Chapter VII
The glory of God ivhich appears in his kingdom and universal dominion, whereby
he rules over all; as it is described in Ps. lxxxix.,/row ver. 6 to ver. 15.
Here begins a magnificent description of God as King, and his kingdom ; for so expressly in the conclusion of this description he is styled, ver. 18, Our King. And the intent of this I have elsewhere shewn to have this end and purpose, of setting out what a king Christ his Son should be, and what a kingdom and throne his Father would estate him unto, for the grand promise of this psalm, so often solemnly made and repeated, being of a
throne, under the type and shadow of David, and of Christ s being his seed, unto Christ his Son. It begins, Ver. 6. For who in heaven can be compared unto the Lord ? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord ?
He first sets out the incomparable glory and excellency of his person to be such as that he is a King above all kings, whether in heaven (for there are thrones, which notes kingly dignity as well as dominions among the
angels, Col. i. 16), or whether on earth, and that he is worthily, for his
personal excellencies, the only Potentate, 1 Tim. vi. 15 ; and his exalta
tion of him as such is carried so high above them, as he will not deign so much as a comparison with them ; but that he surpasseth all, or the least
comparison to be made with him. 1. So far above the angels that who in the heavens can be compared to him ? The heathen philosophers and
wisest of them admired, worshipped the angels (as some pseudoChristians, induced by their doctrines, afterward did the like, as Col. ii. shews). Then,
2dly, on earth he brings in the sons of the mighty, by which I understand the great heroes and worthies of the sons of men, the potent mighty ones, as kings, and those that descend from them, whom men cry up as bene
factors (Luke xxii. 25), whilst living, and when dead, the heathens did rank them among the gods, and worship them also.*
And then the Jews themselves had the persons of their heroes, as Moses, David, Solomon, &c., in too high an admiration (whose renown was also
spread over the whole earth), and did too much boast of them, as the glory of their nation, and had relied too much upon David s house, that it would
* I rather understand, with Piscator and others, by sons of the mighty to be meant the great ones of the earth, than of the angels, as others would, because of the like correspondent distinction held in the verse afore, of the heavens, and saints on
earth, continued also in this. As also, because this style, sons of the mighty, or of the gods, is nowhere given to the angels, although they are styled the sons of
God, as in Job, because they are such by creation (for which respect even Adam is
also called the son of God, Luke iii. 38). Who though, because they excel in
strength (as the psalmist of them) are therefore styled the mighty ones, Ps.lxxviii.
25, yet nowhere sons of the gods, or mighty, which is a phrase peculiar to men, connotating propagation from such men as are gods and mighty ones in the earth ;
thus, Ps. xxix. 1, Give unto the Lord, ye sons of the mighty, &c. That is, you nobles, great ones, and potentates of the earth, descended from them that were such ; whereas the angels nature knows not propagation, for which they should be thus
styled.
CHAP. VII.] AND HIS SON JESUS CHEIST. 395
be answerable in future ages unto so happy beginnings of David and Solo mon, which the prophet here (living in Rehoboam s time) began to see to
fall short. Thereupon says the prophet, whether among angels or spirits of holy souls in the heavens, or the sons of the mighty on earth, the best and greatest that ever were, there is not one, no, nor all of them put to
gether, that hath the least shadow of worth, to be so much as named, by way of comparison, when God is spoken of: for so the manage of the words import. He says not,
* there is no god like unto the Lord (as yet elsewhere we have it), but who can be compared and likened ? &c., God
is so much and so infinitely beyond them all. I said, there is not the least shadow for them to enter into the lists of this comparison. And the Dutch have translated those words, Who can be compared ? thus, "Who can be shadowed with him ? that is, they are not worthy to be accounted shadows unto such a comparison with him.
The intent of which is to set forth how great a king in his own person he
is that is our King, as God (as he is in himself considered) is understood
to be ; as also to magnify that infinite grace and condescension of a God so great, to be the gracious founder of so wonderful mercies, and of such a covenant of grace to the sons of men ; for that is the argument he drives on all along.
This for the first, how great a God and King he is in his own person simply considered.
2. Ver. 7. From his extolment of him in his person so far above all
kings, &c., he proceeds to his kingdom. And in the seventh verse he
begins that with a delineation of his court ; and how he hath erected a
palace, and so presents him as surrounded with courtiers, and attendants round about him. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the
saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. This
is exactly done in similitude to the mode and manner of kings on earth, and correspondent unto the scheme or description here. You find (if you compare it) that of God s throne set forth in the 5th and 7th chapters of the Revelation, where the Lamb had his commission given him, to be God s
King, or God s Viceroy, where you see how his angels and saints stand round about him. The like posture of this assembly you read in the Old
Testament, 1 Kings xxii. 19, and more fully and expressly of whom it con
sists in the New, Heb. xii. 22, 23, 24, But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an in numerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the
first-born, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and
to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. And that as from thence he administers the grand affairs of his kingdom the Scriptures do abundantly testify.
And by setting out this solemnity of his court in heaven, he declares how
great a king he is, and how greatly dreadful he is unto those glorious spirits
that are nearest to him. However he is disregarded by men on earth, yet in heaven he is greatly feared and in reverence of them that know him best, that stand round about him, beholding his face, being also ready pressed to execute his will when it is signified by the least nutus, or cast, and dis
covery of his countenance.
And yet, though he useth these angels as ministering spirits, sent forth
to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation, Heb. i. 14, yet the
psalmist further presents him as potent of himself alone, to execute and do
396 THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, [BOOK I.
all whatever, which for these heirs of his covenant he hath a mind to do, and withal a faithfulness joined therewith to move him thereunto, as ver. 8 hath it, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, God, is for ever and ever ; a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom; who yet is pleased to employ that glorious company of angels that are round about
him, in the outward administration and affairs belonging to this kingdom, whilst himself by his Spirit works and doth all as to the inward effects in
his children s spirits. But this external kingdom (visible to those that are with him in heaven) he manageth as kings, at and from their courts, use
to do : which course and way, as for other reasons he chose to do, because his Son whom he would give it unto, being to be a Son of man, and a
visible king, he provided for him, to shew his sublimity, the state and
* Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels, and authorities, and powers being made subject unto
grandeur of a visible king
him, 1 Pet. iii. 22. And hath put all things in subjection under his feet, Heb. ii. From hence, therefore, the psalmist descends to set out God s absolute dominion (as the only potentate) which he hath over all things that are in
these lower parts of his dominion, which are his footstool ; as, namely, over these visible heavens, the suburbs of those higher, and over the earth, ver. 9,
* Thou rulest the raging of the sea : when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine : as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and the south thou hast created them : Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. And in this latter passage he quarters forth the world, the north and the south ; and Tabor and Hermon, which two stood east and west, to shew that his power reacheth to every nook and corner of the world. And
for a manifest invincible evidence of his power in these lower parts of domimion (this world), he gives instance of one sort of sovereign acts, which suf
ficiently argue his power over all things else whatsoever here below. And those acts too, such as were done in performance of, and to make good his covenant promised to Abraham (for the mercies of his covenant are the
thing he prosecutes) ; they are his wonders wrought in Egypt, and at the Bed Sea, rescuing his people from thence by an outstretched arm : ver.
9, 10, Thou rulest the raging of the sea : when the waves thereof rise, thou stillest them. Thou hast broken Kahab in pieces, as one that is
slain : thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. The psalmist still goes on to set forth the glory of this King and king dom by allusions answerable to what the pomp and state of kings doth
lie.* And indeed the highest glories of the Most High (as he is a King) are yet to follow, which lie in this, that his own internal essential attri
butes, and personal excellencies, are all-sufficient to constitute him a King, and then to support his greatness, and to hold forth and express a majesty and splendour, such as alone doth render him dreadful, and to be revered
of all that are about him, so as he needeth not anything outward, no addi
tional glory or ensign of majesty ; but himself and his own divine perfec-
* Propheta ad regni insignia vel pompas alludens, dicit judicium et justitiam esse fulturam solii ejus
: acsi diccret. Loco pur-
: clemeniiam et veritatem esse apparitores
purse, vel diadematis, vel sceptri, his insignibus ornari Deum, quod Justus sit, et scquus mundi judex, misericors pater, fidelis suorum protector. Nam quia terrenis legibus non suppetit intrinseca dignitas, aliunde earn mutuant. Deus autem, qui se uno
contentus, nullis adminiculis indiget, splendorem imaginis suae in justitia, bonitate, et veritate sua nobis proponit. Calvin, in loc.
CHAP. VII.J AND HIS SON JESUS CIIKIST. 397
tions are instead and beyond all such foreign ornaments. That whereas
earthly kings (their persons being mortal, &c., as other men) do therefore need accessory circumstances of state and grandeur, robes of purple, crowns
of gold, enriched with most precious stones, with which Solomon was clothed
in all royalty, sceptres also, and maces of honour, and swords to be carried
afore them, also thrones and canopies of state, &c., and all to dazzle the
eves, and beget a reverence and dread in them that are about them, or in
others of their subjects. But our great God and King hath no need of any of these things, no outward thing to greaten or assist him. Now the attri
butes he mentions are four, or of four ranks.
First, in ver. 14, you read that justice and judgment (that is, righteous ness and righteous administrations) are the establishment (as in the mar
gin) of his throne.* He needs not, as Solomon, an artificial throne, lions,
&c., as Solomon s throne had, and needeth not his subjects hearts, his own justice is sufficient to found and support his throne.
Secondly, Whereas kings have mace-bearers, and nobles to bear the
sword, to go afore them, also messengers of state that stand ready to go forth to execute any design ; so, God, as in the same 14th verse, Mercy and truth are before thy face, either to carry the ensigns (which indeed themselves are sufficiently) or as ready to go abroad, tanquam apparitoretj to effect whatever he would have done in the behalf of his people. Thus
elsewhere, when David was to be delivered, as in Ps. Ivii. 3, God shall send from heaven, says he (as from his court and palace). And whom will he send ? It follows, God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. Creatures might fail, but if mercy itself and truth be entrusted to despatch his decreed purposes, these will be sure to do it thoroughly and to pur
pose, as we say, for the good of his chosen, and the making good of his covenant.
Thirdly, These came down armed with all the power that is in God, the Lord of Hosts, to assist them, and so can never fall short of ability for the
: ver. 13 Thou hast a mighty arm, strong is thy hand, and
performance
high is thy right hand.
Fourthly, His faithfulness, that is, a constancy to his own resolutions,
intentions, purposes, and promises of mercy, that in ver. 8 is said to be round about him. In allusion still unto a king on his throne, in the fore
going ver. 7, the angels were said to be round about him ; as also the
Revelations. But here his own very faithfulness is further said to be round about him. A tergo, a froute, d dextra, d, sinistra;\ afore, behind, and
every way, faithfulness environs him round : no decree, no execution can
pass from him, but it must pass through his faithfulness. And it is for all
sureness to us, and our full security, that he is said to have placed it round about him as his guard, that so his faithfulness might watch and observe whatever passeth as in our behalf, that nothing should be done, or fall out,
but in very faithfulness to his promises made to his. His fidelity hath an
eye upon him in every thing, and he hath an eye unto it continually ; for
let him turn his eyes which way he pleaseth, it is before him. Thus in
like manner you find a rainbow round about his throne, Rev. iv. 3. The rainbow was mercy s remembrancer not to destroy the world, and it was
* With everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee ; for this is as the waters of Noah to me, &c. And this rainbow being thus continually round about him, he can look no way but he is put in mind of mercy in the midst of the most ireful
typical therein of the covenant of grace, Isa. liv. 8, 9,
* The like you have (speaking of his kingdom), Ps. xcvii. 2. t Calvin.
398 THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, [BOOK I.
dispensations, as in the same place of Isaiah you have it. And therefore he also said, he will ever be mindful of his covenant, Ps. cxi. 5, and so
of these mercies of his covenant.
Now all this which is said of God s kingdom is all true of Christ ; his own perfections innate in him (being God s Son) have an alike sufficiency in him ; his own glory and power, that flow from that union, have ability,
majesty, &c. sufficient. The apostles say of him, We saw his glory, as
of the only begotten Son of God, proper to him, and innate in him, as
such. And the angels they cry aloud, Eev. v. 12, Worthy is the Lamb
that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and
honour, and glory, and blessing.
Use I. We should therefore praise andglorify God, that he is the King, the great King, blessedness in himself. You have them both joined why we should praise him, Ps. xcv. 3, For the Lord is a great God, and a
great King, above all gods. You have them joined in the Lord s prayer, Hallowed be thy name, as he is God ; and Thy kingdom come, as he
is King. In Jer. x. 6, 7, here, as he is God, Lord, thou art great ; and
thy name is great in might ; and here as he is King; and though there be
forty other reasons given why he should be King of all the world, here is
* Who would not fear thee, King of nations ? for to thee doth it
one,
: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in
appertain
all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. Aristotle says, A super-
excellency in a man was it that made him a king ; as if he had said,
Lord, if thou lay down thy place, there is no wise man in the world can
order and rule it as thou dost, to thee it appertains. And, ver. 10, he
* the true God and the living God, and an ever
tells you plainly, he is both
lasting King. You see he blesses him, for that he is blessed in him
self. Now, what is blessedness ? A confluence of all happiness and glory that he hath, and that wholly in himself, he needs nothing ; for this he
gives glory to him. So Paul doth, Rom. i., when he had told.them how the
Gentiles dishonour God, and abuse him, changing the glory of the uncor
* Who is blessed
ruptible God into, &c. Yer. 25, his spirit breaks out,
for ever ; and what does he add ? Amen. What is amen ? So be it ;
let him be blessed, let him enjoy it. Amen is a wish, so it may be. The
like you have, Rom. ix. 5, speaking of Christ, Who is over all, God
blessed for ever. Amen.
N Use 2. As a King, we are to bless and praise him. Truly you will say to me, that his being a King relates to what he is to the creature, not unto what he is in himself. I yield it ; it refers unto what relation it hath to the
creature : yet let me say, that to be the King of all is proper, it is essen
tial to him. To me that Scripture argues thus much, Ps. xciii. 1, The Lord reigns ; he is clothed with majesty ; the Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself. Yer. 2, Thy throne is established of
old ; thou art from everlasting.
1 From then (as the word is) thou art from everlasting. His throne was established from then, from of old ; and it is as old as himself. It is
* Thou art from everlasting, that God is everlasting, but it relates to his throne. The same you have in Prov. viii. 22, The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. The Lord was King before the world was. We use to say of a man of a
not only when he says,
great and high spirit, he hath a kingdom in himself. To be sure God had. Why ? He had frames and models of worlds, and could have made millions
of worlds ; and what not ? He disposeth of all that he hath made ; Isa.
CHAP. VII.] AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 399
xliv. 6, 7, Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his Redeemer the Lord of hosts ; I am the first, and I am the last, and besides nie there is no god. And who is like me, that shall call, and shall declare it, and set
it in order before me, since I appointed the ancient people ? and the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them. A king is not
a king only in proclamations and executions, but in councils, in ordering
things in his court. He was thus a King from everlasting. Antiquity of
kings doth ennoble ; as it is said, Isa. xix. 11, How say ye to Pharaoh,
* I am the son of the wise, the son of ancient kings ? This is a subject of a world of praise ; as also in the Revelations, that God is a King of kings, is a matter of great exultation to God. Look
Ps. cxlv., which is a Psalm of praise, the title is so ; it begins thus, I
will extol thee, my God, King ; and I will bless thy name for ever and
ever. Ver. 10, 11, 12, 13, All thy works shall praise thee, Lord ; and
thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom ; and talk of thy power ; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. And
therefore you find in the psalms, the psalmist bids them proclaim it : The Lord is King, and reigns in the world, as the best news they ever heard, or that ever could be told them ; as in Ps. xcvi. 10, Say among the hea
ther** The Lord reigneth ; make proclamation of it, that the Lord reigns ; the world also shall be established, that it shall not be moved. Ver. 11, Let the heavens rejoice, that the Lord reigns, and let the earth be
: let the field be joyful, and all that is therein ; then shall all the trees
glad
of the wood rejoice. Let the sea roar ; you fishes that have no tongues, you are mute, yet speak and roar out now, that God reigns ; as Christ
* Let the floods clap their hands ;
says, that the very stones would speak
let the hills be joyful together, Ps. xcviii. 8. Or, as elsewhere, let them
skip and dance, that God is King, that he is the King of kings, that he
reigns. But especially let his church do it, Ps. xcvii. The church espe
cially hath a share in this, thy judgments are made manifest ; as Rev. xv., Thou art King, and King of saints ; let the heavens declare his righteous ness, and all the people see his glory, ver. 6 ; worship him, all ye gods, ver. 7, gods or angels, and this because he is so high and great a King. And you poor souls that are here below, and under oppression, sowing tears, before this kingdom breaks out (says he), there is light sown for you
* Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
ver. 11,
Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous ; and give thanks to the remembrance of
his holiness, ver. 12. This is because he is King. I will now explain to you the frame of such a soul, as is wound up to God, to give glory to God for what was in himself ; and will describe the many dispositions that soul hath.
First, Such a soul sees so much of the glory of God, as it is at a loss what praise to give him. It knows not how to praise and glorify him
enough. As it is said of his benefits, which is a lower praise given to him, Ps. cxvi. 12, What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me ? Thus also Paul, 1 Thess. iii. 9,
* What thanks can we render to God again for you ? But if the glory of God come in, it is above all your blessing and praise. Neh. ix. 5, Blessed be thy glorious name, which
is exalted above all blessing and praise. That a soul is at such a loss you may see it in the psalms. 1. See the variety of expression the psalmist goes about to utter it by;
400 THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHEE, [BOOK I.
sometimes he calls it praise, and then glorifying; Ps. Ixxxvi. 12, I will
praise thee, Lord my God, with all my heart ; and I will glorify thy name
for evermore. And sometimes singing. But he says it over, and over, and
* Sing praises to God, sing praises ; sing praises to our King, sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth ;
over, and over ; Ps. xlvii. 6, 7, 8,
sing you praises with understanding. God reigneth over the heathen ; God
sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. He doubles it, and doubles it, to shew the vehemency of his soul ; he could not sing loud enough, Sing, sing,
sing, sing, four times in one verse. And sometimes, a new song ; Ps.
xxxiii. 3, Sing unto him a new song. I have praised him formerly, and
sung to him, but all my old songs are not good enough.
* shouting for joy ; Ps. xxxii. 11, Be glad in the Lord, ye righteous
Sometimes he expresses it by
: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in
* Play skilfully with a loud noise. And extol him ; Ps. xxx. 1, I will extol thee, Lord. And magnify him ; Ps. xxxiv. 3, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. Some
heart. Ps. xxxiii. 3,
times, I will greatly praise the Lord ; and because praise is too low a
word, says he, let us make his praise glorious ; Ps. Ixvi. 2, Sing forth the honour of his name ; make his praise glorious. Let us give him no other than glorious praise.
As he useth this variety of expression, which shews he knew not what to do or say, so he doth not know what to speak of God whilst he praises him, what words to use ; and therefore he carries it off in so great a superlative ; Ps. Ixxvii. 13, Who is so great a God as our God ?
* Who shall not fear
thee, Lord, thou King of nations ? Kev. xv. 4. And he hath it out of
* There is none like unto thee, Lord : thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Ver. 7, Who would not fear thee, King of nations ? In Ps. cvi. 2, he puts all the creatures into a stand at it,
Jer. x. 6,
* Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord ? Who can shew forth all his praise ? Alas ! ver. 3, Blessed be they that keep judgment, that can be holy. W
Tho can shew forth all his praise ? Praise him we cannot. And sometimes he useth this language,
* Be exalted above the heavens ; and let thy glory be above all the earth, Ps. Ivii. 11. And the God that
rides on the heavens : Ps. Ixviii. 4, 33, Sing unto God, sing praises to his name ; extol him that rideth upon the heavens, by his name JAH, and
* To him which rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old. Praise him under that notion. Insomuch as in deed and in truth we find these strains in the psalmist, that he knew not how to
rejoice before him.
set him out with words enough ; he leaves it to his own self, for himself to do it, for the creatures cannot do it. Ps. xxi. 13. Glorify thyself in thy own strength, in thine own excellency, for the creature cannot do it. Such
* I
a soul as David was, is enlarged to talk high of God ; Ps. Ixxxvi. 12,
will praise thee, Lord my God, with all my heart ; I will glorify thy name for evermore. Alas ! poor creature, how canst thou praise him for evermore ? A soul fired with desires to praise God, it burns after both more perfect things and more lasting than it is able to perform.
* To will
is present with it, &c. See but the Teachings and roomings of such a soul, how it swells in desires to glorify God !
First, That soul in such a frame does extend itself to praise God in all
times.
1. In all seasons, that is, when any occasion shall be given ; Ps. xxxiv. 1,
1 1 will bless, the Lord at all times, that is (as I take it), at all seasons.
2. His heart goes further : His praise shall be continually in my mouth,
CHAP. VII. J AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 401
he would be doing it continually; Ps. Ixxxiv. 4, They will be still praising thee, at all seasons of the day, morning, evening, and night ; Ps. xcii. 2,
* To shew forth thy loving-kindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness
every night; Ps. cxlv. 1, 2, I will extol thee, my God, King; and I
will bless thy name for e?er and ever : every day will I bless thee ; and I
will praise thy name for ever and ever. In other psalms, I will bless thee while I live, Ps. Ixiii. 4. Ps. civ. 33,
* I will sing unto the Lord as
long as I live : I will sing praise to my God while I have my being
. But
this is but for this life : but I will praise the Lord for ever and ever, says David, Ps. civ. 2.
* I will make thy name to be remembered in all gene rations : therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever, Ps. xlv. 17. Such a soul is so enlarged, as, if it were possible for him to do it, he would contract all the praises due to God in all ages into an instant, and give him
all at once, such are the enlarged rooms and desires of his spirit. that
I could contract (thinks that soul) all the glory that is due to God, and that I can give to God to eternity, that I could give it him in one moment !
Ps. cvi. 48, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to ever
* say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. Thus this poor soul doth reach, and the reason is, because he is so great a God for ever, and therefore he would praise him as for ever. Thus in Eph. iii. 21, where Paul gives glory to God, To him be glory in the church through Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. So Jude also,
: and let all the people, in the world,
lasting
* To him be glory now and ever. Amen, verse 25.
3. This soul will rejoice that God hath been celebrated by others, in all
* But thou, Lord, shalt endure for ever, and thy re membrance unto all generations. That he hath lived in their praises, Ps. xxii. 3, thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. More expressly, Ps. cxxxv. 13,
ages ; Ps. cii. 12,
* Thy name, Lord, endureth for ever ; and thy memorial, Lord, throughout all generations. This soul could sit down with angels, and take in all their praises, and rejoice that God hath been so celebrated and praised in all times.
4. This soul would extend itself, not only to all times, but to all persons, and things, and works of God, to praise him. Oft in the psalms he rejoices in God, and calls upon all nations to do it. Ps. xcvi. 1, Sing unto the Lord all the earth ; verse 7, Give glory to the Lord, ye kindreds of the
earth, give unto the Lord glory and strength; verses 11, 12, Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea roar, &c. Alas ! I cannot do it, my heart is too narrow! Ps. Ixxii. 18, 19, Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, who only doth wondrous things, and blessed be his glorious name for ever ; and let the whole earth be filled with his
glory. Amen, and Amen. Nothing will content him else ; if he could, he would fire all creatures to do it ; Let the people praise thee, God, let
* Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness ; and come before his pre sence with singing. Ps. cxviii. 1,
all the people praise thee. So in Ps. c.,
* give thanks unto the Lord ; for he is good : because his mercy endureth for ever. He is King everywhere ; that they would praise him in all his dominions ! Ps. ciii. 22, Bless the Lord all his works, in all places of his dominion, in every nook and corner of the world ; verse 20, Bless the Lord, all ye his angels, that excel in
strength, and do his commandments. Begin you to bless God ! What had he to do to call upon angels ? It is as if he had said, Alas ! poor creature, I have not strength ; you angels that excel in strength, do you bless the Lord ; it is better than to do his will, it is your greatest excelVOL. IV. C C
402 THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, [BOOK I.
lency. And ver. 21, Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts ; ye ministers that do his pleasure. And at last,
* Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion : and bless the Lord, my soul ! and what a poor little
thing am I to bless him, so he concludes. And again, Ps. cxiii. 1, 2, 3,
* Praise ye the Lord. Praise, ye servants of the Lord, praise the name
of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and
for evermore. From the rising of the sun, unto the going down of the same, the Lord s name is to be praised. He is so full, that himself would (if he knew how) wish himself in the midst of a whole congregation of the upright ; Ps. cxi. 1, Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole
heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. Would I had a voice to reach the multitude of all nations ! Ps. cviii. 3,
* I will
: and I will sing praises unto thee among the nations. Nay, before all the kings of the earth, and all angels,
praise thee, Lord, among the people
all gods ; he wisheth such an auditory. Ps. cxxxviii. 1,
* Ifwill praise thee with my whole heart ; before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. Our Saviour Christ praised him thus in the midst of the church universal.
Ps. Ixxxvi. 1, 2, Bow down thine ear, Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am holy ; the word is, I am thy ser
vant, or saint, or accepted. How does he praise God ? most mightily
ver. 8, Among the gods there is none like thee, neither are there any works
like to thy works. Here is a poor man in his need talks thus ; and thou
that art so great a God, help me in a little* case. In Ps. Ixxxix. is an emi nent instance, ver. 52,
* Blessed be the Lord for evermore. Amen, and Amen. Says Calvin, there are those that say this verse is foisted in. Why ? Because the man was in a great deal of misery in the verses before.
* Remember, Lord, the reproach of thy servant ; how I do bear in my bosom
the reproach of all the mighty people ; wherewith thine enemies have re
proached me, Lord ; wherewith they have reproached the footsteps of
thine anointed. How doth he praise God in this psalm !t and it is there made the fruit of his death. I will declare thy name unto my brethren :
in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. You that fear the Lord,
praise him : all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him ; and fear him, all ye the
seed of Israel. You know who said it. what glory does Christ bring to God ; ver. 25, My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation. The
matter of his praise is fetched out of God, he fully knew him. And Paul
wishes, Eph. iii. 21 , Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus,
throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. In the whole church
universal.
5. Again, this soul, let it be in the lowest frame that can be, in the
greatest misery, worst condition, if this frame comes upon it, he will still
praise God. I have known such as have been in the bottom of hell, and
there praised God. In Ps. Ixxxvi., David praised God when he had been in
a very pitiful condition, verses 1, 2, 3. Nowhere such praises, as from the
5th to the 15th verse of this psalm. And, as Calvin well said, might not
this man as well bless God at last, as he did at first ? I will sing of the
mercies of the Lord for ever ; with my mouth will I make known thy faith
fulness to all generations, &c. When a soul is at the lowest, if the Spirit of praise come in upon that soul, he will cry out to God aloud in praising him. There is another eminent instance in Ps. xxii. Our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ hung upon the cross ; there he hung, and all the pharisees, the
bulls came about him ; and says he, I cried to thee. W
That doth he corn-
* Qu. like ? ED, f That is, Ts. xxii. ED.
CHAP. VII.J AND HIS SON JESUS CHRIST. 403
fort himself with ? Verse 3, But thou art holy, thou that inhabitest the
praises of Israel. The praises given to God are so delightful to God the
Father, that they are called an habitation to him ; and the breadth of
them, says Christ, this is that which supports me, Thou art holy, and in
habitest the praises of Israel ; verse 6, I am a worm and no man, a re
proach of men, and despised of the people ; but no matter, so thou art
praised. When the world was overwhelmed with a deluge of misery, yet
says the prophet, Wherefore glorify you the Lord in the fires, Is. xxiv. 15. In the midst of all the fires round about their ears, they glorified God ; some
* in the valley, in the lowest condition they could be in. This soul
read it
yet rejoices that it shall live to praise him. My brethren, let us pray for such a heart as this, that the saints of the Old Testament may not shame us that are Christians of the New.
404 THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, [BOOK II.