12. LAMECH.

THIS Octonary is an Encomium of the Word of God, * and of the perfection thereof, which he commends from the immutability and constancy thereof. 2. Then from the comfort he received from it in his trouble.

1. * In the three first verses the Prophet shewes, That Gods Word is immutable, by an instance in the creatures.

• 1. [Ver. 1] In the Heavens: For ever, O Lord, thy Word is setled in Heaven: For the Heavens were made by his Word,* and continue in the same frame, they were made by his Word to this day.
• 2. In the Earth: Whose foundations are yet immoveable. Thy faithful∣ness is unto all Generations, [Ver. 2] Thou hast established the earth, and it a∣bideth.
• 3. [Ver. 3] They, Heaven and Earth both continue this day according to thy Ordi∣nance.
• 4. The Reason is, For all things serve thee. Thy creatures they are, and thou their Lord Creator, they then must be at thy Beck and Com∣mand.

2. 2 Next he shewes the excellent perfection of Gods Word, by a rare effect it had upon himself, it gave him comfort, and kept him from despair in his trouble, he collected it from the former instances; thus, if the Word of God sustained the Heaven and the Earth, he saw no reason but it might also sustain him, and so leaning upon it, he was delighted in it, and that delight held him up, he knew it would be an Anchor of hope that would not fail him.

Ʋnless thy Law had been my delight, [Ver. 4] I should have perished in my trouble. This he knew he could not do, because God had promised him the contrary; no such comfort in trouble, as Gods Word and Promise; this will abide, when other fails.

3. * Upon which joy and comfort, first, he makes a promise of thankfulness; he had found life in Gods Word, and he resolves never to forget it.

• 1. [Ver. 5] I will never forget thy precepts; that men forget them, is, because they find no heart in them.
• 2. 1 His Reason is, For with them thou hast quickned me. He saith not, the Word quickned him, but God by his Word: For the Word quick∣ens not, till Gods Spirit come to it; Vitam gratiae augendo, & vitam gloria promittendo.

2. 2 Then next he devotes himself to be Gods servant, for the present, and for ever.

• 1. [Ver. 6] I am thine: And I do, and will serve no other Lord, no base pleasure, no profit, nor the World, nor the flesh, nor the Devil; and therefore I can with a good conscience ask,
• 2. O save me. It is for a Lord to protect, and save his servant.
• 3. And that I am thine, is evident in this, that I am ready to do thy Will: For I have sought thy precepts. I am thine, because I sought nothing but that which is thine, and how I might please thee. O how few can say this, and upon this account cry to God, O save me.

4. Which to do, David had very great reason at this time; * for he had bitter enemies, from whom he could not be safe, except God saved him; two things he notes in them.

• 1. Diligence: Te wicked have waited for me, waited for an oppor∣tunity.
• 2. Cruelty: Waited to destroy me. Their malice was so great, [Ver. 7] that no less would satisfie them. 1
• 3. And here now in such an extremity, 2 the comfort of Gods Word is very seasonable, the consideration of that is able to stay a fainting soul, Psal. 124. with which David comforts himself here: But I will consider thy Testi∣monies; that thou hast testified that thou art able, and wilt deliver those that trust to thy Word, Dan. 6.16. & 22.

5. He hath shewed the perfection of Gods Word, in establishing and upholding the frame of the World. 2. And then the excellency thereof, in bringing joy, comfort, help to an afflicted soul; but in the close of this Section, he compares it with all other things, which we esteem as excellent and perfect, be they Riches, Ho∣nours, Scepters, Crowns, Kingdoms, &c. among which, the Word of God hath still the preheminence; they fail, but Gods Word endures.

• 1. I have seen an end of all perfection. [Ver. 8] Jonah's Gourd is smitten with a worm; the golden head had feet of clay, &c. 3 the fairest day is enter'd at night.
• 2. But thy Commandment is exceeding broad: Exceeding broad indeed; for in it are contain'd all other National and Municipal Lawes, they being nothing else, if just, but extracts of it; or exceeding broad, because all Lawes of a good life, and the rewards of those that keep the Law; and on the contrary, the prohibitions of all vices, and the punishments of Trans∣gressors are contained in it: Or, exceeding broad, because it is the Com∣mandment of love, which extends to God, Angels, men, enemies: Or, exceeding broad, which is nearer Davids purpose, because it extends to, and refresheth all that are in distress and affliction, it abides by them in tentations while they live, and forsakes them not in their death, but con∣veyes them into their grave in peace, and the comfort of it abides with them for ever when they are dissolved.