A collection of the works of that holy man and profound divine, Thomas Iackson ... containing his comments upon the Apostles Creed, &c. : with the life of the author and an index annexed.

CAP. VI.

Of the Affections or dispositions of the sacred Writers.

WIth the Experiment of this kinde we may rank the vehemency of af∣fection, which appears in many of these sacred writers, most fre∣quent in the book of Psalms. And to distinguish fained or counterfeit from true experimental affections is the most easie, and most certain kinde of Cri∣ticism. He that never had any himself may safely swear, that most Poets ancient or modern, have had experience of wanton loves. For who can think that Catullus, Ovid, and Martial had never been acquainted with any but painted women, or written of love matters onely as blinde men may talk of Colours? Or, who can suspect, that either Ovid had penned his books De Tristibus, or Boetius his Philosophical Consolation, onely to move delight, (as children oft-times weep for wantonnesse:) or fained these sub∣jects to delude the World, by procuring real compassion to their coun∣terfeit mourning? But much more sensible may we feel the pulses of our Psalmists passions beating their ditties, if we would lay our hearts unto them. Albeit wee seek not to prove their divine authority from the

strength of passion simply, but from the objects, causes, or issue of their pas∣sions. And the Argument holds thus; As the Ethnick Poets passions, expressed in their writings, bewray their experience in such matters as they wrote of; as of their carnal delight in love enjoyed, or of earthly sorrow for their exiles, death of friends, or other like worldly crosses: So do these sacred Ditties witnesse their Pen-mens experience in such matters as they professe; as of spiritual joy, comfort, sorrow, fear, confidence, or any other affection whatsoever. If we compare Ovids Elegy to Augustus with that Psalm of David, (in number the 51.) why should * 1.1 we think that the one was more conscious of misdemeanour towards that Monarch, or more sensibly certain of his displeasure procured by it, than the other of soul offences towards God, and his heavie hand upon him for them? Davids penitent bewayling of his souls losse, in being separated from her wonted joyes, his humble intreaty and importunate suit, for restauration to his former estate, argue, he had been of more entire familiar acquaintance with his heavenly, than Ovid with his earthly Lord; that he had received more sensible pledges of his love, was more deeply touched with the present losse of his savour, and better experienced in the course and means of recon∣cilement to it again. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kind∣nesse: * 1.2 according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know * 1.3 mine iniquities, and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, against thee onely have I sinned, and done evil in thy sight. What was it then which caused his present grief? bodily pain? exile, losse of goods, want, or restraint of sensual pleasurs? Yea, what was there that worldly minded men either desireor know, which was not at his command? And yet, he, well for health of body, only op∣pressed with grief of mind, most desirous to sequester himself from all solace, which his Court or Kingdom could afford, in hope to finde his company alone who was invisible, and to renew acquaintance with his Spirit. Create a clean heart (O God) and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirit from me. He accounts himself but as an exile, though living in his native soil, but as a slave, though absolute Monarch over a mighty people; whilest he stood separate from the love of his God, and lived not in subjection to his spirit. If one in hunger should loath ordina∣ry or course sare, we would conjecture he had been accustomed to more sine and dainty meats. Hereby then it may appear, that David had tasted of more choice delights, and purer joyes, then the carnal minded knew, in that he loathes all earthly comfort in this his anguish, (wherein he stood in greatest need of some comfort,) desiring only this of God; Restore me to the joy of thy salvation, and establish me with thy free Spirit. So far was he from distrusting the truth of that ineffable joy, which now he felt not (at the least) in such measures as he had done before, that he hopes by the manifest effects of it once restored, to disswade the Atheist from his Atheism, and cause lascivi∣•…•… blood-thirsty mindes to wash off the silth, wherein they wallow, with their cars. For so he addeth, Then shall I teach thy wayes unto the wicked, & sin∣•…•… be converted unto thee. Deliver me from blood, O God, which art the God •…•…, and my tongue shall sing joyfully of thy righteousnesse. Open thou •…•…, and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise; which as yet he could not shew forth to others, because abundance of joy did not lodge in his heart; for God had sealed up sorrow therein, until the sacrifice of his broken and •…•… were accomplished. From the like abundant experience of •…•… joy, the Psalmist, Psalm 66. v. 16. bursteth out into like consi∣•…•…; inviting us, as Christ did his Apostle Thomas, to come near

and lay our hands upon his healed sore, and by the scars to gather the skill and goodness of him that had thus cured him, beyond all expectation: Come * 1.4 and hearken all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done to my soul; I called unto him with my mouth, and he was exalted with my tongue. Praised be * 1.5 God which hath not put back my prayer, nor his mercy from me. The fulnesse of his inward joyes was such, and Gods providence over him so manifest and wonderful, that the present age wherein he lived could not (to his seeming) but take notice of it, whilest the particulars, wherein the Lord had heard him, were in fresh memory: and all posterity, he presumes out of the abundance of his own belief, should still believe the goodnesse of God, from this expe∣rimental relation of his goodnesse towards him. He that hath least experi∣ence of the like in himself, would he but attentively mark the fervency of of those mens zeal, and vehemency of their godly passions, expressed in these here mentioned, and many like unaffected strains, could not but acknow∣ledge that famous inscription, which a later degenerate lascivious Poet, (out of such a vain-glorious humour, as moves some basely descended to usurp the Arms of Noble men whose names they bear,) sought to bestow on all, even upon such as himself was, Vates in name, but not in quality, to belong of right onely to these Psalmists, or ancient sacred Poets.

Fst Deus in vobis, agitante calescitis illo: Impetus hic sacrae semina mentis habet.

Sure in your breasts Gods Spirit hath his seat, Tis Divine motion breeds this heavenly heat.

For who can imagine, that the Author of the 74 Psalm, v. 9. should complain, without some touch of that Spirit, which he knew had been more plentiful in such as had gone before him; We see not our signes, there is not one Prophet more, not any that knoweth how long. V. 10. O God, how long shall the adversary reproach? shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? V. 11. Why withdraw∣est thou thine hand, even thy right hand? Draw it out of thy bosome and consume them. v. 12. Even God is my king of old, working salvation in the mids of the earth. These sober and constant motions, as it were of Systoles and Diastoles between Despair and Hope, exprest in this and the 44 Psalm, argue that those won∣ders and noble works, which they had heard with their ears, and their fa∣thers had told them, were no Fables, but matters truly and really acted, which had left deep impression in their forefathers hearts, who had so tho∣rowly felt and tasted the extraordinary Goodness of their God, that the long∣ing desire of like Favour is transfused as hereditary to posterity, as the desire of such meats as Parents best affect, and use most to feed upon, usually re∣mains in their Children.

2 Or, to use the Author of the 42 Psalm his own comparison; Braying doth not more sensibly notifie the Harts panting after the water brooks, than that Psalm doth his thirsting after the Spirit of Life; which sometime had been diffused through his Faculties, and had fructified in Joy and comfort, but now in these storms of affliction lay hid in his heart, onely supporting it with hopes of like fruit against a better season; as the sap whereby trees flourish in Summer, retiring to the root in Winter, preserveth them sound within, so that although Frosts may nip, and storms outwardly deface them, yet they break forth again, and bear fruit in the Spring. And although I ne∣ver mistrusted the truth of that dissension, betwxt the willingnesse of the Spi∣rit, and weaknesse of the Flesh, oft mentioned in Scripture; yet I know not how it addeth more life to my Belief, whilest I see this conflict acted by the Author of the 42 and 43 Psalms. The flesh complains, as if his heart were

ready to close with dejected fear; My soul is cast down within me, all thy waves and ••••ouds are gone over me. The Spirit like a good Physitian, by reiterating that speech of comfort, Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou so dis•…•…eted within me, raiseth it up again, and dilateth his heart with hope in God against all hope in worldly sight. For so he concludeth both these Psalms, Wait on God: for I will yet give him thanks: he is my present help and my God. Generally, though the Psalmists complaints be oft-times grievous, yet they never end them but with Hearty Prayer; though God oft-times lay great Plagues upon them; yet is their Confidence alwayes as great, that he will heal them. The beginning of their mournful Ditties alwayes repre∣sent the storms of grief and sorrow, that had gone over their souls: their end and close is like the appearing of the Morning Star, foreshewing the remo∣val of the shadow of death wherein they sate. Their sudden transitions from grief to joy, is even as the breaking out of the Sun from under a thick tempe∣stuous Cloud: So that the outward Character of their Songs, is a lively re∣presentation of that truth, which one of them out of his inmost experience hath left registred to the World; His wrath endureth but the twinckling of an eye, and in his pleasure is life: heavinesse may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psal. 30. 5.

3 This patience in Adversity, and confident expectation of deliverance from above, compared with the Heathens impatience, alwayes ready to ac∣cuse their Gods in their unexpected calamities, and seeking to vent their grief in Poetical Invectives against them: infallibly testifie, that the one did onely know the Divine Powers by hear-say, the others by experience; and that God was near to this people in all which they called upon him, and be∣held the affairs of the Heathen onely a far off.

4 Yet beside these particular lively Characters of experimental joy or grief, fear, or confidence: their consonancy with the historical truth of alte∣rations in the state of Jewry, will much illustrate the former observations. For albeit the Psalmists in their greatest distresses or calamities, murmur not against the Lord God, as the Heathens do: yet the tenour of some late men∣tioned, with divers other Psalms, argue that the people of God in those times wherein they were written, either had not such manifest signes of Gods fa∣vour; or else found not such speedy deliverance from the dangers feared, or calamities suffered by them, as the Prophet David in the 27 Psalm v. 1. and other of their godly Ancestors had done. The Lord (saith David) is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid▪ Though an host pitched against me, mine heart should not be afraid: though war be raised against me, yet I will trust in this; to wit, upon his former experience of Gods mercies specified v. 2. When the wicked mine mine enemies came, and my soes came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. But greater was his confidence from the more often experience of Gods favour, when as his case otherwise, for the multitude and malignity of his enemies, was more desperate, Psal 3. v. 1. Many were his adversaries that rose up against him; and many that said unto his soul, (when he fled from his son Absolom) V. 2. There is no help for him in his God. Yet he, as an expert souldier, cannot be terrified with stales or brags, but betaketh himself unto his weapons; V. 3. Thou I ord art a buckler for me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head. So little is he dismaied, that after his prayers he taketh his quiet rest; V. 4. I did call upon the I ord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy moun∣tain. I laid me down and slept, and rose again, for the Lord sustained me. V. 5. I will not be afraid for 10000 of the people, that should beset me round about. The

same confidence, raised from the experience of Gods assistance, was in the Author of the 46 Psalm; God is our help and strength, a very present help in trouble: Therefore will we not fear though the earth be moved, and though the mountains fall into the midst of the Sea. The manner of Davids carriage, his confident presaging of good success, in times more apt to breed despair in o∣thers lesse experienced in assistance from above, exprest in sundry Psalms, composed when he fled from Saul, yeeld abundance of observations pregnant for this purpose.

5 Otherwiles this Kingly Prophet expostulates the wrongs offered by his enemies so confidently, and relateth his own integrity in such pathetical and serious manner, that unless the inscription of his Petitions, or other histori∣cal circumstance, did give us notice, to whom he tendred his complaints, we would think that they had been so many reports, of what he had openly plea∣ded at some Bar, or Court of civil Justice, in the personal presence, sight, or audience of some visible Judge, ready to give sentence for him upon the first hearing of his cause. If any civil Heathen, that never had heard of any invisible God, should have taken up some of his Psalms (the ninth for exam∣ple) in the streets, he would have imagined that the Author of them had ei∣ther heard some supream Magistrate in his time deeply protesting his resolu∣tion for righting the poor, or else had been most intimately acquainted with the integrity of his proceedings in matters of Justice, that he durst so confi∣dently avouch unto the World on his behalf; Psalm 9. v. 8. He shall judge the world in righteousnesse, and the people with equity. V. 9. The Lord also will be a refuge for the poor, a refuge in due time, even in affliction. V. 10. And they that know thy Name, will trust in thee: for thou Lord hast not failed them that seek thee. So lively was Davids, and other Ancient Psalmists experience of the in∣visible Gods assistance alwayes ready, as well in war as in peace, as well in ex∣ecuting judgement upon their treacherous, deceitful, or secret enemies, as in giving them victory over their profest and potent Foes.

6 But posteritie had not, oftentimes, so full Experience of the same assist∣ance, as appeareth from the manner of their complaints. The reason of this Diversitie, in the Ancient and later Psalmists apprehension of Gods favour; either in delivering them from danger, or righting them from wrong; was from the Diversity of Times, the later not yeelding so manifest and frequent Documents of Gods mercy or justice, as the former had done. As Gods plagues upon the Ancient Israelites were oft-times sudden, and (for the time) violent: so their deliverance from them was speedy, because their stubborn∣nesse was lesse, and the sins, for which they were to repent, of lesse continu∣ance. But the continual increase of this peoples wickednesse, in their successions, and posterities slacknesse, in sorrowing either for their own or Predecessours sins, made Gods plagues inflicted upon them more durable, as appeareth by the long Captivities and oppressions of this people in later Ages, If we compare them with the often, but short afflictions, which in former times had befallen them. This long durance of great calamities, made Posteritie lesse appre∣hensive of Gods promises then their forefathers had been; at the least, whiles these continued, they were lesse acquainted with Gods favour then their Pre∣decessors were. And from the want of like sensible Experience of his present help in time of trouble, later generations are more querulous and lesse con∣fident in their prayers uttered in their distresse, as we may see in the 98, and other Psalms, conceived by the Godly amongst this people in the calamities of later Times. Thus we may see how truly the diversity of Gods dealing with his people in different Ages, is represented in the Character, Stile, or

Affection of these sacred Writers, all much different in former and latter A∣ges: much more may we presume, that the general and true Diversity of Times, and GODS divers manner of proceeding with mankinde in their se∣veral Generations, is most truly related and exemplified in the Historical relations of the same sacred Volumes; of which in the Section following.

7 Thus much of Experiments, or Observations drawn from the Cha∣racter, or tenor of these sacred Writings themselves, or their Writers Affecti∣ons represented in them. These I have gathered, not that I can hope to per∣swade any man so much by reading them, as by occasioning him to observe the like, whiles he readeth these sacred Volumes. For every man that readeth them with attentive Observation, may apprehend much more for the fra∣ming of true Belief in his own heart, then he can expresse to others: yea, to seek to make ful resemblance of our inward Belief, or such Experiments as confirm it, by outward discourse, were all one, as if a man out of the slight impression or transitorie representation of his own face which he had lately beheld in a Glasse, should seek to describe it as fully and perfectly to another mans Apprehension, as if he had looked upon it with him in the same Glass

8 As there presentation of our bodily shape, is lively and perfect whilest we behold it in a true and perfect Glasse; but the Memorial or Phantasie of it when we are gone thence, imperfect and dull: So is the apprehension of our own, or Experiments of others Belief, sensible and fresh, whilest we set our hearts and mindes unto this perfect Law of Libertie, the onely true Glass of our Souls; but more hard to retain in memorie, or to be fully represented to another by Discourse, then our bodily shape is by a bare description. And as in the Art of Painting, general rules may be given for the right drawing of Pictures, yet he that will take any particular mans, must look upon the love face it self, or use the benefit of his Glass: So in this case, there may be good directions given, how men should draw Experiments, or take Observations of this kinde, which being taken, can not be fully imprinted in another, by him that took them: but every man must have continual recourse unto this Spiritual Glasse, which far surpasseth all bodily Glasses in this; that in It we may see, not onely the true shape and proportion of our Souls as they are, or of what fashion they should be; but It hath also an operative force of assimi∣lating them unto the paterns of godly and religious mens Souls represented herein, yea, even of transforming them into the similitude of that Image wherein they were first created. The Idaeas of Sanctity and Righteousnesse contained in this Spiritual Glasse, are the causes of our Edification in good life and Vertue: as the Idaea or Platform in the Artificers head, is the cause of the Ma∣terial House that is builded by it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tr••st. l. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 2.
• * 1.2

  Pslam 51. 1.
• * 1.3

  Verse 2. Verse 3.
• * 1.4

  Verse 17.
• * 1.5

  Verse 20.