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ject-matter of most of them; and the Jews call it the Book of Praises, by which we being about to praise God, do mutually encourage one another with this most excellents canticle, which some think is the song of angels in heaven, with whom we hope at last to bear a part.

SECTION VII.

OF THE NINETY-FIFTH PSALM.

§. I. THE Holy Spirit being the inditer, and David the penman of this sacred hymn, the matter of it is unquestionable, Heb. iii. 7, iv. 7, and the placing it here to be used in the daily service doth further confirm (what we may every where observe) the prudent and pious care of the church in her choice; this part of scripture being as fit a preparatory to all the succeeding offices, as is to be found in the holy word of God. It contains both directions and exhortations to praises, prayers, and hearing God's word, which (as was shewed before) are the duties of our church assemblies; and its very composure shews it was designed for the public service, Grotius thinks for the feast of Tabernacles1, Calvin and others for the sabbath day, Heb. iii. 7; but St. Paul, Heb. iii. 15, whose authority we follow, thinks it fit for every day; and by his application of it, we have sufficient ground to adopt it into the Christian daily worship; having also the testimony of many Jewish writers, that it belongs to the time of the Messiah, as also the Greek Euchologion, to shew it was particularly sung in the Eastern church, according to the liturgies both of St. Chrysostom and St. Basil

g Hallelujah, inter omnes cantiones maxime excellit. Id. R. D. Kimchi.

h Vide Sect. II. §. 8.
i Calvin in Psalm xcv.

74

75

and St. Augustin's testimony, that it was sung in the African church. And it is too evident, the sluggishness of our hearts to all holy duties makes these powerful exhortations necessary to awaken us, these strong arguments to convince us, and these dreadful threatenings and examples to warn us. All which are contained in this Psalm, as will appear by the following scheme:

§. II. The XCVth Psalm contains a threefold exhortation:

1. To

praise
God,
shew-

ing

2. To

pray

unto

him, di

recting

3. To

hear his

word,

being,

[blocks in formation]

1. The manner how it must be [ 6. O come, let us worship, and

[blocks in formation]

{

fall down, &c. Before the Lord, &c.

{ 7. For he is the Lord our God,

And we are the people, &c.

8. To day

if ye will hear, &c.

} Harden not your hearts,

1.Because (As in the provocation, and as
of the
in the day, &c.

Jews'
sin,
2.Because

of their
punish-
ment,

9. When your fathers tempted

me, &c.

10. Forty years long was I

grieved, &c.

11. Unto whom I sware in my wrath, &c.

A Practical Discourse on the XCVth Psalm.

§. III. Ver. 1, 2. O COME, LET US SING UNTO THE LORD, LET US HEARTILY REJOICE IN THE STRENGTH OF OUR SALVATION. LET US COME BEFORE HIS PRESENCE WITH THANKSGIVING, AND SHEW OURSELVES GLAD IN HIM WITH PSALMS] It hath ever been, and still is the cus

k De Verb. Apostol. Serm. 10.

tom for soldiers, when they were about to join in battle', to encourage one another with a general shout; to which we may compare this joyful acclamation of the church militant. We being now about to besiege heaven with our prayers, every man shews his own forwardness and reproves his neighbour's backwardness, with O come, let us, &c. This is that which we are commanded to do by the Apostle, whenever we meet in the house of God, viz. to admonish one another, Heb. x. 25. in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs, Ephes. v. 19, Coloss. iii. 15, and to encourage one another, as the minister and people do most pathetically in this Psalm, stirring up each other's hearts in these two first verses to praise God; the same thing (after the poetic manner) being expressed in divers words; from which it appears that this Psalm was fitted for the two sides of the choir, and so we still use it. The priest beginning the exhortation (O come, let us sing, &c.), and the people answering (Let us come, &c.) thereby approving the advice, and returning the courteous invitation, and both minister and people do mutually press the duty, and express their joint resolutions to glorify God. In private it may suffice that our heart and spirit rejoice in God, Luke i. 46, 47, but we are now in public, and therefore as God hath bestowed his favours, 1 Cor. vi. 20, on both soul and body, we must (both in heart and voice) glorify him by both. We must sing his praises, and thereby shew even to men, who cannot see the heart, that we are glad and joyful in remembering his goodness. We must not stand mute, but our tongues must affect our hearts, and the hearts of all about us; that every man's light may shine clearly, and our neighbour's torch may be kindled at our fire, till the several sparks of gratitude

1 1 Sam. xvii. 20. Gr. áλadayμós, Vide Grot. in Josh. vi. 5.

that lie hid in single hearts be blown up and united into one flame, bright as the blaze of the altar; and till we be turned into holy joy and love, which will be the effect of our zealous performing the outward part. But we must also be sure to let our heart make an unison with our tongue, Ephes. v. 19, &c. Rom. xv. 6, even to rejoice heartily, or else the grunting of swine is not more harsh and unpleasant in our ears, than the best harmony of their voices in God's, who only dwell on the sounds, and never observe the sense, nor excite any devout affections. As a caution against such formality, there are four good considerations proposed in these two verses: first, the person to whom these praises are addressed, unto the Lord, who sees our hearts, and cannot (as men) be deceived with verbal compliments. Secondly, the reason why we praise him, because he is the strength of our salvation, a rock of defencem to us, and a mighty champion for us, and powerful rescuer of us, on whose power and mercy relies the strength of all our hopes for this world and the next. Thirdly, the place where we praise him; we are before his presence in those assemblies where he peculiarly manifests himself. The Jews were before the ark, but St. Paul teacheth us that we come into the holiest of all, for we Christians are admitted into the presence chamber, and if we mock him, we do it to his very face. Fourthly, the manner in which he expects to be praised, even that we be glad in him and rejoice in the Lord, not with the mirth of a theatre, which is loose and voluptuous, but with the joys of cherubims, and all those celestial orders, whose joy is kindled from the pure beams of the Divine love. These things as seriously thought on as they are frequently repeated,

m See Dr. Hammond, Annot. on Psalm lxxxix. 26. [1.] Syr.

liberator.

Potentissimus meus
Et LXX. 'Avtiλýπtwp, &c.

would spiritualize our joy, and help us both in heart and voice to glorify the Fountain of all good.

§. IV. Ver. 3, 4, 5. FOR THE LORD IS A GREAT GOD, 76 &c.] It is impossible we should do any action cheerfully till we are informed of the reason why it must be done; but when the understanding is convinced fully, the will chooseth freely, and then all the faculties of the soul and members of the body lend their help readily to put it in execution. For which cause these three verses contain the reasons of, and motives to, that duty of praising God in heart and voice, to which the former verses exhort us; for as the subjects of great princes celebrate their masters' praises, and with proud hyperboles set forth the greatness of their power, the multitude of their vassals, the largeness of their dominions, and the excellency of their achievements; so we do here praise the King of kings, and our particular benefactor; for we are more obliged to glorify him, and can more justly commend him upon all these accounts, than the favourites of the greatest monarch upon earth; they are forced to magnify small matters, and add many to fill up their Lord's character; but we need only relate the truth, even that our God is, 1. infinite and immense in himself, 2. absolute and supreme in his authority, 3. universal and unlimited in his dominions, 4. glorious and admirable in his works; all which will quicken our praises, if we consider them severally as they are laid down in order in these verses.

§. V. Ver. 3. THE LORD IS A GREAT GOD] First, let us view his essential greatness and immensity, which places him beyond the bounds of our apprehension; but he is so much the more to be esteemed ", because

n Hoc est quod Deum æstimari facit, dum æstimari non capit. Tert. Apol. Nec videri potest visu clarior, nec compre

hendi tactu purior, nec æstimari sensu major est, et ideo sic eum digne æstimamus dum inæstimabilem diximus. Cypr.

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