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them I have noted to be wonderfully careful and gracious, so as the affliction of want hath not continued upon them, and been derived from them to their children: if they have been straitened with penury for the time, yet, it hath ere long been supplied either to themselves or theirs.

XXXVII. 37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

However it please God so to order the events of this life, that they fall out indifferently to the godly and wicked men, and perhaps the worst may speed better here than the holiest; yet, look to the end of both, and ye shall well observe a clear difference of God's respects; for in the end, the godly man shall find a gracious retribution from the Lord his God, when the wicked man shall be everlastingly confounded.

XXXVIII. 2 For thine arrows stick fast in me.

Thine afflictions, as so many sharp arrows, gall my soul and stick fast in me.

XXXVIII. 4 For mine iniquities are gone over mine head.

Mine iniquities are as some deep waters, wherein, without thy mercy and grace, I should be utterly drowned; for I am sunk under them, as not able to uphold myself against the guilt of them.

XXXVIII. 5 My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness.

It is no short and transient affliction which I suffer, but lingeringly painful and loathsome; all which is most justly brought upon me by my sin, which I have foolishly committed.

XXXVIII. 13 But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth.

But I would take no notice of their designs; only in a patient and humble silence commending myself to thy blessed care, and them to thy just revenge.

XXXVIII. 17 For I am ready to halt.

If thou didst not sustain me, O Lord, I am ready to be utterly depressed with my calamity, and to yield unto the weak doubts and diffidence of my natural corruption.

XXXIX. 1 I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.

I have set down this constant resolution in my heart, that I will look carefully to myself; and however my affliction be very great, yet that I will not give my tongue leave to break into any impatient or unbeseeming speeches, while it pleaseth God to exercise me with the malice of wicked men,

XXXIX. 2 I held my peace, even from good; and my sorrow was stirred.

I refrained my tongue from speaking that, which I might have justly said in my own defence, and in their reproof and conviction, though I were so much the more pained in my suppression thereof."

XL. 2 He brought me out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

He delivered me out of extreme distress and misery, and out of so woeful a condition, as wherein there was neither comfort nor hope; and set me upon the firm ground of good assurance and stedfast safety.

XL. 6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offerings and sin offerings hast thou not required. I do not come to thee, O Lord, in the formalities of legal sacrifices, as thinking to please thee by these outward acts of devotion; but I bring a sincere heart to thee, and a prepared ear, in comparison whereof, burnt offerings and sin offerings are of no value to thee.

XL. 7, 8 Then said I, Lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O God.

When thou hadst thus addressed my heart and my ear, then I said cheerfully, Behold, Lord, I am ready to consecrate myself unto thee in the volume of thine everlasting counsel, signified by thy revealed will, it is written both of me, and especially of thy Blessed Son, whose type I bear, that we should do thy will cheerfully and effectually.

XL. 12 Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up.

These evils, which mine iniquities have brought upon me, are so many and great, that I am not able to sustain them, but must needs droop under them, without thy merciful release.

XLII. 1 As the hart panteth for the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

The thirsty and panting deer, in the extremity of drought, doth not more eagerly long for the water brooks, wherein to cool and refresh himself, than I do for my access to thy holy sanctuary, O Lord, even to thy tabernacle from whence I am forcibly driven. XLII. 2 My soul thirsteth for God.

My soul doth vehemently thirst after this thy presence.

XLII. 4 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise.

When I remember my former happiness, how I had the liberty and favour of leading the multitude up to thy holy tabernacle, and bethink myself with what joy and melody we went up heretofore to this house of thine, I cannot but pour out my soul into tears and lamentations, to consider my grievous restraint and exile from it.

XLII. 6 0 my Ge.., my soul is cast down within me therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

My soul is cast down with this affliction: in whom should I then seek for comfort, but in thee, O God? Therefore, since I cannot be present at thy house, yet I will ever remember and think upon it, wherever I am in my utmost banishment; whether in that

eastern land beyond Jordan, or the southern coast of the mountains of Hermonim, or in this little obscure hill wherein I now am. XIII. 7 Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water spouts. One affliction, like so many waves, comes in the neck of another; and, in a miserable succession as it were, calls for the next; upon thy predetermination of these my adversities, which do as it were gush out from thee, by those conveyances which thou hast ordained.

XLII. 8 Yet the LORD will command his loving kindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me.

The Lord will be graciously present, to help and comfort me; and, as in the day time he will cheer me up with the sense of his loving kindness, so in the night also he will put songs of praise and thanksgiving into my mouth.

XLIV. 12 Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.

We are made more base, O God, than those bond slaves, that are sold by their victors: there is somewhat given for them to their owners; but as for us, O Lord, thou hast sold us for nothing; and hast as it were cast us away, as unworthy to be prized.

XLIV. 19 Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons. Though thou have humbled us so low, as to the very bottom of the deep; and hast cast us down into the extremest degree of sorrow and misery.

XLV. 1 I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.

I speak of that holy ditty, which I have made touching king Solomon, in the type of him, that was greater than Solomon, even the King of Glory, the great Bridegroom of his Spouse the Church: my tongue shall be swift and free, in her expressions of his just praises.

XLV. 2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips.

O Saviour, there is more true inward beauty in thee, than in all the sons of men; yea all the glory and excellence which they have, is only derived from thee: so full of grace were thy lips, that thou spakest as never man spake.

XLV. 3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.

As thou art armed with infinite power, O thou Lord of Hosts, so let it please thee to buckle thyself to the exercise of this power, to the subduing of the many and mighty enemies of thy Church, and deck thyself with such glory and majesty, as may confound thy opposers.

XLV. 4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.

Go thou on, happily, to execute the great administration of thy Kingly office, in the behalf of thy Church, because of the meekness of thy person, and truth of thy word, and righteousness of thy promises and performances; and the right hand of thy power shall bring to pass strange and fearful things.

XLV. 5 Thine arrows are sharp, in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.

Thy judgments are severely and mortally exccuted upon the enemies of thy Divine Sovereignty; and upon the sight thereof, the people of the world are glad to humble themselves under thine Almighty Hand,

XLV. 6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

The thrones of earthly princes are, like themselves, brittle and variable, and their government many times drawn aside to protect evil and depress good; but thy throne, O Saviour, is everlasting: even when heaven shall pass, it shall continue; and thy government can be no other than holy and righteous.

XLV. 7 Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee from everlasting, as the King, Priest, and Prophet of thy Church, with that heavenly oil, whereby he hath gladded the hearts of all thy chosen people; and hath endowed thine assumed Humanity, with all divine graces, above all mere mankind.

XLV. 8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. As thy garments, O Solomon, are perfumed with that precious confection, which is made of the choicest odours, when thou comest out of thine ivory palaces; with which excellent fragrancies, thine attendants have cheered thy heart so it is with thee, O Saviour; thy human nature, wherewith thou art clad, is furnished with all graces and perfections, when thou descendest out of the glorious palace of heaven, whereby thou wert cheerfully enabled to perform this great work of thy mediation.

XLV. 9 Kings' daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.

Thou hast the honourable attendance of many noble and famous congregations, that desire and delight to wait upon thine ordinances; but the Spouse, thy holy Catholic Church, is so honoured by thee, that she is set upon thy right hand, clothed with all true glory and magnificence.

XLV. 10 Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thy father's house.

And now, O daughter of Egypt, hear what I shall say to thee, in type of the true Church and Spouse of my Saviour: in lieu of so great mercy, as God hath shewed thee, in singling thee out of the world, it is thy duty to forget the corrupt condition of thy nature, and to be aliened in thine affections, from all earthly things; it is

not for thee to think any more of the Egypt of this world, but to be as a stranger to all earthly vanities.

XLV. 11 So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him.

So shall God take pleasure in those graces, which he hath given thee thus to improve; and be graciously affected with thy holy obedience, which thou justly reservest for him alone; for he is the Lord thy God, and therefore all thy worship and service is due to none but him.

XLV. 12 And the daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift; even the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour.

The neighbouring, and yet foreign churches, shall, in an acknowledgment of thy great honour and happiness, present thee with the service of their love and gifts of their bounty; and those, that are great and famous in their reputation, shall seek communion with thee.

XLV. 13 The king's daughter is all glorious within: her cloth ing is of wrought gold.

Solomon's bride the daughter of Pharaoh, and Christ's Spouse the daughter of the King of Heaven, are both inwardly glorious; the one, with rich embroideries, the other, with excellent and heavenly graces; the one is clothed with gold, the other with the righteousness of her Saviour and with all divine virtues.

XLV. 14 She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee.

Neither hath she this glory put upon her, only to please and amaze the eyes of the beholders, but the main use of this goodly bravery, is, that she shall appear glorious in the eyes of the King of Glory, her celestial Husband, to whom she shall be presented in this goodly habit of grace; not without the attendance of all those believing souls, that appertain to that blessed train of hers.

XLV. 15 With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought they shall enter into the king's palace.

With unspeakable joy and triumph shall they be presented unto the throne of glory: even into that palace, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, the seat and mansion of the everliving God, shall they be brought, by the ministry and with the acclamation of the blessed angels of God.

XLV. 16 Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth.

This happy marriage of thine shall be blessed with multitudes of children, who shall succeed their fathers, in a comfortable and during government; the issue and condition whereof shall be so large and happy, that they shall be so many kings upon earth; and all thrones shall be furnished with princes from thy loins, forasmuch as all thy spiritual children are a royal generation unto God.

XLV. 17 I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever. O my God and Saviour, I, who by thy gracious inspiration have made this bridal-song unto thee, will celebrate and praise thy

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