CLII Lectures upon Psalm 51

Severall places of Scripture opened and applyed in this Booke.

Booke. Chap. Verse. Folio.

Rev. 1◊ 8 661.673

p. 1Lecture I. on the Title of Psalme Ll. Septemb. XXVIII. MDCXXV.

To the chiefe Musician. A Psalme of David, when Nathan the Prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

THIS Psalme is commonly called (and so it is indeed) a Psalme of repentance; Expressing the repentance of David, who (of all other men we read of in holy Scripture) is propounded to us for the most lively patterne, and example of a truly repentant sinner. And I have therefore made choice to intreat of it in these times wherein the Lord doth so many waies, call us unto repentance.

The whole Psalme divideth it selfe into two parts. 1. The Title, and inscription of it. 2. The Treatise it selfe, and matter of the Psalme.

In the Title or inscription we must observe. 1. The person to whom it was dedicated, and directed; that is to say, the chiefe Musician, or Master of the Musicke in the temple. 2. The person by whom it was penned, that is, David. 3. The time when, and occasion whereupon it was penned. When Nathan the Prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

The first thing then that we are to observe, [Doct. 1.] here is this. That there is a Title and inscription prefixed here before this Psalme that gives great light to the understanding of the Psalme. From whence we may learne, this as following upon it by evident necessity of consequence.

That in the expounding of the Psalmes, the titles ought not to be omitted as superfluous and impertinent. No more then those inscriptions that the Apostles, and our blessed Saviour himselfe have prefixed before their Epistles, which they di◊ected unto the Churches of God. Rom. 1, 1—7. Iam. 1.1. 1 Pet. 1.1. 2 Ioh. 1—3. Iude 1.2. Rev. 2.1.

First, [Reason 1] because they give light (many of them) to the understanding of the Psalme by shewing the occasions whereupon they were penned, as Psal. 3.7. 18.◊0.14.52.54. and this, and many more.

Secondly, [2.] because they are part of the holy Scripture given by divine inspiration. From whence these two things will necessarily follow. 1. That they are profitable, and instruction may be had from them if the fault be not in our selves. For so saith the Holy Ghost of all Scripture. 2 Tim. 3.16. All Scripture p. 2is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable. And Rom. 15.4. Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning. 2. That it is a sin, and matter of great danger to neglect, and slight them, and so (as it were) to cut them of from the rest of the holy Scripture. For so saith the Holy Ghost also, Revel. 22.19. If any man shall take away from the words of the bo◊ke of thi◊ prophecy (and the words of any other of Gods books are of equall authority, and dignity to the words of the booke of that prophecie) God shall take his part away out of the booke of life.

p. 2[Vse 1.] This Doctrine serveth first to improve, and convince the error of the Papists; who though they glory so much in the title of the true Catholike Church, and hold the Church cannot erre, and boast of Gods Word as if it came out from them and came unto them onely, as the Apostle speaketh, 1 Cor. 14.36. Yet do take liberty both in the publique reading of the Psalmes, and in their latine translation also (which they are commanded by the C◊unc◊ll of Trent (the rule of their faith) to hold for authenticall in all their publique readings, disputations, preachings, and expositions, and charged that no man may dare or presume to reject it, upon any pretence whatsoever (and consequently) no not then when it doth most evidently, and palpably swor◊e from, and pervert the meaning of the originall copies) both to leave out sondr◊ of the Holy Ghosts words as Selah alwaies in their 〈…〉, (as they do also the conclusion of the Lords prayer) as also to add unto the ◊oly 〈…〉 many words, yea and sometimes whole verses.

[2.] Secondly, to teach, and exhort us to neglect no part of the Word, no not the least word nor sillable, nor title of the canonicall Scripture, (of which our Saviour speaketh so honourably, Matth. 5.18. Verily 〈…〉 ◊nto you, till heaven, and earth passe, one jot or one title shall in no wise passe from the law, till all be fulfilled) but to esteeme reverently of it, though we cannot at the 〈…〉 reading or hearing of it profit by it, or discerne what use it may serve us unto. True it is, that as the Ministers in reaching may, and ought to make choice of, and most insist upon those portions of Gods truth above others, which are most profitable and usefull for their hearers (for this rule the Apostle himselfe followed in his preaching as appeareth by his speech, Acts 20.20. and this rule he prescribes to all other teachers, Tit. 3.8.) so may Gods people likewise in the reading of the Word exercise themselves most in those parts of it, that they can best profit by. [The respect we owe even to those parts of the Word which we understād not.] But seeing it is certaine that whatsoever is written, is written for our learning, Rom. 15.4. we must learne to blame our selves, and not the Word if we can receive no profit by every part of it. We must lay the fault upon our own dulnesse as the Apostle teacheth the Hebrewes to do, Heb. 5.11. The duty, and respect we owe even to those parts of the Word which we cannot understand nor profit by; and the use we should make thereof standeth in these sixe points principally.

p. 2First, we must desire to understand all that God hath revealed and not esteeme of any part of the Scripture as if it concerned us not. For this the Lord taxeth his people for, as for a heinous sin, Hos. 8.12. that they accounted the great things of his law which he had written unto them, as a strange thing that nothing belonged unto them.