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THe Person to whom the Prophet so∣lemnely promiseth to sing this di∣••ine ditie of mercy and iudgement, is the Lord: not doubting (howsoeuer others should accept of it) but that God would like it well enough, it being sung with a ••rac•• vnto him: as if hee should haue ••aid; Though others mislike the song, and
though it be harsh in a carnall ••are, ye•• (Lord) seeing it is melodious in thine, and pleasing to thee, I will offer it. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 seeke not to please men, and it is my comfort that I can doe any thing that will pleas•• thee.
* 1.1The Doctrine from hence is; We•• must not regard what men approoue or condemne in the matters of God, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 precise seruice, but what God ••••••selfe al∣loweth or doth mislike. Noahs the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 was mocked by the w••rld of wicked men 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his time, yet did he beare it, and for it, obtaine mercie to be called the Preach•••• of righteousnes to all ages, 2 Pet. 2.5. Dauid, who for his humble sinceritie and reuerend demeanour toward the Arke•• going to Ierusalem, was scorned of M••••chol, was yet had in high estimation by the Maides of Honour attending vpon Mich••l, 2 Sam. 6.14.16. He cared not what shee minded, his care was to ap∣prooue himselfe to Gods minde. He was vile, it was before God, and hee would bee viler. Paul spake the words of truth and soberness••, though Festus iudged such words to be madnes, and him that spake
••hem, madde, and besides himselfe, Act. 26.••4.25. But he passed little to be iudged of ••im, or of mans iudgement, knowing that ••e that iudged him was the Lord, 1 Cor. ••.3.4. And what careth Michiah what ••ure hundred flattering men say to the ••ing: what the Lord saith vnto him, that ••••ll hee speake, 1 King. 22.6.14. Hee ••ake to God; and not to please the King 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that which was ••uill. Nabuchad••ezar ••ought it to be great precisenesse in Sha∣••ach, Meshach, and Abednego, that ••••ey (onely) were not readie, when they ••••ard the sound of th••: Cornet, Trumpet, ••••d other Instruments of Musicke, to fall ••••wne, and worship his golden Image, Dan. ••.14.15. But 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were not carefull, nor ••••garded to answere the King in that ••••at••••••, vers. 16•• for God had made the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to bow to him, and they would not ••••ffer the knee (that hee made) to bowe ••o an Image: therefore that that seemed ••isorder to the King, seemed, and was o∣••edience to God. They sung to him, and ••hat which they sung, pleased him, resol∣••ing to obay the King vnder God, not a∣••ainst God, which made them to refuse
as they did, and to answere, as wee h••u•• heard.
Gods wisedome is (incomparably) great, and who is like him in knowledge? Now, is God incomparably wise? then his direction is safe, and what hee com∣mendeth to be wise, is wise: or, hath he all knowledge? then how can we do bet∣ter then to learne of him? or then to stand or fall to him? Againe, a wise man spea∣keth in a matter, and a foole speaketh in it; the one to purpose, the other to no purpose: whom will we regard? I tro•• the wise man, not the foole. But the fo••∣lishnes of God is wiser then men, 1 Cor. 1.25: that is, that which seemeth foolishnes to men, but to men fool••••h, as this foolish thing of Preaching, and thi•• simple thing of hearing, is wiser t••e•• men; that is, ••hen the best wisedome that euer was in Man, or in all Men. And (then) shall not that and that onely that hee approoueth bee approoueable? Shall not his direction be perfect that hath all perfection? Or shall wee care who disprayseth our song, so he like it? Secondly, the children of Men, iudge as Men, and they that are like
the world, are vnlike God. Now, being men, that is, naturall men, and the men of ••his world, that is, men that haue the•••• ••ome in it, as Citizens, and not their Ta∣bernacle onely, and Inne of remooue, ••s Pilgrims here, how can they but iudge ••s men, and walke as men? and if so, then ••hat will bee highly esteemed among them, which is abhominable in the sight of God, Luk. 16.15. They will better like wittie ••rophanesse, then humble righteousnesse: ••nd Esaus roughnesse will better please, ••hen Iacobs playnenesse. Where God•• Image appeareth (as it doth in the soules ••nd liues of them that dedicate them∣selues to his truth) there God loueth: ••nd Men, that is, Men sensuall and earth∣••ie hate. Men respect a man according ••o his goods and state; but God, accor∣ding to his good wayes & good behauiour. They that haue wealth with much wic∣kednesse, are accepted of men: but god∣lie men in great pouertie, are precious ••o God.
A reproofe to those who tune their song to mens eare,* 1.2 and care not what sound it hath in Gods eares. They will
sing the songs of mercy and i••stice so farre and long as they may please men, but they will not sing them to the Lord: that is, they will not then sing them, when the song shall please God, and displease Man. Perhaps, a wicked man is (deseruedly) c••t off, but did he that followed him, or the Iudge that gaue the sentence vpon him, doe it simply, of a hatred to his sinne, and not hasten the Execution for their owne ends? So some doe some good to a good man: Doe they doe it vnfainedly for his goodnesse, and because they would honour God with their mercies: or are they drawne to it, for some blame∣worthy affection, as for respects to kin∣dred, policie, and gaine, or to haue praise of men? Surely, if we doe not hate sinne, and loue vertue, though (sometimes) we punish the sinner, and reward the vertu∣ous, we sing not to God, to delight him, but to our selues and men to gratifie them: then are we not doers of righteous∣nes, but hypocrites in our doings.
* 1.3Also, here they are condemned, who doe as multitudes doe, which honour men; and not as the best doe, that feare
the Lord: for men will not bee singular; ••ooke which way the most goe, that way ••ill they goe: as Chusa said to Absolon; Whom this people, and all the men of Israel ••huse, his will I bee, and with him will I ••well, 2 Sam. 16.18. But it ••areth with such (oftentimes) as with Beasts, who ••istrusting nothing, and following the Droue, whiles they suppose they are go∣••ng to the Pasture to be fed, are driuen ••o the Shambles to be slayne. Company •• good, but it is better to goe the right ••ay alone, then to wander with the Mul∣••itude; Exod. 23.2. Better to sing to the Lord with the few that shalbe saued, then ••ith the many, in the broad way of death, ••o sing to the tune and humours of men, ••nd with them to be damned. Then let ••he abi••cts assemble themselues, to drawe good things into disgrace, Psal. 35.15. yet let not this sway with vs to drawe vs ••nto euill.
A comfort to those that so walke in their vocations,* 1.4 so holily, and so with∣out guile, that in them they sing to God the playne song of truth; not to men the craftie descant of the pollicies and flat∣teries
that are in the world: for the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 words and works please the Lord: an•• what matter (then) if they displease th•• world of vngodly men? Esa and his chi••••dren were as signes and wonders in Isra•••• Esa. 8.18. but what of that•• seeing the•• iudgement was with the Lord, and thei•• worke with their God, Ch. 40.4. Let i•• be sayd of Iohn, That hee hath a Diuel & of the Son of Man, That he is a Glutto•• and drinker of Wine: yet Wisedome is i•• stifyed of her Children, Math. 11.18.15•• In our well doings, let men condemn vs; God will iustifie vs: and if he iustifie who shall condemne? Rom. 8.33.3•••• The iudgement of God is greater the•• Mans iudgement.
* 1.5But this which the Prophet singeth hee singeth by a Vow, putting in th•• Psalme of promise, as his pawne to do•• it: from whence wee (secondly) learn•• that Christian Professors ought (some∣times) by some solemne promise 〈◊〉〈◊〉 binde themselues, as by their obligati•••• to God for the seruice of his glorie. So th•••• Prophet, Psal. 119.106. made an oath•• and kept it, saying, that he would obserue
Gods righteous iudgements. The chiefe of the people, in the time of Nehemiah, did as much when they came to the oath, and to the curse, promising that they would walke in Gods Statutes, Nehem. 10.22.30.31. Iosua (also) entred into bond to the Lord, to serue him with his whole house, I••s. 24.15. And, if men eger on some ••lay that hurteth them in wealth or cre∣dit, binde themselues from it, by some ••hing receiued, that they may say when others shall entise them; I haue bound my selfe from play, or from this kinde of play: How much more should Chri∣••tians, so much wasted in the graces of God, by their naturall foolishnes, binde ••hemselues by some vow (as it were a bond ••iuen) that they will no longer bee so ••••olish, or doe so foolishly by the cor∣••uption that dwelleth in them, but striue •••• please God better in all his Comman∣••ements, and, by his grace, more abstaine ••••om that that shall prouoke the wrath ••f God then euer they did? Our Baptisme a bond in this matter; yet it were good ••••r vs to be further bound by some law∣••••ll vow, as by a second helping obliga∣tion,
that a two-fold cord may hold vs fa∣ster in our promises.
First, this manner of entring into bond with the Lord, in a sacred vow of his seruice, preuenteth, or will helpe to preuent a great vntowardnes of our na∣ture to good things, and then serue to shame vs, as promise breakers, & to cast vs into prison as debters, by our owne con∣fession, if wee breake with God concer∣ning our bond of couenants in such mat∣ters. Secondly, if in things agreeable to nature, wee helpe our delight by often speaking of, and repeating them: Much more in things aboue nature, or rather against corrupt nature, should we get fur∣therance, and seeke helpe to our duties, by promising (often) to doe them to God, (vnfainedly) in his seruice. Which I speake, not to iustifie Popish vowes, made of matters, from which a Christian hath no warrant to binde himselfe, or of Marriage, &c.
* 1.6From hence wee may (first) gather, that there is a weake desire in the best to
good things; and (therefore) that all stand in neede of this discipline: which (also) warranteth some kinds of vowings in the Gospell, and (for our better suf∣ficiencie in spirituall matters) comman∣deth them, Psal. 76.11.
Further,* 1.7 here are reprooued all slug∣gish Christians that neuer open their mouthes to God, in the new Testament, for the pricking of them forward to good, or the holding them backe from ••••ill. I confesse that such vowes are not any parts of Religion; yet are they (as hath beene noted) bonds to our mindes for a faster setting of vs onward to Hea∣uen, and a speedier drawing of vs out of the world, and from the loue of world∣lie things. Another protestation con∣cerning the Prophets person followeth.
Doct. 1.
Vse 1.
Vse 2.
Vse 3.
Doct. 2.
Vse 1.
Vse 2.