude giveth all men advertisement in time to prepare for an Ark, that death may not drown both soul and body: Thou carriest them away as with a flood. 2. This mortal life is like a sleep, wherein men do dream that they have riches, honour, strength, and pleasure, but when they do awake, these things will be found but dreams and shadows; and it is like a sleep, whether we look to the time of abiding in the world, or to the time between death and resurrection; it is but as a sleep, wherein time is not observed for shortness: They are (saith he) like a sleep. 3. This mortal life is like grass, or flowers, which have small beginnings; at their best are but we●…k, and after a short season do wither; and like grass and flowers, whereup in the mower falleth with his fithe or hook, and cutteth it down in the vigour of it. They are like grass which groweth: in the morning it flourisheth and groweth up, in the evening it is cut down and withereth.   

Ver. 7. For we are consumed by thine anger: and by thy wrath are we troubled.  
8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee: our secret sins in the light of thy countenance.  
9 For all our days are passed away in thy wrath, we spend our years as a tale that is told.  
10. The days of our years are threescore years and ten, and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow: for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.  
He descendeth now to the mortality and calamities of the people of Israel, which he had observed in his own time; they were consumed in wrath for their sins, and had their lives cut short and replenished with miseries while they lasted; whereby he pointeth forth the power of the Lords anger, which few did consider. Whence learn, 1. Common calamities and worldly miseries may be found as evidently in Gods visible Church, and among God's people, as in any incorporation in the world; for here is the the●…ter of God's judgements as well as of God's mercies, and when God's people do provoke God, his judgements begin at his own house: We are consumed by thine anger●…. The effects of God's anger are very terrible, and able to astonish the beholder; By thy wrath are we troubled. 3. In the time of God's forbearance usually men's sins do lie hid in atheism, ignorance, oblivion, and careless security; but God's judgements do draw them forth to the light, and do make it appear that God hath observed them all; Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. 4. The misbelief and disobedience of God's visible Church maketh their life both short and miserable, as the experience of the Israelites doth show; For all our days are passed away in thy wrath, we spend our life like a tale that is told. 5. The more we study to see the length of man's life, it appeareth the shorter; the more we look upon man's strength, and beauty, and glory, we find him the weaker, the vainer, and the naughtier: The days of our years are threescore years and ten, and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet, etc. 6. If our infancy, and ordinary sicknesses and casualties of incident griefs and sorrows, sometimes for one cause, and sometimes for another, be considered, the life of man hath little in it, except trouble and grief; Their strength is labour and sorrow. 7. If any man seem to have less trouble and sorrow, or more strength than others, it is nothing to count upon, the shortness of it maketh it to lose worth and estimation; for, It is soon cut off, and we flee away.   

Ver. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath.  
In the calamities of the Israelites he observeth how terrible the Lord's wrath is, which albeit few do consider, yet might men see it in his fearful threatenings and judgements. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the misery and short life of sinful man doth speak somewhat of the terribleness and power of God's anger, yet is it taken notice of by few; Who knoweth the power of thy anger? 2. The wrath of God may be known by the fear and terror of God, which his severe justice, almighty power, terrible threatenings, and fearful judgements executed against sin do teach m●…n to know; Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. Seeing men know not the power of God's wrath till it break forth upon them, it is wisdom to study his fear, that wrath may be prevented; and to take the measure of the power of God's wrath, by measuring his dreadful fear and terrible terror, and to stand in awe of him in time: Who knoweth the power of thine anger? even according thy fear, so is thy wrath.   

Ver. 12. So teach us to number our days: that we may apply our heartt unto wisdom.  
In the third part of this Psalm, he putteth up six Petitions for the right use and gracious seasoning of the short and sorrowful life of the Lords people. The first Petition is for wisdom to provide in time for the remedy of sin and of everlasting misery, before this short and uncertain life be ended. Whence learn, 1. Albeit our life be both short, and uncertain how soon it may end, yet we look upon the indesinitesse of the time of continuance of it, as if the duration of it were infinite, and our years were innumerable; for, Teach us to number our days, importeth some acknowledgement of this fault. 2. Albeit it be easy for us to consider how many of our days are already past, and how few these that are to come must be by course of nature, or may be few in the way of God's ordinary providence; yet this lesson, how easy soever, must be taught of God before we can profitably consider of it; So teach us to number our days, as we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 3. The only remedy of sin, and of the wrath of God, and misery of mortal men for sin, is the wisdom whi●…h is taught of God in the Scripture; to wit, that sinners should seek reconcilia●…ion with God, through the ●…acrifice and obedience of Ch●…ist, and study to keep friendship with God by the power of his Spi●…; So teach us to number our dayas, as we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. 4. The right use of the sin, wrath, and judgements, which we see in our time manifested, is to deal wi●…h God by prayer, that not only he would inform us of our danger and duty, not only reveal to our minds the mystery of grace and reconciliation, but also that he would effectually move our will, he●…t, and affections by faith which worketh by love, to make application of the remedy of those evils to our selv●…s: So teach us to nu●…ber our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.   

Ver. 13. Return (O LORD) how long? and let it repent thee concerning thy servants.  
The second Petition is, that God would not only remove the tokens of his displeasure against his people, but also now at length would show himself reconciled, by changing his dispensation toward them in a course of comfort; Whence learn, 1. Albeit the Lord do not go away from his people, but ●…oth ever remain with them in some one or other gracious operation; yet in respect of a comfortable presence he may turn away till his people request him to return, as here: Return, O Lord. 〈◊〉. The Lords withdrawing of his comfortable p●…esence from his people, for how short a time soever, seemeth a long time to us in this short life; Return, O Lord, how long? 3. Albeit the Lord do not change his affection and repent like a man, yet he can change his operation like a father, who commiserates his child's affliction, and goeth about to cherish him after correction●…; Let it repent thee concerning thy servants. 4. Albeit we be but very slight servants, and be fore smitten for our disobedience, yet should we not cast away our calling, nor suffer our rel●…tions unto God to be dissolved, but should adhere unto them by any means, as here they call themselves still servants; Let it repent thee concerning thy servants.   

Ver. 14. O sati fie us early with thy mercy, that we may rejoice, and be glad in our days.  
15. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us: and the years wherein we have seen evil.  
The third Petition is for some spiritual comfort and refreshment to their spirits, which might keep them in heart and hope of eternal salvatior. Whence learn, 1. A soul sensible of wrath, hath as great hunger for spiritual comfort, as a ●…ished man hath for meat; O satisfy us. 2. The renewed intimation of God's mercy, pardoning sin▪ and making clear ou●…●…onciliation, is able to comfort us in our greatest sorrow; O satisfy us with thy mer●…y. 3. As bodily hung cannot suffer delay, so neither can sense of wrath, and desire of●…favourable acceptation long endure the want of consolation; but after a night of trouble earnestly expecteth a morning of comfort: O satisfy us early with thy mercy. 4. A poor hungry soul, lying under sense of wrath, will promise to itself happiness for ever, if it can but once again finde what it hath sometime felt; th●… is, one sweet fill of God's sensible mercy towards it; O satisfy us, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 5. Were ou●… trouble never so great, and of long continuance, the renewed intimation of God's reconciliation to us, sh●…ll season and sweeten all our trouble, recompense all our losses, and make our condition in this short and miserable life tolerable; yea in God very comfortable: Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil.   

Ver. 16. Let thy work appear unto thy servants: and thy glory unto their children.  
The fourth Petition is, that God would continue the work of building and enlarging of his own Church, and of glorifying himself in their s●…ght, and in the sight of the posterity from generation to generation. Whence learn, 1. The building, purging, enlarging, propagating of the Church, and manifesting of God's care for it, is the Lords own proper work, which he will not leave off, but albeit he hide his working for a time, yet is he on his work, and his people should pray for, and may expect the manifestation of it; Let thy work appear unto thy servants. 2. As it is the glory of the Lord to manifest his grace an●… mercy toward his people. or visible Church, so the desire of his people is to have the Lord glorified, no less th●…n to have themselves preserved or comforte●…; Let thy work appear to thy servants, and thy glory to their children. 3. The Church in every age should have a care, that the posterity may be partakers of the same merciful work of God, which they in their time have had experience of; and that their children may profit by the co●…ections of their predecessors; Let thy work appear to thy servants, and thy glory to their children.   

Ver. 17. And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us: yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.  
In this last verse are the two last heads of his prayer; The first Petition is, that God would beautify his people with his holy Ordinances, with order, and unity and peace, with a holy conversation, and the evidences of his dwelling among them, as his own confederate people, proper subjects of his Kingdom, and domestics of his own family. Whence learn, 1. As God is the glory of his own people, in whom is their beauty and ornament, whereby they are made honourable in the sight of all Nations, as the Bride is made comely by the attire and ornaments put upon her: so should his people esteem of him, affect and love him, remember him, and seek their beauty in him: Let the beauty of the Lord be upon us. 2. Then is the beauty of the Lord upon his people, and seen to be on them, when they behave themselves as his covenanted people, walking in faith and obedience before him, and he showeth himself their covenanted God, protecting and blessing them: Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and this Petition was granted all the days of joshuah, and of the Elders that outlived joshuah.  
The sixth Petition is, that God would bless the endeavours of his people for promoting of God's work among them, and for transmitting his Ordinances and his truth to the posterity. Whence learn, 1. Whosoever do pray for the advancing of the Lords work in his Church, must resolve not to be idle, but to engage themselves to endeavour in their places and callings, according to their power, th●… promoting of his work, as becometh his servants and instruments: Establish thou the work of our hands 2. Whosoever go about the building of the Lords Church, and promoting of Religion, must acknowledge that the success of their labour dependeth only upon God, who must be entreated for the blessing: Establish thou the work of our hands. 3. In respect that our work is so mixed and defiled with imperfections and sins, that God may justly withdraw himself from it, we must the more earnestly deal with God, to keep his own hand about his work, and about our hands in it, as the twice repeating of the Petition doth import; Yea the work of our hands establish thou it.    

PSAL. XCI.  
ALbeit this Psalm hath no inscription nor the name of the penman who did write it, yet Satan could not deny it to be the Lords Word, for out of this Psalm he brought one of his darts against our Saviour, Matth. 4. and the Promises which are made here to the believer, are so much more strongly ours; as Christ head of all his people, hath interest therein as man, and hath taken them to him in our name.  

Ver. 1. HE that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.  
The sum of the Psalm is, an encouragement to believe in God, by nine motives or inducements, most of them being precious Promises, whereunto Christ our Lo●…d hath the first right and title; and we only in and through him. The first motive is, because the believer shall have the warm and comfortable protection of God Almighty. Whence learn, 1. Trusting in God, is the means of entertaining of constant conjunction and communion with God; for he that is a believer, dwelleth in the secret place of the most High. 2. The unsearchable depths of the riches of God's truth, grace, power, and goodness, and of his other attributes, whereupon faith doth fix itself, are a mystery to the world, which carnal reason knoweth not, nor how to make use thereof; and therefore is well compared to a secret place: He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High. 3. In the most High is whatsoever the Believer standeth in need of, a habitation, well furnished with ease, comfort, peace, refreshment, protection, and whatsoever else a soul could wish; for, the secret place of the most High, where the believer may and must dwell, is God's truth and love; and unto him that dwelleth here, is the Promise made. 4. The Believer is not exempted by his faith from trouble (yea, trouble and exercise from his enemies he may surely expect) but he is exempted from being taken, overcome, and destroyed by them: for a refuge, even the secret place of the most High; here is provided for him. 5. He that betaketh himself unto God for refuge. and will make his refuge his habitation, shall not be refused lodging, nor be thrust out when he is entered: He shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 6. The scorching heat of persecution shall not prevail against the Believer; for God's omnipotency shall be employed for his protection and consolation: He shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty.   

Ver. 2. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge, and my fortress, my God, in him will I trust.  
The second motive is the Psalmists example, who in his own experience having felt the good of trusting in God in hardest straits, doth resolve to believe in him still. Whence learn, 1. He that hath experience of the fruit of faith, is the fittest man to bear witness of it, and most able to speak from his own persuasion to the persuasion of others; I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress. 2. The duty of the Believer is to go on and grow in faith, and the right use of his experiences, is the confirmation of him in the faith of the Covenant, and resolution to grow therein in measure of strength and sincerity: He is my God, in him will I trust.   

Ver. 3. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler: and from the noisome pestilence.  
The third motive to believe in God, is a promise of deliverance out of danger, which by humane wit could not be eschewed, which he expresseth under the similitude of snares and pestilence, which do overtake a man before he be aware. Whence learn, 1. A kindly believer should love to have others believing in God, as he himself doth, and should leave nothing undone to persuade others to believe, as his calling requireth: for the example of the Psalmist teacheth us so. 2. There are many tentations, whereby Satan (as a fowler laying snares) catcheth poor foolish sinners, and there is much contagion of sin, whereby albeit men are infected one by another, and many do perish; yet the believer in God is either preserved from falling into the snare, and from being corrupted with contagion of others ill speeches and manners, or else he is rid and delivered out of the danger; Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 3. As there are dangers in relation to our spiritual condition unavoidable, if God do not deliver us; so are there dangers of plots and conspiracies by wicked enemies in relation to bodily dangers also, from which the wisdom of believers could not deliver them: but God hath promised a deliverance, or a good escape from them all, so as the believer shall be no loser; Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, etc.   

Ver. 4. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  
A fourth motive is, a promise of comfortable and sure defence against the invasion of the enemies, set forth under sundry similitudes usual in Scripture. Whence learn, 1. The care and watchfulness of God over his own is such, as neither Nature nor Art can yield sufficient similitudes to express it, as the borrowing of more similitudes, some from one thing, and some from another, doth here show. The watchfulness of the bird over her young ones, and the care that a man hath in battle to preserve his own body from hurt, are but imperfect shadows to represent the watching care of God for a believer. 2. As the Lord descendeth unto our capacity in such low similitudes of protection and comfort, so he requireth of us, that by those we should ascend in our faith to rely confidently and lovingly upon him: He shall cover thee with his feather; and under his wings shalt thou trust. 3. That which we must oppose to all perils, is the Word of God; so long as we keep that, and ward off dar●…s and swords by that means, we shall not be overcome: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.   

Ver. 5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night: nor for the arrow that fleeth by day:  
6. Nor for the Pestilence that walketh in darkness: nor for the destruction that wasteth at noon day.  
7. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand: but it shall not come nigh thee.  
A fifth motive to believe, is from a more particular promise of safety unto the believer from all sort of deadly enemies and dangers, wherinto when many do fall the believer shall stand. Whence learn, 1. The true remedy against tormenting fear, is faith in God: for many terrible things may befall men, when they are most secure, like unto those that befall men in the night: but for any harm which may befall the believer this way, the Lord here willeth him to be nothing afraid: Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night. 2. Many sudden accidents may befall men when they are most watching, and upon their guard, but the Lord willeth the believer to be confident, that he shall not be harmed this way: Thou shalt not be afraid for the arrow that fleeth by day. 3. Many evils are men subject unto, which come upon them they cannot tell how, but from such evils the Lord assureth the believer he shall have no harm; Thou shalt not be afraid of the pestilence which walketh in darkness. 4. Men are subject to many evils which come upon them openly and not unawares, such as are calamities from enemies and oppressors; the Lord willeth the believer to be confident that he shall not be harmed this way; Thou shalt not be afraid for the destruction which walketh at noonday. 5. When trials and tentations come upon the world to try the children of men, albeit many fall by those tentations, yet the man who believeth in God shall stand: whether the tentation come upon the left hand, with l●…sse appearance of good offered in it; or upon the right hand, with 〈◊〉 pretences of lawfulness and holiness in a sinful course, whereunto the tentation doth drive: albeit a thousand should fall by the tentation on the one hand, and ten times more on ●…he other hand yet the believer in God, going upon the grounds of God's Word, shall not fall: those evils wherein others fall and pe●…ish shall not come near him. as to the point of harming of him, or of destroying of him; A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come near thee. 6. The Lord will not only one way be helpful to the believer, but so many ways as he can be in danger. as the enumeration of so many sund●…y cases, wherein he promiseth deliverance, doth teach us. 7. The only persons who are hurt by judgements and tentations, are such unfenced souls as believe not in God, are not reconciled with him, and stand at a distance opposite to him, as the object of his wrath, for none have ●…ight to the former promises, except the believer only, as all the text holdeth forth   

Ver. 8. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the wicked.  
He answereth an objection: It may be said that the former mentioned evils, tentations and calamities, do come very near unto the godly, for they a●…e ofttimes no less deep in them, than others are. He answereth, that the Lord may well acquaint them with the danger, and with the sense of their own weakness, but for the point of h●…me from those evils, or for the point of destruction by those evils, which ●…s the reward of the wicked; the godly have no more but a discovery of it, to see it, wherein they might have fallen if God had not preserved them; and wherein th●… wicked do fall and perish. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the same ca●…amities ●…xternal may befall the believer and the wicked; yet the close of their course, the reward of their works shall put the difference: for the godly shall only behold the reward of the wicked. 2. Albeit the believer may be exercised with the fear of destruction, yet he shall be free of falling into it; Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.   

Ver. 9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation:  
10. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.  
A sixth motive to believe in God, is a promise general to be delivered from all evil, that nothing shall harm him, but all things shall rather work together for his good. Whence learn, 1. All believers have one object of their faith, one relief in their troubles, one retreat from the vexations which do assault them in this world; even God: Thou hast made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the most High thy habitation. 2. One believer may and should encourage other believers by the same motives whereby he himself is encouraged, as here; Because thou hast made the Lord, who is my refuge, to be thy habitation: therefore such and such blessings shall come upon thee, saith he. 3 The nature of true faith is to make use of God in all conditions; in peace and war, in prosperity and adversity, as here he is both a refuge and an habitation. 4. As we have need to have the same promises repeattd unto us, and inculcated upon us, so slow and dull are we to receive them: so the Lord doth repeat and urge the receiving thereof, with an enlarging and not abridging of what once he promised, as this general promise teacheth: There shall no evil befall thee, nor any plague come near thy tabernacle, to wit, to harm thee: for God, who is the believers habitation, in terposeth himself, and turneth the calamity to his good; if it be suffered to come on, that it come not near to his disadvantage.   

Ver. 11. For he shall give his Angels charge over thee: to keep thee in all thy ways.  
12. They shall bear thee up in their hands, l●…st thou dash thy foot against a stone.  
A seventh motive to believe in God, is a promise of making Angels wait upon the believer, and carefully to attend his motions in all his lawful affairs, lest he should stumble and suffer harm; which promise even Satan doth acknowledge to belong unto Christ, and Christ doth own it, being taken in a right sense, Mat. 4. Whence learn, 1. Such is the indulgent love of God toward his own, as he doth obviate all doubts, which from any hand might hinder them to believe in him: if the severity and justice of God terrify, the Lord offereth himself as a bird, with stretched out wings to receive the supplicant, ver. 4 If enemies who are too strong do pursue, the Lord openeth his bosom as a refuge, ver. 3. If his child be assaulted, he becometh a fortress, ver. 3. If he be hotly pursued and enquired after, the Lord becometh a secret place to hide his child; If persecution be hot, God giveth himself for a shadow: If Potentates and mighty Rulers turn enemies, the Lord interposeth as the most High and Almighty Saviour. ver. 1. If his adversaries be crafty like fowlers or hunters, the Lord promiseth to prevent or break the snares, ver. 3. Whether evils do come upon the believer night or day, secretly or openly to destroy him, the Lord preserveth his child from destruction; and if stumbling blocks be laid in his child's way, he hath his instruments, his servants, his Angels prepared to keep the believer that he stumble not: He shall give his Angels charge over thee; not one Angel only, but all of them, or a number of them. 2. The Angels are ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for every believer: He shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 3. Promises are not made to foster men in their turning after folly, but to encourage them in the course of obedience in their several callings; They have charge to keep thee in all thy ways. 4. Albeit stumbling stones be laid in the way of God's child, yet while he behaveth himself as a believer in God, he shall not stumble; Great peace have they who love God's law, and nothing shall stumble them, Psal. 119 165. They shall bear thee up in their hands, left thou dash thy foot against a stone.   

Ver. 13. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.  
The eighth motive to believe, is a promise of victory over every enemy of his salvation, how fierce, strong and cruel soever they be; how crafty, malicious and dangerous soever they be: Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder. God shall put Satan under his feet; tyrants and bloody persecutors, heretics and seducers shall not prevail over the believer: The young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.   

Ver. 14. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my Name.  
15. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honour him.  
16. With long life will I satisfy him: and show him my salvation.  
The ninth motive to believe in God, is taken from a bundle of five or six promises, as spoken immediately by God the Father of his Son Jesus Christ as man, and of every believer and true member of his mystical body. The first promise is of delivering of the believer from whatsoever trouble or danger he can be presupposed to fall into: I will deliver him, saith the Lord. 2. For trial of true faith, the unquestionable property of a believer, and the evidence of a sound and saving faith in God, is fixed love toward God; because he hath set his love upon me. 3. As there is a because and a therefore in the process of the law, in concluding death for sin, so there is a because and a therefore in the process of grace, and of the Gospel, which doth reason from one grace given to infer another grace to be given, even grace for grace: and such is this here: Because he hath set his love on me, I will deliver him. 4. Sound love to God floweth from, and is joined with sound knowledge of God, as his Majesty is declared unto us in Scripture: The believer who hath set his love upon God, hath known my Name, saith he. 5. As the believer is highly privileged and honoured of God, being made a son and an heir, and coheir with Christ: so shall he be made also more than a Conqueror over all his enemies, through Christ; I will set him on high, because he hath known my Name; this is the second promise. 6. The third promise is, the Lord will give the Spirit of supplication to the believer, and also a satisfactory answer unto his prayer; for as when 〈◊〉 man giveth way to misbelief, he cannot pray any more: so when he entertaineth faith, it maketh him eloquent and instant in prayer, till he receive what he seeketh; He shall call on me, and I will answer him. 7. As it is not to be expected, that the man who believeth in God shall want trouble, so the believer may be sure, that God who exerciseth him with trouble, shall bear him company in his trouble, shall direct him how to behave himself in it, strengthen, support and comfort him under it, and give him delivery out of all his trouble, and not only put respect upon him in the sight of them who did behold his exercise, but also at last shall glorify him before men and Angels; and this is the fourth promise: I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honour him. 8. While others do either want submission unto God at God's pleasure to live in trouble, or do want submission to die at God's pleasure, if they be not in trouble; the believer only hath satisfaction in the length of his life, to die or live as the Lord liketh, and he only departeth contentedly, and entereth into a life everlasting; With long life will I satisfy him; and this is the fifth promise. 9 When the believer hath received of God satisfaction in the length of life in this world, God will enter him into the possession of blessedness, of everlasting salvation in the world to come; which is worthily called the salvation of God; With long life will I satisfy him; and what then shall become of him? And I will show him my salvation; and this is the sixth promise. Above all which promises what can be more added, to induce a soul to embrace the free offer of g●…ace in Christ, tendered in the Gospel to sinners, or to move him to entertain friendship with God, by still believing in him, and resting on him?    

PSAL. XCII. A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath-day.  
THis Psalm is entitled, A Psalm for the Sabbath-day; wherein the Church is stirred up ●…o praise God, by sundry reasons, ver. 1, 2, 3. but specially for these three causes; First, for the great work of creation, sust●…ntation and wise governing of the creatures, ver. 4, 5. The second cause is, for his wisdom and justice in punishing the wicked, ver. 6, 7, 8, 9 The third is, for his grace and goodness toward believers, ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.  
From the Inscription; Learn, 1. The Lord hath had a special care of sanctifying the Sabbath, as the appointing of this Psalm for that day may amongst other things give evidence: A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath-day. 2. For the sanctification of the Sabbath, it is not sufficient to rest from our own bodily, servile, distractive works, bot we must rest and cease from our own works, and be employed in religious service and worship, and exercises suitable for that day, whereof singing of Psalms to the honour of God is one; This is a Song for the Sabbath-day. 3. God hath appointed that the Church should have solemn meetings on the Sabbath, wherein God may be publicly by his own ordinances honoured, and the Congregation edified in their most holy faith: for this Psalm is given to the Church with this title and Inscription, A Psalm or Song for the Sabbath-day; to be sung in the Assemblies.  

Ver. 1. IT is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD: and to sing praises unto thy Name, O most High.  
2. To show forth thy loving kindness in the morning; and thy faithfulness every night.  
3. Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the Psaltery: upon the Harp with a solemn sound.  
From the exhortation unto praising of God, and thanksgiving with the reasons thereof; Learn, 1. Albeit we be daily receiving more and more benefits from God, yet are we flow to acknowledge this, or to give thanks unto him, and have need to be stirred up to the duty, as this exhortation importeth. 2. Not only do we discharge a piece of our duty in thanksgiving unto God, but we also receive a new benefit by doing of this duty: It is a good thing▪ (pleasant to God, and profitable to us and others) to give thanks unto the Lord. 3. Albeit we cannot give thanks unto God as we desire, or as he deserveth, yet to acknowledge and confess to God our debt, and what we have received of him, shall be accounted thanksgiving; for the word in the o●…ginal doth give ground for this. 4. Approving of ourselves to God in sincerity of affection, when we are about the Lords praises, is no less profitable to us, than it is pleasant to God, It is a good thing to sing praises to thy Name, O most High. 5. It is not enough to praise God in and with the Church publicly assembled; but also it is a duty to be performed daily by every family and person, according to their place and power, as fit occasion is offered, morning and evening: It is good to show forth thy kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night. 6. The matter of God's praise and our rejoicing, is chiefly the Lords mercy and truth, in pitying, and pardoning, and lovingly entreating of sinful men, and performing the promises of the Covenant to his people, contrary to their deserving; It is good to show forth thy loving kindness and thy faithfulness. 7. As it is the duty of every one to study to observe and to believe, and to be sensibly affected with the Lords mercy and truth: so also to express their belief and sense thereof cheerfully and joyfully, according as the signification of typical ceremony of musical instruments under the pedagogy of the Law did require, It is good to show forth thy loving kindness, etc. upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the Psaltery, upon the Harp, with a solemn sound.   

Ver. 4. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.  
5. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.  
The Psalmist descendeth more specially to the works of creation and common providence, which is the first special matter of God's praise, and of the worshippers joy, wherein he setteth forth the glory and greatness of God's works, and deepness of his wisdom and counsel. Whence l●…arn, 1. One of the parts of the well-spending of the Sabbath, is the looking upon, and conside●…ation of the works of creation: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. 2. The consideration of the Lords works, is a matter full of sweet refreshment and joy, when God blesseth our meditation; which blessing as we should call and look for at his hands, so should we acknowledge it thankfully, when we find it bestowed on us, and lift up our hearts in his way, being so encouraged: Lord, thou hast made me glad by thy works, I will triumph in the work of thy hands. All the works of the Lord in their own order and degree, even the least of them, do bear the Impression of wonderful greatness, and shall be acknowledged to be such by the man that seeth them rightly: O Lord, how great are thy works. 4. There is as great wisdom of God in ruling and disposing of the creatures, as there is power in making of them; and as the power in making is wonderful great, so is his wisdom also in governing them passing deep, and thy thoughts are very deep.   

Ver. 6. A brutish man knoweth not: neither doth a fool understand this.  
7. When the wicked spring as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish: it is, that they shall be destroyed for ever.  
8. But thou, LORD, art most High for evermore.  
9 For lo, thine enemies, O LORD, for lo thine enemies shall perish: all the workers of iniquity shall be scattered.  
The second special matter of God's praise, is his just and wise providence in dealing with the wicked, whom the Lord punisheth and overturneth by their temporal prosperity which they seek so much after, as if it were their happiness, Whence learn, 1. Albeit wicked men do seem rational, yet are they indeed beastly slaves to their sensual lusts, and therefore are called here brutish men, back and belly is that which they most care for: and albeit they do seem very wise, yet are they indeed fools, because they do choose temporal things rather than everlasting; and lose themselves in seeking worldly gain, and therefore are called here fools. The wicked may for a time spring up, flourish in worldly prosperity, as here is presupposed, but this springing up and flourishing is of short continuance, and subject to sudden alteration: They spring up, and flourish as the grass. 3. The end of the temporal prosperity of the ungodly, is perdition: They shall be destroyed for ever: yea, their very prosperity (by its fomenting their sinful lusts, and hardening their hearts against God's Word) becometh a means to draw on their everlasting perdition, and that in God's righteous judgement against them, who have preferred earth to heaven, their bodily lusts unto the salvation of their souls and bodies; for when the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish, it is that they shall be destroyed for ever. 4. The ungo●…ly are so besotted with the love of the world, and possession of things temporal, that they neither do know, nor will know, nor can know this mystery; except God supernaturally do reveal it to them, and give them spiritual wisdom: A brutish man knoweth not, neither doth a fool understand this. 5. Albeit the wicked be in power and high place, there be little appearance of their overthrow, yet God is higher than they, and so able according to his place to take order with them: and albeit they seem to live long, yet God endu●… for ever, and so able to cut them off when he pleaseth, and to perpetuate their torment for ever: But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore. 6. To acknowledge that God is supreme and everlasting Judge and Ruler of all things, is a sufficient ground to quiet our minds, however matters see●… to go: for because he is the Sovereign Ruler of all the world, and the eternal God, he cannot but govern all things well and wisely; and will not fail to do as he hath said in his Word, to punish the wicked, how great soever prosperity he grant them for a time: for the believer doth from this doctrine draw light to show him the mystery of the perdition of the wicked, by the means of their prosperity, which the foolish and wicked man cannot consider; But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore: for lo, thine enemies, O Lord, shall perish. 7. Workers of iniquity, pretend what they please, are God's enemies, and seeing they are Gods enemies, they cannot but perish: for lo, thine enemies, O Lord, and the second time, for lo, thine enemies shall perish. 8. The wicked who now combine together, shall be separated from God, and from the society of the blessed company of the righteous, and shall not be able to help one another in the day that God shall bring judgement upon them: All the workers of iniquity shall be scattered; and this is another part of the right spending of the Sabbath, to learn this lesson well.   

Ver. 10. But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.  
11. Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.  
The third special reason and matter of ●…ods praise, is his grace and goodness to believers, wherein the P●…almist doth speak first with relation to his own particular, ver. 10, 11. And then in general of all the godly, from what he believeth toward himself, as serving to teach every one to make application of the doctrine to their own use. Learn, 1. The same supremacy of God over all creatures, which giveth assurance of the over●…row of the wicked, giveth also assurance of the welfare and felicity of the Godly; ●…or from ver. 8. he deduceth this also, But my horn shalt thou exalt. 2. The best condition of the godly, is not in what they are for the present, but in what they shall be hereafter; for albeit they be now under, they shall have dominion at length, expressed here under the terms of exalting the borne, which is the emblem of dignity and power and victory; My horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of the unicorn 3 That general doctrine may be comfortable, it must be applied, as the ●…ists example doth teach here. 4. Whatsoever weakness ●…ef the godly do labour under for a while, they shall have in due time festival refreshment, comfort and encouragement from God's Spirit and powerful providence, and that renewed unto them from time to time as need requireth; I shall be anointed with oil, with fresh oil. 5. Whatsoever might be the Psalmists persuasion of victory over his par●…icular enemies; yet as a type of Christ, and as one of the Believers having interest in Christ, and in all blessings purchased by him, he might by faith see and hear in the Lord's Word the ovethrow of all the enemies of his welfare, and so may every believe: be persuaded; Mine eye also shall see my desire upon mine enemies; and mine cares shall bear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.   

Ver. 12. The righteous shall flourish like the Palmtree: he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon.  
13. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD, shall flourish in the Courts of our God.  
14. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age: they shall be fat and flourishing.  
15. To show that the LORD is upright, he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.  
From the Lord's goodness to all believers in general; Learn, 1. The promises and comforts given to any one believer, are not proper to him only, but common to all believers; and the man who can apply these promises to himself, is the fittest man to bear witness of the interest which others have therein: for what the Psalmist hath applied to himself, he extendeth to all in substance; The righteo●…s shall flourish. 2. The godly shall get up their head, notwithstanding of whatsoever weight of troubles laid upon them, and they shall constantly grow up to the full stature of perfection, whatsoever opposition be made; They shall flourish like the Palmtree, he shall grow like a Cedar in Lebanon. 3. The Lords children are like trees which do not grow in every soil, are not nourished with every moisture; the place of their planting, growth and flourishing, is the house of the Lord, where the Word and Spirit of the Lord joined with the holy ordinances may be had for food: They are planted in the house of the Lord, and fl●…rish in the Courts of our God. 4. Not every barren tree or weed, not every one who is in the visible Court of God's Church doth grow and flourish; or is made partaker of the spiritual grace and blessing of the ordinances, but only planted ones, that is, such plants as the heavenly Father hath planted: for to those only, who by Covenant have embraced God, is the promise made; Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God. 5. True believers shall still persevere, and the decay of the outward man shall not hinder the renewing of their inward man day by day; and their last works shall be better than their first; They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing. 6. The end of the Lords destroying of the wicked, and of his blessing of the true believer with the growth of grace, and perseverance to the end, is the glory of God's righteousness, singleness in Covenant-making, and of his constant affection to uprightness; for these threaten and promises shall be made good, To show that the Lord is upright. 7. Whosoever neglect to give glory unto God, the believer will not fail to lay his own weight upon God, and build all his felicity on him, being assured that he will neither flee from, nor fail the godly; He is my rock. 8. L●…t the Lord do what he pleaseth, let the wicked prosper for a while, and the godly be troubled for a while, yet God is wise, and just, and holy: and that man hath profited well in the school of God, who give●…h this glory unto God constantly, as the Ps●…lmist doth here; He is my rock, and there it no unrighteousness in him.    

PSAL. XCIII.  
IN this Psalm for the comfort of God's people, against the multitude and power of their enemies, and the greatness of Kings and Potentates in the world, who oft times are like to overflow, devour and drown the Church, the glory of the Lord is described, in whom is the Church's defence, comfort and victory. For this end; f●…st, the praises of God for the Church's comfort are set down absolutely, ver. 1, 2. Then the opposition of the enemies of the Church is compared to the growing flood or raging sea, ver 3. And thirdly, the prai●…s of God are set down in opposition to their power, ver. 4, 5. with the use of this doctrine, ver. 7.  

Ver. 1. THE LORD reigneth, he is clothed with Majesty: the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is established, that it cannot be moved.  
2. Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting.  
From the praises of God absolutely set down for the comfort of the Church in all respects, and for strengthening of their f●…ith, specially against all her enemies: Learn, 1. Howsoever matters concerning the Church or any member thereof shall go; whatsoever he be that hath power for troubling of the Church, God is he who is great Governor of all; and this ●…s one ground, of confidence and comfort to the Lords people; The Lord reigneth. 2. The outward splendour of ear●…ly Kings and Potenta●…s in the world, opposite to Christ's Kingdom, is no small tentatio●… to God's people, but the believer must oppose unto this the g●…orious government of God; He is clo●…thed with Majesty. 3 How strong soever the adverse powers of the world do see●…, it must not terrify the believer in following the Lords cause, b●… his st●…ength must be opposed thereun●…o, and that so much the more comfortably, as God's strength is not borrowed from ●…y, as the strength of the creature is; The Lord is cl●…thed with strength, wherewith he ●…th girded himself. 4. The 〈◊〉 of the constant guiding of the world, showeth the power and wisdom of God, employed much more in settling the work of his Church, for whose cause the world was made, and is upheld and est●…blished; The world also is established, that it cannot be moved. 5 The Lords Kingdom in his Ch●…h is not like the new upsta●…ts in this world, which are of short standing & unstable. If any King be kind to his Church, his people have reason to thank God, but they must not lean to such a King; his ●…eign shall be but short, and if any King be froward and oppose himself to the Church; we must not be too much feared for him, because his Kingdom is but lately begun, and is of short continuance: but the Kingdom of the Lord is an ancient Kingdom and well settled; Thy throne is established of old. 6. The eternity of God is the ground of the immutability of his Kingdom, and of the perpetual comfort of the Church against all opposers; Thou art from everlasting.   

Ver. 3. The floods have lifted up, O LORD: the floods have lifted up their voice: the floods lift up their waves.  
In the second pl●…ce, is the tentation of the Church; they are like to be ●…ve flowed as with a deluge, by the multitude of powerful enemies, whereof the Church complaineth unto God. Whence learn, 1. It is no wonder to see the world rising up tumultuously to overthrow the Church, and as it were a deluge coming upon them to drown and devour all: no wonder to hear the enemies threatening destruction to the Chur●…h, like to the noise of waters after rain coming down the mountains upon them, which are not able to flee; The floods have lifted up, the floods have lifted up their voice; and the third time, the flood●… lift up their waves. 2. The best way to encounter threaten and fears is, to oppose God unto them; and to lay them forth before the Lord, that he may answer them, as here the Psalmist doth; The floods have lifted up O Lord, saith he, etc.   

Ver. 4. The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters: yea than the mighty waves of the sea.  
In the third place, he sets down the power of God, in opposition to all the b●…ags, and malice, and power of the enemies, as very far above the power of the enemies, and more mighty for the defence of the Church, than the enemy is powerful to oppose it. Whence learn, 1. Heavenly help and comfort from above, is only able to quiet our minds in time of persecution against the fears of enemies here beneath: The Lord on high is here opposed to the roaring of the floods and waters dashing against the Church. 2. We can neither glorify God, nor comfort ourselves against the power of the enemies of the Church, except we lift up the Lord's power above them all; The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters. 3. The Lord is above all terrible things, to bridle them at his pleasure, and by his power able to terrify them that terrify his Church; The Lord is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea then the mighty waves of the sea.   

Ver. 5. Thy Testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O LORD, for ever.  
The uses of this doctrine concerning the Lord's power, and good will to defend his Church, are two: the one is, that as the Word of the Lord is, sure and true in itself, so we should acknowledge it to be sure, and should set to our seal unto it, as the Psalmist doth here; Thy testimonies are very sure. The other use is, that such as love to have the benefit of the protection which is promised here, should labour to be holy. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever is said in the Scripture, needeth no probation; for it is the deposition of God, declaring truth in every thing which it determineth; therefore are his promises called here, His testimonies. 2. By giving credit to the truth of the Scriptures, or to the Lords testimony expressed therein, no man can be deceived: for when we have his Word, our minds may be quieted and at rest; Thy testimonies are very sure. 3. The honour, strength and happiness of the Lords people is, that they are the Lords habitation and place of residence, dedicated and consecrated unto him; Holiness becometh thine house: that is, thy Church and people, whereof the Temple was only a shadow. 4 God will be sanctified of all that draw near unto him; and whosoever do love to enjoy the preservation and privileges promised to the Church, must study for holiness, which is the duty of the members of the Church also; Holiness becometh thy house 5 The dignity, duty and privileges of God's people, and especially his of consecration, sanctification in affection and carriage, and vindication from sin and misery, do not belong unto any one time or age, but are perpetual, belonging to all such as study to be approved unto God, protected, and made blessed by God, in all times and ages, in all places and company all the days of their life; For holiness becometh thine house for evermore.    

PSAL. XCIV.  
THis Psalm is a prayer and a complaint of the Church unto God in the time of her oppression by intestine enemies, in special by unjust and cruel Rulers, whereunto sundry grounds of comfort to the godly in this hard condition are subjoined. The prayer and complaint reach unto ver. 8. The grounds of comfort are four; the first is, the consideration of God's wisdom in the permission of this sore trouble of his people, with a check unto the oppressors for their Atheism, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11. The second is, the consideration of the profit which Gods people shall have by this exercise, ver. 12, 13. The third is, from a promise that God shall change the face of affairs to the joy of the godly, ver. 14, 15. The fourth is, from the experience which the Psalmist had of GOD'S helping of him in this case, set down at large to the end of the Psalm.  

Ver. 1. O LORD God, to whom vengeance belongeth: O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself.  
2. Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth, render a reward to the proud.  
In the prayer, the Church requesteth the Lord to be avenged on intestine enemies, her proud oppressors. Whence learn, 1. The Lord's people are subject to trouble and oppression, as from foreign, so also from intestine enemies, as bypast experience showeth, and this Psalm presupposeth, being set forth for her comfort in such cases in time to come. 2. The Lord's people may find as bitter affliction from domestic enemies, as from foreign, as the doubling of the prayer unto God the Avenger, to rise and take order with their oppressors, doth import. 3. God will not fail to be avenged on the enemies of his people● for He is the Lord God to whom vengeance belongeth. 4. Albeit for a while the Lord suffer the troublers of his people to go on in their persecution, yet he will show himself a righteous Judge in due time: O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, show thyself. 5. The Lord will sometime, as it were, hide himself, and not appear in the execution of his judgements ag●…inst wicked oppressors, till his people come crying unto him for justice, as is imported in this prayer; ●…ift up thyself, thou judge of the earth. 6. The Lord's people are not troubled by humble souls, sensible of their own sinfulness and frailty; but by those who little know how it fares with the Lords hidden ones, and afflicted children, for the oppressors are here called the proud. 7. The Lord will give the proud oppressors of his people a meeting, and grieve them as they have grieved his Saints; Render a reward to the proud. 8. When the cause is not our private quarrel, but concerneth God in his glory, and the Church in her safety: such complaints as are here, are lawful; for this Psalm is put in the Church's hand in such cases.   

Ver. 8 LORD, how long shall the wicked? how long shall the wicked triumph?  
4. How long shall they utter, and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves.  
The Psalmist complaineth; fi●…st, of the long continuance of the insolent triumphing and boasting of these intestine enemies. Whence learn, 1. When the wicked go away unpunished, they think their cause right; and the cause of the godly, who lie under their feet, to be wrong; and thereupon do insult over the godly, and boast of their purpose to do them more and more mischief: fo●… here, They triumph, they utter, and speak bard things, they boast themselves. 2. The Lord may delay execution of judgement on the wicked, so long as his children may begin to wonder how his justice can endure it: Lord, how long shall the wicked? how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter, and speak hard things? 3. When the godly are borne down by oppressors being in power, all the ungodly of all ranks become insolently bold also against them: How long shall the workers of iniquity boast themselves? 4. As the injuries done to the godly, do force the godly to complain; so the working of iniquity by persecutors, provoketh God to punish their oppressors: This the Psalmist holdeth forth, when he give●…h the adversary this description; How long shall the wicked? how long shall the wicked triumph? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?   

Ver. 5. They break in pieces thy people, O LORD: and afflict thine heritage.  
6. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless.  
7. Yet they say, The LORD shall not see: neither shall the God of jacob regard it.  
The wickedness of the oppressors is here described more particularly, by their cruelty against such as humanity would spare; such as are the Lords harmless people, the widow, fatherless, and stranger, whom the oppressors abuse without all fear of GOD, who doth behold them. Whence learn, 1, When wicked men, haters of piety within the Church, get power in their hand, they will be more cruel enemies than men use to be, who have only humanity and civility, and want profession of Religion; They break in pieces thy people, O LORD: and afflict thine heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and murder the fatherless. 2. The more relations a people hath unto God, it is the more wickedness to oppress them, and the more dangerous for the oppressors: for they have an owner which others have not, even the Lord; They break in pieces thy people, and afflict thine heritage. 3 It is not profession, but practice which witnesseth what impression the Deity hath upon men's spirits: oppression of such as God hath promised to protect, speaketh blasphemy of God in effect; They say, The Lord shall not see. 4. Oppression of the just doth cauterize the conscience, ex●…inguish the sense of a Deity, and maketh the oppressor secure and fearless of judgement; Yet they say, The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of jacob regard it.   

Ver. 8. Understand, ye brutish among the people: and ye fools, when will ye be wise?  
9 He that planted the ear shall he not hear? he that form the eye, shall he not see?  
10. He that chastiseth the heathens, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?  
11 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man: that they are vanity.  
By way of rebuking the Atheism of the oppressor, vers. 8. he giveth the first ground of comfort unto the godly from the attributes of God, as God's wisdom, ver. 9 and from his justice against ●…ffenders, and from his care of instructing his people to be wise by all means, ver. 10. and from his disestimation of men's vain thoughts, ver. 11. Whence learn, 1. The wisdom of wicked oppressors is brutish folly, however they themselves or others do esteem of them: and whatsoever high thoughts the wicked have of themselves, or others have of them for their high place; yet they are notwithstanding all their honour. nothing in God's estimation, but as the meanest of the people; yea, as the beasts that perish: understand ye brutish among the people. 2. The wicked within the visible Church have this advantage over those that are without, that in God's long-suffering they have time to repent, and admonition to be wise for gaining of their souls, or clearing of God's justice in their condemnation: for here they are spoken to; Ye fools, when will ye be ●…ise? 3. The knowledge which wicked men do seem to have, or pretend to have of God, is nothing but a base conceit of God, as if he were a dead Idol, which neither heareth nor seeth: for this the Psalmists instruction given to them doth impo●…t; He that planted the care, shall he not hear? 4. Beside what the Word doth teach of God, his Works also do teach convincingly what he is; He that planted the care, shall he not he●…r? he th●… form the eye, shall he not see? 5. ●…he Lord ruleth among the Heathen, and chastiseth them when they sin against the law written in their hearts: He chastiseth the heathen. 6 The judgements which the Lord executeth among the H●…then, is a sufficient evidence of his purpose to execute judgement on oppressors within the visible Church, which draweth much rea●…er unto him; He that chastiseth the heathen shall ●…e not correct? 7. The divers measures of wit, learning, prudence, and wis●…ome, which God doth bestow upon men, is sufficient to prove how incomprehensible his own f●…tain-wisdome is: He that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not know? 8. It is a matter of great consolation to the godly in their oppression, to know t●…at their oppressors are fools; and that God in his wisdom is overruling all confusions. and leading them and their thoughts unto wise ends, as ●…ere the Psalmist 〈◊〉 the Chu●…ch; The Lord know●…th the thoughts of man. 9 The enemies of godliness, and persecuters of the godly, are at a ●…hreefold di●…advantage. First, they do not put God upon their couns●…l, and yet he knoweth their thoughts. Next, They hope to make their own standing fast, and herein they are disappointed Thirdly, They think that they are able to suppress piety, and that by this means they shall establish themselves; and here also are they fools, and do deceive themselves; The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity. And this is the first consolation of the godly oppressed.   

Ver. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD: and teachest him out of thy law:  
13. That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity: until the pit be digged for the wicked.  
The second consolation is, from the benefit which cometh to the godly by their exercise under the cross: their temporal trouble serveth to prepare them for everlasting ●…est. When●…e learn, 1. The persecution of the godly by the wicked, must be expounded, as it is indeed, the Lords chastening of the godly by such a rod. This trouble whereof they complain here is called, The Lords chastening. 2. Suffering for righteousness is no token of God's displeasure against a man, nor part of his misery, if it be well considered; for, Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord. 3. The exposition of a man's exercise, and the meaning of the rod must be taken from God's Word, and God only can effectually teach men to carry themselves in trouble holily and righteously in all patience; Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O Lord: and teachest him out of thy law: 4. When God teacheth his child by his Word, to possess his soul in patience under the cross, then doth he also give him a sort of deliverance from the trouble; yea, the Lord chastising of his own, and his teaching them out of his law to make the right use of it, is the means whereby he doth save his own, that they perish not with the world in his wrath; Whom thou chastenest, and teachest out of thy law: That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity. 5. As condemned men are suffered to live till their gallows and grave be made ready, that after their execution they may be thrust into it; so are wicked men suffered to live till they fill the cup of their iniquity, and till God have filled the cup of his wrath for them: and this is the terme-day of the Saints patience; That thou mayest give him rest, until the pit be digged fur the wicked.   

Ver. 14. For the LORD will not cast off his people: neither will he forsake his inheritance.  
15. But judgement shall return unto righteousness, and all the upright in heart shall follow it.  
The third consolation is, that the Lords people shall not be always under the feet of oppressors: but because the Lord will not forsake his people; therefore such a change of affai●…es shall come, as the godly shall have comfort and encouragemen●… from authority, which shall countenance and encourage them unto righteousness and piety. Whence learn, 1. A●…beit men do ofttimes cast off God's people as unworthy to be members either of Church or of any civil incorporation, yet God will not c●…st them off; The Lord will not cast off his people. 2. Albeit the Lord may seem for a while to hide himself from his people, when he suffereth the wicked to persecute and oppress them; yet because of their relation to him as his people, and for his interest in them, as his own inheritance, he will not suffer himself to be be●…eft of them; He will not cast off his people: neither will be forsake his inheritance. 3. It cometh to pass sundry times, that righteousness and judgement are parted asunder for a while; partly by earthly Judges, refusing to do justice and judgement for God's people: and partly by the righteous Judge of the world his suspending for a time to manifest his judgement for the godly, and against their oppressors; and that for his own wise and holy reasons. This was the case of the godly in this Psalm, who were waiting for the returning of judgement unto righteousness. 4. Righteousness, and righteous judgement executed in favour of it, shall not long be separated: for God shall either raise up righteous Judges to savour righteousness, or he shall make his righteous judgements testify for the godly, and against their oppressors, or he shall do both these, for God will not forsake his people, but judgement shall return to righteousness. 5. When the Lord maketh Judges and Courts of justice to favour righteousness, than the righteous have a banner li●…ted up for them, to gather them together again, who before we●…e scattered in persecution; to encourage and countenance them in their godliness, and righteous w●…yes; judgement shall return to righteousness, and all the upright in heart shall follow it.   

Ver. 16. Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity?  
The fourth consolation is from the example and experience of the Psalmist, who in his righteous cause sought assistance from men in a lawful way, when he was oppressed, ver. ●…6. but found none to help him, except God only, who was his supporter and comforter, ver. 17. which he thankfully acknowledgeth, and praiseth God for it, ver. 18, 19 believing that as God was displeased with unrighteous Judges, and their cruelty against the righteous, ver. 20, 21. so he would certainly defend him against their oppression, ver. 22. and cut them off, ver. 23. and this his experience and example he propoundeth to the Church, both to comfort them in their oppression, and to direct them in their behaviour, till the relief should come.  
From his seeking assistance against oppression; Learn, 1. There is a lawful defence of the godly, while they are oppressed by their superiors, which is no ways injurious to authority, such as is to bear witness for the godly, to speak and make request unto the Rulers for them, as jonathan did for David, and Ebedmelch did for jeremy, to countenance and assist them in their appearances for defence of the truth, as Paul's companions should have done, when he was brought before Nero, and such as here was sought after by the Psalmist; Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity. 2. When the godly suffer injury by their own Rules, who should maintain them, few or none possibly will be found to countenance them in their righteous cause; for this saying, Who will arise for me? doth show that none did offer themselves: and he knew none, when he thus did miss all help. 3. Before the godly complain of wrongs done to them by their superiors, they should be first sure that they have done no wrong, or any thing which Rulers may justly punish, and that their Rulers are not only injurious to them in a particular, but evil doers also, and open enemies to equity; Who will rise up for me against the evil doers? or who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? 4. Ruler's should be wary that they force not the righteous to complain to God and man of them; for if they do, the oppressed may readily fell upon the Psalmists outery, and that is not safe for the Magistrate, that any should have cause to cry, Who will rise up for me against the evil doers?   

Ver. 17. Unless the LORD had been my help: my soul had almost dwelled in silence.  
He sheweth what success his seeking of help from men had, and that was none at all; for if God had not helped him, he should have perished before help had been given to him from men. Whence learn, 1. Whosoever do engage in any cause, were it never so just, with confidence in man, or with hopes to carry it on and go through with it by man's assistance, need not wonder if they be disappointed; Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelled in silence. 2. Whatsoever lawful means the righteous man doth use for his own relief, they may fail, if he lean to them, and not to God only: but if he rely upon the Lord, he shall be relieved: Unless the Lord had been my help, my soul had almost dwelled in silence.   

Ver. 18. When I said, My foot slippeth: thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.  
He sheweth how he received help of God, to wit, by acknowledging unto God the danger he was in, and his own weakness to relieve himself, whereby he found support from the Lords mercy. Whence learn, 1. Such as are put upon the trial of their faith and obedience to God by persecution, are in danger either to fall into sin or present trouble, yea possibly also to lose their life, like unto men driven unto the edge of a steepdown place, as the similitude of my foot slippeth, doth import. 2. In time of trial and tentation, as ordinarily God maketh men's own wisdom, courage, and strength fail them, that they may distrust themselves and come to him: so should they acknowledge their own weakness, and lay it out with the danger they are in before God: I said, My foot slippeth. 3. The sense of our own weakness presented to God in prayer, is a forerunner of God's relief coming to us: When I said, My foot slippeth, thy mercy held me up. 4. As it is our duty to acknowledge God's power and mercy in our supplications; so also it is our duty to glorify the mercy of God afte●… the self experience of it; Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.   

Ver. 19 In the multitude of my thoughts: within me thy comforts delight my soul.  
He setteth down here a further benefit of his faith in God; to wit, that by what he saw in God, he found comfort and joy in all his perplexities. Whence learn, 1. In the time of danger, or of narrow trial, many questions and doubts, and discourses of mind use to arise, which did not appear in time of ease, and these multiplied thoughts do breed perplexity, anxiety and grief, which call for comfort, as the experience of the Psalmist doth teach; In the multitude of my thoughts within me, etc. 2. No ease for a perplexed soul till it go to God in Christ, the resting stone in Zion: and in him support is to be found under burdens, and comfort against whatsoever cause of grief; yes, and more also, joy and delight swallowing up all grievances, 〈◊〉 the Psalmist by experience did find usually. In the multitude of my thoughts wi●…hin me thy comforts delight my soul; now Gods comforts are Gospel comforts.   

Ver. 20. Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee: which frameth mischief by a law?  
21. They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous: and condemn the innocent blood.  
He sheweth what use he made of the oppressors wickedness for supporting of his own faith; to wit, that he was persuaded that God allowed not their mischievous courses, howsoever they pretended to do what they did by a Law; because not the good of the subject, but the overthrow of the godly was intended by them. Whence learn, 1. The seat of Justice within the visible Church, may possibly turn enemies to piety and righteousness, and to those that follow God's Word; In which case, the grief, tentation, wrestling and trial of the godly, is not small, 〈◊〉 the Psalmists experience doth teach us, who here cometh to God with a question; Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee? 2. As the Thrones of Justice are honourable, are countenanced and protected of God, when they decree and execute righteousness; so they lose their reputation, and are de●…uded of God's approbation, comfort, and defence, when they decree and execute iniquity; Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee? 3. Albeit wicked men ofttimes love to have the appearance and shadow of equiry, yet unrighteousness, impiety, oppression is not the more justifiable, that it be covered with the authority of a law, but rather God will abhorred that wickedness which is enjoined by a law, so much the more as it hath pretence of law: Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, that forgeth mischief by a Law? 4. The iniquity of persecutors is the matter of confidence for the oppressed; for if our adversaries be against God, and against us also, then have we fellowship with God in a common cause; Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee? saith he. 5. When mischief is enacted by Law, then shortly may the godly be pannelled as criminally guilty, and they who allow the Law, shall be found ready to sit upon Assizes to condemn the righteous, as the experience of the Psalmist doth show: They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.   

Ver. 22. But the LORD is my defence: and God is the rock of my refuge.  
23. And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness: yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.  
From this consideration he draweth two conclusions, one assuring him of his own protection, ver. 22. another assuring him of the destruction of the adversary, ver. 23. Whence learn, 1. As nothing save faith in God can uphold a man in time of persecution: so by persecution and trouble, God useth to cause his own to make use of faith, and to draw nearer hand unto him, as the Psalmist did find by experience, saying, But God is my defence. 2. It is needful that he who would have God's help and protection in a particular good cause, should see that the reconciliation of his person be solidly grounded on the Covenant of God's grace: My God is the rock of my refuge. 3. The godly may from God's Word give out damnatory decrees against their persecutors, which surely shall he executed; as here thrice destruction is pronounced by the Psalmist against the oppressors. 4. The destruction intended against the godly by their oppressors, is as ready ●…s any thing to be the trap to take themselves in; God shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut thent oft in their own wickedness. 5 How little appearance soever there be of the vengeance of God upon wicked Rulers abusing their power against the godly for their righteousness and piety, yet the overthrow of them must not be doubted of, because of the Covenant passed between God and his servants, who serve him in suffering for righteousness; for the repeating of the sentence of destruction the third time against such oppressors, doth teach so much: Yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off.    

PSAL. XCV.  
THis Psalm is applied to Christ by the Apostle, Heb. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. Whereof there are two parts. In the first, is an exhortation to worship God in Christ, or Christ God with the Father and holy Spirit, dwelling among them in the Temple, and representing unto them his future incarnation, and the execution of his offices in types and figures. The arguments of pralsing and worshipping of him are five. The first, because he is the rock of our salvation, ver. 1, 2. The second, because of his greatness, ver. 3. The third, for his power, ver. 4. The fourth, because he created all things, and us his people, ver. 5, 6. The fifth, because he is our covenanted God and Pastor, ver, 7. In the latter part of the Psalm is another exhortation unto the visible Church, to evidence their obedience of saith, and not to harden their heart in the time of Gods dealing with them by his Word, as their fathers did, who perished in the wilderness for their provocation, ver. 8, 9, 10, 11.  

Ver. 1. O Come let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation.  
2. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving: and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms.  
From the first exhortation unto a cheerful praising and worshipping of God, manifesting himself in Christ to his Church, and unto joyful thanksgiving for salvation offered, and granted to us in him, which is the first reason to move them to the duty; Learn, 1. As the necessity and acceptableness of the duty of praising God, and thanksgiving unto him, is very remarkable; so is our unreadiness unto the duty, and uncheerfulness in it observable also: for the frequent and pressing exhortations thereunto do intimate so much unto us: O come, let us sing unto the Lord; let us make a noise, let us come before him. 2. Every one, but specially the Lords Ministers, should stir up their people and others also to this duty, to discharge it not only in secret, but also publicly in their Congregations, and that with cheerfulness, with heart and voice, whatsoever shall be their private grievances and burdens; Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms. 3. Whatsoever evil or grief do trouble us; there is reason of joy and praise and thanks, when we look to Jesus Christ and his benefits: Make a joyful noise unto the Rock of our salvation. From him is our full deliverance, and upon him lieth our victory over sin, Satan, death, hell, and all enmity, founded as upon a Rock. 4. It is time to come before God for mercy to prevent justice, while yet we are spared; and he is not come to us in judgement; for so the Word in the original giveth ground, signifying coming speedily, and with prevention: Let us speedily come before his presence, or preoccupy his presence. 5. He that cometh to God in Christ, meeteth with his reconciled face; for the coming to the Tabernacle, the Ark and mercy-seat, did signify and promise so much: and therefore it is said, Let us come before his presence, or before his face. 6. Singing of Psalms should be done as a matter of honouring God, and not as a matter of pleasing our own ears, or the ears of others; Let us come with thanksgiving, or confession and praising, and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms:   

Ver. 3. For the LORD is a great God: and a great King above all gods.  
Another reason of praising Christ, is his greatness and supremacy above all Rulers, and above all imaginable excellency: Whence learn, 1. He that hath a mind to praise God, shall not want matter of praise, as they who come before Princes do; who for want of true grounds of praise in them, do give them flattering words: For the Lord is a great God, for power and preeminency, for strength and continuance. 2. Except we put all things that bear the name of excellency under God's feet, whethe●… they be Angels or Princes, or whatsoever the world maketh their god, we do not give him his due honour: He is a great King above all gods.   

Ver. 4. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.  
A third reason of his praise is this, he is strong, sustaining by his power sea and earth, and all things of weight. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever is most secret and remote from men's power, or from our sight and knowledge, God hath it at his disposing; for he sustaineth it, and maketh it subsist: In his hand are the deep places of the earth. 2. There is nothing of any strength among all the creatures, which hath not its strength borrowed from God: The strength of the hills is his also.   

Ver. 5. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands form the dry land.  
6. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel down before the LORD our maker.  
A fourth reason of Christ's praise is, because he is the Creator of all things, and to be worshipped of us as our Creatōu●… That Christ as God, or God to be incarnate, one with the Father and holy Spirit, is here intended, appeareth by the command given to the worshippers to present themselves in the Temple, and to kneel down toward the place of the A●…k before God dwelling between the Cherubims; that is, before Christ, God to be incarnate, Whence learn, 1. All things were made by Christ, whether high or low, Coloss. 1. 16. And it was meet that our Saviour should be no other than he by whom sea and dry land were made, so great is the work which the Mediator hath in hands. The se●… is his, and be made it, and his hands form the dry land. 2. Christ as he is one with the Father and holy Spirit in greatness and power, in respect of his Godhead and divine nature: so is he one with the Father and holy Spirit in the capacity of divine honour; O come, let us worship and show down. 3. Religious kneeling is a part of divine worship, whereby we testify our absolute submission unto and highest giving of honour to God in soul and body; and this honour is incommunicable to any creature: Come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our maker.   

Ver, 7. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand: to day if ye will hear his voice.  
The fifth reason of Christ's praise is, because he is our God, and Pastor of his Church by office of his Mediatorship. Whence learn, 1. God deserveth praise of all the world, but specially of his Church, because of the near relation of Covenant between God and his Church; Let us worship and bow down: for he is our God. 2. The good shepherd of the Church, who layeth down his life for his sheep; the great Doctor and Prophet of the Chuech; the Mediator of the Covenant of grace, and covenanted spouse of the Church, is very God, and was known, believed on, and worshipped as very God, before his incarnation: He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture. 3. Christ the Make●…, the God, the Mediator and Pastor of the Church, doth not only effectually feed his people by teaching, but also effectually governeth and defendeth his Church by his omnipotent power; We are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand: whom his Almighty hand and power governeth and protecteth in all ages.   

Ver. 8. Harden not your heart, as in the provocation: and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:  
9 When your fathers tempted me: proved me, and saw my work.  
10. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do ●…re in their heart: and they have not known my ways.  
In the latter part of the Psalm, which beginneth in the former verse, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart 〈◊〉 he giveth another exhortation to his Church visible, to believe and obey the voice of our great Prophet Jesus Christ; as the Apostle, Heb. 3. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. teacheth us to expound it. The main argument to enforce the exhortation is, lest the curse of God should overtake the disobedient, and they should be debarred from heaven and happiness, as the misbelieving Israelites were secluded from Canaan; and from heaven signified by it: the history may be seen, Exod. 17. Whence learue, 1. The voice of God in the Scriptures, in the Gospel, appointed to be preached by sent Ministers, is the voice of God the Father, God the Son, and God the holy Spirit, one God in three persons: for all who do grant the Scriptures, to be divine, do acknowledge also that the Scriptures are the voice of God the Father; and this Psalm the Apostle, Heb. 3. 7. calleth the saying of the holy Ghost: and in that same place he expoundeth his voice, of whom this place doth speak to be the voice of the Son, Jesus Christ; and so the voice of God in the Scriptures, in the Gospel, appointed to be preached by sent messengers, is the voice of God the Father, Son and holy Spirit, as David also doth teach us, 2 Sam. 23. 2, 3. The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, there is the person of the holy Spirit: The God of Israel said, there is the ordinary designation of the person of the Father without secluding of the Word or Spirit: The Rock of Israel spoke to me, there is the description of the person of the Son, who is the Builder of the Church, his house, and the foundation whereupon his Church is builded; against which the gates of hell shall not prevail. 2. The visible Catholic Church, which hath the Word of God preached unto them, and are in Covenant with him, is the people of Christ's pasture, and sheep of his hand, wherein may be found many such as harden their heart and perish, and so are not all of them elect persons; for, To day if ye will hear his voice, is spoken unto all, to whom the Word of God doth come, and doth bring them in the bond of the Covenant to hear his voice. 3. Of such as are in Covenant with God in Christ, to believe and obey his voice, those only are actually true disciples, who have this property; to love, to believe, and to obey God's voice, to yield their heart to the Lords Word: To day if ye will hear his voice, is here the probation of their covenanted profession. 4. The present time only is the opportunity of salvation, or embracing of the offer of God's grace, and testifying of our obedience of saith; we are not sure how long the Word shall remain with us, or we with it: To day if ye will hear his voice. 5. How ignorant, weak, and unable soever a man be by nature, to believe and obey the voice of God, yet seeing God doth offer himself by his Word to cure him of all his evils, he cannot endure that a man should wittingly & willingly reject the counsel of the Lord, and resolutely strengthen himself in his natural misbelief and disobedience, for this were to harden his own heart yet more, which here is forbidden: To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart. 6. The example of other men's sins should be made use of to make us wise for eschewing the like; as here the history of the people's murmuring against God and his Ministers, is for this end recorded from Exod. 17. 3, 4. concerning their tentation of God, and provocation of him in the willernesse. 5. It is to good purpose that we look upon the sins of our forefathers, and upon God's judgements on them for their sins, that we may be humbled & m●…de watchful against heredita●…y sins, so this end is the time told them, When your fathers tempted me, proved me. 8. He that maketh question ei●…her of God's power or good will, after he hath had experience and proof thereof, burieth unthankfully the Lord's bounty, and doth draw a great deal deeper in the sin: for this doth aggravate the provocation of God by the carnal Israelites here, that they had often proof what God could do, They saw my works, saith he. 9 The Lord not only marketh men's sins, but also doth reckon how long they continue in them: Forty years long was I grieved. 10. M●…sbelieving of God, and not submitting ourselves to his government, is a vexing of his Spirit, and a provocation of him to reject the sinner; Forty years long was I grieved with this generation. 11. The errors of the mind are dangerous; but the errors of the heart are yet more dangerous: for the faults of the mind simply considered, are ignorance and error; but the fault of the heart, is a loving of darkness and error: the error of the mind saith, I knew not, I did not understand such a duty; but the error of the heart saith no less then, I will not know; I desire not to hear of, I care not for such a duty; I said it is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: that is, they have not regarded my ways, have not allowed of them, or loved them; for otherways they were not simply ignorant of them; they heard his words, and saw his works. 12. Not to subject ourselves to such and such particular hard exercises, difficulties, straits, and sad dispensations, as it pleases God to put us under, is a not knowing and disapproving of the ways of God, which he followeth in dealing with his people, and is no less than if we did take upon us to be wiser than he, and to counsel and direct him how to govern the world and our particulars better than he doth; They err in heart, and have not known my ways.   

Ver. 11. Unto whom I swore in my wrath: that they should not enter into my rest.  
To enforce the exhortation, the Lord repeateth the doom pronounced upon such as harden their own hearts, in their unbelief and disob●…ience of the voice of God; to wit, that he swore, they should not enter into his rest, that is, they should not enter into the rest of reconciliation and peace with God, which is a part of the believers rest, whereof the Apostle speaketh, commenting on this place, Heb. 4. 3. nor into the rest of Canaan the type of heaven; so they ●…ied in the wilderness: nor into the rest of heaven signified by Canaan, so many of them as continued in this sin of hardening their heart against the voice of God. Whence learn, 1. There is a rest of God ordained for Believers, who give up their hearts to the impression of God's voice, in the obedience of faith; to wit, the rest of justification, reconciliation, and peace with God; the rest of begun sanctification, and ceasing from their own works, and the rest of everlasting refreshment, begun in this life, and perfected in the life to come: for this is the rest which God calleth here his rest: They shall not enter into my rest. 2. A●… all sin hath judgement following after it, as the shadow followeth the body: so hardening of the heart against God's Word in special, hath wrath annexed unto it; To whom I swore in my wrath. 3. Obstinate hardeners of their heart in unbelief and disobedience against God's Word, are near to the curse; and whosoever do continue to the end, shall be found reprobates justly damned to the eternal torment of restlesseness, against whom God standeth sworn, to condemn them and destroy them: Unto whom I swore in my wrath, that they should not enter into my rest. 4. The most fearful curses and threatenings pronouncel against sinners by God, and the most terrible judgements which have been executed upon disobedient unbelievers of God's Word, are merciful and fatherly warnings of Good children, to eschew such ●…ns as carefully and really, as they abhor the punishment inflicted for them; for the Lords making use of his wrath against the misbelieving and disobedient Israelites here doth teach us so much.    

PSAL. XCVI.  
WE fin'e, 1 Chron. 16. 23. a part of this Psalm, sung at the bringing up of the Ark to Zion, to be in substance and almost in words al●…o one and the same with this which is here; for as there, so here the Prophet forseeth in the Spirit the spreading of the Kingdom of Christ among the Nations; And therefore first, he exhorteth all people heartily to receive Christ, and propagate his glory, ver. 1, 2, 3. And giveth reasons for it, ver. 4. 5, 6. Then he repeateth and enlargeth the exhortation to glorify God, and to rejoice in him, because Christ was indeed to come among the Gentiles, to reign among them righteously, ver. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.  

Ver. 1. O Sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD all the earth.  
2. Sing unto the LORD, bless his Name, show forth his salvation from day to day.  
3. Declare his glory among the heathen: his wonders among all people.  
From the exhortation given to all Nations to rejoice for Christ's coming among them; Learn, 1. As sadness and sorrow, misery and mourning, is the condition of all people, till Christ the true Ark of the Covenant come unto them: so Christ's coming among them, is the matter of the greatest joy that ever sinners did hear of: for upon this ground are all here exhorted to rejoice; O sing unto the Lord. 2. As the matter of ●…oy in Christ is everlasting, and shall never decay: so the reason of praising of God for salvation in him, is everlasting also, new and fresh matter being always offered of joy to us, and praise to God, which shall never vanish nor wax old; Sing unto the Lord a new Song. 3 All the earth hath interest in this Song, and is obliged unto the duty of joy and praise, because out of all people, tongues and languages, God is to gather a people to be saved: Sing unto the Lord all the earth. 4. We have ●…eed again and again to be stirred up to joy in Christ, to praise him: for we are dull, and the work excellent, and no man doth discharge the duty sufficiently: therefore is it said the third time, Sing unto the Lord. 5. The grace offered in Jesus Christ, is a perpetual reason of declaring the goodness of God, and that Christ is the fountain of all blessedness to them who do receive him: for, Bless his Name, doth import so much. 6. The salvation which cometh through Christ, aught to be commended as God's salvation indeed, because he devised it, he purchased it, and he it is that doth apply it to us, and maketh us partakers of it; Show forth his salvation. 7. The doctrine of salvation by Christ, is the common good of mankind, and ought not to be concealed, but set forth to all, preached, and proclaimed, and spoken of by all, according to their vocation and ability: Show forth his salvation from day to day. 8. It is a part of the Commission given to the Ministers of the Gospel, not only to teach their Congregations concerning Christ, but also to have a care that they who never did hear of him, may know what he is, what he hath done and suffered, and what good may be had by his mediation: Declare his glory among the heathen. 9 Nothing so glorious to God, nothing so wonderful in itself, as is the salvation of man by Christ: to behold God saving his enemies, by the incarnation▪ sufferings and obedience of Christ the eternal Son of God; Declare his glory among the Heathen, his wonders among all people.   

Ver. 4. For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.  
5. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.  
6. Honour and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.  
The reasons of the exhortation are, because God is sovereign above all, ver. 4. and all other gods beside God are idols, ver. 5. and whatsoever is glorious is to be found in him only, ver. 6. Whence learn, 1. None can praise God till they consider his excellency, and that his wisdom, power and empire is above all created or imaginable greatness; for The Lord is great and greatly to be praised. 2. As the Lord is praiseworthy for his goodness and readiness to communicate of his riches to all his creatures, and most of all to his servants: so is he able to punish his adversaries, and all that contemn his Authority, which no creature is able to do▪ He is to be feared above all gods. 3. Whosoever do not submit themselves to God, and worship and obey him, shall be found to serve idols and vanities, whereby they can have no good, but disappointment of hopes: for, All the gods of the Nations are idola. 4. The framing of heaven and earth, and the upholding and governing of all the creatures proveth, that the Maker thereof is God alone, and that there neither is nor can be any beside him; all others who have the name of gods are idols: All the gods of the heathen are ●…dols: but the lord made the Heavens. 5. Before a man can come to the knowledge of God, he must first meet with the shining beams of his honour and majesty in his Word and in his Works; for these are Apparators and Harbingers going before him; Honour and majesty are before him. 6. The power and glory of God is not rightly seen, either to God's praise or a man's salvation, except by his own ordinances in his Church where he himself is both teacher, and the substance also of what is taught; Strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary.   

Ver. 7. Give unto the LORD, (O ye kindreds of the people,) give unto the LORD glory and strength.  
Here he repeateth and dilateth the exhortation in four branches. In the first, he exhorteth to acknowledge, that glory and power belong to God, both in decreeing wisely, and in executing timously and powerfully his own decrees; in special, the work of Redemption and Conversion of the Gentiles by Christ. Whence learn, As it is the sinful sickness of natural men, to take to themselves, or to give unto the creatures the glory of every excellent work, which is properly due to God alone: so is it the part of a renewed soul, to give the glory of every thing which is praiseworthy unto God alone; which glory God expecteth, and shall have it of the Gentiles being reconciled and instructed by the Gospel: Give unto the Lord, O ●…e kindreds of the people, give unto the Lord glory and strength.   

Ver. 8. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his Name, bring an offering, and come into hi●… courts.  
In the second branch, he exhorteth all to acknowledge the Lord, as they who are worshippers of him, and who are taught by his Word, should do. Whence learn, 1. It was foretold, that as the Church of Israel was taught by the Lord's Word to know him: so should the Gentiles be so taught also; for, Give unto the Lord the glory due to his Name, presupposeth and importeth, that they should have his Name set forth in his Word, and ●…hould be instructed to know him, and how to worship him acceptably. 2. Whatsoever point of glory the Scripture giveth unto God, it may not be withdrawn from him, nor communicated to any other be●…de him; for it is his own proper due: Give unto him the glory due to his Name. 3. It is the manner of the Scriptures of the Old Testament, to express the spiritual service of the Gospel in the terms of the service of the Law: Bring an offering, and come into his courts. 4. Albeit bodily sacrifices and oblations, and the material Temple of jerusalem be taken away: yet the moral duties shadowed forth in them, are still necessary to be done: we must not come for fashion, empty and vain before God, but with the calves of our lips, offering up ourselves in a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to him: Bring an offering unto him. 5. The Church of the Gentiles make up one Church with the Jews, and are of the same incorporation and holy society, and partakers of the privileges of the Church with them: Bring an offering, and come into his courts.   

Ver. 9 O worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness: fear before him all the earth.  
In the third branch, he exhorteth more particularly all the Gentiles to worship and fear the same God with the Church of the Jews. Whence learn, 1. True Converts must submit themselves absolutely unto Christ's Government, in soul and body; for, O worship the Lord, importeth so much. 2. Then is a man's worship and submission sanctified, and made acceptable when it is offered in and through Christ, and in society with his Church represented by the Sanctuary, here called the beauty of holiness; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 3. Among all Gods works nothing so beautiful as his ordinances, rightly made use of in his Church: Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 4. All our worship must be seasoned with fear, lest we swerve on either hand from the rule prescribed by God: Fear before him all the earth,   

Ver. 10. Say among the heathen that the LORD reig●…th: the world also shall be established, that it shall not be moved: he shall judge the people righteously.  
11. Let the heavens rejoice: and let the earth be glad: let the sea roar and the fullness thereof.  
12. Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the tre●…s of the wood rejoice.  
13. Before the LORD, for he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteous●…esse, and the people with his truth.  
In the fourth place, he exhorteth the Lords Ministers, his called messengers every where to proclaim Christ King in his own Church, and to declare the benefits of his reigning; in special these three. 1. The putting of all things which are in disorder and confusion in the world by sin, into their own order again; and settling all things to the perpetual benefit of his subjects. 2. Christ's righteous governing and de●…ending of his subjects. 3. The unexpressible joy which Christ doth bring to his people, for setting forth whereof, all the reasonable and understanding creatures are unable. Whence learn, 1. Wheresoever the Gospel is preached, there without injury to Magistrates Christ may and should be declared King, sovereign Lord and Lawgiver in all the matters of Religion, and whatsoever concerneth the salvation of men and service of God: Say among the heathen that the Lord reigneth 2. Before Christ come to a people, men neither know God, nor themselves, nor what is their profit, nor what is their loss: for before Christ reveal himself to a man, things earthly and temporal are put in the room of things heavenly and everlasting: the creatures and lusts of men are put in the room of God, and the sinner is made a slave to his own lusts and unclean spirits; but when Christ cometh, who is the light of the world, and the life of men, and convin●…eth men of sin and righteousness and judgement, then is the sinner humb●…ed, and God exalted, and every thing is put in its own place, and a solid state of grace and glory is ●…ounded by his Word and working, and is settled by his decree for the benefit of the world of his Elect and Regenerate people: for by Christ's governing the world also shall be established. 3. The Kingdom of Christ is a Kingdom which cannot be moved, and they who are his Subjects, do receive this Kingdom in title and right, and begun possession, which cannot be taken from them again; The world also shall be established that it cannot be moved. 4. The government of Christ's Kingdom is so well and wisely carried by him, as right is done to God and man, to friends and foes, and no injury to any party is allowed; and course is taken to give effectually to every man according as his work shall be: He shall judge the people righteously. 5. There is no true rejoicing for sinners in heaven or earth, except in and through Jesus Christ alone: all joy of sinners without him is madness, and in him men have cause of rejoicing whatsoever condition they shall be in: Let the heaven rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof 6. The joy which Christ bringeth to his people is such, that men and Angels are not able to express it; and if all the dumb creatures had minds and mouths to set it forth, it were a task and more for them to undertake it: Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof, etc. 7. As all the creatures are in a sort of bondage and subjection unto vanity through the sins of men; so have they their own redemption & freedom from vanity in relation to Christ, and the service which they do unto the Saints, who make right use of them; and at length the creature shall be fully delivered from the bondage of corruption, and in its own kind have cause of rejoicing: Let the heaven, earth, sea and fields rejoice, etc. 8. All the creatures are at enmity with man, before he be reconciled to God in Christ; but when peace is made by Jesus Christ, they look upon man all of them with another countenance, as servants unto and children of their Lord, who is Father of the reconciled, and governor of all for their good: Let the fields be joyful, and all that is therein; then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice. They shall look upon a reconciled man walking in the light of God's countenance as a Paradise. 9 The first and second coming of Christ to show himself King of his Church, is ground and cause of all joy to his Subjects; Let them and all the creatures rejoice before the Lord, for he cometh, for this for he cometh (twice said) to judge the earth, is given for a reason of the exhortation. 10. By Christ's government, every poor and needy Subject is helped, supplied, comforted and provided for, as their case requireth: all the Subjects are justified by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, all of them are renewed and begun to be sanctified, and made to aim at righteousness more and more in their ways; all the proud and adversaries of his Subjects are declared against; course is laid down in the Word of truth for a full delivery of his people from all injuries and oppression, from all misery and sin, with the full punishment of their enemies: He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth.    

PSAL. XCVII.  
THis Psalm containeth a prophecy of the spiritual glory of Christ's Kingdom, to ver. 8. And the use of the Doctrine to the end of the Psalm. The comfort of Christ's Kingdom in relation to his Church is set down, ver. 1, 2. And the terribleness thereof in relation to his enemies, ver. 3, 4, 5, 6. with a curse upon image-worshippers, ver. 7. The uses of the Doctrine, they are four. The first is, that all excellency, and whatsoever is honourable in the world, should do homage to him, set down in the end of ver. 7. The second is, that the true Church should be glad at the hearing and the seeing of the execution of God's judgements upon idolaters, with a reason for it, ver. 8, 9 The third use is, a direction to the Saints to beware of sin, with some reasons for it, ver. 10, 11. The fourth use is, that the righteous should rejoice, and thank God upon all occasions, ver. 12.  

Ver. 1. THe LORD reigneth, let the earth rejoice: let the multitudes of Isles be glad thereof.  
2. Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his throne.  
The Psalmist proclaimeth Christ King among the Gentiles, and doth commend his Kingdom to them, as full of joy, full of majesty, and full of righteousness. Whence learn, 1. Beside the sovereignty which God hath over all people; he hath a special Kingdom, wherein he reigneth by the Gospel of Christ: this is it whereof here he speaketh, saying, The Lord reigneth. 2. Comfort against all grief from sin or misery, true matter of joy and full felicity, is to be had by the coming of this Kingdom; The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice. 3. The Isles of the Sea are in Christ's charter, and have their share of the joy which is to be had in Christ; Let the multitude of the Isles be glad thereof. 4. How despicable soever Christ's Kingdom may seem to the world, yet it is full of heavenly majesty; Clouds and darkness are round about him. 5. The glory of Christ's Kingdom is unsearchable, and hid from the eyes of the world, who cannot take up the things of God, except he reveal himself to them, and do open the eyes of their understanding; Clouds and darkness are round about him. 6. The Kingdom of Christ giveth no liberty unto sin, but is altogether for righteousness and judgement; for therein righteousness is taught to sinners, and they made righteous, and kept in the course of righteousness, and defended from the harm of their adversaries, and rewarded according to their righteousness, and all the unrighteous are adjudged to punishment according to their works; Righteousness and judgement are the habitation of his throne.   

Ver. 3. A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.  
4. His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw it, and trembled.  
5. The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD: at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.  
6. The heavens declare his righteousness: and all the people see his glory.  
After the Psalmist hath set down how comfortable Christ is to His Subjects, he showeth how terrible he is to his enemies. Whence learn, 1. Albeit the Kingdom of Christ be a Kingdom for righteousness, and a fountain of joy to all who do receive him; yet such is the natural wickedness of men, that he shall not want enemies, as here is imported plainly. 2. There is no less, but rather more wrath attending the despisers of the Gospel, than did attend the giving out of the Law, Heb. 12. 29. A fire goeth before him. 5. Albeit the enemies of Christ were never so many, environing his flock round about; yet shall he reign in the midst of them, and consume all his adversaries: A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about. 4. He letteth forth his wrath, not all at once, but by degrees; lighter judgements, and foregoing terrors come before destruction: His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw it, and trembled. 5. Christ shall utterly undo the greatest Potentates on earth, if they stand in his way and oppose him; The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord. 6. There is no comparison between Christ and his enemies; how great Monarches soever they be, they cannot stand before his presence; For he is the Lord of the whole earth. 7. Our Lord shall not want Preachers of his righteousness: for beside the Word of God, blessings from heaven upon his friends, and judgements from heaven upon his enemies, according to the Word, shall testify for Christ; The heavens declare his righteousness. 8. The judgements of God upon the enemies of the Church, and his blessings upon his Church, shall be so evident, as beholders shall be forced to acknowledge God in them, manifesting himself for Christ's Kingdom, And all the people shall see his glory.   

Ver. 7. Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him all ye gods.  
He setteth down God's curse upon idolaters, or image-worshipers, and then showeth the uses of the former Doctrine, for further setting forth the glory of Christ's Kingdom. Whence learn, 1. All they who either serve or worship graven images, are reckoned by God for enemies to God and to Christ; and it is a part of Christ's glory to abolish images, and all worship and service unto images out of his Church: Confounded be all they that serve graven images. 2. Albeit such as are lovers of imagery, not only do serve images, but also will defend the state of images in the exercise of Religion, and glory in them; yet shall they at length be ashamed of their boasting: Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols 3. God will not have such relative worship as men would give him, by serving or worshipping of him in, at, or before imag●… the way how God will be served, is by a direct and immedi●… worshipping of him, without the mediation or intervening 〈◊〉 any thing which may intercept his worship: for in opposition t●… relative worship in the service of graven images, he saith, Worship him; importing that when images are worshipped, God is not worshipped at all, whatsoever the image-worshipper doth i●…tend. 4. Whatsoever creature hath excellency in heaven or earth, or can pretend to any eminency or excellency of whatsoever sort, must do homage unto Christ: Worship him all 〈◊〉 gods, and this is the first use of the former Doctrine.   

Ver. 8. Zion heard, and was glad: and the daughters of judah rejoiced, because of thy judgement●…, O LORD.  
Ver. 9 For thou, LORD, art high above all th●… earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.  
The second use is to comfort all true worshippers; partly, because they hear God's wrath threatened and executed against Idolaters; and partly, because they have hereby a clear evidence o●… Christ's supremacy over all creatures. Whence learn, 1. The condemnation of imagery, and of all service and worshi●…●…ven images, is a Doctrine comfortable to the true mem●… the Church; Sio●…d, (to wit, this curse against Ido●… and was glad. 2. The true ●…rch considered in her collect●… incorporation, as the Mo●… Zion, and in her particular branches and subdivisions, as Daughters of judah depending upon Christ, the true Vine-tree of judah, have the same reason●… of joy, and the same grounds of edification by God's Word, and works of judgement, wrought for clearing of true Religion and shaming of false worship: Zion beard, and was glad; and the daughters of judah rejoiced, because of thy judgements, O LORD. 3. The manifestation of the Gospel of Christ, is the exaltation of God, and manifestation of his excellency; whose dishonour as it should be the matter of our grief; so his manifested glory should be our joy, as the reason here given of the joy of the Saints doth teach us; For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.   

Ver. 10. Ye that love the LORD, hate evil; he preserveth the souls of his Saints: he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.  
11. Light is sown for the righteous: and gladness for the upright in heart.  
The third use of the Doctrine, is an exhortation to the faithful to study holiness, and to eschew the fellowship of sin, whatsoever may be the danger; partly, because the Lord will deliver his own out of the hands of their enemies: partly, because God h●…th appointed comfort unto them, both in and after their afflictions. Whence learn, 1. A Believer in God, or a true worshipper of God in Christ, is a lover of God; for thus are they described here, Ye that love the Lord. 2. The love of God must be joined with, and manifested by the study of a ●…oly life, and with not only abstaining from, but also with hating and abhorring of that which is sinful; Ye that love the Lord, hate evil. 3. Albeit the hating of evil and loving of God may readily make a man the object of malice and of persecution from wicked men, yet shall the godly have their souls saved; yea, and at length be fully delivered from the harm which S●…tan and the wicked intent to bring upon the godly for that cause; He preserveth the souls of his Saints: he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked. 4. All the exercises of the godly, and specially their troubles for righteousness, are but the seeds of their joy and consolation, which God is to bring forth unto them out of these troubles: Light is sown for the righteous. 5. The Lords children, who love him, and hate evil, must not think to have the fruit of their righteousness presently in possession, but must give a time unto it, as is given to 〈◊〉 that is cast into the ground, and as after a time the corn doth spring, and comes to a ripe harvest; so shall the troubles of the godly have a comfortable issue: Light is sown for the righteous, 6. In reckoning of the righteous, the Lord counteth men by their heart: and so many as by faith in Christ have purified their hearts unto the un●…eigned study of holiness, they are righteous before God, albeit their infirmities be many: and whatsoever fit of grief and interruption of joy such men be subject unto for a time, yet at length their po●…tion shall be a full harvest of gladness; Light is sown to the righteous, and who these are he showeth, and gladness for the upright in heart.   

Ver. 12. Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous: and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.  
The fourth use of the Doctrine, is an exhortation unto Believers, to be joyful and thankful whatsoever be their condition in this present life, because of the salvation manifested in Christ. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever may be the tribulation of the faithful in the world, they have matter of joy in the LORD, and they should stir up themselves to rejoice, and make conscience of the commandment; Rejoice, ye righteous, in the LORD. 2. Whatsoever can be taken from the godly, their right and interest in CHRIST can never be taken from them, and so there is cause to give thanks for this gift for ever; And give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, or confess to the remembrance of his holiness; that is, acknowledge to his glory the benefit which you have by being a Subject to this King. 3. Whatsoever word or work of CHRIST doth bring us to the remembrance of his Name, should bring us also to the consideration and remembrance of his holiness, which is the untainted glory of all his attributes, wisdom, justice, goodness, power, mercy, truth, etc. and is the untainted glory of his Word, works, and purchase unto us; Give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.    

PSAL. XCVIII.  
THis Psalm is an exhortation to Jew and Gentile, to rejoice and bless the Lord for Christ's coming, to set up his Kingdom in the world. The exhortation is thrice pressed. 1. In proper terms, requiring the Church to sing for joy, with reasons adjoined, ver. 1, 2, 3. Then it is repeated, and musical instruments called for, to show that by humane voice the matter of the joy which is in Jesus Christ, is inexpressible, ver. 4, 5, 6. 3. To show that neither voice of man, nor musical instruments are sufficient to express the joy which cometh by Christ's Kingdom: the whole creatures are called unto this work of rejoicing, and setting forth his glory, ver. 7, 8. And the reason is given, because Christ cometh to set up, and exercise his Kingdom in righteousness, ver. 9  

Ver. 1. OSing unto the LORD a new song, for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory.  
2. The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly showed in the sight of the heathen.  
3. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.  
The exhortation to sing unto the Lord, who is Christ, hath five reasons adjoined. The first is, because he hath wrought the work of Redemption wonderfully. The next is, because he hath done his work by conflict with his enemies, and hath gotten the victory, ver. 1. The third, because he hath caused to preach his salvation to the Gentiles, ver. 2. The fourth, because he hath performed his promises made to the Jews. And the fifth, because he hath made all the earth to see the salvation, which God in Covenant with his Church hath wrought for his people, ver. 3. Whence learn, 1. The joy which Christ doth bring, can never wax old: but because mercies through him are everlasting, and the persons who have share in this joy, are made new, and all things unto them are made new; therefore the song and joy also shall be made new: O sing unto the Lord a new song. 2. Salvation brought by Christ, and the work of Redemption wrought by him, is a most wonderful work; for it is brought about by the incarnation of God, by the painful suffering and shameful death of God inearnate; by whose stripes we are healed, and by whose death and resurrection we have life, and immortality given unto us: For he hath done marvellous things. 3. It is by battle against the enemies of our salvation that we are delivered: for Christ hath wrestled with the guilti, nesse, merit, and punishment of our sins; wrestled with the curse of the Law, with Satan, death and hell; and whatsoever could hinder our Redemption and Salvation, and hath gotten unto himself the victory to our advantage; His right hand, and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory. 4. No creatures help hath our Lord used in this work, but done all immediately by his own divine power, being God Omnipotent; His right hand, and his holy arm hath gotten him the victory. 5. The glory of the salvation of man, by this means is most justly to be ascribed to him alone, and to be called his salvation; because he devised it, and brought it about immediately by himself, and causeth to proclaim it in his own Name to the world by the preaching of the Gospel: so it is in all these respects his salvation: The Lord hath made known his salvation. 6. The way how Christ maketh known his salvation, and maketh us partakers of his salvation, is by making known his righteousness, or the righteousness of faith; and making us partakers thereof by the preaching of it among the Gentiles; His righteousness hath ●…e openly showed in the sight of the heathen. 8. Whatsoever promise he hath made to the Jews, he doth not forget it; but whatsoever cloud is come upon that Nation, all the mercies and promises made to them, shall all be performed: He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. 9 The fullness of the Gentiles shall be made partakers of the Covenant of Grace, with the true Church of the Jews; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.   

Ver. 4. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.  
5. Sing unto the LORD with the harp: and the voice of a Psalm.  
6. With trumpets and sound of cornet: make a joyful noise before the LORD the King.  
From the repeating of the exhortation to the whole earth, Jews and Gentiles, and calling formusical instruments to express this joy, whereby the pedagogy of the Church under the ceremonial law, (which now is abolished) taught them the greatness of the spiritual joy of Christ's coming. Learn, 1. The joy of faith, the joy allowed unto believers in Jesus Christ, is unspeakable and full of glory, which cannot be exp essed by words or humane voice; for this the vary y of musical instruments in God's praise, at the offering of the sacrifices, did shadow forth under the law; and here it is signified by this exhortation; to sing with the harp, trumpet a●…d cornet; and that with special relation to Christ, as King in Zion: Make a joyful noise before the Lord the King.   

Ver. 7. Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof: the world, and they that dwell therein.  
8. Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together.  
In the exhortation directed to the dumb creatuees, sea, floods and hills, that they should utter Songs of joy; 〈◊〉, 1. The setting forth the praise of Christ for the Redemption of sinners, may not only furnish work to all reasonable creatu●…s, but also if every drop of water in the sea, and in every river and flood, every fish in the sea, every fowl of the air, eve●…y living creature on the earth, and whatsoever else is in the world: if th●…y all had reason and ability to express themselves; yea, and if a●… the hills were able by motion and gesticulation to communicate their joy one to another; there is work for them all to set out the praise of Christ; for, Let the sea roar, and the fullness thereof: the world, and they that dwell therein: Let the floods clap their hands, etc. doth import so much. 2. As the Lord can never be sufficiently praised for salvation through Christ: so cannot any hearers dutifully, and as becomes them, hear this doctrine without great jov or stirring up themselves to rejoice therein: for if senseless creatures in their own kind be called upon to rejoice, much more sinful men, to whom the graçe of Christ is offered, and for whom the work of Redemption is wrought.   

Ver. 9 Before the LORD, for he cometh to judge the earth: With righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.  
The reason of all this joy is rendered in this, that Christ is coming to judge the earth and the world righteously, and to judge his own people in special. Whence learn, 1. All the joy conceived for the Redemption and Salvation wrought by Christ, and all the joy which floweth from his righteous Government, should be offered unto God in sincerity, as a part of worship and thankful acknowledgement of his gracious gift: for the exhortation is not to rejoice simply, but, to rejoice before the Lord. 2. Christ is very God, essentially JEHOVAH, before he be incarnate: and when he cometh into the world, by assuming our ●…ature, he is the same: Rejoice before the Lord or Ichovah, for he cometh to judge the earth: that is, Christ who is jehovah cometh to judge the earth. 3. It was soretold, that the work of governing the Church, and of ●…uling the whole earth for the Church's behoof, is committed unto Christ incarnate, or to Christ coming into the world; He comcth to judge the earth. 4. Christ shall guide the whole world, so as all wrongs shall be condemned, and be taken order with: his own people shall have injuries done to them avenged, and themselves directed, protected and comforted; With rightcousucsse shall he judge the world. 5. As Christ shall reward every man according as his works have been, and do no man wrong: so shall he make his own people righteous, and followers of the rule of equity; With righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.    

PSAL. XCIX.  
FOr the comfort of the Church against the multitude of enemies round about her, there is in this Psalm 〈◊〉 declaration of the Kingdom of Christ, reigning as God, one with the Father and holy Spirit, in the Church of Israel, before his Incarnation: with a fourfold exhortation to all who shall hear tell of him. The first exhortation is to stand in ●…we of him, because of his great majesty manifested in Zion, ver 〈◊〉, 2. Another exhortation is, to praise him for his greatness, terribleness, holiness and righteousness, ver. 3, 4. A third exhortation is, to glorify and worship him for sundry reasons, ver. 5, 6, 7, 8. For which he repeateth the exhortation the fourth time, ver. 9  

Ver. 1. THe LORD reigneth, let the people tremble: he sitteth between the Cherubims, let the earth be moved.  
2. The LORD is great in Zion, and he is high above all people.  
From the first exhortation to fear Christ, and to stand in awe of him; Learn, 1. Christ was King in his Church, before his incarnation, and did reign in the sight of his Saints, from the beginning of the world: for as the Father from the beginning was in Christ his Son the Mediator, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: so Christ the eternal Son was in the Father, and with the Father and holy Spirit gathering and governing his Church all the time before his incarnation: for it is Christ of whom ●…ere the Psalmist speaketh, and calleth him jehovah, King in Zion; The Lord reigneth. 2. Albeit the Church be compassed about with enemies, as the lily among the thorns; yet because her Lord reigneth in the midst of her, she hath r●…ason not only to comfort herself in him, but also hath ground of de●…ying her enemies, and boasting against them; The Lord reigneth, let the people or Nations tremble. 3. The Lord's people do not worship an unknown God, they know who he is, and where to find him, to wit, in his ordinances, on the throne of grace, reconciling himself to the world in Christ; He sitteth between the Cherubims. 4. Whosoever do seek God in Christ, have the Angels attending on Christ, to go forth for the service and safety of the believer and worshipper; for this did the ceremonial figure signify: He sitteth between the Cherubims. 5. As Christ is attended by Angels to the comfort of his Church, so also for the terror and punishment of all adversaries in the world; He sitteth between the Cherubims, let the earth be moved. 6. Albeit the Lord be great in his works every where, yet is his greatness most manifest to his Church by his Word and Works to her and for her; The Lord is great in Zion. 7. There is no opposition which can be made against the Church; no power or multitude of people able, to prevail by counsel, device, plot or practice against his Zion or his Church; for, He is high above all people: to dissipate their devices, bridle their fury, and destroy them at his pleasure.   

Ver. 3. Let them praise thy great and terrible Name, for it is holy.  
4. The King's strength also loveth judgement, thou dost establish equity: thou executest judgement and righteousness in jacob.  
The second exhortation is to praise Christ the King of his Church, for his greatness, terror, holiness, moderation of his power, and love of justice. Whence learn, 1. Whatsoever we know or understand of God, we should not only by faith subscribe to it, and seal it, and praise God for it ourselves, but should also commend it to others, and wish the like should be done by all men: Let them praise thy Name. 2. As the greatness of God in Christ on the one hand should induce men; so the terror of our God, who is a consuming fire to his adversaries on the other hand, should press men to praise him; Let them praise t●…y great and terri●…le Name. 3. Whatsoever in Scripture is said of Christ, will be found to be really in him; he will answer to his name perfectly in all things, without stain or blot: Let them praise thy great and terrible Name, for it is holy. 4. Albeit the enemies of Christ, despise the weakness and simplicity of his Government, yet he is a powerful and strong King, both in himself, and in and for all who believe in him; for here the Church praiseth the King's strength. 5. Christ moderateth his power, specially in relation to his subjects, and doth not what he may: dealeth not in the rigour of justice with his people, layeth no more on them than they are able to bear: his yoke is easy and his burden is light; yea, he suffereth them not to be tempted above their strength, but dealeth discreetly with them; moderation and discretion pleaseth him: The King's strength loveth judgement. 6. The course which our God hath set down for comforting the afflicted, relieving the oppressed, taking order with hypocrites and obstinate offenders, is very equitable, and a course which he will not alter or change; for, He loveth judgement, and thou dost establish equity, saith he. 7. Christ's actions and dispensations are answerable to his Laws and his revealed Word; he teacheth his subject's righteousness; he maketh them righteous, performeth his promises, and executes his threaten in his Church, according to his sacred Word: Thou executest judgement and righteousness in jacob.   

Ver. 5. Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool: for he is holy.  
A third exhortation, wherein he presseth the same duty of glorifing of God the third time, by three reasons; One is, because he is holy, ver. 5. Another is, from the example of the Lords most approved servants, who did subject themselves unto the Lords ordinances, to their own and others advantage, ver. 6, 7. A third reason, from the example of the Church both in the wilderness and in aftertimes, who as they found the benefit of obedience of the ordinances of God, when their worshipped God as he commanded them: so did they smart so their disobedience when they followed their own inventions, ver. 8. whereupon he repeateth the exhortation the fourth time, ver. 9  
Whence learn, 1. Then is God rightly acknowledged, when his Covenant of grace offered in Christ is embraced, when men join themselves to the true God of Israel, and when they esteem of God and acknowledge him, as supreme Lord and King over all: Exalt ye the Lord our God 2. God will be worshipped, when, and where, and how he pleaseth to command, and will not be worshipped but in Christ, figured by the Temple and Ark of the Testimony in it: worship as o●… before his fo●…tstool. 3. The worshippers of God under the Old Testament were taught to lift their minde●… above all earthly things, and lose their minds from all limitation of God unto any corporal presence in the Sanctuary or Ark, and to worship him at Solomon did, to wit, as God incomprehensible, every where present, and to be sought in heaven, and adored in a spiritual manner: for the Temple and Ark were but as his footstool, 1 Kings 18. 27. Exalt the Lord our God, and wors●…ip at his footstool. 4. Holiness is the Lords property: he is holy in himself, holy in his appointing of his ordinances, and holy in his receiving of worship; rejecting all worship, But what he commandeth and calleth for, and he will be acknowledged holy by all that worship him: and worthy is he so to be esteemed of; for, He is holy: and this is the first reason.   

Ver. 6. Moses and Aaron among his Priests, and Samuel among them that call upon his Name: they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.  
7. He spoke unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his Testimonies, and the ordinance that he gave them.  
The next reason is from the example of holy men of God, Moses and Aaron, Priests or chief Officers, and Samuel a Priest, Prophet, and Ruler of the Lords people, who all of them subjected themselves to the Ordinances of God; and worshipped him to their own great utility, and advantage also of them, with and for whom they prayed unto God, and worshipped him. Whence learn, 1. The examples of holy men of God commended in Scripture unto us, do serve for inducement and encouragement unto us, to believe in God, to worship, and to obey him: Moses and Aaron among his Priests, or chief Officers, and Samuel among them that call upon his Name. 2. Because the holiest men of God that ever were in the Church, stood in need of the ordinary means of grace and worship, and subjected themselves unto Ordinances, the Lord will have none of his people to neglect Ordinances, or lift themselves above Ordinances; for, Moses, Aaron and Samuel were among them that call upon his Name. 3. Whoever worship God, and obey his Ordinances uprightly, are enroled in the catalogue with the chiefest Saints, worshippers of God; Moses, Aaron and Samuel among them that call upon his Name. 4. The prayers of the faithful are not frustrated, but have a good answer; and the answer of the holiest supplicants is set forth to encourage the meanest of believers to call upon God also, as the impartial hearer of the prayers of all that call upon God in truth; for he is no accepter of persons: and to show this, it is said here, They called upon the Lord, and he heard them. 7. The more evidences we have of God's presence, and the more familiarly he condescendeth to teach us, the more humble and observant should we be of his Ordinances and Commands; He spoke unto them in the cloudy pillar: they kept his testimonies, and the Ordinances which he gave them.   

Ver. 8. Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.  
The third reason to move all to the duty of worship and obedience, is from the example of the mercy of God toward sincere worshippers on the one hand, and justice toward them that followed men's inventions in Religion in the wilderness or afterward on the other hand. Whence learn, 1. The same God; the same Mediator, the same Covenant of grace belong to the true Church both in former & latter ages; Thou answeredst them, O Lord our God. 2. Albeit the Lord give fo●…th his Ordinances most holy and perfect, to direct men in their worshipping; yet so perverse is men's corrupt nature, as from time to time they are devising devices, and following their own inventions, as here is imported. 3. As the Lord is very merciful to his people, when they continue in his fear: so is he just to correct them, when they pollute Religion; Thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. 4. Penitent sinners; although plagued for their sin, yet were never refused forgiveness of sin, when they prayed and sought unto God for it; Thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions. 5. Plagued inflicted for sin upon God's people, are not punishments satisfactory unto justice, but means of correction, serving to drive men to repentance, and to seeking of mercy, and may well stand with forgiveness of sins; for G●…d can both plague sinners to drive them to repentance, and forgive their sin when they do repent: Thou wast a God that forgav●… them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.   

Ver. 9 Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy hill: for the LORD our God is holy.  
The fourth exhortation to glorify God, wherein he doth expound what he meaneth by the footstool of the Lord spoken of, ver. 5. to wit, mount Zion, the holy hill where the Ark was▪ adding the same reason of the exhortation which was was before, because the Lord our God is holy. Whence learn, 1. It is a part of our exalting of the true God, to join with his true Church, and to offer unto him with others, such worship as he doth prescribe; Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy hill. 2. The Lord's holiness requireth of all men the exaltation of his Name, and subjection to his Ordinances; neither can his holiness suffer any other worship then what he himself doth appoint: Worship at his holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy. 3. The holiness of God, and the untainted glory of all his attributes, is both the glory and comfort of his people who are in Covenant with him, and a motive also to them, to invite all men to the fellowship of his service with themselves: Exalt the Lord our God, for the Lord our God is holy.    

PSAL. C. A Psalm of praise.  
THe title of the Psalm showeth the sum and scope thereof to be for stirring up of the whole Church to praise God cheerfully; unto which duty all are exhorted once, ver. 1, 2. for three reasons. First, because he is God. Secondly, because we are his creatures. Thirdly, because we are his covenanted people, or members of the visible Church, whereof he taketh care as a Pastor doth of his own flock, ver. 3. And again, all are exhorted to thank, praise, and bless him, ver. 4. And that for his goodness, mercy, and truth, ver. 5.  

Ver. 1. MAke a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  
2. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  
From the first exhortation to praise God; Learn, 1. The d●…y of the Church visible, in all her particular meetings in every place, how largely soever God shall extend it, is to accept the offer of the grace of God joyfully, and to acknowledge the glorious riches of the graee of God, which he offereth unto them in the Gospel; Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands, or, all the earth. 2. As we ought to accept of the offer of the grace of God joyfullyed so should we also dedicate ourselves to God's service heartily, as he calleth for it; because according to the Gospel, our persons and service are accepted, imperfections pitied, our sins pardoned, and our holy endeavours are graciously rewarded: Serve the Lord with gladness. 3. Our joy should be stirred up, and expressed by singing of Psalms, especially when we come to the assemblies or public meetings, wherein the Lord hath promised to give his presence with his own Ordinances; Come before his presence with singing.   

Ver. 3. Know ye that the LORD he is God, it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves: we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  
From the reasons of this exhortation; Learn, 1. Such is our natural Atheism, that we have need again and again to be instructed, that the Lord is God; of whom, and through whom, and for whom are all things; Know ye, that the Lord he is God. 2. If we did consider well, that we are Gods creatures, it were a forcible motive unto us, to employ in God's service whatsoever we have of God, life, motion, being, and gifts; and to beware to make any thing we have of God, a weapon of unrighteousness for fight against him; and of this consideration we have need to be put in mind, and to be stirred up to the duty: He it is that hath made us. 3. The glory of our regeneration or new creation belongeth unto God, no less than the glory of our creation and natural birth: and it is no less madness to ascribe the work of our regeneration to our own power, then to ascribe our first ●…tion to ourselves; for in both respects here it is said that 〈◊〉 is ●…e that made us, and not we ourselves. 4. As the Lord's people should stir up themselves to more thankful service unto God, as their relations unto God, and obligations to him as their King and Pastor, are joined; so may they expect from God for their encouragement, whatsoever is needful to a people or a flock to have●… from a good King and faithful Pastor; We are his people, and sheep of his pasture.   

Ver. 2. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and in into his cours●… with with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his Name.  
From the repetition of the exhortation; Learn, 1. It is our duty in our approaches unto God, specially for any solemn service, to consider what rich benefits we have from him, that thereby we may be stirred up unto the more hearty acknowledgement of his favours; Enter into his gates with thanksgiving. 2. ●…s the Lords benefits to us should be looked upon in our address●…s unto him: so also his glorious attributes, and his works answerable thereto, should be considered; whereby we may be the better disposed to give unto him glory in all respects: Enter into his co●…s with praise. 3. The more we look upon God's praises, the more shall we see our own riches, and the solidity of our blessedness in him; and the reasons to move us to thank and bless him: Be thankful unto him, and bless his Name.   

Ver. 5. For the LORD is good, his mercy is everlasting: and his truth endureth to all generations.  
From the reasons subjoined to the second exhortation to praise the Lord; Learn, 1. It is a matter of perpetual praise of God, and of thanksgiving, and blessing of him, that as he is alsufficient in himself: so he is also communicative of his riches unto his creatureas, and unto us his own people most of all; Bless his Name, for the Lord is good. 2. Albeit we be sinful, and deserve to be cut off in justice from the benefits which Gods goodness might bestow upon us; yet the course of his pardoning mercy, renewing the remission of sin to us, as oft as we come to him in his Christ, doth keep the channel of his goodness open and clear to us, that it may run toward us for ever. His mercy is everlasting. 3. The Covenant of grace set down in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, with the legacy of so many rich Promise●…erving to strengthen the faith of every weak believer, doth make the matter of God's praise, and of his people's joys so sure, that how sad soever our spirits may be, when we look to ourselves; yet we shall have matter of praising, thanking, and blessing God, when we look to his goodness and mercy, and to what he hath for our comfort said in the Word of his everlasting truth: Be thankful unto him, and bless his Name: for the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth to all generations.  
Amen.    
FINIS.