David's harp strung and tuned, or, An easie analysis of the whole book of Psalms cast into such a method, that the summe of every Psalm may quickly be collected and remembred : with a devout meditation or prayer at the end of each psalm, framed for the most part out of the words of the psalm, and fitted for several occasions / by the Reverend Father in God, William ... Lord Bishop of Gloucester.

PSAL. CXIX. Est mixti generis; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

AS this Psalm is the longest of all the rest, so it is of most use, be∣cause it teacheth us in what true happiness doth consist, and by what means it may be obtained; to wit, in the keeping of Gods Com∣mandments.

1. To these David shewes a singular affection, because there is not any one verse, except the 122. in which he makes not menti∣on of Gods Word, under some of these names, Law, Statutes, Precepts, Testimo∣nies, Commandments, Promises, Wayes, Word, Judgments, Name, Righteousness, Tr••th.

2. What he writes of them, he desires no doubt to be committed to memory, and to help us in that, he hath divided the whole into twenty two Sections, and comprized every Section in eight verses, and every verse in the Hebrew of each Section, begins with that letter with whith the Section is intituled; as if it begins with Aleph, then Aleph begins every verse; if with Beth, with Beth, and so in all the rest; for which, this Psalm may be called the A. B. C. of god∣liness.

3. Any other method of this Psalm cannot well be laid; only we may say, that every verse in it, either contains,

• 1. A Commendation of Gods Word, from some excellent quality in it.
• 2. Promises to those that keep it.
• 3. Threatnings against them that keep it not.
• 4. A prayer of David for grace to confirm him in the observation of it.
• 5. Protestations of his unfeigned affection toward it.

The meaning of those Synonyma'es used in this Psalm, under which the Com∣mandments of God are signified, which are ten.

• 1. The Law, because it is the Rule of our actions; Torah, Gods Do∣ctrine.
• 2. Statutes, because in them is set down what God would have us do.
• 3. Precepts, because God, as the great Law-giver, prescribes the Rule for us.

• 4. Commandments, because God layes his Commands upon us for their ob∣servation.
• 5. Testimonies, because they witness his Will to us, and his Good-will, if observed by us.
• 6. Judgments, because they pronounce Gods judgment, of our words, works, thoughts.
• 7. His Word, because they proceeded from his mouth.
• 8. The wayes of God, because they shew the way that God would have us walk.
• 9. His Righteousness, because they contain an exact righteousness and justice in them.
• 10. Promises, because they have the promises of life, if kept.

PSAL. CXIX. ALEPH.

IN this first Octonary, * 1.1 the Prophet commends to us the Law of God, and perswades to the practice of it, by two Arguments. The first is happiness, ver. 1, 2. The second is, the excellency of the Law-giver, ver. 4.

2. He shewes his affection to this Law, desiring grace to keep it, ver. 5. upon which he knew there would follow a double effect.

• 1. Peace in Conscience: He should not be ashamed and confounded, ver. 6. * 1.2
• 2. Thankfulness to God for his teaching, ver. 7.

3. He acquaints us with his Resolution, if God should assist him, ver. 8.

Blessed are they who are undefiled in the way, [Ver. 1] who walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are they that keep his Testimonies, [Ver. 2] and seek him with their whole heart. They also do no iniquity, [unspec 3] they walk in his wayes.

1. * 1.3 The first Argument the Prophet useth to perswade men to obedience, is Blessedness; which is so true, that godliness hath the promise of this life, and that which is to come; eternal and temporal felicity depend upon it. He then that would be happy, must be obedient; and his obedience, if true, may be thus discerned.

• 1. [Ver. 1] He must be undefiled in the way: Ʋia is vita; and he must keep himself as much as may be from the dirt and filth of sin. * 1.4
• 2. He must walk in the Law of the Lord, not after the Law of the flesh. The Law of God is the Rule of our Faith, Life, Worship, and he must not de∣cline to the right hand, nor to the left, neither be Heretick, vitious man, superstitious, idolatrous.
• 3. He must keep his Testimonies: Search out what God in his Word testi∣fies to him, and keep it.
• 4. [Ver. 2] He must seek him with a whole heart: Not superficially, not hypo∣critically; search his Law to the utmost, both what it bids, and what it forbids. Enquire out the sense of the whole Law, and the mind of the Law-giver, and then observe it in sincerity and integrity, which hypocrites do not.
• 5. [Ver. 3] The also do no iniquity; i. e. They are no workers of iniquity with purpose of heart. 2. Delight. 3. With perseverance and continu∣ance.

• 6. They walk in his way. They that work iniquity, walk a contrary way. They that through infirmity and ignorance offend, walk besides the way: But holy men walk in the wayes of God, because their will is to keep Gods Law, habitually they remain in it; and when they erre and wander, by repentance and confession they quickly return again to it. * 1.5

2. The Prophets second Argument to perswade obedience, is from the Authori∣ty of the Law-giver. All mans disobedience to Gods Law, proceeds either out of Rebellion, or Oblivion; they either forget, or contemn the Law-giver: That then our obedience may be the better fixed, David brings to our mind who is the Authour of this Law, and from whom the Command came; they are not the Commands of men, but of God; and that God, who may lay what Commands he pleaseth, and exact obedience from his servants.

Thou hast commanded that we keep thy Commandments diligently.

• 1. Thou, who knowest when we erre, and wilt revenge when we do amiss. [Ver. 4]
• 2. Hast commanded: Not only counselled, but absolutely commanded.
• 3. That we keep thy Commandments: They may not be dispensed with, or broken at our pleasure.
• 4. Diligently: Not negligently, lazily; for cursed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently; but with great care and zeal: For Satan is diligent in tempting, we are weak and infirm; and if there be not diligence used, we are like to fall; and being fallen, 'tis not so easie to rise: A wound is sooner made, than healed.

3. The blessedness promised to the keepers of Gods Law, * 1.6 and the Authority of the Law-giver commanding so strictly that his Law be observed, moved the Prophet to send forth this ardent prayer: [Ver. 5]

O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes.

• 1. David was a Prince, a great King, and yet he desires to be obedient; much more others.
• 2. He answers Gods Command with a prayer; what he commands, he seeks grace to do it. Domine da quod jubes, & jube quod vis.
• 3. Oh that my wayes were directed; my counsels, my actions, speeches con∣formable to the regularity and straitness of thy Law.
• 4. He knew of himself he cannot be so closely united to God, as he ought; that his God and he have but one way, and therefore he prayes to be directed. [Ver. 6]

Which prayer of his, if it pleased God to hear, * 1.7 then he knew well that two excellent effects, or three rather, would follow upon it, with which he was much affected.

1. Such a quietness in soul, 1 1.8 and boldness to appear at the Throne of Grace.

• 1. Then shall I not be confounded, nor ashamed to appear before thee. Whereas if his wayes were distorted and crooked, and not conformable to the Will of the Law-giver, and equity of his Law, he should be strangely amazed to appear in his sight, flie from his presence, as did Adam; for that's the fruit of disobedience.
• 2. Whereas if God granted him his wish, and directed his wayes to keep his statutes, he should not find any amazement in his conscience, while he had a care, that his obedience were universal and total, not to one Com∣mandment, but to all. I shall not be confounded, [Ver. 7] while I have respect to all thy Commandments: An eye to them, a care to keep them in all my acti∣ons, even when I weakly break them.

2. And this effect will produce another fruit yet, viz. a joyful and a thankful heart.

• 1. I will praise thee: Give thee thanks and praise for thy grace and assistance.

• 2. 2 1.9 With uprightness of heart. His tongue only should not praise God, but his heart also, and it should be well-tuned, no discord in it; for it should be upright and honest.
• 3. But this could not be done, till God had taught him, and therefore he adds, I will praise thee when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. Learn∣ed; not to know them only in my understanding, but learned to love them, and approve them as the most perfect rule of life; which love can∣not be had, but by the infusion of thy Spirit of Grace.

3. [Ver. 8] And that which follows upon this, will be a resolution, a firm purpose of heart to be obedient. 3 1.10

• 1. I will keep thy statutes: So I am fully resolved, so I have decreed with my self; and it is a great help to godliness, to resolve to live a godly life; for how shall that be performed, which is not first concluded.
• 2. And yet this conclusion he makes not without God, it had been over-much boldness to resolve without Gods assistance, and therefore he resolves conditionally, and prayes, O for sake me not utterly. This I am resolved on, but then thou O God again must not leave me utterly destitute of thy grace and help; for without it, I can do nothing. And if at any time in thy just judgment thou shalt desert me, that I may know mine own weak∣ness, and learn the better to flie to thee, and rely on thee, yet let it not be an utter desertion, For sake me not, usque minis, usque-quaque, over-long.

The Prayer.

THOU, [Ver. 4] O Lord, who solely hast over us a Legislative power, hast given us a Law in Mount Sinai, and interpreted it upon the Mountain to thy Disciples, and not counselled, but commanded us to kéep thy precepts with all care and diligence. Of our selves, how unable are we to perform it, it is thy assistance and thy grace that must make us obedient, give therefore what thou commandest, [Ver. 5] and then command what thou wilt. O that our wayes, our actions, spéeches, and counsels, were so directed by thy Spirit, that we might keep thy statutes.

Lord, [Ver. 6] I am resolv'd to keep thy statutes, I have decréed with my self to have respect unto all thy Commandments; [unspec 8] but then thou must be my Master to teach me; [unspec 7] for it is from thy Spirit alone that I must learn to love and approve thy righteous judgments; [unspec 8] for want of which love, if thou at any time dost desert me, so that acknowledging mine own weakness and inability, I may flie to thée for grace, O forsake me not over-long; because being destitute of thy grace and help, [unspec 6] I am able to do nothing. Ʋpon every slip and fall, then restore unto me the light of thy countenance, [unspec 7] so shall I not be amazed and con∣founded in my conscience, while I have respect to all thy Commandments; so shall I praise thée for thy grace and assistance with an upright, and an honest heart, because thou hast taught me to love and approve thy righteous judg∣ments.

Make me, [Ver. 1] O Lord, undefiled in thy way, and to walk in thy Law, teach me to kéep thy Testimonies, [Ver. 2] and to séek thée with my whole heart; never suf∣fer me with purpose of heart to adhere to, or with content to delight, or with constancy to continue in the works of iniquity; [unspec 3] but let my will be bent to kéep thy Law, and walk in thy wayes, that I may be blessed; blessed in this life, and in that which is to come. Amen.

2. BETH.

IN the first Octonary, * 1.11 the Prophet having commended Gods Law from the Authour, and the end, which was happiness, in these eight verses following, sets out to us the efficacy and utility of it, to a holy life, without which, that blessedness cannot be obtained.

Secondly, And also the means and way that every one ought to take, * 1.12 who intends that the Law of God shall have that effect upon him.

1. The profit and efficacy of Gods Law, he sets down in the first verse, attri∣buting to it a cleansing power, and for it, he chooseth the most unlikely Subject, a young man; he asks:

• 1. Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his way? [Ver. 1] In a young man the Law of the members is most strong; he wants experience, and cannot be so wise as an old man; he knowes not the way yet, for he is but newly set out, and may be mistaken. Wherewithall then, by what art or remedy, shall this Novice amend the corruptions of his depraved nature, become a sanctified person, refrain his passions, and cleanse his way of life?
• 2. To which the Prophet answers, That the way to amend young men, and indeed all men, is, by taking heed thereto, by a careful watch over his wayes, that they be conformed according to thy Word; Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth. It is good for a man to bear the yoke from his youth; Gods Word is this yoke, and being born from our ten∣der age, it will be operative, and produce a holy life.

2. It being granted, * 1.13 that the Word of God is of this efficacy to cleanse our way, and cause us to live a holy life; next, by his own example, he shewes the means how this holiness may be obtained, which are many.

1. The first is by a diligent search, and by prayer.

• 1. With my whole heart, earnestly have I sought thee. [Ver. 2] It seems he was sensible of his wants; for we seek for that we want, 1 1.14 and would fain have.
• 2. And then petitions, O let me not wander from thy Commandments. As our first calling, so our continuance in the state of grace is from the Lord; David therefore prayes that God would not desert him; for without his grace he must needs wander.

2. The second means of Sanctification is, [Ver. 3] to keep and remember what God commands, so did David. 2 1.15

• 1. Thy words have I hid within my heart: Remembred, approved, de∣lighted in them.
• 2. Yea, and reduced them to practice: The end was, that I might not sin against thee.

3. The third means of Sanctification is, to bless God for his grace, [Ver. 4] and desire a further information, so doth David here. 3 1.16

• 1. He blesseth God for what he had given: Blessed art thou, O Lord.
• 2. He asks more grace: Teach me thy statutes. He had Nathan, he had Priests to instruct him, himself was a Prophet; but all their teaching was nothing without Gods blessing, and therefore he prayes, Teach me; Paul may plant, &c.

4. The fourth means of Sanctification, 4 1.17 the ardent love which men ought to bear to the Law of God, which is expressed in the four last verses, both outwardly and inwardly.

1. [Ver. 5] His love outwardly, testified by his mouth, to the edification of others. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. 1 1.18 He was no mute about Gods Law.

2. [Ver. 6] 2 1.19 And inwardly his love was testified these wayes.

• 1. In his affection: I have rejoyced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. They are of great esteem with men, thy Commandments with me. [Ver. 7]
• 2. 2 1.20 In his meditation of them, which brings the Word to the mind: I will meditate in thy precepts.
• 3. 3 1.21 In his consideration; that which comes into the mind being never so good, if it be not consider'd, goes as it came, whence he saith, I will have respect to thy wayes; look back upon them, and consider them.
• 4. [Ver. 8] In his Delectation, which ariseth out of the other two: I will delight my self in thy statutes, 4 1.22 I will not forget thy Word. Having meditated, considered Gods statutes, he will delight in them, he will never forget them.

The Prayer.

O Lord, [Ver. 1] thou expectest from us, that we be holy as thou art holy, and that we cleanse our polluted wayes, and take héed to order them according to thy Word: But all humane endeavour is utterly vain and unprofitable to this end, [Ver. 2] except thou be present, and assist us by thy holy Spirit; wherefore with our whole heart we séek unto thée, [Ver. 4] that thou wouldst bestow upon us grace, [Ver. 3] that we may not wander from thy Commandments. Teach us, O Lord, thy statutes; [Ver. 5] and let us hide and remember thy words in our hearts, that we may never sin against thée; [unspec 6] make it our daily exercise, to declare with our lips the judgments of thy mouth; [unspec 8] cause us more to rejoyce in the way of thy testi∣monies, [unspec 7] than in all manner of riches: Never suffer us to forget thy Word, but let thy precepts be lodged in our mind by a daily meditation, and thy wayes whetted upon our hearts by a continual consideration, that we may be delight∣ed with them; so let us meditate, that we may consider, and by considering, take delight, and out of delight, perform thy Will in righteousness and holi∣ness all the dayes of our life, through Iesus Christ our Lord.

3. GIMEL.

IN this Octonary, * 1.23 David reckoneth up the impediments that he might meet with, in the keeping of Gods Law. 2. And prayes to God to remove them.

1. [Ver. 1] The first impediment was, a dead soul, and a dull heart, and therefore he prayes for restitution of grace, 1 1.24 of which he had lost the sense by his sin: [Ver. 2] Deal bounntifully with thy servant, that I may live again the life of grace, and keep thy Word.

2. 2 1.25 The second impediment was, the blindness of his understanding, and the vail upon his heart, the perturbations and passions of his soul, love, fear, desire, anger, with which being disquieted, he could not judge aright, and therefore he prayes, Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders, the wonderful equity, wisdom, and profit of thy Law.

3. The third impediment was, his present condition; he was but yet Ʋiator, [Ver. 3] a Traveller in his way to Heaven, and knew not well the way, he might mistake it, 3 1.26 and therefore he prayes; I am a stranger upon earth, I am regenerate but in part, and know the way but in part, therefore hide not thou t••y Commandments from me. It must be conceived, that David was not such a stranger in Israel, that he knew not the two Tables; that then he craves, is, That God by the power of his Spirit would teach him the use, the necessity, the profit, the obedience of these Com∣mandments. [Ver. 4]

4. The fourth impediment was, his infirmity and imperfections. 4 1.27 He found his de∣sires to be too often cool'd; he would, and he would not; he desired, and he did not desire; not so heartily as he should, which made his obedience imperfect, and the effect not to follow, and therefore he manifests here a stronger desire against that imperfection: My soul breaks, for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times. As if he had said, help me, that I may perfectly and ardently desire, and that my desire may be brought to act; for my soul breaks, is contrite, and vexed that it is not so.

5. A fifth impediment, is pride of heart, [Ver. 5] that suffers not men to submit their necks to the yoke of Gods Law; 5 1.28 which impediment David doth not acknowledge in himself, but yet useth it for an Argument that he be obedient, because God hates, and curseth them, who out of pride and contempt violate his Law. Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do erre from thy Commandments: None with a high hand breaks them, that escapes unpunished; not Lucifer, nor Adam.

6. A sixth impediment was, 6 1.29 the mocks and scorns that were put upon him by Saul, and his Courtiers, which he expresseth in the seventh verse, which, because they might be a great disheartning to him, [Ver. 6] therefore he first prayes. * 1.30

• 1. Remove from me reproach and contempt; which is a grievous temptation to a generous spirit, and therefore he desires of God to clear his innocen∣cy, adding this Reason; For I have kept thy Testimonies: I cannot be then that seditious, rebellious person, that troubler of Israel I am pre∣sented to be.
• 2. And yet Princes did sit and speak against me; Saul, Abner, [Ver. 7] Achito∣phel, Doeg, sate in their Councels, at their Feasts, and laid to my charge things that I knew not. It is a hard tentation, when the godly are trou∣bled by any wicked man; but much harder, when troubled by men in honour and authority: But yet David so assaulted by their tongues, * 1.31 keeps still close with God: But thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. He renders not reproach for reproach, nor contempt for contempt; this im∣pediment hinder'd him not to obey God.
• 3. About which he explains himself farther, [Ver. 8] shewing the fruit he reaps by it.
  • 1. Thy Testimonies also are my delight: In Adversity a Conso∣lation.
  • 2. And my Counsellors: In my doubts very faithful friends. Saul hath his Councel, and I have mine; he his Nobles, but I no other of my Councel, but the Commandments of God; from which I receive pleasure to refresh me, and Councel to govern me, and all my Affairs and Business.

The Prayer.

O Lord, many are the impediments that are cast in our way, [Ver. 1] that hinder us from doing our duty to thée; our souls are dull and heavy, [unspec 2] O quicken them; our understandings are dark and blind, O enlighten them; we are

strangers on earth, and know not the way to Heaven, O direct us, and hide not thy Commandments from us. [unspec 3] Desires we have to do thy Will, but they are cold and imperfect; this we lament, and grieve for, it breaks our heart, that they are not more fervent, [unspec 4] fix and heighten these, that we may have a lon∣ging desire to thy judgments at all times.

These discouragements we find within, but we are not without hindrances from without; accursed proud men, that do erre from thy Commandments, are become our enemies, [unspec 5] and Princes also did sit and speak against us, because we have kept thy testimonies. [unspec 7] [unspec 6] O remove from us that shame and contempt they go about to cast upon us for thy sake: [unspec 6] However we will resolve to be thy servants, [unspec 7] we will keep thy testimonies, and meditate in thy statutes. Thy Te∣stimonies shall be our delight and refreshment in all our adversities, [unspec 8] and thy statutes our Counsellors in all our doubts. To thée alone we will repair for comfort and counsel in all our perplexities, and ask it in the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

4. DALETH.

DAƲID in this Octonary, * 1.32 first, sets down the state of an imperfect man; secondly, confesseth it; thirdly, asks grace and mercy; fourthly, which being granted, professeth what he would do.

1. * 1.33 David confesseth his imperfection, and petitions for grace.

• 1. He complains, My soul cleaveth to the dust. Whereas, he should have set his affections on things above, [Ver. 1] he was over-much press'd with earthly cogitations.
• 2. * 1.34 Then prayes, Quicken thou me according to thy Word. Give me a life ac∣cording to thy Law; by cleaving to the earth, I am earthly; by cleaving to the flesh, I am carnal; but if I shall live according to thy Law, which is spiritual, I shall cleave unto God, and become one Spirit with him. Now the godly esteem of life, not according to that they have in body, but in soul; when they want a heavenly disposition to spiritual things, they lament over it, as a dead soul; and therefore pray, quicken me.

2. 2 1.35 David goes on in confession of his imperfections, and petitions for grace.

• 1. [Ver. 2] I have declared my wayes heretofore, shewed unto thee my wandrings, wants, doubts, griefs, I have not been ashamed to open them all, and de∣clare them, I have hid nothing.
• 2. And thou heardst me, sparedst me, and forgavest me out of meer mercy. * 1.36
• 3. Do the like now; and being reconciled to me, Teach me thy sta∣tutes, give me light and grace to direct my wayes. These two ought to be sought together, mercy and grace; mercy for remission, and grace for renovation.

3. * 1.37 David desires to proceed in the wayes of God, and therefore he continues his prayer for farther grace and illumination.

• 1. [Ver. 3] Make me to understand the way of thy precepts. Where the mind is dark∣ned, the heart can never be rightly ordered, therefore he prayes more in∣stantly and diligently for the light of his mind; Teach me then how I shall walk in thy Law.
• 2. He that asks good things of God, should ask them for a good end; so doth David, Make me to understand, so shall I talk of thy wondrous works. Taught in thy School, I shall talk how wonderful are thy Lawes. Diliges

• Deum & proximum, &c. Or that thy works of Creation, Providence, Redemption, &c. are marvellous.

4. And again he returns to speak of his imperfection and infirmity, [Ver. 4] and asks mercy. * 1.38

• 1. My soul melts for heaviness, as a thing melts and consumes by distillati∣on, till nothing be left; so the life and strength of his soul was decaying by grief, and tediousness of his spiritual Combate within, the flesh lusting against the Spirit.
• 2. Therefore he prayes for strength: * 1.39 Strengthen thou me according to thy Word. Add the heat of grace as thou hast promised, and confirm me in this agony, and keep me from falling; which he more clearly begs in the next verse.
• 3. Remove from me the way of lying. [Ver. 5]
  • 1. Bring to pass by thy grace, * 1.40 that I may far depart from every evil way to which in my heaviness I leaned too much.
  • 2. And grant me thy Law graciously: * 1.41 Not so much the Book of the Law, as the matter of it printed in my heart, that may abolish the Law of corruption, vanity, and sin; which I shall account a gift graciously bestowed on me.

5. Thus by prayer having obtained grace and mercy, he tells us what the effects of it were in him, which were three: Election of, Adhesion to, and continuance in the way of truth.

• 1. I have chosen the way of truth, and thy judgments have I laid before me. [unspec 6] In my infirmity I was apt to go the way of lying, but now raised by grace, 1 1.42 I have chosen the way of truth, i. e. the way of thy Commandments.
• 2. I have cleaved to thy Testimonies. In my imperfect state, [unspec 7] my ••oul cleav∣ed to the dust; but now having obtained mercy, 2 1.43 I have stuck unto thy Testimonies.
• 3. Before my soul melted away for heaviness, [unspec 8] but now I will run the way of thy Commandments, expeditely, chearfully, with delight. 2. 3 1.44 When or since thou hast enlarged my heart, and set it free to run by thy Spirit of grace, which, hath made my yoke easie, and my burden light.

The Prayer.

O Lord, with shame of face I must néeds confess, [Ver. 1] that my soul hath cleaved too much to the dust, my affections being set on things on the earth, [unspec 2] and not on things above; my wandrings are many, my failings innumerable, my soul even dead to spiritual things; O quicken me by thy grace, [unspec 3] and revive me by thy mercy, according to thy Word; and reach me thy statutes: [unspec 4] Englighten my mind, and make me to understand the way of thy precepts; [unspec 5] and strengthen me in thy Word, that I slip and fall no more, nor no more adhere to the World, [unspec 6] [unspec 7] and my carnal desires. [unspec 8]

Enrich and beautifie my soul with thy grace, and so for the way of lying, I shall cleave to the way of truth; as my soul hath cleaved to the dust, so shall it stick to thy Testimonies; and as in the Combate betwixt the flesh and the Spirit, I yielded to the flesh, so now I will chearfully and readily run the way of thy Commandments, and so shew my self thankful for thy grace that hath set my heart at liberty, for the merits of Iesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

5. H E.

THIS Octostich is wholly precatory. * 1.45

1. In which, he prayes first for illumination in Gods Law, and desires it may be practical.

2. That God would remove the impediments which may hinder him in doing his duty. * 1.46

1. His first Petition is, Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy Sta∣tutes, and I shall keep it to the end.

2. [Ver. 1] Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy Law; yea, I shall keep it with my whole heart. [unspec 2]

In these two verses, the Prophet asks,

• 1. Institution and illumination in the Word: Teach me, give me un∣derstanding.
• 2. Shewes us to what end he asks it, That he may keep the Law; he desires that his knowledge may be not only speculative, but pra∣ctical.
• 3. * 1.47 And for it, he promiseth perseverance and sincerity, he would be not Temporizer, nor Hypocrite.
  • 1. No Temporizer; For I shall keep it to the end.
  • 2. No Hypocrite; For I shall keep it with my whole heart. He would a∣void those two Vices, which are the bane of all true obedience, Hypocri∣sie and Inconstancy.

2. 2 1.48 As before he craves light to his mind, so in this verse he craves grace for his heart; it is Gods Spirit that works the will and the deed: And therefore he de∣sires the governance and direction of his Spirit, without which he should be nor sincere, nor constant; for he would ever and anon be too apt, redere ad inge∣nium, and therefore he begs.

• 1. [Ver. 3] Make me to go, lead me, direct me. Naturally man is ignorant of the way to eternal life, and if he have any light of knowledge, he is too apt to be msicarried, and wander from it; whence David prayes, that God would be his Guide, and that he be not left to himself; for it was a narrow, strait way, a path he was to go in.
• 2. * 1.49 Make me to go in the path of thy Commandments.
  • 1. A path is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, vita trita, the old way, and not any new track, he would go in that way the servants of God walked before him.
  • 2. A path is a way out of the common Road, nor Beasts, nor Horse, nor Cart go in it, 'tis a way for men; he would then go the way of reasonable men, not the bestial way of the world and flesh.
  • 3. A path is narrow, short, right, clean way; the High-way is a broad, lon∣ger, crooked, foul way; this way he declines, because it leads to Hell, and desires to go that one, clean, strait, short way of Gods Command∣ments.
• 3. * 1.50 Which Petition, that it may be the easilier granted, he shewes his af∣fection and delight that he took to walk in it: For therein do I delight. [Ver. 4]

3. 3 1.51 And now he prayes to God to remove all impediments that might hinder him in his walk.

• 1. Incline my heart unto thy Testimonies. No doubt David found his heart evil inclined, and tempted to a wrong way, averse and backward to obey; and that therefore God would remove this averseness, and bend and in∣cline his heart the right way.

• 2. But especially that he would avert his heart from covetousness; 1 1.52 for that's the root of all evil. The Word in the Original may signifie profit, Gen. 37.26. Psal. 30.9. These profitable sins do take away the inclination of the heart to Gods Law, David prayes against them.

4. The next impediment, is the lust of the eyes: By the eyes, [Ver. 5] as by the win∣dowes, death too often enters into the heart. Eve saw the apple fair to the eye; 2 1.53 Achan the wedge of gold; David himself Bathsheba from the top of his Palace. Ʋt vidi, ut perit; and therefore Job. makes a Covenant with his eyes not to look upon a Maid; and David here prayes:

• 1. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity. * 1.54 The objects are but vain and empty things, they have no solidity in them, O turn my eyes from them. He that will keep his heart with diligence, must have a care of his senses, especially his eyes; for, Qui exteriori oculo negligenter utitur, interiori non injuste caecetur. Gregory in Job.
• 2. Quicken me in thy Law. Man is quick enough to walk in his own way, 4 1.55 he can do it without a Teacher; but except God put life, and keep it in his soul, he hath nor knowledge, nor life, nor strength, nor pleasure to walk in the wayes of God, and therefore David prayes, Quicken me, raise, enliven, refresh, conserve me in life.

5. And here he inserts a Petition for perseverance, [Ver. 6] he vowed and promised it in the two first verses; but being conscious to himself, 5 1.56 how unable he was to perform it without Gods help, he prayes:

• 1. Stablish thy Word unto thy servant: Make good thy Word, give me grace to stand.
• 2. And his Reason to perswade God to this, is, because he was his servant, and such a servant that was devoted to his fear, wholly dedicated to serve and fear thee. I observe the condition that thou requirest in any servant, Lord then make good thy Word, and stablish me.

6. It will be a great reproach in the sight of God at the last day, * 1.57 and is now in the fight of Angels, not to have persevered in the keeping that Law, which is so good, and therefore David having prayed for perseverance, adds,

• 1. Turn away the reproach which I fear at the last day; [Ver. 7] let me not be then shamed.
• 2. For thy judgments are good. This Reason shewes he fear'd Gods rebuke; Mans reproach comes from a corrupt judgment, he condemns where God will absolve, I pass not for it; but I know thy rebuke is alway deserv∣ed: For thy judgments are good.

7. He concludes, desiring God to look upon his Petitions, [Ver. 8] as proceeding from an honest heart. 6 1.58

• 1. Behold I have longed after thy precepts. It appears by these ejaculations, that I desire them seriously.
• 2. Therefore quicken me in thy righteousness. Encrease, conserve me in this spiritual life; false conceptions vanish, and come not to the birth; so the desires of man not quickned, nor conserved by the grace of God: This whole Octonary being a prayer, there needs no other.

6. VAU.

THIS Octostich is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, * 1.59 for he vowes and promises in it to be thankful.

1. First, He prayes for mercy at Gods hands, and the Petition being granted, he promiseth to shew his thankful heart two wayes.

• 1. By a bold confession of Gods Law, and the defence of it before the great∣est Adversary.
• 2. By a holy Conversation toward God in obedience to the Law.

The whole Section then consists of two Petitions, and six Promises.

1. [Ver. 1] The first Petition is, Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation according to thy Word. * 1.60 In his first Petition, he joyns these two, mercy and salvation, as the cause and the effect; for the mercy of God ever brings salvation.

2. * 1.61 This being granted, he would be thankful, and shews it by his boldness in confession of Gods Name in the presence of the proudest Adversary; he would fear nor malice, nor power of man, when he found God kind and merciful to him.

• 1. [Ver. 2] So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me. When thy mercy shall be extended to me, 1 1.62 I shall not fear to answer any Adversary, hitting me in the teeth, That I fear God in vain: For I shall give them a short answer, and a true one.
• 2. That I trust in thy Word; I put my confidence in thee, who canst make good thy promises, because thou art Omnipotent; and wilt, because thou art Merciful.

2. [Ver. 3] His second Petition is, Take not the Word of Truth out of my mouth: The Reason; * 1.63 For I have hoped in thy judgments.

• 1. Take not thy Word of Truth, in which I boast and glory before my Adversaries.
• 2. Take not this Word out of my mouth, so that I dare not to speak, and profess it openly.
• 3. Take it not utterly: If for a time I conceal it, yet let it not be al∣way so.
• 4. For I have hoped in thy judgments: For my hope is in thy fidelity and ju∣stice, which thou wilt so execute upon the desiders of thy Word, that I shall have no need to be ashamed, that I have taken thy Word of Truth into my mouth.

3. [Ver. 4] And now he begins to shew his thankfulness for Gods mercy, by his profession of a holy Conversation, 2 1.64 in heart, in mind, in word, in deed.

• 1. In keeping Gods Law: So shall I keep thy Law continually, for ever and ever.
• 2. [Ver. 5] In making the right use of his liberty: Deo servire libertas. A liberty there is of the flesh, * 1.65 taken up by men, but not given by God; but the liberty that God gives, is, That being freed from our lusts, we serve him with a willing mind, not out of fear, but love; in joy, affection, and with peace of consci∣ence; which David professeth to do in this place: For I seek thy precepts, as a thing much to be desired and loved.
• 3. [Ver. 6] In the service of his tongue: I will speak of thy Testimonies also, even be∣fore Kings, 2 1.66 and will not be ashamed. This is no small thing, especially if we consider, that though no men are more bound to God, than Kings, yet to none is Gods Word more unwelcom; well, yet even before them, David would speak of Gods Testimonies, and not be ashamed to do it.

• 4. In the service of his affections: [Ver. 7] And I will delight my self in thy Commandments, which I have loved. 3 1.67 It is no small progress in Pie∣ty to delight in it, and this followes upon our love; for a man will delight in that he loves. This will make that which would be o∣ther wayes burdensom, a very light load; an easie yoke, and a light burden.
• 5. In the service of his actions: 4 1.68 My hands also I will lift up to thy Commandments, which I have loved. [Ver. 8] The hand is the chief instru∣ment of operation, when David then saith, He would lift up his hands; his meaning is, that he would labour to express Gods Will in his Works. He knew well, that not the heart without the mouth and hand, nor the mouth, nor the hand without the heart would please God, but that these must be conjoyned, and that with de∣light, in the study of true Piety, and therefore he makes profession of all.

The Prayer.

WHILE we consider, O Omnipotent God, on one side, the abso∣lute perfection of thy Law, and on the other side, our own infirmi∣ties and disabilities, we easily perceive, that our obedience must néeds be very imperfect, except thou shalt assist us with thy grace, and extraordinary favour. Let then thy mercies come unto us, O Lord, even thy salvation, [Ver. 1] according unto thy Word, and so shall we have wherewith to answer our Ad∣versaries, that object unto us our slips and falls; and be bold, [Ver. 2] upon the trust we have in thy Word, who canst make good thy Promise, because Thou art Omnipotent; and wilt, because Thou art a Merciful God.

O take not thy Word of Truth utterly out of our mouths, [Ver. 3] nor let us be so faint-hearted and dismayed, as for ever to conceal thy Word; for we rely upon thy fidelity and justice, being assured, that thou wilt poure down thy judgments upon those that deride thy Truth: Notwithstanding all their opposition, assist us with thy Spirit, [Ver. 4] and we will keep thy Law con∣tinually, for ever and ever. We séek thy Commandments, [unspec 5] frée us from the bondage of sin, and the slavery of our lustful affections, that we may walk at liberty, and serve thée with a willing mind, and a loving and quiet soul.

For then will we speak of thy Commandments, even before Kings, [unspec 6] and not be ashamed. [unspec 7] Then will we delight our selves in thy Com∣mandments, which we have loved. [unspec 8] Then will we lift up our hands to thy Commandments, which we have loved, and meditate in thy statutes. Our heart being surprized with delight, we will express it with our tongue, and our tongue shall call to our hands, and set them to work: Heart, tongue and hand shall testifie that we are thy servants, and that it is our whole delight to meditate in, and kéep thy Commandments in the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord.

7. ZAIN.

IN this Octostich the Prophet first prayes. * 1.69 2. Next shewes his constancy to hope and trust in God, notwithstanding some dis∣couragements. 3. Commends the Word of God, shewing what effects it wrought in him.

1. 1 1.70 In the first verse, he begins with a prayer, Remember thy Word unto thy servant, in which thou hast caused me to hope.

• 1. [Ver. 1] Remember: Not as if God could forget his Promise, or change his Will, or retract his Word; * 1.71 but God is then said to forget, when he defers to fulfil his promise. Remember then, signifies nothing else, than accom∣plish and perfect thy promise made unto me thy servant. And though he will fulfil what he hath promised, yet he will be asked to fulfil; and prayer is one, and a chief of those means that draws him to ful∣fil it.
• 2. 1 1.72 Remember thy promise made to thy servant: Which he useth as an Argu∣ment to perswade God to remember his Word; he was his servant, and had in some measure done him sincere service, and so had performed his promise made to God; and therefore desires, that God would remember his promise made to him. It is in vain to desire God to remember his promises made to us, when we make no conscience to perform our pro∣mises made to God.
• 3. 2 1.73 Wherein thou hast caused me to put my trust: This is another, and more forcible Argument to move the Lord to perform his Word: As if he had said, it now stands with the honour of thy Truth to do so; I hope not up∣on presumption, but it was thou Lord, that hast caused me to hope, and I know the true God can no more beguile me, than fail in his Truth: Hope then I do.

2. Now out of this hope and confidence, he received comfort in his greatest affliction, ver. 2. declined not from Gods Law, ver. 3. pitied and lamented the case of Atheistical men, ver. 4.

1. In great afflictions and troubles he was, but this hope kept him fast to God, he despaired not. [Ver. 2]

• 1. * 1.74 This is my comfort in my affliction: This, thy Word and Promise, in which thou hast caused me to hope.
• 2. For thy Word, thy Promise hath quickned me, brought me life and spirit, strength and increase; the comforts of Gods Word to an afflicted soul, are far beyond all Philosophical precepts or comforts.

2. Enemies he had, proud men and scoffers, that tempted me to let go my hope, and forsake thy Word.

• 1. [Ver. 3] The proud have had me greatly in derision; which is a shrewd temptation to a generous spirit.
• 2. Yet have I not declined from thy Law: Thy promise put life and vigour into me.

3. For in my affliction, and their scorns and derisions:

• 1. [Ver. 4] I remembred thy judgments of old, how thou casts down the proud, and exalt'st the humble, * 1.75 giving ample rewards to those that kept thy Law, as to Abraham, Job, &c. and brought'st heavy punishments upon the Trans∣gressors of it, as the old World, Sodom, Pharaoh, &c.
• 2. And in those I have comforted my self, believing, quod bonis benè, quod malis malè.

3. His assured hope of reward promised in Gods Word, made him to grieve for, and commiserate the cause of those that forsook Gods Law wilfully and stub∣bornly,

because they should never be partakers of the Reward God had pro∣mised.

• 1. Horrour hath taken hold upon me. Totus homo, contremisco. He was afraid, [Ver. 5] and grieved at the sins of the wicked that scorned him, 2 1.76 because the Law of God was contemned by them; not for the harm they suffered, but for the harm they did thereby unto themselves.
• 2. For these men were Desertores, Apostates, wicked men that forsook thy Law: And sure many of this Age are guilty of it, though not in words, yet in deeds.

3. Nor his afflictions, nor the derision of profane men, no, 3 1.77 nor the ill ex∣ample of Apostates, could any way move him from his hope in Gods Pro∣mise, constant he was to the Law of God still; and professeth, that though wicked men could find no savour nor sweetness in it, yet to him, that knew how great a Reward was laid up for them that kept it, it was both a sweet and an easie yoke.

• 1. He was as yet out of his Countrey, in the house of his Pilgrimage; for Gods servants esteem themselves no better, they are but Pilgrims and strangers upon earth. [Ver. 6]
• 2. And yet he took such delight in Gods Law, that they were his Musick and his Song: 1 1.78 Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgri∣mage.
• 3. Yea, which was yet more, not in the day-time only he entertained his thoughts with them, but in the night-season also. I have remembred thy Name, O Lord, in the night, and have kept thy Law. When others snort, [unspec 7] are secure, or meditate iniquity on their beds, [unspec 8] then I meditate how to keep thy Law.

4. And so he concludes with this comfortable Epiphonema, This I had: 2 1.79 This Reward from thee, that nor the scoffs of mine enemies, nor mine own afflictions, nor yet the lewd examples of wicked men have removed me from thy Law: And over and above, that the hope I had in thee, hath so com∣forted my heart, That thy statutes have been my songs in this my Pilgri∣mage; my meditations in the night-season, and that I have kept thy pre∣cepts.

The Prayer.

O most merciful God, I have not from any other means conceived hope of salvation and deliverance in my afflictions, than from thy most faithful promises; for from them it is, that I must fetch my sole comfort, [Ver. 1] if at any time the flesh and humane reason, the Devil, and wicked men do proudly and maliciously insult over me: Remember then thy Word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. Nany are the troubles of my soul, [Ver. 3] but yet I despair not; many are the scoffs and scorns that proud men have cast upon me, from adhering to thée; but yet I have not declined from thy Law, [Ver. 2] for thy promises have been my comfort, and thy Word hath quickned me, put life into me, and refreshed me; and lest I should dye, and pine away with grief, hath kept me in life.

O Lord, I have called to my memory thy most righteous judgments, which from the beginning of the World thou hast used toward just and impious men, [Ver. 4] exalting the humble, and casting down the proud; rewarding the good, and bringing heavy judgments upon the wicked; and from this I comforted my self. And yet in this meditation, and the comfort that I received, [Ver. 5] I was not so devaid of charity, that I did not lament and commiserate the condition of the lewdest men; a horrour, a terrible trembling, even a defection of spirit overwhelmed my soul, even for the wicked. I grieved from the very soul,

that they should so carelesly neglect their own salvation, and so maliciously for∣sake thy Law.

They wilfully cast it aside, but I have born so ardent an affection to it, that in the place of my Banishment, [Ver. 6] where I liv'd as a stranger; and in this World, where I live as a Pilgrim, thy statutes have béen my hymns and my songs; with these I have eased the troubles and sorrowes of my Pilgrimage, as Travellers are used to do; who, to remove the tediousness of their journey, are wont to delight themselves with some delightful song: [Ver. 7] Neither have I on∣ly in the day-time béen busted in the study of thy Law, but even in the night-season I have called to mind thy Name, and examined my heart, how I have honoured it in the day before. Even in the night-season, when men are most apt, [Ver. 8] and procline to sin, because of the darkness, and temptations of evil spirits; I then upon the memory of thy Name, have diligently kept thy Law. O Lord, remember me for good, and let me have this reward of my obedience, that nor afflictions, nor derisions move me from my duty, nor yet I be de∣prived of my hope; but so encouraged and quickned by thy promises, that I may with all diligence séek, and by séeking know; and when I know, kéep thy precepts. Grant this for thy Son Iesus Christs sake.

9. CHETH.

IN this Octonary, * 1.80 we have Davids Protestation, that God is his portion, and his Resolution upon it, * 1.81 to keep Gods Law; to which, because he was unable of himself, he, 2. Prayes for grace. 3. Which being granted, he makes a profession of his Duty, and of a holy life, shewing in what it doth consist. 4. And concludes with a prayer.

1. [Ver. 1] Thou art my portion, O Lord. Let other men choose as they please, make choice of honours, riches, &c. Here abrenuncio, I renounce them all in com∣parison of thee; Thou art my portion, my inheritance; Thou sufficient for me, I require no more.

2. * 1.82 And upon it I resolve: Dixi, statui, decrevi; I have said, resolv∣ed, [Ver. 2] decreed to be an obedient servant: I have said I would keep thy words. * 1.83

3. But, O Lord, Thou knowest how unable I am to do this without thy grace and help, therefore I intreated thy favour with my whole heart; and I yet intreat it, Be merciful to me according to thy Word.

Three helps there are of a godly life; Determination, Supplication, Con∣sideration; and here we meet with all three.

• 1. Determination; this makes a man begin well: This in the first verse, Dixi, I have said.
• 2. Supplication; this makes a man to continue well: This in the second verse, I intreated.
• 3. Consideration; this makes a man when he goes wrong, to come to the way again, which is expressed in the third verse; for David goes on.

4. [Ver. 3] I have thought on my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies: 'Tis not sufficient to pray to God, * 1.84 except we co-operate with his grace, which co-operation lies in two things; in Aversion from evil, and Conversion to good, without which we can never be sanctified persons, which David here aims at; both he did.

• 1. Take into consideration his wayes; 1 1.85 he sought not so much into other mens lives, as into his own; and examined his actions, whether they were con∣formable to the Law of God or no; and where he found them irregular, left them out of question.
• 2. But he stayed not there; 2 1.86 for he conformed his life to the Law and Will of God, which was the only right way: I turned my feet unto thy Testimonies.

5. And this his care of Sanctification, is declared many wayes. [Ver. 4]

• 1. By his readiness and zeal in it, he delayed not: I made haste, 1 1.87 and delayed not to keep thy Commandments. [unspec 5]
• 2. By his magnanimity and constancy, notwithstanding all opposition: 2 1.88 The bands of the wicked have robbed me, and plunder'd me for keeping thy Law; but for all that, I have not forgotten thy Law. [unspec 6]
• 3. By his fervour about it; he would omit no time to perform his duty, 3 1.89 no not the night; he would abate rather of his rest and sleep, than be de∣fective in this necessary. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments. He would observe his Vigils, and his nights Psalmody.
• 4. And he would have a care of his company. Qui cum claudo habitat, 4 1.90 claudicare discet: And therefore avoiding the society of lewd men, [unspec 7] I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.

6. And lastly, he concludes with an Acclamation and Petition.

• 1. The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercies: Not a Creature, [Ver. 8] but is partaker of thy goodness one way or other; * 1.91 let me then have my share in it, and in this especially, that I may know and obey thy Will; for,
• 2. Teach me thy statutes. I account it the greatest misery not to know thy Law, let thy mercy remove this misery from me; for this is that one thing I desire, of this I am ambitious, because I account thee my portion.

The Prayer.

O Lord, whereas the men of this World, choose their parts and inheritan∣ces in, and of the earth, I despising these transitory good things, [Ver. 1] have made choice of thée for my portion, whom I alone desire, and in whom I know all good things are reposed; and in order to the possessing of thée, I have said, I have decréed, and am fully resolv'd, that I would keep thy words: But, O merciful God, I know, that without thy gracious assistance, [Ver. 2] all my resolutions will be frustrate, therefore I intreat thy favour with my whole heart, be merciful unto me according to thy Word, in which thou hast promised to be present with those who study to please thée, and call upon thée.

Give me grace, O Lord, seriously to think upon, and consider all my wayes, [Ver. 3] and to co-operate with thy grace; and by a diligent examination, where I find them irregular, and no way consonant to thy Will, to conform them to thy Word, and to turn my feet unto thy Testimonies; yea, and to do this chear∣fully, without murmuring; and readily, without delaying; [Ver. 4] being neither de∣terred by the difficulty of the work, nor yet affrighted through fear of those who persecute just men, and just works: [Ver. 5] Though the bands of wicked men shall rob and plunder me for continuing in that which is good, yet let me be con∣tent to leave all, and follow thée; never suffer either dangers or losses so far to prevail over me, that I forget thy Law.

To this make me obedient in the day, to this in the night-season, [Ver. 6] and to spare some houres from my stéep, and meditate, and give thanks to thée

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for thy righteous judgments, being fully perswaded, that thou dost moderate all things with a just hand, and art a just Iudge, even in those things which I suffer.

Lord, [Ver. 7] forsaking the conspiracies and societies of rebellious men, I desire to be a Companion of those that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. Thou art a merciful God, [Ver. 8] and the earth is full of thy mercy, I humbly then beg of thée this mercy, that by thy Spirit, Thou wouldst teach me thy statutes; that in all things I may know what I am to do, and by the power and perswa∣sion of the same Spirit, I may be ready to do it, to the honour of thy holy Name, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

9. TETH.

IN this Octonary, * 1.92 David being delivered from some Af∣fliction:

1. Shewes how graciously God dealt with him, both in bringing him into it, and out of it.

2. Then he prayes to God for a right judgment and know∣ledge.

3. And expresseth his love to Gods Law.

1. [Ver. 1] In this verse David gives thanks for a mercy received, and acknow∣ledgeth it.

• 1. * 1.93 Thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant: Graciously in afflicting him, and graciously in delivering him.
• 2. According to thy Word. Natural men will not believe, that what God hath said shall come to pass, with them, the Vision is but wind; but godly men find, and confess every syllable true, and that it shall take effect; of which David had experience.

2. [Ver. 2] In the next he prayes, and adds the Reason, Teach me good judgment and knowledge, * 1.94 for I have believed thy Commandments.

• 1. Teach me a good judgment: For there is a judgment that is not good, es∣pecially in this point that David now speaks of, viz. why Gods servants should be under the Cross; for the World judges them for this miserable, and so any man would think, till he goes into the Sanctuary of God; for then he shall judge aright, and know the end why God suffers them to be afflicted; David then desires that God would teach him a good judg∣ment in this case.
• 2. He asks for science and knowledge, that he may understand the mysteries of Gods Law; he began to understand somewhat, but he desires to know more; he would have Tob Tagnam, the goodness of taste, a true sense and feeling of what he knew, as much as was alotted to this life; for here at most we know but in part.
• 3. * 1.95 His Reason is; For I have believed thy Commandments. David brings the Reason of his Petitions sometimes from the Attributes in God, his Mercy, Power, Goodness, &c. Sometime from himself, as from his own love, his fear, his faith in God, as here, I believe in thee. It is not sufficient to ask of God in consideration what he is, but we must enquire what we are: For though he be good and gracious, &c. yet what is that to us, if we believe not in him, love him not, fear him not.
• 4. Observe how David asks here, first for a good judgment, then for know∣ledge; for knowledge, without a good judgment, doth much mischief; knowledge puffs up: 'Tis the same that St. Paul asks for the Philippians, cap. 1.9.

3. And having obtained by prayer a good judgment, [Ver. 3] he judgeth rightly of his afflictions, acknowledging that Gods chastisements had made him more godly and humble; for, * 1.96

• 1. Before I was afflicted, I went wrong: Prosperity is the mother of Errour.
• 2. But now I have kept thy Word. Schola Crucis, Schola Lucis: The Rod on his back made him wiser; God then had graciously dealt with him, to afflict him; bad men are the worse for afflictions, the good better; and this sanctifies afflictions to them.
• 3. Upon which he acknowledgeth again what he said in the first verse, Thou hast dealt graciously; in this thou art good and gracious, [Ver. 4] and repeats in ef∣fect his Petition, Teach me thy statutes; which is all one, * 1.97 with teach me knowledge.

4. Now, a great part of his affliction proceeded from wicked men that were his enemies, and oppugned him in his wayes and service of God, in which yet he was constant; these he describes in the two next verses.

• 1. That they were proud men, the proud. It is not without cause, [Ver. 5] that they are called proud; 1 1.98 for pride is the mother of all Rebellion against God and man; Grace ever works Humility; Pride, Contempt, Trea∣son, &c.
• 2. How they warr'd against David, it was with a lye. 2 1.99 Satans two Arms by which he wrestles against the godly, are violence and lies; where he can∣not, or dare not use violence, there he will be sure not to fail to fight with lyes.
• 3. How they trimmed up their lyes: Concinnarunt mendacia, Tremell. 3 1.100 Their lyes were trimmed up with the coverings of Truth to make them more plausible; their unrighteous dealings were covered over with appearances of righteousness.
• 4. But I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. * 1.101 He would not fight against the wicked with their own Weapon, rendring a lye for a lye, or re∣buke for rebuke; but he takes himself to the Truth of Gods Word, and obedience to him. [Ver. 6]
• 5. Their he art is as fat as grease: Either,
  • 1. Because they abounded in worldly wealth, 4 1.102 which is well signified by grease.
  • 2. Because they were sensless of their condition: For the fat of all Creatures is the least sensitive; Needles thrust into it will not be felt.
  • 3. But I delight in thy Law.

5. But the condition of godly men is other; the godly are not proud, * 1.103 they are humble; afflictions make the ungodly rage, storm, and blaspheme; good men kiss the Rod, and are ready to say with David; for their heart is not sensless, as fat as grease; but they are tender-hearted, they melt at every blow God gives them, and say, [unspec 7]

• 1. It is good for me that I have been afflicted: Before I was proud, * 1.104 now humble; before stubborn and disobedient, but now soft-hearted and obe∣dient.
• 2. That I might learn thy statutes: Learn them not by Rote, but by ex∣perience; learn to keep them better, lest I be whip'd again; learn to be more wise, godly, religious, when the trouble is gone; and this is a san∣ctified Cross.
• 3. And by this also I might learn to put an higher price and value upon Gods Commands, than hitherto I have done, to which no earthly treasure is comparable: The Law of thy mouth is better unto me, [unspec 8] than thousands of gold and silver: For by keeping of thy Law I shall obtain eternal life, * 1.105 which gold and silver cannot purchase.

The Prayer.

O Most gracious God, though thou hast brought upon us many troubles, and afflicted us with heavy judgments, [Ver. 1] yet in this thou hast dealt graciously with thy servants, [unspec 4] and even according to thy Word, that we have béen better'd by thy judgments, and found comfort in the midst of our sorrowes. O Lord, Thou art good in thy self, [unspec 3] and dost good to thy servants in all that thou bringest upon them; and we must néeds confess, that even those things we suffer, have béen good unto us by thy mercy; [unspec 7] for before we were afflicted, we went astray: But now being put in mind of our sins, the causes of our afflictions, we have béen more attent and diligent to kéep thy Law. It is good for us then that we have been afflicted, that we might learn thy statutes.

Go on then gracious God, [unspec 2] not to afflict, but still to teach us, and by thy cha∣stisèments to make us wiser, teach us good judgment and knowledge, let us judge aright of thy judgments, and our own deserts; and let this thy Disci∣pline make us know our duty, and perform our duty better ever hereafter, both to thée, and our Neighbour; make us by these to love thée, to fear thée, and to believe thy Word, That thou art a jealous God, that will visit the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth Generation of them that hate thee, and shew mercy unto thousands in them that love thee, and keep thy Com∣mandments.

And yet in these we cannot but complain unto thée of those injuries we suf∣fer from the hands of proud and rebellious men. [Ver. 5] Thou, Lord, art just, in letting them in upon us; but they most unjust and malicious, in the execution of thy wrath. Pride hath béen the cause of their rebellion, and a continued pack of lies, the means they have used to bring their Treason to pass; these they forged against us, and spun with so fine a thread, and dressed up in so hand∣som a way, that they have béen taken for Truth, and by that colour deceived the simple to our ruine, under a pretence of Piety, Iustice, Liberty, and Re∣formation, [unspec 6] they have brought upon us this horrid confusion: And in this they still go on, in this they procéed; for their heart is swollen with pride, and fat∣ned with success and riches, they are not sensible of thy judgments, nor fear thy wrath; Their heart is as fat as grease; and there is nothing, but some heavy judgment from thy hand that can melt it: O Lord, abate their pride, asswage their malice, and confound them in their lies.

And confirm thy people in the Truth, that being no way withdrawn by their delusions, nor affrighted with their malice, they may be constant, and live in thy fear, [Ver. 8] and delight in thy Law, and keep thy Commandments with their whole heart. O let the Law of thy mouth be more dear and better unto them, than thousands of gold and silver. These cannot redéem a soul from hell, or from the grave; but the observation of thy Law will deliver from eternal death, and bring a man to that life which is everlasting, through the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord.

10. JOD.

IN this Section, * 1.106 David prayes for understanding, comfort, mer∣cy. 2. And useth many Arguments to perswade God un∣to it.

1. In the first verse, he petitions for understanding, and labours to perswade God unto it, because he was his Creature, made and fashioned by him.

• 1. Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me; I am thy workmanship. [Ver. 1] Thy Power, thy Wisdom (which are as it were Gods two hands) made me, when I was not; made me a living soul, and fashioned all my joynts, bones, ligatures, sinewes, tendons, muscles, &c. in my mothers womb.
• 2. Therefore give me understanding: He means not the intellectual faculty, for that every man hath; but an understanding heart, a divine light, that my mind may perfectly know, learn, approve, love thy Will.
• 3. Give me understanding, that I may learn thy Commandments; learn the sense, and love the meaning, and practice what he learned.

2. His next Argument to perswade God to this, is, * 1.107 the benefit that thereby would redound to others, that he ordering his life according to that understanding that God should give him, others would thereby be edified, and better'd in their lives by his example; for there is such a communion and fellowship betwixt the members of Christs Body, that they mourn, and rejoyce together; the grace given to one, is a joy to the rest.

They that fear thee, will be glad when they see me, [Ver. 2] because I have hoped in thy Word.

3. His third Argument is, his ingenous confession, * 1.108 that he himself was in the fault, and not God; if he were at any time deserted and destitute of this divine light.

• 1. I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, [Ver. 3] if at any time I be void of grace.
• 2. And that thou, in faithfulness, in thy justice, hast afflicted me, because I have so deserved, and therefore I complain not of thy justice, but flie to thy mercy, and say.

2. And this is his second Petition, Let, I pray thee, [Ver. 4] thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy Word. 2 1.109 He had had experiment of Gods justice and equity in afflicting him for not keeping his Law, and therefore to comfort him, he begs mercy; being destitute of grace, he broke the Law, this disheartned him; but if again God would bestow him so much grace, that he might keep it, this would comfort him; which, that God might be moved more readily to bestow, he puts him in mind of his promise, let it be according to thy Word.

2. And for this mercy he was so earnest and fervent, that he prayes for it again, [Ver. 5] Let thy tender mercies come unto me: But if we mark it, in this verse he seeks for another kind of mercy than he sought before; then he sought for mercy to comfort him in his troubles, now he seeks for mercy to live, and sin no more.

• 1. Let thy tender mercies come to me, that I may live, * 1.110 that I may live the life of grace, which is the ready way to the life of glory, Matth. 19.17.
• 2. For thy Law is my delight: To live according to thy Will, is that I delight in.

3. A third Petition he puts up, not against, but for his enemies; 3 1.111 for shame is often the Corrector of sin; he that is ashamed of what he hath done, will not do it again; and therefore he prayes in this Form.

• 1. Let the proud be ashamed; adding a Reason, [Ver. 6] that shewes their malice.
• 2. For they have dealt perversly with me, without cause, no cause at all I gave them; but they have dealt perversly, wittingly, and willingly; not by chance, nor out of ignorance, nor upon inanimadvertence, but on full purpose of heart, they have wrong'd me, and sought to withdraw me from the right way.

• 3. But I will meditate in thy precepts. I will be constant in thy Truth still, and persevere in my integrity. [Ver. 7]

4. 4 1.112 A fourth Petition he yet offers, that however he found trouble and discom∣fort from the wicked, yet he might comfort from the godly: Let such as fear thee, turn unto me, and those that have known thy Testimonies. Gods Church is a Com∣munion of Saints, and to them God hath so distributed his graces, that one stands in need of another; where one doubts, anothers light may resolve him; one grieves, another may comfort him; one tempted, another may uphold or restore him. [Ver. 8] This company then David would have joyned to him, and he to them, for these ends.

5. 5 1.113 Lastly, he petitions for that which he had often sought, grace and sincerity, that he may nor in this, nor another life be ashamed to appear before his God. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes, that I be not shamed. Hypocrisie and rottenness of heart, will be the mother of shame; Sincerity and upright∣ness will make a man bold before God and man. The righteous is as bold as a Lyon.

This Section is a continued prayer, and therefore there needs no other.

11. CAPH.

IN this Section, * 1.114 David first laments, being grieved with some inward anguish. Secondly, Complains to God of his enemies. Thirdly, Expresses his hope and constancy. Fourthly, And prayes to God for comfort and grace.

1. * 1.115 David being in distress, and deferr'd of help, was sore dejected and cast down, his soul fainted, his eyes failed, and his body pined, withered and shrunk a∣way, ver. 1, 2, 3. He begins in sad words.

• 1. 1 1.116 My soul fainteth for thy salvation. As the body wanting natural helps to refresh it, [Ver. 1] becomes faint; so doth the soul, destitute of heavenly comfort, languish. This was Davids case.
• 2. * 1.117 Yet he despairs not: Yet I hope in thy Word. The delaying of thy salvation makes me faint, but the assured hope I have in thy Word and Promise, keeps my heart alive, and strengthneth me, and com∣forts me.
• 3. [Ver. 2] My eyes fail for thy Word.
  • 1. My eyes especially, those of my mind are still looking up to Heaven for help, and they are ready to fail, because the help comes not; as the eyes do that long looks after any thing.
  • 2. Saying, When wilt thou comfort me, how long Lord? how long dost thou delay me? when will the comfort come? God delayes the prayers of his servants, and his promises, that they should be the fitter to receive.
• 4. [Ver. 3] I am become like a bottle in the smoke; That is dried up, extenuated, and worn away to nothing, shrunk into wrinkles, being destitute of the comforts of thy Spirit.
• 5. Yet do I not forget thy statutes. I mortifie my flesh still, and therefore being obedient, 2 1.118 I have reason to expect comfort and ease from thee.

2. [Ver. 4] This distress he found within, but he had vexation also from without, bitter enemies, * 1.119 of which he complains, asking first:

• 1. How long he should suffer under them? How many are the dayes of thy servant? How long shall this affliction endure? when shall the dayes of this tentation and misery be at an end, this persecution be over?

• 2. When wilt thou execute judgement, he means temporal punishments, on them that persecute me? O let me not dye comfortless, but let me see, that thou art a God of judgement, and men behold, that there is a reward for the righteous.
• 3. And in the next verse he describes them from their qualities. [Vers. 5]
  • 1. They were proud. Men that would endure no yoke of God, * 1.120 of man.
  • 2. Subtile. They digg'd pits. For their advantage, 2 1.121 submit to any base of∣fice, crouch and bow, Psa. 104.10. Absolon abased himself.
  • 3. Impious men, for the courses they took against him, 3 1.122 were not accor∣ding to Gods Word, They digg'd pits for me, which were not after thy Law. 'Tis some comfort yet, that we have those men our enemies, that are enemies to God, and whose actions are displeasing to him.
  • 4. For they are contrary to thy Law. For all thy Commandments are true, [unspec 6] nay truth it self, and they a false generation.
  • 5. And yet these are the men that persecute me, * 1.123 but they do it wrong∣fully.
  • 6. Therefore, O Lord, help me. Help me against their treachery.
  • 7. And it is but time. For their malicious cruelty is unsatiable, [unspec 7] they have not only troubled me, but had almost consumed me upon earth.
  • 8. The comfort yet is, that it is not done, [unspec 8] because I forsook not thy pre∣cepts.

3. He shuts up all with a Petition that he makes often in this Psalm. 3 1.124

• 1. Quicken me. And it may seem strange, that so often he should ac∣knowledge himself, as it were, a dead man, and desire God to put life into him. But to a child of God every desertion and decay of strength, seems a death, so desirous they are to live to God, that when they fail in it, and are dismabled, they account themselves, as it were, dead, and pray the Lord for life. Quicken me. * 1.125
• 2. Quicken me after thy loving-kindness, he opposeth Gods kindness to his enemies malice, and it is comfortable, I am troubled with their ma∣lice for thy sake; and therefore I crave to be refreshed by thy kindness. In that there is comfort enough, Psa. 52.1.
• 3. So shall I keep the Testimonies of thy mouth. So, that is, quickned by thee, for otherwise there was in him no strength to obey, no more than a dead man doth the actions of a natural life.

The Prayer.

O Merciful God, while that help and salvation, [Vers. 1] which we alone expect from thée, is delayed and with-held from us, our very souls have faint∣ed within us. To thée we look day and night, [unspec 2] and our eyes are bent toward heaven in expectation of thy promises. O Lord, when wilt thou comfort us? [unspec 3] Our body languisheth, our skin is furrowed into wrinkles, no bottle in the smoke is more dryed up, than is our flesh, while we look and long for help from thy hand.

Proud men, the sons of Belial, that have shaked off the yoke, [unspec 5] have digg'd pits for our life. They wrongfully persecute us; [unspec 6] They have almost consumed us upon the earth. O Lord, how many are the dayes of thy servants? [unspec 7] How long shall this affliction endure? [unspec 4] when shall the dayes of this tentation and misery be at an end? when wilt thou execute jugement on them that persecute us? Help us, O Lord, for we hope in thy Word; arise and deliver us, [unspec 1] for we have not forgotten, nor yet will forsake thy Statutes. This we have resolved on, [Vers. 3.7.]

this we have decréed, but to perform this resolution of our selves we are not able, no more than a dead man is to execute the actions of the living. Quick∣en us then with thy Grace according to thy loving-kindness, and infiniteness of thy mercy, [unspec 8] and so will we kéep thy Testimonies, which thou hast made known unto us by thine own finger, and left unto us by the mouth of thy own Son, Iesus Christ our Lord.

12. LAMECH.

THIS Octonary is an Encomium of the Word of God, * 1.126 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. * 1.127 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, * 1.128 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 1.129 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. * 1.130 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 1.131 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 1.132 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; * 1.133 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 1.134
• 3. And here now in such an extremity, 2 1.135 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 1.136 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.

The Prayer.

O Omnipotent God, Thou hast given us assurance of thy Faithfulness and Truth in the performance of thy Word and Promise made unto thy servants, even by that constant order and continuance which we behold in thy creatures: For why is it, that those orbs above have béen so long-liv'd? why are they not corrupted? why do they continue in that excellent beauty, [Ver. 1] and perpetual motion? but that thy Word is setled in Heaven. Why is it, that the foundations of earth do not decay and shake? [Ver. 2] but that thy faithfulness is to all generations; they continue this day according to thy Ordinance; for they are thy creatures, Thou their Lord, [Ver. 3] and they must serve and do their homage to thée.

We alone are thy disobedient creatures, and for this thou bringest us justly into trouble, and under these we should have fainted, and utterly perished, had it not béen from the comforts that we receive from thy Word, [Ver. 4] it delights our souls, and confirms our hearts even in the extremities of our sorrowes, when we find in it thy Word, many gracious promises made unto thy ser∣vants.

I will never therefore forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickned me. [Ver. 5] I was ready even to expire and dye, till I meditated on, and called to mind thy Law, which by the power of thy Spirit hath encreased grace in me, and by the

promise of glory brought me again to life: [Ver. 6] For which promise I am thine, and I vow my self to be thine; I will no more be a servant to the Devil, the World, and the flesh, I renounce them all, I forsake them, and betake my self wholly to thy service. And since I have given my self wholly unto thée, let me be thy care, [Ver. 7] O save me, save me, O my God; for I am invironed with ma∣licious and cruel enemies, whom nothing can satisfie but my blood; they are diligent, and wait for an opportunity to destroy me, and take away my life; but thou, O Lord, hast testified, that thou wilt deliver those that trust in thée, and therefore I will consider in my troubles these thy testimonies.

I sée an end of all perfection, Riches, Honours, Crowns, Kings, Friends fade and fail, [Ver. 8] and are but miserable comforters, but thy Commandment is ex∣ceeding broad, it extends to, and refresheth all that are in affliction, it abides by them in tentations while they live, and forsakes them not in their death; in life and death therefore I will adhere to this: Take not then the comfort of thy Word out of my mouth while I live, and never let it leave me, till it hath brought me to eternal happiness, through Iesus Christ my Lord and Saviour. Amen.

13. MEM.

DAƲID in this Section shewes his great affection to the Law of God. * 1.137 2. And the many benefits and fruits he reaped from it.

1. His affection is declared in the first verse, which he patheti∣cally expresseth.

• 1. [Ver. 1] O how I love thy Law; wherein he calls God himself to be Judge of his love, witnessing thereby, that it was no counterfeit love, but compleat and sincere.
• 2. And he proves that which he sayes. The nature of true love is, to con∣verse with, and think on the thing beloved, and it useth all means to obtain it: So David here proves his love to God, by the love he bears to his Law, and his love to his Word, by the thoughts he had on it: All the day long is my meditation in it. I think, speak, or do little else all the day.

2. 2 1.138 And now he enters upon his Encomium, or praise of Gods Word, from the admirable effects that it might have in them who will meditate in it, of which he makes himself the instance. This he amplifies, by comparing himself with three kinds of men, his Enemies, his Teachers, the Ancients, than all which he grew wiser by this meditation.

• 1. [Ver. 2] Thou through thy Commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies. The Law of God being well thought on, 1 1.139 teacheth a man what, how, where, and when to speak, or to be silent, to act, or desist; which wis∣dom Davids enemies wanted; he was then wiser than they. A great controversie there is, who is the wise man, the godly man, or the Machi∣vilian; Gods Word will easily decide it.
• 2. His Reason, why he was wiser, is: For they are ever with me, thy Command∣ments alwayes by me, and at hand to be my Counsellors.

Again, [Ver. 3] secondly, I have more understanding than all my Teachers; for thy Testi∣monies are my meditation: 2 1.140 Which though it may seem to be arrogantly spoken, yet it is not; for it is no new thing for him that was sometimes a Scholar, to out∣go and excel his Master; yea, and there be many that will take upon them to be Masters to teach others, that which they never learned themselves. It is of practical knowledge David speaks, and in this it was no hard thing to exceed his Teachers.

And yet again thirdly, I understand more than the Ancients. [Ver. 4] He means not Adam, Noah, Abraham, &c. or any of those Ancient Worthies; 3 1.141 but those old men with whom he lived, who were but grandaevi pueri, being grown in years, but not in knowledge and piety: He was wiser than their gray hairs, because he kept Gods precepts, meditated in them, and daily practi∣sed them.

3. Another Encomium he gives to Gods Word, is, 2 1.142 That it is of power to keep from sin, and for that he gives an instance in himself also.

• 1. I have refrained my feet. [Ver. 5] Davids wisdom consisted not in a bare spe∣culation, but in practice, he refrained from evil; * 1.143 he took no delight in walking in wicked wayes.
• 2. I have refrained from every evil way. He knowes not what it is to resist sin, that resists not every sin; that is, fights not against, and do his utmost endeavour to refrain it, and take heed of it, and subdue it, if pos∣sible.
• 3. And this resistance makes us stronger, and more able to keep Gods Word; whereas transgression diminisheth our spiritual light and strength, whence David saith, I have refrained from every evil way, that I might keep thy Word. * 1.144

Now lest that any man should think that David ascribed this praise of godli∣ness to himself, or that it came from any goodness in him, that he did refrain, he gives all the glory to God in the next verse; protesting, because God did teach and enable him, therefore he declined not.

I have not declined, or departed from thy judgments, [Ver. 6] for thou hast taught me.

4. A third Encomium of Gods Law is, 3 1.145 That it brings great pleasure to those that keep it, of which David having experience, cries out, O how sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, sweeter than honey unto my mouth. [Ver. 9] I have a feeling of them, I desire to speak of them to others. * 1.146 The words of God written in the heart, are more tasteful and pleasant to the conscience, because they quiet it, than honey can be to the palate.

And in the last verse, he proves what he said, 1 1.147 by two excellent benefits he reap∣ed by it; the one was understanding in his mind, 2 1.148 the other sanctification of his af∣fections.

• 1. Through thy precepts I get understanding; I am by them become learned, [Ver. 8] wise, prudent; he was of good understanding of himself, 3 1.149 but he prefers this light.
• 2. Therefore; because I love thy Law, I hate every false way; whether it be a false Religion, or evil manners; his affections were sanctified by it, which begot in him a strong confidence, from which did arise in his soul joy, peace, and tranquility, which is to be preferr'd before all treasures and pleasures.

The Prayer.

O Gracious God, [Ver. 1] I want words to express that love which I bear unto thy Law, O how sweet are thy words unto my taste, yea, [Ver. 7] they are sweeter than honey unto my mouth; [Ver. 1] and this is the reason that those houres of the day which others mispend upon banities and pleasures, [Ver. 3] I spend in the meditation of thy Commandments. [Ver. 2]

Through thy precepts it is, that I get understanding; [Ver. 8] by thy Command∣ments, I am become wiser than my enemies, [unspec 3] of more understanding than my Teachers, more prudent than the Ancients, who are full of years, [unspec 4] but not of wisdom, because they know not what to practise, or will not practise what they know.

Be thou, O Lord, my Master, and perfect thy work, give me more know∣ledge, [Ver. 6] and teach me still, so I shall not depart from thy judgments. Let thy Commandments be ever with me, alwayes in my memory, alwayes in my heart, [Ver. 2] and so I shall not only refrain my féet, which I desire, from any one, but from every evil way; [Ver. 5] so shall I carry a perfect hatred to every false way. Grant, O Lord, that I may bestow that little remainder of my time I have, to live in vertuous and religious actions to the glory of thy Name, [Ver. 8] and the sal∣vation of my own soul by thy mercy, and the merits of my Lord and Saviour, Iesus Christ.

14. NUN.

IN this Octonary, * 1.150 David gives a commendation of Gods Law. 2. Obliges himself, and resolves to keep it, notwithstanding all opposition.

1. The commendation he gives Gods Word, is, That it is a lamp, [Ver. 1] and a light. Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my wayes: For the Law of the flesh and sin, darkens the understand∣ing; that which is the true good, is not discerned from bad, till the Word of God is called for to be the light, to which, if men have an eye, and follow it, they will avoid all precipices, and arrive safely at the determinate end.

2. Of this David was assured, and therefore upon it he makes a protestation, and binds it with an Oath:

[Ver. 2] I have sworn, [Ver. 2] and will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judg∣ments.

• 1. I have sworn, * 1.151 'Tis not sufficient to begin well, except we end well, and David knew our humane frailty, and that we are apt to slip from our Du∣ty, and therefore he binds himself to it by a solemn Oath or Vow, viz. To follow the lamp, or light of Gods Word.
• 2. * 1.152 And secondly, It never repented him of it, he did not retract his Vow: I have sworn, and I will perform it.
• 3. And I will keep; yea, but this was beyond Davids power: True, legally it is so; but to co-operate with Gods grace, and do his best, it is not; and that is it which Davd vowes.
• 4. I will keep thy righteous judgments; for so they are in themselves, Rules of the greatest equity, and David therefore resolves to keep them.

3. * 1.153 Yea, but calamities, afflictions, and many dangers accompany the profession of Religion, and study of piety; for they that will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution, 2 Tim. 3. of this David had experience.

• 1. [Ver. 3] I am afflicted very much, outwardly, inwardly; and yet he was constant, and resolved to keep his Oath and Vow.
• 2. * 1.154 And of these two, the inward affliction was the greatest, and therefore he prayes, Quicken me, restore my decay'd strength, as thou hast pro∣mised.

This now was a free-will-offering, to swear and vow thus much, proceeded freely from him, and he expects not to merit by it, but desires of God to ac∣cept of it.

Two things he asks in this verse.

• 1. [Ver. 4] Accept, O Lord, I beseech thee, th•• free-will-offerings of my mouth: Let my endeavours, vowes, to keep thy Law; my invocation, giving of thanks, confession of my sin, profession of thy Truth, patience under the Cross be accepted by thee.

• 2. And teach me thy judgments. Without thy help I am not able to per∣form my vow, give me therefore strength, that I may perform what I have vowed.

4. That I am resolved to keep my vow, and thy Law appears in this, that though for it I am daily in danger of life, yet I forget it not, I erred not from thy pre∣cepts.

• 1. My life is in thy hand: That is, I am exposed to a present danger of life; [Ver. 5] a phrase it is borrowed from War, where the Souldiers life is in his hand, * 1.155 and lies upon the valiant use of his Weapon; for if he be a Coward, and re∣sist not stoutly his enemy, he is like to lose it; so Jeptha is said, Judg. 12.3. & Job 13.14. 1 Sam. 28.21. [Ver. 6]
• 2. But yet, though death be alwayes before my eyes, yet do I not forget thy Law.
• 3. And he shewes his danger by another similitude: They have laid snares for me. What they cannot do by force and violence, they seek to do by craft; they seek to take away my life by a snare, as they do that hunt after wild Beasts; both which were verified in Saul that fought against him, and hunted after his life, both by violence and subtilty he would have slain him.
• 4. Yet I erred not from thy precepts: But he would not lay violent hands on the Lords Anointed, and therefore erred not, 1 Sam. 23. & 26.

5. He kept his resolution, and vowes still; * 1.156 and now he goes on to shew his dili∣gence and constancy in the study of piety, and shewes the Reason.

• 1. Thy Testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever. [Ver. 7] Such is the estima∣tion of the godly, * 1.157 when they compare the Word of God with other things, they account them of no price. The honey, and the honey-comb hath no sweetness; gold and silver are of no worth in comparison of it: No, not all Canaan it self, Israels heritage, all is but dung to it; they there∣fore David chose for his inheritance. He had but one Patrimony or Legacy left him, which he esteems and loves beyond all.
• 2. Yea, and delighted in above all: For they are the rejoycing of my heart. 2 1.158 Riches and wealth bring care and fear, the Word of God joy to a pious soul; for it is the Charter of salvation, sealed and confirmed by God; sealed by the Sacraments, confirmed by the Oath of God, secured and de∣livered to us by his Spirit, and subscribed by the blood of Christ, all which must upon necessity bring joy of heart.
• 3. And upon it he concludes, * 1.159 That he would be a faithful keeper of this great Treasure, so long as he had a day to live; he would co-operate with Gods Spirit.
  • 1. I have applied my heart; or, inclined my heart; that is, [unspec 8] when on one part the Law of sin drew me, and on the other part thy Law. I incli∣ned my heart to thy Law, and not to the Law of sin. The counsel of the soul is like a balance; and the mind, which hath the commanding power over the affections, inclines the balance to that which is best.
  • 2. To fulfil and perform. In purpose of heart and resolution, he ever willed and desired it; in performance he might fail, * 1.160 but never in his in∣tention.
  • 3. Even unto the end. His motions were not taken by starts, he was no Temporizer, whose goodness is like the morning dew; the seed of Gods Word was rooted in his heart, and therefore as he begun well, so he would end well.

The Prayer.

O Gracious God, in the night of this present life I am encompassed with darkness, the Mists of ignorance do darken my understanding, and a thick cloud arising from my affections, [Ver. 1] doth bewitch my will, so that I neither know my way, nor can choose that which is good: O let then thy Word be a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path; that I may not wander, stumble, and fall, as it happens to those, who adventure into dark places without a light, without a lanthorn.

And great tentations I have to fall; [Ver. 3] for behold, I am afflicted very much, my soul is alway in my hand, every day my life is in danger, because I kéep thy righteous judgments. [Ver. 4] The wicked, for this, are become mine enemies, and what they cannot do by violence, [unspec 5] that they labor to do by craft; for they lay snares for me: And yet, O Lord, Thou knowest the sincerity of my heart, nor their force, [unspec 6] nor subtilty, have béen able to overcome my constancy; yet I do not forget thy Law, yet I do not erre from thy Precepts.

And that to them my resolution may be the more fixed, [Ver. 4] and my constancy the more firm, I have bound my self by oath and promise, I have sworn, and by the help of thy Spirit I will perform it; [Ver. 2] tyed my self I have by vow, That I keep thy righteous judgments. Accept, O Lord, I beseech thee, the free∣will-offerings of my mouth, [Ver. 4] those promises of obedience which I have made with a voluntary frée heart; and teach me to moderate all my actions by thy rule of equity; these I prefer before gold and silver, these are swéeter unto me than the honey and the honey comb; of these I estéem as my patrimony, and my heritage, [unspec 7] they are indéed the joy and rejoycing of my heart; be pleased then, O Lord, [unspec 3] to quicken me in them, according to thy Word and Promise; and incline my heart to fulfil thy Statutes, [unspec 8] so long as I have a day to live. Let me be nor Hypocrite, nor Temporizer, whose goodness is like the morning dew; but grant that the seed of thy Word may take such déep root in my heart, that it may bring forth fruit to everlasting life, through Iesus Christ my Lord.

15. SAMECH.

IN this Section, * 1.161 David,

1. Declares his hatred to wickedness, his detestation of wicked men.

2. Expresses his love to Gods Law.

3. And prayes for the grace of God to sustain him in it, that be may be quickned according to Gods promise, nor frustrated of his hope, but persevere unto the end.

Lastly, He insults over his enemies, and foretells their destruction.

1. 1 1.162 David shewes his dislike to all things contrary to Gods Law.

• 1. I hate vain inventions: Not only execution of evil, but the invention, even the very beginnings of it. New inventions in his Worship, new glosses and interpretations contrary to the Text, [Ver. 1] David hates; not dislikes on∣ly, 1 1.163 1 1.164 but hates.
• 2. But thy Law do I love: And because I love thy Law, I hate vain in∣ventions. 2 1.165
• 3. And there is great reason I should do so: For thou art my hiding place, and my shield.
  • 1. [Ver. 2] My hiding place, That publick evils do not reach me.
  • 2. My shield, to keep off blowes that are nearly made at me; in both my hope is in thy Word.

2. To God then and his Law he would adhere in all extremities; 2 1.166 but as for all wicked men, he would be sure to sunder from them, he knew he should get no good by their company, and therefore he turns to them, and bids them a∣vaunt.

• 1. D part from me ye evil doers; for ye are the pests of piety.
• 2. And your course and mine are contrary; you go one way, and I an∣other; you follow your own inventions, [Ver. 3] but I will keep the Command∣ments of my God.

3. Now David being fully perswaded that he had a peculiar interest in God, * 1.167 turns himself to prayer, and not without reason; for our intentions and resoluti∣ons are nothing, except God bless them; and therefore David prayes.

• 1. Uphold me according to thy Word, that I may live, [Ver. 4] and let me not be ashamed of my hope. [Ver. 5]
• 2. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe, and I will have respect to thy statutes continually. There is in Gods children an instability of love and obedi∣ence, apt they are to cool and fall; necessary then it is, that they pray with David, that God uphold them in life, * 1.168 that they being conjoyned to him in love, to hold them up when they slip and stumble, that they fall not.

4. And that he did well in hating wicked men, he now proves it, [Ver. 6] in that there∣in he followed the example of God, in which he could not choose but do well.

• 1. Thou, saith he, hast trodden down, trampled under thy feet, as vile crea∣tures, all that erre from thy statutes.
• 2. For their deceit is falshood: They deceive themselves in their wickedness; for either they conceive, that they need nor be subject to the Law of God, or that they look for a good in sin, which sin promiseth, but they shall never find; or else they flatter themselves with a vain hope to escape Gods judg∣ment, which yet at last shall certainly overtake them.
• 3. This last is certain, and David in the next verse expresseth so much: [Ver. 7] Thou hast taken away all the wicked of the earth, as dross; for no bet∣ter they are in Gods account; they esteem Gods children for 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but they are so, and for such shall be dealt with, and scowred away.
• 4. Therefore I love thy Testimonies; therefore, that I may avoid this judg∣ment.

5. How by the judgments of God, he profited in the love of his Testimonies, he shew'd in the end of the former verse; in this he shewes how he profited in his fear.

My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judg∣ments. [Ver. 8]

Happy is he, that by other mens harms, learns to be wise and godly. A ••on, * 1.169 when he sees a Slave whip't, may learn not to offend his father. The beginning of wisdom, is the fear of the Lord; and we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Our love in this life is imperfect, and therefore it may, nay, must consist with fear; nay, which is more, the love of God will never be kept in our hearts, but by the fear of God; and therefore this verse is read, Confige ti∣more tuo carnes meas. Fasten, as with Nails, my lustful affections to the Cross of Christ, that they have no liberty to move, to go loose, and wander where they please, Gal. 5.24. 'Tis then, as if David had said, because I have begun to be afraid of thy judgments that bring heavy punishments on wicked men, therefore I desire to be established in this holy and filial fear, and never to be severed from it. Over-much familiarity breeds contempt; a true conception of Gods Justice and Majesty begets Reverence.

The Prayer.

O most holy God, [Ver. 1] and merciful Father, it is not unknown to thée, how I love thy Law; thy eyes that séest the very secrets of the heart, are con∣scious, [unspec 8] that my flesh trembleth for fear of thée, and that I am afraid of thy judgments. When I behold, how thou hast trodden down all that erre from thy statutes; [unspec 6] how thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross; my heart in ••he midst of my body is become like melting wax, which every moment presents unto me my sin, [unspec 7] and what I have deserved. Let their suf∣ferings be my instructions, and thy wrath executed on them, be an admonition to me ever hereafter, to love, to keep thy Testimonies. Lord, I desire to be established in this holy and filial fear, and to work out my salvation with fear and trembling.

Which, that I may bring to good effect, Lord, up••old me according to thy Word, that I may live the life of grace. I hope in thy Word, let me not be ashamed of my hope. [unspec 4] Thou art my God, and I will keep thy Commandments; hold thou me up, [unspec 2] and I shall be safe; stay me in all tentations, that I fall not; hide me under the shadow of thy wings, [unspec 4] and be my shield, to kéep off those blowes which Satan makes at me, [unspec 3] either by himself, or his instruments; these press ••ard upon me, [unspec 5] [unspec 2] to invegle me to a false Worship, and to joyn with them in their new coined inventions; [Ver. 1] but I hate all vain thoughts: Depart from me ye evil doers, [unspec 3] for I will keep the Commandments of my God. By thy grace I stand, and by thy grace I am what I am; O let thy grace continue with me, and ac∣company me through all the changes and chances of this mortal life, till it hath brought me to rest in the bosom of my Lord and Saviour, Iesus Christ. Amen.

16. AIN.

DAVID in this Octonary, * 1.170 having made,

• 1. Profession of his Integrity.
• 2. Prayes for protection against his enemies.
• 3. And also for grace to know his way upon earth, and follow it.

1. He begins with a profession of his Integrity, where we may not think that he is justifying himself before God, but only declaring how unjustly he was op∣pressed by men: Defensio est, non arrogantia.

• 1. [Ver. 1] I have done judgment and justice. Judgment is the effect of justice, and by the exact Rule of Justice, * 1.171 David had so proceeded in judging the people, that he had given to every one his own, and yet he could not live free from the calumnies and slanders of wicked men, and therefore he prayes.
• 2. [Ver. 2] Leave me not to my Oppressours: And his Petition hath equity in it; for 'tis but equal, that he who had been so just to others, should have justice done him: And by it, we may learn to commend a just cause to God, if we look for his assistance.

Now in this Petition David proceeds, and useth many other Arguments to perswade it.

• 1. Be surety, or undertake for thy servant for good. My enemies suspect me of injustice and violence, but do thou interpose, and be surety for me, that it is not true; neither that ever they shall find any such dealing at my hand; or answer for me, when I am not by, for what they lay to my charge.

2. Let not the proud oppress me. His condition is miserable, [Ver. 3] that falls into the hands of proud men; for their insultations are unsufferable, and they merciless, such he fears, and prayes against them.

3. And this he doth in an ardent manner, and the reason is, because he saw he was destitute of all humane help, it was Gods help that only could se∣cure him, which he expected, and almost fainted in the expectation of it.

• 1. My eyes fail. The eyes of faith, and whole intention of my soul are fixed on thee, and they are ready to fail, while thy help comes not.
• 2. My eyes fail for thy salvation: Not only that which is temporal, in the deliverance from mine enemies, though I vehemently desire that too; but for that salvation of Gods people mentioned, Psal. 106.4. & 4.6.
• 3. For the Word of thy righteousness. The ground that I wait for thy salvation, is thy Promise, thy righteous Word passed to me.

4. And he proceeds in this prayer, and desires God to deal with him, * 1.172 as with an honest servant; not which did his Will, but yet desired to do it; and was displeased with himself, and sorrowful when he did it not; he pleads not me••••, but mercy.

• 1. O deal with thy servant according to thy mercy. [Ver. 4]
• 2. And teach me thy statutes, which he often asks, and is then obtain∣ed, when God infuseth so much love into our hearts, that we know, and do his Will; for knowledge without charity puffs up, but edifies not.

5. He asks the same again, renewes his Petition with a Reason, and this fre∣quent Petition of the same thing, shewes his ardent desire to obtain it. I am no stranger unto thee, but a domestick servant, and therefore bound to obey thy Commands; let me want no grace that may enable me to serve thee. [Ver. 5] I am thy servant, give me understanding, that I may know thy Testimonies. It is a gift of thy donation only.

6. And now he enters his complaint, and useth that as a new Argument, * 1.173 that God hear him.

• 1. It is time for thee Lord to work; to do judgment against the wicked. To us, there is a time when God seems not to work, in that he executes not his wrath against the wicked, [Ver. 6] in such a time it is no sin to pray with Da∣vid, That God would arise and work; for a time it is, when his Church is in a publick trouble; the sins of the Amorites full, and his people brought low.
• 2. For they have destroyed thy Law: Not only broken it, disgraced; but cast it aside, and destroyed it. A time then it is to work, and execute now; made it void.

7. * 1.174 But their malice and endeavours were not so great to evacuate and destroy Gods Law, as Davids zeal and affection was bent, and inflamed for the preservation of it, which he useth as another Argument, that God would not leave him in the hand of his Oppressours, ver. 1. Therefore I love.

• 1. Therefore. David was no Temporizer in Religion, [Ver. 7] whose affecti∣ons toward Gods Word depended upon times and persons; but his love appears in this, That when his enemies fought to destroy it, then he loves it. They endeavour to make void, therefore I love thy Law.
• 2. I love thy Law. He saith not he fulfilled it, but only he loved it; it is a good progress in godliness, when we come thus far, that we can say with David, I love thy Law.

• 3. * 1.175 And that he might shew the greatness of his affection, he mentions those things which are most loved; gold, fine gold, or jewels; to which his love was not so great, as to Gods Commandments. I love thy Command∣ments above gold, yea, above fine gold.

And he insists upon this point, his love to Gods Law. What, would they make it void, and cast it aside? This makes me the more esteem it, and judge that there is the more excellency in it. [Ver. 8] It must needs be good, which wicked men set lite by. Two things I find in me arising from hence, which are quite contrary, an esteem and hatred, but yet of contrary objects.

• 1. * 1.176 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts, concerning all things, to be right. He had an high estimate of Gods precepts, he thought them just in all things; just, because they prescribe nothing but that which is exactly just; and just, because they bring a just punishment on the Transgressors, and a reward to the righteous.
• 2. Therefore I hate every false way: Nor one way, but every way of sin, and the flesh; many they are, but he hates them all; and his hatred a∣rose out of the justice and equity he perceived to be in Gods Law, there∣fore I hate.

The Prayer.

O Most Omnipotent God, I can no way excuse my self before thy Tri∣bunal for my manifold breaches of thy Law: For I have sin'd against Heaven, and against thee, and am not worthy to be call'd thy son; but to man I have done no harm, [Ver. 1] I have alwayes born such a love to justice, that I have done that which is just and equal. Thus with a good conscience I can profess before thée, and therefore I beséech thée, leave me not in the hands of those who continually calumniate me, and séek to oppress me. Thou knowest, O Lord, [Ver. 2] how they detract from me, and invent lies against me, when I am no by; do thou then interpose in my behalf, undertake to answer for me, and suf∣fer not the proud Transgressors of thy Law, to bring upon me that force and injury which they have endeavoured. That salvation which I expect, is from thée, [Ver. 3] and my eyes have even failed for the vehemency of my desire to obtain it, Thy promise, thy righteous Word is passed unto me; deal therefore with thy servant, according to thy great mercy in making this promise; frée me from these present evils, and infuse also so much love and charity into my heart, that I may learn what thou teachest; [Ver. 4] and practice what I learn, and edifie others in thy statutes by my practice. I am no stranger unto thée, but thy bomestique servant; and I have addicted my self to thy service, by a firm pur∣pose of heart, let me not want that grace that may enable me to do my duty; give me then understanding, [Ver. 5] that I may know thy Testimonies; for I shall never be able to do that which I know not.

It is time, O Lord, to work; thy Church is oppressed, thy people are brought very low, the sins of the Amalekites are at the full; their impiety is grawn to that height. [Ver. 6] That they have not only broken, but contemned; nor only cantemned, butanede vow, and by their practice, destroy'd thy Law; they are not only my enemies, and séek to oppress me, but are thy enemies, and la∣bour to evacuale thy Truth.

It is now then a time to shew thy self; Arise, O Lord, and take a Just revenge upon them, for this their audacious impiety and malice. [Ver. 7]

It must néeds be good which they hate, their malice therefore hath in∣flamed my zeal: They would destroy, therefore I love thy Commandments:

I love that Law which I break, I love it above gold, yea than much fine gold. By it I learn to do that which is just, by it I learn to hate every evil way, therefore I set an high estimate upon every particular Command in it. Lord, increase this zeal, this love, this estéem, this hatred in me, that I may direct my conversation aright, so please thée in every one of thy Commands on earth, that after this life is ended, I may live with thée in heaven for ever and ever. Amen.

17. PE.

IN this Octonary David praiseth Gods Word. 2. Shews his affection to it. * 1.177 3. And prayes for Grace to keep it.

1. The Elogy he gives Gods Word in this verse, [Ver. 1] is from a new quality not mentioned before. * 1.178

• 1. Thy Testimonies are wonderful. For though the literal sense of them be easie and plain, yet wonderful are the Mysteries contain'd in the two Testaments. Great is the Mystery of Godliness. The whole Cere∣monial Law is wonderful, because under those Ceremonies were obscure∣ly shadowed out to us, the Mystery of our Redemption by the Blood of Christ. The Decalogue is wonderful, written in so few words, in which yet are hid all the principles of Justice and Charity, to which may and must be reduced all the just Laws that have been, or shall be made. All these are but Conclusions and Determinations of the Laws of the De∣calogue. And must receive their trial by it. As for the Mysteries of the New Testament, no man can say, but they are wonderful.
• 2. Therefore doth my soul keep them. Learn them, love them, 2 1.179 practise them.

2. The next Elogy he gives Gods Law, is, that it is the Word of Illumination. Yea, the very

• 1. Entrance into it such, the very first declaration of it, [Ver. 2] whether it be done by God by infusion of divine light, or by some skilful Doctor or Teacher. And if the first opening, as it were, of the door gives light, what will the progress and continuance do?
• 2. The entrance of thy Word gives light. It is a light shining in a dark place, 2 Pet. 1.19. without it then men walk in darkness.
• 3. It gives understanding unto the simple. * 1.180 Not to such as are high-mind∣ed, and double in heart, that are so wise in their own eyes, that they will examine the Mysteries of Godliness by the strength of their own reason: but to such as deny themselves, and captivate their reason, and submit it to the Word of God, and labour more to believe, than to rea∣son. These are the simple, to whom the Word of God gives under∣standing, of whom our Saviour speaks, Mat. 11.25. And St. Paul, 1 Cor. 1.25, 26, &c.
• 4. And now, saith David, I being one of these simple ones, [Ver. 3] Opened my mouth, and panted. * 1.181
  • 1. I opened my mouth, by prayer, as desirous of this good Spirit of light and piety.
  • 2. I panted after it, as men do that want breath, and defire fresh aire.
  • 3. For I longed for thy Commandments; had a vehement intention to un∣derstand, to fulfil them.

3. From the praises of the Law, David turns himself to prayer. He said but now, I opened my mouth, and here he acquaints us what he said after his mouth was open. I said,

• 1. [Ver. 4] Look thou upon me, either as unjustly oppressed, or under spiritual de∣sertion.
• 2. * 1.182 And be merciful unto me: This is well subjoyned, for God looks upon some in displeasure. Shew me mercy, who labour under the bur∣den of thy precepts, that by my own strength I cannot fulfil.
• 3. As thou usest to do unto those that love thy Name, shew me at least so much mercy as thou affordest to others, let not thy custom be broken in me, but do by me, as thou usest to do by thy friends, which love thee in sincerity and truth.

• 2. * 1.183 This was his first Petition for Mercy, and to it he subjoins a second for Grace. Many seek for Mercy to forgive sin, that seek not for Grace to de∣liver them from the power of sin; [Ver. 5] which is to abuse Gods Mercy to wan∣tonness. And therefore David prayes,
  • 1. Order my steps in thy Word, that is, my whole conversation in∣wardly and outwardly let me be ordered by thee, for as our director, such will be our actions.
  • 2. And let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Let me be no slave to sin and Satan, in captivity to them, so that they domineer over me.
• 3. * 1.184 And yet he makes a third Petition. Gods children have not only to wre∣stle against the sin that dwells in them, but with enemies from without; Oppressors, [Ver. 6] Calumniators there be, that by false reports and pressures re∣tard good men in their way, therefore David prayes,
  • 1. Deliver me from the oppressions of men, that being nor disturb'd by their oppressions, nor yet dishearthed by their calumnies, I decline from the right way.
  • 2. So will I keep thy precepts. This favour obtained, should not disob∣lige David, but bind him the more So will I keep. 'Tis but an ill use of a benefit obtained by prayer, when we abuse it to Licentiousness. How inexcusable are we?
• 4. * 1.185 A fourth Petition again he presents, that he might have a sence and feel∣ing of Gods favour.
  • 1. Make thy face to shine upon thy Servant. For as the Sun by the in∣tetposition of a cloud is obscured, [Ver. 7] and by it we are deprived of light and heat: So when God doth not help us by his Grace, he seems to hide his face, upon which there follows a coldness and darkness upon the soul, of which David having experience, prayes, Make thy face to shine, for then the contrary effects would follow, light and comfort of soul.
  • 2. And teach me thy statutes. Illuminate me.

4. [Ver. 8] These Prayers of David testifie how he loved the Law, and now he wit∣nesseth the same by his grief, * 1.186 his grief for the sins of others, to that use he put his tears. Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because they keep not thy Law. The sins of other men may become ours, if we mourn not for them, 1 Cor. 5.2. Ezek. 9.8.

The Prayer.

O Lord, [Ver. 1] I never can be satisfied in the contemplation of thy Law in which I find so great depths, Mysteries and wonders, in few words, I find most perfect wisdom and equity contain'd, all vertues commanded, all vi∣ces prohibited, all men of all ages and all conditions, taught their duties. The very entrance into them gives light, [Ver. 2] and dispels the darkness of error and ignorance, the continuance in them gives understanding to the simple, who are of an humble spirit, and submit and captivate their reason to thy

wisdom. The proud and malicious thou dost reject, and to them the Lamp of thy Law gives no more light, than a Candle hid under a Bushel.

O make me then of an humble spirit, teach me to submit my natural and corrupted reason to thy divine revelations, never let me think my self so wise in my own eyes, that I néed not the teaching of thy Spirit, so shall I hope to understand the wonderful things of thy Law, [Ver. 1] so shall my soul kéep them. That I may obtain so great a favour, [Ver. 3] I have opened my mouth in prayer, never did any man that is anhelous and almost stified, more labour for breath, than I have panted for this grace, for I have excéedingly long∣ed and desired to come to a right understanding of thy Commandments.

Behold I turn my prayer unto thée, be thou converted and look upon me, [Ver. 4] look upon me with the eye of that mercy, as thou usest to do upon those that love thy Name, and thy Honour; deal by me, as thou art wont to deal with thy friends and dutiful servants, for I desire to be in that number, though, O Lord, I must néeds confess my self to be an unprofitable servant. That I may be better hereafter, order my steps, [Ver. 5] dispose and direct all my affections and actions according to the eract rule of thy Word, and never permit any iniquity to have the dominion over me. Though to my grief it will dwell, yet never let it reign in my mortal body, or so far dominéer, that I obey it in the lusts thereof. [Ver. 7] I am sensible what a darkness comes over my soul upon thy displeasure, and the withdrawing of thy countenance, make then thy face to shine upon thy servant, that all mists and darkness being dispelled, I may be again refreshed and comforted by the bright beams of thy favour; and withal, teach me thy most just Statutes, without the knowledge of which I can expect neither protection from thée, nor felicity.

To with-hold and deter me from my duty to thée, I find too many impedi∣ments, tentations I have from men, who scoff and mock at me, because I keep thy Law, that calumniate and detract from my good name, because I adhere to thy Truth, that oppress and undo me, [unspec 6] because I am constant in my obedience to thée, O deliver me from the scorns and oppression of man, and so being set at liberty, I shall more readily and chéerfully keep thy pre∣cepts. These are bitter enemies to thy truth, and sons of Belial, they have broke the yoke, and cast oft thy bonds, [unspec 8] and yet for them my soul shall mourn in secret, Rivers of water shall run down my eyes, because they keep not thy Law. Turn, Lord, even to these, if it be thy good pleasure, and turn them to thée, for they are thy creatures, and bear thy Image; true it is, that they have defaced it by rebellion, but thou canst restore it by thy Spirit, which if they shall go on to ver and grieve, to rebell and provoke while he is at his work, then number them to the sword, and bow them down to the slaugh∣ter, because when thou calledst, they would not answer, when thou spakest, they would not hear, but continued to do evil before thy eyes, and did choose that, wherein thou didst not delight. Make them know that there is a God in Israel, that will avenge his own cause, and protect his people, and get him∣self glory upon his enemies. But let thy servants sing for joy of heart, and rejoice in thy salvation for ever and ever.

18. TSADDI.

IN this Octonary David again commends the Law of God from the Author, * 1.187 from the equity contain'd in it, from the purity, and perpetuity of it. 2. The consideration of which wrought in him zeal and love to it, a care to remem∣ber it, and a joy and delight in it. 3. Notwithstanding all opposition.

1. [Ver. 1] David being rempted to impatience and distrust at the prosperity of the wicked, * 1.188 comforts himself with the consideration of Gods righteous Nature, Righteous art thou, O Lord; Thou alterest not with times, thou changest not with persons, thou art alwayes unto all the one and the same Righteous God.

2. 2 1.189 And just are thy Judgements, in giving rewards, and distributing punish∣ments; righteousness is so essential to thee, that thou canst no more defraud the godly of their promised comforts, [Ver. 2] nor let the wicked go unpunished in their sins, than deny thy self to be God, which is impossible.

2. And from a righteous God hath proceeded a righteous Law. For God for∣bid that the Judge of all the world should do unjustice.

The Testimonies which thou hast commanded, are exceeding righteous, and very faithful. So that God is not only just in himself, and just in his re∣tributions, but that very Law which he hath commanded us to keep, con∣tains in it exact justice. The Laws of men may be unequal, but Gods Law hath in it nothing but equity and Truth; it gives liberty to no injustice or ini∣quity.

3. * 1.190 Now the first affection that this consideration wrought in David, was an ar∣dent zeal; it anger'd and griev'd him, that so just a God should be dishonored, and so just a Law forgotten. [Ver. 3]

• 1. My zeal hath even consumed me. My zeal to thy Law, and he expresses the cause.
• 2. Because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. I did even pine away for grief and anger that men should be so prophane to forget so just and use∣ful Laws.

4. 3 1.191 And now he returns to a nother commendation of Gods Law, and shewes another affection that from thence arose in him, to wit, love.

• 1. [Ver. 4] Thy Word is very pure, or proved most pure. 'Tis like gold that is tried in the fire, from which all drosse is by melting purged, Psal. 12.6. Up∣on trial Gods law will be found to be far from all injustice. Unjust he is not, when he chastiseth his children, for there is sin in them; nor un∣just he is not, when he suffers the wicked to flourish, for it is their porti∣on. Luke 16.25. Righteous are thy judgments.
• 2. * 1.192 And this raised in David another affection, viz. Love. Therefore thy servant loveth it. Love in God is the fountain of all his benefits bestow∣ed on us, and love in man is the fountain of all our service and obedi∣ence to our God. Love is such a duty, that it cannot be excused in any, without which, all that we can do in his service, is nothing. He must love Gods Law, because it is his Law, and a just Law, that means to keep it: for Love is the fulfilling of the Law.
• 3. A third effect that this wrought in David, was, a careful remembrance of it, yea albeit he was in a mean estate, and for it despised by his ene∣mies.
  • 1. [Ver. 5] I am small, the youngest and least among my brethren.
  • 2. * 1.193 And despised, and little set by, by my brethren, Saul, &c.
  • 3. Yet do not I forget thy precepts, nor my poverty, nor contempt can bring me to that passe, that I forget my duty to thee. Many there are who will professe Religion as long as they see peace and honour follow∣it, but rather than they will endure trouble and contempt, will utterly forsake it. Thus did not David, he kept in memory Gods Law. And indeed the first step of defection is to forget what God hath commanded, for upon this the transgression easily follows.

5. 3 1.194 And here he interserts a fourth commendation of Gods Law, viz. The immu∣tability, perpetulty, and eternity of it. It is immutable, and may never be di∣spensed with, it is a righteousnesse, and it is everlasting.

• 1. [Ver. 6] Thy righteousnesse is an everlasting righteousnesse. No man may change it, no man may dispense with it, so long as the world stands, so long it must be rul'd by it.

• 2. Thy Law is the Truth. The Truth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, it hath the priority of all Lawes in this; it contains no falshood, the promises and threats in it shall certainly be fulfilled.

6. Upon which he makes mention of a fourth effect that it produced in him, * 1.195 viz. joy and delight, yea, non obstante, all his troubles and sorrows.

• 1. Trouble and anguish hath taken hold upon me. The righteous are often under the crosse, that sin may be subdued, [Ver. 7] patience and the graces of the Spirit increased, the pleasures of the world contemned, and the joyes of heaven desired.
• 2. Yet thy Commandments are my delights: Yet, even in this great tribu∣lation, the meditation of thy truth contained in thy Law doth delight me; it is the remedy against all my afflictions to call to mind what thou hast promised, This is it that sanctifies all afflictions to me, and makes me rejoyce in them.

7. [Ver. 8] That Gods Word and Truth was everlasting that gave him so much comfort and joy, that he repeats it again. 1. * 1.196 The righteousnesse of thy testimonies is e∣verlasting, and adds only his accustomed Petition unto it. 2. Give me under∣standing and I shall live. Live and revive in all my troubles. It is no life that men have, who are destitute of this knowledge, they live uncomfortably, and therefore the Word of God is contemned by none, but such as know not the ex∣cellency thereof, and the comfort it brings.

The Prayer.

O Lord thou art a righteous Iudge, and thy justice is so essential to thée, [Ver. 1] that thou canst no more defrand thy servants of thy promised comforts, nor let the wicked escape unpunished in their sins, than deny thy self to be God. Thou art upright in thy judgments, even in those stripes thy children receive, and in all those plagues the wicked receive at thy hands. O Lord we confesse that for our sins we justly have deserved to receive those blowes, and yet we comfort our selves in this, that these chastisements are to be but temporal, whereas the stripes of the wicked are like to be eternal. They may escape thy anger and flourish here, but they shall never flye from the wrath to come.

Now from this eternal justice which is in thée, hath procéeded thy Law, which is a Law of equity, for the testimonies which thou hast commanded, [Ver. 2] are exceeding righteous, a Law of truth having no admi••tion of vanity or falshood, [unspec 4] a law of purity, the finest gold purged from the drosse is not purer, [unspec 5] a perpetu∣al and eternal law, that to all men, and at all times prescribes their duty. [unspec 3] Put then, O Lord, into my heart a zeal, a love to this Law, [unspec 4] let me never forget it, but take my delight in it, [unspec 5] even then when trouble and heavinesse have taken hold on me. [unspec 6]

It is not unknown unto thée, how I have béen consumed with grief, and in∣flamed with anger, because ungodly men have forgotten thy words, [Ver. 3] this they laugh at, for this they despise me, [unspec 5] but their milice doth but increase my love to thy Law, and their contempt quicken me in the memory of thy promises. [unspec 8] O give me an understanding heart, and an inflamed soul to thy truth, and so I shall live quietly in the midst of my calamities, and chearfully end my dayes in thy sear, and by thy favour be brought at last to a safe harbour in heaven by Iesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour. Amen.

19. KOPH.

DAVID in this Octonary fervently petitions for Audience, * 1.197 Delive∣rance, increase of grace.

2. The end he desires it, is, to keep, to observe, and meditate on Gods Word.

3. His main reason to perswade it, is, Gods mercy, and the danger he was in, by mischievous enemies; from whom nothing could deliver him, but Gods good∣ness, of which he had had former experience.

1. For his prayer, it was very well conditioned.

• 1. [Ver. 1] It was earnest, a Cry, rather than a Petition, I cried; and again, ver. 2. I cried. [unspec 2]
• 2. [Ver. 3] It was sincere; I cried with my whole heart: Toto affectu, totis viribus. [unspec 4]
• 3. Seasonable and continual, he did persevere in prayer.
  • 1. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried.
  • 2. Mine eyes prevent the night; morning and evening he prayed.

2. * 1.198 That which he pray'd for, was,

• 1. Audience: Hear me, O Lord: And again, Hear my voyce, ver. 5.
• 2. [Ver. 1] Deliverance: Save me, ver. 2.
• 3. [unspec 5] Increase of grace: Quicken me, ver. 5.

3. [Ver. 2] The end that he desires, salvation and grace.

• 1. * 1.199 First is, That he might keep Gods Statutes: Hear me, I will keep thy Statutes.
• 2. [Ver. 1] Save me, that I may keep thy Testimonies, ver. 2.
• 3. [Ver. 2] I prayed and watched, that I might meditate in thy Word, ver. 4.
• 4. [Ver. 4] Quicken me according to thy Word, for the self-same end, ver. [unspec 5] 5.

4. * 1.200 The Arguments he especially useth, besides the former, to move God to hear and grant his Petitions, are:

• 1. [unspec 3] His faith and hope: I cried, because I waited, and hoped in thy Word and promises. 1 1.201
• 2. [unspec 5] Gods mercy: Hear my voyce according to thy loving-kindness. The common Argument to be used by all Gods children; 2 1.202 for were they never so righteous and just, yet in mercy they must desire to be heard, and not for their merits.
• 3. The danger that he was now in by persecuting enemies.
  • 1. [Ver. 6] They draw nigh; they are at hand, the danger is near.
  • 2. 3 1.203 Yea, and great too; for they are mischievously bent, they follow after mischief, hunted after all occasions to do evil.
  • 3. Most impious men, they are far from thy Law, they hate it, shun it, la∣bour to make it odious in every eye.

5. But the comfort is, that they are not so near, but thou art as near; they to do mischief, but thou to defend me; let then their number, power, malice, be what it will, thy power and mercy is beyond it.

• 1. Thou art near, O Lord; let then these my enemies be far from thy Law, they cannot be far from thee, [Ver. 7] Thou art near, and wilt reach them by thy justice, * 1.204 and this is my comfort.
• 2. For all thy Commandments are Truth. Albeit the evil of wicked men follow me, because I follow thee, yet I know thy Commandments are true; and it is not possible, that thou shouldst desert thy servants, who

• stand to the maintenance of thy Word; their wickedness shall never escape thy hand of punishment; they may punish my body, but they cannot deprive me of my Crown of glory.

6. He concludes with an Epiphonema, * 1.205 being assured upon his own experience of the stability and immutability of Gods Word; I know thy Commandments are Truth; for, [Ver. 8]

• 1. Concerning thy Testimonies, thy Will that thou hast testified in thy Word.
• 2. I have known of old, even ever since I began to look into them, study them, and practise them.
• 3. That thou hast founded them for ever: They are of eternal Truth, immu∣table and indispensable; and this is the Anchor of our souls, that we be not carried away with the winds and waves of tentations.

The Prayer.

OVL of a vehement desire I have cried to the Lord for help, and that not only with my tongue and voyce, but with my whole heart; [Ver. 1] hear me good God, which if thou wilt vouchsafe to grant, I will more studiously and fréely séek to know and kéep thy statutes. [Ver. 2] I have called and eried to no other God but thée, therefore save me from these pressures and dangers; [Ver. 3] and being by thée saved and delivered, I will more diligently kéep thy Testimonies: Neither have I only called upon thée by bay, but I have prevented the bawning of the morning; with a great cry I have sought thy face, and implored thy help, because I repose my sole hope in thy promisses. [unspec 4] I have prevented also the night watches, my eyes day and night have béen intent upon thée, that I might be occupied in the meditation of thy words, both in those in which thou hast promised thy mercy, and in those, in which thou hast signified thy Will, and exacted my obedience. [unspec 5] Hear therefore my voyce according to thy loving∣kindness, and according to that equity by which thou usest to procéed with all those that love thée, and call upon thy Name; quicken me with the sense of thy savour, and deliver me from this imminent death and danger.

And the impiety of my enemies makes me be the more instant to obtain this mercy; for they that persecute my soul, are set upon mischief, [unspec 6] they hunt after my life; nay, they hate not me only, but thy Law; it is odious in their eyes, they look strangely upon it, and desire it should be as odious in others: From this imminent dagger it is not possible for me to be safe, but by thy hand and guidance. As then they approach near to hurt, [unspec 7] so do thou approach near to help, and make it appear by my deliverance, that all thy promises are truth. This I have known long since, and now Lord, let me have erperience of it again, so shall I have just cause to praise thy judgments, [unspec 8] and sing of thy mer∣cies, and make it known, That thou hast founded them forever; nor the rage of man, nor the malice of Devils, shall be ever able to shake thy-Truth, or evacuate thy promises, which thou hast ma•••• to thy Church, in Iesus Christ our Lord.

20. RESH.

IN this Section David petitions to God for help in his affliction. * 1.206

• 2. Complains of the multitude of his persecutors.
• 3. Laments their condition.
• 4. And shewes his constancy and love to Gods Word.

1. * 1.207 David begins with a petition. In afflictions it is some comfort to us, to have our case known, consider'd and examined, especially by those that love us, therefore David desires:

• 1. [Ver. 1] That God would consider his case: Consider my afflictions; so much at least. 1 1.208
• 2. Then that he would help him: Deliver me from my tempting ene∣mies.
• 3. His Reason to perswade both: For I do not forget thy Law; though I perfectly keep it not, yet I have not cast it behind my back; I do not for∣get it, I desire to keep it: This he could plead with a good conscience, if not what he had done, yet what he would have done; therefore he could boldly make this request, Deliver me.
• 4. 2 1.209 But yet he goes further, and desires God to be his Advocate; to him he appeals.
  • 1. Plead my cause, and deliver me. At the bar of men, a just cause oftentimes miscarries for want of a good Advocate, [Ver. 2] and is born down by an unjust Judge; wherefore I beseech thee, who art the just Judge of the World, take my cause in hand, plead it to their faces, and deliver me; Arise up for me in the judgment that thou hast com∣manded.
  • 2. 3 1.210 Quicken me according to thy Word: For thy promise made in thy Word concerning the reward of good men, and punishment of bad, quicken me, put life into me, by refreshing me by the life of grace, and comforting me with the hope of the life of glory.

2. * 1.211 Were I a wicked person, this I could not hope from thee, nor grace, nor glory, nor help, nor deliverance; I could not be perswaded, that thou wouldst either consider, or plead my cause, or pass any judiciary sentence in my favour.

• 1. [Ver. 3] * 1.212 For salvation is far from the wicked. In the former Section, he said, They are far from thy Law; of which the consequent is, That salvation is far from them. Gods Law then must be kept by him that looks for sal∣varion: If thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments, Mat. 19. Do this, and live.
• 2. And this Davids Reason confirms; For they seek not thy statutes: Sa∣ved they cannot be; * 1.213 for they do not so much as seek to know thy Will, the way of salvation; they esteem it not, make no account of it, and therefore no wonder if th••y seek it not; for men seek after that they esteem; this is a sin, of which a good man is never guilty; transgress he may, and doth, yet he is alwayes seeking what is the mind of God, and will find it if he can, and live thereafter.

3. * 1.214 In which, notwithstanding all his seeking and finding he still fails, and comes short, therefore he flies to Gods mercies, with David in this place, Great, or ma∣ny, [Ver. 4] are thy tender mercies, O Lord. Two Epithites he bestowes on Gods mercies, and we need both. * 1.215

• 1. Great, or many; for our sins are great and many. Great they are in continuance, they endure for ever; great in extension, for they

• they are above all his works; and also many they are: There is his pre∣venting mercy, his sparing mercy, his pardoning mercy, his renewing mercy, his continuing mercy, his crowning mercy; there is a multitude of them, Psal. 51.1.
• 2. And as they are great, so are they tender. Racham, loving mercies, 2 1.216 and easie to be intreated; they flow from his bowels and inward affection, they are miserationes as well as misericordiae, pitiful mercies, tender, as is the Matrix of the mother to the infant.
• 3. Quicken me according to thy judgments. * 1.217 David found the life of grace in him dull'd, deaded, hindred, impugned, therefore so often he desires that God would quicken him.

4. And now he begins to complain; 'tis not without reason, * 1.218 that I desire to be quickned, and to have new life put into me; for,

• 1. Many are my persecutors, and mine enemies; many Devils, many men, many visible, more invisible that go about to mortifie me. [Ver. 5]
• 2. And yet I remain constant; yet I do not decline to the right hand, * 1.219 nor to the left, I swarve not from thy Testimonies. It is no great matter to cleave to the Law of God, when none pursues thee for it, when Authority allowes it, when honour and prosperity followes it. When the Lord glo∣ried of his servant Job, remember Satans answer, Doth Job serve God for naught? &c. But do this and this to him, and he will blaspheme thee to thy face: But he was deceived; for the more Job was cross't, the more he cleaved to the Lord; and so must a good man endure the fiery trial, re∣sist men to blood, never decline or swarve.
• 3. And a second strein of his complaint is, [Ver. 6] That these men were not only vi∣olent against him, and malicious, * 1.220 but they were injurious to his God.
  • 1. They were Transgressours; not simple sinners, but workers of iniquity.
  • 2. Now this was it that went near his heart, that his God should be disho∣noured by them, and his Word contemned. I beheld the Transgres∣sours, and was grieved; so before, ver. 139. 143. He took not so hea∣vily his own persecution, as the injury done to God. An admirable Ar∣gument it is of love, when the Glory of God, and his Word, is dearer to us than our lives. It was so in Eliah, in the Martyrs, in David, that melted away for grief to see wickedness exalted, and Piety and true Religion trode under foot.

5. This was I say an evident Argument of his love, and for probation of it, he appeals to God, desiring the Lord to consider it, whether it were so or no.

• 1. Consider: Vide. No man dare say to God, look upon me, * 1.221 but he that is perswaded that God will like him, when he looks upon him; for he that doth evil, hates the light, and flies, as did Adam, that hid himself. It is an Argument of a good conscience, when we dare present our heart to God.
• 2. Consider how I love: It is not consider how I perform; the comfort of a Christian while he lives in this body of sin, is rather in sincerity, * 1.222 and fer∣vency of affection, than in the absolute perfection of his actions; for though he may fail oftentimes in his actions, yet love in his affection still remains.
• 3. And his love is to the precept. He loves the Law, because it is Gods Law, from a just God, and just in it self. To love the promises of God, is no such great matter; for every man out of that love he bears to himself, will be in love with these; but to love Gods Law, which is contrary to, and restrains our corrupt nature, is a great denial of himself, and a manifest of true love, so it was in David, I love thy pre∣cepts.

• 4. * 1.223 And upon this he presseth on his Petition: Quicken me, O Lord, accord∣ing to thy loving-kindness: As if he said, Aequum est, 'tis but Reason thou be kind to me, and quicken me, since I grieve for the Transgressors, and love thy Law.

6. * 1.224 Now for the confirmation of his constancy, he concludes with a commen∣dation of Gods Law and Truth: But these words are read, or may be translated two wayes, and they will have two senses; for if we read:

• 1. Thy Word is true from the beginning, then the meaning is, That when in the beginning thou commandest Adam, not to touch the forbiden fruit under pain of death, since thou hast verified thy Word, for all men are since mortal.
• 2. But if we read, The beginning of thy Word is true. Caput verbi tui veri∣tas. Vatab. The sense is, Thy words proceed from Truth, as from their Principle and Fountain, and therefore are most true; the very garland and head of them is verity.

Two things he attributes to the Word of God, Truth and Righteousness, and they both serve very well to his present purpose, to confirm him in his Petiti∣ons and constancy, notwithstanding his many persecutors.

• 1. 1 1.225 Thy Word is true from the beginning: Which perswasion is the mother of all obedience and faith; [unspec 8] for therefore we believe and obey it, because we are perswaded it is true; it begets such an assurance in our souls, that no temptation or trouble is able to overcome it; upon this St. Peter wish∣eth us to rely, because it is a most sure Word, 2 Pet. 1.19. The sure mer∣cies of David. God will not fail his people, but according to his Word, so it shall be.
• 2. 2 1.226 And every one of thy righteous judgments endure for ever. A reward re∣mains for the righteous, and a punishment for the wicked; and with this assurance also David sustained himself against the delay of judgment a∣gainst wicked men, viz. A meditation of the eternal righteousness of Gods judgments; he collected, That for the present they might be spa∣red, but at length they would be punished, seeing Gods judgments are everlasting.

The Prayer.

O Lord, our afflictions at this time are great, and our dangers are great, we humbly therefore beséech thée to look down from thy holp Heaven, and to consider our present trouble, deliver us, good Lord, from our enemies, for we do not forget thy Law; [Ver. 1] though we cannot perform it, yet we have an especial regard to it, and alwayes kéep it in memory, desiring that our performances might be answerable to our destres. Thou which art a just Iudge, and to whom all judgment doth belong, and to whom I have committed my cause, plead my cause against mine Adversaries, [Ver. 2] and redéem my life from my unjust Oppressors; according to thy promise, quicken and revive my heart, that is very much cast down by their insolencies.

Did my heart incline to any evil way, I durst not appear in thy presence, or expect so great a favour from thée; [Ver. 3] for salvation is far from the wicked: As they are far from kéeping thy Law, so also is salvation far from them; when they séek not, nor estéem thy statutes, they cannot expect to be partakers of those promises which thou hast made to them that do séek them: But thou, O Lord, knowest how I séek both them and thée, [Ver. 4] and thy mercies are great, tender, and many, to those that fear thy Name, according to these then deal with me, and in equity deal with me, that the remainder of my dayes, which yet cannot be many, may be comfortable.

The discomforts I have are infinite, men and Devils, [Ver. 5] visible and invisible enemies on every side assault me; tentations I méet with on the right hand, and on the left; and yet such is my love to thy Law, [Ver. 7] that hitherto I have not declined from thy Testimonies: Consider then, O Lord, how I love thy precepts, and according to thy loving-kindness deal with me, and assist me, and quicken me with thy grace, that no tentation prevail over me. [Ver. 6] Let me not be seduced by any ill example, and dra••n to tread in the steps of wicked men; for whose transgressions my heart is grieved, because they keep not thy Word; [Ver. 8] which is a Word of Truth and Righteousness. Never suffer me to decline from this Truth, ever cause me to rely upon this Righteousness; let me not be seduced by Errors, nor be discomforted with the prosperity of wicked men, whom, though thou sparest for this present, yet will at last poure upon them thy full Wols of vengeance, because thy righteous judgments endure for ever. O Lord, get thy honour upon thy enemies, but let the sure mercies of David never fail thy Church and people, for thy Son Iesus Christs sake, our only Lord and Saviour. Amen.

21. SCHIN.

DAVID in this Section shewes his love to the Law of God. 2. * 1.227 And the perfection of his love.

1. The first sign of his love was, that notwithstanding he was persecu∣ted for Gods sake, yet he still was constant in his obedience to God. [Ver. 1]

• 1. Princes have persecuted me. Saul, Ishbosheth, Abner his son, * 1.228 Absolon sought his life. It is a great tentation to sustain injuries from any man, but if from Princes, a greater; to persist and be constant then, a notable Argument of love and fortitude.
• 2. Without a cause. Causes indeed were pretended, but none found: He spared Sauls life, when he might have slain; wept over Abner, mourn∣ed for Absolon.
• 3. But my heart stands in awe of thy Word. This was the sign of his love, this caused him to spare Gods Anointed, revenge Ishbosheths death, &c. Though Princes degenerate, and become Tyrants, Touch them not, let Gods Word awe thee.

2. The second sign of his love, is his joy and delight he took in Gods Law. 2 1.229 He tells us, that his joy in it, exceeded that of men, victorious in battel, that re∣turned loaden with spoiles, Isa. 9. David a Souldier and Conqueror, could well tell, what joy that was, and yet he prefers this, because it brings better tydings: [Ver. 2] I rejoyce at thy Word, as one that findeth great spoiles.

3. A third sign of love to it, was his hatred of all iniquity, [Ver. 3] and his abhorrence of falshood. 3 1.230

I hate and abhor lying, but thy Law do I love.

It was no lite disliking of sin; for a cold hatred of evil in time will be turned to liking, no simple refusing of evil, but an indignation against it, a hatred, an abhorrence. Ye that love the Lord, hate that which is evil; for no man can serve two Masters. [Ver. 4]

4. A fourth sign of his love, was his fervour, earnestness, 4 1.231 and frequency of praising God.

Seven times a day do I praise thee, [Ver. 5] because of thy righteous judg∣ments.5 1.232

5. A fifth sign of his love, is the content he took, that not only himself, but others also were the better for loving of it: He loved Gods Saints, as well as his Law; to these was,

• 1. Great peace have they that love thy Law, joy, prosperity; no peace to the wicked.
• 2. And nothing shall offend them, or they shall have no stumbling block. Scan∣dalize they will not actively, nor be scandalized passively; for that is of∣fence taken by weak Christians, who upon ignorance think that unlawful, which is lawful; or of Pharisees, who interpret that to the worse part, which they ought to interpret to the better: But they which love the Law of God, know why they love it; they are perfect in charity, nor weak∣ling, nor Pharisees, and therefore they shall have no stumbling block.

2. * 1.233 And now he shewes the perfection of his love in the three last verses.

• 1. [Ver. 6] By his hope and confidence: Lord, I have hoped for thy sal∣vation. 1 1.234
• 2. 2 1.235 By his obedience, and done thy Commandments, 2 Tim. 4.7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, henceforth is laid up for me, &c.
• 3. And this he repeats in the next verse, My soul hath kept thy Testimonies, [unspec 7] and I loved them exceedingly. He that loves me, saith Christ, keeps my Commandments. Si amor operari renuit, amor non est.
• 4. And yet again.
  • 1. [unspec 8] I have kept thy Precepts and Testimonies.
  • 2. But this is upon another Motive, which is proper to perfect men, viz. Gods eye; for all my wayes are before thee, coram te. Gods pre∣sence over-aw'd him; whatever he did, he did as in Gods sight, well knowing, that he saw all. Walk before me, saith God to Abraham, and be thou perfect, Gen. 17.

The Prayer.

O Omnipotent God, [Ver. 1] Thou hast chosen unto thée a little flock, and this flock lives among wolves, the Devil, and in his instruments, séek to devoure it; Antichrists and Tyrannical Princes daily, without any cause, persecute it; their labour is to withdraw thy people from thy fear, and to violate thy command; be then present with these little ones, assist these innocents, that they fall not, that they faint not, ever kéep their heart upright, and make it stand in awe of thy Word. Among these I have had my portion, less I confess than I deserve, but sufficient to try my love; and yet by thy mercy, that hath held me up, I have béen awed by thy Law, and have not declined from thy fear.

Go on gracious God, and assist me with thy Spirit, that I may ever rejoyce in thy Word; [Ver. 2] estéem myself richer in the enjoyment of it, than they that have enriched themselves by the gathering together of great spoiles. Make me to hate this their iniquity, [Ver. 3] and mine own; cause me to abhor all falshood and ly∣ing: And out of a love I bear to justice, and a dislike of all injustice, to love the equity of thy Law. Seven times a day, as often as I think of it, move my heart to praise thée for all thy righteous judgments. In these thou hast shew∣ed thy self a just God, [Ver. 4] that gives peace, joy, prosperity to those that love thy Law, and pursuest the Transgressors of it with a perpetual infelicity; for there is no peace to the wicked; who, though they lay snares for me, and cast stumb∣ling blocks in my way, yet, good Lord, let me be so confirmed by thy grace, that I be not offended at it; [Ver. 5] let neither their flatteries and example, draw me to transgress, nor their threats remove me from the love of thy Truth, or a constant practice of piety and charity.

O Lord, I have looked for thy salvation, and I know that I cannot be sa∣ved, except I do my duty both to thée and my neighbour, [Ver. 6] which is exactly pre∣scribed in thy Law; make me then to love excéedingly thy Word, and to do what in it thou commandest, and to kéep it, because it is thy Precept, [Ver. 7] a just Rule, an equal Law; and work my heart to this love and obedience, out of the consideration of thy eye and presence. I am alwayes before thée, [unspec 8] Thou beholdest all the secret recesses of my heart, much more my actions; make me then so sincerely to walk before thee, and be so studious to please thée in all thy Commandments, that I may glorifie thy Name even before men, and be glorified by thée in the presence of Saints and Angels at the last day. Amen.

22. TAU.

IN this last Section David prayes, gives thanks, confesseth his errours, * 1.236 and craves mercy, and promiseth obedience to Gods Commandments.

1. He first prayes in the two first verses; in which, * 1.237

• 1. He prayes for his prayers, desiring God to accept them, 1 1.238 which is a very necessary duty.
  • 1. Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord. [Ver. 1]
  • 2. Let my supplication come before thee. [unspec 2] The ingemination shews his ear∣nestness, fervency, importunity, or perseverance, Luke 11.
• 2. That which he prayes for, is understanding: 2. And deliverance.
  • 1. Give me understanding; which he limits, according to thy Word, 2 1.239 thy promise, Psal. 32.8. That I may know, fulfil, and by my obedience, ob∣tain life eternal.
  • 2. Deliver me according to thy Word. The end of understanding, 3 1.240 is to be delivered from sin: John 8.36. If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.

2. He gives thanks; he proceeds to the other part of prayer, 2 1.241 Thanks∣giving.

• 1. My lips shall utter praise: His thanks should not be smother'd, [Ver. 3] nor mut∣ter'd over, but utter'd with a distinct and loud voyce; not only his heart, but his lips also should bear a part in it.
• 2. And his lips should proclaim the equity of Gods commands; but yet so, that he were first taught and helped by grace: My lips shall speak praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. [Ver. 4]
• 3. And yet again: My tongue shall speak, or intreat of thy Word, to the edi∣fication of others; and the Reason, why he would speak in their hearing, was, Because all thy Commandments are righteousness, and so most forcible to reform all unrighteousness; there is corruption in Religion, and con∣fusion in manners, when Gods Word is not heard.

3. And now he sets to prayer again; for having made promises of thankfulness, 3 1.242 he seeks help of God to perform them: Our sufficiency is not of our selves, to will and to do are of him; he therefore prayes: [Ver. 5]

• 1. Let thy hand help me, thy power, thy wisdom.
• 2. For I have chosen thy precepts: Optima ratio; without which, * 1.243 no help from God to be looked for. [Ver. 6]
• 3. And yet he adds two more, both his desire and delight.
  • 1. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord: 1 1.244 Gods children are not satisfi∣ed with the beginnings of mercy, still they wait and seek, and long, 2 1.245 and sigh, and thirst, and hunger, and long for more; salvation they have but in promise, they long for the accomplishment.

• ...
  • 2. 3 1.246 And thy Law is my delight; which well followes on his longing; for these two are well conjoined, salvation and Gods Law: For all the hope we can have of salvation, is the promise we find in Gods Word, and the delight we take in performance of it. I have chosen thy precepts, longed for thy salvation, delighted in thy Law, therefore let thy hand help me.

4. 4 1.247 And yet farther he proceeds in his Petition for prolongation of this life, say some; for eternal life, say other; both may very well stand to∣gether.

• 1. [Ver. 7] Let my soul live; not only a natural, but a spiritual life; which is properly the life of the soul, and the way to that life which is eter∣nal.
• 2. And it shall praise thee; which should be the especial work of the soul here, and shall be the great employment in Heaven.
• 3. And let thy judgments help me: Let thy judgments which I have kept, be a comfort unto me, and help me, when I appear before thy Tribunal; For I know thou wilt judge every man according to his works. [unspec 8]

4. * 1.248 And yet David relies not on these; he knew his works were not perfect, and therefore in the last verse:

• 1. He confesseth his Errours.
• 2. Desires mercy.
• 3. And protests his obedience.
  • 1. 1 1.249 I have gone astray, like a sheep that is lost: Erravi, I learned it from Adam, his corrupt nature adheres to me, hath and doth seduce me, and I yet to my grief follow it; so much I confess against my self, notwithstanding all my sincerity, all my diligence, my seeking, purpose, resolution to keep thy Law. Erroris medicina est con∣fessio.
    • 1. But yet my errour hath been out of infirmity and simplicity, I have erred as a sheep; not as the Devil, maliciously; nor as a roaring Lyon, malapertly and presumptuously, proudly.
    • 2. But yet my errours have carried far from the Fold, I am that lost sheep, Luke 15.
  • 2. 2 1.250 And upon it I petition for mercy: O seek thy servant. Thou which art the great Pastour, that leftest the ninty nine feeding in the Wilder∣ness, to seek that sheep that wander'd from thee; come thou Lord, and by thy grace bring me home again; seek me, for by thy grace I seek thee.
  • 3. 3 1.251 I seek thee, where by thy grace I hope to find thee, in a sincere obedi∣dience to thy Will: Seek me, who am thy servant; for I forget not thy Commandments. Though I have fallen, yet there remains some grace in me; transgressed I confess I have, yet I have not fallen into a full oblivion of thy Will; as David was quickned by the Word, so by it he is conserved; when he fell, the Word wakened him; when wounded, the Word cured him; if at any time he resisted, the Word armed him; it went then well with him, so long as he did not forget the Word.

The Prayer.

IT is thy Command, O Lord, that we ask, séek, and knock; and thy pro∣mise is to give and open to such, [Ver. 1] in obedience to which thy Command, I have so often sollicited thée, and with servour of spirit, and importunity of soul, approached unto thy Throne of grace. Let my cry, O Lord, come near before

thee, and my supplication be admitted in thy sight; [Ver. 2] and as I often have impor∣tuned thée, make me wise; not according to the methods of worldly wisdom, but according to the rule of thy Word, deliver me from the power of sin, [unspec 5] and malice of Satan; I have chosen thy precepts, and made thy Law my delight, as well knowing, that without the observation thereof, [unspec 6] I cannot hope for sal∣vation. This, Lord, I long for, let thine hand then help me, that I may fulfil thy Commandments, and by my obedience come to everlasting life.

O spare me a little before I go hence, and be no more seen; [unspec 7] but throughout that little remainder of my life, let my soul live the life of grace, then I shall praise thée, then shall my lips utter and proclaim the equity of thy commands, [unspec 3] then shall my tongue intreat of thy Word, even to the edification of others, and make it known, That thy Commandments are righteousness, [unspec 4] and of force to those who will take héed to them to reform all iniquity. When I shall ap∣pear before thy Tribunal, let thy judgments help me; [unspec 7] and when every man shall be judged according to his works, let it be a comfort unto me, that I have had a regard to thy Word in all my wayes.

This, Lord, I plead, but not for my justification; for many are my aberra∣tions from thy Law, I have gone astray like a lost sheep, [unspec 8] my corrupt nature hath seduced me, and I have followed it. O miserable man that I am, who shall de∣liver me from this body of death? Thou which art the great Shepherd, that leftest the ninty nine in the Wilderness, to séek that shéep which wander'd from thy Fold; come Lord, and by thy grace bring me home again; séek me, for by thy Spirit I séek unto thée; and however, in simplicity and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I shall still erre, yet by thy assistance, maliciously and presumptiously I will no•• offend. O Lord, kéep me in the right way, and write thy Law so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 memory and heart, that I may bear a great affection to, and 〈…〉〈…〉 Commandments. Reclaim me from sin, and make me obedient to thy Word, for thy mercy-sake, which thou hast fréely made known, and fréely given to the World in thy Son Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Contents.
• * 1.2

  David per∣swades to obe∣dience.
• * 1.3

  The first argu∣ment, Blessed∣ness.
• * 1.4

  To whom it belongs, viz. the obedient.
• * 1.5

  Secunda Ratio, The Authori∣ty of the Law∣giver.
• * 1.6

  Davids prayer for grace to obey.
• * 1.7

  Three effects.
• 1 1.8

  Peace of conscience.
• 2 1.9

  Thankful∣ness.
• 3 1.10

  A Resolution to be obedient.
• * 1.11

  The Contents.
• * 1.12

  The profit and efficacy of Gods Word.
• * 1.13

  The means to attain to holi∣ness.
• 1 1.14

  D••ligent search and prayer.
• 2 1.15

  Delight in Gods Word.
• 3 1.16

  To bless God for his grace, and desire more.
• 4 1.17

  Ardent love to Gods Law declared.
• 1 1.18

  Outwardly.
• 2 1.19

  Inwardly, by 1. Affection.
• 2 1.20

  Meditation.
• 3 1.21

  Considerati∣on.
• 4 1.22

  Delectation.
• * 1.23

  The Contents. The impedi∣ments of obe∣dience.
• 1 1.24

  A dead heart
• 2 1.25

  Blindness of understanding.
• 3 1.26

  Our imper∣fect state.
• 4 1.27

  And will or affections.
• 5 1.28

  Pride of heart.
• 6 1.29

  Scoffs and scorns from the profane
• * 1.30

  Against all these he prayes
• * 1.31

  And shews his constancy in his obedience, and delight in Gods Word.
• * 1.32

  The Contents.
• * 1.33

  David com∣plains of his imperfection.
• * 1.34

  And prayes for grace to quick∣en him.
• 2 1.35

  Again he confesseth them.
• * 1.36

  And prayes a∣gain for grace.
• * 1.37

  In which pray∣er he proceeds
• * 1.38

  Shewes his weakness.
• * 1.39

  Desires strength.
• * 1.40

  And power to avoid sin.
• * 1.41

  Which grant∣ed, the effects would be:
• 1 1.42

  Election of.
• 2 1.43

  Adhesion to.
• 3 1.44

  Continu∣ance in the way of truth.
• * 1.45

  The Contents.
• * 1.46

  He prayes for illumination, and desires it be practical.
• * 1.47

  Promiseth per∣severance, sin∣cerity.
• 2 1.48

  He prayes for a good will.
• * 1.49

  That he may go in Gods way, which is a path, or strait way.
• * 1.50

  His affection to it.
• 3 1.51

  He prayes to God to remove all impedi∣ments.
• 1 1.52

  Covetousnes
• 2 1.53

  Lust of the eyes.
• * 1.54

  The objects of which are vain
• 4 1.55

  He prayes for quickning.
• 5 1.56

  And for per∣severance.
• * 1.57

  For not to have perseve∣red, a reproach
• 6 1.58

  He again prayes for grace.
• * 1.59

  The Contents.
• * 1.60

  He prayes for mercy.
• * 1.61

  Which being granted.
• 1 1.62

  He vows to confess Gods Law.
• * 1.63

  And desires to continue in this resolution.
• 2 1.64

  To shew himself thank∣ful by a holy Conversation
• * 1.65

  Serving God, 1. With a free heart.
• 2 1.66

  Tongue.
• 3 1.67

  Affections.
• 4 1.68

  Actions.
• * 1.69

  The Contents.
• 1 1.70

  He prayes.
• * 1.71

  That God would remem∣ber his pro∣mise, for two reasons.
• 1 1.72

  Because his servant.
• 2 1.73

  For his Words sake.
• * 1.74

  This made him constant.
• * 1.75

  And comforta∣ble in his af∣flictions.
• 2 1.76

  He commi∣serates the case of the disobe∣dient.
• 3 1.77

  Shewes the effects Gods Word wrought upon him.
• 1 1.78

  Delight.
• 2 1.79

  Obedience.
• * 1.80

  The Contents.
• * 1.81

  Davids choice of God for his portion.
• * 1.82

  Vows himself his servant.
• * 1.83

  And prayes God to enable him.
• * 1.84

  And is ready to co-operate with grace.
• 1 1.85

  In Aversion from evil.
• 2 1.86

  Conversion to good, which he declares.
• 1 1.87

  By his zeal.
• 2 1.88

  Constancy.
• 3 1.89

  Fervour.
• 4 1.90

  His company
• * 1.91

  Concludes with a prayer for mercy and instruction.
• * 1.92

  The Contents.
• * 1.93

  David ac∣knowledgeth Gods favour in performance of his Word to him.
• * 1.94

  Prayes to be taught by God.
• * 1.95

  Protesteth his faith in God.
• * 1.96

  He judgeth rightly of his afflictions.
• * 1.97

  Which pro∣ceeded from wicked men. These,
• 1 1.98

  Proud.
• 2 1.99

  Lyars.
• 3 1.100

  Hypocrites.
• * 1.101

  Davids armour against them.
• 4 1.102

  Obdurate in prosperity.
• * 1.103

  Good men are tender-hearted
• * 1.104

  Make a right use of afflicti∣ons.
• * 1.105

  His estimate of Gods Law.
• * 1.106

  The Contents. 1. He prayes for under∣standing. And perswades it, because his creature.
• * 1.107

  Because others better for it.
• * 1.108

  Because his own fault, if deserted.
• 2 1.109

  He prayes for mercy to comfort him. Upon Gods promise.
• * 1.110

  To live the life of grace.
• 3 1.111

  He prayes for his ene∣mies.
• 4 1.112

  And that he may find com∣fort from the godly.
• 5 1.113

  He prayes for grace and sincerity.
• * 1.114

  The Contents.
• * 1.115

  David com∣plains of his heavy case.
• 1 1.116

  Within.
• * 1.117

  Yet he despairs not.
• 2 1.118

  From with∣out by enemies
• * 1.119

  And thinks the time long, till God take revenge on them.
• * 1.120

  Who are, 1. Proud.
• 2 1.121

  Subtile.
• 3 1.122

  Impious.
• * 1.123

  He prayes for seasonable help.
• 3 1.124

  He petitions for strength.
• * 1.125

  And promiseth obedience.
• * 1.126

  The Contents.
• * 1.127

  Gods Word immutable, both.
• * 1.128

  In heaven and earth.
• 2 1.129

  It brought him comfort in his trouble.
• * 1.130

  Upon this comfort, he vowes.
• 1 1.131

  Never to let it slip out of his memory.
• 2 1.132

  To be Gods servant.
• * 1.133

  This he had reason to do, having many enemies, and those:
• 1 1.134

  Diligent in mischief.
• 2 1.135

  Cruel. Amidst which Gods promise sustained him.
• 3 1.136

  The pre∣heminence of Gods Word.
• * 1.137

  The Contents. Davids af∣fection to Gods Word.
• 2 1.138

  The Encomi∣um of it first.
• 1 1.139

  It made him wiser than his enemies.
• 2 1.140

  Than his Teachers.
• 3 1.141

  Than the Ancients.
• 2 1.142

  The second Encomium of Gods Word.
• * 1.143

  It keeps from sin.
• * 1.144

  Which he ascribes to Gods grace.
• 3 1.145

  The third Encomium of Gods Word.
• * 1.146

  From the plea∣sure it brings to the
• 1 1.147

  Conscience.
• 2 1.148

  Understand∣ing.
• 3 1.149

  Sanctificati∣on of the af∣fections.
• * 1.150

  The Contents. The commen∣dation of Gods Word.
• * 1.151

  David tyes himself by oath to keep it
• * 1.152

  Which he re∣tracts not.
• * 1.153

  Not would, though dis∣couraged by afflictions.
• * 1.154

  So that God did enable him He desires that God accept of his vow.
• * 1.155

  And then no dangers shall affright him from his duty.
• * 1.156

  Yet constant he was.
• * 1.157

  Gods Law was his, 1. Heritage.
• 2 1.158

  His delight.
• * 1.159

  And he there∣fore adheres to it.
• * 1.160

  To the end.
• * 1.161

  The Contents.
• 1 1.162

  David shews his hatred of wickedness.
• 1 1.163

  His Reasons.
• 1 1.164

  His love to Gods Law.
• 2 1.165

  God a shield to him.
• 2 1.166

  And to ill men, whom he avoids.
• * 1.167

  He prayes that God uphold him in this resolution.
• * 1.168

  He did well in hating them, by Gods ex∣ample.
• * 1.169

  Whom he fears
• * 1.170

  The Contents. David profes∣seth his in∣tegrity.
• * 1.171

  And prayes that God leave him not to his enemies.
• * 1.172

  But deal with him as an ho∣nest servant.
• * 1.173

  He complains of the ungod∣ly, that de∣stroyed Gods Law.
• * 1.174

  Which David was zealous to preserve.
• * 1.175

  And shews his love to it.
• * 1.176

  And his esti∣mate of it.
• * 1.177

  The Contents.
• * 1.178

  Davids Elogie of Gods word: that it is won∣derfull.
• 2 1.179

  That it il∣luminates.
• * 1.180

  The Simple.
• * 1.181

  For which David pants, and longs.
• * 1.182

  2 He prayes for Mercy, to pardon sin.
• * 1.183

  And Grace to be kept from sin.
• * 1.184

  And delive∣rance from Calumnies.
• * 1.185

  And that he might have a sense of Gods favour.
• * 1.186

  He grieves for the wickedness of others.
• * 1.187

  The Contents.
• * 1.188

  David in trou∣ble comforts himself with Gods justice.
• 2 1.189

  He com∣mends Gods Law as just.
• * 1.190

  Shews his zeal to it.
• 3 1.191

  Commends it as pure, like tryed gold.
• * 1.192

  And shews his love to it.
• * 1.193

  And his care not to forget it no not in sad times.
• 3 1.194

  He com∣mends it from the perpetuity of it.
• * 1.195

  Therefore he joyes and de∣lights in it, in his tribulation.
• * 1.196

  He repeats both. And desires understand∣ing in it.
• * 1.197

  The Contents. Davids prayer.
• * 1.198

  For audience, deliverance, increase of grace.
• * 1.199

  That he might keep Gods sta∣tutes.
• * 1.200

  His arguments to perswade it.
• 1 1.201

  His faith.
• 2 1.202

  Gods good∣ness.
• 3 1.203

  The danger he was now in. His comfort, that God was near him.
• * 1.204

  And would not desert him.
• * 1.205

  Of which he is confident.
• * 1.206

  The Contents
• * 1.207

  David in his affliction prayes to God.
• 1 1.208

  To help him.
• 2 1.209

  To be his. Advocate.
• 3 1.210

  And quick∣en him.
• * 1.211

  He beleves he shall be heard, because no wicked person.
• * 1.212

  From whom salvation is far removed.
• * 1.213

  Because they seek not Gods Law.
• * 1.214

  And yet he desires mercies
• * 1.215

  Which are great and many.
• 2 1.216

  Tender.
• * 1.217

  To quicken him.
• * 1.218

  He complains of his perse∣cutors.
• * 1.219

  But is yet con∣stant to Gods Law.
• * 1.220

  The qualities of his perse∣cutors. For which he grieved And appeals to God for the Truth of it.
• * 1.221

  And desires him to con∣sider it.
• * 1.222

  And the love he bears to Gods Law.
• * 1.223

  Therefore he petitions again for comfort.
• * 1.224

  The Encomium of Gods Law; viz.
• 1 1.225

  Truth.
• 2 1.226

  Eternal justice.
• * 1.227

  The Contents? David shewes his love to Gods Law.
• * 1.228

  The signs of it 1. His constan∣cy to it.
• 2 1.229

  His joy and delight in it.
• 3 1.230

  His hatred of false wayes.
• 4 1.231

  His frequen∣cy to praise God.
• 5 1.232

  The joy he took in Gods Saints, and their peace and prosperity
• * 1.233

  He shewes the perfection of his love.
• 1 1.234

  By his hope.
• 2 1.235

  His obedi∣ence.
• * 1.236

  The Contents.
• * 1.237

  David prayes,
• 1 1.238

  For his prayers.
• 2 1.239

  Understand∣ing.
• 3 1.240

  Deliverance.
• 2 1.241

  He gives thanks.
• 3 1.242

  He prayes a∣gain for help.
• * 1.243

  His Reasons.
• 1 1.244

  Obedience.
• 2 1.245

  His earnest desire.
• 3 1.246

  His delight in Gods Law.
• 4 1.247

  He prayes a∣gain for pro∣longation of life.
• * 1.248

  He relies not on his obedi∣ence.
• 1 1.249

  For he con∣fesseth his er∣rours.
• 2 1.250

  Asks mercy.
• 3 1.251

  Yet protests his service.